> Love at All Speeds: Running for Rainbows
>  by LunaAdmirer25
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Strange New Pony, Welcome to Equestria
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“P-p...Please... Don't do this...”

A young man in a dark hoodie was against the Wondercolt statue of Canterlot High, the moon shining above just an hour after the sun set. His royal blue hair in disarray and some of it over his face as red covered his right eye.

His leg was locked to the side, unmoving as his hand gripped it, shaking. He looked to the three men around him, one with a bat. This red haired man grinned wide. “Can't have you winning another track record for Canterlot High... Time someone else took the field of glory. Sorry there, Shadow Step, but this is where your legacy ends, and my own begins. You'll be in the hospital for weeks recovering, and even then you won't be up to snuff in a month to stop me from my rightful place.”

Shadow Step, the bleeding young man with a dull dark gray skin, could only groan in pain as his leg refused to move. He had been caught in a jog around the school, training for the track tournament that Friday. Little did he realize that his competition would see fit to use his alone time and practice session to strike and cheat to win. That bat had fractured his leg, but only bad enough to not walk for the next week or two.

Shadow Step looked at his rival, a snarl of pain leaving his lips. “You're cheating to win. That just proves how horrible at running you really are, Jagged Barrel. No honor, no training. Just weak tampering with the results.”

The young runner knew his vision was losing it's edge, due to the blunt force trauma his head took when he got thrown against the statue. His rival snarled and kicked his leg, making Shadow scream in agony. “I'm a better runner than you will ever be! But unlike you, I am willing to do what it takes to win! You're just some showoff who thinks he is better because he has been running all his life like the coward he is! The only reason you are so fast is because you can't stand people stronger than you around you!”

It was all he could do to not make his situation worse, as he kept his leg straight, keeping that stable fracture from twisting. The pain in his leg and the blood from his head increasing to the point he felt faint. Before he passed out, he could hear his rival speak up once more. “And when I take the trophy? Everyone will see how pathetic you are. Weak and small... See ya round, Shamefully Slow.”

Shadow heaved a heavy sigh as the trio finally went their way and let him be. The last of his energy collapsing onto itself and his eyes shut. With a final consciousness, he felt lighter than he ever had before. A swirling energy making his body tingle. He could see a rainbow of colors, just like the hair of his crush who inspired him to take track. With the blurring sight of his arm shrinking shorter, but growing thicker, his mind shut down.

XxX The Crystal Empire XxX

With a startled expression, a white coated stallion with a shield on his flank was erupted from bed by the magical pulse from his wonderful wife. The unicorn with blue mane, Shining Armor himself, looked in surprise as his wife, Princess Cadence, had her magic running full strength in her sleep. “Only one reason that magic would be going, we're being infiltrated!”

It was perfectly logical. Ever since the incident revolving a one Sunset Shimmer a good many moons ago, Cadence had cast a shielding spell with his magic as a catalyst, one that would instantly connect her to any intrusions to the mirror room, be it from the mirror itself, or from anypony dumb enough to try and go to the other world. He didn't hesitate in his next actions, as he cast his strongest shield over his love and ran for the mirror room itself, calling for some of his guard to get to the door and be ready for his word.

As Shining finally came across the door to the mirror, he put his horn to the magical barrier around it, the one locking the room with Cadence's magic. The magic dispelled and he pushed himself in, letting the magic lock him in with whoever was there.

The room itself was dark, not an ounce of light. “Either this Unicorn is smart, or it's an Earth Pony or Pegasus. Either way, guess I need to be the one lighting the room.” He gave a quick jolt to his horn and lightly lit the area with a quick flash. Trained in the Royal Guard, as it's highest captain, he had the ability to take in his entire surroundings in an instant. As the room went dark once more, he hesitated.

He couldn't have seen what he seen, could he? He lit the area with a small light from his horn, heading to the mirror itself. He looked in shock as he seen his first sight was no lie. He lit his horn and got a better look at the one before him.

Shining could make out a broken back leg, and a bleeding head, but otherwise the pony before him was no doubt an Earth pony. With a pitch black coat and a dark blue mane, he was unmoving. With little hesitation he shot a bream of magic inside the room, a beacon to tell Cadence the room was clear of hostile threats.

He turned to the Guards who were rushing in now, the ones who were quick enough to get there from their stations when he had sounded the alarm. “This pony needs medical attention, NOW! Get Redheart on this now! This leg looks bad!”

The Guards saluted and started pulling the young stallion on the floor to the medical wing. As they did he exited the room. Shining felt his protection bubble around Cadence become empty of it's occupant, and before him flashed his love, teleporting to him.

The Princess of Love huffed, feeling tired from just only waking up. The guards around her bowed before her as she came up to Shining. “Report. What did you find, Shining?”

Shining Armor looked to the Earth Pony now being hoisted on a Guards back to be taken, Cadence seeing this too. As the two looked to each other, he spoke softly. “No clue. The place was empty of anypony but him. Whoever attacked him must have been swift in getting him in there. Either that, or he had escaped to this world from the other. Can't you tell from our spell together if the Mirror was used?”

Cadence nodded and they both went into the room. With a quick spell, she hummed in puzzlement. “Strange... He is the only one this room sensed. Meaning he came through the portal. But I feel it wasn't him who came through on his own... It's like the Portal brought him here on it's own.”

That got her husband's attention. “Wait, you mean the Portal brought him here? The mirror has a will of it's own? Can it just pull Ponies into it?”

Cadence shook her head and turned to her love. “No, Luna told me how this mirror works. It's not sentient... But it is magic. Whoever this stallion is, he was brought here by chance. How is his condition?”
Shining looked back through the door. With a sigh he looked down. “He had a nasty head injury, looked like he lost a fair bit of blood. His leg looks to be the worst of it, but nothing a quick mending spell can't take care of with a night's rest.”

Cadence nodded and stepped beside him. “We'll have to wait 'till he wakes. Let him tell his side of the story... Though we might need to be careful. Remember how Twilight told us of the beings in the other world?”

With a nod he understood perfectly. “Yeah. We need to deal with this situation carefully. Keep any contact to a minimum. Maybe I should keep Redheart in to explain the diagnosis, and I'll be there waiting to get some answers.”

Cadence smiled and nuzzled her love before shaking her head, sighing. “You have no clue how sexy it is when you take charge. But this needs to be delicate. Fluttershy levels of it. One false move, one push too hard, and he might lock up.”

That first comment had Shining blushing a bit. But because of his guard still around, he had to snap out of it. Shining nodded and smiled to his wife. “Then I guess you'll be the one getting some answers. I'll be waiting out the door though.”

It would have been horrible of her to not notice the glint in her husbands eye's, a clear teasing look she loved oh so much. The Princess of Love nodded and giggled a bit. “Then let's get some rest, Shiny. If that bump was as bad as you say, we have a fair amount of time till he wakes up. And I am just about ready to collapse. I was still sleeping when you put that spell up around me.”

Armor wrapped a hoof around his wife and nodded, letting her use him as a crutch to let her easily move back to the bedroom. As he left he turned to his guard. “All Ponies back to stations. The excitement is over, thank you for your quick response. Tell Redheart to inform us upon our waking hours of the patient's condition.”

With a salute, the Guard stormed off with the message to the troops. Cadence had a feeling this was going to be a very exciting few days... But she didn't mind one bit, a little excitement is something they all needed. “Auntie Tia told me take the chaos in brief harmless periods to keep things exciting. Her own rule has her bored enough to play visitor to everywhere she can reach.”

XxX Morning XxX

Shadow Step groaned as he woke up. He felt like his head was going to split open again, but otherwise he didn't feel too bad. “What in the crud happened?” He turned over, but something felt off to him. Like his body wasn't positioned correctly, when he felt it was... sort of.

He opened his eyes, a bright light blinding him for a few seconds before clearing up. It took a moment to notice it was the sun coursing it's way through the window, but what really made him think twice was that no real lights were above him. Just stark white stone and crystal, the sun just lighting the area up brightly.

With a sigh he pulled his arm in front of his face to cover him from the light. He froze, and his eyes snapped open as Shadow Step seen he had no arm, no fingers... he had a foreleg of a pony and a HOOF! His fear sticking into him as he threw his new appendage out and tried to kick away. “WHAT IN THE WORLD!”

“Whoa there! Calm yourself, sir, everything's ok!” Shadow step turned to see a pony in in white, a white coat around it and a nurse cap on it's head. The voice was clearly female, though. Not only that, he seen her side near her tail had a cross and something on it that made him wonder what kind of tattoo she would agree to have put on her like that.

The nurse came up to him. “Sir, do you remember how you came to be here? What is your name?”

Shadow just looked around. Everything seemed in place, except the fact he was in a high class hospital, nothing at all like the Canterlot High Clinic. “Wh-Where am I?”

The nurse smiled. “At least you can talk. I am Nurse Redheart. Welcome to the Crystal Empire.”

The young runner groaned as he held his head with his hoof, which felt rather strange considering it was a HOOF! He looked around him again. “Crystal Empire? Where is that?... Wait, wait! Did you.. just.. TALK!?!?”

Nurse Redheart blinked but nodded. Before she could speak up, another voice cut through from the door. “Yes, we did. I suppose I should explain some things... Nurse, you may leave now.” The young white mare nodded and started off.

Shadow Step could hardly make out the other voice, the one behind it was behind the curtain surrounding the bed a bit. Didn't take long, as a pink mare came up, her wings shuffling and her horn glowing, the glow also around the curtain to open it a fair bit.

To say Shadow was stunned, was to understate things. First, a pony... now, a pony with a horn AND wings? Where did he end up! The taller mare smiled at him a bit. “My name is Princess Cadence. It is an honor to meet you. I suppose we should start with your name?”

He could hardly believe this. Ponies, talking ponies. And not only that, he himself BECAME one? If it weren't for his leg being broken, he'd have ran off... Wait, why didn't his leg hurt? He looked to what used to be his broken leg, only to find his whole body was pony indeed... and that his leg was fixed.

The Princess was patient, but not one for silence. “This is pretty new to you, not surprising actually. If you are worried about your back leg, don't fret. We have mended the bones, and they have been healed. As has your head injury, though I suspect without proper knowledge on how long you were bleeding, we cannot fathom if there was any brain damage.”

Even though he felt fine, he did have a stinging headache. He looked to the Princess, and seen her staring at him stoically. “I.. Don't know. Last thing I remember was... bright lights. I saw a rainbow of color, then passed out.”

Cadence nodded. “That was you going through the Portal. I suppose you want to know what I am talking about?”

Shadow nodded a bit, still trying to gather his thoughts. Cadence walked a little closer. “You see, there is a.. magic... linking your world, and this world. This magic is from a Mirror, or what it is for us. Every thirty moons, the portal opens, allowing passage between worlds. Kind of like a doorway, but one that lets you go through dimensions, rather than rooms.”

This was getting really weird... But then again, he had to admit, Magic was at least somewhat understandable. That incident with Sunset Shimmer a year ago had taken a toll on everyone. He looked up at Cadence. “I'm.. a pony?”

Cadence blinked at that. She kind of expected him to go crazy for magic... “Well, to put it bluntly, yes. You... don't seem to mind the magic bit here?”

Shadow nickered a bit, but he caught his mouth and looked at his hoof. With a sigh he looked down. “This girl back in my world. Well, I guess two. One was there for awhile. Her name was Sunset Shimmer. One day another girl decided to challenge her for being the Fall Formal Princess. The night of the dance, this strange.. thing happened. She and these two guys with her suddenly changed, and they could do weird magic.”

Cadence had forgotten about that. Twilight had told her of the time spent there. Guess magic was no secret to them now. “And this other filly?”

The young racer looked confused a bit before just going with it. Different world, different talking species, different word play. “I guess. She and five of her friends stopped the mind control magic thing Shimmer did. She was from another world too, Princess there as well I think I heard. She left a good while ago.”

That got the Princess of Love to notice who he was meaning. “Twilight Sparkle. She is a Pony. Shimmer took her crown, and had taken it to your world, where Twilight had chased to get it back. She returned in time before the portal closed again. But the bigger question remains. Who are you?”

The now stallion had his thoughts in order. He was in the world of that other girl with magic, the one who went back. He was a Pony, and he was healed. This was a bit much to take in, and he had to ask himself... Why did they heal him? Why was he even here? How could he have even used the portal if he wasn't even conscious?

That final thought gripped his heart, and his face registered fear. He looked to the princess who was patiently waiting on his answer. “You took me from my world didn't you? You brought me here! I couldn't have used that portal, I was knocked out! Why bring me here!”

That took Cadence back a bit, the sudden outburst had not been expected. Well, it had, but not like this. She expected fear instantly, not this harsh behavior so late. “And here I thought I explained everything correctly.” “I didn't bring you here, the portal opened on it's own, and you fell in. I don't know how or why, unless someone else threw you here.”

“LIES!” He kicked back and fell out of bed, groaning as his body hit the crystal flooring. He looked cared as Cadence came around to the other side, and Redheart came in the door with a white colored pony with a horn and blue mane. It was Shining armor, and he had his horn lit. With fear, remembering magic like that on the head of Shimmer from that dance, he felt the need to RUN!

What happened next shocked him. Huge marks on the floor came to life, a random pattern it seemed, but then went into a set straight shot to the door, a weird lining all around the marks pathway. In his soul, in his heart, his body was YELLING to run, and he just jumped up, pushing on all four hooves and jumping between Redheart and Cadence, slamming his hooves on the markings on the floor.

In the split second it took for him to start running, he felt right at home in his body. His muscles obeyed him, even when in a pony body. He just made a mad sprint, following the marks on the floor, hoof to hoof, mark to mark, and raced out of the room.

What he didn't realize, however, was his speed. Shining had his magic sleeve along Shadow's tail, ready to pull, but the young Stallion had shifted between the two mares by him and out the door in a rush that made even the Wonderbolts look slow. Shining could only gawk for a second at the speed of an Earth pony who was not a pony in the first place.

He shook from his thoughts and ran for it, Cadence and Redheart giving chase as well. Sadly, even turning into a long hallway with only one way to go and one turn at the end, they could only look in shock and awe that Shadow managed to turn that turn the second they came around the corner.

Shining was impressed now, but also a little fearful. “If that is something those other beings can do, then this is a disaster WAITING to happen!” The trio, and the guards that couldn't magically stop, or get close to catching with speed, that stallion, were hot in pursuit. The palace was high off the ground, and where the runner seemed to be heading was nowhere near the stairwell down.

As the group got to the next guard, he was just standing by the window in shock. Shining and Cadence looked out the window to see the dark colored stallion race outside the very border of the city. The guard stammered as his eyes were wide pinpricks. “H-he stumbled out. Slid along the side of the castle... Th-the pony is unbelievable! J-just slid down, a-and hit the g-ground without stopping! Didn't m-miss a beat and ran off!”

Shining turned to his guards. “All Pegasi, get to the skies and fly fast! Don't let that pony get awa-” 

“Belay that!”

Shining looked to his wife and she was calm. She just spoke softly. “He's of no threat to us, we shouldn't hunt him down like a criminal, Shining.”

Shining knew this game. He wanted to protect, Cadence wanted the bits to fall in place themselves. He loved her carefree attitude, but this was a whole new threat. “He has some kind of magic, he ran off with a speed even half our Pegasi can't do without flying clear skies! That's unnatural!”

Cadence turned to her husband. “And he hasn't harmed any of us! He could have tackled us and hit us in that room, or slapped a guard on his way out, maybe take somepony as hostage! He just ran, he's SCARED Shiny!”

That was the first volley. They had an agreement. Three attempts each, to persuade. Shining knew his wife was stubborn, but if the one who wanted action proclaimed a good enough point, no matter how bad the other two, then they would get to make the call. He thought this one was too easy. “All the more reason to catch him! Who knows what can happen! He's going out into the wild out there, who knows what kind of trouble he will run into!”

Yeah, that was too easy, so it didn't work. The Princess glared at her husband. “All that's out that way is snow and mountains. True, that direction may lead him to Foal Mountain, but that's two days! We need the Wonderbolts, not our guards, to find him. We need to put in a request, not go half-hooved into the blue.”

Shining winced at that. She had a point, the best option was calling in the best fliers to search. He didn't give up though. He had one more round of ammo. “Did you SEE how fast he was? He might make a two day trip in ten hours! Who knows how long till he reaches Canterlot! He might make it before we send out a team, and get in trouble!”

The Princess was ready for that one. Shining could only groan as he seen the glint in his wife's eyes. “He's HURT! He isn't recovered yet, how in all of Equestria can somepony who suffered a severe head injury travel that far in their condition, no matter how fast? He will have to stop at some point, and not anywhere near Ponyville or Canterlot! We need to call the Wonderbolts!”

That came to an end quick. With a huff and a stern nod he accepted that. He had to admit, he was just freaking out over an intruder from the other side. He wasn't thinking that clearly. Still, Shining knew two things. That pony was bucking FAST, and he still wasn't from here. That made him a danger if somehow this mind blowing speed was going to prove the worst for Equestria. “On it, love. But make sure the Guard is ready. We might need to send him back tonight.”

The Princess conceded and nodded. “Of course. Now go, Shiny, get that rescue team set up, and tell Celestia the news. She will want to hear about this.” With order set, Shining ran off to get the letter written out and sent. Cadence could only look out into the distance. “I have a feeling he won't be leaving tonight.”

XxX Sunset, Sweet Apple Acres XxX

Applejack was just finishing her rounds. She tended to keep an eye on everything. Ever since Big Mac had given in to her wanting him to work less, she needed to make sure he couldn't say she did a bad job just to get back into it. He kept getting hurt, and that was mostly from the Everfree.

The forest itself was a good ten minutes trot to and fro, but even with Fluttershy having a keen eye on it where she lived, sometimes things like Timberwolves attacked. She was not about to let her big brother take one more hit and have his body take a triple digit number of attacks.

As she went after the last patrol and set up the timber stones, thanks to Twilight of course, she sighed and looked out to the field. “Not ah single one fer months, Bro. Guess we got lucky. Still, why do ah have this tingle in the back of mah neck?”

She would always get this feeling when something was coming through the farm. It's how she knew Rainbow Dash would be sleeping, or when Zecora came to visit, and not to mention any dangerous happenings around town.

As Applejack was halfway through the Orchard to get to the house, she seen a shadow come up along the hills of the farm. She narrowed her eyes on it, but couldn't make out too much from this distance. Seeing as the figure stopped, she started slowly coming closer.

Shadow Step was exhausted. He had ran through the cold, easily enough coming through and seeing a mountain with a castle in the distance. Though, with huge dragons in the mountains he was heading for, he had to take a detour. Unable to find a way up the mountain with the castle, he had found it harder knowing his body was growing tired.

Dragons on his tail had kept him on the run for at least a few hours, and he had finally gotten away. Though what was worse, was he had hid in the forest a good ways away. The forest was dark, and had many creatures in it. As he went deeper, he got lost and found deadly wolves and deadlier insects, the strangest things. For all day, he had ran for his survival. He managed to get out of the forest, but somehow managed to find the one place that seemed the most peaceful out of everywhere. An Apple Farm.

Sure, he had reservations about being anywhere, thinking anypony was on his tail giving chase from that city made of crystals. As his body started to exhaust every ounce of his strength, and the marks on the ground he had been following slowing down to a trot, he had known safety for the first time since his mad dash from the palace of the pink princess. He found the marks stop dead, and he himself stopped when no more were ahead of him.

He had to thank whatever stars gave him passage. Even through the forest, it led him through safely. Whatever the marks were, they were there for him. His way of being the fastest he needed to be. Before he could rest, however, he seen the lantern light coming over the hill beside him.

Applejack came up to see a dark coat and blue mane, a Stallion with what looked like a winged hoof speeding by for a cutie mark. That made her check his back, but what confused her more was he was just a simple Earth pony. “What in tarnation are ya doin' on mah farm? It's almost time for shut-eye and these tree's haven't been harvested yet. Who in the hay are ya, and what in Equestria brought you here?”

As the farmpony got closer, she seen him a little better now. She gasped, the lantern hitting the ground with a soft thud, thankfully padded on the bottom, and seen his rugged dirty coat, the bruised leg, and the bandages on his head. “Sugarcube, are ya a'right? Did'ja get attacked by some timber's comin' out of the forest?”

Shadow could only breath in ragged breathes. His mind still stinging horribly, his body finally feeling the fatigue of the day long sprint, Adrenaline cutting short and turning his body into a cold lump of flesh barely standing on it's own.

He didn't even know what to say to the silhouetted pony, who he thought looked awfully familiar. He didn't even know what to do. Then a mark beside him appeared, one of a pony body, as if he slumped to the ground. “Oh... Right.... Sleep...” With that, he let his mind and body just rest. With a small sigh his body slumped to the ground, hitting the mark perfectly as he fell into a faint. He could barely hear the galloping hooves beside him, and the calling of his condition by the farmpony before, before his world went completely silent and dark.
> The Waking Truth, Blurs of a Shadow's Speed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Ah'm tellin' ya, it was the strangest thing. Found 'em in the orchard, just like he is now. Gotta say, whatever had him runnin' in that forest did ah number on 'em.” Applejack opened the door to the spare room with her a few friends in tow. The night went by rather uneventfully after Shadow Step had collapsed.

The girls came in with her to see Shadow on the bed, still asleep. It was just sunrise, so he hadn't recovered yet. Twilight and Fluttershy were the priority on getting there, mostly because they were the only early risers of the group besides AJ herself. Rainbow loved her sleep, and Pinkie was usually tuckered out from night after night of parties. Rarity was away on a trip, so that left her out.

Twilight came up with Fluttershy, both inspecting the new pony. Fluttershy gasped and held a hoof to her lips, a look of concern on her face. “Oh my, what horrible condition he's in.” What Applejack didn't see till she got him in better lighting was what had Fluttershy so concerned for his well being.

The bandages on his head were still in place, but scratched up a bit. His coat was a mess, and for good reason. He had gotten what looked like close calls through thorn bushes, nothing actually hurt him but he was scratched all over. Applejack had cleaned that up from him before laying him down, as so he was comfortable. The bruise on his leg was light, but the leg itself seemed to be in poor condition, swollen and stiff.

That was just the normal stuff. The rest was kind of horrifying to think about. The tips of his mane and tail were singed, like a fire caught him, but the tips of his hooves seemed to be pale, as if they were in the cold for way too long. It all added up when they noticed the welts, bruises, and everything else around his body.

It was a scene of torture, but the Stallion was breathing steadily. Twilight looked to Applejack. “Whoever this pony is, he's pretty injured. Why didn't you just get Doctor Helping Hoof.”

With a deep sigh, Applejack put her hat to her chest. “Ah know ah shoulda, but just look at him, Twi. He's in no condition fer being moved along the road ta the hospital. Seein' as I ain't no unicorn, like yerself, ah couldn't carry him that far without serious harm, ta the both of us. Besides, Fluttershy here's just a good a doctor, and you'd be able ta help if'n he needs heavy medical treatment.”

Twilight nodded, but as they were talking, Fluttershy had been inspecting every inch of the pony before her. She checked the bandages and gasped. “He's from the Crystal Empire!”

That got a shock out of the two behind her. Twilight was beside her instantly. “What do you mean? How can you tell?”

Fluttershy pointed to Shadow Step's head. “Those bandages, they are laced. Remember Redheart? She was the nice nurse who helped the town when Applejack's muffins made everyone sick. She moved to the Crystal Empire a year ago... These are her laces, I always asked for some when my critters needed them.”

Applejack stamped the ground softly, shaking her head in confusion. “Now wait just a second, yer tellin' me, he's from the Crystal Empire? No go, Sugarcube. Those bandages are still fresh, bout a day ah reckon. How can he be from there, when the forest is in the south? Not ta mention, if'n he came by train, it would still take a good day to get to Ponyville.”

Twilight nodded and looked to Fluttershy, puzzled. “She has a point. Maybe someone else had some laced bandages? And he just has a reckless streak?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “No, I know these laces, I asked for surplus before she left. Only way someone could have them, is if they came here with a supply recently. I haven't seen anypony with these bandages before today. These have to be from her, and she's still in the Crystal Empire...”

Twilight hummed at that. Both her friends had a take on this, and both had good points on where this pony came from. She stepped to Shadow. She didn't know what else to do, but she knew she had to find out more about him. With a quick spell, she cast an aura around him, trying to find any kind of sign he was in the Crystal Empire.

With a burst of energy, the Aura popped, and she flew back. Applejack caught her just in time, and Fluttershy ran over, helping her up. She stood up quick and looked in shock. “He's no ordinary pony... His magic aura is all wrong!”

She raced up to him again and inspected his coat. It was normal, everything about him, even the cutie mark, seemed a normal pony attribute. Twilight was frantic as she checked him head from toe. With a final hasty spell, she checked again, this time confirming he was not from the Crystal Empire, and his Magic Aura was not normal.

With a swift turn, she looked to Fluttershy and Applejack. “He's not a Crystal Pony resident, his aura isn't aligned to that place like most, even the normal ponies who went there have their aura polarized. And not only that, most Earth Ponies magic is to push and outwardly benefit the life around them, through farming and such. His magic is inward... Sheltered... As if, instead of him benefiting the life around him, it is the life around him benefiting him. His Aura pulls inward, even Pinkie Pie, as abnormal as she is, has an outward Aura.”

Fluttershy was first to ask, since she had little understanding of the Aura. “What if he's from the Everfree? He did come out of there right?”

Applejack shook her head. “No way no how, even Zecora is still Equine. If'n she's outward, like us Earth Ponies, then this is mighty strange.”

The Princess of Friendship nodded. “I checked. Zecora is basically your average Zebra, just like Earth Ponies. Besides, the bandages prove he was in the Crystal Empire, remember Fluttershy? How he made it here is beyond me, in a single day, but I am sure we shall get the answers soon... We just need to wait till he wakes up.”

XxX Crystal Empire XxX

The Wonderbolts were guided into the throne room, where Cadence was looking out the window. Shining turned to them as they got close to her. “Tell her what you just told me. Leave no detail unheard.”

Spitfire saluted and turned to the Princess of Love. “Ma'am, Sorry we were so late in our report. When you sent the letter concerning this runaway pony, we were hot on the trail of saving the western forest north of ponyville... A Dragon from the Foal Mountains had gotten loos, and started a rampage across the countryside. We don't know what woke it, or what it was chasing, but it was clear it had a single objective in mind. As soon as we got the thing to calm down and go back to the Mountains, we were intercepted by a royal guard that we were to search the north. Your request we search for a pony that ran southbound from here was our top priority from Celestia.”

Fleetfoot continued on. “We couldn't find any pony lost in that snow. We feared the worst, seeing as nowhere around the area was a clue. The storms that pas through the area in question didn't give us a chance to find hoofprints. No body, no prints... nothing.”

Soarin was next to speak, but this time with some trail to follow. “Though the local tribes around the ridged of the tundra did say they saw a speeding black wisp flying across the ground southbound. I followed the trail... I think I know where he went.”

That got Cadence's attention. She turned and stared at Soarin, her eyes burning with the need to know. “Where did he go? He could not have gone far.”

Soarin bit his lip, looking to Spitfire. She sighed and looked to the princess, rubbing he forehoof as she let her head down. “Th-the thing is... Whatever trail this guy took, it leads... to the Foal mountain. We believe he's was the one who disturbed the dragon, and he was the one it chased to that forest west of Canterlot.”

The royalty of the Crystal Empire looked to each other, their eyes meeting, and curious understanding took hold. One question boggled them though. Shining spoke up. “Is he in that forest? If you knew where he was, you'd have brought him back with you... So what does this mean?”

Spitfire saluted with a steady, but nervous, posture. “Sir, we lost his trail a few feet into the forest... But we do know one thing. He went south after getting deeper inside the forest... The only place south of that forest is Ponyville, and if he stayed in the forest... he'd have made it to the Everfree.”

Shining and Cadence looked at each other, and for a minute they could only talk by the looks in their eyes, as they understood one important fact. He had to have made it to Ponyville. Cadence walked up to the Wonderbolts. “Thank you for your service, Captain. You and the rest of your team are welcome to rest here to gather your bearings for your trip back tonight or tomorrow.”

With all of them saluting they answered with a firm yes and marched off. Once gone, Shining turned to his love. “And you said he wouldn't have made it in his condition. He completely bypassed Canterlot!”

Cadence nodded, but was stoic for a moment. Looking down, she softened to her stallions gaze. “Any normal pony would have completely fainted before reaching the limits of the northern cold. But to completely run to the Foal Mountains, and get chased, and succeed in outrunning, a dragon into a forest.... He has incredible stamina and speed.”

It was that soft downcast gaze that told Shining that she was right in her understanding of the normal pony, but they both had no idea he was capable of this. Shining would think he would have collapsed at Canterlot. “Well, what's done is done. He's in Ponyville now. He has to be. If he has the survival instincts to keep running until he was safe, he had to have went into Ponyville from the Everfree.”

Cadence nodded at that. With a deep sigh she looked out the window. “I suppose that means he's stuck here till the portal opens once more.”

Shining stepped up by his wife and smiled, nuzzling her cheek. “We'll make sure he gets the chance to return. Besides, little Twily lives in Ponyville, he is in safe hands.”

With a smile and nuzzle back, Cadence accepted that. She sighed against her husband. “I guess this means we will have to visit Ponyville soon. Looking forward to it.”

Shining could only chuckle at that, holding Cadence in a hoof. “Me too. Now, how about some llunch? You've been stressed about this for a whole night, you need some strength back.” Shen she agreed, they went to gather some lunch. Though, Cadence couldn't help but wonder if this new pony would rather stay here in Equestria. She hoped to find out soon...

XxX Ponyville, Two Hours Later XxX

In a groggy groan, Shadow started to wake up from his slumber. As his eyes opened and adjusted to the light, he could feel the warmth of a bed, and see the fine wooden workmanship of a home around him. He could hear a soft melody as he tried to figure out where he was...

He saw a cloth come over his head as the singing came closer. Shadow knew this singing voice, somehow. It was the same to another he knew, and the caring touch was familiar, as the cloth washed his head. He looked to the side and seen, with his waking eyes, Fluttershy, but in human form.

Shadow could swear he saw her like that He wondered why, I this was a dream, then why couldn't it have been another. “Flutter...shy?” And then the world came crashing from the dream.

Fluttershy squeaked in shock, the sound fully waking Shadow as he winced from the sound a bit and shook his head, sitting up to look as she fled. Even though she didn’t get far, he had shaken his vision back to normal and could see, in shock, that Fluttershy was just a pony.

What made it worse was, he felt this was indeed Fluttershy, from the hair and the eyes, and the care taken of him, he was sure she was Fluttershy. She had hid behind two others, and one that reminded him faintly of another of her friends. Then he seen yet another Pony with both a horn AND wings, as Fluttershy had only wings. “Wait... This isn't.. a dream?” “Who... are you?”

The new Alicorn Princess stepped up. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. It would seem you already know Fluttershy.”

Shadow Step looked to the yellow Pegasus. “Is.. that really you Fluttershy?... How could you have gotten here...”

Fluttershy just hid behind Applejack more, and said apple farmer looked to the new addition to Ponyville. “On mah call, cause ya kinda collapsed on mah farm with, ya know, tons of injuries? Seein' as ah didn't wanna take the chance you were some kinda runaway, tellin' from those bandages ya got.”

And her voice was clearly that of the apple farmer that was friends with Fluttershy and another he knew. Which reminded him of where he was. After running all that time, his leg hurting every step since that dreadful mountain, he had made it through a terribly deadly forest into an apple orchard.

Twilight coughed into her hoof and that drew Shadow back to her. She smiled. “Well, as much as I would love to know how you know Fluttershy, care to give me your name? I have told you mine, it's only fair.”

Shadow nodded blankly. He knew this pony, he felt so. But he couldn't place his finger on it... or Hoof, as it were. “Shadow Step... But, I don't know who you are, Twilight. I feel like I should...”

Twilight hummed at that. She rubbed her hoof on her chin in thought. “Well, that's strange. Didn't you come from the Crystal Empire?”

Shadow remembered that place alright. Now that he thought about it, he had ran from there in haste because he thought they had kidnapped him from his world. “I'm... not from there. But I did come from there recently...”

Now that he had a chance to think clearly, his head feeling much better after the hit to the statue it took when he was pushed into it, he did kind of go crazy. They had healed his leg, even though it felt like it wanted to break at the moment, and his head was all better, he could barely feel the tingling of a headache. They cared for him, and he just up and called them liars, running off without a second thought. “If I ever see them again, I'll apologize... After the horrible ordeal with that dragon, I know me being a pony isn't a dream...”

Applejack looked to the other girls in confusion. “Ain't that a counter-fection? He ain't from there, but he came from there?”

Twilight turned and smiled sympathetically. “Contradiction, and yeah, it does sound like two separate things...” Turning back to him she seen him sitting up. “So, Shadow Step. If you came from there, then you should know about me. I mean, my Coronation was there six months ago.”

With a frown and scrunched up nose he shook his head. “It doesn't ring any bells for me...” After a quick thought back to yesterday he remembered something about the Twilight from the Fall Formal being from this world, as that pink Pony told him. “I wonder if I should bring up Shimmer to see if this is her...”

As if reading his thoughts, Fluttershy looked to Twilight. “Maybe he was there before.. The incident... We did wait a few days for you to come back from that other world. A good amount of Ponies left for work reasons.”

Twilight chuckled nervously, rubbing her cheek as she looked away. “Well, it's not my fault Sunset Shimmer decided to come and steal my crown.” And like a bolt of lightning, Shadow was out of bed, jumping onto it on all fours and looking at Twilight in surprise.

Seeing him suddenly jump, the three mares jumped back in their own surprise. Shadow just jaw dropped at the information before speaking up. “WAIT! You're the Twilight that took the Fall Formal! The one who stopped Shimmer from controlling all our minds! It's you!?”

Twilight was equally shocked as him now, and her eyes flew open, looking at him as she spoke. “Wait, your from THAT world? Beyond the Mirror?!” Getting a dumb nod, she blinked and looked to her friends. “Well, this explains a few things, then... Why he was in the Crystal Empire, and why he knows Fluttershy.”

Shadow gawked a bit. “Wait, but, isn't this Fluttershy from.. wait, this doesn't make any sense, how can Fluttershy and.. Applejack? Here?”

Twilight smiled nervously at him, tilting her head to the side. “I will have to explain to you everything, don't I? Sit down, and I will tell you everything I can.”

With a groan he sat down, but it felt weird for him to sit with back-bending legs and having to keep himself upright with his front hooves, which were still weird to him, holding him up. “What's going on...”

Twilight smiled and took a deep breath. “Well, first thing is first. This is Equestria, a world full of Ponies. I'm sure you've gotten that down at least.” With a nod she continued. “This is the other side of the Mirror. Or, what is a part of YOUR side, a statue. I used this very portal months ago, and I came into it not knowing about humans, or how to walk as one at first. Took me a few hours, but I got the hang of movement.”

That concluded Shadow on his own ways. He knew his body well, being a runner, and having to know whats wrong with his body and pushing through anything keeping him from running was how he got so good at sprinting. “I gathered the portal and world thing from the Princess up in the place north of here.”

Applejack blinked before coming up. “Now hold on, ya'll sayin' you knew about Equestria, ran from the Crystal Empire ta Ponyville, and are knowing of our Twilight here?” Getting a nod of confusion she looked to Twilight. “Somethin' smells awfully fishy here, Twi.”

Shadow shook his head, sitting up, fearing Applejack was thinking he was after them or something. “No, you got it all wrong...” He looked down sadly. “I wasn't thinking... Well, I was, but I guess I had thought too much into my situation. See, I passed out in front of the Statue, and next thing I knew I was waking up as a Pony. I thought I was kidnapped from my world to this one. So... I kind of ran away.”

Fluttershy looked to him and saw he was truly sad over it, but also confused. “It's ok, no one faults you for running. I run from things that scare me too. I'd have run away if I thought I was going to be kidnapped...”

Twilight smiled to Fluttershy, nodding. Fluttershy smiled back. Looking to the farm pony beside her, Twilight spoke softly. “He's not tries anything yet, Applejack. Besides, if he was HEALED in the Crystal Empire, then that means they believed him to not be a threat, my brother wouldn't let someone he thought a threat to run away so easily, either.”

Applejack nodded, looking to Shadow, smiling apologetically. “Beg yer pard'n then.” Shadow smiled to her and she took that as an accepted apology.

Twilight coughed into her hoof. “So, you know about everything from Cadence I would assume... Then, how do you not know that THIS Fluttershy and Applejack is not the ones you know?”

That got Shadow confused, but also looking closely. He spoke up, pointing to Fluttershy. “She's the same kind sweet person she always has been, not to mention she's still very shy.” Turning to said shy pony he asked a simple question. “Do you take care of other animals? Helping them be safe and happy?” Getting a nod he smiled to Twilight. “There you have it!”

With a giggle into her hoof she looked unfazed to Shadow. Twilight explained everything clearly, on how she thought the same, and that there were two different worlds, and that each had their own person in each. Both had a Fluttershy, a Rainbow Dash, and even Celestia. After a thorough explanation, Shadow just sat down slack jawed.

After an hour of Twilight explaining to him everything, he finally understood it all. He groaned, holding his head in both hooves. “This just makes my head hurt... I'm a runner, not a thinker...” But he smiled none the less, but this time sadly. “I guess I am going to be stuck here now?”

Twilight smiled brightly. “Nope! The Portal opens for three nights and two days straight every thirty moons. Meaning, in a month, you should still be capable of going back.”

Shadow thought about that for a moment. With a wide blink he sat up, pointing to her. “WAIT! It should still be open! I still have tonight!”

Twilight looked at him confused. “But you're here! Even if you came through the portal right as it opened, it takes two days to and from Ponyville and the Crystal Empire each way. By the time we get there, it'll be closed.”

Shadow looked confused more. “But.. If it's open all the time from opening to closing.. then I came in right as it opened.. and that was two nights ago!”

Fluttershy looked to Twilight. “Those Bandages... They were only a day old! He may be telling the truth!”

Applejack was not so convinced. “But didn't ya hear? It takes days ta get to and fro! No way no how, Sugarcube, he had ta have taken a couple days getting' here.”

Twilight hummed at this. After immense thought, she figured she would ask him how he got here, until Spike rushed into the door, heaving as he carried a letter. “Princess Cadence -heave, pant- Shining Armor -gasps- Missing pony.” And with a heavy sigh he fell to the floor, lolled from exhaustion. Twilight plucked the letter from his claws as he fell, as well a seased him down so he didn't hit the floor too hard.

After opening the Letter she read it out loud:

“Dear Twilight,

I hope you are doing well, your brother and I have been keeping an amazingly calm peace with the Crystal Ponies. Even though we ourselves are not, they see us as their own, which brings warm smiles to both our faces.

But on to the topic at hand. Two nights ago, an Earth pony of a dark coat had come through the Mirror to the other realm. He was badly injured, with a bleeding head injury and a broken back leg. We set the bone right, and healed it, but it will still require time to fully heal, whilst the Head Injury has been fully recovered from the bleeding and open wound.

Now, the reason I bring this up is that, upon waking up the morning yesterday, I had a small chat with him, explaining the situation. I thought I had explained properly his situation and condition, but he was unsettled, thinking we were to blame for his being on this side of the mirror. In an instant, he fled from bed. This is where the weirdest thing happened. Before Shining, or I, could immobilize him by levitating him with magic, he had slipped between us and out the door in a blur of speed.

We do not know who this pony is, however we do know he has an amazingly high speed, even faster than your average Pegasus. He fled the city by the time we reached the window he fled from, which is no small feat for the distance from the medical wing.

The reason I am writing about this is because, upon asking my Aunt, Princess Celestia, for the Wonderbolts to search and rescue this Pony from the cold of the Northern winter-land under us, they had searched the night before later than usual for a response, due to a DRAGON!?!”

Twilight's eyes lit up at seeing that. She read it with a gaping mouth. “-Dragon that was on a rampage north of Canterlot. This is relevant, because upon the Wonderbolts findings, the trail of this Earth Pony lead them to Foal Mountain, where this Dragon originates. The Dragon had chased an intruder to the forest north of Ponyville...”

She looked to Shadow, who looked shaken and looking away, nervous. Applejack caught on and looked at the rest of the letter. “-The Dragon had chased the pony southbound in the forest. We believe that he had made it ta the Everfree. If'n he made it ta Ponyville, please, contact us right away on his condition, fer that leg of his, runnin' for so long, would be in danger of worse injury. Signed, Yer Sister-In-Law, Princess Cadence.”

Twilight walked to Shadow. “You RAN here in a DAY!”

Applejack was even more startled and was right beside her, gawking at the pony. “Day nothin', ya made it here in less than twelve hours? TWELVE GOSH DANG HOURS! How in tarnation- That just ain't- oh mah sweet Celestia...” She sat down, rubbing her face with her hooves roughly, trying to make sense of it all was giving her a headache. “Ah need some Cider.. HARD Cider...”

Even though she was normally quiet, and was during this whole letter thing, Fluttershy was in her own state of surprise, and a little awe. Coming up with her friends, one with her hooves in her face, the other needing to pick her jaw up before it catches flies, which Fluttershy helped with, she spoke in an admiring smile. “How are you so fast? You remind me of another pony with how fast you are!”

Shadow just looked down nervously. In a shaky voice he sighed. “I-i am a runner... Sprinting and track racing back on the other side of that portal. I've been starting to get a small reputation as one of the fastest sprinters in Canterlot High. I don't know why I am running so fast here, but I think that's one reason.”

Applejack shook her head clear a moment, looking to Twilight. “Canterlot High? That a school?”

The Princess nodded, blinking herself back into reality. “On the other side of the mirror, the school is Canterlot high, and to us, it's their version of Canterlot... But there's no way just being a bit faster than normal would... Wait...” She remembered the magic aura for Shadow being different. “What else do you remember when you ran from the Crystal Empire?”

Shadow looked to her a bit confused, rubbing his forehoof in nervousness. He didn't like being put on the spot. Even when winning a race, he rarely let them put him on a podium. He didn't like attention. Thinking back, he did remember something different than his usual run. “I saw these symbols and spots on the floor... Something inside my heart told me to follow the spots, big enough to fit my hooves, and run for it. Whatever that light was, whatever those marks were, they lead me through the snow, away from the dragon, and even through the forest without getting totally hurt. I was scared I would die each time... Dying in the snow, dying from the dragon, dying from the terrible creatures in the forest... I didn't want to die...”

Fluttershy looked at him with concern and came up. “Lay down, your safe now. You still need to heal those wounds. It's ok, you don't have to worry about anything anymore.”

Shadow looked to her and smiled a bit. Fluttershy was always good to him, even on the other side. She was one of the three only real friends he had. He did frown a bit though. “I need to get back to my world though. If I don't hurry, the portal will close.”

Fluttershy smiled. “It's ok. The Portal will open again in a month, you'll get back home. I'm sure of it. But you heard the letter, that leg can't be feeling too good from all that running.”

She had a point, Shadow could feel his leg aching almost unbearably, the only thing keeping him up at the moment was the fact he was ready to run if he felt cornered. Biting his lip he just sat down, setting the leg to the side to get the weight off it. “Ok... I guess it's better to be at full strength if I am going to make the journey...”

Twilight smiled and nodded to Fluttershy, who nodded back. Smiling at Shadow, Twilight explained a theory. “Those marks... the ones you followed. Maybe that's how you traveled so fast. Maybe it's a special kind of magic only you have here. Even though you are from a whole other world, you have magic here. Unique magic.”

Applejack was confused about this. “But how in the hay could he have magic? If'n you didn't realize Twi, you weren't an Alicorn princess on the other side. Magic don't travel both ways.”

Twilight smiled to Applejack. “But this could explain why his Magic Aura is reversed.”

Shadow was now confused from this. “But, even if the magic marks and lines that I followed.. told me to run, deep in my heart to follow it, how could it have gotten me here so fast? I still don't understand that one imprint of a body I fell onto when collapsing last night.”

Applejack scrunched up her nose in even more confusion. “I didn't see no imprint under ya last night, so what in the hay is this all supposed to mean?”

The news on the line, and the inability to see it from Applejack, Twilight had an epiphany. Looking to Shadow she looked wide-eyed. “You're the only one who can see it, because the magic is guiding you through the earth. That's what it means! The Magic you share with the earth, as an Earth Pony, it pours into you to give you speed and endurance! It pushes you to be faster! It also explains your Cutie Mark, you're running so fast you fly across the land at high speed!”

Everyone just blinked, letting the Alicorn's words sink in. Applejack's jaw dropped. “That actually makes a lot of sense! I still don't reckon it's true, 'bout you havin' magic an' all, but if'n it explains this, then my brain can rest from any old headache tryin' ta explain it without magic it might try.”

Getting up from the floor she smiled, crossing her right hooves over her left. “Well, Shadow Step, ya'll are welcome ta stay here a few more days till yer leg is good enough to start walkin'. Seein' as the portal's a no go for a month, best ta just rest, and go back when yer all better.”

Twilight smiled more. “I'll be sure to help you as a guide through Ponyville when you do have the chance to walk. There's many cool things, and many ponies, you can see. Maybe even a few you recognize.”

Fluttershy smiled brightly. “And I'll be sure to get you there. I'll visit very day to ease you back into walking. Maybe I can find Zecora for a potion to help a broken leg.”

Shadow blinked a bit before smiling. He felt safe, and he knew these ponies. Fluttershy in particular. Nodding he let them go off to their duties. Fluttershy looked back at him and smiled. “I'm sure you'll just love meeting Rainbow Dash. She's a fast pony too. I'm sure you two will be best friends, with how you two are talented for being fast.”

When the door closed, Fluttershy left Shadow in surprise. Blushing, Shadow was frozen in bed. Looking out the window slowly he wondered about Rainbow. “She's.. here? I wonder what she is like.. as a pony...”

XxX Canterlot XxX

Celestia was in her chambers, resting from a wild morning cleaning up the mess with the Dragon. He agreed to leave things alone, apologizing for his rampage. She agreed to give gems for any inconvenience. The Nobles didn't like that, but if it kept the peace, she gladly let them know who was in charge of their bits.

Reading the letter from Cadence, she smiled. Closing her eyes and looking out her window to Ponyville, she gave a soft chuckle. “I wonder what the Speedster is thinking... Maybe how strange this land is? or... feeling right at home? I will have to visit soon. It's been a long time...”
> You Can't Run From Double Rainbow's
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sighing heavily, with regret, Shadow Step walked up to his visitors. Took a week before they could come along, but he understood why. With a deep bow, which he still felt was weird, he respected the two in front of him. Those he ran from when he first woke up in Equestria itself. Princess Cadence and Prince Armor.

Cadence giggled into her hoof a bit, before patting his head. “That's alright, My Little Pony. You need not bow to me.”

Rising up and rubbing his fore-hoof he spoke nervously. “I did run away, and cause a ruckus. I am sorry I just panicked.”

Shining smiled as he stepped up. “It's fine. It's not like there was any harm done. Though, I will admit...” Frowning a bit, Shining thought back to the speed. “That whole thing about running fast, that weird magic Twilight told us about, it is a cause for concern. Especially if there's any real hostilities ready to come through.”

Shadow blinked a bit. Shaking his head he started explaining how he got there. Twilight was with them, as well as Rarity, who he had met a couple days prior. Gasping in shock at the treatment he endured she looked over to Cadence. “That's just horrid! To be jumped by some common thugs? Left to rot? Why, I never heard of such vulgar behavior over a competition! Sure, Rainbow and Applejack were highly competitive, but never hostile enough to hurt each other!”

Smiling at her, Shadow nodded his thanks for her concern. Frowning and looking down he started rubbing the floor in a weird way to them. “Well, it's the biggest event in the school... The Winner gets to choose a charity to give the money from the audience admissions to. Though, most only see it as a race to see who's the best, thanks to the second top prize. Winner also gets to make one request from anyone in the school, and is qualified for the inter-school marathon. Some are racing in hopes of woo-ing people they love, others, like Jagged, are doing it for the glory.”

Cadence giggled at that. “Well, that is somewhat romantic. Racing for the one you care for, hoping to win their hearts. Though...” with a pursing frown she looked to nowhere, kind of wondering about that rule. “The fact that they get to order their love for a date is despicable. Love cannot be forced, it has to be earned.”

Shadow smiled a bit, chuckling. “Well, I didn't say demand did I? I said request. The request, if it's something the other doesn't want to do at all, can be declined. Principal Celestia wouldn't force anyone to do anything over this.”

After some lunch and Cadence finding out more about Shadow, having asked about if he himself had someone special to his heart, they started to leave. As they got in the Chariot, Cadence turned and spoke softly, with a small glint in her eyes. “Oh, by the way. When you told me you don't have a special somepony, you weren't lying... But you did try and hide the fact you wanted one. Good luck.” With that, she got in and the Chariot left.

To say Shadow was stunned was to begin the matter. Saying he was nervous about that glare however was to get to the point. What did she have planned? If he didn't know better, he could have sworn she knew exactly his hearts desire.

Though that was going to be the least of his worries. He had met nearly the entirety of the six friends in his world in this one. The only ones he had not seen were Sunset, who was already from this world, Pinkie Pie, and he hoped not to have her pop up next to him, and Rainbow Dash. He was thankful for that one.

Shadow just didn't know how he could handle the cyan girl... er- mare? He still didn't completely understand mannerisms here. It was getting around dinner time when he was walking in town. Thankfully he was given a thumbs up to at least walk around town, even though his leg was hardly fully healed. After the punishment of a days run at high speed, the doctors here had even asked in shock at how he was even capable of standing.

Without knowing what to get, he just opted for some tea with apples. Seeing as there were no intricate food groups here like in his world. As he was finishing up, he was looking up at the weather teams. He still couldn't believe it, Ponies with wings controlling the weather here.

Shadow was about to head back when he seen a familiar multicolored tail race across the sky, Cyan leading the way. His brain spinning with gears on the connections he was making with everyone else from who he knew back in his world, and only one met this connection. With little thought, he raced into a dark alley and hid as he watched the cyan mare fly around managing the weather.

As Shadow watched, a bright pink came up behind him and shouted. "HEYA! How ya doin' silly billy?" Now, normal reaction to a bight pink pony with gravity defying hair, and a tendency to be everywhere at any given time with a very loud and excited greeting, would grant the recipient of such with a high jump to the nearest ceiling-like object, most notably a fan, and grabbing on to it for dear life from a scare so powerful it was as if you had ran a marathon.

To the dark coat-ed pony with the wobbly leg, he was so used to it by now it was normal behavior from one known as Pinkie Pie. Not taking his eyes off the pony in the air he talked back. "Hiding, Pinkie."

Though, the only Pinkie he had ever known was the one in the human world, so when the sight of the spectral-mane vanished, the wheels in his brain registered that there was Pinkie Pie right behind him.. in the pony worl-”WHAT!” With that, he launched into the sky and grabbed hold of a ceiling fan.

Looking down he seen Pinkie waving a hoof. “How are YOU here!” Then it hit him what he was holding. He looked to see the ceiling fan... outdoors...

Pinkie rubbed her head a little, confused. “I thought I came from my mom and pop, but then again I don't really know- *GASP*- I so TOTALLY know, I've been blind this whole time! I have to be... MY FATHER! AHHHHH- just kidding! Hehehe!”

Long forgetting the ceiling fan, of which he found out it was part of the next-door 'Interior Superior Lawn and Home Cosmetics' he jumped back down and, seeing as he was still not totally used to hooves, fell flat face first into the dirt and rolled on his back to prevent leg damage. Pinkie was smiling above him, as usual, pretty darn close to him. “So, what's your name?”

Shadow groaned as he got up on his hooves and shook his head clear. After a second of getting his thoughts in order he realized the question. “Me? Shadow Step. I'm new in tow-” “*GASP* You're name is Shadow Step, the pony that has won the last dozen track records of Canterlot High in the human world on the other side of the mirror in the Crystal Empire, and you came running here when you thought Cadence would kidnap you, as IF, and ran through the frozen tundra, up a mountain, away from a VERY angry Dragon, bad Mushu I need to tell Fluttershy he's acting up, but then you got into the Everfree forest, with all sorts of monsters and timberwolves, and were-bears OH MY! Before finally getting help from Applejack all in one DAY, and using that weird earthy magic you have that not even YOU know about! Now your stuck here till the month is over and the portal opens again, and all you have to do is walking around Ponyville in grief over being missing from the other world, which is so sad.... *GASP* I KNOW! I'LL THROW YOU A PARTY! I'll make sure Rainbow gets an invite, toot sweet!” And she's off!... Before stopping and looking confused. “Should I ask Toot Sweet for the Berry Cake Surprise, or the Surprise Berry Blast? OH That's right, their the same thing! Silly me! See ya Shadow!” And pop, she's gone in a flash.

Shadow just stood there, his jaw on the floor. “How in the world did she.... Oh wait.. Right, it's PINKIE PIE! How can this one be even MORE of a sugar rush than the one in my world? AND HOW DID SHE VANISH LIKE SHE WAS A POPPED BALOON!”

After about a good ten minutes, he just nickered and groaned out in frustration. “Standard procedure? Yes please. 'Just Pinkie being Pinkie!' yes indeed.” Blinking at that he chuckled nervously. “Talking to myself after that is kind of weird...” “Yeah no kidding!”

He was ok with Pinkie Pie doing it, heck he was used to it enough, but when calming down from a Pinkie surprise, you don't except a second one so soon, so when there was another person behind you when you didn't know it, that's the kind of thing that warrants- “WHAT THE BUCK!” and springing back up to the light fixture.

Looking at the one who scared him he seen the Cyan mare in question that held his attention when Pinkie Pie shown up just moments ago, rainbow mane and everything. She was laughing as she was hovering mid-air, her wings flapping strongly. “HAHA! You have to see your face, it's priceless!”

With Pinkie, he would relax as she went on a tangent enough to form thought and retort, but with THIS mare, he was quite certain he would be tongue-tied. “R-Rainbow Dash?”

Stopping her hectic laughter she flew up and presented herself proudly. “The one and only! What, you hear about me from one of the many tabloids covering my great skills as Equestria's greatest flier?”

Shadow's mind was blown away because, even though the goal of this Rainbow was flying, and this Rainbow was a pony, she looked, acted, and was as proud as the one in his world. “Uh... No? I just.. Know you from some mutual friends.”

Rainbow deflated for a moment. “Seriously, no tabloids covering this much awesome? How lame!” Then she heard the mutual friends part. “OH! Right, you were talking with Pinkie Pie! Though I have never actually seen YOU around here.... Uh, you do realize your still hanging upside down in the air right?”

Shadow blinked at that and looked to the fan he was clinging to and blushed. He chuckled weakly and nervously. “Yeah.. Uh... Meet you on the ground!” He let go and for some reason his magic activated again. This caused him to tense up for a moment before letting his body flow, reaching for each mark on the walls, kicking off one by one till he got close to the ground and landed gracefully.

Rainbow landed in front of him, and she looked quite impressed. “WHOA! Now that's some slick moving there! Where in the hay did you learn something like that? I didn't know Earth ponies could do that!... Well, except Pinkie Pie, but that's a whole 'nother matter.”

Still quite nervous talking to Rainbow he rubbed his fore-hoof. “Well, it's not something you learn... I'm more a runner, not a jumper.”

Rainbow chuckled at that, blowing it off. “Still, what you just did was awesome! Too bad I'm more of a flier, or I'd ask for some tips. So, what's your name? You're new in town, I know that, EVERYONE new gets a party.”

Thinking back, that was one of many things from his worlds Pinkie Pie. "Always throwing parties to everyone, even new students." “Well... uh, my name is... Shadow Step, and I-”

He was cut off from just his name, as Rainbow clicked two and two together. “Wait, whoa whoa whoa. Now THAT is weird. I KNOW you, Fluttershy said you've been at the Apple Family Farm healing your leg up from some kind of terrible ordeal. Now, normally, this would not be so freaky, but how in Equestria didn't Pinkie Pie know you were here! Usually she's at the gate for any new pony right as they arrive! Nothing slips under her radar.”

Shadow could feel the curiosity that Rainbow had for this. It was true, he wondered where the spontaneous pink party planner had been for the last few days. Usually, she was on top of anything. Which was all the more surprise when she finally did show up. He figured she wasn't here till that point. “Good question, but, I have no answer... All I know is that, I guess I was too fast for her.”

Rainbow looked at him with a face of no amusement whatsoever. “Seriously? She's able to keep up with me, Celestia forbid I try to get away from her from time to time only to have her BEAT me somewhere, but how in the hay can YOU, as an Earth pony, outrun her, when I, as a Pegasus, can't even do it.”

Shadow was feeling the pressure. Sure, he could come out and say it, but Twilight forbade any kind of public talks about it, to keep collateral panic of another world at a minimum. Smiling nervously, but trying to act all proud of himself, which was hard when he knew he wasn't really anything special, he tried to get out of this situation. “Must have been luck then, I did have to come through the Everfree to get to Ponyville in a timely manner.” There, not a lie, just not all the information.

Getting a look of no amusement was already pressure enough, now she looked even LESS amused. “Nah, She's be on you quicker than Fluttershy can hide from her shadow. She knows what's going on at what time wherever it may be. So there is something you aren't telling me here. Now spill.”

Well, he tried. Shadow truly tried, but he had two options, to run off to Twilight, whom he hoped he could find, or maybe actually tell her. Option two might make things worse, considering it was basically what he just said with more details.

The first option sounded good though... He sighed and looked to her, giving up. “Sorry Rainbow, but I have to keep quiet. After someone broke my leg, me waking up in the Crystal Empire, and getting to Ponyville in a single day, I can't just think of why Pinkie would have missed me coming into town other than me being too fast or too lucky. And who knows what she has planned for my party that has her wanting to invite you above all else, it's almost as bad as Cadence finding out my love for-” And with that, he finally understood what it felt to have a hoof in his mouth, his own that is.

Staring at Rainbow, who's eyes went wide, he could tell the gears were turning. He had just goofed up bad, practically shouting it to the heavens the entire ordeal, even the secrets in his heart. Now he had to explain what he meant by it all, and knowing Rainbow at all, he knew he couldn't get out of holding back information. Maybe he didn't have to, because he saw the marks again, and after this whole foal up he WANTED to run. No time like the present. “See ya Rainbow!”

Before the spectrum mane-d mare could even blink, Shadow was off in a dead sprint away from her, and normally she'd snap out of her stupor and catch the pony running in an instant. But seeing him already disappearing beyond the horizon with the small dust clouds from his running that vanished quick anyway were still up for a moment or two, had her jaw set on the floor in shock.

Rainbow was still gaping at the fact he was so fast as an Earth Pony. “Huh-wha-who? He's even faster than I am running, and I'm as fast as AJ on hoof!” Shaking herself out of her stupor she flexed her wings up. “But I'm even faster flying!” She took off and sped up to catch him, easily putting on the speed to do so.

Funny thing was, she didn't have to travel far, as he had gotten to Twilight's home, the lone library of town. But what made her stop was the fact he wasn't at the door, but on the ground. Flying down she seen him holding his back leg, and seeing it closer when she landed she noticed it was swollen. “What the hay, Shadow, you run on THAT? You ok there?”

Shadow was numb, his leg felt like it was dipped in lava and being pulled on so hard it was coming off. Hissing he looked ahead to the library, and the marks leading there. This time, it seemed, he couldn't follow them anymore, his leg just hurt too bad to move.

Seeing him in such a pained state, Rainbow slid in beside him, lifting the legs facing the sky up around her and tugging him hard up on her back, sliding her wing up under him and rolling him up before standing up tall. “Come on, let's get you to the clinic or something. That leg can't be feeling good.”

Shadow shook his head, blushing at the fact his crush, or the pony version of her, was under him, carrying him when he was down. It reminded him much of when they met... Shaking his head harder he looked to the Library. “What is this? A Library in a tree?”

Rainbow scoffed in amusement and turned to face it herself. “Yeah, it's a Library. One of my best friends lives there too, an egghead of a friend though. Why, didn't you already know? You DID head here, ya know.”

Thinking carefully, Shadow wondered who would like in a tree, but also figured it was best to have Rainbow know. She was the only one who didn't, it seemed. “Well, can we go see them? Remember when I said I can't tell you? Not in public? Twilight Sparkle kind of told me not to in case I cause a panic... If you want answers, she's the one to ask.”

Rainbow blinked and looked to him, then the Library, then to him again before she connected the dots that Shadow didn't even know about. “OH! No wonder you were running here! Let's go see her then. You are still going to the doctors though, that leg doesn't seem in good shape.”

Smiling sheepishly, he just relaxed and let her carry him. Blushing, he kept thinking back to a few years ago, when he had met the human version... It was kind of like this, except this time is was him as a pony, and he was avoiding the doctors clinic.

They went into the Library and Shadow seen clearly it was a very spacious one, and homey as well. Rainbow took a deep breath. “HEY! Twilight, got a mutual friend here for you to see! And you have got some explaining to do, keeping a new pony in town from me and Pinkie!”

Though the one who came down wasn't Twilight, but her little dragon friend Spike. He hopped on the railing and looked to see them. “AH! Rainbow, good to see ya. Hows that new move coming?”

Rainbow glowed at that, puffing her chest out proudly. “Amazing as always, just a few tweaks here and there, and it will be a sure win into the Wonderbolts Reserve.”

Shadow looked to the little purple assistant. “Is Twilight around?”

Spike frowned, humming in thought before sliding down the railing and hoping off next to them. “Well, strange thing is, Twilight and Pinkie just left a minute ago. Something about a party for a new pony in town. Guess that means you got found out dude.”

Slumping his head, Shadow groaned. “I'd rather not talk about it... Pinkie got it all in one without me even saying anything. I say my name, and suddenly she knows how I got here and everything. She even knows about my sprinting reputation!”

Exchanging looks between them, Shadow knew this was plain practice for them too, as they shrugged. Shadow sighed and looked blankly at them. “Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie then?” With a resounding echo from the two of them, it made him smile.

Rainbow sighed and turned to him though. “Twilight's off doing something, and you need your leg looked at. No more stalling, you are going to the clinic.”

Spike was instantly on this. “I wouldn't do that. They can't help. We've tried to ask them, but he just needs to keep any strenuous activity to a minimum. Wait, why is he even on your back?” Looking at Shadow, he glared. “Did you do that weird running thing again?” Getting a nod from Shadow, and a confused look from Rainbow, he slapped his face. “Great Celestia, you are dumb. Ok, just drop him on a cushion, I'll get the potion.”

That got Shadow's attention. “Wait, potion?”

Spike turned to him. “Yeah, Zecora came into town this morning, she brought some herbal books and remedies on natural healing for broken bones, even left some ingredients. Twilight was making a few batches in case you did anything stupid like that weird magic you do.”

Spike went to get the potion, so Rainbow went and laid Shadow on the cushions before hearing the door close upstairs and looked curiously at the new arrival. “Weird Magic? How is running weird magic? Better yet, how the hay can you even RUN that fast? You bolted faster than even Applejack can run, and she could keep up with me hoof on hoof racing! I should know, me and her raced a couple Running of the Leaves!”

Shadow didn't know anything about that, but he sighed, laying so his leg was free of any weight. “Well, seeing as Twilight isn't here, and it's in a place I can't cause panic, I'll try to explain.” Calming himself down he took a deep breath and began.

XxX An Hour of Embarrassed Explanation Later XxX

Rainbow had sat on her haunches form the first few sentences, both confused and shocked, as well as flabbergasted at all this. It only grew to her brain hurting, her jaw wide open, and doubting any and all information given. When he was done, she managed to close her mouth and rose her head, trying to figure out how to respond to all that.

Thinking on everything, it made some kind of sense he was a part of that other world, how else would he know Sunset Shimmer? But everything else, about him running so fast from the Crystal Empire to Ponyville was pretty unbelievable... If she hadn't already seen his speed. “So.. Wait.... How....” Rubbing her head furiously she stood back up, shaking her head clear and looking shocked, still unable to take it all in. “This is WAY too much information for one sitting. How can you even have natural magic here when you were from the other world?” 

“That was Applejack's question, too.”

Turning from Shadow, who looked behind her, they both saw Twilight coming in and smiling. “Well, looks like you two have met. Sorry, been here since the middle of your little explanation there.” Coming up to him and looking at the leg, she hummed. “Guess you might not make it to the party. Pinkie wanted you to attend as a welcome to town thing, it's tomorrow.”

Shadow smiled at that, but sighed. “Tell her I'm sorry? I overdid it with wall jumping and running.”

Twilight looked confused by that. “Wall jumping?”

Rainbow remembered that and smiled brightly. “Yeah, that was TOTALLY AWESOME! He just went, clack, clack, clack, off the walls of the alley he was in from having been holding onto the ceiling fan from the home furnishing place after I gave him a surprise, and it was so cool!”

With a nervous chuckle, Shadow just looked to Twilight. “Well, I seen the marks, and last time I let go of the fan I fell on my back pretty hard. Pinkie surprised me first, then Rainbow. Pinkie asked who I was, I told her my name, and out of nowhere she knew everything about me.”

Twilight giggled, smiling at that. “Well, I think if you and the other Pinkie are any kind of friends, which I’d think you are, then you know the standard procedure. Trust me, the Pinkie from the Human world did the same to me.”

Rainbow turned to Shadow though, after the confirmation on his story, and the fact he was a fellow athlete, she just HAD to know more. “What kind of sports do I play? OH! Do I still have the need for speed?”

Shadow smiled at that, and Twilight rolled her eyes as she went to process the new letters she got. “Yeah, you do. In fact, you inspire many for track. I don't play many sports, just the ones where running is key. I don't think you have some of those here, so it would be hard to explain.”

Rainbow nickered and looked slyly at him. “Hey, I'm the Iron Pony here, whatever it is, I can get a sport down pat in ten seconds flat!”

Chuckling at that, Shadow felt comfortable talking to Rainbow Dash, the one here anyway. “Maybe when I'm not critically injured, I can teach a couple. Be warned, I'm pretty fast myself.”

Rainbow had a question about him and his speed. “That reminds me. What got you to be a speedster? I mean in the other world. Sure, here, you are fast and have that magic stuff, but what about over there?”

Blushing, Shadow looked away at this. “It's kind of embarrassing. Considering who it was who inspired me.”

Rainbow was confused by that, but then something hit her and she smirked, pride and smug mixed with a teasing glare. “Oh, so it was me, huh? I AM pretty awesome.” Though he didn't answer her, and she was quite curious. “But seriously, how did the other me inspire you to be a speedster?”

Shadow took a deep breath, trying to look anywhere but Rainbow. “It was a couple years ago. I was being bullied because I was new to school, but nothing major like with Jagged. One day I was to pick a curriculum, something to be good at. The next day, I thought I would just watch everyone already in a club and practice alone.”

Looking down sadly he looked to his front hooves. “Seeing as I was never really strong, I had to go with something easy. I thought gymnastics, and when I was practicing, I got teased relentlessly, because it was more the girl sport. Because I even tried out, the bullying got worse. I started having to watch out for myself. I started running away from them.”

Smiling a little he looked up to Rainbow. “Imagine my surprise when I could outrun some of them. Given, most of them were muscle-heads. But still.” Looking sad again he sighed. “Then, one muscle-head, who was part of a running sport himself, the long jump and hurdles, caught me. Jagged was the one who caught me. He let everyone else take turns picking on me, tearing up my school books, all my hard work, and even shoved me around. One of them kicked me in the back of the knee and it got sprained from the impact from the foot, as well as the floor. Couldn't walk till the next day.”

Looking back to Rainbow he gave a warm smile. “Then, just as it was about to get worse, you came along. Well, you know what I mean, the OTHER you. She defended me, and got my stuff back. Didn't take long for them to get away, she was the one who lead all their teams. Next week she had them all benched or thrown off for roughing up another student. But when she saved me, she told me that she saw how I could run. Suggested I try Track, she needed more people who could run as fast as she could.”

Rainbow was stunned by all this. But was glad she, or her other self, could help him out. She would never let bullies get the upper hand. Shadow continued though on his story. “You told me that I should keep practicing, get faster, better. And you would help me. SHE would, sorry. It's hard to tell you that another you is doing all this. But she told me she would help, and she carried me to the clinic in the school to rest my leg.” He blushed as he remembered that, as well as this Rainbow carrying him too. “And that's how I got into running. Having someone save you inspires you.”

Rainbow blushed heavily at this, but smiled and puffed her chest proudly. “Well, guess Awesome doesn't get restricted to one dimension. Still, I figured you'd have been interested in running since you were a kid. You know, some big name hero or talented older pony who had some good stories to tell.”

Shadow blinked at that and looked away sadly. Rainbow caught on. “What's up? Not have much a Foalhood?”

Shadow shook his head, understanding what she meant even though he was still not used to such speak. He looked up out the window, seeing the stars since it was starting to be around sunset. “I don't know anything about my childhood. The last thing I remember was waking up to see Vice-Principal Luna taking care of me, and I was in pain. Anything before that, which happened a few years ago, is blank. I don't know anything about my parents, about who I was, what age I was, just that I was Shadow Step.”

Rainbow cringed at that. Hearing him say he had Amnesia of his whole life up to a few years ago was shocking, but she felt bad making him remember that. Putting a hoof on his, she smiled, trying to get him to forget about it. “It's alright. You are you, here and now. Sure, this whole different dimension thing is going on, but don't you worry, things will be a-OK. Just look to the future.”

Shadow smiled at that, but was blushing and very tense from the touch. He may have tasted his own hoof, which wasn't disgusting since it was walking on dirt, but the touch of one wasn't hard like he imagined. It was a soft hoof touching his and he was trying NOT to suddenly take it away, because he liked it as well as the fact he didn't want to worry Rainbow.

Rainbow smirked though as she thought to earlier. “Pinkie Pie's party is tomorrow, so look forward to that. Cause her parties are ALWAYS a blast. But you probably already knew that. So, enough about the other world, let me tell you about THIS one.” And with that, she went to tell him all the cool things she's done, wants to do, and more.

For his part, Shadow only listened, enjoying talking to Rainbow. He would never really approach the one in his world, he was way too shy for that, and she was always busy when he was free to talk. Now, he couldn't exactly run away in shyness, and this one wanted to talk to him, she had free time.

Inwardly sighing, Shadow was enjoying his time here. Sure, the ordeal on his first day on this side was scary, and he had been cooped up in the apple farm for awhile, but it was peaceful here, it was nice. Something in his heart told him this all felt right, and he hoped to enjoy every second he was here in Equestria, even if he had to go back to the other side.
> Sporting in the Light, Running in Darkness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


XxX 23 Days From Portal Opening XxX


“WELCOME TO PONYVILLE, SHADOW!” Said pony was cringing from Pinkie Pie's close proximity yelling as the bells and whistles went off around him, having come inside the bakery of Sugarcube Corner due to his invite for his party.

Rainbow chuckled seeing the party going pretty smoothly, it was a little mellower than she was used to. “I thought this was a party, Pinkie, where's the jams? No offense to the one playin' right now.”

Giggling to herself as she bounced around Shadow, she looked to him. “Well, considering how Shadow can't bust a move, I made it so he can enjoy his own party either way! Besides, it was party time! Yesterday couldn't happen because the mean Author couldn't go a little further.”

Sorry Pinkie, but you got a Party now.... Hey wait a moment! “NOPE! So, Shadow, how about I bring ya’ some punch!”

With that, the smiling pink pony bounced off again. Rainbow blinking a little before turning to Shadow. “Did you understand anything she said about an Author? I mean, she sometimes does that, but who writes stuff for parties for her? I mean come on, she's a one pony party planner.”

Shadow was just as confused. “No idea, the Pinkie from my world beyond the mirror is the same way, talking to some invisible imaginary friend she has who is writing a story at that sudden moment.”

Said Pink Party Pony had a glass up and ready on her nose and put it down without spilling a drop right in front of Shadow. “So, I take it you like Lyra's jams?”

Smiling as he listened, it was a cool mix. Lyra in his world often did musical duet's with Octavia, and for wilder parties would accent, the DJ Pon3 herself, Vinyl. This was a good mix with the band at hand, upbeat but still not overly loud. “It's good, Pinkie, thank you. Maybe next party we can have two moods, like a start up with Vinyl and a relaxing wind down with Octavia.”

Rainbow scoffed as she looked to Shadow. “You kiddin' me? Vinyl all the way for me! No offense to Octavia, but classical is so unbearably boring.”

Though he knew Rainbow was always one to be loud and proud, the one in his world was starting to make a routine out of his song choices. He would have to explain later, but he smiled, almost sly as he knew she would actually enjoy it if she knew. “I guess you must mess up tricks a lot. Too fast and not so focused on actually doing well in your training for the Wonderbolts.”

Last night she had told him more about herself, about what she aspired to, and why. She learned a lot about the other her as well, but right now, she was flabbergasted. “Now hold on here, you cannot be suggesting my training to become a Wonderbolt is hindered just because I don't like that classical garbage! It just ain't my style, it's too boring and makes me sleepy, how is THAT any good for picking up speed?”

Shadow shrugged a bit, drinking his punch. This made Rainbow pout at him, but he ignored it. Finishing up he smiled, walking to the dance floor. “Might as well DO something, it is my own party after all. Coming?”

Figuring she would ask another time, she just enjoyed the party. Though she couldn't help but think Shadow had a point to make of her, as if comparing her to her human counterpart. She would have to show him NO Rainbow dash was the same as the other.




XxX 16 Days From Portal Opening XxX


After a week of resting his leg, Shadow felt extremely restless. It was quite the tasking procedure to just lay down most the time, he just couldn’t stay still without something to do. Thankfully, he was getting used to his pony body. In fact he was used to it almost an entire week ago now, it was like second nature to him. Though he did have the awkward moments of grabbing things as if he had fingers, only to have whatever he was trying to grab drop due to him having hooves.

He had to admit, the time it was taking him to acclimate was quite short. He had to ask Twilight if a change was hard to get used to for her, and she explained the video in a little more in detail, the one that was trying to embarrass her during the fall festival fiasco. She told him so far it was a normal rate of acclimation to environmental changes compared to what he was telling her.

It was time for him to come up on his promise to Rainbow to show here the sports in his world; Shadow had everything he needed. Surprisingly, most of the equipment he needed was already made, native to Equestria as it was his own world. After making it to the clear field under Rainbows house, waiting for her to return from her duties, he had spilled the contents of the saddle bags he was carrying.

Stretching his back and groaning from the weird sensation of having carrying stuff in such a way, he had to wonder how these ponies got around. Perhaps they had titanium backs? Sifting through the gear he found the one item he had Twilight make, seeing as no ball like it really existed. It was a Football, or more rather a Soccer ball to those who knew it by such.

It was also the sport the Rainbow from his world liked to play most. Do personal favorites continue between worlds? Shadow would find out soon enough, as Rainbow Dash swooped in from her cloud home - of which he found very impressive - and landed in front of him in a very proud show-off style pose. "Rainbow Dash is here, ready to show you up at your own games. Bring 'em on!"

Though Shadow smiled, he knew she would probably do just that, considering his inexperience using his pony body still and her being an athlete, even as a pony. "I suppose we can start off small and build up. But first, tell me how you even play with these things." Kicking to her the ball that was shaped like a double pointed egg. “This football I can hardly fathom what ponies can do with it...”

Stamping on one end, Rainbow flipped it into the air only to turn and kick it straight for a nearby tree. The kick sent it a little to the side, hitting a rock about ten yards further, but Rainbow still smiled. “Bucking contests. They are shaped in a way that makes them hard to pick up momentum, it takes strength to actually kick it far enough past the wind resistance it picks up. Most of the time Earth ponies are the better kickers, not only do they have strength but they also have aim. What about you? Have one of these things in your world then? Football you called it?”

Shrugging, Shadow just smiled. “Well, that's one way to call it. Though that name is also taken by another ball. How we play is a field of a hundred yards, and two teams try to battle their way to the others goal line. Though how we hold it as humans ponies cannot. I think Pegasi can try, they can hold the ball and fly with it.”

Grabbing another item from the pile herself, Rainbow grabbed herself a racket. “So what's this doing here? I'm pretty sure it's universal, you smack a ball around. All I can think of.”

Rolling the ball on the ground, Shadow nodded. “Tennis, two players, or four if you want, a net separating them, and have to hit the ball past them for a point. Though the point system is unique, starting at fifteen, then thirty, then forty, then match point.”

With a scrunched up nose, Rainbow had a hard time understanding that kind of math. “So, fifteen points, fifteen more, then ten more, then done? That's what, four points normally? Why not say four?”

With a shrug, all Shadow did was pick the ball up. “Well, how do you play?”

Rainbow clenched the racket tight and stepped back in order to get ready for the throw. “Well, we kind of just take this thing and swing, that's all I know anyway. Not like I have ever played the sport myself. Toss it.”

With a smile, Shadow gave it a good toss, but not too fast. With a swing, Rainbow slammed into it and it flew right past Shadow's head. “Whoa! Sorry Shadow, you ok?”

Shaking his head, Shadow chuckled nervously. “Maybe something that doesn't involve small objects coming to collide into my skull... Like this?”

The two had talked about each sport, practiced a few things with Tennis and Football, and were generally getting the hang of things with others like Hockey and such. Rainbow herself had an idea about Football. “Hey! How about this? We fly it around inside a cloud stadium, encompassed around a field. That way, we can get 'tackled' and do that 'down' thing with the score system and team switching! The goals can be different, rings of various sizes maybe, and each one has different points.”

With that, Shadow had a mental image of something like that. It seemed a bit rough, but a good idea. “Maybe some equipment to protect everyone would be ideal, that way no one gets terribly hurt. High speed crashes may not be very good for Pegasi, I would imagine.”

Seeing there was one more thing in the bags, Rainbow pushed it out and looked at it. “So what's this one Shadow?”

Coming up and smiling brightly, Shadow figured it was time to see how she liked Soccer. “It's a Soccer ball. Well, some people call it Football, but to make sure no one confuses it with the egg-shaped ball they call it soccer. Big argument there, don't ask. This is a very good sport. In a way it's like Football, you take this, two teams, and try and get it in the other team’s goal. However, there are some rules: You only use your feet and head, not your hands, which ponies do not have, so that rule doesn’t apply here. I think the not using your head rule will work for ponies though. Or at least don't carry it, only kick it around. So only kicking it around can you score. Which is why it was primarily known as football.”

Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash could only look in confusion. “Alright, but that sounds confusing. Why do you call the sport where you carry a ball football, and the sport you are only allowed kicking it with your feet soccer?”

Laughing at that, Shadow nudged Rainbow a bit. “That's the argument! HAH! But seriously, it's a timing and location issue. Many different places, many different sports. Sometimes we mix things up with others and don't communicate things correctly. So, want to try kicking this around?”

With a kick from the dark coated earth pony, the weather pony herself caught the ball with a hoof. “Huh, it's a lot firmer than the egg shaped one, a bit heavier too.” Kicking it back, she felt the hit and seen it bounce up to Shadow again, who caught it with a hoof. “That takes some tough hooves to hit, it's a bit tough and dense, what the heck is in that thing?”

Smirking, Shadow stamped the ball a couple times to make it bounce, only to start bouncing it on his head. “It's just air, but it has a pretty thick shell around it. It's made so you have to have strong legs to kick it down field but also heavy so it doesn't just suddenly get kicked into the air like a rocket.”

With a shake of her head, Rainbow could only look surprised that Shadow was bouncing the ball on his head a bit before making it rotate between bouncing on his head, to his flank, and even a kick from his back leg before it landed in front of her.

Instinct took over from there and she started to bounce the thing on her own head, but it took all she could muster to keep going. It kept moving all around the place that she had to flap her wings to get to the side quick enough. Though it didn't last as she missed a clean hit enough to head-butt the thing straight at Shadow.

Having to stand up on his back hooves to catch the thing, Shadow got nailed and landed on his back, the wind knocked out of him a moment. “Wow, maybe some practice alone would be better than with an audience huh?”

Flying over to get the thing, Rainbow just continued trying. Shadow set up a makeshift goal as she tried to keep the thing in the air without kicking it several feet away this time. Before he could finish, however, he heard a loud punt, a pop and a screech “LOOK OUT!”

Turning to Rainbow, who was flying up rather than at him, the dark coated earth pony looked into the sky, half blocked by the cloud house that blocked most the sky above the field, and grew darker with wavering lines of thread and the ball. But instead of turning to get away from a runaway soccer ball, Shadow just ran forward under it without a second thought. “Get out of the way!” heading straight for the other balls in a pile, Shadow grabbed as many a she could and ran for it. “I got you!”

Seeing this, Rainbow turned and looked in shock to see Shadow racing off in a hurry, as if Princess Luna turned into Nightmare Moon again. She wasn't so far off on a dark pony threat…

To Shadow, the field became a barren field of crumbled parks and forests, the balls he grabbed into little fillies and colts crying for their parents, and his vision blocked by a helmet. “I'll get you to safety, he won't hurt you, I promise!”

In his mind’s eye, all Shadow could see following him was a dark billowing smoke as he ran for his life holding the little ponies as best he could. Racing towards a broken down building, he jumped into it from the side, attempting to hide from the darkness. Though all he could see inside the house as the shadow past were more shadows, all laughing and starting t move his way. He ran out once more, only to get tackled to the ground hard by a zipping rainbow of color.

Landing on his back hard, Shadow looked up to a golden armored stallion with purple eyes and a spectrum mane. “Blitz?”

Said Stallion shook him a good bit. “Get your head together! Come on Shadow, you're freakin' me out! And who the hell is Blitz?” Still trying to struggle out of the hold, however, the one on him slapped him. “Snap out of it!”

With that slap of a hoof to his face, the dark pony stopped and shook his head, looking around him. He saw he was in the middle of town, several ponies gathering around them. Looking above him was a rainbow colored mare, Rainbow Dash. “What - what happened? I don't...” Groaning and sitting up, Rainbow getting off him so he could, he looked to everyone. “Sorry everyone, I just... Something spooked me was all.”

After a brief explanation, and very vague, the sporting duo gathered the gear and went back to Twilight's Library, upon the cyan pony's rather strict order to figure this out. “You ain't going to just shrug this one off Shadow. Things were going swell until now, what the hell got you so riled up, and why did you call me Blitz?”

Sighing heavily, the dark coated pony could only hang his head. “I wish I knew. All I can remember is that ethereal blobs were chasing me and many little ones through a broken warzone. As if I was a part of some rescue squad. Whoever I was remembering as Blitz looked like you, but was a stallion. That's all I know.”

Stopping at the door, Rainbow knocked and looked to her companion. “Not good enough. Look, whatever that was, it was like you were possessed. You gotta’ remember something more than that. There's no way you couldn't know what you were doing. Maybe it was some kind of vision, or something. But it sure sounded like you knew this Blitz.”

Opening the door was a purple scaled dragon assistant. “Oh, hey guys. What brings you two here, I thought you would be sharing sporting advice or whatnot.”

Smiling nervously, Shadow tried to diffuse this. “Nah, we're just looking for Twilight to help me figure out some of this stuff, hard to learn everything when it comes to Rainbow Dash. Too fast not enough detail, you know?”

Blowing raspberries at that, Rainbow elbowed the stallion before glaring at the dragon. “We're here because he had a bit of a spaz attack, some kind of scare that, as he explains, is something I don't think is best left alone. Not after the weird stuff we usually go through. Know where Twilight is?”

As if on que, the newest Alicorn princess flew down, rather unevenly, to the door. “I overheard. Come on in, I think I have something to show you two as well.”

Having to sit down, Shadow explained everything one more time. “All I know is, I looked up and saw the ball coming at me. Before I knew it, I found myself in a warzone, little children all over, crying, I grabbed them up and ran for it. Something was chasing me, a blob of shadow, something laughing, green eyes almost piercing with evil intent, crystals growing and spreading... I run into a building and see more shadows, laughing at me, and when I run back out I am hit to the floor and see a stallion with purple eyes, a stallion with rainbow colors and gold armor. Then things turn back to normal. I called the Stallion Blitz as well.”

Thinking on this, it was a full ten minutes before Rainbow had to stand up and glare at the book worm. “Come on Twilight, what's this all mean?”

Levitating a book from the table, she shown the two of them. “I was looking up some history. Ever since Shadow came to our world, I've been wondering where I heard about his power before, 'a speed that can outrun the sun, a shadow that never ends' because one night I noticed some kind of connection between Shadow's power and something in early Equestria. I had asked Princess Celestia to send several books with special ponies.”

The book page turned to a trinity symbol, each point having a symbol for each race of pony, and the center being a Symbol of the Princess's “There were three ponies that were special, each with a power that defied their race's gifts and natural abilities. They came around the dark ages, that's all I can dig up: sometime between the age of Discord and the banishing of Nightmare Moon. The Pegasus had the ability to cause seismic events, a Unicorn who's magical ability was to span physical object, and an earth pony who who's flow of magic was reversed, or as it says 'The giving of power becomes a greedy thief of thus' which can only mean reversed magical polarity. This fits Shadow well.”

Rainbow looked between Twilight and Shadow for a moment, Shadow himself looking surprised. “Whoa, you're telling me this thousand or so year old pony is, like what, his ancestor?”

Shaking her head, Twilight sighed heavily. “I can't say for sure, but it's a big coincidence either way. This pony has to have a connection to Shadow.”

Standing up himself, Shadow grabbed the book and started reading. “Impossible, there's no way. I'm from the Human world, this can't be...”

After an hour of speculation, the three could only agree on one thing. Sighing heavily again, the dark coated stallion with speed on his side spoke up. “I don't know if this pony is my ancestor, but if he is, then how could I have gone to the human world? Last I checked, the portal here is well guarded. And why can't I remember anything before waking up to Vice Principal Luna's care for my injuries...”

The cyan rainbow pony smiled and pushed against him with her hoof. “Well, you did remember something. Vision or what really happened, past or future, you got something more now. That's a good thing. We'll figure it out later. So, how about we try Soccer again before night time? We can get Twilight to make another ball since the last one broke.”

Twilight groaned and slapped her face with her hoof. “It took forever to conjure that thing, the time it will take for another is not gonna’ happen tonight. Not after the day I’ve had, there was a whole fiasco with the Everfree: Timberwolves tried to get at Fluttershy's animals, and then Rarity wouldn't let me say no to being her magical anchor with clothes, she needed more precision with some tough fabrics. And then Spike wasn't here all day so I had to go through the library re-shelving by myself... So sorry, but not today.”

Seeing the spectrum colored Pegasus groan in disappointment, Shadow gave her a hug. “Hey, no worries, we can try it tomorrow or something. We still got time before I leave and all.”

Smiling up at the dark stallion, Rainbow pushed him and scoffed. “Yeah, well whatever amount of time it takes, you owe me a match then. I'm gonna’ kick your ass at that sport, seeing as it's the only one that's fair to us both at the moment.”

The duo walked through town silently for a few moments before Rainbow Dash decided to chime in. “So tell me what you wanna’ do? It's getting about dinnertime. Wanna’ go grab some hay-fries?”

Shaking his head, Shadow Step sighed. “Not really. I'm still trying to digest the hay-burger from last week. It tastes like a salad that's been cooked. Nothing wrong with a salad, but maybe try actual potatoes for the fries? Those are still edible to Ponies right?”

Scoffing at that, the spectrum colored Pegasus pushed against him. “You need to lighten up. If you keep being so picky you'll not have enough energy for the journey back.”

Smiling at that, Shadow pushed back. “Look who's talking, you're pretty strict yourself on some stuff. Maybe you need to lighten up on your tricks. Speed is good, but crashing at high speed isn't.”

With a pout, Rainbow countered. “Hey, my injuries would only be a medical problem of my awesomeness and desire to be the best! You not eating anything is starving you, much worse. If I crash and break a rib I can be healed, if you starve yourself, you might die from neglect of basic needs.”

The dark coated stallion had to admit, she had a point. Sighing heavily, he started walking again. “Then come on, least I can have protein somewhere with those egg salads. Whilst we eat we can talk about this Daring Do you keep squawking about.”

The cyan mare grinned and flew up by him. “Oh that's gonna’ be a long talk for sure; Daring Do is awesome! You won't believe some of the things she's done!”

After finding a place to eat and getting some food, the two sat there relaxing, which consisted of Shadow sitting there listening to Rainbow tell the tales of her hero. “And then, she ran in and found the evil Ahuizotil and took back the artifact, and kicked his henchmen to the ground! It was then, that she flew off and left him to escape the crumbling temple that couldn't handle the magical overload of the artifact, and saved the world again!”

Blinking at that, Shadow let go of his shake. “Sounds a little like a guy from movies I watched. Some adventurer who was just an archaeologist but saved the world from evil artifacts and people wanting to take over the world. Jones was his name I think? He too used a whip as his main weapon and tool to get around.”

Having heard that, Rainbow sat down and looked absolutely enthralled. “Is this Jones guy for real? What kind of stuff does he find? Who does he fight?”

Chuckling at the excited mare, Shadow just sipped his drink before telling her. “Well, he's only a movie character. He isn't real. The person who plays as him is just an actor, not a real archaeologist. But his character fights a lot of evil people, armies or secret organizations, just taking them out left and right. Artifacts from space, or ancient gold powered by magic, whatever fits the bill.”

That deflated her sails, but the Pegasus pony didn't stop smiling. “Well, he may not be actually real as a hero, like Daring Do is, but the guy this actor represents sounds like he could be cool if it wasn't for the forgery. Daring Do writes her tales after they really happen.”

Standing up, she stretched her wings. “Well, it's getting late. I should get back to my house and rest up for tomorrow.” She paid the bill for Shadow and flew up. “Take care! And try not to worry about that crazy vision.”

Waving at the mare as she fled, Shadow sighed and started walking back to the Library. “Maybe she's right. It might just be my imagination, or some kind of weird side-effect of the mirror.” As the sun descended, he looked to the rising moon. “Maybe I'm just mad for thinking it was real... But I can't help shake the feeling Blitz was a friend... Someone I knew...”





XxX Canterlot XxX


As the sun fell over the horizon, Celestia sighed and let her sister's night gracefully spring to life with stars. Coming from the observatory, she noticed Luna coming up to observe. “Well evening, Sister. Coming to check on our loyal subjects? Which town has seen the darkness of nightmares striking recently?”

Smiling and brushing against her sister softly, the dark goddess of the night was happy to report no danger. “It has been week’s since the last time we had to fight off nightmares in most of Equestria. Most ponies now are sleeping quite soundly. Though there is always that stray dark thought that we must witness each hour or so.”

Though there was one thing that Luna had caught in her sleep. “Forgive me, but I wish to talk about one of my own... You remember back during the reign of that evil tyrant, King Sombra? What we had to do?”

Nodding, Celestia knew this was coming. “I have thought as much recently as well, many things from that time are coming to mind. It is similar to the Crystal Ponies having their own memories return. One remembers, and the others slowly realize, and they begin to connect. But that curse has long since passed.”

Luna looked down sadly. “I remember sending our greatest to their deaths... Spectral Blitz had to fight one he called brother, to save another he known as friend. And still it was not enough. We had to intervene once we heard of their disappearances.”

Putting a wing around her sister, Celestia knew very well the pain they both felt. “You could not have known Sombra would turn into a Tyrant, or attempt to rule Equestria through the Crystal Empire's magic. Nor could I have seen Blitz dying to an army of shadows. We cannot mourn them, it was too long ago.”

Dipping her head down more, Luna shed a single tear. “But it was their loss that drove me to madness... To darkness... I blamed Sombra, blamed you, for throwing him into his own demise. It was foalish of me, but I will never stop mourning him.”

Holding her sister still, the white coated Alicorn looked into the distance. “One day you will. Time heals all wounds.”





XxX Twelve Days till Portal Opening XxX


“Oh come ON! I said I don't wanna’ listen to that classical nonsense before preparing for a trick! It's just going to put me to sleep.” Pouting in front of Shadow was the aggravated Pegasus pony who he said he could help her fly better.

Rolling his eyes, Shadow put the record in the music player. “You lost the bet, and you said you wouldn't back down from the consequences.”

Still pouting, Rainbow kicked at the ground. “By one point... I had it, you were down, how could I miss the shot? You cheated I swear!”

With a curling nose, Shadow scoffed. “Says the pony who tried to FLY kick the ball halfway through. I let it slide because you were competitive, but don't try and play coy. You flew, I raced to the defense.”

They had played Soccer under normal rules, Twilight keeping score. He had won ten to nine, but only because, as soon as he fell over due to strain, he picked up and just rushed through it to save the game and kick the ball to her goal before she could recover from her own sudden lunge to smack it his way. Due to that strain and using his power, his leg was hurting again, but not too much. He felt he was getting stronger and better.

As the soft melody of Octavia started, Rainbow groaned and lay on the ground, just letting the torture play out, hoping she falls asleep soon. After about ten minutes, she felt ready to just snooze, when the music cut out and Shadow stood up. “Alright, now go do the amazing filly flash you keep boasting about!”

Shaking her head and standing up with him, she was a little confused. “What, you want me to go try NOW? When I'm, you know, ready to fall asleep?”

Seeing the smirk plastered on his face, the cyan flying ace of Ponyville couldn't shake the feeling that he was making a point. “Just trust me, and go do that trick.”

Rolling her eyes at the dark colored runner, her rainbow mane blew in the wind as she leapt up and started soaring. She had to admit, she felt less stressed. Her muscles weren't tugging at the pressure of her flaps. She assumed this was just because she wanted to prove her own point, and started her trick.

After flipping through the air, gaining some speed, and finding herself fluid in all motions, Rainbow flew by in a spectacular roll into a steep loop before falling into several flips. Just before hitting the ground, she used all her power to flap up at the last second. This was normally where she crashed and burned, but the tug of her wings was much less straining and she found herself just barely grazing the ground before flying back up.

Flying up in shock at not crashing like she usually did, she flipped some more, cheering. “YEAH! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! WHOO!” As her excitement mounted, she attempted several other tricks that coursed through her, some she crashed all the time, others she sometimes crashed by making a mistake or two, but found she was flying better than ever. That was until she slammed into a tree whilst performing a daring swirl of a flip and roll, somersaulting up and then down into a nearby tree when she wasn't looking. Hitting the ground, she groaned and shook her head, clearing the birds from her vision. “That was so lame...”

A figure came over her, smiling quite brightly. “So, I see you're not so bad, you hardly crashed through several routines.”

Picking herself up, Rainbow Dash brushed herself off. “Well, I usually do. In fact, a couple of those tricks I crash all the time on, at some point of another. It was weird, I felt loose; my wings didn't stretch until they pulled in a random direction. I felt... relaxed. That's not normal for me.”

Smiling even more, Shadow chuckled. “Guess you'll be listening to more Octavia classical orchestra's from now on.”

With a pout, the rainbow Pegasus glared at him. “Hey, I'll admit something had me relax, but all that horseapples did was put me to sleep.”

Shadow just kept smiling. “Alright... What do you call reading a Daring Do book before bed?”

Not knowing what he was suggesting, Rainbow sighed. “Relaxing? I mean, that's fun, it's a good way to just relax. That way I'm not tossing and turning in bed until I finally just pass out.”

Grinning from ear to ear, Shadow decided to put it in perspective. “So, you relax in order to sleep, right?” Getting a nod, he continued. “Well, listening to Octavia puts you to sleep without wrestling the covers. Right?” Another nod. “Just like reading a book. You were relaxed from the melody, it was taking all that irritation, anxiety, and steeled posture and just relaxing you to the point of just flying without suddenly pulling a wing from stress.”

Taking that all in, Rainbow hummed in thought. She had to admit, the feeling of relaxation was there, and she didn't read a book relaxing on a cloud in the sky. She just listened to music that was not blasting with bass to pump her up, just violins and soft sounds that made her feel the need to sit down and rest. Blinking at that, it finally hit her. “Wait... The music relaxed me, so I felt better and flew better because I wasn't wasting energy just by being excited...”

Seeing it click, Shadow chuckled more and nodded. “That's right. That's how I train. I listen to something relaxing so that when I hit the field I don't pull a muscle from so much energy. But whenever I need to psyche myself up for something, I pump some of Vinyl's bass and kick some flank. Practice makes perfect, so you practice feeling relaxed, but when you're competing, you need no doubts, so you need to get your head in the game.”

Popping the music on again, Rainbow sat down and grinned at Shadow. “You know, it may put me to sleep, but I don't hate her music. Just that it felt like it would mess up my practice or sleep schedule. But if it's actually gonna’ make me better, I can find a song or two that I might like. This one isn't too bad but still not my taste. Oh well. It'll do for today.”

Though her sitting with her back to him, listening to classical music, Shadow had another vision. Seeing the rainbow stallion once more, in a library at night, reading as he listened to music. Shaking his head, Shadow just focused on the present, and smiled at Rainbow. “Whatever happens, I'm glad I got to know you, Rainbow Dash. Pony version or not.”

> Choosing a Rainbow, Running out of time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

XxX Six Days until Portal opens XxX


It was a rather pleasant day, really. Shadow was just jogging around town, having finally been freed of his leg's recovery. The doctor said he was clear to go, so the first thing he did was sprint around town until the sun went down. But that was just a day ago. Today was a calm jog. Right on queue to his own exercise, he went past Rainbow's house, watching the Cyan Pegasus fly around. As he stopped for his mid-day break, carrying a picnic around for lunch, he stopped and set up.

The Rainbow Dash noticed Shadow coming up, and was finishing off her flight training. She was, trying to find the right time to pull up out of a dive without crashing but still look daring. The final swoop was perfect, and she swung around until finally landing nearby. Flapping her wings, trying to dull the tingling sensations running through them from the rigorous tense nature of her dives, she smiled. “Hey there, Romeo, I see you got some pumpkin pie.”

Chuckling, the dark colored stallion sat down and grabbed an apple. “Well, you deserve something good after all that training. I see you're getting better at the dives. That last one was a dozy.”

Waving it off, Rainbow chomped into her pie piece. “It's cool.” She waved off bashfully.  “I wish it was better, but I think it will do. I figure if I can't dive too low I can put a spin to it to really make it cool.”

Finishing his apple, Shadow smiled. “Still, you will most certainly be a Wonderbolt. You had the speed, but now you have the control.” Rainbow looked away, with a slight blush tinted her cheeks.

Finishing their meal, they relaxed, just resting in the shade. Rainbow looked to Shadow. She had to say something, but she couldn't find the words. He helped her get better, not only that but he had some of the same interests as she did. Adventure, athletics, they even had nearly the same taste in music, except he seemed to like Octavia's more than she did. He always wanted to talk, he always told her how good she was doing. He wasn't a fan though, he was a friend, a good one.

But there was that doubt. Was it because of her other self? Was it because he knew her from the other side? She had to know. “So, Shadow, what's the relationship with my human self you got? She your mentor or something?”

That got a reaction, she noticed his face scrunch up and a look of surprise. After a minute, he stammered out an answer. “She's, well, she's not my Mentor. She's someone I look up to, certainly, but she's not a teacher to me. I always thought of her as someone to follow, to become worthy of. She saved me, she helped me when I needed help, and she was kind.”

Looking down, the stallion thought long and hard. “She was untouchable. She was someone I’d never be worthy of, no matter how hard I tried to be faster, to be stronger, to prove I could be her equal. She was always untouchable. I could never talk to her much, she always seemed to be bouncing around with sports and friends. After losing her friends she cut herself off, and she wouldn't even talk to me at all after that.”

Rainbow could hear it in his voice, he thought the world of her other self. But then he turned that on its head. “It's funny, really. After seeing her as a goal, I thought of her as a trophy, something to prove I could have, someone I could become worthy enough to win through my passion. But I didn't know her at all. I was too shy, I always thought myself unworthy, and never should be seen by her powerful gaze. I couldn't, not as some timid kid.”

That got Rainbow Dash on his case. “What are you talking about, you're amazing, you're no timid kid if you can keep up with me. You kicked my flank in Soccer, and just running you can beat me in a race. Though I doubt you could outrun me when I fly.”

Rolling his eyes, all the dark colored stallion could do was stand up and stretch. “Well, regardless on that, it took you to show me how silly it was to keep my head in the clouds.” With a smile, he came up and nudged her a bit. “When we first me, I thought you were just like her. Still energetic, athletic, and trying your hardest no matter what. But she will never have your passion. I guess that's something about you and this world that the other you and world have. There is always someone better, so you push harder. You're not a symbol, you're like everyone else, even if you want to become more. I'm glad I got to know you, Rainbow.”

Rainbow could only blush at that. He may not know what that nudge was like, but it was clearly a very intimate thing. Though Shadow started walking off after that.

Standing up, Rainbow called to him. “HEY!” Seeing Shadow turn, the spectral pony walked up to him. “You know, you could stay... Maybe you're some individual here, you might be the only Shadow in Equestria, you could stay without any stupid Twilight speak for horrible implosion. Whatever that word was called, paraclocks?”

Though the suggestion was not negotiable, Shadow felt happy Rainbow wanted him to stay. He didn't know why but he felt closest to her than anyone, even his own surrogate mother. “It's ‘Paradox’, meaning one person cannot meet themselves without some disaster. Maybe I am the only Shadow, as it seems there's only one Twilight between the universes, but I have a mother to go home to, Vice-Principal Luna. She would scold me if I stayed too long here.”

With her ears falling at that, Rainbow ground her hoof along the grass. “Maybe, but still. It's unfair you have to go when we're having so much fun. No one else gets me like you do, the adventure, the tricks, the passion. Sure you're more relaxed, but I've seen you, every time you run you just have that energy I always do when flying around performing tricks. And if you ever visit again it would only be for a day or two, and I'd have to fly all the way away from home and friends in order to see you for so short a time.”

It did seem a little hard to keep contact. Seeing as the Crystal Empire was a day's run away, for him anyway, and he wouldn't mind coming over as it would be easy for him to, but it would have to be a monthly thing. He still had studies after all. Sighing, Shadow kept a smile, as sad as it was. “We still got a few days till I go. We can have as much fun as you want till then. But I have to leave, no way I'm going to let that douche of a rival Jagged get away with what he did to me. I'm sure after all this time he's been suspended or something, but just like you I am competitive. If he did that to me to win a race, I'm going to have him race, just so I can beat him fair and square.”

Though he brightened up. “Maybe after that and during the summer I can stay for a month again. Who knows?”

Smiling at that, but still feeling like someone she cared about was leaving her, the weather pony just accepted it. “And when you do, we can have some more fun. Maybe I can show you some sights around the whole of Equestria for a week, who knows.”  Though with a hopeful look, she couldn't help but feel wanting. “Just... Promise me you'll come back.”

Not sure why his new friend was trying so hard for him to stay, but he smiled and nodded. “Sure will. You can count on it.”

Though Rainbow wanted something better than a normal promise. “Pinkie Promise?”

Oh, he knew those, Shadow knew this one was the big one. Of course he would come back, even if it meant a few missed classes, but she was serious about this. Sitting down, Shadow went through the motions, the swaying Hoof over his chest, the flapping, and the hoof in the eye. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Settling with that, Rainbow flapped into the air, smiling. “Alright. So, how about a quick ten around Ponyville?”

Seeing no harm in it, Shadow stretched out his legs and started jogging to the edge of town. “Sure. Come on, let's go!”

It was a nice day for a run, picking up speed as Rainbow flew behind him, Shadow could only smile as he and his spectral colored friend took laps around the town. It was fleeting, a freedom he would never get back home. No care in the world, just open fields. Following the markings his magic created in his vision, he sped up faster, causing Rainbow to flap faster. He could hear her wings flapping, keeping up with him.

Running faster, Shadow shouted to Rainbow. “HEY! Race ya’! Around the town: five times and back to the picnic blanket! GO!”  With that, he flew down the path at high speed, his legs carrying him in a blur, his tail shimmering in the wind.

Unknown to him, Rainbow was having a hard time keeping up normally, she was pulling out all the stops to pick up speed. As he sped in front of her, Rainbow Dash could only look in surprise. Just like Pegasi, he was so fast he was actually causing a blurring effect with his tail, the dark color creating a darker shadow to race behind him.

The third lap had already arrived, and Rainbow was nearing Rainboom speed, just to keep up. As the fourth came along, she could feel the strain. The dark stallion was getting only faster as each lap passed. It was almost over, but she had to do it, she pushed through the pain and broke the sound barrier, leaving a rainbow explosion in her wake. She sped directly around Ponyville and tried not to crash as she went to tap the blanket on the ground.

However, just as she landed, she accidentally shifted her center of gravity, her body flipped and almost crashed into the ground, but she managed to kick off the ground bounce back into the air, rolling in uncontrollable angles, locked in a dangerous flat spin.

She was moving too fast; she couldn't control the landing at such a speed. As she started to descend, her back facing the ground and her wings, at this speed, unable to fold out, she could only scream at her inevitable doom.

Just as she was about to hit the ground, however, Rainbow felt a rough tug, and suddenly felt a soft body against hers. As soon as she stopped moving, she opened her eyes. She could see Shadow jammed into the ground, groaning.

Pulling herself up, Rainbow got off him, and bit his mane, pulling him up off the ground. “Oh, Celestia! Please be ok, Shadow? Shadow come on, wake up! You won, you beat me! I wasn't fast enough even though I ended up going way too fast at the end. Come on, wake up!”

Sitting up, rubbing his head, the dark colored stallion looked up at Shadow. With a soft look, and a hardly noticeable scratched cheek, he smiled. “Nah, you beat me there Dash. If I hadn't gone so fast I might not have been able to catch you though. You ok? You were the one who spun out.”

Rainbow sat beside him, and sighed. Though she wasn't proud that he was hurt because of her own selfish competitive nature, she was glad he was ok. “Don't sound cool, you got hurt saving me from a bad crash. You need to get that looked at.”

Rubbing his face, Shadow shook his head, still smiling. “Nah, I'll be fine, just need some rest.” Though with a sigh, he looked at her with a worried look. “You scared me there, Rainbow, I thought you were toast. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked for a race and sped off.”

Pouting, the weather pony crossed her hooves. “Whilst it was fun while it lasted, you got hurt saving my sorry flank! Though it seems you only got a scratch, it could have been much worse!”

Having to roll his eyes with that, Shadow just sat by Rainbow and smiled. “Hey, if I hadn't raced you I wouldn't have needed to save you. Honestly, I didn't think you would have to go so fast to beat me either. You were holding back on me too I bet.”

Blushing, Rainbow rubbed the back of her head, feeling embarrassed. She had gone top speed to win, she had nothing left, it took every ounce of speed she could muster to beat him, and she was flying. 

“Yeah, well...” Looking around, she sighed. It was only them. For now, at least. “Actually... That was my fastest. I had to pull a Sonic Rainboom to beat you. And that's my best, top speed is Rainboom speed. You were booking it, you had a black trail behind you like I have a rainbow at high speeds. You were going so fast, your legs were as much a blur as my wings. You're something else, Shadow. Definitely a Speedster.” She beamed with a half-smile. 

Shadow blinked in surprise at that. Truthfully he expected her to be far faster than him. “Well, thanks... Still, you're faster by a long shot. With that speed of yours you can pass me by and leave me in a trail of dust.”

The two calmed down for the moment. Rubbing her shoulder, Rainbow looked at Shadow nervously. “You know, I was going to ask about something... You talked about my human self so highly, as if you liked her or something. I know you said you never got around to talking to her properly, but you love her don't you?”

Not knowing where this was coming from, Shadow looked down and thought about it. At one time, he might have said yes. But now? Honestly, he couldn't say. Seeing the soccer genius kicking a goal from half field in his mind made for a happy feeling, but his heart wasn't jumping like it did one point in his life. “No. At least not anymore. I think it was just some stupid crush really, looking at her like a goal rather than a person. Seeing the talent and the hero she was to me more than who she was as a friend.”

Looking to Rainbow, and seeing her fly around, his heart beat an extra beat. Blushing, he looked down again. “What was... Do I feel that for THIS Rainbow? But, I'm human, she's a pony. She's my friend, but she's here and I live... This doesn't make sense!”

It was something he wasn't sure how to understand. But just thinking on it, it wasn't farfetched. He knew this Rainbow, he was happy with this Rainbow. It still made little sense from how he was even here talking to her.

The more they sat, the more the silence was becoming uncomfortable. The weather pony thought of something to say. “So, what were you going to wish for? You know, when you won that race in your world?”

Perking up, the dark stallion blinked. Thinking about the question, he sighed heavily. “It's silly really. Ask her to be my date to the prom, but seeing how that's probably not going to happen it's best to forget it.”

Standing up, Rainbow strutted up to him. “So, you'd have asked her for a date then?”

Looking at her, Shadow could only nod. “Really, it's a silly idea. Especially now, because I don't really love her, and it took coming here to even think about my stupid crush.”

Tilting her head, Rainbow looked confused. “So wait, why don't you have this crush anymore? What changed?”

A blush was her only answer as he stayed looking away from her. Groaning a bit, Shadow rubbed the back of his neck. “Honestly, it's nothing.... Just, I found out what was missing, what made me really like her to begin with. And how shallow it was. Besides, it's not like I don't still consider her someone close to my life, she did save me after all. But I have more feelings for you than I do for her.” And the hoof slapped to his lips faster than Rainbow could blink.

It was rather simple how pressure can force a tongue to spill its secrets. Shadow looked shocked at himself, looking at Rainbow whose own eyes went wide at that statement. The Pegasus shook her head a bit.  “Wait, so you like me, instead of my other self? But, how? I mean, we've been having a lot of fun and getting close, but you should have still seen my other self as someone to like more.”

It was true. Shadow stood up and bowed his head. “I know, but like I said. I don't know her. I know you. It's weird, just that you and I have been getting to know each other so well, when I hardly know the other Rainbow at all. Besides, you're not some highly idolized leader, you're just a passionate athlete.”

Rainbow still thought it was unreal how he could say he liked her more than the one he seemed to love before. “That still doesn't mean you wouldn't want to get to know her later.”

Shaking his head, Shadow was getting defensive. “No! I mean, yes, I mean... UGH! Just, I would rather just keep being a good friend to you than try to go back and get close to the other you! I mean, sure I still kind of have some feelings for her, but you're the one I care about more than anything!”

Once more, he hoof shoved itself in his mouth. Rainbow blushed at that, and was quite shocked as well. She was kind of afraid to ask the question, but she did it. “So... What? You love me now? I mean, this me?”

Shadow just wanted to dig himself a hole and die in it. But he didn't know if that was because of mixed thoughts from his crush before, or because of them actually being alike in so many ways. Groaning, he sat down. “I don't know... I mean, I feel like I do, but it's so confusing! You like adventure like I do, you like to be as active as I do, you like to have fun more than the other you.”

The red on the cyan cheeks of the mare his heart was pouring itself out to for now, was just making him feel even lower. Rainbow was silent, making him feel the need to go on. 

“You're reckless, sure, you don't exactly enjoy all the same music I do, you're not as into several sports as I am, but you're simply amazing, you're more a Speedster like me than the other you, you don't change your mind all the time, or are as busy as your other self. It's almost impossible not to get close to such an amazing mare as yourself!”

Rainbow sat there, just plopping down in disbelief as he ranted on how he felt. As the silent permeated, Shadow not knowing what else to say, they just went quiet. With Rainbow in shock, Shadow could only imagine what she must be thinking, and her silence had more impact than anything she could say.

With a tear, the dark stallion could only feel like a total idiot for putting her in such an emotional dilemma, and rushing whatever feelings he had onto her, even if he was still confused. Nothing else to say, his emotions running wild, between heartbreak and confusion and adrenaline still rushing through him, he could only turn and run, racing away from her. “I'm sorry!”

Seeing him run, the spectral pony shook out of her stupor and got up, flexing her wings. “Hey, wait up there!” but as she tried to launch, she felt her wing tense and she fell. Looking to her numb wing, she noticed it was scuffed, but not visibly painful. She didn't know how it happened, or when, but her wing was shot, the tip numb and limp. Though it wasn't hurting, it was numb and rather uncomfortable. Trying to race him on foot, she knew she would never really catch him, but still tried.

Going as fast as he could, Shadow just bolted, flying through the town until he found a spot near the Everfree Forest. And sat down. Though he didn't go in, knowing full well the kind of things inside waiting to eat him. He knew the outskirts were safe.

Not hearing until it was too late, the softest voice brought him back from his relaxation. “Oh, um... Shadow? Is that you?” Fluttershy lived near the forest, as shy and afraid as she was, he totally forgot about that.

Turning to her, Shadow just sighed, taking a deep breath. “Hey, Fluttershy... Sorry, I was just getting some fresh air.”

Fluttershy could see his distress. “What’s the matter? Who made you cry?”

Realizing he had, indeed, cried, Shadow quickly wiped the tears away. “No one, it's fine... Just my idiotic mouth spouting nonsense and possibly ruining a great friendship...”

It was no secret to the animal loving Pegasus, she had seen Shadow and Rainbow racing, playing sports, and talking almost constantly. It was clear the two were getting close, and she could only imagine what it would be like if they got together. “What happened? I thought you and Rainbow were happy being friends?”

Looking a little surprised, Shadow shook his head. “How do you know it's Rainbow I'm talking about?”

Giving a soft smile, Fluttershy replied “Oh, it's no real surprise. She's been talking about you constantly whenever she comes to see if I am alright, or whenever we have our group talks with the others. She hardly contains herself when you might be free for some random thing or another. It's really cute.”

Though surprising to hear he was a conversation topic, Shadow sighed as he remembered seeing the shock and silence from the spectral Pegasus he left behind. “I ruined it all... It's all my fault, I disgusted her or something. She's probably never going to speak to me again.”

Fluttershy came up to him. “Oh, but why? She's not exactly the kind of mare to let friendships go... Well, not without some huge problem they cause, like that one time with her former griffon friend Gilda...” Looking away sadly, Fluttershy remembered how scary Gilda was. “It was terrifying...”

Sitting down, Shadow just dug at the ground. “I'm just so confused... Between my feelings for the human Rainbow, my random thoughts of this Blitz character in my head, and how amazing this pony version of Rainbow is, how similar we are and how much we have in common, it's almost scary. One month ago I was fine, just staying back and away from anything, just practicing for the races I go to and admiring the human Rainbow, looking at her possessively. Now here I am, and my entire world is flipped upside down. I can hardly imagine what it was like for Twilight to be in the human world. I sometimes still look to you and see the animal shelter, how I help you sometimes there, hoping to catch Rainbow before your shift is over.”

Being the amazing listener she was, Fluttershy just looked at Shadow, raking it all in and trying to find a way to help. Nodding, the mare could only wonder. “But you know better. Besides, it's not like it's all different. I'm sure many ponies you know here do something in the human world similar.”

Shaking his head, Shadow sighed heavily. “Not all of them. Princess Celestia is immortal I hear, our Principal is still human, I doubt she's lived for many centuries. The Rainbow I looked up to as an idol, something to work towards, is busy and always leading teams, heavily active and never letting anything stop her from being amazing. The Rainbow here, as amazing as she wants to be, is simple and basic, just wanting to be the amazing flier she is, not leading but showing off, not busy but passionate. She can stop for breaks more, she can lay around in an orchard. Even you are slightly different, trying to help animals near this forest, as scary as that is, and never failing to be brave when the need arises. Your human counterpart is much more shy and scared. She only really stands up when her friends are in trouble.”

It was slightly surprising to hear all this. Twilight had said they had different views and activities. Much as their passions, their personalities, and their connection held true even through dimensions, but to hear how different, it was jarring. But she knew Shadow was taking this all in and having trouble processing such after so long knowing only one way, one person by one personality.

As he sat there, Fluttershy figured out what was really bothering him. “So, Rainbow isn't how you imagined her to be?”

Looking confused, the dark coated stallion shook his head. “It's not that, it's the fact I'm so confused. I mean... Ugh! The Pony version of her is so much more free, not as strict or active, not dividing her time through dozens of people at a time. I don't know the human Rainbow like I do the Pony version, and even if I did know the human version better, I'd just imagine the mare, and all the fun I had here with her... How I fell in love with her...”

Blushing, Fluttershy could only look at him as he had said he loved Rainbow. Of course she had thought they would make a cute couple, but to hear him say it… “Oh my...” 

Putting a hoof on his shoulder, she tried to console him. “Why would that ruin your friendship with Rainbow? Does she not feel the same way?”

Again, the tears came. “I don't think so... She just sat there... She just looked at me like I grew several heads. She wouldn't say a word...” Shaking himself off, he stood back up and started walking.  “Thanks Fluttershy, I'll see you another time...” Once more, he started running, much slower this time.

After a brief period of thinking why Rainbow would reject Shadow, after all she had said about him, the young peaceful Pegasus gathered the remainder of her flowers and started to her hut. It took an hour from picking and traveling, but when she finally returned, she had only a few minutes or so until she heard a knocking at her door. 

“Oh? I wonder if Shadow's calmed down...”

Opening her door, she looked in surprise as Rainbow was huffing and puffing, looking at her wildly. “Fluttershy, hey, you seen Shadow around? He was heading around this direction, I don't know if he went into the forest or something.”

Before the yellow mare could say anything, she noticed the limp wing.  “Oh, Rainbow! You're hurt! What happened?”

Shaking her head, Rainbow put a hoof over her wing. “It's nothing, just something to sit and heal for the night. Just snapped it against the ground or tree when I crash landed during a race with Shadow. Doesn't matter, you see him? I've asked through town making a B line for where he was going.”

Not taking that for an answer, Fluttershy stood tall. “Rainbow, you come in here and let me look at that wing right this second! I won't let my best friend just run around with a bad wing like that!” 

Before the cyan mare could retort, she turned her head. “No buts, get in here and tell me the whole story with you and Shadow. And don't you worry, he's fine... If disheveled.”

Groaning, Rainbow stepped in. Being led to the other room, she sat and waited on her yellow friend.  “So you saw him?”

Carrying some supplies in with her, Fluttershy nodded. “I did. He was out near the forest when I was picking my flowers.. So what happened? You two raced?”

Confirming so, Rainbow sighed. “It was just supposed to be a simple exercise around Ponyville. He turned it into a race...And me being, good old, stupid, competitive me, I accepted it. I did a Rainboom to beat him. I couldn't slow down without crashing.”

Having heard and seen the spectacle early, the yellow mare started preening the broken feathers off her friend. “Go on...”

Wincing from the pain of getting the broken feathers preened, the cyan mare just crossed her hooves. “Well, I kind of got hurt, but I didn't realize that until he sped off. He had caught me, taking the brunt of the crash. He got hurt, but it wasn't bad, he said so at least... Didn't look too bad, but still he got hurt saving my dumb flank.”

Fluttershy had seen a small scratch on the side of Shadow's face, but it looked too small to really be a bother. Rainbow's clearly hurt wing, however, as unnoticeable as the bruise was the angle shown the Pegasus all she needed to know. “What happened next?” She knew something happened, give how he acted as he told her about his feelings for Rainbow and how he saw it. Though that was it, and she was curious.

Looking down, Rainbow didn't really know how to say it. “He-he said he loved me. Or, he said how he had feelings for me, but he was confused because he did for my human self too. Which kind of made me feel bad. Like the only reason he liked me was because he loved my human self.”

Grabbing the ointment, the healing Pegasus started rubbing the joint, having to deal with the cyan mare before her hissing in pain. “Oh, sorry... But how do you know that's how he feels?”

Rainbow turned to her friend. “He told me all about it! How he looked up to my human version, how he wanted to prove he was worthy of her, how amazing she was. But... but you know, he said that didn't matter... But he still felt that way, even if says he no longer feels for my human side as much, he got to know me under the feelings he had for my human self, so our friendship is sort of built on his time with my human self, not me.”

Starting to wrap the joint, splinting it to keep it set in place, Fluttershy grabbed the bandages. thinking about what Rainbow said, and what Shadow said, she knew better, given hw she saw each act. Even if it was true, Shadow clearly, as confused as he was, felt something for the mare known as Rainbow. “So you don't want to be his friend anymore?” She asked. 

Rainbow stayed silent at first, as she finished tying the bandage. “All done!”

Standing up and flexing her wing, settling it at her side, the Cyan weather pony turned to her friend. “It's not that at all! It's just.. How do I know he doesn't just care about me because he sees the human me?”

Seeing as she wasn't compelled to keep a secret, Fluttershy had to put Rainbows doubts away. “Because, he told me the opposite. It's more that he feels that when he goes back, he will see YOU whenever he sees the human Rainbow. He really truly cares about you, even if he's so confused. He's lead his life in the human world, and to suddenly see the changes - the differences - with all of us compared to those in his world, he's unsure if his feelings are truly what he thinks they are anymore. He's just as confused as you Rainbow, but he knows enough to be crying in pain because you rejected him.”

That threw Rainbow for a loop. She was wide eyed and shocked to hear this, and shaking her head, she had to ask. “Wait, rejected? I mean, hearing him say all this about me and my human self, his confusion, but also what he liked about me better than her, I never REJECTED him. I mean sure, this is all pretty mushy and stuff and it's not really my thing. If I pick someone to love like that they have to be as cool as I am!” Realizing what she said, she groaned and shook her head harder. “Not saying he ISN'T cool, but I just.. UGH! I just don't know Fluttershy! I mean... He said that? That he truly thinks of me as me, and not as my other self?”

Nodding, Fluttershy blushed a bit. “He said he had fallen in love with you, as in the Mare you. It was quite shocking hearing him say that.” 

Though she did feel bad remembering the hurt look he had. “He looked so down thinking you hated him now.”

Hearing this, Rainbow sat again. With a sigh, she looked down. “I don't hate him, but I guess I didn't say anything to really stop him from thinking that. I'm an idiot...”

Though she knew Shadow and Rainbow had to get together and talk this out, she saw how Shadow felt, and clearly could see Rainbow wasn't exactly ready to talk about it. “He goes back in a few days right? Before he goes back, you should talk to him. He really thinks highly of you, and I mean this you. But maybe you should think about this. Give him a real answer, tell him how you truly feel. If you don't love him, then say so, but don't let him think you hate him. I'm sure you two can still be great friends regardless of how today went.”

Looking up to her friend, Rainbow smiled. Standing up and hugging Fluttershy, the Cyan mare nodded. “I will. Thanks Fluttershy... I should go talk to him, but least I can do is give him an answer. It'll take a while, I need time to think about what kind of Stallion he is to me.” Though in her heart, she did know what he meant to her. 

“But does he know.... and if he does, will it be worth it to do this between worlds?” With that in mind, she walked back home.

> The Shadow of Victory, The Love of a Rainbow
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


XxX Three days till Portal Opens XxX

The town was quiet, nearly dead today, even though it was it’s usual bustle of ponies talking left and right about the weather, that was mostly cloudy yet warm and nice out. No, it wasn’t dead to silence to others, only one Pony in particular whom was fighting off what could only be described as a past long past. A childhood forgotten, a mother whom wasn’t his mother, a war that tore him apart without care, a brother lost to time within darkness, and another lost to that same darkness.

Although to Shadow, the town was quiet only because he was blanking out everything, his sight, his hearing and his sense of smell, all that was left to his walking feet was his bodies own auto pilot, following the steps given by Equestria’s magical pull on him, guiding him as his thoughts raced faster than Rainbow’s own Sonic Rainboom.

Ever since he started thinking about why he cared so much for the pony Rainbow, he was flashing back to that weird memory, or whatever vision he had, and Blitz, whom saved him from the shadows. It was almost unbearable to think there were other factors to him caring so much for a pony version of the human he had a crush on.

For the last three days, Shadow could only think, and try and figure out everything that was rolling through his mind, and what he was finding only made less sense. He was part of a war in the Crystal Empire, he was pleading for some unicorn to snap out of something, he was tortured…. He was saved, he fled, and then a bright light behind him as he looked himself in a mirror before everything went blank.

His memories were nothing, he couldn’t understand. Why did his memories show his life as part of Equestria, when he knew the human world far better? He needed to know, to find out more about this Blitz. And the only one to help him there, was Twilight.

And thankfully, his power led him right to her door. Deciding not to question it anymore, he knocked. Spike came right up. “Oh, hey Shadow, how’s it going?”

Taking a deep breath, the stallion calmed himself. “I need to speak to Twilight. She still looking through those history books?”

Shrugging, the little drake turned and waved Shadow in. “Books in general, but couldn’t hurt to ask. Why? I figured you’d be out hanging with Rainbow.”

As they climbed the stairs, Shadow explained. “Things are… strained at best. Something came up and now I’m trying to keep out of sight for awhile.”

Scoffing, Spike groaned out. “Well that’s not good. Hope you two work it out, you know?” Getting a smile of assurance, Spike knocked on Twilight’s door. “Twilight! Hey, Shadow’s back, he’s wanting to know if you’ve got anything from those history books to tell him?”

It was almost instant, but  she opened the door and looked disheveled, but wide awake. “Sure, I think I do anyway. What little I could piece, if you want. Come on in.”

Stepping in, Spike shut the door and Twilight lay on her pillows. Grabbing a couple books, she gestured Shadow to come closer. “Now, what would you like to know?”

As good a place to start as any, he assumed. “Blitz. What’s his connection to me, and Rainbow?”

Humming, scrunching her nose, the purple Alicorn didn’t seem to like that starting point. “I was kind of hoping you’d ask about the shadows and crystals… But I suppose we can explain that one later.” Sitting up, Twilight yawned before beginning. “Nothing. Or at least, nothing historically given. Blitz, as I’ve learned, was the adopted son of Celestia. He was given the honor as head of the royal guard until his demise during the Fall of the Crystal Empire. He died returning from the kingdom having saved many of his soldiers, pulling them back in a flash of light, a Rainbow of color.”

Holding up the book, she read the script out loud. “As it writes: ‘The cold winter above held no prisoners, as the darkness swallowed all within. One beacon of light flashed through to save those who gave there lives for the cause, and faster than I could blink, a rainbow covered the area, and we were gone. Away from the death and misery, our ears still rang from the explosion of magic that must have almost taken us.’ This right here makes me think he was capable of a Sonic Rainboom, but the story of the Rainboom only ever came to pass after Rainbow herself did it as a little filly, and now as her greatest feat everyone knows is true.”

Grabbing yet another book, the same she started with days ago, she opened it to the trinity. “But it’s impossible for him to have been so fast in the air. Remember, he was given the power of seismic control, not atmospherically. As you might have learned, Pegasi magic is what keeps them in the air, but also gives them the ability to handle weather. The Wonderbolts, and Rainbow, use this magic as a way to go fast. Though I doubt he was grounded the rest of his life, the magic he used wouldn’t have given him aerial speeds high enough. So it wasn’t a Rainboom. I’m guessing he was rainbow colored, and the explosion was actually an attack. Remember, it was a warzone.”

So, the connection to Rainbow was foolish. But there was still something. “Is Blitz her ancestor maybe?”

Shaking her head, Twilight unrolled a scroll. “There’s not a single Blitz in this entire thing. Genealogy is the only way to track this, and from my attempts, it seems he never had children. Or, at least not with anyone in Rainbow’s tree.”

Well, that was something off his chest. Maybe it was only their looks, nothing else. That was a relief. “And I assume nothing connecting her and me means you found out I’m not related to this other pony?”

Twilight groaned and smiled nervously. “Well, I’ve not gone that deep yet… Actually…” Producing another book, she made sure to show him. “This is the only mention of him other than the Trinity…. It says: ‘And with speed unending, his hooves battled the elements to insure our safety. Thus was the tale, but who he was is unknown. Coat of darkest night, the son of darkness, lost to shadow. Do I give pity? Or do I die, knowing that a mother’s lose and our own blind eyes caused this torture. Only history can tell.’ And then it ends. The tale was of a hero, someone who was so fast, he gave Celestia and Luna the opportunity to finally end the war of the Crystal Empire. It was short, shadowed by the vague writing. It nearly repeats itself. Blurs of black, speeds unending, and son to a darkness, but it’s spoken rather, ‘Son of Evil’ who did good deeds.”

“But, that has nothing to do with me.. does it?” It sure sounded vague, and too much so to be anything connected to him. As the only piece she could find on this other pony like him, it was still beyond believable to be him.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight sighed. “No, not at this point. But I never said I didn’t have a theory. Actually, I was going to give you my theory once I told you about the shadow and crystal.”

Ok, now Shadow was getting nervous. What did this have to do with him? Only Blitz and this other pony with high speed were connected to him. And Blitz was beyond him. Though Twilight made sure to get his attention. “The third pony. Of the Trinity, Blitz was the son of Celestia, who fought in the Fall of the Crystal Empire, the war with King Sombra. This old tale of the fast pony has him dated at the same time, as part of the trinity. Earth pony and Pegasus. But there’s a third, a Unicorn.”

Now he got it…. Twilight continued. “You see, King Sombra was the final part of the Trinity. He was this Unicorn. The one with powers over the physical plane. The only way he could use his magic was if it was control of a physical object. Manipulate, duplicate, and power spells for him. The most magical gemstone in all of Equestria is that of the Crystal Empire, the very gem that makes up the whole kingdom. If he took control of it, he could do anything. And he did, he went so mad with power he became a tyrant. He was the one who started the entire war.”

“Wait… Blitz has mentions, and there’s only a single tale of this other pony, how come Sombra is so well known?” It was a valid point. It made little sense, it seemed Sombra had more history than any of the other two.

“Because, he came back from the past.” This took the dark stallion by surprise. “When he fell in the war, he used the last of his magic to make the entire kingdom vanish, in an instant. His story would soon be lost to history, nothing more than an old legend… Until the Crystal Empire came back, and not only did it return, so did Sombra, who wanted his kingdom back. My brother and his wife went there and protected the kingdom until I and my friends could help. Celestia had us go to help them, and with our help, we managed to finally finish him off. Even if he lived to survive the blast of love and hope, he would soon evaporate without the very magic he used to stay alive through the years by the power of the empire in the first place. Now, with the Empire back, all that history was returned. And with it, Celestia made public several books that were published back then available. It’s the only reason I even have this much to go on.”

“But, what about this theory? You know, the one about Sombra and these others?” He was afraid of what was being said. Years old, and he comes back? Was he immortal?

Taking a deep breath, Twilight looked straight at Shadow. “Sombra and the entire Kingdom, every Crystal Pony there, were gone a thousand or so years ago. But as soon as Sombra and the Empire returned, so did everypony else. You see, it was as if time stopped for them, entirely. What was a thousand years to us, was a day to them. What if Sombra wasn’t the only one who came back…”

He couldn’t fathom this scenario, was she saying Blitz was still in existence somewhere, or that this other pony was? And if the latter… wait. “Who.. came back?”

Looking right at the stallion, Twilight was sure of this theory. “You. You did, you are this other pony and you came back. It’s the only thing that makes sense. All the evidence points to you being this speedster.”
Stunned, Shadow was connecting the dots as well. But there was one giant flaw… “How come I woke up in the human world though? Amnesia or no, why am I the ONLY one that was sent there? If I am this speedster, then why don’t I remember anything, why was I taken to the human world?”

Twilight sighed, looking down. This was also a thought she encountered. “I said it was a theory. I am still sure it’s the right one, but I can’t answer everything. Thousands of years ago, history and information either displaces, changes, or disappears. If I could find out how you got there, then trust me I would do so. But last I checked, the mirror was the only way in or out of the two dimensions, and Celestia has had it in her castle for as long as I know, at least until the Empire came back, she allowed Cadence to watch over it so any threat to Equestria was given a fighting chance to prepare.”

This was not going anywhere, Shadow felt, so he at least was comforted by one thing… There was no link to him, Rainbow, or Blitz that was causing his feelings any chaos. He loved her, he truly did, but he had to be sure about who he was, about what he knew. And he did now. “Thanks Twilight. But I think we can leave it at that. You did help though.” Smiling, he turned. “Hope you find the proof you’re looking for, I’m sure when you find out if I’m that pony or not, I’ll be the first to know.”

Leaving her to her studies, or sleep as she sorely needed, he left and was rather content. Sure, this whole deal about him being a thousand year old pony was ridiculous, but whether or not it was true, all that mattered was nothing held his heart.

Though regardless, he was still worried about one thing… Rainbow’s answer to his feelings. If she did not feel the same way, he couldn’t do anything about it. Though he hoped she accepted.

XxX Two Days Until Portal Open XxX

Rainbow was having a very hard time, she was too busy trying to think to understand what she wanted to do. After talking to Fluttershy the other day, she just had more questions on what she wanted to do rather than knowing exactly what to do.

Head through the cloud pillow, she groaned in the real pillow, only to pick herself back up and sigh. “Why is this so difficult! I don’t do mushy stuff! Guh!” Head into the pillows again.

Her talk with Fluttershy did a number on her. Sure, she cared for Shadow, he was a cool stallion who enjoyed pushing himself, speed and sports, and understood her. Though it was partly due to her human self, she would forgive that now knowing he wasn’t concerned about it. It was just too much to process, feeling wise.

She had to figure this out. Did she actually have those kinds of feelings for him, all within a month? It wasn’t impossible, but she was too adventurous to be tied down to anypony. “Then again.... So is he, so he would either join me or let me be, knowing I was a free spirit… Maybe, or maybe not and this love thing will pin us both down. Ugh, more questions…”

Turning over, the Pegasus had little else to think about. It was unnerving, she was prone to fidgeting if stayed in a place too long. She needed to clear her head. Deciding lying about would do no good, she decided to get up and just take a flight around the town. Hope that she could figure things out then were low, but she had that hope regardless.

As she flew, it was getting close to Noon. She knew that tomorrow morning they were on a train to the empire to finally see him off, but she didn’t want him to leave just when things were getting difficult. She never backed out from anything, even decisions like this. But the thing was, she didn’t have a clue how to tell, she was no good with these feelings, this mushy stuff or any of it. The only one who was she could trust was…. “Wait… That’s it!”

Speeding to the fashionable marshmallow of a mare, Rainbow quickly knocked on the door. “Rarity! You home?”

Opening the door, the purple haired lady of the store smiled. “Well Rainbow, what a surprise. How goes your day? Been out and about with that dark handsome Stallion have you?”

Groaning a little, Rainbow bowed her head. “Can I just come in? This is a little embarrassing as it is.”

Letting her friend through, Rarity hummed. “You look… Less colorful today. Been eating your greens I hope?”

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow sat down. “It’s not that. I’ve been eating fine.” Though she did feel a bit nauseous. “It’s about Shadow. He… Well, he confessed. In a way.”

Apparently, Rainbow forgot just HOW much a drama queen Rarity was, as the fashionista nearly screeched in joy, eyes glittering like nothing else in the building. “Oh, what bold behavior! What did he say? Was it over dinner? Maybe candles lighting the area? Ooooo, maybe he was the shy type, blushing out a hilariously nervous confession of adoring and admiration.”

Putting a hoof against the mare’s maw, Rainbow stopped her friend from trying to analyze and embarrass her further. “Nothing like that! Geez… He already had a crush on me before he met.. well me. But he’s changed from crushing on my human self and now fell for this me. And I don’t even know what to do about it! We’ve kinda just separated to think, I’m sure he’s confused, but so am I, I mean how the buck am I supposed to feel about this? I’m no good with this, I don’t know if I am even ready for a relationship, especially with someone from another world altogether!”

Putting the hoof from her mouth, Rarity smiled. “Ah, the sudden confession, the old crush, the feelings of confusion overwriting the feelings of true love, but to one day be returned. That’s the way it is, hm? Well, have no fear, For I know exactly how to help you hold his heart.”

Glaring at the white mare, the colorful Rainbow grumbled. “You ignored me again….”

With a roll of eyes and hoof, Rarity scoffed. “Oh pah-LEASE. I heard every word. And I know you, Rainbow, if you believe me or not. Your best bet is to accept his feelings, but also make sure he doesn’t stay confused. You must show him you are your own mare, and you will have him wrapped around your hoof.”

Again with the groaning, Rainbow stood up. “I told you, I don’t even know if I WANT to! Come on Rarity, You know I don’t do lovey dovey.”

Smirking, Rarity gave Rainbow a sly look. “Oh you say so, but I see clearly. You are smitten with him. Maybe his athletic nature caught your eye? Or maybe his adventurous behavior found you kinship? Either way it makes no difference, I see it in your eyes as you walk by, you also feel for him. You ignore it, push it back, tell yourself it’s just a fleeting friendship that is so fun and so your style you can’t wait to hang out with him again. Even if you aren’t such a romantic as yours truly, you and Shadow look perfect together. So I ask you…. Do you care for him?”

Rainbow blinked, but took a moment to think. Of course she did, but that wasn’t the problem. “Well, yeah, I mean he’s awesome and all, and we’ve had a lot of fun together, but it’s not like it’ll last,”

With a waving hoof, Rarity sat in front of her friend and rose her head tall. “Tut, tut. This is not so difficult, you only make it so. Answer yes or no, nothing more. Does your heart flutter when you think of him?”

With a low rumbling hum, Rainbow just went with it. Thinking of the dark coated speedster, Rainbow took a deep breath. She wanted to know what he was doing right now, wondering if he didn’t want to talk to her anymore after the whole thing with them that happened. Would he even want to see her again? That thought pulled at her heart, she didn’t want him to leave disappointed in her, or not wanting to see her again.

Seeing the facial expressions, Rarity knew Rainbow was thinking about something bad. A scrunched up look or sadness, it was clear, Rainbow was overthinking it. “She never was good at thinking when she didn’t understand”

Coming out of it, the weather mare sighed and looked down. “I would say yeah. Flutter indeed…”

Picking her friends head up, Rarity smiled. “Now, now, don’t fret. Your heart flutters, you care for him, but now for this. Do you LOVE him. Now, before you think about it, I want you to think of something. Close your eyes and picture this.” Seeing her friends eyes close, she set the scene. “Him, smiling, welcoming you to join him for whatever you two want to do, have fun and the like. And he holds you close, telling you he loves you no matter what you want to do.”

It wasn’t easy, but also wasn’t difficult. Rainbow could clearly think about her and Shadow racing around, just the wind in their mane’s. Laughing and playing games, it was nice. She could definitely get behind that idea. Though what struck her was she imagined them, after a minute of this daydream, kissing. Snapping her eyes open, and blushing, she shook her head. “Uhhh… well.. I mean… maybe?”

Oh the smirk on Rarity’s face, she was giggling as she found her answer. “Well, a maybe or not, it’s clear to me what you have in mind. Now, we finished thinking with our minds, now be the Rainbow I know you are, and act upon your own feelings. You’ll be right as rain, and everything will be just fine.”

Thought she still worried what this all meant, Rainbow knew one thing, Rarity had a point. This wasn’t like her, to toss and turn about anything. She was one to just go for what she wanted, and right now, she wanted to talk to Shadow, tell him she was sorry for freaking out, and to ask him for forgiveness. Then maybe they could figure out what to do about their relationship.

Standing up, Rainbow nodded and gave Rarity a hug. “Thanks Rarity, see ya tomorrow!” With that, she ran off.

The seamstress smiled and stood with her head high. “Well, my job is done. Hope she can just let loose by tomorrow, because it’s about time he goes back. Now… Where did I put that ruby?”

Though in the sky, Rainbow was flying through the air, trying to get her bearings. She wanted to at least start the road to recovery, now that she knew what she wanted to do. Least then they could calmly figure things out on the train tomorrow. It wasn’t too hard to find Shadow, he was currently getting the needed things for the ride. It would be two days till they reached the Crystal Empire, he’d need his own supply of food. Landing by him, Rainbow smiled. “Heya, Shadow! Ponyville treating you kindly in the market?”

Holding a saddlebag with a lot of fruits and vegetables, Shadow was slightly indifferent. On one hand, he was fearful of what she might say, after the whole surprise and running away thing that really separated them for the last few days. The other, he wanted to talk to her, tell her what he knew in his heart he felt. So, he decided to just stay casual, though nervous as he was about the whole thing. “Yeah, I’m doing fine. Everypony here is letting me get what I need fairly easily, thanks to Twilight giving me the bits to do so. What brings you out and about?”

Rainbow didn’t want to just stand in the middle of the market doing this, so she just said it. “Well, just want to talk really. With you. Uhhh, maybe we can walk and talk, where too next?”

Shrugging a bit, the dark coated stallion started walking. “You tell me. I’m finished really, it’s not like I’ll be getting five days worth of food here. I’ll be getting back home when the portal opens in two days.”

Thinking as quick as she could, Rainbow lead the way. “Let’s go around and enjoy the day huh? Some place to put those bags for now.” As they started walking to where Shadow was staying, with Applejack as they had the room for him, the multi-colored mare took a deep breath. “Listen… I’m sorry I clammed up the other day. It was… Well, after nearly crashing, hurting my wing, and then hearing such a confession from you, I was so stunned I didn’t even know how to think. I mean, come on, I’m not exactly the lovey type you know? Kinda hard to process that… And I want you to know that, even if I am still confused about my own feelings for you, I don’t want our friendship to end on such a disaster.”

Hearing all that, Shadow smiled, and closed his eyes in relief. “Well, I know you enough to know better. I’m sorry I ran off like I did, but when there’s rainbows in my head like there was, kind of hard for me to be proper in my confession. Took me a day to sort my own feelings, but even if you turn out to reject my love, we will always be friends. That’s one thing I never want to lose. Though I do love you, and nothing is between my heart’s love and you.”

A confused look appeared on Rainbow’s face. “What’s that mean? I thought you already knew me and my human self were different and your crush for her was not affecting your feelings.”

As the two stopped, Shadow nodded. “That’s true. But there was something in my head, that vision… Was that vision making me feel closer to you? was something about it and my past causing me to see you differently? I had to be sure, because you deserve someone who will put all their attention on you, and who you truly are. After talking with Twilight, although she made little sense after awhile, I just forgot about it. We’ve had a month together, we’ve been getting along and having fun, no Blitz or vision caused that, just us and what we enjoy doing being the same.”

That made some sense to Rainbow, but she was wondering more on that. What did that vision mean, and what did Twilight find out? She’d have to ask at some point, but decided to let it go. “Well, regardless, I think we’ll be just fine.” After reaching the farm, Shadow packing, and the two talked and had dinner with the family, they walked out into the orchard. “So… Gonna come back right? When you’re not busy for a month?”

With a smile, Shadow nodded. “Sure thing. Summer is a good time to just hang out and have fun. Maybe I can participate in this Running of the Leaves race before going back to school.”

Thankful they were still going to see each other, Rainbow felt her heart swell. “I’d like that. Me and AJ always race through it, but after the first time we tried it we decided to just enjoy the race, not see who could win.”

Clicking with his own enjoyment of running, Shadow chuckled. “If you aren’t having fun, then what’s the point? If you enjoy it, then have fun with it, don’t just run for the winner’s circle. Though it never hurts to win, to be honest.”

Smirking at that, the mare nodded firmly. “Got that right.” It was still mid-day, but Rainbow knew it was time to go home. She’d been up and about for a long time, sleep didn’t come easily the night before. “Well, I’m gonna go take a nap, see ya tomorrow, ‘kay Shadow?”

Getting a bump from the stallion, Rainbow blushed as he smiled brightly. “No worries. See you at the station. Sleep well, ok Rainbow?”

Through her blush, the mare smiled and nodded again. No idea what had possessed her to do this, but on instinct and reflex alone, her heart pulled her ability to move and made her go in and kiss the dark coated pony right on the cheek, and shortly after her wings sprung open from such an action causing her heart to race, she flew off.

Speedily flying off, Rainbow almost lost it in her mind. “I kissed him!?!?! I kissed him!!!” It was an impulse action she never saw herself doing, but the more she thought about it the more she thought about it, the more her heart fluttered, and halfway home she was doing loops as she felt free, just amazing she did something. “Woohoo!”

Tackling her pillows, Rainbow nearly flew her bed through the clouds, but managed to spin on her back and just lay there holding a pillow she made for herself when, as she destroyed her other one just now. “That was Awesome! It felt so good too…. Ahhhh.” Smiling, the rainbow mane mare sighed in relief. “Maybe I can get one myself tomorrow.”

XxX A day later, on the train XxX

It wasn’t long now, they would arrive near nighttime. Shadow would spent the night and go in the morning back to his world. But something really felt off. For Shadow, he knew something was unsettled, there was something about this place, Equestria, that felt familiar. He didn’t want to admit it, but maybe he was a part of this world. But he still didn’t believe he was thousands of years old, technically anyway, or been through a war.

The others had come with him, Pinkie was just tossing around party favors for a ‘goodbye party’ with Rarity trying to keep things clean. Applejack was just resting with Twilight behind him, and Fluttershy was trying to figure out what to do as it was a very quiet ride.

Though for Rainbow, she was sitting by him, and it had been quite the journey with them. When they first got on the train, they had been talking about what to do when he visited again, as well as avoiding the kiss in any way possible. But just this morning, Rainbow awoke to them snuggled up against one another. She didn’t move, and neither did he as they enjoyed their time together. It was only when Pinkie had said something they shocked themselves up and away, and just let things be quiet between them, they both couldn’t find the words.

That was going to end, as Rainbow just shook herself from her stupor and took a deep breath before the plunge. Turning to Shadow, she smiled and wrapped a wing around him, pulling him close. “Buck this, I was happier like this than I was just a second ago.” Though a blush crept across her cheeks. “If, uh, you know. You don’t mind it that is.”

With his own blushing and awkwardly embarrassed feelings, he was unsure what to say, but he did know he enjoyed her company. Deciding to just go with it, and enjoying it himself more than just sitting there uncomfortably. “Sure. I agree actually.”

After a minute they calmed down, and were actually smiling. Rainbow felt accomplishment and was cheering herself on now, she was making things better just by being herself, and what herself wanted was a kiss. Though the topic was pretty quiet since they had that moment, she was anxious for one herself. “You know… I kissed you yesterday… Though I didn’t think about it, the more I do now the more I.,.. would actually like to kiss again. If that’s ok?”

Shadow was feeling a little more confident now, after a good while of just laying with Rainbow like he was. He had thought of the kiss since she had given him one, and he almost couldn’t sleep with how much he wanted to return the gesture. So instead of just asking, since she just asked herself, the dark coated stallion kissed her cheek, smiling as he snuggled up to her more. “Gladly.”

Rainbow blushed heavily, and her other wing just popped from her back. Settling down, she smiled and nuzzled into his chest, rubbing her head under his. Kissing her head, Shadow wrapped a hoof around her back, careful of her wings, and felt at ease.

The two stayed like that for the entire day, it was getting close to the Kingdom now, and they would have to separate and start walking to the castle. Lifting her head, Rainbow looked into her stallions eyes, and with his eyes delving into hers, the two felt that spark, and each drew closer. Their lips connected, and with a deep heartfelt bond their kiss grew in passion from start to abrupt finish, right as the whistle blew, causing them to separate and look around. The conductor spoke through the magically connected speakers. “All aboard, last stop! Crystal Kingdom. Gather your luggage and be ready to step out. Thank you.”

Though Rainbow was saddened, she was given another kiss on the cheek by Shadow, who smiled and nudged her. “Don’t worry, I’m still here in Equestria for the next twelve hours. I don’t go till morning you know.”

Smiling, they both got up and got ready with the rest of their friends. As they made it to the castle, they were given their rooms and free reign by Cadence and Shining Armor personally. Though Cadence was smirking and looking at the dark coated stallion and the rainbow mane mare, a glint in her eye. Though she never said anything, Shadow remembered what she said to him in Ponyville when she visited. Turns out she was right.

The morning after, the whole group went to the portal room, where the mirror sat. As Shadow looked at it, he was feeling more familiarity, as if he seen it before, even though technically he never did since coming here. But before they could say their goodbye’s, the door burst open with a bunch of party favors and the doors themselves changing into the one who had entered, a long bodied draconequus. “Well good MORNING everypony! I gotta say, this is one hell of a shindig, a private party without me? Oh the SHAME!”

Though as he noticed Shadow, he floated over to him inquisitively. “Hmm… And who might this be?” Shadow was quite confused and flabbergasted by the entire thing. “Uhhh… Shadow. Shadow Step.”

Becoming a magnifying glass with an eye for a lens, the jokester inspected him before suddenly turning back and grabbing the stallion. “OH! That’s right, I know YOU. My, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it? Thousands of years if I recall!”

Everyone’s thoughts were the same. “Wait, what?” Though before anyone could ask, they were interrupted yet again. “That’s quite enough, Discord. We’ll get to that after everyone has met.”

Discord snapped his fingers, letting Shadow down, and was bowing at the door. “Oh, forgive me. I was supposed to be the entourage. May I welcome Princess Celestia, and her sister Princess Luna.”

Didn’t take long for them to come in, they already were before he even spoke. Celestia towered over them all pretty much, which nearly intimidated Shadow to see her like this. “Uh… Hello, Princess.” Before he could bow, like the rest were doing, she held his chin. “AH, no need. It’s alright everypony, It’s a social visit.”

Twilight looked to her mentor. “Sorry, we weren’t expecting you. What brings you here Princess?”

Smiling, and letting her sister join her side, Celestia looked to Shadow. “We’re here for Shadow. We knew of him coming to Equestria from Cadence here, and we thought to see him off. Though, I suspect Luna has other ideas… Is he the one?”

Luna was blank, eyes wide, since she laid eyes on Shadow. After the question, all she could do was tear up and walk slowly to him. “Yes… Shadow… My son.” That had everyone balking and looking at them like they grew several heads.

Discord hummed at that. however. “So you took them in as your children when you beat me? Quite the paragon of care you are, considering what you became a thousand years ago. Oh well.”

However, Shadow was surprised, but also curious. “I mean… Luna, the one from the human world, took me as her child since I could remember, but… how are YOU my mother?”

Wiping her tears away, Luna looked to her sister. “May I?” Getting a nod, Luna smiled. “I raised you since you were just a small colt. My son, the Crystal Empire, and that fool Sombra, took away our time together, and your memories. But that doesn’t change the past. You are my son, no matter what tore us apart.”

With a big shake of her head, Rainbow wanted answers. “Alright, can someone stop speaking in riddles! How is Shadow born here?”

Floating above them and listening, Discord smirked. “Oh, technically he wasn’t…. Though I suppose you could say I made him into the pony he is today. GO on Luna… Tell them everything.”

Luna cleared her throat, glaring at the draconequus. Seeing everypony around her staring, she prepared herself. She knew this would be a rather lengthy history lesson. “It all started during the Age of Discord…”


> The Shadow under the Rainbow, Love Shared.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Back when Discord was reigning over Equestria, causing as much chaos and destruction as possible, he also became a scientific entity. He started experimenting with various things. One of the things he did was use the Mirror that was created by Starswirl the Bearded.” Luna was retelling the story of Shadow’s origins, why she called him son, and explained the reason behind the amnesia he had of his childhood.

Though her story was broken by Discord, who apparently wanted to hurry it along. “Suffice to say I grabbed a couple children from the human world and decided to create my own little brand of chaos within the magical elements of Ponies, see if I couldn’t make my own circus, if you will. Humans have no inherent magic you know.”

Rolling her eyes, the Princess of the Night continued. “When me and my sister fought him, with the Elements at our beck and call, we were able to turn him to stone, and undo much of the destruction he caused. With the power of the Elements of Harmony, we restored Equestria and it’s people. However, it turned out we were unable to fully banish his power. He could only be turned to stone, captured instead of taken away forever. Because of this, some of his magic still existed, one such being the Everfree attack on us awhile ago.”

Sighing, Discord once more interrupted. “Get to the point Luna, My humans turned Ponies kept their transformed magical abilities. See, I was trying to find ways of reversing the whole magical element for the three races. Unicorns could only manipulate physical objects for spells, Pegasi to have earthbound control, and Earth Ponies didn’t give life from the planet, but take the power for themselves. I thought it was genius anyway.”
This was starting to sound like what Twilight had theorized. Which is why she chimed in quickly. “Blitz was the Pegasus who could cause quakes and move land instead of clouds and aerial weather, Sombra was the Unicorn who could only use magic with physical entities, and there was Shadow, right? He was the one who took from the magic of Equestria to become fast. The Trinity.”

A graduation hat appeared on her head as Discord rung like a bell, his head actually turning into one. “There ya go, what a good egghead you are, so smart!”

“Discord!”

That shut him up, and he slumped back to the ceiling and sipped a glass of water, only the glass not the water. “Fine, fine, tell your boring drawn out story.”

Rolling her eyes, Luna decided to hurry it along. “Suffice to say, when these three were just foals, after saving them from Discord’s evil plans, we found they would need guidance. Alas, we also needed to correct Equestria of the chaos, bring peace back to the land. As my job was to watch the night, where many ponies slept, I could handle giving lessons to Sombra as a Unicorn, and Shadow to control his ability to take magic as an advantage. Blitz did not care much for me when he was young, but grew to love me as an aunt. Celestia became his mother, as Sombra and Shadow became my sons. We raised all three to become the prince’s of Equestria, to one day rule peacefully over their own lands. Sombra took to this idea rather vigorously, whilst his brothers chose to just be under our watch and help those in need. I failed Sombra, and when he found the Empire, he found a way to become all powerful. That day was a sad day for us.”

Celestia came into the conversation. “The tyranny he implied caused great havoc and we needed to stop him. Luna tried many times to reason with him, but he resented her for holding him back. She taught him everything he could learn, but he wanted more power. A darkness corrupted him. Due to his enslavement of the Crystal Ponies, we were forced to act when he would not listen to reason. We did not want to stop him with the Elements, for fear we may accidentally cause his demise. We had hope there was still some good in him, so we sought to capture him instead. We couldn’t get near him, too many of his thralls and soldiers were putting up a fight against us, and they were not to blame for any of his tyranny. We had many of my guard and Luna’s fight, day and night, to find a way in and stop him. Blitz, Spectrum Blitz, was my top guard, trained in combat. He always wanted to protect those in need, even if it meant fighting.”

Continuing for Shadow, Luna spoke up. “And Shadow was mine. He wanted to join the fight, try and reason with Sombra, his brother under me from the beginning. He and Blitz fought many of Sombra’s soldiers, and saved many slaves, but it was growing too widespread, the magic of Sombra would soon become strong enough to blanket the entirety of Equestria if we could not stop him. Shadow managed to break in, but after three days we thought the worst. So we attacked Sombra, who had confirmed he had captured Shadow, and tortured him against the Mirror. He had saw Shadow as a way through, but he did not understand the magic of the Mirror. When we finally beat Sombra, he cast a spell to envelope the kingdom, a spell strong enough to banish us to whatever hell he would make from it. We fled with as many as we could find. But… Shadow was gone, taken from me by Sombra, and at the time I thought for all eternity.”

Ending her story of the War with Sombra, Luna started to cry. Remembering the pain of losing not just one but both of her sons. Celestia held her sister close before continuing. “The pain was too much for her. I tried to bring her around, to see the brighter side, to let go of the pain and remember them for what she loved about them. But she grew darker towards me, and one day rage overtook her and we shouted at each other over Blitz, whom I still had with me. She had lost both her sons, and I still had mine, which she thought unfair. When none would console her, some even berating her in their dreams, she grew even darker, and with hate, anger, and resentment in her heart, she became Nightmare Moon. When none would love her, when none would help her, and she wouldn’t let me in, as others thought her the one to spawn the evil of Sombra, she lost all love for everyone, and tried to make the night last forever, to envelope everyone into shadow, so she could be reminded of her sons in some way. When Blitz tried to reason with her his own pain of losing them, she killed him, which caused my pain to grow, and we both hated each other. Fore an entire week we fought each other, shouting, spells flying in the sky. Soon I started feeling her pain, she didn’t want to hurt me, the only one left, but she was too far gone. I could see she wanted me to stop her, to stop hurting the memory of her sons. So I did. I used the Elements, and banished her to the moon.”

The entire group was in awe. They had never heard this side of the story, and it took them all by storm. Though Shadow had to ask. “but if I was gone in the Crystal Empire…. How come I woke up in the human world?”

Princess Celestia had an answer. “After the Empire vanished, we surveyed the area, trying to find any evidence of what happened. Though we never did, we did find half of the Mirror. It was apparently split into two halves. We didn’t know what happened to the other half, not until recently. When the Crystal Empire came back, we sent Cadence and Shining armor to guard over it. We could not leave Canterlot in case Sombra grew strong enough to attack. We received a letter that they had found that second half, right where we found the first half, and it was active. We theorized that when the mirror came back, it was making up for lost time, from being closed in a time warp. To it, the days never passed, but the Magic it was granted by the Moon had grown, making the portal a dangerous item to hold for Sombra. Cadence hid it until we could save the Empire.”

During the entirety of this discussion, Shadow was starting to have flashbacks, apparently to his past…

XxX Canterlot, a Thousand years ago. XxX

The night had fell, and in Luna’s chambers there was an armored knight, ready for battle. “I’m ready, Mom, Just let me at him. I can get past his guards, I can hold off his attacks, we’ve trained together I know how to beat him. Just let me talk to him, to finish this.”

Luna sunk her head, thinking. Turning to Shadow, she looked mournful. “And if you destroy each other? What then? Am I to mourn my sons death? Be it yours or his? If he kills you, and we must finish him ourselves, then what was the point I give you that chance?”

Shadow stood fast. “And if you must do that, then we’ll never know if I could have saved him!”

Raising her voice, the Princess shouted at her son. “I’ve already tired! His own mother! If I could not, then how can you?!”

Her son kept strong against her anger. “He resents you, but not me, I’ve always helped him train when you were too busy, he doesn’t hate me like he does you! Let me make him see the light! To take the darkness from him! I can do it, mom, just give me the chance! Blitz can cover me, I’ll be fine!”

Though she didn’t want to, she knew she could not dissuade him. Turning, she sighed. “Fine. Tomorrow the assault begins, you will find a way in and try to talk some sense into him. If you can’t, you run, do you understand me?”

Smiling, Shadow came up and gave her a hug. “I promise. If it won’t do any good, I’ll return to you. I promise.”

XxX Crystal Empire XxX

“You won’t join me, will you? Haha, fool. If you don’t, then you will join her fate! I will show Luna exactly what she should have taught me, this power, this strength, I can do ANYTHING! I can even force you to do my bidding!” Sombra faded to shadows, causing Shadow, who was huffing from exertion, to run. He couldn’t do it, he couldn’t talk sense into Sombra, and he would never join this campaign with his brother, he would not participate in evil. But as he got to the door, it closed, and he was engulfed.

Waking up soon after, he found himself tied to the mirror. “What is the meaning of this? SOMBRA!”

Getting a chuckling from his brother, he was surrounded by shadow knights, and his brother appeared with them. “You’re going to help me, whether you like it or not. The Empire held this secret, a strong magic. It has shown me the future, a future where I would rule for a millennia! But, in order to open the door, I need you, you are the key to opening this portal, it shown you as another creature, coming through this mirror. You will open it for me, whether you want to or not, and when it is done I will take the magic for myself, and destroy Luna, once and for all! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!”

XxX Outside the Empire XxX

Though he was strapped rather well to the Mirror, Shadow felt it was best in the long run. After days of being zapped by magic, and experimented on to open the thing, he was thankful it never did open. The rigorous torture pulled the bonds just enough for him to finally break free, all but one front hoof and around his chest. As he pulled himself across the broken battlefield, having made a stealthy escape, he was almost out of there.

Though just as he thought he was home free, he was hit by a way of energy, causing him and the mirror to flip, and then get stuck in the ground. He could only watch as the Empire was engulfed in a white light, and soon after so was he, and all he saw then was white before blacking out. His last thought was sorrowful, wishing he could have told his mother he loved her.

XxX Present XxX

Luna looked up at Shadow, her eyes still watering from her pain. “We could not fathom what happened, but we found bonds around that other half. It was used as a Torture device, you were tortured on it to open it. We had hoped you had escaped, somehow you had come back with Sombra and the Empire, but we could never find you in the Empire once everything was finally settled.”

Shadow sat hard on the ground, and could only stare as he remembered his childhood. “Mom… Luna… I….”

Celestia gestured her sister to move and go see her son. “Go on… Tell him.”

Moving up to Shadow, Luna slowly made her way to him before putting a hoof on his shoulder. “You were the light in my life, and when I thought you dead, I lost it. But now I have you back. I felt it in my heart, somehow I had you back, but I was unsure until Celestia told me. A whole month, she wished me to wait, to see if you regained your memory. We’ve been waiting… I’ve been waiting. Shadow, my son. DO you remember?”

Tears filling his eyes, Shadow nodded before jumping up and hugging Luna, both crying as they held each other.

Twilight smiled, seeing her theory was right. “I knew it… I knew he was that Shadow. You doubted it too, didn’t you?”

Looking to the purple princess, Shadow sighed, nodding. :Yes, I doubted it, it made no sense at the time.. But hearing this, I think I owe you an apology. Thanks Twilight.”

Luna smiled as she let her son go. “So.. Does this mean we can finally be together again? Will you return to our home in Canterlot?”

Shadow thought this through. As much as he felt he wanted to stay, and in his heart he wanted to stay forever. Now that he knew the truth, he knew he was coming back for good. But there was still something he needed to do… Taking a stand, he shook his head. “No… Mom, I have to go. Even if my home is in Equestria, I have some unfinished business in the other world. I have friends to say goodbye to, my OTHER mother to talk to. I have a race to win, and a bully to beat. When I finish what I need to do, I’ll return.” Smiling, he looked to Rainbow, who had been stunned and quiet since everything happened. “I’ll return to my home… And to the one I love.” Seeing Rainbow blush when she looked to him and seeing him stare., he nodded. “My new home will be in Ponyville, with Rainbow Dash.”

Looking to Rainbow, Luna was wide eyed. In a month, he had found love with the Wonderbolt in training? That was rather unexpected. But with a smile, she gave her approval. “Then go… But remember your promise to me.. If things don’t go well…”

Smiling brightly, Shadow gave a firm nod. “I’ll come running home. I broke it last time, but this time there’s no chance for me to break it. I know what I can do, and I can do this.” Turning to Rainbow, he walked up to her. “I’ll come back to you too. Don’t run with those leaves without me, got it?”

Smiling, Rainbow pulled him close and kissed him with a deep passion, both enjoying their love growing by the second. As they separated, Rainbow gave his flank a bump with her own. “And you better get back here in time for it. Take on that bucking idiot Jagged Edge, he’ll get what is coming to him.”

Agreeing with her, the dark coated stallion left through the portal with a wave from everypony and for everypony. It was time to return.
Going through the portal, Shadow was greeted by a group of people, including Sunset Shimmer, Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna, not to mention Fluttershy and a few of the others. Including, Jagged Edge. “See, I told you he was fine!”

Glaring at him, Shadow walked up and clarified. “Yeah, I’m peachy after you broke my leg and tried to take me out of the race.”

Shimmer sighed but smiled. “I told them you’d probably have been taken to Equestria. I see you’re alright. Good.”

Grabbing Jagged Edge harshly by the shoulder, Celestia looked at the young man. “You hurt a student just to cheat in the race today, you caused this whole stir, and for that I am banning you from the race, and you’ll be lucky if we don’t suspend you first.”

Though Shadow had other ideas. “Let him race.” Seeing Celestia look at him with confusion, he smiled wide and proud. “He tried to take me down because he thought I was a threat, and he the better racer. He wanted to win so badly he would get his buddies to sabotage his way to the top. I’m sure you’ll punish him accordingly, but I want to prove to him just how good I really am. I’m going to beat him fair and square.”
Jagged snarled at the dark skinned man. “You’re going down, Shadow, I won’t lose to a coward like you!”

With a smirk, Shadow chuckled. “I’m not the one who got three of his buddies and beat my opponent to secure a victory. You’re the coward.”

Turns out that Celestia was getting rather irritated by their back and forth. “Ok, that’s enough. Jagged, You’ll be allowed to race, but as soon as it’s done you’re going to be punished accordingly, maybe even expelled.” Taking the saboteur away, she gave Luna the go ahead.

Luna stepped up to Shadow and pulled him into a hug. “My son. I’m glad you’re alright. Did they treat you well?”

Though he knew better, he still felt both Luna’s were his moms. Hugging her back, he nodded. “They did. Fixed my leg up with magic so I am as good as new.”

Thankfully everything was good while he was gone, other than panic and a missing person's report, with Jagged being the prime suspect and had been held with kidnapping until he told them about where he last saw shadow, of which Sunset made the suggestion he went to Equestria by accident.

Now, however, Shadow had his own news. Speaking to Luna about what he remembered, what he knew now, Luna looked somewhat saddened. “I see….”

Shadow nodded sadly. “Yeah… I know I’m from this world originally, but I grew up and was raised back there, as the other Luna’s son. Which is probably why I felt so connected to you as a son, it felt familiar, it felt right. This doesn’t change how I feel about you, mom, just that now I know where I come from, and where I truly belong.”

The Vice Principal stood and went to the window. After a moment silence, she turned with a smile, wiping a tear from her eye. “I understand. Though I was starting to hope you would never learn so you could stay with us, with me, I understand and am happy you are so wise and kind. I do hope you visit still…”

Standing up and giving his human mother a hug once more, he sighed. “Yes, whenever I can I’ll come visit for a day or two. Though I’ll have to plan in advance, those trips by train take too long.”

Understanding, Luna let her son go to talk with everyone else. It was going to be a very good day, but also very eventful.

XxX Later That Day, Track Field XxX 

The entire lineup for the big race was ready at the line, stretching. Shadow looked over to see Jagged glaring at him, and on his other side he noticed Rainbow, the human one. Smiling, he found the strength to use his all. If not for this Rainbow, for the other. And he knew his wish… He knew exactly what he wanted to ask once he won.

As the gun shot off for the start, the entire group of racers ran for it, sprinting like bats out of hell to get to the finish line. It was set up for three laps of the long field, an Endurance race, some held back to conserve strength, but for Jagged, Shadow, and Rainbow, their need for speed was heightened.

As the three racers sped down the second stretch, Shadow found himself neck and neck with Jagged and Rainbow, but truly he wasn’t even giving it his all just yet. He was conserving most of his strength for the final push. As the three went into their second lap, Jagged tried to trip Shadow, but just as danger was about to cause him to get hurt, he saw it, the spots of magic, the line his feet were to move in. Quickly following it, he jumped the sweeping leg and started running with renewed vigor, and sped up to the point he left Jagged and Rainbow behind. Into his third lap, he was already lapping the previous racers, and almost lapped them all when he crossed the finish line, the gun going off again to declare him the winner.

Stopping as the magic faded, he smiled and looked behind him. Turns out, he almost got to lap Jagged, who was huffing and out of breathe. He got third behind Rainbow. Though he was tired and exhausted, Jagged growled and stomped to Shadow. “You cheated! You had to of, no way you got that fast!”

Shadow glared at his rival. “Hundred of witnesses saw me beat you fair and square! That’s why you tried to sabotage me, you knew you couldn’t win normally. You even tried to cheat me during the race, but I was too fast.” Smiling widely, he crossed his arms. “Goodbye, Jagged. Hopefully you realize just how stupid you were for being a bully.”

Before he could punch Shadow, Jagged was grabbed by Celestia again and taken away for judgment. Luna led him to the podium, and congratulated him. As the event winded down, he was given a choice of what he wanted. Smiling, the young man knew his wish. “I wish… to give my wish to Rainbow Dash, I won’t be needing it. I already got what I raced for.”

With that he stepped down so she could get her wish. Turns out, she wanted new uniforms for the Wondercolts.

The day was ending, and he remembered what he used to do. Heading to the Animal Shelter, he saw Fluttershy tending to her favorite rabbit, 

Angel she named him. “Hey. Need some help?”

Looking at Shadow, she smiled. “I would. The animals missed you….”

Though not attempting to pet the bunny, as he looked at Angel, the bunny spit a raspberry at him. “I can see that….” Turning to Fluttershy, he smiled. “They may miss me even more. I’m heading back to Equestria.”

Turning to him, Fluttershy looked stunned. “Why? You’re human.”

Shaking his head, Shadow sighed. “Nope. I was raised as a Pony, just had amnesia, remember? But after a trip there, I got my memory back. I was a pony.” Chuckling, he found it funny still. “Turns out the Princess Luna was my mother, making the whole thing of our Luna being my mother somewhat fate-like.”

Though surprised to hear that, even Fluttershy giggled softly at that. “I see… So you’re going back… Don’t forget us, alright?”

Pulling Fluttershy close in a hug, he nodded. “Can’t forget someone who’s been a sister to me, you know?”

Blushing, Fluttershy just quietly muttered a yes. As they day ended, he finished helping her before going to sleep for the night. As he left, 

Fluttershy looked down sadly. “I was just as sister…. I’m such an idiot….”

XxX The Next Day XxX 

It was early in the morning, and Shadow was saying his goodbyes to everyone he called friend and family. Waving them off, he went through the portal, just in time. “I’ll be back to visit!” And with that, he vanished.

As everyone left, only the sisters held fast. Celestia looked to Luna. “Think they will ever tell him?”

Luna sighed, crossing her arms. “If I know myself… And I do.. I’ll tell him when the moment is least expected. I’d rather not, but if he starts asking, I may not be able to stop him from finding out. When he does… Maybe he’ll come back here? I don’t know. But I do find it rather strange my baby was taken from me during those dark ages, and it was my other self who mothered him. It’s almost like he was destined to be my son throughout his life.”

Celestia smiled as she turned away. “Well, I know this much. You will always love him, and he will you. That’s enough. He is grown after all, he can make his own choices.”

Pouting at her sister, the Vice Principal didn’t find it comforting. “He’s still my son, He better not make any bad choices or he’ll get a spanking.”
Giggling to herself, the Principal just walked with her sister back into the school. “I remember when we were back in the dark ages, the punishment for children was a wooden paddle. Think we still have one of those?”

XxX A month Later, Equestria. XxX

It was the final stretch of the Running of the Leaves, but Shadow and Rainbow were out in front, Applejack not far behind. Ever since they were together, Rainbow had been getting faster on foot. Though they kept their pace to complete the running and not leave any leaves behind, they were seeing who would win.

The finish line coming up, Shadow pulled up front and took the lead at the last second. As the race settled down and they were given their medals, Shadow pulled Rainbow in for a kiss and the two enjoyed their embrace. Walking back to Shadow’s new home, Rainbow held up her silver medal. “My second one so far. Though I still think I’ve got you beat.”

Grinning, the stallion held his head high. “What can I say, we’re quite the pair. The one two finish, no matter where we compete. Though I bet you I’ll win the next one!”

Pouncing on Shadow, the weather mare pinned him to the ground, grinning. “You’re on. But first, I think I deserve another kiss from my special somepony before I go see Applejack. She wanted to see about a little more rain this weekend.”

Turning the tables on his mare, the dark coated stallion caught Rainbow by the wings and flipped her. “Yes ma’am. And don’t forget to bring some of those apples with you, ok?” With that said he gave her a big and long lasting smooch, their kiss infinitely more passionate than the next. Letting her up, they bumped flanks. “Get out of here beautiful. See you soon.”

As she saluted with her wing and then flew off, Shadow sighed in content. He was happy, and everything was right in Equestria. Heading to his home, he opened the door to his single bedroom small house that he had built under Rainbow’s own home, which was tethered to his near town now. “Home sweet home…”

XxX The End XxX