Five Days After Discord’s Return – Ponyville, Market Street; 11:00am

After the harrowing events caused by Discord, the populace of Ponyville returned to an atmosphere of calm; while there were still clear signs of damage on some buildings, reconstruction efforts and business was returning to full force.

The same can be said with Twilight and her friends, as they all returned to their daily lives, with one such pony busying herself with some shopping. Fluttershy was browsing the local vendors of their various produce and wares, and unlike her usual shy self, she was feeling a little confident today – well, as confident as she can be without squeaking in fear like a mouse.

After having bought some carrots for Angel Bunny, she moved on to finding some animal feed for her more carnivorous animal companions. Heading to her usual to-go stall, she hummed to herself when just for a moment…

So many lights, so many steps taken, so many so many so many…

“Um, pardon, did you say something?” asked Fluttershy, facing the vendor.

“I said, that’ll be six bits, mam.”

Deeply confused about what she heard, she shook off the odd feeling; Fluttershy reached for her purse to give the necessary bits that the vendor asked for. Just as she began counting out the bits needed, the strange voice from earlier returned.

Clink clink clink, coins rolling, scraping, tinkling between one’s grasp, exchanged forth to another, to one’s eyes before the deal made.

“Epp, wh-what?” Spooked by the sudden phrase, she dropped the bits she just counted out; luckily the vendor managed to catch them in time, and is happy to know they were the amount he asked for.

“You okay mam? You seem pretty freaked out?”

“I-I-I’m fine… I thought… that you… I’ll just go now. Um, thank you,” said Fluttershy. Once she took the bags of feed off the vendor’s hooves, Fluttershy made her way back home, leaving the vendor in confused bewilderment.

After leaving town and heading down the trail to her cottage, Fluttershy calmed herself down with some breathing exercises. Once she made it further down the trail, she thought to herself about those strange voice she heard and where they could had came from.

This isn’t the first time I’ve been hearing things… it started when Eclipse defended me from those ponies from the Church… then again, when I kept Eclipse occupied when the girls were preparing for a surprise party for his birthday. It happened as he and I were at the old castle in the Everfree, and that same voice appeared again.

While Fluttershy was deep in thought and was nearing her home… the body-less voice soon returned again, but this time it wasn’t alone.

The deeper the trail, the deeper to the source you are…

Built on a foundation of bodies, lies, and misery…

Clip clop clip clop, down the path we go we go we go-

When the voices returned, at first her confusion became clear to her that there was nobody near or around her, no animal in sight either. She couldn’t find where the voices originated from… but, the voices didn’t just end there, and continued as their strange whispers started to get louder.

Stories endless, stories untold, a wealth of knowledge before you-

Battles fought and forgotten, comrades abandoned and foes remembered, an oath kept for ages-

We are one and the same you and I-

What started off as anxious confusion turned into overwhelming fear as the voices only got louder, their words both painful to her ears and head… and… something deeper within, as if resonating with an inner hidden core of hers.

“Wha-what what is happening? Wh-who is this,” said Fluttershy, sweat dripping down her head and neck.

Left ignored or forgotten completely, the voice continued speaking, but what started with simple rambling turned to horrific lines that would churn the minds and stomachs of any weak-willed pony.

Oh horrors before us, they slaughter them like cattle-

SCREAMING SHOUTING YELLING! OUR VOICE IS COARSE FROM SPREADING THE WORD OF OUR FAILURE! WE WILL GO ONWARD TO SELF-DESTRUCTION FOR THERE IS NO REDEMPTION FOR US!

...Will you stay, resentful of us, of him? Will you abandon what little hope is left…

...How could you do this… how could you…

...Goodbye my friend… my creator… goodbye, L-

And like the end of a song, complete silence descent upon Fluttershy, but just as the voices seemed to had calmed down… like a hammer upon an anvil, they returned and struck true on to their target, swiftly crashing onto Fluttershy’s physique.

LS VEVI-YZOVUFO VBV! TOVZN GL FH DRGS GSV GVM VOVNVMGH! YIRMT ULIGS GSV ZMXRVMG GIRMRGB LU WZBH LOW! YVULIV ORTSG, DZH WZIP, YVULIV WZIP, DZH XSZLH!

MRTSGNZIVH FMOVZHSVW! NZWMVHH ZDLPVM! WVHGIFXGRLM DILFTSG!

YIRMT ULIGS LMV ZMW LMOB, ULI LM GSV VNKGB GSILMV SV ZDZRGH ULI Z SVRI GL GZPV!

DRGS GSV VMW LU SRH GZOV, Z MVD LMV HSZOO ZIRHV, ZM VNKRIV LU VGVIMRGB!

Gasping loudly, her throat harsh as if she was screaming for hours, Fluttershy was on the ground flat on her belly, inhaling air into her burning lungs that felt so empty. The once tranquil trail to her home, now felt so eerily quiet now after experiencing such a harrowing mental experience. After taking a good long breather, she quickly grabbed all her belongings that fell on the ground, and stumbled her way back home.

Entering inside the cottage, Fluttershy dropped her groceries with an audible clatter, soon collapsing on her coach, trying to catch her breath after having such an intense experience she had. Some of her animal friends and Angel noticed her sudden exhausted state, some worried, while others were wondering if something had happened earlier.

While Angel would act like his usual selfish self, instead gave his own worried look, hopping over to Fluttershy and rubbing one of his paws on her hind leg. Turning to see who was touching her, Fluttershy gave a tired but grateful look to Angel and her fellow animal friends.

“I’m fine everyone… I just… need a moment is all…” said Fluttershy, taking some deep breaths. “I just… had a very strange… experience… on my way back… here… I’ll prepare some food… soon…”

Taking several minutes to calm herself, Fluttershy began preparing lunch for everyone; afterwards, she decided to continue the rest of her day outdoors, by checking the small garden she has in the back. Maybe doing some watering will help take my mind off… whatever that was recently.

Grabbing her watering can and trowel, she went to the backyard – less of a yard and more of an expansive field. Behind the cottage, a small area was fenced up for her garden, but there was also a chicken coop for Fluttershy’s chicken friends, some various trees for her to hang birdhouses, and a few small hills for her other animal friends to make their burrow homes in.

Watering and checking her garden, Fluttershy was happy that the voices seemed to had vanished now, finally having a moment to herself to relax.

Looking, looking, not here, not there, must keep looking.

Dropping her watering can in surprise, she looks around for where this new voice came from, but unlike the previous ones that felt ethereal and mysterious, this one felt more grounded and nearby.

“Hello, who’s there?”

At first there was no response, but then the voice responded back.

No no no, no time to talk, no time to be distracted, keep looking keep searching.

Just as the voice responded, in the corner of Fluttershy’s sight, she noticed the shadows shift for a moment within the nearby woods. At first she was afraid when she first heard the voice, but a strange trance seemed to descend upon Fluttershy, and soon curiosity took root within her instead of fear.

What was at first one step, became two steps, then three steps, until she approached the source of where the voice was coming from.

Taking several steps behind some trees in the more denser area of her backyard, she examined her surroundings and only found dense shrubbery and more trees.

“Is anypony there… you don’t need to be scared, I’m just wondering what it is you’re looking for? Maybe I can help you look for it,” said Fluttershy, examining her surroundings.

At first, nothing seemed to move or make a single noise… in fact, the air around her seemed to have suddenly stilled. Just as she was about to give up and return to her garden, the shadows around her suddenly began to get darker, and like waves on the surface of a pool, they began to morph and sway around her. Suddenly the denser portion of the surrounding darkness began to spill forth like water from a glass cup… and rising from the spilled darkness, something loomed over her and opened it’s eyes.

Hmmmm, who are you?

Meanwhile – Ponyville, Golden Oaks Library; 11:45am

Inside Twilight’s room, the unicorn in question was deep in her own personal research, studying about the most recent incident with Discord, as well as the strange ominous occurrences that happened around town ever since she first settled here. Her evidence has all pointed the source of these strange encounters – as well her own personal suspicions – to be none other, but one individual alone.

“Eclipse Light… just what are you hiding and how are you connected to everything that’s occurred,” said Twilight, muttering to herself.

Just as she was about to continue her self musings, they were soon brought to a halt when she can hear a voice suddenly, that was both quiet yet also audibly loud too. Rather than coming from one single direction, the voice or rather voices seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.

LIEs lies, We mUST DestROY! SuSpiCiOns thAT Is all we NEEd To BriNG ForTH ThE TrUTH!

WhY DelaY NOW!

HiS ACTions SpeaK LOUder than AnythinG HE WILl teLL YoU!

The voices were a mesh-mash of nonsense and barely comprehensible sentences, all varying octaves, some words quiet, while others at shouting levels of noise. Some insist she act now, others seem to demand for her to wait and keep looking, and a few say she ignore it all and move on with her life… and others just rambled on and on about seeking for more… secrets.

It was as if a swarm of foals ran up to her and started gibbering their curious minds toward her, whether it be giving either obvious to clever questions. Her shock changed when all the voices suddenly silenced themselves at once, and one clear and concise voice spoke… but what it had to say only brought more doubt to her mind about her current outlook on Eclipse.

Can he be trusted, is he speaking the truth? He means to deceive you and your friends, but what does he truly want in the end?

Just as the voice spoke, it ends suddenly too when she heard another voice, the familiar voice of Spike from downstairs.

“TWILIGHT! Lunch is ready, come down before it gets cold!” shouted Spike.

After that sudden episode of hers, rather than question what just happen, Twilight decides to put a pause on her studies and get some fresh air after having lunch with Spike.

Maybe I’ve been thinking too deeply about what Discord said, he’s just trying to trick me like he almost did with my friends.

“Coming Spike! How about we go out and get some air, I heard Pinkie has some new cupcake flavors she’s trying out, maybe we can go and try them out!?”

As Twilight headed down the steps, she barely noticed the ominous laughter that echoed deeply in her mind.

Elsewhere – Canterlot, Noble District, Snow Mansion; 12:15pm

Pristine was busy looking through some documents on her father’s business, to keep herself occupied – that and she having no work to do – and help out in the family business. While she reviewed a document on an extension for a railway to the north, she became distracted when thoughts of the mysterious cloaked individual from before came to her.

Just who was he and why did he approach me of all ponies, why not the princesses or any important figures from the guard?

This brought nothing but worry and curiosity to the forefront of her mind, whether she was to take the message from the mysterious figure as either a warning… or a threat.

They must know I have no more connection with the Church, correct? Do they think I have any loyalty left for them… and even if I tried warning them, they’ll either not believe me or questioned me about who and where I got such information before they even plan on acting.

The information she has about this is that an unknown group was targeting and planning to overthrow the Church of the Holy Sun. Her personal feelings about this was murky at best, conflicting at worse; deep down she still felt great betrayal and anger toward the higher-ups for dumping the blame on her – even though they still got the direct attention and ire of Princess Celestia in the end.

They were still the only organization to accept her after dozens of rejection and disappointments from her past… but, there was much of the Church kept hidden, even from her.

Regardless, there is only one thing I can do… I need to delve deep into whatever past the Church holds and find out what sort of connection they have with that ominous presence from before and their illusive master.

Focusing back on the documents before her, she had a clear goal to do that will lead to either a definable future… or a perilous path that will bring more questions than answers.

Ponyville; 1:05pm

Trotting down the path to Fluttershy’s cottage, Rarity decided to visit her friend to invite her to their bi-weekly get-together at the spa. Skipping happily to the cottage in question, Rarity thought that going to the spa might help her friend relax after the most recent events from before – Discord and Twilight’s sudden, but short disappearance.

Nearing the door to Fluttershy’s cottage, she did two firm knocks on the door, awaiting for the owner of the home to answer. When the door opened, Rarity was confused when nopony was behind it to greet her. Gazing around her, she heard a familiar thumping below her eyesight, and lo and behold, Angel stood there with his arms’ crossed and right foot thumping against the floor, with an annoyed look at the unicorn.

“Oh, Angel Bunny, now you wouldn’t happen to know if dear Fluttershy is home, would you?”

The bunny in question gave a thoughtful look, before nodding once.

“Wonderful and where might she be?” asked Rarity.

The mischievous bunny grinned and cheekily pointed behind himself into the cottage; Rarity’s left eye gave an agitated twitch, as she smiled creepily back at the bunny at their obvious – and annoying response.

“Right… of course she’s home… inside or outside?”

Instead of annoying the unicorn further, Angel makes a motion to go around, pointing to the back of the cottage. Giving her thanks, Rarity went around the cottage as Angel closed the door with a final humph.

“I swear, I don’t understand what Fluttershy sees in that rabbit, I wonder if Fluttershy should be the element of generosity instead with how he treats her,” said Rarity, grumbling to herself.

Arriving to the backyard of the cottage, Rarity examined her surroundings from the small fenced garden that had both vegetables and flowers growing inside, the open field with a chicken coop, to the varying trees that had birdhouses hanging upon their branches, or the hills with burrow hole entrances littered everywhere.

But not a single sighting of Fluttershy, where could she be?

Just as she was about to go back to Angel and have a very serious ‘conversation’ with the rabbit, Rarity heard her friend’s voice around the bend of some trees. Following to where the source of her friend’s voice was coming from, Rarity could barely hear what Fluttershy was saying, but it appeared she was talking to somepony or maybe another one of her animal friends.

Just as she was nearing the end of the bend, she just caught a portion of Fluttershy’s conversation with her mystery friend.

“...so that’s what you are, well it’s nice to meet you Mr. Shue, and I hope you look for what you’re finding.”

Just as Rarity turned the corner, she saw Fluttershy sat on the ground facing away from her… and facing the thick bark of a tree. This raised many questions for her as Rarity didn’t see any sign of anypony or animal anywhere near Fluttershy, as she appeared to animatedly gaze and talk to… a tree.

Well this is awkward.

“Um, Fluttershy dear… who are you talking to?” asked Rarity.

Turning around, rather than being spooked that somepony had trotted up behind her suddenly, Fluttershy just smiled back at Rarity and answered immediately – this gave Fluttershy several odd looks, as Rarity stared at her usually shy, now suddenly sociable friend.

“Oh Rarity! I was just talking to Mr Shue, he’s this unique critter I found in the edge of the Everfree. He wandered around here in search of something. Oh, yes… this is my friend Rarity, say hello,” said Fluttershy, happily.

Rarity expected something to approach or make some sort of noise… but noting, nothing but the tree and the nearby shadows. Rather than continue watching her friend begin to slowly descend into madness, she uneasily chuckled and approached Fluttershy, reminding herself for her original reason for visiting here.

“Dear Fluttershy, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mine but come with me to the spa, to relax after the recent events we all had to experience,” said Rarity, keeping a careful eye on her friend.

Fluttershy looked back at Rarity, before gazing back at the empty space that was in front of her and spoke to absolutely nothing there.

“Oh yes… yes Mr Shue… I understand…” Facing Rarity with a smile, she stood up and looked ready to go. “Mr Shue said he doesn’t mine I leave now, he said he still needs to look for the thing he’s searching for. Let’s head to the spa, I do feel tired recently and stressed for some time.”

“Of-of course dear, let’s go and relax, I got us the Princess-package deal from the Lotus sisters, you won’t regret it!”

As the two soon left – one feeling oddly happy and calm, while the other was wondering if her friend was feeling alright – just as the quiet of the woods returned after their departure, the surrounding darkness began to twist and sway until an amorphous shadowy entity seemed to rise forth.

It watched the two mares leave beyond the horizon, while behind the strange creature, deep in the shadows, a wall of glowing white pupil-less eyes sprang forth and also watched the pair leave too.

The strange creature tilted its head to the side, then began speaking, even though it had no visible mouth to speak with.

“Shuevastrla senses her scent has the lord’s scent on her… Shuevastrla likes individual called Fluttershy, and promises to visit once the ‘World Core’ is found and secured. Shuevastrla and the ‘Shadows Within’ will guard and hunt those that harm the lord’s acquaintances and close guests.”

With those words spoken, Shue and the glowing wall of eyes began to delve deep into the shadows and vanished. Even when they weren’t present or visible anymore, they continued to have an ever vigilant gaze… for they are shadows… and they always have eyes everywhere.