“Tick, tock, tick tock…” *Chuckle* “Time is ticking, Blaze… Your time is running out,” Said a voice from nowhere. It sounded more male, it was dark and had a small echo to it.
“Wh- What? Who is it?” He wondered in a blank black void.
“Someone you need not fear,” Replied the voice.
“I ate something again, haven’t I?” Blaze wondered out loud.
“No, you fool… Argh, we don’t have much time. Listen to me: Do NOT accept Luna’s offer…” Exclaimed the voice.
“What? Which one? Why? Why should I trust you?”
“You will see, now, it’s time to wake…” Replied the darkness, and Blaze woke up in a hospital bed.
“Rise and shine,” Said a nurse greeting him.
“What happened?” We wondered.
“It seems you ate something wrong yesterday. It’s 10 am, and we must keep you here for monitoring,” She explained.
“Buck…” Blaze said to himself. “When is the doc going to come?”
“Around… 6pm,” The nurse replied.
Mother fu… “Okay,”
“Hang on there, you can get out of the bed anytime. Go for a walk, sit down in the hall, talk to other patients, or play a few games. We have a few decks of cards and board games too, books as well to help pass time,” The nurse explained, hoping to help.
“Tanks,” He replied, staring at the tray beside him. Ain’t even gonna ask why that’s there… He got out of his bed and followed the nurse to the hall, where he looked at the bookshelves. Hmmm… What’s this? Daring Do and the Sapphire Stone… Well, why not… He went back to his bed, lay down and started to read, an occasional vomiting interrupting him for a while, when at noon his lunch was brought in.
*Knock knock* *Creek* The door opened, but instead of the mare expected the come, it was a colt in full body armor, which was pitch black. He himself had emerald eyes, brown coat and black mane. “It’s time we meet,” He said, closing the door behind.
“Are you…”
“You asked who I was, now I reply,” The colt explained levitating the tray over to the bed, staying out of the light passing through the window.
“So, who are you a-”
“I admit, this once I seem to have been wrong,” The colt noted, seeing that Blaze did in fact eat something in the end.
“-re you again?”
“I have no name, call me what you want,”
“And what’s the armor?” Blaze wondered, noticing the lack of a helmet, which was the reason he knew the colt meant no harm, as it was an old, and mostly forgotten tradition to remove it to indicate off duty.
“I was waiting for you to ask. I took Luna’s offer, now I regret every letter I said in that It would be my honor I muttered to her…”
“Just what was that offer?”
“Would you join the night guard? It is the greatest of recognitions and honors to be enlisted as one of them, as you may only do so upon invitation,” The shadow quoted.
“I’m just going to call you Shadow. What’s the backside of accepting it?”
“Loss of memory of my past self, I don’t remember anything from before the day I accepted. Not. A. Single. Minute,”
“Amnesia? Maybe they can help with their ma-”
“They can’t, don’t be a fool, Blaze. There’s worse than no memories…”
“What is it?” He wondered while eating his lunch.
“Which one would you prefer? Being tortured to death, or being beaten up every single day for the rest of your life?” Shadow asked in response.
“The prior,”
“Well, I have to face the later option, but for the rest of eternity,”
Blaze’s jaw dropped loose, and the contents dropped back onto his plate. “You mean…”
“Yep, the biggest curse of all: Immortality,”
“Sad to hear it,”
“Don’t be, your pity doesn’t help my situation. Now that you know what I’m destined to do, do you trust me?”
“Why should I believe you’re immortal?” Blaze pondered.
Shadow rolled his eyes, and even tho he appeared to be an earth pony, the knife on Blaze’s plate began to move, and made it’s way toward the plated pony. “I’ll only show this once,” He exclaimed, as the blade slowly sunk into his neck, but instead of the expected trickling blood, only a fog like body of darkness emanated from the wound.
“What. The. Buck…” Those were all Blaze managed to say in his surprise.
“Told ya,” Shadow said, giving the bladed tool back.
“I believe you now,”
“Good. Then don’t accept the offer. Do whatever you must, kill her, or anypony else, even yourself, but Do.Not. Accept it,”
“All right, I got it,”
Suddenly the door opened and a doctor trotted in… Until he saw Shadow. “I-I’ll come back later…” He muttered, dropping the clipboard he had been carrying, but picking it back up with his mouth.
“See? Even he knew what I am!” Shadow said, pointing at the shut door.
“And why aren’t you telling me again? Beside the Night Guard?”
“It is best I don’t tell, thinking of it now. Well, I got my point through so it is best I vanish now,”
“Wait. Why are you helping me?”
“I wish I knew. Something inside of me insists I must,” Shadow explained, before he returned to silently staying in the corner, watching over him. A while later the doctor came back. “Pretend I’m not here,” Shadow said before the doctor could leave again. The doctor performed the routine checks, then left. Blaze threw up bozen more of times, until in the afternoon a visitor came, and the door opened once again.
“Wh- What are you doing here, Sis?” Blaze wondered at the sight of his sister.
“I didn’t skip school today, but I got on the first train I could catch when I heard you’re here. The Canterlot hospitals are a little overwhelmed, that’s why you were taken here,”
“I see… What happened that so many ponies are sick?”
“I wish I knew. Actually, Princess Celestia-” At this point she heard a loud growl from behind, which she chose to ignore at the time.” said her advisors are working on finding the case and cure,”
“And Celestia is THE ONLY one to be bothered with…” Shadow commented. Blossom turned around, horn glowing ready to fire. “It would be a bad idea…” Shadow reminded her, and soon she agreed, seeing his armor.
“I know you… We just earned about you today at C- Her school…” Blossom informed him.
“Then you can tell your brother what you know, so he can hear the same thing twice,” Shadow replied.
“I showed the teacher your homework, she was pleased. I brought your and my exercise books, and today’s curriculum. I’ll stay until tomorrow, my train leaves at 6 am,” She explained, resting her saddlebags against his bed.
“Thanks,” Blaze replied.
“So… Why are you here? No offense,” Blossom inquired from their plated visitor.
“You know what I do, what I am, and who I serve. It is her lone will I’m here for,”
“She told you, in short, right?” Shadow nodded.
“Would you be proud of your brother if he ended up like I did?”
She looked at her sibling, then back at him. “I doubt…” She replied quietly.
“Would YOU be proud of your sister if she became… Celestia’s… Advisor?”
“The most,” He replied.
“That says something about what’s between the two of you… If only you knew what I do… The tides would turn,” Shadow exclaimed. “But it is best I speak no more of it,”
“What? What do you mean?” Blossom pondered. “What COULD you know that would have such effects?”
“As I said, it is best I speak no more of it, yet. I’m sorry, I can’t say no more until… -This once- Luna AND Celestia agrees so,” He explained. “Topic closed, and for all of your sakes, both of you, I urge you not to ask about it either,” The two agreed and accepted to follow his advice.
“How long will you stay?” Blossom wondered.
“Until he returns home,”
“Are you the only one sent to look after him? Will you be able to stay up all along?” Blossom inquired.
“We have not the needs of mortals. Food, drinks, rest… Blood…” Shadow explained. “We are denied the simplest of mortal properties, such as emotions. Instead of say… Feeling compassion, or pitying somepony, all we can do is think, and decide if they are pitiful or not,”
“Let’s change subject… What was exactly wrong I ate yesterday? We ate mostly the same things,” Blaze said.
“Good question. I know you and I didn’t eat at the same time though. Is there something the sisters ate and you didn’t? Or vice versa?” Blossom tried to figure out.
“A few muffins at best…” Her sibling replied. The two looked at Shadow.
“You expect me to explain?”
“Don’t you know everything?” Blossom asked.
“It’s true we know a lot, but that is because of our collective memory. That mostly includes mayor battles, it’s results, orders, every time we’re sent to a task… Every individual of us know what only a few others were put through, so I know what happened where I wasn’t sent to, or even alive when happened... “
“That means you actually remember the incident?” Blaze pondered.
“Don’t make me do it,” Shadow warned him. “You know the orders, don’t you?” He turned his head at his sister.
“Which one do you mean?” Blaze wondered.
“Not YOUR ones,” Shadow reminded him. “Blossom?”
She stared blank at the floor, knowing what he talked about. “Luna already transformed into Nightmare Moon once before the incident, but managed to regain control… She gave orders, should it happen again, she must be killed…” She explained.
“What? But… It happened, yet… She’s here!” Blaze objected.
“Because it happened at day time. She moved the Moon to block the Sun, but it was still daylight in the room it happened. Need I explain more?”
“So she moved the Moon while she could to block out the light for you to spawn while she could…” Blossom thought out loud.
“But forgot it was still daylight in the room, in which you can’t seem to do so then!” Blaze finished the theory.
“You two sure know something. In fact, if it wasn’t for that Unicorn: Twilight Sparkle, who got there before we could, she would be dead by now, as we would have killed her at all cost,” Shadow explained.
“Wait… You said Twilight Sparkle? I had a dream where I met her…” Blaze exclaimed. That mean’s she was here when it happened… Maybe I could find her.. Heh, what could I say? ‘Hello, I know who you are, I’m also from the Royal Guard, I know your brother, and you’re Celestia’s prized student!’? Yeah, right, the fastest way to the nuthouse…
“Did you?” Shadow asked, raising a brow.
“Yes, why?”
“After Celestia, she’s the second most suspicious individual to us… “
Blossom only nodded, confirming what he meant. Their conversation only got less serious from there on, and went on until sleep time, when the siblings went to sleep, while Shadow remained on guard. Hours passed, as he silently watched over them, deep into the night. He knew he had no emotions, but he felt something as he saw Blaze slumber in his bed, Blossom sitting in a chair, her head rested against her sibling's, as the moonlight made its way through the windows at them. I wish I had somepony like they have each other… He got lost in his train of thoughts, but not for long. The door opened without a sound, and a white coated colt in golden armor stepped through.
“Number 41… Here it is…” He muttered.
Shadow stopped him before he could do anything, and with his powers paralyzed him under the neck where he stood. “Don’t make a sound. You and I are here for the same reason,” He whispered to the colt, who nodded, so he ceased control over him.
“You’re one of the Night Guard… I never thought I would see one in my lifetime…” The colt replied.
“What are you doing here? Did SHE send you?”
“Yes, to take care of Blossom,”
“Name and rank?” Shadow inquired, his halberd rested against the wall beside him.
“Captain Shining Armor…”
“Good. You may remain, until you try to force HER will at me…” Shadow welcomed him, and the two stood guard at each side of the door until Celestia’s Sun rose once more. The hospital’s night guard came into the room, flashlight off. He noticed the two figured, nodded at them as a greeting, then left with no problem. “I guess she didn’t fail her history class…”
The siblings woke up, Blossom gathered her stuff and left for her train with the Captain, but not before leaving a kiss on her brother’s forehead. “Bye, sis,” He said as the two walked away.
Shadow only looked after the two through the window. “I wish I had somepony the way you had each other... “ He said to Blaze, then sighed. “But we know it will never be… So, while I’m here, I’m allowed to take you out of the hospital, it’s my responsibility what happens to you outside. If you want to go for a walk, here’s your chance,” Shadow offered.
“The doc said yesterday I should be fine. We can go if you don’t mind but…” Blaze replied, then stopped to talk about the sunlight problem.
“Don’t worry. We prefer not to be exposed to it, but with our armor, we’re mostly covered anyway. I’ll go, fill out the paperwork...” He said while leaving the room, soon coming back for Blaze, who seemed much healthier than last day. The two trotted out of the hospital onto the graveled roads of Ponyville, and headed for a relaxing morning walk. Little did they know, Blaze was not the only one with the kind of his illness, as they saw many stretchers throughout the town, all of which were occupied by sick ponies.
“What happened here?” Blaze wondered.
“That I would love to know as well,” Replied his friend. They approached one of them. “Good evening, friend. What fortune tortures all these ill ponies?” Shadow pondered.
“Muffins… Sugarcube… Corner… Bad…” Her face turned a tone greener, and turned her head away to… You know…
“I wish you a quick recovery,” Shadow said, bidding farewell, the two continued on their ways. Soon Blaze bolted ahead out of the sudden, barely allowing Shadow to catch up. “What’s this? Where’s the hurry?” He wondered.
“I saw her!”
“Who?”
“You’ll see. Maybe she can help!” Shadow jumped, and when he landed a tall wall of stone emerged from the ground behind him, blocking Blaze’s path. His wall unavoidably blocked the entire path, preventing other’s pass as well, so he couldn’t leave it there for long. “What is that for?!” Blaze wondered.
“I can not allow that. Not right now,” Shadow explained. His wall slowly sinking back into the ground.
“That was interesting…” Commented a mare from behind.
“Oh, Come on Twi, I bet anypony with magic can do that…” Replied another.
“Beg your pardon?” Shadow asked the Pegasus mare with some anger.
“You heard me right! You ain’t even got nothing!” At this point Twilight gasped in realization.
“Rainbow, stop, don’t you know where he’s from?”
“As if I would care… Why does it matter? So long he’s not a wonderbolt I don’t care…” Replied her friend.
“Oh, so you think those pesky flies are the best?” Shadow threw back.
“Watch your tongue. You couldn’t beat me in a hoof race!”
“Care to prove me wrong?”
“Any time, and how,” Rainbow assured him.
“Where to?”
“You know where the town hall is?” Shadow nodded. “There and back, 3 rounds. First to finish wins!”
“Rainbow, stop! You have no chance!”
“Come on Twi, you count down,” The pegasus continued still so confidently, as she and her new rival prepared.
*sigh* “She never listens…” She muttered to Blaze. “Ready! 3… 2… 1…” The two disappeared leaving a cloud of dust where they stood. They saw the two of them run there and back, but they agreed on Shadow was the fastest, and in the end won the race.
“Y-You’re good… Real good…” Rainbow said.
“If you want a rematch, we can have a flight race any time too,” Shadow assured her.
“Give me a sec, and you’ll see…” She caught her breath. “Same race, flight,” She exclaimed.
“Another easy win for me then,” Shadow warned her.
“You got no wings! You’ll never beat me!”
“Rainbow, he-”
“Not now, Twi… I’m going to teach this guy a lesson,” The two prepared again, Rainbow lost again. “No way! I can’t believe this! This guy must be ch-” She was cut short by Twilight’s hoof in her mouth.
“-eating…” Shadow finished the sentence. “Miss Sparkle, would you be so kind and give your friend a brief history lesson, or am I going to have to give her a lesson of pain myself?”
“I will sir, I’m sorry for her behavior. She’s more of a doer than a thinker… You see, she wants to join the wonderbolts one day,” She explained.
“Blaze, did you want to tell her something?”
“This will sound ridiculous, but…” Blaze started to say.
“Wait… Aren’t you the colt from my dream?”
“Wait, what? You had the same dream?” He wondered.
“Yes! This is so interesting! I never heard of something like this before!”
“Well, it’s new to me too. I wonder if my sister knows anything about it, too bad I haven’t told her,”
“Oh, I might have a few books back at the library. I have to check tho, do you live around here?” Twilight wondered.
“It’s my first day in the hospital, the ones in Canterlot were full so they sent me here instead,” Blaze explained.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear. What happened?”
“Food poisoning… Apparently a few muffins went wrong,”
“Pastries I hear? I think I know just the mare responsible…”
“Do you now?” Shadow asked in.
“Yeah, she’s a friend of mine. She’s been working too hard lately, her brother is sick an… Just, forgive her, she’s really stressing herself lately…” Replied the librarian unicorn.
“The sooner I can go back the better…” Blaze pointed out.
“What do you do in Canterlot, if I may ask,”
“It’s my third day in training for the Royal Guard, and I’m already out of order…” Blaze noted sadly.
“Royal Guard? M-”
“Brother works there, yes, I know him. Captain Shining Armor. He just went back earlier today with my sister on the dawn train,”
“Really? Why hadn’t her told me though?”
“Maybe her had no time. Don’t blame him, doing his job,” Blaze tried to protect his comrade.
“Well, it is best we go. As you can see, a few ponies around need help and…”
“I get it, I’ll see you soon,” Blaze said farewell, and the groups parted ways. The mares went to the hospital, Blaze and Shadow continued on their walk. It was around noon when they were at the entrance of the hospital, when they ran into Twilight again. “I told you,” Blaze greeted her.
“I guess so. I found a spell for your problem, would you like me to use it on you?” She offered.
“I’d appreciate it,” Blaze said, before Twi’s lavender aura surrounded him, soon to ease his problem. “Woah, thanks, I owe you one,”
“Just keep an eye out for my brother. I know the difference between the two of you, but still,”
“Ask something else, we do look out after one another to begin with,” Blaze explained.
“I guess so. You’re an interesting pony, we should keep in touch. Who knows, maybe it will come useful later,”
“Sure, I’m in,” The two parted ways again, but only until Blaze gathered his belongings from the room, while Shadow did the paperwork.
“Ready to go?” Shadow wondered. Despite appearing to be an Earth pony, his eye began to glow faintly.
[End of Chapter 4]