//------------------------------// // suspicions // Story: The shadow heir // by Void Streak //------------------------------// Twilight was having trouble sleeping she was thinking about what the zebra said The pony you are looking for is closer than you think, she is in plain sight "but what does it mean" she shouted to herself wincing, quietly she looked over at Spike thankfully he was still fast asleep but not for long as all of a sudden a shrill, ear splitting alarm started going of along with flashing, red lights. "what's going on" shouted Spike now wide awake. "I dunno Spike but stay here" Twilight shouted back while running to the door. Everypony was sticking their head our of their doors. "what in the hay is going on" "Can a girl not get her beauty sleep" they could see crystal guards running into a room that's when she realised that it was Rainbow's room. Twilight and her friends quickly ran into Dash's room only to find the Rainbow maned Pegasus, nowhere in sight. "What's going on?" Twilight asked looking towards her big brother. "We've detected Spectrem Shadow's magic in the castle and now Rainbow Dash is missing" Shining replied solemnly. "WHAT" the mane 6 shouted, their jaws dropping to the floor. They were now sat at the big, circular table in the meeting room. "Why would she take Rainbow, that big meany" shouted Pinkie her expression turning from worry to anger her impossibly curly mane flattening making a sound that would've been comical if it was in a different situation now it sounded depressing. Then Twilight said guiltily "maybe she wasn't taken". They all looked at her bewilderedly "what ever are you suggesting darling" Rarity finally asked, breaking the silence that had washed over the room. "What if Rainbow Dash is Spectrem Shadow" Twilight finally replied dramatically. For what appeared to be the second time that day everypony gasped. "I was only joking before" Pinkie exclaimed. "What makes you say that, Twilight?" Celestia asked eyeing her student it made Twilight feel like the sun princes was looking into her soul. "If you think about it Dash has been acting odd ever since we first defeated Sombra. Then I started getting suspicious when Pinkie made that joke about Rainbow being Spectrem it looked she had a guilty expression as if pinkie was telling the truth. the librarian also mentioned that Spectrem could do a sonic rainboom and what can Dash do, a sonic rainboom. Not only does have a similar look to Rainbow Dash but she even tried defending her. And now she's just miraculously disappeared when we're closing in on shadow, sounds like she's running away to me." "This is a very serious accusation to make but nether less you make good points, Shining I want Rainbow Dash brought in as peacefully as possible and preferably without alerting the townsponies. The last thing we need is a mass panic" Celestia ordered then she looked towards the remaining mane 6 "I need you girls to help find her I also need you to help convince her to hoof herself in and Twilight I need you to be prepared to use magic against her in case she doesn't come quietly" she added grimly. Twilight swallowed "yes princess" meanwhile Dash easily managed to find the witch hat house. Landing, she started to walk towards the house not knowing what to expect. Just like with pinkie the door opened by itself walking in side the darkness didn't affect due to her night vision spell. That's when she heard it a deep, chilling, evil laugh "I've been expecting you, my dear spectrem" King Sombra greeted with an evil grin. Dash started walking backwards, shaking uncontrollably "D D Daddy" Rainbow said with pure fear. "surprised to see me because you should see my surprise when I see you with the enemy, WHEN I SEE YOU HELPING TO BANISH ME!" King Sombra shouted he then added "you're not the only one who is good at disguises" he then fired a magic bolt at her which melted away her illusion. He then smiled "now there's my true daughter unfortunately for you that isn't going to stop me from giving you your punishment" he then magicked up a whip and started walking towards her. Before Dash could even move Sombra had grabbed her with his magic he then put up a sound proof bubble around them both. "No please no" she then screamed. meanwhile The mane 6 had been walking down the main street when they heard it, a blood curdling scream. "That sounded like Rainbow Dash" They then ran to the source of the noise and came across the witch hat house "This is the same place where we met that zebra". Running inside they Spectrem Shadow lying across the floor in the fetal position, blubbering like a foal. That's when they noticed the scars. "Those scars look fresh and where's this zebra" all of a sudden she was shoved out of the way as several crystal guards including Shining Armour came busting through the door. "Shining Armour then said in a commanding tone "Spectrem Shadow, you are under arrest for treason" before she could protest Shining levitated hoofcuffs, wing cuffs and an magic inhibitor ring securing her. She was then roughly dragged across the floor towards a prison carriage all the while Spectrem was howling with pain as the floor rubbed against her scars. After they threw her in the carriage he then ordered "take her to the dungeouns" he then turned to Twilight "she didn't hurt you did she" after Twilight assured Shining that she was ok he then took them back to the castle. meanwhile Spectrem Dash lay on the cold hard crystal floor, eyes red and puffy from crying. She had a cold, metal collar that had a short chain leading to the wall stopping her from moving towards the door. The cell was dank, dark and cold. She still had the wingcuffs and the inhibitor ring on. She had been laying there for what seemed an eternity but in reality it was only half an a hour. Then she began to hear hoofsteps, looking towards the cell door, which was only a crystal door with a small barred window. The door then swung open revealing her friends, Shining Armour and Cadence. "Are you Rainbow Dash or did you kidnap her?" Twilight asked glaring at the prisoner however she received no answer Spectrem kept looking at the ground. Shining then grabbed her muzzle in his magic and forced her head to look at him and Twilight "Answer her now" Shining snapped; Shadow continued to ignore him. This had continued for an hour before they decided to leave her to wallow in her misery. When the mane 6 went back into the meeting room Shining told Celestia "she takes the right remain silent Very seriously. Not one single peep" he then asked "why don't you interrogate her, she might listen to you?" Celestia sighed "she won't listen to me, she hates me" "But she's ya daughter, your flesh and blood" Applejack exclaimed. When the princess didn't answer Twilight added "if it is Rainbow then she would've heard your side of the story. We should give her a chance" "Fine but I want to do this alone" Celestia finally agreed while leaving the meeting room to walk down to the dungeons. When she arrived she saw her daughter sat in the centre of the room her gaze directed to the floor. "Aurora is that you?" she asked startling the prisoner. Spectrem finally spoke "m mummy" she then added "That's not my name" still looking at the floor. "What should I call you then?" Celestia asked as motherly as possible. "Spectrem" "Of course" Celestia reluctantly agreed closing her eyes before opening them again. She then asked "was you Rainbow Dash" Spectrem nodded she then told Celestia "He's back. Daddy's back, he whipped me because I helped banish him" Spectrem started crying "he told me that you was evil and that you tried to kill him, so he sent you away" "That's all lies, I was never the evil one your father was" she then asked "why don't you help us defeat him" "I can't, I love him" "Even after he hurt you" "He's still my dad" "Then I'm afraid you'll be staying here until you decide to help us" Celestia finally said with a sad expression, she started to leave. "Wait, please don't leave me here" Spectrem shouted trying to run towards her mother only to choke on the collar pulling her back. However it was futile as Celestia still left without even stopping locking the door shut behind her. Meanwhile King Sombra had watched his daughter being taken away maybe this will finally convince her that her mother is evil he thought to himself. He was inside of a cave on the outskirts of the city. He was holding a map that had a red blip on it. what Celestia doesn't know is that Spectrem had let him place a tracking spell on her which allowed her to locate her, listen to her conversation, look through her eyes and even allowed him to communicate with her telepathy. "Soon the Empire will be back in my grasp" he shouted with an evil laugh.