//------------------------------//
// (Start of part 2) The Colt, the Mare, and the Mane Six... 
// Story: The Name's Shadow, Shadow Eternal... 
// by EternalShadow54 
//------------------------------//

-Author's Note: You made it to part two! Awesome! This will be a collection of stories based around just after the 'Hearth' Warming Eve' cover up that you'll learn about in part three. All events take place during the times of the mane six and them being alive. Shadow's attitude is still a bit optimistic in this time, so don't be surprised. This is the only instance he actually confronts all six at once AND his first time actually ever meeting them.-

The morning air was fresh, the gleaming sunlight of dawn lighting the open meadow with an almost mesmerizing appeal. There, traveling all alone within these plains, was a pony.

This is no ordinary pony. Otherwise, his story would not be told with Shadow. Stepping through the medium grass at a rather moderate pace, the pony looked around, taking in all the beauty of the outdoors. To his left is the edge of the infamous Everfree, known for both its magnificent outside and its dangerous interior.

“No, nothing in there... maybe I’ll try the Everfree next,” the little colt said, shaking his head and sighing in despair unbefitting of his age. “I just thought those fillies could help me. I don’t want to burden them.”

Sitting in despair, the colt suddenly noticed a faint figure hazing in the distance, taking the shape of another, older pony. The figure bordered on the edge of the Everfree, just lofting about without care. The colt wasn’t exactly sure why, but he had a particular interest in this.

“Who are you?” the colt asked, acting tougher than he felt. He stood as tall as he could, puffing out his chest bravely.

The stallion turned around to look at the young colt, his coat a bland grey, just like his eyes. “Huh?” he stated, looking at the young pony with question. “I should be asking you the same kid. What are you doing out here?” he asked sternly.

The colt, despite his acts, flinched at the commanding voice of the older pony.

“I... I... I was just looking for a place to be alone.” The colt pawed the dirt nervously, swishing his green tail in obvious fear.

“Alone?” the older stallion questioned, a bit confused by his choice of words. Most younger ponies that he knew were always out playing with their friends, or something of the sort. “Tell me young one, what’s your name?” he asked, shaking his black and white tussle of hair out of his eyes.

“My name’s Thorn,” the colt said, not looking at the stallion. Something about the stallion made him feel unreasonably afraid. “Wha--what’s your name, sir?”

“Thorn.” he said softly, thinking about the name. “My name’s Shadow. Shadow Eternal. but you can just call me Shadow.” the stallion finished, still looking at the young colt with question. “Why are you all out here by yourself? Shouldn’t you be with your friends?”

“Friends?” Thorn said the word as if he wasn’t exactly certain of its meaning. “I guess you could call them that. I mean, that’s how they think of me, but I don’t really think I’m their friend. Not really. Friends trust each other, you see. And me, I trust nopony.” Thorn remarked with a humorless laugh. “How could anypony call me a friend? But I really shouldn’t be telling you this. Cases like mine shouldn’t associate with others.”

“Oh my.” Shadow stated, a little disheartened to hear this. “A colt without friends.” He sighs. “Kid, sit down, and let me tell you something.” Shadow said, waving his hoof to indicate him to sit in the grass, he himself sitting and propping against a tree, waiting for the colt to follow his command.

Thorn looked really scared for a moment and considered the consequences for a long second. With a noticeably deep breath, Thorn followed Shadow and sat next to him in the grass. The look on his face told the older stallion something was seriously wrong with this colt.

“Kid.” Shadow started, “You have a family right? Or at least somepony that watches you, correct?” he asked, a bit more serious than he was a second ago.

“Well, I have mom, and a sister... they take care of me. But I don’t deserve it. I barely have emotions anyway. Mother barely loves me. Oh, I’m telling you things I shouldn’t. I should go before I get in trouble for being out.”

Shadow held his hoof up, stopping the colt. “Hey.” he said, a concerned look on his face. “Just know that at least you have family. Some of us weren’t so lucky.” Shadow finished, getting up and brushing off the grass from his vest. “Just remember that. And I’ll be here tomorrow if ya come looking for me.” he said, a smug grin across his muzzle.

Thorn managed a small smile.

“Thanks Mr. Shadow, sir. I’ll come back tomorrow, if my mother will let me. Today was a fluke. She shouldn’t be worrying today anyway. You see, she never scolds me when I’m sick.” Thorn coughed then for the first time that night. “But she overreacts. I’m fine.” The colt coughed again, harder this time. The force of the action on his small body pushed him a few steps back.

“Hmmm?” Shadow wondered, watching the small colt leave coughing. “A strange one he is. I better just wait for him here.” Shadow proceeded to quickly find a sturdy tree, and from which, laid himself on a rather strong branch, waiting for the colt to return. “Here you go again Shadow. giving out your help to those who probably don’t even want it.” he bickered to himself, closing his eyes to rest.

Somewhere near the tree Shadow was resting in, two mares were taking a walk.

“Um, Sync darling, must we walk this close to the Forest? It’s not particularly safe.” A white mare with a stylish purple mane was practically being dragged along the path by a smaller light purple mare.

“Don’t be like that. This is safe.” The smaller mare said.

“But isn’t this the place where you had your accident, Sync?”

“Ha! That means nothing now. I don’t like to think about the past. Come on! You’re no fun! Play with me over here!” Sync, the light purple pony, was running dangerously close to the tree when she bumped it. “Ow...” she held her head with her hooves. The white mare noticed the pegasus in the tree.

“Sorry to disturb you, sir.”

The sudden bump rattled the tree, almost knocking Shadow out and plummeting him to the ground.

“Whoa! What the-” he said, quickly grasping hold of the branch before hearing the white mare apologizing. “What are you two doing all the way out here? Don’t you know it’s dangerous?” Shadow asked, a rather serious and somewhat unfriendly tone in his voice.

“That’s what I’m trying to tell her!” The white mare said, helping the other pony up.

“This place is only dangerous if you don’t know how to handle yourself. I can handle myself.”

“Be that as it may, I have to get you home in one piece. Fluttershy would be so disappointed in me if I let anything happen to you.”

“Excuse me.” Shadow said rather coldly, feeling a bit ignored. “And who exactly might you two be? Because I find it rather rude of mares with such sophistication to not properly introduce themselves.”

“Oh how rude of me! I’m terribly sorry, sir. My name is Rarity, and this is Sync. What is your name?”

Flying back down and bowing before the two mares, Shadow properly introduced himself. “My name is Shadow my dear. Shadow Eternal, but you may call me just Shadow.” the stallion said with a grin, rather proud of himself and how well mannered he appeared to be. This, in a sense, was very rare of him.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Shadow.” Rarity said pleasantly, holding out her hoof. Sync ignored both of them and began sniffing the edge of the Everfree Forest. “Don’t mind her,” Rarity whispered to Shadow. “She’s not right in the head.”

“I see.” Shadow stated, paying close attention to the one that Rarity had called Sync. “She a relative or a friend of the sort?”

“She.. well. I found her around. Right around here, actually. She was unconscious so I took her home and tried to get her moving again. Well, I had help from my friends, of course. She’s very hard to understand sometimes.”

“That was quite a selfless thing to do. umm, Rarity was it? Tell me, what drove you to do such a thing? I mean, I would have done the same, but... well... I can’t trust anypony now-a-days. Ya know, personal issues and all.” Shadow gruffed, still paying close attention to the Sync character, slightly interested in her background.

Sync was done sniffing now and had begun to go further into the forest. Rarity, watching Sync with one eye as she would a foal, used her magic to pull her back into sight and then responded to Shadow in the safe instant.

“Well, I couldn’t just leave her! The very thought just makes me shiver.” 

“My respects to you Rarity.” Shadow said, still eyeing Sync. “Mind if I have a word with her perhaps? Or would it be. too much for her to handle?” he asked, speaking just loud enough for the mare around the forest edge to hear him, trying to get her attention.

Shadow’s wish was granted as the smaller pony looked up from her exploration. She started towards the two adult ponies with a strange look on her face.

“Are you trying to start something, Mister?” Sync asked, a strange heavy quality appearing in her voice.

“I think she heard you. But don’t worry, she’s really harmless.” Rarity said, patting Sync with her hoof. The older mare couldn’t see Sync’s eyes glaring at the stallion.

“I’d certainly hope she wouldn’t be, seeing as I left my sword at camp.” Shadow chuckled, reaching into his vest and pulling out a dagger. “But you can’t never be too careful, now can you?” With ease as to not frighten the two mares, he slowly set the blade on the ground, watching Sync carefully as he did so. “Now, Sync is it? Let me ask you something. I mean, if you’ll listen.” he said, ready to reach back for his weapon if she tried anything funny.

Sync’s gaze turned on the dagger, but instead of looking the least bit intimidated, she seemed interested in the object. Unnaturally interested. She didn’t even seem to realize Shadow was speaking to her.

Finally, Rarity bumped the smaller pony and whispered to her.

“Sync, the nice stallion asked you a question.” Sync looked up at her in disinterest and returned her gaze to the dagger, a certain strange hunger on her face.

“Hmmm.” Shadow hummed, watching as Sync gazed with lust at the dagger of his. “Tell me Sync, what is your interest with my weapon first of all?” he asked, stepping a bit in front of it to attract her attention.

Sync looked up at the stallion finally. She considered answering him for a moment. Then, deciding since he had access to sharp objects she should pay more attention to him, she spoke.

“They didn’t let me have those things at the hospital. Even though I loved them, they never let me have my toys back. A filly needs her toys, doesn’t she?” Sync asked eerily, cocking her head to one side. Her horn glowed hazel light in her passion.

“I suppose a filly does need her toys you silly mare.” Shadow joked, stepping back in front of her. “So I’ll tell you what. You tell me everything I wanna know, and I will personally hoof make you a dagger, free of charge as long as you find the material.” Shadow finished, winking at Rarity.

“Will you really do that?” Sync asked, smiling slightly. Her smile wasn’t completely normal, but it was the best she could do. “I’ll get the material if you’ll do that! What do you want to know?”

Rarity smiled, letting the stallion humor her. After all, nothing bad could possibly come of this arrangement. Sync was harmless. She’d told herself that from the beginning..

“Okay then.” Shadow said, lowering his head a bit to get eye level with her. “Tell me. Why were you in the hospital? Why are you rather rude? And lastly, what makes you stick around with the friend Rarity of yours? You don’t seem to take much interest in actually hanging around her.” he finished, a smug grin plastered on his face. “And don’t even think about lying to me dear. That... would be a mistake we’d both regret.”

Sync at first seemed indignant about having to share all that information with a stranger, but with a longing look at the dagger, she consented. With a deep breath, the little unicorn began her story.

“I broke my horn a while ago--I don’t remember when--and they sent me to a hospital. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I barely know the meaning of ‘rude’. As for hanging around with Diamonds, well, she saved me. I might not be here without her. Not in one piece, at least!” Rarity looked touched by this show of emotion and nuzzled the younger pony on the top of her head.

“I see.” Shadow said, determining if what she said be true or false. Figuring she had no reason to, she must be telling the truth, lest she be trying to hide something from this ‘Diamonds’ friend of hers. “Here,” Shadow said, pulling out a sharpened rock of the sort from his vest. “Take this as payment till you find the materials.” Turning back to Rarity, he smiled.

“Listen. I live in an encampment about 90 hooves south of here. Come back when she wants. I may have business with this mare.” he stated, glaring at the mare who was looking at the rock with fascination.

Sync didn’t notice the look as she played with the rock, lifting it with her magic and delighting in the deep gashes she made in the dirt. She giggled softly to herself.

“Isn’t it sweet? She has a nickname for me. Diamonds, I love it!” Rarity mused to herself obliviously. Coming out of her reverie, she smiled at Shadow. “I haven’t a clue what you could want with her, but I’ll bring her back if it makes her this happy.”

“I’ll see to it that my camp is presentable to a charming mare like yourself, and for your somewhat strange character of a friend. Do come by about the same time if you can, as I have a present matter to attend to somewhat early tomorrow.” he said, looking as the sun was starting to set. “It’s getting late. I should be off.” Shadow said, not wanting to escort them back, though that would have been proper. He and Celestia wasn’t exactly on the best of terms, and there was no need in bringing back old, forgotten memories.

“Alright then, good night good sir, and may the Sun light your path.” Rarity said, waving as Shadow walked away. As he disappeared from her vision, she turned to Sync. “What a nice stallion, wasn’t he Sync?”

Sync was still playing with the rock. She nodded absentmindedly.

“We’d better get going. It is getting late.”

Stepping back into his camp, he found his old tent from the war days. Nopony remembers the times before harmony when everything was chaos, because it wasn’t written in their history books, and Celestia certainly wasn’t going to tell anypony, nor Luna. Laying in his old captain’s tent, he reminisces on those horrible days. “Maybe she is like me.” he said, looking back at the sky. “Another soulless pony... except she was lucky enough to forget her past.” Shadow chuckled once more at the thought. “Probably not, but I can’t help but feel like I know her somehow in some way...”





Sync was very happy with her rock. This much she knew. She was not, however, as oblivious to the rest of the world as the other ponies saw her. In fact, the mere fact that they treated her like the filly she’d been acting like for the past few weeks infuriated her and made her feel powerful enough to uproot the entire Everfree Forest in her anger. But it was necessary. All of it was for something bigger, she told herself. After all, if she acted up now, they’d only send her back to the institution. She was loathe to do that.

Yet, as she tossed the new plaything up over her head, the little unicorn thought about Shadow. He seemed to at least somewhat acknowledge her as a threat. Of course that was dangerous. Of course she had to keep a close eye on him now. Of course, but hadn’t he also been the only one to promise her the one thing she’d wanted more than anything else since her accident? Sync knew she had to trust him, or at least pretend to, in order to make him give her that sharp object. She’d build up a new box for the future. This much she was sure of.





Shadow awoke to the early morning as is accustomed from his military days. No matter how hard he tried to shake it, he couldn’t help but stick to his old routine. Regardless, he had made a promise to a young colt that he was bound to keep. Determining the somewhat accurate location that he was yesterday, he headed out to wait for him.

Thorn was there waiting for him, sitting in the grass and staring up at the sky somewhat longingly. He was practicing his magic by levitating leaves.

“Wow.” Shadow said, stepping from the forest edge. “You came here rather early for a colt.” …

The colt was startled by the sudden noise and dropped the leaf he was holding. The green glow around it faded instantly.

“Oh, well, I’m still technically sick, and since Mother had to work, and Big Sister had school too, the house was empty. I thought… well, I thought maybe you’d talk to me?”

“Well.” Shadow said, feeling a bit better about himself now. “I’m all ears kid. Tell me what ya wanna tell me, or ask me what ya wanna know.”

“Well, I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to talk to somepony who’d have something nice to say that didn’t sound fake. You seemed like you’d do that.”

“Kid, would I have any reason to lie to you?” Shadow asked, messing with the colt a little bit. He liked to have fun with ponies minds every now and then, using his sarcasm and charismatic skills to do so. “So what ya wanna talk about?”

Thorn looked up at the sky again. “What do normal ponies talk about? I wouldn’t know. Do you like leaves?” Thorn asked suddenly, stepping on a particularly crunchy leaf. “Some ponies are like leaves, you know? They just blow around when a more powerful pony pushes them down. I don’t want to be a leaf.”

“I always preferred the leaves, but not in their old, crunchy state.” Shadow said, looking over to Thorn. “Ya see, let’s make everypony leaves, because no matter who you are, somepony, or something, can push you down. Regardless of how full of life they are.” Shadow said, catching his attention. “You will always be a leaf, just like me and everypony else, but be a leaf of life, one not so easily crushed by something simple like wind.” he finishes, thinking about what he had just said. “You get what I’m saying?”

Thorn had been watching the older pony speak in fascination and had to remember for a moment that he too had a mouth and could speak as well before continuing on.

“Yes, sir. I understand. I’m a big, green leaf. I’ll fly by my own air currents, even if I’m not a pegasus like you.” The colt then began to frolic around in the leaves, kicking them up with his back hooves and generally having a good time. It was clear on his face that this was the first time in a long time.

“Heh.” Shadow laughed, watching the colt as he played in the leaves. “Looks like you’re having fun over there. Mind if I join?” he asked, feeling a bit singled out with a smile.

With a surprised glance at the older pony, the young pony beckoned him over with his foreleg, delighted to have somepony to play with. Thorn nosed the leaves that had piled at the base of the trees to make them fly. He levitated some of them into the air to make it rain. Today, immaturity was nothing compared to the heart of stone he’d been feeding for a while now.

“Hey kid.” Shadow said, rolling around in the leaves himself. “Remember only one thing. A smile is contagious. So be the disease among the healthy.” he finished, giggling like a school-filly as he continued to roll around in the crunchy leaves under him.

Thorn nodded as he too fell down and rolled in the leaves gleefully. He hadn’t felt this good since. since well. He guessed since the last time he saw his dad. His dad always played with him, but he lived really close to the Everfree Forest and his mother rarely let him visit. Not because of any dislike in their relationship, but because she didn’t want Thorn anywhere near the Forest. Thorn zapped a leaf that had floated too close to his horn, turning it to ashes.

“I’ll do what I want,” Thorn mumbled to himself, zapping a few more leaves. 

The colt took a sudden aggression towards the leaves, kind of leaving Shadow a bit confused. “Hey kid- err. I mean Thorn. What’s wrong?” he asked, a bit concerned. Shadow didn’t know why, but he had always had a soft spot for kids.

Thorn had been distracted, in his own world. Shadow’s words brought him out. Dazed, the colt sat up to face the stallion.

“Oh, I was just thinking about stuff,” he mumbled, shuffling his forehooves in the ground.

“Obviously those thoughts weren’t good.” Shadow said, a bit annoyed by being spoken to like a child. “C’mon Thorn. I told ya earlier I was all ears.” Shadow felt the small knick in his left ear, twitching them a bit. “Can’t ya not see ‘em?” he smugly remarked.

The colt laughed shortly, and when he finished coughing from the backlash of his sarcasm he sighed heavily. “I was just thinking about my dad. He lives too far away for me to visit him. The worst part is we’re really close to him right now, but he’s at an art show today and won’t be back for a month. I was going to go talk to him last night when I found you. But I remembered he wasn’t there, so I just stayed here at the edge of the Forest. I feel safer, being close to a place he’s usually at.”

“Oh... and something about me reminded you of him?” Shadow asked, feeling a bit bad for resurfacing the colt’s past. “I’m sorry to hear about that Thorn... I really am.”

“You can’t help being you,” the colt replied, smiling in that way ponies smile when they want to avoid more questions. “It’s okay, really.”

Shadow still felt a bit guilty, and he was sure that the feeling was showing. “Hey.” he started, thinking about a rather strange idea. “When is your mom expecting you home?”

Here Thorn laughed for real. “That’s the beauty of disease, sir. Mother is always so relieved I’m back she never questions where I’ve been or what I’ve been doing. Even if I came home hurt and covered in dead leaves, she’d just be so happy to see me I’d never have to say a word!” At this, Thorn fell back into the leaves, sighing contentedly. “Yeah, that’s pretty nice. Of course, if Big Sister found out, she’d probably be upset. She doesn’t like me to talk to strangers.” He turned his head to face Shadow. “But you’re not a stranger; you’re my friend.”

“Friend.” The word itself made Shadow think. “Heh… the last pony to call me friend was.” he stopped, shaking his head. “Never mind. You said no particular time? How about you come over to my camp and meet a few new ponies I met yesterday.” Shadow grins mischievously. “They are mares for your information.” he laughed. “What do ya say?” …

Suddenly, the fear from earlier appeared again in Thorn’s eyes.

“Oh, I don’t know. I’m really bad with meeting new ponies. I always seem to hurt them.” Thorn shuffled his hooves in the leaves, coughing as his breathing sped up. His eyes faced downwards to the non-judgmental dirt as he waited for Shadow to say something. 

“Come on kid. It’ll be fun!” Shadow explained, trying to convince him. “Besides. I think one of them is broken beyond repair if ya ask me.” he finished, looking back at the colt who continued to shuffle in the leaves. “And if ya don’t come along, then I don’t have an excuse to be late.” he stated with a smile, walking off towards the woods.

Thorn, despite his fear, didn’t want to crawl back home yet. With a final glance in the direction of his dad’s house, the colt jumped up and followed Shadow.

On their way back to his camp, he decided to ask him a question that had been bugging him since yesterday. “So.” Shadow started, trying to not sound too interested. “What’s this... sickness that you have? Is it contagious or dangerous or anything?”

“Oh no, I just got a fever, or something. I don’t think it’s contagious unless I cough on you. I’ll try not to do that.” Thorn said, trotting faster to catch up with Shadow. His short legs made it slightly difficult, but he managed, despite the weakness.

“I see.” he stated as usual, that phrase becoming rather redundant to him as they approached the edge of his encampment, a few familiar voices sounding from behind the bush line. As he poked his head through, he noticed the two mares from yesterday, sitting and waiting. “Hey kid.” Shadow whispered as he caught up to him. “Want me to scare ‘em?”

Thorn looked where Shadow was pointing and recognized one familiar-looking mare he had seen around Ponyville before but had never spoken to and a younger mare he’d never seen before. They didn’t seem so bad. One of them couldn’t have been more than a few years older than him. Thorn wasn’t really one to scare others if he could help it, but Shadow seemed really into it, so he nodded. 

Shadow crept along quietly along the bushes’ edge, moving rather quickly for how stealthy he was. Avoiding leaves and twigs, the stallion was right behind the two mares within what seemed like only moments. With the biggest smile his muzzle could muster, he inhaled deeply and let out a blood curdling scream right behind them, pouncing and knocking into both of them.

The two mares screamed like little fillies, jumping up and holding each other as their eyes rolled around in their heads. The smaller of the two regained sense more quickly and wriggled out of the other one’s arms.

Instead of confronting Shadow, the undersize unicorn simply glared at him. Thorn had definitely never seen this pony before. She had a hate in her eyes nopony around these parts possessed.

“Shadow, darling, why didn’t you tell us it was you instead of scaring us like that?” The older unicorn said, one hoof clutching her chest. She then noticed Thorn. “Oh, hello dear. What’s your name?”

Thorn hid behind Shadow and stuck his head out tentatively.

Shadow just smiled wickedly as he continued to laugh, moving completely out of the colt’s way and leaving him exposed to the other two mares. After a few more seconds of silence from everypony else BUT him, he decided it best to stop.

“Uhh- hrm. I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t help myself,” Shadow explained, “I just wanted to do something that you would remember me by.” he stated, Thorn still standing there rather awkwardly as Rarity kept staring at him and waiting on a response.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you mute?” Sync said, getting in the colt’s face. Thorn flinched, coughing a few times. 

“Hey, hey Sync. Leave the kid alone.” Shadow growled softly, stepping between the colt and mare. “I didn’t invite Thorn here to come meet y’all to just have him pestered.” Shadow wasn’t exactly sure how Sync would have reacted to this behavior, but he didn’t care. Either she’d have to get used to being treated like everypony else or he and she would have more problems than solutions from there on end.

“So Sync... did you find the materials needed?” the stallion asked, still standing in front of the colt and shielding him from the pony.

Sync looked back up at the stallion confidently, unfazed in the least by his lecture.

“Of course I got the materials. Did you think I’d show that much interest just to let you down like that?”

Rarity, meanwhile, looked over at the colt sadly.

“I’m terribly sorry my friend scared you...Thorn, was it? My name is Rarity. It’s very nice to meet you,” Rarity said in a non-threatening voice, hoping not to scare the little colt more than he was already. She wondered what had frightened him, but she decided to disregard her curiosity for now.

Thorn poked his head out cautiously from behind Shadow’s leg, examining the two mares from a distance.

Still ready to get back in front of the colt in case of another sudden movement, more expected from Sync than Rarity, he looked back at the mare he had promised a blade, who still hadn’t answered his question from earlier either. “You never did tell me. Do you have the materials?” he asked once more, a bit more of a stern tone this time.

“I told you I had the materials!” Sync shouted, yanking her saddlebag off her back, letting it fall to the ground with a mighty thump. The materials scattered on the hard ground. “I may be unstable, but I’m not a liar.” She murmured in a small, dangerous voice. 

“Alright. I just have a problem with taking other ponies’ word for it.” Shadow gruffed at the mare, gathering and organizing the materials neatly and in order. “So.” he started, turning to the colt and smirking. “You wanna help me make this item for big mean ole Sync?” he joked, taking a few rocks from his vest and skidding them together to start a fire. “Unless you wanna go home and leave these mares with nopony to talk to but me, and we all know that would be boring.” Shadow laughed at his own joke, knowing it otherwise.

The colt looked closer at what Shadow was doing, curious despite his fear.

“What are you making?” he asked. Before Shadow could answer, Sync replied.

“He’s making me a dagger.” Sync practically drooled over the patch of ground her dagger was being assembled on.

“Now Sync, you want me to craft in a design? I can’t do anything too fancy, but I can try if ya want.” Shadow asked, working at a slower pace to show the colt how it was done. Rarity didn’t seem to pay much attention however, just kind of sitting away and watching from a distance. With the weapon halfway done, and without letting the mare answer his question, he got up from his work and walked over to Rarity. “Care to join us, or are you gonna just sit there and look pretty?” he joked, laughing at his own comment. “Come on over and be social. Ya know, don’t be a Sync.” Once more, he laughed.

Rarity didn’t seem to know how she should respond to that, so she just smiled.

“No thank you, I’m not really interested in weapons.” 

Meanwhile, Sync sat admiring her weapon, horn glowing, poised to pick it up as soon as it was done.

“I don’t need a design. That would slow it down on the way to its target, wouldn’t it? I just need it to be sharp.”

“Now Sync, what exactly are you going to do with this dagger?” Rarity asked, finally feeling uneasy about Sync’s strange request.

Slowly, Sync turned to meet Rarity’s eyes. She did not hesitate, for that would be foalish.

“Oh, just the usual things. Cutting up vegetables. Self-defense, maybe.” Rarity seemed reassured by this, but she was the only one. Thorn somehow felt the younger unicorn was lying.

Shadow stepped back over to the fire, picking up where he left off. He did however, notice the suspicious look on Thorn’s face towards the unicorn before him. The stallion felt the urge to ask, but knew that if he did so, the mare might take notice of him and probably say something rude. “So... Sync. You have any family?” he asked, trying to start a conversation while he worked.

Sync didn’t look away from Shadow’s work for an instant. She did, however cock her head to one side slowly to show she had heard him.

“Family. I don’t really remember anything before my accident. Nothing except the faceless “friends” I had crying over me. It’s actually rather funny to think of now. And I have no idea where I came from.”

Shadow was starting to like this mare. Sure, she was a bit insane, but it was better than the usual boring ponies that would trot by. “No family and funny faceless crying ponies. Sounds like quite a mind you’ve got there.” Shadow stated, chuckling a bit. “I didn’t have family either. I was taken in by a good friend of mine’s family but me and my sister never really. Well, got along with them all too well.” he said, taking the blade itself out and skidding the sides carefully with a special rock to sharpen it.

The young unicorn mare kept watching the dagger, but her mind drifted to other places. She was trying to decide whether she liked the gray pegasus. She had yet to call him any name at all, which for her was unusual. After much deliberation, she decided to call him Wanderer.

After sharpening the blade to a razor edge and a pin point, he started his work on a small handle, complete with a few grooves for a easy and smooth grip if she had decided to allow somepony else other than her to use such a weapon. While he started his hoof-crafted wooden handle, he decided to ask one more thing. “Tell me Sync, what is it you plan to do? I mean with your life, not the dagger.” The question was obviously personal, but this was intentional.

“Umm, take a look.” Sync said, turning so Shadow could see her flank. There was nothing on it. No cutie mark at all. “I’m working on it.”

“Hey listen... the cutie mark means nothing.” Shadow stated, making sure that Thorn could hear him. “Just take a look at mine.” When he turned from his craftwork, on his left flank showed two broad swords, crossed in an upward angle. “This represents my skills with a blade. but that is only a skill. My meaning has yet to be found myself.”

Sync shrugged. “I’m not really too concerned with that. Nopony believes I can do anything without destroying things. The best part,” she looked back to make sure Rarity wasn’t paying attention anymore. “Is they’re right.”

“I see why you want this dagger so much now.” Shadow stated, kind of shooing his hoof at Thorn to go and sit and occupy Rarity. “Tell me this, do you plan to hurt somepony with it? Don’t worry about me telling on ya, because I wouldn’t dare... as long as you don’t mention to Celestia where I’m at, and make sure Rarity does the same.”

The small unicorn turned her head to other side, not answering for a long moment.

“Hurt anypony?” Her lips gave an awkward twitch in the direction of a sick smile without fully getting there. “Now why would I want to do that? This dagger is much too good for others. For others, I prefer my own brand of magic.”

Shadow finished the handle, strapping the blade securely at the bottom of the blade with a strip of leather. “Speaking in riddles won’t win my favor my dear... but I guess the answer is a no.” With a quick slash of his newly formed work, he set the blade into the mare’s hooves. “Don’t cut yourself now.”

Sync didn’t appear to hear anything after Shadow set the dagger in her hooves. She rubbed it, felt the contours of the handle as she daringly pressed the blade to her nose. Then she lifted it in the air in a hazel aura, slowly moving it this way and that. She barely noticed anything or anypony else.

Shadow placed his hooves just around the handle as she lofted it around aimlessly, lowering it to get her attention. “Now what do you say.” he said, snickering. He always loved to mess with ponies, and she would not be an exception. If anything, he wanted to at least get in one interesting argument since his last friend.

As soon as Shadow touched the blade, Sync snapped. Her eyes turned on him with her worst look as her horn glowed and a more powerful blast of energy rose from it, blocking out the world for a moment.

“Don’t touch my toys.” Sync growled, slashing the dirt violently with her hooves. She tried to wrestle the dagger from Shadow’s grasp. 

“Hey, hey. I was the one who made it, so I deserve a thank you.” Shadow remarked, the smug grin never leaving his face. Her magic was strong, but Shadow had an iron grip on the dagger, most of which was because of the grooves he had carved into the handle. “So.” he said, keeping the blade in a steady place despite her magical strength. “What do you say?” Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Rarity and Thorn starting to pay attention, a bit concerned.

“Miss Rarity, is this normal?” Thorn asked, frozen with fear and huddling closer to the older pony instinctively. Rarity was too shocked to speak.

Sync refused to back down. She still had energy to burn in her own irrational search for justice. It made sense in her head, and that’s all that she knew.

“I appreciate the dagger, but you really must give it back, Wanderer!” Using her full power, Sync yanked as hard as she could at her dagger, even flailing with her hooves at the obstacle, in this case Shadow, who was obstructing her.

“Wanderer? Aww... how cute. She even gave me a nickname.” Shadow joked, keeping a firm grip as her hooves patted against him, barely phasing him. “It’s almost like you have a crush on me.” That was sure to tick her off if anything, or at least that’s what Shadow thought.

Sync didn’t lessen her power, but she made a confused face.

“You want me to put the crush on you?” She asked, thinking Shadow was talking about more fighting. It was then clear she had no idea what real love was.

“Oh my... you really are clueless aren’t you?” Shadow sighed a bit. If she wasn’t going to be able to understand his petty insults, then there really wasn’t even a point in trying. “Heh. Well, how about you figure that sentence out, then I’ll let you have the dagger without a proper thanks. I think Rarity over there could help you.” he grinned, chuckling a bit.

Sync fell as Shadow stopped pushing her. She grabbed her dagger in her magic, just a bit dazed by what had just happened. Finally, she realized her opponent had given up.

“Wait, what?! You’re just going to quit like that? I thought you were better than that!” Sync jumped right back off the ground and shook her head at Shadow, clearly extremely disappointed. In her mind, her new friend has done something for her, been thanked for it, and then picked a fight with her. They had been having fun! Hadn’t they?

“What? You WANT to argue? Fine.” Shadow once more grabbed the dagger, but this time placed it in his vest before she could even react. “You want the dagger? Take it.” This HAD to work. If he couldn’t get a good fight out of this, he didn’t know what he could do.

Sync jumped back up, excitement coming back into her face. She warmed up her hooves trotting in place while trying to decide how to approach the other pony. He could fly away at any moment, but could she pull him down? She could do better.

But it hadn’t come to that yet. Now she had to relax and think. Carefully, she closed her eyes, thinking over everything she could possibly do to get the dagger. Slowly, she opened her eyes and gazed at her dagger with determination. Concentrating hard, Sync jumped into the air and aimed herself like a missile at Shadow’s vest. 

Simply stepping to the side, he watched as the mare face planted into the ground with a loud thud. “Hold up a sec.” he said, walking over to the stunned Rarity and the confused Thorn. “Here... hold my vest.” he said, taking out the dagger and handing the garment to Thorn. “I wouldn’t want to ‘accidentally’ cheat with my equipment, ya know?” Looking at Rarity, he just shrugged.

Turning back to face Sync, a bit dazed from the impact, he held the dagger tightly under his wing, indicating he wasn’t flying anywhere during this fight.

Sync noticed this move and smiled deviously. Suddenly, she produced a blast of energy, hitting the wing Shadow was holding her dagger in. 

Shadow dropped the dagger, but this didn’t matter. He quickly dashed over to the mare, butting heads. “Hey hey.” he started, blocking her view from her objective. “I didn’t use my equipment or wings, so you keep that fancy magic to yourself.” Sweeping quickly to her side, her initial force causing her to lunge forward a bit, Shadow simply held out a hoof and tripped her.

Again, Sync fell on her face. She was used to that. It wasn’t like pain really mattered to her. Slowly, she pulled herself up, panting and feeling unusually weak. She hadn’t felt this bad since she had woken up in Rarity’s house. Why was it just now getting to her? When she had her accident, she never felt a thing.

Meanwhile, Thorn was massively confused. He didn’t exactly know what to do with the vest that Shadow had given him to hold. There were a lot of dangerous objects in it, and Thorn had been warned at least half a dozen times never to touch any of those things.

Nopony had noticed, but Rarity had fainted somewhere shortly after Sync and Shadow started fighting. Finally, though, Thorn noticed her. Coughing, he shrugged off the vest and started nudging the other unicorn with his nose. 

“Don’t pick a fight you can’t finish Sync. I learned that in my pre-war times as a captain.” Shadow stated, basically circling the mare like a shark now. “What’s wrong? Can’t pick yourself up after falling twice? Come on... that’s sad.” he said, trying to spark a fire somewhere with his words. “Do I have to stoop to doing something drastic to just have a decent battle? Wow... such a disappointment.” He was carefully watching Thorn the whole time however, paying close mind to what he was doing as he continued around the mare.

Though she felt strangely sore, Sync hated the gratings of those words Shadow spoke. It made her feel even worse, something she could not tolerate in the very least. Now, she figured it was time to bring out the big guns. She slowly lifted her head and blearily took aim again. Wanderer would be quiet, if that was all she could do.

A wispy mist of hazel light snaked its way sneakily out of Sync’s horn and wrapped gently around Shadow’s muzzle. Sync gave the spell a final tug and hoped the magic would last before passing out.

As the mist was making its way towards him, before it was able to completely wrap around his muzzle, he spoke. “Heh, the venom in my words sting huh? Imagine what I can do with my hooves.” As he finished the sentence, the wisp tightened around, locking his mouth in place. He grinned as he started to approach the mare.

At that very same moment Thorn called out.

“Shadow! I need you over here!” Thorn was still nudging Rarity, but she still seemed pretty out of it. 

‘Well... this is certainly a predicament huh?’ Shadow thought to himself, still stepping towards the mare. Even if he wanted to help Rarity, he wouldn’t be able to tell the colt what to do, and with this mare’s mind set to getting that dagger by a fight, there wasn’t much he could do but keep on fighting. ‘Well. it isn’t much of a fight.’ the stallion thought to himself again. She really wasn’t seeming to put up much of resistance.

“Shadow!” Thorn called more urgently, fear in his voice again. It was then that something must have shifted so that Thorn could see behind Shadow, for he finally noticed the unmoving form of Sync.

“Wha… wh-what’s wrong w-with Sync?” Thorn stuttered, stepping away from Rarity, who was twitching slightly, beginning to regain consciousness.

What was he talking about? Turning around to see what the sudden change in facial expression was about, Shadow himself also noticed the strange and unmoving form of Sync, his interest suddenly peaked. “Alright! the fun can begin.”

Finally, Thorn came over to Shadow, still calling his name. His voice got so strained he coughed a few more times.

“Shadow, what’s happened? Why is she on the ground like that? What are those bluish spots?”

The wisp around his muzzle started to lose its effect, wiggling his mouth a bit to loosen it back up. “I’m not sure Thorn... but all I know is that it’s either really good for me, or really bad for her, and I don’t feel like making an assumption JUST yet.” He looked back to see Rarity starting to arise from her little dirt nap, rubbing her eyes as though she just woke up in her bed.

“Thorn, go back over to Rarity and make sure she’s alright. I’ll take care of Sync, whatever it may be that she is doing.”

Thorn was about to protest, but then thought better of it. He hurried off to help Rarity up. She was in a sitting position now, but she still didn’t seem to know what was happening.

“Oh there you are, Thorn darling. What’s going on? What happened?” The colt gaped at the unicorn, trying to come up with a good explanation. He found nothing in his vocabulary to describe the feelings in his chest. So he just hid behind Rarity and hoped it would all go away. 

“Rarity. Thorn.” Shadow started, now right beside Sync and her motionless body. “Get out of here. I don’t know what’s happening, and I don’t want you to get hurt if something goes wrong.” Before either of them had the chance to say something against his demand, he glared at them sternly. “Now.”

Without thinking, Rarity nudged Thorn and ran away, making sure Thorn was following.

As for Sync, she was still on the ground. She was dreaming that she was moving very fast, hurtling towards something hard, but before she hit she would always stop and be thrown again.

After Rarity and Thorn were clearly out of sight, Shadow suddenly picked up the mare, shaking her motionless body violently to wake her. Though it did little to no good, he continued for what felt like hours, just sitting there and shaking her until she would wake up. Finally, finally, Sync stirred. It was a slight movement, an ear twitch, but it meant she was still alive. Shakily, she lifted her head. She made an indistinct rasping noise which might have just been her breathing and turned her head to see her surroundings. 

Night had fallen by the time the mare had come to, everything around her a complete black, save a small flickering of a fire in the distance. Shadow had at some point fallen asleep while shaking her, lying on the ground beside her in a deep rest, breathing lightly.

Despite the pain, Sync jumped up, her heart racing in her disorientation. Panting, the small mare tried to think clearly enough to find an escape. She hadn’t a clue where she was, but she had the vaguest of ideas that somepony was trying to hurt her.

Shadow felt a disturbance in the air, wearily opening his eyes to see the small, disoriented mare standing there, eyes darting back and forth in a frantic. “Hey Sync... about time you got up.” Shadow coughed, throat scratchy from just awakening from the first actual sleep he’s had in a long time.

Sync whirled around to face whatever threat she had heard. Her head was buzzing with pain and the stranger’s words made no sense to her. He still looked a bit drowsy after just waking up, so Sync took her moment to run.

Unfortunately she ran in the wrong direction. Instead of heading towards civilization, she was blindly rushing through the dense growths of the Everfree Forest.

Before long, Sync suddenly felt something wrap around her back hoof as she was flung into the air, hanging upside down from a trap. It wasn’t too much time before Shadow decided to stroll along, seeing the mare helplessly just seemingly float there.

“So... how are you?” Shadow asked, a sarcastic tone in his voice as he smiled.

Sync looked down at the gray stranger, but she didn’t acknowledge him in any other way. Right now, escaping was more important. She turned to the task at hoof; destroying what confined her. It was only rope, nothing too serious. She had a feeling she could cut right through it if only she tried. But her powers were weakened by... something, possibly a fight with the stranger down there. Sync had had dreams of fighting with a gray shape and right now this other pony met that description. 

“Now Sync.” Shadow said, his voice elevated to sound like that if he was speaking to a filly. “If I let you down, are you gonna run again?”

The ensnared mare scowled down at the other pony. She didn’t get why he was following her.

“Who are you and why the hay do you know my name?”

Shadow looked a bit perplexed by her question, flying up to her and looking her closely in the eyes. “Wait. You mean to tell me you don’t remember me?” he asked, thinking she was just messing with him.

The trap swung as Sync struggled again.

“If I say you look familiar will you leave me alone? I have problems without worrying about you too. I don’t know how I’m supposed to deal with both problems at once!”

The stallion just kept glaring into her eyes, thinking. “Problems?” he said, a bit curious. “What kind of problems my dear?” Shadow asked, still deciding whether he should let her down or not. “I mean, if ya don’t tell me, then I’ll have to go get our old friend Rarity, or how you would call her, Diamonds.”

“Diamonds? You know about her?” Sync stopped moving in her trap and looked closely at the stallion, trying to recognize him. 

“But of course! Don’t you recognize me?” he asked, still pretty confused.

Sync put her hoof to her head; it was still aching too much to make out recent memories.

“I’m sorry. You look really familiar, I think, but I have no idea who you are. Hey, do you think you could get me down, please?”

Shadow was even more confused now. She was actually apologizing to him?

“Uh... are you feeling alright Sync?” he asked, now undoing the knot around her hoof. “Because an apology wasn’t exactly what I was expected.”

“It wasn’t? Huh, that’s strange.” Sync mused. Shadow was now almost finished untying the confused mare. 

Just as he finished undoing the knot, he quickly caught the mare as she fell, holding her up and slowly lowering her to the ground. “Now.” he said, brushing off the dirt from his vest. “Why don’t you remember me? Is it because of when I tripped ya on your face?”

After brushing all the dirt out of her white mane and tail, Sync adjusted her deep blue bandana and turned to face the stranger.

“Thank you very much for helping me down, sir. I’m not sure why I know you, but there must be a good reason.”

Pause.

“Wait, what do you mean you tripped me on my face?! That’s not very nice! What’d I ever do to you?” Sync demanded, looking hurt.

“Whoa... I must have the wrong mare.” Shadow laughed, kind of surprised by her sudden change of attitude. “Are you sure your name is Sync? I think I might have mistaken you for somepony else.”

Sync cocked her head to one side, but inside she was smiling. She herself didn’t know fully what had happened, but acting nice always seemed to help her before.

“I think I do remember you now. But that’s of little importance at this point. In my confusion, I seem to have run the wrong way. I hate to trouble you again, but do you think you could fly up and show me the way out of here, please?”

Shadow was VERY skeptical of this mare. As far as he could determine from her earlier behavior, she would be willing to attempt the lowliest of trick if it meant getting what she wanted. “Sure.” he said, drawing out his answer. “Just don’t go nowhere.” Unfurling his wings, he took flight upwards, careful to dodge a few branches on his way up as he kept a close eye on Sync.

Sync’s ear twitched. She kept her face neutral, so as not to arouse suspicion, but inside she was sighing in relief. This pony’s name still escaped her, but that was okay for now. For now, Sync was content to let him get her out of the Forest. As with all of her best plans, she would allow herself to accept help from this pegasus. After all, she did know him.

Shadow floated back down, now standing before the pony. “The nearest place of any type of life is an old farm out to the south. Ponyville is at least a good few hours, but it’s getting dark, and the Everfree is a dangerous place at night.” he said, still paying close attention to the mare. “So our best bet is to hope that there is a farmer and that they will let us stay the night. If not, I guess sleeping in a barn can’t be that bad.” Shadow chuckled to himself, never giving an ounce of unguard to her despite his seemingly loose attitude.

“That’s fine.” Sync replied.

This was not good. She didn’t want to sleep in a barn, nor with more strangers. She couldn’t show it, but she couldn’t have more distaste for what was about to happen if she tried.

“Come on. Let’s get going.” Shadow stated, starting off in the direction of the farm. As they began to walk, the stallion reached into his vest and pulled out HIS dagger, waving it about as they walked on.

‘Let’s see how much she doesn’t remember me.’ Shadow thought to himself, grinning like a maniac on the inside.

“So... Sync. Do you think anypony will be there?’ he asked, still playing with his weapon plainly so she could see it without trouble.

“There better be.” Sync muttered. “I mean, oh, I hope so!” It was at this moment Sync noticed Shadow playing with his weapon. Immediately she looked away. Now was not the time. Sharp objects, she knew, had something to do with the mess she was in, and she was keen to avoid more confusion. This current confusion was already almost breaking her calm.

“Hey, does this look like a smudge to you?” he asked, turning around and lifting the blade right in front of her. “Because I’m not sure.”

Sync looked at the weapon in spite of herself and blinked, then averted her eyes.

“Looks fine to me.” She said as evenly as possible. 

‘Wow... she’s good.’ Shadow thought to himself, turning back around and setting his blade back into his vest. The trip didn’t take long before they eventually came across the old farm, most signs of life such as crops or cattle not present.

“Oh my, looks deserted.” Shadow said, still grinning ear to ear on the inside. “Guess we will have to sleep in the barn after all Sync.” He turned quickly, trying to inconspicuously gauge her reaction.

Of course they would have to sleep in the barn. It probably hadn’t been cleaned out for years, decades of dust and filth piling up as they spoke. Needless to say, Sync was not happy about this.

“Oh well, every good adventure has some bumps in it! Let’s go! Maybe we can even find something to eat in the old storage closet!” The young mare exclaimed in much too hearty a voice.

“Well, since you seem SO excited, then I say that you should be the first to enter.” Shadow mocked, trying to hold back a smile, but knew that he couldn’t help but to at least grin. “After you.”

Instead of turning back and glaring at him, Sync took a short, sharp breath. It didn’t help her much. Even more air couldn’t help her headache. She looked up at the barn with an overwhelming sense of dread and distaste. She tried to use her magic again and was delighted to see it was working again as she opened the barn door. 

Shadow almost started bursting out laughing as a swarm of bats suddenly bust through the doors, scaring the mare as she shrieked. “So... did ya find anything?” Shadow mocked, biting his lip to keep from laughing.

“Oh, besides the bats?” Sync muttered. “I mean, oh I don’t see anything wrong.” 

Shadow trotted past her, a rather stupid grin plastered on his face. “Well, I gotta say. That is one extremely scary high-pitched battle cry. You might have to show me how to do it sometime.” he joked, looking around in the rotted interior of the building.

“Heh... reminds me so much of home.” he muttered to himself, waiting for Sync to step in.

The small mare was stuck at the front of the barn, unwilling to take the first step.

“You go ahead. It was your idea. I’m going to look around the house, see if there’s any supplies we can use.” With a determined and satisfying step backwards, Sync began wandering to the front door of the farmhouse.

“Wait!” Shadow called, stopping her just as she started off. “Take this.” He placed his dagger in her hooves. “Just in case something decides to attack you.” This, in actuality, was all part of a scheme he was developing. He intended to secretly follow her, observe her actions and make sure she didn’t try to make a run for it either. Besides, it was his father’s dagger.

Sync took the dagger, but only because it would seem suspicious if she refused. She held it high above her head in her magic grasp, hoping she’d forget about it and not look at it. It was practically calling to her. She resisted only with the thought that it was not hers. This was not her dagger, and therefore it was meaningless. Bad things happened with sharp objects.

The farmhouse was dilapidated and falling apart. Even entering it should have been dangerous, but Sync was determined to find something worthwhile. She longed to just run away from it all. She had developed a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach as long as she stayed with the strange stallion. 

Shadow was almost just as his name explained, a shadow. Not many could measure up to his skills with stealth, and yet his cutie mark had been blades. This was something he never really understood, but it didn’t matter. Almost what could have been determined as being right behind her in broad daylight without being detected seemed to be how the stallion viewed the situation.

‘I’m watching you... so think twice before trying anything funny.’ he thought to himself once more, still keeping a close eye as he remained hidden.

The house was nearly barren of all homey comforts. It was the basis of a house and nothing more. Sync found nearly nothing she wanted to salvage. 

Shadow lurked near the front door, cleverly blended with the dull, colorless drapes that hung from the window in the shade. Every muscle in his body tensed as the mare continued her pointless scavenge of materials. ‘Come on. I know you’re up to something.’ he thought, a bit agitated to have found that she was still as clueless as when he found her.

This whole task, this whole act. Sync knew it was pointless. She would be easily found out. That--his name still escaped her--was so suspicious of every little thing. He seemed to know her character well and hoped to take advantage of that.

Sync began to wonder whether she really cared to keep up appearances anymore. It was obvious she was failing, or else he wouldn’t be trying so hard to slip her up. Would it really be all that horrible?

“Yes!” Sync said out loud, determination suddenly setting her whole being on fire. She couldn’t let that pony win at this one. Nothing could be worse than that. She could tell he’d flaunt his win like a peacock over his feathers and hold it over her head forever, even if she did make sure to keep away from him. If he was still watching her, she’d need to keep her guard up all the time, even while sleeping. The young mare sighed.

“I’m not getting any sleep tonight.” She muttered under her breath.

Shadow slyly crept from the shades and back outside, trotting up from a considerable distance as to not arouse suspicion to himself. “Nothing else in the barn, save a few rats.” he said, stepping into the farmhouse nonchalantly like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

‘I still think she has something to hide, but just confronting her might make matters worse if she really isn’t.’Shadow decided, thinking really hard about how the rest of the night should be played out. ‘I still have a few tricks... and we’ll see who’s the smarter pony.’

Sync jumped slightly, but it wasn’t noticeable. She’s been expecting him to pull something like this.

“Oh, it’s you.” The nice act had finally got to her. Her own sweetness was starting to pollute any sanity she had left. Usually she found the acting easy, but tonight there was too much. Too much stress from the painful secret. Too much pressure not to slip up. Too much pain in her head from who knows what.

“Hope that I didn’t scare ya too bad Sync.” Shadow said with a laugh, looking around as though he was for the first time. “Wow. this place is a real dump, Sync. Couldn’t have ran in the right direction the first time?” he joked, still poking at her nerves. ‘I will break you. Nopony just changes their personality just like that. If you can remember Diamonds, you should be able to remember me.’ This, was Shadow’s logic on the matter.

“So... where’s my dagger?” he asked, tired of looking at the room.

Wordlessly, Sync passed him the dagger. She had been holding it above her head still. To her, it had been utterly worthless.

“Thank you.” he said, sheathing it in his vest. “So... did ya find anything? More bats perhaps?” he snickered.

“There’s nothing here anymore.” She replied shortly, keeping her emotions even. She felt he was still trying to break her, and that infuriated her. 

“Well, it’s getting late. We should head back to the barn before complete nightfall. Who knows what kinds of creatures lurk out here. Well, I do, but that’s besides the point.” Shadow stated, heading out the door. He still wanted to keep messing with the mare, but maybe he should cut her a break. After a short time considering this, he decided, ‘Nah.’

“Sync, tell me. Why can’t you remember me, but can remember Diamonds? I just can’t seem to grasp that idea.” he said as they walked back into the old, rotted establishment they called a barn.

Sync gave the other an exasperated look, forgetting her earlier plan.

“Obviously you weren’t memorable enough to me.” 

“Ouch... that cut like a knife Sync.” Shadow grinned after a momentary pause. “Like a butter knife.” He really didn’t care if she remembered him or not, it was just so much fun to actually be toying with somepony since his war days. Oh how he had missed it.

“Are we finished here?” Sync didn’t allow the stallion time to answer and instead trotted briskly out of the barn, making sure to slam the door in his face as she exited. She would even go back into the Forest if it meant getting away from him. This would be a bad idea on multiple levels, though, and in this form Sync knew it was stupid. Perhaps a little rest would cure her throbbing mind.

“Now that... actually kinda hurt.” Shadow said as he rubbed his snout. “Should I follow her?” he pondered, thinking aloud to himself. “Nah. I’m sure once one of those creatures out there find her, one of two things will happen. Either she comes back, or I start digging a hole in the ground for her.”

The barn wasn’t actually as bad as Sync had pictured it. Sure, the cobwebs were disgusting and the little hay that was left was rotten and infested with small black bugs, but other than that, everything looked fine. The unicorn heaved a heavy sigh. She would have gladly submitted to any makeover or bath Diamonds could throw at her if it meant leaving this dump right here, right now. After circling the barn and surveying all the areas under the hazel light of her horn, Sync curled up in the cleanest corner, her instincts screaming at her to get up and run while she still could. 

After spending about an hour sitting in old, moldy hay, Shadow felt that it was best to start digging. Grabbing a shovel, he proceeded out the front door and circled the barn to begin his excavation out back. As he did so however, he noticed the mare curled up in a ball, shivering from the cold of night. Either that, or she was having a bad dream.

‘Come on Shadow... you can’t leave her like this.’ As much as it REALLY pained him to actually help her in some way, he went back inside and found a rather abundant amount of somewhat still fresh hay deep underneath a bail. Stepping back out, he lightly covered her with the material to break the slight winds and hopefully keep her from coming down with something.

“Don’t think I still ain’t gonna dig. You still have all day tomorrow.” he said, stepping back into the barn and resting, sleep not a normal thing since the end of his war enlistment. “I’ll get a head start early tomorrow... just for you... you little troublemaker.”





The next day fully showed the full patheticness of the barn. Sunlight burned through nearly half the barn wall just from holes in the structure.

Sync had dreamt she was swimming in a cold lake and the water kept dragging her down as her head throbbed worse and worse. She woke with a start, clutching her head with her hoof. It felt like the old injury was acting up. She tried using her magic to pick up some hay in front of her and found it hurt just as much as it had that last time.

“Of course! Now when I need you most, you want to play these games with me?” the unicorn muttered, her vision shaking from her horn’s past pains.

“Games?” Shadow said as he seemed to just suddenly appear, floating right above her. “Oh how I myself love games. Please, tell me. What’s the rules of this one? See how long you can annoy me with this act until I HAD to confront you about it?” Shadow remarked, deciding that this was the only was he was getting a REAL answer on the matter.

Sync wasn’t in the mood for this. She glared back at the pegasus.

“I still have no idea who you are, but I’ve learned enough to remember I don’t like you! Now go away before I accidentally hurt you! In fact, I’ll leave!” With that, the small mare got up, still shaking with pain and emotion, and tried to leave the barn only to fall over on one of the places in the barn without cushiony hay.

“Hey kid.” Shadow mocked. “I’ve been around this land longer than you think. I know that you must be in SOME type of mental pain, or else you wouldn’t be trying so hard to try and fool me. What are you hiding? And more importantly, why would you try to hide it from somepony that MIGHT be willing to help?” he finished. He truly had been around for a long time. Ever since the incident of his younger life, losing his soul and all to have his emotions and life toyed with, he hasn’t aged more than what appeared to be about five or six years, while in truth, it’d been well over a hundred.

Sync barely heard him. She was too busy trying to block the waves of pain from her head. Cradling her head in her hooves, she tried to look back up at the pegasus to see how her words had affected him. All she heard were inconsistent echoes of words.

“What? I can’t hear you.” Sync said, no longer trying to mask her look of pain. The last time it had hurt this bad, she had nearly killed Nurse Coldheart. Somehow, she hoped that wouldn’t happen again, despite her dislike for this stallion. At least sometimes he tried to act civil. 

“Ah. I see.” Shadow stated, walking past the mare and outside. “Give me a good ten minutes. I’ll be right back.”

Severe injuries were nothing Shadow had never seen before. The war had plenty of which were much more fatal than that of her condition. All he had to do was get to his camp and back. He at least had a plan, which was better than the dribbling failure of a plan to break the mare. “Just deal with the pain for a few.” he said, closing the barn door.

“Just like everypony else.” Sync muttered, laughing shortly. “You all just want to keep me confined because it makes you feel better about yourselves!” Her voice crescendoed steadily, the outburst of energy relieving, or at least distracting her from the pain. 

It didn’t take any time at all to find his camp, and even less to find the medical bag from the oldened days. “Let’s see, still fresh with supplies. Good. never wasted it on those stupid privates on the field. they deserved it.” he muttered to himself, starting to lose himself in memories. Shaking his head to bring himself back to reality, he flew back up into the sky, heading back for the barn.

Upon entering, the mare was still lying there, a bit of anger apparent on her face. “Well, you certainly know how to roll out the welcome wagon huh?” he snickered, setting the bag to the side. “So... where EXACTLY does it hurt?” he asked, reaching into the bag and assorting his given materials out beside him.

At this the mare jumped, fear overcoming pain for a brief instant.

“You’re not Nameless! I won’t let you touch me!” Sync rasped painfully before jumping into the dirty hay.

“Hey. if you REALLY don’t want my help, I am perfectly fine with sitting here and watching you suffer of your own accord.” Shadow said, starting to pack the materials back into the bag. “In fact, if you REALLY dislike me THAT much, just tell me to leave. Just say the words, and I will.” he said, looking at her more serious than he ever had anypony else, and that was saying something.

Sync knew she had to respond. The air had suddenly grown colder and that always meant she needed to say something. Anything to make it stop. Slowly, she lifted her head out of the hay, panting with the effort.

“It’s... fine. I’ll be... fine. Sorry... you had... to see that.”

“Sooooo… you reject my help, but you want me to stay. Is that correct?” Shadow asked the pained mare, making clear his standing position in the situation.

“I don’t like doctors. Nameless was nice. I sometimes wish I hadn’t hurt him. Sync caught her breath. The pain seemed to be going down again. “You can do whatever you see fit. I just want to go home.”

“Okay. But before I do ANYTHING else. Do you trust me?” he asked, the seriousness of his face never dying down. Shadow was one hundred percent serious about this question, as it would determine how he would treat her from here on out. While the mare pondered her answer, Shadow took a few herbs and some bandages from his bag, crushing the herbs together carefully to make an ointment of the sort and applying it to the bandages.

“I... I don’t know what that word means.” Sync looked away. “And how could I trust you if you don’t trust me?”

“Listen to me Sync. Trust is a word nopony can learn in a single lifetime; take it from somepony who knows. I haven’t been able to give anypony MY trust since... well, since a long time ago.” he said, still thinking back. While he was speaking, he was finishing up on the medical wrappings he was making, walking over to the mare.

“But another factor is nopony ever gives me THEIR trust first. So how about you change that loop?” he smiled, now in front of her. “What do you say?” Shadow asked, giving the bandages over to her so she could put them on without him accidentally hurting her by applying too much pressure.

Sync looked deep in troubled thought for a few terrible moments. Then she finally answered.

“I still am not so sure, but if it’ll make you stop trying to make me feel bad, I’ll try to trust you.” The unicorn took the bandages Shadow offered and put them on her horn and around the base.

“I guess that’s all anypony can do nowadays huh? Try.” Shadow said, watching as the herbs started to take their affect. “You might feel a bit of stinging, but soon it’ll wear down to nothing.” he said, getting back up and cleaning up the mess he had made.

Sync laughed shortly. “All this pain and you’re worried about a bit of stinging? You’re a funny one.” 

“It’s about time somepony appreciated my comedic genius.” Shadow said, somewhat praising himself. “So when do you want me to return you to Diamonds? I’ve got a bit of explaining I gotta do to that poor little Thorn.” Shadow stated, feeling a bit bad about the look on his face from earlier when he told them to leave.

“I’d like to go home as soon as possible. Diamonds and her friends will be worried sick. She doesn’t handle these things very well.”

“So Ponyville is your true home then?” Shadow asked, pretty sure of the answer.

This silenced the small mare for a moment. “It’s the only thing I remember, other than the hospital. I can’t very well call the hospital my home. Not after all the trouble I took to get away from it.” 

Shadow laughed. She obviously had a history, but even with all his pestering and tricks, he didn’t think he’d have one to help her recover her memory. “Sounds like they treated you pretty badly in that place.” he said, still grinning like a doofus.

“It was quiet. It was nice at first. I loved the quiet. Then the monotony set in. Nameless was getting more and more dangerously close and Coldheart was pushing her boundaries too far. It had to be done. I had to do something. I couldn’t just let everything just remain how it was.” Sync wasn’t in this moment anymore. Now, she had crossed over to her memories, where everything was quiet and ultimately under her control. “But I had to want more.”

“Sounds like paradise compared to how my past is. I mean, you just wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through even if I told you.” Shadow trailed, starting to think about it. “At least you don’t have to live with regret or guilt, seeing as you haven’t much memory and such.” he finished.

“You say I don’t have regrets? Probably nothing compared to yours. I don’t regret anything. Nothing, except maybe hurting Nameless. But not for any normal reason. I just wish he didn’t stop being a doctor because of me. I wanted to come back to him with other injuries and play with him some more. He was ever so much fun.”

“Heh... Yea... that sounds like you had a jolly good time in the hospital.” Shadow said, still looking rather bluntly up at the ceiling of the barn. “I mean, it’s not like you killed your sister or anything drastic like that.” Shadow stated, somehow knowing she took the hint.

Sync looked up, all attentive. “You mean you actually succeeded in killing somepony else?” 

“Somepony? Pffft. Sync, I’ve killed too many things to count. Rabbits and deer first of all for food. Ponies under Celestia’s orders while in her army. I mean, a conscious is still something I’m surprised I still have.” he said, chuckling a bit. “So in short, yes. I have.”

“How did you do it?” Her face was emotionless, only showing the slightest hint of curiosity.

“What? Only now you are interested in me?” he laughed once more, still staring at the ceiling. “It’s an old story, one best left untold, but I’m sure you’d still wanna know regardless... right?” Shadow asked, looking for her reaction. It seemed the more he spoke, the more distracted she was from her headache.

Though she was still clutching her head with her hooves, Sync tried vainly to focus on the other pony. She could almost remember his name.

“Please continue.”

“Alright.” he sighed, thinking back through his mind to those days. “Well. Back way before anypony can remember, Celestia had a raging war with her sister Luna. The New Lunar Republic and the Solar Empire. The reason you won’t find this in any history books is because Celestia herself made it very clear that if the battles were ever spoken of again, there would be dire consequences. Everypony understood, and eventually with time, forgot.” he paused, thinking about what to say next.

“Well, my sister joined the Lunar Republic, and the needless thing to say, I joined the Solar Empire. What a mess I was in.” Shadow laughed, turning over to Sync and seeing if she was still listening.

Sync had found listening to the stallion’s story pleasantly distracting from her headache. She understood what he was saying well enough to question him.

“Wait, if years have passed since this happened, and you were there... how old are you?”

“Oh. THAT’S another story my friend, but if I estimated... maybe... ummm... I’d say a good few hundred years or so.” he chuckled, really wanting to see this mare’s reaction to this. “Yep, I’m probably older than this barn. I don’t really get out much, seeing as I’m kinda wanted in Canterlot.”

“Hu--how are you alive?”

“Oh yay! another pony who wants to know about how my village was burned down and how my soul was stripped from me as a colt. Go figure.” Shadow said, now getting a bit testy about the constant questioning.

“Let’s just say that what happened that day... can’t be forgotten... and that’s why I have this scar.” Shadow said removing his vest. She hadn’t noticed from before, but there was a long, red mark crossing his chest all the way to the tip of where the vest would be around his neck on the right side, going as low as to where his gut would be on the left, and splitting as though he was opened up right in the middle.

“Yes, they took it exactly how you think Sync.” Shadow sighed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

This information all seemed rather dumbed down to Sync. Today she didn’t feel like questioning it. Not when everything still hurt, or did it? The pain had been dying down steadily ever since Wanderer had begun speaking. Wanderer? Was that his name?

“I know who you are now.”

“Yes, yes. Wanderer right? Still a cute name, but I would have preferred Scruffy if you were going to give me a nickname.” Shadow said half-heartedly. Thinking back to older days really did seem to get to him every time he did.

“Scruffy, Wanderer, you can be special if you want and have two names. If you promise not to hurt me, I’ll promise not to hurt you.” Sync held out her hoof suddenly, her face a strange mix of sanity and sincerity. Neither emotion fit her.

“Sync, if I was going to hurt you, would I not have done it when you were unconscious? Maybe even while you were asleep? Hung up in a noose?” Shadow never made promises to anypony. The only way he was going to stick to anything was by a blood-pact, and nopony dared to do so with Shadow.

“I’m not going to promise anything Sync. So you’ll just have to go on my, so far, good nature that I won’t.” he finished, turning away from the mare.

Slightly annoyed he wouldn't even shake her hoof, Sync pulled back.

“Alright then.”

With another look at her surroundings, Sync changed the subject.

“Let’s get out of here. This barn has mocked me enough.”

“By the way Sync, before I go off and give you back to Rarity to play whatever little game you have going on with her, my name’s Shadow. Shadow Eternal. Please though. just call me Shadow.” he stated, getting up and brushing himself off.

Sync cocked her head to one side in disapproval.

“Okay, Scruffy Wanderer! Come on, I’m sure the barn won’t miss us.” 

Shadow had a sudden boost of both happiness and sadness from that statement. How she mocked him, it reminded him so much of his foalhood friend Davy.

“I guess you’re right. Let’s get out of here.” Shadow stated, walking outside of the old barn. As soon as he had breathed in the fresh air, he withdrew his blade. “Here Sync.” Shadow said, tossing it to her. “Imma trust ya to not poke me with that, alright?” he smiled, just somewhat smirking as he trotted along.

As soon as Shadow turned around, Sync hugged the dagger to her chest as if it were an old friend she had missed. Caressing the blade lovingly, Sync continued on following Shadow, content to do anything that didn’t involve letting go of her new toy.

After a rather short trip, seeing as Shadow really knew this place like the back of his hoof, they finally came to where his encampment would be, but only to hear many voices as he approached.

“Hold up Sync.” Shadow whispered, crouching and pressing against a tree. Taking a quick peek, he noticed a few ponies, all mares, wondering around and searching his area. From what he could estimate, there were about six.

“Shadow? Where’d you go, darling? We’re so worried!” Rarity called, looking incredibly distressed. The little colt was still wandering around her, never straying too far from her side.

“Shadow!” Thorn whimpered.

“Come on, Shadow! How far could ya ‘ave gone?” An orange mare who seemed to have been there a long time was leaning on her front hooves wearily, her hat slipping just a bit. The other four mares were nearly making themselves hoarse. It was obvious they’d been yelling for a long time now. 

It appeared that Sync was about to reveal herself, ready to stand up. Shadow quickly held out his hoof to her.

“Shhh... Don’t come out until I tell you to.” Shadow stated, relaxing and just strolling through the bushes, serious yet calm at the same time. The others took quick notice of him, Rainbow Dash the first to see him.

“Hey! Stop right there!” the cyan pegasus demanded, Shadow freezing in place. “Who are you?” It didn’t take but a moment later for both Rarity and Thorn to look and see him.

“Shadow! Where have you been? It’s been so long! You were gone overnight and we got so worried--” Rarity began inspecting the gray stallion for injuries, her extra energy from the worry making her usual attention to detail increase exponentially.

“What were you thinking?! I was waiting on you!” Thorn nearly shouted, stomping his hoof for emphasis. 

“So, this is Shadow? He’s so... grey.” Rainbow Dash stated, unimpressed by his appearance. Shadow just stood there, his facial expression a complete blank.

“Excuse me.” he started, coldness in his voice. “You are trespassing on my property. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you all to leave.” he said, doing his best to hide the huge grin inside. He wouldn’t have a chance like this ever again, so he decided to make the best of it.

“What did you say!?” the rainbow maned pony exclaimed, getting in his face.

“I said... please leave the premises.” Shadow remarked.

‘Ooooh... a feisty one! This’ll be fun.’ he thought to himself, still smiling on the inside.

“Now see here, mister, we were jus’ tryin’ teh help,” the earth pony with a hat came up to stand next to the blue pegasus.

“Shadow? Why are you acting this way?” Rarity asked, utterly confused. Thorn was speechless.

“Hey, why can’t we all just be friends, huh? I know! I can throw us all a welcome back… what’s your name again?” The pink earth pony asked Shadow. The other two mares, a purple unicorn and a yellow pegasus, seemed too stunned to say anything.

“Hey Thorn... long time no see.” Shadow started in a much friendlier tone. “And Rarity! How ya been?” The sudden change of attitude was even more confusing to the group.

‘This... is just priceless.’ he thought to himself, his smile now showing.

“What the-” Rainbow Dash started, the most confused out of all them.

“Hey Sync! You can come out now! I’ve had my fun.” He was sure she’d have enough sense to leave the dagger, but if not, the fun would be even better. He somehow had the feeling the rest of the ponies didn’t like him already, and he was okay with this.

Sync trotted happily out of the bushes, dagger held at her side in her magic.

“Ah, there you are Sync! I was wondering where you’d got to! Are you alright?” Rarity ran to the younger unicorn, fussing over her. The yellow pegasus followed and began making her own inspections.

“Sync, what are you doing with such a sharp object?” The pegasus asked, ready to believe it was all a misunderstanding.

“Well you see.” Sync began in a much more controlled voice, the voice of deception.

“I gave it to her.” Shadow boldly stated. Before the yellow pegasus could say anything, seeing as she was about to protest, Shadow made up a quite ludicrous lie.

“Ya see, the Everfree is a rather dangerous place at night. She needed a way of protection if I wasn’t there to help her at some point, isn’t that right Sync?” he said, coming over there and patting her lightly on the head. If she wanted their complete belief in her ‘condition’, he had to act it out as well.

“You were in the Everfree Forest? No, no, no, I absolutely forbid you to go there alone again!” Fluttershy insisted, hugging Sync protectively.

“I won’t, Mommy.” Sync’s voice was muffled.

The purple unicorn came up to Shadow and spoke under her breath so nopony else could hear.

“You brought a barely sane filly into the Everfree Forest and then gave her a dangerous weapon? Am I missing something here?”

Shadow didn’t take kindly to her tone. “I’m sorry, who are you again?” he asked with rather great annoyance.

The mare seemed to remember her manners at the stallion’s tone and quickly introduced herself.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle,” the unicorn held out her hoof to shake Shadow’s. “Now would you care to explain what’s going on here?”

“Me and Sync had an argument, things happened, we got lost, slept in a barn, and now we’re back. Gave her the weapon for protection. Anything else you need to know?” Shadow wasn’t giving an inch. In no way did he seem to like any of these ponies, save Thorn. They all seemed... just too friendly to him.

Twilight stared carefully into the stallion’s eyes to determine he was definitely finished telling his story.

“I see.”

“Oh, come on everypony, let’s just have a party already!” The pink pony was now bouncing slowly up and down, jumping to her own physics. She was also speaking with a noisemaker in her mouth, which she blew occasionally. 

Shadow wasn’t exactly too fond of his new company, thinking all of them rather obnoxious. Rarity, Thorn and Sync were fine, but these others... he just... he couldn’t even describe it.

“A party? No. But I offer to you my tents for the night.” he said, trying to deter them. “I mean, if you can handle a few bugs and such. Not to mention all the things that creep in the night.”

“Heh, I’m not scared!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, looking rather proud of herself for some reason. “I can handle anything!”

“Either you all stay or you all go... your choice.” Shadow stated once more, hoping that they might not. He could handle them, and he was obligated by his manners to offer his camp, but he REALLY wished they had something better to do.

The pink pony was the first to respond to the offer.

“YAY! It can be like a sleepover party, right? Sounds awesome!”

After this, all the other ponies of course agreed, though Sync and Thorn looked a bit uncertain.

“Of... course...” Shadow muttered under his breath. It was going to be a LONG night, and he wasn’t happy about this one bit. “Please,” he softly stated with a low growl. “Find a tent and make yourselves comfortable.”

With this statement, the pink pony inexplicably pulled out a small cannon and fired it into the air. Confetti soon covered the whole campsite.

Sync shook the offending objects off of her, eye twitching in distaste.

Thorn tugged on Shadow’s vest to get his attention.

“I don’t think I should stay, Shadow. My mother could handle a lot of things, but suddenly disappearing for almost an entire day, she is sure to be suspicious.” 

“Thorn, I’ll tell you what. I’ll make you the exception ONLY if you promise to not forget what I taught you a few days ago, okay?” he seemed somewhat confused, like as though he was being told goodbye. “Don’t take it wrong, but it’d be best not to come back anytime soon.” Shadow stated, still looking as the other mares fiddled around his camp and made themselves comfortable with great distaste. “Just trust me. You won’t wanna mess with me after they leave.”

Now Thorn just looked really confused.

“But--”

“You mean to say your mother doesn’t know you’re here?!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Well, yes--”

“Then you must go home right away! Oh dear, I’m so terribly sorry I kept you out! Come back anytime, Thorn! Sweetie would love a little playmate. Why don’t you come over to the Boutique this weekend? Oh dear oh dear oh dear, I do hope you don’t get in serious trouble.”

Thorn walked up to the top of the hill and looked down at his friend. This was the only place he wanted to be. Reluctantly, he turned away and shuffled home.

“So who was that little kid?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“A friend.” Shadow stated, looking a bit down. “So... who here has something to eat?” he asked, having not eaten in days. He’d had offered some of his own cache of food, BUT the consumption of other animals such as rabbits was looked down upon around these parts.

“Don’t worry, everypony, I brought food!” The pink pony giggled, pulling at least four huge cakes out from behind her. She ate one of them in one bite.

“I think Pinkie’s going to finish all that off pretty quickly. But don’t worry! I’m always prepared!” Twilight said, pulling out her saddlebag. “I’ve got enough for ten ponies to eat for a week in here. I also have emergency supplies, sleeping bags, sunscreen, bug repellant, shark repellant, lightning repellant--”

“Okay okay! Let’s eat already! I’m starving!” Rainbow said, zooming over to Twilight and taking a sandwich from her saddlebag.

“Sandwiches.” Shadow stated, a heavy hint of disappointment in his tone. “Yay.” He was quick to getting over to the unicorn after she had revealed the food, and even quicker to take a bit. Of course, it had to be his least favorite flavor. Spitting it back out a little bit, he glared at the morsel in distaste.

“Pfffft! What is this!? Grape? I hate grape!” Shadow exclaimed, tossing his sandwich to the ground. It was a rather vulgar display, or to what they would have thought, as Shadow continued spitting at the ground.

“Hey Sync.” Rainbow Dash said, whispering beside the small mare. “How did you put up with this stallion? Seems... a bit uneven, if ya get my meaning.”

At this Sync burst out laughing and couldn’t stop for a few moments. When she finally calmed down enough to speak, she still stopped to giggle a few times.

“I don’t--hehehe--like him--HA ha HA--anymore than you--” she broke off, losing herself in laughter again.

Time passed by rather slowly for Shadow, the constant voice of the pink pony getting more and more unbearable by the minute. He hadn’t bothered with asking their names, learning them quite quickly as they spoke among themselves. Of all of them, he started to like Fluttershy the most, her quiet and recessive attitude wonderful and pleasant to his ears. He didn’t speak to Sync much, not wanting to jeopardize her act with these mares, which in retrospect, he found all the better.

Shadow had the strangest feeling that both mares by the name Applejack and Rainbow Dash didn’t like him, the rest in some way indifferent. The sun was slowly setting, and everypony was preparing for the night.

“I’m gonna take a quick look around everypony.” Shadow stated, getting up from his seat and heading off. “I’ll be back shortly.”

When he was just out of sight, a sudden noise caused him to jump, sending him into an alert status. A few rustles in the bushes caught his attention before a small figure hopped out from which, a very familiar colt he had told to leave.

“Thorn!” Shadow growled, a bit annoyed by the false security precautions he took. “What are you doing here! I told you to go home!” he said in just a soft enough tone so that the others couldn’t hear him.

Thorn seemed very pleased with himself, despite Shadow’s disapproval.

“Mother had a date tonight. She won’t notice me slip back in early tomorrow morning.”

“But- I- We-” Shadow just placed his head in a hoof. “Fine. You can stay. Just... don’t be annoying. Somepony else has happily taken that job.”

Thorn wilted a little. “Am I annoying?”

“Trust me Thorn, compared to those six back there, I’m kinda actually glad you came. I haven’t really spoken to them since they’ve arrived. I’ve kinda just listened to them talk about adventures and other trivial stuff.” the stallion stated. “I’m telling you, this is the worst headache I’ve had in years.”

“I guess I can sort of see what you mean. My friends are just like that, too. But they’re trying to help, so it’s hard to hate them too much. Scootaloo’s not bad. She’s into fun stuff. Not that filly stuff like dolls and tea parties and stuff.” Here Thorn stuck out his tongue and shivered. Then he went back into his memory, getting a bit lost in the moment. “Scootaloo likes racing, but she’s not as fast as me. My aunt’s a race pony, and that’s why I’m so fast. Scootaloo’s going to teach my to ride her scooter so when she learns to fly, I can ride behind her on her scooter.”

“Sounds like fun kid.” Shadow said, listening to every word as he was making the usual check for disturbances. “Listen, let everypony else know you’re here. Tell ‘em I won’t be long.”

The colt had to jump out of his fantasy before he nodded and returned to the campsite.

“Hmmm. I don’t see any signs of Jack or Hatter.” Shadow mumbled to himself. “Nor Nightwish. I guess it’s going to be pretty quiet tonight.” he sighed, walking back to camp. “Great. all they are probably gonna want to do is talk.” Shadow gruffed, rolling his eyes. Stepping back into sight, the pink pony started to wave him over, her energy limitless.

“Come on, Shadow! We can’t have a party without everypony!” With that, Pinkie aimed her party cannon at Shadow and was about to fire when a pony distracted her.

“Hey Pinkie, did you make these cakes yourself? They’re delicious!” Thorn said loudly, hoping Pinkie would forget the cannon and come and talk about the cake.

His plan worked. Pinkie abandoned her confetti machine and started hopping over to Thorn to talk about all the tons of sugar she put into the cake. Soon, Thorn wished he hadn’t asked about the ingredients.

Shadow took his seat in the usual place he did around his fire, staring into the flame as everypony around sat in silence, save Pinkie Pie talking to Thorn.

“So...” Twilight started, turning to face the stallion beside her. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. What’s with the weird insignias on your tents? They don’t look like any other symbols I’ve ever seen, and I have a whole book on the subject.”

Shadow froze. He didn’t have trouble answering this, but he still wanted a reason for her concern with the matter. “It depends. Why do ya wanna know?”

“Because, I think this would prove an excellent report to the Princess and I just wanted to know-” Shadow cut her off.

“Wait, wait, wait. How do you know the Princess?” he asked, both perplexed and scared to ask.

“Why, I’m her student. She hoof chose me as a filly to-” Shadow once more stopped her in mid-sentence.

“I’m just gonna stop you right there. Twilight is it? Reporting this to the Princess might not be your best idea. Trust me.”

This instantly made Twilight suspicious again. “What do you mean by that?”

“Yea! What is that supposed to mean!?” Rainbow Dash said, getting up and up in Shadow’s face. “What have you got against the Princess?”

“Plenty.” he muttered under his breath. “Look, I just don’t think that she would be interested in a nopony like me out here in the Everfree.” Shadow lied, hoping they would believe it as he shamefully gave the worst poker face he could muster, Sync watching with what appeared to be a grin.

‘I bet she’s really enjoying this.’ Shadow thought with agitation.

The young unicorn nudged Shadow and whispered to him.

“They’re just going to think you have an inferiority complex and try to make you feel good about yourself if you say stuff like that. Trust me, I know these types.” Though this advice may have been more effective had Sync not been giggling while giving it.

Sure enough, the six mares immediately assumed the same problem, since none knew the truth.

“You’ve got it all wrong, Shadow. The Princess loves each and every one of her subjects!” Twilight smiled, thinking she was helping.

“You’re not a nopony!” Pinkie protested, blowing her noisemaker.

“Trust me, and I mean this whole heartedly. I am nopony that the Princess is gonna want to meet.” Shadow stated, voice growing colder every time he felt like he was defending himself.

“What are you getting at?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“You didn’t... steal something from her... did you?” Fluttershy spoke, this being one of the only times she did.

“Yea. Ya couldn't ‘av done somethin’ that bad, could ya?” Applejack asked, all six of them knowing not the extent of severity Celestia finding out his encampment being.

“Just trust me.” Shadow states once more. Thorn suddenly stepped in, stuttering incoherent rambling, more so to just distract them from the subject if anything.

“What was that, dear?” Rarity asked.

“Oh, I forgot what I was going to say. Hey, let’s all play a party game!”

“Did somepony say party game?” Pinkie Pie then proceeded to pull out an assortment of board games and party books from… oh does it even matter where she got them from?

For the moment, everypony was distracted.

“WELL. I think Imma hit the hay everypony.” Shadow stated. “It’s been fun meeting all of you, but I think I’ve had a long few days and need my rest.” Before anypony could protest his action, he quickly disappeared into his tent with a “Goodnight”

Twilight still had her suspicions about this stallion, and she still wanted to know what his problem with the Princess was, but something inside told her to just leave it as is.

Inside his tent, Shadow opened up a small chest to the side. Within contained his old Solar Empire captain’s armor, still in very good condition despite its age. “If only it was the older days.” Suddenly, he noticed somepony coming through the tent.

“Excuse the intrusion. I just noticed you didn’t eat much and thought you might like some hot chocolate. I just made it, so be careful drinking it just yet,” Fluttershy said softly. She was holding a tray with a few mugs of steaming hot chocolate on her wings with amazing balance.

Shadow didn’t know why, but her voice seemed to just calm him, though he wasn’t really tense at the time regardless. “Thank you.” he said in a MUCH friendlier tone than that of the others. “How in Equestria did you know I like hot chocolate?”

Fluttershy smiled. “Lucky guess, I suppose.” The pegasus set the tray down on the ground and picked up one of the other mugs and took a sip.

“I know that you seem to have some deep issue with the Princess. Don’t worry, I didn’t come to ask about it! I just wanted to let you know if you did want to talk about it, I’d be here to listen. I’m good at listening.”

“You wouldn’t understand. Nopony would.” Shadow said bluntly.

“Probably not.” Fluttershy agreed, hiding behind her mane. “I’m not smart like Twilight. But I know how to listen.” At about this point, they had both finished the hot beverage. “I’ll go wash these.” She said, taking the mugs and setting them on the tray. As she began to leave the tent, she turned her head back to Shadow for one final thought.

“The offer still stands, but it seems like you won’t take me up on it. That’s okay too. But if you ever want some more hot chocolate, I always carry a few packets with me. Goodnight, Shadow.”

“Night Fluttershy.” he responded, still holding his armor.

“So Fluttershy, did you get him to tell you anything?” Twilight asked, still very curious what his problem with Celestia was.

“He was holding some strange armor with the same signs as the tents, but he didn’t want to talk.” Fluttershy responded.

“Figures.” Twilight sighed, disappointed her plan didn’t work. Thorn and Sync were off a bit in the distance talking about something.

“I didn’t go in there to talk to him because you all wanted to know what he was going on about. I went in there because he looked like he needed a little kindness.” Fluttershy said, her voice unwavering for once. She then excused herself to go wash the mugs in a nearby stream.

“Shadow, Shadow, Shadow.” he whispered to himself. “What are you gonna do?” He sat down on his small little padding that he called his bed, the exterior rough and unkempt. “If they tell Celestia, you’ll have to end up moving... and that itself would be a pain, not to mention how much danger it would put them in.” He sighed. “I guess I’ll just hope for the best.”





Shadow had yet a pretty sleepless night, as accustomed, and was out and about before the crack of dawn, much earlier than the orange earth pony could ever hope to achieve. The first out of the group to awaken was, in fact, Applejack, who looked up from her small bed to see Shadow sitting under a nearby tree, staring out into the sky with apathy.

“Mornin’ Shadow. Nice day, ain’t it?”

Shadow took little notice of the work mare, still staring towards the heavens. “I’ve seen too many like ‘em. I prefer it raining.” Shadow responded, emotionless in his tone.

“You’re a pretty happy fellow, aren’t ya?” Applejack said, sitting down near the indifferent pegasus, but not next to him. She spoke aloud to herself.

“Ah should get goin’ soon. There’s lots to do on a farm. The cows need feedin’, Ah need to make sure Apple Bloom gets up and ready fer school, and then Ah have to get ready fer whatever hair-brained scheme one o’ mah crazy friends cooks up. Ah love ‘em to death, but sometimes… well, you understand.”

That last phrase struck him. “Y... yea. I understand.” he said almost choking. “Just remember, don’t go telling other ponies where I live, please.” Shadow asked as nicely as his dignity would let him.

Applejack looked confused.

“Well that don’t make no sense, feller. You’re gonna have ta’ elaborate there.”

Shadow kept staring out into the sky. “I prefer to be alone. That’s all.”

This, Applejack could understand.

“Ah get ya, now. Sometimes after an adventure with mah friends, Ah just want to take a run through the apple orchard alone. Ya know, just blow off some steam. Except during Applebuck Season. Then Ah can just buck some apples and that works even better. But don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me. Should be with the rest of mah friends too, as unbelievable as that may seem. No problem there.”

Shadow chuckled. “Heh, not ta sound rude er nuthin’, but shouldn’t ya be getting along on yer way?” Shadow said, partially mocking her voice as to not sound mean, but still be teasing. She didn’t seem to notice though.

“Ah’m waiting for the others to wake up first. Don’t want to just leave an’ not tell ‘em. They get crazy when ponies disappear on them. Oh look, there’s somepony now.”

Twilight was the next to awaken, mane rough looking and eyes weary. She’d obviously not slept too well the night before.

“Twilight!” Shadow exclaimed, noticing. The only reason HE cared was because she was the only pony he was worried about blabbing off to the Princess. “How are ya this morning?”

“A little groggy. But otherwise just fine!” Then the suspicion set in. “Wait, why are you suddenly so cheery this morning?”

“Uhhh... No reason.” Shadow said, lowering his tone. “Just concerned with my guests is all.

Twilight stared at him for a little longer before finally turning to Applejack and greeting her. They chatted for a few moments and Applejack mentioned she had things to do.

“Ah’m gonna get goin’ so just tell the others Ah went home, okay?”

“Sure thing, Applejack See you later.”

It was just Shadow and Twilight now. “Sooo... You waiting on your friends to wake up too?” Shadow asked, the answer obvious, but needed to start conversation and break tension.

Twilight looked over at him as if she had just noticed him.

“Hmm? Oh, I was just about to go and make something to eat. Applejack’s our good cook and the other one is Pinkie, but if we let her cook us breakfast we’ll be on a sugar rush until next month. No, I’m going to go make us something healthy that will get us through the day! Something with all the essential vitamins for a balanced breakfast!” Twilight looked rather excited at that and quickly hurried off to find her saddlebag and begin. Soon there was a soft aroma of oatmeal and biscuits wafting past Shadow’s nose temptingly.

Shadow had never smelt such magnificent smells his entire life! Most of his meals included cooked meat and an occasional apple. Giddy, he jumps up and heads toward the aroma’s origin, smile wide as a mile.

“My, my. What is that alluring smell?” Shadow asked Twilight, watching as she cooked.

Twilight smiled. “It’s a flour based dough made with milk and kneaded by hoof and then separated into separate blobs and put on a pan to cook in the oven. But I had to improvise with a fire spell. Spike doesn’t know I can do this. It would break his heart. He’d feel so unneeded.”

Shadow’s focus was based solely on the blobs cooking over a magical fire. Never had he seen such an amazing idea for such a simple food, but he certainly hoped they tasted as good as the smelt. He was practically drooling..

Soon the rest of the mares came out, all of them yawning except for Pinkie Pie. Big surprise.

“Oh Twilight, you made breakfast? Thank you so much!” Rarity and the others leaning into the delicious aroma.

“Now that’s what I call food! Twilight, you should do this more often!” Rainbow Dash drooled, gazing into the magical fire as if nothing else was important.

Shadow calmly stepped away from the crowding ponies. Sure, he was absolutely mesmerized by the intoxicating smell of the “biscuits”, as they called them, but always avoided large crowds. A bit of a claustrophobic in a sense.

He slowly made his way back towards the two other ponies still sleeping. Sync and Thorn. He sat beside them as they slept and awaited their awakening. He hoped it wouldn’t be long, seeing as he was VERY hungry.

Sync, always paranoid, thought she felt some eyes on her. After opening her eyes, she discovered she was right. She had hoped it was only a bird or maybe a rabbit, but no. It had to be that annoying Scruffy Wanderer. She barely noticed that Thorn was snuggled up next to her.

Thorn, a light sleeper, heard Sync move and lifted his head, eager not to miss anything. He took a moment to realize where he was before jumping up and cantering away before Sync could hurt him. The other unicorn barely noticed. In all his thoughtless running, Thorn bumped into somepony.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” Thorn whirled around to see the pony he had bumped into. He winced. She was definitely going to chase him around the campsite for that. She had that personality type.

“I’m really sorry, Rainbow Dash! Please don’t chase me!”

“It’s fine kid.” Rainbow Dash gruffed. She wasn’t exactly a morning pony herself, so chasing a colt around would have just made her in worse of a mood. “Just watch it.”

“Okay.” Thorn mumbled, shuffling off over to Rarity. He then hid behind her until Twilight passed Rainbow some food, which she proceeded to scarf down madly. The food instantly brightened her mood.

“Ah... much better.” the cyan pegasus stated after completely obliterating the biscuit.

Shadow was still over to the side, sitting in silence and waiting for Sync to speak. He didn’t really care so much if she did or not, but he just was more so just trying to find a good reason to stay away from the others. Twilight was passing the food around at a rather slow pace anyways.

Sync was silent for a few more moments before yawning widely and going back to sleep.

“Wow.” Shadow said with a chuckle. “You are pretty lazy. you know that?” …

Sync’s ear twitches, but otherwise she makes no movement to suggest she heard a word Shadow said.

Over by the magical fire, everypony was laughing and eating good food.

“Shadow! Sync! Come and get some breakfast!” Twilight called cheerfully, waving the two over.

“Come on Sync.” Shadow stated with a snicker. “If I have to deal with them, so do you.” Getting up, he said something just to annoy her. “Well, I mean, at least they’ll leave me alone.”

Sync laughed shortly. “It’s funny how you think they’ll actually just leave you alone. No, these ponies are the talking type. They’ll talk to you whether or not they have something to say. But food smells good, so I’m getting up now.” After much stretching and yawning, Sync trotted over to where Twilight was handing out plates of food. How she fit all the things she had made in her saddlebag was a mystery.

Shadow sighed. He didn’t want them to talk to him. It would only arouse suspicion once more.

“As inviting as the food smells, I think I’m going to pass. I’m... not that hungry.” Shadow lied.

“Thith ith food. Food ith good. You eat food, you feel happy. Where doyou think you’re goin’?” Rainbow said through a mouthful of food.

“Who me?” Shadow asked. “I’m not going anywhere. Besides...” Shadow lowered his voice to where they couldn’t hear. “It’ll take more than food to make me happy.”

“What?” Rainbow asked after she had swallowed. “Sorry, didn’t hear that last part.”

“Nothing.” he said more audible. Standing up and slowly trotting over to the group, his hunger had finally betrayed him. He sat among them and took one of the warm and fluffy buns of molded and delicious wheat.

“Eat up, everypony! Right after this, we’ve got a long journey home!” Twilight said cheerily, making a plate for herself.

“Excuse me Miss Twilight, but we’re not that far from home, are we?” Thorn asked, biting into a biscuit.

“Well, no. But we are going on a big trip anyway! I thought it would be fun to take the long way home and explore just outside of Ponyville.” Twilight seemed so excited that Thorn didn’t have the heart to argue.

“Umm, Twilight? I’m sorry you were really looking forward to this and all, but I have a few dresses I need to work on. I can’t possibly go on a hike. Especially in this weather. Oh the humidity!” Rarity exclaimed, putting a hoof to her forehead expressively.

“Oh no! I have soooo many parties to plan today! Do you know how many ponies have birthdays today? Well, there’s Lyra, Noteworthy, Carrot Top, Daisy, Silver Script, Wind Whistler, Katt Apples, Parasol, Lightning Flux.I think I even missed a few. Oh no! Carrot Top’s party is in ten minutes! This looks like a job for my PARTY CANNON!” With that, Pinkie Pie was off, holding the cannon over her head and whinnying triumphantly.

“And I promised Angel that I would take him with me to the market to get some carrots.” Fluttershy said softly, wincing a bit. “Please don’t be mad.”

“I would,” Rainbow Dash started, “But I have to go hang out with Scootaloo today. She wants me to try and help her get her cutie mark like I did with Apple Bloom. Sorry Twi.”

“Heh.” Shadow snorted, “Looks like it’ll just be you, Thorn, and Sync.”

“What?” Twilight exclaimed in distress. “Why do you all have to have things to do? And you, Shadow, what are you doing that you can’t come?”

“Who? Me? Oh, I’m busy not caring my dear.” Shadow said, laughing. “Unless I’m getting anything out of it?” Shadow stated, raising a brow and grinning mischievously. “How about I’ll go if you teach me how you make those. biscuits. I think is what they’re called”

“Certainly!” Twilight was always excited to pass on knowledge to an eager mind. “Just let me find my recipe! Oh we’re going to have so much fun today! We can have a picnic up in the mountains!”

Sync, who had wandered over to sample a few of the biscuits everypony was raving about, nearly spit out her bite. Nearly, because it was way too good to waste.

“Um, I’m pretty sure there are no mountains around here, Sticky.”

Twilight paid no attention to her nickname and kept going on about the trip.

“Whao, there. Um, Twilight was it? I agreed to go along with you, but I don’t want to be away from camp longer than I have to be. I... might have unexpected guest arrive soon.” Shadow stated. He really didn’t, but she didn’t have to know that.

Twilight stopped her prancing around for a moment. “Oh, okay then.” Sitting down, she sighed. “We can go the short way I guess.” Then she started smiling again. “I’ve never taken the short way before! You know what that means?”

“We’re going to get lost?” Sync muttered under her breath so only Shadow could hear.

“I’m going to get to finally use this map!” Twilight then pulled out an obnoxiously large map. As it rolled out, Sync, Thorn, and Shadow jumped out of its path. Inside the map, a compass, pencil, and assorted travel guides came out with it.

“I was wondering where that went!” Twilight picked up the travel guides excitedly, gazing at them with interest.

“Soooo... this map is of all Equestria right? This isn’t JUST the short way. right?” Shadow said, gazing at the map in amazement. “I mean, I could just, ya know, fly up and tell us which way to go.” …

Twilight rolled up the map with her magic and stuffed it back in her bag. “Yes, I suppose one could do it that way, but it’d be more fun to use to map.”

“It might be faster if Shadow just flies up occasionally, though.” Sync pointed out.

Twilight thought for a moment, thinking the best way to get her way. “Either we take the map, or I don’t show you how to make biscuits.”

“Now that’s just not fair.” Shadow said with a sigh.

“I’ll show you the recipe once we get back to Ponyville.” Twilight chimed. “Now, I believe the map said to go this way.” she stated, walking off in a direction.

Shadow started to follow. “Great... what have you gotten yourself into Shadow.”

Sync and Thorn followed the two older ponies quietly. They tried to keep out of the other’s way, but the small path Twilight had chose made it difficult.

Twilight’s map had supposedly directed her to through the narrowest paths lined with the most brambles.

“Ummm... Twilight?” Shadow started. “I think... you might be lost.” The trees grew over thick above them as they followed, everything becoming darker with each step. “We... should turn back.”

"Nonsense! We’re doing fine!” Twilight dug her nose deep into the map and kept right on going in the same direction.

“Well, I mean, I’m sure that you got the map from a reliable source and all. but.” Twilight cut him off.

“I made this map myself.” she proudly proclaimed.

“And I’m sure you did an excellent job and all, but did you know EXACTLY where my camp was before heading out?”

Twilight was silent except for a few minor grumbles as she kept looking at the map determinedly.

“Well, I’m heading out.” Rainbow announced, lifting into the air. The others nodded enthusiastically and followed her out, each murmuring goodbyes to the remaining ponies. None of which, of course, were heard.

As Twilight became more and more frustrated, Thorn nudged her and very softly and innocently suggested she let Shadow fly up to see where they were or at the very least point out his campsite on the map. Just as she was about to refuse, Thorn used his adorable colt eyes, a power only foals are gifted with.

“Fine.” Twilight muttered.

“Ummm... I’m kinda sorry to say, but I don’t think I can lift through this thicket of trees.” Shadow stated, almost ashamed. “I just think if we turn straight back around, this problem could easily be avoided.” He then spun around on his hooves in the opposite direction, only to pause and gaze.

“Say, you wouldn’t happen to know which way is back, would ya? Because I don’t remember that tree being right behind me.” Shadow said. “And with how dark it is, it really doesn’t help the matter.”

Twilight, more than a little put out by all this, seemed to have a sudden spasm in her left eyebrow.

“Would this help?” Twilight deadpanned, her horn glowing.

Shadow started to take advantage of the light and began to search around, but despite his best efforts, everything looked the same.

“Well would you look at that. We’re lost.” Shadow stated bluntly.

“Lost? Seriously? I thought this was the unicorn who could do no wrong.” Sync muttered irritably.

“Calm down, everypony. I have a plan,” Twilight said while pulling out her compass. “The map says we need to go east, and we’re heading east. We’re not lost.”

“Heh... some plan.” Shadow scoffed. “So what you’re saying is we continue down the path we took in the first place AND became lost, and we’ll eventually get out of here? That’s... just ludicrous.” …

“I have a map! We need to follow the map! I have a compass! We’re fine!” Twilight filly raged.

While Shadow and Twilight bickered, Sync and Thorn exchanged annoyed looks.

“Thorn, tell them they’re being incredibly stupid and should shut up and let somepony else lead,” Sync whispered to the colt.

“That’s not going to work. And why do I have to say it?” Thorn protested.

“They’re not going to listen to me!”

“Who else would lead? Do you know your way around here?”

“Doesn’t somepony you know live here?”

“You mean my dad?”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can’t you find your way from times you’ve visited him?”

“Why would I be able to do that?”

And so, the group of ponies argued amongst themselves, their words becoming stupider. But in the undergrowth, somepony, or something, was lurking.

"I have wings and the only weapon! I think I should lead!” Shadow roared, heightening his voice like Twilight was deaf.

“And I say I have the map, so I should lead!” Twilight protested back, shaking the parchment in her hoof in front of his face.

“Oh? Really? Well fine!” Shadow snatched the map from Twilight and started shedding it to bits, stomping on the pieces as they touched the ground. “There! Now who should lead!?”

Twilight was first taken aback, but the surprise of what had just happened was quickly replaced with a sudden rage. “Do you have any idea how long it took to draw that map out!?” While the two continued to bicker, the creature in the undergrowth started to slowly circle its way around the two slightly separate groups with a pair each. In one contained Twilight and Shadow, the other holding within Sync and Thorn, all of which were arguing.

The creature crawled ever closer, drawing its tongue out to investigate. Its body made a soft rustling sound as it moved over the fallen leaves and broken twigs. In the midst of the aggression, somepony screamed.

“There’s something on my hoof!” Twilight screeched, forgetting the argument at once. There was immediate silence as all chatter ceased and a dark silence followed, rising up like jungle steam.

Thorn was the first to see the creature for what it was. He gasped and jumped.

Then, only then, did he recognize the animal.

“Hey wait, it’s just a snake.”

There was a brief pause before everypony broke out in embarrassed laughter.

“Heh, you... you should have seen the look on your face Twilight!” Shadow said, still laughing and holding his side. “Heh, wooo... Well, that was a good laugh, but that sadly doesn’t fix the problem. How are we getting out of here?”

“It was a beautiful snake, though.” Thorn said, watching the creature retreat longingly.

“Well, since you destroyed the map, you should be the one to figure this out, Shadow.” Twilight poked the pegasus, smiling.

“What? Hey, you provoked me. Besides, you’re the brains of the group. You don’t have any ideas?” Shadow asked, annoyed and a bit regretful for ripping apart the map.

“Oh, so I’m supposed to do everything around here--”

“HEY!” Both Shadow and Twilight stopped to look at the source of the noise. “We’re not getting anywhere arguing. Can I suggest something?” Thorn asked.

“Oh?” Shadow stated, glad to get away from that walking headache called Twilight. “What do you suppose then? I’m sure it’s better than whatever Twi here was going to suggest.”

Twilight glared at the gray pegasus, but otherwise said nothing.

Thorn continued. “What if we just followed our hoofprints back to Shadow’s camp. Don’t you have a map back there, Shadow?”

Shadow laughed. “Get me back to camp, and I can tell you how many paces north you’d have to walk to be in Manehatten without even having to think.” he replied. “Just as long as my start point is camp.”

Twilight looked a bit unimpressed. “Well, if that’s the case, why didn’t you tell me I was going the wrong way then?”

“Let me answer that with a question. Would you have listened?”

Twilight didn’t answer, just motioned with her hoof for Shadow to go ahead and lead.

“That’s what I thought. So, would you be as to so kind and light up our steps please?” Shadow asked. “It’d really help the process.” He may have seemed annoyed, but deep down, he was enjoying this.

Twilight, however, was more obviously annoyed. She only grudgingly lit the path.

Soon, everything started to become more clear as they followed the illuminated unicorn, lighting the pathway back out of that crazy, dark place. When they were finally able to see the sky with ease, it was already noon.

“Oh come on.” Shadow sighed. “We couldn’t have been in there that long, could we?”

“If you hadn’t--” Twilight began before her mouth was silenced with a blob of hazel energy. Shadow, who was about to reply, was hit with the same effect. Both made muffled noises as they tried to speak despite the magical gags.

Sync turned around and smiled grimly at them.

“Isn’t that better, Thorn? No more of that silly back and forth banter! It’s perfect!” Giggling, the young mare trotted along ahead, bouncing happily in the magenta light still emanating from Twilight’s horn.

Shadow, a bit irritated and embarrassed at the same time, slowly followed the pathway back to his camp. It wasn’t until they arrived, the sun far gone by now, that Sync had decided to release the spell.

Twilight worked her jaws all around in the sudden freedom.

“Finally! I can talk again!”

“Oh well isn’t that special.” Sync murmured, slinking away.

“Next time, warn us please Sync?” Shadow asked, walking over to his tree and sitting down. “Ponyville is about two miles south of here. An hour trot.” …

“Then we’d better get started!” Twilight said. “Ugh, I hate to say this, but Shadow, with your tracking skill, won’t you lead us to Ponyville?” There was no word for the sarcasm Twilight put into her voice.

“Ummm... how about... No.” Shadow stated bluntly. “Honestly, I’m tired of dealing with you. Sync, you’re okay. Thorn. Well, you’re a kid. I wouldn’t have minded you regardless. I’m going to take a well deserved nap. You’re welcome to stay once more, but that’s up to you.” Shadow closed his eyes and let his mane cover them. “Good night.”

Twilight sighed heavily, smoke practically flowing through her nostrils. “I’m not going to spend any more time here than I have to! Come on, Sync, you’re coming too!”

Sync laughed dryly, leaning to speak to only Shadow and Thorn. “She’ll probably want to rant to me because that little reptile of hers goes to sleep at six at night because he’s so pathetic.”

“Heh.” Shadow chuckled. “Well, looks like you better get going while the story is starting. You’d hate to miss a second of it wouldn’t ya?” he joked, poking fun again at Sync.

“You’re a riot, you know that?” Sync stared through the stallion, not really seeing him as Twilight pulled her off to her place, no doubt where Sync would sit through an enormous rant/lecture that would gradually get off topic and end up being about the Princess again. As usual.

All that was left was Shadow and Thorn, Sync and the naggy mare beside her leaving sight after a while. “When should you be heading home kid? Won’t your mother worry?” he asked.

Thorn looked guiltily away, shuffling his hooves.

“Actually, for all she knows, I’m at Dad’s... who has no idea.”

“I see. Well, let me ask ya something Thorn. Did ya have fun out here?” Shadow asked, the question itself sounding stupid, but his tone completely serious. “Because if it wasn’t for me meeting you, my day would have been REAL boring.” …

“Well, just being away from home, I had fun. Even if we wandered around all day going nowhere, I’m happy. But it’s a bit too dark to go home now alone in the dark. Plus I don’t want to explain that to Mother. Can I just stay here tonight, please?”

Shadow sighed. It wasn’t in his nature to be this kind to anypony, but he had grown kind of attached to the little colt. “Fine... but this means I’ll have to meet your mother. Deal?”

Thorn groaned. “Do you really want to? You wouldn’t get along at all.”

“Thorn... you should know by now that I don’t want to DO anything.” Shadow remarked. “BUT... if you really think I shouldn’t, I won’t... For your sake apparently.”

“Can I still stay here?”

“Sure.” Shadow answered, now trying to get some sleep. “Just let me rest a bit before you do anything. It’s been a long day for me.”

Thorn seemed pleased with this and hurried to go to sleep before Shadow changed his mind.





It was before the crack of dawn when Shadow had finished his nap, the colt sleeping somewhere close, but nowhere he could actually see. “Hmmm... I wonder what day waits me.” he gruffed.

The soft and peaceful breathing of the colt seemed to blend into the music of the early morning. It was as if nothing could have prevented him belonging to that very spot.

“Hey kid. Get up.” Shadow grunted, pulling himself from the ground in the process and stretching. “What’s on your mind? I’m guessing going straight home is out of the question?”

The colt shook himself sleepily and stood, yawning.

“I don’t want to go home, now. If I go home now, I’ll have to go to school, and I really don’t feel like it right now. As much as I love learning, I’d really rather spend the day with you.”

“Jeez Thorn. Why dontcha just make a bed and call this home?” Shadow joked.

Thorn laughed because in that moment he was genuinely happy. It was feeling he indulged in due to its scarcity.

Shadow took notice of Thorn’s behavior, much lighter than that of when they first met. “Heh. Look at you. All happy and stuff. I wonder how that happened?” he asked, walking back over to the fire pit. “So what’ll ya do? Just go back home and keep on doing what you do?”

“Eventually, I guess. But what about you? What will you do?”

The stallion pokes at the pit a few times, trying to rekindle the embers. “Exactly what I’m doing now Thorn. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Thorn watched Shadow poking the fire for a few thoughtful moments. After a while he went to sit next to Shadow.

“I bet Mother’s actually looking for me. She usually does after it’s been a few nights.”

“I just have to ask, what takes her so long to come looking for you? I remember this one filly’s mother, as soon as she snuck out of the house, BAM. The mom was out asking around.” Shadow looked over to Thorn. “But your mother is different from others huh?”

Thorn shrugged. “She’d care more if she paid more attention. But she gets preoccupied with all the little things and forgets about me. Then she gets mad at herself and takes it out on me. That’s why I like her better when I’m sick, even if the sudden sweetness creeps me out.” The little colt sighed, taking the world around him in. He looked at the leaves on the ground and smiled, petting one near his hoof.

“You going to do as I said Thorn? You going to be a leaf?” Shadow asked, remembering their earlier discussion.

Thorn smiled a small smile. “Yeah. I’m going to be the biggest leaf around! That’s what I want my cutie mark to be! A leaf, a big strong leaf.”

“Well Thorn, I think it’s about time to go and relieve your mother of her worries.” Shadow stated, a tiny flame sprouting from the pit. “Don’t worry though, I’m not going anywhere. Run by Ponyville again, drop me a visit okay?” he asked, standing up. “And don’t forget what I taught you.”

Thorn nodded and began to leave. When he reached the top of the hill, he looked back one last time.

“I won’t ever forget you, Shadow!”

Shadow looked up to the hill the colt stood on, silhouetted by the sun. “Nor I you Thorn! Nor I you…”