//------------------------------// // Chapter 9-Shadow of an Elf // Story: Solar: Hero of Canterlot City // by Royal Pony Dude //------------------------------// As the night has fallen over Canterlot City, the streets were decked out for everyone's favorite holiday Halloweeen and for Solar she was strolling through the streets. "Twas the night before Halloween and all through Canterlot not a jerk in sight," Solar said. "Not even Emerald Elf. Might as well enjoy it now because the Elf needs to put down hard or else someone can get hurt by him." The next following day, Tiger Claw was riding in his limo then the driver looked behind to see if the Emerald Elf was right behind as Elf threw an emerald shard to pop a tire that sent the car hurling to the curb. The driver got out and armed her gun and took shots then Elf threw an emerald mine at her which the impact of the explosion sent the driver into a wall then Tiger Claw got out and knocked Elf from his gilder. "Keep laughing, Green Bean. I hear green's the new black and blue." Tiger Claw tried to ram him but Elf jumped onto his gilder to make him miss. "You should be green with envy, because you lack fashion sense." Elf's gilder spray knocked out gas which made fall asleep. "And also built in gas-mask." Hours later, Tiger Claw was chained to a chair next to lava forge. "Elf, I know you're out there," Tiger Claw said. "Out there. In here. Everywhere," Elf flew circles around him. "Yes, soon I will run this town, Tiggy. I could use a good right-hand lackey." "Not going to happen. You really think I'm afraid of goofball dressed for Halloween. Can't be afraid of what you don't respect. And there's one person I ever respected out of fear." "Mr. X, or commonly known as Xavier Hansen. I looked underneath his mask." "Hansen is the mask. Mr X is Gravestone cause that's all left when you cross him." "If that was true then a man like you must surely have acquired some life insurance," Elf grimly said. At Canterlot Tower… "Dial Tiger Claw," Gravestone tried to call him but got nothing. "Ohh, I'm sorry, Tiger Claw can't come to the phone right now," Emerald Elf said while sitting on the desk. "He's a bit tied up. Gotta love the classics." "Tiger Claw can take care of himself." "And apparently yourself. He had a portable jumpdrive with enough evidence to put dear Mr. Hansen behind bars for good. Not to worry, the driver is under my care but it ain't on me. But I have it by tonight." "When tonight? And where." "Believe me you will know." "I know a trap when I see one…" The Elf's gilder came through a window and Elf got on it. "THat's fun part of it. Besides, what choice do you have? One more thing, come alone," Elf said as flew out of the tower. … … "I never want to pry into someone's life, but Twilight has a point," Solar said while flying through the city. "Ever since the Emerald Elf as shown, Travis has been acting weird. And Pinkie Pie is the master of weird. Then Emerald Elf came flying above her. And speaking of Elf, guess to show his rubber face," Solar said, then created a magic tether to catch Elf's gilder. "Oh, caught me a big one!" "Who's landed whom?" He took off and Solar hung on as Elf tried to shake her. "Where have you been Elfy? Vacation?" "Been looking for you," Elf said then threw multiple emerald mines at her but Solar avoided it then she punched him in the face. "We both want Gravestone out the way." ' "Yeah, but for completely different reasons." "Details, details. And speaking of details… I got a jump drive that took down Gravestone for good." "Great. Hand it over so I can take in both of you." "It's not on me but I have it by tonight." "When and Where?" "Anyone else get deja vu? Eh, let's run with it. Believe me you will know," Elf pushed her off and Solar crashed into an electric fan. … "Losing Elfy will seem way less painful than having a talk with Travis," Solar said, then saw Elf heading to the Mercer Penthouse."Okay, that's weird. But no way Darell can be the Emerald Elf because Elf was stealing loads of Mercer tech and created Madame Mayhem." Hours later, Sunset called Travis from Sugarcube Corner. "I'm not kidding, Travis. We need to talk." Then come on top. "Not the best idea. Just come down." So you can give an earful for Twilight. I'll pass. Besides, I need to get into costume. I'll meet you and the others at the Nightway Street Carnival. At the Carnival, people were in costume and enjoyed themselves. "Hey, Twilight," Daniel greeted her. "Hi, Daniel, have you heard from Sunset by any chance?" "I was going to ask you the same thing," Daniel said, then both of them said the football guys did the cheer dance giving that Duke lost his bet from Rainbow Dash. "Smile," Rainbow Dash took a picture of them. "This is so going on in the yearbook." Meanwhile… "Twilight?" Sunset answered her phone as she was on a building. "Thank you, Celestia, I've been calling… What's up with Travis." "He's meeting me at the carnival. I'm already here. Where are you?" "Sunset?" Then Sunset pulled off her mask showing her face. "Nice costume, huh?" "I'll say Sunset, where did you find something like this?" Rarity asked. "Look through my closet," Sunset said. "I'm going wail on Mercer!" Duke as the guys did a pyramid. "The little twerp was supposed to be the top of the pyramid! Hey look, it's the sun geek!" Then the fireworks went off. "Wow!" Pinkie was amazed. "Pretty." Then some of halloween sneak "Elf," Sunset whispered, then headed off. "Going to try the bobbing, now!" … … "Given the directions of the fireworks, they come from one place… The Steel Mill Factory," Solar said, arriving at the place and looking around. "What with bad guys and lava forges?" Then Gravestone's chopper came down and Gravestone came out. "Gravestone? Elfy, gave you the secret toy surprise, too? Trap?" Solar slyly asked. "Trap." "Figures. Race you inside." Both of them head inside and see Tiger Claw hanging begin chained. "This is humiliating," Tiger Claw said. "And disappointing. Did you really think you needed a jump drive to protect you?" Gravestone asked. "Ah, come on boss. You can't have fallen for that. There wasn't a drive to begin with." "Yes, yes. I'm a massive liar," Emerald Elf said as the holding was about to fall. "Like we didn't know this was a trap." Solar grabbed Gravestone and took to the skies and landed at the center. "Welcome to the Emerald Elf's house of horror! Or should I say "refinery of revulsion?" Elf drew two bombs as Solar flew and Gravestone ran, then Elf threw six emerald shards at Gravestone with him ducking the three as the other three hit his back but only hurt him for a few seconds. Then he turned his focus to Solar as he finger blasted her which got to hit her making fall down a pipe then Elf tried to ram her with his gilder but Gravestone threw a busted pipe at him which made him miss. "Uh, thanks." "Take down the Elf or at least unmask, then we're even." "Even? I just rescued you from a lava fall." Solar lunged at Elf but he jetboosted out of the way to avoid. Then Gravestone got to the control room and moved the conveyor belt that Tiger Claw was on away from the lava pool then both of them headed for the exit. "Next time you want to throw a bash, leave some snacks, they might stay longer." "At least I brought some party favors," Elf said, then a flurry of emerald mines came down on the factory. With Twilight, she was getting a little twitchy that her closest friends had left her. Back at the factory, Elf came at Solar and punched her in the gut. "Oh why just don't give up?" He asked her. Solar fell to ground then avoided an emerald mine explosion. "Cause I know your secret. I know the face behind the mask." "We all wear masks. But which one is real? The one that hides your face or the one that is your face!" He threw four emerald shards and an emerald mine which Solar dodged. "I know your Darell Mercer!" "Am I?" He asked her then Solar grabbed the gilder with her magic. "Nice tricks. Here's mine." The gilder unveiled a gun that fired a slimeball at Solar making her avoid it then avoided multiple simeball fires until slimeball got her and restricted her movement. "Like mine Elf Slime," Elf cackled. "Now let's see what cracks first? My slime or your body!" Elf whacked her through heavy objects but Solar hanged through. "Well that taught us this call for something a bit more drastic!" He flew up in the air and dropped her. "Happy landings!" "Don't panic Sunset, I never tried this move before, hopefully I won't die," Solar said. Solar spun around and became a literal fireball and came down somewhat safely as the slime got cracked. "Can't believe I survived that but god that hurts," Solar groaned. THen Elf flew right at her and threw an emerald mine but Solar caught it and threw it right back at him which exploded which made him crash then he limped to his gilder and took off which prompted Solar to chase after him. "Go ahead. Run. I know where you live." … Moments later at the Mercer Penthouse… "Alright, Elf this ends tonight," Solar said as he saw the Emerald Elf lying on the ground unconscious then pulled off his mask which made her gasp in horror. "Travis! He's the Emerald Elf?" "What's going on here?" Darrell said as he came in. "Solar? What happened?" "You tell me." "Within the labs we were working on a serum to make super soldiers but the project gave unsavory results so I had to shut down. I never thought my own son would steal it." "This makes no sense. If he's the Elf, why would attack Mr. X?" Solar asked. "Why attack Mercer Corp?" "I had dealings with Mr. X. When I tried to extradite myself I was threatened by his stooge, Tiger Claw. Travis must have overheard. Under the influence of the serum, his subscious created some who could take Mr. X down. Now why would you attack me… I will not allow this. I can say I was the Elf. I created the serum. I would be the obvious suspect." "No. He needs you. And what can you do to him if stuck behind bars for a crime you didn't commit." "But this is all on me… but I will get him help I swear it. If you'll let me." "Me?" "If you turn him in, if Mr. X learns that Traivs was the Elf, he wouldn't survive the night. Please, he's my only child." And my best friend. Solar thought to herself. "I won't turn him but on one condition. The Elf disappears forever. Leaving a mystery that no one will solve," Solar said as walked out. At the Canterlot Weekly, "And why should I care what the Horseshoe runs on their front page?" Platinum Writer asked Thunder Brisk. "Because their Solar scoop and Sunset's pictures outdid the covering of the space shuttle," he told him. "The people have spoken. Get Shimmer and lock her to a deal that she can't say no. They want Solar, we'll give it to them." … At Canterlot High, Sunset passes through the school entrance and sees Aria. "So, bacon head, what happened to Travis?" Aria asked him. "His dad told me to take a leave of absence from school to travel abroad and get the help he needs," Sunset said to her.