//------------------------------//
// Chapter Three: Seven Years Later 
// Story: EC Tales Book One: Rivalries Are Made, Not Born 
// by mynameisTheodore83 
//------------------------------//

Life continued for Shadow and Silver.  Shadow learned to hunt on his own, while practicing combat and his newfound magical ability.  Silver stopped waiting for Shadow to come back, but he was always on his mind.  He sparred against his dad, and studied alone.  He graduated his school as valedictorian.  During his speech, he talked about how they now had to find their own way in the world, no matter what else happens.  A memory of Shadow and a tear came when he was done.
Silver decided that he had to go on a journey to find what his true purpose was.  He planned every last detail; he would go to Appleloosa and find a job there.  He would save up enough and figure out what else to do.  Silver was confident that he would find his true calling when he was out there.  

Silver went around town and said goodbye to everyone.  When he was near the city limit, he looked back at the city.  He smiled at the life he was leaving behind, and looked toward the life he was about to start.

In order to get to Appleloosa, Silver had to pass right next to the Baltimare Mountains.  Shadow was watching from the mouth of the cave, and he did a double-take when he saw Silver.  It couldn't be the same friend from years ago, could it?  Shadow apporached him to make sure.  "Silver?"

Silver turned around and was stunned.  "Shadow?" he said.  Silver didn't even think he was alive, let alone living in the mountains.  "Wha... How are you.... Aren't you dead?" he stammered.

Shadow looked at him with confusion.  "Is that what they say happened to me?  No!  I just couldn't live in Baltimare anymore, not with everything that had happened.  I'm so sorry I had to leave."

Silver smiled and held out his hoof.  Shadow returned the smile, and the two performed their hoof shake like old times.  "I'm sorry for what happened," Silver said to his friend.

"It happenes, I guess," Shadow said, looking away.  "So what are you doing now?"

"I'm going to try and find myself," Silver replied proudly.  "I feel like I'm important, so I'm going to see how I can change the world."

Shadow's face lit up.  "I'm going to change the world too!" he exclaimed.  "I can't let anyone else go through what I did.  That's why I'm going to make the world equal.  Everything will be the same, and no one will end up like me or my dad."

Silver was puzzled.  "Do you really think equality will change all that?  It's a nice idea, but I don't think true equality is possible.  How do you plan to do that anyway?"

Shadow looked down.  "I don't know all the details yet, but I have to convince the Princess that it's a good idea."

Silver was surprised.  "Princess Celestia?  From Canterlot?  How are you going to convince her?"

"I don't know.  But I can't let anything bad happen to anyone else.  I've been through too much."

"But all that happened years ago.  Don't you think it's time to move on?"

"How do you move on from that?  I can't just pretend that everything is okay, because it's not!"

"But how far are you going to go with this idea of yours?"

"As far as I need to to make sure that it happens."

"What if you hurt people in the process?"

"Then they will have died for a worthy cause, unlike my father."

"That's a terrible thing to say!  You'd be putting little colts and fillies in your same situation!"

"No, I won't, because the world will be equal by the time that happens!"

"Oh my god," Silver said.  "You've gone mad."

"If being a genius and the only one who knows what's right is mad, then yes, I'm mad!"

"I can't let you go through with this plan, Shadow."

"You can try, but it is meant to be!  I know that it sounds crazy, but think about it from my perspective."

"That doesn't justify it any more!"  Silver sighed.  "I want the old Shadow back.  The one who loved to spar and study with me.  The one who didn't have a care in the world, who wanted to explore and discover everything that there was out there.  I want my old friend back."

"Yeah?  Well your friend died seven years ago!"  Shadow stopped himself and drained his emotions.  "I'm sorry for that.  But in all honesty, I do believe in my cause."

Silver paused.  "I'm sorry to hear that.  Well, I guess this is goodbye, then."  He stuck out his hoof.

Looking in Silver's eyes, Shadow gave a simple shake.  "Goodbye, Silver.  Good luck with finding yourself."

"I think I've got an idea of what I might do," Silver said.  And with that, he continued toward Appleloosa.  Shadow watched him walk away with a pang in his heart.  He slowly turned and went back to his cave.

End of Book One