//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - The Creation Part 2 // Story: A Shadow's Silver // by Pikashiba156 //------------------------------// Far below, in the depths of The Underworld... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~DG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ They claim this is my home. They claim I was always here. Well, I'd say otherwise. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My names Dark Grace. I am a royal guard for his Royalty, King Sombra of The Underworld. I am a pegasus who is in high honor of his Royalty. But, thought I am treasured as a rarity, I do not understand why. I have wings, not magic. I'm faster than other guards, but not by a lot. Even my mere existence in this world baffles me, my coat is of a different color than the others, a soothing white instead of a threatening grey. In order to show my importance, this coat of mine is a symbol to show my dependence to his Royalty, King Sombra. I do wonder how, though. Maybe because white is a rare color to see in this land, so it shows my dedication to justice? I do ponder this, with any free time I may gather. According to everypony else and my memory, I have served his Royalty for about ten years. However, I do not remember siblings or parents, but the other guards claim that maybe I've never seen my parents in a long, long time. For they remember none of either groups, as well. But what they claim isn't as clear as facts. Creatures that use different body structures, that draconequus, Discord. His name literally means chaos, but he works for good. Creatures that use the same body structures with a few tweaks, the changeling, Chrysalis. Her appearance looks frightful, yet...she assists us in battle. These beasts, they cannot be just...working for us like this. Especially for "good, justice, and love". But, for now, I have no info as to why I feel so suspicious about this. Enough has been spoken of me. 'Tis time to discuss the current activities of what has happened through the land. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ During the last few days, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have been launching more assaults than usual on the Castle of Canterlot. This has risen many thoughts and theories among the other guards, its all I've heard in the last...I can't even remember when the theories started. The day after the attacks, during or even before. One day, I was told by his Royalty himself to stand guard in front of a door. He told me never once to open or allow others entry to this one specific room. Along with me was a young unicorn, said to have powers beyond her age. But, just because she's young doesn't mean that she isn't troublesome. "Can I open the door?" "No." "Please?" "No." This lasted on and on and on. She kept pleading and pleading and pleading. She would have broken my consciousness and psyche had she not finally stopped and said; "Awh booo...why do I always have to be put with the cranky guards?" But right as she ended, an awkward sound was heard. As if somepony inside, possibly even his Royalty was casting magic...but why? Ah, that's not the main problem right now...the main problem was right next to me, and it was growing larger and larger. ...I'm growing more and more worried about that look of determination. "Fine...if push comes to shove, I'm bustin' down that door!" The young mare immediately began charging towards the door...so, as quickly as I could I tried to restrain her. "Gyak! Let...go! I wanna see what Sombra's up to!" On the exact moment she called his Royalty by his first name, my head began to ache slowly, for some reason, that name doesn't seem to fit. But in thought, I also loosened my grip, and the mare broke down the door in that one charge with all the energy she built up. Right there, I saw something...strange. When I came back to my senses, in front of me was that mare, backing up as the smoke cleared. We saw his Royalty channeling a spell into some kind of...mirror. It was taller than his Royalty, and a blue figurine, just a little taller in appearance of his Royalty...wait, he hasn't seen or heard us break the door?! Surely he would look towards us, or at least raise his attention! As I stepped forwards to inspect what was going on, the mare hastily used her magic, put the door back in place and bolted it, making it look like nothing had happened. All the while shoving me out with her magic. I am truly praying that this wasn't the loudest sound in the world. Otherwise, truly praying...he never noticed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sweating bullets, the mare next to me panicked and tried as hard as she could to not hyperventilate every ten seconds. I couldn't really do anything, sadly, because I was not aloud to leave my post. But I tried as hard as I could to ignore this gasping for air, and tried to hone my ears on the activities happening inside the door. "My sweet, sweet Celestia. It has been long since I have seen you." "Ah, yes, Sombra-" That name...sent chills down my spine...why!? "Please, do tell why you've left me here...for so long...alone..." "Ah, uhm...weeeeeelll..-" I tried to grasp for more info on who this other pony, (presumably mare, by voice,) was. But...I forgot about the unreasonable swine next to me. Once I couldn't hear a single sound inside the door...(except for some giggling...) I took a peek at my "partner," and she was on the ground. I don't know why this spooked her so much, a guard, even mare, should have seen and must have experienced worse. "Get up. You were told to hold guard here by his Highness himself. Do it with honor and not fright." I had a calm face, calm emotion and calm voice as I showed my hoof towards her. She immediately took it, and just sat upright, didn't even bother to stand up. Still hyperventilating, she sat in that position for about a minute. Then...she suddenly...stopped breathing...and stood upright. "S-s-sorry. I-I-I don't like seeing his Majesty using magic...whenever I see it..." Suddenly, in a split second, I saw something I couldn't comprehend... From the glimpse of my eyes, I saw the pony in front of me...glimmer...like a crystal...but what does it mean? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We sat around, standing guard and staying completely silent. But it was hard to not think about just what has happened in the last few days. Common attacks, mirrors, figures, a shiny pony...what is this...? Just as I tried to create an answer, somepony opened the door. Some tall white figurine...with a horn and- WAIT A MOMENT...That's...that's Princess Celestia! Wh-what is she doing with his Royalty!? I immediately flew in front and raised my spear in front of her. "Halt! Don't make another m-" "Guard! Stand down!" I heard somepony in the back yell a command at me... Out came his Royalty, and he screamed the word guard. "But, your Royalty-" "No, don't harm her! Not my Celestia!" I was really confused at this point...Celestia attacks commonly and you call her "my Celestia?" Lowering my spear and guard, I stepped back in front of the door. "Now, listen closely, Commander. This Celestia is sweet and nice. Not like the other one. This one has a different cutie mark, mane, and appearance in general. I want you and all the other guards to always protect her and never harm even a feather on her. Do you understand?" I nodded...and wanted to ask questions. But I had to keep them to myself. Because of...piquing inquiries yet to be studied. "Now, if you would please spread this to other guards. You are off duty for the day as well. "Now, good day." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As the week continued onward, his Royalty was seen...with that "other" Celestia he says is "different." Every other guard is as suspicious as me. We all know Princess Luna can shapeshift into shadows and others, is she manipulating him? Princess Celestia has stopped attacking. Is this because his Royalty is seen all the time cheerfully playing with that...thing. Split personality? I think not. Playful, silly, happy-go-lucky Celestia may appear during the day...but during the night... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile...above in the castle of the Underworld versions of the two Sisters... "Luna! Get your ugly flank over here NOW!" Princess Celestia cried in terror as she made a swift landing onto the balcony and burst the doors open. "Don't shout! Some guards were just about to enter and you scared them away! You know how many hooves we could have broken?!" Princess Luna furiously scolded her sister in rage. "I have a RIGHT to shout you stupid foal. ESPECIALLY in these situations!" "Ugh, whatever. So is Sombra recruiting more guards now or what?" Luna yawned in her usual manner. "Get this; Sombra has some other Celestia with him!" The second Princess Luna heard this, she immediately shouted "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?! You mean like a clone?!" "And you say MY voice is loud..." "Well EXCUUUUUUUSE me PRINCESS. But, do enlighten me as to what this 'Other Celestia' is like." "Its...so...not...me...this other THING calls itself Celestia. Sombra calls is Celestia. Sombra's GUARDS call it-" Luna shoved a hoof in her sister's mouth, and said; "I get it. skip forwards to what's so weird." "This Celestia is...happy. Joyful. Playful. Mad. Weird." Luna and Celestia froze for a brief moment, both comprehending what was just said. "...This, by far, is the worst joke you have ever played on me, sister." Luna equipped her poker face just as she said that. "I really wish this was a bad joke to make you sigh in disbelief, but it isn't! I saw it! With my own eyes!" "Yeah, but I need to see it with MY own eyes now." Just with that, Luna transformed into a puff of red smoke and swept out of the balcony. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~DG~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back at the Castle of Canterlot... For the next couple of days...many a sleepless nights have happened. Every night his Royalty commanded me to take guard of that door we "politely" opened earlier. With that "gleaming" guard I was with earlier. She tried to keep me interested every single time from midnight to morning, and I wasn't really listening to her endless rambles. But when she began talking about his Royalty, my ears perked up and I finally decided to give a listen. "So, you know how that "different Celestia" appeared all of a sudden in that room when Sombra was the only one in, and there weren't any windows and there's only this one door?!" "Yes?" "Okay, I have a theory." "Yes?" "Alright, so I bet that other Celestia is some weird kinda mirror opposite thingy!" "Uhm, please do elaborate in a manor I can understand, miss." "My name is Glowing Moon, for your information! For some egghead like you, I'll explain in a way you can understand." "Thank you." I tried not to grind my teeth in her sight, what a rude little mare. "Sooooooo when we busted in we saw some blue creature being thingy come out of the mirror...now what if Sombra was clicking some magic and breathing life into that mirror, and tried to make a Celestia to counter this one? But made this one all happy-go-lucky to make her more distinct and different?!" Glowing Moon stared at me intently with some puppy-dog eyes, and was looking for some feedback for her theory. "..." "..." "...You think I'm daydreaming too much, don't you?" "No, I think your theory is plausible. I can agree that-" "Ugh, don't LIE to me about it. Be honest, am I the REAL egghead here?" She exploded in front of me, and then suddenly backed down. "I truly do believe that theory is a possibility. It's more believable than those 'Shapeshifting Luna' and 'Contract' campfire stories." "Yeah, so I tried to think of one that would make sense with what I saw!" I got deeper into thought about this whole "mirror creation" fiasco. Luckily, I think Glowing Moon was too, because she suddenly stopped talking about...I'm...not exactly sure, to be honest. But regardless, I began to wonder and get lost into MY daydreams after that impossible-yet-possible theory of hers. So, if what we saw was his Royalty channeling magic into a mirror of power, or something of the sorts, then this Celestia that always joins and plays with him at day has come from that very place, correct? But I find way too many plot holes in this. Why does she only come during the day? For what purpose does his Royalty need for this "secondary Celestia"? Lastly... Why did the Two Evil Sisters stop attacking? One answer at a time, or one every year, I suppose... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Magic and mirrors, ey? Sis is gonna know about this sooner or later, I guess these theories are true." "Hoping this was just some really loose joke that she wanted me to facehoof myself with, wish I could pummel her back with it." Then, with a poof, a cloud of red magic entered the room with the Magic Mirror. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About an hour later, the sunlight rose and his Royalty re-entered the mirror room, and asked if anything suspicious had happened that night. "I wish, this is getting BOOOOOOOOOOOORING" With a yawn and yell, Glowing Moon boomed at his Royalty. "Haha, yes, I know, your shifts are tiring. I apologize, but you are my best guards as of the moment. Strongest and fastest, anyway." "Ahhh morning Sombra~" Some cheery voice echoed across the hallways. "Greeting, Celestia. Are the beds comfortable? Did you sleep nicely?" Celestia came in, and I wondered if his Royalty was right with her looking "different". With a closer inspection, he was right. Her regalia was a yellow hue, golden; for that matter, a yellow sun, not black for cutie mark, this mane wasn't tied back in any sort of way, and she has shoes for regalia, not boots. "Yep! You guards are home free by the w-" In a flash, (quite literally,) Glowing Moon was teleporting and cheering down the hallways. "H-hey! These are MY guards, not YOURS." Celestia reeled her head back and sweated bullets as his Royalty reeled his head in and gleamed a deathly stare at her. "Well, what's done is done. I guess that mare is going off." Celestia shrugged and brought her head back again as his Royalty had an even colder stare this time. "Ah, Dark Grace, your free off now, if you wish." That wasn't his Royalty. That was Celestia. "W-wa-wait how do you know my name?!" I stared in surprise at the Celestia, awaiting a proof-filled answer. "Well, if I'm here, I gotta learn everyponies names, right?" With that, Celestia and his Royalty walked off." I guess, if I get the option to do my job, then I can take it. I've gone 3 restless nights before, doesn't mean I can do it again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I guess I miss Glowing Moon's mindless babbling. Because I am actually starting to tire on guard duty. I could get off anytime I wish but I don't want to. Like a force here is compelling me to do it over my will. But at the same time, I know I can get off shift, and want to do it. Odd, is it because I'm in presence of this door? No that can't be it. Because I'd lost all common sense at that point, what was good and what wasn't... My hoof touched the handle of the door I'd been guarding. And I slowly pushed and heard it creak open. "Wait...what am I doing?!" I clasped my other hoof on the one I suddenly couldn't control, but a red cloud suddenly stopped it, and I suddenly lost control of myself. Awaiting an outcome, I tried as best as I could to move even a feather on my wings. No luck. Once the door was open, I saw something that I thought was just a campfire tale. "Ohoho~ look at the widdle pwetty guawd pwotecting this here portal!" A red magic surrounded me, I could move, but was being floated midair. Princess Luna. "So you WERE being a shadow of Celest-" "Oh come ONNNN you can't believe those theories. Those guards? Regular. You guard? Commander. Why believe such tall tales?" Flipping her tongue out at me, she spat. "...So you aren't the perpetrator?" "Nope~ I came to this room after a few injuries to investigate!" Luna cheerfully clapped her hooves together whilst holding me above. "Fine. Why did you bring me in here the-GAH" Suddenly, I was tossed across the room, in front of the mirror. "Weeeeelll...I need a tester to come out!" "Wait...you can't seriously be suggesting-" "Oh yeah! Now lets see if this cloning thing works!" Soon, Luna' horn began to glow a dark crimson, and a beam of light shot towards the mirror. It began to glow a strange gray...and started showing off a horrific aura. I could feel it seeping darkness into me. "Awhhhh...it isn't a clone device...darn it. Stupid campfire ponies. This woulda been the BEST. ARMY. EVER." "Wait...you overheard me and-" "Yes, you are a cute couple, I get it. kiss kiss smooch smooch." I flushed into a rosebush of red. "Wrong Ide-" "But I was HOPING you would get into that door so I could test out this thing and see if your theories were true. Being commanders, it isn't hard to believe your smarter than the rest." "Anywho, lets see what we got here..." The magic from Luna's horn began levitating me towards the glowing mirror...and all of a sudden, my body went through. She quickly reeled me back in surprise. "W-w-woah! That...would be so fun to TORTURE WITH." Passing me back and forth through the portal, I suddenly cried out. "LET ME GO YOU FIEND!" "Boo hoo. Let me have some fun every now and again, 'kay, comanndeer? Suddenly, hoofsteps were heard nearby...quick ones, at that. "Awh, guess they already found out. Party pooper. Anyway, have fun wherever this goes~" This time, when I was sent into the portal, it was for real. And I immediately blacked out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When I awoke, I was resting on...a bush? With some beautiful berries, ranging from a regular white to the whole spectrum of relaxing colors. I slowly rolled off, and tried to get up, but my muscles were too tired to even lift up a hoof. After all, I was just teleported and put into a mirror multitudes of times. But my sore muscles would be the least worrying thing here. Once I could at least rotate my head a little, my eyes widened, my wings opened...and a shroud of pain covered my head in a matter of seconds. I cried out in a thrashing rage, and my whole body was suddenly active again. The pain grew and grew, and I suddenly blacked out again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I was...in a room. With white walls, golden doors and a table. I saw myself too- wait, what? I tried to interact, but I couldn't touch or talk to anyone. I was mute, and a possible ghost. My other self began walking around, and chatting with others... W-wait...how do I know that's ME?! I know it...I don't see it though! Something tells me that IS me though... The armor the guards and myself wore, it was golden...like Celestia's regalia... This layout looks like a conference room...like the one in Canterlot Castle...but brighter... What is happening?! "Heyo, Darkie~" A mare came up and slapped me in the back of the neck, as I rubbed it...I began...laughing along with her? This isn't my personality at all... "Greetings, Glowing Blossom." I got another slap, and this time, I wasn't laughing. "No need to be so formal, ya dingus. Names Bloom, that's that, got it?" With a cold stare, I shakily nodded my head...I know this mare? "Soooo whatcha up to?" Glowing Blossom stood on her hind legs and moved her head forwards me while holding her hooves together. "More guard duties from the Princesses...they just won't stop getting mo-" Wait...did I just say Princesses? But it's just his- Suddenly, what I expect to be a mailmare busted in. Wait a minute...isn't that an Element of Disharmony? "Mailmare Derpy ready for buisness~ Mister Grace, where is he?" No glasses and crashing into everything that can fall or break. This is one weird place. "Dark Grace, right here!" I waved my hoof towards Derpy. "You have been summoned by Celestia. She wanted for me to tell you that, she's too busy to say it herself, apparently." Summoned by Princess Celestia, I assume? Wait...then that Princess I work for... I help the mischievous and despairing Celestia!? So, I ran out the doors and went somewhere. Suddenly, a white glow surrounded me...and I teleported somewhere. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I was...at a throne room? With glass panes with ponies that- h-hey! These panes have ponies on them with name labels on them...kinda reminds me of his Royalty's throne room. But these have different ponies on them, and ACTUAL ponies...not like Chrysalis. I looked around, but the second I turned my head I locked onto something I couldn't comprehend. The large door to the room slowly creaked open, and I walked in. "Dark Grace...I'm sorry I couldn't call you personally." "No need to apologize, Princess. What is it that you require?" "Ah, I should apologize. Especially for the task that I ask you of." Task? From CELESTIA? ME? Wait...this is that "other" Celestia. The "nice" Celestia that was wandering with his Royalty. "Hm, whatever do you mean, Princess?" "Follow. I must show you something." Princess Celestia walked behind her throne, and invited me over. I ran towards the back of the throne...and I tagged along with "myself". "Okay, now stand back for a moment, if you'd please." I backed off...both of me. Suddenly, a huge ray of magic shot into the crystal in the back...and it turned a beautiful shade of gray. It suddenly backed out, and showed on the middle right side of the throne. Celestia reached out, grabbed the crystal, and turned it. I was shocked at what had happened. It didn't matter if I couldn't control my body. Celestia reeled her hoof back immediately, and she began stepping towards the throne. With a flash of light, she passed through. My other self was shocked...but I began to take a step forward...and I was gone. And another blinding light pushed me into a vortex, and I teleported again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Okay, so do you know of a Star Swirl, by chance?" I heard Celestia speak, and I was in some kind of old archive of books and scribbles. I turned towards Celestia and- what?! That's...that's... that's the mirror that we saw when we broke down his Royalty's door and saw channeling magic into! "Erhm, if I recall the stories...he was a magical wizard with gifted powers beyond natural, correct?" "Yep. He was with me ages ago when he still existed." ...Not getting any memories on this one...odd... "Hm, interesting. Explains how he got such amazing magics." "Ah, no...Star Swirl didn't get his magic from me. He got it from this mirror here." Celestia pointed her hoof and touched the mirror. "Uhm, regular old mirrors and magic? I'm sorry, but I don't quite follow... "Okay, if you promise me you'll give me a listen, and never tell the other guards about this...I will tell you what this is all about." "I swear it on my honor as a Commander." "Fair enough." Celestia let her hoof lose of the mirror, and stepped back, looking at me again. "So, this mirror here is a prototype of a certain mirror elsewhere...if you know the correct spell, there is a way to activate it. Upon activation, you can cross into different dimensions with some, well, MANY other features. "So Star Swirl took advantage of this, and learned the magic of this world.. "But after a while, after a mistake that I had created...he sealed off the portal." ...? Then how did you get- "However, after years of research, I've been able to regain access to this world...but...I know now that this dimension has lesser guards compared to us. I have a high request for you..." ...Don't tell me... "...Please, I ask that you guard the lands and owner of this dimension...you don't have to take it, if you do not wish..." Celestia stared intently at me, awaiting an answer. "...It is by your hoof that I, Dark Grace, Commander of the Pegasus Guards...accept this invitation." I was shocked...taking request, by Celestia?! "Okay, then step back a little more and look behind you as you go." Celestia and me stepped back...and a beam of light from Celestia's pointy horn crossed paths into the mirror...and it lit up...with that same feeling of dread when Luna hit it. "Wait, before I cross...who exactly is it that I'm going to help...?" "King Sombra." "Uh, okay, backing down now..." I turned my flank to guarding his Royalty...this is...uhm... Not acceptable. "No, wait! This Sombra isn't evil, he's...he's..." Right as I was about to fly out of the archives...Celestia spat it out "I love him!" "...What." Took the words right out of my mouth. "I have wanted to see him for so long...and he needs guards! He's nice, kind, polite, like me! Not like that evil shadow one!" "Hm, it is another dimension...I guess I should take your word for it. After all, the Princess would never lie, right?" "Yep! That's right!" I am lost, really, really lost. "Is there anything that will change? When I pass through, I mean." "No, just a shaky arrival and you should be okay!" "Well, I fare thee well, Princess Celestia of Equestria." And with that, I charged towards the portal. "A Princess will never lie, huh? "Guess I should have told him of that I placed a memory loss spell... "Ugh, horsefeathers...I feel awful now..." ...Memory loss... ...Now that she mentions it... ...Is...is this...what happened? ...It would explain why I have a creeping feeling about all this... ... ...Have I always been a guard of this... "Princess Celestia of Equestria?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I suddenly popped back into reality... Then, my eyes went upwards. And I fainted.