//------------------------------//
// Part 1 
// Story: In the Shadows 
// by JLBDreamer 
//------------------------------//

Fluttershy labored under the weight of a large basket as she approached the front door of the Canterlot Home for Orphaned Colts and Fillies.  As she shifted the precarious load at the top of the stairs, sweat drops began to slide down her cheeks. 
 
“Just a little bit more,” she encouraged herself.
 
One step.  Two steps.  Three steps.  She was now within reach of the doorbell.  Carefully taking the string in her teeth, she pulled it, trying to control the trembling of her legs.
 
A brown-colored mare opened the door, and after a moment she smiled.  “Oh, you must be Miss Fluttershy dropping off the load of toys from the Princesses.”
 
“Y-Yes…” Fluttershy gasped swaying slightly under her burden.
 
“Oh, here let me take that from you!”  The mare lifted the basket easily and set it in the middle of the floor.
 
Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile watching the curious gazes from the foals surrounding her in the large room.  When she heard that the Princesses were going to give the orphanage toys and financial support, she had asked to take part.  What she hadn’t counted on was they insisted she be the public face of their charity project.  She naturally was frightened of such a public role, but looking at the faces of these foals made her feel good about taking that risk.
 
“Go ahead,” the mare prodded Fluttershy.
 
“Hello?  Excuse me, would you please give me your attention.”  the mare uttered in a voice that was barely above a whisper.  Seeing this didn’t attract the attention she desired, the soft-spoken pony took a deep breath and raised her voice from a whisper to a more normal volume. “Excuse me, colts and fillies!  I have a wonderful announcement.”  A few looked her way but most ignored her.
 
The director of the orphanage seeing this decided to take over.  “Foals, please look this way!  Everyone!   Attention!”
 
This time every little pony in the room stopped and looked their way.  The mare nodded at Fluttershy encouraging her to continue.
 
“Fillies and colts, I have a wonderful announcement.  The royal Princesses Celestia and Luna have sent me with presents for all of you!” 
 
The foals cheered and clapped.
 
“Please, line up and I’ll hand you each a toy.”  the yellow pegasus said happily as the foals rushed over and thankfully waited without much pushing and shoving.  It was an organized affair with the Director suggesting a toy from the basket for each foal and Fluttershy giving it to him or her.  Her attention was drawn to a doorway on the far side of the room where the head of a unicorn foal was peeking out.
 
“You, over there. Come and get in line,” Fluttershy called to him with a smile.
 
Though the hallway was dark, she could make out that young colt’s red eyes widened.  Suddenly he fell forward into the great room capturing everyone’s attention.
 
“Oh no! It’s Shadow!” squeaked the pegasus filly at the head of the line.
 
Fluttershy frowned as she heard similar reactions from the other colts and fillies in the line to the young colt identified as Shadow.  She watched as the young, blank-flanked unicorn’s ears flattened. His light grey muzzle accentuated his frown, it was such a contrast in comparison with his smoky coat and raven mane, while he glanced around the room.  At last he looked up at her with suspicion and the mare gave him a kind smile.
 
“I wouldn’t suggest letting him in here,” the Director suddenly whispered in Fluttershy’s ear.  “It will ruin it for the rest of the foals.”
 
Fluttershy couldn’t believe what she just heard from the Director.
 
“That doesn’t seem very fair to me,” Fluttershy said, glaring at the bay mare at her side.
 
“Charcoal, please go to your room.  We’ll bring the basket to you in a little while,” the Director instructed the foal, and he slunk away.
 
Fluttershy watched the young colt creep away into the dark hallway.  Strangely enough, she could almost swear the darkness in the hallway retreated with him.  She swept her gaze across all of the fillies and colts in the room and could see the fear and uncertainty that filled them replaced with relief at his departure.
 
“Miss Fluttershy, let’s finish this.”
 
Fluttershy nodded in reply to the Director.  She smiled reassuringly at the young ones in front of her as she resumed handing out the toys, though the unicorn foal's dejected expression stuck to the back of her mind.  When the last foal took his pick, she picked up the last three toys in the basket.
 
“Miss Fluttershy, what are you doing?” the Director queried.
 
“Could you please point me in the direction of the young unicorn’s room?  You called him Charcoal, I believe.”
 
“You don’t have to take those to him.  I can do it,”  the mare said nervously.
 
“Why are all of you are afraid of that poor baby?”
 
“Miss Fluttershy, he is something of a special case.  You see, strange things always happen when he’s around, especially when he’s asleep, and nopony can figure out why.  Perhaps it’s a curse, but I’ve found it best to keep him away from other ponies as much as possible.”
 
“He’s cursed?”
 
“At least his Shadow is.  There are times when it disappears completely and others when it doesn’t even look like it belongs to him.  The little ponies here swear it has a life of its own and hurts them.  That’s why they call him Shadow and not by his true name.”
 
Fluttershy felt uneasiness in the pit of her stomach, yet her heart was still aching.  These ponies were afraid of this Shadow and had never tried to help him with this curse.  Instead they seemed to shut him away from life’s activities. 
 
“Well, if it’s just the same to you, I’d like to take him these toys to pick from,” she insisted quietly.
 
“Fine.  Follow me.”  The Director trotted ahead and led her down the hallway to a flight of stairs.  “He’s up in the attic.  I made him a room up there.  Nopony wants to share a room with him anymore.”
 
The timid pony nodded and took a deep breath ascending as she did.  ‘It will be fine.  He’s just a scared little colt.  He didn’t seem dangerous’.  Reaching the top of the flight, she tapped lightly on the door.  “Excuse me.  I’ve brought the toys up so you can pick one.”
 
After a moment the door cracked open and the mare was nearly blinded by the flood of light pouring out from the room.        As she blinked, the colt regarded her suspiciously and craned his neck over seeing the toys she had balancing between her wings.  “Okay, I guess you can come in.”
 
He trotted straight into the center of the room, plopping down there.  Fluttershy glanced around, noting the dozen or so lamps that surrounded the colt, leaving his shadow a mere pool around where he sat.  Tentatively, she moved in front of him and pulled the toys off of her back, placing them in front of the unicorn.
 
He perused each of his three choices in turn.  There was a toy figure of a knight in armor, a rabbit stuffed animal and a small drum.  His eyes seemed to linger on the knight figure and he reached out for it.  It was then she couldn’t help but notice the shadow his leg cast after everything the Director had claimed.  When the unicorn’s hoof nearly touched his prize, his shadow and that of the toy’s met.  She jumped as the toy knight figure suddenly flew across the room.
 
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that,” he said, cringing.
 
“Its okay.  They told me about your problem.”  The mare silently gulped trying to ignore the fact that her heart began to race.
 
The crestfallen foal slumped to the floor.  “Yeah, I guess he doesn’t like knights.”
 
“He?” Fluttershy carefully observed the young pony.  His downcast crimson eyes spoke of no malice, but exhaustion and resignation.
 
“I don’t think of it as my shadow.”
 
All of Fluttershy’s fear melted away with pity.  Ponies had often accused her of being afraid of her own shadow, but in this poor colt’s case he truly was afraid.  If what she had seen was any indication, the rumors were true, and he had reason to be.
 
“Here, why don’t you take this one?”  She picked up the bunny in her mouth and set it directly in front of him with a smile.  “He reminds me very much of my friend Angel Bunny.”
 
“You have a rabbit?  A real one?” he asked, meeting her gaze inquisitively.
 
“Yes I do, and lots of other animal friends.”
 
“I’m afraid to have a pet,” he whispered sadly.
 
“Do you like animals?”
 
“Yeah, I guess.”  He shrugged nonchalantly.
 
“I do, too.  My special talent is that I can talk to them.”  Fluttershy prodded hoping he would open up further.
 
“That’s kind of a cool talent.”  He ventured a tiny smile, and the mare met it with a warm one of her own.
 
“My name is Fluttershy.”
 
“You can call me Shadow, I guess.  That’s what they all call me here.”
 
“You’re sure you don’t want me to call you Charcoal?”
 
“I don’t really feel like Charcoal fits me anymore.  There’s more him than me sometimes I think.”
 
Fluttershy was now filled with resolve.  The poor little colt was hopeless and helpless in the face of whatever this evil that lurked in his own shadow was.  She was the Element of Kindness, one of the guardians of harmony in Equestria, and she wouldn’t leave him to some terrible fate.
 
“What if I told you I know someone that can help you?”  she asked gently placing a hoof on his cheek.
 
“Really?”
 
“She’s a very talented alicorn princess, and she knows just about everything there is to know about magic.  I’m sure she could break the curse on you.”
 
“You know a Princess?” She watched as a tiny spark of hope and wonder entered Shadow’s expression.
 
“I know several.”
 
“They would help me?”
 
“I’m sure of it.  I just need to talk to the Director and arrange it.”
 
“Thank you!”  he cried suddenly clinging to her neck.
 
Fluttershy smiled and enclosed him in a warm embrace.  She wondered how long it had been since he had dared such a gesture as she stroked his ebony mane.  The sweet moment was broken as she felt a cold chill and a menacing voice filled her head.  'You were there',  it accused acidly.
 
Fluttershy froze and gasped.  She instantly regretted her reaction when Shadow tensed and released his hold on her. She pulled away slowly so as not to alarm the foal but he was frowning.
 
“I don’t think he likes you,” he said, his voice quivering a bit.
 
“Don’t worry Shadow. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”  Fighting her fear with each wooden step, she exited the room and closed the door behind her.  She collapsed, her eyes filled with tears.  'I swear I’ll find you help.  No foal deserves to live in fear of his own shadow.'
 

***

 
Three days later, Shadow watched through a window as Fluttershy stood in front of the orphanage directing some work ponies loading up his trunk onto a cart.

It was hard to comprehend the events of the last few days.  Why the kind and gentle mare was bothering with him, he just couldn’t understand.  'She thinks she can help you, Slave'.  He shook his head trying to silence the dark voice but it was useless.  'She will come to her end just as all the others have that have resisted me.'
 
“No! I won’t let you hurt her!” He shouted out loud.  The other ponies in the room stared at him.  One of these ponies was the Director and he saw the worry on her face.
 
“Wait here, Charcoal,” the mare said, exiting the room.  He watched until she had exited his line of sight and then cracked open the door to take a peek.
 
“Miss Fluttershy, are you sure about this?  You know you could take him to see the Princesses without taking him home with you.”  The Director told her and he silently began wishing the Pegasus would listen.
 
“Don’t worry I know what I’m doing.  This isn’t the right sort of place for Charcoal Shadow.”  He was taken aback by not only her determination, despite her obvious nervousness, but by how she expressed his name.  He’d never heard both his name and the term that other orphans had been using to describe him spoken together.
 
“But becoming his legal guardian is a pretty drastic step.”  The bay earth pony asserted.
 
'Guardian?  Did she actually adopt me?'  he wondered to himself.  Thankfully He didn’t seem to want to comment on this revelation.
 
“I want him to have as normal a life as he can, and I don’t think anypony else will be willing to give that to him as things are.  If he wants to go live with somepony else once he’s cured of his curse,  I won’t mind. Right now he needs to be close to the ponies that can help him the best.”
 
As she spoke, the young colt tentatively came outside glancing around himself nervously.  His eyes at last rested on the ground where his shadow loomed much larger than his small frame could possibly cast.  It all felt so surreal.  Somepony actually wanted to help him and didn’t want to leave him alone with his tormentor. 
 
“Miss…”
 
“No, it's alright. Just call me Fluttershy.”  The kind mare said, brushing back his mane with a smile.
 
“Fluttershy, are you sure this Princess really wants to meet me?” Shadow asked.
 
“Yes.  She asked me to bring you to the Castle before I take you home.”
 
“I wish you both luck.”  the Director stated before turning and trotting back inside.
 
“Let’s walk there.  It’s a lovely day,”  Fluttershy smiled at the foal.
 
“Okay…” the colt said reluctantly, glancing nervously at the ground as his constant companion silently ghosted his every step.
 
The mare walked slowly, matching the colt’s short strides. “You don’t have to be afraid, Shadow.  I know we can help you.”
 
He nodded, thinking of all the stories she had told him over the last two days about all of the Element Bearers' adventures.  Shadow had enjoyed them, and they filled him with a hope that he hadn’t dared to have since what had happened to his Father.  'That’s right.  Do you want her to end up like your Father?  Run away.  Run now and then I won’t hurt her.'

“Shadow?”
 
“Its nothing.”
 
Ever since the mare had shown up, the voice kept urging him to run away.  He was caught between wanting to listen to his tormentor and not wanting to give in.  If He was telling him to run, was He afraid that this Princess could expel him from Shadow’s mind?
 
“Is it the voice?”  she asked as she led him along.
 
“I told you he doesn’t like you. I think, he really doesn’t like this Princess.”
 
“Why do you say that?”
 
“I feel his hate when you talk about her,”  Shadow answered the mare’s question before a sharp pain in his head made him stop.
 
“Shadow.”  Fluttershy rushed over and placed a hoof under his muzzle.  “You don’t have to say anything more.”
 
He nodded and quietly followed her until they reached the gate.  The guards seemed to know Fluttershy well, and he glanced away taking in the impressive palace.  It was so big, and he could hardly believe he was there to meet a Princess.
 
A unicorn stepped forward and saluted the two ponies.  “I have been instructed to teleport both of you to the royal audience chamber upon your arrival.”
 
Fluttershy nodded and looked down at Shadow.  “Stay close.”  She told him as the stallion approached.  His horn glowed crimson, and they all teleported away. Suddenly he found himself groggily falling to a carpeted floor.
 
“Fluttershy!  You made it!”
 
Shadow blinked as a purple alicorn raced over and hugged the pegasus.  He realized who it was.  He had been there in the crowd during Princess Twilight Sparkle’s coronation.
 
“This must be Charcoal Shadow,”  the Princess said.
 
Shadow suddenly noticed all eyes in the room were on him.  It wasn’t just the Princess of Friendship, but also a small dragon and two larger alicorns.  He caught his breath as they approached.
 
“Welcome, My Little Pony” Princess Celestia said to him.
 
“This is the foal?”  the darker alicorn noted laying a measured gaze upon him. In response, a hiss echoed through his mind, and Shadow found his legs giving way under him.  “Certainly, there is dark magic about him.”  She watched him in concern.
 
“Its okay, Shadow,” Fluttershy said, linking her foreleg with his and helping him stand.
 
“Uh, guys.  That isn’t his shadow is it?”  The dragon stared wide-eyed as the apparition grew in size on the marbled tiles.
 
All eyes turned behind him.  Shadow didn’t need to look.  He knew that his tormentor had decided to reveal himself. 
 
“Yes, it’s a stallion’s shadow, and not that of a young colt,”  Princess Celestia declared.
 
The shadow moved.  Charcoal could tell when it did.  He could also feel it connect with the other’s shadows.  'Leave us be Princess, or this foal shall regret it.'

Fluttershy cried out nearly losing her grip on him.  They all had heard Him.  Shadow could tell from the looks of astonishment on their faces.
 
“Thy voice is familiar to Us,”  Luna stated with a look of concentration.
 
'You all will pay.' The shadow shifted and retreated back to hiding in the silhouette of the colt’s own shadow.  His tormentor’s reaction to the Princesses gave rise to a scrap of hope in Charcoal Shadow’s heart.
 
“Can you help me?” Shadow’s eyes welled up with tears.
 
The Princess of the Night approached him.  “We have some experience with darker magics.  Often times, much can be learned in the dreamscape when dealing with such matters.”
 
Shadow went limp.  He couldn’t move his head as his eyelids fell closed. “No!” He heard himself scream.  Fluttershy grabbed him as his horn flared to life and he began thrashing around against his will.  'You see, Slave?  You belong to me.'
 
“If it frightens you, of course my sister won’t enter your dreams.  Please rest easy my little pony,”  he heard the monarch supreme of Equestria state.
 
“Of course, We won’t invade thy dreams if it is unwanted,”  Luna’s voice said calmly.
 
At her words Charcoal Shadow felt the alien control relax.  'Say nothing.' He blinked slowly looking up into Fluttershy’s large teal eyes.  A gnawing, noxious feeling sat in the pit of his stomach, warning him not to defy his tormentor.
 
“Yes. There are other ways of figuring this out.  You brought his records right Fluttershy?”  Twilight asked her friend.
 
“They're right in the saddle bag.”  Fluttershy said, dipping her head in their direction.
 
Shadow watched as the lavender alicorn opened the bag with her magic and levitated the file over into her hooves.  “There has to be some clue in here about where he came from.  I’ll take a trip if I have to, because someone has to know how Shadow was cursed.  If we know that, we will be one step closer to a cure.”
 
“Thank you so much Twilight.”  The pegasus gently supported the colt’s stance.
 
“Charcoal Shadow, I promise we will find a way to free you of this curse.”  He gazed back at Twilight and nodded his head woodenly in reply.
 
“Fluttershy are you sure you don’t want to stay in the castle while Twilight is investigating?  You and young Charcoal Shadow would be welcome for as long as it would be needed,”  Princess Celestia declared.
 
“No.  I think a normal home is what would be best for him right now.  He is welcome in my home.”
 
“After the display of this shadow’s power, thou still wants him in thy home with no protection?”
 
“I appreciate your concern, Princess Luna, but we’ll be fine.  Besides I won’t be alone for very long. Discord is supposed to visit, and I’m sure he’d be able to handle anything that comes up.  I’m sure you’ll have learned what you need in a few days.  We will be back here then anyway.”
 
Twilight sighed.  “Alright, but I’m writing the girls and they’ll stop in, too.”
 
Fluttershy nodded and then looked down at Shadow once again.  “Come on,  let’s go home.  It looks like you could use some rest, so maybe you can nap on the train.”
 
“No,” he said softly as Fluttershy walked with him to the door.  “I can’t.”  He tried not to close his eyes even though he felt drained of all energy. The colt couldn’t go to sleep.  He was angry and couldn’t be left to act on the dark thoughts being whispered at the back of Shadow’s mind.