//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 - From Zero to Hero // Story: Minecraft Beginnings // by The EnderPony Master //------------------------------// The next day, Shadow woken up quite early thanks to a certain lavender pony, and gotten plenty to eat for work. Although, breakfast was something new to Shadow. He never had Hay Bacon or Hay Pancakes before. Let alone didn't think he could craft two food together. After breakfast, Twilight and Shadow were walking to Town Hall to speak with the mayor about the Community Service assignment he had to do. On the way, the ponies from yesterday stopped what ever routine they were doing and tried not to make any eye contact with Shadow while remaining silent. This made Shadow uncomfortable. "Uh, Twilight?" Shadow whispered. "Are you sure it's a good idea for me to do my work today? We could do it tomorrow and I just teleport to this Town Hall." "I'm sure," Twilight replied. "If you're going to do your job, than it's better to do it now than later. Also, you're going to show yourself when working anyway. It'll be good for your image. That fight you and the princesses put up did frightened some of the residents, and you need to show them that you are not a threat." "I guess." "By the way, when you fought Princess Luna and won, was that you full strength or were you pushing yourself to achieve victory?" "Well, I can honestly say that was only half of my power I used." Now Twilight's jaw was about to hit the ground. 'What does he mean by 'half of my power'?!' Twilight thought. 'Does that mean he's stronger than normal? Could he have beaten Celestia if he hadn't surrendered? Also, what type of magic and abilities does Shadow pose? I'm going to have to ask when he come back home later.' Twilight's thought's were cut off as she bumped into somepony. "Oh, I'm so sorry." Fluttershy said. "I didn't mean to get in your way." "It's okay Fluttershy," Twilight replied. "I'm actually sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." Fluttershy soon saw Shadow and flew up hugged him. "Oh, hi Shadow. I didn't see you there. How were you this morning?" "I'm doing good." Shadow replied. "Thanks for asking. By the way, what were you doing before we ran into you?" "Oh, well, I was just heading home from the market to feed some of the animals at my cottage. Then, I was going to have a picnic with Barry the bear." Shadow was confused. "What's a bear?" This also confused both mares. "What do you mean 'What's a bear?'?" Twilight spoke. "Don't you have animals in this Craftia?" "Well, the only animal I ever see are Wolves, Ocelots, Sheep, Cows, Bats, Chickens, Rabbits, and-" Shadow stopped right there. He didn't want to risk offending them and making a weird situation. "-and that's about it." Fluttershy and Twilight seemed very shocked. "There's actually only those kinds of animals in Craftia?!" Fluttershy barely yelled. "You have to see some of the animals we have in Equestria. Maybe later, you could come to my cottage and meet my animal friends after your first day of community service, if... that's okay with you." "Sure, that would be nice Fluttershy. Anyway, I don't want to be rude or anything, but I'm going to run late and I need to go." "Oh, well, okay. I got to go too, and I hope you have a good time of your community service." They both said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Twilight and Shadow finally got to Town Hall. Although, Shadow was wondering on why it has so many boarded up holes all around the roof. When they got in, there were ponies working on paperwork and what not. Twilight trotted up to the receptionist who is also doing paperwork. "Hello" Twilight spoke. "My name is Twilight Sparkle and I'm here with my friend, Shadow, and we're here to speak with the Mayor for his first day of community service." The receptionist looked up with a smile. "Oh, hello there." She said cheerfully. "The Mayor was expecting you two. She's in her office waiting for both of you." Twilight nodded and trotted to the office with Shadow in tow. "Oh, good morning you two," Mayor Mare greeted. "I assume that you are here for you first day of community service?" "Yes mam," Shadow replied. "So, what's my assignments for today?" "Well let's see," Mayor Mare grabbed a paper out of her desk. "It seems you don't have that much to do today. All you have to do is help Miss Pie or Pinkie Pie with her pastry delivery, assist the local construction team with their current project, and you have to help a stallion name Big Macintosh get two carts full of apples to a buyer in Canterlot." "Too let you know, I barely know this place or some of the ponies that live here or there." "Don't worry, once you arrive to your assign destinations, your instructors will inform you everything you need." "Alright then..." With that, Shadow and Twilight got out of the office, said their goodbyes, and went their separate ways. 'Alright Shadow,' Shadow thought to himself. 'This is the most important job of the day. You got to make a good impression. I'm going to complete this no matter how challenging, difficult, or ridiculous it is-' 10 Minutes Later '-This was way easier than I expected.' What basically happened was that Shadow teleported to each of the Pinkie's customer's address, build the house project in an incredible speed, and again teleported Big Mac and the carts to Canterlot and back. He finished all of his today's assignments in no time and it haven't gotten to noon. Shadow decided to go to Fluttershy's cottage and meet these 'other' animals she was talking about. When he was about to leave Sweet Apple Acres from his previous job, he heard a scream coming from this 'Everfree Forest' Twilight mentioned this morning. With out hesitation, Shadow ran through the bushes and trees. What he found shocked and angered him. There in front of him were three fillies cornered by a what seems to be a creature combined with a lion, bat, and a scorpion. It roared as it raised it's paws to end the fillies as the girls braced for their end, but the pain never came as Shadow teleported in front of the girls and grabbed the up coming paw. "Listen to me creature!" Shadow yelled. "Are you going to leave these fillies alone, or are we going to have a problem?!" The Manticore brought it's other paw down and tried to swing at it's lunch, but Shadow grabbed the three fillies and teleported a few feet from where they were and told them to get help, which they hesitated but comply. "OH, YOU DID IT NOW!! I GUESS WERE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM-" *SSSSCCCCRRRREEEECCCHHH* The Manticore let out a huge roar and charged at Shadow, but he missed and crashes through a tree as Shadow teleported away. The Manticore wasted no time and stabbed Shadow in the right front leg with his stinger. Shadow screeched in pain as he started to bleed. The Manticore smiled as he thought his foe ready to give up, but his face turned from pride to fear as he looked at his opponent. Shadow's eyes was glowing dark red as he bit in his own wound, sucked up all the poison from his veins, and spit it on the ground. Shadow made an evil grin. "Big mistake." *SSSCCCRRREEEEEEEEEEECCCCHHH* Shadow teleported behind the Manitcore and grabbed his scorpion tail. With of his strength, he flipped the surprised beast over his head and slammed him to the ground again, again, and again. Until... *SNAP* The Manticore let out a loud roar of pain as his tail was ripped off. Shadow lifted up the Manticore and sent it flying across the forest like a pebble skipping in a pond as it now lies dead on the ground. Satisfied, Shadow let out a victory screech that shook the forest. Pain finally got to him as he fell to his side. Before he passes out, he saw ten familiar ponies coming towards him in his direction.