It was a peaceful morning when Shadow came back to Ponyville with Mirror Coat. It was sad that he failed to find the lost Slime Pony, but he guessed that Justin will show up later in the future. He just needs time to think. As of right now, Shadow was at the front door to Twilight's home when he thought of something. Obviously, the Changelings and Ponies did not have a good history together. What will he do if the others find out about Mirror? They are going to find out eventually anyway. Being her new guardian, he must protect her as much as he can. Maybe he can try to soften the situation a bit if he try talking with them first. Yeah, that might work.
"Alright, Mirror." Shadow said with a whisper. "This is my friend's house. When I open it, I want you to stay close to me."
"Okay..." Mirror said as she wraps around Shadow's foreleg tightly.
With a sigh, Shadow opened the door, only to reveal Spike sitting on a bean-bag, reading some comic book.
"Morning, Spike."
"Shadow?" Spike asked taking his eyes off from the comic. "Shadow! It is you! Where have you been?! Twilight was so worried about you!"
"I've been out trying to find Justin all night. His tracks had gone cold after awhile. So I lost him, but I believe he'll turn out again later on though."
"Well, okay. But, you should of checked in next time. Twilight barely had any sleep. She kept pacing around and going on about how you could be in danger"
"Well... she was kinda right on that." Shadow said nervously.
"Wait, did you really get into trouble?"
"You can say that... where's Twilight by the way?"
"Oh, she went to SugarCube Corner with the girls for Pinkie's new 'Breakfast Surprise' she created. Something tells me it involves a lot of sweets."
Shadow sighed with relief. At least he can do this quickly before something does happen.
"Spike, can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, anything's possible."
"I need you to get the girls and have them meet us at Applejack's farm for a meeting."
"Okay, wait, who else is coming?"
"Okay, I'm going to show you, but promise me that you won't scream or run away."
"Uhh... sure." Spike said unsure.
With a nob, Shadow move out of the way to reveal a tiny Changeling with a curious look on her face.
"Oh my gosh! A Changeling!" Spike panicked.
Right before Spike could get a chance to run out the door, Shadow teleported in front of the purple scaled dragon and quickly closed the door before anypony else could hear.
"Spike! You agreed to not scream and run away, but you did the complete opposite!" Shadow said glaring.
"But you didn't say that it would be a Changeling! Me and the girls had to deal with those things before!"
"First off, it's a she, not an it. Second, her name is Mirror Coat. Finally, she's just a child. I mean, look at her. Does that look like danger to you?"
Spike turned his head towards Mirror. She is staring back with confusion.
"Well... not really now that I have a good look at her." Spike said as he relaxed a little. "Although, I'm not sure if the others will agree."
"That's why I wanted you to go and get them so I can show them to her."
"I'm having a bad feeling about this."
"Don't worry, I'm sure as friends, they will understand."
"Alright, but I hope your right."
"I hope so too."
With a nob, Spike set out to get the Mane 6 for the meeting. Shadow took one last check before putting Mirror on his back and teleporting to Sweet Apple Acres.
It didn't took long to appear at the door step of the Apple's house. It didn't take a genius to tell that Shadow was really nervous about the meeting. He knows that there will be a lot of arguing. But what got Shadow to worry the most is the possibility of the Royal Guards showing up and taking Mirror away. Well, he could easy take them out, but the idea of repeating the same mistake in this world was not really something he was looking forward to.
"Oh, hey there partner."
Shadow's train of thought were cut short from a very familiar deep voice.
"Oh, hi Big Mac. How long have you been standing there?"
"Not long, but I could ask you the same thing."
"I'm just... really nervous. I have something that might break the friendship I have with the girls."
"I'm sure it isn't that bad."
"You have no idea."
"Well, whatever problem you have, I sure that the others look past it. They're your friends after all, and if I a thing or two, then I know that friends are suppose to support each other no matter what."
"Gee, thanks Big Mac. That means a lot."
"You're welcome. Well, I got to get going. Got apples to sell."
With that, the large red stallion headed off into the distance with a cart of apple in tow. Just as Shadow was about to go in and say good morning to Yo and Granny Smith, there was scream sounding off from the distance. Shadow traced it to the familiar red barn. With worry ratings reaching to high levels, Shadow turned his head towards his back and to his horror, there were no traces of the tiny Changeling that was suppose to stay close to him. That's when Shadow gotten the idea.
'Herobrine dammit!! She must of wondered off on her own!'
Shadow quickly teleported to entrance of the barn and what he saw is the girls cornering the now whimpering Mirror to the edge of the wall. What got Shadow's attention was the large bruise on the right side of the tiny Changeling's face. There was something brewing within Shadow that he knew all too well.
'What...no! I can't.... not them.... not here..... not now!' Shadow clutches his chest as he continues to mentally argue with himself. 'Must... fight.... my instincts!!
Just as Shadow was able to have control over his behavior, he then starts hearing what the girls were saying.
"Now ya ain't going anywhere ya varmit!"
"Please, let me go..."
"Oh my stars! It can talk!"
"Can we throw it a party?! I never got the chance to throw one for others back at the wedding!"
"No Pinkie, we need to keep it secured till I can contact Celestia."
"Umm, maybe we should let it go..."
"No way Fluttershy! I'm not going to let this monster get loose."
"Please listen to her, I'm not here to cause any-"
SMACK!
Mirror Coat was rewarded with a hoof across the face.
"Shut up you freak of nature! There's no way your little trick can fool us!"
The little scene that Shadow just witnessed was enough to drive him over the edge. Right now, there was only one thing that was going in his thoughts.
'BY NOTCH'S STAR NO!!'
With anger flowing, Shadow starts walking to towards his little companions attackers.
It was starting out a good morning for the gang as they were enjoying one of their friends new breakfast dish. Which was tasty by the way, but it had to be interrupted by yet another emergency. It's not that they don't like to help or anything, but they do wish they could go at least two days without an incident bursting out of nowhere. Although, knowing that a Changeling was wondering around town was something they must not take lightly, especially last event. It was a good thing Spike came running in to warn them, even they couldn't understand what was he saying as he wheezes through his sentence. They only thing that they were able to understand was 'Shadow' 'Changeling' 'Farm'. From right there, they immediately set out to capture the creature, in which they did in a number of seconds. Although, they still haven't heard from Shadow yet.
"Alright girls, I'm going to put a spell on it to neutralize it the time being." Twilight said.
Right when she was about to charge her horn, Twilight noticed that Pinkie was shaking from top to bottom.
"Pinkie, is there something wrong?"
"Yes there is, my Pinkie Senses is going off the frits! I think there's going to be a Doozy!" Pinkie yells as her once puffy mane and tail deflated and turned greyish.
"Are you sure? When will it happen?"
"I don't know, but it is going to be really-"
"Look! There's Shadow!" Dash points out.
The gang turns their gaze towards the tall Enderpony they all know.
"Shadow! It's good to see you! You had us worried since you didn't came back last night." Twilight says relief.
Shadow didn't say anything as he continues his advance towards the group. Minus Pinkie Pie since she hid behind a barrel to the ponies' confusion.
"Shadow are you alright?" Twilight asks as she tries to get closer.
There was a pause before Shadow responded. "...No... I'm not alright..."
"Well, what's wrong partner?" Applejack asks.
"For one thing, what are you doing to this Changeling?"
Rainbow Dash answers with a bit of pride. "We were capturing this monster before it could-"
"SHUT YOUR BUCKING MOUTH YOU MULTICOLORED MANE FREAK!" Shadow interrupted harshly.
The girls flinched at the sudden abrupt volume.
"Hey, what gives Shadow?!"
"Don't you ever call her a monster!"
Twilight walks up. "Wait, you know this Changeling?"
"Yes, and 'she' has a name too. Her name is Mirror Coat."
"Where did you found her?"
"When I was out trying to find Justin last night, I was ambushed a pack a Changelings."
The girls gasped in responds.
"Then there's a reason to throw this thing to the dungeons!" Rainbow points out.
"Let me finish you hot-headed fool!"
"Why you!" Rainbow was about to pounce for the insult, but Applejack grabbed her by her tail.
"Now hold and there Dash! Let him talk."
Rainbow snorted as she settles down.
"Anyway, when I woke up, I was incased in some sort of cocoon. I was able to break out, but I had to fight of a group of Changeling Guards."
"Then what does that have to do with this one?!" Rainbow yelled, losing her patience.
"Shut up!" Shadow growled. "As I was about to finish them off, Mirror came in and begged for me to stop. She was trying to break up the fight."
"But, how did... uh... Mirror, get here?" Twilight asks.
"After things finally calmed down, I decided to get to know Mirror a little bit. I soon found out that she no longer has any parents. With a bit of thinking, I've decided to be her guardian."
"Oh, you poor thing." Fluttershy says she tries to confort Mirror when Rainbow pushed her away.
"No Flutters, don't get near it!"
"Oh for Herobrine sakes, Rainbow! Back off will you?! She is just a child!" Shadow glared.
"Shadow, we don't know if can trust her. For all we know, she could be a danger to others." Twilight tries to reason with Shadow.
"Twilight..." Shadow says softly "Do you trust me?"
Twilight seemed to be taken back by the question.
"Shadow, I..."
"Twilight, I need your honest answer. Do you trust me to look after Mirror?"
There was a moment of silence before the lavender pony finally spoke.
"Shadow... I trust you."
"Thank you Twilight. Come on Mirror, we're going to our new home."
"New home?" Twilight repeated questionably. "You're leaving?"
"I'm not leaving, I'm going to build me and Mirror a house so we can live together. I thought it might be time to get out of your home. I didn't want to be a burden anymore."
"Oh, well, okay..." Twilight was a little sad by this, but she new that she couldn't house him forever. Also this was his decision, not hers." But wait, how are you going to get enough bits to get one?"
"Silly Twilight." Shadow chuckled. "I'm an Enderpony, and with the knowledge from Craftia, I could make my own house with materials I can find in the Everfree and around Ponyville."
"If you are going to build a new home, Darling, then can I help a little?" Rarity asks hopefully.
"A little? You can design the entire of thing with any ideas you like!"
Rarity seems to be excited to design the house.
"Well, if you all excuse me. Mirror and I are going to have fun for the remainder of the day."
All of the fear Mirror had before left when she heard Shadow's plan. With a sprint in her legs, she ran up to Shadow, only to be blocked by a certain cyan blue pony.
"Just remember bub! I got my eye on you!" Rainbow says as she made an 'eye to eye' gesture.
Shadow gritted his teeth as he teleported between Mirror and the stubborn Pegasus.
"Oh and Dashie, if you do anything to harm Mirror, I will defend her. And I think we both know who will end up 6 hoof under if we, well... you know." Shadow threatened.
Rainbow did nothing but snorted and crossed her forelegs together.
"One last thing, do you remember when you hit Mirror in the face?"
"Yeah, why?" Dash says as she raised an eyebrow.
"Well... let me give you a demo."
"Demo? What are you-"
THRASH!
Rainbow fell to the ground out cold when Shadow gave her straight punch to the face. With one last glance to the girls, him and Mirror headed out the door and back to the library. There was only one thing that Twilight and the others could think of that continues to spin around in their thoughts.
'What have we gotten ourselves into?'