//------------------------------//
// Chapter 16 
// Story: Stories of a Shade 
// by ConfettiColored 
//------------------------------//

	"So, let me get this straight. You were lying to us the whole time you were here," Twilight said, trying her best to keep a level tone of voice.
"Well, you could look at it that way. However, I never said I wasn't a Shade, so it wasn't a lie, just not the whole truth," I said back, even though I knew a comment like that was stupid. 
"Why didn't you just tell us in the first place?" Applejack asked.
"Past experience," I said simply.
"So, I assume that means your siblings are Shades to?" Rarity asked.
"Yeah," I said before a thought crossed my mind. "Hey, where are they, anyway? They were right behind me earlier..."
"We saw you dive-bombing the town like a bloody idiot, and decided to hang back and let the whole mess you would inevitably cause blow over before revealing ourselves," I stern female voice said from behind me. I looked back, and sure enough, there they were, blending in with the shadows.
"You saw Rainbow Dash tackle me, and didn't do anything about it?" I asked angrily.
"She was going to stop her, but I held her back. I reasoned that if you doing something like that, you probably had a good plan of what you were going to do," Said Roam.
"When have I ever had a good idea?" I asked.
"First time for everything," Roam shrugged. 
"Well, at least no one got hurt," I said.
"Yeah, except for you grabbing Fluttershy out of the blue, scaring her half to death," Rainbow said passive aggressively.
"Oh, um, yeah, sorry about that," I said to the cream-colored Pegasus.
"It's alright," She said back, barely audible.
"So, why are you here, anyways?" Twilight asked.
"We know where to find the guy responsible for the way the world is now," I said.
"What?" Twilight asked, dumbfounded.
"Yeah. We interrogated one of his minions in Canterlot, and he's trying to find a way to steal power from the Tree of Harmony," Roam said. I felt it was best to let him take the lead on this, so I just sort of sat silently while everyone else worked out what to do. I tried everything to take my mind off of everything, I got a snack, I watched TV, I played a video game, but I couldn't take my mind off the fact that I was gonna have to fight a well-trained psychotic Unicorn mage with the power to enter someone's mind. I was right in the middle of reading a book when some pony came over.
"Whatcha reading?" He asked. I looked over the cover of the book. I didn't recognize him.
"Just a comic," I replied, looking back at the book.
"Hey," He said again. I looked at him again only to find Blood Oath leaning really close to my face. I yelped and leaped sideways, running away from him. I had to find Twilight, or Roam, or someone who could help. I did that for a few seconds before realizing something.
"This is just a dream, isn't it?" I asked, no longer quite as afraid.
"Yes. Yes it is," Came his voice from behind me.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded.
"I just thought I'd pay you a visit. After all, it's not everyday you meet another Dreamstalker," He said casually. "It's also not to late to join me. I can make it so no one rejects you anymore. I can give you anything you want, just as soon as I unlock the powers of the Tree of Harmony,"
"We both know I won't help you. Why are you really here?"
"That's the million dollar question, ain't it? Alright, I was thinking, you want to get revenge on me for breaking you're wing, don't you? You want it more than anything else. So, then, why are you waiting? Why not come get me now?" He asked.
"Because I'm not stupid. On my own, you're leagues above me. Quit trying to trick me, it won't work," I said. He then let out a scream of pure rage, and I flinched.
"WHY WON'T YOU JUST FIGHT FOR ME?! ALL THE REST HAD THEIR PUNY LITTLE MINDS BRAINWASHED SO EASILY!" He yelled. "YOU KNOW WHAT? FINE! COME OVER HERE WHENEVER YOU'RE READY! I'LL BE WAITING ON YA!" And with that I woke up with a start. I shook my head and rushed over to the room where everyone was planning. I knocked on the door.
"Come in," I heard the voice of Applejack call out. I opened the door, and saw that Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Twilight, and my siblings were packing a bag. 
"Oh. It's you. We were about to go find you," Twilight said.
"For what?"
"We're leaving now. It was originally just us, but you're siblings convinced us to let them go," Said Rarity.
"We're leaving now, huh? So what's the plan?"
"There is none," Said Rainbow.
"What? Why not?" 
"We don't know the layout of anything Blood might have set up in there, so we can't plan any sort of infiltration. All we do is gather the best fighters and medics, and take the fight to Blood Oath's doorstep," Rainbow replied.
"And you have no backup plan for if this fails?" I asked. Everyone shook their heads. "I gotta say, that doesn't sound like much of plan,"
"You got a better idea?" Asked Artemis.
"No," I said under my breath. "Okay, I'll go pack something," I began to walk out the door, not really sure of what to pack. I mean, what do you bring to a fight to the death? I could summon my claws at any time, so, really what is there to do? I just shrugged and walked over to the building's exit. About four and a half minuets later, the Mane six, my siblings, and a bunch of other ponies I didn't recognize came over to the door. Everyone looked determined to end this. Artemis's hard eyes bored into me, filled with strength of will. Roam's cold, calculating face seemed distant, stuck in his own little world. He looked as though he were thinking about everything that could possibly happen during the endeavor we were about to go through. The Mane 6 looked similar to Artemis, but they clearly knew they would be able to count on each other to help them out of anything. The ones I didn't recognize looked worried, but they seemingly knew that they had to do this, and were willing to put their life on the line for the greater good.
And then there was me. Amidst all these accomplished fighters, lifelong friends, and clever, evaluating strategists, I felt like the underdog. Granted, this was something I had been feeling all my life. My brother and sister always seemed to be able to solve any problem they were faced with, whereas I never seemed to do anything but distract the opponent while Roam came up with a winning strategy. I act calm and collected, and for the most part I honestly am, but in situations like this, I always felt as though I wouldn't be able to do anything worthwhile. 
"Well, let's get this over with," I grunted, moving to the side so everyone else could go ahead of me. As everyone else walked into the Everfree forest, I looked back at the town, or what little I could see of it at this distance. It was dusk now, the town covered in a dark haze. I turned back to the group and walked off with them, not knowing if I or anyone else would walk out of this forest alive.