//------------------------------// // [Chapter Thirteen: Dashie's Deadly Deal] // Story: Tale of the Shadow Pony // by AtomicShockwave //------------------------------// "DASH! What did you do!" I yelled as the mare snapped back into reality. "I... I..." Rainbow Dash began muttering, not able to get words out. "I-I couldn't just let her die..." Rainbow Dash said as she began to tear up. "Tell me what happened. From the beginning." I asked as I saw the filly within the room happily bouncing on the bed. "W-When you left... there was this pony that showed up.. i-in a black coat..." Rainbow Dash described as she began to recover some composure. "He approached me and asked me if I wanted him to bring her back... He said that he could bring her back... I didn't believe him. I called him insane and he laughed. 'Then watch me' he said as he went over to a little rabbit..." Rainbow Dash said as she sniffled a bit, tears coming to her eyes. "He broke it's neck right there... and then threw it towards me. He told me how similar it was now to Scootaloo. This only made me yell at him more. But then he went over to the rabbit... He waved his hoof over it, then the rabbit... it got up like it was nothing and hopped off happily... At this point I was desperate." Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. "I asked him to bring her back... I was desperate... 'It's going to cost you...' He said to me in an eerie voice... I told him I would do anything, to just bring her back. And well... he bought her back... She got up... opened her eyes and saw me. And gave me such a sweet smile and hugged me. She thought I caught her from falling.." Rainbow Dash said with a mix of happiness and sadness. "What did it cost...?" I said to her curiously. She looked at me in shock and then slowly looked down. "Dash.. What... did.. it... COST!" I said in anger. "M-my life..." Rainbow Dash said shaking her head. "He said 5 years... I get 5 years..." Rainbow Dash said as she began to tear up. "Great! That's smart! You do realize that in 5 years now that filly will have nothing! NOTHING! That's a fate worse then hell!" I said looking at Rainbow Dash. I sighed and rubbed my hoof against my head. "I'll get you out of this... Don't worry." I said as Rainbow Dash's head shot up. "You can't!" Rainbow Dash said with a worried tone. "Yeah? Why's that." I said tapping my hoof. "He... He said he knew you... And that if you came after him. He'd kill you and then kill Scootaloo... And let me live for the sole purpose of what I would have to deal with for the rest of my life..." Rainbow Dash said as she began to shake a bit. I took a deep breath and slammed my hoof against the wall. "Dammit Dash!" I groaned in frustration as I began to walk off. "Where are you going?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I'm going to talk to Zecora. Maybe she knows something." I said as I continued on. "You can't! You and Scootaloo will die!!" Rainbow Dash said angrily. "I'm not going after the pony so it doesn't count. Now if you stop me, I will personally put you out of your misery." I said as I left her home. I headed back to Twilight's to receive my bag. It was already dark out and most of the town was going to sleep at this time. I opened the door slowly and peaked in to see all the lights were out. I went in and slowly shut the door. I headed up to the room to see Twilight and Spike sleeping soundly. It's been a long day for Twilight... Unfortunately it wasn't over. Not for me at least. I headed over to my bed and got my bags out from under it and threw them over onto my back. I then reached into the drawer next to my bed and got the stake out of it. I sighed and slipped it into the bag. "Leon...?" Twilight said as she slowly sat up, rubbing her hooves in her eyes a bit. "Where are you going?" Twilight asked innocently, she seemed to be half awake almost. "It's a nice night. I'm going to go for a walk." I said as I began to descend the stairs. "That's nice..." Twilight said as she slowly set her head back onto her pillow and slipped back into sleep. I carefully left the house, locking the door behind me. I looked up in the sky. The bright beautiful moon shining down. I thought to myself for a moment then sighed. I rushed over to the Everfree path and began to make my way towards Zecora's hut. As I entered the forest. No moonlight manages to seep through the forest treetops as the path was pitch black. I could only see about 3 feet in front of me. For any creatures within this forest that are used to the darkness, I am at are large disadvantage. I decided to continue forward carefully. Listening to the sounds around me. Soon I heard something stepping close as the sound of rustling leaves and branches grew louder. I carefully crouched down and picked up a small rock, I then hurled it into the woods. It hit a tree in which I heard the creature quickly scurry off. Besides that occurrence, nothing else happened. After a bit of walking I came upon Zecora's hut. I knocked on the door. No answer. I knocked once more and I saw Zecora's head look out a nearby window. "Your friendly door-to-door salespony here." I said as Zecora headed over to the door and opened it for me. "I lied, I'm not a salespony. Nor am I friendly." I said as I pushed past Zecora and entered the hut. "I expected it to be long overdue before I got another visit from you." Zecora said looking at me. "Well unfortunately more shit is going down. And this time it means lives." I said as I pulled the stake out from my bag and threw it onto a nearby counter. "They must not be a stranger if a pony like you is willing to be in danger." Zecora said going over to me. I sighed and gave no response. "A pony that can bring others back to life. Ring a bell?" I asked as Zecora shook her head. "There's plenty of creatures with an ability as such, so information as so doesn't tell me much." Zecora said as she went over to one of her bookshelves. "A stallion. Wears a black coat. He would bring somepony to life in exchange for another ponies'." I said as Zecora thought to herself for a moment. "Selephotsiphem, a powerful demon... That must be him." Zecora said as she pulled an ancient book off the shelf. "That's a mouthful..." I said while Zecora was flipping through the book. "Once a pony takes a deal, years go by till the soul is what he will steal." Zecora said with a sigh. "Alright, what do we kill him with?" I said looking into Zecora's eyes as she shot me a concerned look. "You mustn't engage in this, your mission is something that you shall dismiss!" Zecora said looking into my eyes. "Alright... Listen here... Either you tell me how to kill him. Or I will slowly peel off your skin like a god damn striped banana peel." I said sternly, with a bit of anger in my voice. "You wouldn't do such to me, you have a strong heart you see..." Zecora said stepping back a bit. "Well look at me and look at me hard, do these eyes say that I won't? Does the tone in my voice say that I won't!? CAUSE I VERY MUCH WILL." I said as I slammed my hoof on the counter. "So you're going to tell me... what makes this thing tick... and what I can do to make it stop ticking..." I said angrily as Zecora sighed. "Lamina Primus... or the touch of an Angel's Kiss..." Zecora said looking at me. "Explain." I said as I took a seat and laid my bags down. "Lamina Primus, The First Blade... The Blade of the Angel... The Sword of Light... All of these names of one ancient weapon able to defeat a demon with one strong smite..." Zecora said walking over to the window. "Where do I find this blade?" I said in confusion as Zecora shook her head. "Within the catacombs of the tallest spire, in a place that goes by The Crystal Empire." Zecora said, pulling a map out of a drawer. I headed over to her as she opened it up. She pointed out Ponyville, a little south from the center of the map. Then she pointed out a place called 'Crystal Empire' all the way at the top of the map. "I've got an even longer journey ahead of me... I'm going to stay here for the night and leave the morning. I'd rather not explain myself on why I'm leaving and going so far." I said as I headed over to the chair and took a seat. "This is a bit late, but there is one detail I forgot to state..." Zecora said as she sighed. "What..." I said looking at her sternly. "The Sword is the light of the city, if it is gone for too long the place will fall into despair and pity." Zecora said with a heavy sigh. "Don't worry. I'll handle things just fine..." I said as I laid my head back and closed my eyes. In what seemed like no time at all. I was already out. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep right on the spot. I felt myself laying on the ground as I slowly got up and opened my eyes. Nothing but white light. I was within the realm of light again, or at least the dream figment of it. "I'll be damned..." I stretched out and yawned. "I don't get a good night's sleep for about a week and the closest chance I get, this happens? Thanks Arklida!" I yelled out as I began to look around for her. "Literally going to the edge of the world to save another ponies life..." Arklida said softly as I turned around to see her giving me a warm smile. "Yeah yeah... What is this all about?" I said sternly as I began tapping my hoof. "Cloudsdale's Rainbow Falls... Just as you did with Ponyville's Central Fountain." Arklida said with a soft smile. "The water and the full moon?" I said curiously as Arklida nodded. I thought to myself for a moment and then nodded. "When's the next full moon?" I asked as Arklida closed her eyes and thought to herself a bit. "Tomorrow Night..." Arklida said as she slowly opened up her eyes and gave me an odd smile. "Hope your skills haven't dulled.. And do make sure you're prepared." Arklida said as she began to walk off. "Prepared for what?" I asked as there was a bright flash. My eyes shot open and I looked around a bit. Zecora was not in sight. I got up out of the awkward position that I was sleeping in. I took a deep breath of air as I turned and looked out the window. The slight bit of light illuminating the forest gave me an indication that it was daylight outside. I headed over to the counter nearby where she had left the map out and I had began to examine it. Cloudsdale. A city in the sky north of Ponyville. The main residence of most pegasi and the creators of the weather. "Looks like I'm going sight seeing." I said as I headed out of Zecora's hut. I decided to do my best to make it there as quick as possible. I hesitated none to get off the ground and begin flying. I forced myself through the forest roof, catching little debris on my coat and mane as I began to fly high into the sky. I fly up and above the clouds and began to soar straight north. Sooner than expected I came upon a colossal floating structure that I could only guess was Cloudsdale. I carefully landed on the fortified cloud path and looked around at the grand place I was now in. "If that face doesn't scream 'I'm new here' I don't know what does." I heard a young mare say behind me as I quickly turned around to face her. The mare had a white coat and a bright yellow mane with deep amethyst eyes. Her wings were carefully sticking out of the sides of a strange jumpsuit. She reminded me of somepony... But my mind was a bit hazy for some reason whenever I tried to think of her. "Who are you?" I said in confusion as she gave me a warm smile. "Surprise." She said as I began looking around in confusion. She began to laugh. "That never gets old, my name is Surprise." The mare said as she began to step a bit closer. "Interesting name..." I said as the mare began to circle me and observe me. "Interesting body..." The mare said with a chuckle as I quickly tensed up. "Excuse me?" I said as I quickly turned a faced her. "You have the body of an earth pony... yet you seem to have wings like a pegasus." The mare said giving me a peculiar look. "Yeah... so what?" I said sternly. She gave me a shrug and smiled. "Just a rare thing to see is all." The mare said with a laugh as she walked up to me. "Would you like a tour?" The mare said to me while I began to take a step back a bit. "Alright, what's your deal..." I said sternly, causing the mare to turn her head in confusion. "Excuse me?" She said as I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "You mean to tell me that you just waltz up to any newcomer of the city in the sky and offer them a tour? What's the cost? What's the catch?" I said sternly. She walked up to me and put a hoof on the side of my face and smirked. "You want to know the truth?" The mare said looking me in the eyes. "Correct. Now care to share?" I said as the mare smiled. "Because you're the first stallion in a while who well... isn't like that..." The mare said darting her eyes to the right of her. I looked over her shoulder to see a few stallions looking over her. Like a severely obese pony to food or a lion to it's prey. "I think I know how to pay for that tour." I said with a smirk as I patted her and walked towards the stallions. "What! No-" She said as I simply ignored her. "Hey there fellas. Have any of you seen an eye doctor today?" I asked as I approached the small group of stallions. In total there was five of them. Only one of them seemed to be the bar-fight aggressor type though. The rest were presumably followers of his in one way or another. "Excuse me?" The bigger stallion said out of the group as the others just sat there. "Answer the question." I said sternly as he looked at his friends and back at me. "No... we haven't. The hell is that suppose to mean?" The stallion said as I smirked. "You seem to have a bit of a staring problem." I said as the stallion scoffed and looked at his friends. Before even looking back at me he quickly swung. I stopped his hoof with mine and smirked. "I agree, alot better to talk with your hooves." I said as I twisted his hoof and slammed him into the ground. Another quickly came to his aid, charging me. I fell onto my back as he jumped at me. I used my hooves to kick him up and over me and cause him to land on his back. I quickly go up and so did the bigger stallion. He swung one and I quickly dodged and struck him hard in the back of the neck, causing him to clench up and fall down onto his friend who was about to get up. He was groaning in pain along with his friend who was just landed on as I turned to the three remaining stallions. "You bastard!" One of them yelled out as they charged at me. I smirked and tripped him. He fell and landed onto his friends. I looked at the last two. They looked at each other and ran off quickly. "Smart." I said as I climbed onto the pile of injured stallions. "Anypony else next!?" I said looking around as most of the stallions in the area were looking at me in horror. "Then I recommend that you treat this kind mare with respect! And not like a piece of meat!" I said as I hopped off the small hill and approached the mare. "So, about that tour." I said with a chuckle as she seemed to still be in shock. "U-Um.. yeah.. sure thing." The mare said as she flew up a bit. I flew with her and she began to show me around. "Over here we have the Cloudeseum. A place where we hold competitions and theatrical bits alike." The mare said as she flew to another site. "Over here we have the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. As the name suggests this is where we make the weather." She said, continuing onto another spot of Cloudsdale. "Here we have the Cloudsdale Summer Flight Camp along with Cloudsdale Flight Academy. The camp is for the young ones and the Academy is for ponies of our age. What's taught can range from simple altitude stability to doing tricks or even landing with a broken wing." The mare said as I thought to myself. "Interesting..." I said aloud as she flew over to a large rainbow Waterfall. "And finally, here we have Cloudsdale's Rainbow Falls." She said as I looked at the amazing view. "Most tourists come to take a look at this. After all it is certainly the prettiest." Surprise said as she looked over at me. "Yeah... It certainly is." I said as I carefully descended. She descended along with me. I sighed a bit, she noticed this and went up to me. "Is something wrong?" She asked sweetly, I looked at her and smiled. "Everything's fine... It's just I have alot of work to do..." I said as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "I do too... I'll leave you to it then since I gave you the tour after all." She said with a smile as she began to walk off. "Oh... I don't think you've told me your name..." She said looking back at me. "I'm Leon." I said as I turned away and went to walk off. "Thank you for helping me Leon..." Surprise said before flying off in the direction of the Flight Academy. "Yeah..." I said as I looked up at the tremendous Rainbow Fall. I found a bench nearby and took a seat on it. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. It felt like it was only for a second as I opened my eyes and it was dark. The full moon was high in the sky and no pony was out at this time. "After this... I'm finding myself the most secluded hotel and sleeping the days away." I said as I got up and stretched out a bit. Without hesitation I went over to the Rainbow Falls and placed down my bags. I grabbed the small jar out of it and looked at the flowing Rainbow. "Wonder if I'll ever be doing anything more strange." I said as I held the jar under the Rainbow. The jar filled up in no time at all and the colors seemed to balance out. Showing the entire spectrum of the rainbow in one area. It also had a mysterious glow just as before. "Bottoms up..." I exhaled and drank some of it and soon my body had a familiar heaviness to it. I fell to the ground and within minutes I found myself back inside the Realm Of Light. I looked around for a bit and saw nothing. I then felt something as I slowly turned around. "Nice to see you Leon." Arklida said with a warm smile. "So... What the hell is it now." I asked sternly. "The next silent realm, tomorrow morning is your opportunity." Arklida said to me as the gentle kindness in her face turned to a grim serious expression. "And it takes place right here in Cloudsdale." I said as Arklida turned around and began to walk. "Correct. And you need to convince your friend to help you out. Otherwise there will be no saving her." Arklida said looking back, giving me a stern look. "And If you're not strong enough to take this on, given that you manage to have her help you out. You'll have no chance." She said to me as she turned to face me. "Are you ready to take this on Leon?" Arklida said, looking deep into my eyes. I did nothing but nod and soon her gentle smile returned. "Best of Luck." She said as there was a bright flash of light. Blinding me as I awoke suddenly. "Some more homeless scum making his bed where ever he sees fit." Said a random stallion as I soon got up on all hooves. "You have 10 seconds to leave before I break one of your limbs." I said sternly as he turned his head and smirked. "Ohh, so scared of a bottom of the barrel pony." The stallion said sarcastically with a laugh. I smirked and slowly turned around, then coming back quickly with a strike to his front right leg. He yelled out in pain as a audible crack was heard. He fell to the ground and a couple of ponies around began to give me dirty looks. "Be careful who you mess with. Let this pony be a lesson to you all." I said sternly as I through my bags onto my back and headed straight to Rainbow Dash's I knocked on her door a bit and soon enough she opened the door and gave me a dirty look. "What the hell do you want..." Rainbow Dash said, as if she was irritated. "Another Silent Realm. In Cloudsdale I need you to open the portal." I said as I began to fly off. "Why should I help?" Rainbow Dash yelled out as I looked back and smiled. "Hey, you may have dug yourself six feet under in five years but I'd be damned if you're going to drag everypony else down with you. And if that still doesn't convince you I'll kill that filly myself." I said sternly as Rainbow Dash grit her teeth. "I'll kill you before you do bastard!" Rainbow Dash said as she flew at me and went to struck me. I grabbed her hoof and looked into her eyes. "I already broke somepony's leg this morning for pissing me off, want me to go two for two?" I said sternly as she looked back at me, pulling her hoof away quickly. "I hope you die in there..." Rainbow Dash said grimly before beginning to fly with me. "It'll take five short years for you to catch up with me if that's the case." I said to her, making my way to Cloudsdale. Nothing else was said as we both made it to the Cloudsdale Rainbow Falls. "Sonic Rainboom, right?" Rainbow Dash said as I began reaching into my bag. "And this." I said before splashing Rainbow Dash with some of the glowing rainbow liquid. "Dick!" Rainbow Dash said as she shook herself a bit. "Bitch." I said before flying up in the air. She quickly followed and zoomed past me. Climbing high into the air. Within moments she shot back down and began to fly down with blazing speed. I flew up a bit more before stopping. I didn't bother to fly down. I just let my body be pulled down. In a split second I heard a loud boom and I felt my body shake. I looked below me to see the menacing portal opening before me. It was time to experience some horrors once again. [End Of Chapter]