The Journalist

by redspark

A Light in the Dark

Chapter 10
A Light in the Dark

Nimble Hoof trotted soundlessly beside Sun Seeker, who was flying low, barely inches from the ground. She said that under pressure she made a lot of sound when walking. Nimble Hoof was in front, trying to hear for any sign of trouble in front, while Sun Seeker used her mind connection with Hightip to find them.

They walked in the tunnel that led to the Shadow base. Both mares tried to shake off the feeling of fear both shared.

Both advanced into the dark building. If they didn't had the night vision spell from Hightip, they would be as blind as they could be. Still, even with their vision spell they needed to force their eyes. Nimble Hoof didn't like at all the darkness enveloping them.

"Sun, I believe maybe we should reconsider our strategy. We are on his ground, shadows. We cannot possibly escape through shadows."

Sun Seeker shook her head. "This is our only chance of rescuing them, and changing everything won't help. No, we need ti keep moving." Nimble Hoof sighed and nodded.

If there had been any light in the room, both would have seen all the riches it contained. But even though Nimble Hoof caught a glimpse or two of the precious golden artifacts, she kept walking. After all, she wants really a thief of any sort, at least not as she saw herself, never getting really involved in the thefts. So both moved on.

They passed a series of room, all surprisingly full of treasure. Apparently the bags they had brought would not have been able to take it all.

Finally Sun Seeker stopped.

"Stop Nimble... I think we are here."

Nimble stopped and checked around. There was nothing on that room, except for... Cells! She was about to check the cells when a laughing began and a faint light covered the room. The spell of night vision had worked, to an extent, but apparently it was pretty limited to distance. They were surrounded by Shadow ponyhood ponies. All of them wore cloaks, but they were no the Shadow Pony himself, because their faces could be seen. Sun Seeker gasped in surprise, but Nimble Hoof made a neutral expression. She didn't wanted to satisfy them with her scared face.

That is when Shadow Pony arrived. All the ponies kneeled at him, like if he was some kind of important ruler of monarch... Nimble Hoof's eyebrow twitched lightly. Was he beginning to think he was some kind of god or something?

"Well, I believe it was clever if you to hide outside and wait as backup, but I had that already expected. I have been following you for a long time now. Why else would there have been such a lack of light..." the second he said light, the ponies around began to laugh and the faint light faded, leaving them all in the darkness. Hightip's spell allowed them again to see slightly. Nimble Hoof felt her heart stop when all around her dozens of tiny eyes began to shine. What?!

"As you probably noticed, my own have a special ability, granted by me. I gave it to all the faithful, not just fearful but to those who really believe..." Shadow Pony said from nowhere. He had disappeared. "As you probably guessed, my coming wasn't easy. Many thought me weak, and others were simply to in love with the power they had gotten that my arrival meant they would lose their power. I had to... Make some arrangements and now I have no problems with that, which meant I could go forward and take care of other external problems." he suddenly whispered from behind them "you..." Both mares jumped in surprise and turned around. They didn't saw him.

"Your ponyhood has been my greatest concern since my arrival. You appeared unafraid, challenging even, and when you dared try to murder me and stole that gem... I knew you were the real problem." he left himself be seen in front of them. Both mares retreated slightly.

"And then there was you..." he turned to Nimble Hoof. “ You wanting a story... Why I recommended you to come here I don't know, but apparently it was a bad idea..."

Nimble Hoof raised her head. "You recommended...?" but Shadow Pony continued without letting her speak.

"Apparently it resulted well for you, but bad for me. I am now known in Canterlot. My return is something known by all, high Canterlot and Lower Canterlot. I'm afraid that was quite a blow to my plans. In fact, such a blow that I ended up reaching a curious conclusion." he advance towards Nimble Hoof. "Show you..." immediately she was enveloped in a bubble of something dark that stopped her from seeing outside, but inside it was covered in light. Shadow Pony was there before her. He no longer looked that threatening on the light.

"A conclusion that I was going to show you the real face of Shadow Pony..." he slowly took off his hood. Nimble Hoof gasped, because in front of her none other than his friend, Day, stood.

"D... Day?" she asked, dumbstruck.

"Hello Nimble Hoof. It is good to finally meet you as me in reality." his voice was no longer the threatening voice of Shadow Pony, but rather the warm, soft voice of his friend Day... His best friend Day.

"W...Why Day? Is it really you?" she asked, approaching him slowly with a concerned face. "Why?"

He also walked towards her until they were standing inches apart. "Because I can't stand a second with those high Canterlotians. If there is something I despise, Nimble, is those selfish ponies who think the world is theirs just because they have the bits to stand over others." he looked angry now. "I do this for them. For those who need to fight to get what they deserve! Who is more worthy, if not the ones that have to fight for their food of each day?!" he was now shouting. Nimble Hoof shook her head.

"You can get killed..." she whispered, loud enough for Day to hear her.

He stopped and smiled. "Yes, those are the risks of the job and..."

"And also you kill." Nimble Hoof had tears in her eyes. "You have killed! How could you do such a thing? No pony ever does that!?" she was shaking as she slowly lay down in the floor, sobbing. "This isn't a world for us, for ponies like us. We aren't meant to see this, and that is why no newspaper writes of this. This is a dark and corrupt world. A world that shall remain hidden!"

Day had stopped smiling. He looked... Confused. He shook his head. "I do it all because it's necessary... no. Don't cry Nimble, Please. Stop." he kneeled beside Nimble and touched her forehead with his.

"Stop!" she said, pushing herself up. She looked angry, and her voice was strong and hard. She had never before spoken like that before. Day looked at her surprised. "I won't hear anything from you ever again, and from now on, unless you stop your ways of... Of killing! I thought I knew you Day, but now I know I didn't." her last statement crashed against Day like a dagger through the heart. He stopped breathing for some seconds, until his face turned dark and the light began to fade.

"How funny that my real name is day... My parents told me that because my eyes looked like the sun. I'm afraid that is not who I am. I like darkness, I like cold..." the hood slowly placed itself on top of his head. Soon, he was no more Day her friend, but instead Shadow Pony. "I care for you, Nimble, but I am afraid that caring for you will be my doom." A knife slowly rose from his cloak enveloped in a dark glow. "So I am afraid this must be done."

Just as he was about to throw her the knife, Sun Seeker threw herself through the bubble of darkness and tackled Shadow Pony. Nimble Hoof took some time to react as Sun Seeker joined her side. Shadow Pony stood up fast and glared angrily at them.

"You dare challenge me, Pegasus?!" he said threatening. "I can defeat you on the blink of an eye."

Sun Seeker seemed taken aback but soon she got better. "Yes? You... You and which army?!" she asked, sounding clever.

Shadow Pony laughed as the bubble around them faded and the room outside was revealed. The darkness in the room also faded, revealing the whole room... full with the assistants of Shadow Pony.

"This army..." shadow Pony said as Sun Seeker gulped and looked smaller suddenly. Nimble Hoof noticed the cells... They were empty, and one had its door open. She caught a glimpse of some movement behind the shadow ponies. She smiled slightly, trying not to be seen as she saw Silent Mane wink an eye at her. She nodded.

"We are not scared, Shadow." she said, with a very convincing voice.

"We... We aren't?" Sun Seeker said, surprised.

"No, we aren't" Nimble Hoof said, looking straight at the shadow enveloping Shadow Pony's face. She still felt strange when looming at nothing, but she now knew what lay behind that mask: a pony she used to know.

Just when Shadow Pony was about to say something, a huge explosion sounded and the whole building shook. Nimble Hoof saw Hightip throwing magic blasts at the building through a window. Shadow Pony was suddenly tackled from behind by Silent Mane, who quickly punched him in the head. The hood acted as a shield, making Silent Mane go flying back against a wall.

Nimble Hoof then noticed Deepsqueak fighting with some of the shadow ponies, along with Grey Stone. Shadow Pony was still trying to stand up.

Soon the group was together as Hightip ran into the room. The five ponies prepared to escape, as the five of them ran out of the room and away from Day, the Shadow Pony...

Nimble and Day

Nimble and Sunny against Day and shadow ponies