Light's Shadow

by Jorofrarie

Chapter 11

Smart people challenge me, but only an idiot tries to follow through with it...
-NightShade

Chapter 11

Surprising Introductions

Light

Pain.

Pain everywhere.

Pain was my whole world, my whole existence. The only thing that I was capable of sensing was pain. I couldn’t see, couldn’t taste, touch, hear…

But I could still feel.

My body felt as though it had been shoved in a blender, before being sat behind a jet engine, and then used on a cheese grater. I was then sprinkled over the countryside like seeds on the wind.

Basically, it didn’t feel good.

Then, suddenly, my world compacted, and all of my parts came together and rejoined in one spot. I promptly fell to the ground in agony. The ground held up its end of the bargain and proceeded to smack me upside the head, knocking me unconscious…

The Center

Fire and I crept stealthily through the shadows. Night had fallen over the city, and I had happily greeted it, letting it envelop me and chase away the light from my body, forcing it to retreat to its nightly haven in my hair.

That didn’t sound weird at all…

My body had mirrored the darkness that had fallen. The shadows in my hair had infected my body and flowed down from my head similar to a heavy fog falling to the ground, the light shuffling until it had stacked itself on top, in the smaller position. Fire had watched me, curious as always, as it had happened. For me it was natural, letting the daily cycle happen as it had my entire life. My clothes had changed as well, transforming into a deep, pure black.

In the darkness, I was near invisible.

Fire led the way while I brought up the rear, as we snuck through a twisting maze of alleys and passageways which unfortunately was the only moderately safe route through the city. Fire had set the fingertips of his right hand alight; I allowed my hair to let out enough ambient light to make the shadows dance wildly and shimmer around me. We had travelled this way for about a week now, doing regular patrols around the apartment to raid and generally cause havoc.

We stopped briefly at the end of an alley. It intersected a major road and, even at this time of night, there was still some activity. Fire extinguished his fingertips, and I temporary dampened my light, causing my body to appear pitch black; I was emitting nothing while absorbing all. We waited a few moments for another car to pass before dashing across the road as quickly as we could, trying to avoid any unnecessary contact.

We hurled ourselves into an alley on the other side of the road, barely avoiding the headlights of another car as it sped by in a cloud of smoke. I released the dampening effect, and a small light flared into existence, illuminating Fire’s face. He flashed me a small grin before turning and making his way down the passageway. I followed.

His hand lit up, and the currents of heat perfectly matched his flaming hair. I smirked as I took in his slightly charred clothes.

After the fight with the Peacekeepers above his apartment, we decided it was time to move on. Fire had disposed of the bodies by incinerating them and letting them drift off in the incoming breeze. We had gone downstairs, grabbed our measly belongings, which for me were only the clothes on my back, and left.

For the next couple of nights we had slept on the streets, keeping regular watches for any threats. The Authorities must have known about the attack, and had sent out patrols to search for us. More than once we had been forced to run for our lives from the heavily armored, and armed, attackers.

And then we had found our new home. It was a small place in an abandoned complex four stories up. The entrance had been boarded up, but Fire had shown his pyromaniac side by setting fire to the blockage, and only a quick intervention by me had stopped him from accidentally setting fire to the street.

Inside, the place was a dilapidated mess. The tile floor had been shattered and broken, while the walls were covered in moss, giving everything a strange green look. We had gone to the stairs and gone to the only floor that wasn’t full of holes that let you look into the lobby.

The fourth.

We had broken down one of the doors and set up our ‘base of operations’ in the apartment within. The place had only a single window which actually overlooked a few building and, behind them, a major road. It allowed us to perform small surveys and foraging expeditions in the city. It was going to be perfect.

Of course, Fire didn’t exactly agr-

I was jolted out of my small daydream as I bumped into Fire. He had stopped and was listening with his head cocked to one side, straining to hear something. I wondered what he was trying to hear…

Footsteps. Running.

There was someone, or something, running through the alley system near us. As I kept listening, the sound of more footsteps, heavier than the first, entered my ears. It sounded almost like…

Someone being chased.

I grabbed Fire’s shoulder and he gave a small start, surprised. He turned, and I nodded.

We both started running. The time for stealth was over.

Fire abruptly covered himself in flames as he ran down the alley, sending the shadows cowering in the flickering firelight. His whole body was wreathed in hellfire, an angry red color. Fire himself was almost lost from sight within the inferno, camouflaged by his natural coloring and dirty clothes. I myself made almost no excess light whatsoever as I ran down after him.

We reached the end of the alley and rounded the corner…

And froze, shocked.

Inside the alley, right in the center, was a small figure, about my age, being beaten by the ruthless Peacekeepers surrounding it. Fire recovered first and darted forward, eager to save the incapacitated person, not thinking the situation through properly. His brightly lit body ran down the length of the alley and-

Was shocked by taser held by a waiting Peacekeeper, ready for the attack. Five more, primed for action, jumped out of the shadows and fell upon my injured companion. The electricity ran its course through his body and immobilized him, leaving him helpless against the attack. They were ready for him.

It was an ambush. And the figure in the middle of the alley was the bait.

I quickly shrank back into the shadows and snuck around the Peacekeepers, keeping to the left side of the passage, trying not to be seen. There were at least fifteen in all, and those weren’t good numbers.

I accidentally hit a can lying on the ground with my right shoe, making a small sound. A few of the attackers near Fire looked up. They conversed for a moment, before one broke away from the group, heading directly towards me. I had no other option but to watch as he got closer. I had made up my mind.

The moment the Peacekeeper was within range, I jumped out of the shadows and charged into him, taking him across the alley entirely and to the other side, where we both collapsed in the shadows. He drew in a breath to sound the alarm, but before he could manage it I drew in the shadows around him, panicking, tightening the bonds, constricting him, until I heard a loud-

CRACK!

The sound of the Peacekeepers spine snapping resounded around the small confines of the buildings surrounding me. As one, every Peacekeeper stopped what they were doing and looked towards the source. A few stepped away from the person in the alley that Fire and I had come to save. I drew in a sharp breath.

Lying there, beaten half to death, was a small girl, about my age. She was almost completely blue, from her hair, to the slight bluish tinge of her skin.

I looked away and found Fire. He was lying there, covered in guttering flames, one of his eyes swollen shut, a pleading look on his face. He was mouthing something. I watched for a moment, confused, before I realized what he was trying to say.

He wanted me to save myself.

It was at that moment that I snapped. I let my anger at the Peacekeepers, the injustice at it all. The bubble inside myself from their atrocities had grown enough. It felt as though I could just let it out into the world.

And then I did.

My whole body practically exploded with darkness, the shadows shooting out from the corners like arrows and wrapped around four of the evil attackers. I Phased instantly and flew out to meet the remaining Peacekeepers that I hadn’t already grabbed.

To them, I must have looked like Death itself.

I felt a cold, calculating rage settle over my senses, feeling no remorse as I flew through the measly resistance. I was only a dark shape, almost invisible, as I dealt out death to the people… No, these things that had been ready to kill me not seconds ago did not deserve such a title. I felt a sort of sick joy as I slit one’s throat, hearing the gargled screams as he choked on his own blood.

No one there stood a chance.

I was a force of nature; an evil, brutal force that had been let loose on the things that were meant to protect. My anger reached a whole new level, and as quickly as the first Peacekeeper’s spine broke, I had finished it. I let out an immense wave of pure darkness, light speckled in ever so slightly to mimic the night sky; it slammed into the few Peacekeepers still standing. It passed around Fire and the small girl, weaving around them and continuing to destroy the Peacekeepers.

And then it was over.

I Phased back into my human form, letting the shadows return to their rightful places in the corners and hidden places. I scanned the alley, searching for any living Peacekeepers. There were absolutely none. I had killed them all.

For a moment I was in shock. I had never killed a single person before. At least, never in that manner. I scared myself; I worried about what I would become and for those around me.

Those around me.

Those around m-

Fire!

I whirled around and ran to my friend. He was watching me with wide eyes as I ran towards me. I reached down to grab him, but he shied away from my touch. And then it hit me.

Fire was scared of me.

I withdrew my hand as if I had been struck. That simple gesture from my friend had hurt more than anything I had ever felt before. I hung my head and let it fall into my hands, eyes closed, tears threatening. And then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Fire was standing there, an understanding smile on his face. He patted my shoulder once, before withdrawing the contact and forcing me to look at him. He leaned over to talk.

“Light, it’s alright.”

I shook my head. “No! It’s sure as hell not alright! I fucking killed those guys! What next huh?! I could kill anyone now.” The tears came through with their threat and made an unexpected appearance. “What might I become…”

Fire simply smiled. “Light, you are one of the most non-violent people that I have ever had the fortune of meeting. Hell, do the things that you’re saying right now sound like the kinds of things a killer would be saying?”

I went to answer, but Fire cut me off.

“Listen, Light. Get the hell outta’ the gutter. These guys were bastards. They would’ve killed you and not thought twice about it. They are brainwashed monsters, and they sure as hell won’t be missed. You are nothing like them, as long as you don’t take joy in unnecessary violence and the suffering of others. They are rude, crude, and won’t hesitate to dish out the pain…” He pointed over my shoulder. “Case and point…”

I turned to follow where he was pointing to and found myself looking at the girl. She was struggling to get to her feet, burdened by the injuries that she had just received. I didn’t think twice before rushing to her aid. She took my hand gratefully, but froze for a moment when she felt, and saw, what I was like.

She rose to her full height, slightly shorter than me, and took in my form. Surprisingly, she took the whole ‘weird dark shadowy shifty things’ pretty well, not even batting an eye when a small shadow-tendril drifted off to one side. I bled out the excess darkness, and gave myself a dark look. Dark in the sense of ‘wow, this alley is pretty dark’ and not ‘barely visible silhouette’ dark.

We both stood there for a few moments. I gazed into her eyes and quickly became lost in the deep blue, sucked in. I barely noticed as she fell into the bright white orbs that were my eyes.

Fire, who was watching, gave a small cough. I broke eye contact quickly and held out an hand. She grasped it after a moment of hesitation. I smiled. “Name’s Light.”

She smiled back.

“I’m Water.”

I slid back into consciousness with a phrase that Fire had said once echoing through my ears.

“You are nothing like them, as long as you don’t take joy in unnecessary violence and the suffering of others…”

I gave a small shiver. “What have I done…?”

I groaned and opened my eyes. I was on a small path in a quiet meadow. I could hear a faint scuffling sound from nearby. Not thinking about it, I tried to stand up. Instantly, the blood rushed to my head. I fell first to my knees, and then did a perfect face plant. I heard a loud gasp, and the sound of something running towards me.

I raised my head to try and get a look at whatever was coming, trying to gauge whether it would be hostile or not.

The last thing that I saw before I passed out was a set of yellow hooves…

Here we go again…

Fluttershy

The timid yellow mare ran down the path to her house, pink mane streaming along in her wake. She had run from Ponyville the moment the fighting had started, terrified to be anywhere near the behemoths when they clashed. The fight had sent shockwaves resounding through the air, shaking the trees and sending flocks of birds, frightened and confused, into the air.

She cast a fearful look back over her shoulder towards the small town, before slamming on the brakes in shock. An incredibly bright light was shining over the rooftops. As she watched, the light fluctuated before flashing.

Then the scream.

Fluttershy fell into a small ball, hooves covering her ears in a desperate attempt to shut out the whine. It was the most terrible, indescribable noise she had ever heard. Every animal in the area started going crazy. A family of ducks ran past and into a small rabbit warren. The rabbits let them in instantly, themselves trying to get away from the noise. Just as the animal lover wondered if it was ever going to stop-

It stopped.

She tentatively removed one of her hooves from her ear. The blissful silence settled over the countryside. The wildlife emerged quietly, not sure if the terrible noise had stopped forever. Fluttershy cautiously lifted her head up and, after not seeing anything about to cause her harm, slowly trotted to her hut. She cast a final look at Ponyville before continuing.

She didn’t see the shards flying through the air towards her.

Fluttershy was nearing a bend in the path when she heard a faint whistling noise. The sound grew louder, as if getting closer. Her head shot up, eyes wide, ears alert. The yellow Pegasus turned her head, desperately searching for the source. A nearby bush looked particularly inviting, so without a moment’s hesitation she leapt in. The only thing giving away her location was a pair of sea-green eyes peering out of the depths.

The whistling noise grew louder. And louder. And louder. Fluttershy was on the verge of running away when she saw what was causing it. Strange shards of pitch black and pure white were flying through the air. There seemed to be millions of the tiny motes.

As she watched they stopped their forward motion and circled around a single spot, before shooting away in a perfect circle. The shards shot into the distance, until Fluttershy thought they wouldn’t be coming back…

And then they came back.

Every single one of the tiny motes of light, and lack of it, shot back towards the single point, to hit at exactly the same time. Strange disturbances sent soft tremors through the air, and the light itself around the collision warped in a sphere.

Fluttershy ducked her head as far as she could into the bush, until it was almost touching the ground. She listened intently, trying to get even the tiniest speck of sound from the thing.

*Thud*

The impact resounded around the open space, finding its way into the bush the small pony was hiding in. She nervously poked an eye out to check on what was there. She wondered for a moment why she couldn’t see anything, before she opened her eyes.

She then drew in a sharp breath and ducked out of sight.

Lying there in a small cloud of dust, was Light.

Fluttershy started to hyperventilate, terrified to be anywhere near the dangerous creature. She considered trying to make a break for it, but shot that idea down as she realized that he would get to her before she could get anywhere. She strained to hear any sound of his approach…

Nothing.

There was absolutely no noise coming from the impact zone. Fluttershy quietly stuck her head out to have a peek. Light was lying unconscious on his back in the middle of the path. And he was injured.

The caretaker’s instincts took over immediately, memories of treating Light once before were rushing into her head. She gathered up whatever courage she could dredge up before boldly taking a step out of the bush.

Well, I say boldly… You know what I’m trying to say…

Fluttershy crept down the path towards Light. As she neared him, she could see just how badly injured he must have been. The once pristine clothes were ragged and slightly blackened. Oddly enough, no colors showed up on the ethereal fabric whatsoever. His body was flickering madly, sections breaking off and reforming in an effort to retain some sense of form. His clothes and mane were fluttering weakly where they had once moved wildly in the invisible and undetectable breeze.

Fluttershy made up her mind. She would nurse him back to health. Hay, maybe he might even be grateful and be friends with her. He was nice enough last time anyway…

Light stirred.

Fluttershy took a step back as he rose shakily to his feet, swaying as he did so, before keeling over and landing neatly on his face. She gasped and sprinted towards him, covering the last of the distance just in time for Light to pass out. She stood, unsure for a moment, before deciding.

She would need to get him to her house.

Transition to Fluttershy’s

Convenience walked into the hazy room, a disturbed look on his face. He cast his gaze around the small room, before it settled on the table where three beings were playing what appeared to be ‘Go Fish’. He walked over.

Order looked up briefly from his book to look at the new arrival. He was sitting in his usual spot, not having moved, even after finishing the last novel he was reading. Surprise and Force were having a heated argument over whether or not Surprise had asked for 10’s or 7’s. Convenience ignored this and went straight for his friend. Order sighed and put away his book, knowing that Convenience would only be there for a good reason.

It was.

“Order! So glad that I found you!”

Order grunted. “It would appear so…”

Convenience looked at the cards on the table. “I wouldn’t be interrupting something, would I?”

Surprise and Force were still having their argument. “It would appear not…”

“Good. Anyway, where’s something important that I need to discuss.”

“Shoot.”

“Well, I think that Author used a transition…”

Order’s eyes shot open, startled. “We wouldn’t dare…”

“I think he did.”

Order groaned and shoved his hand forwards. It disappeared into thin air. He felt around for a moment before finding what he was looking for. He suddenly jerked forward. A cry of pain came out of nowhere, and Order withdrew his hand, the end appearing again.

“You’re right, he did… But I’m afraid we’re too late,” Order shuddered, “He saved it…”

Fluttershy

The yellow pony finished lifting Light across the room, and shoved him onto her couch. She was preparing to fetch her medical supplies when the creature on her couch groaned and rolled over, facing her.

Light opened his eyes…

Well, didn't see that coming...

Well, when I say that, I mean...

Well, I am the author so...

Well-

"Argh, dude! Stop saying well!"

...

"Auth..."

Fine, jeez, I'll stop!

"Good. And I'm still not happy about you using that transition either."

Bite me, I was lazy.

"..."

I'll get Pinkieee...

...

That always does the trick. Those guys must be terrified of her or something.

Well... I mean, Okay, now that Convenience is off my back, hope you liked the new update and slightly quicker time as well.

Star date 213-

...

Stupid crossovers, messing with my head...

Anyyyway, adios!

Comments

[Meeester]

This has been my personal favorite among all of the chapters for this story. A good break from the Light vs. Ponies with MOAR back-story!

[Weavuh]

When I read this, my mind was overfilled with awesome!

KEEP IT UP, COMRADE!

[shirotora]

Celestia is going to have SOOOOOOOO much ass kissing to do

[Midnight Blues]

GOD DAMMMINT I AM SO PISSED RIGHT NOW!!!! can't control the CAPS LOCK. I don't think I every been so mad and the damn ponies before. Here he was minding his own business and they all try to violently murder him WTF man come on. End this torture already pls. You killing me man. This is the worst case of misunderstanding I've EVER SEEN!!!

[Midnight Blues]

Side note: I completely skipped all Italicized paragraphs and being completely Irreverent and space taking. Also the Bold talking is even less needed so haven't read more then a sentence of it. Just pls focus on prevalent stuff.

[dbanksischillin]

Nice. And get order off of your back.