Shadows

by DNA Hochburger

Meetings Part 2

"SOOoooo. Shall we contiune?", DNA asks with a wide grin on his face.

"What. Did. Just. HAPPEN," Twilight says, first trying to sound collected, but failes miserable as pure exitment takes over, for the thirst of knowlege. The look on her face goes from confused to... well lets say crazy, even when that understates it.

In a flash she teleports inches from his face, but he is unfazed by that as he just stands there not showing any reaktion in contrast to Fluttershy, which flinches when Twilight teleports. But not DNA. NO, because he doesn´t care.

"EXPLAIN! I want to know everything. For example what did just happen? The thing with dog I mean. And why are you here in the first place? You said something bad is gonna happen, but what exactly. I need information. I need knowlege. Please," says Twilight, almost pleading.

DNA lays a hoof around her neck to calm her and it works, surprisingly. He walks with her down the stairs to her friends. "Twilight, I can understand what your going through. The thirst of knowlege pumping through you and that you want to satisfy it by any means. Really I understand, but I would bet with you that I know something that you want more at the moment."

"Oh really, do you? Are you sure about that?", Twilight responds in a much calmer voice.

"Yes, I am," he answers in an impossible confident voice.

"So you wanne make a bet? When you show or give me what I desire more than knowlege at the moment I won´t ask another question, till you allow me too, but when you are false I am allowed to ask one question, that you have to answer."

He puts an hoof to his chin and thinks a second before answering: "Ok sure, but if I win you and your friends aren´t allowed to ask a single questions. And if I lose all of them are allowed to ask on question each. Deal?"

Twilight looks to her friends, which all nod in approval. Then she turns to DNA again and says with over confident voice: "Deal."

DNA gets a grin on his face and continues: "Well then let´s start. So what would Twilight Sparkle like to have? You are antisocial, because really you almost just interact with your friends and family," Twilight frowned a bit at that statement, "you love books and knowlege, which I can´t give you, because that would defeat the purpose of the bet," he put a hoof to his chin. "So what can I give a pony that desires nothing more than knowlege and friendship? Oh I have a idea," he says in played suprise, "a colt."

The answer actually suprises Twilight, because she did not expect that. She has expected for him to say fame or money, but a colt. She wipes off the confused look on her face and says then with the victory in her grasp: "Hah, you lose I don´t want a colt. It seems you lose."

Not for one second his expression ceases as he immediatly responds: "Oh Twilight don´t you remember the bet. We said 'show or give', but I merely told you what you want, so now I will show you what you want," with that DNA turns to the door and yells, "Please come in."

The doors open, as a pegasus royal guard, with light-orange coat color and a dark blue mane, steps in.

At the sight of him Twilights heart misses a beat. It´s Flash Sentry. She can´t react, so her body does it for her and with that she runs to him. When he sees her he starts to run too. As they meet, they close in for a tight embrace.

Shining Armor looks at his wife, with a confused look. She titters a bit at the look on his face and to the fact that he didn´t notice that his little sister had a special somepony.

Twilight feels like this hug is the only thing on this world at the moment. She wishes it could last forever, but like everything it has an end, as DNA interrupts the embrace, when he says, with a light chuckle: "So Twilight, did I win?"

Twilight loses herself from Flash, to look at him for a moment. She and him like each other. It´s apperent that they like each other to everypony, but they try not to do a big deal out of it. They knew that their relationship would become complicated, with her being a princess and him being a royal guard. But they wanted to try it anyways. She wanted to take it slow with their relationship and he agreed. They always met secretly.

She turns around to face DNA. He just stands there in the middle of her friends, family and mentors. She sighs, in thought that she lost and DNA knows it, he just wants to hear it from her. "Ok you won," with defeat clearly in her voice. Then she looks at her friends and apologises: "I´m sorry girls I let you down," and lowers her head.

She feels a hoof on her shoulder and looks who it is. It´s Flash, with an understanding smile, as he says: "Twilight, I don´t know what this about, but I´m certain that it won´t mean that the world is being destroyed, because of it. And even when, I will always be by your side to help and protect you. So don´t worry."

His little speech gives her hope again and she smiles again. It´s a weak smile, but it´s a smile.

"Isn´t that nice? Well now that this is finished we can finally continue," and DNA is about to continue, when he remembers something. DNA turns to Flash and says: "Oh yeah Flash you are not allowed to ask me any question what so ever, till I allow it. Am I being clear?"

Flash salutes and says: "Yes, sir," trying to be as professional as possible.

"Good boy. Ok then so next thing on the agenda. What was it again," thinks DNA out loud, tapping lighly with his hoof on his head. "Oh right, we were out on meeting everypony."

He turns to Celestia and Luna, before saying: "Hey Luna, Celestia is there anypony you would expect less to step through that door, than me?"

The question is weird. Celestia looks to Luna, which shakes her head and then looks to DNA again and responds: "No, I guess not."

A quick, evil smile slips over his face, befor turning to the same stone face he had befor. "Oh really? Let´s see ´bout that. Do you remember a little filly? She had a really light blue coat. Her eyes were unique and had the same colour, as her coat."

Lunas and Celeastias hearts don´t miss on beat, but several at the mention of that description. The filly he is talking about is clear to both of the royal sisters.

DNA doesn´t give them time to react to what he just said and then calls: "Snowdrop, come in please."

The entrance doors open again, this time to a little filly. 'She looks like DNA explained, but there is something off about her,' Twilight thinks to herself.

As the filly walks along the carpet, Twilight and Flash step away to give her space to pass. When the filly passes them Twilight notices what is off about her: She is a robot. Her and Flashs jars drop when they see it.

Snowdrop continues her walk futher, till she reaches Pincess Luna and Princess Celestia. DNA steps beside her a starts laughing. He laughes HARD. But he is the only pony who laughs, as everypony else is either confused or shoked of the sight.

Then suddenly Celestia starts shouting at DNA: "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

DNAs laughing ceases more and more, till it stops. He then looks at her and answers: "Whatever do you mean, Celestia?", while wiping away a tear.

"Oh, know exectly what I mean. You are aware that you can pull alot of jokes with and on us and I´m fine with that, really. BUT let the dead rest in peace."

DNA gives he a puzzled look, as he clarifys: "Celestia, what the hay are you talking about? She´s not dead. She´s right there," pointing at Snowdrop.

"But she died. I saw it. I stood next to her hospital bed when she died. So explain how can she stand there? She looks alike her, but she´s not even living. So how is this her?", a tear falls out of her eye.

"First that with the living is rude. She alive. Not bilogical, but mentally. Second, you ask how she stands there when you saw her die? Well that´s easy to explain. You saw her die? That´s not entirely true. You saw her body die, her soul lived on. Then I took her soul and put it into this body, so she live on and meet you again. Easy as that," he explains matter-of-factly.

Celastias sadness is wiped up with this statement and her only thought is: 'Snowdrop is alive. Snowdrop is alive.'

"So this here is Snowdrops soul in a robot body?", it´s Princess Luna who asks, the first words since Snowdrop came in.

"Yes. But you know she can talk, right?" DNA says plainly.

Celestia and Luna look down at the filly, which says then: "I´m back," with a smile.

Celestia and Luna both start to give her a hug, which looks funny that two big alicorns hug a little filly robot.

Rainbow goes to Applejack and whispers: "Hey AJ, don´t you think we are let a bit out of this whole meeting?"

"What do ya mean?"

"I mean he comes in greets us all. Yeah nice of him, but now he just ignores us. It´s like we aren´t needed."

"Well there is alot to catch up with and here are alot of poys so it´s hard to talk with everypony at ones and that´s why we are being kinda ignored here Ah guess," Applejack reaponds.

Suddenly a cough interrupts their little conversation. When they turn to see who it is, they see it´s non other than DNA. He gives them a stern look. They both take a step back. "So, you two feel that you are being ignored?"

They boh gulp and answer in unison: "N-no, sir!"

"Oh really, because I think you do. Don´t worry the next couple of days I´m going to give you more attention than you would like," with that he turns away from them.

Then he looks in the air and says seemingly random: "Discord, how long do you still want to watch?"

Then Discord appears out of thin air. As he floats downwards he states: "Oh DNA, you can be such a wet blanket. I wanted to make a grand entrance, but of course you had do deny it."

"Oh, I´m sorry," DNA apologizes.

Discord lands before him and gives DNA a hug, while telling him: "It´s nice to see you again. It´s been to long my old friend."

"I have to agree on that with you."

Twilight is desperate. She wants to ask so much questions, but she can´t. She has lost a bet and she is determined to hold what they decided on as the price. She feels a hoof on her shoulder again. It´s Flash smiling at her. She smiles back and feels a lot calmer now, because of that gesture.

Shining Armor, still on top of the stairs, sees the little gesture of his guard towards his sister and decided to talk to him when this is all over. For now he thinks it´s best to let it slide, so that he doesn´t evoke a chaos.

They lose the embrace before DNA continues: "So we are almost full now. We just need another three ponys," he looks at Discord, "And one of them is to all of you very familiar. Even when some of you maybe don´t like him that much, he´s a very good friend of mine."

Discord gazes at DNA with a curious sight, before asking with a bit of pleasant anticipation in his voice: "You don´t mean him. do you?"

DNA smiles at him cheeky and then answering: "Oh I totally mean him."

"Who is him, when I might ask?" askd Celestia with quite the annoyed look on her face, while stepping besides them.

"I thought I said it allready. You know him. Your relationship hasn´t been the brightest in the past, but I´m sure you gonna get along just fine. Well I´m almost certain of it."

"And I´m asking you again: Who is it?", repeats Celestia, with impatience clearly in her voice.

Now Discord answers her: "Oh dear Celestia. I´m suprised you haven´t figured it out by now. Can´t you count off all the enemies you wanted to kill over your life span and then figure it out? It should be easy enough," with a voice as if it would be totally normal.

"Discord you are aware that I lived for thousends of years, right?"

"Yes. So what´s your point?"

"Do you think I remember everything I wanted to kill over my life span?"

"Well, when you put it like that... Yes. I lived almost as long as you do and I remember each one," says Discord, with a hint of pride in his voice.

Celestia lets out a deep sigh, remembering it´s Discord she´s talking to and it has no use to argue with him, before turning to DNA again: "You still didn´t answer my question, DNA. Who is standing infront of this door?", with a much calmer voice.

"Right, I need you all to stand back."

Celestia gets an douptfully expression, as she asks: "And why is that?"

"Oh the reason is rather simple. I said you aren´t to friendly with him, right? So I need all of you to stand back, so that Discord and I can create a barrier, because you would probobly attack him."

Now Celestias expression turns even more douptfully, then before: "You want me that we go behind a barrier, so you can let something in here that everpony here wants to kill?"

DNA thinks for a second, before saying: "Yes, basically."

Celestia let´s out yet another sigh, befor turning to everypony else: "Ok you heard him let´s all go to the back."

Twilight trots to her mentor and asks: "Are you sure about this? I mean can we just trust him like that? Ok sure, I know Luna says she trusts him blind, but I don´t think somepony as wise as you would just trust somepony like... how shall I put it? I just want to say I don´t trust him as much as you or Luna do."

Celestia puts a hoof on her shoulder: "I know you don´t and I don´t think one of your freinds does, but Luna and I went a long way with him. That´s why we can trust him like that and I´m sure that the time will come that he will proof that to you too. And I think this time will come sooner than we would like to," with that she turns away from Twilight and walks to the back.

Twilight walks to the back, where her friends allready wait for her to return.

"And, how was it?", the blue pegasus asks.

"Well she says that she trusts him and that the time will come that he proves that he is worth our trust too," answers Twilight.

"So, we can´t do anything, exept trust him?", replies Applejack.

"I guess so. I´m sorry girls," says Twilight, with a sad tone.

Fluttershy goes over to her and gives her hug: "Don´t be sorry. You did nothing wrong."

"Yeah! Everything is going to be easy peasy," screamed Pinkie, while hopping around her.

"What Pinkie means darling is that whatever comes at us we gonna survive it, as friends," encourages Rarity.

Twilight looks at her friends, who all nod in approval: "Thanks girls."

"Ok now that you are finished with your little talk, we can continue or?", comes DNA from the middle of the room. "So what is going to happen, you may ask yourself. Discord will create a magical chaos barrier and I will create normal barrier. In theory no physical and no magical attack can penetrate it from both sides. Also I hope no teleportation is possible through it. So without any futher interruption let´s start!" With that he gives a nod to Discord, which Discord returns.

Discord raises both of his paws infront of him and closes his eyes. A blackish, thin wall appears between him and the rest. When it´s over Discord looks it over and smiles proud of his work, before saying: "Ok DNA, my part is done, now it´s your turn."

DNA just gives him a slight nod. He looks square at them, with a blank expression. His deep red eyes turn for the fraction of a second light red, befor turning to their original colour. Suddenly a blueish wall appears between them. It looks more solid than the one Discord created.

When it suddenly appears all of them jump a step back.

"WHAT IS THAT?", comes a scream from Twilight.

"Whatever do you mean?", asks DNA with an innocent voice.

"This... thing."

"Are you trying to break the bet?"

"N-no, I´m sry."

"It´s ok, just don´t forget, " camls her DNA. "Anyway I guess I will call in our guest," states DNA, turns around and walks to the door.

Celestias leans down to look at Snowdrop and asks her: "Have you met him allready?"

She nods, before answering: "Yes, I have."

"And how is he?"

Snowdrops thinks for a moment: "Wel, when I first met him he was scary looking, but he is a really nice stallion."

Celestia straightens herself up again and thinks to herself 'Well this can get interesting.'

DNA opens the door slightly and pokes his head out. He seems to talk. After a couple of seconds. He pulls his head in and closes the door behind him, with a happy expession on his face.

"Ok then if you all would please give me your attention. Thanks. So, somepony is gonna step through that door now. You will all recognise him, but please don´t panic he is good, not evil," with that he turns towards the door and says: "Please enter."

The door opens and through it steps a familiar figure. A red horned unicorn, with a black coat and red cape: Sombra.

Author's Note:

So yeah Flash appeared in this chapter. Don´t worry he won´t be a charcter with to much screen time and meaning, but he will come in occasionally. Sombra appeared as well, so thats gonna be a whole thing. Also Snowdrop came in. I don´t plan on focusing to much on her, I just though that it would be a nice idea. Still hope you liked it and that you stay tuned.

Oh yeah before I forget it don´t get used to the rapid updates. Thanks till next time.