Shadow Men: Where Light Can't Touch

by DragonsHeart

Chapter 7 - Dark Storms Approach

Twilight runs through the streets of Ponyville, trying to get home as fast as possible. Thinking, ‘NoNoNo this can’t be possible this can’t be possible!!’

She can see the palace in the distance, but it seems like a infinity away. Of course it isn’t and Twilight soon bursts through the door, her eyes scanning the room for the fearful sight of a dead dragon. What they see instead is Fluttershy.

“Twilight, calm down,” Fluttershy says, trying to calm down the frantic alicorn.

“But Spike, Rarity....” Twilight cries, close to crying.

“Spike is fine, Twilight, he is just unconscious,” Fluttershy explains, causing Twilight to sigh in relief, “Rarity just overreacted and ran off before we properly found out.”

“I see,” Twilight says, relief plan on her face.

Soon Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and the two homicide officers arrive, and the situation is quickly explained.

“Sorry, Twilight,” Rarity says, looking pretty sheepish, “I really thought… well.”

“Don’t worry about Rarity, I am just glad Spike is fine,” Twilight says, smiling at Rarity.

“Gee, Rarity having us worry about nothing,” Applejack says, patting Rarity on the back to show no hard feeling.

“Has Spike woken up yet?” Rainbow Dash asks.

“No, do you want to see him?” Fluttershy asks, looking at Twilight.

“Yes I would,” Twilight says, before turning to the homicide officers who have been patiently waiting, “Do you mind if I just quickly check on Spike before we check if Sorrow is still there?”

“No, go ahead,” Iron-Sight says, smiling and slightly shaking head, “But do you mind if we tag along, so we can hear if Spike has anything to say?”

“It will be no problem,” Twilight answers, smiling back.

“Well you can count me out,” Jack says, shaking his head, “Since there has been no murder here, I think I will just go outside and grab a fag.”

“If you must,” Iron-Sight sighs, “Just don’t run off somewhere where I can’t find you.”

“No promises captain,” Jack smirks, leaving the palace. No girl is sorry to see him go.

“Spike is on the couch, follow me,” Fluttershy says, leading the way.

---

Jack walks outside and away from the palace before looking around carefully. He then notices Pinkie approaching the palace, he makes a show of lighting a cigarette and taking a few short puffs. He smiles at the approaching pony who smiles back. Pinkie is one of the only ponies that would genuinely smile at Jack Ripper.

“Morning, Jack,” Pinkie says, giving a bright smile.

“Morning. It is Pinkie right?” Jack says, taking another puff at his cigarette.

“Yep, that my name,” Pinkie says, happily, “Do you know where my friend are?”

“Yep, they are in the palace,” Jack says, jerking his head towards the palace.

“Thanks, I gotta go, bye!” Pinkie says, quickly bouncing off towards the palace.

Jack watches Pinkie, and as soon as she enters the palace he looks around to see if there is anypony else before he drop the cigarette and steps on it, he then walks off, disappearing down an alleyway.

---

“So how did you two find Spike?” Iron-Sight asks Fluttershy and Rarity, as they walk towards the living room.

“Well we came over to visit Twilight and found poor Spike laying on the floor,” Rarity explains, looking sheepish again, “He looked so still I panicked and thought he was dead, then went looking for you since you were gone and I feared something may have happened to you as well…”

“I guess this is also the work of Sorrow?” Iron-Sight says, turning towards Twilight.

“Then she must of escaped,” notes Applejack, sighing.

“I wonder how she got past all my traps on the stairs?” Twilight wonders, down cast.

“Here he is,” Fluttershy says, leading them to the sleeping dragon.

Spike is laying on the couch, covered in a blanket. His eyes are closed and his breathing seems steady. Twilight approaches him.

“Spike, hey wake up,” Twilight says, shaking him gently.

Spike eyes scrunch up slightly, before he turns over, away from Twilight, mumbling, “Oh, Rarity,” before smiling in his sleep.

“Yep, he’s fine,” chuckles Rainbow Dash, smiling.

Twilight also smiles in relief before shaking him harder, “Spike wake up!”

Spike groans and opens a single eye, “Ah, come on Twilight, just five more minutes…”

Suddenly Spike is swept up into a tight hug by Twilight.

“Spike! I was so worried about you!” Twilight says, refusing to let go of the struggling dragon.

“Twilight what are you doing…” Suddenly Spike remembers what happened before he was knocked out. “Twilight! It escaped!” Spike says, with urgency.

“We know, Spike, we know...” Twilight says, still hugging Spike, “I am just glad you are alright.”

“Could you explain what happen last night Spike,” Iron-Sight says, approaching Twilight and Spike.

“Who are you?” Spike says, managing to untangle himself from Twilight.

“I am Captain Iron-Sight from Homicide,” he says, showing his badge, “I am here to ask you about what happened last night.”

Spike looks nervously at Twilight, who gives him a nod, confirming that it is alright to speak with him.

“Well, last night I woke up and felt thirsty, so I went to get myself a glass of water,” Spike starts to explain, “I came out of the kitchen and saw something dash past me and stop at the door, I looked at it and…”

“Go on,” Iron-Sight says, encouraging him.

“I saw a monster!” Spike blurts out, “It was huge! It looked as tall as Discord, with long hands and huge claws! It’s face looked like the mask that Joy wears only black instead of white and the blue is glowing slightly! It also had tentacles hanging off it’s back that moved!”

There is no doubt in Twilight’s mind now, that is the real Sorrow that Spike saw.

“So what did you do then?” Iron-Sight asks, seeing that Spike has finished.

“I dropped my glass of water,” Spike says, matter of factly.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already cleaned that up,” notes Fluttershy, smiling.

“What happened after that?” Iron-Sight says, ignoring what Fluttershy said.

“I tried to call out to Twilight, and then everything went black,” Spike finishes.

“I see, so this creature is Sorrow?” Iron-Sight asks, looking Twilight.

“I believe that was the actual Sorrow and that was responsible for the massacre,” Twilight says, noticing Iron-Sight confused, “I better explain everything.”

Twilight tells him everything they know about Sorrow and Joy.

“I see, we better find her before she can do anymore damage,” Iron-Sight says, shaking his head.

“My friends and I will look too,” Twilight says, her friends nodding in confirmation.

“I will call for backup, put out a bulletin and…” Iron-Sight tries to say.

“Wait!” comes a voice by the door, it turns out to be Pinkie.

“Pinkie, what are you doing there?” Rarity asks, surprised, as they had not notice the pink pony until now.

“Well I came in a while ago but you guys seem to be talking and it seemed important so I didn’t want to interrupt so I decided to wait but when you said you were going to go look for I realized that I had to say something so I interrupted…” Pinkie quickly says, in one breath.

“Pinkie breath and then tell us what you wanted to say?” Applejack orders, signaling Pinkie to slow down.

Pinkie takes a deep breath and then says, “Have you checked the basement?”

“Why would we check the basement, Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash says, rolling her eyes, “She has already escaped, remember?”

“But she may have come back,” Pinkie states.

“No offence sugarcube, but why would she came back?” Applejack asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, she may…” Pinkie says, trying to think of a why of convincing them without breaking the Pinkie Promise she made to Sorrow. Lucky Iron-SIght says something.

“She has a point though, we might as well check before we may possible waste time and resources,” Iron-Sight suggests, “She may have even left behind a clue or something.”

“It really can’t hurt,” agrees Twilight, nodding her head.

They head for the basement, with Pinkie hanging behind. It is killing her that she can’t tell her friends about what happened last night, but she Pinkie Promised… she just hopes that she hasn’t made a huge mistake. They reach the basement door.

“She definitely went through here,” Twilight says, opening the door, to reveal the pitch black room.

“I will go first,” Iron-Sight gallantly offers, stepping forwards.

Twilight stops him, “No I will, the traps I set up might still be active, so I will go first and disable them, you follow behind,” Twilight orders, stepping into the basement.

“If you insist, Princess,” Iron-Sight says, following behind Twilight. The rest of the girls follow behind him.

They descend the stairs that is lit up by Twilight horn, having to stop every few steps so Twilight can disable one of the traps.

“I wish Jack was here,” sighs Iron-Sight, trying to peer into the darkness, “He has great night vison.”

“This is taking so long,” whines Rainbow Dash, getting impatient.

“If you think this is taking long you should've seen how long it took Twilight to set it up,” jokes Spike, who at the back of the group.

“It is weird how none of traps on the stair were set off,” notes Twilight, as she disables another trap, “She must have somehow avoid them.”

After a while they finally reach the bottom.

“About time,” mumbles Applejack, also trying to peer into the darkness.

“Let me just turn on the lights,” Twilight says, turning on all the candles with her magic, revealing the cage. All the girls beside Pinkie gasp.

“She’s still here!?” Twilight says, shocked, as Sorrow still sits in her cage.

Sorrow’s head raises, revealing her sad mask. “Can we help you?” she asks, her usual sad voice breaking the girls from their shock.

“So this is Joy, right?” Iron-Sight asks, who still is having trouble wrapping his head around this.

“Sort of,” Twilight answers, slowly approaching the cage. Twilight reaches the cage and looks directly at the mask, “We need to ask you some questions.”

Sorrow is quiet for a long time, until she finally says, “Ask them quickly then.”

“Did the real Sorrow go to the forest last night and kill two ponies?” Twilight asks, hoping for a straight answer.

Sorrow hangs her head, before saying, “Maybe… asks the rest of your questions quickly, for your questions scare the remains of Joy and she may soon retreat.”

Rainbow Dash flies up to Twilight, and points to something on the cage floor beside Sorrow front hoof. “Look Twilight, it’s blood!”

“Where did this blood come from?” Twilight says, pointing to the blood.

Sorrow doesn’t even look at the blood before saying, “The two ponies most likely…”

“Did you attack Spike?” Twilight asks, with gritted teeth.

Sorrow just stares at Twilight for a long time before just nodding her head.

“Why? Why did you do this?” Twilight cries, angrily.

Sorrow hangs her head again, “Only Sorrow can answer this.”

“Then let me speak to it!” Twilight says, glaring at Sorrow.

“She does not want to,” Sorrow states.

“Why?!” Twilight yells, having enough of this.

“Because you are just a short lived mortal,” Sorrow says, sadly, “You aren’t worth the time… you will one day die and we won’t, so words are wasted on you.”

Twilight is shocked. So the reason Sorrow won’t speak to her is because they are mortal. A hoof is placed on Twilight shoulder, it’s Iron-Sight.

“I think I have heard enough, let’s go,” he suggests, jerking his neck upstairs.

Twilight looks at Iron-Sight, before looking back at the cage and then at Iron-Sight again. She nods her head. They head for the stair, hearing all they needed to hear, Pinkie only staying to briefly stare at the cage before chasing after her friends.

Until she hears the words, “Forever!” in a familiar sad voice.

Pinkie whip her head around back to Sorrow, who is hanging her head, not moving. Pinkie shivers and runs after her friends.

“So this how it feels,” Pinkie mutters to herself.

---

“So what do you plan to do, Iron-Sight,” Twilight asks, as they sit around the kitchen table, while Spike makes some tea.

“I have no idea, Princess,” Iron-Sight says, shaking his head, “I have never in my entire career had to deal with something like this. Can’t arrest her since I doubt any cage beside maybe a giant cement block would hold her, also it wouldn’t feel right to either… she belongs in a mental hospital but there is no gunantere that they could even help or even hold her. Bottom line is I have no idea.”

“Could the Hexxers help?” Twilight asks, remembering Hard Facts.

“Nay, but I think I will talk to Hard Facts about it anyway, with your permission of course,” Iron-Sight asks, looking at Twilight.

“You can, but no one else, I don’t want this leaking,” Twilight answers, sighing.

“Of course, Princess,” Iron-Sight says, nodding.

“But what are we going to do?” Twilight asks the world in general.

“May I make a suggestion?” says a voice behind them.

They turn around and gasps for Princess Celestia stands there with a passive look on her face.

“Celestia, what are you doing here?” Twilight says, shocked, while the rest of the room bows to the Princess of the Sun.

“Standing currently,” Celestia says, earning a giggle from Pinkie. Celestia walks forwards and sits herself by the table, she then notices Spike walking in carrying a tray with a tea pot and cups on it. “Ah Spike, I would like mine with two sugars please,” Celestia says, smiling.

“Princess Celestia!” Spike says, surprised by the Princess and nearly dropping the tray, “Of course, let me just get another cup!” Spike places the tray down and rushes off to get another of the aforementioned item.

“Princess, if you would beg my pardon, you had a suggestion?” Iron-Sight says, still bowing.

“You may rise your head Captain,” Celestia says, in her usual kind tone, “And yes I do… I want you to let Sorrow out of her cage.”

“What! But…” Rainbow Dash says, shocked.

“The cage is useless and we are no steps closer to solving the mystery that is surrounding the her,” Celestia interrupts, just as Spike appears reappears and starts serving the tea, serving Celestia first of course. She takes a sip before speaking again, “The key to all this could very will be Joy, for she is or at least her memories are locked away in Sorrow, she could tell us all we need to know.”

“But she won’t even talk to us, she is too scared of her memories,” Twilight says, sighing.

“Luna and I thought about this and we think we know what to do,” Celestia says, with a heavy look on her face, “We must make her trust us, so we can then help her deal with her inner demons. It is the only way.”

“But how?” Twilight says, confused, “How can we do this?”

Celestia gives Twilight a sad smile, “By doing what you girls are famous for, with friendship.”

“We have to befriend her?” Applejack says, shaking her head, “Sorry to say this Princess, but how do we befriend somepony who isn't even really there all the time?”

“But she is, just not totally,” Celestia answers, turning to face the farmer, “As proven yesterday with Pinkie Pie,” Pinkie blushes at this, “she is still affected by what happens in the real world. It won’t be easy, but I trust you girls and I believe you can do this.”

“So that’s why we have to let her out of the cage,” Twilight says, getting it, “Cause it will be hard to get her to trust us like this.”

“Yes and maybe if you do this you can get Sorrow to actually talk to us as well,” Celestia adds, placing the cup down, “For I believe Joy and Sorrow are connected to each other and if you earn one’s trust maybe we can earn the other’s one as well.”

“I suppose it is the best plan we have now,” Twilight agrees, nodding her head, “But what if she attacks somepony again?”

“I believe poor Spike was just in the wrong place in the wrong time,” Celestia says, smiling as the dragon fills up her cup again, “I think Sorrow definity had a reason to attack those ponies, and we just need to find out what.”

“Of course,” agrees Iron-Sight, nodding his head, “We need to put this whole case to rest.”

“Another thing,” Celestia says, looking very serious, “Nopony is allowed to know about this, this must remain an absolute secret.”

“Why Princess Celestia?” Applejack says, not liking to lie.

“Because ponies are still very upset and angry over the University Massacre,” Celestia says, a sad look on her face, “A lot of nobles and other ponies had family in there, they are already angry at being kept in the dark, imagine what they will do when they find out about Sorrow?”

“They may try and take the law into their own hooves,” Iron-Sight sighs, shaking his head.

“That might be very bad,” Twilight says, imagining the consequences and shuddering.

“Joy is already feeling guilty for a crime I believe is no way her own fault and she is very emotionally unstable as a result,” Celestia says, casting her head down and shaking her head, “And that can make her extremely dangerous. Plus we still don’t understand enough about Shadow Men, all we really know is they somehow feed on emotions and magic, and can change their shape, but I feel l there is more to them than that. I will be relying on you Twilight to continue to use the books to research them.”

“You count on me,” Twilight says, smiling, reading and research are one of the thing she is best at.

“And Captain Iron-Sight, I need you to get more guards posted around town,” Celestia asks, turning towards the Homicide Captain.

“Technically I can’t order the Guards but I will tell the current Captain that we need more security around town while the investigation is on,” Iron-Sight offers, bowing slightly.

“Thank you, Captain,” Celestia says, gracefully. She then stands up, “I believe that is all, so I will be leaving now. I will of course require regular reports from both of you.”

“Of course, Celestia,” Twilight says, quickly nodding her head.

“I think I will leave as well,” Iron-Sight says, also standing up, “I got to write a report… excuse me princess, but how did you find out about this, I haven’t reported it to you yet?”

“Oh, your corporal did it for you,” Celestia says, smiling her warm smile.

“Damn it Jack, I will kill him,” grumble Iron-Sight, quickly leaving the room. “Excuse me, princesses,” he says as he leaves the room.

“That Jack Ripper,” chuckles Celestia, also leaving the room. Making the girls frown, are they the only ones who dislike Jack?

---

Sorrow stands outside the palaces spare bedroom, looking in cautiously. Confused by why they are letting her out of the cage and giving her a nice room.

“You can stay here,” Twilight says, showing her the bed, while Pinkie bounces on it.

“It is very nice and soft and bouncy!” Pinkie giggles, bouncing off the bed and landing on the floor beside Twilight.

Sorrow looks around the room and then at the floor before saying, “Can we stay somewhere else if I have to stay somewhere?”

“What? What is wrong with this place?” Twilight asks, confused.

“This place is just too magical,” Sorrow explains, “I fear I will damage it by accidentally absorbing the magic.”

Twilight eyes widen in shock, she forgot about this. “You’re right, you can’t stay here!”

“But where can she stay?” Rarity asks.

None of the girls really thought it would be a good idea for her to stay at their houses, because some had family, friends or animal living with them and Rainbow Dash lives in a cloud home, so…

“Actually I have an idea,” Applejack says, rubbing her chin.

---

They arrive outside an abandoned house on the edge of town.

“Who lives here?” asks Twilight, as they walk through the door and into the dark interior.

“An old friend of Granny Smith, she passed away last year and it has been abandoned since then,” explains Applejack, coming in behind Twilight.

“Will you be fine living here?” Rarity asks Sorrow, wrinkling her nose at the place, “I mean it is a bit dirty?”

“It will be fine for us… but how will you know we won’t run away?” Sorrow asks, standing in the middle of the room.

“We are going to trust you,” Rainbow Dash states, flying beside her.

“We are going to try to help you,” Fluttershy says, in her kind voice.

“We are beyond help… but we won’t run away,” Sorrow says, still not facing them.

“We will come and visit you tomorrow, ok,” Twilight says, leaving the house, her friends behind her.

“You can do want you want… we are beyond help,” Sorrow says, as they leaves.

Only Pinkie stops by the door, she looks back, and so does Sorrow. Even though the mask is in the way, Pinkie feels like their eyes have met. Sorrow is the first one to break away, turning back into the house.

“I promise to make you smile again, like you helped me before,” Pinkie states, remembering Joy’s crying face, she then leaves as well, catching up with her friends.

Sorrow head casts down, saying, “We are beyond help…” Then in a voice too quiet for anypony to hear, “... help me…”

---

In a unknown place the unicorn known as Catalyst sits behind his desk, writing notes. He thinks to himself that he misses his old desk at the university, actually beside his room it is the only thing he does miss at the university. It is a shame what happened there, how the binding failed, luckily he and his two right hoofed ponies could escape, shame about the rest though, still what can he do.

Actually he had a feeling the binding would fail, he just hoped… never mind, magic is never easy. Anyway, there is more than one way to control somepony. He was a fool to leave his journal and the book behind, luckily he rewrote the journal in the same language as the book so it will take a long time to translate both, anyway he still has the translation notes with him so it is not like he really lost anything.

Suddenly a crystal that sat on his desk starts to glow. One of his agents are trying to contact him. He picks up the crystal.

“Who wishes to speak with the Master?” he says into the crystal, using his codename.

“It is me the Dagger,” says a voice on the other side the crystal.

‘Ah, the agent in Homicide,’ Catalyst thinks, he then says, “What do you have to report?”

“I have found her, she is in Ponyville!” the Dagger says, happily.

“I see, that’s why my two agents in the Everfree hasn’t reported in yet,” Catalyst says, rubbing his chin. He hates sacrificing ponies, but he must, he had to draw her out somehow.

“The amulets attracted her a magnet, they never had a chance,” Dagger explains, “What are you orders?”

“Nothing for now, but I will have some in the future, good day,” Catalyst says, placing the crystal down.

He smiles to himself, at last she has been found. Now he can make plans...

Author's Note:

Hope you enjoy
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[DragonsHeart]

7130264
Not his style, he likes to be more direct.
It works better