The Adventures of Shadow Chaser: The Cutie Mark Crusaders in Marelantis

by RangerBeef

Chapter 2

The next week seemed to drudge by. With three cases down and only one to go Rainbow Dash and I worked tirelessly and it seemed like we were close to finding our target.

“Geez.. This guy really knows how to disappear.” Rainbow sighed and put her head down on her desk.

“Yea, but if we’ve got his routine down we should nail him today when he comes back to Ponyville.” I checked my watch, “And he should be here within an hour. Let’s get going.”

We headed slowly to the train station and set up positions on either side of the platform, making sure our target wouldn’t escape. As we waited for the train to arrive a familiar orange pony strolled up to me.

“Hey, Applejack, what’re you doing here?”

“Ah’m looking for Apple Bloom. Ah haven’t seen hide or hair of her since yesterday.”

I looked down the tracks and saw the train rolling in. “Well, AJ, I’d be happy to help you find her once I’m done here.”

“Ah’d sure appreciate it, Shadow. So what’re you and Rainbow doing here?” The train stopped and the doors opened.

I scanned the crowd of ponies disembarking. “We’re looking to finish our last case for the week, AJ. And if you’ll excuse me, I think I see my target.”

I moved away from Applejack and slipped into the crowd, trying to cause as little of a scene as possible. I could see Rainbow doing the same thing. She’d spotted him too and moved in from the other side.

As we closed in, our target began to look nervous and suddenly took off in a dead sprint. I worked my way quickly through the crowd. Rainbow attempted to take off but couldn’t get room in the crowd to spread her wings.

As I watched him continue to gain distance from me I began shoving my way through the crowd. I had to get to him to stop him. Finally free from the bustling I took off, moving as fast as my hooves would take me but it wasn’t enough, he was still losing me.

As I began to lose hope that we’d end this case today I watched a rainbow colored flash fly past me and toward our target.

Man, I love her.

As Rainbow closed in I suddenly saw the colt trip and stumble to the ground and an orange pony pounced on him and hog tied him. I could see Rainbow stop and laugh and as I caught up I started laughing too.

“Applejack, you’re my hero,” I said, through my panting.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack laughed again. “It’s no problem, sugarcube. What’s this fella’s story, anyway?”

Rainbow grabbed the rope and lifted him off the ground with her wings, heading toward the Ponyville Police Department. “He’s been stealing money from just about everypony he could get close to. This time he chose the wrong pony and they hired us.”

“And now he’s going to jail for a long time.” I felt smug at this catch even though I’d not exactly done anything.

Applejack poked me as Rainbow continued to float away with our last case. I turned to her, my smile quickly fading with the look of concern on her face.

“Ah hate to trouble ya, Shadow but ah’m real worried about my sister. She disappears every once in a while but she always turns up for supper time and she didn’t turn up last night.” Applejack kicked at the dirt as she spoke. I got the sense she wasn’t comfortable with asking for help.

I looked back at Rainbow for a moment. “Hey Dash, you take care of him, I’m gonna help AJ out.”

“No problem-o, boss.”

I turned back to Applejack and tried my best to sound reassuring, “Don’t worry, Applejack, we’ll find her in no time. Where did you last see her?”

“Well, her and her friends were playing in that old clubhouse for the past few days.”

“Well, then let’s start there.”

We turned and headed to Sweet Apple Acres at a brisk pace. I could tell Applejack was really worried. We hadn’t gone more than a hundred yards when I heard an old familiar voice calling mine and Applejack’s names.

I turned and saw Rarity hurriedly walking over to us.

“Well, hi, Rarity. What can we do ya for?”

“Applejack, I was wondering if you’d seen Sweetie Belle. She didn’t come home last night and I didn’t know if the girls had stayed with you at the farm and just not told me.”

“Golly, no, Rarity, ah haven’t seen AB since yesterday either. Ah was just grabbing Shadow here to help me look for her.”

Rarity looked at me and I felt a twinge of regret. I used to tease her in school for being such a girly-girl. I used to kick dirt at her and watch her run from it. I would muss her hair every chance I got. Pull her tail, and just generally bully and annoy her. Admittedly, not the best idea when you have a crush on someone, but we were just fillies back then and I didn’t know any better. And then she grew up to be the most beautiful mare in Ponyville.

I’d long since apologized to her about it all and subsequently been shot down on my idea of a date but she hadn’t been nearly as mean to me about that as I had been to her in school. We remained friends but were never exactly close.

Applejack cleared her throat and I realized they had been staring at me, expecting me to speak while I’d been staring at Rarity.

“Oh, uh.. Yea, we’re headed to Sweet Apple Acres, to check out the girls’ clubhouse. You’re welcome to join us, Rarity.”

Rarity graciously decided not to mention my staring and said simply, “Well, let’s not dilly-dally then.”

We picked up our walk, once again moving at a bit faster of a pace than I thought necessary but these two were worried and that was enough to make me not question it. I tried to lighten the mood a bit.

“So how’re the apples coming in this year, Applejack?”

“Oh, they’re mighty big this year. It’s gonna be a good harvest.”

“That’s great! Maybe that means some extra cider this year.”

“Ah wouldn’t get your hopes up, sugarcube. You know Rainbow will be buying every bit she can get her hooves on.” We chuckled as we came up on the farm. I found myself happy that our target had run this way instead of farther into town.

Applejack led the way through the orchards and to the small clubhouse on the edge of the farm.

“This place is really out of the way,” I said.

Applejack grinned sheepishly, “It was built to keep little fillies out of the way of the plantin’ and harvestin’.”

I chuckled and walked up the ramp and inside. The clubhouse looked like it had been ransacked.

“My word, look at this mess! Someone must’ve kidnapped the girls!” Rarity’s anxiety was getting the better of her.

“Nah, it always looks like this.”

Rarity rolled her eyes and I began to look around for some clues as to the girls’ location.

I kicked over a few clothes lying on the ground. Mostly winter clothes. The closet had been run through but without knowing what was normally in there it didn’t help me. I noticed a note pad sitting on the table in the middle of the room but it was blank, the previous page having been torn off rather roughly.

“What do ya think, Shadow?”

“Is there a pencil or crayon anywhere?”

“What?” The look on Applejack’s face told me she thought I was crazy.

“Here’s one,” Rarity said from behind me.

I took it from her and tore a page from the back of the note pad. Placing the sheet over the top of the pad I scribbled back and forth with the crayon, allowing the last thing written on the note pad to show up through the grooves the crayon couldn’t color in. I read the words aloud as I could discern them.

“Bridle… Shores… Bay… Midnight… Express… Train…” I stopped scribbling and stared at what I had just read.
“Oh, sweet Celestia, no.”

“What is it!? Did the girls run away!?” This time Rarity was not being overexcited.

“What do ya mean ‘run away!?’” Applejack came running over to the table.

I spoke slowly as I stared at the pages. “The girls have gone to look for Marelantis.”

“Marelantis!?” Their unison shouting made me wonder for a moment if they’d been the previous Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Why ever would the girls go on such a ridiculous journey?”

“And why would they just up and leave without tellin’ no pony where they were going!?”

“And why would they go to Bridle Shores Bay? That’s no place for three young fillies! Why think of all the brutish sailors and their filthy mouths!”

Rarity and Applejack continued to be outraged that their sisters had gone while I stared at the paper and spoke softly.

“I’m responsible.”

“What did you say, Shadow?” Rarity asked.

“I’m the reason the girls went there.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

I inhaled slowly and let it out even slower.

“I mean, the girls asked me about why I had Applejack come to my office to see my friend and I told them why. I told them all about Marelantis and the voyage Rainbow and I are set to embark on the day after tomorrow.

We’re going to Bridle Shores Bay to meet my friend and take his ship to find Marelantis. The girls asked if they could come but I told them it was much too dangerous for them.” I felt like my heart was sinking within me. “This is all my fault.”

“Hold on now. You may have told the girls about Marelantis but Rarity and ah certainly don’t blame you for them runnin’ off. This ain’t the first time they’ve done somethin’ like this.”

“Applejack’s right, dear. Those girls are always getting into trouble. Admittedly, running away from Ponyville is a first, but I’m sure we’ll find them quickly. How hard can it be to find three fillies?”

My mind brought up the number of fillies that went missing every year and how many of them were never found.

“I think I’m going to be sick…”

I rushed out of the clubhouse and leaned over the railing, dry heaving. Rarity and Applejack came and stood next to me as I regained my composure.

“So what do ya reckon our first move should be?” Applejack asked, bluntly.

“Excuse me?”

“Well, you certainly don’t expect us to wait around here while you go off to save them, do you? The girls are our responsibility and our sisters. We can’t just let them be lost in such a brutish town as Bridle Shores Bay. We must act quickly.”

The attitude they both seemed to approach this with shocked me. They had both been nervous before knowing where the girls were. Now that they knew, they seemed determined to get them back, and weren’t worried in the least, and I was the one who felt like the world was ending and was overcome with grief.

You’re still a softie.

I took another deep breath calming my nerves and clearing my mind.

“Well, we’ll have to move quickly. You two head to your homes and pack as fast as you can, I’ll find Rainbow and tell her to gather her things. Once you’re ready head to the train station. When we all arrive we’ll do what we can to get to Bridle Shores Bay as fast as possible.”

Rarity and Applejack nodded and ran off toward their homes, leaving me standing on the porch of the clubhouse.

“Oh, Celestia, how’re we going to find these girls?”

You’re going to pony up and do it because this is just what you do.

I sighed again. Much as I hated my inner voice sometimes I knew finding the Crusaders was our only option. Failure was not.

I walked down the ramp of the clubhouse and took off toward my home. Rainbow Dash had been staying with me for the week so her suitcase was there and next to mine by the front door. I’d have to use a trick Twilight had taught me to find her.

As my house came into view I spotted a familiar zebra standing at my door. I’d completely forgotten about her coming to visit today. I stopped just short, trotting quickly up to her, panting heavily.

“You move so fast, you’re looking blurry. But what has you, in such a hurry?” Zecora’s ability to rhyme had always astounded me and put me in a better mood, but today I could find no solace in her rhymes.

“Hey Zecora. I hate to take your potions and run but we’ve got a bit of an emergency on our hooves.”

“That’s no problem, my friend, Shadow. Now take this pouch, and go, go, go.” She handed me a small pouch and I heard a several vials tinking inside. I began to ask how I would tell them apart but she cut me off as she leaned in and whispered, “They’re all labeled. Now go save the girls.”

I stared at her blankly. She hadn’t rhymed, hadn’t spoken in her normal voice and somehow had knowledge that the girls were missing.

“How did you know about them?”

Zecora chuckled softly. “When Ponyville’s best detective is at his wit’s end, the only culprit must be Apple Bloom and her friends.”

I reached in my door and grabbed the two suitcases and safely tucked in the pouch Zecora had given me.

“Thanks, Z. I owe you.” I left her standing there and hustled to the train station, trying to remember the exact spell Twilight had taught me.

“Do not worry, Shadow Chaser. We’ll be even when the girls are out of danger.”

I smiled in spite of myself. Her rhymes were ridiculous sometimes.

I met Applejack at the foot of the stairs to the train station.

“Have ya seen Rarity or Rainbow, Shadow?”

“I didn’t see them on my way here but I’ve got a way to get Dash here quick.”

I stepped away from the train station taking in the whole building and then shut my eyes tight and concentrated hard. Feeling my horn begin to glow I focused on the train station image and the on Rainbow Dash. I went back and forth twice, hoping she would understand.

Twilight had taught me a spell that was useful for communicating without speaking. However, since I wasn’t nearly as talented as Twilight is, I had to use short term memory images and then send those images to the mind of the target pony. It wasn’t the best system ever but our few trial runs had proven fruitful.

I opened my eyes and looked at Applejack. “Let’s hope she gets the message.”

“Ah’ll never understand how all that magic stuff works. Glad you know it though.”

“I just wish I was better at it. Twilight can only teach me so much.”

There was a gentle breeze and Rainbow appeared above us, hovering and finally landing.

“What’s going on? Why are we at the train station? And what’s with the suitcases? I thought we were leaving tomorrow.”

“The girls have gone missin’, Rainbow. We think they headed to Bridle Shores Bay so we’re lookin’ to catch the next train there.”

“Bridle Shores Bay? Why would they…” Rainbow suddenly realized why. “You told them about it, didn’t you, Shadow? Dang it! How many times have I told you? You can’t give them any crazy ideas or they jump all over it.”

I opened my mouth to speak but my throat went dry.

“Whoa, calm down there, RD. There’s no way Shadow could’ve known the girls would catch a train to such a faraway place. Any pony could’ve made the mistake of saying too much.”

Rainbow sighed. She was still visibly upset but yelling at me wouldn’t solve our problem. We decided to move into the train station to wait for Rarity but were met with a pleasant surprise.

Rarity stood holding three express tickets to Bridle Shores Bay.

“Rarity, how’d you get these so fast?”

“A gentlecolt never asks and a lady never tells.”

“Someone owed you a favor, didn’t they?” Applejack asked, bluntly.

Rarity looked disheartened at her secret being revealed.

“Yes, they did. But unfortunately they could only procure three tickets. One of us will be staying here.” She spoke to
Applejack and Rainbow Dash. She knew I had to go.

“Well, ah’m sure as heck not stayin’ here.”

Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow Dash, I’d like you to go in my place.”

The look of confusion and surprise on Rainbow’s face about covered it for Applejack and I, as well.

“What? Don’t you want to go save your sister?”

“Well, of course I do!” Rarity’s anger flared momentarily. “But I recognize that you and Shadow have much more experience at finding ponies than I could ever dream to. If I went I would just be in the way the whole time and that wouldn’t help anything.”

When I think about it now, I shouldn’t have been surprised at Rarity’s generosity but I still kind of am. To give up the hunt for your own sister so another pony can go off to save her is just plain brave. As she took the ticket, I could see even Rainbow was touched.

“Thanks, Rare. I promise I’ll bring Sweetie Belle back safe and sound.”

Rarity embraced her friends tightly and wished them luck. She settled for a hoof shake for me but wished me luck all the same.

As we all climbed aboard the train we waved to Rarity who was tearing up as we started to roll. My heart broke for her. The only way I could make this right was to bring Sweetie Belle and the other girls home safely. Nothing would stand in my way.

Applejack, Rainbow and I ventured back into the cabin we’d be sleeping in. It would be a full day before we would arrive, even on the express train. Rainbow chose the bunk above mine and Applejack chose the one across from us.

“Hey Shadow,” Rainbow called from above me.

“What’s up, Rainbow?”

“Have you ever been to Bridle Shores Bay?”

“Once or twice. Only long enough to know that it’s not somewhere I’d want to live or even visit. It’s a pretty rough town.”

Rainbow Dash poked her head down from above me, whispering loudly, “Hey, don’t sound so harsh about it. Applejack’s sister is going to beat us there.”

I shrunk my head a little, I hadn’t thought about that.

“Don’t worry about me, Rainbow. My sister might be headed for a doozy of a town, but there ain’t a member of the Apple family that can’t handle even the toughest places.” Applejack tipped her hat over her eyes as she finished her sentence.

Catching some sleep was a good idea. I stared at Rainbow still leaning down from above me and kissed my hoof and held it to her. She kissed her hoof and hoof bumped me before returning to her bunk. I rolled over to face out the window, wondering how we would find the girls once we were at our destination.

I finally drifted off into a troubled sleep. This was going to be a long ride.
----------

I sat with Skip on the bank of the Highland Reservoir. He’d always been fascinated by water. I was never too fond of it. He’d spend all his spare time learning how water worked. Currents, evaporation, cloud, the weather associated with moving rain, it was all very fascinating to him.

We’d spent most of the day fashioning a boat out of an old hollowed out tree trunk we’d found. It looked pretty sea worthy but I wasn’t so sure.

“You really think this old thing will really float?” I asked, rocking our makeshift boat from side to side.

“Of course it will! All boats are made of wood anyway. We just have to trust that the sea will treat us kindly!” He laughed as he stood and moved behind the boat. “Help me push it into the water.”

I moved slowly to help him. He knew of my hatred for water but we both knew that friendships were about compromises. Today was our day to dive into the briny deep that was the Highland Reservoir. Briny deep was a loose term. This was probably the cleanest source of water Ponyville had.

I pushed hard against our boat and together we moved it to the water. As we hit the water I told him to jump in and I’d push him the rest of the way out. He did so without hesitation or protest. He really loved this boat. I gave one more hard shove and he was cast adrift in the water. Though without a way to steer or propel himself he was rather stationary in the water.

“Well, now what,” I yelled from the shore.

“Hang on, I’ve got an idea!”

I watched as he removed his paper sailing hat and tore a few sticks from the edge of the boat. He fashioned a small sail and planted it firmly in the bottom of the boat.

I watched as the sails fluffed and took in the gentle breeze and off he went, sailing the Highland Reservoir like a true professional. He would shift the sail this way or that in order to steer, never moving too far from the shore.

I marveled from the shore at my friend sailing his boat, envious of his love of adventure. Not so envious of his love of the sea, but his excitement in sailing was contagious and I felt I might be brave enough to try it.

As he made one final pass by the shore he shouted.

“I’m going to take her out a little bit farther!”

“Just be careful, Skip.”

I watched him turn and head for deeper waters but noticed something seemed off about the boat, like it had lowered in the water. As he turned around once more to me and gave me a wave from a distance, his face looked nervous but excited. I watched as he pulled his mast out of the boat and cast is aside in the water.

“What’re you doing!?”

He shouted something that I couldn’t discern.

His boat was visibly sinking now. An edge had dipped below the water and he was all but sunk. I stared as he rode the ship down until he and the boat were completely underwater. I panicked.

I ran headlong into the water. I wasn’t the best swimmer but I knew enough to save my friend. I swam as quickly as my legs would take me, diving under and looking around for any sign of Skip.

I spotted the boat not far from me now and dove deeper, looking frantically for my friend. I wasn’t even sure he knew how to swim. I felt my lungs burning for fresh air and returned to the surface gasping and heard laughter coming from the shore. I turned and saw Skip rolling on the ground laughing and pointing at me. I made my way back to shore slowly.

“What happened, Skip? One minute you’re fine the next you just disappear under the water? And how’d you make it back over here?” I panted softly trying to catch my breath.

“Oh, Shadow, you didn’t think I was drowning did you?” His laughter was beginning to anger me. “Shadow, I’ve known how to swim since I was just a baby. And as for the going underwater, well, I guess when I planted my mast I planted it too hard and poked a hole in the bottom of the boat. But like any good captain, I went down with my ship.”

I was furious that I had made an unknowing fool of myself but at the same time relieved my friend was okay. I laughed at him softly.

“Just don’t do that anymore, alright? Captain.”

He smiled at me. “Captain. I like that. Maybe you should just call me that from now on. Captain Skip Stalwart. Yea, that’s got a ring to it.”

We both laughed and began to head for home when a twinkling caught both our eyes. It was Skip’s flank. We watched wide eyed as his blank flank was replaced by the wheel of a ship. We looked at each other and bro hoofed.

“I guess I really am meant to be a captain.”

“Dang, that means I’m the last coly in class to get my cutie mark.”

“Aw, don’t worry, Shadow. I’m sure liking Rarity will get you a cutie mark someday.”

“You shut up. She’s the prettiest girl in class. Tell me you don’t like her.”
----------

I bolted upright in my bunk; someone had been trying to wake me. I turned to see a visibly startled Applejack staring back at me. She made a shushing gesture at me and pointed to Rainbow’s bunk. I guess she was still sleeping. She then made a follow me gesture and I nodded. We quietly exited the cabin and I noticed that it was fairly bright outside; I must’ve only been out an hour or two.

Applejack led the way to the dining car and we sat and ordered something small. I was actually quite hungry but didn’t know why. When Applejack finally spoke after the waiter had left I figured it out.

“You feelin’ alright, Shadow? You were out all of yesterday and now most of today.”

I felt shocked that I’d slept so long. I usually never got more than a couple hours of sleep at a time. “Yea, I feel fine. I guess I was just really tired.”

“Well, hopefully all that rest will keep us keen for when we get to Bridle Shores. Can ah ask you something, Shadow?”

“Anything, AJ.”

“Well, what you said about the Bay has got me to thinkin’. Do you think Applebloom and the girls will be alright on their own?”

Applejack would certainly detect any lie and know if I was just trying to cheer her up. I searched my heart for the most honest answer I could come up with.

“Yea. I think they’ll be okay. Not that I’d leave them there forever. But to survive a day or two, the girls have enough knowhow to get themselves into or out of any situation.”

Applejack stared at me for a long minute. I could almost swear it was her own version of Fluttershy’s dreaded “Stare.” When finally she spoke, it was with relief.

“Okay. Ah know AB is strong but hearin’ that from someone else really does make me feel better.” She smiled sweetly at me before changing the subject. “So who were you talkin’ about?”

“Excuse me?”

“When ah was tryin’ to wake you up, you kept sayin’ “She’s the prettiest girl in class.” Who were you talkin’ about?”

I blushed for a moment, happy that she hadn’t been privy to other conversations the Captain and I had had in the past. They were not all completely civilized.

“I was talking about Rarity. I used to have a thing for her in school. Never turned into anything though.”

“Well, ah think you an’ Rarity would make a fine lookin’ couple.”

“Oh yea, the fashionista and the private detective. I could solve crime in the highest of fashion.” We both laughed as our meals arrived and we ate.

“So, what’s our first move when we get to Bridle Shores?”

“Well, I need to find three people. They’ll be our best bet to finding the girls.”

“Who are they?”

I finished my large bite and tried to recall their names. “The first is the Captain. The fellow you met last week, whom I know is staying in a hotel. The next is, ‘Broom-tailed’ Bart. He’s the kind of pony that knows everything. He’ll likely be in the same bar he always is. He’s a large connection to the underside of the Bay and he’ll know if anyone has seen three fillies.”

“Who’s the third?”

“Never knew his real name. Always just called him Bruno. He’s a hefty fellow. Now that I think about it, he looks a lot like Snowflake.”

“What’s so special about him?”

“Well, Bruno is the type of colt that never much liked seeing weaker ponies picked on. He’s the ultimate defender of the underdog. I’d bet that if the girls have run into any trouble at all, they’ve already met Bruno and made good friends with him. Nice colt, really.”

Applejack stared at me again.

“Any more questions, AJ?”

“Yea. How’d you come to know all these seedy fellas?”

“Appleajck, when you do what I do, for as long as I’ve done it, you often times find yourself dealing with unsavory characters. What counts is that your own credibility and morals stay intact no matter how much you must associate with them. So, what do you think, AJ? Think that all my shady dealings in Bridle Shores Bay will drive me to a life of crime?” I lowered my head and spoke in a whisper as I finished my questions and finally winked at her. I could see her trying to repress a laugh.

“Come on, Applejack, you should know better than any other pony that my job and who I know does not have any effect on my own personal beliefs.”

She shook her head and smiled at me. “Ah know, ah know. Doesn’t mean ah gotta like it, though.”

“Do you know if Rainbow has eaten? I’d hate for her to miss out on this.”

“Yea, she woke me up for breakfast and lunch. Said we’d best let you sleep ‘cause you probably won’t be getting much once we’ve arrived.”

“Yea, she’s right. And from the look of it, we have arrived.”

The train was beginning to slow and I could see the city of Bridle Shores Bay out the windows looking just as dark and dank and awful as I remembered.

I sent Applejack to wake up Rainbow as I got our bags readied. Once the train stopped we would begin our hunt. I only prayed that we would be swift enough to stop the girls from doing anything foolhardy or dangerous.

Comments

[DaMagiks]

Nice job Applejack hog-tying that colt

Ah yes the good old rub something to see the previous page's message. Always works
Seriously Rarity never say 'how hard can it be', it's asking for trouble. (Shadow knows better than to quote depressing statistics in front of them and to just get on with the case)
Applejack and Rarity are great in-character here and I liked how you worked in Shadow's embarrassing past with Rarity.

Zecora cameo!
“You move so fast, you’re looking blurry. But what has you, in such a hurry?” - This is the best line of them
But yeah when there's trouble best look to the CMC for the cause of it

The memory image spell is awesome and I can totally see it working in the show.

And Dash knows Shadow so well now that she instantly knows he told them about the case.

Ah Rarity! She knows that she's not suited for rough and tumble adventures and acknowledges that she would slow them down but she stills helps them get on their way.
Well played

'Pretty rough town' Oh snap, Shadow think before you speak

Also kiss-hoof bump = win

Yes! A dream sequence/flashback (They're always interesting to read)
That was seriously mean to be pretending to drown and then he earns his cutie mark leaving only Shadow as a blank flank in the class. Harsh

“Oh yea, the fashionista and the private detective. I could solve crime in the highest of fashion" = A very very average and cheesy old show called Moonlighting.

It's late here now so I'll try to review the next two chapters tomorrow.