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

by RangerBeef

Chapter 3

We stood on the Bridle Shores platform watching the bustling crowds moving this way and that. The cobblestone streets were filled with all manner of ponies. Sailors and shopkeepers, bartenders and butchers. As I watched everyone moving around, I got a bit of a nostalgic feeling. Seeing everyone moving with a purpose but still completely independent of each other, filled me with a sense of belonging. Much as I didn’t like this town, I did fit in.

I looked at Rainbow Dash and Applejack, they seemed a bit overwhelmed.

“You guys okay?”

Applejack spoke without turning her head, still taking in the scene in front of her, “This place sure is big. How’re we gonna find AB and her friends?”

“We’re going to stick to the plan. I’m going to go find Broomtail. I need you two to find the Waterfront Hotel and find out which room the Captain is in.”

“We’re splitting up? That doesn’t seem like a great idea,” Rainbow said. “How would we find each other once we’ve found who we need to?”

“You know how I can use that spell to send you pictures? Well, you can use it on me without the magic. The residual effect lasts for a few days so when you find the Captain just look at him and close your eyes, and then think of me.”

“Cool. But how come you didn’t tell me that before?”

“What? And miss out on knowing how much you’re thinking of me? Which is too much when you’re on the job.” I winked and gave her a nudge as she rolled her eyes.

“Alright, ladies, let’s get a move on.”

Applejack and Rainbow headed down the main road in town and I made a quick left heading down an off road that looked darker even though it was day time. I knew exactly where I was headed but I wondered if I’d get a warm welcome or be forced to butt a few heads.

I made a right into a back alley to shorten my trip and spotted the old familiar wooden sign that the tavern boasted. The Stout Stallion was still carved neatly into the sign and the wood carving of a stallion on his two hind legs made the bar look more reputable than it actually was. What lay inside was a den of liars, deceivers, pirates, and all around bad colts.

I nodded at the ponies sitting outside. Though none mentioned knowing me but I got a few second glances and the nod of approval as I mounted the steps and walked in. The setup of the bar hadn’t changed at all.

The entrance was still overlooking the entire bar so you could see everyone as soon as you walked in and they could see you. I got a few more wary glances but I gave off a look of knowing I meant to be here so most ponies didn’t give me a second glance. I made my way down the stairs and into the pub proper and approached the bar.

“Be with ya in a minute, hon,” the barmare said with her back to me as she poured drinks. Her yellow coat and rosy mane stood out against the rest of the bar but she still looked exactly the same as I remembered her.

“Take your time, Daisy.”

She poured the last of the ale into the mug and turned quickly.

“Shadow!? Oh my goodness! Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in a couple years now.” She embraced me over the counter before remembering her drink orders.

“Hold on.” She quickly dispersed the mugs that had been ordered and returned to me. “Now where have you been!?”

She spoke like an aunt that only sees you during family reunions. Which wasn’t so farfetched. Daisy had known me from the first time I ventured to Bridle Shores. I didn’t even have my cutie mark back then but she had treated me as a stallion but also a bit like her nephew. She’d helped me nearly every time I’d been forced to Bridle Shores and I honestly never showed her enough appreciation.

“Hey Daisy. I don’t exactly have time to talk. I need to talk to Broomtail to see if he’s seen someone.” I spoke quietly but sternly. She knew I was working a case.

“No problem. Broom’s in the back, like always. Be careful though, Shadow. That stallion has had a chip on his shoulder for a while now.”

“Thanks for the heads up.” I smiled at her and dropped two bits on the counter which she swept away quickly. Information never came free.

I wove my way through the tables and bar patrons, heading for the room opposite the bar. I passed the piano on my way, where two familiar looking yellow ponies sat playing at the same time. They produced a good sound but I wondered if they’d been trying to sell any more of their cider in Bridle Shores. The Flim Flam Brothers would never make a living in this town.

I pushed my way through the door dividing the main bar and the backroom and was immediately stopped as someone grabbed my mane pulling me back into the bar. I couldn’t see who was holding onto me but they spoke in a deep and familiar voice.

“What business you got with Broomtail?”

“Two-tone?”

My head whipped around sharply and I bared my teeth in pain but I could see the pony holding my mane now.

Tony “Two-tone” was a world class body guard and all around nice pony but when he was on the job there wasn’t a meaner colt in the world. He’d gotten his nickname from the distinct two tone color of his coat. He was black in the front, blue in the back, a cosmic joke that suited him with how many times he’d turned other stallions those colors. Broomtail had apparently hired him for protection.

Tony gave me a long look before finally releasing me and embracing me tightly.

“Shadow! Hey, how ya doin’ buddy? Boy, am I glad to see you, I need your help. Broomtail’s got me working for free right now. I owe him some money but can’t pay up. Can ya help me, Shadow?”

I gasped and was barely able to speak because of his embrace, “I’ll help… If you let me… go!” He finally released me from his vice like hug and I took a deep breath.

“Oh.. Sorry, Shadow.” His sheepish grin had an endearing quality only a man of his size could pull off.

“It’s alright, Two-tone. I’m actually here to see if Broomtail’s seen someone I’m looking for but I’ll talk to him about letting you off the hook. I think he owes me a favor.” He didn’t but I would try to convince him that he did.

“Gee, thanks, Shadow. Go ahead in but try not to push any buttons. He’s been super mean lately and I don’t wanna have to rough you up.”

“Don’t worry about it, Tone.”

I pushed the door once again and this time entered unmolested. The room was rather open with a few tables in the middle and my old friend sitting right in the middle with his back to me. His muddy-yellow coat and bright yellow mane were always a dead giveaway.

I approached his table and took a drink from a passing barmare, sitting opposite him and looking across the table as I took a gulp of my drink. I could see that he didn’t recognize me at first. I was a lot smaller the last time I’d been around him. As a wave of remembrance washed over him I could see he wasn’t happy to see me. He never had been. When he spoke he called me something I thought I’d never hear again.

“Hello, brother.”

“Never thought I’d hear that again.”

“Never thought you’d be coming back.”

“Hadn’t intended to. I’m on the job. And I need to know if you’ve seen someone.”

“Who?”

“Three fillies. Yellow with a red mane, white with a pink and purple mane, and orange with a dark red mane.”

“You know I don’t keep tabs on kids.”

“This is different. These three don’t belong. Ran away from Pon.. From home. We know they were headed here. They’re looking to get on a boat most likely."

“And why would these three want to get on a boat?”

“They heard about Marelantis. They want to find it.

“Marelantis? Only one person in this town has been gathering folks for a death trip like that. You’re old friend Skip, if I recall.”

“Yea, he is. He came to see me. I’m thinking of joining him but I’ve got to find these fillies first.”

“Oh, Shadow, you’d really join a crazy stallion and three naïve little fillies on their quest for Marelantis? All those years in the shadows must be driving you insane.” He grinned a wicked grin.

“Let’s stay on point here. Have you seen them?”

“No, Shadow. I told you I don’t keep tabs on kids. Talk to Bruno. You know protecting fillies is right up his alley.”

I finished my drink and got up to leave.

“Oh, Shadow. If you don’t find these fillies, don’t worry. I’m sure someone around here will take them in.”

My temper was beginning to flare and I began to walk with a purpose toward the door.

“By the way, I’m taking Two-tone.”

“Fine. I don’t need a bodyguard anyway.”

I walked back into the bar and leaned back against the door, closing my eyes. I hated talking to him. As I collected my thoughts I saw the Captain flash in my mind, once, then again. Rainbow Dash and Applejack had found him. Good. One less thing to worry about.

I sighed deeply and opened my eyes to Two-tone standing in front of me looking like an excited school filly on her first day. I smiled at him and nodded. The look of relief and happiness made him seem like he was going to cry.

“You’re free to go, Tony. But if you’ve got some free time, I could use your services.”

“You got it, Shadow. Anything.”

“Just walk with me outside.”

We made our way through the bar and I waved goodbye to Daisy. She blew me a kiss. When we were outside I angled us toward the hotel.

“So where’re we headed, Shadow?”

“We’re just going for a walk. If I know Broomtail, he’s going to have someone tail us. That’s what you’re for.”

Tony chuckled as he got the message and we picked up our pace as we headed to the hotel. Tony asked why I was in town and I told him the whole story. Marelantis, the Crusaders, Rainbow and AJ. He nodded along like it was a normal thing to be hearing. When I finally finished we were less than a block from the hotel and I hadn’t picked up any sense of being followed. I told Bruno that he wouldn’t be needed to protect me and he looked a bit upset.

“Hey, I’ll tell you what. How good are you at sailing?” I asked him.

“Pretty good. I’ve picked up a lot over the years.”

“Well, the Captain and I are going to need a good crew when we set out for Marelantis. Are you in?”

“Sure, Shadow. I’d love to go with you guys.”

“Well, you give me a day or two to find the girls and I’ll get you set up on the ship with the Captain and we’ll be off, alright?”

“That sounds great.”

“Stay out of trouble until then, buddy.”

He turned to head back into town but I stopped him.

“Do you know where Bruno is these days?”

“Sure, he’s been volunteering with the firefighters in town. That stallion is something else.”

“He sure is.”

Tony headed off into the night and I headed into the hotel. It would be nice to sit and relax for a few hours before picking up the trail again tomorrow. My intuition was telling me the girls were still in town and if they’d been into any trouble, Broomtail would know.

I asked the mare at the front desk what room the Captain was in and was headed to the third floor in no time. When I finally made it I knocked and was met by Rainbow Dash. We hugged and she gave me a “You’ll never believe this” look.

As we made our way into the room, I found Rainbow’s look was right. The Captain was in full-on ‘Flirt with Applejack’ mode and Applejack, despite herself, was slightly melting. Not many people pay too much attention to you when you spend all day on a secluded farm and working yourself to the bone. Applejack did her best to keep a small gap between them as the Captain tried to scoot closer. I think she was just enjoying the extra attention but she looked to be enjoying it too much.

I coughed loudly and that snapped them both out of it. Applejack jumped off the edge of the bed and blushed lightly before speaking.

“So, what did ya find out?”

“Well, Broomtail hasn’t seen the girls,” Applejack’s heart clearly sunk a little. “But that’s good news. If he’d known about them, then they would’ve been in trouble.”

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief. “What about that other fella?”

“We’ll have to find Bruno tomorrow. We got here a little too late in the day for me to find both of them.”

I knew Applejack hadn’t liked that answer. Despite my good feelings, her confidence that her sister was just fine was beginning to wear thin. She sat on the bed once more, looking off at nothing in particular and thinking of how she could find Applebloom.

“Well, that’s a fine way to take the wind out of the lady’s sails, Shadow,” the Captain said harshly.

“Look, she knows lies like you know boats. There are no white lies to make her feel better. Which is why she isn’t exactly swooning over whatever stories you’ve been telling her. She knows every one of them has been puffed up.”

Applejack laid back on the bed. “Four outright lies and one mostly true story but the ship catching fire was a lie. But when you said my eyes were the brightest green you’d ever seen, that was true.”

I could see the Captain lose his color and look around nervously.

“It’s ok, buddy. Honest mistake.” I patted him on the shoulder.

Rainbow Dash was trying not to laugh as she sat next to Applejack.

“So what’re we doing now? Just waiting until morning?”

“That’s pretty much all we can do, Dash. I’ll find Bruno in the morning and if he hasn’t seen the girls then we’ll have to figure something else out. For now, all we can do is get a little rest.”

We divided the two beds, Rainbow and I took one and Applejack the other. The Captain chose to sleep on the floor so as not to give the wrong impression with Applejack. From the look on her face, I could see she felt bad for him sleeping on the floor but it was likely for the best. Applejack was a grown mare but the Captain had a way to sweet talk anypony he put his mind to and, from the display we’d seen earlier, he’d become a bit smitten with her.

I laid down next to Rainbow and took a moment to just enjoy her closeness. The smell of her mane was something I could never place. I always just assumed that was how rainbows would smell. Pinkie had told me once she had tasted a rainbow and that it had been spicy but this was a sweet smell. Something I’d never found anywhere else.

I leaned forward and kissed her behind the ear and watched it twitch softly. I smiled as she pushed at me lightly. That was a button of hers that I had found. Not necessarily a turn on but something that happened every single time and always made her annoyed at me. She turned her head around as far as she could without rolling over to me and gave me a glance that told me to behave with the two other ponies in the room. I winked and kissed her cheek letting her know I would indeed behave. I squeezed her tightly for a moment before I felt myself drifting off to sleep.

----------

I wandered through our old rickety house toward the front door and the pounding that had awoken me. I thought maybe my brother and his friends had decided to bother me all night knowing our parents wouldn’t be home until after the weekend. But when I opened the door I was greeted by a policemare.

“Shadow? I need you to come with me, sweetheart.” I recognized her voice but sleep had left me in a haze and I couldn’t see her face yet. When finally I could see I recognized her as the mare my parents had introduced me to when I had shown an interest in finding things and ponies.

“Officer Berry? What’s going on?” My head raced with questions.

“Yes, Shadow. I need you to come with me.”

“Did I do something wrong?” I slunk back a little thinking of the small notepad I’d taken off her desk. Could she really arrest me for that?

“No, Shadow. I’ll explain on the way but I really need you to come now.” The look on her face was stern and serious but caring. I nodded and walked to her, closing the door behind me.

We got into a carriage and headed toward the edge of town. Though Officer Berry had promised to explain she sat silent, looking between me and the passing countryside. She looked like she was having a hard time vocalizing what she was thinking.

“Where are we going, Berry?” I asked when I finally couldn’t stand it any longer.

She gave me a serious glance before looking back out the window.

“Shadow..” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. “Shadow, I have some bad news.”

“About what?” I couldn’t think of anything going on outside of town that I would be involved in.

“It’s about your parents, hon. They..” Her voice caught as she told her story. “They were involved in an accident. The train they were on that was headed to Canterlot was involved in a collision with another train. One of the conductors fell asleep and didn’t change tracks when he needed to. We found your mother and she’s on her way to Ponyville Hospital but your father was pinned by some debris and he’s asked that we bring you to him.”

Maybe it was because my young mind couldn’t fully grasp what she was saying or maybe some part of me has forgotten but I didn’t cry. I sat and stared out the window, waiting for the carriage to slow. My mind racing to all the things my dad had taught me.

I saw an orange glow out the window in the distance and saw it getting closer. It was the trains. The fire crews hadn’t been able to fully douse the blaze yet. As we exited I smelled the air. Smoke and burning wood and something else I came to know as burnt flesh.

“Come on, Shadow. I need to take you to your father.”

I followed her silently out of the carriage and down the length of tracks, away from the blaze, following the crumpled train cars. I felt the wind picked up from behind me and a cloud of smoke passed over me and I coughed hard as it burned my eyes and my lungs. I felt someone grab hold of me and push me to the ground. It must have been Officer Berry.

----------

I felt myself fall to the floor of the hotel room. The smell of smoke was distinct and not contained to my dream. Something was on fire. I roused the others and we all ducked low under the smoke above our heads. We made for the door and as I tested it I felt no warmth from the other side. I opened it slowly, looking into the hallway and seeing several ponies rush past our door and down the hall to a room that had smoke pouring from it.

I motioned for the others to move past me.

“You three head downstairs, I’m going to see if I can help.”

Applejack and the Captain nodded, heading for the stairs as fast as they could but Rainbow Dash lingered.

“I’m not leaving you. If you can help them then I can too.”

Sometimes she was loyal to a fault. “Just go, Dash. I trained in this kind of thing a long time ago, I’ll be alright.”

“Yea, ‘a long time ago’ you would be alright. But I’m not leaving you.” She stared at me as if she’d spoken her last on the issue and I shook my head and sighed.

“Just stay close. I don’t want to lose you in all this.”

We moved down the hall as one, moving toward the open door. As we neared, I heard the sounds of fire extinguisher and my nose caught a very distinct smell that I’d never forgotten and I turned to Dash once more.

“Dash. Go back. Go back down the hall and downstairs.”

“What!? Didn’t I just tell you…”

“No, Dash! No arguing with me on this one. Go back.” I made my face as serious as I could. I didn’t want her to see what was coming.

She took my face in her hoof and brought mine to hers. “Listen to me, Shadow Chaser. I’m a big pony and I can handle anything. I’m not leaving the stallion I love just because he thinks it’ll be safer for me somewhere else. I’d rather die with you than alone.” Her eyes were ferocious and she had to shout to be heard over the fire extinguisher in the room behind me and I hated her at that moment for all her stubbornness but my mind moved to what she’d said and grasped something.

That was the first time either of us had said we loved the other out loud.

I nodded at her and moved my mouth to her ear, whispering, “Stay close. This won’t be pretty.”

I turned and brought her close next to me as we continued to keep low below the smoke. We rounded the corner together and my fear was realized. In the middle of the room was the source of the fire and smoke and the terrible smell.

A pony lay in the middle of the room, the fire just now dying from the chemicals of the fire extinguishers. The charred body turned my stomach but I calmed myself. The same could not be said for Rainbow Dash as she back from next to me and out of the room. I heard her retching in the hallway and wished I’d not given in to her.

One of the firecolts turned to me as I stood in the doorway and shouted at me to leave but my eyes were fixed on the pony before us. I couldn’t recognize who it was, I just stared.

As the same firecolt shouted at me again and moved toward me, the second one stopped him and told him it was alright. He bumped me as he left and I looked at the second colt as he lifted his helmet.

“Bruno?”

“Well, I’ll be. It is you, Shadow! What’re you doing back in town?”

He turned me and led me out of the room. I looked around for Rainbow in the hallway, assuming she’d gone back down stairs. Bruno and I walked slowly down the hall as the other firecolt used a radio to call for backup.

“Did you know that one, Shadow?” His voice was serious.

“No. I was staying down the hall and smelled the smoke. You know me, I can’t just leave without investigating.” He nodded without smiling or laughing.

“Then what are you doing in town?”

“Looking for you, actually. Well, not only you. I’m looking for three fillies that ran here from Ponyville and was wondering if you’d seen them.”

“I sure have, Shadow!”

“Really? I thought that would’ve been a long shot.”

“Well, then you’ll love what I’ve got in store for you.”

We walked down into the lobby and I saw what he had meant. Right in front of us stood, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom. I blinked twice to make sure the smoke in my eyes wasn’t playing tricks on me.

There they were, working with Bruno as a part of the fire crew. Applejack had seen them immediately upon coming downstairs and was now taking the time to show her sister some love. The punishment would come later.

“Bruno, you’re my favorite pony in this whole city right now.”

He laughed heartily and headed to the Crusaders.

“Well, girls, it seems like you’ve found your rightful owners, so I’ll be taking me leave now. You three stay out of trouble.”

“We will, Mr. Drop! Thank you!”

I walked to Applejack who was messing Applebloom’s hair and the Captain.

“Well, I guess we’d best be getting you three back to Ponyville.”

“Ah’d sure like to, Shadow. These three have given me enough of an adventure for today.”

“Aw, Applejack, we barely even went anywhere.” Applebloom smiled and hugged her sister.

I looked around the lobby noticing all were present except one.

“Where’s Rainbow?”

“Didn’t she stay with you?” The Captain asked.

“Yea, but I thought she’d come down here after..” I caught myself. “You guys stay here, I’ll go find her.”

They nodded and moved to sit on the furniture in the lobby while I turned back upstairs and headed to the room.

I leaned into the room and found Rainbow curled on the bed. She looked pale.

“Rainbow,” I said, softly.

She muttered something in response but I couldn’t hear her. I joined her on the bed and laid in front of her. She immediately wrapped herself around me and sobbed lightly into my shoulder. I held her softly and let her cry.

“Who would do that?” She finally asked quietly.

“I don’t know, Dash. There’s a lot of evil in this world.”

“But why? What would anypony do to deserve that?”

I wished that I had the answer to her questions but some things could never be answered. I simply held her tighter, feeling her shiver against me.

“I love you, Dash.”

Her response was mumbled because of her face in my shoulder but she said it all the same, “I love you, too.”

We stayed like that for about ten minutes when Applejack walked in silently.

She could hear Rainbow Dash still sobbing into my chest and spoke softly, “Ah don’t mean to interrupt but if we’re gonna get home we’d best do it soon. The last train leaves tomorrow morning and there won’t be another ‘til next week.”

I looked up from Rainbow. “Alright, AJ. We’ll be downstairs in a few and get you guys headed home.” I squeezed Rainbow Dash and spoke more to her than Applejack, “All of you.”

Applejack left just as quietly as she had entered and left us alone again.

“I don’t want to go home.” Rainbow had found her voice.

“What?”

“I don’t want to go home. I need to go to Marelantis with you. If I go home now, my boring job with the weather will give me too much time to think about this. I want to stay busy.”

“Dash, that’s not what..”

“I’m not going home.” Her voice was forceful but still timid.

“Okay, Dash. We’ll go find Marelantis together," I said softly.

We rose slowly and made our way downstairs, where we were met with some bad news.

Comments

[DaMagiks]

I like the description of Daisy as "the aunt that only sees you during family reunions"
Also it makes sense for the Flim Flam brothers to be in such a shady place.

The tension between Shadow and Broomtail is great as Broomtail knows exactly what to say to rile him up.
Interesting as well that he's Shadow's brother and how it will play into things.
And it's always good to have some hired muscle in these cases with Tony the gentle giant

'flirt with applejack' mode and AJ's reaction
I totally can see how poor AJ would be the least likely to meet colts that would pay attention to her especially over the others even if she did go out on the town. (Even many fans have her as their least favourite).

Nice flashback. No wonder Officer Berry had such trouble breaking the news to Shadow. There's no way to cushion the emotional blow of something devastating like that. It makes sense that the sheer shock of it can barely register with Shadow and how he he still can remember the sicking mixture of smells on that day.

The drama and the romance of Shadow and Dash is well played with Dash of course being the element of loyalty and not budging when Shadow wants to protect her as usual. Dash has the reaction anyone would have seeing that. So great development of their relationship overall.

The famous Bruno appears with CMC! Glad no one else 'took them in' then the story would be way darker.
I can imagine them shouting 'Cutie Mark Crusader Fire fighters yay!' and being more trouble than help

(I thought I would have more time today but I might have to wait until late tomorrow or sunday to properly review the next chapters. I don't like to just skim things.)