Shadow Pony

by Pearly_Glider

Chapter 1

The Cakes hurried all around the shop. “Carrot?” Cup Cake asked looking towards her husband, who was putting Pumpkin in the high chair. “Did you get the cots out from the basement?”

“Yes honey, there in the- Pound No!” Carrot yelled running into the kitchen. There was a crash as Pinkie Pie bounced down the stairs. She winced but still continued. Pumpkin, who was in her high chair, began to wine. She had been patient but grew tired of not having her bottle. Mrs. Cake picked up the unfinished bottle from the counter and began to shake it up.

“Hi Mrs. Cake,” she said in her usual cheery voice. “Whatcha you doing?”

“Cleaning up,” she said as she gave Pumpkin her bottle. “My sister and nephew are coming down from Manehattan. Could you help me tidy the place up?”

“Okey-dokey-lokey.” Pinkie said raising her right hoof to her forehead.

Carrot came out of the kitchen carrying a cranky white Pound Cake. “Honey I don’t know how this young colt managed to do it, but somehow he got into the cabinet and knocked over a 20-pound sack of flour.”

“Oh dear, Pinkie could you clean that up while he gives Pound another bath.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Pinkie bounced into the kitchen with a dustpan in her mouth, causing Mrs. Cake to giggle.

The doorbell sounded and Mrs. Cake quickly scooped up Pumpkin and ran to the door. There stood a red velvet mare and a young brown colt who didn’t have a cutie mark.

“Good morning Velvet,” she said cuddling Pumpkin who was squirming a little. “How was your train ride?”

“It was alright Drizzle.” Velvet chuckled, giving her sister a hug. Velvet looked at the foal in Mrs. Cake’s hoof. “Oh, is this Pumpkin?” Velvet ruffled the filly's mane. "She's so big," she poked the little fillies nose. Pumpkin grabbed her aunt's hoof and started to laugh. "Where's Pound?" Velvet asked, trying to get her hoof back.

“Oh, he’s getting a bath. Somehow he managed to dump a sack of flour all over himself and the kitchen. "Our assistant Pinkie Pie has been working her tail off constantly. Right now she is cleaning the mess Pound created."

“Pinkie Pie? Oh, the element of laughter. How is she? I don’t think I’ve met her yet?”

“Mom,” the brown foal said looking at his mother. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

“Go up the stairs Bundt,” Mrs. Cake told the foal. “It's the second door on the right. Oh, Carrot should be in there with Pound. Tell him you need to go.”

“Thank you, Auntie.” He said racing up the stairs. Velvet and Cup laughed.

Pumpkin was attempting to wiggle out of Cup’s hold and go to Velvet.

“Oh, do you want me?” Velvet giggled, taking the yellow foal.

“Oh, would you want to sit down,” Cup asked motioning towards the chairs. Velvet was playing with the foal who was giggling uncontrollably.

“Do you want me to sit down?” She said in a baby voice. She blew Raspberries on Pumpkin’s belly. They went towards the chairs as a blotchy white Pinkie Pie emerged from the kitchen. She then sneezed.

“All done Mrs. Cake,” She chuckled and looked at Velvet. “Oh yay!” Before anypony could say a word Pinkie ran out of the store.

“Was that Pinkie Pie?” Velvet asked looking from the foal that was now asleep in her hooves.

“Yes,” Cup giggled slightly. “If I were you I’d warn Bundt. She seems to go a little overboard with these parties sometimes.”
Carrot peeked from the top of the stairs, “Honey I’m going to put Pound to bed. Do you want me to take Pumpkin too?”

“Sure,” she said. “I’ll help you.” Velvet got up from the chair and walked up the stairs. Leaving Cup alone. She sighed and waited a few minutes before she went up the stairs. She heard something and stopped right in front of the bathroom.

“Hey Henry!” Squealed an exciting colt. “I haven’t seen you since we left Manehattan.” There was a long pause as if someone else was responding to him, Bundt giggled and said, “Sorry, mom had us move closer to my aunt and uncle. They have the cutest foals, you should meet them.” There was another long pause. Cup knocked on the door.

“Bundt? Are you okay?” There was a thud.

“Quick hide!” Bundt said galloping toward the door. It opened slightly, “Yes Auntie, do you need anything?” After looking around the room, and seeing nothing was out of place.

She chuckled, “No, I just wanted to check on you. Are you done?”

“Almost, I need one more minute.”

“Okay.” Cup then went into the twin’s room.
Bundt went to the sink. “I’m sorry about that Henry, we'll have to talk later.”

“Oh darn.” A voice answered. “I wanted to catch up. We haven’t talked in forever.”

“I know. I don’t want to, but that was a close call. I promise I’ll talk to you later.” Bundt looked at Henry with pleading eyes, soon he gave in.

“Bye.” Bundt waved toward a black figure in the sink and left the room. It grew and waved back.

---

Pinkie Pie bounced to her favorite party store known as Parties for You and Me. She walked to the counter and rang the bell. “Good morning Ms. Pie,” a gray stallion said behind the counter. “Hows my best customer.”

"Better than ever!" Pinkie jumped with excitement.

“Would you like the usual?” He asked picking up a large package that said For Pinkie Pie’s Parties. "Not for Individual Resale."

“I need two today actually, Mrs. Cake’s sister and nephew are here.”

“Really?” The shopkeeper pulled another out from under the counter and put it in her saddlebags. “And how are the Cakes? They haven’t visited here since" The shop owner had to ponder for a moment. Finally, it came to him. "Since before the baby shower."
Pinkie Pie grabbed 15 bits from the other side of her saddlebag.

“Boy, they have been working their hardest lately. Pound knocked over a 20-pound bag of flour this morning while they were cleaning.”

“Really? Wow, that foal is strong!”

“Yeah, and Pumpkin has been sucking on the craziest of things. Just the other day I caught her sucking on a bottle of vinegar.”

“Ew, I bet that didn’t taste good.”

“I know right.”

“Wow.”

“Well I better get back. I don't know how long they're staying in Ponyville. "Say hi to Mrs. Smiley for me" Pinkie smiled "Oh, and the party will be around four."

“Ok Pinkie, see you then."

Pinkie bounced through town handing out invitations to everyone who greeted her. It didn’t take long to pass them all out. She decided to sing everyone else their invitations. Then remembered she didn’t ask for Mrs. Cake’s sister and nephews names. Quickly she bounced to Sugar Cube Corner and walked inside.

She surveyed the shop and noticed Carrot was in the kitchen making lunch. She went into the twin’s room. “Hey Mrs. Cake,” she whispered. “Did the guests settle in yet?”

“They should be unpacking now,” Cup said rocking Pound in one of the rocking chairs. He smiled at the sight of the fun pink mare. “Pinkie” he yawned. Pinkie quietly closed the door and walked to the guest bedroom that was right across from her’s. Bundt was on a cot taking a nap, while Velvet worked around him.

“Good afternoon.” Pinkie whispered, “Would you like some help?”

“Oh please,” Velvet answered handing her a suitcase.

“I don’t believe I’ve introduced myself.” Pinkie Pie said putting a stuffed toy next to Bundt. “I’m Pinkie Pie."

Velvet smiled, “I’m Velvet Cake, Drizzle’s sister, this is Bundt.” She said, gently stroking the young colt’s mane. They worked in silence for a few minutes.

“Velvet,” Carrot said. “Lunch is almost done, does Bundt like steamed carrots and daisy sandwiches?”

“They're his favorite actually. Pinkie why don’t you help them set up, I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Okey-dokey-lokey” Pinkie said turning toward the door. “Oh, I might not be down there when you come. I still have to hand out two more invitations for the party.” Once again Velvet smiled.

Pinkie followed Carrot down the stairs, helped them set up, then packed some sandwiches and left.

“Bundt" Velvet said rubbing the young colt's dark brown mane. He squirmed a little. "Come on honey, lunch will be done any minute."

"Okay mommy," he yawned stretching across the cot.

"It's daisy sandwiches and steamed carrots." she sang knowing what would happen.

Bundt quickly opened his eyes and jumped from the bed. "I'm up."

“I’ll race you” Velvet laughed ready to sprint. Bundt laughed.

“You're on.” Bundt readied his hooves, awaiting his mother’s signal.

She nodded her head, and he ran toward the door, to be stopped by his aunt. “Velvet, I just got Pound to sleep, please be careful.”

“Ok Drizzle,” she walked in front of Bundt and brought her head to his level. “That was my fault. I promise I’ll race you outside later, ok?

“Alright, now let's go eat. I’m starving.” Velvet laughed and moved toward the door. Bundt saw his friend Henry waving out of the corner of his eye.

“Hey, mom?” She turned toward him. “I’ll be down in a minute, I need to go again.” He twisted his legs as if it were an emergency.

“Okay, but don’t belong. I don’t want your carrots to get cold.”

“Will do.” He ran passed his mom, tiptoed past the twin’s room, and went to the bathroom. Henry then came out in front of him. He looked like a pony but it was as if he were smoke, with a face.

“Hey Henry.” the foal said, practically leaping for joy. “What have you been doing?”

“Same as always, but that's not what I wanted to talk about. Do you want to play a game later?”

“Sure, what kind of game?”

“Well, a game of hide and seek. I know it’s your favorite.”

“It sounds like fun!” the foal squealed with excitement.

“Bundt are you okay?” Velvet asked from the other side of the door. Quickly he ran passed Henry and turned the water on. Satisfied Velvet went down the stairs.

Bundt soaked his hooves in the water and went to the door. “We’ll play later ok?” He dried his hooves on a towel that was right by the door.

“Ok.” Henry said with a wicked smile on his face.

Bundt closed the door and walked down the stairs, and was startled by a happy Pinkie Pie blowing a kazoo in his face. She then began to sing the Welcome to Ponyville song. When they made it downstairs, he discovered a huge party and several tables full of food. Pinkie pulled him in the middle of the room and began to twist into different shapes that weren't normally possible for a normal pony. Bundt almost choked on his daisy sandwich when Pinkie twisted into a pretzel...
Velvet smiled, after Pinkie was done cutting the cake for the young fillies and colts velvet thanked her.

“For what?” Pinkie asked.

“He hasn’t been this happy since we left Manehattan.” A frown grew on her face as she remembered the past few weeks. "The only time I've seen him smile is when talks about his friend Henry, but you know how foals are. Their imaginations can just get ahead of them sometimes.

Pinkie chuckled, "yeah I remember my first imaginary friend. He was an Irish colt I named Sherlock." They both laughed as they shared stories about their foalhood. They turned to Bundt, who was being chased around by three young fillies.

“Well thank you again.” Velvet gave Pinkie a short hug.

“It’s nothing. I do this to everypony when they come to Ponyville.”

“You must be one busy pony.”

“Not really, it’s the Cakes who are always busy. Trying to make this place into a home for those two foals can be a lot of work.”

“I can understand that.” Pinkie and Velvet shared a smile. They were interrupted when a couple of troublemakers called Snips and Snails tipped the cake onto a little filly. While Pinkie helped clean her off, Velvet cleaned the floor.

“Mom!” Bundt said running. “Pinkie Pie is awesome, she made this thing called Bundt cake and it’s delicious. Am I really named after this stuff.”

Velvet laughed “Actually honey you're named after your grandfather, Swirling Bundt Cake. He specialized in-”

“Awesome! I can’t wait to tell everypony.” He then ran back to a trio of fillies. Like Bundt, they didn’t have cutie marks and would refer to themselves as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They gasped, clapped hooves ran, and outside to play. She shook her head and went back to cleaning.

---

Twilight just arrived back at the library with Spike on her back. He was worn out after the party at Sugar Cube Corner. She went up the stairs and put the baby dragon in bed and tucked him in. He mumbled something about Rarity and apple pie and nuzzled his blanket. Satisfied, Twilight went down the stairs to study and write to the Princess but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Coming”, she said hurrying toward the door. She opened the door and found a young white colt with a dark red mane. “Hello. Can I help you find something real quick.”

“No, thank you," the colt answered. “I came to visit you and that cute baby dragon.” This wasn’t an unusual occurrence. Ever since Twilight and Spike first moved into Ponyville ponies have been visiting to see the baby drake.

“Oh? Well, I’m sorry, Spike is in bed.” She looked outside, the sun was setting. “Shouldn’t you go home? The sun is almost down.”

“No, my mom knows I’m out. May I come in.” Twilight pondered for a minute. She had a bad feeling in her stomach like something wasn’t right. This was a familiar feeling. Every time she or her friends were in danger, she got this feeling. Then she remembered the rule of no ponies after dark without an escort. She finally found a good excuse to send this pony away.

“I’m afraid not. You see baby dragons need their sleep, and Spike was working all day today. He would be really cranky if you wake him. Why don’t you try again tomorrow?” Twilight began to close the door, but it stopped too soon. She looked down to find the colt’s hoof blocking it.

"I can’t let that happen.” His eyes were now a deep black instead of a nice green and his coat began to turn black. The hoof started to push the door open. “Let me in.” He demanded, his mane started to grow into a smoky wave-like form. It was like the princess’s, but instead of being full of colors or stars it was like the rest of his body.

“NO!” she screamed. Spike then woke up and without thinking, ran down the stairs.

“Twilight are you ok?!”

“Stay back Spike.”

“Is that a....”

“Hurry write to the Princess, tell her to get down here and bring Shining Armor.”
Twilight screamed in pain as the door slapped against her face. She fell to the floor and lost consciousness.

“Twilight!” Spike quickly scribbled down a quick note and began to send it.
The pony clicked his tongue as if getting onto a foal.

“No, good baby dragons don’t write to the princess. No no no. They go back to sleep.” With his horn agleam he sent the dragon across the room and pushed him against the wall. Knocking the breath out of him. Spike tried his best to get a good breath and send the ready parchment to Celestia, but couldn’t. The pony was choking the life out of him. Finally, the dragon passes out and fell to the floor. The pony began to smile but was startled when he heard a noise at the door. He quickly turned and noticed it was opened wide, with an orange mare coming up the path. He quickly shapeshifted into the unconscious pony on the floor.

“Hey Twi?” a pony with a country accent asked. “Are ya ok?.” Henry heard her, and ran to the door, taking shape of the purple pony.

“Yes, everything is fine,” Henry said on the other side of the door.

“You sure?”

“Oh yes, Spike was misbehaving and we got into a fight, that’s all.” Applejack had an uneasy feeling. She knew this wasn’t Twilight, for she would have invited her in and told her all that happened. Even if it meant embarrassing a misbehaving dragon. Behind the Twilight look alike, she saw the real Twilight, who appeared to be bleeding. "Dear Celestia," she thought to herself. "I have to tell the girls." She waved slightly and turned away.

“Okay Twi, see ya later.” She didn’t falter as she walked down the street toward the boutique. The lookalike closed the door with a smile on his face. He turned, staring at the pony and dragon

“Lucky for you,” Henry said, turning to his original form. “I do not have time to play. I am expected to be near the Everfree forest in about..” He looked at the clock above Twilight's cluttered desk. “Five minutes? But don’t worry, I’ll come back later. You, my dear, will remember nothing." He then waved his hoof and their minds went blank.

---

Velvet ran through the house, checking every nook and cranny. She then ran into Pinkie, who was still cleaning.

“Oh Pinkie,” she cried. “Please help.” There was a stream of tears down her face.

“Velvet, what's going on?”

“I can’t find Bundt.”

“Calm down,” Pinkie said pulling a chair out from a table. Velvet obeyed and took a deep breath. It didn’t help, she was trembling. “Okay, where did you last see him?”

“He went outside with a couple fillies.”

“Well, you know how foals are. They always lose track of time.”

“But Pinkie, the sun set an hour ago.” A worried face washed over Pinkie as the gravity of the situation hit her. Velvet saw this and began to sob. She would have gone to her sister about this, but she knew that Drizzle would be very busy.

“Hey,” Pinkie Pie soothed her pulling her into an embrace. “It’s ok, we are going to find him.” This made Velvet’s sobs weaken as she drew closer to the pink mare. “Now, what fillies did you see him with?”

---

“Henry?” Bundt yelled. “Where are you?” It was dark out, Bundt couldn’t see two steps in front of him. “I’m not sure if right now is a good time to play. It’s really dark, and mom is probably worried sick about me.” He heard something crack close behind him. He screamed and began to run.

"Mommy, Auntie, anypony. HELP!" He heard something breathing close behind him, and ran faster. His adrenaline was pumping. Eventually, he made it to a road.

"Please, anypony. Help me." He couldn't hear anything but saw a light turn on in the distance. He ran as fast as he could. As he got closer, he noticed it was a small cottage. Still running he screamed, "please help me." A yellow Pegasus with a pink mane came outside, with an angry bunny at her side. He tapped his foot impatiently.

"Hush Angle," the shy pony began, "I think I heard something." There faint cry near the forest.

"Oh dear, Angle go get help. I'm going to see if I can find the source of the cries." Angel hopped off into the cottage and laid down in his bed, as Fluttershy ran toward the noise.

"Hello?! Is anypony there." Bundt heard this and ran faster.

"Please help me!" He screamed, drawing closer to the pony who finally responded. Fluttershy kept running towards the voice. In the distance, she could hear hooves stomping faster and faster through the rough terrain.

Author's Note:

Yes I know there are some continuity errors, but this is an alternate universe. Anything can happen.