Broken Hearts

by Silver Inkwell

Chapter Eleven: The Picnic

Chapter Eleven: The Picnic

The next day came and everypony woke up slowly one by one and Twilight came barreling downstairs with a scream of delight. “Guess what everypony? My friends and I will be going to the park today and you can come along too!”

“That sounds perfect! I can't wait to meet them!” Shadow said.

“Wow, that was a lot less of your usual gushing,” Flurry said.

“I don't always have to make everything as long as might as you want.”

“I know that, but I have gotten used to your long and random ramblings.”

“Maybe I should mix things up and surprise you,” he said with a smile.

“I would like that, but for now let’s just go meet the main six, shall we?” Flurry said with a smile back at him holding her hoof out for him now.

“Yes, I couldn't agree anymore,” he said with a smile taking her hoof.

They smiled at each other and followed Twilight as they went to the park and set things up for a picnic and then when the time was right every single one of the arrived right on time. “I was here first!” Rainbow Dash said proudly.

“A lady of fashion is always and time, and no you weren't Dash,” Rarity said.

“It would be rude to be late,” Fluttershy said softly barely above a whisper.

“I’m just glad I got here on time with some of my famous apple products.”

“AJ! Enough with the apple stuff!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Wait! We have a new pony here and you know what that means!” Pinkie Pie said smiling wide as she pulled out a party canon and made confetti explode as she started to sing, “Welcome, welcome to Ponyville…!”

Shadow ignored the song and instead tried to focus on the other ponies and stuff.

“Everypony please calm down!” Twilight shouted. They did so and then she sighed, “Everypony meet Shadow Moon, friend of Flurry Heart.”

“Hello there, Shadow,” they all said except for Fluttershy who let out a soft whisper instead, Shadow smiled at the attention and pulled out the food.

“Yes, it’s so nice to meet you, but if you ever need fashion tips I am your pony to go to, and speaking of which what is your fashion sense?” Rarity asked.

“I would say it’s very lacking, but I don't need your help with that.”

“Oh, alright, fine then,” she said taking a bite out of one of the cucumber sandwiches that was in front of them while the others remained silent.

“Have you ever heard of the Wonderbolts?” Dash asked Shadow.

“Yes, of course I have, I love them and so do my parents too!” he said.

“Awesome! Did you know that I am now the captain of the team?”

“No way! Really? When did that happen and how?” he asked.

“Spitfire was starting to get a bit old and tired, and I was young and fresh and a bit more famous than her so she let me took over which was totally amazing!”

“I couldn't agree anymore, but do you mind signing some memorabilia I have?”

“Sure thing, anything for a fan!” she said smiling as she quickly signed a t-shirt, hat, and poster of herself (and then some more too) and then gave a good rough rub to his head and even took a picture with him signing the back of it.

“Do you like animals?” Fluttershy asked with a very soft whisper.

“Yes, I do, I love animals, why?” Shadow asked.

“Because I have a few pets you can adopt if you want,” she said.

“Sounds interesting, I'll consider the offer,” he said.

“Do you like apples?” AJ asked with a smile.

“I do, but not in the way you do,” Shadow said still smiling.

“Girls! Can you please stop asking Shadow questions that pertain to you?”

“Sorry Twilight, we’ll stop now,” they said.

“You better, now then Shadow, how good are you at magic?”

“I would consider myself an expert, maybe better than my sister, but my friend is just as good as me, but I have no idea where she is right now.”

“I trust that soon enough one day soon you will meet her again,” he said.

“I hope so too, but I am glad for what I have right now, and that’s being with you,” he said smiling at the group warmly as he ate some more food.

“You seem very optimistic Shadow,” Twilight said with a smile on her face.

“I am, it’s in my nature and it was how I was raised up, I never give up on anything and I always keep my promises, but I must know that I can and will keep the promise before making one, promises are taken very seriously in my family and I think society would be better off if it took them seriously.”

“I agree with you on that much, as well as honesty, right AJ?”

“Yep, there is a whole lot of things to make society better,” AJ said.

“Fashion for one, right girls?” Rarity asked with a smile on her face still.

“Rarity, please don't always be fashion forward, okay?” Twilight said.

“What? There’s no harm in a bit of advertising is there?” she asked.

“Usually no, but here and now, yes, we’re here to talk and share ideas about life and stuff, not to make a quick bit, do you understand?”

“Yes, I do, sorry Twilight, I'll behave, as I think we all should from now on.”

“Thank you, now then Shadow how many friends do you have?” Twilight asked.

“Including Flurry? Just two or so, unless you want to be my friends.”

“We would love to although the distance might be a problem in the equation and we have to factor in every single detail, and look at me, trying to make friendship all mathematical and scientific,” Twilight said with a slight little laugh.

“Yes, because you will always be our adorable little egghead,” Dash said.

“Yeah, our little bookworm,” Applejack said.

“This ‘insult’ at this point is a fact and I can't say anything to defend myself anymore, but I hope you and your friends have inside jokes and teases too Shadow, we certainly do, but we wish you the best of luck, don't we?”

Everypony nodded still smiling at them as they slowly finished up their food, “Wow, this was a delicious and amazing meal, you girls certainly know your thing, and Rainbow Dah, you were awesome, Pinkie is the life of any party, Fluttershy, your kindness knows no bounds, and Rarity, fabulous, and as for you AJ, I guess you were exactly what I expected, and Twilight, you are all of your friends combined with a spark of something else incredible and wonderful deep down inside, that is all I have to say for you today, thank you for the meal.”

“Well thank you for the compliments!” Twilight said with a slight blush, in fact everypony there had a slight blush to their faces (to Shadow’s delight).

“Is your talent in charming other ponies?” Rarity asked.

“No, I’m a wild card, literally, but I suppose I do have a knack for charm.”

“Interesting, I bet you could get any mare that you wanted to,” Twilight said.

“I probably could, I just haven't found the right one yet in case you were wondering why I don't have a marefriend yet,” Shadow said.

“Well I do hope you find one, me and my friends certainly have come close on occasion, but the closet ones right now are everypony except me and Pinkie.”

“Well that certainly sounds nice, but I'll write to each and every one of you some letters answering any questions that you might have about me and my family, I just wish that this picnic could be longer so I had time to answer your questions, but I certainly do hope for more time with the both of you in the future.”

“We do too, and Flurry, you’re always welcome to join us too,” Twilight said.

“I know, thanks for the meal, but I think I would finish off the day in something special, maybe a party with a race around the clouds and a fashion show would do nicely, and maybe I could visit the zoo and see the animals, maybe even take a tour around the farm to see how things are and nap in the library too.”

“That sounds like a lot for one day, but I’m sure we can manage it!”

“Oh, you bet we will our names aren't our names!” Dash said. Shadow sighed and got up and went to a nearby store and purchased a camera and decided to follow along with them, after all, it wasn't like he had anything better to do (but at least he wouldn't have to wear a dress and that was a relief to him).

They all smiled and Flurry followed after Dash and they did a race around the clouds wo which Rainbow Dash barely managed to outfly Flurry (although in the past she let Flurry win to make her feel good about herself).

Next was the zoo with Fluttershy and she even got to feed and pet some animals that were there (although Fluttershy opted to stay away from the manticore and any other dangerous animals too). After that she played dress up with Rarity (with comments like, “You look simply fabulous in that!” or “Turn to your left, no right, no left, no right…” and “Splendid, simply incredible, just perfect for you darling!), then a party with Pinkie Pie (who was her usual crazy, odd random self), and through it all Shadow was always there to take photos of it.

After that it was late evening and Flurry decided to go back to the castle and take a nap, and so she did so yawning loudly as Shadow joined her putting his camera aside claiming that he would develop the film once their journey was done.

“When all of this is over we are going to have a huge collection of photos and memories and other stuff to remember this trip by, but I hope that no matter what happens afterwards, even if we never see each other again, well I hope that I can still give you something extra special so you will never be able to forget it.”

“I would like to say that, but don't ruin the surprise, okay?”

“Don't worry, I wasn't planning to do that, but good night princess, stay safe and have sweet dreams, I'll see you in the morning,” he said flipping the lights off as he crawled deep into the sheets closing his eyes, but still not yet asleep.

“Good night my handsome stallion, same thing back at you,” Flurry said snuggling up right next to him and waited until she was sure he was asleep before leaning in to whisper her final words to him, “I love you.”

And with that said she smiled and closed her eyes and fell asleep. t-align:��;��5