Book 3 The Shadows [OUTDATED]

by Penelope Anne Ink

Chapter Seven

Starry and Edgy didn’t have much time to think about it, because as soon as they walked off the platform, they were both bowled over by two of Starry’s friends, Postage Stamp and Cass.

“Hey filly, guess what?” Cass said in her usual tomboyish manner.

Starry couldn’t even begin to guess what her friend could be thinking. A house burnt down? The bank was robbed?

“Somepony just showed up in Ponyville in the train before yours did. And you’ll never believe who it is!”

Starry looked to Postage for help.

“It’s Tempest Shadow.”

Edgy suddenly stiffened but tried his best not to let it show. Starry felt like something had happened, but when she looked at Edgy he still seemed to be in his usual manner, slightly aloof.

She looked back at her friends and said, “Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter much to us anyway, Twilight and her friends are always dealing with those sorts. I’m going to hide back in my place before anything crazy goes down. Are you coming, Edgy?”

She turned back toward Edgy, who gave her a cool nod. Thankfully, Star doesn’t want to see Tempest Shadow either. He felt relieved.

He wasn’t in the mood to talk to her friends, though, and Cass was already used to this. Postage Stamp made an attempt at a hello, but otherwise politely smiled and backed off to listen in as Starry told Cass all about her trip. She was disappointed Bee hadn’t stopped by, but Cass told her Bee was pretty busy with work and would have to get her present later. It didn’t stop Starry from giving Cass her souvenirs, though.

Edgy was still carrying some of her bags, and had to occasionally feel the weight of one lifted off his back as Starry levitated something over to show or give to her friend.

Edgy hoped being with a group like this and having himself half covered in bags would be excellent camouflage in case Tempest were to walk by.

They managed to make it nearly to Starry’s neighborhood when Starry half whispered half groaned out, “Oh no, why do they have to be here?”

All four looked up and saw a young dragon walking by.

It was one of the few dragons that the citizens of Ponyville knew of, and he was always either by Twilight Sparkle’s side or running errands for her. Edgy was going to find somewhere to hide but remembered he still had a burden on him and didn’t want to drop it all for fear of upsetting Starry.

He already knew what lengths she went to when she was in a bad mood.

Sure enough, Spike wasn’t alone.

Edgy’s panic was growing more noticeable, if the others were paying attention to him. Starry and her friends were trying to crawl off into a nearby alley when Edgy heard an all too familiar voice.

“Well, that’s why I came to you for help. I haven’t been able to locate them yet and I knew you’d be able to find them.”

Tempest’s voice was heard intermingling with Twilight’s as the latter purple alicorn tried to reassure her. Edgy started blushing.

The two ponies and their dragon companion were away soon enough, and the other three ponies let out a sigh of relief and continued walking back as easygoing as they had been.

Edgy was a little dazed himself. Some of his old feelings of admiration had come up, mingled with fear, mingled with a lot of other feelings he was too confused to think about.

They were both reformed, but they had still left on the worst terms, terms of the deepest disappointment, on both sides. He had looked to her for guidance and support, but she was the one that blasted him and left him to be sent away and lost. He had let her down when he thought he would earn her praise.

Starry had Edgy and her friends over for the rest of the day, but she could tell something was off with Edgy. He was always a bit aloof but he wasn’t the type to be distracted. She thought she might plan a special trip for them around Ponyville and see if she could finally have a real talk with him.

Edgy couldn’t sleep that night.

He even thought about asking the shadowy minipones for advice. They didn’t normally have thoughts of their own though, and so he gave it up and sat there on the edge of his bed.

Maybe I should tell Star?

No, he told himself, and fell backwards once again. Tempest is busy looking for something or someone and shouldn’t be here long. With the way Starry and her friends are, they wouldn’t be anywhere near Tempest and Twilight and so he wouldn’t have to be near them either.

But if Starry finds out...?

Well, she just won’t.

And with that, he finally fell asleep.