7 - A Mare's Secret
The following morning, Shadow powered up to find that Twilight was already awake and hard at work going through several books, although a quick scan revealed he had already read through those volumes during his initial data collection his first night in town. Yet the purple unicorn was hard at work taking notes from several high-level textbooks refereeing to pony biology and evolution while her ‘magic’ inscribed notes on a growing pile of scrolls.
Shadow left the mare to her duties as he stood up and walked through the building into the back room, finding himself in the kitchen as Spike prepared what looked like pancakes on a cast iron frying pan.
The dragon glanced over his shoulder as Shadow entered, nodding to the cybernetic hound before returning to his labors, “Morning, Shadow. Did you sleep well?”
“Given I power down during the night to save energy,” Shadow replied, “I do not in fact sleep in the sense that organics do. Although if I must make a comparison, it was a peaceful night without any interruptions to draw my attention.”
Spike shrugged as he flipped a pancake onto a plate across the room, the ballistic flapjack impacting perfectly in the center of the plate that had already been set on the table, “Sounds like you slept fine to me, machine or not. Is Twilight up yet? She’s normally down here asking for breakfast by this hour.”
“Twilight is in the other room going over several large books.” Shadow said, “She seems rather busy taking notes for some purpose.”
The dragon sighed as he turned off the burner and pulled off the frilly pink apron that had been tied around his front, “I’ll get her. She’d forget to eat if I didn’t pull her out of her study sessions from time to time.”
Shadow followed him into the other room, finding Twilight almost exactly as he had left her, although the pile of notes had grown in the time he had been gone. Spike walked up and grabbed the distracted mare by the ear, dragging her from her studies as she yelped in protest.
“Ow! Spike let go of my ear this instant!” Spike payed her no heed as he bodily dragged the stumbling unicorn behind him and into the kitchen, placing her in front of the pile of fresh pancakes as he walked back over to the refrigerator to pull out a bottle of syrup.
Twilight glowered at the smaller being as she rubbed her ear with a hoof, “We’re going to have a talk about your manners later today, young drake. We don’t drag ponies by the ear when we want to get their attention.”
“And I would have had to do something else just as drastic to get you out of your funk if I hadn’t.” He retorted, “Face it Twilight, if I hadn’t gone in there and dragged you to the table you would have gone for the rest of the day before passing out from hunger, exhaustion or both.”
Twilight grumbled under her breath but didn’t deny the dragon’s words, choosing instead to slather her plate with syrup and then devour the stack of fluffy goodness in a manner of seconds. Shadow watched the entire exchange from the doorway, finding it rather interesting that the person who essentially held the title of Twilight’s ward had such power over the mare who cared for him. It was a social dynamic that was highly complex and difficult to quantify in simple terms, making Shadow’s processors heat up as he contemplated the different possibilities.
After a few moments, Shadow returned his attention to the room before him, finding that Twilight and Spike had both finished eating, leaving the drake to clean the dishes as Twilight walked past the hovering hound as she waved for him to follow.
“Come on, Shadow.” She directed him as the duo exited the library, “We’re going to see Applejack and her family over at Sweet Apple Acres today.”
“Why would we do that?” Shadow asked as they journeyed down the main street, Shadow’s optics taking in the townsfolk as several waved in greeting to the duo as they passed.
It seemed that the general fear and uncertainty of him had passed after Pinkie’s party, and Shadow processed an unfamiliar line of code looping in the back of his cranial compartment. His core also rose a few degrees in temperature as its output rose for a few seconds before returning to normal, leaving him uncertain if he was malfunctioning or not.
“Because Applejack thought it would do you some good to find a job while you’re here in Ponyville so that you can earn some bits to spend on things you might need.” Twilight replied, apparently oblivious to Shadow’s haywire hardware as they exited the town and continued on the road to the northwest. “Besides, you don’t want to just sit around reading books all day. Aren’t you supposed to be gathering information on our world, so you can understand our way of life better?”
Shadow had to concede the point to the unicorn, although he declined the choice to reply as they passed by numerous rows of apple trees. The farmstead came into view a few minutes later, although Shadow’s scanners were drawn to the sounds of loud impacts from within the tree line on their right. Twilight must have heard it too, because she skipped the barn completely and walked between the orderly rows of trees until they came upon a rather unique sight, at least from Shadow’s point of view.
Applejack was just winding up to kick one of the trees with her hind legs, a collection of baskets under the tree’s branches as her hooves impacted the bark with a familiar crack. The tree shook from the force and Shadow’s processors went into overdrive as he calculated the force necessary to shake the tree as every single apple fell from the branches and landed either in or near the baskets laid below. The farm mare wiped her brow before turning her attention to the approaching duo, her eyes lighting up with happiness as a beaming smile spread her lips.
“Well howdy you two!” She called out as she flipped one of the filled buckets onto her back and slid it into a waiting cart before turning around to grab the next, “What brings ya’ll around these parts this early in the morning?”
“I was showing Shadow here a bit more of the pony way of life,” Twilight supplied as Applejack stacked another bucket onto the cart, “he’s here to gather information after all, so I’m trying to expose him to as much as I can before he has to return home. I was also wondering if you wouldn’t mind a bit of help around the farm in exchange for some bits?”
Applejack clipped herself into the cart’s harness with her mouth and hooves before replying, “Sure thing sugarcube. We could always use more help around here with the chores and such.” Twilight and Shadow fell in on either side of the earth pony as she pulled the cart back towards the farm with ease, “Who did ya’ll have in mind to help?”
Twilight indicated Shadow with a nod of her head, Applejack’s eyes shifting to the mechanical wolf as she inspected him from nose to tail, “Well I guess yer plenty strong, although Ah’m not sure how Granny will react if Ah let ya start working on the farm without warning her first.”
“It is not really necessary for you to pay me for my services,” Shadow stated as they came up to the barn, “I have no use for material items and you lack the infrastructure to repair or charge me should I become damaged in some way. I will be able to work on the farm to learn more about your agriculture methods, but the knowledge is all I will require for my services.” He sent a pointed look towards the Apple mare as she emptied the barrels into a storage bin inside the barn, “I am especially interested in how you have the strength to kick the fruit from the trees without hurting yourself or the plant.”
Applejack smirked as she stacked the barrels on the cart and strapped herself back in, “Family secret, sugarcube. Ya’ll would need to be part of the family to learn that particular trick.” Her face shifted to one of concern as they began working back towards the location where they had first met, “Have ya’ll spoken with Fluttershy today yet?”
Twilight’s expression mirrored Applejack’s as she tilted her head in confusion, “No, not yet at least. Why, is there something wrong?”
“Ah don’t really know,” Applejack replied, her gaze taking on a faraway look as she gazed out over the orchard, “Ah ran into her this morning at the market while Ah was helping Big Mac set up the stand, and she seemed to be a bit down in the dumps. Although that could have just been my imagination, given she was hiding behind her mane again when I saw her.”
“Hiding behind her mane?” Twilight echoed, “She hasn’t done that in months! She must really be feeling bad if she’s falling into old habits like that again.” She jerked her head to Shadow and pulled ahead as she picked up the pace, “Come on, Shadow. We’re going to see if we can find out what’s wrong with Fluttershy.”
“Let me know if ya’ll need mah help fer anything!” Applejack called after them as they followed the fence around the north side of town.
Before too long, the duo had reached the edge of the orchard, the foreboding trees of the Everfree Forest working up against the fencing as Twilight turned south and led Shadow over the fence and onto the road leading back to town. Shadow logged the route in his memory in case he needed to find his way on his own in the future and sped up his stride to fall even with the unicorn as they turned left off the main road and onto a private drive. In a matter of minutes, Shadow was able to see the house that sat at the edge of the forest, its grounds absolutely littered with birdhouses and other small animal habitats. The house itself seemed to have been created out of a small hillside, the roof covered in grass as vines grew up the walls. All and all, it looked almost exactly as Shadow might have predicted, given the pegasus’ nature and her love for animals.
Twilight led Shadow up to the front door and knocked once, “Fluttershy? It’s Twilight and Shadow! Are you feeling alright? Applejack told us you looked like you weren’t feeling good at the market today, so we came to check on you!”
There were a few soft hoofsteps from behind the door before it cracked open, revealing a single teal eye and a bit of pink mane as Fluttershy peaked out at them, “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not really feeling like myself today. It’s not a really big deal but I just want to have some alone time right now.”
Twilight’s face narrowed in concern as she held the door open so Fluttershy couldn’t close it, “Fluttershy, we’re your friends. We won’t just let you wallow in your house if you’re feeling down. Please, talk to us. We might be able to help you feel better at least.”
Fluttershy hesitated for a moment before opening the door all the way, revealing that her cheeks were stained by tear tracks and her eyes were red from crying. Her mane was a mess and her feathers were in disarray as she turned to allow them to enter.
Shadow took in the interior of the house in a few seconds before returning his attention to the distraught mare before them. This was unusual behavior, even with what little he had to go on from his interactions with the mare and stories from her friends, leaving him to believe that there was something going on that they didn’t know about.
Fluttershy wiped her face with a tissue before turning back to face them, a soft smile on her lips as she spoke, “Would you like some tea, Twilight? I could put a kettle on if you would like?”
Twilight sat down on the couch and shook her head gently, “No thank you. I think it would be best if we simply talked about what’s bothering you, if that’s alright with you, that is.”
The butter pegasus shifted slightly before glancing towards Shadow, who had taken a seat on the floor behind the coffee table so the mares could sit on the couch together. Her eyes glinted with something Shadow couldn’t identify for a moment before she let out a weary sigh, “Alright, I guess I can talk for a bit.”
She climbed onto the couch next to Twilight and hung her head, her gaze locked onto the coffee table between them before speaking, “Today marks the anniversary of something I hate to remember.” Her words were so soft Shadow had to turn up his audio receptors’ sensitivity levels to pick it up clearly, “Today, exactly three years ago, I lost someone I cared for deeply, someone who I loved like family and could never hope to replace in my heart.”
Twilight gasped, covering her mouth with her hooves as she replied in a heated whisper, “Fluttershy, you never told us you lost somepony. Do you, um, mind telling us who it was?”
The distraught pegasus shook her head, stepping off the couch and walking over to the side door, “I would rather show you, if you don’t mind.”
Twilight shared an uncertain look with Shadow before getting up and following the other mare, Shadow picking up the rear as they followed a well-worn path leading up to the edge of the Everfree. Twilight grew visibly nervous as Fluttershy walked right into the woods without stopping, pausing at the edge of the forest as Shadow stopped at her side to scan the area. When Shadow nodded to indicate that there were no predators in the area, Twilight swallowed thickly before following the trail into the forest itself.
For a few minutes they walked behind the pegasus as the trail wound its way through the brush, the sunlight peaking through the canopy in narrow streams as they moved from sun shaft to sun shaft. Then, they came into a small clearing that was about ten feet circle, marked by only a single grey stone that rested in the grass in the very center.
As they walked up to the large stone, Twilight gasped as she and Shadow were able to make out the words carved into the rock, their lettering worn but still legible to the eye as Fluttershy sat down in front of the now recognizable tombstone. The letters were crude and looked like they had been carved out with basic tools instead of professionally cut, leading Shadow to conclude that Fluttershy had most likely cut them into the rock herself after placing the stone where it lay.
The words were simple and yet meaningful, much the same as the pony who had carved them,
Here Lies Ebony Shy
A Sister, A Protector, A Friend
Rest in Peace with My Love to Guide You
995 – 997
Twilight’s expression shifted to one of confusion as she read the inscription, “Fluttershy, you had a sister?” The pegasus nodded but refused to speak, “Why did you never tell us about her before and how could she have been a protector if she was only two years old when she died? Also, what does her name mean? I’ve never heard of a pony named Ebony before.”
Shadow held a paw to the unicorn’s lips, silencing her as Fluttershy turned to face them, fresh tears falling from her eyes as she replied with a soft smile on her lips, “Because Ebony wasn’t a pony.”
“She was a wolf.”
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LOVE IT!!!! Keep up the good work
Shy had a wolf ... Interesting. Likely a black wolf if the name is anything to go by.
a comment for your royal evil highness
Nice story, always fascinating to read a story from an inhuman perspective. The story recalls Nfire's Legacy, and that's a very good thing.
Ah well that explains why she's so damn comfortable around Shadow. He must remind her of Ebony.
As for Applejack being able to kick apples off trees without damaging the tree. It's likely Earth Pony magic, the same that would allow her to help a tree survive out of the ground for several days in Over a Barrel (the first Appleloosa episode). Not exactly something Shadow would be able to learn how to do though it would raise the threat level of Earth Ponies in his mind.
9078202
9076410
While it would be cool to have Shadow sound like Soundwave, I prefer something a bit less sinister and a bit more mature in tone. He is meant to be a more by-the-book sort of person, given his mechanical origins and such. Thus, I believe his voice would be more along the lines of Ultra Magnus from the Transformers Prime series. I've attached a clip so you guys can get a feel for what I personally think he sounds like, although his tone would have a more synthetic quality to it, much like Soundwave.
9078306 I've been giving Shadow the voice of Bladewolf from Metal Gear Rising in my head. He too was an AI that questioned the irrational actions of those around him and was very intellectual without sounding too sinister (odd considering, unlike Shadow, Bladewolf was primarily built for combat and by decidedly evil people).
9078351
I looked up Bladewolf's voice and I think you have a valid point. Both Bladewolf and Ultra Magnus are voices that I think would go well with Shadow's character, so I'm going to leave it up to all of you guys to make up your own minds about it. Or, you could just come up with your own version of what you think Shadow sounds like, the choice is entirely up to you.
Have fun, and remember to play nice or else I might have to get Shadow in here to keep this rabble under control. See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.
I kinda figured it was something like that. Poor fluttershy.
Oh shit plot twist my dude. Keep up the good work
Hmm...
What if it was another of the robots Shadow is? I mean, we're already dealing with interplanetary shenanigans, why not throw some time travel in too?
Probably not. But if it is I reserve the right to say I told you so.
A wolf... named Ebony... aaaaaand bad feeling crawling up my spine... kinda sucks being the Prince of the Shadow Clan, a clan of wolves whose names all have something to do with shadows or dark or black.
Spike, let
paid her no heed
https://www.google.com/search?q=paid
Payed might work too; apparently it's a real word (though not a spelling I've ever heard), but paid sounds better to me, and it's mentioned in the examples at the link.
I too think that AJ's apple collection is earth pony magic. My headcanon is from a story I once read where she can send a magical pulse from her hooves through the tree, where it detaches the apples and possibly aims them. There's another one where the kicker has to get the approval of the tree as well (which might explain some of the weird rituals), otherwise it rebounds, but I don't know if that one used magic specifically.
9078769
Me too. Probably some sort of stable time loop. Sorry about the pun.
9078456
I actually imagined more of Shockwave's voice from the same series, cuz logic n stuff haha.
What a Twist!
Timberwolf baby? But... They're made of dead wood... Sooo... How does that work?
9081995
By taking root and becoming a living tree? Wasn't there a large dogwood tree behind the tombstone?
After all, this is Equestria--things work a little weird over there and we should remember that puns are far more than just a bunch of clever twists of words and phrases.
So that was completely out of left field. Not sure I approve.
9085420
I actually saw that one coming and rather liked it.
(Earlier in the day)
HAHA! I defy your Evil Cackle of Evilness and your Cliffhanger no Jutsu with the power of your own Future Story Development from The Future!
*clicks Next button* 404 Internet not found.
......
......
*peers suspiciously at you*
...Nah, no way. Better call my ISP.
I KNEW IT. I FUCKING KNEW IT
at first i (probrably almost everybody) though that flutters had some kind of romantic interest on him, but that was just too fucking sudden so when she said she lost someone it just fuckin' clicked on my head
I'm swearing too much but i'm too exited to care
Dun dun dun!
9078210
Agreed
Okay, this makes much more sense.