Fate's Shadow!

by Shadow_lulamoon

Snowed In... Revelations! Part 4

Crystal Empire Castle Medical Wing

Flurry woke up feeling strange and alien. At first her body refused to properly respond to her wishes. The princess quelled her panic before it overwhelmed her. Focusing, Flurry managed to get her stiff leg joints to move. After several minutes the princess felt confident enough to attempt to leave her bed and stand up. Shakily Flurry stood up only to stumble and fall flat on her face due to her new shift in gravity.

"What in Celestia's name? I feel like a foal on new legs..."

Righting herself Flurry stood back up trying to extend her wings for balance, wings that weren't there.

"What in Tartarus?" grumbled Flurry examining her back where her wings should be. She was shocked to see a light blue coat and no wings.

"What did you do to me, Shadow!" growled Flurry under her breath.

While she was chiding Shadow, Flurry remembered what the stallion had said about protecting her physical body and about how they were both in danger.

"Oh, for Celestia's sake when it rains it pours. How am I going to find my body before it’s too late? I don't even know where it’s at, let alone where I am."

Flurry examined her surroundings, recognizing the bed she was lying on."

"The castle medical wing of course... Flurry sometimes you can be really daft," said the princess berating herself.

"Well if Shadow's body is in here then it is only logical that mine is in the royalty area."

Flurry, with unsteady legs headed for the door, pausing when a spine-chilling rasp spoke behind her.

"You bastard! You left Aubree to die. How dare you show your face around here?"

"Iridescent Dusk? What are you talking about?" asked Flurry, facing Ira.

"Don't play stupid with me Shadow Lulamoon. You left Aubree to die in the astral plane."

"You have it all wrong. I'm not Shadow..."

"Oh, that's funny if you’re not Shadow, then who are you?" growled Ira readying her attack spells.

"I'm Flurry Heart currently trapped in Shadow's body."

"That's the lame excuse you're going with?"

"When you say it like that it does sound rather lame, but I am telling the truth. I am Flurry Heart not Shadow."

"NO!"

"No, what?" asked Flurry.

"No... I won’t let you confuse me. I know your face... I see it in my nightmares... I have hated you my whole life... I ALSO KNOW AUBREE'S MOTHER AND YOU ARE NOT HER!" screamed Iridescent Dusk hysterically, her aqua colored eyes reflecting her hatred.

Flurry stood frozen in place. Ira's words about not being Aubree's mother echoed in her mind.

"Just who are you Ira? You seem to have intimate knowledge of me and Shadow, but we know very little about you and your sister."

"It doesn't matter you won’t live long enough to even care."

"Ira calm down and think rationally. I don't want to hurt you," replied Flurry glaring at her opponent.

"I doubt you can hurt me oh augmenter of causality. You're just now learning to use your abilities. There is no way you can win."

"She is right I can't defeat her with Shadow's body... If only I was in my own body, she would regret her words... Grrrr... Knock it off Flurry now is not the time... I need to use my head and think of a way out of this" thought Flurry trying to create a plan." I need to stall her." Flurry looked from Ira then to Aubree lying motionless on the bed behind the dark violet unicorn. Then the princess remembered the encounter with the sisters at the Inn. The image of Iridescent's attitude towards her sister's teasing entered Flurry's mind. "I wonder."

Flurry nonchalantly shrugged, relaxing her posture.

Ira blinked for just a second at the sudden change. "What are you playing at Shadow?" muttered Ira under her breath.

"My oh my aren't you the boastful one... but I doubt the threats of a spoiled little child pose even a problem for me," said Flurry dismissing Ira with a wave of her right hoof.

"That's where Aubree gets her annoying traits," growled Ira under her breath.

Flurry picked up on the young unicorn's words but pretended not to care. "I can work out the implications of that statement later. Right now, I need to press my advantage," thought Flurry.

"Oh, come on now Ira... Cat got your tongue? Maybe you should scamper back to mommy and ask her for a hug," taunted Flurry.

Ira's mood darkened at the mention of her mother. Green flames licked at the corner of her eyes as she was filled with pure hatred for the stallion standing before her.

"You... you... bastard... How dare you mention her? You have no right to talk about my mother... You're the reason... the reason she is dead... the reason for my suffering... the reason I must kill you..." seethed Ira.

The words leaving Ira's mouth were barely a whisper, but Flurry could feel the raw emotions behind them. The atmosphere in the room changed. The air surrounding Flurry became stifling, making it harder to breath. The green aura surrounding Iridescent grew brighter.

"I think my plan worked a little too well..." Flurry quickly glanced at the wrathful Ira then to the closed door.

"You die here and now Shadow Lulamoon."

The green aura surrounding Ira flared up as the unicorn transformed into a flaming nightmare. Calling forth her ethereal energy, Ira released a blast of green flames from her horn.

Just before the magic hit her, Flurry blinked out of existence as she teleported onto the other side of the door. Flurry Heart reappeared, hitting the ground running without ever stopping. All lack of balance and clumsiness were completely forgotten as adrenaline rushed through her veins. The wall behind Flurry exploded in a shower of flaming stone and slag as the debris flew around her. The princess managed to escape unscathed except for her singed tail.

********************

The mourning royal family was knocked to the floor as the castle shuddered. The palace elite came rushing in, encircling their leaders.

"What in Celestia's name?" said Shining Armor glaring at Zany.

Shining's expression softens a bit when he noticed the half-draconequus's confused expression.

"It's not me I swear."

Twinkle looked to her uncle then to the door. The little alicorn was filled with rage at the interruption. Gathering her resolve Twinkle pushed he way past the guards.

"ZANY LET’S GO."

"Um... Twinkle... I don't think that’s a good idea."

"Twinkle, honey listen to your boyfriend," said Cadance choking back another sob.

"I'm sorry Aunt Cadance I can't do that."

Shining, filled with burning determination followed his niece.

"No Uncle! Your place is here beside your family."

"Twinkle you're my family as well... I can't lose you too..."

Shining pushed his way forward only to stop seconds later. The leader of the palace guard withered under the stare of his niece.

"Don't worry Uncle I will be alright," replied Twinkle with a reassuring smile.

"You better." said Shining.

********************

Twinkle Sparkle closed the door as she and Zany entered the dank, dimly lit hallway.

"Your uncle is right Twinkle Toes... Your mother will never forgive me if you get hurt," said Zany.

"Then I guess we just won't tell her about this," replied Twinkle with a stoic expression.

"I really am a bad influence on you," grumbled Zany.

"Let’s go!" said Twinkle heading toward the rumbling sounds.

Zany silently shook his head as he followed Twinkle.

********************

Flurry Heart currently trapped in Shadow's body dashed down the narrow halls barely dodging green flames and flying rubble.

"Shadow if I survive this... you are dead!" growled Flurry.

The princess yelped in pain as Ira's wrath burned her posterior.

"That's a big if..."

Flurry ducked as another chunk of the wall exploded around her. The princess skidded to a stop, hooves digging into the carpeted floor just as a large stone clipped her left ear, smashing against the right wall.

Flurry continued ducking and dodging down the hallway in what seemed like a never-ending dance. The princess was starting to feel the fatigue.

"Blast this weak bookwormish body of yours, Shadow."

Ducking yet another green fireball Flurry reached an intersection.

"Which way?"

Flurry glanced to her left and then to the right. Her question was answered seconds later as a pair of familiar faces came galloping down the right branch.

" Oh, thank Celestia."

Flurry rejoiced as she rushed down the right branch.

********************

The explosions grew louder as the couple made their way through the halls. Twinkle paused briefly at the intersection when a loud boom came from her right.

"This way!" said the dark violet alicorn.

The duo was about halfway down the corridor when Zany spoke up "Isn't that Shadow, running like a scared little foal towards us?"

"Yes, that is. What is he running from though?" asked Twinkle.

Her question was answered seconds later when an onrush of green flames scorched the stone walls.

"Nothing good!" grumbled Zany.

********************

Flurry turned the corner just in time as another green flame splashed harmlessly against the far wall.

Flurry met Twinkle's gaze and shouted down the hall "RUN!"

Twinkle was about to reply when a dark violet nightmare wreathed in green fire appeared behind the escaping unicorn.

"What in Celestia's name is that Twinkle Toes?" asked Zany.

"That is a nightmare otherwise known as..."

"No time for a textbook answer..." chided Zany as he released his chaotic magic at Ira.

A pocket dimension opened on the floor below Iridescent Dusk. The wrathful nightmare vanished down the hole out of sight. Zany followed up with a waving motion of his left hoof, closing the tear in reality.

"Problem solved everypony. Nothing else to see here," said Zany with a bow as cheers erupted out of thin air.

"Really, Lamey," scoffed Flurry Heart in Shadow's body.

"That's right I am that awesome."

Twinkle just rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's antics.

"Stow it Zany! Now isn't the time for games... I need to get to my body," said Flurry catching her breath.

"Wait a second what are you talking about, Shadow? You appear to be alive and breathing. So, what do you mean your body?" asked Zany.

"Furthermore, why was there a nightmare chasing you through the castle?" interjected Twinkle.

"Short answer, I'm Flurry Heart, Not Shadow and I kind of angered the nightmare."

"Kind of? Heh! Yea right! That nightmare was out to kill you," replied Zany.

"We have no time for small talk..." Flurry was cut off by the gasps from Zany and Twinkle. Flurry felt the shift of energy in the air.

A searing green flame gouged out a section of reality like a red-hot knife as Ira emerged from her prison. The rage emanating from the nightmare had intensified by twenty percent.

"If Aubree's pocket dimensions can't hold me, what makes you think your feeble magic would work?" echoed Iridescent's ethereal voice.

"Is this a trick question? ... I don't even know who you’re let alone Aubree...." said Zany.

"ENOUGH!" shouted Twinkle pushing past Zany. "I don't know what is going on and right now I don't care... Flurry Heart is dead... and you three are acting like spoiled little foals. Show some respect for the deceased."

"Aunt Twinkle?" Asked Ira, the green flames surrounding her extinguished in an instant. The words "I'm sorry," escaped Ira's mouth as she collapsed to the floor in exhaustion.

********************

Astral Plane

Shadow floated amongst the stars, gently mending the silver thread with his essence. After several more attempts the stallion released a cheer in triumph.

"Finally, I finished and without a minute to spare."

Shadow had all but used up his essence to save Flurry and with each passing second, felt the bitter cold grasp of death reaching for him.

"I don't think I can wait for Flurry after all... I need to rest and replenish my energy, before I fade away."

The image of the spiraled red thread gave the stallion an idea. Gritting his teeth Shadow tethered the new thread to his own and followed it back to its source.

"I hope I don't regret this!"