Lost Shadows

by FenrirOdinson

Reveling an Unknown Past (Edited)

Author's Note:

Hi, everyone. Sorry for the wait. It took a while to get this chapter the way I wanted it. I hope you like it!

The silence was deafening. One could easily hear a pin hit the ground it was so quiet. The silence went on for several minutes before Cadance broke it. “Can you repeat that? I don’t think we heard you correctly. Did you just say that you’re my older brother?” she asked disbelievingly.

“Yes, I did. Although to be more accurate I’m your adopted older brother. I’m surprised you don’t know this. When you were sent through time, like I was, there was supposed to be a letter to Lady Celestia explaining everything, from our parents.”

Shadow looked to Celestia, hoping for an explanation to Cadances ignorance about her heritage.

“Im sorry to say but when I found her in my bedchambers as I went to go to bed. The only thing the note said was her name and a request to see that she was well looked after, safe, and happy. That’s all it said I’m afraid.” Celestia said taken aback as the rest by the revelation that Cadance had an older brother.

Turning back to Cadence, he was compelled to ask,” How old are you exactly? The last time I saw you was just before I went to fight Sombras’ forces and you were only six months old! Also did Mister Armor say that you were his wife?”

“I’m 28 and yes, he and I have been married for 3 years now and we have a foal together. Her name is Flurry Heart.”

“Damn it. Star Runner overshot the year he was trying to send me to, as well as sending me to the wrong place.” Sighed Shadow. “I’m not surprised really, considering the situation we were in. Along with the pressure he was under, I should be grateful he didn’t accidently miss by an extra 500 years or something. Looks like I’m no longer the older sibling too, as I’m only 23. Well at least I found you already and to top it off I have a brother in-law and a niece. Oh well, now I just need to find her, and I can try to get my life in order here in this era.” He ranted.

At this point Twilight spoke up, “Who else do you need to find? Maybe we can help you since you’re not going to be able to go very far in your condition.”

Looking at his bandaged body, Shadow couldn’t help but agree. It would take awhile for him to fully recover and regain his strength, but his pride wouldn’t allow anyone else to tell her that he was alive and well here in this era. He decided to at least tell them who he wanted to find as he saw no harm in it.

Oh, how wrong he was.

“I doubt you have ever heard of her. Her name is Chrysalis, she is the Queen of the Changeling Nation and my fiancé.”

The moment he finished, Shining Armor erected a shield spell around all of them, separating him from the group, while everyone else but Fluttershy, Cadance, Celestia and Luna looked ready to fight him. Shocked by this reaction, Shadow couldn’t help but be concerned. “What? Did I say something wrong? What happened to warrant this reaction from all of you?” he asked defensively.

“Everpony calm down!” Shouted Cadance. “He doesn’t know what happened and we can see that he in no condition to hurt any of us. So how about we all clam down and talk.”

“Cadence! He just said that he was engaged to her, and you still think we can trust him?! Don’t you remember what she did to everypony?!” Shouted Shinning.

“OF COURSE, I REMEMBER! BUT IM NOT GOING TO BRAND HIM AS A CRIMINAL JUST BECAUSE OF THAT! HE CAME FROM OVER A THOUSAND YEARS AGO, SHINNING! HOW CAN HE KNOW EVERYTHING SHE HAS DONE BETWEEN THEN AND NOW?! HUH?! TELL ME!” Cadance roared angrily.

They were all stunned by her anger, and they quickly realized she was right. He couldn’t know what they’ve been put through because of Chrysalis.

Shame quickly set in at the realization of what they were ready to do. They were ready to fight what they believed to be a hospitalized and defenseless pony, all because he said Chrysalis was his fiancé.

Little did they know he ready to fight if he had to. Just because he could not move his limbs did not mean he was defenseless. He had already started to use his magic. The shadows beneath them had become darker and black tendrils began to rise slightly, ready to restrain them when Cadance interfered.

Turning to Shadow, Cadance asked,” you said that Chrysalis was, or rather is your fiancé. I take that to mean that the two of you were together a thousand years ago?”

“That is correct.” He said, Although he was grateful that she was standing up for him, he continued to stare at them intently watching at their bodies for any movement that might indicate that one of them was going to attack him. Although they had relaxed their bodies and looked ashamed of themselves, it could very well be a ploy to get him to lower his guard. “I was only eighteen when we first met. I was exploring the bad lands at the time and over the space of two years, we got to know each other and fell in love. I was twenty-two when asked her to marry me.”

Twilight was the unfortunate soul that caused him to react. She had only stepped toward him a little when tendrils wrapped themselves around all of them, locking their limbs in place, and preventing them from moving so fast none of them could react. The tendrils had even wrapped themselves around the horns of Shinning Armor, Twilight, Rarity, and Starlight, all of whom quickly found they were unable to use their own magic due to Shinning Armors shield spell to disappear. Even Celestia and Luna had been captured and restrained by him, even though they had shown no aggression towards him, he wasn’t going to take a chance of them staying out of the fight should one ensue. Only Fluttershy, Cadence and the wolf pup were left alone.

Fear quickly set into the captured ponies as they realized they were now completely at his mercy.

“I don’t know what she did to warrant your hatred but if you want to fight, then so be it. My body maybe injured and unable to move on its own but I can till fight using my shadow magic.” He told them as black tendrils wrapped around him, moving his body on his behalf as he stood up from the bed and took a defensive stance. “If this is how ponies treat others just for being associated with those they don’t like or hate, then pony society has fallen to a disgraceful level. A level I want nothing to do with.” He continued.

His words cut them as deeply as Cadances words had. Feelings of shame had returned to them. How could they defend themselves. They were ready to attack him just because he was in love with Chrysalis. To make matters worse, he even admitted his ignorance of her crimes!

It was at this moment that Fluttershy spoke up,” Um, excuse me, but could you let my friends go now? I don’t think they are going to try and hurt you anymore.”

Glancing at her, he saw her concern for her friends but was still hesitant to let them go. But in the end relented when he saw the honest guilt filling their faces. As he returned to his previous position on the bed, the tendrils wrapped around everyone receded back into the shadows, knowing full well he had to apologize to Celestia and Luna for restraining them along with the others.

“I’m sorry I used my Shadow Restraint spell on the two of you along with the others, but I couldn’t take the chance that you wouldn't join them and attack me too.” Shadow apologized.

“We understand. And we are as shocked and disappointed at their actions as you were. I personally thought they were better than that.” Admonished Luna. Celestia could only stare at him in disbelief.

“So, it is you. You acted as if you knew my sister and I. But now I know why. I couldn’t recognize you before. So, Aurora and Gazer adopted you huh? To think the young orphan colt that stood up and defeated three corrupt soldiers by himself would be here, laying before me.” she said, shaking her head.

“I’m glad you finally recognized me, Princess. I was beginning to worry you had completely forgotten about me.” Shadow replied. “Now. Can somepony tell me what exactly Chrissy did to you all?”

For the next few hours, they filled him in on everything Chrysalis had done to them. From the royal wedding of Cadance and Shinning Armor. To her attempted coup by replacing everyone. Ending with her being in hiding, with no idea where she was now and how Thorax leading his race as allies of Equestria. They left nothing out. Hoping that he would understand their reaction.

“I understand why you reacted the way all of you did now. But I can assure you that she wasn’t like that a thousand years ago. If I were to guess as to why she became the way she is now, I would say that I am partly to blame. But the part of Equestria that borders the bad lands probably has even more to do with it than me, I’m afraid.” he said. Before they could ask what exactly he meant, he continued,” The towns near the boarder of the bad lands at the time had a terrible tradition when it came to Changelings. They would hunt changelings down for sport and it only stop for a time after I got involved. I won’t go into details but suffice to say my methods were extreme but warranted. After the Crystal Empire and I disappeared they most likely started the tradition up again. Ponies don’t change very easily after all, do they? Well, between loosing me and the towns starting to hunt her creatures down again, which most likely continued until recently, when the Changeling Nation officially became an ally of Equestria. It’s not surprising, really, that she would close her heart off and become the way she is. I just hope all of you can eventually forgive her.”

As he told them about the past. All they could feel was horror and disgust from the actions of the towns that bordered the bad lands. Celestia even made a mental note to go and ask Thorax about the subject when they were done here.

“Why?” Spike asked in a choked voice. “Why would those ponies do such a thing? Did the changelings wrong them in some way?”

“If only it were that simple Spike. They were different from ponies and at the time little to nothing was known about them. An unfortunate truth about most creatures is that we tend to fear things that we don’t understand, what we don’t understand we hate and what we hate we tend to destroy. It’s a terrible cycle that very few don’t get trapped in and instead study and learn about the unknown, sharing what they find to either end or prevent the cycle from happening. But for those in the border towns, they didn’t care. Changelings weren’t ponies and that was enough for them to excuse their actions.” Shadow replied sadly.

Looking at the clock hanging above the door, Applejack noticed it was getting late. They had all been there most of the day and for her at least, there was a lot to think and reflect on. Deciding to speak up she said,” It’s getting pretty y’all. Maybe we should pick this up in the morning?”

“Good idea Applejake. There’s a lot of things to think about and we could all use a break.” Starlight chimed.

Sounds of assent came from everyone as they agreed and began to walk out. Only Cadance remained by his side.

“I hope we can get to know one another and become as close as actual siblings. But I must ask. Did Chrysalis know about me?”, she said.

“I’m sure we will in time. As for whether she knew about you. I would have to say yes and no. She knew I was going to have baby sibling at the time, but I was never able to tell her if you were a boy or girl or even your name for that matter. Soon after you were born Sombra attacked us, and all my time was devoted to protecting our home.”

“I see. I suppose that makes what she did to me a little better. If she had known who I was to you and still put me and my family through what she did. Well, I don’t think I could ever really support you being with her. Even if I am the Alicorn of Love. Well get some rest Shadow and we’ll see you in the morning, alright?”

“Alright. Have a good night sis.”

Still unaccustomed to having a sibling. Cadance paused before she left the room, closing the door behind her, leaving Shadow to reflect on everything they told him. There was a lot for him to do in the coming days, from taking care of his injuries to recovering his strength, along with learning about everything he missed in the past thousand years, he certainly had his hands full. But knew all he could do for now was to take it one step at a time.

Drifting off to sleep the last thing on his mind was the time he spent with Chrysalis and how they were happy together. Dreams of the past came once again, leading him to peaceful night’s sleep.

Comments

[Doctor_Den]

it seems that Shadow has unreasonably strong and dishonest magic, which can significantly reduce the degree of concern for his fate.

[FenrirOdinson]

11381915
Sorry if I made it seem that way. I'll need to go back and edit it so there is more detail. But to clarify he is using joint locks to prevent movement and the shadows around their horns is what is preventing them from using magic. Think about when Sombra messed with Shinnings horn and he couldn't use magic in the series remember? This only worked the way it did because they didn't know anything about his brand of magic and he used that to his advantage. But again I need to go back and add more detail so others aren't confused. BTW the 'shadow restraint' spell was inspired by the anime Naruto when Shikamaru fought Tayuya and restraind her in a similar manner.🙂

[Doctor_Den]

11382409
Now that I think about it, there really is a resemblance to Shikomaru's shadow grip. But his ability only affects his own shadow (and the shadows with which this shadow is connected.) And has a lot of drawbacks. While here I got the impression that he can control all the shadows in principle. Which theoretically makes any aponent helpless because you can’t hide or hide from your own shadow.
:)