Dear Maria,

I have come to a definite conclusion...

I am in Love with Pinkie Pie. Madly.

Oh, how I want to scream it out from the rooftops sister, how I want to hold her forever, and kiss her with everything I have...

I want the world to know how much I love her.

But.. As I have said...

I can't. They won't except it.

But, here's some good news:

SHE MIGHT LIKE ME BACK.

A week ago, we were baking together, and she kept staring at me. When I looked at her, she was blushing at me.

I hope it wasn't flat out embarrassment. I hope she does feel the same way. I..

*sigh*

I'm really lovesick, aren't I?

I should probably tell somebody about this...

Love, your-madly in-love dunce of a brother,

Shadow

Pinkie Pie was strolling though the park in the early morning. The sun was just beginning to rise, and Pinkie had grown a habit of checking in on her friends late at night and early in the morning.

No doubt because of Shadow.

All of a sudden, the wind blew lightly, and sent a shiver down her spine. She saw the shadow of a claw behind her...

"So nice of you to be here, Miss Pie."

She turned, and her eyes widened.

A blood-curdling scream rang out through all of Ponyville."

...

HE TOOK PINKIE PIE?!"

There was no masking the amount of rage in Shadow's voice, and face.

In Twilight's castle, everyone was amiss.

The mane 5 were as pissed as Shadow was, Rainbow flying back and forth angerly, Fluttershy angry and on the verge of tears, Rarity flabbergasted and repulsed, Applejack fiercely trotting from the map to the entrance way, and Twilight just plain furious.

Amy held out her her hammer, ready to smash something. Knuckles and Rouge stood with crossed arms, peeved about the situation, but not as mad as the rest. Silver also feeling a bit mad himself, but not as much as Amy. Tails was mad too, but tried to keep cool as he overlooked footage on his tablet from a previous flight around. Sonic looked down, and gritted his teeth.

Although, no one was as pissed off as Shadow was.

He stood at the entrance way to the map room, and a fire was burning in his eyes. His fists clenched, his breath heavy, and ready to fight.

After Shadow's outburst he didn't speak any longer, he just stood there, with invisible waves of emotion emitting off of him.

Sonic was the first to speak after.

"How could Eggman even think of kidnapping such a pony?"

Rainbow then spoke.

"I say we find wherever he is, and give him a good old fashioned beat down."

"Yeah!" Amy agreed, and the two females started making their way to the exit.

Tails suddenly held up a hand.

"Wait a moment you guys!"

The two stopped, and everyone walked towards Tails.

"Listen, I did some scouting the other day, and I did manage to find his base."

"Well let's go get him then!" Applejack almost screamed it, but kept her voice at a consistent level.

"But he'll know that we're coming." Tails explained, looking up to everyone in the group.

Sonic crossed his arms, and looked at everyone.

"He's probably expecting an attack today. Our best bet is to fight him tomorrow, right Tails?"

Tails nodded. But before anyone could object, a bone-chilling voice broke through the split second silence.

"I'd hate to say it, but yes, that does sound like our best chance."

They all turned to the voice's owner, whom was Shadow. He stood away from the group, as they all turned their attention to him. He had his arms crossed, and eyes closed.

"The Doctor is a trickster, and he knows just how much Pinkie means to her friends. He wants us to go there all riled up. So we have to calm down first, figure out an attack plan, then raid the base."

When Shadow opened his eyes, no one was prepared for the death glare piercing through his ruby red irises. There was a raging inferno in his eyes, and it even startled Rouge a bit.

"Any objections?"

The room was silent, and everyone shook their heads.

"Good."

He turned, and walked out the room, needing some fresh air.

As soon as everyone stopped looking scared, Sonic became slightly confused.

"Why is Shadow so peeved about this?"

Rouge was concerned as she watched Shadow leave. Something was definitely up. Although, with some nuances she had figured out, she had a pretty good idea why he was so mad.

...

Shadow walked through Ponyville slowly.

He had noticed that almost every pony in Ponyville had been affected by her kidnapping.

Ponies were less talkative, and less happy.

Gloom laid over the town like a thick blanket of fog.

It made him feel.. Well..

Upset.

"Ponyville is always so.. Sad without her."

Shadow was startled a bit by the voice. He turned to see Twilight Sparkle, with her other friends. Shadow quickly calmed back down, and sighed.

"Yeah. I've noticed."

The group started walking together, watching the moods of the towns' ponies.

Rarity spoke.

"Whenever Pinkie Pie isn't around for a long time, others start to feel less happy."

Rainbow Dash went next.

"She's not only the laughter for us, she's the primary source of happiness for the entire town."

Applejack turned her head to gaze at the vendors of the Ponyville marketplace as they all walked past.

"After living in Ponyville for my whole life, I can say that now, without Pinkie, *sigh*, this whole town simply couldn't survive."

Fluttershy looked up to the sky.

"She cares a lot for Ponyville, and for us. And we all care about her."

Shadow sighed, as he came to a stop in front of the all-too familiar building. He gazed up to it, and felt a pinch in his heart.

The mane 5 could see it, the loss he was experiencing.

Twilight put a hoof on his shoulder.

"We all know you cared for her deeply Shadow. We've believed that there was something more between you two for a while."

Shadow turned to them with wide eyes.

Twilight, and the rest of her friends, smiled.

"When we get Pinkie back... I think it would be best for you to tell her how you feel."

She stepped back, and into a line with her friends.

"And coming from her closest friends, you can trust us."

Shadow could only nod. He appreciated their words, really he did. But right now..

He needed a moment of silence. Suddenly he teleported away, Twilight and her friends not knowing where he had gone.

...

Rouge walked into her room. It had been a busy day, planning out routes, who would be rescuing Pinkie, etc. It was now nightfall, and Rouge was a little sleepy. Before she could walk all the way over to her bed however, she noticed someone standing out on the balcony.

It was Shadow. He had his hands on the rim, and was intensely watching the night sky.

He had been aware of her presence, as he had herd the door open and close.

Rouge was a little surprised to see Shadow here, but decided not to say anything about it. She walked out to the balcony.

"How long have you been starring at the sky?"

"For a few hours." Shadow did not break contact with the sky, and kept watching it. Rouge came over to his side, and looked up to the stars.

There was a moment of silence, before Rouge broke it.

"I know you're the most mad about this Shadow."

Shadow cocked a brow, but didn't look at her.

Rouge spoke again, with more confidence.

"And I know the reason."

Shadow blinked. How could she know?

He finally turned his gaze to her.

"Listen. I saw you two cooking together one time. You and Pinkie genuinely enjoy your time together. I haven't seen you that happy ever."

Shadow's eyes widened. She was spying on him?

Rouge paused, awaiting a response, but Shadow just stood there, wide eyed. She exhaled, and continued.

"I saw the way you look at each other. You had a magic in your eyes that I have only known from my own experience. Shadow, I know what I'm about to ask might be hard for you to answer, but I have to hear it from you. Are.. Are you in love with Pinkie Pie?"

Shadow suddenly blushed a wine red, a first for the bat. He glanced down.

'Well... So much for hiding it.' He closed his eyes, and turned his back to her. He gave barely a whisper.

"...Yes."

Rouge had heard, but she wanted to hear it again. She smirked, and stepped forward.

"What?"

Shadow inhaled, and his feelings suddenly came pouring out. He turned to face her, his blush covering his entire muzzle.

"Yes, Yes! I'm in love with her, okay!? Madly, hopelessly, mindlessly!-" He paced into Rouge's room continuing to spill, Rouge following with shock.

"Hook line and sinker, over the moon, loop de loop, far and away, deeply, passionately, endlessly in love with the pink mare! She makes me feel like this to no end, and its driving me crazy that I can't just walk up to her and tell her that I love her, hug her, kiss her with every emotion I have for her, and tell her that I love her over and over ag-!"

Shadow had finally realized what he had been saying. He covered his mouth with his hands, as red as a tomato. He stared wide-eyed at Rouge. Rouge was also in that much shock. Never before had she herd something so profound and passionate from Shadow before. He had poured his heart out into every word, and his now frozen embarrassed state was proof of that.

A stunned silence passed, before Rouge finally got rid of her surprise. She smirked, and put her hands on her hips.

"Well, well, well. I didn't expect such a declaration coming from you Shadow."

Shadow moved his hands away from his mouth, and looked down to the ground bashfully. His right hand held hid left arm.

"Please Rouge.. Don't tell anyone about any of this.."

Rouge chuckled.

"Don't worry Shadow, I won't."

Shadow exhaled heavily, and sat down on the foot of Rouge's bed. Rouge kept smirking.

"How long have you kept that in?"

Shadow inhaled and exhaled heavily. He looked down, and and answered truthfully.

"For a good long time."

Rouge went to to sit next to him, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll get her back. I promise."

Shadow looked up to her.

"Pinkie Promise?"

Rouge chuckled, and held up her pinky.

"A pinky promise?"

Shadow shook his head.

"No, a Pinkie Pie promise."

He did the motions Pinkie had showed him.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Rouge suddenly burst out in laughter, and Shadow looked away.

She lightly slapped his shoulder.

"She's really made you gone soft, hasn't she?" She giggled, not really expecting a response.

But all of a sudden she herd the strangest thing.

She herd chuckling.

Shadow's chuckling.

Shadow finally looked up to her, and showed a small smile. Rouge had never seen anything so strange. He rubbed the back of his head, still smiling bashfully.

"More than you could ever know."

Ch. 5 finished! It was so fun to write his confession. (Also, publishing during midnight, whoo!) ((And yes, Helga's outburst from "Helga on the couch" were stuck in my head at the time.)) Write you later!