Author: Alrighty, next-so chapter. This time, I'll just focus different character development for now just so to make the story longer and also to give others a chance for hints in shipping and everything. So if Sonic is now the one who have his moment, let's go to the emo badass character, Shadow. It's time to tell his perspective through his moment. Join Shadow at his life in Equestria for almost a day.
Chapter 5: A Promise to Smile At
Shadow sits at the roof at Applejack's barn in a meditating position. He wants to configure something with the chaos emerald that Rainbow found in the race that happened yesterday. As Shadow meditates, he then started to thought of something.
"Some thing must've disturbed this energy... it filled with positive energy." Shadow thought as he then starts to vision someone in his mind.
As Shadow concentrated more, he then start to vision someone in a shape of an anthropony. He felt slight surprise that it vision someone else. Shadow concentrated more, and the wings appeared.
"Wings... who could have wings...?" Shadow kept thinking as he gotten deeply into the vision.
He was about to figure out who is the anthropony but then everything turned white and Shadow's eyes opened from the annoyance happening in the real world.
"Who the hell is making that noise?!" Shadow thought as he stood and walk closer to the edge.
His hands turned to fist as he ease the noise and disturbance because Pinkie is the one who made the noises.
"Pinkie?! What are you doing?!" Shadow yelled out as Pinkie stopped playing multiple instruments.
"OH HEY SHADOW!" Pinkie yelled and waved at Shadow as he teleported infront of Pinkie.
Shadow inhaled and exhaled before he speak with Pinkie, "Alright Pinkie, what exactly are you doing here?"
"I'm here to make you laugh silly!" Pinkie smiled at Shadow as he sighed to this reason.
"Is that all?" Shadow said in a calmly manner.
"Yeah! Lets go!" Pinkie said as she grabbed Shadow's arm and pulled along.
"What the?! What's with this undefined strength?!" Shadow thought while he is being dragged by Pinkie.
He stood on to his feet and grabbed her arm and force it let go.
"Where the h-" Shadow was yelling though he reminded himself and calmed down, "Where are we going?"
"Well, I said I will try to make you smile or laugh right?" Pinkie questions and Shadow nodded.
"I found a better place for you to smile and laugh." She finished with a cheerful smile.
"And what do you mean by that?" Shadow thought as Pinkie placed a finger in his mouth, making Shadow surprised.
"Shh, just follow me!" Pinkie said as she lets go of the finger in Shadow's mouth.
Shadow's eyes gotten curious so he let Pinkie go with the lead.
"Fine. But if you did failed to make me smile, laugh, grin, or chuckle. You wasted my time and you'll pay for that." Shadow said as Pinkie just smiled.
Shadow then followed Pinkie to where they headed. Though Shadow started to make theories on what Pinkie could actually do to the likes of him. He knew that no one in the world or even at other worlds, could make him smile or laugh. He has only one weakness to his soft side of laughter, which his memories with Maria. Shadow kept that hidden, but despite his failure to save Maria, it became a nightmare now to himself. He may act strong but inside, he is just weak when it comes to emotional effort. Along the path, Shadow just followed Pinkie, but since he is getting bored, he started to think who was the pegasi that the chaos emerald envision.
"Who could possibly that pegasi in my visions... the one who puts a positive energy." Shadow thought but Pinkie interrupts his thinking.
"Uhm, hey Shadow?" Pinkie questioned, Shadow was annoyed at first but it made him realize something, she's not hyper nor excited to ask which is not a Pinkie way.
"What is it." Shadow said before they both stopped walking.
"Can I call you Shady?" Pinkie asked though this made Shadow annoyed.
"No. And you're just wasting your time. Go home already, I'm heading back to Applejack's." Shadow said but before he did return, Pinkie hold his arm again, "What? I said you failed, leave me be now, you caused alot of my time already."
"You told Applejack the reason why you don't laugh right?" Pinkie said in a worried tone. Though this made Shadow wondered how Pinkie know that.
"What? How did you know that? Did Applejack told you? That lying bastard..." Shadow said as he was about to teleports away, Pinkie hugged him.
"What? What's going on?" He then looked around to where they are.
He sees leaves falling from the trees. Because of too much thinking with the vision he saw, he didn't notice what place Pinkie brought him to. This then made him realize the place because he asked Twilight about the locations and areas of Equestria. Twilight mentions about White Tail woods. She showed Shadow the location and area of the specified location.
"W-What are you doing?! Let me go!" Shadow yelled out but Pinkie just hugged him.
"I don't wanna let go. Not until you smile!" Pinkie yelled back in a cheerful tone.
"What are you talking about? You won't make me laugh!" Shadow is starting to force Pinkie out but then she talked.
"Not even Maria?"
Shadow then stopped struggling. He was mad at first but this time, it wasn't Sonic who said it. But a party pony who makes anthroponies laugh.
"Don't you say her na-" Shadow was again interrupted as Pinkie spoke once more.
"Applejack didn't tell me... and I'm sorry that I say her name. After all it's just a hunch. But the only thing I asked for Applejack, is a place that could help you remind yourself." Pinkie said as Shadow then remembers what he told to Applejack.
Flashback: Before Shadow Sleep at Applejack's
Shadow was walking through the vast grounds of trees in a row and column. Applejack was behind him looking at him of what he may do. As soon they reached Applejack's residence. A group of three girls came in and meet them on the way.
"Applejack! Applejack!" A white little anthropony yelled out as two of them are running away.
They hide behind Applejack and Shadow just looked at the situation.
"Woah! Easy there little fellers what seem to be the problem here?" Applejack questioned the two little anthroponies hiding behind her.
"It's your sister Applebloom! She became a monster!" The orange one said as the a little girl surprised them as another little anthropony appeared from the top of an apple tree.
"Boo!" She shouted scaring the girls except Shadow and Applejack and later the three girls laugh out.
"Well Applebloom, get down here this instint. You might get hurt yourself." Applejack said in worried tone.
"Ah don't you worry big sister, I'm trying to play the role of a monster. Rawr!" Applebloom said as then the branch that she is hold on to broke, "AH!"
Shadow quickly dashed and caught Applebloom in his arms. Applebloom opened her eyes seeing Shadow and she quickly backed away.
"Uhhhh thanks for saving me mister..." Applebloom said as she back away.
"Uh, Applejack, who is he?" The orange pegasi wondered as Applejack stood beside Shadow.
"Well, I'd like you girls to meet, Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow these are the Cutie Mark Crusaders." Applejack said as Shadow looked at her.
"Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Shadow gave Applejack a puzzled look only then she realized that Twilight didn't told them what are cutie marks.
"We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders! And we are on the quest to get ourselves a cutie mark!" The white unicorn said in a cheerful tone.
"What is a cutie mark?" Shadow asks.
"Wait you don't know what's a cutie mark?" The orange pegasi flew slightly on the same height as Shadow.
"I'm from a different world kid. And the princess Twilight Sparkle, didn't gave me an information about a cutie mark." Shadow said in a serious tone only to cause the pegasi to back away.
"Shadow, the cutie marks are the symbols that you see in our flanks." Applejack said as she showed Shadow her cutie mark of three apples, "These represents our unique talents and such." She finishes her explanation.
"Hm, I see. And considering that you kids haven't getting one, you girls get bullied by someone since you don't have a cutie mark." Shadow said by which this made the CMC surprised.
"H-How did you know that?" Applebloom was shocked that Shadow knows.
"Are you spy?" The orange pegasi wondered.
"Where you watching us?" The white unicorn thought of it.
"I can tell the trouble of being unique when comes to young age." Shadow answers.
"You sure know how to tell someone Shadow." Applejack said as she then let Applebloom to introduce themselves properly to Shadow.
"Uhm... I'm Applebloom. Applejack's little sister! Thanks for saving me." Applebloom said as she shake Shadow's hand.
"Don't mention it kid. Be careful where you hang this time." Shadow said.
"Of course!" Applebloom said in a smile.
"Hi... I'm Sweetie Belle. Rarity's sister." The white unicorn said as she is kinda shyly saying as she is blushing at Shadow.
"Well, I was told that your sister was having a sleepover at Applejack's." Shadow said as Sweetie Belle then blushed harder only then she tried to dodge it by asking a different question.
"I-Is that so? A-Are you go-going to sl-sleep with Applejack?" She asked that which is really, really dumb she decide to run away now but Shadow just answered it.
"No. I'm here to rest alone." He replied and this made Sweetie Belle fainted.
"Sweetie Belle? Hey wake up..." Applebloom said as she nudges Sweetie Belle.
"I didn't do that." Shadow said as Applejack giggled from behind.
Another one then approached Shadow, "I'm Scootaloo! Rainbow Dash's No. 1 fan. If ya know her." The orange pegasi said as she does some kicks in the mid-air.
"Hmph, as she reminds me of someone annoying." Shadow said as he crossed his arms and thinking about what Sonic said.
Applejack then noticed this and decide to change the atmosphere.
"Alright girls! Take Sweetie Belle back at the house, I'll see where Shadow can sleep since he is tired from... getting here." Applejack ordered.
"You got it sis!" Applebloom said as she then looked at Scootaloo, "Hey Scootaloo, help me carry Sweetie Belle will ya?"
"Alright..." Scootallo then stood beside at the fainted Sweetie Belle and carried her there.
"Man she's heavy, what was she eating?" Scootaloo wondered.
"Beats me." Applebloom said as they then carried Sweetie Belle back to the house.
As the CMC were gone, Applejack looked at Shadow.
"Shadow, will you be fine to sleep at the barn, you said you want to be alo-" Applejack was cutoff as Shadow quickly spoke.
"Anywhere is fine just so no ones distracting my sleep." Shadow said as then Applejack sighed and lead him the way.
Shadow then sets himself with the barn. Applejack prepared his bed, by placing pillows that she took from their house. Shadow then was fine with anything he sleep in. Applejack was about to go back but then she can't hold in how Shadow acts.
"Listen. What is you're big idea?" Applejack asks.
"Hm? What do you mean?" Shadow then got curious.
"You got mad at Sonic from mentioning this Maria. What was that anyway?" Applejack then hit Shadow's nerve. But he can't be mad since it's a misunderstanding.
"I'm fine. But I'll let you be to say her name. But her name must be forbidden to be told by anyone." Shadow said as he looked at the stars.
"Shadow... you're not telling anyone how you feel aren't you?" Applejack wondered as she gotten closer.
"Hmph! As if I need it. I don't share my feelings with anyone else!" Shadow's voice started to yell now.
"Except... her?" Applejack then is behind Shadow.
Shadow became silent. He looked down and looked at his fists.
"She... she's the one I cared the most. She may be a human and I... a creation as a weapon..." Shadow said that this made Applejack surprised from what Shadow said, 'as a weapon.'
"But Maria, made me feel like I'm not a weapon nor different. She made me feel a real entity that it's purpose to have fun and laugh..." Shadow said and holding his tears from coming out.
Applejack knew this. She removed her hat and place it on the floor. She then hugged Shadow from behind only making him surprised.
"Shadow. Right now... after for what ya did with Sonic. No one wants to get closer to you." Applejack said making Shadow surprised.
"But I'm not afraid of you. You're just broken from those horrible memories." She continued as she hug him tightly.
Shadow's tears then burst out falling and making him realize the fight he did with Sonic. And his mistakes of hiding everything about Maria.
"You may not laugh nor smile... and from what had Sonic said, you lost your partner because your enemy reminded you of her." Applejack said this made Shadow clench his fists.
"It... wasn't my fau-" Shadow was cutoff as Applejack speaks.
"I may not good to make you smile right now. But Pinkie may be... she is the only one in Equestria that could make you the same Shadow from before." Applejack said as Shadow then sighed.
Applejack ended the hug, she let Shadow process what happened. As Applejack then sleeps. She met Luna in her dream.
"Applejack, did you help him?" Luna asked Applejack.
"Yes your highness... I tried what I can. I'll let Pinkie to make him better again." Applejack said as she remembered that Luna told her to help out Shadow.
"Thank you Applejack. I know I can trust you." Luna said as Applejack sleep normally.
Flashback End
"What... is that place?" Shadow wondered.
"Your smile Shady..." Pinkie said as she hugged Shadow tightly.
Shadow then got annoyed to his name. But he didn't let it through him but instead, he embraces it.
"I'm sorry I was happy and fun at all time, I didn't know that you have someone so dearly lost..." Pinkie said as silence grew around.
Shadow lets go and put his hands on Pinkie's shoulder.
"Thank you Pinkie Pie..." Shadow said as he slightly smiles.
"Shadow..."
Shadow then looked at Pinkie,
"You're smiling." Pinkie said as she tried to smile now.
"Wh-What? All of this just to make me-" Shadow was interrupted as Pinkie slightly kissed him in the cheeks making him stunned.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone! Teehee! But still I'm not done. I have to make you laugh, grin, smirk and chuckle." Pinkie said with a smile and leave Shadow be.
Shadow was silent. He couldn't feel what he should feel right now. Nothing more made him smile more. He started to realize more and more that Pinkie may somehow relate with Maria.
"Is... that you... Maria?" Shadow thought as he looked at Pinkie walking away.
Shadow's smile disappeared as he wants no one to find out. He closed his eyes and think for a moment.
"Thank you... you made me... me again."
Author: Well that is a dearling moment. Well, I might say the improvement got quickly high for being new at the world, not to mention their just been at Equestria for like 2 days and things started to get interesting with the relationship. I wonder what will happen more throughout to the story. And I'm pretty sure you guys know what to expect with the next chapter. Yes. I have one more perspective to show.
Author: And before I end my review. I wanna know if you guys want me to add the movie, since it's around season 4. So yeah, that's all and this Moonlight Arc, may your memories served as an experience. Baii./