Shadows of Love - FiMFetch.net (2024)

Twilight was pouring over a book that’d newly arrived. Titled Applied Ley Line Theory, it went into meticulous detail on how one would go about using it. She loved curling up with a good book in her reading room, and this one was proving very educational.

Therefore, with the capacity to tap into, rejuvenate from, and tamper with a ley line, magic’s effects can be improved exponentially. With these techniques in hoof and experience under their saddle, a wizard can transform the slightest charm into a full-blown love spell.

Love...

Not for the first time, Twilight’s mind turned to that fire in the heart, the strongest of emotions. It was not a draught she had never tasted - a couple foals had won her affection back in Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns - but it was one she had never drunk deeply of. First as a student busy with studying and research, and then as a princess busy with administrative duties, she hadn’t really had the time to devote to romance.

That wasn’t for a lack of suitors, of course, especially recently. Any stallion and plenty of mares would leap at the chance to be the consort of a princess. She had her pick of scientists, authors, wizards, politicians, even other royalty. But she hadn’t really clicked with any of them.

Twilight’s musings were interrupted by a knock at the front door of the castle. “SPIIIIKE!” she yelled. “Can you get that? I’m reading.”

“Sure thing, Twilight!” he answered dutifully.

A few moments later, she heard the clip-clop of hooves on the crystalline floor. She looked up from her book, and saw her old... enemy? Friend? Ex-enemy who was now a friend? Well-intentioned but misguided would-be hero? She wasn’t sure what to call him.

Shadowlock.

“Hello Twilight,” he said, a bit awkwardly. “I haven’t found any much more information about my ancestor. I thought I should talk to you for help.”

Glancing to her shiny new book, and back to Shadowlock, she replied, “Of course! Sit down. There’s plenty of room!”

He sat down about as far from her as he could. She gave him a good look-over.

He was a stallion of medium build, but stood a bit taller than average. A sleek and sharp mane erupted from his head, purple and black astride. An old scar bisected his otherwise unblemished face. Twilight had to admit, he was good-looking in an unpolished sort of way. For a millisecond, Twilight wondered what his chest would feel like.

That thought was ended by his first question.

“So, what do I do now?”

Twilight bit her lip. She wanted to reply with a stock suggestion like “Try doing research,” but he had made that almost impossible himself.

“Honestly, I’m not sure,” she replied. “We could try developing a spell to reverse your book-erasing one, but I don’t know if that’s possible.”

Shadowlock winced. His book-erasing spell had already caused serious trouble to Twilight and her friends, and left the world vulnerable to the possible return of his ancestor.

“I... don’t think it is.” He hated every word, but he forced them out anyway. “My spell was designed to be irreversible, so it would be impossible for him to sneak back into our world.”

Twilight’s face fell, and a jolt of pain shot through his heart. Twilight had shown him mercy, trust, and forgiveness, and put him back on the right path. Now he had to let her last hope down, and cemented his failure in her eyes.

And though he felt even guiltier admitting it to himself, part of the reason he was so invested in Twilight’s well-being was definitely her looks. To put it simply, she was extremely attractive. Every gentle curve of her lithe body, her perfect coloration, the nerdy way she talked, and her luscious coat all combined to form this perfect storm of admiration. She inflamed his passions like nopony he’d ever met before or since.

Of course, this was all idle dreaming. She was a princess and a savior of Equestria many times over, while he was just a wannabe hero who’d ended up making things much worse. Even the fact she saw him as a friend was barely believable. It was beyond mad to think she’d ever have the slightest chance of returning his feelings.

“Shadowlock?”

Shadowlock blinked, and shook his head. “What? Suh-sorry, I missed that.”

“I asked if you were okay. You looked really far away.” Twilight’s eyes sparkled with a surprising amount of concern.

“Oh. Uh, I’m fine. Didn’t get much sleep last night.” He didn’t like lying to her, but what other option did he have? Yeah, you’re so sexy I got lost in your perfect body? If he tried that, he’d be lucky if their friendship were the only thing broken.

Twilight gave him a concerned look. “You should go to bed. We can discuss this in more detail tomorrow.”

“No, no,” Shadowlock insisted. “I’m not that tired. Just dozed off for a second.”

“Alright, if you say so,” she replied skeptically.

“So, what were we talking about before I dozed off?” he asked, faking confusion.

Twilight answered matter-of-factly, “What you should do now, and how we’ll go about research. If the book-erasing spell can be undone, you and I can work together to recover all the missing information!”

He cracked a smile. Doing magical research with Twilight? That would be amazing. “I sure hope it can be undone. Do you know where to start?”

Twilight nodded. “We should start in the Canterlot Archives. It’s one of the most complete libraries in the world. If we don’t find anything there, we’ll try the Crystal Empire next.”

“That sounds like a plan. Let’s go.” He stood up and started trotting for the door, but a pink glow enveloped him before he’d taken five steps. His whole body tingled as the deft telekinesis lifted him a few inches off the ground.

“Hold on. You need to get some sleep first,” Twilight insisted. “You’ll be much more productive tomorrow if you have a well-rested mind.”

“A-alright,” Shadowlock agreed. He wasn’t tired, but if he wanted to avoid having to answer awkward questions, he’d have to play along. “I’ll go rent a--”

“Rent? You can just stay in one of the guest rooms!” Twilight said with a grin. “We have tons of empty ones. Spike?”

Spike poked his head in. “Sure. Follow me!”

Shadowlock stood up, stretched, and followed the little green and purple dragon. He glanced back at Twilight, who was now returning to her book.

Spike took Shadowlock to his room. “Here you go! This is where you’ll be staying tonight.”

It was quite well-equipped and pretty, and the bed looked very soft. “Thank you again for letting me stay. It’ll be nice to sleep in a bed again.”

Spike raised an eyeridge. “Well where have you been sleeping?”

“Usually, on my cloak. Ruins don’t have beds like castles do.”

“Huh, guess you got a point there. Well, I’ll leave you to your sleeping.” Spike walked out, and closed the door behind him.

Shadowlock tossed his cloak off, and flopped down on the bed. He wasn’t tired.

The stars were beautiful tonight.

Twilight concentrated. Magic bubbled up, surging from the rock miles below to her head. She could hear the air crackling with power. A faint smell of ozone wafted around her.

In one smooth motion, she released it. A bolt of lightning soared upwards and split the heavens. A beautiful aurora followed in its wake.

Starlight trotted up beside her. “That’s quite impressive, Twilight. So that ley line stuff really works?”

“Yep! Like a charm! Imagine what it’d be like in a place like the Crystal Empire, where multiple ley lines converge.”

“Is that why Sombra was so powerful? He had all those ley lines beneath him?” Starlight asked.

“It’s quite possible. I don’t think we can know for sure - without asking him, that is.” She looked up to the heavens. “Speaking of things we don’t know for sure - did you make any progress on a spell to restore the books Shadowlock erased?”

“No,” Starlight admitted. Her face was clouded with disappointment. “It seems he really wiped them hard. You’re going to talk to Sunburst about it, right?”

“That’s the plan.” Twilight yawned. “But it’s late. We should get some rest ourselves.”

“You’re right.” The two mares trotted back inside in silent companionship.

Shadowlock woke up gradually. Fading out were the ghostly dreams of the night before. He felt a serene, contented smile upon his face, but had no idea why. His outstretched hoof embraced the air. “Mmmm... huh?”

He opened his eyes. Celestia’s sun peeked in around the curtains. A faint scent of lavender hung about the room.

Stretching, Shadowlock got out of bed, and put his signature cloak on. He trotted towards the main room

The delicious smell of pancakes filled the air. “Hehy Shahdoughlok!” Spike said through a mouthful of gems.

Shadowlock tentatively sat down next to Starlight. “Help yourself!” Twilight said warmly.

With a simple nod, he dug in. By the first bite, he was shocked. “These are delicious! Who made them?”

“Yours truly,” Spike said between bites.

Twilight pointed to a checklist. “We’ll search the Canterlot Archives today, and then take the train to the Crystal Empire overnight. I know somepony who might be able to help us there.” She turned to Starlight. “Starlight, I’ll need you and Spike to watch over affairs back here at the castle. I might be gone three days.”

“Shure thing Thwilight,” Spike replied, chomping down on a ruby.

An hour later, they were all ready. Twilight had her saddlebags, and she’d lent Shadowlock a set. With bits, notebooks, quills, water bottles, magnifying glasses, the spellbook Shadowlock had based his book-erasing spell on, and more, they were well-prepared for a lot of studying.

Twilight gave Spike a quick hug. “Be in bed by 9.”

“9:30?” Spike begged.

Twilight rolled her eyes playfully. “Alright, 9:30. But no later. A baby dragon needs his sleep to grow up big and strong!”

Farewells exchanged, Twilight and Shadowlock headed to the Friendship Express.