Meanwhile, while Applejack reads. . .

Ditzy Doo huffs and puffs. She finally topples over and welcomes the cool grass. Her friend walks over and stares down at her.

"How can you run for so long," Ditzy labors, "Shade?"

Shade lays down beside the gray pegasus and exhales heavily. "With my legs," Shade cracks.

Ditzy giggles and touches Shade's side, "You aren't even sweating!" Ditzy gets up and hugs Shade, nuzzling her neck. "You feel cooling!"

"There is a pond not too far away," Shade comments rigidly with an awkward smile.

"But you're right here." Ditzy states and lays across Shade's back.

"I am glad to be of assistance."

Ditzy rolls off Shade and lays on her back, looking up at Shade. Shade stares back. "Thank you; for doing this for me; for helping me exercise; for encouraging me; for being my friend, Shade."

"Likewise, Ditzy Doo, thank you for being my friend." Shade replies. "I never had friends."

"That's too bad. You're a great friend."

Shade gives a sad smile. "I wasn't always. . . the nicest."

Ditzy rolls on her belly and wraps a wing around Shade. "You're nice now. And you're trying to make up for your past, right? That's all that matters."

Shade stares at Ditzy Doo, her golden, askew eyes shine with sincerity. Shade hesitates for a moment and nuzzles Ditzy's cheek quickly. "Thank you, Ditzy," Shade says with a small smile.

A warm July breeze blows over the two of them. They lay on the grass, under a tree, and watch the light filter through the dancing leaves.

The train ride to Canterlot did not excite Shade. Sitting next to Death did not help. Especially, when Death hugs her tightly and tells her to look out the window at something that has already passed every few minutes.

Being nice has its drawbacks. Shade thinks.

Two guards step in front of them as they step off the train.

"Are you 'Deathly Belladonna?'" a brown guard asks.

"Take her away, Officers," Shade says and starts to walk away.

Death chuckles nervously, "Is there a problem, sirs?"

"Would you come with us, please?" the white guard asks.

"Of course! I am a law-abiding citizen." Death grins.

"Who kidnaps others and holds them against their will," Shade comments.

The guards turn to Shade then back to Death with stern eyes.

"Children say the darnedest things, right?" Death titters nervously.

Shade hugs the white guard's neck. "Oh, thank you for saving me! I was scared!"

The guards fall for the pleading eyes and squeaky voice of the white filly. The brown guard clamps an inhibitor on Death's horn and encases her with magic.

"What?!" Death interjects.

"Would you mind coming with us, as well?" the white guard asks the sniveling Shade.

"No," Shade croaks. She sniffles and wipes her eyes. "I originally came here with the intention of running away from her and finding my real family."

"Would you like some help?" the white guard offers.

"You can help all of us," Shade turns to Death and grins devilishly, "by locking that monster away for a long time."

Death scowls at Shade and mouths, "You will be sorry."

"Deathly Belladonna," the brown guard says, "You are under arrest for impersonating a government official, trespassing into the castle, and for foal knapping."

The guards begin to escort her away in the bubble and Shade waves goodbye to her.

What a great day this is turning out to be! Shade muses to herself. She shuffles the saddlebags on her back and starts walking down the Main Street.

Just another castle town in the shadow of another castle for Shade. She does not examine the architecture, the ponies, or window shop. She keeps her eyes ahead of her and ignores the other ponies staring at her. She keeps her head forward and walks with a purpose for about ten minutes until a scent in the wind grabs her and makes her stop in her tracks. Banana.

Shade found out recently that bananas are rare fruits and have a high cost. Money does not matter to Shade. On the other hoof, finding out where the scent is emanating from does. She follows the delicate, sweet scent of banana and finds her nose pressing against glass. When she opens her eyes, she discovers that she is at a bakery.

Could this day get any better? Shade wonders to herself as she enters the shop.

Shade shakes out images of Death's execution from her head. Dread starts to twist her gut and not because she ate two loafs of banana bread. Will Death take away her eyesight? What punishment does Death have in store for Shade?

Death sits in a metal chair in an interrogation room. She taps absently on the metal table. She stares at herself in the glass in the wall across from her.

I can't believe she did that! a wicked smile creeps across her face. Oh, she will be sorry.

The door opens behind her and closes. Hoofsteps echo in the small room as the pony walks to the table. A white stallion, with a blue mane and tail, wearing a tan duster and fedora sits in front of her.

"What can I do for you, Special Agent Snow?" Death inquires. She grins as the stallion's green eyes go wide.

"What were you doing on March 23, 992 C.R. around ten in the morning?" the stallion questions, reading from a notepad in his right hoof.

Death taps her lips and thinks carefully. "That was over a year ago. I think I was at Canterlot."

"Yes. Trespassing."

Death smiles. "I received a gold pass from Captain Ironshoe, and before that, I was given a bronze pass by Ocean Topaz."

"You impersonated a government official."

"I didn't show a badge to either Ocean Topaz nor Captain Ironshoe. It is not my fault they did not ask to see one." Death explains. Death leans closer to the stallion, "Why am I really here?"

"For the reasons I just told you."

Death grins knowingly and sits back in the chair. "So, Celestia has been snooping around, trying to get as much information on me as she can, eh?" The stallion's eyes grow wide again. "Don't think I didn't notice her spies. Don't think I didn't hear from my colleagues. And don't think these walls will hold me back if she does anything to my daughter."

Shade stared at the statue Death had described to her. The creature was an amalgamation of many creatures, a type of chimera called a draconequus. Shade cocks her head at the creature's strange positioning. A strange power emanates from the statue. She reaches out a hoof, but a voice behind her stops her.

"Please, do not touch the statue."

Shade touches the statue and feels strange, yet familiar power within the stone. Shade turns around to see Princess Celestia standing before her with a frown. Shade sizes up the ivory alicorn and says, "I thought you would be taller."

Princess Celestia chuckles, "I have not heard that before. What are you doing here, my little pony?"

Shade returns to gazing up at Discord. "The 'Elements of Harmony' did this to him, right?"

Princess Celestia flinches. "Who told you that?"

"I read about how you and your sister defeated Discord, and since nothing is written about what happened to him, I came up with the conclusion that you imprisoned him somehow." Shade turns to Princess Celestia, "And since you did not deny it, you confirmed my suspicions."

Princess Celestia frowns and steps up to the statue of Discord. "Even after all the wicked and evil things he committed to the ponies, I had hoped the Elements of Harmony would purge the evil from him to reform him."

"That is stupid." is Shade's blunt remark which gains the attention of the Princess, "You can't purge what isn't there."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Discord is not evil. I have seen the real face of evil many times, and all accounts of Discord are childish compared to the evil I know. Discord is not disharmony, and he is not evil. Just because his nature goes against what you consider good, doesn't mean you are right." Shade puts down the hoof she points at Princess Celestia. "Because you are not absolute good; you have flaws. And you wanting to change someone's nature forcefully that makes you evil. At least, in my opinion. But what does my opinion matter?" Shade looks back up at Discord and continues, "You should have just killed him. Not because you think he is evil, but because he is an annoyance and an hinderance. He will come back to bite you in your flank."

Princess Celestia stares at the filly. She looks like a child, but speaks like an adult and exudes a far more mature aura. Nightshade Toxin and Deathly Belladonna are not ponies from this world. Talking about death and killing, not even a veteran guard can say her sentences with as much ease. Perhaps they are from the Mirror Universe? Why not just ask her?

"Where are you from, Nightshade Toxin?" Princess Celestia asks with a smile.

"How do you know my name?" Shade scowls and adopts a defensive posture.

"I know the names of all my subjects," Princess Celestia replies with a practiced smile.

Shade scrutinizes the Princess, "Suspicious."

Princess Celestia chuckles behind a hoof. "Would you like to have a tour of the castle?"

"I would rather much have unlimited access to the library and archives," Shade states honestly.

"That could be arranged."

Shade studies the Princess for a moment and thinks that this opportunity is too good to be true. "What's the catch?"

"You would have to move to Canterlot and become my personal student."

"I have somepony who is already my teacher."

"Your mother?"

Shade scrunches up her face as if she just drank vinegar, "I suppose you can call her that. Besides, we are in the middle of a lesson I want to learn."

"Oh?" Princess Celestia cocks her head and asks, "What is the lesson?"

"She is teaching me about archaic magic."

"And what is 'archaic magic?'"

"Magic that the first ponies discovered in prehistoric times."

"How is that possible?" Princess Celestia asks with interest. She leans closer to Shade and Shade steps back. "Prehistoric ponies did not have a writing system. How can she study something that is not written?"

"That is for her and me to know. If you ask her, she might tell you." Shade says.

Princess Celestia furrows her brows. "Very well. As long as nopony gets hurt."

The two alabaster ponies stand in awkward silence as they gaze into each other eyes. Shade blows into Princess Celestia's face. Princess Celestia shakes her head and casts a perplexing look at Shade.

"Just making sure you didn't fall asleep. Can I go?"

Princess Celestia smiles, "Yes. Will you at least consider becoming my student?"

Shade cocks her head to the side and stares up at the sky in thought. "I suppose after Death teaches me what I want to know, I can become your student." Shade looks back at Princess Celestia, "Are you in need of a student or something?"

"I have two pupils under my care right now."

"Why do you need a third? So you can have another reason to ditch work?"

Princess Celestia chuckles, "I "

"Princess Celestia!" a mare shrieks. Princess Celestia quickly snaps her head behind her and sees a tan mare with a white mane running. "Princess Celestia, it is an emergency!"

"What is wrong, my little pony?" Princess Celestia asks and waits patiently for the mare to catch her breath.

"No time to explain!" The mare blurts out and stumbles as she tries to run back the way she came.

"If you will excuse me, Nightshade Toxin," Princess Celestia says and hurries after her steward.

Shade shrugs her shoulders and is left alone in front of the statue. She watches Princess Celestia disappears into a pair of double doors. Galloping behind her makes her turn around and hit another pony. Shade gets up from the ground rubbing her shoulder that had made contact with the other pony.

A young stallion with a snow white mane and golden immaculate mane jumps to his hooves and glares at Shade. "I am tired of you filthy commoners always being in my way!" he complains.

Shade glowers at the stallion, sucks her teeth, and walks away.

"Do you know who I am?!" the stallion shrills. He gallops in front of Shade and is about two heads taller. "You better apologize to me! I am Prince Blueblood!"

"Good for you," Shade shoves the stallion out of her way and continues walking.

"How dare you!" Prince Blueblood lowers his head and fires a blast of magic into Shade's ribs. "Know your place, commoner!"

Shade stops in her tracks and lowers her head. Prince Blueblood's blood boils with rage, so he does not feel the drop in temperature, and he ignores the dark clouds rolling in. Shade spins around with her flaring red horns and releases a torrent of crimson magic in the stallions direction.

When Prince Blueblood had seen the eyes of the filly burning brighter than the sun and the power that radiated off her, a cold chill ran up his spine. He quickly teleports out of harm's way and gapes at the energy blast that the filly is channeling. The crimson ray disintegrates everything in its path for five hundred feet. Prince Blueblood looks back at the filly and takes a step back. Red lightning dances across her coat and sparks from her horn.

"Taitswhít," Shade sneers as she digs her hoof in the ground, ready to charge. She launches herself at the pony but does not get far as an aura of pink magic surrounds her.

"That is enough," Death states and levitates Shade to her side.

"That little fucker runs into me, insults me, and strikes me with magic; his death will be 'enough.'" Shade growls.

Death dispells her hold on Shade and slaps Shade across the face with the back of a fetlock. The hit discharges the electricity accumulating on Shade and leaves her in shock. Shade holds her cheek with her right hoof and stares at Death. "You can not go around killing everypony or anything you want. Have you forgotten about our lesson on 'Restraint?'"

Shade folds her ears back and breaks eye contact with Death by looking to the side. "No." Shade cranks her head to glare at Prince Blueblood who flinches under her gaze. "I have a little more respect for Princess Celestia. I now know how hard it is to keep from smiting those who infuriate you."

"That was incredible!" Twilight Sparkle interjects. She runs up to Death and is smiling widely at Shade. "Is she your daughter you wanted me to meet?"

"Twilight!" Princess Celestia's voice rings with alarm. The princess levitates the lavender filly with her magic and places the filly behind her.

Death also steps in front of Shade defensively.

"What are you teaching her? And why was Twilight with you?" Princess Celestia demands.

"You were talking to my daughter so I thought I would swing by and speak to yours." Death replies sweetly.

Princess Celestia glares at Death.

"The Princess wanted me to be her third student and move to Canterlot," Shade informs from behind Death.

Death slowly turns her head around back to Princess Celestia with a twitching grin. "So, let me get this straight."

"Now that I have seen Nightshade Toxin's power first hand, it would be best if I teach her so she can learn to control her magic."

Death's horn ignites in black flames, and her eyes glow white. "If you think you can take my daughter away from me, after everything I have done and been through for her; you are deeply mistaken."

The dark clouds that had floated above start to grow black; the wind picks up and shakes the hedges and bushes as Equestrian flags and banners flap wildly against their will. Death glowers at Princess Celestia while Princess Celestia stares back at Death with a steely expression. They glare at one another. Princess Celestia has dealt with many villains in her long lifespan, yet no villain can compare to the power and threatening aura she feels from the mare opposite of her.

"If Shade decides to stay with you then for the safety of "

"Stuff it." Shade cuts Princess Celestia off. "Teleport us out of here, Death."

Death nods her head in agreement and ignites her horn with pink magic. Death smiles tenderly at Twilight, "A pony that believes they can do no evil is just as bad as a pony who is evil." Death glances at a scowling Princess Celestia before teleporting away.