Ponyville - Blue's Home
A few hours would pass as Blue would walk into the living room with some more casual clothes on, showing off more of his un-armored form. Of course all the while Sombra had taken an opportunity to explore his new residence, the stallion sitting in the living room of the house attempting to entertain himself with books Blue had, with little to no success. The dark stallion looked over to Blue as he observed him. Without his armor Sombra could very much get a better look at the stallion, who was now sporting a very clear metallic wing on his side, clearly this Pegasuss was battle-hearted and had seen some things...though what things were left to Sombra's imagination.
"I hope you find your room comfortable, I don't often use it unless my family is staying with me." He said, Blue looking to Sombra with a much more relaxed face than before.
"It is...acceptable..." Sombra said in a low voice, putting down the book as he looked to the smaller stallion. He was tempted to ask about his more inorganic parts, but stopped, unsure how to formulate the question on these parts that to him, were admittedly fascinating marvel of technology; how did they function? With some form of magic he had never heard of, with the same power that ran the train? No, that could wait, even if Sombra itched to feel how they felt under his hooves, the thrum of magic or the absence of it...
"For now...you may feel free to roam the house, it's your home so you should get used to it" he said, though he figured the stallion had already done so while he was cleaning himself up, however he still wished to give Sombra a sense of freedom. "With that being said...there are obviously some things you need to know. First of all, you and me are going to have to have weekly "Sessions" with each other, so I can assess your rehabilitation progress" He said "Second, while you're here you will have to get used to doing things a bit differently, we will learn as we go, If you at all need me or have questions don't be afraid to ask."
Sombra raised a brow at Blue, his surprised expression soon disappeared underneath a calm poker face. He took in the stallion's appearance; battle-torn, but serviceable, with the strong, swift build of a pegasus stallion, perhaps slightly bigger than he remembered most pegasi to be. All in all, pleasing to the eyes."Sessions, hmm?" Sombra's voice rang out with a strange softness, as if he was mulling the thought over. With a few quick steps, the umbrum stallion had reached the pegasus, holding his gaze with his own red eyes and far closer than was comfortable. All of Blue's vision seemed to be filled with the stallion's intimidating form, his scent like that of anise and peppery spices filled his nostrils, broad chest just so close, a tuft of thick fur peeked out of the collar. "And what sort of sessions would these be, guard?" A step closer into the pegasus guard's space, to see, to test if he yielded and took a step back.
However Blue did not yield or take any steps back, if anything the Umbrum would see the Pegasuss adjust his posture, pushing his chest out in a more domineering pose "Therapy sessions...checking in on how your emotions are doing as well as how your fitting into society. Our main job is to have you be ready to be independent and out in the world making your own life" He said, huffing as he glared right into those eyes, Sombra seeing that the eye which sported his scar seemed to be artificial...robotic...seemed the Wing wasn't the only thing he lost.
To Sombra, this was interesting, the guard would prove at least fun to rile and play with, and while Sombra was going to try and be genuine in his trying to turn a new page, he couldn't deny the pleasant tingle of satisfaction in a challenge. The stallion held his gaze for a moment longer. "I do have a question or two myself", the stallion hummed, pushing past Blue, the stallion's organic wing brushing against his side and feeling a hefty barrel; a movement carefully calculated and teasing. "Are you aware of my... ah, dietary need?"
The movements that the king would make, caused Blue to let out a soft huff, as he turned to face Sombra again as he walked past him "Yes...I have made it apparent to get weekly deliveries of Crystal straight from the Crystal Empire for you...as well as some stake as well" he said Blue knew Sombra from his studies in the academy, he was a topic of great interest to young ponies who wished to learn about the change in military power. However he was defiantly...different...from how he imagined him to be.
The stallion gave a dry laugh: "Then you've been misinformed..." The stallion lunged at the guard, trapping him against the door, fangs bared and so close to his now-bare neck. Sombra could feel the guard's pulse quicken in alarm as well as a quick defensive form, that previously seen metallic wing suddenly close to Sombra's own neck. Its sharp blades were inches away from him. Sombra could taste the sweet, light notes of a sudden tinge of fear on his tongue. While the guard proved too well-trained to give him anything more than a little sampling, the umbrum was content he wasn't going to starve to death with the Princesses' spell on him.
The spell in question had made him more of a pony than an umbrum, similar to the spell that had given him his fleshy form, only more potent, but it hadn't changed his very core and Sombra felt relief in that. He had pondered it the whole train ride, if he wanted to be changed so drastically in order to fit in. But now, a new obstacle formed; what if this little pegasus guard was too taken aback, demanded further changes... Slowly, Sombra retreated, giving the guard space to breathe. "The steak will work. And the crystals as well, if I can use them as a storage for cultivation."
Blue would huff in annoyance as Sombra backed away from him, drawing his metal wing back to himself in a natural pose. He eyed up the stallion with a glare before clearing his throat "Fine...if that's the case then I will take my leave and go to attend to some other things around the house." He said "Please let me know if you need anything" He noted, before making his way to the stairs to trot back up them.
Sombra would also let out an annoyed huff, traveling up the stairs to get himself freshened up, the guards back at Canterlot had did a poor excuse for a job at providing him with the necessary hygenic needs. As he made his way there he entered the bathroom, looking around before walking to what he presumed was the bath. Stepping into it he looked at the wall and the mirror. His frown visible from its image, annoyed as he didn't recall baths being this small, the stallion groaned with a slight ache in his limbs, and cocked his head, glaring at the shower.
Blue had then passed the bathroom, taking notice of the stallion in there before Sombra took a notice of him. "You, explain to me where the hell is your bath? Surely you're rich enough for one? This one seems to be too low to be one."
"Uh...I don't have a bath I have a shower" He said, slowly walking to the bathroom, walking to the shower. Sombra seemed to have a temporary relief on his face, but it was quickly covered up by his irritation and a hoof gesture of a "go on". Then it would hit Blue as he realized showers, especially modern-day ones, were a later invention than what the stallion was used to. Blue huffed, rolling his eyes slightly as he turned the knobs to the shower on, the water coming out of the hose and hitting the floor and walls as it was fully turned on.
Sombra took a moment to take in the information, before wearily waving Blue away: "That'll be all then. dinner after this..." The stallion grimaced slightly, rememberíng one of Princess' -in particular that of its second youngest member- incessant nagging: "...Please?"
Blue smirked ever so slightly at the please "Yea, I can make some dinner for you."
The stallion didn't answer, only slammed the door in front of Blue, taking the moment to enjoy his shower and to his surprise he found the feeling of it, like a warm rain rather pleasing. Fifteen or so minutes later, Sombra emerged to the kitchen, mane damp and loose curls pooled over his shoulders, and a few loose ones framed his forehead as the ancient creature took a few tired steps and then collapsed onto a chair with a weary sigh. An equally loose shirt hung from his body, made of soft and breathable cotton."Is that coffee I smell?"
"Yea I put it on the pot, I figured you'd want some after such a long trip from Canterlot to here" he said as he walked into the living room with some coffee of his own. Sipping it as he took a seat on the couch very slowly. Huffing as he reclined backward "Did you-"
The stallion groaned and silenced Blue with a raised hoof while pouring himself a mug of the black gold. For once, the stallion didn't seem to demand or want Blue to wait on his hoof and wing. Slowly Sombra levitated the mug over to him, taking the first sip with a soft "thousand years without this... a travesty."
"Uh...right.." he said "Did you find the bed comfortable? I don't know if the bed was ok enough for you so I just wanna make sure" he asked.
"Hmm, it's better than the Canterlot's dungeons." Sombra was surprisingly forthcoming.
"Good to know" He said, taking another sip of his coffee "Now that you are here, It's just going to be me and you" He said, stretching slightly. "The only time Id ever have to leave is to report to the Princesses about the progress we are making."
"And who would be here if you did need to report?" The stallion asked, taking a sip of his coffee with his eyes closed, leaning back against his chair.
"I believe the Princess's are ok with you wandering around ponyville, given the fact the Mane Six frequent the area. That and with your magic damped, it's not a serious threat."
The stallion took a moment to ponder this, then nodded slowly."I suppose I should be thankful they aren't slapping me in chains." Sombra's tone of voice darkens, a low, threatening growl escaped almost involuntarily: "Or put me back into that crevice..."
"They are giving you a chance... it's something that everypony deserves" He said, looking to Sombra "Dont worry, me and you have a long time to spend with each other, I'll help you."
"I'm not worried over you." The stallion scoffed while stretching, a crick could be heard somewhere close to his neck. Blue then notices a collection of scars litter the stallion's body, both big and small.
"Regardless...we have a long road ahead, so it will work out in the end" he said, yawning as he went to take another sip of his coffee.
The stallion took the silent moment with gratefulness, sorting his thoughts carefully and precisely. Being an outlier was certainly a disappointment, but not one that he didn't know how to navigate. Sombra took a long breath and another gulp of his slightly cooler coffee. "I had a lot to think about on the ride here, and while the situation isn't... entirely pleasing, I suppose you wouldn't be terrible to share a house with. Even if you are a bit dim-witted." He just had to throw that last barb in, just so the pegasus didn't think of him as soft. But he tried to compare it to the life he had wanted before everything went down as it did, and compared it to the stress and backstabbings and ugh, politics of the Crystal court... no, perhaps he could carve out something out of this...
"Really? Well uh... I'm glad to hear that" he said smiling, the stallion looking to the larger umbrum "I think that you will be nice to live with as well" He commented, deciding to ignore the other comment but he would keep that in mind.
"Hmm... flattery will get you nowhere." the stallion stated back, but Blue could see Sombra's posture change to a bit more proud form. With a deliberate care Sombra put his mug on the table. "... there is one potential problem. The Princesses forgot to mention a little detail; namely, money. Besides the currency having changed in value since when I was in power, I do not exactly have the resources of an entire empire's coffers... unfortunately. There is also the issue of transporting some of my personal things from Crystal Empire. I didn't exactly materialize from the Aether with my personal library in tow."
"Oh uh...I can put in a request with Princess Twilight to have your things shipped here...though I think they will be heavily looked through to determine if it's ok for you to have them" Blue said "As for the money thing, you don't have to worry about that I have it all covered." He said, sitting up slightly himself.
The umbrum leaned forward, eyes focusing on his empty mug, hooves pressed together in thought. "... It is likely I will need to find something lucrative to do with my time. Hmmm..." Blue could see the stallion's tail wrap close to his unscarred thigh, covering the empty, cutie-markless spot. Possibly, an insecurity? "... ... I am not sure if I am... comfortable, with someone else rooting through my possessions. It was bad enough that they read my journal." Sombra's face skewed in annoyance, recalling Cadence and Twilight rooting through his study. "Besides, I am most excited to see the little Princess' face mad with envy at some of the rarer spells in my collection." Blue got a feeling that the stallion was leaving something untold.
"Ok...uh...if you'd like then, I can ask that we go to the Empire and we can personally pack everything up?" Blue asked, he forgot how difficult it was to talk with Royalty at times. If anything from his experiences with Nobles taught him anything. They all have insecurities and secrets. "As for time management. You and me can always do things together, I'm sure we can come up with some fun things to do" He said smiling.
"Of that, I am sure~ But for now..." the stallion stretched slightly: "We'll decide what to do with my personal things later. I am uncertain of which would be the proper approach. Arriving at the Empire in broad daylight is, understandably, not an option. Hmm..." Sombra stood up suddenly, with a brisk pace he appeared in front of Blue, examining him silently and in great detail.
Sombra turned his head, taking in the stallion's features, until seemingly satisfied, the stallion took a step back. With a soft sigh, the umbrum focused his magic, hoping that this ability of his wasn't under the sealed ones, the so-called Dark magic, though he had tried to argue that most of them were to some extent natural abilities of an umbrum. The Princesses had promised some of the more harmless spells would be unsealed with good behavior, once he was deemed trustworthy enough. Blue could see the stallion's features shift, subtly at first. Slightly smaller stature, soft wings on his back, though lacking in the metallic parts, similar mane and tail to Blue's, and Sombra's horn disappeared as if it had been just a trick of the light. One thing that didn't change was the stallion's colors; dark fur and pitch black mane were still very much present, but otherwise the stallion could have been Blue's monochromatic twin.
Blue blinked slowly as he looked at Sombra changing his features like a Changeling. Blue sitting up properly now as he was now in complete awe to the magic he just watched Sombra perform in front of him "You...you know Changeling Magic?" Blue asked, looking over Sombra's new form in curiosity and slight joy. He hadn't ever seen anything like this before and it was very exciting to him.
"No. Though, you aren't entirely incorrect." The stallion took a deeper breath and grit his teeth, his usual features returning much faster than when he changed, "...umbrum are in some ways similar to changelings. We..." The stallion paused, and sat down, feeling the effects of the magic-dampening spell send a jolt of pain like that of a headache into his brain. "Umbrum and Changelings aren't directly related species, but have some similar qualities. We're both emotion-eaters and with some shape-shifting capabilities. While Changelings are what scholars would classify as a 'true shapeshifter' or 'greater shapeshifter', umbrum are a lesser shapeshifter."
Blue got up and moved to Sombra as he saw him sit down, he figured he may have used a bit too much Magic to do that "Woh hay, you ok?" He asked, genuinely sounding worried.
Sombra shook his hoof dismissively: "Just the magic dampening spell reacting to my natural magic. It takes me more as I have to overcome its effect to make the spell happen." The stallion leaned back and continued: "Umbrum are more related to Windigo, though neither are fond of the other. Territory and food scarcity are the main reasons mainly. I learned to eat meat in part due to this reason, as the frozen tundra was hardly a place booming with population outside of the Empire itself. It... doesn't really sustain me properly, but it is better than starving." Sombra took a pause, allowing the pegasus to take it all in. In all honesty, he wasn't entirely sure why he was even sharing all of this. But he had to admit it felt nice to have someone listen, and hear about what he was rather than running away or telling him to leave. It felt... nice, he concluded in his mind.
Blue just listened in fascination, taking in all the information that Sombra gave, He always was curious how Sombra lived for so long before he returned. The pegasus sitting down next to him as he just watched and observed him "I see...that kinda makes sense given where the empire is located too. Windago's cause alot of snow, so Umbrums being in the cold north makes sense." He said nodding.
"Hmm... I think that is merely the result of my clan's stubbornness. Umbrum are ancient... We have haunted the area for eons. Or we did, until what became the Empire trapped us underneath the ice and snow." Sombra sighed with a gentle shrug: "I wish I could tell you more about the Umbrum, but truth is... I grew up in the empire, I... know rather little about how the Umbrum society functions." There was a moment of silence as the stallion seemed to slowly come to terms with how little he actually knew of himself and his heritage: "...I... anyway, we can copy appearances but any natural abilities we cannot mimic, and as you can see, we cannot change some aspects of ourselves when shapeshifting, unlike Changelings who shift themselves far more... how is it said, in that one new book... molecular... level?"
The stallion nodded "Yea I believe that sounds correct" he said "Still that is very impressive, I only have ever seen Changelings change shape so to see another creature do it is really cool" he said, giving Sombra a genuine smile. Blue had taken notice of the things Sombra was not saying though and while he did wish he could help, he knew he had to have Sombra tell him those things voluntarily, he didn't want to force them out.
It was rare to see the dark umbrum blush, but Blue was certain that Sombra's cheeks reddened ever so slightly. Sombra coughed a bit and shifted, his hooves wrung against each other almost as if the stallion didn't know what to do with them. He almost looked shy for a moment. "Ah... did you have something in mind for today?"
"Um...I mean we could try going out into Town today if you'd like. Otherwise we can stay here and talk." Blue said smiling. "I find your explanations about things that you know really fascinating. So I wouldn't mind hearing more, and I could also talk a bit to if you wanna know things" Blue said, giving the Umbrum full eye contact to show he was serious. It was odd, Blue had noticed the flush of course but he almost felt happy to see Sombra being so open. Perhaps it was just the fact Blue was getting to him or if it was just the situation itself, but Blue felt...good...
Sombra shook his head: "I am not sure what to ask... but I would enjoy a few books to read and breathe some fresh air." The stallion stood up, and like an old cloak, the dignified, proud demeanor returned: "Do not dawdle."
"Ponyville has a new library that was just recently built. We could go there" He said, getting up to follow Sombra, The stallion smiled as he followed behind him, the two ready to take to the town.