A history of the Crystal Empire's fall and one young colt's descent into darkness.
Centuries upon centuries ago, Sombra had an easy life: A mother who loved him, a father who supported him, a best friend, and a deep-set crush. It was great, still gold beneath the tarnish. But one summer all that changed. His only friend moved away, his mother died, and his father all but hollowed out. Sombra still searched for the gleam of gold beneath the dents and scratches, but was it still there?
This is the tale of how he fell, and how he took a whole Empire--and his family--with him.
Sombra laughed and shoved his friend playfully. “No way, Lightning! I'm gonna have a much cooler talent than getting bad grades!” A mischievous grin spread across the colt's muzzle. “In fact, I bet it'll be better than yours!”
Lightning Storm leapt onto his couch and struck an arrogant pose, electric blue wings flaring in his self-importance. “You're gonna have a cooler talent than guiding lightning bolts? No way, dude! Everypony knows pegasai have the awsomest talents ever. It just comes with the territory.”
Sombra rolled his eyes and scoffed, waving a hoof in the air. “Yeah, yeah. Pegasai run the weather, unicorns do magic, blah blah blah. I get it. But earth ponies like me get do do everything else, so I don't wanna hear it.”
Lightning frowned and cocked his head at the other colt, strands of bright yellow hair falling in his purple eyes. “Does it really bug you that much? Sorry.”
Sombra shrugged. “Meh. It's no big deal. Earth ponies just don't get a lot of respect, that's all.” He waved a dark hoof dismissively again. “No worries. On to the bigger stuff, like why you didn't tell me you were moving to Fillydelphia. I thought you were just spending the summer here! Now who am I gonna eat lunch with?”
Lightning shrugged, looking sheepish. “It... Never came up?”
Sombra was about to fire off a grumpy retort when Lightning's mother, Snowstorm, came around the corner, a letter in her white hoof. “Sombra? It's addressed to you.”
***
The rain fell in dark sheets, matching the small crowd’s somber mood perfectly. Dreamcatcher wrapped a hoof around his son’s slim shoulders as they lowered the casket into the grave. “I’m sorry, Sombra,” he whispered. “I… I wish I had more to say.” The earth-pony colt looked up at his father, a strained calm in his eyes. “It’s okay, Dad. It wasn’t anybody’s fault, and I don’t think Mom would have wanted me to see her so sick and weak anyway. I just wish she’d gone to a doctor sooner.”
A bittersweet smile crossed Dreamcatcher’s face as he thought of the silver-blue earth pony mare. “Starglow was always a stubborn one, it’s true.” He choked on a sob. “C’mon, son. Let’s go home.”
‘Home’ was a narrow, two-story house in a run-down neightborhood in the middle of Vanhoover, and it looked more like a filled-in alleyway than a real building. Pebbles, Sombra’s pet dog, was leashed to the rickety front porch, barking happily and pulling at his rope.
Sombra smiled and rubbed the puppy’s spotted brown-and-white head. “Hey, boy,” he murmured. “Hope we didn’t leave you too long. Let’s get you in out of the rain.” Sombra unhitched the dog and the three of them walked inside.
Once Sombra was safely in his room, with his door shut and his faithful dog at his side, then he let himself cry. He’d been away in Fillydelphia, spending a few months with his friends having fun, while his mother slowly wasted away at home. She’d died of a fever, so far as anyone could tell, shivering while her body overheated. Angrily, Sombra kicked his still-packed suitcase across the room. He’d rushed home as soon as he’d heard, but by then it was already too late. Too late! The words echoed evilly in his head, taunting him. Shaking with anger and guilt, he flung himself onto his bed.
Pebbles whined and nudged his master’s hoof. Sombra picked his tear-streaked face up and smiled faintly at his dog’s comforting presence. Silently, he tapped the blankets next to him, and Pebbles hopped up onto the bed. Sombra buried his face in Pebbles’ fur and cried himself to sleep.
***
Dreamcatcher poured himself another drink, wishing he could wake up from this nightmare. Sinking into his favorite chair, he tried to tune out the pain. Starglow, wonderful fool of a mare that she was, had been so insistent that she ‘just had a bit of a cold’ or ‘a minor case of the flu’ that she’d refused to see any kind of doctor. Even after weeks spent in bed, shivering so bad her teeth chattered and heaving up even the lightest meals, she wouldn't go. It had taken her passing out in the market square right in front of Nurse Lightheart to get her to see that she wasn’t doing well. And, by then, it was too late.
Dreamcatcher sighed and moved to the fireplace. As he set the logs to burning, something started to dawn on the dark, blue-black stallion. He’d have to find a second job. The meager wage he earned interpreting ponies’ dreams wasn’t going to be enough to feed a growing colt and keep the house. It just wasn’t possible. Overwhelmed and weary, Dreamcatcher laid down on the rug and threw himself into an oblivious sleep.
***
Sombra walked home from school, kicking at stones left on the sidewalk. “At least I don't have homework,” he mumbled. Still, he missed Lightning. The pegasus colt was his best friend, other than Pebbles, and the two would walk home together every day after school. Lunch, recess... They'd spend the whole day together, right up until the end of last year. Just before his mom... Sombra's mind shied away from the thought. The colt sighed and hung his head.
“What's wrong?”
Sombra snapped his head up to see Gem Blossom, one of his classmates, looking at him curiously. The bright yellow unicorn filly had always made Sombra tongue-tied, and he couldn't even stammer out a response.
Fine Filigree, another of the unicorn girls from their class, scoffed and looked down her muzzle at Sombra. “No wonder he gets such poor grades, even for an earth pony! He's too dumb to talk!” The lavender filly began to laugh.
Gem Blossom turned to glare at Filigree, but was cut off by the third of the trio, Crystal Lace. She wrinkled her soft pink muzzle and grimaced. “Come on, Blossom! We can't be seen talking to a blank-flank like him in a place like this! What will people say?” Filigree nodded in agreement and the two started to canter off.
Blossom sighed and threw Sombra an apologetic glance before trotting after her friends. “Hey, wait up! It's my shortcut, remember?”
Sombra hung his head again and continued his slow walk home, not even blinking at the threat of rain rumbling in the sky.
***
Dreamcatcher stumbled inside, having aged ten years in the past ten months. Sombra sat on the rug by the fireplace, playing with Pebbles.
“Hi, Dad,” he said brightly. Dreamcathcher just grunted in reply and shuffled up the stairs. Sombra frowned and felt his shoulders slump. Dad’s been awful quiet since… Since Mom, he thought. I hope he’s okay.
Sombra brushed a dark gray hoof over his face. “Guess what I did at school today,” he asked, turning back to Pebbles. “We had a big math test, and I got the only A in class! Neat, huh, Pebbles?”
Pebbles barked and nuzzled Sombra’s face. Sombra laughed and hugged the dog. “At least I have you, boy,” he whispered into Pebbles’ floppy ear.
Sombra stretched out on the rug, closing his eyes as Pebbles curled up beside him. “At least I have you,” he repeated sadly.
***
Dreamcatcher raced from one streetlamp to the next, rearing back to fit the brand into the lantern. He was wearing out, but he didn’t have a choice. Just one more block, he willed himself. Just one more block and I can go home. Over and over, his hooves thumping against the cobbles as he turned corners and his back aching as he stretched upwards. Finally, he was done for the evening. The last lantern swung closed as the rainclouds overhead rumbled out a threat. Dreamcatcher shook his head and headed back to the Lighting and Safety department to put his bags back in his locker until tomorrow.
Dreamcatcher pushed his black mane away from his face as he shut the locker door. Ember Blaze, one of Dreamcatcher’s co-workers, was leaning against his own locker beside him. Dreamcatcher glared at the yellow-orange stallion. “What?”
Ember pushed away from the lockers and raised a forehoof in a calming gesture. “Chill, buddy. I was just wondering if you wanted to come get some drinks after work with me and the boys. Sparkler’s gonna be there.”
Dreamcatcher glanced over at where Sparkler, the teal unicorn mare, was standing with her friends, laughing about some inside joke. He shook his head and turned back to his pegasus companion. “So? What do I care if some mare’s coming along? I’ve got a son at home. I need to make sure he’s safe, and then I’m going to bed.” Ember shook his head. “C’mon! Look, I know you’re still hurting about Starglow, but I really think spending some time out with other ponies will help. And Sparkler really likes you. Please?”
Dreamcatcher just stared coolly at his friend for a moment before turning and walking away. In his head, he railed at the pegasus, cursing him for a fool and a jerk, along with many other things that are better left unsaid. As the rain began to fall, Dreamcatcher’s anger was spent, allowing reason to reenter his thoughts. I’m healing at my own pace, he thought. It’s only been a few months. Well, ten. Still, it’s not been long enough for me to be around other ponies, especially mares. I know Ember meant well, but… I… I just… Can’t.
Dreamcatcher sighed and trotted up the old, worn steps to his home. Opening the door, he shuffled inside. Sombra was sprawled on the rug, wrestling with Pebbles. A faint smile lifted Dreamcatcher’s face as he watched the colt.
Sombra noticed his father standing in the door and sat up. “Hi, Dad,” he chirped.
Dreamcatcher smiled and mumbled a greeting back before going upstairs. He’d have loved to stay and talk with his son, to ask him about school, or just to watch him play with Pebbles. But he had to report to the L&S department again before dawn, to put out the streetlights again.
He collapsed onto his bed, too exhausted to even crawl under the covers. Burying his face in his pillows, he hurled himself into that same deep sleep that had granted him refuge for almost a year.
***
Dreamcatcher found himself standing in a strange, fog-covered field. Snow coated his hooves and ice hung from his mane. His breath came out in little puffs, adding to the chilled clouds that surrounded him. He searched the whiteness around him, hoping to see some sign of life. No, he thought to himself. Still only me, lonely and cold without her. Just like it has been every night since.
Hooves crunched in the snow behind him. Dreamcatcher spun, surprised. The shadowy shape of an Alicorn mare took form. Dreamcatcher dropped to his knees. “P–Princess Luna!”
A pale pink hoof reached out and guided Dreamcatcher’s head up. “No,” she laughed. “Not quite.”
Dreamcatcher slowly rose and blinked in puzzlement at the mare before him. Long red hair, trimmed in white, floated around her head in an ethereal nimbus. Kind blue eyes gazed out of a rose-hued face. A crown of pearls and gold links hung around a slender horn, with a matching necklace around her swan-like neck. “Who…? E–Empress Amora? What are you doing here? I’m not a crystal pony. How did you even get here?”
The mare waved a gold-shod hoof in the air. “My younger sister isn’t the only one who can dreamwalk, my friend. As for why I’m here…” Amora cleared a patch of snow with a sweep of her horn and sat down. She patted the grass beside her, indicating Dreamcatcher should sit as well. “We have many things to discuss, you and I.”
Hesitantly, Dreamcatcher sat. He was still reluctant to be around any mare, let alone one so beautiful, but only fools defied the will of a godess.
“You're hurting,” she said simply, after a long pause.
“Yes,” the earth-pony replied. “Why shouldn't I be?”
Amora shook her head. “There's nothing wrong with pain, Dreamcatcher, but you can't let it freeze your heart like this. Yes, love is a dangerous thing, and it tears one apart when it goes away, but that's no reason to shun it.”
"I'm not," Dreamcatcher argued. The wind picked up, blowing snow around in frosty eddies. "I-- I just need time to heal, that's all."
"You need to let yourself heal," Amora retorted, wincing against a frozen gust. "Dreamcatcher, you can't hold on to the pain. Let the mourning take its course. It's time to start letting go."
Dreamcatcher went rigid and his gaze turned stony. "I can't just 'let go.' She was my wife. Ten years of my life I spent with her, ten beautiful years. And you tell me to let go?!"
The wind kicked into a full-strength, screaming gale, snow and ice shards slicing through the fog as the wind whipped both ponies' manes about their faces. Hailstones left craters in the snow. Branches cracked and icicles clattered as the wind blew them down.
Amora sighed heavily. “Why do I always think this will be easier than it turns out to be?” She stood up and spread her wings. “There are other things I must attend to, Dreamcatcher, and I can see I'll gain little ground tonight. Think on what I've said, and I'll come back as soon as I can. I won't give up on you, no matter how much you want me to.”
Then, fighting the storm, she disappeared into the foggy sky, leaving Dreamcatcher alone in the snow once more.
Sombra sighed and put his pencil down, eyes on the classroom clock as he laid his head on his desk. It was a half-hour before the bell rang, and he couldn't wait to go home. Lazily, his eyes drifted over to the window. Nightmare Night decorations sparkled and loomed from every visible house. The forecast for the holiday had predicted foggy weather that night, but the mist was rolling in early, giving a haunting effect to everything from streetlamps and jack-o-lanterns to pedestrians. In the back of the room, a few of the other students were discussing their costumes.
"I'm going as a Princess."
"Pfft. C'mon, Filigree! You've worn the same costume for the past five years! Be a little more creative! What about you, Crystal?"
"I'm going to be a Princess, too. I don't see anything wrong with it. If the costume works, why change it?"
"Because it's boring otherwise! Ten-Speed! Back me up on this!"
"Fastball's got a point, girls. I'm gonna be a vampony, the most terifying thing to haunt the nightmares of little foals."
"Wereponies are way scarier, dude! Your vampony's got nothing on me."
Sombra tuned them out once he realized how silly they were being. It's just a costume. No point in arguing over it. Still, he wished he had the chance to argue over silly things like that. But the young colt already knew he wasn't going to feel like trick-or-treating with the other kids. Someone has to watch the house, after all, and Dad's going to be too tired to do anything. The sound of approaching hooves snapped Sombra out of his thoughts.
He looked up to find Gem Blossom, the pretty yellow filly, standing by his desk. Too shy to speak, Sombra managed a timid smile.
"Hi," Blossom smiled back, pushing her pink-and-orange mane out of her eyes. "Um, I was sorta wondering if you were doing anything this Friday? See, I'm having a Nightmare Night party, and I was really hoping you could come." She passed him a flyer, holding it in a pale green magical aura. "Here. My address is on there, so you can find the house. No presents required or anything, but it's a costume party."
After a moment, Sombra nodded an awkward thanks. Gem Blossom walked over to were her friends were seated. Filigree glanced at Sombra and snorted, tossing her blonde curls and pointing her purple muzzle in the air. Crystal Lace reached over and caught Blossom's shoulder, whispering furtivley in her ear while staring at Sombra.
Sombra flushed and stuffed the flyer in his saddlebags without looking at it before returning his gaze to the window.
***
That Friday, Sombra sat on his bed, mostly-finished homework strung out beside him. He held the crumpled flyer Gem Blossom had given him in one hoof, staring at it miserably. "It's obviously a trick."
Pebbles whined and thumped his tail against the floor. The dog blinked up at his master with huge brown eyes.
Sombra glanced down at the dog. "I mean, it's gotta be, right? Blossom seems nice enough, but... With her friends around... And none of them seem to like me too much anyway. It's totally a trick!" The young colt fell backwards onto his bed with a sigh. "I can't go."
Pebbles whined again and placed a paw on the pale yellow bedspread.
Sombra sat bolt upright. "But this could be my one chance to hang out with her! What if she really does like me, and I'm just being dumb!?" He leapt to his hooves. "There's too much to risk! I have to go!" As the little colt was about to charge out the door, he stopped and looked back at the slip of paper. "What am I gonna wear?"
***
Some time later, Sombra was hurrying down the sidewalk, occasionally stopping to pull the sheet around so he could see out the eyeholes. A bedsheet ghost was pretty old-hat, and Dad might be mad about the destruction of good linen, but it was the best Sombra could do on such short notice. Besides, there was romance at stake! Dad would understand, surely.
The street was lined with huge houses and yards full of elaborate Nightmare Night decorations. He scanned mailboxes, eyes flicking between adress cards and his flyer, hoping to find the matching string of numbers. Nope... Nope... Nope... There! 57390 Jewelbright Lane!
Sombra cantered excitedly towards the mansion, but stopped short of the door. What was he doing? He was just a dirt-poor earth pony, trying to impress a filly far out of his league. There was no way she'd ever go for a colt like him. It was better just to go home now, before he was humiliated. Head low, Sombra started to turn around.
A dark, winged shape flew out of the shadows and tackled him, crushing the air from his lungs. Panicked and struggling to breathe, Sombra flailed upright, catching a glimpse of a twisted, snarling face filled with jagged teeth and baleful eyes. The dark-furred colt stumbled backwards and sat down hard, tripping over his sheet as he hauled thin gasps of air into his too-small lungs. Sombra ripped the grass-splattered fabric off, ready to run.
The monster burst into laughter and pushed the mask away, revealing a smiling, bright yellow muzzle and glittering green eyes. "Oh, you should've seen your face, Sombra! That was priceless!" Still snickering, Gem Blossom stood up and extended a hoof towards her victim. "I didn't scare you too bad, did I?"
Sombra gratefully accepted the proffered limb and shifted awkwardly. "N—no," he stammered, able to breathe at last. "I wasn't scared at all." It wasn't true in the least, but Sombra couldn't let Gem Blossom see him as a coward!
The filly pouted, looking a bit miffed. "Aw, really? Drat. I thought my Stratadon costume was good enough to terrify anyone." She sighed, tossing back her rumpled, scaly cape, and picked up Sombra's sheet, examining the green streaks marring the blue-and-off-white fabric. "Ooh, wait. Lemme guess, you came as the Ghost of Paradise Estate?" Blossom's eyes widened and a grin quickly displaced her sour expression. "That's awesome! No one appreciates the old tales anymore."
Sombra blinked, startled. "Uhm... Sure. Yeah. That's totally who I dressed up as. You're good at this."
Blossom grinned and flung the fabric over Sombra's head. "Yep. Now let's go show the others! I just know they'll love it!"
Sombra's uncertain face was hidden by the crooked sheet as Gem Blossom snatched his hoof and dragged him inside. Somehow the little colt doubted the other party guests would greet him with like, let alone 'love.'
The foyer led directly into a big, fancy living room that Blossom might have called 'the parlor.' Red and black garlands hung on the walls and shelves, with the terrible visages of Tirek and Penumbra the Nightmare hanging off of them like Hearth's Warming ornaments. One large table, decorated in dark blues, purples, and blacks stood in the center of the room, piled high with snacks and treats. Beside it, a smaller table in red and gold held about half-a-dozen guest gifts, things like flowers and bottles of soft cider. Sombra grimaced at his own stupidity. Gifts weren't required, but still implied.
Fillies and colts were scattered around the room, dressed in all sorts of costumes. A filly dressed in black, with a pointed hat, plunged her muzzle into an apple-bobbing tub while a pair of colts, one dressed as a pirate, the other a sailor, cheered her on. A colt dressed as a knight and a filly in a glittering dragon suit, probably siblings, chased eachother through the air. One foal of indeterminate gender, thanks to the mummy bandages wrapped around his body and face, was being frantically spun by a pegasus and unicorn, Ten-Speed and Fastball, by their werepony and vampony costumes. The three seemed to be playing 'Pin the Tail on the Cockatrice.'
Over by the snacks, in their Princess costumes, Fine Filigree and Crystal Lace stood talking to a young pegasus filly in Flutterpony wings and a pink-feathered headband. Crystal nudged Filigree and pointed, casting her friend a sidelong glance. They excused themselves from the conversation and trotted over, both studying Sombra.
"So," Filigree drawled, "who's your coltfriend, Blossom?"
Sombra and Gem Blossom both looked at eachother, startled, and then glanced down at where they were still holding one anothers' hooves. Hastily, Sombra pulled his free, glad the sheet hid his blushing face.
Crystal Lace laughed. "He's awful quiet. What's your name, Spook?"
Blossom glanced between her friends in confusion, before realising they couldn't see past the sheet. "Oh," she said with a smile, "it's Somb--"
Sombra quickly shoved a hoof outwards, cutting Gem Blossom off. "Somber Skies. Glad to make your aquaintance, miss." It was bad enough he had to show up in a grass-stained, moth-nibbled, old-as-dirt sheet without even the meagerest of gifts, but he couldn't allow his current appearance to be traced back to Sombra, the oft-bullied blank-flank.
"Somber Skies, eh?" Filigree studied him with interest. "A pegasus, then? Why not cut your wings free?"
Sombra shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I wouldn't make a very good ghost then, would I? If my wings are going to have enough space to fly, I might as well cut off the sheet at the shoulder." It was pure bluff, but Lightning had complained about not having enough room to flap his wings when he was still in Vanhoover. And Sombra hadn't ever seen the other colt in something that hung loose past the shoulder.
Crystal nodded, stepping closer to Sombra. "You have red eyes. There's a colt in my class with red eyes. And dark gray fur, just like yours. You two aren't related, are you?"
Sombra shuffled back a step. "Uh, maybe. Probably not. But possibly. I'm, um, up from, er, Horseshoe Bay."
"Horseshoe Bay," Blossom said drily, one eyebrow raised. "And what brings you up here, Somber?"
Sombra winced, well aware this was going south. "I'm... Visiting a sick cousin? I'm only here for the weekend, you see, then my parents are taking me and my cousin back down south. The cold northern air's hard on her lungs. She'll be spending the winter with us."
Crystal's face softened. "Oh, the poor dear. What's she down with?"
"How old is she," Blossom chimed in. "What's her name?"
Sombra gulped. "Her name's Starbright," he lied, using the name of his real—albeit older—cousin in Canterlot. "She's got the feather flu, but it's only a minor case. She's just four or so, though, so we ought to get her somewhere she can recover before it gets worse."
Blossom and Filigree nodded slowly, and Crystal leaned over and patted Sombra's shoulder, her pink-and-white braids falling forward. "Well, I'm sure she'll get better soon," the pink filly said sweetly. "She's too young to be that sick for long. My brother came down with the pony pox when he was around our age, and it was gone in about a week. Just make sure you don't catch it yourself," she added with a wink.
The three unicorns walked away, and Blossom's gait was a little too stiff for Sombra's comfort. Was she upset he'd lied? What a stupid question—Of course she was! Sombra slipped over to a corner and leaned his head against the wall. Here he was, trying to get her to be his friend at the least, and he'd lied to her friends and made her participate.
What a jerk, whispered that dark corner of his mind. She'll never like you now. It's not really a surprise, though. You never had a chance to begin with.
Sombra sighed and looked out over the foals again. More guests were trickling in, but it wasn't likely to be a huge party. Blossom would doubtlessly notice his disappearance, and that would only cause more problems.
"Hi."
Sombra looked up to see a golden yellow pegasus colt peering at him through a pair of Wonderbolt goggles. "Er, hello," the sheet-clad colt replied.
The strange colt, maybe three or four years older than Sombra, extended a hoof. "My name's Gilded Cage," he said. "Who are you?"
Sombra stood up and tentatively shook Gilded's hoof. "I'm, um, Somb – Somber Skies. Nice to meet you."
The true pegasus nodded. "You as well. I heard you were up here from Horseshoe Bay?"
Sombra scuffed a hoof on the hardwood floor. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I am. Why?"
Gilded raised an eyebrow, deep blue eyes half-lidded. "'Cause I'm from there. It's a small town, and I've never heard of a 'Somber Skies.' Unless you moved there in the past three months, I figure you're lying to save face."
Sombra drew himself up. "N—No. Why would you assume that? We just moved in, yeah, but it didn't take long to settle. You know how it is, with little towns, heh." Beneath his sheet, Sombra was sweating. Was this colt about to blow his cover?
Gilded flopped down on the floor beside Sombra. "Relax, dude. I know what it's like, trying to impress someone who just won't take you as you are." He drew a hoof through his amber mane. "My dad wants me to take over the family cruise-ship business, but I want to be a rock star. You can't see it right now, but my mark's even a caged songbird." He laughed. "You know, I wouldn't be at this party if it wasn't for Dad. He's trying to get me to 'build connections,' or something boring and businessy like that." The colt waved a hoof in a sweeping gesture. "Honestly, this whole scene's a little too foalish for my taste. Then again, it's nice to be out of the house for once."
Sombra shrugged and stretched out on the floor. "Meh. I'm not exactly having a blast either." He grinned wryly. "My dad dosen't even know I'm out. Not that I think he'd notice."
Gilded frowned. "Sorry, kid. That must suck. Your mom know?"
Sombra sighed heavily. "Actually, my mom died last summer."
Gilded grimaced and streched a wing over Sombra's shoulders. "Oh. Sorry, kid, I didn't know. That... That's a harsh break." Suddenly a grin split the older colt's muzzle. "Hey, I know how to cheer you up! Wanna go night-flying? It always makes me happier."
Sombra shook his head. "I dunno, Gilded--"
Gilded picked Sombra up by the forehoof. "Please, call me Gill. And c'mon! It's not that scary, I'll be there to look out for you." He turned and eased a window open. "You'll want to take that sheet off, though. You need to have room for your wings to move."
Sombra backed up a step. "Um, no, it's okay. I really probably shouldn't be flying at night anyway. In fact, I should probably be heading home. Dad's probably noticed I'm gone by now. I ought to get going before he gets too worried."
Gilded reached out and took hold of Sombra's sheet. "We'll do both, then! I'll get you home speedy-quick if you'll just give me directions! Now let's get that sheet off." Before Sombra could say anything more, the pegasus had whisked the sheet away, tossed it around his neck, and perched in the window.
Gill turned when he realized Sombra wasn't following him. "...Oh. Well, I'm an idiot," he groaned.
Sombra glanced around, wilting under the shocked stare of Crystal Lace, the angry glares of Fastball and Ten-Speed, and Fine Filigree's triumphant grin. What really cut him to the quick, though, was that Gem Blossom wouldn't even turn around. Even when Crystal shook her shoulder and whispered hoarsely, "Blossom! That ratty earth-pony showed up after all!" she just shrugged and poured herself another glass of punch.
Sombra bowed his head and slunk out the door. There was no way he'd be welcome now. Somber Skies may have had a chance, but certianly not Sombra. Dragging the front door shut behind him, Sombra moved towards home.
Shortly afterwards, the sound of hoofsteps started to echo his own. Pausing, Sombra turned to see Fastball and Ten-Speed behind him.
"What do you want," Sombra sighed. "I'm going home. I've been humiliated. What else can you possibly want to do to me?"
A sick grin fell across Fastball's features. "A lot more than you know, blank-flank," he spat, landing and slowly advancing on the earth-pony colt. "You show up somewhere you're not welcome, you lie to our faces, and then you think you can move in on my girl?" The tan-and-white pegasus laughed bitterly, seeing the confusion on Sombra's face. "Don't try and deny it, you lying dirt-eater. I saw how Crystal was all over you at the party."
Something dark and angry sweled in Sombra's chest. 'Dirt-eater' was one of the worst names Sombra could think of for an earth-pony. And to hear it from the mouth of this stupid jerk who couldn't even tell when a filly was being nice to someone or not... After the night he'd had, was it any wonder Sombra threw the first punch?
Teeth bared in frustration and rage, Sombra's forehoof slammed into Fastball's jaw. The other colt stumbled backwards, wings splayed for balance. The pegasus looked up, blood running from his lower lip.
He turned his head and spat out a tooth. "Ten-Speed? Hold him." Fastball gave Sombra a gap-toothed grin. "This is gonna be fun."
The aqua-blue unicorn's horn flared silver, and magical bands wrapped around Sombra's legs. Fastball walked up and brought his hoof down hard, just in front of Sombra's ear.
Sombra's knees buckled under the rain of blows, and he tucked his head in as he fell, trying to protect his eyes and throat. Help, he screamed in his mind. Help me! Someone, please! HELP!
Then, a voice like river rocks tumbling together, weighted with a thousand years of wisdom and power, rumbled beneath him: "We come."
Sombra risked opening an eye, just to see lights as Fastball's hoof connected once more. Still, neither of the two attacking colts seemed to have heard the voice. Whoever you are, Sombra willed the voice, hurry. Please.
Fatball's hooves rained down harder and faster, until Sombra felt himself start to fall unconcious. Then, suddenly, granite spikes ten feet high errupted around the three colts. Distracted, Ten-Speed let go of the magical shackles, allowing Sombra to fall to the concrete. Fastball, his wing clipped by one of the spikes, yowled and fell himself.
Chest heaving, he whipped his head around to glare at Sombra, eyes blazing. "I don't care how you did it, dirt-eater, but you're gonna pay for this!" He stood up, wing sitting at an odd angle. He winced, curling in towards the wing. "Gah! I think it's broken! You little frog-licker! You broke my wing!"
Ten-Speed stepped forward. "I've got this, Fastball. You go home and get some help." His eyes narowed. "I'll deal with the dirt-eater."
Sombra stood up shakily and turned to run. Behind him, Fastball yowled again, and Ten-Speed snarled some obscentiy while another rock spike shot up between Sombra and his assailants.
Sombra knew he was doomed – Ten-Speed was fresh, while Sombra had taken a beating enough to make a cragodile shatter. Still, he struggled into a trot, trying to escape while the other colt was dodging the granite towers.
"Quick," a new voice chirped, light and glittering. Ahead of Sombra, a large quartz stone caught the moonlight and glowed like a beacon. "Follow us!" As Sombra limped ahead, the stones glowed and winked out, leaving a trail for him alone to follow down into a steep rock quarry. Behind him, Ten-Speed finally broke free of the granite spikes, and leapt down the rocks with a surprising speed and nimbleness.
A low whimper escaped Sombra's throat as he realized the colt was gaining quickly. Then the quartz led him into a sharp right, just as Ten-Speed dove for the earth-pony colt. The unicorn missed by a longshot, and tumbled down the rocks.
When the quartz stones had led Sombra safely to the bottom of the slope, the little colt walked up to the bluish mass that marked where Ten-Speed had landed. In the moonlight, Sombra could see blood oozing from a hundred cuts and scrapes, but nothing looked seriously damaged. Still, neither could Sombra see any sign of life.
Nervously, Sombra extended a shaky hoof to prod the unicorn's side. Ten-Speed emitted a faint groan.
Sombra breathed a sign of relief. Good. I didn't kill him.
Deep voices sounded at the top of the hill, and the red glow of lanters cut through the dark. The police had come to investigate the scene.
Well, was it any wonder, with all the trouble we caused? Terror gripped Sombra's heart. I've got to get out of here, before they catch me. I'll wind up in jail!
Behind him, a string of quartz stones lit up. "Come with us," they chimed. "We know where you'll be safe."
With no other direction, Sombra trotted forward as quick as he could, letting the crystals lead him down into a fissure in the stone.
He followed the fissure, and the gentle cajoling of the rocks, until they opened up into a large cave. A freshwater spring bubbled at one side, with a stream leading off of it. Wearily, Sombra knelt and took a long drink from that stream, feeling the cool water ease the pain in his lungs. He stumbled over to a pile of rags, heaped in one corner of the cave, and fell into them. Perhaps, if he had been more conscious at the time, Sombra would have questioned why they were there. For now, though, he just wanted to sleep.
He didn't even notice the shadow fall across him as he passed out.
Dreamcatcher and Amora walked slowly through the snow-lined streets of the stallion's mind. Huge white flakes floated down, featherlike and fragile. Amora caught one on her tounge and smiled as she watched it melt.
"I'm glad to see you're making progress, Dreamcatcher," the alicorn said brightly. "There's hardly any wind anymore-- Perhaps you're feeling less distraught?"
Dreamcatcher nodded slowly, orange eyes turned inward. "I must admit, your Majesty, you are a very calming influence. Have I really been asleep the whole day?"
Amora nodded. "I arranged for you to take a day of paid vacation, Dreamcatcher. I apologize for taking that liberty, but I felt it was necesarry. And it has helped, has it not?"
Dreamcatcher shook his head. "There's no need to apologize, Empress. Take what liberties you will; who am I to speak otherwise?"
Amora stopped and caught the stallion's shoulder. Surprised, he stopped and turned to the Alicorn mare. "You are my friend, Dreamcatcher," she said softly. "And besides that, you are a thinking, feeling pony with your own agenda and desires. I should not stand in the way of you reaching those desires, no matter my rank."
Dreamcatcher paused, letting her words sink in. A rare, genuine smile spread slowly across his muzzle. "Thank you, your Majesty."
Amora snorted and shook her head. "Please. Call me Amora; 'Majesty' sounds too formal for a friend."
Amora smiled at the earth-pony. "Well, now that we're friends..." Her eyes narrowed and she suddenly burst past Dreamcatcher in a rush. "Catch me!"
Dreamcatcher stopped a moment, dumbfounded. Then, before he could stop himself, he was racing through the snowy fields, hounding the Crystal Empress like a diamond dog after gems.
"Hey," he panted as Amora spread her wings and rose into the air. "No fair! I can't fly!"
"So be creative," Amora shot back with a laugh.
"Creative, eh?" Dreamcatcher laughed to himself, rolling hooffuls of snow together. "Well, how do you like this, Majesty?"
Amora dodged the first two missles easily. Her teasing reply was cut off, however, as the third caught her square in the left side, causing her wing to fold reflexivley. She landed in a snowdrift in an undignified heap.
Dreamcatcher rushed to her to see if she was alright, but the stony blue glare warned him away. Shaking snow and ice from her mane and coat, Amora frowned haughtily at the stallion. "So that's how you wanna play, huh?" Her expression warmed with competitive fire as she levitated a dozen snowballs in a cloud around her. "I'm up for it if you still are!"
Before Dreamcatcher could reply, he was dodging snowy bullets as they hailed down. "Gah," he yelped. "I give! I surrender!"
Amora set the remaining snowballs down, approaching the stallion apprasingly. "Alright, I accept. What are the terms of your surrender?"
"This," Dreamcatcher shouted as he kicked a pile of snow into Amora's face. To his surprise, the mare burst into laghter. It turned infectious, and soon enough both ponies had collapsed into the snow, giggling.
"Heehee—You know, Dreamcatcher—snerk—you know, you're one of the best friends I've ever had. No one's played with me in the snow like this since Lulu, Tia, and I were all little fillies."
Dreamcatcher nodded. "This is the most fun I've had in years, Amora. Thank you."
A few quiet moments passed, as the two lay in the snow, simply enjoying eachother's company. Then Amora gasped and rolled to her hooves.
Dreamcatcher stood up as well. "What's wrong? What happened?"
Amora shook her head, fear clear in her eyes. "You have to wake up now, Dreamcatcher. Something happened to Sombra."
Dreamcatcher felt his heart clench. "Sombra? What happened?"
Amora shook her head, gnawing on her lower lip. "I—I don't know. But we both have to wake up now."
The dream dissipated so suddenly, neither managed to notice that Dreamcatcher's snows were melting.
***
Dreamcatcher flew out of bed and bolted down the stairs. The panicked stallion nearly ripped the front door off its hinges as he came nose-to-nose with two startled foals. The smaller of the two, a yellow unicorn filly, squeaked and fell on her rump as her companion, an older pegasus colt, backed up in reflex. The colt recovered first.
"Uh, hello sir...? I'm, um, a friend of Sombra's. We both are. And, uh..." The colt stepped forward and turned, revealing Sombra slung over his back. "He looks like he got into a fight, and a bad one at that. Can you call a doctor?"
Without a word, Dreamcatcher snatched his son up and hauled him upstairs.
***
Sombra's eyes fluttered open to see a blurry, blue-gray shape leaning over him. "Ugh... Mom...?"
The shape winced and came more into focus. "Sorry, lad," the mare sighed, "I'm not your Ma. No, you're a ways off from meeting her again yet."
Sombra pulled his head up. "Oh. Hi, Doctor Patch-up. What's going on?"
The splotchy Shirish mare frowned, her loose lilac bun bobbing behind her ears. "You don't remember anything about last night? Your friends said they found you in a quarry."
Sombra moaned softly and wrapped his hooves around his head. "I was really hoping that was all a nightmare when I woke up here. Is... Is Ten-Speed okay?"
The doctor slowly nodded her great white-and-slate-colored head. "Your friend's at the hospital, lad. He's in good hooves, not to worry. He may have some short-term memory loss, but he'll be fine from what my colleagues were saying. Now. As for you."
Sombra peered up at the doctor, worry in his swollen eyes. "... What about me?"
Patch-up sighed and shrugged into her black saddlebags, her blue eyes weary and half-lidded. "Get plenty of rest, laddie. I don't want you moving from that bed for the next three days, and you're not to leave the house for a week."
"Alright." Part of Sombra was a bit irritated at this medical grounding, but he accepted it. He didn't feel up to moving up and down those stairs anyway.
As Patch-Up opened the door, a feminine voice startled Sombra. "May we come in, Doctor? Is he up to a visitor?"
The doctor mumbled something before stepping aside and letting two ponies enter. Sombra shrank against the pillows. "Gill? Bl—Blossom? What are you doing here?"
"Making sure you aren't dead, you idiot." Blossom's green eyes were narrowed, her frown small and tight. "Running off like that, getting the snot beat out of you... Why even come in the first place?"
Sombra stared at the bed, smothing the taught blankets out with his hooves. "W—well... I, er, that is..."
Gill cut them both off with a raised wing. "You aren't helping anything, Miss," he sighed. "Why don't you go finish that cocoa that nice mare made for us? I'll stay and find out what happened."
Blossom glared daggers at the pegasus, but turned and stalked primly off, growling child's curses all the while. The door slammed in a flare of emerald light.
Gill sighed again and climbed into the doctor's abandoned chair. "So. I guess you know my secret now."
Sombra stared blankly at Gill and cocked his head, wincing at the twinge in his neck. "Uh, no? What secret?"
Gill blinked at Sombra and frowned. "You... Found my hideout. Where I've been living for the last three months? Didn't you notice the bed, and the guitar leaned up against the wall?"
Sombra slowly shook his head. "Nope. I was a bit too busy falling unconsious," he deadpanned.
Gill snorted. "Okay, fine. I'll have to give you that one. But, you still won't tell anyone, will you? If the foal-authorities find out, my Dad'll show up." He winced and shrank a little in his chair. "I really don't want that to happen."
Sombra frowned, wanting to ask what the other colt was so afraid of. Surely his father would be overjoyed to know his son was okay, and want to solve whatever problems still stood between them? "I'll keep your secret," Sombra replied, "on one condition."
Gill raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
Sombra cracked a grin. "You talk to my dad about staying with us. We have the room, and the Princesses know we could use a good set of helping hooves around the place."
Gill stared at his friend a moment, a smile slowly spreading across his muzzle. "Really? I'd like that very much!" He stopped suddenly as a new thought came to him. "Are you certian you have the room, though? Your dad and that mare looked awfully cozy."
Sombra's head began to ache. "What mare?"
Gill shrugged. "Some pink earth-pony. I think she said her name was... Loveline? Something like that, anyway."
Sombra's eyes widened. "Take me down there. Now."
"But the doc said--"
"Now."
"No need for that, Sombra." A pink mare Sombra had never met, walked into the room. Her red-and-white-striped mane was wrapped up between her ears, and her big blue eyes gleamed warmly. A red heart stood out on her hip, flanked by two white wings.
Dreamcatcher followed close behind. "Gill, would you please excuse us? I need to talk to my son about something."
"Uhh..." Gill slid off the chair and sidestepped towards the door. "Sure. Someone's gotta keep Blossom company, right? I'll, uh, just be... Downstairs. In the kitchen. Drinking my cocoa." By this time, Gill had slithered out the door, and now eased it shut, never taking his eyes off the mare.
Dreamcatcher glanced at his guest. "'Loveline?' Is he gone?"
The mare cocked her head to the side, then nodded after a moment. "Yup. He's in the kitchen now, making awkward small-talk with the filly. Can I drop it now?"
Dreamcatcher nodded, and Loveline was enveloped in a flare of white light. When the spots faded from Sombra's eyes, he couldn't believe what he saw. An alicorn princess stood beside his bed, smiling down at him.
"Uh..."
"Hello, Sombra."
"... Hi."
The princess glanced around the room, apparently trying to find a subject. "My name is Amora. Your father's told me a lot about you."
"...Has he now?"
"Yes." Amora was relaxing now, and having an easier time talking. "You know, we were all very worried about you. You showed up pretty badly hurt."
Sombra bunched his pillow up and buried his face in it. "Worry about Ten-Speed. He got hurt worse."
Amora's gaze steeled. "Ten-Speed hurt himself, dear. He and his friend hurt you. Do you see the difference there?"
Sombra glanced sharply up at the mare. "You don't blame me for it? Wait, how do you know what happened?"
Amora reached out and tapped Sombra's muzzle with a hoof. "Of course I don't blame you, silly! Ten-Speed chucked himself down a cliff. How is that your fault? And I'm a Princess. Princesses know things."
"You still shouldn't have snuck out," Dreamcatcher added.
"True," Amora conceded. "That was bad. I, as a Princess, cannot condone sneaking out to costume parties." Then she lifted a hoof to her mouth and added in a stage-whisper: "Sneak-out parties are more fun when you're older, anyway."
"Wha—No they're not!" Dreamcatcher glared at Amora. "Sneak-out parties are never fun! Ever!"
Amora giggled. "Well, Dreamcatcher, it's been fun. Unfortunately, I've gotta go home now. Empire to run, and all that."
Dreamcatcher nodded. "Alright, I understand. Will I see you again soon?"
Amora reached out and hugged Dreamcatcher. "I'll never be gone for long, my friend. Never." The alicorn stepped back, and dissapeared in another flare of light.
Sombra stared at the space the Empress occupied a moment ago. "So... Is she gonna be my new stepmom?"
"What?!" Dreamcatcher stared at his son, shock and embarassment clear on his face. "I don't-- I'm not-- I'm going downstairs!"