"Alright, time to get off." Sombra said as he closed the door behind him. Sweetie Belle immediately jumped off his back and landed beside him, though quickly lost her balance due to the extra weight of the books.
"Oomph, these things are heavy." She whined as she threw off her saddle bag.
"You've no right to complain Sweetie Belle." Sombra said as he stretched out on his legs to pop his back. "I had to carry them and you."
"But you're big. You can handle it!"
"Sweetie Belle?" A voice called out before Sombra had a chance to retort. "Is that you?"
"Yeah!" She replied as she placed a hoof to the side of her mouth to project her voice.
As if that was the magic word that unleashed a demon, thundering hooves were heard as Rarity made her way downstairs as quickly as she could. Upon reaching the final step, she frantically looked around the living room for her sister. Catching sight of her and her dark guardian, she rushed over to embrace her.
"Oh Sweetie Belle!" Rarity shouted as she wrapped her hooves around Sombra. "I was so worried Sombra would try to pull something today!"
Sombra didn't move. He was too surprised to react properly. Only now that he could smell the perfume on the mare currently hugging him did he truly understand what was going on, yet he was at a loss for words, his only response being a light blush on his cheeks.
"Is something wrong?" Rarity asked as she pulled away from him, though her attention was quickly drawn to the snickering next to her.
"Heheh." Sweetie Belle let out as she tried to hold back her giggle with her hooves.
"And what are you laughing about Sombra?" Rarity asked out as she narrowed her eyes at her.
"I'm not Sombra." She answered back, her laugh only getting louder.
"What?"
"Mister Sombra helped us switch back already." Sweetie finished before finally falling over in an all out laugh.
Slowly, Rarity returned her gaze at Sombra whom she was still holding on to. He had time to regain his composure and now stared back with a smirk on his face, his blush gone. A very loud shriek soon followed as Rarity pulled back her hoof and tried to swing at Sombra.
Seconds before she was about to make contact with his face, Sombra's body turned black and melted into the ground, becoming a shadow that moved underneath Rarity before materializing again behind her, an even larger smirk proud on his face.
"Is hitting something the first thing you do every time you're flustered?" Sombra said as he watched the mare look frantically back and forth between him and the place he was just moments prior.
"What- How- That's not-"
"Sweetie Belle's shadow, remember?" He said before turning around and walking away with a laugh. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten."
"A-And where do you think you're going?!" Rarity shouted out, though mostly to buy time for her to find a proper reaction to the ordeal.
"To my room. I'm tired and want to sleep." He said as he came to the stair case. Taking a moment to look back at Rarity. "Am I not allowed to? Who's the Tyrant now?" He asked sarcastically before walking up the stairs in another fit of laughter, only making the mare puff up her cheeks in frustration.
Rarity remained in her angry pose for a little while longer before Sweetie Belle finally spoke and broke her out of her daydream of doing terribly hurtful things to Sombra.
"Hey Rarity?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I have a snack?"
The mare could only sigh and turn her head to the side before nodding, prompting them to walk towards the kitchen. Apart from the Evil Tyrant Overlord living upstairs, things were surprisingly normal in her house hold. If nothing else, Rarity could still hold on to that peaceful thought.
<=•=>
Sombra did as he had said. He quickly made it to his small room and threw himself on his bed. Taking a deep breath and turning to face the ceiling, he placed one hoof on his forehead as he recalled the dream from earlier. His mind raced as he tried to make sense of it, to see whether or not it could actually be a memory of just a dream.
"It wasn't anything like the ones I had before." He said to himself softly. "It was more...vivid."
He closed his eyes and allowed his hoof to slide down to his muzzle as he recalled each moment of the dream. The happiness he felt when he saw the filly...and the despair he went through when he saw the beast and limp body.
"What did I call them? Amethyst and Rosa?" He asked himself, finally sitting up and opening his eyes. "Were they my family? Were they killed?" He said as he stared down at his hooves. "Why wasn't I there to help? How did I allow such a creature to bring harm to them?...Why am I crying again?"
Once more he saw tears as they fell from his face and onto his hooves. Gritting his teeth in frustration with himself, Sombra furiously wiped away the water on his face. He let out one last sigh of frustration before falling back down on his back to stare back at the ceiling.
"Best I just leave things as they are for now. I'll just end up giving myself a headache again."
Sombra remained silent. His mind was unresting on the subject as, despite his best efforts, it continued to dwell on his dream. Finally, it found one detail to latch on to and inspect: Amethyst. That filly had a very strong resemblance to Sweetie Belle. From her naive and innocent personality, to her soft eyes and curly mane. The colors were off, but other than that, they were almost identical.
"Did my mind give Amethyst Sweetie Belle's appearance to have some familiarity with what I was dealing with? Or was that how she really looked?" He asked himself as he turned on his side. "It would make sense that since I cannot recall my own memories that my head would fill in the blanks with other things, but if the possibility exists that they indeed look the same...Then maybe it wasn't a complete accident that I'm now bound to Sweetie Belle."
Again he tossed himself on his bed, turning on his other side before continuing his thoughts.
"That filly..." He began. "I thought she was an idiot at first, but she is far from it. She learns quickly and can analyze everything just as fast. Perhaps it's just my teachings, perhaps not. Either way she is some sort of anomaly."
Sombra began to think about all of the time he had spent with Sweetie Belle. Everything they've been through. He smiled softly and sat up as he thought about just how ridiculous everything seemed.
"One...two... three...four." He counted out loud as he passed the time in his head. " Four days is how long I've known Sweetie Belle, and in those four days I can whole heartedly say she has surprised me time and time again."
As his thoughts revisited all of the recent events, Sombra remembered those random moments of depression Sweetie Belle experienced around him. How quickly she would go from having fun and being cheery, to crying and feeling guilty for anything wrong she might have done. It was certainly strange, but more so worrisome.
Sombra didn't know why he was doing this. He didn't even think about it. He stood up and began to make his way out of his room and towards the staircase. He stopped for a second and listened carefully to what was going on down stairs.
The soft sound of a pin scribbling on paper echoed back at him along with the occasional crunch of food. Sombra put together that Sweetie Belle was downstairs busy doing her homework while eating something. What he also heard was the familiar sound of scissors cutting fabric coming from down the hall.
Making his way to Rarity's room, he soon found himself wondering what it was he was doing while knocking on her door.
"I've gone mad." He said to himself before waiting patiently for a reply.
"Come in!" Rarity answered from inside, signaling for him to open the door. He pushed it open and remained at the door frame while looking for the mare. "Oh, it's you." She said from her seat.
"R-Rarity, was it?" He asked, a little awkward about how to speak to her. "Could I ask you a question?"
"And if I said 'no'?" She said, turning back to her work and ignoring him from the door.
"Then I'd return to my chambers and leave you be." Sombra replied without hesitation, though still waiting for a response to his initial question. Though what he said surprised Rarity.
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. Whatever you might think of me, I would not harass a mare for something, especially not in her home." He finished and was about to turn his back to leave.
"Wait!" Rarity called back, making him stop in place. "I might have some time for a break from my work. What is it you wanted to ask?" She said, almost embarrassed about the ordeal as much as he was. It was certainly strange for both parties to treat each other so...pleasantly.
Turning back around and walking in as Rarity gestured to do so, he made his way to her and began to talk.
"It's about your sister. I've noticed that sometimes she gets...depressed. I mean, she goes from one extreme of happiness to the other in the stomp of a hoof. Why is that?"
"Oh...that." Rarity said with a sad tone. "My sister has a habit of jumping to the worst conclusions, mostly, though experience."
"Perdon?" Sombra asked, confused by what she meant.
"Well, our parents. They travel a lot. They're sales ponies and they travel all over the world to sell their craft. I was set on becoming a designer since I was small, so they bought this place for me and sent me money to make sure I had everything I needed to accomplish my dream." Rarity said as she looked around her room. "When I got my cutiemark, I also made my home my business and have continued to work from here since."
"Okay, but what does this have to do with Sweetie Belle?"
"Sweetie Belle didn't have this."
"Money?"
"Stability, darling. She spent most of her life traveling with my parents. She was always switching schools and having to make new friends only to switch schools again. Often times, Sweetie Belle would go out of her way to stay in her classmate's good graces as to not lose them before she had to leave again. She blamed herself if they ever got mad at her, fearing they would leave her."
"I see..." Sombra said as he placed a hoof to his chin, thinking about all the times she had seen her cry.
"When our parents were in town for the Summer Sun Celebration, she met Applebloom and Scootaloo. A few days later they were all invited to Diamond Tiara's cute-ceañera and they became friends when they made their little Crusader Group. Then my parents asked if I could look after Sweetie Belle for a week. That week turned into a month, and that month now into a school year."
"So Sweetie Belle didn't wish to leave?"
"No, she finally found friends that she truly valued and Cherilee was kind enough to allow her to register late. It was the stability she had wanted for so long, who was I to tell her she couldn't stay?"
"I see. So what she sought after was stability, a place to call home?"
"Yes." Rarity said as she finally stood up and looked Sombra straight in his eyes. "Her life revolves having a constant. And it seems now, you are part of that constant."
"Me?"
"Why yes. Sweetie Belle would not shut up that first day about how you saved her from the falling debris of the school. And you've continued to save her ever since. I don't know if you're forced to do it by the curse or whatever, but she trusts you. She believes in you. I pray you don't betray that trust."
Sombra stood silent for a moment. He stared back into Rarity's pleading eyes. He could feel her sincere worry over the matter, over him. Sighing and closing his eyes, Sombra finally broke the silence and replied.
"You've nothing to worry about." He said as he began to make his way out of the room. "I would never hurt Sweetie Belle. If she ever needs me, I'll be there." Sombra finished as he reached the door. Using his magic, he slowly closed it behind him.
"I misjudged you." Rarity said with a smile, prompting Sombra to stop and leave the door half open. "You're a kind stallion."
"No, you judged me right. I am evil. I am every definition of the word."
"Yet you still possess good morals as to not lie and would protect a filly from danger, so perhaps not every definition."
"I'm evil, not amoral." Sombra said before finally shutting the door behind him, leaving Rarity with a smile on her face.
"Have a good night Sombra." She said softly before returning to her work. "You've earned my trust as well."
<=•=>
The trip back to his room was filled with jumbled thoughts being thrown back and forth in his head. Sombra didn't know why he did what he did. He truly didn't need to know Sweetie Belle's past. He didn't need to know why she would act so depressed. He didn't need to know that he was a pillar holding her up. He didn't need to know he cared...
As luck would have it, as soon as he opened his door, he saw Sweetie Belle waiting for him inside. With a smile on her face, he couldn't help but keep himself stoic as he began the stream line of questions.
"What are you doing in my room?"
"Waiting for you!"
"Okay...Why?"
"So we can make a plan."
"A plan for?"
"A plan to find...whatever it is you're looking for!" Sweetie Belle finished with a grin. "You know, that thing you came back to life to find."
"Oh....that. I forgot you agreed on helping." Sombra said as he walked in and towards the filly. Standing only inches away, he dropped down and laid on his stomach in his usual manner, front hooves crossed. "I'm still not sure it's a good idea for you to help me."
"Why not?"
"Cause it would bring you trouble no doubt."
"Have you seen me and my friends?" Sweetie Belle asked as she dropped down and mimicked Sombra's posture. "We get in trouble all the time!"
"You're not taking a 'no' as an answer are you?" Sombra asked with a slight chuckle.
"Nope." She said before smiling again.
"Well alright then, I'll brief you."
"Yay!" Sweetie shouted before creeping closer towards Sombra.
"While I was King at the Crystal Empire, I had sent out scouts in search for the power of chaos. For years they would return with no news, but one especially harsh winter, they returned with a rumor that there was a stone within Canterlot with such power. I of course sent the rulers of the city a letter asking for it, and the next day I was met with an army at my door step."
"Just like that? They didn't even send a reply!?"
"Since my own army was currently helping mine the precious crystals we needed to survive, I fought the Royal Sisters and their army on my own. I was ultimately defeated of course, but the mere fact that they arrived so quickly proves they wield that item of power. That stone of chaos."
"So how should we get it?"
"No idea yet. We could sneak in, but I've no information on the Castle's layout. Or perhaps we could burst in and take it by force. Either way it would take both time and resources before we are able to make a move."
"How about we go and ask for it?" Sweetie Belle asked, interrupting Sombra' train of thought.
"You mean, just appear at Celestia's door step, request for an audience, and ask for the stone?"
"Yeah!"
"That seems like a bad idea...A very bad idea."
"Why? What's the worst that could happen?"
"Well they would certainly deny us the stone and would grow aware of my presence and desire for it."
"But they already know that you want it since they attacked you once a thousand years ago. Not to mention that Princess Celestia already knows you might try to get it again, wouldn't she? You really wouldn't have anything to lose, besides, if we go, we could at least get the feel for the castle while we're visiting if we plan on stealing it."
"Huh..." Sombra hummed to himself as he thought. The filly certainly had a point. There was no element of surprise anymore. The sisters already knew of his return. They know what he wants, and have shown their disinterest in helping him get it. Besides, if he were to approach them in a civil matter and they were the ones to attack, it would technically be them at fault.
"So what do you say? Should we give it a shot?"
He let out a breath before finally speaking. "Alright Sweetie Belle, let's go to Canterlot Castle and ask for an audience." Sombra said as he stood up, making Sweetie Belle jump to her hooves and run towards him to climb onto his back.
"Woohoo! Let's go!"
Sombra couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. It was refreshing to be able to simply allow the flow of things to take him without worry of other matters. Walking over to the window, Sombra opened it and paused for a second.
"Something wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Uh...most of it?"
"You're going to finish it when we return." He said before jumping out, only getting a groan from Sweetie Belle in response.
Hmmm... A stone... in Canterlot... that has to do with chaos...
So much depends on whether this is before or after Discords reformation.
Also:
From the Dictionary:
Unless Sombra means something different by "moralless", his statement is rather oxymoronic.
I call the Belles being distantly related to Sombra in some way. This is why Sweetie looks so similar to Amethyst and Sombra feels such a connection.
On another note, Sombra is becoming even more of a father figure and I love it.
Aw, those two are just too cute together.
Yay! I'm the first to comment!
So...that as really good.I don't comment on this very much, but this chapter was so awesome, I had to let you know.
First, that dream thingy is a nice touch. Nice to see some background on sombra.
I laughed my head off when Rarity found out that she wasn't hugging sweetie in sombra's body.
Interesting idea on sweetie belle's past!
And lastly. The thing sombra wants. "power of choas",in Canterlot, was a "stone" a thousand years ago. Sounds like discord to me. However.
5442750
Being Moral Less would be A moral. Immoral, would be that you are going against certain moral conducts. Or even striding against the normative moral, which would then in that case make him Immoral, but not Amoral.
If you are Amoral, then you dont have anything you would feel guilty about doing, because you dont have anything you feel would be bad. You would essentially be a wanton.
However, an Immoral person, might still have something he finds evil. Say, a Mass murderer who could never ever convince himself to sexually assault people, due to that being an "Immoral" conduct, according to his standing.
Philosophy can be weird...
5442750 Well, Twilight's an alicorn, which happened after Discord's reformation. Since this story is not tagged AU, he should be reformed.
5442750 Haven't you heard of honor among thieves. If you play D&D he would be a lawful evil. A lawful evil villain methodically takes what he wants within the limits of his code of conduct without regard for whom it hurts. He cares about tradition, loyalty, and order but not about freedom, dignity, or life. He plays by the rules but without mercy or compassion. He is comfortable in a hierarchy and would like to rule, but is willing to serve. He condemns others not according to their actions but according to race, religion, homeland, or social rank. He loathes to break laws or promises. This reluctance comes partly from his nature and partly because he depends on order to protect himself from those who oppose him on moral grounds. Some lawful evil villains have particular taboos, such as not killing in cold blood (but having underlings do it) or not letting children come to harm (if it can be helped). They imagine that these compunctions put them above unprincipled villains.
5442750 Discord could have very well been the stone of chaos. That said he pretty much asked for Discord without knowing it...and now Tia and Luna are going to have to explain this to everyone. And then I'm going to need a Sombra emoticon because I need that evil grin.
Evil: profoundly immoral and malevolent.
Moral:concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character.
You might want to use a different word than moraless (Also it would be Without morals not moralless)
I really like Sombra and Sweetie's relationship and banter. Also did you know when you type sombra spellcheck wants to make it Sombrero?
5442928
"amoral" is not the same as "immoral".
The author should use the word amoral instead of moralless as it might cause less confusion.
5442928
evil people have morals, convicts in prison beat to death child rapists. so there is that.
5442750 Thats the catch all term, the term used by novel writers is a bit different, the easiest way to explain it is the alignment system of D&D.
Actually, it was probably more than a few days. The Summer Sun Celebration, that would be held on the Summer Solstice, which is near the end of June, and soon after classes ended for the school year. DT's cute-ceañera (not certain of the proper spelling on that, so i shall defer, and use your spelling) was after the next school year started, so it would have either been at the very end of summer, or early autumn.
Also, while the three of them did huddle together in fear, Applebloom was not truly friends with the two until she met them again at the cute-ceañera. At the cute-ceañera, it was revealed that Sweetie and Scoots were already friends, so it stands to reason that Sweetie had at least one friend before the 'DT's Officially a Brat' episode.
Should that be pen?
He had time to regain his composure and how stared back
he place one hoof
1. Now.
2. Placed.
Well, can't tell if Sweetie is learning all the right things that aren't considered illegal... But yeah, her lifestyle could have also highly influenced her learning speed and adaptation. I really wonder how this meeting would turn out. And of course the reason why he needed the Chaos
EmeraldsStone.5442900 look at Alex Mercer (Prototype). He is a heartless killer to anyone that gets in his way but he does not condone the death if innocents. He stopped a nuke from blowing up the NYZ even though he could survive it. He didn't wan innocents or his sister to die. Neuteral chaotic/lawful evil.
What are you talking about? The Element of Surprise is right here:
img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120511002244/mlpfanart/images/6/62/Surprise_by_pinkiepi314.png
Oh, wait...
Yeahhh, the Chaos Stone is totally Discord's statue. Seems a bit OoC that Celestia and Luna would just immediately attack another monarch who just asked to borrow him, I could totally see them saying no to the request but not just showing up with an army, that would come later if Sombra kept not taking no for an answer.
5443983 If you recall back in chapter 8, Luna mentioned the letter Sombra had written them. He had said that they had something he wanted, and if he didn't get it he would take it by force.
With little details to go on, the sisters decided it was best to respond with a preemptive strike instead of waiting for him to make a move first and endanger thousands of lives.
It was Sombra's fault for phrasing his letter so weird in the first place, he didn't even tell them what it was he thought they had. In his head, he would have received a response letter with either a yes or no, which he would then respond with either details of what he wanted had they said yes, or a second chance to give him what he wanted. What he didn't expect was for the army he himself was responsible of bringing to his empire.
Sweetie Belle: Assistant to the Tyrant of the Crystal Empire and potential stealer of Discord...
As long as she finishes her homework afterward.
5444064
Ah forgot about that, yeah that was poorly worded by Sombra.
Sombra's in for one hell of a shock when he realises that that 'stone' is now up and about, even if it does, for the most part, do as Celestia asks of it.
5442753 Going to make it all the more harder at the end when he goes back to being dead.
5442753 Going to make it all the more harder at the end when he goes back to being dead.
5445427 Maybe he won't
Still not sure why Sombra considers him self or is even considered evil in this universe. Less evil then Luna and a great leader who seems to have cared for his people.
The title of tyrant as he himself mentioned was given him to him by Royal sisters who thought it was a good idea to have a pre-emptive attack against the country they thought posed a threat. I can only imagine the political fall out this has brought with the other nations.
5442750 The best way to describe Sombra where he stands would be Affably Evil.
5446084 Well from the subtle foreshadowing I have been getting, it seems like Sombra is a nice guy, but his memories were taken away and he was corrupted to evil. His memories of a daughter that looks like Sweetie Belle? Those are all new, and it hurts when he remembers them, usually meaning they were locked away and the pain is from the memories breaking free and being remembered. I don't think he is evil, just something or someone made him evil by force.
5446958 think we can blame memory loss on banishment?
Good chapter.
cdn.meme.am/instances/250x250/55351658.jpg
And another epicly awesome chapter done by the epicly awesome Note Sketch. (I don't care if epicly isn't a word. It is for me.)
5448150 I don't think so. Also remember WHY he is evil. Mainly, there isn't a reason. He was placed as king, and he went about governing it to HELP the kingdom, in a very logical way. But he never killed anyone, never hurt anyone even as far as we know, he never even punished anyone I don't think, he said he had them mining for the stuff needed to keep the Kingdom running so even if he did punish someone to work in the mine, it would help out the kingdom anyways. I believe he even points out earlier in the story that he is Evil.... Because he is. He's a tyrant, in title only, because Celestia and Luna called him that.
Ps. 4 Banishments, NMM, Discord, Sombra, Tirek. 3 of them came out fine while remembering everything from their past. Why would the 4th be any different?
5449291 the only mortal one of the bunch? NM was also an impersonation of Luna's anger and frustration.
Remember how Sombra acted in the show. Barely able to talk. And sisters did turn him into the living shadow before casting him into frozen ice. Quite a traumatic experience for the mortal pony.
And unless we imply that Tirek is being tortured in tartarus, Sombra being sealed in the ice is worse and more painful then others.
The good news is that I got through all 17 chapters in one sitting.
The bad news is that I now have to wait.
5445427 WELL, AREN'T YOU A JOY?
5453053 No, I am realistic. Remember the rules governing the spell. Sombra binds himself to Sweetie Belle, so that 'X' happens. We don't know what 'X' is. Regaining his memories? Finding his daughter/extended family? Getting the Chaos Stone(aka, Discord)? We don't know. But when it DOES happen, the spell ends and he goes back to being dead. The End. There is no 'And he lived happily ever after!' The only loophole is if he figures out the deal he made, and never completes it. And even then, unless it's something very complicated and long, it's going to accidently be completed anyways somehow down the line.
Along with that, is the spell itself. If anything that could disable spells, comes into Contact with Sweetie or Sombra, the spell would vanish and he would go back to being dead again too. And as seen in Season 4, episode 24 at the Equestria Games, they don't have both spells and enchanted Technology that dispells magic and prevents it's use. She would just need to accidently walk through one, by say going to the Equestria Games, and poof goes Sombra back to beign dead.
tr/dr, Sombra isn't going to live very long, and will re-die eventally, rather accidently or by completing his contract.
5448538 That face! Oh my gosh. I laughed so hard.
Loved the updates!
5454060
Perhaps they could create a new contract if they figure out how the first one was made?
So he wants to have discord, so Celestia and Luna decide to dethrone and (im sure this was their intention or they would not have come with an army) kill Sombra? That doesn't sound like them.
5474389 he defended his land so well that they turned him into a living shadow, and froze him in ice.
It was the Mane six who killed him.
Yeah, sombra kinda is a good dad
So, Sombra X Rarity? Am I alone in shipping this?
Anyway, there's almost certainly fewer stones of Chaos kicking around in Canterlot these days (except for when Discord is nostalgic), so it might be hard for Sombra and Sweetie to get their hooves on one.
5494322 Aegis Shield ships them, albeit indirectly, in "Stallions on Strike".
This chapter was cool
images.cryhavok.org/d/2641-2/chaos-up-in-this-motherfucker.jpg
A+ name for a sitcom if I've ever heard one.
Now see, I define evil as amoral, so this says something about Sombra. I don't know what, but something.
5449307 Sombra was always an umbrum pony. He is shadow, and almost impossible to kill. The sisters had nothing to do with that.
(Also killed the princess of the crystal empire according to the comics.)
5494322
Ship! Ship! Ship! My favorite Rarity x cannon ship to date. All the others don't make sense, like Rarimac and Raricord (It happens), or are just creepy (Eat your hearts out Rarispike shippers, it's foalcon).
Element of Suprise?
Her way to
However, lay in