//------------------------------// // Chapter 67 // Story: A New Beginning in a New Land // by REDACTED99999 //------------------------------// Sombra remembered a time worse than this. No matter what happened, he could always look back and confirm that there were worse destinies to face. Like growing up with the oppression of his parents, both expecting him to be perfect. His father wanted an undefeatable warrior, his mother wanted a learned scholar. The pressure kept building and building, as they stacked their expectations on him, one on top of the other. Then came his inability to crystalize like the other crystal ponies. His parents had him checked several times, but the doctor insisted that he just lacked happiness to achieve the state. In the end, his parents made up lies and bribed the doctor to go with it, but it did not stop the rumours, and it made his parents furious. He was saved by some of the staff treating him kindly. Without them, he would have broken into pieces before he had even reached his teenage years. As it was, the pressure his parents kept putting on him, the beatings he took by them, and his desperate relationship with Hidden Gem, that he now recognized as nothing more than a need to get away from everything else… it was like a desperate balancing act, but the bad outweighed the good. As a result, he had ran to Hidden Gem too much, relied on her too heavily, even though she was a simple prostitute. Yet he could not deny all the times they had ended up talking about nothing of import. How freeing it had been to him, to not have to pretend, and finally let go. She may have been paid for it, but her companionship had kept him sane. Alas, it could not have lasted. Something had to give. In the end, it was his parents who had to give their life, so that he could, for the first time in his life, feel completely free. Even trapped in this body as he was, on the verge of becoming a Giver alongside its owner, he still did not feel as suffocated as he had back under his parent’s gaze. That, however, did not mean that he wanted to lose himself in another magical high. An unpleasant experience it was, losing oneself to a single-minded being that was a Giver or a Taker. It looked like he would not have much of a choice though, chained as he was. Desperate times call for desperate measures. “What?” The dark mare in front of him finally asked him after a raging silence. “I have some simple terms that, when met, will result in giving myself up to you.” He explained, almost feeling sick at how weak he sounded. ‘Desperate times…’ he reminded himself. He could not lose himself, even if it meant losing the battle. Silence reigned once again. “I… cannot say I expected that. Very well then, what are your terms?” She took on a more regal tone, her stance shifting slightly away from attack position. He was not trusted, and it was clear. The two guards in the room were still ready to pounce on him at the slightest notice, so much so that the atmosphere was nothing short of hostile. Annoyingly enough, he almost had to force his anger forth. Here he was, about to give them the means to save their beloved friend, and this is how he was treated. ‘It is understandable that they should treat me like that though.’ The positive magic forced him to think. “I want the same as you want.” He tried to sneer, but it came out like he was making idle chatter. “I want to free Jax from the curse of becoming a Giver.” He tried to stomp his hoof on the floor, but all that happened was that a hand swung back and forth. He was not exactly used to this body. Luna squinted suspiciously at him. “And why would you want that?” He rolled his eyes. That was at least the same. “If you spent two seconds thinking about it, you would realize why I have not simply asked him to give me his body. As a Giver, there is no way he would deny me.” The silence that followed was deafening. Then the night princess finally realized: “You would become a Giver as well.” The sentence was uttered in a whisper, but in the silence it was heard by everypony. “Exactly. Even now I can feel the effect….” Like adding that last part. Why would he give out that information? “So, I will give you a way to treat Jax, and you will get me out of this body. What happens with me afterwards, is up to you. A once-in-a-lifetime deal for you if I ever heard one.” A bit too good, if he was honest with himself. His will faltered for a second, and he was about to back out and blame the whole thing on positive magic when he remembered what it was like to be a Taker. That single drive that took away everything else from him… he hated not being in control, and right now all roads seemed to lead to him becoming a prisoner. If he had to be a prisoner, then at least he wanted to still be himself. He could think of no way he could escape from his current position, but if he escaped this body he could befriend - uh, no. No befriending. Damn positive magic. “We already have a way to treat him.” Luna declared as if it would change anything. “No, what you have is a waste of time. Ever since I initiated my plan to take over his body, he has been absorbing positive magic faster than any potion can keep up with, especially after that retarded chaos monster took him to the Tree of Harmony. Whatever potion you have will not be able to keep up.” He explained, happy that he was able to keep a tinge of annoyance in his voice throughout. “So you are the reason for all of this?” Anger overtook Luna’s features. “Not by intent, I can assure you. I wanted this body, which would be useless if I was affected by that… ailment.” “…What is it exactly you suggest?” Her anger was mixed with skepticism. He tried to keep the details to himself and only give some information, but found himself speaking before he realized what had happened. “Back in the Empire I enchanted some crystals to act as a buffer to dark magic. All you have to do is use a little spell on it that I made to flood an area with negative magic, and this body will have no choice but to absorb it. The body will have to find a way to balance the magic inside, and the problem will be solved. Then we can find a way to get out of here, and you two can whore as much as you want.” The guards looked flabbergast, but Luna just raised a brow. Disappointing. “Getting you out of the body you have no right to be in sounds heavenly. Do you have a plan for that as well?” She asked. She still sounded skeptical. “… Not exactly.” He reluctantly admitted. “If these chains get looser, I can get out by myself, but when that will happen… I do not know. Maybe a potion. That seems to be the answer to everything in these parts.” She sighed. “I believe… that that option has already been researched. There is no known potion to expel sore losers-“ “But that is not what you need to do, is it?” He cut her off in annoyance, some of it because of her jab at his losing streak. “I just told you that the chains are the problem. I am certain that if I could read that Zebra’s books more carefully, I could find a way to dispel them.” “… I will have to speak with the others.” She answered him after a pause, summoning some parchment and a pen. Interesting invention, pens. “Inscribe that spell you mentioned, and then let my Jax get his rest.” So he did. *** Luna was messaging her head in a futile attempt to dispel the headache that was brewing when the door was smashed open, making both her and her guards ready for combat. “Sorry… I’m… late…” Pinkie Pie entered the house, looking absolutely exhausted. “I came here... as soon as I… was… myself again.” Luna silently motioned for her guards to stand down as she let herself relax, at least somewhat. “Miss Pie… I hate to seem mistrustful, but what was the first thing you said when you saw me as Nightmare Moon?” Pinkie giggled at the memory. “I tried to guess your name. Why?” “Just making sure you are not a changeling….” Pinkie shook her head even as she smiled. She pointed over to one of four books nearby. “Then maybe you shouldn’t ask something anypony who read Twilight’s book could tell you, silly. Try again.” She looked almost excited. Luna realized she did not know very much about the energic young mare in front of her. The fact that she pointed out a flaw in her plan should be proof enough, but she looked so eager to answer a question that Luna found herself searching her memory. “… When Jax was in pain for three days, what did you say to me?” “Oh that’s a good one!” She took a hoof up under her chin in thought. “Oh! I said that you looked caring on your position in the bed. It was actually really adorable and I’m so happy you two are together even with all that’s happening- Which reminds me why I’m here! I Pinkie Promised Jax that if any meanie-pants positive magic tried to change him a little too much, I would be here for him, but I didn’t even notice it was changing him! It’s terrible… anyway, I’m here now and I’m sticking by him until this whole thing blows over!” Luna started messaging her temples again. She wished things would blow over really fast.