//------------------------------// // Settling In // Story: Traces of a Hidden Shadow // by Teotle //------------------------------// It's been two days since the attack on the science fair, and Sombra still had some catching up to do on current events. The Arc was putting the last finishing touches to the repairs of town hall. Teotle, who had been monitoring the Arcs progress, was eating a nicely made lunch that Spike had prepared before he left the castle this morning. After the last few bites of his sandwich, Starlight walked up to him from down the street and said, "It's looking good, Teotle. You three kids did a good job building the Arc." "Thanks, Starlight" Teotle replied. "You've gotten better in your friendship studies too." Starlight took a deep breath, swung one of her front hooves over the other and asked, 'Hey, Teotle?" "Yeah?" Starlight then continued and asked, "Ever since I moved in with you and the others, you've kept your distance from me, like I was up to no good, why is that? Don't you trust me?" Teotle sighed and answered, "At first, no, but over time you've been improving on your friendliness." "Why not at first?" Starlight asked. "Because I was afraid of you." Teotle replied with a huff. "I'm also afraid of what you can do." Starlight's ears flattened as she asked repeated, "Why?" "When you stole everypony's cutiemarks, and when you traveled back in time to stop Rainbowdash's Sonic Rainboom, you proved two things to me. First, that a persons individuality can be taken away, that the world can exist without difference, where everyone is exactly the same. Second, that everything we worked for, everything we have accomplished and everything we have protected can be undone, gone, laid in a grave. You made some of my worst fears a reality." Starlight looked down to the ground and said, "I had no idea you felt this way, and I'm sorry I hurt you and everypony else." "Forget it." Teotle said, trying to regain his composure. "No." Starlight demanded. "I want you to understand why I..." "I understand, Starlight." Teotle snapped. "I'm know where you come from, I know what you've been through, because I went through the same thing when my mother sent me away from home, and when she died to protect me. I felt alone and helpless, I didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel, so I tried to take revenge on my aunt, Smoke, for causing all my suffering, but I know the same thing that you know now." "What we both know?" Starlight asked. "That no matter how much evil there is in this world, or any other, good will always triumph, even if we don't know how or why. We both know that f anyone can help us find the light at the end of the tunnel, it's the one's we have around us, the one's we love the most in our hearts, and they're worth fighting for." Starlight smiled and said, "I guess we owe everypony for teaching us that." Meanwhile, back at the Castle of Friendship, Celestia, Luna, and Spell Nexus were discussing with Twilight about Somrbra being reformed. "So, what you're saying is that Sombra, the former tyrant of the Crystal Empire, has been purified of all dark magic?" Nexus asked. "Yeah.", Twilight replied. "And the best part is that he wants to be taught about friendship." Celestia raised an eyebrow and asked, "Don't you already teach Starlight Glimmer?" "Yeah, but with the Arcs help, we have plenty of help to teach both of them, especially with the new time displacement equation he made." "Time displacement?" Nexus asked. Luna smiled and said, "Yes, Starlight shared her knowledge of Star Swirls time equation with the Arc and helped him make a spell that creates a barrier capable of internally freezing time. The Arc can make seconds outside the barrier seem like hours on the inside." "Doesn't that seem dangerous to you?" Nexus asked. "Not really." Said Nyx, who had just walked into the room with Sombra and the Cutiemark Crusaders trailing behind her. "Where not changing the past or the future, just removing ourselves for brief moments at a time." "So, this is Sombra?" Nexus asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow. Sombra looked away unable to meat Nexus' eyes. Celestia took notice to this and said, "Yes, and he is quite safe to be around." "But, Princess, he has tortured and enslaved..." Nexus said only to be cut off my Celestia, who spread her wings in a way that put chills up Nexus' spine. "My sister, Luna, has done the same as he. So has my newly found nephew, Teotle, and Twilight's daughter, Nyx. Are you saying that Sombra does not deserve the same forgiveness?" "No, of course not." Nexus replied. "It's alright, Celestia." Sombra said. "I should get used to the questions about my integrity." "No, Sombra." Celestia protested calmly. "It is not. You should be given the same treatment everyone else has received these past years. It is only fair." Sombra smiled a bit before saying, "Thank you." "Don't thank me." said Celestia., pointing at Teotle, who had just walked into the door from behind his friends. "Thank the one who gave you a second chance. It is because of Teotle that you were able to be reborn." Sombra looked back at Teotle and was about to speak when, all of a sudden, Teotle cut him off and said, "It's ok, Sombra, I know." "No, you don't." Sombra replied. "You taught how to have friends again. I'd turn my back on the world, all of it, for a single friend." Teotle grinned at his knew friend's comment and said, "Yeah, well, now that you've so many friends already, you don't have to." Sombra grinned back, a tear slid down his cheek as he finally said, "Thank you, Teotle."