The school bell rang and all the fillies and colts in the classroom jumped up to gather their things so they could leave; all except for one.
“Hey Scoots why you still sitting down? You’re usually the first one out the door. You didn’t get detention again did you?” Apple Bloom asked her friend.
Scootaloo snorted, “No I don’t have detention today. I have that tomorrow, and if you must know. I’m waiting for somepony.”
Sweetie Belle walked up to her friends and asked, “Who are you waiting for Scootaloo?”
And as if on cue Lyra Heartstrings walked into the now semi empty classroom, “You ready to go Scootaloo?”
“Yes Miss Heartstrings,” she said hopping out of her chair and grabbing her saddlebags.
“Miss Heartstrings?” Lyra echoed rolling her eyes. “School hours are over kid you can just call me Lyra. Now let’s get going, we need to stop by my apartment first so I can pick up a few things then we can-”
“Woah there,” Apple Bloom interrupted sliding her way in between Lyra and Scootaloo, “why exactly is Scootaloo going with you Miss Heartstrings?” she asked giving the music teacher a suspicious look.
“Yes Lyra I would like to know as well,” Miss Cheerilee asked as she approached the group. She eyed her fellow teacher with a stern look, “Why exactly are you picking up one of my students from school?”
Lyra looked at Cheerilee and then at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who were also giving her questionable looks. She bent down and whispered into Scootaloo’s ear while maintaining eye contact with the other ponies, “Any certain reason why I’m being treated like I’m about to kidnap you?”
Scootaloo shrugged.
Lyra huffed, “Is it so weird for a grown mare to pick up a foal that isn’t hers from school?”
She was answered with silence.
“Fine,” Lyra relented with a sigh, “If you must know. Sombra is out of town for the evening and he asked me to watch Scootaloo for him. I even have a note he gave me explaining everything if you want see that?” she finished explaining with an annoyed frown.
Cheerilee’s expression softened, “Relax Lyra I know you’re dating Mr. Sombra. So I believe you. I just wanted to know what was going on.”
“Alright but seriously what was up with the third degree there? I mean if I was going to kidnap some pony I wouldn’t be doing it at the school I work at. I would at least go to another school district if I wanted to that. I mean come on,” Lyra scoffed.
“And you wonder why I was harsh with you just then,” Cheerilee sighed rolling her eyes at the mare.
“Umm excuse me,” Sweetie Belle said piping in, “If you don’t mind me asking. Where is Mr. Sombra at?”
Flash Sentry smiled as he took his position in front of the Sun Princesses throne. It was near the end of Princess Celestia’s day court and the beginning of his shift as the Princesses personal guard. He had only had the position for a few days and he already loved it more than his last assignment, Personal Guard to the Crystal Empires Royal Couple, for one exact reason.
It wasn’t cold. Flash Sentry hated the cold, it reminded him of Sombra. It reminded him of the void that he and his fellow crystal ponies were banished too for a thousand years. Contrary to popular belief, but a few crystal ponies after they had regained their memories and broke Sombra’s curse had also began to remember their time in the that empty, cold void they had been vanished too. They remembered the endless fields of nothingness, the feeling of weightlessness, and being unable to move, but most of all they remember the biting chill that radiated all around them. There was a reason why the crystal ponies hardly left the comfort of the crystal hearts protective field, or why a good portion of the population had packed up and left the frozen north once they had returned to modern society. That’s what Flash had wanted to do but he had had no money. So he had joined the Equestrian military in the hopes he would be sent away from the north. Sadly his plan didn’t work out that way. He had spent the last five years in basic training and being assigned in the very place he was trying to leave. It wasn’t all bad he had to admit, but he was final glad to be out of the crystal empire.
“Equestria to Flash Sentry.”
Flash blinked in surprise at the white hoof that waved in front of him. He followed the hoof up to the face of Princess Celestia and gave her a sheepish smile. “Sorry Princess, I spaced out there for a minute.”
“More like five minutes,” she giggled. “But don’t worry. I hope you like your new surroundings?” she questioned.
“Very much Princ-” he was cut off by a loud bang that came from behind the throne room door.
“Oh dear what could that have been? Would you go make sure no pony is hurt Flash?”
Flash stood up straight and saluted the princess before making his way to the throne room door but before he could reach it the door flew open just a few inches short of hitting his face. The stallion that stood in the door way had a mane as black as the night, his coat was dark grey and was covered in a suit of armor made of pure silver, his eyes were a deep red and they stared down Flash Sentry as the blood drained from the Pegasus’s face. “You there,” the stallion barked. “Please go tell Celestia that I King Sombra have arrived for dinner.”
Flash Sentry fainted.
“Hey Bonnie I’m home!” Lyra called out as she entered the candy shop with Scootaloo right behind her.
Bon Bon gave her roommate an annoyed look whole all the customers in the store gave the mint colored unicorn a weird one. “Lyra I’ve told you time and time again, our home is upstairs. Downstairs is the shop,” Bon Bon huffed.
“Then what’s that make the basement?” Lyra asked, scratching her chin.
“The basement is neutral territory, we’ve been over this,” Bon Bon groaned. “Why are you even here? I thought you were watching Sombra’s kid tonight?”
“I am,” Lyra said gesturing to Scootaloo who was off looking at the various candies that were riddled out throughout the store, “I just came by to pick up a few things.”
“Then why didn’t you go through the back?”
“And deny you the opportunity to bask in my presence!” Lyra gasped. “What kind of roommate would I be if I denied you that?”
Bon Bon just glared at her.
“I might have also forgotten my key… again,” Lyra admitted lightly blushing.
Bon Bon sighed, “Of course you did.”
Lyra gave her roommate a sheepish smile.
“Well go on and grab your things. I’ll keep an eye on the kid for you,” Bon Bon said waving Lyra off.
“Thanks Bonnie,” she said hopping over the store counter. “I’ll be right back Scootaloo,” she called back over her shoulder as she went into the back of the store.
Scootaloo’s ears perked up from hearing her name and made her way over to the counter, “What did she say? I was looking at the jawbreakers and not really paying attention.”
“She said she’ll be right back,” Bon Bon answered eyeing the little orange filly. “So you’re Sombra’s adoptive daughter huh?”
“Yeah, and you must be Miss Heartstrings roommate?”
“That I am,” she answered still staring at Scootaloo completely ignoring a customer that came up trying to purchase some malted milk balls.
“Aren’t you going to help him?” Scootaloo asked.
“That depends,” she replied turning to the stallion. “Alright Sweet Tooth you know the deal. I told you I wasn’t going to sale to you anymore unless you went and gotten those cavities taken care of so open up.”
“Aww come on Bon Bon you know I can’t afford to do that.”
“Then why don’t you get a job instead of hanging out in my candy store all day, or better yet take up drinking. Your teeth still might fall out but then I wouldn’t have to see your face every day!”
“I don’t need to put up with this you know. I can just go to another candy store!”
“I’m the only candy store in town so I really doubt that. Now get out of here and get that wreck you call a smile taken care of,” she said shooing the stallion out of the store.
Scootaloo watched this all happen with wide eyed confusion. “Why did you care so much about his teeth?” she questioned once Bon Bon had returned back to the counter.
Bon Bon looked around and made sure no other pony was listening. She bent down and whispered in a hush tone to Scootaloo, “Between you and me kid I got a deal going on with Colgate and her dentist office. For every pony I send their way I get a twenty-five percent cut of any dental work done. I’ve been working on Sweet Tooth’s mouth for months and its time for it to pay off.”
Scootaloo whistled, “Damn, I think you and I are going to get along just fine Miss Bon Bon,” she mischievously smiled.
Bon Bon smiled and ruffled Scootaloo’s mane as she went back behind the counter, “You can just call me Bonnie kid.”
“Sooo, Bonnie… can I have some candy?” Scootaloo asked while trying to look as cute as she could be.
Bon Bon snorted in amusement, “Sorry kid, unless you got bits you better ask Lyra. She’s your caretaker tonight after all. How do you like Lyra by the way?” she asked raising a brow at the filly.
Scootaloo shrugged, “I like her as a teacher. This is the first time I’ve ever been around her outside of school. I know her and Dad have been getting along pretty well,” she grumbled a little.
It didn’t go unnoticed by Bon Bon, “Jealous,” she smirked at the filly.
Scootaloo blushed, “Maybe a little,” she said looking away, “He has been spending a lot of time with her.”
“You know it’s not good to bottle up those types of feelings. You should talk to Sombra if you do feel that way,” Bon Bon said feeling a little sorry for the filly.
“I know,” Scootaloo replied as she lightly kicked the floor. She looked back up to Bon Bon, “Can I have some candy now?”
Bon Bon rolled her eyes, “I told you have to ask Lyra.”
“Ask me what?” Lyra asked as she reentered the room.
“Miss Heartstrings, can I get some candy please?” Scootaloo asked sweetly.
Lyra sighed, “I said that you could call me Lyra, squirt. And sure you can have some, but not too much though. I’m taking you to Sugar Cube Corner for dinner tonight,” she said grinning at the filly.
Sombra sipped at his tea as he gauged the four ponies that sat before him. Princess Celestia sat directly in front of him, quietly humming as she sipped her own cup of tea. Twilight Sparkle sat to her right. She was currently levitating a notebook and quill out of her saddlebag that sat behind her. Next to her was Rainbow Dash, who was grimacing at the tea she had just sipped. And to the left of Celestia standing to her side was the guard pony that Sombra had greeted upon his arrival. He was trying to look confident while also trying to control his knees that were constantly shaking. They were all currently in the royal dining hall with only a single long table separating them from the former tyrant of the north.
It was Celestia who decided to break the silence first, “So Sombra how was your day?” she asked as she levitated her tea cup back onto the saucer in front of her.
Sombra shrugged as he also lowered his cup, “Pretty uneventful, spent most of the day finishing up the final details for the Changeling Invasion that’s coming up next month,” he replied.
“Ahh that’s right,” Celestia said nodding her heads, “I just approved the final permits for the invasion yesterday. You should receive them in the mail soon.”
“Thank you Celestial, hopefully that will stop Chrysalis from breathing down my neck about the invasion every damn day now,” he sighed and looked over at Twilight. “So Sparkle I think I can safely assume that you’re here to take notes?”
“That’s right!” Twilight smiled as she clapped her hooves ecstatically in excitement. “I’ve been meaning to get with you so I could more information about the Crystal Empire before its exile, especially since the vast majority of the Crystal Empire can’t recall it themselves and most of the books in the library were destroyed upon the reemergence of the empire, but I’ve just been so busy lately. So when Celestia told me about her dinner plans I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get information on the subject!” she squeed.
“I see,” Sombra nodded, “But why did you bring Rainbow along?”
“Twilight mentioned something about free food so I tagged along,” Rainbow answered.
Sombra snorted in amusement and turned his attention to the guard that was trying to hide behind Celestia, “So guard what’s your name?”
Flash Sentry squeaked in fear.
“Oh that’s just Flash Sentry, Sombra.” Rainbow answered for the cowering Pegasus.
“Sentry, sentry… why does that sound familiar,” Sombra mumbled scratching his chin in thought.
“Well he is originally from the empire. Maybe you terrorized him at some point during your reign,” Celestia said.
Sombra narrowed his eyes at the orange stallion, “Perhaps but I usually try to remember the names of the ponies I personally terrorize.”
“You do? Why is that?” Rainbow questioned.
“Because it’s the polite thing to do Rainbow,” He replied giving the mare a fang filled grin. He turned his attention back to Celestia, “So will your sister also be joining us for dinner?”
“I’m afraid not. I did invite her but she said she had other matters to attend to this evening.”
Lyra and Scootaloo sat at a table in the crowded dining area of Sugar Cube Corner. All around them families and friends sat together chatting and enjoying each other’s company. All except for a rather tall pony in a trench coat that sat in the corner. They hide behind a comically large sized newspaper, but enough about that pony.
Scootaloo and Lyra sat in silence as they both traded off in giving each other awkward glances. Both of them not really sure on what they should talk about.
“Come on Lyra! You spend most of your day around foals, it shouldn’t be this hard to talk to Scootaloo,” Lyra mentally chided herself.
“Being around a teacher after school is weird,” Scootaloo thought.
“So Scootaloo how’s school going?” Lyra finally asked breaking the silence between them.
Scootaloo cocked her head to the side, “You’re one of my teachers. Don’t you already know how I’m doing in school?”
Lyra mentally slapped herself, “Oh yeah that’s right,” she chuckled. “Last time I checked it looked like you were doing well.”
“A- average,” Scootaloo smiled.
“That a girl,” Lyra cheered, “Although I did hear from Cheerilee that she had to give you detention for hitting Pipsqueak the other day.”
“I didn’t hit him,” she scoffed, “I just lightly slapped him on the back of the head. He kept going on and on. On how nightmare moon is just princess Luna in a cheap nightmare night mask. He was raving like a lunatic. I had to shut him up somehow.”
“Wow, that little fella has always been off his rocker about Princess Luna, but to insinuate that she’s masquerading as Nightmare Moon. Well that’s just crazy, but you still shouldn’t have hit him. At least not where Cheerilee would have seen,” she added giving the filly a devious wink.
“Shouldn’t you be telling me it’s bad to hit other ponies?”
“Hey sometimes you have to smack a pony on the backside of the head. It’s just the way life goes,” Lyra shrugged.
“I think I understand why dad likes you now,” Scootaloo said looking up at Lyra.
Lyra blushed from the remark, “Right umm,” she cleared her throat and looked away still blushing, “Does he talk about me a lot?”
Scootaloo gave her music teacher a smirk, “Trying to see if I’ll give you some dirt on dad, hmm?”
“What! No no no, why would I ever do that?” She exclaimed grabbing her menu off the table and hiding her face behind it, “So Scootaloo what are you thinking about getting?”
“Yeah Scoot’s what you getting,” asked Pinkie Pie. Both Scootaloo and Lyra jumped in their seats from the pink pony’s sudden appearance. “You would think ponies would be used to this by now,” Pinkie shrugged, “Hey Lyra was your face all red?”
“Never mind that Pinkie,” Lyra grumbled, “I’ll just have my usual.”
“One mint chocolate chip shake and a double chocolate chip muffin coming up, and for you Scootaloo?”
“I’ll take a strawberry shake and a lemon poppy seed muffin, please Pinkie.”
“I’m on it,” Pinkie Pie saluted before hopping away.
Lyra watched the pink pony bounce away before turning her attention back to Scootaloo, “So about that dirt?”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes at the mare.
Twilight’s and Rainbow’s paled opened mouth faces stared at Sombra as he calmly ate his steak, rare. Twilight was the first one to recover. She closed her mouth and nervously swallowed before squeaking out, “So you’re telling us?”
“That yes, in the third century the land that the crystal empire was built on used to be inhabited by a race of Woolly Minotaur’s, until my grandfather arrived and enslaved them. He forced them to build the empire from the ground up and basically worked them into extinction. In fact the very last wholly Minotaur died upon my birth. My family took it as a good omen,” Sombra smiled fondly at the memory.
“Your family killed an entire race,” Celestia balked she looked like she was on the verge of throwing up. However the Pegasus guard behind her was throwing up into a nearby potted plant. “How could some pony even conceive doing that?” she asked.
“Pretty easily actually, they were already there, they were easily frightened by magic. So my grandfather figured hey free cheap labor. Over a thousand died just building the palace alone,” Sombra explained.
“Wait a minute Sombra, I’m confused?” Twilight spoke.
“About what Sparkle?”
“Well from the few remaining history books I have found on the crystal empire, that I have read. None of this is ever mentioned. Nothing about your family is ever mentioned or that an entire race was wiped out to build the empire. They claim that Princess Platinum formed the empire and raised it from the ground with her magic alone,” Twilight explained.
Sombra smiled at Twilight, “That’s because history is written by the victors Sparkle.”
“What the hay does that mean?” Rainbow squawked.
“It means that the Crystal Ponies rewrote the history books after I was deposed the first time,” Sombra explained.
“WHAT!” They all yelled.
“Yup, you see when the Empire was first formed the citizens were mostly members of the various blood thirsty tribes and mercenaries that my Grandfather commanded. They all settled there and started to form families. A few centuries pasted and I inherited control of the country when my Father decided to retire.”
“Centuries? How old are you dude?”
“By the time I was appointed ruler the citizens had evolved into a more peace loving populace compared to what they were a couple centuries past.”
“Seriously how old are you?”
“They didn’t want a war mongering embodiment of dark magic as their ruler so they started a resistance movement against my rule. I thought I could nip it in the bud quickly if I took out the leader Bolt. That only made them more determined. They were able to construct a dark magic repealing field in secret.”
“The crystal heart,” Celestia gasped.
“Exactly, they used it expel me from the Empire. I was exiled into the frozen wastes, while they erased me and my family from their history. When I came back two hundred years later with a new army they didn’t even know who I was. But I made them remember by crushing them back into submission,” he growled. “I forced the whole population into slavery, held mass executions, I invaded their minds to crush their dreams and made sure if I was ever deposed again then no one would have the Empire!” he slammed his fist down on the table shaking everyponies plate. “And I will take back control of the Crystal Empire again!” He snarled as he glared down every pony in the room.
Flash Sentry hid behind Celestia and cowered.
“It’s okay Flash Sentry, Sombra is just a little riled up right now. You’re okay,” Celestia said soothing the cowering Pegasus guard.
Twilight rolled her eyes at the stallion, “That’s not how a royal guard is supposed to ask Flash. My brother would be really disappointed in you if he saw you now.”
“Wait!” Sombra shouted pointing a hoof at Flash. “I know why you seem so familiar to me now, I knew your parents!”
“You did?” Flash eeped.
“Yes they were two of my most trusted guards.”
Flash’s jaw dropped as his brain completely stopped. Every pony in the room eyed him for a moment before shrugging and resuming their meals.
Rainbow took a swig of her cider and cleared her throat, “Anyway seriously dude how old are you?”
Admiral Scootaloo surveyed the approaching Equestrian Naval Fleet from the deck of her personal battle ship. She snarled in annoyance as the scar across her eye began to itch. “So you think you can stop me by sending the whole Royal Navy after me Celestia! I’ll show you! You sun loving whore, nothing will stop my vendetta!” she shouted into the heavens for all to hear. The sound of a pony approaching caused her to turn around.
Rainbow Dash stood before her. The Rainbow maned pony saluted, “I’m ready to strike on your orders Admiral Scoots!”
Scootaloo took in the older mare. She vaguely remembered a time when she had to look up to stare into her magenta eyes. Time had taken a toll on the mare her hair and coat had dulled with age. Deep aged lines lined her face, but Scootaloo knew that besides all that. She was still as spry as she was thirty years ago.
“You know that there’s a high chance you might not make it back,” She told Rainbow sternly.
Rainbow’s posture softened and she smirked at Scootaloo, “You know me Squirt. I’m always ready to lay my life on the line for a friend, and for the cause.”
“I’m not a squirt anymore Rainbow,” Scootaloo grumbled.
“I know you’re not,” she smiled. “Just promise me one thing Scootaloo,” she said walking out and spreading out her wings.
“What’s that?”
“Make sure you deck one to Celestia for one,” she said giving Scootaloo one final smirk before taking off.
Scootaloo watched her as she ascended higher and higher into the sky. “Godspeed Rainbow,” she saluted. Rainbow stopped and descended picking up speed. She punched a hole in the very sky as she continued to descend.
“Tactile Sonic Rainboom!” Scootaloo yelled slamming her Rainbow Dash action figure onto her toy boat. Creating a wave that gushed water out of the overflowing bath tub. “The Equestrian Navy is decimated, No Survivors.” She adapted a stern look, “I’ll never forget your sacrifice Rainbow. First Mate Sweetie Belle set course for Canterlot. We have a date with the Sun!”
“Aye Aye, Admiral Scootaloo!” Scootaloo squeaked out raising the pitch of her voice to imitate her friend.
“What are you doing Scootaloo?”
Scootaloo shrieked in surprise and dived under the water. She reemerged a second later blushing and glaring at the mint colored unicorn that was doubled over on the bathroom floor laughing, “Don’t you know how to knock?” she snarled.
“I was,” Lyra laughed as she righted herself. She got her laughter under control and wiped a tear from her eye, “I was wondering why your bath was taking so long. I was just trying to make sure you were okay. I didn’t mean to interrupt your playtime, honest,” she said giving Scoot’s an apologetic smile.
"It's okay," Scootaloo grumbled, "I'll be out in a minute."
"Alright, by the way Sombra just messaged me. It looks like his dinner with the princess is running late. He probably won’t be back before you go to bed. Just wanted to let you know," she said before exiting the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
Scootlaloo thought over this information and scratched her chin, "I wonder what dad and the princess are talking about."
"Did your call go alright Sombra?" Celestia asked as Sombra reentered the royal dining hall.
"Yes, I told Lyra to put Scootaloo to bed and just spend the night at my place," He answered retaking his seat.
“How are things going with Lyra if you don’t mind me asking?” Twilight inquired.
“They are going good, Sombra smiled.
“Have you guys you know,” Rainbow Dash asked banging her hooves together and winking at Sombra.
Sombra violently blushed, “I don’t see how that’s any business of yours Rainbow,” he scoffed.
Rainbow leaned over to Twilight, “That mean no,” she whispered making Twilight giggle.
Sombra harrumphed, “If you two are through. I’d like to get back to our discussion. Now if one of you would be so kind to remind me where I left off?”
Celestia smiled, “Yes you just got done telling us about the day that Flash’s parents named you his godfather, and how you use to give him piggyback rides into battle zones when he was a little colt,” she snickered.
“Yes I just finished telling you about the time I had to calm him down after a pony’s brains exploded on him. Mid battle I remind you.”
The stallion in question was currently curled up into a ball in the corner of the dining room sobbing for the death of his current world view.
“You were just about to tell us about your ex-wife,” Twilight piped in.
Sombra fell silent and his normally angry glare softened, “Her name was Nova Bright” he said somberly.