//------------------------------// // Chapter Nine : Checking In // Story: CoH (Book Two) : Of Ancient Castles and Soldier Hassles // by Diespitris //------------------------------// It was well into the afternoon when Twilight began to feel antsy. She tried before to distract her tapping hooves with some light reading. Yet, if it wasn't due to the sudden boom of thunder every now and again, her thoughts were troubled with her friend in the Everfree. It was preposterous, she knew. The vast forest was spared from the storm blanketed over town, and Sombra was a grown stallion capable of looking after himself. But, what kind of friend would she be if she didn't make sure? “Spike!” she called, closing her book. A thought struck, and she snatched three more from off the shelf. “Yeah?” came the reply from downstairs. She teleported to her assistant. The little dragon was in the middle of making a sandwich. “Can you watch the library for an hour or two?” she asked. “Well, of course I can, but why—” “I'm going into the Everfree.” She donned her saddlebags, into which went the books. Before Spike protested, she gave him a reassuring nuzzle. “I'll teleport,” she chuckled, “and I'll be fine. This weather is contained to Ponyville, remember?” He eyed her warily. “Yeah, yeah... May I ask why you're going?” She swallowed the urge to tell him the truth. It made her feel a little wretched, though it was made better by the thought that the lie was for a good cause. “Well, I'm delving into a bit of research about the Everfree's flora,” she said. Her magic swirled across the top of the counter—gathering the items Spike got out into a few sandwiches of her own. “Also, and I know this is silly, but I'm starting to go stir-crazy in here.” To her relief, Spike shrugged. “Okay, but I'm reading comics while you're gone.” She hugged him. “Deal!” In a flash of magenta light, she traded the library for the stretch of a familiar rope bridge. She frowned; she had hoped to get herself into the ancient castle. She remedied the situation with another teleport, which took her to the front doors. As a precaution, she knocked three times. She was surprised as the doors slowly swung open, but she was curious to see Sombra wasn't awaiting her on the other side. The entrance was well lit, however, and so she went inside. The doors then closed of their own accord. A simple enchantment, she mused with a small smile. She moved forward. Much had changed since the previous day. The main hall was tidier, with the holes in the ceiling patched and the chunks of debris cleaned from the floor. Gone, too, were the sun and moon banners, however, as well as the fabric tatters from the walls. Curious, she recalled the route to the library and she retraced the path in a light trot. She passed through hallway after hallway. Her steps were muffled on the dirty rugs that lined each stretch of marble floor. One rounded corner later, she nearly collided with Sombra. Startled, she yelped, and the stallion recoiled with a wince. “By the stars, Twilight,” he sighed. He set the box he carried on the floor. “It's only me.” “I know!” she squeaked. He smirked. “Alright, then. What brings you here, my friend?” “I brought you some stuff—some food and a few books.” She glanced at the box. “But, if you're busy...” “Nonsense. I was just doing a little cleaning, is all.” The greenish color of his magic enveloped the box again. “Come with me to the library.” She followed without hesitation, and she was amazed by the chamber's transformation. Here, too, the ceiling was restored, the floor cleared of rubble and mangled books. The tables had been returned to their upright positions. Many were already piled high with stacks of ancient tomes. Sombra led her to one that was bare. He set the box aside as he removed his cloak. “So, tell me, what have you brought?” he asked, draping the cloak over the back of a chair. “Some sandwiches.” Twilight placed them on the table. “I threw them together at the last minute. I hope they're okay.” Her eyes widened. “Unless you're not hungry, of course! Or, if you're tired of sandwiches already I can always go back and make you something—” Magic gently wrapped around her muzzle. “Easy, Twilight!” her friend chided. “I'm grateful, truly. I was too busy tidying up around here to eat before, so I'm thankful you came.” “Really?” “Yes, really.” His smile fell a tidbit. “However, you don't have to go out of your way to bring me food.” She looked away. “I know, but you don't have a lot of options out here, you know?” Her ears folded flat. “You'll go hungry.” “Don't worry about me.” His hoof came to rest on her shoulder. “I'm a capable stallion, and I have more options than you believe.” He patted the same shoulder. “This forest provides plenty of scavenging opportunities. If it's not enough, I'm sure Pitch will easily find employment in Ponyville.” Twilight deadpanned. “You named your disguise?” He beamed. “Of course! Better to have it and not need it, you know?” Her bottom lip trembled as she attempted to not smile. It was futile. A grin spread across her face as she failed to hold back a laugh. “Alright, fine! I'll give you that one!” She reached into her saddlebags. “I'll also give you these.” With a flourish, she pulled out the books. “I brought 'The History of Equestria', 'The Complete Guide to Equestria', and 'Everfree Beasts and How to Avoid Them'!” She tapped the second title. “This one is a little outdated, though, due to the Crystal Empire and all.” “Oh, I don't mind. Thank you for these. I'll treat them with great care.” As he silently inspected the tomes, Twilight's eyes wandered. They first wandered over the obvious changes in the library. There were no drafts, no chance for rain to find its way inside with the roof repaired. Wall sconces and candlesticks gave the chamber a warm glow. It was so much cozier. She wandered why Sombra even bothered wearing a cloak indoors. Except, at that moment, he wasn't wearing it. Frowning, her eyes fell upon the stallion. She never questioned it before, as she had no reason to question it when they were sheltered in a damp cave in the middle of the north's frozen wasteland. However, it occurred to her only then it was the first time she saw him without it. He wasn't as muscular as, for reference, her brother, but he was far from thin. His coat was a solid charcoal color, except it shimmered ever so slightly in the dim light. The hair of his tail was, like his mane, black with a single stripe of blue. More importantly, his cutie mark was no longer concealed. It depicted a red crystal, ensnared in the familiar green and purple swirls of dark magic. As excited as Twilight was to finally see what it looked like, her curiosity cut through the excitement. His cutie mark was split diagonally by two jagged scars. They were parallel to each other; the bottom scar was shorter. They weren't newer injuries. Clearly, they had healed long ago. It was also obvious how bad they'd been, for no hair had grown back over the knotted skin. It must've been painful... However long she stared, it was long enough for Sombra to notice. He cleared his throat. “Twilight?” She jolted. “Yes?” His emerald eyes glanced at his own mark. The realization hit like a train. An alarming amount of heat rose into Twilight's cheeks. “Sorry!” she squeaked. “I-I didn't mean to stare! I-I-I just—” Once again, she was magically silenced. “It's all right,” Sombra assured her. They stood in silence for a few moments. Eventually, Twilight rubbed the back of her neck and muttered, “I really am sorry, though. I never saw your cutie mark before.” She paused. “And the... scars caught me off guard, too.” “They're old wounds,” he replied—his voice just above a whisper. “Not from my childhood, but from before... my time as a tyrant. I got into a scrap and I was forced to defend myself.” He chuckled. “As you can see, I didn't make it out unscathed.” “Who attacked you?” “Someone I made the mistake of trusting.” He took a deep breath. “That's all I have to say about that, for the moment. It's not something on which I like to dwell. I hope you understand.” She smiled. “Don't worry, I get it.” She got it the moment Sombra began being vague with his explanation, and she knew better than to pry. Instead, she decided to backtrack. “Well, on a lighter note, if you ever want to get out of the castle, I'm all for you introducing yourself around Ponyville.” When Sombra's eyes widened, she quickly added, “As Pitch!” They were far from revealing him as.... well, himself. “Ah...” He slowly nodded his head. “Thank you. I'd very much like to take stock of my surroundings first. We'll see what happens then.” “Understandable.” She smiled. “Don't be afraid to come to the library if you need anything. It's the only house in Ponyville that's a literal oak tree, so you can't miss it.” She lifted her saddlebags off the table and promptly placed them on her back. “I'll see you later?” He smiled. “Of course, my friend.” The tip of her horn glowed, and then she was gone. Running a hoof through his mane, Sombra sighed. He made a mental note to remember the location of the books, before he returned his attention to the box on the floor. There wasn't much within, only some small paintings and a banner he managed to fold enough to fit inside. He picked it up, and he left the library with it. He didn't venture far, for the nearest storage closet was only two corridors away. That was where he left it. Out of sight, out of mind. Nothing was truly garbage, so storage awaited nearly everything the stallion removed from the walls. The castle was no longer theirs, after all. It hadn't been theirs for a long, long, long time. It was his now, and making it more into a personal home seemed like a step in the right direction. But, when his steps brought him to the vacant throne room, he hesitated. With the castle came countless memories—all of which he ignored as he slowly approached the back of the chamber, where twin thrones set. They were nearly identical in make and model. However, one was golden-hued, while the other sported blue hues. Above each throne was a celestial banner: the moon and stars above the blue throne, the sun and sky above the gold throne. Sombra tore those down first. They were already in tatters. He honestly didn't care if he added to them. He rolled them up and set them aside, then he turned his attention to the thrones. He picked up both in his magic and he pulled them closer. Time had eaten away at them, too. They were dull and chipped. Fragile. He threw them against the wall—watching impassively as the impact caused them fall into countless pieces. Out of sight, out of mind.