//------------------------------// // The Umbrum Return // Story: Yu-Gi-Oh! Friendship is Magic // by sonicdash123 //------------------------------// A red crystal was protected by a large fence to be sure nothing comes in and out in the Frozen North. Guards were standing outside of the fence as some other guards stood guard at the crystal. The crystal suddenly began to glow and the guards turned to investigate. One of them were about to step up, but stopped when an Umbrum popped out of the crystal and sent the guard flying. Many more popped out and attacked the other guards. One of the guards survived and flew away from the chaos. One more Umbrum popped out and looked at the remaining cowering guards and then to the other Umbrum. One of the Umbrum approached and reported, "One escaped, Rabia. Shall we pursue?" "No," Rabia said. "Let the princesses know that we have finally returned. The Umbrum only nodded. "Besides, things have changed since our second banishment. Perhaps the Crystal Empire can wait. Besides, I sense a new presence in Equestria." Cadence was reading an important letter until the doors opened and Flash Sentry ran in. "What seems to be the problem?" Cadence asked. "There's been an attack at the portal to the Umbrum land," Flash reported. "They have returned." Cadence gasped. "Inform the other princesses and try to find Sombra and Radiant. They must know about this as well." Flash saluted and ran out of the throne room while Cadence levitated a quill and a piece of paper and began to write a letter. "My brother Charming Thunder, you must come to the Crystal Empire right away..." Charming Thunder was looking over his deck after buying some cards from the shop in Ponyville. Spike entered the room out of breath carrying a letter. "Charming, letter from your sister," he said. "Sounded urgent." Charming Thunder levitated the letter out of Spike's hands and unrolled it to read it. His eyes widened after reading it and dropped the letter. "They're back," Charming Thunder said; quietly. "The Umbrum have returned." He then turned to look at Spike. "Does Twilight know about this?" "Yes. She got a letter as well saying the same thing before yours came." "Then we must go to the Crystal Empire at once." Charming Thunder got up and walked past Spike and left the room followed by Spike. The two then arrived in the room where Twilight and her friends were looking at the map. He then looked at the map with them and gazed at the Crystal Empire. "I'm surprised that the Crystal Empire hasn't been attacked yet. What's changed?" "I am not sure," Twilight said. "They mainly attack the Crystal Empire as their main goal. What if they are after Sombra?" "Sombra? He's back too?" "In a good way actually," Applejack explained. "He was saved by his friend; Radiant Hope." Charming Thunder looked away from the group. "What's wrong, Charming?" Twilight asked. "It's nothing," Charming Thunder replied. "We should head to the Crystal Empire." "Agreed." The group then left the castle to the train station to travel to the Crystal Empire. Arriving at the Crystal empire castle, Charming Thunder entered the throne room with his friends when he sees a stallion talking to the three princesses. It was Sombra along with Radiant Hope. Charming Thunder had an angry look on his face as he approached Sombra. The group noticed him as Sombra attempted to greet him, but was stopped by a slap in the face by Charming Thunder. "You have some nerve coming back, Sombra," Charming Thunder said; angrily. "Is the Umbrum's return your doing?" "Charming, please allow Sombra to explain," Cadence said. Sombra brushed off the pain on his face and cleared his throat as Twilight and the others approached. "I believe that some of the Umbrum along with Rabia devised a way to enter the physical world instead of the Crystal Empire," Sombra explained. "I am not sure how, but it probably is the same way when they...made me a pony." "So you are one of them once?" Charming Thunder asked. "A childhood friend of mine ever since we were young," Radiant said. "He was once teased by other foals before we met. I saved his life with my healing magic. There is...also a matter we need to discuss without your friends." Charming Thunder turned to look at his friends. "Would you mind, girls?" "Of course," Twilight said as she and the others took their leave. "Give us a holler if you need anything," Rainbow said. Once the doors were shut, Celestia then placed a hoof on Charming Thunder's shoulder. "What's going on here?" Charming Thunder asked. "There is something I should've told you a long time ago," Celestia said. "About your father." "My father? You told me that he died a long time ago." "That was a lie," Luna said. "We have told Cadence about this before she raised you as her brother. Sombra...is your father." Charming Thunder was shocked that his father was standing right in front of him. "You mean he---" "Yes, Charming," Sombra confessed. "I am your father. And Radiant here is your mother." "Wha--?" "I know it sounds crazy, but please hear us out," Radiant said. "A long time ago, your father and I were married before he found out that he was an Umbrum. I was pregnant with you after Sombra became a dark pony you remembered." "Then why did you send me away to the princesses?" "I feared that you would be an Umbrum like your father. They would go after you if you have their blood." Charming Thunder looked away at the thought. Radiant approached him and placed a hoof on his chin and turned his gaze to her. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth. Have you been feeling like you are about to crumble to pieces?" "No." Radiant sighed with relief. "That's good to hear." "It's been a thousand years, my son," Sombra said as he came up to Charming Thunder. Charming Thunder then started to cry and hugged Radiant. Sombra joined in on the hug as the princesses took their leave to give them some privacy on Charming thunder's reunion. A gathering was held at the throne room of the castle of the Crystal Empire. Charming Thunder stood next to Sombra as he explained everything. He told Twilight and the others about the reason why the Umbrum really returned. "So let me get this straight," Applejack said. "You are Sombra and Radiant's son and the Umbrum would probably come after you?" "That's correct," Charming Thunder said. "If they come here again for me, who knows what will they do to me." "We won't let them take you," Rainbow said with confidence. "Not without a fight." The ground began to shake as the ghostly figure of Rabia appeared before the group. "Not without a fight?" Rabia asked. "What a bout this so called a game of Duel Monsters?" Charming Thunder stepped up to his enemy as Rabia gazed at him. "So...this is my so called grandson. I expected him to be like his father." "The father I once knew in the past is gone," Charming Thunder said. "He is now redeemed thanks to my mother." "Now that is not how you speak to your grandmother." "What do you want, mother?" Sombra demanded. "Revenge. On your puny friends and hopefully turn your son into one of us in the end." Rabia chuckled as Radiant stood in front of Charming Thunder. "He would never join you," Radiant said. "Oh. And how do you plan to stop us?" "Us?" Charming Thunder asked. Six more Umbrum figures appeared next to Rabia. "Seven of us versus seven of you. Seven of you should face us in a Shadow Duel." "Shadow Duel?" "I've heard of this," Twilight said. "It causes the players to suffer real damage from the effects of any card played during the duel." "Well learned, Twilight Sparkle," Rabia said. "Perhaps six of the Element of Harmony bearers should face us in a Shadow Duel." "If you can find us," one of the Umbrum said. The seven then vanished into thin air while the group gasped. "What did they mean by if we can find them?" Fluttershy asked. Suddenly, Twilight and her friend's cutie marks began to glow as they turned to look at them. "Guess we are about to find out," Twilight said. At Twilight's castle, Charming Thunder and the others looked at the map in the center of the room which had his friend's cutie marks on separate locations. Charming Thunder turned his attention to Twilight and asked, "Has this ever happened before?" "Only for friendship problems and one time when we had to search for the Pony of Shadows," Twilight said. She then pointed to each location familiar to her on the map. "Canterlot, Cloudsdale, Castle of the Two Sisters, the Changeling Lands, Basalt Beach, and Las Pegasus. Those are the locations marked on the map." "We can't just go to one location at a time," Applejack said. "It would take forever to face them all at once." "We need to split up then," Charming Thunder said. "I'll go back to the Crystal Empire to make sure anything happens." "Then I'll go to Canterlot," Twilight said. "I'll go to Cloudsdale," Rainbow said. "I'll go to the Castle of the Two Sisters," Rarity said. "I will go to Basalt Beach," Applejack said. "I shall go to Las Pegasus," Fluttershy said. "Ooooh!" Pinkie said. "Guess that means I am going the Changeling Lands!" The group looked at each other and nodded. "Alright," Charming Thunder said. "Let's go save Equestria!"