//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Darkness Arrives // Story: The Dark Secret // by HeartfireFirebrand //------------------------------// It was early in the morning before the sun rose, Scootaloo woke as she felt something dangerous from far in the north. Scootaloo growled “It’s him, I’m going to deal with this before he threatens my friends!” Her eyes glowed green as dark purple trails flew out behind them, in a pulse of dark magic she vanished. She frowned as she arrived in a froze tundra, she then focused her body growing, her coat changing to a darker orange as her mane changed into a much darker shade of purple. She stood equal in height to Celestia herself, Scootaloo frowned as she saw a huge black shadow with green eyes and purple trails. It growled “Crystals!” Scootaloo eyes flashed green “Sombra, return to you true self!” Sombra transformed into a dark grey stallion with an almost black mane as he looked up at the mare. Sombra scoffed “Who dares approach me, King Sombra.” Scootaloo voice echoed as a huge dark aura surrounded her “It seems the Umbrum have forgotten their creator, I am Dark Regalia the Goddess of Darkness.” Sombra bowed as he felt the aura “My goddess, what do you wish of me?” Scootaloo growled “I’m retired, I have been living happily in Equestria and you are going to jeopardize that! So I’m giving you one chance to join me, you will be living as a simple colt otherwise I will eradicate you with extreme prejudice.” King Sombra bowed shaking in fear “Yes, my Goddess.” Scootaloo shook her head “You will call me Scootaloo while in disguise, and there will be no mentioning of our past. We don’t want Celestia or Luna to find us.” King Sombra nodded unwilling to upset the goddess in front of him, Scootaloo focused on the stallion turning him into a light grey colt with a light blue mane. Scootaloo then resumed her own form before teleporting them back to the outside of the Orphanage, I whispered “Now Sombra can’t be your name here, you need a new name.” King Sombra sat there for a few moments before turning to Scootaloo “Aqua Shade is a good name.” Scootaloo smiled “Well Aqua, it’s time to show you what it means to embrace friendship. I know it will not be easy, I struggled a lot a first but it’s worth it in the end.” Just then Foal Care galloped out with a scowl “Scootaloo, what are you doing out here?! You should still be inside!” Scootaloo apologised “I’m sorry, I noticed this colt Aqua Shade was wandering outside alone. I was worried about him.” Foal Care sighed “That is quite noble but please be more careful. My heart almost stopped when I found you weren’t in your bed.” Scootaloo nodded “I have to help the Apples, I’ll be back tonight” she then smiled at Aqua “Foal Care maybe quite strict but she cares for all of us.” As Scootaloo galloped towards Sweet Apple Acres, Aqua looked up nervously. In truth he never had anyone interact positively with him when he was a foal save Princess Amore, he was extremely nervous. Foal Care gave him a warm smile “I’ll introduce to some of the other foals, I’m sure you’ll fit right in.” Aqua nerves grew as Foal Care guiding him into the large warm building, he tried to shake his nerves as he followed Foal Care though a light blue hallway covered in foal Drawings (You’ve run an entire empire, faced off against two Alicorns. Now you are scared of a room of foals, toughen up.) Foal Care smiled excitedly “We have a new foal, his name is Aqua Shade. Scootaloo found him wandering around outside, since he appears to have no home he will be staying with us.” Aqua tensed as almost all the colts and fillies surrounded him save one, questions came in an endless barrage “Where do you come form? How do you know Scootaloo? Who left you here? What is your Favourite Food?” Aqua shook violently in fear (There are so many of them, I just want to be alone.) Aqua began to cry. Foal Care sternly stepped in “That’s enough, you are clearly scaring him. I’m going to take him to his new room.” A dark blue Thestral filly with golden slitted eyes watched as he was guided away from them. Foal Care sighed “I was hoping this wouldn’t happen, foals can be quite energetic. You were not ready for that, I was hoping you could make some friends.” Aqua remained quiet as he was hided through the hallways, soon they arrived outside a room with a dark blue door. Aqua blinked there were pictures of stars on the dark walls, the curtains were shut tightly. Foal Care sighed “This is Shining Star’s room, this is the only room with a spare bed but no foal wishes to be in this room with her.” Aqua gave a smile for the first first time in centuries “I like it, I always admired the stars.” A soft voice commented “Really?” Foal Care turned to see the dark blue Thestral, she sighed “Shining Star, you were supposed to wait with the others.” Aqua smiled at Foal Care “It’s fine, I could use a friend.” Foal Care smiled “Well then I’ll leave you too here to get to know each other.” Star smiled at Aqua as they entered the room “What do you know about stars?” Aqua grinned “Well.” The two foals spoke for hours on the topic of stars with no end in sight. It took Foal Care dragging them out for dinner to end their conversation. Meanwhile Celestia and Luna as well as Rarity were sitting across from the council of nobles, one of the highest ranking nobles Sound Breaker shouted “This is outrageous, the foul beasts invaded our hallowed Capital! They should all be purged.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed “You wish us to go to war without concern for how many lives will be lost. We are not a warlike nation and never will be, war has come to us very rarely over thew centuries under my reign and I have no wish to change that.” Before another word could be said a messenger flew “I have brought urgent news for the Princesses, the Crystal Empire has returned!” Celestia and Luna commanded “This discussion will have to wait for another time, with the Empire’s return, an old threat we sealed away would have returned and it must be dealt with immediately! Therefore you should all return home!” While every noble grumbled as they left Rarity frowned as she followed the two Alicorns concerned how this threat would affect her new hive.