“You know, you’re a surprisingly quick healer,” Starlight said, slightly lifting the ice pack she held over Sombra’s fetlock to check it over. It was still swollen and sore, but the injuries from his chains had faded considerably. “You’re still pretty lame when you walk, but everything else is already looking a lot better. Even your neck’s healing pretty nicely, and that was a pretty nasty wound when I saw it.”
“If I had my magic it’d be even quicker,” Sombra muttered discontentedly, shifting himself to lay his head over his free arm.
It had nearly been a week since she had taken on the duty of reforming him, and quite expectedly she hadn’t made much progress. Sombra wasn’t as violent and aggressive as she’d expected, most of his outbursts had been out of fear, but he was still adamant in saying the Crystal Empire was his. At least he hadn’t made any demands for Canterlot, if anything he wanted to get out of the city.
“The Princesses have every right to block your magic Sombra, you haven’t exactly made the best impression around here.” Starlight replied with a sigh.
“They didn’t have a right to take my sight and sanity.”
He shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position to lie in without taking his arm away from Starlight. He’d been antsy the past few days she’d noticed, but also increasingly tired. She couldn’t tell by his face of course, but his body language and appearance showed enough. He no longer held his head high as he walked, and his mane and tail had lost their flow, limp against his body as he lay on the bed.
She’d assumed him sick at first, but a quick inspection of his wounds and body temperature had disproven this, along with his verbal displeasure at being touched. Starlight did remember hearing about the Crystal Ponies losing their luster when they were depressed, perhaps Sombra was similar? She didn’t think he was full Crystal, but he’d grown up in the Empire, so there was a good chance their blood ran through his veins.
“Sombra, are you feeling alright?” Starlight asked. She wasn’t sure why she asked, he’d probably lie and say he was fine.
The reply was as stubborn as she expected, “You poked and prodded me all over when you came in, you know the answer.”
“Not physically. Mentally.”
“I’ve been imprisoned in ice while still conscious, brutally murdered twice, and torn of everything I’ve ever had. Take a guess.”
To say she’d been expecting a blatant lie was an understatement, so Sombra giving even the slightest hint that something bothered him caught her off guard. Starlight knew already, she was learning the signs with her job at the school after all, she just thought it would take more time to learn anything.
“Well, I’m a school counselor, if you ever want to talk about what’s bothering you…” She trailed off, the full consequences of her words smacking her in the face. Did she really want to console a former despot about his issues? More specifically, did she, a former despot herself, want to console a former despot about his issues?
Luckily for her, Sombra wasn’t too keen on the idea himself, growling, “Absolutely not. You’ve already humiliated me enough, I don’t need you analyzing my mind as well.”
“Alright, fine, but I have a new preposition for you,” Starlight said, taking the ice pack away and tossing it to the table nearby. Sombra perked his ears. “Would you like to take a walk with me in the garden later? You’ve been lying in this room for days, it can’t possibly be good for you.”
Raising his head a bit, Sombra asked, “I assume Celestia wouldn’t approve?”
Starlight shrugged, “She only said you weren’t allowed to leave Canterlot, so I think it’d be fine to just take you out for a bit of exercise.”
“Oh no, I wasn’t asking for her permission,” Sombra said, sitting up with a stretch and a grin before continuing, “I was just asking if it would make her mad. Are you heading to the library again?”
“Yes, I’m running low on books to read in my freetime,” Starlight explained, not quite willing to mention her research. She wasn’t sure if he’d argue against the history books, as few as they were.
“Could you bring a book to read to me?”
“Huh?” Starlight’s thought bubble popped, and she turned to Sombra in surprise. His voice had been quiet, and almost inaudible, but she had caught what he said. “Of course! Any preferences?”
Ears bent back a bit in embarrassment, Sombra shrugged, “Something written within the past thousand years I suppose. Have they invented any new genres?”
“I’ll be looking around through the history section, I’ll find you something on what’s happened.”
Sombra nodded, laying his head over his hooves as he listened to Starlight rustle around and seemingly gather up her things. She set a few things on the table next to his bed, a quick sniff and Sombra could smell the scent of berries, then walked away. The creak of an old door, and an attempt to close it gently, and Sombra was on his own.
Ears bent back and twitching, he raised his head slightly to sniff at the food Starlight had left him. It seemed to be some sort of pastry, baked with what he assumed to be raspberries, thought it didn’t smell particularly fresh. Likely a treat she had retrieved hours ago, either during breakfast or even the night before for dessert. Leaning forward, Sombra stuck his tongue out to steal a taste.
“Eat it. It’s poisoned.”
Sombra’s jaws slammed shut, fangs piercing his tongue as he shot back to cower against the wall. Ears flat against his head and muscles twitching, he bared his fangs as the voice laughed. The noise reverberated around him, mocking him from all angles.
It had been taunting him for days, morphing between many voices, some familiar and some not. It unnerved him, to say the least, but that wouldn’t stop him from fighting it.
“I very much doubt Starlight would do such a thing,” He said with a growl. He was trying to be threatening, but with how close his body was to the wall, even he wasn’t sure if it was convincing. “She has assured me time and time again that killing me is of no benefit to her.”
“It would benefit the Princesses greatly. The guards too,” The voice responded quickly.
At that, Sombra’s tail twitched. Though the Princesses still terrified him, they hadn’t interfered with Starlight’s attempts since he was first released. It was the guards had been more vocal about their disdain for him. Ever since he’d been thrown in the dungeon in a half feral state, they’d thrown insults, threats, and even food at him. Not to mention the two that had given him quite the beating when they led him to Starlight for the first time, his ribs still ached from that kick.
“They would’ve killed me already had that been true,” Sombra argued.
“Must be too much fun watching you wither away. You’re hardly the pony you once were, a shadow of your former self,” It laughed again, a growingly familiar and unnerving sound, “How humiliating, a shadow of a shadow.”
“You speak a lot of nonsense for something trying to possess my body,” Sombra growled, “Get out of my head.”
“Now who said I was in your head?” The voice asked. A gentle breeze through his coat, and Sombra’s ear twitched as something breathed into his ear, “And who said it was your body?”
“Demon!”
Sombra swung his head in the direction of the breeze, hitting nothing but hearing a faint buzzing sound. Hopping out of his bed, he ran toward the buzzing, only to crash into the table. The things upon it fell over him, the pastry landing upon his head, and something else shattering upon the floor. He stumbled around it, glass crunching under his hooves until her stepped into a puddle of something cold and wet. A sudden bolt of fear surging through him at the wetness, and Sombra launched himself away. He failed to keep his footing this time, slipping to the ground as the voice laughed.
“Get out of my head you demon!” Sombra cried, scrambling back to his hooves and charging in the direction it seemed to sound from. The voice moved, and Sombra collided with the wall as he tried to turn. Falling to the ground again, he cried out, “G-get out! Get out!”
The voice just continued to laugh.
The history books were becoming repetitive. The origin of the Crystal Faire, the nameless Queen or Princess who initiated the first one, and the attractions to be found during the event. Nothing that told her anything worthwhile, and even less on what she’d come here to learn in the first place. Sombra’s reign was all but unwritten.
Pushing that particular book aside, Starlight rested her head on a hoof as she levitated over another. A quick skim of the contents and she deduced that this one was written before the Crystal Empire had returned, and would likely have no information about it.
“This is pointless,” Starlight muttered, pushing that book to the side as well.
Twilight had told her that information on the Empire was scarce, and that she herself had only found books on it when she had first gone, but this was ridiculous. There had been no history books mentioning it before then, everything in the Empire’s history section thus far had been recently written, the Crystal Ponies slowly chipping in to record the past. Perhaps she’d have more luck researching in the Empire itself, or asking the Princesses for more info, but those just weren’t options right now. Luna would likely be getting to work soon, and Celestia hadn’t been particularly friendly with Starlight lately. She wasn’t sure why, but had a feeling it had something to do with Sombra.
That reminded her, she had to find a book to read to him, didn’t she?
Rising from her seat, Starlight took the books she’d taken and stacked them neatly on the table before heading off to another section of the library. Sombra had asked about genres, and though she’d offered to read some history, she’d had just about enough with it for the day. Perhaps she could find another book to satisfy him for the night.
Looking around the bookshelves, she wondered what might interest him. Would he like fantasy? Adventure, mystery, or drama? Horror seemed like a good bet, Sombra’s specialty was fear magic after all, though Starlight wasn’t sure if she wanted to give him any new ideas. There were so many options to choose from, yet so little to go off on when it came to Sombra’s interests. He didn’t really talk to her, as much as respond when she spoke first, or occasionally ask for something.
He was, even after all these days spent with him, a total mystery to her. Twilight had described him as either cold and black hearted, or egocentric and overconfident. The closest she’d seen of any of that was cold, but any pony in a position such as his would be like that. He’d lost everything, and even with his demands for the Crystal Empire, she could only assume by his demeanor that he’d begun to finally believe that himself.
“I suppose it’s a start,” She sighed, not even caring that she’d begun talking to herself. No one was really in the library right now anyway, night was fast approaching.
Stopping at a cart of books awaiting reshelving, she looked over each one, waiting for a title to catch her attention. She skipped over one that used time travel as a plot point, ignored the Daring Do books, only stopping when she saw the word ‘shadow’ on one of the spines. Removing the book curiously, she recognized the writer immediately.
Stygian. This was one of Stygian’s books. His series about his fall to darkness and subsequent freedom afterwards. Starlight had read them already, Twilight had been sure to buy them for her own personal library upon each one’s publication. Perhaps this would be a good book to read Sombra.
Taking note of the setting sun outside, Starlight quickly made her way to the front desk. The librarian had been cleaning off the front desk, preparing to head out when Starlight came over.
“I’m not too late to check this out, am I?” She asked, setting the book on the desk, “I was so busy researching, I lost track of time.”
“That’s perfectly fine my dear, getting lost in a book is exactly what this place is here for,” The librarian assured her, taking the book to stamp it before handing it back, “It’s probably a good thing you came when you did actually, this book has been quite popular lately.”
"So I've heard," Starlight nodded, setting the book in her saddlebag before thanking the librarian and trotting out.
The roads of Canterlot were still busy even as night approached, ponies finishing up last minute tasks or making their way to a restaurant for a fancy dinner. She could smell the food from some of them as she walked, her stomach growling in a reminder she had yet to eat dinner herself, but she kept on her path to the castle. She’d make something simple and quick for her and Sombra when she got there. Perhaps a salad, the castle’s kitchen was always stocked high with fresh fruits and vegetables, and she could take it outside for the two of them to eat.
She’d planned ahead on taking Sombra outside, opting to do it at night while no pony was visiting. The worst she’d have to worry about were the guards, and though they've yelled some rather distasteful things her way, they wouldn’t dare hurt her.
Nearly to the castle, Starlight’s eyes wandered off the path and to the stars above. It was a mostly clear evening, a few stray clouds wandering about in the sky. There had been some rain scheduled for the afternoon, but the Pegasi had promised it would be over by sundown. It might still be a bit wet when she and Sombra go to the garden, but the freshly watered flowers should look extra beautiful in the moonlight.
Flowers and moonlight Sombra wouldn’t be able to see, but hopefully the scent and feel of the greenery would be enough to calm him. He was obviously stressed, but Starlight always thought it smelled nice after a rain, so perhaps he would as well.
Making her way into the castle, she pushed aside her wandering thoughts, and began to head to the guest rooms. Hungry as she was, she always checked on Sombra after returning from the library. Whether to assure herself he was okay, or to make sure he hadn’t somehow caused trouble, she wasn’t entirely sure. He might be blinded and magicless at the moment, but Sombra was still twice the size of an average stallion, likely with the physical prowess to match. She didn’t trust him not to get into a fight.
She was only around the corner from his room when she heard a crash and a yell.
"Go away! Leave me alone!"
That familiar cry of panic, and Starlight ran the rest of the way to Sombra’s room. The tail of a guard swung around the corner on the other side of the hall, but Starlight ignored them as she realized Sombra’s door was cracked open. Worried a guard may have stayed true to their threats of harming him, she barged in.
The room was a mess, table knocked over, glass and blood tinged water spread across the floor. Sombra was backed into the corner, body pressed against the wall as he shivered. His forelegs were wet and bleeding, and a bit of blood was on his mouth. Starlight ran up to him at once.
“Who did this to you?” She demanded, barely holding back yelling. Sombra let out a quiet whine. “Was it a guard? I saw one running off, I’ll tell Celestia at once!”
“No!” Sombra shook his head, “Don’t tell Celestia. Please don’t.”
“Sombra, if the guards are hurting you, I have to tell her,” Starlight said, grabbing his legs gently to inspect his wounds, but he pulled himself away.
“The guards aren’t doing this!” He yelled, staggering back further on shaky legs, “The demons are! They won’t leave me alone, they won’t stop whispering!”
“Demons? There’s no demons-”
Starlight cut herself off, a terrible realization dawning upon her. Sombra wasn’t from modern times, he’d missed a thousand years of medical research. From his point of view, auditory hallucinations were a symptom of something much different than a traumatic experience. Something much less plausible, but much more cause for alarm.
“Sombra,” She said, approaching the terrified stallion slowly. He was seconds away from running from the hallucinations, and Starlight didn’t want to risk him ramming himself into a wall again, “It’s okay now, the demons can’t hurt you while I’m here. I can blast them away with magic, okay?”
Goodness, it was like talking to a frightened foal. Sombra didn’t even seem particularly convinced, nostrils flaring in distress and muscles twitching in an urge to run, but Starlight had to do something to calm him down. He’d hurt himself enough already, those bleeding punctures in his legs were a sure sign he’d fallen in the glass, and who knew where the blood in his mouth had come from. Hopefully he’d only bitten his tongue.
Lifting a hoof to step forward, Sombra hesitated and stepped back instead, asking, “Why should I believe you?”
“Because you don’t have much of a choice.”
Sombra’s ears flattened against his head with a growl, but he visibly relaxed as he lowered his head. Taking this as a sign of defeat, Starlight grabbed the rope out of her bag and gently wrapped it around Sombra’s neck. He stiffened again at the sudden contact, but upon realizing it was the rope he simply cocked his head curiously.
“This room is a mess right now, and I need to clean up your legs,” Starlight said, grabbing his sprained one to look it over, “Did you cut yourself on the glass?”
Sombra yanked his arm back, holding it against his chest and refusing to answer. Assuming he was too proud to admit to accidentally hurting himself, Starlight wrapped the other end of the rope around herself and tugged it to get him going. He followed without a fight, putting his elevated leg down and following after her as she left the room.
She lead him down the hall, only stopping to tell a pony unseen to him about the mess in his room. Head lowering in shame at the mention of his earlier outburst, Sombra yanked the rope in displeasure before submitting to Starlight again. They reached their stop not long after, Sombra knowing the destination at once, familiar with the distance and frequent trips to the room.
“Why are we at the washroom?” He asked. She often lead him to the room multiple times a day, either to scrub scraps of filth out of his coat or to let him ‘do his business’ as she'd so often put it. It was humiliating enough having to wait for Starlight to take him to the washroom for any of these reasons, but at least she usually gave him the courtesy of asking before doing so.
“I have to clean your cuts and check for shards of glass in your skin,” She explained, “We really don’t need you getting any new infections.”
“It’s really not that bad,” Sombra muttered, more to himself than Starlight.
He felt the rope go slack, and heard Starlight make her way around the room and pick up a few things. Sitting himself down, he waited for her to finish. She ran water for a few moments, then returned, taking one of his arms in her own and inspecting it, then doing the same with the other.
“I don’t see any bits of glass in there, thankfully.” She said, “ Though it really looks like you were stabbed pretty deep in a couple places.”
Bringing out a wet cloth, Starlight set it on one of the deepest looking punctures. Sombra jolted back in surprise at the cold cloth, but Starlight held firm. She waited until Sombra calmed down before getting to the next cut, gently scrubbing away any blood or dirt. She then did the same with his other arm.
Setting the cloth to the side and releasing Sombra’s limb, she said, “You’ve got blood on your mouth as well, may I clean that off?”
Sombra’s ears flattened in annoyance, but he grunted in acceptance. Feeling a new cloth on his face, he only scowled as she scrubbed the blood away. Upon removing it, he rubbed his face with his arm.
Tossing the washcloths into the laundry basket, Starlight asked, “So why was there blood in your mouth?”
“I bit my tongue, simple as that,” Sombra replied with the twitch of an ear, “Can we go now? This is uncomfortable for the both of us.”
Starlight sighed at his stubbornness, but had to agree. She hadn’t thought much of it when cleaning his wounds, but the moment he mentioned it, she did feel a bit of embarrassment. She’d been far too touchy with Sombra today, but in any justification it was for the sake of his health.
“Yeah, we can go now,” Starlight said, grabbing the rope, “Your room’s probably still getting cleaned up, so you want to go outside like I offered earlier? I’ll probably grab a bite to eat when we pass the kitchen though, I haven’t eaten dinner yet.”
“Only if I’m allowed to eat something too,” Sombra said, standing as he felt the rope shift, “I haven’t eaten since you left this morning, assuming it was morning, I can’t tell time with this hunk of metal clamped to my face. Never did get to eat that pastry.”
He muttered the last bit, and Starlight couldn’t help but snicker at his disappointment. The way he seemed to pout about losing a simple little cake was amusing coming from a pony like him. Still, she reassured, “I’m sure they’ll have some fresh ones in the kitchen.”
They left the washroom, Starlight leading Sombra further through the castle halls. She’d never taken him any further than the washroom, so it only took a few turns for Sombra to feel completely lost. He didn’t particularly like the feeling that gave him, but Starlight’s hoofsteps stayed constant, convincing him she knew where she was going. It was only when they reached a staircase that Sombra expressed his discomfort, rearing back a bit when he felt the floor a little too far away. He was not fond of the idea of going down stairs he couldn’t see.
“What? Need me to carry you now?”
That mocking response from Starlight got him to go, taking about three steps before he misjudged and stumbled. Starlight was quick to catch him with her magic, setting him back on the top of the staircase and humming to herself in thought.
“Maybe feel for the steps first?” She suggested. Sombra nodded, a bit shaken up about the whole ordeal.
Bringing his good hoof forward first, he slowly lowered it until he felt a stair. He then did the same with his other hoof, repeating the process with his forelegs until it was time to repeat the first step with his back legs. He went slowly, steadily speeding up as he repeated the process, Starlight backing down the stairs in front of him, ready to catch him if needed.
Upon reaching their floor of choice, Sombra let out a satisfied snort. Starlight smiled a bit at his little victory, gently tugging his rope to get him moving again. He followed without a fight, eager to get to the kitchen and sate his hunger. He could tell they were close, the scent of baked goods was strong throughout the hall, and he held his head high as he sniffed the air.
Another turn, and Starlight stopped. Sombra tried to walk further in front of her, but a tug from the rope and he paused as well.
“You,” Starlight began, poking a hoof to his chest, then knocking on a table beside her, “Stay here. I’m going to go get us our food. Sit down and wait for me, there are guards in here to keep watch over you, and they will tell me if you move. Actually, they'd probably just restrain you if you even so much as twitched your tail wrong, so watch it.”
Sombra sat without a word, Starlight smirked. She’d lied about the guards, but he didn’t need to know that. There wasn’t actually anyone in the dining hall right now, other than a few maids cleaning up, most ponies had already finished their meals and gone home or back to work.
Tying his rope to the table leg, Starlight made her way into the kitchen to figure out what to make. She could always pick through the leftovers, the chefs always seemed to make more than enough for the castle’s staff, but she needed something she could take outside without a mess.
Grabbing a freshly made tart from a plate full of them, she nibbled on that as she inspected the food the chefs had yet to put away. It was quite an arrangement, ranging from fancy soups to something as simple as a grilled cheese. A good variety of fruits and vegetables were set out as well, and Starlight remembered her thoughts of a salad from earlier.
Swallowing the last bit of her tart, Starlight went to the nearest chef and said, “Excuse me, but do you have any salads made?”
The chef shook her head, “Nah, tonight was a soup and sandwich kinda night. You want me to make you some?”
“If that’s no bother, than yes please,” Starlight replied with an awkward smile. She had intended to offer and make it herself, but if the chef said she’d do, she supposed she’d just go with it. Glancing at the sandwiches, she added, “Though that grilled cheese is sounding pretty good now, could I have two of those as well?”
“I got you one better, I’ll make you some fresh ones,” The chef said, ruffling her wings in disgust as she took a look at the cold sandwiches, “Those ones have been sittin’ out for a while, you need anything else?”
“Oh no, just the salad and sandwiches are fine, I don’t want to overwork you or anything,” Starlight assured with a shake of her head.
“Eh, it’s no problem to me. Gets boring after hours.”
Turning away to grab another tart as the chef began to gather supplies for her and Sombra’s dinner, Starlight took a peek out of the room to check on the stallion. To her relief, he hadn’t moved, though he now had his head laid out on the table, arm laid out beside him as he licked his cuts from earlier. Not really something she’d expect someone to do in a public space, but since no one was around she’d let him sulk. Better him be pathetic in the dining hall than panicking in his room.
There was still that pang of pity she felt for him though, and with a sigh, she wrapped the tart in a napkin and shoved it into her bag. Turning back to where the chef was chopping vegetables she said, “Actually, can I ask for one more thing?”
The chef hummed for her to continue.
“You got any hot cocoa?”
The chef nodded, and within a short time Starlight had her food packed up and ready to go. Lifting it all with magic, she peeked out the door to check on Sombra again before heading out. He was licking his other arm now, only lifting his head with the perk of his ears as he heard her coming, tongue still poking out of his mouth when she set the food on the table. Leaning over to sniff it, Starlight put an arm in front of him before he got the chance.
“Not yet,” She said, “We’re going outside tonight, remember?”
“Must you dictate everything I do?”
“Doesn’t feel too good, does it?”
Sombra frowned at her response, but waited until Starlight grabbed the rope before following along behind her. He hadn’t really paid mind to how long she had been gone, he had been enjoying the peace. Nothing had whispered in his ears, and the only thing he’d suffered with was the stinging of the holes in his legs. He felt a tinge of shame at what he did earlier, but he hadn’t had much sense to think it through at the time. At least it had driven the voice off.
A brief walk later, and Sombra heard a heavy door open. An almost chilly gust of wind through his mane, the feel of the ground beneath him changing from tile to stone, and he stepped outside.
The first thing he did was sniff the air, the aroma of wet dirt strong from an earlier rain. It was a strange scent to him, one he hadn’t smelled in such a long time. There were faint sweet smells mixed into the mix as well, likely the large array of flowers the castle no doubt had, though he couldn’t be sure what kind or how many. He hadn’t really been paying attention when he took over.
A gentle tug from Starlight, and he turned to her, only to jump back as something brushed against his leg. With a rear and a snarl, he yanked Starlight with him as he hopped back to the safety of the stone pathway. Whatever it was hadn’t hurt him in any way, but the unwelcome feeling had sent a jolt of disgust through him.
Shaking his hoof to rid of the discomfort, he asked, “What was that?”
“What was what?” Starlight asked. She sounded a bit irritated, but Sombra couldn’t be bothered to care, backing away from whatever had spooked him.
“There’s something in the path!” He cried, yelping as he stepped into the same thing with his back leg. “It’s everywhere!”
“Sombra, that’s the grass. You’re stepping in grass.”
“Grass?”
Unsure, he slowly set his hoof back off the path. Soft and wet after the earlier rain, the strands of unseen greenery brushed gently against his fetlocks. Though it had caught him off guard earlier, the way they tickled his skin wasn’t as disgusting as he previously thought. If anything, it was almost pleasant, and nostalgically familiar.
It was grass, wasn’t it? Had it really been so long that he’d forgotten what it felt like? Surely he had to have trampled some underhoof when he’d seized the kingdom, but he’d been so preoccupied with power and revenge the feel of the ground beneath him didn’t matter. Perhaps it was the fact he’d been sealed away for so long, or had grown too familiar with the feel of his armor, that he’d started to forget such trivial things.
It made him wonder just how many other little things he’d forgotten about.
“So does this mean you’ll be okay with sitting in the grass to eat?” Starlight asked, removing him from his thoughts. “I forgot to bring a blanket for our food, so hopefully the plates they gave me will do for now.”
She lay on the ground, Sombra setting himself beside her. The grass was cool on his body, the soft greenery tickling his skin through his fur. It was a strangely pleasant feeling, and he was tempted to lay his whole body down, but he resisted. He waited patiently as Starlight set their food out in front of them, and then set something between his hooves. It was warm, and leaning down to sniff it, steamy. Sombra snorted as the wet air got into his nose, a faintly sweet scent lingering in his senses for a brief moment.
Nose twitching, he asked, “What is this?”
“Hot cocoa,” Starlight explained, watching as Sombra continued to sniff the drink curiously, “It’s one of those things I give to my students when they’re feeling down. You do know what cocoa is, right?”
“Of course I do. Despite common belief, I too was once a foal,” Sombra huffed, leaning down to take a taste. He jolted back as the hot liquid scorched his tongue.
“I’m not sure what you expected.”
“In my defense, my caregiver had usually cooled it with milk.”
Leaving the cocoa in between his hooves, Sombra sniffed at his sandwich. It smelled strange, and felt unusually warm. Unsure about it, he decided to start with the salad. Fresh vegetables could be trusted, and even if he couldn’t use his magic to lift a fork to eat it properly, let alone see the food, it wasn’t something that would be too much of an embarrassment to eat without a utensil. It was only somewhat humiliating, but Starlight was the only pony here now, and she’d seen him in more vulnerable positions than eating like a feral animal.
Upon finishing, he pushed his plate away and sipped the cocoa again. It was a bit cooler, though it was much plainer than he had expected.
“This isn’t real cocoa,” He said.
Starlight shrugged, “They might have just used the box kind.”
“Boxed? You ponies have grown lazy.”
“You’re just never happy, are you?” Starlight sighed, taking a bite of her sandwich before looking to Sombra’s, “Are you going to eat your grilled cheese?”
“Grilled cheese? You’re grilling cheese now too?”
“Of course not,” Starlight laughed. Sombra’s face was a sight of complete bafflement, and even without the view of his eyes he looked nearly horrified. “It’s a sandwich. A slice of cheese, and sometimes tomato, melted between two pieces of grilled bread.”
“Well, I suppose that’s somewhat more understandable,” Sombra said with the flick of an ear. He still looked somewhat unnerved, but took a quick bite of the sandwich. He chewed it slowly, unsure if he really liked the taste. It was incredibly greasy, and so unlike the salad he had just eaten, but it wasn’t bad.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s an acquired taste.”
He took another bite of the sandwich before pushing it and the cocoa away, lying himself in the grass. It was cool and wet, but soft and pleasantly scented. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but it was strangely comforting. Now if only he could see it.
Unconsciously pawing at his mask, he quietly asked, “When will this get taken off?”
Forgetting Sombra couldn’t see her, Starlight shrugged, “I don’t know. Celestia said it was the only thing keeping you from turning back into a shadow, so I’d be worried you’d just fade away if she took it off.”
“A containment spell,” Sombra huffed, “I don’t see why you’d worry about me, I’ve dealt with much worse than that weak blast of positive emotion.”
“Just because you’d survive doesn’t mean I wouldn’t worry about you. You’re still my friend-”
“We are not friends!” Sombra snarled, bolting up to a sitting position and turning in Starlight’s direction with his ears pinned, “I have no idea why you ponies are so set on befriending everything that breathes, but I am not one of them. You are not my friend, you are my warden, and I am your prisoner. No amount of friendliness is going to change that.”
He flopped back into the grass roughly, turning his back to Starlight as he laid limply on the ground. Starlight simply stared back, shocked and a little bit scared. Sombra hadn’t reacted violently, but he’d been angrier than she would have ever expected.
Sighing to herself in defeat, Starlight set herself in the grass as well and stared at the sky. The stars twinkled overhead, and moonlight dimly illuminated the trees above them. It was a beautiful sight, one ponies had come to appreciate so much more since Luna’s return, but not one Starlight could share right now. It was a bit sad, really.
She did have something she could share with him though.
Opening her saddlebag, she removed Stygian’s book and set it in front of her. Sombra heard the rustling and lifted an ear curiously, but didn’t move.
“You said you wanted me to bring you a book, remember? I know the pony that wrote this one, in fact, I helped save him once,” She said.
“Is it fiction or non-fiction?”
“Non-fiction, it’s his life story,” Starlight said, “I think you might relate to him a bit,”
Sombra laughed bitterly, but he lifted his head, “How so? Is his story about his ride to greatness perhaps? His fall from grace? His banishment to the ice? Do tell, however could this simple little pony have a story that is even slightly of interest to me?”
“You’re close, actually. It’s about how he turned into a shadow pony and got sealed away for a thousand years.”
Sombra’s ears perked, either in confusion, shock, or both. He had not been prepared for that answer. Grabbing his cocoa, he positioned himself to be more comfortable.
“Alright, you’ve got my attention now,” He said, sipping the drink. It was cool now, and still bland, but he drank it anyway. “I’ll give this book a chance.”
Starlight smiled, “I’m glad to hear that.”
Sliding herself closer to Sombra, she opened the book to the first page. It was a bit dark for reading outdoors, but with the illumination of her horn, and the moonlight above, it was just enough for Starlight to see. Positioning herself so her shadow didn’t block out her light, she began to read.