"Sunburst. Just the stallion I was looking for." Shining Armor said as Sunburst was walking down the long hallway of the Crystal Palace.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"Cadence received a message from my sister, Twilight." Shining Armor answered.
"And?" Sunburst began. "Is it about Starlight?" He finished. Shining Armor nodded gravely.
"Follow me." Shining Armor requested.
"Lead the way," Sunburst said as he began to follow him.
As they entered the throne room, Princess Cadence was rereading the scroll that contained the message that Twilight had sent her. "Oh, Sunburst, you came!" Cadence announced as she saw the orange unicorn. "Flurry has been very excited to see you." She looked down at her daughter who was now bigger than before as she was getting older.
"Woah!" Sunburst said as Flurry ran over to them. "You've grown half a foot. Like seriously six inches." Flurry giggled. He turns his attention back to Cadence. "So, what's going on?" Cadence knew he wouldn't like the answer.
Meanwhile, Rainius was in his room in Twilight's castle reading books, looking for an answer to help him save Starlight. But alas, he came with nothing. There was no magical or non-magical cure for this curse. "Ugh… Dammit!!" He shouted while he threw the book at a wall in rage. A burst of familiar, sinister laughter came from somewhere in the room. Rainius quickly turned around. "Who's there?!"
The evil laughter returned and an image of the creature revealed itself in the mirror. It was a pony whose coat was as dark as coal. He had eyes of a bright burning red with green smoke coming out of them. This was a face that Rainius recognized all too well. "Hello, Rainius." He said in his dark voice.
"Sombra," Rainius said through gritted teeth. His eyes narrowed, glaring at the pony who he knew to be his father.
"Oh, come now, son. Don't be like that." Sombra said.
"You lost your right to call me that!" Rainius said, coldly. Making sure it came out as harsh as could be.
"You're right. I had, but maybe we could be like that. A real father and son." Sombra proposed.
"Hah." Rainius scoffed. "Never! I will protect myself from you. You won't get to me this time."
"Such a shame," Sombra replied. "You say you will protect yourself. Them. But you cannot stop what's going to happen. Hahahahaha."
"No," Rainius said, knowing he's right.
"My poor little Rainius, you're still so young and naive. I don't know why you can't see that there's no stopping me." He laughed.
"Just shut up! I won't let you chain me up as your slave again!!" Rainius yelled at him. "Look, listen to me! You will not succeed. I won't travel down this path. You know you promised me a hateless world… you promised me!"
"And I filled that deed." He said. "But a stallion like you can't have his dreams. A stallion of his own deception. A stallion such as you." He came out of the mirror.
"I've become a fearless stallion!" Rainius said loud and proud.
"Fearless stallion?! Don't make me laugh." Sombra scoffed. "You can't protect the ones you love. And I'll show you just how weak you are. I'll make you watch her suffering."
"I am warning you, Sombra!!" Rainius threatened. "All you are is my childhood fear."
"The seed has been planted now. And now it's time to watch it grow. What's about to happen to her is all your fault. You have caused her downfall." Sombra said. "And I'll make you watch as I transform that baby into its true self. The self that it is meant to be. A monster… just like you! Hahahahaha!!" Sombra left, shattering Rainius's mirror.
"No!" Rainius screamed before falling to the floor, sobbing.
"Is it true?!" Sunburst inquired as he burst through the doors of Twilight's castle.
"Hello, Sunburst." Celestia greeted him. He didn't return her greeting.
"Look, just give it to me straight…" Sunburst began.
"She's here. They came home two weeks ago." Celestia said. "And she's doing just fine as of right now. Though it is growing fast. And we're not sure when exactly it will be here, but we're expecting it by tomorrow afternoon." Sunburst left the room and headed upstairs where she might be. And there she was. Except Rarity was standing in front of her. All the mane six were there, along with Lylac and Princess Luna. Celestia shortly followed.
"That's close enough." Rarity said to Sunburst.
"Rarity, it's okay." Starlight said. Rarity stepped aside so Sunburst could see her. She looked awful. Her mane was all damp-like and her coat was pale, she was very weak and couldn't even stand on her own. She had to have help from Rarity and Applejack to get to her hooves. Her skin was even ice cold like Rainius's due to lack of blood flow.
"Well, I must admit… you look terrible." Sunburst said.
"Wow, thanks." Starlight replied. "I can see you hadn't changed much." She giggled. Sunburst liked seeing her smile. But he didn't like the burden she was left with by Rainius.
"Sunburst? Will you come here for a sec?" Rainius insisted of him. He followed.
"Well, I always knew you'd kill her." He said as they both went into the other room.
"Look, Sunburst." Rainius began. "I need you to do something for me." Sunburst turned away. "For her." Now he got Sunburst's attention. "Try to change her mind. She has a special bond with you that I will never understand. Maybe you could keep her alive. She's hoping that Celestia could make her an Alicorn at the last minute, like what my mother did with me."
"Well, can she?" Sunburst asked.
"The probability is slight… If Starlight dies… then you get what you always wanted." Rainius said. "To kill me." Sunburst liked the sound of that idea.
That afternoon, Celestia was checking Starlight and the baby's supernatural magical aura. "It's magic is beyond that of a newborn unicorn. It might be an Alicorn." Celestia said. "And it seems to have cracked one of your ribs."
"Great. It's breaking her bones now." Rainius muttered. A hint of irritation was heard in his voice. "It's crushing you from the inside out!" He turns to Celestia. "Tell her what you told me."
"Rainius." Celestia said sternly. She then walked over to Starlight, who was laying on the bed. "The fetus is incompatible with your body. It’s too strong, it won’t allow you to get the nutrition you need. It’s starving you by the hour, I can’t stop it and I can’t slow it down. At this rate, your heart will give out before you can deliver."
"Well, then I'll hold on as long as I can and then-!" Starlight said before she was cutoff
"Starlight," Celestia interjected. "There are some conditions that even magic can’t overcome. You understand? I’m sorry." Celestia left the room. Leaving the couple alone with each other.
Starlight turns to Rainius. "Rainius, I'm sorry. It looks like you're just gonna have to accept what is." She said.
"Yeah." He said calmly. "BECAUSE YOU'VE GIVEN ME NO CHOICE!!" He was going through a mix of emotions. "Starlight, we’re supposed to be partners, remember? But you decided this on your own, you’ve decided to leave me.
"Don’t see it that way!" Starlight exclaimed.
"Well, I have no other way to see it. Cause it’s me who’ll lose you, and I don’t choose that. I don’t choose that." He says before he turns and leaves her.
Later that night, Starlight was in her room, in her bed crying. "Oh, why am I even still doing this?!" She asked herself. "I must be crazy doing this!! Oh, what am I even to do?!"
"Well, you could start by joining me." The voice of Sombra said.
"Huh?! Sombra?! What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be dead!! Rainius!" She called. "Rain-!" Sombra silenced her. All that was heard from her were muffled mumbles.
"Listen here. You will do as I say. Unless you want to die. You got it?!" He said. Starlight nodded, showing her agreement. "Good." He released her from his grasp. "Now, you have been burdened with this foal. So, instead of crying over it, you should embrace it. Now, I am here to help you. I can make you into the pony you were meant to be! A strong and powerful leader. A pony who could never get hurt again. I can give you everything you could ever want."
"I already have everything I want!" Starlight said. "And nothing you say will change my mind!"
"You don't understand. I'm stronger than you now. And you will be mine, even if I have to change you myself." Sombra threatened.
"Ha! You don't understand, Rainius is stronger than you. When he gets here, he'll defeat you. He has no weaknesses!" Starlight threatened back.
"Oh, I think he does my dear. I truly think he does. And when I destroy him that'll leave you no choice, but for you to be mine and rule by my side. Whether you choose to or not. And by tonight we can make the world anew and finally let our sorrows be free. So, come with me and embrace the dark and unleash the power you have. It's been far too long since you've had any kind of joy in your life." Sombra promised.
"Do you really think I'd ever join you?!" Starlight mocked. "Do you really take me for a fool?! I know the only thing that you're offering me is fear inside their eyes. And that is not the path I wish to go!"
"Oh, why can't you see that all they've brought you is pain?!" He exclaimed.
"All I can see is the hatred that blinds you, so keep your revenge plans away from me!" Starlight demanded.
"This just isn't about me, this concerns you too! They've taken everything you had! Don't you agree that they should pay for all your tears?!" Sombra suggested.
"My past is not a game, Sombra!! I am not that mare no more!! Why can't you see that revenge will not bring you love and peace?!" Starlight said.
"I decide what this brings!" Sombra screamed at her. "And my plan will succeed to the end! Even if you die, I'll still live on!!"
"No, she won't!" Rainius said when he came into the room. "Not if I have a say in this! You'll be stopped by me alone!"
"Ha! It's too late, you can't save her. I'll be reborn when the foal arrives!" Sombra stated.
"I've felt the anger in my past and my family, and being alone, but I have grown stronger. And I have redeemed my throne, which you will never gain!" Rainius replied.
Sombra laughed. "You cannot change her future and fate! She'll soon die and I will live on!" He said. "And my spirit will grow in the foal, giving it all my power. And it will rule one day as the true ruler of the world!" He said.
"Sombra, can't you see it's over now?! Your time is done!" Rainius said.
"You will die by me and I'll be reborn!" Sombra egged on.
"You won't live when I'm done with you, Sombra!" Rainius promised.
"Oh, please. You may be strong, but you're not wise…" Sombra remarked.
"Please Sombra, leave us be." Starlight begged.
"With your child, I'll never be gone," Sombra said.
"It'll never be you!" Starlight said.
"Ah, think what you want, but it will be me!" Sombra growled.
"No, never!!" Starlight screamed at him.
"Yes! FOREVER!!" Sombra said.
"No, it won't! Now take all your deeds Sombra and rot in Tartarus!!" Rainius told him.
"I'll see you there, Rainius!!" Sombra claimed before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Leaving the couple alone with their unborn child.
"I'm sorry, Starlight," Rainius said. "Anyway, tomorrow's a big day, you need to get some rest. I'll watch out for Sombra." She listened and went back to bed. Only tomorrow could tell what her future holds. But Rainius was going to make sure that Sombra will not be a part of it.