I’d be lying if I said I haven’t grown fond of my meetings with Sombra, as infrequent as they’ve become. It hadn’t taken long to learn that he was quick to tire out, and so focused on his subjects that he prioritized helping them over himself. It was so unlike what the History books had taught me.
Just now he was lying on the floor, a pale coated filly between his forelegs and telling him about the tricks she’d played in the halls. Sombra would praise her work, occasionally giving her advice on the best way to blow out a candle or whisper in another’s ear. It was both fascinating and depressing.
She was one of the many spirits that had begun to make themselves known to me, most of which were foals, and it had become increasingly obvious that there was an overabundance of them. They were innocent and unknowing, most completely unaware of the fact they were dead. They’d often ask me if I knew where their parents were, or asking if I could help them find them and it was incredibly upsetting knowing I couldn’t help. Thankfully, Sombra was always quick to whisk them away and distract them with something else.
He’d once explained that foals were so common because their parents would come to the Royal Sisters for help, and whether it was because they couldn’t or wouldn’t, many foals died. He’d also mentioned that, because of their innocence, foals were the hardest to help. They were all still too young to understand what had happened, and he had yet to help one move on.
Yet he continued to try, desperate to relieve their innocent spirits of the curse of an imprisoned afterlife.
“Are you sure that the guard didn’t see you?” He asked the little one, she nodded excitedly, speaking in a voice so quiet I couldn’t understand, though it seemed so clear to Sombra as he laughed, “Is that so? In that case, I’m proud of you, that one is very hard to startle. She’s far too good at her job.”
The filly covered her mouth in a silent giggle, and even I couldn’t help but smile at her happiness. Whispering something else in Sombra’s ear, he nodded before smiling
“Perhaps I can join you next time,” He said, leaning down to gently kiss the filly’s head, “But I am very busy now. Go on back to your caretaker, would you? I wish to speak with Luster.”
Nodding, the filly sped off, quickly fading into the darkness to join her fellow spirits in whatever safety they found themselves in. I watched her go, the shadows quivering where I assumed her caretakers were.
“Do I upset them?” I asked.
Sombra shook his head, sitting up, “Some are wary of you, but they trust me, so they’re assured you won’t try and hurt them.”
“That’s good to know, I wouldn’t want to disturb them,” I said, gazing in other spots of the room. My ears twitched as I heard their incomprehensible whispers and their near silent hoofsteps, “What do they think about Princess Twilight?”
He frowned. “My own feelings aside, they seem to like her. Barring my death, our numbers have yet to increase, though seeing as her reign is still fresh when compared to Celestia’s, only time will tell if she’ll work in our favor.”
“I hope so, you have a lot to do if you want to help every creature here,” I said, another thought coming to my head suddenly, “But what’s going to happen to you when they’ve all moved on?”
“I suppose I’ll see when I get there,” He shrugged, “Maybe if I’m lucky I won’t lose my mind to the silence, and will stick around to help any more lost souls. Or maybe I’ll suffer the fate of a vengeful spirit and go mad, but at least then I’ll be able to haunt Twilight for the rest of her immortality, however long it may be.”
He seemed far too amused at the idea of harassing the Princess for the rest of her life. At this point, I’d grown used to his disdain for her, and it wasn’t too hard to hold back defending her anymore. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, it was just the fact he really had every right to hate her, all things considered. I still tried to offer a positive outlook however.
“Or maybe you’ll move on too?” I suggested, “Maybe helping all the spirits in the castle is your duty, and as soon as they’re all released from death, you will be too.”
“A lovely thought,” He smiled, though it was more sad than anything, “However, I don’t think I’m deserving of such a thing.”
“If you haven’t noticed, Equestria doesn’t go with the whole ‘what you deserve’ thing. Plenty of ponies have been reformed, and I don’t see why you should be any different. I know you don’t want the Princess involved, but I’m sure she’d forgive you.”
“Twilight keeps many secrets from you,” He said, shaking his head, “She won’t forgive me, just as she won’t tell you of her own crimes. I am perfectly fine awaiting my fate.”
“Yes, but… I’m not.”
He looked to me, face unreadable. He’d mastered the art of hiding emotion, and neither his ears nor tail gave me a hint of how he was feeling. It was frustrating sometimes, just how hard he was to read.
“My fate in the afterlife has never been your concern, and as much as I appreciate the fact you care, I would much prefer if you lived your own life instead of hyperfocusing on my death.”
“But, Sombra…”
“Hush now. My fate is sealed, yours is not,” He said, making his way slowly closer, setting a hoof within my own. I didn’t shiver, his cold touch had long grown into a calming feeling, “You have every option to change and to choose your own fate, but what you’re doing now is not it. You spend so much time chasing the dead and pleasing Twilight, and with that, you’re stagnating your future. Do you even have an idea on what you want to do?”
I opened my mouth to answer, promptly shutting it and shaking my head when I realized I had none.
“Then perhaps now is the time to make a choice? Surely, there are better ways to live?”
“Well, I guess I have been thinking about broadening my horizons, maybe an independent study?”
He nodded, “That could work. What would you be studying?”
“More magic, probably,” I shrugged. This time I could read Sombra’s mood, and that was because he was disappointed, “But I guess that could change. I’ll figure it out when I get there. Maybe I could even study the paranormal a bit?”
Now that got a chuckle out of him, and I smiled in return. It was a joke, of course, but I knew my views on such a thing would always be different after everything he’s taught me.
Stifling the laugh, he said, “Well, whatever you choose, I hope the future works out in your favor, Little Luster.”
“And I hope that yours, as unsure as it is, works out as well.”
His smile faded just a bit, as he turned to the stained glass windows. Their kaleidoscopic colors bathed us in their rainbow light, just as they had every night since our first meeting. In a way, it could be described as beautiful, but I couldn’t stay focused on the lighting. I was far too focused on the pony beside me, the gentle and wistful stallion that the History books had always told me to fear.
My first and closest friend, Sombra, King of the Dead.