"Alright, so we all know the plan?" Twilight asked.
"Of course we know the plan, it's the same plan we use when everything goes down the tubes," Rainbow chuckled. "Fight the evil, get our flanks kicked, summon the Elements and totally own. Don't worry Twi, by this time tomorrow, we'll have Canterlot back, Sombra will be gone for the third time and you can have your throne back."
"Well I'm glad to see that you're so confident," Twilight smirked. "But your injuries..."
"Hey, the Elements worked wonders on me. I feel pretty good. I'm not at a hundred percent, but hey, when have I ever needed to be a hundred percent to lay the smackdown on evil?"
"As long as yer feeling up fer it," AJ added. "But ah'm ready to bring Sombra down once and for all."
"I hope that the Elements work," Fluttershy said. "I know that they always seem to work, but Sombra is just...different this time. He is far more vicious and terrifying than I remember him being."
"I find myself agreeing with Fluttershy. We may need more than the Elements to bring this monster down," Rarity added.
"Well then it's lucky for us that we have the number one hero with us," Twilight pointed out.
"And where is our number one guy? I've been wanting to ask him party stuff for a long time, but he always seems to be able to dodge me. Which shouldn't be possible," Pinkie said.
"Toshinori...is getting ready," Twilight said. "He's feeling better and ready for round two with Sombra. And this time he promised not to pull his punches."
"We will need all of that might if we are to stop this monster once and for all," Celestia said. "Fluttershy is right. Sombra is different this time, more...driven. I believe that he sees this as his chance to conquer the world once and for all, meaning that he will be doing everything he can to win."
"Agreed. My sister and I have battled him before with the Elements and he was not much of a threat then. You have battled with him in the past and managed to beat him. But now he has more power, a stranglehold on our strongest city, and, I hate to say it, he holds the advantage over us," Luna added on.
"I know what you mean. Sombra's greatest weakness is that he has always relied on his magic and cunning. Physical force is not his forte. But now he is arguably the strongest non-human in this land," Twilight mused. "But luckily for us, we've got some physical might on our side. Speaking of, I should probably go get him."
Twilight left the castle behind and flew out over the empire, trying to look for anything that would indicate a superpowered human was nearby. But to her concern, she flew for a while without sensing anything. It was only after she sensed the magic of Spike and Gabby that she had a direction to go. And when she landed next to them, she found the Symbol of Peace staring off at the sunset.
"Hey Twi, figured you'd be showing up right about now," Spike said.
"How'd you know that?"
"Because you always show up whenever somepony needs a pep talk. And right now, he looks like he could use one."
Twilight took the hint and walked over to Toshinori, who was leaning against a balcony and looking off at the sun. She didn't say anything as she approached, she simply placed her hooves on the railing and spent a moment looking at the sun with him.
"She was right."
"Who was?"
"White Noise. She was right about me," Toshinori said. He looked down at his opened hand, before clenching it into a fist. "I couldn't beat Sombra. I am the greatest hero of my world and I failed to beat a dangerous villain. She is right. How can someone like me save her from the villain when I can't defeat the villain?"
"Maybe you can't beat him by yourself. But I know we can beat him together," Twilight promised Toshinori. "And what happened to White Noise wasn't your fault."
"But it is. The fact that she was betrayed by those so called heroes is a reflection of me. I am the number one hero. I am their symbol. And if there are any flaws in the heroes, it is because the symbol they look to is not good enough. It all comes back to me," Toshinori whispered. He then hung his head. "But worst of all, I was not there for her. A little girl in desperate need of a hero and I abandoned her. I failed her."
He then looked at his clenched hand once more. "My master passed this power onto me, with the belief that it would be strong enough to overcome any foe. To stop any evil. And for the longest time, I thought it could. I thought it would defeat any foe. But against Sombra, a foe who is smarter and...dare I say...stronger than me, it failed me...just as I failed my master. How can I be the hero she wanted me to be...when I can never be the hero she was?"
Twilight opened her mouth to answer, but instead let out a sigh and returned to looking at the sunset. How could she answer that? How could see tell Toshinori that wasn't true when she felt the same way about herself. That she would never feel like a worthy replacement to Celestia. That she blamed herself whenever somepony she cared about was hurt. And how she felt all of the failings and suffering in Equestria was because she wasn't good enough. She had nothing to say to that.
"Are you seriously blaming yourself?" Twilight and Toshinori turned around to look at Spike, who had a smirk on his face as he shook his head. "Man, Sombra must have really done a number on you if you're doing the whole woe is me routine."
"Spike, this might not be the time for this," Gabby whispered. Spike patted her on the shoulder before he walked towards the pair.
"Yeah, you didn't save White Noise. Because you couldn't. Because, if I know you, you were busy elsewhere. You were busy saving somepony else. And even a guy as fast and strong as you can't be everywhere. And don't give me that crap about how you weren't a bright enough symbol to inspire those heroes that did fail her to be better. Some ponies...people...are just crap. They just don't care about others. And no amount of symbolism or inspiration will change that. And don't take getting your butt kicked by Sombra too hard. He finds a way to beat all of us at least once before we get him. It's kinda his things. So you lost once. Big whoop. Are you still alive and raring to fight? Then it doesn't matter if you lost once, because he made the mistake of giving you a second chance."
"And take it from a guy who has made hundreds of mistakes, while you can't change what was done, you change change what you will do. So let me ask that question. What will you do now, Mr. Hero? Are you going to sit there and blame yourself, feel bad about not helping a girl who plenty of other heroes didn't help. Or are you going to get off your but, kick Sombra in his and show White Noise that not all heroes will abandon her. That there's one that will be there for her? And if you could hurry with your answer, that would be great, because I promised to show Gabby around the Crystal Empire and this is cutting into our date time."
Toshinori and Twilight both stared at Spike for a second, with the latter looking like she was about to strangle him. Then Toshinori threw back his head and began to laugh. He laughed for a long moment before, in an explosion of muscle, he shot back up to his bulked form, smiling down at Spike as he did so.
"Spike, has anyone told you you have a real way with words?" All Might asked.
"I might have heard Twilight tell me once or a dozen times that I need to watch my mouth," Spike smirked.
"Yes, what you said was hurtful, piercing and told me things I didn't want to hear...but they were all things that I needed to hear," All Might chuckled. "You are right. I wasn't there for White Noise in the past, but I can be there for her now. I lost to Sombra once before, but I know is tricks. I know what he can do. And I know I can beat him. Because I will have the one thing he does not."
"And what's that?"
"My...friends," All Might said as he looked to Twilight.
"Well look at that. You might finally be understanding how things work in Equestria," Twilight chuckled. "But don't worry, All Might. We'll be with you against that monster. And this time, we'll banish his darkness once and for all."
"Indeed. Then Sombra should have reason to fear...because we are here."
"Glad to have you back," Twilight said.
"I am glad to be feeling better. But now I have a favor to ask you," All Might said to Twilight. "Tell me...would you mind grabbing me something from the north? I think it may be of help..."
==== | V | ====
Sombra sat alone in his throne room. His throne room. He never got tired of hearing that. For so long he had been trapped in the ice...then in Tartarus...then dead...that for a while even he had trouble believing that one day he would be here. Sitting on the throne that had always belonged to him. Ruling over those that were beneath him. And finally about to be rid of those that had dared to challenge him.
But he knew better than to be hasty. To risk falling into a trap by going to them. The Crystal Empire still had many secrets that could potential be a danger to him. But that was fine. He could wait. They would come to him. It's what idiots and heroes did. They ignored logic and reason to charge headfirst into danger. They would play right into his hooves. So he could wait. It was only a day more. They would come.
In the complete darkness of the throne room appeared a small speck of light as White Noise entered the room. She slowly shuffled over to Sombra, who gazed down at her with a smile on his face. "Hikari, my dear child. What do brings you to me at such a late hour? You should be asleep."
"It's...it's the pain," White Noise softly said.
"Ah yes, your pain. Here, let me help..."
"Actually, the pain seems to be gone," White Noise revealed. An eyebrow went up on Sombra's face at this revelation. "Ever since my confrontation with the ponies and...him...my pain has subsided. The Elements power...it's like I feel...normal again. Like the pain..."
"I see. You believe that the ponies used their power to help you, to end your pain because you were suffering," Sombra said. Sombra transformed into his smoke form and appeared next to the girl, placing a hoof on her shoulder and smiling softly at her. "And I understand why. The Elements are truly deceptive, making many believe that their power is benevolent. That they work to help those who are suffering."
"But I have seen the truth. Harmony is not kind. Harmony serves it's own purposes, regardless of those that it affects. Do you know what happened when Nightmare Moon came back? Twilight and her friends used the Elements on her. And what did they do? They ripped the rage, injustice and pain out of her and turned her back to Luna. Oh, but they made sure to keep the guilt. Made sure to make her feel that she was the one responsible for everything bad that happened."
"Was she?"
"Oh yeah, Nightmare Moon was evil. But that's not the point. The point is that the ponies didn't try to heal her, to reason with her or understand her pain. Nope, just shoot her with the friendship laser and call it a night. And that is what they tried to do to you," Sombra said.
"What do you mean?"
"They had no intention of helping you heal. They don't care about what you've been through or how bad you've been hurt. Just shoot you with the friendship laser and all of your pain and hatred go away. Congratulations, you've let go of all your pain and hatred are gone. Completely against your will."
"Is that what they did to you?" White Noise asked.
"They tried. When Celestia and Luna sealed me away with the Elements, their power tried to do that to me. But I'm crafty. I managed to separate my mind and soul from my body and yes, I have a soul. So while my body was completely harmonized, my being was unaffected. I will not let them turn me with their lies."
"They...lied to you?"
"They always lie. That is what they do," Sombra whispered into her ear. "Just like Chronos lied to you. Just like the heroes lied to you."
"You wouldn't lie to me...would you?" White Noise asked. For a long moment, Sombra didn't say anything. Then he smiled at her and let out a small chuckle.
"Of course I would. I'm evil. But that's the difference. I'm honest to you about my dishonesty. I know I'm a terrible pony and yet even I can spare that much of the truth. But the heroes? The ponies? They say they're there to help you and then they lie. So trust me when I say, I have your best interest at heart. Is it to benefit me? Yes. But am I being honest? Also yes. That help?"
"I...I think it does. You've always been honest with me, Sombra. And kind. Thank you."
"Of course me dear. I'd have to be a heartless monster to ignore your pain."
White Noise held a hand to her head and groaned, getting another smile out of Sombra.
"Go to bed, dear. Go to bed and dream of a world where heroes are good and villains are bad. Enjoy the black and white you love so much. Leave me to the grey."
White Noise nodded and turned to leave.
"Oh, Hikari?" White Noise stopped and turned around. "Did you powers do what I thought they would?"
White Noise said nothing for a moment, before she held up a hand. A hand filled with a magical power that Sombra had only felt on six certain ponies. Sombra's smile went wider than ever before and he fought back the urge to cackle. "Thank you, my dear. Enjoy your dreams. I hope they are pleasant ones."
White Noise walked out of the room, leaving Sombra alone in the darkness once more. He shook his head with a small smile on his face, before he returned to his throne.
"Good kid. Bad judge of character."