Caught
(Present)
Rainbow Dash crashed to the ground, she groaned as she lay there. Dash tried to stand but was held down by a discolored magic. She could feel the magic holding her down even though she could no longer see it. Dash felt as if somepony laid a heavy blanket across her. Warmth seeped into her bones as her eyes started to droop. Dash noticed Fluttershy running towards her, but she for the life of her couldn’t figure out why. She was going to sleep in her bed. Nothing more. Nothing less.
“Sleep, my child,” a melodious voice whispered in her ear. “Sleep and remember. Remember that day, the day you first died. And rise!”
Ω
(Past, Dash’s memory)
Clash of hooves echoed in the haven. The only safe place in Harmonia. All thanks to the First Born. It was He who battled the horde of alicorns and rescued the inhabitants of the haven. It was He who kept them safe. And He was the reason that Dazzling Bow was alive today. Dazzling ran with the other pegasi in her flock. Most of the members of her flock, like her, were mutilated at some point in their life. She so happened to have her wings ripped off before a terrible raze. A raze so bad that the Mane was a river of blood.
Dazzling still remembers that day. Her fillies were on the brink of starvation and the rations ran out. She had to do something. It just so happened that a cart of apples passed by her home. Despite knowing her limitations in speed, she believed she needed to take this chance to feed her fillies. So, she did, and she paid the price. She can still feel her bones breaking and the white-hot pain of her skin being ripped in half. Dazzling, in her dreams, still could feel the blood pouring down her back as she walked home and the horror of finding her babies lying on the floor, unmoving. Three measly little apples cost her wings and her fillies.
But that happened in the past. Now she must survive and live for her fillies. Once an outcast for losing her wings, now she was the leader of last remaining flock in Harmonia. They were heading to the center. The First Born called for an emergency meeting. They made it to a now full cavern. They were the last ones to arrive. Fortunately, the First Born had not arrived.
“If some of us had wings, we would have been first and wouldn’t be in the back,” a voice said. Dazzling barely heard it over the crowd. She turned to reprimand the disgruntled pegasus when the crowd became silent. Her head turned back to the front. The view from the back afforded her a view of the First Born, even though He appeared no larger than a ladybug.
With a resounding voice that echoed across the room, the First Born said, “Welcome and peace to you, my fellow Harmonians. I come to you with grave news. The alicorns have found us.” A great cry rang out in the crowd, “Peace! Please let me finish. They are now laying in works for a siege. I regret to say that we did not have to prepare, but do not fear I will do everything in my power to protect you. This siege will be over soon. And then we will take back our homes! Our land! We will take back our freedom with our bloody hooves, paws, and claws! The alicorns will rue the day they attacked us! We will fight!”
Ω
ΩSombraΩ
“Where are you, Midnight?!” I grumbled as I tore the room to shreds. I woke to some dang pony banging around in the room right next to mine. I had grumbled and reached for Midnight. But instead of pulling my fy nghariad bac to my side I find a cold bed. I started to panic. She was supposed to be here! Then a memory struck me. I gritted my teeth in moment of anger.
“She better not have gone to the night market,” I growled as I stomped out of the room. I will admit that I was not kind to the door when I shut it. “That girl is going to be in so much trouble when I find her.”
I could hear laughter and music over the steam blowing out of my ears. Creatures moved out of my way as I stomped down the road. I started to panic the longer I looked for her. My frustration mounted as every other pony looked like her. Did she cast a spell to confuse me? She did! Oh, somepony’s in trouble! Just wait until I get my hooves… Oooh she was in so much trouble.
“Midnight!” I yelled over and over again. A few bystanders gave me a weird look here and there. But looked at me not caring because I have pony to find. “MIDNIGHT STAR! Where ARE you!?”
“My Lord, who is it that you are seeking?” a kind voice momentarily overpowered my rant of righteous fury!
“Huh?” came my dumbfounded answer. A small maroon Kinku stood there in front of me. I noticed the little Kinku’s tiny wings looked like unblemished snow. The tip of their ears, if they stood right next to Midnight, would barely touch her knee. It was just a big fluff ball.
“My Lord, may I assist you in finding the being you seek?” they asked. Their deep voice vibrated the ground under my hooves. And Midnight said I had a deep voice.
“I am looking for a tiny light blue unicorn,” I said fast, “About yay high with bright purple eyes that do not match the rest of her body I do find that a very charming trait of hers she has a deep blue mane with light blue streak she may be small and thinner then most ponies but she has a big personality.” I huffed and puffed after saying all that in one breath.
“Slow down, my Lord,” they laughed. “It seems that you care a lot for this little unicorn.”
“Immensely.”
“Come then, let us look together.” We started to walk together down the night market. The more time I spent away from Midnight, the more my anxiety grew. And when I become anxious, I become twitchy. I hate being twitchy. Midnight, this your fault.
“Is everything alright, my Lord?” The Kinku asked. Their deep chocolate eyes flashed with concern. “You look little flustered.”
“Me? I’m fine. Everything’s fine. You’re fine. Everything’s great! Grrbl-grr-bg… [Warning: Author combustion imminent. Error: Too many apostrophes have been found in Sombra’s speech. Rebooting Author in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…] MIDNIGHT!!” I hollered as I started to walk away from the Kinku yelling at the top of my lungs. I felt a small tug on my mane. I pivoted towards the offender. “What?”
“My Lord, please compose yourself. It is very improper the way you are conducting yourself. Please refrain from using contractions in front of me. Come, let us calm down and compose ourselves before we continue this endeavor. My name is Pierre. And your name?”
“Sombra.” I snarled.
“As in the best friend of our Mother Queen?” Excitement flash in Pierre’s eyes. “If I may request. All I ask is to meet our Great Mother Zephahnriel.”
“If you help me find my Midnight, then yes I will take you to see her,” I grumbled. “Now let us find my Midnight.”
“Yea, verily, and forsooth!” Then I felt a small weight land on my head, “Proceed, oh, Black Sage. Let us find and bring forth this late-night burning ball of gas. Onward!”
“Sure.”
I started to yell for Midnight once again. More bystanders started to watch in with curiosity as I made myself a fool. But I could not be bothered by that. Finding Midnight was my only priority. Were it not for the dire situation, I would find great humor in the disparity between Pierre’s deep sultry voice and his minuscule stature.
“MISS MIDNIGHT STAR, YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE ONCE I FIND YOU!” I yelled. By the end of this I will lose my voice. And that would not be good. I finally found her between two arguing alicorns. Who, might I add looked, vaguely familiar? I made a beeline for Midnight and with a sigh of relief said, “There you are.”
She turned towards me with a guilty smile on her face.“Hi, Sombra,” she said weakly.
“Don’t you ‘Hi, Sombra’ me, missy,” I said. I felt a little vibration from my little passenger, “You’re in big trouble. Now come along we’re going to bed.”
“No.” Midnight said as she crossed her arms.
“What?”
“I made a friend. And tonight, we are experiencing the night market together. So, bye-bye,” she said as she waved me off, “Luna, shall we?”
I grabbed her with my magic and turned her around to face me. I found a little humor in the fact that she tried to run while in the process of being picked up. She was not happy. Well too bad, neither was I.
Ω
ΩMidnightΩ
I gave him the most peeved look I could give him, and it surprisingly didn’t faze him. It usually worked on the little fillies that I babysat for a while. His angry red eyes bore into me. But I couldn’t be bothered when I saw a maroon ball of fur with ginormous pointy white tipped ears sitting on top of his head. It was right between his ears like a little hat. Sombra got a hat? I became startled when big chocolate eyes blinked at me amidst the fur. It even squeaked when Sombra tilted his head a little.
“Uh… Sombra?” I said timidly, “You have something on your head.”
“I’m well aware.” The ball of fur shuddered a little bit.
“Put me down, Sombra. Now!” I commanded.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to lose you!” He roared.
“You’re not going to lose me!” I yelled back. “Besides, you’re being unreasonable!” I poked his nose in protest.
“I’m not being unreasonable!” He countered, “Now stop that!” He waved my hoof away.
I growled at this. I looked at Sombra’s hat and said, “Tell him he’s being unreasonable! He won’t listen to me!” Instead of listening to me, the ball of fluff shook its head and turned around while shuffling. Its three tails started to twitch.
“Leave Pierre out of this,” Sombra said.
“You know what, Sombra,” I growled as smoke came out my ears, “I don’t give a flying *BLEEP*. This all is bunch of *BLEEP**BLEEP* and *BLEEP* [The author would like to apologize for the unnecessary, but also entirely necessary, censorship. Sombra said several chapters ago that under no circumstances would his mate use foul language.] THIS UTTER *BLEEP*ing RIDICULOUS, SOMBRA!”
“Oh, quiet you.” And with that he put me on his back and started to walk off.
“If she does not want to go with you, then she does not have to,” Celestia yelled. Bleh! I got struck with rainbow glitter. What’s with alicorns and their glitter? BLEH! I crawled up Sombra’s neck scooched Sombra’s hat over, it squeaked in protest, and perched my head in between his ears. I saw Luna’s alicorn master in front of him. Oh, this won’t end well.
Ω
ΩSombraΩ
All I want is to go to bed and cuddle. But noooo, Miss I-know-everything-and-must-go-to the-night-market started to argue with me. Now I’m dealing with an angry white alicorn who I may or may not have met before. I’m getting too old for this malarkey.
“Move out my way, pryder sylfaenol,” I growled. “This doesn’t concern you. My annwyl and I are going to bed. I am tired. I’ve had a really long day.” Pierre shuddered again. “I do not want a fight.” I felt him nod at that. Kinkus and their hatred of contractions. Bah humbug.
“The unicorn does not want go with you, geni gyntaf” Celdestria said as she moved into a fighting stance, “I thought that you were different then the alicorns of our mother continent. But I should have known better. All alicorns, even the First Born of Harmonia are Discord touched!” Celdestria yelled. She turned her attention to Midnight, her eyes softening in response, “Do not worry, little one, I will save you.”
“Now wait a cotton- pickin’ minute,” I heard Midnight shout, “Sombra is not and never will be Discord touched. He’s just mad that I went to the night market without him. And because he’s an overprotective grumpy alicorn that has not gotten enough sleep. So, there will be no saving. Thank you very much.”
“He has clearly brainwashed you!” Celdestria countered. Her horn started to flare up with magic. I became really concerned that Midnight will be in the crosshairs of our fight. And I cannot have that.
“Oh, shut up, Celdestria,” I growled, “and listen to her!”
“What did you call me?” She asked as her eyes widened with surprise, “Did you just call me Celdestria?”
“That is your name is it not?” I was very confused. I am positive that her name was Celdestria. There comes a point where I will admit that I am wrong, and this is that point. Her lilac eyes flashed understanding and then anger.
“You!” she growled. “You are the unicorn Somber. You tricked us! You played us for fools! Played on our sympathy! How dare---”
“If I remember correctly, I was trapped in a bubble that you put me in,” I interjected with a wave of my wing. “And to correct your assumptions about my transformation. I turn into a unicorn to escape the watchful eyes of the alicorns. More specifically, Antares! By Harmony I still want escape her.” I mutter darkly under my breath.
“Isn’t Antares the red and black alicorn?” Midnight asked, “The one who tried to scare me off that one time? Your unwanted girlfriend?”
“Yes.”
“Ok. Now let me down.”
“NO. It is time for bed.”
“I am a creature the night. I will not go to sleep,” Midnight proclaimed, “And you can’t make me!”
“You are going to complain about not receiving enough sleep tomorrow morning,” I stated as I slowly turned towards the inn. “Then I will say told you so. And as punishment I will not let you take a nap. Unless…” I trailed off as I started to walk to the inn. If I keep her distracted, then maybe we can go to sleep. I heard the sputtering of the angry alicorn behind me. I would not be bothered by it. She was no longer my problem.
“Unless what?” she asked.
“Unless you go to sleep now and then tomorrow, have a nice breakfast with me,” I grinned at what I said. “Will you agree to that or will you keep fighting me and stay up all night arguing and causing both of us to not receiving any sleep?”
“Fine. I will consent to your terms,” she said begrudgingly.
“Good,” I smiled to myself as I walked away from the night market. The noise started to fade into the background. “Now for sleep. Sleep is good. Sleep is the best thing in the world. I want sleep. Sleep…”
“Sombra? Are you okay?” Midnight’s voice dripped with concern.
“Sleep… Midnight, did you know sleep is the best thing to have after a long walk?”
“Yes, I know.”
“Did you know that sleep is the best thing that Harmony made?”
“Really?”
“Yes! And did you know that I want sleep?”
“Yes.”
“I want cuddles.”
“What?”
“I want a bed.”
“Sombra, what did you say earlier?”
“I want to lay my head on a pillow.”
“Sombra!”
“Oh, look the inn.”
“Sombra!”
I walked around the building, looking for our window. It felt like we walked for hours to find it. I walked right underneath it, spread my wings and…. Splat! I land face first into the ground. I quieted Midnight’s oncoming complaints and tried again. After three failed attempts, I finally made it to the window, but I forgot that I had closed it earlier. After a banging into the window and a growling at the pain in my nose, I opened it. With my nose hurting and my wings aching, I pulled back the covers and picked up Midnight with my magic. I gently put her down on the bed. Unceremoniously, I flopped right on top of her and I completely blacked out. I faintly remember hearing her protest but that cannot be. I am not smothering her. Ah… sleep, how I missed you. What was that weight on my head? Sleep…