Even though Spike's lips were moving, no words came out.
"Huh?" Twilight murmured, twisting around in her seat.
Spike gave himself a face-palm. "I said, 'Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?'"
"Oh, yes, thank you, Spike!" Twilight nervously babbled. "Yep, yep, yep, I'm sure."
"Geez Twi, are you okay? You've been spacing out a lot lately."
Nearly three weeks had passed since the Tenebris incident and life had, more or less, returned to some level of normalcy. Princess Celestia was able to keep a lid on the whole incident from inquiring parties, telling the press and the public at large that she and the other princesses' absence was due to an unspecified secret political emergency, purposefully keeping the details as vague as possible. Rumors spread throughout Equestria as to the truth of the enigmatic incident, leading to speculation that the four royals had repelled a large-scale changeling invasion or were recruited to fight in some sort of interdimensional magic war. Some deranged conspiracy theorist, aptly named Crackpot, was going around proclaiming that the princesses were concocting a plan to manufacture more villains to fight, their previous battles the result of baseless propaganda meant to keep ponies ignorant and content to give up their autonomy to their "protectors". Although possessing a popular fanbase, no one really took Crackpot seriously and rightly dubbed him a paranoid, delusional kook.
All parties involved in the incident were faring alright for the most part. Flash Sentry would need to keep his broken wing in a sling for the next month, relegating him to light guard duty in the barracks, much to his immense chagrin as a young up-and-comer looking to advance in the ranks. Rarity's little coat-burn wasn't much of an issue as she'd covered it up with a long knitted scarf and inadvertently started a fashion trend in the process. Prior to Thanatos' departure, the primordial entity saw fit to undo all of Tenebris' spells, including his de-aging charm on Princess Cadence, who thankfully suffered no ill side-effects other than some mild confusion and a hankering for milk. Fluttershy, on the other hoof, was evidently still reeling from the mental attack, sequestering herself in her cottage and only allowing her friends to visit her, though she vehemently refused to divulge whatever it was that Tenebris showed her.
As for Sombra, no one had seen or heard from him since then. Although vanishing for long periods of time was keeping within his modus operandi, Twilight nevertheless worried herself to near-insanity, going over all kinds of nasty scenarios in her head about her paramour's potential fate. She tried to distract herself by tending to her royal duties and helping to save Equestria once again, this time from a rather unexpected invasion of evil sentient carrots, to which Pinkie Pie boasted, "I told you so!" at its conclusion. Then there were her futile attempts at writing her tell-all biographical book about Sombra, her original notes having been burned up when the Golden Oaks Library had been destroyed by Lord Tirek. Sadly, Twilight didn't have the foresight to make copies so she was left trying to make it all from scratch, relying solely on her memory as a reference and failing to keep all of the details straight.
Twilight rubbed at her eyes with a wing. "I guess I'm still worried about Sombra."
Spike placed a sympathetic claw on her shoulder. "I know. I mean, even after everything that's happened, he's still our friend...right?"
The group's relationship with Sombra was, to put it mildly, tumultuous, which was not surprising given how they all first met. He was King Sombra, the enemy of Equestria, the wicked despot of the Crystal Empire and the being that tried to steal the Crystal Heart and destroy them all. Then he returned, posed as an acquaintance in order to get close to them, dated Twilight under false pretenses, kidnapped Princess Cadence and Shining Armor and once again attempted to snuff them all out. Things got more complicated after Twilight found herself falling in love with the imprisoned umbrum, as well as his eventual escape and attack on Princess Celestia, resulting at him nearly skewering her if not for Twilight's timely arrival. Suffice it to say, none of this did anything to endear Sombra to any of them.
When Twilight had become the host for Nightmare Moon, they'd begrudgingly called on Sombra in desperation, forming a temporary alliance and working with him in order to free her from the eidolon's grasp. During this time, there was a gradual shift from suspicion to toleration as they began to see Sombra as a real individual rather than just an evil adversary, Rainbow Dash probably being the only one to continue to mistrust him. Sombra's assault on the diamond dog bandits' leader only created a further divide and regressed the friendship they'd all been building, leading to the creation of Tenebris and Equestria being once more threatened. Tenebris' horrible misdeeds, such as banishing Princesses Celestia and Luna and messing with Fluttershy's mind jammed that final nail in the coffin for any future goodwill. Now she doubted anyone would ever trust Sombra again.
"Of course he is," Twilight smiled weakly. "Things are just complicated right now."
"He didn't mean to do those things." Spike seemed to almost be talking to himself. "He's not a bad pony."
The truth was, being around Sombra opened Twilight's eyes to quite a few things. It had been so easy for their society to dub things "good" and "evil", even though life was so much more nuanced than that. Where once she'd seen everything in black and white, now the world was colored in shades of gray and she could never go back to the one she knew. No, perhaps Sombra was not technically wrong for desiring payback but his actions were not justifiable. What happened to him and his kind was more horrendous than words could ever describe, however, what he did to the crystal ponies and tried to do to Canterlot could never, ever, be considered acceptable.
Sombra is in pain and like anyone in pain, he needs help not imprisonment. I know he's not evil. He loves me and cares about Spike and my friends. He just needs guidance, that's all.
"Hey."
Twilight felt Spike's claw gently squeeze her shoulder.
"I think you and Sombra are going to work out."
"Yeah? What makes you think that?"
The little dragon shrugged. "I don't know. It's a mystery."
He then wrapped his arms around her neck, and Twilight in turn, enveloped him in her wings.
"Thanks, Spike. I hope it's true."
Disengaging, Spike made for the door.
"It's all we can do," he said softly and latched it shut behind him.
Rubbing her face, Twilight peered down at the blank papers strewn about her desk. There was no way she was going to be able to write so she decided to call it quits for the night. Pushing herself away from the desk, she arched her back, hearing a few cracks pop as she stretched her wound-up muscles. Deciding that she was in desperate need of fresh air, she entered the castle's upper balcony and peered down at Ponyville. The small town was still semi-awake, a few errant lights letting her know that some of its residents were awake and productive.
A black shape shot up from the balcony's face like a geyser. Twilight let out a half-shriek and tumbled backwards, falling flat on her behind. The inky blackness landed onto the balcony floor and took on an equine silhouette, eventually forming into a familiar stallion. Upon recognizing the umbrum, Twilight frowned and began to pull herself up when Sombra immediately offered her his hoof. Hesitantly, she accepted and dusted herself off, turning to Sombra with a mix of relief and anger.
"Sombra, what are you doing here?! Where have you been? Why haven't you tried to contact me?"
"I...I'm sorry, Twilight." Sombra raised a hoof up to Twilight's cheek and, much to her disappointment, lowered it. "After...," He swallowed. "After what happened, I needed time alone to think."
Exhaling sharply, Twilight placed her head on his chest.
"I thought so. I'm just happy that you're here."
Sombra snaked a foreleg around Twilight and pulled her close to him.
"Me too."
There was deafening silence between them before Sombra spoke once more.
"I got that job at the library."
"Did you? How is it?"
"It's fine," Sombra said casually. "I'm actually glad you weren't there. The place was in serious need of reorganizing."
"Now I'm wishing that I was," Twilight lamely chuckled.
Not only was she the only one laughing but she noticed that Sombra's grip on her had tightened.
"Sombra? What's wrong."
Releasing her, Sombra turned around so that she was staring at the back of his head.
"I think we should spend some time apart."
Twilight's breathing slowed, a knot twisting up inside her chest.
"W-what?"
Sombra sighed, then faced her once more, his face contorted into one of immense sorrow.
"I can't keep doing this to you or to anyone else. It's not fair."
No. No, this isn't...this isn't happening...
"Are you...breaking up with me?"
Even as the words tumbled out of her mouth, Twilight couldn't fathom ever speaking them aloud.
Sombra clamped his jaws shut, loudly swallowing as his eyes met hers.
"Yes."
Growing up, Twilight had heard phrases like, "my heart is breaking" or "a broken heart" and always thought of them as weightless hyperbole used by melodramatic poets and angsty romance writers. How can your heart break? In that instance, however, Twilight could swear that her heart was beginning to fracture into a million pieces, every piece of flesh slowly and agonizingly ripping itself apart. Her breath quickened, blood pounding in her ears as loud as war drums.
"N-no. No!" Twilight couldn't recall bursting into tears, yet they were racing down her face all the same. "You can't. You can't just break up with me!"
"Do you think I want this?" Sombra sounded as though he was just barely keeping a lid on his anger. "Hmm? Do you think that I want to say to the mare that I love, 'This is over. We're through'? Do you think this is easy?"
"Then why?!" Twilight bellowed, no longer caring if anyone heard them. She began beating her hooves against Sombra's chest as he stood there taking it. "Why are you doing this? You love me! And I...I..."
She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, tell him that she hated him, that she never loved him and wanted him to get out of her life but those would be lies. Even now, all she wanted to do was to grab a hold of him and beg Sombra to stay with her forever. Her frenzied attack faltered, her hooves falling limply down as she leaned up against him, his body's service as a support beam being the only thing keeping Twilight from falling on her face. She wept uncontrollably, even as a pair of strong forelegs swaddled her in their warmth, practically crushing her against Sombra's chest.
"I-I...love you..." She managed between sobs.
"...and I love you, Twilight Sparkle," Sombra replied dolefully, kissing the top of Twilight's head, taking a moment to inhale her scent. "More than you'll ever know."
That answer right there stung far more than anything Sombra had said previously. Not only were the words themselves both incredible and terrible but the tone in which they were spoken, a mixture of heartbreak and resolution. He meant what he said. He cherished her, would do anything for her if she'd asked him, which only increased her bitter wailing. It just didn't make any sense.
"Then why?" Twilight peeked up at Sombra's mournful face through tear-soaked eyes, just barely able to form coherent sentences through her whimpering. "Why are you doing this?"
Moisture gathered at the corners of Sombra's eyes, yet no tears fell.
"After I left the Crystal Empire, I arrived at my apartment and washed my face off. When I stared into the mirror, and found my reflection staring back, it was then that I realized that I couldn't stomach looking at myself. I hated who I'd become. What's more is that I hated what I'd done and was doing to those around me. Being both Lumos and Tenebris made me realize how awful I am, that I'm spiteful, cruel and selfish."
Twilight sniffled and considered his words but said nothing.
"For so long, I tried to ignore my problems, then I tried getting rid of them with magic. Don't you see? I can't be selfish anymore. I can't watch you suffer because of me and my personal baggage. You don't do that to someone you love. I want you to share in my joys, not my woes."
As loathe as Twilight wanted to admit it, Sombra was being one-hundred percent rational. He did have some serious hang-ups, some of which literally almost got her friends killed. After a thousand years of bad judgment calls, he was finally attempting to take ownership of his mistakes and correct his faults. Like anyone in love, he just wanted her to be happy, even if it hurt him in the process. However, that didn't mean she had to like it.
"Sombra, you don't have to do this alone." Twilight's hoof grazed his cheek, a shudder escaping Sombra's lips. "You have those that care about you, like Cadence and Spike, ponies that love you."
The air around Twilight turned cold as soon as she found herself dislodged from Sombra's embrace. He was now peering down at her, one massive hoof stroking her cheek. His lips turned upward in a bittersweet smile, little droplets cascading southward on his cheeks.
"I know, Twilight but the truth is, I hate who I am. If I don't love or care about myself, how can I expect anyone else to?"
For that, Twilight had no answer.
"I promise this isn't forever." Sombra held Twilight's chin, glancing into her eyes. "When I'm better, we'll pick up where we left off. I love you and I swear that I will never stop fighting for you."
"I'll hold you to that," Twilight managed through her tears. "Otherwise, I will hunt you down and make you remember."
In lieu of a retort, Sombra pressed his lips against hers, drawing her into a kiss so fierce and passionate that it might as well be their last. There was no pain, no sorrow, no regrets, no dark magic, no mental anguish or bitter goodbyes. There were only the two of them. When it ended, Twilight was struggling to breath, her chest aching from the combined emotional duress and the hopeless devotion she had for the shadow pony. Her dark king.
"I will be waiting for you, Twilight. Always."
He was then gone, dissipated in a cloud of smoke. Twilight stared at the spot where Sombra had recently been, where his haunting eyes pierced her soul, where his lips had captured her own. She wanted to resume crying, to curl into a ball and lose herself to her misery but she did neither. Instead, she dried her eyes with a wing and walked to the edge of the balcony, the moonlight bathing her in its silvery rays. Then, she began to sing:
How can I possibly help you,
When your mind is all askew?
I want you to stay here
But I know you can't stay here
I'm helpless to do anything
But watch you fall apart
You stole my heart and soul,
I'm incomplete but whole
Why did the one I love have to be you?
If you leave, you take with you that special light
If you leave, nothing will ever again feel right
I just want to relieve you of your plight
But now, I have to let you go
Even after everything, I still want to keep you close
I'm willing to go through the highs as well as all the lows
The spell you cast on me still holds strong
It retains its power over me even when you've gone
This love is a blessing and a curse
I don't know which is worse
All I know is please come back to me soon
If you leave, swear to me that you'll still be true
If you leave, I'll swear to do the same to you
I wish that there was more that I could do
But now, I have to let you go
There is so much joy that is worth all the pain
There will come a day when all of this won't be in vain
If you leave, I will wish you all of the best
If you leave, know I'll be with you on your quest
And when you return, we'll handle the rest
But now, I have to let you go
~*~
I shouldn't be here.
Sombra raised his hoof but paused right before the toe made contact with the indigo door. He was a ball of nerves from head to hoof, the slightest tremor in his limbs betraying the apprehension he felt in that moment. The last time he was at the gaudy yellow townhouse, he'd threatened the elderly mare inside of it and actually attempted to wipe her off the face of the earth. Now, one could make the argument that it technically wasn't him per se, but that notion did very little to dissuade Sombra from his mounting guilt. Tenebris would forever be a stain on his soul as well as in the memories of those that'd suffered because of his impulsiveness and poor judgment.
Visiting Twilight and breaking it off with her was one of the hardest things that he'd ever done, and he had to overcome some pretty daunting obstacles. Speaking the words that would end their relationship hurt far worse than he ever could've imagined but the sight of Twilight balling her eyes out because of him was even worse. Sombra wanted to take it back, tell her that he didn't mean it and forgive him for being so foolish but he had to stay the course. Would she grow to resent him for this? Would've it been any worse than forcing her to stay with him through his unresolved personal issues?
After everything that'd transpired, Sombra felt himself in a state of perturbation that left him more uncertain of anything than he ever had before. He'd royally ruined things for himself and others, almost wrecked the future of Equestria with his actions and hurt those he cherished most in the world, namely Twilight and Cadence. To that end, he'd elected to visit Primrose and see if the wizened seer could direct him towards a new goal or at the very least, help get the ball rolling.
Wracked by indecision, Sombra finally rapped on the door.
The door was yanked inward and Primrose's granddaughter appeared, her expression less than pleased.
"Oh. It's you."
Sombra nodded and locked eyes with the amber-gray earth pony.
"Is...your grandmother home?"
The mare maintained her gimlet glare for an indeterminable amount of time until finally heaving a sigh and maneuvering to the side.
"Thank you."
Wordlessly shutting the door, the mare led Sombra towards the kitchen and out the back door, the two arriving at a small but immaculate backyard. They passed a small frog statue that held a slowly rotating pinwheel in its hands, the lily pad beneath its feet bearing a flower that read, "Have a hoppy day!" A wooden green porch swing creaked from a white metal frame as it swayed lazily in the mid-afternoon breeze. On the right hoof side, there was a tiny tomato garden sitting in a small patch of dirt, a fence of chicken wire stapled to four rectangular posts surrounding it on all sides, save for a hinged gate with the image of a cute smiling tomato nailed to the front. It wasn't what Sombra had been expecting but then again, it was difficult to know what exactly to expect from someone that had foreknowledge of your comings and goings even before you did.
Primrose was seated at a round, two-pony glass-top table, a parasol in the center shading her from the sun's rays. Despite this, the octogenarian wore a light pink straw sunhat, a yellow ribbon tied around the crown in place of a headband. In place of her apron, Primrose had traded it in for a light green and white plaid button-up dress, little frills decorating the collar and hemline. Spotting the pair, she smiled warmly and waved them over, one hoof keeping a steady grip on her cane.
"Guess Who, welcome. Thank you, Charity. That will be all."
Charity withdrew, though not before shooting Sombra a nasty glare.
"So nice that you could join me," Primrose beamed and turned her attention to the tall glass of lemonade situated in front of her, stiffing the ice with a light blue silly straw. "I don't often get visitors that aren't paying customers or salesponies trying to sell me knick-knacks."
"I had to return. The truth is-..."
Noisily slurping sounds interrupted Sombra's speech. As Primrose sucked on the straw, her larynx bobbed up and down in her thin neck in a decidedly turtle-like manner. What didn't help was the fact that she maintained eye contact with Sombra throughout the whole ordeal, severely agitating him as she irritatingly gulped her drink. Patiently, Sombra waited until Primrose withdrew and smacked her lips, dabbing them with a napkin and clearing her throat. After a pause, Sombra resumed.
"Anyway, I-I'm at a crossroads in my life. I don't know what I am to do next."
Primrose gently nodded. "Yes, you're in quite the pickle. Have you considered what I told you in the kitchen?"
"Wouldn't you like to know about your future?" Primrose tilted her head, her smile almost enigmatic.
Tenebris froze. Was this mare being serious? Surely this was a joke!
He turned and stared at her curiously, failing to detect even a slight hint of jest on her wrinkled face.
"You've piqued my interest," Tenebris smirked.
"Come closer."
The stallion approached her and stopped a foot away, only for Primrose beckon him forward.
"Closer."
Squatting down so that they at a more matched height, Tenebris stood rigidly as he felt the old mare's caramel hard candy-scented breath in his ear. She then spoke to him in an even tone tinged with excitement:
"Celestia is going to step down soon and has already chosen her replacement. However, her true successor will be decided not by her or her allies but by you alone."
"I thought you were joking about that!" Sombra exclaimed. "Just to mess with m...Tenebris"
"I never joke about such things," Primrose replied in an almost scolding manner. "My prophecies lay the groundwork for the future of Equestria, and by extension, the world."
Sombra raised a skeptical brow. "So you really expect me to believe that Equestria's next ruler will be chosen by me of all ponies. No offense, but have you gone completely senile?"
Primrose let out a sound that was a cross between a throaty cackle and a high-pitched giggle.
"Heh, not yet, sonny. Trust me, this will come to pass."
"But why me? I am the worst possible candidate. I..."
"...Am exactly what is needed," Primrose finished, placing a hoof over his own. "In time, you'll see."
Sombra jerked his head side-to-side. "You're wrong. This isn't my responsibility."
Primrose snorted, as if hearing an inside joke. "You're afraid. It's as simple as that."
“Fear helps keep you away from something you know is going to hurt you.”
“Hatred pushes you towards what you know is wrong,” Primrose retorted, patting Sombra's hoof affectionately. "For far too long, you've allowed these two emotions to control you. Fear and hatred are sacks of bricks that will continue to weigh you down unless you let them go."
Sombra's eyes traveled towards the ground. "I don't know how to. But I'm willing to learn."
"And I'm willing to teach," Primrose nodded. "In fact, you have multiple teachers, all of whom will be with you every step of the way. I promise that this time, you won't be alone."
His gaze met Primrose's once more. "You know, this whole...experience...has helped me to recover something, something I thought I'd lost long ago."
"And what's that?"
Sombra beamed at Primrose, his smile radiant in its sincerity. "A part of myself that once believed in things like miracles and hope. Perhaps, things aren't as bleak as I once held."
The sagacious mare grinned back. "No, perhaps they're not. Let's find out, shall we?"