//------------------------------// // Confession // Story: Sombra's Midnight Star // by Twilighted Rose //------------------------------// Rarity (Present ) Rarity watched as the nightmare monster barrel towards Cadence. She pulled from a source of almost pure magic as a gold necklace with a purple Diamond appeared glowing around her neck, shooting diamond shaped shields from her horn in front of Cadence. The nightmare monster hit the purple shields with a mighty boom. Rarity felt the cracks beginning to form and poured more power into the shield to seal the weaknesses. The backlash she felt from the attack forced her to cough up some blood. She had layered more shields around Cadence or she wouldn’t survive another attack. She braced herself for the next spell. The nightmare monster shook its head. Silvery blood trickled down her muzzle as she opened her mouth. With a mighty roar the monster turned around and charged at Rarity. With a scream, Rarity teleported out of the way, barely missing the razor sharp teeth. She coughed up more blood as again tried to strengthen the shields.  “The Elements are weaker here.” She rasped as she tried to pull from her Element. She was more of a support then a combative type. She doesn’t have the knowledge to fight this monster. Streaks of rainbow flashed in her peripheral vision. She turned to watch Rainbow Dash body slam the monster into the wall. It roared in pain. “Protectors of the Usurper, I will destroy you!” It screamed in a layered voice. “I will feast on your bones as I destroy the fake alicorn and the Usurper!” Ribbons shot out of the monster’s horn. The ribbons raced towards the duo but were intercepted by a red and black swirling transparent wall.  “Enough, Aurora,” shouted the obsidian male Alicorn, “this has gone far enough. You are destroying my home and endangering my guests. If you do not stop I will have to use force!” With a stomp of his hoof the ground cracked. Red eyes blazed with anger as they stared down at sunset pink eyes. The monster growled in protest. “Aurora!” “No, First Born, I will not back down.” Aurora hissed. “You will have to call Deditionem on me to stop. But you would not because I am your self proclaimed sister. And you would not hurt your family or call for a complete surrender, now would you?” King Sombra growled in a low voice, “If I have to, so be it. I call Deditionem on the Regent of Memories and Healing for she had forsaken her ways and chose to harm those who are innocent–” “Innocent!” Screeched Aurora, interrupting King Sombra. “They are not innocent!” Without skipping a beat King Sombra continued, “And we will battle until total surrender as the name states.” With the last word spoke a gigantic magic circle formed around the duo and knocked everypony that was not them out of it. Rarity stared in awe at the beauty that scene she was about to witness. Two God-like figures circle each other in a deadly dance and battle of wills. Rarity snapped out of it when she heard Cadence groan.    “Cadence! “ Rarity shouted as she ran toward her alicorn friend. “Cadence, are you alright?” She asked as she helped Cadence to her hooves. Her friend had some blood trickle down her muzzle from her nose. A foggy look was in her eyes.  “I don’t think that Cadence will be answering anytime soon, Rares.” Pinkie’s destinked voice was heard over the ever growing growling noise coming from the magic circle. Rarity looked be hind her and found Pinkie with her mane flat and a murderous gleem in her eye walking towards them. “But seeing the God fight about to happen will be most enjoyable.” She looked at the circling gods with a manic smile. The gleam grew the longer she stared. “Pinkie,” Rarity hissed, “what, in Celestia’s green earth, do you mean.” “Cadence is connected to the Nightmare monster in a spiritual manner.” Pinkie said tilting her head towards Rarity and Cadence. “You don’t see the pain she is going through? The Crystal Heart is connected to Cadence and thus Cadence is connected to the Monster! The Monster is in pain and so Cadence is in pain!” Pinkie started to laugh like a maniac. “Let’s see some blood spill! Hehe!” She then looked around. “Has anyone seen Discord?” “Pinkie! Snap out of it!” Rarity slapped Pinkie. The pink pony did not like that. Her blue eyes turned into a sunset pink. Rarity backed away in fear as her friend stalked towards her. Ghostly ribbons circled the Element of Laughter as she cackled like a mad pony. Rarity heard Pinkie whisper, “Blood, blood flow, blood.” Over and over again. “Hehe!”     A cyan pony hit Pinkie in the back of the head at full speed, knocking the pink pony out. Rainbow Dash huffed and puffed as she stared in horror as black blood began to pool under Pinkie’s head. Rarity ran to Pinkie. Luckily she was still breathing.  “What is happening?” Rarity screeched. Rainbow Dash ran over to her.  “A lot, Rares,” Rainbow Dash said in a weird accent. “but the First Born will protect us. This I know.” “Who is this First Born you’re talking about?!”  Rainbow bluntly pointed a hoof at Sombra with a deadpan look. “Him.” The Alicorn stallion in question stood tall in front of the glass-like monster that tried to attack them earlier. Red flames formed a tornado around him that climbed towards the cavernous ceiling. It disappeared as fast as it came. In the place of the obsidian alicorn stood a beast. His obsidian fur was littered with stars glowing in a ruby light. Pure red flames arched towards the sky in place of his wings. Vines of silver roses wrapped around his legs and torso, shimmering like stars. His teeth grew longer and his ruby eyes turned black as night. The white star on his face tarnished into a puter helmet. Red flames flowed out of his mouth as he growled at his opponent. His red nebulous tail swished in agitation. He wore no armor, he had no need for it. He was as beautiful as he was deadly. Rarity couldn’t keep her eyes off the stallion as he made his way to the other alicorn who was struggling to keep him away from her.  The alicorn started to zig- zag in an attempt to evade the threat in front of her but the magic circle would not allow her to go far. The starry beast grew in size as he watched with waning interest. “How?” Rarity asked unsure if the blood loss combined with the backlash was making her see things. “Is he growing?” “It seems to be.” Rainbow Dash said. “Let’s ask him how he does that when he is finished. I’m sure he would love to teach us how to use that kind of magic. Oh, I mean you use that kind of magic since pegasi don’t typically use magic unless it’s for flying. Hehe. Alicorn really beat that into my head. We pegasi are completely useless.” Rainbow Dash scratched behind her head in a nervous jester.  Rarity looked confused. “ What are you talking about, Rainbow Dash! Pegasi are not useless. Your kind controls the weather! You, yourself, make sonic rainbooms all the time! You are the Element of Loyalty! One of the strongest Elements we have! Have you forgotten that the Element makes you stronger and faster?!” “Actually, Rares, Sombra gave me his speed in my first life,” Rainbow Dash said, “that is why I am so fast. It is not because of the Element of Loyalty. That gives me the power of finding you all in a pinch. Hehe… anyway let’s take Cadence and Pinkie out of here. It’s about to get messy. I have a lot of explaining to do, don’t I, Love?” Dash flashed one of her charming smiles at Rarity. It reminded her of the times they dated in the past. Rainbow Dash was such a charmer when she wanted to be. They, in Rarity opinion, made a cute couple but Rainbow Dash kept pining for Fluttershy; it didn't work out. Rarity was glad that they were still friends even though they couldn’t be more. “You do. Especially with that accent and personality flips.” Rarity grumbled with a slight blush. “Hehe, alright. It’s a deal.”  Ω Void Void opened their eyes back in their mortal form. The pain in their joints always served as a reminder that they are not home. Pain, what a funny concept. Along with those infernal emotions that keep popping up. How could mortals handle all of this? It always annoyed them with the emotions in this form. They were above emotions! Above! But this little mortal now immortal had changed them fundamentally. Not even the Great Demi God or The Great Goddess could change their stance on this matter. But this little Ethereal did. She made it where emotions didn’t seem that bad. Void chuckled at a memory of this Ethereal’s past life. It was a peaceful day years before she died. Again. ~“You know, Kat’rina,” Nebula said, “I have come to the conclusion that all the years I have been with you that friendship is magic!” She snickered at her statement as she kicked her hindlegs in glee as she leaned back on the crumbled wall they were sitting on. Her golden fur gleamed in the waning sunlight. Her violet eyes lit up with laughter as she stared off in the horizon.    ‘And how did you come to that conclusion?’ Void asked. ‘Because that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. An abstract concept being magic?! Stupid!’ Nebula howled in laughter, nearly falling off the wall that she was sitting on. ‘Will you stop laughing and answer me!’  She stopped suddenly, turned woodenly towards Void and in a deadpan voice said, “No.” and resumed laughing. Then she grabbed them and started to give them a noogie. That she called to insatiable head rubbing. With a yowl and a hiss, Void finally got out of her grasp. Then they playfully punched her in the foreleg. She went flying as a consequence.  ‘Nebula!’ The annoying emotion of concern flooded the god. Just before they got to their feet, Nebula jumped out of the tall grass with a stupid grin. “See, Misunderstood Kat, magic!” She cackled, “Friendship is magic!”~ Void shook themselves out the memory, chuckling. Nebula always did have a way of worming herself into their unfeeling heart. Midnight made them curious and what happened to her made them furious. The others were barely a blip in their radar beyond teaching . But Nebula made them feel. The two hundred years they had spent together had taught Void so much. As they stroked the purple mane of this Reincarnation of their favorite Ethereal, they wondered if this one will do something memorable.  “Now, my Little Ethereal,” Void whispered in her ear, “you will only have to sleep through one life instead of six. You will awake when Midnight has died to the one you had called teacher. Remember and become my tool for my Vengeance.” Ω ΩMidnightΩ  Sombra gave me a sheepish look. “I had an altercation,” he shrugged, “I promise that on our next date there will be no altercations. Simply put, we are not going to be in Harmonia for our second date. Now then I am going to wash the blood off of me. Do you want to help?” He flashed a cheeky grin. But I stuck on him wanting another date. “Hol’ up there now!” I backtracked, “You want another date? With me?”  “I thought that was clear?” He looked befuddled. “I loved the date and it would have been perfect if it wasn't for the alicorn. Glad he’s gone. Did you not enjoy the date?” “No, no, I deeply enjoyed it! I’m just shocked that you wanted another one.” I said as I shuffled my hooves back and forth. I found Sombra giving a weird look. “Why wouldn’t a stallion not want a second date with a mare he adores?” Sombra asked with a soft voice. My jaw hit the floor. He… Does he adore me? Truly? “R-really?” “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” He flashed his dazzling smile. It must be a trick. It just gotta be. How can the First Born adore somepony like me? I got to have proof.  “T-then prove it!” I shouted. Sombra blinked in surprise at my command. He tilted his head in question. “How, Little Star, do you want me to prove it to you?” He asked carefully. He slowly walked towards me. The stench of blood nearly sent me into a panic attack but he stopped himself before he got too close. “K-kiss me.” I wish I had never said that because Sombra gave me a shocked look. He blinked a few times.  “What?” Smiling, he started to chuckle. “What do you mean, little mate?” “Y-you k-know what I-I mean!” I stammered, doubling down. I guess that since I started this I’m going to see it through. My legs were shaking but I'd be darned if I backed down. Come on stubbornness don’t let me down. “Do I?” He chuckled as he moved closer. The stench of blood was overpowered by cinnamon and clove. My favorite smell.“Because where I’m standing you’re shaking like a leaf because of the smell of blood. I know how you get when you smell blood. Thing is, Love, I am covered in it. Head to toe. So I am not about to kiss you when I have blood all over me. But how about a counter offer. Join me in taking a bath?’  “Wait, you have trouble taking a bath by yourself?” Sombra groaned at my remark, throwing his head back in frustration. He then looked down and shook his head. “No, I don’t have trouble taking a bath.” His lips thinned. “I forgot how innocent you are. Like you are really innocent. Which is adorable but sometimes like now it is kinda frustrating.” “Frustrating, how?” I tilted my head in question. I am really confused. Does he or doesn’t he want me to help him bathe? A good servant should help her master bathe, right? Is that why he asked? Because that’s the only thing that makes sense. “Did your mother ever bathe with your father?” Sombra asked, trying to find an example to use. I shrugged. He just hit his head with his hoof. “Never mind. Listen I would love to continue this conversation but I’m getting blood all over the carpet and it’s drying on my skin through my fur. It feels really gross. So I’m going to take a bath alone. Which is very upsetting but it is what it is. Good night, my love. I bid thee adieu.” He bowed deeply and promptly turned around and walked down the hallway. His beautiful tail was swishing. I was mesmerized.   “This is nothing like the fairytale books.” I muttered to myself while trying to fan my hot face with my hooves. Dang his tail was fine! “And now I’m just talking to myself… great… I’m as crazy as a cuckoo bird's brain…” I grumbled to myself but with a small smile on my lips. I started down the hallway, noticing the blood trail that Sombra left. I sighed and got the magic blood cleaner. I honestly forgot the name but it gets the job done. As I scrubbed the blood trail, I heard somepony walk up behind me. “I am honestly surprised at the pathetic display of flirting I just witnessed a few minutes ago,” Celestia commented as she grabbed a scrub brush and started to help me. I stood there frozen in shock. An alicorn helping me clean? AN ALICORN CLEANING?! WHAT IS HAPPENING?! “Are you just going to sit there gawking at me or are you going to help me clean up this mess that his First Borness had made?” She asked with a cheeky smile. I snapped out of it and I started scrubbing.  “Flirting?” I asked once I was over my shock. What in Tartarus is going on with me?! Why do I feel like I’ve slid all the way back to square one?! Why the hell am I even reverting back to my ‘servant’ training? “It seemed like it to me that he was trying to flirt with you, but it clearly went over your head.” She chuckled. “It was kinda cute. You see, my little pony, when a stallion asks you to join him in the bath normally there is no washing involved. Hehe.”  My ears went flat at her light teasing. “Are you saying he was trying to Court me?” I asked with large eyes.  “He kinda skipped a few steps but yes, yes he was.” Her eyes twinkled with mirth, “But if I had my way I would set you up with somepony who is a lot nicer. More gentler then the brute Sombra. Maybe somepony with a library where you can read all the books you ever want! How does that sound?” “But I want Sombra.” I whispered under my breath, “He was the first one to get me out of my shell that had formed around my heart. He was the first one to actually believe in me when no else would. He taught me to read and write in more than one language. He taught me true arcane magic. I want Sombra not some random stallion that you picked out. I’m sorry but I won’t settle for less.” “And I am so glad to hear that, Miss Star,” Harmony’s voice caused me to jump. I nearly hit my head on the ceiling with how high I jumped. Harmony’s giggles rang through the hall like little bells in the wind. Beautiful as it was annoying. “My fault for scaring the bat crap out of you. Oh, my sweet Celestia, my ever shining sun bringer, will you please stop meddling in my matchmaking affairs?! It was hard enough to stop them from destroying each other! What with Midnight’s costent revenge pranks and Sombra’s ever growing retaliation. I barely kept them alive! Now they are finally admitting their feelings, more or less, with each other and you want to  break them up?! How dare you!” She huffed with smoke coming out of her mouth. The smell of burning incense permeated the air as the Goddess huffed and puffed. In all honesty, I don’t really count that as a confession of feeling. Just an awkward encounter of Sombra wanting to take a bath with me. Thinking about it now, I wish that I had joined him. At least it wouldn’t be as awkward as this situation. Right? I skirted around the perplexed Celestia and picked up my scrubber. I then proceeded to continue cleaning up the blood. If I don't do this then who will? I had my ears perked to hear if there were any more indications that Sombra truly liked me in a romantic way. By Harmony I sure hope so. Unfortunately, they started to speak in the lilting language that Sombra sometimes speaks in.  Welnish was it? I forgot, but it was definitely different from what the Kinkus were speaking. I heard Celestia huff. Hooves steps stomped towards me in an angry fashion. The scrubber was then plucked from my grasp. Next thing I know I was then pulled backwards. I watched as Celestia began to clean up the mess as I was enveloped in silvery wings. Harmony then whispered in my ear, “You two need to get your act together and confess your damnable feels soon or else I will explode. It was cute for a while as you figured out each other but I am on really borrowed time and I will most definitely love to see some grandchildren.” Her exasperated sigh tickled my ear as I tried to process her words but she continued, “Void will no longer tolerate me being in the moral realm much longer so I am taking things in my own hooves and setting things into motion.”  My eyes widened as I figured out what she was saying. I tried to wiggle out of her grasp as I felt my stomach drop. The hallway disappeared and in its replacement was a very beautiful black and red room. Behind me I heard the click of a lock. My eyes widened as I rushed towards the blackwood doors. Just as I feared the doors were locked! Locked! I was locked inside the opulent room! Oh, no, this was bad, very bad. I don’t know where I am but I could wager a guess. Well since I am here, I might as well explore.  My hooves clacked on the red and black checkered floor. My head swiveled this way and that trying to take in everything. This room was huge! Who in Harmony’s good name needs this big! Oh, bookshelves!! Big bookshelves!! I bolted towards them in excitement. Whoever’s room this was had fantastic tastes.  Polish black wood rose to the sky as I neared them. First addition and aging scrolls filled the shelves with random nick-nacks crammed in between. Each book and every scroll looked as if they were very much loved and cared for. It took all my willpower not to drool over the amount of books here. I could stay here for a lifetime and barely make a dent in the amount of books here. And the red leather couches, I had seen in the corner of my eye, were looking mighty fine for sitting and reading by the roaring fire. Speaking of the fire, why was it white? I turned to the couches after grabbing a book that looked interesting. It felt like an eternity to get to the couches but I made it. The couch squeaked when I sat down on it. I wiggled to get comfortable and the couch squeaked again. Hmm… Wiggle. Squeak. Wiggle. Hmm… Squeak. Wiggle. Squeak. Hehe.  Wiggle. Squeak. Wiggle. This was fun.  Squeak. Wiggle. Bam!  I jumped as I heard a door close, dropping the book in process. I turned to find a wet, very confused Sombra with a towel hanging around his neck. Wait, this was Sombra’s room?! And he is wet. I tilted my head, wondering why I never really noticed how beautiful his neck was. I didn’t realize that necks can be beautiful but here we are. Staring at his neck becoming jealous of water because it’s on him and not me. And what the heck am I thinking! I am apparently a prisoner inside of Sombra’s room and I’m becoming jealous of water! What… “... are you doing in my room, Miss Star?” Sombra’s baritone broke through my drooling thoughts. I blinked. Then I remembered why I was in here. The locked door! Sombra’s horn flashed red and I heard a crashing sound behind me causing me to jump. Again.  “What was that?” I asked as I turned towards the sound. “Nothing you need to concern yourself about.” His sudden high pitched voice made me turn back to him. A tight smile was plastered on his face as he got all shifty. He cleared his throat, “I will ask you again, Midnight, what are you doing in my bedroom?”  “I was clearly locked in here by your crazy mother with no way out!” I growled as I teleported to the doors. I made a big show of jiggling the doorknob. Yep still locked. Bell-like laughter rang out into the room as Sombra’s eyes narrowed. He huffed and suddenly he was behind me. One second he was across the room, the next he was banging on the doors that lead out to freedom. It shocked me to see no glitter on the floor when he teleported over here.  “Where’s the glitter?” I asked because clearly I am not going into denial here. Clearly.  He shook his head as stopped pounding on the doors. “I ran,” he chuckled. He then started alternating between banging on the doors and jiggling the doorknobs. “Excuse me what? You what?” “You heard me.” He huffed (again). “I ran over to see if what you said was correct. And it appears so. Damnation! This is the worst timing ever!” He yelled as he turned and bucked the doors. The bang echoed across the room as he stalked away. I heard growls and curses in another language muttered under his breath. He nearly dug a trench with all the pacing he began to do.   In the corner of my eyes, I saw silvery branches begin to wrap around the door. It distracted me from watching Sombra’s muscles ripple under his black fur. Probably a good thing, but I was enjoying watching it. The branches grew at an alarming rate, cracking the wood in some places. I rushed over and started to break off the branches. But it was futile. For every branch I break off two more took its place. I growled in frustration.  “Sombra! A little help!” I screeched as I used magic and hooves to break the ever growing enemy. Red joined my purple as magic fought the silver menace in a spectacular display. We would not let it win, though with each passing minute it seemed futile. Sombra’s growls of frustration joined mine in a chorus of anger and irritation. Bell-like laughter rang out into the room as the branches encased the doors.  “Why?!” Sombra shouted as he bucked the doors again. “Is this funny to you? Mother?!”  “No, no, ok maybe a little bit,” her giggles filled the space, “ but I did this for a reason, boy.”  “And what pray tell is that, Mother?” He growled. Irritation flavored his words with every syllable spoken. I, on the other hoof, was trying to find where Harmony’s voice was coming from. She had to be in here because there was no way that she was speaking out thin air, right? Right? By Void’s tail, my head hurts. And now I spoke the First God’s name! Now I will be struck down by lightning because I have used it in vain! Or not. They seemed to be more of a lonely Being more than anything else. I should befriend them. Yes, I should become fri— “Babies!” Wait what?