Sombra's identity had been confirmed while Shining had been talking... with his sister, and the Imperial group had plans to return to Sombrashaven the next morning. In the meantime, a celebration was being held by the settlement.
A large fire roared in the center of a small clearing, a whole goat turning over it on a massive spit. Other dishes were being roasted around it, as well as other dishes beyond them being steamed or fried on other stoves. Music filtered over the assembled Umbrum, while small groups danced to the pounding of drums and strange string instruments. Groups of Umbrum were talking, tending to the food, or otherwise occupied with other tasks.
Shining sat alone at the edge of the circle, eyes fixed on the blazing fire. He was lost in thought, not really thinking about the party being held for the creature that attacked him and his wife. He was focused on one thought alone: His family.
He had just met somepony whom he was physically related; his own sister! And she told him that he had more family he could meet. But... what did that make his LSBFF? What did that make Spike? What did that make his parents? No, that wasn't it. After thinking it over, he came to the conclusion that his opinion of them hadn't really changed: They were still his family. What he came to realize was-
"You ok?", a voice drew him out of his reverie. Ciaran and Shroud sat down next to him, each giving him comforting looks. Or, at least, trying to. Even after being around them for a few days, he still found the features both hard to read and disconcerting.
"Yeah, yeah", Shining said, straightening up somewhat.
Shroud snickered, saying, "I've lied enough myself to know that's a lie."
"What is that supposed to-"
Ciaran cut in, saying with no lack of satisfaction, "Our Seite's little imitation used to be a bit of a hothead."
"Let's just say I've done a few stupid things that went against my father's wishes, and leave it at that", Shroud said. "But, enough about me. We're focusing on you."
"Yeah", Ciaran said. "So, what's eating you?"
"I'm... thinking", he finally said.
Shroud said, "And water freezes. You don't really do subtle."
"Shroud", Ciaran warned.
He held up his hooves in a mock surrender. "What?"
Shining held up his hooves, this time in a placating gesture to both of them. "Look, you don't need to do this. I'm fine; Just... Like I said, just thinking."
"About what?", Ciaran asked, not showing signs of relent.
Shining sighed, lowering his head. "Not gonna give up, are you?"
"We look after each other", Shroud said. "Like it or not, you're an Umbrum. So, we're just looking out for you."
"Alright then", Shining said. "Fine. It's just... My family; the one I have back in Equestria, I mean."
"Ah", Shroud said, throwing the contents of a small white cup down his throat. "Makes sense."
"Really?", Shining asks.
Shroud looked at him as if he had turned into a normal unicorn. "Well, yeah. From what Ciaran has said, you were more or less thrust into all this. Makes you wonder about your relationship with them, right?"
"That's... close, but not it", Shining said.
It was Shroud's turn to look bewildered. "No? Then what?"
With a sigh, Shining pointed. The Seite and the visiting officials sat on a low table, eating from several plates of food. Among them, sat his sister. "Magistrate Blackout?", Ciaran asked, earning a nod from Shining. "What about her?"
"Turns out, she's my twin sister", he said.
Shroud spewed the contents of a second cup across the snow, earning the young stallion glances and annoyed remarks. He looked back up at Shining, coughing and sputtering. "What?"
Ciaran shared a similar look of surprise. "Really? That's certainly a coincidence. How'd you find out?"
"She took the assignment to come here", he said. "She was hoping it was me. She hasn't told me the full story, but I was somehow separated from them when I was younger."
"Yeah", Shroud said, wiping his jaw. "But what does that... Oh. Oh!"
Shining nodded, suddenly developing a keen interest in the snow. "I mean, what does that make... Well, either of them? My family back home; Canterlot, I mean. My parents, my little brother, my LSBFF-"
"You're what?", Ciaran asked. "Is that some kind of pet?"
"No", Shining said, perking up a bit. "It's an abbreviation. It means 'Little Sister Best Friend Forever'."
Both of the Umbrum looked at each other, and then at him. "What's an abbreviation?"
"Really?", Shining asked, looking at both of them individually, before sighing and shaking his head. "Never mind. My little sister. I mean, what do I tell my wife?"
"Hey, family is family", Shroud said. "Think of it like finding out you're related to someone in another clan. You've just added to your family."
"I guess", Shining said.
Ciaran placed a hoof on his shoulder. "Hey. We'll give you a hoof."
"We've already saved your sorry flank", Shroud agreed. "Might as well go all in, eh?"
~+~+~~|~~+~+~
The next morning, Shining awoke even before his host family. He looked around the interior of the tent, before sighing and beginning to pull on his boots.
He stepped outside, being careful to close the door as quietly as possible. Even this early, a few were moving about taking care of basic chores. The frozen air bit at the sections of exposed fur, while the faint glare of the sun bounced off of the snow. He sighed, his breath forming mist in the air.
As he stood there, he heard the crunching of several boots on snow. Looking deeper into the collection of tents, he saw some of the Tsereg soldiers leading a delirious-looking Sombra out towards the sleds.
Sombra had changed since Shining had last seen him clearly. Many of the small cuts and patches of matted fur were gone, and it looked as if he had recently taken a bath. Instead of his dented regalia and torn cape, he was dressed in similar clothing to Shining, save for the addition of a fur cloak wrapped around his back. He wasn't quite as thin, and his eyes no longer flickered.
While looking healthy, it was obvious he was still somewhat unstable. His movement was erratic, despite the soldiers helping to move him. His head was permanently held at one angle, bobbing up and down like a rubber ducky in a bathtub. As he passed Shining, he could make out something the former tyrant muttered under his breath: "Mother. Mother?"
They passed by him quickly, with one of them stopping as they did so. Recognizing Blackout, he said, "Are we leaving?"
"Not yet, though soon", she said, her voice still possessing a nervous lilt. "Got to leave early to get as much movement before nightfall. Just getting the Liberator to the sleds beforehand. He's... Well, the Bright Ones were cruel in his imprisonment."