//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: For Better or Worse // Story: To End a Cycle // by Obsedian_Flame //------------------------------// Chapter 10 For Better or Worse “How could we have let this happen Dad!?” The young Alicorn asked with a panicked voice. “I’m sorry Flurry, I was so busy with the party and with keeping an eye on Sombra. I didn’t even think that the problem would come from our end.” Shining Armor replied while shaking his head in disbelief. “Well… What are we going to do? If the Ponies learn about this they’ll assume the worst!” Flurry Heart asked. Her father sighed, “We’re going to have to keep this secret. I’ll have Twiley bring them to Canterlot to be tended to. In the meantime we’ll bring in a new batch of recruits to fill their spots. I’m sure Captain Tempest will be understanding of the situation.” The weary Alicorn looked around the room at the many bodies of her former guards. Although terrified about the incident that had occurred, Flurry was relieved to find none of the guards in the encounter were seriously injured. When Sombra had confronted her she’d feared the unthinkable, but seeing the guards having suffered only from minor bruises and shock had come as solace. “We can’t let this happen again Dad. Sombra was furious when he spoke to me. I’m worried if something else happens it might be the last straw.” Flurry answered as she placed a hoof on the chest of her former captain to feel his pulse. Shining Armor nodded, “I agree. I’m sorry Flurry. This was all my fault. I’ll take it from here. For now, you need to get your rest for tomorrow. You’ll need every bit of it.” The Alicorn shook her head, “I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep now…” Her father looked concerned, “You’ll have to try Sweetheart.” With a reluctant sigh, Flurry resigned herself to the exit of Sombra’s chambers, “Alright. Just… Take care of them Dad.” “I will Flurry. I will.” After having arrived back at her quarters, Flurry glanced over at her desk where her unfinished diary lay. As much as the Alicorn wanted to finish her latest entry, it would be impossible considering the state she was currently in. Her limbs shook as her mind raced with all sorts of thoughts, many if not all of which were negative in nature. “How could things have gone so badly…” The Alicorn muttered to herself as she ran a hoof through her now messy mane. As if to seek guidance from Luna’s stars, Flurry stared up at the night sky outside her large window. Time seemed to have passed by in a flash ever since Sombra arrived at her door as the previously dimming sky had now transformed into a darkened horizon with only the waxing moon to illuminate the land below. Although many Ponies were weary of staying up late, Flurry found some degree of solace in the night sky. The calmness and cool air that it provided seemed to have a soothing effect. Without wasting anymore time, Flurry ascended the spiral staircase in her room to the top balcony of her room. After opening the door, the Alicorn stepped outside and took in the view. The Crystal Empire looked nice during the day and perhaps even better at night. Flurry Heart smiled weakly before closing her eyes, (This song uses the same beat and tempo from “After Dark” by Mr.Kitty. However, instead of using synth waves and bass, it’s a subtle piano and acoustic guitar cover. I recommend using the cover by “Grim Cat Piano” as reference. The actual lyrics start at 0:34 of the video fyi) Song: All I Wanted 1st Verse (Flurry Heart) Voice echoes softly 🎵 It’s easy To see it But look past Its meaning It hides and It shelters Elusive And fleeting The truth is A burden It’s heavy And demeaning But when you See clearly You’ll find that It’s screaming Chorus (Flurry Heart) Raises her pitch greatly and takes flight into the night sky All I wanted was peace and harmony Now I see I was foolish all along Nothing but a ruse a fiction and a lie It would fail for sure but I had to try All I wanted was peace and harmony Now I see I was foolish all along Nothing but a ruse a fiction and a lie It would fail for sure but I had to try 2nd Verse (Flurry Heart) Voice drops in tone and echoes softly I’ve never Sought glory Attention Or quarry They all think I’m unhinged But don’t know My story I’m haunted And dreading The thought of Destruction My purpose To them is My only Concern and Chorus (Flurry Heart) Raises her pitch greatly again and soars through the night clouds All I wanted was peace and harmony Now I see I was foolish all along Nothing but a ruse a fiction and a lie It would fail for sure but I had to try All I wanted was peace and harmony Now I see I was foolish all along Nothing but a ruse a fiction and a lie It would fail for sure but I had to try 3rd Verse (Flurry Heart) Waits a few moments before drifting into a small, quiet monologue I was willing to make it work for us no matter what the cost But not at expense of my Ponies that line cannot be crossed I was very optimistic that maybe we could thrive I thought I had some feelings but sadly they were fake, not alive Chorus (Flurry Heart) Raises her pitch and descends through the clouds back to her balcony All I wanted was peace and harmony Now I see I was foolish all along Nothing but a ruse a fiction and a lie It would fail for sure but I had to try All I wanted was peace and harmony Now I see I was foolish all along Nothing but a ruse a fiction and a lie It would fail for sure but I had to try 🎵 As the Alicorn settled down and closed her wings, she made one quick glance back to the night sky. Although her stressed conscience suggested otherwise, she knew her father was right. She was going to need all the rest she could muster for the coming day. With a conceded sigh, the Royal heeded her father’s advice and headed back down the stairs to her chambers. Unbeknownst to her, Flurry Heart’s spectacle had been witnessed by somepony else from a nearby spire of the Castle. Truth be told, Sombra had wanted nothing more than to take his full anger out on his Fiance after the attempted coup of the Crystal Guards. He’d initially supposed it was due to the Princess’ ignorance and incompetence, but after seeing her genuine reaction, he knew she was not the one to blame. Hearing the Alicorn sing about her struggle had only affirmed Sombra that Flurry Heart was indeed trying her best to make this alliance work. And although he still felt angry towards what had happened, he was beginning to understand just how difficult his fiance’s predicament was. His rage had been all but extinguished at hearing the calming tones of the Alicorn’s voice. Sombra would never admit it, whether it be out of pride or sheer stubbornness, but he had rather enjoyed listening to the Princess’ melody. It reminded him a lot of the times he spent with Radiant Hope as a colt when they’d make up stories and even sometimes sing, not that the Umbrum was any good at either. Taking him out of his thoughts, however, was a less than pleasant presence behind him, ~“What are you doing Sombra?”~ The Unicorn tyrant did not even turn to face the origin of the voice, “Leave me Madam Umbara, I have no interest in speaking to you.” ~“You had the chance to destroy those insubordinate Ponies, and to punish their traitorous Princess. Why did you show them mercy?”~ The dreary voice stated before pausing. Sombra remained quiet, but although his voice was silent, his facial expression spoke volumes. His previously calm face had quickly been turned into a hateful scowl. His obvious disregard, however, had not been the answer that the female Umbrum had wanted. ~“I warned you of the treacherous intent of the Princess, yet you remain blissfully ignorant. You bring shame upon our kind, Sombra.”~ The Umbrum King glanced to his left momentarily without moving his head. He then returned his gaze to the front with a hateful glare, “You dare speak to me of ignorance? I have followed your guidance for hundreds of years yet it has only led me to suffer.” ~“You would do well to watch your tone, Sombra. Make no mistake, for if we hadn’t gifted you your powers, you would not have endured so long.”~ Stated the wicked voice. “Your powers are little more than a curse. A poison that lingers in my soul. Now, begone. I have an important day tomorrow, and I will not let your toxic words deter me.” The dark coated Unicorn finished as he turned his back and began making his way down the hall. Before leaving the hallway, the Umbrum was stopped in his tracks, ~“Very well, but be wary, Son. Nopony shall interfere with my plans.”~ The voice paused for a few moments and the air within the hallway went cold. ~“Nopony.”~ Sombra looked back to notice that the figure had vanished as had the cold air in the hall. He rolled his eyes and huffed before making his way out of the hall for good. The Umbrum knew an empty threat when he heard one, and seeing as he had an important day to come, he figured he’d get what little rest he could. It had been a long time since there had been a wedding at the Crystal Castle. Events such as these were fairly common in the banquet halls of the Crystal Empire, and even more common in the Crystal Gardens or Harmony Park on the edge of the border. As this was a royal wedding, however, Flurry had seen it fitting to have the event hosted at Crystal Square just in front of the Crystal Heart’s pedestal as was the tradition for coronations of the Crystal Empire in the distant past. Ironically, even her parents had not been wedded in the Crystal Empire although they were the rightful rulers. Flurry had heard all about the chaotic events of her parents’ Canterlot wedding whether it be from her auntie Twilight and the Elements of Harmony or from Cadence and Shining themselves. The young Alicorn could only hope her wedding did not run into such obstacles, but regardless, Flurry knew it would be foolish to think everything would go according to plan. As the day reached its climax, the guests of the wedding began to filter into the venue on mass. Princess Flurry Heart’s special guests were allowed closer to the altar, while the rest would spectate from afar. Although Luster and Flurry had invited most of Equestria’s higher echelon figures, they had also left the event open for the entire Crystal Empire to witness from the streets. Already, Crystal Ponies from the Empire were lining up to watch the procession that would begin shortly. As the guests found their way into the crowd, two Ponies stood at the Altar next to the Crystal Heart’s pedestal. The first was Princess Twilight Sparkle who had graciously offered to officiate the wedding and the union between the bride and groom. Although Twilight was not used to officiating weddings of this scale, she had seen her predecessor Princess Celestia perform this duty many times and had of course read up on every single detail. Twilight waited patiently for the procession to begin, however, the Groom that stood nearby looked much less reserved. Lord Sombra despised public gatherings to begin with, but this was hardly just a gathering. The Umbrum watched as more and more Ponies lined the streets with each passing minute. What bothered him more than seeing so many insignificant Ponies, however, were the whispers and gossip of some of the Equestrian Nobles in the upper rows. If there was one thing he detested more than anything, it was entitlement from those he deemed inferior. Despite his hate towards the self aggrandized Ponies near him, Sombra looked very dignified. His attire consisted of a regal black suit with royal ermine-like coat trim that had been crafted by the Element of Harmony; Rarity. The suit had a pair of red and silver epaulets on Sombra’s front shoulders which matched his shiny ornamental sabatons. Alongside the suit, he wore a pair of formal slacks that matched his suit and covered his strong hind legs. As Sombra looked around at the crowd, he only grew more weary. Many of the spectators had been rivals or enemies of his until quite recently. He wondered if this whole event had simply been planned to draw him into a trap or some cowardly scheme to vanquish him once more. The thought of betrayal caused the Umbrum’s dark magic to suddenly surge as he growled slightly. However, before he could act rashly, Sombra’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a loud organ playing from nearby. A moment later, a combination of many woodwind, percussion, string, and brass instruments began to play in harmony. The melody was the all too famous Equestrian Wedding Medley. This could mean only one thing; the wedding had begun. Lord Sombra looked towards the main aisle only to notice a slow procession led by his fiance, Princess Flurry Mi Amore Cadenza Heart. To the sides of the Bride were Emperor Shining Armor and Empress Cadence who accompanied their daughter with a set of two young Ponies trailing closely behind and a bridesmaid. One, a flower Filly Unicorn that Sombra did not recognize, the other was a young Earth Pony Colt holding a cushion carrying the two rings that would be presented. Sombra noticed some resemblance of this Colt to one of the Elements of Harmony with a dischevelled pink mane that reminded him all too well of the Element of laughter. The Bridesmaid was a Unicorn Mare Sombra had seen quite often as of late; Luster Dawn. But while Sombra wanted to remain as composed as possible, he could do nothing more than stare in awe at the beauty and elegance that was his Bride. Princess Flurry Heart’s dress had also been crafted by Rarity, however, her dress was unlike any Sombra had ever seen before. It was an iconic form-fitting A-line dress with embroidered patterns of polygonal hearts near the seems. The dress was so pure, in fact that it was a lighter hue than the Princess’ own coat. On her head was a white transparent veil that covered her mane which had been styled expertly in a half-up style with every strand of magenta, and sky blue hair accounted for. Sombra remained glued in place with his jaw hanging open slightly, albeit to his relief not very noticeable by the spectators. With every step, the Princess’ exquisite features became more prominent. Flurry Heart locked eyes with the Umbrum as she neared the alter. It was at this moment that Sombra felt a sensation that he’d never overcome before; fear. He wondered what she was thinking presently. Did she find him charming? Handsome even? The Umbrum’s dread only increased once the Princess ascended the steps of the altar and found herself standing beside him. Sombra then heard a sound that he hadn’t in over a thousand years. The sound of his own heart beating under his skin. It pulsated considerably quicker than he remembered, and too quickly for his liking. After taking a subtle deep breath through his nose, it began to settle once more. With both the Bride and the Groom in position beside one another, the music began to quiet down slowly until all that remained was silence. Flurry and Sombra remained fixated on one another before a voice caught their attention from in front. “Dearly beloved. We are gathered here in these sacred grounds, to join together this Mare, and this Stallion in harmonious matrimony.” The voice of Princess Twilight Sparkle rang throughout the courtyard of the Crystal Empire. “To form a union between two factions, and bring about an end to an age-old conflict. To further unify our great home of Equestria. And to herald in an era of peace, and of love.” The indigo coated Alicorn recited. Flurry and Sombra exchanged a quick glance with one another before turning their attention to the ordained Princess of Canterlot. After looking back and listening to the recital of the royal Equestrian creed by Princess Twilight Sparkle, Sombra simply rolled his eyes at all the meaningless procedures and traditions. As a colt, he and his friend Hope had always mocked the silly rituals of weddings, but never had he thought he’d have to be part of the process. Snapping the Umbrum out of his thoughts, however, were a series of important words, “Flurry Mi Amore Cadenza Heart, wilt thou have this Stallion to thy wedded Husband? To live together in harmonious matrimony. Would thou love him, comfort him, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health. And forsaking all other, keep thee only onto him, so long as you both shall live?” Princess Twilight spoke while looking directly at her niece. … “I will.” Flurry Heart replied simply and without emotion. There was a brief pause before Princess Twilight shifted her focus to the other, “Sombra, wilt thou have this Mare to thy wedded wife? To live together in harmonious matrimony. Would thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health. And forsaking all other, keep thee only onto her, so long as you both shall live?” The Alicorn spoke once more awaiting an answer. The air in the grounds was deadly silent with everypony eagerly awaiting the answer of the former Tyrant Unicorn. Sombra did not falter, “I will.” “I giveth this Mare to be married to this Stallion.” Twilight spoke as she gestured for both parties to join hooves. Sombra and Flurry did as suggested with Sombra placing the front of his right hoof on the front of Flurry Heart’s right hoof. The two Ponies once again locked eyes as the most important segment of the wedding began. “I Flurry Mi Amore Cadenza Heart.” Twilight prompted. “I Flurry Mi Amore Cadenza Heart.” Flurry repeated. “Take thee Sombra.” “Take thee Sombra.” “To my wedded Husband.” “To my wedded Husband.” “To have and to hold from this day forward.” “To have and to hold from this day forward.” “For better or worse.” “For better or worse.” “For richer or poorer.” “For richer or poorer.” “In sickness and health.” “In sickness and health.” “To love and to cherish.” “To love and to cherish.” “Till’ death do us part.” “Till’ death do us part.” “And thereto I give thee my trothe.” “And thereto I give thee my trothe.” Once more, a pause ensued as Twilight returned her attention to the Umbrum. “I Sombra.” Princess Twilight began. “I Sombra.” The dark Unicorn repeated. “Take thee Flurry Mi Amore Cadenza Heart.” “Take thee Flurry Mi Amore Cadenza Heart.” “To my wedded wife.” “To my wedded wife.” “To have and to hold from this day forward.” “To have and to hold from this day forward.” “For better or worse.” “For better or worse.” “For richer or poorer.” “For richer or poorer.” “In sickness and health.” “In sickness and health.” “To love and to cherish.” Sombra cringed at the soft language being used in the vows and paused for a moment before Princess Twilight glanced at him with a raised brow. Flurry noticed the pause and stared at her Fiance with an irate expression and cleared her throat subtly before motioning for him to reply. Sombra merely rolled his eyes and continued, “To love and to cherish.” “Till’ death do us part.” “Till’ death do us part.” “And thereto I give thee my trothe.” “And thereto I give thee my trothe.” Once the vows had been said, Twilight nodded to both Flurry and Sombra before gesturing for the ring bearer to bring forth the items. The young Earth Pony Colt brought forward the cushion which held the two rings neatly in place. “May these rings signify thy bond, thy commitment, and thy love to one another. Let them guide thou to a life of happiness. That so long as they are worn, thou shall be inseparable.” Twilight spoke as she used her magic to levitate the cushion in front of both Sombra and Flurry. Sombra was not surprised to see the ring he’d commissioned from Amethyst Trinket before him, however, the other ring had left him intrigued. It was a striking ring that had a clear blue gem in its center. But its physical features were not what piqued his interest, it was rather the strange feeling of nostalgia he got every time he glanced at it. Before he could examine it further, however, the ring was levitated up by his Bride. As Flurry Heart raised the ring, she brought it up to eye level. Sombra looked down and used his own magic to do the same, only levitating his ring. Once both metallic items were even with one another, the two Ponies stared each other in the eyes. ‘This is it.’ Flurry thought as she stared intently into the Umbrum’s crimson irises. She took a deep breath and raised the ring until it slid nicely onto the dark Unicorn’s abnormal red curved horn. Sombra followed suit and raised the black opal ring onto Flurry Heart’s straight coned Alicorn horn. There was a brief pause as the two continued to watch one another. Twilight then glanced to the two before stating the all important words, “King Sombra. Queen Flurry Mi Amore Cadenza Heart. You may now kiss.” Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Flurry’s heart beat quickly with a nervous feeling that could only be described as butterflies in the stomach. Sombra felt nearly identical as he stared into his Bride’s sky blue irises. After each Pony took a breath, they leaned forward until their muzzles were only an inch apart. Sombra had never been so entranced before, and he could not explain in the slightest why he felt this way. The beauty of the Mare before him had left him feeling vulnerable to a degree he’d never experienced before. Flurry felt a wave of emotions as she remained fixated on her fiance. Thousands of thoughts flashed through her brain in the span of seconds. So much so that she could only focus on a single one; was this still the right decision? ‘Yes.’ The Alicorn told herself as she neared her muzzle even closer until it was practically touching his. Without another moment of hesitation from either party, the two Ponies connected and engaged in a passionate kiss while closing their eyes. Sombra instinctively brought his right hoof up and held onto his now wife’s back. Flurry also placed her right hoof on the Umbrum’s chest as they continued. The two were so locked in the moment that they did not notice one Pony begin clapping their hooves in applause. Within seconds, several others joined in, and thereafter the entire crowd engaged in a standing ovation. The sound of the clapping rang throughout the grounds and soon after the entire Crystal Empire. Shouts and cries of glee could be heard throughout the crowd as white flower pedals began to rain down from the sky thanks to Discord’s chaos magic. As amazing as the noise and commotion was, Flurry and Sombra could not even hear nor see it as they were too enthralled with one another. After nearly 20 seconds, the two broke apart to breathe but remained focused on each other. As Sombra caught his breath, a familiar grin found its way to his face. Flurry had seen this look before and knew the Umbrum was up to no good. Without warning, the now King swept Flurry off her hooves and held her up carefully using his strong magic. As the Alicorn stared into Sombra’s eyes once more, she too felt an odd feeling. A smile found its way to her own face as she closed her eyes before the two kissed once more. The clamor from the crowd only increased. “WAY TO GO FLUR!” Luster yelled at the top of her lungs as she raised her hoof in victory. “BEST WEDDING EVER!!!” Shouted Pinkie Pie as streamers and confetti shot out of her hair like a canon. While many of the Ponies were to focused enjoying the moment and cheering, some were much more emotional. Shining Armor had not had a teary face for may many years. Now, however, he looked like he’d just witnessed a puppy pass away. But instead of sadness, his tears were ones of joy, and of pride. However, nopony in the audience was more emotionally compromised than Flurry’s mother and the Empress of Love herself. Cadence had been hesitant on the idea of her daughter’s marriage to Lord Sombra, but seeing her now with her partner brought her to tears like nothing she’d ever seen before. She could feel the affection from each Pony and she was happy that Flurry had proved her wrong. Both parents leaned against one another as they wiped each other’s soggy eyes. Watching their once cute and innocent baby having now become a crowned Queen in a moment of pure happiness was unlike any positive memories they could recall. Right on queue, the Royal Equestrian Band began to play music once more. Although instead of traditional wedding music, the band broke out into an energetic pop theme that was far more modern and fun. With heavy drums, synth waves, orchestral instruments, and several famous singers, the band performed a song known as “I am Octavia” A best seller composed by Crescendo Melody’s own mother. The fist singer was Octavia Melody herself, while the second feature was a famous pop star and Pegasus Mare known as Songbird Serenade. After releasing one another once more Sombra gently set his wife down. Flurry regained her footing before glancing over her shoulder and finally realizing the extent of the event. Every Pony in the crowd continued to clap and cheer louder than anything she’d ever seen before. It was a surreal feeling that she could not begin to fathom, however, it palled in comparison to the thought that she was no longer a Princess. Flurry was now a Queen, and even stranger, a wife. As she glanced back at her now husband, she could see Sombra taking in the crowd’s reaction as well. Sombra watched the commotion of the crowd with confusion. He could not understand what was making these Ponies so cheerful and energetic. To him it was yet another strange behavior of Pony-kind that made no sense. Snapping him out of his thoughts, however, was the mention of his name, “Sombra?” The Umbrum turned to the right to face his newly wed wife, “Is everything alright?” The Alicorn asked. “They should not be cheering. I have done nothing deserving of praise.” He answered simply. “They’re happy Sombra. There’s nothing more to it.” Flurry Heart answered with a smile as she looked back to the crowd and waved. “But why? They are not the ones benefiting from this.” Sombra stated with a look of confusion. Flurry shrugged, “They are happy for us. Sometimes happiness does not have to be reserved for yourself.” This answer did little to satisfy Sombra’s many questions. Flurry knew Sombra was unfamiliar with such positive feelings. It would certainly be something to work on moving forward. For the moment, however, she figured she’d enjoy herself as much as possible. And before she could do anything else, Flurry felt a small tug on her dress. After looking down to her right, she noticed a young Earth Pony Colt holding a bouquet of beautiful white and red roses in his mouth. “Queen Flurry Heart?” The Colt asked. Flurry adorned a genuine smile as she graciously accepted the bouquet of flowers and held them up using her magic. This was yet another fun tradition of weddings; the Flower Toss. Flurry raised the bouquet over her head as she turned to face away from the crowd. Many Ponies began anticipating the Queen’s throw and were preparing to catch the flowers once they’d land. Flurry then threw the bouquet high up in the air behind her towards the audience. The flowers were about to be caught by a certain Lord of Chaos who conveniently teleported directly in their trajectory. But before they fell into their new owner’s paws, a blast of energy was shot and incinerated the flowers, letting nothing but ashes fall to the ground. The whole crowd fell silent immediately and everypony in attendance looked up to the origin of the blast on a nearby balcony above the reception. ~“Such a sweet moment.”~ Chanted the crude female voice as a cloud of pure black energy formed into a figure. The figure quickly manifested itself into a tall and menacing Unicorn Mare with a curved red horn and a coat of charcoal. Her mane was the darkest shade of black imaginable and waved around like the embers of a fireplace. Her eyes reeked of malice and evil intent with green orbs surrounding twin crimson irises with dragon slit pupils. A ghostly purple aura emitted from them as if it could not be contained in its already rotten host. There was no mistaking it. This Mare had to be an Umbrum. A shadow Pony. In the blink of an eye, the figure vanished into a cloud that manifested itself before audience just in front of the altar. ~“I feel insulted to have not been invited to this momentous occasion.”~ The voice stated as its owner glanced over to the newly crowned King. Sombra could only growl in hatred as he stared his mother down with hostility. “Who are you and what do you want!” Flurry Heart bravely spoke up as she took a step forward. ~“I, my ignorant little Pony, am Countess Omni Umbara. Queen of the Umbrum, and true ruler of the Crystal Empire. And I have come to reclaim my home.”~