//------------------------------// // Chapter 25~ // Story: Sombasi, Brother of Sombra // by Pomp-Neigh //------------------------------// -Crystal Empire: Crystal Heart Foal Center- Sombra, Sombasi, Hope, and Miss. Chestnut all wait patiently at the front desk—the entrance chamber decorated with an assortment of couches, chairs, and tables, each with reading material placed on them as the double crystal doors to the orphanage are shut tightly. “I hope Snow is okay,” Sombasi said with a pinch of nervousness. “They’ve been gone for almost a whole hour now…” “It’s all part of the process, sweetheart,” Miss. Chestnut assured. “It takes some time to finalize adoptions, not to mention the emotional bond both parent and child need to establish.” The chestnut mare giggles, “You’re so sweet to worry about her, but let me assure you that everything will turn out fine.” “H-how do you know…?”   “Oh, I have a certain…sixth sense about the adoptions that’s taken place here. And although some have failed, others have borne fruit to vast and happy families and lineages. Why, even some of the crystal guards and nobility are foals who grew up here.” “So…what do your senses say about Snowdrop’s?” Sombasi asked, uncertainty present on his face as Sombra wrapped a forelimb around his sibling. “I’m really happy for her, but if she gets adopted by Princess Luna, then that means…” “It’ll be fine, brother,” Sombra comments. “The best we can do is be here for her when she’s taken off to her new home, a-and…” His ears slowly fold against his head at the growing realization, sadness taking over what once was confidence. “Never see her again…” “Oh, come on, guys!” Hope beamed radiantly. “Like Miss. Chestnut said, it’ll be fine. We just need a little hope!” “...You’re just saying that because of your name,” Sombra states, deadpanning.  “Sombasi agrees…” “Yup!” Radiant giggled. “But there’s really no need to worry. We can always stay in touch with her, and she can just come to visit us, right, Miss. Chestnut?” The orphanage caretaker brings a hoof to her chin in thought. “Hmmm. While that isn’t entirely impossible, this situation is quite…unique.” Those words instantly garner inquisitive stares from the trio. “W-what do you mean?” Hope asked. “This is the first time I’ve ever had royalty adopt one of my precious little bundles of joy.” “B-but you said that some of the other orphans became nobles,” Sombasi reasoned. “Sombra agrees,” the elder sibling said after a moment’s thought. “Isn’t nobility just a step or two below royalty? Sombra doesn’t see much of a vast difference.” “The thing is, sweethearts, they became nobles,” Miss. Chestnut corrects softly. “None have ever been adopted into the upper classes of society. But in Snowdrop’s case, she’s-” The doors to the orphanage are abruptly parted and interject the conversation, causing the chestnut mare to turn with closed eyes and a gleeful expression, “Oh, welcome to the-!” Realization explodes in her form as she spots several equestrian guards of both sexes and all pony types, their golden armor clanking as the mohawks on their helmets are well-kept. “C-Crystal Heart…F-Foal… Can…can I help you…?” The equestrians form a line on either side almost evenly were it not for the absence of one equine, causing one side to have an extra guard compared to the other. Their spears reach for the skies as dead silence takes hold in the following seconds, which is soon broken as one of the guards, notably on the side with one more individual than the other, clears her throat. “Presenting her Royal Highness, divine Bringer of Day and the Crown Jewel of Equestria, Princess Celestia!” They slam their spears three times in unison as Celestia enters the building with a pleasant smile, walking down the aisle, wings folded to her side. “Wow,” Sombasi whispered to his brother. “Overkill much?” “Yeah…” Sombra whispered back. “Even Princess Amore doesn’t go to these lengths.” “Princess Celestia!” Hope shouts happily in greeting before running past the brothers and toward the white alicorn, who welcomes the crystal filly’s approach. “It’s so good to see you agai-” “Halt!” A stallion earth pony guard shouts, lowering his spear to cut off Hope’s path, causing her to skid to a halt as she fearfully looks at his angered gaze. “You will not approach the princess without-” “How dare you!” Miss. Chestnut roars out as she stomps over to the guard. “Who do you think you are, wielding a weapon like that against a filly?! A filly!” “This doesn’t concern you, peasant!” ………. As this goes on, another guard, an orange pegasus mare with purple eyes and a yellow mane and tail, sighs in embarrassment. “And here we go…” She mutters. “Why in Tartarus’s name did we bring this Trottingham again?” “It’s procedure…sadly,” the stallion unicorn alongside her answered upon overhearing. “Trottingham was of the appropriate rank to fill in our number.” ………. “‘Peasant’?!” The chestnut mare was taken aback by Trottingham’s boldness. “This isn’t Equestria, colt. I am not one of your precious sun princess’s subjects, and you are a disgrace to any guard worth their salt in every nation.” The guard takes a dangerous step forth, “Damned mare! Know your pla-” “Terrain Trottingham,” the ominous voice of the sun alicorn chimed in, causing a wave of panic throughout his form. Those who served under Celestia knew which tone she took for various situations. Her voice was always kind, and yet… One learns to locate the underlying threat after a time of service.  And it was for that reason that Trottingham’s features became fearful. “Take one more step toward that mare, and thine punishment shall be severe.” She walked forward and positioned herself between Miss. Chestnut and the guard who’s currently disgracing Equestria with his actions. “I will not suffer such disgrace in my presence. Once we return to Equestria, I shall inform thine father of this affront in great detail. Do I make myself clear?” “Y-yes, m-my princess.”  Silence takes hold as Celestia stares down at Terrain, who, in turn, lowers his eyes to the crystal floor but bears a vicious scowl. The alicorn then looks over to the same pegasus guardsmare who had muttered her own displeasure on Terrain’s actions. “Guardsmare,” Celestia called out.  The pegasus shifts to attention. “Ma’am?!” “Remove Trottingham from my sight, and have him prepare the carriage under thine supervision. Once I have collected my sister, we shall join thee posthaste.” “By your will, my princess!” The pegasus breaks formation and approaches Terrain, giving him a nudge with a wing. “Get moving, soldier.” Terrain glared at her, but the pegasus simply met his glare with one of her own. “You wanna embarrass her Royal Highness even further? Go for it. Just know that I’ll embarrass you, too.”  Terrain scoffs and bats her wing away before agitatedly making his way over to the exit, the pegasus falling in line behind him.  The sound of clopping hooves coming from somewhere beyond the pegasus at his rear perks up the Trottingham Family member’s ears. And upon looking back over his shoulder, his attention and all others in attendance instantly focused on none other than Princess Luna.  The lunar alicorn exits the hallway and stands firmly in the entrance chamber, cradling an unconscious snow-coated filly in her wings as both are crossed over her chest. It didn’t take long for Terrain to decipher what had occurred… And that realization made him furious. “Keep walking,” the pegasus at his rear said while bumping him. “We—and by we, I mean you—have a carriage to prepare.” “B-but, she-” “Move it!” The pegasus interjects harshly and pushes him forward again, this time with more force.  ………. As the duo walks through the exit and reaches the outside world, a golden aura surrounds and closes the orphanage doors behind them. After distancing themselves from the orphanage, the pegasus turned and roared at her fellow guard.  “What in Tartarus’s name was that, Terrain?! I mean, seriously?! A filly?!”  “That little diamond dog had no business approaching our divine maiden! I was simply performing my duties!” “Oh, yeah, because a filly is such a big threat to an alicorn!” She walks past him with a growl as he turns in place to never take his eyes off of her.  “Did you see what that useless moon-bearing whorse was holding, Summer Blaze?” He asked in disgust. “First, she convinces the Glorious Sun to include those filthy thestrals into Equestria’s prosperous embrace, and now she dares to adopt some lowborn? It’s disgraceful!” Dead silence takes place as Summer’s back remains turned to Terrain. “You damned fool…” Her voice, which once was filled with condemnation for his actions, was now more…sinister. She looks back at him with eyes that instantly inject fear into his heart.   “Do you want to broadcast our whole operation to the sisters, you moron?” Terrain could only look down at that, unable to find the right words. “O-of course not,” he answered. “Then keep it together, ‘less the Trottinghams find themselves short a member.” She turns around completely and approaches him, every step causing him to cower closer and closer to the ground. “Your little outburst almost cost us greatly. If Celestia, praise be to her name, were to care just a wee bit more, she could scry that brain of yours and uncover everything our houses have been plotting behind her back.”  “Tch,” Terrain growled through his teeth. “So what then? You expect me to stand aside and allow filth to grace her form?” “No,” she answered while turning away, “I’m telling you to dial it back.” She walks collectively toward the parked carriage, Terrain regaining his composure and picking up his pace to walk alongside her.  “Subtlety is key here, kiddo, but bursting into an episodic rage will only bring our ambitions to ruin.”  Having reached the carriage, the duo stops at its rear. “Once everything falls into place, those thestrals will be cast out like the abominations they truly are, and our beloved Sun Goddess will be none the wiser.” “How are we even going to do this, anyway?” Terrain questioned as Summer opened the rear door. “Father never gave me that little tidbit.” “And rightfully so, given what happened back there,” Summer shot back playfully yet sternly. “But hey, we go way back, so I’ll clue you in on a little something.” She glanced over to the orphanage while entering the carriage, “But let’s talk in here.” Terrain nods in agreement as he follows her in. “Close the door, dirt-for-brains,” Summer jests while making herself comfortable on Luna’s couch, neither of them daring to defile Celestia’s. The stallion sets himself down on the floor, ears perking upward with an expression aimed toward Summer that read: ‘Well?’ Summer closes her eyes in deep thought, and after a moment’s pause, she opens her orbs, chuckling darkly. “I’ll give you the short version of this tale, but it all goes back to Ichor Sanguine, King of the Thestrals.  Ichor was capable of many powerful and dangerous forms of magic, but the source of his vast prowess came from an artifact that our ‘like-minded allies’ now hold in our possession.” “Wh-what…?” Terrain asked in shock. “An artifact? What artifact?” Summer laughed playfully. “Why, the Alicorn Amulet, of course.”