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// An Unfortunate Meeting 
// Story: Where There is Shadow 
// by firesoxs 
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Skittish was hiding in a snowdrift when he saw the citadel light up and the smoke clear. The princess must have defeated King Sombra meaning that it was safe to go back now. He picked himself up and brushed snow from his dull grey coat, and shook more from his mane which was a shade or two darker than the rest of him. When he had finished he still looked as depressed as ever, his mane hanging in one side of his face. It looked as if it had been styled earlier that day and then had a hat or hood put over it, mussing most of the shape. The crystal pony reluctantly started on his way back home dreading the ridicule that he would undoubtedly receive from his friends. It wasn’t his fault that he was afraid of everything. When Sombra breached the barrier he was overwhelmed by memories of the dark king’s rule and he just couldn’t bare the thought of going thru that again. To be honest he wasn’t even thinking when he ran away, he just picked a direction and bolted. When he finally ran out of breath he was miles away and the citadel was obscured by black smoke, what little was visible was covered with dark crystals. It looked like Sombras old castle was rising up from the earth to swallow the citadel, which was actually was even more menacing the old castle ever was.

As he started on his way home something fell in the snow in front of him, causing him to jump a bit. Skittish thought nothing of it and proceeded to step over it, continuing on his way home. However after only a few steps his curiosity got the better of him, after all its not every day that a strange object falls from the sky. Skittish found the spot where the object had fallen and began to dig. The snow stung his hooves which already weary from running through it. When he had finally unearthed the object of his desire he stumbled back, sorry that he had. It was a horn, a severed unicorn’s horn! Skittish lay in the snow in shock at what he had just found; if there was a horn here then that meant that somepony was dead, or at least injured. After a wile Skittish eventually calmed down and decided to take it back with him. If whoever it belonged to was still alive then there was a small chance that it could be reattached, and if they weren’t then their loved ones would at least want to insure that it was laid to rest properly.

When Skitters picked up the horn he realized that it was far too large to belong to any ordinary pony, and it was curved so as to make it look more like a fang than anything else. It took a moment for things to connect in Skitters mind, but when he realized just what this horn was he dropped it in the snow and jumped back in terror. The horn still lying in the snow detected the fear of the nearby crystal pony and glowed briefly before it melted, leaving a large black stain. Dark smoke swirled up from the puddle in the snow, and the horn slowly rose once again from the black sludge it had left. Only this time it was followed by a massive muzzle with a row of pearl white teeth, and two green eyes shimmering with dark magic. King Sombra had returned once again!

King Sombra look down to see a grey crystal stallion lying on the ground, his eyes wide with fear and his breath coming in short gasps.
“Twice in one day? Excellent.” exclaimed King Sombra, “And I suppose I have you to thank for that, my little slave.” He said looking down at the cowering pony.
Skittish, suffering from a full blown panic attack was in no condition to respond. His chest heaved franticly and his pupils were dilated to the point that they were hardly visible.
“Due to the curse that Celestia placed me under, I find my self in need of a host until I regain my power. As payment for reviving me I will award that honor to you.” Sombra said clearly enjoying the fear he was inflicting on his on the poor creature at his hooves. Disintegrating into smoke once again King Sombra enveloped the young stallion trying to gain access into his body. Sombra had no trouble forcing his way into the crystal pony's nose and mouth on account that he wouldn't stop screaming. It was so easy in fact that it wasn't very fun. Sombra did enjoy the terrified screams of the helpless pony in his clutches, but the fact that his victim put up no resistance took the sport out of it. Indeed with out any opposition it became less of a pleasure and more of a chore.

When the entire ordeal was over skitters lay sprawled upon the ground, thoroughly terrified. He inspected his body from snout to tail but could find no proof of the incident. He tensed up and let out all of the breath in his lungs, fully expecting to see wisps of smoke emanating form his mouth, but there was nothing. That was when he really began to panic. If their was no evidence of Sombra's presence then it might just be that he might be able to control his actions and possibly go back to the citadel and exact his revenge with out anypony being able to detect and stop him. “As fun as this is, I can’t just let you freak out all day.” Skitters froze not knowing where to look, the voice seemed to come from everywhere. “Down here geniuses.” Skittish looked down to see his shadow playing body to King Sombra's face! 
Skittish reared back and started pushing at his shadow with his hooves as if he could never get far enough away from it. “Stop tha…” before Sombra could finish his sentence Skittish took off running, that is until he hit an ice bolder right behind him, knocking himself unconscious. King Sombra sighed, “This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.”