//------------------------------// // Intermission // Story: Kiss of the Dark // by Soothing Stone //------------------------------// When First Strike and Vanguard stopped the cart in order that Forest could show Twilight something, the dusk was approaching. Now it was early in the evening, and the couple still hadn't shown up. It felt like Twilight and Forest were taking forever, and the Guards eventually took the reigns off from their backsides. They were getting sore from having to carry the burden of the vehicle everywhere today. Yet, they found themselves watching the same spot of the forest that Twilight went into, with her little coltfriend... "Coltfriend? Are you serious?" interrupted Vanguard. "What else could it be?" First Strike said. "You saw how they were like. When has Celestia ever asked us for a ride through a forest with a stallion by her side? Never. And I could see them from a ways off when they were inside the park. He was nuzzling Twilight." "Somepony dares to nuzzle the princess?" Vanguard stomped his hoof for dramatic effect. "The nerve..." "But she didn't stop him. In fact, she enjoyed it." "Enjoyed it? How is this possible?" "I told you. He's her coltfriend. They're probably kissing in there." "I swear, I will see to it that Her Majesty repossesses your secret stash of romance novels..." First Strike had a comeback ready for him, when they heard the crunching of leaves again. That meant somepony was coming. They pretended nothing had happened and stood tall for the princess. But it was only her that showed up. Forest Mist was nowhere to be seen. And the alicorn hung her head low, depressed and exhausted. The Guards ran to her aid, making sure nothing bad had happened to her. But there wasn't any sign of damage on her frame. First Strike and Vanguard looked at each other, and they had no idea what occured in there. "What happened? Where is Forest Mist?" Vanguard inquired. "Oh, him," Twilight mumbled, surprised to hear that name again. "He had to leave on short notice. He's not coming back with me." "That's good. I was afraid something happened to you in there," said First Strike. "You were gone for a while." "Do you think you can take me home now? It's...it's been a long day, and I really want to go to bed now." "Yes, Your Majesty," they said in unison. Twilight climbed into the carriage again, and the Guards brought her on the way home. It would take some time to get there, and she had some time to spend alone with her thoughts. To say that she was conflicted about the day's events was an understatement. She felt weary and her eyes tried to close tightly, but she couldn't fall asleep here. Her hooves ached from all the walking, even though she felt perfectly fine up until Sombra brought her to the stream. Did she do the right thing by letting him leave without a fight? Yes, she would make sure he really was reformed like she had done with Discord, but there was no telling what Sombra would do now. He was much different than the last time they met, but that wasn't enough to quench all her doubts. However, she couldn't deny that she really liked being around him whenever he was Forest Mist. How could she pretend that she didn't like it when he nuzzled her? And how she leaned on his shoulder, since she felt that comfortable around him? Yet, it was King Sombra of all ponies. Or, he was king... The trees gave way for the hills of Sweet Apple Acres. Her home wasn't far away from here anymore, maybe a few minutes tops. She forced herself to ask a question in her mind. She acknowledged by now that she couldn't decide whenever or not to keep trusting Sombra, or sending that certain letter to Celestia regardless what she promises him. So why was she so conflicted about this? Because I might have been in love with him when he was Forest. Or, I wanted to be in love with him. Wait...is this clouding my judgment? She managed to feel worse about the situation than ever before. There was no way she could allow him to do this to her. She was a princess now. And princesses don't allow things like courting to distract her on this level. And yet it did. After a few minutes of debating and internal conflicts, the carriage stopped. They had arrived at the treehouse. She piled out and released the Guards for the day. They left the sandals and crown with her, and took the carriage with them. By then, the rooms in the house were all lit. She could hear Spike in there, sweeping around the floors. The door was locked, so she knocked a few times to let him know she was back. He unlocked the door, and was thrilled to see Twilight there. "You're here! And a full ten minutes back before you said you would. So how did it go at the Empire?" "Well, it's a long story..." ----- She intentionally left out the bit about Forest being Sombra. She wasn't sure how to handle it just yet. The part about giving him a slim chance to redeem himself was still subject to change. But other than that, it was note for note the same story. "You...you went out with Forest Mist?" Spike asked, confused as hay. "Yes...it wasn't planned at all, but you know how he was in the Empire. We had plenty of time to spend together before I had to come back." Spike gulped. He wasn't sure how well this next part would go... "Can I say something, and you'll promise not to hurt me?" "Why would I do that?" "It's...it's....I never thought you would have a coltfriend! There, I said it! Now please don't kill me!" Twilight sighed and shook her head. "I know why. I'm such a dork and too obsessed with books. And you thought out loud that I would never have friends. Isn't that right..." Her voice lowered the more she talked, until the last three words were just whispers. She sat down and looked to the floor. Spike saw this as his fault, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything..." "It's not you. It's me. I just have a lot to think about...and I really want to go to bed." "I understand. I should probably get some sleep too..." Eventually, she wound up in bed, tossing and turning around in her sheets. She still kept thinking about Sombra, her every thought revolving around him. Everything he did for her while he took the form of Forest Mist. How intelligent he was. And how he reassured her that nothing was wrong about his character anymore. And how she wanted to throw him in prison, or let Celestia handle it herself. The princess of the sun would love nothing more than to make up for losing the Crystal Empire to him so long ago... Then she realized why she was fighting herself over all of this. And she cried herself to sleep for two reasons. A part of her WAS in love with Sombra, and it was fighting furiously with the part that didn't. ----- The halls to Sombra's castle had only gotten better and better with time. He managed to put more crystals inside the walls, make the outlining stone stronger, and fill the shelves of his library with more books. The whole atmosphere changed when he returned. He still didn't bother to put on his armor and cape just yet, not even with his crown. The sound of his bare hooves touching stone echoed around the hallways, as he went the way to his bedroom. He couldn't have been more pleased with himself. Everything about the day, THE day that needed to be perfect, was flawlessly executed. The pieces were set where they needed to go. And he was in the right position to make his next move. The guards he passed gave him puzzled looks, given that he wasn't wearing anything save for a black scarf. They still saluted him as he went through the halls. Hmm, he hadn't come up with a name for them yet. And he would need one if he was going to keep going with his plans. What about the Shadow Guard? Sounded great to him, and it matched his themes... Eventually, he found himself in his bedroom. Nopony was here to see him, and he instantly lounged around the top of the blankets. Ah, how relieving was it to finally rest after a whole day of watching Twilight eat his words. It was getting tougher, but that only made his triumphs sweeter. He parted his hooves through his mane, pulling the hair down around his face. Then he slipped through the blankets and rested his head on the pillow. His thoughts were entirely on Twilight that evening, though in a different manner than they had been in the previous nights. He wasn't thinking about his next move as much as he thought about Twilight as a pony. There was no lying in his words when he said that she was a remarkable mare. She truly was, and he couldn't wait to spend more time with her. He just had to wait until a certain meeting was over... He fell asleep in his bed, a smile draped across his face..