From Sombra to Senja

by Owl Parchment

Chapter 1

Bright, piercing, light ensnared the tundra around the place known only as the 'Crystal Empire'. Small specks of light glistened, and fell from a dark grey unicorn's body. Upon the darkening of the specks of light, gaps were left in the horned stallion's body. With a blood-hurling scream, the remaining pieces of King Sombra separated and scattered. They carried themselves outside of the Crystal Empire's boundary, and into the cold tundra. Equestria's most feared menace was gone forever. Or so they thought.

"Is he actually gone?" Many crystal ponies talked among each other, nervously. Sombra had mysteriously disappeared before, but he always came back. And every time he came back, he would only cause more pain and suffering among them. The ponies had all witnessed King Sombra combust, and would likely spread the news across all of Equestria, but not many of them truly believed it. Not one bit.
Princess Mi Amora Cadenza, more commonly referred to as 'Princess Cadence', stepped onto a balcony overlooking the Empire. She was smiling quite profusely, and had her prince, Shining Armor, at her side. "Attention, my dear subjects!" Cadence called out, even though everypony had already noticed her, and was waiting for an answer to their worries. "King Sombra has been vanquished permanently, and will never live to harm us again!" Cadence boomed, her royal voice beaming throughout the entire empire. At her announcement, the crystal ponies rejoiced, and relaxed a bit. The princess said that Sombra was gone, and they were supposed to trust the princess.

Sombra was one with the world. Remaining pieces of his soul were scattered all over the tundra. But, most of him was gone. All that remained was his soul. He couldn't affect the living world, and the living world couldn't affect him. He was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. He was stuck in a state of reality, between life and death. He didn't need to eat, and he didn't need to drink. He soul was suspended in the universe, unable to interact with almost anything. The way he died destroyed his body, before his soul had a chance to move on. He could affect creatures that were not living, but not dead. And, he could watch. So, watch he did.
His favorite place to watch became Manehatten. A small apartment, with a young mare. This mare was a hybrid of a Changeling and a pony. She wasn't the direct heir of changeling blood, but the traces of it had not left her pregnant body. She had changeling wings, and her stallionfriend had a changeling-style horn. The mare had fangs too. But, that was it. She was far down the family tree line from her changeling relative, and her stallion friend was too.
Watching this mare became a habit of Sombra's. Actually, watching the mare was the only thing Sombra did. He had been watching the mare for roughly three months now, and news of his death had been less active among the ponies. Sombra had come to know the mare's name from her stallionfriend's conversations with her. The mare was 'Nebula', and the stallion was Night Star.

"I am sorry to break it to you, Nebula," The doctor spoke sadly "but your foal is going to be a stillborn." At this announcement, Nebula clutched her mate, and cried.
"Is it my fault? Is it something I did wrong?" Nebula sobbed for her own flesh and blood, the life she had been raising inside of her for eight months. The foal was due to be born in less than a month, and she wasn't looking forward to seeing her own foal's dead body.
"No. The foal suffered a genetic issue, causing it's two lungs to merge together. If it somehow is alive at birth, it will die shortly after. The foal does not have a chance."
A few days past with the bad news hanging over the young couple's shoulders, until one of them cracked under the pressure. "I can't do this anymore!" Night Star practically shouted, slamming his hoof on the ground."I have spent eight and a half months with a psycho, hormone driven mare, for nothing! I dealt with you so that we could both be happy. I thought it would pay off in the end, with a foal to call our own. But nooo. I have to witness you give birth to dead body, and I want no part of it. Nebula, it is OVER!" Night Star growled. After a couple seconds of silence, Night levitated all of his belongings neatly into a couple suitcases. Then, he left, making sure to slam the door upon his exit.
Nebula was shocked, and hurt. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she curled up into a ball the best she could, her legs protecting her enlarged belly. She whimpered, and cried herself to sleep. It was harder to be alone.

Sombra felt the sensation of imaginary tears forming in his non-existent body. He had never felt this way toward a pony, not after his family abandoned him. He wanted to help this mare, but he couldn't. He couldn't interact with the living... But... Sombra could interact with the stillborn foal. Because the foal was neither dead nor alive, and had no control over its body. This just might work! Sombra thought to himself, carefully fabricating a plan. After a while, Sombra harnessed his remaining energy, and channeled himself toward the mare. His form created a hardly visible tornado shape, funneling directly into Nebula's womb. The tornado was transparent, a dark red. It could only be seen by a slight shine that rippled off of it as it distorted the waves sight. His soul merged with the soulless body of the unborn foal. Little did Sombra know, this unborn foal was a filly.

A shrill screech rang through the hallways of the hospital, and the atmosphere was tense. "Keep pushing!" A pony wearing scrubs urged the mare.
"Doctor, it is halfway out." another pony notified the others
"Keep pushing, Nebula. You are almost finished." The doctor spoke again, with a serious smile. With a final 'umph', a small, dark grey form emerged completely from Nebula's body. the filly was coated thoroughly in birthing liquids.The filly's horn was much like its father's, changeling-style. It was sharper than the usual unicorn horn, and was a gradient from blood red to grey.
"She is... Er.. Beautiful?" The doctor murmured, making the statement more of a question. Nebula nodded, and took her foal into her own arms. "She shall be named Senja." Nebula smiled with exhaustion, not noticing her foal's resemblance to Sombra.

Sombra' soul stretched out upon his filly doppelganger. His essence, and the only part of him that was remaining, merged itself with Nebula's only offspring. With a jolt, Senja moved her limbs, and came to life. Senja took advantage of her new found abilities, and sprawled her legs. Her eyes blinked open, and adjusted to the bright, blurry atmosphere. Senja's eyes were a lot like Chrysalis's. They had a dark red, slitted pupil, with a light red iris. But, outside of that iris, there was yet another one. A lime green iris. "Oh, my dearest Senja.." Nebula murmured, and pulled her foal closer. "I love you so very much."

"Dr. Nay, we must tell Princess Cadence."
The doctor shook his head quietly before speaking, "We cannot. Imagine how the crystal ponies would react! For all we know, she is just a look-alike. All we can do is watch."
"But sir,"
"No buts, Ms. Strongheart."
"Please, Dr. Nay. At least let me watch her for you. We can't let a -female- Sombra come back! Equestia will be in shambles."
"Very well. You will watch her, Strongheart."