//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 // Story: Luna // by Bob Jet //------------------------------// “Ridiculous,” Sombra thought as he walked back to his barracks, “the thought that Luna could kill me. The Royal Sisters have been the kindest, most benevolent rulers in Equestria since… since.” Sombra could not remember any rulers other then the Royal Sisters. He gave up. “Anyway,” he said to himself, “I cannot forget about her, and I do not want to follow Him, whoever He is, if it means that I cannot love Luna.” Sombra smiled to himself, having finally put his mind at ease. He would make his own path, and deal with whatever situations may arise. Kismet was crazy. He was about to pass a water cooler when he thought he heard the clack of galloping hooves on the highly polished marble floor. He stopped, and pricked up one ear. Indeed, somepony was galloping down the hall, and they seemed to be heading his direction. Then he thought he heard crying. He pricked up his other ear, trying to locate where the sound was coming from. He had begun to turn around when something hit him in the side. Hard. It was sharp, piercing his barding, and lancing him slightly. The force of the blow threw him into the air. He could feel something heavy was on the other end of whatever pierced his armor. The object dislodged itself just before Sombra slammed into the high ceiling. “I am going to die,” Sombra thought. “Somepony is trying to kill me.” His fall was arrested by a dark Pegasus. He landed on the pony’s back as it flew under him. It seemed to know he was in its back because the Pegasus suddenly headed for the floor. Just before impact, the Pegasus pulled up and landed softly. She (he thought is was a mare) gently rolled him off her back and onto the ground. “I am so sorry,” the pegasus cried, “I didn’t see you.” “I recognize that voice,” Sombra thought. “Where have I heard that voice before?” Then it hit him. “Princess Luna?” he asked. “Y-yes.” Sombra could tell she was crying. He rolled over gingerly, and tried to stand up. He could. Every part of him was sore in some manner. His neck was sore from whiplash of Luna catching him, and the side that hit the ceiling burned. The side that had been lanced was wet, and in excruciating pain. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a hole in his barding with blood trickling out of it. He looked up at his love, and decided not to find a doctor until he had comforted Luna. She was not beautiful tonight. Nopony is when they are crying, but something was drawing him to her. He wanted to stand by her side, console her, pour his love into her, and somehow make everything better. She looked at him, and then inspected him. “Oh, no! What have I done?” Luna wailed. “You are injured! You must get to a doctor at once!” “No, no. I am fine.” “No you’re not,” – Luna gently reached out with a wing and lifted the burly gray unicorn guard onto her back – “I am going to take you to the doctor.” Sombra was torn. On the one hoof, getting a piggy back ride from Luna was once in a lifetime event. On the other hoof, he could feel his ego taking a killing blow. If this ever got out in the barracks…he did not want to think about it. “I can walk, Your Highness.” “Are you sure? I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” “Yes, miss. I am sure.” She gently set him down on his hooves. “What is your name, soldier,” she asked. Sombra had never met a pony who could stop crying so fast. “Sombra, your Majesty.” He bowed before his Princess. She looked at him for a long moment. “Sombra…” she mused under her breath. “That name sounds familiar.” “Ah, yes. I do know you. Come, we must get you to the doctor,” she said finally. Sombra began to dutifully follow Luna down the corridor. They had not gone twenty steps when Luna turned around and asked, “Are you going to walk with me, or follow me?” Sombra was dumbfounded, “A thousand pardons, your Highness, but I do not understand.” Luna rolled her watery eyes. “Walk next to me. I want to talk to you.” Sombra was not sure he could do it. Literally. He was on the verge of fainting from shear… he could not put words to it. Joy? Excitement? Both were understatements. His sore and battered body was not helping matters either. He summoned all of the courage and strength he had left, and the two ponies began down the corridor again, walking abreast. “Celestia is so mean,” Luna began. “She works all the time. Even when I try to spend time with her, she always claims that some event has popped up that she has got to go to. She tells me to reschedule on another one of her free days, but she is booked several years in advance. Ever since Mother left and Father died, she has been my role model and my mother. I ask her if I can help her with anything, or go the events with her, and she lets me, but then ignores me. I wish we could talk about or lives and how our days went, I wish we could be a family! I don’t know what to do, Sombra. I fell so abandoned.” “Permission to speak freely, your Highness.” “Of course.” “Have you tried talking to her? Let her know your true feelings?” “Sort of. We were supposed to have a mare’s night out tonight, but she canceled on me because of some event that popped up tonight. I got mad at her and ran out crying. Why did she have to cancel tonight? I had something very special planned tonight.” “May I ask what, your Majesty?” “I was going to unveil a new constellation. I have been working on it for some time.” Sombra stopped dead in his tracks; slack jawed. Luna looked at him. “Is something wrong?” “You sent me a letter a while back, asking me to watch for a new constellation that you were hanging. I have the letter right here.” He reached inside of his breastplate and retrieved the letter. He handed it over to her. “I have been searching for it every night since you sent it.” She blushed when she read it. “I-I’m sorry,” she said, “I completely forgot I sent this.” She looked at him, and he saw a spark flash in her eye. “Would you like to be the first to see the constellation? After you are well of course.” The two ponies reached the castle medical unit. The doctors took Sombra immediately. Luna waved goodbye as the doctors ushered him into the emergency room.