//------------------------------// // New Revival // Story: Old Friend // by Ali-Chan //------------------------------// I should have known from the beginning, that new magic I saw him experimenting with was trouble. But as usual, I shrugged it off with a stupid smile,thinking it was just some spell. Now, he was unruly, dark, and dare I say even sadistic. He enjoyed my fear, I could feel his eyes watch me with delight as I ran away trying to defend myself from the superior power. But how he was wrong, he knew nothing about true strength. Images of the crystal ponies chained together flashed in my mind, their faces exhausted and scared. The ponies I had done paintings for, the same mares and stallions who I had befriended. No. I wouldn't let this continue, I swear on my life. With dark grace, he stood on the balcony of the crystal palace. His smile like one of a man who had gone mad, and his eyes? There was nothing but his lust for power in them, this was not my Somie. Oh, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. No, his taunting didn't stop there, he had the nerve to laugh over the weak, and tired citizens. He threw his head back and laughed as if he had been told the funniest joke in all of Equestria, the familiar laugh that the stereotypical villain did in filly tales. "You will not prevail Sombra," I said aloud, knowing he would hear my hoarse voice. As I rose to stand up for both the crystal ponies and myself, I lifted my head so that my gaze would meet his. My eyes were narrowed, and full of new found motivation, and by his expression he hadn't been expecting that. Good. "He will be brought down," I told myself as I ran towards the palace, he wasn't going to win this war. I woke with a gasp, my unpinned, loose mane stuck to the back of my neck from the sweat. This couldn't be, not again. I never had a dream this connected before, nor had one continue where the other left off. Was this some kind of message? A warning, perhaps? "Scarcity, what's wrong?" I heard his voice ask from outside my room, it was if he detect when I was troubled with something, even if it was small and dumb. "I-It came back.." I stammered out, curling up in fear. I wish the dream would at least let me see by what it meant by dark magic! Then maybe I could stop Somie from doing it, and I wouldn't have to worry abut it. I mean, who has heard about dark magic in Equestria? "What came back?" He said with a sigh as he lit a nearby candle. "I-It.." I stuttered stupidly, while I rocked back and fourth in my nervousness. I heard hoofsteps approach my shaky form I felt the warmth of a candle nearby, this wasn't helping much either. How could I pick up the pieces if I couldn't find any of them? "Scarcity..Please," He sat down next to me on my bed, his eyes filled with worry. The room was dark, excluding the light from his magic and the fire flicking on the candle. But something felt..off. Maybe I was still paranoid from my dream? No, that couldn't be it. Something felt..out of place. "Scarcity, come on." He pleaded, the circles around his tired eyes which glinted with concern. I took in a breath, trying to gather up my words, "Remember the painting..?" I started out, trying to pick it up from somewhere. He blinked a few times, and I could see his expression change to one of fear, "Y-Yes...Why?" Never once in my life had I heard him stutter, or tremble. Should I continue? He did have to know the truth right? This couldn't be the stallion that turns into..that creature. They were just so different, it just didn't seem right. I bit my lip, was is the right thing to do? I shut my eyes as I chose my next words very carefully, "I-I had a second sight of it.." My eyes instinctively opened to see his face. Now, I regretted my last choice of words. His ears lowered in fear, and I felt a shiver go up his spine. I just made the poor stallion afraid, and for what? A stupid dream? A nagging voice in the back of my head said to continue, and that he needed to hear the rest. But I wasn't sure if I could continue, especially since those little words I had spoke before made him react that way. I curled up at his side, and nudged him gently trying to calm his nerves. I nuzzled his chest in a comforting manner, trying to ease him. The second I started, I felt his heart beat rapidly. "Somie..Are you alright?" I questioned, lifting my head to see his face. He shut his eyes, and I saw his mouth open and immediately shut. What was he going to say? Now I wanted to know, what had him so scared? I know that the painting wasn't exactly delightful, but what would cause he be so afraid? Something was wrong, I could tell. Now more than ever I wanted to know, "Sombra, what's wrong?" I said more sternly this time, calling him by his full name. It might not seem like a big deal, but I had always called him by his nickname since we met, not once had I used his name. I saw a bit of green flash before his red eyes, "Don't call me that," he responded in a voice deeper than his own. It had a snarl added at the end of the tone, now I was sure something was wrong. Allowing myself to caught up in my mind, I laid my head above my hoofs. I would ask him tomorrow morning, he would probably leave he second I fell asleep anyway. I shut my eyes as I felt the warmth from the candle disappear, hopefully the morning would be better. As I started to drift off into sleep, I felt both confused and curious about the new situation at hand.