Chapter Two:
Sombra sighed and put his pencil down, eyes on the classroom clock as he laid his head on his desk. It was a half-hour before the bell rang, and he couldn't wait to go home. Lazily, his eyes drifted over to the window. Nightmare Night decorations sparkled and loomed from every visible house. The forecast for the holiday had predicted foggy weather that night, but the mist was rolling in early, giving a haunting effect to everything from streetlamps and jack-o-lanterns to pedestrians. In the back of the room, a few of the other students were discussing their costumes.
"I'm going as a Princess."
"Pfft. C'mon, Filigree! You've worn the same costume for the past five years! Be a little more creative! What about you, Crystal?"
"I'm going to be a Princess, too. I don't see anything wrong with it. If the costume works, why change it?"
"Because it's boring otherwise! Ten-Speed! Back me up on this!"
"Fastball's got a point, girls. I'm gonna be a vampony, the most terifying thing to haunt the nightmares of little foals."
"Wereponies are way scarier, dude! Your vampony's got nothing on me."
Sombra tuned them out once he realized how silly they were being. It's just a costume. No point in arguing over it. Still, he wished he had the chance to argue over silly things like that. But the young colt already knew he wasn't going to feel like trick-or-treating with the other kids. Someone has to watch the house, after all, and Dad's going to be too tired to do anything. The sound of approaching hooves snapped Sombra out of his thoughts.
He looked up to find Gem Blossom, the pretty yellow filly, standing by his desk. Too shy to speak, Sombra managed a timid smile.
"Hi," Blossom smiled back, pushing her pink-and-orange mane out of her eyes. "Um, I was sorta wondering if you were doing anything this Friday? See, I'm having a Nightmare Night party, and I was really hoping you could come." She passed him a flyer, holding it in a pale green magical aura. "Here. My address is on there, so you can find the house. No presents required or anything, but it's a costume party."
After a moment, Sombra nodded an awkward thanks. Gem Blossom walked over to were her friends were seated. Filigree glanced at Sombra and snorted, tossing her blonde curls and pointing her purple muzzle in the air. Crystal Lace reached over and caught Blossom's shoulder, whispering furtivley in her ear while staring at Sombra.
Sombra flushed and stuffed the flyer in his saddlebags without looking at it before returning his gaze to the window.
***
That Friday, Sombra sat on his bed, mostly-finished homework strung out beside him. He held the crumpled flyer Gem Blossom had given him in one hoof, staring at it miserably. "It's obviously a trick."
Pebbles whined and thumped his tail against the floor. The dog blinked up at his master with huge brown eyes.
Sombra glanced down at the dog. "I mean, it's gotta be, right? Blossom seems nice enough, but... With her friends around... And none of them seem to like me too much anyway. It's totally a trick!" The young colt fell backwards onto his bed with a sigh. "I can't go."
Pebbles whined again and placed a paw on the pale yellow bedspread.
Sombra sat bolt upright. "But this could be my one chance to hang out with her! What if she really does like me, and I'm just being dumb!?" He leapt to his hooves. "There's too much to risk! I have to go!" As the little colt was about to charge out the door, he stopped and looked back at the slip of paper. "What am I gonna wear?"
***
Some time later, Sombra was hurrying down the sidewalk, occasionally stopping to pull the sheet around so he could see out the eyeholes. A bedsheet ghost was pretty old-hat, and Dad might be mad about the destruction of good linen, but it was the best Sombra could do on such short notice. Besides, there was romance at stake! Dad would understand, surely.
The street was lined with huge houses and yards full of elaborate Nightmare Night decorations. He scanned mailboxes, eyes flicking between adress cards and his flyer, hoping to find the matching string of numbers. Nope... Nope... Nope... There! 57390 Jewelbright Lane!
Sombra cantered excitedly towards the mansion, but stopped short of the door. What was he doing? He was just a dirt-poor earth pony, trying to impress a filly far out of his league. There was no way she'd ever go for a colt like him. It was better just to go home now, before he was humiliated. Head low, Sombra started to turn around.
A dark, winged shape flew out of the shadows and tackled him, crushing the air from his lungs. Panicked and struggling to breathe, Sombra flailed upright, catching a glimpse of a twisted, snarling face filled with jagged teeth and baleful eyes. The dark-furred colt stumbled backwards and sat down hard, tripping over his sheet as he hauled thin gasps of air into his too-small lungs. Sombra ripped the grass-splattered fabric off, ready to run.
The monster burst into laughter and pushed the mask away, revealing a smiling, bright yellow muzzle and glittering green eyes. "Oh, you should've seen your face, Sombra! That was priceless!" Still snickering, Gem Blossom stood up and extended a hoof towards her victim. "I didn't scare you too bad, did I?"
Sombra gratefully accepted the proffered limb and shifted awkwardly. "N—no," he stammered, able to breathe at last. "I wasn't scared at all." It wasn't true in the least, but Sombra couldn't let Gem Blossom see him as a coward!
The filly pouted, looking a bit miffed. "Aw, really? Drat. I thought my Stratadon costume was good enough to terrify anyone." She sighed, tossing back her rumpled, scaly cape, and picked up Sombra's sheet, examining the green streaks marring the blue-and-off-white fabric. "Ooh, wait. Lemme guess, you came as the Ghost of Paradise Estate?" Blossom's eyes widened and a grin quickly displaced her sour expression. "That's awesome! No one appreciates the old tales anymore."
Sombra blinked, startled. "Uhm... Sure. Yeah. That's totally who I dressed up as. You're good at this."
Blossom grinned and flung the fabric over Sombra's head. "Yep. Now let's go show the others! I just know they'll love it!"
Sombra's uncertain face was hidden by the crooked sheet as Gem Blossom snatched his hoof and dragged him inside. Somehow the little colt doubted the other party guests would greet him with like, let alone 'love.'
The foyer led directly into a big, fancy living room that Blossom might have called 'the parlor.' Red and black garlands hung on the walls and shelves, with the terrible visages of Tirek and Penumbra the Nightmare hanging off of them like Hearth's Warming ornaments. One large table, decorated in dark blues, purples, and blacks stood in the center of the room, piled high with snacks and treats. Beside it, a smaller table in red and gold held about half-a-dozen guest gifts, things like flowers and bottles of soft cider. Sombra grimaced at his own stupidity. Gifts weren't required, but still implied.
Fillies and colts were scattered around the room, dressed in all sorts of costumes. A filly dressed in black, with a pointed hat, plunged her muzzle into an apple-bobbing tub while a pair of colts, one dressed as a pirate, the other a sailor, cheered her on. A colt dressed as a knight and a filly in a glittering dragon suit, probably siblings, chased eachother through the air. One foal of indeterminate gender, thanks to the mummy bandages wrapped around his body and face, was being frantically spun by a pegasus and unicorn, Ten-Speed and Fastball, by their werepony and vampony costumes. The three seemed to be playing 'Pin the Tail on the Cockatrice.'
Over by the snacks, in their Princess costumes, Fine Filigree and Crystal Lace stood talking to a young pegasus filly in Flutterpony wings and a pink-feathered headband. Crystal nudged Filigree and pointed, casting her friend a sidelong glance. They excused themselves from the conversation and trotted over, both studying Sombra.
"So," Filigree drawled, "who's your coltfriend, Blossom?"
Sombra and Gem Blossom both looked at eachother, startled, and then glanced down at where they were still holding one anothers' hooves. Hastily, Sombra pulled his free, glad the sheet hid his blushing face.
Crystal Lace laughed. "He's awful quiet. What's your name, Spook?"
Blossom glanced between her friends in confusion, before realising they couldn't see past the sheet. "Oh," she said with a smile, "it's Somb--"
Sombra quickly shoved a hoof outwards, cutting Gem Blossom off. "Somber Skies. Glad to make your aquaintance, miss." It was bad enough he had to show up in a grass-stained, moth-nibbled, old-as-dirt sheet without even the meagerest of gifts, but he couldn't allow his current appearance to be traced back to Sombra, the oft-bullied blank-flank.
"Somber Skies, eh?" Filigree studied him with interest. "A pegasus, then? Why not cut your wings free?"
Sombra shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I wouldn't make a very good ghost then, would I? If my wings are going to have enough space to fly, I might as well cut off the sheet at the shoulder." It was pure bluff, but Lightning had complained about not having enough room to flap his wings when he was still in Vanhoover. And Sombra hadn't ever seen the other colt in something that hung loose past the shoulder.
Crystal nodded, stepping closer to Sombra. "You have red eyes. There's a colt in my class with red eyes. And dark gray fur, just like yours. You two aren't related, are you?"
Sombra shuffled back a step. "Uh, maybe. Probably not. But possibly. I'm, um, up from, er, Horseshoe Bay."
"Horseshoe Bay," Blossom said drily, one eyebrow raised. "And what brings you up here, Somber?"
Sombra winced, well aware this was going south. "I'm... Visiting a sick cousin? I'm only here for the weekend, you see, then my parents are taking me and my cousin back down south. The cold northern air's hard on her lungs. She'll be spending the winter with us."
Crystal's face softened. "Oh, the poor dear. What's she down with?"
"How old is she," Blossom chimed in. "What's her name?"
Sombra gulped. "Her name's Starbright," he lied, using the name of his real—albeit older—cousin in Canterlot. "She's got the feather flu, but it's only a minor case. She's just four or so, though, so we ought to get her somewhere she can recover before it gets worse."
Blossom and Filigree nodded slowly, and Crystal leaned over and patted Sombra's shoulder, her pink-and-white braids falling forward. "Well, I'm sure she'll get better soon," the pink filly said sweetly. "She's too young to be that sick for long. My brother came down with the pony pox when he was around our age, and it was gone in about a week. Just make sure you don't catch it yourself," she added with a wink.
The three unicorns walked away, and Blossom's gait was a little too stiff for Sombra's comfort. Was she upset he'd lied? What a stupid question—Of course she was! Sombra slipped over to a corner and leaned his head against the wall. Here he was, trying to get her to be his friend at the least, and he'd lied to her friends and made her participate.
What a jerk, whispered that dark corner of his mind. She'll never like you now. It's not really a surprise, though. You never had a chance to begin with.
Sombra sighed and looked out over the foals again. More guests were trickling in, but it wasn't likely to be a huge party. Blossom would doubtlessly notice his disappearance, and that would only cause more problems.
"Hi."
Sombra looked up to see a golden yellow pegasus colt peering at him through a pair of Wonderbolt goggles. "Er, hello," the sheet-clad colt replied.
The strange colt, maybe three or four years older than Sombra, extended a hoof. "My name's Gilded Cage," he said. "Who are you?"
Sombra stood up and tentatively shook Gilded's hoof. "I'm, um, Somb – Somber Skies. Nice to meet you."
The true pegasus nodded. "You as well. I heard you were up here from Horseshoe Bay?"
Sombra scuffed a hoof on the hardwood floor. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I am. Why?"
Gilded raised an eyebrow, deep blue eyes half-lidded. "'Cause I'm from there. It's a small town, and I've never heard of a 'Somber Skies.' Unless you moved there in the past three months, I figure you're lying to save face."
Sombra drew himself up. "N—No. Why would you assume that? We just moved in, yeah, but it didn't take long to settle. You know how it is, with little towns, heh." Beneath his sheet, Sombra was sweating. Was this colt about to blow his cover?
Gilded flopped down on the floor beside Sombra. "Relax, dude. I know what it's like, trying to impress someone who just won't take you as you are." He drew a hoof through his amber mane. "My dad wants me to take over the family cruise-ship business, but I want to be a rock star. You can't see it right now, but my mark's even a caged songbird." He laughed. "You know, I wouldn't be at this party if it wasn't for Dad. He's trying to get me to 'build connections,' or something boring and businessy like that." The colt waved a hoof in a sweeping gesture. "Honestly, this whole scene's a little too foalish for my taste. Then again, it's nice to be out of the house for once."
Sombra shrugged and stretched out on the floor. "Meh. I'm not exactly having a blast either." He grinned wryly. "My dad dosen't even know I'm out. Not that I think he'd notice."
Gilded frowned. "Sorry, kid. That must suck. Your mom know?"
Sombra sighed heavily. "Actually, my mom died last summer."
Gilded grimaced and streched a wing over Sombra's shoulders. "Oh. Sorry, kid, I didn't know. That... That's a harsh break." Suddenly a grin split the older colt's muzzle. "Hey, I know how to cheer you up! Wanna go night-flying? It always makes me happier."
Sombra shook his head. "I dunno, Gilded--"
Gilded picked Sombra up by the forehoof. "Please, call me Gill. And c'mon! It's not that scary, I'll be there to look out for you." He turned and eased a window open. "You'll want to take that sheet off, though. You need to have room for your wings to move."
Sombra backed up a step. "Um, no, it's okay. I really probably shouldn't be flying at night anyway. In fact, I should probably be heading home. Dad's probably noticed I'm gone by now. I ought to get going before he gets too worried."
Gilded reached out and took hold of Sombra's sheet. "We'll do both, then! I'll get you home speedy-quick if you'll just give me directions! Now let's get that sheet off." Before Sombra could say anything more, the pegasus had whisked the sheet away, tossed it around his neck, and perched in the window.
Gill turned when he realized Sombra wasn't following him. "...Oh. Well, I'm an idiot," he groaned.
Sombra glanced around, wilting under the shocked stare of Crystal Lace, the angry glares of Fastball and Ten-Speed, and Fine Filigree's triumphant grin. What really cut him to the quick, though, was that Gem Blossom wouldn't even turn around. Even when Crystal shook her shoulder and whispered hoarsely, "Blossom! That ratty earth-pony showed up after all!" she just shrugged and poured herself another glass of punch.
Sombra bowed his head and slunk out the door. There was no way he'd be welcome now. Somber Skies may have had a chance, but certianly not Sombra. Dragging the front door shut behind him, Sombra moved towards home.
Shortly afterwards, the sound of hoofsteps started to echo his own. Pausing, Sombra turned to see Fastball and Ten-Speed behind him.
"What do you want," Sombra sighed. "I'm going home. I've been humiliated. What else can you possibly want to do to me?"
A sick grin fell across Fastball's features. "A lot more than you know, blank-flank," he spat, landing and slowly advancing on the earth-pony colt. "You show up somewhere you're not welcome, you lie to our faces, and then you think you can move in on my girl?" The tan-and-white pegasus laughed bitterly, seeing the confusion on Sombra's face. "Don't try and deny it, you lying dirt-eater. I saw how Crystal was all over you at the party."
Something dark and angry sweled in Sombra's chest. 'Dirt-eater' was one of the worst names Sombra could think of for an earth-pony. And to hear it from the mouth of this stupid jerk who couldn't even tell when a filly was being nice to someone or not... After the night he'd had, was it any wonder Sombra threw the first punch?
Teeth bared in frustration and rage, Sombra's forehoof slammed into Fastball's jaw. The other colt stumbled backwards, wings splayed for balance. The pegasus looked up, blood running from his lower lip.
He turned his head and spat out a tooth. "Ten-Speed? Hold him." Fastball gave Sombra a gap-toothed grin. "This is gonna be fun."
The aqua-blue unicorn's horn flared silver, and magical bands wrapped around Sombra's legs. Fastball walked up and brought his hoof down hard, just in front of Sombra's ear.
Sombra's knees buckled under the rain of blows, and he tucked his head in as he fell, trying to protect his eyes and throat. Help, he screamed in his mind. Help me! Someone, please! HELP!
Then, a voice like river rocks tumbling together, weighted with a thousand years of wisdom and power, rumbled beneath him: "We come."
Sombra risked opening an eye, just to see lights as Fastball's hoof connected once more. Still, neither of the two attacking colts seemed to have heard the voice. Whoever you are, Sombra willed the voice, hurry. Please.
Fatball's hooves rained down harder and faster, until Sombra felt himself start to fall unconcious. Then, suddenly, granite spikes ten feet high errupted around the three colts. Distracted, Ten-Speed let go of the magical shackles, allowing Sombra to fall to the concrete. Fastball, his wing clipped by one of the spikes, yowled and fell himself.
Chest heaving, he whipped his head around to glare at Sombra, eyes blazing. "I don't care how you did it, dirt-eater, but you're gonna pay for this!" He stood up, wing sitting at an odd angle. He winced, curling in towards the wing. "Gah! I think it's broken! You little frog-licker! You broke my wing!"
Ten-Speed stepped forward. "I've got this, Fastball. You go home and get some help." His eyes narowed. "I'll deal with the dirt-eater."
Sombra stood up shakily and turned to run. Behind him, Fastball yowled again, and Ten-Speed snarled some obscentiy while another rock spike shot up between Sombra and his assailants.
Sombra knew he was doomed – Ten-Speed was fresh, while Sombra had taken a beating enough to make a cragodile shatter. Still, he struggled into a trot, trying to escape while the other colt was dodging the granite towers.
"Quick," a new voice chirped, light and glittering. Ahead of Sombra, a large quartz stone caught the moonlight and glowed like a beacon. "Follow us!" As Sombra limped ahead, the stones glowed and winked out, leaving a trail for him alone to follow down into a steep rock quarry. Behind him, Ten-Speed finally broke free of the granite spikes, and leapt down the rocks with a surprising speed and nimbleness.
A low whimper escaped Sombra's throat as he realized the colt was gaining quickly. Then the quartz led him into a sharp right, just as Ten-Speed dove for the earth-pony colt. The unicorn missed by a longshot, and tumbled down the rocks.
When the quartz stones had led Sombra safely to the bottom of the slope, the little colt walked up to the bluish mass that marked where Ten-Speed had landed. In the moonlight, Sombra could see blood oozing from a hundred cuts and scrapes, but nothing looked seriously damaged. Still, neither could Sombra see any sign of life.
Nervously, Sombra extended a shaky hoof to prod the unicorn's side. Ten-Speed emitted a faint groan.
Sombra breathed a sign of relief. Good. I didn't kill him.
Deep voices sounded at the top of the hill, and the red glow of lanters cut through the dark. The police had come to investigate the scene.
Well, was it any wonder, with all the trouble we caused? Terror gripped Sombra's heart. I've got to get out of here, before they catch me. I'll wind up in jail!
Behind him, a string of quartz stones lit up. "Come with us," they chimed. "We know where you'll be safe."
With no other direction, Sombra trotted forward as quick as he could, letting the crystals lead him down into a fissure in the stone.
He followed the fissure, and the gentle cajoling of the rocks, until they opened up into a large cave. A freshwater spring bubbled at one side, with a stream leading off of it. Wearily, Sombra knelt and took a long drink from that stream, feeling the cool water ease the pain in his lungs. He stumbled over to a pile of rags, heaped in one corner of the cave, and fell into them. Perhaps, if he had been more conscious at the time, Sombra would have questioned why they were there. For now, though, he just wanted to sleep.
He didn't even notice the shadow fall across him as he passed out.