//------------------------------// // Do you fear the cuddles? // Story: Help! I'm being snuggled!! // by Billblok //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle ran. It didn't matter where, it didn't matter why. Except it did matter why; because Twilight was running from the lunar princess of Equestria. Why, do you ask? Because Twilight was nervous, if not afraid. She was afraid of a kind hearted (if not a little loud) princess, who had wanted nothing but to smother her with affection. Twilight was afraid dearly of the "smothering" part, and was frankly feeling quite guilty for leaving poor Spike to that fate. Still she ran. Where are you running...? She ran as fast as her alicorn-y hooves could carry her. She ran like the wind, and when her legs were tired, she flew somewhat slowly an inch the ground, trying to catch her breath. She ran when she could, how she could. Where can you go, Twilight Sparkle? She didn't want to be cuddled ever again. Not now, not today, not tomorrow, not in a million years. She didn't care if it was the solar princess, one of her best friends, spike, her BBBFF, or even her parents; she just wouldn't have any of it. Where can you run... from your fears? Twilight only barely noticed the sinister, ominous shadowy mist forming around her as she ran, so stopping abruptly, she skidded to a halt, waiting for said ominous mist to realize that she stopped and actually showing its face. "Sombra, I presume?" In the flesh. Twilight growled in annoyance. "This'll be interesting-- how does a pony survive being blown into a million pieces?" As long as there is fear and hatred in the world-- "--So too will you exist; just save your breath, I've heard it all before." The mist backed up in confusion. B-but it's true! "Oh I'm sure, I just didn't need to hear it; nothing new, nothing gained. So what exactly are you doing here?" Cuddles. There is nothing else that I crave; Crystals are nothing compared to it. Twilight's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "If that's what you want, then you're absolutely out of luck. A snake like you doesn't even deserve to be even tread upon." With a humph, Twilight turned around, beginning to walk away. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have had more than enough 'cuddles' for the day." The mist chuckled. "...What's so funny?" Oh, you poor, naive pony... Sometimes I wonder if you even use that smart brain of yours... "What?! What's that supposed to mean?!" The mist shifted, becoming something more compact. Do think carefully, little princess... You are talking to one who uses fear and hatred to his advantage, and he wants to cuddle you... I wonder, why would that be the case...? "...Because I don't like Cuddles?" The mist shrank to a pony form, and Sombra was truly as it were, in the flesh. Now, why would the lord of fear and hatred want to do such a thing to our little princess...? Twilight was sweating little droplets now. "Because it brings pleasure for you to... see other ponies suffer?" Exactly. See? You're quite smart. Fear and hatred are just so... delicious. Sombra licked his lips. "OhsweetCelestiathat'screepy." And now... I'm going to break you. In an effort to not cave in fear, Twilight made the mistake of Testing the dark pony. "I don't care what you think you're gonna do, It's not gonna happen. Alicorn princesses don't let fears get the better of them." --- "AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!! A SNAKE!! HE TURNED INTO A BUCKING SNAKE!!" Twilight was running as hard as she could. Why she wasn't flying, nopony actually knew. One thing was sure, she had definitely let fear get the better of her. Fear was following her; scales, forked tongue and all. What's wrong, Twilight? Afraid I'll bite? "DON'T TALK ABOUT BITING!!" Sombra laughed maniacally, knocking around ponies as he slithered ever so slightly behind the purple alicorn. But I'm a constrictor! Constrictors don't do biting! Twilight thought about being tied up in a constrictor's coils; inevitably asphyxiation and all. Somehow she started running even faster. "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME, I AM A PRINCESS!!" Sombra's mad laughter continued. Princess you may be, but I'll teach you to appreciate the texture of scales, just as you do fur! Twilight was not thinking rationally, and had failed to-- in the heat of the moment-- remember that she was the highest authority in Ponyville, and instead ran to the town hall. --- It was a long day so far. The town hall was rather quiet today (again), and the poor mayor had nothing she could possibly do. She would have even worked on the town's tax forms if she could; but Twilight insisted she would do that for her. Then she went to town meetings. Then she started making her own speeches for the town. So technically, she took her entire job. Princesses; give em' an inch, and they'll take a mile, and give you VIP access to what would be a public library anyway. It's just another Tuesday as a figurehead... The mayor lifted her coffee mug to take a sip, when she heard a loud thud against the window behind her. She jumped, nearly spilling the coffee. "MARE! MAYOR! MAYOR MAYOR, WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS!" She heard her job stealer begging from the other side of the window. "I DON'T KNOW HOW, BUT SOMBRA'S BACK, AND FOR SOME REASON HE WANTS TO-- URK!" A dark snake tail snagged Twilight, yanking her away from the window. NO NO, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO ME!! The mayor arched an eyebrow, watching as the princess' screams faded into the distance. Yep, definitely a Tuesday... --- "No no; no no no no nononononoNONONO!" Twilight pushed and shoved at the coils wrapping around her. She had tried most things, from flapping her wings (Now tied up as well), firing lasers at her captor (Didn't even make him flinch) and even simply hitting him. (He thought it tickled). Twilight was all out of options. Except for teleporting. With a flash of her horn, Twilight popped out of existence, and reappeared several hundred feet away. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed at the fact that she was not chest deep in snake coils. "Well, that was almost too easy," she mused. Dark alicorn magic covered her horn. "Wait, what-- I'm not controlling that--" With a flash of dark magic, Twilight popped out of existence, and right back where she started. Sorry; spell reversing hex. "SOMBRA, YOU SNAKE!!" Twilight screamed, flailing her forelegs helplessly. That's not exactly very insulting, is it? I can think of much worse. She tried to shove away the tail that insisted on stroking her pretty little head, but like everything else, that proved just as fruitless as any other means. Twilight was still determined not to let her captor get the better of her, even as he squeezed ever so slightly tighter. Putting on a scowl, Twilight crossed her forelegs and steeled her nerves. Unfortunately, Sombra was one step ahead of her. You know... I don't think you're exactly Celestia's student anymore. The realization hit her like a freight train, and she wailed like a baby. It was rather jarring. But victory was won for the dark lord. Or so he thought. "Sombra," a stern voice said. "Let her go." He turned his head. It was Fluttershy.