//------------------------------// // It's Been Decided // Story: Blueblood's Ascension Part III; or, Even Alicorns Have Dreams // by MyHobby //------------------------------// Sombra stirred. The Unicorn King, Lord of Lapis Lazuli, Duke of Darkness, Tyrant of Topaz, Scion of Shadows, and Conqueror of the Crystal Empire rose to a sitting position on the bed. The silky sheets descended from his body like flowing water. He lifted a lacy sleep mask from his red eyes and peered out into the world that was most assuredly soon to be his and his alone. He grinned. No, not alone. There was another. He inhaled deeply of the mild scent of perfume that flowed through the room. Her guest room, she had told him, in which he would spend the night. It was certainly a bit more opulent and precise than the other rooms of the house, with the decorations just so and the dust nonexistent and the china dolls that were not to be touched under any circumstances. He suspected Lady Rarity’s overprotectiveness of the dolls stemmed from an encounter with her younger sister, Sweetie Belle. Yes, that was most likely the case. He stepped a mighty hoof on the floor. He pulled it back up from the frigid hardwood quickly. He placed the hoof carefully on the tiny rug that sat beside the bed. He nodded. He lifted himself off of the bed and planted all four of his hooves on that tiny carpet. He teetered as his center of balance shifted. With nothing more for it, he braved that epic wilderness that was cold morning floors. It seemed incongruous, he thought, that he should feel such chill through his hooves. There was something magic about cold floors, a deep and dark magic which no living being was capable of avoiding. It was as if the keratin of his foot itself acted as a conductor for ice. He sat before the guest room’s little vanity. Not quite as opulent as the one utilized by Lady Rarity herself, but passable. He smirked at the way his mane had become a rat’s nest overnight, all lumped up on one side of his head. His long, curved horn glowed with purple magic and lifted a brush into the air. He grumbled at it got caught in a tangle. A hundred or so brush strokes later, he strode out of the guest room. The scent of bitter tea caught his nostrils on its way out of the kitchen. It was a quick trot down the hallway to the living room, the one that lay just to the side of Lady Rarity’s showroom. She lay on the couch, her mane askew and her mascara dried in two streaks down her cheeks. Her head lay in the crook of Pinkie Pie’s back. The pinkish party mare muttered in her sleep, her husband’s hat still perched firmly on her head. Sombra’s smile disappeared. Rarity looked up, held a hoof to her lips, and whispered. “Good morning, Dark Shadow Lightning.” She sighed. “I look dreadful, don’t I?” “No.” He shook his head as he approached the couch. He craned his neck over the cushions and placed a gentle kiss on Rarity’s lips. “No, you’re as beautiful as you always were.” Rarity scoffed. “Flatterer.” “I see myself as a teller of great truths,” he breathed. He pecked her lips again. “Your beauty shines through even the stress of a restless night.” “Can you guys stop making out right next to me?” Pinkie Pie lifted her curly mane off of her reddened eyes. “I’m as much a fan of googley eyes as the next mare, but I’ve never been good as a fifth wheel.” Rarity’s jaw dipped down as the rest of her face drooped. “Oh, Pinkie, I’m sorry. I—” “Spike’s making tea, right?” Pinkie got up off of the couch. “I’ll see if he needs help. Have fun.” She looked over her shoulder and smiled. “Please have fun.” Rarity levitated a handkerchief over to herself and daubed at the black streaks on her cheeks. Finding them dried to her coat, she gave a tiny huff. She frowned as Sombra walked away, but a smile touched her face when he returned from the bathroom with a little glass of water. With a damp handkerchief, it was much easier to remove the makeup from her face. She shook her head with a single giggle. “Always the gentlecolt, aren’t you, Prince Lightning?” “I have good reason.” He lay on the couch, facing her. “I must live up to that which you deserve.” “Deserve?” Rarity smiled softly and patted his cheek. “Hardly.” “But you have the air of royalty,” Sombra said. “The countenance of a queen. You deserve no less than perfection.” “It is not a matter of entitlement, but of blessing.” She traced her hoof down his face and to his chest. “And I find myself very blessed.” Spike waddled into the room, a tray clutched tightly in his claws. He stared straight ahead, a blush tingeing his cheeks. “Good morning, Spikey-wikey,” Rarity said. “Did you sleep well?” Spike jolted, and the teacups on the tray rattled. He turned slowly and bit his lip. “Um. Fine. Thanks.” The bags under his eyes said otherwise, Sombra was quick to note. From the way Lady Rarity sighed through her nose, he suspected she had picked up on it as well. Spike jumped again. His eyes shot to the tray in his grip. “I, uh, thought you guys would wanna take your tea in here. Alone and stuff.” “Spike, that’s so very sweet of you.” Rarity did her best to make her eyes shine. “But I was hoping to join you and Pinkie Pie in the kitchen. In just a few minutes.” “Great!” Spike yelped. He clamped his mouth shut. “Um, I mean, good. That’s cool. I, uh…” He shrugged as he skittered back into the kitchen. “Y—see you in a few.” Rarity’s eye dimmed. “I’m evil.” Sombra jerked his head around. “I beg your—!” “Evil.” Rarity shut her eyes and held them closed. “What am I doing to that poor boy?” Sombra lowered his eyebrows. “I’m not sure what you—” “He loves me, Dark!” Rarity hissed. “And I…” She pursed her lips. “I can’t bring myself…” “He is young, he will learn,” Sombra said. “Surely he realizes that we are—” “He’s hopeful, Dark Shadow Lightning.” Rarity shook her head. “I see it in his eyes. Every time I speak to him, or smile at him, or thank him… He hopes.” Rarity clutched her hooves together. “I can’t… bring myself to kill that hope. I’m hurting him. I’m making it worse.” She wiped tears from her eyes. “What will happen to him when he… when I…?” Sombra gathered her in his forelegs and held her close. Over her shoulder, he could see a little, purple, scaly head peering into the room. Spike ducked back behind the wall as soon as he knew he was found out. “I think…” Sombra ran a hoof up and down Lady Rarity’s back. “I think he’ll understand.” He lowered his eyes to her uncombed mane. “A little hope is… good.” He felt her ear brush against his cheek as it drooped. “Misplaced hope is never good,” she said. The two of them walked into the kitchen a couple of minutes later. Lady Rarity had a smile on her face that wasn’t so much soulless as it was incomplete. They sat at the table with a small dragon and a pink pony who wore similar expressions. Sombra fought the urge to grumble in frustration. “We’re going after them, of course,” he said. All eyes turned to him. He nodded his head firmly. “Whatever quest there may be, I shall join it. Whatever dangers lie ahead, I shall brave them.” Spike’s face scrunched up somewhere between a thankful smile and a conflicted frown. Pinkie looked at Rarity and danced her eyebrows in a way she thought was subtle; it was Pinkie Pie, so subtle was a matter of perspective. Rarity smiled with all the sincerity she could conjure up. “Thank you, Dark,” she said. She blew the steam away from her cup and took a sip. “I can’t imagine it shall be easy.” “Perhaps not,” he said. “But I will not stand by as you suffer in this manner.” There was a knock on the door. Rarity shook her head. “That’s either another of our friends or a prospective customer who can’t read ‘Closed’ signs. I’ll get—” “I’ll get it.” Sombra stood. “You enjoy your tea.” Rarity relaxed as she fell back into her chair. Sombra felt his heart lighten when a soft look overtook her face. A queen should not be troubled, but have her needs met. He sought to fill those needs. A second knock sounded; it was not impatient, but a mere gentle reminder that yes, the pony was still there. Sombra pushed his mane behind his shoulders and opened the door. Mandible the Changeling looked up from a newspaper. “Hay, Rarity, what’s with the store being cloooooo—?” The changeling’s mouth formed the shape of an “O” and froze like that. His multifaceted eyes nearly popped out of his head. Mandible looked up, up, up at the massive stallion before him, until he had to sit down and lean back to look any higher. “Wow, Miss Rarity was right,” he said. “You are tall.” Sombra’s lip twitched. “You would be Lady Rarity’s helper, Mandible?” “Yessir.” Mandible’s mouth stayed in its “O” shape as he talked. “You’re her—what?—courtship-er? Just shipper? Maybe her bee-ah-oo?” Sombra tilted his head. “Beau?” “Yeah, that’s the one!” Mandible’s mouth finally snapped out of its frozen expression, changing instead to a smile of sheer self-congratulation. “Dark Spooky Frightening, right?” “Dark Shadow Lightning.” Sombra enunciated his assumed name carefully. “I don’t believe Lady Rarity will be needing your assistance today, as she has run into a personal problem.” “Whoa, what?” Mandible frowned, the chitin over his eyes lowering in the manner of eyebrows. “What’s wrong? Is she okay?” “She will be alright, once she has worked through this difficult time.” Sombra took a step forward, forcing Mandible back. “Now, I think it is time for you to leave.” “Oh, Mandible!” Rarity said from behind Sombra. “How good of you to come! Please come in and have some tea.” Mandible grinned as he bounced into the Boutique on the tips of his hooves. “Thank you! Don’t mind if I do!” The look he gave Sombra was roughly analogous to a smirk, thoroughly peppered with smarminess. Sombra narrowed his eyes at the back of the changeling’s head. “So Dark Silver Lining says you’ve got a problem,” Mandible said. “Anything I can help with?” “I think he’s doing that on purpose,” Sombra muttered to Rarity. She waved him and the changeling off. “Shush, dear. Honestly, Mandible, I haven’t the slightest clue what you might be able to do. I’m afraid a few friends of mine, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie’s husband, have been captured by Nightmares.” She took a seat at the table; Mandible and Sombra followed suit. “Unless you have the capability to dream walk, I have little clue as to how you might help.” Mandible looked down. He tilted his head in Spike’s direction. “Geeze. Sorry, you guys. That’s pretty awful.” “We’ll get them back,” Spike said. He punched the table with a fist. “We’ve gotta.” He sat back, his scaly forehead wrinkling. “I just don’t know how.” Sombra levitated a teacup to his mouth. He sipped, and a thought occurred to him. “Nightmares.” He placed a hoof on the table. “Have any of you had Nightmares lately? Perhaps a Nightmare might lead us to their origin?” Pinkie Pie shook her head, her face blank. “I kinda already lived one.” Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder. “It will be well, Pinkie.” Pinkie smiled and patted Rarity’s hoof. “Remind me about that when he’s back, okay?” Her smile twitched. “Kinda hard to compute right now, you know?” “I hardly think we should be inviting evil into this house,” Rarity said. She flinched once the words were spoken. “But… I did experience a Nightmare, almost a month ago.” She looked at Sombra. “The one I told you about? The one with the spider-ponies?” She quirked a brow upward. “Blueblood was with Luna. They saved me.” Sombra nodded. “That was when this whole Nightmare business was just starting, wasn’t it?” Rarity nodded. “Quite.” She sucked a breath in through her nose. “I assume Luna and Celestia are both searching as hard as they can. They wouldn’t let one of their friends suffer in the clutches of those ruffians.” Sombra sat still. “Friends” she had said. About the princesses. Something to note for later. “Naturally, they would be concerned about their friend, as well as the kingdom.” Sombra looked around the table. “Anyone else?” Mandible and Spike shook their heads. “Hmm. Perhaps I missed my guess.” “Maybe tonight, o-or the next,” Mandible said. “You know, after letting it all sink in. Maybe then you’ll get your spooky little visitor or something.” Rarity shrugged. “If only there was some pattern to their attacks we could discover. We might be able to see their next move.” Mandible cleared his throat. “Um, sorry to bring this up, but I might have an idea of what they’re up to. Maybe.” Four sets of eyes turned to him. He swallowed hard. “Um, you said Twilight was pretty upset that night, right?” Rarity rubbed her foreleg. “Yes, yes she was.” “Um, well, we changelings are predators, right? Um, not that I’m hunting you or anything.” He laughed, convincing no one that he was unconcerned. “We always preyed on—aheh—we always latched on to the ponies who were in the most emotional turmoil. Lots of excess emotions to feed on, they didn’t even notice most of the time. They had other things on their minds.” He tapped his black hooves together. “Um, it’s the same with most predators. Look for the weakest in a herd. Get the one with the lame leg, they can’t run away. Grab that little one, it’ll get left behind.” His sharp fangs dug into his lower lip. “That… that mare’s in mourning. Impersonate somepony close to her and suck up the love. Leave before she suspects anything.” He set his forelegs flat on the table and laid his head in his hooves. “It was always like that. It’s just… smart.” Rarity’s hair bristled. She slowly, hesitantly, touched Mandible’s shoulder. “Mandible, that life is over now. You can let go.” “Words are cheap, ma’am.” Mandible’s ears flopped down. “But anyway, I think they’re thinning out the herd. They’re acting like predators. They’re going in and taking out the emotionally weak.” “Braeburn and I were having troubles,” Pinkie said. Spike and Rarity’s mouths dropped open. Pinkie held up her hooves. “Not marriage troubles! Just… little things like ‘Where will we live?’ or ‘Is all that teleporting good for you?’ or ‘Chocolate or vanilla cupcakes?’” She grinned. “That last problem wasn’t so bad.” She shrugged. “But with all of that, I think it was giving him Nightmares. He’d dream that he was lost. And he’d still feel lost when he woke up.” She blew a low-hanging curl out of her face. “I kinda helped with that, he said.” Sombra lifted the teapot to give Rarity a refill, but blinked when he saw that Spike had already seen to it. He refilled his own glass with a grumble. “Hmm. Guerrilla tactics.” Mandible bolted upright, his wings out. “Gorilla whatnow?” “Guerrilla tactics,” Spike said. He tapped his spoon on the side of his teacup. “Twilight and I read about them one year, in history.” Spike raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you were a history buff, Dark.” “I’ve always been a bit of a… historian,” Sombra said. “I find myself attracted to the way old societies ruled. As well as what sort of issues they had to deal with.” He felt a faint hint of fire in his metaphorical pants. He ignored it, since he wasn’t technically lying. “When a people finds itself outmatched in sheer numbers, or technological might, they might fight against the powers-that-be using predatory tactics like the ones Mandible described.” He pointed a hoof at the changeling. “Perhaps that it what the Nightmares are doing. Thinning the herd.” “By attacking its emotional weak-point?” Mandible asked. “Sounds… exhausting.” “It can be surprisingly effective.” Sombra looked up at the ceiling. “Over a long period of time.” Rarity noted that Pinkie Pie was drooping further as the word-count went up. “I think that Pinkie Pie and I shall spend some time in town. Perhaps meet up with our friends and speak as to what our options are. I know I trust Applejack to think of something.” Rarity gave Pinkie a strained grin. “Maybe you can pet one of Fluttershy’s bunnies!” A lopsided smile served as Pinkie’s answer. “I like petting bunnies.” “Then it’s settled!” Rarity stood and grabbed Pinkie by the foreleg. “We’ll get freshened up and be on our way. You three”—she waved a hoof—“have some guy-talk. Or whatever males do. Hit each other, or wrestle, or something.” Spike held up a teacup. “Wash the dishes?” “Yes that.” Rarity nodded. “Have a good day, see you later, bye!” Sombra settled back in his chair. He turned to Mandible as the changeling stood. “Where are you going?” Mandible looked from Sombra to the doorway. “I, uh, gotta take care of a couple things around the shop. Gotta earn my keep, you know?” Sombra squinted. “You said that changelings feed on love. What sort of love are you feeding on here in Ponyville?” Mandible shuffled his hooves. “Well, um, well…” “He’s feeding on compassion,” Spike said. He carried the tea set over to the sink and started running the water. “We all try to show a little, but it’s Rarity who’s showing the most.” “Y-yeah,” Mandible mumbled. “What Spike said.” The changeling bowed and backed out of the room. Sombra got up from the table and stood behind Spike. The little dragon continued washing the dishes as though he didn’t notice the gargantuan stallion behind him. Sombra levitated a small towel over and dried one of the dishes. “I was unaware that compassion equated love.” “Totally,” Spike said. He rubbed the soap under the faucet. “It’s not like that romantic, mushy love you always hear about. Not that it’s bad”—he glanced at Sombra—“but compassion is more of a decided love.” “Decided?” Sombra scowled. “How can you decide to love someone?” “You decide to stick with them. Take care of them. No matter what.” Spike passed Sombra a plate. “No matter what they do, no matter what happens, no matter how long it takes.” Sombra ran his tongue over his teeth. “And Lady Rarity has decided to love this changeling?” “Well, yeah.” Spike scrubbed a particularly sturdy stain. “He’s got nowhere to go, no friends, no family. If he didn’t have Rarity, he wouldn’t have anypony.” Spike shrugged. “A couple of our friends have gotten in on the act, but Rarity’s still where he gets the most nourishment.” Sombra looked over his shoulder. “And you… Have you decided to love Rarity?” The plate slipped out of Spike’s fingers. Sombra caught it in a magic glow before it hit the floor. “Well?” the king asked. Spike’s arms hung limp at his sides. “Yeah.” Sombra raised an eyebrow. “No matter what?” Spike nodded. “No matter who she loves?” Spike balled up his fists. “Look, Dark…” He turned towards Sombra. “Look, I know you and Rarity are—” “Lady Rarity and I are very much in love,” Sombra said. “You would do well to let yourself down now before you end up hurt.” “I’m already hurt!” Spike yelped. “Or, I already was. But—but you know what?” He pointed a claw at Sombra. “But that’s okay! I knew I didn’t have a chance! And I’m fine with that!” “Then why do you still dote on her?” Sombra asked. His massive frame hovered over Spike. “Why still spend your time making hers better? Why give so much of yourself when she cannot give you—” “Because she’s worth it!” Spike stood on his tiptoes and crossed his forearms. “Because we’re friends, and that shouldn’t change just because she doesn’t love me that way!” Sombra sneered. “I believe the word you’re looking for is ‘friend-zoned.’” “The friend-zone is such a dumb idea!” Spike stalked away from Sombra. “There’s different kinds of love, Dark Shadow Lightning. Lots of them. I love her.” He stopped at the doorway. “The best way I can show that love is by being the best friend I can possibly be. Just like I will to all the girls.” He looked over his shoulder. “But Rarity especially. And Twilight especially.” Spike turned to leave, but paused. “You’ve got a lot to learn about love, Dark. If I was you, I’d start learning before I made a big mistake.” Sombra stood alone in the kitchen. The sink bubbled until he shut the faucet off. He growled under his breath. “I will not be upstaged by a lizzzaaarrrddd…” Rarity and Pinkie Pie walked through the town, in the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres, but willing to wander a bit. A stop by the Cake’s residence had lifted Pinkie’s spirits a bit, as just being around little Pound and Pumpkin brought a smile to her face. They were about to take a more direct rout when Rarity spotted Rainbow Dash flying above the buildings. “Oh, it looks like Rainbow’s returned from her trip to Cloudsdale.” Rarity pointed at the trail of color cutting through the sky. “Shall we catch up and say ‘hello?’” “Great idea,” Pinkie said. They walked across the town square, to the part of town well-known for holding the Keen Bean Coffee Shoppe. They saw Rainbow Dash enter with an orange-coated stallion. “Oh,” Rarity giggled. “Do you think she’s finally found a special somepony?” Pinkie shook her head, her footsteps quickening. “No. That was Flash Sentry!” Rarity blinked. “Are you sure?” They entered the coffeehouse and spotted the others’ table. Redheart and Vinyl Scratch had already been waiting. Flash appeared to be keeping a close hold on his saddlebags. “See, I knew we’d met!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “The month before Pinkie’s wedding! We talked to Twilight about alternate realities!” “Ugh.” Vinyl held her head in her hooves. “You’d think I’d remember a talk about mirror universes, but nooo…” Redheart leaned on the table. “All this caffeine must be playing with your memory.” “I don’t drink too much caffeine!” Vinyl said. She slapped the table. “All the time.” “Can we focus on the reason for the meeting?” Flash said. He patted his saddlebags. “Spooky business, if you recall.” Rainbow Dash saluted. “Aye, aye, Captain Flashy.” “Hay.” Flash dusted off his wing. “Captain Flashy was my father.” “Yes, I believe you are a Centurion, in actuality.” Rarity marched up to the table. “Well, I do declare that this is an eclectic gathering!” “Ohmygosh, Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash cleared the table in a single leap. She gathered up the pink pony in a bear hug. “Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, are you okay? I wish I’d been there! I coulda helped or something—!” “Dashie! It’s okay.” Pinkie returned Rainbow’s embrace and nuzzled her cheek. “It’ll be alright. We’re here, we can do something now.” Rainbow Dash set Pinkie down gently. She wiped her eyes with a quick brush of her foreleg. “H-hay, now. I’m the one that’s supposed to be comforting you.” “I think we could all do with a bit of reassurance,” Rarity said with a look at Flash Sentry. “Reassurance that there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel?” Flash put his saddlebags on the table. “We’ve caught a Nightmare. We’ve found a way to deal with them—to fight them. Now it’s just a matter of finding out where they hang their hat.” He gave a decisive nod. “And I think Tartarus is a good place to start looking.” Vinyl Scratch rubbed her forelegs together. “Princess Sparkle, Prince Apple, Lyra…” She put her sunglasses on and gritted her teeth. “We’re gonna save ’em all.” Rarity sat down at the table. “Is there any way I can help?” Redheart took a sip of her vanilla bean brew. “I dunno. Can you get us to Tartarus?” Rarity shook her head. “I’m afraid that is outside my area of expertise.” “Not mine.” Everypony turned their heads. A diamond dog sat a few meters away, his feet on his private table. He lifted a wide-brimmed hat off his eyes and winked. “Captain Wishbone knows the way to Tartarus.” Rainbow Dash flapped over to him, a stern glare in her eyes. “And you’re Captain Wishbone? Captain of what?” “Airship.” Wishbone Fluorspar cracked his knuckles. “Come personally recommended by princesses.” Rainbow Dash jutted her chin out. “Which princesses?” “Luna,” Wishbone said, “and Celestia.” He held his chin in a paw as he thought for a moment. “Maybe Blueblood, too, if you ask him on good day.” Redheart sat up a little straighter. “On a good day?” “Well…” Fluorspar tapped his foot on the table. “Not like bad flight was Wishbone’s fault.” Flash Sentry walked up to the diamond dog. “How soon can you get a flight put together?” Wishbone grinned. “Just as soon as princesses get new airship put together!” His smile widened as everypony expressed some degree of puzzlement. “Last flight? Really bumpy.”