//------------------------------// // Is it true? // Story: A shadow of what I once was. // by FaelaArts //------------------------------// “Oh my. Luna, look.” Celestia hovered in place as Luna came to a stop beside her. Both had flowing manes, a side effect of using the Elements of Harmony. Looking down, Luna breathed in sharply. Below them was a chain of ponies marching along single file, collars over their necks. Each one was nearly gray in color, and the crystals all seemed to reflect that color tenfold. The same color as Sombra. “Let’s find Sombra, something must be wrong,” she replied, taking the lead as Celestia followed closely behind. Luna landed in front of the crystal palace, and entered, quickly informing the dejected guards she was looking for Sombra. “Final floor, be quicker to fly I suppose.” The guard sighed, and stopped blocking their path. Sharing another glance, the two sisters took to the air, landing on the very top floor. They quickly found Sombra, who was currently sitting at a desk, turning to glare at a large group of unicorns who were looking at a chalkboard, covered in complicated magical formula. “Work faster or so help me I’ll fire you and bring in some Earth Ponies. Frankly they could do twice the work you are doing, even without magic!” Sombra hissed at the unicorns, all wearing collars, and they flinched and turned back to the chalkboard, resuming work at a faster place. Sombra growled, but once more turned to his desk, scribbling like a pony possessed. “Sombra.” Luna spoke quietly, watching Sombra jump. Any louder and she would have been vaporised on the spot. Turning, Sombra raised an eyebrow, and stood up, approaching them. “Sombra, what’s wrong with everypony here?” Luna took a step forward, glancing to the unicorns who glanced to them with the barest hint of curiosity. Sombra paused for a moment, before narrowing his eyes. “Nothing is wrong here, my servants are just trying to solve simple magical formula.” Sombra narrowed his eyes at the unicorns, and they quickly returned to work. Celestia narrowed her eyes, but quickly slid on a poker face. While unrefined, she still had a very good one. “What are the civilians doing down there, and what do the collars do?” Celestia approached the window and pointed, pretending to have some vague interest. If Sombra saw through her guise, he said nothing. Sombra glanced out the window quickly, levitating over a spare collar as he narrowed his eyes at the view. “Those ponies are...I believe they are transporting crystal from the caves below to finish the completion of the wall around or city. As for the collar, it is something I created with my fear magic.” Sombra pointed to the unicorns, and for a moment a small smile, and a sparkle in his eyes as they dimmed slightly, but still glowing green, emerged on his face. “The collar’s basically convert emotion into magic. I...misplaced the key to remove them, and they have magical protection so they can’t be taken off.” Sombra glanced to the unicorns and they jumped once more, speeding up in their work on the board. Luna shared a glanced with Celestia, and both sighed. “Sombra, please remove the collars, and why are your eyes green and leaking a purple mist?” Luna took a step toward Sombra, who turned and headed back toward his desk, sitting down and starting his fast paced scribbling once more. “I will once I find the key. That is a side affect of me using fear magic. I locked it so whenever I feel extreme emotion it's automatically converted into magic, but not all of it. It helps me keep an even edge, and I can live with the side effect. It was nice seeing you two, but I’m very busy, you know where the exit is.” Sombra didn’t glance up as the two sisters bowed, and slowly exited the room. “I SAID WORK HARDER YOU LAYABOUTS, WE’RE ON A COUNTDOWN HERE!” Sombra’s final yell could be heard even from the outskirts of the city. “Sister, what do we do? Sombra is…” Luna paused, biting her lip, just what was Sombra. He seemed like his normal self, and yet had no regard for his subjects. That was breaking a silent law that shouldn’t be broken. Celestia slowed to a glide, and breathed out, looking to her sister. “Corrupted, he’s corrupted my sister. And as peacekeepers, raiser of the sun and moon, we must use the Elements of Harmony on him. I would prefer to have a small army to occupy the Crystal Empire once we reclaim it, so let us teleport back .” Celestia paused, hovering as she charged up the spell and lowered her horn. Luna bit her lip, but did the same, and with a small poof, both traveled the vast distance in a matter of moments. “And the rest is history. I hope this has answered some questions for you.” Celestia finished, and bowed her head solemnly, remembering the events that occurred after. Luna wiped away a single tear that had escaped, and put on a sad smile. Twilight finished writing down the information, and nodded to herself, frowning. “But then why-” Twilight cut herself off, causing both princesses to tilt their head. Twilight paused for a moment, and closed her eyes, breathing out before giving each a smile. “Thank you for your time, please leave me time to digest this.” Twilight saw both share a glance, and then bow their heads respectively. Bidding farewell, both turned and left the room to retire for the day. Twilight closed her door, and breathed out loudly, glancing over her notes. ‘Why did he say it depended on the definition? It looks pretty corrupt from this view. Maybe there’s a piece of the puzzle I’m missing…’ Twilight sighed once more, folding her papers and charging her horn. ‘There’s no alternative, I need to talk to Sombra about this, privately.’ Closing her eyes, she concentrated, and teleported a large distance for the second time that day, appearing in her bedroom with a quiet poof. Spike was asleep in the bed, that was good. Twilight turned, and snuck out of the room.