//------------------------------//
// My Sweet Baby 
// Story: My Sweet Baby 
// by Harmony Charmer 
//------------------------------//

	"Veronica, are you even listening?"

The voice snapped me out of my reverie, the details I can't recall nor care to, and I felt my eyes drift back forward. I wrung my hands a bit, feeling tense and embarrassed for being caught zoning out. "I'm sorry, Claudia. What was it you said?"

Claudia frowned, and she sighed a bit, a sound I was used to hearing her make. She made it often when I was around. "I was trying to remind you of Marissa's birthday party tomorrow. She's turning six, and she really wants to see her tia there."

I felt a pinch of regret. I had forgotten, of course, and because of it, I hadn't even thought to get a gift for the party. I looked off a bit, feeling self-conscious very suddenly. "I'm sorry. I know I haven't been there, and I know how many other things I've missed... Her ballet recital, her school play, her last birthday." I looked down. "I hate not being there."

Claudia propped her head on her hand, her hair spilling over her shoulder as she did. Her dark hair was curled and fell beyond her shoulder blades; mine barely brushed my shoulders and hung limply like dusty curtains. "I know. I also know why you haven't been there, either." She gave me a worried look, something I was receiving more and more as time went on. "I know how anxious you are, especially around kids."

"Please," I begged gently, "I don't want to talk about this. Besides, that was months ago."

"And you still act as though it was yesterday," Claudia said, narrowing her eyes a bit. "I know how hard this has all been on you, but I don't want you wasting your life away. You need to let go of the past and move on."

I felt my hand automatically go to the necklace around my neck. Jonathan had given it to me, back when we had our first anniversary. I felt tears prick at my eyes as I fingered the small locket, knowing what was inside of it. "Claudia... You know very well I can't."

Claudia sighed. "I'm sorry for bringing it up. I know how much it upsets you to think about what happened... I just want you to know that the door is open for you to go through. If you're ready, that is."

I looked down at the locket in between my fingers, the small gold chain showing signs of tarnish. I wiped at my eyes and looked back up at Claudia. "I'll think about it." I clutched a hand around the locket. "I'll think about it."


*	*	*


Going home was a bit of a hassle for me, as it usually was when I came home from my sister's. I took a moment to gain what little composure I had, then began walking down the street, averting my eyes from the lawns of the houses where the children played. The day was sunny, and a sunny day was meant for play, if there was proper motivation involved. But I didn't care to join in.

My walk seemed rather long to me, probably due to the many thoughts running through my head. I tried to bat away the thoughts, but with every shake and turn, they came back more insistent and powerful. I clenched my hands, tight and hard as rocks, then flexed my fingers out as far as I could. It was as little as I could do to keep myself calm.

After several grueling moments of isolation and repetition, I was in front of my house. The lawn looked foreign without children on it like the rest of the neighborhood, something I tried my best to ignore. I didn't succeed.

As I caught sight of my mailbox number, I frowned a bit in annoyance at the sight of a brown box beside it. Whoever had put it there must have thought to leave it to me to deal with, for whatever reason. I sighed, then made the silent decision to let the trash pickup take it on Monday before making my way over to the door of my house. I ignored the car in the driveway with the utmost determination and bit my lip as I recalled the reason for doing so.

I fumbled with my keys briefly before opening the door and stepping into the empty living room of a empty house. I set my bag down on the ground by the door, then slipped my shoes off as I began to descend across the room and into the hall. I looked down, averting my eyes the eyes of the pictures on the wall, my arms crossed over my chest as a small defense. I continued walking until I reached my bedroom, then paused as I contemplated opening the door to begin with.

Feeling a bit foolish over my fear, I turned the knob and stepped in. A rush cold air came at me and I shivered a bit, my eyes peering at the room and it's contents. I frowned as I looked at the large bed, then sighed a bit before turning away. No, I wasn't quite ready to face it yet. Not by myself, anyway.


*	*	*


I awoke on the couch some time later, aching and drained of any energy I had. I felt my hand brush over the cushions and I sighed as I felt the spine of a down-turned, open book. I must have fallen asleep reading again, then, though it had done little to bring solace to me and my sleeping.

I sat up with a groan, my hand going to my head. I would have to get aspirin later, I knew, but for the moment, I didn't feel like moving from my spot. I looked to the TV, then decided against turning it on and looked towards my book instead. My throbbing head, however, decided for me that I wasn't going to be reading anything anytime soon.

With a defeated sigh, I stood up and looked to the window, blinking in surprise at the dark sky and abandoned streets. Just how long had I slept? I chided myself as I made my way over to the window to close the blinds, then paused when I saw that box again. Had I thought to look into the box to see what was in it, or had I just ignored it? No, it wasn't my business. Whoever had put it there wasn't my concern, and neither was the box. Yet...

I was curious. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to see what was in it. It was probably just an empty box anyhow.

Making my way to the door, I glanced out the window once more before opening the door. I shivered as the night air rushed past me, but it did little to spur me from my mission. I took a ginger step outside, then looked left and right for any spectators, then continued on with a little less trepidation. With less wary glances and longer strides, I felt a little more confidence as I made it down the driveway, and soon, I was in front of the box. 

At first, I didn't know what I was seeing. All that was in there was this red cloak of sorts, velvety looking and trimmed with white fur that held speckled black spots. I crouched down, my eyes scanning over the heap before touching it lightly with my finger.

Then, the mound moved.

I jerked my hand back instinctively, my eyes widening as I did. When it didn't move again, I deduced it to be an act of my imagination and decided to reach for it again. But, before I even made contact with it, the cloak moved again and with it came a small sound. It sounded like a baby coo.

Then, the cloak fell open as a small head of black hair revealed itself. A small, red horn curved out from it's head, prompting a reaction out of me. I put a hand to my mouth in shock as I gazed down at the creature in the box, then shakily took the cloak off. My eyes widened as I looked down at the small body that held four legs onto it, hooves ending each limb. I couldn't believe my eyes. Just what was I looking at?

Suddenly, the creature opened it's eyes, revealing two large, ruby red irises. They blinked a bit, probably adjusting to the streetlights, and looked up at me. I froze, unsure of what was to come next.

Then, the small creature, shockingly, smiled at me. "Cwystals!"

I blinked, surprised and confused. "Crystals?"

The apparent child stood up, then fell down due to their unsteady legs. They sniffled a bit, then looked up at me with sad eyes that began to brim with tears. Frightful and knowing what was coming next, I instinctively picked up the baby and held it, bouncing it a bit to calm it down.

"Shh, it's fine," I told it, stroking the black hair on it's head rather awkwardly.

The baby gurgled a bit, then giggled as it snuggled into my hair. I looked down at it, and noted the oddly equine body of it, despite how small it was. I pulled the baby away a bit to look at it, prompting it to start tearing up and sniffle again. I arched a brow in confusion and interest as I saw the small horn on it's head, then poked at it a bit.

"Bah!" the baby exclaimed, trying to swat at my finger as I examined it's face. Looking down a bit more, I realized the gender of the creature and giggled a bit as I held him close to me again.

"So, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" I asked him, tickling his ear a bit playfully.

"Clok!" he cried out, turning his head to the box.

I looked at him in confusion. "What is it?"

"Clok!" he repeated, a little more urgently.

I looked down at the box, then blinked in realization. "Oh, the cloak. You want it?"

"Yah!" he concurred, wiggling as if to get it himself.

I smiled a bit, then reached for it and put it around him like a blanket. "Here you go. Is that better, nino?"

He responded by snuggling into it, his eyes closing in content. I smiled down at him, then stood up, looking left to right once more before turning around and making my way back to the house.


*	*	*


Ring, ring! Ring, ring!

I winced in annoyance as the sound of the rings banged against my ears, my hands instinctively covering them for protection. I paused a bit as I realized that I was laying on the couch, my eyes immediately drifting to the window to see what point of time the day was in. I gasped as I saw the sun shining through the curtains, then sat up instantaneously. 

"The party," I murmured, my hand going to my throbbing head. Suddenly, the ringing ceased, then resumed once more. It took me a moment to realize that it was my phone ringing and not my own imagination. I sighed, then reached for the device that laid on the coffee table and looked at it. 9 missed calls from Claudia; that wasn't good.

I took a deep breath, then clicked the answer button. "Hell--"

"Where are you?!" Claudia shouted, causing me to wince. "You said you'd be here! The party started over an hour ago!"

"It did?" I asked, then looked at the time on the phone to see that she was telling the truth. "Ay, lo siento. I didn't mean to sleep in... I guess I was up later than I thought."

"Doing what?" Claudia paused, and I imagined her shaking her head the way she did. "Never mind, it's not my business. Listen, Marissa is pouting because you're not here and you know what happens after that, don't you?"

I sighed in understanding. "The screaming, the crying, and the breaking. Yeah, I know, hermana. I'll... I'll try to be there, alright?"

"Fine. Just hurry up." The long tone afterwards told me that she hung up.

Of course, I didn't really think about how I was going to get to Marissa's party with my current... predicament isn't the word I'd use, but nothing else really came to mind at the moment. I blinked, then looked to both sides of me to see where the little pony had disappeared off to. Had I imagined it after all?

"Maybe I did," I said to myself. It wasn't the first time I had a hallucination of sorts and it was probably not going to be the last either, especially after what I had been through. I shivered in remembrance, my hand immediately going to my locket once more. It was the only thing I had left to keep me sane, I knew.

I sighed, then left the living room, wondering about what excuse to use to keep Claudia from going at me.


*	*	*


"I don't care if you imagined a hundred Unicorns last night!" Claudia snapped under her breath, careful not to let the other parents or children hear her nasty tone. "It doesn't excuse you being late."

Well, apparently telling the truth wasn't a very viable excuse at all, so I'd have to keep that in mind the next time around. If there ever was a next time, seeing as how I might never want to leave the house to begin with. "Well, I'm sorry you don't think my psychological health is as important as serving cake to a bunch of parents and kids you hate."

"Yo no odio a ninguno de ellos!" she exclaimed, earning the glances of others. "Lo siento, go back to the party." She turned back to me. "Listen, hermana, I've put up with a lot of your 'psychological issues' over the course of the past few months, but I'm drawing the line here, bueno? This is my daughter's birthday party, and it's not as if you've been there for her like you should have been."

I frowned at her. "I'm sorry I'm such an inconvenience to you, then." I looked towards the party, where tons of scrambling kids rushed around screaming and laughing at nothing. Marissa, dressed in her favorite pink dress, was waving a fairy wand around and donning other girls with wands of their own, claiming herself to be the Queen of the Fairies. I think she got the idea from all the flower decorations that surrounded the entire backyard.

Claudia ignored my earlier comment, then nodded her head at the table where all the gifts stood. "Did you get Marissa anything? She's been waiting to get one of your famous aunt presents that you used to give."

I froze. The present, of course! I can't believe I forgot to get it, especially for the occasion at hand. Of course, I wasn't about to let Claudia know that. "Yes, of course. I'll... just go and get it, then."

Claudia rolled her eyes. "Just hurry it up, bueno? Marissa's gonna want to open her presents up soon."

I nodded, then began my exit away from all the flowery decor before deciding to panic. Of all the things I had done in the past couple of months, forgetting things was something I was prone to do the most. It served me right for thinking I was just going to get over it just like that.

I reached into my bag, hoping that I had some spare cash to run by a dollar store and get something cheap. I'd tear off the tag and make something out of it, then pretend as if it was the biggest thing I'd ever given her. Of course, that was probably an awful thing to do to a six year old on their birthday, but it seemed like my only option at that point.

"Bah!" called out a familiar voice.

I froze once more, then looked left and right to see if I had imagined it. Then, it came again, though this time I realized it was coming from my bag. I pried it open and nearly dropped it as I saw two familiar red eyes peering back at me.

"Bah!" the baby Unicorn exclaimed, poking his head out of the bag.

I stared at him, then put my hand on his head in wonderment. "So you're... real?"

"Bah!" He climbed out of the bag and landed easily, then began to scratch at my feet like a small puppy. He began to whine as I stood there, and I soon saw he wanted me to hold him.

"No, I can't hold you now." I frowned when he began to tear up a bit. "No. Please, let me put you back in the bag so I can--"

"Tia?"

I froze, then slowly turned to see Marissa standing behind me. I turned around fully, then brushed the small Unicorn behind my leg as a futile attempt to keep him from sight.

"Uh, listen, Marissa, I was just about leave, so maybe you could--"

"What is that?" she asked, pointing to where Sombra leaned from behind my leg.

I sighed, then put a hand to my face. "Querida--"

"Is that a Unicorn?!" Marissa squealed, running over and dropping to her knees in front of the aforementioned Unicorn. "Oh, they're sooooooo cute! Can I hold it? Can I, can I, can I?!"

I crouched down and held up my hands as a term for silence. "Listen, Marissa, you can't tell anyone about him, bien? He's supposed to be a secret and not even supposed to be here." I sent him a sideways glare, prompting him to whine and his ears to drop. "Marissa, you can hold him and pet him all you want, but do not, and I repeat not, tell anyone about him."

Marissa jumped at the opportunity without even comprehending what I said and she immediately set to petting the small pony. He didn't seem to mind it all that much, and even let her pick him up, probably because I wouldn't. Marissa giggled and laughed as she held him up and nuzzled her nose to his. "What's your name, nino?"

"Sombwa!" the little Unicorn called out, cuddling into Marissa's embrace.

I looked at him in confusion. "Sombwa...?" It took me a moment. "Oh, Sombra."

Marissa didn't seem to care and continued with her playing. "You're so cute!" She looked up at me. "Thanks for letting me see your pet Unicorn, tia!"

I held up my hands again. "Keep your voice down... No one can know, remember?"

She pouted. "Aw, not even Mama? I'm sure she'd love to see him!"

I shook my head. "No, she wouldn't. If anything, she'd swat at him with a newspaper like a puppy." I gingerly took Sombra from her arms. "Listen, Marissa, you can tell your mama I gave you your present, but you can't tell her what it was, bueno? She'd get angry with you for it, and we don't want that, no?"

She shook her head. "No..."

I smiled at her. "You can come see Sombra if you want... Just don't tell your mom about him, alright?"

She gasped. "So you're keeping him?!"

I paused, then looked over at Sombra for a brief moment. He seemed to be waiting for an answer as well, though he didn't seem to understand what it was for. His wide eyes blinked obliviously for a moment, and I couldn't help but think back to the time when Marissa was first born... She had looked up at me like that, innocent and confused. That was what made me want to have kids, wasn't it? Her sweet, little smile made it all seem so easy and so achievable to my very naive and unknowing self.

Good God, that was such a long time ago. So much had changed.

I looked down at Sombra once more, then smiled as I looked at him. "Yes, of course."

Marissa cheered and she hugged him and me, completely oblivious to my own inner thoughts and wonders. I felt my free hand go to my locket once more, my hand shaking a bit as it did. I took a deep breath, then pushed away my doubt as I let it go from my hand.

"Marissa, it was good to see you," I told her. And it really was. "But, I have to go home now. Sombra can't be out here and the only reason he's here now is because he snuck into my bag when I wasn't looking." I sent him a bit of a reprimanding look as I stood up and held him in my arms. He crouched down, his ears falling as he whined a bit.

Marissa pouted. "Aw, but can't you stay? I want you to see my presents!"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, querida, but I can't." Hating her sad look, I sighed. "I'll let you come over to see Sombra when you want to, though."

She smiled. "Really?"

I nodded. "Really." I held up a finger. "Now, remember, don't tell anyone."

Marissa nodded and she held up a hand. "OK, I promise!"

"Alright, I gotta go," I told her, desperate to leave. "I'll see you soon, bueno?"

"Bueno!" she replied, then hugged my waist.

I smiled, then looked down to Sombra as I slipped him back into my bag. He didn't struggle or fight me this time, thankfully, so it wasn't a hassle for me to get him or me out the door. As the door behind me closed, I looked up at the shining sun above me, the light flooding over me in a rush of warmth and passion.

'Maybe I'll be fine...' I mused, looking to Sombra. 'Maybe this time, I can get what I wanted...' Seeing Sombra in my bag, I smiled a little more genuinely. 'Maybe now I can get my wish...'


*	*	*


I regretted my decision in a matter of weeks.

It wasn't long after taking Sombra into my home that things began to become difficult for me, though it was mostly because of me and my lack of tolerance. Apparently, it had escaped me and my very small, timid mind that Unicorns have horns for a reason: to channel magic. Of course, I didn't realize that seeing as how I was too immersed in my maternal instincts to remember until it was too late.

It started off small: I'd put something down one place, then immediately find it in another not too long after. Then, I'd find Sombra on the floor one second and then on top of a bookshelf another (though he favored the fridge due to it being the place where I kept the cookie jar). And, then, there was the crystals. Oh, God, the crystals.

Like the odd placing and appearances, it didn't show immediately. It began with me finding random bits of crystals on the floor of my room or stuck on the furniture. Then, I'd find entire appliances covered in the stuff, which is basically one of the reasons I had to give up coffee for an entire month before I could afford a new coffeemaker that didn't grind crystals into my coffee pot.

It had taken some time for Sombra to get over his bursts of magic, but after a while, they began to happen less and less. There was the occasional teleport and the occasional crystal on the ground, but after a couple of months, they began to disappear more and more. Of course, Sombra wasn't happy about losing his magical ability, but I think he was a little grateful that I didn't have to scrape crystals out of his cereal anymore.

I just wish that I didn't have to do it alone...


*	*	*


"Mom?"

I blinked my eyes opened, my mind barely registering the voice speaking to me. "Hmmm...?"

"Mom, Marissa's here!" Sombra exclaimed, jumping onto the bed. "I'd get the door, but you know I can't reach it."

I blew a stray hair from my face as I sat up to look at my little Unicorn. He had grown some since the four years I had found him, and, thankfully, was no longer shooting random beams of light or crystallizing any of my appliances, for whatever reason. He was so very lucky that I could afford another TV after that mishap.

"Well, maybe you ought to learn how to use your magic a little more, nino?" I suggested. Of course, that was a silly thought, seeing as how no one in this wide world could give him any pointers of sorts.

Sombra, as if thinking what I was, rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, I also want a puppy, but we don't always get what we want."

I frowned at him. "You're nine, nino. Besides, you're not much bigger than the puppies and dogs we have here. That little perrito would outgrow you in no time."

He pouted. "Can't we just get a Chihuahua, then? They don't get very big!"

"Didn't you say that Marissa was here?" I asked, arching a brow at him. "You know she hates to be left waiting." I looked towards the hallway when I heard a series of dings come from the doorbell that Marissa was causing a fuss over again. "My case rests itself."

Sombra followed me down the hall as I made my way over to the door. "Do you think we could head to the park today? Marissa texted you earlier and said she brought the leash with her this time!"

I scowled a bit. "I don't like the idea of her dressing you up like a dog, nino. And why were you on my phone?"

Sombra frowned at me. "Because I was playing games on it! I just happened to see the text!" He stopped abruptly behind me as I got in front of the door. "How come I don't have a phone yet, Mom?"

I sighed, my hand on the knob going slack for a moment. "Because you'd never use it. Plus, it'd be strange for me to be paying two phone bills when no one knows you live here with me."

"That's why you need a boyfriend," Sombra said, a little exasperatedly. "That way no one questions it when you bring home an entire box of chocolates for yourself! They'd think it was for him!"

I shrugged. "Or her." I turned towards him. "Plus, you know I'm not interested in dating. I've got you to keep me company."

Sombra groaned. "Yeah, you say that, but then you'll end up getting a bunch of cats! It starts with one, but just give it time, Mom! You'll have cats everywhere before you know it! Think of how scratched up the furniture is!"

I turned the knob as I rolled my eyes. "What, and wreck more stuff than you already have?"

"Hey!" He paused as he saw Marissa step inside. "Hi, Marissa!"

"Hola, primo!" Marissa collapsed to her knees to greet Sombra at his height. "Como estas?"

"Bien!" Sombra replied, then looked up at me before saying a little quieter, "Le estaba diciendo a mamá para conseguir un novio es todo."

"I heard that," I said, passing the two of them to get to the kitchen. "Would you two like something to eat? We have some drinks and snacks."

Sombra shook his head. "Nah, I ate already and Marissa texted you earlier about how she had lunch with Aunt Claudia."

I sighed a bit, frowning as I recalled how Claudia was unaware of Sombra and him being the reason for Marissa's visits to my house. As time went on, she came more often, and even at the age of ten, she still managed to come when she wished to. Thank God for the weekend visits, or Sombra would drive me mad during my days off with his raving need for entertainment.

"Well, I suppose since I slept in, I'm the only one here really hungry," I commented, a bit sour over my sleeping patterns. I had stayed up with Sombra re-watching some old kid's movie for the thousandth time, and I couldn't sleep since he had insisted on singing the entire soundtrack from memory afterwards.

Sombra shrugged. "Alright. Hey, Marissa, any idea what you want to do today?"

I turned around on impulse. "No más musicales! Please, I got enough of that last night, thank you."

Sombra frowned. "You're just jealous of my singing voice!"

Marissa rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Sombra. Besides, I don't know what I want to do either." She tapped a finger to her chin. "Board game?"

"Boring!" Sombra exclaimed, "Let's go play outside!"

I turned towards him with lightning speed. "Sombra, no. You know you're not allowed outside. Besides, it's a Saturday; other people will see you."

He frowned, his ears drooping. "OK..." 

I sighed as I watched him and Marissa retreat into the hallway to the playroom, then shook my head. I hated hiding him away, and I knew he hated it more, but I also knew that if I let him out, someone would see him... And I couldn't risk losing him.

I put a hand to my locket, probably for the millionth time in my entire time of having it, and sighed. I couldn't risk losing another thing I loved...


*	*	*


"I'm very sorry for your loss."

I must have heard those words a thousand times within the past hour, I recalled. Of course, what else did I expect from everyone? None of us knew what to say or do. Not without Jonathan around.

"I can't believe how reckless some people can be..." I heard a woman whisper to her husband. "There's a reason drinking and driving is illegal, you know. Look at that poor woman now... Now what's she gonna do?"

Her husband sighed. "Poor thing lost a lot more than that. Didn't you hear about the miscarriage that happened before?"

"Hush, not so loud, she'll hear." I already had, but she didn't know or care. "Yes, I heard, just didn't want to mention it. She's still rather... sensitive about it."

'As if I'm not allowed to be?' I remember thinking bitterly, blinking away tears. Good God, so much had happened and so much had brought me down since then.

All those months of planning with Jonathan came rushing towards me; what color we were going to paint the nursery, what toys we were gonna get, whether or not it was a boy or a girl, or when the birthday was going to be. All of it went to waste in the end, of course, so the plans for our child became a mourning period neither of us wanted nor deserved.

I recalled every lying night where I'd cry over the child I lost, and every night where Jonathan and I screamed at each other over whose fault it was. I remember telling him to leave, to never come back, and to stay away from me. I remember him grabbing the keys and leaving without a second's notice, not a word to leave him.

That was the last I saw of him.

I remember how much I cried when I heard the news... The police who had delivered the report were unfazed by my hysterics and sobbing fits. It was a part of the job description to be stoic, even when times were dire, I suppose.

I remember all the months I spent alone in my house, only leaving for work and supplies. Otherwise, I'd lay on the couch, avoiding the horrific scene that was my bedroom. It was the same as when both Jonathan and I left it... I still hadn't taken out the crib that was in there. I couldn't bring myself to.

My sister's sympathy soon turned into annoyance and apathy, as did the rest of my family's. No words of comfort came for me after my thousandth breakdown. No hugs were there when I started crying for no good reason, perhaps over a spilled drink or a dropped item. Nothing was there to sooth me except for the loneliness I had accumulated and the memories that haunted my every night.

That is, until the night I found Sombra.

I never quite understood a mother's love before him. I had seen many mothers with their children, loving and kind with their words and actions... It was something I so desired and wanted for my own. It was only a matter of time before I lost that chance for myself. For good, no less.

I wasn't going to lose him, I decided. I wasn't going to lose that child over anything. Nothing was going to take him from me. This, I swear.


*	*	*


Sombra's sick.

I didn't notice it until recently, and I definitely didn't think it could happen, but he is most certainly sick. His temperature is 100 degrees, his nose is running, and he can barely keep anything down. I don't know what's wrong with him, and I don't know if it's something that can be treated or otherwise. I still know nothing about Unicorns or their magic, so it wouldn't be a surprise to me if this was something I couldn't fix on my own.

I can't take him to a vet. I can't take him to a doctor, either. I can't take him anywhere to get treated, not if I want him to get taken away from me. I can't risk taking him outside, out where everything is fair game. But... But I can't just keep him cooped up in my house, counting down the hours until the inevitable comes.

No! No, I... I shouldn't think like that. I shouldn't think like he's going to... going to leave me. I can't act as if this is the end, when I know for certain it's not. He'll pull through. Sombra can make it through, just he has for the past six years. Sombra will be absolutely fine.


*	*	*


His condition is worsening... I can't do anything to him without making it worse. His fever won't break, and he's barely eaten anything, let alone slept. I... I have no choice, do I? I have to take him somewhere... I have to do something for him.

Oh, good God, please let him be alright... Please let my baby be alright...


*	*	*


Sombra's fine now... But, oh my God, at what cost? Someone knows, now... Someone knows about Sombra.

I couldn't wait any longer that night. I just... I just took him in the car with me and drove to the pet hospital, praying to God above he'd be fine. I was never the praying type after I lost Jonathan, but good God I was gonna need all the help I could get at that point.

It was closed, and all the lights were off. But, inside, there was a vet doing inventory, thank God, and she was pretty shocked to see me there. Of course, not nearly as shocked as when I brought Sombra in with me.

She didn't scream. She didn't even react, actually. She just went on with the check up, almost as if this sort of thing happened all the time. I watched in silent fascination as she checked Sombra's temperature, then felt my hand leap at her when I saw her pick him up.

"It's fine," she told me, urging me to step back. "I'm just putting him on the scale." It did very little to sooth me and my frayed nerves.

She asked me all sorts of questions about him: how old he was, what he was, previous issues in health, and even asked me about if he had used magic.

"Yes," I told her, unsure of what to make of it. "He, uh, used to make crystals and such around the house... He also teleported a bit. Why?"

She paused her examination of Sombra to look at me. "In my homeland, I have heard many stories about creatures with horns that hold magical properties. Some say they can cure poisons, and some say they can heal any sort of sickness." She turned to Sombra with furrowed brows. "But, I must say it is not known to me if they are capable of growing sick themselves or how they rid themselves of it."

"I don't, either..." I admitted. "I don't know anything about magic or Unicorns, for that matter. That's not exactly something they tell you when they sell those toys at the store."

She snorted. "You Americans and your ignorance..."

I frowned at her. "I'm sorry if my knowledge is limited, but I don't have the same resources you do. I can't just ask someone about Unicorns without raising a few questions about the matter. I'm a shop worker, not some... mythology scholar."

She didn't seem to hear me as she looked back at Sombra. "Well, I am no expert on Unicorns or horses, but I can deduce that he's just got the flu. Nothing a few antibiotics won't fix, I am sure."

I sighed in relief, then looked at Sombra's shivering form. "What now? How much do I owe you for this visit or the medicine?"

She shrugged. "Nothing. This--" She pointed at Sombra. "--is payment enough. I can't say I've ever met a Unicorn before, let alone someone raising one as their own."

I felt my hand go to Sombra protectively. "Look, if you're trying to get something out of this, then you can just forget it." I scooped Sombra up in my arms. "I'm not gonna let you do anything to him, alright?"

She blinked. "No, you misunderstand... You see, I... I've always been fascinated by mythological creatures." She smiled and put her hand out to touch Sombra, causing me to instinctively pull away. She frowned and then pulled her hand back. "I'm not going to hurt him."

"People lie when they say that," I answered, my hold tightening.

She sighed. "I'll go get the antibiotics. Just stay here, alright?"

I watched as she left the room, and I felt a prick of guilt as she walked away. But, I held my own and kept Sombra close to me, cautious and unnerved. I sighed in relief as she handed me the prescription bag. "Thank you."

She nodded. "You're welcome." She looked down at Sombra. "You get better now, alright?"

Sombra didn't answer, as he was too busy sleeping. I looked up at her once more. "Thanks for helping us... I wasn't sure what to do when he got sick. Thank God I found you."

She made a small noise of disbelief. "God? You're holding a creature unlike any other and you still thank God?" She smiled as she shook her head. "Not many would."

I frowned. "I try not to question my faith. At least, not as much as I used to."

She cocked her head to the side. "You lost someone, didn't you? Is that why you're so protective of him?"

I froze and Sombra let out a irritated noise as I squeezed him by accident. "How did you...?"

She smiled. "You hold onto that locket like it's a lifeline. Someone gave that to you?"

I frowned at her again. "My personal life is none of your business." I turned around and made my way to the door. "Thanks for the help, but I really have to get going. I can't afford another day off... My manager's already getting suspicious about it."

"Wait," she said.

I looked over my shoulder, back at her. "What?"

She frowned. "Your name. I never got it."

"Veronica," I answered. "Yours?"

"Nadira," she told me. 

I scoffed. "Well, Nadira, it was such a pleasure. We'll have to do this again sometime. Never sound good?"

I walked out before she could reply.


*	*	*


Despite my misgivings on the matter, I gave Sombra the antibiotics. Surprisingly, they worked, and it was only a matter of days before he was back to his usual self. That being, too curious for his own good.

"Who was that lady we saw?" he would ask.

"Nadira," I'd say, "She's the one who gave us the medicine to help you."

"Are we ever gonna see her again?" he'd say next.

"Probably, probably not." I was hoping the latter was the one to come true, but he didn't need to know that.

"She seemed nice," he commented once, looking out through the blinds one day to see if anyone was passing by. "She scratched my ears real nice." He looked at me with an annoyed look. "How come you never scratch my ears?"

"Because you never ask," I tell him, trying to ignore how many times he had asked me about Nadira.

He pouted. "Well, can you?"

By then, I'd sigh. "Fine." It didn't last long.

After only about ten seconds of ear scratching, Sombra leaped out of my lap. "Ugh, you're doing it wrong!" He trotted away. "Next time you see Nadira, tell her to show you how to scratch ears right!"

Before I could get the chance to tell him that I wouldn't be seeing her, he left and closed the door to his room with a resolute slam. All I could do was sigh, cursing Nadira's name all the while.


*	*	*


"Mom!"

I groaned, a thump of pain rushing through my head. "What is it, nino? You're supposed to be asleep..."

"Someone's at the door," Sombra said, his voice small.

I immediately felt any sleep leave me. "What?"

"Someone. Is. At. The. Door." Sombra pointed towards the hallway. "I don't know about you, but I think I've seen enough horror movies to know where this is going!" He ducked beneath the covers, then looked up at me. "Only idiots go to check it out!"

"Sombra, I'm sure if someone wanted to hurt us, they wouldn't knock at th-- Wait, horror movies? Since when have you been watching-- Oh, did Marissa bring that stupid movie over when I told her not to?! Ay, esa chica! I should kill her for showing you something so awful!"

Sombra popped his entire head out of the blankets. "What part of there is a person at the door that you don't get? Literally no one but Marissa or the mailman comes up here."

"Mmm, Ted stopped coming when you shot a crystal beam at his foot a couple weeks back. You have to stay away from mirrors, nino."

Sombra frowned. "Just go check the door, OK? I'll be back here, manning the fort and keeping the torches burning. If you're not back by sunrise, I'll call the president."

I sighed as I climbed out of the bed and grabbed my robe. "You have to stop playing Secret Agent with Marissa... It's starting to scare me."

"Stop censoring my creativity!" Sombra called as I walked down the hall.

"Hush!" I held up a hand as I turned to him, then resumed my walk as I turned back around. I stepped into the living room with caution, careful to make sure that I didn't make a sound. I paused as I saw a shadow through the window. So Sombra hadn't been paranoid.

A knock came from the door, and I jumped a bit from the sudden sound. I sighed at myself, then walked to the door with a frown as I pondered who could be bothering me at this hour in the night.

"What?" I said, opening the door with a swing. I froze.

"Well," Nadira said, "is that any way to say hello?"

Ay, caramba.


*	*	*


"Oh, right there!" Sombra exclaimed cheerfully as Nadira scratched his ear. His leg thumped happily and his small tail seemed to wag side to side. "That's the spot!"

Nadira chuckled a bit. "I never imagined Unicorns to be so ticklish..." She stopped smiling as she caught my disapproving frown. "Is there something the matter?"

I sighed, then crossed my arms. "I invited you in to talk to me about Sombra, not to pet him."

"Awwww, can't we do both?" Sombra whined, looking up, then dropping down when Nadira continued her scratching. "Ooooo, that feels real nice."

I frowned at him. "Nino."

He pouted, then scurried off of Nadira's lap and over to my side of the couch where I sat. "Sorry."

I pet him lightly, but looked back at Nadira. "What is it you wanted to talk about?"

Nadira looked down at Sombra awkwardly, then back at me. "I... I feel like I should talk with you about this. Alone."

Sombra perked up. "Why can't I hear it?"

"Nino," I said in a pressed tone, but I looked to Nadira with a frown. "Why can't he hear it? It has to do with him, so he should hear it."

Nadira shook her head. "No, I... I think this is something that he can't hear. Not yet, anyway."

I set my jaw. "Why?"

Nadira's dark eyes looked into mine with such an intensity, I almost looked away. "Please. Please, just let me talk to you."

I paused for a moment, then sighed in defeat. "Sombra, go to my room. I'll call for you."

"But, Mom!"

"Go."

He frowned. "Alright..."

I looked out the corner of my eye to see him drag himself away, and I listened for the click of the door before looking back at Nadira. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

She sighed. "Listen, Veronica, I was going through some archives about Unicorns, and I... I think I found out where Sombra came from."

My breath hitched in my throat. "What?"

"Sombra, he's... He's not from here," she told me.

I scoffed, though it was mostly because I was shocked. "Of course he isn't, he's a Unicorn for God's sake."

Nadira frowned. "Veronica. What I mean to say is..."

She took my hand, then looked into my eyes with that same intensity as before, though there was a sadness and unknown depth behind it this time.

"...He's not of this world."


*	*	*


A cartoon. Sombra's from a cartoon. I heard it, I saw it, I thought it, and I said it, but I still don't believe it. I just can't believe it.

My first question was, how? How in the wide world of chaos and insanity did this happen? Even a world that makes no sense, this simply makes no sense. I mean... a cartoon? Seriously? I almost kicked Nadira out when she told me, but she put her foot in the door when she showed me evidence. That being, an episode of the cartoon.

Oh, God. Oh my, God, I couldn't believe my eyes... Sombra... What happened to him? How did he even get here, after everything that happened? He was supposed to have been destroyed... Yet, here he is, sleeping on my bed and wrapped up in his little cloak. Oh, God, I can't believe this...

Sombra was a monster.

Slavery... Imprisonment... Dark magic... I know it wasn't technically him-- at least, I don't think it was-- but seeing all those ponies in chains just... Just terrified me. And his eyes... They were so demonic. Good God, what was I going to do?

I can't tell him. I can't let him know about what he... he might have done. I just can't. Good God, what kind of a mother would I be? I'd be forcing my child into seeing something so awful... And what for? To say, "Try not to do it again?" To teach him not to mess up? How was shoving it in his face going to fix it?

No. No, I won't tell him. I'll keep it from him as long as I can, take it to my grave if I have to. I won't ever let him know the things that I saw... I won't let him live with a life that he's not a part of.

Now, I just have to make sure Nadira follows suit...


*	*	*


"Mom? Mom, it's time to get up."

I looked up with blinking vision, then held my head to see where Sombra was. I blinked, unfamiliar with Sombra's large form for a brief moment before easing into familiarity. "Morning, nino. Did you sleep well?"

He nudged me with his head, careful not to poke me with his large horn. "I slept fine. How about you? Is your back bothering you again?"

I smiled a bit wearily. "Not as much as it usually does... I bet it's because it's not raining."

Sombra smiled a bit. "Nadira's making breakfast."

I arched a brow. "Uttapam?"

"Yep."

I giggled as I saw his frown. "I figured that six years is enough time for you to get used to it."

"Uh, don't you mean seven?" Sombra asked as he helped me out of bed. "You started eating her food a year before you two were even together... Some sort of lame attempt at getting her to like you, I think."

"Ay, she liked me plenty, I was just too stupid to see it," I reminded him. "Plus, she's the one who kept making it."

It'd been about ten years since my discovery of Sombra and his origins, meaning that my little boy had grown into an adult, scarily enough. He no longer came to my knee, and he know came past my waist in height. He was even taller than me when we were sitting next to each other, especially for Nadira, who was the shorter of the two humans that lived in the house.

"Yeah, I guess," Sombra said. "But, I don't get why we can't have your old breakfast burritos like we used to!"

"Hey, is your son talking smack about my cooking again?" Nadira called from the kitchen. "Don't make me get the tongs!"

I snickered as Sombra frowned disapprovingly. "She's not gonna grab you ears again, nino. I told her to quit that years ago."

He sighed. "I'm gonna go watch some TV..."

I shrugged as he waltzed off, then stepped into the dining room and then into the kitchen, where Nadira resided next to the stove. "How's it coming along?"

She didn't turn around to look at me. "Fine. How's your back feel? Need any medicine?"

I shook my head, then verbalized my answer when I remember she couldn't see me. "No, I don't. I'm fine." God, I hate being 40.

Nadira looked back at me with a smile. "That's good to know. How's Sombra doing?"

I nodded my head back. "He's in the living room watching TV." I frowned. "Why, is something the matter?"

Nadira shrugged. "Not necessarily, no... He's just being a bit more antsy than usual. You know how he is, constantly moving around and whatnot."

I sighed in understanding. Sombra had always been a bit eccentric growing up, and even as an adult, I'm assuming, he hadn't lost that energy. However, the time he used to spend playing make believe and singing random Disney songs turned into book reading and just random meandering around the house in general. It wasn't strange to find him walking in the hall, gaze glassy and actions robotic as he brushed past. Other times he was in his room, though what he did wasn't to my knowledge. I briefly wondered if he drew anymore, then thought about the dozens of pictures that hung around my room as a reminder of Sombra's childhood.

I suddenly felt very old.

"You got that look again," Nadira said, taking the uttapam out and putting it on a plate.

I frowned. "What look?"

"That 'Oh-time-is-moving-too-fast-and-I'm-so-old' look you get whenever I mention Sombra," she said, frowning at me as she crossed her arms at me disapprovingly. "I grew up in an Indian household, where we don't hide things from each other. What's going on?"

I sighed. "I'm not sure... I just feel... old, I guess. I mean, Sombra's, what, 21 now?"

"22 in a couple weeks," Nadira reminded me.

I glared at her. "Thanks for that reminder." I sighed. "It's just... I feel so strange knowing that he's never even stepped outside of this house in that time, save for the night I found him."

"We've taken him out!" Nadira commented.

"In a shopping bag. Now he's too big. We can't put him on a leash and tell everyone he's our family dog, either, so don't even think about it." I sighed as I recalled Marissa wanting to do the same thing a couple years back.

Nadira frowned at me. "Wasn't going to suggest it."

"Look, can we worry about this later? Let's just eat and then we can talk."

Nadira sighed. "Fine, but after breakfast, we talk." She grabbed my waist and kissed my cheek. "You don't have plans after do you?"

"Nadi, Sombra's in the next room! He'll hear you!" I told her, slapping her arm. "Besides, my back, remember?"

"Also, the rooms aren't soundproofed..." Nadira commented.

"Nadi!" I sighed. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." I turned around and walked out of the kitchen, then looked back at her to see her frowning. "That wasn't a no, though."

Nadira smiled again. "Good to know."

I walked out of the dining room and into the adjoining living room, where I passed Sombra absentmindedly. "Hi, nino."

He didn't reply.

I glanced back at him. "Nino, I said 'hi'."

Suddenly, a loud voice called out, "Behold! The Crystal Princess!"

My heart froze.

"The Crystal Heart has returned," said a voice. "Use the light and love within you to ensure that King Sombra does not.

"What? No... No! Stop!"

That voice... Oh, no. I slowly, but surely turned towards the television, shocked and horrified. There it was. The kingdom that Sombra-- no, not Sombra... That monster ruled. He screamed out as the beams of light washed over him, then shattered as his body became crystallized. The cheers of the ponies sent shivers down my spine.

I always figured that Sombra would find out one way or another. I always figured he'd have questions about who he was and that he'd even take matters into his own han-- I mean, hooves. But... I wasn't prepared for this.

"How long?" His voice came out small and weak, so unlike the one I heard on the TV.

"Nino..." Good God, what could I say?

He turned towards me, his eyes wet and his face streaked with tears. "How long?!" He stood up. "How long have you known about this?!"

I felt tears prick my eyes. "I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry, Sombra..."

He blinked, more tears falling as he did. "For what? For keeping this a secret? For not telling what I am? For lying to me about not knowing who I am for the past several years, maybe?" He wiped his leaking eyes. "How long have you known?"

He took a step with every word he said and he was in front of me. His short stature did nothing to take away from how big he was, and his cold glare bore through me like a storm. 

"How long have you known I'm a monster?"

I didn't say anything as he stared at me, breathing hard and crying. I was no better myself, as I had tears of my own. Everything I had tried so hard to preserve became crashing down around me, and it felt as though my world were falling apart. 

"Sombra, she was just trying to protect you," Nadira said. It took me a moment to realize that she was standing next to me and that her hand was on my shoulder. "That thing... It isn't you. You're not like that."

Sombra glared at her. "You knew, didn't you? You knew the whole time and you didn't say anything, either."

"Nino..." I tried to say, reaching for him.

He backed away from me, almost as if I had slapped him. "Stay away from me!"

I shrunk back. "Sombra..."

Nadira stepped in front of me. "We wanted to tell you... We really did. But, we just never knew how... We're sorry."

"No, you're not!" he exclaimed, stomping a hoof. There was a strong pulsation that burst forth from it, and crystals protruded out of the ground. His eyes flickered green, glowing and malicious. "You kept this a secret from me! You kept who I am a secret!" He shook his head. "I can't believe you..." Tears ran down his face, and the green flashing ceased briefly. "I thought you loved me..."

I felt like he just struck me with a sledgehammer. "Nino, I do love you... Everyday, I tell you so... Why would you think such a thing?"

Sombra stood there for a long while, just staring at me. Suddenly, his eyes closed and opened, revealing two glowing green orbs. I tried not to scream in horror as purple flames erupted from his eyes. He glared at me, his horn sparking to life with dark bubbles and sparks of purple lightning. "Because you keep looking at me like you don't even know me anymore."

Then, within a brilliant flash of light, he was gone. 

I blinked, then looked around the room. "Nino?"

"Veronica..." Nadira said, looking to me. "I think he..."

"No..." I darted out of the room, looking in the dining room and then bolted down the hall, frantic and terrified. "Sombra? Nino, where are you?"

There was no response.

"Sombra!" I screamed, grabbing the wall to steady myself. "Sombra, please! Please, come back!"

As I collapsed to the floor, sad and angry at myself, I clutched onto myself like a child. I clenched my eyes shut and bit my lip, fighitng the tears and sobs that wished to escape. But, amongst my inner turmoil, I felt Nadira wrap her arms around me. I felt even more weak with holding me like the small child I was.

"I'm sorry, Veronica..." She whispered. "I'm so sorry."


*	*	*


I didn't sleep. Neither did Nadira.

I mostly laid down, wherever really, wondering what to do with myself. Nadira spent her time holding me, telling me everything was going to be alright, though her words did little to soothe me. I just leaned into her and prayed that she was right, wondering if my faith was misplaced.

It felt as though a disease had seeped into me... I wanted to do something, anything, but couldn't bring myself to without growing upset. The day after Sombra disappeared, I tried to make a cup of coffee. Poor Nadira found me sobbing on the floor after I dropped it, and she had to spend a good hour convincing me it wasn't a big deal.

But, it was. I had done more than shatter a mug with my clumsiness and lack of caring... I had lost Sombra because of it, and more than in just the physical sense. Only God knew what hell he could be raising with his dark magic... But what could I do to make it better? A forty year-old woman with a bad back and social anxiety wasn't going to get anything done right for anyone.

Nadira was the stronger of the two of us. She loved Sombra, I knew, but she also knew how to keep a tight lid on her emotions when stress and emotions were high. She wasn't about to let this sort of situation get to her, even if it did kill her to do so. She had her work to distract her; my only distraction was Sombra, and I knew I couldn't use him as one at the moment.

I spent most of my nights laying in my bed with Nadira, tired but restless, and I would stare up at the ceiling to find constellations within the rough surface of it. I felt a pinch in my chest as I recalled the nights where I'd lay next to Jonathan and do the same, though we were blessed to see the actual stars, far from the city and it's polluting light. Now, I wasn't as lucky.

I didn't mind thinking about Jonathan all that much anymore; I had done my grieving, and I had moved on. I had Nadira, after all. And Sombra. At least, I used to.

Oh, that was the winning ticket, wasn't it? The reason for my unrest was, surprise, Sombra. Not that he knew or cared. Odds are he never would.

A crack of lightning broke across the sky outside and washed into the room. Seconds passed, and thunder rumbled after, much like a feral dog running to the end of it's leash until it was taut. The night was stormy, much like the emotions that swirled within me... An extremely cliche sentence at best, but still true nonetheless.

Another flash flooded light in the room, casting shadows all about. I froze in terror when I saw that amongst them laid the figure of a being I did not recognize.

"Who's there?" I called out, hoping to sound fierce and strong. I sounded tired and weary, I knew.

Suddenly, as the light dissipated as fast as it came, two familiar, terrifying green orbs revealed themselves. I put a hand to my mouth in shock as lightning flashed again, allowing me to clarify that I wasn't going mad.

Sombra was standing at the end of the bed. Staring at me, as if he were some sort of guard dog.

"Sombra?" I whispered. I didn't dare move. I couldn't risk making him upset.

He blinked, and suddenly, the green in his eyes disappeared. Had I imagined it, then? He stood up and looked at me with sad eyes. It suddenly came to my attention upon another flash of lightning that he had been crying and perhaps was even continuing to do so. 

"Hi, Mom." He sounded so hollow. "I'm back."

Almost immediately, I found every single maternal instinct within me take over. I was on Sombra in an instant. "Where have you been? Is that mud in your mane? Were you outside in the rain? Are you wet? Are you sick?"

"Mom--"

"What were you thinking, teleporting out like that? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You know you're not good at using magic, and you know that we know nothing about it, either--"

"Mom."

"And good God, what happened back in the living room? You scared the absolute hell out of me and Nadira with that spell! If I wasn't so stricken with worry, I'd have gone looking for you!"

"Mom!" Sombra grabbed a hold of my hand with his magic. "I'm fine, really! I just hung out in the dog park and played with the strays, OK?"

All I could do was stare at Sombra, shocked and unsure of what to do.

"What? Are you worried about the strays? They're hanging out at Nadira's office in the little shelter I made for them, so don't worry about them getting stuck in the rain."

I pointed to my magic-held hand with my free one. "Sombra. You're using magic."

He glanced over at my hand, as if just noticing it for the first time. He chuckled awkwardly as he released my hand. "Sorry. Still getting the hang of it, I guess... I'm just not used to being able to use it so much!" He sparked his horn alive. "See? Isn't that amazing?"

I frowned. "Sombra, how did you even figure it out? There aren't exactly 101 Tricks for Growing Unicorns or Unicorn Training Schools where we're at." I held my hand a bit tenderly. "Also... It's only been three days, hasn't it? How'd you learn to do that?"

He shrugged. "I don't know... When I got upset, I just... Felt a lot of something go through me, and suddenly, I could use magic! I started with levitating sticks and leaves, then I started levitating some dogs at the park, next."

"What?!"

"Oh, relax, only small ones! Besides, Nadira doesn't have to know!"

I heard a familiar snort and scuffle of movement come from the bed. "Wha? What about me...?"

I sighed. "Nadira, Sombra's back."

"Oh, great, tell him to go make some pancakes..." Nadira murmured sleepily. She laid her head back down on the bed, and a small snore escaped her as she crashed against the pillow.

Sombra turned to me. "Do you think she's going to...? Or should we just...?"

I held up a hand. "Give it a minute."

After about six seconds, Nadira's head popped up from the covers. "Wait a second..." She turned towards us, her dark brown hair falling over her face like a child's after a day of play. "Sombra's home?!"

Sombra sighed. "And the award for the late reaction goes to..."

Nadira threw a pillow at him. "Oh, shut it, Unicycle." She sat up with a sigh and climbed out of bed, then came to where Sombra and I sat. "How are you? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, but... We need to talk. About what happened before you left, Sombra." I put a hand on his shoulder. "You might not want to hear what I have to say, but I'll at least try to make you understand why I kept the truth from you... I just want to state, for the record, that I made a terrible mistake in keeping it from you."

Sombra leaned into my side. "I'll try to listen... But, can I take a shower first? I think I might have caught something from those strays."

"From those what?" Nadira blurted out, crossing her arms over her chest in disapproval.

I watched in silent amusement as Nadira launched into her own maternal instincts and began checking Sombra for any sign of illness or ailment of any sort. But, as I watched the two of them squabble, I found my gaze drifting to Sombra. He looked fine, and he sounded fine, but I couldn't tell if it was an act or not. He had just made a discovery about his true origins, of which involving darkness and hatred unlike any other... 

But, I knew it wasn't him. I knew that the pony I saw on that screen wasn't Sombra. Wasn't my son. I just wish he believed that, too.


*	*	*


As a mother, there are going to be moments where you realize that your little birds are ready to leave the nest. Of course, I never considered the option of it before, nor did I ever think I would. I guess that's why I was so shocked when that day finally came.

The day was simple, as it usually was. Nadira was at the pet hospital and I was at home with Sombra, making sure he wasn't randomly blasting crystals out of nowhere. I felt like I did when he was just a little baby, only with more back pain and less franticness. At least now I could see Sombra if he managed to get himself stuck on top of the fridge.

But, when I was in the middle of fixing the living room up from an accidental combustion spell (Sombra claimed it was to light a candle, but I still don't know for sure), there was a knock at the door. Recalling the delivery service's hesitance on approaching my door due to past encounters and attempted crystallization, I wasn't all too sure about who could be on the other side.

"Hello?" a voice from outside called out. "Is anyone here?"

"I don't think they're home," said another voice, just a tad above a whisper.

I blinked, trying to place the voices. But, I found couldn't, and decided to keep listening. I wasn't about to risk them catching me looking out through the blinds.

"Oh, come on!" a high, screechy voice exclaimed. "If you're gonna knock, ya gotta knock!"

There was a series of rapid-fire knocking, ranging from all sorts of rhythms like "Shave and a Haircut" to "Mary Had a Little Lamb". Suddenly, the knocking stopped rather abruptly.

"Pinkie, would you quit it?" said the first voice. "We're trying to get things done, not play 'Guess That Tune'!"

"Aww, can't we do both?"

I froze upon realization. Pinkie... Pinkie Pie... Oh, no. Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no.

"Why can't we just knock the door down?" snapped a cracking voice. "I mean, we're trying to get information!"

"Rainbow Dash, we're not kicking anyone's door down!" the first voice argued.

Oh, God. Oh, God, I wasn't dreaming. This was happening. This was actually happening... They were looking for Sombra. Oh, God, what was I going to do?

"Well, I say we get the door down!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed.

"Rainbow, don't--"

I couldn't stand it. I jerked the doorknob to the side and swung the door open. At that precise moment, a rainbow blur flew past me and left a multi-colored streak in front of me for a couple seconds before dissipating. I cringed as I heard a crash come from the living room and the loud yell that came from it.

"Sorry," I said gently, though I'm sure she didn't hear me.

A purple pony stepped forward-- Twilight Sparkle, I later learned-- and walked up to me. "Uh, hi... Sorry to barge in like this, but... Wow, this is really inappropriate, huh?" She fluttered her wings awkwardly. "So, um, we came here because we were wondering if, uh..."

"We were trying to see if you'd know anything about a pony we're looking for," said the white Unicorn, Rarity. She flipped her mane. "Specifically, a Unicorn called Sombra."

I tried not to look as shocked as I felt. I wanted to say something, anything, that would make them leave and make their suspicions disappear. Of course, nothing in my life goes quite right.

"Mom, is everything alright?" Sombra asked, stepping into the room.

Everything froze. All the ponies that had flooded into my house were suddenly suspended in time, mid-action even. The only pony to break through the stillness was Rainbow Dash, who zoomed into the room with lightning speed. She tackled Sombra to the ground and glared down at him with angry eyes. "King Sombra!"

I couldn't stop myself. I was next to the two ponies in an instant, and it wasn't long before I managed to pry Rainbow off of Sombra by the scruff of her neck. I held her up to my eye level and I glared at her. "Stay away from him, you feather-brained idiot!"

Sombra leaped up to my side. "Mom, it's fine."

Rainbow wriggled out of my grasp and flapped her wings to keep to my height. "Why are you defending him? He's a monster!"

Sombra flinched beside me, and I put a hand on his head without thinking. "No, he's not. He's my son."

It was strange, calling him that. I had said it many times before and thought it, too, but saying it to ponies who were of Sombra's origins suddenly sounded quite odd. Especially since none of them seemed to be aware about why he was there or why I was defending him to begin with.

"Ah'm terribly sorry, but didja just say that Sombra was yer son?" asked Applejack, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Sombra leaned into my side, a thing he did when he was scared or unsure of what was happening. I stroked his hair a bit before continuing on. "Yes. I... I found him when he was just a child."

"Wait, huh?" Rainbow blurted out, confused. "How long has he been here, then?"

I felt my hand clench a bit. "16 years."

Everyone gaped, except myself and Sombra. Suddenly, Pinkie Pie leaped out of the stillness with a cheer. "Whoo!" She landed in front of Sombra with smile. "I guess that's why I had this ready!" Pinkie pulled a cupcake out from behind her. "Happy 22nd birthday!"

Sombra took the cupcake gingerly. "Uh... Thanks, I guess."

Pinkie giggled and hopped back to her friends. "We should have a party when we get back to Equestria! It'd be fun!"

"Wait, what?" I went to my knees and put an arm around Sombra. "What do you mean 'back'?"

Twilight frowned. "I'm afraid we're here for a reason... You see, uh, how do I say this? Sombra wasn't always..." She pointed at him and waved her hoof up and down. "Like this."

Sombra looked down. "I know."

"You do?" everyone said, baffled.

Sombra nodded. "I know. I know what I did... I know the things I did to other ponies..." He leaned into my side. "But, I'm not like that anymore. At least, I don't think so..."

Rainbow frowned. "I don't get how the heck you know. What, do you remember or something?"

"No!" I shouted, a bit defensive. I took a deep breath to calm myself. "No. He... He saw it happen."

I explained the story of how I discovered the show after a couple years of raising Sombra, then told them about how he found out about it himself. I did well to leave out the part where he used dark magic, but mentioned his other magic use.

"There's... a show about us?" Fluttershy murmured, terrified at the thought. "Oh, dear... How many ponies watch it?"

"A lot," Sombra commented. He shivered a bit. "Stay away from the Internet. Seriously, stay away from it."

I arched a brow in questioning, then decided not to ask him about it. "His magic hasn't been in much use until recently. He only knows the basics of it, I guess."

Twilight sighed. "Well, we can't just leave him here. What if his magic gets out of control? You wouldn't be able to stop it!"

I held him. "It won't get out of control."

"Ah'm real sorry, but Twilight's right," Applejack said. "We can't just leave him here! He could hurt somepony if he doesn't learn how to control his magic."

Sombra flinched. "Mom..."

"No," I said firmly. "I won't let you take him from me. I already lost a family, and I'll be damned if I lose another one."

I thought about Jonathan and the time he told me he wanted a baby. I thought about Marissa the day she was born, the thing that made me agree that I wanted one, too. I thought about how even after I lost Jonathan and what future of having a child I could have, I still got one. He may not have been my creation, but he was still mine. Sombra was still my son.

"Mom... Please."

I looked down at Sombra. "Nino, I don't want to lose you. I don't want you to leave."

Sombra blinked and suddenly, tears were in his eyes. "I don't want to, either... But, my magic... You know I can't do anything about it here."

I felt tears run down my face. "I know, nino. I know." I hugged him. "I'm gonna go call Nadira, OK? She needs to be here."

Sombra looked back at me. "What about Marissa? Can she come, too?"

I felt a sad smile come onto my face. "Yes, whoever you want." I hugged him again. "I promise."


*	*	*


It didn't take long for Nadira to get to the house. As soon as I mentioned Sombra, she hung up and got here as quickly as she could manage. If I thought that she was shocked when she first saw Sombra, it was absolutely nothing compared to her shock of seeing not one, but six ponies she had never seen before.

"Fascinating..." she murmured, prodding at Twilight's wings. "A horn and wings... An alicorn, perhaps?"

Twilight fidgeted a bit as Nadira spread her wings out. "I'm guessing you've never seen a pony with wings, huh?"

Nadira shook her head. "Not, really no. Horns are a given with certain creatures, but wings-- Almost exclusive to birds."

Twilight let out a hum of thought in response.

"Nadira, quit it," I said, slapping her hand away from Twilight. Not that I cared if Twilight was uncomfortable, but I didn't want anypony with wings to get upset over Nadira's forthrightness with her examinations.

Marissa, however, had been a different case when it came to her arrival. She came in, annoyed at my message to come over, then froze on the spot upon seeing the occupants of the house. She almost screamed, but it was Sombra to calm her down and tell her what happened. I was too busy trying to freak out to say anything to her about it.

"So you're leaving?" Marissa asked, unusually sober. Even as an adult, she was still eccentric like her child self, and to see her so calm and upset wasn't very comforting for me or Nadira.

Sombra nodded. "Yeah. I... I have to go with them, so I can control my magic better." He frowned as he turned towards Twilight. "I'm not going to be able to come back, am I?"

Twilight shook her head. "No. Princess Celestia made it clear that you can't stay in this world any longer. As soon as we found out about your jump into this world, she told me about how dangerous it was to let you stay here. It had taken some time just to get here, and we were lucky to have been able to find this house so quickly." She lowered her head. "If you stay here, the walls between our worlds could collapse and merge as one. It would be absolutely catastrophic."

Sombra looked down. "Oh..."

I put my arm around him. "Nino, it's going to be fine... I swear." I held back my tears pathetically. "Just... promise me you'll be happy?"

"I don't know..." He said. "It won't be the same without you." He looked at Nadira and me. "I mean, your my moms. I'm never gonna be able to replace you two."

Nadira put her arm around her him as well. "The same goes for you, Sombra." She smiled a bit sadly. "I'm so blessed to have found someone so wonderful to have as a son..."

"So am I," I told him. "I never thought I'd get to have the family I wanted... Someone to love..." I looked to Nadira. "And a child to have." I smiled at Sombra. "I love you, nino."

He blinked and his tears started falling. He looked at Twilight. "Are you sure they can't come with me?"

Twilight looked conflicted, and I suddenly realized just why she and the others were so frazzled by Sombra. In their experience, they had seen a monster who wanted power and was obsessed with crystals. Now, they just saw a pony whose only affiliation with crystals were his accidental bursts of magic as a kid. It must be a bit difficult to hold any sympathy of any sort for a murderer, even when they were crying to their mommies.

"I'm afraid bringing them with us would hold the same damage as you staying here, Sombra," Twilight told him. "Believe me, I don't want you to separate." She sighed. "I don't know what you three have been through together, but it's obviously been a lot." She arched a brow. "How did you even find him, anyway?"

"In a box," Sombra said, not even fazed. "I was outside by the mailbox and she found me when she went to see what was in it."

I froze, a realization coming over me. "I'll be right back."

Sombra blinked. "Mom? Are you alright?"

"Yeah... I just have to go get something." I left the room, avoiding the odd gazes I was receiving as I did. I returned a couple minutes later, a box in my hands. "Sombra, I want you to have something before you go."

He gave me a confused look, his eyes still sad and unsure. "What is it?"

I sat down in front of him and put the box down. "Take a look for yourself."

We all watched as Sombra untied the box with his magic and lifted the lid. Everyone but myself gasped, shocked at the contents of the box. 

"Is that...?" Nadira asked, surprised.

I nodded. "Yes, it is."

Sombra's jaw was slightly agape as he lifted the red cloak out of the box. The white trim was faded and not as pristine as when I first found it, but it still looked good for the damage it went through. I swallowed a lump in my throat as I remembered how Sombra used to drag it around the house like Linus from the Peanuts comics, and I wiped my eyes.

"Why are you giving me this?" Sombra asked me, tears glistening in his eyes.

I went down to his height. "I want you to have it, Sombra. Wear it. Put it in a box. Give it to your kids, I don't care. I just want you to have it and to use it as you will." I wiped his eyes. "I love you, nino. Don't ever forget that."

He blinked and tears fell down his face. "I love you, too."

I hugged him and my tears began to fall at a faster rate. Nadira and Marissa joined in on the hug and whispered goodbyes to Sombra, then pulled away. I was the last to follow suit and I wiped my eyes in a futile attempt to hide them from him. 

I fell into Nadira's embrace as Sombra walked over to the group on the other side of the room. She was crying, but she did well to keep a strong face while doing so. Marissa was sobbing, but she was smiling and waving as the ponies gathered together at the door. "Goodbye, nino."

He smiled at me as tears ran down his face. "Goodbye, Mom."

Then, they opened the door and left. That was the last I saw of him.

The End.