//------------------------------//
// Madness Pt 2[R] 
// Story: Sombra makes friends 
// by Honest Wisdom 
//------------------------------//

Twilight held the bag of ice against her head with her magic. "Spike, I'm fine. Stop coddling me."

Spike stomped into the room, dragging a blanket filled with bandages, books and ice cream. "Not until I'm sure you'll be okay." He crawled onto the bed with her, dragging the blanket with him. "I don't want you fainting again. Now hold still and let me bandage your head."

Twilight sighed. She lightly wrapped her aura around a book and began to lift it. as she did she could feel a faint tingle running down her horn and along her spine. She felt like she was being pulled in a specific direction. "Spike, something's wrong."

"I'll say. Your mane won't stay in one place." He grumbled, trying to tame the now ethereal mane.

Twilight ignore the comment. "No I mean I feel the need to go to Sweet Apple Acres."

"You aren't going anywhere, you just knocked your head a little too hard." Spike insisted. 





Sombra's body twitched erratically in the center of dark magic crystals. Just outside the crusaders cried out in surprise and concern. Shadows began to reach out from the crystals. A ball of flame materialized above him. "Ugh .. ombres folles, je suis trop fatigué pour cette, Leave him be, He's mine." The fire spread and forced back the darkness.





"Think fast, gloom-butt." A bolt of lightning struck the place where Sombra's head had been. The Crystal Pegasus mare pouted from her spot atop the cloud. "Why are you here? Bad times are coming, you should prepare." the last words were muffled as she wrapped both wings over her face. She whimpered weakly.

He opened his mouth to speak and was cut off by a pair of hooves connecting with his side. "'The Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different result.' I guess that means I'm deranged. I keep hitting you and expecting you to move." Onyx cocked her head to the side. "Why won't you wake up? He's going to kill you. I was just starting to like you again." She began humming.

"Onyx..."

"NO!!! She's dead! You killed her, whywhywhywhywhy?" Fake Onyx began muttering. "Magic grows in power and war is rising, Why won't he just GIVE IN?" She charged him again, this time he had enough wit to dive out of the way. The Labyrinth was seriously messing with his perceptions. He didn't even know what was real. Fake Onyx seemed to be Its favorite. He'd battled three so far, all of them raving about waking up. He couldn't even remember going to sleep.

He'd walked back up to Apple Bloom and give her the bag. They'd exchanged apologies (He felt like hers had been more genuine.) and Sweetie had pointed out that Sombra no longer had a cutie mark. Then... nothing.

Sombra flung up a shield to block the feral fake Onyx. He dropped the shield and sealed her in crystal as he'd done to the others.

"...I'm sorry." Tears streamed down his cheeks. 

"Proceed to the gate." the Labyrinth droned.

Sombra shuffled forward, he was too tired to argue.





Gaia tucked in her wings and watched the small dark coated unicorn limp forward. "If you don't mind, I'd rather we not fight." He looked up and his eyes filled with relief. He shuffled forward and sat across from her. She lifted a wine glass to her lips and sipped lightly, her eyes never leaving him. "You interest me Sombra. You seem to follow Harmony's code but you've devoted your life to War."

"What do you know about Harmony's code?" Sombra asked, his entire body coiled, ready for a fight.

"Well, I helped write it. I'm one of the Daughters of Harmony. Well... it's complicated" she sighed and twirled the chalice in her hand, admiring the engravings. "To put it simply, we don't talk much anymore, I choose to do something that conflicted with her views. But I'm interested in you and that has nothing to do with my past."

"What do you want?" Sombra sighed.

"To help you. Though I should warn you that every Spirit you encounter will ask a favor of you, I'm no different." Gaia swirled a finger through her drink and held it out to him. "This drink will give you the man me of a foal, it will lock away your memories until you're stronger. You'll have a chance to be a whole new person."

Sombra stared at the chalice, contemplating the risks. He licked his lips before speaking. "Why help me?"

"Because you're as broken as you're going to get and the Labyrinth doesn't want to let you go." She swirled the drink. "And because Thanatos needs a favor from me. I don't like being in someone else's debt. Besides I know what it's like to be an adult mind trapped in the body of a foal. You'd be wise to accept this offer."

"And if I don't?"  

She shrugged. "We'll just let the Labyrinth turn your brain to mush. I have no problem with that." She heard Venus cry out in despair. He is not as innocent as he appears. Venus huffed but did no argue her point.

Sombra lifted the chalice still nervous. "Will I still be me?"

"Of course, The water comes from the River Lethe. Normally souls are dipped into the river before they move on to their next life but you seem very incessant on not doing that. I thought I'd give it a chance. The water Erases learned traits and memories, at your core you will remain."

"What if I do what I did before?"

She howled with laughter, her flaming tail curled and twisted in response. "Hah! Even If you could pull off the whole 'Lord of Darkness' shtick, you'd have Five Alicorns, the Daughters of Harmony, The Embodiment of Chaos, and the Valkyries breathing down your neck. Well, in their current position the Valkyries couldn't do much, other than yell at you, but still it's not a pleasant experience. the only way you could possibly catch them by surprise would be with this guy." She snapped her fingers and a large stone cage rose out of the ground. Imprisoned inside was a feral version of Sombra, red-horned, fanged, and brimming with Dark Magic. That Sombra wasted no time in lunging at the bars and attempting to chew is way out. "And he's not in a talking mood."

Sombra nearly dropped the chalice in an attempt to get away. Gaia laughed and teleported on to the cage. "Oh please, have a little faith. I'm not about to let him run rampant. He wants to destroy Equestria. I'd much rather have you protecting it." She flicked the Embodiment of his Madness with the flaming tip of her tail. "Yay or Nay, this offer will not be made twice."

Sombra took a few deep breaths and glanced at her. Tilting his head back he swallowed the drink down in one gulp.

"Good boy." She felt the Labyrinth's power lessen. She became living flame and wrapped herself around Sombra, pulling him back into the waking world.



Twilight hit Spike with a sleeping spell and leaped from the window. The Pull was too strong to ignore. Sweet Apple Acres needed her help, even if she did not know why. Her wings beat against the wind and brought her ever closer to her Destination.

She looked down as a Dome of Black Crystals began to spread, pushing the Crusaders Away. "Twilight!" Applebloom cried. "Sombra's having a magic surge."

Twilight landed between the Dark Magic Crystals and the Crusaders, Lighting up her Horn. "Stay behind me, Girls." Cracks began to form in the Crystals. She threw up a shield spell just as the dome exploded. Twilight could her the sound of a foal crying and a mother hushing them. She cracked open her eyes to see flaming creature wrapped around Sombra, it whispered soothing things the scrawny dark unicorn. Both Sombra and the creature didn't seem all that interested in Twilight or the Crusaders.

"Être bon pour la magie, I can't come save you every time." It reached out and brushed his mane out of his face.

"Yes Momma." He murmured.

The flaming creature seemed to look at Twilight, it was a strange sensation. it had no eyes to look but you could feel it looking. It felt like being under the sun after walking through a freezer, or a warm hug between friends. "Do not punish him for this magic, I was the one who forced it out of him. Even these Scraps are dangerous for a child."

"Who are you?" Twilight snapped at the Creature.

"My what a silly Question. I am Gaia, Consort of Pan, Spirit of the Elements, Mother to lost children. I am a Mad One, and I'm just giving out a Favor." She/It vanished, leaving Sombra bare and vulnerable.