----In Your Absence----
Seven weeks later.....
Sombra stood at the iron doors that separated him from the outside. He visibly shook. He imagined mobs of crystal ponies demanding his head on a silver platter. Twilight and Cadence thought that he should go through a series of "tests" to try and rid of the darkness that plagues his heart and soul. He agreed to it. But now Sombra feels like choosing the opposite. Beads of sweat traveled down his face as he throught of all the evil he committed a thousand years ago. He was about to back away when he felt the hoof of Cadence reassuringly fall onto his shoulder. "You can wait a little longer if you want." Twilight suggested.
"No." Sombra replies with a shake of the head. "I need to do this. I feel ready."
"Then get ready." Cadence recommended. She and Twilight place a hoof on the doors. With a simultaneous nod, they pushed the doors open which groaned in response. Sombra covered his eyes as sunlight hit it. He literally hasn't seen the break of day since his defeat, and the princess who controlled it was not too happy. He began to step out as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight, the crisp air of the northern winter sent a shiver through his body. The Crystal Kingdom truly looked beautiful without him. His previous definition of "beauty" was enslaving an entire race and forcibly taking the kingdom.
Cadence and Twilight soon joined Sobra at his sides and waited for him to move. "How long?" Sombra wondered.
"Excuse me?" Cadence replied.
"How long was I imprisoned?" he asked further.
"Over a thousand years." Twilight answered. Sombra felt his heart sink as he remembered the mare he once knew. A thousand years? He knew that there was no getting her back now. A tear began to fall as memories of the times they would play when they were young. Hope. The only mare whom he could call a friend. He broke from his thoughts and began heading forward.
As they move through the streets, Sombra began to feel at ease. There wasn't a single pitchfork or torch in sight. The Crystal Ponies just went on with their daily business, trying hard not to look at the fallen king. Sombra stopped as he felt a ball touch and stop at his hooves. The filly to whom it belonged to looked at him, staying away as she remembered the stories she heard. Sombra could feel the eyes of the filly, the princesses, and everypony around him dig into him.
He knelt and held the cherry red ball in hoof and waited for the filly's response. The filly smiled and ran towards the ball and picked it up with her magic. Before she decided to run back to her friends, she threw herself onto Sombra in the biggest hug she could make. "Thank you, Sombra." she thanked before running back to her waiting friends. Sombra, the princesses, and everypony who watched stared in awe. Before long, the ponies resumed with their day and the princesses joined Sombra. "That was-" Cadence began.
"Surprising." Sombra choked out as another tear began to fall. He had never felt that generosity from anypony since Hope. More memories came of when Hope would help Sombra with any scrapes or cuts. He remembered the day she earned her cutiemark. They day he almost became what he was before her very eyes. He shook his head again and continued on.
Sombra stood with Cadence and Twilight before the gates that lead to the place that caused his heart to sink: The Crystal Cemetery. He slowly moved the gates apart and felt the agony his "slaves" felt when he ruled. Nonetheless, he move through. Cadence moved ahead and stopped at a chamber. The cutie mark on the door was easily recognizable to who it belonged to: Hope. He opened the door and stopped in his tracks. The tomb before him cause his heart to shatter. He went about the room and looked at all the things she was buried with. A stethoscope, her diary, medical license, and a wedding necklace. This discovery was shocking to him. She found a stallion to love? He turned to the tomb and placed a hoof on it but he didn't cry. No, he smiled. Not in triumph, but in knowing that the mare he knew found love and was happy.
He looked at the plaque placed on the opposite side of the door and read it.
Here lies Hope.
Loving mother and wife.
We dedicate this plaque in honor of her more than helpful research in modern medicine.
He recognized where the plaque came from by the Royal Seal on the bottom of the inscription. He summed up that she took refuge in Canterlot not only to escape enslavement, but the attend Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns. Just knowing that her dreams were achieved gave him a sense of relief.
"Come." Cadence commanded. "There is one more thing that we need to take care of."