//------------------------------// // Chapter Three - The Road Not Taken // Story: Reflections - Quiververse Edition // by EchoWing //------------------------------// “We would be wiser to wait for whoever rules in this Canterlot to arrive, and then straighten things out from there.” The door to their cell opened and the old mage noted, “Ah, perfect timing.” “Good morrow, newcomers.” Celestia turned to their host, his deep baritone intriguing her, and her eyes widened at the sight of him. “Welcome to Canterlot. I am King Sombra.” The handsome grey stallion before them bore a surprised look upon his face as he examined them. “Please, forgive me if I seem surprised, but the two of you bear remarkable resemblances to other ponies I know. But you cannot be them.” “Oh, can we not?” The elderly unicorn bowed slightly in introduction. “I am Star Swirl the Bearded, and my traveling companion is Princess Celestia. We are travelers from another world.” As Celestia looked upon him in surprise, he asked, “What? Do you expect me to lie to a king?” “I would be shocked if he believed us!” The princess turned to her fellow royal and quickly amended, “I realize our claims seem outrageous, but…” Sombra lifted a hoof. “Please, do not elaborate further.” He then gently smiled and added, “I believe you. And frankly, I prefer this to the alternatives.” He gestured for them to follow. “Would you care to join me for refreshments? I have never spoken with ponies from another world before.” Surprised, and still taken aback by the handsome stallion before her, Celestia nodded. “Of course.” “Certainly! I am actually quite famished! Please tell me this world has tiny tea cakes!” The king chuckled. “I will leave that for you to decide.” - “I’m sorry for the meager refreshments.” A serving table covered with an array of bread and dried fruit was wheeled out to the king, his colleagues and his guests as Sombra explained, “I’d much rather what harvested crops we have go to my subjects rather than myself.” “The way the soil looks ‘round these parts, you’d have a hard time growin’ weeds, let alone apple trees.” Applejack sampled the odd raisin as her host poured her a glass of water from a carafe. “How long’s it been like this?” “Since the last Summer Sun Celebration, when our Princess Celestia escaped her confinement and pulled our Luna into her madness.” Trixie bitterly regarded a slice of bread as she noted, “They still maintain their control over the sun and moon, and they’ve used it and their magic to all but destroy our ability to grow food. Our pegasus cities are in ruins, and between that and this perpetual twilight…” She huffed. “The day when we don’t have to buy apples from the mob will be a good one.” The farm-mare grimaced at the implications of that statement while Twilight turned conversation back to the main topic. “Hopefully, that won’t last very long.” She turned to Sombra and asked, “Sombra, like I said, we need to know everything about what’s going on here. How did your Celestia turn evil? We were told she wasn't possessed by the Nightmare, so I guess it was something else.” Trixie, Prof. Doo and Sir Quill looked among themselves in confusion, then turned to their monarch as he noted, “Explanations in time, my friends.” He cleared his throat and took in his visitors. “Before I begin, I must ask, what all do you know about my origins?” “How do we know your origins are the same in our world that they are here?” Spike popped a dried orange slice into his mouth and asked, “I mean, our Sombra enslaved the Crystal Empire!” “Spike, just because they traveled down different roads doesn’t mean they don’t have the same origin point.” Twilight took a second to collect her thoughts, then began, “In our world at least, you were an orphan, found in the frozen wastelands north of the Crystal Empire. They called you ‘Sombra’ because that was the only word you said for a very long time, until you had proper schooling. Years later, something happened, you gained access to powerful dark magic, and you usurped Princess Amore as the ruler of the Crystal Empire.” Shocked expressions were clear on the faces of their hosts as Rarity continued, “What followed afterwards was a terrible chapter in Equestrian history. Nearly every unicorn in the Empire, as well as most pegasi, were slain. Only one unicorn we know of escaped the Empire, a few pegasi going with her. The few other pegasi who survived were either imprisoned or joined our Sombra as his personal army of thugs, his ‘Somber Elite’ as they called themselves.” “Usurped…?” Sir Quill looked to his monarch in shock. “My king wouldn’t strike out at his own mother!” His remark earned him a spit-take to the face from Pinkie Pie. “His mother?!” As the aide wiped his face clean, Sombra nodded in understanding. “It seems we’ve found our first point of divergence. At least, the first major one.” He looked to Twilight and explained, “My story mirrors that of your world’s Sombra, up to a point. I was also found in the wastes to the north of the Empire, and raised in an orphanage. It was not an easy life for me. Being without a parent is one thing, but not being a crystal pony did me few favors with the other children.” “Oh dear.” Fluttershy and Rarity both shot the king sympathetic glances as the pegasus continued, “You must have felt terribly lonely.” Sombra smiled reassuringly. “I was, but by a small miracle, I found myself with a friend.” He glanced to his earth pony aide and the two shared a grin. “That sort of thing tends to repeat, thankfully.” He turned back to his discussion and explained, “Her name was Radiant Hope. The two of us were in school together, and grew very close indeed. She was the one who told me of the Crystal Heart and its role in protecting the Empire from the conditions of the frozen north and from evil.” “Oh yeah, I remember her!” Rainbow Dash swallowed the dried fruit into her mouth and explained, “Our Celestia mentioned her a couple weeks back, when we were getting the low-down on a bunch of stuff! She was the unicorn who escaped!” Her friends looked at her in amazement. “What? I pay attention.” “In any case, the very day that she told me about the Heart was also the very day that I saw it for the first time.” A mixed expression appeared on Sombra’s face as he continued, “It was an eye-opening experience, to be certain…” - “Is that it?” Their hoofsteps seemed to grow more silent as Sombra and Hope approached the Heart, the glittering gemstone idly spinning in its place on the grounds of the palace. The tiny colt looked up at the gem, awestruck. “It’s amazing.” The mare beside him giggled at her friend’s amazement. “I know!” A smile, and Sombra suggested, “Let’s get closer.” The two approached the Heart, and Sombra looked up at it, surprised that it wasn’t much bigger than he was. Bright light, reflected from the crystalline surfaces all around them, shone upon it and was mirrored back on them. The colt’s smile only grew wider as the light seemed to shine back upon him, and he almost thought he saw his own reflection in its faceted surface… “Wow!” “NO!” Sombra staggered back in shock. He didn’t know what his friend had seen, but what he’d seen had done him no good. So shocked was he by what he’d seen, he didn’t notice that he’d backed into another pony until he’d done so. He turned back to apologize, only to look up in shock and exclaim, “Princess Amore!” Rather than be angry at the colt, the Crystal Princess looked down upon him with a pleasant, reassuring smile. “Yes, that’s me. And you must be Sombra.” The colt nodded nervously, and she laughed. “Don’t be so nervous, my little pony. I’m not hurt, and I don’t mind visitors to see the Crystal Heart.” Seemingly unaware of her friend’s fright, Hope strode up and exclaimed, “Princess, I saw something in my reflection!” “Really?” Amore smiled and gently nuzzled both foals, each in turn, and explained, “That’s a very wonderful thing, my dear. The Crystal Heart’s reflection has very special properties; it reflects what’s in your heart.” “So what we can see in it can actually happen?” “Perhaps. I like to think that everypony has the power to control their future. What you saw reflected in it could very well happen. What did you see?” The filly beamed. “I saw me, only I was a princess!” “Very interesting.” She looked to the colt. “And you, Sombra?” The colt nervously turned away. “Nothing.” He looked up and explained, “Well, it looked like a shadow.” The princess said nothing, but the smile was gone from her face. “Whatever you saw, it very clearly frightened you.” It returned as she placidly offered, “Would you like me to escort you and your friend home? I never enjoy seeing my subjects frightened, especially the children.” Hope looked as if she would burst from excitement. “Please say yes, Sombra! Please?!” The colt remained nervous, but looked up at his monarch and said, “If you want to, I shouldn’t say no.” Amore laughed softly. “I would have understood if you had. I value choices. We choose our destinies, my little ponies, and if something about it frightens us, then we can choose to fight it.” She followed behind as they led the way, her eyes remaining on Sombra as they continued onwards. - “So, what did you see in the heart?” “As I said, a shadow.” Sombra nodded his head solemnly as he elaborated, “A terrible, expansive shadow, with a terrifying face right in the middle of it. Everything about it radiated evil and darkness, from its fangs to its curved horn to its eyes.” He looked upon Spike and added, “It was a nightmare. I suspect in your world, it was me.” The dragon nodded. “Yeah. I saw him up close and personal not too long ago.” “I’ve no doubt he had a similar experience, and he probably felt the same way I did; shame at having not told the princess the complete truth. But given your reactions, what happened the next day was probably very different for the two of us.” - “Come in, Sombra.” Chestnut Falls smiled gently as the colt entered. “There’s somepony here who’d like to speak with you.” Sombra turned to her guest, and immediately felt as though he needed to go to the bathroom. “Princess?” Amore smiled. “Hello again, Sombra. Come closer, I won’t hurt you.” The colt obeyed, and the princess turned to the orphanage’s head and asked, “Miss Falls, could we have a moment?” “Of course. I’ll be right outside.” The glittering amber mare stepped out, leaving the two alone. The smile never left her face as Amore turned to the nervous colt beside her. “Sombra, before I begin, I want to tell you something important. You are not in trouble. Do you understand that?” A nod. “Good.” She gently stroked the colt’s neck with one hoof. “Sombra, do you know the story of how the Crystal Empire was founded?” He looked up and said, “You and a bunch’a other ponies were trying to find a new place to call home, but the cold made you all hide in the caves of the Crystalline Mountains. You found a dragon hoard there.” “And in that hoard, I found the Crystal Heart. It’s not just some random diamond. It’s an empathic gemstone. Do you know what that is?” The colt shook his head, and she explained, “It’s a very special kind of stone, rarer and more valuable than anything shy of life itself. They’re called such because they react to emotions, like anger and fear, and sadness and joy, and to love.” “And you used your magic to link your love, and the love of the ponies with you, to the Heart, and make the Crystal Empire.” A nod. “That bond has continued with each generation, and as I was directly linked to that bond, it is strongest with me. In many ways, it and I are one.” The colt bowed his head. “You know I lied to you.” “Yes, but I’m not mad about that. You were scared of what the heart showed you, and there’s no shame in being scared.” She gently nuzzled him and explained, “I had a very scary time once, long before you came along. That dragon hoard belonged to a very angry dragon, and he hadn’t abandoned it. He was only sleeping, and when he woke up, he came to the Empire and stole back the Heart.” “But you got it back from him, didn’t you? I saw it.” “It was gotten back for us, and until it returned, I was very scared, for every pony in the Empire. I had put them in danger, whether I knew it or not, and I still thank the heavens above that we all made it through that terrible time, and the dragon was convinced to part with it.” She pulled back and continued, “We hold the Crystal Faire every year in celebration of the Heart’s return, and every year, I hope that its magic will be enough to protect us against the darkness, and I pray that I never make a mistake that will harm my ponies again.” Sombra looked at her curiously, but came to realize what she meant. “But you needed the Heart to save the ponies with you!” “Yes, but what dragon abandons their hoards? Not considering that was foolish and short-sighted, and showed me that I simply cannot leave things be.” The tiny colt suddenly felt afraid again. “But what I saw…” “Was frightening, yes, as are many things in life. Including being a mother.” The colt’s fear turned to surprise as she explained, “But I’ve raised colts before. I can do it again.” She smiled and asked, “Of course, that assumes you’re fine with becoming my son.” “But the shadow…” “Sombra, there is good and evil inside of everypony. One or the other only become strong when they are nurtured. And it is a mother’s duty to nurture and protect their child. And I want it to be my duty to nurture the good in you, just as Chestnut Falls and Radiant Hope have done, and to protect you from the evil, at least until you can protect yourself.” The colt looked upon her and asked, “You really want to be my mommy?” She nodded, and the colt smiled, then rushed forward and wrapped his forelegs about one of hers. “I’ve always wanted a mommy…” - “Awww.” Fluttershy smiled. “That was so sweet of her, taking you in!” “And by virtue of being her son, adopted or not, he was declared a prince.” Sir Quill turned to his ruler and explained, “One who would never sit upon her throne, however. The rites of succession for the crown of the Crystal Empire go to the eldest born child, and adopted foals are not even part of the running. It doesn’t matter, given that Princess Amore is still alive, but…” “Whoa there, partner! Amore’s still kickin’ in this world?” “My mother’s magic bonded her to the Crystal Heart. Each year, when the Heart was charged by the Empire’s citizens at the Faire, the magic would flow into her and rejuvenate her just as it spread out across all Equestria. So long as the Heart’s magic holds, she is immortal.” Sombra smiled. “I try to visit when I can, though I stay away during the time of the Faire.” “Because the Heart’s magic harms you.” The king nodded at Twilight’s summation. “A fact I was due to discover for myself three days later, when the next Crystal Faire took place. I’d hoped to spend it with Hope, a treat before my formal coronation as prince, but I was told to not attend. Mother allowed me to view the Faire from afar, however, and for me to have company.” - “I’m sorry you couldn’t be part of the Faire, your Highness.” Hope held up an ear of crystal corn and grinned. “But I’m still gonna eat more than you!” The newly-adopted royal laughed. “You’re on!” It was still early in the day, the Crystal Faire having barely begun, and as they looked out upon the Empire from the roof of one building at the very edge of the city, the two friends were ecstatic. Sure, they weren’t taking part in the Faire, but they were together, and thanks to a telescope, they had a very good view of the festivities. The two gleefully went at their food, munching away at the sparkling food until their ears were clean of kernels. Before he could start on his next one, though, Sombra smiled sadly. “You don’t havta call me ‘your Highness’ though. I’m still me.” “Yeah, but you’re a prince now! That’s so amazing!” The colt managed an embarrassed blush. “Well, you’re gonna be a princess someday, right? Do princes and princesses call each other ‘your Highness’ and stuff?” “Guess not.” She picked up another ear and asked, “Do you think your mom can get us flugelhorns? I missed out on getting one last year. I’m the only crystal pony left in our class who doesn’t have a cutie mark, and I don’t want to be the only one left without a flugelhorn again.” “Mom…” The word felt strange in his mouth, but it was a good, happy kind of strange, and Sombra continued as the instruments sounded from below, “Mommy will get us flugelhorns, Hope. She promised… she…” A strange feeling crept into him, a strong, tingling feeling in his legs. “Hope…!” The filly looked to her friend, her exuberance from earlier fading into concern. “Sombra? What’s wrong?” Sombra looked down at his hooves in fear. “I can’t move my legs…” Her eyes grew wide with worry, and she turned and called to the guards, “Get help!” Two left to do just that, one remaining at his post while the other approached with her parents in tow. “What are you doing?!” “Two guards minimum need to be with a royal, ma’am, and I have some medical training.” The sparkling pegasus looked to the young colt and asked, “Do you have any other symptoms? Any pain? Do you feel lightheaded?” “No, I just can’t… I…” Terrible pains went through him, from deep in his stomach all the way to the tip of his horn, and he closed his eyes tight as if to hold it off. “It hurts…!” The guard acted on instinct and pulled Hope back, but the filly struggled as her friend thrashed in place. “Sombra!” “Stay back! The prince’s illness may be contagious!” “I don’t care!” Hope wriggled out of his grasp and pulled Sombra up as best she could. “We gotta get him to a bed!” - “Hope never left my side after that, but I spent the rest of that day in her family’s guest bed, wracked with pain. The guard couldn’t determine what was wrong, but stayed with us until the next morning.” Sombra sadly continued, “The pain was gone, but I was not cured.” - Sombra slowly stirred in his bed, the discomfort from the previous day gone. His eyes opened wide as he looked up to find two smiling faces beaming down upon him. “Hope? Mommy?” The filly embraced her friend with relief, while the grown mare laughed happily. “You had us frightened, Sombra. Hope has hardly left your side.” “Sombra, I’m so sorry! Are you okay now?” “Yes, I’m okay!” The colt’s laughing assurance faded as he looked to his mother. “Am I okay, Mommy?” Amore bowed her head sadly. “For now, yes.” She wrapped her forelegs about the two and hugged them close. “Oh Sombra, I’m so sorry. I thought you’d be safe if you kept far from the palace, but I was wrong. You still weren’t safe, even this far away.” “Princess, what happened?” “The Heart happened.” Amore loosened her hold and moved back. “It protects the Empire from danger, and it believes Sombra to be a danger.” “No!” Hope snuggled as close to her friend as she could and pleaded, “Sombra’s my best friend! He’s not bad!” “And I agree.” Regret clear in her words and on her face, Amore explained, “But the Heart’s magic cannot see that.” “But this never happened before!” “That’s because the Heart wasn’t interacting with the love of the other Crystal ponies, Hope. The light and love from the Heart protects us from all sorts of dangers, including ones we’ve forgotten.” She cradled Sombra and explained, “The Heart warned of potential evil inside of Sombra, and I hoped that it could be held at bay. But this will happen again, every time there is a Crystal Faire.” “Then don’t have another Faire!” Hope looked to Sombra and pleaded, “A flugelhorn isn’t worth losing him!” A sigh. “If only it was that simple.” A tense silence followed, and Sombra asked fearfully, “Are you gonna get rid of me?” Amore held him tighter. “No. You are my son, and I will not abandon my son.” “Am I gonna die?” “Not if I can help it.” Amore loosened her grip and noted, “But something must be done. I will send a message to Canterlot; perhaps a solution can be found there.” She smiled and declared, “But for now, you have better things to think of, and a coronation to attend. Perhaps this will be a quiet celebration, hmm?” - Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and did her best not to gag. “So the Heart hurts you, fine. We knew that already, but why? It doesn’t hurt the rest of us ponies.” “Rainbow Dash, let him finish!” Twilight turned from her impatient friend to the king and gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry, but…” “No apologies needed, it is a rather long story.” Sombra collected himself, then continued, “We did not have rail service then, and a message could get out between cities only as quickly as the pegasi flew. But once word reached Canterlot, word came back swiftly enough, and six months to the day following my incident, Hope, I and my mother received our visitors; the alicorn princesses. It was a day that changed my life forever.” - A number of guards stood at the ready, arrayed in their armor and flanked in two columns at the edge of the city. Standing between them was Princess Amore in all of her royal finery, her son and Radiant Hope at either side of her. “This is going to be an important day for the two of you. It’s been a very long time since they visited the Empire.” “Can they help me, Mommy?” Sombra looked to his mother uneasily. “Will they fix things, so I won’t get hurt by the Heart?” Amore smiled sadly. “I do not know, Sombra, but there is always a chance.” Her gaze turned back towards the skies as a distant shape closed in from the south. “Ah. Alright everypony, smiles.” Sombra put on his best smile, but it quickly faded as his expression turned awestruck upon the sight of their guests. He hadn’t lived very long, his memories only spanning a little over a year, and he’d had them described to him, seen pictures, but they were nothing compared to the real thing. It was a sight he would never forget. Flying majestically towards them were a pair of ponies, their wings larger than any pegasus he’d seen. They were built much like his mother, with slender builds and long legs, their long manes stretching out behind them. One was larger than the other, her multi-hued mane seeming to move of its own accord heedless of the weather and adorned in a headdress and hoofshoes like those he’d seen in history books of the regions near Saddle Arabia. The other had a solid mane of light blue, and was dressed in Greco-Roamin attire. What struck him most was that in addition to their wings, they also had horns, far longer than any other unicorn he’d seen beyond Amore. Perhaps they were related? The guards sounded a fanfare from their trumpets, and the two newcomers landed softly before them. Amore stepped forward and bowed her head in respect. “The Crystal Empire extends its welcome to the alicorn princesses of Equestria.” The newcomers bowed in return, and the larger of the two ponies answered. “And we humbly accept the hospitality of the Empire and its residents.” The cordialities ended, and she broke into a gleeful smile. “Amore, it has been far too long!” The three princesses laughed and embraced, the alicorns wrapping their wings about the unicorn in warm hugs. Amore’s spirits seemed lighter as she answered, “Forgive me, Celestia, but I can’t simply fly out whenever I please.” The embrace ended, and she remarked, “A new look?” “My sister can never maintain an appearance for too long. You know that, dearest Amore.” The smaller alicorn looked to the foals and asked, “And these two are the ones whom we may thank for this urgent visit?” The colt turned uneasy as Amore nodded. “Indeed. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, allow me to introduce young Radiant Hope and my dear new son, Prince Sombra.” The two bowed, and Celestia approached and gently rested a wingtip underneath the colt’s chin. “Your mother has told us of your plight, little pony. Rest assured, we shall do all that we can to help.” Sombra smiled. “Thank you. I…” “My dear Sombra does not need the help of your kind.” The voice that spoke was cold and unnatural, and everypony present stood up and took notice. “He only needs the help of his mother.” “Highnesses!” One of the guards pointed towards the northwest, a mass of black cloud and shadow swirling towards them at high speed. But Sombra knew this was no cloud. There was no wind, and a face started to emerge from it, not unlike the one he’d seen reflected in the Crystal Heart. But this one wasn’t inside of him, and it was rapidly approaching, evil eyes upon him as it called, “We were patient, but patience is a luxury we can no longer afford. Your age is over. Ours begins anew.” Amore stepped forward as the cloud advanced and declared, “Whatever you are, you are no mother to Sombra. He was found abandoned in the snow, rescued by…!” “Abandoned?” The shadow laughed as she continued towards them. Sombra was almost too afraid to notice that she was avoiding the city. “He was not abandoned. He was left at your doorstep, and you took him in. Just as we knew you would. And now, I come to reclaim my son.” Amore’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “You do not deserve to call yourself a mother. No mother leaves their son alone in the snow. Regardless of the reasons why, he is my child now, and you will not take him from me.” “He is not your…” The retort was quickly shut down as a beam of magic lanced forth from the Crystal Heart, striking out at the aggressor and causing it to shriek in pain and rage. The shadow sped up, and every instinct Sombra had told him to run, but his legs failed to do so. “Sister, quickly!” Magic lit up the alicorns’ horns, and a shimmering dome of energy flashed over the gathered ponies, guards and royals alike. Celestia’s gaze was locked upon it as she reasoned, “Whatever this foul monster is, the Crystal Heart wounds it!” “You have a firm grasp of the obvious.” The shadow surrounded the dome and engulfed it. “But you do not have a firm grasp of what you face. It is time you were educated.” The shadow seemed to pull back, as if gathering strength for a great strike against the barrier before it. The alicorns strengthened their shield, but it did little good as the shadow struck swiftly, a projection sharp as a scalpel piercing the barrier and making its way to Celestia, striking directly at her horn and engulfing her in darkness. “Sister!” “Celestia!” Luna and Amore’s cries fell on deaf ears as the elder alicorn rose up, eldritch energies crackling around her. She seemed to struggle with it, a pained expression clear on her face as she fought the enemy within. After what seemed like an eternity, it turned neutral, only for her eyes to open and a terrible flash of light to burst from her body, knocking back all around her. Sombra and Hope were knocked off their hooves, but stayed close to Amore, Luna going in the opposite direction and the guards scattering around them. As they attempted to stand, a wicked cackle reached their ears. “Oooh, this is delicious!” The foals ducked in shock as Amore was knocked away by a burst of magic, Hope crying out as Sombra was lifted from the ground and held aloft. “Now then, it’s time I helped you, wasn’t it?” “Sister!” Celestia laughed wildly as her garments shifted, the headdress turning into a horned crown and her garb changing into furred clothes. “Do forgive me, Luna, but mine eyes have been opened!” The telltale wisps of dark magic flowed from her eyes as she regarded the foal. “It seemed fate had something in store for this colt! I intend to help him achieve it!” “No!” Sombra screamed and writhed in her magical grasp. “Let me go! PLEASE!” “Sorry, Sombra.” Eldritch magic cracked from her horn, and Celestia declared, “You can’t fight fate.” The magic erupted from her horn like lightning, coursing its way into the colt’s own. “Don’t feel too bad, however; you won’t have to do what your mother intended. I’ll do it for you!” Sombra’s screams turned wordless as the dark magic coursed into him, his eyes wide with terror as he convulsed and transformed in midair. The whites of his eyes were gone, the green of his irises now filling them, his pupils shrunken and red, wisps of dark magic flowing about from the ends. His teeth were shifting, fangs growing in, his horn warping as his coat and skin cracked and broke away, black tendrils emerging and whipping in every direction. “Mommy! Hope! Help! Please, help me!” Before they could act, a bolt of magic lanced forth and struck Celestia, breaking the connection between her and Sombra. The colt flew, but the dark magic continued its work as the possessed princess turned to face her sister. “Amore! Tend to your son! A dark chuckle, and Celestia turned her attention to her sibling. “It’s too late for him, Luna. And too late for you!” “No.” Magic lit from her horn, and Amore declared, “Only for you. Luna, together!” The Princess of the Night worked quickly, her magic ensnaring and distracting Celestia. The possessed princess snarled and struggled as Amore readied her own attack, and from far away, the Crystal Heart glowed a brilliant blue, its light focusing upon Celestia and narrowing into a beam until a powerful pulse of magic shot forth. It struck its target, and a sphere of crystal formed around the alicorn, rapidly confining and trapping her. “You think this will hold me forever?! I will be free! But until then, you’ll have just as great an evil to face! You allowed a monster into your lands, Amore!” A wicked grin was clear as the crystal concealed her face. “You’ve doomed them again!” The sphere remained aloft, held by Luna’s magic, as Amore turned her attention to her son. “Sombra!” The transformation had continued unabated, and the colt was rising from the ground, writhing and twisting in pain as he changed. “HELP ME!” Hope watched in horror, tears building on her face as she watched. “I don’t know how!” “PLEASE! I DON’T WANT TO DIE!” Shock and fear can do many things to a pony. A thousand years or so later, it would cause a young unicorn filly to unleash amazing magic, enough to hatch a dragon’s egg, earn her cutie mark, and take definitive steps along the path to her destiny. Such events were rare, but not unheard of. “NO! I WON’T LOSE YOU!” This was one of those events, as Radiant Hope’s horn glowed a brilliant blue. She scrunched her eyes tightly shut and focused her fledgling magic upon her friend. Energy erupted and crackled from it, enveloping Sombra in a glowing ball of light as his screams intensified, only to halt. The magic was not abating the symptoms of his illness, however, but fighting the disease itself, as it held and maintained its power. The guards and princesses watched in awe as Sombra slowly resumed his normal appearance, his coat reforming and his eyes going back to their natural state while they closed. He slowly drifted to the ground as the magic faded, seemingly safe and sound as Amore and the doctor charged forward. “Sombra!” Terror clear in her eyes and the imprisoned Celestia seemingly forgotten, Amore charged towards the colt close and cradled him in her hooves. “SOMBRA!” “…Mommy?” His eyes opened, and he weakly answered, “I’m here, Mommy.” The princess sighed in relief, tears flowing down her face as Luna approached and examined her son. “I don’t understand what happened. Whatever affliction he had, it’s gone.” She looked to the filly and said, “You’ve…” She stopped, then smiled, the previous terror all but forgotten. “Well, perhaps this explains it.” “What? What’s…?” The little filly quickly checked herself over, only to notice something that hadn’t been there before upon her flank. “My cutie mark! It’s…” She turned back to the princess and asked, “What is it?” “A caduceus, child. It is the symbol of a healer. You’ve saved your friend’s life.” She turned back to the prince and asked, “But how did this happen? What was that shadow?” “It made me.” Sombra trembled as he looked up at Luna. “It made me to be a monster, and it took away your sister. I’m so sorry.” Luna smiled gently and assured him, “This was not your doing, Sombra. We are safe for now.” Sombra remained uneasy, but that unease ended as he was quickly hugged by his dear friend. “I’m glad you’re okay.” The colt smiled and hugged her back. “I’m okay because of you.” - “That day brought onto me a revelation, and finally explained why I was so different, and why the Heart did not hurt normal ponies but still hurt me.” He rose to his hooves and magically removed his garb, revealing what he hid beneath. “It’s as plain as my flank.” Trixie, Prof. Doo and Sir Quill bowed their heads sadly while Twilight and her companions gasped in shock, Pinkie Pie exclaiming, “You don’t have a cutie mark!” Indeed, the stallion’s flank was blank, and as he replaced his cape, Rarity exclaimed, “But this doesn’t make sense! The only ponies who never earn their cutie marks either die before they do so, or are severely mentally deficient! You’re not dead, and you clearly have full command of your faculties!” “And you never had a cutie mitzvah!” “Please, everypony.” The mares calmed down, and Sombra explained, “The reason I do not have a cutie mark is because I am not a pony. At least, not a true pony.” He turned to his stallion aide and asked, “Sir Quill?” The tan earth pony nodded and turned to their guests. “Have any of you heard stories of the Umbrum?” He noticed Twilight’s eyes widen in shock. “Ah, good. Princess, if you please?” “There are tales of beings of living shadow, able to assume the form of a pony at will and wield the most terrible of dark magic. They’re little more than myth, but…” Realization dawned upon her, and she looked to Sombra in shock. “But the myths are true, aren’t they?” The king nodded. “The proof stands before you. I am an Umbrum, and I have done everything to reject that status since my youth, as doing so would mean turning against everything I had come to hold dear and those who love me. It is why I am immortal. I cannot die, just go from one state to another like water freezing or melting from ice.” He sighed and explained, “The force that attacked me and took possession of my world’s Celestia was another Umbrum, my creator. I learned this as it attempted to transform me and activate my dormant magic, as well as repeat a dark chapter in pony history that had long been forgotten. Ages ago, the Umbrum terrorized the lands that would one day become Equestria. They were finally stopped when a powerful magical artifact, one that we now call the Crystal Heart, was used by unicorn mages to hold them at bay until they were defeated by a powerful spell. But they couldn’t be destroyed, so instead, they were sealed away in crystal, and the crystal itself buried deep underground beneath the frozen wastes of the north.” “Beneath the Crystal Empire.” Horrified, Twilight looked to her friends and exclaimed, “That’s why our Sombra enslaved the crystal ponies and set them to work in mines! They weren’t digging for gems or treasure, they were digging for the Umbrum!” A thought came to her, and she asked, “But how did you get free in the first place? And why did you forget?” “I wasn’t freed, Princess Twilight. I was created.” Sombra grimaced as he explained, “One Umbrum had enough power, enough will, to work its way to the surface, and used its magic to create me. I’ve no doubt that was the same origin for your Sombra, but circumstances led to different things for him.” “But how’d it get free from the crystal?” Applejack anxiously looked to the king and asked, “Ah mean, if’n they could just break out of the crystal on their own, they woundn’t’ve made you.” “A search was made of the area near where I was found. The guards located a shallow hole the snow, and near it, the corpse of a Yakyakistani trader. I suspect that my progenitor sensed that things were not going according to plan, forced its way out of the snow, and goaded the yak into striking it.” “Break the crystal, free the Umbrum.” Rarity shivered. “But obviously you never became the monster our Sombra did, and never cursed the Crystal Empire.” “No. Unlike your world, it remained standing through the last millennium and its citizens never knew tyranny, from my hooves or any others.” He smiled and admitted, “I visit it and my mother as often as I can, though I make a point of staying away whenever the Crystal Faire takes place, as I said. Hope can’t always be with me, after all.” Twilight looked to him in surprise. “Wait, was that present tense?” The king chuckled. “Yes. Hope’s magical talents allow her to heal any ailment in another pony. That magic works through her as well, and has prevented her from falling to the one disease we’ve yet to conquer; old age. Like myself and my mother, she ceased to age once she reached maturity.” The lavender alicorn turned awestruck. “That’s amazing! No wonder she was destined to be a princess!” “And she was declared one once she came of age and completed her schooling, just as I was declared king.” He poured himself more water and explained, “Luna took over her sister’s duties of raising and lowering the sun, of course, but over time, I found myself with equal authority to her. I still maintained my title even after parliament was created.” “But you said that you loved Celestia.” “And she returned that love, yes. My relationship with Hope remained a close friendship, but never progressed beyond that; there were things I could never give her that she wanted, and we both knew it.” A wistful look formed upon his face as he remembered, “Meeting the Celestia of your world was a surprise. It came very shortly after I was declared king.” “Could I have an exact date for that?” Twilight produced her copy of Star Swirl’s journal as Trixie passed over a history book, and quickly checked the dates. “If I’m reading this right, that meeting took place a little bit before our Celestia and Luna received word of our Sombra usurping the throne and seizing the Crystal Empire. She didn’t even know about you.” Sombra nodded. “And it was no doubt quite the eye-opener.” His story told, Sombra looked to Twilight and asked, “Now, I know a little of what happened in your world differently, Luna’s becoming the entity called Nightmare Moon. I’m curious, what else was different? Aside from me, of course.” Twilight took a breath. “That’s a long story.”