//------------------------------// // Chapter Four - Through a Mirror, Darkly // Story: Reflections - Quiververse Edition // by EchoWing //------------------------------// Not too distant from Canterlot, as Sombra spoke with his guests, the Dual Stronghold, once known as the Castle of the Two Sisters, stood near Ponyville. The Everfree Forest had long been cleared away, its inhabitants forced to flee to the four corners of Equestria and take refuge where they could after its owners had returned. Those who escaped were lucky, a scant few remaining as indentured servants. “Your refreshments?” Celestia violently claimed her drink, the fawn who’d produced it flinching and inching away as quickly as he could, stone-faced guards watching as he left with a zebra companion. She idly sipped and noted, “Aren’t you curious about Sombra’s new little friends?” “I’ve seen them about the village, though I’d swear the orange earth pony mare wears a different hat.” Luna considered things from her perch at the organ and noted, “And that the pink one had a flatter mane. They could very well be the helpers the other Celestia said would come.” A laugh. “Sombra doesn’t have the will to stand up for himself, so he goes calling out to somepony else for help. If he’d just done what his mother wanted, none of this would have happened.” A cruel smile, and she amended, “Not that it doesn’t have advantages.” She huffed and jumped from her throne and made her way out, and Luna opted to follow. “But one gets bored waiting for the world to end, particularly when some brat decides to delay the inevitable. Can’t he be selfish for once? If I’d had a little more time with her, I could have beaten that spell out of her, and we’d have a marvelous new playground and those two lovebirds would be together. A win-win.” They stepped out onto a balcony, and Luna offered, “Forgive me stating the obvious, sister, but perhaps we should spy on them? If we know what they’re planning, we can prepare for it.” “Obvious, yes, but a good plan nonetheless.” A wicked grin crossed the face of the corrupted diarch. “Make sure to stick to the shadows, hmm?” Luna rolled her eyes and shifted into a blob of reddish smoke. She wondered if her counterpart had to deal with such a bossy older sibling, always on her back about something. She knew how to be stealthy, thank you very much! If the tables had been turned, oh, would Celestia have regretted riding her flank! - “A terrible story to be certain. The Celestia of this world, a villain!” Star Swirl laughed as his friend took a sip of her drink. “Boggles the mind.” Sombra smiled at the princess beside him and offered, “I suspect you do not have a villainous bone in your body. Do you, Princess?” Celestia was clearly too nervous to answer, while Star Swirl chuckled and declared, “Our Celestia, a bad pony? Never! There are diamonds less pure and good than she!” “I can see that she is quite the gem.” Sombra’s remark earned him a spit-take from the princess and a laugh from the mage. “Another fan of word-play! I am going to like you, Sombra!” As the king cleaned himself off with a napkin and Celestia facehooved in embarrassment, Star Swirl examined his drink and asked, “Speaking of liking things, I very much like this stuff! What is it?” “Coffee. Surely you have it in your world.” “This is the first that I have heard of it!” The old mage appeared to grow more and more jittery as he continued, “But grant onto me all you can spare! Does it grow on trees?! I can grow this on trees and drink it every day! More coffee! And six sugars too!” Trying to turn attention away from her friend’s antics, Celestia cleared her throat and noted, “Your Equestria looks quite lovely. I wouldd love to see more of it.” “Indeed! We must take notes and make further comparisons! I would love to meet the incarnation of myself that exists in this world if possible!” Sombra laughed and stood from his seat. “It would be an honor to escort you about for the day. I only hope that you like enough of what you see to return.” “I am sure we’ll find much to explore! We have only been here a couple of hours at most, and what we have seen is but the tip of the iceberg!” Excitement spurred by caffeine prompted him to ask, “Oh, do you have icebergs in this world? Ours have lots of fat little penguins! Adorable things! Do you have penguins too?!” “What is this about penguins?” “Ah, Luna, at last! Come meet our guests!” Sombra smiled as the Princess of the Night approached. “I assume that my friend needs no introduction?” Celestia looked upon the double of her sister in delight. “Luna!” She was almost tearful as she explained, “It’s been so long since I’ve seen a smile upon your face.” “And so long since I’ve looked upon my sister’s visage.” Pleased curiosity upon her face, Luna approached and noted, “But yours is sweeter than hers was as I last saw it, I think. Most lovely.” Sombra smiled and agreed, “My thoughts exactly.” Star Swirl laughed and embraced Luna warmly. “Now there is a sight! Our Luna has become something of a curmudgeon of late! But enough of that – come young ones, the night is young and adventure awaits!” The four would spend much time traveling through Canterlot, taking in the sights and enjoying what was offered. Most were fascinating, from the advancements in science and magic to the site of the future castle gardens. Some were confusing – the appearance of an odd, mish-mashed being proclaiming himself ‘Captain Good-Guy’ and giving them autographs especially. But none of it was boring, particularly the wild dance that Celestia and Sombra shared. The hours passed until a full day had gone by, and the two travelers found themselves exhausted and on their way home. “What a glorious visit! Expect us again one day, Sombra – I would love to see your libraries! And your bakeries!” “We eagerly await your return, Star Swirl. Come as often as you like.” Sombra looked to Celestia and gently pressed his lips to her hoof. “My lady, that offer extends to you as well.” “Of course. I would love to see you again, Sombra.” She caught herself and amended, “More of your world, I mean. Until next time.” “I will need somepony to help me with all my stuff, will I not? Save me another bag of coffee!” The portal came alive in the side of a partially-carved chunk of stone, and the two passed through, Sombra offering hopefully as Luna waved them goodbye, “Until next time, then.” As they emerged back in their world, Star Swirl happily laughed and declared, “How exciting! Another Equestria, with fabulous teacakes! And this coffee, fantastic! But this story of an evil Celestia, possessed by shadow, how absurd! But perhaps we should look into things. When was the last time you heard from Amore, eh?” “Oh, I’m sure she is fine.” Celestia looked to the mirror and wondered, “How soon until we go back?” - “After that, any time Star Swirl talked of going back, I insisted upon accompanying him.” Celestia and Luna made their way through their castle in their Canterlot, passing by a portrait of Amore that had hung in memorial since the Empire’s return. “He continued to refine the mirrors, leading up to the one which Sunset Shimmer used and its bridge portal counterparts being made shortly before… well…” “Before my fall.” A nod. “And after you were gone, I started going through the mirror alone. He didn’t find out for the longest time, and I felt so guilty for lying to him.” She hung her head in shame and said, “He was all I had left after you were gone, and I betrayed him.” If Luna was eager to chastise her sibling, she showed little sign as she prompted further. “And the paradoxes?” “Star Swirl noticed them first, and they accumulated the more we used the mirror to travel to Sombra’s Equestria. It was little things at first, cooks making the same dish on the same day in both worlds and the like. It may have been coincidence, but then, when Star Swirl would borrow a book from there, one would disappear from here, and it became clear that the little things were a sign of greater dangers to come. We promised to be careful, only using the portal a few times a year and bringing nothing back, but…” Celestia sighed and explained, “I started going behind his back. I didn’t see the harm in it. But he never forgave me my foolishness. Our friendship never recovered. I should have listened, but I couldn’t stop.” Luna’s expression was grim as she surveyed her sister. With a deep sigh, she asked, “Why go back, Celie? Was it because the other me was so much easier to be around? A balm to soothe your weary conscience after all that occurred?” “I won’t deny that it was a comfort, knowing a version of you that hadn’t succumbed to darkness.” She looked to her sister and assured her, “But it was a small one. She looked like you, sounded and moved like you, but she was not you. Nopony could replace my little sister.” Luna smiled and gently nuzzled her sibling. “And you are wise to not forget that.” The smile faded as she asked, “But if not that, then why so many visits? What could be so…?” Her eyes went wide as she leaned back, the realization hitting her. “It was not the other me you went for, was it? It was the other Sombra.” A sad smile crossed the face of the Princess of the Sun as she explained, “The heart wants what the heart wants. And would it be wrong for me to seek a relationship with one who was also immortal?” The Princess of the Night sighed in understanding. “No. Seeing so many of our family pass beyond the veil did little to help me. ‘Tis the one disadvantage of our condition, outliving so many of our friends and loved ones. No wonder you and Star Swirl pursued efforts towards ascending those of alicorn ancestry. Amore and Radiant Hope are no doubt descended from our kin, just as Twilight and…” Realization hit her. “Cadance.” “Both may well be among our niece’s ancestry, Luna. We may never know; I haven’t seen Hope since the Empire was lost.” “And you eventually stopped? Star Swirl sealed the portal, and this time earlier tonight was the first since then?” “Yes… and no…” - “Celestia!” The princess practically flew into his forelegs, and Sombra welcomed her with a warm embrace. “Did he see you?” “No, but I think he’s starting to suspect.” The embrace between the seemingly star-crossed lovers ended, and Celestia explained, “He was talking about the paradoxes again. He made me promise, Sombra. I’m breaking a promise to the only friend I have left in my world.” “We’re being careful, Celestia. It was months ago when I last saw you, and you’re only here for minutes at a time. If we’re doing any damage, it’s small.” Sombra smiled hopefully and asked, “Has love ever truly done harm?” He gestured for her to follow. “Come. Time is short, and I’ve something I wish to show you.” He led her through the gardens, the statues and topiary having long been finished since her first visit, and they found themselves in a grove, lantern-lit and glowing in autumn’s embrace. From every possible surface was hung and affixed cards that softly swayed in the air. Celestia looked about in awe. “This is amazing! What is it?” “A wishing garden. It’s a custom here in my Equestria, one I’ve never practiced. You write something on a card, something you wish for or are thankful for, and then you tie it to a tree in the hope that it comes true, or that you can hold onto it.” They approached a desk, quill and ink waiting, and Sombra noted, “It’s time I used it at last. Would you like to join me?” Celestia smiled, and the two wrote their notes and affixed them to trees, wordlessly embracing as their magic went to work. “I wish…” “Shh. If you tell it to me, it won’t come true.” Her respite would be all too brief, as her return would find her confronted by Star Swirl, and the portal sealed, seemingly forever. As Star Swirl sighed in regret, Celestia charged off into her own private study, desperately going over her own private collection with one thought on her mind – she needed at least to say goodbye. “We choose our own destinies. Fate would not bring us together, simply to cruelly separate us.” Star Swirl was a brilliant mage, and Celestia was no less so. She taught magic, after all, and could easily figure out how to unseal the mirror. It was months before she was able to work out the needed spells, and once the chance came, she took it. “Thank you for offering to take care of the parasprite problem in Fillydelphia, Star Swirl.” “It’s my job, Princess,” came the mage’s stiff reply as he pulled his cart along, instruments jangling inside of it. Many were of his own invention, developed to combat a threat long gone. “I’ll be back in a few days.” She nervously watched him go, confident both that the matter would be settled and that he would indeed be more than a few days. Plenty of time to try. If it failed, then that would be the end, but if it succeeded…oh, if it succeeded. She knew the way by memory, and found the old mirror where it had been left, seven others nearby. Each was subtly different, decorated by unique gems and with their own unique flourishes. By comparison, the original was quite plain, and thankfully, easily found. She cast the spell, and the mirror came to life again. She leapt through, and smiled at what she saw on the other side. - “And that is the whole story, Luna.” Celestia bowed her head in shame. “I know that I should have told you of this after your return, but please understand, this was my greatest shame, and my greatest folly. And thanks to my actions, I’ve put everypony in danger, in this world and his.” The younger alicorn smiled and nuzzled her sibling. “Celie, I do wish you had told me sooner, but I know why you were so hesitant. You made a terrible mistake. But so did I, and Amore, and Twilight and Cadance and every other royal at some point, to say nothing of other ponies. I cannot fault you for that.” She grinned teasingly and noted, “But falling in love with a stallion so much younger than you? For shame, sister!” Celestia grinned back and countered, “We were both of legal age, Luna.” “Aye, but still!” Luna sighed. “But now we are left to hope for Twilight and her friends to make up for our past mistakes. Again.” She turned to the skies as they started to look unpleasant. “I have every confidence in them, but…” “I know.” Celestia followed her sister’s gaze as the clear night started to gain frightening clouds, all a sickly green in color. “I’m worried too.” “You are right to be, Highness.” Both turned to find a pale stallion, maneless and tailless and dressed in a grey suit. “Little things accumulate. A danger is building, and Star Swirl’s greatest fears may yet come true.” “What do you mean?” Luna approached the stallion and called, “Explain yourself…!” The stallion vanished, seeming to fade out of existence as if he wasn’t there in the first place, and she managed a startled, “…Peasant?” She looked to her sister in worry and noted, “Since when could earth ponies teleport?!” “That wasn’t the traditional winking out of a teleport, Luna.” Celestia turned her gaze back to the sky and reasoned, “I think we’re getting very close to the edge of the frying pan. And you know what comes next.” - “…And finally, I and Sunset Shimmer ascended to alicorn status a scant few weeks ago.” “Which would be about the time I ascended.” Twilight looked to Trixie and noted, “She wanted to be an alicorn herself in my world. I’m hoping she still will be.” A smile crossed her face. “I guess I’ve got something else to hope for.” “Yes, but that doesn’t help us, does it?” Prof. Doo idly wiped the lenses of her glasses and recounted, “Sunset and our other allies are too far away or too caught up in their own duties to help us now.” “Ah’m still freakin’ out – Discord a knight, and never locked away in stone?” Applejack prodded the Element of Honesty about her neck. “And no Elements?” “Queen Chrysalis and the changelings good guys, all because of Amore?” Rainbow Dash’s disbelief was compounded by Sir Quill’s solemn nod. “And Cadence got corrupted when she ascended?!” Fluttershy shivered. “I’m really missing home right now. I mean, not that Discord and Chrysalis being good all along isn’t bad, but Cadance being bad along with Celestia and Luna? That’s just scary.” “It’s safe to say that both our worlds had problems, in one form or another.” Sombra looked out across the balcony and noted, “But since this world’s Celestia was freed from her crystal prison and corrupted Luna to aid her last summer, things have only gotten worse here. Bright spots exist to be certain, but still. All we need now is for something to break loose from Tartarus.” “And worse, no cake!” Pinkie threw her forelimbs up in the air and cried, “You used to have good cake, and now you don’t! It’s unacceptable! It’s inconceivable! It’s… it’s… it’s some other third word that I can’t think of right now!” “Oh, I remember cake…” Spike felt a chill as Sombra continued, “Which means we must finish this, before further calamity occurs.” “But can’t you use your shadow pony magic or whatever and pull the evil out of ‘em?” Rainbow looked at the king uneasily and asked, “I mean, that’s possible, right?” “No. My magical training has been purposely towards defensive rather than offensive magic. Next to Shining Armor or the princesses themselves, I’m the best barrier mage we have, and it’s only thanks to those skills that the damage hasn’t been worse. The Umbrum’s grip upon Celestia is too strong, and it would take something stronger than I to undo its hold on her and Luna.” “And even if that could be done, it would just go right back to its original plan and corrupt Sombra into a monster.” Sir Quill looked to his sovereign and noted, “He doesn’t deserve that, after all he’s done for Equestria.” “The only comfort we have is that we know where our Celestia and Luna are, but we can’t go on the attack without hurting your Celestia and Luna.” Trixie looked to Twilight and added, “They don’t deserve that either, even if this is partially her fault.” “Hey!” “No, she’s right.” Rainbow settled down, and Twilight considered things before asking, “This world’s Celestia mentioned a deal. What kind?” Sombra frowned bitterly and explained, “She’s gotten bored in this world. In exchange for the safety of your Celestia, she wants passage to your world. They exchange places, and in return for me getting the mare I love, she and Luna get a new world to destroy and conquer.” “With not all that much ta oppose ‘em,” Applejack summarized. “Our Discord’s reformed, but he ain’t that reformed. Chrysalis’d help ‘em, at least until they squished ‘er or zapped ‘er, and even if they worked with us to stop ‘em, it wouldn’t last long.” She looked to the king and noted, “You made the right call, Sombra.” “Yes, so noble…” Spike frantically looked about as Sombra noted, “Thank you, but I fear she won’t settle for one when she thinks she can have both. Celestia hoped that the seven of you would come up with something. And just in case, I called in who I could. Perhaps between the ten of you, a solution can be found.” Twilight tapped a hoof nervously. “Well, imprisonment worked, but only for a while. Banishment might work, but that just buys us time. Maybe both?” “Imprison Celestia and Luna in crystal, and then banish them somewhere far away that they cannot easily escape?” Trixie looked to Sombra and noted, “That could work.” “Crystal…” Spike finally spied a red cloud darting away to the southwest, barely visible in the shadows. He turned back and called, “Uh, guys? I think we just had an eaves-dropper!” “Discussing our plans out in the open? Of course we had an eaves-dropper, doing things like that practically invites eaves-dropping.” Sir Quill looked skywards uneasily as the clouds started turning a sickly green. “Let’s go inside, as deep as we can get, then hash out the details.” “Agreed.” Sombra led them inside and beckoned as he closed the doors to the balcony behind them, “Follow me, everypony, I…” A ripple formed in the air before them, and a pale grey stallion, without mane or tail and clad in a grey suit, appeared before them. “You were wise to come inside. There is greater danger than you realize.” Spike pointed and called, “You again!” - Luna reassumed her proper form and strode into the castle, a dissatisfied look upon her face. “Well? What have you discovered this time, sister?” “Everything I needed to hear to determine their plans against us, Sister. The fools seek to imprison us.” Celestia rolled her eyes. “Again?” - “Again?” Sombra looked from Spike to the enigmatic newcomer and asked, “You’ve met this stallion before?” “Right before our Luna summoned us to the castle and our Celestia came to your world earlier tonight.” Twilight examined the stallion more closely as he approached, glad for better lighting, and realized, “Come to think of it, that wasn’t the first time I’ve seen you, is it?” Her friends’ murmurs of agreement ended as the stallion spoke. “I have been watching you and your friends’ exploits for some time, Twilight Sparkle.” The stallion removed his hat and bowed politely. “My name is Seventh Moon. I am an Observer.” Prof. Doo gave him a disbelieving glance. “I’ve never heard of them.” “Nor me,” Sir Quill amended. “That is because my order does not exist in your world.” Seventh Moon replaced his hat and explained, “The Bearers of the Elements were not the only ones to be twisted by Discord’s magic. My ancestors were also warped, albeit in different ways. The effects accumulated over time, until I and others found ourselves like this.” “Anomalies. Earth ponies with unique magic, said to be able to see beyond normal sight and conceal themselves from the sight of others.” Twilight looked to him and asked, “But why are you here and talking to us?” “Because there is greater peril at hoof than simply two possessed princesses.” He gestured outside and asked, “You have seen the skies? That is a symptom of the greater problem, one that Star Swirl feared as a result of the mirrors.” The lavender alicorn gasped. “The anomalies and paradoxes accumulating! We’ve made it worse, haven’t we?” “Yes. But it is also within your power to solve both problems.” “Whoa, hold it! Time out!” Rainbow Dash flew up next to Seventh Moon and asked, “I get it, paradoxes bad, but don’t you think you’re exaggerating things? So what if the worlds get bound together a little closer?” “No.” The Observer turned to the pegasus and explained, “Star Swirl’s creation of the mirrors was an incredible achievement, but his method of bridging realities lacked subtlety and refinement.” He turned back to Twilight and continued, “One passage to a world posed no danger, but with each subsequent visit, the barrier between those realities fractured further and further. The paradoxes were the result.” “Yeah, we know that!” “And those paradoxes have accumulated and built upon one another, drawing the worlds closer. With enough, it could cause something catastrophic. Like a fractured pane of glass, all it would need is one sharp strike, and the barriers would be broken.” “And the worlds could merge!” Twilight quickly checked over her notebook and realized, “Star Swirl continued his research and refinements to try and solve the problem, but that wouldn’t have prevented a collapse like that! Not once enough damage was done!” “Twilight, I’m still not getting the problem here.” “These worlds are separate for a reason, Rainbow Dash.” Seventh Moon looked to her and explained, “Should the barriers break and the worlds merge, there is a very great risk of both worlds being destroyed, whatever remnants remaining sent tumbling into the void betwixt every branch and root of the tree we know as the multiverse.” The pegasus groaned. “You could’ve said that in the first place!” A grim expression upon his face, Sombra approached. “Seventh Moon, you said it was within our power to solve both problems. Can you elaborate?” “I am bending the rules of my order as it is by addressing you now. What little else I can tell you is that you have the tools you need to restore the balance. You need only use them wisely.” And with that, he rippled and disappeared from sight. “Well that was helpful!” Spike crossed his arms in frustration. “Seriously, what’s the point of showing up and saying all that stuff if he won’t help solve the problem!” “From the sound of it, he was helping us all that he could.” Sir Quill looked to his king and noted, “Why put off until tomorrow what can be done today, especially if we can kill two birds with one stone?” A gasp, and he amended to Fluttershy, “Metaphorical birds!” “That’s all well and good, but what tools are we supposed to have?” Rarity looked about and explained, “We have resources, to be certain, but nothing that can accomplish all of these things.” “Actually, I think we do!” Twilight gestured to her crown with a hoof, the Element of Magic embedded within it glowing briefly. “Think about it! There’s plenty of differences between the two worlds, but so much is still the same! We just…!” A terrible yawn interrupted her, and heads turned to Pinkie Pie. “Sorry Twilight, but I’m pooped! It’s been a really long day.” The others all nodded and murmured in agreement, and Sombra smiled. “Perhaps it would be wise to rest before we take our next course of action. We’ve a number of guest rooms, and I would be more than happy to accommodate you for the rest of the night. In the morning, we can make our final plans, and set forth for Ponyville and the castle forthwith.” Rarity smiled with clear relief. “Now that sounds like a wonderful course of action.” - “Sealing us away in crystal? They truly think such a trick can work again? And how will they do it, without the Crystal Heart?” Luna rolled her eyes. “The newcomers were carrying those strange jewels.” A laugh. “As if somepony would just wear powerful magical weapons like fancy jewelry. That’s just inviting them to be stolen!” A wicked grin, and Celestia noted, “Still, whatever they have planned, it won’t matter. I know a way to get what I want, and I won’t be denied.” “Ahem.” She looked to her sister, who reminded her, “What we want.” “Yes, yes, whatever.” - The guest quarters in Sombra’s Canterlot were just as impressive as those in their own, and Spike and the bearers soon found themselves quite comfortable, Pinkie literally falling asleep the instant she flopped into her bed. Twilight looked to their hosts and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, for everything.” Sombra smiled back. “Thank you, young princess, for coming to aid us. Hopefully by sunset tomorrow, this will all be resolved.” “Um, before we all retire for the night?” Trixie nervously looked to her fellow alicorn and noted, “Ditzy and I both have some questions for you, about our other selves.” “I’ll answer them as best I can. What do you want to know?” The azure alicorn nervously pawed at the floor with a hoof, her gaze cast downwards. “I’ll admit, there have been times where I was tempted towards less noble pursuits. Before I returned to my studies, when I was making my attempts as a performer, there were dark times. The way you and your friends reacted when you saw me, it’s obvious you were shocked.” She fearfully looked up and asked, “Was I terrible in your world? Am I a monster there?” Twilight smiled gently. “I’ll admit, our Trixie had her bad moments. Times where her ego got the better of her, and where she lashed out from envy and spite. But she’s the first to admit that she’s made mistakes, and some of us have an easier time than others admitting that we made them too.” She laid a hoof upon the other princess’ shoulder and added, “She was never a real monster, and she’s shown genuine bravery and kindness at her best. If she saw you, then she’d be proud of how far you’ve come. I’m proud to call her my friend, and I’d be just as proud to have her beside me as a fellow princess. Same with you.” Trixie gave her a thankful smile, and she turned to Prof. Doo and asked, “And your question?” The grey pegasus produced a muffin-shaped locket and opened it to reveal a picture of a familiar unicorn filly. “All I want to know is, does your world’s version of me still have Dinky?” Twilight nodded. “And she loves her little muffin with all her heart, like every good mother should.” She nervously admitted, “Tell you the truth, the biggest thing that threw us was your eyes. I guess here, you were treated for your strabismus?” The professor grinned. “Mom found me a very good optometrist.” She bowed and added, “Thank you, Princess Twilight. Good night.” They waved and went on their way to their own rooms, and Twilight heard a quiet chuckle beside her. She looked to Sombra as he remarked, “It’s little wonder you became a princess in your own right. Barely a few hours, and you already treat them as friends.” “It helped that I already knew them in my world, and that this isn’t my first cross-dimensional trip.” She sighed, her mind going back to something she’d been thinking about herself. “The sad truth is, I wasn’t always as eager to make friends as I am now. Right before coming to Ponyville and facing Nightmare Moon, I blew off a party invitation. I don’t even remember who it was for now, or the names of the ponies who asked me to attend. We were friendly enough, but I didn’t even consider them to be friends.” “They thought of you as a friend, though.” She looked to find Spike had taken his customary place at her side. “All of them. Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, Lyra Heartstrings, probably Moondancer too, but I haven’t seen her since then.” At her surprised expression, he explained, “You didn’t keep in touch, but I sure did. Minuette, Twinkleshine and Lyra were all Cadance’s bridesmaids, and most of ‘em visit Ponyville every once in a while.” “You’re right.” A sad smile crossed Twilight’s face. “When all of this is over, I need to do something about that, and apologize to them.” “Given what was going on, I’m certain they’ll understand.” “I hope so.” She looked to the king and asked, “But before we both retire for the night, I have something I’d like to ask you, Sombra. I’m new to being a princess, and never even thought I’d become one, but you, you’ve been a royal and a leader for over a thousand years. I don’t suppose you have some advice?” The king laughed. “I hardly think you need it. You’ve been a good leader to your friends already.” “Yes, but I wouldn’t be half the pony I am without them. They might rely on me, but I rely on them too.” “And that’s hardly something to dismiss.” “I’d never do that. Still, I always thought I’d end up more like Star Swirl than Celestia. A scholar instead of a royal. Both of them are my heroes, though, but…” She sighed. “If you had the choice, between being a common pony and being a king, which would you choose?” Sombra laughed gently. “Why not both? Regardless of my heritage or my title, I am still a common pony. I earned my crown, just as you, my mother, Celestia, Luna, Hope and Trixie all did, and if my subjects wanted me to cast it away, I would do so without a moment’s hesitation. I like to think each of you would as well.” A nervous smile. “It would make life easier.” “Most definitely.” Sombra sighed and noted, “Whatever sort of pony you choose to be, my advice is to be a good one. And your doubts and concerns show that you’re already doing a fine job of that. I just hope that’s helped.” “It has, thanks.” She bowed her head. “Good night, Sombra.” “Good night, Twilight, Spike. Rest well.” They parted company, Twilight and Spike going to bed as Sombra made his way to his own chambers. The smile slowly faded from his face as he entered and turned his face towards the ponnequin standing near his wardrobe, armor arrayed upon it for him to don in the morning. He had never enjoyed conflict; seeing so much up close as a child had discouraged him from it. The conflicts he’d seen during his reign had been mercifully short, and he thought himself blessed to have avoided some of the greater threats his love had faced. A sigh, and he looked to his dresser, a jewelry box upon it. He opened it and found the wish he’d written so long ago, the last happy memory he’d had with the Celestia he’d come to know and love. It consisted only of one word. “Always.” - “Have things truly become this bad since I was last here?” Celestia looked up into the sky with dread, seeing neither sun nor moon and only a cloudy, terrible twilight. “I hoped that the damage would have healed on its own…” “From what you’ve told me, it seems the paradox factor is still in play.” Sombra sighed as he recounted, “Your Luna is free now, but that only seemed to make it easier for my world’s Celestia to twist my world’s Luna to aid her.” The princess bowed her head. “I’ve done it again. This is my fault.” “You mustn’t say that. You had no way of knowing this would happen.” “Didn’t I? My world influenced yours, and I only made that influence worse.” She sighed. “I’ve been a fool.” The king gently put a hoof to her shoulder and smiled. “Love makes fools of us all, Celestia. Even alicorns.” She laughed and remarked, “That’s hardly comforting.” “King Sombra!” The guard commander approached with urgent flaps of her amber wings and landed before them on the balcony with a salute. “Sir, they’ve been spotted approaching from the direction of the Dual Stronghold!” Sombra sighed. “Very well. Pull the guard back and give me the chance to raise…” “No.” Celestia turned to the horizon and declared, “I caused this. I will face this.” Before Sombra could protest, she spread her wings and readied herself as her double and Luna approached. “What did I tell you, sister? Another you, from another world!” The corrupted Luna sneered and noted, “Finally back after a thousand years, without even so much as a card.” “Well, we can’t have that, now can we?” The corrupted Celestia looked down upon her pure counterpart with a condescending grin. “Now then, Celestia, we have some business to discuss.” “I know of your proposal.” Her horn flared with magic, and the pure Celestia glared at her counterpart and declared, “And I have a counter-proposal!” Without another word, her magic enveloped her in a fiery aura and she took to the sky, Sombra and his guard commander watching wordlessly as she charged upon her opposite and attacked. The two impacted, both shaken from the blow but the native Celestia recovering sooner and firing a burst of magic at her counterpart. The visiting Celestia’s fiery aura faded as she countered the attack, only for her opposite to launch further blows and send her to the ground. She landed hard with a pained cry, crashing hard with one wing landing beneath her. “Celestia!” Sombra barely brought up a shield in time to deflect an attack from Luna as he jumped from the balcony to the ground below. “Now stay out of this, little shadow pony!” The corrupted Celestia landed and grinned as her counterpart attempted to get to her feet. “This is between me and, well, me!” She fired off a burst of magic that sent the pure Celestia back to the ground, wincing slightly but carrying on regardless. “As for you, little miss goody-four-shoes, perhaps you should reconsider the offer.” She approached her counterpart with all the confidence of a lion approaching a wounded gazelle. “Just think of it! You get your colt-toy, I get a new playground…” Her opposite looked up and snarled, “I have thought of it.” She lanced off another magical attack, which did her more damage than her counterpart, throwing her back towards the gardens and knocking off one of her hoof-shoes. Despite that, she groaned, “I don’t make deals with monsters.” “Well, perhaps you need a little more incentive.” The corrupted Celestia reared back and readied another magical attack, eldritch energies crackling about her horn as it charged. The blast fired, but didn’t connect, the energies washing off the golden shield that was projected around the pure Celestia and Sombra, protecting them both. His shield holding as the attack continued, Sombra nodded towards the statue of Sir Discord behind them. “Go! Now!” Celestia got back to her hooves and readied the spell to return, even as her counterpart angrily attacked the portal. “I’ll send help. This world…” “Will welcome them! Now go!” - Sombra winced as he thought of the attack and remembered the earlier traumas his world had suffered. He’d long accepted that none of this was within his ability to change, but that did little to ease his mood. None of it, from the possession of his world’s Celestia in his youth to his current circumstances, sat well with him. Bad enough a Celestia he barely knew was a victim due to his heritage, now one he’d come to love was endangered, along with a whole other world. Not a day went by where he didn’t occasionally wonder if there was some way for him to trade places with his world’s Celestia and Luna, but those thoughts were always brushed aside. To damn himself in such a way seemed senseless and foolish, and he was in no way desperate enough to try. The current circumstances were tempting him to reconsider. Trading two monsters for one, however, seemed a losing proposition. One that he had no desire to see through. One way or another, things would end tomorrow. He only hoped they would end well.