//------------------------------// // Corruption // Story: Rule 43 // by Black Hailstorm //------------------------------// The Purer it is, The Better the Corruption. Princess Cadence, is with child. It was indeed a joyous occasion for the mane six upon the wonderful announcement. The small group throwing a celebration upon the royal couple’s appearance along with a small treasure hunt to keep things interesting for Twilight before the official announcement had came. And though Pinkie through great inner conflict managed to keep silent, the mare was ultimately overjoyed to hear that one of her friends would be having a child in the following months to come. “This is soo AMAZING!” Pinkie screeched tip-hoofing with glee at the smiling prince and princess of the Crystal Empire. “We’ve heard you the first several times Pinkie” Dash said with a small grin and roll of her eyes. The mare was just as excited as the rest of her friends but the cyan pegasus wouldn’t be the next one to immediately lose her cool like her bubblegum colored friend had. When Princess Cadence smiled at the mare floating beside her though the cyan pegasus couldn’t contain her excitement anymore and simply hugged her friend and her husband tightly. “I’m so happy for you two!” she said with joy gushing from her voice. “Thanks Rainbow Dash” Shining Armor said with a smile as he patted the athlete on the back with a smile. “We’re really happy as well. And pretty glad we could share this with you guys” the unicorn said with a smile at his wife who merely rested her head on his shoulder once the pegasus had released them from the tight embrace. “So” Rarity’s voice said, grinning widely. “Have you two begun picking names, or at least thought of a name?” Shining Armor and Cadence looked at each other with a smile. “Don’t you think it’s a little too early for that Rarity?” the princess asked with a smile as the lavish unicorn lifted a hoof to her mouth in a state of shock. “Why my dear, it is never too late to plan ahead! Why I already know what I want the first name of my son or daughter to be” she said with a proud smile and lift of her nose. Shining Armor rolled his eyes at Rarity’s comment. “Oh yeah, and what exactly would that be?” Applejack asked. Rarity smiled batting her lashes dreamily. “Why the names obviously have to be fabulous of course” she said poking Applejack in the chest with her hoof. And as the the grouped moved to take a seat Rarity continued. “If it’s a colt his name will be Gemstone! And well if it’s a girl Lavish Luxury” she said with a smile. Applejack couldn’t help but grin at the names just mentioned, Shining Armor was right behind her sharing the same grin. “I see” she said placing a hoof to her chin. The conversation from there ended up being an exchange between the mares and potential names they would give their own foals if or when they decided to settle down in the later future. Shining Armor and Spike remained in the background trying their best not to get roped into that train wreck of ideas. “So have you thought of a name for whether it’s a filly or colt?” Spike asked voicing his own curiosity. Shining Armor chuckled. “Yes.” Spike stared at him expectantly. “What?” the unicorn asked. “Tell me, cmon it’s just us guys I won’t say anything.” Shining Armor merely shook his head earning a frown from the baby dragon. “Sorry lil bro. It’s going to stay a secret till the right time for now. Besides I wouldn’t want to blow any other ideas for names I may be thinking of now would I” he said giving Spike a small nudge which seemed to brighten his expression up a bit. “Now that I think about it. Maybe I should think about what name I want to give my kids.” “Don’t you think you’re a little young for that?” Shining asked with a slightly raised brow. Spike shrugged. “If Rarity’s got an idea on what she wants, why not I?” About to reply, but thinking better of it the stallion remained silent. Deciding it would be better to have Twilight handle that problem. Eventually a few minutes passed and the celebration came to an end with Twilight and the rest of the mane six escorting the group back to the train station. “Take care you two” Fluttershy said as the couple boarded the train. “Be sure to write, won’t you dear?” Rarity stated after them. “Oh! Oh! And watch the sweets!” Pinkie advised. Princess Cadence laughed a bit, soaking in the warm vibes her friends were giving her. Once she had assured them she’d do all they said she turned her attention to her sister-in-law, whom Shining Armor had just finished hugging. “So” Twilight said with a smile. “I’m going to be an aunt?” Cadence nodded, feeling joy at her sister-in-law’s silent squeal of glee before she sighed to calm herself. “Take care you two” Twilight said hugging Cadence with a hoof wrapped around her. “You to Twilight. We’ll stay in touch with you and the rest, we’ll let you know as soon as anything happens alright?” Cadence said wiping a tear away. Twilight did the same nodding. “Thank you.” The couple boarded the train and with a loud whistle and roar it slowly began to pull off it’s destination towards the Crystal Empire as the mares and dragon standing on the docking platform waved goodbye Princess Cadence couldn’t help but smile once more. Moving back to a seat and placing a hoof over her belly she smiled, before feeling a hoof on her lap. Looking to see that Shining Armor, had tears forming in his eyes. Aww she thought pecking him on the cheek, as the two of them hugged. “I can’t wait for us to bring this bundle of joy into the world Shining” Cadence said as her emotions began to take over. Shining Armor to had begun to let the tears flow as well. “Me to babe. Me too.” Just a few miles away from the crystal empire somewhere near the train tracks, and embed in snow was a horn. A dark horn. A severed dark horn, that glowed red at it’s tip. Despite it being months since his defeat King Sombra just refused to stay down for the count, his horn glowing showing that he still had some form of life left remaining in him, although very weak. How did it come to this? he thought as his spirit remained bound to that specific spot. All the ghost could see was the mere tip of the crystal empire, that which used to be his kingdom and his own domain. And as he stared off at the kingdom that was formerly his own, the dark unicorn could not help but feel a deep rooted hatred burning within him at that which used to be his home. His place of control. His sanctuary. The wind blew by, going through him as it usually had for the past couple of months. And he continued to stand by his severed horn in silence. Not that it mattered much anyway. Even when the former king had learned how to teleport towards the kingdom he was never able to stay away from his horn for too long before being forced by the supernatural laws to return to its allotted spot of rest. However it once again did not matter, because despite his small appearance in the now rejuvenated kingdom not a single creature could see, hear, feel or even take notice of his presence there. Even if he had been standing right beside them trying to by some means enact his deviant mind control on them, all of which failed miserably. These failed attempts had continued on and on, month after month as he tried by some means to use his knowledge and prowess in the dark arts to will a equine to his control, but all had failed, until finally the equine had merely stopped trying. Not out of dispirit, but due to him simply being tired of failing. He sighed, “So this is what it feels like to truly be asleep? It is not as pleasant as I had imagined.” His thoughts interrupted by the sound of a train pulling over. “Last stop Crystal Empire!” the conductor stated, as a few ponies got off. And from Sombra’s vision, though still being some ways a distance away from the actual ponies he could see...them. Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, the new rulers of his kingdom. He growled as he watched the two walk back towards the Crystal Empire, with Shining's arm wrapped around his mare. “I can’t wait to see our child” Princess Cadence said to the stallion who merely nuzzled her as they made their way back the kingdom. “Neither can I” Shining whispered in her ear. But unknown to them as the train slowly pulled away they had, had another uninvited listener on the conversation. King Sombra had heard what they said. And slowly a smirk spread on his lips as the dark unicorn’s horn flickered faintly with dark magic at his will. A new plan forming in his mind as he licked his lips, just barely feeling the power that would soon return to him if this plan worked. The ghost of the former fallen king cackled silently, his deep voice making the air feel colder as it whipped around the silence and tranquility of the peaceful empire. Sombra’s eyes gleamed that sickly green as his horn once again sparked with a faint green glow. “As can I...my dear rulers. As can, I.” ~11 Months Later~ Princess Cadence was now in the Crystal Empire’s royal hospital. After feeling her water break the Princess of love had been rushed to the hospital to prepare for labor, at this very moment Shining Armor, Twilight, Princess Celestia, Luna, Spike and the rest of the mane six all sat in the waiting room with patience, after almost six hours of silence. Well almost all. Brother and sister both trotting in place with a nervous look all over the face, as Fluttershy did her best with the Princess’s to calm the two siblings down. “I’m sure she’s fine Shining Armor, you are putting too much stress on yourself” Rainbow Dash said in her attempt to quell the unicorn. This didn’t work. “How can you be so sure?!” he asked feeling greatly fidgety. “No” Twilight said passing her brother as they both did a double take around each other. “Rainbow’s right, there’s nothing to worry about she’s in the best of hands we-” The emergency light on the room in front of them turned off. Everyone held their breath, Shining had begun to sweat profusely as the doctor pushed his mask down and smiled. “Congratulations” the doctor said with a smile. “You have a healthy baby colt, and the princess is just fine your majesty now if you want to-” the doctor was immediately cut off by the unicorn’s tight, strong arms wrapping around him firmly in embrace, the rest of the gang doing the same except for Princess’ Luna and Celestia who merely smiled. “May we see her?” Rarity asked as she wiped a tear from her eye with a handkerchief. The doctor though slightly restricted by his prince’s arms nodded. Immediately being released, he watched the entire group head into the infirmary. Princess Cadence lay in her bed cradling the sleeping baby colt with a smile. The colt had Shining Armor’s coat, and a fine mixture between his and her mane, his tiny unicorn horn appearing quite adorably on his head, as well as a few spots of cerise along the young unicorn’s back. H-He’s beautiful” Twilight said with a smile, as Shining Armor took the baby up in his arms. The colt yawned and stretched, making Shining bite his lip to restrain the tears. Luna and Celestia who were now talking to the tired Cadence, offered her congratulations and were happy to see she was alright. Pinkie Pie was being comforted by the others, and Rainbow Dash was doing her best not to cry. Her excuse being. “This isn’t crying, it’s liquid pride” she said in between sniffles. Shining let out a small chuckle before turning to Twilight the foal still in his arms. “Would you like to hold him Twilight?” her brother asked. The young alicorn after wiping the tears away that blinded her, nodded. “Yes thank you” she said eagerly reaching for the baby stallion and lifting him up. The baby gooed making Twilight’s heart melt with love, at the cuteness and purity that radiated off of him. It wasn’t until the young colt suddenly shivered and let out a small cry as if it were in pain that Twilight looked with horror at the worried parents, who looked at their child with fear, as if something was horribly wrong. Luna conjured up a sucker and gave it to the young colt, before it’s shivering and wailing finally ceased as it went to bed. The entire group sighed. After spending a few more hours with Cadence and the baby, the doctor returned to send everyone out so both the new mother and child could get some rest. “I hope you sleep well, Princess” the doctor said with a smile before trotting out with the nurses and the baby to make sure the new colt was alright. And as the doctor and his team of nurses moved towards the nursery where the other healthy newborn colts and fillies were, the earth pony failed to realize the slight red glow that appeared on the unicorn’s horn as they made their way to the nursery room. A week or so went by on the Princess’ release from the hospital and she was not taking care of her young new baby colt. Shining Armor had been kept busy the entire time, with running the kingdom doing his best to make sure his wife and their newborn foal suffered no form of stress. Twilight had decided to pay a visit that day and had been helping her sister-in-law with taking care of the baby. Cadence had shared that the young colt had recently been having quite a few nightmares, constantly crying and shivering at night, so it was making it tough for her to get some sleep with Shining always busy with work. Twilight had assured her sister-in-law she would see to it that the foal didn’t make a peep,much to Cadence’s pleasure. So that night as the Princess made her way to her sleeping quarters in order to get the best nap she could afford before waking up to help Twilight, the mare gave her son a kiss on the forehead, much to her surprise she saw his horn glow red but merely dismissed it as latent magic making it’s way through his body. Retiring for the night Twilight took the mother’s place and watched her nephew’s sleeping form with a peaceful look on her face. Till something happened. The young baby’s horn flickered red, before a sickening green aura surrounded his horn. Twilight merely assumed it was aftermath due to latent magic that needed to be exercised out of the young stallion, but the cold laugh that came from the child threw away any and all thoughts. The young colt rose from his crib, that sickening green aura surrounding it’s horn as it continued to laugh in that maniac, malevolent manner as Twilight watched with fear at the young bundle of innocence that looked at her with hateful, tyrannic red eyes. “Y-You’re not my nephew” she said to the being controlling her nephew’s body, the being within merely laughed. “What are you?!” Twilight asked fear and anger making her voice tremble. All manner of dark laughter ceased instantly as the young colt’s eyes now glew the same sickening dark aura that Twilight was so familiar of having experienced it herself before many, many months ago. “No” she whispered backing towards the wall at the colt that remained staring at her from it’s crib with evil eyes. “No..no...no! You can’t be! We watched you lose!” she said tears starting to sting her eyes as realization took over. “Oh Celestia please!” she begged her lower lip trembling, as she forced herself to look back at the colt that had now left it’s crib and was right in front of her. “We thought you were gone” Twilight said with both fear and disbelief. “H-How?” but before she could say much more the tiny colt’s hoof touched her lips, making her shaking lips stop any other form of words from coming out or being spoken. “You thought wrong” the voice from within the newborn colt said as his sickeningly glowing red eyes stared back into the girl’s violet ones. Twilight gently moved her nephew’s forehoof away from her lips as tears began to stream down her face. “Sombra...please I beg you, leave my nephew alone.” The dark king possessing the young colt’s body remained silent, as those glowing eyes stared right through the young alicorn that sent a chill up her spine the young baby colt’s face lit up with a smile. And for a second Twilight thought she had somehow managed to reach the evil king. She was wrong. The boy’s smile faded as it turned into the coldest stare Twilight Sparkle had ever seen in her entire life on the face of such a young foal. Leaning in King Sombra’s breath rested on the mare’s ear who stared in terror at the king possessing the nephew’s body spoke up. “No.” The colt’s body teleported back to the crib, lighting struck illuminating the room for a split second letting Twlight see that no longer was the shadow of her nephew there, but beside it a massive shadow that towered over it, making her scream, as it threatened to consume her nephew's shadow and the entire room within it along with herself and the innocent foal.. Shining Armor who had just returned barged in to see his sister trembling and tears streaming down her face as she rocked back and forth on her haunches in disbelief by what she had seen. It shook Shining to his core, to see her like that. “What’s wrong?” he demanded, only for the response to be Twilight to point a shaky hoof at the sleeping colt in the crib. Cautiously Shining Armor, moved over to see that his son was fine. Rolling his eyes as he let a sigh of relief he turned to his sister giving her a stern yet worried look. “Twilight don’t do that!” the mare whimpered, making the unicorn feel bad as he moved towards her to help her up and usher her out the door. And just as the two were heading out the prince’s ears twitched at the sound of dark laughter coming from behind him. Turning his head slowly the Prince’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at a pair of glowing green eyes, with red pupils staring back at him with a evil grin. Shining Armor blinked, and his boy was back in his bed, asleep like what he had just seen never happened. The prince rubbed a his eyes, thinking almost an entire week of sleep had done him no good. Twilight as well since she had been staying up and working on her own things back in Ponyville, before coming here. “Let’s go Twily. I’ll get you a room set up across from ours” he said reassuringly casting one last glance back towards the room where his sleeping colt lay. When nothing happened Shining Armor shut the door, with a click. Seconds passed and no movement occurred in the room till a second bolt of light struck and the young newborn was up once again up, his eyes glowing that sickening color of green that struck fear into many of his opponents and servants in the past. Sombra laughed-- chuckled really in the young colt’s body as he now had complete control of when he could allow the young colt’s consciousness the chance to take over it’s body once again and immediately switch with his own. His horn glowing once more the evil king rubbed his new forehooves together in the innocent colt’s body relishing in what he had done, with a lick of his lips. “It really does feel better when you corrupt something, so pure.” Another bolt of lightning flashed as Sombra’s horn and eyes were the only thing that illuminated the dark room. Before he blinked and closed them, allowing the innocent foal to take over once again. But one thing was clear. Sombra, had returned.