//------------------------------// // Chapter 45: Who are they? // Story: Little ray of sunshine // by KDS-Writingindustries //------------------------------// Author's note: So this is the part where people will get massively spoiled. I know, I know, you've heard this before, you've heard this a million times. But seriously, Chow for now The pony felt nothing, she wasn't cold, she wasn't hot, she wasn't touching the ground. She was floating in what could only be described as a black void, with nothing there but herself. "Mmnn..." Celestia groaned, she looked around, nothing was there. Suddenly, right as the pony blinked, she saw two creatures in the distance. A small white dog, and a winged cat. The alicorn stared in confusion, 'H...how did they...?' She blinked again, now she saw something else entirely. Celestia saw the place where she had first arrived in the underground, only difference was that there was no golden flowers and a small black pony was lying down, appearing lifeless. 'Who is he...?' She pondered silently. Celestia blinked again, nothing much had changed, but now she saw a small goat monster, helping the black pony up to his hooves. 'What's going on?' The alicorn blinked one more time, she was back in the void. This time though, the winged cat was right in front of her. Celestia's eyes widened a bit in realisation, "You're that cat... The cat that gave those monsters that cable thing..." The feline let out a 'merrow' of...laughter? "It is true" The filly let out a shocked gasp, the feline hadn't opened her mouth, but the voice had seemed to speak in her mind. "H-how? W-what? Who?" "No questions please" The winged feline spoke once again in her mind, "When you wake up, find me". "W-wait! What does that mean!? Who are you?!" Celestia asked frantically. "It's time to wake up" The alicorn felt herself on a bed, the the blankets covering her. "Hhmmnn..." She stretched and lifted herself up, it was difficult since the filly felt like she was lifting up a boulder. Celestia groaned and rubbed her eyes, she was somewhere dirty, and old. The room she was in had rows of beds like her own, but the wall's paint had peeled and cracked while the floor had cracks as well. Celestia breathed heavily, "What is this place?" She muttered quietly. *Rumble Rumble* The filly tensed up, she heard an unsettling noise. Celestia looked around, but nothing looked suspicious, she felt the rumbling again. It was coming from underneath her bed. Her breathing wavered, the filly cautiously peeked under, there was no sight of anything scary. "Huh?" Celestia looked back up to come face to face with a giant white beast. "AAAAHHHH!!!!" "AAAAWWWOOOOOO!!!!" The monster bellowed in fright. It scurried of to the other side of the room, whimpering in a hollow tone. Celestia blinked, 'Is it...scared of me?' The filly carefully hooped out of bed and moved closer to the goopy creature. "Hi there. Are you okay? My name is Celestia" She introduced in a friendly tone. She examined the monster, it appeared to be some sort of dog mutation. With its facial features replaced with a black hole. The most noticeable thing about the monster was that there were gooey black blobs between its legs that were shaped like dogs with white goo representing their faces. The faces looked scared and worried. The white beast perked its ears, it slowly padded towards Celestia. "AWWOOO???" The filly did the only thing that could be done, pet the dog mutation. As she pet the monster it's hole began to spit up some dog slobber, it was happy. "Aww, your just a big softie aren't you?" The pony cooed, petting it gently, "What are you anyway?" The mutated monster let out distorted barks, "AAN! GA!! MU!! GE!" Celestia quickly realised that the monster was trying to say it's name, she tried to depicted the sounds "Algamugas?" The gooey monster shook its head and tried again, "AN!! AGA!! ATES!!" "Amalgams? Amagates? Amalgamites?" The monsters ears perked up and the last depiction, "Amalgamates?" The dog woofed happily and ran around the Alicorn. Celestia giggled, "So your an Amalgamate? Are there others?" The Amalgamate nodded and let out a bellowing bark, suddenly other white goopy monsters appeared in thin air, some parts of the Amalgamates were parts from other monster the pony had encountered. Some part of Celestia was saying she should ran away in screaming terror, but the other half was saying she should stay. The dog Amalgamate made distorted bellowing bakes and woofs to the other monsters, they replied with high pitched screeching or gurgled muttering. They all turned to the filly, staring at her intently. Celestia felt nervous, "Umm...something wrong?" The bird-like monster screeched, "£€#Y@+€¥£?" it made nonsensical noises that Celestia couldn't decipher even if she tried. "I don't understand." The monster that looked like a snowdrake muttered something in reply, "...you are...the one....she had..told us.....you'd come..." "Wh-what? Wh-who told you?" The filly stammered. The Amalgamates didn't seem to care about answering the question, they just muttered about how Celestia had supposedly 'set them free'. Suddenly a yowl pierced through the air, the Amalgamates glanced at the source of the noise and either scattered or dissipated. Celestia wondered who had made the noise that made a giant dog monster scurry away like a frightened puppy. She spotted the noise maker and gasped in surprise, it was a winged cat, the same winged cat from her weird dream. "Come and find me" The voice echoed in her mind. The feline unfolded it's wings and flew across the room, disappearing into a hallway. Celestia instinctively ran, following the feline, "What up!" Where the cat was taking her, she didn't know. Celestia followed the cat across the long hallway, it wasn't easy to the alicorn's surprise, this cat was fast. The pony was determined to follow it, wanting questions answered. "*huff* *huff* S-slow down! *puff* *huff*" The feline seemed to respond when it slowed down significantly, entering the room ahead of her. Celestia quickly entered the room, she saw the cat licking its paw, sitting on some weird rock. She gasped for air, "*pant* How are *wheeze* you so *pant* fast!?" After she caught her breath, Celestia glanced at the winged feline, she then noticed the rock it was sitting on. 'How did I miss that!?!' The cat was sitting not on a rock, but a crystal, a humongous, dark purple crystal, stretching to almost the far sides of each wall and disappearing into the seemingly bottom-less floor surrounding it. The pony stared awestruck, "Is... Is this what you wanted to show me?" She asked the cat. "Not exactly" The feline replied telepathically to a startled Celestia, "Quickly now, over here" It flew downwards and entered a room to the crystal's left. The pony followed. In the room, was an old television with bookshelves filled with VHSes on either side. There was also a strange screen on the left-hand side of the room. The alicorn was baffled, "Why'd you bring me here?" She check out the blank screen on the wall, it lit up when she approached it. ENTRY NUMBER 4: I've been researching ponies to see if I can find any info about their SOULS. I ended up snooping around the castle... And found these weird tapes. I don't feel like ASGORE's watched them... I feel like he should watch some... other he shouldn't. 'Alphys must've written this, but what did she mean by weird tapes' Celestia wondered in her head. "How about you find out?" The cat suggested, startling the pony again. "Will you stop!? It's kinda creepy when a cat can read your mind" The feline meowed in response, "...Not a good start, but I'll take it" Celestia looked under the Television to see a VHS player and bunch of tapes, they seemed to be labeled in a specific order. 'Guess I'll start with number one' The filly lifted up the tape labeled '1' and pushed it in the slot, Celestia stared at the TV and waited. Voices were heard, but no video was showing. "Psssst, Gorey, wake up." "Mm? What is it, dear? ....err, and why do you have that video camera?" "Shush! I want to get your reaction. Gorey, dearest. What is my favourite vegetable?" "Hmm... Carrots, right?" "No no no! My FAVOURITE vegetable is... Eda-MOM-e ...get it???" "... Go back to bed, dear." "No no!! Not yet! Heeheehee. Now, if I were a dog, what breed of dog would I be?" "Hmm... I don't know, honey. What kind of dog would you be?' "I would be... A MOMERANIAN." "Hohoho! You sure are excited to have this child. You know, if you keep making jokes like this... One day, you could be... A famous MOMedian." "... Well, I am going to bed." "Hey! Come on, Tori! That one was funny!" "Hahaha, I know. I am just teasing you. Goodnight, dear." "Goodnight, honey." "... Oh dear, perhaps it is too dark in here for the video to come out..." Celestia's heart fluttered when she heard the voice of her mother, it felt so heart-warming to her. 'So mom, and ASGORE... Were a couple? ... I knew it' "Sure you did" "I thought you'd stop with that!!" Celestia exclaimed irritated. Nonetheless, she took out the last tape and put in the next. "Tape number 2, what do you show" "Hey, Sombra! Do you like the snow?" "..." "Sombra that's not an answer! *Huff* Well, um, I'm wondering, how are you not cold? It's like, freezing right now, I'd be a Popsicle if if it weren't for my sweater." "..." "Sombra this isn't funny. Hmm.. *snap* I know your weakness~ I'll give you some chocolate if you answer my question" "...*CHOMP*...*gobble* *smack*" "Good, now that you'll talk, I got a question. How do you not feel the cold?" "Hmm... I guess I don't feel it since it's always cold in my home town" "Ohhhh.... That makes sense. Can you answer my other questions too?" "..." "I thought you stopped with the shrugging!? I don't want the video to be just you shrugging!!" "Heheheh. Then it's a good thing the the lens cap is still on." "What!? Aww... Oh well" As the video ended, Celestia's mind started to fill with more questions. She quickly put in the next, tape, hoping that it could answer the questions. "Howdy, Sombro! Smile for the camera!" "...noo.." "What!? Why not?" "...leave me aloooonnneee..." "Not until I get my answer Sombro!" "Ugh... 1. It's...what time is it?" "3AM." "Exactly... 2. You promised to never wake me up unless it's breakfast time... and 3. The lens cap's on... So let me sleeeeep..." "But we gotta wake up dad! Remember what day it is!?" "...what happens if I say no?" "IT'S THE DAY I GET TO LEARN MAGIC WITH DAD!! NOW GET UP!! Or I'll make you". "...first off, you don't need to scream in my ear... second off, how will YOU make me?" "I'll give you my slice of butterscotch pie for a month." "..." "Well?" "I'm thinking..... Okay." "Yes! Come on, Sombro! Let's wake up dad" "*Yawn* You forgot the...camera. *Sigh* There not pie in the underground that can wake dad up" The pony put the next tape in. "Okay, got the camera set up Goat bro" "Is the lens cap off?" "...yes..." "Okay, great! Now can I open your gift Sombro? Please~" "Of course, here you go" "*Rip* *GASP* Oh my... You gave me a mini guitar!? I never knew I wanted that until now!! Thank you Sombra!" "Heh... Your welcome. But I think it's actually called a ukulele... since you kept humming that annoying tune over and over again, I thought that you could make that hum into music... Or, something like that." "This is soooo cool! Oh! I want to give you something as well!" "M-me!? It's YOUR birthday, not mine. I don't even know when mine is..." "Exactly! Since we don't know when your birthday was, I thought you could have it with me? So, here you go!" "*Rip* ....." "Tada!" "...." "...um...Sombro? Sombra?" "...it's a locket..." "I know. 'Best brothers forever!' And I also asked mom to stitch that sweater up too! So we can be sweater bros! Sounds great right!?" "....." "Do..do you not like -OOF!" "I'll cherish it forever. I'll cherish this moment for as long I live, I promise." "Heeheehee! You like it?" "I love it. And I love you, Asriel" "I love you too, Sombra" "..." "..." "Asriel... I was wondering... Do you-" The video ended abruptly, "What the- What happened next!?" Celestia tapped on the TV screen, wanting more. She swore she heard the cat laugh. The pony, slightly disappointed, put in the next tape. *Zwoosh* *ZAP* *Crackle* "...woah...he's gotten better... HEY SOMBRA!" *ZZNnnnnn* "A-Asriel!? H-how did you find- Were you following me???" "No silly! I wanted to see you practice your magic! And I got the camera this time. Soooo can you do that creepy face again?! Please~" "...N-No, Asriel. You aren't suppose to see me like this, no one should!" "Aww come on Sombro~ Your eyes look so cool when you summon those crystals! Can you show me on camera!?" "...No. Just, just leave me alone" "W-wait! Sombra, come back! I still want to see it!" "I said, LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" *BZZOWW* "AAAHHHHH!!!!" *Clack..* "Oh no! The camera!" "...I... I didn't mean to..." "Few! The camera's alright! But the cap was still on... Hey Sombro! Can you do your creepy face ag- Um...Sombro? Sombra! Where'd you go!?!" The filly felt something bad was going to happen, or, happened. She put in the next tape. "Sombra...? Are you alright? Why'd you bring me hear?" "...Remember that time, when we made the buttercup pie...?" "What? Oh, yeah, I remember. When we tried to make butterscotch pie Dad, right?" "Yeah... The recipe asked for cups of butter... and I'd mistaken it for buttercups." "Yeah! Those flowers got him really sick. I felt so bad, we made Mom really upset. I should've been tougher like you... You didnt cry at all. Um...Where are you going with this anyway?" "...Turn off the camera first" "Huh? The camera...? OK." 'I got a bad feeling about this...' Celestia nonetheless put in the next tape. "I... I don't like this idea, Sombra." "Are you crying?" "Wh...what? N-no, I'm not..... big kids don't cry." "And we're big kids, right?" "Yeah, you're right?" "You aren't doubting me... Are you?" "No! I'd never doubt you, Sombra... Never! We're best brothers after all" "'Course we are. We'll be strong, won't we?" "Y...yeah! We'll be strong! We'll free everyone. ... I'll go get the flowers." ... Celestia slowly put in the last tape... "Sombra... can you hear me? We want you to wake up..." "Sombra! You have to stay determined! You can't give up... You are the future of ponies and monsters..." "Psst... Sombra... Please... wake up... I don't like this plan anymore. I... I... no, I said... I said I'd never doubt you. Six, right? We just have to get six... And we'll do it together, right? Even if it's the last thing we'll do..." Silence was the only thing audible from the room. Celestia sat in shock for a long while. If it weren't for the winged feline to meow for attention, she would've been sitting there forever. "Come, there is one last thing you need to see" Celestia silently followed the feline to the room before, the crystal room. The alicorn spotted the cat staring into the giant mineral solemnly. After a few seconds, Celestia grew confused, "What is it that I need to see?" The winged monster glance at her, then pointed her tail to the crystal. Celestia sat down and looked into the dark purple mineral, she saw her reflection and the cat's staring back at her. "I still don't get it, I only see our reflection's..." The feline didn't drift it's gaze to the pony, only staring intently at the crystal, "Look closer... Look harder...". She raised a brow at first, but did as the winged feline instructed. She kept staring into the rock, she began to see something coming into view. It was a pony. It appeared to be a foal, around Celestia's age. He had a dark grey pelt and pitch black mane and tail, he also had a symbol on his flank, Three black crystals with green lightning surrounding them. The two most noticeable things about him was that he was chained in black crystal chains, probably containing him in the crystal. The other more noticeable thing was his eyes, pupils slitted red and a purple aura flowing from each corner of his eyes. Celestia realised who this pony was, "Sombra.." Said pony looked at Celestia, sending a chill down her spine. He stared, emotionless, Sombra drifted his gaze towards something else and glared. Sombra was glaring at the winged cat. They seemed to be in a staring contest, but Celestia knew they we're most likely having a telepathic conversation. The gray unicorn turned his head away from both of then and lied down. He began to fade until all Celestia could see was her own reflection. "What were you saying to him?" She asked the feline. Said monster simply glanced at her then pounced into the crystal, the rock had ripped like a river when the cat hopped in, startling the alicorn. Not a second later, the cat hopped back next to her. Celestia had about enough, she furrowed her brows, "Okay listen, I want to know what just happened. I just want specific answer, that's all I ask." The cat let out a 'meow' of laughter and revealed something, it was a black heart, Sombra's SOUL. Before Celestia could even say anything, the heart zapped her chest, the pony would've been fried if it weren't for the feline to step in and stop the lighting. "Sorry about that. It is still a bit unstable..." After the shock of being...shocked, Celestia looked back at the SOUL, "Wh...what are you going to do with it?" "Put him back were he belongs..." "P-pony! W-where are you!?!" The familiar voice of Alphys echoed from the hallway. Celestia turned her head around and saw Alphys coming through the hallway, "Alphys! You're here!" "Oh my god, you're okay! What're you doing here?" "Oh! I was just-" Celestia stopped when she didn't see the cat behind her, 'Where'd they go?' "You were just, what?" Alphys asked. "Oh, uh...nothing, just exploring this place" The filly lied. "So, you're n-not feeling dizzy? O-or sick? Or a-about to explode?" The pony shook her head, "Okay, that's a good start. Pony, I-I need you to come with m-me. I just want t-to check up, t-to see if you're okay." Alphys walked out of the room with the filly in pursuit. Celestia took one last look at the crystal, that strangely looked like the colour had been drained from it.