Sombra Dislikes Crystals

by The Apologetic Pony

Garnets Can't Play The Piano

Sombra and his father were left in a foreboding silence. Of course, the son was well aware of his power, a terrible noose waiting to be tugged at. Alex felt like a hostage at this point.

Knock knock, went the door, louder this time.

‘She has keys.’

‘Go clean yourself up would you?’

‘We’ll talk later.’ Sombra said, sounding more threatening than he’d intended. Mind you, there wasn’t much he could have said that wouldn’t have been threatening. Perhaps you shouldn’t have said anything at all.

Alex hastily stuffed the bloodied towel into the bottom of the tiny washing pile.

‘What are you doing, darling?’

‘Oh I just thinking that I’d left some keys in there... How was your friend?’

‘He seemed lonely, but he’s been doing okay. We reminisced about our school days, had coffee.. He remembers a lot more than I do, which is a bit sad, haha.’

The rest of the day was uneventful. Alex and Sombra didn’t ‘talk later,’ but they did have a peculiarly terse supper, to Robyn’s bafflement. For as much as Sombra despised Alex for what he’d done, Sombra felt a distinct guilt. He didn’t want to have an invitation for blackmail over his father, or over anypony for that matter, it was unfair. Probably terrified I’m going to snitch on him.

The next morning, Sombra was awoken by his father’s calls.

‘Sombra! You said you were going to see Luna today!’

‘Comming!’

Drowsy because he’d woken early yesterday, Sombra repeated the same routine he’d done since school, which was: shower, teeth, breakfast, (how he pined for tasteless toothpaste) money and then keys (just in case). The only difference was that his bag had the train tickets he’d bought yesterday, instead of school textbooks. Just as he’d stepped outside, his father pulled him aside.

‘You’re not going to tell her, are you?’

‘What, Robyn? Only if you’re not going to tell her.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘It means you better tell her, dumbass!’

Sombra strode off to the station, got on the train to Canterlot, and at some point found himself amused at his little outburst. Bit cold. But you don’t like him do you? Yeah, and rightly so, the dumbfuck. Maybe having this power isn’t so bad.

It was just as he arrived in Canterlot when he realised he’d made a terrible mistake. Luna was nocturnal. So what does a young stallion in Canterlot do? He had some expensive coffee, wandered the bustling streets, and gave his change to a street performer, as it turned out. Canterlot was its own world, where shops of all kinds (some more dubious than others) were plentiful, even outside the commercial districts. And where there weren’t merchants, there was art. He’d past libraries, galleries, sculptures and theaters, and all looked as if they were held with great prestige. There were an array of plays, the most popular of which were on fictional democracies, interestingly enough. Still, by evening, he was exhausted. Hope she’s not gonna make me do anything too strenuous. Nah, it’ll be fine.

‘Welcome Som-bra! You’re a bit early.’

Sombra slumped onto the uncomfortable bench, opposite—not next to Luna.

‘I’ve been wandering around this city all day, so it doesn’t feel like it to me.’

‘You should have come here!’

‘Maybe I should have.’

‘Even if I wasn’t available, I’m sure they’d let you use the library, if you’d like.’

It took them ten minutes before they got off the small talk.

‘What are we going to be doing tonight?’

‘We can do a few exercises if you’d like. I think the easiest and simplest way for us build trust would be by simply performing magic together.’

Sombra asked if the ‘trust thing’ was a ‘big deal,’ to which Luna replied ‘It might save our lives one day,’ staring at him, with her azure eyes, in way so it seemed she’d been piercing his soul. Luna went on to ask, ‘Do you play any instruments, Sombra?

‘I had some piano lessons when I was in primary school but that’s about it.’

‘But for example you could play, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, or something else basic?’

‘It doesn’t get more basic than that, I think I could still play it.’

‘Excellent! Follow me if you please.’

Luna took him through a courtyard and a flight of stairs before they reached a room that appeared smaller than it was, because the magnificent piano occupied an equally magnificent space. For once the ceiling wasn’t excessively high; Sombra could have jumped to reach it.

‘It’s gorgeous!’ Sombra said.

‘It’s a shame it doesn’t get played more often... Could you play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for me then?’

Sombra devoured the sight further before he sat down on the piano stool.

‘You could be playing this.’

‘But I’d play it in a different way to you, Som-bra!’

‘With your wings, knowing you.’ (Extremely demeaning.)

‘Yes and you’d play it with your horn.’ Luna made a faint motion to slam his horn onto the keys.

Sombra played out the simple tune with his hoof, as any pianist should do. He was marginally confused that Luna had leaned in, intently watching him press the keys.

‘Now I want you to play it with your horn.’

‘...It was dry the first time.’

Luna played the first three notes with her horn, telekinetically.

‘Oh.’

It was significantly harder with magic. Sombra had to apply relatively precise, brief pressure to the keys, release them and then repeat in rapid succession. It was a similar challenge (if somewhat easier) to levitating multiple, small objects at once, you had to be constantly aware of where the note was, where the next one was going to be and if you weren’t, you’d most likely end up hitting two keys at once. For a simple tune in particular, magic required more concentration than hoof movement ever would.

Luna stretched as Sombra toiled, never finishing the entire tune faultlessly, as she’d insisted he should do nothing less. ‘Well, at least it’s good for my ego, if not his.’ Luna thought.

‘Not so easy, playing it with your horn?’

‘Apparently not. It’s like, learning a way harder tune for the piano, done conventionally. I know where the keys are, but getting my horn to cooperate is a different story. Could you do it?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’m sure you could do better.’

‘It’s grossly unfair, Sombra. I’ve been living for too long.’

‘I’d still like you to show me, if you don’t mind... And trust, right?’

‘Trust.’

Sombra stood in expectancy, and by the time he’d left the seat, Luna had already teleported somewhere and back again, now with a turquoise bandana slinked over her neck.

‘That was fast.’

‘As I’ve said Som-bra, it’s grossly unfair. In some areas, even the masters or the artisans haven’t had as much time in their craft like I have. What I can do does cap though. Don’t forget that, else you think I’m a scholar in everything.’

‘And the scarf?’

‘Bandanna turned blindfold, to make things a bit fairer.’

‘You don’t have to handicap yourself for me!’

‘Ah but it adds pressure!’

Quite the jump from fairness to pressure.

Luna sat on the stool and asked Sombra to tie her blindfold.

‘Where did you even get a turquoise bandana?’

‘Made to order place called Indigo. Would you like one?’

‘Er, I don’t know...’

‘You could get your own colour, and we’d be the... The Bandana Ponies?’

I hope not.

Once the cloth was securely fastened, Luna pressed every key (just to get a feel for it, she said) and went on to play a melancholic tune. Sombra was too embarrassed to admit it, but Luna (blindfolded) was better than he’d ever been, magic or none. She’s enjoying herself though... Sombra didn’t find the instrument to be much fun. The things we’re forced to do rarely are.

Luna swayed her head to the command of the harmony, ebbing, flowing, haunting. Is this what she spends her time doing? Idly mastering what she thinks are her hobbies? What a strange life Luna leads.

‘Phew, I really had to concentrate for that.’

‘...You’re amazing.’

‘Thank you, but I’ve got to cite my age again.’

‘And just how old you?’

‘Would you like to know?’