Sombra Dislikes Crystals

by The Apologetic Pony

Ruby, Don't Lie To Me

Tinker’s father’s name had no significance.

Sombra went back to Tinker’s room, continuing to dwell on the possible relation between his talent, and his magic. Tinker offered to have him stay for the night, and Sombra gladly accepted, his parents wouldn’t worry. At some point Sombra asked why his friend was acting so differently than when they were at school.

‘Is that so, Sombra? I hadn’t noticed.’

‘What do you mean you hadn’t noticed, how could you have possibly not have noticed? You’re like a different pony!’

‘How?’

‘You’re... agressive.’

‘Aggressive?’

‘But in like a boisterous kind of way. You’re timid at school.’

‘I hadn’t noticed; I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘You’re the weird one then, Tinker. I don’t get it.’

‘Hey, colt, you gotta do what you gotta do.’

‘Even if it doesn’t make sense.’

That’s all Sombra remembered, not that there was much else to remember from then. He’d been thinking about the implications of his aura for months on end, and yet there remained a sense of unease, shrouding it all. He was disturbed by it, now that he was focusing on it. Not knowing something so personal and significant disturbed him. Like all unicorns reasonably proficient in magic, Sombra considered it (aura included) as a part of his identity. Sombra had thought about it before, of course, but not about how it affected him. Tinker’s father had seemed utmostly noble, yet he didn’t want to ask him to effectively further the investigation about himself. And so he was left pondering, which became brooding, once the more positive avenues had expired. Instead of, ‘I wonder what this unknown means to me?’ his thoughts were ‘I wonder how this unknown harms me?’ Eventually Sombra would have turned pensive, and concluded that it was both, but the arrival somepony else intervened, just over a year later.

Tinker’s and Sombra’s friendship strengthened further over a year and the two really did miss each other when they parted soon after. In the final year of basic education in Equestria, when Sombra was sixteen, the Royal Sisters were touring the schools of the land, and answering the many questions of students on what it was like to be princesses.

Each school organised who and how everypony got to ask their questions independently from other schools. Sombra’s particular school, had one pony from each class act as the vessel of that class, separate from the normal classroom representatives. As you’d expect, there was some overlap, but the teachers modified the final lists to keep repetition minimal. This unegotiable alteration was to the agitation of the more independent if stubborn students and Sombra was one of them. Of course there was no unseemly revolution over it, but Sombra did get somewhat vocal to his teachers and friends. This was problematic, considering he’d been the only volunteer in his class. Coupled with his previous suspension, even the meager responsibility of compiling then reading a series of questions was seen as barely tenable. Granted there was some symbolic meaning to it, but Sombra was just the voice of one class, in a unique (albeit significant) event.

As things turned out, Sombra kept the position, though cold and hesitant relations remained. But exactly like the little rebel he’d come to be, he tried his best not to care. It wasn’t as if he was going be here much longer – next Summer Sun Celebration and he’d be away. With adolescence, gone was the influence of his father, let people do what they want, tolerance in abundance and acceptance in even more abundance! Dare not impose your will to others, treat individuals as ends in themselves, judge yourself not by the standards of society! That was what he liked to think was his creed, as for reality, I’m not so sure, but who are we to judge? That’s what people with hindsight are meant to do isn't it, judge? Sombra still respected Alex, Sombra saw him as a better stallion now then he’d done in foalhood, and a better father even. He’d only based his liberal views to veer away from what Alex was when Sombra was younger. You could say that Alex had been a role model in the form of a terrible warning, but not as much anymore.

Finally, it was time.

‘Good morning, everypony!’

‘Good morning, Mister Alston.’

Alston pretended to be tone-deaf as usual.

‘As I’m sure you know, we have some very special guests visiting us today, for their tour of all the schools they reign over. Your class voted representatives are standing here, to my right, where, as I’m sure you’ve heard already, they will ask your questions. Please give them your most enthusiastic applause!’

And they did. They actually clopped their hooves together, because they were seated. The stamping of hooves on ground was only for standing ponies, when they didn’t have two arms free.

‘Without further ado, would you please welcome, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia!’

In contrast to the representatives, Luna received cheers mingled with the harsh sound of hooves colliding. Celestia was nowhere to be seen; murmurs rippled through the crowd. Luna gracefully took to the podium.

‘My fairest greetings to you all. Before we begin, I would like to apologise in the stead of my sister, who has been called to urgent matters. I’m sure she would have enjoyed being here. I would also like to thank Mister Alston, for his kind introduction.’

Alston made a dismissive gesture from the back of the stage.

‘So, shall we start? What’s your name,’ Luna said, looking one of the representatives in the eye.

Alston hesitantly walked up to the princess and whispered something in her ear.

‘My apologies! I should have known that an order had been set. Whoever is first, please ask when you are ready.’

The first representative to speak fumbled with the microphone.

‘T-thank you your highness.’

‘Please dear call me Luna. Our subjects should call us by name, don’t you think?’

For somepony so versed in public speaking, Luna was certainly making it hard on the colts and fillies.

‘Okay, Princess Luna. For everypony who doesn’t know, I’m the representative of class F and my name is...’

For the most part, it wasn’t very interesting.

‘What would you be if you weren’t a princess?’

‘I’m not certain. That’s akin to asking what I’d prefer as a cutiemark, and nopony knows the answer to that.’

‘What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?’

There was chuckling from the crowd.

‘Oh my, I haven’t heard that question before. Um, living for as long as I do... many things come to mind. My sister once fooled me into asking a stranger where his clothes were.’

‘Is being a princess fun?’

‘It’s difficult sometimes. You must not think of us as perfect, as we’re sometimes talked about. We get tired, and fed up and sad just like you. My sister and I don’t always get along, but nothing brings me greater joy than to see the smiles on your faces, and the skips in your hooves, and that’s what makes it fun.’

‘What’s your favourite pastime?’

‘Decorating the sky with beautiful stars, if that counts. Although it does get a bit lonely.’

‘Who has more work, you, or your sister?’

‘Haha, I’m glad she’s not here to stop me from telling the truth! I’m joking, but we normally do different kinds of work. She tends to go to the social gatherings, while I look at the many smaller, nationally proposed changes. I seldom go outside the borders for official duties, but she often does.’

Comments

[CartsBeforeHorses]

There's things that I like about this story and things that I don't like about it.

Let's start off with the negative first.

For one, you tend to tell a lot more than you show. I would really like to have seen some of Sombra's experimentation with magic in a bit more depth. You could've written the scene where he first learns his magic, since we never get to see it. Also, the relationship with his father, I feel like you could flesh this out a lot more. Why does he hate his father? He says that Alex is abusive, but we never actually see him actually being abusive. Grounding Sombra for crushing his sister's prized gem is what a lot of parents would do. Even the part where he smacks him, a lot of parents spank their kids. It doesn't automatically mean they're abusive. Show him like talking down to Sombra and calling him worthless, show him physically abusing Sombra, etc.

Another negative is that this doesn't really feel like a pony story. Let's start with the fact that Sombra rose to power at least 1,000 years ago. Yet we see things like cans of beer, modern schools, and modern lingo like "fuck" and "pedo." It feels more like a high school drama than anything.

But, here's the positive. You have a very interesting storytelling style. You can be a bit wordy at times, but you have just enough snark to make it interesting to read. You're really blunt, and do a good job writing like a disaffected and troubled teenager would. That alone kept me reading.

Also, I like a lot of your headcanon. The thing about unidentified cutie mark syndrome is an interesting bit of headcanon.

I'll fave this and see where it goes.