Sombra Dislikes Crystals

by The Apologetic Pony

Griffin's Hate Ammonite

Sombra took some lengthy breaths before he went outside, into the Canterlot Palace garden. The sun was strangely bright.

‘Hey.’ said Luna.

Sombra didn’t speak at all, until he sat beside her, then he said ‘hey.’

‘Yeah hey.’

‘Wasn’t it more romantic that way?’

‘It was definitely quirky if that’s what you were going for.’

‘Oh Luna... ah whatever. Did you have something in mind?’

‘Um, yeah, to teach you? Celestia was just tryin’ to stop us, well I mean me teaching you, but I have something in mind.’

‘Oh?’

Sombra wasn’t sure if he was asking about Celestia or whatever she had in mind. She might not be either.

‘I was experimenting last night, and I think I found something. It still really tires you out to make a big crystal right?’

‘Yup.’

‘Can you fuse them?’

‘Like, together?’

‘Duh.’

‘Haha, funny funny. I haven’t done it before but if I try, should be okay.’

Sombra quickly conjured two hoof sized stones, and then fused them with minimal effort.

‘Yup, looks fine. I don’t know if you noticed but those are also a lot bigger that which I could originally do with no effort like that.’

‘Aren’t I great teacher, Som-bra?’

‘If I’m great, you’re great, yeah.’

‘So serious, jee.’

‘Hey it’s just, a teacher’s as good as her students, you know. Philosophy’s serious business.’

‘You name me somepony who can live off philosophy.’

Sombra was mildly impressed.

‘Anyway my idea, from that, is that if you could fuse them as you made them, you’d be able to make as big a crystal as you wanted. Fuse ten of those together, and you’ve got quite something.’

Could make them into any shape I wanted, like a spear. Fuck off.

‘I think you’re right. I guess I get to work on that, but there was something I wanted to show you first.’

‘Are you not going to ask about my sister?’

‘Eh, maybe, but watch this. Kiss me first, for research.’

‘For research huh?’ said Luna, before indulging.

Sombra momentarily thought that he heard some birdsong, but it was so brief, that it couldn’t have been real. What an odd thing to think.

Once he’d pulled back, Sombra starting concentrating, hard.

‘Don’t knock yourself out, kiddo.’ Luna said, frowning.

Suddenly, a crystalline sphere appeared, and then Sombra breathed a sigh of relief. It was about a quarter of the size of him.

‘And now...’

Sombra made some separate sharp crystals and then fused them to the floating ball, making it suitable for some oversized, brutal ball and chain.

‘Nasty huh?’ Sombra said, trying his best to sneer at his marefriend. He didn’t do a good job.

‘I thought we were going to play some catch until you did that!’

‘Aha yeah, I guess.’

‘Were you trying to intimidate me, Som-bra? That was a very sweet attempt, if you were!’

‘Mmm.’

‘Aren’t you just adorable?’

‘Yeah ‘cus your coltfriend having a cutiemark for killing his fillyfriend is so adorable.’

‘Firstly, no, you don’t. Secondly, you go ahead and try to kill me with that, you think you’ll do anything?’

I don’t, that’s not what it is? She knows what it is? Huh?

‘Huh?’

‘Go on, try.’

‘I couldn’t do that!’

‘Exactly.’

‘No, not exactly.’

‘You must have practised hard to be able to make a sphere that large though, so congratulations on that! Thanks for showing me, even if you did want to scare me, hehe.’

‘Does it not concern you that I did want to scare you?’

‘I think you’ve realised it’s an insincere attempt to break up with me, or rather, get away from me. You don’t need to feel guilty about this imagined fate of yours, Som-bra, but like, I’ve done similar in the past, so it’s okay. Not with you of course. Phantoms haunt us all.’

‘You really don’t know what my cutiemark is, do you?’

Sombra noticed the (phantom) lump in his throat, and was nearly in tears by the time Luna had answered.

‘No, but I think your suggestion is the unlikeliest of cases. Oh don’t you cry on me, you big foal.’

‘I can’t believe you, Luna! Why can’t I?’

Luna went to snuggle up to him.

‘If you don’t believe me, Som-bra, find your own proof. Find my apparent guilt, or something to end this tangent you’re on. I hate you upset.’

Sombra stopped all but two more tears. Not that you’d been crying properly crying in the first place.

‘I feel like asking about your sister now.’

Luna released him and said, ‘Yeah, that’s a thing. Let me get her.’

‘Is she not busy?’ Sombra thought, but she was gone before he realised.

Luna returned with Celestia in a chumley headlock.

‘What are you doing, they’re going to think you’re a drunk!’ barked Celestia.

‘I’m sure they were all suitably amused, sister. Now, my coltfriend over here would like to know why you’re interfering with his studies.’

‘Oh hello, Sombra.’

‘Hi.’

‘Can I just tell him to talk to me later, Luna, does that count?’

‘That’s up to him.’

‘Uh, sure. I—’

Sombra was interrupted by a powerful blast of wind when Celestia blinked out of existence. Luna seemed even more surprised, as she awkwardly slumped onto the ground, no longer leaning on her sister.They were both in hysterics soon after.

‘What did you do?’ Sombra asked between chortles.

‘Stumbled into some super serious meeting, apologised, and yoinked her here. It was the absolute best! You see how she flapped her wings a ton when I brought her here? She does that when she’s all flustered, it’s great, oh my gosh it’s great!’

‘What was that gust even?’

‘Probably her telling me to fuck off! It was definitely her, at least. I hope I haven’t sent Equestria to war, Som-bra. It was griffin's she was talking with, and I wasn’t in there long enough to recognise any of them.’

Ponies typically had a hard time distinguishing griffins from one another, though the inverse wasn’t true. Not that it couldn’t be overcome through the course of a conversation, but at a glance, they all looked the same. Popular gossip said that Celestia had practiced for many hours connecting faces to names.

‘I’m sure it was worth it.’

‘Yup.’

Sombra told Luna he’d be visiting the library tomorrow, and then made some minimal progress towards fusing crystals instantly. And while his grief had lulled in the face of Luna’s silliness, he’d only become more convinced Luna was holding a black shroud. I know I’m gonna find it.