The Return of A King

by Zarmflamekin

Chapter 3

Spike walked over to Twilight and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay Twilight.”

“No it’s not Spike.” Twilight sighed as she stood up, Spike’s hand slipping away. “I just blew up at him, and upsetting somepony of his stability is never right, he might be out there right now questioning everything he’s thought he’s put together. I might have just done something irreversible.” She took up her tea and took a sip of the now mild drink. “But what he said, it just doesn’t make sense. Sure he could be from the Crystal Empire, and something may be stopping him from using magic, but being here? And never have seeing an alicorn before, those pieces just don’t add up.”

Rarity glanced down at Spike, and he the same. Rarity sighed. “Spike, can you go make sure Somber’s doing all right? I’ll fill Twilight in.”

“Sure.” Spike nodded solemnly as he headed back. Twilight eyed her fashionista friend with doubt.

“I figured there was more to this than you started with. What kind of sob story did he sell you?”

“No sob story Twilight, it's an actual plight.” Rarity sighed again as she sat down at the table across from Twilight. “To start with, we didn’t find Somber in the forest, we found him in the Diamond Dog mines.” And before Twilight could begin to berate her, Rarity held Twilight’s lips together with her magic. “Yes, I know, dangerous and what not, but I’ll talk to you about that later with the others. But we found him in the Diamond Dog mines in a completely sealed off chamber with the exception of a very deep pool. Rover and his workers came across it accidently, where Somber was laying unconscious.” Rarity let her magic fade to let Twilight speak. “Now, if you want to explain to me how a powerless unicorn managed wind up in such a place, I would gladly hear it.”

Twilight was quiet for a moment longer, taking another sip of her tea before replying. “Has he given you a reason?”

“He first thought that his brother had put him there as a practical joke, but as more came to him… the less sense it made even to him.”

“His brother?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“He said it got very boring where he lived, so he and his brother would prank each other from time to time, and he said his brother’s favorite one was letting wake up in various places.”

“So he says.” Twilight said as she downed the rest of her tea. Placing the cup in the sink for washing, she sighed. “I don’t like it Rarity. He says that he’s never seen an alicorn before, which means he’s either lying, or he really is from the time that the Empire was an empire. But even then there had to have been records of Celestia and Luna in their libraries. Even the crystal ponies that were there after the suspension ended knew of them when they came to relieve them of Sombra.”

“That’s another thing. He doesn’t know about Sombra.”

“What?” Twilight looked at Rarity as if she had told her that the sky was always purple. “How can he not know about Sombra? He was the reigning tyrant for more than fifty years before his fall, there’s no possible way he couldn’t know.”

“I thought so too, but when he first started putting the pieces together, the last thing he could recall was that the Crystal Heart had been taken.”

“Which went missing when Sombra took over.” Twilight murmured to herself. “But this makes even less sense now, this would mean Somber is up to over seventy years old, relatively speaking of course.” Twilight looked up and into the distance thinking a few magical statistics over. “Or perhaps not. Prolonged stasis can cause major brain trouble, and if he were in that cave for the entire one thousand year suspension, it wouldn’t be a surprise that he couldn’t use magic anymore, it would have all been exhausted to keep him alive.” Twilight shook her head. “But that still doesn’t help with any of the many inconsistencies in his story.”

“Then maybe talking it out with him will help.” Rarity said as she stood. “Perhaps over dinner?” Twilight looked around and saw that everything was set and was even serving itself out for the three who would be eating it.

“I’ll be out with it in a second then, I should grab something for Spike.” Twilight smiled, and pleased to know Twilight hadn’t given up on Somber, Rarity contently left.

As Twilight set yet another find spell for a decent platter of gems for Spike, she began running over all of the history before Sombra that she could in her head.

The Empire had been expansive in its time, spanning Equestria’s entire current northern border above Canterlot and quite a bit into the Griffon kingdom over the eastern ocean. The Empire also had quite the military streak for their time, always seeming to gain more and more land progressively away from their capital. And if they were feeling kind, making trade agreements with existing nations, such as the young Equestria.

In the time shortly before Sombra, King Sharla Mane had found the Empire to cumbersome to expand further, and the Empire grew the least in his reign. Instead he had turned his attention towards the intellectual and practical, since a majority of his kingdom was unfit toward agriculture. And to her recollection, King Sharla Mane was quite the procreator, with well over 15 foals of multiple mares, it could very likely that Somber could have been one of them. But the contradiction rose from Sombra’s claim to be the only heir left, after his ‘father’ had already passed and the rest had ‘vanished’. Many of the royal lineage’s body’s were found near the edge of Equestria from adventurous colts.

Many, but not all.

Twilight was still pondering her conundrum as she gathered the plates and utensils and headed into the sitting area where the others were comforting Somber. He was laying on the couch with his eyes downcast into the flames of the fireplace while Rarity was sitting in one of the chairs and Spike standing beside him. Spike noticed Twilight coming in and shook Somber lightly.

“It might not fix anything, but some food wouldn’t hurt would it?” Spike prompted as gently nodded his head toward Twilight. Somber looked behind him for a moment and sighed. Twilight lay out the plates in front of their recipients on the coffee table and took the remaining chair. Rarity took her portion and began eating quietly, glancing up to see if Somber would do the same.

After a few minutes of silence (except for the crunching from Spike’s meal), Somber spoke up. “I do appreciate you for trying to help, but from these given facts, I’m piecing together that I have no place to go.” He looked up at Twilight, who had put her plate down to hear him out. “If my possibility to not know an alicorn would rule me out from the suspension, then that means I was probably banished before it. And if that is true, then there really won’t be anypony to help me remember what I’m missing, and I would more than likely have been written out of any historical text. This just doesn’t bode well.”

Giving him a minute to add anything else, Twilight began to respond. “While it may be possible that you were banished, somepony still wanted you alive for some function, otherwise you wouldn’t have been banished, but instead killed. And if I can presume to put two pieces together of your own recollection and our own history, I would have to say you were saved by your brother.”

Somber looked at her confused, as did Rarity, but Spike seemed to know where Twilight was going. “How do you mean?” Somber asked.

“If one of your brother’s favorite pranks was to set you away while you were sleeping, he probably saved you from the coup of King Sombra.”

“Who?”

“King Sombra, the last King of the proper Crystal Empire after King Sharla Mane.”

“I don’t remember any Sombra…then again I don’t really recall anypony’s name. Who was he, and what do you mean coup?”

Twilight took a deep breath to recount the tragedy to Somber. “After King Sharla Mane passed, the kingdom was supposed to be turned over to his oldest son, Curia Mane, but nopony could find him. When they began looking for Sharla Mane’s other children, the only one who stepped forward was Sombra, saying he was one of Sharla Mane’s illegitimate children. He convinced Sharla Mane’s advisors of the fact by radiating the Crystal Heart by himself.”

“That does make sense.” Somber mused. “One of the king’s duties was to use the heart personally in times of dire need.”

“And it worked.” Twilight nodded. “But after that, the heart was never used again until about three years ago.”

“What? How long did Sombra rule the Empire?”

“About fifty years.”

“That’s crazy.” Somber muttered. “How could the empire function for fifty years without a single use of the Heart?”

“Dark magic.” Rarity said, immediately gaining Somber’s glare. “He used dark magic for his whims and needs.”

“But the Empire was founded on understanding and community. Using dark magic to run the empire would be lunacy, suicide even. It would never work.”

“It would if the Crystal Heart was never found.” Twilight said calmly. Somber glanced between the two mares before he began running his last memory in a loop. The more he ran it, the more he examined the holes, the harder he tried, the more solid his conclusion became.

“I failed the Empire.” He muttered in utter horror. “I failed the Empire and lead it to its downfall.” He sunk low in the couch, eyes wide in shock.

“Now Somber, you can’t have known-“ Rarity began.

“Known what!?” Somber snapped, not in rage, but in pain. “Know that my people would suffer from a tyrant? No, I couldn’t! But I did know! I knew something was wrong when the Heart went missing! I knew I had to do something about it, and I went alone, and failed! A whole generation grew up under the tyranny I could have prevented! I-“

“Somber Tones.” Twilight said in a flat, neutral voice. It added nothing to his frustration, but soothed Somber’s panic in an instant. He knew this feeling, the feeling of cowering before a higher power. The tension was stilled welled up inside, but he waited for Twilight’s voice first.

“What happened was unfortunate, but what happened, happened. It is done and gone, and we have learned. We cannot do anything for the generations past, but we can still help you. Now, as I said before, I think your brother saved you, but as he did so, the sort of enchantment he must have placed on you to keep you alive has drained all of your magic.”

“So…” Somber took a deep, steadying breath. “The only reason I can’t use magic is because I’ve been asleep to long?”

“In a sense. Since there’s nothing left of any sort of enchantments, I can’t say for sure, but I think when the Diamond Dogs found the chamber, it was very fortunate for you. If you would allow me, I would like to…” Twilight shuffled her hooves, loosing her regal tone. “Probe your mind.”

“Twilight!” Rarity looked aghast at the mention of her action.

“What?” Somber looked quizzically at Rarity. “It’s a simple mind probe for information.”

“But, but it get’s so private!” Rarity tried to explain to the blank faced stallion. “She could learn anything… everything about you.”

Somber frowned for only a split second before a coy smile. “And wouldn’t that be perfect? I would like a second opinion on my brain.” Somber gave a consenting nod to Twilight. “Do as you must.” He said as he lowered his head. Twilight lowered hers in response and began the spell. The magic emanated from her horn and reached the short distance between the two, and where a normal spark of magic for access was supposed to be, there was nothing. The magenta magic wound itself down his horn and into his head.

As Somber and Twilight were preoccupied, Spike crept his way toward Rarity, who was biting her lip in anxiety as she watched what was usually a very private, if not secret activity.

“What do you think she’s looking for in there?” Spike asked, making Rarity jump a little.

“I-I really don’t know Spike. She could be looking at any number of things right now. How he’s been up until now, how old he is by his last birthday, who his siblings are, who he dated last…” She couldn’t continue to say what she was thinking out loud, but Spike raised an eye at the mare.

“Would you check?”

“W-what, me?” Rarity put a hoof to her chest in innocent defense. “I-I wouldn't even know where to start… the spell that is, it’s so detailed in who you’re reading and how far you need to see. And the specifications for species are extensive, I’m sure only Twilight could do this on a whim.”

“Mmm.” Spike hummed to himself as he stroked his chin. Maybe it wouldn't be such a waste of time to learn a practical spell or two. Before he could ask Rarity about the beginnings of the probe spell, Somber and Twilight sighed as the magenta magic fizzled.

“I’m afraid my theory is correct after all. All of your magic channels are shot and you have slight necrosis in your Memorandum.” Twilight rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Whatever was using your magic to keep you asleep started making its way further into your brain. The necrosis must have just started when you were found, thus it only affected the names of the ponies you knew.”

“All right, but what about the time near the lake?” Somber asked. “Why can’t I remember anything past going there?”

Twilight shook her head. “I can’t explain that exactly. For all I can find, your memory jumps straight from there to the cave.” Twilight eyed Rarity for a second, causing her to look down in embarrassment. “But it’s not seamless, I can tell that much. Your waking is perfect, but the scene before is in tatters, as if somepony ripped it out.”

“So doesn't that mean there is some time between then and now that is unaccounted for?” Spike asked.

“I’m afraid so, but there’s nothing we can do about it.” Twilight sighed. “It was so long ago that there’s no way for me to recover it. I’m afraid that it may never come back.”

“I… Thank you Miss Twilight, for everything.” Somber gave a relaxed smile. “I think that puts my worst fears behind me.” Somber stood with resolution. “Like you said, what’s done is done and all I can do now is move forward.” With that, Somber rounded the couch and began heading to the door.

“Whoa whoa whoa, where do you think you’re going?” Spike ran in front of the unicorn.

“I need to get back home and see what’s changed. There’s no time to lose.”

“Oh no you don’t. You are going to sit right back down and eat your dinner and you are then going to have a relaxing conversation.” Spike emphasized by physically turning the stallion around, which shocked Somber. “And I am going to go fix the guest room and you are spending the night here.”

“Surely there are better things for you to attend to.” Somber protested lightly as Spike pushed him back to the bemused mares.

“Nope, right now your care is my business. Because if I know anything about how this works, I’m going to have to set this all up anyways.”

“Spike!” Twilight exclaimed as Rarity giggled at her friend’s blush.

“Now sit.” Spike pointed to the couch, where Somber somberly climbed back onto. Spike took his untouched meal and gave the underside a quick blast of heat and put it back. “Be careful, it’ll be hot for a minute or two.” And with those final words, Spike headed toward the basement where the guest bed was held. After closing the door behind him, he couldn't help but be giddy with what he had just done.

Somber was still staring blankly at the door Spike closed as Rarity continued to giggle and Twilight was slightly embarrassed.

“Bu-But I need to get back to the Empire, and he said it was a long ways away.” Somber said dumbfound to Rarity.

“And he’s right.” Rarity coughed the last of her giggles away. “But you can’t expect to get there by yourself at this late hour.”

“I know how to fend for myself, I’m not a helpless foal.” Somber said with a bit of hurt pride.

“You don’t need to fend for yourself Somber.” Twilight took the joy in seeing somepony else have a bit more naivety then her. “It might be a day or two to make arrangements to get there, but I think a train ride is a lot easier than hoofing it all the way to the Crystal Empire.”

“There that word is again, train. What is it? I’m told that it’s a sort of lo-co-motive was it?” Somber quizzically looked at Rarity, and the sparkle in Twilights eyes shined bright.

“Oh dear.” Rarity said under her hoof.

“You see Somber, after the Apple Famine of Celestial Year 238….”

---

“…And that’s why Sea Ponies went extinct.” Twilight finished as she collapsed her pointer.

“Aww, I always found those things adorable. Annoying, but adorable.” Somber bemoaned.

Spike had come up to find a strange setting. The couch, chairs, and coffee table had all been moved aside for Twilight’s blackboard and a desk for Somber to sit at. Rarity was fast asleep on the couch with a blanket draped lightly over her as she had fallen asleep halfway through the introduction of crop rotation to the Gryphon settlers for bait.

Somber, much to Spike’s surprise, had diligently taken notes on everything Twilight had lectured to him about. There were stacks of paper next to his desk, that once he had gotten used to writing again, were scrawled with notes and questions which Twilight had gladly answered. Though whether or not Twilight had seen his writing was questionable, since she was absorbed in her passion, as Spike picked up the top sheet and it was barely legible.

“I hope you’re not going to write a letter to anypony soon.” Spike commented, letting the two unicorns realize he had appeared. Somber looked down and saw Spike with his notes in claw and quickly snatched it away, a bit embarrassed.

“I haven’t written by hoof since I learned magic, okay? My penmanship might not be the best.”

Twilight was also quite taken aback by the stack of paper. “It looks like you took notes on everything.” She noted as she began floating the top tenth toward her, regardless of Somber’s flailing to stop her. She smiled as she skimmed over the jumble of ink, seeming to effortlessly decipher the mess. She frowned near the end as she placed all but one page aside. Spike was waiting for her to turn it around to see what Somber had doodled, but that didn't seem to be the case here.

“Somber, why are you making war plans against the Zebra’s?” Twilight looked up, concerned.

“They’re not war plans, they’re ‘what if’s’. Like three quarters down and on the left, what if the eastern settlers moved in winter, could they have lasted longer with better preservatives? Just theories on different branches of history.”

“Well…” Twilight trailed off considering the thought. “It was a close conflict, with only a little longer the settler’s would have outlasted the Zebra’s, but that’s not a very productive train of thought Somber.”

“But if we don’t learn from our past, we’re bound to repeat the same mistakes.”

“But we’re not expanding territories anymore, how would this help?”

“Preparation and timing, that’s how it helps. Learn when the proper time is to strike and what’s necessary to do so, it doesn’t have to be for an invasion. Like noticing a persistent weed in a carrot patch that doesn’t seem to grow arid temperatures, so on the next dry day, make it so the weed stays in the arid climate and then meticulously take it out.”

“Hmmm.” Twilight considered the concept, but couldn't see to far into his thought process, so she sighed in defeat. “If that’s the way you think, that’s the way you think.” Twilight glanced around to the clock that hung next to the kitchen door and noticed that it was already one in the morning. “Oh, well, I think I should see Rarity home.” Twilight said as she went and nudged her friend awake, who mumbled in protest. “Spike, can you see Somber to his arrangements?”

“Uh, I’m sure I can see Rarity home to-“

“Spike.” Twilight cut him off. He knew that she had something to talk to Rarity about that he would get to know as well, only later.

“Right, sure. This way Somber.” Spike waved the unicorn down into the basement area.

“Come on Rarity.” Twilight nudged Rarity a bit harder. “We don’t have time to set you up here.”

“Leave me be.” She mumbled, turning away to face the couch’s back.

“We also don’t have your makeup kit here for the morning.”

“Well what are we waiting around for?” Rarity said as she was suddenly opening the door and patting down her mane, leaving Twilight to blink a few times at the empty space between couch and blanket. It was unlikely anypony would see them at this time of night, but Rarity could never be too careful.

After closing and locking the door behind them, the two headed off to Rarity’s boutique. After a minute, Twilight brought up why she wanted to walk Rarity home.

“So Rarity, how much do you really trust Somber?”

“Twilight, not again, I told you already-“

“I know he needs help, there’s no doubt about that. But how much do you trust him.”

“I-I can only say for how much he can trust himself really. He seems genuine in his confusion, so there are things that need to be questioned from time to time, but over all I trust him.”

“Then tell me, did he ever mention his siblings before he came to the library?”

“Yes, when he was first realizing what he was missing, he tried to cling to his siblings first.”

“So that happened.” Twilight mused under her breath. “Do you remember his description?” She asked directly.

“Um, he said his brother had a white coat, blue mane, and a star shield cutie mark.” Before Twilight could speak, Rarity continued. “Oh! And his sister, she had a pink coat and a tri-colored mane.” That made Twilight frown deeply, which wasn't lost on Rarity. “What’s wrong?”

“I could buy his brother’s description, but his sister’s is just impossible.”

“Why’s that dear?”

Twilight smiled in pity as she had to lecture Rarity on fashion history. “Because tri-colored mane’s didn’t start appearing even unnaturally until 115 years after Somber got suspended. Plus, don’t both of those descriptions fit perfectly with some ponies we both know?”

Rarity thought for a second before the obvious struck her. “Dear, you can’t honestly insinuate-“

“Yes, he was describing my brother and Cadence.”

“But I’m sure there had to have been ponies that looked like us in the last thousand years.”

“And I could believe that if it was only Shining Armor, but with his description of Cadence, that’s just right out. Plus…” Twilight lowered her voice. “I checked.”

“Twilight!”

“I had to!” She defended. “I saw what happened in the cave and I had to double check for myself, and right there was Shining Armor and Cadence walking and talking with him in the Crystal Empire palace.”

“Does that mean they too are…?”

“No, no they can’t. There are photos back at my parent’s home in Canterlot of my mom holding Shining in her hooves.”

“But what about Cadence? She’s the princess of the Crystal Empire now. Maybe something has yet to happen to send her back.”

Twilight bit her lip at the thought of something horrible happening to Cadence to throw her back more than a thousand years, but quickly shook her head of the idea. “Impossible, I was barely able to send myself back in time a week for a few seconds, there’s no possible way to throw somepony back a thousand years for the rest of their lives. And besides, she didn’t have a cutie mark in his memories, and she was a pegasus.”

“But if it’s impossible, what are you saying Twilight?”

“I…I think I’m saying that somepony did more than fracture the last bit of his memory, I think they altered it as well.”

“Then, his name might not even be Somber Tones?”

“No, that’s defiantly true, a majority has to be true to still flow properly, but I think my sibling’s were superimposed over others with a detail or word altered here and there to fit them into his past.”

“So then, what does this mean when we get him back there? He’s going to recognize them as his siblings.”

“I don’t know what to do, which is why I wanted to talk to you about it, and the others.”

“The others?” Rarity gasped, almost in horror. “I don’t know if he’s quite that ready for such diversity. I mean…” Rarity stopped and dragged her hoof in the dirt in a circle. “He already sees what we do as… unusual. I think the others might rattle his cage a bit much.”

Twilight snorted. “He does seem a bit put off by my… prestigious studies, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash might wear him out a bit fast, but I’m sure Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie-“

“Oh, defiantly not Pinkie Pie, she would bombard him with her incessant talking and questions, I doubt she’d give the poor stallion room to breathe.”

“Hmm, granted. But at least Fluttershy needs to know before the others so we have at least an even debate.”

Rarity was silent a moment before nodding in agreement. “I’ll be over around eleven to take him over to see her. After all of the stress he’s had to endure today, a relaxing day among Fluttershy’s friends might be necessary.”

“Right.” Twilight nodded. “And in that time, I’m going to have call Shining Armor and Cadence.”

There was a solemn silence between the two as they kept walking. After two minutes, Rarity broke the silence.

“So, did you see anything else in there I should know about?”

Twilight glanced at her and shook her head. “Nothing else seemed out of place.”

“All right, is there anything I shouldn’t know about?” Rarity grinned as Twilight’s face flushed.

“N-n-no! There isn’t!”

“Your mouth says no, but your face and wings say otherwise.”

Twilight glanced behind her to see her wings were quickly flapping open. “We’re close enough right? Yeah, we’re close enough. See you in the morning Rarity!” Twilight quickly said as she began beating her wings to get off the ground and head back toward the library. Rarity took a moment to bask in the moment before continuing on to her boutique.

Twilight had dashed for two reasons. One was indeed because she had seen things that Somber probably really did not want to be talked about, and the second was because of what might have come out of her mouth if Rarity had persisted her questioning. It was something she herself did not want to get in the middle of.

Somber was already practically head over heels for her, and she did not want to be the instigator. If anything was going to happen between the two, they would have to work that out themselves.

---

Somber had thanked Spike for his assistance and assured the dragon he knew how to see himself to bed. He took in the room, which was fairly large, as it seemed to house multiple purposes, one of which to be some alchemic lab, and an emergency shelter. The bed he had was smaller than the one he remembered having, but it felt so nice compared to the ground and chairs he had been in all day.

As he curled under the blanket and rest his head on his pillow, Somber ran over his first day in this new time, and noted how different it truly was.

There were no more species wars or land grabbing, there were no more massive food shortages, diseases that were once fatal were now trivial, and he could now possibly look a minotaur in the eye and not fear death to be there in the next minute.

But even all of that faded as his thoughts drifted to the lovely mare that had helped him in his most dire of times. She had been tough but fair, delicate and strong with her words, and go between customer and craft without a beat of hesitation. The more he thought of her, the more and more fitting he saw her sitting beside him on the Crystal throne, and even the bedchambers.

But before that went to far, he recounted how the Empire already had a ruler, and that he was no more than an ancient relic from a time that his subjects probably did not want to remember. Somber rolled onto his back and stared at the high ceiling and wondered what the best course of action was.

Did he want to go back and rule the Empire, even if it was only a city, or stay and pursue a closer, more realistic goal? He couldn’t use magic anymore, so he couldn’t use the Heart if the time called for it, and he was sure that the current ruler could. Even if he went back, he would only be a usurper; the people already had their leader, there would be no point.

But, it was home, and it defiantly only changed a little as it had been suspended. It could possibly be one of the only places he could possibly recognize. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t be their ruler, just knowing it was there could be enough.

The more it sifted in his head, the surer Somber was. He would take Twilight Sparkle up on her offer to take him to the Crystal Empire and see how it was, and then he would come back to pursue Rarity.

Besides, every King needed his Queen.

Comments

[Toxic Spill]

I like where you're going with the story, but you seriously need to find a proofreader before you go forward with the rest of it.

[Starlight Nova]

Have you ever considered submitting this story to Equestria Daily? You can find out how to do so here. And if you need a prereader/editor for this story, I'd be happy to help.

[Starlight Nova]

So when's the next chapter come out?

[Zarmflamekin]

I'm doing this story by myself without anyone to really bounce any ideas around with and I am really new to this writing community, so any help would be very much appreciated.

As for a next chapter, this is really written in spurs of the moment, as chapter 3 was at the end of the Sharla Mane part right after chapter 2, but you can see the upload date distance. My goal is to have another chapter up every month at least.

Edit: and we can see how well that's gone

[Starlight Nova]

If Somber Tones was voiced, what would he sound like?

[Emperor]

Sharla Mane, eh? Sounds a rather lot like a French King Charlemagne

Right at the end of the scene between Twilight and Rarity, you may want to consider editing it a little bit. I understood after Somber's scene that it was Rarity who he was pining after, given that she was the first pony he met after waking up and talking with her in the mines, but Twilight's thoughts right near the end of the chapter are confusing, so you can't tell if she's referring to herself or Rarity there.

[Wellwater]

Somber was already practically head over heels for her, and she did not want to be the instigator.

But Twilight! The love of a good mare can surely redeem him!