Long Live The King

by Morpheus Sandman

A Little Change

They got back from a week of searching the Crystal Empire feeling particularly exhausted. The days felt long and stretched out during the search for other ponies. Each day the search was mixed up between the small group going out solo or together in pairs. In particular, Twilight and Sombra spent the previous couple of days scouring through the empire together. Ending each day together with reading in the sitting lounge they had become familiar with. During this time they were left alone by the others.

Trixie spent the time with one the cousins or Twilight, admitting she didn’t feel at ease with Sombra due to his abnormal non-pony canine incisors.

They worked together searching throughout the empire for others. Covering everywhere methodically thanks to the input of Twilight and Pitch. When most of the empire had been scouted for other life they once again returned to the castle courtyard.

At the end of the seventh day Sabre and Trixie finished at the castle gate where Twilight and Pitch waited for them.

“That was a bust.” Trixie said pulling her hood off and sighed. “Now what do we do?”

Sabre shrugged.

“Well, we’ve achieved our goal of searching the empire. So we know that we’re the only ones here.” Twilight said, shrugging and her expression downcasted. Her seemingly ever present smile strained.

“Great.” Trixie said, tossing her mane and walked away in a huff. Twilight watched her go and sighed.

“She’s fine, just anxious to leave this place I think.” Sabre said and followed after her.

“Maybe we all need some time to ourselves.” Twilight commented to Pitch.

“Some reprieve from the week would be good.” He sighed and rubbed his cranium then also made to leave.

Twilight breathed in deeply and out again. She trotting across the courtyard stone till her hooves met the cool grass of the castle’s patio. She saw that a pond in the garden was frozen over. It had been a while since she had let herself have some fun. She pulled her hood over her head. She remedied her lack of fun by going out onto the pond and letting the kick of her back hoof sail her across the ice. In was relaxing in a way to be moving forward with little effort and having a cool breeze in her face.

Sombra was the last to arrive at the gate, having opted to solo the last day by himself. He spotted the distant purple form of Twilight in the garden.

Sombra paused at the edge of the frozen pond. He watched as Twilight move easily over the ice. He smiled and put his hoof on the surface of the pond to immediately regret it. His leg flew out from underneath him and the momentum forced him across the ice towards Twilight.

Twilight winced and skated up to him as he got up on shaky legs.

“Sorry we didn’t wait for you. I just wanted a moment to myself from all the searching we’ve been doing.” Twilight said. Hood pulled back.

“Oh, uh.” Sombra looked around for an escape.

“It’s alright I don’t mind the company.” Twilight said. “I still can’t get over how kind of eerie it is when you realise there’s no other animals around, not a bird or squirrel. Ponyville is always bustling.” She reminisced.

Sombra was paying more attention to his legs and tried to force the rest of his body to try to do want he wanted but to no avail, he was going to fall down. Twilight tried to hide a smile.

“It’s harder than it looks.” Sombra said grumpily trying to lift himself back up again.

Twilight nodded. “My friend Pinkie taught me. I’ll teach you if you like.” She said skimming in a small circle.

“Okay.” Sombra murmured still focusing on his legs.

“Here take my hooves and I’ll help you steady yourself on the ice.”

Sombra hooves meet Twilight’s as they shifted slowly against the ice. Sombra’s back legs however left the ground and he fell onto his stomach. Twilight winced. She bent her leg for him to hold onto.

Sombra tried to balance up, he felt his legs slipping again and he threw his legs around the nearest high object to stop himself hitting the hard ice again. Twilight, being the nearest object, was grabbed around the neck, but because she was also a pony with bendable limbs, his weight pulled her down with him and onto his chest.

Twilight laughed. “Good one.”

She picked herself up. “Let's try that one again. With less falling.” She amended.

Sombra got up this time and managed to correct his legs from slipping away from himself. Also managed to steady himself with Twilight’s foreleg.

“Good, good.” Twilight tutted.

She kicked her back hoof on the ice and drifted backwards with Sombra coming with her. Sombra tested the ice himself with a kick on the ice and they both slowly moved across the ice together.

“Good you’re getting the hang of it.” Twilight encouraged as they made a round of the pound slowly but surely.

Now familiar with it Sombra tested all four of his own hooves on the frozen pond and skated around it. He kicked his back hoof for momentum.

“Now see if you can copy me.” Twilight said. “One, two, three. One, two, three.” She said as she skated across the pond making sure to exaggerated her movements so Sombra could see them. He watched closely. Twilight motioned him to try it out.

Twilight watched critically and prepared to intervene with advice if needed. Sombra grinned as he circled around her on one back and one forehoof.

“Now you’re just showing off.” Twilight said good-naturedly.

“Now the apprentice is the master.” Sombra said with a toothy grin. Twilight shook her with a small smile. Sombra expression fell from his face as he looked off to the side and down to his hoof still moving along the ice. As he swept passed Twilight he slipped on the ice again.

“That’s what you get for trying to show off before you're ready.” Twilight said. She wrapped her hoof around his and pulled him up off of the ground.

Sombra was still looking staring as his hoof.

“Sombra?” Twilight asked as she let him go.

Sombra meet her eyes quietly. “Ah, it’s nothing.” His mouth was opened narrowly. He shook his mane and stared at Twilight not saying anything.

A small blush on her cheeks and Twilight looked at the garden bridge that arched above the pond. “Aah...hmm.”

Sombra flustered as well before he grunted and skated away, hearing Twilight titter as he did so.

Through a castle window Pitch had watched the last few moments between Sombra and Twilight. “Hmm, tonight might be the night.”

---

“What are two doing?” Sombra asked as he was ushered through the corridor by Pitch and Sabre one night.

“A night of food and fun.” Pitch said with a smile.

“Dancing.” Sabre added.

“Dancing?” Sombra turned to Sabre who used his head to push him into the bathroom.

Sombra stopped. A bath had been drawn and was noticeable smoking.

“Ok, ok. I’m up, I’m up.” Sombra said and Sabre’s headbutting stopped. Sombra stepped up the lip of the bathtub and threw himself over into it. A wave of hot water splashed out and over the two crystal ponies.

Pitch spluttered and pulled his wet mane out of his face. Sabre pulled a cord at the back of the bathtub and more water sprayed out from the shower head and all over Sombra.

With a scrubbing brush Sabre helped Sombra to reach those hard to reach places. He scrubbed vivaciously across Sombra’s back.

Sombra grunted and grumbled as Sabre made quick work, splashing and spraying water and bubbles everywhere.

“Ah, tonight is the night.” Pitch preened.

Sombra was about to move before Sabre dumped a bucket of water to get the suds out of his fur.

“We don’t have time to dawdle. Every day that passes is a bad day for Equestria.” Pitch talked to himself.

Sombra stepped out of the tub dripping water. He shook himself from his head to his tail. His mane and tail stuck out every which way. Pitch brushed the offended water off his face.

“You confess your love. And pomf, crystal heart restored.” Pitch said.

Sombra sat down at the vanity desk not especially listening to the doctor. Pitch grabbed a towel nearby and started drying him off while Sabre worked with his mane.

Sombra hummed thoughtfully.

Pitch finished towelling off Sombra’s tail as Sabre finished combing Sombra’s mane with a flourishing downstroke. Pitch had a look of concern on his face.

“You care for her don’t you?” Pitch asked.

Sombra’s ear flicked. “Yes I...more than anything.” Sombra said

“Well, then you must tell her.” Pitch said.

Sabre stepped back from his work for Pitch to examine it.

“Hm, you look so…” Pitch mumbled.

“I look foolish.” Sombra said flatly at his reflection. His mane was as straight and flat then he had ever seen, one side covering up half of his face. His mane covered him like a fresh shiny coat of black paint.

“Not quite what we’re looking for.” Pitch looked meaningfully to Sabre to which he smiled halfheartedly and re-attacked the bed of hair and combed it back away from hiding Sombra’s face.

With a few careful snips at the back of his hair, Sombra was done. His mane and tail finished off with a small red bow to keep his mane out of his face. The colour matched his cape.

Sabre presented Sombra’s crown tiara. Sombra picked it up to consider it before placing it down on the desk in front of him.

---

“I didn’t know you could style a mane Trixie.” Twilight said, watching Trixie’s expert administration.

“Trixie’s has many skills she employs as a travelling magician.” Trixie said flicking a part of Twilight’s mane across her face.

“It’s just another dinner together...right? Then a dance. It’s for the Crystal Heart, as friends do.” Twilight smiled strained.

The smile wasn’t lost on Trixie who amused in it. “Of course Sparkle.” Trixie said theatrically, twirling the mane comb in the air. “Friendship is magic after all.”

“Yes, friendship. Very magically.” Twilight said robotically with a deadpanned expression.

Trixie placed the comb down and admired her work. She clapped her hooves together.

“You will be dining downstairs tonight.” Trixie reminded her.

Twilight took the crystal necklace lying in wait on the desk.

“You’re wearing that?” Trixie asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s a nice necklace. I like the way it looks.” Twilight said tapping one of the crystals to make it sway across her chest.

“Trixie shall see you in the dining room in a bit then.” Trixie sauntered off.

“Oh...ok.” Twilight said. She expected that Trixie was going to go with her, or at least dress up with her.

She made her way quickly across the foyer stairwell to where she would find Pitch and Sabre. Trixie knocked lightly from outside drawing Pitch’s attention. “Sparkle awaits.” She whispered out loud and chuckled excitedly. She ran off to prepare herself.

---

Sombra stepped out into foyer stairwell. Twilight stood on the other side not hiding her smile.

She wore a simple strapless dress that hugged just behind her withers. The top part of the dress was done up in a small elegant tie. The end of her dress was a lighter blue sheer chiffon that covered her flank and almost touched the ground and ended in ruffles with only her fetlocks showing through it while the rest was under the secondary layer of the blue dress. A small dark blue corsage tied the waist of the dress together.

He wore his familiar red cape. His mane and tail pulled together neatly and organised, without a strand out of place, with a red bowtie. He wore a white ruffle shirt with gold-tone buttons at the center front. The collar of the shirt snuggled fitted around half his neck. A wide, golden buckled, waist belt kept the shirt from dangling loosely.

Sombra rolled his eyes playfully and together they walked down their side of the staircase and meet in the middle. They hooked hooves together and walked the rest of the way like that.

Entering the much larger public dining hall of the castle’s ground floor they shared a conspiring look. Sombra politely pulled Twilight’s chair out.

“Thank you.” She said with a dainty curtsy.

Twilight still had a small giddy smile on her face. Sombra shrugged. It was found rather amusing that they sat a much smaller, more intimate table, a small candelabra was lit on one side, and a vase with a red rose in it on the other, and two crystal champagne flutes on their sides.. Their view not obstructing to one another. A fire crackled in the nearby hearth.

Trixie was not long behind them wearing a smart dark blue dinner jacket with a satin black colour and matching bowtie that seemed to shine. She shook her head to herself seeing as the two ponies paid her presence no comment. She coughed to get their attention.

“May Trixie,” She paused to twirl a hoof to herself. “Proudly present,” She paused again the emphasis. “Your dinner,” Trixie twirled her hoof outwardly and and bowed out of the way as the door opened up. A trolley lead both Pitch and Sabre, dark red suits and bowties matching Trixie’s, as they escorting them to Sombra and Twilight respectively.

“They’re going all out tonight.” Twilight said as they left. He hummed in agreeance.

Sombra took a moment to admire Trixie’s showmareship. He took longer to admire Twilight’s mane in a bun with two locks of hair pulled in front of ears and curled around her cheeks.

Trixie waited eagerly as Pitch and Sabre stood by the door after setting the table. Sombra and Twilight waited.

“Bon appétit.” Trixie said with a flourishing gesture and followed Pitch and Sabre out.

Just as Sabre had shown them originally Sombra and Twilight lifted their plates with their hooves. They brought them up together mutual goodwill while smiling.

Twilight finished and dabbed her mouth with a napkin without undoing it. Placing it back Twilight stepped out of her chair. Sombra noticed her move and watched her come up to him nervously. She took one of his hooves and lead him out of the dining room.

One leg hooked with the other and Sombra and Twilight walked to the adjacent ballroom. Three other ponies skipped stealthily behind them.

Sombra and Twilight walked out into the empty ballroom. Twilight glanced to the mural that stretch across the whole of the roof. A flock of pegasus among the clouds looked over them.

Trixie found an old sonophone and pushed the needle on the vinyl record. Pitch and Sabre joined next to her to watch from the side of the room. Music filled the hall and Twilight began to sway as it surrounded them. The empty ballroom beckoned.

Sombra felt a little hesitant to dance, not to mention, where to place his hooves. Twilight helped and took one of his hooves and placed in on her shoulder. When she stood on her legs Sombra followed. She than placed Sombra’s remaining hoof on her waist. Her remaining forehoof resting gently on his opposite shoulder.

She lead him and he followed. The occasionally hoof overstepped and landing near or on her hoof.

“Sorry, are you ok?” Sombra asked.

“It’s ok. Didn’t hurt.” Twilight said through clenched teeth.

“I’ve not danced, ever.” Sombra said.

“Something to add to the list of things to teach you then.” Twilight said. “Listen to the music and follow the rhythm with me. One, two three, one, two, three.”

Twilight nodded her head to the rhythm of the music and let it guide her movements. They slowly waltzed and progressed around the room in time with the music. Sombra smiled as he got the hang of it. Twilight rested her head on Sombra’s shoulder. He smiled softly.

The record finished with soft buzz and clicked off. Sombra held Twilight’s hoof with his.

“Next time I will be better.” Sombra said.

Twilight smiled cheekily which Sombra meet with his own nervous one.

“Promise,” he said.

Sombra lead Twilight outside to the ballroom deck. Sabre motioned to Pitch and Trixie to follow him, to give the two some privacy.

Sombra and Twilight on a protruding bench from a garden wall. A small garden of flowers encircled them. The night was quiet and calm.

Twilight shoulders shifted and she sighed quietly.

“What’s wrong?” Sombra asked concerned noticing the tension in her expression.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Twilight said and played with the curl of her mane.

Sombra watched her subverted gaze. “You miss your friends.”

Her head raised up. “Yes, I do.” She resigned.

“Would you like to see them?” Sombra asked.

Her expression opened. “...How?” She asked when Sombra wasn’t forthcoming.

Sombra took her hoof and they got up. “Follow me.”

Sombra lead her to the west wing of the castle to where his room was. Twilight was surprised to see the inky blue room so spartan. The windows provided the only light to the room.

Twilight drew to a large crystal mirror that stood out in the room. Sombra placed a hoof on the mirror and its surface rippled in response.

“If Cadance can project herself here through the heart than that should mean that this mirror is still connected to Equestria.” Sombra said.

“It can show you anything you want to see.” He said stepping out of the way.

Twilight stepped in front of the mirror and looked over it in fascination.

“I want to see my brother, please.” She felt odd talking to her herself in the mirror.

The mirror responded. In the glass surface her brother Shining Armour stood, looking as though he was shouting out orders as a rampant snow storm beat around him. Ponies rushed to and fro in front of him as the purple scarf her worn beat around him wildly. His drew up to his face and his face contorted in a way that Twilight knew he was in pain. Shining slumped down in the snow as he rubbed his shoulders. He tried to stand again and his legs buckled underneath him. The storm of chaos beat around him furiously.

“What is this?” Twilight said slightly mesmerised but the faint rippling of the surface.

“A storm that nopony would of been ready for.” Sombra replied glumly.

“Shining...I need to help him.” Twilight said woefully.

“Then…” Sombra said, feeling a slight pain in his chest. “I will help to send you back.”

Twilight looked at him awestruck and her tension faded moderately. “You would do that for me? That would mean, you’re letting me go?”

“If it is within my power to do so, I will. You will be free of your promise and free of this place.” Sombra said, cupping the side of Twilight’s face and she rested into it.

Twilight straightened suddenly. “But the heart!”

“Will heal with time.” Sombra said evenly trying to calm her. “With or without pony intervention.”

Sombra looked away from Twilight to the night sky out his window and come to a decision. “The others can go too, if they so desire. There is no reason any of you should stay here in this timeless place away from your friends and family. ” Sombra said hiding his crestfallen expression.

“Thank you.” Twilight said. She felt Sombra would need some time to himself so she trotted off to tell Trixie the news.

In the hallway Twilight brushed passed Pitch who smiled at her. Sabre noticed the tense look on her face as she went by.

“Well done your majesty. I knew you had in you. Do all go well?” Pitch called with a smile coming into the bedroom. Now out of his suit.

“I let her go.” Sombra said passing by them and paused. “Now it’s your choice, do you wish to stay or leave?” Sombra asked.

Pitch’s mouth worked uselessly in shock for a moment. “...but the heart, a-and you can do that?”

“I hope to do so.” Sombra said.

Sabre nodded. “We’ll, stay of course.”

Pitch was left for words. Sombra, Pitch and Sabre travelled the small journey to the tower and waited at the Crystal Heart for Twilight and Trixie.

Trixie looked to Pitch and Sabre who shared together a sorrowful expression.

Sombra held one hoof against the heart and tried to piece his mind through it to the other side. There was a trickling river of magic energy within the heart that he could feel tug on his horn.

The tip of his pointed horn glowed with a weak purple aura. The audience watched curious, expectant, and hopeful. It was slow and arduous as there was only a slither of magic connected the two dimensions. Sombra felt his senses opening up to a new sensation but was pulled back by a startled scream.

Sombra turned an annoying glance at Trixie who looked about ready to run.

“What the?” Twilight gasped.

Sombra returned to the heart. He stepped back as a glowing limb swung around making a grabbing motion. It slinked back into the heart.

Sombra approached the heart and squinted at it. The limb popped back out again, moved, and found Sombra cheeks which it patted. It stretched out and and grabbed Sombra around his neck and pulled him towards the heart.

Another limb came through the Crystal Heart and grabbed Sombra and in a bright light Sombra’s head disappeared into the heart. Pitch and Sabre scrambled to pull Sombra away but were instead dragged along with him with a flash of light from the heart.

“What is wrong with this situation Sparkle?” Trixie said exasperatedly with panic.

Twilight remained calm, if surprised momentarily, and drifted over to where Sombra stood.

“Careful.” Trixie said softly making a vain attempt to stop her from going near the heart.

The two appendages came back and grabbed Twilight like they had the previous victim. Trixie acted and leapt to grab onto Twilight. A bright blinding light forced them to protect their eyes. They were pulled into the vacuum of light and reality warped around them.