Long Live The King

by Morpheus Sandman

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“Anypony catch the number on that wagon?” Sombra said, grunting while he stretched his back.

Groans replied around him. A blinding blizzard raged in the dark against a bubble of pink with an odd tinkling sound. In the centre of the domed shield, Cadance was on her stomach with her forelegs encircling the shattered remains of the Crystal Heart. While free of snow the area was freshly muddy and stained her coat with brown earth. Her horn glowed a baby blue.

Cadance looked tired. Sombra crossed his eyes to look at his horn and it glowed softly with a thought. A darken shield surrounded them. Cadance breathed easily as she let her own shield down. She sat upright on unsteady legs, shivering, looking haggard with bags under her eyes. She blinked in confusion see the formal dress Twilight was wearing.

Sombra looked concerned. “Why did you bring us back?”

“Thank the stars,” Cadance muttered as she recollected her thoughts. “I had to get you all back,” She said with steady breathing, pain evident in her voice as she tried to stand. Trixie and Sabre tentatively tried to steady her slow rise. Trixie grimaced at the cool sensation of mud against her side.

Sombra glared at Cadance. “Why?”

Cadance said urgently. “The chaos storm can’t be held back. Celestia and Luna allowed me time to recover you all. But I could only get you if you were close the heart - we must leave right now!”

Her horn glowed and the pieces of the heart were scooped up off of the ground and floated next to her.

“We got to go now!” Cadance said.

Cadance was about to run before Twilight blocked her off.

“I don’t get it. What did the princesses decide to do?” Twilight asked.

Trixie and Sabre gave them some room. Cadance sighed deeply.

“Honestly, I’m not sure it’ll even work. But if it does, all magic will be gone from the area, including the chaotic,” She said regarding Twilight with serious expression. “It’s a weapon that neutralises magic. Cuts it out completely, evaporates it, leaving nothing behind,” Cadance’s lip pursed. “I imagine the Crystal Heart’s magic would have been affected as well.”

Everyone was silent imagining what that would mean for them stuck in the heart dimension. Sombra didn’t say anything instead looked out up at the sky. He couldn’t see much passed the snow storm and darkness. He could see a small shining light breaking in and out of the darkness.

“What? How could the princesses just do that?” Trixie muttered darkly.

Twilight shook her head sadly. Sombra fell to the back of the group where Pitch and Sabre were keeping quiet.

“Pitch, Sabre. I have one final order as your king I would like you to undertake,” Sombra said with a look of determination.

“But your majesty…” Pitch urged, feeling desperate.

“Don’t let anypony follow me. Take everypony away from here as fast as ponyly possible,” Sombra motioned to the others ahead of them.

Twilight overheard his talking and uneasily approached him.

“What are you thinking Sombra?” Twilight asked trotting over to them with concerned. The others also wore confused expressions. Sombra whisked Twilight up in a quick embrace. His cape catching on his hoof and getting pulled over Twilight’s withers. He pulled away quickly with the cape dragged off her withers. Twilight was left speechless.

“This is precious to me.” Sombra looked at the crystal necklace surrounding Twilight's neck.

“Your necklace?” Twilight grabbed it.

Sombra meet her hoof with his own and gently pushed the necklace down.

“Keep it. So that you’ll have something to remember me by.”

Twilight’s cheeks hurt as she tried to force her lips anywhere but down; where they wanted desperately to go.

Sombra noticed in the night sky a white hot light flickering alive, burning like starlight.

“It’s coming fast.” Sombra said solemnly and stepped away from everyone.

Cadance summoned a pink shield around them as Sombra’s stepped outside. His physical form slowly faded becoming like dense smoke. He seemed to vanish in the dark. Twilight watched him go with a sting in her eyes and ache in her jaw.

Sombra’s jump was weightless as if no restriction like gravity existed. Sombra tailed it into the sky as fast as he could. The tail of the fog squirmed behind him in the wild wind while his vanguard pierced through the barrage of snow. Faster and higher he climbed stretching all his thoughts to get as high and as far away from everything and everyone as possible. He left a roar of air in his wake.

Sombra broke a large density of clouds, breaking them apart as he came through. The air got colder still as he went. He didn’t slow down to catch his breath. He gritted and pushed himself to ignore the pain and exhaustion in his body. His brain begun to throb in his skull like someone had taken a jackhammer to it and was mercilessly trying to reduce it to rubble and dust.

His control on his form was beginning to waver as he felt his tail beginning to drag and pull behind him like the hairs were about be torn out with the velocity he was going. He could feel ice forming on his face. He came to the zenith of his ascension. His energy strained.

Sombra slowly let go, his physically form taking shape. He wasn’t quite outside the stratosphere of the planet but breathing was incredible hard. The night of the sky started to shift to the darkness of space. He took short gathering breathes as his body began to slow its vertical climb.

His horn glowed with a dark virtuoso of magic, building up and gathering into a radiating cone of purple light. It shined and it pulsed as it sent out a lure.

A gigantic spear shaped star appeared suddenly and shot straight for him. Sombra didn’t flinch.

“I am super pony.”

---

From the tundra, throughout the storm, Twilight could barely see the the mass of smoke that was Sombra as he ascended into the cloud-blocked sky. She strained her neck to see over her shoulder as she ran. She marginally managed to spot something strike and then disappear beyond the clouds.

Twilight winced sadly. She turned her focus back to running. She spotted a shooting star in the sky making white contrails behind it. Her eyes stung and stomach clenched tightly. The moonlight glinted off of the tip of the spear’s blade as it lurched skyward following the shortest trajectory towards its intended target; towards the tip of the smoke trail that was Sombra. It slid through clouds and the air soundlessly.

The blackness of the night sky went brilliant white.

The group froze in their tracks and turned and watched as the brilliant white sky darkened, turning back into night once more. The storm stopped moving around them. The sweeping wind calmed. The heavy snow shrivelled up as the last of the snow settled. The pink bubble popped.

Twilight gasped, her neck tightened and she choked. She coughed and sobbed, falling to her stomach to the cold snow beneath herself.

Trixie watched as the sky quickly faded to normal, no clouds in sight. She looked to the trembling Twilight whose body rocked feverishly with sobs. She wanted to comfort her friend immediately to tell her it’d be alright. But that would be a lie. There was no way Sombra, a beast of darkness, could escape such an encompassing light.

“No, Sombra...please. I didn’t get to say goodbye.” Twilight said with sadness, gripping the necklace like it was a life support. Trixie was quickly next to her. She rested her into Twilight’s.

Cadance shook her head sadly. “Let’s go home.” She pulled Twilight up off the ground. Twilight’s body rested into Cadance’s. Trixie on the other side. Pitch and Sabre followed with sad wordlessness.

The crystal necklace twinkled with fading starlight.

---

Fresh morning light came in through the window to Twilight’s bedroom. On her dresser the crystal necklace rested next to her crown. The later which rarely moved from. A small blue mote glittered within the crystal while a strand of pink strayed about the container.

Twilight woke and shifted slightly in her bed. The blanket spilled off of her as she got out lazily and sat on the edge of it. It wouldn’t be too long till her friends started to show up. She saw her appearance in the dresser mirror. She had bags under her eyes and messy bed hair.

She grumbled lightly as she hopped off the bed and went straight to the dresser to straighten out her mane. She spared a glance at the necklace as she placed the hairbrush on the dresser. She heard the birds chirping outside her window and sighed. She ideally wondered how long she had overslept then intended.

She made her way to the kitchen to prepare herself breakfast. Her castle home was ominously quiet till Spike came into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. He sprung to her.

“Twilight?” Spike said with surprise and rushed over to her and hugged her leg. Twilight smiled genuinely. Spiked squeezed then released her leg.

“I was going to make you breakfast,” He said downcast.

“It’s ok.” Twilight said and rustled the spines on his head. Spike grumbled at that. Twilight smiled.

Spike sighed in mock-defeat. He went to where he could find some food for himself, namely, gems. He pulled out a bowl of gems from the fridge. He scooted a chair up next to the table and turned to Twilight as she joined him there.

Spike was quiet while he chewed a sapphire before swallowing the final piece.

“Everypony shouldn't be too far away,” he said. “Everypony was really worried. Me too. I’m just glad you’re back and alright.”

Twilight reached over to him and rubbed their heads together. They ate in comfortable silence after that.

Afterwards, they made their way to a lounge room within the castle. They were surprised to find that Rainbow Dash was there. Lost to the world reading a book surrounded by a littered land of cushions that made a neat circle.

Twilight and Spike shared a grin. Spike quietly tip toed across and sat next to Rainbow.

“So whatcha reading Rainbow?” Spike asked.

The book slammed shut and was shoved underneath her cushion.

“Ah what? Nothing. I wasn’t reading. You only saw...air.” Rainbow said flustering.

Twilight hid a smirk. “How long have you been here?” she asked.

“Only all night.” Rainbow said nonchalantly and stood up to stretch her wings.

At Twilight’s inquisitive look Rainbow added. “Hey. I couldn’t sleep. We’ve all been missing you for the last month.”

“It wasn’t like everyday one of us was saying, ‘where’s Twilight? If Twilight was here she’d have this all check-listed and organised and whatever.’ ” Rainbow said. “Mare. That storm was crazy. Crazy bad and not in a good way. Ponies everywhere!”

“I don’t think we have to worry about the storm anymore,” Twilight said quietly.

“Yeah! You were lucky to be stuck in the Crystal Heart during it.” Rainbow said in a cheery mood.

Twilight went over to her friend as she talked, carefully stepping across the lumpy cushions, and hugged her.

At Twilight’s dismal expression Rainbow added. “Cadance filled us in on a few things last night after you went to hit the hay.”

Rainbow squeezed her back before letting go. “You ok Twilight?”

“Yeah somewhat. It’s just been a long night.” Twilight said.

Rainbow said nothing. Another voice filled the room from the doorway as it came in.

“Good to see ya up an’ at ‘em, sugarcube,” Applejack greeted followed by a hug.

“I owe Rainbow for coming all the way out to find us,” Twilight said.

“Nothin’ to it but to do it. When the storm cleared up it was a piece of cake.” Rainbow brushed off.

“Everypony in Canterlot saw that star thingamajig spring from the mountain and bee line towards the north,” Applejack said. “Dun think the princesses themselves could stop Rainbow when she puts her mind to something.”

“Oh, you guys,” She waved her hoof at them then shrugged. “Eh, I wasn’t doing anything important at the time.” Rainbow said nonchalantly as she sat back down next to Spike.

Applejack chuckled. “I don’t think those ponies underneath that cloud full of snow you were hustling would agree when you used it as a kick off stand.”

Rainbow had enough dignity to look embarrassed. They shared a light laugh at her expense.

“Oh hey look, it’s the others,” Rainbow said, trying to act non-reclusive by pointing them out.

Rarity and Fluttershy walked into the room. Pinkie Pie meanwhile bounced and hopped over them to land on a cushion on the other side of Rainbow Dash. She circled around the pillow to show she had claimed that spot. She then attached herself around Rainbow’s neck. Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“Welcome back to reality Twilight! We hope you enjoy your stay.” Pinkie said with a large smile.

Twilight left the stage of cushions to greet the newcomers with a quick embrace.

Twilight was quickly confronted by Rarity fawning over her. “Oh Twilight...” her lips pursed in thought. “I think a spa appointment is overdue for you, darlin’.”

“She doesn’t that look all that bad, considering.” Fluttershy said softly.

Everyone settled into a spot among the cushions. Rarity and Fluttershy settled down to either side of Twilight across from Rainbow. Applejack sat between Rarity and Spike. Pinkie meanwhile detached from Rainbow and laid out across the cushions, belly up.

“Thanks for understanding about last night girls. I did really want to talk to you all then but I was just too exhausted. Even though we made most of the distance by flying chariot thanks to Rainbow.” Twilight said, smiling appreciatively at the mare. Rainbow waved her off.

“How have things been in Canterlot while I was gone?” Twilight asked.

“Talk about gettin’ into a pickle. Took us near a week to get the crystal ponies back to Canterlot what with the storm and all. Then to get them near settled, hoo-wee. That was an even longer week!” Applejack started.

“Oh, all those poor animals were so frightened by the storm.” Fluttershy said.

“Yes I believe we all were run ragged unfortunately,” Rarity said. “I still don’t think I can feel my poor hooves.” She looked at them to ensure that they were still there.

Everyone laughed which made Rarity harrumphed.

“Well I had a blast keeping everypony's hap-hap-happy going!” Pinkie said as she squirmed among the cushions. “All those parties…so much cocoa and marshmallows,” she liked her lips and sighed happily.

Rainbow shook her head and turned to Twilight. “Yeah, you were away for like a month. But we were able to keep everything in order here without you. Everything's more or less in order now or, ya know, will be.” She shrugged.

“Yar brother was sure lookin’ much better yesterday when he saw both yourself and Cadance arrive in Ponyville. I’d say, likely, ‘cause thar back together again after bein’ away from each other so long,” Applejack said with a toothy grin.

“That’s good to hear.” Twilight said. Genuinely happy to hear it.

They chatted amicably together. Twilight happily smiled along with everyone but didn’t feel as though she was altogether there. She shied away from adding her own experience before and during the chaos storm. She didn’t feel up to talking about it as the whole time a pony kept leaping to her forefront of her mind.

Until the topic was brought up when Rainbow Dash said.

“Did you see the size of his fangs? Do you think he could even be classified as a pony?”

“Heheh, I bet he could bust open a whole watermelon with those chompers.” Pinkie said.

Twilight looked away from her friends to the floor. Her mind played back to last time she saw the stallion. The conversation died down and there was an awkward shuffling. Rarity looked to her friend’s faces.

“There’s no easy way for it - I’ll do it then.” She announced. “How are you Twilight? Spending all the time with that monster must of been troubling by yourself. We are here for you whenever you need us.”

Twilight looked back up to Rarity. “He’s not a monster.” Her disapproving tone made everyone stare at her disbelievingly. Fluttershy flinched and hide behind her hair sensing an aura of discomfort around her.

“He’s my friend. He may look intimidating, yes. He’s done some questionable things, surely. But...” she petered off feeling irate and not understanding why. She calmed down quickly with a short breathing exercise. “He cared for the crystal ponies and for the heart. He protected them.”

She got up stiffly and left the room. Her friends didn’t make a noise. Only the door clicked behind her as Twilight left.

Twilight trotted away from her friends and down the hallway, with no destination in mind.

“Sparkle?”

She turned to where she heard the voice, secretly hoping it wasn’t one of friends coming after her.

“Trixie?” Twilight said with a slight sigh of relief.

A temporary guest in the castle Trixie was in the hallways dressed like her normal showmare self. She wore her purple star patterned, conical wide brimmed hat and cape.

“There you are,” she said, covering the remaining distance between them. “This castle of yours is far too big. How it remains clean Trixie will never know.” Trixie said looking at the crystal walled interior with disdain.

Trixie caught the disquieting appearance of Twilight. “Are you ok Twilight?” she asked, her high flaunting tone nowhere to be found.

“Oh!” Twilight caught herself realising she was looking droopy. “I’m fine, just...eh.”

Trixie cooed wanting to comfort her but didn’t know what to do.

“Trixie thought it proper to say her thanks and goodbye before she left.” Trixie said cautiously.

Twilight’s brow raised and lips trembled slightly.

Trixie quietly added. “Trixie is making her exit but she will be back. All this has exhausted her and she is looking forward to taking some time off somewhere. Preferably with hot water and plenty of relaxation options.” Trixie before she said. “And you should too.”

Twilight chuckled weakly. “You're always welcome here Trixie, remember that and don’t be a stranger.” Twilight went in to hug Trixie and she welcomingly recuperated it.

“Trixie shall be off. She has to see a mare about a wagon. She have no idea what’s happened to her’s.” She muttered afterwards. “Probably stuck in the other dimension for a thousand years.”

Twilight laughed. “Good luck with that. Where did Pitch and Sabre go last night?”

“Those stallions are with your brother and Cadance. Something about crystals and hearts and some such other.” Trixie said.

“I better see them before they decide to leave for Canterlot then.” Twilight sagged dejectedly at the thought.

“Thanks Trixie.” Twilight said. Trixie nodded and left. Twilight sighed.

Twilight went around the castle until she found them in one of the many guest rooms. The door was already opened and she knocked on the frame to get Cadance’s attention as she flitted about the room, lost in thought.

Cadance saw through Twilight’s weak smile and went to hug her.

“I hope you weren’t thinking we’d leave without saying goodbye first.” Cadance said.

“No, just worried.” Twilight said.

Cadance squeezed her friend gently. “A little less of that Twilight. Once I’ve helped the crystal ponies settle in Canterlot and show that their princess is ok I’ll come to visit, ok?”

“Sure.” Twilight smiled simply.

“Twily!” Shining Armour called happily, coming into the room and trotting briskly over to his little sister. Pitch and Sabre followed behind him. The siblings embraced and some the tension Twilight carried melted away.

“It’s good to see you again B.B.B.F.F.” Twilight smiled.

Shining’s expression turned around. “Cadance and I can’t stay long little sis. I’m sorry. We need to get to Canterlot and help our crystal ponies.”

“I understand,” she said.

“Myself and Sabre will be joining them today when they leave as well.” Pitch said. “There’s plenty to do if we want to restore the Crystal Heart and restore it’s magic.”

“I know,” Twilight said.

Sabre hugged Twilight. “It’s ok. We’ll meet again.”

Pitch also decided to follow up after Sabre before turning to leave.

“Shall we.” Cadance said. They all nodded.

Twilight showed them out of the castle and watched as Cadance, Shining Armour, Pitch, and Sabre made there way across Ponyville to the train station.

Twilight felt like distancing herself from her friends and everything in general. She crept steadily back to her room. She sighed as she looked around it, unsure of what to do with herself. She settled for sitting on her bed.

A rattling sound caught her attention. She looks to see the the crystal necklace on her dresser as it dropped to the floor and started to move towards the window, rolling awkwardly. It seemingly was being pulled along by the only crystal with a remaining blue tint to it. The necklace jumped up on the sill and started tapping against the glass.

Twilight beamed and opened the window to release it. She pushed it open gently, cool breeze drifting in. Twilight watched as the necklace jumped and landed in the grass below. In and out of the grass the necklace jumped. The sunlight catching on it’s smooth crystal surface. It twinkled every time it jumped out of the grass.

Twilight rested on her legs on the window sill and watched it go, until she couldn’t see the twinkle no more.

Twilight said softly so no one could hear. “I won't forget you.”

Comments

[CasperSantiq]

Good job on the movie reference.