Not Wasting A Moment
Sabre could scarcely believe it. All the crystals pony around him were downcast, downtrodden, and altogether depressing to look at. Their coats no longer shined in the sunlight. He stared disbelievingly at his own coat that had not been spared. Sabre checked on Pitch, still holding his leg around his shoulders, looking at his much poorer condition with a listless glance. This wasn’t how it was meant to go.
Sombra reproached him from around the side of the castle. A red cloak, trimmed in wool materialized on his figure in a haze of billowed black smoke.
Sabre realized he was taking over the Crystal Empire once again.
“Can you hear it? Feel it? The fear in ponies’ hearts?” His voice was no longer sluggish and soft.
Sabre now knew why Sombra was a pony to be feared. His voice alone was drenched with darkness and dripped fright that sunk deep into the endless space of sound. A voice that invoked dread and loathing to all those who heard it.
The purple ether swirled around Sombra’s eyes with a life of its own didn’t look likely to be fading away anytime soon.
“Redecoration can wait for now.” Sombra grinned. “There are other matters that need immediate attention.” He turned his flank to Sabre.
Sombra attention fell onto the unmoved pink alicorn. He grinned as their eyes meet. Sombra trotted up to two guards and held out his hoof to one of them. The guard lifted his up to rest in Sombra’s. Sombra’s horn glowed and a small cloud system revolved around the guards hoof. A large splinter shaped hunk of metal appeared in his hoof.
“Take the former princess to her quarters. Strike the metal pin into the floor. Then await outside the room till further orders.” Sombra said releasing the pegasus’s hoof.
Sombra turned his head back to Sabre.
Sabre nodded slightly; a bit unsurely. He shaked softly, suddenly and woefully unaware and nerve stricken about the situation and what the future had install. No pony around smiled and no one barely made a movement or sound. Everything waited on Sombra.
Sabre felt like he was stuck on the spot in quicksand with no way of getting out.
Sombra turned to the guards that held Shining Armour. “Take him to the castle prison and secure him there. He won’t be a danger with my crystals inhibiting his magic.” He carried himself in a stark contrast from when he was in the Crystal Prison.
It was as if Sombra had transferred how he had been in the prison and transformed the Crystal Empire with it into a doldrums.
The guards looked at Sombra with half lidded eyes. Like they had no life inside them.
“It’s like they have no will of their own. No will to live,” Sabre said to himself.
Sombra turned his eyes to the peninsula. The look of determination in his eyes. In his mind the time to act was now. Nothing could be left to chance. Every possible opposing force to his plan had to be addressed in the right time and manner.
“Doctor Pitch, Sabre?” Sombra looked down his muzzle at Pitch who still had his leg around Sabre.
“Check that the former royal duo that they are well situated in their rooms before you prepare another quarters for an arriving guest. Who will be arriving shortly once I fetch them.”
“...Sombra?” Pitch squeaked turning his head upwards with a worn out expression.
Sombra shook his head. “Tsk, tsk, that will not do. Majesty should suffice Doctor.” A playful tone and noticeable lisp skipped off his tongue from every ‘s’. Sombra had also sounded wearily.
Pitch started to regain his senses, the thrumming in his head from having his magic drained ebbed away slowly. A new more worrying sensation was gifted in his mind as he saw Sombra very much alive and active. He had made a mistake - Sombra wasn’t meant to come back to the Crystal Empire before he had been rehabilitated by him.
Pitch clenched his eyes, hoping this mistake wouldn’t make him regret being a part of Sombra’s escape from his prison.
“You Majesty,” Pitch said slowly, to be certain of the word himself. “You’re going so soon?” Pitch, in his own mind, thought he knew; that no pony, even Princess Celestia herself, would have regained their own powers so quickly after leaving the Crystal Prison.
There was still a shred of hope that Pitch and Sabre could control Sombra in order to help him become rehabilitated. Without worry that Sombra would be non receptive to their efforts and use his dark magic against them.
“Time is of the essence. I can see you’re concerned about me?” Sombra raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Some things cannot wait,” he continued. “I must see to it that I am not brought undone before I’ve begun.”
Sombra looked to the sky. With that, his physical pony form shifted into a dark mist, leaving no identifiable trace of a pony.
Pitch and Sabre watched wide eyed, as the smoke left the grounds of the empire and disappeared into the horizon.
An assault begun on Pitch’s mind. “Sabre?”
Sabre looked at Pitch with concern.
“Have we just doomed Equestria?” Pitch blankly stared into the light pink and white hexagons that patterned the court yard.
Sabre swallowed dryly. “I hope not.” He then smiled at Pitch. “But we started this cousin. Surely there is hope for our forefather. For us even. He must of been a good pony once; we can help him become that again.” Sabre’s confidence returned with a small dose of optimism.
Equestria believed Sombra was an evil creature of fear and hatred. That he wasn’t a pony to be reformed but a living force to be fought against.
Pitch’s voice strained inwardly. “Let us make him right and good again Sabre,” Pitch looked to the direction that Sombra had vanished into. “I will make you good Sombra, to Celestia and Luna, I will make you good again.Timing is everything. Time can change a pony. I know it. He can be a good pony,” he said determinedly.
“Sabre we must try and do what’s best for Sombra.” He said as he looked to the sky. “We have to be his confidence.” He took his leg back from around Sabre.
Sabre made a small acknowledgement.
“We need to be careful,” Pitch pursed his lips. Then shook his head as he regained a semblance of determination, “Not if, but when Sombra regains his powers it’s unlikely we would be able to dissuade him by physical means if he goes back to his evil ways.”
Sabre nodded in agreement.
“We won’t be able to stand in his way if he has his own goals in mind. But, if we are smarter than him maybe we can use his own goals against him and turn him around somehow.”
Sabre smiled.
Pitch smiled back. “Come on, we’ll talk as we walk. We got to find a room for his Majesty’s guest.”
Ponyville.
A quiet town that sat nestled in-between Canterlot and Appleloosa. It boarded on the wild Everfree forest which was keeping to itself today it seemed.
Everything was calm, quiet and collected. Ponies had even stopped staring at the latest addition to the quaint town - the castle. While it certainly stood out as the most bizarre of oddities, an elaborate crystalline treehouse of sorts, it had become an accepted part of Ponyville life nevertheless.
Stranger things had been seen in Ponyville after all; like a rampaging Ursa Minor or a whole town gone mad into wanting to possess a raggedy doll. Or, whatever the Everfree forest decided to throw out at cause trouble for the town. There had even been a day of literal chaos some years ago. Buildings floated about in the sky, cows barked, buffaloes danced ballet; anything that didn’t quite make sense, had happened in Ponyville.
The citizens of Ponyville dutifully went about their own ways, in the absence of strange occurrences, like any other day. Whether it was bucking apples out of the trees at Sweet Apples Acres, tending to the critters around Ponyville, herding the clouds in the sky, making new friends, or going about business as usual; loaning a book out of the castle library, or purchasing a new hat from the local fashionista. It was a peaceful day in Ponyville.
Princess Twilight Sparkle, resident librarian of Ponyville and all-round book lover finished signing out a book. “There.”
“Thank you Twilight.” the fuschia-coloured pony said.
“No at all Cheerilee.” Twilight said sincerely.
“I got to say I really like what you’ve done with the place.” Cheerilee said looking around the large library.
“Thank you. It wasn’t easy finding new books to replace the old ones after the original library got burnt down,” Twilight winced slightly, recalling her former home. “But the girls didn’t mind at all that I took one of the rooms in the castle to make into the new library for Ponyville.”
“Well if you are ever in need of some old educational texts I’d be more than happy to donate them.” Cheerilee smiled encouragingly.
“Really? Wow Cheerilee, thank you.”
“Not at all Princess.” Cheerilee tittered at Twilight’s enthusiasm, dipping her head slightly.
“Cheerilee please. We’ve been friends for years, you know you can just call me Twilight.”
“Oh I know. But it’s hard to think of you anything but a princess now. I mean, you’ve been an alicorn for awhile now, but now you have your own castle.” Cheerilee said astonishingly as she looked around the large library space. “Maybe you should live it up a bit?”
“Well if living it princess style means taking court all hours of the day then count me out.” Twilight chuckled. “I don’t know how Princess Celestia and Luna handle it.” She bit her hoof for a second before releasing it again. “It seems so droll to me at times.”
Twilight’s previous home, a library made inside a large tree, had been destroyed. It had been a few months prior since Tirek, a creature from Tartarus, had made himself known to Equestria and sought to consume all pony magic. Twilight and the fellow Elements of Harmony saw to his downfall in the end. In the aftermath, the magic that helped stop Tirek had also created the new castle that she now took residence in.
Her own personal living quarters could be found following an upstairs within the new library space.
Cheerilee said goodbye and left the library. Twilight returned to opening up parcels which contained more books for the library. She lifted a book out of it’s packaging in both hoofs.
“So much is new again.” Twilight smiled wistfully as she took a whiff of the fresh ink on paper.
A sound of a vase breaking up stairs startled Twilight. Spike was upstairs in their personal living space, tasked to arrange a miniature library from books that survived from the previous library where they had lived.
“Spike? What’s going on up there?” Twilight called out. Already contemplating the demise of one her vases.
“Whoa! Twilight!” Spike called back, sounding desperate.
“Spike?” Twilight dropped the book she held, hearing the urgency in Spike’s tone and rushed up the stairs to the library’s loft.
She opened the door at the top of the stairs.
Twilight ducked immediately as Spike was tossed over her head. A black smoke had ruptured in through the window. It twisted around wildly, knocking around Twilight's vanity desk.
Twilight stared into the abyss of darkness. Her room was rooted in dark hues. Two eyes opened, red irises and green sclera.
“Princess...” Those familiar eyes gleamed.
A talon erupted from the darkness and pinned Twilight to the floor, penetrating but not damaging the surface of the room. Twilight’s horn lit up and she teleported herself out from underneath it.
The eyes were joined in the dark mist by a shadowy head.
Twilight gasped. “Sombra?”
He chuckled. “Princess.” He lisped in greeting.
Twilight shot a stern gaze at Sombra. “How are you even here?”
He laughed. His voice sounded like it was coming from all directions all at once.
“I thought you were gone for good when the Crystal Heart vanquished you back...to wherever it is you were from.”
Sombra chuckled, his tone jumped high and low as he played with the nerves of Twilight. “But now - you - will come with - me!” Sombra’s voice did boom.
The shadow engulfed the room and surrounded its prey that was Twilight Sparkle.
Twilight gasped as darkness engulfed her consciousness and the remaining light faded around her.
Spike raced back up into the room and swiped at the billowing smoke to get a grip on it but was no use as Sombra left through the window he broken through.
“Twilight!” Spike yelled out.
She was gone.
Sombra unceremoniously dumped Twilight in one of the highest towers atop the crystal castle. Twilight was still soundlessly unconscious. Small black crystals made residence on Twilight’s horn.
Sombra slowly slinked out of the cell. A worrying thought on his mind as he glared at the wings on the back of Twilight. He gruffed as the last of his shadow form returned to complete his pony form. He draw in a deep breathe and let it out again.
Sombra gave the wooden cell door a swift kick and locked it behind him with a twist of his magic. After locking the main door to the cell blocks he made his way down the stairs that went to them. He stumbled visibly on the stairs.
Sombra closed his eyes feeling more drained than he would of imagined. With a slow inhale of air and a quick one out he pulled himself up and trudged onwards again. His body warmed and his brow left a bead of sweat on him. He slowly made his way through a corridor.
It had been awhile since Sombra had last seen the castle of the Crystal Empire. It took him a little more than an hour to find the throne room. Two guards, a pegasus and a unicorn, were posted at the entrance way. Sombra pointed to the pegasus.
“Go and find me Doctor Pitch and his assistant and bring them to me.” Sombra said sullenly, not feeling up to being assertive.
These ponies were under his spell from the Crystal Heart anyway. So it wouldn’t matter how he said things as long as it was direct and clear.
The pegasus weepingly responded. “Yes, your Majesty,” He said and trotted off down the hallway.
“Well?” Sombra looked to the unicorn expectantly as one eye twitched annoyedly. The unicorn felt his gaze as if it looked down at him from above, awaiting for the right moment to crush him.
“O-Of course, pardon me your Majesty.” The unicorn stumbled and dropped his spear as his legs tumble about for it. It took longer than it should've but the unicorn did open the throne room door for Sombra.
Sombra passed through the threshold and after hearing the clear closing thud of the door behind him he quickened his stride to the throne. He ascended the dais and threw himself into the cushioned ripe red pillow.
Sombra stretched himself out and took a long laboured breath, wishing he could somehow be fully encompassed by the soft comforting sensation of the pillow. He took notice that his legs were aching and sore. Recollecting his thoughts he opened his eyes to take in the room before him.
Crystals. Crystals everywhere. But these crystals were hollow husks and useless for his purposes. Crystals weren’t the main material that the castle had been made out of either. There was plenty of stone and clay about as well. Crystals had been used preliminary as a lighting agent for the castle, albeit decoration also.
Sombra sulked at the thought that the crystals in the castle were so useless to him. However, only so useless in their current static state. His gaze came back to the throne and it drifted up its long backrest. Sitting aloft was one particular crystal that was not so useless.
No stamina was necessary to unlock the spell that had been sowed within the crystal. Sombra lassoed a dark tendril around the crystal. The tendril rhythmically swam around the prism. He closed his eyes as he navigating the tendrils into the correct positions. The head of the crystal darkened, blackening a sickly colour. Unseen to the naked eye a shadow hummed from inside the crystal.
One hum. The crystals glowed. Two hum. The Crystal Heart glowed. Three hum. They both glowed together. Sombra opened his eyes.The crystal castle was now his own. A grim, dark appearance to what it was but, his own.
Sombra planted himself on the throne; his throne. He grinned at his old masterpiece. He was tentative as he looked around the throne room. It was like the whole room could now speak to him. The walls said they were dark. The floor said it was cold. The ceiling said there was something to fear. Sombra scrunched his eyes closed eagerly.
Sombra touched the necklace on his chest. His breath slowed down and he started to feel relaxed and calm. He thought about the Crystal Heart and it made his spirits warm. As he begun to feel lightweight a small blunt pinprick made itself known to Sombra in the back of his neck.
Sombra rubbed it but it wouldn’t fade.
A knock at the door distracted Sombra from his meditation as the pegasus guard he had sent to find Doctor Pitch and Sabre returned.
“Your Majesty. If I-I may present, Doctor Pitch and his assistant Sabre.” The pegasus showed signs he was jittery of the new look the castle had suddenly taken on. His eyes darted back and forth.
Sombra nodded to the pegasus. The pegasus bowed and trotted out quickly. Next, Pitch and Sabre entered into the throne room and bowed.
“Yes.” Sombra grinned with a hiss or a lisp, lounging lethargically across the throne. “It seems the notion of respecting power isn't lost on ponies today. Which is good to see.”
Pitch and Sabre looked hesitantly at one another. The castle had suddenly taken on an ominous form and it made them a little skittish. Sombra paid them no mind and ordered them to come forward.
“Please report on the tasks I ordered before I left.” He said sternly.
Pitch begun the report. “The Princess…”
“Who is no longer a Princess,” Sombra shook his head, teeth showing.
Pitch hesitated slightly. “The..Cadance. She had been restrained in her room. The Prince…”
“Who is no longer a Prince,” Sombra said somewhat grinning.
Pitch felt like he should of been kicked the moment that had left his mouth. “Shining Armour has been restrained in the castle’s tower cells.”
Sombra nodded.
“Your Majesty, a quarters for your...uhh..guest has been found in the East Wing of the third floor.” Sabre added, counting on the fact it would still be in the same location after the castle had changed.
“Good,” Sombra said. “I am glad to see that my sons are useful to me and it didn’t take any longer than my absence to complete.” He said absentmindedly as his thoughts went to the unicorn that tumbled for the door for him and wondered if he should have punished the hapless guard.
Sombra shook the thought out of his mind. Time was of the essences. There were more urgent matters to address. He tapped a hoof on the throne arm.
Pitch and Sabre tried not to stare at Sombra’s irregular eye colour. Both of them found an edge of the throne to be more interesting.
Sombra chuckled weakly. “You have nothing to fear. For long as you serve me true.”
Sombra walked down from the dais and pasted by the two stallions in a quickened fashion. “We’ve tallied enough though. We must begin to re-organise my empire.” Sombra flourished ‘my empire’.
Pitch and Sabre joined in formation behind Sombra. Outside the throne room Sombra motioned to the guards.
“Guards. Retrieve your captain to meet me at the northern balcony outlooking the empire.”
“Uhh…”
Sombra shot him a glance.
The unicorn shot up like a beanstalk. “I-I-I... s-sorry your M-Majesty, Prince Shining Armour held that position.” The unicorn said hurriedly.
Sombra looked surprised. “Hmm. Yes, well, retrieve the deputy captain then.”
Both guards bowed. “R-right away your majesty.” They chorused and ran off down the hall to find the deputy captain.
Sombra lead the way towards the balcony that overlooked the northern expanse of the empire were important presentations took place from the castle to the empire.
Sombra snorted.
The empire stood majestically in the sunlight, each crystal surface glinting charmingly. Redecorating the empire was of course important. Nothing about the aura of sunshine and happiness of the buildings pleased Sombra. The empire was to his liking now; the grey hues matched his own coat perfectly.
The pinpricks from before continued to needle in one area of his neck teasingly.
Cautious hooves approached from behind the trio. It was the pegasus guard with another unicorn guard. They stood just outside the balcony door..
The pegasus stopped a few hooves away from Sombra.“Your majesty, as requested, presenting the deputy captain,” he said.
Sombra waved him away and the deputy captain took his place.
“Congratulations,” Sombra hissed. “You’ve been promoted.” Sombra said wickedly, his teeth shyly showed.
The unicorn pitifully groaned.
“I hope your memory is sharp captain. It shouldn’t be repeated that I hate repeating myself.” Sombra stood before the newly appointed captain and talked in a serious tone to him. “First order of business captain. Several road blocks are to be set up around the border of the empire. You are to give orders to those guards that they are to keep anypony from leaving or entering the empire.”
The captain nodded non-enthusiastically.
Sombra continued without losing a breath or his eyes wavering from direct contact with the captain. “Secondly. There will be ponies whom have not been as affected by my spell on the Crystal Heart. These ponies will no doubt be trying to leave the empire. They are to be detained and bound appropriately in the detention centre till I can see to them personal. Understood?”
Another nod.
“Thirdly. Inform all leader rank officers to report immediately to the throne room. They are to receive new instructions from their king. Lastly: the castle has guests. See to it that they under guard and those guards are made aware to inform me of any changes in their states.” Sombra said, surprisingly without a grin or sense of malice. He made his orders as stupidly simple as he could think of them.
The new captain nodded one last time and Sombra dismissed him with one last order to report to him once the tasks had been completed.
For Pitch and Sabre it was like watching two statues have a deep and meaningful conversation that they didn’t fully comprehend.
They both watched Sombra giving orders dumbfoundedly like sticks in the mud since they didn’t know their purpose in Sombra’s personal plans.
“Ah...now.” Sombra leered back around. Seeing in the eyes of Pitch that he still held his magical energy. “I will be no longer need to hold onto your energy for any longer Doctor Pitch.”
Sombra’s green eyes glowed and a gas like substance streamed from his mouth then up and down Pitch’s nose and mouth. Pitch’s stomach swirled and he spluttered.
“For now Doctor…” Sombra said working his jaw and idly scratching his neck. “What is your area of expertise?”
Pitch’s stomach tightened. While it might not be a good idea, Pitch decided, truth and honesty were a good standard to adhere by still. “I am Doctor in the studies of dark magic.”
There was a twinkle in Sombra’s eye. He seemed pleased with the answer.
“As a practitioner of magic I take you you also comprehend the abilities of crystals?
Pitch nodded.
“I want you and your assistant to undertake a research project for me.”
Pitch and Sabre’s mood instantly lit up. Research? They could do that!
Sombra gave them a light glare. “But first. What do you know of the Crystal Heart Doctor?”
“I’m afraid I haven’t had the time to study the Crystal Heart in detail. From what I know - any pony born in the proximity of the heart acquires a crystal coat.” Pitch said matter-of-factly.
Sombra wicked sneer marred his face. “It is so much more than that.”
Sombra continued to explain. “The Crystal Heart is to Equestria as like a doe to its mother. Wide-eyed and bushy tailed. So full of hope and promise. But the Crystal Hearts needs a constant figurehead to watch over it, to help it grow and understand the world. This crystal castle is like its mother. A beacon for the heart to reach out into the world to spread its influence.”
“What I need from you Pitch is to keep an eye on the heart for me. Try to channel some of your dark magic into it. Try to understand it intimately.” Sombra rubbed his chin. “I have placed a spell on the heart and want you to study it, analyze it, re-think it, amplify it, better it in every way possible. My attention will be needed elsewhere for some time before I can pursue my own personal interests for the Crystal Heart.”
The sun was beginning to set. A growling echo cut through the conversation like a chime in the wind.
Sabre smiled simple. “You sound hungry your Majesty,” He managed a quick, secretive wink at Pitch. “Shall I escort you to the royal dining room?”
Sombra rubbed his chest. “Yes.” He lisped, sounding and looking unsure of himself. “I suppose that would be best for now.”
Sombra’s state wasn’t lost of Pitch and Sabre. They both smiled at one another. It was time to enact some of their own plans.
“I shall call into the kitchen and have them send in their very best for you your Majesty.” Pitch said cheerfully as he begun to trot off.
“Please, follow me your Majesty.” Sabre said.
Back in the hallway Pitch and Sabre nodded at one another affirmatively. Pitch took off down the hallway first with Sabre and Sombra soon to follow.
Sombra watched Pitch leave with lazy eyes. Sabre noticed again Sombra’s sullied expression stuck on his face.
Sabre softened his own expression so as not to appear to be mocking. “A bit for your thought your Majesty?”
Sombra grunted loudly to scare away his own thoughts. “It’s nothing. Shall we proceed?”
Sabre rolled his eyes.
Sabre lead Sombra through the second floor of the castle towards the south wing where the royal dining hall was. It was only meant to be used by royalty, namely Prince Shining Armour and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. But since they weren’t using it at the moment they probably wouldn’t mind. Hopefully.
The private dining hall was sparse. It was the first time that Sabre had seen it. If anything it looked rather spartan to how he imagined royalty dined. The unassuming room was spacious and held very little but a long, luxurious mahogany dining table that could seat twenty two ponies. At least the walls were covered up with a vibrant red curtain.
Two chairs sat next to each other at the head of the table belonging to the the Prince and Princess; one fabricated with blue cushions and the other pink. The pink chair had heart motifs carved throughout the wood. While the blue one was patterned in shields.
Sombra wordlessly made his way for the head of the table. He eyed both chairs suspiciously before he took hold of one and moved it against the wall. He aligned the pink cushioned chair at the head of the table and sat down.
This raised a curious glance from Sabre. However, little that Sabre knew that back in Sombra’s day newborn colts were clothed in pink where fillies were clothed in blue. Pink was a rather masculine colour.
It was quiet in the hall. Sombra didn’t have anything to say.
“So... it looks like it will be a nice night out.” Sabre commented.
Sombra grunted noncommittally.
Pitch entered from the other doorway at the opposite end of the room. Following him was a drowsy looking chef pushing a food cart.
“The kitchen is still functional.” Pitch said to everyone.
Sombra harrumphed.
“I hope this pleases your Majesty,” the earth pony chief said as she saddled up near Sombra. She then set the items on the food cart on the table in front of Sombra with adept agility.
“What is this?” Sombra glared at the food.
The chef finished putting down the cutlery with the food. “Umm...food, I think.” The chef twitched nervously.
Sombra stared at the chief in lazy disbelief. Pitch peered over to the food setting, aiming to help out the confused chef. He didn’t know much about the finer art of culinary expertise but could make out the basics nonetheless.
“Looks like steamed cabbage, carrots, other vegetables, some sort of juice beverage, perhaps…”
Sombra turned his glare from the food to the chef, magnifying it on the pony. “Do I look like a rabbit?”
The room temperature dropped as eyes were suddenly glued to the spot.
“Uhh...no, your Majesty, I wouldn’t imply.” She said with both forelegs up in shakey surrender.
Sombra turned back to the food in front of him and his stomach grumbled wantingly.
“Nevermind. I’ll give you a culinary book later on. Saving, you haven’t forgotten how to read?” Sombra raised a skeptical eyebrow at the chef.
“Umm, no, I don’t think so.” She squeaked.
Sombra nodded and waved a hoof to dismiss the her. She bowed hesitantly and left the room the way she came. The door closed and that was the starting sound to feast. Sombra’s muzzle dove straight down into the hot soup gurgling it down swiftly.
Pitch and Sabre leant back away from the darting droplets of hot soup.
Pitch and Sabre watched awestruck as Sombra devoured everything in front of him with such zeal that the mess he was made was cringeworthy.
“Your Majesty?” Pitch said with a cutting tone.
He made no reply as he continued to eat like a stallion possessed.
Sabre waved to Pitch to get his attention and then shook his head at him. Thankful that Sombra hadn’t made a remark to Pitch’s rude tone, or hadn’t noticed.
Pitch and Sabre had spoken before their trip to the Crystal Mountain on how they would reform Sombra. Making comments on his personal habits wasn’t on the table at this point. They had to observe, analyse, and describe him, if they were going to successfully reform him.
To improve his personality though, they would have to firstly get to know how he worked - inside and out. With this information they could approach Sombra more easily and hopefully perform his reformation with as less stress and anxiety as possible. For both themselves and Sombra.
Sombra belched, exclaiming his satisfaction towards the meal. He rubbed the the turmoil of the feast out of his muzzle with the table cloth. Pitch cringed again at his show of unrefinement.
Sombra clapped his hooves together calling for attention. “Another.”
“O-k then. I’ll just see to the chef to make some more.” Pitch said and made his way back out to the kitchen.
“Yes. Next time, less salt.” Sombra called out firmly.
A few minutes passed in silence. Sabre thought again of a way to have a productive conversation with Sombra.
Sabre looked around the dining room for anything that could spark a conversation “So this is the castle you had…”
Sombra shot a glance and looked closely at Sabre. “Sabre, come closer.” Sombra cooed, his teeth glinting distractingly from the coating of purple, ethereal colour coming from his eyes.
Sabre nestled up closer to the sitting king noticing his very sharp canine teeth.
“If you have something to say, than out with it. I don’t like ponies who skip around with niceties.”
Sabre lowered his head. “Sorry your Majesty.”
“Now, speak, but be mindful of what you say. Or I might decide to turn your mind into mince.” Sombra said cooly.
Sabre gulped, hoping a direct approach would turn out well. “Do you think it’s a good idea to hold Cadance here against her will?” It felt like the honest, safest subject to talk about.
“Yes.” Sombra said without a grin.
“I don’t think Princess Celestia or Princess Luna would like that.”
Sombra nodded slightly with a smug grin, “I don’t do it to call them to action. The opposite is true. By having one of their own as my prisoner it’ll make them think twice before rushing into things. To avoid a confrontation with the princesses, she will be my trump card.”
“What about Prince Shining Armour?” Sabre asked.
“He is my prisoner.” Sombra said bluntly. “I will not free him if that is what you’re thinking? He will be my leverage over the pink alicorn to behave herself.”
Sabre’s mind went cold. He dared to try and poke a sleeping bear. “Surely there’s a nicer way to going about things as king than imprisoning the former prince and princess?”
The likelihood of that was nil at this point.
“Silence you cur!” Sombra jumped suddenly from his chair and at Sabre, forcing him to his haunches.
“You know not of whom you speak to. The empire is mine to do with as I please.” Sombra sneered.
The smell of steamed cabbage mixed with Sombra’s naturally breath made Sabre’s blood curl.
“I-am-the-King.”
Sabre mind blanked on him.
Feeling he had said his piece to silence Sabre into submission Sombra returned back to his chair with a gruff out of his nostrils.
Pitch returned in moments with the chef again. This time the food cart was heavily ladened with food. He looked at Sabre worryingly, obviously having heard the outrage. Sabre simple smiled with a promise in his eyes to talk later.
Sombra finished off the second meal just as fast as the first..
“Pitch, tell the chef to ensure that the prisoners and Cadance are fed and watered.” Sombra said.
Sombra wiped his muzzle on the table cloth again. His meal finished he got up to return to his throne room. Pitch and Sabre followed on after him not really knowing whether or not they should.
Back the throne room entrance the two guards that Sombra sent on errand were nowhere to be seen. He growled. “Do I have to do everything myself.”
“What’s wrong your Majesty?” Pitch asked.
Sombra shook his head. “This empire will run itself into the ground thanks to the incompetent spell on the Crystal Heart.” Sombra said as he marched grumpily towards the outside of the castle.
Pitch and Sabre peered at one another questioningly before they followed as best they could behind him in a brisk trot.
“I’ll have to do everything myself, for now.” Sombra said as he exited the castle. “Doctor, where I can find those ponies who take charge of the economics and businesses?” He stopped and looked at Pitch expectantly.
“In their shops?” Sabre added too quickly hoping to make amends on his first failure to begin reforming Sombra.
Sombra rubbed his head. “I’m aware of that much.” He spat. “But not them, think top of the hierarchy. Those who help manage and keep this place running.”
“Oh, ah. Those ponies,” Pitch rubbed his chin. “Well, there’s one particular office in the Crystal Empire that I can think of where ponies do that.” Pitch looked around the immediate outlining area of the castle.
“Though everything is different now, right? I wouldn’t know where that building is now.” Sabre said.
“The appearance is the only thing that has changed in the empire, mostly. The empire should be how it usually is.” Sombra also looked around the area. “Only more greyer than usual.”
Sabre tried to wrap his mind around that. The empire was alien to him now. Even if he knew the empire before he worried he might still get lost in this new look. The unwashable image of Sombra’s eye bore down on him making him shudder.
“Right. Well then, follow us your Majesty. I am sure we can find it... eventually.” Pitch said.
Sombra nodded. Though he didn’t want to take more time than necessary it couldn’t be helped. Pitch lead the way off of the castle grounds and into the town.
The night was still young.
Back inside the the castle, in one of the highest towers, Twilight Sparkle stirred. She woke up in her cell with a damp ache all over her body.
“Whoa, what happened to me?” She looked around at her gloomy enclosure. Save for the small space in the wall that provided a window of light there was no other sense of warmth.
Twilight rubbed her leg in realisation. “That’s right. Sombra must have brought me here.”
She tentatively touched her horn. Hard black crystals were keeping her magic subdued. She pondered her options - magic was out but she was still physically able and not bound in her cell.
Twilight trotted over to the cell door and looked through the barred peep hole cut largely into the frame. Two earth ponies guarded the door out in the holding area.
They had the tell tale signs they were under the effect of Sombra’s spell. Their coats didn’t twinkle in the moonlight and their expressions were world-weary.
Twilight must of been unconscious for a good half day. Remembering Sombra had attacked her in the library in the afternoon. Twilight looked about her cell for anything that might help in her escape out of the cell. A wooden plank bound to the wall for a bed and a layer of dust throughout the cell wasn't going to help much.
Twilight sat down and rested her head against the door. There was one thing she could do however. A thing she’d rather not. Something that Princess Celestia had taught her - dark magic.
Twilight steeled herself for the stress she was about to put herself under. She stared determinedly at the cell door. She gritted her teeth and grounded her hooves and focused her magic. Briefly, a smoky mist appeared from her eyes and another around her horn.
Her warm up was done but she was already feeling taxed from the exertion of pushing the magic out from within her.
Twilight gritted her teeth harder, worrying she might split a tooth, and she grounded herself more to the ground; lowering her body slightly to anchor it. The smoky mist waved around her eyes and horn. The black smog around her horn crackled and popped with purple tendrils of energy. The tendrils whipped at the crystal forms on her horn.
Twilight opened her eyes which glowed bright green. She aimed her thoughts at the door wanting nothing more than to break it open to her freedom. With a final loud crack the black crystals broke, smashed to dust, and a bolt of magic slammed against the door. The door broke off its hinges under the immense effort of the magic and sailed across the room.
Twilight sighed.
“Well that worked better than I thought.” Twilight said seeing that the cell door had made perfect ammunition to catapult at the guards.
She touched her horn experimentally. The black crystals were gone. “That’s something I’ll have to ask the Princess about.”
The guards laid unconscious on the uneven stone floor.
“Now then, I’ll just be seeing myself out now…”
“Twily? Is that you?” Another voice said.
Twilight spun about. In the neighbouring cell was none other than her brother, Shining Armour.
“Shining? What are you doing here?” Twilight rushed up to the cell, swiftly heating up the padlock that locked Shining within it with a spark from her horn. The lock deformed and oozed away into hot sludge. As Twilight pushed the door open Shining fell out onto the dusty stone floor.
“Shining? Are you alright?”
He coughed. “I’ve been better little sis.”
Twilight noted his expression of attempting to disarm the truth and facts of the situation with a gentle smile. She supported his weight as she helped him back to four hooves.
“What about Cadance, where is she?” Twilight said, her tone and face laced with concern.
“I’m not sure. I hope she’s safe…,” Shining looked down at the floor disheartenedly.
“Twily, don’t worry about me. You need to get out of here before Sombra finds you,” Shining said.
“I am not leaving my B.B.B.F.F. behind,” Twilight locked a stern gaze at Shining. “Come on we’re getting out of here.”
Twilight opened the main door to the cell block and made her way up the stairs.
Shining wobbled behind her as his insides protested the lack of nourishment. He hadn’t had any food or water since the day before.
Noticing his lagging Twilight snatched up Shining in a levitation spell and placed him across her back.
“It’s fine Twily, I can walk.” Shining said as he bounced in rhythm with Twilight’s walking.
“No, we need to get out of here quickly,” Twilight said as she dashed up the stairs. She peeked out into the hallway to see if the coast was clear.
“Really, I can.” Shining weakly protested.
Twilight ignored him and made a mad dash through the castle hallways. The castle was definitely different now Sombra had taken over, she noted. She hoped that the staircase to the castle fora was still in its central location in the castle.
The crystal castle was silent save for the rabid pace Twilight was making to exit it, her hooves echoing on the stone flooring. Shining Armour jerked back and forth on her back keeping an eagle’s eye watch for any activity.
Twilight found the stairs she was looking for and was thankful there had been no diversions so far. She darted behind a stone column to assess the double door to the courtyard.
“This is it, out those doors and a beeline to the train station and we’ll be home free.” Twilight whispered cheerfully.
Shining shifted on Twilight’s back as the compression of his stomach on her back was getting more uncomfortable.
“You know I could…”
“No. Leave this to me.” Twilight said.
Shining rolled his eyes. When did his little sister become so authoritative and assertive? Every time he saw her she seemed to change; more stronger, more wiser, becoming an alicorn, a princess of Equestria. All these no doubt instilled a sense of responsibility and duty for Twilight.
“I don’t think we’ll have a problem escaping as long as we don’t get spotted.” Twilight said bringing Shining out of his musings. She looked around the large entrance hall and with not a sight or sound she trotted up to the castle doors. She peeked outside. Two unicorns guarded the door for the night.
“There’s two guards there Shining. I don’t know how we’re going to get through this door without alerting them.”
“Let's head to the east wing, there’s a side door there for food deliveries which shouldn’t be guarded. As all food coming in gets checked before hoof.” Shining said.
Twilight nodded an affirmative and strode quickly to the new location.
It was a confusing enigma not to see a soul within the castle; like it had been abandoned. Twilight and Shining were of one mind in this fact. Thankful not to have to resort to diversionary tactics to get by but also perplexed by the absence of other ponies as they entered into the large storage room of the east wing.
“Where is everypony?” Twilight asked.
“I don’t really know. Though I got no doubt it has something to do with Sombra,” Shining said with a steely gaze promising retribution.
“Same. The ponies we’ve seen so far were reminiscent of how they were when the Crystal Empire first appeared,” Twilight said. She closed her eyes and thought for a moment. “This isn't something we can handle of our own - we need to get to Princess Celestia.”
Shining Armour agreed.
Twilight flipped the door latch without effort and the door swung open. Twilight crept out into the moonlight. She breathed a sigh of relief that there was no one else around.
“Ok, straight to the train station then,” Twilight stated.
It was easy to sneak and avoid everyone they spotted on their way towards to train station. They made it out of castle then the empire as quickly as they dared.
“Ow?” Twilight stumbled backwards quickly causing Shining to slip off her back.
In the shadows of the night it was hard to make out the grey transparent film in front of them.
“A shield?” Shining had gotten up slowly and worked out the kinks in his body. He approached and extended a hoof experimentally at the dome. He squinted his eyes as he scrutinised the details of the spell in front of him.
Twilight, with fascination, watched her brother examine the texture of the surface. Shield spells was his special talent and if he could figure out what this spell was they’d have a chance of passing through it.
Shining retracted his hoof and put it back on the ground. He looked upset. “This spell is unusually… I’ve never seen it before. It is still a shield type but it’s energy is weird.” He looked towards Twilight who looked at the faint painterly texture scrupulously.
“It’s been designed to keep something very specific out but I can’t tell what,” Shining said
and without thought charged his magic. His head kicked back as the blue glow around his horn got no further than the first spike of crystal around his horn. He rubbed a hoof tenderly near the base of horn from the headache he just received.
“It’s okay Shining.” Twilight said resting a hoof on his shoulder. “I said I’ll get us out here and that’s a promise.”
Twilight put a small distance between her and the force field. She glowered with power. Her horn forced the magical energies to the top of her horn. A blinding-hot beam shot through the paper thin field. Twilight stared, her plan to make quick work of the barrier to freedom by cutting a slice of the dome out for a pony to get through backfired, as the beam of light had in fact, shot through it.
Shining moved forward.
“No wait!” Twilight wasn’t quick enough to grab her brother before his muzzle touched the potential trap.
Shining Armour strode through barrier as if it wasn’t there.
“Well that was fortunate.” Shining said thoughtlessly as he turned back around to Twilight who was glaring at him. “Whatever it’s meant to keep in or out I think we’ll fine walking through it.”
Twilight nodded and went to meet Shining on the other side. She closed her eyes just before her muzzle touched the field. She felt a pressure on her face trying to hold her back but she persisted and with effort pushed herself through.
Twilight caught herself quickly as she popped out from the field’s grasp on her.
“Did you feel any pressure when going through? Twilight asked. Shining shook his head.
“Thoughts for another time, let's go.” Shining said urgently.
Twilight ran on with Shining behind her and they ran out and into the snow covered night.
One of the not-so-mysterious facts about the Crystal Empire. Its location was so close to the Frozen North that it was always winter. Archways were built with crystals at each cardinal point with which had been enchanted to keep the snow from encroaching into the empire.
Twilight’s first priority was to check if the station still had trains running, though unlikely at this point. She scratched that out on her mental checklist almost immediately seeing it was abandoned.
The night sky was clear and the cold snow on the ground was bearable. Twilight entertained the thought of carrying Shining Armour on her back as she flew through the sky. Though she didn’t want to risk flying and losing her brother to a sudden change in the wind. She also wasn’t confident she could keep afloat with him on her back or in her arms.
Shining Armor looked about the train platform helplessly. A light and fluffy snow begun to fall around them. Twilight signed and gave Shining a weak reassuring grin.
“I guess we’re walking from here,” She said. She jumped off the waiting platform and began a steady pace on the tracks heading out of the Crystal Empire and towards Canterlot.
They hadn't put a hundred feet between them and the station when a shriek suddenly permeated the air. In the distance night sky five pegasus shadows grew closer on their tail.
“Ahh!” Twilight yelled, frustrated that they had been spotted. Even with her alicorn stamina Twilight didn’t believe she could run all the way to Canterlot much less outrun the avian ponies.
She would try anyway.
Shining stopped and was lurching from side to side. “Keep going Twilight.” He said in gasps. “Get to Canterlot and warn the Princesses of Sombra’s return,” He said as he turned his back to face the approaching guards.
“No. I won't leave you Shining.” Twilight joined Shining by his side.
“Twily?”
Twilight smiled confidently at Shining as the the pegasi descended and landed to form a circle around them.
The pegasi looked weary much like the other ponies they had seen before.
“Shining, do you think they still recognize you as their Prince?” Twilight asked.
“Only one way to know for sure…,” Shining said as a pegasus approached them.
“You need to come back. You’re under arrest.” The pegasus didn’t sound sure of himself.
“This is the Prince of the Crystal Empire. Doesn’t he have free-range to go as he pleases?” Twilight asked.
The pegasi looked at one another in a thoughtless state.
The pegasus mumbled in thought. “I…, no, there is no Prince of the Crystal Empire. Only King Sombra.” He shuddered as if a nightmare was invading his thoughts.
Twilight stared disbelievingly at the pegasus’s words.
“Twilight, get ready. I’ll create a diversion so you can get out of here.” Shining whispered to Twilight.
Twilight didn’t have time to object as Shining launched at the pegasus in front of them.
“Go! Twilight, now!”
Twilight’s mind splashed about helplessly. She didn’t want to abandon her brother but he was given her an opportunity to escape. She spun about and ran along the train tracks. Two guards were kept busy with bounding Shining Armour in rope as the three left over pegasi chased down Twilight.
The pegasus flew around her trying to push her over. Each time Twilight teleported out of the way. She squealed with glee as she noticed two pegasi had bumped into one another as she teleported out of their attack path. The other pegasus had swooped down to check on them.
Eyes on the night horizon Twilight felt she could accomplish her escape.
The wind billowed past her and she had to stop. A thick shadow stood out in the night in front of Twilight. The shadow shrunk to form a pony; the pony of fear itself - Sombra.
The night was getting darker as Sombra, Pitch, and Sabre headed for the castle keep.
Pitch and Sabre were now walking on eggshells around Sombra. He had lost his temper repeatedly at ponies as he instructed, and structured, them on their tasks. The oncoming, never-ending, what is that, what does that mean, plagued his thoughts.
His spell was very efficient at controlling other ponies, if tediously requiring precise input.
It was an odd sort of experience for both Pitch and Sabre.
Whatever Sombra had done to the empire he had done so knowingly and it frustrated him to no end. It was like spinning plates. Sombra had to see to each pony and wiggle them to get them spinning again. But in a much more point to point, breaking down, how to, face to face fashion. Sombra had talked to about thirty ponies throughout the last few hours.
Pitch and Sabre were rather impressed with Sombra’s patience with instructing ponies on what it was they should be doing. He was able to delegate one pony to each important factor of economics, from agriculture to welfare. A lot of what was said was lost to Pitch and Sabre however. They did pick up that when Sombra wasn’t sure on something he would order the pony to find a book on it in the library; to instruct themselves then follow through. Yet, he appeared well versed in managing the empire’s needs.
Alas, the heat of his anger forced Pitch and Sabre to keep a few hoof lengths away from him, lest they got burnt. Sombra had obviously had enough of other ponies for one day.
Sombra growled aggressively. “This spell is so tedious!” He shot his head at Pitch. “You; start the research tomorrow,” he barked. Sombra twitched, thinking Pitch was about to ask something. “On-the-spell, on-the-Crystal-Heart,” he splurted out angrily.
Although Sombra’s creased brow had remained all evening it had soften and looked pudgy. “I tire,” he blurted out. “Tomorrow I’ll see to the agriculture and resource management.” Sombra punctuated with a dangle of a hoof in the air.
Sombra rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully and with a downcast gaze as a slight pinprick pain appeared. He closed his eyes and casted a silent spell to send his vision to where the attention wanted him. Sombra’s mind echoed. His brow rehardened.
“You Majesty?” Sabre watched the pained expression on Sombra worriedly.
Sombra flicked his mane. “Go and wait for me in the throne room.” He barked abruptly. “I have something to attend to.”
Sombra’s physical form dissipated quickly into shadow and lurched skyward towards the train station.
“Where are they going now?” Sombra mused with an amused, if tired, smirk.
He hovered above the scene taking place where the former Prince and the purple alicorn were being subdued by the pegasi guards.
Twilight Sparkle was making a run for freedom. Sombra unnoticingly grinned and swept through her. He shifted back into pony form and stood in front of Twilight’s path. He first noticed that the crystals that were meant to inhibit her magic were now gone.
“Sombra!” Twilight shouted. “You won't succeed in your plan to take over Equestria.”
Sombra raised an eyebrow skeptically, his insides twisted slightly. Twilight was designing a spell to knock Sombra unconscious. His eyes narrowed on her as he cast a quick spell of his own. A protective armour materialized from below his jowl and covered his chest entirely. Four metal gauntlets also materialized around his hooves extending up to his knees. A forked crown which mimicked the pointed and curved shape of his horn appeared around his forehead. Sombra sneered at Twilight’s attempted plight. She wouldn’t be able to best him.
Nopony would.
Sombra could see the denial of himself in Twilight’s eyes. Yet the familiar inkling of fear was nowhere to be found. He gruffed and trotted the ground with one hoof signalling Twilight to charge him if she dared.
Twilight took the bait and charged at Sombra with wings extended. She jumped and glided over Sombra to attack him from behind. She cast a powerful magic missile at him.
Sombra hadn’t budged an inch. The magic missile tore through the mirage of the pony.
“Wha-how…?” Twilight stammered. She had been caught off guard and was now open to attack. She jerked her head around looking for the real Sombra desperately. The real Sombra fell straight from above Twilight. She didn’t have time to react and was pushed down to the ground by Sombra’s own weight.
Not wasting a moment, Sombra leant his horn down to touch Twilight’s and reapplied his spell to it. A brief crackle and the obsidian crystals returned to block Twilight from using magic.
Sombra stepped off of her and waited for the guards to approach him. The two pegasi had Shining Armour bound by his legs to prevent him from running and touched up against both of his sides to bar a possible escape.
“Good.” Sombra said grudgingly. Bags under his eyes evidence of his tired state.
He watched as Twilight tried to rise from out of the snow. The application of having her magic inhibited sapped her stamina drastically. Sombra harrumphed and transformed back into mist to head back to the castle; capturing the surrounding ponies in a field of darkness to take with him.
Sombra dumped everyone on the ground. Shining Armour and Twilight Sparkle were back in their cells in the tower.
Sombra saw the broken door to Twilight's cell and looked at it annoyingly. He grumbled and levitated the broken door and cast a spell to repair it back onto its hinges.
Twilight shook off her disorientation from the flight and narrowed her eyes at Sombra. He ignored her and checked on the guards he’d brought with him. Plus two more that were stock still and conscious on the prison entrance.
He grumbled quietly to himself. “You two, report to the captain. The prison posts are to be relieved by unicorns only.”
“Yes, your Majesty.” They bowed and left.
“I am not afraid of you Sombra,” Twilight said defiantly and stood up.
“I see,” Sombra said lazily turning to look at Twilight in her cell. She shuddered slightly.
Twilight leveled her gaze at Sombra. She noticed the unicorn of fear and hate regarded her with a tired look in his eyes but it wasn’t one of sleep deprivation.
He signed. “You know my name but I don’t even know your’s. What is it?” He said firmly.
Twilight blinked. “Twilight Sparkle.”
“Well, Twilight Sparkle. That determination you feel now is only temporary. The Crystal Heart will soon see to it that you under my influence before you realize it.” Sombra was about to lock the door to trap Twilight within.
“Whatever it is your planning - it won't work. My friends, the Princesses; they won't let you hurt any more ponies.”
Twilight’s ears flicked to a sick coughing noise erupting from the cell next to her. “Shining?” Twilight instinctively went straight for her brother not realizing she had just brushed underneath Sombra’s hoof about to close the door. Sombra rolled his eyes.
“My brother’s sick,” Twilight cried out. “You have to let him see a doctor.” She pleaded to Sombra as he appeared in front of the cell door.
Sombra looked at the scene of Twilight holding Shining’s head in her forelegs with little amusement.
“He is my prisoner to do what I see fit with,” Sombra said in a coldly contemptuous tone. “The former prince will stay here till I see right that he needs a doctor.”
“But he may die before then,” Twilight said softly, a stream of tears running away from her eyes.
Sombra rubbed his check woefully to avoid the pitiful eyes of Twilight on him.
A spark struck up in his plan.
This alicorn... would no doubt try to escape again and might even succeed in it. With Cadance held up in her own quarters having an additional alicorn captive would be to his advantage. This one particularly would need to be constantly watched over.
His spell upon the Crystal Heart was good enough to affect most if not all ponies. Yet it wasn’t having its full effect on the alicorns at all. Much like the pink alicorn Cadance, it would need a personal touch. But he determined to enhance the spell so it worked just as well on alicorns.
He wondered how far he could use his black crystals to limit the abilities of the alicorn.
Sombra grinned, deciding on a way that would keep the princess from being a future problem. “I will let your brother go... if you promise to stay here in the castle - and never leave.”
“What?” Twilight turned away from Sombra to look out the opening in the wall. Time was of the essence. The lack of nourishment and hampering of Shining’s magic and physical form; thanks to Sombra netting him in his shadowy form that forced an unnatural form-bending on him, might take its final toll on him at any moment.
Twilight imagined the situation happening in a small space of the night sky. Her eyes moistened.
“Ok, I promise.” She said finally. Rejected from any other hope to save her brother. Only in Sombra’s own desire might it be assured that Shining would turn out to be alright.
“Guards!” Sombra bellowed grabbing Shining around the scruff of his neck and dragging him away from Twilight. She tried to grip onto her brother’s hoof but it slipped out of her grasp too easily, too quickly.
Shining wheezed and coughed. “No. Twilight. I’ll be fine.”
“Take him to a pegasus, whom will take away this unicorn from the empire! Throw him upon Canterlot.” Sombra said and threw him to the ground in front of the guards.
The two guards pulled him out of the prison and out of sight.
“Shining!” Twilight dropped to ground with unwanted tears streaming down her face.
With Shining Armour now out of sight and out of mind Sombra reproached Twilight.
“You didn’t even let me say goodbye. Now I’ll never see him again.” Twilight cried.
Sombra didn’t know what to say instead turned his back on her. The sad eyes of Twilight permitted themselves unwelcomed into his mind. There Twilight would stay in the prison, however long never leaving was.
Sombra rubbed the back of his mane. Twilight was going to be around for awhile. He didn’t want to cause unneeded vexation to the alicorn. He still had a lot to do in the empire.
“I’ll show you to your quarters.” Sombra snapped.
Twilight wiped away her tears. “But I thought I was your prisoner?”
Sombra grunted unsurely, looking away from her. “Did you want to stay here?” He motioned to the cell.
“No...” Twilight said timidly.
“Then follow me,” Sombra barked. He swiftly swung around away from Twilight and left the cell.
Twilight pursed her lips, trepidation setting in her mind. Not seeing any other choice she followed on after Sombra.
The night was in full effect darkening every recess of the castle. Held aloft by a iron holster in the wall Sombra grabbed a wooden torch with in his telekinesis. With a simple spell the larger end of the torch slowly crackled to life as a red flame danced pleasantly.
In the moonlight the crystals made the castle looked like a place of transcendence like walking through a peaceful dream. If there was such a thing as a castle on the moon - this is what it might look like.
Twilight followed Sombra through one corridor, up stairs, and through another corridor, wondering where he was taking her.
Sombra lead Twilight to the East Wing on the third floor of the castle.
“This will be your room.” He said opening up the ornate door.
Twilight didn’t make eye contact with Sombra but guessed he wanted her to enter into the room.
“The castle is your home now. You may go wherever you want here, except the west wing.” Sombra said firmly as Twilight paused inside the room to take in her the new surroundings.
“Why, what’s...?” She looked back to see Sombra’s face.
“I forbid it!” Sombra interrupted with a snarl. Twilight flinched slightly seeing his glossy white teeth, smeared with red from the torch light.
“If you try to escape I’ll lock you back up in the cell.” Sombra growled as he slammed the door behind him.
Twilight’s depression erupted out of its camouflage. She ran and flung herself onto the bed. New tears running down her muzzle and onto the mattress.
“I hope my friends don’t worry when they noticed I am missing,” She cried.
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Beauty and the Beast-ish story?
:P
4607843
Ah-hah! :D
My hope is that it doesn't take away from the story buts adds something to it instead.
I was curious if the references/adaption/parody (or whatever you'd like to call it) would be noticed.
It is rather noticeable, huh?
4609340
Cool!Looking forward to future chapters!^.^
Man! You really made a long chapter this time! Heh?
Love it!
4610884
Glad you're enjoying the story so far ^_^
Hope I can continue to do so
Ohhhhhhhhhh.
I get the feeling this is based of beauty and the beast!
4618553
Too true, it has some trappings of The Beauty & The Beast. I hope by centering the story in/around Sombra that that vail adds to the greater whole of the story.
Aww beauty and the beast reference, cute <3
I hope you do a library scene.
You dang done GOOFED!!!!
I see what you're trying to do with the beauty and the best like approach, but it feels strange because Twilight looks to be jumping in and out of character.
Up until to this line.
It kinda similar to the story of 'the beauty and the beast's XD