Spike's Shadow

by DraconequusMaximus

Have A Happy Holiday, Pt.2

Shopping had been the bane of Sombra's existence for the past seven days. Trying to find gifts for people he barely knew had been something of a chore, but Spike had been able to offer helpful advice and a few suggestions. Though the fast approaching holiday made last-minute shopping even more troublesome.

Regardless, the day was finally upon them. It was just a few minutes after eight in the morning and Spike, Fluttershy, Velvet, and Pinkie Pie had been cooking for hours already. Feeding everyone at once was a tall order. Spike especially had basically quadrupled his intake as of late. Fortunately he had also gone hunting twice is just the last three days to better accommodate his needs.

While Sombra didn't mind Spike being needed elsewhere, it left him a bit bored at present. Most everyone was still asleep, taking advantage of their holiday. This left Sombra, typically an early riser, out luck.

The dark stallion had decided to curl up on a particularly comfortable couch with some coffee and catch up on his reading while he waited for the others to gradually file into the lobby.

The room had been decked out in all the typical trimmings, the centerpiece of which was a truly grand evergreen tree picked out by Applejack, felled by Big Macintosh, carried to the castle by a full-sized Spike, and preserved magically by Twilight. Everyone had picked out a set of ornaments, and by the end of that day the tree had been covered in shimmering gems and blown-glass ornaments.

The star atop the tree had been provided by Celestia and Luna. A brilliant eight-pointed gold star reminiscent of the sun, and in it's center a moon made of magically shimmering diamonds. While Sombra thought the decorations were a bit extravagant he couldn't deny they added to the festive spirit of the castle.

Sombra made it through a few chapters before someone descended down the stairs.

Or rampaged, as the case might have been.

Two blurs, one blue and one pink ran down the stairs with astonishing speed. Sombra was thankful he was on one of the sofas set up in a semicircle around one side of the tree. Otherwise he would have gotten mowed down, or at the very least bowled over.

Despite their innocent appearance Sombra had seen Spike's cousin accidentally barge through a wall the day before.

The blue blur was stopped just short of hitting the tree by a magenta wall of unicorn magic. Following closely behind the children (albeit at a much more relaxed pace) cam Shining Armor and Cadence. The blurs were now recognizable as themselves again, a little blue unicorn colt, and a little pink pegasus filly.

Rampart, more commonly referred to as Ram, seemed unfazed by the impact with Shining Armor's shield. Sombra had been a little confused as to how someone's cutie mark could be for breaking things, but the metal battering ram with a stylized ram's head at the front fit the colt perfectly.

Amore's cutie mark was a recent development, or so Sombra had been told. She had somehow played matchmaker to two of the palace guards, and they were supposedly quite happy. The mark itself was a two playing cards with a large red heart in between.

While the children had only come to try and find their Hearth's Warming gifts under the tree, they were now frozen in fear. Face to face with a bogeymare-like figure. Sombra, the stallion they had spent their entire young lives hearing horrifying tales about. Sombra had been very careful to avoid frightening them up until this point, but he had basically been dragged into the situation.

The thought of sinking into the darkness between the sofa cushions had occurred to him far too late.

"Er... Good Morning?" Sombra attempted with an innocent (if a bit nervous) smile.

Amore ducked behind her big brother, but Ram stood defiantly, taking after his father.

Shining Armor wanted to step forward and mitigate the situation, but Cadence stopped him.

"Let them get through this. The kids need to learn not to believe everything they hear in stories, and Sombra needs some social development. Let's just sit back and let this happen. But be ready to jump in, just in case." Cadence explained.

Shining didn't seem as sure as his wife, but he regardless complied with her wishes. Though he was really beginning to wonder if alicorns were somehow predisposed to meddling. Or if Celestia had just taught her juniors a bit too much.

Sombra wasn't moving, and it was impossible to tell if he was even breathing. The only parts of him that were still acting as usual were his flowing mane and the occasional blink of his eyelids. The children were likewise still, although Ram had far less patience than Sombra.

"You're King Sombra! They taught us about you in school, and the grown-ups are all afraid of you. But I'm not scared! My family kicked your but twice already!" Ram shouted defiantly.

Sombra sighed, and got up from the couch. He stood in front of Ram, and looked down at him with the saddest expression Shining Armor had ever seen.

Ram backed up a bit, and Amy followed suit.

"I realize you are most likely too young to understand, but I am no king. I am... Was, a puppet. Inside of me was a ghost, the ghost of a terrible monster. It used my body to do bad things. But Spike saved me. I exploded... But I came back from it better than before, and now the ghost is gone. But it took my memories, so Spike has been teaching me all about the world, and helping me find a place in it. Perhaps when you are older we can become friends."

Sombra gave the children a sad smile and walked away, feeling he wasn't in the right place right now.

As he walked by, he felt something grasp his back leg. He turned to find Amy holding him, as if to say 'don't go'. She looked up at him in confusion, pointing to his flank. More specifically, the mark that signified his power of darkness.

"Your cutie mark is Spike's new tattoo?" She asked innocently.

Sombra blushed a bit, unsure how to explain it to a child.

"Er... More accurately, Spike's tattoo is a replica of my cutie mark. Spike is my... special somepony? Things are complicated. It might be best if you asked your mother." Sombra explained cautiously.

While Sombra was fond of children, this was actually the first time he had spoken to a child that could speak back. Frost and Sugar Berry weren't old enough yet, and Sombra didn't know any other kids. He was trying not to say anything harsh or too complex, but he was admittedly even more nervous after Ram's outburst.

"If you're a good guy, why did I hear Rainbow Dash telling Applejack how you beat Luna?" Ram countered.

To Ram's surprise Sombra's expression actually got calmer after the claim.

"Luna was my magic teacher. I have very unusual magic, and Luna was training me to use it properly. That was a training exercise, like how your father trains new guards. It was my graduation exam I suppose. Spike thought Rainbow Dash would have liked to see the fight, and I happened to win." Sombra informed him.

To illustrate, Sombra turned his mane into a pair of hands, reaching into the darkness and pulling out his deck of card wars cards. With a bit of flair, he shuffled the decks between the hands at high speeds. Trick Spike had showed him when they first began playing cards together.

Ram stepped back a bit, unprepared to see the shadowy appendages sprout forth so quickly and fluidly. Amy was much easier to win over it seemed, her eyes looking at Sombra in astonishment.

"That's so cool! What else can you do?" Amy asked, hopping up and down.

Sombra found it a bit irksome that Amy could change her opinion so quickly, but given the circumstances he wasn't complaining.

Sombra smiled at his second chance and dissolved himself into a black cloud of smoke. He whisked himself about, circling the Hearth's Warming tree all the way to the top and flew through the air a bit. After a minute or so of this he settled back down to the ground a reformed himself.

Minus the gratuitous detail of a perfect reconstruction of course.

He didn't want to mentally scar them.

Once he was back in his native shape, Sombra opened his mouth to reveal a shiny wine-colored ornament held in place by his fangs. With the aid of another phantom hand, Sombra wiped it off on his fur and placed it back on it's proper spot atop the tree. It looked just as it had, no harm done.

Even Ram had to admit Sombra's powers were cooler than unicorn powers.

Though not verbally.

"I've a great many tricks, but I think it best we saved them for another time. Today is my first Hearth's Warming, and I want to be sure I don't cause anyone any discomfort." Sombra apologized.

The children looked over to see Applejack with a tray of warm ciders. Rainbow Dash hung overhead, eagerly awaiting hers. But the cider-obsessed mare knew that if she took more than her share, or any before the children got theirs that Applejack would give her quite a talking to.

Amy and Ram quickly rushed over to get their beverages, while Sombra settled back into his place on the sofa.

He had yet to find a way to bridge communications with Applejack, and she didn't seem to have much interest in establishing a friendship either.

Or so Sombra thought until Applejack came his way to offer him a cider of his own. Without thinking, Sombra set forward a shadowy hand and claimed the one nearest him. Applejack was a tad surprised, but she didn't panic or show it too much.

"Apologies. I didn't mean to startle you. I'm not particularly good with my hooves, and have been undergoing intense training as of late. Making hands feels more natural than using my hooves. I don't think I have the same magic that most ponies use to hold things." Sombra apologized.

"Oh, uh. No problem. Enjoy. I just came from the kitchen to tell everybody the food's just about ready. After we all get our fill is when we all exchange gifts. Doesn't stop the youngins' from running down here to the tree every year before though." Applejack replied uneasily.

"Ah, thank you. I'll be sure to head to the dining hall then." Sombra responded calmly.

Sombra returned the book he had been reading to the darkness within himself and hopped off the couch. Fortunately, he was able to keep the cider from jostling during the move. Afterwards he spent a moment looking around for something, much to Applejack's confusion.

"Er, if you need directions, it's down the hallway all the way t the other side of the castle." Applejack offered.

"Oh, yes. I'm aware. I was just looking for a shadow of sufficient size. I cannot teleport, but I can travel through shadows. I wanted to get there fast enough to help Spike set up. The tree's shadow is perfectly suited I think. Regardless, I thank you for the cider Mrs. Applejack. As always, your cider is the finest quality available."

With another quick drink of his cider, Sombra stepped forward and into the shadow of the tree. In no time at all, Sombra had sunk into the darkness without a trace. Applejack briefly wondered if she had imagined the encounter, but the children were now eagerly bouncing up and down on the tree's shadow to try and duplicate the effect.

A few hours later

After everyone had eaten, and had time to recover from the inevitable overeating, everyone reconvened in the lobby. Except this time, everyone had brought with them their gifts. No one was really sure who they would be receiving a gift from, but everyone was excited.

Everyone just barely fit onto the semicircle of five couches, aside from Spike who had unleashed his full size and encircled the lot of them. Everyone was rather surprised exactly how large Spike had gotten, but no one was afraid of the gentle giant. Though his claws had began to become more defined, and there was a noticeable emerald green stripe developing between his royal purple scales and his pale green underbelly.

Sombra was a bit smug he was the only one who had seen this new stage of development until now.

"Okay everybody. Let's do this. As per usual, Mom is going to draw names out of the fish-bowl. When your name is called, grab your gifts for your assigned people and pass them out one at a time. Everybody try and keep your opened gifts separate from everyone else's to avoid confusion." Spike boomed.

Sombra watched and paid close attention to everyone laughing and faces lighting up from their gifts as things got under way. Sombra didn't really know some of them very well, like Applejack's quiet brother, or Rainbow Dash's husband Soarin. But he could feel the mirth flowing into him as well, and he felt at peace with the social atmosphere for once.

The first time his name came up on someone's list, Sombra was a bit surprised to see it was Pinkie Pie who walked up to him at Spike's side.

Without warning, Pinkie gave him yet another bone-breaking hug. It lasted a whole minute, in which time Sombra's nose was filled with the scent of cupcakes and confectioner's sugar. After Sombra had time to right himself, Pinkie looked at him with tears of happiness welling up in her eyes.

"I didn't know what to get you when I got your name... But I talked to Cheesy with some help from Spike, and he agrees with me. We... We want to show how grateful we are for the news. We've been trying for foals for awhile now, and things hadn't been looking good. We wanna make you our little surprise's godfather. I know you're good with kids, so you can see the baby whenever you like... In eleven months or so anyway. We're gonna finally settle down here in Ponyville before then, and officially tie the knot. We've been saving up, just waiting." Pinkie Pie explained.

Sombra had to take a moment to wipe away a tear that had forced it's way out, and he took another moment to articulate his words.

"While I don't feel entirely worthy of such a title, I would be remissed to decline. I'm very lucky to have a family after all that happened in the past, and seeing it grow gives me immense joy. Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to make myself deserving of the title... And I wouldn't be opposed to babysitting now and again." Sombra thanked Pinkie.

Pinkie Pie, true to her element giggle-snorted at Sombra's over-dramatic acceptance speech.

"I like listening to you talk. You sound like a Bridleway play." Pinkie chuckled.

Sombra sat back down beside Spike, feeling almost giddy. Pinkie Pie had just made quite a show of accepting him as family. His confidence had just risen by several factors of ten. Spike could tell that Sombra was enjoying the holiday so far, and was even more optimistic than before.

After two more rounds of gifts, Sombra's name came up again. This time it came from Celestia. To everyone's surprise, the usually cool-headed face of Equestria looked a bit unsure of herself. Though the strangeness everyone else felt might have been attributed to her choice in apparel.

Instead of her normal swath of flowing silk aurora, she had done her hair into a teacher-like bun and traded her gold finery for a loose-fitting baby blue T-shirt. The result of a rare opportunity to unwind like a real person, away from ponies with cameras and her usual massive responsibilities.

From underneath the tree, Celestia levitated a long thin box dressed in the same wrapping paper she had used for Sombra's birthday.

Sombra accepted it with curiosity, and carefully unwrapped the box without tearing the paper or ribbon.

Inside was a packet of papers, and a small laminated card bearing four seals behind a photo and a series of words revealed to be his personal information. Alongside it was another passport, similar to the one he had been given months prior. There was also a business card for a bank, with information written on the back.

"In a short time, you've done a lot of things above and beyond our expectations, Sombra. With a little help from Cadence and Shining Armor and some tight-lipped higher-up government officials, you've now got full citizenship in Equestria and The Crystal Empire. Complete with Identification, an updated passport, and a high-interest bank account at Canterlot International with a small sum in it. The slate has been wiped clean, and now you're all set to reveal your existence to the world now that all charges have been dropped. Whenever you so choose, of course." Celestia explained.

Sombra skimmed through the passport, and while the only real changes were the lack of parole status, it hit him surprisingly hard. Yet again, Sombra had to hold back the waterworks. But no one would have held it against him. It was a very meaningful gift, and further represented the acceptance Sombra found himself always longing for.

It was a weighty silence during the time Sombra tried to put his thoughts to words, but nobody dared to interrupt.

"Thank you, Celestia. This... I hadn't even considered my lack of citizenship until now. I'm very grateful... Hopefully, someday in the near future I can show my face to the world without being run off by torches and pitchforks. I hope the same for my sister as well... We're in the same boat, if I'm using the expression correctly." Sombra said gratefully.

"Yes, you're using it just fine. And you're very welcome." Celestia agreed.

After the moment had passed the gift distribution continued. Spike's gifts other than Sombra's mystery gift eventually made their way out. A barrel of static crystals that accumulate on the filters of storm-cloud generators from Rainbow Dash, a mint copy of Bat-Mare number thirty-five (the first appearance of Humdrum, with rare variant cover) from Luna, and a master-class spice rack preloaded with more spices than even Spike could name from Gilda.

Twilight predictably gave and received nothing but books. Fluttershy and Gilda received mostly child related gifts and wine, the royal couple some artwork and season passes to hoof-ball, and eventually the time came for Sombra to dispatch his gifts amongst the chosen few.

To everyone's surprise, Sombra didn't get up and go to the tree.

Instead, he reached into his mane and pulled out a number of perfectly wrapped black boxes with neon colored ribbons. One with a pink ribbon, an orange ribbon, a blue ribbon, a white ribbon, and two with yellow ribbons. A total of six, meaning Sombra had gone above and beyond his assignment. Hardly unusual, with Rarity holding the record, unsurprisingly.

"Let's see here... First, while they weren't on my list, I have something for Rampart and Amore. Something you can play with your cousin sometime. We quite enjoy this game." Sombra told the children as he passed them their gifts with shadowy hands.

Ram tore through the wrapping effortlessly, while Amy was more methodical in approach. Both however appraised their prizes with looks of wonder.

"Two decks of the card wars collectible card game each. If you like the game, there are many sets and packs for you to make your own decks. I started playing it with Spike because I was tired of beating him at chess. Spike and I would be happy to teach you since we're all in one place for awhile." Sombra explained hopefully.

Cadence and Shining Armor smiled warmly, giving Sombra a grateful nod.

"What do we say to Sombra, kids?" Cadence chimed in.

"Thank you!" Both of them exclaimed, actually meaning it.

Spike cast Sombra a pleased smile as the shadowy hands reappeared, handing the box with a white ribbon to Rarity. The color coordination seemed obvious, but it made Spike wonder exactly where the box with the purple ribbon might be. Or more curious still, exactly what Sombra had gotten him that wouldn't fit in a box.

Rarity delicately untied the ribbon and the paper, looking into the box. A look of wonder and puzzlement adorned her face as she lifted out the contents with her magic. A single, hoof-sized gem of darkest black in the shape of a diamond. Not just any diamond, but the sort of diamond jewelers had dreams about and super villains used to power doomsday devices.

It was dark in the most majestic sort of way.

"I've never seen such a dark gemstone. It's so beautiful... Where on earth did you get this?!" Rarity marveled.

"I fashioned it from the shadows of a great many gemstones. They met their end thanks to Spike, so the shadows will never return to them. I got the idea from Luna, but this stone isn't magical in nature... Though I suppose it's not really a stone in a traditional sense. It's just a pretty bauble I know you can make into something fantastic. I can change it into a different shape if you prefer a specific cut." Sombra explained.

With just a bit of concentration, and a silent whisper in the song from his dreams, the gem changed into the shape of a teardrop. Then a square cut, a heart, and then a triangle before going back to it's original shape.

"Ooh, the square cut please. So lovely. I've got a friend who can make a fabulous setting for this. You could make a fortune off of these. Every mare in Canterlot will want one, at the least." Rarity buzzed, the gears in her head already turning.

Sombra was relieved the gift went over well, but he thought Rarity was thinking a bit too business oriented.

"For now, I think you'll have to bare the honor of having the only one in the world. They aren't that easy to make." Sombra fibbed with the best of intentions.

After Rarity was done inspecting the glorious new jewel in her possession like a dragon eyeing their hoard Sombra moved on to Rainbow Dash. She eagerly tore open her present in much the same way as Ram had done. When all was said and done, she was left with what appeared to be a large black binder.

"Open it up. I'm fairly certain I've found something you'll like... My only concern is that it might remind you of work in your time off." Sombra implored her with mild concern.

Rainbow Dash flipped open the binder and gasped in amazement.

"Oh. My. Gods! Is this a complete set of the first edition Wonderbolts Stat Cards?! They only put these in packs of Triple Bubble Bubblegum when I was like, six! I've never seen a whole set before! It's got the first hundred Wonderbolts ever, and I've got every set since, and even doubles of the current roster, myself included! Now I've got every Wonderbolt in history! How?!" Dash practically yelled.

Dash had subconsciously lifted off the couch, causing Soaring to grab her tail and gently pull her back down.

Sombra found her enthusiasm refreshing, if unexpected.

"I simply went to the local comic book and game supply store, and bought up one of every card they had and wrote down the ones I didn't have. Then, I merely shadow jumped to the shops in Canterlot. Eventually, I had crossed off the whole list. From Burnout to Sleet-Slicker. I honestly had no idea how many weather-based names there were." Sombra hummed thoughtfully.

Rainbow Dash hugged the binder as if it were her firstborn foal, which elicited a chuckle from her husband.

"Spike, Soarin, out of respect for the two of you I'm not gonna kiss Sombra. But I feel like I could." Rainbow Dash said in an odd show of thanks.

"Yes... Well, regardless you're quite welcome. I ended up learning quite a lot about the Wonderbolts. Although, I suppose that isn't saying much, as I knew virtually nothing about them before." Sombra remarked, mildly embarrassed.

To Pinkie Pie, Sombra passed yet another box.

Pinkie Pie somehow managed to remove the paper before the ribbon without harming either, but in the short period of time Sombra had known her he had learned not to ask questions where the pink pony was concerned. After somehow binding her hooves together with the ribbon, Pinkie removed the lid of the box with her teeth.

From within she pulled out a rather expensive-looking album a baby-blue color with bubblegum pink edges and a white and teal striped spine.

"It's a baby-book. I know Fluttershy and Gilda are quite fond of filling Frost and Sugar Berry's books, and I myself quite enjoy adding memories to my photo album. I hope it's to your liking. I found it to be of the highest quality in all the shops Canterlot had to offer." Sombra said as Pinkie examined the book.

"Oh wow. This is great. It's got like, three hundred pages and you can put pictures in the cover! I hadn't even thought about getting a baby book yet. Thank you sooo much! As soon as we've got something to put in it we'll have to show you. Oh! I know! I can get one of those baby x-rays where they put the jelly on your belly and use a wand on it. I had to get one the last time Rainbow Dash bet me I couldn't swallow a bowling ball." Pinkie exclaimed, practically hopping with excitement.

"That's a sonogram, Pinkie. It's not really an x-ray, but it's close enough. We'd all be excited to see it." Twilight corrected her.

Sombra let out a sigh of relief, glad Pinkie Pie hadn't already had a book prepared. He hadn't had much luck finding anything else the spontaneous mare might need, and he didn't quite know her well enough to know what she might want. Questioning her might have been effective, but would have made it seem much less thoughtful.

Next, Sombra turned to Applejack, obviously much more nervous than he had been with everyone else.

Even so, Sombra passed Applejack an admittedly small box.

Applejack accepted it, and undid the ribbon and paper calmly, not sure what to expect. In fact she couldn't make out exactly what it was even once she was looking at it. She reached in and held it up, as if crowd sourcing guesses for what it was.

It appeared to be a notepad of black paper, but many among them could sense magic about it.

Applejack, being an earth pony had no clue about the magic, and even less about it's purpose.

"Uh... Not to be rude, but what exactly is it?" Applejack asked tentatively.

Sombra was a bit flushed, but tried his best not to let the embarrassment get to him.

"They are 'chore coupons'. Anytime you need an extra set of hands around the farm, you can simply tear out a slip of this paper and it will become a temporary sigil I can shadow jump to to assist you.

"To be perfectly honest, I know you the least of anyone here. But, I have heard a number of stories and anecdotes from Spike and Twilight. I know you aren't one for overpriced gifts, and you value family, hard work, and honesty above everything else. I deeply respect that, and I must admit I had no earthly idea what you would like as a gift. I thought you would prefer this to a half-hearted purchase or empty gesture."

Applejack thought about what Sombra had said, and she removed her hat and placed them atop her blonde mane before donning the stetson once more.

"That's actually a might fine gesture. I can respect your honesty, and I think we might be alright pals someday. I suppose I ain't given you much of a chance, but near as I can tell, you're a good pony. I shoulda known, what with Spike, Twilight, and Fluttershy vouching for ya. I guess I was just being stubborn. Thank you, Sombra. Next fall, I'll be sure to use one a' the coupons." Applejack beamed with a guilty smile.

Sombra chuckled and then sighed contently.

"You're quite welcome. I look forward to seeing Sweet Apple Acres at harvest time." Sombra replied.

After Twilight took a moment to clear away the wrapping paper and ribbons, Sombra seemed ready to proceed. Even though there was no present ready for Spike. While he had told Sombra he didn't need anything Spike was extremely curious after the cryptic hints the week prior.

Since he had helped Sombra shop he knew whatever Sombra had planned had been done in advance, otherwise he would have known something.

"Right then. Spike, I've left your present back at the house to keep you from finding it. Give me just a moment to go fetch it." Sombra practically taunted his lover.

Without another word, or even a moment for Spike to reply, Sombra sunk into the darkness via Spike's shadow.

Even those that had seen Sombra do it before watched intently. The technique was still less effective than teleportation, but there was no denying it was more impressive to look at.

True to his word, Sombra returned not quite two minutes later with a large covered metal pan. It weighed enough for Sombra to craft a rather large arm, and Spike seemed confused but pleased with whatever was inside. Without a word Sombra passed the dish to Spike.

The dragon eagerly moved to remove the lid, but the shadowy hand smacked Spike's away.

"Heat it up first. I just got it out of the fridge." Sombra scolded as if Spike were a child.

Spike murmured to himself as he used magic to warm the pan. The unmistakable aroma of chineighse food filled the room, and made everyone want some just a little despite the feast a little over an hour ago. Though Spike certainly looked like he fully intended to devour whatever lay inside.

Ripping the lid off, Spike found a dozen of the largest and most delectable smelling dumplings he had ever seen.

"Whoa. Jumbo-jumbo dumplings." Spike drooled before taking a closer whiff, "With topaz and tourmaline dust? Did you give gem powder to the cooks at the golden dragon?"

The look of smug satisfaction on Sombra's face actually sent a shiver down everyone's spines, but none more so than Spike.

To anyone that walked in on the scene, it would have appeared as though Sombra had just successfully completed his plan to destroy Equestria.

"No, though Mr. Shen, the head chef is in no small way to thank for them. Every day for the past two months since Luna told me to train on my own, I have devoted two hours to cooking under his tutelage in the kitchen at the dragon. You saw no need to question my absence as long as I continued developing my dark powers as well, totally oblivious of my secondary agenda.

"You, Lyra, Bon Bon, and Twilight have actually sampled my cooking the last three times I brought takeout home after training. While it wasn't a lie, I did feel a bit bad keeping this from you... But in the end it was worth it. I have graduated my sensei's training course, and I can now cook for you. At least one night a week. A small gift compared to everything you have given me, but I felt it one of the best ways to express my love for you."

Spike was quite literally speechless, unable to process everything at once.

"Brother... I think you've broken him." Selene whispered a bit louder than intended.

Spike, in a movement too fast for the majority of the the group to see, swapped the pan of delicious dumplings to his tail and grabbed Sombra. Cadence sensed the outpouring of love and preemptively shielded the eyes of the children from the imminent makeout session.

But thanks to Spike not remembering he was in his largest state it didn't quite go as planned however.

Sombra was instead assaulted by a flurry of gigantic kisses. After about a minute Sombra had to stop Spike with a large dark hand, lest he drown.

"While I appreciate the effort, why don't we wait until you've made yourself a more manageable size and we have no audience." Sombra suggested, using a hoof to wipe his fur clean.

Spike looked at everyone seated on the sofas around the tree, all of whom were at least a little uncomfortable.

"Heh... Right. Sorry. But... Thank you. I've never actually had anyone I was with cook for me. And for you to devote that much time to this while training is nuts. No wonder you're always wiped out. You even added the gem dust I keep in the shaker at home... When did you even find the time to make these? We haven't spent that much time away from one another except for this morning, and the dumplings were too cold to have been made then." Spike had to know.

Before Sombra could answer Spike was eating three of them at once, pleased sounds following soon after.

"I used the sigil I put in your old room to sneak back to the house at three this morning. It's nigh impossible to wake you up at that point. I made your pork-and-gem dumplings and cleaned up after myself, then simply jumped back and slipped back into bed. It only took about two hours and you were none the wiser." Sombra explained.

Spike placed one more giant kiss on Sombra's forehead after he had heard Sombra's plan.

"You are the best kind of evil genius, and I love you." Spike chuckled as he placed Sombra back on the ground.

"And I you." Sombra smirked.

"This is easily the third most entertaining Hearth's Warming we've had since I stopped being dead." Selene commented.

Sombra rolled his eyes and settled in up against Spike as he finished off the unexpected delicacies Sombra had provided him with. With the last of his gifts gone they continued in a similar fashion, but with fewer theatrics. In addition to his second godfather title, Sombra received a gift from Sweetie Belle when her turn came along.

Sombra opened up the clumsily wrapped packaging on a large square object to reveal a stack of ten records, each in their own individual packaging.

"It's a set of records that was commissioned by the Crystal Empire Historical Society when the empire popped back up. Each record has the top ten songs from every century over the last thousand years to help the crystal ponies ease into modern music. It's a hard to find collection, since they only become available when a crystal pony sells their set. But I thought you could use it more than me, since I already have tons of records." Sweetie explained.

Sombra smiled, briefly going over the set of one hundred of the most acclaimed songs of all time.

"Thank you very much, Sweetie Belle. I shall listen to them the next time the opportunity presents itself. These should make a fine addition to the collection in the lounge back at the house." Sombra thanked, absorbing the records into the void of blackness within his mane.

Sweetie Belle wasn't worried by the action, assuming they were in a safe place. She had seen a great deal of unusual things coming out of or going into Pinkie Pie's mane many times before. Records were mundane compared to cannons and toothless miniature alligators.

Eventually Spike's turn came around, and Sombra's attention was focused on the crowd. He had no idea who Spike was actually assigned, as the wardrobe he had commissioned of Rarity had mostly been a ploy to get her and Sombra to socialize. It was entirely possible he wasn't on Spike's list.

Celestia, the first recipient was given a relatively rare dessert wine she seemed to be quite fond of. Next came Shining Armor, who Spike gave a shield that was an exact match for his cutie mark created by the dragon himself. Third was Fluttershy, who was given a marvelously well preserved flower encased in amber, set into a necklace.

As expected of the doting dragon, all of them were very thoughtful gifts that suited the recipients tastes perfectly.

Spike then turned his attention downward, looking at Sombra.

"And last, but certainly not least, Sombra. Mom rigs the fishbowl to make sure that everyone in a relationship gets something from their spouse. She just doesn't broadcast it. Everybody knows it, but I told everyone not to tell you." Spike informed him with no small amount of smugness.

With a flick of his wrist and a flash of green fire, Spike summoned a rectangular box about two inches tall and three inches long. It was covered in black velvet, and at the sight of it Twilight thought she might faint. It wasn't until Spike opened it to reveal to sets of earrings that she managed to reign herself in.

One set of earrings was silver studs, while the other were ringlets. Each ringlet had bright pink stones in them, and Sombra could feel a vague sort of power coming from both sets. Magic from the studs, but something else from the ringlets.

Spike made a show of moving his ear-fin to the side to show Sombra similar studs hidden from plain sight.

"The studs go in one ear, and they replace the busted walkies. They use our mana though. They're not supposed to be on the market yet, but I know Gilda, and Gilda knows a guy. Just touch the ear they're in and talk to me." Spike explained, motioning to Gilda.

Gilda stoically saluted, then made a zipping motion across her beak.

Sombra thought it best not to question the legality of the earrings, and appreciate the gift for what it was.

"Very nice. I was concerned we wouldn't be able to replace those. But what about the ringlets? There's something peculiar about them." Sombra asked.

"Oh, sweet. I wasn't a hundred percent on them. I'm glad you can feel it. I thought there was something, but I'm not as good as you at spiritual stuff. The metal is dragon steel, but I got the stones from this place in lower Canterlot. It's a shop that sells talismans and incense, and all kinds of spiritual stuff. I asked the owner for something really special, and she showed me these. They're supposed to make their owner more spiritually attuned. Like, making meditation easier? I was hoping I was right to believe her and that the vibe I got off her wasn't just wishful thinking." Spike explained, sounding very relieved.

Sombra gladly accepted the box, getting a good look at the hand made earrings and the magical receiver-transmitter hybrids.

"Hmm. I think they might take some getting used to, but I like the look of them. I'll put them on straight away." Sombra thanked Spike.

Scootaloo shot up like a rocket, her wings buzzing like a hummingbird to keep her aloft.

"Oh! We can pierce your ears when we're through! It'll be fun. All we need is some lemon juice, a needle, and some towels." Scootaloo suggested.

Sombra shot a smug look in the former crusader's direction and waved a hoof over the box. The earrings disappeared with the simple act, and within seconds the earrings surfaced in their proper places. The studs in his right ear, and the ringlets in the left.

Taking a hand mirror from his mane, Sombra viewed his latest apparel.

"I don't think that will be necessary Scootaloo, but thank you all the same. I think I like the look, and I can feel a calming presence about them. They should be invaluable." Sombra thanked Spike, settling back in beside him.

The day wound down until the very last name had been drawn.

Selene.

Sombra's adopted sister was easily the second most unpredictable of the bunch. Though she and Sombra were close, the only person that could truly understand her in any capacity was Luna. That made for quite a suspenseful finisher, though Sombra was especially on edge.

After giving Twilight a stuffed owl the size of the alicorn herself, she gave Zecora a bottle of top-shelf fire whiskey, and she had somehow obtained an actual trebuchet (with a giant boulder for ammo) for Apple Bloom. To her credit, everyone was quite happy with their gifts. Zecora in her weakened state didn't bother to wait to open the bottle, though she made sure the children couldn't see her first.

The last gift of the day was destined for Sombra.

Selene pulled the last box from under the tree, wrapped in a night sky patterned box.

Sombra couldn't feel the incredible power coming from the box, but Selene was obviously eager to give it to him. She tossed it his way hard, which Sombra barely caught. Sombra momentarily regretted making limbs that could feel, as the box was exceptionally heavy. It actually became imbedded a few inches into the hand.

Upon closer inspection, the box was a small safe made entirely of lead.

It had merely been painted.

"Pure lead... I suppose that would explain why I didn't feel it's presence before now. Clever." Sombra huffed, shaking the hand to alleviate the sting.

With a shadowy tendril, Sombra filled the lock and fiddled with the tumblers a moment. The safe soon clicked open, and Sombra got a familiar chill. It was so familiar, but alien at the same time.

Everyone watched in amazement as the cube was taken from the box. Even the magically challenged of the group could feel it's power. It was like staring into a bottomless pit that could look into your depths just as easily.

Amy hugged her mother for safety, and Ram pretended to be unfazed.

Celestia actually seemed the most effected, her color drained a bit. As if the hyper concentrated darkness was pressing upon her directly. It was entirely possible the uncontrolled darkness might somehow instinctively dislike the light-bearing alicorn, as it didn't have Sombra to direct it.

"W-what the hay is that?" Soarin shuddered.

Sombra debated whether or not to tell his new friends and future family the full story, but truth won out.

"It's me... Or ninety percent of my power. Discord took it when I was weakened, and would only return it to me when Luna deemed me ready. I passed all of her tests, but even I am rather afraid of this... I cannot remember a time where I was in control of such power, as I was possessed at the time. I need to reclaim it if I am to help Spike win against Dootha's minions, but I am admittedly concerned." Sombra revealed.

The cube was still sealed shut, and Sombra desperately wanted to keep it that way.

But he knew it wasn't an option.

With considerable hesitation, Sombra took hold of the cube in his actual hooves and slowly phased it into his chest. It made the most sense to him at the time, not knowing the best way to absorb it. If it came unsealed while already inside him it would be easiest to smother in case of an explosive reaction.

"I'd like to ask Spike, Twilight, Luna, Celestia, Cadence, Selene, and Shining Armor to assist me on the fifth floor balcony later. You should all be able to assure nothing happens. I want to assure everyone's safety, and a combined forcefield from the lot of you should be able to stop essentially anything from escaping." Sombra asked of the magic users assembled.

Everyone sort of looked at one another, but no one had any qualms about it.

Sombra smiled, pulling his card wars cards from the darkness.

"Right then... Shame on me for bringing down the room. I believe I promised to teach some little ponies how to play a game."

With that, everyone's mood shifted back into a happy frame of mind gradually.

"Yeah!" The kids shouted as if nothing had happened.

...

After presents and the brief awkwardness everyone played and chatted with one another, or napped, or did whatever they wanted to do with their loved ones. It wasn't until after the feast resumed for dinner that things began to wind down. After everyone was finished preparing, Sombra lead them to the balcony. There they all gathered around Sombra in a circle.

Selene was the exception.

She was standing directly behind Luna. They intended to form Nightmare Moon just as soon as Luna undid the seal to better aid the others. Spike and Celestia were at either side of the circle's center, as they were the linchpins. Their light magic would make the barrier able to resist whatever dark happenings occurred.

In theory at least.

"Luna... Do you know how to do this? Discord wasn't clear on the actual directions." Sombra inquired.

Luna nodded, seeming confident.

"Yes, I believe I must merely say the word. We just need everyone else to sync-up before I feel it safe to begin." Luna declared.

Everyone took that as a cue, and all the different magics began to appear from their horns or hands and spread out. Eventually they all met, and the barriers grew together, colors shifting wildly. Once it was complete, it was essentially a squat cylinder. A round wall of energy with a complete floor and ceiling.

Sombra took a deep breath and nodded to Luna.

Luna braced herself for her part, and then she leaned forward until she was practically touching the shield.

"Release."

Sombra wasted no time trying to smother the cube inside him with all his might. His eyes flared instantly, and he began practically screaming the silent song from his dreams. Only he could hear it, but he felt himself getting louder and louder as the pressure in his chest rose.

Selene jumped at Luna and they combined seamlessly, the Nightmare adding her power to the barrier a second later.

Everyone could feel Sombra's power in the form of unbelievable pressure, as if giant hands were trying to crush all of them. Yet the power began to wane as Sombra began to thrash about. Sombra was fighting the mindless power for control, but it was unclear if the darkness or Sombra was winning.

His body began to crack like an eggshell, and bolts of darkness slammed outward at the barrier through the wounds. They couldn't break the walls, but all of those contributing to the energy field felt like bells were ringing in their ears every time it got hit. Suddenly, the barrier strengthened itself.

While they could barely spare the concentration, they turned to see Zecora standing at the doors to the balcony with her eyes alight. She was adding her spiritual fortitude to the spell, and it made all the difference in the world. Spike could think clearly again thanks to the lessened strain, and he took the opportunity to look at Sombra.

Sombra's eyes stared directly into Spike's, and they scared the dragon more than anything had ever scared him.

They were black. Lifeless, even compared to the empty dark he saw Sombra use every single day. The cracks were the worst there, running down either side of his face like tears. Sombra's unheard chanting began to slow, and Spike could tell something was terribly wrong.

That was when Spike realized what needed to happen.

"Sombra! Listen to me! Don't fight it! You fight yourself, no matter which side of you wins, you still lose! Just be you! Accept it! Accept it, and be yourself!" Spike shouted, practically roaring at him.

Though the eyes remained black, the chanting stopped.

Slowly, Sombra stopped moving and the cracks ceased worsening.

Spike...

Though it was definitely Sombra, it was as though thousands of voices were coming together to make his voice. An echo layered with sadness and longing. It was the voice Spike knew very well, but it brought him and everyone else to tears for an inexplicable reason.

It was like the saddest song they had ever heard.

A single word that told a story so complex and heartbreaking that it infected everyone with a deep feeling of melancholy.

Sombra began to speak more and more, in the same undecipherable language that made the hearts of all those present cry. Then, there was silence. Sombra's eyes closed, and the cracks along with them.

The overwhelming power began to fade away, and when the last cracks had closed the dark stallion fell over.

Spike couldn't take it any longer. While everyone was ready to dispel the shield he activated the rings on his hands and tore through it as if it were made of wet paper. The rings dissolved before Spike picked his fallen lover up, as Spike could not think of hurting Sombra even as his brain stopped functioning properly.

"Hey! Come on, come on! Say something!" Spike shouted at Sombra.

At first, there was no reaction.

But soon Sombra opened one eye.

It was the luminous pink of Sombra's spiritual power, burning brightly. While his physical form was fatigued and weak it was clear his spirit was stronger than ever. He was conscious, but very tired.

"It has never felt so good to feel so awful. I feel... whole. Complete. Discord wasn't just spouting gibberish... I don't have a soul, at least not like anyone else's. I am the darkness, in the same way Discord is chaos. Ohshmend called me an elemental spirit... I think he may be right. But you, you were so right, Spike. I shouldn't have fought it... I had to accept it. Accept whatever it is I am." Sombra sighed wistfully.

Sombra turned his head to see Celestia, and he paused a moment before saying anything else.

"Celestia... Come here please... I know I look a mess, but I am far more powerful than I was months ago. I need to do this to be absolutely sure I'm in control." Sombra asked of Celestia.

Celestia hesitated, but Sombra had a look of determination and absolute sincerity in his eyes. She could not refuse him in such a state, but Spike moved Sombra away, holding him even tighter than before. Sombra however was having none of it, dissolving his body into a wisp of smoke and reforming in front of Celestia, sitting to compensate for his fatigue.

A tendril of darkness formed from Sombra's mane, and with great speed he reached into Celestia's chest. Just as with the first time, she felt no pain, and her flesh took no damage. Celestia could feel Sombra rooting about in her soul, which was unpleasant but not painful.

After a moment had passed, Sombra pulled back the tendril, and showed those assembled the accursed plague of miasma. A tiny fraction of Dootha's powers. Blight that lived inside a person's soul in exchange for power.

In an instant it was gone, crushed in Sombra's grip.

Sombra's eyes faded back to white, and the tendril shrunk back to it's master. Sombra was out of breath, and he seemed very close to passing out on the spot. Using the very last of his energy, Sombra looked about, a tired smile on his lips.

"Everyone... Thank you. I am whole now, and I was able to keep my promise to Celestia. Should any of you need my help so long as you may live, I will be there. In the interim, I think I'll be asleep for the next day. Or three." Sombra declared.

Sombra fell back on purpose, sinking into Spike's shadow.

Spike could feel him there, having gotten used to the sensation. Sombra rarely stayed in a person's shadow for long, as he considered it an invasion of privacy. Knowing this, Spike was sure Sombra knew he would be out of commission for a time.

"Well... He didn't explode. That's something." Spike sighed.

Spike felt a hoof press against his forearm, turning to see Cadence and Shining Armor standing beside him. They looked mildly concerned, but more apologetic than anything. Cadence had an envelope with her seal on it in wax aloft in her aura, offering it to Spike.

"I was gonna give this to the two of you in private tomorrow, but I suppose I'll just give it to you now. You can fill Sombra in whenever he wakes up."

Spike took the envelope from Cadence, opening it up.

While Spike wasn't a genius, he had lived with one for the majority of his life. He could easily recognize some of the documents included in the envelope. A geological survey, receipts for digging equipment, and a few other papers related to mining and exploration.

"Initial reports from Daring Do's team. She put together a small group to help her dig since the court's old base is buried by tons of crystal and rock. She wants you and Sombra in on this now that they've confirmed the location of the collapsed chamber. She insists actually." Shining Armor stated excitedly.

Spike felt a mixture of anxiety and eagerness at the thought of seeing the court's lair.

"When?" He asked reluctantly.

Cadence nervously rubbed the back of her neck before answering. Never a good sign.

"She wanted you there already... But we talked her into waiting for the holiday under the pretense of Sombra getting his powers back. New year's eve would be ideal. She isn't going to wait much longer." Cadence finished.

Spike cast a glance down to his shadow where Sombra lay dormant. Not being able to talk to him about their current situation was going to weigh heavily on Spike. But there were things that needed done, and it wasn't something they could risk missing out on.

Spike crossed his fingers for luck and sighed in defeat.

"Crystal Empire, here we come."

Author's Note:

Hey everybody! I'm very tired. But whatever. I'm glad the holiday chapters are over. Way too many characters. I sort of wrote myself into a corner by having everyone under one roof, never doing that again. But I couldn't just toss out the idea since it was I have lost far too much sleep because I had to rewrite this chapter.

Three times!

...

Anyway, one good thing was the fact I could finally show off a few old artworks that have been in my files forever. It was killing me to not be using them yet. Especially big Spike and Casual Sombra in his adorable hoodie. The pics of the kids are pretty new. Amy turned out way better than Ram. But to be fair, Ram is meant to look like Night Light, the dullest looking member of the Sparkle clan. I think this chapter definitely has the most assets so far.

But I have another one to share. It's basically just a variant of Casual Sombra, but it's with his little earrings. Actually, back when Apple Bloom gave them the walkies I was gonna go with the earrings originally. So I just sort of brought it back.

I'm not a person that would look good with earrings, but I secretly want to be. the stud ringlet combo would be what I'd have.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Prepare for massive plot in the next update. Hopefully this chapter isn't too terrible. I feel like I maybe should have split it, but I just couldn't. Anyway, I love you guys. I'm emotionally drained. I've been listening to all the Steven Universe songs on loop and my body is low on tears. Peace out!

Comments

[Shadow_Quill]

I NEED MOAR

[ThornFlametooth]

Great chapter! I love the way that Sombra interacts with the children. Really shows that he would be a great father in the future. So excited for the next few chapters