"There." Sombra stepped away from the pedestal, looking over his shoulder towards Radiant Hope, who shone twice as brilliantly with its power. "Are... you happy?"
She stepped up to his side and gently pressed her side to his. "You're here, so, yes, I am."
A smile almost forced its way onto his expression. "Even if you didn't mean it, back then... why are you so happy to be with a monster? You know what I've done to the ponies of this city, don't you? It isn't just... forgotten now."
Radiant turned towards the city as a whole. "I don't mean to be rude, but that's their problem." She faced Sombra with a determined expression. "It's time you started the next leg of your life. No more monsters. No more trying to keep ponies under your hoof." She reached up and set one of her own hooves on Sombra's chest. "The only pony you need to control is yourself."
A feral sneer spread over his face. "What if I want you under my hoof?"
Radiant shook herself out a little. "Then you're going to have to start treating me right and stop making me cry." She leaned in a little. "I'm willing to face that possibility, are you?"
Sombra met her gaze for a moment before he broke it and looked down, seemingly overwhelmed in thought until the dark streaks of energy coming from his eyes flared and darkness overcame him. With a mighty roar, he defied the magic, resisting the same wave of transformation that took the umbrum at about the same time. When the darkness receded, he was still a pony, still a unicorn. The darkness was expended, and his eyes were clear. In a moment of terribly clarity, he knew.
"Sombra? Are you alright?" Radiant was looking at him with her concerned eyes.
He opened his eyes, and she could see them for the first time in so many years. They were clear and shone with his natural color with a brilliant green that met hers. "I... I am alright. I..." He took a step towards her. "I'm a pony."
Radiant blinked at him, then frowned. "Stupid stallion! You were always a pony!" cuffed him lightly with a hoof. "And don't you forget it!" Her expression lightened quickly as she gazed into his cleansed eyes. "I forgot how pretty your eyes were..."
A blush blossomed in his cheeks. "P-pretty? Truly?"
They had so much to speak of.
Elsewhere, everypony in the tower was coaxed outside to join the others in a great mass of shadow pixies. Cadance emerged from the castle from where she had fled and with her came table after table of much of the kingdom's stores of food. Industrious chefs labored with others to get the tables set up properly with plates, forks, and other implements beside.
While they worked, Luna took up a position central of the gathering. "Ponies of shadow, umbrum, dark pixies, I would address you."
Curious eyes turned towards her booming voice. She had their attention. "You are creatures of the night, this fact is inescapable. I am princess of the night. If you are willing to follow the laws of Equestria, and they are not onerous, I would protect and guide you." She spread her feathery wings wide. "Let one who already lives beneath my gaze step forward."
Night Watch emerged from the crowd and bowed towards Luna, though it was a brief motion. She turned to face the majority of the crowd, her own wings, well, wing, spread wide on display. The other was still injured and bound to her side. "Some of you know me. I am Night Watch, lunar pony. I won't waste your time telling you Princess Luna is a paragon of perfection, what pony can be? Despite that, she is strong, wise, and has been good to us."
The crowd went quiet for the first time, as if considering collectively what had just been offered. One lonely voice called out, "Does that mean we won't be kicked out?"
Luna smiled. "No, you shall not be. I have in mind the perfect place, where darkness reigns, and familiar creatures of the night await to greet you as lost cousins. Some of you have learned to respect Night Watch, I am certain you will learn to love her kin. You will be free to seek your personal fortunes, and have a safe place, for yourselves, and the families you will create." She turned as she spoke, regarding the whole of the gathering. "For now, eat and be merry, for Princess Cadance has arranged a mighty feast for you all!"
They pushed forward and swarmed the tables, sampling the exotic foods presented there. Curious crystal ponies approached on cautious hooves, and found the umbrum to be welcoming enough. Soon crystal and umbrum were together, enjoying their meal. Despite the richness and vastness of the food, the umbrum were not satisfied by it, at least, not completely. A small kernel of angry hunger still rumbled through them despite their bellies being full of delicious food.
A few umbrum suddenly arrived from elsewhere, pushing through the crowd to Cadance and Luna. "The Penny Pony found it! We know what we eat!"
Cadance tilted her head with some confusion. "You don't eat food?"
They all shook their heads at her. "We eat fear."
Luna perked her ears and sat up. "Fear? The emotion?" Her head tilted a little. "Like a changeling?"
A few of those heads bobbed. "The Stick Changeling with her said that! They eat love, we eat fear. Maybe we're related?"
Cadance shook her head. "Well I can't have you terrifying my ponies."
Luna raised a hoof sharply. "Wait! What if we do it voluntarily? Some ponies enjoy a good fright."
Cadance looked confused. "Why would anypony want to be scared?"
Luna flashed a bright smile. "I have had personal experience with this! Tell all the umbrum to meet me just outside the city." She pointed in a direction. "We will make a haunted house that will leave ponies trembling, and squealing with terror and glee both at once. They'll tell stories of us for years to come!"
Almost lost in the crowd, Silver clopped a hoof into his face. He knew exactly what was coming.
Elsewhere in the party, Sombra stood with Radiant hope. Both had a plate to themselves, set before them as they sat on their haunches. Radiant was enjoying her dinner, and Sombra as well, though his attention seemed more on her than the food. "Should we follow them?"
Radiant shook her head slowly. "Luna volunteered to help them. Let them handle their own business." She smiled gently up at him. "For once, how about we just go off, together. Besides, we have one more thing we need to do."
"Need to do?" He raised a brow at her. "What might that be?"
Radiant gestured to the castle. "It may have a fine princess now, but that doesn't mean Amore deserves to be... We have to retrieve all her pieces."
Sombra scowled a little. "She still hurt me. She was wrong."
"Being wrong doesn't mean you get to be scattered across Equestria." Radiant rolled her eyes. "It's time to forgive. Besides, imagine the look on her face when she realizes she's been replaced."
Sombra's face split into a predatory grin. "You're right, that is a delicious thought. I... This will be our very own adventure."
Radiant bobbed her head fiercely. "Just to ourselves! Oh! Silver has one of the shards, you just gave it to him, go get it back."
Sombra snorted softly. "He will surrender it if he knows what's goo--" He trailed off at Radiant's reproachful glare. "I mean... I'll ask him nicely?" Radiant nodded at him and off he went. It would take time and patience to fully rehabilitate the stallion, but for Radiant Hope, he was willing.
He approached Silver, weighing the various options to broach the subject. "Ambassador."
Silver looked up at Sombra. "Oh, hey, your eye shadows are gone." He smiled up at Sombra. "You look a lot nicer without them, if you don't mind my just out and saying that."
Sombra did mind, but he kept that to himself. Being complimented by Radiant Hope had felt so nice, but from Silver it somehow felt irritating. "Radiant and I are going to gather all the pieces of Amore, to restore her. May I have the piece back?"
Silver perked his ears. "I gave it to Luna already. She was gathering pieces too, for basically the same reason."
Sombra's hackles rose. "She will not steal this from me!"
Silver blinked at the sudden reaction. "Steal what? You both want the same thing, don't you?"
Sombra glared down at the small stallion that dared defied him, the almost colt. "This is my adventure, with Radiant."
Understanding flashed in Silver's eyes. "Let me talk to her." He rose to his hooves. "I'll be your Ambassador for the moment, if you'll let me?"
Sombra seemed taken aback. "You'd do that? Very well. You know her, convince her and retrieve the shards she already has." He brought down a hoof with a metal clang. "Don't fail me." The or else part of the statement went unspoken, but felt.
He trotted away from the glaring and expectant Sombra, and found Luna speaking animatedly with a group of umbrum. "Luna? Can I borrow you a moment?"
Luna looked down at Silver. "Hm? Of course. One moment." She held a hoof up to the umbrum she was speaking with, then followed Silver to a quiet portion beneath the castle. "What is it that brings you to us? Have you considered our offer?"
Silver stiffened. In all the excitement, he had nearly forgotten about it. "It's not about that. Sombra wants to go on an adventure, with his marefriend, Radiant Hope. I think it's just the right thing for him to finish turning that leaf over."
Luna looked intrigued and rolled a hoof. "Well good luck to him, but why does that involve me?"
Silver pointed at Luna's midsection, where her pocket should be, he thought. "He wants the shards of Amore you might have, and to hunt the others. I don't have the heart to tell him the Warlocks went and gathered most of them up, but I have an idea!" Luna was still watching him, giving him silent permission to continue. "Have the warlocks keep tabs on him, which is a good idea anyway, and hide the shards in front of him. Let him re-gather the shards, and with it, his humanity."
"Humanity?" Luna raised a brow high. "Is there something of him you're not sharing?"
Silver winced and laughed. "Sorry, old saying. I mean I really think it'll help him be a better pony." He held out a hoof. "Give me two shards at least."
Luna hesitated a moment before placing two shards in Silver's waiting hoof with her magic. "I will have the warlocks monitoring him quite zealously."
"As they should, both for his sake, and his safety. Adventure can be dangerous." Silver turned away, crystals hovering beside his head. "I'll give him these. Thank you, Luna."
Sombra wasn't where they last met, forcing Silver to wander the crowd. A wing draped over him and he was pulled in against Night Watch. "Where are you going with those shards?"
Silver smiled up at her. "Hello hon. These are for Sombra. Luna knows, promise. Can you help me find him?"
She pointed the same wing off into the crowd. "That way."
Following her direction, Sombra and Radiant came into view. It seemed the umbrum were talking with them. One stood before Radiant with a remorseful face. "I'm sorry I misled you, before... We were just so afraid you'd run away and never come back if you saw us as we were... back then."
Radiant rested a hoof on the shadow pixie's head. "It's alright. Besides, it wasn't a lie, now was it really? You really were shadow pixies, just even you didn't know it yet." She smiled brightly. "Now the whole world can know it."
Sombra noticed Silver's approach and turned to him. "Have you accomplished the task set before you?"
Silver snorted softly in an aborted laugh. "I asked her and she gave them up." He held up the two crystals in his magic. "She wishes you luck in your adventures. Also! A start, we know for sure there's one more shard within the city limits. I never found it, but you and Radiant, together, I bet you'll do it."
Sombra puffed up in pride. "Of course we will..." He leaned in then, whispering, "Thank you." He turned back to rejoin the conversation with Radiant and the umbrum. It was all the thanks Silver was going to get.
It was enough. Silver trotted back into the crowd, finding his way back to Night's side.
As sad as it is I can't remember what offer Luna made, now I might have to reread or beg for hints.
Adventure, let's go!
Repeat after us Sombra: "I am a Pony, not a monster. If I am to change this image I must first change myself. "
On to the next leg of the journey!
6952940 the offer was to recreate Celine, extracting most of Luna's love for Silver so she would stop being distracted.
Keep going! ;)
And so the world ends, not with a bang, but a whisper.
And now Sombra will go on an adventure with his marefriend. I hope the two have fun!
*sigh* I feel like I'm beating a dead horse but... yeah. Yeah. I expected this. What's that? He did something hugely bad, and still hasn't even really been contrite about it. Well, that's okay, he doesn't even have to try to make up for it.
And consequences and Equestria still refuse to mix.
Maybe when/if he shows up later he might wind up seeming better.
The ending for the umbrum I like, though.
6953015 You put that quite well. Consequences and Equestria really don't mix the way we humies expect or even demand.
it looks as if this ark in silvers life is coming to a end ware will the muse pull him to next?
I really like this ark of his life it is vary well written good work team.
through the Cadance -
through to Cadance -or- through the crowd to Cadance
one of the shard - one of the shards
Radiant rest - Radiant rested
*****
No pixie Sombra for us this chapter.
I'm not sure what Silver is expecting, but I'm guessing it's song magic, and/or the start of Equestria's first theme park with lots of spooky attractions and thrill rides to feed the umbrum pixies. Luna land, perhaps?
I'm not confident that helping Sombra by planting the crystals for him to find is the wisest of plans, but we'll see how it works out.
6953015
I would put forth that it's possible, even wise, for Sombra to atone over time for his crimes instead of all at once in some grand
punishmentgesture that will only leave the wounds open and ripe for another cycle of pain and suffering.Friendship is magic and harmony is the guiding principle of the land.
6953284 Typos fixed, but it was Luna's idea to feed them, not Silver's. It is Silver's idea to let Sombra go off on his healing adventure with the one pony he trusts.
No, you shall not be. I have in mind the perfect place, where darkness reigns, and familiar creatures of the night await to greet you as lost cousins. Some of you have learned to respect Night Wing, I am certain you will learn to love her kin. You will be free to seek your personal fortunes, and have a safe place, for yourselves, and the families you will create
Looks like you had DC comics on the mind when you wrote this instead of Silver's wife.
6953407
Silver just seems a little resigned for some reason, and I'm curious if I've missed some subtle cue that would explain it. If the answer contains spoilers, I'll be happy to wait and see.
6953907 Luna's first real episode. Think on it.
6953061
That or ponies are far more forgiving than we could ever hope to be as a whole. It's a little humbling.
I can't take it anymore!
This entire story arc - this fic's variation on the "Siege of the Crystal Empire" - is one that I find myself not liking at all! It's coming across as so unbelievably sanctimonious as to be incredibly off-putting, at least to me. I'll admit that the whole "forgiveness is paramount" attitude is germane to Equestria, but the sheer level of communal Mary Sue-ness going on here is staggering.
The central flaw of this entire arc is the presumption that if there's a show of forgiveness from the wronged party and display of contrition on behalf of the one who wronged them, then everything is fine again. Or in other words, that everything can be settled if everyone shows good faith. This is complete nonsense! There's a reason why, in the human world, simply having a criminal and their victim exchange forgiveness does not absolve any criminal penalties being levied at said criminal. That's because justice demands more than just an exchange of feelings, it also demands that recompense be paid. It isn't enough to just say you're sorry, you have to actually do something to make amends!
And in this case, those amends are not being made. According to this story, the umbrum have been locked away - and confinement itself is a form of punishment, even before we examine their specific conditions - for over a millenium, through no fault of their own (what with the whole "we approached them, our disguises failed, and they sealed us away in a panic" bit). The complete and utter gall that Cadance and the others have in asking them to, quite simply, "just get over it" (and make no mistake, that's what they're asking for) is so utterly condescending as to be utterly depraved.
If Cadance really wanted to make amends, then instead of telling the umbrum to GTFO (e.g. "go find some other place where you can make a city"), she should have withdrawn and ceded the territory of the Crystal Empire to them, taking all of the crystal ponies to live somewhere else; after a thousand years or more of torment, let them be the ones to give something up in their so-called ardent pursuit of peace. Moreover, the damnable Crystal Heart should absolutely have been smashed, since in this continuity it seems to have no other purpose whatsoever except o keep the umbrum sealed away. Shattering it would have represented some sort of sacrifice on the crystal ponies' part.
And let's not forget the utter sophistry - and arrogance - that Luna and Night Watch are displaying in their whole "we're of the night too (which gives us a thematic measure of authority over you)!" stance. That's such a load of nonsense; the connections are entirely cosmetic in nature, rather than representing any kind of fundamental similarity in their nature. The very idea that the umbrum would just up and listen to them is madness - to suggest that millenia of unjust imprisonment could be undone in a single afternoon of earnest conversation and appeals to everyone's better nature is so saccharine as to be utterly unbelievable.
That's not even getting into the entire exchange between Sombra and the others, especially Radiant Hope. That treacherous, feckless mare betrayed him, and after a thousand years thinks that she has any right whatsoever to ask him for anything? It's not enough that she restored his physical body, she owes him for the thousand years of pain that he went through! (I'm tempted to paraphrase Lord Voldemort here: "I want a thousand years of contrition before I forgive you.") That's not even mentioning Princess Amore, who - as has been noted here - also was in the wrong, and yes, that does indeed merit her current state of being a shattered statue.
This entire exchange has been one of the so-called "good guys" being utterly condescending, pontificating from on high about the morally-righteous path, all the while ignoring the pain and suffering that Sombra and the umbrum have gone through. Silver and company keep demanding that the other side keep making sacrifices (e.g. sacrificing their entirely-justified call to dish out punishment and receive compensation for what they've beenthrough), all the while offering absolutely no sacrifices of their own. They just keep shouting "peace! forgiveness!" over and over, and expecting everyone to come around to their way of thinking.
That's unctuousness, not righteousness.
7074936 That seems to basically boil down to not liking the central conceit of MLP. I can accept that, but this is pretty standard for the show.
In the comic? They just stuffed them back away and cheered without caring what their story was. Defeated, done, bad guys, 0, good guys 1!
They were icky and evil and so must be destroyed, and that was the extent of the thought put into them.
In comparison, this was far more even-hoofed. They were given a land to call their own and a chance to become members of Equestria, who did nothing for or against them in the past I should note. They learned how to feed without causing undue terror, much like the changelings learned to feed without causing harm. Everypony involved came out better than they entered, no matter how much you think the crystal ponies should be kicked out of the city they constructed as some sort of compensation for past misdeeds.
7076453
I mentioned that a major focus on forgiveness and redemption was a main staple of the source material; but even the source material never took it this far. The comics had the umbrum be evil monsters with whom there was no compromise. Even in the show, the "major" villains are split fairly evenly between those that can be redeemed and those that can only be defeated, rather than negotiated with.
That said, this was not even-hoofed; simply having everyone walk away with smiles doesn't mean that justice was served. This story paints the umbrum as victims who were unfairly persecuted when they initially came to the Crystal Empire, and even Sombra is painted as a pony who was betrayed and abandoned by almost everyone around him. And yet, it's Sombra and the umbrum are the ones upon whom the onus of having to put aside their personal feelings and forgive the ponies is placed.
That's the equivalent of being beaten by the police and then thrown in jail for a crime you didn't commit, and when you're finally released, being told that you shouldn't be angry because "forgiveness is better." At some point, simply accepting the wrongs that have been leveled against you stops being enlightened, and starts to become permissiveness, if not outright weakness. Likewise, demanding compensation (or other restitution) for the wrongs you've suffered is not necessarily (let alone inherently) punitive. Being locked away in darkness - which the umbrum were clearly unhappy about - for a millenium is something so egregious that simply asking for forgiveness, let alone doing so while maintaining a tone of righteousness that implies that failing to forgive completely is to exhibit moral turpitude, is not only insufficient, but insulting.
The crystal ponies, the Crystal Empire, and its ruling princess (because even if she wasn't the ruler when it happened, Cadance has inherited the actions of her predecessors), owe Sombra and the umbrum. They owe them big time. Simply releasing them, let alone deigning to give them a place and let them feed themselves, is not sufficient. They need to do more to make a show of remorse for how they've acted until then.
Forgiveness should be more than telling the victims to "get over it and move on," no matter how much the term is sugar-coated.
And so he keep on trotting the path he doesn't desire, but that's exactly why he'll reach the destination.