An Undertale of Equestria

by David Silver

30 - Where He Sleeps

There was something different as we scaled towards that cave. I didn't feel even the subtle twitch, that low pulse that danger was coming. Something was waiting for us, of that I was certain, but it seemed to want us there, not to dash us against a rock the moment it saw us. I struggled to relate this. "We're heading towards someone, or something."

"I should hope so." Trixie tilted her head. "We have two more sources of shadow to rid ourselves of before we may know the truth at last." She nudged me with a hoof. "Are you looking forward to it?" Her face hardened a little. "Are you still hoping that sends you away from me?"

Sweet suddenly stepped between us. "That isn't fair, Trixie. Wouldn't you want to get home if you were suddenly in a whole new world, without any ponies at all?"

Trixie opened her mouth a moment before she shook her head. "Trixie does not have a home, per se... She would want to see what there is to see, what magic she can discern and lore that no other pony could hope to obtain. Only after she filled several books on the matter would she consider returning to share this new knowledge."

I giggled a little. "And prove how amazing you are."

"Of course." She nodded with confidence. "You do understand, fam--James. Here, take this." She held out a small coil of rope.

I took it, but had no idea what to do with it. "And?"

"One moment." Her magic wrapped around me and hurled me bodily up the cliffside to a ledge. "Throw it down!"

I was demoted to a grappling hook, great. I looked around for something to fix the rope to, then tossed the other side down to Trixie and Sweet. They scaled up with surprising skill for a species that didn't have hands. "Ready to do that again?"

Up we went, taking two more violent tosses of my little body before we reached the cave.

Sweet sniffed at the air lightly. "I smell something familiar..." She trotted in ahead of us, following the little twitches of her nose through the paths. "Something sweet..."

"I'm always sweet!" Pinkie jumped down from the roof and landed in front of us. Her eyes leaked the shadowy energy of taint. "We're going to have so much fun!"

I didn't need the pressure in my chest to tell me a conflict had approached us, but there it was. Pinkie approached on two legs, a cupcake balanced on either forehoof. "Aw, I didn't bring enough. Who should get one first..."

Trixie took a defensive posture, horn glowing. "Stop right there. You're infested with shadow, and Trixie won't allow you to interfere with her plans."

"Plans?" Pinkie tilted her head at a strange angle, perpendicular to her shoulders. "You planned a party without me? How mean!" She was suddenly gone, and I heard Trixie cry out. I span to see Pinkie behind her, holding her with one arm as the other forced the cupcake towards her mouth. "You get the first one!"

Sweet rammed into Pinkie from the side, knocking her and her dubious baked treats to the rock of the cave floor. "Stop that! We only just met and even I know this isn't the normal you."

I spread my hands out wide. "I'd love to come to your party, Pinkie."

Pinkie rolled up onto her hooves instantly. "You would? Great!" She was suddenly beside me, popping a party hat on my head. "I'm going to have to bake some new treats though, the old ones are all dirty now..."

Trixie scowled at Pinkie. "She knew taking you was a mistake in the first place. Get yourself together. We still have a mission to complete."

Pinkie waved at Trixie. "You're way too strung up about this. Or maybe you're not strung up enough? Let's find out." She aimed a cannon that was certainly not there a moment ago at Trixie, the fuse already lit and burning rapidly. Trixie raised a shield quickly, but it shattered beneath the concussive force of the deafening bang. When the smoke cleared, Trixie was fixed to a wall, confetti securing every limb as well as any glue. "That's better. No more talking out of you." All that came from Trixie was muffled complaints that no one could understand.

She turned towards Sweet. "How about you, are you joining the party, or are you a naughty pony too?"

Sweet waved her forehooves quickly. "I like making sweet things too. That's my name!"

I had to agree with that. "This is Sweet Tooth, remember?"

Pinkie tilted her head. "Huh?" Some of the mania diminished from her eyes. "What do you make?"

Sweet shrank a little. "I used to make beetles, but I found out they have families and are really smart. I feel awful about that, even if they were kinda yummy..."

Pinkie blinked slowly. "Have you tried using flour and sugar instead?"

"What?"

Pinkie put her forehooves to her head. "You don't know how to bake?! Well you came to the right pony." She threw a leg over Sweet and brought her over towards me, popping another party hat on her. "We're gonna bake a nice big cake, together!"

Sweet smiled a little nervously. "I'd love to learn, if you'll show me?"

"Of course! Making ponies happy is..." She fell to all fours, trembling. "It's what... I... do..." The shadow suddenly fled her eyes and she collapsed to the ground.

"Mmmf!" Trixie was still gagged, but I could see she was referring to the big swirl of dark energy gathering in the room.

Before I could focus on it, it came together, forming into the face of a pony the faint outline of what might be a body behind it. A broken red horn rested on its brow. Trixie began panicking and squirming, but there wasn't much she could do. Even her magic seemed cut off.

Sweet hid behind me, despite my being less than half her overall size. The figure opened its eyes, flowing with shadow magic, green, purple, and black. "Frisk..."

"That's James," I corrected with more bravery than I felt. "Are you the one I saw before?"

"Yes..."

Alright, it was talking, not mauling me, that was a good sign. "What do you want?"

He smiled slowly. "The crystals... The Crystal Empire is my enemy, and my treasure. I conquered it. The... The sleepers were at peace."

Sweet's ears perked. "Sleepers?"

He focused on her. "The awakening of the crystal... You should be asleep."

Sweet thrust a hoof at him. "Enough sleep! Our people... Are you a dark pony?"

"No..."

I lifted my shoulders. "What are you?"

"I am shadow. I am Sombra. Lend me your power, for a time..." His attention was squarely on me.

Should I do that? He caused a lot of trouble before, and the shadow was what we were fighting, or was it more exploring? "Do you promise to stay here, and not hurt anyone while we talk?"

Apparently that was close enough to a yes. I felt a powerful suction and new fatigue wash over me as he sank to the ground and stepped from the shadows, garbed in flesh and metal armor. "It's good to be alive, again... You, alien. Your name is James, is it not?"

I fell back against Sweet who caught me and held me up in her hooves. "Y-yeah, that's me."

Trixie was screaming as loud as her gag allowed. Sombra frowned at her. "Be silent." He waved an armored hoof at her and the screams trailed off as she fell into a forced slumber. "You have my thanks. Have you made a decision? Will you be my ally, or must we fight?"

Sweet tilted her head. "Wait! Are you going to bring the dark ponies out, or put them all to sleep again?"

"Sleep is their only peace." He shook his head. "This is not their world. It only holds pain for them. You should understand this. You are one of their number."

"I am!" cried Sweet. "And I'd still rather be awake. There are things to love. There are delights to be had, friends to make. This world isn't that bad... Even the crystal ponies aren't so bad."

Sombra stomped a hoof, shaking the ground. "They tortured me for years, laughing at my misfortune, sneering at my differences. They hated me, from the smallest school foal to the princess of them all."

I pushed up to my feet properly. "Some ponies are like that, but others are not. Sweet already has a friend eager to be with her. Cadance fears for Sweet's health enough to not finish the fair right away. There's still hope."

"Cadance?" He scowled at me. "Who is this?"

"The new princess of the crystal ponies, pink?"

He recognized her quickly. "She defeated me once. She banished me without remorse. You would claim her as a symbol of change?"

Sweet put a hoof down beside me. "Please, this time it's different..." She pulled off her pink glasses and set it aside.

Sombra looked at her with a loud gasp. "You really are..." He reached for her, trailing a metal-clad hoof along her snout slowly. "Those eyes... You bear the pain of the sun. Why don't you accept this kindness, and sleep?"

She turned her head away from his stare. "Life hurts... I still want to be in it."

I cracked a smile. "I may never get to my friends and family, but I'd take life over the alternatives. I have new friends, and a cause worth fighting for. The crystal ponies and the dark ponies may have gotten off to a horrible start, but it doesn't have to end there."

"They should be punished!"

"They have been." I shook my head. "Enough. You've had your revenge. It's time for healing."

Pinkie roused with a sleepy murmur only to set eyes on Sombra and squeal in surprise. She ducked behind me, what was it with using the little human as a shield? "K-King S-Sombra!"

"It is good to be recognized... Celestia's pony, do you stand against me?"

I thrust a hand back to stay Pinkie from any rash actions. "She's with me. And we're just talking right now. Nobody is for or against anyone yet. Would it be so bad if the dark ponies could meet with the crystal ponies, both with hooves extended in friendship?"

"You paint an impossible picture. Your mind, filled with idealism... So long as they have the heart, they will use it, and the dark ponies will suffer. Do you not understand how the shadow was created to begin with?"

Sweet clopped the ground. "Tell us!"

His fangs were on display. "I will. Perhaps then the truth will be clear."

Author's Note:

Hello Sombra. Glad to have you in the story properly. You're not quite as horrible as we've been led to believe so far.

Comments

[MonkeyChunky]

...James...You can spare them to a new world or condemn them to hell...chose wisely for lives of the world is being held in your hands.
Quick question: How many times did he do this already?

[nekomyah]

well it is kind of obvious that the crystal heart has a dark pony trapped inside
and maybe every time its used it takes the soul of another dark pony
oh and I wanna read a genocide story if you make one

[TheifofZ]

and a fight worth fighting for.

... Not sure you meant that. Did you mean family, or home?
Because Frisk/James doesn't seem to like the fighting.

[David Silver]

6701999 Adjusted for clarity.

[TheifofZ]

6702038 Seeing these typos being fixed fills me with detemmienation.

[Tonto the Trotter]

Well that was an enjoyable chapter, more plot progression, Pinkie is back after her long absence and freed from the Shadow influence rather quickly. The next chapter promises more twists, turns and secrets to be revealed.

[Andy Ray]

She trot in ahead of us, following the little twitches of her nose through the paths.

Isn't it "she trotted"?

[Andy Ray]

I thrust a hand back to stay Pinkie form any rash actions.

"From"?