Favorable Alignment

by Ice Star

Chapter 9: Stairs to the Bottom of the World

Luna:

Sister would probably start searching my usual retreats soon now that I had been absent for weeks without uttering a single farewell or offering a hint of my whereabouts to anypony. She would search through all of Canterlot, the entire Everfree, and perhaps a few other locations I have been known to frequent before realizing I'm in none of the familiar spots. It'll take her a while to realize I'm actually gone, yet she'll have no idea where I vanished to or how - as I intended, unfortunately at the cost of my sister's distress.

Most certainly, she'll have no idea when I left, which would throw off any kind of investigation she would wish to conduct for quite some time - yet another thing in my favor.

By land or by sea, Tia? Which route did I choose? Might it be the sky? You do not know there are already hundreds of leagues between you and I.

Sombra and I are mere hours away from the gateway to Aquastria, and my hooves are gripping the wheel with excitement. I do not have a rigid plan to how this will go, which is preferable since some flexibility must be considered with how the emotions of myself, Sombra, and Neptune could prove to be quite stormy in contrast to the clear weather Sombra and I have been experiencing on our journey so far.

"Sombra," I call, voice only slightly louder than the breeze that stirs through the sky alongside the clouds that drift slowly by, like the waves of a different kind of ocean.

I turn around to see Sombra in his usual spot - at least when he's on deck - leaning or sitting right next to the office, typically absorbed in some volume or leafing through an atlas. Today he was doing neither of those things, as my brief glance in his direction confirmed. Instead, Sombra was fiddling around with a telescope, which he had said not long before in on one of the rare occasions when he'd talk since I fixed his eye, was his first time ever being able to use such an instrument, or even trying to. He had only observed the night sky with the naked eye before.

Despite his relatively grumpy demeanor he seemed to show some enjoyment towards his latest hobby, excitedly scribbling out some figures on the loose papers lying beside him. And was that even the slightest trace of a smirky smile on his face? I think it was, and even though I hate to tear him away from his newfound activity, I think he'll enjoy insulting my cousin even more, so I call his name again.

He looks up with one forehoof held aloft to shield his eye from a glaring beam of moonlight that bounces off a porthole window. Sombra refused to be in the sunlight even more when it seared his newly healed eye two days ago and he spent half an hour denouncing Celestia's sun while covering his left eye with his hoof and screaming obsolete curses in the most entertaining way possible. He was also tactful enough to hurl his curses at her sun instead of directly at her - something I would not permit. "What is it, Luna?"

"We will be nearing the way into Aquastria soon."

"How soon?"

"Fifteen minutes, I think. If you value what you are recording I'd put it somewhere where it won't get lost because I'm not sure how smoothly this is going to go."

Sombra's smirk widened. "I'd, won't, and I'm'? You're really starting to trust me aren't you?"

"I guess I am," I say, giving Sombra a small smile only to see his gaze drift to the side and his expression change to appear more melancholy than usual.

"Nopony has ever trusted you have they?"

"Not like you do."

Oh... that's certainly... well... "I-I see."

"They just want me to live up to the image they've created," he said bitterly, looking only at the objects before him as they disappeared within a flash of crimson, "I'm their monster, you know."

"You aren't a monster."

"Being a demon certainly isn't any better."

"But a demon isn't who you are, Sombra. It's only what you are."

"Yes, it's what I am, but it's also what everypony never forgets."

"That's a lie," I say, having long since turned back to the wheel to keep a careful eye on the water below. Sombra had joined me, knowing that I was on the lookout for something.

"Oh really? Well, I'd love to know how you can say that, princess," he spat, saying 'princess' with nearly as much venom as he said my name ages ago.

"I forget that you're a demon every time I talk to you, Sombra. So, everypony does not view you like that. Do you know why I forget? It's because I don't care that you are what you are. I'm only reminded when you remind yourself, even then I hardly see the demonic figure you're made out to be - the one you know and I can guess only so much about. You're a very confident individual, but I don't think you'd being saying any of this..."

Sombra's looking straight at me, no longer looking at the water's dark and liquid surface far below even though his horn is lit to do so. "You don't think I'd do what...?" Sombra says, his tone matching the nervous sparks that had appeared in his eyes, flickering desperately though I believe they'd much rather be extinguished.

"...I do not think you would be saying any of this if you didn't believe some of it yourself," I finish as cautiously and honestly as possible.

"We'll talk about this later," Sombra says slowly, "but what would you say I am? Just out of curiosity."

"An enigma," I say giving Sombra one last smile as small as the little sparks that linger in his eyes but just as meaningful.

...

A few hours later, just as Tia's dawn breaks in far-away Canterlot and I have lowered the moon, Sombra and I find exactly what we are looking for. Since I have an idea of what we had been searching for, I was the first to spot our destination and pointed excitedly with my hoof, eagerly waving Sombra over to the starboard side so he might see as well.

"We're here!" I announce, when I see him squint down at the water's surface, shining white sunlight dappled across its fluid surface as the shadow of the Sky Scraper grew larger on the surface as I lowered the airship with my magic, cloaking the whole vessel in turquoise.

Unlike most ships with a similar appearance and construction, the Sky Scraper did not posses the air within the blimp that most airships had, so it was hardly an average ship. Instead, magic was within a fraction of Equestia's military ships. It held enchanted air so long journeys such as the one Sombra and I had embarked on. This air could be manipulated by a skilled mage to lower or raise the ship quickly, if needed, but was able to avoid most tracking spells due to other spells wrought into it, although I imagine Sombra could detect the Sky Scraper fairly well.

"I don't see anything, Luna, and the sun's coming up and I'd rather not stay around to have my eye assaulted by its brightness. Damned gassy fireball."

"You could just allow your eye to adjust to the sunlight."

"I could just become an alicorn princess too."

I snort at the thought and move my hoof so it points to exactly what I'm seeing. "Look over there, Princess Sombra, just follow where my hoof points. Do you see what I'm pointing at?"

He does as I suggest and soon he points with his own forehoof and looks back to me for confirmation. "That part of the ocean isn't moving at all. It's eerily still and I think I can feel a bit of magic that isn't ours or the ship's. I take it this is where we must go?"

I nod, levitating the ship closer. Part of me remains calm, at least for now, despite the adventure that lies ahead, which the other part of me is eagerly awaiting. There are sure to be challenges ahead that entail something that isn't as easy as levitating an airship.

"So, how were you able to find this place?" Sombra asks, hooves gripping the guardrail but with the wariness of somepony who has spent their whole life on land, even though I can still see traces of calculated, analytical wonder flickering steadily in his eyes. It's a wonder I live for.

"I will be sure to tell you later; I want to get into Aquastria smoothly since I'm not sure if..." I trail off once I see him nod curtly before jumping overboard and disappearing with a brief burst of magic.

It doesn't take long for me to follow, soaring after him, the Sky Scraper anchored within reach of the gate with a quick spell, gradually descending to the ocean's surface like a water-bound boat.

...

It was no surprise that Sombra hadn't noticed the difference between the surface of the gate at first and the water surrounding it. The difference was a subtle one, only the hexagon of glass-like unmoving water that took up a space big enough for eight ponies to stand across in all ways could distinguish it from all else, calm or stormy.

I land with the natural grace that has only been perfected through years as an adventurer and warrior just as Sombra reappears only a few paces away. He nods upon seeing me.

"How does this work? I can't exactly say that I've encountered one of these before and the magic certainly feels..." Sombra pauses, and his left eye twitches slightly with concentration, "...confusing, if that makes any sense. Were there some kind of two-way wards on this so even I could barely detect their presence?"

"Yes, and that would be just how Neptune likes the spell: as difficult as he is. In order to activate this I'm going to need you to be closer to me."

Sombra's head whips around. "I'm sorry, what?!"

"I just need you to stand next to me, you'll be able to see why shortly."

Sombra looks up at the sky for the briefest moment, either at the Sky Scraper or the dawning day, I'm not sure, before he walks over to where I am and stands within three large steps of me, metal boots soundless on the water quieted and altered by magic.

Whereas he looked up, I look down at gate, recalling a crystal-clear image in my mind of what it looked like when activated and how much space will be left.

"Sombra, you need to be closer."

"Can't I just-?"

"No, Sombra, believe me, but you cannot remain where you are and I haven't the faintest idea to why you're practically flushing about this, it's not like I am going to attack you or something of that vein. You'll be just fine."

I didn't let him get another word in before I abruptly pulled him closer with my wing until there wasn't even room for a scrap of paper to be between our withers and lit my horn with the magic required to gain access to my cousin's realm. The surface glowed with the color of my aura for a moment. I knew to let go as soon as I heard the previously still water rumble faintly.

Next to me, Sombra squirmed slightly. I know he's a recluse who probably isn't used to ponies making too much contact with him, if any at all, but I still see no reason for him to be blushing like he is. Hopefully, he doesn't realize that I can see it quite plainly or he'll make Cadance's vibrant coat look dull by comparison.

While I didn't wish to make him uncomfortable, there were far more important matters at hoof and he certainly doesn't seem to be uncomfortable enough to panic or push me away.

The rumbles subsided soon after and the once glassy surface now quavers with the sound of cracking now following. Geometric fractures spread across the surface in an almost spiral like shape as the perfectly carved seams were undone by my magic. The portion of the gate that moved collapsed downward with a rush of roaring water that shaped themselves as enchantments dictated, leaving an outer half to this spiral where Sombra and I stood on an edge that was barely big enough for two ponies.

"...So, that's why you wanted me to..."

I ignored Sombra, but not out of rudeness, and stepped forward, ready to descend into Aquastria at last when Sombra's grumbling caught my attention.

"Stairs? This grand gate forms a staircase that goes down to the bottom of the ocean? I may not be an expert on this subject but isn't that going to take a while? And stairs! It just had to be stairs! Can't anypony just work a teleportation spell into-"

"In her exploration of the castle during her search for the Crystal Heart, Twilight Sparkle reported finding at least two staircases that could be considered long by one who didn't grow up around such things. Yet, it seems that you made at least one of the staircases yourself. Is that not true?"

"It is true. I made one staircase in a lesser pocket dimension I infused into the floor because I knew the stairs could be hazardous in the right conditions and would be an absolute pain to anyone who saw them and thought 'Really, I have to walk down all of these?!'. The entire structure was made to help worsen anxiety in the common pony, and increase the chance for simple accidents. Did you honestly think I liked stairs?"

...

Sombra could certainly be very expressive when presented with something he had never seen before. As we went down stair after stair of water frozen by magic I noticed something. Sombra took more interest in the world around him, which was separated only by a wall of flowing water that was held back only as long as we were using the gate in any way, whether it was docking the Sky Scraper above or if I were to try and stick my muzzle through the watery wall with a temporary wide-eyed state of curiosity that Sombra currently had as he did so.

A moment later he yelped and pulled his muzzle away from the water, clearly not very fond of water and not entirely aware of the trance-like state he had been in before he decides to catch up with me.

"What got you so excited that you nearly choked on salt water?"

Sombra spits out some of said water and his muzzle crinkles with disgust. "I thought I saw something out there."

"Like what?"

"A creature. Are there any kind of creatures that could live in this foul-tasting water?"

"Certain kinds, yes."

"That sounds fascinating! How are they adapted for this kind of environment? What do they breathe? What do they eat? Can they sleep? Oh, what about-"

"Sombra, calm down. The deeper we go, the more sea life you will see but right now we should probably be focused, or at least I should be focused on Neptune. I just have no idea what he'll say about this... something stuffy probably... but still I'm just not sure how this will go and-"

Sombra is able to tear his gaze away from the water to look at me as my words begin to falter.

Oh, Luna you hypocrite now look who needs to calm down and now he's looking at you strange and is probably going to tell you the same thing...

"I wouldn't worry so much about managing your cousin."

"Sombra," I cautioned, "I know that you are very confident-"

"Confident?" he says with a snort, "That word barely describes the sheer arrogance I radiate most of the time. Just call me arrogant, really, it is the more accurate term."

"You would not take offense to me saying such a thing?"

"It's only the truth, and it's a truth I'm quite aware of. What is really so wrong about being arrogant?"

If only others would listen to him - he speaks honestly and well.

"Alright then. I know that you are egotistical, but you also know so little of my cousin. I've trusted your judgment thus far, but what makes you think this will be easy?"

"I like to manipulate and exploit ponies I don't have any substantial consideration for."

"Isn't that almost everypony?"

"Indeed it is."

This made me slightly nervous since while I trusted Sombra, I was still unsure of what he thought of me. I doubt it was anything good. He acted sincerely friendly, in his own way, and honest at times. Still, there could be a whole host of ulterior motives that I'd hate to be true since he's been such a pleasure to get to know, even if he doesn't feel any strong friendship or anything at all, I'm thrilled this is more than a business agreement. Sombra would be the first real equine friend I've had since I was a young filly and Celestia's mane was still pink as we traveled across the world.

Twilight's friends are nice, but not that close or much more beyond that.

I can talk to Twilight every now and then, I suppose, but there's nothing she would understand. We don't have much in common, I barely see her, and she's... not very fun to talk to. She's Tia's pupil with all the feel of a distant relative or a cousin, and it shows. While she's friendly, Twilight isn't sompeony I would want to spend hours and hours around like her friends do with her. She's still an incredibly naive child in certain ways, and while she is in no way haughty or arrogant, Twilight Sparkle is certainly quite privileged. There are also times when her modesty levels are positively unbearable.

There wasn't anypony in Canterlot I'd say that I wanted to go out of my way to spend time around without destroying the fragile feeling of peace that I have when I'm alone. I loathe to be sad and alone, but that hasn't happened nearly as much as Celestia thinks. I'm not compelled to make any friends.

Or, I wasn't until I brought Sombra along. I think I would quite like him to be a friend. Sometimes we talked for hours on the Sky Scraper, like when he told me about the first year of his life, and other times we'll happily say nothing at all.

Maybe I'll work up the courage to ask him if he wants to be my friend.

...

After a stretch of peaceful silence, we have barely progressed what must be a quarter of the stairs' length when Sombra manages stop being so fixated on the distant shadows of fish mingled with faint shafts of sister's sunlight in the azure water.

"Roughly how much longer until I'm able to observe the creatures that live within this water better?"

"Hours, probably. Sorry if I'm not sure about the exact time, Sombra. I'm not even sure if this will be a city of his I've been to before. This floats above the city he currently resides in, for emergencies only, as Neptune says although it isn't like this has been ignored before and this definitely qualifies as an emergency."

Sombra no longer concentrates on the ocean around him at all. I can see his reflection from where I walk and the thoughtful look he always has somewhere in his eyes burns brightly, overtaking anything else.

"If Neptune changes cities so often and this gate follows the city, then how was it so easy to find? The ocean is incredibly vast if the scales on all the maps on the ship are accurate. and you could have been searching for much longer."

Explaining to Sombra that Aquastria occupied a massive underwater valley wasn't that hard. He seemed to grasp the concept of the ocean having terrain that varied under all this water quickly, but I think it might have been something on my part that made explaining how some concepts that are considered to be the most basic to all creatures cause an air of lingering confusion to emerge in his eyes as he nodded here and there. I couldn't explain something I learned so young in a rather un-scientific way to this logical mind without messing something up. I can't say I'd do the best job were I to try.

The discussion of Alicorn magic that followed was much better understood by him. Once I was able to explain that tidal movements were influenced by the moon I controlled, there was a whole host of interesting questions that he saw fit to ask.

"So, you tracked this gate with your moon's connection to the waves?"

"Partly. Since I have enough knowledge of the territory here as well as what to look for, I didn't have that much to worry about, but my tracking spell helped."

"Wouldn't you have to have a direct connection for the spell to work, since it involves using the natural properties of a celestial body for your own gain, while being able to directly wield this magic without there being any interference to your own ability or amplification of your own natural power required?"

I'm quite impressed with the conversations I've been able to hold with Sombra. While he certainly was never close to stupid, it appears that he is often treated like he is by others. Not even I expected him to be as smart as he is. I may not be as analytical as he, but I'm certain he can find a way to understand the more qualitative observations I give with that sharp mind of his. Together we make quite the union of intellectual strength.

"I do have a direct connection to the moon, and my sister does have one to the sun. Think of the magic we use to raise and lower the sun and moon like chains. Only we have the magic to execute this properly, and while I could technically raise the sun if I wanted to, I do not have the perfect magic for the job and this is why the night of Celestia's thousand year reign was sub-par to say the least."

"Couldn't Celestia try to track you with the moon? Is that possible?"

"No to both. These 'chains' are only for Celestia and myself... I'm not quite sure how to explain this to you... I could raise and lower the sun, but nothing else of the powers that come with the bond this chain forges are available to me, and the same goes for my sister. If this was something that could happen I would have left my sister to raise the moon instead of risking my magic making contact with it so recently."

"How did these 'chains', as you call them, form?"

"At first it was just the perfect kind of magic - mine - lashing out at the right moment to the correct object - the moon - and gaining my cutie mark through the efforts and self-actualization needed to do so. You might say that it started out as a poor rope, but the longer I controlled the moon the more I was able to forge something better in a way none would ever be able to do, link by link, and that has allowed me to access a range of abilities within myself using the 'chain' I have with the moon."

"So the moon and sun... the longer you exist, the more of your birthright of power, I suppose we can call it, you realize. That means that one day the moon and sun wouldn't be quite so grand and... gods... the longer you live the more powerful you get, correct?"

"True, but my sister and I could not obtain infinite power. No Alicorn or immortal could, but one day it is true that the sun and moon will be but mere playthings compared to what Celestia and I will wield. Even you should notice your power start to increase over the years."

"Will it be anything like yours?"

"Comparable enough, I'd say based on what I have witnessed you do with my eyes alone."

"And yet apparently we can't even conquer long staircases all that well so far, huh?"

My hooves cease their movement across the stairs of water and behind me I catch a glimpse of Sombra, who still isn't used to having two eyes to see, almost walk into me, before the reflection I watch realizes what he is doing and he stops as well, the question of 'why' now in his eyes.

Turquoise light shimmers into existence, causing all sorts of strange movements and enchanting reflections on the artificial and smooth walls of our ocean spire. A thin, gossamer-like thread of light weaves its way into the stairs, snaking down before vanishing. My horn still glows. A few minuets pass.

Then ten.

My horn's aura flashes and disappears, and I blink upon receiving the information I sent the thread of light to retrieve.

"Walking will take too long, Sombra."

"Then what are we supposed to do? Can you teleport us down to the exit or have you never been here before?"

"I have not, but I have an idea," I say, not able to resist a small grin as I switch from standing still to flying right next to Sombra on the dreadfully long staircase.

Another spell is cast by me, and before Sombra even knows what's happening, the stairs are non-existent, a flat surface replacing them.

He doesn't even have a chance to say anything coherent before the possible downside to those lovely metal boots of his is revealed, and I give him a shove.

"I'll race you!" I shout, flying after him as fast as I can, my laughter a sharp contrast to his confused screams.

Comments

[Sigmacipher]

Mario 64 much?

[nebulaegalaxy]

"You could just allow your eye to adjust to the sunlight."
"I could just become an alicorn princess too."

Sassbra at his finest.

[NorrisThePony]

By land or by sea, Tia? Which route did I choose? Might it be the sky? You do not know there are already hundreds of leagues between you and I.

Oh no, Luna is turning into a zebra!

[NorrisThePony]

"That sounds fascinating! How are they adapted for this kind of environment? What do they breathe? What do they eat? Can they sleep? Oh, what about-"

Curious Sombra is fucking adorbs

[Kaleido]

While I didn't wish to make him uncomfortable, there were far more important matters at hoof and he certainly doesn't seem to be uncomfortable enough to panic or push me away.

hm, uncomfortable, sure

Another spell is cast by me, and before Sombra even knows what's happening, the stairs are non-existent, a flat surface replacing them.

[MayhemMoth]

They're both adorable and I love them and I hate that I found all the stairs jokes funny.

Was gonna mention Luna's obliviousness to Sombra's feelings because it also seemed cute, but then I realized she's probably oblivious because no one has loved her like Sombra does and then I made myself kinda sad.

[Ice Star]

10600421

Was gonna mention Luna's obliviousness to Sombra's feelings because it also seemed cute, but then I realized she's probably oblivious because no one has loved her like Sombra does and then I made myself kinda sad.

While this is true, the main reason she is romantically oblivious is just that she's kinda like that due to being inexperienced, sorta awkward, and hella ace.

[Witch_King_of_Angmar]

Ysma! Put your hands in the air!