World 4: Chapter 6
“Believe me, I am wholly honored by your desire to bring me along. It’s been quite a while since I’ve made an appearance in Canterlot, but as I told you, they don’t see me in a proper light,” the dark stallion complained as he finished packing his saddlebags.
“And they don’t see me in a proper light either. I’m hoping that’ll change after today,” Sunset replied from the loft, her backpack firmly settled over her shoulders. “I felt so stupid crying my eyes out to Tirek. I hope he doesn’t bring it up in front of whoever we’re meeting.” A sudden knock on the door jerked her attention. “That must be him.”
When she opened the door, she expected the centaur to be the opposite of sullen. “My dear, I have poor news today.” Tirek wasted no time. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cancel our plans for Canterlot. There’s been news of dragon attacks to the south, I’m heading off to meet Dragon Lord Torch in a little bit with the princesses. I had really hoped the dragons wouldn’t have been foolish enough to do something like this, but it seems I was the foolish one to trust our forming treaty.” His eyes dragged to Sombra as the stallion sidled up beside Sunset. “Being too trusting seems to be a common fault I have.”
Sombra rolled his eyes. “I guess Canterlot will have to wait,” he said to Sunset, snapping away from the passive-aggressive centaur.
“Take us with you!” Sunset blurted before she could think.
“What!?” chorused both the stallions.
“Yeah! It could be a good learning experience!”
The centaur leaned back, resting on his bulky lower half. “I understand your tenacity to mend your mind and heart, but I am unsure if there will be any lessons to be had today. Supposedly, Dragon Lord Torch has no part in this attack.” His eyes plodded between Sombra and Sunset. “Though, having you both there may help me in remaining merciful and mindful. After all, we can’t have a good anger management session when the role model is raging against a foreign ruler.” He chuckled to himself, tapping his cheek with a finger. “Very well. But you two must do as I say without question. Are we clear?”
“Done.” Sunset nodded, and Sombra reluctantly agreed.
“Then we’ll waste no time.” Sticking his nails in the air, Tirek clawed open a black tear in reality.
Sunset and Sombra stepped forward, glancing into the shapeless, convulsing mass of energy. “Well, I did say I wanted adventure,” Sombra mumbled to Sunset just before taking the plunge. Passing through felt nothing like that of which Sunset experienced portalling through worlds, and it certainly wasn’t as intensive as teleporting with her unicorn magic.
They came out on the other side in a grassy plain. A pale tree line to her right, the sea to her left. Down the ways she could see three flowing manes of glorious colors, to which she knew were the princesses. “Where are we?” she asked Sombra.
But it was Tirek who answered, “South of Baltimare. You can see it in the distance behind us.” As Sunset turned to look, he trotted past her, heading for the princesses. The large city was just over the horizon, the sun coating it in its gentle morning rays.
“I’m guessing that’s Dragon Lord Torch,” Sombra said, prodding her side.
She turned back to the princesses and scanned the area. It wasn’t until the shadow struck the beach that she eyed the sky. Just as big as Tirek on the day she arrived in this crazy world, Dragon Lord Torch coated the world with his presence. The gentle glide down to the earth ended with a tremor, sending rippling waves off into the distance. Half on land, half on the beach, the dragon lord seemed too big a threat for Tirek to handle alone, yet he had somehow defeated the overwhelming, hard-hearted giant.
As they trotted closer, slithering in behind the centaur, they overheard Celestia’s complaint, “Appleloosa was hit this morning, all their trees burned to the ground. The buffalo tribe is in shambles, they had worked hard building the land alongside our citizens, all for it to go up in flames!”
“I understand your problems, Princess Celestia,” said the dragon lord, whose voice was much softer than Sunset anticipated of the massive dragon. “And I would be glad to send the dragons who have not turned on me to your Appleloosa in order to help till and plant a new orchard. However, I will not do so until these rebels have been rooted out, as they may just come back and do it again.”
“Do you know where these rebels are?” Princess Luna asked.
“Apparently, they were in Appleloosa just a few hours ago,” Dragon Lord Torch answered without a twinge of rhetoric in his voice. “From there, nothing. They are not welcome in my land, they have nothing to return to. My guess is that they have roamed south to—”
“The Badlands,” Tirek finished. The centaur remained stoic, his arms crossed. “And what is it you would have us do to these rebels should we find them? Imprison them? Not a very good way to start their introduction into Equestrian citizenship. Not to mention we have nowhere to imprison them.”
“I’m hoping we can find a solution here and now, though it pains me so,” Dragon Lord Torch countered. “The leader of this resistance is my own daughter. She’s always been the disobedient type.”
Sombra nudged Sunset to get her attention, and then whispered, “It was my understanding that dragons followed the dragon lord’s command regardless of what it was. To have some betray their leader is unprecedented. Often, betrayal is due to anger or frustration. It’s too coincidental to have you being tutored on your anger right when this boiling point comes up for the dragons. Far too coincidental. Maybe you were meant to help save them? Maybe the map saw that?”
“I’m not a hero,” she told him, speaking just as softly.
The stallion winced, wanting to say more, but he chose to keep silent.
“They attack because they worry that under your rules, we dragons will be forced to give up our hoards. Our hoards are what drive us, what makes us big, and what we hold dear,” Dragon Lord Torch explained. “But even though I have told them that you have no desire to take away their hoards, they did not believe me. They assumed this relocating to your cities was a means to take hold of their wealth, to which I can understand their plight.”
“Hoarding treasure is a negative aspect that will not stand within Equestria. It involves stealing wealth, usually from the ponies or other races, and keeping it tucked away unused. I allowed you all to keep what you’ve attained in exchange for no further stealing, yet it seems dragons are a greedy race that still desire to stick to their old thieving habits. If these dragons wish to hold on to their traditions of stealing, then they are free to leave Equestria and never return, your daughter included,” refuted Tirek, lowering his arms. “I will personally seek out these dragons and have them bow to me. If they choose not to or choose to continue this temper tantrum, my hands will be forced to deal with an absolute.”
The dragon lord gulped. “And what of those who submit?”
“They’ll be given a choice. Retribution must be paid. They can either work to help replant Appleloosa or they can give up their hoard.” Tirek threw his head back with laughter. “I imagine Appleloosa will have twice the amount of trees that it had by the end of the year.”
“Very well.” The dragon lord bowed his head. “Please try not to be overzealous with my daughter. Her stubbornness is legendary. A swift defeat may finally bring her the humility she needs.” Without another word, the dragon flapped his wings, filling the sky in a matter of seconds. Sunset watched as he disappeared into the clouds, his shadow falling down onto the sea, heading for the volcanic ridge far across the water.
“I’d say that went well, Tirek,” Princess Celestia said as she turned to the centaur, but her eyes stopped when she saw Sunset and Sombra. Sunset caught it too. The look. It went from surprise to scorn within an instant.
“Sunset! Sombra!” Princess Cadance was the first to react to the duo, breaking away from her position to greet the two with a hug. “You’re tagging around with Lord Tirek now? This is a welcome surprise!” This Princess Cadance was far more cheery than any of the others Sunset had met, though those others were in far worse living conditions. “I knew introducing you two would lead to great things!”
Tirek stepped closer to Cadance, extending a hand. His stoic face softened, a grin creasing his jaw. “Yes, Sunset and I had a marvelous breakthrough yesterday. She’s even agreed to be my…” He paused, a look of confusion crossing his face.
“Apprentice,” Sunset answered for him. Her heart sunk as soon as she said the word. She had not meant it as a good thing, only saying it to bring more scorn to her old mentor. It worked. Princess Celestia’s expression exploded with pang after hearing the word uttered, so much so that the elder alicorn turned away to hide her face.
But Tirek seemed to like the name. “Yes, apprentice! Her anger is much like how mine was, though our lessons are impeded by this dragon development. Perhaps finding these outlanders in the Badlands will be a good first teaching experience.”
“Well, I hope all goes well,” Princess Celestia replied, though it was unclear whether she meant with the dragons or with Sunset. She didn’t take a moment to say goodbye before taking flight, Princess Luna following behind. Princess Cadance waved as she too took to the air, a cheery smile being the last thing they saw of the three princesses.
“Tirek. What did you mean by deal with an absolute?” Sunset asked after they were alone.
“I refuse to have prisons or dungeons, Sunset,” Tirek answered gravely. “Without them, I am forced to rely on my pure strength to break the spirit of those who do not submit. It is incredibly rare for someone to be walked to the border of Equestria only to then return seeking vengeance. I half expected the changelings to attempt something, though they never have, thankfully.”
“So what do you do?” she asked in a firmer voice.
“It was the same with Dragon Lord Torch. He refused to bow or to leave.” Tirek raised both hands, clenching them into fists. “He submitted right here in this sea after I elbowed his trachea and then bent his back across my knees. I do hope it doesn’t come to that with each of these outlaws. It’s tiring work.”
“Have you ever had to—”
Tirek cut her off with the raise of his hand. “Enough questions, apprentice. I can feel your fear, and fear leads to rash decisions, along with anger. Know that I am merciful, to which you will be shown today once we deal with these dragons.” Clawing the air, a black tear opened in front of them, convulsing a reflection of the trio.
Sunset swallowed her questions and did as she was told, hopping through the rip in reality. She did not like being called apprentice by the old centaur, yet she succumbed to the idea without much of a fight. It’s not like I’m Princess Celestia’s apprentice anymore, and I’m not sure I’ll ever see Princess Twilight again. Not unless… Her eyes drifted to Sombra as soon as they crossed the tear together. He looked at her, a smile grazing his face, to which she smiled back.
“The princesses didn’t even seem to notice me. You’re a good shield, Sunset,” Sombra joked. “To think I was so worried about today.” As soon as he finished speaking, the stallion tripped and landed chin first on the cracked, dried dirt, knocking his glasses to the ground.
“Sombra!” Sunset grabbed the dark stallion by a foreleg, pulling him to his hooves. “Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah. What did I trip over?” Sombra glanced underneath his legs, a set of undistinguishable bones protruding from the coarse, red earth. “Oh dear. That’s a terrible sign.”
Grabbing Sombra’s glasses, Sunset placed them on his muzzle, staring him in the grey eyes as she did so. “Why are you always so sure you’re seeing things hidden beneath the surface?” she asked him as she straightened the spectacles.
As she pulled away, Sombra placed a hoof on hers and held it to his cheek. “You’re the one who has been taking everything at face value. You remember your reaction when you saw me for the first time? There are signs everywhere, Sunset, sometimes they’re right in front of you. You just need to pay attention.”
“I-I am!” she blurted, slightly flustered, the bottom of her hoof feeling the stallion’s sideburn. She did not think to pull away until she saw Tirek in her peripherals. Her whole body shot in the centaur’s direction. “W-what are you looking at!?” she barked at her new mentor.
The centaur’s brows were raised, his cheeks were flexed, and a coy grin hid amongst his beard. He tilted his head forward in a curt nod before pressing on past them. “Welcome to the Badlands,” he said, putting aside the cold growl of his student. “Somewhere around here remains the rebellious dragons. It’s our duty to find them. However, the Badlands can be fairly dangerous. Try not to stray too far from me.”
Sunset raised a brow at the notion. There was nothing in the distance aside from a few pillars of red dirt. Dried up bronze mud surrounded them—the only thing for miles and miles. “You say that like it’d be an easy thing to do.” She looked back at Sombra who was dusting off his cape, a long ridge of red mountains sat behind him even further in the distance. “Where do we start? This place is massive.”
“They’ll show themselves. They should know I’d be coming for them and may have even set a trap. That or they’ll hide and waste my time. But I smell something.” Tirek glanced over his shoulder. “I shouldn’t bring you two with me without a way to defend yourselves. Even if this is part of Equestria, I can’t imagine this will be a safe, leisurely jaunt.”
“Are you contemplating giving us our magic?” Sombra asked, clearly intrigued by the idea.
Tirek shook his head. “To you? No. Never again.”
“What does that mean?” Sunset asked, glancing between the two.
Neither stallion looked as if they wanted to be the one to answer. “Another tale for another time,” Sombra eventually broke, speaking for the both of them. “Let’s just be focused on the task at hoof, shall we? If we all stay together then we’ll be fine.”
Sounds like a tale I need to hear. I’ll ask about it later. Both stallions trudged forward into the barren land, forcing Sunset to move as well. The sun only just rose and it was already sweltering. The shadows of the mesas stretched west over the land, though they were too far away for them to make it underneath the shade before the sun would collapse the shadow entirely. Sunset lifted her hoof to her forehead, wiping the sweat from her brow. When she looked up at Tirek, she noticed that the wrinkles on his face were glistening, giving him an older look that he so desperately tried to hide.
Sombra was the complete opposite. Not a drop of sweat or exhaustion on his body. Sunset slowed her pacing to be beside the dark stallion. “You alright? Holding up well?” she asked.
“We keep going more and more south. Soon it won’t be remarkable to me anymore. Still, I’ve never seen a desert before. Though I suppose you could consider the winter tundra outside the empire a desert of snow. It sure doesn’t beat this, though,” he replied. His eyes went to her, glancing over the mare. “How about you?”
“It’s really hot.”
He chuckled for a moment. “Years of magic abuse has given me a cold temperature. Even with Tirek taking away my power, he cannot undo the damage I’ve done to myself.” Pressing his body against Sunset as they walked, he showed her just what he meant.
The sudden frosty feel of the stallion made Sunset push harder into him. “You’re like an ice cube! How is that even possible!?”
“Ruling the Crystal Empire all those years ago gave me time to enhance my own abilities. Shadow forms, curses, and enchantments,” he replied before lowering his muzzle close to her cheek. “If I had my magic now I’d put it to good use, bettering the lives of other ponies. Maybe life could even bloom out here if magic was readily available,” he whispered, not wanting the centaur in front of them to overhear.
Sunset didn’t disagree, nor did she agree. She had her own mixed feelings on the subject. Removing Tirek would restore magic to the world. Magic that I could use to help Princess Twilight. But removing Tirek would break any sort of help he has for me. He was right, after all. He saw it when I didn’t. She chose to change the conversation instead of continuing on about magic. “I can’t get over how much the world has changed compared to my Equestria’s. Seeing Canterlot and the Crystal Empire so large, I wonder if I did the right thing by helping Nightmare Moon in the last world.”
“You can’t dawdle on the past, Sunset. Isn’t that what you wanted help from Tirek for?” Though the words seemed positive, Sombra’s voice was more curt.
“I wanted help from Tirek to control my emotions. I wanted to stop feeling pathetic, to stop being angry. If I can’t look at the past then how will I better myself?”
Sombra looked to have an answer but stopped himself. He thought for a moment before finally speaking. “You said you weren’t a hero, yet you also said you saved your school from a magical demon. Is that not contradictory?”
“I also almost destroyed the school, so I’d say the score is pretty even.” Dealing with the sirens was more of a group effort. “What does that have to do with the past?”
“You said you wanted to stop being angry and pathetic, yet it’s the past that makes you feel that way.” Sombra shrugged nonchalantly. “Maybe there’s more to it than I know, but with the information I have, that’s what makes sense to me.” The stallion then picked up his pace, leaving Sunset to stew in her own thoughts.
She didn’t get the chance for long. Tirek held a hand to the air, stopping in his tracks. “The pillar. Three flying dragons,” he described, staring up at a far pillar that sat in the west. It was hard to tell from that distance, but Sunset could make out three small dots floating down onto a cliff’s edge just in front of a small, dark opening. “Perhaps they did not lay a trap after all. I would have expected them to be prepared for a retaliation. We’ll need to surprise all of them in one swoop. If any escape, it’ll only fuel the fire of their rebellious nature. I don’t need them burning cities, too.” The centaur’s head swiveled for a moment. “This requires more information and a bit of delicacy.” A sudden swipe of the air and a black tear opened. He motioned for the two ponies, crossing in behind them.
Sunset’s eyes went wide as she came face to face with the edge of a plateau, staring down at the ground of red earth. She would have had an intimate, ten-second relationship with the ground if not for Sombra stopping her. “What are we doing up here?” Sunset asked, holding a foreleg to her brow to block the sun’s rays. She could see the stretch of the Badlands in every direction. Red dirt and tall pillars were the only thing of note.
“If they haven’t spotted us, we’ll spot them. They had to make their home in one of these cave systems, I’m assuming the one we just saw those three enter. We’ll watch them for a while. As I said, having them all in one place will be the final break in their chain.” Tirek stood at the edge, his hands on his hips. He did not turn his eyes away from the dragons’ supposed hideout.
“What are we meant to do?” Sunset asked. The heat was unbearable on the ground, but the higher altitude was even worse. Even the wind did not help ease the sweltering heat.
“Here,” Sombra called, taking his cape off. “You can use this for shade.”
Sunset took the lapel in both hooves, plopping her butt to the hot dirt. Raising the cape above her head, she felt the heat partially subside. “Thanks, Sombra.”
“Since I imagine we’ll be here for a while, I might as well get back to work on that spell.” Sombra’s saddlebags slid off his back, they looked even bulkier than before. Sunset watched as he pulled the brown book with golden edging out from a pocket. Waggling like a penguin, she inched closer, keeping the cape above her.
“What have you done so far?” she asked him, eyeing the pages as he flipped to the back.
“Nothing much. It’s very complicated. Whoever messed with it must be incredibly intelligent. That or incredibly determined,” Sombra answered, tapping the calculations he’d written down.
“Well, I’m determined too.”
That made Sombra laugh. “That you are. I like that about you—but you should leave this to me, however. I am the magical advisor for the Crystal Empire. What good is a title if I can’t prove I’ve earned it?” He grinned at her.
“Suit yourself. This heat is scrambling my brain anyway.”
After a few hours of watching Sombra work, she slowly made her way to the edge where Tirek stood like a statue. A sudden burst of wind rattled the cape, and she almost lost it had Tirek not grabbed an edge. “You must be careful, Sunset Shimmer,” the centaur said. She did not like him using her full name, it made her feel as though she were in trouble. “I am sensing a great bit of misfortune coming. Something magical. Something terrible. I do not know what it is but it will affect us all. Possibly, most of all you.”
“How can you sense something like that?” she asked him, holding tighter onto the cape.
“When you have an abundance of magic in the world, you cannot tell when magic is becoming out of control. When only one person holds all the magic, they can sense when a shift occurs. I had not felt that shift until you appeared.” He remained focused on the distance. “Celestia seems to dislike you, and Luna holds no interest. But Cadance was happy to see you. A mix of emotions. I am worried what it all means.”
“You sound like Sombra, seeing things below the surface. Why don’t you two get along?”
The centaur shifted, his beard brushing against his shoulder. He threw a look back at the dark stallion. “That is a tale for another day. We all have failures that we must deal with, Sunset. I will tell you of that one when I feel you are ready to hear it.” He then turned back to face the dragon pillar, only to recoil. “They’re there!” he called out, pointing at the distance.
Sunset squinted, a mass of shadow pouring into the cave. Tirek thrust a claw through the air with the might of an angry bear, tearing a portal open and motioning for the two to enter. Sunset trotted in first with Sombra right behind her, the brown book in his mouth and his saddlebags halfheartedly thrown over his back. They stood on the edge of the cave, barely enough room for all three to stand comfortably. “Follow me, and remain close,” Tirek commanded as he stepped into the darkness of the cave.
With a quick race, Sunset helped Sombra with the book, saddlebags, and cape before following after the centaur. Tirek formed a ball of fire in his hand to light the way, which bounced off the red walls with each flicker. His tall stature made him lower his head slightly as to not drag his horns against the ceiling. He motioned back to the two ponies to keep quiet, a single finger to his lips. Sunset was unsure of what they’d find, but her heart pounded with excitement. Seeing Spike was one thing—seeing grown dragons was another. Even back then, it was too dark to really see what Spike looked like as a dragon. That and I was so focused on stealing Twilight’s crown.
The cave turned, light of flames bashing against the outer corner. Tirek dimmed his own magic torch and pressed to the wall, peering cautiously around the side. He then moved forward, Sunset and Sombra at both sides, blocking the way they came. The dragons now barred, no other entry remained of the dome-shaped cave they claimed as refuge. There were nine in total, all gathered around a small fire dug into the dirt at the center of the room. None of the dragons had seen or heard their approach, and it was not until Tirek spoke that they turned to face him. “I’m assuming that’s Appleloosa wood you’re burning,” he said in a guttural, deep voice, one that matched his commanding presence.
“Ember was wrong!” a white dragon no taller than Princess Luna yelled, stumbling to his feet. “She said he wouldn’t find us!”
“I’m assuming Ember isn’t here,” Tirek replied, crossing his arms. His yellow eyes dragged over each of the dragons, and then he nodded. “Which means I’ll have to wait for more to arrive.”
Two dragons lurched toward Tirek, their claws and sharp teeth at the ready. With a swift backhand, they fell back to the ground. A snap of his fingers was all he needed before the others could attack, trapping all nine in crystal clear bubbles. “Let us out!” a red dragon yelled as he attempted to pop the bubble with his claws, but to no avail. “Coward! Fight me! I’ll take you on!”
“Your dragon lord could do no such thing, why do you think you can?” Tirek inquired as he stepped toward the fire, staring down each of the dragons. “You can’t. You’ve lost. And now I shall wait for the rest of your partners in crime to return.”
“That was incredibly easy,” Sunset said as she stepped beside the centaur. “I would have thought dragons were more capable. I’ve always heard wicked stories of dragon-kind.”
“I share that sentiment. Even when I was a young colt I heard of the terror known as dragons,” said Sombra as he trotted to the white dragon’s bubble. “It seems this Ember has gotten herself the most inferior of her kind to help her.”
“Inferior!?” shouted the red dragon. “I’ll show you inferior!” The dragon then pushed against the bubble, which eventually snapped back and slammed into the other side, flipping him upside-down.
“Sunset, Sombra. Watch over these while I maintain a presence at the entrance. If they somehow get out, yell for help.” The centaur turned his back to the fire, trotting off into the darkness of the tunnel.
Sunset stared up at the dragons, eyeing each of the features. None were purple nor small. Doesn’t seem like Spike is here. I wonder where he’d be in all this time travel nonsense. She grimaced at a rather bulky brown dragon with light grey horns, but he wiggled his fingers at her, causing a smile to come to her face. He smiled back, putting on a show of his jagged, gnarled, and grody teeth. She backed away after that, returning by Sombra’s side. The stallion had dragged out the book once more, lying on the ground with his muzzle almost touching the paper.
“Sorry I dragged you along today,” Sunset apologized. “It seems Tirek had been right. We should have stayed home. I’m not really getting anything out of this escapade.”
“What were you hoping for?” he asked, lifting his grey eyes from the book.
“A connection, I guess. Now that I know I need to let go of my anger, I feel kind of empty.” She sat down, the pitiful fire to her back. “Throwing myself into this problem seemed like the only logical thing to do, but I haven’t done anything but witness what Tirek can do.”
Sombra returned to staring at the spell book. “I have no answer for you, Sunset. I’m sorry. If you need a goal, getting your magic back would be it, but I don’t think that’s what you mean.”
“No. It isn’t. Sorry, I’m burdening you with all these problems. Thank you for working so hard on the spell.”
“Aww, does the wittle pony have probwems?” The red dragon had managed back to the upright position, his arms now crossed. The front teeth of his muzzle almost looked buck-toothed in the dim light. “What a loser.” He spat, hitting the bubble.
“At least I’m not trapped in a bubble,” she mocked, half-smirking at the red dragon.
“Pfft. You kiddin’? You’re trapped in the biggest bubble of them all. You’re trapped in Equestria.”
“Yeah, but when I spit, it doesn’t run down to my leg.”
“What?” The red dragon looked down. “Aw, geez!” Sunset laughed as the dragon went to work wiping his shins, inciting a few other laughs from the surrounding bubbles. “Just you wait! When Princess Ember gets back, she and our new friends are going to tear you to pieces! Then we’ll be the ones laughing!”
“Princess Ember?” Sunset asked.
“New friends?” added Sombra.
“Garble, shut up! You’re going to ruin everything!” one of the other dragons yelled.
Sunset trotted close to the bubble, staring up at the red dragon named Garble. “Did Ember order you to burn Appleloosa?”
“I’m not telling you anything else.” Garble twirled around, putting his back to Sunset and the rest of the cave.
“Ember might not be the one in control. I’ll go tell Tirek,” she said to Sombra. “Will you be alright to watch them while I’m gone?” He gave a short nod, not even bothering to glance up from the spell book. She trotted out into the darkness of the tunnel, winding around in the silhouettes of the cave. Drawing back towards the orange light, she found Tirek pressed against the wall near the mouth, staring out into the sunset. “The day’s going to be over sooner rather than later.”
Her words startled him, making him jump and twist his head. “Ah, one sunset leads to another it seems. Everything alright?”
“Not really. I haven’t done anything. I’ve been waiting for something to click but nothing has!” She lowered her head. “Funny how things work out. That used to be something my friends wanted.”
“Your mirror friends?” Tirek asked.
“No.” The lines were blurring between them.
“Well, I wouldn’t worry so much if I were you. These things take time, and by not looking at me with hate filled eyes, you’ve already taken a big step. Focusing your energy on something new is a good way to deal with it, but taking a moment to relax and see the world is another. Princess Cadance tried to show you that, from what she told me, yet you were not eager to listen at the time. Don’t rush. You have all the time in the world.”
You have no idea how true that is, Tirek. She wanted to tell him that but chose to change the subject instead. “Will I know when I’m better? Will you? You must know I won’t be staying in this world forever. One day you’ll give me my magic back and I’ll move on.” And I don’t know how true that is.
Tirek smirked. “It seems to me that you have a lot of faith in Sombra. You’re leaving that little spell up to him and you’re already speaking as though he’s solved it.” His smirked suddenly went sour. “I do hope he’s earned your confidence.”
Sunset noticed the bitter expression, the centaur’s eyes glazed over as if a wave of past crashed against the beach that was his mind. “Why don’t you and Sombra like each other?” she asked him, removing the tone from her voice as to not sound threatening or biased.
“As you know, I’ve helped many ponies cope with their loss of magic. You are not the hardest, though you are the most unique. Sombra, however, was truly difficult.” He took a moment to breathe. “The princesses were not the only ones to gain their magic. I had worked with him for a long while and I truly believed he’d changed. Giving him his magic back was a test I often gave to those I helped, to allow them to see the true difference in themselves that only they could prove without the use of a mystical force.” His brows pushed together. “I stopped that exercise because of him.”
“What did he do? I never learned any of this when I read his journal.”
“That would make sense. I’d assume it’s his biggest failure as much as it is mine. With his magic, he felt he could prove that he could make the world a better place. He went to the Crystal Heart, wanting to increase the power and love it obtained, and broke it.”
“That sounds like an honest mistake to me.”
“An honest mistake. Yes. That’s what he called it, though I did not believe it myself and still don’t. I have no proof on the matter, even when I confronted him about it. He did not like that I called him a liar, and so we could no longer cooperate. I tried to make amends but my heart was not in the right place, making it seem sarcastic, to which I’m sure he hated even more.”
“How did the Heart get fixed?”
“My only justification for trying to make amends with Sombra was that he pointed Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor in the right direction for a spell to fix it. Whether he did so by accident or on purpose, I am unsure.” The centaur fell to one knee, placing a hand on the unicorn’s shoulder. “Sunset. I will not stop you from being friends with Sombra, but you must promise me that you’ll never allow him to have his magic back. I cannot trust him with it.”
Sunset’s eyes fell to the floor. “I can’t promise that, Tirek. Sombra’s been a really good friend. That’d be like making a promise against Twilight. I couldn’t do that. At most, I can say I’ll take your words into consideration.”
To her surprise, Tirek’s face went wide with a grin. “You put a lot of trust in your friends, and a lot of thought. That’s something a person filled with anger wouldn’t do. A person of anger would be rash, decisive, they’d want to leave immediately for fear they’d do something they’d regret. It seems taking the day to see other things allowed you time to think. Not such a wasteful day, eh?”
“I guess you’re right. Thanks, Tirek.”
A finger pointed toward the setting sun. “We might be here all night. Why don’t you go and get some rest?”
“Oh!” Sunset slapped her hooves together. “I forgot. Princess Ember might have had help from someone else.”
“I figured as much. The petite, blue dragoness. I’ve only seen her once when she rushed to her father after he fell from our battle. Any friends she has will be no trouble to deal with. Go back inside. I shall wake you when I spot her and her crew.” He ruffled her mane, his long fingers brushing the sides of her ears.
Sunset trotted down the tunnel, feeling slightly better about herself, the pitiful fire was turning into a smoldering spark. Her eyes could no longer make out the faces of the dragons that sat in the bubbles around the room. “You’re going to hurt your eyes, Sombra,” she said to the stallion who had not moved from his spot, muzzle firmly in the spell book.
“Are they coming?” he replied with his own question.
“No. Tirek says it may be all night. I’m going to get a little shuteye. You should too, otherwise, you’ll need stronger glasses.”
He chuckled. “I suppose that’s true.” The book slapped closed. “Very well. I have had an odd sleeping schedule recently.” He rose and brushed some dirt onto the fire, darkening the cave. “Have a good night,” she heard him say through the darkness.
One of the dragons grumbled, but none voiced their opinions on the black abyss of the cave or the desire for sleep. Sunset took that as a good sign to rest alongside the charred wood, her back to the entrance. She did not expect to fall asleep so easily, her worries running rampant, but as soon as her eyes closed she could smell the pollen that wafted through the air. She expected golden flowers. A sudden jolt threw the smell back out her nostrils, her eyes pressed down and then opened. Darkness was all she saw, but a cold, small hand brushed her back.
“Fur? Who is this?” the voice that was connected to the hand asked, a feminine sounding lilt to the words.
“Ember!?” one of the dragons called out from their bubble.
A sudden flame blinded Sunset. When she could see, her eyes studied the features of the cyan dragon that stood barely taller than Twilight. In her claw was a torch that she pushed toward the pony, studying her features just as Sunset was studying hers. Behind the flames and the female dragon stood another two dragons along with something Sunset hadn’t expected to see in this world.
“Who are you? Why is everyone in bubbles?” the dragon named Ember asked, but Sunset did not care to answer.
She was too focused on the black creature with holes dented in its hooves and horn. The blue, bug-like eyes stared at her too, a reflecting gaze that she had not seen in two worlds. “She’s not one of ours,” the changeling said. “She’s just a pony.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.041 seconds
Total duration
804 users online
1,184,942 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Hey, if Tirek is in the Badland shouldn't that Anti-Magic throne of Chrysalis negate his magic then, that would make him weak and easily be able to be captured then.
Still don't trust Tirek. Those who trade freedom for security desire neither.
8793656
True, though that's assuming he didn't somehow destroy the throne, it might negate his magic but he still has it in him and that's what powered him up to his size, only by physically removing the magic does he weaken. He still has his strength and large size.
8793728
True, but who's to say that once he walks into the area that without his ability to absorb magic wouldn't the magic he absorbed be pouring out of him then. After all without his magic absorbing ability all the magic he sucked out of ponies should come bursting out of him then.
8793656
I'm fairly certain the changeling hive and the Badlands are two different places.
8793771
Probably laws of magic or something maybe? I mean the only thing we know of that could actually take all the magic she stole away in canon was Rainbow Power which was the Elements of Harmony's current ultimate power being harmonic and all. Since a Magic cancelling throne only prevents you from USING your magic like casting it or something, I don't think it's gonna cancel out one's size or strength since that's more of a physical thing than magical or energy.
8793664
The attributed quote is "deserve", though I agree with your sentiment
I still don't buy what Tirek is selling.
Do changelings with Ember mean it's Thorax time?