Chapter 19: Happily Ever After?
Twilight could tell that something was different.
Of course, with each new fairy tale, something was always different. The storybook would drop her into another location, and she might be able to determine where she was based on the area or what clothes she’d been given. But when Twilight opened her eyes after that plunge into darkness, she saw, not the lonely trees of a decrepit forest or the quaint homes of a village square… no, it was something that she had experienced only once before.
Brilliant colors swirled around her as she tumbled through a long tunnel, buffeted and tossed about by a torrent of wind. Flapping her wings proved fruitless, as they weren’t strong enough to fight the current that pulled her along. Eventually, she spotted a bright glow at what appeared to be an exit.
Twilight squeezed her eyes shut as the light grew, forcing her to cover her face against the searing glare. The wind carried her forward until she met something that felt like the thin film of a bubble, her fur tingling and standing on end as a gust pushed her through and tossed her into the open air. Twilight cried out in surprise, flailing her limbs before landing heavily against a solid surface, too dazed to see where she had wound up.
“Princess Twilight!” a voice called out to her, and she looked up to see a blurry orange and blue figure standing close by. She didn’t even have a chance to wonder if it was just another fairy tale character when there was an odd sound from behind her—right before Sombra landed on top of her.
Twilight wheezed in pain as Sombra jumped away, appearing to be just as disoriented by their trip as he lurched to the side. “Where… are we?”
“A-and... King Sombra…?” the voice nervously asked while the room slowly came into focus. A blue crystal floor stretched out beneath her while tall bookshelves rose up around them. And standing in front of them, staring with uncertainty at Sombra, was Sunburst.
Two more sounds came from behind her, like short bursts of wind, shortly before Spike landed beside her on the floor. Seconds later, Twilight felt the light thump of Flurry Heart landing on her back and letting out a loud giggle as she rolled over her shoulders and flopped against her mane.
“You did it!” Sunburst skipped over and helped Flurry off of Twilight’s head while she staggered to her hooves. “You made it to the end of the storybook and escaped!”
“W-wait…” Twilight blinked woozily at Sunburst while rubbing her forehead. “We’re… home?” She pointed her hoof at him and scrutinized the bookshelves around her. Now that she could see them properly, everything did look like it belonged to one of the rooms in the Empire’s castle. “You’re the real Sunburst? This isn’t just another fairy tale?”
Sunburst nodded as Flurry Heart stole the spectacles off his nose, gurgling when she looked through the cracked glass that distorted her large eyes. “You’re back in the Crystal Empire. This isn’t an illusion.”
“Wait, for real!?” Spike spun around to look behind them, and Twilight followed his gaze to see the storybook sitting wide open on top of a pedestal, with its pages flipped to the very last one. Letting out a sudden yelp, Spike jumped up and sprinted over to it, pulling it off the stand to slam it shut onto the floor before plopping down on top of it. “Don’t wanna do that again.”
“Then… we’re home,” Twilight said in a mystified tone before staring awkwardly at Sunburst, her gaze quickly switching back to Sombra standing close behind her. “A-about this!” Twilight shouted when she moved to put herself between them, flaring her wings as if to hide Sombra. “He isn’t a threat!”
“Excuse me,” Sombra’s voice grumbled sharply in her ear. “But I am plenty ‘a threat.’”
“It-It’s okay, Twilight!” Even though Sunburst appeared to be trying to reassure her, his gaze flitted nervously over her head to where Sombra stood. “I ah... I know everything that’s happened while you were in the storybook.”
“You... do?” Twilight lowered her wings in surprise while Sunburst simply nodded, using his magic to pull his glasses out of Flurry’s grip before she could put them in her mouth. He adjusted them back onto the bridge of his nose, and Twilight noticed that they were not only cracked, but slightly warped as well.
“After you disappeared, it didn’t take long to understand where you had gone. The stories in the book kept changing to include all of you, so I started reading it to try and find something that might help while the others arrived.” Sunburst then ducked his head and appeared to look uncomfortable, his face flushing with a hint of color. “And, ah… I just kind of… kept reading...”
Twilight tilted her head at his odd behavior before she took in a sharp breath, her own face growing hot when she realized what had him so flustered. “E-everything?” she stammered while she felt Sombra stiffen behind her.
Sunburst slowly nodded and mumbled, “I... I was just looking for anything useful…” He then straightened up and cleared his throat. “I-I did manage to break through the storybook’s barrier and use the mirror as a medium. Based on what you had discovered with The Little Mermare, I thought that the storybook might accept the poisoned apple for the Queen’s ‘death,’ ah, rather than any of the possible alternatives...”
“Wait…” Twilight’s expression scrunched up in confusion. “You were the mirror?”
“Only for the second half.” Sunburst smiled awkwardly. “I was able to work a small communication spell through, but I don’t think it translated to the storybook very effectively. And… well, when Sombra broke the mirror…” He lifted his shattered glasses before placing them back on his nose. “I couldn’t get through again.”
“Ah…” Twilight was glad that Sunburst had managed to provide them with some help, but she still couldn’t get it out of her thoughts that he had seen… or read… everything that they’d done in the storybook. She shook her head roughly, trying to focus on more important matters. She could be embarrassed later. “W-what about the others? My brother? My friends? It’s been weeks since we were pulled in there! Where is everypony?”
“Nopony else has arrived yet.” Sunburst glanced down and adjusted his leg when Flurry Heart let out a sneeze and sniffled softly. “I contacted your brother and Princess Cadence as soon as I could, but they’re still on their way back. Everypony else from Ponyville will be arriving soon too, but they’re still on the train. Twilight… out here, it hasn’t even been a full day since you were trapped.”
“What?” Twilight’s ears dropped in disbelief. “H-how is that possible?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Sombra spoke up as he moved around to stand beside her. Even though Sunburst said he knew of everything that had taken place, he appeared to shrink away as Sombra easily dwarfed him. “Corrupted as it might be, it is still a storybook. What felt like days to our minds were only a few hours in the real world.”
“Just like reading an actual book,” Twilight said softly.
“It seems to be the case.” Sunburst nodded, jumping with a startled look when there was a sudden knock at the door.
“Sunburst? Are you alright in there? We thought we heard—” A pair of crystal guards opened the door before anypony could stop them, and Twilight froze the same instance they did when their sights shot right to Sombra.
“King Sombra!” one of the soldiers shouted as he turned and sprinted back out into the hallway, sounding the alarm while the other stomped forward.
Twilight jumped in front of him to block his way and flared her wings. “Wait!”
“Step aside, Princess Twilight!” The guard balked and tried to maneuver around her, only seeming to appear slightly surprised that she was no longer missing. “We’ll take care of him!”
“That’s not what I—” Twilight started to explain when she tried to light her horn and pull up a shield around Sombra. Her magic faltered and sputtered, and she scrunched her face up in confusion as her vision turned into a wobbling mess.
“Twilight!?” She thought she heard Sombra’s concerned yell, but the sounds around her grew distant and faint, as if she were standing miles away and not right next to them.
“Sonm… buh…” she tried to respond, but her words slurred as her legs gave out beneath her and she toppled to the floor.
Flurry Heart let out a feeble whine from somewhere closeby, but Twilight couldn’t lift herself to even check on her niece. An ache spread through her suddenly exhausted body, and Twilight could barely move as it dragged her down, making every limb feel as if she were trying to wade through a heavy sludge.
Twilight was vaguely aware of somepony shaking her shoulder as her mind began to drift, the room spinning around her in a jumble of colors and sound. She only heard muffled voices, unable to understand the garbled words like trying to listen to them through the walls of another room.
At some point through the painful haze, she could feel her body being lifted and set onto a soft surface, and her eyelids fluttered open to catch blurry glimpses of other ponies standing around her—some arguing, maybe even trying to ask her questions, but Twilight couldn’t comprehend any of it. She couldn’t even be certain if the ponies were familiar to her or not as her confusion only deepened, while the world faded beneath a heavy fog.
It was some time later when Twilight’s eyelids finally fluttered open, still slightly muddled by what had happened, but at least the haze was no longer obscuring her thoughts. At least… she assumed a fair amount of time had passed considering her new location. It was obvious from her surroundings that she was no longer in the castle.
Twilight found herself tucked into a pristine bed. The clean tile floors in the room reflected back a soft light, while the walls were decorated with generic photos of pleasant scenery. Outside the window, through partially drawn blinds, she could see the buildings of the Crystal Empire, while the castle rose up through the center of them all in the distance.
When she shifted to lift herself, Twilight immediately froze at the soreness in her muscles, feeling small twinges of pain all throughout her body. She was shocked to find a multitude of bandages wrapped around her limbs, as well as an IV drip that had been attached to her front leg.
Massaging her forehead gently against the headache she felt coming on, Twilight finally noticed a warm lump resting near her stomach, and she looked down to see Spike sleeping beside her on top of the covers.
“Spike…?”
Twilight's groggy voice was soft, but he quickly stirred and rubbed at his eyes before grinning when he noticed her blinking at him. “Twilight! You're awake!”
“What in Equestria happened to me?” Twilight grunted, turning her gaze slowly before squinting at him. “Are we in a hospital?”
“Uh... well, a lot of things... and yes.” Spike scratched at his head fins with a hesitant grin, and Twilight noticed a few bandages of his own stuck to his scales. “First—don't panic, but you've been asleep for the past two days.”
“WH—ah…” Twilight’s mouth dropped open in shock, but she immediately cut off her own yelp with a strangled noise that quickly turned into a soft hiccup. “Right… okay. Seeing as I’m in a hospital bed, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to panic.”
“Definitely not.” Spike waggled a claw at her. “The doctor said that because of the uh… compacted time in the storybook, everything that we experienced in there came back and hit us all at once when we got out. It just took it all a minute to kick in.”
“I do feel like I've been kicked,” Twilight mumbled. “And maybe hit by a train.”
“Well, that's cause…” Spike looked over his shoulder before walking to the end of the bed and picking up a clipboard hanging on the safety railings. “You had a bad fever from catching—” He squinted at the paper before snickering. “Walking Poo-nomia.”
“That's ‘pneumonia,’ Spike.” Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Oh, well that probably didn't help with everything else.” He lifted the sheet and moved his gaze along the page. “It says here you had a lot of contusions… and a sprained leg. Plus external burns, internal electrical burns, a concussion and—” Spike lowered the clipboard and pointed at her forehead. “A stress fracture in your horn.”
Twilight blinked at him with wide eyes, dragging a hoof down her face slowly. “No wonder I passed out. Is everypony else alright?” She bunched up the blanket in her hooves with a worried expression. “What about Sombra? Where is he?”
“Everypony else is fine, Twilight. See?” He pointed to his own bandages, which were minuscule compared to her own. “Just a little scuffed up. Although Flurry Heart had a cold, and uh… Sombra, well…” Spike shrugged with a defeated look. “He's... gone.”
Twilight blinked at him while dropping an ear. “When you say ‘gone’...?”
“I think he's okay.” He grinned at her with uncertainty. “But after you fainted, everything went crazy.” Spike walked to the edge of the bed and flung his arms up. “The guards tried to arrest him, and he threw everything around the room when they kept coming. Then when Sunburst yelled that you needed help, he turned into a shadow and disappeared before they could do anything.”
“So he just… ran away?” Twilight’s ears lowered as she felt a hollow pang in her chest. She was glad that the guards hadn’t tossed him into a cell somewhere, but she had thought that he would have stuck around… maybe even face the Crystal Empire as a changed pony.
Spike shrugged. “Everypony else is here though, that’s the good part about being asleep for so long.” He moved to the edge of the bed and hopped onto the floor. “They’ll be super happy to see you!” And with that, Spike opened the door and slipped out into the hallway, leaving her to stew over that information quietly.
She didn’t know what she had expected would happen, but she had hoped… even believed that Sombra might have been willing to stay and explain everything. Granted, it probably wouldn’t have gone so awry if she’d been conscious and there to help… but… if he didn’t want to conquer the Crystal Empire anymore, what exactly did Sombra want?
Maybe it had only been wishful thinking to assume that he had wanted her.
Twilight jumped at the sound of a commotion in the hallway, and before she could wonder about it, two streaks of color—one pink, the other blue—burst in through the doorway and suddenly grabbed her in a pair of hugs that crushed her against the pillows propping her up.
“Twilight! Oh my gosh, we were so worried!” Pinkie squealed into her ear while Rainbow Dash simply hugged her tightly.
“Oww, oww, oww!” Twilight groaned softly, but couldn’t help the wide grin that grew over her face while she lifted her legs to return the embrace of her friends… her real friends!
“Pinkie Pie! Rainbow Dash! Get down, right now!” Twilight’s gaze lifted when Applejack stomped up to the bed wearing a heated expression. “She’s still recovering, and you two squashin’ her like that ain’t gonna help!”
“Girls…” Twilight’s eyes blurred with tears as more of her friends piled into the room behind Applejack. Fluttershy had a saddlebag filled to the brim with what looked like medications and care items, while Rarity levitated a bouquet of flowers onto the bedside table. Starlight stepped in beside Sunburst and Spike, and Twilight’s tears were freely flowing over her cheeks by the time Princess Celestia moved into the room before Shining Armor and Cadence, carrying a happily giggling Flurry Heart in her hooves.
“Twilight!” Celestia stepped up to her bedside, and Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash shuffled to the side when she leaned in and nuzzled Twilight gently behind her ear, careful to avoid her bandaged horn. “We’re so glad that you’re okay.”
“Well, ‘okay,’ in a sense,” Starlight pointed out with a hesitant laugh. “That was a lot for one pony to deal with.”
“Considering what you’ve been through, it’s a relief to see you awake, Twilight.” Rarity smiled warmly, using her magic to arrange the flowers into a vase.
“S-speaking of,” Twilight quickly tried to wipe her tears away before Pinkie offered her a tissue. After drying her eyes, her gaze slowly moved over her friends, overjoyed to finally see them again—but also feeling slightly uneasy. “How much do you know... about what happened?”
Starlight frowned and pointed a hoof at Sunburst, who immediately gave her an awkward grin. “Sunburst filled us in on the basics, but he only gave us a small summary of your ‘adventures’ inside the storybook,” she explained. “Just that you got trapped inside, became the characters in a bunch of different fairy tales and dealt with some, uh... literal storybook villains. Oh! And that King Sombra is supposedly good now, and you all made it out in one piece… obviously.”
“I didn’t go into any other details…” Sunburst laughed, his eyes nervously flicking around at her friends. “None at all.”
“You didn’t read the book?” Twilight asked, turning to Princess Celestia with a curious look.
“We didn’t want to take any chances,” Princess Celestia said with a nod. “The magical spells you and King Sombra cast are still affecting it, and could activate again if meddled with. For now, it has been sealed away in a protected area.”
“Twilight…” Fluttershy's soft voice reached her as her friend rested her front hooves on the bed and gave her a wary look. “Has King Sombra really reformed?”
“Uh... about that…” Twilight gave an uneasy laugh while scratching the back of her neck. “He’s… well, I don’t think he would hurt anypony after everything we went through. He even said that he wouldn’t try to take over the Crystal Empire again.”
“Twily…” Shining Armor spoke up with a doubtful look. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but… this is King Sombra we’re talking about. I can’t imagine that a cold, unfeeling monster like that could suddenly change his mind.”
Twilight visibly winced at her brother’s words, lowering her gaze with a sad frown. “It… wasn’t all that sudden for us. The situations we were put in, I think it helped him to realize—and we couldn’t use magic to solve anything, so it kind of forced us to…” Twilight quieted down before taking a deep breath, deciding to start with the very moment that the guards in the castle had found Sombra’s horn.
Her friends and family formed a small circle around her as she launched into her tale, moving on through details of the story and explaining to them how she and Sombra had first formed their shaky alliance in order to get through the book. Everypony listened quietly, giving mixed looks of confusion and astonishment when she made sure to include all the times that Sombra had helped her. While she had no problems telling them about her offer of friendship… she found herself hesitating when she all too quickly reached the events of The Little Mermare.
She managed to soldier through it though, even at the surprised exclamations of her friends. Her face reddened with embarrassment, but she didn’t stop, determined to tell them everything that had happened… and try to make them understand for themselves that Sombra had changed.
She did, however, leave out the tiny detail of him being a lost prince of the Crystal Empire, and even though Sunburst knew of this, she only saw him raise his eyebrows in surprise at her omission. Sombra had been so averse to finally reveal it to her that Twilight didn’t feel that it was hers to divulge.
Her brother, meanwhile, stood stock still with his jaw hanging open when she mentioned the kiss, but she continued on without anypony stopping her.
The rest of the tale went by quickly, as she omitted the more extreme details of her and Sombra… getting to know one another... in Snow White. She only included the meaningful, life-saving kiss, and ended it with Sombra saving her from the poisoned apple. Her eyes moved to her brother as her voice faded in the quiet room, but he wasn’t looking at her, only shaking while staring at the floor.
“Shining?” Twilight weakly called to him.
“How…” Shining Armor muttered darkly before jolting upright, a grimace on his face while his eyes were full of tears. “How could that villain kiss my little Twily!?!”
Before she could get out any sound, Rainbow Dash zoomed up to hover in front of her. “I can’t believe you lead an army of dragons against Chrysalis! That sounds so awesome!”
“Technically, it was the Snow Queen… but yes,” Twilight said hesitantly.
“Oh my…” Rarity had a hoof over her chest as she swayed lightly. “I-I can’t believe King Sombra actually kissed you! I mean… despite his complete lack of manners, he appears to have some redemptive qualities in his brooding charm—”
“Well, he can’t be too good,” Applejack interjected. “Considerin’ he ran away before anypony could question him.”
“Ooooh!” Pinkie bounced up and down at the end of the bed with excitement. “Maybe he wants to throw a surprise party for everypony! It’s not everyday you go from bad to good, after all!”
“I doubt that’s what he’s plannin’, Pinkie,” Applejack said while rolling her eyes.
“It is… slightly concerning—not the party, I mean...” Twilight rubbed her hooves together and pursed her lips, her gaze searching the room absentmindedly when she noticed her shadow projected on the wall. Her friends’ silhouettes were there as well, but there was something different about hers that she couldn’t place… until her ears perked at a realization.
“Sombra…” Twilight called out to the room. Her friends straightened up and looked around in surprise. “You can come out… my friends won’t hurt you.”
There was a moment of silence before her shadow darkened and stirred, peeling away from the wall and growing out as it circled toward the bed. The pitch blackness formed into a face when two white eyes opened up, and shortly, Sombra stared down at her with a soft frown.
“Whether or not they would harm me was not of my concern,” Sombra mumbled softly.
“He won’t hurt anypony,” Twilight reassured her friends as they all appeared to tense up in preparation of a battle. Shining was glaring at him with daggers in his eyes. “Right?” Twilight turned to Sombra, and he slowly nodded.
“I am not here to fight.” His tone was soft, almost subdued. “When I fled from the guards, I only wanted to ensure that Twilight would get the help she needed. Without me around for the guards to focus on, they were able to get you to this place sooner.”
“How considerate!” Rarity softly swooned while Applejack gave her an uncertain look.
“Is it true?” Cadence asked with a firm tone. “Did you really promise to leave the Crystal Empire alone?”
“I no longer have any desire to conquer it.” Sombra gave her a soft nod. “I do not wish to lose what I have gained with my time in the storybook; be it friendship… or something more. Though it may not hold much meaning to you, I give you my word that I will no longer threaten the peace of the Empire.”
“Seein’ as how we’ve been through this before, it feels like it could be true,” Applejack said with a skeptical look. “But the last time we all met, he was still tryin’ to enslave the crystal ponies. No offense, Twi, but I find this a bit hard to swallow.”
“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash echoed her sentiments, flying up and giving Sombra a narrow glare. “How do we know you’re not just taking advantage of her?”
“I think… I believe what Twilight says about him,” Fluttershy announced softly, earning her a surprised look from everypony. “He may look big and… and really, really scary, but that doesn’t mean he can’t take an offer of friendship to heart. Maybe he’s just... misunderstood.”
Sombra lifted himself from beside Twilight and hovered closer, stopping when Fluttershy appeared to shrink in on herself. “You are… Fluttershy?”
With his attention on her, Fluttershy only managed to squeak out a faint, “Yes!” while she hid behind her wings.
Sombra lowered himself back onto the bed before the shadows sank around him with a flurry of haze, solidifying itself into the shape of his body. When he sat down on the covers with a frown, he grunted softly, “Is this… better?”
“Oh!” Fluttershy gasped quietly before nodding.
“I am inclined to agree with Fluttershy,” Rarity said with a confident toss of her mane. “Though he may have started out as a villain, it does appear that he’s grown into a bit of a gentlecolt.” Rarity then winked at Twilight. “Somepony—or mare, must have inspired him greatly to get him to change his ways.”
Twilight’s face burned with embarrassment while she tried to sink beneath the covers, but she froze when her attention was drawn to Princess Celestia as her mentor stepped closer to the bed.
“Though his actions in the past have been deplorable,” Celestia began with a neutral frown, “That he hasn’t tried to harm us or the Empire during our time of distress over Twilight’s condition leads me to strongly consider that he has changed.” A warm smile formed on Celestia’s muzzle as she directed it at Twilight. “If Twilight says that King Sombra has grown out of his evil ways, then I believe her. After all, it is not the first time we have witnessed a former foe learn the value of friendship.”
“Thank you,” Sombra answered quietly, and Twilight whipped her head around in surprise. The rest of her friends blinked at him in silence.
“Well, I’m not convinced!” Shining broke through the quiet from the foot of her bed, giving Sombra such a heated glare that Twilight thought he might burst into flames. “Even if you have changed your ways, that doesn’t fix what you did to the ponies of the Crystal Empire. You tortured them to the point that they’re too afraid to remember what happened! They aren’t going to be as forgiving of what you did to them.”
Twilight glanced at Sombra, her brow furrowing in concern when she saw the pained look on his face. “Shining…”
“And let’s not forget your biggest crime…” Shining closed his eyes and took in a sharp breath through his nose before pointing an accusatory hoof at Sombra. “You kissed my little sister!”
“SHINING!!!” Twilight yelled while a hue of crimson burst across her face. “That’s none of your business!!”
“Shiny…” Cadence set a hoof on her husband’s shoulder and pulled him back with a concerned expression. “I know you want to protect Twilight, but your forcefulness is hurting her too.”
Shining Armor appeared to falter at her words, and confusion crossed his features as he looked between his wife, Twilight and Sombra. “But… but—he’s King Sombra! And he—”
“I know, dear.” Cadence interrupted him with a comforting tone. “But let’s try to keep a level head... for Twilight’s sake?” She raised Flurry Heart in her hooves and encouraged her to hug her father’s muzzle. “How about setting a good example for your daughter?”
Shining Armor wrinkled his snout, but finally relented with a quick snort. “Alright…” He then turned to Sombra with a stern look, but it didn’t hold as much anger as it had before. “I don’t exactly support this, but I’m willing to see... a different side for my sister’s sake. But—” He leaned closer to Cadence and whispered at a volume that was not quiet at all. “We schedule a patrol for the Crystal Heart, and triple security around the Empire… just in case.”
“It is wise to take caution around those you don’t trust,” Sombra said softly and nodded toward Shining Armor, and Twilight’s brother blinked in surprise before clearing his throat.
“Regardless of your intentions, I meant what I said about the ponies of the Crystal Empire,” Shining began again with an irritated expression, but his voice sounded a tad bit softer. “They’ll be confused—probably terrified. We can explain everything to them, but they may not be able to understand why.”
“We can work something out,” Cadence said with a gentle smile. “With Twilight’s word to support him, I think it’s a step in the right direction.” She then looked to Spike, who quietly sat on the edge of the bed. “What about you, Spike? I believe the citizens of the Crystal Empire might feel more at ease hearing what their hero thinks.”
“Hmm…” Spike made a show of rubbing his chin before a wide grin spread over his snout. “Sombra’s alright. He did save Twilight after all, and that’s good in my storybook.”
“You see?” Cadence nuzzled her husband gently, and he seemed to soften his hard expression. “With the right words, we can help them understand.” She turned to include Sombra. “If you really are open to peace, I think if you speak with them genuinely—” she started, but Sombra’s expression suddenly shifted as wisps of darkness floated away from his body.
“No,” Sombra growled darkly.
“Wha—but—what do you mean?” Cadence stammered as the shadows deepened, and Sombra rose above the bed menacingly. Shining quickly hugged his wife close while the light in the room dimmed as if it were being sucked away.
“I may have relinquished my claims on the Empire, but I will not console them like some mewling foals!” Sombra bellowed loudly.
“Woah! Hey!” Rainbow Dash flipped around and zipped up to Twilight’s side. “Lighten up! She was only—”
“I don’t care!” Sombra snapped, bearing his fangs as Starlight and Celestia lit their horns, even though they didn’t fire off any spells.
“Sombra!? What are you doing?” Twilight called up to him with a pained cry, and she noticed him wince, but he didn’t turn to look at her.
“I will leave the Empire alone,” Sombra’s voice rumbled loudly, but without the edge of anger it had held only seconds before. “The crystal ponies will have their peace, but I refuse to stand before them as a ‘friend.’” He lowered his head and let out a deep growl as he turned to the window before anypony could react. “I will always—always, be King Sombra.” And with that, he turned into a complete mass of shadows and rushed out the window.
“Wait! Sombra?!” Twilight cried out sharply, throwing off the covers and stumbling over the bed. The IV in her leg pulled taut, but she fluttered her wings and jumped into the air, not caring when the tube popped out. She only managed to get to the windowsill, drifting slowly to the floor as the dizziness in her head returned. Her vision blurred from the tears in her eyes while she watched Sombra’s dark form trail off through the sky.
“Why…” Twilight’s voice croaked out as her friends and family quickly gathered around her, lifting her and helping her back into the bed.
“I knew he hadn’t changed!” Twilight heard Shining Armor shout as he belted out a few orders to a pair of guards that were suddenly with them in the room. She tried to listen, but she was unable to focus as the weariness from her ailments tugged at her once more.
“We may have overdone it, she still needs time to recover,” Princess Celestia said from close by as somepony lowered her body onto the bed, pulling the covers back over her. She squeezed her eyelids shut before blinking back at her friends, watching as they quietly filed out of the room. Before her mentor could leave, however, Twilight reached out and called to her softly.
Celestia returned and looked down at Twilight with her brow knit, and Twilight managed to speak loudly enough for her to hear. “I know he’s good,” she said with tears rolling down her cheeks.
A sad frown pulled at Celestia's mouth before she leaned her head closer to give Twilight a soft peck on her forehead. “We will sort this out when you recover. In the meantime, you still need rest, Twilight.”
Twilight sniffed softly before letting out a sigh and laying back against the pillow, nodding her head slowly as her mentor turned and followed the others out of the room. But she didn’t fall asleep, at least not right away. She couldn’t stop thinking about Sombra and why he had reacted the way he did.
For a while there, it had felt like things were going perfectly. Her friends were skeptical of him, but they’d been willing to give Sombra a chance. Why, then, had he just thrown it all away?
Despite all the troubling thoughts rushing through her mind, Twilight eventually managed to drift off, too worn out from all the excitement.
When she woke up sometime later, the sun outside her window had already set, covering the Crystal Empire in a wash of blue moonlight while the buildings twinkled with the distorted reflection of the stars above. Twilight no longer felt exhausted after so much sleep, but her limbs felt weak from something else... an angry gnawing in her stomach.
Sniffing the air, Twilight caught the crisp scent of food and was quick to notice a basket had been left by the flowers on her bedside table. She shifted closer and spotted a note tucked beneath it. She picked it up and unfolded it, silently reading over the words of her friends that basically wished her to get well soon.
In the basket itself, there was an assortment of peaches, pears and what looked like apples from the Apple family’s own orchard. Twilight grimaced and avoided all of the apples, silently apologizing to Applejack as she ate. It would probably be a while before she could stomach the taste of them again—even if they weren’t poisoned.
As she reached into the basket for her fourth fruit, Twilight tilted over the bed a little further than she had intended and spotted what looked like a quick movement in the shadows below.
She sharply gasped when she nearly toppled off the bed and called out, “Sombra!?”
There was a pause before the shadows slid over the covers and gathered behind her. By the time Twilight had turned around, Sombra had already reformed himself, pressing one of his hooves to his lips as he whispered, “Your brother posted a pair of guards outside your room.”
“Shining did that?” Twilight said softly while her ears flattened. “Ugh… of course he did.”
Sombra sidled up to her and hesitated before laying his hoof over her legs. “I hope my actions… didn’t upset you earlier.”
“Of course I’m upset!” Twilight hissed at him, but inwardly she was just relieved that he hadn’t disappeared for good. “Why did you run away? Everypony might not trust you completely, but can’t you see how they’re willing to give you a chance? My brother can be a little protective of me—”
Sombra snorted and interrupted her. “He wanted to strangle me. It was very clear in his expression.”
Twilight sighed. “He wouldn’t actually—I mean, we did kind of spring this on him considering the time fluctuation of the storybook, but I know that’s not what you’re worried about. This is about the ponies of the Crystal Empire...” Twilight’s voice faded when she noticed him flinch. “Why are you so afraid of them?”
“It’s not that I… fear them exactly.” Sombra lowered his head and appeared to sulk as he explained. “Dark magic can be very persuasive. For years I was content to simply let it rule my actions as I hid behind it. But after the events of the storybook… I am just… I haven’t felt this clear-headed in many, many years, Twilight. Darkness tends to do that to one’s mind.”
“I… understand a little...” Twilight murmured, rubbing a hoof gently against her head. “I couldn’t control myself when I went after Flurry Heart…”
“It can be just a tiny thought… and the darkness uses that one thing, whether it is the fear of hurting your innocent niece…” He moved around to face her. “Or destroying the happiness of an entire Empire.” Sombra’s frown deepened when he sighed. “As wretched as the storybook was… I think it was an enlightening experience. It took away the dark thoughts that clouded my mind… and gave me a chance to listen to you.”
Twilight felt her face warm as they both fell into silence. It took her a moment to finally ask, “Why won’t you tell them who you are? The fact that you are King Sombra, and everything you did in the past… it complicates things, but if they knew who you were before… they wouldn’t be so afraid of you now.”
“Maybe…” Sombra mumbled, his eyes turned away from her, seeming to be distracted by his own thoughts and concerns. “But if I reveal who I am… if they know, then their fear will simply be replaced with something else… something that I don’t want to face.” Sombra lifted her front leg, wrinkling his snout at the bandages still wrapped around it. “Telling them that I’m their lost prince won’t change anything for me. If anything, they’ll only hate me more for it.”
“You never know until you try…” Twilight whispered with a hopeful smile. “Just look at what happened with us.”
Sombra grunted and gently tugged without saying anything more, guiding Twilight over the side of the bed and onto the floor. She followed him to the window, and he opened up the latch to slide it up an inch. “Don’t be afraid,” his deep voice rumbled.
“I’m not,” Twilight answered before his form billowed out and absolute darkness fell over her. It felt like she was suddenly floating in a void, but unlike what she expected of the nothingness, it wasn’t cold—it was warm… as if Sombra were all around her, keeping the chill away… protecting her.
When her vision returned after a short time, Twilight found herself in a cold, dark place with a marble floor beneath her hooves.
“Sombra?” Her voice echoed in the hollow space before she shivered and let out a loud sneeze.
“Here.” His voice came from above, and Twilight looked up—only to have a heavy blanket dropped over her head, followed by the soft thud of other objects bouncing away as they rained down nearby. When they stopped falling, Twilight could see the darkness of Sombra’s form as he moved to the floor, gathering up some of the items and creating a spark with his magic.
As the embers grew into a flame, the area lit up in a soft glow, and Twilight looked around to see… an empty dome above them, like the roof of a closed observatory without a telescope.
“Where are we?” Twilight asked, pulling the blanket he had given her tighter around her body and scooting closer to the fire.
“An old observation dome,” Sombra explained while he moved to the opposite end of the room and set another pile of wood aflame. The logs had been stacked into a pit against the wall, and Twilight’s gaze followed a series of pipes that led up to the ceiling and circled around the dome like a metal barrier. “This place is far enough from the Empire on one of the nearby mountain ranges. It has been abandoned and forgotten, but many of the denizens used it to watch the northern auroras. It’s not the right time of year, of course, but if activated correctly…”
Sombra used his magic to stoke the flames, sending up a burst of heat and light through the pipes circling the walls. The copper glowed a brilliant orange, and the dome above them began to clear, revealing the glow of the night sky as chunks of snow melted away from the thick glass.
“The enchantment will help keep the ceiling clear, as well as keep us warm.” He floated over to her side before settling down against her in his solid form.
“It’s beautiful…” Twilight marveled as she stared up at a clear view of the stars. She could easily pick out several constellations above them, and had started to do so when she suddenly lowered her head to belt out another sneeze.
“Here,” Sombra said as he lifted a small mug into her sight.
When Twilight accepted it and brought it up to her face, she could feel the heat of the steam gently tickle her nose, and she took a breath to appreciate the sweet scent of cinnamon and spice. Just the smell of it made the ache in her limbs fade. “Where did you get this?”
“I found your pink friend in the hospital’s kitchen shortly before I came to you.” Sombra’s face tightened in a curious expression. “She was talking very loudly to herself, practically yelling that she made a tea that would be better for somepony recovering from sickness and extreme injury… she then proceeded to exclaim that she would be leaving it unattended and probably forget about it.”
Twilight blinked as she looked down at the steaming cup before laughing quietly. “You shouldn’t try too hard to figure her out. It’s something that both magic and science can’t accomplish.”
Sombra grunted and lifted a flap of the blanket, letting in the chilly air briefly before pulling it around the both of them and snuggling closer. “I am not concerned about figuring out your friends anyway. It should be obvious by now that you are my sole interest.”
Twilight blushed as she took a sip of the tea, letting out a puff of steam when it proved to be too hot to drink. “So… what are you going to do now?” she asked softly.
Sombra’s expression darkened in the glow of the fire. She imagined that there were a thousand things on his mind, just as there were a thousand more concerns in her own. “I am… uncertain. To the Empire, I am a threat… not their prince. I can’t return to the kingdom I once called home… not that I wish to do so… not after I nearly destroyed it.”
“That’s not true.” Twilight leaned away from him and turned her head to look him in the eye. “There’s always a choice of going back. What you did in the past… and what you did tonight doesn’t mean there’s no chance to change things.”
Sombra growled deeply with a grimace, but he didn’t appear to be angry at her. “What if they don’t want to know? Do you think they would be happy to learn what their prince did to the royal family? How I cursed them all for a thousand years?”
“It won’t fix everything,” Twilight said with a frown while rubbing her hooves against the heat of the mug. “But it will give you a chance at happiness.” Twilight’s ears flattened against her head as she fidgeted with the mug in her hooves. “I just want o-others to know that you’re not as horrible as they think. Some ponies may not agree, b-but maybe others will be more understanding for your honesty… and I-I just wanted you to… be happy.”
Sombra stared at her for a moment before leaning in to give her a gentle kiss on her cheek. When he lifted his head, he simply laid his chin against Twilight’s mane and pulled her closer. “I don’t care what other ponies think of me. Simply being with you here, like this... you have given me more happiness than the Crystal Empire ever could.”
Twilight blushed softly and clasped her hooves tighter around her cup at his words.
“You may want to put that down,” Sombra growled with a grin. “I don’t know if I can restrain myself.”
“W-what?” Twilight jolted and nearly dropped the cup as her gaze shot up and caught his expression.
“I want to kiss you,” he rumbled.
“D-don't try to change the subject.” Twilight quickly pulled the mug to her lips to take another sip, but the warm tea only added to the sudden heat coursing through her. “We’ve already k-kissed… a few times now, in fact.”
“I disagree.” Sombra teased her with a playful smirk while shifting closer. “All of our previous moments were a part of the fairy tales. I want to kiss you.” He leaned in with a low growl. “I want to know the Twilight Sparkle that is not trapped in some storybook and forced to follow a script.” Sombra’s horn darkened from the aura of his magic, and he levitated the cup of tea out of her hooves to set it aside on the floor. Before she could ask what he was doing, he was already pushing her gently into the soft warmth of the blankets.
“I want a kiss unmarred by a sense of urgency or the threat of death. We have the night to ourselves, Twilight, and there are no fairy tale endings to stop us.”
Twilight had felt the touch of his lips a few times already, but as he settled against her and kissed her, a feeling of electricity shot along her spine and her wings fluttered weakly in response. His warm breath mixing with hers still excited and energized her nerves as if it were the first time all over again.
Twilight closed her eyes at his touch, allowing him to pull her into his strong embrace. His front legs settled around her back and held her as she responded by reaching up and wrapping her own limbs behind his neck to drag herself closer, wanting more of his—
A small ache twinged in her side, and Twilight tensed up while letting out a muffled gasp, having nearly forgotten that she was still injured. Feeling her sudden stiffness against him, Sombra lifted his head, giving her a baffled look before his eyes moved over her bandages. It appeared that she hadn’t been the only pony to forget.
“I suppose I will have to be more gentle,” Sombra said softly as he lowered his body beside her and nuzzled her cheek.
“S-sorry…” Twilight’s face felt hot, and she imagined it must have been as bright as the nearby fire that warmed them.
“Don’t apologize for something out of your control.” Sombra chuckled before shifting closer and carefully laying his legs over her shoulders, wriggling himself into a more comfortable position as he lay his head above hers. His large frame curled around her protectively.
“You are enough…” Sombra mumbled against her mane, appearing to be distracted as he moved his head down and buried his face into her neck. Twilight gasped sharply when she felt his fangs graze the skin below her fur. “Not Equestria, not the Crystal Empire…”
With her snout pressed deeply against his fur, Twilight couldn’t help but notice a scent about him, something that she hadn’t paid enough attention to before. It sounded silly to her own thoughts, but her mind pictured a warm summer breeze when trying to compare it to something she knew. The faint smell of woodsmoke about him had probably given her that impression.
“You are everything…” Sombra rambled on, almost seeming unaware of his own words. “And you are mine.”
“Stay with me.” Twilight felt the words from her own mouth more than heard them. She had meant for it to be an invitation to stay in her castle back in Ponyville, since he was so averse to returning to the Crystal Empire for the time being. Combined with the soft whimper that had managed to escape, however, it had sounded more like a plea than a proposition… as if she were afraid he would leave again.
Sombra only growled in response before pulling his head back and covering her mouth with his own to stifle her concerns.
And there they remained in the glow of the fire pit, beneath the twinkling stars that was their only audience. Twilight had no worries about some unforeseen plot that might suddenly drag them into danger. It would be their decision when they finally drifted off to sleep in one another’s embrace or returned Twilight to the hospital before anypony could notice she was missing.
His hooves buried in her fur, and his breath gentle but electrifying every spot he kissed her, that was all that mattered. Without the threat of the storybook looming over them, Sombra’s affections felt more real than ever before, and she knew it would last until they decided otherwise.
Because her story wasn’t going to end with a happily ever after.
Her fairy tale was just beginning.
Well, well, there it is! After a full year, it's exciting to finally publish the ending to 'The Fairy Tale Fiasco,' but I am also sad to see it go. (What am I supposed to daydream about now? Oh wait, I suppose my next story ideas...) I hope it has entertained and delighted, and that you all have enjoyed my first fanciful tale.
A big thanks to AlicornPriest for proofreading everything, as some parts of the story wouldn't be the same without their feedback.
While this chapter aimed to conclude everything, there are obviously some aspects of it that can still be explored. Does this mean a sequel? Edit: Yes! I've toyed with the idea, even though I originally wrote this story as a stand-alone. If I do make one though, it will be after a few other projects I have in mind. As much as I love them, I need a break from fairy tales for a bit. 
If you enjoyed my writing, stick around! I've got a couple of stories planned for the year ahead and many more ideas I hope to get out in the future.
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So. This story is awesome.
I loved it :)
It's nice to see the possibility of more being there, but this is a sweet place to leave it off. All in all, this was a really fun ride. Thank you for sharing it and giving Sombra a unique spin. Even in 2019, that's just not something most people are doing. I'm glad to see how this one took off.
Too bad it's finished, I guess this is the "Happily ever after"
Good reaction.
Oh my god, Sunburst been reading the adventure all along. Bwhahahahaha!
Nice work Sunburst!
This is not a great time for a fainting spell, Twilight.
Oooo, walking pneumonia, maybe it was a good time for a fainting spell.
No way he's not coming back for his princess.
Gotta control those kids of yours better, AJ.
Definitely for the best.
Repeatedly!
Hah, so he never really left.
Not really a good argument.
Huh, now that ended suddenly and dramatically, and after it was going so well too.
Stalking from the shadows like this would be pretty creepy if it wasn't effectively consensual.
Neat.
Pinkie works in mysterious ways.
Somewhere, somehow, Rarity is really living for this scene and this ending.
More!
I would like to see a sequel to this. One idea that I would personally like being explored is the idea that Sombra still considers himself A king, does he plan on establishing a new Kingdom of his own with Twilight as his queen? I don't think I have seen many if any at all stories with the idea of Sombra still being King of his own nation after being reformed and with Twilight as his Queen. I guess it's rather specific but that is something I would like to see.
Either way, I very much enjoyed this story and I'm excited to see what else you write in the future.
*Sniffle* *sniffle*
that was beautiful! So sad to see it go!
But what am I supposed to read now??!
Wow what a ride. This was so good, and really sweet. If a sequel does come around I look forward to it.
Probably the best romance story I have read on this cursed website. I look forward to a possible sequel to this, and anything else you write.
If I may, a sequel will be nice but to make it short and simple, why not make it about everyone's reaction towards the developing relationship. Depend on how many characters you want to use, it will at least satisfy me on how this will go on.
9491732
Not necessarily. Charles George Stuart and Henri Capet never stopped calling themselves kings, and never founded kingdoms besides the ones to which they were pretenders.
I must say sir, very high quality story. I enjoyed the writing style, your attention to detail is top notch. Very interesting plotline, and I love the way you write Sombra. Truly an excellent work. I look forward to seeing what else you create.
I don't want to pressure you or anything, but I really hope you make a sequel to this!
Well I for one greatly enjoy this iteration of Sombra and his story. It puts great emphasis on how evil isn’t born; it’s made. All it would take for someone to go bad is one wrong decision and the right means for it to happen. And even then, redemption is always possible.
This is one of the best stories I have read on this site, filled with depth and character, and I look forward to when your sequel to this might be.
This was one hell of a ride Lawombat and I am sad to see it go! Hopefully, it won't be too long down that road of yours if you decide to make that sequel!
The ending was beautiful and sweet yet left the reader wanting more. You sure do know how to get us hooked, huh?
This was truly an excellent read, one of the best romance I have read on this site in a very long time. I can't wait to see what other works you produce and I also hope you do decide to eventually make a sequel to this. I will be waiting with bells on.
Aarrg, NO! WHY MUST IT END?!
it was a really really good and enjoyable ride. 
I really hope you make a sequel. Even if the storybook came to an end Sombra's and Twilight's real trouble has just begun
just a teensy-weensy typo in this line just thought you should know.
other than that great job, loved the story even if I don't quite ship it. Keep up the great work.
9494810
Ah! Thank you, sometimes the obvious ones slip through. I had to re-read it about three times before I realized what the typo was. The sad part is, when I went to edit it, Grammarly caught it and suggested to change it to the correct spelling. xD It's always on in my browser, just not with google docs since they're still beta testing that(I can turn it on, but I have to do that every time I re-visit the doc and often forget).
This also leads me to believe that Grammarly may be a brony.
9495312
I'm sure if I put any of my story-snippets through Grammarly the entire document would be red or a mix of red and other colors (like in Microsoft Word they).
Author, you definitely stole my heart with this story. I don't know how to describe my emotions. So I'll be brief... THAT'S GREAT!!!
Wow. Congrats, you just made my Favorites bookshelf. Top moments being: "Sombra's sandwich", "Flurry-witch", most of the "Beauty and the Beast" section, and "I'm kidnapping the queen!"
This was amazing. I loved every single second of reading this. So good I felt sad I was already on the last chapter.
I cant wait for your next story.
So sad. Your monthly updated story had accompanied me for a whole year...But I am gald that this is a kind of happy ending. The Sombra and Twily that you creat are so impressive and cute.....Can't wait drawing some fans art!
Can I draw it for you?
9512064
I would love to see some.
Of course!
I would really love to know where their story leads next. Perhaps next gen character is involved?
Please make a sequel, its a great story
9530602
You mean Gen 5? I think I will be writing the sequel long before that comes out, if the rumor is true about a 2021 release date.
9539624
Thank you! I have decided there will definitely be a sequel, though there are two other stories I want to have semi-finished or completed before I work on it. I said "If I make one," back in the last chapter, only because I had a vague, unpolished idea at the time, and one that didn't make sense at all plot-wise. After going on a nice vacation though, I was able to reflect on it and find a solution to the issue I had with the story. It will be shorter than this one, but still action packed with more fairy tale adventures!
As of the Season Nine premiere, I can now safely say that this is the best interpretation of Sombra I have ever seen.
Well I just binged this and I love it. Not usually a Sombra Twilight shipper but you made it work. Loved the concept the variation of the classic fairy tails and character growth all pluses.
Will there be a sequel? I LUV'D this story sooooo much!
9612036
I don't have an idea of when it will be released, but I have two other stores I want to either complete or semi-complete before starting on it.
There will be, eventually. I just had to work out a hiccup in the idea of it before I decided I definitely wanted to do one.
It will be shorter than this one, but will still take place in a fairy tale and mostly from Sombra's point of view. >:3
This whole story is perfect.
An absolutely fantastic read. I was looking forward to this the moment the first chapters were posted, and it was absolutely worth it. Looking forward to what you come up with in the future, and gave you a follow so that I don't miss it.
Well... What can I say about this story that my fellow readers haven't already said? I don't think there is anything, but I will say what I feel best summarizes my opinion on this work, which I can tell you was added to my Favorites bookshelf the moment I was finished reading it. However, to not spoil anything for newcomers, I will post my further words–with some exceptions–in Spoilers.
This story was, to the say the least, a delight. It brought back fond memories of several classic fairytales, in particular The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Snow White, as these were the ones I knew of those you utilized. I loved how you used the fairytales merely to enhance to the story you were already writing, and did so beautifully. I believed the development of the bond between Twilight and Sombra, and all the interactions between them and the other characters. I had once never considered there to be potential for a relationship between Twilight and Sombra, I must confess, before reading this fic, but you have opened my eyes to a world of inspiration that simply will not leave me alone now. For that, and for the story itself, I thank you.
I would have to say that my favorite part, however, if I were asked, would be how Twilight and Sombra interacted during the Beauty and the Beast segment of the storyline, as this was when we truly saw Twilight's willingness to trust Sombra tested, saw his growing feelings for her come to a proper fruition, and in turn saw her realize that he was, truly, an embodiment of the Beast's character, a man–or, rather, a stallion–who wanted something more than what he had, when he really only needed love. And the backstory you developed for Sombra to explain his darkness, it was a stroke of superb genius.
I think I can also understand, as a result of his backstory, why Sombra acted the way he did at the end. He's a proud stallion, and despite Twilight's influence bringing back the light deep inside of him, he's done horrible things that he has to live with; mostly things he never intended, but then could not take back once they were done. He fell and rolled with it, and he refuses to go back to the Crystal Ponies and tell them the full story because he's determined to own up to what he did in his own way. He is darkness, and will always be a shadow of darkness, and he plans to own that, but now there is something more to him as well: he's Twilight's shadow.
Personally, I feel a sequel to this story would be well-received, and is well-deserved. You have crafted a beautiful piece of literature, and it is for that reason that I have also added The Fairy Tale Fiasco to my Dearly Beloved bookshelf. This, you see, is the bookshelf where I record all the stories which have truly, irrevocably touched my heart in some powerful way and that I intend to share with my closest friends and family in due course of time. They are inspiration, and your story now stands firmly among them.
With that all said, if you would like to chat or if you're looking for a pre-reader for a sequel to this story at all, feel free to shoot me a PM and we can talk.
Okay, gotta say, this story surprised me positively. It was a bit slow at catching too much of my attention in the start although had me curious since I caught sight of the synopsis, but as the story moved on it really kept me interested, especially midway through all the way to the ending, as we got more character growth into the plot. A really good, steady built up.
I like the creative freedom the book and characters put into the known fairytales, you as well clearly mixing in the modern tropes with the older origins together while playing with alternative paths created by character choices.
I'm not he biggest romance fan and did foresee the romantic sub plot considering the fairytale tropes most likely to be faced by the characters. Honestly disappointed not getting a scene of Twilight waking up as Sleeping Beauty with a grumpy Sombra been forced to kiss her awake before developing too much feelings for her yet, a missed opportunity!
But most say, the romantic development still kept me invested, as you kept it feeling natural and dang adorable. Especially when keeping Sombra true to his nature and not just all fully changed from the Power Of Lovetm as most stories would, especially with still keeping elements of conflicts for him up through the ending. Very nice touch.
Definitely a good read, kept me guessing through a lot and I had fun imagining which story would be the next and which characters would appear in which roles. Currently my fave was Thorax' appearance for sure. But Snow White definitely threw me for a loop the most. All while kept very entertaining through the read. Well done!
Imagine if your story was an audio drama.
Heh, I'm not really surprised Sombra declines to say he was a former Prince of the Crystal Empire. After all, if he revealed that, then it would basically mean he was its rightful ruler in the first place (sure, he killed his family, but he would still have been the next in line), then it would have legitimised rule of conquest. In Cadance's case that might be alright, but the next Big Bad that comes along and knocks her or Celestia and Luna off could then use that as well
Well, I guess all is well that ends well, even if Sombra and Twilight will have to do it on the sly. Twilight may have to end up stealing Sunburst from the Crystal Empire so he can cover for her every time she needs to sneak off to do the horse smoochies with Sombra, since Sunburst knows stuff from the book that everypony else doesn't now.
This story is so Good😍💜,well done❤☺
Amazing story, although I would not be surprised if flurry ended up having a couple of nightmares over her experiences.
Just finished. I absolutely loved it. Well written, realistic, emotional, and wonderful. I cant wait to read the sequel!
Finally finished it
The fairy tale retelling concept works very well, maybe with the Old as Time arc as an exception, which seemed a bit unnecessary, essentially repeating previous mechanics. Nevertheless thanks to both the entertaining action sequences and a consistently solid plot with a non-open ending, this automatically lands in my top 5 for this genre.
The shipping parts do move a little slow at times, more than once tempting me to skip over the actual story to get to the next cuddling sequence. It also seems a little reluctant, with the word "love" being noticably absent and a still rather vague ending, not fully using its 8k length.
That's not to say that the ship doesn't work, it's well paced and aided by some original pretty good Sombra and Crystal Empire back story.
One surprising highlight was Spike's character, essentially his season one competent personality, aged up slightly, without the McCarthy abuse and with some nice Sparkle family feels added.
All in all really I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to more (hopefully also romantic adventure) stories.
I doubt that, loose ends tied up, their out of the book, seems we are good.
Sequel bait? I think so.
Hey there! Wouldn't be cool if this story was an audio drama?
9982513
That would be cool! Is that anything like an audio narration? Because someone recently asked me if they could do one of those with this(I said yes. :3 ).
9983144
I'm sure the whole family will love it!
So when can we expect a sequel?