Twilight Gets a Puppy
Season 3
By TDR
Gibbous ponies play,
Part 4,
Interlude 2
[ Canterlot ]
A brown furred stallion sat back in a chair, his horn glowing lightly as he held up a clipboard before him in his magic. A quill scratching lightly on the paper as he took notes. His blue eyes looked over the top of his glasses at the patient laying on the light gray couch to his left, the entire room done in warm and neutral colors, the combinations of colors having a number of studies done. His cutie mark reflected this showing a soft gray outline of a pony head with a puzzle piece seemingly missing from the silhouette.
They had had a number of sessions and while things had not started out well, patience and understanding had won out, though the patient had yet to open up fully, they at least were talking most sessions.
This ones issues ran deep, trust issues, anger issues, a bit of megalomania, though the latter was slowly being repressed, he retained the 'better than thou' attitude. Dr. Katts had learned to speak with a respectful tone when conversing with him, as such he had yet to have any sort of violent confrontation with his patient, particularly since he required the stallions Guards to remain outside.
“And how are you doing today sir?” Dr. Katts offered to start with.
“Hmmmph..” was the reply.
It wasn't much of a surprise in truth, getting this one to say much of anything had been tricky. But it had been a wealth of information. Initially he almost diagnosed him with Palomino Pan syndrome, though it turned out not to be the case. He had no desire to remain a child, despite the speed in which he had professed to have grown up and his lack of a cutie mark, usually those were signs of such syndrome.
“ Have you been allowed to see the gardens yet? I always find them rather nice this time of year. I never knew so many flowers still bloomed in the winter.” Dr. Katts continued wondering if this was another day where he would be doing all the talking.
“I have. Quite a number of them I am familiar with from my home, but botany was never something that interested me.”
This was good.
“I see. You said before you were interested in enchanting and creation magic. Have any of the restraints been lifted on that yet?”
“No.”
“I'll see if I can't speak with some pony in allowing you at least the time to design something even if they won't allow you to implement it. It's good to do something you enjoy every once and a while. I've been told you've spent a lot of time in the library, though your reading selection seems a little odd to me.”
“It is mostly for the information. Much of the modern slang and manners of speech can be found in the short stories and modern books as well as the proper ways to use them. Given the one who was to teach me these things is both incompetent and far too easily intimidated. I found myself needing to learn on my own.”
“And you are doing quite well with it as well.”
“Do not patronize me.”
“I am not. In such a short time you have a better grasp of the modern language than... 'She' does and that is after classes for the last few years..... is that why you put in the effort. To be better than 'her'?”
“Hmmph.”
Dr. Katts smiled, though he knew not to press further. She was one of this patients hot issues. Really he had never seen a case quite like this, but many of the issues were ones he had worked with before, though not on this scale.
“I forgot to ask last time, but did everything arrive like it should?”
“Surprisingly yes. I expected something to be destroyed, or taken as some sort of trophy by the winners, but no. that was everything I recall.”
“Princess Celestia was quiet insistent. While I'm sure they made sure to check everything it is good nothings missing.” Dr. Katts offered.” Would you like to discuss why you asked for these items?”
The patient was silent a moment though he spoke before Dr. Katts could.
“There was one point in my life where I was optimistic, where I thought I was cared for and everything was going to go well. A calm time before everything went down hill at an alarming rate. That room... everything in it was the only place I felt any sort of security , any control of my life. Fleeting as it was. I spent far too much time in there trying to recall that feeling as my empire was torn down around me. It's where I was when the trap was sprung. I woke up confused and disoriented with only the pull of a source of power I knew to guide me and when I saw it I remembered and well..... you know the rest. I'm sure my aunt told you...”
“You consider her your aunt now?”
The stallion on the couch tensed.
“.... She.... has been insistent. Logically I cannot blame her for what she did. Not like I can the other two... Emotionally however.” He trailed off.
“We often do not have any say on what we feel, no matter how hardened we make ourselves. It is good you are making some connections though. This is a strange new world for you. It may be hard to find your place but there are those looking to help you.”
“Hmmph.”
“Was there anything else you would like to share?”
“No, no doctor. I do not think there is today. I have things to think about however.”
“Shall I see you again next week then?”
“Yes. We can't have you missing your paycheck.”
“I'm on salary sir. I get paid whether I see any one in a week or not, but I do take my job seriously and I do wish to help those who I can.”
“Hmmph.”
“Until next week then. If you wish to talk at any time before that I can most certainly make the time to do so.” Dr. Katts offered.
The stallion rose and stared at him a moment before nodding.
“Thank you for your time then doctor.” Sombra offered back heading out the door to the waiting guards.
It's nice to see somone not going must destroy sombra route and instead are trying to develop him as a pony that has suffered a long time of neglect and is finally getting help to improve himself and learn he is in no danger and has nothing to fear
Jeeze this kids life is rough contextually.
Sure as shit hope father dearest isn't still alive, this isn't a sitcom family we need to see Fully reunited whatsoever.
At least all his things from the nursery got to Canterlot, considering all the REAL problems he has at is interesting that he's this grounded.
9879321 This isn't ANY kind of family we need fully back together in any context
This was nice
Also, bonus points to Celestia for managing to convince Sombra to call her "aunt"
When you look at things from another point of view. Specifically his point of view. You really can't blame the boy for his actions.
And in relative terms on how he acts, I get the feeling he's still a kid in there. He had to grow up I think too fast, and the poor guy. Well. He's a product of his environment.
His mother was a possessed megalomaniac, and his father was a tyrant and a power hungry fool to boot. Its all he really knows. I hope he can be reformed, I even hope that he and Luna can even mend bridges. Sure, there will be resentment, and that may not go away for years, if ever. He will never fully forgive her.
But I'm hoping for at least that he can tolerate her at its low peak of progress, and at its highest, at least find peace in that he can forgive her in some way. He at least deserves to make such a decision, and deserves to try and do better.
Nice to see the therapy sessions working for him.
Any chance say...Radiant Hope exists?
9879278
At this point, he probably try to kill Luna if he had the chance.
Though I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he ends up in Ponyville, with a decent guard detachment, after his therapy has progressed to a point where reintegrating him into society is the next logical step in his recovery.
The last place that should happen is canterlot for… obvious reasons.
9879598
Forgot who was Radiant Hope.
9879936
Given how often Luna schleps down to Ponyville to meddle in Rahs’s life, Ponyville might not be the best choice for such a thing either.
9880064
She was in the comics but was Sombra only friend and later love interest.
think be neat they knew each other still and were separated, could see they had a secret friendship and relationship.
Iamgienthem reuniting together.
The pair see each other and rush towards each other." SOMBRA" "HOPE" "SOMBRA" "HOPE"! Keep repeating this till they finally embrace weeping. Some lines and can see some of the others bawling over the scene . Razz etheir writing this down for a play or giving a 10 for dramatic scene.
9879243
F
9879278
He is getting there. He was pretty much abused throughout his life.
..... They are sending Sombra to a therapist........ That is surprisingly logical.. so long as they have way to keep him from going nuts and busting free.
Wha.... wait... Peter Pan? Ohhhh nice pun, 7/10 for this one.
Not Moondancer then?
Luna likes the old fashioned speaking too much to give it up, it makes her that much more epic and adorable.... and badass.
And the one to openly display the most mature and logical approach to Luna and NMM is Sombra of all ponies. Did not see this coming.
Well, this was a surprising nterlude, and yeah, liked it better then the last one and damn.... well done story, well done.
9879388
That wasn't Celestia he was talking about.
9879303
t works in this context because of how different this Sombra is then canon Sombra.
9880092
unlikely,mostly because the changes to this SOmbra's backstory remove those events from being possible, and the main reason Hope and Sombra bonded as they did was both were orphans in the same orphange. Given how shitty the Empire was by the time this Sombra was born due to Solomon, not seeing a pony like Hope spending any time near Sombra.
9880931
No Celestia got him to call her aunt Luna's his mother, Cadence is sortof a cousin, but on Solomons side oddly.
And yes No hope for Sombra. He wasn't allowed to play with foals his age as they were all beneith him.
9880951
Thought Luna made a point about she wasn't NMM and all that with regards to Sombra.
9881085
NMM/ Luna is regarded as the same by Sombra. He still hates Luna. Knowing why someone did something and getting your emotions to work with it is another.
Tia managed to get called an aunt by not having any sway on his emotions to start with.
Sombra if nothing else is emotionaly stunted in anything but anger.
So nice to see an apparent “villain” getting the respect and counseling he needed. No instant destruction, but also no instant forgiveness. Points for realism.
Oh my God, a character with problems is actually seeing a therapist. And it seems to be going well!
WHAT A CONCEPT!
The funny thing here is that Sombra is the "Monster" of the show, the one, over all others, who could legitimately be called a true villain. Most other villains in the show had a reason for what they did, ranging from simply not knowing better (Discord) to feeding their children (Chrysalis) and to simply misunderstanding how friendship works on a conceptual level (Cozy Glow). Sombra is the only one who was evil for evil's sake in the show. (Though, I'll grant that Grogar may be another one.) He did everything. Enslavement, murder, torture, and dark magic abound.
In many ways, this Sombra is similar to Canon Sombra, and very easily could just be written off as a monster. Instead... you have him going through therapy. Fairly successfully at that. I'm curious to see what you plan to do with him.
Sombra getting better, he really deserves it. After all he was in a Impossible situation and managed it somehow...
Waaaait a minute . . .
"Dr.Katts", huh?
Seems more like a certain white wolf, to me. . . .
10989988
I'm getting flashbacks to AMWDW.
Sombra is more Adaptive than his mother Luna...
Very impressive
10120852
.... what about tirek
For once in Sombras live he has not to fear fir his life, this might just be the beginning of a real life.