Chapter 9: Generosity
Telling time with a heavy mask upon his face was a burden, but Sombra had learned to figure out the basics. The exact phase of the sun and moon may have been lost upon him, but Starlight regularly visited him during the day, and whenever she gave him meals he knew the time.
Night was also apparent, because that accursed demon would always mock him, whispering in his ears and breathing down his neck. He’d tried to take Starlight’s advice, but had failed every time, eventually losing control and chasing after the voice shouting threats. She would always come in when he did that, awoken by his screaming, and would do what she could to calm him, usually reading to him until he’d settled into sleep.
She’d spent so much time with him, despite her work, and he was beginning to feel… Something about it? It wasn’t a good feeling, he felt like he was wasting her time, especially when she came in with his breakfast, yawning and tired. She didn’t voice her frustrations, but he knew he had to be distracting her, and worsening her sleep with his outbursts.
Outbursts that would hopefully be ending soon, because even after counting the nights of no sleep, and the meals Starlight brought, he knew what day it was from one little moment alone. When Starlight had comforted him last night, rubbing his back as his heart raced, she’d whispered to him soothing words and a promise that had been taking far too long.
“It’s okay. Just one more night, and the mask will be gone, I promise.”
Now, he was waiting for her impatiently, pacing around his room. She’d mentioned that morning that she still had to go to work, but as soon as she was finished, she’d go straight to him. He couldn’t be sure how long it had been since she’d given him his lunch, but it felt like a dreadfully long time, stuck in this room with nothing to entertain him, other than the chirping birds outside.
All this constant imprisonment was driving him stir-crazy. He’d hardly left this room, and was desperate for some sort of relief from the constant dark and silent madness. What he wouldn’t give to be able to read, or listen to music, or to rid of the steadily growing pain in his head whenever he got so worked up his magic flared. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could take it, his mind begging for stimulation, his body desperate to run, to move.
He was only moments from bucking and kicking at whatever he could find when a sudden noise slammed somewhere nearby, and he jumped into the air with a cry of alarm.
“Sorry,” Starlight yelped, “It’s just me! My hooves and magic are a bit full right now, but I wanted to give you something.”
The door. She’d opened the door. A bit louder than he was used to, and the brief panic made him even more anxious.
“I’m no different than I was at lunch time,” He claimed, listening as she set something somewhere. It sounded loud, and he flinched back as it hit the floor, a scowl making way to his face, “Perhaps a bit more on edge, and whatever you’re slamming around certainly isn’t helping.”
“I think it’ll help eventually.”
Some more thumps, and the sound of something scraping against the floor. He stepped back, confused and half tempted to inspect, asking, “What exactly is it?”
“It’s a record player.”
Sombra’s ears twitched as this unknown item once again scraped against the ground. “What’s a record player?”
“It’s something that plays music,” Starlight explained. Sombra tilted his head curiously. “You’ll see it soon, I promise. I don’t have many records right now.”
She finished, and her hoofsteps approached him. He sat expectantly, waiting for her to finally remove the mask, but once she stopped in front of him, she wrapped something around his neck. Another rope, it felt like. He groaned in annoyance.
“Really? You make me wait all this time for freedom, just to drag me somewhere else?” He bit at the rope as she yanked it, though it seemed to be an accident on her end, “At least tell me you’re taking me somewhere specific to remove it?”
“Not quite yet, sorry,” Starlight apologized, “I have to head to Rarity’s to pick something up, and I thought it would be nice to take you out. You’ve been stuck here for days after all, I’m sure you’re getting antsy.”
“Antsy is a bit of an understatement, really,” He snorted, before walking to the door and gently tugging the rope, “Lead the way, please.”
Starlight hummed, trotting out of the room with Sombra following closely behind. She noticed his demeanor change as soon as they left the castle, the wind in his mane and warm sun on his coat enough to bring a bit of a spring in his step. His head was held high as he sniffed the air, ears twitching with the hustle and bustle of the little town. There were a lot of ponies out today, weren’t there?
“Is there anypony eyeing us funny?” He asked, ears swiveling to a murmuring voice nearby, “Surely they’re not too happy about me being here?”
“I won’t lie, they’re a bit wary, but Twilight held a town meeting a few days ago about your reformation,” Starlight explained, ignoring Sombra’s huff at that apparently accursed concept.
“And not a single one has tried to barge into the castle to protest?” He asked, “Are you sure it’s not one of them who’s been sneaking into my mind every night?”
“Trust me, they don’t care. This is a typical Friday afternoon to them at this point.”
Sombra huffed again in doubt, but stayed quiet for the rest of the trip, taking in the scents and sounds again. It didn’t seem to take long to make it to their destination, Starlight setting a hoof against his chest to stop him, before she knocked on a door. There was a muffled shout from inside, and after a brief moment, he heard the door open and another pony speak.
“Hello Starlight,” The voice said, small and familiar, “Hello Sombra.”
Sombra cocked his head, trying to remember the name of the filly speaking. Luckily, Starlight solved that problem for him.
“Hello Sweetie Belle, is Rarity home?” She asked, “She told me to come over as soon as we were finished with work.”
“She’s here, just talking with Rainbow Dash about her dress. She actually sent me to welcome you, so you can come in while you wait.”
Starlight thanked her, following her inside as Sombra trailed along behind them. The sounds of the hustle and bustle of the busy town outside faded to quiet music, causing him a bit of confusion. Was that one of those ‘record player’ things Starlight had mentioned?
He was firmly instructed to sit, and did so without any protest, Starlight sitting herself beside him. Sweetie Belle cantered away to retrieve Rarity, and he listened to the music. His ears twitched around a bit as he tried to locate where it was coming from, but couldn’t be sure. At least it was a pleasant tune, quiet and reminiscent of music from his time. He wondered if music had even changed at all.
It would be something he’d have to ask Starlight later, because he could already hear Sweetie Belle returning, two new and unfortunately familiar voices following. More of the princesses’ friends it seemed, and with a disgruntled sigh, he pinned his ears back. It was a good thing too, because one of them let out the most mind numbing shriek he had ever heard.
“What is that beast doing here?” She demanded, “Just because I was giving you some spare records to help him, doesn’t mean I wanted to see him!”
“He’s been locked up in the castle for days, I just thought it would be nice to give him some fresh air,” Starlight explained. She’d dropped the rope as she did so, Sombra felt it go slack, though he remained motionless.
“And he’s lucky enough to get that much,” The other one said. Her harsh voice was a bit more familiar, this one had insulted him directly, and if he remembered right, her mane had been multicolored. This was probably Rainbow Dash. “I think he should’ve spent a little more time in that dungeon. After what he’s done, he deserves worse.”
“Not the best argument to make with me here, don’t you think?” Starlight argued. Rainbow Dash responded with a quiet mutter.
“He’s not that bad, really,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Sweetie, please get away from him,” Rarity demanded, “He’s not to be trusted.”
“Not to mention he’s like, a thousand years old and probably really gross,” Rainbow Dash added, “He’s probably got fleas, or worms, or rabies, or some other disease from way back then.”
Starlight sighed in exasperation at that one, while Sombra bared his teeth. Saying he deserved worse punishment was something he expected, and probably deserved. Saying he was an unkempt and diseased beast was something he would not let slide.
“I’ll have you know that I take great pride in my appearance,” He growled, “The Crystal Empire has always been free of such pests and diseases, if anypony has fleas or rabies, you lesser folk likely brought it to them.”
“You wanna bet?”
She was suddenly in his face, nose against his. He wrinkled his own as he breathed in her scent. She smelled of sweat, and he was so tempted to bash his own metal clad face into hers just to get her away. Luckily for the both of them, Starlight got in between them before he could, hoof on Sombra’s chest to keep him in place. Assumably, she did the same with Rainbow Dash.
“Can we not start a fight today, please?” She asked, “I’m just here to pick up some music, remember? As soon as that’s done I’ll be on my way, and you two can get back to whatever you were doing. Is that alright with you?”
“Fine. We were done here anyway,” Rainbow Dash muttered, flapping her wings, “I’ll come back tomorrow or something, it’s not like I need the dress right now anyway.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Rarity agreed, though she coughed quietly as she said, “And Rainbow, darling, as much as I appreciate you coming to my rescue, you do realize that by insinuating that Sombra may be loaded with parasites or rabid because of his age, you imply that the Crystal Ponies are all diseased as well?”
Rainbow muttered something incomprehensible, before her wings flapped again and she was gone. Sombra muttered to himself as well, some rather distasteful words not suitable to be heard by a certain filly within the room, in his own native tongue that he knew she wouldn’t understand anyway. Feeling Starlight shift in her seat beside him, he rose to stand, but a hoof on his shoulder gave him the message to stay, so he flopped against the couch with another swear as she left.
“So can I see those discs?” She asked.
“Oh of course, I was actually testing one out right now,” Rarity explained. The music stopped, and Sombra’s ears twitched at the sudden silence, “It’s a bit older, and I’ve not listened to it in years. Have you enjoyed it so far?”
Starlight made no audible response, and the group lingered in silence for a moment. It was only when Rarity repeated herself that Sombra raised his head a bit, with the realization that she’d been asking him.
“It was nice,” He admit with a slight nod, “I would’ve liked to hear more.”
The mare let out a small laugh, “Oh, don’t you worry about it, we have plenty more to go through.”
With that, she apparently set another disc on the record player, and a horrifying loud scream and a blair of some sort of noise maker was played throughout the room. Sombra jumped straight up at the noise, and the cacophony ended as soon as it began.
“Perhaps not that one,” Rarity said with a much more nervous chuckle, “I’ve no idea how that even ended up in all these, must be one of Sweetie’s.”
“No it’s not."
To Sombra’s relief, the next disc she put on was much more relaxing than the others, calming his nerves. This back and forth of music playing went on for a while, Rarity playing a snippet and asking for his or Starlight’s input. Even if he didn’t say anything for every response, his negative opinions must have seemed evident, because she’d often stop the music whenever he pinned his ears or scowled. It seemed that music had changed quite drastically while he’d been imprisoned, and he was very confused on how some of it was considered music at all. In fact, so much of it was more grating than enjoyable.
“Well, I guess five records isn’t too bad of a start,” Starlight said. From the sounds of things, she was shuffling them together, or something of the sort. He couldn't really be sure. “I’m just glad you had a few to spare.”
“Oh, it was simply my pleasure. Anything to make dealing with that dastardly beast easier for you.”
“And nothing to do with making things easier for Sombra?”
A quick but bitter laugh, “We have a long way to go before I show even the slightest bit of respect to him.”
“Of course,” Starlight sighed, “Thanks anyway. We’ll get out of your mane now.”
She began to trot toward him, and perking up where he sat, Sombra picked the end of the rope up in his mouth to pass it to her. He was disappointed when she didn’t grab it, ears pinning in frustration at the sound of Rarity cantering over with a small noise to get Starlight’s attention.
“One more thing,” She said, slapping Sombra with her tail as she apparently blocked Starlight off, “I do believe that Twilight gave you a pair of Gala tickets, correct?”
Sombra’s ears twitched, suddenly interested. Starlight had Gala tickets? More importantly, the Gala was still a thing?
“Well, uh, yes.” Starlight’s hooves shuffled nervously, “Why are you asking?”
“Because you simply must let me design your dress!”
“Oh, right, of course. I’m not sure if I’ll be going though.”
“Nonsense! It’s the final Gala under Princess Celestia’s rule, and the first one Twilight and Pinkie have a hoof in planning,” Rarity explained, her voice gleefully high pitched, “You simply must go to support them!”
“Well, when you put it that way, it certainly sounds like I don’t have a choice, do I?”
A brief silence, and a nervous laugh from Rarity, “Oh dear, I guess I got a bit excited there, do forgive me. I’m sure Twilight wouldn’t mind if you stayed home, I just got so excited over the prospect of designing more gowns that I lost a hold of myself. ”
“It’s fine,” Starlight said, though it sounded strained, “Now if you don’t mind, can Sombra and I go home now?”
“Of course, but may I have one more teeny tiny request?”
“What is it?”
“May I please take your measurements? Just to be prepared?”
A sigh of annoyance, “Fine.”
Rarity squealed excitedly, and Sombra’s ears pinned again. She galloped away, assumingly pulling a surprised Starlight in tow, if her quick yelp was anything to go by. Their steps faded quickly, and with a frustrated groan of his own, Sombra flopped back onto the couch.
This day was taking far too long to end.
“They’re probably gonna be in there for a while,” Sweetie Belle said, her voice perking Sombra’s ears. He’d forgotten she was here, “Rarity gets pretty into her clothes making, so with any luck, she’ll probably be asking Starlight about what colors to use too.”
“Of course she would,” Sombra grumbled, crossing his arms and leaning back with a groan of annoyance, “Why would anything want to convenience me in any way?”
“Maybe because you’re kinda mean?” Sweetie Belle suggested, not quite understanding the concept of a rhetorical question, “So, uh, you want anything to drink while you wait?”
Caught a bit off guard by a filly of all creatures telling him he deserved to wait because he was mean, Sombra sat in bewildered silence for a moment before nodding.
“Okay, but you gotta follow me to the kitchen. Rarity doesn’t like it when anypony eats or drinks on the furniture, especially with all the clothes around right now. Do I need to lead you over?”
“No, I should be fine following your hoofsteps, unless there’s a stairway or too many obstacles between here and the kitchen.”
“Well, there’s a lot of mannequins and clothes racks around, will those be a problem?”
Unsure of what those things were, Sombra gave a hesitant shake of his head, slipping off the couch to follow her, stumbling on the rope wrapped around his neck a few times. He had managed not to fall, only running into one of these mystery items once, ignoring Sweetie Belle’s offers to help for the next five or so steps. He knew they were in the kitchen when she pulled a seat out for him, probably in the hopes he wouldn’t slip again.
Only once he sat down did she get their drinks, Sombra hearing a few unidentifiable noises before the sound of a glass being set in front of him. He leaned down to sniff the contents, only for something to jab him in the nose.
“I put a straw in it, so it would be easier for you to drink,” Sweetie Belle explained. He made a face at that. “Do you like apple juice?”
“I can’t imagine I wouldn’t, but why would you put straw in it?”
“Not that kind of straw, a drinking straw. You put your mouth on it and drink the juice with it.”
A strange concept, but one he tested as he leaned down to take a drink, careful not to stab his nose again. It seemed to work, and he found himself emptying the cup in one go.
“Do you want more?” Sweetie Belle asked. He nodded, and she poured some more into his cup, and from the sound of things, her own, “Applejack gave me this juice a few days ago, for when I helped pick up those apples you scattered. This juice was actually made from the bruised ones, so we both kinda helped make it.”
“I would rather not be reminded of that day, if you don’t mind,” He muttered, leaning down to take another sip of the juice, though he was careful not to down it all at once this time. A chair scraped beside him, and with the twitch of an ear he realized Sweetie Belle had sat down, “What are you doing?”
“Keeping you company.”
“Why? Aren’t you afraid of me?”
“Not really,” She said, though her voice seemed to falter, “I mean, you were kinda scary at first, when you took over Ponyville and controlled me, and when my friends and I first saw you at Sweet Apple Acres. But when we figured out you were just scared and hurt, I didn’t feel so scared anymore.”
“You’re rather brave for that,” He said, tilting his head thoughtfully. She had already offered and given him a drink, so she was obviously a bit more willing, but it still surprised him.
“So, have you been feeling any better?” She asked.
“Not particularly, no,” He admit, though he avoided going into detail, “I should be getting this blasted mask off today though, as soon as Starlight is freed from the clutches of that harlot upstairs.”
“Her name is Rarity and she’s my sister.”
“I’m well aware of her name, and she is well aware of mine, yet she’s done nothing but call me a beast," He explained, "She’s also partly at fault for my pathetic current state, so I see no reason why I should respect her in any way.”
“Maybe because it would be nice?”
“I am not nice.”
He leaned back over his juice, mouth on the straw, though he made no effort to drink. He just wanted to do something to get her to stop belittling him, and he imagined scaring her off with threats would only land him in more trouble. So he tried to think, perhaps about what he'd do first upon his accursed mask's removal. A brutal blast of magic was the first thing to come to mind, seeing as he no doubt had quite the energy trapped inside him, desperate to burst out and do something. Anything.
That, and the thought of blasting any part of any of the princesses' castle sounded therapeutic to him. Twilight better hope her castle, whatever material it was built from, was sturdy, because there was nothing holding him back from impaling it like he did with their over glorified weapon tree. Nothing except the threat of another blast to the face anyway, and that brutal reminder was enough to get him to rethink his choices.
At that, he let out a sigh, dropping the straw from his mouth. He really didn’t want to experience such brutal pain and fear again. Trying to think of something to get that out of his mind, he remembered the exact reason why he was still in this house to begin with. Not the music discs, but because Rarity stole Starlight away for something he had completely forgotten about.
“The Grand Galloping Gala,” He began, getting Sweetie Belle’s attention, just in case she’d wandered away while he’d been contemplating his freedom, “It still exists?”
“Of course it does,” She confirmed, “Why wouldn’t it?”
He shrugged, “Just seems like something that would've faded over time. What’s it like? Have you ever been to one?”
“Oh yeah, Rarity took me last year! It was really fun, even if Discord invited a slime creature that ate everyone’s jewelry, but it was still the best night ever,” She squealed excitedly, completely unaware of Sombra’s scowl at the mention of the Lord of Chaos, “Have you ever gone? What was it like a thousand years ago?”
Scratching at an ear after her painful squeals, he said, “I wouldn’t know. I never left the Crystal Empire as a foal, though my caretaker once went to promote her orphanage. If I remember correctly, nopony cared enough to travel so far to adopt a Crystal foal, so I can’t imagine it was even an event worth going to.”
“You grew up in an orphanage?”
Sombra nodded, taking a sip of his juice, “Nopony wanted a foal whose coat didn’t shimmer like theirs, especially one who failed to find their talent.”
“I’m sorry, I guess that kinda explains why you ended up being such a bully,” Sweetie Belle said, voice quiet, “It must’ve been very lonely, with no family at all.”
He shook his head, “I wasn’t completely alone. I had at least one friend, and my caretaker treated me well. The circumstances behind my rule are different, and far too complicated for a filly like you to understand, but it had nothing to do with them.”
“Did it have anything to do with the fact you don’t have a cutie mark?”
Another shake of his head, “No, that’s something else entirely. Though I fear I’ll never be able to experience the joy of my own talent being discovered, I've grown to accept that.”
“Now don’t say that!” She exclaimed, chair rocking as she leaned against him, “I know it’s hard to wait for one, and I can't even imagine having to wait until you’re an adult to get one, but maybe when you’re feeling a little less evil my friends and I can help you find your special talent!”
“A noble but pointless mission. I applaud the thought.”
“Hey, my friends and I are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, it’s our sworn duty to help other ponies find their special talent,” She claimed proudly, “We’ll help you find out what yours is, and who knows, maybe it’ll be something super important! Maybe you’ve got something really good inside of you, just waiting to come out!”
“Or perhaps I was destined to be nothing more than a monster.”
“Now obviously that isn’t true. You would’ve had a cutie mark in tyranny or something, don’t you think?”
Sombra couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped him at the filly’s words. He had no idea how old she could’ve been through her voice alone, but with such hopeful optimism, she must’ve been quite young. Or perhaps she was just like that, it was nice to know some ponies still had that shred of hope so many seemed to lack. Equestria had certainly seemed much calmer than it had been so long ago, though he’d never stepped hoof out of the Crystal Empire until recently, so maybe they’d always been like this.
Doubtful, but a pleasant thought, not that he’d say anything about it out loud. Finishing off his juice, he pushed the cup away to cross his hooves over the table, laying his head over the top of them.
“You talk too much,” He said simply.
Despite Starlight's earlier promises, Sombra once again had to wait for her to do some sort of menial task before he could be freed. She'd left him in his room while she was busy, and he spent almost every moment with his head placed upon his bed, ears pinned back and occasionally stamping the ground in frustration.
Their brief trip earlier had done little to sate his boredom. If anything, it had made him even more anxious to move, to run, to do anything other than sit in this room, void of any stimulation other than his own thoughts. It was maddening.
He wasn’t even sure what he’d do the moment he was freed. A part of him was still tempted to try and run away, or fight the princess and her friends again, to beat them once and for all. Yet constant reminders of his defeats, and the looming threat of the Princess of Friendship’s power, had been keeping him compliant.
Hearing the door open, he jumped over the bed and practically bounded across the room, yelling, “You’d better not have any excuses this time!”
“She doesn’t, but I can certainly make one if you use that tone of voice toward her again.”
Sombra skidded to a stop, baring his fangs as he nearly barreled straight into Twilight. She certainly sounded agitated, but her frustration couldn’t possibly measure up to his own.
“I can’t even imagine why you’d come in here,” He growled.
“Your mask is enchanted with a very strong lock to keep it on,” Starlight explained, confirming that she was at least nearby, and he relaxed at her voice. “Twilight is the only pony here that knows how to undo that seal, but once she’s done with that, it’ll just be you and me.”
She gently set the rope around Sombra’s neck, confusing him greatly.
Twilight explained the details this time. “Starlight wanted to take you to my library to do this, just to have more space, but there’s no way I’m letting a ticking time bomb of a Unicorn like you run wild through there. So you’ll be going outside, just so you can let loose a bit.”
“I assure you, I have more respect for your modern library than I do for you,” He claimed.
“I know that was supposed to be an insult, but I’ll consider it a step in the right direction,” Twilight said, stepping up to the stallion and setting a hoof on his shoulder. He stiffened at the touch, barely restraining an urge to run or attack as her magic burned his face. A quiet click, and she stepped back, “Alright, that’s done. Don’t do anything reckless while you’re out, I’ve got my friends here with me, so if you decide to do so much as lift a hoof wrong in Starlight’s direction, it’s back to the dungeon.”
She walked away, and the moment her hoofsteps faded, Sombra’s own hooves went to his face as he tried to pull the mask off. It was still held tight, and it was only when Starlight pulled his arms away and began to walk that he stopped, reluctantly following her with a desperate whine.
“It’s still locked,” She said, leading him away slowly. Too slow for his liking. He tried to sprint ahead of her, but she got in his way, stepping in front of him as an obstacle to keep him from his freedom, “Please, just trust me for one more moment, okay?”
He reluctantly nodded, following after her closely. His whines quickened once they’d made it outside, the soft grass underhoof worsening his desperation for freedom. It was only once she gave him the order to sit that he went back to the mask, pawing at it in growing frustration, but Starlight grabbed his arms again.
“Promise me you won’t try to hurt me, or run away,” She demanded.
Sombra nodded, head lowered to her, that desperation in his voice obvious as he said, “I won’t, I promise.”
He wasn’t even sure if he was being honest, or lying to get her to finally free him from his dark prison. All he knew was he wanted out.
The tickle of magic upon his face, and he stiffened in a moment of anxiety. After what felt like an eternity of silence, a loud click sounded, then a dull thump as the mask slipped from his face to the soft ground below. A blur of pink and green in his vision, and he blinked, trying to readjust his eyes after so long in darkness.
Shaking his head with a few more blinks, he looked around. He was surrounded by a field of grass, soft and green, the occasional splash of color from a flower among the greenery. Twilight’s crystalline castle was within close proximity as well, various shades of purple, blue, and orange reflecting in the setting sun. Twisting his body to look toward that sun, he was momentarily blinded, letting out a surprised yelp as he leaned back and fell into the soft grass, rubbing his eyes before reopening them to gaze into the sky. A few faint stars twinkled above, sprinkled among a swirl of purples, pinks, and oranges, dark clouds edged with pink lazily floating above.
The sunset. A view he hadn’t seen in so long.
Grinning, he continued to stare at everything around him. The distant houses, plain and various shades of brown, a few more colorful buildings scattered among them. The large building beside the castle, various shades of purple, accented by the orange glow of sunset. The surrounding pond, deep blue with sparkles of orange reflecting from the dwindling light source. Trees and bushes, bright and green, hints of red and yellow at their tips to signal the oncoming change of season. Everything seemed so vibrant.
And of course, that blur of pink, now revealed to be a pony. Not just any pony, but Starlight, the mare that had been caring for him all these weeks. Rolling onto his belly, he looked up at her, his heart skipping a beat at finally seeing the pony who’d gone through the trouble to get him to where he was now. Her coat, pink, or perhaps even a light shade of purple, was a few shades too familiar. Her purple mane, streaked with blue, was well kept, if not a bit tangled, perhaps from the busy day. The rope she’d been using to lead him was around her neck, a faint magical sparkle intertwined with it, ensuring he wouldn’t try to run away. Her eyes were hidden, as she avoided looking at him, and he felt he knew why.
“I recognize you,” He said softly, head tilting to the side, “From when I took over. You fought me nearly to a standstill. Nopony else has ever managed to do that, except the Princesses.”
She didn’t respond, and with his freed horn, his enhanced senses could detect the fear emanating from her, afraid he was going to hurt her. He wouldn’t though, as much as it felt like something he should’ve done, but for the first time since his rise to power, Sombra didn’t feel the need to hurt. Standing, he slowly took a few steps forward, sitting in front of her.
“I know what you’re afraid of, Starlight,” He began, hoof slowly rising, “Your fears are so unlike anypony else’s, they’re memorable. I’ve seen many fears during my time as king, and many more before then. Most ponies are afraid of trivial little things, such as spiders, snakes, or even failure. Many more are afraid of losing something, whether it be something they worked hard to achieve, or their loved ones. And though I sensed a hint of that within you, your biggest fear was something else entirely.”
His hoof was now rested below her chin, and upon the contact, Starlight had stiffened. She was afraid of him and what he knew, and for some reason, that made Sombra feel something he didn’t like within himself. A part of him felt like he should stop, and drop the topic then and there, but Starlight had done much the same to him only a few days prior.
“You’re afraid of hurting others,” He observed, turning her to face him. She continued to try and look away, but a quick glance toward his face and she gasped, blue eyes locking upon his own. Sombra felt her fear fade slightly, replaced with an emotion he couldn’t quite place, “Why is that?”
Her deafening silence continued, nothing more than an unreadable stare between the two of them. He continued to gaze upon her features as she stared into his, and though her expression showed her to be filled with fear and that unreadable emotion, he wondered if she could see the curiosity in his own. She’d been hardly more than an unruly obstacle the first time he’d encountered her, and one of the few ponies he was prepared to fight with, but now?
Now she was something else. Someone that Sombra didn’t want to hurt.
He was incredibly conflicted about that feeling.
Removing his hoof from her chin, he looked to the remaining bits of the sunset as he said, “I suppose it’ll stay a mystery."
At that, Starlight finally regained herself, shaking her head as she looked away in embarrassment and said, "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to keep secrets, just got a little distracted is all."
Sombra laughed. Not cruelly or bitterly, but genuinely. It was such a strange sound to hear, pleasant even, and for a moment, Starlight forgot she was sitting right beside the pony that had brought the Crystal Empire to its knees.
"Typically, ponies don't enjoy getting caught in my gaze, so it's certainly interesting when it's due to anything else," He said, a small smile upon his face. Fidgeting a bit where he sat, he turned back to Starlight and asked, “Could we perhaps walk around? I’m still terribly antsy.”
Starlight nodded, relieved to have another distraction. Rising to her hooves, Sombra following, she began to walk around at a steady pace, not too sure which direction she should head in. The castle yard was hardly more than a simple little field, directionless and plain, but she led him where she could. Walking seemed to not be enough for Sombra, and before long his pace quickened, and he was in front of her. Starlight wasn’t about to allow this, so she too quickened her pace, her steady walk slowly becoming a canter, and before she knew it, she was full speed galloping across the field.
It had been so long since she ran this fast, and it was much more enjoyable than she remembered. The wind in her mane, the grass under her hooves, the rush of her blood. There was no destination in mind, just endless circles around the castle, running as fast as she could, trying to keep up with Sombra. He’d once again made his way ahead of her, but she’d already given up on catching up again. He was much faster, and even after weeks of imprisonment, much more fit. Where she was already breathing hard and sweating, there didn’t seem to be any sign of exhaustion in Sombra. Just an exhilarated grin on his face, and a pair of focused eyes.
Eyes that Starlight couldn’t stop glancing at.
They looked so different than she’d remembered. More gentle, almost. Maybe it was because they didn’t have that sickly glow, or the trails of shadow that seeped from them. That would certainly be a major difference, yet there still seemed to be something else about him entirely.
Stumbling, her thoughts were shattered as the rope keeping them together snapped, and she let out a shout as she fell. Worried that Sombra was going to keep running, magic sparked at her horn, but to her surprise, he skidded to a stop. Turning, he walked up to her curiously, breathing a bit heavy, but otherwise in much better shape than her.
“Are you alright?” He asked.
“Yeah, I’m good,” She panted, head resting among the cool grass, “I just haven’t run that fast in a long time.”
Sombra plopped down beside her, rolling onto his back to stare at the stars with a smile, “It’s surprisingly thrilling, isn’t it?”
“Maybe for you, but I could really go for a drink of water now.”
“Well, there’s always the pond,” He suggested, tilting his head a bit to look at the dimly sparkling water. Something stirred within him as he did, a faint feeling of uneasiness.
“Gross, that’s probably dirty,” Starlight said with a face of disgust, “I’d be better off getting something from inside.”
“Does that mean we have to go in now?” Sombra asked. He sounded disappointed, and upon turning back to him, Starlight noticed the faintest of pouts upon his face. She couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped her at the look.
“We should be fine for a few more minutes,” She said, looking to the sky for a brief moment, “It’s not like I’ll be dying of dehydration or anything. Besides, it’s nice tonight.”
He nodded in agreement, looking back to the sky as well. Unlike Starlight, he could keep his gaze focused on the twinkling stars, and could easily resist making fleeting glances to the pony beside him. Or so she thought, because it didn’t take long for him to notice her staring.
“Do you still distrust me?” He asked, “I wouldn't blame you.”
"No, it's not that," She assured, getting a look of doubt in return, "Well, not entirely. Something about you just seems a bit different is all."
"I assume you grew overly accustomed to the mask?" He asked. Starlight shook her head. "The lack of regalia? I tried very hard not to be seen bare, lest somepony grow cocky enough to attack me, and in our first encounter I had been very much prepared for that."
She shook her head again, and Sombra frowned.
"I can't even begin to imagine what could've changed," He said.
"I don't know what it is," She said, rolling onto her back to look into the stars again, "But something about you seems, well, nicer I guess?"
"Now I very much doubt that."
She shrugged, “Well, you do look much softer without all that armor, or that pointy crown. You might not agree, but you’ve got a pretty thick coat, and it makes you look pretty fluffy. And your eyes are certainly more pleasing to look at.”
“I continue to doubt you,” He snorted, “Even without my magic, very few ponies ever thought ‘blood red’ was an attractive eye color. They’re wrong, of course.”
“Red?”
His snort turned to a huff of indignance, “Of course they’re red. What other color could they possibly look like?”
“Well, I’m not colorblind as far as I’m aware,” Starlight said, sitting up to look at the agitated stallion quizzically, “And though I don’t know about you, it certainly looks like your eyes are green to me.”
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Thanks. See update at you story is always a pleasure.
Rarity...
I read it way to fast, or it was a short chapter. Exciting! I can't wait for more
10124682
Eh, this was pretty average for my writing, about 5k/6k words per chapter. I'm not too good with much more, though it does happen on occasion.
10124673
Very glad to hear you've both enjoyed it!
I got overly excited when i saw there was an update. This chapter is awesome, though. Also, this story is starting to make me ship Sombra and Starlight! (Which isnt bad its just that I already ship Sombra and Luna)
Ooh, his pupils are now green hmm? Is this due to a lack of magic use? Or due to him being calmer? Or something more? FIND OUT NEXT TIME ON DRAGON BALL Z XD But in all seriousness great chapter. Glad to see old somby finally feeling happy.
Thanks for the update another wonderful chapter I hope you will be able update again soon I can't wait to see what happens next
10124748
All according to plan...It's perfectly fine to ship both! I can certainly say I'm fond of shipping Sombra with a few other characters, like Radiant Hope or Cadance, though Starlight is my personal favorite. Which is why I'd be all for more people shipping it.10124764
It is a mystery~
Don't expect the happiness to last too long, been a minute since we've seen Grogar &
friendsfiends. They can't possibly up to anything good. (There was actually supposed to be a bit with them in it in this or the previous chapter but it just hasn't fit the mood so it's being saved for later)i love this fic so much
Haven't yet had the chance to read this but, given the content, I'll say this.
To anyone reading this who may be struggling with thoughts of suicide, please know that you can be helped. Your life matters, and the world will be emptier and darker if you are gone. Even if by some twist of fate no one noticed (and it's almost certain someone would know and care), there would still be a phantom pain - an absence that no one would know the source of, but would be felt all the same. We would be diminished by the loss of you. If that wasn't true, then why is it that people willingly choose to spend their days professionally helping complete strangers to realize their own self worth? You matter. Please talk to someone who can remind you of that.
Suicide Hotline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
List of International Suicide Hotlines: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines
10124785
Awesome, I absolutely love this fanfiction
Well, I guess if you're taking cues from the comics, then that's what happens when Sombra turns good like at the end of Siege of the Crystal Empire...even if that comic obviously isn't canon anymore (which I'm kinda glad it isn't, since I wasn't a big fan of it)
derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/12/20/1048507.png
10124846
I'm glad you were thoughtful enough to comment such a thing, but if you were to read the story you'd find out that there's not really any explicit mentions or attempts at suicide, and I have no plans to add any. I added the Suicide/Self-Harm tag for the secondary reason, as Sombra's gotten anxious enough to hurt himself, but has no intention on doing anything much worse. If anything, his primary motivation is staying alive, because he refuses to let anyone else kill him again.
So, not a bad thing to post, just a bit odd since there's actually no mentions of suicide in the story itself.
10124873
I actually love Siege, and it's the primary reason I love Sombra. The comic's quite special to me, in fact.
That being said, if you're worried about it, Sombra won't be going through any dramatic transformation. I might love Siege, but when it comes to design choice, his evil self is much more aesthetically pleasing (I'm a sucker for black and red color schemes), and he'll be sticking to the spooky horse appearance.
His eye color is the biggest appearance change he'll get, along with a bit of wardrobe change eventually, so there's nothing to worry about there. Then again, who said his eyes were green because of redemption?
10124886
I guess I do like parts of it, but Sombra's redemption was just waaaay too rushed, and I'm also really not a big fan of the Umbrum, not even in Fiendship is Magic...especially when the comics imply that Sombra's entire reason for being is simply to release them and nothing else. Not only do I think that kinda ruins his threat level a bit (since it essentionally just makes him a pawn of a far more boring villain), but in the actual show we've seen him take over the Crystal Empire no less than three times and not once does he bother to release the Umbrum. Their existence never made any sense to me, and I kinda wish they'd found a way to make the story work without them.
Have I mentioned how much I love this story so far? Cause if I haven't I've been remiss, and if I have... Then I'm sayin' it again! This story is so much fun! Though now that we're talking about music... I wonder what Sombra would think of music like Johnny Cash or The Dead South. Or heck, Creedence Clearwater Revival. (Also, if you've never given The Dead South a listen, they are very well worth it. I'd suggest this piece to start with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9FzVhw8_bY )
And finally, you're still doing really well with your portrayal of Sombra come redemption. It's also really sweet to see him and Starlight well... Star gazing! I never did that enough when I was younger and always regretted it. I love the night sky so much.
10124904
Personally, I can forgive the rushed bits, mostly because it's probably hard to do certain things at a steady pace when you've got a limit of some sort. Comics seem to deal with that a lot.
As for the Umbrum, well... I like them. Quite a lot actually, or at least their concept, they put together a lot of things I like to put into characters (Somewhat skeletal appearance, fear/nightmares, butterfly inspo, these are all things I love to use) And I'd be lying if I said I didn't have plans for them. That being said their motives will be quite a bit different, so hopefully I can use them well. Perfectly fine if you choose to quit following at that, however. It'd take a lot of work to remove them from the story at this point.
And yet even after three takeovers, Sombra still never had a set motive, or even personality, in mind. Other than, uh, power and enslavement I guess. His show portrayal was never all that good in my opinion either, at least not after whatever it was they did in S9.
10124909
He's pretty picky right now, but I'm sure he'll grow a bit more open to music over time! Just... No heavy metal. He might look like something you'd find on an old album cover, but oh boy is that all too much of an overwhelming mess for him.
As for your suggestions, I've only ever heard of Johnny Cash (Who hasn't, really), but the song you've linked was good so I'll be taking a listen to more of their music. And though I can't truly speak on behalf of Sombra, perhaps it would be something he liked eventually? I've never thought too hard about most characters specific music choices, though I do make playlists for stories, and add songs I might associate with the characters.
Happy to hear about how much you love the story though! And yeah, stargazing is nice, though I don't do it quite as often as I'd like. Too much light pollution where I live, so the only time I ever get to do it is on the occasional trip to my family's cabin. And even then, it's still pretty infrequent, because I'm actually quite scared of the woods at night!
Great to see this story getting updated! I'm loving it so far!
10124949
I haven't read any of your story, yet, but I saw this post. I think Sombra would like, "I Won't Back Down" by Cash. If he has already listen to it, well I'll be pleasantly surprised.
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The future. (:
10125167
Now that you mention it, it certainly does sound like something that would fit well.
10125175
This is absolutely canon to my story.Sombra's sheer despair at times makes me tear up. The poor bastard.
This does bring up an interesting point. Do "evil" cutiemarks exist? And what would it take to earn one?
Ah, we continue to learn bits and pieces about Sombra's past. I wonder exactly where everything went wrong...
I also expect the CMC to aggressively try to help Sombra get his cutie mark, regardless of their sister's (or sister figure's) and/or Sombra's disapproval. Would be great comic relief to see them drag Sombra around and pull dangerous stunts that will get him covered in tree sap.
10126359
I think at this point they're a bit beyond the shouting (At least, I don't think they did much of that sort of thing after S5, though I could be wrong, it has been a while since I've watched any CMC episodes) but they will for sure be dragging poor Sombra into shenanigans at some point, though whether or not I actually write such a thing is yet to be determined.
10125374
Wasn't there an episode with the cutie-mark crusaders where a couple were afraid becouse thier daughter had a skull and cross-bones cutie-mark?
P.S what would a cutie-mark in tyranny even look like, a crown of chains?
I dont know what i was getting into reading this fic and i was fully expecting that i wouldnt enjoy it because im so freaking picky when it comes to sombra fics. However im pleasantly surprised and joyful to say this is one of my fucking fave fics now so that's sexy.
10127102
A good point! Though in Petunia's case, they just thought she was a pirate or something, not quite comparable to a slave driving despot. (At least, not in the case of the cartoon)
Would've loved to see what they'd do with an evil pony's cutie mark though, I do feel like it was a shame Sombra never had one, I feel like they could've given an interesting explanation about it.
10127205
Very glad to hear you've enjoyed it! Let's hope I can keep it entertaining right down to the very end.
10127574
Silver lining, that just allows for more development for you. Sombra's destiny isn't set yet, he still has a chance to choose a different path.
Ugh I'm all caught up and now I'm eagerly waiting for the next chapter!!! Thank you for writing this wonderful story! Please keep at it. This is a great story that has helped me unwind form my busy days. Thank you.
I wish I had not been so hasty to read the previous chapter!
Now I'm sitting here ansty, chewing on a wrapper.
10149779
Not sure if I should consider that a compliment or something to be a bit concerned over! Unfortunately I can't even give an estimate on when the next chapter will be done, either. I might have nothing but free time, but motivation is a fickle thing,
especially when you're negatively affected by all the depressing crap.I am trying my best, and I can't guarantee the next chapter won't make you antsy as well.
10149835
please take it as a complement,
I meant no harm in the previous message I sent
I'm doing a Zecora Challenge,
I understand that depression, It upsets everyone's balance.
This has been such a refreshing story, I love Sombra romance fics, but this one gives it a new spin! I love the dykes between him and the Cutie Mark Crusaders it makes me grin every time, I enjoy that they can connect to Sombra so easily compared to the other ponies. Also his dynamic with Starlight is lovely, I love that he's slowly evolving from his cruel self and softening himself when with her. I can't wait to see the next chapter!
10152927
Glad to hear you're enjoying it! I gotta say the scenes with the CMCs have been some of the more fun scenes to write, so I'm glad they're being enjoyed! And of course, any scene with Sombra and Starlight together have been some of my absolute favorites to write.
With any luck the next chapter should be out soon, but with how things have been recently I can't 100% promise it, but I'd like to try.
10125374
Well, they exist in at least one fanfic. "Harmony Theory".
I’ll admit, I found that authors note funnier than I should have.
Don't particularly like the portrayal of the Mane 6 in this story (except for Twilight and Applejack), but I love the tie-in with the CMC and Sombra being a blank flank. I also had fun reading in the comments about shipping...I also used to be solely for Luna and Sombra as a couple, now I also like the idea of Starlight and Sombra as a couple.
10297635
Rarity and Rainbow just need a bit more time to get used to him is all, though Rainbow seems to have ended up a bit, well, cruel about it. Sombra has hurt them by possessing Sweetie and Scootaloo after all, and even if they're not really upset with him for that, their sister figures are not quite as forgiving. It takes time.
But also I could probably use work writing the M6, so your comment is noted. I have an especially hard time with Rainbow.
My ultimate plan is coming together!
I...don't remember that scene. Did this actually happen?
10716509
No, Sombra did control Starlight, but how it happened was never actually shown. I just like to think that Starlight would be strong enough to give him a challenge, even if Sombra still won out in the end.
I also like to joke that the MLP writers had to mind control her off screen because they knew that if they showed it, she'd have tried to talk Sombra down and tried to help him.