A Shadow of Your Former Self

by anonbecause1

Chapter 12

It was a bright and cheerful morning in Canterlot. Guards walked the streets in glittering armor, the citizens dressed to the nines, smells of gourmet food and perfumes were everywhere you may trot. Steel Plate was currently enjoying his post out near the front entrance just pony watching and soaking up Celestia’s sun. His brother, Onyx Plate, claimed that working on Luna’s guard was far superior due to the lovely town lights and peaceful working conditions but Steel Plate would always disagree. He was so relaxed that he almost missed an odd pony coming through the gate. Steel Plate and his partner Ten Hut quickly lowered their spears in the new comers way, “Halt!”

Steel Plate’s eyes widened as he took in the stranger’s appearance, “Celestia have mercy.”

It was a tall stallion, his hooves were split and bleeding from walking, his ear was bandaged, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in a month. The stallion tried to speak but it was obvious he was too dehydrated. Steel Plate abandoned his post to get a canteen from the guard station, Ten Hut yelled at him to remain at attention but he just couldn’t do that. His oath was to serve and protect the princess and her citizens and this was the most in need pony he had ever seen. Ten Hut glared at him as he returned but he obviously didn’t need help keeping the odd pony there; it looked like a strong breeze could make him keel over. “Here, drink.”

The stallion nodded in thanks and guzzled down the entire canteen at once, choking near the end as the excess ran down his muzzle. Ten Hut jabbed the stranger in his side with the blunt end of his spear. “Can we get you anything else your majesty, huh? Would you like private green here to give you a massage?” The pony only responded to the insult by shaking his head ‘no.’

“I’m here to, to turn myself in.”

“Turn yourself in?” Steel Plate asked.

“I am King Sombra.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Twilight was pacing the floor of the throne room while Celestia, Luna, and Cadence watched from their respective thrones.

“This is definitely a trap.”

“The guards said he did not look so well. Perhaps he was just ill equipped to thrive on his own?” Luna theorized, looking to her older sister for her thoughts.

“The best way to find out what King Sombra wants is to ask. He was never shy about talking about himself.”

“I agree with aunt Celestia. If he is so weak, then he is no match against four alicorn princesses.”

“I still wish my friends were here. The elements of harmony would be ideal in this situation.”

“They may not be necessary, come Twilight, he is almost here.”

Twilight took her mentors advice and sat on her temporary throne. She had been agonizing, no, dreading this exact moment since she failed the test all those years ago. She had been building him up in her head, a master manipulator biding his time until he could strike. The incarnation of fear itself. Facing him would be her greatest challenge yet and she didn’t even have her friends to support her. The guards made ready to pull the doors open and reveal the monster for their own eyes; she glanced to the other princesses for moral support. They nodded their heads; they were all in this together. Twilight took a deep breath and prepared to face her fears head on.

Sombra was shackled, dizzy, filthy, and starved. He came into the room not as a King of nightmares but as a creature on the verge of collapse. His hooves and ear were bleeding and it was obvious nopony even bothered to correct or treat either. His head hung low; he couldn’t even stand before his executioners so he sat. His eyes glazed over, puffy and read from crying.

Twilight was…disappointed and quite frankly, mildly sickened. She turned to the nearest guard, “What happened to him?”

“He came to the gate like this your grace.”

“King Sombra.” Celestia’s voice cut through the room like a knife, she didn’t even flinch at his appearance. “You say you have come to turn yourself in for your crimes against Equestria. I find this suspect, given your history of scheming, in your own words; tell us your reasoning.”

Sombra’s eyes looked back up at her but it was clear he couldn’t keep the eye contact for long. Out of shame or fatigue, it was anyponies guess. “Why does everypony keep insisting I’m some tactical genius? I haven’t done a single intelligent thing in my life. Who takes over a kingdom? Only an idiot would want that job. You’re blamed for everything that goes wrong no matter what, not to mention constantly stressed and overworked. Nopony smart gets into politics.” Sombra eyes rolled up to meet each princesses faces one by one, they all looked some level of mildly offended. “That was a joke if you couldn’t tell.”

“Save whatever wit you think you possess,” Luna commanded. Sombra just shrugged.

“Fair enough I guess.”

“Enough of this!” Cadence stood with her wings spread, “What have you done with the Crystal Heart?”

Sombra shrugged, “Don’t know.”

“If you have any remorse in you left. Tell us were you have hidden it now!”

“I do have remorse and I really don’t know.” He tapped his hoof to his head, the bleeding started up again in its cracks, “Haven’t been able to remember a thing since I woke up in the castle. First memory I have is of being pile driven into the snow by a blue pegasi.”

“At least Rainbow Dash will be happy to know that.” Twilight muttered to herself under her breath. Celestia seemed to have heard her but kept her expression neutral.

“How do we know you are telling the truth?”

Sombra shrugged, “If you don’t believe me then that’s your problem. It doesn’t matter anyway. I’ll be put to death regardless.”

“And whom has said this?” Luna asked, Sombra glared at her from across the room. His tone was lurking, dangerous.

“I’ve read what I’ve done. There is no atonement.” His gaze shifted to Cadence, “You’re the new ruler of the Crystal Empire right? Don’t you want justice for your citizens? Wouldn’t they feel better after their slaver, conqueror, and murderer can never touch them again?”

Sombra stood up, his back strait, eyes forward. The air around him shifted from one of victim to one of King, it was the first and only time he held this much attention and respect. He looked at Cadence dead in the eye and made his demand:

“I will be executed publicly in front of the masses. Only then will your nation heal.”

Twilight gasped but Celestia and Luna held firm. Celestia stood from her throne, her tone just as commanding. “We have heard your demands but this is not a choice that can be easily made. We will deliberate on your fate but in the meantime, you will reside in the Canterlot dungeons.” Celestia only had to tilt her head for the guards to descend on Sombra, escorting him away.

Sombra went willingly without a fight and Twilights expectations were nearly completely shattered.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Twilight was tired, they had spent most of the rest of the day re-working the same talking points but nopony was really all that willing to make a choice yet. There hadn’t been an execution in Equestria since the time of the founders, what would it meant to break that precedent?

Sombra had requested her presence at his cell. Cadence and Luna both said she shouldn’t go but Celestia said she should do what felt right, so here she was. The guards would be standing with her the entire time and she was the element of magic, at the very least she could get away and warn the princesses. Sombra’s cell was in the deepest part of the castle, Twilight had never been down here before. It was damp and musky with no sunlight or moonshine. A pony could go mad down here.

Sombra sat near the back of his cell shifting papers from side to side until she cleared her throat to get his attention. His head shot up and he actually gave her a genuine smile.

“Thank you for coming. I wasn’t sure you would.” He picked up the papers he had been playing with and brought them to her; they were letters. “I should have done this before I left but coming here was a… spur of the moment decision.” Twilight took the letters; Sombra pointed to the one on top. She noticed his wounds were still not treated. “I only have the addresses for two places but I gave as much information as I could about where to find the others. If you can’t or don’t want to have them delivered, that’s fine. Not like I can force you. But the top one is the most important.”

Twilight read who the top letter was addressed to and froze. “Moon Dancer?”

Sombra nodded, “She was a suspect at the library. She had nothing to do with the melted fire pit, or me. We theorized about dark magic together but she didn’t know who I was.” Sombra sat back on his rump, “Also that really was an accident. I didn’t mean to turn into a dragon. But once I did, I wanted to see if I could breath fire. I didn’t think it would be hot enough to melt iron.” Sombra mimed flipping two the next letter, Twilight followed suite.

“The next ones are for my boss at the library and my school. They should know where I went. The one for the school also has one for my ex-roommate in it. I wanted to let her know no hard feelings about biting a hole in my ear.”

“What?!” Sombra ignored her and mimed flipping to the next letter, Twilight grumpily complied.

“The next few are for my friends. Cartwheel, his wife Daisy Chain, Clawson, Ally, Tom, and Jerry. Ledger Cross and his husband Skyfall.”

“… you have a lot of friends.” Sombra nodded.

“They are all wonderful people and I should have told them I love them in person but… stuff happens.” Sombra laughed awkwardly as he held up one last letter. “This one isn’t done yet but it will be soon. I don’t know this pony but he wrote a really good book about the crystal empire, it’s what brought me here. It deserves a good review.” He put the letter down, the smile disappeared from his face.

“I won’t say I’m not angry. I feel cheated from a life I didn’t get to live and I’m scared. But I believe that ponies who hurt other ponies should be sorry and punished for it. Will you deliver the letters for me?”

Twilight held the letters to her chest, “I give you my word as the Princess of Friendship to tell your friends goodbye for you.”

Sombra nodded his thanks, “Good.”

Comments

[Ice Star]

The elements of harmony

The words 'elements' and 'harmony' need to be capitalized.

Twilight took her mentors advice and sat on her temporary throne.

This should be mentor's, since Twilight only has one mentor.

Sombra was shackled, dizzy, filthy, and starved.

Since so much time has passed, it would be good for you to tell us all the ways that Sombra has changed his appearance. This would help reinforce not just his new persona but why others did not recognize him.

His eyes glazed over, puffy and read from crying.

His eyes were glazed over, puffy, and red from crying.

blue pegasi

The singular is pegasus.

“At least Rainbow Dash will be happy to know that.” Twilight muttered to herself under her breath.

There needs to be a comma, not a period, in her dialogue.

Sombra went willingly without a fight and Twilights expectations were nearly completely shattered.

That should read 'Twilight's expectations' since it is not about multiple instances of evening.

I don’t know this pony but he wrote a really good book about the crystal empire, it’s what brought me here.

The words 'crystal empire' need to be capitalized, since it is a proper place.