(9-3) Going Into Hiding
“I, umm… I’m not entirely sure that would be a good idea…” Hope tried to say nervously. “I’m not sure Sombra would want to see you.”
“I see,” Princess Amore replied thoughtfully. “Well, if it’s all the same, I’d like to see him anyway. What I have to say is important. It’s something that needs to be said.”
Radiant Hope was uncomfortable with the prospect of her visiting her friend, and wanted anything but to bring them together. However, before she could come up with a better excuse, Twilight interrupted her.
“I don’t think that would be an issue… but maybe we should be in the room with you?” the mare suggested. “I mean… it really didn’t seem like he liked you. I don’t think something will happen, but I also don’t want an argument to break out. I mean, you understand, right?”
“Completely understandable,” Amore agreed. “It didn’t seem like he was particularly pleased seeing me the last time we met, seeing how that ended. But as I said, what I have to say must be said.”
"I... don't see why we can't-" Twilight started before she was interrupted.
“But I want to talk to him first,” Hope blurted out quickly. “I mean, alone, if that’s okay. I just want to make sure he’s prepared to see you after so long, Prin- I mean, Amore. Please?”
“It would make no difference to me,” she said simply. “Go right ahead.”
I was flipping through memories in the window when I heard my name called.
I’d grown adept at tuning out conversations Sombra had unless I heard my name come up, a skill that was useful to me as I spent many hours doing what largely amounted to watching my memories play out like a movie. Luckily for me, there was what amounted to almost a third of a lifetime to go through, so I had what had to be thousands upon thousands of hours to sift through, with seemingly all the time in the world to go through them.
However, I looked up when my name was called, noticing it was Radiant Hope who wanted me. She looked nervous about something, and just that fact made me nervous. A second later, I was startled by Sombra suddenly popping in front of me without warning.
“Alex!” he started in a nervous voice. “I need you to go out there for me, right now! I can’t be out there while she’s here!”
“Okay, hold on. Who is “she” and why?” I asked. “I don’t want you to throw me into an argument with somepony because you don’t want to talk to them, like when you told me Twilight and Starlight wanted to talk to me before.”
Even as I told him that, I could tell he looked panicked. He was more unhinged than either of us had ever been, and it only served to make me more concerned.
“What’s going on?” I asked. “Why do you look so afraid?”
“It’s Amore!” he told me, practically yelling. “She’s back here, and she wants to see me!”
“...okay? So what?” I asked, completely confused. “That name sounds a little familiar, but not really. I don’t know who she is.”
“She’s that witch who made my childhood an unpleasant one with her cruelty! Of course, she’ll never admit to that! No doubt, she’s here to tell Twilight Sparkle and her friends how I imprisoned her and tried to steal the Crystal Heart, even though I was only defending myself! But of course, they won’t see it that way! It’s because of who I am and who she is!”
“Oh, the pony you turned into stone, I remember that. I thought you said they were pardoning you in return for freeing her. I don’t think Twilight’s the type to just-”
“That doesn’t matter!” he pressed, pacing back and forth, clearly anxious. “I know they’ll go back on what they promised! That’s who they are! It’s who they’ve always been! It's a cruel bunch of ponies they are.”
“Well, you got that part right,” I agreed, “but what does that have anything to do with me?” I asked.
He turned back to me with what looked like desperation in his eyes and started, “I need you to go out there for me! I need you to convince them that my actions were justified!”
That, what he was asking, made me angry. In the back of my head, I knew he would only bother me for something like that, something he wanted me to solve for him. I scowled at him, but he didn’t seem to notice because of his panicking.
“They’ll listen to you, I know that! I just need you to do this one thing for me and-”
“And what one thing have you done for me?” I asked angrily. “What one thing have I been given this entire time I’ve been here, huh?”
“I’ve done-”
“Because it seems like I’ve been doing a lot for everypony else and getting absolutely nothing in return. I’m being used for the goals of everyone else from what I see.”
“I’ve provided things in return!” he tried to tell me. “I- we were pressed together for over a year because of you! Is that nothing?”
“Yes, it is nothing,” I shot back. “You didn’t willingly do that. I know for a fact that if you could’ve, you would’ve killed me off the first chance you got. So you can go out there yourself. I don’t really know who Amore is other than you turned her into stone, but that’s not my problem because I honestly don’t care what she does to us.”
“Please!” he begged. “I’ll do whatever you want! Just go out there this one time for me!” It was something I’d never seen him do, not once, and it caught me off guard. Still, I wasn’t ready to give in to him just yet.
“Like what?” I asked expectantly, wondering what he could offer me.
“I- I’ll- I know you said you wanted to be combined together with me, so I’ll get that Starlight pony to have that done! N-not forever, but part of the time? Like… a few days every few weeks? Or more?”
“It’s gonna be ‘or more’, I promise you that,” I told him.
“Fine! We can talk about this later! Just go out there for me, please!” he begged, finally getting behind me and using his head to push me forward. “I can’t be out there when she sees me! She's in the castle right now!”
I reluctantly settled for the fact that we would talk about what would happen between us later, telling him, “Fine, but if you go back on this deal, I will make sure you pay for it.” I didn’t exactly know how I would carry out such a threat, but it was one I fully meant to uphold if he lied to me.
“Whatever!” he said as he pushed me forward. “Get out there! Please!”
With that, I went out, blinking against the bright sunlight streaming into our room. I could see Radiant Hope staring at me expectantly. It was a sight that caused me to scowl harder than I already was. I knew it was her idea to bring me out here just from the look on her face.
“Well?” I said, making sure she knew just how frustrated I was by this whole thing. “Let’s get this over with, I guess.”
She turned to the door and opened her mouth to say something, but the group of ponies I somehow knew were standing outside heard me and let themselves in. It was Twilight Sparkle and her friends minus Starlight and Rainbow Dash, and included a very tall unicorn that I could only assume was the one and only Amore that Sombra was so worried about.
She didn’t seem how I expected. From what Sombra was saying, I expected her to look angry or bitter. Instead though, she seemed curious, staring back at me like I was a strange creature, and walking around to examine me. I turned my head to follow her gaze, the whole room staying silent as she scanned me, looking for what, I didn’t know. I decided as she did that for once I would be the one to break the silence.
“So you’re Amore, huh?” I said casually as she continued to look me over.
“Yes I am,” she replied without missing a beat. “I’m the Princess of the Crystal Empire. Do you not remember me, Sombra?”
“I can’t say I really do, other than from a comic book,” I told her. “But to be fair, I’m not Sombra. Although he clearly seemed to remember you, seeing how afraid he was to meet you.”
Radiant Hope cringed at what I said, clearly not wanting me to say that, not that I cared. Amore, however, chuckled, seemingly amused by the idea.
“Afraid of me?” Amore asked. “I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of such a thing from anypony. I try my best to be as approachable as possible to my subjects. But I must ask: If you’re not Sombra, who are you?”
“My name is Alex, and I… I don’t know what I am. But I do know I’m not Sombra, that much is clear. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to emphasize that point in my life. I’m not him.”
“Quite strange for somepony who’s not the stallion I know to look and sound just like him, don’t you think?” she asked, clearly disbelieving.
“I mean, technically I am him,” I answered, “but not really. However, that’s a story that would take months to tell you. The very short version is that he was afraid of you and begged me to come out here to talk to you in his place.”
“I see…” she said thoughtfully. “Well, if you could give him a message, I’d like to apologize to him for what happened between us.”
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That's surprising.
"I'm sorry I tortured you."
... Maybe less surprising. Actions speak louder than words, though I doubt there is much Amore can do. Then again, he froze her for a thousand years. When are they even?
Well it looks like he is a human that got plugged from his world to a world below it in hierarchy, that is an echo of the show and IDW comics
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I mean Celestia wouldn't even acknowledge that what she has done was wrong and apologize
10965291
True but saying sorry is the first step, if she truly means it that is to be seen.
One should not expect to be just forgiven by saying that they are sorry.
Looking forward to the next chapter to see if Alex comes to a debate with her. For in a way she indirectly lead the way for Alex situation, if she didn't put Sombra through the torture of the Crystal heart aura. Sombra's timeline wouldn't likely lead to this present situation with Alex.
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Wasn't she under the effect of Candence emotion aura? making Celestia not clear of mind to investigate if Alex is really or who was in control when? her emotion direction was going in only anger.
i still dont trust amore, but this is a surprising twist. if she's actually being genuine, this is probably really good. but at the same time, unlike how discord was when he was stone, where he could still sense those around him(and probably also think about his predicament a lot), amore had no idea how much time had passed, so therefore she was not aware of things while in pieces. that fact throws out the possibility of her doing self-reflection during her long time as a statue and just thinking.
this is very likely a ruse to lull him into a false sense of security.
she's also quite amicable for being turned to stone only a few hours ago (due to her warped perception of time). i'd at least be really irritated in that short of a perceived time frame, if it were me.
Oh, so he did read the comics!
In that case, he should understand why Sombra doesn't want to see Amore in person, despite me also loathing his begging and cowardice. I am glad things didn't go the way I sensed last chapter, but I do consider the possibility Amore could be lying. Even if she isn't, I strongly doubt Sombra will forgive years of torment just like that.
I’m hoping she’s genuine, but with this story you can’t be sure of whats going to happen until it happens! Looking forward to seeing how this plays out, also definitely wanna see more Cadence. I’m ashamed to admit I enjoy watching her be an entitled parent/Karen.
Really, what would do her the most credit is admitting to exactly what she is apologizing for, in public.
Ain't no amount of apologizing gonna fix your fuck up "princess". Also, I wonder why Alex dident simply say hes another completely different personality being forced to share Sombras body, as that would have been less incriminating than him saying "I'm not sombra but technically I am."
Sombra, you're like 1,000 years old, do it yourself.
Totally expected, but we were hoping for.... Well, more. This isn't a "my mom wants me to tell you sorry" apology, is it? Because it really feels like it, despite her apparent insistence on giving it.
She's going to need to work much harder to prove her authenticity.