Fourth Labor: The Queen (Remembrance)
The road back to the farm after my small detour to Luna's city has given me a lot of time to think. Sadly, it's not my preferred 'actually productive' kind of thinking.
I'm still ruminating about what Wallflower and Luna told me. How big the scale of what's actually going on is, and how much I weigh on that scale. I know I can, and will, do something about all this, but the problem is knowing where to start.
Confronting Star Swirl or any of the others is out of the question. They probably wouldn't even listen to me to begin with. Maybe I can push the other gods to oppose them? It could at least lead to a draw.
My thoughts are interrupted as I see a familiar figure in the distance. Tree Hugger, with her empty cart just waiting in the middle of the road, waving at me. I get my horse to trot over to her and quickly embrace her in a hug.
"Were you waiting for me?"
"Yup. Figured you would come through here, and I was already on the road back from Molorcolts, so I waited."
I raise an eyebrow. "Wait, you mean you waited… for days?"
"Oh, no no." She waves her hands. "I've only been waiting for an hour or so."
"Oh, did Mother Nature tell you I was near or was it just luck?"
"A bit of both." She looks at me more closely and noticed my scar. "That looks like it hurt."
"It did. But luckily I lived, and even managed to complete my labor." I shake the reins and started moving. "How've you been? And the farm, and everyone?"
Tree does the same with her cart. "The farm is good. Bloom is losing patience with her sister. I'm afraid she's gonna march to Molorcolts on her own. Granny has been trying to convince her not to."
"Why? Aren't they family?"
Tree chuckles. "That they are. And every member of that family is as stubborn as a mule. Two Apples fighting is a good reason to seek refuge."
"Still, it seems like something they should talk about."
"Oh, surely. But they won't listen to each other when they're angry. Just fight uselessly."
"That's… okay, I can see it. But why don't you mediate? You surely see them when you deliver their apples."
Tree shakes her head. "Big Mac is always the one receiving the cargo, and it'd be easier getting water from rocks than getting him to speak more than one word at a time."
"So, the Apples suck at communicating with each other."
Tree nods. "Pretty much."
I sigh. "Well, Pinkie did ask me to go see them, so maybe I can uncover what's keeping Applejack there."
"We would really appreciate that."
I smile. "You sound like you're part of the family."
"Just like you."
I shake my head. "Not yet. I need to tell them who I am."
"That you do." Tree pats me on the back. "By the way, what was that you did before? Getting in my head."
"I've no idea. I was trying to connect with something, like when we practised on the farm, and suddenly I connected with you. Sorry if it was uncomfortable or invasive."
"Nah, don't worry. I knew it was you, so no harm done," she assures me. "I do the same with animals, after all. And it's, I think, similar to what you're doing. A gentle prod that I have to let in."
"And you just did it?"
"I could recognize it was you, so why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know. Privacy? I don't think I would be comfortable with someone just getting in my head and searching what's in there." It definitely wasn't comfortable when Chrysalis did it.
"I'll keep that in mind, but I don't think it works that way. I can't read the minds of whatever I share a mind with, but I do share their feelings a bit and make assumptions from there."
That makes me pause for a moment. "Wait, but you and I spoke. Or at least, I heard you talking."
"Yeah, and I can't do that, so I guess whatever you did was either a bit different than what I do, or you're better at it than I."
"I doubt it's the second," I say with a chuckle. "You're quite an expert in it."
Tree smiled a bit sadly. "I appreciate that. Many just think I'm faking it."
"Really? Why don't you chase them around as a crow or a wolf or something?"
Tree laughed at that. "Not my style. And I don't like forcing the animals to do stuff. I just go with what they do."
I nod. "Well, I think what you do is very special. Not many can do magic without a blessing from the gods. You're amazing in your own way."
I think I see Tree blush a bit at that, which puts a smile on my face.
We continue our travel to the farm, chatting about more common things till we finally reach home.
Home… it really feels like that now…
I hear Bloom and Granny Smith before I see them, both standing in front of the house, loudly arguing about Applejack.
"Ah miss her too! But ya can't just go and knock down her door to yell at her!"
"She had plenty of time to explain herself! I want answers!"
"Sunset!" Granny exclaims as she sees me approach, clearly thankful for the distraction from her conversation. "So glad to see you back in one piece."
"I hope it wasn't too bad," Bloom chimes in, looking genuinely happy to see me.
"It was… honestly, scary and dangerous. But I did it," I say with a small nugget of pride. "I can tell you all about it, but first… I wanted to talk with you… about who I am.”
Bloom and Granny look at each other before stepping aside, leaving a path to the house. "Come in then, I'll prepare something to eat while we hear you."
I smile and nod.
It takes a while to explain everything, all that I told to Tree Hugger before, plus what had been happening during the labors. Bloom, Granny and Tree all listen with full attention as we sit at the table, the only other noise apart from my voice being their chewing on Smith's cooking.
"So… that's all of it. I think… any questions?" I ask nervously.
"Have you actually killed anyone?" Bloom asks first, earning a small glare from Granny.
"No. And I don't plan on ever doing it." I grip one of my hands with the other. "That's a line I never wanted to cross. Even when I was… blinded."
"So, when you went to deal with the Sirens…" Bloom inquired.
"I'm not foolish. If I have to, I will. But if there's a chance to avoid it, that's at least worth pursuing, right?"
"Of course," Granny answers. "Whether we like it or not, the world is quite dangerous. And doing these labors is bound to throw you into the worst of it."
"Sounds a bit unfair, if you ask me," Bloom says as she crosses her arms.
"A few months ago, I would've fully agreed with you. But despite what Wallflower says, this is still me making up for what I did. What I intended to do. What I could've caused." I feel a shiver run down my spine. Tree places a hand on my shoulder, giving me enough comfort to keep going. "And it's not like I'm risking my life in vain. I've helped people. And understanding things I wasn't aware of when I made my initial plan."
"So, what's the new plan?" Bloom asks. "What are you doing after the labors are done?"
The question takes me by surprise, and I need a few minutes to finally react. "I'm working on it. It took me years to make my attempt on just Celestia, and I'm still learning new things with every labor." I look at all three of them, a second each, and lower my head. "And… if you would have me, I’d like to remain here for a while longer. But I understand if you feel uncomfortable with it."
Granny and Bloom glance at each other. "We never said you weren't welcomed here."
I can’t hide the smile those words give me. "Tree told me you knew I was lying. But now that you know why…"
Granny Smith reaches out and grabs one of my hands. "That changes nothing. Or rather, it doesn't because of who you are now. You said it yourself. You're making up for your mistakes."
"Plus, it's not like this town doesn't have its own questionable history," Bloom added.
I frown and look at Bloom. "What do you mean?"
"We won't be telling what they don't want to share, but many of the people in town have arrived carrying some weight on their shoulders. Even that sweet girl Pinkie Pie has her own bag of buried problems."
"Pinkie Pie? The one that convinced the town to go along with my bad lie?" I ask in disbelief.
Granny nods. "Indeed. Her and many others. I'm guessing being near the temple of your goddess had something to do with so many burdened folk arriving here, but all of them have found their place and paid their time. And the community has been happier for it."
"And if you think our farm has become your new home," Bloom adds, "we’d be glad to make it so. Permanently or otherwise."
A smile shines on my face. "T-thank you," I say as a tear escapes my eyes. "Thank you so much." Tree stands up and I feel her delicate arms wrap around me, then Bloom’s strong ones, and finally Granny’s.
I hug back as best I can, muttering my gratitude to all of them. For welcoming me in. For forgiving my past. For giving me a home. A future.
For being my family.
The warmth of the sun on my skin. The chirping of birds in the trees.The breeze running through the orchard. I can feel it all. I open the eyes that are not mine, and look at my body resting atop Tree Hugger’s stump, frozen in a meditative pose.
“It’s a bit weird and cool to see myself moving,” Tree says, her mind currently residing inside a squirrel, leaving her body vacant for me to practise with it. “Is it difficult?”
“It’s… as if I was always you. Sort of,” I admit, looking at my hand. “Is it like this when you go inside animals?”
“I can't be sure. I share the body with them, so I only know what they know. I think it’s easier that way, but you clearly like to challenge yourself.”
I chuckle. “You’re not wrong, but, in actuality, I just don’t feel the same connection with the animals. Only with you… so I guess I’m limited to other humans.”
“Hmmm. Have you tried connecting with Mother Nature like this?” Tree asks me, and I look to my right, at one of the apple trees that populate the orchard. I walk up to it and gently press my hand against its bark, feeling the rough, live wood against my digits. Well, actually Tree’s, but kind of ‘same thing’ now.
I shake my head to clear my thoughts and focus on the tree, casting out that white thread into it and hoping it connects with something. Bloom called it 'fishing', which I think is appropriate.
After a full minute waiting for Nature to bite, I give up and sit down against the tree before returning to my body. "Nothing," I say with a sigh. "And if I can't do it with your body, then I don't think Mother Nature will ever connect with me."
Tree opened her eyes and turned her head to me. "I think you got it backwards, Sun-sun. Mother Nature, and I think everyone else, will only connect if you do it in your own body."
"I guess you're right." I look at her closely. "How did it feel for you? The first time."
"Like you were right beside me," Tree answers instantly. "Or more like behind me, but in a good way. It was nostalgic, and I got a taste of your emotions for a moment."
"How bored I was?" I say with a chuckle.
"You were scared," Tree says seriously. "And you had a good reason to be scared. I almost wanted to… somehow be there to help you."
"I really appreciate that. But you would've probably gotten eaten by a flying fish."
"It technically would count as returning to nature, so I wouldn't be too bothered about it."
I just start laughing. "You're the best, Tree."
"Right back at ya."
We hear a bell in the distance, telling us Granny had lunch ready for us. Tree stands up and stretches her body, and I do the same, hearing some nice pops before walking over to the house.
As we walk, I grab Tree's shoulder and close my eyes for a moment, focusing on the world around me. I extend those strings from my being, not focusing on making a direct connection, but rather trying to 'feel' with them.
The world suddenly turns from a black void into a blurred lightshow, letting me see the odd shapes of everything a few meters around me. It's… a bit disorienting, but being able to see all around me will surely come in handy someday.
If I had just started learning this from the beginning, who knows what I would be capable of? Star Swirl better have a good explanation for the ban on magic teachings.
I pull the strings back and open my eyes just as we enter the door, and the smell of fresh-cooked food guides me to the table. I help Bloom set everything up while Tree and Granny bring the food over.
The elder of the family sits at the head, with Bloom at her right followed by Tree and myself. The right side of the table is left empty. A free space for those that are not here. They each thank their respective gods before we start eating, and the pleasant warmth of the food does wonders to my tired body.
"Hey, Sunset," Bloom calls out. "Has your goddess given you anything to do yet? We've that big harvest to do on the west side of the orchard."
"Nothing yet. I'm actually a bit worried. It's been a few weeks since the last time we talked." I stir my food a bit with my fork. "I'm hoping she's not in trouble."
"What kind of trouble could a goddess get herself into?" Granny asks. "You might be worrying too much. Unless there's something you're particularly worried about?"
I do my best to not react to that question. "She's in a complicated position with the other gods. That's all I think I can say."
"If it's private stuff, we won't be digging," Tree says, and the others nod.
I can't help but chuckle. "You're fine, don't worry. Wallflower is… more normal than expected." I set my fork down. "Have any of you ever met one of the gods? In any way? Or at least heard of how they are in actual person?"
This sends the three of them into a silent minute of thinking.
"I can't say I have. Only the statues or idols," is Bloom's not-surprising answer. She's still young, after all.
"I've heard of Sonambula being a sort of therapist to her flock. Though I've never witnessed it with my own eyes," Granny says a few seconds later.
"Mother Nature isn't really a god," Tree says, frowning as if looking for the correct words. "More like one of the aspects of existence. One of her strings, so to speak."
"One of her strings? Wait, you're telling me existence is a… person?" I ask, my old question completely forgotten.
Tree shrugs. "I'm not sure. Mother Nature isn't something I can really describe past her name and what I've seen her do. There's a will, of that I'm sure, but it's a will that has something more behind it."
I press my fingers against my temples. "Okay, there's a lot to unpack there."
"Well, we can talk about it if you-"
The main door of the house is suddenly slammed open, and a tall figure enters at an inhuman speed. We barely see the pink blur till she's at the table, right next to me.
"Sunset Shimmer," says the crying, desperate face of Cadence. The Goddess of Love looks like she's about to have a panic attack. "I need your help."
There's a deafening silence as we all process what's happening, till Granny eventually says, "I'm gonna go prepare something for our guest."
Well, if there was ever a doubt about if Wallflower was the exception to the rule, seeing the Goddess of Love being a scared, nearly sobbing mess drinking apple juice like a scolded kid just cleared it.
She is just…I don't even know what happened to her and I already feel bad for her and like… I can relate. This is seriously messing with me.
"So… what happened?" I ask as neutrally as possible.
Cadence needs a second to compose herself before answering. "Some of my children have left me."
Granny Smith's immediate reaction scares me. "What do you mean?! That is not… oh, poor souls. Why did they do it?"
"It wasn't their choice. I'm sure of it," Cadence answers. "The queen manipulated them somehow. It's like they're bound to her."
"What queen?"
"The queen of the Thracetral Empire. She has made them her loyal lackeys and plans to use their blessings as a weapon."
"Why don't you break whatever hold she has with them?" I ask as I set my plate aside, the food already gone quite cold.
"I would. And much more. But that would be breaking the rules, and if the other gods find out about this," Cadence holds back a sob. "They'll kill my children."
"Wha- why?! You said they aren't willingly following her!" I exclaim in disbelief.
"It doesn't matter. With the blessings given to them, they're too dangerous to be let loose."
"Can't you just take their blessings away?"
"That would also kill them."
"Well, what can you do then? What can I do that you can't?" I shout more angrily than I should.
"You can stop them," Cadence says, almost begging. "Undo whatever the queen did to keep them controlled. I can handle the rest from there."
"You're asking me to fight people with blessings from a god?" Remembering what Trixie was capable of, I don't fancy my chances.
"You're the only one I can trust with this. With your capabilities and your morals, I know you'll be able to do it." Cadence pauses for a moment. "But I'll also need to ask you to keep this hidden from Wallflower."
I wince. "Uh, she's-"
"I know she's your goddess, but I can't risk…" Cadence pauses again. "She's right behind me, isn't she?"
"She's right next to me," I say pointing at the very disappointed-looking goddess at my right.
Cadence winces at that look. "Oh… sorry for not noticing."
"I'm more offended by the fact you don't trust me," Wally grumbles.
"Sorry. I just want to keep this as secret as possible."
"You think I would've told anyone?" Wallflower raises her voice for the first time since I’ve known her. "Or were you just worried I would object to sending Sunset against your children?"
Cadence taps the tip of her fingers. "Well… are you?"
"Of course I am! Especially when you try to do it behind my back!"
"I need her help! And I know how much you care for her so I couldn't risk-"
Wallflower pulls her arm out of her cloak, but I quickly grab it. "It's okay. I'll help her."
Wally turns to me, all the frustration gone from her eyes. "You don't have to."
"I want to," I look at the goddess across the table. "And she needs it."
Wallflower clenches her teeth, trying to be subtle, but I notice anyway. After a few long seconds, she sighs and relaxes. "Okay. This shall be your Fourth Labor."
I smile and kind of want to hug her, but I hold back. "Thank you." I turn to Cadence. "I'll do the best I can to free them."
The Goddess of Love teleports to my side and traps me in a bear hug that rivals Pinkie's. "Thank you thank you thank you! I knew you were a woman of pure heart."
"I don't think that's-"
"Now. I would hate to send you without anything, so let me think what blessing I could–"
"You're not blessing her," Wallflower says, her seriousness returning as she glares at her. "The last thing I want is the other gods finding out about this and ripping the blessing out of Sunset too."
Cadence sighs. "You're right." She then turns to me, noticing something. "You got a blessing from Rockhoof?"
"Oh, no. I got this from a… friend," I say, showing the belt Cherry had gifted me.
The Goddess of Love smiles mischievously. "You could maybe convince him to give you a blessing."
I raise an eyebrow. "Weren't we keeping all of this secret?"
"I know you're very good at lying~"
"Cadence," Wally says, almost threateningly.
"Right. Sorry. But I do trust you to be able to gain his favour without mentioning that it involves my children. Rockhoof is quite friendly, and I would bet he'll help you if you make a good plea to him."
"I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with the idea, but I guess it's better than going in with just a magical belt and sword." I let out a small sigh. "Where can I find him?"
"In his city. Molorcolts."
Apple Bloom immediately jumps off her chair. "I'm going with you!"
"No you're not," says everyone in the room, including me.
"Why?!" Bloom whines in a way that makes me question her age.
Granny Smith placed her hands on the table. "Bloom, I know you want to speak your mind to Applejack, because so do I. But I know well how stubborn both of you are, so I trust Sunset here to do a better job making her talk about whatever mess she got herself into. And you still have chores here and you're not dumping them on poor Tree so you can yell at your sister."
"But–"
"No buts."
"But–"
"I'll ground you."
Bloom looks like she really wants to utter her third but, but instead just groans and sits back on her chair. "Just… Sunset… Please ask her why, for me. That's all I wanna know."
"I will," I say with a smile. "I also want to know what happened. And I'll make sure she returns. At least to explain herself."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Wallflower about to disappear, and I quickly grab her. "Hey, could we talk a bit?"
Wally looks surprised for a second before lifting her finger. Instantly, a swarm of petals surrounds us, and, when they disperse, we're out in the orchard.
I blink a few times before reacting. "Can you teleport me to Molorcolts?"
"Is that why you wanted to talk?"
"No no no! I just wanted to know how you were doing. It's been a while since I saw you."
Wally cocks her head a bit. "You… missed me?" She asks with a hint of red on her cheeks.
"I… yeah," I admit with a chuckle. "So, how have you been?"
Wallflower sighs and sits down on a log that sprouts from the ground. "Tired. Dealing with my 'infractions' to the rules. Godly bureaucracy, mostly."
I nod as if I knew what that meant while I sit with her. But I could tell it was unnecessarily annoying. "I guess it's my fault." Wallflower looks at me, confused. "I didn't kill the Sirens. Messed up things with Luna. The whole Chrysalis deal, probably."
"Oh. No, it's not because of you… well, not all of it. Many of them are just because of my own disobedience of the rules."
I nod and smirk. "So, I'm not the only rebel here."
Wallflower pauses for a second before bursting out laughing. And gods, I love how she sounds. "Never saw it that way, but I can't refute it either. You're clearly the expert in this."
I place a hand on her shoulder. "I'll teach you all I know. You'll be tearing down the entire pantheon by winter."
I'm rewarded with more laughter. "You're certainly rubbing off on me." Wally takes a deep breath to calm herself. "What about you? What have you been doing?"
"Found a new family," I say, looking down. "I always thought I would never have that again. I… pushed away so many opportunities for it."
Wally's hand joins mine on the shoulder. "You deserve love, Sunset."
"I thought I deserved many things. That wasn't one of them." My hand slowly grips hers. "And I've you to thank for changing that."
"You've yourself to thank for that," Wally countered. "All I did was show you what you were doing wrong. All the right things you did yourself. You're the one responsible for your own happiness."
I smile, and we stay like this for a while, our hands still together, till she removes hers so she can lean her head on me. "I'm very proud of all you've done so far. And I know you'll do a lot more."
I look at her, my smile fading a little. "You think… I can eventually do it?"
Wallflower lifts her eyes at me. "Do what?"
"Change things. With the gods. The people. The correct way this time." I clench my fists. "It's not that I'm thinking on giving up, but I–"
Wallflower grabs my chin and gently moves my head till we're looking eye to eye. "I believe in you, Sunset. I know that you'll change things for the better."
As I look into her soft bark eyes and hear those words, I can almost feel my heart doing a flip. I beg my arms to stay still and not do anything too sudden, but, in the position that we’re in right now, if I only lean forward, I could–
Wallflower lets go of my chin and moves back. "But you're still on your road to that. There are some things that need to happen before you can truly start making changes."
I do my best to not look disappointed. "Things like what?"
"Well, helping Cadence is a good start. You won't be able to make a change with only me at your side."
"I think I also have Luna."
"And I'm confident you'll be able to handle Rockhoof."
"Any advice for that encounter?"
Wallflower thinks about it for a moment. "You know what? Be yourself."
"You do know I don't treat the other gods like I treat you, right?"
"Very aware of that. But for real. I think just being yourself will work wonders for it. Trust me."
I chuckle. "Alright. Rockhoof better be ready."
Wallflower lets out a small laugh and slowly opens her arms, inviting a hug that I quickly take. "We need to talk more often," she says as she hugs me tightly, as if she doesn't want to let go. "Good luck, Sunset."
And just like that, she vanishes into petals. And I can't help but grab some in my hands, feeling them between my fingers.
They're as soft as her.
The morning after, I depart for Molorcolts on the family's cart. Tree had decided to let me deliver this week's shipment of apples, which meant someone else had to bring the cart back, since I would be continuing my trip north.
AJ was coming back, one way or another.
I admit, I'm a bit nervous about talking with Applejack. I've become her adopted sister without her having any say in it. Not that I think she would be against it… I hope she isn't. I’ve accepted the job of solving the family problem without knowing basically anything about her.
But I'm not breaking my promise. Applejack must have her reasons, and I'll get her to tell me what they are.
Taking a deep breath, I whip the reins to get the cart moving again. It’s gonna take a while to reach Molorcolts, so…
"Sombra," I call out, and a few moments later, the ghostly image of my trainer appears beside me. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Oh, is this about our last chat?" he asks me.
“Yes. I know you’re somehow related to the Thracetral Empire. And since my next labor is there, I think it’ll help me to hear your story.”
Sombra remains silent for a few seconds, mulling over his answer. “Very well. The road is as long as my tale.”
He sits down next to me, looking at the marks on his axe. “I was born in the Thracetral Empire. My family wasn’t truly rich, but we had a good deal of influence. My father had served in the military till he was too old to fight, and my mother was the high priestess. We were also really proud of the Empire. We had been one of the only factions to stand up to the changelings and successfully defend our lands. And we were still prospering while the rest of the continent struggled.”
“Were you there for the invasion?” I ask out of curiosity.
“No. I was still too young. Dad was a veteran of it. He always told me tales of the war like it was a big adventure. Made me want to be a soldier, just like him.” Sombra frowns after saying that, but doesn’t elaborate. “For the majority of the population of the Thracetral Empire, the invasion that had destroyed nearly half of the continent had been a good thing. But one woman in particular had been horrified by the events. Empress Amore.”
“Amore…” I say as my brain searches through what I remember of my studies. “She was…” My eyes grow wide. “Cadence’s mother…”
“Yes. And the ruler of the Empire during my time.” Sombra places his axe on the back of the cart. “After the war, Amore wanted to change the ways of the Empire. Our military-focused culture had saved us from invasion, yes. But it made us blind to the horrors that these conflicts generate. We celebrated the survivors instead of mourning the fallen. Families pushed their sons and daughters to be soldiers instead of builders, crafters, artists or farmers. People were even strongly suggesting we should claim the lands the changelings had lost, as they were severely weakened. That we would ‘help’ those that had lost so much by making them part of the Empire.”
Sombra’s fist clenched tightly. “Empress Amore was against it. And she started to implement changes so we would stray away from that path. Many were unhappy. Many opposed her ideas, despite her status. And every dinner table was filled with discussions about how Amore was going to be the ruin of our great Empire.” Sombra looks down at his hands. “Mine was no exception. But unlike my parents, I decided to act.”
“Act… how?” I tentatively ask. Afraid of the answer.
“At the time... In my eyes. Amore was the one thing holding the Empire back. So, removing her was the obvious solution. And who better than myself, the son of a war hero and the high priestess, to be the new ruler?”
I wince as he says this. Sombra notices, but doesn’t acknowledge it.
“So, you staged a revolution?”
“A bloody one.” Sombra is now looking forwards, but his eyes aren’t seeing anything I can see. “Led by the people. Rising up to fight for the glory of the Empire. Seeking to kill the Empress and all those that wanted us to change for the better.” He reached back and grabbed his axe again, looking at the marked blade. “I led the charge to the palace myself. Drunk with the feeling of victory in our hands, I separated from my personal guard and made a dash for the throne room. Killing guards. Royals. Servants. Anything that stood in my way.” He grips the handle of the axe with all his strength, as if trying to break the weapon in half. “And when Amore was finally in front of me, I removed her head before she could even get a final word out.”
Sombra falls back, looking exhausted from just the remembrance. “I named myself king. Pretending that I would serve the people instead of my own ideals. But my rulership, if you could even call it that, was extremely short.”
“Because of Cadence,” I say, and he nods.
“She was alive, and had Celestia and Luna as her adoptive aunts. They barged into the palace with a fury I had never witnessed before. I was no match for them.” Sombra looks up, at the sun high up in the sky. “They were going to just kill me at first. But I, like the fool I was, told them that it would not matter. That I had already proven to the people that it was possible to take power. That the ideals that guided me to do what I did wouldn’t die with me.” Sombra’s face suddenly turns much darker. “They proved me very wrong.”
I can feel myself shaking. “W-what did they do?”
“They sought out Luna’s old friend.” He turns to look at me. “Wallflower.”
“No…”
“She refused at first. Knowing the consequences. But she owed Luna. So, eventually, she accepted.”
“What did she do?” There was no record of The Empire having a king. “Did she… make everyone forget about you? About what you did?”
Sombra laughs. “That would’ve been much better. But no. She didn’t just make everyone forget me. Existence itself forgot about me.”
I feel a shiver run down my spine. “What does that mean?”
“It means that… I no longer exist. No one remembers me, because there was never a King Sombra. My parents never existed. My home never existed. All of that was removed. Every friend I had. Every person I convinced to side with me. Every coin I had spent. Every book I owned.”
“The manuscripts of Gusty...”
He nods. “That’s how Celestia and Luna made sure there wouldn’t be another like me.”
I say nothing. Taking a full minute trying to even begin to comprehend what that would feel. “But… if you don’t exist. How are you here?”
“Because of Wallflower,” he says with a smile. “She hated what the sisters had forced her to do. To the point her relationship with Luna was pretty much destroyed. So, she remembered me. And I ended up like this.” He raises his semi-ethereal arm. “At first, I thought it was just her way of punishing me further. But as I served under her, and watched her care for the ones that follow her, and even those that don’t, I understood.”
I see Sombra smile with an air of gratitude. “Remembrance. That’s her gift to us all. From the highest noble to the most insignificant beggar. She will remember you. What you lived. What you did. Who you are. Even if you never had anyone to remember you when you’re gone, you’ll never be forgotten.”
“Forget-Me-Not…”
He nods. “Forget-Me-Not.”
"Wow…" I stare down at the reins as I take it all in. How the Empire was. What the goddesses did. What Wally is capable of. Who Sombra is.
"If you were removed from existence, how is it that I can see and feel you?" I ask out of curiosity. "Was it something Wally did?"
"In a way," Sombra says as he looks at me. "She mentioned my name. And you heard it."
"That's all?"
“When so little of you exists, even the mention of your name is enough to manifest existence. Be it limited like this.”
I nod, deciding to not push the subject; it feels a bit sensitive. “So, what happened to the Empire afterwards?”
“It fell into disrepair. Without their wise queen and my… drive, there was a scramble for power that let a long string of weak and short-sighted leaders take over. Further debilitating the Empire with every change of hands. The Empire is a shadow of its former self, but it’s still worthy of some renown.”
“Is the current queen like those leaders?”
“No. She’s a bit more like me. Just more ruthless, if you can believe that.” Sombra frowns. “She wants to bring the Empire back to its glory days. And will use those five to do it.”
“Even if they’re blessed, I don’t think they’re enough to pose a threat on a larger scale.”
“They can’t. But it’s enough to keep the people thinking her plan will work. And so, they keep her in power.”
I frown. “So they’re just a political tool.”
“I'm afraid so.”
I clench my fists tightly. "Well, they won't be for long. I'm getting them out of whatever that Boot got them into.”
“You’re going to kill her?” Sombra asks.
I look at him. “...maybe. If it’s necessary.”
He gives me a nod. “Good answer. I wish you good fortune in your task.” And with that, he’s gone.
I take a deep breath and shake the reins to go faster. I should arrive at Molorcolts before nightfall.
Stats
Page generated in 0.019 seconds
Total duration
1,045 users online
1,379,090 hits today, 1,960,719 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Hercules reference and it's awesome.
Huh... speaking of seeing gods and goddesses in person...
GAY ALERT GAY ALERT
Man that entire orchard scene was just perfect. Great stuff my guy, and prouda you for getting this chapter out 🙏
11450463
Thank you! I love writing these two together. And it's only going to get even more gay in the future 🌻🌻🌻
11450463
11450513
What kind of Greek God story doesn’t have a deity and a mortal hooking up, after all…
Huh.....Sombra did deserve Punishment for what he did...but that.....Yeeeaaaah.....Celly and Luna are most certainly not Saints in this...but at least somewhat better than Warmongering Starswirl the Genocidal Bearded......
Oh boy, oh boy, New Chapter
Fantastic chapter!
Again, I was starting to worry that this story had been abandoned, and yet again, you laid my fear to rest with a chapter that was worth the wait (...but that doesn't mean I want to wait longer for an even better chapter next time, just so ya know).
Wow, a whirlwind of emotions here, as Sunset learns more about her place in life, from her place in the family, to her place in the runnings of the gods, to the smallest of understandings in how she'll change things, and even a small hint of her place in Wallflower's heart, and vice-versa.
I always like you depiction of Tree Hugger. Possibly the best of any fanfic out there. Not as some druggie. Not even just as some hippie, but as a nature spirit who also wants to offer wisdom and support to others.
D'awwww!
Does it qualify as a Labor if the other gods don't know about it? Won't Star Swirl or one of the others say "wait a moment, you're still one labor short...what do you mean Fourth Labor?" Can just any god or goddess assign her a Labor?
Wallflower: "Okay, Sunset, for your fourth labor, I'd like you to...kiss me on the cheek."
Sunset: "Wally, I don't think you quite understand what fourth base means, but it's a good start, though."
Hehe.
When two Goddesses, a Nature Spirit, a Chosen Champion, and your own grandmother are in agreement, you know you've lost the argument.
Also, now Apple Bloom's personal life and family relationships are apparently important enough to warrant the interest of two Goddesses who've never met her or any member of her family before (sans Sunset, who is now family...again, I say, d'awww
). Heh, you have no idea how complicated your life just got, Bloom. 
Wally laughed as if Sunset was joking with her. Cute.
...If only she knew just how serious Sunset was. She'll literally have Wally tearing down the pantheon. Only the best for her
wifeGoddess, afterall....This question was never actually answered. Can Wally teleport Sunset over long distances? If so, why doesn't she (aside from leaving time for Sunset to meet people and have existential talks about the nature of reality along the way).
No, the road was longer. You finished your tale before the road ended.
That's actually quite clever of Sunset. She'll be keeping her promise.
Five who? Five children? Cadance never mentioned there being five. Does he mean the five Pillars?
Boot? Boot what? Is that a derogatory term for this world? Why is it capitalized?
11450940
I hope I don't take so long too! I barely noticed six months going by. Glad I can keep giving you hope that this story will see an end someday (thought we're still trying to reach the halfway point).
I'll admit, writing her in this story has made me love the character, and I would like if she got more character focus in fanfics. She has a lot of potential as a trusted friend.
The whole labor thing is less regulated than you may be assuming. And Wally could make them some mundane thing that Sunset would solve in a day, but that would defeat the purpose of them which is earning favor with the gods and teaching Sunset about how things work behind the scenes.
Yes, but you pretty much explained why she doesn't do it. Also, Sunset will unlock fast travel on her own
Sombra: "I just wanted to add some flair to it"
Hm, might have been a slip of mine. He is referring to the daughters of Cadence. So, you can probably guess which group of five characters they are XD
Oh, I have a running gag in this story where I translate every curse word into a curse word of another language (Sunset's is Scottish, Trixie's was German, the Sirens were Greek) as a form of silly censorship.
Thank you for reading and leaving these great comments!
Been a while, but love the new chapter. I really can't wait for the second part of it.
Applejack I'm excited!
(Sombra) absolute hamoni very faulty due to deletion! - (Sunset+Sombra Axe) can change
(Huh.....Sombra deserved punishment for what he did...but that.....Yeeeaaaah.....Celly and Luna are definitely not saints in this...but at least somewhat better than warmongering Starswirl the genocidal bearded......)
erased time only makes it worse!
Strange. If Sombra never existed how Amore can be dead? There was nobody to kill her.
11453872
Sombra doesn't exist in the sense there's no evidence of his existence left. His actions are still done, but no one knows how it happened. As far as the people know, Amore was assassinated one day and the culprit never found.
11453889
Intresting. I would like to translate this story when You finish it.
Outstanding stuff here, from Sunset testing her burgeoning abilities to her dynamics with both her family and her goddess to the tragedy of Sombra. Eagerly looking forward to seeing the wrinkles in this plan.
11453889
This strongly reminds me of Genshin Impact and its last big storyline. A world's information repository as a physical entity, with a god charged with managing and maintaining it (god of Knowledge in their case, thankfully for those involved the position doesn't seem to fit the same role here). Like here, the people and things of the world seem to hold no autonomous storage capacity. If the info is gone from this central databank, it's gone, and all the memories, written word and other bits of relevant data change to fill in the blanks. It's unclear just how much power over reality this databank holds. Either it's 'just' recorded memory (in which case it's terribly misused in the story, forgetting the problem never makes it go away), or the world is a dynamic simulation based upon it, and the deleted things are actually gone (in which case messing with it is an easy way to irreversibly break everything, and also this is most likely how reality ends - with a burnt storage cluster, an operator error or a mismanaged hardware upgrade, and also that the god of Knowledge is far and away the most powerful entity in this reality and, really, deserves a capital G.) Needless to say, I'm not a fan either way.
Just found this story again. Great work! Looking forward to reading more.