Shadows of the Heart

by Scribblestick

Plans

"Flurry!"

Flurry found herself sandwiched between fuzzy pink and purple walls the moment she entered the throne room. Aunt Twilight was the first to step back, wiping a tear from the corner of her eyes. Her mother’s tears dropped onto Flurry’s neck as she squeezed tightly. "Thank Celestia," she whispered.

"Hi, Mom." Flurry wished she had a better response. "I’m all right."

Mom stepped back at last, eyes wet and smile shaking. "I can’t imagine what you’ve been through at the hooves of that…" She took a deep breath and pantomimed pushing her stress away. "But you’re here, and King Sombra will soon be dealt with. You won’t have to worry about him again."

Flurry was struck with the image of Sombra being dragged through the Empire in chains, obscured behind an armada of spells. She felt her eyes begin to twitch as tears welled up behind them.

"Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry." Mom’s face was a bit blurry, but Flurry could still see the hoof pressed against her mouth. "I won’t mention him again."

"It’s not that," Flurry said. She forced back the tears. "Mom, you have to let Sombra go." Two two older mares looked at each other, and then at Flurry Heart. Brows furrowed. Frowns. Frustration? She didn't really care. "I know, it sounds crazy, but he's not evil."

"Uh, Flurry Heart," Aunt Twilight began, "are you sure we're talking about the same pony? The king of shadows? The guy who enslaved the entire Crystal Empire?"

"Yes, but—"

"Not to mention foalnapping you to get your father and I to surrender," Mom added.

"I know—"

"And then he attacked Canterlot and brainwashed the guards," Aunt Twilight continued. "That was not an easy recovery, let me tell you."

"Are you done?" Flurry glared at the two mares. They closed their mouths and waited. "Yes, to all of that, but did either of you actually stop to talk to him?"

"Flurry, dear, talking only works if the other pony is willing to listen," Mom said.

"And King Sombra definitely wasn't," Aunt Twilight added.

"Well, he talked to me, and I don't think he's evil," Flurry said. "The whole king of shadows thing comes from his hometown. He's just been trying to keep them safe."

"One doesn't enslave a kingdom just to keep their home safe," Mom said.

Flurry sighed. "Okay, it's a little more complicated than that. A lot more complicated. But I've talked to him. We don't have to be enemies any more."

Mom and Aunt Twilight were silent for a moment. Then, Mom spoke. "Flurry, please don't take this the wrong way, but... are you sure you're the best pony to judge his character?"

Flurry took an involuntary step back. "O-Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Dear, we both know you're not the best at telling what another pony is thinking."

There it was. Her quirk. She sat down as a weight settled on her chest. "I know, but..." She looked her mother square in the eyes. "You have to believe me. He's not the pony everypony thinks he is."

"That may be, Flurry Heart, but we can't just ignore the past," Aunt Twilight said. "I don't need to tell you the things he's done, and the threat he still poses to all of Equestria."

Flurry tried to swallow down the frog in her throat, but failed. She sucked in a rattling breath. "What’s going to happen to him?"

"The Council of Friendship will be here tomorrow," Aunt Twilight said. "We will decide then what to do with him."

"Turn him to stone, I hope," Mom muttered. "He’s caused enough trouble already."

Flurry’s tears burst forth at last, followed closely by heaving sobs. The two mares in front of her couldn’t say a word before she ran from the room, not caring where her hooves took her.

---

The royal archivists were used to Flurry's occasional ransacking of their carefully organized shelves, but even they were taken aback at the fervor to which she set about her task. She spread the entire legal reference section before her. Tables bowed under the dense tomes’ weight. Even the air itself was all but impassable as books and papers swirled around her, held aloft in yellow glow as she dashed to and fro. The midnight moon shone through the skylight by the time she took her notes to the dungeon.

"I want to speak with the prisoner."

The two guards glanced at each other. "Pardon?"

"I want to speak with the prisoner," Flurry repeated. Her heart thumped in her chest as she reviewed her notes. "According to section 17, paragraph 4, clause 6 of the Crystal Empire Penal Code, I have the right to—"

"Yes, you can speak with the prisoner," the guard interrupted with a raised hoof. "I just not sure why you'd want to. Not that it's any of my business, of course," she added quickly.

"You're right. It's not. Now, let me in."

The guards shrugged and opened the door. Flurry trotted through before she could change her mind.

Dozens of candles and torches lit the room. She shouldn't have been surprised. After all, the last thing to give a captured king of shadows was, well, shadows. The room was otherwise bare. Sombra lay curled on the cold floor, half-hidden behind the haze of magic that contained him. Without his armor, she almost didn't recognize him. He cracked an eye open when she entered, then sat upright with a gasp. "You!"

"Yeah. Me." Flurry trotted as close as she could. "Are you all right? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Sombra shook his head. "I came quietly. It seemed like the best course of action at the time."

Flurry nodded. "You're probably right. It's just..." She pressed a hoof against the outermost barrier. It hummed at her touch. "The Council of Friendship is coming tomorrow. They're going to decide what to do with you."

Sombra stood and walked toward her. "I take it that's not a good thing."

She shook her head. "It's my Aunt Twilight and her friends. They might turn you to stone. Forever."

"Pah. Even your tribunals have sugar-coated names."

Flurry tried to look him in the eye, but he avoided her gaze. "You know, they might be more lenient if you acted less angry."

"I'd be less angry if I believed I would be judged fairly." He faced her then. His red eyes bored into her. His brow furrowed. Not anger, she decided. Fear. And I don't blame him.

"I've read up on how the Council does things. You'll have your chance to speak," she said. "Just tell them everything you've told me. Maybe they'll see the good in you."

"And what if they don't?"

Flurry narrowed her eyes, matching the ferocity of his despair with the resolve of her determination. "Then I'll make them see," she said. "No matter what, you can count on that. You probably think I'm just doing this because you saved my life, but you're wrong. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do. And… I really don’t want to see you turned to stone."

Sombra's gaze softened. A faint smile came to his lips, and he pressed his own hoof against the innermost barrier. Only a few thin layers of magic separated them now. "I wasn't thinking that at all, Flurry Heart. I know you better than that."

Flurry returned his smile. "Then let's get to work."

The hours passed quickly as Flurry unpacked her notes. Sombra listened patiently as she explained every detail, interrupting only to ask clarifying questions. When they felt comfortable with the process, they moved on to strategy.

"This won't be easy," Sombra said. "The Council won't have forgotten the things I've done to them, and your family. Even if they follow their rules to the letter, I'm not convinced they'll listen."

"That's where I come in," Flurry answered while she organized her notes. "Twilight is my aunt, and the rest of them helped raise me."

"I suppose it's comforting to know that even the Council of Friendship isn't above favoritism." Sombra smirked as he said it, but his tone was slightly strained.

"You don't have to hide what you're feeling," she said.

Sombra frowned. "I'm not hiding."

"Sure you are. You smiled, but you sounded annoyed, or upset," she pressed. "Which one is it?"

"Both." Sombra chuckled at her frown. "You really couldn't tell?"

"Don't laugh. I told you I don't see things like other ponies."

Sombra sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of you. I was just... surprised."

Flurry groaned and turned her attention to her notes. She heard Sombra tap softly on the barrier. "Flurry," he said, "surely you know that feelings are never simple."

"I know that, but..." She tilted her head back. The crystal ceiling distorted her reflection. "But I also don't know that. Does that make sense?"

"Your head understands, but your heart does not," Sombra said. Flurry nodded. "Or," Sombra continued, "perhaps your heart does understand, but your head lacks trust."

"Maybe." She turned her attention back to her notes. "Dad always says I overthink things, but how else am I supposed to understand?"

"You follow your heart."

"But my heart is always wrong."

"Not about me," he answered.

Comments

[Alzrius]

That last line was pure

[Scribblestick]

11152820
It’s one of my favorites in this story.

[GamePlayer64]

Twilight & her friends are giving Sombra a trial? I’m wondering if Duncecord was given a trial for his crime or they just abuse the justice system and gave him a slap on the wrist?

[Scribblestick]

11152925
Since Celestia and Luna were in charge during Discord’s reformation, I assume that Twilight and Co. wouldn’t have had much involvement with whatever legal proceeding took place. That said, the show certainly doesn’t delve into whatever Discord would have had to do to prove his change of heart, so it kind of seems like slap on the wrist is what happened.

[GamePlayer64]

11152979
The Justice System has always been dead in any form. Cartoons, anime, video games, the whole shabang. Anyway wish to prove me wrong, go ahead.

[Alzrius]

11153028 i.ytimg.com/vi/-rPYF_LJmgs/maxresdefault.jpg

[GamePlayer64]

11154690
Oh thank you for reminding me of the Ace Attorney series

[Scribblestick]

11154690
HOLD IT!

The trial hasn’t started yet! That’s the next chapter!

[Bicyclette]

Flurry found herself sandwiched between fuzzy pink and purple walls the moment she entered the throne room. Aunt Twilight was the first to step back, wiping a tear from the corner of her eyes.

haha, love this metaphor. that is indeed what such a hug would feel like!

"Dear, we both know you're not the best at telling what another pony is thinking."

oof, especially coming off the chapters where her technique actually paid off in seeing through another pony's exterior

"Pah. Even your tribunals have sugar-coated names."

hehehe so true