Chapter 3~
Following Sombra’s disclosure, his body shook and shivered as if he had been thrown out into the harsh tundra beyond the empire’s protective barrier. His head is lowered with a quivering muzzle, wide and anxious eyes staring at the crystal floor.
He had fully disclosed every last shred of detail regarding his vision. Every. Single. Detail.
Radiant Hope recovers from her shock, having heard of the empire’s dark future, Sombasi’s supposed destiny, but with the apparent absence of Sombra. She also found it strange that it focused more on Sombasi despite the fact it was Sombra who ‘interacted’ with the Heart.
“Princess…” she starts somberly, still positioned on Amore’s back. “Please let me down…”
Amore gazes back and nods, that familiar light-blue aura sending Hope aloft and lowering the filly to the floor. As the young unicorn clops over to her friend in aid, bringing them into a loving embrace, Amore silently observes the duo with an unreadable expression.
And a moment of dead silence ensues, which feels like an eternity for all three of them.
Of all the known living beings in the world of Magius, Amore undoubtedly had the most experience with the Crystal Heart. It had always shown her visions of the future, but there was one thing she remained adamant about no matter what she saw. With that in mind, the pale vermillion mare steps forth.
“Sombra?” she began, but the horrified colt still attained downcasted eyes, Hope wrapped around him, whispering words of comfort.
The crystal princess forms a gentle smile, hooves echoing throughout the tripod’s ceiling as she then lowers herself behind Sombra and Hope, her tail curling around and resting in front of them.
Slowly and gently, the princess inhales and exhales. “Nothing that is written nor prophesized is ever absolute.”
Her words garner the attention of the fillies cradled within her presence. “What…?” Sombra asked, his gaze rising to meet her own.
Amore closes her eyes, carefully considering her coming words. “The Heart works in mysterious ways, Sombra. One sees only a small window to a possible future.” she finishes, opening her honey-colored orbs.
“But it’s never a guarantee.”
“Wait, s-so…” Hope began hesitantly. “What we saw isn’t going to happen?”
“That, my child, is a complicated question, for there isn’t a clear answer.” Amore’s answer naturally confuses the foals. “As I said, what you two saw are only possible outcomes. Of course, that doesn’t mean we should dismiss them altogether.”
“S-Sombra remains confused,” he said.
“Same here,” Hope comments. “My fairy friends don’t know what that means, either.”
Amore giggles before bringing a hoof to her chin in thought. “How should I put this?” she lowers her forelimb.
“Let’s start by carefully analyzing your visions. We’ll then pull them apart and see what we can find within the pieces. Understood?”
Sombra nods.
“So, like, a puzzle…?” Hope inquired.
“Precisely!” Amore beamed. “Now, mares first, Sombra. So let’s start with Hope’s vision.”
The foals nod in unison. “What do we do, princess?” Hope inquired.
“Explain to me in full detail what you saw, please. Just as Sombra has done.”
Hope cocks her head. “But I already told you about-”
“No, no, my dear,” Amore gently interjects. “You said that you would become a princess, but you skipped over the details—paint me a picture.”
“O-oh.” Hope ponders for a moment. “It’s fairly straightforward. Ponies were cheering for their princess, who, at first, I thought was you. But then it turned out I was the princess.”
“And that’s all? No other details or events?”
“Not really.” Hope looks to the ceiling with closed eyes, trying her utmost to recollect- “Wait!” she suddenly boomed.
“Go on,” Amore motivated, Sombra looking to Hope with interest.
“In my vision, I saw the Princesses of Equestria! They came to congratulate me on becoming one.”
Amore’s eyes widened, a hoof lifting to curl at her gradient of brilliant raspberry to moderate cobalt blue mane.
“Fascinating,” she muttered. And after a moment of thought with closed eyes, the crystal princess unveils her marbles. “I think I have another perspective to offer if you’d care to hear it, Hope.”
“Of course!” Hope said unhesitantly.
Amore nods. “Then listen well: I, too, believe you will become a princess, but maybe not of the Crystal Empire.”
Hope’s ears flatten against her head, eyes lowering as Sombra rests a comforting hoof on her back.
“Don’t lose heart, Hope,” the vermillion mare comforts, “Please, let me finish. Now then, when the Heart reveals these visions to those who look upon it, one must look at them from every angle and with a plethora of perspectives. With that in mind, your ascending to a throne can be considered a set event, but how you got there is unclear.”
“Oh! Sombra gets it, now,” the dark unicorn injects, garnering Hope’s attention. “Sombra also believes that you will become a princess, Hope. One day, somehow, and somewhere. Maybe you’ll become the empire’s princess, or you’ll be somepony else’s princess.”
“You’re catching on!” Amore beamed proudly. “Very good, Sombra! Miss. Chestnut is simply a marvel—you’re such a smart colt.” she taps Sombra gently with her muzzle. “It’s a far grander difference to when the only words you and your brother could say were your names.”
“Sombra thanks you,” he finishes with a bow of his head.
A smile forms on Hope’s muzzle. “Thank you, princess.”
“It is my absolute pleasure,” Amore responds, smiling. “And somewhere down the line, it would seem Celestia and Luna will take quite an interest in you.” she suddenly pouts, cheeks puffing out, “Although it does sadden me that I have no part in it.” her muzzle vibrates as if she were about to cry.
The foals before her break out into laughter, Amore letting loose a chuckle from her throat. “Now then, Sombra,” she starts. “Let’s move onto-”
“Your highness!” a sudden mare’s voice bellows, followed by the presence of an armored pink crystal pegasus, who flies through the southern archway and circles the ceiling above them before landing with care.
“They’re here.” The mare catches her breath before swinging her head to the right, fluttering off her blue mane, which obscured her sight. “The King and Prince of Saddle Arabia have arrived earlier than we originally anticipated.”
“Oh dear,” Amore said with wide eyes. “We weren’t expecting them until this afternoon. Horseapples, this changes things,” she swiftly turns to Sombra, “I’m so sorry, my sweet colt, but I must leave at once.”
A surge of worry overcomes the dark unicorn. “B-but… my vision…”
Amore’s heart practically shattered upon seeing Sombra’s drastic change in mood. But a sense of determination explodes within the crystal princess, and she trots forth, lowering her head to look directly into Sombra’s green eyes.
“Remember this, Sombra: despite what the visions tell us, we forge our own paths. Every choice we make can shift the very sands of time, and fate does NOT shackle us.”
Sombra suddenly gasps as he’s drawn into a loving embrace, Amore caressing him in the crook of her neck as she rests her lower jaw on his back.
“Never forget that. And above all, never forget that you are loved despite how dark times might become.”
The princess gently breaks away and gracefully turns in place, eyes locked onto the pegasus. “Lead the way.”
As the duo hastily departs, although Amore glances back at Sombra once more, the remaining foals are left to ponder in solitude as they observe the princess’s distantly growing form.
“Hope?” Sombra began, finally breaking the quiet ice.
Her gaze turns. “Yes?”
“Sombra has decided.” he adjusts his stance and stands proud, chest puffed out with his head held up high.
“Sombra rejects that future! Sombra will make his own!”
Hope beams brightly at this and trots up to her friend, bringing him into an embrace.
“If I’m going to become a princess, I want to do so with you at my side.” she gently breaks away. “Ooh! Wait a minute! Maybe you, Snowdrop, and Sombasi can be my guards! It’ll be just like the games we all play back at the orphanage’s playground!”
Sombra’s eyes widen, followed by a smile. “Sombra would like that very much!”
“Come on, let’s get back to the orphanage,” Hope turns away, “Race ya!”
“H-hey!” Sombra bellows in shock, Hope trampling away. “No fair, Sombra wasn’t ready!”
The dark colt bolts after his friend, their shared laughter echoing as they traverse the crystalline street, growing ever-distant from the castle.
Suddenly, a cloaked equine figure reveals itself back where the Crystal Heart rotates and rests.
“You have quite the habit of ‘adopting’ unique individuals, Amore,” the equine possessed a feminine voice, their light-blue cloak concealing their appearance from all. “But, of course, that is why I will forever be loyal to you and always love you. The kindness you show to those who are different is unrivaled.”
Their head lifts slightly, light-blue eyes visible within the blackness provided by the hood. And if one were to look closely, one would notice the sudden wave of green energy traveling across those windows into the soul.
“My true Queen.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.022 seconds
Total duration
864 users online
1,289,293 hits today, 2,280,440 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.®
that was...kinda nice
A Changeling?! NANI?! Ok, now I'm seriously invested in this story. Wow. Now I have theories brewing in my head, and Amore clearly earned this buggy-pony's allegiance. I want to know more about them!
Awesome chapter, Pomp!
Few questions answered, but it raised many more…
11433077
11433052
Thank you!
11433039
me reading the ending of this chapter like:
OH
... I SEE!
11433546
This is fabulous! Not only have I never seen the idea of Sombra having a brother done before in a story in all my time of being a Sombra fan, I like how you're combining this original premise for a Sombra story with an expansion of his backstory in the comics, giving us even more to be invested in! I really hope you'll stick with writing this story until you conclude it the way you want!
11433932
I can fully assure you this story, heck, all my stories, will meet their ends.
Thank you for the kind words!
Would you like to borrow an OC?
11434762
My sincere apologies for missing this comment!
Thank you for the offer, but I don't plan to have OCs in this story.
But again, thank you for the offer, nonetheless.
To the Author - When you informed me about said rewrite i don't know months ago but totally wasn't expecting this...
ch.1: That opening segment at the start had me confused are watching it in through a crystal (like in S5 of mlp:fim) or is the teacher recounting the history of said fight form a book? noticed the filly's name have her name be changed to Bluebell or lobellia (as a nod to oraun high school host club
i'm spelling it incorrectly on purpose, lol!) instead so there's no confusion later on when the actual prince blueblood appears...if he even does at all. you added snowdrop! omg the nostalgia of it all😍
ch.2 - radiant hope is nice addition & it'll give him someone else to confide in besides his brother. princess amore meeting is slightly similar to 'previous' version, the shade at princess celestia though.
dreams/predictions of the future - wait a minute... sombasi is gonna be the villain not sombra!!!
ch.3: sombra fears about becoming a villain, princess amore reassures him.
with a new resolve later tells hope about wanting to forge his own destiny👍👍
can't wait for next chapter/chapters!!!
this message was written out on 11/25/22
11438593
Thank you for that!
>Ch1: She retold it via the book she held in her forelimb.
As for Blueblood, that's actually her last name as the Blueblood family has been a part of nobility ever since the time of the Castle of the Two Sisters. And they remained so even after Luna's banishment and Celestia 'relocating' to the very mountain Canterlot will eventually be built upon. In all honesty, I do like Lobellia as her first name. 
>Ch2: We shall see!
>Ch3: