> A Change of Heart
>  by LolianTriforce
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

All ponies in Equestria are always kind toward each other and are always ready to help others. Unfortunately, most ponies will shun things that are not normal. Each pony has their own cutie marks; each cutie mark shows the talent of the pony that wears it on their side. This is very normal for a pony to have a cutie mark. But this is the story about one pony that was not normal.
Ornate Harmony is a zebra with light green skin and dark green stripes. She has orange hair with beads and feathers on her hair and her tail. She was the prettiest pony ever known, but she didn’t have a cutie mark. She was orphaned right after she was born. After living five years in a Ponyville orphanage, she ran away, exploring all of Equestria. While traveling, she would wear a brown cape to conceal her flank.
After thirteen years of exploring, she had memorized all the routes to each town. Each town she arrived in, she would find a job, earn her pay, gather supplies, and leave for the next town. She promised herself to never stay in town too long so ponies would never find out her flank was blank. 
After finishing her recent stop in Baltimare, Ornate Harmony was following the train tracks to the river until eventually she would end up in the Crystal Empire. After two days, she finally reached the river and began to head north.
“I hope it doesn’t take long to get to the Crystal Empire,” she thought to herself. “Though, it helps that no pony else is out here and that I can travel at my own pace.”
She walked for hours until the sun began to set. She made camp next to the river, ate her dinner, and rested on a nearby bush. The night was cold, but her cape became warm quickly, allowing her to fall asleep.


	***


After two years of being destroyed back in the Crystal Empire, Sombra had finally formed back into his pony self. He was angry after what had happened and sought revenge. He looked around and found himself a long way away from the Crystal Empire. He growled to himself and began to walk, following the river. 
After a minute or two, he stumbled upon a zebra pony asleep on a bush, shivering due to the wind. He probably would have taken no mind to her and would continue to walk to the Crystal Empire, but something about this pony took his interest. He felt warmth coming from his chest. He felt it pound, but he couldn’t place it. He took off his cape and gently placed it over the zebra’s shivering body.
The zebra stopped shivering and curled up. Sombra was just about to leave her there when he felt a pain in his chest. He stopped and walked back to the bush. He sat down next to her. As soon as he did, the warmth returned, spreading to his whole body.
“What is this strange feeling?” he wondered. “It’s nothing I have ever felt before.”
He began to relax and his eyes began to close.


	***


After what felt like five minutes, he opened his eyes. The sun was already up and so was she. Standing in front of him was the zebra, digging her hoof into the ground. She looked mad and a bit scared. 
She stamped her hoof down a couple of times, and then began to charge towards him. He moved aside at the last minute, making her lose her balance and fall face first into the bush. She squirmed, trying to get out, but she was stuck.
Sombra walked over to the side of the bush and looked at her.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I’m fine!” she grumbled, squirming.
Sombra grabbed her tail and pulled her out of the bush. She shook her fur, shaking the leaves off of her body. She immediately glared at him.
“What were you doing asleep next to me?” she asked.
“I noticed you looked a little chilled last night, so I lent you my cape,” he answered.
“I didn’t need warmth. I am fine on my own.” She stuck her head up.
“Has anyone told you how pretty you are?”
The zebra’s face immediately turned red and she looked flushed. Sombra was confused towards her reaction. Did she not like compliments? Maybe he was too forward with her.
“I’m sorry to make you feel uncomfortable,” He began, “But I would like it if you would tell me your name. Would that be alright with you?”
“I guess so,” she said slowly. “My name is Ornate Harmony, but you can just call me Ornate.”
“Ornate, huh? Your name is just as pretty as you are.”
Ornate’s face became even redder. She shook the comment off and started to gather her belongings together. Sombra watched her do just that.
“So,” He said, breaking the silence, “Are you going somewhere?”
“Yes,” she said, packing, “I’m going to the Crystal Empire. It’s the next place on my route.”
“That’s quite the coincidence. I was on my way there as well. If you don’t mind, I can accompany you on your journey.”
She looked at him with great hesitance. After a while, she looked away.
“I guess,” she sighed, “I wouldn’t mind having company.”
Sombra smiled a huge smile. He hugged her tight; happy she would include him in her journey. Ornate gently pushed him away; she felt like her personal space had been invaded. Once she finished packing, she slung the pack onto her back and began to walk. Sombra followed her, the smile still spread across his face.


	***


The few hours of silence were music to Ornate’s ears. She loved to listen to nature and not noises from bustling cities and ponies trotting down the street. It relaxed her mind and gave her the clarity to think clearly. She began to think about the strange pony that she found asleep next to her. She didn’t even know his name. In fact, this was the only pony that was willing enough to talk to her. It was almost fun to have a friend, if that is what you can call him. The only thing she hoped was that he didn’t see her blank flank.
Sombra walked behind Ornate. He frowned at the silence. He wanted her to break it with her soft voice. But he dared not break the silence first. He couldn’t wait to get to the Crystal Empire. Suddenly, a dark thought entered his mind; the people of the Crystal Empire would attack him if they saw him back and alive. He had to change his looks.
He put his hoof on her shoulder, forcing her to stop. She looked back at him with a confused look.
“I need to do something before we reach the Crystal Empire,” He began, “It won’t take long.”
She nodded, letting him trot off a short distance from her. He took all of his armor, crown, and cape off. He used his magic to dig a hole and bury his items beneath the dirt. Then, he used magic to make his horn look like a normal unicorn horn instead of a sharp, pointed one. The purple smoke that billowed from his eyes quickly disappeared as well. 
After making sure he didn’t look like his old self, he walked back over to Ornate, who still had a confused look. He smiled and gestured to her to continue. She began to walk again and he quickly followed. Soon, they would arrive in the Crystal Empire.
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ornate was beginning to tire from walking and began to slow down. The heat was bearing down on her and the cloak did not help. She looked ahead and squinted towards the distance. She spotted the top of the Crystal Castle and began to run quickly. She smiled at the thought of a good night’s rest in a warm bed.
Sombra noticed her quickened pace and began to run with her. He couldn’t imagine why she was so excited. It was only a town. Nothing special about it. They reached the train station and began to walk about the town.
“What are we here for?” Sombra asked.
“Well,” Ornate began, “I have to find a small job, get some supplies, and head to the next town.”
“You’re not going to stay for a couple of days?”
“Why should I?”
“Well, I just thought maybe we could get to know each other better.”
Ornate looked at him with a suspicious look.
“What do you say? I’ll pay for everything you need; the hotel, food, anything.”
She kept looking at him, wondering just what he was up to.
“Alright; deal. But first, you must tell me your name.”
“It’s Sombra.”
Ornate nodded and began to walk down the street towards the nearest hotel.


	***


Princess Cadence felt strange, as if something bad was going to happen. She hadn’t felt this way since the incident with King Sombra. She quickly summoned Shining Armor who was quick to get to her side.
“What’s wrong, Cadence?” he asked.
“I feel strange,” She began. “I think something bad is going to happen. I will alert Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I want you to alert your sister and her friends. We will need all the help we can get.”
Shining Armor nodded and ran out the door. Cadence picked up parchment and a quill and began to write a letter.


	***


For the first time in her life, Ornate was able to relax. The town seemed prettier than last time she had been there. She couldn’t tell why. Sombra walked with her down the street. The ponies around them gave them strange looks as they walked by. Sombra wiped the sweat off his brow. Today was unusually hot for a regular day in the Crystal Empire. He glanced at Ornate and her cloak. Why didn’t she take it off? He wondered why she wore it in the first place. Instead, he shrugged the question off and continued to follow her.
Ornate looked back at him and stopped walking.
“So,” she began, “what did you want to do?”
“Well,” he started, “I was thinking of a quiet dinner together. I would very much like to get to know you better.”
Sombra got closer to her, making her blush. She started to continue walking down the street towards the castle.


	***


Twilight and her friends ran towards the castle doors and ran inside. Standing next to a large, round table were Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. Twilight quickly ran up to them.
“What’s the problem?” she asked, out of breath.
“Cadence has told me that she has felt a disturbance in the Crystal Empire,” Celestia answered. 
“She specifically said it felt like it did when Sombra tried to take over the Crystal Empire last time,” Luna added.
Twilight’s eyes widened, as did the rest of the gang.
“You don’t mean,” Applejack started.
Cadence nodded.
“It is possible,” she began, “that Sombra has returned. If I am right, he will be plotting revenge.”
They all walked out of the castle towards the Crystal Heart. It was spinning rapidly. Cadence sighed at the sight.
“I’m not sure if it is Sombra,” she started, “but something has walked into the Crystal Empire.”
Celestia’s sight wandered away from the Crystal Heart and she looked at a pony couple walking by. She noticed that one wore a burlap cloak and the other was dark looking. She kept her eyes on the dark one as he walked by, the thought of suspicion rising in her mind. She quickly put the thought aside and walked back into the castle with the others.


	***


Sombra walked with Ornate towards the castle. He looked at the Crystal Heart and remembered the day that the little purple dragon who had taken his victory away from him. He growled at the thought of that day, but when he looked back towards Ornate, his chest filled with warmth; the same warmth he felt when he first saw her. His chest pounded hard, making him cringe a little. He still couldn’t figure out what was happening to him.
Sombra spotted a restaurant and quickly walked over to it. Ornate followed him and walked inside as he held the door open for her. As they sat down, he couldn’t help but notice that she kept her cloak on. 
“She’s definitely hiding something,” he thought to himself.
He sat across from her, looking at her. She looked down as if she was concerned about herself. He couldn’t see why she would be. She was the most beautiful pony he had ever met. 
A waitress came and took their order as quickly as she could. When she left, Sombra looked at Ornate, twiddling his hooves a little. 
“So,” he started, “Why do you travel so much?”
Her face brightened as a smile spread across it.
“Well,” she began, “I was orphaned at a young age. After staying in an orphanage for five years, I snuck out. Traveling kept me moving so they couldn’t take me back to that awful place.”
“Oh,” he responded, a little concerned. “That’s very interesting.”
“Well, to be honest, I don’t talk to others much. You’re the first pony to hear my story.”
He brightened quickly.
“So, what’s your story?” she asked.
Sombra’s face instantly fell.
“I-It’s a long story,” he stuttered.
“Do I look rushed?” she asked sincerely.
He looked away from her.
“I just can’t. I will tell you when the time comes.”
They spent the rest of their meal in silence.
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Sombra walked with Ornate, he could tell she was unhappy. The evening meal together did not go as he wanted it to. But, then again, it could have been worse. She could have found out about his past and left him for good. It’s better to have her mad for a little while then to lose her for eternity.
Ornate finally stopped in front of the hotel and held out her hoof towards him, still looking away. Sombra knew she wanted the key to her room. He handed her the key with his magic. She snatched it from the air before it even touched her hoof. 
She walked into the hotel and into her room, locking the door shut. Sombra’s ears lowered as he walked to his room. He unlocked the door and walked inside. The room was dark and quiet. He flipped the switch on the wall, turning the lights on. The room was small with one queen bed, a desk and chair, nightstand with a lamp, and a small bathroom.
He sighed as he sat on the side of the bed. He began to think about nothing except Ornate. He found himself wanting to hold her and keep her close. He knew these wishes were in vain.  He lay down on the bed and pulled the blanket up, dozing off into a deep sleep.


	***


Ornate took her cloak off and tossed it onto the chair in front of the desk. She was mad to tell Sombra her story, one that no one had ever heard before, and he wouldn’t tell her his story. She paced around the room, wondering about him. Why did he take off his armor and cape off and bury it in the fields? He was a strange pony.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. She quickly put her cloak back on. She made sure it covered her blank flank, and then she opened the door. As she looked past the door, her eyes widened. Standing in front of her door was Princess Celestia herself. 
Stiff with shock, she bowed down in front of her. Celestia gently put her hoof under Ornate’s chin and lifted her chin up to look at her. Ornate stood there, shaking. Why was Princess Celestia here at the hotel?
“I am sure you are very confused,” She said softly, “But I mean you no harm.”
“Why are you here, Princess?” she asked.
“I noticed you at the castle with a gentlepony today. If I may ask, what is his name?”
“He said,” Ornate said slowly, “his name was Sombra.”
Celestia’s eyes widened. She slowly put her hoof down.
“I see,” Celestia mumbled. “Tell me, what is your name?”
“Ornate,” she answered. “Ornate Harmony.”
“It was nice to meet you, Ornate. I must go now.”
With that, Celestia walked down the hall and out of the hotel. Ornate was still in shock. She closed the door quietly and removed her cloak, putting it back on the chair. She dove into the blankets and calmly fell fast asleep.


	***


Ornate woke up but kept her eyes closed. Something was off. She thought she could hear someone breathing next to her. She slowly opened her eyes and looked towards where the breathing was coming from. Sombra was watching her sleep by the side of her bed.
She let out a shriek and pulled the covers over her head. Sombra laughed at the sight of her. She pulled the blanket down so he could see her eyes.
“H-How did you get in?!” she cried.
“I let myself in,” he answered smugly.
He pulled the blanket completely off the bed, making her shriek even more. He jumped up onto the bed and hugged her tight. The embrace felt good and his chest pounded a little. She squirmed a bit, but his hug was tight and firm. Finally, she relaxed. 
“See?” he cooed, “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Ornate blushed hard and pushed him away a little, still unsure about what he might do. He gently stroked her hair with his hoof and admired her beauty. He knew many ponies thought the crystal ponies were beautiful, but he saw no beauty in them. In fact, Ornate was the first pony he ever saw beauty in.
Sombra got so distracted by her beauty, that he did not notice that he was leaning in to kiss her. Ornate noticed right away and backed out, pulling away from his embrace. Sombra snapped out of his train of thought, but not until he leaned in too far. He then face-planted into the fluffy pillows on the bed.
He quickly sat up and looked at Ornate. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking. Her face was deep red and her eyes were wide. Sombra began to feel bad for rushing her. He quickly jumped off the bed and handed her the cloak on the chair. She quickly put the cloak on and stood up. 
“It’s about time for breakfast, isn’t it?” Sombra asked.
Ornate nodded and walked out of the hotel room. Sombra quickly followed her from behind.
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As they walked out of the hotel, Ornate began to calm down. She had realized that Sombra might have seen her blank flank, but she had noticed that he said nothing about it. It could be that he didn’t see it to begin with. He was too wrapped up watching her rather than noticing that she didn’t have a cutie mark. She didn’t want to ask to see if he saw it for fear of him not seeing it in the first place and beginning to become nosy. She remained quiet.
While they trotted down the street, she noticed him looking around at the stores. She wondered what he was looking for. It wasn’t until they stopped in front of a shop before she realized what he was looking for. The shop was a small and quaint little store with a big window in front. She looked at the sign for the shop, which read:
Miss Tailored Velvet’s Dress Shop
“A dress shop?” she wondered. “Why are we going to a dress shop?”
“You’ll see,” Sombra responded, smiling.
He opened the door for her, allowing her to walk inside. When they entered, they found the shop full of dresses. The walls were crimson red with touches of black. The dresses were all hanging on racks everywhere. The colors of the dresses consisted of all the colors of the rainbow and some in between. 
As they walked through the store, a velvet red unicorn approached them with a smile on her face. Her black hair was long and shimmered a bit in the light. Her dark purple eyes were enchanting.
“May I help you?” She asked.
“Yes,” Sombra began to explain. “This young lady is looking for a dress.”
“I am?” Ornate asked, a bit confused.
“I think I can help her with that,” the unicorn answered.
The unicorn grabbed Ornate by the hoof and whisked her to a room in the back. She sat Ornate down in a chair and began to search through dresses that had been stored there. After she found a few dresses, she pushed Ornate into a dressing room with them so she could try them on. While she changed, the unicorn began to strike up a conversation.
“So,” she started, “what are you and that fellow you came with planning?”
“What do you mean?” Ornate asked.
“Most people only come to buy a dress for special occasions. What’s your occasion?”
“I wasn’t aware there was an occasion.”
Ornate came out of the dressing room. She was wearing a black dress with many pieces of red silk hanging from the skirt. The unicorn looked at her with an intense look, inspecting the dress she was wearing. After a minute, she shook her head and sent Ornate back into the dressing room.
“There must be a reason,” the unicorn began again.
“Maybe he’s just buying me a dress,” Ornate explained. “I don’t think he was buying it for any special occasion.”
“Suit yourself, but if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was planning something.”
She came out of the dressing room again, this time she wore a dark blue dress with pink ribbons tied to it. The unicorn made a look of disgust, muttered something about how crazy she was to have her try the dress on, then sent her back into the dressing room.
“Maybe he’s planning a wedding,” the unicorn suggested.
Ornate blushed intensely.
“I-I doubt it,” she responded. “We’ve only known each other for two days. There’s nothing serious between us. We’re just friends.
“Uh huh. ‘Just friends.’”
Ornate came out of the dressing room once more. She wore a dark green dress with bits of light green embedded in the fabric. The unicorn’s face brightened with excitement as she saw her.
“You look fabulous, darling!” she exclaimed.
Ornate blushed at the compliment.
“Thank you,” she said shyly.
“Go on and change out of the dress. I’ll ring it up at the front when you’re done.”
Ornate nodded and got back into the dressing room. She changed quickly and gave the dress to the unicorn. She smiled as she took the dress back into the previous room. Ornate followed her and met up with Sombra. He smiled when he saw the sight of her.
They paid for the dress and left the store with it. As they walked back to the hotel, Ornate broke the silence.
“So, Sombra,” she began. “Why did we buy that dress?”
“I just thought you needed one,” He answered. “After all, who knows when we might need it?”
She sighed at his response. It wasn’t quite what she wanted to hear, but she took it anyway.
They approached the hotel, when something caught Sombra’s eye. Without warning, he gave the bag to Ornate. She looked at him with a little confused look on her face.
“Just go to your hotel room,” he told her quietly. “I will be there in a second.”
Ornate nodded and ran inside. Sombra began to walk past the hotel and towards the castle itself. He thought he saw something suspicious, but he couldn’t tell what it was he saw. As he walked past the castle, he saw something dart into a nearby alleyway and he immediately followed it. He stopped and looked into the alley. 
It was darker than a usual alley and no signs of life lingered between its walls. He began to slowly walk into the alley, looking for anything that might attack him. The deeper he went, the more he wanted to run away. Then, something behind him fell. But it wasn’t something, it was someone.
He turned around to look at the mysterious pony that led him there. He was shocked to find it was Princess Luna.
“It’s nice to see you again, Sombra,” she said. “Too bad our conversation had to end here.”
She lowered her head and her horn began to glow. She shot a magic beam at him, forcing him to slump to the floor and lose consciousness.
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna’s spell finally began to wear off. Sombra found himself in a small cell in the Crystal Castle. His four hooves were all chained to the floor. He tried to move, but found the chains only allowed him to pick his hooves up.
The door to the cell opened, allowing Princess Celestia to walk in. She closed the door and began to circle him. She looked angry.
“King Sombra, I presume,” She snapped. “You’ve come back to the Crystal Empire.”
He growled and pulled at the chains.
“What do you want from me?” He asked.
“We know you’re planning revenge on the Empire, Sombra!”
“I’m not planning anything!”
Celestia stuck her head up.
“Fine. If you won’t tell us, then we’ll leave you here to think about your plans.”
She quickly walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Sombra began to pull at the chains. Try as he might, his attempts were in vain. He sat on the floor and began to think about Ornate. He knew she would be worrying about him and might even try to find him. Those thoughts began to make tears form in his eyes.
As Celestia walked away from Sombra’s cell, Luna walked up to her with a concerned look.
“Sister,” Luna began, “Maybe he has reformed. Not everyone can stay bad. I mean, look at Discord. He has reformed, for better or for worse.”
“Luna,” Celestia said a bit annoyed, “Sombra was pure evil. He will always stay evil.”
Celestia walked out of sight. Luna shook her head and walked back into the cell. She was quiet enough that she didn’t alert him. What she found shocked her. Sombra was lying on the floor. His back was facing her, but she could tell he was crying. She could hear his quiet sobs. She began to feel bad for him.
“Excuse me,” Luna quietly interrupted.
Sombra quickly sat up and wiped his eyes and glanced at her.
“What do you want?” He asked quietly.
“I just wanted to know… Why were you crying?”
Sombra’s face became red.
“Well,” he started, “I-I guess I just started to feel lonely.”
“Lonely? Why would the King of Shadows be lonely?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’m not rushed.”


	***


“Wow,” Luna gasped. “I never knew that someone who used to be so dark and heartless could actually love someone.”
Sombra looked at her with an annoyed look. She immediately felt bad about her comment.
“Sorry, I meant,” she started to apologize.
“It is fine,” he interrupted. “I know you didn’t mean to be harsh. I only wish to see her again.”
Luna stood up and pointed her horn towards the chains on his hooves. With a flash, all the chains fell off. He smiled at her and ran around the room a little to stretch. Luna then handed him a black cloak.
“Put this on,” she commanded. “I will sneak you out, but you must hide yourself.”
Sombra nodded as he put the cloak on. As soon as he pulled his hood over his head, Luna opened the door and began to walk out with him. They walked down the hall, side by side. Sombra noticed all the guards standing on either side of them. He began to panic a little, but Luna glanced at him with a reassuring look. He began to calm down and continued to follow her.
As soon as they were out of the castle, Luna stopped him.
“This is as far as I go,” she spoke quietly. “You must go back to the hotel and wait until the night falls. Once it does, you may spend time with Ornate.”
“Thank you, Princess Luna,” Sombra whispered, bowing slightly.
“Remember, stay under the shade of night.”
Luna immediately flew off, leaving him by himself. With that, Sombra rushed to the hotel.


	***


Ornate sat on her bed with her cloak still on. It had been hours since Sombra had told her to stay in her room. She began to worry about him. She wondered if he had been attacked, or maybe even kidnapped. All she could do was worry.
As she stood up from her bed, there was a knock on the door. She ran to the door and opened it. There standing in front of the door with a bouquet of daisies, was Sombra. He slightly smiled at her with a sincere look.
“Sorry, I’m late,” he began to apologize.
He was interrupted when Ornate tackled him to the ground. She hugged him tight and gently rubbed her head against his chest.
“I-I missed you, so much,” she whispered.
Sombra blushed and hugged her back. He welcomed her embrace and felt his chest pound harder than before.
“Maybe,” he thought to himself, “Princess Luna was right. Maybe I am experiencing love.”
He knew that love wasn’t anything a King of Shadows would be interested in, but if it would allow him to spend the rest of his life with Ornate, he would be more than happy to be in love.
Sombra quickly stood up, helping Ornate up as well.
“Come on,” he began. “Let’s go inside.”
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luna watched as Sombra ran off and disappeared into the streets. She flew up to the top of the tower where the Crystal Heart stood when the Crystal Empire had appeared. As she landed, she found Celestia standing near the edge of the platform. She was lowering the sun for her, but she looked angrier than ever.
“Hello, Luna,” she snapped.
“Hello, sister,” Luna answered. 
She began to raise the moon into the night sky. As she did this, Celestia began to fly down to the ground. Luna sighed quietly. All she hoped was that she didn’t see her releasing Sombra from his cell.


	***


Sombra stood in his room, getting himself ready for a night with Ornate. He was still wearing the black cape Luna gave him. He hoped to spend some time with Ornate without getting caught.
He walked into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. He noticed his red eyes looked different. His oval shaped pupils were becoming more rounded and darker. He became curious as to how that was to happen. He shrugged the question off when there was a knock at the door.
As he opened the door, he found Ornate standing there, wearing her cloak. He smiled and joined her out into the hallway. They quickly walked out of the hotel together and began to roam around in the streets.
“Sombra?” Ornate asked.
“Yes?” 
“Where did you go when you disappeared for so long?”
He paused for a minute, thinking his answer through.
“Oh, well, the Princess wanted to speak with me.”
“She did?”
“Yep. We had a grand time talking to each other.”
“I see.”
They walked on in silence. He became worried that she suspected him for not telling the truth to her, but he began to calm down and continued to follow her.
Soon, they arrived in a park next to the river. It was midnight and everything was quiet. Ornate sat down on a nearby bench and relaxed. Sombra sat next to her and watched her out of the corner of his eye.
She looked sad and was close to tears. Sombra’s chest ached to see her like that. He began to get closer to her. He got closer and closer until he was barely touching her. She glanced at him for a while, and then returned her gaze to the ground. Sombra knew he had to act now.
“Ornate?”
“Yes, Sombra?”
She turned her head towards him and looked into his eyes.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
“What would that be?”
He leaned in close to her and kissed her. His actions startled her and even tried to pull away from him, but he kept his arm around her, pulling her in close to him. She fought against him, trying to pull away. Soon she gave in, and kissed him back.
They sat there, kissing each other, until Sombra finally pulled away. He began to pant for air, as did Ornate. They knew that the kiss was longer than it should have been, but they didn’t care.
“Ornate,” Sombra whispered. “There was something I did need to tell you.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“I love you, Ornate. I realize that now. There’s nothing else in the world I could ever want.”
Ornate’s face became the deepest red he had seen her blush. She looked down a little and twiddled her hooves.
“Why do you love me?” she asked.
“You’re the most beautiful pony I’ve ever seen in my life,” he answered. “I’ve never loved anyone or anything in my life before. I can promise you that.”
She looked at him sincerely. Her green eyes shone brightly in the moonlight.
“Sombra?”
“Yes?”
“You said you would tell me about your past when the time is right.”
He was quiet for a minute. He looked at the ground. He didn’t want to lose her. He wondered what he could do to keep her. Then, he had an idea. He sat up and looked her in the eyes.
“Ornate?” he asked. “Do you love me?”
She nodded.
“And no matter what, you will always love me?”
She thought for a moment, and then she nodded.
“Alright, I’ll tell you my story.”


	***


After Sombra finished telling her about his past, Ornate was staring at the ground. She thought about how she was in love with him and how she said she would love him no matter what, but his story seemed so dark. She could not imagine how he could have such a dramatic change in his life because of her.
“So,” she started, “You were the previous king of the Crystal Empire?”
He nodded slowly.
“So why were you coming here before you met me?”
“I’ll admit,” he began to explain, “I was coming to get revenge and to take over the castle, but when I met you, all the evil inside me vanished.”
She began to think about everything they had been through together, but was soon interrupted.
“Ornate?”
“What?”
“Why do you wear that cloak all the time?”
She quickly froze when he had asked the question she dreaded. How would she avoid it? She stopped. 
“He was probably scared to tell me his past,” she thought to herself. “Maybe I should tell him.”
“Sombra?” she asked.
“Yes?”
“Do you love me?”
“Yes.”
“And nothing will change that?”
“Nothing could ever change that, Ornate. You know that.”
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Without even thinking, she unbuttoned the cloak and pulled it off. 
Sombra’s eyes widened as he saw her blank flank. He stared and wondered how such a beautiful pony couldn’t have a cutie mark. He then turned his attention to her.
She was looking down with tears running down her cheeks. He held his arms open toward her and she immediately rested her face on his chest. She began to sob loudly into the dark night.
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sombra was walking home with Ornate asleep on his back. She kept crying for fifteen minutes, and as soon as he got her to calm down, she had fallen asleep. He kept her stable by using his magic. He had to hurry to the hotel before the sun started to rise.
The horizon was beginning to turn pink. Sombra began to panic. He quickly ran down the street, still steadying Ornate on his back with magic. He had to hurry.


	***


Celestia flew up to the top of the Crystal Castle and landed on the platform. Luna was lowering the moon for her. Celestia walked over to her and raised the sun as soon as the moon disappeared below the horizon. 
As Luna began to walk away, Celestia looked down upon the town. It was still quiet and peaceful. There was one thing wrong. She noticed a pony running down the street with the green zebra on its back. She recognized the zebra. She was the one from the hotel. But who was the pony?
Her eyes widened in realization. She ran quickly into the castle and to Sombra’s cell. She slammed the door open and looked inside. The cell was empty and the chains lay on the floor, opened.
She growled in frustration and quickly ran to the main hall. She stamped her hoof on the floor as hard as she could, making Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor, and Twilight and her friends running towards her.
“What’s wrong, sister?” Luna asked.
“Sombra has escaped his cell,” Celestia growled. 
All the ponies gasped. Luna faked her gasp, trying to blend in.
“He is now roaming the streets,” Celestia continued. “He may even have a hostage on his hands. We must act soon. He will be hiding during the day, so we need to lure him out of hiding. Any ideas?”
They all stood silent, thinking about what they could do. Luna began to panic a little. It wouldn’t be long before they find out about what she did.
“I have an idea!” Rarity exclaimed. “It’s about that time of year for the Grand Galloping Gala to begin. But since Princess Celestia and Princess Luna cannot leave because of Sombra being a threat, why don’t we have the Grand Galloping Gala here?”
Everyone smiled at the idea.
“Very well, Rarity,” Celestia began. “We shall begin preparing. Twilight, you are in charge of fliers; Pinkie, decorations; Rarity, prepare your friends’ dresses; Rainbow, you will help Pinkie; and Fluttershy, you will prepare the animal choir.”
They all nodded and ran off to their rooms to prepare for the Gala.


	***


Sombra sat on Ornate’s bed next to her. She lay next to him, still asleep from the long night. Sombra stroked her tail gently, making her slightly smile in her sleep.
He smiled. She was beautiful no matter what she did. Sombra slowly laid down next to her and cuddled her. Ornate curled up in his arms and relaxed. He realized that she had been up all day and all night. He could not imagine how exhausted she must have been.
Ornate slowly began to open her eyes. She looked up at him and blushed lightly. Sombra gently kissed her cheek.
“How did you sleep?” He asked.
“I slept well,” she answered.
“That’s good.”
He smiled at her. He knew she was still quite tired, but he was glad she was better. Ornate slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. She jumped off the bed and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
Sombra sat up and sighed. He knew he could not go out of the hotel room until night fell upon the Crystal Empire. He wondered how Ornate would take the news.
Sombra stood up and put on his cloak. Just then, Ornate exited the bathroom and walked over to him. Sombra handed the cloak to her. She quickly put it on and walked over to the door. 
She glanced at him and gestured for him to come with her, but he shook his head. She frowned for a minute, and then left the hotel room. She walked outside and pulled her hood over her head. 
As she walked around the town, she spotted Princess Twilight putting up fliers around town with Fluttershy holding a stack of fliers. She stood close to her and listened carefully to her conversation with Fluttershy.
“You really think this will work?” Fluttershy asked Twilight.
“Yes,” Twilight answered. “Princess Celestia thinks it will work, and so do I.”
When they walked away, Ornate walked over and looked at the poster. It read:

	Grand Galloping Gala


	At the Crystal Castle tonight.


	Best dress.

Ornate gasped quietly. She had always heard of the Grand Galloping Gala, but she was never in Canterlot in time to go. She quickly grabbed the poster and ran back to the hotel to tell Sombra.


	***


“The Grand Galloping Gala, huh?” Sombra mumbled, looking at the poster.
“I’ve wanted to go for a long time,” Ornate said, twiddling her hooves a little.
 “Really?” Sombra’s face brightened.
“Yeah. I’ve never gone to the Grand Galloping Gala, and I was thinking it would be a good place to go to.”
Sombra studied the poster closer. He wondered why Princess Celestia would hold the Grand Galloping Gala now. But he knew that Ornate wanted to go. He had to make a choice.
“Well,” Sombra began, “If we’re going tonight, then we’ll need to get ready.”
Ornate’s face brightened up and she immediately hugged him.
“Thank you!” she cried happily.
Sombra blushed and hugged back. He was glad she would hug him willingly instead of with resistance. The embrace felt good.
He quickly left and stood up.
“Let’s go get ready,” He began happily.
Ornate quickly ran out the door and out of the hotel. Sombra quickly followed her outside. He pulled his hood over his head and looked around. Today was going to be a long day.
> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sombra watched as Ornate walked into the salon. He wished he could have her by his side, but he knew it would attract attention. He quickly walked down the street towards the dress shop they had gone to earlier that week.
As he entered, he noticed some of the dresses had been purchased. With the missing dresses, the store almost seemed empty. He walked closer to the back of the store. Immediately, he heard somepony clear their throat. He turned his head to see the unicorn from before.
“So,” she began. “What are you here for?”
“I was wondering,” he started, “if you sold tuxedos?”
She nodded and gestured to him to follow her to the back. As he followed her, she broke the silence.
“Where’s that zebra of yours?” She asked.
“She’s at the salon,” He answered. “She is getting ready for the Gala.”
“Isn’t that strange? They always have the Gala at Canterlot, but this year they are having it here, at the Crystal Empire. I can’t even imagine how many ponies living in Canterlot are furious about the place change!”
She walked over to a rack of tuxedos and pulled out a couple for him to try. He walked into the dressing room and began to try them on. After trying on a few tuxedos, Sombra walked out of the dressing room and handed the unicorn the tuxedo.
They walked back to the front of the store and Sombra paid for the tuxedo. As the unicorn bagged the tux, she looked towards the front window of the store.
“Is that Princess Luna?” She wondered aloud.
Sombra took the bag and quickly walked outside. He pulled his hood up and looked around. The streets were crowded and busy for that time of day. He looked around, but did not see Princess Luna anywhere. He shrugged the thought off and walked back to the hotel.


	***


Ornate sat down in a chair at the salon and began to relax. She waited for a salon pony to come and do her hair. While she waited, she picked up a magazine and began to read.
“Hey,” she heard someone whisper. 
Ornate looked up and glanced at the pony beside her. It was none other than Princess Luna. She was wearing a dark blue robe and was reading the newspaper; at least, it looked like she was.
Luna glanced at her from behind her newspaper and nodded. Then, Ornate experienced something she had never felt before. She could hear Luna talk to her with telepathy.
"Listen," Luna began. "My sister, Princess Celestia has found out about Sombra's escape."
Ornate's eyes widened in shock. She was about to object, but she was interrupted.
"Do not be alarmed," Luna continued, "I will explain later. For now, I want you to go to the Gala without being seen. I've managed to make this Gala a masquerade. Outside, there is a black bag under the spa window. It contains two masks. I ask that you and Sombra wear them to the Gala. And just to be safe, I have prepared two random names for you to assume at the Gala."
Ornate nodded at Luna's orders. Just then, Twilight Sparkle and Princess Cadence walked into the spa. Luna quickly pulled the newspaper up and walked to a different seat. Ornate was taken to the back room where an attendant prepared her for her makeover.
Cadence and Twilight sat next to Luna in her new seat.
"You're here early," Twilight remarked.
"Yeah," Cadence chimed in. "I thought you were going to walk with us."
"Oh," Luna began, "Well, I was already in town and thought I might as well just walk in and wait. Sorry if I worried you." 
Twilight and Cadence accepted the apology and sat down next to her to wait for their turn.


	***


Ornate had just walked out of the spa and had picked up the bag Luna had left her. She looked at the masks, wondering about what kind of dress might fit her mask. She knew she would have to go back to the dress shop.
She quickly trotted down to the small shop and walked inside. She was greeted by a big smile from the velvet unicorn. It wasn’t long before the smile became a smug one.
“So,” she began, “You're back. Your boyfriend was in here earlier.”
Ornate blushed like last time, but not as much. She glanced at the unicorn.
“We’re not dating,” She answered.
“Well, in that case, what can I do for you?”
“I need a dress, something to go with this mask.”
Ornate opened the sack and showed the unicorn. She stared at the mask, thinking and contemplating the appropriate dress to match. She pulled out a catalog and began flipping through. It wasn’t long before she found what she was looking for.
“Madame,” She began, “Miss Tailored Velvet believes she has found something for you.”
The unicorn whisked her to the back and grabbed a dress wrapped in white plastic, making Ornate curious about what it looked like. The unicorn shoved her into a changing stall and handed her the dress.
“So,” Ornate said as she started changing, “You’re name is Velvet?”
“Yes,” she answered. “That’s what my friends call me. You may call me that as well.”
Ornate finished and walked out. The unicorn gasped and shoved her back into the stall.
“It looks marvelous! Quickly change out of it and I’ll ring it up at the front!”
Ornate changed out of the dress and handed it to her. Velvet quickly wrapped it back up and ran to the front. Ornate quickly followed behind her.
Ornate quickly paid for the dress. Velvet put the dress in a bag and handed it to her.
“Thank you, Velvet.”
“You’re welcome, darling. Be sure to come back whenever you want.”
Ornate ran out the door and back to the hotel.


	***


Celestia paced the floor in her bedroom. The Gala was in only a few hours. She wondered how it would all go. She only hoped that they would find Sombra quickly.
Just then, Twilight ran into her room.
“Celestia,” She said happily.
“What is it, Twilight?”
“Everything is ready.”
“Good. Tell the others to get themselves ready. Tonight is going to be a long one.”
> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sombra stood in front of the entrance to the Crystal Castle. He was wearing a red tuxedo with a black bow around his neck. The mask Ornate had given him was black and looked like it was made of crystals.
He was waiting for Ornate to show up. She had made him go without her. He couldn’t wait to see her. He had been waiting for her for ten minutes and he still didn’t see her. He began to get nervous, but then, he saw her.
She wore a long dress. The top was black with a green collar and a light green ribbon around her waist. The skirt of the dress was green with a black edge. On top of it was a sage green veil with dark green tiger stripes across it. Her mask was dark green with a blood red rose in the top corner of the mask. Under the rose were feathers and ribbons. On the other side of the mask were light green feathers. In the middle of the mask were more stripes.
Sombra stared at her. He couldn’t believe how beautiful she was. As she walked by him, he noticed that her red hair was down instead of in a ponytail as usual.
She stopped in front of him and looked at him with a mean glare. He was confused as to why she was angry.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you were in Princess Celestia’s custody?” she harshly whispered.
He immediately went pale.
“I,” he started, “I didn’t want to worry you. How did you--”
“Princess Luna talked to me today at the spa. But that’s beside the point. You remember your name?”
“Rightful Honor,” he nodded.
“Right, now let’s go.”
As they walked through the entrance, Sombra glanced ahead to see Princess Celestia welcoming each pony. He started to worry about being discovered.
When they reached the front of the line, Celestia shook their hooves.
“What are your names?” she asked.
“Fiery Blossom and Rightful Honor, your highness,” Ornate responded.
Celestia studied them for a minute before shooing them away. Sombra relaxed. They walked down the hall and into the ballroom. The place was filled with both Canterlot and Crystal ponies. They all were all dressed in their fancy clothes, talking and enjoying themselves. The place was decorated with dark blue and gold ribbons hanging from the ceiling. Balloons and streamers were found all over. It had quite the welcome effect.
Just the sight of the ball room made Ornate very excited. She quickly walked further into the ballroom until they had found the stage. A band was playing a classical song while the ponies danced with their partner. Ornate quickly pulled on Sombra’s arm, forcing him to come with her. They danced in the crowd for what seemed like an hour.
Suddenly, all the other ponies around them quickly walked to the edge of the ball room. Ornate and Sombra found themselves alone in the middle of the dancing area. A spotlight turned on and shined brightly upon them. Sombra looked at Ornate. She looked beautiful in the spotlight. He held out his hoof towards her. She graciously accepted it. The band began playing, queuing them to start dancing.


	***


Luna stood at the edge of the ballroom, watching the ponies dance. She sat at an empty table, sipping a small drink. Her gown was blue with white stars. Her mask was made with two crescent moons. She sighed. She only hoped that Sombra was having a good time.
As Luna began to sip her drink again, she was greeted with a surprise when Princess Celestia walked up to her. Her dress was white with gold trimmings. Her mask consisted of two suns.
“Hello sister,” she began, sitting next to her.
“Hello, Celestia,” Luna responded, recovering from the apple cider she had almost choked on.
“You don’t look like you’re having fun.”
“What about you? You’re not at the door greeting ponies.”
“No one was coming. I assumed all that wanted to come are already here.”
“Oh.”
“Sister,” Celestia began after a few moments of silence. “There’s something I wanted to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Where were you after I talked with Sombra?”
Luna froze. It was the question she had been dreading. Trying to buy more time, she finished off her cider as slow as she could. She set her cup down and eyed her sister.
“I walked into my room after we had that chat,” she responded.
“Is that so? Well that is interesting.”
“What?”
“One of the guards told me you entered his cell. Another one found you walking out with someone who hadn’t walked in. He said they were wearing a cloak.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Celestia growled, but immediately stopped. Both of them had their attention stolen when a pony couple began to dance within the center of the ball room. Luna recognized them immediately, but Celestia eyed them suspiciously. Luna began to worry about Celestia recognizing them, but she turned her attention to the couple.
They danced so elegantly. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She never knew Sombra danced so well. That’s when she heard it. Celestia gasped. She had realized who they were, and she was not in the mood for mercy.


	***


Ornate danced with Sombra. She had never danced in her life, but all she had to do was let Sombra lead. As she did, they had the audience entranced with their partnership. She found herself staring at Sombra. She had never realized how attractive he was. Until now, that is. She began to feel her heart pound. Was she really in love?
That’s when Sombra dipped her, making the music stop. She looked at him, a little worried about his grip on her. He quickly pulled her back up. The audience clapped loud. They had thoroughly enjoyed the performance. But before they could leave the area, they heard something land behind him. They slowly glanced back to find Princess Celestia. She was very angry.
“Fillies and Gentlecoalts,” she pronounced. “I am sorry to bring you such horrible news, but I’m afraid King Sombra is back.”
Everyone gasped. Ornate’s eyes widened. She glanced at Sombra, who returned the look. Celestia pointed to them.
“He is right here! He was living amongst you!”
Celestia used her magic to pry Sombra’s mask off his face. Sombra quickly put his hoof in front of Ornate. He growled deeply, glaring at Celestia.
“Let go of her,” she growled back. “She’s been your hostage long enough.”
“No,” Ornate responded. This made Sombra surprised. “I love him. I was with him willingly. He had nothing to do with it.”
“Then you are a traitor!” Celestia shouted.
She stomped hard on the ground, breaking the floor. Each pony ran out of the ball room quickly. Sombra grabbed Ornate and ran quickly outside. He used his magic to place her on his back and ran down the street. He looked back to see Princess Celestia running after him. He quickened his pace and turned into an alleyway. He jumped over trash cans and dodged parts of buildings that were sticking out.
As he ran out of the alleyway and into the middle of the street, he found guards charging towards him in both directions. He ran into the alleyway straight ahead. He began to dodge more items in the alleyway. But when he jumped over some boards from an old fence, Ornate was knocked off his back. He stopped and turned around, but before he could jump back, Ornate stopped him.
“Go!” she shouted. “Keep running!”
Sombra nodded and ran straight ahead. Ornate quickly crawled through the gap. Her dress got snagged on a nail and tore half of it off. She turned around to grab the fabric, but saw the guards gaining. She quickly turned into another alleyway and ran. She tripped over things, bruising and scraping her body. Her mask had fallen off and her dress became even more ruined.
Ornate kept running. But it wasn’t long before she hit a dead end. Finding nowhere to run, she was forced to get cornered. The guards slowly approached her, forcing her to walk backwards. She didn’t hit the wall, she hit something soft. She slowly looked up to find Princess Celestia. Her horn began to glow gold.
“Shame,” she muttered. “You could have avoided all of this if you just kept walking.”
She shot a gold magic beam at Ornate, forcing her to sink down into a deep sleep.
> Chapter 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn’t long before Ornate woke up in a cell. She looked around to find the room a little small. She stood up, but immediately found shackles around her ankles. She pulled a little, finding the chains quite sturdy. She knew there was no escape.
That’s when the door opened. Celestia walked in, an angry expression still sitting on her face. She closed the door behind her and began to pace around her. Ornate watched her, unsure about what she might do.
“Where is Sombra?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Ornate responded.
“Liar!” Celestia snapped.
“He abandoned me. I have no clue where he went.”
Celestia glared at her. She was unsure whether or not she was telling the truth. She continued to pace and study her. She stopped as she looked at Ornate’s tattered dress. She had stopped next to her flank where the dress was short. She used her magic to lift up the tattered fabric. Then her eyes widened.
“What is this?” she asked.
Ornate glanced at her. Tears filled her eyes as Celestia lowered her dress.
“A pony with no cutie mark,” Celestia mumbled. “I knew something was wrong with you.”
“There’s nothing wrong with me,” Ornate defended.
“Oh, but there is,” Celestia interrupted. “You’re a blank flank, an adult pony, no less. Everyone your age has their cutie mark. Plus there is the fact that you travel for a living. No pony else does that. And you sided with the enemy!”
“He’s not the enemy!” Ornate cried out.
Celestia shook her head.
“Your acts have been seen as treason towards Equestria. As punishment, you shall face banishment. King Sombra will be sentenced with death!”
Ornate gasped. She backed up a little. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Celestia turned and opened the door. She walked towards it, but stopped, glancing back at her.
“You will never be one of us, Blank Flank.”
She exited the cell and slammed the door behind her. Ornate fell to the floor and sobbed. She couldn’t believe that she would never see Sombra again.



	***


Sombra ran down the alleyway. He glanced back to see Ornate behind the fence. He couldn’t bear to leave her, but he had to. He stopped. He was cornered by several guards. His horn glowed black and he vanished. He appeared outside the Crystal Empire limits. He looked around to see the snowy plains before him. He sat down and began to catch his breath.
Sombra knew he would have to return for Ornate, but she could be anywhere by now. He would have to stay in the city until he could find out where she was.
His horn began to glow black once more as his black coat changed to dark red. His mane and tail straightened out, turning white. His eyes went from red to blue. His cutie mark turned into a four leaf clover. He hoped his disguise would last him awhile.
He quickly walked back into town and ran down the streets. By now, the sun was beginning to rise. Everypony was walking out of their houses and beginning their days like normal. He walked over to the main part of town and began to carefully listen. He saw a couple of palace guards walk by and began to follow them.
“Did you hear about the Gala last night?” One of the guards asked.
“Yeah,” another guard spoke up. “Lots of guards had to chase Sombra, but he got away.”
“We caught the other one, though,” the first guard continued. “She’s being contained in the cell Sombra was in. She’ll be banished later today, though.”
Sombra quietly gasped. He had to get in. He ran from the guards and into an alleyway. His horn glowed and he teleported himself to the top of the Crystal Castle. He ran down the long stairs and entered the door. He ran up the dark stairs to the top where the floor stood. He shot a beam at it, causing part of it to disappear. He quickly climbed through and ran down the hall.
As he ran down the hall, he passed a door with a familiar voice coming from inside. He stopped and listened closely.
“You can’t keep me here, sister!” he heard Luna cry.
“Oh, but I can,” Celestia responded. “I don’t need you to mess anything up again!”
Sombra quickly hid behind the door as Celestia walked out. She slammed the door and locked it, without looking. She walked away down the hall. Sombra turned his attention back towards the door. He heard sobbing coming from inside.
He knew he had to get Luna out, but he first had to find a place to hide before he could do anything. He started walking down the hall towards the end of the hallway. He heard hoofsteps, and ducked behind a plant.
He watched as a guard started to walk by. Without thinking, he used magic to knock out the guard. The pony slumped down to the floor. Sombra quickly took off his armor and put it on. His coat turned white using his magic. He stuffed the guard into a closet and began to walk down the hall towards Luna’s room.
Sombra used his magic to unlock the door. He slowly poked his head past the door, only to have him knocked back with a fluffy pillow.
“Ow!” he cried.
Princess Luna ran out of her room and put her hoof on his chest. He looked up at her.
“Luna, it’s me!” he whispered.
She gave him a confused look. Sombra only stared at her.
“How do I know who you are?” she asked.
“Would a guard let you out if Celestia ordered you to stay there?”
“Good point.”
She quickly helped him up. He dusted himself off.
“Ornate is in trouble,” Luna explained.
“I know,” Sombra interrupted her. “I need to know when she is to be banished.”
“Tonight, at sunset.”
Sombra’s eyes widened. He looked out the window to see the sun beginning to get close to the horizon.
“We haven’t a moment to lose!” He cried, running down the hall. Luna quickly followed.


	***


Ornate sat in her cell, sobbing. She couldn’t bear the thought of Sombra dying. It was her fault. She wanted to go to the Gala. How stupid was she to think that they could get away so easily?
The door slammed open. Celestia stood in the doorway. Two unicorn guards walked into the cell and used their magic to levitate her off the ground. She couldn’t move anything.
Celestia turned and walked out of the cell. The guards followed, leading her with them. Celestia walked into the throne room and approached the throne. Cadence was sitting on the throne with Shining Armor sitting by her side. Twilight and her friends were on either side of them.
Cadence looked at Celestia with worry on her face. Celestia only stood there.
“Celestia,” Cadence began, “are you sure this is the only way?”
Celestia nodded. The guards gently set Ornate down, but kept their magic around her to keep her from escaping. She looked around with nothing but fear filling her soul. Tears began to brim up in her eyes.
Twilight and Cadence walked over to Celestia and began to warm up their magic. They casted a spell in the air in front of them; it created a portal. Inside the portal, they could see Tartarus, the darkest prison in Equestria.
Celestia glanced at the guards, nodding at them. They began to bring Ornate towards the portal, ready to throw her in. Before they could lift her up off the ground, the doors to the throne room opened up. Standing in the entrance was Luna and Sombra.
“What?!” Celestia raged. “Luna!! What are you doing out of your room?!”
“Sister,” Luna began. “You haven’t heard the other side of the story. Sombra has turned good. He hasn’t done anything wrong since he got back. He’s been spending time with her.”
Luna pointed towards Ornate. The guards immediately dropped her, their magic disappearing in the process. Twilight and Cadence ended their magic, forcing Celestia to stop her magic and close the portal. Celestia sneered at the Alicorns and turned her attention back towards her sister.
“Luna,” Celestia started. “Sombra was true evil. You can’t change that. And if he was so nice to this pathetic pony, why hasn’t he come to get her?”
Sombra used his magic to take off his armor. His body returned to normal. His coat darkened and his hair fluffed out. His horn was sharp with red at the tip and his eyes became red again. Celestia’s eyes widened, but narrowed in anger.
“I have come to get her,” Sombra growled. “You can’t take her away from me.”
Ornate ran over to Sombra and hugged him. He hugged her tight and spun her around. They embraced each other as tight as they could. Ornate opened her eyes and saw Celestia charging her horn for an attack. She aimed for Sombra.
Ornate quickly pushed Sombra aside. But it was too late. Celestia sent the shot flying, but it hit Ornate, sending her to the ground.
> Chapter 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sombra was in quite the shock as Ornate had pushed him away. He landed on his back, but he was still able to see what happened next. He watched in horror as the shot hit Ornate and sent her to the ground. Her body collapsed to the floor. He saw her chest rise and fall, her last breath leaving her body.
He quickly sat up and ran over to her. He picked up her frail body and gently cradled her head. Her lifeless body was limp in his arms. She was already beginning to get cold. Tears brimmed in his eyes. The only person he ever loved was gone. Forever.
Princess Celestia’s horn cooled down from her magic. She was surprised that Ornate had taken the blow from it. She probably would have tossed the thought aside, knowing she had it coming, but then Sombra ran over to her and held her in his arms. She watched as the tears ran down his face. He sobbed loudly. The big room echoed with his pain.
Celestia’s wings lowered until the tips were touching the floor. She watched as he continued to sob. Tears filled her eyes. The realization of killing some pony was finally settling in. She fell to her knees in agony.
“I’m so sorry!” she cried. “I should have listened!”
Luna walked over to her distressed sister and helped her up. Luna hugged her tight. Celestia hugged Luna back, sobbing on her shoulder. The room was filled with their cries.
“Ornate,” Sombra began between sobs. “I can’t live without you. You’re the only reason I had to live. Now, you’re gone.”
His tears landed on her dress. It was torn and terribly dirty from the chase. Its beauty faded. Sombra knew his cries were in vain and began to stand up.
But before he could, he felt something tug on his fur. He quickly looked down at Ornate. Her eyes were open slightly and they were wet with tears. The smile on her face grew as soon as Sombra looked down. He couldn’t believe it.
Sombra gently set Ornate down and hugged her tight. She happily returned the hug. Celestia smiled a little, thankful she was back. Everyone else was hugging each other.
Sombra let go and looked at Ornate.
“How is it possible?” he asked.
“It’s not,” Ornate replied.
“Then how,” Sombra began to question.
“Your love for each other is stronger than I have ever seen,” Luna interrupted. “There is not only magic in Friendship, but there is also magic in Love.”
Sombra tightly hugged Ornate and spun her around. This had been one of the only times he was truly happy.


	***


“Fillies and Gentlecolts,” Celestia announced. “I am proud to tell you that King Sombra is no longer an enemy, but a friend.”
Every pony stomped their hooves in approval. They all stood in front of the Crystal Castle. Celestia and Luna stood together in front of the Crystal Heart with Cadence and Shining Armor on one side, and Twilight and her friends on the other. Sombra and Ornate stood in the front of the crowd of Crystal ponies.
“Sombra has taught me that Love can be more powerful than friendships. I did not believe it when I was told he had been changed to good. I didn’t believe one’s heart as dark as his could ever be softened. But I was wrong. I want to apologize for my actions this week and that I was too harsh in dealing with the matter.”
Celestia looked at Sombra and Ornate and beckoned them to come forward. They walked over to her and bowed. She motioned them to stand.
“Sombra,” she began, “I believe you and Ornate make a great team. You work well together and I could not ask you to part ways. I have given this thought and I think I have found you two a job that you can handle.”
“What is it?” Sombra asked.
“There have been many strange occurrences around Equestria. I want you and Ornate to go and check them out. I think it will be beneficial for you and Equestria to see what is causing all these problems.”
Sombra nodded in agreement. Celestia looked towards Ornate.
“Ornate, I am sorry for what has happened in the past few days and ask you for forgiveness. I believe that if you work hard with Sombra, you may finally find your Cutie mark. Though you may be a ‘blank flank’ for now, I believe that many young fillies and colts will look up to you.”
Ornate nodded.
“Well, without further adieu,” Celestia began, “Let the celebration begin!”
Every pony cheered. Sombra hugged Ornate and spun her around. She giggled in enjoyment. They finally had the time they had been waiting for all to themselves.


	***


The party was spectacular. Everypony was enjoying themselves and all the things the party provided was fantastic. Sombra walked down the street with Ornate. They had enjoyed the celebration, but they wanted some time to themselves.
They sat down on the park bench where they had sat before. Sombra sighed. He couldn’t be happier. He glanced at Ornate. She was watching the river. She seemed quite relaxed, despite what had happened earlier.
Sombra leaned close to her and kissed her on the cheek. She kissed his cheek back.
“Ornate?” he asked.
“Yes?”
“I really do love you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I guess what I’m trying to say is… I want to…. Marry you.”
Ornate’s face brightened with red. She looked down a little.
“I love you, too,” she told him. “But I don’t think I’m ready for that.”
“Oh.”
Sombra looked down a little. He was disappointed.
“But,” Ornate added. “If you're patient, then it probably won’t be long before I agree.”
Sombra's face brightened.
“Well,” Sombra began, “I think it’s time to go back to Celestia.”
Ornate nodded and stood up. They walked to the Crystal Heart under the Crystal Castle. Celestia noticed them and pulled a rolled up document from a bag. She used her magic to hand it to Ornate.
“This parchment contains the information you need to know about your first mission.”
Ornate nodded and opened the paper. She and Sombra looked it over. Satisfied, they put the paper away. It wasn’t long before Velvet ran up to them.
“Ornate!” she cried happily.
She hugged her tight. Ornate hugged back. She let go and backed up a little.
“I can’t believe you!” she began. “Hanging out with King Sombra this whole time?!”
Ornate smiled.
“Anyways, I heard about your new job! Where are you going to go?"
Ornate only laughed. She looked at Velvet.
“Wherever destiny will lead us.”