> A Bright Little Shadow
>  by Princess OtakuGeek
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A New Life
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight shifted to try and find a more comfortable spot on her bed, only to find her movements somewhat restricted as she felt something jab into her chest. Cracking her eyes open slightly, she found a small lump in the covers in front of her. Shoving her blankets off, she found the curled up body of a small grey and black colt pressing himself against her chest, his horn poking into her.

Twilight pushed away from the colt, letting him tumble down onto the bed and waking him with a start. The colt blinked his ruby eyes at Twilight and moved closer, letting her feel his long, silky, onyx black mane against her body.

"Mornin' Twilight." He mumbled before letting out a yawn that gave her a full view of his fangs.

"What's going on, Sombra?" Twilight asked. Sombra rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Had a dream." He let out a shiver and pushed himself closer. "Safe here."

Reluctantly, Twilight placed a comforting hoof on his back. "Um, there-there. You'll be alright." Sombra's only response was to push himself closer.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Pinkie Pie put the finishing touches on her cake and nodded a little proudly. She then slipped the cake into a box and carefully placed it on her back before trotting out where all the rest of her friends, sans Twilight, were.

"Alrighty then, we're ready to go!" She declared before bouncing out the door while still keeping the box safely balanced. Rule number one in Ponyville. Never question Pinkie Pie. Even if she drags you out of bed at ungodly hours of the day or night for no apparent reason.

"So Pinkie, you haven't told us where we're going." Applejack yawned. The last thing she'd remembered was that she was having a wonderful dream till she was woken up by Pinkie Pie shouting in her ear before dragging her out of bed and before she knew what was going on, she found herself in Sugarcube Corner like she'd been teleported, with all of her other friends blinking sleep from their eyes as Pinkie worked on a cake in the kitchen. It took a full five minutes for Applejack to figure out they were missing one friend.

"We're going over to Twilight's." She said cheerfully as she skipped in front of the sluggish group. The box on her back bounced but did not spill.

"Uh huh." Applejack said, her brain still half asleep. "And what's in the box?"

"It's my newest New Mom cake!"

"And who's it for?"

"Twilight of course!" That snapped Applejack and the other's awake faster than any cup of coffee any of them ever had.

"Twilight's a mom?" Applejack asked real intelligently.

"Uh huh!" Pinkie Pie added a little extra spring in her step, something nopony ever thought possible.

"Pinkie darling." Rarity spoke. "Where pray tell, are you getting your information? I know none of us have noticed anything odd about Twilight. Those kinds of things are hard to hide you know."

"Weeellll." Pinkie drawled out. "Earlier I woke up to a leg twitch and ear flop so I thought that today was a bad day for cake and I was about to get sad. But then I felt a back tingle and an ear twitch and that's when I knew Twilight was going to be a new mom. Then I thought, 'oh my gosh we so have to celebrate!' So I brought every pony to Sugarcube Corner and got Twilight's new cake ready so we could start as early as possible."

Applejack glanced up at the still dark sky, though there was a rosy glow beginning to creep across the horizon. 'Early is right.' She groused lightly.

"Sounds legit," Rainbow concluded after Pinkie's explanation. "She's probably adopting, or maybe she's not a mom just yet."

Such was life in Ponyville. Nopony questioned Pinkie's Pinkie Sense because even if it didn't make much sense, it still made sense in its own strange way. The last pony to question Pinkie Sense ended up under a flowerpot, an anvil, a wagon, and a piano. All at the same time and in that order.

"Well, whomever this foal is, I hope I get the chance to design an outfit for them." Rarity mused.

"And I wouldn't mind babysitting if Twilight needed," Fluttershy added.

"Me neither!" Pinkie suddenly appeared next to the shy pegasus making her shriek in surprise. "Oh look, we're here!" Pinkie Pie then promptly began knocking 'Shave and a Haircut' on the castle doors.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Once Twilight opened her door, she was suddenly assaulted with confetti and Pinkie shouting out, "Congratulations!" After being woken up by Sombra, Twilight had basically given up on going back to sleep but hadn't expected this.

"Uh...thank you?" She managed even though she didn't know what she was being congratulated for. The next instant, a blue cakebox had been shoved into her hooves and the pink mare had vanished in a cloud of pink, revealing her other friends.

"Um....come in girls." She invited her friends in. "What are you doing here so early?"

"Pinkie literally dragged from our beds cause her Pinkie Sense told her you were a mom." Applejack summed up as she walked in. Twilight frowned. "Now you know Ah ain't one to doubt Pinkie's sense so, Y'all wouldn't happen ta have a kid around here would ya? If not yer probably gonna get a kid in the near future." Twilight paused a moment before starting to answer.

"Well, I don't know about a mother, but I did recently receive a guest and was planning on telling you all once I had the chance, but since there's no point now, I-" She was immediately cut off by Pinkie's shriek of a delight a moment before she suddenly appeared in the room holding a little colt above her head.

"I found him! I found him!" She said joyfully as she showed every pony the increasingly confused and scared colt. "Isn't he just adorable!!??"

The colt in question looked no older than three or four. His coat was an ash grey while his long flowing mane was onyx black. His ruby red eyes were beginning to water and to Pinkie's surprise, he burst into tears. Even though his horn looked like any normal unicorn's horn, he was still unmistakable as King Sombra, Tyrant of the Crystal Empire.

"Adopted." Rainbow finally said as Pinkie began comforting the crying tyke. "Most definitely adopted."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"I imagine you all want an explanation," Twilight spoke once everything calmed down. Everypony but Pinkie nodded. No matter what the pink pony did, Sombra only calmed down once Twilight had reached out to him. Now he was sleeping soundly pressed against her side with her wing draped over him.

"He didn't like me." Pinkie moped in a corner. "Why didn't he like me? Was I too crazy? Was I too scary?"

"It's nothing you did, exactly, Pinkie," Twilight said to cheer her up and the party planner's ears perked up a little. "From what I can tell, Sombra is a little shy and reacts badly to surprises. But I'm sure he'll get used to you."

In an instant Pinkie Pie was out of her corner on the far side of the room and right in front of Twilight who blinked at how fast that was. "Okie Doki Loki!" She said, her chipper mood instantly returning.

"It seems as though he likes you, Twilight." Fluttershy pointed out. Twilight sighed.

"Yeah. Seems that way." She said I exasperation. "Do you know that I woke up to him in my bed because he had a bad dream."

"T'aint unusual." Applejack said. "Ah remember when Applebloom was just a little filly. Whenever she had a nightmare, she'd often come into my room and ask to sleep with me."

"Ahem. I do believe we're getting a little off topic here." Rarity pointed out. "How is Sombra here? And why is he a colt?"

"Yeah well, do you remember when I got that letter from Celestia?" All but two of her friends nodded.

"Wait, you got a letter from Celestia?" Pinkie asked.

"Yes, she got a letter Pinkie." Rarity answered. "Celestia wrote to ask for Twilight's immediate presence in the Crystal Empire. Unfortunately, those of us who knew were too busy to come with. Applejack had extra chores since cider season is nearing. Fluttershy was taking care of a very sick bear. And yours truly was behind in getting an order to Manehatten by the deadline last night."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, how'd that go?" Applejack asked. Rarity shot the earth pony a satisfied smiled.

"Just barely made it with but a minute to spare." She said with a sigh. "In any case darling, the only reason why you and Rainbow Dash didn't know is that Rainbow was in Cloudsdale with her parents for a Wonderbolts show and nopony could find you since you were rushing to put together Rose's birthday party."

"Oh yeah." Pinkie smiled and in an instant pulled out invitations and threw them in the air. "By the way, your all invited to Rose's birthday party today!" She declared in a voice loud enough to make Sombra stir, but not wake up. Applejack quickly shoved her hoof into Pinkie's mouth and they watched as Sombra adjusted himself, pushing closer to Twilight while tugging her wing closer before settling.

"So yeah, I got a letter from Princess Celestia." Twilight continued after a minute of watching the colt and making sure he wasn't going to wake up. "Given the urgency of the letter, you can probably imagine how my train ride was."

Her friends smiled at the mental image that came to their minds. Twilight fidgeting in her seat, reading and rereading her letter several times while running through several scenarios that would warrant such a letter. There were a shared chuckle and Twilight blushed.

"So, yeah." She said a little embarrassed. "Fortunately, when I got to the Crystal Empire I found nothing out of the ordinary. Shining met me at the train station and we walked and talked towards the castle. Nothing big, just catching up. At the castle Cadence and I greeted in the usual way then after we all exchanged pleasantries, Celestia told me why I was there."

✴✴✴ Day before Yesterday ✴✴✴

"You want WHAT!?!?" Twilight exclaimed before remembering who she was shouting at. But to her credit, the idea was so ludicrous it deserved nothing short of an outright shock. Fortunately, before Twilight could start freaking out for screaming in Celestia's face, the celestial diarch gave her a reassuring smile.

"I understand that Sombra has made some very bad choices, but given you and your friend's success with Discord, I have full confidence that you'll be able to help him make better choices."

✴✴✴ Present ✴✴✴

Rainbow Dash quirked an eyebrow. "Based on our 'success' with Discord?!"

"I said roughly the same thing," Twilight said. "I even pointed out the recent Tirek incident."

"Discord said he was sorry." Fluttershy defended. "He's been doing much better since. I think the whole thing helped him understand friendship a lot more than before."

"Also wasn't your key to the box that pendant he gave you?" Pinkie pointed.

"All valid points that Celestia brought up," Twilight said. "However, Discord isn't Sombra. Plus Sombra was much worse than Discord. Discord may have done horrible things, but when you get down to it he's just a prankster with the powers of a god. Sombra on the other hoof was an outright tyrant. But when I told Celestia as much, she just gave me a sad look and wouldn't be moved."

"Ya know, Ah think there's one little detail we're over lookin'." Applejack said. "When the' Crystal Heart returned, wasn't big, dark and scary blasted apart?"

"Your right Applejack." Rarity agreed. "We all saw the Crystal Heart destroy Sombra. So how did Princess Celestia plan on us reforming him?"

"I pointed that out in my argument against this plan," Twilight said. "At first I thought I'd won, but then Princess Celestia smiled at me and asked us to follow her and Luna."

✴✴✴ Day before Yesterday ✴✴✴

Celestia had led them to a part of the castle somewhere between the Throne room and the Royal bedchambers. Judging by where they were, Twilight guessed that they were near an outer wall, but something didn't seem right. Celestia walked up to one of the crystal pillars and ran a hoof up and down the niche where the pillar met the wall. Judging by the looks on the others faces, only Luna was unsurprised by this action.

Suddenly her hoof sank deeper when it shouldn't have been able to and she gave a smile of delight. A small click was heard and Celestia pulled her hoof from behind the pillar and ran it down the side of the wall and pulled it aside. No, wait. Not a wall. A door. A very cleverly hidden door. It wasn't very wide and was angled at the top. Celestia stepped through first, making sure to duck her head so as not to bang her horn on the top of the frame. Luna didn't have to duck down as she trotted in behind her sister.

Cadence, Twilight, and Shining Armor were unsure. Neither of them had ever seen this room before and didn't know what to expect. Emboldened by her aunts, however, Cadence stomped forward and stepped in the door. At the sound of a gasp, Shining Armor instantly pushed aside his reservations and dashed in the door, only to let out a gasp of his own. Twilight sat there, unsure when Shining poked his head out, his eyes glimmering in wonder.

"You've got to see this Twily." He breathed before retreating back into the room. Twilight swallowed her fear, stepped into the room.....and was instantly floored.

✴✴✴ Present ✴✴✴

"What was behind the secret door?" Pinkie asked in suspense. The others were also on the edge of their own seats. "Please say an endless supply of cake."

Twilight giggled a little at her friend. "Sorry Pinkie, but it wasn't anything like that." The pink mare deflated a little. "But it was still the most amazing room I'd ever seen."

✴✴✴ Day before Yesterday ✴✴✴

The first thought that came to Twilight's mind was how big the room was. Much too big to fit behind that wall, though the hum of powerful magic gave her a clue. However, that was only secondary to the rest of the room. It was round, curving upwards and tapered like a tent. Draping from the ceiling and on most of the available wall space were dozens of strips of cloth and tapestries that shone in a rainbow of colors, the ones on the ceiling had been attached on both ends rather than leaving them loose, reinforcing the idea of a tent. Jutting from some parts of the wall and the floor were crystals enchanted to function as lights in the dark. But the one thing that caught Twilight's eyes were the books.

Carved into some parts of the walls and formed from crystals jutting from the floor were bookshelves. And filling each shelf were tomes of all shapes and sizes. Most of these tomes Twilight guessed were ancient back in their time, but now? It took all of Twilight's willpower not to squeal in joy. The room had also been furnished with chairs, couches, and pillows big enough to be used as very comfortable seats. There were also small tables, cushions, and blankets just perfect for late night reading. And directly across from the door, an entire side of the room was a giant window overlooking the Crystal Empire and flooding the room with enough daylight to keep the light crystals almost dark.

Luna was roaming about the shelves, glancing over the tomes. Cadence and Shining were taking in the panoramic view of the empire. Reluctantly, Twilight tore herself from the tomes and joined them. The window overlooked the marketplace where dozens of crystal ponies wandered about stalls making purchases. As she stood there, a question came to mind.

"How is it they can't see us?" Twilight asked. "This window is so huge it would be hard to miss. Not to mention I've looked at the castle from this particular angle before and I've never seen any window."

Shining frowned. "You're right Twily. How come they don't see us?"

"This a very special window," Luna said as she joined them at the window and ran a hoof along the surface. "A combination of careful craftsmanship and heavy enchantments. On this side, it is a window. But from the outside, it looks no different than the castle walls. A one-way window, I believe it was called."

Twilight was amazed. For anypony to be able to craft such a window, much less this entire room, well they must be either an incredible craftspony or a very powerful unicorn.

"Who built this place?" Twilight asked Celestia who now stood next to her. The Princess smiled at her former student and Twilight saw a spark of sadness in her eyes.

"A close and dear friend."

✴✴✴ Present ✴✴✴

"What'd she mean by that?" Applejack asked. Twilight shrugged.

"She didn't say." She answered. "She did tell me that that room was a personal collection. The pony who built that room was a magic student and very powerful. They had an interest in all kinds of magic and had built up an impressive collection of books on the subject. Books on all kinds of magic from all kinds of cultures. There were even books on myths, legends, and folklore." Twilight paused when she noticed she was salivating. "A-anyways, Celestia didn't tell who built it or explain why in the castle."

"Whoever built it, they must've had exquisite taste." Rarity sighed. "I'm getting all fluttery at the mere mention of all those ancient tapestries. Next time we're in the empire, you simply must show us."

"I don't see why not," Twilight said. "Celestia explained to us that she picked this place because she didn't want to spread unnecessary panic amongst the crystal ponies. Apparently, a soldier had found Sombra's horn in the northern mountains. Celestia and Luna intended to use that horn as a focus to bring Sombra back. While they were preparing the spell, I took the chance to talk with my brother and Cadence."

✴✴✴ Day before Yesterday ✴✴✴

Twilight turned away from where Celestia and Luna preparing the spell and faced her brother and his wife.

"What do you think about this BBBFF?" She asked. Shining Armor frowned a bit.

"Quite frankly I think this whole thing is a mistake." He said. "We all know what Sombra did. Personally, I wouldn't hold my breath for any redemptive qualities in him. But the Princess insisted and who am I to argue. Doesn't mean I'm not going to be keeping an eye out."

Twilight turned to Cadence. "What about you?"

"I can't deny that I'm a little apprehensive about all this either. Sombra came a little too close to recapturing the empire. But one thing that I can always count on is auntie Celestia. If she thinks there's a chance of redemption for Sombra, I'm inclined to believe her. Even auntie Luna is backing her up. My own instincts are also telling that there's something else going on here so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to drop my guard."

"We are ready," Luna announced and Twilight tensed.

'Moment of truth.' She took a deep calming breath and let it out. "Alright. Let's go."

Luna nodded and as she turned back to her sister she swore she saw a glint of sadness. The horn now sat in the middle of a very complex circle with glyphs that Twilight didn't recognize. The Celestial sister's horns began to glow as the spell began. At first, they glowed blue or gold but that quickly changed into a blinding white light as their eyes and the circle began glowing with the same light. Then they began chanting in a language none of them had heard before and the circle began to spin as the glyphs peeled themselves from the ground.

The horn then began to spin as well. At first, it all started slow. But then the horn, the circle, and the chanting grew faster and faster, reaching a fever pitch. With a soft hiss, the horn dissolved into a smoke-like substance that was surrounded by the glyphs. Automatically, Shining Armor stepped forward so he was between his sister and wife and the smoke. But the smoke stayed in the whirling ring of glyphs and with one final shout, the glyphs halted and shone white. Instantly knowing what was coming, Twilight shielded her eyes from the coming flash. There was a pulse and Twilight could feel a rush of force push past her like a strong wind, pushing her back an inch or two. At the edge of her hearing, she barely registered a slight snapping sound. Then silence.

Slowly Twilight opened her eyes to examine the room. Celestia and Luna were on opposite ends of the room and were slowly pulling themselves to their hooves. Cadence and Shining Armor now stood a few feet behind Twilight, surrounded by a glowing pink shield Shining had thrown up at the last minute. Draped across the center of the room was a long strip of silken red fabric that had detached from the ceiling, the other end still attached to the wall. And right in front of Twilight was a bulge in the red fabric. Right where they'd performed the spell.

When the bulge shifted slightly, the tension in the air could've been cut with a knife. Shining Armor crouched low as he approached, a spell charging on his horn as he prepared for an attack. Luna and Celestia also approached slowly, though their stances held none of the aggression that Shining's did. Rather, more like a combination of hope and regret. Twilight, however, was directly in front of it and as the bulge moved more, she swallowed her fear, gripped the cloth with her magic and in a swift motion, threw it aside, revealing........a colt?

✴✴✴ Present ✴✴✴

At this point in the story, all their gazes turned to the colt under Twilight's wing.

"So, why is he a colt?" Rainbow finally asked the question in every pony's mind.

"Not even Celestia knows," Twilight said with a shrug. "At best she guesses that there wasn't enough of him to give him an adult form."

"Y'all were working with his horn." Applejack pointed out. "How is that not enough? Using his horn must've counted for something."

"One would think that," Twilight admitted. "Unfortunately I know nothing about the magic Celestia and Luna used. But I didn't dwell on that for too long."

✴✴✴ Day before Yesterday ✴✴✴

Once Twilight yanked back his cover, the colt flinched away from the sudden bright light. Twilight gaped at the small form that was so obviously King Sombra. Shining Armor was so caught off guard that his spell fizzled out and died. Even Celestia and Luna wore twin looks of shock. For a time they stood there as Sombra's eyes adjusted to the bright light. When he noticed the attention he was receiving from the tall individuals, he pulled himself closer to a ball like he wanted to shrink away.

Shining was the first to recover and approach the colt. Noticing his approach, Sombra let out a small squeak and backed away. Noticing this, Cadence placed a hoof on her husband's shoulder to stop his approach. Shining didn't like it, but he backed away anyways. Seeing him back up, Sombra relaxed slightly. Luna was the next to try as she crouched down to look into his eyes, her motion catching his attention.

"Sombra, do you know us?" She asked him. Sombra stared at her and began to back away from her while shaking his head. He continued to retreat till he found himself pressed up against Twilight's leg. Looking up as she looked down, ruby eyes met violet and they sat there for several seconds. Contact was finally broken when the colt pressed himself closer to Twilight. Surprised by the show of affection, Twilight stood stock still.

"Looks like some pony likes you." Cadence's sudden teasing comment was so close, Twilight jumped. Sombra reacted to the alicorn's sudden appearance by shifting around so as to put Twilight's leg between himself and the stranger. Cadence only smiled, her years as a foalsitter making her familiar with similarly shy foals. 'They always come around later.'

Once Cadence's comment registered, Twilight's jaw dropped and she started stuttering as she nudged the little bundle away from her. "W-ha.....he...ME?!?!" A whimper made her look down at the colt who looked up at her, his eyes beginning to water. With some prodding from Cadence, Twilight gingerly lifted him up in her magic and pulled him as close to her as she dared. Sombra's tears instantly dried as he pushed himself against her neck fur. Cadence tittered at Twilight's stiff form.

"Never thought I'd get a nephew so soon."

✴✴✴ Present ✴✴✴

"Considering the change in the situation, Celestia teleported us to her study in Canterlot so we could discuss our next move. In particular, where he would be staying. The Crystal Empire was out of the running since the crystal ponies would panic once they caught wind of Sombra's presence. Worse still, as Cadence pointed out, some of the bolder crystal ponies might take advantage of his new form and enact revenge for his reign. Cadence was firm on that not being an option.

Canterlot wasn't much better. Eventually the nobility or worse, the press would figure out that he was there and things would snowball in the worst way. Celestia and Luna weren't willing to expose such a young colt to all that. Ponyville was the only option since the ponies here are the most accepting in Equestria. But the most important reason was that Sombra wouldn't budge from my side. When we arrived in Canterlot Celestia wanted Sombra checked out, so she called for a nurse. However, it took two hours of coaxing and reassurance from me and the nurse before he went for his checkup while we talked."

Applejack grinned. "Sounds like some pony's a bit of a momma's colt." She teased. Twilight growled in annoyance.

"I am not a mother." She grumbled at the farmer. "I'm only looking after him for a while." Applejack's grin only widened.

"Sure ya are." Twilight let out a huff before deciding to ignore her.

"As you can probably imagine, I was a little against this idea. When I think of King Sombra, I can't but remember back in the Crystal Empire when he came so close to winning and some part of me wanted to outright reject the colt. But then I think about that little colt pressing up against me for protection and some other part of me can't stand the idea of rejecting him. Needless to say, I was confused and it was getting late. So I told Celestia I should sleep on it. That night Luna came to speak with me in my dreams."

✴✴✴ Dreamscape ✴✴✴

"Your thoughts are in turmoil," Luna observed flatly as she stared up at the swirling howling tornado that surrounded the two ponies. Twilight shot her an irritated look.

"Can you BLAME ME!?!" She burst out as the storm grew a little. "You're basically asking me to take a tyrant into my house!!!!" With her outburst done, Twilight suddenly jammed her hoof in her mouth at the realization that she was once again shouting at royalty and the storm shrank a little. Luna only gave her an unreadable but gentle expression, though Twilight could see a flicker of heart-wrenching sadness in her eyes.

"There is no need to fear a rebuke here. Your concerns are understandable. Were we to walk in your horseshoes, We might hold similar reservations." In her gentle reply, Twilight removed her hoof and the winds began to quiet down.

"I-I just don't understand how you and Celestia can even suggest redemption to Sombra in the first place." She said quietly. Once more Twilight could see the same sadness as before.

"There are many things that we must learn for ourselves, Twilight Sparkle. For now, suffice it to say Celestia and I have reasons to believe that Sombra is not the monster history paints him as."

The winds died down even more as the storm started to disperse. "Are you telling me that there is more to all of this than what I and my friends have seen?" Luna nodded silently. "And you aren't going to tell me?"

There was a twitch in Luna's eye that could be translated as a flinch. "Regrettably, no." She answered. "These are answers that you must discover yourselves. Till then, we are confident that you can repair the damage wrought by mine and Celestia's mistake."

Before Twilight could ask what the Lunar Princess meant by 'mistake', she felt the ground drop away from under her hooves and suddenly she was awake in her bed in Canterlot castle. And she wasn't alone. As she stirred, she could feel something else stir next to her. She turned and found herself staring into Sombra's ruby eyes blinking sleep from them. She didn't remember going to sleep with him. In fact, she was certain he'd been with the doctor in the royal infirmary so he could make absolutely sure that he was perfectly healthy. When did he get here?

"Sombra?" She muttered quietly. "Why are you here?" Sombra stared at her with eyes squinted in concentration.

"T-Twuh-Twilight s-ss-safe." He finally stuttered hesitantly before pressing close to her. "S-safe here."

✴✴✴ Present ✴✴✴

"Awwww." Pinkie Pie cooed. "His first word was your name!"
> Aunties and Families
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By this point in Twilight's retelling of the other day's events, the sun had risen and ponies were starting to wake and go about their day. In Ponyville's newest castle, however, Twilight's friends were riveted in her explanation as to why colt Sombra was currently residing in her home. Once Pinkie Pie finished cooing over Sombra's first word, however, the colt in question jolted awake and it was right then that they saw how late it was.

Applejack and Rarity commandeered the kitchen to make breakfast while Pinkie Pie familiarized herself with the colt in a more subdued manner. At first, Sombra was hesitant about the initially scary mare. But gradually he found himself feeling more comfortable with her and by the time Applejack and Rarity had returned with breakfast, Sombra was riding on the pink mare's back. For a few minutes, they sat there enjoying the delicious breakfast before finally, Applejack spoke.

"So, what happened next?" She asked, prompting Twilight to set down her utensils to continue.

"While my talk with Luna the night before had soothed some of my concerns, I still didn't feel ready to take this on. I decided I needed to clear my head and what better way to do that than hang out in Canterlot with my big brother. We don't hang out very often these days and this was the perfect excuse. So after sneaking out while Sombra was still asleep, my brother and I went out to Canterlot for the day. We visited old haunts, said hi to a few familiar faces and even popped in to pay mom and dad a visit. It wasn't until we sat down at a café that we actually talked about Sombra."

✴✴✴ Yesterday ✴✴✴

Twilight set her teacup down with a gentle clink and looked up at her brother who sat in the seat opposite her. "Shiny?" She asked uncertainly, getting the stallion's attention. "What do you think about all this?" She didn't need to explain what she was referring to. He knew. Shining Armor paused to give the matter some thought before finally answering.

"Honestly, I don't know what to think. I'm still trying to come to terms with all this. I expected a full-grown Sombra to attack. Not a colt Sombra latching onto you. The whole thing's just thrown me for a loop."

"I spoke with Luna in my dreams," Twilight said evenly.

"And?"

"It didn't make much sense." She growled in aggravation. Shining cocked an eyebrow. "I just don't understand why the princesses  feel that he deserves a second chance."

"Perhaps they know something we don't." Shining offered and Twilight was struck with a sense of déjà vu.

"That's pretty much how our conversation went." She said. "She said that she and Celestia had reasons to believe that Sombra wasn't the monster history paints him as. And she said it with such conviction that I think she does more than just believe. Then there was something about some mistake that she and Celestia made."

"Did she tell you what kind of mistake?"

"I woke up before I could ask. And even if I did, she probably wouldn't tell me since she pretty much outright told me that there was something she wasn't telling me, but she said that she couldn't tell me."

"Hmm." Shining hummed in thought. "So there's some history that the princesses can't tell us." Another long pause as he gave it some thought. "Well then, I guess the only thing we can do is have faith in them."

✴✴✴ Present ✴✴✴

"And so Shining and I came up with a game plan." Twilight scooped a bite of pancake into her mouth and chewed. Once she swallowed, she continued. "I would take Sombra home as the princesses want. And he would of make sure to check up on me for the duration of his stay."

"And what about that history you mentioned?" Applejack asked. Twilight shrugged.

"That was the point we were unsure on. On one hoof we didn't think that the princesses would like us poking our muzzles where they didn't belong. However, since we weren't told to not look into it, Shining said that he would look around for something whenever he gets the chance. With that decided, we returned to the castle. The moment we stepped in, Sombra barreled into me with such speed it knocked the wind out of me. Turns out it was a bad idea to leave him to wake up alone."

"How bad of an idea?" Applejack asked curiously.

"Let's just say nopony will be sleeping in that wing of the castle till they finish rebuilding." Twilight sipped her orange juice as her friend's jaws dropped. "Celestia's mages told me that it was the biggest most powerful magic surge they'd seen in anypony, much less a foal. Since then he'd been randomly and uncontrollably teleporting everywhere. Once he saw me coming from the roof of the castle, he calmed down and rushed to greet me."

As Twilight ate her breakfast, her friends mulled over this info. "Whoa," Rainbow whispered since she was the only pony able to make a cognizant reply.

"Of course Celestia said it wasn't that big of a deal since I was no better when I had my own magic surge. The only difference was that I was older than Sombra at the time and his magic surge was much bigger and more destructive. And yet, surprisingly enough, nopony was hurt. Sure the castle staff and Royal Gaurd were in an uproar about the whole thing, but apart from a few singed hairs, not even the ponies who were in the wing of the castle were hurt."

"How is that possible?" Rainbow asked, voicing the same question the others had. Twilight shrugged.

"Not sure since I wasn't there, but a maid, who'd been just outside the door when it happened, said it had been like the wave of magic had parted around her and next thing she knew, she'd been teleported to the kitchens. The other ponies who'd been there said roughly the same thing, though they had been teleported to random locations. One even ended up at the gates."

"Oh, my." Rarity said.

"Anyways, after I told Celestia that I would take Sombra under my wing, the rest of the day was spent filling out the needed paperwork. It wasn't until late last night that we got home. Sombra was already asleep, so I tucked him into a bed before dropping onto my own. As you can probably imagine, he didn't stay in his bed long."

Breakfast had ended, and the mares were gathering up dish's when Pinkie suddenly appeared in front of Twilight, making her yelp in surprise.

"You know what you need?" She asked with a jab to her chest. "A SPA DAY! Soooooo....." Suddenly Rarity and Fluttershy found themselves on either side of Twilight. "You'll go with Flutters and Rares here while Li'l Sombry and I hang out."

Before Twilight could say anything, the pink pony had left the castle with the grey colt on her back. A minute after the door shut, Twilight finally said one word.

"Sombry?"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

It was a gorgeous morning in Ponyville, and Cheerilee was enjoying every bit of it as she trotted through the streets on her morning walk. She took a deep breath and smiled as the morning breeze carried the scents of Ponyville.

"Good morning, Cheerilee!" Pinkie's voice called out, making her smile as she turned to the pink pony in question.

"Good morning, Pinkie." She greeted with a warm smile. Against the laws of physics, Pinkie's smile doubled.

"So are you planning on coming to Rose's birthday party?"

Cheerilee chuckled. "If you're hosting, I see no reason not to."

"YAY!" Pinkie cheered and it was at that moment that Cheerilee saw the small colt partially hidden in Pinkie's mane.

"And who's this?" Cheerilee asked. The colt let out a small squeak of surprise and pulled the fluffy pink mane closer to himself. Cheerilee only smiled.

"This is Sombra." Pinkie introduced. "He's new in town and a little shy." As she spoke, the colt in question peeked out from under his hiding place and stared up at Cheerilee with ruby red eyes. Cheerilee had to resist the urge to squeal at how absolutely adorable the sight was.

Instead, she smiled gently at him. "Well hello there." She greeted and he instantly pulled his cover back over his head. She didn't mind. As a schoolteacher, she dealt with similarly shy students almost regularly.

"So I suppose this means there's a new family in Ponyville," Cheerilee said, turning her attention back to Pinkie. As she spoke, grey ears pricked up.

"Nope! Just Sombry."

Cheerilee was confused. "What about his parents?"

"Dunno." Pinkie answered honestly. "I imagine their probably long gone by now."

Despite Pinkie's casual and almost happy tone, Cheerilee couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable with the sudden revelation. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. He can't remember them anyway."

Awkwardness increasing. "Um, o-okay." It was at that point that Pinkie noticed the other mare's discomfort and slung a hoof across her withers.

"Hey, don't worry about it. He'll be living with Twilight, and I'm certain she'll make a wonderful mother. Not to mention we'll be there for her all the way!"

Cheerilee relaxed, feeling much better knowing that he would be alright. "Well, I suppose that means I should help out however I can." She said brightly. "I could come to talk to Twilight about education options."

"That's a great idea!" Pinkie Pie cried as she lept up, making Sombra squeak in surprise. Cheerilee only smiled at the pink pony's enthusiasm.

"I'll see you around then." She said as she started back down the road.

"Yep! And I'll see at Rose's party!" She said as she waved goodbye. From his place on Pinkie's back, Sombra watched the teacher walk away. As Pinkie resumed bouncing down the street, Sombra turned to her.

"What fa-me-ly?" He asked, carefully pronouncing the new word.

"What's a family?" Pinkie replied. "A family is other ponies, and sometimes creatures, who love and care for each other. I have a family. There are my mom and dad and three sisters. Applejack has a big brother, a little sister, a grandma and a bazillion aunts uncles and cousins. Rarity has her parents and little sister and Twilight has her parents and big brother."

Sombra sat a moment to process this torrent of info. "Can I have a family?"

Pinkie Pie ground to a halt with a gasp and scooped the colt off her back. "Of course you can have a family!" She said enthusiastically as she hugged him tightly. "In fact," she dropped him to the ground in front of her "from now on, you can call me Auntie Pinkie!"

Sombra looked up at her with eyes wide with hopeful joy. "Really?"

"Of course!"

Sombra moved closer to Pinkie and wrapped his hooves as far around her foreleg as they could go. "Thank you, Auntie Pinkie."

Pinkie smiled and gently pat him on the head. "You're very welcome Li'l Sombry!"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Can ya see em?" Applejack called up at Rainbow Dash, who shook her head before diving down to her friend's side.

"Nope. Not hide nor hair." She frowned a little. "How is it that we can't find Pinkie Pie? She's Pinkie Pie! She should be easy to spot."

"The key word here is Pinkie Pie." Applejack pointed out as she trotted down the street with Rainbow hovering by her side. "You an I both know Pinkie is just as good at disappearing as she is at callin' attention to herself."

"Yeah, your right." There was a pause before Rainbow continued. "So, what do you think about all this?"

Applejack gave the matter some thought before answering. "Honestly, Ah didn't expect any of this. Ah, 'm still tryin' ta make heads or tails of that whole thing. One thing's for certain, Ah plan on helpin' Twi out, however, Ah can. What about you?"

Rainbow shrugged. "Same as you I guess, though I plan on keeping an eye on Sombra. I'm not sure what he's pulling, but if something happens, you can be sure I'll be ready."

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. "Ah'm surprised ya haven't pounced him yet."

"Pfft, I'm not that heartless. For now, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. You know, innocent until proven guilty."

Applejack gave her a teasing smile. "Yer a sucker for cute aren't ya?"

Rainbow blushed. "...... maybe a little. Not enough to give him a free pass through."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

After her tease, Applejack suggested Sugarcube Corner as the possible location of Pinkie and Sombra. Sure enough, once they stepped into the bakery, they spotted the two ponies sitting in a booth with a platterful of cupcakes. As they approached, they saw Sombra leaning back from Pinkie's ear after whispering something. Pinkie of course giggled and after giving him a conspiratorial wink, she took notice of the approaching pair and waved them over with a shout.

"APPLEJACK! RAINBOW DASH! We're over here!!" The two didn't say anything in reply as they settled down in the booth and eyed the colt sitting comfortably in her lap with a cupcake. Once they settled down in their seats, Sombra put his cupcake down, reached up, and placing his front hooves on the platter, pushed it towards them as best he could.

"Cupcake?" He offered. They hesitated a moment before grabbing a cupcake of their own while thanking him.

"So uh, what were you two talkin' about?" Applejack asked. Pinkie Pie shook her head.

"Sorry Applejack," she said in an overly serious tone. "But that's classified information." She then turned to Sombra. "Sombry, these are a couple of my friends I was telling you about. I'd like you to meet, Rainbow Dash and Applejack."

Sombra smiled and waved in greeting. "I'm Sombra." He introduced himself.

"Pleased to meet you." Applejack nodded in greeting.

"Hey." Was all Rainbow Dash said.

Sombra smiled in a way that only a kid can. "Auntie Pinkie make good cupcakes. Gonna help me make cupcakes too." He announced proudly.

"That's right!" Pinkie said with a grin to end all grins. Or at the very least, come close.

"Auntie Pinkie?" Applejack asked.

"Pinkie said I'm family," Sombra explained. "Said I could call her Auntie Pinkie."

Applejack smiled and chuckled a little at how adorable the little tyke was. "Well now sport, if y'all have jus' Pinkie as yer Aunt, yer gonna get cavities real quick. So.." in a fluid movement, she scooped her prized hat off her head and plopped it on his. "How's about you call me, Auntie Applejack?"

Sombra pushed the vastly oversized hat up so he could look up at the farm pony. "Really?"

Applejack scooped him off Pinkie's lap and held him up. "Why not?"

Sombra smiled and held out his forelegs for a hug, which Applejack was happy to reciprocate. Rainbow Dash gagged a little at the sugary sweet scene when she suddenly found herself pulled into a big group hug by a smiling Pinkie Pie.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" She asked. "Let's get baking!"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Rarity sighed in contentment as she slid into the pool of warm water. "So refreshing." She said. "This is why I enjoy coming here every week. I always feel refreshed and rejuvenated."

"Mmhmm." Fluttershy agreed. "Always makes me feel so relaxed.

"You girls are right." Twilight sighed. "I really should do this more often. I can already feel my worries melt away." As soon as she said that however, her relaxed smiled melted into a frown and she sighed. "What do I do?" She muttered more to herself as she sank into the tub. Regardless, her friends still heard it.

"Make sure he eats his greens, give him a bedtime and make sure he goes to bed at that time and possibly enroll him in school unless you want to homeschool of course." Rarity offered casually.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow at her friend. "You can't be serious."

"Oh but I am." Rarity answered.

"Why?"

"As I recall, Celestia called you to reform him and the whole amnesiac colt thing was a surprise development." Rarity explained. "The way I see it, there's no reason to abandon that original objective."

"And if you'll recall I was against the whole idea in the first place." Twilight deadpanned.

"Yes I know, but look at it this way. He looks up at you. Or at the very least feels like your 'safe'. I say that it's the perfect opportunity to teach him to be a better pony. Children learn from examples set by their elders you know. Who knows, maybe his elders a thousand years ago weren't the best influence."

Twilight turned to Fluttershy. "And what about you? What do you think about this?"

Fluttershy shrank a little inside herself at being the center of attention, but she still held her ground. "I think we can do it. I mean, we did it with Discord and he was an adult. Why not a colt Sombra?"

"I suppose you're right," Twilight admitted hesitantly. She was still a little cautious about him, but with her friends around her, she was confident that she could give him the benefit of the doubt. "So what time do you suggest should be his bedtime?"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

As Rarity slipped into the mudbath, she felt something brush against her leg. After a bit of sifting around, she found a folded sheet of pink paper that was remarkably clean, considering. Curious, she unfolded the paper and let out a sigh when she read what it said. When the others looked at her curiously, she passed them the note for them to read.

Come to Sugarcube Corner when you're done!

-Pinkie Pie

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"So the others are meeting us here?" Rainbow asked. "How do you know that?"

"Cause Dashie," Pinkie said perkily as she helped Sombra pour cupcake mix into the pan. "I sent them a note."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

After they'd finished with their spa treatment Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity trotted to Sugarcube Corner. Most ponies would ask questions about the note's form of delivery, but the citizens of Ponyville had long ago gotten used to Pinkie Pie and had basically just accepted it. 'Pinkie will be Pinkie' was the town mantra and nopony would have it any other way. And in any case, trying to figure out Pinkie Pie would just drive you mad.

As they trotted into Sugarcube Corner, Rarity quickly spotted Rainbow hovering outside of the kitchen doors staring in. Rarity trotted right up to her friend and addressed her.

"Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?"

The pegasus let out a yelp and shot upwards. Unfortunately being indoors meant that there was a limit to how far up she could go. A limit that Rainbow Dash was quick to hit. Literally. Rarity winced at the hard impact that followed.

"Ow." Rainbow groaned, rubbing her head as she dropped to the ground. "At the moment, getting a concussion."

"So sorry." Rarity apologized as she gave her friend a hoof up. "But what on earth were you doing peeking into the kitchen?"

"Well, somepony had to stand guard in case Sombra did something funny." She answered.

Rarity rolled her eyes and walked up to the kitchen doors. "Really darling, aren't you being a little overdramatic?" She walked into the kitchen, took one look and let out a gasp of horror.

"And I'm the one who's overdramatic?" Rainbow asked teasingly with a grin and chuckle at her friend's expense.

Rarity wasn't paying Rainbow any mind. Her attention was fixed on the horror before her. Sombra's grey coat was coated with a thick dusting of four and sugar alongside smears of cupcake batter. His mane was disheveled with frosting, sprinkles and assorted candies attached. And perched on his muzzle was a generous dose of frosting and batter. Immediately, Rarity seized the colt in her magic and pulled him closer to examine. Sombra only giggled as he found himself floating in the air.

"Sweet merciful Celestia, what on earth happened?!" Rarity exclaimed at the mess.

"Auntie Pinkie and Auntie Applejack showed me how to make cupcakes!" He answered happily.

"Is that so?" Rarity glanced at the ponies in question. "Well, I do believe it's time Auntie Rarity introduced you to the joys of soap and water."

Brooking no argument Rarity turned and began trotting upstairs with Sombra in tow, still floating in her magic. She only lowered him to the ground when they reached the bathroom. As she drew the bath, being careful to get the temperature just right, Sombra approached and gently touched her hoof to get her attention.

"Are you really my auntie?" He asked.

Rarity smiled warmly at him. "But of course!" She said gently. "Some pony needs to look after you and Celestia knows that Pinkie Pie and Applejack can't do it alone."

Sombra surged forward and hugged her leg. Rarity's first instinct was to pull her leg from his grasp since she hadn't washed him just yet. But when she heard him whisper "thank you", she just didn't have the heart and hugged him back, regardless of the mess.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"So, how was your day?" Twilight asked as she scrubbed down the counter.

"Well, we taught Sombra how ta bake an decorate cupcakes." Applejack answered from her place at the sink.

"And what do you think about him?" Twilight asked.

"He's absolutely ADORABLE!" Pinkie exclaimed. "We met up with Cheerilee and afterward he asked what a family was! And I said that a family is other ponies and creatures who love and care for you. Then he asked if he had a family and I said that he could call me his Auntie Pinkie! And then we came here to have some delicious cupcakes and Rainbow Dash and Applejack joined us and then we all baked cupcakes!"

"He seems ta be on the' level." Applejack said once she could get a word in edgewise. "So ah decided ta give him the benefit of the doubt and became his Auntie Applejack. An besides, ifn' he ain't telling the truth, what better way ta keep an eye on him than ta keep close?"

Rainbow smiled, no longer feeling betrayed. The others had finished cleaning the kitchen and moved to sit at a table when Rarity led a clean and brushed Sombra back downstairs. Out of nowhere, Pinkie appeared right next to him holding up a blue pastry box. Sombra took the box, trotted up to the table and held the box up towards Twilight.

"Here. I bake and decorate cupcakes for you." He said. Surprised, Twilight wrapped the box in her magic, pulled it up and opened it. The baker's dozen cupcakes were by no means perfectly decorated. There were parts where there was too much or too little frosting, but they were still beautifully decorated cupcakes.

"Um, I don't know what happened, but I think something bad happened and I'm sorry if I did something bad." Twilight blinked and almost all of the girl's jaws dropped.

Pinkie Pie smiled and leaned towards Twilight. "See? He said sorry."  She whispered. "So can we keep him?"

Twilight momentarily cocked an eyebrow at her friend before turning back to Sombra. She bit her lip. She still didn't completely trust him or forgive him for the Crystal Empire, but some part of her just didn't want to say no. Especially when he was staring at her with those big, red eyes. Her horn lit up and picked him up in her magic.

"I guess I can forgive you a little." She said. Sombra didn't seem to hear her grudging tone. His face brightened and he snuggled closer to her as she put him on her lap.

"YIPPEE!" Pinkie Pie cheered and snatched one of the cupcakes from the box. "Welcome to Ponyville, Li'l Sombra."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

In Canterlot Luna stared at one of the stained glass windows. The one depicting Spike saving the Crystal Empire. It had made the dragon so proud to have a window made just for him. What he didn't know, however, was that the artist had wanted to add Sombra being blasted apart by the Crystal Heart.

Luna frowned at the memory of that first design that he had shown her and her sister. He was a good pony and had thought it would be a good way to display the victory by showing the tyrant being destroyed. But for Celestia and Luna, Sombra was more than a tyrant. He was a friend. A friend who had suffered because of their mistake. So naturally, they turned down the original design. After they'd turned down a couple more designs, the artist got the idea that they didn't want Sombra depicted in the window. It was too painful to even think about his destruction. They didn't want a reminder immortalized in glass.

Even though he didn't understand why the artist removed Sombra from the glass altogether and finally presented a design that both he and the princesses agreed on. As Luna sat lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice her sister's approach till the elder alicorn placed a hoof on her back. Luna only glanced at Celestia as her sister sat next to her while she rubbed her back. For a time they sat there like that quietly as their minds drifted to the past.

"Why sister?" Luna finally asked.

Celestia gave her a look of sadness. Luna didn't have to explain. Celestia knew what she was asking. "I'm sorry Luna." She said quietly. "I know how close you were to him. But you know that it is much healthier for him in the long run if he stays with Twilight. He's already become attached to her anyway."

Luna bowed her head and leaned into Celestia's barrel. Celestia responded by holding her close with one hoof and wing. "It is not fair," Luna said, her voice sounding on the brink of tears. "Why him?!" She shouted at the ceiling as though she were challenging the universe to answer. "Out of all ponies, WHY HIM?!"

Luna then fell back to her sister's barrel and began crying while Celestia ran her hoof through her mane. "I do not know, Luna. I do not know." Was all she could say.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

It was late in the evening when Twilight finally went home. After enjoying Sombra's cupcakes, they'd all helped Pinkie Pie set up for Rose's party. At some point during the party, Pinkie introduced Sombra to all of Ponyville and they'd all instantly fell in love with him. As the party wore on, Sombra grew more and more tired until finally he collapsed under a table and fell asleep. By that point, the party had already begun to wind down and ponies were going home, so it wasn't anything unusual when Twilight slung him onto her back and left. She herself was feeling a little tired, so once she tucked him into his bed, she threw herself onto her own and drifted off to sleep.
> Brother
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You ready?" Spike called out from behind his curtain.

Twilight smiled. "As ready as I'll ever be. Now come out already!"

Spike pushed aside his curtain and struck a pose. The little dragon was wearing an outfit that she recognized as the Masked Matter-Horn, complete with fake wings and horn, all fitted for a dragon. She banged her hooves on the ground in applause.

"A wonderful job on the costume." She praised. "Are you all packed and ready for comic con?"

"Eeyup." He said. A moment later his cheeks bulged and he let out a belch that heralded the arrival of a letter from Celestia. Before the scroll could hit the floor, however, Twilight's magic enveloped it and brought it forward. For a moment she silently read it before rolling it back up.

"It looks like Celestia would like me to come to the Crystal Empire as soon as possible." She announced with a hint of worry in her voice.

Spike sighed. "Well then, I guess we'd better get going. I'll go change."

Twilight's eyes widened and she put a hoof out to stop. "Wait, what do you mean by 'we'?"

"What, did you really think you'd go without your Number One Assistant?"

Twilight's surprised expression melted into a determined. "No. No offense, but you won't be coming with me."

Spike shrugged. "Okay. Then I'll stay here."

"You won't be staying here either."

Spike looked at Twilight in confusion. "Then, where do you want me to be?"

"I want you to go to your convention in Manehatten."

"What?! But, don't you need me?"

"Of course I do." She said with a smile. "But you've been over the sun and moon excited about this convention for months and I couldn't stand it if you just dropped it for my sake."

Spike blushed. "I haven't been that excited." He said weakly.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow incredulously. "You turned down Rarity's offer to make your costume when you started making it." She said completely deadpan.

"Okay first it's not a costume, it's cosplay. And second, Rarity was still beautiful when she gave me pointers."

Twilight giggled. "I'm sure she was."

"But the point still remains," Spike said. "I mean, I am excited about this convention. I've been preparing for months and you're letting me go on my own, granted you only agreed when Big Mac offered to keep an eye out for me since he's got family business there at the same time, but that's still pretty cool. But how can you tell me to leave you when you need your Number One Assistant?"

"Because I care for my Number One Assistant." She said gently as she put her hoof on his shoulder. "And my Number One Assistant has been dying to go to this convention for months. Go and have fun. And don't worry about me. I'm fairly confident that I can handle almost anything Celestia can throw at me. And let's not forget I have five friends I can ask to accompany me. At least one of them is sure to be free."

Spike shuffled in place for a moment. "Well, if you're so sure..."

Twilight hugged him. "I'm sure." She answered. "Now get going. You can't leave Big Mac waiting."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

It was around evening when the train pulled in and out walked Big Mac with a tired Spike draped across his back. During the trip, the two had hit it off well and were already planning on getting together this weekend to talk about hoofball. Spike on his part was excited. True he enjoyed reading comics and going to conventions in costume like any other geek, but on the other hoof (or claw) he also enjoyed sports. Big Mac was also looking forward to this get-together. While he was a hard worker and dedicated to his family and Sweet Apple Acres, that didn't mean he didn't enjoy himself once in a while. After all, Granny Smith always told them that dedicating themselves entirely to work wasn't healthy for a pony and who was he to argue with his grandmother. And thus, Big Mac found himself a hoofball fan.

Both didn't know each other very well, and so were very surprised to find the other was a fan. And by the time they pulled into the station, they had scheduled a time to hang out. Which brought them to the present, with Spike dozing on his back as his sister, who had met them at the station, helped carry the luggage. Applejack had explained that Twilight was a little busy with things and couldn't come with her. She may have explained why, but Spike was just too tired to hear her and knowing Twilight it was probably studying. As they walked to the castle, Applejack filled her brother in on what had been going on while they were gone, and all of it sailed over his head as the rhythmic motion of Big Mac's pace threatened to knock him out.

After what seemed was too short of a time, Mac stopped and Spike found himself being lightly shaken by Applejack. "Hey there Li'l feller. We're here."

"Here?" He asked blearily as he observed his surroundings, not recognizing the castle at first. "Right. Here." He said as he slid off Big Mac. "Well, I'll see you around Mac." He said tiredly before letting out a yawn.

"Sure thing buddy." He said with a smile. "Now go an' get some rest."

Spike only nodded before proceeding up to the castle with Applejack following with his luggage. Spike was just too tired to say anything. As he walked into his new room (awesome! First a throne now my own room!) he encountered Twilight coming out of the room next to his.

"Oh, hey Spike." She greeted as she took his luggage. "Sorry I couldn't come to greet you at the station. How was your trip?"

"It was good." Spike almost slurred his speech in his exhaustion. "The convention was fun and the Oranges were very hospi....hosp....hos....nice, even though I was a dragon."

"That's very good to hear." She said in a pleasant voice that made him want to faint right then and there. "You look pretty exhausted, so it might be a good time for you to go to bed. We can talk later."

"Talk....later.....sleep." Was all he managed.

Twilight only smiled and began guiding him into his room and onto his bed. He felt like he'd never seen a more beautiful bed in all his life before he passed out.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Spike woke up feeling rested and refreshed. As he made his way downstairs, the smell of pancakes tickled his nose. "Morning Twilight!" He announced as he entered the dining room.

"Good morning Spike," Twilight said gently.

"Good morning Spike."

"Ya know you didn't need to make the pancakes. I'm fully capa-" Spike mentally halted on a dime when his brain fully registered the second voice that said good morning. Judging by its pitch and tone, it was definitely a colt's voice but it definitely wasn't any colt's voice that he was familiar with.

Spike blinked then examined the room once more. It didn't take long to spot the young colt sitting at the table in a highchair. Spike narrowed his eyes and scratched his chin. There was something familiar about this colt yet at the same time different. Judging by appearance, Spike would've guessed that he was round three or four. His coat was a dark grey and his mane was onyx black while ruby red eyes stared at him in curiosity. Eyes that Spike had seen somewhere before. It didn't take very long for the puzzle pieces to fall into place.

"WAAH!?!?" He cried out and he jumped back. "What the hay is Sombra doing here?!"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Cadence gave a sigh as she smiled. Ever since Auntie Tia had shown them this room a few days prior, Cadence had spent as much time here as possible in here reading. The books she'd read were amazing and in their time had been considered ancient. Cadence had even found a few spell books written by Starswirl himself. It had all been so exciting and fascinating at the same time. But then there was one question that still demanded an answer. Who built this place?

Celestia and Luna knew about this place, so it stood to reason that they would know something about who built it. But the two had been tight-lipped about that and Cadence wasn't one to press the issue which left detective work as the only means to discover the answer. At first, she thought Starswirl had built it, but she quickly shot that down. While there were some Starswirl books, they were only a token amount compared to the rest of the library.

Plus it didn't make any sense to her for the ancient wizard to make a private library in another country when he lived in Canterlot. But in her investigation, she'd found a spell journal with the two sets of hoof writing. One she recognized from the other journals she'd read as Starswirl's. The other was a more stylized cursive with little flourishes that she could only assume belonged to whoever built this library. And judging by what they'd written, they were really good at following Starswirl. Celestia often told her that when Starswirl really got into his magic formulas, not even she could follow him.

Evidently, there was somepony who could not only follow but also match Starswirl the Bearded himself. Not to mention the very existence and construction of this very library spoke of great magical skill and power alongside enough influence to build it here in the castle.

'Powerful, influential and a genius.' Cadence hummed in thought. 'Wonder what other surprises this mystery pony has up their sleeves.' Cadence couldn't help but giggle as she slid the journal back into place. This was getting pretty fun. She had yet to guess if this pony was a stallion or a mare since the hoofwriting gave nothing away. She was practically bouncing on her hooftips. If it was at all possible, she'd like to meet this pony.

It was at that moment that she saw something she hadn't noticed before. A desk. It was a very simple desk made of crystal that jutted right out of the wall. Above and flanking it on the wall were two small crystal ledges that still held large half-burned candles. When she approached, she found only three items on the table. Neatly set to the side were two quill pens. One was long and white with a pen made of etched Rhinegold with a golden gem decorating it. The other was a little shorter than the other and dark blue with a pen made of etched Mythril silver and studded with a silvery white stone.

For a minute Cadence examined the quill pens in curiosity. Something about these feathers was familiar but she decided to set that aside for another time and turned to the third item, a journal that sat dead center of the desk. Unlike the pens, the journal was unusually plain aside from the buckle that secured it. Running a hoof across the worn black cover, it suddenly occurred to her that this was probably the personal journal of the pony she was looking for.

Undoing the buckle, she gently lifted the cover to the first page where a single word had been written in the same script as earlier. There, written in swooping cursive with a flourish was a name.

Sombra

Cadence immediately slammed the cover shut as her train of thought hit a grinding halt. 'WHAAAAA????!!!!!'

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Uh, on second thought, maybe I should go with them." Fluttershy hastily cut off Spike's hoofball itinerary. "In case they need me."

"Looks like it's time for a road trip," Twilight said with a smile.

"Well, suit yourself." He said with a casual shrug as they left. "But he has a Hock Fetlock rookie card I plan on sweet talking into these hot little claws."

Twilight suddenly halted just before stepping out the door. "And you'll keep an eye on Sombra, right?"

Spike's eye widened and his scales paled as he remembered the castle's third occupant. "Wait, you mean me?!"

Twilight cocked an eyebrow. "Who else do you think I'm going to entrust him to?"

"Cheerilee takes care of kids all the time. Lyra and Bon Bon wouldn't mind either along with just about every other mare in Ponyville!" He waved his arms in the air for emphasis.

"All true," Twilight admitted. "But might I remind you that this is King Sombra. You are the only one, aside from my friends, that I feel comfortable with leaving alone with him." Fluttershy raised a hoof to begin to speak, but Twilight cut her off. "No Fluttershy, you are not staying."

Fluttershy wilted a little. "Why not?"

"Because we need you," Twilight said as she turned to address Fluttershy. "And in any case, if you hadn't agreed to come with us willingly, I would've pointed out that you're cutie mark on the map is with our cutie marks, not in Ponyville, indicating that all of us need to go wherever the map is pointing."

Fluttershy wilted even more. "Oh. Alright." She whispered.

Applejack placed a hoof on the pegasus's back. "Hey, don't worry about it Sugarcube. Ah, know for a fact that there's a train line that extends that far. No idea why, but at least that means that the' trip'll be safe."

Fluttershy brightened as Rainbow Dash let out a groan of disappointment. "Oh good." The shy pegasus said happily.

"But the point still stands," Twilight said, turning back to Spike. "You're the only one I can trust to keep an eye on Sombra while we're gone."

"Well, when you put it like that...." Spike reluctantly.

"Don't worry Spike." Twilight soothed. "If something bad happens, send a letter to Celestia. Otherwise, keep a close eye on him."

"Alright." Spike capitulated. "But please don't be gone for too long. I'd like to be able to enjoy this weekend."

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Twilight reassured. With that, they left Spike alone with King Sombra, the former tyrant. Turning his attention to the table, he quickly spotted Sombra. The colt had pulled himself onto his throne and was currently studying the map with wonder as he stuck his hoof through a mountain. It was going to be a long weekend.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

As the train went along, Twilight watched as lush forests transformed into wide deserts. She wasn't really paying attention to the change of scenery. Her mind was elsewhere, namely back at the castle where she'd left her Number One Assistant with King Sombra. Needless to say, she was a little worried.

"Hey Sugarcube, you alright there?" Applejack asked. "Ya look a little distracted there."

"Sorry." Twilight apologized. "I just can't stop thinking about Spike alone with Sombra."

"Honey, you got nothin' ta fret about." Applejack said soothingly. "Spike's a big dragon. He can take care of himself and Sombra. They'll both still be there when you come back."

"Yeah, I know Spike can take care of himself," Twilight said. "But I still have some reservations about Sombra. He was once a tyrant, remember? I still don't trust him entirely."

"Trust is somethin' ta be earned, that much is true." Applejack said. "But Y'all still need ta give folks the chance ta earn that trust." Applejack paused as she felt the train begin ta slow. "Now buck up an have faith in Spike and Lil Sombra. Our stop's coming up."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Spike didn't think it was at all possible for a tyrant to become annoying, yet here he was a little annoyed. Ever since Twilight and company left this morning, Sombra had followed him everywhere as he did his chores and got ready for Big Macintosh's visit. And nothing Spike said could get him to stop. True Sombra helped him out when he could, but it still irked him a little when Sombra just wouldn't leave Spike alone.

"Aaaaagh!" He exclaimed at some point and Sombra halted. "Why do you keep following me?! Don't you have anything better to do?"

Sombra shook his head. "Not really." When Spike had first met Sombra, the colt's grasp of language was much more simplistic. But since then he had improved immensely. "I just want to help you out."

"Why?" Spike asked exasperatedly.

"Why not?"

Spike threw his claws up into the air and was about to retort when there came a knock at the door. "Mac's here." He said. "Stay near and don't embarrass me."

Sombra nodded and followed Spike as he went to answer the door.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Aw C'mon! Please!"

"Eenope."

This was it. The moment of truth. After hours of discussing hoofball and hoofball stats, Spike finally had a shot at getting that Hock Fetlock card.

"How about three Field Goal cards for your Hock Fetlock?"

"Uh-uh."

The only problem was that Big Macintosh wasn't willing to trade.

"What about both of my Princeton Prance special edition cards?"

"Nuh-uh."

And Spike was quickly running out of options.

"Thunder 'All Score' Hooves?"

"Nope."

"GAH!!" Spike exploded then stomped to the kitchen to get himself something to drink and to clear his head. It was halfway through his drink that he realized that Sombra hadn't followed him. At this point, he could care less. He needed the quiet anyway. Just as he was thinking that he heard a small set of hooves rushing towards him followed by a bigger set close behind. An instant later, Sombra burst into the room gleefully while Big Mac stood in the doorway.

"Spike! Spike! Look look look!" Sombra shouted in excitement as he showed Spike what he had in his hooves. Spike instantly spit out his drink. There, right in front of his muzzle, was the coveted Hock Fetlock rookie card.

"I-you-how?!" Spike spluttered out.

Big Mac chuckled. "The little guy is amazingly persuasive." He answered.

Spike studied Big Mac for bruises or any sign of magical persuasion, but he didn't see any sign that the big guy had been threatened in any way. In fact, he looked satisfied with a small hint of pride in Sombra who was now examining it closer.

'OH COME ON! How is that even possible?! I've been trying to bargain with Mac for the better part of an hour and I'm not out for five minutes and he gets it?!' Spike bowed his head, his pride taking a heavy blow. Then Spike suddenly found the card held out in front of him.

"Here. For you." Sombra said as he hoofed it to Spike. Now both Spike and Big Macintosh were rendered speechless.

"I.....what?" Spike managed as he stared at the card in his claws.

"Well I don't really like hoofball, but I saw how much you wanted that card and so I got it for you," Sombra explained before smiling.

Both jaws dropped. "Y-you got this for me?"

Sombra frowned in confusion. "Uh-huh."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted you to be happy." He answered simply. "Are you happy?"

Spike blinked. He had no idea what to say or how to feel. "I...I...I guess I am." He finally said, suddenly not wanting to disappoint the little guy. Sombra instantly beamed and his expression became one of pure joy that could rival even Pinkie's. The rest of the day passed without any more significant events. After tucking Sombra into his bed in the room next to his, Spike lay on his bed and stared at the card in the dark.

'Why would he do that?' He thought. His memory instantly answered for him.

<Because I want you to be happy.>

'And what about you?' Spike blinked. 'Where did that come from?' He wasn't sure why, but suddenly he was wondering if Sombra was happy and that thought alone was enough to intensify the already existing whirlwind of confused emotions. On one claw, it was King Sombra, Tyrant of the Crystal Empire. He still remembered the terror he'd felt when he and the Crystal Heart was falling towards him. At that moment, he had thought he was going to die.

On the other claw, however, this Sombra had been nothing but nice and helpful. He'd even gotten the Hock Fetlock rookie card just for him. How was it possible for anypony so evil to be so nice. Spike had the sneaking suspicion that there was something that he was missing but he couldn't put a claw on what.

'Agh! It's too late to be thinking about this.' Carefully he put the card away and pulled the blankets up. As he drifted off to sleep, he thought he heard a whimper.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

It was strange having no cutie mark and not in a good way. Twilight still remembered that feeling. The feeling of some part of herself being pulled from her very being. And now here they were trapped in this room until they accepted their way of thinking. Pfft. As if that'd ever happen.

But even though they were in a tight spot, Twilight's thoughts kept turning to home. And Spike. And Sombra. She didn't completely understand why, but she was a little worried about Sombra. Ever since he came into her life he'd been sneaking into her bed because of his nightmares. She wasn't sure how he'd react if she wasn't there. She kept on imagining a magic surge, just like back in Canterlot. She wasn't sure how she could handle coming home, only to find the castle blown up. And then there was the fact that she'd promised Spike she'd be home as soon as possible. And so it was imperative that they escape.

Plus she couldn't stand those speakers blaring Starlight Glimmer's 'philosophy'.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Hey, Sombra?" Spike called out as he pushed open Sombra's bedroom door, only to find the room empty. "Sombra?" At first, Spike almost panicked and sent a letter to Princess Celestia. Then he remembered Twilight saying that Sombra tended to sneak into her bed in the middle of the night. He may as well check her room before flying into a panic. As he approached the room in question, he saw that the door was partially open. He could've sworn it was shut yesterday.

'Well, at least I'm on the right path.' He thought as he nudged the door open the rest of the way. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The bed was still made and everything was just as Twilight left it.

"Sombra? You in here?" He called out. His sharp hearing quickly picked up a tired, surprised squeak. Getting down on his claws and knees, Spike peeked under the bed and found Sombra curled up and pressed against the far wall, blinking and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Sombra?" He asked. "Did you sleep under here?"

Sombra nodded then unfurled himself from his own tight ball and crawled out from under the bed. Spike was beyond baffled and a little concerned as the colt stretched himself.

"Why?" He asked.

"Twilight wasn't home, so I hid under the bed."

"Hid? Hid from what?"

Sombra didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced away and wrapped his forelegs around his body as he fought against trembling.

"The Darkness."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

When Big Mac came, he brought a pad of paper and a box of crayons. His reasoning was that 'he may as well bring something to keep the little guy happy'. They picked up where they'd left off and gone on talking hoofball till noon, at which point Spike had to get lunch ready while Mac had to return to the farm. Since his sister hadn't come home yet (along with the rest of her friends)  the responsibility of the farm fell on his shoulders.

After finishing his morning chores, however, Granny Smith had told him that she could hold down the fort until noon. Till then he could hang out with Spike. While Spike was a little disappointed in cutting things short, he was a bit more concerned about Twilight and the others and had been internally debating on whether or not he should send a letter to the princess. He eventually reached a compromise. If Twilight and the others weren't back by tomorrow morning, he was going after them come Tartarus or high water. And if he found them in danger, he was sending Celestia a letter.

With this personal accord reached, Spike pulled on his apron and got to work. When he was done, he smiled proudly. It wasn't always easy to make hayburgers with fries, but he made enough for both himself and Sombra. And speaking of which... When Big Mac had given him the pad and crayons, Sombra had made himself comfortable in a corner of the room and hadn't moved from there, save for bathroom breaks and drink runs.

As he approached the still drawing colt, Spike's foot brushed against a piece of paper. Spike scooped up the paper and studied it in surprise. As far as drawing went, Sombra's picture was better than colts his age. Almost pro level, but still some childish charm. But that thought was only secondary to the subject matter of the picture. Spike remembered the first time he'd seen Sombra. A towering cloud of black smoke with terrifying eyes. The three figures in the picture looked like that only different. There were curling red horns like ram's horns instead of unicorn horns. And emerging from some point in their dark bodies were long arms with claw-like talons. And to top it all off, the lower down you went, the three entities bodies ran together like they were one being. And those piercing eyes were solid green with purple smoke pouring from the corners.

Spike shivered. "Sombra, what is this?" He asked, gesturing to the picture.

Sombra looked up from drawing another rendition of the same beings as they loomed over a curled up pony. "That's the Darkness." He said in a whisper. "They're always in my nightmares every night."

Spike glanced at the picture and steeled himself. "What kind of nightmares?"

Sombra squirmed uncomfortably till Spike grabbed a hoof. "They're all different but the same," Sombra explained, quivering. "I'm a prisoner in my own head and the Darkness is there. I don't know why, but I always know them as the Darkness. And then they hurt me. Sometimes they say things. Other times they make me watch other ponies get hurt by me. I don't know these ponies, but I don't want them to be hurt. Sometimes my body is fighting these really pretty mares with wings and horns and then they throw me in ice while their crying and everything becomes cold."

As he spoke, Sombra bunched in on himself and was near tears. Spike was shocked. He hadn't expected anything like this and it forced him to reevaluate his thoughts on Sombra. It was one of those worlds flipped upside down moments and he wasn't sure which way was up. He would need to think about this some more. Then he remembered why he was here in the first place.

"Hey, Sombra. Lunch is ready. You wanna eat?"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

The rest of the day went past in a blur for Spike since he was still trying to steady his world following this earth-shattering information. It wasn't until late in the evening that Spike actually had a chance to think about this. Sombra sort of remembered when he was a tyrant, only from a different angle that Spike didn't see coming.

'A prisoner in his own head.' That one thought rang through his head. He then pulled out the picture that he'd picked up earlier and spread it out to look at. Thinking back it made a certain amount of sense. The change in personality was a bit too sudden for it to be anything else.

'So at one point, Sombra was a good guy.' Spike mused. 'And then the darkness came.' So few of the Crystal ponies remembered King Sombra's reign. Those that could remember that he'd done some horrible things. But even those ponies memories were incomplete since nopony could remember what life was like before then, much less when King Sombra came to power. As far as they knew, he was just there.

A thought suddenly occurred to Spike. 'What if he'd been a good king before he was a tyrant?' It made sense as he thought of it. What if at some point, Sombra had been a good king beloved by all the Crystal Ponies. When whatever happened to Sombra happened they would've felt so betrayed they suppressed their own memories. Or something like that. And while all this was going on, Sombra was living a nightmare in his own head.

Suddenly, Spike's sharp ears caught muffled whimpers and sobs coming from the room next door. 'And speaking of nightmares...' Spike stowed away the drawing and walked to Sombra's room. The little colt was curled into a ball and pulling his blanket close while tears streamed down his cheeks like overflowing rivers.

"Sombra," Spike said gently as he placed a claw on his shoulder and shook. "Hey, Sombra. It's just a dream. Wake up!"

Sombra suddenly jerked awake and scrambled away so fast that he fell off the other side of the bed. Spike winced then crawled over to the edge and peeked over. Sombra lay there on the ground staring into space with wet eyes.

"Hey, you okay? That was a pretty hard fall." Spike asked.

Sombra didn't answer immediately. Instead, he buried his head in his hooves and began to cry again. "Why?" He whimpered. "Why can't I stop them from hurting those ponies? I can't do anything right. I'm useless."

Spike blinked and turned his gaze to Sombra's sketch pad. Flipping through its pages he found that some of the pictures were of those things he called The Darkness engaged in various sadistic activities. It was enough to make Spike's blood boil. Instantly he ripped the offending pictures from the book and shredded them before igniting the scraps. Soon there was nothing left but a pile of ash on the floor. Spike then returned his attention to the crying Sombra and reaching down, pulled him back onto the bed.

"Hey listen to me." He said. "You aren't useless. Far from it in fact. I mean, not just anypony can get a Hock Fetlock rookie card from the most stubborn stallion in existence in less than five minutes." Sombra gave a small smile before it instantly melted away. Spike then pulled him into a hug as he ran his claws through his (remarkably soft) mane. "You are an amazing, kind, smart colt. Far from useless. And if anyone thinks otherwise, then they can go jump off a cliff." That elicited a small snort from him. "Those dreams are just that. Dreams." How could he justify telling him that his nightmares might actually be suppressed memories? "So how about I sleep here with you for tonight?"

Sombra nodded his head and they both lay down on the bed, Sombra still held in Spike's arms since the colt refused to leave his grasp. It wasn't long before his breathing indicated that he was fast asleep. Spike moved the colt little ways away from him and brushed a lock of his mane from his face. The little dragon remembered reading about this kind of thing in one of Twilight's books about mental conditions. In emotional and physically stressing situations, ponies would often suppress memories, sometimes even their entire lives.

Whatever happened to Sombra while he was in the grasp of The Darkness could definitely qualify as emotionally taxing. Not to mention what happened in the Crystal Empire, which could definitely count as physically taxing. Thus when he was brought back to life, he had no memory of his previous life. And now the really bad memories were showing up as nightmares. Poor guy was having a really rough time of it. It's a wonder he was sane. Spike pulled Sombra close to him. The little guy needed someone. And Spike was going to be one of those someones.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

It felt good to have a cutie mark again. The feeling that had been sent through their bodies when they reunited with their cutie marks was amazing and indescribable and as they celebrated with the townsponies, Twilight couldn't help but feel like she was forgetting something.

"Twilight!" Twilight swiveled around at the sound of Spike calling out her name and found herself being practically tackled by the dragon, but had kept her footing.

"Spike? What are you doing here?" She asked as she returned the hug.

Spike pushed away from her and folded his arm while shooting here a stern (but adorable) look. "You've all been gone for two days! Why do you think I'm here!? Yesterday I was mere inches away from sending a letter to Celestia! Then I told myself to give you guys a chance but if you weren't back by this morning, I'm coming after you to see what's going on. Then I'd send a letter to Celestia. Depending on the situation of course."

Twilight then pulled Spike close with a smile. "Thank you for coming all this way just for us." Twilight suddenly remembered something and pushed Spike away. "Wait a second. What about Sombra?"

"I brought him, of course," Spike said.

"TWILIGHT!" Sombra ran right into her with enough force to merely leave her winded instead of bereft of air like last time. "We were so worried about you."

"I wasn't that worried," Spike said in an attempt to put up a tough guy act.

"Sure you were," Sombra said. "I could tell on the train."

"Alright," Spike said bashfully. "I'll admit I was a little anxious."

"Okay, Spike." He said, releasing his death grip on her leg. "Ooo! Cookies!" He turned to Spike who chuckled warmly.

"Go on you scamp." He said. "Look's like it's safe."

As Sombra skipped up to Sugar Bell's table to retrieve his prize, Twilight shot a questioning look at Spike who watched Sombra with a warm look. "Okay, what'd I miss?"

Spike shrugged. "Just some male bonding. Hey, I'd like some of those too!"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Cadence stared at the very plain journal in front of her like she expected it to make the first move. She didn't know why she'd taken the book from the room, but at the time she'd been in such shock she barely registered picking it up and taking it with her. It didn't make any sense to her. When she pictured anything built by King Sombra, she imagined everything a bit more dark a foreboding. Not something so beautiful. It just felt like there were a few pieces she was missing.

She glanced at the journal. 'A few pieces I might find in there.' That thought made her pause as she built up her nerve before she grasped the book, undid the clasp and opened it beyond the first page.

Entry #1.....
> Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

<Me a king? If anypony told me that I was to become king of an empire a year ago, I would've laughed in their faces. But now, it's no joke. Never in my life did I imagine that I'd be king over anything. And quite frankly, I don't think I'm cut out for the job. But I suppose I should start at the beginning. My folks were wandering performers. We made our living, traveling town to town performing for the residents.

As a colt, I have always been a fast learner. I could learn anything. But unlike my family, my interests were more directed in magic and when I earned cutie mark, it pretty much sealed the deal. My parents were supportive and even pleased. When I was old enough, I got my own wagon. I could choose to add it to the caravan, or I could go off on my own. I stayed with the caravan for a bit before going off on my own. I traveled the world and built a fairly big collection of books on the subject.

Then I found myself in the Crystal Empire. Everything about it was wonderful! The city. The Ponies. Their culture and traditions. Even magic! It was all so wonderful and I knew that my travels were at their end. I quickly settled down in the empire. Got my own house, a job at the library and everything. Of course, since I was one of the few non-crystal ponies that had settled in the empire, I drew attention. I drew, even more, attention when everypony else saw my magical prowess. So much attention that I ultimately ended up as the Queen's magic advisor.

Queen Peach Gem was a wonderful mare and a great queen. I'm still having difficulty understanding why she would pick me to be her heir. Years ago she had a husband and a daughter, but her husband had died in a battle defending the empire and her daughter died of an illness years later. She hadn't married since her husband passed away and so with the loss of her only child, the empire was heirless. And now she was dying too. Not much of a surprise considering how old she was, but still. It made me sad and scared me a little.

Now according to the Crystal Empire law, if a ruler dies without an heir, the torch can be passed to another pony not of royal blood by either the nobles or the ruler themselves. Queen Peach Gem didn't have much faith that her nobles would pick the right pony since some were more shallow and greedy and would more than likely raise one of themselves up or worse still, each try to raise themselves up and end up plunging the empire into civil war. Even so, it was a shock when she announced me as her successor.

I was confused and felt that I wasn't 'king' material. Then Queen Peach Gem called me to her chambers to speak with me. Did I ask her why? Why me? Out of all the ponies in the empire, some more qualified than me, why me? It was the only question I had in my mind. Queen Peach Gem just smiled and said that I was a perfect choice because I was kind, selfless and that I was like a son to her.

She then gave me a journal. This very journal that I write in to be exact. She'd originally had it made for her daughter so she could give it to her for her birthday, the year that she died. She'd hung onto it since and now she was giving it to me to use as it was meant to be used. She said she wanted me to write whatever I wanted in it. My fears, my hopes...my life. Those were the last words she ever said to me, or anyone else.

With mourning, her funeral and my...coronation, only now have I been able to actually write in this journal. I'm still scared and I still doubt that I'll make a good King, but what else can I do but my best and hope its good enough? In any case, I have my new duties to take care of, so I should get going.

Sombra>

Cadence was surprised and intrigued. She'd read about Queen Peach Gem before. There wasn't a lot of information, but she knew that she'd been a good and beloved Queen and that she'd had a husband named Sky Flight who'd died, leaving her and their daughter Azure Sky. She had no idea that Azure had died before her mother. For that matter, she'd had no idea that Sombra was Peach Gem's successor. Now she was curious. Could other historical tidbits be found within these pages? Cadence pulled the journal closer and began reading the next entry.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Ahahaha, is that all dear?" Rarity chuckled a little. "Why you simply need to decorate. Make this space your own."

Twilight frowned a little and almost whimpered. "It's just so daunting!" She said. "Look at how big it is! I don't even know where to start!!" Before her head could hit her pancake plate, Rarity's magic wrapped around and moved it so that the only thing that she hit was the table.

Rarity smiled gently. "You can start by letting us do it for you." She said and Twilight lifted her head to look at the unicorn. "We will make this the Castle of your Dreams! While you go to the Ponyville Spa for some much-needed rest and relaxation." Her expression then became a little careful. "I'm saying this with love but, have you looked in a mirror lately?" As she spoke she pulled out a mirror and held it out in front of Twilight so she could see. "I've never seen you so...um..."

"Frazzled?" Fluttershy offered.

"Yes! That is absolutely the word I was going to use!" She declared a little too quickly. Twilight had to admit she was right. She looked like she was sorely missing a bath and brush. And that wasn't counting the bags under her eyes.

"Well, I guess I do need a little help." She admitted, feeling a little better. "And so does my castle. And I know you'll do a great job cause nopony knows me better than you!"

"We'll make this place feel cozier than hot cider on a rainy day!" Applejack added as she walked up with a smile.

Rainbow Dash gasped and jumped from her seat, wings flapping and stars in her eyes. "There's going to be cider?!" She asked excitedly. Applejack shot her a flat look and she recognized her mistake. "Uh, I mean, let's decorate!"

It was at that moment that Spike walked in with Sombra close behind him. "Oh no! Did we miss the pancakes!?" He rushed up and jumped onto the table to grab a couple. Sombra followed behind and pulled himself onto a chair. "I sleep like a baby under that cold cavernous ceiling!" He dropped a couple of pancakes on a plate in front of Sombra before biting into a couple of his own.

"Spike! I'm so glad you're here!" Rarity exclaimed. Spike turned to her.

"Really?" He asked. Rarity nodded and glanced between Twilight and Sombra, who was digging into his own pancakes.

"Yes! You're taking Twilight and Sombra to the spa!" Sombra looked up at his name being called and Twilight's expression clearly said 'wait what?!'" But before she could voice these, Spike spoke up.

"Great! I've been needing to get my claws done. And I'm sure Sombra wouldn't mind visiting the spa, would you?" The last part had been directed at the colt in question, who only shook his head to mean he didn't mind. As he took another bite, he noticed the looks on the other mares' face. "Oh. You mean now." He spoke around a mouthful of food. Without another word, he jammed the rest of his pancakes in his mouth, plus a couple of others before grabbing two more.

"C'mon Sombra. Let's get going." He spoke and gestured as well as he could with a full mouth and a pancake in each hand. Sombra shoved rest of his pancake in a similar fashion and one more before jumping from his seat and following. Twilight turned to Rarity and spoke to her in a hushed tone so neither of the boys could hear.

"Seriously Rarity?! Sombra!?" She hissed.

"Of course Sombra." Rarity whispered back calmly before giving her a firm look that forbade her from lying. "You haven't just been avoiding the castle, have you? You've also been avoiding Sombra, haven't you?"

Twilight briefly glanced away knowing she couldn't lie to her friend. "Only a little, but mostly the castle. Besides, Spike's taking good care of him."

"Spike isn't his legal guardian." Rarity pointed out. "You're the pony he looks to for support and care and lately you haven't been there. He needs you here, now."

"He's King Sombra, Tyrant of the Crystal Empire!" Twilight countered.

"Perhaps in a different life." Rarity pointed out. "So far I haven't seen any sort of tyrannical actions. He's just been the sweetest little colt I've ever seen. Also, didn't Celestia send him with you so we could teach him Friendship? You're hardly going to make any progress or learn much about him if you keep avoiding him."

"Hey, Twilight! What's the hold-up?! I thought you wanted this done now!" Spike called out to her from the doorway having almost walked out the front door before realizing he was missing a certain alicorn. He'd finished chewing and swallowing his large mouthful of food and was now eating one of the pancakes in his claw. Standing next to him just swallowing his own mouthful, was Sombra. Twilight almost stepped back at his presence and Applejack laid a hoof across her back.

"Go ta' the spa with him Sugarcube." She said quietly. "Rest, relax an' get ta know him. Where's the' harm in that? You'll be just fine."

Twilight gulped. "Okay." She replied. She then raised her voice to address Spike. "Yes, Spike. You're right. Sorry to keep you waiting!" And with that, she followed the dragon and colt out the door and to the spa. The second the front door shut behind them, Rarity turned to her friends with a grin.

"Now then girls, what are we waiting for? Let's get decorating!"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Upon arriving at Ponyville Spa, the small group had been escorted in and tended to. Spike had gotten Twilight the Super Deluxe Mane Blowout and Sombra had gotten the Little One Special. For a time, they relaxed and enjoyed each others company. But since Spike only got his claws done, he volunteered to run ahead and see the castle, leaving Twilight alone with Sombra. The moment she realized this, a sudden awkward silence descended. Well, it was awkward for Twilight, Sombra just sat in the spa tub and played with some of the soaps and sponges.

"Sooooo...." Twilight started and Sombra paused his playing to give her his attention. "Whatcha doing there?" She asked with a slightly strained smile. Sombra didn't seem to notice her strained attempt at conversation. He was just happy to answer and pointed at a floating spa sponge with a bar of scented blue soap on it.

"See this here is the moon..." He pointed at the sponge before moving on to the soap. "...and this is Princess Luna..." He then held up a pink rose-scented soap. "And this is Princess Celestia! Celestia and Luna got into a fight and Celestia were forced to banish her sister to the moon." At this point, he grabbed the blue soap. "And then when Luna came back, they hugged and made up!" He then rubbed the soaps together in an expression of affection towards each other.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow. 'It's not exact, but it's surprisingly close.' She thought. 'Just add Nightmare Moon and the Elements of Harmony and there you go.' "That's pretty cool Sombra." She said. "So why is Celestia pink?"

Sombra looked at the Rose bar and shrugged. "I don't know. She's just pink to me."

"That doesn't make any sense," Twilight replied. "True, Princess Celestia has some pink in her mane, it's only a part of her mane colors and her coat is white so a white soap bar would make more sense."

Sombra shrugged again. "She's still pink to me."

Twilight almost retorted when she had a revelation that made her facehoof. "I'm having an argument with a six-year-old." She muttered as Sombra put his 'playthings' away so that Lotus could pull him out and rub him down with scented oils. As Lotus was finishing off on Sombra, Twilight could see that the dryer on her head was also finishing off. The sound of footsteps made her glance up and she spotted Spike returning.

"Spike you're back!" She exclaimed and right as she pulled the dryer off, she asked, "How do I look?"

"Great!" He exclaimed with a polite smile. Twilight took a moment to look in the mirror. She didn't really think it was a 'her' look, but it was a pretty fun look to have from time to time.

"And more importantly, how does the castle look?" She turned to ask him. His smile became a little strained.

"Um...great." He answered. She smiled and got up.

"I can't wait to go home and see it!" She said as she headed for the door. Spike added a third 'great' before he panicked.

"I mean no!" He exclaimed as he grabbed her tail. Twilight gave her a quizzical look and he released her tail. "I mean I'm not quite ready to go yet. Why don't we get a massage? I was hoping to get this one." As he spoke he grabbed the nearest massage brochure a pointed at the closest one. Twilight leaned in to see which one he was pointing at.

"The Extra Strength Hot Stone Deep Tissue massage?" She asked. Spike flipped the brochure around to look at and gulped.

"Y-yup." He answered shakily. Twilight smiled.

"I think I'll just have a traditional massage." She said. "But you go for it!"

"Did somepony order massages?" Aloe asked from a doorway. The next instant, the wall next to her exploded as Bulk Biceps burst in.

"Yeah!!" He exclaimed. All color drained from Spike's face and he clutched the brochure like it was a security blanket. Bulk just lept over to him. "Let's do this little dragon!" And with that, he grabbed Spike with a flex of his muscles and broke the second hole in the wall on his way out. Aloe just rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I hate it when he does that." She muttered then she put on a pleasant smile and gestured at the door behind her. "Come with me, Princess." Twilight followed Aloe, leaving Sombra with Lotus, trying to figure out what happened. Then he turned to Lotus to ask her a question.

"Where are they going?"

Lotus smiled sweetly. "Spike and the Princess are each going to get massages."

"Massages?" He asked curiously. Lotus nodded.

"Yes. Massages are where you lay down on a bed while a trained professional gently knead out your tenseness and helps you relax. It more complicated than that, but that's the basic gist of it."

Sombra looked at the door and two openings. "So that big guy is a trained professional?"

Lotus nodded. "Yup. Bulk may be excitable and is mostly interested in physical fitness, but I can guarantee that he is the best masseur you'll know."

Sombra was quiet for a time as he stared at the holes. "Spike's message is going to hurt a bit, isn't it."

Lotus grimaced a little. "Unfortunately. While I can attest to his skills as a masseur, his messages tend to be a little...invigorating. I personally wouldn't advise young children to take his messages."

Sombra frowned and looked up at Lotus. "He won't be hurt will he?" He asked.

"Of course not!" Lotus quickly said. "As I said, Bulk Biceps is a professional and would never allow any harm to come over his charge. Spike's just going to be a little stiff and sore for a bit. Nothing permanent."

Sombra sighed in relief. "Can I get a massage too?" He asked.

Lotus smiled. "Of course you may, though might I advise you take a more traditional massage like the Princess. Speaking of which, you should probably be with her. Come along."

Lotus then led Sombra through the door Twilight had gone, leaving Spike to his accidental fate.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Owowowowowow," Spike muttered with every step, his body bent at odd angles. Sombra walked right next to him with a concerned look on his face.

"Spike, are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"Perfectly fine. Ow." He grunted in a strained voice. Twilight looked at him with as much concern as Sombra was.

"You wanna hop on?" She offered. "I'm sure I could get us to the castle sooner." Spike halted with a crack and glanced at the sun. He then straightened himself up with another crack and another 'ow'!

"I mean, How nice is this day!" He said a little forced. "I was hoping we could take the scenic way back."

Twilight looked uncertain. "I don't know..." She started. Spike made a 'come on' gesture.

"Come on. Walking is good for post massage circulation." He said then he brightened as he realized something. "Not to mention we haven't shown Sombra around town, now have we?"

Twilight her eyebrow a little. "I haven't heard that theory anywhere before, but you do have a point. It wouldn't hurt to show Sombra around."

And so they took the scenic route with Spike pointing out places of interest to Sombra. After a time they reached the reason why Twilight had been hesitant. The remains of the Golden Oak library. While it had been some time since Tirek's attack on the library, the image of the library covered in smoldering flames was still vividly playing in her mind. She let out a sigh.

"I really miss this place, Spike." She said. "We had so many wonderful memories here."

"We did, didn't we?" He said and he wiped a tear away. Noticing this, Twilight's ears dropped and her expression was apologetic.

"Oh, Spike. I'm so sorry." She apologized. "Of course losing the Golden Oak library was hard for you too." Twilight then pulled Spike close and they stood there as quiet tears slid down their eyes. Sombra just sat there a little confused.

"So what is this place and why are you sad?" He asked. Twilight wanted to shoot him a glare for ruining the moment when she realized that he likely didn't know anything about the Golden Oak library. He'd come along AFTER she'd gotten her castle. Spike was the one who moved out of the hug to answer.

"That's right, you don't know do you?" He asked rhetorically having reached the same conclusion as Twilight. "Well you see, the castle that we live in is very recent. Before that, we lived here at the Golden Oak library." As he spoke, he gestured at the burnt tree remains. Sombra studied the tree once more.

"So what happened?" He asked.

"Oh, lots of complicated things," Spike said nonchalantly. "But to put it all in a nutshell, there was a jerk called Tirek came and he blew up the library then Twilight fought him and he did the whole hostage thing and it looked like we were going to lose for a bit but then there was a magic box and we saved the day when the magic box grew the castle." Spike then let out a gasp after going through the story in one breath.

Sombra stared at Spike for a while before just saying "oh." Then he turned to Twilight and spoke. "So you're sad because you miss this place?" He asked. Twilight wasn't completely confident in her ability to speak, so she just nodded. Sombra stared at the ruined house a bit longer before speaking again. "I don't think you should be too sad."

Twilight felt a surge of anger and almost replied vehemently before Spike stopped her with a silent plea to give him a chance. Twilight took a breath and spoke in a calm neutral tone. "And why do you think that?"

"Because you're alive." Twilight was floored by his answer and Sombra continued. "I don't know much about this 'Tirek', but judging by this library, it seems like he was very powerful and merciless. I'd say you and whomever he took as hostages are very lucky that they're alive."

"How do you know about the hostages are alive?" Spike asked amazed.

"Simple. Twilight and nopony else I've seen look to be in any kind of mourning." Sombra answered like it was the most logical thing ever. Twilight, however, said nothing as Sombra's words had hit her like a brick. He was right. During his attack, Tirek had been completely merciless with no regard for the safety of the ponies. They were lucky they'd gotten out of the whole thing with only minor injuries, even from the pegasi who'd been airborne when they lost their magic. She herself had an extremely close call when she'd pulled Olwowiscious out of the library before it went boom. This didn't make the pain of its loss better by much, but it at least made more bearable that she and her friends had survived.

A touch on her leg brought her to the present and she found herself looking into Sombra's red eyes. "And besides," he continued, "home is where the heart is. A house is a house, but a home is where your heart is. As long as you have your heart with you, it doesn't matter where you live, whether it's a castle or a cave. But that doesn't mean it isn't going to be an adjustment."

Those words struck a chord with Twilight and memories rushed through her mind at a mile a minute. Memories of happy times with her friends. All the fun times and smiles. Parties, adventures and Friendship Reports to the Princess. It was all still there in her heart. And even more importantly, her friends were still here with her and were willing to make even more memories with her. And at that moment, a little of her sadness for her loss was lifted. It was still painful, but now it was bearable and before she could realize what she was doing, she'd pulled Sombra close and into a hug that he was more than willing to return.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you for that Sombra." She said. "That was very kind of you. How in Equestria did you get so smart?"

"I don't really know," Sombra said with a shrug. "The words just came to me and they seemed right."

Twilight stared right at Sombra as if doing so would unravel whatever secrets were in him. After a time, she finally stood and gave him a small smile. "Well, where ever they came from, they really helped so thank you. Come on you two, let's get going."

She let both Spike and Sombra onto her back and with Sombra, in front of Spike she raised her wings and prepared to fly. She'd never flown with two passengers before, but she was willing to try. Unfortunately, before she could get off the ground, Spike grabbed her wings and instead of flying she fell flat on her face. Fortunately, Spike kept Sombra from tumbling forward and meeting the ground in a similar fashion. With the colt in his arms, Spike jumped off of Twilight's back and set Sombra on the ground.

"Spike!" Twilight cried after recovering from the tumble. "What are you doing?!"

"Um...I just remembered what we need." Spike said.

"Oh. Okay. What is it?" Twilight asked as she stood up.

"Beds. I have my own room now and I'd like my own bed and Sombra needs a new bed." Spike explained. Part of it was a genuine concern since Sombra's bed was much too tall for him. He still remembered when he fell off the bed when Spike had woken him up from his nightmare. The next morning he nearly freaked out when he found that Sombra had gotten a small bruise from that fall. Since then part of the reason why he slept with Sombra as often as he could wasn't just to comfort him, but also to keep that from happening again.

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. "I thought you said you sleep like a baby in the castle and doesn't Sombra already have a bed?"

Spike folded his arms and gave her a deadpan look. "Yeah Sombra has a bed, but like I said it's much tall for him. I mean you know it's too tall when you have to help him every night."

"Good point." Twilight conceded. "But what about you? Your exact words this morning were that you sleep like a baby, remember?"

"Pshha, everypony knows that babies are the worst sleepers." He said casually. Twilight sighed.

"Fine. Let's get going." She said and they started on their way to the market.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

After a bit of pickiness, Twilight was finally able to put in an order for his new bed. Now here they were in the children's section and for some reason, Spike was even pickier about Sombra's bed.

"What about this one?" Twilight suggested as she gestured at a bed that was shaped like a sailboat. Sombra's eyes brightened and he rushed over to jump on it.

"Spike! Spike! Look at this one!" He called as he bounced on it. Spike abandoned the latest rejected bed and walked over to examine it. Twilight held her breath as the dragon began his examination.

"A sea theme huh?" He hummed. "Doesn't really match the castle so...nah."

"Okay, Spike!" Sombra said brightly as he lept off the bed. Twilight had to stop herself from venting her frustration in a yell. Instead, she banged her head against the nearest piece of wood, which was a bedpost. For the past hour, Spike had been rejecting bed after bed for reasons that varied from, 'it's not comfortable enough' and 'it doesn't match the decor' to 'it's too high' and 'it's not safe enough'. It had been getting later in the day and there had been a point when it looked like he was going to approve a bed but then it turned out to be 'too squeaky'.

As Sombra pointed out yet another bed that had caught his eye, Twilight heard a sudden voice calling her name. "Twilight!!" Twilight turned to see Cheerilee trotting up to her.

"Cheerilee!" Twilight greeted as the school teacher approached. "Hey! What brings you here?"

"Picking up some new quills," Cheerilee answered with a pat on her saddlebags. "What about you?"

Twilight grimaced lightly. "Getting a comfortable, child safe, perfectly matching bed for Sombra." She said with a touch of exasperation in her voice. "It's a lot more complicated than I thought it would be." The two mares stood and watched the boys as Spike rejected YET ANOTHER BED!!

Cheerilee chuckled good-naturedly. "Kids can be like that." She said. "And speaking of Sombra I have been hoping to run into you ask when I can come over to discuss education options for him."

Twilight suddenly groaned and slumped to her haunches with a wide-eyed look. Cheerilee looked at her in alarm. "Twilight! Are you alright?!" She asked with concern.

"I'm...fine." She mumbled numbly. "It's just I suddenly realized I'm supposed to take care of him and I'm sorely unprepared. I hadn't even thought about schooling and apparently, I didn't have the right bed for him! For all I know I don't have all the right amenities for him!!" Once she was finished with her outburst, she dropped to the ground the rest of the way and buried her face in the floor. Cheerilee sat down calmly and began rubbing her hoof up and down the princess' withers.

"Hey, it's not the end of Equestria." She said gently. "You may not have everything now, but that doesn't mean it's too late. A bed is a very good first step. And if you take this one at a time, you'll be making more steps. And I'll help you along the way when you need it."

Twilight looked up. "Really?" She asked. Cheerilee nodded.

"Yep." She said with a hint of pride. "You see, I'm not just a school teacher, I also know about foal care and raising. I had friends who needed help raising their own foals due to circumstances. Enough said." Twilight nodded in understanding. She then pulled out the quill and paper she always carried with her and looked at Cheerilee with all the focus of a student. Seeing that she had the alicorn's full attention, Cheerilee nodded and began.

"Alright, let's start with the basics." She said. "As I said, a bed is a good start, but for his room, you'll need other things that are just his size. Dressers, a nightstand, a desk and chair, bookshelves, a toy chest, an art stand, some shelves, hooks, and stools are great starts." Twilight nodded took notes studiously. "You will, of course, want to fill the bookshelves with books."

Twilight frowned in confusion and looked up from her notes. "But I already have books at the castle." She pointed out.

Cheerilee nodded patiently. "I know, but how many of those books can a six-year-old colt read?"

An expression of dawning spread across Twilight's face. "Ah, so you mean children's books and stuff like that."

Cheerilee nodded. "Yep. Fairytales and some educational books. I can make you a list of recommendations for that and I know a great bookseller who can get the best children's books." Twilight nodded and scribbled more notes. "Another thing that you'll need is toys. I'd recommend not getting toys that would choke a child if they put it in their mouth, but from what I've seen so far, it doesn't seem like Sombra is in the habit of putting things in his mouth."

"And thank goodness for that." Twilight sighed. Cheerilee nodded with a smile.

"It's always a good idea to get plushies, games and other such things." She continued. "Art also helps them be creative. That's why I told you an art stand is a good addition earlier. You'll need crayons, drawing paper, chalk for the blackboard side, whiteboard markers for the whiteboard side, markers and perhaps later you can add paints and a painted board but for now, that should help kickstart you. Now..." Cheerilee started as she stood up. Twilight took the hint and put her paper away so she stands up.

"I can help you pick out a good bed and some shelves and a dresser for tonight," Cheerilee said as she led her in the direction of the boys. "The rest I think you can get later with your friends when it's not late."

Twilight nodded agreement. "You're right. We need to get back to the castle anyway. Thanks for you're help. You probably had other plans besides helping me out."

Cheerilee shook her head. "Not really and even if I did, nothing could stop me from helping somepony in need. Now let's see what we can do about your bed."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

With Cheerilee's help, they were able to find a bed that satisfied all the parties involved. Cheerilee assured Spike that it was perfectly safe and would match the castle perfectly and Sombra liked it even more than all the other beds he'd seen. With both boys satisfied, Twilight FINALLY placed an order for it and to her good fortune, they would be able to deliver it tomorrow afternoon. They then placed orders for a set of dressers and some shelves and hooks and a few stools. All due to arrive tomorrow.

As they'd gone, Cheerilee informed Twilight that there were important toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, and shampoo) that they needed. When they finally started home, Spike was carrying some pillows and Sombra had a bag of his toothpaste, shampoo and the toothbrush that he'd picked out himself. As Cheerilee returned to her own home she passed by where the Golden Oak library had been. Emphasis on 'had'. The earth pony mare did a double when she saw that where there had once been a smoking corpse of a tree, there was now only a hole in the ground. She took a moment to stare at the large hole where there'd been a tree and wonder where it'd gone before continuing on her way.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Hey girls! We're home!!" Twilight announced as she led Sombra and Spike back in the castle. The girls instantly rushed them.

"Welcome home!" They all said together. Twilight glanced around the hallway expecting something new. She was surprised, and a little disappointed to see that there was nothing new.

"Oh...I love what you've done with the place." Twilight said with a smile as she tried, and failed, to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "You decided to preserve the integrity of the original design."

"Oh come on!" Spike exclaimed. "It looks just the same! Do you have any idea how hard it was to keep her from coming here!! I don't think I can let myself be massaged for a week!!!"

"Wait, you were trying to keep me from coming here?" Twilight asked and Spike suddenly remembered who was there.

"Not entirely," Spike answered truthfully. "I did genuinely think Sombra needed a new bed. Otherwise, yeah."

"But we asked him to do it." Rarity quickly stepped in before Twilight could say anything. "You see, there was a minor hiccup and it took a teensy bit longer than we thought. But we did learn a very valuable lesson."

Applejack pulled off her hat and stepped forward to continue. "We figured out that what really makes a home feel like home isn't what it looks like. It's the memories you make when you're there."

"So we've made something that celebrates the memories we've made with you since you moved to Ponyville." Rarity finished and they led them to the throne room. Once they opened the doors, Twilight, Spike and Sombra's jaws dropped at the gorgeous chandelier that was now hanging over it.

"The ornaments on the chandelier each represent all of the fun times we've had together," Fluttershy explained as she flew up. Pinkie Pie grabbed a yellow gem so Twilight could see the familiar picture within.

"This one shows your Welcome to Ponyville party at the Golden Oak library!" She informed her.

Fluttershy tilted a blue gem to reveal the familiar scene from after the Gala. "And this is the time we shared donuts after the Grand Galloping Gala."

"We were hoping that looking at your beautiful old memories would help inspire you to make new ones," Rarity added.

"And the best part is its made from the roots of the Golden Oak library!" Applejack added. "So you'll never forget where you came from."

Twilight walked towards the chandelier staring up at it in awe. At that moment there were no words. They were all here. Memories of all those good times. Her heart was here. And she wasn't the only one admiring it. As her friends had been explaining, Sombra had trotted up and directly underneath it. When he noticed her approach, he paused and turned to her with a grin and wide sparkling eyes.

"Look Twilight." He said. "Isn't it beautiful?"

She was quiet for a moment before answering him with tears brimming in her eyes. "Yes, it is." She then turned to her friends to show her tearful smiling face. "And its exactly what the castle needed." Twilight ran into her friend's hug with Sombra close behind. "And I am ready to make new memories here. After all, home is where the heart is. And my heart is right here."

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Interesting sayin'. Where'd ya hear it from?"

Twilight glanced down at Sombra, who was hanging onto her leg and she let a cryptic smile spread across her face. "Oh, just heard it from somepony."
> Room
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a long day of spas, beds and decorating, the six mares and one dragon went to the dining room for dinner. Sombra on the other hoof had such a long day that after the hugs in the throne room, he had fallen asleep still hugging Twilight. After taking him up to his room and tucking him in, Spike joined them at the dinner table. At that point, Twilight figured it was the perfect opportunity to bring up what she wanted to talk about so she cleared her throat to get her friend's attention. When they turned their attention to her, she began.

"While we were out, Spike, Sombra and I went bed shopping." She began. "And while we were trying to pick out Sombra's bed, I met up with Cheerilee and I came to the realization that, aside from the highchair that Applejack was so kind as to loan me, I don't have any of the basic amenities that Sombra needs."

"Wait why were you shopping for a bed for Sombra?" Rainbow Dash asked. "He's already got a bed."

"A bed that's too high for him to climb in himself," Twilight said flatly.

"So? A little climbing never hurt anypony." Rainbow Dash defended, still not really understanding.

"No, but falling does," Spike spoke up. "I'm sorry I didn't mention this earlier, but while you guys were gone dealing with Starlight Glimmer, Sombra actually fell off the bed. Hard. The next morning I found this small bruise on his side."

The other mare's looked at him shock and Fluttershy gasped. "Oh my goodness! Is he alright?!" She asked with concern.

Spike nodded. "Yeah, he's fine. Given how the fall was, we're lucky it was just a little bruise but I'm a little worried that his luck will run out."

"Okay okay, I get it. He needs a new bed." Rainbow Dash said.

Twilight nodded. "Anyways, as I was saying, while we were out I placed an order for a couple of beds and some shelves and a dresser. One of those beds is for Spike and the other one, plus the shelves and dresser, are for Sombra's room. And they're going to be delivered tomorrow afternoon."

"Say no more Twi." Applejack said. "Big Mac an' I can help you out with that. We could take the boxes upstairs an' put it all together."

"Thank you very much, AJ," Twilight said. "That's actually what I was going to ask you all about. Cheerilee helped me get a list of what I would need, but since it's getting late, it's going to have to wait until tomorrow and I was hoping you girls could help me out with this."

"Do you even need to ask?" Rarity asked rhetorically with a smile. "Of course we'll help you out with setting up Li'l Sombra's room. Just show us this list and a picture of the new bed."

Twilight nodded and pulled out her list and the picture. She passed it over to her friends and watched. "Hmm. This is a very nice bed." Rarity said. "Do the dressers and shelves look like this?"

Twilight shook her head. "No, they're actually very plain since I figured you'd like to paint and decorate it how you'd like."

"A marvelous idea!" Rarity cooed happily. "I already have a ton of excellent ideas for this endeavor. It will be the best colts room you've ever seen! Also, I hope you don't mind that I'll be adding a few things to your list."

"Go right ahead," Twilight said. "As I said, I don't know a lot about raising kids so I don't mind."

"Of course darling." Rarity said as she pulled out a quill and began writing. "So how about this, while AJ and Big Mac are working on your deliveries, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, myself and you will all go and get the things on this list?"

"I say it sounds like a pretty good plan," Twilight said. Rarity grinned and rolled the list up to give back to Twilight. As the scroll floated over to the alicorn, a certain pink pony jumped in front of the unicorn.

"And what about me?" She asked. "Do I get to help too?"

Rarity smiled and gently coaxed Pinkie back into her seat. "Of course you do darling." She said. "You get to spend the day with Sombra."

"Yay! So I get to be the one to keep somepony out of the castle this time?!" She asked enthusiastically.

"You do indeed." Rarity answered. "You could show him around town or anything you want to. Just keep him occupied and away from the castle."

"Yes, ma'am!" Pinkie replied with a salute. For some reason, Twilight suddenly felt a twinge of concern.

"Also Pinkie, could you please refrain from doing too many crazy things," Twilight added. Pinkie Pie just smiled and nodded.

"No problem Twilight." Pinkie reassured. "I work with kids all the time, so rest assured that Sombra is perfectly safe with me. No need to worry your pretty little mommy head." At that last part, Pinkie ruffled Twilight's mane. Twilight frowned lightly and reached up to straighten her mane out as she muttered halfheartedly to herself.

"I'm not his mom. I'm just taking care of him." Pinkie just grinned like she was in on a little secret.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

The next morning, Twilight and Sombra were enjoying applesauce for breakfast while Spike had a plate of assorted gems for his meal. Just as they were finishing up, there was a knock at the door. Twilight answered the door and saw Pinkie Pie bouncing right there on the step. Figures she'd be first.

"Pinkie Pie, good morning." She greeted.

"And a good morning to you too Twilight!" Pinkie returned.

"So what brings you here so early?" Twilight asked as she led the earth pony into the castle.

"Well, I figured that if I'm going to be hanging out with Sombra all day, I should probably get started before everypony else comes." The hyperactive pony explained. Twilight nodded. While she didn't always understand Pinkie Pie, this was one of the times that she made sense.

"That's a very good point," Twilight said. "Good thing you came just when we finished breakfast. Follow me."

In the kitchen, Spike was putting away freshly cleaned and dried dishes while Sombra was doing his best to wipe down the table. The moment she walked in, Pinkie bounced up to Sombra with a wide grin.

"Good morning Li'l Sombry!" She greeted in her usual cheerful manner. Sombra looked up with a smile.

"Morning Auntie Pinkie!" He greeted back. Pinkie Pie squealed then scooped the little colt up and standing on her hind legs, held him up over her as she twirled around.

"Ohhh! You are just so adorable!" Pinkie exclaimed as she sat down on her haunches and hugged him close. Sombra giggled and Pinkie held him out in front of her again. "Hey Sombry, guess what?"

"What?" Sombra asked.

"You and are going to be going out together!" Pinkie announced. "We get to hang out and play and I can show you all over Ponyville!"

"So we're going to be hanging out together all day?" Sombra asked.

"To quote a well-known stallion, 'eeyup'!" Pinkie Pie answered. "We can call it a private date for just the two of us!"

"Is Twilight okay with it?" Sombra asked. This time, Twilight answered.

"Yes, I am." She said. "Go, hang out and have fun with Pinkie Pie. Just make sure to come home round about sunset."

"Yay! Private Date with Auntie Pinkie!" Sombra cried out as he threw his hooves in the air.

"That's the spirit!" Pinkie said with a grin as she stood up and placed Sombra on her back. "And don't worry Twilight. He's perfectly safe with me and we won't be late!"

And on that note, Pinkie Pie bounced out the door with a grin as she hummed a tune. Twilight just smiled and shook her head. Pinkie will be Pinkie and there wasn't a thing wrong with that. Twilight then grabbed the forgotten washcloth in her magic and finished wiping the table before putting the cloth away.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

The next to arrive was Applejack and Big Macintosh with his toolbox. "Howdy Twi." Applejack greeted as they were led in.

"Hey Applejack," Twilight replied as she shut the door behind them.

Big Mac set his toolbox down so he could speak. "So where's the little fella? He asked.

"Pinkie Pie was here earlier so he's already out with her," Twilight answered. As if on cue, there was a knock at the door and when she opened it, there was Rarity on the doorstep with bags in her magic and two pegasi behind her.

"Good morning darling. May we come in?" She asked.

Twilight scooted aside to give them room. "Of course. Good morning to you to Rarity. And good morning to both of you, Fluttershy and Rainbow."

"Morning." Rainbow greeted casually as she flew in behind Rarity.

"Good morning to you too Twilight," Fluttershy said as she trotted in behind Rainbow Dash. Once they were all in, Twilight shut the door.

Rarity gently set her bags down then turned to the assembled friends. "Alright then, judging by the fact that we are short a certain pink pony, I'd say Sombra is now out of the castle with Pinkie Pie." Twilight nodded and Rarity continued. "Now then, I believe we should divide our efforts. Rainbow Dash and I will get the remaining furniture and paint while Twilight and Fluttershy will get the rest. You know, toys, games, books, blankets, sheets, maybe a rug or two, etcetera. Here's a list that I compiled." Rarity floated a piece of paper to Twilight then turned to AJ and Big Mac. "You two will be here with Spike to receive the deliveries and put the bed together. While you're at it, could go kindly set up a place where we can paint?"

"No problem Sugarcube." The farmpony assured.

"Excellent. Now since Rainbow and my list is shorter, we'll be returning before you two and we will get down to painting so we'll need that spot." Rarity explained. "Then when you come back, we'll set it all up in the room just in time for Pinkie to return with Sombra. Any questions?" Rarity paused long enough for her friends to raise any objections or questions. When none came, she wrapped things up. "Well then girls, let's get started!"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Rarity had brought with her two carts. One for each group to carry their purchases in. The larger of the two carts had been hitched up to Rainbow Dash while Twilight and Fluttershy got the smaller one. After a bit of discussion, the two mares ultimately decided to take turns pulling the cart. Twilight started. They started out with some necessities. Blankets, sheets, a couple of rugs, curtains, a lamp for the bedside table and certain cloths that Rarity had put on the list.

For a time they engaged in casual conversation. Then when they reached the toys part of the list, Fluttershy insisted on taking the cart. Twilight resisted at first, but ultimately she capitulated. So now here they were in the toy store looking over the toys. With Fluttershy's help, Twilight was able to choose toys and games that Sombra might enjoy. When they reached the plush section and began picking out plush toys, Twilight paused when she grabbed a plush pony and sat down staring at it. Noticing the pause, Fluttershy paused as well and watched Twilight study the doll.

"Twilight, are you alright?" Fluttershy asked with no small amount of concern. Twilight started slightly then smiled apologetically and tossed the plush doll onto their stack.

"Sorry Flutters." She apologized. "I just realized that my life has changed so suddenly I almost didn't notice. I honestly didn't expect to get toys like these until years later when I started expecting. It just feels so surreal."

Fluttershy patted Twilight on the back. "I know, I would feel a little weird about this too, but don't worry. You'll get used to it eventually." She soothed. "Soon enough, everything will fall into place and remember, we're there for you all the way."

"Thanks, Fluttershy," Twilight said with a small smile. "Because I think I'm going to need the help." She said flatly as she pushed their cart forward and began walking again. The yellow pegasus followed with a flutter of her wings.

"What do you mean Twilight?" She asked as she fell into step alongside Twilight.

"Even if he has a new bed, I'm not sure if he's actually going to sleep in it." She explained. "Before I went to bed last night, he was definitely in his bed. But then this morning I woke up to find him in my bed. And according to Spike, he gets these night terrors and when I wasn't sleeping at home, he would sleep under my bed. At this point, I'm wondering if I should just move his room into mine."

"Have you tried singing a lullaby?" Fluttershy asked.

"A lullaby?"

Fluttershy nodded. "Uh-huh. When I was just a filly, my mom would sing me a lullaby whenever I had a nightmare." She said. "I'm sure that if you sing him a lullaby, it'll help him with his nightmares. It always helped me when I was young."

"Hmm." Twilight hummed in thought as she set down the bits for their purchases. "That's actually a very sound idea. But I don't really know any good lullabies."

Fluttershy just smiled. "I can teach you one that my mom sang to me." She said softly as she helped Twilight place the toys in the wagon. "If you want me to of course."

"Of course I do," Twilight answered as they trotted towards the next stand.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

As predicted, Rarity and Rainbow Dash finished first and returned to the castle. Applejack and Big Macintosh had just finished the shelves, dresser and Spike's bed and were just starting on Sombra's bed when the pair returned and they were directed to where the shelves and dresser had been set up on a paint-safe zone. As Rarity worked to bring her vision to life, Rainbow Dash hovered restlessly. She would've very much liked to fly away to blow off some steam, but Rarity had asked her to stay here and what could she say? Rainbow Dash never left a friend hanging. That didn't mean she couldn't pace in mid-air.

"I still don't get why we're doing this." She grumbled.

"Doing what?" Rarity asked as she put the finishing touches on the dresser.

"All this!" Rainbow exclaimed as she gestured at the pieces of furniture that were being painted. "I mean, we're getting a bed and setting up a room with toys and books, all for Sombra!"

"Well of course Rainbow Dash." Rarity answered having moved on to the nightstand. "What did you expect? Us keeping him in a dreary dungeon with chains, cobwebs and what not?"

Rainbow looked a little conflicted. "Maybe not entirely like that, but something like that." She admitted. "After all, this is King Sombra. He was a tyrant and he did all sorts of awful things when he was ruling over the Crystal Empire. And we're giving his room some sort of makeover?"

"Oh Rainbow Dash, that's not how it works." Rarity tsked. "Even if anyone does anything that gets them in the Canterlot dungeon, they're still treated well and given the basic amenities. It's not like those stories you hear where someone is mistreated while in prison. Also, wasn't the whole point of bringing Sombra back so we can reform him?"

"I guess," Rainbow admitted grumpily.

"Even though things didn't come out like expected, Celestia never said that we shouldn't try." Rarity reasoned as she was just finishing up the last piece of furniture. "And from what I've seen he genuinely has no memory of his previous life and his mind is as childish as his new form. So I've been taking the time to try what Fluttershy did with Discord. And so far, he's been the sweetest little colt."

"Uugh!" Rainbow Dash groaned and sulked in mid-air. Rarity quickly finished and directed her entire attention to the sulking pegasus.

"Rainbow Dash, you are the Element of Loyalty and that title is well earned." The unicorn said gently. "Everypony in Ponyville knows that they can depend on you, but I believe a part of being loyal is letting others earn your loyalty." Rainbow looked back at Rarity, who only continued. "I don't expect you to trust him immediately. That sort of thing needs to be earned. But, as your friend, I'm asking you to give him a chance to earn your trust and loyalty. Please. For Twilight."

Rainbow Dash hovered there in quiet thought before answering. "Alright. I'll try to ease up on the kid. For you guys. After all, I would never leave my friends hangin'." She finished with her almost trademark cocky grin.

"Thank you, Rainbow." Rarity thanked. "I know it won't be the easiest for you, so thank you. Now that's it for painting, so can you create a breeze to help dry these faster?"

"Of course I can!" Rainbow said. "Remember, this is Rainbow Dash you're talking to."

"Of course darling." Rarity said with a smile.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

<Settling into this new role hasn't been the easiest. It isn't just settling into a new room and environment. It's also settling into new routines with all sorts of things I need to worry about. The assassination attempts aren't exactly making easy either.>

That made Cadence pause in her reading. She took advantage of this lull to shift into a more comfortable position. Ever since she'd found this journal, she spent as much free time as she could to read. Unfortunately, due to her numerous duties, this meant that free time was few and far between. So whenever she did get the chance, she'd binge read as much as she could. Fortunately, the number of her duties were beginning shrink, so it was possible she would find more and more time to read the journal. And speaking of which...

<I will not say that I'm the most popular stallion to walk the face of Equus, but at the same time, I'm not hated. The populace, in general, didn't have much problem with as most trusted Queen Peach Gem's judgment. It was the nobles that had the biggest problem with me. Most have said that I am undeserving of the role I've been given because I'm 'an outsider of common blood'. A few may actually believe that hooey, but I'm willing to bet my horn that a vast majority of the naysayers, both silent and vocal, actually hate me because I took their chance to rule the Empire.

In the time in between the announcement and my coronation, there were a large amount of 'accidents' that would've maimed or killed me if it weren't for either blind luck or somepony noticing and getting me out of the way in time. I still have a few of these manufactured 'accidents but, for the most part, its outright assassination. And the would-be assassins we've caught have always pointed us to a noble. Of course, since an attempt on my life is a serious crime against the crown, those noble have been removed from their Houses, stripped of their titles and incarcerated. I still don't feel comfortable with a death sentence and considering how often there are attempts on my life, it just strikes me as the quickest way to instill fear of me in the hearts of the Crystal Ponies. I don't want that.

The attacks have been slowing, so the nobles must be taking the hint. Maybe someday when I earn their respect, they'll cease almost entirely, though some may still try to take power in that manner. Until then, I and my guards will have to stay on our hooftips.

Sombra>

'Well, that certainly was an interesting entry.' Cadence thought before turning the page to the next entry.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Sunset was getting closer and they were barely making it. Soon after the furniture had dried and the Apple siblings had finished the bed, Twilight and Fluttershy returned. Immediately, the five mares, one stallion and one baby dragon set about putting everything together. By the time Pinkie and Sombra were in spitting distance, the last detail had been set and they stepped back to admire their work.

*whew* "We made it just in time girls." Rarity said in admiration for their work. "Now all that's left is the reveal."

As if on cue there was a knock at the door. Twilight rushed down to answer. The other ponies and dragon trailed behind at a slightly more sedate pace. When she opened the door, Pinkie Pie bounced in with Sombra giggling on her back. Unlike this morning, however, he now had a red scarf wrapped around his neck and a bag hanging from his mouth.

"Twilight! Twilight! Look!" He exclaimed as he lept from Pinkie's slightly lowered back and rushed towards the purple alicorn. "Look at what I've got!"

Twilight lifted the bag to see that it was filled with other cold weather clothes for him. There was a hat to march the scarf, a sweater, some boots, a coat, and earmuffs.

"Auntie Pinkie suggested we get these since fall is coming and I'll need warm stuff for winter too." He explained. "And I like my scarf so much, I wore all the way here. So what do you think? Do you like it?"

Twilight glanced at Pinkie who shot her friend a wink. Of course with everything going on, Twilight had completely forgotten that it was already late summer. But it looked like that hadn't gotten past Pinkie Pie and she'd been kind enough to get what he'd need for the upcoming season. Twilight then turned back to Sombra.

"It's a wonderful scarf." She said as she grabbed it. "And so soft. I hope you thanked Pinkie for getting you all this."

"He did indeed!" Pinkie Pie answered for the colt. "But enough about this, did you finish 'that thing'?"

"We did," Twilight said. "And just barely too." She then turned back to the colt in front of her. "Sombra, we've got a little surprise for you."

"What kind of surprise?" He asked. Applejack chuckled.

"Well now, we can't exactly tell ya, now can we?" She said with a smile in her voice.

"Yeah, that's because its a surprise!" Pinkie added.

"Indeed. You'll just have to come and see for yourself." Rarity finished.

The group led him up the stairs to his bedroom and paused at the door. At some point in the walk, Pinkie Pie had vanished from the group and the ponies and dragon could make a safe guess as to where she was. Applejack and Big Macintosh pulled the doors open and true to prediction, Pinkie Pie lept forward and threw confetti in the air while shouting out "SURPRISE!"

Since he last saw it that morning, the room had completely transformed. The floor was now covered with a few red and purple rugs and purple and gold curtains hung around the windows. There were a few shelves following this color scheme. Some were regular bookshelves and a couple were actually nailed into the wall. In one spot of the room was an art stand and other art supplies near it. There was a shelf where games and puzzled had been neatly stacked and another shelf with various books on them.

There was also a toy chest filled with toys and small neat piles of toys placed in various spots for aesthetic reasons. There was also a dresser where Sombra could put his neatly folded clothes and there was a desk on one side of the room. A nightstand was also there and right next to it was the bed. It was a fairly large bed but only in width, not height. The bed frame had six posters, three on each end. For of the ones on the corners supported a canopy with red curtains that perfectly contrasted with the blue and purple color with gold accents. The fifth and sixth shorter posts held up the large comfortable mattress so it could rock back and forth like a hammock. A little fence-like railing on this part prevented falling from the bed.

For a moment, Sombra was speechless and they watched as he slowly walked into and around the room. "This is my room?" He asked after a period of quiet.

Everyone nodded. "It is indeed. Do you like it?" Rarity asked. There was silence for a beat before Sombra answered.

"I-I love it!" He exclaimed after starting out quiet. He then ran around the room to look at everything that he could. "I love it I love it I love it! It's all so cool!! Look! I've got an art stand and my very own desk and my bed came!"

He squealed with excitement as he explored his new room and even jumped onto his bed, causing it to rock a little. When he was done, he rushed back to the others with bright eyes and a smiling face.

"Thank you all so much!" He declared as he spread out his forelegs like he wanted to give them all a hug.

"Hey now, it ain't no problem little feller." Applejack said.

"It isn't very often I get to design a room and it's well worth it just to see your smiling face," Rarity added.

"And you're right!" Pinkie Pie said. "It is so much awesome!"

"I'm really happy that you like it," Fluttershy spoke in a soft tone.

"Eeyup'." Big Mac agreed.

Rarity lightly nudged Rainbow Dash. "Uh, yeah its a pretty cool room. Glad you like it kid." She grunted.

"Well you needed a space to call your own so, here it is," Twilight said. "And I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we're all glad you like it."

Sombra threw his forelegs around Twilight's leg and hugged. "Thank you, Twilight." He said and for a time they were content to sit there at the moment.

"Alright then, what are we waiting for?" Pinkie Pie suddenly shouted. "Let's celebrate!"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

The day had been a long full one for everypony, especially Sombra. So after a celebratory dinner with some celebratory cake (of course), everypony packed up and said their goodbyes before returning to their homes. After washing the dishes, Spike, Twilight, and Sombra went upstairs to get ready for bed. Teeth were brushed and manes as well. From near the entrance to his room, Twilight watched as a tired Sombra climbed into his bed without assistance. As he started to settle in, Twilight trotted up to the bedside and sat down.

"Hey Sombra, I have one last surprise for you." She said in a soft voice.

*yawn* "Really?" Sombra whispered as he fought to stay awake out of interest and excitement for this.

"Yes, but this is a different sort of surprise," Twilight whispered back. "Just lay down and relax." Sombra did as he was told and lay his head on his pillow. Twilight pulled his covers up to his neck and tucked it around him. Once she was certain he was comfortable, she began to sing and she rocked the bed.

I'll be your candle on the water
My love for you will always burn
I know you're lost and drifting
But the clouds are lifting
Don't lifting you somewhere to turn

I'll be your candle on the water
'Till ev'ry wave is warm and bright
My soul is there beside you
Let this candle guide you
Soon you'll you a golden stream of light

A cold and friendless tide has found you
Don't let the stormy darkness pull you down
I'll paint a ray of hope around you
Circling in the air
Lighted by a prayer

I'll be your candle on the water
This flame inside of me will grow
Keep holding on you'll make it
Here's my hoof so take it
Look for me reaching out to show
As sure as rivers flow
I'll never let you go
I'll never let you go
I'll never let you go...

As she finished off the song that Fluttershy had taught her, Twilight glanced at Sombra and saw that he was fast asleep. As quietly as she could, Twilight stood up a new snuck out of the room. Before closing the door behind her, she whispered 'good-night' and then crawled into her own bed. The next morning, she woke up to find herself alone in her bed.
> Pets
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Okay, in order to make the perfect leaf jumping pile, you need to pile the leaves like so." Pinkie Pie spoke as she pushed some leaves into a pile. Mimicking her actions, Sombra used his own head to push some leaves into the pile.

"Like this, Auntie Pinkie?" He asked.

"Exactly like that!" Pinkie answered energetically. "This is one of the best parts of fall. Jumping into leaf piles! Alright, now that we've got the perfect pile, back up a little." Sombra took a few steps back. "A little more." Sombra did as he was told. "Liiiittle more." Sombra backed up even more. This went on for a few minutes until he several feet away. At that point, Pinkie said that was perfect and gave him the go-ahead to run back. As he was galloping over, Twilight trotted up.

"Hey Pinkie, you wouldn't happen to have seen Rainbow have you?" She asked.

"Not lately. Why?" Pinkie replied, taking a couple of steps away from the leaf pile. Twilight didn't notice the shift in position.

"Well it's just that Spike told me that she came to see him earlier and that she was freaking out about hibernation," Twilight answered a little worried.

"Oh yeah, it's getting to about that time." Pinkie said. "Tank should be getting ready soon shouldn't he?"

"Yeah, Owlowiscious has already started his hibernation," Twilight said. "But from what I've heard from Fluttershy and Spike, it doesn't seem like she's been taking it well." Twilight paused for a beat and blinked. "Wait, weren't you with Sombra?"

"Uh-huh. I've been teaching him how to jump into leaf piles!" Pinkie answered with a cheerful, happy go lucky tone.

"And where is he right now?" Twilight asked as she glanced around, looking for the grey and black colt.

"He should be coming in riiiight aaaaboooout...NOW!" Pinkie announced. Right on cue, Sombra ran in and took a flying leap at the leaf pile, scattering leaves all over and into Twilight's face since she'd been standing right next to the pile. When she could see again, Twilight found herself covered in leaves with some sticking out of her mouth. She then spits them out as Sombra popped out of what was left of the leaf pile.

"That was awesome!" He exclaimed, still not noticing his guardian right there. "Can we do it again Auntie Pinkie? Can we can we?"

"I think that's enough leaves for one day," Twilight said as she worked on pulling leaves from her mane. "And besides, we're supposed to be clearing these up to get ready for winter."

"Oh, I know." Pinkie shrugged. "I just had to show Li'l Sombry here how to do the perfect leaf jump before we had to say goodbye to fall. We can't have Fall without some leaf jumping, now can we?"

"Auntie Pinkie, what do we do in winter?" Sombra asked.

"We do all sorts of fun stuff!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "We go sledding and build snow ponies and have snowball fights and all kinds of fun things that are even better than leaf jumping! I could even teach you how to ice skate!!"

"There are also some fun things to do inside as well." Fluttershy joined in from where she was sitting with a hat for a raccoon. "I myself like to enjoy a nice, warm cup of cider in front of the fireplace while I'm reading or just relaxing."

"An' let's not forget 'bout Hearthswarming," Applejack added.

"Oh yes, the holidays are also very enjoyable as well." Rarity said as she passed another hat to Fluttershy. "The carols, the pageant, the gifts, the decorations."

"Hangin' out with family," Applejack added.

"And food!!" Pinkie Pie finished. "There's a lot of things to look forward to in winter! And you're going to love all of them!!"

At this point, Sombra's eyes were shining with excitement. "It all sounds so fun!" He said.

"It is! And I, your Auntie Pinkie, plan on showing it all to you or my name isn't Pinkamina Diane Pie!" Pinkie Pie declared then something caught her eye. A familiar tortoise digging at the ground. She gasped and rushed over to him with a certain colt following behind.

"Awww!" She exclaimed as she and Sombra came to see. "Look at that cute wittle Tanky, all snuggly wuggly getting ready to hiber-"

Before she could finish that last word, a rainbow blur dropped from the sky and scooped up Tank as she shouted out, "DON'T SAY THAT WORD!!" Into Pinkie's face.

"Which one?" She asked innocently. "Snuggly? Wuggly? Tanky? Hibernate?"

"That one!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she jammed her hoof into Pinkie's mouth the second the last word left it. Pinkie Pie calmly pulled the cyan hoof from her muzzle.

"I was just saying how cute he wa-" Was all she got out before she interrupted again by an angry pegasus shoving her face into Pinkie's.

"If you think hiber-" She stopped herself and pulled away. "You know, that napping thing is sooo cute, why don't you go do it! Somewhere far away from here!!" She shouted angrily as she pushed Pinkie away. A beat later she noticed that she had an audience that was staring slack-jawed at her.

"What are you looking at!?" She demanded. "Pinkie and I are just having a conversation!"

"Look Rainbow Dash, we all know how upset you are about Tank hiber-" Twilight was suddenly cut off by Pinkie Pie's shushing.

"Shhh!" She hushed urgently. "Don't say that word! That's what started this whole thing!"

"We know how upset you are about Tank." Twilight amended. "But you shouldn't take your anger out on your friends."

"Who said anything about anger!?" Rainbow answered, making the mares step back slightly and the colt who'd been looking at Tank grab the tortoise in slight fear. "I didn't say anything about anger!! I'm not upset and I am not angry!!! Do I look angry!!?" There was quiet as Rainbow Dash looked at her friends with a very angry expression. She then stomped over to the tortoise and colt and started Tank's propeller. "Come on Tank. Let's get out of here!" She spoke, Tank was lifted off the ground and slipped from Sombra's grasp. And just like that, they flew off.

"Oh, my," Fluttershy whispered. "I hope she doesn't do anything rash."

Twilight watched Rainbow fly to her cloud home until a tap on her leg directed her attention to Sombra. "Twilight, why does Rainbow Dash have a tortoise?" He asked.

"Oh, well that was Tank. Rainbow Dash's pet." Twilight said.

"Pet? What's a pet?" Sombra asked with a cocked head.

Before Twilight could enter lecture mode, Pinkie Pie interrupted. In the past few minutes, that had become a running theme. "A pet is like an adorable little animal friend!" Pinkie exclaimed in excitement. "You can take care of them and raise them and love them and they'll love you back and become a Best Furry, or Feathery or Scaly, Friend Forever!"

Sombra looked very interested in the idea and he turned to Twilight. "Can I have a pet?" He asked.

"Uh, I don't know if you're ready for that," Twilight said uncertainly. "Pets are a big responsibility. You have to give them food and water and clean up after them and play with them. I'm just not sure that you're old enough for such a responsibility."

Sombra sat on his haunches and put his forelegs together in a pleading gesture while giving her the puppy dog eyes. "Pleeease Twilight." He begged. "I can be responsible. I always pick up my toys when I'm done with them and I put away my books and games when I'm not reading or using them. Please please, please? Can I have a pet?"

"I'm sor-" Twilight started, fully prepared to tell him to wait until he was older when she halted at the sight of Pinkie Pie assuming a similar position behind the colt, only her puppy dog eyes looked about ready to cry. "Pinkie Pie, what are you doing?"

"Oh come Twilight, pets are like little friends." Pinkie pouted. "And you wouldn't want Li'l Sombry missing out on his first pet do you? So pleeeeeeeeeease?"

'You do realize he's a thousand years older than he looks you know.' She thought. 'We have no idea if he had a pet before.' Besides that, the alicorn was at a loss for words. Now not only was Sombra begging for a pet, but Pinkie was also begging on his behalf. She wasn't sure what to say to this. Then Fluttershy gently set a hoof on her shoulder.

"I think it would be okay." She said. "Sombra certainly seems like he'll take good care of a pet and I could help teach him how to take care of whatever pet he chooses."

Twilight stared at Fluttershy then turned to look back at the pleading pair. She glanced back and forth between the two groups then let out a groan of resignation as she capitulated.

"Ugh, fine. We'll get you a pet." She said. The reaction was immediate.

"Woohoo!" Pinkie exclaimed as she scooped Sombra onto her back. "A pet for Sombry! This is going to be so fun!!" Twilight just groaned.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

After that, Fluttershy led Twilight and Sombra back to her cottage. Pinkie Pie wanted to come and help Sombra pick, but Fluttershy was afraid that at her current level of enthusiasm, she would scare the animals and Sombra told her that it could be a surprise. And so, Pinkie stayed with the rest to finish things up while Fluttershy took them to pick out the pet.

"I'm sorry that the selection won't be as great as it would be." Fluttershy apologized as she opened her door. "Most of my birds have already flown south for the winter and some animals are getting ready for hibernation."

"It's alright Fluttershy," Twilight said as they stepped in from the cold and into the warm house. "We understand."

"Yeah." Sombra chimed in as he lept down to see the animals. "And if I don't find a pet, we can always come back later, right Twilight?"

"Sure." Twilight agreed. "Um, you can go check out the pets. Fluttershy and I need to talk about Rainbow Dash."

"Okay!" Sombra said with a smile then rushed off to meet the pets, leaving the mares to their conversation. There were many interesting animals, but none that really interested him. Then in the corner, he spotted a blanket with a form underneath. Curious, he trotted over and lifted the blanket to look. Underneath was a female long hair ferret with beautiful black fur. Sombra stared at the ferret and the ferret stared back. Sombra then reached forward to pet her, but the ferret intercepted his hoof by biting it.

Sombra flinched at the pain, but he didn't pull back. Instead, he stared at her for a beat longer before speaking. "Hey, I'm sorry." He apologized and the ferret looked at him quizzically. "I tried to pet you without permission and you didn't like that did you?" The ferret just stared in answer. "Well, I'm sorry." He apologized again and the ferret stared. "You don't seem mean." Now she was confused so Sombra elaborated. "Well it looks like you're here on your own instead of with the other animals and you're biting me, I think that maybe they think you're mean but you don't seem mean to me. You just don't want to be with them right now. I think you're actually very nice and sweet."

The ferret stared at the colt a moment longer then released his hoof and licked the wound. She then rubbed against him like a cat and Sombra took the hint to mean that it was okay to pet her. After petting her bit, he lifted her up.

"Hey, do you want to be my pet?" He asked and she nodded. Giggling, he put her on his back and she climbed up to his head to nestle amongst his mane. Sombra giggled again and rushed to the where the adults were.

"Twilight! Fluttershy! Look! I found the pet I want!" He called as he rushed towards them. The two mares turned to him and Fluttershy let out a gasp of surprise as she jumped slightly.

"Sombra, do you really want this one?" Fluttershy asked in surprise. Sombra nodded.

"Mmhm. She's a nice ferret, and she likes my mane." He said. Fluttershy stood, mouth agape at what she was seeing and Twilight didn't understand why.

"What's wrong with this ferret?" She asked, curious about her friend's reaction. "She seems nice."

"There's nothing really wrong with this ferret," Fluttershy explained. "I'm just very surprised because I've never seen her do this. Usually, she doesn't really like ponies. She gets along fine with the other animals and even better with the other ferrets. But as far as ponies go, she doesn't even let them touch her. She barely lets ME touch her on bath day and when she needs to be groomed. So that's why I'm very surprised to see her not only letting you touch her, but also getting along with you."

"She's a nice ferret and I like her," Sombra said. "She even apologized for biting me." As he spoke, Sombra lifted his hoof to show the bleeding bite marks. Fluttershy shrieked in worry and rushed off to get her medical kit. As the pegasus cleaned and dressed the wound, the ferret watched from her perch and looked sheepish the whole time.

When she was done, Fluttershy put away her supplies and turned back to Sombra. "I'm very sorry about that." She apologized.

"It's okay. I didn't ask permission before trying to pet her and I've already forgiven her." Sombra said. "I'll be fine."

"Well alright. So what are you going to name her?" Fluttershy asked.

Sombra pulled the ferret off his head and stared at her for a bit. "Onyx." He announced after a time.

"Onyx?" The two mares asked simultaneously.

"Mmhm." Sombra hummed as he nodded. "Like one of the gemstones, Auntie Rarity shows me."

"Rarity shows you gemstones?" Twilight asked.

"Uh-huh. And she teaches me about them whenever I'm at her place." Sombra said. "My favorite is the Onyx because it's a pretty color and Rarity says that onyx gemstones are used as charms to deflect negativity and enhance determination and perseverance. Onyx is the perfect name for her. What do you think?" That last part had been directed at the ferret, who gave the matter some thought before nodding.

"Onyx it is then," Fluttershy said with a sigh and a smile. "I can get you some supplies that you'll need, but first there's something I need to tell you. Ferrets are very social animals and they bond with a pony family for life. And it's very advisable to have ferrets in groups of two or three or else Onyx will require extra attention. Especially when you're outside of the castle."

"What about other animals?" Twilight asked. "Can they bond with other animals?"

"Well yes, but as far as playing that can tricky since ferrets tend to roughhouse and they can be much tougher than dogs or cats," Fluttershy said. "It would work better if Onyx was in a group of two or three."

"Well if that's what she needs, very well," Twilight said.

"Onyx can pick her friends," Sombra said. "Since they're going to be her friends as well as ours, she should pick them out." With that decided, Sombra set Onyx down on the ground and spoke to her. "Go pick two or three friends." He said gently. Onyx nodded and rushed out of the room. When she returned, she was accompanied by three other female ferrets.

The first was a full angora ferret with chocolate brown and creamy golden fur. The next was a standard ferret with white fur and silver coloring. The third and final ferret was another angora but with lighter brown colored fur. Onyx led the group up to Sombra then climbed up to his head to watch. Sombra sat down and looked at the three ferrets. He reached out to the brown and cream ferret and looked her over.

"I'll call you Tiger's Eye." He announced. Then he moved on to the white and silver standard. "Your name is Moonstone." He told her. Next was the light brown one. "And your name's Smokey Quartz." He then looked at them proudly then pointed to himself. "And I'm Sombra. Nice to meet you all!"

Fluttershy smiled a bit. "My Sombra, you're being very nice to your new pets." She said softly.

"That's cause they're my new friends and you take good care of your friends right?" He asked with a smile.

"That's right," Fluttershy said. "Animals are very kind and loving when you take good care of them. I can help teach you how to take care of your ferrets and if you have any questions, feel free to come to ask me."

"Okay, Fluttershy!" Sombra said.

Fluttershy gently tapped the floor with a hoof a couple of times before speaking again. "And if you want to, I wouldn't mind if you called me Aunty Fluttershy."

Sombra's grin widened. "Okay! Thank you, Auntie Fluttershy!"

"You're very welcome."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"It looks like the pegasi have fixed those clear skies we had earlier," Fluttershy commented as she looked up. After getting ferret supplies and a book on ferret care, they'd left the cottage to meet up with their friends.

"I guess so," Twilight muttered distractedly. Her gaze was locked forwards on the colt that skipped ahead cheerfully with his ferrets riding him as best they could.

"Is something wrong?" Fluttershy asked having noticed her friend's distracted tone.

"Well, I'm just wondering if it's safe for a colt to have such a pet," Twilight said. "No offense meant, but a ferret doesn't strike me as a safe pet."

"Oh don't worry about that," Fluttershy said with a smile. "It's a very common misconception, in actuality, ferrets are very affectionate and loving if a little playful."

"Then why did Onyx bite Sombra?" Twilight asked. "That doesn't strike me as affectionate or playful."

"Well, no," Fluttershy admitted. "But usually when a ferret is hurt or has been abused, they'll react like that."

It took a second for that sentence to register in the alicorn's mind and only a second more for the pieces to fall into place. "Onyx was abused?"

"I didn't want to say it in front of Sombra but, yes she was," Fluttershy confirmed as she nodded. "While I was on my trip to see the Breezies, I got to know this group of ponies and I ended up going with them as they helped rescue abused pets from their owners. In fact, I think the reason why Onyx only let me touch her, at least up until now, is because I was the one who took her from her old owner. It's also how I met that pony I've told you about. Remember Tree Hugger?"

"Oh yeah, I remember you've told me about her."

"Yes, well Tree Hugger works part-time at the animal shelter where we took the animals," Fluttershy explained. "She helps the animals recover from their experiences so they can be adopted by good ponies and families. When I wasn't studying the Breezies, I was at the shelter helping out with the animals and I got to know Tree Hugger really well. Anyways, Tree Hugger noticed that I was the only one that Onyx would let near her and when it was time to leave she suggested I take her with me."

"She did?"

"Mmhm. She said that it would be a good idea for her to get out of a place with 'bad vibes' and for her to stay with somepony with 'good vibes'." Fluttershy said. "Her actual wording was different and I didn't really understand some of the words she used, but I got the basic gist of it. I hoped that being with me and in a better environment would help her, and it did sort of. The only problem was that she still didn't like ponies. And now, well just look at her."

Twilight looked in the direction that Fluttershy was gesturing and saw the black ferret stretched over Sombra's head and enjoying the, somewhat short, view.

"I've never seen her so happy," Fluttershy said. "At least not since I've known her. I'm not sure I expected to say this about Sombra, but he's an amazing colt. And I'm sure Onyx isn't the only one who thinks that. Those other three ferrets have been in similar situations, though not as bad as her's."

"Maybe that's why she picked them out." Twilight murmured thoughtfully. After that, the rest of the walk lapsed into silence, save for the humming of a certain colt. When their remaining friends came into view, Sombra picked up his pace and practically galloped over to the three mares.

"Auntie Pinkie! Auntie Rarity! Auntie Applejack!" He called out as he rushed over to them. The mares in question turned and Pinkie Pie ran to greet him.

'Li'l Sombry!" The hyperactive pink pony cried out as she ran up to him. "How was it? What did you pick? I wanna see!"

The four ferrets had initially leaned back at the sudden appearance of the pink ball of exuberance that was Pinkie Pie, but when it became obvious that there was no harm coming their way they relaxed. Onyx leaned forward from her perch to sniff this new pony and as expected, she was noticed immediately.

Pinkie Pie gasped. "Oh, my gosh, it's so adorable!" She exclaimed and she reached out a hoof to pet. Onyx leaned back a bit at first but in the end let the pink pony stroke her head gently.

"Hoo Nelly. Looks like y'all got more than one pet." Applejack commented, spotting the other three ferrets on his back.

"Auntie Fluttershy says that ferrets are very social and do better in groups of other ferrets," Sombra said matter of factly.

"And four pets mean four times more fun and four times more love!" Pinkie cheered then she paused as the entire sentence sank in. "Wait, Auntie Fluttershy?" The shy pegasus only nodded and Pinkie Pie grinned. "That's wonderful! Welcome to the ranks of Auntie!"

"Um, thanks," Fluttershy said softly.

"So, what'd Y'all name them?" Applejack asked.

"This one here is Onyx." Sombra started as he pointed at the black ferret in his mane before pointing to the others respectively. "Then this is Tigers Eye, Moonstone and Smokey Quartz."

"What beautiful names." Rarity cooed. "And perhaps I can create some lovely clothes for all of them. At the moment, winter clothing seems appropriate."

The sudden crack of thunder and sound of lightning, however, ended Rarity's musings and drew their attention up towards Cloudsdale. Clouds and the lightning in question were pouring out at an alarming rate and the sight of pegasi rushing to and fro only further reinforced the idea that something was very wrong.

"What in the name of Celestia is going on up there?" Applejack asked as she pointed up at the mess. It didn't take Twilight long for her to figure out what was happening.

"Prepare yourselves everypony." The alicorn said apprehensively. "Winter is coming."

"Twilight, what do you mean?" Sombra asked. "I thought winter was already coming."

"It is, of course. But from the looks of it, it seems as though winter's going to be coming ahead of schedule." Twilight explained. As if exactly on cue, the season in question was ejected from Cloudsdale as a ball of snow and ice. Twilight turned to the other ponies in the area. "Everypony, look out!"

Ponies scattered and ran for some sort of cover from the incoming ball. Sombra couldn't run as fast as the adults and when the ball got closer, he instinctively grabbed his ferrets and went to protect them with his body against a tree. Twilight saw this and without thinking, instantly threw herself over his smaller body with her wings spread protectively. Then the snow hit in a huge explosion that covered all of Ponyville, but Twilight stood firm.

When it was all over, Twilight opened her eyes and found herself staring down at bright red eyes as Sombra stared back at her. They stood there a moment then Twilight remembered where she was and her head popped out of the huge snowdrift they were under with a gasp. As she pulled Sombra and his ferrets out, Rainbow Dash popped out of another snowdrift then went digging around for Tank. She found him and held him up.

"You okay Tank?" She asked the tortoise. Tank let out a yawn that only served to lower the pegasus' already abysmal mode.

"Rainbow Dash! Are you alright?" Twilight asked as they all approached.

"No. No, I'm not." She answered in a slightly cracked voice. She then scooped up Tank and flew towards her cloud home. Her friends watched her fly away with concern in their eyes.

"We should go speak to her." Rarity spoke.

"I agree. We need to talk to her." Fluttershy agreed.

"Then let's get goin'." Applejack declared and they all started for Rainbow Dash's home. Twilight was starting to follow when she felt a tap on her leg.

"Twilight, what's going on?" Sombra asked. At that moment, Twilight remembered that it would be best if Sombra wasn't there.

"Wait for second girls." She called out. "I don't think it would be best to bring Sombra for this and we can't leave him alone. Pinkie Pie, can he stay at Sugarcube Corner while we're taking care of this?"

"Sure he can!" Pinkie Pie said. "In fact..." Pinkie Pie then grabbed Sombra and with a leap, she vanished into thin air. A minute later, she reappeared. "...There we go, all done. He'll be just fine with the Cakes."

Twilight blinked. "Pinkie, how did you do that? For that matter, WHAT did you do?"

"What do you mean Twilight? I just took him to Sugarcube Corner and rushed back." Twilight spluttered for several seconds and her eye began to twitch. Rarity calmed her by laying a hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"Just leave it Twilight." She advised. "Pinkie will be Pinkie and it's pointless to try and figure her out. Who we should be more concerned about is Rainbow Dash."

Twilight did her breathing exercises a few times then calmed down. "You're right Rarity. This can be for another day. Right now, Rainbow Dash needs us. Now let's go."

And with that, they continued on to Rainbow Dash's home.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

The Cakes blinked at the colt right in front of them. Right as Mr. Cake had been pulling out a triple peppermint fudge cake, Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared so abruptly, the stallion screamed in surprise and dumped the cake all over himself. Just as Mrs. Cake came to see what the commotion was all about, Pinkie Pie said in a rapid-fire manner, "Heywe'vegottagotalktoRainbowDashsocanyouwatchLi'lSombry?Thanksbye!" The next instant she was gone and the couple were left staring at a colt that they assumed was 'Li'l Sombry' and four ferrets.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Rainbow Dash sighed and stirred her hot chocolate a bit. After accepting Tank's hibernation and reading him a story as he tucked in, she joined the rest of her friends with playing in the snow until they were too cold. At the moment they were relaxing at Sugarcube Corner and enjoying mugs of hot chocolate with peppermint fudge cake. And now that she was relaxing, she couldn't help but think about Tank and miss him a little. She still accepted that hibernation was something he needed to do, but that didn't make her feel any better. A movement next to her made her turn and face Sombra who was staring at her with concern.

"Um, hey." Rainbow Dash greeted. "What's up?"

"Twilight says you're sad because you miss Tank," Sombra answered. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, I guess." Rainbow Dash answered. "I mean, it's not like he's gone forever. I'll see him again in a few months."

"But you still miss him don't you?" Sombra asked and Rainbow Dash could only nod. She didn't want to cry anymore. She was past that. Before that could happen, a quartet of ferrets was set on the table in front of her.

"These are my pets that I got today," Sombra said with a smile. "I'd like you to meet Onyx, Tiger's Eye, Moonstone and Smokey Quartz. Taking care of a pet is a big responsibility, so if you want, I wouldn't mind a little help."

Rainbow stared at the four ferrets in front of her. They weren't Tank to be sure, but she didn't mind helping the kid out a little if only to keep herself from getting too lonely. And so the pegasus cracked a grin.

"Sure kid, I'm free," Rainbow said. "I can teach you all the ins and outs of being a pet owner."

"Yay!" Sombra cheered and Rainbow Dash had to admit privately to herself that the kid was growing on her a little.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

That night, after Twilight tucked Sombra in and sang his lullaby, she left the room and went to her own. In a corner of the room, the ferrets slept piled together in their cage not very far from Sombra's bed. Later in the night, Onyx suddenly jolted awake. After shaking the sleep from her eyes, she scanned the room for what had woken her. She didn't have far to look and had quickly locked onto the whimpering form of Sombra tossing and turning in his bed.

By this point, the others were stirring and were surprised when Onyx lept towards the cage door and with a little working, had opened the door. There were very few cages that Onyx couldn't get out with a little bit of effort. After THAT owner, she didn't ever want to feel imprisoned again. With the door open, the black ferret lept out and bolted as quickly as possible to the bed then climbed up. Onyx could tell that her new owner was having a nightmare and judging by how he looked near tears, it was a bad one.

Without hesitation, Onyx leaned forward and gently nuzzled his face. Sombra's reaction to this was to automatically turn to the source of comfort and his form relaxed a little. Onyx then turned herself around a little and settled onto the bed right next to him, making sure to press herself as close to him as she could. Soon after she'd left the cage, the others followed her example. Moonstone draped herself across Sombra while Tiger's Eye and Smokey Quartz settled on Onyx. Onyx, however, didn't pay them any mind. Instead, she snuggled closer to Sombra and rest her nose on his chest so she could breathe in his sweet scent. Yep, this was the pony for them, she was sure of it.
> Snow
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When he woke up the next morning, Sombra was pleasantly surprised by the presence of his pets in his bed. Smiling, he scooped up Onyx and held her up in front of himself.

"How'd you get here in my bed?" He asked. "I thought Twilight made sure the cage was secure." For a moment, Sombra almost thought he saw the black ferret smirk smugly.

At that point, a movement from the corner of his eye had Sombra jumping out of bed and rushing to the window. While Sombra had already seen the snow, it was a new experience to see it gently falling from the sky like it was now and his eyes filled with wonder at the sight. When he heard the sound of the door opening, he couldn't help but cry out in excitement at whoever had entered.

"Twilight! Look look look!" He squealed at the mare as she trotted over. "It's snow! The snow is falling!"

"Uh, yeah it is," Twilight said. "This is actually how it's supposed to fall you know. Even though winter came a little early and a little unconventionally, there's still scheduled snowfall for the next few days."

"It's so pretty," Sombra said in wonder. Twilight paused a moment to look out the window and smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I guess it is." She admitted. "Now its time for breakfast, so let's get going."

"Okay, Twilight!" Sombra said cheerfully as he jumped down from his stool that he'd been using to look out the window. As they went down to the kitchen, Twilight trotting, and Sombra skipping, there was a knock at the door. When they reached the entrance hall, Spike had already opened the door to let in Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

"Morning Twilight." Rainbow greeted as she shook the snow off her coat and shed her winter wear. Fluttershy waved shyly and followed the other pegasus' example.

"Good morning to you to Dash." Twilight returned the greeting as she trotted up. "What brings you here so early?"

"Well, I told the kid here that I'd help him learn how to take care of his new pets." Rainbow explained. "And I figured that since Flutters here is an animal expert, it would be a good idea to bring her."

"Doesn't Fluttershy have other animals to take care of?" Twilight asked and Fluttershy shook her head.

"Most of my animals are either hibernating or have flown south for the winter." She said. "So there's not a lot of animals back home. I've already fed everyone and there's no one that needs constant attention, so I've got time to spare."

"Well alright then," Spike interjected. "We were about to eat breakfast, but I made plenty of food so you two can join us."

"Oh, breakfast," Rainbow said. "I was out the door before I could eat, so thanks, Spike." Rainbow then trotted after the dragon into the dining room with Sombra behind. Twilight and Fluttershy trailed behind and the purple alicorn leaned towards her friend to whisper to her quietly.

"She's still a little upset about Tank isn't she?" She whispered so Rainbow couldn't hear. Fluttershy nodded.

"It will take a little adjusting, but on the bright side, she isn't trying to stop winter anymore," Fluttershy whispered with a small humorous smile.

Twilight returned the smile and they continued to the dining room in silence. For breakfast, Spike had pulled out the waffle iron and there was now a tall stack of still warm waffles. There were also things to put on the waffles like butter, fruit, whipped cream, chocolate chips and more. The moment she sat down, Rainbow Dash scooped up a stack of waffles and began putting fruit and whipped cream on before digging in. Upon seeing how much the pegasus took, Spike sighed.

"I'll go get the waffle iron and mix some more batter." He said as he started to leave the room. "Could somepony help serve Sombra?"

"Of course Spike." Fluttershy volunteered and she got the colt a smaller stack. By the time the dragon returned with the batter and magic waffle iron, the colt had taken his first bite of waffles.

"Mmm. It's warm and yummy. Thank you, Spike!" Sombra said cheerfully.

"You're very welcome kiddo," Spike said a little affectionately.

"The kid's right. These are some great waffles. Thanks, little guy." Rainbow Dash added, speaking around half a mouthful of food.

"Um, Rainbow? Don't talk with your mouth full." Fluttershy said from her spot at the table. "It's very rude for the people sitting with you."

"Ah, right. Sorry." Rainbow apologized. After that, Rainbow minded her manners and, aside from some light conversation, the rest of the meal went by in silence.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

After breakfast, Sombra led Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Spike up to his bedroom while Twilight went to attend to some business. After Rainbow's stunt yesterday, there was plenty of paperwork to sign. Upstairs in Sombra's bedroom, Fluttershy demonstrated how to properly feed the ferrets, how to treat them, how to play with them and all sorts of things. They spent an hour playing with the ferrets before they started to slow down.

"Huh, they're acting a little tired." Rainbow mused. "Just a few minutes ago they were just fin- *gasp* they aren't going to go into hibernation too, are they?!" She asked in a panic as Fluttershy leaned away from her when she found her friend in front of her in an instant. The shy pegasus was actually surprised she didn't break the sound barrier in that instant. Putting that aside, Fluttershy smiled kindly.

"Oh no, nothing like that." She assured the pegasus. "In fact, ferrets are very well equipped for the cold weather. They just need some rest and they'll be up on their feet."

Rainbow Dash sighed in relief as Sombra and Fluttershy tucked the ferrets into their cage. With her relief settling in, Rainbow now tapped her chin in thought.

"So how long will they be napping?" Dash asked.

"Only for a little while," Fluttershy answered. "They do need a lot of sleep."

"So what now? Are we going to wait around for them to wake up? Booooring!" Dash declared.

"What do you suggest we do?" Sombra asked.

"Well, we've got plenty of snow on the ground, a frozen lake and snowfall for the next few days. I say we have a snow day!" Rainbow announced.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"And then we put the head on top, add the eyes and mouth and it's done." Fluttershy finished. As she spoke, she helped Sombra add the head to their snow pony. Two pieces of coal, four branches, a scarf, and a hat later and it was done.

"Yay! We did it, Auntie Fluttershy!" Sombra cheered then threw his forelegs around the snow pony. "Let's name him!"

"Okay then. Let's see, how about Snowflake?" She suggested.

"Hmm, nuh-uh. It doesn't fit." Sombra answered with a shake of his head.

"Oh, well then how about Icey?" Fluttershy threw out another name.

"It sounds too cold for him." Sombra rejected with a shake.

"Oh, well then let's see....." Fluttershy hummed in thought.

"What about Sparky? Or Flurry? Or Flower? Or Tom?" Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared next to Fluttershy, making the pegasus shriek in surprise, and began listing possible names. Sombra jumped at Pinkie's sudden appearance, but then he giggled.

"No no, none of those is right." He said.

"Huh, then this just got harder." Pinkie said as she plopped down in the snow with a thoughtful look and a hoof to her chin.

"My, what a handsome snow pony." Rarity complimented as she approached.

"Thanks, Auntie Rarity!" Sombra greeted the elegant unicorn. "Fluttershy helped me and now we're trying to figure out his name."

"Well then, what about Snow Bell?" Rarity asked. Sombra shook his head.

"No, that doesn't sound right either." He said.

"No? Then how about Platinum Ice?"

"Hm-mm." Sombra rejected with a shake of his head then he tapped his chin in thought. "What about Frosty?"

"Frosty huh? It's a little simple, but now that I'm looking at him, he's definitely a Frosty." Rarity approved.

"Frosty is a lovely name for him," Fluttershy added her two bits. Pinkie Pie suddenly leaped up from her position and scooped up Sombra.

"Then Frosty it is!" She declared.

"Hey! Are you done now?" Rainbow called as she rushed forward. "Let's go do something fun!"

"Okay then!" Sombra said. "Like what?" Rainbow smirked competitively.

"Ever played ice hockey before kid?" She asked.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Twenty minutes later, the entire group was at the frozen pond getting ready. At some point, they'd run into Applejack and invited her to join them. Rainbow Dash had wanted to play without shoulder or rump pads, but since Sombra would be playing, it was unanimously decided that they wouldn't do that. Of course, to sooth Dash's hurt feelings, Applejack promised that they'd play without pads when Sombra wasn't in the lineup.

Then came Sombra's first time on the ice. At first, he was a little shaky, but he managed to stay on his hooves until it came time to hit the puck. The little colt slipped and went shooting across the ice and into the net with the puck.

Pinkie Pie giggled as she skated over to Sombra, who'd gotten his skates a little tangled in the net. "Ahehe That was a great first try." She said as she helped him get untangled. "That was better than Twilight's first time. Keep practicing, and I'm sure you'll skate as good as me!"

"Really Auntie?" Sombra asked with excitement as his eyes sparkled. Pinkie finally got the last blade free and was now pulling him up.

"Of course!" She answered cheerfully.

"Ya know, since this is Sombra's first time skating, I'm not so sure if ice hockey is really the best." Applejack said to Rainbow Dash. The pegasus frowned.

"Uugh, fine! But what else can we do?" She demanded.

"Um, I think I have an idea," Sombra spoke up.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

<Crystal Ponies are amazing. Due to the Crystal Empire being surrounded by snow and ice, the Crystal Ponies have found a myriad of games and activities to do in the snow. Snow critters, ice sculptures, bird feeders, snowy scavenger hunts, and snowball target practice are all just a few of the things which I've seen and participated in. They even have a Snow Fair in winter. It's the second biggest celebration in the Empire. The first, of course, being the Crystal Fair.>

Cadence smiled. She'd already discovered this part of her subjects lives and had found it so much fun. She turned the page to read more.

<My favorite is the Frosty Toss. Basically, they make a circle in the snow and everyone tries to throw a snowball into the circle while standing aways away and without the aid of magic. That was a rule that I suggested to make the game fair for non-unicorns. They hadn't really thought about that because not a lot of Equestrians come this way and aside from the odd Crystal Pegasus, a majority of the Crystal Ponies are earth ponies.>

Cadence was familiar with the Frosty Toss and it's no magic rule. But when she asked where they got the idea for that, she'd been told that they didn't remember. Well, there was one mystery solved. She was almost halfway through the book and there was no evidence of dark or evil thoughts. And that confused her. When did Sombra become a tyrant? So far there wasn't even a shadow of darkness. Perhaps further in she would find the answer to that mystery.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

At first, they played the game that Sombra had suggested. The colt couldn't remember what it was called, so Pinkie Pie had dubbed it, The Snowball Toss since that was the point of the game. Of course, when you mix Rainbow Dash with snowballs, the game didn't stay that way. One snowball toss in the right direction (Applejack's face) and just like that, there was now a snowball battle.

"Now this is more like it." Rainbow Dash said hunched behind the walls of their snow fort. On her side, she had Fluttershy and Sombra. On Applejack's side, Pinkie Pie and Rarity, who were doing a good job at pinning them down. Rainbow Dash turned to her team with a look of serious determination.

"Alright troops, listen up!" She said in a voice like a general. "They may have us pinned, but we are not beaten. Not by a long shot. By the end of this day, we shall be the victors!"

"YAY!"

"Yay."

Rainbow Dash nodded at her troop's cheers. "Good to see you two on board. And from now on, you will call me Captain Rainbow Dash or just Captain. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Captain!" Sombra cried out with a salute.

"Heh. I like your spirit kid. But your salutes on the wrong side." Rainbow said while hiding a smile at how adorable he was. The colt quickly fixed the mistake.

"Sorry Captain." He apologized with his salute now on the right side. Rainbow Dash blinked and turned back to the enemy fort.

'Gosh darn it, kid. Stop being so darn cute.' She thought to herself. "Alright troops, we need to get out of here and strike a blow to the enemy." She addressed her troops. She then spun back around and pointed hoof at Fluttershy. "Private Fluttershy!"

The pegasus in question let out a 'yeep!' at Rainbow's sudden shout. "Y-yes Captain?" She asked.

"When I give the signal, we're all going to jump out of this fort and charge the enemy." Rainbow Dash laid out the plan. "You and Sombra are going to divert the enemy's attention and hopefully take down one or two of them. While you're doing that, I'll sneak up behind and nail them. Then victory will be ours! Now let's start making as many snowballs as we can carry!"

Once they were loaded with as many snowballs as they could carry, Sombra, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash crouched down behind their fort and braced themselves.

"Steady men.....NOW!" At Dash's signal, they lept out and charged.

Fluttershy and Sombra took on Pinkie Pie, who was throwing snowballs like some sort of machine. It took a bit of doing, but soon enough, one of Sombra's snowballs hit Pinkie right in her chest.

"Oh no!" She gasped, grabbing where the snowball landed. "I've been hit! I can feel myself.....weakening. Rarity! Applejack! You....must....go on without....me." And on that note, she collapsed dramatically into the snow. No one knew how or where she got the lily she was now currently clutching at her chest.

Sombra giggled at her antics. "Auntie Pinkie, you're funny." He said. Pinkie instantly sprang up like a jack in the box.

"I know, right?" She said happily. "Now shush. I need to go back to playing dead." And with that, she slumped back into her pose. Rarity rolled her eyes.

"Well, there goes our heaviest hitter." She commented to Applejack, completely forgetting that the enemy was now in the fort. She was quickly reminded of this fact when a snowball landed smack dab into her mane. The culprit, a certain butter yellow pegasus, blinked.

"Um...I got you." She said softly. A moment later, Rarity started fussing over mane. It wasn't as bad as it would've been if she'd been hit with mud or dirt. But it was still enough to prompt an eye-roll from Applejack.

"Fer Celestia's sake Rares, it's just a little frozen water." She said exasperatedly. "It ain't like its gonna bite ya."

"But the point is she's out." Rainbow Dash said as she landed in front of the earth pony and grinned. "Which means it's just you and me."

Applejack's grin matched the pegasus' and she hefted a snowball. What followed was an epic snowball battle. The two mares were throwing and dodging, each trying to cream the other while not being creamed as well. Eventually, Rainbow managed to get close enough to hit Applejack, but the downside was that Applejack was also able to hit her. An advantage that AJ took in an instant. Before the snowball could hit, however, there was a blur of grey and black and the next thing either mare knew, Sombra had taken that snowball instead. Not asking questions, Rainbow threw her own snowball, nailing the still surprised Applejack.

"I win!" The pegasus cheered and was instantly in the air. With that declaration, the game was over and Pinkie Pie 'returned amongst the living' with a leap.

"Game over!" She said cheerfully. "So who wants to warm up?"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Sombra were now at Sugarcube Corner warming themselves up with hot chocolate. Fluttershy had gone home to take care of her animals, Rarity wanted to fix her mane and Applejack had chores back on the farm. So it was just the two mares with Sombra. When they were warm enough, Rainbow turned to the colt who was enjoying his hot chocolate with marshmallows.

"Hey, kid." She said and Sombra turned to her. "Why'd you do that? Take that snowball for me I mean."

"Twilight says that you're really competitive and you like to win," Sombra said honestly. "And I wanted you to have fun too. And if you'd lost, you wouldn't have been having fun. So I helped you win and everyone had fun."

As he returned to his drink, Dash mulled this over. Sure it was a philosophy that Pinkie embraced (to say the least) but that he would do something so selfless so she would have fun really struck a cord. True it wasn't an extreme situation where he took a crossbow bolt or something of the like, but to her, it held some weight. Enough so that she began to think that he wasn't so bad.

"You know what kid, you're alright," Rainbow said. "And do you know what I'm going to do something for you. What do you want to do? Just name it, and I'll do it."

Sombra set his now empty mug down and hummed in thought. "I kinda wanna try sledding." He said after a minute. "I haven't gone sledding and from what I've heard, it sounds like fun. So I wanna go sledding."

"Sledding huh....?" Rainbow Dash hummed thoughtfully as she trailed off. True there were some pretty big sledding hills, but none of them were high enough. For his first time, Dash wanted it to be as awesome and memorable as possible. Then, like a light bulb going off, she had an idea. She smiled at the sheer awesomeness of it.

"Alrighty then kid, let's go sledding." She announced. "But for your first run, I'm going to do something totally awesome. Be right back."

And just like that, she flew out the window so fast, she was a multicolored blur.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Are you sure this is safe?" Sombra asked as he clung to Dash's back.

"Pfft, who do you think you're talking to, kid?" The pegasus asked as she flew them upwards. "I'm not just a professional weather pony, I'm also a pro at stunts. Of course, I'm sure. I've taken every precaution I can so that your first run won't be your last."

"Uh, okay," Sombra said as he looked up at the cloud construct that they were flying up to. About an hour after she left, Rainbow Dash returned and showed Sombra, Pinkie Pie, and the newly arrived Rarity what she'd been working on. A huge hill with a small ramp at the end made of snow clouds packed together so tightly that non-pegasi could set hoof on it. Rainbow Dash had moved the cloud lower to the ground and to the top of a large hill and was now flying up to it with Sombra on her back and a sled in her hooves. At the top of the hill below the cloud, Pinkie Pie was cheering the two on while Rarity watched worriedly. Upon landing, Rainbow set the sled down and Sombra slid down onto the cloud. Upon finding that his hoof didn't fall through, he jumped down fully.

"Huh, so this is what a cloud feels like." He said and then began jumping up and down a little. "It's so soft and bouncy."

"Hehe. It feels much softer and bouncier when it's not this concentrated." Rainbow said. After positioning the sled, she scooped Sombra up and set him in front then dropped a helmet on his head.

"Anyways, helmet up kid. Safety first you know." She said as she helped him strap it on. When it was sufficiently secured, she settled herself onto the sled as well and strapped her own helmet on. When her own helmet was ready, she wrapped her forelegs around the colt then using her hindleg, pushed them over the edge.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

When Twilight finished her paperwork, she went out to look for Sombra and the others. She found obvious evidence of a snowball fight and very easily guessed that they'd been here. Figuring that they'd want to warm up after covering themselves in the snow, Twilight then went to Sugarcube Corner. Only to find that she'd just missed them. Fortunately, Mr. Cake was able to point her in the right direction by telling her that they'd mentioned going sledding. Figuring that with Dash around, they'd be going to the tallest hill in Ponyville, Twilight headed in that direction and arrived just in time to see Rainbow and Sombra push off on a huge cloud hill. Her expression quickly morphed into horror.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

The rush of going down the cloud hill was exhilarating and Rainbow couldn't help but let out a whoop. And Sombra whooped with her. That's how they went down the cloud. Whooping and hollering in excitement. When they reached the end, they flew up the ramp into the air and flipped around before landing on the snowy hill below. By this point, they were going so fast that everything only registered as blurs in her peripheral vision. Even when they reached the bottom, they kept going. Even skidding and swerving across the lake below. The sled finally stopped on the other side of the lake when they runners snagged on the shore and sent them both flying into a snowdrift. The two ponies at first just lay in the snowdrift laughing.

"Hahaha, oh gosh." She sighed as she sat up with Sombra still clutched in her forelegs. "Now was that awesome or what?" She asked with a grin. But before Sombra could answer, somepony else did. Someone who was definitely not a colt or even male.

"How about 'or what'?" The familiar female voice said it a not to pleased tone. Rainbow Dash whirled around and found herself face to face with a certain purple alicorn who was giving her a glare.

"Oh hey Twi." Rainbow Dash greeted casually and the mare's eyes narrowed a bit more. The pegasus was very familiar with this particular look in her friend's eye and knew exactly what was coming. Lecture time.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Spike shook the pan a little more to make sure all the kernels got popped before dumping the fluffy white corn into the bowl Sombra was currently holding. Nestling in his mane was Onyx with all the other ferrets mulling about around him. With an expert flip of his claws, the baby dragon drizzled popcorn oil and shook salt into the bowl with a professional grace that had Sombra in awe. When he was done mixing and seasoning, he then held out the bowl.

"Ta-da!" He announced proudly with a puff of his chest. "And that my friend, is how you make a perfect bowl of popcorn."

Sombra stomped his hooves on the crystal floor in applause. "Wow, that looks so good Spike."

"Tastes good too," Spike said as he grabbed a clawful and began eating. "Try it." Taking the dragon's advice, Sombra sampled a kernel and smiled widely. Seeing this, Spike grinned as well.

"Good right?" He asked.

"It's wonderful!" Sombra agreed and took some more. In a room not far away from where they were, there was the sound of shouting. The pair couldn't hear the specific words, but they did know what was going on. Twilight was lecturing Rainbow Dash. Sombra flinched guiltily at the shouts and he looked at his hooves.

"Spike? Is Rainbow going to be okay?" He asked. Spike instantly caught on.

"Hey now, don't worry." He soothed. "Dash is going to be alright. If I know one thing about her, its that she's tough and this isn't the first time she's been on the receiving end of a Twilight Lecture. She can handle herself."

'Though I must admit she hasn't gone off like this before.' Spike added to himself privately. There was no need to worry about the colt more than he already was.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"-reckless and the worst idea you've ever had!!!" Twilight finished her rant and began to breathe heavily. Rainbow Dash, however, while she had been paying attention, she had remained completely relaxed the whole time.

"Are you done?" She asked calmly and Twilight was hard pressed to not yell at her friend's face point blank.

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?!" She said in a barely contained shout. Rainbow shrugged.

"I'm sorry?" She said in a not at all convincing manner and Twilight almost went off again. Before she could, the pegasus continued. "Look, you know me. I may be a reckless daredevil, but I'm also a professional weather mare and stunt pony. I took all the necessary precautions. I had the cloud in a wide open space and as low to the ground as possible. Not to mention we were both wearing helmets and I was there. If something did happen, I could've easily flown us out of there no problem. I may take risks, but only when it's my neck on the line."

Rainbow then grinned mischievously. "Besides, why are you freaking out like this? You don't normally go off like this when I do stuff like this. Could it because I had Sombra with me~?" She asked it a teasing, sing-song tone. Twilight instantly stumbled backward.

"W-wha-? I....you....he....." Was all she stammered, the alicorn having suddenly lost the ability to form coherent sentences. Dash grinned victoriously and lept from her seat.

"I'll bet that's why you totally wigged out." She said triumphantly as she booped her friend on the nose. "Now is that popcorn I smell?"

And like that, the pegasus zoomed out of the room in search of the snack. Leaving Twilight to her thoughts. It couldn't be true, could it? It wasn't the first time she'd freaked out at her friend over a stunt, but this was the first time she'd ever freaked out to this extent. It couldn't be because Sombra was there, could it?

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Rainbow Dash hung out with Sombra and his ferrets for the rest of the day. It wasn't until after dinner that Rainbow left the castle. Full and satisfied, Rainbow now stood at the doorway pulling her coat on. Sombra stood not too far away with his ferrets.

"I had lots of fun today." He said.

"Yeah, me too kid," Rainbow said as she wrapped her scarf around her neck.

"I enjoyed the sledding too." Sombra continued. "It was so awesome! Maybe sometime, we could go again."

"Nah, don't think so kid," Rainbow said with a shake of her head. "I'm pretty sure Twilight will blow a gasket if I try that again. Maybe when you're a little older."

Sombra looked a little disappointed for a moment before brightening. "You'll come back tomorrow though, right?" He asked hopefully. "We could have some more fun then and we can bring my ferrets. I'm pretty sure that Tiger Eye is mostly upset because she couldn't do the cloud sledding thing."

"Oh is she now?" Rainbow asked while examining the ferret in question, who nodded with a chattering sound. Dash grinned with a light laugh. "Looks like you've got a little daredevil on your hooves. Don't you worry kid, I'll be back tomorrow. I've still got to keep my promise to help you figure out pet ownership and they didn't call me the Element of Loyalty for nothing." As she spoke, she stepped into her boots and opened the door to step out.

"Okay. See you tomorrow Rainbow Dash!" He said with a wave as she walked out. Midway down the stairs, she paused and turned to look at him.

"Actually, if you want, you can call me Auntie Dash." She said. The colt paused and smiled wider.

"Okay, Auntie Dash!" He said enthusiastically as he waved her off. Rainbow Dash smiled to herself as she made her way home. He really was a good kid.
> Hearthswarming Eve
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Haul out the Holly;
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again.
Fill up the stocking,
I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now!
For we need a little Hearthswarming
Right, this very minute,
Candles in the window,
Carols at the spinet.
Yes, we need a little Hearthswarming
Right, this very minute.
It hasn't snowed a single flurry,
But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry."

Pinkie paused her song to giggle a little at the lyrics. Nopony really knew where she got the song, but they were willing to let it slide since Pinkie Will be Pinkie was the town mantra. Though that didn't sate curiosity when she sent a knowing smirk in a seemingly random direction. Anyways, as for why Pinkie was giggling, she found it quite funny that she was singing about how 'it hasn't snowed a single flurry' when in reality the entirety of Ponyville was covered in snow.

In addition, she didn't know who this 'Santa' was, but he seemed like a really nice guy to her. When she finished giggling, the pink earth pony mare continued singing and humming along with the song as she skipped down the street towards Twilight's castle.

"So climb down the chimney;
Put up the brightest string of lights I've ever seen.
Slice up the fruitcake;
It's time we've hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.
For I've grown a little leaner,
Grown a little colder,
Grown a little sadder,
Grown a little older,
And I need a little angel
Sitting on my shoulder,
Need a little Hearthswarming now!"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"... So the three leaders agreed to share the land, and live together in harmony forever more. And together they named their new land Equestria!" Rainbow Dash finished and Sombra stomped his hooves.

"Yay! So that's why we celebrate Hearthswarming?" He asked. The pegasus nodded.

"That's right kid." She said. "And guess what, I played Commander Hurricane in the Canterlot production of that story."

"She wasn't the only one who performed in that play." Applejack commented on where she was sipping hot apple cider. "We all played in that pageant." As she spoke, she gestured to the other three mares in the room. "Ah played Smart Cookie. Twilight here was Clover the Clever. Fluttershy was Private Pansey. Rarity was Princess Platinum. And Pinks was Chancellor Puddinghead."

"Speaking of Pinkie Pie, where is she?" Twilight wondered.

"Yeah, what could be so important that we have to gather together?" Dash asked a little impatiently.

"That is an excellent question Dashie." A certain pink pony said from where Sombra had been standing, namely, right next to the speedster. Naturally, Dash's reaction was to scream in surprise and launch herself into the air. Next thing anyone knew, she was clinging to the Golden Oak chandelier.

"Pinkie! When did you get here?!" Rainbow Dash demanded as she pried herself from the tree roots. The others were also trying to slow their heartbeats after almost having heart attacks and Fluttershy was currently on her back with her hooves up, out cold.

"Just now, silly billy." Pinkie Pie giggled. Twilight was the first to recover from her friend's sudden appearance.

"Ahem, so Pinkie Pie, is there a reason why you called us here?" She asked.

"Indeed there is!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Now, as we all know, winter is upon us and what's the holiday that's drawing ever closer? Hearthswarming! And since this year will be Sombra's first Hearthswarming, I have an idea to make it extra special! We're going to spend Hearthswarming together! We'll have the feast, put up our Hearthswarming dolls, hang the flag, exchange gifts and we can even wait for the Wind Giver!!"

"Pinkie, aren't you a little too old to wait for the Wind Giver?" Twilight asked. "And where did you get that idea about exchanging gifts?"

"I dunno." Pinkie said with a shrug. "Maybe from the author." She suggested with an innocent smile. Elsewhere in the multiverse, the author did a double take while everyone looked confused.

"The what?" Rainbow asked.

"Oh nobody." Pinkie said. Gee, thanks a lot, Pinks. "You're welcome."

You know we will be talking about this later when you aren't with everyone else.

"Okie Dokie Loki!" She said with a bright smile and the rest of the mares were severely lost.

"That sounds fun!" Sombra exclaimed with an excited jump, not seeming to care about Pinkie's odd behavior and the others instantly locked onto that, grateful for the change in subject.

"I know!" Pinkie Pie agreed as she crouches down to his level with a grin. She then straightened herself up with a sound like a pony in the box. "So what about you girls? Want to party?"

"Hmm, it sounds pretty cool." Rainbow Dash said with a shrug. "And I don't really have plans for Hearthswarming so why not? I'm in."

"It sounds like a very good idea Pinkie," Fluttershy said. "And if it'll make Sombra's first Hearthswarming happy then I'm in too."

"And I as well," Rarity added. "My parents decided to take Sweetie Belle with them for a holiday vacation, so it's just me and Opal at the shop."

"Why didn't they ask you to come along?" Twilight asked.

"Oh they did, but I declined." Rarity said. "The holiday season is the busiest season for me and I get a lot of income around this time of year. But I insisted that Sweetie go with them and spend some quality time with our parents. I can't keep her all to myself now can I?"

"Oh, well if it's so busy then you don't have to come," Fluttershy said but the unicorn waved her off.

"Nonsense. I am perfectly capable of making time for my friends and family. I only declined the trip because I thought it was a great opportunity for Sweetie to spend time with mother and father. Plus it would be a great opportunity to unwind and enjoy myself after the hectic hustle and bustle of the holiday season."

"Oh, well if you don't mind, I could help out at the shop when I can." Fluttershy offered. "There aren't a lot of animals that need my attention at this time of year since a lot are hibernating or have migrated to a warmer climate for the winter."

"Well, that would be most appreciated, thank you." Rarity thanked the pegasus who smiled in reply.

"Sooooo, you're both coming?" Pinkie asked as she rose up between them. Rarity and Fluttershy nodded and Pinkie Pie lept up with a cheer.

"Yay! Then that just leaves Twilight and Applejack!" She cheered.

"Well considering how this is for Sombra, who is my charge, I think it goes without saying that I'll be there," Twilight said. "We can also have it here since Sombra and I live here."

"Yay! So Twilight's in and thanks for the offer. I was going to suggest that too!" Pinkie cried out and Twilight nodded. The pink earth pony then turned to the only other earth pony in the room. "Now that just leaves Applejack. So what do you say? What to join us?"

Applejack hesitated. "To be honest, Ah'm not sure. Ah, mean, Ah usually spend Hearthswarming with mah family an Ah'm not very sure if Ah should leave them this year."

"But you're a part of Sombra's family too, remember?" Pinkie pointed out. "You're his Auntie Applejack, remember?"

"Ah know Ah know. That's why Ah'm so torn." Applejack said. "On one hoof, Ah see where your coming. Sombra is family and Ah do want to help make his first Hearthswarming special. But on the other hoof, Ah don't wanna abandon mah family either."

"What if you talked this over with your family?" Twilight suggested. "If that's the problem, then I think you should talk this over with them and figure this out."

Applejack relaxed and nodded. "Okay. Ah, 'll go an' do that and Ah'll try to come."

"That's all we can ask." Pinkie said. "Now, who wants to help decorate then castle?" She declared loudly and they all wondered where she got all those boxes of decorations and when she brought them out.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

After helping put up decorations and Pinkie explaining what a Gift Exchange was, they all went their separate ways. Rarity returned to her boutique with Fluttershy following. Pinkie went bouncing back to Sugarcube Corner while Rainbow Dash, Spike, Sombra, and his ferrets went out to play in the snow with Twilight following behind. After what had been dubbed as The Snowcloud Incident, the alicorn made a point of sticking around Dash and Sombra when they went out to play in the snow. This left Applejack slowly trotting back to Sweet Apple Acres.

Her thoughts and options rolled around her head and she walked the familiar path to her family's farmhouse and when she entered her family had pulled out the decorations and were waiting for her to start. When she entered the house, Applebloom bounced forward.

"Sis! Sis! Yer back!" She cried out joyfully as she hugged her sister's leg. "We waited for you ta come back so we could all put up the decorations as a family! Come on! Let's get started!"

Applejack only followed her sister as she dragged her forward and she started decorating a little half-heartedly. It was enough to clue Granny Smith and Big Mac in.

"Applejack," Granny said.

"Yes, Granny?" The orange earth pony answered.

"Is there somethin' on yer mind that you'd like ta tell us about?" Granny asked.

"Eeyup'." Big Mac added. Applejack nodded with a sigh then sat down.

"Yeah, there is somethin' that's been buggin' me and Ah've been tryin' ta figure out how ta tell Y'all." She admitted. "Anyways, Y'all know that Ah love ya, right? Granny, yer then best grandmother a filly could ask for and Big Mac, you are the best big brother Ah've known. An' Ah couldn't ask for a better little sister than you Applebloom."

Applebloom's brow furrowed in worry. "Applejack, why does it sound like yer gettin' ready ta tell us some bad news?" She asked. "Did somethin' bad happen and we can't ever see you again?"

"No no, of course not." Applejack comforted her sister. "Y'all know Ah wouldn't let anything like that happen to us. But, well ya see, it all happened like this...."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"....an so you see my dilemma." Applejack finished her telling of what happened. "On one hoof, Ah really do want to make Sombra's first Hearthswarming special but on the other hoof, Ah don't want to abandon you. Twilight suggested that I talk over with y'all before Ah made a decision so, here we are."

"Hmmm, so that's what was buggin' ya?" Granny asked and Applejack nodded. "Well then, Ah think Y'all should spend the holiday with this Sombra."

"W-whaaa?? Jus' like that?" Applejack asked, a little thrown off guard. Granny nodded firmly.

"Mmhm. Like ya said, yer this Sombra's aunt which makes him an Apple jus' as much as any Apple in the family. Even yer aunt and uncle Orange." Granny Smith explained. "Therefore, there ain't any reason why one of his aunties should be missing for his first Hearthswarming. You should be there ta help make sure his first Hearthswarming is the most memorable and special thing ever."

"But what about you guys?" Applejack asked. "Yer family too. Ah, don't want ta leave Y'all on Hearthswarming."

Granny Smith chuckled. "Oh, don't you worry about us." She said as she pulled a letter out of her shawl. "Ah wasn't gonna tell y'all this until later but, jus' today Ah received this letter from Manehatten. We've been invited ta spend the holiday with our family in Manehatten on account of a certain Babs Seed wanting to spend Hearthswarming with her favorite cousin."

"Really!?" Applebloom exclaimed excitedly as she leaped forward to see the letter. "Babs wants ta spend the holidays with me?"

"She does indeed." Granny Smith said with a smile. "Now Ah thought it would fun spendin' the holidays with our cousins but since you have a colt dependin' you for his first Hearthswarming, we'll go and you can stay here with him an' yer friends. We can always have Hearthswarming together next year."

Applejack didn't know what to say to that. Some part of her wanted to protest about spending this holiday with her family like they did every year. But, surprisingly, a large part of her felt relief that her family was letting her do this and that was when she realized that she did want to spend Hearthswarming with her friends.

"Y'all really mean that?" She asked.

Big Mac placed a hoof on her back and nodded with a hearty, "Eeyup'." Granny Smith only nodded, having already spoken her piece. Applebloom shuffled her hooves a little.

"Honestly, Ah was a little upset that you wouldn't be spending Hearthswarming with us," Applebloom admitted. "But, Ah guess Ah can't keep ya to myself so go and make Sombra's first Hearthswarming the best Hearthswarming ever!"

"Heh, yer excited about seeing Babs, aren't you?" Applejack said with a smile as she lightly ruffled her sister's head.

"Well, yeah. That too." Applebloom admitted. "And Ah can't wait ta see her cutie mark! It's one thing to see a drawing of it. It's another thing entirely to see it in person!"

Applejack chuckled as she pulled her sister closer. "You jus' try an stay out of trouble an thank you." She thanked then turned to her family. "Thank you all."

"Think nothing of it Sugarcube." Granny Smith said. "Now don't we have some decorating to do? Now let's get to it whippersnappers! And ya know, we don't need ta go ta Manehatten till before Hearthswarming Eve so we can help ya pick out those gifts ya mentioned."

Applejack smiled as she stood up and started decorating. As she hung decorations alongside her brother and sister, she thought to herself about how lucky she was to have such an amazing family.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Pinkie, why did you tell Dash I was nobody. That kinda stung.

"Sorry. But you know that none of them would believe me if I told them. Especially Twilight."

True, very true. Anyways, you didn't hurt my feelings that much so I forgive you. No harm no foul right.

"Thanks!" Pinkie then continued bouncing around and working in the kitchen.

So Pinkie, where did you get the idea of a Gift Exchange? I know I've never told you about that unless it's an almost unknown tradition that you found out about.

Pinkie giggled as she poured cupcake batter into the pan. "Nope, Equestria doesn't have anything like that. I just thought it would be fun and you wanted us to exchange gifts. Plus, for Hearthswarming, it's a wonderful idea! I mean think about it, we celebrate Hearthswarming because the three pony tribes came together and what better way to celebrate than to give each other gifts!"

Okay, that makes sense. But that doesn't answer my question and it just raises more questions. Like how did you know that I wanted you all to exchange gifts?!

"I just knew." Came Pinkie's simple reply and she began humming as she waited for the cupcakes to bake.

...........I know I'm going to regret this, but I've still gotta ask. Exactly how much do you know?

Pinkie Pie giggled again. "Well I can't say because wouldn't that be spoilers for your readers and I'd hate to spoil the story. That'd be like spoiling a surprise and I could never do that to anyone." If one listened very very very closely at that moment, they would've heard something crack yet not one dish or utensil was damaged in any way.

................................you know what, I give up. I quit trying to figure you out. I'm just going to let sleeping manticores lie.

Pinkie giggled. "Good one."

Thank you. Figured you'd appreciate that. Now, I believe your cupcakes are done.

"Hey, they are!" Pinkie exclaimed as she found her cupcakes done within a few minutes of putting them in. "And they smell delicious! Did you do that?"

I'm the author. I can do a lot of things. Within reason of course. I can only get away with small things like this.

"Cool! Well since you finished cooking them, do you want to decorate them?"

Sure. I can do that.

Within five minutes, Pinkie Pie was handing out white and red peppermint cupcakes with green mint candies and candy canes on them. As customers enjoyed them. Pinkie Pie grinned.

"Looks like someone really likes mint." She said in a sing-song voice.

It's a delicious and refreshing flavor and since its the holiday season, I thought it was appropriate.

"Okay then. Say, you know that song I sang earlier?"

We Need a Little Christmas, right? Only I recall you replaced Christmas with Hearthswarming. But I'm not complaining about that. What about it?

"Do you have any other songs like that? That one was pretty fun!"

....I know a few and I wouldn't mind sharing.

"Great! You can share your songs while I go gift shopping!" Pinkie said as she lept over the counter.

Sure, why not.

As Pinkie Pie skipped to the shops, ponies wondered what songs she was humming and where she got them. Eventually, she ended up breaking out in a very cheerful song that nopony recognized as the inexplicable music started playing out of nowhere.

"It's the most wonderful time of the year!
With the kid's jingle belling
And everyone telling you to be of good cheer!
It's the most wonderful time of the year!

It's the hap-happiest season of all!
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings
When friends come to call!
It's the hap-happiest season of allll!

There'll be parties for hosting!
Marshmallows for toasting
And caroling out in the snow
There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of
Hearthswarmings long, long ago!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!
There'll be much mistletoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When loved ones are near!
It's the most wonderful time of the year.

By this point, the song had reached a crescendo and the hustle and bustle of ponies running from one shop to another were now in sync with the music. And, as is normal in Ponyville, the rest of the towns ponies took part in the song.

(Mares) There'll be parties for hosting
(Stallions) Marshmallows for toasting
(Altogether) And caroling out in the snow
(Pinkie) There'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of
Hearthswarmings long, long ago!

(All) It's the most wonderful time of the year!
(Pinkie) There'll be much mistletoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When loved ones are neeeear!
It's the most wonderful time
(All) Yes the most wonderful time
Oh the most wonderful time
Of the yeeeeaaaarrr!!!

When the music came to an end and ponies started dispersing, Pinkie Pie smiled. "Thanks for the music and the song!"

You're welcome. I honestly think of you when I hear this song. It's really so you.

"Why thank you!" Pinkie Pie said. "Now, where were we?"

I believe you were looking for a gift for Rainbow Dash.

"Oh yeah." Pinkie said thoughtfully. "I wonder what she'd like for Hearthswarming?"

Such was life in Ponyville. A disaster at least once a week and home to the most random, confusing and unexplainable mare in existence. By this point, it was the norm and nobody questioned it.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Rainbow didn't get to hang out very long before she had to leave for work. Leaving Sombra with Twilight. Since they were cold, they were now heading back to the castle. And as they trotted back to the castle, Sombra turned to ask Twilight a question.

"Twilight, what's the Wind Giver?" He asked. "You and Auntie Pinkie mentioned them, but I haven't heard of them before."

Twilight had an expression of realization. "Right, you wouldn't have heard of the Wind Giver." She said. "Right now, remember the story of Hearthswarming and how the three tribes came together?"

Sombra nodded. "Yeah, I remember. Auntie Rainbow Dash told me earlier when I asked about Hearthswarming."

"Right. Silly question." Twilight briefly kicked herself mentally. "Anyways, back in those days when they first united, it took some time for the tribes to truly unite because there was still some bad blood between them. This led to disputes and coupled with the fact that they were still settling into a new land this led to the ponies not as prepared for winter as they should be. When the food and supplies they did have ran out, the disputes got worse and threatened to destroy the peace the three leaders had forged. And then a miracle happened.

"It happened on a winter's day. The snow was coming down a tensions were high when suddenly the winds picked from a breeze to a windstorm that made everyone shield themselves from it. And then as quickly as it came, it left. And when they looked around to see what happened, they were amazed at what they saw. Right in the middle of the settlement was a huge mound of food and supplies. Enough to get them through the remaining winter. And not only that but also toys for the children. At first, nopony said anything. The children were the first to react. The surged forwards towards the pile and started playing with the toys. But what amazed the adults so much was that the children were playing with each other regardless of race. When they saw this, the adults realized how foolish they'd been and from that night forwards the unification of the three tribes has been cemented.

"That's why we celebrate Hearthswarming in winter instead of in spring which is technically when the actual events of Hearthswarming took place. And, to this day, every Hearthswarming, we wake up to find a gift brought by a blast of wind. Hence the name Wind Giver."

"Oooh. That's so cool!" Sombra said in excitement.

"Yeah, it is buddy!" Spike said as he slung his arm over Sombra's back. "Nobody knows who or what the Wind Giver is and ponies have been trying for centuries. Oh and guess what? You can write letters to the Wind Giver asking for what you'd like then you set it on the windowsill."

Sombra was now bouncing on his hooftips. "Can I write a letter?" He asked.

"Sure you can," Spike said. "When we get home, I'll show you how. Just don't make the list too long because you won't get everything on that list."

"Okay!" The colt then got a mischievous grin that would make Rainbow proud. "Race you home!" Sombra cried out then took off towards the castle. "Last one there's a slowpoke!"

"Oh yeah?" Spike called out with a grin of his own before taking a professional runner's position. "Get ready to eat my dust!" He then took off after the colt and they soon disappeared from Twilight's view.

Twilight's trot sped up a little, but she still paced herself and as she enjoyed the sights of Ponyville getting ready for Hearthswarming, she wondered to herself where boys like them got their energy.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

When she completed her weather duties, Rainbow Dash had immediately gone out present shopping. Twilight had been easy to figure out. The rest wasn't as instantaneous but she was able to figure that out relatively easily. The only difficult one that she had to figure out was Sombra. Despite her initial mistrust of him, Rainbow had reached the conclusion that Sombra was a good kid and therefore deserved a good present for Hearthswarming. But what to get him? There were numerous toys, books, and games at the shops but nothing stuck out to her.

Finding herself at a dead end, Rainbow Dash decided to sit and think about what she knew about the kid. He was very smart, very kind and very brave. He was curious too but she couldn't see him jumping for joy for receiving a chemistry set or anything of the sort so that was out. What else? Well, she knew he loved his ferrets so ferret toys and whatnot was a possibility but that didn't seem to fit either. Then she remembered one more thing. The kid had nightmares so Twilight would sing a particular song to help him sleep. She'd actually been around and listened when she sang it to him. With this in mind, she jumped up and flew to a particular shop to place an order.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"You done?" Spike asked and Sombra held up his scroll.

"Yup!" He said. "Onyx and the others helped!"

"Alrighty then, let's get some ribbon," Spike said. Soon there were three scrolls wrapped in green ribbons laying on the window sill. As Twilight shut the window with her magic, Sombra turned to Spike.

"So when we put them on the windowsill the Wind Giver gets them?" He asked.

"Yep. They always disappear by the next morning." Spike explained. "I once stayed up all night watching our letters because I wanted to see the Wind Giver and they just vanished when a gust of wind blew past."

"Hmmm, has anyone actually tried to put a tracking spell on the letters?" Sombra asked.

"I'm pretty sure lots of unicorns have tried that. Heck, Twilight tried that one year. It didn't work." Spike answered. "That's why, to this day, nobody has figured out who, what or even where the Wind Giver is. The way I see it, the Wind Giver is always going to be a mystery that we're never going to solve and I've kinda given up on trying. After all, if the Wind Giver wanted to be known, we would've found them ages ago."

"So then why are we waiting for the Wind Giver?" Sombra asked.

"Well, some ponies like Pinkie might actually be trying to meet the Giver," Spike said. "In fact, if I know Pinkie, I'll bet that she just wants to throw a party for them. But I kinda find it fun to stay up late waiting for the Giver."

"Okay, then I'll try it too!" Sombra said. "Now let's get some presents ready for the Gift Exchange!"

"Alright. I've already got a few ideas for a few ponies."

✴✴✴One Week Later✴✴✴

"So where are we going, Auntie Pinkie?" Sombra asked as Pinkie bounced ahead.

"You'll see." Pinkie said with a smile and a giggle as was common for her. So with Pinkie Pie giving nothing away, Sombra turned to the next available source of information.

"Twilight, where is she taking us?" He asked and the purple alicorn paused to rub her chin.

"Well, based on the direction she's taking us, I can hazard a guess." She answered. "But since she isn't saying anything, she must want it to be a surprise and I wouldn't want to spoil her surprise."

"Awwwww," Sombra said in disappointment.

"Hey there, chin up," Spike said. "Because unless I miss my guess, you're going to love this surprise."

"We're almost there!" Pinkie suddenly piped up. "It's just over this hill!"

Sombra picked up his pace and when he reached the top he gasped in amazement. From where he was standing, he had a perfect view of a forest of beautiful snow covered pine trees.

"Wow." He whispered as the others came up behind him. "Is this what you wanted to surprise with?"

"Almost. Today, you get to pick a tree!" Pinkie declared as she swept her hoof.

"Pick a tree?" Sombra asked.

"Yeah! See this is a pine tree farm. They basically grow pine trees for ponies to come cut down for Hearthswarming." Pinkie explained. "Every year ponies in Ponyville come here to pick a pine tree to take home and decorate. Then one Hearthswarming morning when you wake up, you'll find presents from the Wind Giver underneath. It's a tradition as old as the Wind Giver."

"Yeah, its fun picking out your tree and decorating it," Spike added. "Especially when you do it together."

"But Pinkie Pie, won't we need a wagon for taking our tree home?" Twilight asked with a little concern. Earlier, Pinkie had burst into the castle and insisted that they come with her. They only had the chance to throw on their cold weather clothes before she hustled them out the door. Ultimately not enough time to get a wagon.

But Pinkie Pie smiled. "Oh Twilight, do you really think I'd bring you here for a tree if we didn't have a way to get it home?" She asked. "This is Pinkie Pie your talking to. And Pinkamina Diane Pie always thinks about her friends. Now since tree decorating is only ever fun for everyone, I've gathered everyone for this. Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are gathering tree decorations while AJ and Big Mac are here with a wagon. All we need is you three to pick it out."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Hmm, what about this one?" Spike pointed at a very tall fir tree.

"I don't know," Twilight said uncertainly. "Isn't it a little big for us?"

"Twilight, we live in a castle with vaulted ceilings." Spike deadpanned. "We can make our tree as big as we want to!"

"True, but I'm still not sure...."

"I don't think it's right either," Sombra said. "It just doesn't feel like its the right one."

Spike sighed in defeat. "Oh alright. But I certainly hope that the right one is tall. I want a big tree this year!"

"We'll have to see," Twilight said. They looked at every tree they could find but none of them were right. Some were too big or too small. Some too bushy and others were too scraggly. But most were just not it. Then they found it.

"Twilight! Spike! Look here!" Sombra called out and they rushed towards him. It was a beautiful tree. Not too bushy. Not too scraggly. Not too tall or too short. It was simply beautiful.

"Wow. It's taller than we could have if we still lived in Golden Oak." Spike said. "I like it."

"It's certainly very beautiful." Twilight agreed. "We'll take it."

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"They're coming!" Rainbow announced. Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash converged on the door and opened it, letting in Sombra, Twilight, Spike and Pinkie Pie. And bringing up the rear was Applejack and Big Mac with the tree.

"Twilight!" Rarity greeted. "Apologies for entering your house uninvited, but Pinkie Pie was insistent that we be ready by the time you returned with the- oh my." Rarity exclaimed upon laying eyes on the tree. "What a gorgeous tree!" The fashionista cooed.

"Yeah, its quite a looker ain't it?" Applejack answered. "Unfortunately its also pretty heavy so gangway!"

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Once the tree was safely set in its pedestal, the decorating could begin.

"Wow, it's pretty big," Twilight commented with a hint of worry. "And I'm not sure that I have enough ornaments since Spike and I usually have smaller trees."

"Oh don't worry about that darling." Rarity said as she opened a box. "Since we're all spending the holiday together, we figured we'd share a tree as well. So we all brought our own tree ornaments. And between all of us, we should be able to sufficiently cover the tree."

"Yeah," Rainbow said as she pulled out her own box. "Pegasi who live in cloud homes can't have very big trees either, so I don't have much either."

"Enough chit-chat, let's get decorating!" Pinkie exclaimed.

Decorating together was fun and very interesting. As they went along, Twilight noticed that she and her friend's decorations reflected who they were. Rainbow Dash's ornaments were mostly wings or Wonderbolts and Wonderbolt insignias. The ones that were simply colored orbs were mostly blues and reds and one was actually a rainbow.

Applejack could only bring some decorations since her family was going to be decorating a tree later. What she could bring however still had an Apple family feel. Most were homemade and a few looked like antiques. The general theme was apples and the Apple family, but that was kept to a minimum since it was friends together. The orb-shaped ornaments were green or orange and a few were even shaped like apples.

Rarity's ornaments, in contrast, were more flashy and a few were designer. Some were covered in glitter and sequins and a few were actual gemstones. Rarity had to remind Spike not to eat them. Aside from ornaments, Rarity also brought tinsel and garlands. She even took the time to make a popcorn and cranberry garland. Her own orb ornaments were a rich purple or snow white.

Fluttershy brought animal-shaped ornaments. There were rabbits, bears, fish, chickens, cats, dogs, birds of all types, turtles, tortoises, seals, otters, jackalopes, bats, butterflies and a number of animals they couldn't identify. Of course, she explained what they were. And amongst her animal ornaments were pink or spring green orbs.

Pinkie Pie brought ornaments made of crystal. The shapes were of course very like Pinkie Pie. There were balloons, candy, cupcakes, cake, a punch bowl, sunshine, piñatas and even little sculptures of each of them. She also had little balls of crystal that were either yellow or bright blue.

Twilight's ornaments were starbursts or books. There was a framed picture of herself and Spike not to mention ornaments that Spike picked out that were Power Ponies. And the colors of their orb-shaped ornaments were violet, magenta, and green like Spike's spikes. With the tree complete, they stepped back to admire their handiwork. While their ornament styles did clash, they found that it still blended together very smoothly and the end result had come out beautiful. Not unlike friendship. Now for the final touch. The star at the top.

"I think Li'l Sombry should do it." Pinkie Pie as she held out the star. Twilight nodded and wrapped the star in her magic.

"You're right. Sombra should be the one to do the honors." She said and she held it out to the colt who grabbed it in his hooves. Twilight then wrapped her arms around him and with a flap of her wings, they began flying up to the top. When they reached the peak of the tree, Sombra set the star in its place and everyone cheered. As Twilight flew them back down, Sombra leaned back towards her to look up and he smiled.

"Twilight. I'm always going to remember this. Forever and ever." He said and Twilight felt a warm feeling deep down inside of her and she couldn't help but think that Hearthswarming was the most magical time.

✴✴✴Day Before Hearthswarming Eve✴✴✴

"Now you behave yourself at your cousin's." Applejack reminded Applebloom. The filly rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry AJ," Applebloom said. "Babs an I won't cause any trouble."

"Good. 'Course Ah also want ya ta stay safe." Applejack continued as Big Mac loaded their bags onto the train. After doing their chores on the farm, the Apples had immediately gone to the train station to catch the first train to Manehatten.

"We'll be jus' fine Sugarcube." Granny Smith interrupted Applejack's fussing. "The real question is will you be alright all by yourself?"

"Aw shoot Granny, Ah'll be jus' fine." Applejack replied. "Y'all know that at this time of year, there are hardly any chores ta do."

It was true. Aside from the usual household chores, all Applejack had to do was feed the pigs and chickens and make sure the cows and sheep had a steady supply of food and water. The cows and sheep could take care of themselves so the only critters she had to really take care of were the chickens and pigs. Returning to the present, Granny nodded.

"Well, alright then. If you say so." She said. At that time, the train whistle rang out and the conductor started calling for passengers.

"Well, sounds like your train's leaving." Applejack said. "Best get going." Granny nodded then pulled Applejack into a hug.

"You take care now Sugarcube." She said. "And have a happy Hearthswarming with your friends." Granny Smith then released her granddaughter and boarded the train with a little help from Big Mac. With his grandmother seated on the train, Big Mac then turned to his sister and gave her a one-armed hug.

"Don't you bite off more than you can chew sis," Mac said. "An' let that little colt know that Ah wish him a happy Hearthswarming."

"Ah well. Take care of Granny and Bloom while Y'all are gone, okay?" Applejack replied.

"You know Ah will." Big Mac said with a slight, rumbling chuckle as he released her. Next was Applebloom. Applejack turned to her little sister and pulled her into a hug.

"You take care now, ya hear." Applejack said. "An' you tell Babs that Ah said hi now. And give my congratulations to her for her cutie mark."

"Okay. I'll tell her." Applebloom said. "And you tell this Sombra feller that Ah said happy Hearthswarming. And you let me know how he liked the present Ah helped pick out."

"Heh, sure thing kiddo." Applejack said with a mane ruffle. "Now you skedaddle Sugarcube. Y'all don't want to miss yer train now."

Applebloom and Big Macintosh boarded the train just before they started to pull out and the Apples waved goodbye out the windows until the train was out of sight. With her family gone, Applejack trotted down the steps of the platform and started back home. It felt a little lonely back home, but she still felt good about staying behind for Sombra. There were still a few unwrapped presents, so Applejack got to work.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Since Twilight was going to be hosting a Hearthswarming dinner with her friends, the alicorn had started planning the dishes and making a list of ingredients. So here she was in the kitchen before Hearthswarming Eve preparing a few of the dishes that would take a while to cook. The rest could wait until tomorrow. And helping her in the kitchen were Spike and Sombra. Sombra was washing potatoes for mashed potatoes and Spike was making pie crust dough and when Sombra was done with his potatoes, he showed the colt how to make frozen yogurt pies. Since there wasn't a lot that needed to be done, they were finished with preparations quickly. But as they worked together in the kitchen, Twilight felt a warm happy feeling in her chest.

✴✴✴The Next Day✴✴✴

After chores, Applejack packed her overnight supplies and presents into her saddlebags and trotted to Twilight's castle. When she knocked at first, there wasn't any answer. On the second series of knocks, she heard Twilight's voice call out from in the castle.

"Come on in!" She called. "It's not locked!"

Applejack pushed the door opened and her nose was suddenly assaulted with the smell of food cooking. With this clue, she quickly food Twilight and the boys in the kitchen. Twilight was wearing an apron and had smears of food in her coat. She turned from the bowl of potatoes that she was mashing and gave Applejack an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, we couldn't come to the door." She apologized. "We've just been busy cooking since this morning."

"No reason ta apologize." Applejack said with a wave of her hoof. "Ah was just' a little early. So since Ah'm a little early, why don't Ah jus' put my gifts down and come in to help?"

"That would be a wonderful help," Twilight said. "You can set your gifts under the tree in the living room then come on in."

Applejack tipped her hat then left the room to do as she was told.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Shortly after Applejack's arrival, Pinkie Pie joined in and with the combined force of three mares, one colt and one baby dragon, dinner was complete. There was salad, funeral potatoes (with cream of mushroom soup), cranberry salad, soup, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, two whole roasted cauliflower, braised greens, chips, various dips, bread bowls, an olive platter, rolls, a variety of pies and cookies, chocolate truffles, tarts and some spiced cider.

With a feast sufficiently prepared, the quartet of ponies and one dragon dusted themselves off and went to get cleaned up. The third pony to arrive was Rainbow Dash. Applejack had to fend the hungry pegasus off from the feast. Since they wanted to be all together before starting the feast, they put out the bread bowl, dip and chips too much on until the two mares missing from their group arrived. Soon enough the two mares in question, Fluttershy and Rarity arrived and the feast could begin.

"Oh my, that all looks simply divine!" Rarity exclaimed as Twilight reentered the room with the dinner dishes levitating behind her. As she laid them down on the table, Twilight smiled.

"Thank you. I had a lot of help from AJ, Pinkie, Spike, and Sombra." She said as she settled back into her seat.

"Yeah! I got to make the olive platter, the bread bowl and some of the frozen yogurt pies!" Sombra said proudly. "Everything else I could only help with because Twilight, Auntie Pinkie, and Auntie Applejack said I was too young. So maybe next year I can do more!"

Rarity chuckled indulgently. "Perhaps." She said. She then wrapped her magic around his plate and began filling it with food.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

The feast was delicious. As the group friends ate their food, they made small talk and eventually discussed what they would be doing. For tonight, after the feast, they'd be hanging the Hearthswarming dolls, singing carols and exchanging gifts. Tomorrow would be the flag raising ceremony and seeing what the Wind Giver brought. When they were all full, they moved on to the dolls. Everyone had brought their own dolls.

Rarity's was made of silk fabric and decorated with gemstones. Applejack's was more simple and had a somewhat worn feel. Fluttershy's doll was beautifully sewn and had a tiny Angel bunny in her arms. Rainbow Dash's doll was also beautifully sewn with a set of goggles and a medal with the Wonderbolt insignia on it. Everyone felt that it was safe to say that Fluttershy had sewn it for her. Twilight, Spike and Sombra's dolls were all somewhat simple and childish but there was still a charm to them. Pinkie Pie's doll, oddly enough, was a rock sculpted to look like her. They didn't know what to expect from their baffling friend, but since she'd grown up on a rock farm and this WAS Pinkie Pie, they just accepted the odd choice in a doll.

With the dolls set on the hearth, they pulled out the record player and began playing Hearthswarming carols as Pinkie dragged out a table laden with dessert items.

"I hope you all made room for dessert!" The pink pony announced. "We have gingerbread, sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, a gingerbread house, chocolate pudding, figgy pudding, apple pie, pumpkin pie, frozen yogurt pie, cherry pie, and cheesecake."

"Cheesecake?" Rarity asked as she looked up at the assortment of food. "Why cheesecake?"

"Because it's delicious!" Pinkie exclaimed. "And I made several different types!"

"But I'm pretty sure I didn't buy ingredients for cheesecake," Twilight added.

"I brought my own ingredients." Pinkie replied with a casual wave. "You'd be amazed what I carry with me."

"That's for certain." Applejack commented from the side.

"But that's enough talking about food." Pinkie continued. "Now let's party! Happy Hearthswarming Eve!"

"Happy Hearthswarming Eve!" Everyone agreed heartily. Pinkie bounced to the pot of spiced cider and used the ladle to fill it with steaming cider.

"I'd like to raise a toast in celebration of the three tribes, Hearthswarming, and friendship." She declared as she raised her glass. "To friendship and all that it brings!"

Everyone else quickly filled and raised their own glasses. "To friendship!" While Sombra did declare the same, he did not raise his glass as he'd found it hard to lift and so had left it on the table. He did, however, raise a hoof. At that moment, a particular carol played on the record player and everyone couldn't help but sing along.

As dawn shines on us every morn
The fire of Friendship is reborn
And all the friendships we have made
We cherish in every way

Loyalty binds us and makes us strong
Honesty shows that we belong
And kindness shared will unite us through each day

The fire of Friendship lives in our hearts
As long as it burns we cannot drift apart
Though quarrels arise their numbers are few
Laughter and singing will see us through (will see us through)

We are a circle of pony friends.
A circle of friends we'll be to the very end!

Though the winter brings all its cold and storm
The glow in our hearts keeps us warm
The friends we now call our family
Will always see us through

Loyalty binds us and makes us strong
Honesty shows that we belong
And kindness shared will unite us through each day

The Fires of Friendship lives in our hearts
As long as it burns we cannot drift apart
Though quarrels arise their numbers are few
Laughter and singing will see us through (will see us through)

We are a circle of pony friends
A circle of friends we'll be too the very end!
> Hearthswarming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After some caroling and desserts, Spike reminded them of their gift exchange. So here they were, gathered in a semi-circle around the tree with their gifts and a fire burning warmly in the hearth. Twilight was the first to stand.

"Well, since this is my castle and I'm the host, I guess I should start." With that said, wrapped boxes were levitated in front of each of the recipients. Since this was Twilight, it was safe to guess what she'd gotten them. This was confirmed when they opened their gifts.

"Encyclopedia of Exotic Plants an' how ta Grow Them." Applejack read the cover of the book she'd unwrapped.

"Yup. I figured you'd find it offensive if I gave you a book on apple farming, so I got something that you'd appreciate more." Twilight explained.

"Huh. Well, that was mighty thoughtful of ya. Thanks." Applejack thanked.

"You're welcome," Twilight answered with a bright smile.

"Sketch pads! And pencils!" Rarity exclaimed as she held up a pack of the aforementioned pads.

"Yeah. Aside from fashion magazines or a book on the history of fashion, I couldn't figure out what to get you." Twilight explained. "So I just got something that you could draw your designs on."

"And I love them all. Thank you, darling." The unicorn thanked her friend.

"Ooohh! A set of dessert cookbooks." Pinkie Pie exclaimed before Twilight could reply. "I think there are some recipes I haven't made before in here! Thank you so much Twilight!" The pink pony thanked as she threw her arms around her friend's neck and squeezed tightly.

"No problem Pinkie." Twilight gasped out. "Could you please let go of me before I choke?"

"Sorry." Pinkie yelled as she jumped off her friend.

"Oh, my. It's a bundle of books." Fluttershy whispered.

"You've been telling me that you want to start an animal book club and these are a few books that I think are great for getting started." Twilight explained. "And if you need anything, just let me know."

"Oh thank you Twilight. I think these'll help a lot." Fluttershy said with a smile. Twilight returned it.

"Great. You know how much I love reading and I'm so happy that you're starting a book club." Twilight said gleefully. Her gleeful squeals were suddenly drowned out by Rainbow Dash's gasp.

"Is this a copy of the latest Daring Doo novel?" The pegasus asked as she lifted the book out of the wrapping paper.

"Fresh off the press and signed," Twilight replied and Dash squealed gleefully.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" Rainbow Dash said. "I put in an order for this two months ago and I'm not supposed to get my copy until after winter wrap up. How did you get this?"

"It was easy when I told AK Yearling it was for a certain pegasus," Twilight said. "She even signed it for me when I didn't even ask for her to do that. I just asked her for a copy of her book for you."

"Thanks again Twi." Rainbow Dash said. "And when my copy that I put an order for comes in, I'll give it to you."

"Thank you, Dash," Twilight said gratefully. "And I'm glad you like your present."

Spike hadn't opened his present right away because he didn't believe that he'd like another book like last year. But in the end, he unwrapped the box and lifted the lid. And he found himself more than mildly surprised. It was reading material, to be sure. But it wasn't the reading material he'd been expecting.

"Are these Power Ponies comics?" He asked as he pulled out the aforementioned comic books to get a good look at them and was surprised even more. "Wait, are some of these first editions? How did you find all these?"

"Well its an interesting story." Twilight started. "Remember when I went to Canterlot to wish my parents Happy Hearthswarming? Well, while I was there I visited that comic-book shop that you love to get you some comics. I got you some of the newest copies there. Then after I left the store, I actually ran into Celestia."

"You ran into Celestia?" Spike asked a little skeptically.

"I know, I almost don't believe it either," Twilight said. "Plus I didn't recognize her at first because she had disguised herself as a unicorn. After she proved to me that she was indeed my mentor she explained to me that sometimes when the court and Royal duties become too stressful she disguises herself as an ordinary pony so she can have a relaxing walk through Canterlot without ponies flocking to her."

"Huh. That actually explains a few things. Continue." Spike said.

"Well anyways, we talked a bit you know." Twilight continued. "She asked how I'd been since I don't send letters all that often. She also asked how you were doing and how Sombra was doing. Then she asked why I was buying comic books and I told her about our Gift Exchange and explained that it was for you. She smiled and then summoned this stack of comics and gave them to me. She said that she wasn't reading them anymore and that it would be a waste for them to collect dust in a storeroom. Anyways, she said to tell you they were from her and sends a Happy Hearthswarming to you."

"Wow. Well, thank you, Twilight." Spike said. "And I should make sure to send a thank you letter to Celestia too."

"She also told me that she liked the idea of a Gift Exchange and that she'd try it herself," Twilight said. "She also said that someday it will catch on."

"Sounds cool," Rainbow said. Sombra was the last to show his present.

"A Beginners Guide to the Basics of Magic." He announced as he held up a somewhat thin and colorful book. The way it was illustrated was much like a children's book but when he flipped through the pages he found that while the writing wasn't too technical and complicated, but at the same time it wasn't condescending. Moving back to the present, Twilight grinned.

"Yep. I've noticed however since your magic surge in Canterlot, you haven't actually used your magic." Twilight said. "So I thought it was a good idea to get you something to help you out."

"Oh. Thank you, Twilight." Sombra thanked her with a smile.

"You're welcome," Twilight replied.

"Well, Ah guess it's my turn." Applejack announced as the paper from Twilight's gifts was tossed. When everyone settled back into their seat, the farmpony passed out her gifts.

"A book on apple farming," Twilight said when she opened her gift.

"Eeyup'." Applejack replied. "Now while Ah would have some problems with you giving me a guide ta how to grow my crop, Ah don't see any problem with given' you a book on apples. An' check this out." She leaned forward to point at the bottom of the book where the author's name was. "It was written by an Apple. My cousin to be exact. It's the first thing she ever published and while she might not be at the top of the bestsellers list, she still a good author."

"Well thank you for the book," Twilight said. "And maybe later, I'll check out what else she's written."

"Ah reckon she'd like that." Applejack said with a tip of her hat. Rarity's package was small and when she removed the paper, she revealed a small jewelry box. And when she opened that she found a locket that was decorated with, what else, an apple motif.

"Oh, my Applejack. What a lovely locket." Rarity said as she lifted it out and placed it around her neck.

"Yup. Ah know it's not as shiny or fancy as all your other jewelry, but Ah figured you'd like it." Applejack answered.

"Oh Applejack, even though I do enjoy a little glamour-" everyone except Spike and Sombra raised their eyebrows at that as though saying 'really'. Rarity continued without interruption. "-doesn't mean that I can't enjoy the simple designs. When done right, simplicity can look glamorous."

"Glad you like it." AJ nodded.

"Ooooohh! Pie tins and cookie sheets!" Pinkie exclaimed as she waved the items in question in the air. "Thanks so much, AJ!" She thanked, refraining from glomping onto the orange earth pony.

"Yer welcome Pinkie." Applejack said.

"Oh, my. It's a new birdhouse." Fluttershy whispered. "Thank you very much."

"Yer welcome."

"An alarm clock? Really AJ?" Rainbow asked the farmpony as she held up the clock in question. Applejack sent her friend a deadpan look.

"How many times have Ah asked you ta help an' you were late because you over napped?" AJ asked flatly. Dash groaned.

"Fair point." Rainbow sighed then turned to Spike. "So what'd you get Spike?"

"A plush dragon. Cool! Thanks, AJ!" Spike thanked then turned to Sombra. "And what about you buddy?"

"I got a quilt." He said then threw it over himself. "And it's so warm. Thanks!"

"Yer welcome kiddo." Applejack said pleasantly.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

It was in this pattern that gifts were exchanged. After Applejack, it was Rarity's turn. For Twilight it was a simple yet elegant dress that was, quote-unquote, 'fit for a princess while at the same time was something that you would want to wear'. Applejack received some apple-scented shampoo and conditioner with similarly apple themed mane ties, clips, bands, ribbons, and even combs. This, of course, led to a 'discussion' about proper mane care. Thankfully it didn't get too heated.

Fluttershy also received similar mane care products, although her's was scented like a flower field and there was slightly more emphasis on the mane bands, clips, and combs. Rarity said that she thought that Fluttershy had a beautiful mane and that she should put it up more often. Fluttershy's reply was, of course, a whispered apology and a statement that she didn't really feel comfortable with that. Rarity accepted that and didn't press the issue.

For Pinkie Pie, it was a pink apron with her cutie mark on the front. Rainbow Dash received a flag with the Wonderbolts insignia on it to hang in her bedroom and Spike got a package of assorted gems. Sombra's gift was a necklace that resembled Princess Celestia's only it was darker and had a large jet gem. There were four smaller collars that were studded with their own stones. Onyx, moonstone, tiger's eye, and smokey quartz. It wasn't very hard to figure out who these were meant for. As Rarity helped him and the ferrets fit the collars on, she told them that she would love to design some outfits for him and the ferrets and requested that they visit her so she could take some measurements.

Pinkie Pie's gifts came next. For Twilight there was a lamp for late night studying. Applejack received an apple peeler and corer since theirs had broken a while back. Nopony was sure how she knew that since Applejack had never mentioned it. Rarity got all types of sewing thread in every available color. Nobody knew how she got all those spools to fit in that box and Twilight set it aside so she could scan it for any kind of magic signature.

When Fluttershy opened her gift, she found scented candles for quiet relaxing. And for Rainbow Dash, it was a collectors edition, Wonderbolt pair of goggles. Twilight was certain that one or two windows had at least cracked when Dash's squeals filled the castle. When Spike unwrapped his present, he found a cabinet designed for storing and displaying his comics. At that point, Twilight gave up on Pinkie Pie gift logic. Fortunately, the next gift was a little simpler. For Sombra, he received a framed picture of all of them together. So he could have a picture of his family. The little colt thanked her with a hug.

Fluttershy's gift for all of them were plushies of their pets. While Rainbow Dash tried to hide it, they could tell that she was happy to be able to hug Tank even when he wasn't home. And while Spike didn't have a pet of his own, he did receive a plushie of Peewee the Phoenix. Finally, Rainbow Dash took a turn.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Twilight lifted the lid of the box from Rainbow that she'd unwrapped. Sitting inside was a compass. "A compass?" She asked as she lifted it out of the box.

"Yeah. Like the one Daring Doo uses in her books." Dash explained. "You did introduce me to the series and you may be, probably, kinda be as big a fan as I am."

Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile. "Well, it's a very thoughtful gift Dash." She said. "Thank you."

"You got me some horseshoes?" Applejack asked as she held up the shoes in question.

"For playing horseshoes," Rainbow said. "Next time, I'm going to win."

"In yer dreams, maybe." Applejack retorted with a confident smirk. Fortunately, Rarity interrupted before they could start.

"A rock?! Rainbow Dash, what are you thinking?" Rarity shot her friend a look as she levitated the rock out of its box. Rainbow Dash fought down a snicker.

"It's not just any rock." She said with a grin. "This is something called a geode. You have to crack it open to get some not very precious but still pretty jewels. It's like Tom only this time there's actually something." At that point, she lost control and dropped to the ground in a fit of giggles while Rarity frowned at her friend.

"I thought we agreed to never speak of that again!" She exclaimed then smiled slightly for a second. "However, I would be remiss if I were offended by that so haha, very funny. And thank you for the rock."

"You got me a squeaky bunny?" Fluttershy asked as she squeezed it between her hooves.

"Yeah. I figured your dogs would enjoy playing with it." The other pegasus said with a small smirk.

"Oh. Well, thank you for getting such a thoughtful gift for them. I'm sure they'll enjoy it." Fluttershy said, completely missing the subtext.

"A prank bag!? Awesome!" Pinkie shouted out as she held up her bag then she tackled the blue pegasus out of the air. "Thanks, Dashie!"

"You're......welcome Pinkie." Rainbow choked out. "Thought it would be.....useful for when we go pranking. You can let me go now by the way."

As Rainbow Dash gasped for air after she was released, Spike lifted a very familiar mask from its bag. "Dash? Is this a Humdrum mask?" He asked.

"With cape, gloves, belt, and boots," Rainbow said proudly as he pulled out the rest. "I don't care how you feel about that character, you're still the best Humdrum ever."

"Aw, gee thanks," Spike said bashfully then turned to Sombra who'd just pulled out a music box. It was carved out of rosewood and beautifully decorated with swirling carvings and the image of a candle on the lid. There was a hoof crank on the side to wind it up and when he opened it there was a little bronze model of Twilight sitting down and holding him close in her forelegs with her wings spread and cupping the two of them in an embrace. As Sombra lifted the lid and studied this little statuette, a few notes plinked sluggishly before stopping.

"It's a box with me and Twilight in it and it plays music," Sombra spoke with fascination in his voice and Rainbow fidgeted embarrassedly.

"Uh, yeah, close enough." She said and she flew over to land beside him. "It's actually called a music box and it works like this. First, you close the lid." She then closed the lid gently and placed a hoof on the crank. "Then you turn this until you can't turn it anymore." She wound up the crank until it started to resist and there was a clicking sound. "Then you lift the lid back up to listen."

Rainbow Dash lifted the lid and the gentle, twinkling notes of a song poured out as the figure inside spun slowly. As he listened to the song, a spark of recognition lit up his face.

"It's the lullaby!" He cried out in wonder. "Twilight! Twilight! Listen! It's the lullaby you sing to me!"

Rainbow scratched the back of her neck. "Yeah, I figured it would be cool for Twilight to have something to sing to or you could listen to that on nights when Twilight isn't able to sing."

Sombra threw himself at the now airborne pegasus and ended up hanging off her neck. "I love it! I love it I love it I love it! Thank you, Auntie Dash!"

"Uh, you'rewelcome!" The pegasus blurted out then cleared her throat as she pulled him off her neck and set him back on the ground. "So uh Spike, I think it's your turn."

Spike grinned mischievously but didn't say anything about the now-closed music box. Instead, he started passing out the last of the gifts.

"Actually, Sombra and I decided to mostly share gifts."

"Mostly?" Applejack asked as she started tearing the wrapping paper.

"Well, we couldn't share what gifts we were giving to each other." Spike elaborated.

"Ahh," Twilight said in understanding then looked down to see what she'd gotten. Amongst torn paper and string was a toy Masked Matter-Horn and a folded piece of paper. Setting aside the toy for a minute, she unfolded the paper to reveal a picture of her surrounded by books wrapped in her magic. While it wasn't very professional and in fact had childish charm evident in it, she had to admit that it looked better than any child's drawing she'd ever seen.

"The toys from me and Sombra was the one who drew the portrait," Spike explained.

The others had gifts that followed the same trend. Applejack had Mistress Marevollous and portrait of her amongst her apple trees. Rarity was Radiance and her with gems. Pinkie grinned at her own toy of Filly Second along with a portrait of her making cupcakes. Fluttershy smiled softly at the toy of Saddle Rager and her frolicking with her animals amongst butterflies. Rainbow Dash thought the model of Zapp was pretty cool and the portrait of her performing a sonic rainboom was awesome.

With those gifts given and unwrapped, Spike passed a package to Sombra while Sombra did the same. The six mares watched from their seats as the boys unwrapped their gifts.

"It's a little figurine of me!" Sombra announced with a smile as he held up a small, somewhat roughly carved grey and black figurine with a bouncy head. Spike grinned proudly.

"Yup! I made a bunch of these at the Summer Wrap Up festival and made a killing." Spike said. "Of course I've gotten better since then and this is my best work."

"Thanks, Spike! It's wonderful!" Sombra said. Spike nodded and turned back to his gift. He pulled off the last of his wrapping paper and held it up.

"Whoa, this is an awesome portrait." He said, admiring the childish yet somehow somewhat professional style. "Thanks, big guy."

Sombra laughed. "You're welcome and I'm not that big." Spike cracked a grin as he reached over to ruffle his brother's mane.

"Someday you'll understand." He said softly.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

With the feast eaten, the dolls hung and the gifts exchanged, there wasn't really any reason to stay awake. Since everyone was sleeping over at the castle, guest rooms were prepared. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Twilight all slept in a bed. Pinkie Pie, Spike, and Sombra, however, remained downstairs in the living room waiting for the Wind Giver.

"Alrighty troops, now that it's dark out, it's then opportune time for the Wind Giver to strike!" Pinkie said in her best general voice. "And until that time comes we shall remain awake even if it takes us all night!"

The trio had set up three sleeping bags with pillows and blankets in the living room so they could be warm. Sombra sat on his sleeping bag with his new quilt wrapped around him. His music box sat beside him and his plush ferrets were on his pillow. Three of his real ferrets were tucked into the quilt with him while the fourth, Onyx, was resting on his head in his mane. Ever since they'd first met, she'd claimed that spot as her own. In any case, when Pinkie made her declaration, his eyes widened and he lifted his quilt so there was a good for both him and Onyx.

"All night?" He asked. "We're going to be staying up all night?"

"Well of course!" She answered. "How else do you think we're going to spot the Giver?"

"Well isn't it a bit dark and cold out?" Sombra asked. "And aren't you tired? It's been a busy day."

"Tired? Why would I be tired?" Pinkie asked with enthusiasm. "It's Hearthswarming Eve and almost Hearthswarming! Why would I sleep? Mark my words Li'l Sombry, we shall not rest until we have laid eyes on the Wind Giver!"

✴✴✴Half an Hour Later✴✴✴

Despite her encouraging words, Pinkie Pie was now curled up in her sleeping bag snoring loudly as she hugged her Gummy plushie tightly. Spike looked on at the scene with a deadpan look then sighed.

"Well, that's a new record," Spike said. "I tell you kid unless she's partying, she's out faster than a light."

Sombra nodded and they sat there in quiet. "So, are we staying up?" He asked.

"Well, that's really optional," Spike said. "You don't have to stay up if you're tired. Me, I'm going to be staying up a little longer before tucking in."

"Then I'd like to stay up with you too," Sombra answered as he leaned into him. For a time they sat in the quiet stillness of the night. The only thing lighting up the darkness were the lights of the Hearthswarming tree which cast the room into a multicolored glow like stars.

"The Hearthswarming tree always looks the best at night with the lights on." Spike finally said quietly so as not to interrupt this soft moment. "And on Hearthswarming Eve, it just feels more magical than anything I've seen. That's why I savor moments like this."

Sombra simply nodded agreement and they lapsed into silence once more. After some time, the quiet was broken once more. This time it was Sombra who spoke.

"Spike, what's a mom and dad?" He asked. Spike took a moment to roll that question around his head before letting out a long breath.

"A mom and a dad are an important part of any family." He began explaining. "Together they're called parents and they're the ones who take care of you. Aside from meals and clothes, they're always there for you to yeah, guide, comfort and protect."

"So if moms and dads do the same thing, why are there separate words for them?" Sombra observed.

"Well, I don't know about terminology or whatever it's called. But I do know that moms are girls and dads are boys."

"Ooohhh," Sombra said and quietly mulled over this information. "So, does that mean that Twilight's my mom?"

Once again, Spike took in a breath and let it out. 'Well, this was coming someday.' He thought then answered the question.

"Well, that all depends."

"On what?" Sombra asked.

"On Twilight. Technically speaking, she is your legal guardian, so she takes care of you. But the choice to become your mom is entirely her's."

"Oh." Sombra sighed and Spike pulled him closer.

"Hey now, don't worry." He soothed. "She'll come around someday. One day, she'll tell that it's okay to call her mom."

"I'd like that a lot," Sombra said. "She's a great mom."

"Yes, she is." Spike agreed. "And I would know because she takes care of me too. She's a great mom. Even if she doesn't know it."

The two hummed agreement and sat quietly for a little longer.

"So what about my dad?" Sombra asked. "If Twilight's my mom, then who is my dad?" If Spike had been drinking anything at that moment, he would've to spit it out. But he could've sworn he heard a muffled snicker. But then again, that could've been his imagination.

"Kid, why don't we focus on one parental figure at a time?" Spike said with a small humorous grin and Sombra cocked his head in curiosity.

"I mean let's just work with mom for now." He elaborated.

"Okay!" Sombra said with a bright innocent grin before he yawned. Spike smiled and laid a claw on top of the colt's head and Onyx, who'd fallen asleep at some point.

"Well it's getting late and we don't want to be too tired to enjoy Hearthswarming, now do we?" He asked. Sombra shook his head.

"No, we don't." He replied. With a bit of maneuvering and rearranging four fast asleep ferrets, Sombra was now tucked in his sleeping bag and piled with blankets.

"Here, let me wind up your music box." Spike turned the crank until it was ready then opened the lid. As the music played, Sombra stared at the spinning figured of him and Twilight and thought of her as his mom.

'Someday.' He thought tiredly as he drifted off to sleep. 'Someday I'll have a mom and maybe a dad. Someday.'

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Waking up was a sudden jolt that disoriented Sombra at first. Blinking sleep from his eyes, he could see that it was still dark out and the lights on the tree were still bright. He could hear the snores of Auntie Pinkie and Spike but something felt different. Like there was someone else there. Then he turned his head and saw it. Standing directly in front of his sleeping bag just a few feet away was a very tall pony made of mist. He couldn't make out any distinguishing features, he couldn't even see her back half, but he could see her coat color was pale yellow with swirls of pink that traveled around her body. Everything else was covered by a red hooded cloak with a white trim but he could tell that she had glowing eyes that stared down at him.

And yet, even though he gazing at a mist pony that he didn't know, he didn't feel scared at all. In fact, something about this mare felt comforting, yet he couldn't place a hoof on why that was. He simply sat there staring her down.

"Are you the Wind Giver?" He finally asked and there were several high pitched gusts of wind that sounded like melodic whinnies. Yet somehow, he could understand what they meant. This entity was laughing kindly and some part of him felt warm.

A movement brought his gaze down and he watched as a hoof made of golden mist slid a similarly misty box near his pillow. The box was bright red and tied with white ribbon. But when the hoof lifted from the box, it appeared to become solid. It was shortly confirmed to be solid when he touched it and it felt normal. Sombra was surprised yet not entirely. One glance at the tag confirmed who it was for.

"This is for me?" He asked as he looked up and the mist pony nodded. Then a gust of wind forced Sombra to shield his eyes from it but he could vaguely see the pony dissipate and vanish. The next moment, there was the feeling of a gentle touch like a kiss on his forehead. Then the wind was gone, leaving Sombra to wonder at what he'd seen and what just happened.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Sombry! Sombry! Wake up! Wake up! The Giver came!" Sombra started awake at Auntie Pinkie's excited voice. The pink mare was bouncing around the tree that now had gifts piled around it. As Auntie Applejack entered the room, Sombra's thoughts turned to last night and he couldn't help but wonder if it was all simply a dream seeing that mare. Then his gaze landed on the red box still where he remembered it had been placed last night. It wasn't a dream.

"Hey, kiddo. You alright?" Auntie Applejack asked, startling him from his thoughts. He nodded.

"Uh-huh. I'm fine. Just thinking." He replied. Applejack stared at him for a bit before she nodded in satisfaction.

"Well Ah ain't gonna ask what you were thinking about." She said. "If you want to tell me, you will." As she looked back up, her face went from gentle to firm. "Pinkie Pie, put that down!" She said loudly as she walked forwards. "Well, all agreed we'd open presents AFTER the Flag Raising ceremony."

"Awww! But I want to know what I got!" Pinkie protested as the farmer removed the present from her hooves.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

With pole and flag at hoof, everyone ventured outside for the flag raising ceremony. After being denied presents, Pinkie had run to rouse everyone from their sleep. Soon, four groggy mares were shuffling outside in the early morning cold to raise the flag. Applejack cleared a spot in the snow and began planting the flagpole. When she woke fully, Rainbow Dash came over to help. With the flagpole solidly in the ground, they began pulling the flag up until it reached the top. Just as it had been secured, the sun peeked over the horizon, pouring its golden light across the earth. Hearthswarming was officially here and as bells began to ring in celebration, Sombra started to sing.

Life is full of sweet surprises
Every day's a gift
The sun comes up, and I can feel it lift my spirit
Fills me up with laughter, fills me up with song
I look into the eyes of love and know that I belong

Bless us all, who gather here
(With Pinkie) the loving family I hold dear
(With Spike) no place on earth compares with home
And every path will bring me back from where I roam

As Pinkie and Spike joined the colt, they gestured to the others to sing. Not knowing what this song was, the other mares simply followed what was being sung yet somehow, it worked.

(All) bless us all, that as we live
We always comfort and forgive
(With Spike) we have so much, that we can share
(Sombra) with those in need, we see around us everywhere

Let us always (all) love each other
(Sombra) lead us to the light
Let us hear the voice of reason, singing in the night
(Spike) let us run from anger (Pinkie) and catch us when we fall
(Sombra) teach us in our dreams and please, yes, please
(All) bless us one and all

(Sombra) bless us all with playful years
With noisy games and joyful tears
(All) we reach for you and we stand tall
(Spike) and in our prayers and dreams
We ask you bless us all

(Sombra) we reach for you and we stand tall
And in our prayers and dreams, we ask you
Bless us all

As the song concluded, Rarity reached over and patted Sombra on the back.

"That was a very lovely song." She said. "Where did you hear it from?"

"Auntie Pinkie taught me!" Sombra said with a smile. "Auntie Pinkie has been teaching me and Spike some cool songs. I liked this one a lot and I felt like singing it right then. Just, felt right."

"And where did Pinkie learn that song?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, I just learned it from a friend." She said.

Thanks, Pinkie.

"You're welcome!" She said, once again confusing her friends. Rainbow shook her head a decided to just move on. After all, 'Pinkie will be Pinkie' and all that.

"Well, I don't really care where it came from." She said. "I'm more curious as to who we're asking to 'bless us all'."

Pinkie shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe Bonnie and Faust."

"Makes sense." Applejack said with a shrug.

"Yeah, so can we open presents now?" Pinkie now assumed a begging position.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

After coming in, Pinkie made a beeline for the tree in an instant. By the time they caught up with her, she was at the tree shaking a gift so fast it was vibrating.

"Whatisitwhatisitwhatisit!" She said excitedly.

"Geez Pinkie, slow down. It's a wonder you haven't broken it yet." Rainbow said jokingly and Pinkie ceased her shaking and smiled at her friend

"Oh don't worry, I haven't broken a present yet." She said. She then set the box down and bounced over to Sombra. "Why don't you open the first present. Which one do you want to open first?"

Sombra reached over and pulled his red and white box towards himself. "I'll open this one first." He said.

"Ooooh! Such a pretty ribbon." Pinkie said as Sombra pulled the bow out with a single yank. With its wrappings undone, he lifted the lid the reveal what was inside. There neatly folded in the box was a bright red hooded cloak with a white fluffy trim and swirling patterns embroidered along the edges in gold thread. The clasp was made of copper and studded a large crystal gem that Twilight didn't recognize. It was a deep red like a ruby but it had a slightly frosted appearance.

"Whoa!" Sombra exclaimed as he pulled it out then draped it across his back and fastened it. "This feels so soft and warm."

"Wow, this all looks hoof stitched," Twilight said as she lifted the hem up to examine. "Which makes no sense because these designs are more elaborate and detailed than I've ever seen before. Even done by a horn. And this fabric, I've never seen this type of fabric before and I don't even know what kind of crystal that-" Twilight was suddenly cut off by Applejack's hoof on her back.

"Sugarcube, before you go into full-fledged research mode, why don't ya take a deep breath and relax." Applejack said calmly. Doing as her friend suggested, Twilight did her breathing exercises until she was calm. AJ nodded. "Better?"

"Yes." Twilight then turned to where Sombra was showing his cloak off to Rarity and immediately zeroed in on the cloak. "But know what I can about that cloak. What fabric is that and what is it made of? What kind of crystal is that? Is it enchanted? What can it-"

"Now slow down Sugarcube." Applejack directed her friend's gaze back towards her. "Ah know you want ta find out what you can about the cloak, but I think you're forgetting a little detail. That cloak ain't yours. Remember, its something that the Giver gave to him and from the looks of it, he likes it."

Twilight turned back to Sombra who was now with Pinkie Pie sorting through presents and whimpered. "But.....sciiiieeence!" Her tone was almost whiny.

"Twilight darling, I have doubt that Sombra would let you see his cloak." Rarity added and Twilight's eyes lit up. But before she could go ask, the unicorn continued. "But its Hearthswarming. The cloak isn't going anywhere so I'm sure that your studies can wait until tomorrow at least."

"She's right. It's a holiday, so let's just have fun today." Applejack said. "Jus' let it be until tomorrow."

Twilight did her breathing exercises a few more times before answering. "Okay. I'll leave it be until after the holidays."

"Atta girl." Applejack said with a pat on her back. "Now let's open some presents."

"Twilight! Twilight!" Sombra called out at that moment as he bounced towards her. "Look! This one's for you!"

Twilight stared down at the box for a second before her gaze traveled to the colt, still wearing his cloak, holding it towards her. Her eye momentarily twitched. This was going to be a long day.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

The day went by quickly, depending on who you ask. After unwrapping presents, the morning was spent eating breakfast and in the case of the kids, playing with them. The boys were figuring how to use their gifts with the help of the adults. In the afternoon, they went outside to play in the snow and Twilight made a note of the cloak's apparent waterproof properties. When they got cold and hungry, they returned inside and enjoyed reheated leftovers for lunch. At some point in the day, Applejack had left because she had chores to attend to on the farm. Now it was getting late and everyone was relaxing in the castle.

"This was the best Hearthswarming ever." Pinkie sighed.

"Yeah, it was." Sombra agreed. "I can't wait until next year."

"Well, Ah better pack up and get back ta the farm." Applejack said as she stood up. "Better make sure everything is ready for when my family comes home."

"Okay. Be safe Auntie Applejack." Sombra said as he shifted to his side then froze when he heard the sound of paper crunching. The other mares and dragon in the room similarly froze and turned to him. Sombra pushed himself up and felt his cloak. It didn't take him long to locate the pocket in the lining. He pulled out of this pocket a slightly crumpled slip of paper and unfolded it.

Everyone peered over his shoulder as he smoothed it out on the table but nobody could understand it. It was all glypes they couldn't understand and some swirls. Sombra cocked his head in confusion.

"Twilight, what does it mean by that?" He asked.

"It's not any language I'm famil- wait, what do you mean why you say 'that'?" She asked when his entire sentence registered.

"I don't understand what it means when it says what it says," Sombra replied.

"Wait, you can understand this?" Rainbow asked.

Sombra shrugged. "It's all perfectly clear what it says. I just don't understand what it means."

"Odd. We can't understand it, but you can. Maybe..." Twilight trailed off then her horn lit up with a scanning spell that came up clean. "Nothing. For a minute I thought it had been enchanted so only Sombra could read, but there isn't even a spell on it. It's a completely normal piece of paper and ink."

"Maybe it has something to do with his past life," Fluttershy whispered in Twilight's ear so Sombra couldn't hear. Twilight rubbed her chin in thought.

"It's possible. Sombra, since we can't read it can you tell us what it says?" Twilight asked. Sombra's head bobbed in response.

"Sure Twilight." He said then turned to the message. "It says 'come find us someday'."

"'Come find us someday'?" Twilight wondered. "What does that mean?"

"That's what I'm asking," Sombra said.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"Well, I had fun." Rainbow Dash said as she pulled on her warm clothes. The cyan pegasus was the last one to leave. By now it was dark out and a gentle snowfall had started.

"The feast was delicious and I enjoyed the gift exchange." Rainbow continued. "And that mystery at the end was cool. Anyways, you take care kiddo and I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow too," Sombra said. "Fly safe!"

"C'mon, it's you're Auntie Dash you're talking to. Have I ever been known to fly safely?" She asked and Sombra giggled. Dash smiled and set her hoof on his head. She'd ruffle his mane, but from the look, Onyx was giving her, she decided against it. "Anyways, don't worry about me kid. In weather like this, it's always a good idea to be safe in the sky. See you around kid."

And with that, she took off. There was one thing Dash loved about flying that she would never admit out loud. The view. The view from the sky was the best view she could think of and as she flew, she could help but take in the sights. Amidst snowflakes and snow which shone silver in the moonlight and starlight, Ponyville looked beautiful. The decorations were still there and since it was night, most folks had their Hearthswarming lights on. Some were still awake and had their house lights on and when she flew past a few houses, she could hear folks singing carols. When she reached her cloud home, she paused to admire the view of Ponyville from above and smiled.

'Happy Hearthswarming Ponyville.' She thought then directed her attention towards a certain castle that seemed to glow. 'And Happy Hearthswarming to you Sombra. Someday, maybe in the near future, you'll get a mom.'

She remembered last night how when she'd woken up to sneak a snack or two from the kitchen, she happened to overhear a certain conversation between him and Spike. She'd almost given herself away when Sombra asked about his dad. Knowing Twilight, it wouldn't be for a while before she started dating. But who knows, maybe someday she'll find that very special somepony.

With thoughts of Twilight's love life in her mind, Rainbow Dash unlocked her door and entered her house, then shut the door behind her. It had been another great holiday and she looked forward to next year.
> Sisters Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Cadence was excited. After what was perhaps the longest and most stressful stretch of diplomatic meets, court sessions with the nobles and more, the pink alicorn finally had a chance to relax. And the first thing she was doing was catching up on her reading. In specific, a certain journal. She had some snacks in case she got hungry, drinks for when she got thirsty and her favorite seat was primed and ready. With all her preparations complete, she settled into a comfortable position and dove right in.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Everything was quiet aboard the train from Appaloosa back to Ponyville. After helping clean up after the rodeo, Applejack herded the CMC onto the train where she sat them in the seat opposite her then proceeded to stare down her sister and her friends. Needless to say, things got awkward pretty quickly for the CMC.

"So uh, that was a great rodeo eh?" Applebloom was the one to initiate conversation.

"Ah guess," AJ answered with a shrug and just like that, the conversation died before it could live beyond ten seconds.

"So are you still mad?" Scootaloo boldly asked, cutting straight to the heart of the problem.

"And what makes Y'all think I'm mad?" Applejack asked in reply.

"It kinda feels like you're mad at us." Sweetie Belle said and her friends nodded confirmation. Applejack let out a long sigh.

"Ah'm not exactly angry at you three." She explained. "Ah'm more upset than angry."

"What's the difference?" Applebloom asked.

"Upset means I'm more than angry. I'm also scared for you three." The Crusaders were slightly surprised by that but AJ continued, her voice raising. "You girls have always been known ta do reckless things without thinking it through but this is beyond all those times! Do y'all know how dangerous it was going off after Trouble Shoes?!"

"But he turned out ta jus' be a stallion down on his luck, remember?" Applebloom defended their friend. "He didn't mean ta hurt anybody and now he's got some new friends and a new job." There was a hint of pride in her voice and the CMC's chests puffed out in pride but Applejack frowned.

"That's exactly what I mean!" Applejack shouted and the Crusaders instantly backed up because of the volume. "He TURNED OUT to be a nice pony! What would y'all have done if he wasn't such a nice guy?"

"We would've fought him off, caught him and....brought him back." Applebloom started but by the time she'd finished her sentence, she'd figured out just how shortsighted their plan was and Sweetie Belle wasn't too far behind. Now that they were reevaluating their plan, the two fillies were seeing just what the problem was. Scootaloo, however, was 'blissfully' unaware of her friend's realizations.

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash has been teaching me some of her fighting moves." She said boldly. "And together with those moves, I'm sure we would've caught him."

Applejack's eyes narrowed and she leaned forward a little. "Rainbow Dash is a full-grown mare, not a filly like you three." She said sternly and Scootaloo wilted a little at her tone. "Against a full grown stallion, especially one at Trouble Shoes' size, Y'all wouldn't have stood a chance. If Trouble Shoes had actually been a bad pony......Y'all probably wouldn't be here right now. Or if you were, well Ah don't need ta go into details. Let's jus' say there are a lot of things he could've done to Y'all if he were a bad pony and none of them would've been pleasant." The three fillies blinked when the mare in front of them suddenly started sniffing.

"Applebloom, do you know how I would feel if Ah never saw you again or worse?" The farmpony continued as little tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. "And you two, your sisters are both good friends of mine who entrusted me with your safety. How do you think I can face them knowing that something really bad happened to their sisters while they were on my watch?! Heck, how did you expect me to tell Granny Smith, Big Mac, and your parents that their children are gone or worse because Ah wasn't paying attention!?"

The CMC were wilting in their seats with their ears flopped against their head as the mare in front of them was close to a breakdown. Already, a few of her tears were starting to slide down her cheeks and she paused to wipe her face and eyes as she drew in calming breaths.

"It's not your fault." Sweetie Belle piped up helpfully and Applejack nodded.

"Ah know Sweetie, Ah know." She replied. "But if anything like that had happened, that's how Ah would be thinking. So would Granny and Mac. Rainbow Dash and Rarity too. Not to mention your parents and don't even get me started on Braeburn. Since he was the one who was supposed to be watching you, despite his injury might Ah add, he would most definitely be the most devastated of us all. Now we're all used ta yer schemes causing a ruckus, but this time, yer reckless irresponsibility could've caused irreparable damage ta yourselves and the ponies around you. Which is why tomorrow, Ah'm picking your next activity."

"WHAT?!?!?" All three fillies screamed together.

"But we've already cleaned up after the rodeo!" Applebloom protested. "Haven't we been punished enough?"

"This activity ain't a punishment, its a lesson." Applejack clarified. "Ah could have Y'all doing everyone's chores on the farm and cleaning a hundred rodeos forever, but that ain't going ta teach ya a proper lesson that'll stick. Instead, Ah'm going ta give ya a very special assignment ta fulfill for the rest of the day. But Ah'll tell ya more tomorrow. Fer now, jus' rest and enjoy the train ride."

Applejack then leaned back and pulled her hat over her face, leaving the Cutiemark Crusaders to wonder what their fate was tomorrow.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Cadence sighed and sipped her tea. As she read one entry, she felt laughter begin to bubble up as a smile spread across her muzzle.

<Finally. After almost an entire month, Emerald Drop finally doesn't run away out of embarrassment whenever I enter the room. It all started almost a month ago when Ruby Shine, one of the guards, dropped a toy snake in Emerald's mane. Ruby knows that Emerald can't stand snakes and when she noticed, she immediately ran through the castle screaming until she reached the throne room. I was in the room at the time and she slammed herself into the wall next to the throne. I then spotted and pulled out the offending item while she was temporarily dazed.

When she saw what it was, she snarled, and I swear that I saw sparks jumping as she ground her teeth, before she ran out of the room screaming out for Ruby Shine. Later that day, I found Ruby tangled in the upper branches of one of the trees in the garden. I had no idea ponies could bend like that. And the whole time I was disentangling the stallion he was laughing and telling me it was worth it. I haven't seen much of Emerald Drop since according to her friends, she quote-unquote 'made a fool of herself in front of the king'. From what I understand, she almost quit her job entirely out of embarrassment. Luckily her friends talked her out of that and I've basically been leaving it to them with a nudge or two here and there.

The dent that she left is still there in the wall and while it would be easy to fix, I've just left it there for the sake of posterity and it helps me smile when I've had a long day. Ruby and Emerald are usually like this, teasing and annoying each other, but they never go far enough to do any real damage. Just enough that it could be seen as childish pranks to the outside observer. And I just know that they'll get together in the end. And it's not just me either.

The rest of the castle staff and the guard is sure that they'll get together soon as well. The only ones not in on it are Ruby Shine and Emerald Drop themselves, though Emerald's friends do drop the odd hint once in a while. I don't actively try to get them together, but once in a while when either come to me for advice about the other, I give it to them. I'm certain that one day they'll grow out of this phase in their relationship and will start down the more romantic path.>

Cadence smiled and sipped her tea. This was one of the reasons she liked reading the journal. Every entry gave her a glimpse of what life had been like in the castle before whatever had happened, happened. By this point, she was starting to think that the Sombra she was reading about was how he really was and that something had happened to drastically change him. Something that she was certain she'd eventually learn about in these pages. But in the meantime, she'd solved the riddle of the mysterious dent in the wall next to the throne. Cadence giggled at the mental image of the blunt yet kind maid running into the wall hard enough to dent it.

"Is something wrong your highness?" A light green crystal pony mare asked. Her clear blue mane with a white stripe was pulled up into a braid that was twisted around her head. Curious emerald eyes looked at her.

"Oh, it's nothing Emerald," Cadence said as she stifled her giggles. "Anyways, how are things at home?"

The mare gave a deep sigh of irritation. "I swear your highness, my husband is so foalish he'll be the death of me one of these days."

"And yet you're still married to him," Cadence said with a smile. "If there was really nothing, I don't think you'd stay with him as long as you have."

"True true. While he is irritating in several ways, I wouldn't trade Ruby Shine for anyone in the world." She said.

"Agreed. And what about Bird Song?" Cadence asked. Emerald Drop frowned lightly.

"She's been doing much better since she started therapy." She said then gave a deep bow. "Your Highness, my husband and I can't thank you enough for what you've done for us and our daughter. Even today, we're at a loss for how to thank you."

"Oh no need to thank me. I only did what was right," she said with a wave of her hoof and Emerald straightened up with a smile.

"And yet it means the world to us. All of us." the maid answered. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"Some more snacks and some time alone would help a lot," Cadence said. "But that doesn't count as an acceptance of your offer. I still want you all to treat me like an ordinary pony."

"Of course Princess Cadence," Emerald said then turned. Before she exited the room, however, she glanced back. "Again, thank you for bringing our children back to us." Was all she said before leaving the room.

Cadence smiled a little sadly as she remembered one aspect of King Sombra's reign. Around the beginning of his reign, the children were taken by Sombra. When they were released, they were all traumatized enough that they needed professional help. But the one who had it the worst was a ten-year-old filly named Bird Song. For reasons that were unknown, Sombra took particular interest in this little filly. She was mostly quiet and like all the other fillies and colts, she had no memory of what life was like before King Sombra. Or at least that's what they assumed since she didn't say anything about before Sombra or even her experience with him. What they did know for sure was that she was his favorite until he stopped entirely and put her in a cell separate from the other children. When she was rescued, they initially thought she was mute.

Cadence shook such thoughts from her head and turned the page. She was certain that somewhere in these pages were the answers that she was looking for.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

"You want to what?" Twilight asked after AJ gave them an account of what happened at the rodeo and her plan for the Crusaders.

"You heard me." Applejack said firmly. "Ah can't think of a better way ta teach those fillies responsibility and you could use a day off."

"Well, I don't know...." Twilight said as her stomach churned with worry. "I understand wanting to teach them a lesson, but are you sure they're ready for this kind of responsibility?"

"Oh come now Twilight, I think its a great idea." Rarity said. "And besides, it's only for one day. Certainly not enough time for them to get into any sort of major trouble."

Twilight shot a deadpan look at her friend. "The Love Poison Incident." She said flatly and Rarity's eyes widened. Even though Berry Punch hadn't pressed charges for the 'relocation' of her house (because she was now closer to her business and had a glorious view of the sunset from her living room) the three fillies were now banned from even touching spell books and potion recipes without adult supervision. This, of course, led to the birth of Twilight Time.

"And need I give you an entire itinerary of every cutie mark attempt that ended in disaster and damage." Twilight continued. "Some even occurring in less than a day."

Rarity grimaced. "Point taken. Perhaps I should've worded that a bit better."

"All the better them to learn responsibility as soon as possible before more permanent damage is done." Applejack said with a bang of her hoof. "Ah know Ah'm not the only pony who wants their sister to stay safe and Ah think it would be best for him to get to know ponies within his age range."

"You do make a very good argument," Twilight admitted. "But are you sure this is really the best idea?"

"Ah've never been so sure about anything like this in my life." Applejack said seriously. "And besides, you know that the Crusaders usually stick around Ponyville so we won't be too far from them. Your momma instinct can rest easy."

Twilight frowned and shot her friend a glare. "I'm not his mom and I hope you know what you're doing."

"Trust me, Ah do," AJ said with confidence.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

Meanwhile, at the CMC clubhouse, the Crusaders were bemoaning their fate.

"Ah can't believe mah sister doesn't think I'm responsible enough." Applebloom groaned as she lay, face down, on the ground. "Ah always do mah chores before going Crusading."

"Me too! And besides, our plan wasn't that bad, was it?" Scootaloo asked her friends.

"I'm sorry Scoots, but Applejack has point. Going after Trouble Shoes like that was reckless, even with your kung-fu moves." Sweetie Belle answered. The pegasus folded her forelegs and slumped down.

"Okay, I'll admit that wasn't our brightest idea." She said. "But we're all big fillies and we can take care of ourselves." Applebloom gasped.

"That's it!" She exclaimed as she knocked her hooves together. "All we need to do is show them that we can take care of ourselves. It worked with Applejack that time with the pie deliveries and the chimera, so it should work this time."

"If I recall correctly, you didn't actually take care of the chimera, that was all Applejack." Sweetie Belle pointed out. "Though you did make sure the pies were safe and Applejack did stop fussing over you after that so it's not a bad idea. But what are we going to do to show we can take care of ourselves? Your family doesn't have anything that needs to be delivered that way right now, so what else can we do?"

Once again the Crusaders fell into thoughtful silence. The next one to come up with a solution was Scootaloo.

"I've got it!" The pegasus exclaimed as she jumped up from her seat. "Why don't we get our cutie marks as Everfree explorers?" The other Crusaders hummed in thought.

"Everfree huh?" Applebloom said thoughtfully with a nod. "It's not as dangerous as the Flame Geyser Swamp, but it'll do." Even Sweetie Belle gave a nod of agreement.

"My sister and her friends have been going there to fix up the old castle there and I haven't seen the Timberwolves around for ages." The unicorn said. "So I guess it wouldn't be too bad if we go in there."

Scootaloo grinned. "So it's settled." She said. "Tomorrow we're going to be the...."

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS EVERFREE EXPLORERS!!!" All three shouted. The Crusaders then spent the next hour making plans about what they would need and when they should go. It was ultimately settled that they would wait until after school then they would gather supplies for their venture. Just as they were finishing their plans, Applejack rang the bell announcing dinner and the three fillies had to go their separate ways, all three Pinkie Swearing to not tell anyone.

✴✴✴✴✴✴

The next day felt very much like any other day. After school, the Crusaders agreed to meet up at the clubhouse before going home to do their homework and grab their supplies. An hour and a half later they were gathered at the clubhouse with their supplies. However, in their eagerness and excitement, they almost completely forgot about Applejack's 'lesson' until she knocked on their door. Quickly, they hid their supplies and opened the door, letting in the farmpony and a colt.

He was definitely younger than them with an ash grey coat, a long black mane and ruby red eyes that looked up at them with curiosity and a hint of excitement.

"Girls, Ah'd like ta introduce you to someone." Applejack said as she led the colt in while he looked around the clubhouse with fascination. "This here is Sombra. He's been living with Twilight and for today, I'd like you three ta look after him."

The three fillies blinked and stared at the young colt. Finally, Scootaloo broke the silence. "Wait, Sombra as in Ki-" She started to speak only to be cut off by Applebloom's hoof in her mouth.

"So you're Sombra." The farm filly said with a smile. "Applejack's told me a lot about you. I'm Applebloom. And these are my friends Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle."

"Nice to meet you!" Sombra said with a bright smile. Applejack laid a hoof on his back and smiled.

"Sombra here needs ta get to know kids his own age and you three need to learn responsibility." Applejack said. "So for today, you three are going to look out for Sombra."

"What!?" Scootaloo shouted out. "You want us to foalsit a ty-!" Once again she was cut off by a hoof in her mouth. This time it was Sweetie Belle's hoof.

"Could you excuse us for a minute?" Sweetie said with a grin and the three fillies moved away from the farm mare and colt. When they were a fair distance away, the unicorn filly pulled her hoof out of Scootaloo's mouth. The pegasus shot her friends a glare before she started speaking.

"What the hay girls?" She demanded. "What's with all the shushing? And isn't that the King Sombra that Rainbow Dash told me about?"

"Yeah, pretty much, only different," Applebloom confirmed. "From what mah sister told me, the princesses tried to bring him back ta life and he ended up as a colt with absolutely no memories of what he was before."

"Why would the princesses bring back a tyrant?" Scootaloo asked and the other Crusaders shrugged.

"My sister and her friends don't know why either." Sweetie Belle said. "Bottom line is he's here now and the others are working on reforming him same the way Fluttershy reformed Discord."

"Okay, but why am I the last one to know about all this?" Scoots asked. Once again, there was a round of shrugs.

"Dunno," Applebloom answered before she gained a thoughtful look on her face. "But considering how it was our sisters who told each of us and made us promise that we wouldn't tell Sombra about his past life, I'm willing to bet Dash was supposed to do the same but forgot."

"Honestly, that doesn't surprise me." The Crusaders jumped in surprise when Applejack's sudden comment let them know that she was now behind them and that she'd been listening. Behind her, sitting quietly at his place in the doorway, was the subject of their talk.

"And when Ah get the chance, Ah'm going ta have a few words with her." Applejack continued with a frown. "Anyways, now that that's cleared up, Ah'd like Sombra to stay with Y'all for the day."

"But we've got important Crusading to do!" Scootaloo protested. "Besides, why can't he just be with you or anyone else?"

"Because A), Ah've got tons of chores to catch up on and the others aren't exactly free either." Applejack began. "And B), Sombra needs ta hang out with ponies in his age range while you three need ta internalize a lesson in responsibility. Remember, Y'all still ain't off the hook for what happened at the rodeo."

The Crusaders winced at the reminder. "Point taken." Scootaloo conceded. "But still, we don't know him at all."

"And if Ah recalls, you three didn't exactly know each other at first." Applejack countered. "Just ask him about his interests and what he likes ta do. I'm sure you can find some common ground. Now Ah has lots of chores ta do. Y'all have fun together."

And with that, the farmpony was gone. The Crusaders watched her leave until she was out of sight then turned to their guest who was sitting calmly on the floor.

"So Sombra, what do you like to do for fun?" Sweetie asked and Scootaloo shot her a look.

"Sweets!" She hissed quietly and the unicorn filly shot her a look at her own in response.

"There's no harm in trying." She hissed back. The pegasus turned to her other friend and only got a shrug in response. Scootaloo groaned softly.

"Fine." She grumbled before sitting down with her hung low. Sombra looked at her with concern in his expression and looked at the other two with an expression of questioning concern. Applebloom just waved his concern off.

"Don't worry about her, she's just a little mopey." She said casually. "She'll get over it soon enough. Now, aren't ya going ta tell us what ya like ta do for fun?"

Sombra shifted a little before answering. "Not much, I mostly read."

"Sounds like Twilight rubbed off on you a bit," Sweetie commented. "What about playing games and such?"

"I mostly play board games and I know some card games," Sombra answered.

"What about more outdoor games an' activities?" Applebloom pressed and Sombra frowned.

"I don't know a lot of outdoor games." He admitted. "Auntie Pinkie taught me how to jump into leaf piles and I know how to play in the snow."

The Crusaders were silent for a bit and after a moment, Sombra began to wilt, his ears dropping to press against his skull. Sweetie, noticing his mood, quickly went to comfort him.

"Hey hey, it's okay." She said. "There's nothing wrong with any of those things, it's just we're trying to find something we can do together."

Sombra looked thoughtful and the three fillies could visibly see the gears turning in his head. Then light a lightbulb, his face brightened.

"Sometimes, Spike and I go exploring." He said and Scootaloo perked up.

"Exploring?" She asked with no small amount of interest in her voice. Sombra nodded.

"Yeah, Twilight's castle is bigger than it looks and there are a lot of rooms that we haven't really seen yet." The colt explained in excitement. "And since Twilight has lots of duties and such, Spike and I sometimes look around and map out the castle. Just recently, we found this room with a mattress for a floor and filled with all sorts of pillows and blankets. Spike says that room will be the sleepover room."

Scootaloo was quiet as she thought that over. "That sounds cool." She said and she couldn't deny that she honestly found the thought kinda cool. But her tastes lay more towards the other end of the spectrum. "But I have a better place for us to explore."
> Sisters Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You know Scoots, I'm thinking that maybe this isn't the best idea." Sweetie piped up. The group was now standing in front of the Everfree getting ready to venture in.

"C'mon Sweets, we all agreed that this was the best way to prove to our sisters that we're responsible." Scootaloo groaned, the pegasus filly itching to get going.

"I know, but now that we're here I can't help but wonder if it's just more recklessness." Sweetie fussed.

"She's got a point Scoots," Applebloom added. "Ah mean sure Ah did manage ta get those pies delivered and impressed my sister, but in the end, if Applejack didn't show up when she did, I'd be chimera chow right now."

"But this isn't the Flame Geyser Swamp." Scootaloo pointed out. "Our sisters go into the Everfree all the time, plus Zecora lives here. How bad could it be in comparison?"

"You've got a good point," Applebloom admitted. "Compared to a flaming, chimera inhabited swamp there can't be much that the Everfree can throw at us. But we will be careful."

"Yeah yeah of course," Scootaloo said dismissively. "Now can we go now?"

Sweetie, however, fidgeted, still unsure about their plan. As she glanced around, her eyes landed on their tag along. "What about Sombra?" The unicorn filly blurted out and the colt in question blinked when he suddenly found the group's attention on him.

"What do you mean 'what about Sombra', he's coming with us obviously," Scootaloo said as if it were the most obvious thing ever and Sweetie Belle shot her friend a look.

"Really, you're willing to bring a six-year-old into the Everfree?" She deadpanned. "Even if we haven't seen anything for a while, it's not a guarantee that there's nothing dangerous in there."

"That much is true," Applebloom said with a nod. "The Everfree will always be dangerous, so it wouldn't hurt to exercise some caution."

"Um..I'm not sure this is a good idea either." Sombra piped in timidly and everyone turned to him. The colt licked his lips and gulped. "Well, it's just Spike's told me a lot about the Everfree and how dangerous it is. Can we do something else?"

"You can do something else, I'm going to go into the Everfree, with or without anyone." Scootaloo snarled frustratedly, making Sombra flinch a bit. "Anypony else with me?"

Applebloom let out a sigh. "May as well come with. Somepony's got to make sure you don't do something stupid."

"Well, I guess if you girls are going, I may as well," Sweetie said with a weak smile.

"Alright, then I guess that means Sombra is stayin' at the clubhouse," Applebloom concluded and the colt in question shivered.

"Actually, I think I'd rather be with you guys." He said and the Crusaders looked at him in surprise so he explained. "I'm scared of being alone. Especially in the dark. Twilight thinks I have these phobias called Monophobia and Sco-to-phobia." The colt had to pause to slowly sound out the last phobia.

The Crusaders considered this information then shrugged. "Okay then, we'll take you with us." Applebloom conceded. "But don't worry, we'll be very careful and at the first sign of trouble, we'll leave. Promise."

Scootaloo looked like she wanted to protest, but one stern look from Applebloom shut her up. Not noticing the silent conversation, Sombra smiled in relief and nodded.

"Okay. I can do that." He said.

"All right now that we've established that, can we go now?" Scootaloo huffed impatiently. Applebloom rolled her eyes.

"Yeah yeah, we're going." The farmfilly sighed. As the group entered, Sombra turned to Applebloom to ask her a question.

"Why are you so eager to go into the Everfree anyways?" He inquired.

"To prove to Applejack that we're responsible," Scootaloo answered with no small amount of irritation. "After what happened at Appaloosa, she's under the impression that we're 'irresponsible' and put us on foal-sitting duty. So we're going to show her that we are responsible."

Nopony noticed the imperceptible flinch from Sombra but they did see his inquisitive look before the inevitable question. "How is going into the Everfree going to prove that you're responsible? Seems like this plan would have the opposite effect."

"You would think that wouldn't ya," Applebloom said then shrugged. "But the last time AJ was being overprotective she only backed off when I got those pies through the Flame Geyser Swamp."

"Flame Geyser Swamp?" Sombra asked.

"Ah take it AJ hasn't told ya that story has she?" Applebloom asked and Sombra shook his head. "Right then, it all started when the time for my family's annual pie delivery came around..."

As Applebloom recounted the events that lead up to her expedition into the chimera infested swamp (with some comments from her friends), the Crusaders trotted deeper and deeper into the Everfree. Completely unaware of the green eyes watching them from the shadows.





Twilight sighed. Even though the water felt great, she still couldn't relax. She couldn't really explain it, but ever since Applejack had taken Sombra to spend a day with the Crusaders, she'd been feeling a little antsy. Noticing her anxiety, Rarity invited her to spend a day at the spa but she was still anxious and increasingly frustrated.

"Twilight, relax." Rarity's voice broke into her thoughts. "Sombra will be just fine. Remember, the Crusaders don't often stray far from familiar territory so just take a deep breath and relax."

Twilight frowned. "How can you be so sure I'm anxious about Sombra?" She asked and the fashionista rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, you've been fidgety and nervous ever since he left with Applejack." She deadpanned. "Even the most moronic pony in the world can tell you're anxious about him."

"Am I that obvious?" Twilight asked.

"Let's just say that you need to work on your poker face and leave it at that." The unicorn answered and Twilight let out a sigh as she sank into the tub.

"Why? Just why do I feel this way about him?" She questioned weakly.

"He's grown on you." Rarity said simply. "You may not understand it consciously, but on some subconscious level, you don't see him as King Sombra of the Crystal Empire anymore. Now he's just Sombra, a colt, and your son."

Twilight didn't even bother correcting her as she'd always done, she was just too tired at this point. "So just like that?" She asked. "Just like that, I'm a mother?"

"If you wish." Rarity said. "If you want, take your time to figure out if that is what you really want and if that is how you truly feel. But don't take too long. Sombra needs a mother."

Twilight just nodded and finally started to relax. Just as she was unwinding, the doors burst open and Applejack rushed in. The two mares turned their attention to the farmpony as she paused to gasp for breath before speaking.

"Twi' I'm mighty sorry ta be barging in like this, but it's an emergency." Applejack said and the pair sat up straighter as any emergency took precedence. "Zecora came ta get me earlier saying that the Crusaders were at her hut and that Sombra....is missing in the Everfree."

There was a deathly silence as they took that in then slowly, Rarity turned to her friend. Twilight's body was rigid and her expression unreadable. There was a momentary eye twitch then her magic activated and she vanished.





The Crusaders sat in silence in Zecora's hut, all three practically feeling the impending doom coming upon their heads. But most of all, they felt guilty and afraid for the colt that they'd grown attached to. They knew he was afraid of being alone, and now he was alone out there in the Everfree forest!

"Do you think our sisters will too mad at us?" Sweetie asked in a hushed voice. At that moment the door slammed opened with such force it made the hut shook and the three fillies turned to face an alarmingly calm Twilight.

"I think our sisters are the least of our problems," Applebloom answered in an equally hushed tone. Slowly and terrifyingly, Twilight stepped closer to them until she was standing over them.

"What. Happened." She asked in a cool yet furious voice that sent chills down the Crusader's spines.

"Um...we uh went into...the Everfree because we want to prove that we were responsible." Scootaloo started slowly. "In our defense, the Everfree has been pretty quiet since you all saved the Tree of Harmony and nopony's seen a timberwolf in a while. Plus it worked before when AJ was in a super overprotective mode that one time."

Twilight turned to spare a glance at the pony in question before turning back to the Crusaders. "Go on."

All three fillies decided that they didn't like this new side of the alicorn and hurried their story along. "So we went into the Everfree, with Sombra, and it was going pretty well until the Timberwolves attacked....."



Flashback Begin



The Crusaders had never run so fast in their lives. The ambush had been sudden, but fortunately, they were able to get away before they were completely surrounded. Unfortunately, they now had a hungry pack of timberwolves nipping at their heels and breathing down their necks. Their foul breath didn't help and the fillies idly wondered if that was the point of the horrible stench. At some point, Applebloom noticed a red flash in her peripheral but brushed it off in favor of running for her life.

Just when it seemed that the Timberwolves were going to get them, a metallic clang made them stop. A second metallic clang quickly rang out followed by a third and fourth until the air was filled with the metallic sounds. The wolves whimpered as the clangs filled the air and ultimately ran. The three fillies looked up as the source of the clangs drew closer and came face to face with...

"Zecora!" They cried as they tackled the zebra in relief.

"Thank goodness you're here!" Sweetie said as she wrapped her hooves around her leg.

"Yeah, how did you find us?" Applebloom asked.

"I heard your screams of distress and came to help," Zecora said. "Why are you in the forest anyway? You know the dangers the Everfree presents."

"We kinda thought it wouldn't be too dangerous since nopony has seen the Timberwolves in a while and our sisters are always going in to fix the castle," Applebloom explained.

"Little ones, even if the Timberwolves haven't been seen as often it doesn't mean that they are not present." Zecora chided lightly. "And your sisters are full grown, capable mares. Now come, I shall take you back home."

"Wait, where's Sombra?" Sweetie asked and the rest of the Crusaders froze and scanned the area for any sign of the colt. Zecora's brow furrowed at the question.

"Someone is missing from your group?" She asked with an edge of concern and the Crusaders nodded.

"Yeah, a little colt with a grey coat, black mane, and red eyes. His name is Sombra." Applebloom described for the zebra. "He was right next to me when we were runnin' from the Timberwolves but now."

Zecora nodded then ushered them into her hut. "Stay here and I shall inform the others of this development." She instructed before leaving.



Flashback End



"...So we just sat here waiting until you burst in here and the rest you know." Applebloom finished. Twilight was quiet, her expression unreadable and the Crusaders wondered if they were still in trouble.

"You said that you saw a red flash in your periphery, correct?" Twilight finally asked this time her tone was thoughtful. Applebloom only nodded anyways. Far better to be safe than sorry and none of the Crusaders were sure if Twilight was still furious.

"That was probably a small surge of magic in the form of a teleport." Twilight continued. "More than likely, Sombra's panic and fear reached a point where his magic instinctively activated and tried to teleport himself somewhere safe."

"So he's not in the Everfree anymore?" Scootaloo asked a little hopefully but Twilight shook her head.

"If only it were that simple." The alicorn sighed before explaining. "Teleportation is a very advanced spell and Sombra hasn't even mastered basic levitation yet. An important part of teleportation spells is that you need to picture where you want to be and really focus on it and I doubt that would've happened in that situation so any instructions the spell would've received would've been more generalized and along the lines of 'away from here'. Plus this is the Everfree forest and there are pollen's here in the Everfree that mess with unicorn magic."

"Like what happened when the Everfree invaded?" Sweetie asked.

"Sort of. At the time when the Everfree invaded those pollen's were extra strong because the Tree of Harmony was dying. Normally they aren't that strong, but they are still problematic to the point where spells like teleportation require even more concentration than normal in order to reach your destination. It's why I generally don't attempt teleportation in the Everfree."

"Oh. So I guess that means Sombra is still somewhere in the Everfree." Scootaloo said as her ears flopped down guiltily.

"Yes, it does," Twilight said shortly and the Crusaders instantly missed Lecture Mode Twilight.

"Twilight, Ah'll take full responsibility for this whole thing." Applejack piped up. "It was my idea and my bad example that led to this whole thing."

Twilight sighed. "It's okay, none of this was your fault and now isn't the time to be playing the Blame Game. Right now I need you and Rarity to take these girls back to the farm and when you're done, go into town and organize some search parties."

The earth pony and unicorn nodded and as the Crusaders walked out the door with them, Rarity paused and turned to Twilight. "And what will you be doing?" She asked.

"I'm going to be looking for Sombra." The alicorn answered. "Maybe I can pick up a trace of Sombra's teleport spell and narrow down the search area."

Her two friends just nodded and left the hut completely, ushering the three guilty fillies ahead of them.





Sombra whimpered. He wasn't sure what had happened, one minute he was running for his life when suddenly his hoof snagged on something and he was falling as timberwolves charged at him. At that moment he wanted to be anywhere but here and the next thing he knew there was a flash of red followed by a strange feeling of movement and now he was in a different and strange part of the forest alone. And to make things worse, he couldn't walk because it hurt to put pressure on his right back hoof.

Fear was beginning to well up in his mind and he was starting to hyperventilate. There was a rustle in some bushes and his fear spiked. "T-Twilight." He whimpered as he tried to make himself as small as possible. The rustling grew louder and drew closer as Sombra trembled until a small blur darted out of the bushes towards him. Sombra shrieked and tried to move away, only to crumble to the ground when a stab of pain jolted up his leg.

Realizing that he couldn't escape, the small colt squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for the inevitable. He could feel whatever it was approaching and sniffing him out. He tensed when the hot breath traveling over his body stop and waited. And waited. And waited..... He jumped when he felt a wet nose press into his leg suddenly and snapped his eyes open to finally see what had him at their mercy. Red eyes met dark brown and for a moment fear clenched his heart when he took in the feline form only to relax when he realized that it was much smaller than the manticores he'd heard of before indicating that it was a cub. A very friendly cub if the affectionate rubbing was any indication.

Slowly and carefully, Sombra started to push himself up back up into a sitting position all the while watching the manticore cub as it tumbled and jumped around playfully. The sight so similar to Winona's own antics made Sombra smile and relax a little. Eventually, he was leaning against a tree once again and watching the active cub. Now that he was in a comfortable position, Sombra called for the cub just like Auntie Fluttershy had taught him and the sound made the cup perk up and turn it's attention to him.

"Here kitty kitty kitty, come here little kitty." He coaxed the little cub as he patted the ground beside him. The cub was bounding towards him at the first word and sat beside him as indicated as rubbed up against him with a purr. Sombra smiled and started to pet the cub, finding it's glossy black fur to be quite soft.

"Good kitty." He murmured as the cub laid its head on his lap. "Good good kitty. I wonder where you came from and if you have a name."

"I call her Dinah." A new voice commented, making Sombra jump in shock and the cub in question raise her head. The colt looked in the direction the cub had come from and saw a much larger form in the shadows of the forest. The shadowed form shuffled a little and looked down.

"Sorry if I startled you." The male voice answered.

"It's okay," Sombra replied then looked down at the manticore cub. "So her name is Dinah?"

"Y-yeah." The form answered hesitantly. "I found her wandering around on her own so I can only assume she was either abandoned because she was a runt or she lost her pride in a bigger pride."

"Oh. And who are you?" Sombra asked. The shadow hesitated before answering.

"I'm Thorax."

"Thorax, that's a weird name." The young colt observed.

"It's actually quite common where I come from," Thorax said idly.

"If you say so," Sombra said with a shrug. "I'm Sombra, nice to meet you. So why are you hiding all the way over there? Why don't you come over here?"

Thorax tensed. "I don't want to scare you."

"Why would you scare me?" Sombra asked with an innocent head tilt. "Are you really ugly or something?"

"Um-not exactly. I'm just different. You wouldn't like me and would run away screaming. Everypony always does." Thorax sounded so despondent that Sombra felt pity for his mysterious friend.

"I promise I won't run away screaming. I can't anyways so you can come out now." The colt said and after a pause added a small 'please'. Thorax was silent for a moment before sighing.

"Alright." he said before slowly stepping into the light and bracing himself for the screams....that never came. Instead, Sombra was looking at him with curiosity and a hint of wonder.

"What kind of creature are you?" He asked and Thorax was rendered speechless.





The walk back to the Apple farm was almost oppressively silent as neither party spoke to each other and the Crusaders weren't willing to try their luck. When they reached the farmhouse, Applejack explained the situation to her brother and granny before they left with the addition of Big Macintosh, leaving the Crusader with Granny Smith. Left alone in the living room with the elderly pony, the three fillies began to think over their situation.

This was definitely not been how they thought things would go, even accounting for Sombra. Applebloom didn't understand it, the last time she'd done something similar Applejack had said that she was responsible and had eased up on her. What was different this time and what had they done wrong? As she thought it over, she realized that her questions all boiled down to one very important question. What is a responsibility? What does that word mean? Glancing at her friends, she saw that they'd reached the same conclusion. Simultaneously, they all turned to the only adult in the house to ask their question.

"Granny, what does responsibility mean?" Applebloom asked. The elderly pony paused her knitting and set it on the table to give the fillies her full attention.

"Well dearies, responsibility has a lot of meanings but they all boil down to one thing. It's a state of fact where a pony has either has a duty over somepony or something." Granny explained. "For example, your sister, brother and myself are responsible for this farm and bringing you up. It's a big job, but we do okay. Being responsible also means being held accountable for mistakes that you've made."

The Crusaders winced and wilted. "Ah guess that means we bucked up pretty badly."

"Language Applebloom!" Granny scolded sternly. "Yer far too young to be using that word. Y'all remember my rule?"

"If we don't know what it means then don't use it. Especially if an older pony uses it." Applebloom recited word for word her granny's rule for swear words. "But it's still at least accurate, right? We really messed up and got Sombra lost in the middle of the Everfree."

"True enough." Granny Smith said as she picked up her knitting. "But at least ya learned ta not go wandering willy-nilly into the forest. There's a very good reason why we tell ya'll ta not go in there."

"Yeah we know, but what about Sombra?" Sweetie asked. "He's still in there and it's our fault!"

"The others will find him so don't you worry none," Granny said. "Now, who wants ta help me with my yarn?"





It took some doing, but they were finally able to sneak out of the farmhouse without Granny knowing. After telling the elder that they were actually quite tired from their expedition, Granny had sent them upstairs to rest but once they'd galloped up the stairs, the fillies had snuck back down the stairs and out the back door. Applebloom felt bad about lying to her granny, but right now there was a job to do. Sombra had been their responsibility and by Celestia, they were going to take responsibility for their actions instead of making other ponies clean up after their mistakes. Applebloom just hoped Granny could forgive her for this.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well, we're certainly not just going to gallop into the forest without a plan." Applebloom quipped. "That's what got us into this mess in the first place and Twilight once told me that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."

"Yeah, even I think it would be stupid to just gallop into the forest," Scootaloo said.

"What about the search teams?" Sweetie suggested. "Applejack, Rarity and Big Mac were going into town to organize search parties, so why don't we just join them."

"That is an excellent idea." Applebloom praised her friend. "Let's go!"





Fortunately, the scooter and wagon were still where they'd left it and with it, they were able to get to town much quicker than if they had tried it on hoof. Unfortunately, by the time they reached the town, the search teams had already left. Never let it be said that Ponyvilians weren't efficient when it came to evacuating or sending search parties when needed. Ponyville was after all a hub for all things weird and dangerous plus it bordered the Everfree forest so it would be a surprise if ponies didn't have such things down pat by now. Regretfully that meant that the Crusaders were left out.

"Why are you so eager to go with the search parties anyways?" Spike asked as the girls looked down at the enchanted map that indicated where they were looking.

"Because it's our fault Sombra is lost and we're going to take responsibility for our actions." Scootaloo declared. "We just have to figure out how."

"Hmm, well I could help you out." The dragon offered. "Sombra is like a brother to me and I'm worried sick about him. Twilight already narrowed down the search area and is out there now so if you guys want, I could join your search party."

"Sure, you can join our search party. Now, where do we start?" Sweetie asked. Ten minutes later the group was entering the Everfree on their quest to find the lost colt.





Thorax was still trying to figure out why the colt in front of him wasn't scared. Even if he'd never heard of changelings he still should've at least felt disgust from the young colt yet that wasn't so. All he could feel from the colt were feelings of curiosity and interest. Even after he'd explained what a changeling was, those feelings didn't diminish rather they increased.

"So how do you feed on love?" Sombra asked.

"Um, we usually temporarily replace somepony and absorb the feelings from the ponies that pony has relationships with," Thorax said as he looked away in shame.

"Can't you just make your own identity and feed yourselves like that?" The colt asked.

Thorax shifted uncomfortably, really not wanting to discuss changeling feeding habits with such a young colt. "Maybe, so what is a colt like you doing out here in the Everfree?" He asked quickly to change the subject.

"I came in with my friends, but then we were attacked and chased by Timberwolves," Sombra answered. "Then I tripped, there was a flash and suddenly here I am."

"Sounds like you had a small magic surge," Thorax said matter of factly. "It happens sometimes for colts and fillies your age. I imagine your friends have noticed that you're missing now and ponies will be looking for you."

Suddenly Sombra's ears dropped and his gaze turned downwards. "Yeah. Looking for me."

"Hey hey, what's wrong?" Thorax asked, suddenly overwhelmed by the sadness radiating from the colt he moved to comfort him.

"I...can I ask you something?" He asked and I nodded. "Do you have a mom?" I nodded again and he gave me a watery smile. "That's nice. I don't have a mom. Just Twilight for as long as I can remember. I want her to be my mom, but I don't think she wants to. In fact, I don't think she likes me at all. When I look around Ponyville, I see a lot of fillies and colts with loving mothers and fathers and I envy them. I wish that I could have what they have but I can't and that makes me feel worse. I just wish I had a mommy to hold and love me."

As the colt spoke, tears began to gather in his and when it looked like he was going to break down, Thorax gathered him up in his arms and held him as he cried. As the changeling gently rocked backed back and forth, he rubbed a hoof on Sombra's back and whispered small words of comfort in his ear.

"Oh, shh shh. It's okay." He said as cries petered out into hiccups. "Hey, I'm sure someday Twilight will become your mom."

"You really think that?" Sombra sniffed.

"I do. If she's anything like what I've heard about, she'll warm up to you and one day you'll be calling her mommy." Thorax said as he released the colt. Sombra nodded and gave him a small smile.

"What's it like to have a mom?" He asked as he wiped the rest of his tears.

"Oh um, to be honest, I wouldn't really know what it's like to have a loving mother. My mom's not exactly the nurturing type." Thorax smiled awkwardly and Sombra returned his grin.

"That's okay. Maybe someday, when I'm able to, I can tell you what it's like." He offered.

"I look forward to that day," Thorax answered with a slightly more genuine smile and looked down at Sombra's injured hoof. "It looks like you sprained your hoof really badly there. How about we take care of that and then I could take you to Ponyville."

Sombra nodded but when Thorax started to walk away, his eyes widened and he grabbed the changeling's tail. "Wait! Where are you going?"

Thorax looked at him bewildered at the sudden spike in fear from the colt. "Just going to collect some herbs to help with your hoof."

Sombra clung a little tighter to the tail in his arms. "P-please don't leave me. I'm scared of being alone. Especially in this dark, scary, dangerous forest."

Thorax's eyes softened and he gently pried his tail out of the colt's grasp (much to Sombra's chagrin). "How about this, Why don't I leave Dinah here with you and she can keep you company until I get back?"

Sombra glance at the manticore cub in question before turning back to Thorax. "Promise you will come back?" He asked.

"I promise," Thorax confirmed. "You just stay here with Dinah and I'll be right back as soon as possible."

The colt paused and then nodded his consent. As Thorax left the colt, Dinah had attempted to follow by a few stern words from the changeling convinced her to stay. Soon it was just Sombra and the manticore cub awaiting Thorax's return.





"Are you sure that this is the right area?" Applebloom asked and Spike sighed in frustration.

"Yes, I'm sure." Spike huffed. "Twilight was sure this was the area the spell took him and Twilight's never wrong."

"Sorry, Spike. I guess I'm just really worried." The earth pony fretted. "It's been a while now and nopony's found him yet."

At the start of their journey, Spike had grabbed a map with lights that marked where the other search parties were and a couple of flares. The dragon explained that Twilight had instructed that if anyone found Sombra, they were to launch a flare or flare spell to let everyone know. And in the entire time, they had been out here, they hadn't seen one flare.

Spike sighed. "I know. I'm worried too. I just hope he's okay."

"I'm sure he's okay," Scootaloo said confidently. "Little guys tougher than he lets on you know. I'm sure he can hold out until we get to him."

"Yeah, you're right," Spike said with a small smile but he couldn't help the small pit of fear forming in his stomach.

Soon they reached a cluster of dense bushes that they had to crawl through and into a small clearing. As they were brushing themselves off, a hiss made them stop and turn. They shook and fear that had shot through their bodies melted away into confusion when they came face to face with a manticore that barely reached Spike's chest. As they stared at the cub, it continued to hiss and spit at them and would've jumped at them if a familiar voice stopped it.

"Dinah no! Bad girl, not threats!" The cub whimpered at the chastisement and moved to the side of the one who'd shouted and nudged him with the look of a kicked puppy.

"Oh don't worry, I don't really think you're a bad girl." The colt cooed gently as he pets the cub. "You were just protecting me and fortunately I was able to stop you so no harm was done. Good girl. Good girl."

The stunned stupor only lasted a second more before the small search party surged forward with a simultaneous cry to tackle him.

"SOMBRA!"

"Ack!" Was all Sombra got out as he found himself tackled to the ground. The next thing that came out of his mouth was a groan of pain when his injured hoof twinged. The Crusaders didn't notice, but Spike did. The dragon's reaction instantaneous, pushing the other ponies off and pulling Sombra upright.

"Are you okay? Where are you hurt?" He fussed over the colt.

"I'm fine. Just a sprained hoof." Sombra said as he lifted the hoof in question for Spike to examine. "I tripped on something while we were running from the Timberwolves and the next thing I knew I was here."

"Uh Spike, isn't there something we should do now that we've found him?" Sweetie coaxed.

"Ah, that's right!" Spike recalled and pulled out one of the flares. The dragon then loaded into the launcher and with a pull of the trigger, launched the flare.





Twilight's head shot up when the flare blazed in the sky. Using the map and position of the flare, she made quick calculations to pinpoint where they were. Within less than a minute, she figured out where they were and started galloping towards them with her friends close on her heels. However the search parties weren't the only one to see the flare and unfortunately, they were much closer.





"There, now Twilight and the others will be coming," Spike said a little proudly and Sombra's ears perked up.

"Twilight came looking for me?" He asked.

"Are you kidding, I've never seen her so...protective," Spike said and the Crusaders nodded in sync.

"Yep. It was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen in my life." Applebloom said.

"Yeah, no kidding. I swear my life flashed before my very eyes when we were facing her down." Scootaloo added with a shudder. "I'm never doing that again if it means facing mama bear Twilight."

"Agreed." The remaining Crusaders said with a nod.

Sombra was grinning at this point and would've said more when a growl from Dinah interrupted. Thinking that she was growling at the approaching search party, he got ready to tell her to stand down when a deeper growl made the words wither and die in his throat. Green eyes stared at them hungrily from the bushes surrounding them and a huge timberwolf slowly emerged from the bushes in front of Dinah. Everyone's blood ran cold as more Timberwolves emerged.

Dinah continued to growl and hiss at the attacking timberwolves threateningly. The cub then jumped at the lead timberwolf, only to be batted aside and hit a tree hard enough that she was knocked unconscious and fallen into a bush out of sight. The sight of the brutal action snapped the group from their stupors and suddenly Sombra found himself scooped up into Spike's arms.

"Girls, time to go." Was all he said before bolting with the three fillies behind him...followed by a pack of timber wolves.



Ten Minutes Later



"I could've sworn they were here." Twilight murmured as she looked around the empty clearing.

"They were here," Fluttershy announced, drawing the group's attention. As she spoke, she pushed a bush aside to reveal the tracks that they'd hidden. "But then they had to leave."

Twilight's gaze darkened. "Timberwolf tracks." She growled and Fluttershy nodded.

"Alongside some dragon and filly sized tracks." She said softly. "If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that the Crusaders and Spike formed their own search party."

Applejack groaned. "Ah swear when I get my hooves on that filly, I'm going to ground her till she's old enough ta have fillies of her own. Which way did they go Flutters?"

"According to the tracks, I'd say this way." Fluttershy pointed in a direction. At that moment there was a scream that they recognized and it wasn't Spike or the Crusaders.

"MOMMY!"

Something seemed to snap in Twilight when she heard Sombra's distressed scream and before they could completely register it, she was gone in a flash of magic. A few minutes later, a pillar of fire blazed through about sixteen miles of the Everfree forest.



 

They hadn't gotten very far before they found themselves cornered in a small ravine. Finding too steep to climb, they turned back to the incoming pack, hoping to find an opening only to be disappointed. Seeing no way to run, Spike handed Sombra to Sweetie Belle and pushed the fillies and colt behind him. The dragon then started puffing in an attempt to at least drive them away with his fire breath, but all he was getting were small wisps of flame. Panic was beginning to set in and in his fear, Sombra did the first thing that came to mind. He screamed.

"MOMMY!!"

As if on cue, a flash raspberry color magic blinded both parties present and when their vision cleared, a new pony had arrived. Standing tall and intimidating with her wings spread and horn already preparing a second spell was Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. And she was pissed.

"You stay away from him." Were the last words the timberwolves heard before their vision exploded into fire.





Finding usable herbs in the Everfree was a lot harder than Thorax thought and the changeling was starting to get worried. He'd left his (hopefully) new friend all alone in the Everfree forest for far too long in his opinion and he was anxious to get back to the little colt before something happened to him. Thorax suddenly let out a 'yipe' when a horizontal pillar of fire exploded behind him, singeing his tail. Instantly the changeling jumped away and turned to watch the admittedly impressive pillar that burned for a moment longer before extinguishing, leaving a few small flames that were quickly vanishing as well.

Thorax glanced around at the damage, seeing a large trench that dug through the Everfree for miles. The changeling was silent for a minute longer before finally voicing his thoughts.

"What in the name of the hive was that?"





Once she was sure that the Timberwolves were no longer a problem, Twilight let out a calming breath as her anger slipped away. The last time she'd gotten angry like that was when Tirek destroyed the Golden Oak library. This time the catalyst was different. She still didn't understand it, but on some subconscious level, she knew that she wasn't going to let anything lay a paw, hoof or claw on him. Finally calm she turned to the small group who were all looking at her with huge eyes.

"Are you all okay?" She asked and they snapped out of their stupor.

"That was...so AWESOME!" Scootaloo gushed and Twilight blushed.

"It was nothing really, Just a simple fire spell." The alicorn replied to the praise.

"Ah've never seen a 'simple fire spell' do that," Applebloom said with a raised brow as her gaze traveled down the deep trench. "You pretty much incinerated those Timberwolves. Um...the Everfree isn't going to catch on fire is it?"

"Oh don't worry, I modified the original spell so that the flames would go out when the spell ended." Twilight explained with a slight puff of her chest. "And even if there were a few stray flames I missed, the Everfree seems to have this sort of defense mechanism to deal with things like this. In fact, I'm already seeing storm clouds gathering. The forest will be just fine."

"Oh good." The earth pony filly sighed in relief and Twilight smiled.

"So what are you girls doing out here anyway?" The alicorn asked.

"We're taking responsibility for our actions!" Scootaloo declared and the other two nodded.

"Yeah, we felt really bad for getting Sombra lost, so we decided to at least try to take responsibility." Sweetie Belle explained. "We kinda snuck away from Granny and went to town to join the search parties, but everyone was already gone except for Spike, so we formed our own search party and we found Sombra!"

Twilight turned to the indicated colt and leaned down so that she was eye level with him, her gaze soft and gentle. "Are you okay?" She asked softly.

Sombra was silent for a moment then let the brightest, happiest smile he'd ever made spread across his face as he threw his legs around her neck with a hum of gratitude and love.

"Mm-hm. I am now."





"Sombra? Dinah? Where are you?" Thorax called as worry began to build in the pit of his stomach when he got no response from either.

A sudden groan drew his attention to a bush and the changeling looked up as the little cub stumbled out of a bush and collapsed at his hooves. Instantly, Thorax pounced on her checking the little cub for injuries. Aside from a bruise on her shoulder and head where she must've hit the tree, Dinah was okay. Now to make sure Sombra was alright.

"Dinah, what happened?" Thorax asked. "Where's Sombra?"

Of course, he didn't really expect a verbal answer as Dinah could only whimper a bit but asking made him feel like he was being thorough. Glancing around the clearing, he spotted tracks that could help him figure out what was going on. So after gently placing Dinah on his back, he then began to study and follow the tracks.





Sombra sighed tiredly as his head hit his pillow. What a day. Shortly after Twilight had rescued them, the others had caught up. It was around this time that Twilight noticed his sprained hoof and had immediately applied a cooling spell. When they returned home, he'd been placed on bed rest and was to keep his hoof as still as possible. Sombra didn't mind much, after today he felt like just relaxing with a book for a long while. A knock at the door brought him out of his musings and he called out a 'come in' to let his visitor in. The door then opened, admitting the Crusaders entrance.

"Hey, Sombra how's your hoof?" Scootaloo asked as soon as they were right next to the bed.

"It's doing better now that I'm home. So what brings you three here?" The colt asked.

"Our sisters wanted us to apologize," Applebloom said. "And even if they didn't, we still wanted to let you know how sorry we are for everything that happened today."

"Yeah, we're really really really Really sorry." Sweetie apologized, all three fillies drooping with guilty.

"Hey, it's okay. I forgive you. I just hope you're sisters weren't too hard on you." The three fillies flinched at Sombra's words.

"Well, they were a little lenient since the second time we went into the Everfree we were not as reckless and were taking responsibility for our mistake." Applebloom started.

"But we're still grounded." Scootaloo finished.

"With extra chores!" Sweetie whined and Sombra winced.

"Sorry." He apologized.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." Applebloom admonished. "We brought it on ourselves."

"Okay, and what about Dinah?" Sombra asked worriedly. While they'd been escorted out of the forest, Sombra managed to tell Fluttershy about the little cub and the pegasus had immediately backtrack to find her. Sombra had been worried for her since and his worry only increased when the Crusaders shook their heads.

"Fluttershy didn't find hide nor hair of her," Applebloom said and Sombra sighed in relief.

"That means Thorax must've found her first." He sighed and the three fillies looked at him curiously.

"Who's Thorax?" Scootaloo asked and Sombra smiled.

"My friend that I met." The colt then launched into an account of what had happened while he'd been lost, at least what he was comfortable with and by the end, the Crusaders were looking at him with wide eyes.

"Wow. You must be super brave to befriend a changeling." Sweetie Belle said in awe. "I could never be that brave. I still get nightmares of the wedding invasion sometimes."

Sombra shrugged. "He wasn't that scary and under the circumstances, I was glad to have the company."

"Yeah, sorry about that again." Scootaloo apologized.

"And again, you are forgiven," Sombra said. "Don't worry so much about it. I actually had fun a bit. And this experience gave me the greatest thing I could ever think of."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Applebloom asked and Sombra just gave them a mischievous smirk.

"Uh uh uh, that's my little secret." Sombra teased and the Crusaders groaned.

"Aw c'mon." They might have pressed the issue a little more if AJ, Rarity, and Dash hadn't called out for them, indicating that it was time to leave.

"Well, we'd better go now." Applebloom sighed and turned to Sombra. "We'll see you around sometime. No hard feelings?"

Sombra shook his head. "No hard feelings. And if it's alright with you, would you mind if I called you sisters?"

The Crusaders grinned. "Nope! See you, round little brother!" And with that, they dashed out the door. Sombra sighed happily as a warm happy feeling filled him.





"...And then Twilight arrived and incinerated the Timberwolves." Sombra said excitedly as he was recounting events to his ferrets. "You should've seen it, there was a HUGE trench that stretched for miles when she was done with them. And afterward, she came to me and asked if I was okay. It was the most amazing moment of my life. And you know something, I think Thorax is right. Maybe I don't have a mommy now, but I do have somepony who cares for me like a mommy and maybe someday, she'll become my mommy."
> Gala
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cadence reached over to her teacup and took a sip of her tea before gently setting back down with a sigh. After a long day of ruling an empire, it felt good to take a load off and relax. As she settled into her seat, a blue magical aura wrapped around her latest favorite book. Opening the journal to where the bookmark was, she started reading and instantly her interest was peaked.



The guards found some three ponies passed out in the snow outside of the empire. Naturally, I had them brought into the palace and tended to. One of the newcomers is an older stallion with a long white beard. The other two are fillies. The oldest is a white unicorn with a pink mane and the youngest is a blue pegasus with a light blue mane. Hopefully, when they awake they can tell me what they were doing out in that storm.



While the entry was interesting in and of itself, it was the next paragraph that really drew Cadence's attention. It wasn't written in Equish but rather in a series of swirling, elegantly written glyphs that Cadence didn't recognize. This was new and something Cadence had never seen before either here or elsewhere. And no matter how long or how hard she stared, she simply couldn't decipher what they meant. So since there was nothing she could do about she turned to the next entry.



Our guests finally woke up and provided some answers. The older stallion introduced himself as Starswirl the Bearded. Interesting name, I wonder if his parents gave it to him or if they just named him Starswirl and he earned the Bearded part later on in life. Moving on, the two fillies introduced themselves as Celestia and Luna. Sisters apparently and I can see it. There are some features that they do share even though they are complete opposites. After learning their names, I learned why they were out in the snow during a storm.

All three hail from the neighboring kingdom of Equestria, specifically the capital. Starswirl comes from the castle where he serves on the Council of the Three Tribes and the two fillies are the children of a merchant that lives in the city. Recently a strange creature that calls himself Discord had literally appeared in the capital and declared himself ruler of all. He then asserted his claim and had reduced Equestria to a state of chaos and disorder to the point where ponies were miserable and if anyone complained, they quickly found themselves brainwashed. Pretty soon it was rare to find anypony who wasn't under Discord's spell.

Starswirl had been seeing the writing on the wall and had left the castle shortly after Discord arrived. Celestia and Luna's father had been one of Discord's first victims so when he met up with them, they joined him in fleeing Discord's trail of destruction and figuring out how to stop him. Eventually, their journey pushed them up North where they ran into the storm and the rest I knew. Taking pity on them and in the interest of keeping that creature out of my empire, I offered them the use of my own personal collection in the hopes that they could find a solution to the problem. Hopefully, together we can solve this problem.



Another interesting entry filled with things that Cadence didn't know about her aunties, but her gaze was drawn to the bottom of the page where once again there was a paragraph written in the strange swirling glyphs like some unknown language. Cadence paused as that thought entered her mind and thought back to Sombra's first entry. Sombra wrote that his family was wandering performers, in other words, gypsies.

Gypsies weren't very common but they were just as much a part of Equestria and often traveled in caravans or on their own, sometimes settling in towns to make money. In fact, if Cadence recalled correctly, Twilight knew one such gypsy named Trixie Lulamoon. In any case, one of the biggest mysteries was where the gypsies came from. According to records from the time period, the first gypsies just sort of appeared out of nowhere and they were pretty tight-lipped about where they came from. A trait that had been carried through the generations to today and if she recalled correctly, many gypsies and caravans would migrate to some place to the North for the winter.

Taking this information, making a couple of calculations and comparing what she knew about Sombra with when the gypsies first appeared, she came to the realization that Sombra was a second generation gypsy. Cadence then glanced at the strange glyphs and a thought popped into her head.

'What if these are from wherever gypsies come from.'

This warranted further investigation. The princess bookmarked her place in the journal, slid it back into its spot on the shelf and galloped to the area she'd dubbed the Secret Study. She had to see if there were any other things written with the strange glyphs.





Spike had been enjoying a nice dream involving him and Rarity when a movement made him wake only to find himself staring into furious red and yellow eyes. The dragon gave an undignified yelp at Discord's sudden appearance in his blankets.

"Where's Twilight?" The draconequus demanded lowly.

"She's in Canterlot helping Celestia with the gala!" Spike whimpered quickly. The next instant, Discord was gone. After glancing around to make sure he really was gone, Spike wrapped his blanket around him with a shiver. He definitely wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon.

"Spike?" The sudden voice made the already on edge dragon jump, but when he saw who it was, he sighed in relief and relaxed.

"Oh thank Faust it's just you." He blurted out and Sombra looked at him in a combination of confusion and concern as he entered the room.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he approached the bed.

"Yeah, I'm just fine. Just had an encounter with a certain draconequus who doesn't know the meaning of personal space!" Spike shouted as he glared around the room, almost hoping the draconequus in question was still around to hear him.

Sombra glanced around the room himself with a look of confusion that eclipsed the earlier concern on his face. "Draconequus?" He asked, testing the new word on his tongue. "What's a draconequus?"

"A draconequus is this creature with the head of a pony and a body made up of all sorts of creatures," Spike explained. "The term draconequus is actually the combination of the words for dragon and horse. And to our knowledge there is only one draconequus, Discord the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony."

"Oh. And he was just here?" The colt asked as he glanced around the room.

"Yep. As a spirit of chaos, he's capable of bending and warping reality to his whims." Spike said as he brushed himself off. "He was asking for Twilight."

"Why would he ask for Twilight?" Sombra asked.

"My guess is he found out that Fluttershy wasn't taking him to the Gala and is probably a little jealous. I could practically see the green in his eyes."

"Oh. So what is the gala and why does he want to go?" Sombra asked curiously.

"Well, I'm pretty sure that Discord's reasons for attending the gala are a little different than some ponies, but the Grand Galloping Gala is this annual ball held in Canterlot to celebrate the completion of the city when it was built." The dragon explained casually, bordering on blandly.

"Uh-huh, and what's a ball?"

"A fancy formal dance. Not something most kids your age wouldn't like." Spike said as he pulled out a comic book and began reading. "I mean sure, there are some dances that are fun, but this is the Grand Galloping Gala, a celebration primarily attended but uptight nobles and snobby upper crust. That's why I declined to come. I already dealt with that last year, no thank you. Personally, I can't see how Celestia can deal with those foals without throttling at least one."

Sombra giggled. "Experience probably." He suggested. "You did say she's been around for at least a thousand years so she probably developed a sense of self-control."

"All I can say is that she must be a paragon of patience to put up with them for a thousand years." Spike joked. "I couldn't even stand them for one night. Kept on getting all sorts of snide remarks and straight up rudeness. So I bailed and went to Doughnut Joe's. At least Joe doesn't care what species you are. Admittedly there are some nobles and upper crust folk who are decent and sensible but the rest I wish I could fry."

"Amen to that," Sombra said with a nod. "So do I have an invitation to the gala?"

"Unfortunately no kid. You're too young to attend, so it's just going to be you and me tonight." Spike said as he ruffled his mane and the colt pouted.

"Aww, but the others get to go so why can't I?" Sombra whined.

"The others are adults and the gala is more of an adult gathering," Spike explained. "Trust me, little bro, you'll be bored out of your skull there."

Sombra's pout lessened but it still remained. "I guess." He grumbled reluctantly. Spike looked at the younger colt and suddenly had a brilliant idea.

"Hey, why don't we have our own gala?" He suggested and Sombra perked up.

"Really?" He asked hopefully.

"Yeah, it'll be our own little party with music, dancing, good food and no stuffy nobles for just the two of us." Spike continued, encouraged by Sombra's enthusiasm. Sombra frowned at the last part.

"But then it wouldn't be as fun if it's just us." He pointed out.

"Hmm, your right. Well, then we'll have to invite more ponies and make it a real party." Spike said then grinned "And if I recall correctly, the castle has a ballroom."

Spike's grin was quickly mimicked by Sombra. "Then let's party!"





"Alrighty then, let's get started." Spike declared. After deciding that they would invite ponies to the castle for a party, they sent a letter to Twilight asking for permission. Twilight replied giving her consent and had even sent a checklist for planning parties. Sombra nodded and looked at the list from over Spike's shoulder.

"Now where do we start?" The colt asked a little excitedly.

"Well, first we need to figure out exactly what we're doing," Spike said. "Like who we want to invite and what kind of theme we'll be having. But since this is kinda last minute, I think those things can be optional in this case. We'll just have to improvise a little."

"Okay, how?" Sombra asked.

"Well, we have a pretty good idea of what we want for this party," Spike explained. "Kid friendly and fun. So we'll just take that and build on it and we'll have something by tonight."

Sombra nodded and Spike continued. "Now the first thing we need to do is get the word out so that ponies will be coming. It's too last minute to send invitations, so we'll have to get the word out some other way. And I have a perfect way."





"Now in order to get some ponies to come to our party, we'll need to get the word out pretty quickly, right?" Spike said and Sombra nodded. "And since invitations are out of the question we'll have to talk to the expert."

Just as the dragon pushed open the door to Sugarcube Corner, the two were suddenly blown back by Pinkie Pie's shout.

"YOU WANT NONE OF THE CAKES!?!?"

Baffled, the two looked around at the numerous cake boxes that were stacked around the shop.

"Uh-Pinkie?" Spike called out tentatively.

"Oh hey, Spike! Hey Sombra! How's it going?" She greeted cheerfully.

"We're okay," Sombra replied. "Is everything okay here? You sounded really upset when we came in."

"I'm fine. Discord was just here by the way." Pinkie said. "And he ordered all the cakes. But then just when I was finished packing up his order, he canceled it!"

"Ah, that explains it," Sombra said with a sage nod. "Say, Auntie Pinkie, Spike and I need your help."

"Sure thing! What do you need?" The pink party pony asked with a couple of bats of her eyelashes.

"Well since Sombra and I aren't going to the gala, we decided to have our own party at the castle," Spike explained and Pinkie gave them one of her widest grins.

"Oohhhh! You've come to the right place, so how can little old Pinkamena Diana Pie help?" She asked, literally bouncing on her hooves. While the party planner loved setting up parties, she loved that Spike and Sombry were setting up a party themselves. It made her feel like she was passing the party baton down to the next generation and she was eager to help how she could.

"We need a way to get the word out as quick as possible. Figured you'd be able to do that for us." Spike said.

"I can indeedily do that!" Pinkie declared. "Also take it from the party master, you're going to need food for your guests."

"That was next on the list Twilight gave to us. Catering. Think the Cakes can manage it?" Spike asked.

"Spike, the Cakes can manage almost anything with or without me." Pinkie assured them. "Don't worry, they can cover it."

"Great! Thanks for your help!" Spike said checking off catering before turning to Sombra who had been eyeing the fruit tarts in the display case. Noticing that Spike was done talking, the colt turned to the dragon with his best pleading eyes. Spike didn't stand a chance.

"We'll also take some of those tarts and if it helps we'll take some of Discord's cakes for the party to make sure they don't go to waste," Spike said pulling out his bit pouch.

Pinkie's smile widened and she began packing the fruit tarts in question. "Pleasure doing business with you."





After getting their stuff, Spike and Sombra left Sugarcube Corner and sat at one of the outside tables to allow Spike to look over the list again and Sombra to eat his tart. As the colt munched his fruit tart, he spotted Fluttershy walking down the road with a mare he didn't recognize. Quickly swallowing his mouthful, he then sat up and began waving the pegasus down.

"Auntie Fluttershy!" He called, quickly getting the mare's attention. As Sombra waved at them, they trotted towards the table.

"Good afternoon Sombra, how're you doing?" Fluttershy asked.

"I've been okay. Do you want a tart? Spike and I got a bunch." Sombra offered, gesturing to the box. Fluttershy smiled gratefully and the two mares settled into seats around the table.

"Well thank you Sombra," Fluttershy said as she lifted a tart from the box passed it to her friend before grabbing her own and taking a bite.

"Mmm. It's delicious."  The pegasus complimented as she chewed and swallowed.

"Yeah, fills me up with all sorts of good vibes." The still unnamed green earth pony agreed and Sombra and Spike gave her funny looks before turning to Fluttershy with questioning eyes.

"Oh! Sorry, Spike, Sombra I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine, Tree Hugger. Tree Hugger, this is Sombra and Spike, the dragon and colt I told you about."

"Far out, we were just talking about you." Tree Hugger said.

"Really, like what?" Sombra asked.

"Oh, lots of things. Fluttershy here tells me that you took in Onyx." The earth pony continued. "She says that she let you touch her and I can see why. You've got so many good vibes coming from you, it's hard not to like you." Tree Hugger paused for a beat then leaned into the colt's personal space. "But I can feel some darker vibes coming from you."

Sombra looked at her in surprise. "Darker vibes?"

"Mm-hm. Darker vibes that make my coat stand on end." She explained. "But it's not coming from you. Feels more like there's somepony else standing there radiating dark vibes."

I-Is that bad?" Sombra asked, suddenly nervous as he glanced around.

"Not really. There are dark vibes, but they're very weak. Almost unnoticeable unless I look close."

"O-okay," Sombra said, not sounding at all convinced and an uneasy silence fell over the group. Finally, Fluttershy broke the silence in an attempt to change the subject.

"So Spike, what are you and Sombra up to?" She and the dragon snapped out of his daze.

"Huh-? Oh well since Sombra and I aren't going to the gala, we're setting up our own party." The dragon answered.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful," Fluttershy said genuinely.

"Yeah, Pinkies helping us a little by spreading the word and getting us catering," Spike said.

"That's great. I'd offer to bring my songbirds for music, but-"

"I know, you and the others will be at the gala," Spike assured the pegasus. "Don't worry, we've already got that covered."





"So you want us to play music for your party?" Vinyl asked just to get it straight. The colt and dragon nodded and the older unicorn smiled.

"Well sure kid. Do you have any sort of music preferences?" She asked and Sombra looked thoughtful.

"Well I kinda enjoy some folk songs and I also like the dubstep you do." He answered. "So basically anything with a good beat with some softer songs mixed in."

"Good beat and some soft songs got it." The unicorn noted as she started messing around with her equipment, sorting through CDs and vinyl records. "I can do that and I've already got a few things I think you'd like. I'll see you guys later tonight!"

"Thanks." Spike thanked as he checked off music. "Don't forget to come before to set up."

"Yup!" Vinyl said with a wave of her hoof as she continued to sort through things. As they were leaving, Sombra paused at the doorway and turned back to Vinyl.

"Oh and I also enjoy some of Octavia's stuff, have you two ever considered blending your music together?" He asked before skipping out the door. Vinyl Scratch halted her sifting around and looked thoughtful.

"Dubstep and classical music together." She hummed then grinned. "I like it!"





"Next is decorations," Spike said as he looked up from his list. "This is often where the theme comes to play. So what kind of decorations do you think we should do?"

Sombra hummed as he looked around the party supply shop they were in. There were so many themes to choose from. Think Pink parties, Roaring Twenties-themed parties, Ancient Civilization parties with togas, Goth style parties, Glamorous Fashion shows, Under the Sea celebrations, Princess parties and so much more. It was almost mind-boggling to see the wide variety and selections. Some looked fun and it was just so hard to pick one. Then he came to one aisle and gasped in amazement at what he saw.

"Spike!" He called. "I like this one!"

The dragon glanced up at the chosen theme and raised an eyebrow. "Steampunk?" He asked and Sombra nodded enthusiastically.

"Doesn't it look awesome?" He asked as he examined a costume top hat. "I especially love those gear designs."

"Well then, steampunk it is," Spike said as he started to load the cart with everything they'd need.





In hindsight, they probably should've started with decorations first before catering and music. Fortunately, they didn't have to run around to inform Vinyl and the Cakes about the theme. Through a combination of Pinkie Sense and Pinkie Logic, Pinkie Pie was already at the party supply store and once they decided on the theme, told them that she would let the Cakes and the DJ know about the theme.

"Party organization is an art and it isn't unusual for first-time party organizers to make a few mistakes." The earth pony had told them with a smile. "But don't worry, Auntie Pinkie is here to help you two make sure you have the best first party."

With the assurance that that would be taken care of, the duo decided to make Carousel Boutique their last stop for outfits for the occasion. It took some time to convince Rarity that vintage brown was a good thing and after a small compromise she relented. They had their measurements taken and after collecting some fabric for decorations, they returned to the castle to set up.

Halfway through setting up decorations, Vinyl and Octavia arrived and began their own preparations. Surprisingly, the two were wearing their own steampunk themed costumes and even Octavia's instrument for the night (a violin) and Vinyl's speakers and equipment had steampunk theme going for it. Vinyl explained that she had always liked steampunk and even had equipment she'd decorated with a steampunk theme for conventions and themed parties like this. Octavia had been introduced to the style by her sister and had fallen in love with the vintage look it provided.

It was around when they were finishing their preparations that the Cakes arrived with the food (and Rarity's outfits) and started to set up. By this point Pinkie and the others had left, but not before the pink pony let them know when the party was going to be (another thing Spike had overlooked but Pinkie had covered for him) and when the Cakes were done and they were ready, they opened the doors to welcome their guests. Almost immediately, ponies began filing in.





Aha! It took some searching, but finally, Cadence found some more of the odd writing. After searching the shelves, she finally found a medium sized box decorated with crystals and snowflakes in a drawer in the desk. Opening the box, she found it to be filled with folded papers that were quickly revealed to be letters. After looking through them, she deduced that none of them were Sombra's as none of them were written in his distinctive hoofwriting.

Instead, they had been written by three different ponies, two of which exclusively used the strange glyphs. The third mystery pony had been writing in an older form of Equish which was relatively easy for the princess to decipher. Reading through the Equish letters, she quickly figured out that these were from his mother and mostly spoke of the typical things a mother and son would say as they kept in touch. The mare would update her son on things that had happened in the caravan such as when somepony had a colt or filly or when a little one discovered their cutie mark, etc etc.

It seemed as though even when he left the caravan to make his own path and eventually settle down, the stallion kept in contact with his family and Cadence found this to be incredibly adorable. In fact, some of these letters were from before Sombra even reached the Crystal Empire and it was in these early letters that he learned that Sombra's birth name had been Somber Shadows. It seemed at some point after traveling through a particular country, he started calling himself Sombra.

She rolled that around and remembered from her language lessons that in Mexicoltan, the word for shadow or shade was sombre. Suddenly it made sense why he changed his name. While traveling in Mexicolt, his name would translate to Sombras Sombrias and Sombra was the logical shortening of that mouthful of a name and by the time he had returned to Equestria, he'd either gotten so used to it he didn't bother to change it back or it had grown on him. His mom would still call him Somber Shadows in his letters. This made Cadence smile a little.

The other two sets of letters, however, were a slight mystery. The hoofwriting on one was more blocky and had a masculine feel and Cadence guessed that these letters had been written by Sombra's father but who was writing the other set. The hoofwritting was more delicate and floral, suggesting a mare. Cadence's first thought was that maybe it was a marefriend, but in his journal Sombra never mentioned a marefriend and these didn't feel like romantic letters. She could tell they were written with love, but not romantic. Maybe it was another family member on his father's side of the family?

The alicorn glanced back at his mother's letters. The mare had mentioned a grandmother a few times and Cadence had pieced together that she was a kind mare much like auntie Celestia or rather auntie Luna and that because Sombra was her first grandson, she spoiled him as much as she could. Maybe that's who these other letters were from. So he kept in contact with his parents and grandmother(?). That was so sweet! Maybe that's why he'd gravitated towards Twilight because deep down he was a mama's boy. And there was nothing wrong with that. In Cadence's opinion it was okay to be independent, yet still, be attached to your family. It was part of the reason why she loved Shiny.

She was still confused as to when and why Sombra became King Sombra, Tyrant of the North (and she had a few theories) but it was late and Cadence was tired. She'd been feeling more fatigued lately like she'd been running out of stamina. She'd been a little curious about it, but not enough to see the doctor yet.

'If things get worse, I'll check in with a doctor.' She reasoned as she replaced the letters as they were before, neatly folded and organized in the box and slid the box into her bedside table drawer before getting ready for bed.





The last train from Canterlot pulled into the station with a hiss and out stepped six mares and one draconequus. Maud was going to stay in Canterlot for a while to study Canter Mountains rocks for her dissertation and Tree Hugger lived in Canterlot. She had only been visiting Fluttershy earlier that day. The other however had wanted to go home, Twilight more so than the others. She couldn't explain it, but she was worried. Ever since the Everfree incident, Twilight had developed a more protective streak that was directed towards the little colt in her care.

Though she was loathed to admit it, she had to concede that the little guy was kinda adorable and hadn't done anything even remotely tyrannical since she took him in. She wasn't sure when, but he'd found a place in her heart. Question was, did she really see him as her little colt. Hard to say at this point, but one thing she knew for certain was that she didn't want anything to happen to him.

As they approached the castle, Lyra and Bon Bon trotted out the open castle doors chatting and laughing as they descended the steps. When they spotted the small 'group', the unicorn and earth pony waved.

"Oh hey Twilight, welcome home!" Lyra greeted. "How was the gala?"

"Eventful, how about here?" The alicorn asked.

"Oh, it was so much fun!" Lyra gushed, clearly the unicorn had indulged in plenty of sugary treats. Lyra was one of the few adult ponies Twilight knew who got extra hyper from sugar like a filly. As Twilight idly mused on Lyra's 'condition' the unicorn continued to gush. "The decorations were spectacular, the music was awesome and the food was delicious!"

Bon Bon nodded and added in a more calm tone, "We had fun. But we're both going to be a bit busy tomorrow so I should get Lyra home and in bed."

As she started to urge the unicorn to trot down the road, Lyra continued to gush. "And did I mention the music because it was AWESOME! Like seriously, I've never heard music like that before and it was awesome! You should ask Tavi and Vinyl what I'm talking about!"

Lyra continued going on about the decorations and food as she was led out of earshot, but by that point, the others had tuned her out and were entering. Inside the ballroom, Spike was busy sweeping up the floor while Octavia and Vinyl were packing up their equipment. The Cakes were also packing up what was left of the food, placing it in boxes and setting some aside and packing the rest into their cart. As they left, the couple only waved at them as they went past and off into the night with Pinkie Pie trailing behind, the pink pony taking a page from the other's books.

Rainbow had already left the group shortly after they left the station to take Scootaloo home to her folks and Applejack had not been far behind as Applebloom had practically been asleep on her hooves. Fluttershy had led Discord away as they walked through town and Rarity returned to the boutique to tuck Sweetie Belle in. Finally, it was just Twilight and Pinkie who'd reached the castle and left with the Cakes, leaving just Twilight.

"Oh hey, Twilight!" Spike greeted once he noticed her. "So how was the gala?"

Twilight groaned. "It's a long story and I'm kinda tired from the long day I've had." She said and glanced around. "Where's Sombra?"

"You're not the only pony who's had a long day," Spike answered and pointed a thumb upstairs. "The little guy's upstairs in bed. The poor kid practically passed out when he hit the bed and didn't wake even when I took off his outfit and tucked him into the blankets."

Twilight just nodded. "Well I'm going to bed and you should too." She said a little firm and the little dragon nodded.

"Don't worry, I will." He promised as he gathered the boxes of food. "Just need to put the food away and make sure the castle is secure and then I'll go to bed. " He paused a beat and turned to Twilight as she was ascending the stairs.

"Hey Twilight, now that you're a princess have you ever thought about getting guards?" He asked. "You may not be as big a deal as Celestia, Luna or Cadence, but you're still a princess so maybe two or three guards might be a good investment to make sure we're safe."

Twilight gave it as much thought as her sleep-deprived mind could before giving up. "Maybe, I'll think about it when I'm not dead on my hooves."

"Fair enough, good night Twilight," Spike said as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Good night Spike," Twilight replied as she finished ascending the steps. She turned in the direction of her room, but then she paused the turned towards another room. Sombra's room. Slowly and quietly entering, she looked around the room. It was neat and tidy, toys put away and books and games were in their places on the shelves. Yet it wasn't so neat that you couldn't tell a child lived here. There were somethings out of place and at one corner of the room, a magic light illuminated the room in a gentle glow. Twilight herself had carved the runes for that spell when it became obvious that Sombra was afraid of the dark so that the colt could have a nightlight. A soft violet light shone just bright enough for Sombra to not be afraid, yet at the same time not bright enough to keep him awake.

And speaking of the colt, Twilight turned to the bed where Sombra lay, the blankets having been pushed down a little at some point and his ferrets curled up around them. Twilight smiled softly and approached the bed. With a soft glow of raspberry magic, she gently maneuvered the ferrets so that they weren't in the way and pulled the blanket up to Sombra's shin before setting the ferrets back. She then gazed at his sleeping face for a moment before glancing around to make sure she really was alone.

Once she was sure it was just her and the colt, she gently brushed one of his bangs aside then slowly leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. The colt stirred slightly at the touch and his eyes cracked open a centimeter.

"Mmmommy?" He murmured sleepily, clearly not completely awake.

"Shhh, shhh. It's okay, go back to sleep." Twilight hushed as she ran a hoof through his mane. "I'm here. I'm here." The alicorn then began singing a lullaby to the sleepy colt and gradually he relaxed as he fell completely asleep. Once she was done singing and was satisfied that he was asleep, she kissed him gently again.

"Good night little Sombra." She whispered before finally leaving the room completely unaware of the invisible spirit of chaos that had seen and recorded the whole thing on his camera. Quietly he transported back to his realm and released his squees at the absolute adorableness he'd just witnessed.

"Best. Night. Ever." He finally gasped.
> Big Sister
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is so exciting." Twilight gushed. "The map is summoning you to Griffinstone, the very heart of the griffin kingdom! I don't know if either of you have read Bygone Griffins of Greatness, but griffins were known to be-"

"Rude insensitive bullies?" Rainbow cut her off sourly. The pegasus was already grumpy because her nap had been interrupted, but now she was going to have to go interact with griffins? After how Gilda acted towards her friends, she'd left a sour taste in her mouth towards the species in general.

Twilight lowered the book she'd been reading and turned to her friend. "You mean Gilda?" She asked.

"Yeah, I mean Gilda!" Dash snapped. "When she came to Ponyville, she was a total jerk to all my friends, especially Pinkie Pie!"

"She was a bit of a party pooper," Pinkie admitted before brightening up again. "But I sorta forgive her."

Mm-hm- wait what?!" Rainbow shouted after cutting off her own hum of agreement. "How could you, she was such a jerk when she was here!"

"I know that Dashie, and like I said I sorta forgive her." Pinkie said sagely. "She still has to apologize, but if she does I will forgive her completely. I'm just not holding a grudge against her. My Granny Pie always taught me that holding grudges doesn't help anything. You do know that the reason why the three tribes took so long to completely unite was because they were holding grudges towards each other right?"

"Uh, I guess," Rainbow said, not willing to admit that she never really paid much attention to that part of the story outside of the traditional play.

"Exactly. If the three tribes hadn't given up their personal grudges then we wouldn't be friends and we'd all be miserable!" Pinkie Pie said with a cheerful grin and the other two ponies were struck by how profound her words were. "Plus, it doesn't seem very fair to judge an entire species based on one griffin. That would be like saying all ponies are like me, or you or Twilight or Appl-"

"Okay okay, I get it." Rainbow cut her off. "But Gilda had to get her rude attitude from somewhere. When we were at Flight Camp, she wasn't such a jerk and when we graduated she went back home to the Griffin Kingdom."

"Maybe, but Pinkie has a point," Twilight added. "Gilda was a little rude, but you shouldn't judge all griffins based on one experience with one griffin. It's because others like you had that sort of small-mindedness that it was hard to achieve peace with the Griffin Kingdoms. Many conflicts with the griffins actually began because so-called 'diplomats' weren't very diplomatic. They refused to understand griffins and even insulted them to their faces on many occasions."

"Seriously?" Rainbow asked, honestly not sure how to feel about that.

"Seriously. That's why I'd like you to keep an open mind in Griffinstone." Twilight said seriously before breaking out in a grin and brought the book out again. "And according to this book, Griffinstone has a rich and fascinating history. In ancient times, roughly around the time before and after the Great Exodus, griffins were known to be as greedy as dragons, always hoarding their bits and other treasures. But all that changed when King Grover discovered the mysterious Idol of Boreas. Legend says the Idol of Boreas was made from the dust of golden sunsets blown across the mountain by the north winds. Possessing the Idol of Boreas filled the griffins' hearts with pride. It's said that that one great treasure is responsible for turning Griffinstone into the most majestic kingdom of all the land."

"Aha, so why do you care so much about griffins?" Rainbow Dash asked the alicorn as she flipped through the book.

"It was actually Gilda's visit that made me curious," Twilight admitted. "So I picked up Bygone Griffins of Greatness, and I've been hooked ever since! And now..." Twilight sighed at this point. "Now you two get to see Griffinstone with your very own eyes."

"Huh? Just me and Rainbow?" Pinkie asked. This was the second time the map had sent them anywhere and it seemed as though it was sending only two ponies. Interesting.

"Hey, you can totally take my place if you want," Dash said a little hopefully. Even with all the new information on griffins, she still wasn't up to traveling to the Griffin Kingdom. "I still have half a nap to finish."

"Why don't you just come with us?" Pinkie offered. "I mean you are the Princess of Friendship."

Twilight slammed her book. "No, no, if the map wanted me to go to the coolest kingdom in all of Equestria and tour the palace and see the actual idol that unites an entire species, which would be super amazing, I'm sure it would've said so." Twilight then took in a deep breath and sighed as she shut off the map. "You two can handle whatever the issue is just fine. I'll just stay here and do important princessy things. I guess."

"Well then, come on Dashie! We're going to Griffinstone!" Pinkie cheered.

Rainbow Dash sighed in defeat. "Fine." She grumbled.

"That's the spirit!" Pinkie Pie cheered before blowing a party horn.

"Can I come too?" A sudden voice piped up and the three adult ponies swiveled around to face a hopeful Sombra with Spike next to him.

"How long have you been here?" Twilight asked.

"Roughly around when you were giving a history lesson," Spike said. "Sombra wanted to see what was going on and we sorta came in without you noticing."

"Can I go to Griffinstone too?" Sombra rephrased his question then pulled out the pouty puppy dog eyes. "Puleeeeaaaasse?" He begged.

"Sorry Sombra, but only Dash and Pinkie can go," Twilight said apologetically. "They're the ones the map summoned."

"But I never get to go anywhere and Griffinstone sounds so cool!" Sombra whined and Spike smirked in amusement.

"Whining aside, he's got a point." He said. "He hasn't really gone anywhere since he got to Ponyville and even the Crusaders have traveled. Going to Griffinstone could be a fun experience, broadening his horizons and all that."

"But the map summoned Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie," Twilight argued, reactivating the map to prove her point. "See, that means that only they can go."

"And when Princess Celestia sent you to the Crystal Empire, she said that only you could save the Empire, but if I hadn't been there, Princess Cadence wouldn't have gotten the Heart and the Empire would be under the rule of a cruel tyrant this very moment. Thanks to me."

The three mares rolled their eyes when Spike puffed his chest out, but Sombra was looking at the dragon with awe. "You saved an empire?" He asked.

"That's right big guy." Spike preened. "In fact, the crystal ponies practically worship me."

"Wow, how did that happen?" The colt asked and Spike was about to retell the story when it suddenly struck him just who he was talking to.

Suddenly there was an awkward atmosphere thick enough to cut with a butter knife. Spike glanced up at the other mares in the room, their eyes also wide with realization and silently telling him there was nothing they could do. He then looked down at the colt who looked up at him with a wide-eyed, eager and completely innocent look. This was like that time during the Friendship Games when Spike got stage fright trying to light a torch in front of the empire, only ten times worse.

"Um- that's a story for another time when you're much older." Spike finally blurted out hastily, much to Sombra's disappointment.

"Awwww." He groaned and Spike patted him on the back.

"Sorry buddy, but it's not exactly a kid's story." He said and Rainbow had to hold back a snort. Spike had told the story to numerous fillies and colts including the Crusaders. Spike noticed her poorly hidden snort and shot a glare in her direction.

"But this isn't about me, this is about Sombra." He said, stressing his words a bit. "Point is that Sombra here could help a lot. You know it never hurts to bring back up just in case."

Twilight bit her lip and looked down at Sombra who was giving her his best pleading doe eyes complete with puppy dog pout. The alicorn held out valiantly, but even she crumbled before the might of doe eyes and a puppy dog pout. Twilight sighed.

"Fine, just stay close to Pinkie or Dash." She said then turned to the two mares in question. "And you two keep an eye on him." She said sternly. Rainbow nodded and Pinkie saluted.

"Aye aye, mama bear." She said. "You've got nothing to worry about, Li'l Sombry will be perfectly safe with us."

"Yay! I'm going to Griffinstone!" Sombra cheered.





Within an hour, the trio had trotted down to the train station and had purchased their tickets. Before long, they were all settled in their seats and on their way to Griffinstone. Pinkie Pie glanced around the booth at her traveling companions who both had their noses buried in reading material of some sort. Curious, she turned to Sombra first.

"So, whatcha reading?" She asked and Sombra glanced up from his book.

"Its a book on mechanical devices and how they work and such." The colt explained and lifted the book up for Pinkie to see. "Look, its got all these neat pictures with mammoths and such which make it easier to understand, though I do have some additional questions for the train's engineer."

As Sombra hummed thoughtfully as he looked at the page on trains, Pinkie 'oohed' at the pictures before turning to her other traveling companion.

"And what about you Rainbow, what are you reading?" She asked and her pegasus friend sighed.

"Twilight literally wrote a book on what we need to do in Griffinstone." She groaned.

"You mean like a guide on how to figure out what problem we're supposed to fix?" Pinkie asked as she snatched treats off the snack trolley.

"And then some." Rainbow groaned a little dramatically. "It's like Twilight herself in book form." She then combed her mane to look like Twilight's and started imitating the alicorn. "Always carry plenty of bits. The griffins are sure to help you as long as you share the wealth."

Rainbow Dash then looked up and was hard pressed to not let her jaw hang in shock. In the few seconds that she took her eyes off her friend, the pink earth pony had accrued enough sweets from the food cart that Sombra was forced from his seat beside her to sit next to Dash. As she'd looked up, Pinkie Pie had dropped a huge bag of bits onto the cart, essentially cutting out a large chunk of their available funds. As the trolley trundled away, burdened by the large bag, Pinkie swallowed her bite and let out a sheepish laugh.

"Uh, can I borrow some bits?" She asked and one of Rainbow's eyebrows rose.

"I have some bits." Sombra offered with a raised hoof. "I saved up some and Spike said I'd need them for this trip."

"Keep a hold of those bits kid," Rainbow advised. "I have a feeling we'll need them."





Eventually, the train came to a stop at the Griffin Gorge station. Unfortunately, since the Griffin Gorge station was at the bottom of the Hyperborean Mountains with Griffinstone at the top, that meant the three ponies were in for a very long trek. At the start of the trek, Sombra walked alongside his aunts, only being carried when the path became too steep or treacherous. But eventually, the path became more and more treacherous to the point where Sombra had to be carried the rest of the way. As he was riding Pinkie's back, the young colt took the opportunity to read Twilight's guidebook.



Upon arriving in Griffin Gorge, be sure to pause and cast your eyes northerly, up the Hyperborean mountains, taking in the breathtaking beauty of Griffinstone. Once in Griffinstone proper, go immediately to the palace and introduce yourself to the king. Bygone Griffins of Greatness was written a long time ago and it ends with the coronation of King Guto the fourteenth. I have no idea who's in charge now.

Tell the king you've been sent by the Princess of Friendship, and you're there to help with some sort of problem. If for some reason the king can't help, I'd try the Griffinstone library next. It's a little-known secret that if you befriend a librarian, you can usually find out anything. Plus, as a bonus, there's a statue of King Grover outside! Photo op! And don't forget to sample some famous griffin scones. They're supposed to be the best!



"Aw, Twilight should've come along!" The sudden comment from Pinkie startling the colt on her back from his reading. Just in time to see that they were just entering Griffinstone.

"Then she could see first-hoof that Griffinstone is..." The three ponies froze as they got a good look of Griffinstone. Finally, the silence was broken by Pinkie Pie.

"..a total dump!"





Pinkie, Dash, and Sombra were silent at first and then slowly entered, taking in the state of the city. A crack drew Sombra's gaze upwards to a branch that had started to break when a griffin had landed on it. Clearly, the branch was unstable and the griffin would have to move.

"Ugh. Maybe the map should've called Rarity instead of us." Rainbow grumbled and Sombra shook his head.

"Nah, I think Auntie Rarity would probably have a heart attack first if she saw this place." The colt joked and Dash let out a snort of her own in response. Meanwhile, Pinkie rushed towards a griffin with an owl's head.

"Excuse me, sir?" She said to get his attention but when she was ignored, she shoved her face into the griffin's. "This is Griffinstone, right?"

In response to her question, the griffin grabbed her by the face and moved her aside before proceeding down the road with a glare directed towards the pink party pony.

"Well, that wasn't very nice." Pinkie commented as Dash and Sombra joined her.

"See? These griffins are exactly like I'd thought they'd be." Rainbow Dash commented sourly.

"Well, auntie Pinkie did shove her face into his without regard for his personal space." Sombra piped up. "Maybe griffins aren't as okay with that as ponies are. Different cultures and such you know."

"He's got a point Dashie." Pinkie added. "Or maybe he was just rude. No need to condemn the species as a whole. Anyways, we should just find the palace so we can ask the king what's going on."

"We don't have a king, losers." A scratchy female voice interrupted and they turned to face a female griffin that had walked up. Sombra didn't recognize her, but judging by the other's reactions, they did.

"Hello, Gilda." Rainbow greeted coldly.

"Dash!" Came the more aggressive reply.

"Pinkie!" The pink pony broke in with a small cheer. Sombra looked at the three adults in curiosity before voicing his question.

"Auntie Dash, auntie Pinkie, do you know this griffin?" He asked.

"Unfortunately," Rainbow grumbled. "She used to be my friend from when we were fillies, but that was a long time ago."

Gilda gave the smaller pony a scrutinizing look before turning back to Rainbow Dash. "What's with the fun size, and why's he calling you 'auntie'?" She asked. "I thought you were an only child."

"I am," Rainbow said stiffly. "Sombra's just Twilight's kid and since I like to think of my friends as family, I became his auntie. But that's beside the point, what are you doing here?"

Gilda looked at her like she'd just asked a stupid question. "Uh, I'm a griffin and this is where I live?" She said in a sarcastic tone then shot them a glare. "What's your excuse, dweebs?"

"Hey!" Pinkie protested. "These 'dweebs' are here to help Griffinstone!" As she spoke, she raised a hoof only for the raised appendage to be grasped by Gilda's talons and pulled back to the ground.

"Help it what?" She asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Well... we're not really sure!" Pinkie admitted. "But it involves a map and our cutie marks and a problem and-"

"Bored now!" Gilda cut her off as she started walking off.

"Well if you don't have a king, could you at least tell us where the Idol of Boreas is?" Pinkie asked and Gilda stopped with a snort.

"Ha-ha! Don't tell me you really believe in that thing." She said incredulously.

"You'd better believe in it!" A wheezy male voice shouted and every one turned to watch a vulture-headed griffin tumble from his perch in a nearby house with a cough, a wheeze, and a thud. But the older griffin must've been tougher than he looked because, before long, he was out the door and shouting.

"It was the best thing to ever happen to us griffins!" He said and Gilda rolled her eyes.

"Oh, great. Now you got Grampa Gruff started!" She said in annoyance as the ancient griffin approached.

"I'll tell you the whole tragic tale..." Grampa Gruff said before holding a talon out with a cackle, "...for a couple of bits."

Rainbow let out a sigh before supplying the requested bits. Grampa Gruff studied and bit the coins first and when he was satisfied, he tucked them underneath his fez. Then with a clearing of his throat, he began.

"The first griffin king, King Grover, united our kind like we've never been united before or since! And he did it all with that incredible Idol of Boreas."

As the older griffin spoke, Gilda copied his gestures perfectly behind his back. Clearly, she'd heard this story before and Pinkie and Sombra had to stifle their giggles behind their hooves. Apparently, this wasn't a new occurrence either as Grampa Gruff paused his tale to turn to his granddaughter who was looking away casually with an innocent expression. Satisfied that the younger griffin wasn't up to anything, Grampa Gruff returned to his tale.

"And that idol brought pride to the heart of every griffin that saw it! From one king to the next, Griffinstone had our golden idol. We were the envy of all other species." Gruff said, his voice passionate. The older griffin then turned and gestured for the group to follow. As he led them a larger more ornate building not far away, Grampa Gruff continued his tale.

"It held us together and gave us an identity. Right up until the reign of King Guto." Gruff led them into the larger building which the three ponies quickly realized was the palace. Once they were in a room that was clearly the throne room, Grampa Gruff continued.

"That's when Arimaspi came to steal our griffin treasure!" He said, gesturing towards a broken window. "I was a soldier on guard duty at the time and I remember that dark stormy night like it was yesterday. That hideous, greedy mountain goat broke in through that window right there and went for the idol. King Guto tried to fight him off with us at his side, but Arimaspi managed to stop us and while we were dazed, grabbed the idol and made his escape. He didn't get far before we cornered him at the stone bridge over the Abysmal Abyss. But before we could retrieve the idol, lightning struck the bridge and it crumbled. We were safe, but Arimaspi fell to his death and took the Idol of Boreas with him."

Grampa Gruff then gestured to a stump like a pedestal in the middle of the throne room. "This is where the idol used to rest since King Grover, but now it has been empty for the past two generations. They say that when our treasure fell into the Abysmal Abyss, our pride went with it. King Guto was the last king of Griffinstone, and we all lived miserably ever after. The end!"

"That was the saddest story ever!" Pinkie Pie sniffed as she cried.

"Aw, well...Tough tailfeathers! No refunds!" Grampa Gruff barked out before taking off to leave.

"No wonder Twilight's book ended with the coronation of King Guto." Pinkie said. "Who'd want to record a history that sad?"

"It's not sad!" Gilda snapped as her grandfather let himself out, getting caught in the process. "Do we look sad to you?" She growled as Gruff scrabbled to get free until he finally popped through.

Sombra gave her a look that clearly said, 'do you really want me to answer that'? Rainbow Dash, however, wasn't paying attention. She was looking at the pedestal with a thoughtful expression before her eyes lit up.

Pinkie, I think I know why the map sent us here." She said with a confident grin. "We need to find the Idol of Boreas and bring glory and pride back to Griffinstone!"

Gilda snorted and laughed a bit. "Here we go, typical pony hero complex." She said with a roll of her eyes. "None of us care about that dumb old idol except the old timers who even remember it and even they don't care as much as Grampa Gruff. Don't you get it? We don't care about anything and that's the way we like it!"

"I think Rainbow Dash is right." Pinkie said and she appeared on the griffin's back. "The map did send us here to solve some sort of problem."

"The only problem Griffinstone has is you!" Gilda screamed as she knocked the pink pony off her back and flew out. As Pinkie watched the quickly shrinking form of Gilda, Rainbow let out a snort of her own.

"Well, I don't care what she says." She said before getting airborne herself. "We're going to find that treasure, make Griffinstone cool again and get back to Ponyville! Come on!" She was just halfway out the still broken window when Pinkie stopped her.

"Wait, Rainbow Dash. What about Twilight's advice?" She asked and Dash gave her an incredulous look.

"What, taking a bunch of pictures?" She asked equally incredulously.

"She mentioned finding answers at the library." Pinkie corrected. In response, Rainbow Dash tossed the book into her face.

"Knock yourself out." She said dismissively. "But when you get bored of Twilight's tour book, I'll be at the Abysmal Abyss finding the Idol of Boreas."

And with that the pegasus vanished in a prismatic blur, leaving Pinkie Pie and Sombra in the abandoned palace. Pinkie reached down and scooped up the discarded book from the floor then glanced at the silent colt beside her.

"Well, it looks like its just you and me." She said casually before tucking the guidebook into her mane. "Well then, what do you think?"

"About the story or what we should do?" Sombra asked in reply and Pinkie shrugged.

"A bit of both actually." She said and Sombra gave it some thought.

"Well, I think Arimaspi was too greedy and confident when he went after the idol in the first place and paid the price for his hubris." The colt said and Pinkie nodded sagely in agreement.

"Very true." She muttered before turning in a random direction. "Remember kids to never get too greedy or you could end up falling into bottomless abysses." She then turned back to the confused colt before her and pointed a hoof at him. "And that goes for you too kiddo."

"Um.. okay, I won't," Sombra promised before continuing. "I'm also not entirely sure if the griffins are in the right either. I mean if their entire country just collapses because of one missing heirloom, then how strong was it in the first place?"

"Exactly!" Pinkie declared before ruffling Sombra's mane a bit. "You really are Twilight's kid, she's already rubbing off on you a bit. Now then Li'l Sombry, what do you think we should do?"

"Well, I think we should look for the library like you said," Sombra said. "And since we don't know our way around here, we should ask Gilda where it is."

"Well then what are we waiting for, let's get going!" Pinkie said enthusiastically as she led the way out of the throne room and back to the streets of Griffinstone.





It took them a while to track the griffin down, but soon enough they found Gilda walking down the street and pulling a cart with an oven behind her.

"Hey, Gilda!" Pinkie Pie greeted and the griffin practically groaned at her approach.

"Great, here comes the annoyance and fun size." She grumbled under her breath. The griffin didn't have anything against the colt, but the pink pony annoyed her. As soon as she reached the griffin, the pink pony started chatting.

"Soooo, word on the street is that Griffinstone has an amazing library chock-full of answers!" She said in that annoying high-pitched voice.

"Word on what street?" Gilda growled, already aggravated.

"Okay, maybe not this street, but on other streets, your library is the talk of the town." Pinkie amended, the earth pony either not noticing or completely ignoring Gilda's hints. Time to be blunt.

"The libraries right there, so why don't you go inside and leave me alone?!" Gilda screeched as she gestured to the building in question before picking up the pace to get rid of the pony.

Pinkie took one look at the place and wilted. The library looked decimated with very few books left. Some torn and scattered around the ground. Pinkie lifted turned a page in a book that was wide open, only for the page to come off in her hoof. She gasped.

"Maybe it's a good thing Twilight didn't come." She murmured as Sombra began to sift through the books. The colt nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, no kidding." He said. "She'd likely have an aneurysm if she saw this." As Pinkie went to talk to King Grover's statue, Sombra continued to sort through the books. Once she was out of sight, Sombra glanced around. Once he was satisfied that the coast was clear, he removed his saddlebags and opened one of them.

"Okay, the coast is clear. " He said quietly. Upon his signal, four lithe creatures crept out of the bag. Immediately, Onyx rushed up to her favorite perch in Sombra's mane and gave him a sharp look.

"I'm sorry, but you know I couldn't let anypony see you," Sombra said as he shrugged helplessly. Onyx huffed, but in the end, conceded the point. Now while the four ferrets were it the bag they had heard everything but now that they were out, they were able to take in their surroundings and agreed with Pinkie's earlier assessment. This place was a dump. It just baffled them that a kingdom could fall into ruin so completely over a missing chunk of gold.

"Okay, we've got a lot of research to do so would you mind helping me track down some books?" Sombra asked and the ferrets shook their heads then scattered into the ruins of the library.

It didn't take them long to track down every book in the library. It seemed as though at some point, all of the more valuable or useful books had been taken long ago and probably sold. What was left were various miscellaneous books. Sombra tucked a few books on machinery into his bag as they seemed more informative on the subject, but otherwise, he couldn't much. As hey examined some griffin cooking and baking books, a shout from auntie Pinkie startled him from his thoughts.

"NO SINGING, NO PARTY STORE, NO BAKERY?! WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!" She screamed to the sky, drawing Sombra's attention towards her and Gilda. As he tucked the baking and cooking books and Usher Onyx and the others back into his pack, there was an answering scream.

"You're welcome to leave at any time!!" Gilda screeched, propelling Pinkie into a wall.

"Well, that just takes the cake." Pinkie said as Sombra approached. "Wait, no! It can't take the cake 'cause there is no cake! Or muffins! Or griffin scones!"

"Oh, we've got griffin scones," Gilda answered with a small edge of pride as she gesture to her cart. "That's my specialty." Sombra glanced at the scones and honestly, they didn't look appetizing. Unfortunately, Pinkie didn't have such thoughts and immediately piped up.

"I'll buy one!" She said.

"Uh, auntie Pinkie..."Sombra tried to warn as Gilda plucked one off the cart but Pinkie didn't listen and instantly went for the scone as the griffin offered it, only to chomp on thin air when Gilda pulled it away.

"Bits first!" She said, holding out her other claw.

"Auntie Pinkie.." Sombra tried again as Pinkie pulled a bit out of her mane and placed it in Gilda's claw. The next instant, the scone was shoved in her mouth and Sombra watched in horrified awe as she chewed in a manner like one would crunch gravel. Complete with a sound like she really was trying to eat gravel.

"Well?" Gilda asked as Pinkie continued to try to chew the scone. "What, you like it? That's my Grampa Gruff's Secret Recipe."

'What's the secret ingredient, twigs?' Sombra thought to himself as he glanced at the rest of the 'scones' and seeing the twigs sticking out. Pinkie Pie on her part didn't say anything until there was a significant crunch that made her let out an exclamation of pain.

"Ow! I think I broke a tooth!" She exclaimed around her mouthful of 'food'.

"Well, whatever. No refunds." Gilda snapped to hide her disappointment. "I don't even care anyway. I just want to sell enough of these so I can leave this lousy town!"

Promptly, Pinkie spat out her 'scone'. "I can help you with that!" She said and grinned, showing off damaged teeth.





"...Now just pop those in the oven and you'll have griffin scones worth their weight in gold!" Pinkie declared as she slid the pan into the oven. A delicious smell was wafting out and Gilda had to grudgingly respect the baker. But only a little bit. All of a sudden, Gilda heard a collision and a thud just a few feet away. She turned and saw a familiar griffin on the ground and rubbing her head.

"Greta!" She exclaimed and went to help her up. Once she was up, however, Greta yanked her arm from Gilda's grasp and stalked away. As she watched the griffin leave, she was suddenly reminded of the pony's presence.

"Aha! I saw that Gilda!" Pinkie said with a smile. "You may act like a gruff, grumbling griffin, but inside you're gracious and great!"

"What are you talking about?" Gilda said gruffly as she tried to brush it off. Being among ponies had made her soft, she only hoped she could get the annoying pink pony to forget what she'd just seen.

"You just helped your friend up when she got knocked down." She said and Gilda cursed her luck in her head. Darn it!

"What her?" She asked as she indicated the griffin from earlier. "Greta's just some griffin I know. We don't have friends here!" She said then sighed. "I did have a friend once, but you saw how that turned out."

Pinkie suddenly made an expression that made Gilda look at her strangely as her eyes bugged out and went in different directions. Then she gasped. "Oh, my gosh, I gotta go find Rainbow Dash!" She exclaims before vanishing into a pink blur.

"See ya." She said before turning to the fun size. As the pink pony had been teaching her how to bake, the colt had settled on the rock she'd parked her cart on and was reading a book titled The Mechanics of Machines and How They Work.

"So kid, how'd you end up one of the princess' kid?" She asked just to start a conversation and Sombra looked up from his book.

"Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how but I know that she was the first pony I saw who made me feel safe." He said with a shrug. "I can't remember anything before then."

"Nothing?" Gilda asked interestedly. "Not even your folks?"

"Nope, just Twilight," Sombra said. "And Spike too, he's my big brother. And I like to think of Twilight as my mom even though she hasn't said it, I'm pretty sure she feels the same. She takes good care of me and even protects me from all the bad things."

Gilda smiled, it was a tiny one but it was a smile nonetheless. "And what about your aunties?" She asked in curiosity. "Are Dash and that pink ball of energy your only aunties?"

"Oh no, I've got three more aunties," Sombra said as he shut his book, now fully invested in the conversation. "There auntie Applejack, she works on the Apple farm and sometimes sneaks a free apple for me when I visit her stand. Auntie Rarity makes cool outfits for me a lot and auntie Fluttershy helps me out with my pets sometimes."

"Ah, so that's what I was seeing in your direction earlier." She said with a knowing smirk and Sombra's eyes bulged before he tried to act cool.

"I...um...I have no idea what you're talking about." He said with a nervous laugh that made Gilda chuckle.

"Kid, you do know that there's a reason why 'eagle's eye' means someone with acute eyesight?" She asked between chuckles. "And I am part eagle. I can spot things that ponies wouldn't be able to see. I other words, I saw your ferrets."

Sombra wilted in defeat knowing that he'd been had. "You won't tell auntie Dash and Pinkie will you?" He asked meekly.

"Kid, if I wanted to rat you out, I would've said something earlier when Pinkie was here." He said as she ruffled the colt's mane and Sombra perked up. "Now since I already know about them, why don't you introduce me?"

Sombra nodded and, seeing no point in hiding them anymore, he let them out of his saddlebags to get as much air and exercise as they could before they had to leave.

"This is Onyx, Tigers Eye, Moonstone and Smokey Quartz." He said introduced the four ferrets and Gilda nodded in approval.

"I don't really say this often, but they're pretty darn cute." She confessed as she began playing with the little creatures. "You chose well kid."

Sombra smiled widely. "Thanks!" He said happily. "You know Pinkie's right. You try to play tough, but your really very nice under that tough rude exterior. I know you tried to hide it, but you were actually disappointed when Pinkie didn't like your scones."

Gilda gave a hollow snort. "Heh, and I work so hard on my tough exterior." She said ruefully. "Around these parts you have to act tough in order to protect yourself and your bits. Its every griffin for themselves here and any sort of weakness is something to be exploited."

"Does it really have to be that way though?" Sombra asked with a frown. "Can't every griffin just get along and work together?"

"Like I said, kid, we don't have friends here," Gilda said with finality.

Sombra glanced around at the other griffins and observed to the way they interacted with each other. "And all of this because of some missing knick-knack." He murmured. "Aside from being some old trinket, what exactly does the Idol of Boreas do? I know that the Elements of Harmony and the Crystal Heart do something important, so what about the idol? What does it do?"

"Near as I can, just sit around looking pretty," Gilda said with a shrug as she checked the scones.

"That makes even less sense," Sombra said in exasperation. "The Elements of Harmony and the Crystal Heart are relics that are important tools for protecting Equestria and the Crystal Empire respectively so it would make a little more sense if our kingdom were to collapse if they were lost or destroyed. Even then I think Equestria and the Crystal Empire would be more sturdy than that and wouldn't fall to ruin that easily. The Idol of Boreas in comparison is just a worthless chunk of gold so what does it say about griffins when it's loss leads to this?"

Gilda didn't say anything because the kid had a point. What did it say about griffin kind when their kingdom collapsed because of the loss of an idol that was essentially a paperweight? A whole lot, that's what. Especially when their neighbors whom many griffins would call 'weak' were doing a lot better than they were now. As she thought this out, she found that the scones were finally done and after trying one, smiled a bit.

"Hmmm, that pink pony wasn't lying." She said appreciatively. "This is much better than Grampa Gruff's old recipe. Here, try one."

The griffin handed Sombra a scone, and as they enjoyed the warm, delicious scones, Pinkie Pie rushed up in distress.

"Rainbow Dash is stuck on a ledge in the Abysmal Abyss, and I need your help to save her!" The pink pony blurted out and Gilda frowned.

"Not my problem." She huffed shortly. She may have had a lot to think about now, but she was still a little sore about Dash breaking off their friendship.

"Of course it's your problem!" Pinkie rebutted. "She's your friend!"

"Used to be." Gilda corrected bitterly.

"Can't you remember when she was?" Pinkie asked and Gilda nodded.

"Yeah, of course, I can." She said as she let her mind drift back to when she'd first met the pegasus. Her parents had scraped together enough bits to send her to that flight camp in the hopes that it would open up better opportunities than if she stayed in Griffinstone. She was a new creature far from home and a perfect target for bullies. Rainbow had stood up for her and became her friend. Her first and only friend.

Gilda quickly wiped away a tear that had formed a turned to Pinkie. "Fine. I'll help her." She growled. "But that doesn't make me her friend."

"Duly noted." She said and once the griffin had walked away, she turned in a seemingly random direction like she was facing an audience.

"Except it does!" She said in a 'stage whisper' before following. Sombra only spared her auntie before galloping after the two.





It went without saying that Cadence was enjoying her current reading material. The next few entries of the journal told of how they searched the library until they discovered a book titled The Legend of the Tree of Harmony. Finding it to be just what they needed, Celestia, Luna, and Starswirl left to search for it. A few entries later, Discord was imprisoned, Celestia and Luna became alicorns and were made the rulers of Equestria. Celestia and Luna still maintained contact with Sombra and even sent him a gift for his birthday. That entry was one of her favorites.



I received many gifts for my birthday this year. Some were just gifts from nobles to kiss up to me, but there were some genuine gifts from my friends. My favorite gifts were from Celestia. They sent quill pens made from their own feathers. Celestia's was made with Rhinegold with a sunstone to decorate it. Luna's had Mythril silver and a moonstone. I could tell that they put a lot of thought and effort into their gift and that was touching.



There was another paragraph that was written in the strange glyphs, but Cadence was somewhat more focused on one thing. 'No wonder those quill pens looked a little familiar. I've seen feathers like that on auntie Celestia and Luna.' Returning to the present, Cadence turned to page to another interesting entry.



Today was the day of the first Royal Summit, a summit where all the known royalty gathers to discuss things like how things are going on in their countries and form alliances. And you wouldn't guess who I met at the summit, Grover! Of course these days he goes by King Grover, but he'll always be Grover to me. We first met years ago when I was still traveling. I was passing through the griffin lands and by far they were the most unfriendly, even hostile, bunch I've ever met.

Except for Grover. Grover took me into his home, invited me to his dinner table and even shared his bits. Most griffins, if they even deigned to let a stranger into their home would charge them for every single thing but Grover shared without asking for a single gem or bit. I decided that I couldn't just leave without giving him something. So using some gold, a polished boreas stone, a common stone in the Hyperborean Mountains, and some alchemy I was able to craft a statuette to commemorate our friendship. After presenting it to him, I left and I haven't seen him since.

While we were catching up, he told me he used the statuette I gave him to unite his entire species and gave it the name, the Idol of Boreas. I'm not entirely sure how he managed it, but Grover's always been excellent at talking something up. Even if the thing in question is a rotten rat, he could make you think that it is the most excellent delicacy in the world. So, it's not too far-fetched for me to believe that he used a trinket I made from some gold coins and a common stone is some sort of idol.

When I asked him why he did it, he told me that he wanted what we formed with his fellow griffins. Before I came to Griffinstone, he often watched the ponies and wondered if griffins could be just as unified as them. And after seeing that it was possible with our own friendship, he decided to give it a try with his fellow griffins. And now he's the king of griffins. I can't help but wonder if having an idol is really the right way to go in the long run, but it seems to be working so far. Hopefully, the day will come when the griffins won't need a silly little idol to stay together as a nation.



Cadence had heard of the Idol of Boreas, but she didn't know that it'd actually been crafted by Sombra himself. Maybe someday she should pay a visit to Griffinstone to see this infamous idol. And maybe try those famous griffin scones while she was at it. Actually, any scones sounded good right about now. Maybe there were some in the kitchen. After sliding her bookmark into the journal, Cadence set it down and left to scrounge up something to eat.





As Gilda pulled them up the abyss, she was thinking. About the idol and Griffinstone in general. The kid had a point earlier, basing their entire culture on a knick-knack was flimsy, especially if their whole government collapsed when it was lost. A lot of other countries were making all sorts of progress and Griffinstone had made almost none. Especially without the idol. Forget the stupid idol, why did they need that dumb chunk of gold to become a kingdom anyway? They'd probably be better off without it.

WHISH!

Gilda jumped and almost lost her hold on the cliff when something whizzed past her ear at terminal velocity. The next moment she heard a thunk and a cry of shock and pain. Suddenly concerned for the colt they left up at the top of the abyss, Gilda sped up her climb as fast as possible.

"Kid! Hey kid, you okay up there!" She called out as she pulled herself and the two mares up. There was a small moan as they neared the top and Sombra finally answered.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay." He shouted out. Gilda however still didn't feel like the kid was okay until she could make sure he really was. So once they were over the edge, she instantly turned to where the colt was rubbing his head and began looking him over for injuries. The only injury she could find at the conclusion of her investigation was a small bruise forming on his forehead. Satisfied that he was relatively unharmed, her next priority was to figure out what happened.

"When you guys were falling, I wanted to help so I started trying to access my magic so that I could maybe levitate you to safety." He started to explain. "I'm not great at calling up my magic and I've only ever managed to do it on two occasions but they were both magic surges where I had little to no control over what my magic was doing. I was hoping I would get lucky and then I got a spark."

At this point, Sombra's eyes brightened. "I activated a levitation spell and judging by the fact that you stopped screaming at around the same time, I assumed I'd caught you. Then when I tried to pull up whatever I snagged, it shot up at me and smacked me in the face. But on the bright side, I managed to call on my magic!"

As three of the elder creatures smiled at Sombra's positivity and Gilda chuckled as she ruffled his mane. "That you did, fun size." She said. "While I'm pretty sure you didn't snag us, you may have just snagged a rock or something, it's still an impressive feat."

As Sombra beamed proudly while Pinkie fussed over him, Gilda and Rainbow glanced around the clearing to spot what might've struck the kid. Rainbow was the one who spotted the perpetrator and her jaw dropped.

"Uh, hey Gilda?" She called out.

"Yeah?"

"Remember why I went down into the Abysmal Abyss in the first place?" Dash asked and Gilda gave her a funny look.

"Uumm...Yeah? Why?" She asked.

"Well....." She said as she turned with something in her hooves. "It looks like we weren't completely unsuccessful."

Now it was Gilda's turn to stare slack-jawed for in Dash's hooves was the Idol of Boreas. There was a long beat of silence as everyone took in the situation and put two and two together.

"So I guess this is what I snagged in my levitation field," Sombra said as he examined the idol. "It's dirtier than I imagined it would be."

Gilda snorted and Dash flew over to the griffin and dropped the idol in her talons. "Here you go, now you can restore Griffinstone."

Gilda was silent as she looked over the idol, her expression unreadable. Then after a time she turned to Sombra and set it down in front of him.

"Here ya go kid, one souvenir of Griffinstone." She said casually as if she wasn't talking about an ancient relic that had held together a nation. "Put it on your mantle or something."

Rainbow's jaw dropped again. "Wha- You- The- Huh-?" She struggled to form a coherent sentence for a full minute before finally blurting one out. "What are you doing?"

"The right thing," Gilda replied. "It just seems a flimsy to rely on some knick-knack that could get stolen again to hold our nation together. Plus, if I brought the idol back then I would be crowned queen and that just seems like too much of a hassle."

"Seriously?" Dash asked and Gilda shrugged.

"You've seen my 'leadership skills' If you could even call it that," Gilda said. "I couldn't even lead our flying team, what makes you think I could take charge of a kingdom? But it all seriousness, I feel like this is something that needs to happen and when your a hunter, you learn how to follow your gut pretty quickly. The idol has served its purpose in getting us this far, now its time to stand on our own four feet."

"Yeah, but now we'll never be able to solve Griffinstone's problem," Rainbow argued but this time, Pinkie was the one to reply.

"That's what I was trying to tell you!" She said. "The map didn't send us here to find the lost Idol of Boreas. It sent us here to replace it with something better!"

"Nothing's better than gold to a griffin." Gilda pointed out.

"That's because you don't have friendship!" Pinkie said with a smile. "If you can learn to care about each other again, Griffinstone could be a mightier kingdom than it ever was before! And you don't need some golden idol to do that. You just need each other."

"Whoa Pinkie. That was.. really sappy." Dash said and Gilda nodded.

"Yeah, I agree." She said and Pinkie just shrugged.

"Eh, what can I say? That's how I roll." She said before springing forward to bounce back to town. "Now come on, let's get back to town so you can get started."

As Gilda packed the Idol of Boreas into Sombra's saddlebags, the colt looked at her and the pegasus not too far away. "Maybe that isn't the only reason why the map sent you here?" He piped up and everyone paused to look at him as he continued. "Maybe the map sent you here to reconcile with each other."

All three paused to take that in until finally, Gilda turned to Pinkie and Rainbow Dash. "Um, I'm sorry I was such a jerk last time." She apologized. "It was rude and uncalled for. I was just acting how griffins usually do here and completely forgot that I wasn't in Griffinstone. Can you...forgive me?"

"Oh Gilda, I already have." Pinkie said with a pat on her head.

"Yeah, me too," Rainbow added. "I'll admit I've been holding a grudge for a while, but we're cool now."

"Cool. Thank you." Gilda said with a smile.

"Now can we get back to Griffinstone?" Sombra asked a little impatiently and everyone smiled at him.

"Sure kid, let's get going," Gilda answered for the others and they set off for Griffinstone proper.





"I don't know Pinkie. You really think these griffins are up for this? We aren't exactly in Ponyville, you know." Rainbow asked, already having a few second thoughts as they watched Gilda interact with a griffin named Greta. Once they had returned to the cart, Pinkie had given Gilda the (somehow) still warm scones and pushed her off to make a friend. Pinkie didn't reply, but she didn't need to as Gilda rushed up to them looking a little excited.

"Okay, so she was a little weirded out until I gave her the scone." She said. "Then she tried it and said it tasted good! That's the first nice thing anygriffin's ever said to me!"

At that moment, Pinkie and Rainbow's cutiemarks began ringing, indicating that the job was done. "Whoa Pinkie. I guess that really was the problem we needed to solve."

Pinkie grinned and slowly began to raise her container of baking powder. "And we did all with.....baking powder!"

Rainbow sighed and turned to Gilda Well, we'd better be heading home."

"What?" Gilda screeched "Y-Y-You want me to spread friendship here by myself?! How am I supposed to do that?! I haven't even made one single friend yet!"

"No, you haven't. You've made three." Dash said and Pinkie looked like she was going to cry tears of happiness.

"Hugging! Hugging now!" She wept and everyone pulled together for a group hug.

"But you'll come back and visit, right?" Gilda asked worriedly as she ran a claw through Sombra's mane.

"Just try and stop us!" Rainbow declared boldly and Sombra looked up at the griffin as she tried to pry herself from Pinkie's grasp.

"Yeah, and just so you can remember me, here." Sombra then dug around his bag and held out his various cooking and baking books. "I found these at the library and I figured you could make better use of them."

Gilda grabbed the books and sorted through them before giving Sombra a smile and ruffling his mane. "Thanks, kid, these'll help a lot. I'll see you around too, right?"

"Of course. In fact, if you want, I could call you my big sis." He offered and Gilda gave it some thought.

"Big sis huh? I've always wanted a sibling so, why not." Gilda said with a shrug and a light mane ruffle. "You've got a deal...little bro."

Sombra giggled and tried to fight off her talons. Half an hour later, the ponies were finally leaving and as they left, Pinkie glanced back to where Gilda and Greta were enjoying scones and chatting with each other and she knew they'd be okay. She then glanced up at the statue that they were standing in front of and sent a flirtatious wink in its direction.

"Se ya later, you old charmer." She said to the statue.

"Uh, Pinkie? Who are you talking to?" Rainbow asked in confusion.

"Nopony!" Pinkie answered. Come on, let's go home and see how gummy did with Granny Pie's Marjolaine Recipe!"

Sombra, however, wasn't paying attention and was instead glancing between Pinkie and the statue of King Grover as disgust began to well up for some reason he couldn't explain. It was the kind of disgust on feels when their closest family member flirts with a best friend.

"Ew!" Was all the colt could say about the situation.





"So how was Griffinstone?" Spike asked as Rainbow and Sombra entered the map room.

"It was lots of fun!" Sombra answered. "I even got a souvenir."

"Really? Let's see it." Spike answered. Sombra nodded and reached into his saddlebags to pulled his souvenir out and place it on the table.

"It needs a little cleaning, but otherwise it's pretty awesome right?" He said but Twilight and Spike didn't answer as they were too busy staring at the Idol of Boreas with hanging jaws.

Rainbow cackled at their expressions. "Yeah, I had that same reaction too." She said between chortles.
> Sombra
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today was the big day. The day Cranky and Matilda got married and everypony was excited and getting ready for the big day. Even from his place on the outskirts of town, Thorax could taste the excitement and love in the air. It had been a while since he'd last entered a pony settlement and after the fiasco at the wedding, he was more than a little nervous. But he was willing to try for the sake of his little buddy. Or at least he hoped he was his little buddy.

He already figured that Sombra had been rescued by the ponies while he was gone, but he'd feel a little bit better if he could see that he was okay. Plus he wanted to know if the colt saw him as a friend. He really hoped he did cause that meant Thorax had made his first friend. If he didn't, well then what did that say about his chances to make friends if a colt who wasn't afraid of changelings didn't like him?

A nudge at his leg knocked him from his self-deprecating thoughts and he looked down at Dinah. The manticore cub had grown a little since he'd found her and Thorax smiled as she rubbed up against him and nudged his leg with her head. At least if things didn't pan out, he still had Dinah.

"Thanks, girl." He said as he stroked her soft fur. "I really needed that."

Confidence restored, Thorax sucked in a breath and transformed into a light blue pegasus stallion with a darker blue and cream mane. After checking to make sure his disguise was in place and ensuring that Dinah would stay put, Thorax strolled into town as casually as a nervous changeling could manage.





"Hey Sombra, is that gift ready yet?" Spike called out as he approached the colt's bedroom.

After receiving their invitation, Sombra had volunteered to put together a gift on the behalf of the Sparkle household. Twilight agreed and since then the colt had been working hard, even locking himself in his room for long stretches at a time. He wasn't quite at Twilight's level of 'dedication' but he seemed to be competing for it. At this point, both Spike and Twilight were curious at what Sombra had put together as he hadn't consulted either except to ask for books. Twilight had already left to gather her friends to respond to reports of a Bugbear, so it was just Spike and Sombra in the castle.

Returning to the present, there was a moment of silence before Sombra finally answered Spike's question. "Almost!"

By this point, Spike was in front of his door and knocked. "Mind if I come in and see?" He asked. There was another beat of silence before the dragon got his reply.

"Kind of." He said slowly. "Like I said, it's not quite finished yet and I don't want you to see it until it's done."

Spike took in that sentence before letting out a sigh. "Sombra, I'm your brother. I'm not going to judge you based on what I see." He said and hoped he soothed the colt's insecurities. Finally, there was a small sigh.

"Okay, you can come in," Sombra said softly, yet still loud enough that Spike could hear.

Having received permission, Spike entered the room. Since he'd moved into his room, Sombra had made the room feel lived in, giving the room a unique 'Sombra' feel. On one shelf Spike could see the Idol of Boreas, cleaned, polished and shining brightly in the sun where it stood. Sombra sat in the middle of the floor surrounded by his ferrets, one of whom had a screwdriver in her mouth. Also surrounding the colt were little gears, springs and other such bits and pieces and right in front of him was what looked like a golden egg on a base.

Spike turned his attention to the egg in front of the colt, recognizing that this was likely the wedding gift he'd worked so hard on. It was a pretty simple egg almost half the size of a watermelon. There were simple designs etched on the egg and the base which was equally simple with four legs supporting the egg. At first glance, Spike assumed that it was some sort of decoration, but then he saw the handle on the base that could be cranked with a hoof.

"So what does it do?" Spike asked and Sombra brightened up a bit.

He didn't say anything, just cranked the handle in question until he couldn't and let it go. First the music started and after a few notes, the egg split into four and Spike gasped in amazement at what he saw inside. Two birds made of gold with outstretched wings and interlocking talons twirled around and dipped slowly to the music that played. The detail on the inside of the device was almost astounding, especially on the bird's wings. Spike could practically see every individual feather. As the song came to an end, the egg closed and Spike was left stunned for a moment.

"That was...amazing!" He exclaimed once he was able to speak. "Did you make that all by yourself?"

Sombra smiled and nodded slightly. "I had a little help from a few ponies like Doctor Whooves, Octavia, and Vinyl but otherwise yes. I did put it together myself." He said with a hint of pride at his accomplishment.

Spike's jaw dropped. "How?!" Was all he could say.

"I read a lot on the subject and got some pointers from Doctor Whooves. He even let me borrow his tools." Sombra said with a bashful shrug. "I even took my own music book apart to see how it worked. But I put it back together with one small improvement. It's not much, just plays a couple minutes longer than it used to. Even then I was sort of guessing and making it up as I went."

Spike was once again floored. "You made this all by yourself with some guesswork?" He marveled as he carefully handled the music box. Sombra nodded.

"Yeah, but it's not done yet." He said and Spike's eyes almost bulged out of his head.

"Not done yet, what more could you possibly need to do?!" He exclaimed. "It's perfect the way it is!" In response, Sombra pulled out a paper that seemed to serve as his blueprint for the device.

"Look here," he said as he pointed at a certain point in the drawing. "The wings are supposed to move while the birds dance. I'm just missing a couple of pieces and it'll be done." Sombra paused for a beat studying his blueprint before turning to Spike. "How pressed for time are we?"

"We really should be getting ready if we want to make it on time," Spike answered and Sombra hummed in thought before gathering up the music egg, tools and a few bits of machinery and putting them in his saddlebags.

"Alright then, here's the plan." He said as he secured the saddlebags on his back. "We're going to go to the clock shop to pick up the cogs I need and install them there before heading to the town hall. You'll have to bring the box and wrappings."

Spike saluted. "Yes, sir!" He said then cracking a grin when Sombra smiled. "Well, let's get going then."

After gathering the packaging, the duo left the castle leaving just Owlowicious, Onyx, Tiger's Eye, Smokey Quartz and Moonstone alone in the castle. Looking at each other they silently asked each other 'what now'?





The Doctor looked up when the bell over his door rang, indicating that somepony had entered his shop, and smiled when he saw who had trotted in.

"Sombra my boy, good to see you again." He said with a grin as the colt approached the counter. Ponykind was quite fascinating and very different from humans. They treasured friendship and other such bonds between each other above all else and were always creating. True there were some bad ponies just as there are always bad humans but otherwise, it was very refreshing to live in a relatively calm and peaceful world. He'd even started a family again.

As his thoughts started to drift to his wife and children, a slight thud on the counter drew him back to present and he looked down at the golden egg that had been dropped rather gently onto the counter.

"No time Mr. Whooves, I need a couple of cogs to finish this in time for the wedding!" He blurted out in a rapid-fire manner and the Doctor blinked.

"So this is your gift for Cranky and Matilda eh?" He asked and Sombra blinked. The stallion took a moment to examine the device before him and hummed appreciatively. "Its mechanics look rather impressive, would you mind if I saw what it does?"

"Yes," Sombra said with a nod. "We're pressed for time as it is and it's not done yet. That's why I'm here in the first place."

"Very well." The Doctor conceded, he could always scan it with his screwdriver later. "Why don't you come into my back room and get you fixed up and sent on your way."

Sombra smiled. "Thank you so much, Mr. Whooves." He said in relief as he led them to his back room.

"Please, call me Doctor." He said before following the colt and dragon.





Thorax trotted around nervously as ponies bustled about busily and tried, rather unsuccessfully, to ask somepony where Sombra was. Unfortunately, everypony was a little too busy to pay him any mind and Thorax wasn't brave enough to raise his voice and call attention to himself.

"Um...hey I'm kinda looking for somepony." He called as a grey pegasus with a blonde mane approached at a fast pace.

"Can't help." The pegasus answered. "Need to get flowers for the wedding."

"Maybe I could help." Thorax offered as he started to follow the first pony who'd talked to him. The pegasus looked to think about it before nodding.

"Alright then. A second pair of hooves couldn't hurt." The mare agreed. "I'm Ditzy by the way. Ditzy Doo Whooves. Nice to meet you."

"Oh, I'm uh...Forest Stream." Thorax said, coming up with a name on the fly.

"Well nice to meet you, Stream." Ditzy greeted. "Now follow me, I have an idea."





One would expect that Sombra, Spike, and the Doctor would've had to jump through several hoops to get the music egg finished, yet nothing of the sort happened. The Doctor had just what the two needed and in less than twenty minutes the parts were installed and all that was left to do was pack it in its box and wrap it. A task that was also accomplished fairly quickly. And so within the span of half an hour or so, Sombra and Spike were out the door and on their way to the wedding.

After sending the two on their way, the Doctor flipped the sign around to closed and locked the doors so that he could begin his own preparations. Popping into his own personal laboratory to make sure everything was in order, the Doctor did a double take when he saw that his flameless fireworks were missing. The only clue to their whereabouts was a note taped to the container. Pulling it off, the Doctor began to read.



Hey honey, I'm borrowing your flameless fireworks to use as flowers for the ceremony. I know that doesn't sound safe and it probably isn't, but this is an emergency and you know how badly I feel about mixing up the dates on the invitations. Don't worry, I'm taking all the necessary precautions that I can and praying to Faust and Bonnie that everything will be fine (some back up wouldn't hurt). Anyways, your suit is in the closet and make sure Dizzy and Dinky are ready as well. Love you and I'll see you at the ceremony!



The Doctor took all that in for a moment then sucked in a breath. "Well alrighty then, sounds like another exciting day in Ponyville." He said with a fond sigh. Even if he wasn't traveling much anymore, life in Ponyville was an adventure that he enjoyed every day. "Better make sure I bring my screwdriver."





"Um, are you certain that this is safe?" Thorax asked uneasily as he glanced down at the rainbow-colored 'roses' in his arms before glancing back at the blonde mare that was stacking them.

"Of course I'm certain." Ditzy asserted as she grabbed another firework and finished the stack before moving on to the next. "My husband wouldn't create something that would purposefully harm anypony. You'll be just fine you big baby."

"I'm sorry, it's just I hear 'flameless fireworks' and 'unsuccessfully tested' in the same sentence and my fight or flight instincts kick in," Thorax explained and Ditzy nodded.

"It's an understandable reaction." She conceded as she finished the last stack. "But rest assured that I have taken every precaution I can to ensure that nopony will be hurt."

Of course, she decided to not mention just what sort of precautions she'd taken as it was not normal for pegasi to be able to use magic. Thorax relaxed, partly because he was no longer holding an armful of explosives, and turned to Ditzy.

"So, how can you help me out?" He asked and Ditzy nodded.

"Sure, what do you need?" She asked.

"I'm looking for somepony." He answered and Ditzy smiled.

"Well, your in luck because you are talking to Ponyville's Number One mailmare." She said proudly with a puff of her chest. "Aside from Pinkie Pie, I'm the second pony who knows practically everypony. Now, who are looking for?"

"A colt named Sombra," Thorax answered and was internally delighted to get a grin in response.

"Sombra eh? I know him pretty well." Ditzy said with a nod. "He's been visiting my husband's shop a lot lately and been talking with him about mechanics and stuff like that. Anyways, he lives with Princess Twilight in that big castle you see in town."

"Thank you so much for your help," Thorax said and dashed out of the building just barely catching Ditzy's reply.

"Your welcome and thanks for your help!" She called out as his disappeared out the door. With the 'pegasus' gone, Ditsy turned to the 'flowers' they'd set up and smiled.

'What a nice changeling.' She thought to herself.





Thorax pondered how he got in this situation. After finding out where Sombra lived, Thorax had paused a moment to get his bearings before making a dash for the castle in question. Unfortunately, he was only three blocks down the road before the universe deiced to foil his plans. It started with music that made Thorax pause to listen to figure out what was going on. He only had the chance to ponder why the music was getting louder before an apparently mobile DJ booth with multiple ponies riding on it rounded the corner.

Before he could get out of the way, the booth barreled towards him and 'scooped' him up and the next thing he knew, they were barreling back the way he came. Then just as he was processing this, he found himself flying through the air towards town hall then crashing into a seat, dizzy and disoriented. By the time he regained his bearings, the door was locked and the ceremony was underway. Figuring that there was no escape, Thorax settled into his seat to enjoy the ceremony.

It was midway through the Mayor's speech that he noticed that the fillies and colts were giving him more than a little space while they stared at him. Looking down at himself to see why they would have such a reaction, Thorax discovered that at some point his disguise had dropped, revealing himself in all his changeling glory. Mortified didn't even cover how he felt at this moment. Terrified for his life was more along the lines of how he was feeling but there was little he could do without drawing more attention to himself than he already had.

At this moment, almost everyone else was focused entirely on the Mayor and the happy couple but if he tried to replace his disguise, then he'd draw their attention for sure and then it would be game over. So all he could do was sit in his seat as calmly as possible and wait for the perfect opportunity to replace his disguise. Or at the very least slip out a door or window and escape back into the Everfree to try again. He almost yelped when he felt a tap on his shoulder and whirled around to face ruby red eyes.

Sombra smiled at him and settled into a seat beside him. "You came." He whispered. "I was kinda surprised to see you here, but you came. So how's Dinah? I've been a little worried about her and wondering if she was okay."

"She's doing good," Thorax whispered back, relaxing a little and almost forgetting his situation. "Manticores are pretty resilient and you'd be hard-pressed to find anything that can do any real damage to them. Even the cubs are pretty sturdy."

"That's good. So how about you?" Sombra asked. "How have you been?"

"I've been pretty good," Thorax answered. "I actually came into town to see you an make sure you were okay. I figured that you'd been found and rescued, but I wanted to make sure."

"I'm fine, promise," Sombra assured Thorax with a pat. "The Crusaders found me first but then we were chased by Timberwolves and then Twilight showed up. She incinerated the Timberwolves and a large strip of the forest to protect me."

Thorax looked down at the colt's beaming face. "That's great kid. Sounds like she's a real mama bear sort of pony."

"I know." Sombra agreed. "It's reassuring to know that she really does care even if she doesn't say it."

It was at that moment that the newly married couple shared a kiss and an explosion made Thorax jump a little. As he looked up to watch the flameless fireworks exploding indoors, the changeling recognized this as the perfect opportunity and immediately replied his disguise and turned back to Sombra.

"I should get going." He said. "I've left Dinah alone for most the day and I really should get back to her."

A look of disappointment crossed Sombra's face when Thorax said that and he stopped the changeling's retreat with a question. "Will I ever see you again?"

Thorax turned back to Sombra. "Do you want to see me again?" He asked and Sombra nodded.

"You were really nice to me when I was lost in the forest and we are friends aren't we?" Sombra asked and Thorax felt his heart grow light with hope.

"I-if you want me to." He said meekly, hoping that this wasn't a dream. Sombra smiled.

"It want you to." He said and Thorax almost cried.

"I'll warn you now, I might have to leave some time to find someplace else with more love." He said and Sombra nodded.

"That's okay." He said. "If you need to go somewhere else to eat, I won't stop you. I'll miss you, but I won't stop you. Just remember to keep in touch and that I'll always be your friend."

"Sure thing kid," Thorax said as he ruffled Sombra's mane. "Sure thing kid."





"Boy am I glad that's over." Cranky grumble and he and Matilda settled down in their house. After the ceremony, there were a lot of congratulations from everypony and he was relieved that they finally had a moment to themselves. Matilda hummed in agreement.

"I'll admit it was a little stressful at first, but it was well worth it and the reception was fun," Matilda said. "But it is nice to have some time to ourselves."

"True, so what do you want to do?" He said with a slightly seductive purr. Matilda giggled.

"Nothing naughty just yet." She admonished then gestured to the pile of wedding presents on the floor. "I just wanted to see what everypony got us."

Cranky groaned. "Isn't it a bit late to be opening presents and preparing thank you cards?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around his wife and buried his muzzle in her neck. "Let's do that tomorrow and just spend some time with each other tonight."

Matilda giggled at her husband's suggestion. "Fair enough, how about a compromise." She suggested and Cranky's ears perked up, indicating that he was listening. "We'll spend the night together, just the two of us, without anypony to worry about after we open one or two presents. Deal?"

Cranky grumbled a bit but nodded. "Deal. And since your the one who wants to open presents, you get to pick what you want to open."

"Why thank you, Doodle darling." Matilda cooed and pressed a kiss to his muzzle just above his lips. As Cranky blushed, Matilda surveyed the gifts trying to decide which one to open. Finally, she settled on a blue bow with a gold ribbon and pulled it over to read the tag.

"This one is from the Sparkle family." She said as she read the card. "'Wishing the both of you a Happily Ever After' and they all signed the card."

"Wonder what the Princess of Friendship got for us." Cranky hummed in half-hearted interest as she passed the card to him. As he read the card, he noticed that Spike had written a little note that read 'Sombra made this gift almost entirely by himself'. Expecting something childish, he and Matilda were surprised to find that it wasn't the case.

Inside a box filled with tissue paper was a large golden egg with a four-legged base. Etched across the base and egg were simple but beautiful designs of flowers and their initial thoughts were that it was meant to be for decoration purposes. Then Matilda spotted the handle on the side of the base and began cranking. When she let it go, music started playing and the egg split into four and opened, revealing two golden birds on a rod. The birds were facing each other and had their claws intertwined with each other's as they danced to the music. It was a relatively simple dance, dipping and twirling as they moved in a circle while their wings flapped slowly but Cranky and Matilda couldn't help be awestruck and when the song ended and the music box closed, they stayed silent for a few more minutes.

"A kid made that?!" Cranky finally exclaimed, snapping Matilda out of her own stupor.

"You'd be amazed at what fillies and colts can do, especially here in Ponyville," Matilda said kindly. "Clearly Sombra put a lot of effort and time into this gift. I must make sure to thank him in person."

"Yeah, no kidding." Cranky agreed. "I remember when I was his age the most impressive thing I made was a macaroni can for my mom's pencils."

"I'm sure it must've been beautiful." Matilda said as she set the music egg on the table then turned to Cranky with a seductive leer and said in an equally seductive voice, "Now, I believe that enough presents for tonight, what do you say we both go and enjoy each other's company in the bedroom?"

"Honey, it's like you've read my mind," Cranky replied in kind and the newly wedded couple moved their evening activities to the bedroom, leave the music egg on the table gleaming in the moonlight.



And there's another chapter done. If you're expecting a lemon, sorry but your out of luck. I don't write lemons, so you'll just have to use your imagination. It not as long as my previous chapter and it's not my best work but it's what I've got and I hope you enjoyed it. I've been trying to introduce some character to Sombra because I've had someone point out that he's dangerously close to becoming a Gary Stu character and I liked this idea for Sombra.

This is also my first time experimenting with adding links to my stories and I hope you guys liked it.
Let me know how I did. Anyways, onwards to the next chapter! Hopefully, I'll get it out soon. Thank you all for supporting this story, I love you all and I'll see you in the next chapter!


> Whooves
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I can't thank you enough for doing this," Twilight said as she set a suitcase down in the entryway to the Whooves. "With all the planning I have to do for the Grand Equestria Pony Summit, it's just really nice of you to volunteer to take care of Sombra for the duration."

"It's no problem," Ditzy said with a wave of her hoof. "My husband practically adores Sombra and we have plenty of room. Out of curiosity though, why couldn't your friends watch Sombra? I've seen them interact with the little guy so I'm sure they would've loved to take care of him."

"A number of Fluttershy's animals came down with the flu and she doesn't want Sombra getting sick." Twilight began to explain. "Pinkie Pie is out of town for some party convention and the Cakes have their hooves full enough with the twins. Rainbow Dash isn't even an option because she lives in a cloud home and the cloud walking spell doesn't even last a full day so in order to make sure Sombra doesn't fall through the floor, I would have to reapply it every evening which would just add an extra layer of stress to my already sizable pile.'

"Rarity's getting ready for her fall line and scouting out places for her Canterlot boutique so she'll be in Canterlot too and Applejack and her family are getting ready for Apple Buck season and after what happened that time, I didn't feel right giving her some extra responsibility. Even if Applebloom offered to help, I doubt AJ would feel comfortable leaving him with her after the Everfree incident."

"Fair point." Ditzy conceded before turning to address the colt in question. "Well then, welcome to the Whooves home."

Sombra just nodded and trotted inside and into the living room. The colt then settled on the couch and pulled his stuffed ferret close. The two adults were silent as they watched before Princess Twilight broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, he's not normally like this." She apologized but Ditzy waved her off.

"Oh don't worry." She assured the alicorn. "I've hosted enough sleepovers and overnight stays with my kid's friends to recognize this. Their always shy at first, especially their first time, but given time and encouragement they relax and start coming out of their shell. Now, is there anything I should know about Sombra?"

"Ah, yes." Twilight snapped out of her stupor and began levitating the rest of Sombra's things. "These are his ferrets but don't worry if they're not in the cage, we only use it for transportation purposes and naps. They actually prefer being outside of the cage and are very adept at getting it open. When they are in the cage napping, just leave the door open."

Ditzy nodded attentively as she set the cage aside. "This is Sombra's music box." Twilight continued. "Sombra can't sleep without a lullaby and when I'm unable to sing him one, he listens to that. He's also afraid of the dark so here's a portable light rune to serve as his nightlight." As she spoke, she set a violet gem with runes carved into it on the music box Ditzy was holding. "He's also afraid of being alone in the dark, but Onyx and the others always sleep with him so you don't need to worry about that."

"Onyx?" Ditzy asked in confusion and Twilight facehoofed.

"The ferrets." She explained. "Sombra can introduce them to you later. Now as for allergies, I'm not sure if he has any, he hasn't had any sort of allergic reaction to anything we've fed him. He has likes and dislikes naturally but we haven't yet discovered if there are any foods he can't eat. So just keep an eye on him at mealtimes, just in case."

"Is that everything princess?" Ditzy asked gently just to make sure she wasn't going postal due to stress.

"Um, I think that is but I could've forgotten something," Twilight said in a slightly fussy voice before turning to her Number One Assistant. "I haven't forgotten anything have I?" She asked the dragon and Spike rolled his eyes.

"Believe me, you haven't." He said, sounding very much like he'd gone over this several times. "Sombra will be just fine. Ditzy and the Doctor will take good care of him. Now we need to get going now or we're going to miss our train."

Twilight looked torn and anxious until Ditzy placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight trust me, he'll be just fine."

"I'm sorry." Twilight apologized as her ears drooped. "I know you're going to take good care of him, but I can't help but feel a little anxious. This would be the first time we've been apart for longer a day and the last time I entrusted him to somepony else, things didn't end well."

"I completely understand," Ditzy said as she rubbed soothingly. "I went through the same thing when I had to drop my kids off for their first sleepover. I worried and fussed that they would be okay and so on. But everything went smoothly and now when they stay at a friend's house for sleepovers or when we have to have them at a friend's house for a few days, I don't worry so much. Don't worry, this little phase will pass."

"Really?" Twilight asked and Ditzy nodded.

"I'm certain. And as for that last part, the Crusaders are somewhat reckless fillies that tend to jump into things head first without thinking." Ditzy added with a small, teasing smirk. "I on the other am a fully grown, responsible adult with two kids of my own. I promise this won't end like the Everfree incident."

Twilight blushed. "I know that, logically." She said. "And I know it's irrational, but I can't help but remember that incident and then my imagination runs away with me."

"It's okay, I won't hold it against you," Ditzy said kindly. "Now, I believe that you've got a train to catch."

"Yipe!" Twilight yelped and was about to turn and gallop to the train station, only to pause and turn to Sombra. "Sombra." She said, gaining the colt's attention. "I promise I'll be back as soon as the summit is over. I'll try to keep in touch as much as possible in the meantime." Twilight bit her lip for a moment then spoke softly enough that only Sombra could hear what she said next.

"I love you."

Sombra's expression brightened and he dashed over to her to hug her leg and whispered his reply. "I love you too."

"Take care kiddo," Spike said as he pats his head then turned to Twilight. "We really should get out of here or we'll miss our train."

"I know," Twilight said as she pried Sombra off her leg then turned to him. "Be good for Ditzy and the Doctor and have fun okay?"

Sombra nodded shyly. "Okay. Have fun at the summit!"

"We'll try buddy," Spike said. "Might be a little hard since we'll be planning and organizing the whole thing, but we'll do our best." Spike then turned to Twilight. "You know at this point you're going to have to teleport us to the station if we want to make it in time."

"Right, of course," Twilight said as she levitated him onto her back. "I'll see you by next week at the most, bye!" And with that, the alicorn vanished in a flash of magic, leaving just Ditzy and Sombra. Seeing him starting to pull into his shell, Ditzy preempted his attempt with a question.

"So, do you want to introduce me to your pets?" She asked and Sombra gave her a shy smile and nodded.





Outside of Ponyville on a hill was a figure that was staring down at the peaceful town. She was short and young, pretty much a filly but she looked nothing like any normal filly. Instead of a fur coat, she had a hard black shell with holes that poked through her hooves. Small insect-like wings fluttered on her back and a slightly crooked horn poked through a shiny cream mane as dark brown eyes gazed down at the town.

A small grin displaying tiny fangs spread across this new figure's face and she looked excitedly down at the town. "It's perfect." She said. "The perfect place to live and to show mom that she's wrong."

"You hear that mom?" She declared as loudly as she dared. "I'm going to prove to you that your way is dumb and counter-intuitive to love collection. You'll see."

And with that the little changeling pointed her nose up as she trotted down to the town, muttering to herself all the while.

"First things first, I need a place to live."





After introductions, Ditzy set about preparing snacks. When she came out with sliced apples, She found Sombra sketching in a sketchbook on the couch. Setting the snacks down on the coffee table, Ditzy approached the colt and sat on the ground in front of him.

“Hey bud, whatcha drawing there?” She asked. Sombra jumped as though he hadn’t known she was there and pulled his sketchbook close to him.

“A picture.” He whispered and Ditzy gave him a kind smile.

“Would you like to show me?” She asked and Sombra shook his head. “Alright then, I just came in to let you know that snacks are ready.”

Sombra brightened at the sight of the plate of apples and after carefully closing his sketchbook, leaped off the couch and grabbed a slice. The colt examined how the apple had been sliced then turned to Ditzy with a curious look. Ditzy chuckled gently.

“When I was younger, I traveled a lot so I know a lot of recipes from different countries.” ’And different universes’ Ditzy added to herself. “This is a recipe from a country to the far east called Usagi Ringo. Translated into Equestrian it means rabbit apple and it's basically cutting apples to look like rabbits. See, the ears?”

Sombra’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, I see them.” He said brightly and he began to make the rabbit hop across the table. As the colt played with his slices, Ditzy smiled victoriously.

“Gets them every time.” She said to herself.





Thirty minutes later, Ditzy and Sombra were trotting through the town towards a certain destination. After playing with his apple rabbits for a couple of minutes, Sombra started to eat them without prompting, much to Ditzy’s delight. When he was finished, Sombra was much more relaxed and when Ditzy had to go pick up her own children from school, the colt followed.

While the pair were moving through town towards the schoolhouse, they ended up running into a pegasus filly that Sombra had never seen before. She had a light beige coat and a yellowish cream white mane with a few brown stripes mixed in. Her eyes were a warm chocolate brown and as she trotted past, Sombra couldn’t resist the urge to greet her.

“Hi!” He greeted and the new pony jumped a little but quickly composed herself.

“Hello.” She tentatively and Sombra’s smile widened.

“I’ve never seen you around town before, are you new?” He asked, knowing for a fact that he wasn’t as knowledgeable as auntie Pinkie on who’s who in town.

“Yes, just got here actually.” The newcomer confirmed.

“Cool. I’m Sombra.” The colt introduced himself as he stuck out a hoof.

“I’m Lacewing. A pleasure to meet you.” The filly introduced herself as she bumped her hoof against his.

“Pleasure is all mine,” Sombra said. “So are you moving here or just visiting?”

“Moving actually.” Lacewing replied. “Our previous home wasn’t in such a good area, bad neighbors and all, so we decided to move somewhere much nicer.”

“Well, it can’t get any nicer than Ponyville,” Sombra said cheerily. “We may not be as big as Canterlot or other places, but everyone’s nice enough. I think you’d like it here.”

“I already do.” Lacewing said. “I think we may stay here a while.”

“Sombra, care to introduce me to your new friend?” Ditzy cut in and Sombra blushed.

“Sorry. Lacewing, I’d like to introduce you to Ditzy Doo Whooves.” Sombra said by way of introduction. “I’m staying with her family while Twilight and Spike are out of town.”

“Twilight? As in Princess Twilight Sparkle?” Lacewing asked in surprise.

“Yep! She’s my guardian, hopefully, my mom.” Sombra said but didn’t notice the odd look that crossed Lacewing’s face.

“That’s cool. So she’s out of town?” Lacewing asked.

“Yeah, she’s helping organize the big friendship summit in Canterlot and since my aunties weren’t available, she asked Ditzy,” Sombra explained.

“Sounds like a big job.” Lacewing said.

“It is. That’s why she had to ask somepony to watch me.” Sombra said matter of factly.

“So where are your parents?” Ditzy asked. “I haven’t seen any new adults anywhere and you seem kind of young to be wandering around a new town on your own.”

“Don’t worry ma’am I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” Lacewing assured the older pony. “As for my parents, well my mom’s not around so it's just me and my dad and he’s out house hunting. I just wanted to look around and get to know my way around town.”

“Neat, we’re heading to the schoolhouse, want to come?” Sombra asked. Lacewing gave the idea some thought before nodding.

“Sure, why not.” She said with a small shrug as she fell into step alongside them.





At the Ponyville schoolhouse, two little ponies were waiting for their mother to arrive. Lounging at the base of a tree was a greyish purple pegasus colt with spiky golden orange mane. As the colt watched the clouds, his twin sister, a purple unicorn filly with a pale blonde mane, sat nearby with a book. Looking up and glancing around, the filly then turned to her brother when she didn't see their mother.

"Hey Dizzy, what do you think is taking mom so long?" Dinky Doo Whooves asked and her brother shrugged.

"Couldn't say." Dizzy Twister Whooves said in reply. "Princess Twilight was dropping off her kid to stay with us for a while so maybe she was taking care of him or something like that."

"Maybe," Dinky said, not entirely convinced. "Or maybe something happened."

"What, like she got swept up in one of those dangerous, important adventures she and dad go on?" Dizzy asked, sitting up then shaking his head. "Nah. My money is on her losing track of time or maybe getting turned around. You know her eyesight's not that good when she's trying to navigate only three dimensions."

Despite the assurances, Dinky couldn't help fussing over where her mother was. Glancing around again, she almost breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her mother's distant figure approaching. As she was tucking her book into her saddlebags, Dizzy also noticed the approaching parental figure and gave his sister a smug look.

"See, what'd I tell you?" He said smugly. "She just lost track of time or got held up."

As they approached their mother, they took note of the two other kids with her. The colt they recognized as Sombra from around town but the filly was definitely new. Neither had ever seen her before.

"Hey, kids." Ditzy greeted the two with a smile. "Sorry I'm late, we got a little held up. You two remember Sombra right?"

"Hi." The colt greeted shyly.

"Hey, nice to meet you." Dizzy greeted with a wave. "I'm Dizzy Twister, but everypony just calls me Dizzy. This is my sister Dinky."

"Hi." Dinky greeted then turned to the unfamiliar filly. "I'm Dinky Doo, and you are..."

"Lacewing." The filly greeted simply as the two bumped hooves. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise." Dinky returned. "So, you must be new around here."

"Yep, just got here actually." Lacewing said. "It's actually a very nice town."

"So do you have a place to stay?" Ditzy asked and Lacewing shrugged.

"Not yet." She admitted. "We're still house hunting right now."

"Well, then why don't you come stay with us?" The pegasus mare suggested. "We've got plenty of room even with Sombra staying with us so we've got enough room for one more."

"I'll have to talk with my dad first." Lacewing said. "Speaking of, I should go find him now. See you!"

With that Lacewing galloped off towards the town as Sombra and Ditzy waved good-bye. "She seems nice," Sombra commented as she disappeared vanished in the distance.

"Yes, she did." Ditzy agreed. "I believe we'll be seeing more of her later. For now, let's just get home. I've got to get dinner ready by the time your dad gets home."





Even after traveling the whole of time and space, the Doctor was a stallion of simple pleasures. After a long day at the clock shop, he enjoyed relaxing at home surrounded by his beautiful wife and children. Maybe read a book on astrology or physics before bed but otherwise, there wasn't much that couldn't please him. He supposed it was a result of his many life-threatening adventures. After spending several lifetimes running, it felt good to take a deep breath and relax.

He still spent some time running, but these days those times were more like family vacations than his entire life. He always found running better if he wasn't alone anyways. As he opened his front door, however, he was almost bowled over by Dizzy when the colt ran smack into his chest.

"Sorry, dad." The colt apologized when he saw who he'd run into. "Didn't see you there."

"No problem son." The Doctor said as she set his son on his hooves. "Though I must ask why you are running in the house. Remember our rule about running?"

Dizzy nodded. "Running is only acceptable when we are on our family vacations, not indoors." Dizzy recited word for word and the Doctor smiled proudly.

"Exactly, so why exactly are you running in the house?" He asked.

"It's part of our game." The colt answered with a grin.

"DADDY'S HOME!!!" The Doctor was only barely able to register that Dinky was the origin of the shout before he found himself at the bottom of a foal pile with an 'oof'. Hearing a warm chuckle, the Doctor glanced up past his son's tail to face his beautiful wife.

"Welcome home honey." Ditzy greeted with a smile that the Doctor returned.

"Good to be home." He replied as he struggled out of the foal pile. Aside from his own children, there were two other little ponies. Sombra he recognized, but he didn't recognize the beige pegasus filly.

"Well hello, there little lady." The Doctor greeted. "I don't believe we've met. I'm the Doctor."

The filly looked at him strangely. "Doctor who?" She asked and the stallion chuckled.

"Not who, just The Doctor." He corrected. "Though most just call me Doctor."

The filly looked at him strangely then muttered something under her breath that sounded like 'ponies and their strange names'. The Doctor just smiled.

"Now how about you little lady?" He asked. "I don't believe you've told me your name yet."

"Oh, I'm Lacewing." The filly introduced herself as she held out her hoof. "Pleasure to meet you, Doctor."

"That's a very pretty name Lacewing." Doctor complimented as he bumped his hoof into her's. "So, are you staying for dinner?"

"Actually, Lacewing is going to be staying with us for a few days," Ditzy interjected. "She doesn't have someplace to live while she and her father are moving in, so I offered to let her stay for a bit. I spoke with her father and everything checked out. He's staying at their old place until he finds a better place."

"Ah, well then welcome to the Whooves home Lacewing!" The Doctor said brightly. "And if my nose is not mistaken, I'd say it's time to eat."

"Your nose is not mistaken," Ditzy said as she planted a kiss on his cheek. "We're having meat and vegetables tonight. Dinner time!"

After announced the evening meal, everypony rushed to the table eager to partake in the delicious smelling food. After serving the children and her husband first, Ditzy sat down and began eating as well. As everyone else enjoyed their food, Sombra was curiously examining the contents of his plate. Most of the food items he recognized, mashed potatoes with gravy, steamed vegetables, and salad, but there was one food item he didn't recognize. It was thick and pale with sauce on it and it smelled good but Sombra had never seen it before.

"Miss Ditzy?" He called out and Ditzy looked up.

"Yes, Sombra?"

"What is this?" He asked as he pointed at the unidentifiable food item and Ditzy paused.

"You've never seen pork before?" She asked.

"What's pork?" Sombra asked in answer. "Is that what this is?"

"Well yes. Pork is a special kind of food called meat." Ditzy explained.

"Oh, and what's meat?" Sombra asked curiously.

"Um, well.." Ditzy started explaining only to be cut off by Dizzy.

"In simple terms, it's the flesh of an animal." The colt said bluntly. "Specifically a pig."

Ditzy had to resist the urge to facehoof at her son's bluntness on the subject. He and Ditzy had grown up knowing eating meat, so neither really understood how this was a touchy subject for some ponies. Lacewing seemed okay with it, but she sincerely hoped her boy hadn't traumatized Sombra. The colt in question was now eyeing the meat with an unreadable expression before looking up at Ditzy.

"So this was once alive?" He asked and Ditzy sighed. May as well try to run damage control and salvage the situation.

"Well yes, yes this was once a living thing." She said. "Applejack and her family raise and slaughter pigs so we have an ample supply here in Ponyville. Don't worry, they aren't sentient, there are laws against using other sentient creature for meat."

"Did it suffer?" He asked and Ditzy got a sinking feeling.

"Near as I can tell they didn't." She said. "The Apples always make sure they are killed quickly and they don't suffer. But if you don't want your pork-"

"No, it's okay." Sombra cut her off. "If it didn't suffer than it seems a little selfish of me to disregard its sacrifice to provide food for me."

"Are you sure?" Ditzy asked. "Most ponies can't stand the idea of eating another creature so you wouldn't be insulting anyone."

"I'm certain," Sombra said with a firm nod. "Besides, it smells delicious and I'd like to try it."

"Okay then," Ditzy said in relief at the crisis averted and watched along with the others as the colt took his first bite of meat. He chewed the morsel slowly to savor the flavor and nodded.

"It's good. Can I have more?" He asked and Ditzy chuckled.

"Maybe later after you've finished your food," Ditzy said kindly and the rest of the meal passed without incident.





"So you can't access your magic either?" Sombra asked and Dinky shook her head.

"I've tried, but no matter what I do I can't conjure up a spark." She said glumly. "Your lucky, at least you can gain some sort of access to your magic."

"Not beyond the odd magic surge and that one time in Griffinstone." Sombra corrected. "I don't have a lot of control over my magic and things tend to get blown up or transmogrified."

"Maybe you're going about it the wrong way?" Lacewing suggested. "If you can't get your magic to work, then maybe it works differently. You may just need to approach this from a different angle."

"Hmm, I hadn't thought about that." Dinky hummed. Given her parentage, it made sense that her magic might work differently. Her father was after all a time lord and her mother was a planeswalker so she may have inherited something from either of them. And Dizzy had proven himself capable of crossing dimensional boundaries so maybe her magic leaned more towards time lords or planeswalkers.

"Thanks, Lacewing, that really helps." She thanked her new friend.



Few Days Later



"Are you certain you don't want to stay longer?" Ditzy asked and Lacewing shook her head.

"Dad and I want to move in as soon possible so I have to go help him." She said with an amused smirk. "He's practically helpless without me. I'll see you around later!"

"Alrighty then, good luck and welcome to Ponyville!" The Doctor said by way of good-bye as the pegasus filly left. "She's a nice kid." He sighed to his wife once she was a good ways off.

"She is." Ditzy agreed as she led him back indoors. "I'm looking forward to seeing her again."

"Me too." The Doctor said then paused for a beat before continuing in a quieter tone. "So I assume you already know that she's..."

"Of course," Ditzy answered her husband's unfinished question.





"So how did you two meet?" Sombra asked the couple one night at the dinner table in curiosity.

"While traveling." The two said simultaneously and without hesitation. This wasn't the first time they'd been asked this question. The Doctor grinned at his wife and picked it up from there.

"I've been more of a nomad in the past and one day during my travels I ran into Ditzy." He elaborated. "We fell for each other and long story short, she's the one who got me to settle down to raise a family. And the rest, as they say, is history."

"Just like that?" The colt asked. "You two just met and fell in love."

"Well, it was a bit more than just that sweetie," Ditzy said. "We had to get to know each other first before getting married and settling down of course. Love is never that simple, but it is magical."

"Oh, so what do you think the chances are of Twilight finding and marrying someone?" Sombra asked and Ditzy snorted in amusement.

"I'd say pretty high given how social she is now." The Doctor answered for his wife with a smirk of his own. "I remember she was such an introvert in the past, but she's gotten better since her friends came into her life. Don't you worry, someday she'll find that special stallion and he'll become your father."

"How can you be sure?" Sombra asked. "She never goes on any dates! I'm going to grow old without a daddy!!"

The two adults chuckled in amusement. "Chin up boy, have I ever lied to you before?" The Doctor asked and Sombra shook his head. "Then trust me when I say that Twilight will get hitched one day."

"Okay," Sombra said before digging into his potatoes.



Few More Days Later



"Thank you again for watching him," Twilight said as she gathered his suitcases and handed them to Spike who grunted under the added weight.

Ditzy glanced at the dragon in concern. "Are you okay Spike?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm good," Spike answered as he heaved the stack a bit. "This is nothing compared to Rarity's luggage so I'm good. I'm just taking part of my punishment."

"Punishment? For what?" Ditzy asked, turning to Twilight for an explanation. The alicorn gave her a grin but Ditzy could practically see her rage beneath the surface.

"Oh, nothing much, just a few errors in judgment that almost ruined the summit completely." She said 'pleasantly'. "We managed to save the event, but he's still grounded for a week. And he's going to be helping me out a lot."

"Ah, I see," Ditzy said as Sombra exited the house to join the two. "Well, try not to be so hard on him."

"Don't worry, I'm well aware of Spike's limits and I will en devour to keep his punishments within that area," Twilight said sweetly.

"Alright then, well we'll be going on a family trip so we'll be unavailable for a while." Ditzy reminded her and Twilight nodded.

"I will remember that," Twilight said as she lifted Sombra onto her back. "We'll see you around then, bye!"

"Bye!" Ditzy called and shut her door. Once she turned around, she found herself facing a grinning Dinky.

"Guess what?" She asked in barely restrained excitement.

"What?" Ditzy said.

"Lacewing was right," Dinky announced. "All I had to do was take a different approach and I finally accessed my magic!"

Dinky then lit up her horn and a purple light lit up on the tip along with a very familiar humming whirring sound. Ditzy smiled, happy for her daughter.

"That's wonderful darling." She congratulated Dinky and led her back into the house. "Let's go show your father and then we can go on our trip. I'm sure aunt Jenny will be pleased as well."





Lacewing looked proudly around her new home. Now that she wasn't in anypony's presence, she'd reverted to her true form, a changeling princess. Her horn wasn't quite grown yet and her wings were a little small. Looking around the underground home she'd dug out and was currently in the process of building. She'd already finished her room and the guest room (just in case), a storage room and the kitchen. Now she was working in the bathroom and making excellent progress. At this rate, she should be finished and moving on to the living room by the end of the week.
> Cousins
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grounding wasn't anything new to Spike. When he was younger yet still old enough to take responsibility for his actions, he used to be grounded a lot. For Twilight, grounding meant that he was consigned to being Twilight's personal servant for a certain amount of time without comic books. And with the impending visit of the yaks, he was run more ragged than he usually was during his grounding period.

But he somehow managed to get through, even though it had gotten a little dicey when the prince almost declared war, and now his grounding had been lifted. Feeling very satisfied and ready to catch up on his comics, Spike let out a sigh as he removed his gloves and dropped onto the couch.

"You know the worst part about you being the Princess of Friendship?" He said as he scooped up the first comic he'd touched in almost a week. "The dishes."

Twilight smiled thankfully at him. "Thanks for taking care of that Spike." She thanked him. "After three events in one week, I really needed to relax with a good book."

"You and me both." Spike agreed and he opened his comic and began reading about the adventures of the Power Ponies. As his eyes skimmed over the pages, he started making light conversation.

"It's kinda funny isn't it?" He commented casually. "All these ponies coming to you for friendship advice?"

Twilight looked at him curiously. "What's funny about that?"

Spike glanced up from his comic book and gave him 'seriously' expression. "Twilight let's face it before you came to Ponyville you weren't exactly the best sort of friend," Spike said. "Matter of fact, you used to have a reputation for being a bad friend."

As he returned to his comic, Twilight gave him a look of disbelieving shock. "What are you talking about Spike, I had good friends in Canterlot!" The alicorn argued and Spike was beginning to get slightly annoyed.

"Oh come on Twilight, look at the wall." He said as he gestured to the wall in question. "I don't see any pictures from before Ponyville and look at you now, the Princess of Friendship."

As the dragon returned his attention to his comic book, Twilight trotted up to the wall and as she slid her book back in place, really studied the pictures. Spike was right, the only pictures she had here were of her Ponyville friends and as she thought about it, she really had been a terrible friend. She gasped.

"Oh my Faust Spike, you're right!" She said in horror. "I've been so focused on my studies here, I completely forgot about my old friends! I can't  even remember their names! Do you really think that they see me as a bad friend!?"

"Well, I only meant that you've come so far." Spike offered as a way of placating her increasing agitation. "You're a great friend now and-"

"Oh, I feel terrible!" Twilight interrupted him as she paced around nervously. "I've just gotta make it up to them, pack a bag Spike! We're going to Canterlot!" And make a list of all my friends' names."

Spike groaned. "Me and my big mouth." He grumbled as he shut his comic since he obviously wasn't going to be able to finish it anytime soon. "I'm a simple dragon with simple needs, is it really too much to ask for some time to myself to read my comics? Especially after the long week I've had? Apparently so."

It was about that moment that Spike remembered the third occupant of the castle. "Wait, Twilight!" He called out and Twilight responded with a 'yes Spike'.

"We can't just take off, remember Sombra?" He said. Twilight blinked and facehoofed.

"Of course, we can't just leave him here on his own." She said, worry starting to sneak into her tone. "On the other hoof, we can't exactly take him with us. I need time to reconnect with my friends on my own."

"I could always stay here and watch him," Spike suggested hopefully but Twilight shook her head.

"No, I need you to be with me by my side," Twilight said. "I know don't tell you this often, but I do rely on you. You are my rock when I need you and I need you this time. You know how I can get when I get obsessed with stuff like this. I need you to keep me grounded so things don't get out of hoof."

"You mean Want It Need It bad?" Spike asked and when Twilight nodded he sighed. "Well, when you put it that way. So who's going to watch Sombra? I know you can't ask Ditzy again because the Whooves are still out of town so how about your friends?"

Twilight shook her head. "Fluttershy is still tending to sick animals so her cottage is still quarantined. Rarity is so busy even Sweetie Belle can't stay at her place so she's staying with her parents, Applejack and her family are fixing the damage caused by the yaks on top of the Applebuck season and nopony's seen Pinkie Pie since the delegates left! Plus, it's too last minute to ask anypony else in town!"

As Twilight began to meltdown with worry, Spike considered the options and suddenly had a brilliant idea. "Twilight." He called to get her attention. Once he had it, the little dragon continued. "You know I actually have an idea on who could watch Sombra, but you'll have to trust me."





It was a well-known fact among the palace staff that Princess Luna liked her coffee black and strong. After hours of defending the dream realm plus her own nightmares, the Princess of the Night liked a little pick me up whenever she started the Night Court. There weren't many petitioners due to the late hour, but Princess Luna found that she liked it that way. As the Princess of the Night finished her mug, she settled into her throne in preparation for a long session.

Once she felt ready, she passed her empty mug to a nearby maid and announced the beginning of the Night Court. When the guards opened the doors, they were immediately bowled over by a purple blur that revealed itself to be a somewhat harried looking Twilight. The disheveled looking alicorn made a beeline for the throne while two suitcases and an animal cage floated in her raspberry colored magic and draped across her back was a dark blueish purple mound with gold stars. Once she reached the foot of the dais, Twilight stopped and launched into a long ramble that Luna almost couldn't keep up with.

"Hey Princess Luna, a nice night you did a wonderful job top marks!" She greeted with an all too wide grin and Luna briefly wondered if she was having a mental breakdown. "So I know this is last minute, and when I say last minute I mean really last minute, but my options are limited and Spike suggested that I come to you. It's recently been brought to my attention that there are certain friendship mistakes I need to take care of here in Canterlot and since nopony in Ponyville is available, I was kinda hoping that you could maybe, probably look after Sombra."

As she finished speaking, she lifted the bundle off her back, revealing it to be none other than the colt in question dressed in an adorable pair of hoofsie pajamas and fast asleep. Twilight then neatly stacked the suitcases and laid the slumbering colt on them before tucking a blanket around him.

"I know your probably very busy, but I wouldn't bring him here if I wasn't totally out of options." Twilight explained. "If you can't do it, that's fine. I'll just...uh.....um...-"

With a simple raise of her hoof, Luna halted the tumbling tirade. "You needn't apologize." She said kindly. "Your request poses no such inconvenience and we would be glad to take on this little one."

Twilight's grin melted into a look of relief and Luna swore some of her out of place hairs fell back into place. "Thank you so much Luna!" She said with gratitude then levitated the cage and a few smaller items towards her.

"These are Sombra's pet ferrets, we let them wander around so don't worry about that." Twilight explained as she set the cage down in front of her. "They can get out of it at any time, so it's a moot point to keep them in. We just use it for transportation and naps. Leave the door open during naps."

The next thing Twilight placed was a beautifully decorated rosewood box. "This is Sombra's music box." Twilight explained. "He can't go to sleep without a lullaby and when I'm unavailable, he uses that." Finally, the last thing she placed was a gemstone with runes on it. "And lastly, this is a light stone to serve as a nightlight. Sombra isn't fond of the dark. If there's anything else you need to know, just send a letter. I'll come back for him as soon as I can, bye!"

Before she galloped out of the room, Twilight gave Sombra a quick kiss on the forehead then took her leave. The small show of affection made Luna smile and she mused on how far she'd come since she'd first met Sombra. Shaking herself from her musings, Luna turned to her assistant, a thestral by the name of Moonlit Springs.

"Did you get all that?" She asked and Springs nodded.

"Yes your majesty, lullabies before bed, make sure he has a nightlight and leave the ferret's cage door open." She recited perfectly.

"Thank you, Springs." She said as she gently lifted the bundled up colt towards her and gestured for a small group her guards. After carefully laying Sombra onto the lead guard's back, she gave them her orders.

"See to it that he gets settled in a guest chamber near me and my sister's rooms good sirs." She commanded and they bowed as carefully as they could.

"As you wish your highness." They said then began gathering the colt's things. Once they left the room, Court continued as usual but Luna found herself unable to concentrate for the rest of the night.





Sombra looked around the hallway in confusion. Waking up in a new location had been distressing at first until he remembered Spike telling him that they were going to be staying in Canterlot for a few days. Then he fell asleep while Twilight was flying them there. Now he was trying to figure out where Twilight and Spike were. Or at least figure out where breakfast was.

As he was trotting down the hall, a door opened and out stepped a white unicorn stallion with a golden mane. Once he noticed the little colt, the older stallion approached and leaned down to his level.

"Hello there little one, are you lost?" He asked and Sombra nodded.

"I think I am." He admitted. "I can't find Twilight, Spike or the kitchen."

"What about your parents?" The stallion asked curiously as he glanced up and down the hallway. "Are they nearby?"

"I don't have parents, just Twilight. She's my guardian." Sombra informed him and that was when the pieces clicked.

"You must be Sombra, correct?" He asked and the colt nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my name is Prince Blueblood of clan Blueblood but you can call me Prince."

"Isn't Prince a title?" Sombra asked in confusion and Prince chuckled.

"In most cases, yes, but in my case, it's just my name." He said as he ruffled the colt's mane. "But don't feel bad, you're not the only pony to make that assumption. Because of my name and relation to Celestia, most nobles think that I'm a genuine Prince when really I'm just a noble like them. In any case, I wasn't aware that we were welcoming Princess Twilight, otherwise, I would've made the necessary preparations."

"I didn't know we were coming to Canterlot either until Spike came to me last night and told me we were taking a trip to Canterlot," Sombra said with a shrug. "I fell asleep while Twilight was flying and woke up her in the castle and now I'm lost."

"Ah. Well then perhaps I could help." Prince offered. "I myself was heading to the dining room to join my aunties for breakfast. Twilight and Spike are likely with them already so we'll probably find them there. Or at the very least a few answers."

"Okay, lead the way Prince!" Sombra cheered and Prince smiled as he led the little one down the hall.





Celestia sipped her tea delicately as she read the morning paper. It was a daily routine that dated back centuries to when Celestia listened to daily reports from her advisers and soldiers. It was her way of keeping on top of things and since she'd returned, Luna had joined her in this tradition. Speaking of the night princess, the pony in question entered the room and proceeded to fill her plate with eggs, bacon, hash browns and a strawberry crepe. As she munched on a strip of bacon, Luna filled a mug with her black nectar, coffee. As her sister dug into her morning meal, Celestia set aside her paper and cleared her throat.

"So how was the Night Court?" She asked conversationally and Luna shrugged tiredly.

"About as well as you could guess," Luna answered. "Honestly, I'm truly grateful that my court doesn't receive as many visitors as your's."

Celestia chuckled. "Indeed. Honestly, I wish I didn't have to hear so many petitions daily, half of which are mostly just the nobles whining. Did you know that Lord Golden Facade came to me yesterday to lodge a complaint how, and I quote, 'Duke Purple Heart has more land than me'."

Luna guffawed. "Art thou serious?" She asked and Celestia nodded.

"Completely serious." She answered. "He just stormed into the court and started ranting on how he was entitled to more land than Purple Heart because of his family line and you basically get the idea."

Luna snorted into her coffee. "Sounds like a foal complaining about how another foal has more toys than him."

"And it gets better." Celestia continued. "When it became obvious that he was holding up the petitioners, I started to urge him to finish and leave. Politely of course, but then he launched into a rant how it was basically my duty to listen to his complaints and cater to them. He didn't say that directly of course, but that was the intent."

Luna gasped and almost choked on her coffee. "He didn't." She said with shock and Celestia nodded.

"He did." Celestia confirmed. "Of course I rebutted him firmly, redefining his apparent assumptions, then had him escorted out. I haven't seen him since, but I have no doubt that he'll pop up again with another complaint."

"I honestly don't see why you don't just remove him from his position." Luna humphed. "It would spare you so much headache in the long run."

"I know, but you know the laws," Celestia said. "I can't remove a noble from their position without a very good reason and despite all his whining, that's all Golden Facade does. He maintains his lands, fulfills his duties and hasn't attempted to overthrow me."

"Yes, I suppose you are right." Luna sighed in disappointment. "We really should change that law so that we can remove a noble if we feel they are not suited for the position. At this point, it feels like the more corrupt or bratty nobles use it to their advantage."

"Yes, but there are so many hoops we'd need to jump through to do that." Celestia sighed, exhaustion settling in. "Remember that law is one of the laws that were established when the three tribes first united. It would take months if not years to get that law changed."

"And you haven't started because you're too lazy," Luna said with a knowing grin. "I could get the ball rolling on that if you would like and perhaps if things go right, I could present you with the opportunity to strip Golden Facade of his title as a Hearths Warming present."

"That would be the best gift I could ever receive, thank you, Luna." Celestia thanked her sister and Luna nodded.

"Think nothing of it sister, the foal has come to my court as well so it would be just as much my gift as it is yours," Luna said then smirk. "You know it's actually kind of funny how the public sees thy nephew as the bratty foal of the court when in truth Golden Facade holds that 'honor'."

"Yes, it is an image that Prince has spent years cultivating." Celestia sighed. "Simply to scare off the mares that latch onto him."

"Aye, tis a shame that he is so determined to remain single," Luna said sadly. "I do recognize that he has a good reason for it, but it seems a shame that our nephew cannot actively find love because of the actions of certain madmares."

"It is my hope that one day he can and will be able to find somepony to spend the rest of his life with." Celestia confessed. "He does so want to raise a family and is very good with foals."

It was at that moment to the stallion in question entered the dining hall and began to load a plate with food. "Good morning aunties!" He greeted.

"Good morning Prince." Celestia greeted back with a smile then looked at him curiously when he set the plate down in front of the chair beside him. The reason for this became clear when Prince lifted a familiar colt up into the seat.

"And Sombra?" She greeted curiously then turned to her sister with a questioning look. Noticing the look and the colt at the table, an expression of realization crossed her face and Luna dabbed her lips with a napkin before answering.

"O yes, Twilight came to my court last night asking if we could look after him while she and Spike resolved some sort of friendship issue her in Canterlot that came up," Luna explained. "We agreed and after giving a few instructions left to take care of her emergency. Don't worry, Moonlit Springs was taking notes and I will make sure you get a copy."

"I see," Celestia said evenly. "Unfortunately my schedule is packed and I will be very busy and won't be able to spend much time with him so I suppose-"

"I could watch him." Prince interrupted. "My presence isn't needed in court so I'm free to keep watch over him."

The two alicorns glanced at each other than to Prince who gave them a reassuring smile. "Very well Prince Blueblood," Luna said formally. "We officially charge you with the responsibility of this young colt. Do you accept?"

"I do auntie." Prince accepted and with that they continued on with their meal and making small talk once in a while as they ate until eventually, the Celestial Sisters had to leave. Luna to go take a nap in preparation for tomorrow and Celestia off to fulfill her royal duties. Leave Prince Blueblood and Sombra to their own devices.





"Is it true that you are an arrogant mule?" Sombra asked and because the question was so sudden and shocking that Prince froze for a moment then turned to the colt.

"Who says I'm an arrogant mule?" He asked.

"Auntie Rarity," Sombra answered innocently. "She says other things about you, but I don't understand them and she made me Pinkie Promise not to repeat them. She says she met you at the Grand Galloping Gala where you were quote-unquote 'the rudest, most arrogant, son of a mule'."

"Ah, that explains it," Prince said understandingly. "And what do you think about me?"

Sombra shrugged. "Well since I just met you and the only thing I have to go on is my auntie's account of one encounter with you, I haven't really formed an opinion yet." He said sagely. "Zecora says that we shouldn't be quick to judge anyone because then we'd get the wrong idea, so I take auntie Rarity's opinion of you with a grain of salt."

"This Zecora sounds very wise," Prince said approvingly. "You make sure to listen to her. As for your auntie's opinion of me, well it is true that I wasn't the best sort of pony towards her that night so she has a reason to hold a grudge against me."

"Oh. So why were you such a jerk to her?" Sombra asked. Prince Blueblood glanced around then pulled the colt into his chambers.

"That's a very good question and it's not really something I share often since I don't want the wrong ponies to hear about this, but I feel I can tell you." He said quietly. "You can also tell your auntie if you'd like to but otherwise I don't want you to spread this around."

"You can trust me," Sombra said seriously before going through familiar motions. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Prince smiled in amusement. "What exactly was that?" He asked in curiosity.

"That was a Pinkie Promise," Sombra said proudly. "And nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise or else auntie Pinkie will track you down."

"Really?" Prince asked

"Really really," Sombra confirmed. "You don't want to do that because auntie Pinkie can be where ever she wants or needs to be."

Suddenly Sombra waved towards the window behind Prince and when he turned to look, he was shocked to see a bright pink earth pony mare outside his window. This little fact was unsettling because the window in question was on the third floor, miles from the ground. Slowly, Prince waved back at the pony who gave him a stern look and a salute before vanishing in a puff of smoke from a smoke bomb she threw.

"Was that...?" He started as he recovered from his shock but couldn't finish his question.

"Auntie Pinkie Pie?" Sombra finished for him then nodded. "Yep!"

"I was afraid of that." He muttered to himself then shook his head. "Okay, you've convinced me. Pinkie Promises are more binding than anything in Equestria. Now, the reason why I was a mule to your auntie was because in the past I've had mare troubles. To say the least. Ever since I came of age, I've been harassed and even attacked by mares that want to be my wife. Some are just nobles looking to get a leg up, but the worst are the ones looking to have a fairy tale romance to the point where they've deluded themselves.

I currently have fifteen restraining orders filed against six different mares who can't seem to get a clue that I'm not interested. All of them are these mentally unstable romantics. Some have even attacked genuine marefriends I had on the grounds that I 'belong to them'. So I've given up on romance and do what I can to scare off potential stalkers. So whenever I'm approached by mares with obvious intent to flirt with me, I shut them down to nip any potential stalker in the bud."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense," Sombra said. "Auntie Rarity said that you also spat out auntie Applejack's homemade apple fritter."

"Ah yes, that," Prince said understandingly. "Please understand that I'm not usually that rude even when I'm acting the part. Normally I just eat the food that's been offered to me and then complain quite rudely afterward, but as I was eating the fritter I realized something. Fritters have cinnamon, which I'm allergic to. I had to get the fritter out as quick as possible once I made that realization and I just ran with it. Fortunately, I didn't swallow much so my allergic reaction was delayed enough that it wouldn't affect your auntie's business."

"What do you mean by that?" Sombra asked curiously.

"Well you see Sombra, a few of the common symptoms of a spice allergy are nausea, stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea difficulty breathing and rashes," Prince explained. "I don't get diarrhea, thank Faust, but I can get nauseous, develop rashes, have some problems breathing and sometimes vomit. And if a very important noble like me 'got sick' at a public event after eating one of her products, well I doubt her farm would have much business."

"Oh, then I guess it was a good thing that you spit out your fritter." Sombra mused.

"I find that it is easier to recover from one poor opinion than the scandal involved in giving a noble 'food poisoning'," Prince said with air quotes.

"But it wouldn't be food poisoning, just an allergic reaction," Sombra said in confusion.

"Yes, but it isn't exactly widespread public knowledge and the press here in Canterlot tend to blow some things out of proportion," Prince explained with exhaustion clear in his voice. "Especially the gossip magazines. Say one thing wrong or out of context and they can make you look like a monster before you can correct them."

"That sounds scary." Sombra whimpered.

"It is. Thankfully Twilight isn't as prominent yet so you've got a few years at least before the press starts invading your privacy and blow everything out of proportion." Noticing that he was starting to scare the little guy, Prince figured that a change of subject was in order.

"So what do you like to do in your free time?" He asked and Sombra relaxed.

"Mostly draw and tinker, but I do enjoy games." Sombra offered and Prince grinned.

"Is that so, well then my friend let me introduce you to the best game you'll find on the market." He said then ran to a cabinet where he pulled out several books, sheets of paper, figurines and a pouch. All of which he dropped in front of Sombra.

"Allow me to introduce you to my favorite tabletop RPG, Ponyfinder." He said proudly.

"RPG?" Sombra asked as he examined a figurine.

"Role-playing game," Prince explained. "Basically we create characters and then we play as them and act out a story that is affected by our actions. I started playing role-playing games as a way of releasing my inner self. When you're a noble, there's a certain way you're supposed to act towards the public which leaves you with very few times to be who you are.'

'A guard recommended tabletop RPGs when I vented my frustrations to him one day and I tried it. I've been hooked since and I find myself the most relaxed when I'm playing. Now since this is the kind of game that requires a minimum of three or four players, I usually play with some of the staff when they aren't working and when they are able to, my aunties."

"Neat!" Sombra chirped in interest. "So how do we play?"

Prince grinned. "First things first, we need to create a character sheet for you."





"So what did you two do this morning?" Celestia asked as the four ponies ate lunch in the private Royal gardens.

"We talked a bit and then Prince showed me how to play Ponyfinder," Sombra answered brightly. Luna and Celestia shot him teasing smirks.

"Dear nephew, art thou already corrupting the next generation?" Luna teased playfully. Recognizing the playful jab for what it was, Prince rolled his eyes but smirked all the same.

"Please, I hardly call it 'corrupting' when he enjoys it himself." He said before he took a bite of his cucumber sandwich.

"I'm sure he does," Celestia said in response. "Well I have a two-hour gap before I have to get my snout back to the grindstone, so is the anything you want to do?"

Sombra gave it some thought. "It's a nice day out so, maybe we can just hang out here in the garden." He suggested before a mischievous smirk spread across his face. Gesturing for Luna to come closer, the Lunar Princess leaned down as if to hear what he wanted to say, only to feel his hoof tapping against her cheek.

"Tag, your it." He said before leaping off his seat and taking off. It took the other occupants to register this action, but once they did, Prince took off after Sombra and Celestia flew up into the air with a flap of her wings. Blinking at the other's actions, a devious smirk then spread across Luna's face.

"Well then if that is how you wish to play it, then we shall oblige." She said then took off after the others.





Cadence careful packed the book into the box making sure to add some cushioning. Once she was sure it secure, the alicorn sealed it and addressed it. She'd finally finished it. After pulling an overnighter, she finished the journal and had received her answers. Now she needed to send it to Twilight. She needed to know the truth. So Cadence had bookmarked the entry that she needed to read and packed it into a box to be shipped to Ponyville. As she hoofed it to a servant to be given to be delivered, Cadence prayed to Faust for its swift delivery.





The next few days in Canterlot Castle passed in much that same way. Most of the time Sombra and Prince Blueblood would hang out in the noble's chambers doing things like playing Ponyfinder and other board or card games. Sometimes when Blueblood was meant to be in court, he'd hang out there and watch the antics of the nobility.

When court was finished, Celestia and Luna would eat lunch and hang out with them before they could get to other duties. When it was nice out, they'd play in the garden or go hang out in the town with the royals disguising themselves. When it wasn't nice out and the pegasi had scheduled rainfall, they would all play Ponyfinder together. It was all good and fun, but like all good things, they must come to an end.





As the party wound down and the other ponies took down decorations, Twilight and Spike walked and talked with Moon Dancer.

"I think it's time for us to go Moon Dancer," Twilight said and Moon Dancer smiled at her.

"Thank you for helping me make some new friends." The unicorn thanked. "Even if they are my old friends."

"Your welcome," Twilight said as she pulled Moon Dancer into a hug. "And don't worry, we'll come back and visit soon."

"That'd be great!" Moon Dancer said. "You've still got to teach me that Haycartes technique. And hey, maybe I could come visit Ponyville myself. It sounds like a nice if crazy town."

"That's basically Ponyville in a nutshell," Spike said. "And hey, maybe next time we see you, you can meet Sombra."

"Sombra?" Moon Dancer asked quizzically as she pulled out of the hug. At this point, Lyra Heartstrings answered as she trotted past with a bag of streamers.

"Sombra is this totally adorable colt that Twilight adopted!" She cooed. "He's just the sweetest, cutest little thing you've ever seen. You totally should meet the little guy."

"Really?" Moon Dancer asked with interest. "Already stepping into motherhood huh?"

"Well, yeah," Twilight said with a blush. "He isn't as bad as I thought he would be and I'll admit I've gotten attached. I didn't bring him because I needed time to connect with you guys on my own."

"Well okay then, just make sure you introduce us next time." Moon Dancer said with a smile.

"I will," Twilight promised. At that moment, Spike stepped forward holding out the banged up present.

"Um, Moon Dancer?" He said as held up the bundle of torn paper and ribbon. "It kinda got banged up, but here's a little something I wanted to give you back at your first party."

When the unicorn removed the paper to reveal the picture inside, her eyes began watering again. "I love it Spike, thank you." She thanked him. "I'll see you guys around okay?"

"You will. Take care of yourself." Twilight said and as they left, she turned to Spike and asked him to send a note to Celestia letting her know they were coming to pick him up.



Flashback Begin



"So your aunties are basically Twilight's best friends right?" Celestia asked as she rolled her dice and moved her piece. Sombra nodded.

"Uh-huh, I just felt like they were family," Sombra explained with a shrug as Prince snagged the dice and gave them a roll.

"So what about us, are we family?" He asked as he moved his piece. Sombra nodded.

"Yes, you're my big oldest brother," Sombra said a Prince smiled.

"Well thank you Sombra." He said. "And don't worry, I'll do my best to be a great big brother. Pinkie Promise."

As he went through the motions, Sombra rolled the dice and moved his own piece before passing the dice to Luna who moved her own piece then passed the dice to Celestia.

"And what of us?" The Lunar Princess asked. "Are we your aunties as well?"

"No," Sombra said with a shake of his head. "I can't put my hoof on what exactly you are, but I know it's not auntie. Don't worry though, I'll figure it out."



Flashback End



"I finally figured it out." Celestia and Luna jumped at the suddenness of Sombra's sentence. After they had received Twilight's note, they set about packing his things. When he was all packed up, they had moved to the throne room to wait for Twilight. It was as they were waiting that Sombra had suddenly spoken.

"Figured out what?" Celestia asked, both her and her sister completely lost.

"Who you are in my family," Sombra answered. "I've been thinking about it a lot and I finally figured it out. You are my cousins."

There was a long pause as they took that in then the quiet was broken by Luna when she gathers the colt up into her arms and gave him a hug.

"Oh sweet little Sombra, we would be honored to be your cousins." She cooed happily. Celestia smiled as well.

"Indeed we would." She said. "Always remember if you need anything you can always call on us."
> Second Cousin
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight carefully cut open the package she received, all the while wondering what Cadence sent her. When they had returned home from Canterlot last night, there was a notice on the door explaining that while she was gone she had received a package but because nopony was home they were holding it for her at the post office. Since it was late, she had to wait until morning to pick it up which brings us to the present where the alicorn was opening her new package in the library.

Pushing aside packing peanuts, Twilight lifted out a plain black book with a buckle securing it shut. A journal, Twilight recognized when she took in the book. She also noticed the bookmark near the end but figured it would be best to get to know the owner of this journal first. Settling herself into a chair and requesting snacks from Spike, Twilight started reading.



A Few Days Later



As the girls were setting up the beds in her bedroom according to Luna's specifications, Twilight was tucking Sombra into his bed.

"I don't see why I can't help too." Sombra pouted and Twilight smiled at the adorable expression.

"Don't worry, we've already got everything covered." She assured the colt as she began to wind up his music box. "You just get your rest. Growing colts like you need it."

"So do alicorn adults." Sombra retorted.

"I know, but Luna already has that covered." Twilight said as she tucked him in."Trust me, we'll be fine and this whole matter will be resolved by tomorrow."

"Pinkie Promise?" He asked as the ferrets settled in with him. Twilight nodded.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She said, going through the motions. "Now do you want your lullaby or not?"

Sombra quickly nodded and found himself lulled to sleep by a combination of his music box and Twilight's gentle singing voice. Unknown to both, Luna watched the scene from the doorway with a happy smile and a spark of longing in her eyes.





As the morning sun peeked over the horizon, everyone in Twilight's castle yawned and stretched as they emerged from the shared dream they'd just experienced. Twilight gasped.

"Luna did it!" She cried victoriously.

"She sure did!" Applejack agreed. "Only... I'm not sure what she did exactly."

"Luna created the tantabus to punish herself." Twilight began to explain as Spike climbed onto her bed. "The worse she felt, the more power it had. But once she finally forgave herself for what Nightmare Moon did..."

"Poof!" Spike illustrated with a wave of his arms.

"Shhh!" Fluttershy hushed then pointed to where the Lunar Princess in question was resting.

"Huh. Wonder what she's dreaming about now?" Spike pondered in a more hushed tone.

Twilight smiled gently and climbed out of bed. "Probably much better dreams now that the tantabus is no longer there." She said as she lifted a spare blanket and laid it across the mare. All through the shared dream, something nagged at her in the back of her head, but as she tucked Luna in, she finally realized what was nagging her.

"Hey did any of you see Sombra in the shared dream?" She asked and everyone looked at each other with shrugs and a number of denials.

"I don't recall seeing the tyke but we were kind of busy," Rainbow said.

"Dash has a point, but even I was able to note who was or wasn't there." Applejack said then made a suggestion. "Maybe Pinks didn't dream of every pony in Ponyville?"

Pinkie shook her head. "Nope, I distinctly recall Sombry being a part of our ice cream party. He was sharing his salted caramel ice cream with that new filly in town, Lacewing and she was in the dream. Remember she was leading a pack of kaiju to attack to the tantabus. It was awesome and I learned that she loves Neighponese monster radio shows."

"Okay so Lacewing made it into the dream, what about Sombra?" Twilight pondered and Pinkie shrugged.

"I dunno." She said and silence prevailed as Twilight hummed in thought.

"Well, I'll ask Sombra when he wakes up if he remembers the shared dream," Twilight said. "And if he doesn't, I'll bring it up with Luna when she wakes up and we'll go from there."

"Sounds like a plan sugar cube." Applejack approved. "Ah gotta get going to get my chores done and I'm working the stand today. See you, girls, later."

"Yeah, I've got stuff to do too," Rainbow said. "Weather team has a light shower planned tonight so I've got to go help out with that. Hope you and Luna figure out what's going on."

After that, the rest of Twilight's friends dispersed to their various duties and obligations. Fluttershy had animals to take care of, Pinkie Pie had work and Rarity wanted to get down all her inspiration while it was still fresh in her mind. Soon they were all gone, leaving Twilight, Spike, Sombra and a slumbering Luna as the castle's occupants.

"Okay then, who's up for crepes?" Spike asked, breaking Twilight's contemplative silence.

"Sounds delicious Spike," Twilight said and the two left the room to let Luna sleep in peace. "First we should send a letter to Celestia to let her know where Luna is so she doesn't panic."





After sending their letter to Celestia and receiving a reply, Twilight, Spike and Sombra settled down at the table for breakfast. Twilight had already asked Sombra about the shared dream and the colt confirmed her suspicions that he'd somehow escaped Luna's shared dream.

As they started to eat, Twilight opened the journal that she'd been enjoying. It was a bad habit, but sometimes when Twilight found herself engaged in a book, she would bring it with her to meals. During these times she'd place waterproof and stain proof spells on her reading material and keeps it aloft in her magic.

She'd already read most of the journal and felt like she was ready to read the entry Cadence bookmarked for her. When she was done, she lowered her book and turned her gaze to Sombra with an unreadable expression. This explained so much and she was now formulating some theories.





It was almost noon when Luna woke from the most restful sleep she'd had in centuries. Stretching leisurely before getting up, Luna looked outside to gauge the time, she began to worry seeing how late it was. She had left Canterlot without so much as a goodbye to her sister once and after she'd returned, Celestia had been more clingy than before.

Luna suspected it was a result of her sister's guilty conscious and while they had been getting better, she could still freak out if she disappeared without saying anything. Luna could only hope Celestia wasn't too upset as she roamed downstairs in pursuit of food. Entering the dining room, Luna found the only occupant was Twilight.

Looking up from her book upon her entrance, Twilight smiled at Luna. "Morning Princess." She greeted then gestured to the food on the table. "Care for a crepe?"

Luna grinned in delight. "Why thank you Twilight, I would love to." She said then began putting her crepe together. "Unfortunately it will likely have to be to go as I failed to notify my sister I would be gone."

"No need to worry about that," Twilight said with a wave of her hoof. "We already sent a letter to Celestia and she was okay with you being her a little longer. Said it would be a nice breather after what happened though she'd like you to be back by sunset to lower the moon."

"Of course." Luna sighed as she relaxed than the entirety of her sentence and it's implications settled. "I assume that means you told her about what happened then."

"I'm sorry," Twilight said as her ears drooped. "I figured she would need to know why you were here in the first place so I told her. If it means anything, she said to tell you that she is sorry for not noticing your pain and helping out."

"No no, it tis alright." Luna soothed. "Celestia would've found out sooner or later. She'll likely want to talk about it, so I believe that I shall be staying a little longer to gather my thoughts before facing her."

"Still, I feel like I just revealed some sort of huge secret," Twilight said but Luna shook her head firmly.

"No, it's good that you told my sister in this case." She said, savoring her bite of food. "Looking back on it, the tantabus was harmful to more than just my subjects. It was harmful towards myself with no redeeming value. Consider this an impromptu friendship lesson to always do what you can to help a friend when you notice that they are getting into a bad habit that's harmful to them."

"I'll keep that in mind for future reference." There was a long pause as Twilight watched Luna eating until she broke the silence.

"Were you and Celestia really friends with Sombra?" She asked out of the blue and Luna spat her food across the table in surprise.

"How did you find out about that?" She asked as she cleaned up her mess and Twilight lifted the book she had been reading earlier. No, not a book now that Luna got a good look at it.

"Sombra kept a journal from his coronation up until the end." She explained. "This is that journal."

"Ah. I see." Luna said with a sad nod. "I can only assume Cadence was the one to find this and she sent it to you." Twilight nodded in confirmation. "Well, I guess there's no hiding the fact. Sombra was our best friend from the time we met him. Up until...."

"Up until The Darkness, right?" Twilight asked quietly and Luna's head snapped up in shock.

"How do you know that?" She whispered. Twilight didn't say anything, just opened the journal to the last entry and levitated it to Luna to read.



Recently I received a letter from my grandmother warning me about an approaching evil. She called it The Darkness. She didn't know where it came from as it just appeared from nowhere, but she did know that it was powerful and it wanted one thing. To conquer and rule the world. It tried to attack her home, but they beat it back. Barely.

They were only able to drive it away, but not destroy it and now it was heading my way I highly doubt I could stand a chance against it, after all if my grandmother couldn't defeat it then there's no chance I could beat it, so I've found another way to stop it. The Darkness has no body of its own which makes it almost unstoppable but limited in what it can do.

The only way it can enact its plans is to take a body of its own, preferably somepony in a place of power. Like for example the King of an empire. Having a body would make it strong, but will make it vulnerable to harm and ultimately death. So I will let it take my body. I've already made arrangements, I've sent letters to my family and friends to say my last goodbyes and I've sent a letter to Celestia and Luna explaining their part in this plan.

They won't like it, but for my subjects, I hope they can do it. I hope they can destroy The Darkness while it is in my body. Admittedly that means I won't survive, but if it means that my ponies will be safe, I'm willing to make that sacrifice. I also made sure to hide the Crystal Heart and protect it with light magic, the complete opposite of dark magic. They can either use it to destroy me or use it to restore the empire after I'm destroyed. Either way, it'll be at their disposal.

Well since this'll be my last time writing, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to voice my final thoughts. Truth be told, I'm terrified.
However things go, I'm going to die and there's nothing I can do about it. If there were any other way, I would take it because there's so much I want to do. I want to enjoy life, find love and possibly raise a family. I don't regret my choice, but I do wish it wasn't my only choice.



There were little spots on the page that indicated that drops of liquid fell on it and dried and it wasn't too much of a stretch to imagine that Sombra had wept as he wrote the entry. Luna sighed and gently shut the journal.

"Since you've read this much, you deserve to know the rest." She said solemnly. "My sister and I did receive this letter he wrote of, but we refused to do our duty. The thought of killing such a dear friend was abhorrent to us and once we received the letter, we rushed to the Crystal Empire to try and stop it from going so far. But we were too late. The Darkness had already claimed his body and attacked us so we retreated.'

"I'm certain that he expected us to do away with the Darkness right away, but we were young and naive and didn't want to kill him. We spent months pouring over every book in every library we could reach to try and discover a way to separate him from the Darkness and destroy it. During that time, 'Sombra' became known as a tyrant to the crystal ponies."

"I'm sorry." Twilight apologized but Luna shook her head.

"No need to apologize my friend. Eventually, reports of Sombra preparing his army forced our hoof and we confronted him again. But we still couldn't stand the idea of killing somepony so dear to us so instead, we sealed him away. At the time the original plan was to 'store away' the initial threat while we restore the Crystal Empire and find some way to save the real Sombra. Unfortunately, our plan didn't exactly work out."

"The Crystal Empire disappeared." Twilight realized and Luna nodded.

"Exactly." The Princess confirmed. "Not only did the Darkness terrorize the population of the Crystal Empire and prepare his army, but he also cast a spell that made it so that in case he found himself sealed, the empire would be shunted into limbo, somewhere between the folds of our world and the void."

"And you couldn't get them out, could you?" Twilight asked and Luna shook her head.

"Nay, and we put our all into it," Luna said. "The best we could do was anchor it here for a minute at most before it snapped out of this reality and back to limbo."

"That's... that's....whoa," Twilight whispered in awe. "I mean it's not entirely unheard of for powerful spellcasters to banish something to limbo, but never anything bigger than say a trunk or even a full grown stallion, but a whole empire? That's unheard of."

"Indeed, not even I and my sister could manage something of that scale," Luna confessed. "It illustrated just how outclassed we were and it was our first adventure that ended in failure. Not many ponies know this, but at one time we were quite the adventurous fillies. Not unlike you and your friends."

Twilight grinned widely. "Thank you, princess." She said eagerly. "Perhaps sometime you could tell me all about your adventures."

"Of course, I would not mind regaling you with tales of our youth," Luna said with a small puff of her chest. "In any case, at some point during her thousand years on the throne, Celestia reached the conclusion that killing Sombra was our only option. But because of how close we were to him, we couldn't do the deed."

"So you sent me and my friends to the Crystal Empire to finish what you started," Twilight said as she connected the dots. "You purposely didn't give me as much information as you could so that I wouldn't hesitate to deliver the final blow. And you knew that the Crystal Heart was what was needed to fix it."

"More or less," Luna admitted. "We didn't know what became of the Crystal Heart, but knowing Sombra we suspected that he ensured it was hidden and protected. Even with the Darkness' spells, the only thing it could do was lay a trap in the room."

"But wouldn't it have just been easier to send the Crystal Heart to you and Celestia?" Twilight asked but Luna shook her head.

"The relationship between the Crystal Heart and the empire is symbiotic to the point where if the heart were to leave the empire, the consequences would be grave."

"Oh." Was all Twilight could say about that. "So then, why did you decide to bring him back exactly?"

"To give him a second chance." Luna murmured. "Sombra did not deserve his life to be cut short like that and while Celestia couldn't find a way to separate him from the Darkness, she was able to find a way to give him a second chance. We just needed a significantly sized piece of him. Hence the horn we used in the ceremony."

"I guess that makes sense but isn't that necromancy?" Twilight asked but Luna shook her head.

"Not exactly. We brought Sombra back, but not as a lich, zombie or any sort of undead creature." Luna explained. "Matter of fact, there's much more to necromancy than liches and zombies, but that is a subject for another time. In any case, we didn't just bring him back, we gave him second chance at life. We just didn't think it would be that literal."

"And the Darkness?" Twilight asked, mentally noting to ask Luna about necromancy later. Luna scowled.

"Dead and gone, hopefully." She muttered then chomped rather savagely on her crepe.

"And if it wasn't entirely gone?" Twilight asked and Luna looked at her suspiciously.

"That is a rather specific question." The Lunar Princess commented almost casually. "What pray tell brought it on?"

"After we woke up from the shared dream, I realized something." Twilight began. "I never saw Sombra anywhere in the shared dream. Neither did my friends and when Pinkie asked around she found that nopony in town saw him. By all rights, he should've been there, yet he wasn't."

"Interesting." Luna hummed thoughtfully. "While definitely odd, I fail to see how this is connected to the Darkness."

"When I spoke with him, Sombra told me that he has nightmares almost constantly." Twilight informed her. "He didn't mention it because when I sing him to sleep, the nightmares aren't that bad and some nights he dreams of somepony comforting him. I thought that this was strange, to say the least, and after reading this last entry, I've formulated a theory that maybe not all of it is gone. What if some tiny shred was still around and has infected his dream realm?"

Luna's expression darkened. "It is certainly a plausible explanation." She said with a nod. "I recall that the Darkness delighted in bringing fear and pain to anypony. Especially in the form of terrifying nightmares."

Suddenly Luna stood up. "Thank you for the meal, it was quite delicious, but I must go now." Luna thanked Twilight. "I shall look into this matter tonight and inform you of my findings on the morrow."

"Thank you, Princess Luna. I look forward to your reply on the matter." Twilight replied politely and waved goodbye as she left.



The Next Morning





Dear Princess Twilight,

It seems as though your theory was correct. Last night, when I found Sombra's dream, I found incredible resistance against my entrance. Matter of fact, I was completely barred from his dream and was only able to get a glimpse of it before I was ejected. That one glimpse was enough to confirm your theory.

And it seems that even though it is but a small shred, it is powerful enough to deny me access. No matter what I did, I could not enter Sombra's dream fully and even when I managed to squeeze in just a little of myself, I was shunted out. It seems I shall have to take a different approach to this problem and I will inform you when I have something.

Sincerely, Princess Luna.





Almost Two Weeks Later



"Twilight you must help me!"

At the sudden shout, Twilight choked and spat out her orange juice. Rarity instantly leaped into action and began wiping down the mess as Twilight turned to the source of the shout. A very fidgety Lunar Diarch. Noticing the other mares in the room, Luna blinked.

"And thy friends help would be much appreciated." She added and Twilight sighed a bit knowing their breakfast social would have to wait.

"We would love to help with whatever problem needs solving." Rarity spoke for the group. "So what do you need us for?"

"No time to explain here!" Luna shouted then gathered the six mares, one dragon and one colt in her magic. "I shall explain at Canterlot."

And before Twilight could point out the dangers of a mass teleport, they vanished from the castle.





"As grateful as I am for arriving in one piece, a little warning before hoof would've been nice." Twilight groaned as her stomach began to settle. A number of her friends, however, weren't that lucky and found themselves redecorating the hall they landed in (much to their mortification).

"I apologize for my...hastiness, but it is an emergency," Luna said with a blush of embarrassment as her Lunar Guard provided buckets and the maids cleaned the mess.

"No problem your highness." Applejack said with a wave of her hoof as she lifted her head from her bucket. "Just next time, let's go by train or carriage. Ah, am never teleporting again."

"Same here." Rainbow groaned. "Now what was so important that you had to bring us here?"

Instead of answering, Luna glanced at Sombra briefly and while it was quick, Twilight was able to pick up the unspoken message.

"Hey Sombra, why don't you show Spike around the castle?" Twilight suggested and Spike looked at Twilight in confusion.

"Wait for what. But I already-mph." The little dragon's sentence was halted by a hoof on his mouth.  Sombra for his part didn't seem to notice.

"Is this adult stuff that I'm not supposed to hear?" He asked and Twilight nodded. "Okay then. Come on Spike, I could show you the gardens and the..."

Once the colt's voice faded away completely, the six recovered mares turned to Luna with questioning looks in their eyes. The Lunar alicorn at first just trotted down the hall with an indication for them to follow and once they caught up, she began explaining.

"You know that I have been working on a way to gain access to Sombra's nightmares, correct?" She started and all six mares nodded. "Well after many unsuccessful attempts and internal debate I reached the conclusion that there was only one way I could find entry into the dream. The tantabus."

"What!?" Dash exclaimed very loudly. "After everything that happened last time, you thought it was a good idea to bring that monster back?!"

"Have a little faith in your princess." Luna chided gently. "It was going to be very different this time, I have made sure of that. This tantabus was created to be strong enough to only enter dreams not create nightmares. Furthermore, I made sure that my dream room was sealed to prevent escape and took great pains to dream of nobody save for Discord."

"Discord?" Fluttershy asked.

"I have never been able to enter Discord's dreams unless he invites me in," Luna explained. "If this tantabus were able to enter his dreams, then I know it would be able to enter Sombra's dreams."

"Ah, that makes sense." Applejack said with a nod. "So I take it something went wrong eh?"

Once again, Luna began to fidget. "I wouldn't necessarily say 'wrong', more like something different happened." She corrected. "Last night, after I made sure that everypony was well, I entered my dream room and found the tantabus was missing."

"And you need us to go find it again," Rainbow said eagerly but a shake of Luna's head stopped her.

"Nay, that is not the problem," Luna said, speeding up her trot. "When I saw the tantabus missing, I panicked and scoured the Dream Realm for it but found no trace of it. When morning came and there was still no sign of the tantabus, I was forced to wake and that was when I found it or rather her."

At this point, the group had reached Luna's chambers and after casting an invisibility spell, Luna eased open the door. There lounging on the floor of her bedroom was a filly. She was clearly different from any filly they had seen, looking more like a cross between a lamb and a filly. Her hooves were black and cloven like a lamb's hooves and she had long skinny legs like lambs and most fillies at a certain age.

Her ears were also longer and more oval shaped than pony ears and her coat was pearl white with a light purple sheen and was longer and curlier that filly coats. Her mane and tail were periwinkle with a darker shade of cornflower blue that was almost indigo and when she looked up from her coloring to reveal silver eyes with black sclera. It was at that point that Luna slammed the door and dropped the invisibility spell. For a moment, the others were stunned by what they had seen.

"So that's the tantabus?" Twilight asked and Luna nodded.

"When I woke up, she was curled up on my bed and when my movements woke her, she promptly called me mommy." Luna finished. "I had the maids get her some paper and crayons and teleported to Ponyville."

"So that's your problem?" Dash asked, disappointed that she wouldn't be fighting a monster. "A filly calling you mommy?"

"You do not understand, it is not so much a filly calling me mommy as it is that she is right," Luna explained nervously as she fidgeted with her hooves. "Essentially speaking, I am her mother. Granted I didn't expect it to turn out like this, but I did create her. She is my child."

"And that's a bad thing?" Fluttershy asked. "Didn't you ever want to have foals?"

"Of course I did," Luna answered. "Ever since I was young I always wanted to marry somepony and have foals. I was quite the flirt back in the days of my youth in fact. But at this point in my life, I do not believe that I am mother material. I fear that I shall do everything wrong and she may end up making the choices I did. So if any of you wouldn't mind taking her in, I could-"

"Horseapples." Applejack interrupted and gave Luna a stern glare. "Now listen up, Ah may not know a lot about parenting but I do know a thing or two about raising kids. When we lost our parents, Applebloom was just a filly so Ah had ta step in ta help Granny raise her and one thing Ah've learned over the years is that a filly always needs her mama and papa. Sisters, brothers, cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles are all well and good but none of them could ever replace the love and care of a parent."

"But, I wouldn't know how to raise a child properly," Luna muttered weakly, a little cowed by the farm mare's stern talking. "I never had a mother to show me."

"Neither did I, at least not for long, but I did an okay job with Bloom." Applejack rebutted. "Point is it doesn't matter if ya don't know what your doing or if you've never had somepony ta teach ya, ya still gotta step up and be the mother that filly deserves."

"But what if I lead her down the wrong path? What if she makes the same mistakes I made?!" Luna asked it was clear that AJ's speech was getting to her but she still had doubts.

"Ya won't and she won't." Applejack assured her. "Nopony is perfect, but Ah have no doubt that you'll be a great mother."

"Auntie Applejack is right." A sudden familiar voice made them all jump and turn to the three newcomers. "You'll be a great mommy."

"How long have you been there?" Twilight asked a little nervously. Sombra grinned and shrugged.

"Long enough to know that Luna's a mommy now and that she's nervous." He answered then turned to Luna. "Luna, I know that you'll be a great mommy just like Twilight."

Twilight spluttered in surprise and Luna smiled. "I know she's a good mother. That's why I came to her for help." She said. "But I'm not sure if I could be as good a mother as she is."

Twilight was speechless, plain and simple and was unsure if she was blushing because of the assumption that she was a mother or the fact that they thought she was a great mother. It was at this point that Prince decided to add his own two bits to the pile.

"They are all right auntie." He said, ignoring the dirty looks that were being shot in his direction. "You will be an excellent mother to your child and you shall not be alone in this endeavor. Your sister is here, as am I not to mention some of the palace staff and guards are decent folk."

"Not ta mention us," Applejack added as she shoved the stallion out of the way. "We'll be there with you as well. Now, why don't you go in there and get to know your daughter."

As they started to enter the room, Prince pulled aside Rarity and Applejack. "We need to talk." He said.





The two mares were hesitant at first but after assurances from Sombra, Spike and Twilight, they agreed to hear him out. So they stepped into an empty room to talk in private. While those three were working out their issues, the others were getting to know the new tantabus. After drawing with her for a bit, Sombra finally asked the question that hadn't occurred to anypony.

"So what's your name?" He asked and the filly paused her drawing. Luna also froze in surprise and began to answer.

"Well I didn't really think of names, but I suppose her name would be Tantab-"

"Just Tanta." The filly cut off. "I thought Tantabus was too long and just didn't feel right so I shortened it." The filly's ears then drooped and she looked up at her mother with an unsure look. "That's okay, right?"

"Oh little one, it is more than okay." Luna cried as she scooped her filly up into a hug. "Matter of fact, Tanta is a much better name. It suits you."

The newly Christened Tanta giggled and squealed as Luna poked and tickled her belly. It was to this scene that Rarity, Applejack, and Prince walked in. Smiling at the sweet scene, the three ponies trotted up.

"I take it things went well." Applejack commented and Sombra dashed up to his aunties and older brother.

"Auntie Rarity, auntie Applejack and Prince, I'd like you to meet Tanta." He said, gesturing to the squealing filly. At that moment the colt noticed something that hadn't been there before.

"Why do your cheeks have red hoofprints?" He asked innocently and with some amount of concern. Prince smiled despite the stinging pain in his cheeks.

"Because young Sombra, sometimes when a gentlestallion does something to offend a lady, it is only right to let the mare in question strike him." He explained. "Rest assured that I am now on better terms with your aunts, but after what happened at the Gala it seemed right to let them take a swing at me."

"Oh," Sombra said, not really getting it, but he didn't have much of a chance to ponder when Luna's startled yelp made him turn back to her. Luna was sitting there with a shocked expression on her face as she stared down at her empty hooves while silver sparkles twinkled out of existence. Then with another fresh shower of silver, Tanta reappeared next to her mother. The other ponies stared at her in shock until a certain colt broke the silence.

"That was so cool!" He declared as he ran towards her. "What did you and how did you do it?"

Tanta shrugged. "I don't know exactly. I just know that I wanted to get out of mommy's hooves so I just popped into the Dream Realm."

"You can enter and exit the Dream Realm at will?" Luna asked with a hint of amazement. Tanta only nodded.

"That is so awesome." Sombra gushed eagerly. "Do you think you could enter the Dream Realm with a passenger?"

Not liking where this was going, Luna was about to intervene but was preempted by an equally eager filly. "I don't know, I've never tried it before." With that, she grabbed Sombra's leg and the next instance they both vanished in a shower of silver.

With a sigh, Luna lit up her own horn and also vanished from that plane of reality. She didn't return for almost an hour which gave the remaining ponies time to get to know Prince Blueblood better. When she returned, she had Sombra draped across her back and Tanta looking chastised. Immediately Twilight shot to her hooves and rushed to Luna's side.

"What happened? Is he okay?!" She demanded worriedly. Luna gave her a reassuring smile as she lifted the colt from her back.

"Fret not my friend." She assured her as her blue magic was replaced with raspberry colored magic. "He is merely asleep and will be well after some rest. As for what happened, let's just say Tanta learned a very valuable lesson about the Dream Realm. There is a reason why I don't bring ponies into the Dream Realm willy-nilly. It is a psychic/magical plane that straddles and practically exists outside of reality and that's just the surface. Even I don't understand the Dream Realm, but I do know this. Ponies aren't really built to enter the Dream Realm physically. It puts a strain on their bodies, especially children."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know!" Tanta cried, sounding near tears. "I just wanted to play!"

"It's okay Tanta." Twilight soothed the filly. "I'm not mad at you. You couldn't have possibly known before hoof, but now you know and can better avoid any incidents, right?"

Tanta sniffed and nodded. "Mm-hm, don't worry. I'll be more careful next time."

"Good girl," Twilight said then turned to Luna. "Well this has been great, but we should head home now. I need to get Sombra to his bed and we'd like to finish our breakfast."

"Would you like me to return you home?" Luna asked as her horn began to glow.

"No no, that's quite enough teleportin' for me." Applejack said hurriedly with a shake of her head.

"Same here." Rainbow agreed and the others nodded. "No offense princess, but I think after that, I'd rather take the train back to Ponyville."

"Very well then." Luna conceded as her horn's light dimmed. "Then allow me to arrange for a carriage to get you home much faster than any train."

"No carriage is faster than me, but I'm up for it." Rainbow said.

"Me too." Applejack agreed with a nod. "I'd take flying over teleportation any day."

"As would I" Rarity added to the pile. The other two mares agreed and Twilight nodded as she spoke for them.

"I think that would be a great idea."