Sombra has won. With the special friends in chains he looks back over her slaves in his kingdom. However it is not the same as before. So he looks to the friends, and decided to make a simple deal.
Took a lot of hard work to get these ponies in chains. But now it did.'t feel the same as before. Sombra looked at the 6 ponies in his chambers and looked at the small dragon that came with them.
Maybe he can strike a deal with these ponies. That small one seemed oh so sweet...
The chains clanked together as they moved. Sombra looked down at the slaves once more. However, his smile has faded his brow stayed straight. He didn't feel like he had before. Before he vanished he was very pleased with all these ponies doing whatever he pleased. But right now, he wanted some excitement.
In the other room, 8 ponies and a dragon all fidgeted in the chains that they were held in. Twilight looked over to the small dragon who she helped grow. She looked at her friends and her brother and sister-in-law. She lowered her head in dismay and stopped fidgeting falling hopelessly in the chains around her. The door to the room creaked open as all the ponies and Spike looked up at it. They watched as Sombra walked in. He gave a wide smile and leaned into the dragon that was so close to defeating him. Sombra inhaled as if at about to speak only to get a large sniff of the dragons harsh odor. He pulled himself away and held back his puke. "My dear when was the last time you bathed?" He coughed trying o get the smell from his nostrils. The dragon sniffed himself and looked back at the black unicorn. He shrugged unable to notice what was wrong. He looked away to the other ponies and they all avoided eye contact. Sombra had just said what they all though for the past several months.
Sombraa walked over to Twilight who had given up hope of getting out of her chains. However, she looked up at Sombra with a disapproving stare trying to guilt him into thinking of what he has done. Sombra chuckled and continued walking. He then passed by a curled up yellow ball of fluff. He paused for a moment and backtracked. He looked closely at this small yellow fuzzball. He looked at her and watched as she slowly moved her head from between her legs only to find Sombra inches from her eyes. She then placed her head back down in fear and began to shiver. Sombra smiled and looked back the pony that seemed in charge of this whole group.
"Twilight is it?" He asked as he moved closer to the purple unicorn. "I would like to make a deal with you."
Twilight twitched her ears and looked up in hope that he was being honest. "What kind of deal?" Sombra smiled and looked down as he walked over to the window facing the kingdom. "A deal that would set you friends and this kingdom free. Those chains around you all gone and you will not have to worry about me returning." He said as he looked at ponies in chains. "Well, most of your friends." He gave a glance over to the small yellow pegasus. Who once more began to place her head between her hoofs again. Twilight looked back at the scared friend and then flattened her ears realizing his request. "What could you want with her?" Twilight asked scared.
"Well if I plan on leaving this empire to live outside of here, I don't wish to do it alone. She will be around simply for, company. Somepony to help me clean and get things done. and I think it would be rather weird for me to go into the market so she may do that also. I promise you this no real harm will come to this child."
Twilight looked back at Fluttershy as she thought for a moment. She looked back at Sombra questioning whether or not to believe him. Fluttershy looked up and saw her friend actually considering this. She was thinking about it too. These were her friend, they had been like family to her. She looked at Sombra and began to weakly stand to her hooves. The other ponies watched as she stood and began to walk over to the black unicorn. Her legs shook as she slowly made her way over to him. Sombra watched as she was willing to hand herself over to him. He filled him with pride and joy. He gave her a wide smile and looked back at the purple unicorn before her. "Seems I was speaking to the wrong pony. She can choose for herself after all." He said as he placed his hoof over her shoulder. Fluttershy flinches as his touch before trying to relax in his grip. She failed at the relaxing part because she was as tense as a bear trap. A horn lit up on the former kings head as he disappeared the chains vanished with him. Twilight ran over to the window to see the rest of the kingdom free from chains. The ponies that were in them looked up to the palace in question. Small smiles of freedom ran across the crystal ponies faces. However, the 8 friends in the room sat quietly as the kingdom cheered. They looked at each other as they realized what had just happened. spike looked up at the motherly figure in front of him. "What now?"
Fluttershy lifts her hoof to her head. She felt rather dizzy. She felt the hoof of the unicorn leave her shoulder and saw Sombra begin to walk. Fluttershy said nothing as she looked around the room they were now in. It was odd, I looked kinda like a house. The lights were out and there was dust on everything. Somethings looked rotten and everything looked rather old. No very old. Everything in this room looked as though they were at least a few centuries old. Though most looked like they were amazing back in their primal day now they just looked like old dusty objects that a hoarder would keep. From what she could tell it looked as if this was a living room. An old sofa sat against the wall. The sofa itself was covered in rips and tears.The wall paper behind it was faded and had several pieces missing. There was a rotten wooden coffee table Which color had faded gray. On it sat a lantern. She looked around and everything seemed old worn and rotten. Fluttershy looked back at the stallion that had gone into another room. He returned a moment later with a newer looking broom and a few other cleaning objects. He placed them on the floor in front of Fluttershy who looked back up to him.
"Throw out the furniture, clean the rest and take down the wall paper. You can start in this room." He said as he left the house to go walk around outside.
Fluttershy watched as he went outside as he went to set up an old hammock between some trees. "Where are we?" Sombra looked back at her and let out a sigh. "First of all, I gave you an order. Second, a cabin, I owned it for ages before. Honestly, I am surprised it lasted. Now get cleaning. Tomorrow you get to go to the market and get new furniture." Fluttershy nodded and went back inside and begun to work on the room before her.
Did she get to go to the market? Maybe she could talk to some ponies and maybe even her friends! Maybe this won't be as awful as she thought it was. She thought about how her friends would handle seeing her after the scene at the Crystal empire. A wide smile on her face.
She held an old map in her hoof. She looked up at the rock Sombra had marked for her so she knew she was going in the right direction. She had to be careful, there was no road where she was and the wagon on her back was rotten to the core. She decried the first thing she would get is a new wagon. But Sombra had also made a list in which she was also to get. She continued down the dirt ground as she finally hit a dirt road. She followed the road east into a near by town.
She first went to the mail station and told the pegasus there that an urgent message was to be sent at once. And a unicorn came and cast a spell to send the message directly to Twilight. Fluttershy smiled and thanked the unicorn and pegasus. She then made her way into town dumping the old wagon and buying a new one with the money Sombra had given her. She had begun to make her way to the sofa shop when she heard a loud pop in the town. She turned to see what was the cause of the noise only to be attacked. Fluttershy fell to the ground with a scream as she realized the pink ball of fur lay crying on top of her. "Pinkie?" Fluttershy asked as she looked up at the overjoyed earth pony. Pinkie lifted her head from Fluttershy chest and let the tears fall as she laughed. "I was so scared we would never see you again." She said. "We?" And with that, she felt other ponies jump on top of her. She looked up after catching her breath to see all her friends even spike there to join her. SHe smiled and began to cry. She looked up and gave them a group hug. They only sat there for a moment. As each one began to stand up off of Fluttershy. She stood up and smiled at her friends. She walked back over to the wagon.
"Look as much as I love it that you all are here. I have a list of things to get for him. So umm if you like I would love some company. I don't have to be back until nightfall. But it still a bunch to get. If you guys want." She said as she went to pick up the list. However, a purple glow came from the list as Twilight brought the list up to her eyes. "This a lot of furniture, how will you pay?"
She quickly got her answer when she saw the large bag of bits in the back of the wagon. Twilight smiled and flattened her ears in embarrassment that she hadn't seen that before. Fluttershy smiled in pride while her friends came with her to get the things on the list. They made their way to the store of lamps and grabbed 5 ceiling fans and 4 lamps. They had to make sure it was good enough for the king. While she knew the style of the house she also knew what he was interested in. She could tell that he looked for fancy things but it was modern times so she grabbed what she could. They went by several stores and by a place to eat where they had a lovely conversation. Twilights horn began to glow earlier around dinner and a scroll appears in front of her. Twilight looked at the scroll.
I know she is with you. I am a patient stallion but it is time for her to come home. She needs to also put it all in place before bed. If you like you and your friends may join her till nightfall.
Fluttershy nodded and began to lead her friend up to the cabin. Dragging a wagon along the dirt was a lot easier while it was empty. She found the spot she had marked a place earlier for her to go off road. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had been very kind and took it off her and help pull and push it up the hills and through the woods. They laughed as they reached the cabin and Fluttershy froze in place as she saw Angel running toward her. Tears rolled down her face as she dropped and held the small rabbit while a lot of other animals gathered around her. She looked up at her friends thinking they had something to do with this only to see they were as shocked as she was.
"Like I said my dear, I am no monster." Came a voice from above her. She looked up and saw Sombra. "I knew you were an animal person when birds started help you swept yesterday. rather impressive I must say. I looked you up and saw your animal home and a simple trick brought them here."
Fluttershy looked up at the unicorn and let go of the bunny and hugged the stallion. Sombra stood shocked by her action and looked to the other ponies around him for help. But they all stood just as shocked and dumbfounded as he. Sombra put his hoof between him and her and pushed her off.
"Thank you," Fluttershy said excitedly picking up the rabbit again.
"A slave works harder when they have something to work for. For instance, right now, I want the furniture moved into the house. In return, the rabbit will sleep with you. If you can not complete this task then it may sleep outside with the other animals. I get you are an animal person but I do not want anypony messing up my home. So you may take the large room at the end of the hall. That will be your chambers. Any animals you care to keep inside must stay in there. I do not care what you do with it but the rest of the house is to go to my liking. You saw my old way of arrangement and my likings. Do it now."
Fluttershy nodded and began to work. She and her friends began to unload and move furniture in. Rarity helped arrange the furniture and set up a fresh coat of paint on the walls. She nodded in approvement while the other place different furniture in its place. They finished most of the house to the liking of Sombra. Once done they went to work on the Fluttershy's room. It really was big, like a second masters bedroom. The whole house itself was large but this room was at least as big at her cottage back home. They got to work and set up a nice bed and a fresh coat of paint. The sun began to set when the ponies heard whistling from the hall. They turned and looked back at Sombra.
" Well, my ladies, it was lovely seeing you, we must do this again. but for right now i is time for you all to go. Fluttershy you may grab some of your animals however that bear can not sleep in the house. I don't want to find any dropping from any of them. Understand?" Fluttershy nodded and turned to her friends. "Promise you will come visit?" She asked looking at the ponies before her. Symbolically they all stood and raised one hoof. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." They all said as they finished with their hooves over their right eye. Sombra chuckled at their small game and left the room.
Sombra went and sat down in his new and fresh bedroom. He had never thought to set a room up like this before but he did enjoy it. The bed was in the center of the room instead of against the wall. But with how big the room was that suited it. It was a round bed with a tall over hang with curtains. he looked around and saw a grand ceiling light. He had been gone for thousand years and didn't know much of the new technology Fluttershy's friends installed into his home. The ceiling light had crystals hanging around it and light inside the crystals let off a nice glow to the room. A tall dresser and a long one stood side by side. He would add some of his own personal touches in time. Perhaps some pictures or a calendar. He removed his cap and placed it on the chair at the desk. He walked over to his bed and lay on his back on the edge.
He never told somepony but he loved animals, almost as much as Fluttershy. Ponies were cruel and awful but animals never judged you on how dark you looked, or the fact you never got a cutie mark. He looked down at his blank flank and let out a sigh. He closed his eyes for some rest and drifted into slumber.
"Come on guys I told you I am too special. I just have this weird thing."
"Face it Sombra! You are and forever will be a blank flank."
A small unicorn was pushed across the hard crystal path. His own crystal coloring for his coat was beginning to fade as he watched these ponies bully him. Sombra tried to pull himself up only to get a kick in the chest. "Blank flanks don't get a place in Equestria!" Said one of the Colts that stood over him. Sombra began to cry as these two Crystal ponies began to laugh their way as they dragged him by the tail. Sombra let out a yelp on the playground looking around to the other ponies for help. He cried as the other fillies in colts stood cheering on the two bullies. Some others watch only in shock not knowing what to do. The unicorn colt that was dragging him pulled Sombra into the magical cage the school uses for misbehaving ponies. He flipped Sombra in the cage and locked the door. Sombra got up and ran to the side of the cage trying to reach out for the key. "Silly colt you don't learn. Every pony gets a cutie mark! If you don't get one then you are not a pony. You are an animal. And animals belong in a cage at the zoo!" The colts laughed as they brought a muzzle into the cage wrapping it around Sombra. Sombra cried as all the ponies laughed at his embarrassment. He put his head between his hoof and thought to himself. 'One day these ponies will pay for their actions. They will all pay.'
Fluttershy woke up next to a small sleeping rabbit. She looked around and remembered where she was. She hugged the rabbit close to her and wanted to go back to sleep. But instead, she found herself looking at the doorway at Sombra. He had been watching her.
"Umm, how long have you been there?"
"Few minutes. Takes a while for that awake spell to work, I have some work for you today." Fluttershy thought about what he had said, awake spell? Like he woke her up? Ok, then she might have to get used to that. She slowly got out of bed and made her over to him to follow him. Sombra didn't move, instead, he stood in the door and his horn lit up. Fluttershy went to ask what he was doing but before the words came out she felt a jacket landed on her back.
"It is chilly today. Trust me you will need it for the task at hand."
Fluttershy nodded and placed her hooves into the sleeves. Sombra then turned and began to walk motioning her to follow. His long red cape followed behind him Sombra took Fluttershy outside and sat down on his hammock.
"Work on my garden. It needs lots of work after a thousand years. Unlike my house, this place grows on it own rate. So please be sure do it properly. And I would like if you did stick to this task the rest of the time you are with me" Fluttershy nodded and went to work. She grabbed a rake and began to rake up the leaves around the cabin. That task itself was exhausting and took most of the day. She laid against the rake as it was stuck on a large pile of leaves. Her soft snores bounced off the tree.
Sombra walked over to where he heard the snoring. he looked up at the sky and back at her. The sun had already begun to set and she had been working all day. To his request, she didn't have the animals help her. the animals instead have spent their day building an another small house. he really didn't want that bear in the house. Mostly because it shed non stop. But he didn't want to the poor thing to be in the rain. He had to have another house made before the next big storm.
His horn lit up and cast a spell. He went to go pick up Fluttershy in his spell and carried her back into the house. He sat her down a long table and went to the kitchen. As much as he loved having somepony take care of things for him, he did adore to cook.
He had begun to work on some pasta which he magically pulled from thin air. He would have to remember to have Fluttershy go to the market for food next time. He boiled the pasta and pulled other ingredients from the air. Once he finished he made 2 bowls of his home made spaghetti. He brought the food out to the sleeping pony at the table and then lit up his horn. A glow cast forms his horn and floated over to Fluttershy landing in her chest. He then sat down and began to eat his food. He watched her as she moved and fidgeted waking up. SHe finally woke up when she slammed her face onto the table. She then bolted straight up and looked at Sombra.
"How did I get inside?" She asked looking at the food before her. She had forgotten to eaten all day and her stomach felt it. She dug right into the food. "Brought you in. You animals are in your room, well except the bear." He said he had finished his food just as he had started. But he decided to sit and chat about the next day's chores.
"Tomorrow you need to run to the market. Do not message your friends. They have already been contacted and will be coming over in about a week. Tomorrow I need you to get food. For both you and the animals. There is a food cellar that isn' used too often when I was last here. But that will work just fine for storing animals food. Also once you get back which I recommend you do quickly, you need to pull the weeds from around the house. ALso while you are at the market I will make a list of flowers that you will need to get. Rarity has a nice choice and she got lucky I liked the furniture arrangement. But these flowers are important. They bring my home together. Understand?"
Fluttershy looked up from her food and nodded then continued to eat.
"Also that rabbit of yours, Angel, he has been having problems authority. He kicks me non-stop and is getting rather annoying. I really would hate to lose my patients and hurt the little fellow. Please see to it that he learns some manners."
Fluttershy looked up and then looked at the door way toward the rabbit in the next room. She looked back at the Sombra and nodded and finished up her meal.
"I will work on his manners, he has always had that problem but I will see to it you will be respected. I am sorry sir."
"Thank you, you may go to your room for the night. I will burn the leaves tomorrow while you are at the market." Fluttershy nodded and walked off to her room.
"But mom you can't! I am your son! Please, Mom, Dad don't leave me!" A young unicorn cried out as he tried to run after them. The tall pegasus stallion gave him a push making him land back onto the floor of the kitchen.
"You are nothing! A beast with no mark. It is a sign my boy, a sign of the worst to come. And we, we don't want to be anywhere near you when it happens."
Sombra laid onto the floor and cried as his two parents left him. He will find them again someday.
Sombra woke up and looked around his room. His cloak was gone. He got up from his bed and looked in his drawers. Everything was gone! His shoes, crown, body armor, cape, everything was gone! He went out of his room to find that Pegasus only to overhear her in the kitchen. He ran in and saw his armor laying on the counter. He saw her washing the shoes in the sink and the cape hung from a line he could see outside.
"What is going on?" He asked making Fluttershy jump as he moved and closer to her. He looked at his armor which had not seen his this clean ever.
"My I am sorry. I wanted to have them back in your room before you woke up. I am so sorry."
"What happened?"
"Well I lost control of my squirrel and it got into your room and I thought I cleaned up behind it but then saw your armor so I was working on that while you rested. I am so sorry."
He smiled and leaned in giving her a pat on the back. "Relax. My armor hasn't been that clean since the day I first bought it." He looked down at the armor and put it on. "Please go get my cloak once it is done the drying. I don't like going without it."
"Because of your cutie mark?" She asks not looking up from her chore at hoof. Sombra, however, turned his head looked at her. "What did you say??" He said hissing as he went back over to her making her look him in the eye. Fluttershy looked back at him in fear.
"Nothing, I just saw you didn't have one and figured that's why you wear the cloak." She said as she dropped the shoes into the sink as she sank into the floor. Sombra pulled her up and pushed her back to the counter.
"Finish my shoes. And go to the market, and do not mention my flank to me again."Fluttershy nodded and went back to work on the shoes.
Once she finished she grabbed the list of things to get and headed down to the market. She grabbed several different foods, She looked at the mail place desperately wanting to contact her friends. He'said she could tell them to come, he didn't say she couldn't just write to them.
Once she finished her day of gathering she went began her walk up to the cabin. It was nearly lunch by the time she got back. She placed all the food in its proper place and began to gather the weeds. She bent over and worked through the day. She didn't bring a sweater because it was sweat work. She moved inch by inch getting every weed from the garden. She moved around the house with angel and some other animals following her eating the weeds. No matter what she tried this animal would not leave these little greens alone She looked up at the beating sun, she was hot a raisin. She looked back down at her work. She still had half the yard to do.
"Break." She heard Sombra say from behind her. She looked up and saw the unicorn carrying a cup of lemonade. She stood up and looked and went to take the lemonade when Sombra pulled it out of her reach. She looked up at him to see him smiling down at her.
"What do you say?" He said teasing the glass above her head. She smirked and flew up and grabbed the glass from his magic. She gulped it down as he stared at her shocked. She handed the glass back and said. "Thank you."
Sombra put on a pouty face and pointed back to the weeds. Fluttershy smiled and turned around getting back to her chore. Sombra went to leave and looked over his shoulder at her. 'Maybe this could be more fun than I had originally thought.' Sombra thought as he watched the pegasus pull more weed sun pours down on her. He looked up at the sky and saw the beating sun, he snapped his head and walked back inside.
Once inside he went over and sat on the sofa. He looked at the tv in front of him. This new pony technology is rather confusing, he shall have Fluttershy teach him how it works. He looked at the remote and shook his head and instead picked up a book off the shelf. He looked at the title, "Fifty Shades of Grey." He looked over the book, in question. He had not had a chance to catch up in the new worlds reading habits. Once he saw the viewer report was marked as "Most Brillant story of the year," he opened it up and began to read.
Fluttershy came in after finally finishing weeding the garden. She looked over to Sombra who was in a deep blush while reading a book. Even though she was covered in sweat she thought she might go see what was bothering him. When she got close she recognized the title. She ran over and wanted to take the book right from his magical glow. But thought best and just stood in front of him. She waited for a moment before Sombra looked up from his reading trance and gave her a deep blush. He closed the book and sat it on the table.
"So my lady, that book, well it was on my shelf. And umm, please burn it. I never wish to read a word from that thing again." Fluttershy nodded and [icked up her book and hid it under her wing.
"Though I must ask, why was that on my shelf?"
"Well umm, rarity had given it to me, it was supposed to be in my room. I haven't read it I just kept it so Rarity wasn't mad at me for throwing it out. But if you want it gone sir it will be done." She said as she uncomfortably shifts the book under her wing. Sombra let out a chuckle as he looked at her. "Well keep it if you like. But I really don't wish to see it anymore. So please put it somewhere out of the way."
Fluttershy nodded and went to her room placing the book under her bed.She turned around to find Sombra looking at her from the door way. She blushed as she looked around trying to find something else to focus on.
"I need your help, with something before you go shower."
Fluttershy looked up and perked her ears. "Ok, what's that?"
"Teach me how to use the television in the den." He said as he waved the remote in the air.