Chapter 1: Cold as Crystal

Rage, frustration, revenge.

No one could quite place what the cries from the contained stallion represented, but what they did know was that he was by no means lucid, at least not anymore. Snarls and screams were the only thing to escape his muzzle as he struggled against his chains, biting and kicking at them, occasionally slamming his own body into the stone wall to try and free himself.

“So that blast didn’t destroy him?” Twilight asked, watching in horror as Sombra slammed himself into the wall. “How is that even possible? He was completely obliterated!”

“He was also shattered to pieces by the Crystal Heart,” Celestia added, “And banished to the ice as a shadow. I’m beginning to assume he may have some sort of regenerative abilities, unnaturally strong ones.”

“He also seems to have decided to go feral again. Was biting and kicking at us along with some pathetic spurts of magic, might’ve taken a chunk out of my tail.,” Luna said with the flick of said appendage, more irritable than her sister, “I recall you saying he’d become quite verbal upon his return?”

Twilight nodded, flinching back as Sombra slammed himself into the wall again. They’d secured him tight, a heavy metal manacle around his neck and bolted to the floor, while another pair of smaller manacles kept his front legs from moving too far. Most crucial of all however, was the metal mask upon his face, covering his eyes and clamping his muzzle mostly shut. They hadn’t managed to keep him from struggling however.

She’d been told they’d found him in the castle, after endless nights of hearing disembodied wailing in the halls. He’d been struggling to keep his physical form, crying out in pain and frustration as his body melted away to shadow in desperate attempts to solidify himself. It had taken the combined might of both Celestia and Luna to solidify and capture him, after a single glare had hypnotized the guards. But just as quickly as he’d thrown them into a frenzy of their own fear, his magic faltered, and the princesses had contained him.

He hadn’t stopped fighting since.

Turning away with her eyes closed as he reared back on two legs in front of the wall, Twilight begged, “Can we continue this somewhere else? Please? I can’t bear to watch this.”

A brutal crash of metal against stone, then a softer thump, and Twilight opened her eyes to see Sombra sprawled out on the ground breathing heavily. His horn was cracked, and she could see trickles of blood running out from under his mask. For a moment, Twilight thought he’d knocked himself out, but a quiet groan from the stallion proved otherwise.

Celestia walked up beside Twilight, gently nudging her to turn her to the exit.

“Yes, I suppose it would be for the better, wouldn’t it?” She asked, walking along as Twilight trailed behind her. Luna stayed put, eyeing the semiconscious Sombra warily.

Celestia led Twilight out of the dungeon, silent all the ways. She had figured Twilight wouldn’t have been too talkative after seeing their prisoner, and hoped that taking her back to her friends would cheer her up a bit. It ended up being a somewhat awkward trip to the throne room where they were waiting however, and neither the warmth of the sun outside or the sight of Twilight’s friends running up to greet her were enough to brighten her spirits.

Applejack was the first to speak, asking, “By the look on your face I’m gonna reckon everything in that letter was true, huh?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Twilight sighed, “Sombra is down there, and I don’t think he’s willing to talk. I’m not even sure if he can talk.”

“So, what are we supposed to do about it, blast him again?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Yeah! We can show him the Magic of Friendship with twice the power!” Pinkie exclaimed excitedly.

Twilight shook her head, “No, absolutely not. We’ve done enough damage already.”

Now all her friends looked to her, all concerned in some way.

“Damage?” Rarity asked, stepping towards Twilight worriedly, “I know we meant to destroy him, but if he’s still alive, whatever do you mean?”

“Oh dear.” Fluttershy covered her mouth in concern

Twilight turned away, still not ready to fully talk about what she’d seen just moments earlier. Thankfully, Celestia answered for her.

“The magical blast you used to eradicate Sombra did not work as intended. I’m still not entirely sure how, but his physical body was somehow able to recover from the blast,” She explained. “It wasn’t without cost however, as he’s somehow gone back to the near feral state he’d been in when he returned from his previous banishment. If I’m correct, Luna is currently observing his dreams to assess his mental state.”

“And what would you like us to do about all this?” Twilight asked.

“For now? Simply continue on with your lives,” Celestia said, “School’s just started again, right? Keep your focus on your students, and leave Sombra to Luna and I for now. Give him some time to recuperate, perhaps he’ll recover soon enough. Come back at the end of the week, we’ll inform you if anything happens before that.”

“Yes, of course,” Twilight nodded, “Thank you, Princess Celestia.”

Staying focused on the school was not as easy as expected, but Twilight managed. The students didn't think much of her behavior, they were used to her occasional panic, and likely assumed it had something to do with the test coming up. As far as she knew, her friends were the only ones to know anything, and she was perfectly fine with keeping it that way. She wasn't really prepared to tell anyone she drove a pony mad.

So of course, by the time school ended by Thursday, Starlight pulled her into her office.

"Alright, what's bothering you?" She asked, leaning over her desk.

"What? Nothing, everything's fine," Twilight said, waving a hoof, "I mean sure we've got our first big test coming up, but I have faith in our students."

Starlight gave an unconvinced nod before asking, "No, I mean what happened in Canterlot this time? The princesses didn't cut their reign short again, did they?"

“Oh, you mean that,” Twilight realized, laughing nervously before realizing, “I didn’t tell you?”

Starlight shook her head, “No, you came home and pretty much locked yourself in your library, and then when school started, you stayed in your office whenever you weren’t teaching. I figured you’d either calm down or stress yourself out, and maybe tell me eventually. But it’s been nearly a week now and you haven’t stopped stressing, so I’m done waiting. What happened?”

“I messed up.”

Twilight’s words were quiet and quick, her body tensing nervously as she remembered whatever it was that happened. Growing a bit concerned, Starlight left her seat and went straight up to Twilight. She looked away, ashamed of whatever she’d done.

Gently turning Twilight’s face toward herself, Starlight said, “Hey, I’m sure whatever you did the Princesses will forgive you.”

“It’s not the Princesses’ forgiveness I’m worried about. They already don’t blame me for this, but I can’t help but blame myself,” Twilight admit, backing up from Starlight to look her in the eyes, “We failed to destroy Sombra.”

“Wait, really? Didn’t you say you basically vaporized him?” Starlight asked with the tilt of her head. Twilight nodded, looking away in shame, and Starlight stopped to think. “I suppose it’s not that big of a surprise, even with the Elements gone, the magic shouldn’t have been able to kill, would it?”

Twilight just shrugged, plopping down on Starlight’s couch and covering her face with a groan.

“I don’t know how this magic works!” She cried out frustratedly, “All I know is it probably would’ve been more merciful if it had destroyed him!”

“Please elaborate.”

Twilight ran her hooves down her face.

“That magic blast… It did something to him. It's like he's lost his mind. He can’t speak coherently, all he does is try to attack others, and he can’t even keep himself corporeal without magical assistance! And it’s all my fault!”

She fell back onto the couch, face covered by both her hooves and wings as she groaned in frustration yet again. Starlight walked over to her and looked down at her sympathetically, but didn’t say anything. For a moment, she let Twilight be, only turning away for a moment to grab a premade cup of tea. It wasn't as warm as it could've been, but it'd do.

Patting Twilight on the shoulder gently, Starlight offered her the cup when she saw Twilight peek between her wing feathers. She sat up and accepted the tea, though reluctantly.

"I just feel absolutely terrible about it..." She muttered between sips, "I really didn't think any pony could survive that."

"Well, from what I've heard Sombra isn't really a normal pony," Starlight said, hoof to her chin, "But maybe there's a reason he survived? Maybe there's a shred of good in him somewhere?"

"He's a slave driver Starlight, I can't see much good in that."

"You saw the good in me."

That caught Twilight off guard, so much so she nearly dropped her tea. Setting it on the nearest table, Twilight shook her head.

"No, that was entirely different," She assured, to Starlight or herself neither could be sure. "You're so much better than him, don't even dare to tell yourself otherwise."

"I do recall you saying I created a timeline where Sombra was winning? I think that counts as assisting him in his conquest, right?"

"Starlight…"

"Tell you what,” Starlight began, sitting beside Twilight on the couch, “I'm curious about Sombra. You think the Princesses would be alright if I asked to visit him?"

“I suppose not,” Twilight replied, head tilting a bit in confusion, “They’d probably leave it up to me to decide anyway. Why though?”

Starlight shrugged, “Curiosity mostly. The only time I’ve ever seen him is pretty hazy, since he pretty much immediately started to fight me. I’d just like to see how bad he really is now, if that makes sense?”

“It doesn’t really, but I’ll take you with me when I go back to Canterlot this weekend,” Twilight replied before finishing off her tea and standing. “For now I think I should get back to work. I’ve still got some homework to grade, and I could really go for a bit of relaxation right now.”

Starlight nodded, taking the cup from Twilight as she made her way to the door. Setting it aside and taking a seat behind her desk, Starlight leaned over it with her arms crossed and waited for somebody else to come along. It was still a bit early in the year for students to have too many issues yet, outside of the upcoming test, but she always wanted to try and make time for them during the school hours.

Surely leaving for one weekend wouldn’t be too much of an issue.

The halls of Canterlot castle were surprisingly quiet and empty as Starlight walked them, trailing along behind Twilight as they made their way to the dungeon. A few guards were scattered about, patrolling the halls as usual and occasionally nodding in greeting as the two passed by. Seemed there were more wandering about than the last time Starlight had visited, likely trying to stay vigil for any more threats.

“Slow day for the Princesses?” She asked Twilight.

“Well, Luna’s probably asleep about now, and when I went to talk to Celestia she’d been reading through some scrolls,” Twilight explained, “So, yeah. Not many ponies visiting for the day, but I’m sure Celestia doesn’t mind the quiet.”

Starlight nodded, looking around the halls as she walked. Though this wasn’t the hall of stained glass, there were still tapestries and paintings spread about. Portraits of the princesses and their accomplishments, most numerable among them being Celestia, adorning the wall beside every window. There were a few paintings of Starswirl thrown in as well, along with a few faces Starlight didn’t recognize. Other ponies from Celestia’s past perhaps?

“Do you think you’re ready?” Starlight asked, “To lead Equestria I mean?”

“I say I am, but I’m not really sure. I don’t think I ever truly will be,” Twilight said, stopping in front of a guarded door. There was hardly a difference between this door and the rest, other than a few weak seals embedded into it. “Well, we’re here. This is the entrance to the dungeon, believe it or not.”

“Not the most telling thing, is it?” Starlight asked. Twilight shrugged, politely requesting the guard open the door. She obliged immediately, cool air emerging from the darkened hall as she unlocked the seals. The stairwell inside was a stark opposite of the castle halls, grey and lifeless. Taking a step inside, Starlight looked to Twilight.

“I don’t think I’m ready to go back down there yet, either,” She admit.

Starlight smiled sympathetically to her in understanding, before making her way down the stairs. The warmth of the castle faded as she descended, replaced with the cold of the surrounding stone. A few torches were hung on the wall, dimly illuminating the stairwell, emitting little warmth. Spiders of all sort crawled along the walls, their webs just out of reach of Starlight’s body. Once she made it all the way down there wasn’t much further to go, only a single cell was dimly illuminated, its sole prisoner a dark mass on the ground.

Sombra had stopped fighting against his restraints days ago, bruised and bloodied from repeatedly bashing himself against the wall and pulling at his chains. He was sprawled out on the dirty floor, flies buzzing around him. His coat and mane were dull and matted, and Starlight would've thought him dead if it weren't for his lazily flicking tail, trying to shoo the insects swarming him. A plate of fly infested food and trough of stagnant water sat in the corner of his cell.

“Oh, now this is an absolutely abhorrent way of keeping prisoners,” Starlight muttered.

With that, Sombra's ears shot up, and Starlight froze in place. He scrambled to his hooves on shaky legs, bolting to the cell’s entrance. He bared his fangs and snarled, pulling at his chain like an aggressive dog trying to tear into an intruder. When Starlight squeaked in response and jumped back, he backed off and went to pacing around his limited cellspace, noticeably limping, growling quietly with ears twitching every which way.

It had been a short lived, yet frightening, response. But the more Starlight saw him pacing, the less he scared her. Because she didn't see an enraged stallion out for blood like everyone else saw. She saw what he was hiding.

Pain, anguish, fear.

That’s what Starlight saw when Sombra went rigid again when she took a step forward, not the anger and malice everyone else had warned her about. The way he stood defensively, legs spread apart, head bowed, teeth bared, and ears flat against his head, he could easily be mistaken for somepony who would hurt you. But the way his legs and tail twitched were a sure sign he was only barely holding back from bolting in the other direction.

“Sombra?”

Just as she expected, he shot backwards at her voice, slamming into the wall with a yelp. His ears were now raised high and turning every which way to find the location of the voice. He continued to keep his fangs bared, growling quietly in the hope of scaring off whatever had startled him.

“Wait, don’t panic,” Starlight whispered, “I’m not here to hurt you. I promise.”

Sombra’s ears immediately turned in her direction, and he pawed the ground anxiously with a quiet growl.

Stepping up to the bars of the cell, Starlight repeated quietly, “There's no need to be scared of me, I'm just here to visit. I promise I won't hurt you.”

Sombra stayed where he sat, grumbling out a few incoherent words, before his head jerked to the side and he abruptly bent over to scratch his neck with a hind leg. Blood began to trickle from beneath the manacle as he did so, and Starlight had to call out to him to get him to stop scratching. She was sure that, had he been in a better state, he’d have resisted doing something so undignifying.

It was so odd, having to treat the fallen king like a frightened animal. He was supposed to be the one to scare ponies, bringing to life their darkest fears, but now he was the one to suffer. Chained, blinded, and harassed by flies, driven feral by his own terror.

Starlight pitied him.

“Can you speak?” She asked, “At all?”

Sombra’s snarl turned into a scowl of annoyance. For a moment he said nothing out loud, head tilting back and forth in thought as his mouth moved without sound.

“You…” He began eventually, voice quiet and hoarse, “You're not one of them, are you? A princess?”

Stunned by the sudden lucidity, Starlight was slow to respond. It was a moment too much for Sombra, and he began to fidget anxiously as he was left to the silence.

“Oh, no. I am absolutely not even princess material,” She assured, “I’m a Unicorn, like you.”

“I very much doubt you’re anything like me.”

“I think you’d be surprised.”

Sombra tilted his head a bit as he stood, taking a moment to swat at a few flies before beginning to take a step forward. He hesitated however, a swish of his tail and a stamp of his hoof and he decided against it.

“You’re not a guard either,” He observed, hind leg half raised and twitching as he resisted the urge to scratch at his neck again, “They’ve never done anything but throw insults my way and attack me. For what reason are you here exactly?”

“Curiosity,” Starlight admit, “You possessed me once. I wanted to see how far you've fallen since then.”

“Satisfied with what I've become?”

“Not in the slightest.”

Sombra's ears twitched. “I find that very unconvincing.”

He backed off and began to pace his cell, ears lowered as he listened to his own hoofsteps. Starlight watched him, unsure of what to say anymore. He wasn’t making particularly good small talk, but then again, he probably didn’t have much to say. After a few moments of silence, Sombra laid back to the ground, settling himself on the cold stone floor, still facing toward the cell’s entrance. He scratched at his neck again.

Starlight had only taken a single step back when he decided to say something else.

“May I ask the name of the voice that speaks to me?” Sombra asked, “I can't say I'm entirely convinced you're not a figment of my imagination.”

Starlight hesitated to answer. There was still a part of her that was scared of the Unicorn, afraid he'd somehow take advantage of her with any little detail she gave. But there was also the part of her that pitied the weak and confused pony chained up in front of her.

Exhaling to calm herself, she said, “My name is Starlight Glimmer.”

“Starlight Glimmer,” Sombra repeated, head tilting to the side, “I’d have thought myself to come up with something more familiar for my delusions.”

Curling up on the ground in the most comfortable position he could manage, Sombra covered his muzzle with his forelegs, shielding his mouth and nose from flies. He lay like that with ears raised until he began to drift off to sleep, tail the only thing moving as it flicked at the pests surrounding him.

Starlight watched him a few moments more, a bit off put by the delusion comment, only turning to leave when Sombra's tail stopped swishing. Assuming he had fallen asleep, she turned to leave, looking back every few steps to see if he'd move. He didn’t even so much as twitch when she’d finally left the dungeon’s stairwell, making her way to the bright hallway with a blink to adjust her eyes. Twilight stood before her, worried and anxious.

“So...” She started, drawing out the word a bit, “How is he?”

“Not great,” Starlight replied, walking down the hallway without even looking to Twilight, “His cell’s filthy and infested with flies, and he looks like he got hit by a train, but I got him to speak to me.”

"You did? But the Princesses said he still hadn’t shown any signs of lucidity when they went down there!”

“The Princesses scare him. I have no doubt you do as well,” Starlight explained “He was calm enough to talk with me for a moment, but he’s not at all doing well down there.”

Flying up to Starlight and landing on the ground to trot beside her, Twilight looked to her worriedly as she asked, “What exactly do you mean?”

Starlight sighed and stopped, finally looking to Twilight somewhat tiredly, “He thinks I’m some sort of auditory hallucination, Twilight. That’s not exactly a good thing, you know.”

“Oh dear,” Twilight muttered, bringing a hoof to her face nervously and pacing, “I have to tell Celestia and Luna. If he’s just dropping into delirium, we have to do something!”

She spread her wings to fly down the hall, but a hoof on her shoulder stopped her. Turning to Starlight, Twilight saw a fierce look of determination as she shook her head.

“No, you’re not doing anything this time. Neither are the Princesses. I am.”

“Starlight, what are you planning?”

Starlight’s determination faltered as she hesitated. Sombra was terrible, she couldn’t deny that. But he was still a pony, hurt and scared in an unsanitary dungeon. Part of her knew he deserved it, but a part of her also ached to try and save him.

Shoving aside her doubts, Starlight stood tall as she said, “I want to help Sombra. I’m going to do whatever I can to try and reform him.”

Author's Notes:

Chapter art: Originally drawn 8-30-19

Original Description:

Anyway yeah, so my sister told me to make an account here and post my fic.

Okay so technically this story's been sitting in my docs since about February, but it's since received major rewriting since season 9 started, and so the only two completed chapters are this one and the next one (Still being proofread). The third is in progress of rewriting and all the others are summarized, so this entire story is planned out! I say this so if the show does anything similar to what I write, it was more than likely already planned here.

So yeah, yet another Sombra redemption fic, but with a twist! Starlight Glimmer plays a huge role in the story. Oh and this story heavily references the comics & Sombra's origin comic.

Chapter 2: A Glimmer of Hope

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“Reform Sombra?” Twilight asked in utter disbelief, “He’s had plenty of opportunities to learn from his mistakes, what makes you think he would change his mind now?”

“Did you even give him a chance when he took over Canterlot?” Starlight asked, trotting down the hall to the throne room without looking to her friend.

“Ah, well, no,” Twilight stammered, following along anxiously. “But he’s terrible! He possessed you Starlight! He held Flurry Heart hostage!”

“And I created a bunch of alternate universes where the bad guys won. We can’t all have a perfect record like you, Princess.”

Oh, she was definitely irritated. Twilight decided to hold back from saying anything else as Starlight trotted away, paying no attention to any guards or passersby as she made her way to the throne room. Uncaring of anything Princess Celestia might be doing, she threw open the doors and stepped in.

“Princess Celestia, I have something very important to ask of you!”

From the looks of things, Celestia had been signing papers when Starlight barged in. Jumping at the sudden interruption, her freshly inked quill splattered across the papers, and her assistant levitating them. Twilight ran in and let out a quiet yelp at the mess.

“Please forgive us Princess Celestia, I’ll help you clean up!” She said, covering Starlight with a wing. Starlight pushed it away.

“Oh, well, it’s just paperwork. It can wait a moment,” Celestia said, confused. Her assistant shook her head and glanced to the two irritably. Waving a hoof, Celestia told her, “Go on and take a break to clean up Raven, I’ll see what these two need.”

Her assistant, Raven, as Starlight knew now, nodded and set the papers to the side. Shaking the ink out of her hair, she trotted past the two visitors and out the door, quiet all the way. Twilight whispered an apology as she passed, wing still trying to cover the agitated Starlight’s face.

Walking up to the two curiously, Celestia asked, “So, what is it that’s so urgent to tell me?”

Twilight finally stopped her struggling, folding her wing against her body and revealing Starlight again. Letting out a sneeze from Twilight’s feathers, Starlight shook her head and took a step forward, before pausing.

How exactly did she plan to go about this again?

“Princess Celestia,” She began, thinking her words over quickly, “As you know, I asked to see Sombra in the dungeon, and I did. He spoke to me, in fact. He’s not well. He didn’t think I was real, and he’s not in good shape. I don’t think keeping him in that filthy dungeon is going to help him any.”

Celestia tilted her head, a curious look of suspicion upon her face.

Feeling her confidence waiver, Starlight shrunk back a bit and lowered her voice as she continued, “I’m asking if you’d allow me to try and help him? To reform him."

“May I ask why?”

"Because it's not fair."

The bewildered Celestia took a moment to respond, a brow raised as she asked, "Pardon me?"

“Because it's not fair!” Starlight replied firmly with the stamp of a hoof, "It's not fair that he has to sit in a filthy dungeon deteriorating. Not while ponies like me walk free with no consequences!"

Starlight went quiet as she realized she’d yelled that last bit. Both Celestia and Twilight were looking down at her in surprise, and maybe even a bit of concern, but they didn’t say anything. Starlight took a breath and lowered her voice before continuing.

“I just don’t think it’s fair to lock Sombra up without giving him a chance,” She said, stepping forward nervously, “I mean, even with all the things he’s done, it just doesn’t seem right to leave him down there to suffer. Especially after going through the trouble of keeping him alive in the first place.”

Sighing quietly to herself, Celestia responded, "I understand your concern, but Sombra is more dangerous than you could ever know. The things he's done, they just can't be forgiven."

"I know more than anyone, it's hard to trust ponies who've hurt you, but please Princess Celestia," Starlight begged, "Let me try to help him. He's sick and in pain, and, well… Maybe he needs a friend, and I'd like to try and be that friend."

Celestia still looked unsure, and Starlight feared for another refusal. Twilight stopped any denial before it happened.

"If I may mention, Starlight did have a big role in saving Stygian," She offered, stepping up to Celestia, "Not to mention the entire Changeling hive. If it wasn't for her, we'd have sent an innocent pony to limbo, and we'd have never made peace with one of our greatest enemies."

Celestia considered this for a moment, looking to Starlight. She had her head lowered, face to the ground. She really wanted to do this, didn't she? Glancing to Twilight, she saw the Princess of Friendship nod. That settled it for her.

"Very well, I shall allow you to try and reform Sombra."

Starlight's head shot up, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Really?" She cried somewhat excitedly. She had been so expectant of refusal it had taken her off guard. "Thank you Princess! I'll-"

"I wasn't finished," Celestia interrupted, raising a hoof. Starlight froze where she was, that same look of nervousness returning to her face. "I have two conditions for you as well. First thing first, whatever you do, do not remove Sombra's mask. Not only does it keep his magic contained, it’s enchanted with a spell that keeps him corporeal."

Starlight nodded, "Of course."

"Secondly, Sombra is to stay here in Canterlot, until I feel confident he won't try and hurt some pony."

"Stay in Canterlot?" Starlight realized, "I can’t do that, I have a job at the school! We’ve got tests going on soon, and I know the students will be stressed about that, what are they going to do without me?"

“I think I can figure something out,” Twilight said, setting a hoof on Starlight’s shoulder, “Reforming someone is a hard job, I don’t think you’d be able to work with the students and Sombra at the same time. It’s a bit short notice, but I’m sure I can find a substitute somewhere.”

It wasn’t quite the answer she was looking for, but Starlight had to agree. Caring for the students had become important to her, and though the thought of leaving for more than a few days made her anxious, she knew that Twilight was right. She wouldn’t be able to focus on her job if she was taking care of Sombra. He wasn’t in the best of shape as it was, and he was going to be essentially blind for who knows how long. Leaving him alone all day while she was doing her job was probably not in anyone's best interest, and bringing him to the school itself was completely out of the question.

“Thank you, Twilight,” She said, a small but nervous smile upon her face, “I think I’ll stay in Canterlot.”

Celestia nodded, “Then I leave Sombra in your capable hooves. I’ll tell the guards to take him from the dungeon, do with him as you wish.”

“Thank you, Princess, I’ll do whatever I can to help him.”

Starlight turned to run out of the room, but was stopped as Twilight held her wing in front of her again. Getting a faceful of feathers, she sneezed, then turned to Twilight curiously.

“I want you to send me a letter every night. I want to know how things go,” She said.

Starlight just smiled again, “Yes, of course.”

Sombra walked down the halls slowly and awkwardly, hindered by the manacles on his forelegs, a faint feeling of dizziness, and horrible pain and heat through his body. He limped as he walked, front right fetlock sending bolts of pain through him whenever he put weight on it. His muzzle had been uncomfortably tightened, mouth clamped together to the point his fangs stabbed into his gums. Two guards walked on either side of him, each with a chain to guide him along. They muttered to each other as they walked, occasionally yanking the chains roughly.

He hadn't expected anyone to take him out of his cell. He had growled and kicked at the guards a few times when they’d grabbed at him, but between pain, exhaustion, and a rough blast from a Unicorn, they’d captured him quickly. Now they were leading him to who knows where, throwing insults at him all the way.

He tried to ignore them and stand tall as they lead him away, intending to hold himself high to preserve what little bit of pride he had left, but the guards weren’t having it. They’d pull his head to the ground whenever he lifted it above his shoulders, at one point managing to slam his nose to the floor. It was enough to make it bleed, and enough to get Sombra to reluctantly give in to the guards.

In a rather fitting twist of fate, Sombra now knew how the Crystal Ponies felt when he was king.

“Bet it doesn’t feel too good on that side of the chains, huh?” One asked, Sombra recognized the voice as the Unicorn that had blasted him. The guard yanked the chain as he spoke, but Sombra held his ground, bracing himself and letting out a grunt at the pain, only to be harshly jerked aside by the other guard.

“Nah, bet this is the most excitement this lame hack's gotten in a long time,” He said. Sombra growled at his insult, only for a new agony to spread through him as the guard gave him a fierce kick to the ribs. He staggered to the side at the hit, pain surging through his chest, nostrils flaring as the air was forced out of his body.

“That is enough!”

Another yank forward, and Sombra fell hard, legs twisting and jaw slamming into the cold floor. A tinge of metal in his mouth, an even worse pain in his leg, and Sombra decided it just wasn’t worth the effort to get up again. Even when the guards dropped his chains he did nothing more than struggle to catch his breath, ready to get everything over with and face the Sisters’ wrath.

“You really didn’t have to be so rough with him,” A voice said. It did not belong to Celestia or Luna, but was surprisingly familiar nonetheless. “But thank you. You can go now.”

“Nope. We’re not leaving as long as he’s here, Princess Celestia’s orders,” A guard replied, presumably the Unicorn.

“Fine. But don’t you dare lay a hoof on him while I’m here.”

Muffled hoofsteps approached, and Sombra’s shuddering body stiffened, ears bent back. Feeling a hoof gently grab him, he growled through his muzzle, blood bubbling out of his clamped jaws. He struggled to get back, shrinking away as the pony grabbed at his head. It was a futile attempt, and his face was soon firmly clasped between hooves, the tingle of magic tickling his nose. A loud clank of metal followed, and Sombra gasped for breath.

“There, that’s much better, isn’t it?” The pony in front of him asked, stepping back. Sombra stayed where he was, breathing heavily as he took in painful gulps of air. Reaching a hoof to his mouth, he felt over his sore face. She’d removed his muzzle. “Do you remember who I am?”

Waiting a moment for the dizziness to fade, Sombra took a few more deep breaths before saying, “Starlight Glimmer. You’re real.”

"Yep, and I'm here to help you."

"Help me?"

Sombra’s head tilted curiously, but he didn't question her further as she leaned over and gently grabbed his forearms. He stiffened at the touch, but allowed Starlight to readjust his legs into a less awkward position. Another tingle of magic, and the shackles fell off his forearms. Sombra folded his sore one against his chest, instinctually hiding any pain.

"Could you stand up for me?" Starlight asked. Sombra shook his head, folding his front legs beneath himself. She suspected something, but he was not willing to show her just yet.

Accepting the fact that he was going to be stubborn, Starlight went to his neck next. Her magic engulfed the enchanted manacle, working away at its lock. A few clicks and a twitch of discomfort from Sombra, and that too fell to the ground

Sombra sighed in relief. Starlight yelped in shock.

“Ooh that’s… Not great,” She said, panic obvious in her voice. “You! I don’t care what Celestia said, get a doctor here or something, now!”

“Princess’ orders!” The guard objected.

“Now!”

Starlight’s magic crackled, Sombra could hear it. He heard the guards run off as well, but ignored that as he took a chance to try and scratch at that everlasting and obnoxious itch on his neck. It was painful, hot, and wet to the touch. Just a simple brush against it and Sombra let out a quiet whine and stopped, flipping onto his side to try and relieve the pain with the cold floor. It did little to soothe him, but did plenty to remind him of his bruising ribs.

Hearing Starlight approach again, Sombra growled, baring his fangs and raising his head in her direction. Her hoofsteps stopped.

“Sombra,” She started, waiting until the Unicorn’s snarl faded, “A pony you don’t know, and maybe even one of the Princesses, is going to come in that door. Please don’t freak out if they touch you, alright?”

How demeaning. She spoke to him like a foal.

“It’s merely an infection,” He said, “I’ve dealt with worse.”

“I don’t think you quite understand what I mean,” Starlight argued, though her voice was soft, “There are, uh, maggots in your neck.”

Well, not worse than dying three times over, but still unnerving nonetheless. The simple thought of the slimy parasites writhing in his skin made Sombra shudder in disgust, and he shook his head in an unconscious attempt to shake them off. A bolt of pain through his neck and he stopped with a frustrated growl.

“Remove this cursed mask and I shall rid of them myself,” He demanded.

“Yeah. Not happening.”

The door slammed open, and Sombra shot up with a snort, a wave of dizziness washing over him. More than one pony ran into the room, their hoofsteps muffled within each other, and he couldn’t place how many there were. One of them stopped abruptly near him, letting out a cry of disgust.

“That is completely vile!” She shouted.

Sombra recognized the voice immediately. Princess Luna. If she was here, Celestia wasn’t far behind, or even worse, already in the room with him. They wanted to turn him to shadow again, didn’t they? Containing his magic and locking him in a dungeon to wither away to nothing wasn’t enough, was it? They wanted to hurt him, to kill him!

Staggering back, he bared his teeth in a snarl as the princess approached, mane and tail flaring as unreleasable dark magic welled up inside him. Another pair of hoofsteps followed Luna’s, and his body stiffened. Celestia, it had to be.

“Sombra, please calm down,” Starlight demanded from beside him. Her voice was soft, but firm. “They’re here to help you.”

"Liar!" Sombra shouted. Lies! All lies! They were here to finish him!

The hoofsteps came closer. Sombra stepped back. They were slow about it, ready to draw his demise out as long as they were entertained by it.

“Sombra, Starlight’s telling the truth-”

The sound of Celestia’s voice and Sombra bolted, ignoring the horrible pain in his chest and leg as he took off in the other direction. He didn’t get nearly as far as he would have liked, colliding with the wall and crashing back to the ground. Dazed, he tried to rise again, legs slipping out from underneath him, but was held in place with magic. Crying out in panic and pain, he struggled to free himself, only managing to twitch his limbs. A pinch in his neck and he cried out again.

To his relief, the magic then released him, and he fell to the ground. Struggling to stand again, Sombra staggered back against the wall with a whine, pain and panic beginning to cloud his senses. Someone approached him.

"Sombra?"

Starlight Glimmer. The one pony in the room that hadn't tried to hurt him yet. He stumbled toward her, legs buckling as a horrible feeling of confusion muddled his thoughts and coordination. Tripping over himself, he stumbled into Starlight. She caught him with magic, lowering him to the ground as his body began to go numb.

"Make them leave!" He begged, struggling to stay awake, “They’ve done something, they’re trying to kill me!”

"No one here is going to kill you, I promise."

Starlight stroked Sombra’s mane gently. He wanted to push her away for the insolent act and lies, but all he could was shiver in fear. Why wasn't his body responding to him? Were his eyes even still open? Everything was already so dark, and any sound other than Starlight's voice reassuring him was muffled.

“I don't wanna die again!” He whined, body shuddering as he tried to force himself to stay awake, "I refuse to die again!"

It was the last thing he managed to choke out before Starlight's voice faded.

Sombra lay spread out on a bed, half cleaned and bandaged, tongue lolled out and hind leg twitching. He'd been heavily sedated before treatment, and it seemed he was quite slow to recover from it. Worried they may have administered too much anesthetic, Starlight sat by his bedside, watching over him.

Along with the nasty, infected neck wound, Sombra's constant struggles against his chains had left him with more injuries than previously thought. Both forelegs were badly bruised, right fetlock sprained and wrapped in bandages to keep it from bending. His thick coat had been worn thin in places, from where he’d rubbed against the wall or chains too harshly, and his mane lay messily around his head, still full of mats and lacking its usual flow. There was a good chance that kick from the guard had cracked a rib, and he probably had a concussion.

She'd have to do her best to keep him from hurting himself further. The doctors had already refused to deal with Sombra any longer than necessary, simply cleaning out and stitching up Sombra’s neck wound, then haphazardly wrapping his sprained fetlock. They were rightfully scared of him, and hardly checked him for internal injuries, just fixing the obvious. They hadn’t even bothered to wash the dirt out of his coat. Starlight realized that, rather embarrassingly, she’d probably have to be the one to help wash Sombra up. He wasn’t exactly fit to shower alone at the moment.

Stirring a bit from his forced sleep, Sombra muttered something unintelligible. His ears and nose twitched, taking in the sounds and smells surrounding him. Starlight continued to watch him quietly, wary to move from her seat and accidentally set him off with a sudden sound.

Weakly lifting his head, Sombra sniffed the air and shook his mane away, only to plop back down and mutter, “I don't remember purgatory being this dark.”

Starlight wasn't sure if that reaction was a good one or not. She was just thinking of the best way to get Sombra's attention when he shot up with an enraged snort.

"Grogar!" He yelled, stumbling out of bed suddenly, quicker than Starlight could stop him. He staggered around like a foal taking their first steps, "You lying son of a- I'm gonna hang your head over the Crystal Heart!"

Grogar? Was he yelling about an old mare's tale? For a moment, Starlight was too taken aback by his ranting, staring at the delusional stallion as he stumbled around screaming. It wasn't until his forelegs crossed and he lost his balance that Starlight finally reacted, teleporting the pillows and blankets from the bed to the floor. He landed face first amongst them, limbs tangled together.

"I'll skin you alive and make you into my next robe!" He yelled, awkwardly trying and failing to untangle his legs. "Give what's left of you to that crazy filly!"

Starlight stared at him in pure horror. The anesthesia had to have been too strong, or all those collisions with walls had scrambled his brain. He'd completely lost it.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Is uh, everything alright in there?"

"I'm gonna shove Chrysalis and Tirek's horns down yo-mmph!"

Starlight slammed a pillow over his mouth.

“You’re completely delusional!” She whispered harshly, before shouting toward the door, "Everything's fine! Sombra’s just, uh, having a really bad reaction to his medication."

"Should I get the doctor?”

Lying over Sombra to try and keep him down, an effort that proved incredibly pointless by the fact she was half his size, Starlight assuredly yelled back, "No need! I've got him handled!"

"If you say so…"

Starlight tried to listen if the guard outside would say anything more, but couldn’t focus as Sombra finally regained his footing and tried to buck her off. Starlight held on tight with all four legs, digging her hooves into his sides and worsening his frustration. He tried a few more times, bucking back and forth. Worried his struggles may hurt him further, Starlight waited until he was reared back on his hind legs, before she grabbed a mouthful of his grimy mane and yanked. Sombra let out an undignifying squeal as she did, head turning in the opposite direction she pulled and bringing him to the floor. Starlight fell with him, firmly keeping her grip on his neck, but releasing the pillow over his muzzle to try and soften their fall.

Sombra crashed to the ground on his side, both ponies letting out cries of pain as he landed hard on his right shoulder and over one of Starlight's forelegs. Yanking it out from under him, Starlight gently tested it to make sure nothing was broken before checking over Sombra himself. He lay there with his ears back and groaning, dazed but unharmed. Starlight was sure his shoulder would be feeling awfully sore for a while though, if her leg was anything to go by.

“Okay, are we done now?” She asked. Sombra shook his head. Not in refusal, but in an attempt to regain his senses. It seemed to work well enough, because he rose to a sitting position, grimacing in pain.

“I’m not dead?” He asked.

"No, of course not,” Starlight assured, “You’re in Canterlot, safe and being taken care of, remember?”

“Canterlot? But, the Princesses-” Sombra’s body went rigid as he remembered. Not what Starlight was reminding him, but what the Sisters had done to him all those moons ago. That was so long ago though, wasn’t it? Something else had happened, something he couldn’t quite remember. There were other princesses now, weren’t there? They’d done something to him, but through anesthesia induced haze, and fuzzy spots in his memory, he couldn’t remember what. He vaguely remembered his body being torn apart, the pain and panic he felt as he tried to reconstruct himself, but then nothing else except voices.

Sombra’s fur bristled as he unconsciously whined at the memory of the voices. They hadn’t been harsh or threatening, and he’d never admit it out loud, but they'd scared him. When he’d heard them, all of them, while trapped in that cell, he panicked. He’d tried so hard to free himself, either of his physical chains or the nightmare he’d inadvertently put himself in.

“Sombra?”

His head snapped up at Starlight’s voice, dull pain coursing through him as he did. She was closer to him than she had been, close enough for Sombra to hear her breathing and smell her scent, but not close enough to touch him.

“Yes, I remember," He said, slowly raising to a standing position. His joints were stiff and sore, but he was in surprisingly little pain, considering what had happened earlier. “I’m just… Confused. Why are you here?”

“Because the Princesses gave me full guardianship of you,” Starlight explained, ignoring Sombra’s annoyed huff, “I’m going to be the one in charge of taking care of you until you’re reformed, or at least a semi functional member of modern society.”

Pawing at his mask, Sombra argued, "Have you perhaps considered the fact this is a lost cause and you're wasting your mortal life away?"

"Would you rather go back to the dungeon?"

Sombra paused his fidgeting and opened his mouth to protest, but shut it just as quickly as no comeback came to him. Instead, he leaned down, grabbed a blanket in his mouth, and climbed back onto the bed with a defeated sigh as he plopped himself down. Starlight smiled triumphantly.

"Good, we'll get started tomorrow," She said, grabbing a quill from a table nearby and twirling it with her magic. "It's late and I need to write a letter, and you probably need more rest."

"I feel perfectly fine," Sombra argued.

"That's because you've been drugged to Tartarus and back.”

Sombra’s head shot up in alarm, "You drugged me?"

“Fancy way of saying we fed you poppies to keep you from being in pain,” Starlight lied, "You should appreciate it, because by morning you’ll be feeling all that pain again."

Well, only a half lie really, that’s basically what pain medication was made of, right? Sombra seemed satisfied enough with the answer, as he slowly laid his head back down and nestled into his blanket. Starlight levitated the pillows back onto his bed as well, before bringing out a sheet of paper.

Dear Twilight,

I know it's only been a short few hours since we last saw each other, but I'm sure you'd appreciate a quick update. Sombra is asleep, or nearly, his ear twitches as I write, in a visitor's room. After the guards took him out of his cell, I took his manacles off and well, I think I'll spare the details for now. I know you like them, but it wasn't particularly pleasant. Let's just say Sombra's not particularly healthy right now, in more ways than one.

I was right about what I said before though, he's scared of the Princesses. The moment he heard Celestia's voice he bolted right into a wall. Not only that, when they had to sedate him for treatment he just started begging for his life. He really thinks they're going to kill him again. It's depressing, really. I know I shouldn't, but I just can't help but feel bad for him. He's far more anxious than I expected, not helped by the fact he’s functionally blind and defenseless, and I'm worried he's going to hurt himself.

I fully admit the idea of redeeming him is a risky and foolish choice, but it is still one I am willing to make.

Your friend, Starlight Glimmer

Setting the quill down, Starlight removed herself from her seat and reread the letter. She was sure Twilight would’ve liked to hear more, but she was tired and didn’t want to bother Sombra more than needed. From the looks of it, he’d already fallen asleep, curled up under his blanket. His ears no longer twitched when she rustled her paper, and she could hear him breathing softly.

“Bet it feels nice being in a bed again, huh?” She asked. Sombra didn’t answer, but she hadn’t expected him too. “Probably about time I head to bed too.”

Exiting the room, she nodded at the guard outside the door before making her way down the hall. She’d made sure the pony to guard Sombra’s room overnight wasn’t one of the ones that had harassed him earlier, and had even talked to the guard herself before deciding she trusted her enough not to hurt him. As it turned out, this particular guard was new, and hadn’t even been present for Sombra’s siege of Canterlot, so she wasn’t quite as hateful to him as the others.

As she walked, Starlight looked at the pictures upon the walls again. They were old, some tapestries frayed or torn, but even in the darkened halls the ponies upon them were still recognizable. Celestia, Luna, Starswirl, a regal yet unknown pink Unicorn, even Sunset Shimmer was there. She was in a slightly busier part of the wall, surrounded by numerous portraits of what looked to be previous students of Celestia’s school, all faces of the past.

“Taking in the history I see?” A voice asked.

Starlight eeped in surprise as she turned to see the Princess of the Night, looking over the paintings as well, a slight look of sorrow upon her face. “Oh, Princess Luna! Forgive me if I interrupted anything, I was just heading to bed.”

“You’re perfectly alright, I was merely making my way to bid Celestia goodnight when I saw you,” Luna assured, walking up to the paintings, “Hard to believe it’s been many lifetimes since I saw some of these faces. Even harder to know I shall never see most of them again.”

“I imagine it’s not easy living for so long.”

“An eternity in solitude doesn’t help one's self either,” Luna said, stopping to look at the portrait of the regal Unicorn and asking, “I’ve been told you’ve been given the task of rehabilitating Sombra, is this true?”

Starlight nodded, “Yes, and I’m going to do whatever I can to save him.”

“Save him, huh?” Luna mused, glancing to yet another painting before sighing, “You’ve got quite the task ahead of you then. I wish you the best of luck.“

She turned away and walked off, Starlight raising a hoof to get Luna’s attention before changing her mind. Looking to the paintings again, she inspected the one Luna had focused on. Something about the regal Unicorn was different from the other ponies. Not only was she visibly more slender than the others, the way she had been painted seemed to differ drastically from the others. It was almost as if she was more vibrant, unlike that of a normal Unicorn, almost like a gemstone. Or better yet, crystal.

“A Crystal Unicorn?” Starlight whispered. Though her visits to the Crystal Empire were usually brief, she’d seen plenty of ponies, but couldn’t recall having ever seen any Unicorns in the empire that had that natural sparkle. Sure, Shining Armor and Sunburst were residents, but they didn’t glow without the power of the Crystal Heart.

It sparked a bit of curiosity in Starlight, but a quick yawn reminded her it was a bit late for research. Perhaps she’d ask Celestia or Luna tomorrow, or spend some time in the library during her free time. It would probably help to know more, and maybe even learn a thing or two about Sombra.

Stretching a leg, she made her way to her room, only stopping again to look where Luna had glanced. She’d looked toward the wall of students, unicorns that had accomplished much under Celestia’s schooling. There weren't enough to make up a millennium worth of students, but with Sunset Shimmer among the portraits, she assumed these ponies must have done something to earn themselves a place upon her wall. Aside from Sunset however, there was only one other unicorn there that caught Starlight’s eye.

She was painted in the same brilliance as the regal unicorn, beaming happily in the portrait, her purple coat and blue mane shimmering bright even through the dull paint. She looked like an excitable girl, but other than presumably being another Crystal Pony, Starlight saw nothing of note in her. Obviously these ponies meant something to Luna and Celestia, and maybe even to Sombra, but Starlight couldn’t possibly know what.

All she saw were shadows of the past.

Chapter 3: Whispered Warnings

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“I don’t wanna die again! I refuse to die again!”

The way the stallion cried out pitifully for his life was nothing less of an embarrassment, shuddering with fear as another pony tried to calm him. Grogar watched the replay of the past with a scowl, his underlings watching in a mix of emotions, ranging from pity for the fallen king, to disdain at the pony trying to comfort him. It wasn't until the stallion's cries faded to weak whimpers that Grogar lay his hoof over his ball to stifle the image.

"I suppose there are some fates worse than death," He said, returning the sphere back to its orange glow, “I hope this further cements your loyalty, lest you wish to suffer a fate like his?”

“Oh no, I’m fine with sticking around!" Cozy Glow assured, looking to the two larger creatures beside her, "I’m sure Tirek and Chrysalis agree too, right?”

“I am perfectly capable of answering on my own, thank you very much,” Tirek said, shooting an irritated glance to the filly.

“Only a fool would give in to the enemy and beg for mercy,” Chrysalis scoffed.

A bit of a varied response, but one Grogar would take as a yes all around. Showing the group Sombra’s apparent demise had been one thing, but there was a bit more to cement their loyalty, and the former king’s fall into the curse of reformation was a much worse fate in their eyes.

Grogar hadn't planned for things to go the way they had, but he'd accept it. He really hadn’t expected, or even wanted, Sombra to survive and may have had half a mind to warp him back to the lair to finish him off himself. It wouldn’t have been hard, a solid stamp to the neck and Sombra would be gone in a blink. The stallion was proving to be a rather resilient creature, but even a demon in equine skin would die if their puppet was damaged enough. Reasonably thinking however, a vanishing prisoner could draw attention, so for now Sombra would stay among the living. After all, leaving him alive would save the trouble of having to resurrect him again if needed. Though with such a fragile mental state, Grogar had doubts he’d be even the slightest bit useful again.

“So,” Cozy Glow began, drawing out the word to break the silence and Grogar’s train of thought, “If he’s still alive, and with the Princesses, doesn’t that make him our enemy now? Shouldn’t we, I don’t know, get rid of him before he cracks?”

Both her companions were caught off guard by such a statement, each turning to her in surprise, though Chrysalis smiled as if proud. Cozy returned the smile, false innocence shining in her eyes.

Seemed the little filly had been thinking the same ideas as Grogar, how outstandingly morbid. He still dismissed the thought however, stomping a hoof to get his underlings to look back to him as he said, “Absolutely not, we don’t want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves. Sombra vanishing while he’s in such a state would cause suspicion, if not outright panic.”

“There’s always framing someone else for it,” Cozy said with a shrug, “Not like that’s hard or anything, I’m sure there’s a lot of ponies in Equestria that hate him.”

“You really are a horrible little thing, you know that right?” Tirek asked. Cozy smiled.

“Murder’s not the only way to rid of a problem, we could always throw him somewhere he wouldn’t be found,” Chrysalis said, “A cave, a cocoon, it matters not to me if there’s nothing to feed off of. If he dies, he dies.”

“Isn’t that still murder?” Cozy asked.

“I believe that classifies as mareslaughter. It’s not like he’d die on purpose.”

"Ohh, I didn't know about that!"

Grogar stomped his hoof again, a jolt of magic surging through the creatures in front of him in a wave of energy. They all quieted down and looked back to him, fear etched into their faces. Though the feeling was brief, Grogar could still feel the emotion fuel him, but the strength faded just as quickly.

“We are not killing Sombra!” He yelled. His patience was wearing thin, and if he didn’t shut them up now, he might do more than make them uncomfortable. “I will not risk drawing attention in any way, and I will not repeat myself again. This little assembly of ours is over, and if any of you hesitate to leave, chances are one of you will be the one winding up dead and buried in a bog!”

The room emptied within seconds, and Grogar groaned in annoyance before laying his head on the table and rubbing it with his hooves. Any interaction with those three was an inevitable headache. Those idiots were going to be the death of him, or he was going to be the death of them.

Great, now he was considering murder again.

Rising to all fours, he walked off, his subordinates watching him from the doorway. He didn’t seem to notice them, or paid no mind to the unusual trio. Chances were good he was going out to do something he wouldn’t tell them about anyway, either something as simple as a walk, or the next step to taking over Equestria.

Waiting until Grogar’s hoofsteps faded, Tirek looked down to Cozy Glow and asked, “You weren’t really serious about the whole murder thing, were you?”

“Like you’re one to talk, Mr. Drains-the-Essence-Out-of-Ponies,” she argued, “Besides, does it even really matter what happens to him? He was kind of a jerk. Now he can be a jerk to Starlight instead.”

“An honor that should not belong to him,” Chrysalis huffed.

She glanced to Grogar's crystal ball, replaying Sombra's pathetic pleas in her mind. Starlight Glimmer had been the first thing she noticed when they’d been shown the vision. She'd been trying to comfort Sombra, trying to calm him as a nameless doctor injected him with an unholy amount of anesthetic. Chrysalis almost hoped it was too much and that Sombra would never awaken. Not out of hate for Sombra, she couldn't care less about him, but out of her desire to see Starlight suffer. She was so foolishly latched to the idea she could save a monster.

Chrysalis cocked her head as a thought came to her, a sly grin forming upon her face.

"They're taking residence in Canterlot, correct?" She asked. Her two allies had been bickering with each other, but stopped to confirm her suspicions.

"Yes, but I don't see how that matters," Tirek said. Cozy nodded in confirmation.

"I was just trying to figure out the best time to visit our dear former teammate."

As expected, Sombra's medication had worn off by the time he awoke. Starlight entered his room to see him sitting up in bed, half covered with a blanket with his injured leg elevated slightly. His head was lowered, ears bent back in discomfort, mane messily hanging around his covered face. He hardly acknowledged Starlight as she approached, simply flicking an ear in her direction when she greeted him.

"Not feeling too great now, are you?" She asked. Sombra grunted in response. "Told you. Might not mean much, but if you're interested I've got some stuff to help you feel better."

She set a tray in front of him, a bowl of fruit and oatmeal, and another full of water upon it. Sombra leaned over and sniffed at it all cautiously, identifying each fruit by scent and snorting indignantly at the oatmeal until turning to the water. He went straight to that, using his left foreleg to keep the bowl in place, drinking nearly all of it.

Licking a few droplets from his muzzle, he asked, “Surely the Princesses have kitchen staff capable of actually making a proper meal?”

“Okay first of all, I made this meal for you,” Starlight said, not even trying to hide her irritation, “Second of all, I doubt you touched any of the infested slop the guards gave you, so you probably haven’t eaten in over a week. You don’t need a proper meal, you just need something small and simple to keep yourself from starving to death. Fruit and oatmeal will do the job just fine.”

She also shoved his medication inside a few apple slices, but she wasn't about to tell him that. Something told her trying to convince a millennium old tyrant to take his antibiotics would be an insanely difficult task.

“If an agonizing blast of magic can’t claim me, I very much doubt starvation can,” Sombra huffed in annoyance, but leaned back over to sniff at the fruits again. He licked up an apple slice, look of indignance replaced with a look of disgust as he got one with the medicine in it. He swallowed it quickly, sticking his tongue out as he said, “I think these fruits are rotten. You’re not trying to poison me, are you?”

“Trust me, if I had any intention of hurting you, I would’ve left those maggots to eat you to the bone,” Starlight said.

“I’m not sure if that’s reassuring or not.”

“Take it as you see it.”

Sombra's tail twitched nervously, but he said nothing else as he went back to his breakfast. He continued to sniff around it, eating only the freshest smelling fruit before eventually going to the oatmeal. He couldn't deny the fact that he really was starving, and the oatmeal would be more filling than fruit.

"Curse this fragile, equine body," He muttered before plunging his face into the bowl.

Starlight smiled smugly as Sombra gave in. Sitting herself in the chair nearby, she looked him over. Though a bit more lively, he looked as bad as the night before, coat rough and dirty, mane and tail tangled and matted in places. He hadn’t made any mention to this, likely because he couldn’t actually see how dirty he was, but Starlight knew he had to feel it. Dirt was itchy, and tangled hair was an uncomfortable and annoying hassle. Surely he had to have been at least somewhat bothered by these things.

Waiting until he'd finished eating, something that didn’t take long with how quickly he scarfed down the oatmeal, Starlight took away his tray and asked, “Hey, Sombra? You think you’re feeling well enough for a bath?”

Sombra's ears shot up, but his tone of voice seemed less than thrilled, "Depends, how far is the nearest washroom?”

"Well, we're in Canterlot Castle so pretty close by."

"Then yes," Sombra replied, slowly raising himself to a sitting position and stretching, "I would really like to wash all this filth out of my coat."

He made his way off the bed, flinching back when he put too much weight on his injured leg. Starlight stepped over to help him, but he waved her away with his tail. It only took a moment more before he was mostly on all fours, stretching each leg out to loosen his stiff limbs.

Allowing him his moment of freedom, Starlight turned away to grab something else she'd brought in, a rope. Tying one end loosely around her neck, she did the same with Sombra. He froze when he felt it lay around him.

"What did you just do?" He asked.

"I tied us together," Starlight answered, "Can't exactly have you running around unsupervised, you know? Not to mention the fact you'd never even find the washroom and live to tell the tale in your current state."

"This is completely undignifying!"

"Yeah, maybe for me," Starlight said, securing the rope with her mouth and continuing in somewhat muffled words, "I'mma be the one scrubbin' the dirt out of your nasty hide."

She tugged the rope gently to urge Sombra to follow her, but he stayed put. She tugged again, harder. Sombra didn't budge.

Starlight sighed in frustration, spitting out the rope to say, "Sombra, I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart. If you'd rather wallow in your own filth then be my guest."

"Perhaps next time you should save that 'goodness' for somepony with a heart," He huffed, though he finally started walking.

Starlight snorted back, grabbing the rope and yanking it a little harder than necessary, prompting Sombra to stumble midstep. He let out a sharp yelp as he braced himself on his sprained leg, then muttered something in a language Starlight couldn't identify. She ignored these presumed insults and continued on her way, Sombra trudging along behind her.

To think that the first time she’d ever encountered him had involved him barging into Twilight’s castle, bending her and Spike to his will. She still remembered the nightmare he’d forced upon her, and the struggle he had taken to even control her. Now he wasn’t even half the powerful king he once was, beaten, weak, and lame. She could probably take him down with one kick if she wanted to, but shook the thought away. Even after everything he’s done, no one deserved to be kicked while they were down.

They made it to the washroom in over twice the time it would take normally, and even then Sombra was worn out from the trip. He tried not to show it of course, but Starlight could tell by the subtle droop of his head and his worsened limp that he was ready to rest.

"You doing alright?" She asked. Sombra nodded. "I'll start the water then."

She turned the water on full blast, fiddling with the knobs to figure out which was which before settling on a temperature. She wasn’t sure what Sombra preferred so she set it something reasonably warm, but not too hot. Pulling him over gently, Starlight unwrapped his sprained leg, removed the rope, and tried to help him in. He huffed in protest as she tried, but was too tired to fight, giving in and allowing her to help. A bit of relief washed over him as the water did, and he made himself comfortable, setting his head on the ledge. Hearing Starlight wander off, he sniffed at the air to try and track where she’d gone.

Her hoofsteps were muffled by the falling water, and Sombra wanted to know where she was at all times. He heard her shuffle around a bit, hoofsteps seeming to sound from random places around the room, until she was right next to the tub again. Sombra’s ears perked curiously as she set a few things on the counter nearby, sneezing as something grossly floral in scent assaulted his senses.

“Yeah, that one’s pretty strong,” Starlight said, before holding something else to his nose. Still floral, but much less suffocating. “How about this one?”

Nose twitching, Sombra asked, “What exactly is this?”

“Shampoo, obviously,” Starlight explained, squirting the cold, slimy substance down Sombra’s neck and back. He shivered at the contact, chills going down his spine as the cold soap ran over his warm skin. “I don’t think they have more than these two scents. This one is supposed to smell like ‘morning sunlight’, whatever that means.”

"I think that means I'm going to smell like a princess."

"Well, you've already got flowy princess hair, so it's a step in the right direction," Starlight replied. Sombra snorted.

Setting the shampoo aside, Starlight levitated over a brush and began to scrub the soap into Sombra's coat. The running water had already managed to loosen some of the grime, but a lot of it was still stuck to his hair and skin, and Starlight had to scrub hard to get it out. It didn’t help that his coat was quite thick, something she should’ve expected from a pony native to the northern regions.

She decided to start at his mane and neck, careful not to get soap in his stitches as she worked, gently running the brush through his hair. Sombra was surprisingly calm for her, only quietly growling in discomfort or flicking his tail if Starlight yanked too hard on his mane, or was too rough on his bruised body. Still, she didn’t even want to risk having him lash out, for both their sakes.

“If I’m too rough, just say something alright?” She asked. Sombra grunted in response, readjusting himself to be more comfortable. He seemed content enough, so Starlight went back to work and finished scrubbing the shampoo into his mane and down his neck.

The barrel of his body was a bit more difficult to clean. She knew his chest and ribs were sore after yesterday, and Starlight could feel him tense up under her if she brushed over a particularly tender spot. He made no implication of being too irritated, though he kicked at the tub wall with a snarl when she got to where the guard kicked him.

So, good chance he had a cracked rib there, if not a badly bruised one. Starlight wondered if she should tell the Princesses one of the guards was assaulting prisoners.

She then moved on to his legs, front ones bruised and raw from where his chains had rubbed against them. Starlight was more anxious washing those, worried he may snap at her out of pain again, but she knew if the wounds stayed dirty Sombra would just risk another infection. Gently lifting his sprained leg first, Starlight set the brush aside and removed as much dirt as possible with just her hooves and water before scrubbing in a few drops of soap. Sombra twitched a bit where he lay, but otherwise stayed quiet. Setting the sore limb down, Starlight did the same with his left foreleg, then made her way to his hind legs.

Starting off with scrubbing away a matt of filth on his haunches, Starlight noticed something odd. Either the matt was thicker than she thought, or something very important was missing. Rubbing a hoof over his flank to check for dirt, her suspicions were proven correct.

Sombra's flank was unmistakably blank.

Her first assumption was magic. A grown pony without a cutie mark was practically unheard of. Not impossible, there were maybe a few instances where a pony didn't get their mark until adulthood, but cases such as that were incredibly rare. Sealing his magic away wouldn't hide it either, so the only thing she could think of would be a magic spell.

Perhaps he hid it on his own accord? That was a familiar and unsettling thought.

It wasn’t something she thought too hard on however, for it took her only another moment to think about the fact that she'd been staring at Sombra's flank for an embarrassingly long time. Perhaps it was a good thing he was blinded right now, she couldn't imagine she'd have gotten away with that had he seen.

Curiosity ruined, she got back to work. By this point, Sombra had stopped twitching entirely, breathing steady, ears in a neutral position. Starlight wondered if he’d fallen asleep. She somewhat hoped he did.

The final thing to do was his tail, a nasty mat of filth and hair. Starlight doubted she’d be able to thoroughly detangle it with the bath brush, so she lathered a bit of shampoo in and let it be. She'd get to that later.

Satisfied with her work, Starlight set the brush to the side and stepped back, snickering quietly. Sombra was completely covered in bubbles. As terrifying as he was, it was still funny to see him asleep in the bathtub, his black coat a sudsy mess. It seemed even the fiercest of creatures stopped being scary when covered in bubbles, but alas, the suds had to go, and Sombra had to return to his threatening and grumpy self.

Adjusting the showerhead, Starlight took it off its hanger and began to rinse Sombra off. She was careful to keep the soapy water from slipping beneath his mask, using the brush to slick his mane back so the water ran down his neck instead. She brushed his coat as she worked, gently scrubbing away every bit of dirt until Sombra's coat was spotless. She even managed to get most of the tangles out of his tail.

Shutting the water off, Starlight turned to levitate a few towels over before nudging Sombra’s face with a hoof. He jolted up quickly, ears alert and nose twitching as he searched for whatever had touched him. He’d forgotten entirely about Starlight until she came over and helped him out of the tub, dropping a towel over his wet mane.

“I think you fell asleep,” She said.

“That’s ridiculous. Only a fool would fall asleep near the enemy,” He objected, shaking his head in an attempt to get the towel off. It feel down his back.

“I guess it’s a good thing I’m not your enemy then,” Starlight replied, using her magic to run the towel over Sombra’s mane. He pulled away from it, shaking his body like a wet dog instead, splashing Starlight with a rain of water.

"Right, right, my guardian," He said. Though Starlight couldn't see them, she didn't doubt he rolled his eyes, "Keep in mind I'm a thousand years your senior."

"Sure aren’t acting it," Starlight muttered, wiping herself dry. She must've been louder than intended, because Sombra turned away with a huff and a flick of the tail. She chose to ignore his sulking, rolling her own eyes as she tossed her towel into the nearest basket, and got to work cleaning.

Soap on the shelf, brush covered in pony hair tossed into a basket for cleaning, and Starlight was done within seconds. The only thing left was the wet floor, a hazardous mess thanks to Sombra’s attempt at drying himself. It felt wrong not to dry it, but Starlight knew Celestia had maids for such a job, and it was either that or a pile of extra towels for them to wash.

Opting to leave it be, she turned back to Sombra. Even after shaking, he was dripping wet, and Starlight noticed him shiver a bit. She couldn’t be sure if it was cold or fear, because Sombra’s ears were once again pinned back in obvious distress, and he was lightly pawing the ground. He shouldn’t be in pain, the medicine had to have kicked in by now, so it had to be something else bothering him.

“Sombra?” Starlight said, stepping toward him, “Everything alright?’

“Huh?” He shook his head, ears facing toward Starlight though he didn’t move himself, “Yes, I’m fine. We’re the only two in this room, right?”

A bit of concern in her voice, Starlight assured, “Yes, why?”

“I must hear the guards outside.”

Starlight didn’t hear anything beyond the door, so either Sombra had much keener hearing than her own, or there were some rather unfortunate implications to his initial assumption she had been an auditory hallucination. He said nothing more on the matter however, and Starlight chose to leave it be.

Instead, she grabbed yet another towel and asked, “Alright, but can I dry you off now? You’re soaking wet.”

Sombra seemed wary at the thought of being touched, but gave a hesitant nod. Satisfied with this answer, Starlight laid the towel over his head and began to rub Sombra’s mane dry. His body went stiff at the contact, anxious at someone being so rough on him, but he didn’t try to push her away as she worked. Even when she ran the towel over his bruised sides he did nothing more than flinch slightly at the contact. Finishing with his tail, Starlight tossed the towel to the laundry basket, then covered her mouth to suppress a giggle.

Head tilted, Sombra asked, “What’s so funny?”

“You’re so fluffy!”

“What did you expect? I haven’t exactly bathed in over a millennia,” Sombra snorted. Starlight couldn’t help but take notice of the hint of a smile upon what she could see of his face, but couldn’t tell if it was sarcastic or genuine amusement on his part. “I was probably about due for a good wash.”

He shook himself again, reaching up to try and smooth out his fluffed up mane with a hoof. It flowed around it, shadowy quality back after a week of sickness and filth. Despite this, something about it seemed to bother him, and he began to grow frustrated as it refused to do what he wanted.

“Do you perhaps have a brush to smooth this out?” He asked.

“Well yes, but the bath brush is dirty now. I’d offer my own but I don’t think it’ll work in your hair,” Starlight said, grabbing her rope and setting it over Sombra, “We don’t really have similar hair types.”

“Of course not,” He muttered, growling as the rope was laid around his neck. He tried to bite at it, but Starlight swung it out of his reach.

“I’ll look for a brush when I have the time, alright? First I have some studying to do.”

Leading Sombra out of the washroom, they made their way to his room. Surely enough, a lone guard stood outside, patrolling the halls. She threw a look of disgust at the two of them as they walked by, Starlight moving herself between Sombra and the disgruntled guard as she walked away. He’d already suffered enough beatings for one lifetime, she really didn’t want to take the chance of him taking another kick to the ribs. There didn’t seem to be anyone else out with the guard, but with the way she was acting, Starlight wanted to believe she must’ve said something about Sombra that he had picked up on.

Sombra didn’t seem too bothered by anything, following along at a steady pace, head held high as he listened to his surroundings. Seemed the bath and medicine had perked him up quite a bit, and Starlight could only imagine how awful he must’ve felt before all that. It took them much less time to return to his room than it had to make it to the washroom.

Opening the door and taking Sombra inside, Starlight removed the rope as Sombra stood himself against the edge of his bed. He listened around, sniffing the air before turning in Starlight’s direction and asking, “So now what do we do?”

"I'm going to the library to study," Starlight said, grabbing his breakfast dishes to take them away, "You will be staying here."

"You're leaving me alone?"

There was a certain shrillness to his voice, one that Starlight recognized as panic. She watched as his ears went back into their position of distress, a trait of his she was already growing far too familiar with.

"Only temporarily," Starlight assured, "As soon as I'm done with my studying, I'll come back, okay? I'll even bring a brush to smooth your mane out."

She turned to leave, but a small noise from Sombra stopped her. He still seemed anxious, and Starlight was beginning to wonder if leaving him on his own was really a good idea. Her only other option was to lead him around the castle with her, and that was a terrible idea. Ponies wouldn’t take kindly to him, and he needed to rest and heal.

Nervous about the silence, Sombra whispered, "Starlight?"

"Yes?"

"How many princesses are there?"

Seemed like a bit of an odd question at the moment, but it had a bit of sense to it. Sombra’s knowledge of such was probably a bit outdated. Starlight wasn't sure why it mattered, but thought it alright to answer anyway.

"There's five now. Celestia and Luna are the ones you’ve always known. Twilight you should know as well. Cadance and Flurry Heart are the other two, but I'm sure you’re aware of who they are as well."

"The wretch that stole my throne and her Love Spawn," Sombra said, "I know all too well, but surely there must be another?"

Starlight shook her head, "No, I believe that's all of them. I don’t think Twilight or Celestia would hide a princess from the public."

"Something must've happened."

“Was there another princess back then?” Starlight asked. She was genuinely curious, but Sombra shook his head.

“Not any that mattered,” He said.

Nothing more was said on the topic, as Sombra made his way onto the bed and curled up. He covered his snout with his hooves and his flank with his tail. Starlight didn’t know if he was actually tired, he’d slept most of the daylight away already, but she supposed he didn’t have much else to do. Perhaps she’d come back later and read to him or something, he was going to be bored out of his mind stuck in this quiet room all the time.

Sighing to herself, she left the room, quietly closing the door behind her as she went. She came nearly face to face with the same guard she’d encountered earlier, standing by the door with that same disgusted look upon her face.

“Is he really worth wasting your time over?” She asked.

“He absolutely is. Sombra is just as much of a pony as you or I, he deserves a chance to learn from his mistakes,” Starlight replied, taking on a bit of a defensive pose. The guard gave an almost amused laugh.

“If you think that’s true, you must be a bigger fool than I thought,” She replied, an almost sinister sneer on her face, “That stallion’s a monster, hardly a pony at all. Don’t know why Celestia even bothered keeping him alive in the first place. She should’ve left him to rot in that cell, it’s the least he deserved.”

“I'd much rather waste my time on him than I would conversing with you," Starlight said irritably, turning away. “I don’t need to hear this.”

She trotted away, a much faster pace than she had any intention of going. The guard watched as she left, only turning back toward Sombra’s door after Starlight was gone from view. A thought of finishing the stallion off crossed her mind, but she brushed it away. It wasn’t worth the punishment.

Inside the room, Sombra covered his whole head with a whine as a voice began to whisper around him.

Chapter 4: Something Old, Something New

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“You know, you’re a surprisingly quick healer,” Starlight said, slightly lifting the ice pack she held over Sombra’s fetlock to check it over. It was still swollen and sore, but the injuries from his chains had faded considerably. “You’re still pretty lame when you walk, but everything else is already looking a lot better. Even your neck’s healing pretty nicely, and that was a pretty nasty wound when I saw it.”

“If I had my magic it’d be even quicker,” Sombra muttered discontentedly, shifting himself to lay his head over his free arm.

It had nearly been a week since she had taken on the duty of reforming him, and quite expectedly she hadn’t made much progress. Sombra wasn’t as violent and aggressive as she’d expected, most of his outbursts had been out of fear, but he was still adamant in saying the Crystal Empire was his. At least he hadn’t made any demands for Canterlot, if anything he wanted to get out of the city.

“The Princesses have every right to block your magic Sombra, you haven’t exactly made the best impression around here.” Starlight replied with a sigh.

“They didn’t have a right to take my sight and sanity.”

He shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position to lie in without taking his arm away from Starlight. He’d been antsy the past few days she’d noticed, but also increasingly tired. She couldn’t tell by his face of course, but his body language and appearance showed enough. He no longer held his head high as he walked, and his mane and tail had lost their flow, limp against his body as he lay on the bed.

She’d assumed him sick at first, but a quick inspection of his wounds and body temperature had disproven this, along with his verbal displeasure at being touched. Starlight did remember hearing about the Crystal Ponies losing their luster when they were depressed, perhaps Sombra was similar? She didn’t think he was full Crystal, but he’d grown up in the Empire, so there was a good chance their blood ran through his veins.

“Sombra, are you feeling alright?” Starlight asked. She wasn’t sure why she asked, he’d probably lie and say he was fine.

The reply was as stubborn as she expected, “You poked and prodded me all over when you came in, you know the answer.”

“Not physically. Mentally.”

“I’ve been imprisoned in ice while still conscious, brutally murdered twice, and torn of everything I’ve ever had. Take a guess.”

To say she’d been expecting a blatant lie was an understatement, so Sombra giving even the slightest hint that something bothered him caught her off guard. Starlight knew already, she was learning the signs with her job at the school after all, she just thought it would take more time to learn anything.

“Well, I’m a school counselor, if you ever want to talk about what’s bothering you…” She trailed off, the full consequences of her words smacking her in the face. Did she really want to console a former despot about his issues? More specifically, did she, a former despot herself, want to console a former despot about his issues?

Luckily for her, Sombra wasn’t too keen on the idea himself, growling, “Absolutely not. You’ve already humiliated me enough, I don’t need you analyzing my mind as well.”

“Alright, fine, but I have a new preposition for you,” Starlight said, taking the ice pack away and tossing it to the table nearby. Sombra perked his ears. “Would you like to take a walk with me in the garden later? You’ve been lying in this room for days, it can’t possibly be good for you.”

Raising his head a bit, Sombra asked, “I assume Celestia wouldn’t approve?”

Starlight shrugged, “She only said you weren’t allowed to leave Canterlot, so I think it’d be fine to just take you out for a bit of exercise.”

“Oh no, I wasn’t asking for her permission,” Sombra said, sitting up with a stretch and a grin before continuing, “I was just asking if it would make her mad. Are you heading to the library again?”

“Yes, I’m running low on books to read in my freetime,” Starlight explained, not quite willing to mention her research. She wasn’t sure if he’d argue against the history books, as few as they were.

“Could you bring a book to read to me?”

“Huh?” Starlight’s thought bubble popped, and she turned to Sombra in surprise. His voice had been quiet, and almost inaudible, but she had caught what he said. “Of course! Any preferences?”

Ears bent back a bit in embarrassment, Sombra shrugged, “Something written within the past thousand years I suppose. Have they invented any new genres?”

“I’ll be looking around through the history section, I’ll find you something on what’s happened.”

Sombra nodded, laying his head over his hooves as he listened to Starlight rustle around and seemingly gather up her things. She set a few things on the table next to his bed, a quick sniff and Sombra could smell the scent of berries, then walked away. The creak of an old door, and an attempt to close it gently, and Sombra was on his own.

Ears bent back and twitching, he raised his head slightly to sniff at the food Starlight had left him. It seemed to be some sort of pastry, baked with what he assumed to be raspberries, thought it didn’t smell particularly fresh. Likely a treat she had retrieved hours ago, either during breakfast or even the night before for dessert. Leaning forward, Sombra stuck his tongue out to steal a taste.

“Eat it. It’s poisoned.”

Sombra’s jaws slammed shut, fangs piercing his tongue as he shot back to cower against the wall. Ears flat against his head and muscles twitching, he bared his fangs as the voice laughed. The noise reverberated around him, mocking him from all angles.

It had been taunting him for days, morphing between many voices, some familiar and some not. It unnerved him, to say the least, but that wouldn’t stop him from fighting it.

“I very much doubt Starlight would do such a thing,” He said with a growl. He was trying to be threatening, but with how close his body was to the wall, even he wasn’t sure if it was convincing. “She has assured me time and time again that killing me is of no benefit to her.”

“It would benefit the Princesses greatly. The guards too,” The voice responded quickly.

At that, Sombra’s tail twitched. Though the Princesses still terrified him, they hadn’t interfered with Starlight’s attempts since he was first released. It was the guards had been more vocal about their disdain for him. Ever since he’d been thrown in the dungeon in a half feral state, they’d thrown insults, threats, and even food at him. Not to mention the two that had given him quite the beating when they led him to Starlight for the first time, his ribs still ached from that kick.

“They would’ve killed me already had that been true,” Sombra argued.

“Must be too much fun watching you wither away. You’re hardly the pony you once were, a shadow of your former self,” It laughed again, a growingly familiar and unnerving sound, “How humiliating, a shadow of a shadow.”

“You speak a lot of nonsense for something trying to possess my body,” Sombra growled, “Get out of my head.”

“Now who said I was in your head?” The voice asked. A gentle breeze through his coat, and Sombra’s ear twitched as something breathed into his ear, “And who said it was your body?”

“Demon!”

Sombra swung his head in the direction of the breeze, hitting nothing but hearing a faint buzzing sound. Hopping out of his bed, he ran toward the buzzing, only to crash into the table. The things upon it fell over him, the pastry landing upon his head, and something else shattering upon the floor. He stumbled around it, glass crunching under his hooves until her stepped into a puddle of something cold and wet. A sudden bolt of fear surging through him at the wetness, and Sombra launched himself away. He failed to keep his footing this time, slipping to the ground as the voice laughed.

“Get out of my head you demon!” Sombra cried, scrambling back to his hooves and charging in the direction it seemed to sound from. The voice moved, and Sombra collided with the wall as he tried to turn. Falling to the ground again, he cried out, “G-get out! Get out!”

The voice just continued to laugh.

The history books were becoming repetitive. The origin of the Crystal Faire, the nameless Queen or Princess who initiated the first one, and the attractions to be found during the event. Nothing that told her anything worthwhile, and even less on what she’d come here to learn in the first place. Sombra’s reign was all but unwritten.

Pushing that particular book aside, Starlight rested her head on a hoof as she levitated over another. A quick skim of the contents and she deduced that this one was written before the Crystal Empire had returned, and would likely have no information about it.

“This is pointless,” Starlight muttered, pushing that book to the side as well.

Twilight had told her that information on the Empire was scarce, and that she herself had only found books on it when she had first gone, but this was ridiculous. There had been no history books mentioning it before then, everything in the Empire’s history section thus far had been recently written, the Crystal Ponies slowly chipping in to record the past. Perhaps she’d have more luck researching in the Empire itself, or asking the Princesses for more info, but those just weren’t options right now. Luna would likely be getting to work soon, and Celestia hadn’t been particularly friendly with Starlight lately. She wasn’t sure why, but had a feeling it had something to do with Sombra.

That reminded her, she had to find a book to read to him, didn’t she?

Rising from her seat, Starlight took the books she’d taken and stacked them neatly on the table before heading off to another section of the library. Sombra had asked about genres, and though she’d offered to read some history, she’d had just about enough with it for the day. Perhaps she could find another book to satisfy him for the night.

Looking around the bookshelves, she wondered what might interest him. Would he like fantasy? Adventure, mystery, or drama? Horror seemed like a good bet, Sombra’s specialty was fear magic after all, though Starlight wasn’t sure if she wanted to give him any new ideas. There were so many options to choose from, yet so little to go off on when it came to Sombra’s interests. He didn’t really talk to her, as much as respond when she spoke first, or occasionally ask for something.

He was, even after all these days spent with him, a total mystery to her. Twilight had described him as either cold and black hearted, or egocentric and overconfident. The closest she’d seen of any of that was cold, but any pony in a position such as his would be like that. He’d lost everything, and even with his demands for the Crystal Empire, she could only assume by his demeanor that he’d begun to finally believe that himself.

“I suppose it’s a start,” She sighed, not even caring that she’d begun talking to herself. No one was really in the library right now anyway, night was fast approaching.

Stopping at a cart of books awaiting reshelving, she looked over each one, waiting for a title to catch her attention. She skipped over one that used time travel as a plot point, ignored the Daring Do books, only stopping when she saw the word ‘shadow’ on one of the spines. Removing the book curiously, she recognized the writer immediately.

Stygian. This was one of Stygian’s books. His series about his fall to darkness and subsequent freedom afterwards. Starlight had read them already, Twilight had been sure to buy them for her own personal library upon each one’s publication. Perhaps this would be a good book to read Sombra.

Taking note of the setting sun outside, Starlight quickly made her way to the front desk. The librarian had been cleaning off the front desk, preparing to head out when Starlight came over.

“I’m not too late to check this out, am I?” She asked, setting the book on the desk, “I was so busy researching, I lost track of time.”

“That’s perfectly fine my dear, getting lost in a book is exactly what this place is here for,” The librarian assured her, taking the book to stamp it before handing it back, “It’s probably a good thing you came when you did actually, this book has been quite popular lately.”

"So I've heard," Starlight nodded, setting the book in her saddlebag before thanking the librarian and trotting out.

The roads of Canterlot were still busy even as night approached, ponies finishing up last minute tasks or making their way to a restaurant for a fancy dinner. She could smell the food from some of them as she walked, her stomach growling in a reminder she had yet to eat dinner herself, but she kept on her path to the castle. She’d make something simple and quick for her and Sombra when she got there. Perhaps a salad, the castle’s kitchen was always stocked high with fresh fruits and vegetables, and she could take it outside for the two of them to eat.

She’d planned ahead on taking Sombra outside, opting to do it at night while no pony was visiting. The worst she’d have to worry about were the guards, and though they've yelled some rather distasteful things her way, they wouldn’t dare hurt her.

Nearly to the castle, Starlight’s eyes wandered off the path and to the stars above. It was a mostly clear evening, a few stray clouds wandering about in the sky. There had been some rain scheduled for the afternoon, but the Pegasi had promised it would be over by sundown. It might still be a bit wet when she and Sombra go to the garden, but the freshly watered flowers should look extra beautiful in the moonlight.

Flowers and moonlight Sombra wouldn’t be able to see, but hopefully the scent and feel of the greenery would be enough to calm him. He was obviously stressed, but Starlight always thought it smelled nice after a rain, so perhaps he would as well.

Making her way into the castle, she pushed aside her wandering thoughts, and began to head to the guest rooms. Hungry as she was, she always checked on Sombra after returning from the library. Whether to assure herself he was okay, or to make sure he hadn’t somehow caused trouble, she wasn’t entirely sure. He might be blinded and magicless at the moment, but Sombra was still twice the size of an average stallion, likely with the physical prowess to match. She didn’t trust him not to get into a fight.

She was only around the corner from his room when she heard a crash and a yell.

"Go away! Leave me alone!"

That familiar cry of panic, and Starlight ran the rest of the way to Sombra’s room. The tail of a guard swung around the corner on the other side of the hall, but Starlight ignored them as she realized Sombra’s door was cracked open. Worried a guard may have stayed true to their threats of harming him, she barged in.

The room was a mess, table knocked over, glass and blood tinged water spread across the floor. Sombra was backed into the corner, body pressed against the wall as he shivered. His forelegs were wet and bleeding, and a bit of blood was on his mouth. Starlight ran up to him at once.

“Who did this to you?” She demanded, barely holding back yelling. Sombra let out a quiet whine. “Was it a guard? I saw one running off, I’ll tell Celestia at once!”

“No!” Sombra shook his head, “Don’t tell Celestia. Please don’t.”

“Sombra, if the guards are hurting you, I have to tell her,” Starlight said, grabbing his legs gently to inspect his wounds, but he pulled himself away.

“The guards aren’t doing this!” He yelled, staggering back further on shaky legs, “The demons are! They won’t leave me alone, they won’t stop whispering!”

“Demons? There’s no demons-”

Starlight cut herself off, a terrible realization dawning upon her. Sombra wasn’t from modern times, he’d missed a thousand years of medical research. From his point of view, auditory hallucinations were a symptom of something much different than a traumatic experience. Something much less plausible, but much more cause for alarm.

“Sombra,” She said, approaching the terrified stallion slowly. He was seconds away from running from the hallucinations, and Starlight didn’t want to risk him ramming himself into a wall again, “It’s okay now, the demons can’t hurt you while I’m here. I can blast them away with magic, okay?”

Goodness, it was like talking to a frightened foal. Sombra didn’t even seem particularly convinced, nostrils flaring in distress and muscles twitching in an urge to run, but Starlight had to do something to calm him down. He’d hurt himself enough already, those bleeding punctures in his legs were a sure sign he’d fallen in the glass, and who knew where the blood in his mouth had come from. Hopefully he’d only bitten his tongue.

Lifting a hoof to step forward, Sombra hesitated and stepped back instead, asking, “Why should I believe you?”

“Because you don’t have much of a choice.”

Sombra’s ears flattened against his head with a growl, but he visibly relaxed as he lowered his head. Taking this as a sign of defeat, Starlight grabbed the rope out of her bag and gently wrapped it around Sombra’s neck. He stiffened again at the sudden contact, but upon realizing it was the rope he simply cocked his head curiously.

“This room is a mess right now, and I need to clean up your legs,” Starlight said, grabbing his sprained one to look it over, “Did you cut yourself on the glass?”

Sombra yanked his arm back, holding it against his chest and refusing to answer. Assuming he was too proud to admit to accidentally hurting himself, Starlight wrapped the other end of the rope around herself and tugged it to get him going. He followed without a fight, putting his elevated leg down and following after her as she left the room.

She lead him down the hall, only stopping to tell a pony unseen to him about the mess in his room. Head lowering in shame at the mention of his earlier outburst, Sombra yanked the rope in displeasure before submitting to Starlight again. They reached their stop not long after, Sombra knowing the destination at once, familiar with the distance and frequent trips to the room.

“Why are we at the washroom?” He asked. She often lead him to the room multiple times a day, either to scrub scraps of filth out of his coat or to let him ‘do his business’ as she'd so often put it. It was humiliating enough having to wait for Starlight to take him to the washroom for any of these reasons, but at least she usually gave him the courtesy of asking before doing so.

“I have to clean your cuts and check for shards of glass in your skin,” She explained, “We really don’t need you getting any new infections.”

“It’s really not that bad,” Sombra muttered, more to himself than Starlight.

He felt the rope go slack, and heard Starlight make her way around the room and pick up a few things. Sitting himself down, he waited for her to finish. She ran water for a few moments, then returned, taking one of his arms in her own and inspecting it, then doing the same with the other.

“I don’t see any bits of glass in there, thankfully.” She said, “ Though it really looks like you were stabbed pretty deep in a couple places.”

Bringing out a wet cloth, Starlight set it on one of the deepest looking punctures. Sombra jolted back in surprise at the cold cloth, but Starlight held firm. She waited until Sombra calmed down before getting to the next cut, gently scrubbing away any blood or dirt. She then did the same with his other arm.

Setting the cloth to the side and releasing Sombra’s limb, she said, “You’ve got blood on your mouth as well, may I clean that off?”

Sombra’s ears flattened in annoyance, but he grunted in acceptance. Feeling a new cloth on his face, he only scowled as she scrubbed the blood away. Upon removing it, he rubbed his face with his arm.

Tossing the washcloths into the laundry basket, Starlight asked, “So why was there blood in your mouth?”

“I bit my tongue, simple as that,” Sombra replied with the twitch of an ear, “Can we go now? This is uncomfortable for the both of us.”

Starlight sighed at his stubbornness, but had to agree. She hadn’t thought much of it when cleaning his wounds, but the moment he mentioned it, she did feel a bit of embarrassment. She’d been far too touchy with Sombra today, but in any justification it was for the sake of his health.

“Yeah, we can go now,” Starlight said, grabbing the rope, “Your room’s probably still getting cleaned up, so you want to go outside like I offered earlier? I’ll probably grab a bite to eat when we pass the kitchen though, I haven’t eaten dinner yet.”

“Only if I’m allowed to eat something too,” Sombra said, standing as he felt the rope shift, “I haven’t eaten since you left this morning, assuming it was morning, I can’t tell time with this hunk of metal clamped to my face. Never did get to eat that pastry.”

He muttered the last bit, and Starlight couldn’t help but snicker at his disappointment. The way he seemed to pout about losing a simple little cake was amusing coming from a pony like him. Still, she reassured, “I’m sure they’ll have some fresh ones in the kitchen.”

They left the washroom, Starlight leading Sombra further through the castle halls. She’d never taken him any further than the washroom, so it only took a few turns for Sombra to feel completely lost. He didn’t particularly like the feeling that gave him, but Starlight’s hoofsteps stayed constant, convincing him she knew where she was going. It was only when they reached a staircase that Sombra expressed his discomfort, rearing back a bit when he felt the floor a little too far away. He was not fond of the idea of going down stairs he couldn’t see.

“What? Need me to carry you now?”

That mocking response from Starlight got him to go, taking about three steps before he misjudged and stumbled. Starlight was quick to catch him with her magic, setting him back on the top of the staircase and humming to herself in thought.

“Maybe feel for the steps first?” She suggested. Sombra nodded, a bit shaken up about the whole ordeal.

Bringing his good hoof forward first, he slowly lowered it until he felt a stair. He then did the same with his other hoof, repeating the process with his forelegs until it was time to repeat the first step with his back legs. He went slowly, steadily speeding up as he repeated the process, Starlight backing down the stairs in front of him, ready to catch him if needed.

Upon reaching their floor of choice, Sombra let out a satisfied snort. Starlight smiled a bit at his little victory, gently tugging his rope to get him moving again. He followed without a fight, eager to get to the kitchen and sate his hunger. He could tell they were close, the scent of baked goods was strong throughout the hall, and he held his head high as he sniffed the air.

Another turn, and Starlight stopped. Sombra tried to walk further in front of her, but a tug from the rope and he paused as well.

“You,” Starlight began, poking a hoof to his chest, then knocking on a table beside her, “Stay here. I’m going to go get us our food. Sit down and wait for me, there are guards in here to keep watch over you, and they will tell me if you move. Actually, they'd probably just restrain you if you even so much as twitched your tail wrong, so watch it.”

Sombra sat without a word, Starlight smirked. She’d lied about the guards, but he didn’t need to know that. There wasn’t actually anyone in the dining hall right now, other than a few maids cleaning up, most ponies had already finished their meals and gone home or back to work.

Tying his rope to the table leg, Starlight made her way into the kitchen to figure out what to make. She could always pick through the leftovers, the chefs always seemed to make more than enough for the castle’s staff, but she needed something she could take outside without a mess.

Grabbing a freshly made tart from a plate full of them, she nibbled on that as she inspected the food the chefs had yet to put away. It was quite an arrangement, ranging from fancy soups to something as simple as a grilled cheese. A good variety of fruits and vegetables were set out as well, and Starlight remembered her thoughts of a salad from earlier.

Swallowing the last bit of her tart, Starlight went to the nearest chef and said, “Excuse me, but do you have any salads made?”

The chef shook her head, “Nah, tonight was a soup and sandwich kinda night. You want me to make you some?”

“If that’s no bother, than yes please,” Starlight replied with an awkward smile. She had intended to offer and make it herself, but if the chef said she’d do, she supposed she’d just go with it. Glancing at the sandwiches, she added, “Though that grilled cheese is sounding pretty good now, could I have two of those as well?”

“I got you one better, I’ll make you some fresh ones,” The chef said, ruffling her wings in disgust as she took a look at the cold sandwiches, “Those ones have been sittin’ out for a while, you need anything else?”

“Oh no, just the salad and sandwiches are fine, I don’t want to overwork you or anything,” Starlight assured with a shake of her head.

“Eh, it’s no problem to me. Gets boring after hours.”

Turning away to grab another tart as the chef began to gather supplies for her and Sombra’s dinner, Starlight took a peek out of the room to check on the stallion. To her relief, he hadn’t moved, though he now had his head laid out on the table, arm laid out beside him as he licked his cuts from earlier. Not really something she’d expect someone to do in a public space, but since no one was around she’d let him sulk. Better him be pathetic in the dining hall than panicking in his room.

There was still that pang of pity she felt for him though, and with a sigh, she wrapped the tart in a napkin and shoved it into her bag. Turning back to where the chef was chopping vegetables she said, “Actually, can I ask for one more thing?”

The chef hummed for her to continue.

“You got any hot cocoa?”

The chef nodded, and within a short time Starlight had her food packed up and ready to go. Lifting it all with magic, she peeked out the door to check on Sombra again before heading out. He was licking his other arm now, only lifting his head with the perk of his ears as he heard her coming, tongue still poking out of his mouth when she set the food on the table. Leaning over to sniff it, Starlight put an arm in front of him before he got the chance.

“Not yet,” She said, “We’re going outside tonight, remember?”

“Must you dictate everything I do?”

“Doesn’t feel too good, does it?”

Sombra frowned at her response, but waited until Starlight grabbed the rope before following along behind her. He hadn’t really paid mind to how long she had been gone, he had been enjoying the peace. Nothing had whispered in his ears, and the only thing he’d suffered with was the stinging of the holes in his legs. He felt a tinge of shame at what he did earlier, but he hadn’t had much sense to think it through at the time. At least it had driven the voice off.

A brief walk later, and Sombra heard a heavy door open. An almost chilly gust of wind through his mane, the feel of the ground beneath him changing from tile to stone, and he stepped outside.

The first thing he did was sniff the air, the aroma of wet dirt strong from an earlier rain. It was a strange scent to him, one he hadn’t smelled in such a long time. There were faint sweet smells mixed into the mix as well, likely the large array of flowers the castle no doubt had, though he couldn’t be sure what kind or how many. He hadn’t really been paying attention when he took over.

A gentle tug from Starlight, and he turned to her, only to jump back as something brushed against his leg. With a rear and a snarl, he yanked Starlight with him as he hopped back to the safety of the stone pathway. Whatever it was hadn’t hurt him in any way, but the unwelcome feeling had sent a jolt of disgust through him.

Shaking his hoof to rid of the discomfort, he asked, “What was that?”

“What was what?” Starlight asked. She sounded a bit irritated, but Sombra couldn’t be bothered to care, backing away from whatever had spooked him.

“There’s something in the path!” He cried, yelping as he stepped into the same thing with his back leg. “It’s everywhere!”

“Sombra, that’s the grass. You’re stepping in grass.”

“Grass?”

Unsure, he slowly set his hoof back off the path. Soft and wet after the earlier rain, the strands of unseen greenery brushed gently against his fetlocks. Though it had caught him off guard earlier, the way they tickled his skin wasn’t as disgusting as he previously thought. If anything, it was almost pleasant, and nostalgically familiar.

It was grass, wasn’t it? Had it really been so long that he’d forgotten what it felt like? Surely he had to have trampled some underhoof when he’d seized the kingdom, but he’d been so preoccupied with power and revenge the feel of the ground beneath him didn’t matter. Perhaps it was the fact he’d been sealed away for so long, or had grown too familiar with the feel of his armor, that he’d started to forget such trivial things.

It made him wonder just how many other little things he’d forgotten about.

“So does this mean you’ll be okay with sitting in the grass to eat?” Starlight asked, removing him from his thoughts. “I forgot to bring a blanket for our food, so hopefully the plates they gave me will do for now.”

She lay on the ground, Sombra setting himself beside her. The grass was cool on his body, the soft greenery tickling his skin through his fur. It was a strangely pleasant feeling, and he was tempted to lay his whole body down, but he resisted. He waited patiently as Starlight set their food out in front of them, and then set something between his hooves. It was warm, and leaning down to sniff it, steamy. Sombra snorted as the wet air got into his nose, a faintly sweet scent lingering in his senses for a brief moment.

Nose twitching, he asked, “What is this?”

“Hot cocoa,” Starlight explained, watching as Sombra continued to sniff the drink curiously, “It’s one of those things I give to my students when they’re feeling down. You do know what cocoa is, right?”

“Of course I do. Despite common belief, I too was once a foal,” Sombra huffed, leaning down to take a taste. He jolted back as the hot liquid scorched his tongue.

“I’m not sure what you expected.”

“In my defense, my caregiver had usually cooled it with milk.”

Leaving the cocoa in between his hooves, Sombra sniffed at his sandwich. It smelled strange, and felt unusually warm. Unsure about it, he decided to start with the salad. Fresh vegetables could be trusted, and even if he couldn’t use his magic to lift a fork to eat it properly, let alone see the food, it wasn’t something that would be too much of an embarrassment to eat without a utensil. It was only somewhat humiliating, but Starlight was the only pony here now, and she’d seen him in more vulnerable positions than eating like a feral animal.

Upon finishing, he pushed his plate away and sipped the cocoa again. It was a bit cooler, though it was much plainer than he had expected.

“This isn’t real cocoa,” He said.

Starlight shrugged, “They might have just used the box kind.”

“Boxed? You ponies have grown lazy.”

“You’re just never happy, are you?” Starlight sighed, taking a bite of her sandwich before looking to Sombra’s, “Are you going to eat your grilled cheese?”

“Grilled cheese? You’re grilling cheese now too?”

“Of course not,” Starlight laughed. Sombra’s face was a sight of complete bafflement, and even without the view of his eyes he looked nearly horrified. “It’s a sandwich. A slice of cheese, and sometimes tomato, melted between two pieces of grilled bread.”

“Well, I suppose that’s somewhat more understandable,” Sombra said with the flick of an ear. He still looked somewhat unnerved, but took a quick bite of the sandwich. He chewed it slowly, unsure if he really liked the taste. It was incredibly greasy, and so unlike the salad he had just eaten, but it wasn’t bad.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s an acquired taste.”

He took another bite of the sandwich before pushing it and the cocoa away, lying himself in the grass. It was cool and wet, but soft and pleasantly scented. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but it was strangely comforting. Now if only he could see it.

Unconsciously pawing at his mask, he quietly asked, “When will this get taken off?”

Forgetting Sombra couldn’t see her, Starlight shrugged, “I don’t know. Celestia said it was the only thing keeping you from turning back into a shadow, so I’d be worried you’d just fade away if she took it off.”

“A containment spell,” Sombra huffed, “I don’t see why you’d worry about me, I’ve dealt with much worse than that weak blast of positive emotion.”

“Just because you’d survive doesn’t mean I wouldn’t worry about you. You’re still my friend-”

“We are not friends!” Sombra snarled, bolting up to a sitting position and turning in Starlight’s direction with his ears pinned, “I have no idea why you ponies are so set on befriending everything that breathes, but I am not one of them. You are not my friend, you are my warden, and I am your prisoner. No amount of friendliness is going to change that.”

He flopped back into the grass roughly, turning his back to Starlight as he laid limply on the ground. Starlight simply stared back, shocked and a little bit scared. Sombra hadn’t reacted violently, but he’d been angrier than she would have ever expected.

Sighing to herself in defeat, Starlight set herself in the grass as well and stared at the sky. The stars twinkled overhead, and moonlight dimly illuminated the trees above them. It was a beautiful sight, one ponies had come to appreciate so much more since Luna’s return, but not one Starlight could share right now. It was a bit sad, really.

She did have something she could share with him though.

Opening her saddlebag, she removed Stygian’s book and set it in front of her. Sombra heard the rustling and lifted an ear curiously, but didn’t move.

“You said you wanted me to bring you a book, remember? I know the pony that wrote this one, in fact, I helped save him once,” She said.

“Is it fiction or non-fiction?”

“Non-fiction, it’s his life story,” Starlight said, “I think you might relate to him a bit,”

Sombra laughed bitterly, but he lifted his head, “How so? Is his story about his ride to greatness perhaps? His fall from grace? His banishment to the ice? Do tell, however could this simple little pony have a story that is even slightly of interest to me?”

“You’re close, actually. It’s about how he turned into a shadow pony and got sealed away for a thousand years.”

Sombra’s ears perked, either in confusion, shock, or both. He had not been prepared for that answer. Grabbing his cocoa, he positioned himself to be more comfortable.

“Alright, you’ve got my attention now,” He said, sipping the drink. It was cool now, and still bland, but he drank it anyway. “I’ll give this book a chance.”

Starlight smiled, “I’m glad to hear that.”

Sliding herself closer to Sombra, she opened the book to the first page. It was a bit dark for reading outdoors, but with the illumination of her horn, and the moonlight above, it was just enough for Starlight to see. Positioning herself so her shadow didn’t block out her light, she began to read.

Chapter 5: Disclosure

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Starlight awoke bright and cheerful, if not a bit tired from staying out so late the night before, ready to get some work done that day. It was Saturday, which meant a few more visitors in and around Canterlot Castle, but it also meant Princess Celestia would have a bit more social time. She’d likely be surrounded by ponies all day, but hopefully Starlight would get the chance to talk with her.

Per usual, she’d checked on Sombra that morning, a plate of fresh fruits and a muffin levitated beside her for his breakfast. He had still been asleep when she entered his room, sprawled out on his belly and half covered with his blanket, snoring softly and sleeping soundly, so she’d left the food on the bedside table. She wouldn’t dare wake him, sleeping seemed to be one of the few moments he was calm.

Now, she was trotting down the halls of the castle, making her way to the throne room. She and Sombra had stayed out rather late, only opting to come in when Sombra had begun to fall asleep. Both of them had been tired by then, but Sombra was a bit more worn out after his panic from earlier. He was quick to flop onto his bed once back in his room, but Starlight had stayed up a bit longer to write her letter to Twilight. She’d asked her to prepare a room for Sombra, hoping to be able to take him home to Ponyville soon. She knew it hadn’t been that long since she took him in, but she was already growing anxious from her absence at the school, and Sombra wasn’t doing very well in Canterlot.

Once at the throne room’s entrance, Starlight watched as a few ponies walked out and past her in the other direction. Hopefully this meant Celestia was free now, and not with any more visitors. Pushing open the door, she peeked in, a few ponies were still awaiting audience with the Princess, but still Starlight entered, patiently waiting for them to finish.

It wasn’t long, and soon they came to an agreement over whatever had been the topic of discussion. Celestia bid them farewell, saying, “Thank you for your time, but it seems I have another visitor to speak with. Come now Starlight, we were just finishing.”

The other ponies nodded, greeting Starlight as she came through, though Celestia didn’t speak again until the door shut behind them.

“Good morning, are you doing well?” She asked, “Sombra’s not giving you too much trouble I hope.”

Starlight shook her head, “Oh no, just a bit stubborn is all. He nipped at a guard last night when I walked him to his room, but he was pretty tired so he might’ve just been irritable.”

“Why wasn’t he in his room?”

Starlight couldn’t be sure, but Celestia seemed to sound the slightest bit upset. True to Sombra’s hopes, she didn’t seem to agree on his trip outdoors, which he’d probably be glad to hear.

“I took him to the garden,” Starlight explained, looking over the agitated Celestia unsurely, “He’s been locked up in the bedroom for days, I thought it’d be good to give him some exercise. I know his fetlock’s sprained, but I can’t keep him cooped up forever.”

Celestia still seemed upset, but nodded slowly, saying, “Well, next time tell me before you do anything please.”

Starlight slightly raised a hoof, “Actually, about that, I was thinking about taking Sombra to Ponyville?”

The Princess’ eyes widened, feathers fluffing out in agitation as she said, “I can’t let you do that. Not yet.”

“Why not? He’s not comfortable here, and I can’t stay away from the school for too long, wouldn’t Ponyville be a better place to stay while I work with him?”

“Do you truly think taking him to Ponyville would be a wise decision? He tried to enslave the entire town, you included,” Celestia stated, “Surely it’s best to keep him here a while longer?”

Starlight shook her head, “No, I don’t think it’s best. I think what’s best is whatever would make us both feel better, why would you even want to keep him here?”

Celestia was silent a moment, eyes closed in thought. Starlight began to grow a bit nervous in the quiet, but she held her false confidence. A gentle sigh from the princess and she turned back to Starlight sternly.

“I just don’t think Sombra is worth saving,” She said.

“Wait, what? You can’t be serious-” Starlight stumbled over her words, confused and panicked, “He absolutely is! Just because he hasn’t made any obvious progress doesn’t mean he’s a lost cause!”

“Maybe not, but it shows he has no intention of changing,” Princess Celestia stated, turning away from Starlight to walk back to her throne, “There are many things about Sombra you don’t know Starlight, and I’m not comfortable with the thought of him having any degree of freedom just yet. The things he’s done, they’re irreversable, and unforgivable.”

“So?” Starlight asked, “Do you think the fact he’s done bad things is going to stop me from helping him? I’m hardly better, Our Town might have been small, but I still manipulated ponies into giving up their true selves. Not to mention the whole time travel thing. I’ve only been with him for a week, and most of that time has been to let him rest and heal, I’m not giving up on him already.”

Celestia looked away, eyes closed as if in shame. Starlight continued to stare at her in confusion and worry, only moving once Celestia said quietly, “Come with me, I need to show you something.”

She made her way out of the room, Starlight following behind. They walked through the halls silently, Celestia nodding occasionally to castle staff or visitors. Starlight waved to a few of them politely as well, but mostly went ignored, to which she’d lower her head in embarrassment. It took little time to make it their destination, and Starlight stopped as Celestia did.

It was the hallway adorned with paintings of ponies, the same one Starlight had inspected curiously the first night she’d decided to help Sombra. Celestia took a moment to inspect her surroundings, until making her way to a specific painting. Starlight recognized the artwork immediately, the regal Unicorn upon the canvas painted with the utmost detail, her crystalline coat still vibrant even after countless years of sitting upon the wall. The last time Starlight had seen the painting it had been night, but now with the sunlight shining through the windows, she could see just how much effort was put into the artwork.

“This is Princess Amore,” Celestia said, staring sadly at the painting herself, “She was the previous ruler of the Crystal Empire, before Sombra.”

“She’s the Crystal Princess?” Starlight asked. Somehow, that didn’t surprise her now that she knew, “If you’ve had a picture of her in your hallway all this time, why doesn’t anypony know her name? Why isn’t she in the History books?”

“Perhaps the Crystal Ponies still aren’t ready to talk about what happened, or perhaps they need more time to fully register everything. You see, Amore’s reign ended quite tragically,” Celestia explained, turning away from the painting to look down at Starlight.

She shuffled uncomfortably at the Princess’ gaze, waiting for her to continue, but she didn’t. Feeling she knew the answer, and that Celestia was waiting for her to put the hints together, she asked, “What happened to her?”

“Sombra killed her.”

Starlight felt like a new weight was thrown over her at the Princess’ words. Reforming Sombra had already sounded like a struggle when all she knew of his past was tyranny and hate. Things she knew, things she was familiar with, but she knew nothing of murder. The worst she’d done in the past was trying to make Twilight miserable, tear her and her friends apart, but never had she considered outright killing anyone.

“Do you understand now, why I don’t think he’s worth saving?” Celestia asked.

“I do understand, Princess,” Starlight said, a bit of stubborness shining through her doubt. The thought of leaving Sombra to rot still felt wrong, and she couldn’t justify it, “But I’m not changing my mind. Not yet, I believe he can still change.”

“Starlight Glimmer,” Celestia stamped her hoof, wings flaring, “You will have no say in the matter, Sombra must be punished for his crimes!”

Starlight jumped back at the Princess’ sudden outburst. She hadn’t quite shouted, but she’d raised her voice to a frightening level. She seemed to be aware of this, ruffling her feathers in embarrassment, while Starlight contemplated her words.

She still didn’t think it seemed fair, and regaining her wits, she stepped forward and asked quietly, “For how long?”

“Excuse me?”

“For how long?” Starlight repeated, “You’ve already banished him to ice for a thousand years, and practically murdered him a few times, what more punishment does he deserve? What are you gonna do, send him back to the dungeon? Another week, and he probably would’ve died down there too!”

“Starlight, you don’t understand-”

“No, you don’t understand! ” She stamped her hoof, silencing the princess, “You’re not the one who’s been stuck taking care of him all week! You’re not the one who saw the guards kick and demean him! You’re not the one who washed the dirt and dried blood out of his matted coat! And you’re certainly not the one who’s seen him break down in panic, huddled into a corner because he’s scared out of his mind!”

“Starlight Glimmer.”

“No! Let me finish!” She shouted, the terrible feeling of oncoming tears burned her eyes, but she held them back, “Whether or not you want to believe me, I know how much it hurts to see the ponies who hurt you not being punished. I know personally just how much you want to take everything away from them and see them suffer. To beat them to the ground, over and over until they don’t dare get back up.”

She paused a moment to catch her breath, wiping away an escaped tear as she continued, “Sombra hurt you, when he killed Amore, didn’t he? So now you want him to suffer, just like you did. I know you do, and I understand that.”

“Starlight-”

She held up her hoof, silencing Celestia, “But that doesn’t stop the fact that the only reason he’s still alive today, is because of you. He might have placed the curse on the Empire, but you turned him to shadow, you prolonged his life just for him to suffer. You could have just killed him, or taken him off to prison, but you didn’t. You cursed him to spend a thousand years in an icy torment while still conscious. Don’t you think that’s punishment enough?”

At this, Celestia was silent. She had nothing to say. Starlight was foolishly bold for yelling at her, but she couldn’t deny that everything she said was true. She did want Sombra to suffer, she wanted him locked away until the end of his days, never to hurt anyone again. Even know, she feared he’d eventually hurt Starlight, as unlikely as that was in his current state. It was only when Starlight spoke again she even bothered to look at her.

“I’m taking Sombra to Ponyville tomorrow night,” She said, “For his sake, and mine. He’s scared, and the guards threaten him, and me. I think one even went into his room last night to hurt him, but he won’t tell me. He’s not safe here.”

“Very well,” Celestia sighed.

Though the two experiences weren’t quite comparable, Starlight had a point. Celestia had prolonged a pony’s life for no reason other than to punish him. It wasn’t even the first time, nor did it seem like the last. She still didn’t think Sombra should have the honor of redemption, but after everyone that Twilight, Starlight, and their friends had saved, why not give Sombra a chance too?

“Thank you, Princess,” Starlight said, “Forgive me for yelling, but it just didn’t seem right. Trust me, by this time next month, Sombra will be a changed pony. I’ll do whatever I can to make him understand.”

She desperately hoped she wasn’t lying.

Celestia nodded, regaining her composure and smoothing her ruffled feathers with a hoof. Readjusting her posture, she stood tall and regal as she said, “You plan to do this during the cover of night so as to not cause too much of a commotion, I presume?”

Starlight nodded, “Yes, and we should make it to Ponyville by morning, before school starts. I’ll sleep on the train if I have to. I figured Sunday night would be best, since it wouldn’t be particularly busy.”

“A wise decision,” Celestia agreed, turning away, “Now if you don’t mind, I have a few more meetings today.”

She turned away, walking slowly down the hall back to the throne room. Starlight watched her go, waiting for her to be out of sight before she went on her way as well. Celestia stopped at the corner however, turning to see Starlight still standing there, a bit unsure of herself.

“Please don’t make me regret trusting you, Starlight,” She said, before turning the corner and disappearing from sight.

Sombra was awake by the time Starlight returned to his room. He’d been sniffing at the food she left when she first opened the door, but lifted himself to face her with ears twitching and body rigid until she announced herself. At that, he visibly relaxed, and took to his plate.

“Are you going to the library again today?” He asked, downing an apple slice in one bite, “It’s always so boring when you leave, there’s nothing to keep me occupied.”

There was also the fear of the demon taunting him again, it never seemed to harass him when he was with Starlight, but he wouldn’t say such a thing. That was a weakness he had to fight on his own.

Starlight shook her head, momentarily forgetting it would go unseen by Sombra, “No, I’m going to stay here for today. I’ve spent so much time researching, I’ve neglected my duties with reforming you, so we’ll get started on that today.”

Though her voice was determined, her posture was all but. For once she was grateful Sombra couldn’t see her, standing nervously at the doorway, hesitant to approach him. She was still registering the fact he was a murderer, and though she was still dedicated to saving him, that was something that would be in the back of her mind as long as she was near him.

“Right, of course. I forgot about that nonsense,” Sombra groaned, grabbing the muffin to try and tear the paper away with his teeth, “So how shall you go about that? Etiquette training? Forcing me to apologize to my murderers? Locking me in a slightly cleaner cell and waiting until I regret what I’ve done?”

Starlight stamped her hoof, though gently, “Nope, we’re starting at the root of all this. First thing first, you’re gonna tell me why you want the Crystal Empire so badly in the first place.”

Sombra stopped his struggling, muffin falling from its paper and landing onto his bed. He held the shredded wrapper in his mouth for a moment, ear twitching but otherwise unmoving. Starlight stepped back at his silence, worried she’d somehow crossed the line with that question.

Spitting the paper from his mouth, Sombra said, “You know, you may be the only pony who’s ever bothered to ask.”

He hopped off the bed, ignoring the remains of his breakfast and making his way to Starlight. She stepped back nervously, bumping into the door. Sombra paused a moment when he heard the gentle thump, head tilting curiously before he stepped forward once more. Starlight was becoming uncomfortably aware of how much bigger he was than her, and how easily he could hurt her if he wanted to.

She closed her eyes as he leaned forward, whispering to her in a deep and threatening voice, his warm breath brushing across her face, “And I’m afraid I’m not quite willing to answer.”

Then he laughed, an amused laugh, not a cruel one. Starlight’s eyes shot open in surprise as he cackled, head held high as he found entertainment in something she couldn’t quite understand.

“What’s so funny?”

“You are!” He chortled. His voice had lost it’s deep and threatening tone, replaced with a more gleeful pitch, “You think I can’t smell your fear? You’re absolutely reeking of it right now, there’s no way I was going to pass up a chance to get a rise out of you. Did you miss the part where I said I was bored out of my mind?”

He laughed again, practically hopping on his hooves as he turned his back to her. Starlight’s horn sparked with magic.

“You scared me on purpose? What is wrong with you?”

“You’re really asking me that, have we not already established I’m a lost cause?” Sombra asked, grabbing his dropped muffin to take a bite out of it, “Why were you scared anyway? The guards didn’t act upon their threats, did they?”

Starlight couldn’t help but notice his amusement had seemed to fade, a slightly different, yet still threatening, tone in his voice. Was he concerned for her?

“No, the guards haven’t even talked to me today,” She said. There was no way she was going to tell him the truth, at least not yet, but it seemed to be enough of an answer. Sombra visibly relaxed, and went back to eating.

“Why should I tell you anything? You work for the Princesses, whatever I say, you’ll tell them, and in the end it will all just end up being used against me.”

“I’ve been trying to help you,” Starlight huffed, stomping over to Sombra and jabbing a hoof into his chest, “Everything I’ve done hasn’t been for their sake, it’s been for yours, and you should appreciate it. Besides, Twilight said Luna’s already invaded your dreams, they know all they need.”

Sombra laughed again, “Your beloved Moon Princess can’t pierce my mind, I’m afraid.”

He finished off his muffin, leaving Starlight confused as he turned away, licking the crumbs from his lips. Grabbing the blanket off his bed with his teeth, he yanked it off and shook it, smacking Starlight with it a few times in the process. Intentional or not, it was the last straw in Sombra’s defiance that Starlight could take, and in an instant she ripped the blanket away with her magic. Sombra was pulled with it, falling to the ground as the blanket was torn from his mouth.

“Could you please act your age for one minute?”

“I was simply ridding of the crumbs,” Sombra spat back. Scraps of fabric clung to his fangs, and he rubbed his mouth with an arm to try and rid of them, but to no avail, “Act my age you say? Hmm, how do most Unicorns act when they’ve made it to a thousand? I suppose I’ve gotten the whole crawling with maggots part over and done with.”

Starlight cringed at the memory of his infected wound, but didn’t show the disgust in her voice as she demanded, “What do you mean, Luna can’t get in your head?”

Sombra sat up, spitting again, finally loosening the fabric in his teeth enough to wipe it from his mouth, “My magic is manipulative in nature, I can control a pony’s mind, delve into their deepest fears, and bring them to life in the same vein as one would create a nightmare. Keeping someone out is just as easy as breaking in, once you know what you’re doing. The fact the Princesses thought it a good idea to harden their efforts only makes it all the more entertaining.”

He tapped his mask, a fang bearing grin upon his face. As much as he hated not being able to see or use magic, the thought of the Princesses struggling to control him through it gave him some degree of joy.

“Keep the spooky act up and I’ll make sure it stays on longer,” Starlight stated. Sombra’s grin faded to a scowl. “Y’know, you never did answer my question. Why do you want the Crystal Empire?”

“Why do you want to reform me?”

“Answer my question first.”

“No.”

It was an endless struggle. Sombra was defiant, and quite frankly, immature. Starlight wondered how he’d even managed to take over anything with an attitude like his, but she supposed a knack for manipulation could get one far. After all, it worked for her, right?

“Do I need any reason other than the fact that seeing you wallowing in your own filth in the dungeon made me pity you?”

Sombra nodded, “There’s more to it than that, plenty of ponies saw me in those chains, yet you were the only one who decided I was worth wasting time on. Not even the appointed Princess of Friendship showed a shred of remorse for what she’d done to me.”

“She did feel bad Sombra, just because you couldn’t see it doesn’t mean she didn’t feel it,” Starlight said sternly, though afterwards she sighed, “You’re not going to tell me anything, are you?”

“Nope,” Sombra shook his head, hopping onto the bed to lay with his forelegs crossed, “You're not getting a peep out of me until I’m no longer a prisoner.”

At this, it was finally Starlight’s turn to laugh. Sombra’s ears perked, fangs bared in a snarl as he thought her mocking him.

“Well, do I have good news for you, we’re leaving Canterlot tomorrow.” She said.

“And where exactly are you planning to take me?”

“Ponyville,” Starlight answered. Sombra's perked ears pinned against his head, mane and tail flaring out momentarily as he hopped out of his bed.

“You dare remove me from one Princess’ castle just to move me to another’s?” He demanded, “And to the one that tried to kill me no less? You’re a fool if you think I’d let you!”

He spoke loudly and threateningly, but Starlight held her ground. This was the same way he’d acted upon her meeting with him in the dungeon. Legs sprawled out defensively, head lowered and teeth bared, nostrils flaring. She wouldn’t lie, it looked threatening, but she knew better. Sombra was scared. Then again, why wouldn’t he be? Twilight had hurt him the most out of any of the princesses, except maybe Cadance. It might’ve seemed a bit hypocritical, but Starlight couldn’t help but sympathize with him.

“Sombra, I’m doing this because it’s safer for you, okay?” She said, bringing up a hoof to set it upon Sombra’s cheek. He flinched back the moment she brushed against him, so Starlight pulled her arm away, “I know you’re not telling me everything, but I still don’t think Canterlot is a good place for you to be recovering. You might not think much of it, but it’s not good to stick around a place where everyone’s threatening you all the time.”

“The threats make me know I’ve done my job properly,” Sombra claimed, “They know better than to act on them. They know I could beat them.”

“Are you really sure about that?” Starlight asked, making her way beside him to gently press against Sombra’s bruised ribs. He didn’t flinch back this time, though his head shot up with a sharp inhale, “Because this seems to prove otherwise.”

She removed her hoof and stepped back, Sombra lowering himself to the ground and setting his own hoof over his aching side. His apparent rage had faded just as quickly as it had appeared, mane and tail going limp as he slumped against the bed with his head lowered.

“I don’t know why that still hurts, everything else feels fine,” He said, head turning slightly toward his side despite his current blindness.

“You were kicked by a rather angry Earth Pony, with every intention of hurting you,” Starlight said, sitting herself beside Sombra, “He probably hit hard enough to crack a rib, which is why it still hurts so much.”

“Should’ve tried harder,” Sombra snorted irritably, somehow managing to sink even lower against the bed, turning himself away from Starlight, “All this did was assure me he’s going to be the first pony to join my army when I’ve got my magic back.”

This time around, his threat only seemed half hearted, and Starlight didn’t see the need to fight with him for it. He was stubborn for sure, but his arguments seemed to be more out of hiding his true feelings than anything. She’d seen the same with a few ponies at the school, though their issues were always much less serious than Sombra’s.

Starlight sighed, thinking her choices through. Surrendering him to Celestia was not an option, he’d either end up dead or suffering from even worse mental instability. She wasn’t sure exactly how to go about reforming him either, he was certainly a different case compared to the Changelings and Stygian. There was no selfish queen raising her hive on the wrong sustenance, and there was no friendship problem, at least as far as she knew. There was just a stubborn former despot, sick and hurt, trying desperately to cling to what little he had left. Starlight wanted so badly to know why he was the way he was, but it was quite apparent Sombra was not the backstory telling type.

How was it again that Twilight got her to see the brighter side of things?

“Maybe we should wait until a little later to get to the whole reformation thing,” Starlight suggested, setting a hoof on Sombra’s shoulder. He jolted in surprise at the touch, but didn’t pull away, only folding his ears back a bit in uncertainty, “If you’d like, I could read again? It’s a thick book, but if we get back to it now I could probably get pretty far before I return it tomorrow. How’s that sound?”

Sombra hesitated, unsure about Starlight’s actions, but he nodded, “That sounds nice, I suppose.”

“Great! I’ll have to head to my room real quick to grab it, but it won’t take long,” Starlight smiled, hopping up from beside Sombra. The hoof over his ribs moved to his shoulder, where she’d just held her own hoof, “Might even find a few snacks. So find a comfy spot in bed and wait for me, alright? I’ll be back in a moment.”

Sombra nodded again, but this time said nothing, only cowering against the bedside as he heard the door open and shut, leaving him back to the silence. It would only be a brief absence, she’d said, but he couldn’t help but be anxious. Starlight on the other hand, had left with strengthened determination, trotting down the halls confidently as she began to plan out the next few days in her head.

She was going to have her hooves full, that was for sure. Understanding why Sombra did the things he did would take some time, but she was willing to wait. He was already beginning to doubt himself, and as pathetic as it seemed, Starlight knew it was a good sign he had the ability to change. If her own experiences were anything to go by, anxiety and regret would come soon enough, or even months from now, but it was a start.

Sombra didn’t know it, and neither did Starlight until just moments ago, but reformation was already in progress. Little by little, Sombra’s emotional shell was beginning to break, though she hadn’t quite noticed it at first. Between the hint of concern for her, and the fact he’d let her touch him for the most part, it seemed he wasn’t quite as coldhearted as everyone thought.

As far as Starlight had been told, Sombra had never been offered another chance. He’d only been beaten, over and over, coming back angrier and more desperate for revenge with every return. It was rather familiar, actually. She’d done something similar after all, going through the trouble of trying to destroy Twilight’s life because she had something she didn’t.

Of course, Starlight still didn’t know Sombra’s motives. Surely there had to be more to all this than power. She was sure she’d learn over time, but right now was less about that, and more about getting Sombra to trust her. As it was, she was the closest thing he had to a friend, and she’d use that status best she could to get him to see the error of his ways.

After all, what better way to reform cruelty, but with kindness?

Chapter 6: Hopeless

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To Starlight, Sombra was an enigma. As vocally defiant as he was, everything about him was a mystery. His motives, his past, his desperation for power, Starlight hadn’t been able to piece anything together. The fact he was completely absent from History books didn’t help in any way, and she was occasionally struck with the thought that he was just that awful. That he’d always been a heartless monster, bent on obtaining power and hurting others, but that couldn’t be right, could it?

He had shown brief moments of tenderness, if one had paid enough attention. Whether it be playing a cruel little prank by scaring her, or worry that the guards may have harmed her, Sombra had showed some degree of fondness for Starlight. Perhaps it was the fact that she was the only pony that ever talked to him that drove him to enjoy her company.

Right now seemed to be implying the latter.

“How long until the train ride?” He asked, lying on his back and kicking at the air, “I’m so dreadfully bored.”

“Not until an hour after sundown,” Starlight said, scribbling something on a piece of paper. She ignored Sombra’s foalish antics as he groaned in annoyance, kicking the air one last time before rolling onto his belly to sulk.

“I don’t even know when that is,” he reminded her, tapping his mask for emphasis, “Time does not exist when you can’t see it.”

“Well, in that case, I guess we’ll go when we go.”

Sombra sighed, “Can you at least read to me again?”

“Sorry, I returned the book to the library this morning,” Starlight said, to which Sombra groaned again and flopped his head onto the bed, “I can read to you tomorrow after I come home from work if you’d like, Twilight has all of Stygian’s books.”

He flinched back slightly at the mention of the Princess of Friendship’s name, ears pinned against his head in uncertainty. Tucking his legs beneath himself, he curled up where he lay into a protective ball. He made no vocal noise to signify his discomfort at the thought of being near Twilight, but Starlight paused her scribbling to peek at him a moment, wise enough to know he was very obviously uncomfortable.

She stood from her seat, setting her paper and pencil aside to offer, “Look, I know the thought of going to Twilight’s castle scares you, but once we’re there I promise you’ll start to feel better.”

“I am not scared, stop putting those thoughts into your head,” Sombra argued, “I manipulate fear, I do not feel it.”

Starlight rolled her eyes at his denial. Even after all this time, his pride still got in the way of admitting he was afraid. He’d already admit something was bothering him just a few days prior, implying his many punishments had left some degree of damage, but he still wouldn’t admit when he was scared. Was this just a thing with fear magic users?

“You know you’d feel much better about a lot of things if you just talked about it, right?” Starlight asked, “I’m in charge of you, and I’m perfectly okay if you want to talk about it.”

“I said no the first time, and I will continue to say no as long as you continue to pester me,” Sombra hissed back, turning his back to Starlight. She rolled her eyes.

“You’re completely hopeless, I swear.”

Sombra shot up, ears erect in what Starlight could only assume was shock. He was still for a moment, breathing heavy, before a shiver went through him and he let out a choked laugh. Starlight hopped back at the response, something so unlike the Sombra she’d grown accustomed to. It wasn’t an amused laugh, or a bitter one, it was strangled, and almost like a cry of pain.

“You don’t know just how right you are,” He whispered.

What little she could see of his face was obscured by the mask as he flopped back onto the bed with another shudder, covering his muzzle with his forelegs as he curled back up. Starlight stared at him for a moment as he lay there, trying to piece together what had just happened. She’d finally gotten a hint at Sombra’s past, the reason he was so quick to hurt others, and it was more cryptic than she could have ever expected.

Sombra didn’t say another word to her for the rest of the day. Starlight didn’t force him to, knowing fully well it would only make things worse, though her brain buzzed with curiosity and concern over Sombra’s words. She stayed where she sat, only leaving once to grab a snack from the kitchen, scribbling on her papers.

She wrote about what she knew about Sombra and the Empire, about the fallen king’s current condition, and about his apparent distress at being called hopeless. Everything Twilight would want to know, so she had something to show after a week in Canterlot. Just because she’d sent letters every night didn’t mean Twilight was satisfied, so hopefully a mess of notes would tide her over for a day or two.

Only once it was time to go did Starlight bring her attention back to Sombra, awakening him from sleep she hadn’t even noticed him in to wrap the rope around his neck and lead him away. He stayed quiet as they left, only letting out a low whine when Princess Luna ran into the two of them in the halls. Celestia had caught her up on the day’s event when she’d awoken for her nightly duties, and she had gone immediately to Starlight to get both sides of the story.

“I must repeat myself Starlight, are you sure this is a good idea?” She asked. She’d been a bit more forgiving to Sombra than her sister, though she too had her doubts, “I understand your reasoning, but the ponies of Ponyville are no more likely to appreciate Sombra’s presence than the ponies here.”

“Maybe not, but I’d feel better if Sombra was somewhere else right now, I don’t think Canterlot’s been good for him,” Starlight explained, doing her best to hide Sombra as a wandering pony glanced to the trio unsurely, “Or me, for that matter. I’d really like to get back to the school as well, I can’t shirk responsibilities just because I’ve got a stubborn ex-king to take care of.”

Sombra huffed in annoyance at Starlight’s comment, but said nothing. He’d been unreadable nearly the whole trip, shuffling alongside them halfheartedly. He kept his head low with ears twitching, and Starlight could’ve sworn she saw him tremble a few times, typically when Luna spoke. Most curious of all however, was that he’d tried his best to stay as close to Starlight as possible, occasionally brushing against her.

Starlight didn’t stop him when he did this, nor did she question why he did. She knew enough, because even with his shady past, Sombra was still a pony. He needed companionship, as much as he pushed the thought away, and after weeks of being someplace he wasn’t comfortable with, he was more desperate than ever to find some degree of comfort. Though he might’ve been too proud to say it, he was going to cling to the one thing that comforted him, and right now that thing was Starlight. Because as much as he fought and ridiculed her, she was the only pony he knew that he wasn’t scared of.

Or at least, that’s what Starlight liked to think. If anything, it was certainly preferable over him trying to run away again.

“Are there going to be any other ponies on the train?” Luna asked, still cautious.

“I don’t think so, it’s a Sunday night after all, so most ponies aren’t going to be traveling,” Starlight said with a shake of her head, “Maybe a few, but I spared a few extra bits to use a sleeper car, so nopony should see us, and I’ll hopefully be able to get some sleep too.”

“You’re going to be sleeping in the same room as him?”

That hadn’t actually been something Starlight had thought about, but there wasn’t much she could do now, and with a sigh, she said, “Yes. It’ll be fine though, don’t worry. We’ll have separate beds, and he won’t dare to hurt me, at risk for another stay in the dungeon. Isn’t that right, Sombra?”

She made sure to put emphasis on that last bit, gently yanking the rope to get Sombra’s attention. He growled quietly in response, yanking the rope a bit harder from his end.

“Wouldn’t even dream of it,” He spat, the first thing in hours, a small yet cruel grin forming upon his face when Luna’s feathers audibly ruffled.

“I do not like this at all,” She said.

“I’ll keep him on his leash,” Starlight assured.

The train station was finally within sight, and for that Starlight was relieved. She was so ready to go home, away from all the stress of Canterlot, even if she couldn’t rid herself of being Sombra’s caretaker and reformer.

One thing at a time, She thought, stepping up to the train car and pulling two tickets out of her bag, We’re getting there, however slowly.

“Ah, I suppose this is the part where I go then?” Luna asked, still eyeing Sombra.

“I guess so, but please don’t worry about me or Sombra,” Starlight said, before pausing, “Oh, and before I go, do you remember the guards that escorted him to me when I first decided to so this?”

Luna nodded, “Yes, I recall the two of them.”

“Well, they attacked Sombra, and even with what he’s done I feel that was completely uncalled for,” Starlight explained, “But that aside, I’ve got things handled.”

“I’m sure you do,” The Princess nodded, spreading her wings with a smile to take to the air, “I have the utmost faith in you Starlight, certainly a bit more than my sister. I’m sure you can teach Sombra thing or two, just as I am about to teach a certain duo of guardsponies.”

Starlight gave a small bow as Luna turned away and flew to the castle to get on with her duties. Gently tugging the rope, she lead Sombra into the train car, handing the tickets to the conductor. He eyed the two curiously, more confused by a metal masked stallion on a rope than anything else. Of course, few ponies knew about Sombra’s current predicament, and there was no telling if he had even been present for Sombra’s siege of Canterlot in the first place.

“It’s a long story,” Starlight said simply, making her way into the train car.

The room was much smaller than she had hoped, two little beds, separated by a narrow table and a window. She’d had to go for one of the cheaper options, most of her bits were still in Ponyville seeing how this hadn’t been a planned trip, but it would have to do.

Letting Sombra into the room first, she dropped the rope and said, “Alright, choose a bed and stay in it.”

He lifted his head to sniff the air, turning to each of the beds to get a whiff of them, before hopping onto the one on his right. It was a bit small, but he curled up as comfortably as he could, jolting slightly when he felt magic tingle his neck. Starlight untied the rope and tossed it and her bag on the table, shutting the room’s door and hopping onto her own bed.

Feeling his neck to make sure the rope was truly gone, Sombra asked, “I thought you were going to keep me on the leash?”

“I don’t trust you not to choke yourself with it,” She said, “Now be quiet, unless you’ve decided to end the silent treatment right as I want to go to bed?”

“I just thought you’d started missing my lovely voice is all.”

Back to his usual snark then. At least he seemed to be over whatever happened earlier.

“I missed you about as much as I’d miss a tick,” Starlight replied with the role of her eyes, though she couldn’t help but smile at seeing him a bit more cheery, “Glad to see you’re feeling better anyway.”

“A little Stockholm syndrome never hurt anyone,” Sombra grinned.

With that, her smile was gone and she bopped him on the nose, shaking her head as she said, “Thanks for reminding me you’re still a terrible pony.”

Sombra sneezed, nose twitching at the firm but gentle hit. He rubbed it with a quiet yet bitter laugh, rolling onto his side and saying, “I’ve been trying to remind you I’m irredeemable this whole time, something you have yet to grasp.”

“Save it for tomorrow, I’m going to sleep,” Starlight sighed, flopping onto her side with her back to Sombra. She didn’t want to hear his claims of hopelessness and evil, as true as they may be. At this point, reforming him was just as much a challenge to prove she could as it was an act of helping him.

He thankfully seemed to listen, Starlight heard him rustle around on his bed, and then nothing. The room was quiet, nothing more than the sudden sound of the train’s horn as it got moving, and the quiet sounds of it on the railway. Gentle vibrations of the train car below added an extra lull, and Starlight found herself soon in a state of near sleep, though her mind still raced.

She thought about her job, going back to the school and all the questions she might get about where she’d been, Twilight likely hadn’t let word slip after all. Trixie came to mind as well, Starlight often visited her after work or during breaks, so that was something she’d have to deal with, no doubt she’d have to tell her everything. And of course, Sombra. She’d have to figure out a way to balance work and reforming him, and hopefully having some free time in the mix. Who knew how much longer he’d have to be supervised?

Much longer than either he or she would have liked, probably. He was desperate for his independence, yet everyone else was still so focused on keeping him contained. It wouldn’t work for much longer, he was already restless, so it was only a matter of time before he started getting outwardly frustrated. More so than usual anyway.

A muffled sound from beside her, and Starlight turned to him in worry. She didn’t quite like having her back to him, and the thought of him trying to hurt her did cross her mind, but she was relieved to see him still lying in his bed. Curled up, face in his hooves, the same position he’d settled into earlier, but now facing toward her. The one he’d settled into when he’d been so upset.

Watching him for a sign of still being awake, but seeing none, Starlight whispered, “Sombra?”

“Hm?”

“What happened earlier? What did I do that made you so upset?”

He didn’t respond immediately, with words or actions. Starlight thought him ignoring her, but a quiet sigh proved otherwise.

“You didn’t do anything,” He whispered, “I did. I abandoned Hope a long time ago, and there’s no changing that.”

“Sombra…”

“No. Don’t think you can change anything, what’s done is done.”

Starlight wanted to argue, but held back. She knew, personally, that what Sombra said was wrong. She could help him change, but he had to be willing to do it. He truly did feel hopeless about himself, and in a way, that was good. Perhaps he was finally letting go of all that hate and greed, giving up his struggles for power. That alone proved he had the ability to change, and that abandoning hope was not a reason for punishment.

Rolling onto her back, she gazed out the window above her, the moon shining overhead. A few clouds floated through the sky, stragglers from the cloudy afternoon. The Pegasi had probably opted to leave them, there weren’t any important occasions coming up, so a few extra clouds weren’t going to ruin anything. You could still see plenty of stars, and of course the shining symbol of Luna herself.

Luna. Another pony with a shadowy past, who did things some would consider unforgivable. She had said she had faith in Starlight, and it had given her a bit more confidence. Between her stubbornness to prove herself, and belief from yet another former tyrant, there was more hope for Sombra yet.

Now if only Sombra could have hope for himself, then things might be a bit easier.

But that would be an issue for tomorrow, for now it was time to sleep. Smiling at the moon, she turned to Sombra and whispered, “I’m sure we can figure this out, just you wait and see.”

Sombra twitched an ear in response.

The full moon was bright, illuminating the miles of sand before it, though very little could be seen among the vast wasteland. Bone Dry Desert, a burning hot valley of certain death for some, and a one way trip to a more unfortunate fate for others, looked to be as barren as usual. Nothing but the sound of the wind could be heard, and if one were to listen closely, the near silent beating of wings.

It was not a place to be taken lightly, though a certain old gargoyle had found peace in his occasional visits. After centuries of a hectic life ruling a kingdom he felt he didn’t truly belong in, it was nice to have the relief of peace. A place he could meditate, alone with nothing but his thoughts and the sky above.

Many others would consider it a merciless place, but he knew this was only by day. Those who were lucky enough to make it through during the night however, were always blessed with a cool breeze and a cloudless sky full of stars. It was a breathtaking sight, but one you can't focus on for too long, at risk of being caught in the heat of the eventual sunrise.

So it came to a big surprise when he wandered upon a lone pony.

She was sitting upon a rock, staring into the stars. Though covered by a ragged cloak, he could see how her coat and mane shone in the moonlight, sparkling like a gemstone. Curious by such an unusual sight, he landed nearby, wings alerting her to his presence. She gave a gasp of surprise as she turned and saw him, rising to stand as a bit of magic sparked at her horn. Thinking quickly, the gargoyle dropped his staff and held his hands up to show he wasn’t a threat.

“Do forgive me,” He said, “It’s just been so long since I’ve last seen a pony, especially one this far outside of Equestria. Are you lost my dear?”

The Unicorn shook her head, eyeing him warily as she settled back onto the rock and said, “No, just wandering. It’s been a long while since I’ve seen the full moon.”

The gargoyle nodded in understanding, but was still curious. Perhaps she was a resident of Klugetown? It seemed unlikely, but he couldn’t think of any other reason a pony wouldn’t see the night sky. The moon was sacred to them after all, it was a connection to their home, a sight to assure that no matter where they were, the Celestial Sisters were watching over them. He had heard so many sing praise to the Sisters when he had visited so long ago, he dreaded the thought that these comforts had been forgotten.

He shoved these fears aside, simply saying, “It’s quite beautiful tonight, isn’t it? Desert doesn’t get too many clouds.”

“It is,” She nodded, staring almost longingly at the sky, “It’s almost strange actually, I grew up in a land where the snow illuminated everything, and I never saw so many stars.”

The gargoyle couldn’t help but notice a bit of sadness in her voice, her gaze to the sky wavering. He thought to ask, but stayed quiet. It wasn’t his business, and he had no intention of making his presence any more uncomfortable for the young Unicorn.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” She started suddenly, looking back to her visitor, “What are you doing out here? I can’t say I’ve ever seen anything like you before, you’re not from that nasty town, are you?”

“Oh no, I’m a wanderer as well. I have been for a very long time,” He said. So, she wasn’t from Klugetown. That was actually a huge relief to him, the creatures in that town weren’t the least bit friendly, and this pony was young. He couldn’t think of any moral reason a pony would be in that horrible place. The way she tilted her head at his answer, eyes bright and filled with curiosity, made him realize she appeared quite naive as well.

“How long is very long?” She asked.

The gargoyle shrugged, looking to the sky again as he answered, “A few hundred years or so. I’ve lost count.”

She laughed, an innocent laugh like that of a carefree child. He was brought out of the stars at the sound, looking to his new companion with a raised brow of curiosity.

Covering her mouth with a hoof, she giggled, “That’s not that long!”

“Is that not the span of multiple generations of ponies?” He asked. Her laughter was infectious, and a small smile made its way to his face despite confusion as he asked, “You don’t even seem a fraction of a century old my dear, how exactly is that not a long time to someone such as yourself?”

“Because I’m a Crystal Pony,” She said. The gargoyle still seemed confused, so she further elaborated, “From the Crystal Empire?”

“I’m afraid I’ve never heard of such a place.”

“That’s probably because it was cursed to disappear for a thousand years,” She said, glancing back to the sky. Her happiness from before had faded, that same look of sadness upon her face. "I wasn't actually there when it happened, believe it or not. I had something else keeping me alive."

“I’m sorry, I must not have been in Equestria when that happened,” He said. A curse to banish a kingdom and the magic to extend life without apparent cost seemed a bit extreme. Then again, the gargoyle was quite long lived himself, and had seen some rather severe punishments in his time, so who’s to say any of this was out of the question?

“You really have been around a long time, haven’t you?” The Unicorn asked, "It’s okay though, the Empire is back. I tried to return, but I don’t think I belong there anymore.”

“Now don’t think like that, I’m sure they’d all be happy to see you.”

She shook her head, “Oh no, it’s not like that. I need to find somepony I lost. I've been trying to find him, but I don't know where to look. All I know is that he's not in the Empire anymore. I don’t even know if he’s still alive, or if he’d even be happy to see me. That’s why I’m out here, because I’m not sure where else to look."

So young, yet so worn from years of living, the gargoyle thought. Smiling sympathetically, he walked forward and leaned down to the pony’s eye level. She looked at him unsurely, likely a bit wary at him being so close.

“I lost someone once too,” He said. The pony tilted her head. “We were very close at one point, but then he did something terrible, something I couldn’t agree with. He was locked away, just like your home, but I don’t know if he’s ever come back, or if he’s still alive. I don’t know if he’d ever forgive me for what I’ve done either.”

The pony turned her head away, a bit more sad than she had been before, “Oh, I’m sorry…”

The gargoyle smiled sadly, reassuring, “Don’t be, it’s ancient history to me. Our story is done and told, and though I’ve done many things I regret throughout it, there’s nothing to be done anymore. You’re still young, and your story is still at the beginning, as dreadfully long as it has been. You’ve still got a chance. If your friend was caught in the same curse, I’m sure he’s out there waiting for you.”

The pony smiled, wiping her eyes as tears threatened to form. Looking up to the gargoyle, she held that same hoof to his chest.

“Don’t be like that,” She said, using his earlier words against him, “Who said your story was over? Your heart’s still beating isn’t it?”

Her innocence showed itself again, and the gargoyle couldn’t help but envy her a bit. It was so hard to stay hopeful after a tragedy, even after such a long time, but this pony was showing him it was always possible.

Setting a hand onto his chest and over her hoof, he said, “You’re a wonderful girl, I hope you know that. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. What’s your name, young one?”

“Radiant Hope,” She said, “What’s yours?”

“A lovely name for someone such as yourself. You may call me Scorpan.”

Radiant Hope nodded, taking her hoof back to look back to the stars for a moment longer. Scorpan rose to his feet, retrieving his staff as he too looked to the sky as well, noting the position of the moon. Sunrise would be in a few hours, and he knew the heat of the desert would be too much for Radiant. He thought to say something, but she beat him to it.

Hopping off the rock, she asked, “Would you like to join me in my search of Equestria? Maybe we can find you your happy ending.”

Scorpan smiled, “I think I’d like that.”

Starlight awoke with a start, the blare of the train horn assaulting her ears and bringing her out of a rather fitful sleep. She’d awoken multiple times throughout the night, once from Sombra rolling off his bed, a few times from him crying out in his sleep, and many times from her own anxieties. Which, rather ironically, were also caused by Sombra. She might’ve taken charge of him, but going as far as sleeping in the same room as the ex-tyrant had left her a bit more uneasy than expected.

Not that he was being intimidating in any way. He was lying in bed with his arms over his face, ears pinned back, trying to ignore the commotion around him to get a moment more of rest. His teeth were bared in a scowl, a quiet growl escaping as the train’s horn sounded again.

“Someone turn that confounded thing off!” He shouted, shoving his face into a pillow, “I’ve barely gotten a wink of sleep!”

“Guess you shouldn’t have taken that nap before we left then,” Starlight yawned, stretching a bit, “We’re nearly to Ponyville, probably best to wait until we get there to try and sleep again.”

“Maybe if it didn’t sound like I was sleeping in the same room as a timberwolf,” Sombra groaned, grabbing the pillow to cover his ears, ignoring Starlight as he curled up with his back to her. She merely sighed at his stubbornness, turning to stare out the window as they approached Ponyville. It was still dark out, Celestia had yet to raise the sun, so that should hopefully leave her plenty of time to settle Sombra in before heading to the school.

Except now that she was so close to home, she felt less than thrilled about getting back to work. Sure, she missed the kids, and her friends in Ponyville, but after such terrible sleep she wasn’t really in the mood to just up and get to work again. She was half tempted to join Sombra in the struggle for sleep, but with another blare of the horn, and a frustrated scream from the stallion, Ponyville was in sight.

Few ponies seemed to be wandering about, and only one lone figure stood at the train station. Starlight recognized the silhouette as Twilight, stretching her wings as she tried to loosen the stiff appendages. No doubt she’d awoken early, making sure to be on time to welcome Starlight back to Ponyville. Shooting a glance at Sombra, it struck Starlight that this might not have been the best idea, but it was too late to change anything.

“So are you awake now?” She asked.

“Regrettably so,” He muttered, slipping out of the bed to stand. He wobbled a moment on all fours, the moving floor beneath him throwing him off in his state of half sleep. It only got worse when the train stopped, and he stumbled to the ground with a grunt at the sudden motion.

Starlight helped him up, throwing on her saddlebag and loosely tying the rope around Sombra’s neck before she lead him out. He dragged his hooves as he went, head held low and mane limp, more exhausted than Starlight expected.

“Are you feeling okay?” She asked, “You don’t look well.”

He just grunted, leaving Starlight concerned and confused. She stopped him at the door, gently putting a hoof to his head to check his temperature. He didn’t feel any warmer than usual, though it had been a bit hard to measure since he smacked her hoof away.

“I’m fine,” He assured, “Just tired. Hurry up and take me to wherever we’re going so I can sleep.”

“Alright, but Twilight is out there,” She said. Sombra visibly stiffened. “She won’t do anything to you, I promise. I’ll stay between the two of you if it makes you feel better.”

“I don’t need you protecting me.”

“Of course not,” Starlight nodded. She looked over Sombra worriedly, but exited the train without another word. Sombra trailed along behind her, stumbling out the door when he misjudged distance, then stiffening as he heard a frighteningly familiar voice.

“Is everything alright?”

Sombra bared his teeth and lowered his head with his horn posed to strike, but Starlight set a hoof on his shoulder to hold him in place.

“Everything’s fine, Sombra’s just a bit tired is all,” She assured. Sombra stamped a hoof. “And perhaps a bit moody because of that. Forgive my bluntness, but could we postpone the greetings for now and get him settled at the castle?”

Twilight nodded, “Yes, of course. Come along then.”

They got going, Sombra once again trailing along behind Starlight with his ears erect, twitching at every noise of Twilight's. A ruffle of feathers, a greeting to a passing pony, a short conversation with Starlight.

“So, how were the Princesses?” She asked.

“Uh, they’re good, I guess,” Starlight responded, “Busy as always. Perhaps a bit on edge.”

Twilight hummed, silent the rest of the way. Only once they’d gotten to the castle and taken Sombra to his room did she think to speak again, waiting until Starlight had grabbed a quick breakfast and brought the topic up herself.

“I’m gonna have to bring him a muffin or something,” She muttered, pouring herself a quick bowl of cereal, “Neither of us have eaten much since yesterday, and food usually does a pretty good job of shutting him up, once he realizes it’s not gonna poison him.”

“You’re really dedicated to this, aren’t you?” Twilight asked, sipping a cup of hot coffee. Even she hadn’t planned to wake up so early, so a little boost should hopefully help, “Has he made any progress yet?”

Starlight shrugged, “I think? He’s still got some horrid manners, and says some pretty cruel things, but he hasn’t gone out of his way to hurt me. It’s something I suppose.”

Twilight nodded, “Certainly better than I’d have expected.”

“I just wish I knew why he’s like this,” Starlight sighed, taking a bite of her cereal, “There’s nothing about him in any History books, and he won’t tell me anything himself! He’s so secretive, it’s annoying. I set him off on accident yesterday, and every time I ask him what his motives might’ve been, he just asks me why I want to reform him. It’s a never ending cycle.”

“Then stop asking.”

Starlight nearly dropped her spoon. Twilight, the perpetual knowledge seeker and bookworm, telling her to stop asking questions that could really help her?

“Wha- But why?” Starlight asked, “Wouldn’t learning about what makes Sombra so angry help me? If he tells me, maybe I could help him learn to overcome it or something. I’ve helped plenty of students with their issues, I’m sure if I got something out of Sombra I could help him too.”

“Sombra’s not one of our students though, is he?” Twilight asked. Starlight shook her head with the obvious answer, to which Twilight took another sip of coffee and continued, “I admit, he’s probably got some issues of his own, but they’re not yours to deal with. You’re not his therapist, so stop trying to be one.”

“But all the things he’s done! It helped me to tell you what happened, why I was so sad and upset, and I want to do the same with Sombra.”

“He’s not you though,” Twilight explained, “You and Sombra are two very different ponies, with two very different personalities. Sombra might not be as willing as you were to talk about his past, and you have no reason to keep pestering him about it. If Sombra wants to tell you anything, he’ll do so on his own time.”

Starlight pushed her bowl away, spilling a bit of the milk as she tried to argue, “I’m sure he will, but it’s been a week, and I might be close. He told me something last night, and-”

Twilight silenced her with a gentle hoof on her shoulder.

“These things take time,” She said, “I know personally, that it takes a while for ponies with questionable motives to learn to change. I mean, do you really think Discord embraced friendship immediately? It took him a betrayal before he realized he cared.”

Starlight sighed, “I understand. it’s just, I really don’t feel like anything’s happening, you know? I feel like I’m never going to be able to help him, and I thought if I knew something about what made him so angry, I’d be able to find a way to fix it. But I can’t, because all I know are his crimes, I don’t know anything about him specifically.”

“You might have to do things differently than we did,” Twilight assured, “I’m sure you’ll figure it out, but for now, just finish your breakfast and get ready for work. Maybe visit Trixie when you get the chance later, she’s been stopping by to talk to me, believe it or not.”

Starlight laughed with a nod, finishing her breakfast and cleaning up her mess before heading off to the washroom to freshen up. She brushed her teeth and smoothed her coat, struggling to get her mane to fall like she wanted before returning to the kitchen. Her first thought was to reach out to grab something for Sombra to eat, but Twilight stopped her.

“Nope, you’re going straight to work,” She said, motioning Starlight away from the counter with a wing, “I’ll give Sombra his breakfast today.”

Starlight fidgeted, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Sombra’s scared of you. What if he lashes out?”

“He's going to be staying in my castle, so he needs to learn to deal with me. The least I could do is try to make him feel welcome,” Twilight explained, folding her wings, “Now I know it’s early, but get to the school, and please tell our friends that I might be a bit late.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Starlight asked. She wasn’t sure if Twilight had been late for anything as long as she’d known her.

“It’s fine, and I can send Spike to take over my class for a moment if I take too long.”

Starlight nodded hesitantly, exiting the kitchen while Twilight prepared a quick meal. She’d read through Starlight’s letters multiple times, and knew Sombra had mostly been fed fruit and little breakfast pastries, so she decided she’d try to make him a bit happier with something different. Blueberry pancakes seemed like a good bet, and she had an excuse to make them, what with Spike having to wake up soon. She even threw some sapphires she had hidden in his, an extra special something to hopefully keep him from being too upset about any extra work she might need him to do.

He came into the room right as Twilight finished their plates, checking to make sure she didn’t accidentally throw a gemstone pancake into Sombra’s pile before setting Spike’s serving on the table. The little dragon hopped into his seat hungrily, eyeing his breakfast before looking to Twilight curiously.

“So what’s the occasion?” He asked, reaching for the syrup as Twilight set it on the table, “You never have the time to make breakfast on a Monday, especially not anything with sapphires.”

“Starlight brought Sombra over this morning,” Twilight explained. Spike nodded, having been told about these plans already, though he was still wary. “I might need you to handle class for me this morning, if that’s alright? At least keep them occupied until I come in. I want to talk to him.”

Spike nodded, “Can do. I’ll try not to let slip we’ve got a monster in the castle.”

“Thank you Spike!” Twilight exclaimed, hugging him with a wing before grabbing the other plate of pancakes and making her way to Sombra’s room. It wasn’t far, and she stopped at his door, hoof raised to knock in a moment of doubt.

She still felt bad about what she’d done to him, how couldn’t she? She’d obliterated his physical body, albeit temporarily, and drove him back into that feral state he’d been in when she’d first encountered him all those years ago. Starlight’s letters had thankfully proven his condition temporary, but she was still worried about setting him off again. There was also still a tiny part of her that felt like he deserved punishment, but she pushed that away. She was the Princess of Friendship, the least she could do was give Sombra a chance.

A small whine beyond the door, and Twilight knocked to announce herself, opening the door before Sombra got a chance to answer. He shot up as she entered, back against the wall, ears erect and body rigid.

“Starlight?”

His tone was desperate, that much Twilight could tell.

“Sorry, but no,” She said. Sombra’s desperation turned to anger, teeth bared in a snarl, though his body stayed stiff. “I’m sure you recognize my voice.”

“Here to finish the job then, Princess? Don’t think I won’t go down without a fight this time.”

“Actually, I’m just here to bring you breakfast.”

She set the plate down on the bedside table, Sombra flinching back at the sound. He sniffed the air unsurely, getting a whiff of the pancakes, but didn’t move, ears twitching between Twilight and the open window nearby.

“They’re poisoned, aren’t they?” He asked.

“Considering I fed a friend of mine from the same batch, I’d hope not,” Twilight assured, making her way to the window to close it. She hadn’t remembered it being open, but figured Starlight must have cracked it for airflow, “I’m not here to hurt you Sombra, I just want to talk.”

“I think we’re far past the point of talking.”

“What are we doing now then?”

A flare of his mane and a contained spark of his horn, and Sombra snarled again. He was not at all happy at being within the same room as Twilight, and she could see him twitching in an urge to either run or fight. So, talking was not actually going as smoothly as she hoped. She’d have to get all this done quick.

“Sombra, I’m here to apologize,” She began. His snarl faltered, fading to something akin to confusion, “I won’t deny you deserve punishment, you’ve done terrible things. You hurt ponies and enslaved them for your own selfish desires, you’ve even done terrible things to my friends and family, and I can’t forgive that. But I never intended to hurt you like I did.”

“Yet despite your intentions, I didn’t see a lick of regret on your face as you and your entourage obliterated me with that terrible blast of light magic,” Sombra growled, “I saw smiles on your faces as the magic tore me apart and ripped the very soul from my body. Your apology means nothing, just as any apology you might beg for from me.”

“I swear, I never expected the magic to hurt you like that, it’s never done it before. It’s imprisoned and purified, but it’s never destroyed,” Twilight said, beginning to think, “And it still hasn’t. You’re here now after all. Starlight theorized that there must be a shred of goodness in you that allowed you to survive, a part of you that proves you’re not all bad, and she wants to find that part.”

“A shred of goodness? Really?” Sombra laughed, slipping off the bed to make his way toward her, “Didn’t you just say I’m a horrible pony? That I deserve punishment? What is it that you really think, Princess? Because you’re telling more riddles than that chaotic abomination you call your friend.”

Twilight flinched as he came near her, but held her ground. Of course, he wouldn’t like Discord either. He’d had a claw in his defeat, as minor as it was.

“A horrible pony can still learn to become a good pony,” She said. Sombra’s sneer widened.

“You’re naivety about good and bad is laughable,” He mocked, “There are so many things about me you don’t know, little Princess. I’ve done things unimaginable, things not even the Crystal Ponies know.”

He stood before her, blinded and powerless, but above her eye level. He practically towered above her, but even with his dominating stance she could still tell he was frightened. His ears were stiff in her direction, and he scraped the ground irritably, torn between running away or challenging her further.

Twilight stared back, struggling for a response. Starlight was right about him being a mystery, and strangely insistent on being irredeemable. She didn’t want to agree with him, she wanted to see if he had some chance of reforming himself, but as it was now, she wasn’t sure. Starlight had told her about what she knew about him in her letters, about how he’d killed Princess Amore. He was more than just a slave driver and manipulator, he was a murderer. How could anypony forgive that?

There were always two sides to every story however, and they only had Celestia’s word as evidence. Twilight hated to doubt her beloved mentor, but her curiosity got the best of her.

“Have you ever killed?” She asked.

Sombra’s cruel grin faded. He stepped back in surprise, and maybe even confusion, either trying to fully register Twilight’s words, or think of an appropriate response.

“I can control ponies with a single glance, what need do I have for killing?” He asked, almost a bit doubtful of his words, though he bared his teeth again as he continued, “No, I’ve never killed. I can manipulate and terrify, murder would be nothing more than a merciful end to any who might have apposed me.”

“Or perhaps an excuse to get rid of a nuisance,” Twilight suggested.

“That’s a rather twisted accusation, don’t you think?”

“I’m merely thinking as I expect somepony like you would.”

Sombra snorted, tail flicking as though insulted, “I’ve already told you. I’ve never killed, nopony has been worth the effort.”

Celestia says differently, Twilight thought, though she wouldn’t dare say it aloud. It was hard to tell if he was being truthful, a masked face made reading expressions difficult, and he made no obvious signs of a liar through his body language. She didn’t want to assume Celestia had been the one to lie, but perhaps there was more to this than even she knew.

It was information that would have to wait however, and with a sigh, Twilight turned to the door. Sombra listened as she went, ears following her movement.

“Well, I’m glad we could have this discussion, and I’m glad to see you’ve been recovering nicely,” She said. Sombra snorted again, doubtful of her words. “I’ll leave you be for now, I’ve got work to do. Make yourself comfortable, but don’t even try leaving the room, I’ll be checking on you throughout the day.”

“Do you really expect me to get far?” He asked, “I still can’t see. What exactly would you expect me to do, fall down a flight of stairs?”

“I expect you to behave,” Twilight said, opening the door to make her leave, “Perhaps if you refrain from doing anything rude over the week, I’ll remove it. I imagine you’ve recovered enough that you won’t risk losing yourself again, but I’d like to keep it on for a bit longer.”

“Surely there are better ways to handle this? Keeping any Unicorn’s magic contained is a series of migraines waiting to happen.”

“Maybe, but you’re not quite deserving of less right now,” Twilight claimed, “So you better start learning some manners. Perhaps actually eating the food you were graciously offered would be a good start?”

Sombra frowned as she left, ears folded back as she shut the door louder than he expected. Quiet enough to not be considered slamming, but loud enough to make sure he heard it. Baring his teeth in frustration, he made his way around the room, sniffing and feeling around until he made it to the bedside table. The room was practically empty, nothing more than the bare minimum for a guest, and even less than suitable for his own tastes.

Speaking of tastes, he couldn’t deny that he was hungry, and whatever the princess had brought in smelled good enough. Sighing in defeat, he sat down in front of the little table and leaned over the food, sniffing again to try and identify it. He recognized the scent of berries, and a subtly nostalgic smell he recognized as a breakfast food he hadn’t eaten in centuries.

Tearing a piece away with his teeth, he began to eat. There was a shred of relief at finally being allowed a somewhat proper meal, and one that tasted surprisingly good. Not that he’d admit that to Twilight, all she said was that he had to eat the food, and that he could do.

Chapter 7: Honesty

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It was with great disappointment that Starlight returned to her office to see a mess of papers on her desk, along with some trash on the floor. She still didn’t know who had substituted for her while she’d been gone, she’d forgotten to ask, but despite the mess at least everything else seemed to be in order.

She’d informed the others of Sombra’s arrival when she’d gotten to work, though Twilight had already told them ahead of time. None of them were particularly happy about it, but they couldn’t voice their displeasure on the subject, because they wanted to keep quiet once the students started coming in. Twilight was hoping to inform them, as well as the rest of Ponyville, of Sombra’s return later that day.

Sighing in a mix of annoyance and exhaustion, she approached her desk and got to work organizing her papers. Most of them were just early year paperwork that needed to be signed, and things to hand out to students for certain issues, so she separated each accordingly, stopping every now and then to wave to a few students as they walked past her half open door.

Once done with that, she looked at what the students had left her. They mostly seemed to be drawings and thoughtful notes, things she’d be looking over later when she wasn’t worried about any students wandering in. Wouldn’t want anyone to see any private information.

After that, there were only two envelopes left, one labeled from Twilight, and another with nothing on it all. She grabbed the mystery one first, tearing it open with her magic to find a folded up drawing, two crudely scribbled ponies upon it. One was pink, with the words ‘get well soon’ over the top of it, while the other was rather angry looking black one, with the word ‘stupid’ messily written above it.

Starlight stared at the drawing is utter confusion, was that supposed to be her and Sombra?

She had no idea who drew this, and no idea how they could know about Sombra. Flipping the paper over, she looked for a signature, but found nothing other than a few more senseless doodles. They weren’t quite as coherent as the ones on the other side, but with another flip to see if she’d missed anything, her door swung open and she shot back with a yelp.

“Starlight!” A blue Unicorn barged in shouting, running immediately to her desk, knocking over some papers as she leaned over it, “You’ve been gone for so long! Why didn’t you tell me you were going to Canterlot! I could’ve scheduled a magic show there!”

“Oh, uh, hello Trixie,” Starlight muttered, crumpled drawing against her chest, “I’m sorry, I didn’t really have time to say anything, I didn’t think I’d be gone that long.”

“You could’ve at least sent me a letter,” She pouted, before noticing the paper in Starlight’s hooves, “Oh, but I see you got mine.”

Starlight took the paper away from her chest, looking between it and Trixie, “Wait, you drew this?”

“Well of course,” She scoffed with the wave of a hoof, “I drew that for you because no one in their right mind would think taking in that beast was a good idea.”

“How did you even know about Sombra?”

“Twilight told me.”

For some reason, that surprised Starlight, though she knew it really shouldn’t. There was really no reason for Twilight to lie about where she might’ve been, everypony was bound to find out soon enough anyway, and it did save her a lot of explaining.

“Oh. Well there’s nothing you can do to stop me,” She finally said, levitating her papers and reorganizing them, “Besides, haven’t you said everypony deserves another chance? What makes Sombra any different?”

“The fact he hurt you for one thing.”

“I appreciate the concern, really,” Starlight smiled, though it was somewhat awkward, “But I’m perfectly fine. I actually managed to hold Sombra off for a while when he took over Ponyville, and even if that ended badly for me, he’s nowhere near as strong as he was.”

“But what if he tries to manipulate you?”

“You really think I’d fall for that sort of thing?”

Trixie raised a hoof to object, but found herself at a loss for words. Frowning, she found the next best thing to complain about, “Okay, fine. He probably won’t be able to trick you, but that doesn’t excuse the fact you left without telling me!”

Back to that then. Starlight sighed. A few students were beginning to pause at her door, either curious over the commotion, or waiting to speak with her. She hoped it was the latter.

“Like I said, I didn’t have time, and I’m sorry for that,” She repeated, getting out of her seat to face Trixie directly, “Maybe we can make up for the occasion later? I’m sure you’ve got another show scheduled soon, right? Maybe then we can catch up, how does that sound?”

She flicked her ear in the direction of the door. Trixie cocked her head at the gesture, confused until she glanced over and saw the gathering students. At that point, she understood, a quiet noise of realization escaping her mouth before a smile lit up her face.

“Sounds good to me,” She said, gently hugging Starlight before turning to the door, “I’ll see you after school!”

“Wait, today?”

“Well of course, silly! I haven’t done a magic show since you left, so I just knew I had to schedule one the moment you got back!”

She trotted out of the room happily, cheerfully greeting the students and encouraging them to come to her show. They seemed quite excited by the prospect, and most began to stray from the doorway, making their way to class, though two others stayed. Groaning to herself in annoyance, Starlight shoved away her irritation as she picked up a some scattered papers and smiled at the two.

“Give me a moment to clean up and I’ll let you in, alright?”

They nodded, and Starlight gathered up the stray papers from the ground, glancing at Twilight’s letter before setting it in her bag. If it had been something important, she’d have told her that morning, so it was probably something related to work or students. She’d open it after work, or after the magic show, whichever gave her the biggest break.

Speaking of which, she was going to have to find something to do about Sombra now, wasn’t she? Leaving him at the castle was certainly an option, but she wasn’t sure if she liked it. She’d figure out something before the day was up.

Satisfied with her work, she smiled to the ponies at the doorway and said, “Sorry about the wait, you can come in now.”

Surely one of her friends would be willing to watch him for a few hours?

“Absolutely not.”

“Please, Applejack?” Starlight begged, “I really need to do this magic show with Trixie, she’s already upset with me for leaving without warning, and I can’t just disappoint her like that again.”

“But why me? D’you really think I want that tyrant anywhere near my family again?” Applejack asked, “He possessed ‘em, and used ‘em as his slaves. Heck, he used Big Mac as a battering ram!”

“He possessed me too.”

Applejack frowned, “Alright, yeah, but that’s not the only issue! The apples are starting to ripen, and I gotta get to buckin’. Apple Bloom’s out doin’ some after school activity, and Big Mac’s busy delivering yesterday’s bushels. I can’t just sit around and waste my time foalsittin’ some wannabe king.”

“No one else is available right now,” Starlight said, sharply nudging Sombra as he huffed in annoyance, “I know I didn’t get the chance to ask you earlier, but I asked everypony else. Rainbow Dash is practicing, Rarity’s got a bunch of orders to work on, Pinkie’s foalsitting the Cake twins, and Twilight’s working on school assignments.”

“What about Fluttershy?”

Starlight glanced to Sombra, the stallion more or less ignoring her, before whispering, “Didn’t he try to attack her?”

“Ah, yeah. Forgot about that bit,” Applejack muttered, before letting out an agitated groan, “Fine, I’ll take him, but only if I can put him to work.”

“He’s got a sprained leg, a cracked rib, and he can’t see. I’m not sure that’s the best idea.”

“No offense to you Starlight, but like I said, after what he’s done, I’m not gonna be happy with him anywhere near my family. The least he could do is help out. I imagine he made plenty of ponies in rough shape do his dirty work, so it’s only fair,” Applejack said, glaring at Sombra a moment. He’d finally reacted to their words, a fang baring scowl upon his face, “If he can’t buck the trees, maybe I’ll have him carry the buckets. He might be a Unicorn, but he’s got a pretty solid build. I’m sure I could get him working for a while.”

“You do know that making anypony work while injured lessens their use down the road, don’t you? It’s just not practical,” Sombra scoffed with a flick of his tail, “You criticize me for enslaving them, yet you plan on using me as a slave yourself? You ponies grow more and more hypocritical with every waking moment.”

“It ain’t slavery, it’s contribution. If you’re gonna be spendin’ the evening on my farm, you’re gonna be making an effort to help out.”

“I’d sooner make an effort to burn your livelihood to the ground.”

Applejack was ready to retort, hooves stamping the ground in anger, but Starlight intervened, stepping between her and Sombra as she said, “This obviously wasn’t a good idea, I’m sorry. Perhaps it’d be best if I just take him with me.”

She turned to walk away, but Sombra stayed where he stood, stopping Starlight in her tracks as she hit the end of the rope. Applejack hadn’t moved either, and Starlight turned to see her still glaring at Sombra. He couldn’t glare back, but with a hint of a grin on his face, and his ears focused in Applejack’s direction, she could tell exactly what he was trying to do.

He was challenging her, and worst of all, It was working.

As expected, Applejack responded after a moment more of glaring, “Nah, don’t go ruinin’ your day draggin’ him around, I can handle a little stubbornness.”

She went over and grabbed the rope from Starlight, firmly grasping it her teeth and giving a hard yank. To Starlight’s surprise, Sombra was actually pulled forward, stumbling over until Applejack was in his face. Though he couldn’t see her, he could smell the stench of sweat and filth upon her coat, baring his teeth in frustration at being so close. Applejack wasn’t having it.

“Now then, you’re gonna be carryin’ my baskets, and you’re gonna be gentle with ‘em, ya hear me?” Applejack demanded, the scowl on Sombra’s face deepening, “For every apple you bruise and ruin, I better see double the bruises on your own body from the effort of workin’.”

Starlight stared in horror. Sombra’s frown morphed into a grin.

“You Elements are capable of much more cruelty than you let on,” He stated, earning a much deserved smack to the nose. This pony hit much harder than Starlight did, and he jumped back with a hoof to his snout. The scowl returned full force, magic fruitlessly trying to spark at his horn.

Grabbing the rope back with her magic, Starlight worriedly said, “Okay, you know what, this was a terrible idea. Please, just let me take him home.”

“No,” This time it was Sombra who interjected, stepping on the rope and licking his snout to check for signs of blood, “I think I’ll stay. The bumpkin is right, I’ll just get in your way. Go on and have your little outing with your friend. We’ll be fine here.”

Starlight wanted to argue, to prevent a worse fight from breaking out, but she knew it pointless. She’d seen Applejack compete with Rainbow Dash, both were stubborn and always up for a challenge. Sombra seemed hardly different, incredibly stubborn, with the added trait of provoking ponies in the worst ways possible. There was no way she was going to get the two to end their freshly made rivalry, so with a sigh of defeat she nodded.

“Alright, just please don’t let this end in injury?”

“No promises,” Applejack said. Sombra growled.

Starlight sighed as she turned away. This was not going to end well, she just knew it.

The moment she was out of sight, Applejack yanked the rope, dragging Sombra toward her. He tried to resist, digging his hooves into the dusty ground, but to no avail. She still managed to move him, and he snarled in frustration and pain as his sprained leg was dragged over the dirt.

“Don’t you even start,” She threatened, getting in his face again, “Get goin’ now. We gotta fit you with a harness so you can pull the wagon.”

“I will do no such thing! It’s undignifying!”

“You’ve never been dignified,” Applejack responded, stamping her hoof to silence him before he argued, “It’s either that, or I tie you to the nearest tree and leave you till Starlight gets back. Now make your choice.”

Neither option seemed acceptable to Sombra, but he already knew what he’d unwillingly choose. Physical labor was not something he had any intention of doing, but being tied to a tree like an unruly animal was even more insulting. So with a grunt of annoyance, he followed Applejack as she yanked the rope.

He had no idea where she was leading him, stuck in an unfamiliar location. The smell of nature surrounding them, bird song sounding from all sides, confusing him further. He was as good as lost on this farm, and he hated it. They eventually stopped after what Sombra could only assume were far too many minutes of walking, new scents and sounds overtaking the ones of the outdoors, and a soft yet crunchy ground now underhoof. Lifting a leg curiously, Sombra felt the ground and sniffed. A few moments of that and the scent came to him, though it wasn’t one he was particularly used to.

Straw. He’d heard that ponies used that as a cheap bedding for the floor sometimes, was he in a building? He didn’t have much time to think about it, because Applejack laid something over his back. He jumped back with a yelp, trying to shake the offending item off.

“Calm down, it’s just the harness,” She said, “Didn’t even get it latched yet.”

“Give me a warning next time!”

“Did you warn the Crystal Ponies before you threw chains on them?”

Sombra growled, but gave in. Applejack came over and readjusted the harness, wrapping the straps of it best she could around his barrel, before adjusting a few more things. Once done with that, she yanked the rope, Sombra following behind her quietly as she lead him somewhere else, where she attached a wagon to the harness.

“A bit loose on you,” She said, looking over the set up and trying to adjust the harness again, “It’s fitted to my brother, and from the look of things, you’re quite a bit skinnier than he is. I can’t tell if it’s because you’re too reliant on magic to get things done or if you’re just thin from lack of a proper diet.”

She poked him in the ribs, careful to avoid his sore side. He still stomped a hoof in protest.

“Can’t say there’s much to eat in the dungeons,” He muttered, “And I wouldn’t really consider Starlight the best at making meals.”

“Well, maybe if you pull your weight, I’ll spare you some dinner when we’re done. How’s that sound?”

“You’re the second pony today to bribe me with food,” He observed, refusing to answer.

“So, does that mean it’s workin’?”

“Just put me to work already.”

A smug grin on her face, Applejack grabbed the rope around Sombra’s neck and lead him to the corner of the orchard where the ripest apples were. She had to stop occasionally, Sombra pausing to readjust the harness around his midsection, but they made it to their destination with relatively little trouble.

“Alright, now I’ll be doin’ most of the work,” She explained, spitting the rope out and grabbing some baskets from the wagon, “All you need to do is pull the wagon, stopping and moving as I say. Right now, you need to stay where you are until I’m finished with this tree, ya got that?”

“Whatever you say,” Sombra shrugged, shaking a hoof to get the dirt off it.

Despite his apparent indifference to the situation, Applejack didn’t trust him. She kept her eyes on him as she set the baskets around the tree, lightly adjusting them with an occasional glance to the apples above until she was sure they were in the right spot. Satisfied with her work, she had a good stretch, planted her forehooves in the ground, and bucked.

A loud thunk reverberated around as she hit precisely, the sound of falling apples and a near silent cry of panic following.

It took Applejack a moment to realize that last sound had been Sombra. He hadn’t left his spot, though his forelegs were now hopping back in forth as though nervous, ears twitching around all over. He seemed about ready to bolt, so Applejack stepped on the rope to stop him. The slight pull got his attention, and his ears turned to her direction.

“Apple Pony?” He asked, voice uncertain, “Are you still there?”

“It’s Applejack,” She corrected, “Course I’m still here, we’ve hardly gotten started. What’s got you so jumpy?.”

“I think a tree fell. I don’t think this orchard is safe.”

“Not safe? What, y’think we don’t take care of our trees? We check biweekly for any diseases or pests, ain’t no way a tree is fallin’, and I’m insulted you’d even think like that! What even gave you the idea-” Applejack paused, remembering the racket she’d made kicking the tree, “Wait, is this about that thunk? I was kickin’ the tree to get the apples outta it!”

“That doesn’t sound very practical.”

“Ain’t exactly another way to do it, now is there?”

Sombra couldn’t answer, and with a silent nod and a pin of his ears he turned away. Applejack eyed him a moment longer, making sure he stayed put, before hoisting the baskets onto her back and stacking them into the cart one by one. Sombra continued to stand idly, ears twitching but otherwise unmoving, waiting until Applejack tugged the rope to get him going again.

She continued on with the harvest, bucking trees and filling baskets, stacking them into the cart and leading Sombra forward. He no longer fought or insulted her, only flinching with each unwarned buck of the trees. It eventually got to the point where Applejack nearly forgot who she was working with entirely, and she couldn’t deny she preferred this much more submissive stallion over the unruly colt Starlight had dragged in earlier.

The peace wouldn’t last for long however, and after a little over two dozen trees, Applejack could hear the agitated stallion let out a grunt. And then a few more. She turned to him, expecting another round of complaints to come out of his mouth, but instead turned to see him struggling to pull the cart up a small hill. She didn’t think it was that heavy yet, but she supposed his injuries could be an issue here.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, she also realized his thick coat hadn’t had the time to shed into a thinner one, and a northern pony wasn’t made for such hard work in a warm environment. It wasn’t hot, but it was certainly much warmer than the usual harvesting time, and he’d spent more time under the sun than the shade of the trees.

“You need a break there?” She asked.

“No,” He bared his teeth with a grunt, finally making it to the top of the hill and hissing in irritation and pain as his sprained leg threatened to buckle beneath him. Swishing his tail in an attempt to cool himself, he was hardly aware of Applejack walking up to him, until she set a hoof on his side. He promptly responded by bucking in displeasure, knocking a few apples out of the cart as he shouted, “Don’t touch me!”

Applejack backed off, gently demanding, “Hey, take it easy, alright?”

“Do not tell me what to do!” He demanded, stamping a hoof, “It’s quicker if we just get it done here and now. How exactly do you expect me to take it easy, if you’re so intent on getting all this work done?”

Applejack was very tempted to rebut in defense of the Crystal Ponies, but held back, sure it would only frustrate Sombra further. He was already beyond irritated, sweating and breathing heavily just from the heat. She could see his body glistening with sweat, the sun above almost appearing to beam down on him specifically. His near black coat, and the metal mask upon his face, probably weren’t helping the situation at all.

“Alright. Well, we’re done then,” She said, unhitching the harness from Sombra and stepping on the rope to keep him from running off, “Perhaps a bit less than I’d like, but it’s fine. We still got a ways till Autumn, if you couldn’t tell by the weather.”

“Why can’t you ponies just have constant Winter? That would solve so many problems,” Sombra complained. He felt the rope around his neck being pulled, and allowed himself to be led away, under what he assumed to be the shade of an apple tree. He no longer felt the heat of the sun on his body, though it was only a small relief.

“It ain’t usually this hot, especially not at this time a year. I reckon Celestia’s pretty darn angry today.”

Sombra bared his teeth at the mention of the princess, but said nothing back, dropping to the dusty ground to rest. Such little amount of work shouldn’t have made him tired, but between the heat and his recent exhaustion, he just hadn’t been able to do as much as he should've been capable of. Maybe it was because he’d been imprisoned for so long, and the lack of exercise was making him lethargic. Starlight had said it had been a week since she freed him from the dungeon, but he couldn’t be sure how long he’d actually been down there. Long enough to decline significantly, it seemed.

Whatever the case, the feeling of weakness probably irritated him more than the actual exhaustion, and he wanted so badly to fight it, but he knew well enough that such a thing would only make everything worse. He was beginning to regret convincing Starlight to let him stay, he’d much rather be with her, than on this dusty farm.

The rope around his neck shifted, as though Applejack was adjusting it, but Sombra didn’t stand. She hadn’t yanked it, so he didn’t think it necessary, and with a quiet sigh he sat his head in his arms. He was incredibly tempted to doze off, tired from work and a horrible sleep, even after he’d taken a nap following his breakfast from the princess that morning. It probably hadn’t even been that long since he’d awoken, but under the shade of a tree, a gentle breeze cooling his overheated body, he felt like that nap hadn’t been nearly long enough.

He was very nearly to the point of sleep when his ears twitched, and he raised his head in a panicked realization. It was quiet. He didn’t hear any birdsong, he didn’t hear any leaves rustling. He didn’t hear Applejack.

Reasonably, this should be a good thing. If she’d left, that gave him the opportunity to flee, but with a tug of the rope, he knew he wouldn’t be going anywhere. Rising to his hooves, he grabbed it in his mouth and tugged again, harder. It stayed taut, nothing being pulled toward him, and no pony scolding him for pulling it.

Had he been tied to a tree? Had Applejack stayed true to her words and tied him up for refusing to do work?

A bolt of worry ran through him. Silence meant imprisonment. Silence meant voices. That same horrible demon would be coming back to taunt him again, it always did. Every time he was left alone it would barge into his mind and ridicule him, for what felt like hours on end.

Letting out a quiet whine, he yanked the rope harder. The same results, but he didn’t stop, teeth tightening on the rope to try and free himself. He began to buck and struggle, teeth digging into the horrible thing imprisoning him. It scraped the inside of his mouth as he pulled and bit, burning his tongue and the sides of his mouth, but he still didn’t quit.

He didn’t want to be imprisoned again. He wouldn’t allow himself to be imprisoned again.

His teeth finally cut into the rope’s fibers, and it snapped, Sombra falling to the ground as it did. He smacked against the wagon, a few apples tumbling out upon him, scattering around and causing even more hazards underhoof.

Carefully rising to the ground on shaky legs, his ears twitched around him for any voices. None came, but the wind against his ears made him jump anyway. Spitting out the rope, he staggered back, bumping into something. He bolted away in surprise, only to slip on an apple and slam right back into the cart, this time falling into it and landing among the baskets.

Grunting in pain, mind going back to some semblance of reality, he lay there in a mess of discomfort and confusion. There was no doubt he’d bruised, or even crushed, a few apples under his weight, but if it was any consolation to the apple horse, he was certainly going to be sporting quite a few bruises himself. And with a lick of his dry lips, some rather inconvenient rope burn in his mouth as well.

Flipping onto his belly, a few apple stems jabbing into it, he stuck his tongue out at the reminder. It wasn’t horribly painful, but the rubbing rope had made his mouth feel even drier than it had been. He wasn’t sure if there was any water nearby, and was half tempted to sneak a few apples for some sort of refreshment, but with a shift of his body, the cart beneath him began to move.

Crying out in alarm, he shot out of the cart before it got the chance to roll away, backing away a few steps before stopping. He’d managed to free himself, but now what? It’s not like he could just walk off, there were too many trees and other obstacles all around him. Standing and waiting for Applejack to return wasn’t an option he was liking the thought of either, she probably wouldn’t be too happy about the fact he’d escaped his confines and pulverized her produce.

Ears twitching at a nearby noise, he was struck with a sudden thought. Why did he even think about caring about how Applejack might feel?

It wasn’t something he dwelled on, because with another ear twitch, he realized that he’d heard a voice. One that wasn’t Applejack, or anypony else he recognized. Quickly turning in the direction it was coming from, he bared his fangs, mane flaring as unreleasable magic built up inside him. A twinge of pain sparked through his skull as he did, the beginning of inevitable headaches from weeks of pent up magic.

“If you’re here to mock me again, I hope you’re prepared for a fight!” He cried, scraping a hoof through the dirt.

The voice seemed to yelp and squeak at the same time. It sounded off, less scornful than it had been the last time. Yet even after that brief moment of silence, it began to mutter quietly. The words were inaudible to his ears, yet he knew they were filled with the same mockery they always were.

“How dare you deride me!” He roared, charging in the direction of the voice. It screamed as he ran, a false sound of terror that would only come back to mock him if he didn’t run it off soon enough, “I am not contained! I can fight you, tear you apart!”

He tried to make his threats sound genuine, he really did, but there was a noticeably higher pitch to his voice. One of fear and panic that he couldn’t quite contain, but that wouldn’t stop him from trying.

The voice sounded again from behind him, muttering something, and he turned again to charge at it, screaming threats all the way. But this time, the voice didn’t scream as he approached, no it did something he never would’ve expected.

It cried, “Watch out!”

The warning was both too late and ignored, as Sombra slammed once again into the wagon, crying out in pain as something cracked. He fell to the ground with a whine, apples falling over him as he clutched his aching head in his hooves, desperately hoping that the horrible sound had been the wood splintering, and not his own horn.

“Are you okay?”

He whined again, curling up on the ground and covering his ears. The voice began to mutter to itself, though this time he could hear what it was saying, and he came to a terrifying realization.

“Isn’t that the awful stallion who gave us horrible nightmares?”

“What’s he doin’ here?”

“I thought he was dead.”

There were three voices this time.

Wrapping his arms tighter around himself, Sombra begged, “Please leave me alone…”

He was granted only a brief moment of silence before the childish voices began to whisper again, and Sombra let out a quiet, frustrated noise. He could only catch snippets of their conversation, and though the voices weren’t as cruel and mocking as they usually were, they still felt neverending.

“-Remember Rarity mentioning him-”

“-Think Applejack mighta said somethin’-”

“-One told me anything-”

“Go away! Please!” He cried, jolting to a sitting position, trying to back away. He was blocked by the cart, splintered wood jabbing into his back. His nostrils flared, unreleasable magic sparking. He flinched as it sent waves of pain through him, worsening his already developing headache.

“He’s having a dramatic experience!”

“It’s traumatic experience, Sweetie Belle.”

“Really? The way Rarity acts, I always thought it was dramatic.”

Sombra flinched, another pulse of pain going through him. He swore he could hear his own heartbeat, maybe even feel it. He didn’t like it.

“Well, that aside, something's definitely wrong with him, and I think we should-”

“Leave me alone!” Sombra shouted, backing further into the cart. Shards of wood began to pierce his skin, but it wasn’t enough to stop the voices. They kept whispering in false innocence, their quiet voices growing closer. Sombra tried to snarl at them in a threat, but barely more than a whine escaping his mouth before he twitched again, finally crying out, “I said leave!”

He dove to the ground, almost as if pouncing at the sound, before clamping his jaws around his arm. The voices cried out in alarm, but he ignored them this time, biting harder and harder, pain increasing until the horrible tang of blood tinged his taste buds. Raising his head to breath, he dove to plunge his fangs into his other arm, but a pair of tiny hooves pulled it away before he could.

“Please don’t do that!” One of the voices begged, more than likely the one clutching his arm. He was too dazed to move it, out of breath from panic, and confused over the fact that one of the voices had become physical, “I dunno what’s upsettin’ you so bad, but hurtin’ yourself is never helpful!”

Uncertain of the sudden turn of events, Sombra dropped his head to the ground, snorting as the grass tickled his nose and he muttered, “It usually is.”

“You’ve done this before?”

“It helps me remember what’s real, and makes the voice go away… It always laughs at me and then leaves when I do that.”

Another moment of silence, a bit of muttering, before the small voice still holding him said, “Well, we’re not just voices, we’re ponies, just like you. We got bodies, and names, and heartbeats, see?”

She placed his hoof on her chest, and Sombra felt that soft, yet quick beat of a heart. Iit seemed a bit more rapid than a normal one, likely because she was scared, but so was he, yet the gentle thumping was enough to calm him. Demons didn’t have heartbeats, most of the time.

“I’m Apple Bloom,” She said, “And these are my friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.”

Each filly spoke a quiet, yet polite, greeting upon their name being said, revealing which voice was who’s. Sombra’s ears fell back to a neutral position as they did. The fillies seemed to see this as a sign of relief, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo approached him. Now that he wasn’t panicking, he could hear their hoofsteps, slow and cautious as they came closer. They stopped and began to mutter, but this time he merely ignored them until they spoke to him directly.

“So, what are you doin’ out here anyway?” Apple Bloom asked, lowering his hoof from her chest, though she still held it.

Sombra was quiet a moment, reluctant to admit what happened, but really, what were they going to do about it? Laugh? He’d humiliated himself already, what more could the truth add?

“Got tied to a tree for messing up,” He mumbled, “Broke the rope and got lost.”

“What’d you do?”

This time Sombra just didn’t respond, still limp on the ground. With his initial panic gone, his pulsing headache had begun to fade, and he’d become horribly exhausted. He was incredibly tempted to just fall asleep where he was, and face whatever consequences Applejack had for him when he awoke.

“What in tarnation happened here? And what’re you three doin’ here? Get away from him!”

Or now.

Pinning his ears back, Sombra yanked his hoof away from Apple Bloom and cowered against the busted cart. He couldn’t see what Applejack was doing, but she sounded upset, and he was bracing himself for another smack to the nose, or worse. Starlight had mentioned his aching ribs, so what was stopping this pony from breaking him completely?

Thankfully, Apple Bloom came to his rescue.

“We found him like this,” She explained, hopping in front of him, “He said you tied him up as punishment. When we found him he was panicking and hurting himself, we couldn’t just leave him.”

“Huh? I wasn’t punishing him, I was gettin’ us some water.”

“Then why’d you tie him up?” Scootaloo asked.

“Y’think I want him wanderin’ around the farm and causing trouble?” She asked, observing the mess, “Not that it helped. I wasn’t planning on being gone for so long, but Granny wanted me to help chop some carrots for dinner.”

Was that it? Sombra let out some sort of noise, a mix between bitterness and anger. He’d panicked over nothing, perhaps it would’ve been better to have just run away. At least then nopony would have seen him in such a sorry state, not that he cared now. Still, he flinched back as Applejack approached him and set something in front of him, before it registered that it was more than likely the water.

He hesitated to touch it, that constant worry of tainted food on his mind, but the dry, almost painful, feeling in his mouth won him over and he took the water in his hooves. It seemed to be in a pail, or some sort of large cup, but Sombra didn’t care about that as he chugged it down. He already knew he looked pathetic doing it, but he no longer cared. Anypony who’d seen him cowering on the ground had already seen him in his lowest state, so he might as well make himself feel better as they pitied him.

Through the way Applejack saw him however, there was more than just pity. She’d been hit by the reality of the situation.

The first time she’d learned Sombra was still alive, Twilight and Celestia had said he’d gone feral, back to the horrid mental state he’d been when they’d first beaten him. When Starlight had brought him to her farm however, Applejack had doubted the claim. She knew Twilight wouldn’t lie to her, but seeing him so similar to the obnoxious egotist he’d become the second time around made her assume he was as coherent as any regular pony.

But now she could see just how far he’d really fallen. When she’d left him, he’d been snarky and proud, but within the brief time she’d been gone, it seemed his demeanor had changed entirely. He’d become anxious and jumpy, his mane and tail limp like the ponies he’d once tormented. And though his coat had never been the brightest, Applejack could tell through the dust and apple juice coating him, it seemed a tad greyer than it had been before. There also looked to be blood on his arm, likely from the self inflicted wounds Apple Bloom had mentioned.

Finishing the water, Sombra dropped the empty pail to the ground to catch his breath. Applejack grabbed it, setting it against the busted cart with a sigh, observing the damage up close before looking back to the stallion. His mane seemed to have regained a bit of its flow, but he was still hunched over where he sat, ears twitching, though he was no longer trying to make himself look smaller.

“Apple Bloom, think you and your friends can organize these apples?” Applejack asked, “Leave the damaged ones and separate the good and bruised ones into baskets. I’m gonna take Sombra to the barn and clean him up.”

The trio nodded, getting to work grabbing empty baskets and inspecting apples. Applejack thanked them, looking back to Sombra to try and figure how she’d lead him home. The rope around his neck was about half the length it had been before, frayed and dirty at the torn end. Now, the dirt didn’t bother her in the slightest, but the thought of being that much closer to Sombra left some sort of feeling Applejack didn’t like one bit. She knew she didn’t have much of a choice though, and with a firm grip on the rope, she gently demanded, “Alright, get up now, we gotta clean those wounds of yours before you wind up with somethin’ nasty.”

Sombra bared his fangs, but did as he was told, rising to all fours but keeping his head down. Applejack gently lead him away, only pausing for a moment when Sombra did, little Sweetie Belle’s voice catching his ear.

“I hope you feel better soon, Sombra,” She said.

It took a somewhat rougher tug to get him going again after that, and he followed along behind Applejack quietly. He became somewhat numb to his surroundings after that, birdsong and rustling leaves now going ignored as he blindly followed the pony in front of him. His mind was busy thinking about Sweetie Belle’s words, the faceless little filly well wishing him for something he didn’t think he deserved.

Why would she want him to feel better? All that meant was he’d be able to hurt others so much easier. He blamed it on childish and naive optimism.

He knew once they made it to the house, for not only was there a noticeable change in his audible surroundings, there was a pleasant smell of food cooking within. He sniffed around as Applejack led him to the couch, setting him down to clean the punctures in his arm. She used something much stronger than water and soap, forcing a horribly burning fluid into his wounds that prompted him to try and pull his arm away, though Applejack held tight.

“Stay here,” She ordered, disposing of the cleaning cloth and alcohol, “I reckon Starlight’s gonna be gone for a while yet, so just take the time to rest or somethin’.”

Sombra nodded, slumping onto a pillow as Applejack’s hoofsteps faded. He could hear the clang of pots in another room, and the smell of that food again, making his stomach growl a bit. It reminded him of his past, when he’d help his caretaker make dinner for everyone. His magic proved quite useful for carrying supplies and catching falling food, and with the memory of a time where he’d caught a falling bowl of icing before it hit her, the small smile that had made its way to his face turned into a grimace.

Right, that wasn’t a happy memory anymore. It was one that made him shudder with an ache in his chest. One that made him squirm where he lay, and shove his snout into the pillow to hide what he was feeling from anypony else. It was a memory he wanted to forget.

But he never would, and the memory repeated in his mind as he faced toward the couch, back to the outside. It was joined by a few others that had once been special to him, a horrible feeling of wanting to go back to that time, to stop everything that had happened, plaguing him as he lay there. They only began fading away when he fell into unconsciousness, though the memories still wormed into his dreams, a face he hadn’t seen in forever smiling at him happily.

She spoke to him, her gentle voice filled with the kindness and love she’d always showed him, yet none of her words made sense. He tried to approach her, yet with every step he made, she made her own the other way, giggling like she did as a child. It was like they were playing one of their games, and she was making up the rules as they went along. He wordlessly begged her to return to his side, but all she did was continue to laugh like a little filly, hopping away whenever he got too close.

‘Please’, he begged wordlessly, ‘Please come back to me, prove that you’re real. That everything so far has just been a terrible nightmare.’

She just giggled, but finally approached him, slowly reaching out a hoof. She spoke more gibberish, yet he was able to catch one word.

“Sombra.”

He tried to speak back, but with her hoof on his shoulder, not even a coherent thought came. In fact, he was frozen in place, unable to see her anymore. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t look down at her, and in a way, the thought of seeing her again scared him.

“Sombra?”

A wordless plea, and her hoof had made its way to his cheek. Finally, he glanced down, gut twisting in terror at what he saw. Or rather, what he no longer saw.

She didn’t have a face anymore.

“Sombra!”

“Hope!” He bolted upright, slamming against something, or someone. He was shaking where he sat, heart racing as the dream remained in his mind vividly, no outward sight able to drive it away. That had been a nightmare, his own memories playing against him to mock him from within, twisting them in unimaginable ways. He knew how they worked, his magic was fear based and he’d toyed within the dream realm before, but that didn’t stop the fact that seeing the pony he’d once cared about most like that had been upsetting.

Yet not as upsetting as the first, and last, time he’d made her cry.

Setting a hoof to his head, he growled as he tried to purge those memories and remember where he was, before the smell of food overtook his senses. Sniffing the air, his stomach growled and his mouth watered, hunger distracting him from fear.

Hearing a groan beside him, Sombra’s ears faced their direction as they said, “Hope? That’s a rather strange thing to say after waking up from a nightmare.”

“Starlight?” Sombra perked up at her voice. “Are you the pony I bumped into when I got up?”

“Yep,” Starlight nodded, “Brought me right to the floor too. I was just gonna let you sleep for a while longer, but you started twitching and whining so I thought I’d wake you.”

“I see. Well, forgive me for that, and I suppose I should thank you for waking me as well.”

“Oh?”

This time it was Starlight’s turn to perk up, surprised by Sombra’s words. An apology from him was a surprise on its own, but the fact he’d thanked her as well? Perhaps his time with Applejack had served him well, as horribly as it had gone. She was tempted to praise him on the improvement, but he dropped the subject there as he slipped off the couch and sniffed the air again.

“I’m hungry, and whatever’s cooking smells good. I want some. Where can I find it?”

Starlight’s surprise faded into mild disappointment. “It’s in the kitchen, but it’s not quite done yet. Applejack’s already told me she promised you some dinner, so I guess we’re staying a bit longer. You sure you’re okay with that?”

Sombra nodded. Starlight sighed. She’d rather have gone home, but a bit of socializing wouldn’t hurt either of them. If anything, it would probably be good for Sombra, even if she figured he’d mostly be ignoring everyone just to eat. It was a start anyway.

“Alright, but like I said it’s still going to be a few minutes until it’s ready,” She explained, putting a hoof to Sombra’s chest and gently pushing him back onto the couch, “I’ll get you when it’s done, alright?”

He nodded again, surprisingly compliant with her as he sat down. She turned away, walking back to the kitchen where Granny Smith and Applejack were working on dinner, while Apple Bloom sat at the table, thinking hard about something. Big Macintosh had yet to return from his deliveries, but they knew he’d be along shortly.

Grabbing her saddlebag off the table where she’d left it, Starlight threw it back on before joining Apple Bloom. She’d have offered to help with dinner, but apparently tonight’s meal was some special recipe she wasn’t allowed to know. From the way she saw it, it just seemed to be soup.

“So what’s up with you?” She asked Apple Bloom. The filly had been sitting at the table almost the whole time, a bit of a discouraged look on her face as she sat there thinking hard. Starlight had originally thought she was upset she couldn’t help out with dinner, but she’d helped gather a few spices, so that no longer seemed to be the case.

“Not much, just thinkin’ bout earlier,” Apple Bloom claimed, sitting up, “Did Applejack tell you about what happened earlier?”

“About Sombra? Yeah, she told me about his freak out, he does that a lot,” Starlight sighed, melting into her chair a bit, “I think not being able to see has made him a bit jumpy, and he runs into things and hurts himself. I’m trying to get that all settled, don’t worry.”

Apple Bloom’s voice lowered, a hint of uneasiness as she asked, “Did she tell you about the fact he hurts himself on purpose?”

Starlight could only describe the feeling she felt in her chest as panic. She’d already known Sombra had some sort of trauma from his agonizing defeat, but she hadn’t thought it quite that bad. This was officially beyond any problem she’d dealt with thus far with her students.

Apple Bloom seemed just as uncomfortable with the subject, and turning to her sister and grandmother she asked, “Hey, you said Big Mac’s gonna be home soon, right? You want us to watch for him so we can tell him about Sombra?”

Applejack nodded, “Sounds like a good idea to me. Probably wouldn’t be pretty if he saw that pony on our couch without warning.”

“That’s what I thought,” Apple Bloom agreed, hopping out of her seat and motioning Starlight to follow.

They both looked at Sombra as they passed the living room, Starlight humming quietly to reveal her presence, taking a moment to set her saddlebag beside him, and Apple Bloom saying hi before they made their way out the door. They didn’t stop until they made it to the archway where they could see the road to the farm.

‘What do you mean by he hurts himself on purpose?” Starlight asked. Apple Bloom looked away, uncomfortable with her earlier memories, “Please Apple Bloom, if I know how and why Sombra’s hurting himself, I can try to help him stop.”

“Well, when me, Sweetie, an’ Scootaloo found him, he was biting his arm,” She said, circling her hoof in the dirt, “He did it hard enough to make it bleed. He says it makes voices go away, and that he’s done it before.”

So he was doing it to ground himself. He’d been hallucinating since she’d first rescued him, as far as she knew, and probably even before that. The fact he’d done it before and she hadn’t known meant this was at least the first time he drew blood, which she thought was a small relief, at least for a moment.

Then she remembered finding him after her trip to the library that day, and the realization hit her, “He didn’t cut himself on the glass…”

She thought he’d just been too proud to admit he’d cut himself on accident, but now she was realizing those puncture wounds had been from his teeth. That's why there had been no glass in his wounds, and why some punctures had been deeper, those holes had probably been from his fangs. Had the blood on his mouth been from biting himself?

A hoof to her face, she started to pace, “How did I not realize? It should’ve been obvious! Did he do anything else?”

Apple Bloom shook her head, “Other than runnin’ face first into the cart on accident, I don’t think so. I took his other arm away before he managed to chomp on that one. Was kinda a dumb idea when I think about it.”

“No, it’s fine. He didn’t hurt you, and you got him to stop hurting himself,” Starlight assured, “But now I need to tell Twilight about this, and we have to figure out a way to help him.”

“Gettin’ rid of that mask would probably help.”

Starlight stopped her pacing, frowning as she said, “Unfortunately, that’s not my choice to make. I’m certainly going to be having a long talk with Twilight when I get home though.”

She went back to pacing, Apple Bloom watching her for a moment before glancing down the road. There was a pony in the distance, no doubt her brother finally on his way home. Turning back to Starlight, she asked, “I see Big Mac down the path, do you wanna go in and tell Granny and Applejack? Maybe tell Sombra too, so he doesn’t try an’ start a fight?”

Starlight nodded, rushing back to the house, nearly running into Sombra as she barged through the door. Papers were scattered around the couch, and her bag was on the floor, open. He held the envelope from Twilight in his mouth, the outer paper torn from his fangs.

“I can explain.”

“Please do.” She grabbed the envelope from his mouth, allowing him to speak easier, and prevent more damage to the mystery letter.

“I accidentally knocked your bag off the couch, and some things fell out. It’s incredibly hard to pick up paper with your hooves and teeth, especially when you can’t see it.”

“Well, at least you tried,” Starlight smiled, levitating the papers herself and organizing them into a somewhat decent stack, “I suppose this is just a sign I really need to get a new clasp is all, mine’s been a bit-”

A glimpse of gold within the torn envelope, and Starlight paused, eyes widening. Shoving the haphazardly organized papers into her bag, she brought the envelope to her face, confirming that there was in fact some sort of golden slip within. She hesitated to open it, dreaded it. Combing her brain, she tried to think of anything else it may be, but nothing came to mind. Nothing except the current time of year, Rarity’s sudden orders she’d mentioned, an annual social event that most ponies were excited for, and her usual avoidance of such events.

“Starlight, is something the matter?”

“No, everything’s fine,” She lied. A terrible thing to do within the Element of Honesty’s house.

She was tempted to shove the envelope into her bag, but with a breath to prepare herself, she closed her eyes and tore it open. It took her longer than she would’ve liked to open them, long enough for Apple Bloom to come back inside to announce her brother’s return, before she peeked into the envelope, and her fears proved correct.

Within the letter that had taunted her since morning, were two tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala.

Chapter 8: Heartbeat

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Though the day had been quite warm, the moment the moon rose, the air cooled to a much more comfortable temperature. The wind was now crisp like the oncoming Autumn, and it gave Twilight a strong urge to open a window for a cool breeze, find a good book, and snuggle under a blanket with a cup of hot tea.

So as soon as she’d finished with her day’s work, she got straight to doing that, picking out one of her newer books while her tea was steeping, and grabbing one of her thicker blankets as she laid out in one of her main rooms. She’d been just about settled in when she heard a knock at the door, but before she got a chance to say anything, it opened anyway. Starlight walked in, head held low and her hooves dragging. She went straight to Twilight, plopping on the floor in front of her and dropping her saddlebag.

“Figured I’d find you here,” She said, brushing a few strands of her mane out of her face, “Well, here or the library.”

“I thought it seemed like a nice evening to relax,” Twilight said, shutting her book to look her friend over, “You look frazzled.”

“I’ve had a very long day.”

“I can imagine, I’ve hardly seen you since our talk this morning. I guess everypony was so glad to see you back,” She smiled, laughing lightly. It trailed off as she realized just how tired Starlight looked, and she offered her tea as she continued, “Though I can also see how that can wear a pony out. Everything alright?”

“No, not at all.” Starlight graciously took the tea, sipping it and making a face at the flavor. It wasn’t quite to her taste, but her current need for a bit of caffeine beat out that mild disgust as she took another sip before continuing, “I need your help with something about Sombra.”

“I take it his day at Sweet Apple Acres went badly?”

“Yeah," Starlight confirmed, taking another swig from the tea, “He caused a mess and crushed some apples, and broke one of their carts. I only just got done scrubbing all the dust and apple juice out of his coat. In fact, he’s probably still half soaked, but I really needed to talk to you.”

She set the teacup to the side, already half empty, staring into the unlit fireplace for a moment. Twilight stayed quiet as she did, waiting until Starlight found the words to speak again.

“It wasn’t all bad though," She began after a moment, "He wanted to stick around for dinner, and didn’t pick any fights, so that’s an improvement. Big Macintosh wasn’t very happy to see either of us there, and as soon as Sombra ate his fill, he was ready to leave. I didn’t mind the urgency either, I was so ready to get home.”

Twilight nodded, “Even a brief moment of improvement is improvement enough.”

“I guess you’re right,” Starlight smiled, though it faded with a sigh, “But that’s not really enough right now. Reforming Sombra isn't just about making him kinder to others, we have to actually help him, and as it stands now, we haven't done much of that.”

"Is this about the mask? I told him that if he behaves I'd take it off this weekend. I know it upsets him, but he should know by now he's still a major threat.”

“It’s not just about his frustrations, it’s about the fact that as long as he's helpless like this, I can't catch a break. Do you know how hard it is to do anything when I feel like I have to check on him every ten minutes?"

"I imagine it's quite difficult," Twilight said, a hoof to her chin as if in thought, "But you do have to remember it was your idea to reform him. You should expect difficulty."

"I shouldn't have to expect the ponies I trust to make everything harder for me," She argued, crossing her arms, "How difficult are we talking though? Just stubbornness and empty threats? Or maybe the fact he hurts himself when he panics? On purpose, if I might add.”

“Oh. That’s... Not good. At all.”

Putting a hoof to her head as if to rub away a headache, Starlight explained, “Applejack tied him to a tree to fetch some water, and then Apple Bloom and her friends found him panicking. She told me he thought they were more hallucinations, and he began to bite his arm. Apparently he said it makes the voices go away, so I think he’s doing it to ground himself.”

“That sounds about right for grounding, even if it’s not the way to do it,” Twilight nodded, “But I’m not sure what we can do about it? I’m not comfortable with the idea of removing the mask when nobody’s around to watch him.”

Starlight grabbed her tea again, taking another sip, “I know it seems like it’s too soon, but if we put off taking that mask off for too long, we really run the risk of his self mutilation becoming a long term habit. I don’t think this is the first time he’s done it, but I’d like it to be the last.”

Twilight stopped to think for a moment, tapping her book a few times as she tried to figure out the best way to go about this. She’d seen Sombra panicking in his cell when he’d first been captured, slamming against the walls over and over, hard enough to draw blood. Had he possibly been doing that out of panic, and not rage as she had initially thought? It seemed a strong possibility, but she knew she’d never get an answer. Still, Sombra’s emotional well being was important, especially if they wanted to rehabilitate him, but as he was now he was in no way fit for society.

“Just a few more days, please?” She asked, “At least until Friday. I’m not comfortable with the thought of leaving him here alone while we’re working. Who knows what he’d get into, or Celestia forbid, where he’d wander off to.”

“And I’m not comfortable with making everything harder for him than it has to be,” Starlight objected, though a quiet sigh escaped her afterwards, “But I guess you have a point. I’ll just have to check in on him multiple times a day.”

“I’m sorry I’m making this more work for you than necessary.”

“It’s fine. Like you said, it’s my fault anyway, and it's only until the end of the week.”

She rose to all fours, finishing off her tea before lifting her bag to leave, the jingle of her busted clasp prompting her to make sure nothing had fallen out. It hung somewhat loosely from its threads, her papers peeking out through the opening, but otherwise secure. She remembered that she still had to go through those, but it was only a brief thought as she saw that envelope again, golden tickets shining through the shredded paper.

Right. That had happened.

Removing the envelope from her bag, she pulled out the tickets and turned to Twilight, asking, “So what exactly are these for?”

Twilight had been gathering up her own things when Starlight spoke, folding her blanket when she paused as she saw the golden slips.

“I just thought you’d want to go to the Gala is all,” She said, setting the blanket on the couch, “I mean, we’ve been friends for quite a while now, and since I’ll be in charge of all the Galas from here on out, I thought you’d appreciate going for once.”

“Okay, but why did you give me two?”

“I thought you might’ve wanted to bring a friend of course! Maybe Trixie or Sunburst,” She claimed, though the suspicious look on Starlight’s face had her wave her hooves defensively, “I swear this has nothing to do with Sombra, I was planning on giving you two even before you decided to reform him.”

She kept her hooves up with a nervous smile, while Starlight stared a moment more. She knew Twilight wouldn’t lie to her, but she couldn’t help but be suspicious. Especially when she decided to speak further on the subject.

“I mean, unless you want to take him?”

It was a good thing she’d finished that tea, otherwise she’d be spitting it in Twilight’s face in pure shock right now.

“You can’t be serious!” She exclaimed, “I’m hardly outgoing, and I imagine Sombra even less so. What makes you think either of us would want to go? What makes you think anypony else would want to see us go? What makes you think I’d want to go with him anyway?”

Twilight had jumped back a bit at the outburst, her feathers ruffling in surprise. She hadn’t expected such a reaction. Smoothing her feathers out a bit, she tried to explain, “Well, the Gala’s not for a few months, so it might be a chance to show Celestia how much he may have improved? I imagine if we do things right, we’ll have managed to mellow him out a bit.”

“You know Celestia hates him, right?”

“She hated Discord once too.”

“Discord never killed anypony!”

“That’s only as far as we know,” Twilight claimed. Starlight paused where she stood, perhaps a bit off put by that comment, “But I don’t really see him as the killing type anyway, though he’s never been overly concerned with others’ safety in some of his tricks. That being said, I’m not actually sure if Sombra has killed anypony either.”

“But what about Princess Amore? Princess Celestia said he killed her.”

Twilight nodded, “I know, and I hate to doubt her, but I talked to Sombra this morning. I asked if he’d ever killed, and he was incredibly insistent on saying he never has.”

“What makes you think he wasn’t lying?”

“He seemed pretty upset at the accusation, for one thing.”

“That doesn’t immediately confirm innocence, you know,“ Starlight said, though it made her realize a few things about that conversation.

For one thing, Celestia had never actually said how Amore had been killed, and Starlight hadn’t asked for any details. But why would she lie, and why would Amore not be within her kingdom if she hadn’t been killed? It didn’t make sense, but it wasn’t something she could further ask Celestia about, and she wasn’t about to ask such things to Sombra, at least not yet. He was already wary, and pestering him about the past again was only going to make their barely established relationship even more strained.

A glimmer of gold in the corner of her eye, and those thoughts left Starlight’s mind as she remembered the tickets within her magical grasp. Shoving them back into her bag, she set it over her back and let out a frustrated sigh.

“I’m going to go check on Sombra now, I need to talk to him about what happened,” She said, giving a somewhat awkward, yet apologetic, smile to her friend, “Sorry about getting frustrated with you. I just haven't had a break all day. All week, even.”

Twilight smiled her own little smile, “It’s fine. I’m not exactly helping relieve any of that stress.”

She picked up the empty teacup, and set her book on the folded blanket, following Starlight as she left. They both stopped in the kitchen, Twilight to make a new cup of tea, and Starlight grabbing a few apple fritters that Applejack had sent home with them earlier. She wasn’t particularly hungry, and even Sombra had scarfed down about three bowls of soup, but if she was going to be talking to him about something personal she might as well bring him in a treat. She’d come to realize he was quite food motivated.

Wrapping the fritters in a napkin, she turned to leave, giving a quiet goodbye to Twilight. Setting a tea bag into her steaming cup, she smiled, not even looking to her friend as she quietly said, “Good night Starlight, I do hope you at least consider going to the Gala.”

Starlight made a face of uncertainty at that, slipping out of the kitchen without a word and making her way to Sombra’s room. She really wasn’t feeling up to the whole Gala thing. Even if she were to go, she had no dress, and no idea who she’d choose to be her plus one. Trixie would be insistent on going if she knew, and Sunburst seemed a little too mild mannered for such an event, but who'd know for certain? It’s not like she could choose which of them to take, and even considering Sombra, well…

Sombra was probably going to be banned from Canterlot for the rest of his life.

Finally upon his room, Starlight knocked to announce herself before walking in. True to her concerns, Sombra was sitting upon his bed with his teeth bared, ready to threaten whoever had come into his safe space.

“It’s alright, it’s me,” Starlight assured. Sombra’s snarl faded as he laid down, tucking under a blanket and folding an arm beneath him. Starlight took note that it was the one he’d bitten earlier, though she held back saying anything yet as she came over and set a hoof on his bed, asking, “May I sit with you?”

Sombra opened his mouth as if to say something, but stayed quiet as he nodded. He lowered his head as she hopped onto the bed in front of him, ears pinned back nervously.

“Applejack said you had a hard time at the farm today, are you okay?” She asked.

“I’m fine.”

She nodded with a sigh, lowering her head to gaze at her own hooves. She hadn’t expected a straight answer, but she’d at least hoped for something. That didn’t mean she was about to give up and let Sombra wallow in his own negativity, she just had to think of a good way to address the issue.

“I know you don’t want to talk to me, at least not yet,” She started, “But I’m still in charge of you, and even if you don’t believe me, I’ve been doing everything I can to help you. So please, if anything’s bothering you, tell me. I’ll do whatever it takes to make things better.”

He briefly bared his fangs again, “I don’t need your help. I’m fine.”

“No.” Starlight grabbed him by the shoulders as he tried to turn away, “You’re not. You told me yourself, just a few days ago, that you weren’t. Like you said, you’ve been imprisoned, you’ve lost everything, and you very well may have been killed.”

Sombra fidgeted under her grasp, but didn’t quite pull away, arguing, “And what of it? It’s not as if this is your problem!”

“But it is my problem! You’re my problem!”

“I am nothing but a problem!”

He pushed her away, hopping out of bed with the blanket still covering him, ears barely twitching at the soft thud of Starlight falling, or maybe even jumping, after him. Considering the time it took her to trot over to him afterwards, he assumed the latter, though a hard stamp to the floor convinced her to keep her distance.

“You’re wasting your time, Starlight!” He shouted, mane flaring, “What exactly do you expect to gain from this? Humiliating us both, dragging a tyrant around and coddling him? All you’re doing is ruining your own reputation, and for what? A feeling of self righteousness? That saving a monster will make you look good in the Princesses’ eyes?”

“What? Of course not! Why would I have something to gain? Is it such a problem that I wanted to help you?”

“Yes, it is a problem,” Sombra accused, “Nopony in their right mind would even think about saving a monster like me, not unless there was some ulterior motive. What are you after? Fame? Fortune? Perhaps even ascension?”

“What? No, that’s not...” Starlight bit her tongue, holding back anything that could further Sombra’s ridiculous accusations, she didn’t need Twilight showing up to hear a screaming match. “Why are you so against getting help?”

Sombra hesitated, wrapping his blanket tighter around himself as he turned away and said, “Because I am beyond help.”

Starlight was quiet in return, and he took that as a sign of agreement. Expecting her to leave, he fell to the floor to sit, but instead of the slam of a door, a few hoofsteps came toward him. He tried not to acknowledge her, but his twitching ears betrayed him by facing her direction, and before he knew it, her hoof was laid gently upon his cheek. She turned him to face her, a pointless gesture that felt like it meant something.

“And why would you think that?” She asked.

“Because I’m a monster,” He insisted, “And I was never meant to be anything else. I hurt ponies, I manipulate them. There’s nothing worth saving in somepony who was never worth anything in the first place.”

“Are you telling me that, or are you telling yourself that?”

“I’m telling you that, obviously,” He growled, jolting away from her hoof, “The Crystal Ponies knew I was no good, so they did what they could to bring me down. Yet in doing so all they did was make me stronger, and the moment they went too far I crushed them. I tore away their love and happiness to take what I rightfully deserved!”

Starlight’s ears perked as he said that. Was that perhaps a semblance of his motives? Was he finally speaking of his reasons for turning to Dark Magic? She wanted to urge him to tell her more, but knew it best to let him speak on his own time.

Still, there was one thing she felt she could say, “The Crystal Ponies did something to hurt you, didn’t they?”

Sombra went rigid at that, wanting to say something, but hardly letting out anything more than a quiet noise of uncertainty. He didn’t know the answer, he didn’t believe the answer. Nopony could hurt him, he was a king, a manipulator of fear! And wasn’t it true? He wasn’t worth saving, he’d done too many terrible things, why didn’t she believe him?

“You’re not beyond help, Sombra,” She said after a moment. Her voice was soft, despite her previous frustration, “I’d like to think that nopony ever truly is. You just need to stop being afraid of being helped.”

“I’m not afraid,” He argued, quiet and unconvinced, “I’m not. I am the King of Fear, I can’t be scared."

“Anypony can be scared, and that’s okay,” She assured, “I was scared too, at one point. But if you just let me help, you can get better.”

“Why?”

One single word, and Starlight had to consider everything to find a way to answer. Sombra hadn’t been particularly talkative about his past, but she hadn’t said much on the matter of her own either.

“May I tell you something personal?” She asked, “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to in return. I just need to tell you something I think you should know about me.”

He gave a hesitant nod, so Starlight began.

“When I first met Twilight, I wasn’t a very good pony. I did terrible things to her, her friends, and so many other ponies besides that. But even after all the horrible things I did, Twilight did what she could to help me,” Starlight explained.

“I doubt whatever you did could ever compare to me.”

“And you’re probably right about that, but that’s beside the point now. What I’m trying to say is, if Twilight could help me when I was in a bad place, why can’t I help you?”

“Because it’s hopeless,” He insisted, voice quiet, “I’m hopeless. You said so yourself.”

Starlight stepped closer, sitting in front of him and reassuring, “You’re not hopeless Sombra. Obnoxious and a bit petty, but not hopeless. Don’t let anypony ever tell you otherwise.”

Sombra turned away. Starlight once again turned him to face her, leaving her hoof upon his face as he sank into it with a quiet noise akin to a sob. His mask was shifted by the action, and Starlight felt a noticeable dampness under the metal. A part of her thought it was just from his earlier bath, but with a few more quiet gasps from the stallion, Starlight knew it to be from something else. She didn’t say anything about it, he’d probably try to deny it, but she was relieved to see he was finally letting something out. Even as he brought his own hoof up to rest on hers for a brief moment before gently taking it off him, she knew that something within him was softening up.

“Do you know how hard it is?” He asked, dropping Starlight’s hoof to wrap himself tighter within his blanket, “I’ve lost everything, which is sad to say when I hardly had anything worthwhile in the first place. My magic might be suppressed, but it’s still within me, everything else is gone.”

“Yes, but your everything just so happened to be an empire full of unhappy ponies,” Starlight pointed out, “I know it feels good to have all that power, but it’s really bad for you in the long run.”

“For some reason, I feel like I lost everything I had before I was ever king."

"That's usually how it starts…"

Sombra cocked an ear in curiosity, head tilting slightly and blanket sliding down his shoulders. Readjusting it a bit, he said, “It sounds as if you can relate.”

“I might,” She claimed, taking the fritters out of the napkin. Sombra’s ears twitched at the sound, before the smell struck his nose. Starlight giggled at the motion, especially when Sombra seemed to inch closer to her, “Are you really still hungry?”

He quickly snatched the pastry as she handed it to him, saying, “I spent a thousand years without food, I’m merely making up for all the cuisine I’ve missed.”

He tore a chunk out of it, bitterness from earlier all but forgotten as he occupied himself with devouring this new sweet treat. Starlight set the other fritter aside, waiting for Sombra to finish before she spoke again, though it didn’t take long.

“May I ask you about earlier?” She asked.

Licking a bit of glaze off his fetlock, Sombra shrugged, “You’ve asked me a lot of questions tonight. Whether or not I answer this one is yet to be decided.”

“Apple Bloom said you bit yourself earlier on the farm, is this true?”

The licking stopped, Sombra’s tongue briefly sticking out for a moment as his ears pinned back slightly. Readjusting himself to sit in a slightly more regal position, he said, “I don’t think I want to answer this question.”

“I’m not going to judge you on it,” Starlight assured, “This is one of those things I want to help you with.”

“Unless you know how to perform an exorcism, I don’t think you’d be able to help me,” He claimed, before quickly backtracking, “Actually, if you do know how, don’t do that either. I imagine I would not come out of it unscathed. Or alive.”

Starlight wasn’t sure if he was delusional, or cracking a joke, but he sounded far too serious about that claim. She was leaning more towards the former, he was already slipping from reality on occasion with his hallucinations, so this was probably another brief one. She wouldn’t be judging him for it though, that wouldn’t help his condition at all.

“You’re very weird,” She said simply.

“I am an anomaly, yes.”

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

“Fine.” Sombra’s shoulders slumped, and he let out a sigh, “I may have bitten myself to convince the demon to go away.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because it works, obviously,” He claimed, once again wrapping himself within his blanket, “Do you know how defenseless I feel right now? Torn of my sight, magic, and armor, everything I had to protect myself is gone. If causing a little bloodshed is what it takes for everything to feel safe again, I’m going to shed a little blood.”

“That’s not healthy.”

“Better mine than an innocent pony's, no? I doubt you have anything better to suggest.”

Starlight was quiet. She’d dealt with many problems, but never one such as this, so she truly had no idea what to suggest without thinking first. He needed a way to ground himself, one that didn’t involve hurting himself, or seeing. Having suffered the occasional anxiety attack, she’d figured out a few herself, but were they applicable to this?

Taking the prolonged silence as his answer, Sombra let out a sigh as he whispered, “That’s what I thought.”

“Sombra, I’m not the most qualified to help you with your hallucinations,” She said, catching his attention as he began to rise, “But I can assure you that they’re just that, hallucinations. There’s no demon taunting you, and the voice you hear can’t hurt you. This is just happening because you got hurt, and you’re scared.”

“Try saying that when you can feel it breathing into your ear and down your neck,” Sombra argued, making his way back to his bed. He climbed on and tossed the blanket upon his back before tucking his legs underneath himself.

“There are better ways to make them go away,” She said, following him to the bed, “You don’t have to feel pain to feel something. Other things work as well, like sounds and tastes, and even other feelings. Birdsong is real, grass is real, that apple fritter you ate earlier is real. These are all the sorts of things you can try and focus on. There has to be something you can focus on, right? It can be anything.”

“A heartbeat, perhaps,” Sombra suggested, putting a hoof to his chest and feeling that unfamiliar thump within. Apple Bloom had let him feel hers earlier, and it had managed to soothe him enough to regain himself, so it was the first thing to come to mind.

“Yes, a heartbeat works too!” Starlight nodded, climbing into the bed with him and setting her own hooves upon his, “Heartbeats are good, heartbeats remind you that you’re alive and real, and that things without one can’t hurt you.”

That wasn’t entirely true, but Sombra couldn’t be bothered to argue at the moment. He was too busy feeling the thump of his heart, something he hadn’t acknowledged in so long. He’d tasted his own blood and felt constant rushes of adrenaline, but ever since his revival, he hadn’t quite been aware of the fact that he was truly alive again.

It was a strange feeling, and one he wasn’t sure he liked.

Lowering his hoof, Starlight’s still set upon it, he said, “I’m still not convinced that everything that’s happened to me so far isn’t real.”

“And I guess I can’t do much else to convince you,” Starlight sighed, sitting up, “But I do hope you consider what I said, and try to ignore the voice.”

“I suppose I can try.” He doubted her advice would work, but had agreed anyway. The things Starlight said had made little sense to him, but she knew more about the modern day than he did, so maybe her words had an ounce of truth to them.

She slipped off the bed as he began to settle in, wrapping up the remaining fritter as she made her way to the door. Sombra heard it open, and with a somewhat anxious twitch, he lifted his head in worry.

“Are you leaving now?” He asked.

“Oh, sorry, I guess I should’ve told you. Was there anything else you wanted to say?”

Yes, please don’t leave. The demon doesn’t bother me when you’re here. That was what he wanted to say anyway, but he could never admit to such a thing out loud. Instead, he opted to say, “I was just going to ask if you could read to me tonight?”

Starlight habitually shook her head, saying, “Not tonight, sorry. I know I said I would last night, but I’m really tired now. I’ll try my best to read to you tomorrow, alright?”

Sombra nodded, a hidden look of disappointment upon his face. Laying down again, suddenly realizing how sore he was from both his earlier panic and the heavy weight upon his face, he said, “I suppose that’s acceptable.”

“Good night Sombra.”

The door shut, leaving him back to dark silence. Darkness had been his element once, something he could manipulate and take solace in, but now it was holding him prison. It wasn’t even true darkness either, for he could see even in that, but this was something different. It was forced and unwelcoming, and instead of feeling right, it scared him.

He hated it. He hated it so much. What did it matter if he was promised freedom by the end of the week? Every day felt like an eternity in this shadow forsaken mask.

He wasn’t sure how long he lay there, but it felt like hours before he heard a quiet noise, and he bolted upright. Something was rattling in the opposite direction of the door, dashing his hopes of Starlight returning for whatever reason. It continued for a moment, before another unknown noise, and a quiet buzz sounded from the same place.

There was a brief moment of silence after, nothing more than the rapid beat of that foreign feeling organ in his chest, before a quiet laugh echoed around the room. Sombra backed up on his bed, back hitting the wall as it came closer. The voice snuck up slowly, seeming to morph around the room, until he felt something brush against his muzzle. Frozen in fear, he let out a quiet whine, prompting the voice to laugh a bit louder.

“Have you missed me, Sombra?”

He didn’t care what Starlight had said. This was all real. This was all terrifyingly real.

Author's Notes:

Update: Though I will admit I had trouble writing this chapter, it seems to be well liked, and I'm not quite as upset about it as I was before. Thank you to all the kind words in the comments!

Previous notes, left for context: I am not entirely happy with this chapter. In fact, I feel like it could've been scrapped entirely. It doesn't meet my standards, it feels too dialogue heavy in places, and I had to postpone over three pages because the scene felt too soon for the narrative.

Now, I'm not saying the chapter is completely awful, but I have very little of the next chapter written, so it would be another potential month of waiting if I didn't post this. Though I am hoping the next chapter won't take nearly as long, since I personally think it's one of the more interesting ones.

Chapter 9: Generosity

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Telling time with a heavy mask upon his face was a burden, but Sombra had learned to figure out the basics. The exact phase of the sun and moon may have been lost upon him, but Starlight regularly visited him during the day, and whenever she gave him meals he knew the time.

Night was also apparent, because that accursed demon would always mock him, whispering in his ears and breathing down his neck. He’d tried to take Starlight’s advice, but had failed every time, eventually losing control and chasing after the voice shouting threats. She would always come in when he did that, awoken by his screaming, and would do what she could to calm him, usually reading to him until he’d settled into sleep.

She’d spent so much time with him, despite her work, and he was beginning to feel… Something about it? It wasn’t a good feeling, he felt like he was wasting her time, especially when she came in with his breakfast, yawning and tired. She didn’t voice her frustrations, but he knew he had to be distracting her, and worsening her sleep with his outbursts.

Outbursts that would hopefully be ending soon, because even after counting the nights of no sleep, and the meals Starlight brought, he knew what day it was from one little moment alone. When Starlight had comforted him last night, rubbing his back as his heart raced, she’d whispered to him soothing words and a promise that had been taking far too long.

“It’s okay. Just one more night, and the mask will be gone, I promise.”

Now, he was waiting for her impatiently, pacing around his room. She’d mentioned that morning that she still had to go to work, but as soon as she was finished, she’d go straight to him. He couldn’t be sure how long it had been since she’d given him his lunch, but it felt like a dreadfully long time, stuck in this room with nothing to entertain him, other than the chirping birds outside.

All this constant imprisonment was driving him stir-crazy. He’d hardly left this room, and was desperate for some sort of relief from the constant dark and silent madness. What he wouldn’t give to be able to read, or listen to music, or to rid of the steadily growing pain in his head whenever he got so worked up his magic flared. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could take it, his mind begging for stimulation, his body desperate to run, to move.

He was only moments from bucking and kicking at whatever he could find when a sudden noise slammed somewhere nearby, and he jumped into the air with a cry of alarm.

“Sorry,” Starlight yelped, “It’s just me! My hooves and magic are a bit full right now, but I wanted to give you something.”

The door. She’d opened the door. A bit louder than he was used to, and the brief panic made him even more anxious.

“I’m no different than I was at lunch time,” He claimed, listening as she set something somewhere. It sounded loud, and he flinched back as it hit the floor, a scowl making way to his face, “Perhaps a bit more on edge, and whatever you’re slamming around certainly isn’t helping.”

“I think it’ll help eventually.”

Some more thumps, and the sound of something scraping against the floor. He stepped back, confused and half tempted to inspect, asking, “What exactly is it?”

“It’s a record player.”

Sombra’s ears twitched as this unknown item once again scraped against the ground. “What’s a record player?”

“It’s something that plays music,” Starlight explained. Sombra tilted his head curiously. “You’ll see it soon, I promise. I don’t have many records right now.”

She finished, and her hoofsteps approached him. He sat expectantly, waiting for her to finally remove the mask, but once she stopped in front of him, she wrapped something around his neck. Another rope, it felt like. He groaned in annoyance.

“Really? You make me wait all this time for freedom, just to drag me somewhere else?” He bit at the rope as she yanked it, though it seemed to be an accident on her end, “At least tell me you’re taking me somewhere specific to remove it?”

“Not quite yet, sorry,” Starlight apologized, “I have to head to Rarity’s to pick something up, and I thought it would be nice to take you out. You’ve been stuck here for days after all, I’m sure you’re getting antsy.”

“Antsy is a bit of an understatement, really,” He snorted, before walking to the door and gently tugging the rope, “Lead the way, please.”

Starlight hummed, trotting out of the room with Sombra following closely behind. She noticed his demeanor change as soon as they left the castle, the wind in his mane and warm sun on his coat enough to bring a bit of a spring in his step. His head was held high as he sniffed the air, ears twitching with the hustle and bustle of the little town. There were a lot of ponies out today, weren’t there?

“Is there anypony eyeing us funny?” He asked, ears swiveling to a murmuring voice nearby, “Surely they’re not too happy about me being here?”

“I won’t lie, they’re a bit wary, but Twilight held a town meeting a few days ago about your reformation,” Starlight explained, ignoring Sombra’s huff at that apparently accursed concept.

“And not a single one has tried to barge into the castle to protest?” He asked, “Are you sure it’s not one of them who’s been sneaking into my mind every night?”

“Trust me, they don’t care. This is a typical Friday afternoon to them at this point.”

Sombra huffed again in doubt, but stayed quiet for the rest of the trip, taking in the scents and sounds again. It didn’t seem to take long to make it to their destination, Starlight setting a hoof against his chest to stop him, before she knocked on a door. There was a muffled shout from inside, and after a brief moment, he heard the door open and another pony speak.

“Hello Starlight,” The voice said, small and familiar, “Hello Sombra.”

Sombra cocked his head, trying to remember the name of the filly speaking. Luckily, Starlight solved that problem for him.

“Hello Sweetie Belle, is Rarity home?” She asked, “She told me to come over as soon as we were finished with work.”

“She’s here, just talking with Rainbow Dash about her dress. She actually sent me to welcome you, so you can come in while you wait.”

Starlight thanked her, following her inside as Sombra trailed along behind them. The sounds of the hustle and bustle of the busy town outside faded to quiet music, causing him a bit of confusion. Was that one of those ‘record player’ things Starlight had mentioned?

He was firmly instructed to sit, and did so without any protest, Starlight sitting herself beside him. Sweetie Belle cantered away to retrieve Rarity, and he listened to the music. His ears twitched around a bit as he tried to locate where it was coming from, but couldn’t be sure. At least it was a pleasant tune, quiet and reminiscent of music from his time. He wondered if music had even changed at all.

It would be something he’d have to ask Starlight later, because he could already hear Sweetie Belle returning, two new and unfortunately familiar voices following. More of the princesses’ friends it seemed, and with a disgruntled sigh, he pinned his ears back. It was a good thing too, because one of them let out the most mind numbing shriek he had ever heard.

“What is that beast doing here?” She demanded, “Just because I was giving you some spare records to help him, doesn’t mean I wanted to see him!”

“He’s been locked up in the castle for days, I just thought it would be nice to give him some fresh air,” Starlight explained. She’d dropped the rope as she did so, Sombra felt it go slack, though he remained motionless.

“And he’s lucky enough to get that much,” The other one said. Her harsh voice was a bit more familiar, this one had insulted him directly, and if he remembered right, her mane had been multicolored. This was probably Rainbow Dash. “I think he should’ve spent a little more time in that dungeon. After what he’s done, he deserves worse.”

“Not the best argument to make with me here, don’t you think?” Starlight argued. Rainbow Dash responded with a quiet mutter.

“He’s not that bad, really,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Sweetie, please get away from him,” Rarity demanded, “He’s not to be trusted.”

“Not to mention he’s like, a thousand years old and probably really gross,” Rainbow Dash added, “He’s probably got fleas, or worms, or rabies, or some other disease from way back then.”

Starlight sighed in exasperation at that one, while Sombra bared his teeth. Saying he deserved worse punishment was something he expected, and probably deserved. Saying he was an unkempt and diseased beast was something he would not let slide.

“I’ll have you know that I take great pride in my appearance,” He growled, “The Crystal Empire has always been free of such pests and diseases, if anypony has fleas or rabies, you lesser folk likely brought it to them.”

“You wanna bet?”

She was suddenly in his face, nose against his. He wrinkled his own as he breathed in her scent. She smelled of sweat, and he was so tempted to bash his own metal clad face into hers just to get her away. Luckily for the both of them, Starlight got in between them before he could, hoof on Sombra’s chest to keep him in place. Assumably, she did the same with Rainbow Dash.

“Can we not start a fight today, please?” She asked, “I’m just here to pick up some music, remember? As soon as that’s done I’ll be on my way, and you two can get back to whatever you were doing. Is that alright with you?”

“Fine. We were done here anyway,” Rainbow Dash muttered, flapping her wings, “I’ll come back tomorrow or something, it’s not like I need the dress right now anyway.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Rarity agreed, though she coughed quietly as she said, “And Rainbow, darling, as much as I appreciate you coming to my rescue, you do realize that by insinuating that Sombra may be loaded with parasites or rabid because of his age, you imply that the Crystal Ponies are all diseased as well?”

Rainbow muttered something incomprehensible, before her wings flapped again and she was gone. Sombra muttered to himself as well, some rather distasteful words not suitable to be heard by a certain filly within the room, in his own native tongue that he knew she wouldn’t understand anyway. Feeling Starlight shift in her seat beside him, he rose to stand, but a hoof on his shoulder gave him the message to stay, so he flopped against the couch with another swear as she left.

“So can I see those discs?” She asked.

“Oh of course, I was actually testing one out right now,” Rarity explained. The music stopped, and Sombra’s ears twitched at the sudden silence, “It’s a bit older, and I’ve not listened to it in years. Have you enjoyed it so far?”

Starlight made no audible response, and the group lingered in silence for a moment. It was only when Rarity repeated herself that Sombra raised his head a bit, with the realization that she’d been asking him.

“It was nice,” He admit with a slight nod, “I would’ve liked to hear more.”

The mare let out a small laugh, “Oh, don’t you worry about it, we have plenty more to go through.”

With that, she apparently set another disc on the record player, and a horrifying loud scream and a blair of some sort of noise maker was played throughout the room. Sombra jumped straight up at the noise, and the cacophony ended as soon as it began.

“Perhaps not that one,” Rarity said with a much more nervous chuckle, “I’ve no idea how that even ended up in all these, must be one of Sweetie’s.”

“No it’s not."

To Sombra’s relief, the next disc she put on was much more relaxing than the others, calming his nerves. This back and forth of music playing went on for a while, Rarity playing a snippet and asking for his or Starlight’s input. Even if he didn’t say anything for every response, his negative opinions must have seemed evident, because she’d often stop the music whenever he pinned his ears or scowled. It seemed that music had changed quite drastically while he’d been imprisoned, and he was very confused on how some of it was considered music at all. In fact, so much of it was more grating than enjoyable.

“Well, I guess five records isn’t too bad of a start,” Starlight said. From the sounds of things, she was shuffling them together, or something of the sort. He couldn't really be sure. “I’m just glad you had a few to spare.”

“Oh, it was simply my pleasure. Anything to make dealing with that dastardly beast easier for you.”

“And nothing to do with making things easier for Sombra?”

A quick but bitter laugh, “We have a long way to go before I show even the slightest bit of respect to him.”

“Of course,” Starlight sighed, “Thanks anyway. We’ll get out of your mane now.”

She began to trot toward him, and perking up where he sat, Sombra picked the end of the rope up in his mouth to pass it to her. He was disappointed when she didn’t grab it, ears pinning in frustration at the sound of Rarity cantering over with a small noise to get Starlight’s attention.

“One more thing,” She said, slapping Sombra with her tail as she apparently blocked Starlight off, “I do believe that Twilight gave you a pair of Gala tickets, correct?”

Sombra’s ears twitched, suddenly interested. Starlight had Gala tickets? More importantly, the Gala was still a thing?

“Well, uh, yes.” Starlight’s hooves shuffled nervously, “Why are you asking?”

“Because you simply must let me design your dress!”

“Oh, right, of course. I’m not sure if I’ll be going though.”

“Nonsense! It’s the final Gala under Princess Celestia’s rule, and the first one Twilight and Pinkie have a hoof in planning,” Rarity explained, her voice gleefully high pitched, “You simply must go to support them!”

“Well, when you put it that way, it certainly sounds like I don’t have a choice, do I?”

A brief silence, and a nervous laugh from Rarity, “Oh dear, I guess I got a bit excited there, do forgive me. I’m sure Twilight wouldn’t mind if you stayed home, I just got so excited over the prospect of designing more gowns that I lost a hold of myself. ”

“It’s fine,” Starlight said, though it sounded strained, “Now if you don’t mind, can Sombra and I go home now?”

“Of course, but may I have one more teeny tiny request?”

“What is it?”

“May I please take your measurements? Just to be prepared?”

A sigh of annoyance, “Fine.”

Rarity squealed excitedly, and Sombra’s ears pinned again. She galloped away, assumingly pulling a surprised Starlight in tow, if her quick yelp was anything to go by. Their steps faded quickly, and with a frustrated groan of his own, Sombra flopped back onto the couch.

This day was taking far too long to end.

“They’re probably gonna be in there for a while,” Sweetie Belle said, her voice perking Sombra’s ears. He’d forgotten she was here, “Rarity gets pretty into her clothes making, so with any luck, she’ll probably be asking Starlight about what colors to use too.”

“Of course she would,” Sombra grumbled, crossing his arms and leaning back with a groan of annoyance, “Why would anything want to convenience me in any way?”

“Maybe because you’re kinda mean?” Sweetie Belle suggested, not quite understanding the concept of a rhetorical question, “So, uh, you want anything to drink while you wait?”

Caught a bit off guard by a filly of all creatures telling him he deserved to wait because he was mean, Sombra sat in bewildered silence for a moment before nodding.

“Okay, but you gotta follow me to the kitchen. Rarity doesn’t like it when anypony eats or drinks on the furniture, especially with all the clothes around right now. Do I need to lead you over?”

“No, I should be fine following your hoofsteps, unless there’s a stairway or too many obstacles between here and the kitchen.”

“Well, there’s a lot of mannequins and clothes racks around, will those be a problem?”

Unsure of what those things were, Sombra gave a hesitant shake of his head, slipping off the couch to follow her, stumbling on the rope wrapped around his neck a few times. He had managed not to fall, only running into one of these mystery items once, ignoring Sweetie Belle’s offers to help for the next five or so steps. He knew they were in the kitchen when she pulled a seat out for him, probably in the hopes he wouldn’t slip again.

Only once he sat down did she get their drinks, Sombra hearing a few unidentifiable noises before the sound of a glass being set in front of him. He leaned down to sniff the contents, only for something to jab him in the nose.

“I put a straw in it, so it would be easier for you to drink,” Sweetie Belle explained. He made a face at that. “Do you like apple juice?”

“I can’t imagine I wouldn’t, but why would you put straw in it?”

“Not that kind of straw, a drinking straw. You put your mouth on it and drink the juice with it.”

A strange concept, but one he tested as he leaned down to take a drink, careful not to stab his nose again. It seemed to work, and he found himself emptying the cup in one go.

“Do you want more?” Sweetie Belle asked. He nodded, and she poured some more into his cup, and from the sound of things, her own, “Applejack gave me this juice a few days ago, for when I helped pick up those apples you scattered. This juice was actually made from the bruised ones, so we both kinda helped make it.”

“I would rather not be reminded of that day, if you don’t mind,” He muttered, leaning down to take another sip of the juice, though he was careful not to down it all at once this time. A chair scraped beside him, and with the twitch of an ear he realized Sweetie Belle had sat down, “What are you doing?”

“Keeping you company.”

“Why? Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“Not really,” She said, though her voice seemed to falter, “I mean, you were kinda scary at first, when you took over Ponyville and controlled me, and when my friends and I first saw you at Sweet Apple Acres. But when we figured out you were just scared and hurt, I didn’t feel so scared anymore.”

“You’re rather brave for that,” He said, tilting his head thoughtfully. She had already offered and given him a drink, so she was obviously a bit more willing, but it still surprised him.

“So, have you been feeling any better?” She asked.

“Not particularly, no,” He admit, though he avoided going into detail, “I should be getting this blasted mask off today though, as soon as Starlight is freed from the clutches of that harlot upstairs.”

“Her name is Rarity and she’s my sister.”

“I’m well aware of her name, and she is well aware of mine, yet she’s done nothing but call me a beast," He explained, "She’s also partly at fault for my pathetic current state, so I see no reason why I should respect her in any way.”

“Maybe because it would be nice?”

“I am not nice.”

He leaned back over his juice, mouth on the straw, though he made no effort to drink. He just wanted to do something to get her to stop belittling him, and he imagined scaring her off with threats would only land him in more trouble. So he tried to think, perhaps about what he'd do first upon his accursed mask's removal. A brutal blast of magic was the first thing to come to mind, seeing as he no doubt had quite the energy trapped inside him, desperate to burst out and do something. Anything.

That, and the thought of blasting any part of any of the princesses' castle sounded therapeutic to him. Twilight better hope her castle, whatever material it was built from, was sturdy, because there was nothing holding him back from impaling it like he did with their over glorified weapon tree. Nothing except the threat of another blast to the face anyway, and that brutal reminder was enough to get him to rethink his choices.

At that, he let out a sigh, dropping the straw from his mouth. He really didn’t want to experience such brutal pain and fear again. Trying to think of something to get that out of his mind, he remembered the exact reason why he was still in this house to begin with. Not the music discs, but because Rarity stole Starlight away for something he had completely forgotten about.

“The Grand Galloping Gala,” He began, getting Sweetie Belle’s attention, just in case she’d wandered away while he’d been contemplating his freedom, “It still exists?”

“Of course it does,” She confirmed, “Why wouldn’t it?”

He shrugged, “Just seems like something that would've faded over time. What’s it like? Have you ever been to one?”

“Oh yeah, Rarity took me last year! It was really fun, even if Discord invited a slime creature that ate everyone’s jewelry, but it was still the best night ever,” She squealed excitedly, completely unaware of Sombra’s scowl at the mention of the Lord of Chaos, “Have you ever gone? What was it like a thousand years ago?”

Scratching at an ear after her painful squeals, he said, “I wouldn’t know. I never left the Crystal Empire as a foal, though my caretaker once went to promote her orphanage. If I remember correctly, nopony cared enough to travel so far to adopt a Crystal foal, so I can’t imagine it was even an event worth going to.”

“You grew up in an orphanage?”

Sombra nodded, taking a sip of his juice, “Nopony wanted a foal whose coat didn’t shimmer like theirs, especially one who failed to find their talent.”

“I’m sorry, I guess that kinda explains why you ended up being such a bully,” Sweetie Belle said, voice quiet, “It must’ve been very lonely, with no family at all.”

He shook his head, “I wasn’t completely alone. I had at least one friend, and my caretaker treated me well. The circumstances behind my rule are different, and far too complicated for a filly like you to understand, but it had nothing to do with them.”

“Did it have anything to do with the fact you don’t have a cutie mark?”

Another shake of his head, “No, that’s something else entirely. Though I fear I’ll never be able to experience the joy of my own talent being discovered, I've grown to accept that.”

“Now don’t say that!” She exclaimed, chair rocking as she leaned against him, “I know it’s hard to wait for one, and I can't even imagine having to wait until you’re an adult to get one, but maybe when you’re feeling a little less evil my friends and I can help you find your special talent!”

“A noble but pointless mission. I applaud the thought.”

“Hey, my friends and I are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, it’s our sworn duty to help other ponies find their special talent,” She claimed proudly, “We’ll help you find out what yours is, and who knows, maybe it’ll be something super important! Maybe you’ve got something really good inside of you, just waiting to come out!”

“Or perhaps I was destined to be nothing more than a monster.”

“Now obviously that isn’t true. You would’ve had a cutie mark in tyranny or something, don’t you think?”

Sombra couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped him at the filly’s words. He had no idea how old she could’ve been through her voice alone, but with such hopeful optimism, she must’ve been quite young. Or perhaps she was just like that, it was nice to know some ponies still had that shred of hope so many seemed to lack. Equestria had certainly seemed much calmer than it had been so long ago, though he’d never stepped hoof out of the Crystal Empire until recently, so maybe they’d always been like this.

Doubtful, but a pleasant thought, not that he’d say anything about it out loud. Finishing off his juice, he pushed the cup away to cross his hooves over the table, laying his head over the top of them.

“You talk too much,” He said simply.

Despite Starlight's earlier promises, Sombra once again had to wait for her to do some sort of menial task before he could be freed. She'd left him in his room while she was busy, and he spent almost every moment with his head placed upon his bed, ears pinned back and occasionally stamping the ground in frustration.

Their brief trip earlier had done little to sate his boredom. If anything, it had made him even more anxious to move, to run, to do anything other than sit in this room, void of any stimulation other than his own thoughts. It was maddening.

He wasn’t even sure what he’d do the moment he was freed. A part of him was still tempted to try and run away, or fight the princess and her friends again, to beat them once and for all. Yet constant reminders of his defeats, and the looming threat of the Princess of Friendship’s power, had been keeping him compliant.

Hearing the door open, he jumped over the bed and practically bounded across the room, yelling, “You’d better not have any excuses this time!”

“She doesn’t, but I can certainly make one if you use that tone of voice toward her again.”

Sombra skidded to a stop, baring his fangs as he nearly barreled straight into Twilight. She certainly sounded agitated, but her frustration couldn’t possibly measure up to his own.

“I can’t even imagine why you’d come in here,” He growled.

“Your mask is enchanted with a very strong lock to keep it on,” Starlight explained, confirming that she was at least nearby, and he relaxed at her voice. “Twilight is the only pony here that knows how to undo that seal, but once she’s done with that, it’ll just be you and me.”

She gently set the rope around Sombra’s neck, confusing him greatly.

Twilight explained the details this time. “Starlight wanted to take you to my library to do this, just to have more space, but there’s no way I’m letting a ticking time bomb of a Unicorn like you run wild through there. So you’ll be going outside, just so you can let loose a bit.”

“I assure you, I have more respect for your modern library than I do for you,” He claimed.

“I know that was supposed to be an insult, but I’ll consider it a step in the right direction,” Twilight said, stepping up to the stallion and setting a hoof on his shoulder. He stiffened at the touch, barely restraining an urge to run or attack as her magic burned his face. A quiet click, and she stepped back, “Alright, that’s done. Don’t do anything reckless while you’re out, I’ve got my friends here with me, so if you decide to do so much as lift a hoof wrong in Starlight’s direction, it’s back to the dungeon.”

She walked away, and the moment her hoofsteps faded, Sombra’s own hooves went to his face as he tried to pull the mask off. It was still held tight, and it was only when Starlight pulled his arms away and began to walk that he stopped, reluctantly following her with a desperate whine.

“It’s still locked,” She said, leading him away slowly. Too slow for his liking. He tried to sprint ahead of her, but she got in his way, stepping in front of him as an obstacle to keep him from his freedom, “Please, just trust me for one more moment, okay?”

He reluctantly nodded, following after her closely. His whines quickened once they’d made it outside, the soft grass underhoof worsening his desperation for freedom. It was only once she gave him the order to sit that he went back to the mask, pawing at it in growing frustration, but Starlight grabbed his arms again.

“Promise me you won’t try to hurt me, or run away,” She demanded.

Sombra nodded, head lowered to her, that desperation in his voice obvious as he said, “I won’t, I promise.”

He wasn’t even sure if he was being honest, or lying to get her to finally free him from his dark prison. All he knew was he wanted out.

The tickle of magic upon his face, and he stiffened in a moment of anxiety. After what felt like an eternity of silence, a loud click sounded, then a dull thump as the mask slipped from his face to the soft ground below. A blur of pink and green in his vision, and he blinked, trying to readjust his eyes after so long in darkness.

Shaking his head with a few more blinks, he looked around. He was surrounded by a field of grass, soft and green, the occasional splash of color from a flower among the greenery. Twilight’s crystalline castle was within close proximity as well, various shades of purple, blue, and orange reflecting in the setting sun. Twisting his body to look toward that sun, he was momentarily blinded, letting out a surprised yelp as he leaned back and fell into the soft grass, rubbing his eyes before reopening them to gaze into the sky. A few faint stars twinkled above, sprinkled among a swirl of purples, pinks, and oranges, dark clouds edged with pink lazily floating above.

The sunset. A view he hadn’t seen in so long.

Grinning, he continued to stare at everything around him. The distant houses, plain and various shades of brown, a few more colorful buildings scattered among them. The large building beside the castle, various shades of purple, accented by the orange glow of sunset. The surrounding pond, deep blue with sparkles of orange reflecting from the dwindling light source. Trees and bushes, bright and green, hints of red and yellow at their tips to signal the oncoming change of season. Everything seemed so vibrant.

And of course, that blur of pink, now revealed to be a pony. Not just any pony, but Starlight, the mare that had been caring for him all these weeks. Rolling onto his belly, he looked up at her, his heart skipping a beat at finally seeing the pony who’d gone through the trouble to get him to where he was now. Her coat, pink, or perhaps even a light shade of purple, was a few shades too familiar. Her purple mane, streaked with blue, was well kept, if not a bit tangled, perhaps from the busy day. The rope she’d been using to lead him was around her neck, a faint magical sparkle intertwined with it, ensuring he wouldn’t try to run away. Her eyes were hidden, as she avoided looking at him, and he felt he knew why.

“I recognize you,” He said softly, head tilting to the side, “From when I took over. You fought me nearly to a standstill. Nopony else has ever managed to do that, except the Princesses.”

She didn’t respond, and with his freed horn, his enhanced senses could detect the fear emanating from her, afraid he was going to hurt her. He wouldn’t though, as much as it felt like something he should’ve done, but for the first time since his rise to power, Sombra didn’t feel the need to hurt. Standing, he slowly took a few steps forward, sitting in front of her.

“I know what you’re afraid of, Starlight,” He began, hoof slowly rising, “Your fears are so unlike anypony else’s, they’re memorable. I’ve seen many fears during my time as king, and many more before then. Most ponies are afraid of trivial little things, such as spiders, snakes, or even failure. Many more are afraid of losing something, whether it be something they worked hard to achieve, or their loved ones. And though I sensed a hint of that within you, your biggest fear was something else entirely.”

His hoof was now rested below her chin, and upon the contact, Starlight had stiffened. She was afraid of him and what he knew, and for some reason, that made Sombra feel something he didn’t like within himself. A part of him felt like he should stop, and drop the topic then and there, but Starlight had done much the same to him only a few days prior.

“You’re afraid of hurting others,” He observed, turning her to face him. She continued to try and look away, but a quick glance toward his face and she gasped, blue eyes locking upon his own. Sombra felt her fear fade slightly, replaced with an emotion he couldn’t quite place, “Why is that?”

Her deafening silence continued, nothing more than an unreadable stare between the two of them. He continued to gaze upon her features as she stared into his, and though her expression showed her to be filled with fear and that unreadable emotion, he wondered if she could see the curiosity in his own. She’d been hardly more than an unruly obstacle the first time he’d encountered her, and one of the few ponies he was prepared to fight with, but now?

Now she was something else. Someone that Sombra didn’t want to hurt.

He was incredibly conflicted about that feeling.

Removing his hoof from her chin, he looked to the remaining bits of the sunset as he said, “I suppose it’ll stay a mystery."

At that, Starlight finally regained herself, shaking her head as she looked away in embarrassment and said, "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to keep secrets, just got a little distracted is all."

Sombra laughed. Not cruelly or bitterly, but genuinely. It was such a strange sound to hear, pleasant even, and for a moment, Starlight forgot she was sitting right beside the pony that had brought the Crystal Empire to its knees.

"Typically, ponies don't enjoy getting caught in my gaze, so it's certainly interesting when it's due to anything else," He said, a small smile upon his face. Fidgeting a bit where he sat, he turned back to Starlight and asked, “Could we perhaps walk around? I’m still terribly antsy.”

Starlight nodded, relieved to have another distraction. Rising to her hooves, Sombra following, she began to walk around at a steady pace, not too sure which direction she should head in. The castle yard was hardly more than a simple little field, directionless and plain, but she led him where she could. Walking seemed to not be enough for Sombra, and before long his pace quickened, and he was in front of her. Starlight wasn’t about to allow this, so she too quickened her pace, her steady walk slowly becoming a canter, and before she knew it, she was full speed galloping across the field.

It had been so long since she ran this fast, and it was much more enjoyable than she remembered. The wind in her mane, the grass under her hooves, the rush of her blood. There was no destination in mind, just endless circles around the castle, running as fast as she could, trying to keep up with Sombra. He’d once again made his way ahead of her, but she’d already given up on catching up again. He was much faster, and even after weeks of imprisonment, much more fit. Where she was already breathing hard and sweating, there didn’t seem to be any sign of exhaustion in Sombra. Just an exhilarated grin on his face, and a pair of focused eyes.

Eyes that Starlight couldn’t stop glancing at.

They looked so different than she’d remembered. More gentle, almost. Maybe it was because they didn’t have that sickly glow, or the trails of shadow that seeped from them. That would certainly be a major difference, yet there still seemed to be something else about him entirely.

Stumbling, her thoughts were shattered as the rope keeping them together snapped, and she let out a shout as she fell. Worried that Sombra was going to keep running, magic sparked at her horn, but to her surprise, he skidded to a stop. Turning, he walked up to her curiously, breathing a bit heavy, but otherwise in much better shape than her.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“Yeah, I’m good,” She panted, head resting among the cool grass, “I just haven’t run that fast in a long time.”

Sombra plopped down beside her, rolling onto his back to stare at the stars with a smile, “It’s surprisingly thrilling, isn’t it?”

“Maybe for you, but I could really go for a drink of water now.”

“Well, there’s always the pond,” He suggested, tilting his head a bit to look at the dimly sparkling water. Something stirred within him as he did, a faint feeling of uneasiness.

“Gross, that’s probably dirty,” Starlight said with a face of disgust, “I’d be better off getting something from inside.”

“Does that mean we have to go in now?” Sombra asked. He sounded disappointed, and upon turning back to him, Starlight noticed the faintest of pouts upon his face. She couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped her at the look.

“We should be fine for a few more minutes,” She said, looking to the sky for a brief moment, “It’s not like I’ll be dying of dehydration or anything. Besides, it’s nice tonight.”

He nodded in agreement, looking back to the sky as well. Unlike Starlight, he could keep his gaze focused on the twinkling stars, and could easily resist making fleeting glances to the pony beside him. Or so she thought, because it didn’t take long for him to notice her staring.

“Do you still distrust me?” He asked, “I wouldn't blame you.”

"No, it's not that," She assured, getting a look of doubt in return, "Well, not entirely. Something about you just seems a bit different is all."

"I assume you grew overly accustomed to the mask?" He asked. Starlight shook her head. "The lack of regalia? I tried very hard not to be seen bare, lest somepony grow cocky enough to attack me, and in our first encounter I had been very much prepared for that."

She shook her head again, and Sombra frowned.

"I can't even begin to imagine what could've changed," He said.

"I don't know what it is," She said, rolling onto her back to look into the stars again, "But something about you seems, well, nicer I guess?"

"Now I very much doubt that."

She shrugged, “Well, you do look much softer without all that armor, or that pointy crown. You might not agree, but you’ve got a pretty thick coat, and it makes you look pretty fluffy. And your eyes are certainly more pleasing to look at.”

“I continue to doubt you,” He snorted, “Even without my magic, very few ponies ever thought ‘blood red’ was an attractive eye color. They’re wrong, of course.”

“Red?”

His snort turned to a huff of indignance, “Of course they’re red. What other color could they possibly look like?”

“Well, I’m not colorblind as far as I’m aware,” Starlight said, sitting up to look at the agitated stallion quizzically, “And though I don’t know about you, it certainly looks like your eyes are green to me.”

Chapter 10: Pools of Pain

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Green.

His eyes were green.

Even in the waning moonlight, he could tell how wrong it looked within his wavering reflection in the pond. He was frozen in place, his only movement being the trembling of his body as he stared down, eyes wide enough to know that he wasn’t just seeing things. Still, maybe it was a trick of the light? Surely his eyes were still the piercing red he’d grown accustomed too?

Surely his eyes were still his, right?

“Sombra?”

The wind blew, and the water rippled, Sombra’s stomach lurching right along with it. He shut his eyes, a much more noticeable shudder going through him as he held back the urge to vomit. The feeling refused to go away, and with a quiet whine, he peeked open an eye to see the same green eye staring back up at him.

“Sombra!”

Starlight’s voice got hardly more than a twitch of an ear in response, and before she knew it, he bolted. Away from the water, away from the reflection that was not his own. He ran to the castle, Starlight following along behind in the hopes of stopping whatever he was about to do, but she couldn’t catch up. He zipped around corners faster than she could follow, and it didn’t take long for him to lose her, though he hadn’t gone far.

Barging into the one washroom he knew the location of, the memory of the rippling water replayed in his mind, he stumbled with a retch. Nothing came of it other than a worsening feeling of dizziness, and with a strangled groan he staggered to the sink, leaning against it to try and reorient himself.

Where had this sickness even come from? He’d been fine all day, and he hadn’t eaten in hours. For a moment, he wondered if that apple juice he’d drank earlier had caused this, but he doubted it. Apples had never affected him so horribly before, and Sweetie Belle had drank some, so it couldn’t have been poisoned. But he couldn’t think of anything else that could’ve done this, not even the strangely horrifying prospect of his eyes’ sudden hue shift.

Setting his hooves on the sink, he shakily lifted himself a bit higher to gaze into the mirror above it. Sure enough, his eyes were still that sickeningly bright shade of green, and he had to turn away. His eyes hadn’t been green since he was a foal. Before he’d learned his talent of fear and nightmares, and before he’d touched upon dark magic, so why would they change now?

Was it something the Princesses had done? Had they somehow drained the dark magic from him? Had that mask just been a punishment, and they’d completely drained him?

No, they couldn’t have done that. Draining a pony of their magic was reportedly a near fatal punishment, and even with as much as Celestia hated him, she wasn’t big on outright killing. Plus he’d had the headaches to prove there was still some massive energy flowing through him.

Massive energy that he still hadn’t released. Maybe that was why he was so sick?

A knock on the door. He ignored it.

Pulling himself back up to look in the mirror, he gazed back into his reflection. This time he managed to stay focused, overly aware of just how much the unnerved face in front of him didn’t look or feel like his own. Shutting his eyes to rid himself of the view for the umpteenth time, his horn began to bubble with magic.

Another knock, and Starlight’s familiar voice, “Sombra, is that you in there?”

She went unanswered, and with an explosion of magic, both the washroom door and Sombra’s eyes shot open. Purple mist erupted from green sclera as a pulse of darkness shot throughout the room. The others had probably felt the surge, but he couldn’t be bothered to care, because within his reflection were the brilliant scarlet eyes he’d grown accustomed to.

A quiet laugh escaped him as he saw them, slowly growing into a full blown cackle that seemed to echo around the room.

“You see Starlight, red as the blood that flows through a pony’s veins!” He cried out, turning to the opened door, “Not a trace of green to be-”

He cut himself off as he saw the doorway. There was no one there. In fact, outside the washroom was nothing but a dark hallway. Had it been that dark when he’d run through it? He’d been sick and confused and had just wanted to find out what was wrong, but he didn’t remember it being so dark.

And where was Starlight? She’d just spoken to him a moment before, and it had to have been her that had barged in, right?

Taking a few steps forward, he quietly called to her, “Starlight?”

No response. Just a cold wind, and the sound of dripping water. Something about that made him nervous, but he blamed that on a cracked window and a leaking sink. Or at least he did, until his own maniacal cackling filled the room again.

Except, he hadn’t opened his mouth. He wasn’t even grinning. But as his laughter continued, he came to a horrible realization. Slowly turning to the mirror, his red eyed reflection stared right back, a mad smile on his face as he laughed at his own idiocy.

He’d just let loose a powerful pulse of magic while facing a mirror.

He’d just used his fear gaze on himself.

He’d never done that before. He didn’t know he could. Worst yet, this meant he didn’t know how to escape it.

So he stood frozen, staring at his laughing reflection, anxious for something to happen. He wasn’t quite scared, but he certainly wasn’t comfortable with what was happening, and It felt like far too long before the laughing began to quiet.

“Now isn’t this a predicament?” He, or maybe even it, asked, “And, rather ironically, quite the wake up call too.”

“A wake up call?” A feeling of dread began to well up inside him as he faced his reflection dead on, “For what? There’s nothing that you would know that I wouldn’t.”

“Have you really forgotten? What you used to have? Who you used to be?” It asked, the reflection’s voice raising with each word, “Have you forgotten what they did to you? What she did to you?”

“She? Are you referring to Starlight? Hope?” He demanded, that sickening feeling from earlier beginning to return. He wasn’t about to let this vision get the best of him, and the only way he thought to fight it was challenging his other self, “They’ve never done anything to harm me! How dare you even imply they’ve-urk!”

He stepped back as he suddenly choked, eyes wide and nostrils flaring as something began to well up within him, and he began to heave. He tried to hold back the urge to vomit, but couldn’t, and it wasn't long until he finally gave into his body’s demands. Whatever he threw up, it was cold, wet, and salty, his body shuddering with every gag as he purged the disgusting poison from his body.

“You have forgotten, haven’t you?” His reflection asked, voice echoing around him, “Pity, I suppose we’ll just have to relive things, won’t we?”

Sombra staggered back with a few wet coughs, disoriented. His legs shook as he stumbled, trying not to fall into the mess below, that cold fluid dribbling down his chin. Turning back to the mirror, his vision fuzzy, he tried to relocate his reflection. He didn’t trust it, and he didn’t want it out of his sight. Once his eyes focused upon it, for a moment it seemed as though another pony was in the mirror, one that was small and terrified, but with a few more blinks his grinning reflection reappeared.

Tilting his head in confusion, he stepped forward and right into whatever he’d hacked up. Jolting back in disgust, he lifted his hoof and shook it, losing his focus on his reflection as he finally looked down to see the mess he’d made.

Water. He’d thrown up water. And with the rising feeling of cold within him, it felt like he wasn’t finished. Swinging his head back up to look into the mirror, his eyes were wide with panic as he turned back to his reflection. The twisted grinning Sombra was gone, replaced with a much more frightened version of himself.

He shot back, slamming into something, or someone, he couldn’t see. They didn’t show up in the mirror, and he wanted to look back, but was frozen in place, trapped in the clutches of his nightmare. A quiet noise behind him began to reverberate around the room, something between a laugh or sob, and a voice he didn’t recognize.

“You’re not supposed to struggle yet, remember?”

The floor gave out beneath him, and with a panicked cry, he was engulfed into an icy darkness. Cold, salty water rushed into his mouth and nose, sending an uncomfortably realistic sensation of both freezing and burning down his throat. He kicked his legs in an attempt to swim to the surface, but no matter how hard he tried, he just seemed to be sinking deeper.

Yet he wouldn’t stop, every ounce of him was telling him to fight, to try to survive. Any sense of reality was lost upon him as he did, thrashing and kicking as the weight of the water dragged him down, the already dim light from above fading even further. He could’ve sworn he saw a shadow move within that light, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared, and with a sudden tug, he was pulled into complete darkness.

An element that normally comforted him, he was once again struck with an intense feeling of terror as whispers began to surround him. Opening his mouth in a failed cry for help, he continued to thrash, kicking and screaming as the frigid water continued to fill his lungs, flickers of light edging his vision.

He didn’t know who was talking. He didn’t know what was happening. He didn’t know why. All he knew was that he had to survive, he had to keep trying to swim to the surface, no matter how far out of sight it was.

He didn’t want to die, but for some reason he remembered that someone else wanted him to.

“You poor, poor little Black Heart.”

That voice struck something in him, and with a gargled scream of fear and fury, he twisted within the water toward where they had come from. In the darkness he couldn’t tell if he was sinking or swimming, but he continued to fight, finally managing to propel himself in the direction he thought was upward. Slamming into the ice, a horrible pain surged throughout his body, along with a muffled scream that didn’t seem to be his own.

He hit the ground, barely catching himself as pain throbbed throughout his head, gasping as air began to fill his lungs again. Something wet was running down his face, freezing him in place, terrified of seeing the darkness, and falling back into the frigid waters.

“Sombra!”

Starlight’s voice forced his eyes to shoot open, greeted to a mess of mirror shards upon the floor before him. His own frightened face was reflected throughout them, green tinged eyes wide and trembling, blood trickling down his face and dripping over the reflections below.

Letting out a few more gasps, he didn’t move from where he was as he whispered, “Starlight?”

She was by him in an instant, sweeping the shards of glass away with her tail as she quickly, but gently, lifted his face to look at her. The growing pain he felt confirmed the fact she was likely real, and with a desperate whine he grabbed onto her arm to confirm it. She seemed to jump slightly at the contact, but stayed where she was, a look of worry upon her face.

“It’s okay, it was just a nightmare,” She assured, slowly lowering her hoof to his shoulder, “It’s over now.”

It had been a nightmare, hadn’t it? He knew that, of course, but it had felt so real and familiar. Were they always like this? Was this what others saw when he used his gaze on them?

A shuffle of hooves outside, and an uncomfortably familiar voice, “Is everything alright? I felt a surge of magic, and-”

Twilight stopped suddenly in the doorway, her friends bumping into her as she froze in shock at the mess in the washroom. Shards of glass everywhere, some smeared with blood, a panicked Starlight in the middle of the room with Sombra. He had his back to them, mane flaring and body beginning to shudder once more.

“What did you do to me?” He asked, wavering voice hardly above a whisper.

Twilight stepped forward confused. “What?”

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?" Sombra swung away from Starlight with an enraged scream, turning to face Twilight and her friends as he demanded, “You cursed me! You did something! WHAT WAS IT?”

Twilight took that same step back, that fear she’d felt from the stallion so long ago welling up within her again. In previous battles with him, she’d only ever seen him irritated at his worst, but never downright furious. The shadows that danced in his eyes were flaring dangerously, his horn sparking with an excess of dark magic as he bared his fangs. Blood was trailing down his face, the occasional glint of embedded glass sparkling in the eerie light, only adding to the terror she felt.

“I-I didn’t do anything, I promise!”

“LIAR!” He shouted, blasting the floor in front of her. Both Rainbow Dash and Applejack tried to jump forward, but Twilight held out her wings to keep them back, “You princesses are all alike, cursing any creature that dares to defy you to an existence of pain and suffering! You’ve already killed me once, what’s stopping you from trying again?”

Twilight bit her lip nervously, trying to think of the best way to calm Sombra. She knew reasoning with him was out of the question, no reassurance was going to convince him he was safe when her previous actions proved otherwise. Her friends probably weren’t helping the situation either, but she felt much safer when they were with her.

“Like I said before, I never expected our magic to do what it did,” She said, glancing at Starlight for the briefest moment. She was looking away and shivering, perhaps on the verge of her own breakdown, “And I have no intention of hurting you like that again.”

“And why should I believe that?” He asked, voice cracking as he seemed to stumble without moving, “You didn’t show a shred of mercy to me in the dungeon, what’s changed now?”

“What’s changed is that I’ve learned better. That even with every terrible thing you’ve done, you’re still a pony. One that’s been hurt and scared by another’s actions, and it’s my duty as the Princess of Friendship, and future Princess of Equestria, to rectify that.”

“Really?” Sombra let out a strangled laugh, shadows trailing from his mouth as it morphed into a choked cough, “Because with everything that’s happened, I’ve begun to believe that I’m hardly a pony at all.”

Another cough, and he staggered back with eyes wide as the shadows continued to ooze from his mouth. Starlight bolted over to him as he let out a choked cry of panic, one of his legs giving out beneath him as he fell to the floor.

“What in the-” He shouted, his glare toward Twilight turning to one of panic as he tried and failed to stand, “What are you doing?”

“Sombra, it’s okay,” Starlight said, rubbing his back gently as he began to struggle. Something about him felt wrong now, and the shadows began to ooze from his nose as well. She looked to Twilight briefly in a panic, trying to keep Sombra in place as he twisted and cried out in what seemed to be pain. “Sombra, calm down, please. I can’t help you if you don’t calm down.”

“Why won’t you leave me alone?”

He continued to struggle, his voice seeming to warp slightly as he screamed again. Starlight was so desperately trying to keep him in place, arms wrapped around him as she looked to Twilight pleadingly in a silent bid for help. Twilight however, was frozen in place, eyes locked onto Sombra, and the shadows bleeding from his body.

“I don’t think he can control his form yet,” She realized, a new uneasiness growing within her, “He’s still unstable.”

It was just like the Princesses had said. They'd found him in a similar state, struggling to keep his physical form, right after she and her friends had defeated him. She'd thought it was because of what they did, and maybe it was, but it also seemed his physical state relied on his emotions.

And right now, he was terrified.

Ushering her friends away from the door, she looked to Starlight and said, “He’s doing this because of us, Starlight. I can’t help you. Do whatever you can to calm him down, I’ll grab the mask just in case.”

Twilight ducked away from the door, Sombra letting out another wail as his horn bubbled with magic, desperately trying to keep himself together. Most of his body was still physical, even as the shadows rolled off him, and Starlight wrapped her arms even tighter around him.

“It’s fine, they’re gone,” She reassured, holding back tears. Her heart was racing, terrified at seeing Sombra so scared and in pain, “Please Sombra, calm down. It’s okay.”

She spoke to him like a mother calming her child, but even if he had been more lucid, he might not have cared. Everything hurt so much suddenly, and Starlight was his only source of solace. Shoving his face into her neck, he shuddered with a sob. She let out a quiet noise at the contact, flinching back only slightly as the glass within his face jabbed into her.

“It’s okay,” She assured, voice wavering as she ran her hoof down his back. His gasping sobs were already beginning to fade into quiet hiccups as he nuzzled into her deeper, desperate to cling to his physical form, and the comfort she brought him, “They won’t hurt you. As long as I’m around, they won’t hurt you.”

She whispered this reassurance over and over, stroking his back as the shadows retracted back into his body, and his shuddering faded to a barely noticeable tremble. Even then, she didn’t stop, glancing to the doorway to see Twilight peeking in, the mask in her magic. A quick nod and motion from Starlight, and she popped out of view again.

“You’re not at all well, are you?” She asked, brushing some mane out of Sombra’s face as he continued to cling to her for comfort. He didn’t respond to her question, and she didn’t pester him for an answer. She already knew.

Twilight was right. Sombra was unstable, physically and emotionally. Whether it was because of his near death experience, or years of holding things in, she didn't know. But whatever it was, it seemed to all be unleashing itself all at once, and she was going to try her best to help him deal with it.

Even if it exhausted her.

Shifting herself slightly, she tried to lift his head as she asked, “Feeling any better?”

“‘M feelin’ somethin…” He muttered, voice muffled from within her coat, “Tired an’ pitiful, mostly.”

“That’s perfectly fine.” She patted his back, a little more firmly this time, “You just had a rather… Strange experience. I’m not sure how to describe it.”

“I let my emotions get the best of me.”

“That’s not entirely a bad thing, though whatever happened was a bit of an unnerving experience for everypony involved,” She said, grip on Sombra loosening as he finally lifted his head. He grimaced in pain, lifting a hoof to rub at his face, but Starlight stopped him, getting an agitated look in response, “Your face is full of mirror shards. We should probably clean it.”

Taking notice of the blood on Starlight’s neck, a mix of his and her own, Sombra nodded slowly. Checking the ground below him for more shards, he sat up, watching Starlight as she went into the closet. Upon exiting, she was holding a box and a broom in her magic. She brushed the scattered mirror shards to their own side of the room, smearing some blood across the floor as she did.

Making her way back to Sombra, he lowered his head and muttered, “Sorry about the mess.”

“I can clean it up later, it’s okay,” She said, setting the box out in front of him before explaining, “This is a first aid kit, and it should have whatever we need to clean out those cuts if just water and soap isn’t enough, assuming none are so deep you need actual medical attention.”

Though she knew it would probably be a good idea to take him in soon enough anyway. Even without all of his panic induced injuries, he was still about a thousand years late for a checkup. It would have to wait until the residents of Ponyville were more comfortable with his presence, of course.

Sitting down, she lowered Sombra’s head to be even with her own as she grabbed some tweezers in her magic and began to pick out the glass. He was surprisingly docile with her as she worked, only flinching back on occasion. Even when she began washing the blood from his face, he stayed as he was, eyes closed as he waited for her to finish. It didn’t take long, though a few of his cuts continued to bleed a bit, but it was enough to assure her he’d be fine.

“Okay, I’m done,” She said. Sombra opened his eyes and sat upright, shaking his head a bit and looking to Starlight as she cleaned out her own cuts, then began to put everything away.

“Why do you continue to help me?” He asked, rubbing his face, “What do you gain from it?”

Starlight paused for a moment, setting the kit back in the closet before looking at him. There was a hint of something about her that Sombra couldn’t quite identify, but it almost seemed like sadness.

“You just looked like somepony who needed help,” She said, “Is there anything wrong with that?”

A part of him wanted to say yes, it was wrong. Trying to help a monster like him. A creature destined to cause pain and fear wherever he went. But all he could muster was a whisper, “I still don’t understand…”

He turned his head away, as if in shame. Starlight scooted closer, into his line of sight.

“What’s there to understand?” She asked, glancing into his eyes. They’d gone back to their piercing red after his magical surge, though she thought she still saw a hint of green at the edges, “You’re a pony, and you’re hurting. Even with everything you’ve done, do you really think it’s right to leave you to rot in a dungeon without another chance?”

A quiet yet bitter laugh. It was the same thing Twilight had just told him, but out of Starlight’s mouth, it somehow sounded more sincere.

“Depends on who you ask,” He said, “I’ve had plenty of chances to change in the past, and I never took them. What makes now any different?”

“Did anypony make an effort to help you?” Starlight asked. Sombra looked away again, avoiding the question. Starlight once again inched closer, asking, “What do you gain from this?”

Sombra seemed to stiffen, looking at her unsurely as he asked, “What do you mean?”

“You haven’t used your gaze on me yet, have you? Do you gain something from keeping me like I am? Surely, it would be easier for you if you turned me into one of your slaves, right?”

He continued to stare at her silently, shocked and confused. Blood red eyes, capable of bringing even the strongest of creatures to their knees, harshly gazing into her own. Yet despite everything, Starlight wasn’t scared. For there wasn’t the slightest bit of malice within them.

“Maybe I have gained something,” He said after a moment, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips, “I’m just not sure what it is quite yet.”

“I’m glad to hear,” Starlight smiled back, rising to her hooves. Sombra followed, stretching each limb out before shaking himself again, “But it’s quite late, and I have some cleaning to do now. Would you like to get some dinner first? I’m sure Twilight and her friends made something to share.”

As nice as food sounded, Sombra shook his head, “No. I’m tired. I just want to sleep.”

“Are you sure?”

She seemed worried, probably concerned he would suffer from another panic attack. It was strange to know that she cared, but somewhat reassuring as well.

“I want to go to bed, I want to be alone,” He said, though a big part of him wanted to stay with her, it felt safer. “I also need some time to think.”

Starlight nodded, “Alright. I’ll bring you something later if you’re still up.”

He followed her out of the room and into the hall, quiet all the way. He hardly looked at anything other than the floor as they went, thoughts occupied with his nightmare. That horribly vivid vision was still burned into his mind, and for some reason, felt uncomfortably like a forgotten memory. It didn’t make a lick of sense, but it gnawed at him from within, the uneasy feeling of coughing up the water beginning to well up within him again…

“Hey, look at me.”

“Huh?” Starlight’s hoof was upon his shoulder, and he snapped back to reality with the shake of his head as he looked down to her confused.

“I stopped hearing your hoofsteps behind me, and when I looked back you were staring off and shaking. Is everything alright?”

“It’s fine, I’m fine,” He tried to assure, looking away. Starlight stayed where she was, knowing very well that nothing was fine, and with a quiet, disgruntled growl he turned back to her and said, “I lied. It’s not fine. Something is wrong.”

Why had he just admitted that? He didn’t know, but Starlight’s hoof began to make its way over his coat in a soothing motion, and he was sure she could feel him relax under it. They stayed that way for a while, out in the open in the middle of a well lit hallway, Sombra on the verge of an anxiety attack.

“I used my gaze on myself,” He blurted out suddenly.

“I know,” Starlight said, lowering her hoof, “I saw it myself, it was very worrying. What did you see?”

For some reason, he was hoping she’d ask that, even if the memory of a dream sent a wave of panic through him.

“I dreamt I was drowning, but,” He let out a hitched breath, looking to Starlight uneasily, “I haven’t been afraid of the water since I was a foal.”

Grogar’s cave may not have been particularly welcoming, dank and leaky were not exactly the most ideal of living conditions, but it certainly beat out rotting in Tartarus for another thousand years. At least there was a bit more freedom, with plenty of space to walk around, exercise, and even a bit to read, even if the books were old and outdated. The food was certainly much more appetizing than expected, though after a millennia in an enchanted prison that almost nobody ever checked on you in, it wasn’t a difficult competition.

“Is that even edible?”

Though, there was still one tiny little nuisance that seemed to stick around. Cozy Glow was poking at a dead fish on a plate, tongue sticking out. Tirek grinned at her disgust, plucking the fish up to bite into it as he stared her straight in the eyes.

“It is if you’re opportunistic,” He said, licking his lips as she gagged, “Or an omnivore. Spending all that time in a prison run by ponies really made me miss meals such as these.”

“It’s disgusting.”

“Oh please, you'd eat this if you were desperate enough.”

“I’d rather eat all the thistle in the yard,” Cozy claimed, barely suppressing another gag as she heard him crunch the bones.

“I’m sure there’s plenty of that to go around.”

He continued with his meal, leaving the filly to choose between sticking around or wandering off. He was hoping she’d choose the latter, but as long as he was the only one present to pester, he didn’t get his hopes up. Grogar wasn’t within the main room currently, which meant he’d likely wandered off outside. Chrysalis had been anti-social as well, and Tirek had caught her sneaking out in the dead of night, but hadn’t bothered to ask what she’d been up to, though he had his suspicions. Grogar would catch her in the act eventually.

Finishing with his dinner, he noticed Cozy actually had wandered off, and against his better judgement, he looked around for her. She hadn’t wandered far, just up to the table, leaning over Grogar’s crystal ball and tapping it.

Scrambling up to her, Tirek yanked her over to face him as he demanded, “What in the world are you doing?”

“I just wanted to see how it worked!”

“Probably through some indescribably horrific dark magic! What were you planning on saying if Grogar caught you?”

"I'm sure I'd think of something," Cozy shrugged from within his grip, "Why stop me though? Is it because you secretly care about your friends?"

That sickening sweet smile of hers was plastered over her face, and with a roll of his eyes, Tirek dropped her. She fluttered to catch herself, hopping back onto the table to mess with Grogar's orb again.

"Don't you just wonder what this thing could do?" She asked, "It could show us anything or anypony we could think of? Doesn't that interest you? Isn't there somepony or creature you'd like to spy on?"

Tirek twitched an ear and cocked his head in thought, but said nothing. Cozy continued to look the orb over, poking and rubbing it as she tried to search for something to get it to work, but to no avail. It continued to stay blank as ever, its eternally watchful eye staring from all angles.

“Is there anybody you have in mind?” He asked, “You’re a filly, surely you have a family out there?”

“Not one that matters,” She claimed, without so much as a hint of care, “What about you? We learned all about you and your brother, do you have anyone else out there?”

A brief moment of irritation, and Tirek leaned over to poke at the orb as well, using Cozy’s words against her as he said, “Not any that matter.”

She frowned, and he smirked, mostly to hide a look of annoyance. He already knew she was aware of his and his brother’s past, or at least Equestria’s version of the story. She’d mentioned learning about them in the School of Friendship, which was a bit of a surprise for him, considering Celestia’s horrible habit of hiding the past. He might’ve despised all the princesses, Twilight most of all, but at least she had the sense not to let history go to waste.

Though even after all this time, talk of his brother was still a sore spot, and just the mention of him had soured his already bitter mood. He wouldn’t deny he didn’t think about him on occasion, wondering what he was up to all this time later, but there was always a twinge of bitterness at the thought. There was a good possibility he was now the king of their land, if he was even still alive. As long lived as gargoyles and centaurs were, he’d certainly have aged without magic to sustain him, and a thousand years was plenty of time for tragedy to strike.

The thought that Scorpan’s betrayal may very well have been the final interaction between them was an odd, almost unnerving one.

“Hey, how’d you do that?” Cozy asked suddenly, jolting him from his thoughts. He was about to snap back to ask what she meant, before he noticed the blurred image within Grogar’s orb, and his eyes widened.

A brown figure sat in front of a fire, face obscured and fuzzy, speaking quiet and muffled words. Neither Cozy or Tirek could make out what was being said, and in an effort to clear the image, Tirek set his whole hand upon the crystal ball. It seemed to work somewhat, because they could finally understand what was being said.

“Is there anywhere you’d like to check first?” The figure asked, stretching his wings, “Equestria is quite a large country, so I’m sure there’s plenty of places to find him.”

“I don’t really know many places outside of the Frozen North, so I wouldn’t even know where to go first,” An out of view creature responded, her voice soft and friendly, “Is there anywhere you’d like to go? I think it’d be nice to travel a bit, I’ve been trapped for so long.”

“Wouldn’t you rather keep on the search for your friend?” There was a moment of silence, and a glimmer just barely within view, “Well, I suppose there is one place nearby. I knew a pony who hailed from a town that shouldn’t be too far from here, but I’ve no idea if it’s still inhabited. Have you ever heard of a place called Somnam-”

“What in the world are you two doing?”

Tirek and Cozy bolted away from the table at Grogar’s voice, swinging around to hide the fading image within the orb as they blocked it off. Feigning innocence, Cozy smiled, though Tirek was having a much harder time hiding his agitation.

“We were just polishing your crystal ball,” Cozy claimed.

“It is not a crystal ball, it is Arimaspi’s Eye,” Grogar explained, stamping a hoof as he summoned a bit of magic as a threat, “And it sees and knows everything that touches it.”

“Ugh, fine! We were just curious!”

“You were curious,” Tirek accused, “I was perfectly fine ignoring that thing.”

“Oh please, you were the one who activated it, so obviously you were a little bit curious. Just had to see what your dear little brother was up to nowadays, didn’t you?” She mocked, that false look of happiness upon her face, though her voice hardly matched, “How cute.”

Teeth bared, Tirek probably would’ve retorted with something far from friendly had Grogar not blasted the ground in front of the two. He hopped back as the magic singed his hooves, Cozy letting out a frightened squeak from beside him.

“I don’t care about your little family reunion, nor do I currently care that you were fidgeting with the Eye,” He said, magic welling up between his horns again, “I have much more important matters to attend to, and I need all three of you, now. Except it seems as though Chrysalis has wandered off yet again. Where is she?”

Tirek stepped back as he stared at the ram uneasily, Cozy taking cover behind one of his forelegs. They both had an idea of what Chrysalis had been up to, but she’d been incredibly distant and secretive, so they couldn’t know for sure.

Searching his thoughts for an excuse, Tirek was mere moments from blurting something before a shuffle from above got the ram’s attention.

“I’m right here.” Chrysalis dropped to the floor in front of Grogar, shaking her head a bit to readjust her mane as she stood tall, “Where else could I possibly be? You give us less freedom than any pony prison.”

“You can never truly know with vermin like you,” Grogar spat, walking around his underlings to his place at the table, “Sit.”

All three obeyed, various sounds of annoyance or fear escaping their lips as they huddled together at the table. Grogar glared at them for a moment, ensuring they were focused on him before speaking.

“I’m going out tonight,” He said, “On a trip to the North, in a search for something very important to our plan.”

“‘Our’ plan, huh?” Chrysalis scoffed, crossing her arms, “We haven’t done anything yet!”

“Plus you leave all the time, how is this any different?” Cozy asked.

“You will all learn of your place in time,” Grogar spat at Chrysalis, before turning to Cozy with a somewhat less agitated tone, “It’s different because this time I may be returning with something very important, as well as a new weapon that should turn the tide in our favor. Should I fail to retrieve it, you three shall make the trip in my stead.”

“Why not just send us now?” Tirek asked, “I very much doubt you see us as a last line of defense.”

“On the contrary, you all have such an immense lust for power that you would no doubt be able to accomplish what I fail,” Grogar claimed, voice taking on a much more frustrated tone, “That is, if you work together for once in your sad and sorry lives. As it stands now, I’d like to try and fetch these things myself.”

“I still don’t see why we should work together, or with you, in any way at all,” Chrysalis complained with a glare, “This has been nothing but a waste of time.”

“I seem to recall a rather conceited king claiming something similar not too long ago, and I think we all remember how that ended for him. Perhaps we should have a queen follow in his hoofsteps?”

A growing orb of magic between his horns, and he snarled, Chrysalis challenging him right back with her own spark of sickly green. They stayed like this for an uncomfortably long time, neither backing down from the other’s threats. It was uncomfortably tense, and it wasn’t long before Cozy Glow broke the silence.

“So, when exactly are you leaving?”

“Now,” Grogar spat, magic fading as he turned away, “Because if I don’t, I may very well splatter one of you against the table, and make the others clean it, but I’d rather not waste more of my magic on resurrection if I can help it. Stay here.”

He stomped his way out with the flick of his tail, his three lackeys staying put long after his hoofsteps faded. They didn’t want to say anything risky, and being within earshot of the eye made them all the more suspicious. Backing away from it slowly, the three stayed against the wall for a few moments more.

Eventually, Cozy had had enough and zipped to the cave’s exit, peeking outward to confirm, “He’s gone.”

Both Tirek and Chrysalis breathed a sigh of relief, the former turning to his partner in crime as he said, ”He’s growing suspicious you know.”

“Of course he is,” She scoffed, “He’s observant, and apparently has eyes everywhere. No matter, with any luck this will be my last venture out to Ponyville.”

Flying back over to sit on Tirek’s back, an action the centaur did not appreciate, Cozy asked, “So what exactly are you planning on doing tonight?”

“Simple,” Chrysalis grinned, a gleam in her eyes, “I’m going to finish what I started, and with any luck, it'll destroy that wretch Starlight in the process.”

Chapter 11: Into the Everfree

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Sombra’s night had been fitful, but thankfully quiet. He’d hardly slept, and had heard no noise other than the music from his record player, a soft and gentle tune that so badly wanted to lull him to sleep. It was soothing, and he was certainly exhausted, but sleep refused to come to him. Memories of the past haunted his thoughts, along with an occasional flash of icy darkness within his mind.

He still didn’t understand that nightmare. He knew how his magic worked, it seeped into a pony’s mind to bring out whatever it was they feared most, weakening their will to the point of a silent command bending them to his own. But he wasn’t afraid of the ocean, and he certainly wasn’t afraid of drowning. Granted, he’d never learned how to swim, seeing as the Crystal Empire was too cold for such a thing, but not knowing something wouldn’t make one afraid, would it?

He tried to remember what could’ve triggered such a dream, but no matter how far back he went, he couldn’t remember anything that involved a close call with water. He remembered childhood fits where he would scream and cry whenever his caretaker tried to bathe him, but nothing more than that. It was a bit odd, he’d always prided himself in being clean, but he also remembered loathing bath time, despite how gentle his caretaker always was.

She hadn’t harmed him in any way, had she? Nearly every memory with her was a bittersweet one, but never traumatic. From the first time he saw her as a half dead colt bundled in a blanket in her arms, to their final meeting, where he had hurt her with what he’d become. There was nothing there to make him afraid of water.

Trying to think further, he couldn’t remember anything before the first time he woke up in her arms, despite the fact he knew he should have. According to everypony who knew, he’d have been approximately five Winters, plenty old enough to have some earlier memories. But he didn’t, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember further than his first few weeks in the orphanage. He knew he had been sick, found beyond the Empire’s borders on death’s doorstep, suffering from pneumonia and frostbite. He knew the first time he’d woken up he’d been crying as best as he could, but breathing had been so hard and he’d been so cold, and his caretaker had lulled him back into a calm state with her soft voice, singing a lullaby that would still occasionally replay in his mind.

But none of that explained why he’d had a nightmare about drowning, did it?

All these memories did was make him even more agitated, being reminded of those simple times, before he’d gone and ruined everything. Back when the ponies he’d cared about still loved him, and back before he’d learned of everything the Crystal Ponies had done, and what he’d done to them in return.

Nestling himself further into his bed, he turned his back to the door and hid himself under his blanket. As tired as he was, allowing his mind to fester with bitter memories was not going to help him. He needed sleep, he wanted sleep, and he’d fight off these memories to get some.

It seemed to work, at least for a while. He was somewhere between awake and asleep when he heard something in his room, though he wasn’t quite sure if it was real or the beginning of a dream. Still, his ear twitched, though the rest of him was still stuck in that semi-conscious state. For a moment, it was quiet again, until something hit his record player, forcing the music to skip.

At that, he shot up with a snarl, momentarily disorienting himself in his half asleep state, before realizing who exactly had been scuttering around his room.

“Starlight?” The snarl faded, and he let his guard down to rub his eyes, “When did you get in here? I didn’t hear the door open.”

“You were asleep,” She claimed. He tilted his head and blinked, somewhat confused and doubtful, “Trust me. You were out like a light.”

He just nodded in some sort of acceptance before yawning with a stretch. She sounded irritated, but considering the time of night, that wasn’t much of a surprise. Though it brought up a question, and at the end of the yawn he asked, “So what’re you doing here anyway? I wasn’t having another episode, was I?”

He didn’t think so. Nothing had tormented him tonight, and he didn’t feel like he’d had a nightmare.

“No, but you certainly look like you had a fight with a window,” She said. He tilted his head again in confusion, before remembering what happened earlier and bringing a hoof to his sore face with a frown, though Starlight ignored that to say, “I want to show you something. Something important.”

Sombra perked a bit, “And what might that be?”

“It’s not here, it’s outside. A bit further out,” She said, tone almost excited.

“If it’s so far, can’t it wait for tomorrow?”

“When all those other ponies are walking around?” Starlight shook her head with a sudden look of disgust, “Absolutely not, it’s best to do it tonight.”

Though a bit annoyed that he couldn’t go back to sleep, Sombra shrugged, “If you say so.”

Slipping out of bed with a stretch, he followed her out of the room in a bit of a daze after the sudden awakening. He was still tired, stumbling the first few steps before his legs finally worked right. Starlight seemed almost anxious as she led him through the castle, dark halls quiet with the princess, and perhaps even her friends, still asleep in an unknown room around them.

“Could you trot a little more quietly?” She hissed.

“Could you not wake me up in one of my rare moments of sleep?” He shot back.

Starlight didn’t say anything at that, though her ears pinned against her head as her tail swished in annoyance. Sombra rolled his eyes at the motion, staying quiet as they left the castle, and down the dark streets of Ponyville. As expected, no one was around, and it was a bit strange to realize this was probably the first time he’d seen the town outside of his invasion. It had certainly been much livelier then.

They continued to walk, no light to guide them other than the occasional streetlamp on the corner, and the moon above. He hadn’t the slightest clue where they were going, and with a nervous twitch, he asked, “So what exactly is it you want to show me?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

“Could you at least tell me where you’re taking me?”

“What did I just say?”

A sigh of frustration. He really should’ve stayed in bed. Starlight too, for that matter. She was being awfully irritable, and for once he wasn’t blaming himself.

Their walk to wherever she was leading him led to the edge of Ponyville, and to his surprise, the forest nearby. Slowing his pace, his ears began to twitch around as he heard the rustle of creatures from within. Once upon the forest’s edge, he paused, nervously watching as Starlight continued her trek into the darkness.

This felt wrong. This felt unsafe. He’d been in these woods before, it was where the Princess and her friends hid their Elements, the very weapon they’d used against him, and that he’d destroyed. It had seemed unruly by day then, but to enter it at night?

Having heard his hoofsteps stop, Starlight stopped and turned, somewhat impatient as she asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Entering a forest at night seems like an incredibly risky decision.”

“Oh please, we’re both powerful Unicorns, right?” She scoffed, before motioning to the darkness, “It’s not like we couldn’t take down a couple of manticores.”

Sombra took a step back. He didn’t know how these woods worked, or what was in them, and he wasn’t about to find out in the dark. It wasn’t that he couldn’t see, his night vision was strong, but thick forests were foreign to him, and he had no clue what creatures lurked within. It didn’t seem wise to enter without research or thinking ahead, especially when he couldn’t rely on shadow travel to get him there.

“C’mon Sombra,” She said, voice softer as she turned away, “It’ll be worth it, I promise.”

She began to trek further into the woods, and with a nervous snort, Sombra rushed to her side. He no longer lagged behind her, sticking close with his ears high, swiveling at the faintest noise. Occasionally, Starlight would wander further ahead, but he’d be right back by her side the moment he noticed. Even if they were both powerful, he wasn’t about to risk either of them getting attacked by some feral woods creature.

He kept all his senses alert, from listening to the sounds of the forest, to stepping slowly to make sure the ground was firm, to turning his head at every movement in the corner of his eye. The moonlight hardly filtered through, obscuring anything to the normal pony’s eye, and giving the forest the illusion of being a monster itself. The glow of a mushroom or the gleam of a pebble like dozens of eyes staring at them. The gnarled trees surrounding them branched out above them, their branches swaying like claws in the wind, which in return almost sounded like an eerie song from within the forest’s depths.

It was a wonder how Starlight was managing to maneuver about so well.

He’d lost track of time as they wandered, so hypervigilant on looking for danger, that he hadn’t realized they’d made it to their destination. Starlight had stopped ahead, overlooking a cliff with her head tilted.

“Well, that’s new,” She said.

Sombra followed her gaze, noticing the ruins of a castle on the other side of the gorge, a faint pink glow just a bit beyond it. He wasn’t focused on it for too long, as a sudden familiarness hit him and his head turned to the location he knew a cave would be. Sure enough, it was exactly as he remembered it.

“This is where they kept the Elements.”

“Hm?” Starlight turned to him with a hum of confusion, eyes gleaming strangely in the moonlight, “Oh right. You destroyed those. Only thing you really accomplished, wasn’t it?”

“What?”

Sombra twitched nervously, but Starlight didn’t respond, crossing the bridge with her tail swaying. He ran after her, chest tightening in a rush of emotions he didn’t like. Why had Starlight taken him here? He didn’t want to be here.

“Why are we here?” He asked, voice wavering as he tried so hard to stick to her side, but she kept quickening her pace, “Please, Starlight, tell me! What’s so important that we need to be here right now?”

He tried to reach her, to grab her and get her to stop, but the moment his hoof brushed her shoulder she swung around and slapped it away.

“Will you just shut up?” She demanded, teeth bared with fangs that shouldn’t exist, “I knew you were pathetic, but this is ridiculous!”

Sombra was silent, hoof tucked against his chest after the slap. His eyes were wide with shock, and uncomfortably known to himself, fear.

“I don’t even know why anybody would waste their time helping you,” Starlight sneered, approaching him slowly, “You’re nothing more than a lowly little nightmare, and it would’ve done the world infinitely better if you’d just stayed dead.”

“I don’t understand.”

“What’s not to understand, you heard me. You’re a waste of space! A waste of time!”

“I don’t-” Sombra stepped back as Starlight stepped toward him, “This isn’t real. It can’t be. This is a dream.”

“Is it?” Starlight asked, voice hardly a whisper as she approached Sombra. He tried to take another step back, but the ground wasn’t there. He’d approached the cliff's edge. Starlight grinned, her eyes shimmering an unholy green, “Because it’s about to feel very real.”

She spit in his face, a disgustingly sticky substance hitting him in the eyes and blinding him. He reared back in a panic, a blast of magic striking him in the stomach and forcing him off balance, the ground slipping out beneath him. He flailed as he fell, too panicked to do anything as Starlight’s cruel laughter invaded his hearing, before slowly morphing into something far more sinister.

And then he hit the ground.

For a moment, he felt nothing. No pain, no awareness, nothing. Then it struck him all at once.

Pain, darkness, and a strangely metallic taste in his mouth. His thoughts were muddled as he tried to figure out what had happened, nothing more than a brief memory of Starlight within them. Remembering that she’d been with him, he tried to rise. A new and sudden agony made its way through one of his hind legs, and with a cry he collapsed right back onto the ground. Still, he tried again, but was once again rewarded with pain.

Coughing up something warm and wet, he gave in and simply laid there. He was injured, that much was obvious. He couldn’t be sure of the severity of the wounds, but from the amount of pain he felt, it was probably pretty bad. The fact the fluid oozing from his lips was now registering as blood certainly confirmed that.

It was fine though. He was still alive, and from the way it felt, his horn was still intact. All he needed to do was regenerate himself. Just enough to get up and look for Starlight, and then make it back to Ponyville.

Igniting his horn, he painfully rolled onto his side and began to do just that. Focusing on what he assumed to be the worst of his pain first, he tried to concentrate to heal whatever internal injuries he had. Coughing up blood was a good sign he’d damaged something important, so he began to send the strongest of his magic there.

It was a slow and painful process, and he gasped for breath as it felt as though his magic was crushing his lungs. Dark magic had never been made for healing, but for hurting, and it was for that reason he never considered it a proper healing technique. He had known a healer, a proper one. She’d healed him once, and though it had hurt horribly at first, it had quickly left him feeling relaxed, and the most comfortable he had ever been.

The way he did it to himself was absolutely nothing like that, and it burned the entire time.

“Ugh, I was really hoping that would end you once and for all.”

He bared his teeth as a strange buzzing sound approached, something landing nearby. He tried to rise to fight it, momentarily forgetting his wounds before collapsing back onto the ground as his injured leg burst with pain. He was tempted to get to healing that next, but a sudden pressure on his horn forced his magic to sputter out.

“Most ponies don’t fare too well after falling off a cliff, but of course you would be an exception,” The voice grumbled. It was a frighteningly familiar voice, and he growled right back, trying to reignite his horn, but the pressure once again increased, “Stop that. I’m only reluctantly allowing you to have the dignity to die with your horn attached, don’t tempt me to change it.”

“You’re gonna have to try a bit harder than that if you wanna kill me.”

He faded to shadow, relieved of the pressure on his horn but not the pain in his body. Even when incorporeal, it still surged through him, but he did what he could to hold it back as he flew away from his attacker. Whatever had been blinding him seemed to have faded away when he did, and he reformed against the cliffside with a less than graceful stumble as the forest spun in front of him, a dark blur just out of the corner of his eyes.

“I knew you weren’t an illusion,” He spat, leaning against the cliff wall to keep his weight off his injured leg. Once again, he reignited his horn, trying to heal his failing organs before the shock set in, “So has killing me just been your main priority this whole time?”

“Actually, my main priority has been hurting Starlight,” The blur claimed, beginning to walk toward him, “Getting rid of you was just an added bonus.”

“And where is Starlight?”

“Safe in that little castle of her friend’s, completely unaware of what I’m about to do to you,” The blur said, slowly morphing into a definable shape in Sombra’s eyes. He recognized her at once, and bared his fangs as she said, “I’ll be sure to send her a few pieces so she knows, if you’d like.”

She pounced, but Sombra leapt away, and he heard her cry out as she collided with the wall. He didn’t quite catch himself as he hit the ground, but he did manage to roll back into the closest to a standing position he could.

Setting his hoof on a particularly tender spot on his stomach, he coughed again, more blood oozing from his mouth as he muttered, “That can’t be good…”

Tearing herself away from the dust and rubble, Chrysalis shouted, “How are you even still standing?”

“I’m sturdy.”

“You’re stubborn!”

“That too.”

At that, he blasted the ground, a row of crystalline pillars making its way toward the Changeling. She buzzed away as it came toward her, giving him the chance to run, once again fading to shadow in a bid to escape. He wanted to fight her, to let out more of this overabundance of magic within him, and to teach her a lesson for what she’d been doing to him, but now was not the time. He was in no condition to fight. He needed to find a safe place to regenerate.

He still wouldn’t get the chance, for something flew above him, overshadowing the moonlight and ripping through his incorporeal form. It hadn’t hurt, or at least he didn’t think it did, it was hard to tell when his body was already screaming in pain, but it sent a horrible wave of disorientation through him. He rematerialized in midair, crashing back to the ground hard before he could even think about turning to shadow again. Pain muddled his thoughts, and he lay there in a daze until something shadowed him in darkness, at which he finally gazed upwards.

A manticore stood above him, a bloodthirsty grin on its muzzle. Fear began to creep up from within him again, mixing with the agony of his broken and battered body, but he wasn’t about to give in yet. Magic began to bubble at his horn as the manticore poised itself to strike, both creatures challenging the other to strike first.

It was a staredown of predator and prey, and Sombra was not going to let himself be the latter.

The manticore struck first, stinger ready to plunge into his face before a row of blue crystals shot out of the ground, a few managing to jab into the manticore’s side. It roared in pain, and Sombra took this opportunity to roll away, a barbed tail embedding itself into the dirt where he'd been laying just seconds before. Growing too tired to rise, Sombra lay there as a strange green fluid began to leak from the manticore’s side, the creature seeming to erupt in flames before being replaced by Chrysalis.

“Ah, right. That makes sense,” Sombra mumbled, confused by what seemed to be an unconscious attack on his end. Had his crystals always been that shade of blue?

Chrysalis' head shot up at his voice, her neck twisting at an unnatural angle to bare her fangs at him, a somewhat different fluid oozing from her mouth as she snarled, “Just for that, I’ll make sure you die slower.”

She positioned herself to strike, and he tried to rise to move, but failed as the pain finally became too great. His adrenaline rush was already wearing off, quickly being replaced by that numbing feeling after excruciating pain, and a growing desire to pass out. He continued to fight it, his horn and eyes aglow with dark magic, ready to fight to the death with this disgusting creature.

She pounced. Sombra shot the first spell that came to mind. Numerous crystalline tendrils shot out of the ground, wrapping around Chrysalis as she screamed in rage. Sombra laughed triumphantly, until those tendrils began to wrap around him as well, painfully yanking him upright. Unlike his opponent, he didn’t scream, but that might’ve had to do with the fact the crystal had wrapped itself rather tightly around his neck.

“You idiot!” She shouted, trying to struggle out of her imprisonment, “Now we’re both stuck!”

Sombra didn’t respond, hanging rather loosely in the crystals’ grasp as it held him upright. He was getting tired, and it was taking every last bit of energy he had to cling to awareness. His horn had been wrapped within this magical grasp too now, extinguishing both his ability to attack and regenerate. Despite this confusion and pain however, one thing was certain.

He hadn’t created these crystals.

He wasn’t prepared to learn who had.

“You would have done well to have never stepped here again,” A voice, Twilight’s voice, said, “I suppose creatures of darkness never learn.”

The crystals shifted, forcing the duo to look at her, Sombra shutting his eyes with a hiss of pain as the movement dragged his aching hind leg across the ground. Upon reopening them, he was greeted by the sight of the princess, her wings flared as her eyes bore into his. He still wasn’t quite able to stay focused on her, and it showed. She was incredibly blurry in his vision, and also seemed to, rather fitting to her name, sparkle.

He was falling into delirium, wasn’t he?

“Did you not expect me to catch you for this?” She asked, glaring daggers at the both of them. Something about her tone sounded wrong, almost emotionless despite the way she was looking at them, “You are hazards to Harmony, and have done too much to forgive, and for that you must pay.”

The crystals tightened, and Sombra let out a gargled noise of pain as it began to crush his already battered body. Chrysalis let out an enraged scream, biting at the crystals in a desperate bid for freedom. Twilight slammed her to the ground.

“You are nothing but an annoying pest,” She said blankly, turning her attention to Sombra, “As for you…”

The crystals released his body, and he fell to the ground with a gasp. The tendril around his neck remained, loosening enough for him to catch his breath, though blood still trickled from his mouth.

“You crossed the line. You tried to kill me. You very nearly succeeded. It is only fair that I return the favor.” The crystalline tendril around his neck tightened again, not unlike a noose as it lifted him slightly, “Any last words?”

The world was growing dark, and his senses were getting numb. Despite that, Sombra grinned, and let out a weak chuckle.

“You can’t kill me.”

Twilight frowned. The tendril tightened again, forcing a gargled gasp out of Sombra before shooting into the sky. The crystalline rope shone in the moonlight, snapping to a stop right at the top of the cliffside’s edge.

Nothing was in its grasp.

Twilight screamed in rage, shooting crystals in every direction.

A shadow rushed behind her, just managing to avoid them.

Sombra sped away, moving as fast as his current condition would allow. He twisted around trees and vines, swooping past and ignoring even the most vile of creatures as he escaped. Even when things went quiet, both Twilight and Chrysalis’ screaming drowned out by the silence of forest, he kept going.

He needed out, but he didn’t know the way, and he couldn’t fly above the trees to find it. He was already on the verge of passing out, pain and exhaustion fighting against him, and falling out of the sky would only make that worse. He didn’t know just what was injured, or how badly, but no matter what happened, he’d heal himself. Just not as quickly as he had hoped.

He wouldn’t die. He couldn’t die. Not as long as he had his magic, and the Crystal Heart was far away. Of course, that just meant the agony would fester until he could regenerate himself.

Unable to travel further, he reformed with a stumble, coughing up another glob of blood. Even then, it continued to ooze from his jaws as he stood there panting. Leaning against the nearest tree, he put his hoof to that horribly painful spot in his stomach, letting out a hiss as the touch forced more pain through him. The pain had seemed to spread to his chest, and it was making breathing hard.

So that was what he would heal first. Igniting his horn for the umpteenth time that night, he tried to focus on that pain, forcing his magic to envelop that spot specifically. He wasn’t sure what was going on inside him, but it was probably some of the worst pain he’d dealt with outside of being blown up a couple of times.

He couldn’t even be sure the state of the rest of him. Outside of his horrible stomach and chest pain, his right hind leg was hanging beneath him uselessly, and it was just now registering that it was probably broken. Almost every bit of him felt badly bruised, and possibly even more broken, but not the extent of his stomach and leg.

Staggering forward, his magic faltered. Gritting his teeth, he continued his forced regeneration. The magic burning and twisting inside him, painfully sealing whatever ruptured blood vessels were doing this to him.

He needed to get back to Ponyville, to Starlight. He wasn’t going to let himself pass out before he did.

Another step, his broken leg dragging against the ground and getting caught on something below. He bit his tongue as he held back a yelp, refusing to cry out and alert Twilight or any creatures to his presence.

He managed a few more steps before the forest began to grow dark, and with a sudden lurch, he hacked up more blood. The healing was working, he could tell, yet the blood still continued to ooze.

He was tired. Too tired. His body ached for rest, but he wouldn’t allow it.

He wouldn’t pass out. Not here. Not in these horrible woods.

Another step, and his front legs gave out beneath him. He tried to rise, but a wave of dizziness overtook him before he could lift himself even an inch off the ground. His broken leg was bent at a painful angle beneath him, and it was getting harder and harder to stay awake, but he wouldn’t let that welcoming darkness consume him just yet.

He needed to get back. He wanted to. He wouldn’t pass out.

A timberwolf howled in the distance, or was it something else?

He tried to lift an ear to know for sure, but he couldn’t. Every part of him was so hard to move, so filled with pain and the urge to sleep.

But he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t pass out.

Everything was getting darker. The pain was fading.

He tried to fight it.

He failed.

He passed out.

Chapter 12: Softness in Shadows

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Twilight had invited her friends to stay the night, and had even offered a special pancake breakfast for the trouble she’d caused as an extra measure. Of course, her friends agreed anyway, considering she was housing an emotionally unstable and magically overcharged former tyrant, but she still felt like she owed them something. Whatever the case, they’d all dug right into their breakfast, while she sat there staring down at her own.

She’d been stressed since last night, hardly catching a wink of sleep as she thought about everything that had happened. Seeing Sombra break down, literally and metaphorically, was not something she would grow used to, especially when she blamed herself for his current state. She knew she shouldn’t, she knew that after what he's done he had it coming, but that still didn’t stop the fact she hurt him in a way she’d never expected to hurt anypony before.

She’d thought about checking on him that morning, but didn’t want to risk him panicking again. At the very least, she had stopped by his room to listen, but had heard nothing more than the skipping of his record player. That would likely wake him up soon, but she hoped he’d stay put until Starlight stopped by to check on him. Twilight had thought about waking her as well, but knew that she had needed sleep more than anyone.

Yet at the same time, Twilight couldn’t help but feel like she was making a mistake somewhere.

“You feelin’ alright, Twilight?”

She jolted out of her thoughts at Applejack’s voice, holding back the urge to lie about how she really felt. Instead, she poked her breakfast, saying, “Just a bit nervous after last night, is all.”

“I think we’re all a bit nervous after last night, seeing Sombra try an’ attack you like that,” Applejack replied.

“No offense Twi, but it was pretty dumb to take both the mask and magic inhibitor off him,” Rainbow said, interupting her friend before she got a chance to respond. She then pushed her empty plate away, continuing, “I mean, we can beat him again if we need to, but did we really have to make it that much easier for him to go on another rampage?”

Fluttershy and Applejack seemed to agree with Rainbow, while Rarity glanced around unsurely. Pinkie just continued to scarf down her pile of pancakes.

Twilight shook her head, “I’m afraid it’s not that simple. Unicorn magic can be incredibly volatile, especially in somepony as powerful as Sombra. Keeping it contained would not only hurt, it could cause irreversible damage to him, both mentally and physically.”

“As much as I despise the beast, I’m afraid I have to side with Twilight on the argument,” Rarity agreed, “I’ve never personally experienced it myself, but every Unicorn is taught the risks of magic suppression.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes, “C’mon, really? Isn’t it better to keep everypony else safe? His mind’s already messed up as it is, so who cares how much more damage we do to him?”

Fluttershy gasped, “That's a terrible thing to say!”

“Are you forgetting that he tried to attack you?” Rainbow asked, crossing her arms, “Because I think it’s totally justified to want his magic gone!”

“I just don’t think we should be hurting him,” Fluttershy whispered, melting into her chair a bit, “I know he’s mean, but maybe we just need to wait?”

“Well, I’m already tired of waiting. Sombra’s taking too long to change, and hasn’t done anything to make me think he’s trustworthy. I swear, if he tries to hurt any of you again, I’m gonna-”

“Are there any more pancakes?”

Rainbow shut her mouth at Pinkie’s interruption, all the other ponies looking to her as well, in mixtures of relief and surprise. Twilight was most relieved, worried of what exactly Rainbow was going to say, as good as her intentions were.

Pushing her own breakfast to Pinkie, Twilight said, “You can have mine, I’m a little too nervous to eat right now.”

“You sure?” Pinkie asked. Twilight nodded. “Thanks! Now I hope you guys are done fighting.”

She stuffed her face into the pancakes, leaving her friends to sit in a brief, but awkward, silence. Taking a few deep breaths, Twilight calmed down before readjusting herself to sit a little higher. Something to boost her confidence for now.

“Alright,” She began, “No more talk about Sombra. We’re gonna have a good day today, okay? One of fun and friends. Any suggestions on what we should do?”

Rarity sighed, “Well, I’d suggest the spa, but I imagine you’d rather us stay in the castle for today.”

“Gross.” Rainbow stuck out her tongue. “I’d rather go to the pond while it’s still warm. Can we do that instead?”

“No, Rarity’s right, we’ll be staying as close to the castle as possible today,” Twilight agreed, rising from her chair, “That being said, I’m going to go see if Starlight and Spike are awake, so you five can figure something out. Wouldn’t want to leave them out on any fun, right?”

“Might have to do some convincin’ with Starlight,” Applejack said, “She’s certainly dedicated to this whole thing.”

“Well, if it comes down to forcing her to have fun, I’ll find a way.”

With that, she left the room. By all accounts, she was still stressed, and her appetite still lacking, but she was going to try her best to make this a good day. She was also going to try her hardest to make sure Starlight got a break as well, because she’d been so stressed herself. Sure, that would leave Sombra on his own for a bit, which was worrisome on its own, but now that he had his eyesight back it shouldn’t be too hard to keep him occupied.

On her way to Starlight’s room, she passed Sombra’s. She heard nothing as she passed the room this time. He must have woken up and shut off his record player, though she heard no shuffling from within. Continuing on her way, she was about to knock on Starlight’s door when she heard the rushed clatter of hoofsteps approaching.

Horn sparkling with magic, Twilight flared her wings and turned in a panic. Starlight was running toward her. For a moment, she was relieved, until she realized Starlight wasn’t slowing down. Letting out a yelp, she teleported to the side, Starlight barreling right over where she’d been standing before skidding to a stop.

“Twilight? What are you doing over here?” She asked. She seemed anxious and out of breath.

“I came to wake you up, but I guess I don’t have to,” Twilight said, tilting her head in observation. Starlight was looking rather frazzled, her mane didn’t even seem to be brushed, “Though it looks like you’ve only just woken up. What are you even doing out here, running around like that?”

“I went to check on Sombra,” Starlight said, glancing away nervously.

Twilight’s own nervousness from that morning returned. “Is he alright? I’ve been a bit worried after what happened last night.”

“Well, here’s the thing. He’s not in his room.”

“What?”

Twilight’s feathers fluffed up, panic edging at her nerves as Starlight danced on her own hooves nervously.

“I’m sure he’s here somewhere!” She said, trying to convince herself as much as Twilight, “I’ve been looking, I swear! So far I’ve checked the bathroom and the library, and he wasn’t in either of those rooms, but maybe he just got lost?”

“Yes. That’s probably just it,” Twilight agreed, “As long as he stays out of the map and Spike’s room, I’m sure it’ll be just fine. Speaking of which, I should really get Spike now. You keep looking.”

She ran off before Starlight could respond, leaving her to wrack her brain for ideas. Sombra being lost in the castle was a very real possibility. After all, it had happened to her, so chances were it could happen to him, right? She just had to figure out where exactly he could wander off to.

Running in the opposite direction Twilight had, she stopped at every room to peer inside, keeping her ears alert for any sound of him. She tried to detect the faintest of noises, anything from a hoofstep to even the chance of hearing him breathe, but she heard nothing. She was getting more and more nervous as she went on, and it wasn’t until she made it to the main hall that her anxieties reached a level too high to handle.

He wasn’t in the castle, was he? There was nowhere for him to hide, unless he’d taken on his shadow form, and what would be the point of that? She wanted so badly to think she was wrong, but there was nothing to convince her otherwise. He had to be outside.

She walked to the door slowly, so sure she was going to be met with a disaster. Of course, he could have just wandered off, but she was so sure he’d cause trouble. She tried to assure herself that, had there been trouble, Twilight and the others would have already dealt with it, but she couldn’t be entirely convinced.

Preparing to open the door, lifting her hoof slowly, she paused as a noise broke the silence.

A knock.

She pulled the door open far quicker than she would have normally, expecting either a panicked pony or a mind controlled army ready to invade. To her surprise, and maybe even relief, she was met with neither of these things. Instead, she was met with a pair of rather anxious looking children.

“Gallus? Silverstream?” She looked between the two in confusion, and maybe even concern, “What are you two doing here?”

Despite the circumstances surrounding their original meeting, bonding with the Tree of Harmony had been an honorable accomplishment. Just like the Elements of Harmony, and the Pillars of Equestria before them, a new and unusual group of friends had become a beacon of hope for Equestria, to be called upon by the Tree itself under the most dire of circumstances.

Sometimes those most dire of circumstance were emergencies, such as horrible damage to the tree. It had been through these friends' effort that the tree had been saved, and it had been quite the feat they were all proud of. It had seemed over and done with, the tree was alive and thriving.

But of course, the tree had many circumstances it considered dire. The current of which included an escaped threat that the tree had failed to eliminate. A threat that was now a gravely wounded ex-despot. Which, on one hoof, he had it coming. On the other, asking a group of teenagers to assist in a murder was not likely to end in the Tree’s favor, especially after seeing just what the Tree had done to him in the first place.

When they’d found him out in the woods, unconscious and soaked from the morning dew, he’d looked dead. Head lying in a puddle of his own blood, legs twisted beneath him, and his coat covered in mud, it had been a horrifying experience for nearly all of them. Smolder had been the first one to realize he was only unconscious, having been the only one of the group willing to poke a corpse, though a quiet groan from the stallion had proved he was still amongst the living.

It had been a pretty much unanimous decision that, despite his crimes, none of them were about to send the near dead Sombra to his grave yet again. But at the same time, he was in such bad shape none of them were sure how to get him back to Ponyville. On a stroke of luck however, Sandbar remembered that there was somepony in the Everfree with knowledge of potions that could probably keep Sombra stable for the time being, and with that thought had run to get help.

And that was how Sandbar, Ocellus, and Smolder found themselves sitting around Sombra curiously. Yona was outside waiting for Gallus and Silverstream to return from informing Twilight and Starlight, while Zecora worked on a potion to ease the stallion’s pain.

“Okay, so I knew this guy was supposedly terrifying, but are we even sure that he’s a pony?” Smolder asked, leaning forward to poke Sombra’s lip, exposing his blood stained fangs for a brief moment before pulling back as he twitched, “Because I’m pretty sure ponies don’t have the teeth of a dragon.”

“I mean, that’s what the history books and the Headmare says, so what else could he be?” Sandbar asked.

“I dunno,” Smolder shrugged, “A longma maybe?”

“A what?”

“You’ve never heard of a longma?” She asked, almost annoyed, “Y’know, a dragon with hooves and scales?”

“But Sombra doesn’t have scales.”

Smolder seemed less than amused at Sandbar’s observation, but before she got the chance to retort, Ocellus interrupted, “Maybe he’s part Kirin?”

Sandbar and Smolder glanced back to Sombra, backing up a bit as he twitched again, another groan escaping him as he began to stir. All three creatures jolted back at the sound, before a bloody, choked cough escaped him, and he once again went limp onto the bloodstained towel that made up his makeshift pillow.

“Yeah, I think I can see this guy bursting into flames,” Smolder muttered.

The clatter of something behind her, and both she and her friends jumped and turned to see Zecora walking toward them, a bowl in one hoof. From the looks of things, she’d merely knocked one of her vials over, though since it hadn’t spilled she’d left it be.

“Does it really matter, his origins, you think?” She asked, kneeling down beside Sombra to lift his head slightly. He gasped at the motion, his eyes fluttering open as she held the bowl to his lips, “Currently, what matters is his health, so come now, drink.”

Desperate for any relief, whether it be an attempted assassination or not, he did. Quite quickly in fact, and it was only a matter of seconds before he finished, gasping again as soon as he was done. Zecora sat his head down gently, returning to her cauldron.

“Not quite a cure, but it should give you relief, but only if you stay still, otherwise it will be brief,” She said.

Sombra’s ear twitched, possibly in confusion about her speech pattern, but he said nothing of it as his gaze turned to the children in front of him. Each one froze at the eye contact, the most unusual and unidentifiable of the bunch letting out a quiet, but startled, noise.

Licking his lips, he asked groggily, “So which one of you poked my face?”

Smolder’s eyes widened. “How long have you been awake?”

“Long enough.” He tried to rise, but the aching pain in his chest forced him back down before he could even make it to his hooves. Collapsing back onto his makeshift bed, he curled up and wrapped his arms around himself with a hiss, “Blasted dark magic… That was supposed to be healed.”

Or maybe he had been healed, and this was just a long lasting side effect. The fact he still tasted blood didn’t support that theory however, nor did the fact putting pressure on the area was still painful. Quite apparently, being unconscious didn’t help heal everything, and with a pained grunt he reignited his horn.

“Please don’t attack us!”

His magic sputtered out as he reopened his eyes to see the strange group of children cowering, the pony and weird colorful one with their arms around each other, while the dragon looked ready to fight. He wasn’t entirely sure which one of them had yelled, but was putting his bets on the strange one, as he didn’t expect such a quiet, yet high pitched shriek to come out of a colt.

“I’m not attacking, I’m regenerating,” He muttered, closing his eyes as his horn bubbled with magic again, “I’ve nothing to gain from attacking you. After all, if I were to fail, you’d have an easy time finishing me off.”

Not the most reassuring of things to say, but it seemed to work. The strange group of children said nothing else, at least not to him. Instead, they whispered amongst themselves, audible enough for him to hear, but he ignored most of it. He put all his focus into regenerating, trying to ignore his lingering pain. At some point it had stopped hurting, either from the zebra’s strange concoction, or from a faltering consciousness, he didn’t know. He just knew that their voices had become muffled after a while, though he snapped back to awareness when a familiar one whispered his name.

“Sombra?”

His eyes opened slowly, meeting Starlight’s gaze above. Her own eyes were wide with panic, and her cheeks seemed damp.

“Last I remembered, that was in fact my name,” He muttered back, struggling to sit up. The pain was finally bearable, but he was weak and dizzy, and it seemed that at some point a blanket had been laid over him, “Were you crying?”

“Just a little,” She said, wiping her eyes, “But can you really blame me? I was so worried when I couldn’t find you this morning, and when Gallus and Silverstream said you were hurt...”

She trailed off, sniffling a bit as more tears threatened to form. Sombra wanted to roll his eyes, but felt a pang of something in his chest at seeing her so upset, and it prevented the motion. Probably another internal injury.

“You ponies are so disgustingly emotional, there are far more important things to be upset about than a lost cause like me,” He said, struggling to lift himself. His pain was mild, but nausea rampant, and he nearly collapsed. Starlight caught him, and though momentarily calmed by her presence, the horrible memory from the night before had him pull himself back and demand, “What was it that you were afraid of again?”

“What?” If Starlight's eyes hadn’t been wide before, they certainly were now. She trembled at the question, “Sombra, that isn’t important. Why are you-”

“Just answer it. Please.”

Starlight hesitated, looking away before whispering, “I’m afraid of hurting others.”

To her surprise, Sombra collapsed back against her with a relieved sigh.

“I just needed to know that it was you,” He said.

He lay there against her, tempted to fall back asleep as she gently stroked his mane. He was still so tired and disoriented, having already used up so much of his excess magic and energy with such quick regeneration. At least it wasn’t as bad as the last time he’d been forced to do this, though the memory of Twilight and her friends blasting him to bits got a quiet growl out of him.

Starlight mistook his annoyance for a groan of pain, “We need to get you to the hospital, you’re hurt bad.”

“No, let me heal myself,” He growled, reigniting his horn. Magic sparked from it rather weakly, and he growled to himself in annoyance. Weeks of suppression should have given him an excess of magic, yet here he was struggling more and more to keep it flowing, “I don’t need anyone to help me.”

“Sombra, stop,” Starlight demanded, her own horn igniting as she pulled the blanket over his head in an attempt to smother his magic, “I’m going to take you to the hospital, whether you like it or not. I’d do it now, but I’m too upset to even think about teleporting anywhere. You need to rest until we can get you help.”

“We’ve got a wagon by the Tree, you think that’ll help?” Sandbar offered.

“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’m going to wait until Twilight gets here, she might-”

Sombra shot up at the mention of Twilight’s name, a wave of nausea washing over him as he finally forced himself into a near standing position. Sandbar and Ocellus launched back at the motion, smoke leaking from Smolder’s nose while Starlight tried to get the raging stallion to calm down.

“Don’t you dare allow that wretched mare anywhere near me!” He shouted, “She was there last night! She tried to kill me!”

“W-wait, we can explain!” Ocellus squeaked, “It wasn’t her, it was the Tree!”

“You expect me to believe vegetation did this to me? I saw Twilight there! Her and that bespawler of a Changeling queen ganged up to murder me!”

Ocellus yelped. Starlight’s eyes widened.

“Changeling queen?” She asked, “You mean Chrysalis, but she’s-”

“Dead,” Sombra spat, wavering where he stood. His pain was catching up with him again, “Or at least she should be, if Twilight had anything to do with it.”

“But the tree never mentioned her…” Ocellus whispered, eyes glistening as though she was about to cry, “You don’t think-”

The door to Zecora’s hut flew open, Twilight and a Unicorn neither Starlight or Sombra knew barging in.

“Is everything okay?” Twilight asked, “I heard yelling, and-”

A blast of magic grazed her wing, Starlight and the three children let out various cries of alarm.

“You two faced wretch!” Sombra shouted, eyes aglow with dark magic, “I ought to kill you for- Augh!”

Another blast of magic went off, hitting one of Zecora’s many shelves as Sombra brought a hoof to a sudden pinch in his neck. Something was sticking out of it, and turning his head in the direction it came from, he saw the zebra standing there with what looked to be a tube in her mouth. She seemed incredibly unamused.

“What did you just do?” He demanded.

“You were making a scene, so I decided to intervene.”

“What did you…” A new and sudden drowsiness began to take over him, and with only three legs on the ground, he began to sway. He tried to fight it, baring his teeth as he staggered toward Zecora and demanded, “What did you just do to me?”

Zecora stood tall, not even a trace of fear in her posture and voice as she spoke.

“Not only did you harm Twilight, you gave these children a fright. I’m tired of the interruptions, so I did what I had to,” She poked Sombra in the chest with her tube, and he staggered back in disgust, before tripping over his own hooves and crashing to the ground, “Good night.”

Sombra struggled to get up, eyes ablaze with shadows and muttering something in that same foreign language no one could identify, before he finally crashed to the ground again. For a moment, every creature both in and out of the house was silent, waiting until Sombra’s only movements were the rise and fall of his chest. At that, all heads turned to Zecora.

She shrugged, setting her blowgun to the side, “What did you expect? I live in Everfree. Sometimes it takes more than convincing to get creatures to leave me be.”

“That’s fine, not exactly the first time he’s been sedated! Hopefully the last though,” Starlight laughed nervously, eyeing the unconscious Sombra on the floor before looking at Twilight, “Are you okay?”

Stretching her wing, the pony beside her observing it, she nodded and said, “Yeah, just a bit ruffled is all. Either Sombra’s aim is off, or he doesn’t actually want to kill me. I’m hoping for the latter.”

“You sound awfully calm after what just happened.”

“I had my moment of panic after you ran off,” She assured, before looking at the trio of students huddled in the corner, “And though Gallus and Silverstream didn’t tell me everything, I think I also have a pretty good idea of what happened.”

Smolder shook her head, “Trust me, you really don’t.”

“Well, you can explain everything to me outside, alright? I’m sure Zecora would appreciate it if her home was less crowded, and Dr. Greymare still needs to check over Sombra.”

She motioned to the pony beside her, who nodded in thanks before making his way to the unconscious stallion. With that, Twilight took her leave, the children following behind her. Starlight, curious to see the doctor work and worried for Sombra’s safety, approached the two of them. Dr. Greymare had already reached into his saddle bag and pulled out a small jar, rubbing something at the base of Sombra's horn.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

“Applying a numbing agent,” He explained, “We use it to keep Unicorns safe from magical surges during surgery, or in the case of a very unruly patient. I packed it when Princess Twilight told me who I was going to be dealing with, and after what just happened, I’ll be making sure to apply a very generous amount.”

Starlight hummed with a nod, glancing around the room nervously. Zecora was cleaning up dropped vials, not entirely interested in her or the doctor. She wondered if she was upset at having another pony work on healing Sombra, but then again there were always some things she couldn’t heal, right?

“Do you think you could help me move him back over there?” Dr. Greymare asked suddenly, breaking her away from these thoughts, “It’s a bit too cluttered here, and I’d like to lie him out so I can look him over properly.”

“Is it even safe to move him?”

Rather concerningly, Dr. Greymare shrugged, “He was up and blasting at Princess Twilight a moment ago, so I can’t imagine he’d be too beaten up.”

“I guess that makes sense?” It didn’t, really, but who was she to criticize a doctor, “Can I use my magic? Is that safe?”

“Safer than dragging him, I can assure you.”

Grabbing his bag, he made his way to where Sombra had been laying before. Starlight followed, slowly maneuvering the unconscious stallion through the cramped space before laying him back onto his makeshift bed.

Glancing at the worried Starlight momentarily, Dr. Greymare set his bag to the side before once again igniting his horn and setting a hoof on Sombra, “I’m going to assess his condition before we take him anywhere, what’s your call so far Zecora?”

“A broken leg, a punctured lung, and if his coughing is a sign, a belly full of blood,” She responded, reorganizing her things,” He is perhaps at risk of infection as well, seeing as the children found him covered in mud.”

The doctor nodded, rummaging through his bag again and bringing out some sort of little monitor. He stared at it as his magic gently enveloped Sombra, while Starlight stared between the two of them. The doctor paid no mind to her, focused on his scanner as his expression turned to one of confusion.

“That’s odd, other than a cracked rib and some nasty bruising around his lungs and stomach, there’s nothing to explain why he’d be coughing up blood. Or why he’s still got blood in his stomach.”

“He said he was trying to heal himself, do you think that’s what happened?” She asked. The fact he had actually managed to do it came as a huge relief to her, though Dr. Greymare cocked a brow.

“It’s not impossible, but it’s certainly not a feat most Unicorns can accomplish so quickly,” He said, putting a hoof to his chin in thought, “Then again, this is King Sombra we’re talking about. By now we’ve all heard of his infamous magical feats.”

“Not to mention his regeneration from all of his defeats,” Starlight added, “He’s kinda been completely obliterated a few times.”

Dr Greymare said nothing at this, returning his things to his bag before standing, though he still stared down at Sombra.

“Of course, we still need to get him to the hospital to set his leg, and maybe get some fluids in him. He doesn’t seem dehydrated or hypothermic, but after being outside all night in the Everfree I’m not going to risk anything,” He said, turning to Starlight, “Has he been vaccinated?”

“Considering how they treated him in Canterlot, I doubt it.”

“Then we’ll do that as well, can’t have him getting tetanus after all. Could you fetch Twilight?”

“Of course.”

Starlight quickly made her way outside, careful to avoid knocking anything of Zecora’s over. Twilight was still talking with their students, and seemed rather concerned about what they’d told her. She turned when she heard Starlight behind her.

“Is everything alright in there?” She asked. Starlight shrugged.

“More or less,” She said, “Sombra’s still out cold, but I guess he managed to heal himself enough that he’s not at the risk of dying or anything. Dr. Greymare wanted me to fetch you, probably to get Sombra to the hospital.”

“Alright, I’ll be there in a moment,” Twilight said, turning to her students, “Sandbar, could you and Yona get that wagon? We could use that. As for the rest of you, wait for them to return and then go straight home. Chrysalis may still be in the forest, and I don’t want you endangering yourselves.”

Sandbar and Yona nodded, quickly making their way down what seemed like a random path through the Everfree. Their friends seemed to want to follow, but obeyed Twilight’s orders and simply sat down.

“So they told you, huh?” Starlight asked.

“Yes, but I’m not overly concerned,” Twilight confirmed, making her way back into the hut, “She may be powerful, but this is the first time Chrysalis has shown herself since she abandoned the Changelings, so she doesn’t have an army on her side. She’s on her own, and I think that’ll make her easier to deal with, assuming the Tree didn’t do something to her. I’ll check later, but for now we need to get Sombra taken care of.”

“Right,” Starlight nodded, following along. She felt upset, knowing that Chrysalis was involved. For some reason, she felt like she should have expected it, “I think Chrysalis might have been the one causing his hallucinations.”

Twilight paused, ears perking in realization.

“That makes a terrifying amount of sense, but why would she do that?” She asked.

“Maybe they have a history together?” Starlight suggested, “I’ll try and ask Sombra when I can. I’m sure he can answer.”

“Please do, I need all the information I can get.”

She continued on, making her way into Zecora’s hut to speak with her and Dr. Greymare, while Starlight went to sit by Sombra. He was still unconscious, breathing softly, almost as if he was simply asleep, and not knocked out by some sort of anesthetic. Gently stroking his mane, she listened in on the conversation behind her, but kept her eyes on Sombra.

“It’s okay,” She said, more to herself than to him, she knew he couldn’t hear her, “We’ll figure this out, and you’ll be fine. We’ll all be fine, and as soon as you’re feeling better, maybe I can read you another one of Stygian’s books?”

Tears began to form in her eyes, but she wiped them away. She didn’t need to cry, not now and not here. Everything was okay, Sombra was going to be okay. He was hurt and in pain, with a broken leg at worst, but he would be okay. Even if he wasn’t, she knew he’d survived worse, so there was no real reason to be this worried, but she was going to be anyway.

Mostly because she blamed herself.

“I’m sorry,” She whispered, “Next time, I’ll try to listen closer.”

Starlight could not have been more relieved to finally be back home. After everything that had happened, she was exhausted, and more importantly, upset. Though it wasn’t completely her fault Sombra had gotten hurt, she still blamed herself. Maybe if she had been a bit more watchful over him, this wouldn’t have happened, but it was too late to change the past now.

Not that she’d want to do something like that again, but the thought still plagued her mind.

It was okay now though, really. Sombra was safe in the castle, bandaged and calm again. Whether it was because his anger had truly faded, or if it was the pain medication dulling his senses, Starlight didn’t know or care. What mattered was that he was safe and alive, and she wasn’t about to leave him on his own again.

“This isn’t my room,” He mumbled, observing the place lazily. His broken leg was securely dressed, forcing him to stumble around rather awkwardly, “My music player isn’t in here, and there are two beds. Why are there two beds?”

“I didn’t think it was a good idea to leave you alone tonight, so I thought we’d share a room for a few nights,” Starlight explained, avoiding Sombra’s confused gaze, “Is that ok?”

Sombra shrugged, “I guess so… I wish I still had the music player though. I like the music.”

“I could get another one for you if you’d like?”

She rushed out of the room before Sombra could say anything. He stared out the door for a few minutes, before promptly shuffling over and onto one of the beds. Making himself comfortable, he gazed out the window until Starlight returned, the thunk of a smaller record played against the table jolting him out of his daze.

“You really didn’t have to get that,” He said, watching her adjust it with both magic and her own hooves, “I could have just waited until I was back in my own room again.”

“No, it’s fine.”

She sounded unsure of herself, but he wasn’t sure if he was imagining it. His mind was still a bit foggy, and all he wanted to do was sleep. The music was just a bonus, and the moment Starlight set one of the records onto the player, he plopped back onto the bed. The tune was soft and gentle, the same one that had failed to lull him into sleep the night before, but this time it already seemed to be working.

He was so close to being asleep when Starlight’s voice invaded his ears, her voice wavering as she said, “Good night, Sombra. I’m sorry about today.”

He mumbled something back, but even he wasn’t sure what it was. He was too tired to care anymore, and after being in pain for so long, he felt strangely comfortable even with how banged up he was. Positioning his leg was awkward, and the inner barrel of his body still felt painful if he moved the wrong way, but anything was better than the agony of falling off a cliff.

It seemed he’d managed to heal the worst of his injuries at least, and the Ponyville doctors had done what they could to ease the rest of his pain, even if they blocked off his magic again. He hadn’t been particularly aware at the hospital, still under the effects of the zebra’s drugged dart, but it’d been both fascinating and terrifying to see what the building contained. It was so different from how things used to be, and much more efficient. Or at least, that’s what they said.

His ear twitched as the music changed to a different tune. Still just as soothing, but something about it seemed off. He couldn’t quite figure out what, but he didn’t like the sound. It was as if something else was invading his mind, and his eyes shot open as the memories of his recent nightmares came up. Yet the noise didn’t stop as he awoke, but his mind had finally been cleared enough to register what it was he was hearing.

Sniffling.

He glanced at the music player. It was not making those noises, so he looked over to Starlight. She was curled up in her own bed, trembling slightly. Quiet noises escaped her on occasion, and Sombra knew her to be the source of the sniffles.

She was crying. But why?

“Starlight?”

She squeaked in surprise, looking up at him, before promptly covering her face and turning away again.

“I’m sorry,” She whispered, “I thought you were asleep.”

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. It’s nothing. It’s okay, please go back to sleep.”

He stared down at her, that same pang in his chest returning from earlier. He knew it wasn’t an injury this time, but he also knew what he didn’t want it to be. It was uncomfortable and annoying, and he tried to shake it away, but it continued to linger. He knew what it was. It was a pain he knew all too well, but could never escape no matter how much he tried.

Starlight was hiding her crying now, curled up even tighter than before, and though her sobs had been silenced, she still trembled. She didn’t know it yet, but hiding what she felt was futile. He could sense it. Her sadness, her anger, her fear. Even with his senses dulled, he could still feel them, the familiar scents permeating the room. Yet her feelings didn’t seem to be directed at him.

Carefully slipping off the bed, he made his way toward her.

“Starlight, please tell me what’s wrong, I don’t...” He trailed off, unable to hide his concern, yet so unwilling to say how he felt. He’d seen so many others break down in front of him, and though a certain few had made him feel something, he’d always push it away to return back to the monster they’d expected him to be.

He couldn’t do that this time. Something was stopping him, that pain in his chest that was so disgustingly unbearable. He hated it. He didn’t want it there. He didn’t want to care.

Lifting himself onto her bed, he set his head against her own and whispered, “I don’t want to see you so upset.”

Starlight stiffened at his touch, or maybe even his voice. He wasn’t sure which, but she eventually jolted up in surprise to look at him, eyes wide and sparkling from her tears. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out other than a hiccup. Sombra simply leaned against her.

“Please don’t be upset,” He said, gently and unconsciously nuzzling her, “You might not be upset with me, but it's my fault that you’re like this at all.”

“It’s not your fault, it’s mine,” She insisted, holding back another round of sobs, “If I had just checked on you last night, or even dealt with things better, then maybe-”

“Starlight,” Sombra interrupted her before she even got the chance to start, or even worse, begin crying again, “Just because you’ve tasked yourself with reforming me does not mean every mistake I make is your fault. Nopony expected a Changeling, let alone their queen, to invade my bedroom in the dead of the night.”

This time she finally did break down, choking out, “But it is my fault! Maybe if I had actually paid more attention when I thought you were hallucinating, maybe I would’ve known! I should’ve actually listened!”

“And you did listen, and you helped in the only way you knew how. It is not your fault that vile creatures like her still wander our world. I’m surprised those filthy vermin haven’t been eradicated yet.”

Starlight made a noise, something between a laugh and a sob.

“Changelings aren’t all bad,” She said, wiping her eyes, “You were talking to a rather nice one earlier, after all.”

He had to think on that one, confused until he remembered the strange little blue thing from earlier. Then it clicked.

“That was a Changeling? How much have things changed in all this time?”

“A lot,” Starlight replied, a faint smile on her face. He was glad his confusion seemed to lighten her mood, and he felt that feeling in his chest lighten as well.

“Still strange that a love sucking parasite was in my room, don’t you think?”

“It is, but I feel like it was a long time coming,” She said, getting a strange look from Sombra in the process, “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

“Or you could perhaps have a day to yourself for once,” Sombra insisted, putting a hoof to his chest, “Despite the bruising and breaking, I am far from death’s door, and I’m sure your pretty little princess friend would be quite willing to keep me in line.”

“But-”

He put his hoof against her mouth. “No buts. You’ve spent far too much time coddling me, it’s humiliating for the both of us. I’m sure you have other friends out there, so why don’t you go pester them?”

She opened her mouth to protest, but all that came out was an annoyed huff, as she turned away and said, “Fine. But don’t you dare do anything as stupid as you did last night.”

“No promises,” He grinned.

Starlight laughed. Or maybe it was another sob, he didn’t know. He wanted to go back to his own bed, but the thought of Starlight crying again left him frozen in place. Even after calming her, she was still teary eyed and hiccuping, and he was worried that if he laid down, he’d once again be awoken by her crying. He didn’t want that, but he wasn’t sure what to do.

Without thinking, he laid beside her, laying his head against her once more. She stiffened again, but this time she didn’t bolt up in surprise.

“I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to you recently,” He said, “But you made the choice to try and help me, a monster disguised as a pony, hated and forsaken by everyone else. It was a foolish choice, one that I’d expected you to give up on, but you’ve continued to try. I don’t know why, but I think I’ve come to appreciate it.”

Her ears perked, and she looked up at him in surprise, “Really?”

“Perhaps just a bit. After all, I’d probably be near dead in a prison cell if you hadn’t come around,” He said, adjusting himself. Starlight stiffened again as his body pressed against her own, “I’m not making you uncomfortable, am I?”

“What? No, of course not!” She answered far too quickly, and Sombra readjusted himself again, this time moving back a bit, “I mean, why are you doing this?”

For a moment, he was quiet, looking away to the record player. It had switched tunes again, to something that seemed familiar. He didn’t know why, but it gave him a sense of nostalgia. Perhaps it was just his memories taunting him again, reminding him of those simpler times, when everything had been better. He sighed at the thought.

“When I was younger, I had someone,” He began, finally looking back to Starlight. She stared at him expectantly, her eyes sparkling with something other than tears, “You might even call her a friend. Whenever I was sick or in pain, she would stay by my side for as long as she could, day and night. She always made me happy, hopeful even. I miss her terribly, but after seeing you cry, I’ve remembered her. Not because of your sadness, but because I think you could use someone like that right now. Is that okay?”

Starlight’s eyes widened. Was he asking to be her friend? She opened her mouth to say something, but didn’t, opting to wrap her hooves around the stallion instead. He smiled at the gesture, hidden to Starlight as she nuzzled into his chest. Even with as much as she’d spent nights comforting him, it only just occurred to her just how soft he was. He was warm and comforting, even more so when he laid his own head upon hers.

“I suppose that counts as a yes then?” He asked, unconsciously nuzzling into her. She was so small, but so soft and warm, and the sensation of another against him was so comfortably familiar, “Just don’t get too used to this, will you? I do have a reputation to uphold, after all.”

She laughed, removing her face from his chest to simply lean against it. She could hear his heartbeat as she lay there, that oh so familiar reminder, that despite everything he’d done, that he was still just as much of a pony as she was. It was surprisingly soothing, and she lowered her arms from around him, simply leaning against him instead.

He never pulled away from her either, simply allowing her to lay there against him as he began to think. There had never been any intention of getting attached to Starlight, but after what he’d just done, there was no going back. He’d shown his weakness, he’d allowed her terrible little friendship ideals to seep into his mind, he was currently hugging her.

Truly, he’d fallen far from the powerful creature he once was. It was horrible. It was undignifying. It was probably the happiest he’d felt in over a thousand years.

“Alright, enough is enough,” He said finally, voice quiet and ears pinned back in a mix of shame and embarrassment. He couldn’t believe that he’d let it last this long, “I am not your cuddle buddy, now if you don’t mind I’ll be going to my own bed, and-”

A rather loud noise interrupted him. A sound that was wholly inequine in nature, and was nearly enough to scare the former King of Fear himself. A noise that, if Sombra’s assumptions were correct, had just come from a very much not awake Starlight.

“Ah, such is my luck.”

Contemplating his choices, he stared down at her unsurely. He didn’t want to wake her, he already knew she’d been sleeping just as little, if not less, than he’d been. His horn was still numb, forbidding him from moving her with magic, and if he were to push her she’d just fall off the bed. It left him few choices, and with a sigh, he knew exactly what he was going to do.

He laid down. Slowly, so as to not disturb Starlight, though from the looks of things she was out like a crushed firefly. Her horrible snoring grated his ears, and nearly drowned out the music, but he did his best to ignore it, wrapping his arms around her and setting his head upon her own. She nuzzled into his chest, and had she been awake, he was sure she’d have heard his heart beat just a bit faster.

“I hope you know that this is going to end up being very awkward for the both of us when we wake up,” He muttered.

Closing his eyes, he nuzzled into her mane. She didn’t smell very good, hints of sweat mixed with the outdoors faintly assaulted his nose, but he couldn’t really fault her for that, she’d been too preoccupied to bathe herself today. He had half a mind to groom her himself, but didn’t want that dirty taste in his mouth as well, so he pushed the urge aside.

Despite that, and his awkwardly bandaged body, he was surprisingly comfortable. She was so warm, and he wrapped himself around her as best as he could. It didn’t take long for him to begin to doze off himself, any annoyance he had for the little mare quickly fading away as his consciousness did.

It was probably the best sleep either of them had gotten in weeks.

Chapter 13: Hope & Hate

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Despite the heat, Scorpan and Hope had opted to travel by day. The stretch of desert they were in now was nowhere near as hot as Bone Dry Desert had been, making it much more tolerable, and with those extra few hours they’d made it to their destination by nightfall. Just as Scorpan had said on the trip, it was small and quaint, unlike the few places Hope had grown familiar with. Compared to the Crystal Empire, it was dull, brown, and dusty, and there were far fewer ponies than she’d expected to see.

Yet, in a way, it also seemed familiar. Among the dull brown buildings was the statue of a pony, a mare in a mask. Along with that, there were sparkles of green everywhere, from the eaves of the houses to the tip of the statue mare’s ears, dancing above like stars in the night sky. It was such a wonderful clash of earthy tones and glimmering starlight, that she wanted so badly to get a closer look. It was so different, so new, but she didn’t want to wander too far from Scorpan.

“Is this the place you mentioned?” She asked, perhaps the slightest bit of awe in her voice. It was strange how something so simple could be so fascinating.

Scorpan nodded, “I believe so, though it’s quite different from what I remembered.”

He took a step forward, then paused, brow furrowing in thought. He was staring ahead, into a crowd of ponies, who Hope now realized were adorned in the same sparkling green that surrounded them. Stepping forward, her curiosity beginning to get the best of her, she tried to wait to see if Scorpan would follow. He didn’t, still focused on the crowd, an unreadable expression on his face.

She wondered if he was worried they’d be afraid of him? He wasn’t exactly a creature common in Equestria, and even she’d been wary of him at first, but he’d been nothing but kind to her. Maybe she just needed to introduce him first?

“Hello, my friend told me about this place, and thought that we should visit,” She announced, voice quiet as she finally made her way to the crowd. A few ponies turned toward her, though at the sight of Scorpan their eyes widened and they backed away. Hope’s own eyes widened at this, but out of worry instead of fear, “Oh no don’t be scared! He’s very friendly, I promise. Just give him a chance to introduce himself, I can promise you he’s very kind!”

The group still seemed unsure, murmuring amongst themselves. Hope was disappointed in their response, and was about to say something else before her ears perked as a voice made itself heard among them.

“Scorpan?”

A peach colored Pegasus made her way through the crowd, stopping just in front of the duo as she looked to Hope, and then to the very creature she’d muttered the name of. Hope turned between the two of them, watching as Scorpan’s expression changed to one of surprise.

“It’s been a very long time,” The Pegasus said, a smile making way to her face, “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Somnambula?” Scorpan sounded happy, and he rushed over to the Pegasus with the flap of his wings, landing with a smile as he said, “Why, you look as though you haven’t aged a day!”

“Can't admit I can say the same about you,” Somnambula laughed, fluttering up to the gargoyle and wrapping her arms around him. Scorpan returned the hug. “But it’s nice to see you either way.”

Hope was quick to realize that their friendliness got the townsponies to calm down, and many of them wandered away, while a few of them inched closer. They were probably curious, and Hope wouldn’t blame them. She was curious too, but for reasons much different from theirs. She wanted to know who this pony was, and how Scorpan knew her, because from what he’d told her, he hadn’t been to this town in centuries.

She wanted to ask, but she knew that would be rude. So she waited.

“I never thought I’d see any of my old friends still walking amongst us! Are the others still around as well?” Scorpan asked, loosening his grip on Somnambula to see the Pegasus nod in confirmation, “Now how did that ever happen?”

“It is quite the story,” Somnambula answered, fluttering out of his arms to hover at eye level, “One that taught us far more than we knew before, and gave us a few new friends along the way. It’d be much easier a tale to tell if Rockhoof or Starswirl were here, between a penchant for storytelling and an important lesson learned, but it’s a hopeful one.”

“Starswirl. Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in ages, what’s that old coot up to now a days anyway? Though, I suppose I’m past the point of calling him that considering I’m an old coot now as well.”

They both laughed. Hope began to nervously paw the ground, feeling awkward about being stuck between the two. She didn’t know her way around the town, so she couldn’t leave, but she didn’t want to interrupt their reunion either. She wouldn’t want anyone to interrupt her potential future reunion either after all.

Thankfully, Scorpan seemed to finally remember her.

“Oh, do forgive me, I’ve forgotten to introduce you to my new friend and traveling companion,” He motioned to Hope, at which the mare waved a hoof, “Perhaps you’d like to introduce yourself?”

“Hello,” Hope greeted, noticing a faint yet mischievous grin upon Scorpan’s face, “It’s very nice to meet you, my name’s Radiant Hope, but just Hope is alright.”

Scorpan’s smile widened. Somnambula giggled.

Hope tilted her head. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing at all, I simply love your name. ‘Hope’. It’s a very nice one, and something we all need,” Somnambula reassured, putting a hoof to her chest, “I’m sure you overheard Scorpan greet me, but you may call me Somnambula.”

Hope perked up a bit at her compliment, while Scorpan observed the town and its residents. It had changed so much in such a long stretch of time, but their reliance on glowpaz seems to have stuck. The giant statue of his friend was a new, and incredibly story worthy, addition however.

“If I may ask, Somnambula, why exactly is there a statue of you in the middle of the square?” He asked.

“Oh, right, that.” Somnambula turned to look behind her and at the effigy in question, “It’s quite the story, though I believe I’ve told it before. It also answers why the town and I share a name. I suppose my time in Limbo made me a bit of a legend among the ponies of my home.”

Both Hope and Scorpan’s eyes widened at this as they blurted out, “Limbo?”

“Like I’ve said, it’s quite the story, and one for another time,” She said, unlatching the glowing necklace around her neck. Approaching Hope, she fastened it around hers, “For now, why not celebrate?”

Hope looked down at the necklace curiously, lifting it to see it better. It was the same gem that sparkled among the town, emitting a soft green glow, not unlike some of the crystals in the Empire. It was strangely soothing, and if she didn’t know any better, she might have even said warm.

“What is this?” She asked.

“Glowpaz, it’s the treasure of our home,” Somnambula explained, “They once used it to decorate the town and celebrate my heroics, but we now share it to celebrate my return. Please, enjoy the festivities, I’ve made sure it’s a much more enjoyable occasion now.”

“What about you and Scorpan?”

“We’ll join you shortly,” Scorpan assured, “We simply wish to catch up, if that’s alright?”

Hope nodded. She understood. She could only imagine how Scorpan felt, she’d love to see her friend again.

“And I must give Scorpan his own string of glowpaz, it’s tradition after all,” Somnamula added, “Feel free to do whatever you wish, Hope. There’s food and dance and all sorts of games. This is an event meant to inspire others and celebrate the present now, not to wallow in the past. It’s about the hope of a bright future.”

Hope smiled, Somnambula and Scorpan beaming along with her before they got back to chatting. Taking a few steps forward, she gazed around the town again. Now that she thought about it, this was almost like the Crystal Faire. There was a lot of fun going on around, ponies laughing, snacking, and exchanging their glowing gems. Many of them were in groups, ones that Hope could only assume were friends, and she didn’t feel like it would be right to intrude. Or even worse, that they’d potentially out her for her sparkling coat or strange mannerisms.

Yes, this was very much like the Crystal Faire. An event where, though there was always joy and happiness all around, Hope found herself completely and utterly alone.

She wasn’t sure what to do, so she walked aimlessly. She figured she’d find her way to a game booth, or snack on some new and unusual foods, hoping that maybe somepony would approach her. Surely somepony would take interest in her, right? There had to be somepony out there who would notice her, or looked lonely enough to approach without judgement.

By the time the final sliver of sunlight had escaped the horizon, it was evident that this wouldn’t be the case. Nopony would come to her, and she couldn’t bear to intrude upon a group of strangers. They would probably hate her for that, if not for being who she was. Crystal Ponies were supposed to be beautiful, but after a thousand years of being hidden away, other ponies might not think so much.

Other ponies. That was the problem. She didn’t know how to interact with them anymore, if she had ever known before. She’d spent so long in a sort of suspended animation, without contact from anypony else, her only companions being the fairies that had given her a home while the Empire was hidden away. Yet even before that, she’d never made friends with actual ponies, seeing as the best friend she’d grown up with had also been one of those fairies. The closest she had would’ve been her caretaker, yet she wasn’t sure where their relationship would stand today.

Then again, she didn’t know what her relationship would be with him, either. After all these years he was bound to have changed, but she wasn’t sure if she expected it to be for the better. She had heard nothing about him since his initial attack on the Empire, but she hoped he'd changed. She’d hoped he’d abandoned his plot for revenge and had simply settled down somewhere, but the chance of him being imprisoned, or Celestia forbid, dead, was far too likely.

She hated not knowing. She hated that she wanted to know. After what he’d done, she shouldn’t care, the Crystal Empire was back. It was happy and welcoming, the bright place she’d always remembered, but when she’d returned for that brief time, it had felt wrong. The Crystal Empire didn’t feel like her home anymore.

It was because he wasn’t there. It was because he was the one thing that had made the Empire feel truly like home. He was the one pony that had truly loved her.

And most regrettably, she might have even loved him back at one point.

“Radiant Hope?”

“Huh?” She lifted her head, briefly glancing at the pony in front of her before quickly turning away to rub her eyes. She didn’t think she was going to cry, but she wanted to wipe away any potential tears before they shed, “Somnambula? What are you doing over here, shouldn’t you be celebrating?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Somnambula said, prompting the Unicorn to turn away again, “I’ve spent much of the night speaking with Scorpan, he has much to tell after so long. He also may have let slip that you may have some of your own stories from a thousand years ago.”

“A lot of Crystal Ponies have stories from the Empire’s heydays,” Hope stated, gazing at the nearest glowpaz, a necklace hanging off a shop’s eaves, “But once you’ve heard one story, you’ve heard them all.”

“Oh, but I haven’t heard any stories from the Crystal Empire. I was not awake for it’s return, nor was I awake for the initial curse,” Somnambula explained, sitting beside Hope. She raised her head in confusion, ear twitching in a silent wish for her to continue, “I have been away for as many years as you have, dearest Hope, and I miss what I lost every day.”

“You… You were in Limbo for a thousand years? The Starswirl you mentioned was that Starswirl? How?”

“Now that story would take far too long to tell in one night, but perhaps if I tell you a story from before, would you return the favor?” Hope nodded, her eyes wide and ears perked with curiosity, “Very well then. Though I don’t think this will count as much of a story, and more of a reminiscence of lost friends.”

At that, Hope’s curiosity faded, her ears quickly drooping as she looked downard and began to fidget with the glowpaz around her neck. Somnambula seemed to notice, but said nothing to Hope, instead beginning her story.

“A thousand years ago, this simple little village was a great kingdom,” She began, gazing upon the ponies before them. Very different from the ones back then, yet very much the same, “We were ruled by a pharaoh, though I knew very little about him personally. However, I was well acquainted with his son, Prince Hisan. He called me his advisor, while I was quite alright with calling him my friend.”

Hope seemed to perk up just a bit, though she continued to toy with her necklace as she asked quietly, “You were friends with a prince?”

“Of a sorts, he was far more interested in keeping things professional, and I guess considering me a friend went beyond that. He still trusted me with many secrets, and I helped protect the kingdom from the occasional threat, along with keeping the ponies optimistic. They all looked up to me more than him, and treated me like a hero,” She said, before chuckling. Hope couldn't be sure, but it had almost sounded sad, “But I wasn’t trying to be a hero, I was simply doing the right thing. It doesn’t take a hero to do that.”

Somnambula then turned to the statue, Hope following her gaze.

“That statue is a memento of my first ‘real’ victory, when I saved Hisan, erected at the ponies’ request after my sealing in Limbo,” She explained, “But I do not hold it above my earlier deeds. If a simple act of kindness is heroic, then any pony who’s ever helped another should be a hero, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know.” Hope paused her fidgeting momentarily, confusion in her voice as she asked, “What if you helped them do something bad?”

Somnambula shrugged, “I suppose they might consider you a hero for helping them, but that’s what makes the whole thing quite the mess, doesn’t it?”

“I guess so? But what does that have to do with lost friends?”

At this, Somnambula smiled, “Everything, actually.”

Hope tilted her head curiously at this, urging Somnambula to continue. Her anxiety was still there, but she’d managed to calm herself somewhat, and she wanted to learn more about the Pegasus now.

“Being the Prince's advisor was much more time consuming than I thought, and though I made time with my friends, there was at least one I did not understand as well as I’d hoped to,” Somnambula continued, turning her gaze to the stars, “Nopony did, and for that, he suffered. He became a monster of shadow, imbued with hate and jealousy, upset that he had not been understood. It was to seal him away that forced me and my friends into Limbo, and though we managed to save him & the friendship we had, one thousand years is a very long time, and we lost just as much as we’d gained. Not only were our homes gone or very different, our family and friends, they were…”

She trailed off, unwilling to finish. Hope didn’t wait for her to continue. Her story was far too familiar, and she already knew what she was hinting at.

“They were dead,” She said bluntly. Her words stung Somnambula, so painfully to the point, and she nodded.

“Yes, they were gone, and the worst part is that they never knew what happened to us. I imagine it’s worse for the others, who lost family, while I simply lost a pony who I considered a friend.” She lifted her head, a smile on her face as her eyes glistened in the glowpaz’s light, “But it’s okay. I might not be able to speak for the others, but the History books helped me learn of his fate. Hisan would go on to live a long life, making a family of his own, and serving as one of the finest pharaohs to the kingdom. And if I am to be truly honest, that was everything I could’ve hoped for.”

Somnambula then rose out of her seat, a bright smile on her face. Hope wasn’t sure why, but she did the same, following the Pegasus as she made her way through the crowd of ponies. Many stopped to try and talk with her, but she would politely turn them down and continue on her way. Eventually, she stopped at one of the food carts, ordered a drink with a name Hope didn’t recognize, and paid the pony running it with a piece of glowpaz despite his insistence otherwise.

“Everything is free tonight, but I like to give something in return, and with all the glowpaz I’ve been gifted, it only makes sense to pass it on to somepony else,” She explained, before offering one of the drinks to Hope. She took it and sniffed it curiously, before looking back to Somnambula unsurely. “Don’t be alarmed, it’s prickly pear juice, something you’ve probably never tried before since it’s a cactus fruit.”

Hesitantly, Hope took a sip. Her ears perked the moment the juice touched her tongue.

“It’s good!” She exclaimed. Somnambula smiled.

“It’s certainly something I missed,” She said, taking another sip of her own before saying, “Now, about that story, what tales do you have from the Crystal Empire? Surely your experiences must be different, seeing as the entire Empire went with you. Are your friends still among their numbers?”

“I never really had many friends,” Hope admitted, sifting a hoof through the dust, “The other foals all thought I was weird, and they made fun of me. I only ever managed to make one other friend, and I think that was only because the others were cruel to him as well.”

“One friend is better than none,” Somnambula assured, “I’m sure you two were happy to reunite, correct?”

Hope lowered her head.

“I actually haven’t seen him since before he, I mean, before the Empire was cursed. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.”

She wasn’t going to specify who he was or what had happened to him so long ago, nopony would trust her if she admitted that she was looking for the scourge of the Empire. She hadn’t even told Scorpan his name, and he wouldn’t have even known anything about him.

Lifting her head, Hope glanced to Somnambula briefly, expecting another question. To her surprise, Somnambula simply smiled at her.

“I may not be able to truly assure you that your friend is alive, but I can encourage you to hope,” She said, smiling brightly as the Unicorn let out a small, hidden smile of her own at her choice of words, “Hope that, even if he is no longer with us, he lived a happy life. Or even better, hope that he’s still amongst us, occasionally thinking of you as well.”

“I’m not sure if I can have hope for either of those things,” Hope admit, though her smile widened, a hint of sadness within it, “But I think I could try. It’s in my name, after all.”

“That’s the spirit I was hoping to hear,” Somnambula smiled, before taking one of Hope’s hooves in her own, “Now would you like to return to the festivities? Scorpan and I still have much to talk about, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind a bit of fun. He was quite the excitable little gargoyle back in the day.”

Hope nodded, downing the rest of her juice before Somnambula dragged her away. It almost seemed forceful, but Hope was sure she’d just done it out of excitement. She practically galloped through the crowd, giving quick greetings to any pony that spoke, until finally skidding to a stop right beside Scorpan.

“Oh my, you were quick to return, weren’t you?” He asked, fiddling with the string of Glowpaz around his wrist, “I expected you to speak for much longer.”

“Hope wasn’t feeling up to speaking, so I simply told her a story,” Somnambula said.

“A bit overwhelmed I presume?” Hope nodded in confirmation at Scorpan’s question, “Understandable. I haven’t been in such a large crowd in years, a crowd of ponies even longer. I’m not sure I’m enjoying this as much as I’d have thought either.”

Somnambula pouted, “Already? What happened to the Scorpan that was so eager to make friends?”

“He returned to his homeland, lost his innocence, acquired a heavy burden he later abdicated from, and chose instead to live as an old, crotchety, hermit.”

There seemed to be a hint of annoyance in his tone, but all in all he said it in good fun. Truthfully, he was merely tired from travelling and was ready to settle down for the night, and not wholly interested in the hustle and bustle of a party in a no longer familiar town.

“Fine.” Somnambula stuck her tongue out, “There’s an inn nearby, but I imagine they’re full and won’t accept gargoyles. Would you be alright staying with me for the night?”

Scorpan nodded, while Hope said, “Only if it’s no bother. I’m sure we could camp out again.”

“No bother at all! They gave me a large house, so I have room.”

Somnambula once again took Hope's hoof, taking her away from the crowd, Scorpan following after them. The Pegasus was much more gentle this time, casually leading them into a more silent corner of the town, though the occasional glowpaz still hung from the houses. The houses didn’t look much different from the buildings in the square, though they were closer together and much less decorative. They didn’t seem all that big either, though there were a few that seemed a bit taller than the rest.

It was one of those they stopped at, Somnambula opening the door and allowing her friends to enter. She followed them in, leaving the door ajar as she fluttered over to one of the cabinets, pulling a couple of blankets out.

“Feel free to sleep wherever you wish, though preferably not my own bed,” She said, passing a blanket to Hope, and then fluttering over to Scorpan and giving him one as well, “Unfortunately, I’m not sure if I have a comfortable place for you to sleep, or even a blanket that can cover you, but I’ve offered what I can.”

“It’s more than enough,” Scorpan thanked, taking the blanket and looking it over, “I probably don’t need a blanket anyway, and if worst comes to worst I could always just sleep on the floor, or even the roof. I’ve grown used to sleeping in the outdoors.”

“Whatever you say, hermit,” Somnambula replied, playfully sticking her tongue out as he shot her a look. She then looked to Hope, “If you’re hungry or thirsty, there’s water and fruit in the kitchen, and you’re free to have as much as you like.”

“Thank you, Somnambula,” She said, unclasping her glowpaz necklace and then offering it back to the Pegasus. Somnambula shook her head at the offer, pushing Hope’s outstretched hoof back to her.

“No no, those are yours to keep. Consider them a memento of your visit.”

“But you said it was the treasure of your home?’

“Yes, and we like to share those treasures,” Somnambula assured, “We have plenty, and I can promise you that as soon as I return, I’ll be given plenty more. It’s only right that I give my friends some as well.”

Hope tilted her head, “I’m your friend?”

Somnambula laughed, “Well of course! Any friend of Scorpan’s is a friend of mine, and I think we’ve shared enough that we could be considered more than acquaintances. Perhaps we can talk more about the past tomorrow, but before I go-”

She set a hoof on Hope’s shoulder, a warm smile on her face. She smiled a lot, Hope realized, though her happiness always seemed sincere.

“I know you’re focused on your mission, but please, don’t try to rush it,” She said, “There is much to see in the world now, and so much more hope than there ever was before. I implore you to meet as many creatures as you can, and enjoy every second spent in a new location.”

For a moment, Hope was silent, unsure what to say. She never quite figured out what to say either, because almost as quickly as Somnambula had landed by her, she shot out the door with a quick goodbye. Left in something that wasn’t quite silent, faint music from the faire outside still audible, she turned to Scorpan.

“What did she just say?” She asked. Scorpan shrugged, not even looking up from what he was doing.

“Somnambula has always been the cryptic one of the group,” He said, focused on polishing his staff, “She likes riddles. I think she was just telling you to make more friends.”

“Ah.”

Hope sat down, more puzzled than anything. Maybe she was just confused because she was tired, her and Scorpan had been travelling all day, and she was far past due for sleep. She didn’t really think making friends was a worthwhile motive right now, they’d all just end up leaving anyway, right?

Dragging herself over to Somnambula’s couch, Hope sprawled over it and threw her blanket over her head. The noise outside was somewhat annoying,and even after covering herself, the noise still broke through. She didn’t think she’d be able to sleep through that. With any luck, they’d quiet down soon, but even if they didn’t she was sure she could find something to do. Somnambula probably had books, and it’d be nice to read something new.

But a lot of things had changed and were new now, weren’t they? She had a lot to catch up on and learn about, more than just books. Hundreds of questions would burn at her mind with every day of travelling, and though Scorpan had answered many, she kept even more to herself. She wanted to learn some things first hoof, and see sights that she had never seen before.

She still remembered when she had travelled from the Empire to Canterlot, a journey that, at the time, had been filled with pain and sadness. There had been so much she’d never seen, so many ponies to meet, and so much to learn. And she had ignored almost all of it, saddened by the loss of everything she’d ever loved, so blinded with sadness that she couldn’t even remember what Canterlot had looked like.

Maybe Somnambula had a point with her cryptic advice. Maybe travel would do her good. So far she’d mostly seen desert, dusty and barren of most things. Yet even if the heat of travelling during the day was horrible, the times they had travelled at night were wonderful. So many stars in the sky, and so many creatures she’d never seen before. Even with the horrible, lasting feeling of dust in her coat, those moments made it worth it.

She had a goal, yes. She wanted to see him again. But travelling had been such a new and exciting experience to her, that even if it made her feel anxious not knowing what had happened to him, there was something exhilarating about all these new feelings. She wanted more of it, she wanted to learn more, and she had no lead on where she should be looking. So perhaps a bit more travel would do her good.

She wondered where they’d go next. Perhaps she should ask Scorpan about his other favorite locations?

Oh how the mighty had fallen.

He’d scrounged every nook and cranny of this pathetic continent for his creations, but they’d all fallen from grace. Most had evolved into lesser beings over time, such as his timberwolves, once the size of a great forest, or the manticores, which had once possessed the most potent venom in all the land. Even his once gifted cockatrice, a creature that could once kill with a single breath, had been reduced to nothing more than a glorified fowl with a stony stare.

Many more had perished, such as Arimaspi, who’d fallen to his death for his greed, or the Sphinx, who’d flung herself down a cliff in a fit of rage. There were even a select few who had rebelled against their creator, their father, who’d given life to them. Those were the ones he’d refused to even acknowledge for his plan, the ones that he’d drain every spark of magic out of the moment he got the chance.

None of which disgusted him quite as much as one particular creation, but that disappointment was beyond his need, he’d found just enough pawns for now. The changelings might not have been his creation, but their former queen was full of enough hate to fuel an army. Centaurs were not of his making either, and were normally quite placid, but with their ability to suck the magic out of others, Tirek would serve as a back up. Even the little filly and the sad remains of the shadow king still served a purpose in his plan, ones that would be revealed in due time.

But their time had not come quite yet. There were still a few things to establish, plans to work out, and one more creation to deal with. One that had been sealed away, but not within the gates of Tartarus like the rest. No, the Crystal Princess had been far too clever to seal them away in such a place, it would’ve been too easy to break out of. She’d sealed them away within the confines of her own land, with a set of locks of her own creation.

A land that, though far, was not extreme enough to keep him away. He had thick wool to keep him warm, and was nigh invulnerable as it was. A bit of cold wouldn’t hurt him, but who was to say what it would do to his underlings. Not that he’d trust them, they were far too shady to do that. He already knew Chrysalis had been conspiring something, but he had yet to know what it truly was. She wouldn’t have been foolish enough to try and betray him, would she?

A whisper in the wind, an eerie red glow in the distance, and he knew he was close. The whispering grew louder, speaking in a language near dead, but one he could understand perfectly clearly.

“Who approaches?”

“Is it he?”

“Is it time?”

The monsters within swarmed excitedly as he approached, stopping in front of the reflective surface of their crystalline prison. They buzzed inside excitably, speaking praise and desperation to their master, only to go quiet a moment later. The silence was brief however, and with a shimmer across the prison’s red surface, he was staring at a face that was not his own. A horrifically emaciated one, eyes sunken in and glowing like a creature of darkness.

“You’ve certainly been keeping us waiting, Grogar,” She said.

“Conquering takes time, my dear. I’m not such a fool as to just barge into a kingdom and claim it as my own without a solid plan,” He assured. The creature frowned. “I may not have an army, but I have nearly everything else that I need to set things in motion.”

“Nearly. What exactly is missing?”

This time it was Grogar’s turn to frown. “My bell.”

“That silly old thing, really? You’ve the power to do so much without it, why even bother? Once we’re free, we can bring you as much power as you possibly need.”

“There’s never such a thing as too much power.”

“I suppose you're right,” The figure hummed, her face swirling within the crystal as another whispered behind her, “But let’s get back on track. How much longer until we get things started? We’re all so dreadfully bored, and it seems that you’ve been taking your sweet time to free us. Tell us, have you resurrected our child yet?”

“I’m afraid things haven’t gone quite as planned in that regard, but it’s no matter. Do you still have the crystal mare within your clutches?”

“Of course not. We sent her out to retrieve our child.”

“A foolish choice, really. Why not use her?”

The voices from within the crystal prison began to murmur, and the figure in front of him vanished for a moment. A quiet discussion of some sort went on, foreign whispers that he could only catch the faintest of words within.

Coming back into view, the figure within the crystal said, “She was to be our connection to the world outside, and the catalyst for our child’s return. A catalyst that still hasn’t happened yet.”

“Patience, my dear.”

“We have been nothing but patient for a thousand years,” The figure spat, “Tell me, have you at the very least obtained the vessel?”

“A vessel, yes. Though she may not be the one you asked for, she’ll simply serve as a backup for if things don’t go as planned. A little filly sent to Tartarus for reasons unknown.”

“No!” The crystal rumbled, the creature within shouting, “How dare you disgrace us with such an offering. We are your most loyal children, your daughters of darkness, and yet you wish to give us a forgotten filly? No, we demand something better, something that will tear the Crystal Empire apart from within. We demand their princess.”

He cocked a brow, questioning, “The very same Princess who tore your child to shreds?”

“No. There have been whispers from within the empire. Whispers of a spawn of the princess, whispers that grow louder as she grows bigger. The Crystal Princess tore our child away from us right as we thought him back. We wish to hurt her the same. We wish to take her child and make her our own.”

“You want an infant, and a highly protected one at that? It may take some time to fit this into our plan.”

“If it is to tear the Empire apart from within, and crush those horrific little souls of its denizens, we will wait as long as we must.”

A grin made its way to Grogar’s face. Apparently there was a way to curb his creation’s impatience, even if it did put more work on his own plate.

“Very well,” He said, “It may take a few months more, but I’ll work a kidnapping into my plans.”

“Try not to take too long, will you? I’ll be patient for a few more months, but any longer than that and we may have a problem,” The figure hissed, swirling within yet again as the voices behind her began to murmur, “We grow weaker by the day, and our numbers continue to fall. If you let any more of us die, I may not be so willing to work with you.”

“I will ensure it doesn’t make it to that point,” Grogar nodded, turning away, “But I’m afraid I must take my leave now. Can’t spend too much time dawdling in this frozen wasteland, the Princess has guard patrolling after all, and I have three misfits to keep in line.”

Shaking himself to get rid of the snow that had accumulated on his body, he began his trek back to his lair. It had been a long way for such a short conversation, but he had needed to make sure these ones were still on his side. Their imprisonment had made it difficult to communicate, and his lack of his bell left teleportation out of the question, but he’d been managing.

“Grogar,” The figure spoke suddenly, “Where is my child?”

The ram stopped in his tracks, contemplating his next words carefully. This was his most trusted ally, the only creation of his that still showed the utmost loyalty to him. They were his final claim to greatness, monsters that fed on fear and hate, and so destructively powerful that the fear they caused empowered him.

They were his greatest weapon. They were his most powerful creation left standing. They were a ticking time bomb of betrayal.

“Do forgive me, dearest Rabia,” He said, glancing to the prison, “But I’m afraid Sombra fell to the hooves of yet another Princess, and he was not strong enough to survive another resurrection.”

The crystal shuddered, an eerie and unnatural howl erupting from it as the creatures within let loose their sorrows. Grogar turned away with a hidden grin, knowing very well what was coming next.

“I’ll make them pay,” Rabia hissed, “Even if it means I must tear the very heart out of any pony that stands in my way.”

Chapter 14: Kindness

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“The doctor said you need to rest.”

“And I did rest,” Sombra said, trying to walk ahead of Starlight, something that was annoyingly difficult with a stiffly wrapped hind leg, “Yesterday.”

“It takes more than a day to heal a broken leg,” She argued, “And if you move around too much you’re at risk of giving yourself laminitis.”

“Not if you let me regenerate myself,” He argued back, rolling his eyes, “And I'm sure that, whatever this ‘laminitis’ is, would be something I could easily recover from as well.”

“That’s not the point!” Starlight let out a loud and exasperated sigh, making her way in front of Sombra and putting her hooves to his chest to try and stop him. It did, but only out of his own volition, and he stared down at her in annoyance, “You need to let it heal naturally. It might not be quick, but it’s safe, and after everything that’s happened recently, I need you to be safe, okay?”

“And I will be,” He assured, gently pushing Starlight’s hooves away, “But I can not tolerate sitting in a bedroom for hours on end. It’s maddening, and being able to see the room somehow makes it all the more agonizing. There’s absolutely nothing in there to keep me occupied.”

“There isn’t really much of a choice for you,” Starlight sighed. A grin began to form on Sombra’s face.

“I have plenty of choices, actually. This is a castle after all, and castles have servants, correct? I can simply pester them to keep me entertained, perhaps a bit of manipulation and I can put on my very own puppet show.”

“Good luck with that, there are no servants in this castle.”

“Does the little dragon not count?”

Starlight’s eyes widened, and she stamped her hoof with a shout, “Absolutely not!”

Her horn sparked, and Sombra laughed. He immediately regretted the action, pain erupting through his chest and forcing the sound into a cough. Curling up where he stood, he waited for the pain to fade, cursing to himself for forgetting about his bruised body. Starlight did not come to his aid, already well aware of what had happened.

“That was karma,” She said.

“That was a failure of modern medicine,” He shot back, “Obviously this ‘pain medication’ was designed to cause pain, not ease it.”

“It would actually work if you would rest.”

“I will only rest if I can do it in any room other than our own,” He argued, readjusting himself to stand in a sad excuse of a regal position, “I was actually looking for the library, Twilight mentioned having one. I thought I could spend some time there, but you seem to disagree.”

“Wait, really?” Starlight’s ears pinned, an annoyed look on her face as she asked, “Was that it? Why didn’t you just ask for some books?”

He let out a quick laugh, ignoring the jab of pain it caused and poking Starlight’s nose with a smile, “Because it is just so much fun to tease you.”

Between that jab and the cocky grin on his face, Starlight let out an indignant huff and turned away with a pout, an action that just made Sombra all the more amused. It really was fun to tease her, and now that he could see those ridiculous little faces of hers, he wanted to do it even more.

Lowering his head to her view, he said, “I promise I won’t burn any of the books.”

“Is that because you’re learning to be a decent pony, or because they’re Twilight’s books and you know she’ll do unspeakable things to you if you even so much as fold a page?”

“Because I respect books more than I respect any princess, obviously,” Sombra claimed, nudging Starlight with his nose in an attempt to push her forward, “Now take me to the library.”

“Ugh, fine. But only because I need to get to work,” Starlight complied with a roll of her eyes, moving ahead. Sombra followed after, a grin on his face as he lamely trotted behind her.

He made sure to memorize the path they took, keeping a mental note of every twist and turn through the halls. If he were to be trapped in this castle, he wanted to know where the most important rooms were, and the library was certainly one of them. That was something that would be able to keep him occupied for hours on end, and would serve as a welcome distraction whenever he was alone.

There was a bit of difficulty in the fact the library was upstairs, and Starlight had specifically chosen a room for them to share on the ground floor of the castle for Sombra’s sake. If he’d thought going down stairs blinded was bad, it didn’t quite compare to the frustrations of climbing them with a broken leg. He’d been incredibly tempted to use his shadow travel to get up there, but Starlight ended up teleporting the both of them instead.

It had been incredibly jarring.

Shaking his head to get rid of a lurking feeling of dizziness, He muttered, “So that’s what teleporting feels like, can’t say I’m a fan.”

“You get used to it,” Starlight explained, suddenly realizing, “Have you never teleported before? I’d have thought that would come easy to a Unicorn like you.”

“Never bothered to learn, shadow travel’s quick and easy enough.”

He took a step forward, wobbling a bit as he tried to regain himself. It only took a few steps before he was back to something akin to normal, but it finalized his opinion on teleportation. That being, he was going to never use it.

Finally, they made it to the library. The entrance was no different from any other door in the castle, which struck Sombra as odd considering it should be one of the largest rooms there was, but the interior itself all but made up for that. He wouldn’t say it was grand, though the shelves towered up the wall in a great circle around the room, books crammed into each and every one of them, but it was certainly impressive.

“So is this a personal library, or a public one?” He asked, gazing upwards. He probably wouldn’t be able to reach anything up there without magic, he wasn’t about to risk himself to climb a ladder.

“A little of both,” Starlight claimed, “Twilight keeps a lot of her more important books stored around other shelves in the castle, and I guess Ponyville’s last library blew up or something, so pretty much everypony is allowed to borrow from her.”

“The library blew up? What kind of town is this?”

“There’s a reason I said dragging you around was a typical Friday afternoon here,” She said, guiding him to one of the tables around the room, “Now sit, and tell me what kind of books you like.”

Sombra wanted to argue against her orders, but knew it would be pointless, obeying her commands and saying, “Anything like what you read to me in Canterlot? I’d read more of those types of books.”

“Good, because we’ve got every book Stygian’s written so far.”

Igniting her horn, Starlight levitated herself to look through one of the higher shelves, skimming through the books until she found what she wanted. She would teleport them to Sombra, the books landing with a solid thump in front of him. He cocked a brow curiously at this, surprised that she could levitate and teleport at the same time.

“You have a very firm grasp on magic,” He said, “Where’d you learn to control it so well?”

“I’m self taught,” Starlight answered, grabbing another book and teleporting beside him to set it on the pile, “No magic school and no teachers, just some thorough reading of some thick magic books, and a little bit of spite.”

“Spite is a wonderful motivator, I’ve learned. Anything about Dark Magic?” Sombra asked, a small grin making way to his face. Starlight froze on the spot, a look of discomfort overcoming her.

“While I’ll admit I’ve used some rather, er, unstable spells, I can’t say I’ve resorted to Dark Magic. But that’s not to say I haven’t done any other less than friendly tactics to get what I want.”

This time, she leaned over and poked Sombra’s nose, forcing a snort out of the stallion. He shook his head, turning to her and demanding, “I wish to know more about your illicit deeds.”

“Sorry, but not today. I’m running short on time here, I really have to get to the school.”

Sombra nodded, disappointed. Whether it was because Starlight wouldn’t speak of her crimes or that she was leaving, he wasn’t sure. There was little to no chance of his ‘demon’ returning now, and he could easily defend himself if anything did come up, but he was still more at ease when Starlight was around. He wasn’t sure why, she was no more powerful than he was, but even now that he was somewhat restored he didn’t want her to go.

Grabbing one of the books, he looked over the cover before flipping it open, frowning as the words seemed to jumble together. Slamming that book shut, he looked over the others in some sort of confusion, twitching his ear as he heard the shuffle of Starlight nearby, preparing herself to leave.

“Starlight, before you go, may I ask you something?”

“Hmm?” She lifted her head, setting down a book she’d been looking at, “I guess so, I can spare a few minutes.”

Sombra opened his mouth for a brief moment before closing it again. His question actually had nothing to do with the books, but it was still one that was in the back of his mind, ever since that afternoon with Sweetie Belle.

“You have Gala tickets,” He began, tail swishing nervously, “Are you going to the Gala?”

Starlight hesitated, taking a few seconds to answer, “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Have you ever been to the Gala before?”

She shook her head, “It’s never been something I’ve ever been invited to, and I’m not sure I’d even like going. Too many ponies, and way too much pressure to set up the best image you can of yourself. I’d rather stay home.”

Sombra nodded, flipping his book back open, the same jumble of letters meeting his gaze. He was beginning to suspect something, and he didn’t like it, but he still wasn’t going to say anything about it. He was, however, about to say something else as he saw Starlight turning toward the door.

“I think you should go,” He said, “To the Gala, I mean.”

Starlight paused, a forehoof slamming to the ground with a bit of force.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” She said, “I don’t think the ponies of Canterlot would be happy to see me around.”

“It would be worth a try,” Sombra insisted, “The Gala has always been a special event, one even I once dreamt of partaking in. I implore you to at least think about going, I’d hate for you to miss it, especially if it’s my fault you don’t.”

“It’s not-”

Sombra cut her off, “Don’t say it wouldn’t be my fault. The only reason those conceited Canterlot fools would hate you would be because you defended me, and we both know it.”

“Yes, but-” Starlight continued to think of an argument, but the look Sombra gave her silenced her, “Okay, fine. I’ll think about it, but no promises. Maybe things will be different since Twilight and Pinkie are doing all the work.”

Sombra’s tail twitched at those names, though his tone betrayed his feigned annoyance, “On second thought, maybe it’s not worth going.”

“Oh, but you’d tolerate it if Celestia was planning it? I thought you hated her too?” Starlight mocked. Sombra’s eyes widened at this, but before he got a chance to retort, she assured, “I’m just messing with you, I doubt it’ll be much different between the two of them. Well, more of a party with Pinkie involved, but I’m sure it’d be… Fun?”

“I’m sure you’ll find out.”

“Once again, that’s a maybe,” Starlight emphasized, placing the book she’d been looking at onto Sombra’s pile, “Now if you don’t mind, I really should be going. I imagine I’m going to have a lot of students asking about you.”

He nodded, waving a hoof to dismiss her and looking at the book she’d tossed him.

Starlight responded with a much more polite goodbye before quickly making her way to the school. It was nice that it was so close to the castle, practically its backyard even, since it made the risk of being late much less of an issue. She could usually wait until the last second to go, or if she was cutting things a bit too close, just teleport straight to her office. Of course, she always tried to be early just in case Twilight or her friends had something planned ahead of time, and often opted to walk so students knew she was there.

Today, she was much later than usual, but not anything that would be considered too late. Class hadn’t started yet, though there were students lounging around and talking, occasionally glancing toward her and waving. There were a select few who would lower their voices when she came near, still speaking of Sombra even this long after he’d arrived in Ponyville, but they were never too scared or upset about it.

Because really, rehabilitating a villainous pony was nothing compared to everything that had happened during the school’s first year. Nearly draining the world of magic is significantly more horrifying than a one day takeover by a pony lost in history. At this point, the students were jaded.

Yet even with that laid back response, she knew that after such an eventful weekend, she was probably going to see a few students in her office. She could even predict it to be a specific six, and upon turning into the hall where her office was located, they ran to her immediately.

Raising a hoof to stop them before they spoke, she ordered, “One at a time.”

The students nodded, lining themselves up besides each other as they tried to decide who should go first. It took a few seconds of discussion, but eventually Sandbar stepped forward.

“So, what exactly happened out there?” He asked, “Why were Chrysalis and Sombra duking it out?”

“Chrysalis had been manipulating Sombra for weeks,” Starlight answered. There was no point in lying, so she was going to tell them the complete truth, or at least what she knew, “We’re not actually sure why she went after him, because she and Sombra don’t have any sort of history together.”

Satisfied with the answer, Sandbar stepped back, allowing Ocellus to take his place and quietly ask, “Did you find any sign of Chrysalis?”

She shook her head, “We found some blood, but no body. I think it’s safe to say she escaped.”

Ocellus let out a relieved sigh. Chrysalis might have been a rather tyrannical queen that the Changelings feared, but she was still one of them, and death was not the fate they wished upon their previous queen.

Smolder stepped up next, asking, “Is Sombra even a pony?”

“Yes, he’s a pony just as much as I am,” Starlight answered, before looking around, “Any more questions? Preferably relevant ones, I can’t spend all day answering about Sombra’s strangeness, because I don’t think even he can answer those questions.”

Silence. It would seem that for the most part, the students were more interested in the deeper questions relating to Sombra, and since seeing him beaten over the weekend was the first time they’d ever actually seen him, they were filled with questions. None of which were currently relevant.

“Alright, so that’s that,” Starlight said, making her way through the group, “Maybe once he’s further along in the reformation process I’ll see if he’ll talk with you, but right now I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to meet.”

“Cool. I did say we needed to teach that guy a lesson,” Smolder grinned. Yona nudged her hard. “But maybe if that day comes I’ll try to be civil. I’m still mad at him for what he did to the Tree of Harmony.”

“Yona think every creature still mad about that,” Yona muttered.

“And you’re probably right about that, but that’s in the past now. The Tree is back thanks to you, stronger than ever, and after the beating it gave Sombra I don’t think he’s going near it any time soon,” Starlight reminded, looking to the nearest clock, “I think you should all probably get to class now, the bell will be ringing soon.”

To her relief, the students scrambled off to their classes, or at least most of them. Silverstream hadn’t moved, and it was just occurring to Starlight how she hadn’t made any effort to speak with her friends. She also seemed quite troubled.

Shuffling her claws a bit, Silverstream asked, “May I come in?”

“Of course.” Starlight allowed the Hippogriff into her office, closing the door behind her to ensure no wandering students would try to peek in, “Is everything alright?”

“Is he okay?”

Somehow, that question caught Starlight off guard.

“You mean Sombra?” She asked. Silverstream nodded. “He’s fine, for the most part. His leg is broken and he’s got some pretty painful bruising, but he was up and about this morning. He even bugged me to let him into the library for the day.”

“That’s good, I was really worried when I saw him like that.”

Silverstream still didn’t move, anxiously twiddling her claws. She was acting nothing like the bubbly Hippogriff everyone knew and loved, so something else was obviously bothering her, and though she wasn’t being vocal about it, Starlight knew she needed to help somehow.

“Is something else upsetting you?” She asked, “I know I said I’d wait to introduce any of you to Sombra, but if it makes you feel any better I can show you he’s okay later.”

“No, it’s not that,” Silverstream shook her head, “Well, not entirely that. It’s just that seeing another creature hurt so bad, it…”

She trailed off, tears beginning to form in her eyes. If Starlight hadn’t been concerned before, she was now, and she was already trying to think of the best way to reassure her. Snacks were her usual go to when comforting the students, so she was already listing off in her head what she might give her.

Wiping her eyes, Silverstream continued, “I was really young when the Storm King took over, and even if my mom and dad did what they could to keep Terramar and I safe, I saw a lot of hurt Hippogriffs. I didn’t really understand it at first, but when Auntie Novo gave my mom Skystar and flew off to fight, I knew things were really bad.”

She began to tear up again, and something told Starlight that a simple snack wouldn’t suffice in this instance.

“I saw my uncle get badly hurt,” She said, voice just above that of a whisper, “Seeing Sombra like that reminded me of him, except he never got better.”

Ever since learning of the Hippogriffs, the ponies had known they had no king, but no one had questioned why, and what Silverstream had just said explained everything they had never questioned. A part of Starlight wanted to apologize for her loss, but another part of her knew that such a thing was never actually helpful. So she said what she could.

“The good news is I can assure you that Sombra will be fine in no time,” She assured, “And I’m sorry that seeing him like that made you remember that.”

“It’s fine. It was a long time ago, I don’t usually get so upset about it.”

“It’s also fine to be upset about it, all these years later,” Starlight said, offering a tissue, “Sadness over losing someone never really goes away.”

Silverstream took the tissue, wiping away tears again, “I guess you’re right, though I do feel a bit better knowing we actually managed to help Sombra. I mean, I know he used to be evil, but it didn’t feel right to leave him.”

“And you were very kind for doing so,” Starlight agreed, ears twitching as the first school bell of the day rang. Silverstream made an effort to get up, but then paused.

“Can I stay in here for just a little bit?” She asked, “I don’t really want to go to class while I’m crying.”

“Of course. I can write you a note when you’re ready to go, but for now would you perhaps like to play a game to pass the time?”

Silverstream nodded, so Starlight went over to one of her shelves and grabbed the game box on top. She set it on her desk, opening it up to show the Hippogriff the contents inside before setting it up. It wasn’t one Silverstream was familiar with, but it was always fun to try new things, and she figured Starlight would tell her the rules.

Finished with the set up, Starlight asked, “So, have you ever played Dragon Pit?”

Fluttershy had planned out everything, she’d even made a list of supplies by Twilight’s suggestion, but despite her efforts it hadn’t been enough. Her animals had decided to have a snack before lunch, costing her this afternoon’s project, as well as ruining their own appetites. She had wanted to scold them, but knowing the circumstances behind the snacking, she let it slide. She’d just be sure to up a certain bear’s feed before the days started to get too cold.

Thankfully, Twilight had allowed her to take some of her own things to complete the project, and with a quick request for her students to gather some pinecones during their freetime during lunch, she rushed over to the castle. The pantry had more than enough for what she needed, and she filled her saddlebags with as much as she could, making a mental note to pay Twilight back for this later.

She had pulled out her list, rechecking everything as she read it over, “Peanut butter, peanuts, sunflower seeds, grapes.”

Yes, that had been everything. Or at least, everything she could get from the castle. There were a few things on her list that wouldn’t be found in the average pony’s pantry, and though she had some of that at home, it was a bit far to go on such short notice. Not to mention, Starlight had asked her to do something as well. Something she was a bit anxious to do.

She’d been staring upstairs for a while now, actually. Starlight said she’d left Sombra in the library that morning, and it was likely that he was still in there, but Fluttershy was incredibly anxious about the fact he might not be. His leg might have been broken, but he was still mobile, and worst of all, had all of his magic at his disposal now.

And after what had happened in Canterlot on that fateful day of his third, and hopefully final, defeat, she wasn’t sure she was ready to encounter him face to face and all alone.

But she was going to. Because she’d promised Starlight that she would, since she was still busy with students during lunch.

Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy made her way up those stairs and straight to the library. The door was cracked, evidence that Sombra might have left the room, or more reasonably, that Starlight simply hadn’t closed it before leaving. Leaning slightly against the door, Fluttershy listened for any sign of Sombra within. She heard nothing, not even the sound of a page being flipped, so inching closer, she peeked in.

As she should have expected, Sombra was in there, but he wasn’t reading. He was lying head down on the table, unmoving with his body twisted at an awkward angle, his mane and tail limp against him, books scattered all around. For a moment, she thought he was sleeping, but then she remembered he’d been horribly injured a couple days ago, and a much more horrifying thought struck her.

“Oh no!” She shot in, dropping her bag as she rushed to the fallen stallion’s side, “Sombra! Are you okay, I-”

She screeched as he shot up with a cry of his own, and the two of them smacked heads together painfully. Fluttershy was knocked to the ground at this, while Sombra was slammed back into the table, quickly covering himself as a stack of books rained over him. Despite that, he was the first to lift himself, looking down at Fluttershy in frustration.

“Don’t ever do that again,” He demanded. The Pegasus didn’t respond, still lying on her back, unmoving, annoying him further, “Get up. I know my horn didn’t impale you.”

She scrambled to her hooves with a quiet squeak, “I’m sorry! I know you got hurt a few days ago and with the way you were laying I thought that maybe you-”

He cut her off, “I’m perfectly fine, just with an added headache now.”

Along with the aching bruising within his body. The position he’d fallen asleep in hadn’t helped with that at all, and his stomach felt even more tender than it had been earlier. Or maybe that was just the fact he hadn’t eaten since that morning, and his breakfast had been nothing more than a few pieces of fruit and a muffin. Starlight was never very good at portioning out meals it seemed, she always gave him less than he’d normally eat, but considering she was used to feeding ponies of her own stature it really shouldn’t surprise him.

As if to mock him, his stomach growled. He growled right back at it’s betrayal, readjusting himself in a position that made it hurt less.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Fluttershy asked. Sombra glared at her, and she squeaked again, her wings and coat fluffing in an instinctual attempt to look bigger, “I mean, Starlight really wanted to know if you were okay. I just needed to make sure.”

“You can tell her I’m fine,” He said, dragging one of his books over and opening it up again, “If she were truly concerned, she would’ve checked on me herself.”

He turned away, staring down at that random page, the jumbled words within mocking him. Furrowing his brow in frustration, he began to tap his hoof impatiently. Fluttershy still lingered nearby, picking up the things she’d dropped as he feigned reading. It was incredibly hard to focus on the book, for both reasons he was too ashamed to admit and that gnawing hunger.

His stomach growled again, and with a snarl of annoyance, his head slammed onto the table. His ear twitched as Fluttershy paused her tidying, but with a quiet hum she got right back to it.

He wondered if he should go find the kitchen to get something to eat, or wait for Starlight to return. The latter felt like the more reasonable action, the kitchen was more than likely downstairs, and he didn’t even know where it was. He hadn’t explored the castle, and had only been able to memorize the rooms he’d already been to, namely his bedroom and the washroom, neither of which would help him right now.

“Do you like peanut butter?”

His head raised slowly at Fluttershy’s voice, the Pegasus holding a jar and some bread in her hooves. He eyed it warily, not entirely sure what she was really offering him.

“Peanut... Butter? Is that the new substitution for dairy butter?”

“Oh, right. You might not know what it is.” She unscrewed the jar, taking a spoon from her bag with her teeth, sticking it into the strange butter within it, “It’s a sweet and salty spread we like to eat. It goes well on sandwiches, in cookies, and with bird seed.”

Sombra cocked his head, glancing down to the peanut butter and then back to Fluttershy, “So it’s bird food?”

“Not usually, but that was what I was going to use it for,” She said, quickly clearing off the table, setting the jar in front of him, “Go ahead, try a spoonful!”

He continued to eye her warily, but the quiet grumbling of his stomach convinced him to do as he was told. Levitating the spoon, he continued to stare down at the peanut butter, warily glancing between it and Fluttershy. The gentle look in her eyes was enough to convince him that yes, this was in fact food, and with another grumble of his stomach he took a spoonful.

“Wait, maybe not that much-”

He stuck the spoon in his mouth, ignoring Fluttershy. A new and surprisingly tasty texture made itself known to him, and with the smack of his lips his eyes widened in surprising enjoyment. Then he smacked his lips again. And again. And then he began to panic.

Fluttershy ran out of the room as he began to paw at his mouth, and despite his urge to yell at her, the peanut butter just made everything muffled. His horn sparked in anger, internally chastising himself for accepting food from one of Twilight’s friends, and even more annoyed at the fact he’d actually enjoyed it for a moment. At least the continued action of smacking his lips relieved some of the stickiness, though he still struggled to shout the unsavory words that made up his current feelings.

To his surprise, Fluttershy shot back into the room a moment later with a glass in her hooves. Sombra glared at her as she offered it to him, hooves covering his mouth as he refused to accept anything else.

“It’s just milk,” She said, her voice gentle, yet trembling, “It’ll help, I promise.”

Despite his better judgement, he snatched the glass from her and downed its contents. The suffocating stickiness was gone almost instantly, and upon lowering the glass he looked at Fluttershy in confusion.

“Peanut butter is a little bit sticky, so it’s best not to eat so much at once,” She explained, “But if you do, a glass of milk should make things better.”

Finally able to speak again, Sombra glanced down at the jar with his ears back, turning back to Fluttershy and saying, “It was good. I demand more.”

For some reason, Fluttershy giggled at this, grabbing the bread and peanut butter, along with a dull knife. She used the knife to spread the butter over a couple slices of bread, slapping the two pieces together and offering the sandwich to Sombra.

“It’s good with jam or jelly too,” She said as he took it, “Though I wouldn’t know what kind of jam you’d like, so I hope just peanut butter is okay. Unless you want me to get some?”

He shook his head, swallowing his mouthful and saying, “I like crystal berry jam, but I doubt you have any of that here, so I’ll just take this.”

Fluttershy put a hoof to her chin in thought, “Twilight might have some actually, do you want me to check?”

Sombra gave a hesitant nod, and the Pegasus took off again. He finished the sandwich he had quickly, licking his lips as the peanut butter stuck again, but in a much more manageable way. He hoped she’d bring more milk, he needed something to drink after that and he’d already emptied the first glass. Or maybe he’d just go to the washroom, he could drink out of the faucet if needed, as undignifying as it was. He didn't mind as long as no one was looking.

Fluttershy was taking longer to return this time, so Sombra levitated one of the many books on his table and flipped through it for the umpteenth time that day. He’d been looking through all of them, again and again, and still hadn’t managed to understand anything. These books were wrong and different and he didn’t like it one bit.

His ears twitched as he heard Fluttershy approach, and he quickly pushed the book to the side. She’d brought a jam jar, and a bottle of milk. Setting them on the table, she got to making another sandwich.

“Turns out Twilight does have crystal berry jam,” She said, spreading it onto a slice of bread. Sombra sniffed the air as she did, the sweet and nostalgic scent of the jam making him feel excitedly anxious.

It had been too long since he’d eaten something familiar, and as much as he enjoyed some of the new foods Equestria had to offer, he couldn’t help but crave that familiarness every now and then. Just smelling the jam and watching Fluttershy spread it reminded him of similar situations from so long ago, when his caretaker would do the same.

It wasn’t as painful as previous memories, but when Fluttershy offered him this sandwich, he had to pause midway.

“Why are you doing this?” He asked, “I tried to hurt you. Why are you being nice to me?”

Fluttershy sat beside him, asking, “Why not? You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

He nodded, gingerly grabbing the sandwich and looking down at it. The smell of the jam and peanut butter was surprisingly tempting, despite how strange of a concoction it was.

“Well, yes, but that still doesn’t answer my question. You shouldn’t trust me, so therefore you should ignore me.”

For a moment, Fluttershy was silent, twirling her mane. Sombra gazed down at her, but she looked away. She didn’t trust him, and why would she? Fluttershy should’ve known more than anypony that he was dangerous.

Despite that, she looked back to him and whispered, “I trust you.”

“You’re lying.”

“Maybe a little,” She mumbled, though her volume grew as she said, “But I trust Starlight, and she trusts you. So that means, even if it’s scary, I trust you not to hurt me.”

“You’re far too trusting,” He said. Fluttershy went rigid at this, a worried noise escaping her, though Sombra did nothing to even scare her. Instead, he bit into his sandwich, the familiarity of the jam and the newness of the peanut butter making the simple little sandwich surprisingly delicious, and upon swallowing he said, “But you’re right. I won’t hurt you.”

Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief, practically melting to the ground. Sombra snorted amusedly at this, turning away to finish his sandwich. He ate this one slowly, wanting to savor it for as long as he could. The jam made him feel far too many feelings of familiarness at once, and he had to forcefully hold himself back from getting emotional at the memories that were resurfacing.

It was strange, how such a simple thing could unearth so many memories. It was also incredibly annoying.

He never thought he’d be so relieved to finish something so simple, even if he’d been savoring it a moment before. There was only so long he could take those memories, they always started frustrating him.

Wiping the bread crumbs off the table and onto the floor, he leaned his head against a hoof and stared at the stack of books before him. He’d wait until Fluttershy left to get back to those, though it didn’t seem like she’d be going anywhere soon, because after hearing her whisper something inaudibly, he turned to see her releasing rodents from her bag. He shot back as they ran toward him.

“Why do you have vermin in your bag?” He asked, ears pinned in disgust, “Don’t tell me they’d been feasting on the very food you gave me?”

“They’re mice, not vermin,” She claimed, the mice chittering back at Sombra in something he could only assume was anger, “And they’re cleaning up the mess you just made.”

True to her words, they got to snacking on his crumbs, but their innocent behavior didn’t make him any more willing to return to his seat. No, instead he limped away, choosing instead to browse the bookshelves. Maybe there would be something he could understand buried in the shelves somewhere, chances were a room this big should have some books in different languages.

But of course, he was stuck looking at the bottom most shelves, and he quickly grew frustrated by that.

“Why did you even bring food and mice into the library?” He asked, boredom strong enough he was willing to start a conversation just to end it, “I imagine Twilight wouldn’t approve.”

“Don’t worry, it’s no problem, Twilight is used to me bringing my animals over,” She said, the mice running up her foreleg, “And she gave me permission to take some things from her pantry since Harry got a little hungry and decided to have a snack. Checking on you was Starlight’s request.”

Sombra blinked, ears twitching as he said, “Hairy? That’s a rather unfortunate name for a pony.”

“Oh, Harry’s not a pony,” Fluttershy giggled, “He’s my big ol’ fluffy bear!”

“You have a bear too?”

Sombra stumbled back, a horrible feeling of dread overwhelming him as he realized just how many creatures this mare had on her side. And wasn’t she the one the Lord of Chaos liked too? As if aware of the power she held over him, Fluttershy just continued to giggle, completely unaware of his horror as her mice ran circles over her back and through her mane.

“He’s the sweetest thing, and such a cuddler, though he is the slightest bit grumpy right now. Winter’s coming, and he’s gotta fill up before hibernation,” She explained, directing her mice back into her bag and looking back to Sombra, finally noticing his terror, “Oh, he’s quite nice, don’t worry! He’d never harm a pony.”

“I very much doubt he wouldn’t attack me if he loves you so much.”

“I can promise you that as long as I tell him not to hurt you, he won’t,” She assured.

Sombra seemed doubtful, tail swishing as he said, “I don’t trust you.”

Though she figured she understood why, Fluttershy still asked, “Why not?”

“Because I don’t trust any of you. You, your friends, or the Chaos Lord,” He said, an edge of panic in his voice, “They’re powerful, and I tried to hurt you. So that means I shouldn’t trust them not to hurt me in revenge.”

She noticed his anxiety. The way he held himself, the way his tail swished and his nostrils flared. He was stuck between fight or flight, and it was all too familiar to her, because it was something she had known for so long.

“No one’s going to hurt you Sombra,” She assured, taking on the same gentle tone she used when dealing with distressed animals, “Not as long as you don’t try to hurt any of us. Even if you’re not our friend, you’re still Starlight’s, and none of us would ever do anything to hurt her like tha.”

Sombra let out a quiet laugh, “Only as to not hurt Starlight’s feelings? I assume that means had she not been involved, you’d have had them beat me to the ground.”

Fluttershy shook her head, “Just because you wanted to hurt me, doesn’t mean I wanted to hurt you back. Hurting somepony who’s mad has never helped us before, and it certainly wouldn’t help now.”

“Not even if they deserve to be hurt?”

For a moment, Fluttershy didn’t respond. She seemed to stop and think, her eyes widening in realization.

“You… You don’t think you deserve to be hurt, do you?” She asked. Sombra didn’t answer, looking away. “Sombra, why would you ever think like that?”

He stayed silent, slipping to the floor in an attempt to look small and unnoticeable. Fluttershy pushed away any feelings of fear she’d had before and made her way toward him, ignoring Sombra’s quiet growls. He may not have been one of the animals she so often treated, but he was still just as much of a living thing deserving of kindness as they were. She made it quite close to him, reaching a hoof out in an act of gentleness, but stopped mid way as he leaned away from her.

She knew very well that she couldn’t comfort or help him, not right now, but she knew one pony that might.

“Do you want me to get Starlight?” She asked.

Once again, he said nothing, but a flick of his ear at the mention of Starlight’s name confirmed what Fluttershy wanted to know. Sombra might not trust her, but she knew that he trusted Starlight, and even if she couldn’t help him with whatever it was that was bothering him, her presence would hopefully be enough to reassure him that he didn’t deserve to be hurt.

“I’ll go get her.”

With that, Fluttershy left. Sombra continued to sit unmoving, growling to himself for his stupidity of showing weakness. He shouldn’t have spoken to her, he should’ve stayed silent, but he hadn’t, and his wavering emotions had gotten the best of him again.

Why did this keep happening? Why had it been so much harder to control the way he felt? He was supposed to be a king for shadow’s sake, not some pathetic colt who couldn’t control his emotions and memories! Why did they keep trying to boil over, driving him to a limit he wasn’t supposed to have?

His horn bubbled with magic, a near irresistible urge to blast something welling up inside him. If he couldn’t control his emotions, why not let them out in one big burst? The only thing stopping him was the confines of the library, and the knowledge that Twilight would butcher him again if he were to lay waste to her books.

Crystals began to form on the ground around him, his secondary option of creating a crystalline cocoon to hide in. It didn’t solve anything, but hiding from his feelings was the next best thing he could think to do. If nopony could see him, then nopony would know he was pathetic and weak.

And he nearly did. He was mere seconds away from hiding himself when the door slammed shut, and a laugh filled the room.

“Oh my, when I heard Starlight was reforming you, I expected something a little more exciting,” A voice said, familiar, mocking, and infuriating to listen to, “But instead, I’ve been horribly disappointed.”

For a moment, Sombra thought he was actually hallucinating like Starlight had assumed, but then the speaker appeared in front of him with a pop of magic. His fear vanished as the other appeared, replaced with pure rage, worsened as he was magically yanked over to face the very monstrosity that had invaded the library.

“Hmm, you’re pretty average without all that armor,” He said.

Sombra snarled, bearing his fangs as he spat, “And you’re positively repulsive up close, Chaos Lord.”

Chapter 15: Chaos

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Sombra wasn’t sure if rage was the best thing to be feeling after something he refused to consider a breakdown, but almost anything was better than the reminder of his weakness. Key word, almost. Being face to face with the very abomination that had triggered the events of his last defeat was comparably worse than cocooning himself in the safety of his own magic. The worst part was, he knew exactly why Discord was here.

“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted that Pegasus,” He said.

“Oh, I can assure you that Fluttershy had nothing to do with my visit,” The Draconequus claimed, “At least not directly. I was simply checking in on her, as I do any time there’s an untrustworthy threat nearby.”

Sombra huffed, “As if you’re one to talk. I doubt you’re the most trustworthy being here.”

“Far more trustworthy than you,” He grinned, jabbing the stallion’s chest with a claw. The magic levitating Sombra vanished, and he fell to the floor, a bed of pillows that weren’t there before softening his fall, “Would an untrustworthy Draconequus have done that?”

“After manipulating your so called friends into essentially killing me? Yes, yes you would.”

Discord frowned, crossing his arms and turning away as if insulted. Sombra frowned right back, rising from the pillows and limping back toward his books. He was sure that demanding the Draconequus to leave wouldn’t work in his favor, so he was going to try and push his rage away, and stare into the mocking books yet again. Discord would probably leave as soon as he got bored of him.

He didn’t even make it to the books before Discord spoke again.

“I must admit, I am curious as to why Twilight and the others agreed with the plan to reform you, you don’t strike me as the friendly type,” He said. Sombra refused to look back, knowing that whatever ridiculous gesture the Chaos Lord was making as he spoke would only annoy him further, “I mean, after what you did to Fluttershy, I’d have thought you were practically banned from the honor of redemption, and she’s the best reformer around! A bit of a shame you didn’t end up with her, really. I would’ve loved to have a roommate, but I suppose I must accept that those hopes are crushed.”

Something shattered behind him. A trick from Discord, most likely.

Sombra bit his tongue, painfully forcing himself from talking back. It had been Discord that had goaded him into attacking Fluttershy in the first place, and though he’d done it with the intention of emotionally damaging the Chaos Lord, it had instead been the stunt that had led to his agonizing defeat. The fact Discord was now insinuating that they’d ever get along somehow made everything even more annoying, but snapping at him would probably just end in more pain.

He’d also said the very word that tore Sombra right down to his core, and that wasn’t helping either.

“Giving the silent treatment now?” Discord’s voice was closer, “I know the girls said you were a pony of few words back when you were obliterated in the Empire, but I know you’re much more talkative than that.”

Sombra continued his silence, shutting his eyes. If Discord was to pop into his line of vision, he didn’t want to see him. He wanted him to leave, because if he didn’t, Twilight may very well lose another library.

“Uh, hello? Discord to the fallen king, is anyone there?” He knocked on Sombra’s head, prompting him to lower himself as his horn sparked briefly. Discord harrumphed at the lack of response, “I suppose Starlight isn’t doing a very good job at reforming you, I should’ve known you were hopeless.”

Sombra’s eyes shot open with a blaze of shadow, a vicious snarl escaping him as he abruptly turned to pounce at the abomination. In response, Discord simply caught him in his magic, a cocky grin on his face, as if he knew exactly what he’d done.

“Ah, now there’s the feisty and fiendish freak we all know and hate. I was wondering what it’d take to get that side of you out,” He said, pulling him over. Sombra struggled in his magic, flailing about in frustration, “Now let’s see exactly what you are.”

“Release me this instant, you conceited conglomeration!” He snarled, trying and failing to kick at his captor, horn bubbling with an excess of darkness. He wanted to blast him. He wanted to make this horrible creature hurt. He wanted him to go away.

But he couldn’t, for his own sake.

Discord just stared at him, focused on his magic, an almost hungry grin on his face. Sombra wanted to wipe the look off him, shoot him with everything he had, but he couldn’t. Blasting Discord would only repeat that painful humiliation again. He could already see it, Fluttershy was right behind the library’s door with her friends, wasn’t she? Ready to finish him off, completely uncaring of how it made Starlight feel.

Unless Starlight was in on it? The thought of her betrayal sent a surge of something through him. Something painful and unwanted, and he shut his eyes as he writhed, letting out a scream of frustration at the feeling.

Of course she’d betray him. The only pony he’d ever loved has betrayed him. Why wouldn’t Starlight?

“You know, when you blasted me, it did hurt,” Discord said, all but ignoring the stallion’s frustrated flailing, “Of course, it didn’t do anything serious, but it takes a lot to hurt me. In fact, never before has an average Unicorn managed to cause me physical harm, so you should absolutely be proud of yourself.”

“I’ll be proud of myself when you’re writhing on the floor,” Sombra hissed back. Discord was close, too close, yet just out of reach.

“I’d just love to see you try.”

Brandishing his claws, Discord posed to strike, or at least that’s what Sombra assumed. He was prepared to strike back if he dared to do so, his own magic overflowing from his horn, almost painfully.

Discord flicked his wrist. Someone knocked on the door.

“Sombra? You’re still in there, right?” Starlight called, “Why and how is the door locked?”

Sombra opened his mouth to shout, but Discord swung his paw over and wrapped it around his muzzle, announcing, “Everything’s settled, Starlight! Don’t worry about us!”

“Discord? What are you doing in there?” A pop of magic sounded from outside, and something slammed against the door, “What the- Why can’t I teleport in? Discord! Let me in right now!”

“In a moment! I’m in the process of assessing our new-yowch!” Discord yelped, his magic faltering as he yanked his paw away from Sombra in shock. Tiny pinpricks of blood were peeping through his fur, and with a gasp of disbelief, he shouted, “You bit me!”

Sombra grinned, “Hurt, didn’t it?”

And then, with all of his force, Sombra kicked Discord in the chest. It only knocked the Draconequus back slightly, and sent a horrible pain through his own broken leg, but it was enough to finally free himself. There were no pillows to cushion his fall this time, and he hit the ground at an awkward angle, shouting out in his unknowable language at the pain.

At the sound of his voice, Starlight slammed against the door again, demanding to be let in, while Discord froze. He stared at Sombra unsurely, the fallen stallion letting out a few more pained mumbles, repeating those same few words as he lay half dazed on the floor.

Digging into an ear with a claw, Discord pulled out a wad of cotton candy before asking, “What did you just say?”

The sound of the Draconequus’ voice brought Sombra out of his stupor, and with a pained grunt, he hissed, “I said that you’re a good for nothing piece-of-mmph!”

Once again, Discord clamped Sombra’s mouth shut, this time with magic.

“No, I don’t care what insults you’re throwing at me,” He said, releasing Sombra as his horn sparked, crystals beginning to form around him, “I want to know what language you’re speaking, and how exactly do you know it?”

“You think I’m going to cooperate with you after what you just did to me?” Sombra shakily rose to his hooves, keeping his broken leg elevated as he staggered toward Discord, “Well guess what, think again!”

He pounced at Discord, that horrid abomination easily bending out of the way. Sombra didn’t manage to catch himself as he hit the ground, letting out another round of curses. His horn sparked harder, magic bubbling over and his sight being blurred by both tears of pain and his own shadows. An orange haze began to form around the entire room, along with a few larger crystals, though somehow they had managed not to pierce any books.

Discord wasn’t sure whether it was coincidental, or if Sombra did have some sort of self control of where they were forming. He was vaguely curious to know the answer, but knew he didn’t quite have the time to ask. Unlike Sombra, he knew very well that if any of these books were damaged, Twilight would blame him, and he didn’t want to anger her.

Raising his paw, he smiled somewhat uncomfortably and said, “Now, now, let’s not make a mess, shall we? This has all been a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?” This time Sombra did blast him, though Discord easily reflected the attack, transforming it into harmless confetti. Sombra stamped his hooves, screaming in rage and pain, “You’re doing this on purpose! You’re here to humiliate me again!”

“As if you need my help to humiliate yourself,” Discord grinned, reflecting another blast. It probably hadn’t been the best idea to say that, but who was he to avoid his better nature? At least if Sombra was attacking him, it left Twilight’s library mostly unscathed, “I simply arrived to assess you, remember?”

“Liar!”

Sombra launched multiple blasts this time, each one being turned into something harmless, frustrating him further. His magic was overwhelming him, stronger than ever, his own rage strengthening it to the point it was downright agonizing to contain. Starlight was still screaming outside the room, her words hardly audible within his power high, and Discord was smiling down at him.

That smile faltered as Sombra glared up at him. He wondered if he could use his fear gaze on a god?

“Sombra, calm down,” Discord ordered. He was no longer enjoying the stallion’s rage, “Would you really want Starlight to see you like this?”

“Don’t you dare bring her into this!”

He slammed his hooves down, horn sparking and eyes blazing. The magic within him continued to burn painfully. It was becoming harder and harder to contain, to control, and he wanted to release it. He needed to release it.

It hurt so bad. It felt so good. Was this how it had always felt? Why did he want more of it?

Discord still stood in front of him, though now his eyes were widening in the very emotion that Sombra had been trying to instil in him since he’d first had the displeasure of meeting the Draconequus.

Fear.

Sombra could sense it, he could feel it. Discord’s fear overwhelmed him, and with a quiet chuckle, a grin made its way to his face. He’d forgotten just how good this had felt, the feeling of having someone you hate be afraid of you. It was a feeling he’d forgotten, a feeling that was almost addictive.

How could he have forgotten this?

His laughter grew in volume, and so did Discord’s discomfort. This was what he wanted. He had wanted to hurt Discord. He wanted to make him suffer, he wanted revenge.

Starlight slammed on the door again, but her desperate cries went ignored.

“Okay, I think you’ve made your point,” Discord said, raising his arms in front of him, “You’ve certainly taught me a lesson!”

“Didn’t you hear me earlier, Draconequus?” Sombra asked, tilting his head just slightly, “I said I won’t be proud of myself until you’re writhing on the floor.”

With a burst of shadow, Sombra pounced. This time, Discord didn’t dodge. Instead, he let out a yelp, letting loose a burst of magic as Sombra collided with him, letting out his own massive blast of dark magic. It all exploded around them, forcing crystals to erupt and monstrous illusions to dance, the surrounding area bathed in an orange hue as the blast decimated everything around them.

Or, it would have, had Discord not just teleported them to the desert. After what he’d just witnessed, he was sure that nothing in the library would have survived that blast, and he was still unkeen by the idea of having an Equestrian Princess mad at him again.

The blast also hadn’t managed to hurt him either, at least not too bad. At worst, Sombra had knocked him to the ground, and now sand filled his fur, feathers, and scales. Annoying, but not agonizing. The crystals had mostly erupted around them, and the illusions did nothing more than put a heavy weight on his chest, though they faded as the haze did.

Yet for some reason, the weight on his chest did not.

Lifting his head to look down at himself, in the hopes of ensuring that he absolutely was not impaled, Discord was met with an even stranger sight. That being, a presumably unconscious and hopefully not dead, Sombra lying on his chest.

“Well, I’m on the ground,” He quipped, eliciting a quiet snarl from the stallion, revealing that he was very much alive and awake, “Happy now?”

“I’m gonna rip your throat out,” He mumbled.

Sombra did not act on that threat. In fact, he didn’t even move. He just continued to lay on Discord, sprawled out limply, staring off at nothing as his eyes tried to focus. They were green again.

“You have much less of a grasp on your emotions than you may think,” Discord stated, though he was relieved to see that Sombra’s rage had faded. He’d begun to think his presence had forced him into a relapse, “So are you done with that little hissy fit now?”

“Are you done threatening me?”

“I never threatened you,” Discord claimed, slithering out from beneath Sombra and levitating above him, “Like I said, I was assessing you. Specifically, your origins and magic, and I think I’ve learned more than enough.”

“I’m still going to bite you.”

“Stop that.”

Discord slapped the fluffy end of his tail over Sombra’s mouth, knowing fully well he would probably stay true to his threats, but if the stallion wanted a mouthful of hair, then so be it. Right now, there were more important matters to attend to. Like the dark crystals surrounding him.

Admittedly, he hadn’t paid too much attention to Sombra’s magic when he had seized Canterlot. As far as he’d assumed they were just tacky gemstones, though he had to give him props for the mind control, that was always an interesting skill. As was his ability to come back from what seemed like certain death.

Okay, so maybe he hadn’t learned enough.

Sombra bit his tail. Discord lifted it, as well as Sombra, looking at the stallion curiously as he asked, “So how are you still alive?”

The look of sheer annoyance Sombra gave him did not answer his question, but did make Discord realize that responding to anything while clamped onto his tail was probably not the easiest. So he flicked it, forcing Sombra off before catching him on a cloud of cotton candy, then ungraciously dumping him back onto the ground.

“I swear if you break my leg again I’ll break your neck,” He threatened, shaking sand off himself, “I survive through spite and the meddling of immortals.”

Ignoring his threats, Discord crossed his arms and asked, “Are you not an immortal yourself?”

“I…” Sombra blinked, as if surprised by the question, “I do not know.”

“Figures. So who’re the immortals that have been meddling in your life? Don’t even bother saying anything if it’s Celestia, I already know she and Luna slam dunked you into a glacier, and meddling in the life of mortals is practically a hobby of theirs.”

Without a chance for pause, Sombra answered, “It was Grogar.”

“Pardon?” Discord froze in midair, his wings ceased flapping though he did not fall.

“Don’t play dumb, beast. I know you heard me.”

“Oh, I did, but I was hoping you had misspoken,” Discord spat, his tone much more irritable than it had been previously, “Because as far as I’m concerned, Grogar crumbled to dust eons ago.”

“Well, I guess you were wrong to assume that,” Sombra said, repressing an urge to smile at his distress, “Can we go back to the castle now?”

“No. Not until you tell me more about Grogar, what is he plotting?”

Sombra groaned in annoyance, rolling his eyes. It was too hot in this desert, and he wanted to go back to the castle, wash all the grit and sweat from his coat, and maybe even take a nap. He was feeling tired and drained after that outburst.

“He wants to destroy Twilight and the others to take Equestria, obviously,” He spat, “Who else is there to target in this wretched land, if it hadn’t been her or her friends, it would have been Celestia and Luna!”

“And why did he involve you in this?”

“Because I’m just that good,” Sombra grinned. This time Discord rolled his eyes.

“Good at getting the stuffing beat out of you, maybe,” He muttered, turning away as his tail swished irritably, “Have you told Starlight or the others about this?”

“Why should I answer a question I was never asked?”

Discord wanted to argue at that, but couldn’t, because he knew very well that he would do the same. So instead, he crossed his arms and frowned, hovering just above Sombra in a silent attempt to waste his time. At least enough to annoy the stallion. The hot weather didn’t bother him too much, but he knew a Northern resident like Sombra would overheat easily, and maybe if he was giving in to heat exhaustion he’d be easier to get information out of.

Then again, he had just left Starlight right outside of the library, and after what had just happened, she’d probably gone and got Twilight. That was the sort of drama he didn’t want or need right now. Returning with a sick and overheated Sombra would probably not help matters if he did that.

As if on cue, Sombra stamped his hoof to get his attention, ordering, “Teleport me back. Now!”

“Only if you answer this final question.” Discord turned quickly, smacking the already annoyed Unicorn’s face with his tail and barely avoiding another snap as he did, “What are you, Sombra?”

He didn’t answer, brows furrowing in frustration as he dug a hoof through the sand.

“How fascinating,” Discord observed, “I almost have half a mind to tell you.”

Sombra’s eyes widened, but before he got the chance to speak, Discord snapped his fingers and he was once again in the library, face to face with Starlight. She jumped back with a yelp as he appeared, almost tripping over a dropped book, but Sombra managed to catch her.

“What happened?” She asked, righting herself, “Are you okay? Where’s Discord?”

“I…” Sombra twitched, putting a hoof to his head as a headache began to form, as well as that aching in his stomach. He wasn’t sure if it had been the heat, the magical outburst, or even a mix of the two, but he certainly wasn’t feeling well, “I don’t know.”

He didn’t know anything anymore. Why couldn’t he control his emotions? Why was his magic hurting him? What was he? He was a Unicorn, right? What else could he be, and why would Discord know? And most annoyingly of all, where had that disgusting creature even run off to?

“You’re covered in dirt,” Starlight sighed, brushing some of it out of his mane, “And the library is a mess. I hope the others don’t mind if I return late, since I guess I have to clean this up now.”

Sombra lowered his head in shame, “I think it should be my responsibility to do the cleaning.”

“How about we split?” Starlight offered, “You take care of your crystals, and I’ll handle everything else.”

Sombra nodded, looking around the room at the gemstones jutting out of various places. None had hit any books, but they’d gone through the carpet and at least one had pierced a table. He wasn’t going to be able to fix that.

Lifting his head, he took a deep breath and tested his magic. All that stress had scrambled his ability to control it, so he needed to do something to calm down, something that he was incredibly bad at doing. At least Starlight’s presence calmed him, though what Discord had said still gnawed at his mind. He knew something Sombra didn’t, and that bothered him, but he couldn’t let it get the best of him.

The crystals retracted slowly, the occasional hint of a bad thought causing a few to spontaneously grow, though he eventually got them to crumble. They left holes in the things they’d pierced through, but were gone fairly quick. That was good enough for him. With luck, it’d be good enough for Twilight as well.

“The crystals are gone,” He said, limping back to the table he’d spent the morning at. His book was still open, and still unreadable. Looking around, he saw Starlight picking up some books off the floor, and he called out to her, “Starlight?”

“Yes?”

“I can’t read these books,” He admit, ears pinning in annoyance. There was really no reason to hide it anymore, “None of the words make sense, I don’t think they’re in Poneish.”

Starlight paused her organizing, cocking her head curiously as she came over and looked down at his pile of books. She could read each one just fine, and they were very plainly in Poneish, but it quickly dawned on her what Sombra’s problem may be.

“Oh right,” She laughed nervously, “You’re not from this century, the language has changed over time. What you call ‘Poneish’, we call ‘Old Poneish’.”

This frustrated Sombra greatly.

“What reason was there to make any change to our language?” He demanded, huffing in annoyance, “What does that even accomplish?”

Starlight shrugged, “That’s a question for my ancestors, not me.”

She turned away, levitating herself to one of the highest shelves. Somba watched her, confused and tired, unwilling to question what she was doing. Instead, he pushed his book away and set his head on the table. He wondered if she’d notice if he fell asleep, because he was tempted to do that.

Well, he would have been, if it weren’t for the fact he was still covered in sand. It was itchy and annoying. He needed a brush.

“Okay, so I think I’ve figured out a solution to your problem,” Starlight announced. Her voice was coming from above he, and he raised his head to see her fiddling with the shelf, “Twilight’s got two copies of each of Stygian’s books, in Old Poneish and modern Poneish, since Stygian was accustomed to Old as well.”

She grabbed one of the books, teleporting next to him. Curiously, Sombra rose to take a look. Sure as Starlight had said, the cover of this book was actually legible to him, and quickly flipping it open he read through the first paragraph.

“About time something made sense around here,” He muttered, shaking himself to get rid of some of his grime.

“Guess I’ll have to teach you Poneish now,” Starlight said, levitating the other books away. Sombra slammed his hooves over one of them, surprising her enough that she neary dropped the others, “What was that about?”

“This is the new Poneish version of the book, yes? I would like to keep that one to try and teach myself something.”

“Okay, fine. Just, try not to do that again please? Twilight won’t forgive either of us if any of her books are damaged.”

He nodded, setting both books on the table and flipping them open. He wanted to read them, not only because he enjoyed the book of Stygian’s that Starlight had read him, but because he hadn’t been able to read anything in so long. There was only one thing stopping him from starting right now, and with the flick of an ear, he looked back over to Starlight.

“Can you get me a brush?” He asked, rubbing that ear with a hoof, “I feel itchy.”

Completely and utterly humiliated.

That was how Chrysalis felt when she managed to stumble back to Grogar’s lair. Her wings had been kinked in the crushing tendrils of crystals, and the oozing hole in her side had slowed her down significantly, but she’d escaped. More importantly, she’d survived.

Things could have gone far worse if that thing hadn’t been so obsessed with Sombra. She’d managed to escape in its rage, abandoning her plot for revenge in favor of not dying. After all, even if her wounds were easily survivable, Sombra's were not. There was no way he’d survived. Even if he’d escaped, he’d surely succumbed to his injuries or the harsh elements of the outdoors. And with any luck, it would be Starlight who found his remains.

Such a thing would never compare to what Starlight took from her, but she reveled in the thought of her failing her little reformation project. It was also beneficial in the long run, if Sombra was gone, there was less of a chance that she and the others would get caught. He’d known too much, and from what she saw, killing him had been the easiest way to keep him from revealing everything.

Or at least, that was the excuse she would use when Grogar questioned her. Revenge really had been her motive, but the longer she could keep up the ‘teamwork’ act, the better.

“See, I told you she’d manage to crawl back!”

A familiarly annoying and sickeningly sweet voice struck her ears the moment she stumbled into the cave. Shaking the mane out of her eyes, she glared at her two supposed teammates. They were lounged around Grogar’s table, Cozy Glow with a grin, and Tirek with a scowl.

“Only barely,” He argued, “And I wouldn’t say she’s entirely in one piece.”

“At least I’m not made of more than one piece, you horrific hodgepodge,” Chrysalis spat back. Tirek simply rolled his eyes, “Has Grogar not returned?”

“Nope!” Cozy shook her head, “Last we checked he was out in some barren, frozen wasteland, and he was talking to a rock. I think he’s going senile, if he wasn’t already.”

“Such a wise and glorious leader,” She muttered back sarcastically, collapsing at the table and grunting, “Do either of you have any food? Your love is, rather unsurprisingly, lacking, and I need something to keep me from starving to death.”

“I gathered some berries while you were gone, will they do? I swear they’re not poisonous,” Cozy offered. Chrysalis nodded with a look of disgust, and the Pegasus zipped away.

With that, she looked to Grogar’s Eye. Currently, there was nothing projected on it, and it stared right back down at her as if judging her for her failures. It annoyed her. She wanted to prove to it that she wasn’t a failure, that she had succeeded at her revenge plot. So, reaching an arm over, she set her hoof on it, waiting for it to activate. It had worked for Tirek, so why not her?

Nothing came up, so she quickly removed her hoof before placing it upon the Eye again. Still nothing.

“Stupid orb, how dare you look down on me,” She hissed, smacking it. Tirek made a noise at the gesture, and though she couldn’t see his face from where she was laying, she knew it was a laugh, “And what’s so funny?”

“Well for one thing, your blatant disregard for punishment,” He said. Chrysalis lifted herself slightly to snarl at him, but he placed a hand over her muzzle, grinning as he set the other one onto the Eye, “Not to mention, the fact that you don’t have the magic to make this thing work.”

The Eye buzzed to life, muffled voices from within. Chrysalis shot up fully at this, glaring into it as fuzzy figures moved within. Many of which were colorful, and another that was little more than a mass of brown. Tirek’s brother, more than likely. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d brought him up.

“Teach me how to do that,” She demanded.

Tirek removed his hand, explaining, “I can’t. It requires very specific magic.”

“Obviously. I want the spell.”

“As far as I can tell, there isn’t one. Cozy and I are under the impression that it needs Grogar’s magic to activate, and since I’m currently in possession of some, I can activate it.”

Chrysalis looked between Tirek and the Eye, frowning deeper as she muttered, “Or maybe it just listens to meatheads like the two of you.”

Falling back onto the table boredly, she waited for Cozy to return. It was taking too long for her to fetch her dinner, and Chrysalis was under the assumption that she was tampering with it. She had said they weren’t poisonous, so that meant she was currently poisoning them, right? The little filly was far from trustworthy, and she’d already shown herself willing to kill, so it all added up.

She was still going to eat them. A little poison never hurt her, it was just a bit of added spice, really.

Rather relievingly, it didn’t take much longer for Cozy Glow to make her way back, plate in hoof as she announced, “Dinner’s ready!”

She set the plate in front of Chrysalis, the berries arranged in the silhouette of the fallen queen, with a few of the little fruits smashed upon the plate like blood splatters. Huffing in annoyance, she turned to the filly with a deepend scowl, while Cozy just smiled back in a way that an unknowing pony would consider innocence.

“I made it special,” She said.

“You are a horrendous little grub,” Chrysalis grunted, shoving her face onto the plate and scarfing down the berries.

“And you’re a filthy mosquito that wouldn’t understand true art if it was smashed in your face,” Cozy huffed back, crossing her arms. Landing on the table, she knocked on the Eye before looking to Tirek, “So now what should we do? I’m bored.”

“I am not, nor have I ever been, your source of entertainment,” He said.

Cozy pouted, turning away as if insulted. With that, the trio was left in silence, nothing to be heard except for the wind outside, and the sound of Chrysalis scarfing down her dinner. It was a rare moment of calm between the partners in crime, and all three of them knew that it wouldn’t last. One of them would break the silence at one point.

Chrysalis decided it would be her.

“You,” She shot up to point at Tirek, mouth dribbling red berry juice, “I need your magic. I need to show you all what I’ve accomplished.”

Cozy spoke before Tirek got the chance, “No, it’s okay. We saw the Tree of Harmony slam you to the ground.”

“No! Not that blasted thing,” Chrysalis snapped back, slamming her forehooves on the table, “I killed Sombra! I ruined Starlight’s little pet project!”

“Yeah, about that… It was a really lame fight. I was kinda hoping you two would tear each other’s throats out, but you had to go and make it boring by pushing him off that cliff.”

“Not to mention, we never actually saw Sombra die. He got away,” Tirek added.

“Nonsense! His wounds were too severe to survive!” Chrysalis slammed a hoof onto the Eye, “I can prove it. Use this to bring up his corpse.”

“Now what’s this about a corpse I hear?”

The trio froze. Tirek and Cozy with looks of uncertainty on their face, while Chrysalis grinned, her berry stained fangs glimmering as more juice dribbled from her lips as Grogar approached the table. Once there, he stood above them, looking between the battered Chrysalis, and the unharmed duo beside her.

“I see that you’ve all been busy while I was away,” He said, glaring down at Chrysalis specifically, “You must be the corpse, I take it that you had a fight? Cozy Glow, I presume?”

Three very different voices rang out at once, two confused, and one enraged, “What!?”

Dramatically flinging her plate away, Chrysalis pounced onto the table and came face to face with Grogar. The ram didn’t even flinch at her presence, simply raising a brow at her sudden audacity.

“How dare you think that wretched little filly could do this to me!” She screeched, getting an ear twitch out of him, “I could kill her before she’d get the chance to even lay a hoof on me!”

Cozy Glow frowned at this, while Grogar simply scoffed, “Then you’re saying Tirek did this to you? He really needs to try harder if he’s trying to turn you into a corpse.”

Chrysalis slammed her hooves on the table, “Those fools could never beat me, and I am no corpse! He is!”

Grogar glanced to Tirek, the only creature Chrysalis could have been referring to. He looked nervous, Cozy Glow cowering beneath him with a similarly anxious expression. From the looks and sound of things, it seemed as if Chrysalis had gone after her teammates in cold blood, and they had defended themselves accordingly. How odd that neither of them had been harmed in this potential altercation.

That is, if such an altercation had actually happened. Grogar knew better than to assume, of course.

“And who is ‘he’?” He asked.

“The very fiend who threatened our mission,” Chrysalis grinned, unphased by Grogar’s blank stare, “I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear that the sad excuse of a fallen king has breathed his last.”

“Fallen king?” He continued to question, apparently oblivious, “Do you mean Sombra?”

Her grin faltered, but only to grind her teeth, “Who else could it be?”

“Ah. I suppose that’s an admirable feat,” Grogar said, lowering himself from where he’d elevated himself on his table, “However, there’s just one problem with it.”

“And what might that be?”

A yellow glow enveloped Grogar’s horns, an electrical black current sparkling over them as a brutal blast of magic shot Chrysalis point blank. She was thrown across the room at a horrifying speed, slamming into the wall with an equally as horrible noise. For a moment, Tirek and Cozy thought her dead, but the way she was twitching proved otherwise. Grogar approached her slowly, setting a hoof onto her neck as she turned to look up at him.

“I need Sombra alive,” He snarled, pressing down hard enough to crack her carapace, “So if you hope to continue to stay alive yourself, you best hope your little assassination attempt failed.”

He turned to glare at the duo behind him, horns sparking in an unspoken threat, to which Tirek responded to immediately. Rushing to the table, he set his hand onto the Eye. It blinked to life much quicker than it had with any previous attempt of his, a blur of pink and grey taking shape as whispers began to sound from within it.

Starlight’s voice made itself heard first, her muffled words eventually developing into a full sentence,“-Coat is growing in quite nicely, I think.”

“Really?” Another voice, one that sealed Chrysalis’ fate, “I think it’s getting too long. I try to keep my fetlocks trimmed. It’s always getting caught in my armor.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t wear that anymore, right?”

Grogar lifted his hoof, levitating Chrysalis off the ground and slamming her against the table so she could look into the Eye, where she was met with the view of the two ponies. The image wasn’t the clearest, but with both the voices and the image, it was obvious enough what was going on. Starlight was sitting in front of Sombra, something in her turquoise aura running through his coat. Sombra’s leg was bandaged, but he otherwise looked unharmed.

Chrysalis wasn’t sure if she should have growled or felt relieved. He should have been at least a little more broken.

“Seems like today’s your lucky day,” Grogar said, dropping Chrysalis. She didn’t move, still glaring into the Eye, even after Tirek extinguished it, “Sombra is alive, despite your assassination attempt, and looks no worse for wear. Seems as though you’ve gotten sloppy, not ensuring that you’re victim is truly dead.”

She didn’t respond, it wasn’t worth it. It would probably hurt too, considering the fact Grogar had quite literally cracked her neck. Neither Tirek or Cozy Glow spoke for her either, showing themselves to be submissive of their superior. Cowards.

“Tirek,” Grogar called to the Centaur, motioning to her limp form, “Take Chrysalis to her room to recover, maybe check on her every few hours to make sure she’s still alive too. I don’t need a corpse contaminating my home.”

“Y-yes sir,” Tirek nodded, scooping the Changeling into his arms. She tried to bite him, but a death glare from Cozy Glow got her to stop, as well as Grogar’s hoof when he held it out in front of them.

“Take that as a lesson,” He said, voice much calmer than it should have been, “Never interfere with my plans again.”

Much to her chagrin, Chrysalis nodded with her teammates.

Chapter 16: Laughter

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Relearning Poneish was annoying, but nowhere near impossible. Sombra was grateful he had nothing better to do, spending almost every waking moment in the library, reading and studying through every book he could. It gave him the rest his body needed, and the knowledge his mind craved, all while making his imprisonment in this castle all the more tolerable.

Of course, he’d still wander the halls on occasion, but only to a few specific rooms. Namely, his bedroom, the washroom, and somewhat frequently, the kitchen. They were all he needed to stay content, with the added bonus of raiding Twilight’s food stores. He was under the assumption that she’d noticed his thievery as well, considering the past few days he’d found baskets of pastries upon the table. Starlight also hadn’t scolded him for taking them, convincing him they were yet another friendship bribery from the princess.

He would never say if they were working or not, though he would willingly admit the Alicorn was surprisingly good with baking. She got bonus points for using crystal berries in these ones.

Licking his lips to clear them of jam, Sombra leaned down to grab a pencil in his teeth, scribbling some words down. First in Old Poneish, and then in modern Poneish. He was beginning to notice some consistencies, though it still frustrated him that the language had been changed at all. What had even been the point of that?

He ran a hoof through his mane, clearing the smoky wisps from his eyes, glaring down at the paper and chewing on the end of his pencil before spitting it out. It was time for a break, before the whole History change got to him again.

Pushing the table away, he rose, stretching himself. He was bored, and overdue for some exercise, but his broken leg was still firmly contained in that stiff cast. It was hard to do anything physical with that there, and he had no idea how long it would take to heal fully, but he wasn’t about to push himself. Starlight had given him a rather in depth description of what laminitis was, and he had no interest in dealing with that.

Of course, that didn’t stop him from sending the occasional healing pulse throughout himself just to speed things along. He healed quicker than the average pony anyway, so who was going to notice?

Starlight, probably, He thought. That still wasn’t going to stop him.

Wandering the room, he skimmed through sections of the library he didn’t much care for. Fiction and fairy tales specifically, though he couldn’t help but be drawn to the small section of foals’ books in the corner. He was curious about what stories were being told to them nowadays, and whether they still contained the worthwhile life lessons the books of his own childhood had. Lessons that taught one not to follow the flickering flames of the forest, not to trust creatures who didn’t cast their own shadow, and not to give your name to a stranger. Those had been particularly common, at least when he was young.

Strangely enough, those books did not get his attention. He quickly found himself distracted by something much different than what he'd seen so far, a stack of thin, colorful booklets in a box. He lifted one curiously, not sure what to expect. It seemed far too thin to tell a proper story.

Flipping it open, he was surprised to see that the entire booklet was covered in pictures, and not words like he'd come to expect. They weren't even diagrams or simple illustrations like a book would have normally. No, these pictures seemed far more dynamic. There were also words scattered around the pictures, written in Poneish and mostly illegible to him, though a few of the simpler words caught his eye.

Plopping down to the floor, Sombra skimmed through the rest of the booklet, head cocking curiously as he made it to the end. It was very short, and very colorful, and it intrigued him greatly. He’d have to come back to those when he could read more, but until then he would simply skim through them.

Each booklet had the same colorful characters within, usually beating up some other creature that he could only assume were the bad guys. That was how fictional stories usually were, weren’t they? A hero beats a villain. It was traditional, and cliche, and not at all the way life truly worked sometimes. Real life was unfair, and the villain was often praised as a hero, while the one who had been hurt had unknowingly and unfairly become the villain.

And unlike stories, real life rarely had a happy ending.

He tossed the booklet to the side, bringing a hoof to his mouth to anxiously groom it as an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach began to distract him. It wasn’t pain, his bruising had faded, and it certainly wasn't the anxiety of an uncertain future. He was probably just still hungry. He’d only eaten a few pastries anyway, that was hardly a meal for him.

At the thought of food, he got a mouthful of hair, ruining the thought. Pulling his hoof away, he glared at his own fetlock, unkempt and damp from his grooming. His feathers had been growing in again. He didn’t like his feathers. They’d always gotten caught in his armor, even before he donned his royal attire, and he’d always tried to keep them trimmed. But he couldn’t do that now, lacking the proper grooming equipment, and he’d gotten into the habit of overgrooming them in the hopes of getting them to the length he preferred.

It wasn’t working. If anything, it’d just made his feathers uneven.

Wiping the hair out of his mouth, he rose, ambling toward the library’s exit. He probably didn’t need food, but now he wanted something to drink to get the hairs out of his mouth. An excuse to leave the room was good as well.

He briefly considered the washroom. He’d never admit it to anyone, but when he was feeling sore toward the beginning of his recovery, he’d just go in there and drink from the faucet. But that was before Twilight had gotten a new mirror for the room, and since that had been replaced he’d been trying to avoid the room unless absolutely necessary.

So to the kitchen he went.

He knew the way just fine, traveling down the stairs as a shadow before reforming in front of the room and pushing open the doors. Unsurprisingly, nopony was there, still busy with whatever jobs they had at the school. The pastries seemed untouched as well, and with a sparkle of magic, Sombra snatched another one. He was sure nopony would miss it.

Ignoring the kitchen faucet, he went straight to the refrigerator. The contraption still intrigued him, a box that was magically cold on the inside was something that he never would have thought of before. Then again, who would have needed a cold box when you live in the North? Sometimes he was tempted to stick his head in there, just because he missed the cold and crisp air of the Crystal Empire, but he hadn’t given into temptation yet.

He reached in and grabbed a jug of apple juice, a batch gifted by Apple Bloom after hearing of his injuries, and therefore juice that was first and foremost his. Next, he got a cup from the cupboard, poured the juice in, and then drank the whole glass in all of two gulps.

The good news was he got the hair out of his mouth. The bad news was he had no idea what to do now, and he wasn’t hungry enough to justify stealing more food.

Accepting defeat, he groaned in annoyance and plopped his head onto the counter. It would be a few hours yet until Starlight, or anypony else for that matter, returned. He could go back to learning Poneish and reading, but he really didn’t want to. He wanted some variety to his time wasting, and maybe even a little freedom, though he knew he wasn’t allowed that unsupervised.

Gazing around the kitchen, he got another idea. Perhaps he could bake something? He’d always been the first to help his caretaker with meals, and though those meals had primarily consisted of soups and stews, he knew a fair bit about baking as well. She’d made cakes and pastries and so many warm sweets that just the thought of them made his mouth water.

Returning his juice to the refrigerator, he began to search the cupboards. He wasn’t sure what he would make yet, but figured browsing Twilight’s stores would bring something to mind. She had all the essentials, flour, sugar, baking powder, and upon opening a cabinet full of food, the very thing he considered a blight on this century.

Cocoa in a box. A watery and sadly sweetened chocolate beverage. He’d have thought that living in an area where the ingredients were more plentiful would have the ponies consuming the real deal, but no. They went for a sad alternative.

He was tempted to toss it in the trash, but resisted. Food waste was still food waste, no matter how sad of a food it was. On the plus side, the box cocoa had given him an idea on what to make…

Something let out a yelp behind him, prompting Sombra to jump, nearly rearing himself in defense as he spun with a snarl, magic dancing at his horn. The being in front of him let out another cry at this, his tiny purple form cowering beneath Sombra’s gaze, sheer terror irradiating from him as the stallion stared him down in a defensive rage.

A rage that, much to the tiny purple dragon’s confusion, faded into a disgruntled scowl.

“Oh, it’s just you,” Sombra muttered, rolling his eyes as he turned away, “I was expecting somepony worth threatening.”

“Wh-what?” The little dragon seemed to jolt, almost a little bit braver, “Don’t you know who I am?”

“Of course. You are Princess Twilight’s little servant, whose dragonfire somehow managed to break through my crystals,” He spat back, gazing down at him irritably, “Now what was it they called you again? Spit, was it?”

“Spike.”

“Spike, right. The little nuisance.”

Sombra turned away, back to the cupboard. Spike sat in silent confusion, torn between running or proudly informing the stallion who he was.

“Don’t you recognize me from anywhere else?” He asked.

“Not particularly, no. Unless using you against your friends counts.” Sombra slammed the cupboard shut, and Spike flinched, “Do you happen to have any chocolate or mint in this castle? I need some for what I want to make Starlight.”

Temporarily caught off guard by this statement, Spike was at a loss for words. A snort from Sombra got his attention, and his wings twitched as he answered, “S-sorry! I don't think we have either of those things right now, it’s been a while since we went shopping.”

“Yet you have milk. I’d have thought something like that would never last. Where could I get some of these supplies?”

“You’re not allowed to leave the castle,” He replied bluntly. Sombra barely restrained the urge to roll his eyes and groan.

“Not even for a friend?” He asked, putting a hoof to his chest in mock heartbreak, “I suppose that just means I can’t give Starlight a gift.”

Sombra sat like that a moment, hoping the little dragon would let him get what he needed. Much to his annoyance, he got another awkward silence, and a look of unwavering confusion from the dragon. With that, he dropped the act and let out that groan.

He had half a mind to scare him, but knew that would only run the cowardly little creature off, so he took to looking through cupboards again. He’d already located everything he needed that was in the room, and with another peek, found a bag of something that might entice the dragon into giving him what he wants.

Grabbing that bag in his mouth, he set it on the counter and demanded, “Take me to the nearest shop with the supplies I want.”

“You know I won’t do that,” Spike said, crossing his arms in defiance. His bravery was growing, as was his foolishness for allowing it to do so, “You’re not allowed to leave without permission or a guide, and Twilight and Starlight are dealing with meetings today.”

“I didn’t ask for them. I asked for you. Take me to the shop.”

Spike shook his head. A faint smirk made itself known on Sombra’s face, genuinely impressed by the child’s bravery. Turning to the bag, he grabbed it in his mouth, tearing it open with his fangs to allow its contents to rain across the counter in a rainbow of colors. Spike’s eyes widened at the mess, a string of drool trailing from his lips as he eyed the buffet in front of him.

Sombra levitated one of the largest gems of the bunch, a pristine ruby that shone nearly as red as his horn. Floating it in front of Spike’s face, he looked down at the dragon with a fang bearing grin.

“How about now?”

It was a testament to Ponyville that the duo was not met with a look of anything worse than confusion. Or at least the looks Spike saw. Sombra showed no obvious discomfort from potential glares, focused only on their destination, though Spike assumed that even if a pony had thrown him a hateful glance, he wouldn't have noticed it anyway. He was probably used to such looks.

Spike wasn’t even entirely sure if his gaze had ever strayed off the path. He’d been sure to watch Sombra closely, making sure he went down the exact route he was told, and to his surprise he did exactly that. They made it to Sugarcube Corner without him letting out so much as a peep, which was surprising, considering his gait had become considerably more lame. He wondered if he was in pain.

"You really shouldn't have come out here," Spike stated.

"You really should have never been hatched," Sombra shot back, limping to the door. Spike followed with an annoyed groan, cutting in front of him just before he reached it.

“Maybe I should go in and explain everything first?”

Sombra contemplated, but only for a split second. Then he nudged Spike out of the way, pushing the door open with a simple, “No.”

He was promptly greeted with the screams of angry children, and a cupcake to the face.

“Pound! Pumpkin! That is no way to treat a customer, no matter how many horrible things he’s done!”

Wiping the frosting from his face, Sombra was greeted to the sight of two very angry foals, as well as the very pink pony who was trying to hold them back. Confused by what had just happened, he wasn’t even angry about it. At least not yet.

“Pinkie?” Spike squeezed into the room under Sombra, a glob of pink frosting dripping off his nose and onto the dragon’s face. He stuck a claw in it, unable to resist taking a little taste as he asked, “What are you doing here? I thought you’d be busy with meetings?”

“Oh right, I was scheduled to foalsit Pound and Pumpkin while Mr. and Mrs. Cake did some deliveries, so Twilight let me go,” Pinkie explained cheerily, dropping the twins onto the ground. They stayed put, glaring at Sombra with as much rage as their tiny bodies could contain, “What are you doing here, and with Sombra of all ponies? Did Starlight tell you to take him for a walk?”

Rubbing the back of his head, Spike laughed nervously, “Yeah, about that…”

Once again, Sombra pushed Spike away.

“I’m here to acquire the ingredients for hot cocoa,” He announced, standing tall and regal. Another glob of frosting fell from his nose, and with a sigh he dropped the act, head lowering as he continued, “You ponies have made it a disgrace, and I wish to make Starlight some real cocoa.”

Tilting her head, Pinkie squinted just slightly as she asked, “Really? And what ingredients do you need?”

“Chocolate and mint.”

“Oh, okay!” She brightened up at this, hopping toward another room, “Watch Pound and Pumpkin for me, will you?”

The twins watched her leave, glancing at each other with a nod. Sombra eyed them in confusion, the two of them blowing raspberries at him before they ran off. With that, he sighed, slightly shaking his head to get rid of the remaining cake chunks and frosting in his mane.

Maybe it was because his assailant was a pair of foals, but he was more annoyed than angry at the gunk in his coat. Not even because it was an attack on his dignity, but because now he was going to have to shower before making Starlight’s cocoa, and that may very well ruin everything. He wanted this to be a surprise, and it wouldn’t seem as special if it wasn’t.

“Does the pink pony have a faucet I could shove my head under?” He asked with a frown, shaking harder, “I refuse to go out in public like this.”

“She does, but I don’t think the Cakes would appreciate your weird hair clogging their plumbing. Maybe just deal with it when we get home?” Spike suggested.

“Perhaps I could deal with it when we get back to the castle,” Sombra growled, leaning down to eye level with Spike. He let out a squeak at the motion, getting a grin out of Sombra, “Or perhaps I could make this both of our problems.”

He shook his head, frosting and cake flying everywhere, including onto Spike. The little dragon tried to shield himself, but managed too late, tiny pink globs splattering all over his face and body. He didn’t pull his arms away until he heard Sombra laugh, momentarily left at a loss of words after what had just happened.

“Ready to find that faucet now, whelp?” Sombra asked, an amused look on his face.

“Not particularly,” Spike replied, wiping some of the frosting from his nose. He thought to wipe it on Sombra, but decided against it. Just because he was being cheery now didn't mean he wouldn’t suddenly turn on him over something as small as that, “But I’m guessing you feel better about this now?”

“Just a bit, yes.”

Spike sighed. He already wanted to go home, at least to put away the gems before Twilight found them. Hopefully Pinkie wouldn’t be much longer. Finding sweets in a sweet shop never takes long, and she was foalsitting anyway.

Speaking of which, where were the twins now?

“Pound? Pumpkin?” He called. He’d hoped they’d just stayed put, but apparently not. They hadn’t followed Pinkie, had they? “Hey, where’d you two wander off-”

“Agh!”

Sombra suddenly stumbled back, nearly stepping on Spike’s tail as he shook his head, frosting splattering around him. Once again, some of it got onto Spike, and he shook his own head to get it off. How had Sombra not shaken most of that off yet? How much frosting could one cupcake even have, anyway? More concerningly, had the frosting been blue before?

Something flew above Spike’s head, and Sombra cried out in annoyance, jumping over the dragon and landing awkwardly in front of him. Chocolate frosting was splattered onto his shoulder.

“Who dares?” He shouted, shadows beginning to creep from his eyes, “Show yourself, coward!”

His hidden assailant let out a tiny war cry, and he was once again splattered with a cupcake across the chest. Growling in frustration, he yanked the sticky cake from his coat, scanning the room until he saw them, hidden behind a table leg. At first, his eyes widened. Then they narrowed.

“So you want to fight dirty, little ones?” He whispered, horn crackling as he removed another cupcake from his coat, “I’ll show you dirty!”

Enveloping them in darkness, Sombra flung the cupcakes at the foals before Spike had the chance to stop him. They tried to dodge, Pound's little wings buzzing and Pumpkin's horn sparking as they tried to use their ingrained instincts to escape. Only one of them succeeded, Pound zipping away right as his sister was buried in frosting. Her brother cried out as she fell, before snatching another cupcake from his ammo stash and glaring daggers at Sombra.

Seeking retribution for his sister, Pound threw that cupcake as hard as he could at Sombra, the stallion easily sidestepping the projectile. It hit Spike in the face instead.

“I suggest you admit defeat, little one,” Sombra stated with a smirk, slowly levitating the foals’ cupcake stash over to himself. Pound glared back, clinging to a single remaining cupcake as his sister dug herself out from beneath the sugary rubble, “Because I’m certain I have the upper hoof here.”

Popping out from under the mess, Pumpkin’s horn sparked with magic, and with a pop she vanished, her brother clapping his hooves as she did. Sombra’s smirk faded as he saw this, looking around the room for the missing filly, only for a sharp pain to run through one of his forelegs. He let out an annoyed yelp at this, unstably balancing on two legs as he tried to shake off whatever had latched onto him. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t budge, and with a snarl he turned down to look and was met with the sight of the missing Pumpkin, biting down on his fetlock with what felt to be unnaturally strong jaws.

“What the-” He shook his hoof, but the filly held tight, clamping down tighter. Growling in frustration, Sombra’s eyes flashed with shadow, “You indignant foal! I hypnotized you once, I can do it again!”

He flailed harder, stumbling on his remaining two legs, unprepared as Pound zipped over and slammed into his face. With that, Sombra’s legs finally buckled, and he fell to the ground, magic sputtering out as his jaw slammed against the floor. Cupcakes rained over them all, burying all three ponies in a rainbow of sugar, as well as splattering a certain dragon nearby.

And then, it was still. Like a battlefield after a war, nobody moved. A voice broke the silence.

“Sorry for the wait, all our mint was wilty so I had to go and pick some from-” She paused, the twins and Spike rising to meet her gaze, while Sombra stayed sprawled out on the floor, “Aw, did I miss a cupcake fight?”

“More like a cupcake assault,” Spike mumbled, shaking himself. Much to his annoyance, frosting had gotten stuck under his scales, but that was the least of his worries. Sombra still hadn’t moved from where he lay, and he was worried that he might have injured himself further. Or worse, he was waiting for his moment to strike at the twins, “Uh, hey, Sombra?”

He let out a grunt at his name being called, uncaring of the mess on the floor as he flipped onto his side. Rubbing his jaw, he let out a noise. Not a frustrated one, or a pained one, but something that Spike might have assumed was something more light hearted. But of course, this was Sombra, enslaver of many and manipulator of fear. Spike didn’t think he could show positive emotion.

“Hmph, I’ll give you this much,” He rolled again, this time onto his back as he leaned his head to look at Pound and Pumpkin, the tiniest of smiles gracing his lips, “You’re probably the worthiest ponies I’ve ever had the honor of fighting. How about a truce?”

The twins looked to each other, babbled something in a somewhat incomprehensible foal speak, and nodded. They scrambled onto Sombra’s chest, letting out cries of victory before smiling down at him.

“Or we can say you won, sure.”

Handing the chocolate and mint to Spike, Pinkie pranced over to look down at Sombra, letting out a giggle at his rainbow smeared coat. She leaned over him, meeting his gaze and asking, “So does that mean it’s okay to laugh at you?”

He briefly bared his fangs, a flash of green in his eyes before he sighed, “I suppose this would be as good a time as ever.”

With permission granted, Pinkie lost it. She fell into the mess beside him, arms wrapped around herself as she kicked the air with the bubbliest laugh Sombra had ever heard. It was a contagious laugh too, Pound and Pumpkin joining in with her, and Sombra had to try and hold back his own laughter.

He failed. Soon his own laughter joined in with theirs, something so much less maniacal than anypony might have expected of him. Spike was the only one to not join in, utterly confused about what was going on in front of him.

Smile widening at Sombra’s laughter, Pinkie rolled over to face him, the twins jumping into her arms as she asked, “Was it fun?”

Stifling his laughter with a sticky sweet hoof, Sombra nodded, “I think I can say that it was, other than the getting bit by a foal part.”

“Oh yeah, Pumpkin’s always been a bit bitey, but that’s just part of her charm!” Pinkie tossed the filly into the air, where she levitated for a moment, before falling back into Pinkie’s hooves, “You should have seen how bad she was when she was still teething.”

“Hmm, I don’t think I would have liked that,” Sombra said, raising his head to look over himself. His entire body was coated in frosting at this point, his mane a bit matted against his neck and his cast stained rainbow, “Ugh, I hope that washes off.”

“Well, casts are usually enchanted to be waterproof, so who knows.” Pinkie rose to her hooves, offering one to Sombra to help him up. He hesitantly accepted it, allowing Pinkie to help him to his hooves as well, “You know, for a mean pony with horrible taste in cakes, you’re much more fun than I ever would have thought!”

“Horrible taste?”

“Well, duh! Did you even see the cake you made the Cakes make for you? I mean, I won’t diss black licorice fruitcake, but with those colors? It was so ugly!”

For some reason, she started laughing again. Sombra cocked a brow at this behavior, but couldn’t hide the crooked grin that made way to his face.

“You’re a strange little mare, aren’t you,” He stated, “And I’ll have you know I never even got to taste that cake.”

Pinkie patted his shoulder, “Maybe when your birthday comes up, I’ll make you a much better looking one.”

“Good luck discovering my birth date, not even I know it.”

Pinkie’s bubbly giggling abruptly stopped, replaced with something unnervingly serious.

“Oh don’t you worry, I’ll find out. I always find out,” She assured, before brightening up again and saying, “Anyway, that’ll be three bits!”

“Bits?”

He hadn’t thought about those. He’d forgotten they’d existed. Even if these prices were lower than expected, he did not have the bits to pay for them. Luckily for him, Spike intervened.

“I’ll handle this,” He said, dropping more than three bits in Pinkie’s hoof, “I hope that’s enough to make up for the mess too.”

“Not really, but it’s fine. We all gotta have a cupcake fight every now and then,” She shrugged, tossing the coins into her mane before gasping, “We should do a snow cone ball fight next time!”

Sombra perked up at that, saying, “I like snowball fights.”

Spike just stared at the two of them in utter confusion again.

“I’ll have to plan something then!” Pinkie exclaimed, clapping her hooves, “Oh, I can’t wait!”

With an excited nod, Sombra opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by Spike, “You know who else can’t wait? Starlight. Didn’t you want to make her cocoa, Sombra?”

“Oh right!” He snatched the chocolate and mint from Spike, ignoring the dragon’s yelp as he dematerialized with a flash of rainbow and flew out the door as a shadow, “Gotta shower first, meet you in the castle kitchen!”

“What just…” Momentarily stunned, Spike was stuck frozen in confusion before letting out a cry of alarm and taking off after Sombra, “Wait! You can’t go out unsupervised!”

Pinkie and the twins waved as he went.

“Sombra’s actually a pretty fun guy, isn’t he?” Pinkie asked.

Pound and Pumpkin nodded in agreement.

Spike had just finished putting away the scattered gemstones from earlier when Sombra returned to the kitchen. He was still soaked from his shower, mane slick against his back and his coat dripping water onto the floor. Spike groaned at the mess, flying over to the broom closet in the room.

“Ever heard of a towel?” He asked, grabbing a mop.

“No time for that,” Sombra shook his head, spreading more water as he gathered all the ingredients and kitchenware needed for his task at hoof, “I can’t imagine it’ll be long until Starlight returns.”

Spike shrugged, “Fair enough.”

He set the mop against the closet door, knowing that as long as Sombra was still soaked it’d be counterproductive to clean up. For now, he sat at the table, watching Sombra work, as well as making sure he didn’t misstep and slip on the puddles he left. He was practically three legged at this time, and even if he’d made it out of the cupcake fight unscathed, he was still open for further injury.

Sombra was currently fiddling with the oven, a spoon held in his mouth as he tried to understand the modern contraption. He’d already set his pot on top of it, still empty, as he poked and prodded at the oven. Spike allowed him a few minutes of confusion, eventually pitying him enough to speak up.

“Need any help with that?” He asked.

“No.” Sombra continued to fiddle with the knobs, until a burst of flame finally erupted from one of the burners, prompting him to hop back in alarm. He scrambled to make that fire smaller, before turning to Spike proudly and saying, “See? I can do it.”

“The pot’s on the wrong burner.”

Sombra pushed the pan over the fire. “There, fixed.”

Ignoring any other comment Spike may have had, he gathered his ingredients and began his task, pouring some milk into the pot. He then turned to the chocolate bars, far too big to melt at the speed he desired, and with a hoof to his chin in thought he skimmed the room until noticing the knife rack. He quickly grabbed one, momentarily terrifying Spike, until he realized he had only grabbed it for its intended purpose.

Sighing in relief at that realization, Spike finally decided he was going to mop the floor. Sombra was still sopping wet, but Starlight and Twilight should be returning soon and Spike was far more worried about their safety than Sombra’s.

So, grabbing the mop, he did exactly that. It was a quick clean too, just a simple brush around the room, avoiding a kick from Sombra when he accidentally brushed against him, and the floor was cleaner than it had been before. At least there was one benefit to Sombra’s laziness.

Putting the mop away, he watched as Sombra tore up some mint leaves & sprinkled them into the pot. He then lifted the tray of chocolate, tilting it above the pot before pausing and turning to Spike.

“Do you have any Yak milk?” He asked.

“What?” Spike recoiled in disgust, “No! Why would we have something like that?”

“Why wouldn’t you have something like that?” Sombra asked, genuinely confused, “I saw a Yak among your village, I assume that would mean you were on good terms with them? Do you not make trades with them?”

“Well yeah, we are friends with them, but why would they give us milk? That’s just gross.”

“Not any more disgusting than the milk of any other bovine,” Sombra scoffed, “Even before I ruled the Crystal Empire, the Yaks and Crystal Ponies were avid traders. We gave them crystal corn and berries as well as sparkling wool for their milk and fur, though I suppose a thousand years apart broke that truce. Do you have anything of semblance?

“Does cream work? We've got some of that in the fridge too.”

Sombra frowned, “I suppose so.”

He reached into the fridge to grab it, pouring some into the pot and stirring it, quickly doing the same with the chocolate afterwards. Spike watched as he stirred it, suddenly aware of something very odd about the way Sombra was doing it. Specifically, the fact he was holding the spoon in his mouth. It made Spike curious, but he didn’t question it. Probably just a strange quirk of his.

“How long until Starlight returns?” Sombra asked.

Spike glanced at a clock on the wall, answering, “Should be pretty soon, unless they hit a delay.”

“Excellent,” Sombra said, grabbing two mugs from the cupboard, spooning some of the cocoa into them. Sitting at the table, he set the mugs in front of him and pushed one over to Spike, “I would prefer to have Starlight taste it first, but I fear I may be rusty with my skills so you shall be my test subject.”

Any surprise Spike felt at Sombra’s generosity was instantly dashed, replaced with disappointment. At least he’d watched him make the cocoa, and knew it wasn’t laced with dark magic or some other disgusting thing Sombra enjoyed. In fact, it looked delicious, even without the marshmallows he’d have added if he made it himself.

Grabbing the mug, he sniffed it, the warm and chocolatey aroma making his mouth water. It certainly smelled good, and he certainly wanted to drink it, but something about the way Sombra was staring down at him made him nervous. He looked strangely expectant, and not at all angry. Somehow, seeing Sombra with an almost innocent look was more distressing than any anger Spike had seen him with previous.

He would probably get frustrated if he kept sitting here, however.

With that thought, Spike took the tiniest of sips, eyes widening as the cocoa touched his tongue. Taking a much bigger gulp, he downed about half the cup before setting it back down on the table and licking his lips. Quite expectantly, it was burning hot, and had left him feeling warm, but that didn’t bother him in the slightest.

Eyes sparkling, he practically shouted, “That was probably the best cocoa I’ve ever had!”

“As it should be,” Sombra grinned, spooning some more into the dragon’s mug, “I would say there was none comparable, but it’s not quite the same without the Yak milk.”

Spike stuck his tongue out, “I still think that sounds gross.”

“You wouldn’t think it was gross if you lived in the Frozen North,” Sombra argued, sitting down with his own mug between his hooves, “Yak milk is rich calories, and during the coldest of days it was a staple for us.”

“Huh. I guess that makes sense.”

Admittedly, he really wasn’t one to judge. Dragons ate gemstones, something a pony wasn’t capable of doing, so why should he judge Sombra for what he liked? At least it wasn’t the actual flesh of another creature. Though, he supposed some dragons could relate to that.

Taking another swig of the cocoa, He looked at the clock again. Twilight and Starlight should really be returning soon, and he was wondering if they’d even head toward the kitchen. He figured Starlight might, since she’d gotten into the habit of grabbing some snacks before checking on Sombra, but Twilight might head somewhere else. Probably not the library, since that was where Sombra was expected to be, but somewhere. He’d figure it out later.

Glancing to Sombra, he saw him take a sip of his cocoa and smile. It was incredibly odd.

“Where’d you learn to make cocoa like this anyway?” Spike asked, a bit unnerved at the look, “Doesn’t seem like something a pony like you would care about.”

“Despite what you may believe, I too was in fact a colt once,” He said, the smile fading as he mumbled, “And even with all those years imprisoned, it hardly feels like it's been that long. I wonder if by today’s standards, your modern pony would still very well nearly consider me one as well?”

“Wait, what?” Spike was glad he hadn’t yet brought the mug of cocoa up to his lips again, or else he might have spit it out at that last bit, “How old are you?”

“How long was I sealed away?”

“How old were you before that?”

“I should have expected you to be difficult,” Sombra muttered, taking a sip of his cocoa, “I’m not entirely sure. I was still living in the orphanage the day before I took my throne, but many moons passed between then and my defeat, so I’m certain I am not that young.”

“Huh. I always thought you were like, fourty or something,” Spike said. Sombra shot him a glare, and though it wasn’t quite a death glare, it was certainly not the most assuring of looks, “Oh come on, can you really blame me? Pretty much every ancient evil that wants to ruin Harmony has been just that; Ancient. Why would I think you were any different?”

“It would do you well not to assume, infant,” Sombra hissed back in annoyance, though he wasn’t as angry with Spike as it would seem, “I suppose a thousand years on ice doesn’t keep one youthful. Let’s just say I’m half that, somewhere in my twenties.”

“Sounds adult enough to me.”

Sombra nodded, staring into his cup. Perhaps there was something in the Empire to tell him of his true age, but he highly doubted it. Even if he had known how much time passed between his downfall and his rise to power, there was still the mystery of his childhood before the orphanage. Even if they’d assessed his age, who knew if that were even true? He had no known birth date.

Glancing to the kitchen door, there continued to be no sign of who he was waiting for. Sighing in disappointment, he turned to Spike and asked, “How old is Starlight?”

“Starlight?” Spike had to stop and think at that, ”Well, she’s a bit younger than Twilight, I know that much. She doesn’t really talk about her birthday, and I’ve never asked for her age. Probably best to ask her that, but she might still be older than you.”

Sombra hummed at that, somewhat surprised. He’d assumed Starlight to be younger than him, and in a way she was, but it wasn't in the way he meant. Not that it really mattered.

His ears twitched as he heard something in the halls, excitedly jumping out of his chair and peeking out the kitchen door. He didn't see anypony out there yet, but he could now confirm he heard Starlight's, and unfortunately, Twilight's voices.

Hopping over to the stove, he began to spoon the cocoa into another mug, completing the drink with a garnish of mint. He was very excited for Starlight to try it, and the closer she got the more excited he got, to the point he involuntarily let out a little nicker when she entered the room.

"Starlight!" He trotted to her excitedly, levitating the mug under her nose in the hopes she got a whiff of it, "I made you some real cocoa, made with real chocolate, and not with cardboard."

"Oh, thank you," Starlight stepped back in confusion as the cocoa was shoved in her face, though she still enveloped the mug in her own magic. She made no move to drink it, staring at Sombra nervously, her ears twitching to face behind her, “Why are you soaking wet?”

“I showered,” He replied quickly, tilting his head as she continued to stand there, “Is it too hot to drink? Do you want some milk to cool it?”

He mentally chastised himself. Of course it was too hot, he'd just made it!

Starlight opened her mouth, but another, much more terrifying voice spoke in her place, "Wait. How’d you even make that?”

Sombra stumbled back at her voice, ears pinned as he bumped into the oven behind him. Had Twilight been there that whole time? She was glancing between him and Spike unsurely, maybe even a bit frustratedly. Sombra wasn’t sure if those feelings were directed at him or the dragon, but he did not like the princess’ presence, of the sensation of his own anxiety permeating the room.

Starlight set a hoof on his cheek.

“It’s okay Sombra,” She said, slowly turning him to face her, “Twilight was just worried about Spike when he didn’t greet her. She’s not here to do anything to you.”

He stared at her, nodding in silence and turning to the pot of cocoa. Reaching over to grab the spoon, he began to stir it, trying to keep his attention to anything other than the very mare that had tried to take his life.

“Spike,” She began, paying little attention to Sombra at all, instead staring down at her little companion, “Last I remember we didn’t have any chocolate. How did Sombra get any?”

He hesitated, but knew very well that lying was no use, “We went to Sugarcube Corner. Sombra asked me to take him.”

“Spike…” Twilight looked disappointed, but not angry. Behind her, Sombra’s ears still pinned further at her tone, even if she hadn’t spoken to him, “Maybe next time come in and ask someone else to escort him, alright?”

“He wanted it to be a surprise though, doesn’t that count for something?”

Twilight’s disappointment faded to a light smile, “I guess it does. Just don’t do that again, okay?”

He nodded, and Twilight turned away, only to stop right in her tracks as she nearly smacked right into Sombra. He held a mug of cocoa in his magic, and without looking at her he shoved it into her hooves.

“Here. I know you’ve been leaving those pastries out, and I thought I’d return the favor,” He said, quickly turning back to the pot, "It's the least I could do."

Twilight opened her mouth, at a loss for words. She glanced over to Starlight, who was just as surprised as she was, but there was something about her that seemed much happier at what had just occurred.

"Thank you, Sombra," She said, Sombra's ears pinning at the sound of her voice. Quickly making her way over to Spike, Twilight wrapped a wing around him and said, "We'll be going now, there's some assignments I'd like to work on, and I think Spike could help out with them."

"Ugh, really? Even after all those meetings you still have more work?"

"Of course I have more work." Twilight set a few feathers over Spike's mouth, using her other wing to motion between Sombra and Starlight, "I'm not happy unless I'm helping others learn."

At that, Spike understood. Downing the rest of his cocoa, he hopped after Twilight as she exited the kitchen. Sombra listened to her hoofsteps fade, letting out an audible sigh of relief once they had vanished. Starlight noticed a faint tuft of shadow escape his mouth when he did.

She tried to ignore it, choosing to be encouraging as she said, "It was very nice of you to give Twilight some cocoa as well."

"It was a bribery to get her to leave," He claimed, returning to the table and his own mug. He sipped it, the warmth and flavor settling his trembling body, "Do you like the cocoa?"

“I haven’t actually tasted it yet,” She admit, bringing the mug to her lips to take a sip. She brightened up as she did, her ears perking as she took another, “Oh! It’s delicious!”

“Of course it is,” Sombra smiled, perking up at the praise, as well as Starlight’s happiness, “My caregiver taught me the recipe, though there were some ingredients missing.”

Starlight tilted her head in thought. Sombra had mentioned this caregiver before, but Starlight knew nothing about her still. She was tempted to ask, but held back. If she asked about Sombra’s caregiver, he’d likely ask about hers in return, and she didn’t want to start that conversation.

“Starlight?”

She broke out of her thoughts, “Yes?”

“How old are you?”

For a moment, she hesitated, before answering, “Twenty one. Why do you ask?”

“I was simply curious,” He answered, sipping his drink again. His cup was nearly empty, “Spike had asked for my age, and it made me curious about your own.”

“And how old are you then?”

“My age has been lost to time, I’m afraid. I don’t truly know, but I deduced it to be something over 18 for sure. Perhaps there are records in the Crystal Empire, but I can assure you none are precise.”

He finished off his cocoa, staring down into the empty cup. He debated on refilling it, there was still quite a bit left, but he wasn’t sure if he actually wanted more. It didn’t have that same taste it had had when he was a foal thanks to the missing Yak milk, but it still reminded him of simpler times, and that always made him anxious. Besides, maybe Starlight would want more? Or even Twilight? He might not have liked her, but everypony deserved some of this cocoa.

It was supposed to be for sharing, after all.

Starlight fidgeted. Sombra took notice. He’d noticed that she had seemed a bit on edge when she first came into the kitchen, and he’d assumed that was because Twilight had come in with her. But Twilight was gone now, and he’d calmed down significantly, so why was she anxious? She didn’t dislike the cocoa, did she?

“Something is bothering you,” He said. Starlight fidgeted again.

“Twilight told me that someone from the Crystal Empire is coming to assess you,” She said. Sombra briefly bared his fangs. “She’s not sure if it’ll be Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, or even just someone else yet, but it’s going to happen this weekend.”

“And what if I don’t pass their assessment?”

“You will, I’ll make sure of it,” Starlight stated, sitting just a bit taller and looking Sombra in the eyes, “But you’ll have to help me do it. I’ll need you on your best behavior that day. No defiance, no sass, and absolutely no threats. You need to at least act like you care about others’ feelings.”

Sombra grinned, but it wasn’t quite as good natured as Starlight would hope.

“You know I can’t do that,” He said, trying to hide that grin with a hoof, “I’d have thought you’d know by now that I refuse to conform to anypony’s feelings, least of all the ones that stole my crown.”

“You care about my feelings, don’t you?” Starlight asked, levitating a spoon to tap Sombra’s nose, “Don’t even try to hide it. We’re friends now. You cuddled me.”

“You fell asleep on me, I’d say that hardly constitutes ‘cuddling’.”

“Yeah sure, keep telling yourself that.”

She poked his nose again, snickering as he flailed his arms in front of himself to try and whack the spoon away, but she easily evaded him. It was only when his horn started to bubble with magic that she stopped, dropping the spoon into the sink. Sombra covered his nose with his hooves.

“Must you humiliate me?” He asked.

“Maybe not,” Starlight smiled, “But it’s just so much fun to tease you.”

“You’ve been waiting all week to say that, haven’t you?”

“You know it.”

Starlight stuck her tongue out. Sombra repeated the gesture. She ignored him as she hopped out of her seat, trotting to the pot of cocoa and spooning some more into her cup.

“At least try to be civil to whoever visits, please?” She asked.

“I make no promises.”

Starlight wasn’t sure if that reassured her or not.

Chapter 17: Nothing More to Say

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Starlight was stressed. Not to the point of panic, but it was evidently noticeable. Twilight had already noticed, but then again perhaps she was stressed as well, seeing as she had given her a very long list of what she thought was best to do today. Starlight had looked over that list multiple times, crossing out the smallest things and shortening the list to a little under half its original length. Today might have been important, but it wasn’t ‘make sure the tablecloth is a specific length’ important.

It was nice to know Twilight cared a lot about this, at least.

Today, someone from the Crystal Empire would be visiting to assess Sombra, and neither Twilight or Starlight knew whether it would be Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, or even somepony else entirely. All they knew was that they needed to make them feel welcome, and that Sombra had to be on his best behavior.

That first part was easy, Twilight had suggested they make it a nice lunch to make things casual, and Starlight agreed. That’s what the list was for, intricately written instructions on setting up the table and silverware placement, as well as recipes on how to make a few foods that were either Cadance or Shining Armor’s favorites, just in case. As for Sombra, well…

She could only hope he’d behave. He’d already been surprisingly placid today, Starlight had left him in another room before leaving to make lunch, where he’d been sprawled out across a couch with a bunch of grapes and a book levitated above him. She checked up on him multiple times, finding him in the same position each time, his grapes slowly disappearing.

He was far too calm for today. Starlight was sure he was planning something, or thinking about the best insults to throw at royalty. She supposed that, as long as he wasn’t actively threatening them, this would be the best outcome. Surely he wouldn’t actually go so far as to risk his freedom, right?

Taking one last look over the current set up, she decided it was good enough. Silverware placement wasn’t important enough to triple check, especially since the table’s organization was the last thing anypony would be focusing on. This was supposed to be a day to assess Sombra, and since he had shown little interest in the placement of tableware, he had nothing to do with a set up. Not that they would judge him for his lack of table making skills. Hopefully.

Making her way to the next room over, she saw him now sitting up on the couch, staring at the lamp, his book placed beside him with remnants of a grape twig placed on top of it. He paid little attention to Starlight as she walked in, poking the lamp with a hoof and pushing away the lampshade. He flinched back as the light inevitably blinded him, blinking to adjust his eyes before finally turning to her.

“How does this work?” He asked, peering under the lampshade again, “It’s not a candle, there’s no fire, so how do you turn it off?”

Starlight was briefly confused, before remembering just who she was dealing with. Of course, he probably wouldn’t know the specifics about light bulbs and electricity, even now they weren’t particularly common in the Crystal Empire. Trotting over, she pressed the clicker under the lamp’s shade, prompting Sombra’s ears to perk in curiosity as the room was bathed in darkness.

“Like that,” She said, clicking it again. Sombra looked into the shade, and was once again blinded, “Can you please stop doing that? It’s bad for your eyes.”

“I think I can see that,” He muttered, rubbing an eye with a hoof, “Is there fire contained in the glass? It’s very hot.”

She shook her head, “No, it’s electricity.”

“Electricity? You keep lightning in these?”

“No, not lightning. It’s more like…” She trailed off, not sure how to explain. Sombra really didn’t know, and as exasperated as it made her to answer his questions, she really wasn’t surprised. But she didn’t want to explain every detail of a lightbulb, so she opted to say, “It’s like the refrigerator, it uses magic. Lightning magic.”

It wasn’t a lie, at least not technically. It really was magic that kept everything powered, but light bulbs also had some science attached to them. It was something Sombra probably would have understood, but not something she wanted to explain.

At least he seemed happy enough with the answer. She really wished he'd stop trying to blind himself though.

Quickly levitating the lamp out of his reach, she asked, "So are you ready for the assessment? You've made sure that you've gotten all your aggression out before this, right?"

"I don't feel aggressive unless somepony's given me a reason to be aggressive," He answered, half effortly trying to reach for the lamp, "And depending on who shows up, I may or may not be aggressive."

"Sombra…"

“What? You don’t expect me to respect the ponies that took my throne, do you?”

Starlight gently bonked him with the lamp. He tried to whack it out of the air, flopping back down onto the couch as she moved it out of his reach.

“Do you really think I’m going to maim them or something?” He asked, somewhat exasperated, “I have never benefited from physically harming another. Not even when I took over the empire did I harm the Crystal Princess or her consort, now did I?”

“You held their daughter hostage.”

“So? I gave her back, didn’t I?”

Starlight wanted to argue, to tell him how wrong that had been, but she held back. No use frustrating him ahead of time, that’d just end up making everything worse. She’ll just give him a lecture on why holding foals, or anypony for that matter, hostage is generally frowned upon.

How much longer were they going to have to wait, anyway? It had already been maddening just waiting for the day to come, and she wasn't sure how much more she could take. How had Sombra not been stressed?

Actually, better question, why was he looking at her funny?

"What's up with you?" She asked.

"You smell funny," He said. Starlight let out a cry of frustration, and Sombra jumped, "I was not intending to be rude. I can just smell your anxiety, and whatever smelly thing you were around last. It's an odd mix."

"You can smell anxiety?"

“Well, I suppose ‘smell’ isn’t the right word in this case,” Sombra said, putting a hoof to his chin in thought, “But I can sense negative emotions quite well, you already know I can sense fear, don’t you? It’s a particularly invigorating feeling when it’s not my own, and anxiety is often a key part of that so I don’t see why I wouldn’t sense it.”

Right, he’d mentioned smelling her fear before, but she’d never thought much of it. It wasn’t exactly unusual for ponies to pick up on another’s mood shift, but Sombra was probably a special case due to his specialized magic.

He was still looking at her funny. It was beginning to make her even more anxious. He probably sensed that too.

“When was the last time you bathed?” He asked.

Though less than amused at the question, Starlight still answered, “A few days ago, unfortunately I’ve been a bit too busy with the school and making things nice for your assessment to do something like that. I’ll take a quick shower tonight, does that make you feel better?”

“You risk the possibility of royalty visiting, and you’re not even going to bathe for them?”

“I live with a princess, you know. One that’s going to rule Equestria within a few months. She’s seen me in worse states than ‘hasn’t bathed in a couple days,” Starlight sighed. She looked down at her list again, wondering if she’d made the right foods, “Why would you even care? I thought you hated Princess Cadance and Shining Armor.”

“Obviously.” Sombra was suddenly closer, and Starlight whipped around to face him with a yelp, “But you could at least have the dignity to look nice in front of me.”

Without warning, he snatched her up in his arms, ears only folding back slightly when she squealed in alarm. He wrapped her up rather tightly in something that wasn’t quite an embrace, holding her against his body. Starlight squirmed in his grasp, horn sparking as a bolt of panic went through her, completely unsure of what he was planning. He held her far too tightly to escape, but right as she was going to teleport away, she felt something scrape across the top of her head.

She froze in confusion as she felt it again, and then a few more times. At that point, she was glad her coat was pink, as her face flushed in embarrassment as she realized just what his plan had been all along.

“Are you grooming me?”

“Yes.” Another scrape, and Starlight let out an unintelligible whine and covered her face, “What? You’re dirty, I’m cleaning you. It’s simple.”

“This is so embarrassing,” She muttered, voice muffled by her hooves. She squirmed again, but Sombra held tight, biting her mane to keep her still.

“I seem to recall a time of two when you were the one bathing me,” He said, nibbling a spot just behind her ear, “I am simply repaying you in a slightly more unorthodox way.”

“Unorthodox? Do you know how intimate grooming is?”

“We’re intimate, are we not?”

“Not this intimate!”

She felt him shrug, and he continued to groom her. She kept her face in her hooves as he worked, thoroughly embarrassed but unable to stop him. Not that she really wanted to, it still felt nice, but this was far from an appropriate action to take right now.

“I don’t see what the big deal is to you,” He said between nibbles and the occasional gentle yank of her hair, “Both stallions and mares alike groom each other, as well as their foals, this is a perfectly normal activity.”

“‘Normal’ is not the same as it was a thousand years ago.”

She went limp in his grip, allowing him to continue on easier, and hopefully quicker. She was sure he was messing her mane up, but hopefully she’d be able to comb it before anypony showed up. Considering Twilight had told her that the train had hit a delay that morning, she may have the chance to do that. That was hours ago though, so it was possible the train was on its way. Or worse, whoever was coming over was already in Ponyville.

At that thought, she briefly wiggled again, tempted to teleport. Sombra’s grip stayed strong.

It wasn’t like she could scold Sombra for this either. Awkwardness aside, this was an evident sign that he truly trusted and cared for her. This was a good thing, and forcing him to stop might somehow break his trust. She didn’t want to risk that, so she decided to tolerate it for as long as she could. Hopefully that wouldn’t be very long.

Both fortunately and not, it wasn’t, and at the sound of the door opening, Starlight let out a yelp and covered her face again, jolting back to hide against Sombra. All she accomplished was whacking him in the teeth, finally loosening his grip enough to escape, but she didn’t. Instead, she chose to stay hidden against his chest, refusing to look up at whoever might have come in.

“Are we interrupting something?” Twilight asked.

“Your presence is always an interruption,” Sombra answered, Starlight slowly lowering further with his next words, “Who are the ponies with you? I was expecting the Crystal Princess or her consort.”

Before anypony got the chance to answer, Starlight said, “I swear, whatever this looks like, it’s not that.”

A new but familiar voice responded, “Actually, I think this is exactly what it looks like.”

“Sunburst!” Starlight’s hooves fell away from her face, and she shot up and away from Sombra, head smacking against his jaw as she did. Much to her embarrassment, it seemed as though Sunburst wasn’t the only pony Twilight had brought with her, but she avoided the other stallion’s gaze as best as she could, “I swear, it’s nothing! It was all Sombra, he just grabbed me, and-”

“Began to groom you,” Sunburst interrupted. He didn’t actually seem surprised, if anything, he seemed sympathetically interested, “It’s fine Starlight, really. Crystal Ponies mutually groom each other all the time, even in public. Having been raised in the Empire, Sombra would be no different.”

“Which means you ponies really are filthy, aren’t you?” Sombra grumbled, rubbing the side of his face and looking at the array of Unicorns in front of him, “Next time just ask me to stop, I don’t care. Once again, who are these ponies?”

The orange one stepped forward first, the slightest hint of worry in his voice, “You may call me Sunburst, I was sent here on Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor’s behalf.”

Sombra held back a triumphant grin, “Too cowardly to face me themselves?”

“No, they just didn’t want to send over anypony who has a personal vendetta against you. Unfortunately, that includes every single pony in the Crystal Empire, as well as Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor themselves.”

“But not you?”

He shook his head, “I was out of town when you invaded, so I have no more reason than the average pony to hate you.”

“Average ponies don’t tend to have a good opinion on me.”

“I guess that means you’ll have to change that opinion, won’t you?”

Sombra blinked, somewhat surprised at this little stallion’s nerve to face him like he had. It didn’t insult him, but it did intrigue and impress him. Starlight had known his name too, and judging by her behavior, seemed closely acquainted with him. He wanted to question that, but he’d wait until later. Right now there was another pony to meet, an old, grey bearded stallion, much taller than the others and dressed in bell laden robes.

He was familiar. Very familiar.

He stepped toward Sombra before he got the chance to ask his name, a surprisingly gentle chime sounding with each movement he made, though he didn’t move much. Once within a few paces from Sombra, he finally introduced himself and answered Sombra’s unspoken question, “And you may know me as Starswirl.”

“Starswirl?” Despite the fact he knew, Sombra was still dumbfounded, “As in ‘The Bearded’? Shouldn’t you be dead?”

A look of pure horror crossed Twilight’s face, but before she got the chance to defend her idol, he responded, “Shouldn’t you?”

“Eh, fair enough.” Rising from where he’d been sitting on the ground, Sombra stretched and yawned, turning back to the couch he’d been on earlier and lounging across it, “You here to assess me too or something?”

“Not quite, I was in the Empire and heard of Sunburst’s visit. I’m simply interested in learning about you is all.”

Something of a smile made its way to Sombra’s face, though he didn’t look toward anything other than the lamp as said, “What an honor, the great and powerful Starswirl is interested in me.”

Starlight couldn’t help but notice he still seemed surprisingly calm about all of this. She wondered if she should be suspicious. So far things seemed to be going unusually well, and though she hoped it would stay that way, she wanted to get things done and over with as quickly as possible.

“So,” She started, gaining everypony’s attention, except Sombra’s for some reason, “I made lunch just for this occasion. Perhaps we could talk over that?”

The mention of food got Sombra’s ears perked, but Sunburst shook his head.

“I appreciate the offer, but I think it’d be best if I talked to Sombra alone and with no distractions. This room will work fine.”

Starlight saw Sombra’s ears lower to a point of annoyance, but she held back any visible sign of discomfort as she asked, “Are you sure?”

Sunburst nodded, “This shouldn’t take long. I just want to talk to Sombra, take some notes, and then we’ll meet you in the dining room.”

“That’s it, really? No interrogation or anything like that?”

“I’m here to evaluate him for redemption, not try him for his crimes,” Sunburst explained, glancing back to Sombra. He was turning the lamp on and off. “Especially not since he doesn’t seem to have any sort of magic dampener on him. Why is that?”

Starlight opened her mouth to speak, but got hardly a sound out before Sombra sarcastically interrupted, “It’s because I’m a good pony now.”

“Don’t push it,” She shot back, looking back to Sunburst, “He knows when to behave, trust me. He wouldn’t dare to hurt one of my friends, now would you Sombra?”

He grumbled something, hitting the lamp’s switch again and darkening the room before flopping back onto the couch. He was annoyed about something, and though anypony else in the room may assume it was because he couldn’t cause carnage, Starlight knew it was because he just wanted the lunch he wasn’t getting now.

“Twilight, would you and Star Swirl like to head to the dining room?” She asked, walking over to him, “I’ll meet up with you two in a moment, I just want to talk to Sombra first.”

“Of course,” Twilight nodded, looking to Star Swirl with her usual awe, but managing to stay reasonable as she said, “We expected either Cadance or Shining Armor to show up, so we made a few different foods. I don’t suppose you're hungry?”

“Practically starving,” Star Swirl answered, turning out the door to follow Twilight, “It’s not a quick trip between here and the Crystal Empire after all, and that dreaded train ride kept me from eating much.”

Their voices faded as they went down the hall, but the ponies within the room could still hear their conversation for a bit longer.

“Well we have plenty, anything you might want in specific?”

“Hmm, do you perhaps have any coffee?”

With that, Sombra slammed the door with his magic. Starlight and Sunburst jumped.

“Now what was that for?” Starlight demanded.

“I live to scare ponies,” He answered nonchalantly, “Now what was it you wanted to talk to me about, and what’s coffee?”

“Coffee is bean juice, and I wanted to tell you-” She emphasized by gently placing a hoof against his chest, “To behave. If you do, maybe later I’ll bake you some peanut butter cookies as a treat, how’s that sound?”

“Ugh, why do you ponies always bribe me with food?”

“Why does it always work?”

He pushed her hooves away, crossing his arms and frowning instead of answering the question. Starlight held back a laugh at his expression, and he noticed, but all he did was lower himself further against the couch.

“So I take it that the cookie bribe is working?” She asked.

“Maybe…”

“Good, now don’t make me worry, okay?”

Sombra nodded, and with that Starlight finally left, gently shutting the door behind her. He tried to listen to her as she went, but her hoofsteps faded quickly behind the thick castle door. Muttering at the last sign of her, he turned instead to the orange Unicorn that had come to assess him. He was digging through his saddlebags. Sombra stared at the contents within, most of which seemed to be papers, notebooks, a little wooden box, as well as something that got his eyes to narrow a bit.

Another book, one that he knew did not belong to Sunburst. In fact, he knew it didn’t belong to anypony that lived in the empire, or at least, not anypony who currently lived there. Nopony should have had access to that book.

Sombra chose not to say anything about it. Perhaps Sunburst would bring it up, or perhaps he had other plans with it.

Tired of the silence, he asked, “So, when do we start all this? I’d like to get it over and finished with.”

Sunburst let out a squeak, much more on edge than he had been when the others were in the room. He was frightened, and Sombra could sense it. A part of him wanted to toy with the Unicorn to amuse himself, but he thought it better not to disappoint Starlight. Plus he really did want those cookies.

“You ponies are all very jumpy, aren’t you?” He asked.

“It’s hard to not be jumpy around somepony like you.”

“So much for not having an opinion on me.”

“Oh, I have an opinion on you for sure,” Sunburst claimed, setting all of his needed supplies on a table near the door, “But my feelings aren’t personal. I know of everything you’ve done, from enslaving the Crystal Ponies to using Flurry Heart as a hostage, and those things alone are enough to make me know you’ve apparently never been the best pony.”

“You know nothing about me.”

Sombra’s tone was now harsh, his teeth bared in something more than just insulted at this orange eyesore’s assumption. His desire to toy with him briefly blossomed into something a bit less playful, but he shoved the urge away with the bite of his tongue.

As annoying as he was proving to be, he wouldn’t dare harm Sunburst. Starlight wouldn’t like that, and for some reason far beyond him, he wanted her to be happy.

“Then perhaps you can change what we know,” Sunburst stated, his voice somehow steady despite his previous anxiety, “I have several questions to ask you, and the answers you give will decide whether or not Princess Cadance thinks you deserve a chance.”

“And what if I don’t answer them?”

“I won’t force you to answer, just know that what you don’t say might help improve Cadance’s opinion on you.”

Sombra said nothing, hiding his bared fangs and simply glaring at the Unicorn in front of him. Much to his disappointment, he didn’t flinch. Instead, Sunburst looked him over, staring a moment too long at his casted leg.

“First thing first, and this has no relation to why I was sent here, but what happened to you?”

“I see Princess Twilight hasn’t told you anything worth mentioning,” Sombra huffed, glancing down at his leg in annoyance, “The Changeling Queen manipulated me and pushed me off a cliff.”

“What? But how-”

“If it’s not an important question, don’t ask it,” He spat, readjusting himself to lay more comfortably across the couch again. He was antsy and annoyed, he hadn’t been able to run around since that outing when his mask had been removed, “Get your details by asking Starlight or Princess Twilight.”

That interruption quieted Sunburst momentarily, and Sombra wasn’t sure if that was a win or a loss in his case. Silence kept him from being asked any potentially personal questions, but it also prevented him from getting away from this new pony and back to somewhere more quiet.

“Ask me what you need to ask me so we can both get out of this,” He demanded.

“R-right, let’s get this started then.” Sunburst removed his glasses to wipe them clean, wasting more time and agitating Sombra further, “First off, why?”

Though he already knew the implications behind the question, Sombra simply repeated, “Why?”

“Why do you want the Crystal Empire? What prompted you into killing the previous princess and taking over?”

Refusing to answer the question, he calmly asked in return, “What makes you think I killed her?”

The lack of anger just unnerved Sunburst further.

“The Crystal Ponies reported it, one day the princess was ruling peacefully, and then the next you walked out of the castle and declared the empire as your own.”

“While that may be true, you’re still missing a very important piece of information; nopony ever actually found her body. So there’s no proof she’s dead, and I have no crime to confess to.”

“There’s always the possibility of you disposing her body.”

“You’re far too convinced of this accusation,” Sombra said with the flick of an ear, more annoyed than angry at this point, “Where exactly do you expect me to hide a body in the Crystal Empire? Even with the Crystal Heart warming everything, there’s still far too much permafrost to dig a hole deep enough, and I highly doubt anypony in the castle has opened a closet full of skeletons.”

“There’s always outside of the empire, after one thousand years things are bound to get buried.”

“I can assure you that, whatever happened to Amore, she never left the empire.”

Another bout of silence from Sunburst, but this time it was expected. It was a rather enigmatic answer after all, but Sombra had no plans on elaborating. So he waited for the other to speak again, keeping himself occupied by levitating his book and flipping through a few pages. He’d already finished it, so there wasn’t much to read.

Finally, Sunburst broke his silence, “You didn’t answer why you took over the empire.”

“And I will not.” Brief silence again, the only sound being him flipping through pages, “So was that it? Any more questions I need to ignore from you?”

“Maybe a few, though I suppose an important one would be why you think you deserve redemption.”

The page flipping stopped, but Sombra didn’t look away from his book. Something about his posture changed, as if his body had stiffened, but his facial expression stayed blank.

“I don’t.”

Somehow, that comment surprised Sunburst, but Sombra didn’t care. He chose instead to turn to the lamp and contemplate it as he scribbled something into a notebook. Apparently being difficult and secretive wasn’t enough to keep information away from the princess or this herald of hers.

Sunburst set the notebook to the side, looking to Sombra unsurely, “Why don’t you think you deserve redemption?”

“Why should I? I’m not anypony worth saving, I’m nothing more than a monster, now am I?”

“Starlight doesn’t seem to think you’re a monster.”

“Starlight…” Sombra bit his tongue again, trying to hold back saying something he wasn’t sure he meant, “Starlight is a naive fool.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure, how much has she told you about herself?”

“What’s there to tell? She’s the Princess of Friendship’s pet, somepony like her could do no wrong.”

Sunburst scribbled another note in his notebook, simply saying, “I see.”

Sombra barely resisted rolling his eyes at the motion. This was not going at all how he could have planned, it was much more annoying. He wanted to get out of this room now, he wanted to run around and let out some energy, but neither of those things were options for a multitude of reasons. He just wanted out.

“I don’t look forward to any more of your questions,” He said.

“That’s fine, because I don’t think I have many more to ask.” Sunburst looked over his notes, no doubt a short list, while Sombra looked on in annoyed confusion.

“I expected more. Why are there not more?”

“There are, but I don’t think they’re as important as this one,” He explained, before looking straight at Sombra, “When you took over the Crystal Empire, you mind controlled almost every resident and held Flurry Heart hostage, but you never directly hurt anypony. Was that intentional?”

"I'm sure a few guards got banged up, they were getting in my way after all,” He pointed out, before scoffing, “Not a very competent lot either, throwing spears at me while I was so close to a pair of ponies with a foal."

“Interesting that you mention a foal, because you didn’t touch the orphanage either.”

There was a delay in Sombra’s response, “Foals are of little use to me, why should I waste my time with them?”

"Well, you mind controlled a few other foals. Would you really even care if they or anypony else were casualties in your takeover?"

"Ugh, does everypony think I'm just some tyrant out to spill blood?" This time, Sombra did roll his eyes, rising from the couch to look down at the Unicorn before him, “I wanted the Crystal Empire as my own, and part of the point of owning land is ruling over the ponies that live on it. Killing those ponies would give me less, and I didn't want less, I wanted more."

Sunburst trembled, his fear permeating Sombra’s senses, though he stayed where he stood. It frustrated him, he wanted to scare the little Unicorn off, to give himself some form of peace. He was sure shadows were leaking from his eyes by now, but he continued to resist his temptation.

“S-so this was all about greed?”

He got no confirmation, Sombra once again biting his tongue to keep from speaking and turning away. Wandering back over to the couch, he didn’t sit, instead choosing to stare at the grape twig that had fallen to the floor.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” He muttered eventually.

“You’ll have to tell somepony eventually, you know.”

“Not if I can help it.”

He stepped on the twig, but it was too soft to crack. Behind him, Sunburst ruffled through his bags, but he didn’t think it interesting enough to look. There was only one thing in that bag that interested him, and he was waiting to see if it’d be returned to him. Somehow he doubted it would. A quiet thunk got his ear to twitch, but it was the gentle notes that followed that got him to widen his eyes and turn around much quicker than he had intended.

Sunburst was holding that little wooden box. Previously obscured by paper before, Sombra could now make out slight details from afar. There was a heart emblazoned upon it’s lid and at least one side, with a little metal bit sticking out of a blank side. Had it made that noise?

“What is that?”

“A gift.”

“A gift?” Had there not been a couch directly behind him, Sombra might have stepped back in disbelief, “For me?”

Sunburst nodded.

“From who?”

“I think you’ll know.”

He set the little box on a table, stepping away to clean his glasses. Sombra approached it slowly and unsurely, as if afraid it would blow up in his face. Closer inspection showed that it wasn’t just any heart adorning it, but the Crystal Heart, burned into the wood with every facet as perfect as it could be. The metal sticking out of it still perplexed him, and with a gentle poke it moved slightly, a few more notes ringing in the air.

The tune was familiar, and it sent a pang through his chest.

The music was undoubtedly coming from inside the box, and from the looks of things, the top was latched. Using his magic, he levitated the box over and gently undid the latch and took a peek at the contents. Tiny scraps of metal were organized within it, most likely attached to the tiny rod outside of it. Opening it a bit wider to let in more light, another image within caught his eye.

His magic faltered with a gasp as he saw it, the box nearly falling to the floor before he recovered. Closing the box, he stared ahead at nothing, that pang in his chest worsening.

Gasping a few breaths, Sombra’s eyes began to burn as he choked out, “W-what is this?”

“A music box. It was ordered special, just for you.”

“Why?”

“Because even after everything you’ve done, she still loves you.”

The burning worsened, and Sombra had to shut his eyes to relieve himself of the feeling despite knowing just what came with it. His eyes watered, the tears threatening to fall, thankfully hidden from the pony behind him.

“Why?”

“Because she raised you Sombra, she knows you better than anypony out there,” Sunburst explained, shuffling in his bags again. Sombra didn’t even care about the book within them anymore. “She knows you can change Sombra, she knows you can be the pony you were before.”

He shut his eyes again, teeth gritting in frustration as a tear finally fell.

“I hurt her,” He whispered.

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go back and fix things.”

“I can never fix any of this.”

“You won’t know until you try,” Sunburst said gently, stepping toward him. Sombra snarled in response, another hoofstep sounding to show that he’d stepped right back, “I think we’re done here, I’ll be going to the dining room now. I’m sure you’ll catch up?”

Sombra nodded, waiting for the door to close and Sunburst’s hoofsteps to fade before returning his attention to the music box. At some point it had gone from his magic to his hoof, now held tightly to his chest. Pulling it away, he looked down at the Crystal Heart upon it. Though it might not have shone like the true one, the contents hurt just as much as the original.

Tiny sparks of his magic enveloped the metal knob and turned it gently, finally allowing the tune within the box to play out in full. Though the few notes he’d heard from it before had made him suspect, it was only now he finally knew for sure what it was.

It was a lullaby. His lullaby. The very one his caretaker had sung to him on the night she had taken him in, and so many nights after.

Wiping his eyes, Sombra sank to the floor, not even caring as the tears finally fell. It wasn’t the same as hearing it from her, but it still hurt. He wished he could actually hear her sing it again. Then again, he wished for a lot of things he could never have again.

Eventually, his magic weakened, the music fading along with it. For a moment, he simply sat in that silence, the pounding of his heart the only sounds to be heard.

The music hurt. The image within it hurt. He wanted to hear and see them again.

Rising to a sitting position, he rubbed his eyes and nose with his arm, uncaring about the mess it made. He set the music box in front of him, turning the knob with his magic and slowly lifting the lid with a hoof. His stomach lurched as he saw the image within it again, a choked sound escaping him as fresh tears welled in his eyes.

Burned within the wood were two foals, a colt and a filly, laying together. The filly’s eyes were closed happily as she laid upon the colt, who in turn was glancing back at her with a smile of his own. Both looked as innocent as could be, unknowing of what the future had in store for them.

“I’m sorry,” Sombra whispered, gently tracing the lines, “I guess I should have done better.”

Chapter 18: Nothing Left to Give

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With the amount of attention put into the room, it really did look like the dining hall was ready for something important. So many foods were littered among the tabletop, ranging from something savory like quiche, to something sickeningly sweet like strawberry cheesecake. All things Twilight had said Shining Armor or Princess Cadance enjoyed, all made for nothing because neither of them had shown up. Not even Twilight or Star Swirl had taken much, which annoyed Starlight quite a bit.

It was fine though, really. She’d only wasted the entire morning and the evening before stressing out in the kitchen, making sure everything was perfect. It’s not like it felt a little bit insulting to have the food she’d spent so much time on being wasted.

Not that she was any better. She was too nervous to eat herself, which only added to her frustration. At least there were still plenty of ponies in the castle to eat the leftovers. Sombra certainly wouldn’t mind all the extra food, and she could probably give both Star Swirl and Sunburst some for their trips home.

“I was actually in the Empire to visit Mistmane,” Star Swirl said, casually stirring a mug of coffee, “We wandered into Sunburst while out on a walk, and chatted a bit. He made an offhoof mention of Sombra, and I got curious. I still am, actually. How curious that you would tell Mistmane of Sombra’s return, but not myself.”

“We’ve been trying to keep Sombra’s survival a secret outside of Ponyville,” Twilight explained apologetically, “I told Cadance and my brother, and they told Sunburst, so I’m assuming they did the same with Mistmane.”

“I still would’ve appreciated being told.”

“That’d probably have been easier to do if you stayed in one place.”

Star Swirl shot her something akin to a glare, and Twilight backed down a bit. She was sure he was about to retort, but a knock on the door saved her.

“Starlight?” Sunburst didn’t take a seat at the table as he entered, instead looking at his friend from the doorway, “Could we talk for a moment?”

“In the halls?” He nodded, and Starlight rose from her seat with a quick nod of her own toward Twilight. She tried not to rush out of the room, but was worried enough that she might have, and may have closed the door a little too quickly as well. “Is everything alright? Where’s Sombra?”

“Everything’s fine, Sombra just wanted some time alone,” He assured. Starlight breathed a sigh of relief, “But I need you to talk to him.”

“Right now?” She began to turn down the hall, but Sunburst held out a hoof to stop her.

“No, not right now, but soon. You’ve been hiding your past from him, why?”

“Oh, well…” Starlight’s ears twitched, and she shrank back slightly to look at anything other than him, “I just haven’t found the chance is all. There just hasn’t been a good time to bring it up.”

“Well you need to find the time,” Sunburst commanded, voice much more demanding than she’d ever expected of him. He seemed disappointed, but his expression and tone quickly softened, “You want to know more about him, right? Don’t you think that telling him about yourself might help ease him into saying something?”

“I do, but I’m worried it’d seem like I was pressuring him. Twilight told me to wait until he was comfortable enough to tell me himself, and I really don’t want to make him feel like he has to say something.”

“I really do think that talking to him would help, you’d be surprised how much you have in common.”

“What?”

Sunburst turned to his saddlebags, quickly rustling through them until pulling out a book. It was a thick yet simple one, titleless, teal in color and latched shut with two golden clasps. Starlight was confused by the sight of it, but was quick to take it when Sunburst passed it over to her.

Fiddling with the clasps, she asked, “What is this?”

“It’s Sombra’s journal, one of them at least.”

“His journal?” Starlight tried to open it, but Sunburst set a hoof over the cover before she managed to unlatch either clasp. Her ears only flinched back slightly, and she managed to hide her hint of irritation in her voice as she asked, “Where did you get this?”

“Please try and talk to him first,” He said, before lowering his hoof, “The castle is filled with secret rooms, assumedly made by Sombra, and this was in one of them. This one was hidden behind the same door he’d hidden the Crystal Heart in, though it was in an entirely different room.”

“Fascinating. I’d love to see one of these rooms someday.”

“I’d like to never see one again.”

“That bad, huh?” Sunburst made a face, and Starlight held back a laugh. All that had accomplished was making her want to see one of Sombra’s rooms even more, “You said this was only one of his journals, where are the others?”

“At the orphanage. I skimmed through the journal a bit and discovered the name of the pony who runs the place, Chestnut Falls. Cadance and I talked to her, and she mentioned still having his previous journals. Most of them were from when he was a foal, so we let her keep them.”

“I think they would have been useful.”

“Maybe, but Chestnut didn’t want to give them up,” Sunburst explained, ear twitching as he turned to look down the hall for a moment before lowering his voice, “She didn’t want to let go of what she had left of the foal she’d raised. Cadance let her keep them.”

Starlight frowned, “I still think it would have helped.”

“I still think it’d be better to talk to Sombra before nosing into his private thoughts.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” She sighed, lowering the book to look at nothing in particular, though a sound down the hall got her ears to twitch as well. Sunburst tapped the book.

“Might want to put that away somewhere,” He said, motioning down the hall, “I think Sombra’s coming.”

“Oh, right!” Starlight teleported the book, twitching her ears again to make sure somepony was actually coming. Hearing a bit of shuffling down the hall, she nudged Sunburst toward the dining room door, “Go eat some food, Sombra and I will meet you all in a moment.”

“Or you could just wait until he chooses to join us?” He suggested, quickly sighing as he realized the suggestion was in vain, “Fine.”

He was gone about right as soon as Sombra turned the corner, and Starlight instantly knew something wasn’t right. His mane was limp, and his head was lowered, but the moment she ran over to him he briefly stuck out a hoof.

“I’m fine,” He said, “Your friend is just annoying.”

“Oh.” She shrank back, a bit anxious by his irritation, “I just talked to him, did everything go smoothly?”

He shrugged.

“Do you think you passed the assessment?”

He shrugged again, “Can I just get my food now?”

“Yeah, we can do that.”

She led him into the dining room, Twilight and Star Swirl quieting themselves as Sombra sat at the table. He placed himself away from everyone else, levitating over the entire fruit bowl to snatch a pear from within. He tore into it with more viciousness than Starlight had seen from him previously, before scanning the ponies around him.

“Anypony else want to annoy me today?” He asked.

Starlight nervously tapped her hooves together, looking away. Sunburst glanced over to Twilight, who was also avoiding eye contact. Only Star Swirl didn’t look away, simply sipping his steaming mug and crossing his hooves on the table in front of him.

“I would.”

“Right.” Sombra’s left ear twitched, and he continued to feast on his fruit as he waited for Star Swirl to speak. He had a bit more respect for the elder Unicorn over almost anypony else in the room, and was curious about what he had to say, but knew just as well that Star Swirl could strike him down if he so wished.

To his annoyance, he didn’t immediately speak up, instead levitating over a kettle and pouring some sort of dark steaming liquid into his cup. Sombra eyed it unsurely, the smell that wafted from it smelling nothing like anything he’d smelled before. He wasn’t sure if he liked it or not.

Star Swirl noticed his confusion, and upon lifting the pot, asked, “Would you like some?”

“I don’t even know what that is.”

“Coffee,” Star Swirl answered, opting to pour Sombra a cup to answer all his questions, “It’s a wonderful beverage that I took a liking to long ago. Good for waking you up in the morning, and a good substitution for those instances when you just don’t have time to make breakfast.”

Though he questioned the concept of drinking this instead of eating a proper meal, Sombra accepted the mug when Star Swirl levitated it toward him. The smell of the liquid was even stronger now, and he still wasn’t sure if he liked it or not. Grabbing the mug in his hooves, he took a deeper sniff, recoiling in disgust at how much stronger it was.

“It smells burnt. Why is modern sustenance so atrocious?”

“Don’t knock it till you try it, it’s quite good.”

“Doubt it.” He shook his head, remembering the cocoa. Still, he was curious, and though well aware of the fact it was hot, he took a small sip.

He recoiled again, nearly dropping the cup.

“What is this, burnt water? It’s disgusting!”

“Ah, perhaps a bit of cream, or maybe a few sugar cubes?” Starswirl levitated the items over to Sombra. He grabbed them quickly, immediately throwing the first cube into his mouth to get rid of the taste, then tossing a few more into the coffee with a bit of the cream before taking another sip. “Better?”

“Not in the slightest,” He answered, sipping again, “It’s still awful.”

“Then why are you still drinking it?”

“Because I hate myself.”

He sipped it again, still unsure about the taste and smell. Modern food and beverage was strange, it was either greasy, watery, or burnt. Something must have gone wrong in the culinary arts at some point in time.

For some reason, Star Swirl laughed at him. Sombra lowered himself at that, not at all liking to be the center of attention in this scenario.

“I’m sure it’ll grow on you,” He said, casually waving a hoof, “Ah, I remember when I first tried coffee. It was quite a long time ago, actually, before I’d sealed us away in limbo. I had this mirror you see, Celestia and I would travel through it on occasion, and during one trip we-”

“Hey, Star Swirl,” Twilight interrupted, an awkward smile on her face as she glanced between him and Sombra, “Do you think you might have something else you might want to talk about?”

“Oh,” Star Swirl blinked, his eyes widening in some sort of realization that nopony other than he and Twilight understood, but he quickly regained himself, “Ah, forgive me, I rambled a bit. Nopony wants to hear any of my old stories, now do they?”

Sunburst meekly raised a hoof, “I do.”

“And I’d like to hear more about this traveling mirror,” Sombra added.

“No you absolutely do not,” Star Swirl answered harshly, “That one’s been destroyed anyway.”

“That one. Meaning there’s more.”

“If you even so much as think about going through any magical mirror I will personally banish you to limbo myself.”

Intrigue suddenly gone, Sombra grabbed a mini quiche and stuffed it into his mouth while looking away. He wasn’t a fan of mirrors anyway.

“Now then, perhaps we could talk about the Tree of Harmony?”

Sombra briefly choked, swallowing his mouthful and saying, “How about we don’t?”

“Fine, if you won’t, I will.” Star Swirl took a swig of his coffee before pushing the mug to the side, folding his arms in front of him to stare at Sombra, though the younger stallion didn’t even glance back, “My friends and I planted that tree.”

“Of course you did.”

“And you destroyed it.”

“Only temporarily,” Sombra added. It frustrated him that destroying the weapon apparently failed, but at least he had that going for him now, “And if it’s any consolation, it did try to kill me.”

Briefly taken aback by that, Star Swirl glanced at Twilight before saying, “I suppose it’s still quite effective, even if somepony forgot to mention that bit.”

“In my defense, a lot’s been going on recently,” Twilight responded nervously, “And most of his injuries were caused by Chrysalis, which is another issue we’ll have to deal with eventually.”

“You’ll have many more issues to deal with in due time, I’m sure,” Sombra muttered, levitating over another quiche.

“What was that?” She asked.

“I said you need to stop talking about me, let me talk about my problems when I feel like it.” He tossed the quiche into his mouth. There was already too much going on in this room, he wondered if he should leave. He didn’t care if they noticed, but Starlight would probably run after him and ask what was wrong. Ponies were annoying. Swallowing his mouthful, he asked, “Can I go back to my room now?”

“No.” Star Swirl’s firm demand made him angry, but he stayed where he sat, “I have a few other things I’d like to ask you.”

“I’m getting tired of being asked questions.”

“And I’m getting tired of unruly foals who fail to communicate with me.”

That got Sombra’s fangs bared. As much as he disliked being considered older than he was, it was significantly more infuriating to find a pony that truly was older than him. He could feel his respect for the elder fading, he didn’t like being looked down on.

“Now then,” Star Swirl crossed his arms on the table, “Perhaps we can get back on topic, hmm?”

Sombra chose not to respond, grabbing an apple and rolling it between his hooves. He was sure Star Swirl found that silence rather smart of him.

“If you’d like, you can choose where we should start,” He offered, “Perhaps what your goals were? Or maybe why you killed Princess Amore? Both of those pique my interests.”

Somepony choked on something, but Sombra didn’t look to see who it was. It could’ve been any of the three, but his bets were on Twilight. She seemed prone to overreacting, but he wouldn’t relent over such an idiotic accusation.

“I didn’t kill Amore,” He stated for the utmost time, “She’s not dead.”

“I find that rather hard to believe, especially since we have a written confession from you.”

The apple stopped rolling, but Sombra didn’t look away from it. The room was eerily silent, neither Twilight, Starlight, or Sunburst willing to speak against the great wizard.

“She’s not dead,” He repeated, voice much calmer than he felt.

“Either you’re lying, or in denial,” Star Swirl accused, tapping the table. Sombra was under the impression he wanted him to look at him, but he shut his eyes in refusal, “The proof is in the writing. You killed Amore, and I’m sure you killed countless others.”

“Amore isn’t dead. I never killed anybody.”

“I suppose we’re going for denial, or perhaps even a mental deficiency, either is possible,” He observed, casually stirring his coffee with his magic, “From what I’ve heard, you’re not the most stable in that regard.”

Sombra grit his teeth, the apple beginning to split between his hooves, but he said nothing.

“The thought brings to mind another question, doesn’t it? How many other ponies have you killed and brushed aside? Did their lives mean nothing to you?”

“You seem to have a hard time realizing that murder just isn’t my thing.”

“Then what happened to her? If you didn’t kill her, then where is she?”

“She’s still there, she just doesn’t want to show herself.”

Star Swirl shifted in his seat, a sigh escaping him. Something about that sigh managed to further anger Sombra. He was really wishing for somepony to interrupt about now, maybe tell Star Swirl to quiet himself before a fight broke out. This was exactly what he’d warned Starlight about, yet she hadn’t made a single noise since Star Swirl had started this.

“You know, I can’t help but pity you,” He said, Sombra refusing to lift his head to see his supposed pity. He didn’t need pity. “You’re so obviously unwell, and a threat to others. I don’t doubt that you can change, but the first step to that is returning to reality.”

Sombra continued his defiant silence, while Starlight finally decided to speak.

“I think that’s enough, Star Swirl,” She said, voice wavering, “You’re overstaying your welcome.”

“I disagree. This is Twilight’s castle, is it not? She has yet to tell me to leave, so you have no reason to speak out of turn.”

There was a squeak, probably from the aforementioned princess. Sombra didn’t check, his eyes were shut tight, more and more anger welling up within him. Star Swirl’s accusations were one thing, his rudeness to Starlight was another. He was steadily adding to the list of why he hated the elder.

“Sombra,” Star Swirl was still trying to get his attention, but Sombra resisted, “Just admit what you need to. You know the truth, and denying it won’t help. ”

Juice had begun to seep from the apple’s cracks, dribbling over his hooves.

“Sombra, look at me when I’m talking to you.”

He bit his tongue, holding back an insult.

“Fine, if you won’t admit to Princess Amore’s murder, perhaps you’ll confess to another?” Star Swirl suggested, noticing a shift in Sombra’s behavior, “Chestnut Falls mentioned that there was another pony who’d vanished from the Crystal Empire around the same time you took over. A pony she was rather fond of.”

“Don’t you dare say it.”

“She was your friend, wasn’t she?” Star Swirl ignored his words, that heartless accusation escaping him, “Did you kill Radiant Hope?”

The apple exploded between his hooves.

“That’s enough!” Sombra slammed his hooves onto the table and rose before anyone could stop him, shadows bursting from his eyes as he stared down at Star Swirl specifically, “You’ve gone too far!”

Gaze already focused on Sombra, Star Swirl fell under instantly. Somepony else cried out as he did, but Sombra ignored them as he faded to shadow and fled. He’d had enough, and not even a cry from Starlight could stop him.

She ran after him anyway.

Only briefly checking back at the possessed Star Swirl, unsurprised to see Twilight immediately at his side, she’d gone. She and Sunburst should be able to deal with him, as long as Sombra didn’t set him up as a weapon, but even then she was sure Twilight could contain him somehow. Yet at the same time, Star Swirl was powerful, and if he blasted either of them-

No. She shook her head, that was not a thing she wanted to think about. After all this time, Sombra wouldn’t just throw his freedom away like that, would he?

She called to him, “Sombra!”

He ignored her, his shadow turning a corner, down the same hall with the room he’d been in earlier. Starlight tried to catch up with him, but he was so much faster than her, and he’d already slipped into the room by the time she’d caught up.

“Sombra!” She tried to enter, but something kept her from doing so, “Let me in, please!”

No response. Starlight slammed both front hooves into the door.

“Sombra, please!” She shouted, slamming again, “If you don’t let me in, I’ll teleport in there and-”

“Leave me alone!”

The fierceness in his voice got her to stop with a yelp, and she hopped back. She’d endured the brunt of his frustration, and had seen him snap at Twilight, and now Star Swirl, but he’d never snapped at her out of true anger.

It scared her. She didn’t like that it scared her. Sombra wasn’t supposed to scare her.

She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to help him, but what if he turned against her too? Would he even do that, would he turn against her? He was her friend, wasn’t he?

For a moment, she was tempted to call to him again, but decided against it. Instead, she just collapsed to the floor, unsure of what to do. She couldn’t go back to the dining room, she didn’t belong there right now. Leaving wasn’t an option either, because she was sure Twilight would be scrambling over to get mad at him, and she didn’t need that kind of fight breaking out.

Her ear twitched, a small sound breaking the silence, as well as her train of thought. For a moment, she thought it was as simple as a pin dropping nearby, but that made no sense when she thought about it. Listening intently, both ears swiveling to try to identify and locate the noise. It didn’t take too long to realize it’s location, beyond the very door she was against. Setting her head against it, she could finally identify the sound.

Music.

It didn’t sound like a record player, and as far as she remembered there wasn’t even one in the room. This was much quieter, and so much softer than some of the music Sombra enjoyed. She couldn’t quite place the tune, or where it was coming from, but she stayed against that door to listen.

“Starlight?”

She shot up with a yelp, the music going quiet as she found herself face to face with a pony she hadn’t quite expected, but was relieved to see.

“Sunburst? Why are you over here?”

“Twilight sent me to check on you,” He explained, nervously eyeing the door behind her, “Is Sombra okay?”

“Sombra? What about Star Swirl? Is he okay?”

“Yeah, he’s fine. Sombra must’ve used a weak spell on him, because he was quick to recover. Twilight still wasn’t very happy.”

“I can imagine. He had it coming though,” Starlight muttered, before noticing the raised brow of disappointment on Sunburst’s face, “What? He provoked him.”

“You’re really going with that?”

“Yeah, really. Star Swirl purposely hit a sore spot, how else do you think he’d have reacted?”

“Maybe a bit more calmly?”

“How calm do you think somepony’s going to be when they’re accused of killing somepony they care about? What if he’d accused me of killing you? Or Trixie? Do you think I’d just take that?”

Sunburst looked away uncomfortably, ears slightly flattened, “No, I suppose not.”

He turned to leave, but only took a few steps before stopping.

“Did you want to go back to lunch?” He asked, “I’m sure Twilight and Star Swirl won’t be too upset if we explain everything.”

“No, you go on ahead. I think I’ve had enough social interaction for the day,” Starlight answered. Sunburst nodded, turning away to leave. He’d only taken a few more steps before she momentarily glanced at Sombra's door, “Wait, Sunburst.”

He stopped again, “Change your mind?”

“Not exactly, I just have something I want to give you.” She quickly trotted up to and in front of him, motioning with her tail for him to follow, “C’mon.”

“Ah, alright?”

He followed after, taking note as they went in the opposite direction of the dining room. As evident as it was that it wasn’t her destination, he wasn’t quite sure where she might’ve been heading. Still, he followed along, sure that whatever she had to give him was important.

Stopping beside her at a door, she opened it and invited him inside. Books and scrolls were haphazardly scattered around, a few houseplants, and some kites hanging from the ceiling. Though he’d never been in this room before, he figured out what it was, and who it belonged to, rather quickly.

“Sorry for the mess,” Starlight apologized, making way to her bedside table, “I haven’t been spending much time in this room, I’m still sharing a room with Sombra.”

“Uh-huh,” Sunburst nodded, pretending that made sense, “Why did you bring me here though?”

“I have something I want to give you.”

She dug through her drawers, confusing him further. In the process of searching, she pulled out some crumpled papers, a few candy wrappers, and a book that should have never been in contact with anything edible. He’d almost commented on that, but a glimmer of gold in Starlight’s magic silenced him.

“Gala tickets?” He looked at the golden slips curiously, stepping over to look closer. They were a bit crumpled and one was torn, but they were unmistakable to anypony, “Where’d you get those?”

“Twilight gave them to me a while ago. I want you to have them.”

Sunburst’s eyes widened, “You’re inviting me to the Grand Galloping Gala?”

“Sorry, but no,” She admit, Sunburst visibly drooping in disappointment, “I mean, I’d love to, but I’d never be able to decide between you and Trixie. You know how she gets when she’s left out.”

“I suppose that makes sense, but why give them to me?”

“So you can have your own nice time, of course.” She tried to levitate the tickets over to him, but he didn’t grab them. She just dropped them in front of him instead.

Sunburst looked down at them, “Why not just give them to Trixie? She’s in Ponyville.”

“I don’t trust her not to think of it as me playing hard to get.”

Sunburst furrowed his brows at this, though Starlight wasn’t sure if it was because of what she said or not. It might have even had to do with his next question.

“Why not take Sombra?”

His words made her flinch, “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

“Of course. The Gala’s not for another month, that should give you some more time to placate him a bit. I think showing his improvement at such an event would show Celestia just how much you’ve done.”

“And possibly ruin the Princesses’ last Gala? I can’t do that!” She exclaimed, starting to pace, “You saw what happened today, what if it happens again? What if it happens to one of the princesses? What if everypony sees it? What if-”

Sunburst set a hoof on her shoulder, stopping her in place. She hadn’t even seen him walk over to her, or her walk over to him. She wasn’t actually sure which had happened.

“Normally, I’d say it’s not good to think about all these what ifs, but what if it’s not? You might enjoy it, and you could reassure everyone that Sombra’s changing. Don’t you think that’d be a good what if?”

He offered her the tickets, and she considered them. Hesitantly, she lifted a hoof and set it on his own, staring down at the tickets placed upon it. Her gaze was intent, her consideration stronger than she knew. She pushed his hoof away.

“No. Sombra or not, I’ve never been a fan of big get togethers like that. Add him to the mix, and we’ll be getting more judgemental stares than we would on our own, or maybe even worse,” She said, turning away to lose sight of the tickets, “It’s just not a good idea.”

“Starlight-”

“Please don’t argue, this is my choice. I’m not ready for something as big as the Gala.” She made her way to the door, opening it and saying, “I hope you and Trixie, or whoever you choose to bring, enjoy it.”

She was gone before Sunburst could argue, leaving him alone in her room. He assumed she was going to go back to where Sombra was, and he was tempted to chase after, but he resisted. With a defeated sigh, he tucked the tickets into his cape. He knew Starlight well enough not to argue, but he also knew well enough that she needed a break.

That’s what the tickets had been for, he was sure. Twilight had probably given them to her to give her a break, maybe even before Sombra’s revival. He wasn’t entirely sure, but he’d ask Twilight about it later. She’d probably wonder about the fate of Starlight’s tickets.

Patting his cape to ensure they were still there, he finally left the room. The halls were empty on both ends, his friend having run off as quickly as she had. He wished it had been to the dining hall, but he knew better.

“Oh Starlight,” He whispered, gazing down the hall, “I wish you’d just do something for yourself for once.”

Chapter 19: Progress

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“I’m not mad.”

“Repeating the phrase doesn’t make it true.”

Twilight inhaled, putting her hooves together and closing her eyes, then exhaled, “I’m not mad.”

“Oh, you’re super mad.”

“Fine.” She lowered her hooves, looking straight at Starlight, “I am mad, but what did you expect? He attacked Star Swirl.”

“I wouldn’t go as far as to say attacked,” Starlight said, nonchalantly watering one of her succulents, “Star Swirl was fine, wasn’t he?”

“Are you defending Sombra’s behavior?”

“Are you defending Star Swirl’s?”

Twilight held back a retort, closing her eyes, slapping her hooves together, and taking another breath. Then she exhaled, repeating the process three more times.

“No,” She answered, opening her eyes, “Neither of their behaviors were acceptable.”

“And what do you plan to do about it?”

“Nothing. I can’t punish either of them. Star Swirl is far beyond me, and I can’t break what little trust Sombra might have in me.”

Switching to another plant, Starlight asked, “Do you think he trusts you at all?”

A brief silence, and then a quiet sigh, “I really don’t know, but I want to believe he might.”

Starlight gave her a sympathetic smile, “It might take some time, but maybe someday he will.”

Twilight nodded, watching as Starlight pulled out a small pair of pruning shears. Gently, she pruned the succulent she’d been watering, clipping away some leaves to allow new growth. The shears were golden, just like something Starlight had given up recently.

Switching the subject, Twilight said, “Sunburst told me about the Gala tickets.”

Starlight paused her work, setting the shears aside as she said, “You can’t change my mind.”

“I’m not trying to. I just don’t understand why you didn’t tell me you didn’t want to go.”

“I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

“And I would never want to make you uncomfortable,” Twilight assured, getting a look of doubt from her former student, “Well, other than those assignments I used to give you. But friendship has helped a lot, hasn’t it?”

“Guess you’re not wrong about that,” She smiled, turning one of her succulents toward the sun, “But now it’s my turn to teach the magic of friendship to somepony who needs it, and I’m doing it my own way.”

Twilight returned the smile, “And I must say I’m proud of you for that, even if your first student is going to be one of the hardest.”

Starlight nodded, but said nothing more, returning to pruning. Her thoughts were on her plants this morning, which was a bit of a relief to both of them. Sunburst and Star Swirl had left just a few hours ago, choosing to stay overnight before returning to the Crystal Empire. Star Swirl hadn’t seemed particularly upset with Sombra, though she still knew he’d report this to Cadance or Celestia, and it was their reactions that worried her.

The princesses had every right to punish him, and this just added to the possibility they would.

“Hey, Twilight?” She needed to get her mind off of that. The princess raised her head with a curious hum, “If I had decided to go to the Gala, who do you think I should’ve taken?”

“Oh, well…” The question surprised her, and she had to think for an answer. She wasn’t sure she had one, “I don’t know, I’d planned on giving you a ticket for a while. I suppose Sunburst or Trixie could’ve gone with you.”

She left out the part where she’d originally only thought to give her one ticket. The idea of Trixie at the Gala wasn’t one she liked, so sure the mare would try to make the occasion into a magic show about her. Celestia might’ve liked a bit more excitement at her final Gala, but Twilight wasn’t so willing to deal with that.

“I guess, if I were to choose,” She continued slowly, “I’d have suggested Sombra.”

“Why him?” Starlight seemed shocked, but she supposed that wasn’t too much of a surprise.

“I was hoping he’d have calmed down by the time of the Gala, and figured it would’ve been a good way to show this improvement to Celestia.”

“I doubt Celestia would even allow him in the castle.”

“Maybe not, but it’s Pinkie and I in charge of the Gala. I can invite whomever I please.”

Starlight let out a small laugh, “Really working yourself into that princess role, aren’t you?”

“Best to start early, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, I suppose so.”

She’d finished her succulent care for the day. Levitating over a rag, she wiped off her pruners and set them on a shelf, to be properly cleaned and put away later. There were other things she had to attend to, and a certain pony she wanted to check on, so the small things would have to wait.

“Are you hungry?” She asked Twilight, “I’m about ready for lunch, and since I’m going to have to make something for Sombra as well, I figured I’d offer.”

“Oh, no, I’m fine. I’m supposed to head to Rarity’s in about half an hour for ‘brunch’,” She explained, putting an emphasis on the strange word, “And then a dress review. She wants mine to be perfect, so I’ve been going there almost every other day to try it on.”

“Hey, at least she’s paying for your time with food, right?”

“You know it’s not just because of that,” Twilight said, nudging Starlight playfully, “Though I will admit, even if I always enjoy my friends’ company, I am getting a bit tired of all these test runs.”

“You could always just say something, I’m sure she’d understand.”

Twilight suppressed a giggle, “Wise words from the pony who gave up her Gala tickets without telling me.”

The comment bothered Starlight more than she wanted it to, but she wouldn’t say that aloud. She’d never been particularly good with expressing her feelings, and she’d have thought Twilight would’ve figured that out by now.

“We all have our reasons for things, as strange as they may be,” She answered.

Befitting a cave outside of the Pegasi’s jurisdiction, the area around Grogar’s Lair had unpredictable weather. Dark clouds always seemed to congregate overhead, but what came out of them was somewhat of a mystery. Sometimes there was only wind that howled through all the openings, sometimes there was a thunderous downpour that was much less soothing than the casual storm of controlled weather.

Today, it was snowing.

Tirek hated it.

He’d hailed from a desert, and though the nights were often freezing, it never snowed. The skies were always clear, and the stars always bright, but now everything was the same shades of white and grey. Not that colors ever mattered to him, it was just horribly boring to constantly be surrounded by the same ones. It was like Tatarus, but colder.

Not that the cold bothered him all that much either. Even with a thinner coat and bare arms, he wasn’t freezing, just uncomfortable. The biting wind didn’t help much, but that was only a problem when he was outside. Which, unfortunately, he currently was.

“You need to go inside,” He said, more disappointed than annoyed, “Any longer out here and you’ll freeze to death.”

“You can’t tell the future Empress of Friendship what to do!” Cozy Glow hurled a snowball at him, the projectile splatting pathetically between his legs, “When Grogar’s not here, I’m in charge, and I make my own rules! I can play in the snow as long as I want!”

“No, you aren’t, and no, you can’t.”

Ignoring the snowballs she pelted him with, he walked over and grabbed her. Ensuring his hand was firmly around her wings with no chance of escape, he looked over her closer. Though she wore a coat, she was shivering, and her nose was red and runny from the cold.

“You’re coming inside,” He repeated, more firmly. She squirmed in his grip.

“But I haven’t played in the snow in so long,” She whined, “They locked me in Tartarus over Winter, so I missed the snow! This is the first time I’ve seen it in over a year.”

For a pony so determined in taking over Equestria, Tirek tended to forget she really was just a filly, and therefore had childish desires. He couldn’t understand what made the snow so intriguing to her, and why she had to throw a tantrum over it, but it had to end.

Turning back to the lair, he said, “You can play in the snow again tomorrow, but right now you have to go inside. It’s getting late, it’s getting colder, and I don’t need to find you dead in the snow in the morning.”

Squirming stopped, Cozy put her hooves to her face with a smile, “Aw, you do care.”

“Shut up.”

Surprisingly, she actually did, but not without a giggle. Tirek ignored it, shaking the snow off himself before returning to the lair, making his way to the main room and setting Cozy on the table. It wasn’t really warmer inside, what with so many openings, but neither the snow or wind could make things worse.

Leaving her to remove her damp jacket, he wandered off to grab a blanket. There wasn’t any way to start a fire in this cave without gathering firewood first, so that was his quick solution. That old ram really should've thought his subordinates through before summoning them, neither Cozy or Chrysalis could tolerate the cold as well as he could. One was a small child, and the other, while more resilient, was still an ectotherm.

At the thought of her, Tirek paused. She hadn’t left her room much since Grogar’s thrashing, only occasionally slinking out to steal food or to hiss at singing birds outside. If she took too long to do either of these things, he’d peek into her room to make sure she wasn’t dead. Perhaps he should check today? A cracked carapace wouldn’t be too good in the cold.

Ignoring Cozy Glow’s room, he wandered over to Chrysalis’. No doors meant that spying wasn’t hard, and upon looking around the cave’s edge he saw her sprawled across the floor. Her log was in a different spot than the last time he’d checked, so it seemed she was sulking.

“Go away.”

Of course, spying or not, it was basically impossible to silence his hoofsteps. Centaurs had never been known for their grace.

“I’m simply obeying Grogar’s orders of making sure you’re not dead,” He half lied.

“He can check on me himself.”

“He’s not home.”

“Again?” She shot up, venom dribbling from her mouth, “Does that ornery old fool truly care about his so-called conquest? I’d have figured we’d have gutted half of Twilight’s friends by now!”

“He did say he still needed Sombra, for some reason.”

“And what could that shadow do that we can’t?”

He had to think to answer that one. Other than added magic power, there was very little Sombra could accomplish that they couldn’t. Dark magic was hardly an advantage when Grogar had a creature that could suck the magic out of others in his ranks. Then again, he recalled stories from his childhood that frequently mentioned Grogar, and it was often mentioned that he fed off fear.

“Perhaps he wants his mind control?”

“I can mind control ponies.”

“Well, I’ve never seen you do it,” Tirek shrugged, “Maybe Grogar just hates our company.”

“Can’t say I blame him.” Chrysalis fell back to the ground, sprawling out like a ragdoll, “I’m hungry.”

“I caught some more fish earlier, if that interests you.”

“Absolutely not,” She gagged dramatically, much to his annoyance, “I need real sustenance, not the same garbage you’re forced to feed on. I need love.”

“We don’t exactly have any of that around.”

Chrysalis was in his face in an instant.

“Liar!” She shouted, wings buzzing furiously, “Both you and that pink grub feel love, for the most mundane of things! I felt her enjoyment for that filth outside, and every time she eats a cupcake!”

Choosing not to acknowledge the implication that he felt love, Tirek asked, “Then why not feed off of her?”

“A foal’s love for snow is hardly an appetizer, let alone a meal. Not to mention, hers is strangely bitter. You’d have much more to feed off of.”

She jabbed him in the chest, and he blinked. Denial filled him, there was nothing for her to feed off of. He hated her, he hated Cozy, he hated everything. There was nothing. Still, he questioned her.

“And what could I possibly care about enough to sustain you?”

“Oh, but isn’t it obvious?” Chrysalis grinned, parasitic needle teeth glimmering in the hints of light, “Your brother.”

The denial grew, as well as a suddenly bubbling rage. It wasn’t one he could hold back, and it wasn’t one he wanted to hold back. He smacked her away.

“Don’t be ridiculous, that traitor proved beyond my care a long time ago. Why would he ever matter to me?”

“How about you don’t be ridiculous,” Chrysalis shot back, shaking her hoof with a scowl, cruel smile gone for the moment, “I’ve caught you staring into that ball more than a couple of times, and I doubt you’re waiting for the old fool to keel over and die. You certainly seem the type to finish him off yourself.”

“And reveal myself to that pony he’s with? Absolutely not, it would ruin Grogar’s plans.”

“Since when did you care about Grogar’s plans?”

“Since when did you care about my feelings?”

“Did you forget about the part where I said I was feeding off you?”

He hesitated arguing at that, momentarily off guard by the obvious statement before rewording, “Then why does it matter to you if I can’t help but care about my brother?”

“There we go, an admittance of weakness,” She grinned, “As much as I appreciate the easy meal, it’s not befitting of a creature like you to show such a weakness.”

“If it’s not befitting of me to care, I’d hate to know how you feel about your Changelings.”

Her expression turned sour again, a sharp retort on her tongue, but a shrill cry made her bite it.

“Tirek!”

He let out a cry of annoyance, turning to see a certain filly behind him.

“What now?”

“I grabbed my blanket myself,” She said, snuggling herself within a haphazardly put together scrap of fabric.

“Did you really need to come over here to announce that?”

“No, but Grogar’s home and he wants you both in the main room. I thought you might want to know that.”

Catching a glimpse of Chrysalis stiffening up beside him, he quickly replied, “We’ll be out in a moment.”

She wandered off with a nod, likely not far. Before, Grogar’s constant absences had been an annoyance. But after his recent show of power, they’d all developed a fear of being around the ram, even if none would admit it.

“Tell him I died.”

Chrysalis especially.

“Absolutely not, I would never risk myself for your sake.”

“Coward.”

“Speak for yourself.”

No more words were exchanged, the two of them steeling themselves as they left the room. As expected, Cozy was right outside, and she fluttered onto Tirek’s back. He did nothing but twitch at the contact, leading them all into the main room. Grogar was at the table, peering into his eye. Tirek wondered if he’d been watching them.

“Grogar,” He spoke to get his attention, but the only sign he was being listened to was a pair of perked ears, “Is there anything we can do for you?”

“Not quite yet,” Grogar answered, swinging a hoof to rid of the vision he was looking into, “Perhaps in a few days. I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that my plan is coming together quite nicely.”

“You mean our plan, right?” Chrysalis demanded, unmoving from her place behind Tirek, “The plan you dragged us into, that hasn’t made any obvious progress, and that you haven’t told us a thing about?”

“If that’s how you’d like to put it, then yes.” He began to approach them, and she flinched away at the movement, “I was simply waiting for a final team player to make her appearance, though I’m afraid she’s a bit stuck at the moment.”

“A new team player?” Her gaze was doubtful, but hesitant, “Who else of note remains in Equestria?”

“Likely a creature you’ve never heard of, Equestrians try far too hard to bury the past,” Grogar spat, earning a look of unamusement from the fallen queen, “I question if I should even tell you at all.”

“You dragged us into this mess, the least you could do is have the decency to tell us what we need to know!”

“Peh, fine.” He returned to his eye, motioning for his underlings to follow. A vision quickly made itself known, of a large red crystal in a blizzard, “There we go.”

The three of them stared into the eye, a bit too intently, trying to figure out what they were looking at. After a moment, Chrysalis and Tirek glanced at each other in confusion, and Cozy Glow hopped onto the table. She tapped the orb.

“Uh, Grogar?” She said, catching his already given attention, “That’s a rock.”

“A prison, actually.” Somehow he didn’t sound annoyed, though his tone shifted as he continued “Created by the former ruler of the Crystal Empire, to contain one of my creations.”

“You mean Sombra?”

“No.”

“Wow, that was a super long time ago.”

“Aren’t most of your surviving creations imprisoned?” Tirek asked, “You have many, and I’m sure this isn’t a guessing game, so which is it?”

Grogar grinned, manipulating the eye until a shape began to take form within. It was indescribable at first, simply a shadow alive, but as it writhed and rippled, it became distinct. Something about it was equine in shape, but at the same time, very wrong. It was far too skinny, it’s legs too long, and its wings were unusual. Jagged teeth jutted out of a muzzle that was far too long, with hollowed glowing eyes.

Tirek and Chrysalis stepped back as it formed, looks of discomfort on their faces. Cozy didn’t seem to notice, only tilting her head curiously at the monsters within.

“Windigoes? Don’t they just show up when disharmony happens?”

“Though your description is correct, these are not Windigoes,” Grogar explained, looking to the elders behind her with a grin, “Perhaps you should ask your friends what they know.”

Tilting her head, Cozy turned. Though it wasn’t the first time she’d seen either of them frightened, it struck her as odd that they’d be afraid of something as simple as this. Chrysalis seemed particularly on edge.

“You’re scared of these? What are they?”

“Umbrum,” Chrysalis scowled, “A breed far more deserving of being called ‘vermin’ than I.”

“Never heard of ‘em.”

“Perhaps because their numbers had dwindled long before even I was born,” Tirek added, gazing down at the vision, “I’m surprised there’s even any left.”

“There shouldn’t be any left,” Chrysalis spat, any trace of fear gone and replaced with rage as she glared at Grogar, “I refuse to help if they’re involved.”

“I don’t recall giving you a choice.”

There was no anger to his tone, but she silenced herself regardless. Best not to argue, as much as she wanted to, especially with that stupid grin on his face.

“Okay, they’re ugly and Chrysalis hates them,” Cozy said, breaking her from her spiteful thoughts, “But that’s like almost every creature in Equestria, can someone please tell me what these ‘Umbrals’ are?”

“Umbrum,” Chrysalis corrected, keeping her glare on Grogar, “Are a race of shadow ponies who feed on pain and fear. They were the primary threat of the Changelings, and it’s well known to us just how many hives they eradicated.”

“They were also notorious for their trickery,” Tirek added, “At least according to old texts that made it to my homeland, it wasn’t unheard of for them to whisk away creatures and replace them with their own. I’d say they’re quite similar to Changelings in that regard.”

“They are nothing like us!” Chrysalis spat, causing Tirek to jolt back, “They drove my kind to starve, and for that I say they deserved their extinction!”

Cozy snickered, “An extinction that didn’t stick, apparently.”

“I suppose some of them managed to hide away. A pity, really.” She continued to keep eye contact with Grogar, though the old sheep showed little emotion to her outburst. She was beginning to have a harder time holding back, and was seconds from spitting in his face before Tirek pushed her away.

“May I ask what it is you need them for?” he asked, “Are we not enough?”

“Pah, my throne was taken by the ponies centuries ago,” Grogar spat, as if insulted by the question, “Do you really think I’d fully rely on the likes of you? A weakened Centaur, a fallen Queen of Vermin, a worthless child, and a manipulated king? You truly have little to offer me.”

Tirek covered Cozy’s mouth before she could retort, and shot a glare at Chrysalis.

“So why did you free us?”

“I said little to offer, not nothing. Your roles will be filled in due time.”

Chrysalis cried out in frustration and turned away.

“I’m not sure how you expect to keep our loyalty if you keep so many secrets,” Tirek stated, allowing his frustration to show, “What’s to stop us from abandoning you?”

“You’re a smart little group, you know exactly why you can’t abandon me,” Grogar’s voice held no malice, but his underlings knew better, “But if you must know, you’re still of use to me. Shape shifters are invaluable, and it never hurts to have a bit of extra magic draining muscle.”

“Hey!” Cozy Glow hopped into his view, “Don’t forget me!”

Grogar scowled at the filly, brushing her away with a hoof. She fell off the table. “Your use is uncertain.”

“And what of Sombra?” Chrysalis asked, sceptical, “You’re still interested in him, aren’t you? What purpose does he serve?”

“Many, he is my link to the Umbrum after all.”

For a moment, Chrysalis’ was annoyedly confused. Her ears pinned back, scepticism worse, until it finally clicked. She wanted to be angry, but was more surprised than anything.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I’ve never been one for jokes, have I?”

“No, but you’re known for cruelty, and this is certainly one of the cruelest jokes I’ve ever been the victim of.”

“I am being entirely serious,” Grogar assured, “Sombra’s magic is a very important piece of my plan, but his attitude is one I could do without.”

“So you decided to allow him to fester in the ponies’ friendship? How pathetic.”

“It’s convenient enough, is it not?” Grogar rose from his seat at the table, wandering over to one of his bookshelves and scanning them, “Princess Twilight will not harm him, and I don’t have to listen to his insatiable ego. I can call upon him as soon as needed.”

He grabbed a thick magic book, as well as a scroll, skimming through. It didn’t take long to find what he needed, and with that he tossed them onto the table. Upon the yellowed pages of the book was an exaggerated drawing of him, as well as his bell.

“We’ll need to find this first, of course.”

“We?” Chrysalis questioned.

“But why?” Tirek asked, more willing to elaborate, “You’ve already shown to be powerful, why go through the trouble of finding your bell?”

“There’s nothing wrong with a bit of extra magic, now is there?” He asked, sure to leave out some very important details, “And yes, ‘we’. You three will finally have the honor of joining me on one of my outings.”

Chrysalis scowled at this, while Tirek raised a brow curiously, asking, “So, where exactly is this bell of yours, anyway?”

“Hidden behind a magic barrier, in one of the most uninhabitable places in Equestria,” Grogar explained, unrolling the scroll. It was a map, and an old one at that. Grogar set his hoof at the top, where the Crystal Empire would’ve been in the current date. In its place was a great mountain, with a warning written in Old Poneish beside it, “Mt. Everhoof.”

“Oh, how grand,” Chrysalis muttered, “More snow.”

Cozy hollered in joy from her unseen place on the floor, “Yay, more snow!”

“You have three days to prepare yourself for our excursion,” Grogar said, once again lifting himself from his seat and turning away, this time to return to his own quarters, “So you better be ready.”

Waiting until he was out of sight, Cozy Glow hopped back onto Tirek’s back. He sighed in annoyance, though she wasn’t sure if it was at her this time.

“Well, at least we’re actually going to be doing something for once.”

Chapter 20: Revelation

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It was snowing.

Though harvest season wasn’t quite over, a few heavy clouds had escaped the Pegasi’s watchful eyes and wandered into Ponyville. Mixed among the lazier ones, they’d stayed unnoticed until the sun had set, releasing a gentle flurry that would likely melt by morning. Though hazardous to the remaining crops, it left a temporary beauty to admire.

Sombra seemed to appreciate it, at least.

Starlight had found him on the balcony, staring into the sky with a focused tranquility and his music box in a hoof against his chest. It was the first time in days that he’d left his room for more than a few moments, and she’d thought to join him, but a frigid gust of wind changed her mind. She set a thick blanket by the doorway for him after that, catching a glimpse of him sticking his tongue out to catch a snowflake.

“Good to see somepony’s enjoying this weather,” She said with a giggle, making him jump. He held his music box closer as he did, briefly glancing at her in annoyance before fully registering who she was.

“I’ve always been partial to Winter,” He responded, staring back into the sky, “You’d think being trapped in a glacier would make me hate the cold, but it’s comforting. It reminds me of the Crystal Empire.”

From what little she saw of his face, Starlight saw his muzzle wrinkle, but she wasn’t sure why. Her first thought was anger, but his tone didn’t indicate such an emotion. It must’ve been something else.

“Do you miss the Crystal Empire sometimes?” She asked.

For a moment, he was silent. Then, just as Starlight was turning to leave, a quiet but firm “No.”

Starlight said nothing more, she knew the conversation was over.

Making way to her room, she nervously watched for either him, Twilight, or Spike. The latter two probably wouldn’t be too disappointed in what she was about to do, but she didn’t even want to imagine how Sombra would feel. Shutting herself within once she made it to her room, she reached under her bed and pulled out what she had come for.

Sombra’s journal. A relic of the past that looked as if it couldn’t have been more than a few years old, especially with such an unusually bright cover. Perhaps Crystal Ponies had used more dye than the rest of Equestria? The archaic design of the clasps revealed its true age, however.

Unlatching them, she felt a twinge of guilt. Not only was she betraying Sombra, but Sunburst as well. He was probably right that she should’ve talked to Sombra first, but she feared he’d become distant, so this felt like the only way.

Jumping onto her bed, she opened the journal.

She didn’t even need to start reading for the interior to catch her interest. Despite being over a millenia old, the pages within were in perfect condition. She knew it was because of the curse, but it still amazed her to see something so old and so pristine. There was still a fragility to the pages, so she was sure to read with care.

Moon Cycle 1, Waxing Crescent Day 1

Princess Amore is encouraging me to write a journal again. I’m not entirely sure why, it made sense when I was a foal who needed to learn how to write, but it doesn’t really make any difference now. I can write just fine. Perhaps she wants me to try writing with my magic instead?

There was a row of ineligible scribbles below that first paragraph. Starlight could not read any of it.

Or I suppose I could write about my joust matches. I assume she gave this to me to vent my feelings.

I lost today. Miserably. I would rather like to never pick up a lance again, I think.

Moon Cycle 1, Waxing Crescent Day 3

Practiced with Knightingale. Got into a fight with Whetstone. Entertained and frightened the rest of the group. Why am I doing this, again?

At least Ms. Chestnut and Princess Amore seem happy. Better than getting into more physical fights, I suppose, and Princess Amore has been helping me with my magic. My outbursts have been getting worse, but is that really surprising? I’m being forced to bond with ponies I hate. Princess Amore tells me to fight it, but I can’t.

Hope isn’t very happy, I think she wants me to come back home. I want to, but I’m not allowed to leave the castle without the princess, not until my magic calms down.

I don’t think that’s going to happen.

Moon Cycle 1, First Quarter

‘Write every day’, she says. Because practice is so talkworthy.

The following entries were dated much further apart, mostly cataloging Sombra’s jousting matches, and a few about magic training. There were even a few sketches of armor on some pages, but none of it looked like what he wore during his time as king. It was much more elaborate, with tiny details scribbled onto the designs. Vines and butterflies seemed to be a recurring motif in the doodles.

In fact, Starlight realized that there were butterfly doodles across various pages, some without a journal entry to accompany them. It was rather cute, really. Though, there hadn’t been much in Sombra’s journal that told her anything, other than his jousting hobby. He never did mention that, though from the looks of his writing, he hadn’t been very fond of it.

Another entry caught her attention, one that wasn’t entirely about jousting. Finally.

Moon Cycle 6, First Quarter

The Crystal Faire is in less than a week. Princess Amore dismissed me from any activities that day, does she know? I’m sure Ms. Chestnut told her. I won’t be able to perform, I won’t be able to do anything. I don’t even want to be in the castle that day, I want to go back to the orphanage, with Hope. I don’t want to live in this castle anymore.

It’s lonely here, Princess Amore tries to be friendly, but I don’t feel welcome. She’s stern, and though I can understand that, her rare praise feels strangely false. Her words feel empty. Her touch is cold.

I still don’t know why she specifically chose to take me under her tutelage. I know I’m volatile, Hope would do much better with her sort of magic, though it’s somewhat relieving that she isn’t here with me. I wouldn’t want her to deal with such coldness.

Moon Cycle 6, Waxing Gibbous Day 3

I can already feel it creeping upon me. It’s going to hurt.

Moon Cycle 6, Waxing Gibbous Day 6

The faire is tomorrow. I could already feel the pain welling up inside me as I trained, but I ignored it as well as I could. I’m sure it made me more irritable, but Hope had decided to visit, and she helped cool my nerves. She said she’ll be staying the night in the castle as well, Princess Amore is allowing it.

Does she know? Does she suspect something?

It’s different this time. The pain is stronger, and I can hear something. Hope says it’s her fairy friends, but I have doubts. They’ve never talked to me before, I’ve never even been sure if they truly existed. Why would they be talking to me now?

Are they the reason it hurts so much?

The next entry wasn’t dated, but Starlight could easily assume what day it must’ve been.

Do you know what destiny is? It’s cruel. It’s being found in a raging blizzard by the guards. It’s barely surviving those quiet few days where I was more dead than alive. It’s growing up, learning that you’re a monster, one that most wish had died during those fateful days.

I suppose you can say that dying would’ve been a worse fate, but what’s a quick & quiet ending compared to a lifetime of being hated?

But sometimes, destiny is also kind.

Healing. Hope can heal. She always could, just not like this.

It hurt. It’s over. Thank you, Hope. You truly are more worthy of Princess Amore’s tutelage than I, though I really do wish you don’t tell her what you can do. You deserve much more than her cold touch.

Moon Cycle 6, Full Moon

Nopony seems to believe Hope about her healing magic, not even Princess Amore. I’m not entirely surprised, it’s such a wondrous gift, though it’s hard to prove its existence when nopony wants her around the injured. I personally think it’s for the better, such a gift could easily be taken advantage of.

She asks me to convince them of the truth, but I don’t. She told me that she wants to prove that she’s worth something, and she is worth something, but she wants to be worth something to them.

Moon Cycle 6, Waning Gibbous Day 4

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are set to visit tomorrow, staying overnight to watch a jousting tournament the next afternoon. I won’t be partaking, though Princess Amore has requested I still wear my armor and stay by her side for the day. I’m still not entirely sure what the visit pertains to, but I won’t bother her for an answer. It matters little to me.

Though, I am beginning to wonder if she’s been training me to be her own personal guard. Quite the funny thought, really.

Moon Cycle 6, Waning Gibbous Day 5

It’s been a very eventful day. Everything started out well enough, the princesses arrived, and we got them settled in. I’m not entirely sure I behaved quite as Princess Amore would have liked, and I’m certain I’ll get an earful about it later, but what was I to do? It’s not every day you meet the Rulers of the Heavens face to face.

Princess Celestia is rather unnerving, if I’m to be honest. She made little effort to speak to me, other than a kind greeting, which is all well and fair, she had duties to attend to, after all. But there was just something off about her. Would it be rude to say I don’t trust her? Her sister, Princess Luna, is a touch more… approachable, I suppose. Strangely intriguing, as well. She spoke even less, and something about her felt odd. It was as if I could feel some sort of sadness enveloping her.

I asked her if I could watch her raise the moon. It seemed to make her perk up a bit. It was such a wondrous sight too, I can only imagine how lovely it might’ve been had the moon been full. Regardless, I couldn’t admire the sight for long, because it was right as the moon hit its peak that we saw them.

Yetis. They’d somehow slipped past the guards around the Crystal Empire, and now they were stalking the streets. Luna bolted after them, while I went to fetch Princess Amore for help on her request. I do wonder if I should’ve gone with her, perhaps the two of us could’ve driven them off together.

But I digress. What’s done is done. Nopony seems to have been injured, and the yetis have been run out of the city, though they still stalk its edges. Princess Luna is still keeping them at bay. A party will be going out to run them off tomorrow, it’s far too cold tonight, and quite late. Dangerous conditions all around.

I ought to head to bed myself, seeing as I now have a jousting match tomorrow.

She shouldn’t have saved me.

That was probably the most vague entry yet, unclear and undated. Starlight read it over again, making sure she didn’t miss anything, before she flipped to the next one, met with more butterfly doodles. Except, these ones were different from the earlier ones. These ones were much rougher scribbles, and some of them were even splotched with ink that seemed to have been haphazardly dripped onto the pages.

A single sentence was written in the mess.

Leave me alone.

Starlight couldn’t help but stare at it, concerned. She couldn’t dwell on this either, she couldn’t exactly ask Sombra about what any of this was about.

So she flipped the page, met with a single journal entry, free of doodles and undated.

You’ve been reading my journal, haven’t you?

She nearly slammed the book shut at that, but reminded herself that this journal was a thousand years old. Sombra would never have known she was reading it, he wouldn’t have even had a clue of the section of Equestria she’d been born in at that time, let alone her entire existence.

She flipped the page again, more focused than before. None of the entries were dated anymore.

You can’t hide the truth from me, you know. The hints have been obvious. The others are being nice to me, is that your meddling? It has to be, you can’t even put the book back where you found it.

Was this why you wanted me to write the journal? So you could spy on me? Were the guards patrolling the halls not enough?

What do you want from me? Haven’t you done enough?

I won’t tell you anything, not until you tell me everything.

She’s gone now. You took her. You knew this would happen, didn’t you? Did you talk him into that sabotage?

You’re the monster, not me. Don’t you know I’ll die without her? Is that what you want?

What do you know about me? What do you know about them? What am I and why won’t you let me know?

I know what you are. You really are a monster, but you knew that already, didn't you? You haven’t just been hiding things from me, you’ve been hiding things from your own ponies.

What exactly does that accomplish? Afraid that they’ll call you what you really are?

Sleep well, Princess.

I’ll be sure to let the Crystal Ponies know exactly what you are.

That was the final entry. Starlight flipped the pages to see nothing more, not even any more doodles. Just blank white pages, and a new confusion. Sombra’s journal had given her more questions than answers. More worry, as well.

She wasn’t sure if any of that had answered any of her questions.

“So, have you learned anything of note?”

Starlight shot up with a gasp, slamming the journal shut and turning to the very last pony she’d hoped to see, “Sombra? I’m sorry, I just wanted to-”

“I’m not upset with you.”

“What?”

He approached her without a word, setting his music box on the bedside table before slipping onto the bed itself. His body pressed against hers, pleasantly cool from the outdoors and sparkling with lingering snowflakes. He opened the journal and frowned.

“I figured you had this,” He said, “I’d seen it in your friend’s bag. I was angry at first, that they’d gone into my things, but I see now that it doesn’t matter.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m a part of history. Had things gone how they should have, and I died, this would’ve gotten out eventually. Everypony would know a part of my story.”

Folding her front legs beneath herself, Starlight stared at the words within and said, “Maybe they would have even begun to understand why you did what you did.”

“Doubtful,” He huffed, flipping a page, “But even sometimes the past is better left unsaid.”

“And sometimes it’s worth talking about.” She took a breath, preparing herself before readjusting again and looking at Sombra, “I need to talk to you.”

“Hm?” He tilted his head, wary but curious.

“What do you know about me?”

“You?” He sounded amused, “You’re the student of a princess, and one of the most powerful creatures I’ve ever met. You’re quite possibly one of the most perfect ponies out there.”

Starlight noticed his eyes widened, taken aback by his own words. Perhaps he realized something right there, but Starlight was sure to shoot down his ideas before they got too much.

“And not a single part of that is true.”

“What?”

“I’m not perfect. I’m the furthest thing from perfect,” She stated, slipping off the bed to pace, “I’m horrible, I hurt ponies. I took away their cutie marks and their talents and then Twilight came to stop me, but then I took away her cutie mark and hurt her, and then I learned a forbidden spell to get revenge and then I-mmph?”

She was silenced with a hoof to the mouth, Sombra suddenly in front of her. She hadn’t noticed him getting off the bed.

“You’re going to have to slow down if you want me to understand any of that,” He said, removing his hoof.

“Oh,” She laughed nervously, “Sorry, I ramble when I get anxious.”

“I think I can see that.” He motioned to the bed, “Sit. Unless you’d like to do this in another room, perhaps? I feel like this might be a bit of a long talk, and it’s a nice night for cocoa, so why don’t I make a small batch for us to talk over?”

She hesitated, anxious to get everything out, but couldn’t help the small smile that made way to her face. It was always nice to see that he cared.

“I think that’d be nice.”

She’d chosen the library. It was much more spacious than that spare little bedroom, giving her much more room to pace if she started, as well as many more places to sit. Sure, their beds were comfortable, but something just felt more professional about speaking at a table.

Well, when she was the one helping creatures, anyway. This time it was going to be her confessing everything, to the pony who was least qualified to help with her problems. At least he seemed willing to listen.

Sombra passed her a mug of cocoa without much thought, dumping a hoof full of marshmallows into his own. It hadn’t been something he’d added before, she remembered him saying the concept was disgusting, but had caught him conversing with Spike about it one evening. Apparently the little dragon had convinced him otherwise.

“I thought you hated marshmallows,” She said, to which he threw one at her. It bounced harmlessly off her nose and onto the table.

“And I thought you were scared of me, but that no longer seems to be the case,” He replied, tossing another marshmallow at her when she laughed, “Weren’t we here to talk? I want to know what you did to Princess Twilight.”

“I thought you didn’t understand what I said?”

“I heard ‘hurt’ and ‘Twilight’. It was enough to interest me.”

“You’re horrible.”

“Yes, we’ve already established that many times.” He sipped his cocoa, “Feel free to talk when ready.”

Starlight wasn’t as quick to talk after that. Now that her panic at being caught reading his journal had faded, and Sombra’s anger non-existent, she didn’t feel quite as sure about this. She knew she’d gone too far to go back though, so that left her stuck. She had to talk.

Taking a deep breath, hooves on her mug in the hopes the warmth would keep her grounded, she said, “I took away ponies’ cutie marks.”

“Is that it?” Sombra took another sip of his cocoa, “I always did see those things as more of a blemish than a mark of destiny, so is it really a problem?”

“Of course it’s a problem,” She said, annoyed. That comment probably would’ve bothered her more if she weren’t dealing with a markless pony, but as it was, she was sure Sombra was biased, “Acting out of spite because you were abandoned doesn’t give a pony the right to strip away another’s talents, don’t you think?”

Still holding the mug in his hooves, Sombra brought it to his lips, but didn’t drink. He just stared into it for a moment, before asking, “I suppose you stole the marks of the princess and her friends?”

“Yes, and believe it or not, that was just the beginning. You wanted to hear of my ‘illicit deeds’, didn’t you?” She asked. Sombra’s right ear twitched slightly, and he nodded, “Well, I hope you’re ready.”

“Ready as I’ll ever be, Starlight.”

She sighed, getting comfortable, “I made an entire village for the ponies I’d taken the cutie marks of, and led them the way I wanted. I called it Our Town, because that’s what it was. It was ours, it was mine. Everypony was the same, no talents to keep them apart. It was supposed to make us equal, I’d always thought that talents and destiny tore us apart.”

“Does it not?”

“No. Twilight and her friends showed me that. They came into Our Town one day, and they conversed with some of the villagers and found out where I kept everypony’s marks. It was the perfect opportunity to take theirs, so I did,” She admitted, trying to keep her eyes off Sombra as he stared at her, “They got them back, of course. Everypony did, after they found out I’d never gotten rid of my own mark, I just hid it. I needed it to use my magic, after all.”

“So you manipulated them.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much exactly it.”

“I never took you as the tyrant type, Starlight Glimmer.”

She flinched, sipping her cocoa to calm herself before saying, “It gets worse. A lot worse.”

Sombra’s head tilted curiously, “How so?”

“I time traveled.”

Sombra’s apparent lack of interest was immediately replaced with perked ears and widened eyes. Starlight was sure he’d have said something, but she started before he could.

“I wanted Twilight to suffer,” She said, looking away from Sombra’s gaze, “There was a very special event tying her and her friends together, and I went back in time to destroy that moment. Twilight tried to stop me, but she failed. I won. Equestria suffered.”

She expected another quip from Sombra, but a quick glance at him told her that he was all too focused on her story now. The time travel part always seemed to catch a pony’s attention, and she supposed it made even more sense to interest a pony who’d skipped a thousand years.

“Changing the past changes the present, and I did it multiple times. Twilight told me about every alternate Equestria,” She said, “And, though I never told her, I saw some of those horrible things for myself. An Equestria shrouded in darkness, one torn apart by war, and more than few that were on the verge of falling completely. Every enemy from Equestria’s past seemed to have gotten the upperhoof at some point or another.”

“Every enemy?” That got Sombra’s attention, “Was I among them?”

Starlight nodded.

“Was I winning?”

“I’m not even going to give you an answer to that.”

“That’s not a ‘no’.”

“Sombra.”

“Right, wrong time. Sorry.” He gently shook the mug in his hooves, stirring its contents, “Please continue.”

“There’s not much else to say, really,” Starlight said, fidgeting a bit with her mane. She saw Sombra glance at her hooves at this, so she stopped, “Twilight pulled me out of it, eventually. She pulled me into one of the time portals so we wound up in the same place, and saw a wasteland worse than any of the others. I guess I gave in about then, and Twilight decided to make me her student.”

This was leaving out a few crucial details, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to talk about that quite yet. This was already a lot, and she was sure Sombra was still contemplating the time travel part.

“Why’d you do it?”

“What?” She’d been wrong to think that, apparently.

“Why’d you do all of this? What made you take away others’ cutie marks? I very much doubt a pony like you just woke up one day and decided to eliminate them, there had to have been a reason.”

“Oh, right, well...” She hesitated, the reason was always something she would rather not bring up, but she supposed it only made sense to do it here, “You remember Sunburst, right?”

Sombra nodded.

“We had a bit of a falling out when we were little,” She said, “He got his cutie mark, and his parents sent him off to Celestia’s school. I felt betrayed, because getting his cutie mark had him taken away from me, so when I got my own a year later, I was pretty angry about it.”

Sombra said nothing. In fact, he’d looked away.

“We never saw each other after all that, we only got back together because of Twilight,” She continued, but Sombra still avoided looking at her. Lowering her head, she sighed, “I know, it’s pretty pathetic, isn’t it?”

“No.” He still wasn’t looking at her, putting his attention on anything else in the room. His hooves absentmindedly curling around his near empty mug, he slightly bared his teeth, “I can’t say it’s pathetic.”

“But the way you’re acting-”

“Doesn’t mean anything,” He interrupted, prompting Starlight to lift her head. He finally looked at her, his eyes that same harmless green they’d occasionally been before, “You did something stupid because of a friend, the princess likely does that all the time. There’s no harm in it, especially since you two got back together.”

“I hurt ponies, how is there no harm in that?”

“It’s impossible to grow without hurting others, isn’t it?” He downed the rest of his cocoa, looking out the nearest window. It was still snowing. “It’s either you hurt someone, or they hurt you. It depends on which path you choose, and what you’re given.”

“Now you know that isn’t true.”

“It’s true for us.”

Sombra rose from his seat, still gazing out the window as Starlight watched him in silence.

“I didn’t just ask you to come in here to talk about what you did,” He said, watching the flakes fall slowly. He wished he was back on the balcony. “I knew my journals would be found, and yet I tried to hide that one. Unsurprisingly, as with most text, crucial details are absent.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that there are things I want to tell you, but I don’t know if I can.”

Though Starlight had previously hoped, more than anything, for Sombra to say something about his past, she didn’t want to push him. So, despite her own wishes, she said, “You don’t have to.”

Strangely, Sombra didn’t seem to agree.

“No. It’s only fair,” He said, finally approaching her. He lowered his head and demanded,
“Present me your horn,”

Starlight stepped back, but not out of fear or uneasiness. Just confusion. “What?”

“You told me about why you did what you did, and now I wish to do the same,” Sombra explained, horn glowing dully. His magic seemed different, somehow. Off-colored. Blue. “Except, I will not speak, but show.”

“You… You want to show me?”

Sombra said nothing, and made no movement. He seemed unsure, but didn’t relent. Starlight blinked, surprised. One of the most dangerous ponies in Equestria had presented his horn to her. A horn that caused years of pain and suffering, a horn so cruel and unwelcoming that even a simple glimpse of it would have ponies running the other direction.

A horn that, as she raised her own to connect with, she knew belonged to a pony she trusted.

Chapter 21: Mind over Matter

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Starlight awoke with a yelp, somewhere she didn’t recognize. The room was blurry, and though she rubbed her eyes, most of it didn’t quite clear up. From what she could tell, it looked crystalline, but didn’t quite match Twilight’s interior. What she could see didn’t seem particularly fitting to her friend’s tastes, a luxurious divan and an elaborate mirror placed within, as well as a variety of weapons lining the walls.

She thought to inspect them, confused by their clarity, but a muffled and familiar voice stopped her.

“For you…”

“Sombra?” She jolted in confusion, stepping toward the doorway, “Where are you? What is-?”

Her gaze caught the mirror, and she froze at what she saw. Or rather, what she didn’t see.

The mirror only reflected the doorway.

“Now you know that’s just a bunch of nonsense, right?” An unfamiliar voice broke her from her terror, while a rare laughter followed.

“It’s for the audience, at the very least,” Sombra turned the corner, reflected in the mirror she was looking at. He was donned in armor, but it didn’t resemble what she’d seen him in before, this set was an intricate and brilliant red. “And I think we could really use an audience, don’t you?”

“I think you could use a less dangerous hobby,” The unfamiliar voice stated, turning into the room. A crystalline purple mare, clearer and brighter than her surroundings. Starlight’s eyes widened at the sight of her.

This was the mare from the picture in Canterlot. This was Radiant Hope.

She seemed younger than in her painting, somehow. But then again, so did Sombra. Now that Starlight saw him better, she noticed he seemed lankier. His horn was different as well. Not red, not curved, it was normal.

“Jousting is hardly the worst thing I could be getting into,” The young Sombra claimed, removing his helmet to fix his mane. It wasn’t flowing. “I could be hunting those yetis that got in last night.”

Radiant Hope shuddered, “Don’t even remind me of that, I hope none of them get hurt too badly.”

“I’m sure everypony will be fine. A little bit of fire and those things will be running home.”

“I was talking about the yetis,” Radiant Hope muttered, earning a quizzical look from Sombra, “What? They’re not heartless beasts, they’re just hungry.”

“Yetis eat ponies, Hope.”

“You don’t know that for sure! Ponies just like to make them into monsters,” She said, seemingly oblivious to Sombra’s twitching at her words, “Why are you jousting today, anyway? You told Ms. Chestnut and I that you were done for the week.”

“I was, but Knightingale was scheduled for today and he went out to hunt the yetis. Princess Amore didn’t want to cancel the show, so she asked for me to fill in,” Sombra explained, returning his helmet to his head but frowning at his reflection, “Might as well, since the princesses will be watching, it’d be rude to cancel on them.”

Hope’s ears perked, “The princesses are here today?”

“Hmm, you didn’t notice them yesterday?” Hope shook her head, “Well, it’s no matter. They were primarily discussing trade routes, as well as just overall enjoying each others’ company. I’m under the impression that Princess Luna wants to fight the yetis.”

This time, Hope frowned. Sombra was quick to assure her.

“No worries, she’s still in the castle as far as I’m aware. Ready to see a true jousting match,” Sombra winked, confusing Hope, “I’ll be dedicating today’s joust to revenge on Whetstone for what he said to you this morning, makes it more interesting.”

“Please don’t.”

Sombra’s head tilted slightly, “And why not? He said awful things to you. He tried to hurt you. Why wouldn’t I want to get revenge?”

“Because it won’t help. It never helps. Don’t make tonight about revenge, please,” She pleaded, “I don’t want you to end up getting hurt, I’m worried enough as it is.”

There was a brief silence, Sombra staring at himself in the mirror, before glancing at his friend. His brows furrowed, and his tail swished, but he eventually sighed in defeat. A certain frustration seemed to emanate off of him, and it brought Starlight back to some sort of reality as she remembered where she was.

“Fine, no revenge,” He said, smiling down at Hope to cover the lie, “But I’m still going to dedicate tonight’s joust to you. I’m doing this all for you.”

“Really?” She fell for the lie, a smile coming to her face as well, “Didn’t I just say that was nonsense?”

“Maybe so, but what is a knight without his lady?”

“You are so not a knight, Sombra,” She laughed, and this time Sombra’s smile was genuine.

“Perhaps not, but what’s the harm in acting the part?”

“It makes you look silly, for one thing.”

Sombra laughed, saying something in return, but Starlight couldn’t quite hear it. He turned away and went out the door, Radiant Hope following along. Both of their voices were still briefly audible for a few moments more, but quickly faded to silence as the room faded to darkness.

And Starlight was left alone.

More to herself than anything, she whispered, “What just happened?”

“A memory.” Starlight jumped at his voice, so similar to the one she’d just heard, but still so different. He materialized in front of her, free of his cast in the real world, “I told you I wished to show, not speak. No one can eavesdrop like this.”

“You’re showing me your memories?” She asked. Sombra nodded, “Which ones?”

“Any that you wish to see.”

Starlight had to think, considering everything she’d read in his journal. About Radiant Hope, about Princess Amore, and about Sombra’s anger. There had been so much anger, but she knew it’d be better to focus on one thing.

“I want to know more about Radiant Hope,” She said. That should be simple enough.

“Very well.” He closed his eyes, a gentle yet unusual glow emanating from his horn, “Let’s go back to the beginning.”

Sombra faded away, and Starlight was alone again. It was dark and quiet, suffocatingly so, and it felt like it was getting worse. Fear began to creep over her, making her shiver, but she wouldn’t give in. No matter how cold it got.

Voices broke the silence. They were quiet and muffled, as if the ones speaking weren't speaking a language she understood. No matter how hard she listened, she couldn’t make anything of them.

“Do forgive me for the confusion,” Sombra’s voice broke through, echoing around Starlight and making her squeak in surprise, “This took place so long ago, and I didn’t understand Poneish, so the memory is faint.”

“So why show it?” Starlight asked.

“It’s important to me.”

There was a shout as his voice faded, and a flash of light. Suddenly, she was in a room, or at least she thought she was. As Sombra said, the details were faint, and what she did see was strangely abstract. The only thing that cleared up was a bright splash of purple, forming into a familiar crystalline filly. She said something unintelligible, and there was another voice in return, one that seemed to belong to a brown blur that pulled the filly away.

And then everything faded again.

“So what exactly was that?” Starlight asked. Sombra formed beside her.

“Our first meeting, from what I can remember,” He answered, tracing an unseen pattern into the darkness, “As you might know, the guards found me in the northern wasteland, and it took its toll. I was incredibly ill, and I’m sure they thought I would die.”

Slowly, Sombra’s invisible tracings formed into a room. It seemed to be the same one from the memory, but a bit more comprehensible in places. Starlight could easily identify a window, a golden bed with purple sheets, and a lopsided sapphire cabinet. Almost anything else was too strange to identify.

“From what I gather, Hope must have burst into the room in the hopes of seeing her new foster brother. Ms. Chestnut seems to have taken her out,” Sombra explained, “I spent my first few months in the Crystal Empire here, in this room. It seems like such a forgettable memory, but it’s one of the earliest ones I have.”

“Earliest?” Starlight cocked her head curiously, “How old were you?”

“The doctors estimated about five Winters, though I’m sure they could’ve been wrong.”

“And you don’t remember anything else?”

“No. But I’m sure it’s not that unusual.”

The room shifted, becoming just the slightest bit clearer. The pre-identified furniture didn’t move, explaining their clarity, while a bit of personality made itself known in the room. A few toys, a painting, a strange case of some sort, and a mirror. Something not visible on the bed was reflected in that mirror, a small gray foal, hiding under the blanket.

It was Sombra, so much tinier and frail than the one Starlight knew now. A single, equally tiny filly sat by his side.

“I won’t hurt you,” She said, reaching a hoof toward Sombra. He flinched away from her, burying himself further in, “I promise I won’t.”

Sombra said nothing, and didn’t move. Hope frowned.

“You’re very shy, aren’t you?” She asked. Still no response. “I know you can talk, I heard Ms. Chestnut teaching you earlier, and you said something to her, so why not me?”

Still nothing.

Hope sighed, just the slightest bit annoyed. Hopping off the bed, she grabbed something that hadn’t been visible before. It was wrapped in paper, which Hope quickly unwrapped, revealing some sort of pastry. She set it on the table beside his bed, and left.

After a moment, Sombra threw the blanket off, and grabbed the pastry hungrily.

The memory faded, and the Sombra she knew spoke up, “I hope you don’t mind my silence, I found it rather hard to speak as a foal. Difficulty with language aside, I just couldn’t open my mouth when other ponies were around. Ms. Chestnut, and eventually Hope, were the only two ponies I’d speak to for the most part.”

“It’s fine,” Starlight said, understanding well enough, “Quite the difference from you and your constant quips nowadays, I’d say.”

“Years of silence call for years of opinions,” He grinned. She had said it in good humor, and he’d caught onto that, “Of course, it was more of an annoyance as a child. The other foals weren’t particularly kind to me, or Hope for that matter.”

He began to trace the darkness, another memory forming. A turquoise field of grass spread out beneath the two of them, a couple of berry bushes and a single tree bursting from the ground. A faint smell of the grass tickled Starlight’s nose for a moment, and she heard a voice in the distance.

“Sombra!”

Starlight, or rather Sombra, as these were his past actions, turned to see who was coming. Radiant Hope, a bit larger than in the previous memory, came trotting over, a basket on her back. Sombra shied away at her arrival, but she was persistent.

“I just want to spend some time with you,” She assured, smiling, “You always seem so lonely.”

She offered him an apple. He took it, but made no effort to eat it. Hope seemed to misunderstand why.

“Have you never seen an apple before?” She asked, grabbing one for herself, “They’re a fruit, like those berries. Sometimes they’re sour, but these ones should be sweet.”

For emphasis, she bit hers, and showed Sombra the inside of the apple. He just stared at it, so Hope took it away and finished it. All the while, Sombra sat with his own in his hooves, staring at her.

Reaching into the basket again, Hope took out something else. This time it wasn’t food, but something that Starlight could only assume was supposed to be a toy. It was a small pony made entirely of purple crystal, with no obvious features carved into it. Hope began to play with it.

“One of the guards made this for me,” She said, making the pony walk across the grass, “I think he makes them for all the ponies in the orphanage. Did he make you one too?”

Unsurprisingly, she got no answer. She didn’t seem to mind the silence at least.

“I hope you got one,” She continued, “It’d be mean if he didn’t make you one, and I know ponies are kinda mean to you sometimes. Especially the other foals.”

Sombra flinched. Hope caught the movement, and looked toward him.

“I heard one of them call you a ‘thing’ today. I know that’s not very nice. They said some other mean things after you left, they said you were weird, and then started calling me things.” She paused in her playing, “Well, they didn’t call me a thing, but they called me mean things. Does that make sense?”

Sombra blinked.

“I’ll pretend that means you understand,” She said, scooting closer to Sombra and offering her doll, “Don’t let them bother you, they said I was weird too.”

Hesitantly, Sombra took the doll, staring at it silently. He turned it over in his hooves, admiring the colors, envying them. He hadn’t gotten a doll, at least not yet. Maybe the guard thought he was weird too.

He raised his head to look at Hope. She was smiling brightly. Maybe even brighter than the crystal in his hooves.

“I know I’ve been bothering you a lot, but I really do want to be your friend,” She said, “If you want, you can be weird with me and we’ll be weird together, would that be okay?”

There was another silence, but this time it was only brief. The doll was enveloped in a gentle blue aura, and was safely placed back in Hope’s hooves. Then Sombra scooted closer to her, surprising the filly in more ways than one.

“Sombra would like that,” He whispered.

Hope blinked, before a huge smile made its way to her face. Clutching her doll to her chest, she threw her other hoof around Sombra and shouted, “I can’t wait to introduce you to my friends!”

The memory faded, and the darkness returned. Starlight looked around for Sombra, having noticed that he’d vanished when the memory began. He was right next to her.

“Her friends were fairies,” He said, tracing shapes into the darkness. They formed into objects. Starlight recognized Hope’s doll, the Crystal Heart, and Sombra’s red helmet from earlier, “I never saw them, they might not have even been real. Though even Ms. Chestnut had told us to be respectful to them, so perhaps there was a bit of truth to them.”

“Did you believe in the fairies?”

“Fae are all too real, I’m sure. I heard far too many stories about their mischief and cruelty during my childhood not to believe in them. I believe I may have heard their whispers once or twice as well.”

Remembering a particular journal entry, Starlight asked, “What did they say?”

“Nothing I could ever quite understand. I don’t know if Hope quite understood them either,” He began to trace out something new, the outer edges of the Empire, “Sometimes they’d tell her to leave.”

The border of the Crystal Empire formed, a patch of emerald grass sprinkled with the stray flakes of a blizzard. Further out, everything seemed gray and gloomy, a far cry from the brilliant empire. Hope and Sombra stood before that darkness.

“They’re out there!” Hope exclaimed excitedly, “My fairy friends!”

Sombra gazed out into the blizzard, concerned, “They live out in those wastelands?”

“Yep! They want me to visit them.”

“Right now?”

“Yep!”

“B-but the storm,” Sombra couldn’t hide the panic in his voice, a familiarity within him brought along by the cold, “It’s freezing out there!”

It was freezing here. He could hardly imagine how awful it’d feel within the cold, aside from those all too haunting memories of what happens after.

“They said they like to play in the snow,” She began to walk toward the darkness, but a pair of hooves shot out to stop her, “Hey! What are you doing?”

“I’m stopping you from doing something dumb! It’s too cold out there!”

She tried to escape his grip, but he held tight.

“But they want to see me!” She shouted, voice angrier than he’d ever heard it before, “And I want to see them!”

“No, stay here!”

“But I need to see them!”

“I don’t want you to die!”

It would seem that the final word snapped Hope out of whatever had gotten a hold of her, and she froze. She opened her mouth for a moment, as if to say something, but nothing ever came.

“What are you children doing?”

A rumble of hooves approached them, and Hope snapped out of her daze to glance upward. Sombra did as well, though he seemed to duck at the regal unicorn mare before him. She seemed vaguely familiar to the memory eavesdropping Starlight, though she couldn’t place that familiarity. Whatever the case, Starlight felt a significant amount of uncertainty toward her.

Were these Sombra’s feelings?

“A storm is approaching,” The mare’s voice was kind, yet firm, “What’re you two doing out here?”

“O-oh, hello Princess Amore! We’re playing pretend,” Hope lied, understanding that her friend had now lost his voice, “There’s a dragon in the blizzard, and we’re going to fight it.”

“Ah,” Amore’s voice softened, “Well, I’m afraid I can’t let you do that. It’ll be getting very cold soon, and it won’t be safe for the two of you to play outside. I suggest that you should return home, wherever that may be.”

Hope just nodded, while Sombra trembled beside her. He hadn’t let go of Hope since this stranger had arrived, and it seemed that it was only now she noticed him. She stared for far too long, her smile slipping just the slightest bit, before it returned full force when she saw the two ready to leave.

“On second thought, perhaps I should escort you two home?” She suggested, “It’ll be getting dark soon, and I’m sure your parents will be very worried.”

“We don’t have any parents,” Hope explained, “We live at the orphanage, but Ms. Chestnut takes good care of us.”

“Ah, do forgive me for that slip!” Amore apologized, though she somehow sounded unsurprised at the comment, “I’m sure Ms. Chestnut is quite worried about you as well, so let’s get going.”

She gently nudged the two of them with her nose, Hope hopping up without hesitance, while Sombra briefly cowered, before running to his friend unsurely.

“Don’t worry, little ones,” She assured, “It’ll be safe with me.”

The memory collapsed. Starlight was left stunned.

She practically shouted, “That was Princess Amore!”

Materializing beside her, Sombra grimaced, “You sound awfully enthusiastic about seeing the pony that made my childhood a living Tartarus.”

“O-oh, I’m sorry. It’s just… I’ve been wondering about her ever since I saw her portrait in Canterlot.”

“Of course she’d have one of those,” Sombra snorted indignantly, “Is it fair to assume you want to learn about her too?”

Starlight nodded. Sombra bared his fangs.

“Of course you would. But you’ll have to wait for that much, I still have more important things to show,” He began to trace the air again, “Hope and I grew up together, in the orphanage. No one was interested in the ‘odd’ children, but I suppose that shouldn’t surprise me. Most ponies don’t adopt foals out of the goodness of their hearts, but for some sort of status, it seems.”

“I don’t think that applies to everypony.”

“It still applies to too many,” Sombra spat, lowering his hoof after tracing out a kitchen, “Whatever the case, I’d have never wanted to live anywhere else. Ms. Chestnut cared about Hope and I, and despite everything, she did more than enough.”

A brown Crystal Pony was in the kitchen, stirring a pot. Hope stood beside her, tongue sticking out as she levitated over a mug. She was still too small to see the countertop very well without balancing on her hind legs, but she did her best to peek over the side and drop the mug. The older pony quickly caught it, apparently accustomed to dealing with this.

“Are you that excited?” She asked, “The cocoa’s not ready yet, you two.”

“I know, but we’re just getting ready!” Hope exclaimed, as another mug floated by, in a slightly different hue of magic, “Besides, it’s good magic practice!”

“Well, I suppose that’s true. But you know we’re going to need more than just two mugs, right?”

“Do you want us to get more?” Hope asked.

“Yes please,” She nodded, and the view changed as the two foals took off, “But no magic! I don’t want you two to drop any, okay?”

“Yes, Ms. Chestnut!”

Again, the memory faded, leaving Starlight in the darkness of Sombra’s mindspace. She turned to look at him, wondering if he’d been there the whole time.

“The cocoa I make is her recipe,” He said, avoiding Starlight’s gaze, “Or, as close as I can get it. We didn’t have it often, but she taught me how to make it as I got older. I wonder if she still makes it sometimes.”

“I’m sure she does,” Starlight assured, hoping it’d get Sombra to look at her, “But, I need to ask you something. You’ve mostly shown me happy memories, but from the sounds of it, you and Hope had some problems as well. I know this is just as personal, but what did the other ponies do to you?”

“Is it really a happy memory if it hurts to remember?” Sombra asked, stamping one of his hooves, “Foals did exactly what you’d expect, they mocked us, they called us names. It’s tiring, but what could I do? Ponies scared me, I didn’t want to be near them, so I took it like a fool while Hope defended me, but never herself.”

“But you’re nothing like that now, what changed?”

“Simple, they went too far.” He stamped a hoof again, “Such a cliche and immature situation, isn’t it? Bullying. It seems like nothing, to any onlooker. How painfully predictable it was, getting so much worse.”

Suddenly, Starlight was in a room again. It looked similar to Sombra’s childhood room, but things were slightly different, and Hope was curled up on the bed. She was older than she had been in the previous memories, but still a filly.

“I want to be alone right now,” She said.

“And I want to make you happy again,” Another responded, the voice soft and unfamiliar, “You’re never upset for this long Hope, what happened?”

“Nothing,” She said far too quickly, “Nothing happened. Somepony just made fun of me again.”

“Mean names have never put you down this long before, what really happened?”

The filly didn’t respond, just curing up in her bed more.

“Hope, what did they do?” The soft voice asked. Hope hid under her blanket, “Hope, please at least look at me.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Please don’t make me pull you out of that bed myself.”

Starlight felt a tightening in her chest as Hope sighed, and finally began to rise. She took her time doing it, only briefly glancing in the direction Starlight was staring, before turning around. The burst of rage and pain Starlight felt within herself after seeing Hope’s face all but confirmed what she’d thought.

She was feeling Sombra’s emotions from back then, and perhaps even now. Though she was sure a bit of her own swirled in there as well, what with such an upsetting sight.

There was dried blood beneath Hope’s nose, and a bruise on her cheek. She tried to cover it.

“They hurt you.” Sombra’s voice was quiet, but eerily more familiar, “Who did it?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Hope said, turning away again, “I’m sure it was an accident.”

“An accident? How could that be an accident?” His voice was suddenly vicious, and Hope looked even more upset, “Who did it?”

Starlight never heard an answer, because the memory was gone as soon as that question had been asked, replaced with another view. She was suddenly face to face with a terrified colt, probably about the same age as Hope had been, on the ground and staring up in terror. The rage that wasn’t her own told her to feel no sympathy for this pony, that he deserved to be hurt.

It was a horrible feeling. It was a familiar feeling.

A pony with burning green eyes and bubbling purple magic was reflected in his terrified eyes.

“I’m sure you can figure out what happened from there,” The current Sombra said, the memory gone along with the rage that joined it. He rolled his eyes, teeth bared, “I should’ve blasted him into the dirt.”

Starlight had to give herself a moment to recover from what she’d just seen. Remnants of rage still lingered within her, but she pushed them away to voice the unexpected, “You already knew dark magic.”

“Yes, it seems as if it was ingrained in me, but it took until that moment to unleash itself,” He explained, “My magic is fueled by negative emotions. Anger, fear, sadness and the like. All things one would consider dark. It was at that moment that I had hit my limit, proving to many that everything ponies knew about dark magic is wrong.”

“That it was evil?”

“No, that it corrupted anypony who went through the effort to learn, and perhaps that is still true, but even with a fuzzy memory I very much doubt I was trained in such magic as an infant. It was ingrained in me, it always was. I knew it, somehow.”

“And you unleashed it to protect Hope.”

Sombra seemed to ignore that comment.

“Rumors spread quickly after, about how the meek little shadow from the orphanage was actually a monster. How he’d snapped and attacked a ‘poor, innocent youth’ with unnatural magic,” He bared his fangs, annoyed, “True as it may be, how quickly the rumor spread was disgusting. Was it because I was different? Was it because the colt I attacked was influential? I suppose I’ll never know, but it’s too late for that anyway.”

He traced the air again, reassembling a somewhat familiar room. It was the one from the first memory, though empty of its previous decor.

“I’m not sure if it’s because of the rumors, or if Ms. Chestnut went to her, but it was Princess Amore who encouraged me to start jousting.” He traced out the shape of the mirror, where the young him was reflected, staring unsurely at himself in that intricate red armor from before, “She even gave me this armor.”

His hoof ran over the memory armor, ornate details unseen before finally revealing themselves on the brilliant red metal. Patterns of vines and butterflies carved into the metal, an obsidian heart placed right in the center of his chest.

“I wasn’t so sure about it myself. The armor seemed far too intricate for my tastes, and I wasn’t particularly interested in the attention.” The memory shifted, into an arena, likely where the jousts took place, “But after a few practice runs, I accepted it.”

A rumble of hooves sounded, and metal clashed. Unseen ponies cheered and booed, while a glimpse of the past Sombra appeared in the reflection of another’s dusty armor. Were they booing because of him?

“And, as it turned out, I was a really good jouster. I came to enjoy it, for the most part, I even had fans,” He bared his teeth at the word, “Ponies who saw me as nothing more than entertainment. Ponies still whispered, and still spat at me from afar, but I was kept busy enough with the jousts that my fights were few and far between. I’m sure that was the plan.”

He played out a few joust matches in his mind, most of which he won. Nearly none of the ponies' faces were visible, many blurred from either time, or lack of care. Of the few that were, one seemed particularly distinct, and somewhat familiar. He was silver and gray, not quite as vibrant as most Crystal Ponies, but still a diamond among his kind.

This was the same pony that Sombra had unleashed his powers on, wasn’t it?

“That’s Whetstone,” Sombra explained, as if aware of her confusion, “Bully turned rival, so to speak. He was always a bit more hooves on than the others, so he and I fought rather frequently.”

Starlight tilted her head, having listened motionlessly until hearing the name. It sounded familiar, though it took a few moments before she recalled it as a name, and not the usual sharpening stone. This was the pony mentioned in the first memory, wasn’t he?

“You wanted revenge on him,” She stated, looking to him, though he was still focused on the memory, “Did you manage that?”

“No, but the night was unforgettable nonetheless. My journal mentions how Hope got her cutie mark, correct?” He asked, only briefly looking at Starlight to see her nod of confirmation, “Nopony believed in her healing magic, of course. They all assumed it was another fantasy of hers at first. It wasn’t as if she could prove it to anypony, after all. Not until tonight.”

The dirt in the arena reddened, a puddle of crimson pooling below them. Starlight stepped back as it trickled toward her, briefly forgetting that it wasn’t real. She just knew it was far more than she was comfortable seeing. Sombra, meanwhile, stepped right into the puddle, staring into it.

“The match was sabotaged.”

This blood was Sombra’s.

“I don’t know if Whetstone was alone in this, and I don’t know why he thought vandalizing the equipment on such a day was a good idea. I just know that I got hurt, and Hope panicked. She broke through everything to come over and heal me, despite my protests.”

Lifting his hoof, the blood evaporated from the ground, and the arena faded. Starlight shivered as it did, the unreality starting to get to her. She wasn’t sure if Sombra noticed, and she opted not to say anything about it. He was still speaking.

“I really wish she hadn’t. As horrible as it was at the moment, I very much doubt the wound was lethal, and Whetstone was found guilty of the sabotage,” His tone shifted, “But she did, and it was at that moment that everything truly changed.”

The darkness rippled, and Starlight could’ve sworn she saw something out of the corner of her eye. A brief memory, perhaps? She didn’t want to bring attention to it, she wasn’t sure if reminding Sombra of her presence was a good idea. He was getting angry.

“Suddenly, everypony loved her. They wanted her to be their friend, they wanted her to heal their loved ones, because of course they did,” He spat, green eyes morphing into red, “It was such an honor to have a brilliant healer in the empire. So brilliant, in fact, that the princesses, who had witnessed the whole debacle, decided to take her under their wing.”

Another memory began to play, Hope displaying a letter with Celestia’s cutie mark stamped on. She was excited, a smile on her face as she said something, but Starlight couldn’t hear what. A rush of emotions had gone through her, all to some degree of anger or sadness. It made her shudder.

“She was so happy about it too, didn’t she realize what they were doing? I realized, the moment ponies had started liking me for their entertainment! They only wanted her because she was useful!” He snarled, the darkness shaking alongside Starlight. She thought she saw something else out of the corner of her eye. Something watching.

“Sombra-”

He didn’t hear her, the shadows worsening, his tirade continuing, “They had only wanted to use her! They never cared about her as a pony, they only cared about what she could do for them! They-”

“Sombra!”

The memory shattered, the shadows that had begun to take over receding. Sombra abruptly turned to her.

“I don’t want to be here anymore,” She admitted. He could sense her fear. She was afraid of him, wasn’t she? “I can feel everything you’re feeling.”

Just like that, the anger faded. Now, Starlight felt worry and fear, but not her own.

“I’m sorry,” Sombra’s voice was quiet now, the rage gone entirely. It had been so strong that he’d forgotten about Starlight, and he’d unintentionally hurt her because of it, “My emotions got the better of me.”

That happened far too much, but it was significantly hard to control them when he felt so good when he got angry. There was always a power rush, something to remind him that he was better than everypony else, to remind him of why he hated them so much. Except it didn’t feel as good this time. He broke out of it easier than usual. He’d hurt someone he cared about.

He didn’t want that, he didn’t want to care. He wasn’t supposed to.

Sombra approached Starlight slowly, as if not to scare her again, glancing around his mangled mindspace as if looking for something. She kept her gaze on him as he approached, but said nothing as he leaned forward.

She didn’t flinch when his horn touched hers.

Her eyes opened to see they were back in the library, back on stable and solid ground. She felt the beginning of a headache coming on, and her eyes were burning, but everything was real again. Wiping her eyes in the hope to somehow relieve the burning, she was not prepared for her arm to come back damp. Had she been crying?

“Ugh…”

Ears perked, she turned to Sombra. His own hooves were against his face as well, and he was hunched over the table. She wondered if he’d overexerted himself, though it seemed unlikely, considering his magic’s potential.

“I did not think that through,” He muttered, “I’m sorry.”

He’d said that twice now. She’d already taken it as genuine the first time, but this sealed it.

“It’s okay,” She said, rubbing her own eyes one more time. She’d definitely cried, though she wasn’t sure if it was from all those emotions or the magic sharing, “You told me what I wanted to know, for the most part.”

“For the most part,” He repeated, lowering his hooves. It looked as if he’d been crying as well. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”

Starlight hummed, tapping her hooves together. She wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to ask for more, but she felt it necessary, “You didn’t tell me why you took over the Crystal Empire. Or what happened to Princess Amore.”

“Princess Amore used me, just as the rest of the Crystal Ponies and Celestia had used Hope. We were tools, only good for what those above us wanted,” He growled, hooves on his face again. Starlight hadn’t expected such an easy response from him, and that relieved her a bit, “Amore knew what I was. She knew my magic was volatile, and she kept me on a leash for others’ entertainment because of it.”

“Do you know that for sure?”

“I think her confession was more than enough confirmation.”

Starlight said nothing, unsure on what to say but understanding that pushing Sombra further wouldn’t do at this time. There were many more questions in her mind, but she’d save them for another day.

“I don’t… I don’t know what I am,” Sombra said, staring at his hooves, “I’m not a pony, not a real one.”

Though tempted not to speak, Starlight still asked, “And what makes you say that?”

“Everything. Every single thing,” Sombra hissed, horn bubbling, “Why else would I be like I am? Why dark magic flows through me so easily, why Amore kept me under a constant watchful eye? Why the Spirit of Chaos knows more about me than I do?”

Starlight blinked at that last one. Was that why the two had fought? She might have to give Discord a talk later, but until then, she had more important matters to attend to. Rising from her seat, she approached Sombra and sat beside him. He didn’t flinch, though he backed off slightly.

“Does it really matter, if you’re a pony?” She asked.

Sombra didn’t respond.

“It doesn’t, and you know it. I’m friends with plenty of creatures that aren’t pony, so I don’t see why you’d be an exception.”

“Maybe because, whatever I am, is doomed to end everything in failure.”

“Now don’t be like that,” She tapped him gently, and he huffed, “Besides, you definitely had the upper hoof in that horrible future I saw.”

“So I was winning.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

He huffed again, grabbing his mug of cocoa. There was practically nothing left, just a cold sludge he had little interest in consuming. Starlight, in turn, gently levitated her own over to sip, making a face at the temperature.

“It’s cold,” Sombra explained.

“I can see that,” Starlight stated plainly, a bit of the chocolate clinging to her nose. Sombra smiled at the sight, though it faded just as quickly.

Sliding his own mug between his hooves, he quietly asked, “Do you think I’m pathetic?”

The question caught her off guard, “Huh?”

“Do you think I’m pathetic?” He repeated, turning his head just enough to see her, “For turning against the kingdom for my friend, is that pathetic?”

For a moment, Starlight was silent. Sombra sighed at the response, rising to leave, only to be held back as Starlight laid a hoof on him.

“No.” She said, gently wrapping that hoof around him, the other quickly following, “No matter what anypony says, never let them convince you that your own experiences are pathetic again. It’s not theirs to say that you were wrong.”

Sombra didn’t fight her, not even as her head laid against his chest. He just sat frozen in disbelief, before slowly, ever so slowly, he laid his head onto Starlight’s own.

Eyes closed, he smiled softly and murmured, “You’re a naive and hopeful fool, Starlight Glimmer.”

And I think that might be what I love most about you…

Shadow of a Doubt

by MayhemMoth

Chapter 1: Cold as Crystal

Chapter 2: A Glimmer of Hope

Chapter 3: Whispered Warnings

Chapter 4: Something Old, Something New

Chapter 5: Disclosure

Chapter 6: Hopeless

Chapter 7: Honesty

Chapter 8: Heartbeat

Chapter 9: Generosity

Chapter 10: Pools of Pain

Chapter 11: Into the Everfree

Chapter 12: Softness in Shadows

Chapter 13: Hope & Hate

Chapter 14: Kindness

Chapter 15: Chaos

Chapter 16: Laughter

Chapter 17: Nothing More to Say

Chapter 18: Nothing Left to Give

Chapter 19: Progress

Chapter 20: Revelation

Chapter 21: Mind over Matter