The Cat in the Crystal Empire
Ever since his resurrection by that of the Father of Monsters, Sombra had been wanting to enact his revenge on the ponies who took away the Crystal Empire and left him in the broken state that he was in. He wasn’t the kind of umbrum to wait patiently to enact his plan, not in the slightest. Instead, the moment that he left Grogar’s chambers, he immediately began to put his plan into motion. With his plan starting in the Crystal Empire.
His magic was all that he needed in order to bend the Crystal Guard to his will. As his armies were fighting, Cadance, the Umbrum used the chaos to immediately head to the one place that the royal guard left unattended too. The Nursery.
“This is all too easy…” Sombra cackled to himself, turning into shadows as he slipped under the door, “With the fools fighting outside, their daughter will be the perfect bargaining chip for my plan to conquer Equ-”
However, in that moment, he stopped. Something was wrong. He could not hear the sounds of an infant in their sleep. As he peeked over the crib, he turned to see that it was empty. Cadance’s daughter was nowhere to be seen. “Blasted-!! Are they trying to outsmart me!?! ME!? They never saw this coming! So, where in the blazes would-!?”
The mad king did not have the time to properly react as he heard the door being kicked down behind him, turning around to find the Royal Couple not that far behind. “Step away from my daughter, you monster!!”
“Step away-!?” Sombra blinked, before smirking, “Oh ho ho, do you honestly think that I would be tricked by mere threats from the likes of you?”
“Tricked? The hay do you mean by-?”
In an instant, Sombra had a giant crystal emerge from the floor. Knocking the baby crib to the ground as everything that was inside fell out. “I came here to find nothing more than pillows and blankets!” With a flare of his horn, two shadows emerged from the ground and restrained the unicorn and alicorn as his eyes glowed, “If you honestly think that I would so easily be deceived by you two, then think again!”
Then, he looked deeply at the Princess, growling as his spoke, “I’m only going to ask you this once… Where is your daughter?”
“I-I…”
“Aww, aren’t you just the cutest little thing… Isn’t that right, book?”
The newfound voice that echoed throughout the hall had both the Umbrum and his two captives start looking around the room. It was followed by the sound of what seemed like a small foal giggling and laughing like they were playing with a new toy, but they could not tell where the noise was coming from. Sombra found it irritating since the sounds of happiness was the one thing that he could not stand at all… aside from children. That was an entirely different can of worms and while he was in the middle of his plan to conquer Equestria was not the right time to open it.
Though at one point, after watching the eyes of his hostages look up to the ceiling, he turned around and looked up. What he saw though was not like anything he had seen before. It was a cat with a floating ornament on its head, golden whiskers and was playing with Cadance's daughter on a floating book.
Not to mention that they were not paying attention to the current situation at all as the cat looked to be playing peek-a-boo with the baby alicorn before giggling. “Aww, aren’t you just the sweetest thing. What’s your name? Is it Sugar Swirl? McFlurry? Anything with sweets?”
“Boo boo wah bah ga!”
Even if the words were straight up gibberish though, the cat acted like she understood her… or at least, tried to understand her, “I think I’m just going to call you Boo. It would be easier for Book and I to remember. Oh, speaking of names, I’m-”
“Kitty!!” the baby alicorn proclaimed, before jumping and hugging the floating cat. Who honestly did not really expect this, all things considered, but decided to just go along with it as she returned the hug.
Yet, before they could be able to do any more fun and games, they were interrupted by the sound of Sombra’s hoof stomping the floor. “AHEM!!”
They both looked back at the umbrum king, before the cat asked a question. “Hey Boo, do you know who’s Mister Grumpy Pants here? He doesn’t seem too nice.”
Sombra blinked for a moment at what he just heard and grit his teeth. This… cat had the nerve to insult him? Who did she think he was, just some joke!? “I don’t know who you are, but if you know what’s-”
“Wait wait wait wait!!! I think I’ve seen you before,” the cat proclaimed, interrupting the mad king’s sentence, “ …… Hecarim? Did you lose your torso or something?” then the magical cat gasped, before saying what came next to her mind, “Oh my goodness, you’re so different now! Much cuter instead of dark, brooding and downright boring.”
“That is not my name!” he snapped, gritting his teeth as he glared at the cat.
“Woah woah, easy!! Don’t be so sensitive,” she chuckled, “Hmm, if you aren’t Hecarim… or anybody else I know, then I’ll just give you a name,” waving a paw like she was a leader of a kingdom, she pointed it at him, “From this point forth, you shall now be known as Randall! Because you look like a vandal. Heehee, Randall Vandal.”
“ENOUGH!!” the umbrum shouted, using his magic to throw Cadance and Shining Armor to the ground before trotting forth. “I am MUCH more than what you call me. I demand that you stop this game of yours at once and hand the child over to me-!!”
“What game? I was trying to give you a name… Oh, do you mean a name game?” the cat asked, before shaking her head as she looked back at him, “No. You need a name. Why aren’t you happy with Randall, Randall?”
“I said… Hand the child over-”
“No! You’re not taking Boo away from me, stupid Randall!!”
“Stop it.” Sombra growled.
“No!”
“Stop IT.”
“NO!!”
“STOP. IT.” The cats only response was blowing a raspberry at the umbrum. Which, in turn, had Sombra transform into a giant cloud of black mist as he glared at the cat, “THAT’S IT! STOPPING YOU MYSELF!”
“Let’s go, Boo!!” the cat proclaimed, before taking off down the hall as the shadow pony chased them. Leaving both Shining Armor and Cadance bewildered by what the two of them just witnessed. Before seeing them come back down the hall as the cat dashed to both of them. Emitting a green glow as their injuries were healed. “Wheee!!!!”
As they flew down the hallway and heard the sound of decorations crashing on the ground, Shining turned towards his wife, “What in the name of Equestria did I just witness?”
“I… don’t know,” Cadance honestly replied, “But maybe this can help us. I sent an SOS to Twilight a few moments ago. They should be here any minute.”
The unicorn blinked, looking back at his wife in shock. “Wait… so we’re placing the hopes of the entire crystal empire… on a talking cat, a flying book and our daughter?”
“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time that the Crystal Empire was saved by a tiny hero.”
“This is SO MUCH FUN, BOO!!” the magical cat named Yuumi zipped through the enormous and winding halls of the castle she was flying through. She originally came here to get away from a giant motorized wolf-dog in Summoners Rift after escaping some strange colored girls in another realm, one in which acted a lot like Heimerdinger, and now found herself in a very shiny castle. The little pony that was with her, who she called Boo, was rather adorable and cuddly too as they continued to fly like a couple in Shurima on an enchanted carpet.
Of course, the only real thing that made this different was who was following them. Randall, who was being a real meanie right now, was chasing them and screaming at the top of his lungs. Acting as if he was a snake that was slithering in the tall grass…
… or a Pyke. It could be either of those things.
“Stop RUNNING from me!! Do you even know who I am!?!”
“Be quiet Randall!! You’re making everyone sad!!” She yipped, before flicking a magical projectile that flew from her tail and hit their pursuer in the face, “Zoooooom!!”
“GAH!”
“Ha ha!! Got him!!” Yuumi proclaimed, which made Boo chuckle for a moment before Book made a sharp right turn. “Wooohooo! We got the zoomies!!”
“WHEN I GET MY HOOVES ON YOU, YOU’RE BOTH GOING TO BE IN FOR A WORLD OF HURT!!!”
“Nope, that’s Mordekaiser’s thing silly!” the cat proclaimed, blowing another raspberry at the umbrum. Which, did not do anything to really help their situation as they now had blasts of dark shadow fired at them. “Come on, can’t you take a joke?!”
“IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY TO YOU, STUPID FURBALL-!?!” Randall snapped, before getting in the face again with another projectile, “… You are SO DEAD!!!!”
“Wow, talk about a short fuse,” Yuumi chuckled again, before looking to Boo, “So, having fun?!”
“Wabba ta!” Boo told her in baby speak, before nodding her head.
“I… am just going to assume that means yes,” the cat replied, “What do you think, Book?”
Why are you asking me? This was your idea-
“Book agrees with me!” she cheerfully proclaimed, swerving out of the way of several different spells the umbrum was casting, while also noticing that he was trying to catch up by merging into the wall before appearing much closer than before, “Seriously?! You’re copying Candy Kayn now? Why are you always copying abilities that bad people use!?”
“COPYING!?! WHO DO YOU TAKE ME FOR, STUPID CAT!!?!” the umbrum snapped, trying to reach out and pull out the book from underneath the cat. But when the baby alicorn noticed and pulled Yuumi’s tail, she immediately turned around and blasted him in the face again with another prowling projectile, “STOP THAT!!”
“Get your own book, Randall!!” Yuumi growled.
“THAT IS NOT MY NAME!!!”
“Oh yeah!? Prove it!!”
“RRRRAAAHH!!”
Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, was not having a good day so far.
That, on its own, was just putting it mildly. First, she and her friends were told directly by Celestia and Luna that they were planning to retire as the rulers of Equestria within the next few months. Then, the alicorn was going into all out ‘panic mode’ at her castle with trying to prepare herself for the inevitable day that she was going to take their place. And to top it all off, she and her friends had received an S.O.S. from Princess Cadance. Which told them that King Sombra, a villain that she and her friends thought was long gone, was somehow back and trying to control the Crystal Empire.
Given all that had already happened so far, both her and the Elements of Harmony were expecting the worst case scenario upon arriving in the Crystal Empire. Everypony was locked up in their homes, the entire courtyard looked deserted and the entire kingdom here was in a state of panic.
“Twilight!” her ears went up at the sound of a familiar voice as they turned to see Cadance and Shining Armor running out to them.
“Shiny! Cadance! Is everypony okay!?” Twilight asked as she and her friends immediately ran over. “What happened!?”
“H-He just came out of nowhere,” Cadance let out a breath, “He brainwashed all the guards and had them come after us while I sent out the S.O.S. out to you-”
“Wait a second, sugarcube,” they heard Applejack speak as she looked around the area, “Somepony is missing...”
“Applejack, what do you-?” Immediately, Twilight soon realized what her friend was implying as she looked back at the couple. “Shiny… Cadance… Where’s Flurry?”
Both Shining Armor and Cadance looked back at one another, trying to figure out how to explain to Twilight and her friends what was going on inside of the castle. Though, before they could really come up with anything, the question was answered immediately by a shocking sight.
“Yay! You and me, we got this Boo!!” they heard a talking cat on a book proclaim as she and Flurry Heart were flying past a broken window. The sight of that alone was enough for the pupils of Twilight’s eyes to shrink as she recognized who it was immediately, “Hey, Randall!! Don’t tell me you’re tired out already? Here, have a snack!!”
“Who or what the hay was that?” Rainbow Dash asked
“Was that… a talking cat?” Fluttershy gasped
“Who’s Randall? He sounds like a meanie-” Pinkie then asked.
“YOU THINK THROWING A FISH AT ME IS FUNNY, YOU FELINE BRAT!?!!” They heard the all too familiar voice of King Sombra shout at the top of his lungs as he barreled down a hallway after the two of them, “WE’LL SEE WHO’S LAUGHING WHEN YOU GOT NOWHERE LEFT TO RUN!!!”
“Oh dear heavens,” Rarity swore, trying to pull herself together and not faint on the spot at the sight of what she just witnessed.
“How the hay is Sombra alive?” Applejack then asked, only for her question to be met with silence and shrugs. That is, until Rainbow repeated her question.
“No seriously, does anypony know who that cat is-?”
“Yuumi,” everypony now turned to Twilight as the alicorn took a moment to recompose herself, before looking back at her friends and family, “That’s her name. Yuumi. Like ‘You and me’, but without the ‘and’.”
“Twilight, you’ve seen her before?” Shining then asked his sister.
“Only once… She just randomly appeared at the school of friendship one time, before disappearing out of nowhere,” as she finished, they heard the sound of some of the windows in the castle breaking before looking back at everypony, “We should hurry on inside. We need to stop Sombra before things get out of control.”
“Come on, Randall! I know this is fun and all,” Yuumi complained as she whirred around into the throne room of the castle. Things might have been fun earlier, but after getting Randall to race around the castle and seeing him copy the same abilities that she had seen other champions use, the cat was beginning to feel bored, “But aren’t you going to do more than just chase me around? That is what dogs do… as well as Nasus. He kind of fits that category.”
“I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU RUNNING AWAY, COWARD!!”
“Aw, you giving up now? That’s no fun at all!”
“WHAT PART OF THIS WHOLE THING IS ‘FUN’ TO YOU!?!” the umbrum snarled, “YOU’RE MAKING ME WASTE MY TIME CHASING YOU WHILE I SHOULD BE-!!”
“Sombra!!!” both Yuumi and the shadow pony turned towards the entrance to the hallway as they saw a bunch of other ponies come to the door. Out of all of them, Twilight could only recognize one of them as she waved at them with a paw. “Yuumi!? What are you doing here-?!”
“Kitty!!” Boo cried out, happily hugging onto Yuumi as the cat smiled.
“H-HOW THE-?! WHERE ARE MY GUARDS!?! WHY HAVEN’T THEY SEIZED YOU-!!?!”
“Do you mean the giant metal scratching posts that were in the hallway? Because I kind of knocked them over,” the cat admitted, while the baby next to her just giggled.
“… Do you HONESTLY THINK THIS CHANGES ANYTHING, WRETCH!?!” Randall then growled as he glared directly at the cat, “I’VE WASTED SO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY ON YOU WHEN I SHOULD BE FOLLOWING THROUGH ON MY PLAN!!! BUT ONCE I FINISH CONQUERING EQUESTRIA, I AM GOING TO MAKE EVERYPONY THAT YOU KNOW AND CARE FOR SUFFER IN FRONT OF YOUR VERY EYES. YOU SHALL KNOW THE FEELING OF AGONY, PAIN AND DESPAIR!!”
That had Yuumi go silent. As she thought this through, the cat realized one thing. One thing that Randall said that made her angry. “You… are going to harm my Master!!?!”
Before Sombra had the time to react, he felt another blast of magic from hit him in the face as Yuumi floated above her book, the pages turning rapidly as she looked back to the baby alicorn that was next to her, “Boo, run. Let me handle this.”
“H-HOW DARE YOU!! YOU THINK YOU CAN-!?” As Flurry escaped into the outstretched hooves of her mother, the pages in the cats book began flipping past Yuumi as she landed her paw on a particular page. A golden light beginning to rapidly fill the room. Destroying the black crystals that were in place as Randall’s eyes began to widen, “W-What in-!?”
“NO ONE SHALL HARM MY MASTER WHILE I’M HERE!!!! BOOK, LET’S WRECK THIS GUY!!!” Yuumi proclaimed, the words on the page beginning to glow as both her and book floated in the air. Moments before Book began to unleash a surge of magic that was heading towards Sombra’s direction, “THIS IS MY FAVORITE CHAPTER!!!!!!”
Randall could only scream in agony and pain as the onslaught of magic rapidly overtook him, before setting off an explosion in the room as everypony else ducked for cover. The helmets that were on the guards before were soon thrown off and destroyed by the vibrant mana that flowed through the room as the bright light filled the castle.
When the dust had settled, Sombra was nowhere to be found. All that was left of his body was a black horn that was shattered into multiple pieces. The dark crystals that were around the room were no longer there as the everypony else was coming to their senses. Things were quiet as everypony was trying to process what they witnessed.
“So… what happens now?” Rainbow asked, “I mean, you called us out here because Sombra was invading, but now…”
“Maybe Twilight can explain how she knows about Yuumi?” Fluttershy suggested, looking towards the cat in the room, “I mean-”
“Oh my gosh! I thought we were playing. ARE YOU DEAD!?!”