The only chapter
"Applejack, help! There's a zombie!" Apple Bloom yelled, running up to her sister.
"Apple Bloom, ya know I don't have time for stories, not in this heat. It's almost 100°F out and I still have zap apples to pick," Applejack replied.
"Applejack, please. I ain't lying. Please, just trust me."
Applejack sighed. "Alright, Bloom, I'll come see your 'zombie'. But if this is a trick you and your friends decided to pull, you'll be going to bed without supper and you won't be going swimming at the lake with your friends later."
Apple Bloom nodded and walked into the orchard.
"Wait. I'll be right back. Just wait here." She walked back to the house and grabbed the 45-snub nose revolver she kept in her room for emergencies - after all, there were a few times Timberwolves ended up wandering the orchard, making trouble. At one point in the past there was a break-in. So she always kept it nearby. She made sure it was loaded and walked back outside.
"Alright, Bloom. Where did you see this zombie?" Applejack holstered her gun.
Apple Bloom motioned Applejack to follow her.
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About 15 minutes of walking, Apple Bloom said, "It was around here when I saw it."
So Applejack looked around after a few minutes. She got tired of looking and was about to lecture her younger sister when she heard a groan. It sounded like it was a few wards away. She followed the sound, Apple Bloom following closely behind.
After about 10 more minutes of walking, Applejack turned a corner and her eyes went wide. Her sister wasn't lying. "Bloom, stay back here and hide while I'll go check it out."
Apple Bloom hid behind a nearby tree. Her sister walked forward, drawing her gun.
Applejack felt sick just by looking at it. Its skin was black and its clothes were tattered and falling apart. It looked like a walking skeleton. It didn't seem to notice that anyone was there and was busy pushing against one of the trees, 'saying' something and seemingly trying to knock some zap apples down.
"Hey!" Applejack shouted. It looked at her for a few seconds then went back to pushing against the tree. An apple fell off it. Once it hit the ground, the zombie staggered towards the fallen fruit, fumbled to pick it up and tried to eat it with no success.
Applejack's eyes went wide as she realized this might not be a zombie, but a living person. She backed off to where Apple Bloom was. "Bloom, I want you to do me a favor and go get a jar of applesauce from the pantry. A big bowl. And some of Granny's sleeping medicine. Then come back here. I know this sounds strange, but I need you to do this for me."
Apple Bloom nodded and ran off towards the house.
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Within half an hour, she was back with the supplies. "Good job, Bloom. And thanks for being quick as well. Now ,to mix this all up," Applejack then crushed several of the sleeping pills into the applesauce and poured the mixture into the bowl.
"What are you going to do with all of this?"
"I don't think this is a zombie. I got its attention and it didn't seem to be interested in me. It was more interested in the apples. So I'm going to feed it. If it falls asleep, then we know it's not a zombie." Applejack walked forward, bowl in hamd and she set it nearby. She then backed off and got its attention again once.
The creature saw the bowl and staggered towards it, repeatedly 'saying' something different this time. What it was, Applejack didn't know. It scooped the food out with its blackened hands, eating sloppily. When it was done, it staggered away. Less than a minute later, it collapsed and stopped moving.
Applejack cautiously walked up to it. Now that she was close, she noticed a lot more. She felt bile coming up from her stomach. The blackness she saw on it was frostbite. She noticed its coat color was iron gray. She had dealt with frostbite only once, but that was enough. She also noticed it was male. She then got close enough to touch him. She quickly checked for a pulse and found a weak one.
"Bloom, get the house phone! Now!"
Apple. Bloom ran off and, after what seemed to be forever, she came back with the phone. She quickly dialed 911 and asked for an ambulance. She told them what the situation was and requested them to send pegasi since they were far into the orchard.
"Bloom. When the ambulance gets here, lead them to me as fast as you can. Now hurry! To the road!" Applejack watched as Apple Bloom ran towards the house.
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Thankfully, it wasn't long before the ambulance got there and Apple Bloom immediately led the paramedics to Applejack.
"There you are. Follow me, I didn't want to move him," she told them once the paramedics saw him.
They couldn't believe it. "Mother of Faust!" she heard one of them say as they loaded him into a stretcher. They carefully flew him back to the ambulance. Applejack got in as well as the back door slammed shut. The ambulance rushed towards the hospital.
Applejack told them what she knew. "Is he going to be okay?"
"Not sure. I've been a paramedic for over 30 years and have even worked in a hospital in the Crystal Empire. So I've seen my fair share of frostbite,” the paramedic replied. “But I've never seen it this bad. Other than on a corpse. But we'll do everything we can to save him. By the way, did he happen to do or say anything out of the ordinary when you found him?"
"Yeah, he did. He 'said' something but I couldn't understand it. It was a language I've never heard before," Applejack replied.
The paramedic just nodded.
The ambulance made it to the hospital fast and the creature was rushed inside. Applejack followed close behind.
About twenty minutes later, a doctor came out and talked to her. "Applejack, I'm afraid that our doctors don't have the knowledge, skills or machinery to help John. So, he's going to be transferred to Canterlot's General ICU."
"'John'? So you found his name?" Applejack asked.
"Not exactly. If an unidentified person comes in, they're automatically called 'John Doe' or 'Jane Doe' until we find the person's name."
"I see. When is he going to be transferred?"
"After our doctors can stabilize him and he gets a little rest. We'll help for free this time, as you're an Element of Harmony. But you're going to need to go to Canterlot to tell them how you're going to pay for his hospital bills."
"Alright. I'll get there as soon as I can." Applejack walked out the door.
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She walked back to town when her friend, Twilight Sparkle, landed in front of her, looking worried.
"Applejack, what happened?! I was practicing my flight and saw an ambulance heading towards your house. Is everyone OK?" Twilight asked worriedly.
"Yeah. Me and the others are fine. We just found someone wandering the orchard."
"Why the ambulance, then?"
"He was in really bad shape." Applejack told Twilight the rest of her tale.
Twilight's eyes went wide. "Frostbite in this weather? That doesn't make sense. I want to come with you to Canterlot, if you'll let me. Also you mentioned he said something. Can you tell me what it was?"
"Sure thing. I could use the company. As for what he said, I could try and say them if you want."
Applejack resumed her walk towards the town, with Twilight on her tail.
"If you can try to pronounce any of it, it would help," Twilight said.
"Alright. I'll try one of the things. It said something that sounded like 'cibus', whatever that means."
Twilight thought carefully. Cibus, cibus. Where have I heard that before? After a few minutes it clicked. "Latin!" she said loudly, causing Applejack to jump.
"Jeez, Twilight, don't do that. Ya scared me. And what do you mean, 'Latin'?"
"The word 'cibus' means 'food' in Latin. I was thinking about the word and the context when it just clicked," Twilight replied. "What was the other thing he said?"
"I doubt I'd be able to say it."
"Well, I do have a spell to read minds and review memories. But I'd have to have your verbal agreement for the spell to work, though. All you'd have to do is remember what he said and I can see the memory."
"Well, it would be a whole lot easier than tryin' to say it. Alright, you have my permission."
Twilight took Applejack's hoof and asked, "Ready?" Applejack nodded. The spell was then cast and Twilight entered her friend's mind.
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I approach the strange creature. Who is this person?
He talks. His voice makes me jump.
"Crepusculum est crepusculum inveniet," he says.
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As soon as Twilight heard those words, she gently removed herself from Applejack's mind and dropped the spell. She looked at her friend, who was busy shaking her head. Like she was fighting off sleep.
"That felt weird. I hope you got what ya needed," Applejack said.
"Thankfully, I did. But I'm not sure yet what he said. I'm pretty much fluent in Latin as well as Prench, Old Griffish, and Ancient Draconic. After all, I might need to know them someday," Twilight explained, resuming their walk. "So, we have an unidentified man with frostbite in the middle of summer who speaks Latin. Very strange." She thought hard. After half an hour, it finally clicked. Twilight froze in place when she understood what the words meant.
Applejack was a bit surprised that Twilight would just stop like that, asking, "Twilight, are you alright?" No response. "Hey, Twilight are ya home?" Applejack asked, waving her hoof in front of the purple alicorn's face.
That snapped Twilight out of it. "Sorry, AJ. I just realized what those other words meant and I was a bit shocked," she said, sheepishly.
"What does it mean?" asked the farmer.
"'Twilight. Must find Twilight.'" The purple alicorn replied. "He's looking for me."
"Huh? Are ya sure? Anyway, we're here."
"I'm absolutely sure. I know my Latin," Twilight said confidently, summoning a notebook and pen and writing down what she knew so far. She looked around. She hadn't realized that they were at the train station already. "Applejack, you do realize that teleportation is a lot faster? Plus if we get there fast, I have a better chance of getting more information about him."
"Can you really teleport that far?" Applejack asked.
"I'm an alicorn now and I've been practicing a lot. It's not that difficult anymore. Please, AJ, we have to hurry or the extra information will be gone."
"Alright, Twi, I trust you. Let's do it. What kind of information are ya talkin' about anyways?" Applejack asked.
"His clothes, whatever's in his pockets, tattoos. You know, that sort of thing. Doctors would normally throw away the clothes if they're really beat up and any information I could get from them would be lost. Since they're only stabilizing him here in Ponyville, meaning giving him fluids and letting him rest, we don't have to worry about losing the information yet. Canterlot General is different, though. We have to get there before he does or the info is as good as gone," Twilight replied. "So, are you ready?"
"Yeah, I'm ready."
Twilight nodded. "OK, Applejack. You may experience some nausea and dizziness but it should pass quickly." Twilight grabbed her friend's hoof. Before Applejack could say anything, Twilight cast the spell.
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They arrived with a 'pop' in Manehattan Park, several miles from the hospital. Applejack was a shade of green. Twilight hadn't really seen her. Applejack immediately staggered to the nearest trash can and promptly threw up. After several minutes, she stood up and wiped her mouth. She looked at Twilight and said, "Never do that again." She then turned green again and dry heaved into the trash can.
"Sorry, AJ, but I did warn you," Twilight replied casually. "Anyways, we have to get to the hospital. It's only a few miles from her. If you want, I can teleport us the rest of the way."
"No way. I ain't goin through that again. I'll find another way there. Besides why here? Couldn't you just teleport directly to the hospital?" Applejack asked, leaning against the trash can as she was still a bit green.
"That's the longest single teleport I could safely manage. Besides, the way teleportation works is you have to be familiar with the place you're attempting to teleport to. If you're not that familiar with the place, you could end up appearing in the middle of a wall, tree, rock or a piece of furniture, which wouldn't end well for the caster of the spell." Twilight chuckled. "My brother and I used to come here all the time when I was younger. I ate a lot of ice cream here, so I know the place well."
"Alright, you go ahead. I'll catch up after my stomach settles down.
"See you there." Twilight flapped her wings and flew off, leaving her Applejack behind. She quickly got there and landed gracefully enough that she didn't crash. (After all she was still learning.) She rushed inside and to the front desk. "Has John Doe arrived from Ponyville Hospital yet?" she asked the receptionist.
"Oh, Princess Twilight, I didn't expect to see you," the receptionist replied.
"I teleported Applejack here as it's faster than the train. She was supposed to come here to give you the information on how John's hospital bills are to be paid." Twilight replied. "So has John Doe arrived yet?"
"No. he's still in transit but he'll be here soon. Anyways, you mentioned you and Applejack both teleported here. I don't see her."
"She'll be here shortly. She didn't take to the teleportation that well."
As soon as Twilight said that, Applejack walked through the door, looking a little winded but better than before. She promptly sat down on a nearby chair.
"Anyways, I need to talk to the head doctor that will be working on him. Immediately. It'll only take a minute," Twilight said.
The receptionist nervously dialed a number on the phone nearby and called Dr. Longwing to the front desk.
After about a minute, a dark blue pegasus in scrubs walked up, glared at the receptionist and growled. "This better be important. I was just getting ready for the John Doe that will be here any second."
The cowering receptionist pointed at Twilight. Dr. Longwing turned and noticed her for the first time.
Twilight, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind. "Look, I'm sorry for interrupting you but as princess, I would like you to do something for me. I would like you to save everything you find on him, including his clothes. I don't care if it seems like nothing. I would like to have it. Anything could be a clue to who this guy is. The more information I have, the better the chance I have of figuring out who he is. So save everything; it doesn't matter how small or meaningless it might be. Anything could be useful."
Dr. Longing nodded. "Alright, Princess, we'll make sure that happens." He looked at Applejack. "How is your friend going to pay for this?"
"Don't worry, I'll pay for his treatments." Twilight replied.
The doctor nodded. "I'll be back to talk about treatment options after we get him stabilized."
Twilight nodded and took a seat next to Applejack.
"I heard what you said about payment and I want ta thank ya for that," Applejack said. "You do realize that this ain't goin to be cheap?"
"I know, I'll ask for a research grant from Princess Celestia. Trust me, I'll get the money."
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After a while, a doctor came out with two sealed bags and gave them to Twilight. He then went back into the depths of the hospital. One bag contained John's clothes and the other had a small vial of liquid and sand, marked as being found stuck into his feet and removed with peroxide.
Twilight smiled and used a quick spell to evaporate the peroxide, leaving the sand. She got up and turned to leave, but before she could, Dr.Longwing returned and called them into a small room.
"As of right now, John is stable but is in severe condition. We need to make a decision quickly on how to proceed with the frostbite, " Dr. Longwing said.
"What are our options?" Twilight asked.
"Well, we could do it the old fashioned way and remove the dead flesh by hand, following up with skin grafts. But unfortunately, he will look drastically different after the fact. Or we could try a brand new technique, one that could heal him in only a few months. But that treatment is substantially more expensive."
"What's the new treatment?" Twilight pondered.
Dr. Longwing opened his desk, pulled out a small jar of emerald-colored gel-like liquid and set it down. "This, " he said, "is the treatment. This liquid, when activated with magic, drastically increases the body's natural healing process on the area it's touching. We have a large tank of the stuff we received several weeks ago to use on burn victims. We could dip him in it with an oxygen mask and an IV line providing much needed nutrition and fluids. Of course, we'll have to put him into an induced coma to make sure he doesn't agitate the wounds.
"Don't worry, we can pull him out of the coma when he's healed. The liquid is activated with magic and then we wait. The new flesh will start growing by the bone first and slowly, but surely, the dead flesh will flake off, revealing the new one underneath. After a few months, he will have completely new skin. Unfortunately none of our doctors are qualified to use the machine yet, though we have several in training. So we'll have to hire a doctor who's qualified to do the treatment, make sure it's working and everything is running smoothly. That's one of the reasons why it's more expensive."
"Alright, we'll do that. Start as soon as possible." Twilight nodded. "Also, I would like to see him before I leave. I have a spell that can reveal his cutie mark. It would definitely be helpful in identifying him."
The doctor nodded and got up. Twilight and Applejack followed suit and they all walked out. Dr.Longwing walked back into the hospital depths, along with Twilight, as Applejack headed for the door.
Twilight turned to her friend. "I'm going to stay in town for a while and then head to the Crystal Empire. As John had frostbite, it would make sense to start there. So I won't be home for a while. At least two weeks, alright?" Twilight pulled out a small pouch of bits, counting out five. She handed them to Applejack. "Here. Since you hate teleportation, here's five bits for a train ride back to Ponyville. Tell Spike I won't be home for a while and make sure someone keeps an eye on him and the library."
After a quick hug, Twilight and Applejack parted ways. The latter headed to the train station and the former followed the doctor farther into the hospital.
Dr.Longwing led the way to a small room before turning to the princess. "Look, I'm giving you five minutes. He really needs rest before the beginning of the treatment, so make it quick."
Twilight nodded, walked into the room and up to the bed John was laying on. She gasped when she saw him for the first time. Applejack was right: he did look like a zombie, she thought. But the shock quickly turned to pity. She couldn't imagine what this poor man had been through.
She quickly summoned the pen and notebook again, cast the spell to reveal his cutie mark. A symbol appeared above his head. It was a cluster of emerald green crystals. Twilight quickly drew it as best she could, then decided to scan his body with magic as she felt something odd when she cast the first spell. So she scanned him and her magic was drawn to his heart. Twilight's eyes went wide when she saw it.
It was an immensely powerful and complex spell surrounding his heart. How she missed something like that the first time, she didn't know. She did her best to analyze it and found something even more shocking.
As crazy as it seemed, what she was looking at was an immortality spell - she had done research on such spells before. She could tell right away it was cast with black magic.
She then quickly scanned for John's natural magic (what little was left of it). He was a unicorn. Strangely enough, he wasn't wearing his ring. Twilight cross-referenced it with the spells' magic. The two were extremely similar, but it wasn't a match as there were quite a few large differences as well. So John didn't cast the spell or would it be considered a curse since it was cast with black magic. Twilight wrote it all down then finally checked his height, coat and eye color. 5' 8", iron gray coat, green eyes. She made sure to write everything down before stepping away. As she was leaving the room, she asked the doctor if John was wearing a ring when he came in.
"We didn't find one. Why do you ask?"
"When I scanned him with my magic, I noticed his magic gland was bigger and more developed than a pegasus or normal human. Which means we're looking at a unicorn. It's surprising that he didn't have a ring, as we unicorns can't really use our magic without it."
"Sorry, Princess, we gave you everything we found."
"I know you did. It's just odd he wasn't wearing his," Twilight said, thanking the doctor and walked outside.
She still needed the clothes dated and figured out where the sand came from. Though she could tell it wasn't from ponyville as it was the wrong color. But she did know someone who might be able to help in the clothes department. So, she headed to Rarity's Canterlot store.
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She soon found her way to her friend's store and quickly entered the mercifully air conditioned room. Rarity promptly ran up to her friend.
"Twilight! How are you? Come sit down, this heat is terrible. I wish the pegasi would make it snow to cool everything off or at least get a good breeze going." Rarity smiled at her friend.
"I'm fine, Rarity.This heat won't last much longer. I've got word from Rainbow Dash that a good, cold, torrential rainstorm should happen within the next few days." Twilight replied. "Anyways, I could use your help."
"Well, that's good. We could use the rain. anyways," Rarity said. "What do you need help with?"
"I need some clothes dated. It's really important."
"Sorry, Twilight, darling. But dating old clothes really isn't my area of expertise. But I do know a gentleman that should be more helpful. He's an retired archaeologist." Rarity grabbed a nearby piece of blank paper scrawled down the name and address. "His name is Samuel. Tell him I sent you. He owes me a favor so he'll help." She smiled.
"Thanks, Rarity, I owe you one." Twilight headed towards the door.
"Be careful out there, Twilight! I really don't want to get news that you're in the hospital with heat stroke!" Rarity then tossed something In Twilight's direction.
She quickly caught it with her magic. It was an ice cold bottle of water. Twilight chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to drink it. And take breaks." She smiled before opening it and taking a sip.
As she walked back out into the sweltering heat, she hailed a cab.
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She soon arrived at Samuel's house. A few minutes later, she knocked on the door. An elderly man answered asking, in a gruff voice, "What do you want?"
"My name is Princess Twilight Sparkle and I need some help dating clothes," she said politely
"Sorry, but I can't help you. Go somewhere else. I'm retired." He began to close the door.
"Rarity sent me." Twilight quickly added. Also, I'm a princess, she did not add.
Samuel groaned and muttered something under his breath. Twilight was sure she heard him curse several times. "Fine, come in." He opened the door and let Twilight inside.
"Thank you. I really could use your help."
"If it wasn't for me owing that prissy unicorn, I wouldn't be doing this."
"Anyways, the clothes are right here." Twilight opened the bag and placed them on the table. She ignored whatever it was that Samuel said.
Samuel took a look. They were little more than rags. They were torn and battered, and definitely looked old. Samuel cast a spell that told him the approximate age but the answer was something he didn't expect.
Twilight noticed the look of confusion on his face. "Is something wrong?"
He nodded. "According to my magic, these clothes are, at maximum, two months old. But due to what's left of them they have to be far older than that," he answered, confused. "My spell has never been wrong before."
"What if it was exposed to the elements, like blizzards or strong wind?"
"That wouldn't be enough. Blizzards and high winds alone wouldn't do this. It would take a lot more."
"Are you absolutely sure they're a little over a month old?"
He nodded.
Twilight thanked him and left the house.
Once outside, she pulled out the notebook and wrote down what she learned before putting it back into her pocket. She then threw the clothes away. She had one more stop to make.
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Fortunately, it was close by.
Taking a long drink of her water, Twilight made her way to the geology department of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.
After all, it wasn't just magic that was taught there anymore. The school had branched out to several separate wings for a number of studies after she had left. She knew that the geology department had taken soil samples from all around Equestria. If anyone could figure out where the sand came from, it was them.
Twilight entered the school for the first time in years. She made her way to the geology department and talked to the Head of Department. She asked permission to use their soil sampler - a computer that could identify almost any soil sample, rock or mineral that was placed inside it.
After the computer was set up to receive the sample, Twilight gave the vial of sand to the technician. He poured the sand into the receiving tray - part of the device. With a simple button press, the tray slid back in and the computer whirred and beeped as it processed the sand.
"This might take a while, " the technician said.
"That's fine. I've got time," Twilight replied.
"So, where did you get the sand?"
"It was removed from an unidentified man's feet. " Twilight retold a nutshell version of the story. "I'm trying to help the doctors identify him. If I can find out where he's been, I might be able to find where he started. Though I already have an idea where. But you can never be too careful when it comes to mysteries."
The computer chirped, making Twilight jump.
The technician just chuckled. "The chirp signifies that the computer has found a match. Let's see what we have." He walked to the screen of the computer. Twilight followed close behind. "Well that's odd." The technician looked at the screen, confused.
Again? "What is it?"
"You said that the man had severe frostbite. Correct?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, according to the computer, the sand you gave me 100% matches to the sand in the Neighvada desert."
"That doesn't make any sense. Are you sure the computer is working properly?"
"Yeah, this machine has never been wrong, at least to my knowledge. Though, I could rescan it for you, if it makes you feel any better."
"It would definitely help."
The computer was restarted and the sand was processed again. Only for the computer to come up with the same answer as before.
Twilight, once again, pulled out the notebook and jotted this new information down.
She was more puzzled than ever. She kept turning the information and over again in her mind. Even as she boarded the train to the Crystal Empire, she never stopped thinking about it.
This doesn't make any sense. Who is this person? And where do they come from?
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It took a few days for the train to reach the Crystal Empire.
Once it did, Twilight quickly made her way to the castle.
"Twily!"
She heard a voice cry out as soon as she stepped inside. It was her brother.
"Hey, Shiny." That's all she managed to get out before Shining Armor bear hugged her.
"I've missed you. How have you been? What brings you out this way?"
Twilight laughed. Typical of you to bombard me with a hundred questions. "I'm great. I'm here to do some research. And to hang out with my big brother and sister of course." She smiled.
"Speaking of Cadence, I'll bring you to her."
Shining led the way, with Twilight following behind.
"What kind of research brings you all the way out here, if I may ask?"
Twilight retold the story. "Applejack found an unknown man wandering the orchard. They call him John and he is currently undergoing this complicated treatment." She didn't have time to tell him the rest before they made it to the throne room.
Cadence perked up when she saw her sister-in-law. She shot up and embraced her old friend and sister in law.
Shining caught Cadence up with what Twilight had told him.
"So, you're looking to find who this mystery man is? I can definitely help you out with that, " Cadence smiled. "I sure hope you'll be able to stay longer than a day or two. We have a lot to catch up on."
Twilight laughed. "Of course I'm available. For about a week. Then, I've got to get home. The faster we find out who this 'John' really is the faster, we can hang out."
Twilight followed Cadence as she led them deep into the castle, below the dungeon to a set of oversized wooden doors. Cadence threw them open to reveal a massive computer. The main control panel and screen was in the center and lining the room walls were hundreds of memory storage banks.
"What is all this?" Twilight asked in a mixture of curiosity and awe.
"This, Twilight, is the Crystal Empire's past. Everything, from newspaper articles to public history, and of course the census. All dating back to the founding of this elEmpire. Everyone who's ever lived and died here is in this computer." Cadence then faced Twilight." So, what can you tell me about this John?"
Twilight told her everything she knew. His height, gender, tribe, eye color, coat color and, of course, his cutie mark. Cadence plugged in the information into the computer and it began the automatic search process.
"There. We'll let that go for now. It's going to take at least a few hours to go through everything," Cadence said. "So we've got plenty of time to catch up."
The pair walked back upstairs, chatting about life in the Crystal Empire and the adventures Twilight had gone on with the others.
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Four hours passed before they knew it.
"The computer should be almost done by now. Why don't we go and see?" Cadence got up from her seat and Twilight followed suit.
They both walked back down to the computer room. By the time they got back down, the search was complete.
"Let's see what we have. " Cadence accessed the computer. "It looks like we've got a match."
Twilight walked closer and removed the notebook from her pocket. She looked at the screen.
She read. "Let's see. His name is Thomas Shadowmane. He's a crystal worker/salesman, married to Amber Shadowmane, born..." Twilight's eyes went wide when she saw his date of birth. 400 B.C. That's before Celestia. Which means, he's over 1500 years old! Then she saw the other date. His death date. 510 B.C. He was 28 when he died.
"What? What is it?" Cadence asked.
"According to this, he's been dead for over 1500 years. But that's not possible. He's currently receiving treatment for frostbite in Canterlot."
"I'll see what else I can find. " Cadence typed something into the computer. A few minutes later, she said, "It says that both Thomas and Amber died in a house fire. The whole place burned to the ground but they were able to recover the couple's remains. Though the origin of the fire is unknown, the bodies were confirmed to be them. They were ID'd through dental records and a closed casket funeral was held a few days later. They were buried in the Empire's cemetery, side by side."
Twilight was exasperated. "Then who's in the hospital? A clone? A well-disguised changeling? His twin? If it is a clone, then why a simple crystal worker? Did he fake his own death? If so, where did the other version of him come from? And where did he go afterwards, if he did leave? Why did he return to end up with frostbite? Where did his curse come from? And how in Celestia's name does the Neighvada Desert tie into all this?
"None of this makes any sense. The more I learn, the less I know." Twilight was obviously frustrated. She wrote everything down. "Take a look at this." She tossed the notebook to Cadence. "This is everything I know so far, but none of it makes sense."
Cadence opened the notebook and looked over the notes. Twilight's right; the information seemed to be random. None of the pieces fit. At first.
After trying hard to connect the dots, it clicked. Cadence smiled. "Look, Twi, you'll figure it out. You always do." She then frowned. "Although, looking through the data you've collected, there is something I can definitely say is definitely true. Something that involves the Neighvada Desert."
"And that is…?"
"Thomas walked to Ponyville." Cadence explained, "Think about it. He has severe frostbite, sand from the Neighvada Desert was on his feet and his ragged clothes that are no more than two months old. The distance from here to Ponyville is a little under 20,000 miles, as the crow flies 19,652 miles, if you want to be exact. This would take a little over a month of walking if you know where you're going. With very little rest to get there, coupled with the immortality spell, making it impossible for him to starve or freeze to death. This means that the logical answer is that he walked. It explains the frostbite, the sand, the two-month time period as well as the clothes he was wearing turning to rags. Between the blizzards and the high winds that come with them, and the extreme heat and sandstorms he would have experienced in the desert, any clothes would be turned to rags."
"But it still doesn't help me with the rest. And why is he looking for me? I've never seen the man in my life and yet he knows my name. On top of walking all the way to Ponyville, which you said is nearly 20000 miles. All of it to come find me!"
"You'll figure that out in time, I promise. Just take your mind off it for now and have fun with us for the week. I promise you'll have fun. Besides, the Crystal Fair is this week and it's really grown in size and extravagance since you guys brought it back."
Cadence gently smiled and Twilight could only sigh as she followed Cadence back up to the main floor of the castle.
----------
Twilight did have a lot of fun at the Crystal Fair over the week, but the nagging thought of Thomas's identity never left her mind.
Even on the train ride back to Canter lot.
She didn't get much sleep because of the mystery. Eventually, the train reached the capital and she stepped out to much cooler weather. (It had cooled down to 76°F from 98°F, thanks to a mix of a good breeze and a cold torrential rainstorm several days ago.)
She immediately made her way to the hospital and asked for Dr. Longwing by name.
He came out from the depths of the hospital and greeted the princess. "Welcome back, Princess. Have you found out anything about John?"
"Actually, I have. His name is Thomas Shadowmane. He's a crystal worker from the Crystal Empire and he's 28 years old. But that's all I found out so far." She then asked, "How is he doing anyways?" She hated not telling them everything. But even if she told the doctors the whole truth, she doubted they would believe her.
"He's doing great. Treatments working well," Dr. Longwing replied with a gentle smile.
"That's good. Although, I would like to ask a few favors from you. Once he wakes up, could you please get a hold of me ASAP. Also, please don't call him by his name. I want to be the one who tells him." Twilight then gave him the coordinates to send her a letter through magic.
"If I may ask, why?"
"Thomas speaks Latin, so I doubt anyone here would be able to understand him. Not only that, but he also said, 'Crepusculum. Est crepusculum inveniet,' which, when translated from Latin, means, 'Twilight. Must find Twilight.' He's looking for me. But I've never seen him before, so I want to talk to him. I can figure out why he wants to find me."
"I guess we could do that. Thank you for the information, it really helps."
Twilight smiled. "Send me a letter when he wakes up."
----------
Fortunately, it was close by.
Taking a long drink of her water, Twilight made her way to the geology department of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.
After all, it wasn't just magic that was taught there anymore. The school had branched out to several separate wings for a number of studies after she had left. She knew that the geology department had taken soil samples from all around Equestria. If anyone could figure out where the sand came from, it was them.
Twilight entered the school for the first time in years. She made her way to the geology department and talked to the Head of Department. She asked permission to use their soil sampler - a computer that could identify almost any soil sample, rock or mineral that was placed inside it.
After the computer was set up to receive the sample, Twilight gave the vial of sand to the technician. He poured the sand into the receiving tray - part of the device. With a simple button press, the tray slid back in and the computer whirred and beeped as it processed the sand.
"This might take a while, " the technician said.
"That's fine. I've got time," Twilight replied.
"So, where did you get the sand?"
"It was removed from an unidentified man's feet. " Twilight retold a nutshell version of the story. "I'm trying to help the doctors identify him. If I can find out where he's been, I might be able to find where he started. Though I already have an idea where. But you can never be too careful when it comes to mysteries."
The computer chirped, making Twilight jump.
The technician just chuckled. "The chirp signifies that the computer has found a match. Let's see what we have." He walked to the screen of the computer. Twilight followed close behind. "Well that's odd." The technician looked at the screen, confused.
[Missing Part]
d tell her what she knew after she got some more sleep. Twilight then made it the rest of the way home on autopilot and collapsed on her bed, immediately falling asleep.
When she woke again, it was the next day. Frue to her word, she made her way to Sweet Apple Acres and found Applejack.
"Hey, AJ," Twilight said, walking up to her.
"There you are. Ya rested now?" Applejack stopped working at the sight of her friend
Twilight just smiled and sat down on a nearby bench. She told Applejack everything she knew.
"So you're tellin' me that the person that was wanderin' the orchard, that I helped save, is over 1,500 years old. He's a widower who walked nearly 20,000 miles through the Frozen North and the Neighvada Desert just to find you?" Applejack raised an eyebrow, incredulous.
Twilight nodded. "I know it sounds crazy, but yes. All the information I found points to that being the case. But still, we won't know the whole story until he's healed. They just pulled him out of his induced coma, so that won't be for a while. Until then, we just have to wait."
They talked for at least another hour before Applejack told Twilight she had chores to finish. Twilight and left the orchard. She spent the rest of the day around town talking to her other friends. She had loads of fun.
----------
A month flew by before she knew it.
Twilight was eating lunch at home when a sealed scroll fell on her head. She promptly opened it.
Dear Princess Twilight,
Thomas is awake.
Yours, Dr. Longwing
She called Spike and showed him the letter. "I'll be back later today, alright? I'll be home as soon as I can. Take care." And with that, she rushed out the door.
She teleported to the park where she and Applejack teleported the first time. She ran to the hospital and made her way inside.
Dr. Longwing greeted her and led the way to Thomas's Room. Twilight took a deep breath and entered.
When Thomas saw her, his eyes lit up. He started talking rapidly, causing Twilight to walk up to him.
"Mitescere," she said. Calm down, Thomas.
Thomas froze. "You-you can understand me?" he asked in Latin.
"Yes, I do. What's your name?" Twilight asked politely, still in Latin.
"I don't know. I can't remember much."
"You can't remember who you are?"
"No. The only thing I remember is your name and what you look like. Everything else is fuzzy."
"Well, I did some research and found out. You are Thomas Shadowmane, you're 28 years old and you were born in the Crystal Empire."
"Thomas. My name." He paused. "What's the Crystal Empire? Can you tell me about it?"
---------
The next few minutes were filled with stories of the Crystal Empire. Twilight told Thomas about the wonders of the Empire, including the Crystal Fair and the new rulers.
"Wow. It sounds like a beautiful place," Thomas said, eyes filled with awe.
Twilight smiled. "Yeah. It's a great place, especially now that Sombra's gone."
"Sombra? Who's that?"
"He was a tyrant! He ruled the Crystal Empire with an iron hoof for years! Then, he was defeated by the Royal Sisters. But he came back a few months ago! He was defeated again. Hopefully for good this time."
Twilight cast a spell to show him what Sombra looked like. When Thomas saw Sombra, his eyes widened and he convulsed violently. Twilight screamed as several doctors rushed in, pushing her out of the room.
Twilight shakily sat down on a nearby bench as Dr. Longwing walked up and snarled. "What. Did. You. Do?"
Nothing. I don't know what happened. "I-I just told him his name. I also talked about the Crystal Empire and what it was like there now. I also showed him Sombra. That's all, I swear." Twilight continued shaking with fear.
"Leave. Now!" Dr. Longwing shouted, grinding his teeth. Twilight did as told and exited the hospital.
----------
She came back the next day to try and apologize. She also asked to see Thomas.
"He's been transferred somewhere else," the receptionist nervously said.
What? "Where to?" Twilight asked.
The receptionist shook his head. "I can't tell you. Sorry."
Twilight was eventually able to see Dr. Longwing "Where is Thomas?" she asked.
"He has been transferred to the nearest mental institution," Dr. Longwing replied.
"What? Why? What happened?"
"After the incident yesterday, his personality changed drastically. He became skittish and violent. He actually bit three nurses and broke the nose of a fourth. So basically he attacked anyone who came near. Fortunately, we were to sedate him.
"He also attempted to commit suicide. Twice. Once by trying to slit his wrist with the IV line and the other time, he escaped and jumped off the roof. Because of all that, we felt we had no choice but to have him committed. He was a danger to himself and others."
"I-l see. Thank you for telling me. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I'll make sure to add an extra $1000 to to his hospital payment. To pay for the injured nurses treatments. I'm truly sorry."
Dr. Longwing simply huffed to Twilight apology and walked away.
Twilight sighed and left the hospital, finding her way to the local mental hospital. There was only one in town and that was Harmony Mountains Mental Institution, near the edge of town.
She cautiously entered the building. "May I see Thomas Shadowmane?" she asked.
One of the doctors came up to her "Oh, Princess, hello. I was told you'd probably come here after you learned what happened."
"I would like to see Thomas Shadowmane," Twilight repeated. "If possible."
The doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that's not possible. He's far too dangerous right now."
"I'm an alicorn. I can't get hurt and I'm armed with healing spells. I think I can handle it." Twilight changed her tone to an authoritative one. "Besides I really don't want to have to make this a royal order."
The doctor sighed and led her to where Thomas was.
"Look. No matter what you hear, do not interfere. I will let you know if I need help." Twilight explained. The doctor nodded and unlocked the door to the room Thomas was in.
Twilight entered slowly and her eyes immediately fell upon Thomas. He was sitting in the corner, looking out the window.
She made her presence known." Thomas."
Thomas stiffened at the sound of her voice. He turned to glare at her, rage in his eyes. "You! Why are you here?! Haven't you done enough?! Or are you here to torment me some more?"
He suddenly shot up and seized her by the throat. He slammed her against the wall. His eyes widened and he slowly backed. "I-i'm sorry."
Twilight was still reeling from shock at his sudden mood swing. It's okay. "What do you mean by 'torment'? I didn't do anything to you."
"You did. You gave me my memories back. Memories I'd rather not remember. " Thomas turned away. "Just leave me be. I'm a monster. This is where I belong."
"I don't think you're a monster."
"If you really think that, then you're a fool. Don't you know how many people I've hurt and killed over the years?"
"Was your wife, Amber, one of them?"
"No!" he roared, before bursting into tears. "I tr-tried to save her, but h-he killed her in front of me. I would never hurt her."
"Who killed her?"
"The one I brought to help her. Allow me to tell you who I am." Thomas turned to face Twilight directly. The princess sat down next to him. "It all started before your grandparents were even a thought…"
----------
I was a simple crystal worker back then. I specialized in costume jewelry and figurines. I also made crystal arrow-heads for the Empire's guards.
My talent was making crystals out of sand. I just added a small bit of crushed minerals, like manganese dioxide, to the mix. It allowed me to make different colors.
Ponies would flock to see what new stuff I had each day. One of these days, she came to browse my collection.
Amber.
She was considered to be the most beautiful woman in town. I remember that she ended up buying several of my best necklaces.
Anyways, a few weeks later I got the biggest single order I've ever had. A request for 80 figurines. Specifically 80 wedding favors. The problem was I couldn't make them ahead of time, as they needed to match the flowers.
Later that week, I gathered as much sand and crushed minerals I could carry and headed to the wedding venue. It turned out the florist for the wedding was Amber.
Turned out that we worked incredibly well together. The wedding went off without a hitch.
After that, we worked together on quite a few weddings and anniversaries. We became fast friends. Then something more.
Six months after that first wedding, I invited her to a picnic on the top of a hill, just outside of town. To watch the sunset. I then proposed.
I asked her to make me the happiest man in Equestria. She said yes! Three months later, we were wed. That night we consummated our love.
We were happy but like all things, that happiness didn't last.
We tried to have a child. We tried for months. But she just couldn't conceive. We got ourselves checked out. Turned out she was almost completely barren inside. Chances of her even conceiving a baby was around 5%. And even if she did conceive, the chances the baby would survive childbirth was only 2%!
But we never stopped trying.
After many more months of trying, coupled with prayers, she finally conceived. I couldn't believe it! I was going to be a father! But that joy was quickly tainted.
"Why was it tainted?"
Amber became sick.
It started out small. Vomiting more than usual, dizziness, weakness in her limbs, forgetfulness. Just small things at first. Like forgetting where she put something or not being able to remember why she entered a room.
I didn't realize how sick she was until things got worse. One morning, she woke up and couldn't remember my name.
That scared me.
So we went to the doctor. After many tests and around a week of waiting, I found the heart-wrenching truth.
The sickness Amber was suffering from had no cure or treatment, and she only had months to live.
I was devastated .Not only was I going to lose the love of my life, but our unborn child, too. The doctor said the only thing I could do was make her comfortable.
But I never gave up hope.
I researched the sickness she had to find anything that might help. Rare herbs, lost artifacts; nothing was off the table. I even researched black magic to find something, anything to help her. But time after time, I came up empty-handed.
All the while, Amber was getting worse. It got to the point where even her personality changed. She was no longer the kind, compassionate, gentle and loving woman I married. She turned cold, bitter and uncaring.
After three months, my faith that I could find anything to help her waned. One night, I had a dream. I was standing on the edge of a field. I saw Amber in the distance picking wildflowers. She was as beautiful as the day I met her. But a black hooded figure appeared behind her. I knew what it was.
It was Death.
I remember running towards her, to try and save her, but the faster I ran, the farther away she seemed to get. I ran until I collapsed. All I could do was watch as death walked towards her. As Death raised his scythe, there was a flash of light and it was on the ground a few wards away. Death got up and screeched.
That's when he appeared. A knight in obsidian armor. As soon as Death saw this newcomer, it fled. Suddenly, the knight was in front of me. With a bright flash, the armor was gone and standing before me was a powerful looking unicorn.
I remember thanking him, but he simply smiled and said, "I have seen your plight and I want to help."
"How?" I asked him.
"I have the power to destroy the sickness plaguing your wife."
"How can you help her when there is no cure? And how do you even know of her sickness?"
He simply chuckled. "I've seen it in your dreams. After all, I've been stuck wandering the dream realm for years. Ever since my rival banished me here for trying to stop him from summoning an undead army. Since then, I've honed my magic in hopes of escaping someday." He looked at me. "I've also been watching dreams to find ponies I can help. Besides, there isn't much else to do here. So how about it? Will you let me help?"
"How can you cure her if you're here?"
"You have let me into your mind. Temporarily, of course. I can cure her through you. It would only take ten minutes, maximum. Then I'll leave. Simple as that."
"Please tell me you didn't."
I was desperate and felt I didn't have a choice. I knew Amber didn't have much time left. I had to take a chance.
I remember whispering, "I didn't get your name. Since we're going to work together, I'd like to know."
"Sombra," he said.
"What?!"
Anyways, I took his deal and we shook hooves. He entered my mind. That's when I woke up, with him in control. He got out of bed and walked downstairs into the kitchen.
"What do you mean, 'he'?"
I'll say 'me' or 'I' when I talk about the real me. I'll use 'he' or 'him' for when he's in control of my body.
Anyways, he went into the kitchen and grabbed a paring knife before walking back upstairs.
"Why do you need that?" I asked. He didn't answer.
He put the knife on the bedside table and activated his magic, but instead of a healing spell, a beam hit Amber in the throat.
I tried to take back control, but he threw me in a mental cage so I couldn't fight back.
"This is a simple vocal lock spell. The real fun is about to begin," he said.
He then cast another spell and two shadowy ropes wrapped themselves around her wrists and around a ceiling beam, hoisting her into the air. Two more shadow ropes appeared and wrapped themselves around her ankles locking her in place. He picked up the knife and walked towards her.
Another spell and her clothes were torn apart, leaving her naked. He smiled, before plunging the knife into her right below the ribcage and yankling down slicing from ribcage to crotch.
I'll never forget the look of agony on her face as she silently screamed. Another spell was cast to make sure she didn't pass out or die due to blood loss. He smiled and created a bubble of silence around my wife.
Only him and I could hear her. He then removed the vocal lock spell before two more shadow ropes, with hooks at their ends appeared. The hooks dug into her flesh, spreading the cut open and exposing her internal organs. She threw back her head and howled in absolute agony.
I'll never forget her screams.
That monster then sliced open her womb and removed our child. It was a girl. He cleaned her off and spanked her to wake her up.
He then did something so horrific, so disgusting that it still haunts my dreams to this day.
"W-what did he do?"
He broke her bones. One by one.
"…"
That's right. He tortured our newborn daughter until her femur snapped.
All the while, my wife was forced to watch as her newborn daughter wailed.
When he was done, he tossed her aside like trash and walked up to Amber. A sadistic smile was plastered on his face. He forced her to look at our daughter, before plunging the paring knife into her left eye twisting it. He did the same thing to her right eye, making sure the very last thing she ever saw was her newborn daughter in agony.
He then reached inside her and tore out her organs. One by one. He tossed them aside until he got to her ovaries. Which he ate.
He ripped out the rest of her body until all that was left inside her was her heart and lungs. At that point, all she could do was whimper.
He then dissipated the shadow ropes.
She hit the floor with a moan, before he flipped her over and stuffed our baby back into her belly. He cauterized the wound shut with magic.
After all that, he walked around the house, gathering up every once of lamp oil he could find. He walked back upstairs and dumped it everywhere, including on my wife.
He also used some of my blood to create a clone of me. How he managed to do that with only a little bit of blood, I'll never know.
He then mutilated the clone to make it seem like it was a simple murder.
He then used a spell to light the oil.
Do you know what burning hair and flesh smells like?
"No."
Pray you never find out. It's a stench you'll never forget. I was forced to watch as my wife burned alive. Her skin bubbled and blackened as her screams grew weaker and weaker.
Until they finally stopped.
At that point, I gave up trying to fight. I realized I couldn't do anything to stop him. He then teleported far enough away that I could watch my home burn to the ground. He then completely changed the way he looked. He went into hiding for a few days to rest.
The Empire's prince and princess were next.
He tortured the prince before beheading him. As for the princess, he tortured her until her mind broke and she became his personal concubine.
That is until he got tired of her and decided to execute her publicly.
A long thick metal pole was set up in the middle of town square and she was a de to sit on the top. He pulled down on her legs, forcing the pole into her as she screamed.
Her blood coated the pole and created a red puddle underneath. When it was finally over, the pole had gone all the way through her. The top of the pole protruded out of her mouth and she stayed that way. Completely naked for several weeks, before he finally allowed her to be taken down.
But that was just the beginning.
I could go on for hours on the atrocities he committed over the years. He killed children in front of their parents and parents in front of their children. I was helpless. I couldn't do anything to stop it.
My only wish was to die and let the pain end.
I thought I was finally free when the sun and moon goddesses came to stop me. But instead of finally dying, I was banished for a thousand years. The whole time, he forced me to watch every monstrous thing he had done.
He also explained to me that everything he ever told me was a lie.
But then you came along. I'm so glad you finally stopped him. H-he wanted to make you and your friends his own personal harem. His own personal fucktoys.
When the beam from the Crystal Heart hit him, I knew it was finally over. But when I woke up, I was surrounded by white. It was cold. The only things I could remember was your name, what you looked like and what your magical aura felt like.
So I followed it and found you.
Don't you see? I'm the one who let sombra into this world. He used my body to torture and slaughter thousands. I'm the one to blame. I belong here.
And even after everything, Sombra never did keep either of his promises.
----------
Twilight shuddered. That story was not what she was expecting. But she quickly recovered. "Actually, he did. Just not the way you wanted. That's the thing with dark spirits and demons. Sombra was most likely a demon, due to how he manifested himself in you and how he acted.
"You see, demons, as well as dark spirits, almost always go after people when they're at their weakest and most desperate. People much like you. People who recently lost a loved one to an accident and want them to be brought back or like you, who want a cure for a sickness to which there is no cure. They offer an answer to the person's problem when all they want is access to this world to cause destruction and suffering. They also twist wishes into something horrible.
"Like, say you ask for immortality. They turn you into a statue or give you immortality after death, forcing you to live forever as a ghost, never being able to go to Heaven with your family. Or they exploit a loophole, which is what Sombra did.
"He said he would destroy the sickness in Amber. He never said she would survive. He also said he would leave in around twenty minutes, but he never said in Equestrian minutes. Twenty minutes in the demon world is equivalent to roughly two thousand years in this one.
"You were just a pawn. You didn't hurt anyone. He did. You said it yourself. He controlled you and under Equestrian law, you can't be charged for any of those crimes. As you weren't in control. Besides, do you really want to be a prisoner? Again?" Twilight put a hand on Thomas' shoulder. "I know somewhere deep in your heart that you don't want to be here. I can help you. I can get you out of here. All you have to do is trust me."
"What if Sombra isn't completely gone? I don't want to hurt anyone else." Tears filled in Thomas' eyes.
Twilight frowned. "He's not completely gone. He laid a curse on you before he disappeared. A curse of immortality. But I checked the curse for anything abnormal. Anything that would signify that Sombra was still alive. But nothing's there. All that's left of Sombra is his curse. Nothing more."
Twilight gave Thomas a small smile. "He's not coming back, I promise. You're not going to hurt anyone. Sombra has unintentionally given you a second chance at life. Do you really want to be a prisoner again, or do you wanna be free? Look deep into your heart and tell me."
"I want to be free." The tears rolled down Thomas' cheeks.
"Alright, then. I'll get everything set up. You'll be a free man by tomorrow, alright? Just hold on for one more night."
Twilight embraced Thomas. He completely broke down in her arms. Twilight held him close until he cried himself dry. Once he had done so, she gently took his hand.
"Look, Thomas, I've got to go, OK? I'll be here to pick you up tomorrow. Don't worry."
Thomas nodded. Twilight then got up, walked over to the door and knocked twice to signal the guards that she was done.
----------
Twilight went straight to Princess Celestia as soon as she left the mental hospital.
"Good morning, Celestia," she greeted politely. "I have a question. How do you give someone the Royal Pardon?"
"Morning, Twilight," Celestia greeted back. "Why do you wish to know?"
"Remember the man I found? The one I needed money for? You know, for his hospital bills."
"Yes?"
"Turns out, he was King Sombra. Well, his host, at least." Twilight told her Celestia a short version of Thomas' story. "As you see, Thomas was just another victim of Sombra's. He paid for his crimes with a thousand years of torment. He doesn't deserve to be locked up in that asylum when there's nothing wrong with him."
Celestia sighed. "Are you absolutely sure that every trace of Sombra is gone, other than the curse keeping Thomas alive?"
"Without a doubt."
"Alright, I'll show you." Celestia narrowed her eyes and faced Twilight directly. "But if he goes rogue, you, and you alone, will be tasked to stop him."
"I understand."
Celestia nodded and used her magic to summon a scroll. She handed it to Twilight, who looked slightly confused.
Celestia just smiled. "What you hold here is your Royal Pardon. All it needs is your signature, royal seal and the name of the one you're pardoning. You just have to give it to me to file away. Thomas will then be free."
Twilight summoned a quill, ink and her royal seal. She signed her name, as well as Thomas', before stamping it to make it official.
Celestia gently took it and, with a quick spell, created a perfect copy. She handed said copy to Twilight. "Show that to the head of the asylum and they'll release him into your custody."
Twilight nodded, stashing the scroll in her pocket. She headed to the train station. To home.
----------
She came back the next day, as promised.
She promptly showed the head of Harmony Mountains the Royal Pardon. She was led back to Thomas' room and went inside.
"Hey, Thomas, how are you?" she asked. Thomas perked up when he heard her voice. "How would you like to leave this place?" She held up the scroll for him to see.
Thomas was shocked. "C-can I really leave?"
"Of course. Follow me. You're a free man now." She led him out of the building and into the street.
She then teleported to Manehattan Park and to the edge of Ponyville.
"I've never seen such beauty. I can't believe you live in such an amazing place." Thomas looked around in awe.
Twilight just smiled. "This is just a small part of this town." She grabbed his hand. "Come with me and I'll show you where I live. You'll really be amazed.
"Twilight led him through town, showing him the sights on the way. The pair soon arrived at Golden Oak Library.
As soon as he saw it, his jaw dropped. "I-it's amazing! You live here?"
Twilight walked up to the tree and gently stroked its trunk. "Yup. I've been living here for years. The most amazing part is that the tree is still alive and growing." She turned around and gently squeezed Thomas' hand. "And right now, it's your home, too."
Twilight smiled and led him into the house.
---------
Twilight started a three-month crash course on Equestria. She taught him everything, from language to science and history.
Three months later, he could speak almost perfect English and had even gotten a new ring. It was then that Twilight formally introduced Thomas to her friends.
She didn't tell them his full backstory. She simply told them he couldn't remember much and tasked Thomas to spend time with each of her friends.
After another month, Twilight invited the other Bearers to a tea party at her place. Once everyone, including Thomas, was seated, she asked each of her friends what they thought of their new friend.
"He's reliable and hardworking. Apple Bloom loves him. So he's okay in my book," Applejack said.
"He's an amazing baker! He taught me how to bake things I've never even heard of! And the twins really like him!" Pinkie Pie shouted.
"The animals love him. He's really gentle and friendly. He's also fun to be around." Fluttershy said.
"The dress designs he's come up with are nothing short of divine. Sweetie Belle has also taken a liking to him," Rarity said.
"He's pretty cool. The suggestions for new flight tricks and ways to improve some of my other ones have really helped. Scootaloo likes him as well," Rainbow Dash said.
Twilight grinned. "So it seems you all like him. I'm glad." She looked at Thomas, who gave her a small nod. "Now that you know the real him, I can tell you the whole truth."
"What do you mean, 'the whole truth'? What have you been keeping from us?" Rainbow raised an eyebrow.
"It's about his past. I lied to you when I said he couldn't remember much. I just wanted you all to give him a chance. See you the real him.". Twilight sighed.
"So what's his past, then? And why'd you keep it from us?" Applejack asked.
"The man you know as Thomas is actually King Sombra. Or should I say, his host." Twilight told them every last detail of Thomas' backstory.
When it was over, Rarity, Fluttershy and even Pinkie were misty-eyed while Rainbow and Applejack just stood in shock.
"I'm sorry I lied to you. I knew none of you would have given him a chance if you knew who he used to be. That's why I did it." Twilight signed again. "Can you forgive me? Will you accept him for who he really is?"
Fluttershy was the first to speak. "I'm glad you told us the truth. You're right. I doubt any of us would have given him a chance. But now we all know the truth about him." She looked at her cup of tea. "I have to say, though, I kind of pity him. No one deserves what he went through and we shouldn't judge him for what he did in the past. Especially when he didn't have a choice." She looked up and her eyes met Thomas'. "I trust him."
The others agreed.
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Thomas eventually became an official citizen of Ponyville and even had his curse removed by Princess Celestia.
(It turned out his curse didn't extend his life, but paused the aging process. So even though he had lived 1500 years, he was only 28 biologically.)
He led a happy life. He worked in Ponyville, having many adventures with the other Elements. He helped however and whenever he could to try and make up for all the evil he did when he was Sombra.
He even went back to the Crystal Empire and apologized for what Sombra had done. He begged for forgiveness. Thankfully, Princess Cadence and Shining Armor gave him another chance.
He lived for another 70 years. He never did get married again. When he wasn't exploring other cities, he was considered the kindest and most selfless person anyone knew.
He finally joined his wife after 98 years, passing away in bed, surrounded by his friends. He wore a gentle smile on his face, ready to reunite with his wife.
Amber, my love. Here I come.
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