Cutiemark Coltfriends

Twilight was in complete shock to see King Sombra. it just didn't make any sense. He was destroyed by the crystal heart but he's still alive somehow and in some dark void. King Sombra began to transform to his original unicorn form, the only difference was that his horn was broken off his head leaving a stub with faint red glow on the tip of it.

"Yes Twilight, it is me and to be honest I never thought I'd be happy to see you again." King Sombra let out a slight chuckle.

"How are you still alive? You were destroyed by the crystal heart." Twilight questioned.

"Correction Twilight, My physical form was destroyed by the crystal heart my spirit and magical essence still lives. You see Twilight, I'm not stupid. When i took control of the Crystal Empire I studied the crystal heart and performed numerous tests. I knew my rule as king would not last forever, even Celestia's rule over Equestria will fall some day. The data from my tests showed me that the crystal heart will destroy any form of negative magic and emotion but of course would not destroy any kind of positive magic or emotion. So I created three special spells in case the crystal heart were to destroy me. The first is a dark magic preservation spell. This spell would contain and lock my soul and magic in a special void inside the birthplace of dark magic, thus protecting me from any kind of positive magic that should try to attack me. That is where we're at now, Princess Twilight." Twilight had a look of anger on her face although she was impressed at Sombra's magical ability. " The second spell is a special one in which must be cast by a unicorn, or in this case alicorn, who ever casts this speel frees me from my void allows me to feed off of the unicorns magic like a tick sucking blood from a cow. Your magic will serve nicely for repairing my horn and giving me the strength to leave and feed off of other ponies magic. When I have gathered enough power, I will cast my third spell which will restore my physical body and allowing me to finally be free. In fact I think I'll speed up this process."

"Wait!" Twilight exclaimed "If you need more magic to be in physical form, how come I can see you just fine right now?"

"What you see is an illusion, but you're about to see nothing at all." Sombra had a wicked smile plastered on his face as he extended his hoof toward Twilight. It melted away into black smoke wrapping around Twilights horn, sucking all the magic out of Twilight as her cutiemark slowly began to fade. Twilight tried to resist but couldn't help but scream at the pain as fatigue and emptiness began to fill her. "Finally! Now the reign of King Sombra can begin agai-" Sombra was cut off by a flash of gold and blue light. "No. No, It can't be!" From the light to silhouettes were seen, each belonging to a very familiar alicorn. Sombra let go of his grip on Twilights horn, facing the two ponies he least expected to be here, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. The two sisters faced Sombra from about ten feet away, their horns aglow causing the blackness around them recede, revealing a snow white floor beneath them. Twilight was able to a glimpse at her two idols as she slipped away into unconsciousness. Sombra stared off with the two sisters as he tried to put up a bold front, but the reality was he was terrified. Clestia was first to brake the silence.

"Sombra. I never would have expected to see you again."

"Yes Celestia, aren't reunions just lovely. What do say we catch up and talk about present and past events, like how you trapped in ice for a thousand years!" Anger could heard in Sombra's voice at the end.

"We had no other choice Sombra, you were torturing innocent ponies and forcing them to be your slaves." Luna reminded.

"Oh. Don't act like you two didn't play your roles. You both failed to restore your old pal, for some more than pals. Isn't that right Lulu."

" Do not call me that!" Luna exclaimed in her royal canterlot voice.

"Why not, Lulu? Afraid to remember the only pony who actually appreciated you and your night sky when no other pony could."

"Sombra Stop!" Clestia demanded

Luna released a blast of energy towards, who deflected it with a wall of black smoke.

"Just remember Luna, you can still save him just remember how he was the only one who didn't bask in Celestia's precious light."

The darkness began to circle around Luna as her body shivered and her irises shifted from full to slit. Luna fell to the floor with her hooves wrapped around her head.

" ENOUGH! Clestia exclaimed as her horns golden light brighten ten fold causing all the darkness in the room to recede to King Sombra.

"YOU HAVE TORTURED ME, MY SUBJECTS AND MY SISTER ONE TOO MANY TIMES! NOW I WILL END YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL! A large wave of gold energy surged towards Sombra causing him fade into nothingness just before he was hit by Celestias wrath.

After the light faded and Sombra could not be found, Celestia could swear under her breath. She trotted to her downed sister.

"Luna. Are you okay?"

"I am fine Tia but I believe Twilight needs more attention than I do." Luna replied as she slowly got back on her hooves.

Twilight was laid out on the white floor, unconscious.

Celestia gave her sister a nod as she approached Twilight. She placed a hoof on her forehead. She was cold, alive but cold and her cutiemark could hardly be seen.

"I'll have to revive her magic from the outside. If we stay in her mind while she's being restored. That won't be too good for us."

With that said, the two alicorns left the white void in a flash of light, leaving only an unconscious Twilight all by her self.

Meanwhile, Spike was sitting on the floor watching Twilight intently with teary eyes.No.This is all my fault. I was here I could have helped her, saved her, now...now Celestia knows what is happening to her! Why wasn't I here like I should have been. Spike was too drowned in his sorrows to notice the smoke leave Twilight's eyelids and slither out the window. "I can't believe this!" Spike yelled at no one in particular. "My best friend, my mentor, my sister for hays sake is in trouble and all I can do is sit here feeling sorry for myself!" Spike looked at Twilight, a small hint of determination glimmered in his eyes. " Twilight, I'll make sure this never happens to you again. I'll never leave your side and nothing or nopony will stop me from protecting you and everypony else I care about." As if on cue, Celestia and Luna reappeared in two flashes of light. Celestia looked as if she was contemplating with a blank look on her face while Luna appeared to be looking exhausted.

"Princess Celestia, Luna. What happened? Did you figure out what's wrong with Twilight?" Spike asked, his voice shaking from worry and fear.

Celestia didn't answer, in fact she didn't even acknowledge Spike's presence. She went up to Twilight touched her horn to the tip of Twilight's and ignited hers. Spike continued to question her but she ignored him. Once finished, Celestia backed away from Twilight as she began to stir and wake. She groaned "Ugh...what happened? Spike is that you?" Her vision began to focus on the baby dragon. He jumped on her. wrapping his arms around her neck, sobbing all the while. Twilight returned spikes embrace and looked up at Celestia and Luna with a confused expression. The two sister looked worried, Celestia approached the scene  before her.

" I know you must be very confused ,Twilight. And I am sure you wish to know what was going on." She glanced at Spike. "But I think you and Spike should rest for now. We will have much to discuss, I would like for you to meet me at Canterlot Castle tomorrow; as well as all of your friends. I will be calling upon Princess Cadence and Shining armor as well." Twilight was going to object but she was rather tired and it was late.

"Okay, Princess. I will see you tomorrow."

With a smile and a nod, Celestia turned to Luna. They said there goodbyes and teleported back to Canterlot. Twilight looked down at Spike who had cried himself to sleep in her hooves. She gave a warm smile to the young drake. She levitated him upstairs along with her and tucked him in his basket. Twilight flopped onto her bed and quickly let the darkness reclaim her but this time it was a peaceful darkness, one of well deserved sleep.

Sweetie Belle was in her bedroom with the door locked. She had been crying for nearly an hour before she stopped letting her thoughts revolve around the events that had taken place earlier. She also felt somewhat bad for running past Rarity earlier without saying anything to her. Yet that was in the back of her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about her argument with Button, It was short but the words stung like a wasp. Is that really how he thinks of me? Just a filly who wastes her life away going on pointless adventures. She sighed.This bites! Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are mad at each other, Button's mad at me. I don't have any friends anymore. All I wanted to do was surprise him, i didn't know he was in some big match with Spike. Spike.... Why was Spike there anyways, I've never seen him hang out with anypony other than my sister and her friends. Maybe he wants to have the life of a normal colt. There were a couple knocks at Sweeties door. "Sweetie Belle is everything okay?' Rarity asked cautiously thought the door. "You've been in there for nearly  two hours." Sweetie sighed, She got off her bed and trotted to the door unlocking and opening it to reveal a very worried Rarity.

" I'm fine Rarity, just dealing with Diamond Tiara again." Sweetie lied.

"Oh, is that bully messing with you again? Well I hope you know that what nasty things she said are not true."

Sweetie nodded. "I know."

Although next time please alert me when you come running home like that. You scared me half to death."

"Okay, sorry Rarity."

The two sisters hugged for a moment. "Now I'll let you have your space, but you should really get to bed, it is quite late." Sweetie nodded and said good night to her sister before closing the door and drifting off to sleep.

Sombra was no fool, he knew he had to go into hiding for awhile before he gained enough strength to confront the princesses. He figured he'd steer clear of Ponyville, Canterlot and the Crystal empire but that gave him the rest of Equestria to feed off of. Curse this wretched place. Everypony is so positive, which slows down my strengthening process. It would go by so much faster if somepony had some negative emotions to feed off of.Sombra stopped in his tracks and noticed the faint trail of..Anger, regret and...sorrow. Yes these will work perfectly but i need to find the source of these emotions before they're gone. The black shadow of smoke was disguised by the darkness brought by Luna's night as he followed the faint trail of negativity to Sweet Apple Acres, where an upset Apple Bloom paced around her room grumbling to herself.

"Stupid Scootaloo, stupid Sweetie Belle. They're both just stupid!" Apple  Bloom was pacing the floor in her room letting mixed emotions swirl through her conscious. "I was only tryin' ta look out for her... Maybe if ah wasn't so pushy none of this woulda happened." While Applebloom was mumbling to herself, the trail of smoke that is Sombra slid between two of the wooden boards making up her bedroom.

Darn! Sombra thought. A filly and an earthpony filly at that! I was hoping for a unicorn or perhaps a pegasus but a damn earthpony! Ugh. It will have to do for now, some magic is better than none. Sombra then traveled up Apple Blooms's neck and tucked himself in her mane and began to whisper into her ears.

"They deserve it though..." Sombra began whispering lies. "If they were truly your friends they would have listened to you.."

"Who said that?" Apple Bloom asked into her room, unaware of Sombras presence in her mane.

"Relax Apple Bloom, I am simply your conscious, your very thoughts."

"So you're...me?"

"In a sense, yes. I have come to comfort you and help you with what you're going through.."

"Oh well uh...ok conscious, what do ya have ta say?"

"I'm simply saying that what happened between you and you're friends isn't you fault, it's there's. We both know that you are the smartest of your friends and the leader of the Cutiemark Crusaders. They chose to turn on you because they were afraid, they knew that they could never achieve what they wanted as long as you were leading over them, so they rebelled."

"Wait my friends a-are scared of me?" Sombra could feel more sorrow than anger feed him.

"Of course they are. You are the one who ultimately decides what they do, your basically in charge of their destinies. So if they do not get their cutiemarks, It's all your fault. How can they put their destinies in the hooves somepony who hasn't even found her own." Sombra was deceiving and cold, spitting words like venom into innocent Apple Bloom.

Tears began to fill poor Apple Blooms's eyes and slide down her cheeks forming a small puddle on the floor. " B-but th-they're mah only friends. So that means....ahm alone."

Like a snake sticking its poisoned fangs into it's prey, Sombra sucked all the sadness and anger in her heart and left her unconscious on the floor. "Huh. Pathetic. Now to cover the evidence." Sombras smoky embodiment lifted Apple Bloom off the floor and tucked her in bed, then proceeded out the window. Sombra tried to enter his physical form but instantly broke into pieces and back to his previous form.I'm no where near strong enough to reform myself. I'll have to go somewhere where targets are easier to find.... Manehattan. That should work perfectly. With that, Sombra slithered down the winding path from Ponyville, heading to Manehattan.

The first drops of sunlight penetrated the window in Twilight's bedroom. Twilight began to stir in her bed from the unwelcome sunlight. Hers eyes fluttered revealing her bedroom ceiling, her mouth was dry, she was hungry, and her head felt like it was hit by a truck. She groaned as she pulled herself out of bed, her morning was already bad enough without Spikes snoring. She tried to find the memories of last night but they were a giant blur, with the exception of one moment. She promised Celestia that she and her friends would meet her in Canterlot this morning. "AAAGH!!" Twilight screamed when she realized how late she overslept, her clock said ten seventeen. "OH NO! I'M GOING TO BE LATE FOR MY MEETING WITH CELESTIA!!" Spike jumped out of bed from Twilight's scream, followed by a hotting Owlicious.

" Twilight! What's wrong!" Spike asked in a very alerted state.

"Spike! I need you to go get Rarity and Pinkie Pie and bring them to the train station, I'll go get Rainbow, Fluttershy and Applejack." Twilight barked orders to Spike hastily.

"Huh? Why?"

Twilight simply teleported away in a flash of lavender light, leaving Spike standing speechless. What was that all about? Oh well, better get Pinkie and Rarity. Spike rushed down stairs and exited the library, running to Carousel Boutique as fast as his feet could take him.

While Spike and Twilight were retrieving there friends to take to Canterlot, A grey pegasus colt was in his bathroom thinking to himself as he brushed his teeth and washed up for the day ahead of him. I have to find a way out of this, I know Thunderlane plans on humiliating me in front of Scootaloo. How do I get out of this? Rumble gargled and spit leaving his mouth fresh and clean.Maybe it won't be too bad. Maybe Scootaloo will like me more from it. Rumble looked in the mirror and began brushing his mane back. Who am I kidding, Thunderlane always messes stuff up. Rumble continued contemplating as he looked at himself in the mirror. "Maybe I can make him want to do some thing else or maybe..."

Knock. Knock.Knock.

"Hey bro, you in there?" Thunderlane's voice went through the door, snapping Rumble out of his trance. "Can you hurry up in there. You've been in there for over an hour.

Have I really been in here that long? "Yeah.I was just about to come out anyways."

Rumble opened the door to reveal his older brother smiling at him.

"What took ya so long Rumble? Tryin' to look good for your fillyfriend?" Thunderlane let a few chuckles escape.

Well he definitely didn't forget. Rumble just rolled his eyes at his brother and proceeded past him, allowing Thunderlane to enter the bathroom and close the door behind him.

Maybe I should just let things play out. I'm sure something will come to me Rumble went downstairs to the kitchen to make himself breakfast. Rumble pored himself a bowl of oats and milk and sat at the kitchen table in silence, waiting for Thunderlane to return so that they could leave. He sighed. I just want to get this over with.

About three minutes later, Thunderlane came down to the kitchen and sat across from Rumble at the table.

"So what's goin' on Ru-"

"Are you ready to go?" Rumble had cut off Thunderlane. He wanted to introduce Scootaloo to him and leave.

"Oh. Uh...Ok. Pretty anxious aren't ya?"

"Come on let's go."

Thunderlane reluctantly followed Rumble out of there house and into the town.Something isn't right. Why would he suddenly want to go? He was just all paranoid about it yesterday. What's he up to?

At the last second, Thunderlane shot up into the sky, just barely avoiding a pink blur followed by a much slower Spike and Rarity.

"What the hay?!"

"Stop goofing off Thunderlane! Let's go."

"Fine. Just cool down will ya bro."

Rumble replied with silence as he lead Thunderlane to Scootaloo's house. About five minutes had passed before Rumble and Thunderlane approached the door to Scootaloo's house.Wait! What if Scootaloo's mom or dad answers the door?! Why didn't I think of that! Stupid Brain!

"So are you gonna knock or are you too nervous?"

Rumble took a deep breath and placed three good knocks on the door. Seconds felt like minutes at the anticipation of the door opening. Hoofsteps grew louder and louder from inside. Rumble's heart beat quickened. The door slowly opened to reveal a mare. She was a white pegasus with with a lavender mane, tail and eyes.

"Hello. Can I help you boys?"

Rumble's voice was shaking from nervousness. "Um. I was wondering if Scootaloo was home."

"Oh. Are you that colt that stood up for Scoot against that Diamond Tiara character?"

"Y-Yes ma'am."

"Oh, Please do come in."

Scootaloo's mom turned to reveal a lavender heart with a lighting bolt in the center as her cutiemark.

"Please take a seat." The living room was spacious with light grey walls. In the center was one beige couch facing towards the wall and two brown leather chairs angled towards the couch . There was a fireplace in front of the couch and the floor was a white carpet.

" Allow me introduce my self. My name is Lightning Love, it's nice to meet you...Rumble is it?"

Rumble nodded. "This is my older brother, Thunderlane."

Thunderlane finally spoke up putting on a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you Mrs.Lightning ."

She smiled. " Please just call me Lightning. I'll go get Scoots, my husband is in the basement. If he comes up, just say you're Scoots friends."

Lightning left leaving Rumble and Thunderlane alone in the living room. "Well she seems nice." Thunderlane was trying to make conversation to avoid any awkward silence.

"Yeah." Was all Rumble said, examining the rest of the house around him.

Silence took the room for about a minute but to Thunderlane and Rumble, that minute felt like hours. The only sound was the clock on the wall and the muffled voices of Scootaloo and Lightning upstairs.

After about a minute and thirteen seconds, Lightning came back down stairs with Scootaloo following close behind. Since Rumble and Thunderlane were sitting on the couch and the Leather chairs were for Scootaloo's parents, Scootaloo sat on the left of Rumble. She wouldn't so much as glance at him. She just stared at her hooves.

"I'll go get my husband and then we can talk."

Lightning went to the basement, leaving Rumble, Scoots and Thunderlane alone in the living room. The awkward silence returned with long, quiet, straining seconds.

I can't take this anymore! "Hey Scootaloo, where is the bathroom?'" Thunderlane broke the silence first.

Without looking up, Scootaloo replied in a deadpan tone. "Down the hall and to the right of the washing machine."

With that Thunderlane got up and followed Scootaloo's directions to the bathroom, leaving the two foals alone in the living room.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Scootaloo asked Rumble.

"Huh?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming to my place today, idiot?"

"Oh. Um, I didn't plan to but I bumped into Thunderlane after you left yesterday and he found out I had detention and about Diamond Tiara and he said if I didn't introduce you to him then he'd tell my dad and that would have been much worse."

"Well you could have warned me Rumble. Did you have to come so early?"

"I just wanted to get it over with so I just came here. I had forgotten how early it was." Rumble received an annoyed groan from Scootaloo.

Hoofsteps could be heard coming up from the basement. From the depths of the basement appeared a dark orange pegagus stallion with a crimson mane and tail that were brushed to his left side as well as crimson eyes. His cutiemark was a pair of mechanical wings, both extending from a gold star. He wasn't very big, he about average size for a stallion. Lightning followed shortly after him.

"Don't do anything stupid or I swear to Luna I will kill you." Scootaloo warned Rumble in a low and menacing tone.

Rumble gulped. The stallion took his seat in the leather chair to the left of the couch and Lighting took the opposite one.

"So you're the colt that stood up for my daughter?" The stallions voice was kind of deep but definitely not baritone. Either way it still sent chills down rumbles spine.

Rumble began sweating as he spoke. "Yes sir. My name is Rumble."

"Um, Rumble. Where is Thunderlane?" Lighting asked.

"He's in the bathroom." Replied Scootaloo, still with no emotion in her voice although Rumble could swear he felt anger radiating from her.

"Well Rumble it is an honor to meet you. Any colt who would stand up for my daughter the way you did is okay in my book. My name is Wind Lifter but you can call me Wind."

"It's good to meet you Wind sir." Rumble received a chuckle from Wind causing Rumble to mentally give himself a face hoof.

"You know" Began wind. "Scootaloo here spoke quite highly of you. Is there anything else going on between you two?'

Rumble blushed, heavily. He looked at his hooves.

"Dad! We're just friends and nothing more!!" Scootaloo was blushing as well but not nearly as heavy as Rumble.

Lightning and Wind began laughing hysterically while Thunderlane entered the living room. He introduced himself to Wind and the two got off surprisingly well. Thunderlane, Lightning and Wind did most of the talking, mostly about jobs, times when they were young although Lightning and Wind were about fifteen years older than Thunderlane and about past events regarding Scootaloo and Rumble, much to the embarrassment of the two. Scootaloo and Rumble were completely quiet all the while not uttering a single word unless asked. Lightning noticed the discomfort between the two foals, so she decided to spare the two of this kind of torture that she knew all too well.

"Hey Scoots. Why don't you and Rumble go to your room and hang out while we talk." Lightning had suggested and Scootaloo gratefully accepted the offer and rushed Rumble to her room closing the door. Wind wasn't very fond of the idea causing a silent conversation between him and Lightning but in the end, Rumble and Scootaloo were already in the room so not much could be done about it. The three would continue talking, moving to more adult conversation with the kids out of the room.

Once Scootaloo and Rumble were alone, Scootaloo punched Rumble in his arm as hard as she could.

"Ow! What was that for."

"For causing me to feel awkward for about half an hour!."

"I guess I deserved that. So what now?"

"I don't know. Wanna play a game?"

"Sure. What kind of games do you have."

"This is my favorite." Scootaloo pulled a game case from her bookshelf.

"What is it?"

"it's a game Rainbow Dash gave to me. It's called Fighting Is Magic. It's the best game ever!"

Rumble had hung out with Button Mash for years but he had never heard of this game before. "Is it you favorite because Rainbow Dash is on the cover?"

"Well...not really but it also has the rest of the elements of harmony and the princesses. So of course it would be cool for anypony."

"Okay but I have to warn you, I'm the best friend of Button Mash so I'm pretty good."

"Yeah, but you aren't Button Mash. So you're not the best."

"Oh yeah! I bet you I'll win on my first try."

"You're on! But I call Rainbow Dash."

"Fine! I'll play as Twilight! She is the element of magic after all."

Rumble and Scootaloo played for about an hour. They laughed and joked and Rumble even cried at one point, mostly due to the destruction of his ego, but all in all they had a great time and grew even   closer as friends. Rumble would have went home but the day was still young and decided to spend it with, probably, his new best friend in the town for the rest of the day.