Shy Can See

"How come you never told me about the entire incident? Why were you even in Zecora's hut in the first place?!" Fluttershy exclaimed, startling Angel.

Sombra maintained his emotionless expression as Fluttershy spoke. His tone turned cold and bitter. "It seems you have forgotten. I've been encased in the ice of the arctic north for 1,000 years. Once I managed to escape, I planned to take back what Cadence has STOLEN FROM ME!" Fluttershy flinched slightly as his roar felt as though it shook the entire Cottage. He dropped his voice back down in volume. "I was so close... All until Celestia and Luna stopped me. This you already know; for I saw you there at the moment of my capture." He paused and let forth a sigh. "Instead of granting me a swift demise... It seemed the princesses reached an impasse. To compensate, they banished me to the Everfree Forest for the rest of eternity. However, I was highly underestimated. They truly believed I could be contained in that simple force field forever; when it took me only 5 years to figure out how to enter and leave it at my leisure."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to say my desires have been bottled up for all those years that I've been 'locked away.'" The grey stallion walked around Fluttershy's bed, and towards the oval window behind her. He placed his forehooves on the windowsill, and looked out. "I had no way to fulfill my urge... Until now."

Fluttershy put Angel down and got off of the bed. She walked towards him, but stopped a couple feet away. "Sombra..." She muttered. He gave no response. She crept closer and placed a hoof on his shoulder. She could feel him shiver from being touched. "Causing harm onto others shouldn't be an outlet for you."

King Sombra brushed the mare's hoof off of his shoulder as he continued gazing out of the window; Making it clear that he wished not to be touched. The sun was almost at it's peak in the now bright, partially cloudy sky. He broke his gaze and turned his head to look at her. "You don't understand, Fluttershy. Fear and hatred is what I need to function. Without it, I'm useless."

She looked back into the king's blood red irises in a brief moment of silence. "I'm sure there are other ways to fulfill that desire without having to involve innocent ponies..."

"Perhaps." He uttered simply as he took his hooves off of the windowsill. "I need to return back to Everfree before ponies start emerging from their homes. It'll be difficult enough for me to return without being seen as-is." Sombra turned around and walked past Fluttershy without another word; Ready to depart.

"... Wait."

Sombra came to a halt at the bedroom doorway. She trotted to him as she spoke. "I promised Twilight I'd keep watch of you. I can't just leave you by yourself."

"Would you rather tag along with me and sleep on the forest floor?"

"Well, no, but..." Fluttershy trailed off on her words. The pegasus could tell Sombra wanted to be alone. However, she still pursued. "I guess you can... stay here. I mean... if you want t- I mean... Oh gosh..." Her ears went down as she partially hid her face in her pink mane.

A smile appeared on Sombra's face, displaying his fangs. He lowered his head down to Fluttershy's and brushed her mane back. "Alright... I'll stay."

This made her ears prick back up in delight. "Really?!" She exclaimed joyfully.

King Sombra chuckled at Fluttershy's reaction. "It really doesn't take much to get on your good side, does it?"

→♦Twilight's Library♦←

Twilight stood before the rest of the ponies of harmony: Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. Twilight rubbed her eyes wearily. All she wanted was to go to sleep. However, the topic she gathered everypony to her library for needed to be addressed first. "Alright girls - Let's get down to business. I've gathered you all here to talk with you about a particular king that recently escaped his prison: King Sombra."

Everypony gasped in unison. The princess quickly silenced her friends. "I want you all to remain silent while I explain everything to you. You all can voice your opinions once I'm finished."

Twilight began telling them everything Fluttershy had told her: Sombra trapping her in his cell, him hurting and healing Angel, him harming Zecora... Everything. She made no pauses in her speech; Just in case anypony tried to comment between pauses. After covering what King Sombra has done, she transitioned over to Fluttershy's wishes: Giving him a chance. "... And that's why you all are here right now. My feelings towards whether he deserves a chance is highly mixed. I'd like to hear all of your opinions."

The room was silent. The crowd of four held expressions ranging from surprise to anger. Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up. "I can't believe Fluttershy really thinks she can reform him! A chance is the very last thing he deserves." The blue pegasus folded her arms reluctantly.

Rarity nodded in agreement with the statement. "I second that notion. Twilight, you clearly saw what he did to Zecora. He could easily cause just as much harm onto some other pony right from under us, if not more!"

Applejack swiftly objected. "Ya got a point when ya say he can easily harm any pony at any time, Sugarcube, but just think for a moment: From what Twilight said, Even though King Sombra don' verbally lashed out at Fluttershy a couple times, he hasn't laid a single harmful hoof onto 'er. He don' could have invaded Ponyville by now. Ah figure the only reason he be mildly restrainin' himself is because of her."

"What Applejack said!" Pinkie Pie bounced onto her hooves as she pointed at the farm pony. "And just think about how poor Fluttershy would react if you went and told Princess Celestia! Oh she'd probably be absolutely positively devastated! She may not even talk to us anymore!!"

Twilight sighed heavily in contemplation. "I just... can't decide..."

"Rarity," Applejack began, "Ah know you 'n' Fluttershy have been goin' through some rough patches lately... But please, have at least a little faith in 'er. Same does fer you, Rainbow." Applejack trotted in front of everypony else. "Listen y'all, ah know this is a large risk ta be takin', but ah honestly think Fluttershy can pull this off." She turned to the princess and gave her a warm smile. "She needs our support..."

Both Rainbow Dash and Rarity nodded their heads in acceptance. Twilight soon did the same. "Come on girls; it's time to pay Fluttershy a visit."

Everypony headed for the door. Applejack stopped and grabbed Rarity's hoof before they were outside. The farm pony's words were soft and quiet. "Thank you..." Applejack whispered with a jovial smile across her face.