The Tragedy of Sombraby SyeekohChaptersChapter OneChapter TwoFinal ChapterChapter OneSombra sat alone, feeling small in his father's throne room. His throne room, he thought to himself, my father's death necessitated this transition. He shuddered a small shudder at the thought. He had looked as healthy as a horse just two weeks prior...to think that he could be struck down so suddenly in what seemed like the prime of his life by sepsis. Sepsis, Sombra thought, has no place in this world. Clearing his thoughts of recent events, he ran his mind over his schedule. Breakfast, check. Library time, check. Which leaves a delightful luncheon with the emissaries from Equestria proper. Well, then, I should make the arrangements. Sombra got up from his throne and began to step off of the dais and- "King Sombra, where are you going?" A dull voice said. "I was going to the kitchen to make lunch for our emissaries, Political Pull." Sombra replied, shocked at the interruption. "Maybe when you were a prince, and your mother wanted to teach you responsibility," Pull harumphed, "but you're King now. You have servants to do the gruntwork for you now." Sombra sat back down on the throne, looking puzzled as to what to do with his time now. He then reached for a book with his magic, Musicalus Interruptus, and began reading in earnest. It would do him well to appear studious as the emissaries arrived. His waiting was rewarded when the crier announced the emissaries' arrival. "The Princesses Celestia and Luna are here to see you, King Sombra!" His heart skipped a beat. Princesses?, he thought, Nopony told me I would be receiving royalty! I'll have to punish those responsible for this grievous breach in protocol. He fixed his mane, and announced without looking up, "Let them in." The doors opened to reveal two ponies with indescribable regality. The larger one, a brilliant white whose mane was an everflowing interchange of pink, green and blue, stepped in. She was followed by a vision of beauty, whose mane was a midnight blue offset by a coat of a warmer blue, and eyes, deep pools of blue themselves. Sombra, retaining his composure, quietly put his book to the side and faced these ponies. He then said, "Welcome to my kingdom, Princesses. I was not aware that you were our emissaries." "No need to worry, King Sombra. We prefer it that way," Celestia said. "We doth not wantest thou to goest through any, extra preparations in our honor," Luna's musical voice lilted. "Well, then," Sombra said. Scratch the punishment, "shall we begin our luncheon? I have a soup prepared from the freshest batch of Crystal berries." He said while clapping his hooves twice. Servants rolled in three trays of a purple liquid in bowls, them levitated them over to their intended recipients. Celestia smelled the soup, a warm smile crossing her face. "This smells lovely, King Sombra. Thank you," Celestia said. Luna sniffed at it, then levitated a spoon over, then took a sip and recoiled. "It's cold!" "It's supposed to be cold, it's gazpacho!" Celestia snapped. "Now have your soup and enjoy it!" Celestia then looked up at Sombra, who was enjoying his soup, "Sorry, King Sombra. We've never had gazpacho before-" "Not a problem, Princess. Perhaps your sister would like something warm?" "Nonsense, we couldn't impose-" "We would like a veggie burger!" Luna demanded. "Sister, you're being rude-" "Nonsense, Princesses," Sombra cut them off, "I'd be more than happy to accomodate such a lovely creature," he said while clapping his hooves. A servant quickly walked up. "Get the vision in blue a veggie burger." The servant nodded and walked away. He quickly returned with Luna's veggie burger, which she hungrily telekinetically snatched up and took a bite out of it. "Thank you, King Sombra," Luna said between bites, "at least somepony knows how to treat a lady." Celestia sighed frustratedly as her and Sombra finished their soup, while Luna happily munched on her burger. Celestia put her spoon down and wiped her muzzle down with the provided napkin. "Well, that was delightful, King Sombra." Celestia said, "but I heard that you were a master chef..." "Hardly," Sombra interjected, "most likely apprentice, Jouneyman if you want to push it..." "Nonsense," Celestia replied, "your father, King Geriza, often spoke highly of your culinary prowess. In fact, he assured me that were you not destined to rule the kingdom, your home would be in one of the finest restaurants in the Crystal Empire. And on that note..." Celestia pulled a banana bunch out of one her saddlebags,"he confided in me that you've always wanted to make bananas flambé. So...would you do us the honors, King Sombra?" "Oh, is this the show you promised us!?" Luna said estatically. Sombra's eyes widened. Finally, a chance to show where my true talents lie, he thought as he clapped twice. A servant came to him. "Servant, bring me a cast-iron pot, an orange, a knife, a glass of orange liquer, some butter, a pinch of salt, some brown sugar, a vanilla bean, and a bottle of rum." The servant nodded and left. They waited for a few minutes as the servant came back with the desired ingredients. Sombra smiled and nodded him away. Sombra then stood up by the tray, levitated the pan, and lit a magical fire below it. "You know," Sombra intoned as he chopped up three bananas, and threw them in with the sugar, the butter, the liquer and the bean,"my father once explained to me that ruling a kingdom is much like cooking a meal," he said as he skinned the orange and squeezed out the juices, leaving the peel hanging in a single strip with his magic as he sauteéd the mixture. "How so, King Sombra?" Celestia asked. "Well," Sombra continued, "think of the subjects as ingredients. Each having its own place," he said as he sifted the bananas into the caramelizing sugar,"all the way from the doctors and lawyers all the way down to the lowly street-sweeper. They provide according to their means," he continued as he dripped the rum down the orange peel,"and we provide for them, creating a harmonious society!" he finished as his horn glowed black, his eyes taking on a flash of green, leaking black as he zapped the top of the orange peel as black fire crawled down around it, flambéing the bananas, which he drowned out with the caramelized sauce. Luna looked positively amazed at the display."That was a most marvelous show, King Sombra!" "Charmed..." "Well, it was good..." Celestia mused, "but will it be safe to eat?" "What do you mean, Princess?" "The dark magic..." "Oh!" Sombra exclaimed, "from what I understand, the dark magic boils off in the pot. That's how it was explained to me by my father..." "Well, then," Celestia said, "let's eat!" Sombra smiled as he served each of them a third of the dish. They lifted their forks and ripped off a bite, and tasted it. Luna's eyes shot up as she began to wolf down the dessert. Celestia rolled her bite around her mouth, then swallowed. "Well, King Sombra, in my professional opinion, that was the best bananas flambé I've ever had the pleasure of tasting," she said as she took another bite. Sombra choked on his bite. "Something the matter, King Sombra?" "Oh, nothing. Just caught a bit of sugar in my throat," Sombra lied. Best bananas flambé? This, coming from the sun princess herself! Not to mention an avid lover of bananas herself, Sombra thought."I see that you appear to like them, Luna." Sombra said as Luna looked up from her almost empty plate, nodded, and then finished her plate. Sombra and Celestia ate theirs with the reserve expected of leaders of their stature, finishing a few minutes after Luna had. Sombra clapped twice, and the servants whisked away their plates, along with the tray that had been used for the bananas. "Well, then, on to business..." Sombra said. Author's Note "Geriza" is the Basque word for shadow. And yes, that is how you make Bananas Flambe. At least in Mexico. Chapter TwoSombra was standing on his balcony, admiring the chain-gang below him. He grinned wickedly as they dragged each other in circles. "King Sombra, the Princess Luna returns with news of Discord!" "Let her in!" Sombra called out, a chill traveling down his spine at the mention of that hideous beast's name. However, my Luna is here, he thought to himself as he trotted into the throne room as Luna entered. They approached each other and nuzzled each other's necks. "Hey, Sombry!" Luna piped up, "I trust you've been getting our letters, dear?" "As I trust you've been getting mine, Lulu," Sombra replied warmly, "so, I believe you have vanquished the foul villain?" Luna nodded. "So..." Sombra asked, pacing around Luna, "how did you slay the draconequus?" "We found a new weapon in a tree!" "A...tree?" Sombra asked quizzically. "You mean like a branch or spear?" "No, Sombry!" Luna said while shaking her head, "They're called the Elements of Harmony! They were six jewels hanging off of a tree, and we used them to turn Discord to stone!" "...stone?" Sombra asked, "How ironic..." "Ironic?" "That the bringer of Chaos would be reduced to an immutable form..." "Oh..." Luna said, "By the way, what's the chain-gang for?" Sombra sighed. "I did not plan on you having to see justice being meted out so harshly..." "What did they do?" "Well, they're enemies of the Crown," Sombra replied, "those desecrated scraps who dare defy my carefully built order." "But...what did they DO, Sombry?" "Well, one of them practiced medicine without a license, a couple of them were living in a building without a housing permit, and the rest refuse to pay taxes." "But Sombry, why do you have to be so cruel?" "Well, let me put it like this," Sombra said, "Imagine a set of stairs, right?" Luna nodded her head at this. "Every step in its proper place, so that you can go up and down without issue," Sombra continued, "but what if one of the stairs gets knocked out?" "I don't know, Sombry..." "Exactly! You might miss a step, or even more importantly, not be able to reach the steps above the lost steps," Sombra replied, "these people skipped steps and risked all of us to falling!" "How so?" "Well," Sombra said, circling Luna,"those that refuse to pay taxes undermine the social contract implicit in being a part of the Crystal Empire! Without tax money, where would money for schools and parks come from? Knock that step away, we may lose all we hold dear!" "Uh huh...but what about the squatters? They weren't hurting anyone..." "Not explicitly, but implicitly. You see, we had assigned that house to a loving family that had applied the proper paperwork to live there. When the offenders get released, they'll be assigned proper housing as well." "But what of the medical license?" "I'm glad you asked! Let's say, for example, someone wanted to raise your moon without the proper training-" "...that wouldn't happen." Sombra looked flustered. "...why not?" Luna looked up at Sombra, "Because nopony likes my night!" "Nonsense, Lulu, I'm sure that they love it in their own special way-" "No! They don't! I look over the entire land, and all the ponies hide in their houses and sleep during the hours the moon rises!" Luna said with a huff. "...I watch the moon every night, and I think it's beautiful." Sombra replied warmly. "Oh, hush! You're just saying that 'cause we're betrothed!" "No, Luna, I say it because it's true. And because I love you..." Sombra said as her nuzzled her neck. Luna broke into a smile and nuzzled Sombra back, "I love you, too." Sombra sighed, enjoying the warm embrace for a while longer. Then he pulled away. Luna fell forwards, missing his warmth. "Lulu, I'd like to show you something. But you must promise not to tell anypony." "...ok. What is it?" "It's where I've relocated the Crystal Heart so that nopony can use it for nefarious means." With that, Sombra charged up a black bolt of dark magic and blasted the gem above the throne with it. As it filled with a sick glow, part of the throne room floor disappeared, revealing a long, circular staircase winding into blackness. "Come with me, Lulu." As Sombra started walking down, Luna grasped him in her legs and flew down into the darkness. Down they flew for about thirty seconds, until they touched down. Luna saw a door, and reached out to it with her magic. It flew away and landed on the other side of the room. Luna tried to reach out again, yet the door slipped away once more. Luna stamped her hoof, looking at Sombra frustratedly. Sombra sighed, then charged up his dark magic. Luna could clearly see the whites of his eyes turn green and smoke trails wafting from his eyes as he blasted the crystal above the door with the black energy, leaving it to swing open. Luna looked inside, then recoiled in horror. "Sombry, no, no NO! How could you...how would you...WHY!" Sombra jostled her, whereupon she snapped out of whatever fever dream she was ensorcelled in, and looked at Sombra. "What was that!? You were telling me that you were leaving me for a younger mare, and-" "Merely your worst nightmare come to life, my dear. I would never leave my very special somepony," he cooed into Luna's ear, nuzzling her neck. He then fired a bolt of light magic at the crystal, opening the door. They both walked inside where there were- "Stairs," Luna noted, "why am I not surprised?" "Let me bypass these, love," Sombra said as he held onto the alicorn's neck, prepared a spell, and whisked them all the way to the top of the staircase. There floated the Crystal Heart in all of its glory. "It's beautiful..." Luna said in wonder. She walked towards it, entranced by its glow. Suddenly, she felt a sharp tug on her tail. She looked back to see Sombra tugging on it. "Why?" "Because you'll be trapped inside, my love," Sombra replied, "and then you won't be able to enjoy the ratatouille I prepared for us..." "Ratatouille? What's that?" "One of my specialties, dear. Eggplant, peppers, garlic, onions, zucchini, summer squash, flash-peeled tomatoes and celery reduced into a fine mash." "Oooh, sounds fancy!" "Very much so, darling." And with that, they teleported back into the throne room, and Sombra clapped his hooves together, but not before closing up the giant hole in the floor. The servant wheeled out two trays, and placed them on the floor with two candles between them. "Bring me my wine," Sombra said. The servant nodded and left the room, quickly returning with a bottle marked Hoofington Vineyards, two glasses grasped in his telekinetic field. Sombra nodded at the servant and sent him off. Sombra set the glasses in front of them, then proceeded to pop the cork with his dark magic, his eyes flashing green as he did so. He then poured out the wine into the glasses, and lifted up his glass. "A toast, dear?" He asked, gently wobbling the glass in front of him. Luna then lifted up her glass. "What should we toast to, Sombry?" Sombra's face grew pensive, then an idea popped into his head. "To the continued prosperous conjoinment of two heads of state?" Luna clinked her glass to his and said, "To us," and they both gladly drank to that. They dug into the ratatouille, and Luna said, "This is most delicious!" "Thank you." Sombra said between bites. "So you never told me why not having a medical license was bad," "Well," Sombra started, "if we don't have licensing for our doctors, they could be any quack, who doesn't recognize chicken pox, influenza, or..." "Sepsis?" Sombra stopped chewing. "Your father died because some doctor knew not what he was doing, am I right?" Sombra continued chewing. "Yes, he hired a quack. He said it was evil spirits possessing him. The only evil spirit in that room was that man, who I had convicted of regicide the moment I was coronated." Sombra continued, "You realize once we're married, you'll be a Queen?" "Oh yeah, I meant to ask," Luna asked, "may I remain a princess?" "Why," Sombra asked, "would you ever want to do that?" "Because it will make us sound young." "Oh, you." Sombra chortled. "What? We will not have ponies think us older than Celestia!" "Whatever you desire, Lulu..." They continued eating in silence. They finished eating, and Sombra clapped his hooves twice, the servant coming in and whisking away their plates, then walking out. They continued to sip their wine, staring at the lovely moonrise. "By the way, where's Political Pull?" Luna asked, which caused Sombra to choke on his wine. "He's been granted a long overdue vacation..." Sombra mused. "Well, he deserves it! He works so much harder than anypony here, barring you, of course..." "That he does..." Sombra said, shifting uncomfortably. Final ChapterSombra looked at himself in the mirror. His horn was a furious red with a wicked curve, and his mane and tail flowed with a black power. The whites of his eyes were a permanent green, and dark power flowed from his eyes like smoke from a fire. His wolf-teeth were gleaming. He was dressed in the ceremonial red ermine cape and barding for all regents to wed, and he was wearing his crown. He daresay he looked dashing. Fetching, even. "You're on in two!" Sombra took a deep breath and exhaled. This is it. You're about to marry the love of your life, not to mention seal a treaty. No big deal. No big deal at all. "You're on, King Sombra!" Sombra walked out of his dressing room, nerves quavering at the shock of it all as he approached the altar. The bridesmares came out, accompanied by their groomsponies. Then, the flowerfilly, telekinetically spreading flowers across the runway. Then came the bride. Luna was wearing a flowing white dress, tight around the barrel, with a long train. Her mane was done up in the Crystal Empire tradition, crystals weaved into her mane. Her ceremonial barding, custom-fitted for an alicorn, gleamed in the sunlight along with her mane crystals. She's beautiful, he thought as his breath caught in his throat at the literally divine sight before him. As the minister droned on, all Sombra could think of was the reception, which featured honey-glazed eggplant with mixed vegetables. That, and one other thing. "Luna," Sombra whispered into Luna's ear, "when this is all done, I am going to consummate the hay out of our relationship!" Luna just blushed and giggled. "Now, if anypony objects to this glorious union, speak now or forever hold-" "I OBJECT!" called a familiar Royal Canterlot Voice. Celestia strode into the room, head held high. She was holding the withered remains of a familiar pony. "Political Pull..." Luna said while backing away from Sombra in horror. "And a thousand more just like him piled in an unmarked grave west of here! How DARE you betray your subjects like this, King Sombra! Prepare for-" "Not here." Sombra said calmly. He then sighed, unburdened from secrets, steeling himself afterwards. "W-what!?" Celestia barked. "Oh, Sombry, how could you!?" Luna wailed. “First of all, you’ll find that your precious elements are inert.” Sombra said. Celestia pulled them out of her saddlebag, and found that they were indeed, inert. “How can this be!?” “They respond to disharmony. But I have created harmony, although a dark harmony, like a minor scale. So I choose the battleground, seeing as how this will be a battle.” Celestia nodded. "We will fight in the Frozen Wastes. But first..." And then Sombra's horn flared in dark magic, and all of the ponies withered as Sombra's mane flowed more violently, his eyes grew greener, and his horn blazed like a volcano. Celestia fired a beam at him, only to hit teleport fizz. "Confound that foul brute! Well, I can still trace him, if we-" Celestia pauses as she saw her sister sitting on her haunches, sobbing softly. Celestia looked on, sharing the sorrow drawn on Luna's face. "He said we were his v-very special somepony..." Luna sobbed, "he said he loved us," as a blue glow enveloped her being, "but a being who would drain a living pony to add to their own power HAS NO ROOM FOR OUR LOVE!" She screamed as the dress went up in flames, the barding melted into a puddle at her feet, and crystals launched every which way. "You with me?" "YES WE ARE. LEAD THE WAY" Sombra poofed into the Frozen Wastes, waiting for his hunters. It was going to be a great wedding. She could have at least waited for the reception to clear up. Sombra began to pace, when two flying creatures landed by him. "I see you've-" A beam of pure sunlight exploded at him as he teleported on top on Celestia, sinking his fangs into her neck, then blasting black magic into the holes. Celestia rolled over, hoping to crush him, but he just teleported by Luna. "She's jealous of you," Sombra whispered into her ear. "BACK AWAY, CUR!" Luna howled, backing away herself. Sombra teleported next to her again. "She hogs all the day to herself because she's afraid your moonlight would far outshine her sun. She-" cut off by teleportation as Luna blasted moonlight at her, appearing above Luna. He prepared a dark magic spell, then blasted it straight down. Luna rolled out of the way just as a crater formed where she once was. Celestia, on the other hand was struggling with what appeared to be- "Sepsis," Sombra said, teleporting above Celestia's neck, "a particularly virulent strain I designed myself. She'll be-" Celestia's hoof whiffed through solid air as Sombra attempted to teleport inside of Celestia. Celestia shunted him to the side as he settled for goring her with his horn. Celestia breathed in through her teeth, then ripped out Sombra like a bur, punching him square in the jaw, causing him to roll across the ground. "I am when I say I am." "You dare hit me, GOD-WHORE!?" Sombra growled as his form thinned until it was twelve feet of pure shadow, its form rolling towards Celestia and Luna. His form overtook them, subjecting them to hundreds of cuts and scratches. The shadow monster turned, the visage of Sombra and his horn appearing. "HOW DARE YOU DEFY MY CAREFULLY DESIGNED ORDER!?" it roared as it prepared a spell, black magic pooling. Celestia prepared a dark magic of her own, and released. “SHE WILL USURP YOU, LUNA! MARK MY WORDS!” Shadow Sombra yelled distortedly. “SILENCE, SCOUNDREL!” Luna shouted. The two beams collided, magic pulsing at the center, eventually deflecting into the ground below, splitting the earth. Celestia took to the skies, Luna following as the shadow crawled up the sky behind them. Celestia powered up her horn, Luna following as well, a single tear dripping from her eye as they fired off the blast. Sombra caught it full force, sinking into the crevice below, but not before uttering this phrase: Que as bágoas da princesa lúa banear a cidade de cristal! The ground shook as the crevice closed. Celestia looked up, and raced towards the Crystal Empire, Luna following. When they got to where it was supposed to be, both sisters floated there in shock. Instead of crystal spires, there lay a giant fissure in the ground. Luna floated towards her sister and cried into her shoulder. Celestia patted her on the back. The, Luna felt her slip away as she caught her in her hooves Luna flew with all of her might, and reached their castle in the heart of the Everfree Forest. She laid her down and yelled, “PRINCESS CELESTIA HAS MAGICAL SEPSIS AND NEEDS HELP IMMEDIATELY!!” as two ponies grabbed her and dragged her up the stairs. Luna sat at the threshold, Sombra’s words tickling her brain. “Jealous…” “Afraid…” “Usurp…” Celestia was walking in the foyer in the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters when she heard a voice calling out. "Not another step." Celestia looked up at Luna, stopped "Do you honestly expect me to stand idly by while they all basked in your precious light?" She said while walking over to the foyer balcony. "There can only be one princess in Equestria, and that princess is ME!" Luna said as she smashed the balcony while holding her arms up, raising the moon into the sun and blotting it out. Just then, a black energy wrapped around her, whirling about, revealing an alicorn as tall as Celestia, laughing madly. Author's Note The language is Gaelican, which roughly translates to, "May the tears of the moon princess banish the crystal city!"
Chapter OneSombra sat alone, feeling small in his father's throne room. His throne room, he thought to himself, my father's death necessitated this transition. He shuddered a small shudder at the thought. He had looked as healthy as a horse just two weeks prior...to think that he could be struck down so suddenly in what seemed like the prime of his life by sepsis. Sepsis, Sombra thought, has no place in this world. Clearing his thoughts of recent events, he ran his mind over his schedule. Breakfast, check. Library time, check. Which leaves a delightful luncheon with the emissaries from Equestria proper. Well, then, I should make the arrangements. Sombra got up from his throne and began to step off of the dais and- "King Sombra, where are you going?" A dull voice said. "I was going to the kitchen to make lunch for our emissaries, Political Pull." Sombra replied, shocked at the interruption. "Maybe when you were a prince, and your mother wanted to teach you responsibility," Pull harumphed, "but you're King now. You have servants to do the gruntwork for you now." Sombra sat back down on the throne, looking puzzled as to what to do with his time now. He then reached for a book with his magic, Musicalus Interruptus, and began reading in earnest. It would do him well to appear studious as the emissaries arrived. His waiting was rewarded when the crier announced the emissaries' arrival. "The Princesses Celestia and Luna are here to see you, King Sombra!" His heart skipped a beat. Princesses?, he thought, Nopony told me I would be receiving royalty! I'll have to punish those responsible for this grievous breach in protocol. He fixed his mane, and announced without looking up, "Let them in." The doors opened to reveal two ponies with indescribable regality. The larger one, a brilliant white whose mane was an everflowing interchange of pink, green and blue, stepped in. She was followed by a vision of beauty, whose mane was a midnight blue offset by a coat of a warmer blue, and eyes, deep pools of blue themselves. Sombra, retaining his composure, quietly put his book to the side and faced these ponies. He then said, "Welcome to my kingdom, Princesses. I was not aware that you were our emissaries." "No need to worry, King Sombra. We prefer it that way," Celestia said. "We doth not wantest thou to goest through any, extra preparations in our honor," Luna's musical voice lilted. "Well, then," Sombra said. Scratch the punishment, "shall we begin our luncheon? I have a soup prepared from the freshest batch of Crystal berries." He said while clapping his hooves twice. Servants rolled in three trays of a purple liquid in bowls, them levitated them over to their intended recipients. Celestia smelled the soup, a warm smile crossing her face. "This smells lovely, King Sombra. Thank you," Celestia said. Luna sniffed at it, then levitated a spoon over, then took a sip and recoiled. "It's cold!" "It's supposed to be cold, it's gazpacho!" Celestia snapped. "Now have your soup and enjoy it!" Celestia then looked up at Sombra, who was enjoying his soup, "Sorry, King Sombra. We've never had gazpacho before-" "Not a problem, Princess. Perhaps your sister would like something warm?" "Nonsense, we couldn't impose-" "We would like a veggie burger!" Luna demanded. "Sister, you're being rude-" "Nonsense, Princesses," Sombra cut them off, "I'd be more than happy to accomodate such a lovely creature," he said while clapping his hooves. A servant quickly walked up. "Get the vision in blue a veggie burger." The servant nodded and walked away. He quickly returned with Luna's veggie burger, which she hungrily telekinetically snatched up and took a bite out of it. "Thank you, King Sombra," Luna said between bites, "at least somepony knows how to treat a lady." Celestia sighed frustratedly as her and Sombra finished their soup, while Luna happily munched on her burger. Celestia put her spoon down and wiped her muzzle down with the provided napkin. "Well, that was delightful, King Sombra." Celestia said, "but I heard that you were a master chef..." "Hardly," Sombra interjected, "most likely apprentice, Jouneyman if you want to push it..." "Nonsense," Celestia replied, "your father, King Geriza, often spoke highly of your culinary prowess. In fact, he assured me that were you not destined to rule the kingdom, your home would be in one of the finest restaurants in the Crystal Empire. And on that note..." Celestia pulled a banana bunch out of one her saddlebags,"he confided in me that you've always wanted to make bananas flambé. So...would you do us the honors, King Sombra?" "Oh, is this the show you promised us!?" Luna said estatically. Sombra's eyes widened. Finally, a chance to show where my true talents lie, he thought as he clapped twice. A servant came to him. "Servant, bring me a cast-iron pot, an orange, a knife, a glass of orange liquer, some butter, a pinch of salt, some brown sugar, a vanilla bean, and a bottle of rum." The servant nodded and left. They waited for a few minutes as the servant came back with the desired ingredients. Sombra smiled and nodded him away. Sombra then stood up by the tray, levitated the pan, and lit a magical fire below it. "You know," Sombra intoned as he chopped up three bananas, and threw them in with the sugar, the butter, the liquer and the bean,"my father once explained to me that ruling a kingdom is much like cooking a meal," he said as he skinned the orange and squeezed out the juices, leaving the peel hanging in a single strip with his magic as he sauteéd the mixture. "How so, King Sombra?" Celestia asked. "Well," Sombra continued, "think of the subjects as ingredients. Each having its own place," he said as he sifted the bananas into the caramelizing sugar,"all the way from the doctors and lawyers all the way down to the lowly street-sweeper. They provide according to their means," he continued as he dripped the rum down the orange peel,"and we provide for them, creating a harmonious society!" he finished as his horn glowed black, his eyes taking on a flash of green, leaking black as he zapped the top of the orange peel as black fire crawled down around it, flambéing the bananas, which he drowned out with the caramelized sauce. Luna looked positively amazed at the display."That was a most marvelous show, King Sombra!" "Charmed..." "Well, it was good..." Celestia mused, "but will it be safe to eat?" "What do you mean, Princess?" "The dark magic..." "Oh!" Sombra exclaimed, "from what I understand, the dark magic boils off in the pot. That's how it was explained to me by my father..." "Well, then," Celestia said, "let's eat!" Sombra smiled as he served each of them a third of the dish. They lifted their forks and ripped off a bite, and tasted it. Luna's eyes shot up as she began to wolf down the dessert. Celestia rolled her bite around her mouth, then swallowed. "Well, King Sombra, in my professional opinion, that was the best bananas flambé I've ever had the pleasure of tasting," she said as she took another bite. Sombra choked on his bite. "Something the matter, King Sombra?" "Oh, nothing. Just caught a bit of sugar in my throat," Sombra lied. Best bananas flambé? This, coming from the sun princess herself! Not to mention an avid lover of bananas herself, Sombra thought."I see that you appear to like them, Luna." Sombra said as Luna looked up from her almost empty plate, nodded, and then finished her plate. Sombra and Celestia ate theirs with the reserve expected of leaders of their stature, finishing a few minutes after Luna had. Sombra clapped twice, and the servants whisked away their plates, along with the tray that had been used for the bananas. "Well, then, on to business..." Sombra said. Author's Note "Geriza" is the Basque word for shadow. And yes, that is how you make Bananas Flambe. At least in Mexico.
Chapter TwoSombra was standing on his balcony, admiring the chain-gang below him. He grinned wickedly as they dragged each other in circles. "King Sombra, the Princess Luna returns with news of Discord!" "Let her in!" Sombra called out, a chill traveling down his spine at the mention of that hideous beast's name. However, my Luna is here, he thought to himself as he trotted into the throne room as Luna entered. They approached each other and nuzzled each other's necks. "Hey, Sombry!" Luna piped up, "I trust you've been getting our letters, dear?" "As I trust you've been getting mine, Lulu," Sombra replied warmly, "so, I believe you have vanquished the foul villain?" Luna nodded. "So..." Sombra asked, pacing around Luna, "how did you slay the draconequus?" "We found a new weapon in a tree!" "A...tree?" Sombra asked quizzically. "You mean like a branch or spear?" "No, Sombry!" Luna said while shaking her head, "They're called the Elements of Harmony! They were six jewels hanging off of a tree, and we used them to turn Discord to stone!" "...stone?" Sombra asked, "How ironic..." "Ironic?" "That the bringer of Chaos would be reduced to an immutable form..." "Oh..." Luna said, "By the way, what's the chain-gang for?" Sombra sighed. "I did not plan on you having to see justice being meted out so harshly..." "What did they do?" "Well, they're enemies of the Crown," Sombra replied, "those desecrated scraps who dare defy my carefully built order." "But...what did they DO, Sombry?" "Well, one of them practiced medicine without a license, a couple of them were living in a building without a housing permit, and the rest refuse to pay taxes." "But Sombry, why do you have to be so cruel?" "Well, let me put it like this," Sombra said, "Imagine a set of stairs, right?" Luna nodded her head at this. "Every step in its proper place, so that you can go up and down without issue," Sombra continued, "but what if one of the stairs gets knocked out?" "I don't know, Sombry..." "Exactly! You might miss a step, or even more importantly, not be able to reach the steps above the lost steps," Sombra replied, "these people skipped steps and risked all of us to falling!" "How so?" "Well," Sombra said, circling Luna,"those that refuse to pay taxes undermine the social contract implicit in being a part of the Crystal Empire! Without tax money, where would money for schools and parks come from? Knock that step away, we may lose all we hold dear!" "Uh huh...but what about the squatters? They weren't hurting anyone..." "Not explicitly, but implicitly. You see, we had assigned that house to a loving family that had applied the proper paperwork to live there. When the offenders get released, they'll be assigned proper housing as well." "But what of the medical license?" "I'm glad you asked! Let's say, for example, someone wanted to raise your moon without the proper training-" "...that wouldn't happen." Sombra looked flustered. "...why not?" Luna looked up at Sombra, "Because nopony likes my night!" "Nonsense, Lulu, I'm sure that they love it in their own special way-" "No! They don't! I look over the entire land, and all the ponies hide in their houses and sleep during the hours the moon rises!" Luna said with a huff. "...I watch the moon every night, and I think it's beautiful." Sombra replied warmly. "Oh, hush! You're just saying that 'cause we're betrothed!" "No, Luna, I say it because it's true. And because I love you..." Sombra said as her nuzzled her neck. Luna broke into a smile and nuzzled Sombra back, "I love you, too." Sombra sighed, enjoying the warm embrace for a while longer. Then he pulled away. Luna fell forwards, missing his warmth. "Lulu, I'd like to show you something. But you must promise not to tell anypony." "...ok. What is it?" "It's where I've relocated the Crystal Heart so that nopony can use it for nefarious means." With that, Sombra charged up a black bolt of dark magic and blasted the gem above the throne with it. As it filled with a sick glow, part of the throne room floor disappeared, revealing a long, circular staircase winding into blackness. "Come with me, Lulu." As Sombra started walking down, Luna grasped him in her legs and flew down into the darkness. Down they flew for about thirty seconds, until they touched down. Luna saw a door, and reached out to it with her magic. It flew away and landed on the other side of the room. Luna tried to reach out again, yet the door slipped away once more. Luna stamped her hoof, looking at Sombra frustratedly. Sombra sighed, then charged up his dark magic. Luna could clearly see the whites of his eyes turn green and smoke trails wafting from his eyes as he blasted the crystal above the door with the black energy, leaving it to swing open. Luna looked inside, then recoiled in horror. "Sombry, no, no NO! How could you...how would you...WHY!" Sombra jostled her, whereupon she snapped out of whatever fever dream she was ensorcelled in, and looked at Sombra. "What was that!? You were telling me that you were leaving me for a younger mare, and-" "Merely your worst nightmare come to life, my dear. I would never leave my very special somepony," he cooed into Luna's ear, nuzzling her neck. He then fired a bolt of light magic at the crystal, opening the door. They both walked inside where there were- "Stairs," Luna noted, "why am I not surprised?" "Let me bypass these, love," Sombra said as he held onto the alicorn's neck, prepared a spell, and whisked them all the way to the top of the staircase. There floated the Crystal Heart in all of its glory. "It's beautiful..." Luna said in wonder. She walked towards it, entranced by its glow. Suddenly, she felt a sharp tug on her tail. She looked back to see Sombra tugging on it. "Why?" "Because you'll be trapped inside, my love," Sombra replied, "and then you won't be able to enjoy the ratatouille I prepared for us..." "Ratatouille? What's that?" "One of my specialties, dear. Eggplant, peppers, garlic, onions, zucchini, summer squash, flash-peeled tomatoes and celery reduced into a fine mash." "Oooh, sounds fancy!" "Very much so, darling." And with that, they teleported back into the throne room, and Sombra clapped his hooves together, but not before closing up the giant hole in the floor. The servant wheeled out two trays, and placed them on the floor with two candles between them. "Bring me my wine," Sombra said. The servant nodded and left the room, quickly returning with a bottle marked Hoofington Vineyards, two glasses grasped in his telekinetic field. Sombra nodded at the servant and sent him off. Sombra set the glasses in front of them, then proceeded to pop the cork with his dark magic, his eyes flashing green as he did so. He then poured out the wine into the glasses, and lifted up his glass. "A toast, dear?" He asked, gently wobbling the glass in front of him. Luna then lifted up her glass. "What should we toast to, Sombry?" Sombra's face grew pensive, then an idea popped into his head. "To the continued prosperous conjoinment of two heads of state?" Luna clinked her glass to his and said, "To us," and they both gladly drank to that. They dug into the ratatouille, and Luna said, "This is most delicious!" "Thank you." Sombra said between bites. "So you never told me why not having a medical license was bad," "Well," Sombra started, "if we don't have licensing for our doctors, they could be any quack, who doesn't recognize chicken pox, influenza, or..." "Sepsis?" Sombra stopped chewing. "Your father died because some doctor knew not what he was doing, am I right?" Sombra continued chewing. "Yes, he hired a quack. He said it was evil spirits possessing him. The only evil spirit in that room was that man, who I had convicted of regicide the moment I was coronated." Sombra continued, "You realize once we're married, you'll be a Queen?" "Oh yeah, I meant to ask," Luna asked, "may I remain a princess?" "Why," Sombra asked, "would you ever want to do that?" "Because it will make us sound young." "Oh, you." Sombra chortled. "What? We will not have ponies think us older than Celestia!" "Whatever you desire, Lulu..." They continued eating in silence. They finished eating, and Sombra clapped his hooves twice, the servant coming in and whisking away their plates, then walking out. They continued to sip their wine, staring at the lovely moonrise. "By the way, where's Political Pull?" Luna asked, which caused Sombra to choke on his wine. "He's been granted a long overdue vacation..." Sombra mused. "Well, he deserves it! He works so much harder than anypony here, barring you, of course..." "That he does..." Sombra said, shifting uncomfortably.
Final ChapterSombra looked at himself in the mirror. His horn was a furious red with a wicked curve, and his mane and tail flowed with a black power. The whites of his eyes were a permanent green, and dark power flowed from his eyes like smoke from a fire. His wolf-teeth were gleaming. He was dressed in the ceremonial red ermine cape and barding for all regents to wed, and he was wearing his crown. He daresay he looked dashing. Fetching, even. "You're on in two!" Sombra took a deep breath and exhaled. This is it. You're about to marry the love of your life, not to mention seal a treaty. No big deal. No big deal at all. "You're on, King Sombra!" Sombra walked out of his dressing room, nerves quavering at the shock of it all as he approached the altar. The bridesmares came out, accompanied by their groomsponies. Then, the flowerfilly, telekinetically spreading flowers across the runway. Then came the bride. Luna was wearing a flowing white dress, tight around the barrel, with a long train. Her mane was done up in the Crystal Empire tradition, crystals weaved into her mane. Her ceremonial barding, custom-fitted for an alicorn, gleamed in the sunlight along with her mane crystals. She's beautiful, he thought as his breath caught in his throat at the literally divine sight before him. As the minister droned on, all Sombra could think of was the reception, which featured honey-glazed eggplant with mixed vegetables. That, and one other thing. "Luna," Sombra whispered into Luna's ear, "when this is all done, I am going to consummate the hay out of our relationship!" Luna just blushed and giggled. "Now, if anypony objects to this glorious union, speak now or forever hold-" "I OBJECT!" called a familiar Royal Canterlot Voice. Celestia strode into the room, head held high. She was holding the withered remains of a familiar pony. "Political Pull..." Luna said while backing away from Sombra in horror. "And a thousand more just like him piled in an unmarked grave west of here! How DARE you betray your subjects like this, King Sombra! Prepare for-" "Not here." Sombra said calmly. He then sighed, unburdened from secrets, steeling himself afterwards. "W-what!?" Celestia barked. "Oh, Sombry, how could you!?" Luna wailed. “First of all, you’ll find that your precious elements are inert.” Sombra said. Celestia pulled them out of her saddlebag, and found that they were indeed, inert. “How can this be!?” “They respond to disharmony. But I have created harmony, although a dark harmony, like a minor scale. So I choose the battleground, seeing as how this will be a battle.” Celestia nodded. "We will fight in the Frozen Wastes. But first..." And then Sombra's horn flared in dark magic, and all of the ponies withered as Sombra's mane flowed more violently, his eyes grew greener, and his horn blazed like a volcano. Celestia fired a beam at him, only to hit teleport fizz. "Confound that foul brute! Well, I can still trace him, if we-" Celestia pauses as she saw her sister sitting on her haunches, sobbing softly. Celestia looked on, sharing the sorrow drawn on Luna's face. "He said we were his v-very special somepony..." Luna sobbed, "he said he loved us," as a blue glow enveloped her being, "but a being who would drain a living pony to add to their own power HAS NO ROOM FOR OUR LOVE!" She screamed as the dress went up in flames, the barding melted into a puddle at her feet, and crystals launched every which way. "You with me?" "YES WE ARE. LEAD THE WAY" Sombra poofed into the Frozen Wastes, waiting for his hunters. It was going to be a great wedding. She could have at least waited for the reception to clear up. Sombra began to pace, when two flying creatures landed by him. "I see you've-" A beam of pure sunlight exploded at him as he teleported on top on Celestia, sinking his fangs into her neck, then blasting black magic into the holes. Celestia rolled over, hoping to crush him, but he just teleported by Luna. "She's jealous of you," Sombra whispered into her ear. "BACK AWAY, CUR!" Luna howled, backing away herself. Sombra teleported next to her again. "She hogs all the day to herself because she's afraid your moonlight would far outshine her sun. She-" cut off by teleportation as Luna blasted moonlight at her, appearing above Luna. He prepared a dark magic spell, then blasted it straight down. Luna rolled out of the way just as a crater formed where she once was. Celestia, on the other hand was struggling with what appeared to be- "Sepsis," Sombra said, teleporting above Celestia's neck, "a particularly virulent strain I designed myself. She'll be-" Celestia's hoof whiffed through solid air as Sombra attempted to teleport inside of Celestia. Celestia shunted him to the side as he settled for goring her with his horn. Celestia breathed in through her teeth, then ripped out Sombra like a bur, punching him square in the jaw, causing him to roll across the ground. "I am when I say I am." "You dare hit me, GOD-WHORE!?" Sombra growled as his form thinned until it was twelve feet of pure shadow, its form rolling towards Celestia and Luna. His form overtook them, subjecting them to hundreds of cuts and scratches. The shadow monster turned, the visage of Sombra and his horn appearing. "HOW DARE YOU DEFY MY CAREFULLY DESIGNED ORDER!?" it roared as it prepared a spell, black magic pooling. Celestia prepared a dark magic of her own, and released. “SHE WILL USURP YOU, LUNA! MARK MY WORDS!” Shadow Sombra yelled distortedly. “SILENCE, SCOUNDREL!” Luna shouted. The two beams collided, magic pulsing at the center, eventually deflecting into the ground below, splitting the earth. Celestia took to the skies, Luna following as the shadow crawled up the sky behind them. Celestia powered up her horn, Luna following as well, a single tear dripping from her eye as they fired off the blast. Sombra caught it full force, sinking into the crevice below, but not before uttering this phrase: Que as bágoas da princesa lúa banear a cidade de cristal! The ground shook as the crevice closed. Celestia looked up, and raced towards the Crystal Empire, Luna following. When they got to where it was supposed to be, both sisters floated there in shock. Instead of crystal spires, there lay a giant fissure in the ground. Luna floated towards her sister and cried into her shoulder. Celestia patted her on the back. The, Luna felt her slip away as she caught her in her hooves Luna flew with all of her might, and reached their castle in the heart of the Everfree Forest. She laid her down and yelled, “PRINCESS CELESTIA HAS MAGICAL SEPSIS AND NEEDS HELP IMMEDIATELY!!” as two ponies grabbed her and dragged her up the stairs. Luna sat at the threshold, Sombra’s words tickling her brain. “Jealous…” “Afraid…” “Usurp…” Celestia was walking in the foyer in the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters when she heard a voice calling out. "Not another step." Celestia looked up at Luna, stopped "Do you honestly expect me to stand idly by while they all basked in your precious light?" She said while walking over to the foyer balcony. "There can only be one princess in Equestria, and that princess is ME!" Luna said as she smashed the balcony while holding her arms up, raising the moon into the sun and blotting it out. Just then, a black energy wrapped around her, whirling about, revealing an alicorn as tall as Celestia, laughing madly. Author's Note The language is Gaelican, which roughly translates to, "May the tears of the moon princess banish the crystal city!"
