The Woods Are Lovely, Dark and Deep

Chapters

The Journal of Sombra Nyh-Tyaim
The Shadow of War
Chrysalis, Partner in Crime
The Hell Where Youth and Laughter Go
Cityfall

The Journal of Sombra Nyh-Tyaim

Soft light fell through the trees above, bathing I and her in faint warmth…warmth I could barely feel. I was faintly aware of shouts off in the distance, horrified cries of concern as they swarmed towards me, trying to wake me up. I think I tried to speak…tried to say something. Not sure what I said.

It didn’t matter, ultimately. None of it mattered.

Because that sunny spring morning was the day I died…and Sombra, the Shadowlord was born.

Wind rustled against the mane that ran down my neck. My body was matted with sweat, my lungs burning from within. I just wanted to flop over onto the grass below, but…but all I could think of was my sister as she lay on my back, unable to move any more than I could.

I think I tried to say something to her. Yes. To tell her we’d been found, but…no point. Couldn’t form a coherent sentence. Couldn’t see straight. Everything is fuzzy and blurry…you can feel my ribcage through the flimsy remnants of the black shirt I wore.

So tired.

Just…just give in. Give in and rest, it’ll all end…

But I keep thinking of Luza.

…Lul-loo…this is my fault. I was so selfish. If I’d just STAYED-

“It’s really muddled, hard to translate, but I’m getting there!” Twilight Sparkle admitted as she put the journal down, shaking her head back and forth, purple mane flopping about as her indigo eyes glanced over at the young changeling-blooded little filly who was looking the journal over himself along with her draconic assistant Spike. Yellow and Green eyes scanned the pages as little Squirt and Spike looked through it, struggling to try and make sense of the rest of the pages THEMSELVES, clearly not doing well.

“Innnnnteresting.” Squirt’s adopted father admitted, Shinedown T. Mare nodding his slightly Mohawky-esque hair a bit, the deep blue bobbing as he shook Twilight’s hand, smiling broadly. “But it was a GREAT idea for you to call me in. I’ve been spending week after week with the new Changeling clans we’re integrating into Canterlot, and the program’s been going splendidly.”

The Changeling race…shapeshifters who fed off positive emotions. And the answer to how they could become accepted was “retro”…do what their species had done before, and PERFORM. And because so many had been displaced through time and space by what they had described as the day the “Sky Split Open”, the Keobjil, Ilgagsu AND Nabang changeling clans were all eager to try and pick up where their race had left off.

And what better way to put your shapeshifting abilities to the test than on the STAGE? The tale of “Delirium” in particular was sweeping Canterlot by storm and soon they’d be performing it at Ponyville. The only problem was with the CLANS. The Ghainahm breed of Changeling were very eager to rejoin Equestria society, try to get back what the Changeling species had. But the Sugnbohn weren’t so hot on the idea. Though they only differed in really one respect, having actual hair, the rifts between the races were deep and it would take years to heal.

But baby steps. Baby steps. And being able to adjust your voice to the perfect pitch so you could belt out pop tunes WAS actually working at winning over the populace.

“I take it you’re no longer having issues with your singing?” Twilight asked of young Squirt as he held his hoof to his throat and cleared it, Shinedown walking over to his adopted song and putting a hoof on his shoulder as they began to sing, first Squirt with a word, then Shinedown, before joining in, both at alternating pitches and tones.

“Lollipop!” “Lollipop!”

“Oh, lolly, lolly, lolly!”

“Lollipop!” “Lollipop!”

“Oh, lolly, lolly, lolly, LOLLIPOP!” And then they both clucked their tongues, imitating taking a sucker out of their mouths and smiling broadly.

“It’s easy for most Changelings to get the looks down. NOT the voice. But it just seems to come naturally to me the same way it does with the band “Insane Colt Posse”.”

“Oh yeah, they use magic facepaint, right? The ones that make ‘em look like clowns with the black makeup that shifts onstage?” Twilight asked, scratching her head as Shinedown nodded. “It’s kind of…odd.”

“Hey, I use magic paint. How do you think I get my body this BEAUTIFUL medley of colors that so lovingly resemble the sky as the sun has just set?” Shinedown asked, holding up an arm as Squirt’s eyes widened a bit, looking back at the journal.

“Wait-wait-wait. I RECOGNIZE that.” He murmured, holding the journal up. “I know this language. It’s the same words the Ghainahm speak among themselves, in private, when they’re not talking to other races.”

“Yes, I’d imagine so…do you remember the old journal I found? The one that spoke of the Changeling Shimmer?” Twilight Sparkle wanted to know as she and Spike sat down next to Squirt, Shinedown joining them as he nodded in agreement.

“Yes, it’s the same language, isn’t it?” He inquired.

“The very same.” Twilight proclaimed. “And because Shimmer was so prolific, I’ve been able to translate this journal. I believe it belongs to King Sombra himself.”

Shinedown and Squirt and Spike shuddered all at once, Spike especially so as his claws dug into the floor and he cringed. “S-Sombra…” He whispered out. “That awful, awful guy…”

“From what I’ve gleamed from the first chapters, Sombra was found outside of where the Crystal Empire was forged.” Twilight said, focusing slightly as she closed her eyes, an image of Sombra from the journal appearing, that of a young unicorn with an oddly…cheery face, a sweet looking little sister riding on his back. “He apparently escaped from his people to try and seek asylum somewhere as far away from them as he could find.”

“Wow, even as a FILLY he was causing trouble?” Shinedown wondered aloud. “He looks so…nice.” He murmured, not understanding how somebody that looked so ordinary and normal could become something as horrible and cruel as King Sombra had become.

“He LOOKED nice. But…” Twilight trailed off slightly. “…well, I’m not going to say he was a monster from start to finish. Nopony’s born evil, but…I’ve read through the journal. Bit by bit, I started…noticing things about him that kept popping up with more frequency.” She admitted, poking a hoof down at the journal as Squirt clapped his hooves together.

“Oh please, oh PLEEEEAAASE read it to us?” He asked, eyes eager and wide like dinner plates. “I love a good story!”

“And you have that natural talent of telling them.” Shinedown added with a sage nod.

“Well…I’m not the only one.” Twilight admitted as she held the journal up and cleared her throat, holding a hoof in the air as she began to speak. “The night is sultry, a good kind of burn against my fur as my father and I head out onto the field of battle. The War Games shall come to an end and the fate of Manechuria will soon be decided today. I shall finish strong, just like Poppa wants me too…”

…

… Sombra Nyh-Tyaim trotted alongside his father, Lord Seoul Nyh-Tyaim smirking broadly as he gestured across the cold battlefield, the air thick and heavy in shop contrast, charged with electricity as Sombra took in deep, careful breaths. His father’s army murmured and whispered amongst each other as Sombra spread his legs slightly, bowing his horn a bit as it sizzled and hissed, tiny wisps of smoke rising off the shaft as it began to glow brighter and brighter with greenish/black light, a perfect imitation of his deeply piercing eyes…his father’s eyes.

His dark black mane whipped back and forth in the air as his father nodded firmly at him, Lord Seoul turning to the troops as they instantly stopped their chattering and murmuring. “Behold! I sponsor my own son for the Duel as an end to the War Games. Manechuria has managed to match us duel for duel…but today, that streak ends…”

He smirked proudly, revealing sharp canines that made the Manchurian Sugnbohn cringe nervously. That smirk gave them the willies, and they glanced about at each other, their armored forms slightly bunching together like scared deer as their selected champion snorted harshly, his strong jaw line cracking a bit as he slammed his fangs together, sparks sizzling through the air. “You do not frighten me…BOY.” He hissed at Sombra as the sultry night air filled Sombra’s lungs and he began to sway back and forth in a rhythmic fashion like a snake, circling around the thick-shelled Keobjil changeling.

“Big words from an overgrown beetle that is soon to be squished.” Sombra remarked. “I do hope you understand you can’t surrender in the middle of the fight. You only get one chance and I’m offering it to you now. I suggest you take it. You’d like to keep your limbs, wouldn’t you?” He inquired, waving a silver-armored hoof in the air, his chest rising and falling against the tight crimson vest he wore.

“Elitist snob.” The Keobjil grunted out as Lord Seoul trotted over to his troops, letting out a loud howl as all his men banged their hooves against the ground. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. Soon the Manechurians joined in, thumping their hooves against the earth below as they began to chant.

“Duel. DUEL. DUEL. DUEL.”

The two rushed forward, Sombra’s horn glowing brightly, the Keobjil leaping into the air, trying to crush the young unicorn beneath his massive weight. Sombra quickly rolled out of the way, then jumped at the changeling, his horn slashing, slicing across his foe’s chest. The Keobjil growled, headbutting Sombra on his muzzle, knocking him back before a harsh backhand sent him flying.

The Manechurians let out a cheer, Lord Seoul growling in annoyance as Sombra struggled to his hooves only to get slammed through the air by a rush attack from the Keobjil, but Sombra’s horn glowed brightly and he re-righted himself in midair, landing on the ground, some blood dripping down to the murky ground below. Sombra’s eyes narrowed intensely as the Keobjil raced towards him and Sombra did something unexpected: DIVING. He dove right underneath the charging Keobjil and then flipped the surprised changeling up into the air, leaping up after him and delivering a powerful kick with both back hooves.

THRAKKA-THROOOM! The changeling collided with the ground, rolling away to avoid Sombra coming back down on HIM. The Keobjil tried to leap at Sombra to smack into him the way the unicorn had, but he wasn’t as fast as Sombra, who swiftly served out of the way and kicked at the Keobjil, only to have his hoof fist strike off the thick back of the beast. The Keobjil smirked, kicking Sombra in the stomach, sending him flying across the ground with a KRAKKA-THRUCK as Sombra growled out.

“GRGGH…” His neon green eyes glittered as the Keobjil raced towards him and his horn began to glow even more brightly than before as his mouth opened, his tone becoming…strange…

“You…will…sssstoooopp…”

The Keobjil halted in place, everyone gasping, Lord Seoul the only one seemingly unaffected as he calmly smiled, Sombra calmly walking towards the stunned Keobjil as his horn began to glow more brightly. “Yessss. You will listen well. Listen to me. Hearrrrrr my voice…ONLY myyyyy voice…” Sombra whispered out, his eyes continuing to glow along with his horn. “And kneeeeeel. Kneel before me.”

The Keobjil instantly fell to his knees, Sombra smiling proudly as he put a single hoof on the Changeling’s forehead. “Good. I’m glad we had this little chat.” He remarked, slamming his forehead into the Keobjil’s skull, the horn drilling swiftly in with a squelching, wet-meat sound as the Keobjil collapsed on the spot, dying instantly as blood slowly trickled down the horn. Sombra calmly turned the Keobjil changeling over onto his back, carefully placing his hooves in a position of repose as the other changelings began to glance about, confused. What had just…they’d felt so strange, like they were in a dream. What had…

And why were they all KNEELING, what-

Then they saw it. The Keobjil Manechurian challenger was dead, his hooves crossed across his chest, Sombra calmly sitting before the body, hooves clasped together. “It is done, father.” He murmured quietly.

“Wonderful as always, Sombra!” Lord Seoul lauighed happily, throwing his head back, gleefully howling with joy as his troops hooted and hollered, the Manechurians cringing as Lord Seoul put a hoof around Sombra’s shoulder and proudly nuzzled his son’s throat. “Excellent, EXCELLENT! Manechuria is now property of the Shadowlands.” He proclaimed, waving his other hoof in the air with a dramatic swoosh of his arm. “Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground…and we shall build a new future together.”

The Manechurians nervously glanced around at each other…but they all tossed their spears and swords and lances and shields to the ground, taking their helmets and armor off with them. The rules of the War Games were absolute. You had to obey. It was one of the few things all Changelings agreed on. And this meant Manechuria had a new ruler.

“This is a hell of a birthday present, dad. I mean, an entire country just for me and Luza?” Sombra asked with a faint blush of his cheeks. “You shouldn’t have.”

“Oh, son. This is just the first part of the present.” Lord Seoul Nyh-Tyaim chuckled, shaking his thick-maned head back and forth. “Wait until you see what your mother made for you…she’s had time to put the finishing touches on it whilst we were out and Luza was finishing up her fishing lessons…”

…

… “Salmon, cod, flounder and perch, I’ll drive my carriage into church!
Sunnies, haddock, tuna, trout! Wait ‘til you hear our minister shout!” A slightly squeaky voice cheerily sang out, bobbing her head back and forth as she held her fishing pole in her little hooves, her mother sitting next to her, smiling proudly at her child. Little Luza Nyh-Tyaim had her mother’s perfect bowl haircut which NEVER got messed up, and the soft, crimson-red eyes of her father, which became alit with joy when she finally got a nibble…

And then the fish tried to make off with the bait, the little unicorn focusing her power as her tiny horn flared. THA-SPLOOOOSH! The fish went flying out of the water and splashed onto the shore, her mother Mina smiling with pride, rubbing her daughter’s head, grinning eagerly. “Ooh, look how big that bass is!” She chuckled.

“That’s what FATHER said.” A voice rang out as she turned to see Sombra trotting towards them down the forest path, Mina’s horn flaring up as she launched HIM into the water with a loud cry and he went flopping belly-first into the water. KA-SPLOOOSH! “Heyyy!”

“Not in front of your SISTER.” Mina Nyh-Tyaim remarked, waving a hoof in the air as she turned to see Luza poking the fish’s stomach, the hook still inside the mouth. “Now honey, you need to carefully ease the hook out with your horn, alright?”

“I’m…not so good with that, mom…” Luza murmured. “But…I’ll TRY!” She added, closing her eyes, focusing intensely, the hook in the bass shuddering back and forth as it began to ease out of the fish’s big, thick lips, more…more…more…

But then it RIPPED out, half of the fish’s lip now gone as Luza cringed. “Ohhh! Oh no, no, I’m so sorry…” She sobbed, covering her face with her hooves, weeping over the dying bass as Sombra cringed at the sight of his sister’s pain, quickly racing over to her, holding her in a tender embrace as Mina quickly pocketed the fish in the little bag she had slung over her shoulder.

“You’ll get better, I promise.” He cooed to her, nuzzling her slightly as she looked up into his eyes and he softly kissed her forehead. “Nobody’s perfect.”

“But-but I…I killed it, I…ohhhh!” She sobbed out as Sombra got an idea, his tone momentarily getting lower as his voice became…persuasive.

“Shhhh…it’s alright…it’ll be alright…just relaxxxx…listen to my melodioussss voice…” He softly cooed, his eyes slightly aglow as Luza blinked a few times before whacking him on the nose. “OW! What was THAT for?!” He wanted to know as she pulled away from him, “harrumphing”.

“You tried to use the Sangy thing on me!” She muttered balefully, their mother Mina whacking Sombra over the head.

“No using your precious Mesmerism on FAMILY, Sombra. The ability to influence others through Willpower alone is something I only want you using in dire emergencies…and NOT on your sister. Not EVER!” Mina proclaimed firmly, shaking her head back and forth.

“I was just trying to calm her down, make her feel better…” Sombra murmured. “The Sanguine Condition’s a great way to get people to relax if used right.”

His mother held his cheek, lifting it up so HE could now stare into HER eyes, and though she didn’t know the technique, it was as if he was being mesmerized by her. “It’s also a great way to make them feel things they shouldn’t be feeling, do things they shouldn’t be doing, and you KNOW it.” Mina intoned softly. “Don’t you do it on her again. I want you to PROMISE me you’ll always, ALWAYS be honest and open with your sister.”

“I promise.” Sombra finally sighed, hanging his head in mild shame…just as his mother put something around his neck and he glanced down, eyes wide in amazement. “Is…is that a…?”

It was! There on his neck was a beautiful amulet of crimson and steel, a ruby diamond in the center of the triangular necklace, a little horned and winged pony’s head atop it as Sombra tapped it, his eyes glowing brightly in awe. “An Alicorn Amulet…”

“As you know, The Trinity of Inner Strength focuses on Willpower, Passion and Intelligence…you’ve got all in spades but even so I know you’ve wanted something to better help you deal with the…problems you’ve been having with your other forms of magic.” Mina admitted with a nod of her head.

“I’ll finally be able to perfect my transformation method with this.” Sombra realized aloud, happily embracing his mother with a deep, loving hug. “Oh, this is WONDERFUL, mother! Now I won’t keep collapsing unconscious every time I try to will myself to turn into something else!”

“That’s good.” Luza cheekily snickered. “Because I always gotta drag you back to your bed every time you DO try. How can your Will be so strong it can make people do stuff, but YOU can’t tell YOUR body to do what I can?” She asked, twirling around on the spot, hooves held in the air as she did a pirouette, her form shifting and shimmering into a lovely white-furred and white-clothed unicorn with long, flowing blond locks as Sombra “harrumphed”.

“Yes, well, the princesses if you’ll remember had issues with THEIR powers too, and our Lady Luna DEVELOPED the Trinity of Inner Strength. Mom and Dad said they dated for three weeks and during all that time-”

“Yes, in the days and nights, both sun AND moon were in the sky.” Mina remarked softly, wistfully, resting her head against her hooves and smiling. “He was SO nervous and SO shy. Don’t let your father know, but girls really like it when a guy is so very shy in front of her parents. It lets us know how much he truly doesn’t want to fail around them. Then there was the time they tried to bring one down and instead made an eclipse happen for three days. It WAS pretty, though…”

“And dad asked you to marry him under it’s soft, lilting light!” Luza finished, turning back to normal as she hopped down the forest path. “You and me!”

“Me and you!” Sombra chuckled out, all three joining in as they trotted back home.

“Both of us togetheeeeer!”

The Shadow of War

The sun gently beamed down upon Ponyville as its residents milled about nervously, muttering and murmuring softly to themselves as they watched the scene unfold inside of Applejack’s barn at Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac gave the crowd a calm “please do not try anything” glance as Twilight Sparkle trotted through the crowd to speak with him, smiling nervously as she glanced at the barn.

“How goes the naturalization classes?” Twilight asked. “I know the crowds aren’t as big as they used to be but the fact we’re still GETTING crowds to look and stare like they’re bugs on display or animals in a zoo-”

“Ain’t nobody caused no trouble. Eeeee-YET.” Big Mac remarked with a calm nod as he shook his big red head back and forth, Applejack poking her head out of the barn and giving Twilight a wave to get her to come over. Twilight calmly headed over towards her Stanton-wearing pal, Applejack smiling cheerily.

“I gotta tell you, they’ve been SO well behaved.” Applejack admitted. “Ain’t anything like those others we met way back when. Almost seems like another lifetime.”

“For them, this is just a matter of re-adjustment. Just a short while ago they were in a society that adored and respected their abilities. Then they were displaced through time and space to end up here…of course they want some semblance of their old life back.” Twilight reasoned as Shinedown and Squirt sat at the front of a large circle filled with various “Ghainahm” changelings, all of whom were nervously fiddling with their manes or chewing their lips or glancing about at each other in between sips of cider.

“Now…” Shinedown held up a large picture of Princess Celestia from a suitcase Squirt was holding onto, smiling comfortingly with his deep blue eyes, pointing at it with his other hoof. “Which princess is this?”

One middle-aged “Keobjil” changeling, an example of the thick-bodied, bulky “Earth” esque variety of Changeling raised a hoof up. “Er…it’s…the queen of the Sun, Celestia?”

“You’re right, but please, please. They’re Princesses.” Shinedown insisted as he put the photo away and gestured over at Twilight. “Ms. Sparkle, would you be so kind as to explain WHY we do not refer to the head of our dual monarchy as “queens” despite their parents being long deceased?”

“The title of “queen” is given post-mortem, a sign that the Princesses have learned all they can from their subjects and done the greatest good they could with their lives. With the title “princess” comes an understanding there is much they’ve still to understand and know…it’s how its been for eons.” Twilight informed the changelings. “I understand it wasn’t the same for your race?”

“No, ah…we had the King and Queen.” The beefy changeling admitted as the others nodded in agreement. “The Queen was actually half Sugnbohn. Their marriage was as a perfect union of the Changeling races. We NEEDED unity because the War Games was spilling out of the battlefield and into our homes.”

“Yes, we remember the stories well.” An older Ilgagsu remarked, waving it’s arm in the air and shuddering slightly. “Some of us actually had families who endured the horrors of that time, my own father included.”

“I’d like to hear more, if I could. I’ve been reading so much about your king, about Sombra.” Twilight admitted with a nod as the Changelings glanced around at each other before looking over at Shinedown, who gave them a reassuring nod as Applejack got Twilight a chair and she inched in to join the Changelings, all of whom finally nodded at the old Ilgagsu as he cleared his throat.

“I’ll tell you all my father told me. The War Games were designed to gather territory and power in a more…civilized fashion. Only a certain few would fight for the sake of a country…a life and death tournament spread over several weeks. Then, after the conquest of Manechuria, the Minotaurs decided they didn’t like the idea of having their homeland of Isla Regina being next in line. They decided to strike first…”

…

… “They utterly overwhelmed three fifths of the defenses, sir.” A slim Nabang changeling shamefully admitted, holding his hooves together as he stood before the glittering two-way mirror communication system that Lord Seoul Nyh-Tyaim was speaking into in his palace. Sombra’s father was clearly not pleased, his mouth a taut line as he glared balefully at the captain of the guard. The lands of the Changeling Kingdom had only ONE section that ended in water. ONE rather large but still manageable beach to keep an eye on which, if you followed south, led to the Minotaur lands of Isla Regina, a collection of beautiful islands all gathered together as one. One beach. ONE. Beach.

“How many dead?”

“…er, uh…Otam? Uh…how many of our forces did we lose?” The quivering captain of the guard inquired as his assistant held up a small clipboard and put on a pair of reading glasses, cringing slightly as he looked the numbers over.

“538.”

“…out…of a thousand…troops. A thousand…troops. To guard one beach. An admittedly very LARGE…beach. But one beach.” Sombra’s father softly whispered, eyes glittering like diamonds left in a cold blizzard, piercing through the icy mists. “You couldn’t…even…how did they even get up to Ebony Shores without you SEEING?!” Lord Seoul Nyh-Tyaim wished to know, gritting through his teeth as he stood in his private bedroom, unaware that his son and his daughter were listening in through the window outside, keeping close to the wall, eyes bugged out in horror, hearing their father’s tone beginning to get soft…soft, but with an edge.

“They came at darkest night, and as you know the sands of Ebony Shores are murky black, my lord! Their first forces were all of the darkest fur, deep browns and blues and black as they snuck along the beach. By the time we noticed they were upon us, they had already begun slitting our throats.” The captain of the guard gulped out. “There was little we could do, and what we did do, we DID, I assure you-!”

“…Gahn…I’m not happy.” Seoul murmured softly, calmly waving a hoof in the air, shaking his head back and forth. “Not very happy at all. And I am very…very torn. How many years have you worked for me?” He wished to know as Sombra stiffened. Oh dear.

“Luza, cover your ears.” He whispered out, his sister glancing up in confusion. “NOW.”

“S-Sixteen, sir?” Gahn gulped as Seoul calmly licked his lips, Otam going “eek” as he inched slightly away.

“Gahn…you have just overseen the greatest security breach in my rule. An actual minotaur army has gotten through our southern border and is most likely even now on it’s way here to the capital.” Lord Seoul Nyh-Tyaim remarked, calmly pacing back and forth. “I can’t very well allow someone to keep working for me who couldn’t even sound the alarm whilst the invasion was happening. You MUST understand…correct?”

“S-Sir, I promise you, I’ll do better!” Gahn whimpered as Seoul glanced at Otam, Sombra quickly placing his hooves over his sister’s ears as she blinked stupidly up at him, a dark, powerful shadowy blob rising up from Lord Seoul Nyh-Tyaim’s form, slithering like a giant snake towards the mirror, seeping into it like water.

“Otam…you’re now in charge. Congratulations. Gahn…” Lord Seoul whispered, eyes turning to slits as the blobbish black monstrosity swiftly began wrapping around Gahn, tightening it’s grip, Sombra hearing the KRIKK-KRAK of bones and shattering ribcages as Gahn struggled to scream, his windpipe being uselessly crushed, his mouth becoming filled with the dark as it enveloped and consumed him. “…your services are no longer required.”

Sombra almost vomited as Gahn managed to get out a gurgling gasp before the shadow shot back through the mirror, taking an enveloped, shrinking Gahn with it. Seoul Nyh-Tyaim calmly trotted out of the room, nonchalantly sweeping his tail back and forth. “Ohhhhh…” He inwardly cringed.

“I really must do more thorough background checks on my captains. There must be SOME way to weed out the most incompetent. Clearly the old system’s just not up to snuff…why can’t they offer to commit seppeku like in my father’s time? THEN you knew they were truly the stuff captains were made of. But no, no, no concept of real shame…such a waste.” Seoul Nyh-Tyaim muttered as he exited the room, Luza pulling Sombra’s hooves away from her ears.

“Sombra, what happened?”

“…Luza, listen, father…father does some bad things sometimes. But he does it because he wants to keep our kingdom safe, and if he can’t trust the people he chooses to keep the kingdom safe, then he feels WE aren’t safe, and if he feels WE aren’t safe, then…he becomes very angry. And does bad things. Do you understand?” Sombra asked, gently kneeling down and holding little Luza’s hooves in his own, her eyes staring nervously into his.

“But…hurting others is wrong…” Luza mumbled.

“Sometimes you need to do wrong things to protect the ones you care about. It doesn’t make you a bad pony.” Sombra insisted gently. “I mean, you hurt that fish, but you’re not a bad pony, are you? You didn’t WANNA hurt it.”

“…no…” Luza mumbled as her brother tenderly hugged her, stroking the top of her head and her perfect bowl haircut. “I just…I wish Dad wasn’t so scary sometimes.”

“Yes…me too.” Sombra shyly murmured, Luza closing her eyes and embracing him more tightly as he slightly chewed on his lip, an odd fear creeping into his heart. A minotaur army on the move…and his father doing something Sombra had only seen done ONCE before of someone who’d gotten drunk and hit Sombra by accident.

He wasn’t sure how, but something told him that things were going to get worse far quicker than they’d get better.

…

…Sombra and his family lived in the center of the capital, a towering series of buildings surrounded by enormous walls, with the rest of the capital sectioned off by similar walls, all of which was protected by, you guessed it, one gigantic wall that separated it from the outside world. It was much like a matryoshka doll, the capital of Gojoseon. And the closer to the capital you were, the more precious you were to society, with the military at home when they weren’t on duty just across the wall from the palace. Every sector of Gojoseon had unique coloration to boot, with the capital being a beautiful blue, the military sector a vivid green, the merchant and market sector pale yellow, and all others in the last sector, home to buildings of deep grey and black. And it was this city that Sombra was now being brought through to the market sector by his mother and father as he carried Luza on his bag with a piggyback ride, all of them flanked by guards.

People cast nervous glances at the royal family as Lord Seoul Nyh-Tyaim casually glanced about at them, as if daring any fools to just TRY and attack his family as they trotted along the sleek golden-painted brick roads of the merchant sector. A few of them almost looked tempted…the Shadowlands, Kingdom of Lord Seoul, welcomed any and all species into its borders…provided they pay their taxes. And if you couldn’t pay, well…

“MMMM…” Sombra murmured as the smell of divinely-seasoned meats and spices drifting through the air as Sombra sniffed and sniffed, licking his lips. “Oh, myyyy. I smell a fresh roast.”

“You smell what shall be our dinner tonight, son. I’m buying the finest roast I can.” Lord Seoul Nyh-Tyaim proclaimed as the guards moved slightly to the side to allow him to approach the shopkeeper, a normal griffon who calmly bowed its head, Sombra nervously realizing what animal his father wanted to get for dinner as he carefully glanced over at his mother with a “You’d better distract Luza somehow” glance.

“Honey, I’m going to take Luza and get some spices, is that alright?” Mina Nyh-Tyaim quickly inquired, Lord Seoul nodding firmly as Luza hopped off of Sombra and trotted away with Mina and a small contingent of guards as the griffon patted the wrapped-up specimen he’d brought out from a large crate.

“As with all meat, we’ve kept it freshly cooled and chilled…and I know of your particular tastes, sir. I hope I’m not off when I suggest you would favor…this kind of dinner tonight?” The esagle-like griffon inquired, it’s thick black talons pulling off the wrap around the meat, showing off a large female pony which looked fairly young, who’d been carefully sheared and was…evidently still slightly alive, just…heavily sedated, most likely by a mixture of special griffon spices and the cold barrel she’d been stuck in.

Sombra almost felt guilty. She had very lovely deep orange eyes and a well-trimmed mane. He gave her terrified eyes a sympathetic look as his father felt up her form, squeezing her arms, then her cheeks. “How deep is the sedation?”

“We use the finest moonjuice flowers to baste her body in and prepare her for cooking, she’ll be unable to move for eight more hours.”

“Good, good. Well in time for dinner.” Sombra’s father remarked happily as he chuckled and patted the pony’s rump, glancing around at some of the other merchants. “This is what happens when you don’t pay your taxes! Do you all think laws are just there to be IGNORED? This little foal did. And she now pays the price. REMEMBER THAT.” He growled out…

Before a loud shriek filled the air along with an explosion that rocked the market sector, Sombra immediately taking off in its direction, instantly recognizing that voice. Hot sulphur seemed to burn the air around him as he zoomed past screaming, running merchants and customers, seeing the guards who’d been with his mother and sister dead…

No, not all…a few were helping some minotaurs up from the ground, giving them weapons as another advanced along with other enormous bull-headed terrorists, creeping towards Luza and Mina. His sister hid behind his mother as Mina’s eyes glittered darkly, her tone harsh. “Traitors! Come no closer or I kill you where you stand!”

“There’s a dozen of us and one of you.” One of the minotaurs snarled. “You two will be a good reminder to Sombra of why our nation shouldn’t be fooled around with, and with the death of the tyrants, our comrades shall-”

“I’m sorry, you said…a DOZEN?” Sombra’s voice rang out as the others turned, seeing Sombra’s horn sticking through the chest of one of the minotaurs, blood dripping down in a small pool beneath as he shoved him off the horn with a hoof as it glowed, greenish energy coalescening around him as he hissed furiously. “Make. That. Eleven.” He grinned coldly, surging towards them like a lion going after a gazelle.

He leapt up through the air, avoiding the sweep of a minotaur’s blade and slamming his hooves into another, knocking him down, then wheeling around and kicking another into it’s comrades. He slammed his horn into the first downed minotaur’s skull, a horrifying cracking noise indicating the thing’s skull was crushed as he whipped about, snorting furiously as his tail lashed the air. The traitorous guards took off running, some of the minotaurs with them whilst the remaining terrorists all banded together, holding up nets and tridents.

“Oh, so that’s how you work, is it?” Sombra softly whispered as one of the minotaurs glared angrily, its thick hair standing on end as it launched the net at Sombra Nyh-Tyaim only for the Changeling to snap his head forward, the green energy around him cutting through the net and slamming into the minotaur as it glanced down, noticing it was…awfully red in the middle-

The thing died without a sound, its body falling to the ground of the market in two neat pieces with a squelchy, wet THLUKA-THUD, Sombra smirking before noticing that one of the minotaurs was missing. The one who’d been talking, where-

“GOTCHA!” The minotaur’s apparent leader smirked, his net coming down on Sombra, holding his trident up high as it glittered in the sun and he grinned toothily. “Not so tough in this magic net, are you?”

“Your net capable of handling transfiguration?” Sombra cheerily inquired to the stunned minotaur…as his body suddenly began to pulsate and shift, turning into a burning blazing shadow that rose high up over the minotaur, his eyes like glistening emeralds in a dark cave, his shadowy form like a bonfire that surged over the minotaur, silencing its screams as Mina covered Luza’s eyes, her own wide with horror as the remaining minotaurs were pulled into the darkness, howling, screaming, their bodies devoured piecemeal…

At last, it was over. Sombra’s form slowly began to shift back to normal, his arms and legs becoming less black and more grey, his shadow wings fading as his fangs slightly lowered in size. In that form he looked more “Changeling monster” and less “pony”…an unfortunate necessity. He and his family had naturally greyish fur over the normal black that Ghainahm had, and the “holes” on their bodies were always covered up by the armor they always wore. It was so easy to pass as normal ponies…well, MOSTLY normal-looking ponies.

Except when they made use of the way of the Shadow…when they could Will themselves into a new, dark form. More primal…bestial…deadly.

“…they got away.” Sombra admitted softly. “Mother, sister, are you alright?” He asked, racing to them, Luza whimpering a bit before wiping her nostrils.

“J-Just…just fine, they…they didn’t touch me, momma made sure.” She muttered out as Sombra gently embraced them both, his father racing over to him. As they all tightly hugged, Sombra inwardly stewed. He wasn’t…satisfied.

They’d almost killed his family.

…they needed to pay.

And he had. Their. Scents.

…

…a district far away from the capital center…the building is mere yards from the outside world, the security guards on the wall unaware…or perhaps even IN…on who’s inside this broken-down restaurant.

The minotaurs inside are something of a concern. Something. But not when they’re distracted, talking to the changeling guards by that big window. That big…very easy to look INTO window.

And you call yourselves GUARDS.

Two thin, sharp dots shoot through the windows, sticking into the weak spot of every minotaur…the nape of their neck. Their leader whips his head in their direction, gasping in surprise as Sombra slams through the window, shattering it into pieces and shattering HIS neck with a well-placed kick, a very loud KRUNCHA-THRUK noise indicating he’s done it in one shot as the guards all step back in horror, Sombra landing on the floor with a small something sticking out from a pouch on his belt, of faded red as the traitorous guards take a step back.

“Hold on.” Sombra says calmly, dusting himself off as he rises up, holding a hoof in the air. “I’m going to win. We all know that.”

“We don’t-” One of the guards tries to say before Sombra puts the hoof to the guard’s lips, silencing him.

“Shh-shhh-shhh-shhh-shhhhh. No. No, we do. We do. But I shall be fair. See…I’ve brought a little something.” Sombra remarked, holding up the red thing from his pouch…a scarf. A scarf he ties around his head, obscuring his vision. “I need to have real opponents. After all, war is coming. I should be on the front lines, winning it for my father, and I’ll need this kind of practice.”

“You’ll get KILLED.” One of the other guards said, two of the others glancing at each other as if half unable to believe their good luck, and half thinking that this was still going to be a one-sided slaughter.

“Yes, well…I could. But I’ve been getting quite good at what little practice I HAVE done at fighting blind with father…” Sombra remarked. “In fact, he got me this scarf for my birthday. Extra little present. It’s important to…dress for success.” The Changeling remarked calmly as he took up a fighting position, spreading his legs slightly wide, body tensed.

“WE’RE going to be the ones who succeed!” One of the guards yelled out, lunghing forward, slicing with his sword.

Too loud. How idiotic. Yes, I’m going to VERY LOUDLY ANNOUNCE EXACTLY WHICH DIRECTION I AM COMING AT YOU. Why not just scream “I am attacking you from your left” at me?

THA-WHIP. The sword swished overhead, Sombra ducking, a quick SPAK ringing through the air as Sombra batted the guard across the face, then kicked him through the nearest wall, two of the other guards racing towards Sombra, trying to go for “safety in numbers”.

“You don’t understand-”

“No, no, I do.” Sombra softly intoned, twirling his body, his hooved fists finding guard face as he avoided their strikes, the first of them getting knocked back, the other getting kicked in the stomach, then bashed over the head. “I’ve heard of what concerns my father. Enemies closing in. A fear that we’re spread too thin…and you rats jump ship at the first sign of trouble. Don’t tell me you thought the minotaur’s assassination plot would succeed just because they got lucky at the beach? It was a clever plan…but they’re Just. Not. Good. Enough.” Sombra proclaimed, diving at the last guard as he tried to take off running…

Across the very creaky floor.

Sombra dove, pinning him to the ground, the scarf still wrapped around his eyes. But he didn’t need to see to hear his foe’s fear. “Prince Sombra, please. Just let us go. Lord Seoul doesn’t have to know.”

“You’re going back to the Shadows. Whether you like it…or NOT.” Sombra whispered, his eyes beginning to brightly glow a sickly neon green. “Nowwwwww. Tell me…tell me everything the minotaurs told you. Where…are they hiding? Will you obey?”

“…yes…master…”

Sombra smiled. It was amazing how quickly one very rotten day could change so quickly. Father was going to be so proud.

Chrysalis, Partner in Crime

A gentle acoustic guitar strummed soft notes through the air as Twilight Sparkle watched the Changeling immigrants hum along in perfect unison, all in the exact same tone, with the exact same voice…her own, actually.

“Ohhhhh!”

“Ohhhhhhh!” Shinedown sang out as he began to strum a bit more passionately on the guitar, the light filtering gently down through the windows of Applejack’s barn as their group session continued.

“Soft summer light on gossamer wings, makes me forget so many things!”

“Like war and hate and basic badness, prejudice and deepest sadness!” Twilight and her “chorus” sang out together. “Because the summer’s so sublime, we can while away the time, the days get long, and long and long, and engage in joyous song!”

“Yes, summer light on gossamer wings, makes us forget so many things!” Squirt added with a faint imitation of APPLEJACK’s voice as she poked her head in, waving her hooves in the air for them to get up and move out of the way. “But most of all for Goodness sakes-”

KRAKKA-THROOOOOM!

CRAAASSSSHHH!

“Big Mac forgets his parking brakes.” Applejack finished wryly as the apple cart’s wheels spun uselessly, held up slightly in the air, having crashed into the opposite end of the barn as Big Mac nervously gulped, sweat pouring down his brow as everybody slowly pulled themselves out of the bales of hay they’d jumped into to escape being in the line of destruction. “How y’all doin’ today?”

“Today we’ll be talking about the Queen.” Twilight admitted. “You know-who?”

Applejack cringed. “Oh. Right. HER.” She murmured, Shinedown and Squirt glancing over at them and Twilight especially, who looked rather…pained…to discuss Chrysalis. “So she’s a half-breed?”

“If you’re going to be like that, you could argue ALL us Ghainham are so far from the original clan in how we “evolved”, we are all “half-breeds”.” One of the Keobijil Changelings murmured. “Our fur used to be much more…oily in tone, I’ll have you know. Looking more pony-esque than insectoid wasn’t our default.”

“I take it as a positive.” Applejack complimented as she trotted inside. “Your kind wantin’ to look more like ponies and wantin’ to perform shows you wanna be a part of our world. And we’re happy to let you in…long as you promise you ain’t keepin’ anybody down in the basement, stuck to a wall?” She added with a tilt of her hat, all the Changelings holding their hooves up.

“Cross our hearts and hope to die.” The eldest one there remarked.

“Evidently their Queen, Chrysalis, was the daughter of the Shadowland’s brightest and best military mind. By the law of succession they had, if the king went and the queen went, the immediate family would be in charge, and if Sombra and Luza had gone, Chrysalis would rule supreme.” Shinedown admitted. “Not that Sombra would have minded, at least at first. From everything they’ve told us, he LOVED how she did things.”

“Mister Lack of Subtlety went goo-goo over the Queen of Mean? The Lordette of Lies?” Applejack asked, frowning a bit, lips pursed as she snorted. “What they’d bond over?”

“Split-open head of a minotaur.” Shinedown cheerily remarked before cringing. “Wow, when I say that, it DOES sound bad!”

…

…a gentle acoustic guitar strummed soft notes through the air as the ponytailed young Changeling girl sat across the fire with Sombra as he hummed perfectly in tune. Queen Chrysalis bobbed her head back and forth, waving a hoof in the air as Sombra kept strumming, the fire flickering little embers above them as Chrysalis listened to Sombra’s deep voice.

“Changelings are better than griffons…Chrissy, now isn’t this true?

“Of course it is so, but we SMELL worse you know, except for your family and you!” Chrysalis sang wistfully back, Sombra laughing slightly as she waved a hoof in front of her nose, then cleared her throat and sang out her OWN lyrics. “Sunghbohn are better than Ghainham…Sommy, don’t you think I’m right?

“Ghainham will cheat you and beat you and eat you! You got me, let’s call it a niiiight! And don’t worry, I never biiite! Sombra added, snapping at the air with his teeth before he and “Chrissy” began giggling madly, falling flat on their back and howling with laughter before slowly settling down, looking up at the starry night skies above, sighing a bit. “We used to do this all the time before the War Games with Manechuria started…and the ones with the Griffon Kingdom too…and now they’ll be new ones with the Minotaurs and Isla Regina.”

“Sometimes I wish we too could have crazy-long childhoods.” Chrysalis sighed. “No threat of war hovering over our family’s heads…” She cringed a bit, quickly sitting up and flinching. “Dad’ll kill me if we screw this up.”

“When we get back, they’re gonna be amazed at how much we’ve done.” Sombra insisted happily, putting the guitar down and clapping his hooves together, beaming over at Chrissy. “We do this, we’ll nip it in the bud, really.” He added with a nod to the side, smiling broadly. “Let’s go set up the traps…”

“Yes, they’ll be here in about ten minutes.” Chrysalis admitted as she looked off in the direction of the north. Sombra had hypnotized the captured minotaur he’d had and ordered him to warn them that they needed to find a different encampment, a large platoon of Lord Seoul’s troops were on their way. And that hypnotized idiot was going to lead them right into a trap. THEIR trap.

It was time to get ready…

…

…the moon was rising higher in the night sky as the clouds began to roll in, more and more of the pale light becoming obscured by velvet cloaks of clouds. The forest’s shadows began to elongate, stretching and bulging unnervingly in the twisted lighting around the minotaur party as each one of the two dozen minotaur cringed, readying their thick axes, double-handed blades and hammers, their leader flanked by several longbowmen as he glanced left and right, a gold stud embedded in his nostrils as they flared and he tasted the air.

“…there are Changelings youngers close. I can smell them.” He murmured out, waving a hand in the air. “Spread out. Fifty feet, no more, no less. Eyes peeled, ears open, and remember…they’re changelings. We discussed this when we came to this country: everyone remembers the passwords and they won’t be able to trick us.” Their leader insisted as one of the longbowmen bit his lip in a nervous shudder, his voice rising up.

“Sven, sir, uh…it’s ust…what if they got the passwords from Delmar?”

“You and I BOTH know not even TORTURE would do it, Beri.” Sven insisted proudly. “We’ve all taken that oath.”

KRAKKA-THROOOM!

Lightning split the skies above as all of them glanced at each other, halting in place for a few moments. “…it’s going to storm soon. If there ARE young changelings out here, it’ll be hard to track them by their scents…” Beri gulped out. “…and it’s getting darker and darker…”

“We’ll make this fast, then.” Sven reasoned before another lightning crack filled the sky and they saw a figure off in the distance, slightly hiding behind a tree, Sven grinning proudly. “THERE he is. GET him!” He yelled out, Beri drawing his longbow, an arrow shooting through the air, clipping the figure, bringing it down. “Got ‘em! Hansel, Ford, check the body. If we’re lucky, we can get some information out of them as prisoners.”

Hansel and Ford ran towards the fallen form before there came a loud crashing, KRAKKA-KRAK noise, and Ford let out a scream…a scream that was quickly silenced by a loud THUNK, the other minotaurs surprised by this before a swift and small volley of arrows shot through the air, one embedding in the skull of a minotaur, a squelchy, meaty THA-THLUK sound echoing out through the forest as he fell dead to the forest floor.

“What the?!” Sven growled out, Beri firing off his longbow as he crouched down, hiding behind several bushes, firing in the direction of the figure as it seemed to rise up anew, several other minotaurs launching off tomahawks in the direction of the figure with angry war howls before lightning flashed again…

Brighter…longer…

Revealing it was just a big dummy. Sticks wrapped together in blankets and logs to make a thing that LOOKED like a young changeling.

“It’s a damned SCARECROW!” One of the minotaurs snarled out, Sven furiously standing up, glaring at his fellow men as another volley of arrows shot forth, the minotaurs ducking and diving to avoid them, glaring in the direction they’d come from, one of them twirling an enormous hammer.

“You SONS OF!” He screamed out, barreling through the forest in the direction the arrows had come from, snarling and hissing…

Before a loud THUNKA-THUD, then a KRAK noise rang through the air, Sven’s eyes narrowing. “They’re out of arrows. Ford and Hansel didn’t carry any more than that…let’s get them.”

“They mighta made more!” Beri whimpered piteously as he cringed, Sven frowning at him.

“No. Because that thing that just killed Lars didn’t sound like an ARROW, now did it?” Sven hissed out. “Everyone listen. Skirmish line, forty feet apart.” He murmured softly, all of them inching through the dark depths of the forest, faint mist rising from the forest floor as they clutched their weapons. Owl calls echoed through the woods, lightning momentarily illuminating the woods as they climbed over fallen trees and past ferns and bushes, all of them on the edge, unwilling to admit just how frightened they truly were.

Sven glanced left and right before inching underneath a large fallen tree, readying his double-handed sword, taking a few cautious steps forward, eyes peeled for any sign of any changeling children. Beri readied the knives he’d brought with him, inching around another tree, panting slightly, biting his lip as he slunk by some ferns…

…one of which wasn’t actually a fern.

“Nice knife.” Chrysalis whispered huskily into his ear, pinning him to the tree with one hoof, the other ripping the knife from his hands, slamming it into his chest. He howled in agony, Chrysalis stabbing him again, this time in the lungs, the blade sliding in smoothly, silencing his cries as the other minotaurs flinched, cringing in fear and terror as they raced towards where he was…

One of them ran by a half-blown-off tree…unaware of the form that was hiding atop it, it’s eyes peering down, faintly glowing…that is, until it was too late, and it was upon him, Sombra’s fangs going for his throat, tearing through flesh and bone with big, meaty bites.

“AAA! AAA-”

One of the others took off running towards the crying, growling angrily, his friend joining him as they saw Sombra glaring in their direction, his muzzle matted with blood as his eyes blazed. “You’re OURS now!” The first one hissed, drawing an enormous hammer, the other readying an axe…

As they ran right into a trip wire, large spikes whipping out from the tree they’d been attached to, the sharpened staves slamming into the minotaur’s legs. With a howling wail they fell to the ground, crippled on the spot, Sombra trotting over to them, putting one hoof on the first one’s head. “No. You’re MINE.” He whispered. “Be lucky YOU…get to live.”

Sven cringed, looking left and right, every single one of his men were being picked off. He heard a THUNKA-THUD, one of his fellow minotaur’s bodies falling from atop a large tree above, seeing Chrysalis above in the tree. He snarled, holding his sword up, swinging it at the tree, cutting it down as Chrysalis leapt from tree to tree, cackling madly as she mockingly waved at him. “Oh come now, bull! You’ve got to do better than that if you’d like to catch me! Could you be any more slow at what you’re doing?” She asked. “Do I have to wave a red flag in front of you-no, no, I’ve got it.”

She reached into a pouch, pulling out what appeared to be a bloodied piece of meat, smirking a bit as she sat atop a tree limb. “One of your lieutenants. This is his trachea. He’s not going to need it anymore.”

“KILL YOU!” Sven snarled, leaping up at her…only for a tomahawk to slam into the back of his neck, making him slump to the ground as he heard soft, careful footsteps trotting towards him. He couldn’t move his head, all he could do was lie there, his heart thumping in his ears, cold ice spreading from the back of his neck before he felt it be yanked out and heard Sombra’s dark voice.

“The Shadowlands…are Changeling territory. You minotaurs should have stayed home. Now…you pay the price for your arrogance.” Sombra growled out, Sven managing to get out a cold smirk at him, Chrysalis hopping down to join Sombra’s side as he glared at the minotaur. “What’s so funny? We’ve captured more of your men, they’ll tell me everything I could want to know about your species’s upcoming battle plans.”

“We operate in CELLS. We’re only concerned with how we do things. We don’t really know what other groups pull off…except for the Assassination Squad we sent to the capital.”

“I dealt with them.”

“No, you dealt with the fake one. The real one’s still there. We sent a fake one after your family to draw attention away from the real threat…and look at you. Your father’s two best warriors are wasting time out here when you should be back home. We watched you leave the city through your secret entrance, sneaking out with her…you gave us everything we needed to get in.” Sven remarked calmly, a horrible chill now rising in SOMBRA’s body as he stammered.

“Th-there were…two? You…you LET me track the other group? You…you’re sacrifices to distract…?”

“The transient joys are the sweetest.” Sven sighed wistfully, Sombra’s stunned, horrified face turning foul and deadly as he raised the tomahawk he’d taken higher, higher. “Just ask your fellow insects.”

Sombra brought it down.

…

…the city was burning.

Minotaurs swept through the streets, taking on the armed forces of the capital as Chrysalis and Sombra barreled towards the palace, smacking and striking aside everyone in their path. The air was hot and heavy, it burned your lungs as smoke billowed up from broken-into homes, the dead and slowly dying bleeding on the streets. The minotaurs were not pulling any punches. This was definitely an all-out assault. Everything placed on this attack, and they’d put all their men to directly attack the capital…and it was working, as the cries of hundreds of Changelings told the two.

“I gotta find Luza and my parents!” Sombra yelled in a panicked tone, sweat dripping down his brow as Chrysalis nodded in agreement.

“I’ve gotta find MY dad too! We’ll split up, look for our parents, meet back at your home, alright?” She called out, leaping over a burning apple car, sailing through the air, green hair flying as she landed atop a shattered rampart. Sombra nodded at her as she slunk over to the other side and he raced off for the center of the capital, which was the hardest hit, given the enormous, thick black plumes of smoke rising into the air.

“I want to DIIIIE!”

“HELP ME!”

“SOMEBODY!”

“AAAAA!”

Sombra was trying to ignore their screams.

…he wasn’t doing a very good job of it. Every new cry or wail brought a new, horrid punch to his gut as he cringed and flinched, making his way closer and closer to the capital, the foul smell of the dead hitting his nostrils, strong and hard. Salty-iron…the smell of blood.

There were blown and ripped-apart changeling carcasses strewn left and right, along with a few Minotaurs…all of whom had CIRCLETS on their heads…or rather, what remained of their heads. Magicians.

“MAGICIANS?!” Sombra gaped in surprise and horror, his eyes narrowing a bit. “How? Their culture’s about PHYSICAL strength, not…is our intel on them so outdated-oh, of COURSE it is, minotaur magicians are blowing up my capital!” He moaned. “But Lady Luna’s mane, please let them be alright…” He whispered softly, biting his lip as he slammed through the double-doors leading to the palace courtyard that connected it to the rest of the city.

There. Up in one of the windows. He could see Luza. She was banging on the head of a magician with her hooves, her lower body wrapped around him as her mother and father’s voices rang out, yelling and snarling in battle cries. Sombra raced for the nearest tree, focusing his unicorn powers as he hovered up to it’s topmost branches, shooting across it’s limbs as he leapt at the window, Luza seeing her brother and beaming with pride.

“KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY SISTER!” Sombra roared out, slamming into the minotaur as Luza leapt off, his mother and father turning, smiling in pride as Sombra slammed his horn through the minotaur’s neck, a splurting, BLURGHK of a sound rising up from it’s throat as he wheeled around, turning on the remaining minotaurs and focusing his powers as Luza hopped on top of him, nuzzling his neck and clinging tightly as he and his father combined their might.

SHAKKA-THROOM! Their combined blasts sent the minotaurs flying through the walls, shattering into pieces, fleshy bites flying across like somebody had stuck explosives in their every opening. Sombra breathed a sigh of relief, embracing his mother and father. “I was so worried…” He murmured quietly, the family looking out the window at the courtyard, his guards rallying together, driving back a squadron of minotaur attackers. “They tricked me, they got me and Chrysalis to follow-”

“Now is not the time to reflect on failure, but to act to PREVENT failure.” His mother insisted with a calm nod. “We’ve got to take the city back, they’ve brought in archers and magicians as well as normal soldiers, everyone needs to get to the armory. We were on our way there when this assassination squad-”

Unfortunately she didn’t get to finish that, because one of the minotaurs in the platoon who were trying to fight back had rotten, ROTTEN aim. He fired his bow off desperately in the changeling guard’s direction…

The arrow shooting off wildly…piercing through his father’s head.

For a few moments, all of time seemed to have frozen still. His father didn’t even look hurt…until tiny rivers of blood began to spill down his forehead and he slowly turned to look at his family, looking more like he’d had his blocks knocked over than “I’ve been shot in the head”.

“…oh.” He managed to get out.

And that was the last thing he ever said, his form collapsing in a crumpled heap…

Sombra following soon after, unable to bear the strain, body and mind and soul simply too taxed to handle it anymore.

The Hell Where Youth and Laughter Go

…it’s not that hard at first. Once you get over the initial shock, I mean. There’s so much to do. All these details. And there’s always someone around helping you. Someone’s always there. Thank goodness for that.

A casket. You have to pick out the casket. And what you wish to bury them in. Decide on how you’ll do the wake, WHEN you do it…and then the funeral itself. Then…what do you do with all their things?

The tiara-esque crown…the armor. Father wanted all of that to me. His marriage brooch to mother. What you keep and what you decide to burn…what goes to Luza and what goes to mother. It’s hard to burn anything. Doing that seems wrong. Destroying anything that was his seems…wrong.

The room we’ll seal off. It’s a tough decision, but I have to. It’s just…too painful to look around. Little by little as there’s less to do, you finally realized you’re finishing erasing a life. The generals and father’s staff slow their visits. Then stop. Everyone goes on with their lives. Then you realize you’re alone.

…except for her. Thank heavens my sister’s still there.

…and, of course…my dreams.

Lovely Lady Luna. Developer of the Trinity of Strength. Willpower. Intelligence. Passion.

And she comes to see me nightly in my dreams. She brings her sister’s regards…

…and, of course…tea.

“I appreciate this.” Sombra quietly remarked, looking up into Luna’s soft eyes. They seemed to faintly glow in the light of the stars that hung overhead in his dream, the two of them sitting upon a small couch made of shadow and mist, Sombra sipping from the teacup with his hooves, forehead matted with sweat, ponytail hanging over his shoulder, greasy and unkempt. “…I’ve…not gotten much sleep when you aren’t visiting. It’s as if you’re a good luck charm.”

“We are here to provide support for you and to implore you to consider opening up negotiations with the opposing armies.” Luna requested, her head bowing softly as she looked deep into Sombra’s eyes, the unicorn flinching a bit.

“…Luna. They killed my father. I want…every minotaur’s…head. And the fact that my kingdom is now CUT OFF from our trade routes thanks to what they did…besieged by those bullheaded…BASTARDS…and worse still, the Gryphon and Zebra kingdoms have joined in opposing us! More and more of our conquered lands are uprising. Our tax collectors are being stoned! LITERALLY. As in TURNED.TO.STONE.” Sombra hissed out, showing off sharp fangs.

“Oh, that spell…” Luna murmured quietly, flinching herself. “Yes, we know it well. But it’s easily cured with the proper-”

“If there was anything but their head left in the crates they launch over the city walls, that would be one thing…since that’s all that they left that isn’t RUBBLE!” Sombra growled darkly, crushing the tea cup in his hooves, frowning as the tea dissolved into the air. “…buck. Lady Luna, forgive my…anger. Can’t you assist us? You and your sister’s magics were able to halt even Discord. A stoning spell from ME would barely freeze his arm.”

“You have everything you need in HERE to succeed.” Luna insisted, putting out a hoof and placing it against Sombra’s head. “You are a brilliant and intelligent person. You will find a way. Have faith in that and in your people. Find the will within to succeed. My sister and I will try to speak to the other kingdoms, appeal on your behalf, but if we should fail…it shall fall on you.”

“I understand.” Sombra sighed quietly, bowing his head, biting into his lip as flying fish soared overhead, one leaping over the moon as the dish in his lap ran away with the spoon, his chocolate pudding still untouched. “My father’s spellbook could be of use. I’ll try and look for a way to create resources and become invulnerable to any similar…assassination attempts like the one that claimed him.”

“Sombra Nyh-Tyaim, We wish you the greatest of luck.” Luna proclaimed dramatically, bowing with a deep sweep of her head and her arms, Sombra finding himself slowly rubbing his eyes free of sleep with his hooves as he sat up in bed, Luza sitting at the end of it, rubbing her kneecaps and chewing on her lip.

“Lul-Loo?” Sombra quietly inquired as she cringed a bit.

“…I can’t sleep.” She mumbled out. “…daddy keeps bleeding all over me.”

“…come here.” Sombra asked of her, reaching out with a hoof as Luza crawled across the bed and rested her head against his soft, grey chest, Sombra tenderly stroking his little sister’s head. “All will be well, Luza. It’ll all be okay…”

I’m going to MAKE it okay…

…

…they couldn’t believe it.

They couldn’t…believe it.

Chrysalis of the Changelings…and her private army…captured. Captured by Shining Armor and his mares. The queen of the Changelings had evidently been trying to dig TUNNELS into Canterlot to try subterfuge, and it had ended up them breaking up and through the floor…and straight into Canterlot Castle.

But not into the soldier’s bedrooms, allowing them to take over the army. No, no, see, the rooms had been switched since the previous invasion. They’d popped right up into the training grounds. In the middle of a training session.

With experienced veterans grilling fresh-faced and VERY eager new recruits.

It had been a complete, total and utterly one-sided battle. Changelings were getting punted left and right, piled on like it was a wrestling match, their high-pitched, insectoid screeches echoing through the air as everyone outside the castle waited with abated breath, magic, torches and pitchforks at the ready.

And luckily, Celestia and Luna were also prepared, calmly trudging towards the field of battle, not a changeling able to lay so much as a hoof on them as Chrysalis had tried to escape down through the tunnels…only to be forcibly hovered out. Now she was in a big bright pink bubble, being essentially wheeled alongside her men as Twilight Princess watched it all unfold with the denizens of Ponyville. Yes…Chrysalis and her people had been brought to Ponyville.

With a wave of her hoof, the bubble was gone and Chrysalis dusted herself off. “Was the BUBBLE necessary?”

“A precaution.” Shining Armor remarked calmly. “And be lucky that is ALL I did.” He added angrily, with a narrow glare.

“SHINING. Please. Currently, Ponyville has THE largest collection of Changeling-blooded citizens, from purebloods to mixed race.” Celestia informed Chrysalis, nodding at the crowd before her, the Changelings flanked on all sides by Shining Armor as he smiled cheekily over at Twilight. “These citizens have managed to integrate well with our society to large degrees. Whether you wish to pursue THAT avenue...that is up to you. For the TIME, we believe you’ll be best suited to live here until we can draw up papers for your species’s possible integration into Equestrian society or perhaps even creating a kind of homel-”

“As if we’d EVER want to be part of your pathetic kingdom. We are our race! Proud! Noble-”

A loud, visible series of snorts from the crowd as Chrysalis glared daggers in their direction. “You. I know YOUR type.” She hissed at the nearby Changeling-blooded young filly named Squirt, who blinked nervously as he clung to his adopted father Shinedown’s leg. “A disgustingly little Faux-ny.” She muttered. “So far removed from your true roots. How ironic that your ancestors the Ghainham prided themselves on being elite, when now I and my clan, the Sugnbohn, are now closer to being pure changeling than YOU are?”

“This land is a sandbox a dozen species are sharing. You need to learn to play nice.” Shinedown snapped back. “The other Changelings we have here found ways to adapt into Equestrian soceity and they seem really happy!”

“Only because they aren't STARVING. My race deserves a true home. Why do you think I tried to take Canterlot? Our people have no homeland since the Shadowlands are...gone.” Chrysalis muttered.

“That can't be right. Where are your noncombatants? Your women and children and-” Shinedown began to ask before he noticed every single Changeling, even Chrysalis, was...not looking at him. In fact, they all looked tremendously uncomfortable at the mere idea of talking about what had happened.

“They're...all gone?” Twilight asked nervously.

“Our people are nomads. We do not have a true "home". And...and anyone that couldn't fight alongside us has been long since lost to the wilds, be it at the claws of a creature, or...things I could not control properly.” Chrysalis quietly mumbled.

“I DO sympathize...but we must take measures to ensure you don't harm my people. As such, we’ve placed glyphs upon you.” Celestia added with a sweep of her arm. “All of you captured changelings have my and my sister’s magic presence upon you. If you attempt to feed or directly harm any nonchangeling here in Ponyville, you will be given an IMMEDIATE marking that will signify you are a criminal. And we shall have a constant presence here with our military to ensure you don’t try anything to my little ponies. I…” She halted for a moment in her speech. “…am sorry it has to be this way. I wish I could simply let bygones be bygones. But until you prove you’re not a true threat to us…you’ll be treated with a certain amount of suspicion. And to make sure you don't try to make use of your OWN species to sneak around that spell, I will be staying here to keep an ADDITIONAL eye on you along with my guard.”

“It isn’t racism, it’s…caution. You DID try to take over the world several times, Ms. Chrysalis.” Squirt muttered. “Even Mister DISCORD’s reformed by now.”

“Oh, NOW you show mercy. You didn’t help dear Sombra much when he asked your sister for aid.” Chrysalis snarled. “My darling King was practically abandoned.”

“He made his choices. My sister and I tried to convince the other kingdoms to halt what they did, but he failed at making things easier for himself AND for us.” Celestia calmly intoned. “He made a great many mistakes…focused on the wrong things.”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Chrysalis murmured, Celestia walking away to join Luna, the princess of the Night looking angrily over at Chrysalis, furious that this hateful woman was dragging her through the mud before their subjects. “Not like I understood him…”

All of the Changelings slowly but surely shuffled around. They seemed…lost. Unsure of what to do. The only person left was Shinedown and his adopted son, and they approached along with Twilight, Squirt clearing his throat as he struggled to speak in the Changeling’s true tongue.

*Miss Chrysalis. Please tell us of the old times. Tell us of the King’s rule over the Shadowlands.*

“So you DO know the language.” Chrysalis whispered as she looked over at Shinedown, then at Squirt, Twilight furiously scribbling notes on a notepad. “…perhaps you’re not as…fauxny as I thought.” She murmured. “Intriguing…” She looked into Shinedown’s eyes…and for a brief moment, Twilight was CERTAIN she saw…faint recognition, as if she somehow was seeing someone ELSE there, but…then the look faded as Chrysalis smirked darkly. “You really desire to know about the reign of the king? It was positively gloooorious.”

…

… “The city-wide pachinko game will be held in two hours.” The town criers proclaimed, gesturing with a hoof at the burning magical letters above, spelled out across the air in the streets as people milled about. “But first! An announcement from our Shadowlord!” The criers went on as people huddled together, sitting down on benches and on chairs as they glanced around at each other. Sombra Nyh-Tyaim stood atop the towering castle ramparts, a faint, glowing, dark red aura surrounding him, oozing black veins running through it in a dark protection spell. He coughed slightly, Luza frowning as she stood next to him alongside Chrysalis, seeing…his hooves were marked up, cut open, slashed. Clearly this spell had required blood seals…

His mother stood near Luza, coughing a bit, Sombra looking concernedly at her, titling his head slightly to the side. She was…abnormally pale. “Mother, are you sure you can handle being outside?” He inquired as Mina Nyh-Tyaim cringed a bit and scratched at her neck with a hoof.

“D-don’t you talk down to your mother.” Mina hacked out. “D-Don’t you do that.” She insisted. “I’m just FINE.”

“If we’re all set, I’m going to begin the amplification spell.” Chrysalis announced, pointing at the small crystal atop the ramparts they were standing on, about to tap it with her hoof. “Remember, they’ll hear everything you say and see your face everywhere. Be concise. Be strong.”

“Don’t lick your lips like you like to do.” Luza added as Sombra chuckled a bit before nodding at Chrysalis, who tapped the crystal. With a “PING” that rang through the air, Sombra’s face appeared before the populace in a burning, blackish/grey mass, his eyes glowing green and red as he “harrumphed” and cleared his throat.

“I wish for only one thing, my citizens, my servants, my people. To keep you all safe from the forces that now threaten our borders and our cities. We must endure and strike back however we can until the trade routes have been reopened. This, however, will take time. And it shall take sacrifice.” Sombra proclaimed. He stretched a hoof out, looking proud as the citizens whispered amongst themselves, placing the hoof tenderly upon his chest and bowing his head, as if accepting a great burden from the citizenry. “I will do all I can to preserve this city and keep it an idyllic society as it was always meant to be.”

The crowds cheered, bellowing with joy and happiness as they leapt up and down, clapped their hooves, whooped and hollered and danced about, the speech ending as Sombra fell to his knees on the ramparts, panting and heaving before finally rising back up.

“My…nightshade spell is…rather draining.” He managed to get out, allowing Chrysalis to lift him up as she dusted him off. He looked deep into her eyes, taking one hoof in his own as he stared longingly at her. “It will take time for me to be used to the blood loss. But I’ve got to get to work on handling possible…uprisings. How many do we have in our jails? I’ve a new system to put into place…”

“You know I’ll be there to support everything you do, Sommy.”

“Oh, Chrissy. You’re going to make me blush in front of my mother and sister.” Sombra chuckled, Luza giggling a bit as Mina laughed.

“We don’t mind! Honest!”

…

… “Chrysalis said it was ingenious. He began hypnotizing those within the jails into doing most of the work. No more backbreaking labor for his people, no struggle for food or shelter, just people relaxing as a war waged around them.” Twilight informed the princess as she dictated a letter to Spike, sitting on a bench in Ponyville cafeteria. “The people of his kingdom were being divorced from the reality of war. And he was clearly getting better at…getting into people’s heads if he could enslave people even without the heart…”

“He had to keep doing it to them every week but…yeah, being able to make it last for that long, even if it’s only for a few hundred people, that IS pretty…well, I can’t say “good”.” Spike cringed, shaking his head back and forth as he kept writing on the parchment.

“And Chrysalis evidently…” Twilight halted for a moment. “…I…I’m not comfortable writing this. Or even thinking about it. I doubt she ever truly cared about Sombra. Her “love” was idolization. Worship of an IDEA more than a pony. He was a THING to horde and make use of.”

“You so SURE about that?” Spike asked, tilting his head to the side, raising a nonexistent eyebrow. “I mean, we’ve seen these changelings can really show real emotion. At least, sometimes…I think…” He mumbled.

“She herself said she can’t feel love, Spike.” Twilight muttered. “And I’ve been reading the journal.”

…

…unsatisfying. Empty. Hollow.

And not over nearly fast enough.

An entire night just…lying in the same bed, her wrapped around me. Softly murring into my neck, holding me close.

This ought to feel right. She and I have been so close for so long, yet…I don’t feel attached to her when…

She’s always, always on top. Always so...rough. Harsh.

And she’s always biting into my shoulder. At least It allows me to use the blood for new seals.

I’ve been practicing. Heard much about the power of crystals…the right kind of crystals can enhance my abilities to immensely large levels. I hope one day to find one, at least, when the trade routes are reopened. However, things are difficult in the kingdom. My little slaves do all the work, helpless to resist, punished for their defiance to the Shadowlands. But supplies are regrettably getting rather low. Lower than I’d like.

I’m actually having to ask people to turn in metal so I can melt it down and use it for refurbishing the walls. And then of course there was that baby that vomited upon me as I walked among the people, that disgusting little-

WELL! An enormous boulder just SMASHED through the walls and into me. Evidently the Griffons are now taking to flying through the skies, tossing boulders with their hulkish Praetorian Guard. I am beginning to despise Griffons. I feel the urge to cook one of them alive in front of them when they’re in the middle of attacking my castle just to show them what happens when they defy…

I’m still not sleeping well. Luna has not visited in months…mother is…sick. Very sick. She’s been going downhill since father perished, and I have yet to find a cure. However, I’m close. Close to a breakthrough. Because I bonded with the Shadows, I’m immune to such diseases. Mother never did…she just couldn’t. But if I could distill the pure essence of Shadow I could have her WILL her body to be cured, just as the Way of the Shadow allows me to WILL my body into becoming virtually untouchable.

Soooo…close.

But there’s always so much to do. THIS realm of the city got damaged by catapult, this one had a fire break out, that one is seeing a rash of thefts, THAT one’s being invaded even now-

Sometimes it all feels like too much.

…I wonder if I can shoulder this responsibility. I really do. I’m not entirely sure sometimes…

…

…the devastation was terrible in the southwestern section of the city. A dark, awful haze filled the skies as Sombra walked along with Luza, who held onto her mother with a single hoof, almost pushing her along as Sombra slowly glanced about the damage. It was hot and humid, the air stung your lungs as you breathed it in, and the bodies…

The bodies were…it was almost impossible to look at them. The fire spells that the Manechurian platoon had leveled at this portion of his home were designed to inflict as much pain and agony as possible. Even the bandages designed to keep blood flow down as the mages worked their healing magic weren’t really working. Foul cold iron stench ripped through them, blood oozing out and staining the bandages from beneath like a modern art painting, lips burnt off, eye sockets sizzled, pupils never to see another sight again…and the maggots.

The maggots. These filthy carrion crawlers were slinking all over the bodies, squirming and slithering about like the disgusting little pests they were. There were a hundred maggots to every body…you couldn’t take one step without stomping down on them…

“We need to burn the bodies. They’re too rotted and diseased to be of any possible use otherwise.” Sombra informed Chrysalis as she oversaw a small platoon of guards carrying the corpses away onto little carts.

“You’re so sure? With the right season-”

“I’m quite sure.” Sombra said quickly, his mother Mina coughing madly as he quickly glanced back at her, a look of pure fear on his face before he stared back at Chrysalis. “I’m loathe to waste resources, but this is simply too much.”

Chrysalis sighed a bit, nodding at the guards. “You heard the Shadowlord.” She informed them with a bark. “Get to work burning them.” They nodded in agreement, wheeling them off down the streets and away from the shattered and blown-open homes as Sombra glanced over at his mother.

“What about those left in the sector?” His mother coughed out, hacking slightly. “OOGH. You should…set up…set up beds and…and mosquito netting to…to keep them cared for…” She moaned. “Until their homes are rebuilt…HACGHK…”

“I’ll do what I can.” Sombra insisted as Mina Nyh-Tyaim looked up into his eyes, sighing mournfully at his expression.

“I’m not going to be around for much longer.” She told him softly.

“Mother, you WON’T die. I’m not letting you.” Sombra insisted, quickly grabbing her by the shoulders, shaking his head back and forth. “I’ve been studying.” He said, his mother looking over his form…seeing how he was ALWAYS armored. Always…even in this burning hot weather. He was clearly hiding something underneath, something faintly visible at the top of his chest now that she was so close to him…full-body bandages to hide deep, bloody wounds. Worse still, Sombra’s voice was always different now. It felt like it was hard for him to speak, his voice filled with a whispering, harsh, ravaged tone. “I’ve almost completely perfected my Shadow form. Soon I’ll distill it’s pure Essence, I can put it into you, you’ll be completely cured! And if it works on YOU, then…”

“You want to do it to the entire kingdom, is that it?” Mina asked as Luza tilted her head slightly to the side in confusion.

“Why’s that bad?” She asked. “If everyone was always happy and never died and was always with the ones they loved…isn’t that what everybody wants, momma?” Luza wanted to know as Mina slowly looked from her to Sombra.

“…this life is but a…thoroughfare. We depart with it with nothing but our spirit, that carries with us our deeds, good and ill. But it can’t be the ONLY thing that matters. That’s too much. It tips the balance we believe in. It’s why there’s a trinity of inner strength, without the other two, one would dominate over all. If we focus too much on one thing…we lose sight of all else.” Mina murmured, holding her son’s cheeks with her hooves. “You’re getting too concerned with me and not with the city. You have to learn that sometimes you have to let go.”

“It shouldn’t have to be this way.” Sombra mumbled back. “…good things deserve to last forever. The best things always do.”

“The best things go on. Just not in the way we always think.” Mina said tenderly.

“And you’ll go on. But in a way nobody else would think was possible.” Sombra swore. “…I will. Luza will. My kingdom will. I will be ETERNAL…” He whispered. “…nothing’s going to stop me. Not even death.”

Author's Note

Well! This certainly has been a long time coming. But I work full time at a hospital. Please cut me some slack.

And needless to say...yeah. I know I'm getting pretty damn graphic with how I'm depicting this. That's the point. Please understand I don't want to glamorize war at all. And if you see a way I can improve, tell me in the comments. And by all means, upvote my story if you see something you like. I l love feedback...I'll never get better at writing without it.

Ciao for now...

...and happy memorial day. May this chapter pay heed to the horrors of war that our soldiers go through. As if the title didn't give it away...

Cityfall

“Please, sir. I’m a huddled mass of one yearning to be free.”

“I can dig it. Now get in line for poker or volleyball.”

“But I can’t play volleyball.”

“Neither can the sergeant, truth be told.”

Twilight cringed as she made her way along with Princess Celestia and Luna looked over at her, then at their helpful interpreters. Shinedown T. Mare and his adopted son were speaking quite happily with a variety of Chrysalis’s people as they all sat about on benches, chairs and little stools in the refugee camp that the town had erected. A soft, gentle wind comforted the refugees as Chrysalis frowned over at a Wonderbolt that was trying to get one of her kind to join in some festivities by Twilight’s library.

“Changelings don’t do SPORTS.” She remarked with a frown, folding her arms over her chest and “harrumphing”. “And games of chance are punishable by death.”

“Oh. Wow. Really?” Twilight wished to know before Chrysalis smirked. “Oh, you-that’s not funny!” She protested, Chrysalis cackling at the deeply-blushing Twilight. “Ha-ha-ha! So hilarious!”

“Pulling one over on ponies…THAT, however, my species never tires of. Or just me, at any rate.” Chrysalis sniggered with a broad grin, the Princesses turning their heads as their interpreters as the two Changeling-blooded ponies made their way over to the Princesses.

“We’ve been speaking quite heavily to them, and they’re all FAMISHED on a lack of love.” Shinedown admitted.

“It may be hard for you to understand, but unlike the Ghainahm, the Sugnbohn tribe needs emotion in a far, far more physical fashion. It is as…comparing secondhand smoke to actual inhalation of hookah.” Chrysalis intoned with a wave of her hoof, her people beginning to crowd around them. Normally Twilight would be worried, but all of the Changelings here still had those glyphs on…they couldn’t try to break out or fight her or the Princesses, no matter how desperate they were for nourishment. “We need the stronger stuff.”

“We’re desperate. Especially because we’ve long since lost our families.” One Changeling admitted quietly, Shinedown’s expression becoming softer, his eyes brimming with sympathy as he approached the rather gaunt, emaciated (even by Changeling standards) insectoid-esque pony. “My father was all I had…”

“We should learn to be good to one another. The other Changeling refugees were snatched from a time when most other races accepted them. They had a routine to fall back into.” Twilight admitted sympathetically. “They’ve been able to appeal to the masses through their talents. Most of Equestria still views you and the Changelings you had alongside you as an enemy force under our capture, not as refugees.”

“We need your help.” The Changeling murmured as he looked over at them all. “We’ve been on the road for so long. We just…” He hesitated, biting into his lip, pawing slightly at the ground as Shinedown approached him with a few more steps. “We just want to know what its like to be loved.”

Shinedown reached up, holding the Changeling’s cheek, the Princesses looking on in surprise, Chrysalis baffled as Twilight quickly got out her notebook, scribbling notes as Squirt stepped back, watching his adopted father look into the Changeling’s eyes, deep blue into bright yellow…

“We all do.” Shinedown whispered, leaning in, his lips locking with the Changeling. In an instant, a pure, tender burst of pinkish and purple light cascaded over his body and through the Changeling like a beautiful aura, the Changeling shuddering in a mixture of ecstasy and delight as he slightly buckled before Shinedown broke the kiss, smacking his lips. “Hmm. Like brittle dark chocolate.”

“Oh MY.” Chrysalis murmured. “Pure Compassion with a splash of actual Love. I don’t suppose any of your kind are…secretly enamored with Changelings?”

“I’ll have you know some men like curves. Others like rolls. And plenty of ladies like the holes. Just means there’s more to fill, baby!” Squirt remarked as he flexed an arm with an air of braggadocio before realizing he’d just said that in front of two Princesses and a Queen, IMMEDIATELY blushing. “Oh, kill me now.” He groaned.

“You’re ADORABLE.” Chrysalis sniggered as Shinedown gently put an arm around Squirt and led him and the Princesses and Twilight away, into the library as Twilight finished taking notes.

“Clearly we’ll have to find people willing to engage in some PDA with the Changelings. Perhaps a kissing booth?” Twilight mused aloud. “Pinkie would like that...”

“The queen isn’t being honest about everything Sombra did.” Squirt muttered. “Dah and I figured that out from talking to the older Changelings in her group.” He admitted as he reached into the small belt he had around his waist, opening up a pouch and taking out a small notepad full of quickly-scribbled notes, Shinedown nodding in agreement as Princess Luna thoughtfully rubbed her chin.

“I had spoken to Sombra several times, asking for patience as my sister and I attempted to aid him by negotiating with the other nations that were sieging his city.” Luna admitted to Shinedown as Celestia bowed her head ever-so-slightly.

“Indeed…but it did not end well. Every time my sister visited him, he seemed…more unnatural…stressed…frightening.” She informed them. “As the siege continued, his attitude grew more desperate and frazzled. He was being stretched thin.”

…

… “You…do not look well.” Luna informed Sombra, his body sweaty, his hair practically oily as he brushed himself off, panting and heaving, his form covered in cuts, bruises and fresh wounds.

“The magical spells needed for my…unique brand of magic that protects this city requires blood sacrifice. First it was weekly…now it has become daily.” He admitted, cringing as he rubbed his arm ever-so-slightly, taking in a few deep breaths. “Even in this astral plane you see me upon I can feel the sting.”

“Have thou capture-ed any minotaurs? Sought to have them undermine their people’s attacks upon your city?” Luna asked of him as she raised an eyebrow up, Sombra chuckling coldly.

“Oh, I’m afraid they…don’t live long enough for that. I made a promise to the city to no longer have pony meat served to satisfy the meat cravings of us Changelings. But, well…nothing wrong with a nice steak now and then.” He whispered, licking his lips.

“I sense you’re enjoying more than steak. I can practically taste Chrysalis on you.” Luna added as she waved a hoof in front of her face, the blank white space that was their current astral plane immediately forming into Sombra’s bedroom, Chrysalis’s crooning form lying seductively on the bed, gesturing for Sombra to come close as Sombra actually FLINCHED.

“I…that is…well…” He muttered. “I mean, it’s important. Symbolically, and…and she’s a fine lover, and…well…I mean…”

“Is she asking you to bed her? Telling you what she wants?” Luna inquired, looking a bit worried. “Sombra, Chrysalis of the Changelings is manipulative. I am concerned she doesn’t care about you, only an ideal of you. I’ve visited her dreams, she’s…” She trailed off. “…I’d prefer not to go into detail. But it involves many…many strap-ons.”

Sombra cringed. “Look, it's fine, I don't mind her...how-how goes the negotiations?”

“Not well. The other races are still quite furious with how your father treated their citizens. They had to endure decades of Changeling rule. They’re not interested in speaking with you unless they’re certain you’ll be an improvement on him.” Luna intoned as the scene shifted, Sombra feeling his father’s gaze on the back of his neck as he slightly cringed, rubbing his sore arm, his father’s cape billowing out about him as if seeking to embrace him. “Have you anything to say?”

“Tell them to call off the attack, and I might talk. Until then, this conversation is tabled.” He informed her, waving a hoof in the air as the dreamscape began to fade and he awoke from his slumber, yawning and smacking his lips as he sniffed the air, frowning darkly as he poked his head outside into the fresh night air.

The city was worse off than before. People were milling about, carrying the dead in large wheelbarrows or slung over their shoulders, gnashing their teeth and wailing. Mothers clutched dead children as they sat flopped against grimy alleyways, emaciated bodies being held by near-skeletal arms. The city was enduring what he’d feared most of all…though he could protect it from enemies without, he couldn’t save it from an enemy within…disease was cultivating inside his home.

He needed to speak to Chrysalis and Luza tomorrow. They’d have to try and devise a treatment plan for…whatever it was. Probably should find out what it was, get to work on that, but…wait, how to keep from being infected? He bit into his lip, drawing the curtains back across the window, sliding down the wall as he held his face, shaking his head, a hot, burning sensation rising in him. He already had to look over the weapons stocks, check the orphanages for those who could fight and work again, have the castle prepare the soup for the soup kitchens, help reinforce the barrier shield with more dark magic-

He felt as though he was being tugged at from all ends. It was just too much…too much.

Luza. Some time with Luza would cheer him up…

…

…Luza nervously approached the small little firefly as it sat on the leaf in the castle’s private garden, a soft, lilting breeze blowing her perfect hair back and forth, she reached out carefully, then brought her hoof back as the firefly lit up, its abdomen glowing brightly. “Oooh.” She murmured, Luza gently reaching out…

She snatched it up, smiling before realizing something awful smelled-

“Ohhh.” She murmured, looking at her cupped hooves and the disgusting mess that was now splashed against her palm. “I’m sorry. I squashed you…” She whispered as she heard her brother approach from behind, Sombra kneeling down by her, looking her palm over.

“Here.” He said softly, turning his eyes at the fireflies, his eyes slightly aglow as he held a hoof aloft, whistling with a quiet, lilting air. The fireflies began to slowly rise through the dark garden, every flower, every leaf becoming alit with soft golden light. He began to whistle, standing up tall, waving his hooves in the air, the fireflies dancing for him as he cheerily looked down at Luza, who’s eyes were wide in surprise and awe.

“Ooooh…” She murmured, the fireflies dancing around her, twirling in a circular pattern, little tiny ballerinas as Sombra continued to whistle, his eyes glowing a bright green as the fireflies finally soared up into the night sky, then scattered across the garden like a glittering ashfall, each one landing on a different flower, Sombra picking Luza up and rubbing her head, smiling tenderly down at her.

“Did you like that?” He asked. “I’ve gotten to be so skilled in this art.”

“You did all that for me?” Luza giggled as he snuggled up against her face with his cheek, cooing tenderly as he lifted her up and put her on his back, carrying her out of the garden as she let out a yawn, a single firefly landing atop her head.

“I’d do anything for you.” Sombra Nyh-Tyaim insisted. “Don’t ever forget that.”

“I won’t.” She mumbled, nuzzling into the back of his neck. “But…how long do you think this war will go on? They have to stop sometime, right?”

“…yes, of course.” Sombra muttered evasively, cringing a little, wishing he could tell her the truth. “…of course it has to.”

…

… “Since your mother isn’t going to be needing these kimonos anymore, I suggest you have them sold for some food.” Chrysalis requested as she laid the box down in front of Sombra as he sat inside his room, holding a knife in his mouth, about to draw blood across his arm to add to the seal that he’d drawn in chalk beneath him. The protective barrier around the city kept requiring more and more blood every day, it seemed. He didn’t know how long he could keep this up. Still, getting in some candy would be good. There were always some people willing to trade good clothes for some nice little food in the city if you could find the right fence. And if they objected to the trade, well, he was the king, he-

Wait.

WAIT.

“The kimonos weren’t in the living room where we…you went into my mother’s bedroom?!” Sombra growled out, finding a sense of fury beginning to well up in him. She’d gone into his mother’s bedroom when he’d sealed it off and instructed nobody to go inside without his permission?

“Well, I’ve been trading off my things bit by bit. I’m SURE that your mother would be glad if you put them to good use…” Chrysalis said with a calm smile, giving him a knowing nod as Sombra frowned slightly. She HAD a point, but…still…

“Alright. I’ll…go find a fence in town to trade with.” He muttered as he took the box that held his mother’s kimonos, carrying them out of the room past Luza, seeing her cringing as she stared at the box. “…Luza, it’s just-”

“I heard. I understand. I’m…I’m not gonna get upset. It’s…it’s just THINGS, right? Things can be replaced.” She said softly. “Mom would…she’d want us to get food, right?”

“…yes, she’d want that.” Sombra insisted to her…and to himself, heading down the hall, past portrait after portrait of his father and his mother as they stood side by side, their eyes seeming to follow him the entire time as he inwardly cringed. He knew it was the right thing, and yet…he didn’t feel right doing this, nor did it feel right knowing Chrysalis had just popped into his mother’s room. Had she done it before?

It wasn’t long before he was out in the city, a scarf wrapped around his lower face to shield himself from inhaling a disgusting haze that had fallen over the lower west shopping district. He’d been a little bit too reserved in how much blood he used for the seal and a catapult shot had knocked through a part of the shield, burning rubble making shops, scattered corpses and piles of refuse instantly catch light. Until the unicorns of the city got it under control, everyone was just going to have to hold their breath as best they could until…say…Tuesday.

“I’d like to trade these. My family has no more use for such things in this time. We wish to trade for food-”

“Of course! Yes, ah…not an issue, we’ll, um…my friends and I will get you some rice and dumplings and the butcher can have them made into a nice blanket!” The fence remarked with a nervous gulp.

“Really? Rice AND dumplings?” Sombra inquired, clear and obvious nervousness filling the fence’s skinny face as he took the box from Sombra, looking the kimonos over as Sombra’s eyes slightly narrowed. “…you’re…certain they’re worth dumplings?”

“Of COURSE, anything for you, absolutely!” The fence quickly muttered. “I assure you, we haven’t been killing off orphans at ALL to make this meat for the dumplings, no sir! All reserve stocks! We know you’d skin us alive and eat us with dim sun for dinner if we tried!”

Sombra frowned, the fence leading him down the street through the sickening haze, adjusting his scarf slightly. He wanted to object to that but…truth be told, it WOULD be tempting to have pony meat with some nice dim sun on the side. Still…he had a reputation to uphold.

One which, evidently…was changing somehow.

…

… “You’re in luck that this stove can be so easily repaired by my magic hooves, sir. A stove like this is hard to find nowadays.” The repairmare insisted, pulling up her belt, adjusting the goggles atop her head as she let loose a sigh of relief, dark black hair matted with sweat as she pulled herself away from the kitchen stove, Sombra looking at the busted, almost utterly smoking wreck of the kitchen stove. All he wanted to do was cook rice. Was that so hard?

“How much?” He asked, reaching into his belt pouch to pay her.

“I know better than to ask you for money, sir.” She admitted with a nervous nod, Sombra blinking slightly at the repairwoman as she turned back to the stove, the new king frowining inwardly as he made his way out of the kitchen, Luza following after as he heard Chrysalis speaking to some of the servants, her voice carried all the way from-

…upstairs…down the hall, to the right, on…no. No, she wasn’t…

He put a hoof to his lips, shushing Luza as they snuck up the stairs, Sombra’s eyes narrowing as he listened intently…Chrysalis’s voice coming from his mother’s room. She was inside. And…having the servants do her hooves?!

“Really, with all the raids, the constant barrage on the city, it’s a miracle I can just relax at all.” Chrysalis admitted as she sighed, flicking her long hair slightly back. “Not to mention Luza will NOT shut up in her sleep. She keeps whimpering.”

Sombra growled slightly. So? Luza had trouble sleeping. Everybody was having issues…

“Sombra should tell Luza to start helping with putting out the fires that keep springing up on the outskirts of the barrier. They eat away at the shield. Any unicorn who can do any magic at all is supposed to help!” Chrysalis went on, continuing to talk loudly and proudly, Sombra feeling a ringing noise rising in his ears. “Besides, it would make the people feel as though he’s actually doing something. I’m out on the streets, I hear them talking. I know how frightened they are of him. The reclusive king…never out of his castle. Always locked away, high above us all. My soldiers are on the front lines, I understand their pain far better than he does. I think I’ve earned a little relaxation.”

Sombra. Was. Mad. He wanted to snap her neck. He wanted to throw her out the window. He could feel the blood rising in his veins, his form shaking with a fury, he-

They were really…talking about him like that? No wonder that repairmare had been…

He looked down at Luza as she nervously looked up at him, and a horrible, ugly thought popped into his head.

What if it was true?

…

…it wasn’t too hard to change his appearance. A little caked-on mud, some raggy clothes, contacts…he looked like a different stallion.

Coughing slightly into his hoof, Sombra slid down the alleyway, past a few fallen forms that lay flopped against the side of the wall, curled up in a ball, barely able to move. A horrid stench filled the air from a mixture of feces and trash that now caked their bodies, people clustered around barrels filled with fire as they tried to stay warm. The faint, greenish hue of the shield spell was the only light in the sky, glistening in the air like a giant dome that surrounded the city as some of the citizens glanced up at it, a few scattered arrows dissolving against the shield.

Heh. Stupid minotaurs, Sombra mused.

“They always try and always fail. But it doesn’t matter…” One mare muttered, hacking and coughing into her hoof, struggling not to fall to the ground, her form wrapped in blankets as a child nearby dug into the earth. “How long can the shield stay up? Our fearless leader can’t keep it going forever.”

“He’s said it requires blood. How long before he decides to start ordering others sacrificed to keep it going?” Another mare wanted to know, their voices a low, conspiratorial whisper as Sombra inwardly frowned. Were they serious?! They couldn’t be serious, they-

“How long until our rations run out, mah?” The first mare’s daughter nervously asked, tugging at the blankets as the little one gazed up in expectation.

“You…shouldn’t worry about things like that.” The woman muttered, Sombra nervously edging away from them, turning to the young stallion digging at the ground.

“What’re you doing?” He asked, wincing as the familiar fire that was his cut-open wounds for the shield burnt through his chest…the stallion’s head turning away as Sombra SAW what he was doing.

Digging a grave for a large collection of fireflies that had evidently simply dropped dead from disease.

“I found a bunch of them all fallen on the ground by a strawberry patch.” The young colt muttered.

The bodies almost impossible to look at…a Foul cold iron stench ripped through them…blood oozing out and staining the bandages from beneath like a modern art painting, lips burnt off, eye sockets sizzled, pupils never to see another sight again…

“Dad said…mom’s in a grave like this. We had to build it fast because she got really sick.”

The MAGGOTS…these filthy carrion crawlers were slinking all over the bodies…squirming and slithering…a hundred maggots to every body…you couldn’t take one step without stomping down on them…

Sombra could not stop the tears that began to well in his eyes as he finally ran off, sobbing, slamming himself into the side of an alleyway wall, barely holding himself up with one hoof, the other covering his face as the tears fell freely.

“Maaaaaaamaaaaa…” He finally managed to gurgle out. “Why do people have to die at all?” He whispered. “…all it does is take away something beautiful from the world. Why can’t things just stay perfect…unchanging…” He whispered.

It was just too much…too much.

“…if we stay here we’ll die.” He realized aloud, the tears plopping down onto the cold ground one after another, his voice low…solemn. Final. “…we’ll die. We can’t survive here. Nobody can.”

He had to get out of there. And take Luza with him.

…

…Chrysalis awoke to find a scroll on the door, nailed in there for her to see as she blinked her eyes in confusion. Rising from what had been Mina Nyh-Tyaim’s bed, she yawned, taking the scroll off and looking it over, frowning a bit as she read through the scroll’s contents…

Meanwhile, Sombra and Luza were already on their way down the forest road, quickly hurrying towards the back exit, a long tunnelway at the end of the little forest in their palace courtyard. The tunnelway led straight out of the city, and if they left now, they’d arrive outside the city in the cover of darkness, able to slip away in deepest night.

We’re taking our leave. Luza and I won’t trouble you anymore.

If you desire the shield to stay up, you’ll have to contribute your own blood to the seal. Otherwise…you’d best work on an evacuation plan for the city, or terms of surrender. It’s up to you.

Chrysalis began to growl, a low heat rising in her body as she scrunched up the scroll. Putting her on the hot spot, was he? After all she’d done for him. Well…he’d come crawling back. She could handle this. When he saw how well she would rule this city, he’d realize how stupid his pride was and come back to her…

The air of the tunnel was damp and cool, Luza wrapping her arms around Sombra’s neck, burying her face in the nape as he kept trotting through the long tunnelway, a single firefly floating around them as they began to approach the exit. Soft wind made it clear they would soon be home free as Sombra pushed the doorway open, sighing in relief. Sure enough…no catapult platoons or minotaur soldiers around. He sniffed at the air, getting a good read before quickly bolting off, heading for the Western woods, following the river.

Bullfrogs belched in the night as fireflies danced upon the surface of the water, Sombra and Luza barreling down the road. The wind fluttered through Sombra’s hair as he slightly panted, a large rucksack slung across his back for Luza to rest on, Luza carrying a few bags of her own along with a belt full of pouches loaded with little candies as Sombra halted for a moment, looking up at the sky. The moon was casting down gentle rays upon the two, illuminating the river’s surface with an almost unearthly glow as he breathed in deep, taking in the fresh air…enjoying a peaceful, calm moment. In this instant, there were only him and Luza and the open road.

They would, at least, be free. They just had to follow the forest trail and they’d eventually hit a city they could blend in to. Settling down by the river, Sombra tenderly laid Luza onto the rupsack he brought, lying down by her side on the soft grass as she scrunched up against the rucksack, one arm wrapped around it. Sombra tenderly brushed some hair off her cheek, his sister’s soft murmurs rising out from her tiny lips as Sombra smiled, kissing her atop her head.

“Sleep tight, nightlight.” He cooed. “…we’ve got a big day ahead of us.”