Reforming Them : A Gem So Rare

by ChingKittyCat

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life
Length: 39269

Rarity is sent a letter by Princess Celestia requesting that she take up the task of reforming the cruel Tyrant of the Crystal Empire.

Rarity is sent a scroll one day when she is busy working on a modern dress for one of her customers. The scroll had caught her by surprise, seeing as she almost never got any Canterlot Royal Mail. Upon opening the letter, she became petrified by what the scroll had read. Celestia had requested that she reform a dark hearted, impure, dark magic user that had been prevented from taking over the Crystal Empire only a year ago. King Sombra. Luckily for her, he appears to have an extremely bad case of amnesia.

First in the Reforming Them series.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-03-26 21:49:42 UTC

Chapter 2 : Anger

Tick tock.

There goes the day.

Tick tock.

It just flew away.

Tick tock.

They will pay.

The sun set, giving a beautiful hue to the sky as it dropped below the hills. Ponyville was still bustling and rustling with commotion. Ponies were very talkative here. If a rumor got out about you here, well.. Kiss your social life goodbye. That rumor could be anything. If you threw out an apple into the garbage, it could easily be twisted to you throwing a foal in the garbage. If you so much as say something stupid underneath your breath, the entire town was going to hear about it. Which was very entertaining at times when you could just listen to what some of the rumors were and how nonsensical they were. 'I heard Mayor Mare was caught ripping up pole votes for the opposite party!' 'Did you hear? Lyra Heartstrings is obsessed with bipedal monkeys!' 'It's so strange, I never thought Twilight Sparkle would be into demonic sacrifices. She's a Alicorn and all.'

That last rumor though.. It was half true. Twilight Sparkle, the Alicorn who supposedly 'Ruled' and 'Controlled' friendship had summoned a demon. The town was swift to hear about it.

"It snapped at a filly! I heard it's teeth were stained bright crimson and sharp as blades! It's eyes a dark crimson! Poor filly, whoever it was."

A gossiping mare spouted, telling her friend who was just across from her about it.

"I still can't believe this."

The mare's friend was still in shock by it all, obvious by the look on her face. She had the burger right infront of her face. Uneaten, untouched almost.

Fluttershy had been eavesdropping for a while now. She had been listening in on the two mare's conversation for a good ten minutes. They were at the table across from her, so she couldn't help it. What were they talking about? An animal? Hopefully it wasn't what she thought it was.

"It took the form of a grey stallion with hair that whipped through the wind like the princess's! It had a sword like horn upon it's head too! With a dark black ring around it!"

The mare continued, telling the story like it was from a story book. Fluttershy knew this wasn't an animal now. She raised her hoof for a second, attempting to get in on the mare's conversation.

"Um.. Excuse me?"

She directed her head to the mare's table completely. The mares had a hard time hearing her over the commotion in the burger joint, but they did hear her. They turned their heads and smiled.

"Yes?"

The mare who was telling the story asked. Unaware of what sort of new information Fluttershy would reveal.

"I can't help but hear you talking about my friend.. Um.."

Fluttershy stuttered quietly, the mares gasped in shock. Everypony in town knew Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie was known and loved for her parties, and Fluttetshy was known and loved for reforming a GOD.

"I would appreciate if you didn't call him a demon.. It's kinda rude.. I mean.. Only if you want to."

Fluttershy requested. She didn't exactly know these mares, and she didn't exactly have the plans to get all buddy-buddy with them either.

"He was being made fun of by two mean fillies, and he just snapped at them."

Fluttershy explained, as the two mares crowded around Fluttershy. Desperate for information on the topic, obviously. This place had things going on all the time. From moon goddesses trying to create eternal night to the everfree forest deciding to come in and mess some stuff up for no obvious reason to the public.

"You have to tell us all about it."

The mare begged, leaving her food behind at her table as she retained her smile. She was being rather polite about it, so Fluttershy didn't see why not. She would keep away that this pony was actually a evil dictator who was banished for a thousand years.

"Well, he's a friend of my friend Rarity. He's a bit short tempered, he doesn't like kids.. Well.. That's about it."

Fluttershy told the mares, scooting back her seat to get some personal space. Ever since that modeling stuff she did for Photo Finish, Fluttershy really liked her personal space.

"No, tell us the good stuff! Who is he?"

The mare pleaded, her hunger for knowledge imminent. Fluttershy was regretting her decision to let this mare know the truth already.

"Oh, I've gotta go.. Sorry."

Fluttershy made her excuse and made a mad dash for the joint's doors. Running out into the street in a awful hurry. Causing her to cause a bit of attention as she frantically ran down the paths of ponyville. She ran almost silently, keeping her head down as she ran to avoid eye contact. She felt her hooves give way under her as she slammed face first onto the ground. Fluttershy groaned, as she could see two shadows block out the sun above her.

"You're the monster's master, aren't you? After you reformed that other one, you decided to get a new one."

One of the shadows hissed, as they came into view. Fluttershy shook her head and got a clear look at who was above her. It was that pink filly once more. Diamond Tiara. Fluttershy wouldn't even bother. She got up off the ground and retook her footing. Standing up tall against the bully who had the nerve to use her riches as her vantage point. Disgusting.

"Oh, no! He's just a friend."

Fluttershy laughed, dusting off her shoulders with her hooves as she recollected herself. That was a awfully nasty trip. It looked like she had tripped on nothing. Though in reality, Silver Spoon had stuck her hoof out and made Fluttershy trip and eat the dirt that other ponies walked upon.

"You should tell you friend to not be such a demonic freak. He nearly bit me."

Diamond Tiara puffed, as Fluttershy was unfazed by the little filly's tone and demands. If she kept cool, she would show that she was the one with dominant power here. She did have a dark magic dictator at her disposal..

Wait.. Since when was Sombra a weapon she would use to only further herself? He was a pony too.. A corrupted, messed up one, but still a pony at that.

"He had a perfectly good reason to scare you off like that. You were being a bully."

Fluttershy didn't use any anger in her tone. She would be silently setting in the guilt train. Her disappointment in this filly would leak in slowly. Slowly.

"I'm not a bully, and that's not a good reason to even breath the air around me, much less disturb it!"

This filly was the most stuck up, disgusting, waste of space Fluttershy had ever laid her eyes upon. That was saying a lot. Considering that she usually only ever used 'waste of space' one other time in her entire life. Stuck up and disgusting was more common.

"He's your Cerberus. You commanded him to try and bite me, and I'm going to TELL."

Diamond Tiara threatened. Normally, Fluttershy wouldn't give two cucumbers if a filly told on her. Mostly because she was a mare, and they were a child. This time was a bit different though.

"You wouldn't dare."

Fluttershy's anger had slipped through, her eyes narrowing. A rare sight indeed. She would hardly ever get angry, other then dealing with threats that put Equestria on the line.

"I can do much more then tell, too. I can get it put on T-Shirts, Shirts, Sweaters, Dresses, Posters, you get the point."

Diamond Tiara chortled, as Silver Spoon finally joined her. For whatever reason, Silver Spoon seemed a bit busy. Looks like Fluttershy wasn't going to be playing nice cop around these two.

"Weren't you just accusing me of being a monster's master? That I am able to summon him at my command? Doesn't that concern you?"

Fluttershy grew a wild grin from her angered face, making her look rather malicious. This side was never shown off. It was never real either. A simple bit of intimidation would shut these fillies up. Possibly. Fluttershy would never get the chance to otherwise. It was good to be on the winning team for once. To have all the correct pieces in place against the enemy.

"Why, I could snap him back over here with a simple thought and a wave of my hoof. Then he would be here, as quick as a flash. Then he would be back to disturb more of your PRECIOUS air. Maybe even something MORE then that."

Fluttershy giggled. She giggled with her soft, innocent giggle. Diamond Tiara's eyes were now wide with fear. Silver Spoon was the same. Fluttershy out stretched her wings as her smile seemed to go past the limit. It went past her cheek bones, and up towards her eyes. That's what it seemed like atleast.

"So you'd BEST not call him a MONSTER AGAIN, because he is a pony."

Fluttershy then started back into her trot past the fillys, who were quivering in fear of the yellow Pegasus. It was delicious.

"I mean.. If that's okay with you.."

She said quietly as her smile subtracted down into a smaller, natural smile that didn't seem like a unholy being had possessed her. The two fillies fell right over like statues being toppled by protesters. Frozen in their pose as they clanged onto the ground. Their eyes still wide. Calculating the new information given.

If that monster was just a regular pony, Fluttershy wasn't a monster master. If she wasn't a monster master, she had no power over that pony. If she had no power over that pony, her whole monologue right there was pointless. But if she was just walking with a regular stallion who had weird teeth and a weird horn, there would be no reason for her to be told on.

This sucked.

Sombra stared at the clock, narrowing his gaze as he found the clock's rhythm. The longer arm was now nearing the top of the circle once more. The clock clunked and stuck. It no longer moved. What happened? He scratched the side of his head in confusion as he poked the clock with the end of his hoof. Hoping to get it going again. Sure enough, to his displeasure, the clock did not keep going. It was at the top of the hour too. He was literally wasting time. He didn't know what boredom was, so he just simply had the strange feeling as he stared at the clock for hours on end. The door rang, making his head woosh around to face the opposite side of the store to see the door. He still had his hoof poking at the clock, so he placed it back down on the ground. He then pushed himself up tall for his intruders. It made him feel good, so he straightened his back and kept his stale face.

"RAAAAARITY! I'm home!"

The intruder called with her high pitched voice. It made Sombra scrunch up his face and cover his ears when he heard it yell out for 'Rarity'. Two more intruders entered the home, realizing they were in the presence of Sombra. The two invaders who approached him were Tan and orange. The orange one had purple mane, while the tan one had a rosy mane. His eyes followed their trot over to him. The entire way. His stare made them shutter. It had no emotion. It was rather creepy. His blank, questioning, judging stare was pointed at them.

"Hey there mister. We'd like you uh.."

The orange one started, stopping her trot two feet in front of the grey stallion who's stare was no longer shared with her companion and herself. It was fully loaded and aimed at her. It sent chills up her spine. His blood red eyes unsettled her. She would hope that he wouldn't smile soon enough.

"Thank ya."

The tan one finished the orange one's sentence with all sincerity. She flinched when his stare was redirected at her. There was something about it. Something menacing about it. Like the force that backed it up was stronger than the princesses magic. If not stronger, then equal. That force just waiting to explode out of this stallion, like he was a stick of dynamite. Waiting to be lit. The fuse getting trimmed shorter and shorter.

Sombra didn't exactly know how to respond, seeing as he didn't know their language very well. He turned away from them and continued poking at the clock infront of him.

"That was really cool."

The orange one complimented with a smile. She felt a lot better now that he was no longer using that abyss of a stare on them. They felt like they were looking The Void straight back in the eye.

"Also, how'd ya get your horn like that? If I was a unicorn, I'd want one like that too!"

The orange one tried to start a conversation with him. How clueless. They didn't know that he couldn't talk or understand what they were saying, so he wouldn't blame them for their idiotic wrong. For now.

"Is it natural or fake?"

She continued to bother him. She approached much too close into his personal space. Luckily, the tan one had pulled her back before she did something incredibly foolish. Something that she seemed bent on doing just by looking at the filly's eyes. The reflection of her eyes showed his horn. She looked mystified by it. It was indeed a grand looking horn. Unlike anything she had seen before. Nopony here was alive to see this type of horn atop another pony's head. Sombra ignored the question. He didn't exactly mean to be rude, but if he had his memory back, he probably would have ignored the question anyways. Or tell her how foolish she was for asking him such a stupid question.

"Ya don't talk much, do ya?"

The tan one questioned, and which, of coarse, Sombra did not answer. He did turn to look back at the sand colored earth pony, but he still didn't answer.

"I can't believe you actually expected an answer."

The orange one rolled her eyes, giving Sombra his royal space back. His royal space he didn't know he had.

"Anyways, we heard Diamond Tiara callin you a Blank Flank and-"

The tan country filly was cut off by the snarl of Sombra. He lowered his head down to her level and showed his red canines off to her. Like a dog. The filly gulped and slowly started laughing. It wasn't a happy laugh. It was more like a nervous one. He came to think that Blank Flank was an insult; no matter who said it or what context it was being used in. He thought it was only directed towards him. Like it was a slur they had developed just for him. To insult him.

"Urk.. Uh.. She calls us that too.."

The tan pony reasoned, as Sombra's snarl stopped, suddenly. He saw Rarity enter the room from the kitchen. An apron on, with a tray of food in one hoof. He knew this much. If he didn't break stuff, he would get stuff to eat. This was his first meal in how long..? Over a thousand years? She brought over the metal tray and placed it down on the ground near him.

"I see you met my sister and her friends."

Rarity laughed. Her nervousness apparent in her chuckle. Sombra didn't care much about it though. He looked at the tray and its contents. There were these small circular objects littered all over they tray. They looked rather soft, as small chips stuck out of the light brown deliciousness.

"You should share your cookies with them."

Rarity suggested, as she started to leave the room as soon as she had entered it. What exactly was he supposed to eat? The grey thing or the brown things? He lowered his face down to the floor, and picked up one of the circular brown things. It seemed somewhat stuck to the grey part, so it took a little bit to take it off.

"Oh, thanks Rarity! Who is this guy?"

The orange purple maned Pegasus just kept coming out with all these questions and questions and questions. Rarity couldn't hide her secret. They would find out eventually, and it would prepare them for if he ever did decide to go haywire. Which she hoped he would never do. Rarity changed her target location, quickly turning to go back over to the young orange mare. She kneeled down to the filly's level and whispered something in her ear. Quiet enough for Sombra to be incapable of hearing it.

"King Sombra."

She mumbled into the orange mare's ear before trotting into the kitchen slowly. Leaving the little mare in confusion.

"King what?"

She repeated, her eyebrow raised as she looked over at Sombra. Sombra felt as if he could answer this question.

"S..Som..Sombrer..Sombra."

He attempted to pronounce his own name. Embarrassment flew over his head. He didn't know how to react to the strange feeling of regret. He was like a foal trying to say his first word. His voice was of a fully grown stallion, with the lisp of a snake. An unnaturally deep voice too. The deep voice and the foal like pronunciation really didn't go hoof in hoof, so it made the situation rather humorous for Rarity. Though he had finally spoke. That was good.

"Seems like you can talk after all! I'm Scootaloo! It's nice to meet you, King Sombra."

Scootaloo extended her hoof out to Sombra, who had a cookie in his hoof. The other one mysteriously disappeared. His face getting a bit dirty from the crumbs of the recently deceased cookie. He stuffed his newest chocolate chipped victim into his mouth before looking at Scootaloo's hoof questionably. After a bit, her hoof sunk down back to the ground when Sombra did not return the hoof shake.

"He doesn't have a memory of anything, apparently."

Rarity explained, finally leaving the room and going back into the kitchen to relax. Leaving Scootaloo and her friends to think over their new information.

"Well, this is Applebloom," Scootaloo gestured to the tan filly, who waved when she was referenced. "And Sweetiebelle is over there." Scootaloo pointed to the white unicorn filly known as Sweetiebelle, who was over by the front of the store. Doing something with gems. Gems that were stolen from Rarity. She was digging through a small chest of gems that were obviously locked away for a good reason. Then he saw it. It was his love. It brought itself to the front of his mind. It was his focus. The white mare pulled out a small cyan crystal from the chest and threw it behind her. Making it onto the floor. Sombra stood himself up and stampeded past Scootaloo and Applebloom and over to his loved one. He picked her up off the floor. He didn't know why, but Crystals just activated this certain desire for them. An unrelenting desire. Once that Crystal was in his hoof, he felt happy. A tiny smile upon his face. Almost invisible as he looked at the Crystal. Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle were busy getting off the ground. They groaned. He had smacked the two to the ground when he ran past them. Rather reckless of him.

His irises suddenly flashed a serpent green, glowing as suddenly looked around wide eyed. Just as soon as he got this green iris stuff, it was gone. He looked down at his hoof where the crystal was. He looked purely happy as he looked down upon the Crystal. Sombra moved back over to the clock's area. Away from the incoming gems that Sweetiebelle had been tossing. He plopped himself back down infront of the clock, facing away from Scootaloo and Applebloom.

"Cryssstallll..."

He drooled, looking at the crystal almost lustfully. He then stuffed it down the hatch, and Rarity's crystal was gone. This was only the beginning. He was slowly going to remember. When he encountered the things of his past. Things in which he loved and hated. Some things that would affect his memory more than others. This would soon be found out. Maybe a bit too late.

"Should you be eating that..?"

Applebloom questioned. Sombra's eyes widened as he suddenly understood. Everything was so much clearer. How come he couldn't understand her before? Before it just sounded like nonsense, but now.. It sounded like regular words. What had just happened? It's like he had a sudden moment of clarity. He nodded his head 'Yes'. For some reason he couldn't make simple words. Which he was rather disappointed about. He are crystals for two reasons. One is that they were a god's food. They were the most delicious, most amazing food in the world. To him anyways. The second was that it kept his teeth sharp. He didn't recall why he needed his teeth to be sharp, so really, he only ate the crystal because it tasted absolutely wonderful. It was so delicious, he couldn't describe it. He savored it, something he didn't do with the cookies.

"Alright. Sweetiebelle! Whatcha looking for over there?"

Scootaloo called over to Sweetie Belle. Finally leaving Sombra alone to stay in his silent bliss. He enjoyed his alone time, which activated after Applebloom left.

"Must I repeat myself? No."

Twilight angrily growled, rearranging her books. She had been in a rather sour mood since Fluttershy's outburst that everypony seemed to just shrug off.

"Aw, come on Twilight! Can't we go back?"

Spike whined. He was begging to go back to Rarity's home. Even he had heard the horrible rumors that had already spread through town. Hearing that Fluttershy was the master of a blood-stained monster that was caged at the local boutique. Spike didn't want to go back for the monster. He really didn't. He wanted to go back for Rarity. She worried him sick. With that beast in her home, Spike couldn't help but stress constantly. Spike had 'extremely' small crush on Rarity, so even though it was just a small crush, he was concerned for her well being. Twilight knew that he was concerned for her, but she seriously wasn't in the mood.

"If you want to go back, you can. Just be careful of this 'Monster'. Alright?"

Twilight allowed, her voice keeping a constant annoyed tone. She had wasted all her magic on that stupid spell to resurrect this now town known 'Monster'. Which obviously meant that Rarity or Fluttershy had allowed him to escape outside. From the rumors she heard, the yellow mare Fluttershy was next to a gray stallion whom had crimson red eyes and blood-stained teeth. Sharp as a spear, each one of them. Then the stallion had snapped at the observer, who happened to be a filly. This filly claimed to have ran away as soon as she was snapped at. She said she could have heard Fluttershy cackle as she ran off. Twilight knew that was fake, even though Fluttershy was acting a bit more like a wench today. Even Twilight would admit it. She wouldn't normally even put her friend's names near words such as wench, but she felt like it was fitting. Sombra had divided them so soon. What a clever stallion. He was smart enough to divide Fluttershy from her friends, despite having almost no knowledge left. He truly was a threat to be reckoned with, even with no memory of his previous rule. This confused Twilight, so she decided she would be doing some research on the Crystal Empire. Seeing if she could find something interesting. She had become curious ever since she revived Sombra. He currently wasn't a reliable source of information, he probably was never going to be a reliable anything. This was seriously pointless. Why didn't Celestia just keep him in a glass case in her palace? Showing off his horn like a trophy as visitors walked by and she would answer with a smile.

'That's the horn of one of my foes. He is forever trapped within it.'

The sun goddess would tell her visitors. Actually, maybe keeping him in the palace within a glass case wasn't the best idea. He could possibly be stolen, revived, powered up, then be told to attack Canterlot. Which he would do, because why would he?

"I promise I won't be late for dinner. I'll be right back."

Spike told his worrying purple pony pal. Dinner was about two hours from now, so Spike would have plenty of time to go check on Rarity. He had got a good workout today. He was still rather tired, but he would do anything to make sure his darling-.. His friend, Rarity, was alright. He got on his mark, going to the front door of the library. He took a deep breath, puffing up his chest as he gripped the handle.

SLAM!

The door whipped open, throwing spike up against the wall and squishing him. Spike groaned from the pain of the wooden door smacking him up against the wall.

"Spike?"

Spike could hear a soft voice call, as he peered behind the door that had been flung into him. He met eye to eye with a banana colored mare, with a cherry colored mane.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!"

She gasped, closing the door and peeling him off the wall comically. She seemed rather frantic about something. Obviously, something had happened. She held spike in the air. Her eyes full of panic as she pulled him in for a hug. He gasped for air as her grip tightened. His puffed up chest disappeared as he felt air leave his lungs. His face started going blue.

"They think.. I'm.. A monster's master.."

Fluttershy sobbed, he could feel her grip loosening as tears poured down his back like rivers. Fluttershy was upset about that rumor, wasn't she? She was being described as a cruel, heartless pony in it, so naturally, she would be rather sad. Spike attempted in breaking her hug, but he felt like he shouldn't. She really needed somepony at this time. She had these disgusting rumors about her spiraling around. Getting worse and worse as time went on. Spike returned the hug to Fluttershy, which didn't exactly help. She just kept crying and sniffling, practically giving Spike a bath with all her tears. She was really confused with her emotions. First she was happy, then angry, then sad. She really was having her ups and downs today. It was only the first day too. Who knows what would happen tomorrow. If it was anything like today.. Well.. That wouldn't be very good. Spike was sorry to rain on Fluttershy's already rained on parade, but he had to go. He slipped out of her hooves like a greased snake. Dashing out the door, making a mad dash through ponyville. He felt extremely regretful and filled up with guilt. A frown was placed upon his face as he dashed through town. He had to get to Rarity's. He had to see if she was okay. As he ran by the regular passers by, his worries and regrets chased after him. What if that monster had eaten her? Or beaten her? He couldn't help it. He had to stop that THING from harming Rarity! Even if he had to sacrifice his own life! He wasn't scared! Actually, he was terrified! That thing that Rarity allowed to stay with her was extremely cruel. It could be plotting her demise right at this very second. Spike wouldn't stand for it!

Sombra swirled around his mound of Crystals like a shark. Growling and hissing at anything that so even moved. Even if it was a inanimate object. Rarity had been working on one of her dresses, so she had ignored the horde of crystals Sombra had gathered in the corner of the boutique. His defensive hisses were not heard over the sound of her machines working away. Sombra climbed to the top of his mound, getting a taller and better view of the boutique. Rarity wasn't even aware she had so many Crystals in the first place. She had no real use for them, except for extra extra special occasions. She mostly used them on the Princess's dresses that she designed. To be fair, she had only done about three dresses for Celestia and Luna, but a whopping twenty dresses for Twilight. She often found herself using Crystals on Twilight's dresses. Next thing you know, Sombra would be eating clothing. She would probably just keep all the crystals there. She didn't exactly want or need him inside any of her bedrooms. She also didn't have a basement. Not that she had recalled, anyways. She would often find that her sister and friends were disappearing inside her Boutique and then reappearing hours later, so it made her speculate that they had some secret basement. She turned off her machines, Sombra's hisses finally falling upon her ears once more.

"You are to stop that hissing this second."

Rarity demanded, not even bothering to look Sombra in the eye. She knew that he couldn't understand her, so he would probably just continue hissing. Which he did. Though his hisses were more hushed now. Getting weaker as he continued. He was getting either bored of hissing or just tired of staying awake. He snapped his jaws as he yawned. He yawned rather loudly, and it was the most god awful thing she had ever heard. It could wake somepony up from a coma if he so desired. She had to cover her ears just to get away from the wretched sound. She didn't know why it sounded so awful. It was too terrible for words. She cringed as the yawn finally stopped and Sombra laid upon the Crystals. Looking dreary eyes as he scanned his territory. He had built his crystal hill right by the boutique door, so Rarity had to shut the curtain. Sombra didn't mind, he hated the sun anyways. He found that out when he was outside only just an hour ago. It had burned his eyes, but he had managed to keep his cool about it. The setting sun however, was almost unbearable. So he had allowed Rarity to close the curtains when the light of the setting sun reached the window.

This was certainly going to take time. Lots of time.

It takes time to recall even the simplest memory. Wether it take a second or a few days. You'll remember it eventually. Then when you remember, you'll feel amazing. Especially if it took a while to remember in the first place. If only that memory wasn't the most horrid thing you could remember. Sometimes, your own mind could kill you. Shown by how many insane asylums there were. Someponies go insane with all the things society expects from them. They crack and smash. Beaten more and more by society and the public view as they stay inside their padded cages. In a straight jacket that rejected the thought of freedom. Sometimes, that break is silent. It effects those around you. Breaking somepony silently is hard. Sometimes that pony is loud. It's not very often you can find a pony who is silent, or who cannot speak out for themselves to break. Some ponies take incredible joy from breaking others. Mentally, and then physically. For it is true torture to question your own sanity when you hear voices. Voices yelling at you to do things you know you mustn't do. They threaten you with horrid hallucinations, making you tremble as your worst fears are brought out to be seen. With nopony to comfort you, with nopony who longer calls you sane, with nopony whom is your friend because of your lack of sanity.. That is true torture.

Desolation when you need somepony the most.

Chapter 4 : Starting

"Tell Twilight Operation Dusk has been granted allowance."

Rarity commanded, looking down upon her three messengers from her seat. The three small fillies saluted the mare before stomping out of the kitchen and into the lobby. They were prone to work on this mission, as they were messengers for Rarity to Twilight. Their curious minds would continue to wonder in angst what Operation Dusk was. The three horses walked past the glimmering pile of crystals and the monotone pony that sat atop it and made their way out the door. With a huff of allowance from the watchful crimson eye that gazed over them, they left.

"What do you think Operation Dusk is?"

Scootaloo had questioned with a straight face as she closed the boutique's wooden door with her back hoof as they wandered outside into the moonlight. It was a rather pleasant night out; something that most ponies started to appreciate since Nightmare Moon's return a couple years ago. If their appreciation kept that moon goddess from going psycho again, they would appreciate the night much more then it needed to be appreciated it. Though, some ponies found it rather strange how the Night was affiliated with Evil in most books and movies.

"I dunno."

Sweetiebelle replied with a shrug. The CMC were tasked by Rarity and Twilight to deliver important things. Mostly just messages. Rarity never left the house for some reason. They were rewarded with food when the successfully delivered a message.

"I really wanna know why in the hay that stallion doesn't have his cutiemark. I mean, is that even possible?"

Scootaloo was still on that topic. She has been ever since they first met the guy. She even requested to recruit him. Though she was denied by Applebloom, who thought it would be weird to be caught walking around with a stallion with no cutiemark. Mostly because he was a stallion. They usually didn't hang out with adults, save for Rarity, RD or AJ. Also Twilight. They weren't allowed to come back to Fluttershy's place after that ruckus with the Cockatrice and Pinkie usually just sold them baked goods and never really hung out with them.

"It's been a week. He's not going to join us."

Applebloom re-confirmed as the three friends trotted down the path back to Twilight's house. About a fifteen minute trot or a five minute run. The CMC were in no exact hurry to get over there.

"We could at least ask him."

Scootaloo grumbled.

"I mean, did you SEE the way he scared off Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon like that?"

Scootaloo said, her voice slowly raising in excitement. It was indeed, awesome of.. whatever his name was to scare off those bullies like that.

"Did you see the way he tried to do the exact same thing to us? I'm pretty sure he doesn't like us, Scootaloo."

Applebloom stated with a almost depressing sigh. The trio crossed infront of a large, ginger bread like building. Known as Sugar Cube Corner. Home to the sweetest sweets and the most delicious muffins ever. They didn't have any bits on them, as they could only dream of having those succulent, sugar coated treats on their taste buds. Maybe Twilight would give them some bits this time. Or at least put in a word with Pinkie Pie to get them some free cupcakes. With heavy hearts, they passed the ginger bread house and approached a large, not so delicious looking tree.

"Aw come on. He doesn't snarl at us now, does he? Also, Applebloom, you're being a gigantic killjoy." Scootaloo was going to start an argument sooner or later. "He could if he wanted to. Maybe we just haven't seen his bad side yet." Sweetiebelle suggested as Applebloom knocked on the door. Ignoring Scootaloo's insult. The door was opened by Spike, a rather sleepy looking dragon. His face was devoid of emotion, except for his groggy eyes which made Applebloom unsettled.

"Hi Spike!"

Applebloom greeted with a grin. Spike only groaned and walked away like a zombie. Leaving the door wide open. He then fell directly onto the floor after five steps away from the three. Snores emitted.

"Glad to see ya too."

Applebloom giggled a nervous giggle as she walked into the house, accompanied by her friends. Spike had been working all night, apparently. Working on something down in the basement. That's why Operation Dusk had been delayed. The contraption in the basement needed some work, and it had taken longer then expected. Though, since it was complete, Rarity had granted permission for the operation to start. Moving past the now snoring dragon, the three formed a line and made their way down to the basement. It was rather dark down the staircase. Though the light coming from the basement's door made the CMC feel at ease. The cracking and creaking of the stairs was ignored as they walked down the stairs for about the fifth time. Knocking on the basement door for the fifth time, it was tossed open by a lavender aura. It almost seemed like she was going to rip the thing off it's hinges.

"News from Rarity. She confirms the operation's start up. Clear to start Operation Dusk."

The three said in harmony, saluting at the same time.

"You don't have to salute, you know."

Twilight giggled, watching the three act like soldiers in front of her. She had actual soldiers back in Canterlot, but she preferred these three.

"Anyways, I have a job for you. A very important one."

Twilight informed. Her lab was now rather empty; something it had only been when she had first moved to ponyville. In the center of the room had multiple chains, one of their ends mounted to the floor and the other attached to hoofcups. There were four in total, as they stretched out a fair and decent distance apart from eachother. They formed a small square. What it was for, the CMC was yet to know. A bunch of odd looking things were pushed up against the walls. Including another door that would obviously lead to nowhere. A couple of old, strange and rotting machines were up against the same wall that the newest door was up against. That was the only wall that was cluttered. A small, rectangular oak table sat on the western end of the room. Covered in potions of all colors. Making up a rainbow. They were color coded to do so.

"We accept your task. What quest do you bestow upon us?"

Applebloom asked, looking down at the purple Alicorn. Sweetiebelle slapped her own forehead with her hoof. They were messengers, not quest wanting heroines.

"Well, I'll need you to do something very important. I cannot leave my lab, mainly because I'm afraid of my machines malfunctioning while I'm gone. You know that gray stallion, who sits atop the crystal pile inside Rarity's home?"

Twilight quizzed, Scootaloo nodded swiftly at her question. She of coarse, knew the answer to.

"Yup! He scared off Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon for us."

Scootaloo answered with a smile. Maybe if she just asked him in a certain tone he would join.

"I'll need you to sneak up to him, and while he's not looking, put this over his mouth and nose." Twilight levitated a small white cloth over to the fillies. It smelled rather strange. Like it had been doused in something. "Wait until he's stopped moving, then bring him back here. Whatever you do, do not smell the cloth. Or breath any air around the cloth." Twilight commanded with a stern tone. Sweetiebelle took the cloth from Twilight's aura. She had been practicing with magic for the longest time, so she could levitate a cloth for fifteen minutes or so.

"Uh.. Twi? Are you asking to ponynap a full grown stallion?"

Applebloom doubted Twilight's demand, she was sounding rather insane at the moment.

"Uh.. Eh.. Yes."

Twilight realized what she had been requesting. It sounded like a rather foul request. Especially to ask fillies of their age to do such a thing.

"It's all for good reason, I assure you. He never moves from Rarity's. I simply want to show him around."

Twilight convinced them with a sincere tone. Fillies were so easy to lie too. Twilight now had a different plan in mind for him. Instead of keeping him down here alone, she would be asking him a couple questions. She thirsted for knowledge, and she wished to pluck every bit of knowledge out of him. Every tiny bit she could get.

"Whatever ya say.."

Applebloom's doubtful tone lingered as the three left the basement, and Twilight to her scientific studies and machines. Sweetiebelle still held the cloth away from the trio at a safe distance. Why would twilight want them to ponynap him? The watchful eye that even protected them against Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's invasion on the boutique? It was awfully humorous to see them run out with their tails between their legs when they did poke their snobby faces in the boutique. It was Twilight's demand though.. A direct princess's order. Albeit a rather questionable order. The three trotted up the stairs and out the door of the library. Already going back to the boutique. All this walking was starting to get annoying. Maybe they shouldn't have signed up for being messengers for this operation in the first place. Passing by Sugar Cube corner once more with hungry stomachs as they smelt the delicious smell of Pinkie Pie's baked goods. The sweet, delicious cupcakes she had made would soon be made theirs. In time. They would barge into the business, approach the counter, demand for cupcakes, slam the bits down onto the counter, and leave with smiling faces, smothered in pink frosting from the cupcakes. They had to do this mission. For the cupcakes. They re approached the boutique rather quickly. They had sped up to a sprint as soon as they had passed Sugar Cube corner. With all their infinite filly energy, they weren't all that tired.

"Go to the back. We'll enter the front."

Applebloom motioned. Sweetiebelle nodded. Scootaloo and Applebloom were to enter the front and distract the eye from Sweetiebelle sneaking around. Her magic had fizzled out, so she had to hold the cloth with her hoof.

"Got it."

Sweetiebelle got a move on. She was to enter through the kitchen window. How exactly was she going to get past those bushes though? That would have to wait. She had to get into the back part of the boutique now.

"Alright. Remember. Small talk. Keep him distracted."

Scootaloo whispered. She knew the walls weren't exactly sound proof, so she would have to lower her voice when right outside the boutique.

"No asking him about joining."

Applebloom added. On the count of five, they where to enter the boutique. Sweetiebelle should have reached the window by now, and should be receiving help from Rarity to get into the kitchen.

"One.. Two.. Three... Four.."

Scootaloo counted out loud, before reaching the number five, she busted through the door spectacularly. Drawing immediate attention to her. The stallion whom sat atop the glimmering hill was snarling at first, but his disapproval calmed when he had sawn who it was who had just busted in. He laid a top the pile, looking rather bored. His back hooves lazily dropping off behind the mountain of crystals. He popped his head into his hooves as he stared at the orange Pegasus blankly. Following her every move with his burning, crimson eyes. What was he, a gigantic flaming eye in his previous lives? He had a natural talent for creeping ponies out with his stare. Maybe that should be his cutiemark. It felt like they were being judged on life or death when he looked at them. Constantly judged.

"Hey!"

Scootaloo greeted him with a smile as she stepped to the front of his hill. He still stared at her, silently. Applebloom trotted into the boutique, mumbling something underneath her breath.

"What's your name again?"

Scootaloo tried to start up a conversation with the grey stallion while Sweetiebelle got into place.

"Sombra."

His unnatural, dark and deep voice scared Scootaloo. Despite it coming from a stallion, which deep voices were normally emitted from. His voice was much like his stare. Judgmental. Judging whether she lived or died. It was like the voice came from a power much stronger then Celestia herself; Death.

"Oh, cool! Oh yeah, I have a question for ya, Sombra."

Scootaloo smiled. This was the perfect time to pop the question and get an awesome security guard to protect them against those two snobby bullies.

"Scoots.."

Applebloom's infuriated voice mumbled. She had told Scootaloo not to ask him about that over a million times at least. Scootaloo was about to ask the stallion that copied Death's cold gaze and voice to join them. It would be extremely cool to have him join, actually. A almost god-like presence among them. Allied with them. Defending them against the threats known as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Applebloom would no longer protest against Scootaloo's requests.

"We hunt for Cutiemarks and-"

Scootaloo started her ramble. Her ramble had caught the grey stallions full attention. Much to her delight. A white filly, mane and tail full of sticks and leaves, entered the room quietly. Applebloom have a couple glances over to the unicorn, who was creeping along silently to the pile. How was she to get up the pile without disturbing the crystals or making a noise? Scootaloo had that covered. She raised her voice as Sweetiebelle approached her target. Slowly climbing up the hill to the top. Crystals slowly sliding down the hill as Scootaloo rose her voice to almost a shout.

"We are.. The CUTIEMARK CRUSADERS! What do ya say?"

Scootaloo asked, as Sweetiebelle had reached the top of the hill, where she stood awkwardly. Holding the cloth in one hoof as the room stood in an awkward silence. Scootaloo needed this answer. Sweetiebelle didn't want to be annoyed by Scootaloo talking about him anymore.

"No."

He answered simply, as Sweetiebelle leapt onto the stallion, taking him by surprise as the two rolled down the hill. Sweetiebelle was on his back, riding him like a horse as he tumbled down. He caught himself mid tumble on the side of the hill, crystals sliding down with him as Sweetiebelle wrapped the cloth around his muzzle. He spasmed as his pupils shrunk. He tossed his head furiously, back and forth as he desperately tried to get the filly off. Her tail had stuck to his back, the sap from those bushes was useful after all. Sweetiebelle reeled the cloth back, forcing it up against his nose and mouth even more as his heart pounded. Applebloom and Scootaloo looked on in silence as this scene unfolded. He suddenly collapsed, his movement slowing down to almost nothing. His eyes rolled back into his head, before his eyelids shut.

The eye was no longer watching.

Sweetiebelle removed the cloth from his muzzle, looking down at the stallion in guilt. That was a terrible thing for her to do.

"Uh.. Sweetiebelle, you got your cutiemark."

Scootaloo looked on with a gaping mouth. Sweetiebelle looked back at her flank in horror. She was still a blank flank. With a grimace at Scootaloo, who now wore a mischievous smile, Sweetiebelle removed herself from the stallion's back. After much tugging of her tail of coarse. Under the cloak of night, they could easily move a darkly colored stallion through town and to Twilight's. The three looked rather guilty for what they had done to Sombar or whatever his name was.

"Might as well get movin ya'll. we don't got all night."

Applebloom sighed as she picked up the stallion's tail in her mouth. Scootaloo had grabbed his torso, by lifting him up onto her back, while Sweetiebelle had grabbed the head. They basically were carrying him like a canoe. Applebloom was told to pick a more useful spot, and much to her distaste, and her friend's perverted laughter, she had lifted him up by his flank. Pushing up on where the cutiemark was supposed to be. He was carried on his side through the boutique door, and through much trial and error, they squeezed him through. It would be a long walk back to Twilight's. A long, exasperating and tempting walk.

"Here.. Ya.. Go.."

Applebloom huffed as the trio and prisoner toppled onto the floor of the basement. Twilight clip-clopped her hooves together in glee as she hugged the trio. She could have easily done it on her own, though they had enough bravery to go and capture a thousand year old criminal! That was truly a remarkable. She brought the CMC back up to their hooves, providing each one with a yellow potion.

"It's an energy potion. You've earned it. I'll give you some bits later."

Twilight promised, looking down upon the sleeping gray stallion. Sweetiebelle dropped the cloth she had been carrying this entire time on the floor, with a sigh of relief. Thank Celestia she wasn't in charge of that cloth anymore.

"Twi.. We feel awful bad about.. Ponynapping him.."

Applebloom explained, as Twilight started to levitate the grey stallion over to the hoof cups and chains.

"You shouldn't. He'll be fine, I assure you. Ask Spike for some cookies."

Twilight tried to lead away suspicion as she dropped the grey stallion by the chains. The three candy colored fillies chugged down the energy potions, feeling a tsunami of newfound energy crashing into them. The CMC weren't going to provide Twilight with anymore outrageous favors from now. With their noses scrunched up, the friends left Twilight. They left her to her insanity that they thought she was infected with. They were quitting Operation Dusk. Even if they were just messengers; they no longer wanted any part on this escapade. They dropped the empty test tubes on the floor before leaving. Twilight was silent as he clicked the hoof cups onto his hooves. The metal of the chains nearly matching his fur. Actually, it was exactly the same color. After trapping him, it was a matter of waiting to start the questioning. She would stay in the shadows and ask him questions, just so she wouldn't give him any flashbacks to whom he was. Rarity had told her about how Sombra had gotten some of his memory back. He was able to talk and such. After he was fully and securely contained, Twilight followed after the Cutiemark Crusaders. She swung open the door to go upstairs and switched off the lights to the basement. The place was eerily quiet. Twilight felt something crawl up her back, like a spider. But no, it was simply a chill. Maybe it was the fact that King Sombrero over there could transform into the shadows that Twilight had just left him in. Great. Now Pinkie had her calling him King Sombrero. Closing the door behind her, she walked up the stairs to the main floor. The familiar sight of her regular lights were a sight for sleep deprived eyes like hers. She hadn't slept for a while, for good reason mind you, but she had even kept Spike up to work on a certain thing down in the basement. He was seen noisily asleep on the wooden floor of the first floor. The CMC stood at the door of the library. Awaiting their bits that Twilight had promised. Twilight removed a small horse head statue from the round table in the center of the library. Revealing a jar that spike had taken bits from before. Removing the top, she levitated the golden prizes to the fillies before hiding the jar once more. She had teleported the jar down into the basement. Just a precaution, so that way they wouldn't steal any bits. After receiving the bits, they left Twilight's abode. Leaving her to her thoughts. What would they think of her as? A monster? They didn't know exactly who this was. They didn't need to. It was not needed, their knowledge of him would bring upon disaster and panic. Who knows how many ponies Spike has told. Or rarity. Or pinkie. Or any of her friends. Could they keep a secret like this? Twilight didn't remember this much paranoia when they were reforming Discord. Was she doing something wrong? Was something hiding underneath her nose? Something she couldn't see? What could it be? Her kindness; it was missing. She couldn't detect it. She couldn't find it. She didn't even know that she had lost it in the first place. Maybe she would never find it again when keeping Sombra within the borders of ponyville. It was time to sleep. She had to get to sleep. She would find what she was missing when she woke.

The day was fresh. A new start. Twilight slept through the morning, sleeping peacefully. Much like she would do normally. Spike's snores could be heard from downstairs. She hadn't bothered bringing him up. She was much to drowsy at that time to bring him to bed. She dreamed of pure darkness. Nothingness. The void. It was silent in her dream. A blissful silence. Her silence was broken when her eyes snapped open. Looking at her library's shelves that were near her bed. It was currently two PM, as Twilight smacked her lips as she emerged from her bed sheets. She wandered around her bedroom, her horn glowing as she picked up her brush. Brushing her mane gently with the levitating brush, Twilight wandered to the mirror. Looking at her reflection with a blank stare, like a drunkard. She continued to brush out her mane, before working her way down to her equally messy tail. It's like a hurricane had blown through her mane and tail, much like it did every time she went to sleep. The floor boards were quiet today. Twilight dropped her brush on her vanity. Snapping to attention. What was that? Her reflection showed something new. Something strange. Twilight blinked. It was gone. It was simply just an illusion of her being sleep drunk. She would sober up from her sleep in a few seconds. That illusion though. The thing that the mirror had shown her.. What was it? Twilight already couldn't remember. It had removed itself from her memory. Twilight shrugged. It was most likely nothing in the first place. Trotting away from her bedroom, she looked around the second floor. As per usual, she levitated a couple of books over to her study desk. Ones she thought she needed to read again. After doing that, she trotted down the silent staircase. The unusual quietness creeped Twilight. Usually the stairs would be creaking. She looked down at the stairs, noticing no apparent difference. Maybe she was just becoming paranoid. Why, though? No reason came into her mind when she asked herself why she was so paranoid. No immediate reason, at least. She trotted down the first floor of the hollowed out tree library. Spike, was laying face first on the floor. Silent, much like everything else. Twilight knew that he snored. What was going on? Twilight opened her mouth to ask Spike to wake up. Nothing came from her mouth. No noise. Twilight stared wide eyed at the void of noise. She suddenly realized something. Her horn glowed, and she removed her earmuffs. They were incredibly good earmuffs, they blocked every single sound. Now she just looked stupid. Putting the earmuffs on the circular table in the center of the room, she nudged the dragon. Whom in response, snorted. Still asleep. Rolling her eyes, she levitated him out from the middle of the room, and up the stairs. It was such a convenience to be an Alicorn. She wouldn't have to trot up and down the stairs constantly. She just saved herself from going back up. She had work to do, anyways. After placing Spike down in what Twilight predicted would be his bed, Twilight made her way to the front door. Just to hear a knock right as she walked up. Opening up the door, a white unicorn stood there. It was her friend, Rarity. She wore a saddle bag on her back, imprinted with her name and cutiemark.

"Hello, Twilight."

Rarity smiled. Twilight had missed the sight of her fellow magic user. She hadn't seen her in a few days. With a hug shared, Rarity entered the library. She still didn't look very well. The bags under her eyes were very apparent. Though the makeup she had on tried to nullify the bags under her eyes.

"Hi, Rarity. What did you need?"

Twilight asked, closing the door behind Rarity as she entered. Twilight was about to leave and go out on the town. Maybe go to sugar cube or something.

"Oh, you see, I feel dreadful for making you take care of the monster, and I know it's my responsibility to reform him. I just.. Well.. I feel awful, making you keep him here."

Rarity was already on the topic of the monster in Twilight's basement. The basement was silent, so obviously he was either asleep or just looking around.

"Monster..? Oh, right. Sombrero. I mean.. Sombra."

Twilight looked over at her basement's stairwell. She would have to go down there eventually to feed and water him. Though, it appeared as if Rarity was going to step up her game and do it for her. She just could have King Sombrero in her house. That was the main issue. Now that she was free of him getting rid of all her customers, she could reform him. Like she was meant to do in the first place.

"Yes. Him. I haven't even tried to reform him. So if it's all right with you, may I try?"

Rarity requested, Twilight was more then willing to let Rarity do her job that she was tasked to do in the first place. She got a dab of confidence after he was moved. Twilight was happy to see this. Twilight also felt a tad bit disappointed. She wouldn't be allowed to run her tests or questioning. She had set up all those machines ESPECIALLY for those tests and questions. Now she wouldn't be able to use them. How sad.

"Sure! He's in the basement. I haven't checked on him yet. I've got him chained up, so he won't be leaving."

Twilight informed. She could see Rarity twitch as soon as she had mentioned him being chained. It was just a safety precaution. Though Rarity would deem it unnecessary, seeing as he was rather friendly around her. Friendly is an overstatement. Passive would be a better word to describe his feelings for Rarity. He wouldn't exactly take a liking to Twilight, obviously. That's probably why he was chained up.

"Thank you, dear. I'll be careful."

Rarity nodded with a smile, turning to face the stairwell. Taking a deep breath, she made her way into the darkness. The lights were all off. Her horn sparked with blue light as she trotted down the creaking wooden stairs that slowly transformed into stone stairs that did not creak. She found her way to the door, turning the nob, she was greeted with more darkness. She stroked the wall, feeling for the light switch. Her hoof was met with a lever. Pushing the lever up from it's original pose, the light to the basement flickered on. Exposing the stone walls and the prisoner that was located in the center of the room. His ash coat almost blending in with the gray floor. Chains leading to his hooves as he laid silently. Rarity cringed. His eyes were open. Though they weren't staring at her, they made her feel a wave of unease. Trotting down the extra set of stairs that lead to the center of the room. The stairs were wrapped around the wall slightly. Almost forgetting to close the door behind her, she used her magic to slam the door. This did not draw his attention to the door. His eyes were focused on the floor. His head rested on his front hooves. The chains were at their ends, almost not allowing for this pose to happen. Rarity felt a slight bit of pity for him. He did look rather depressing.

"Sombra?"

She called for him, approaching the grey stallion slowly. Her hoof steps echoing out through the room loudly. She heard the chains rustle slightly as she walked to him. She was only about two feet away from him when she decided to lay down next to him. This was rather awkward, so she decided to lengthen the two's separation to three feet instead. Taking the saddlebag off her back, she dropped it next to herself. Her bags were rather full of a few things she needed. Mostly food for herself.

"I've taken it upon myself to start reforming you."

She stated, turning her head back over to the chained up stallion. He continued to stare at the floor. Just listening to what she had to say. Not like he had a choice not to in the first place.

"So stop with the grumpy and sad mood, we can't have any of that."

Rarity demanded, which upon she received a glare from him. She could feel that glare stab through her.

"I do not require a reformation."

Was that.. A full sentence? A sentence that had just escaped the quiet stallion? Rarity was used to the one word answer that he would give her.

"Nonsense. It is Celestia's orders."

Rarity was rather shocked by this, though she had to push it out of the way for now. She had to show Sombra the light. It was Princess's orders.

"Celestia..?"

He questioned. He still didn't remember her, obviously. The less he remembered the better. Hopefully he was only remembering words and not the crystal empire and his past thousand years.

"Yes. She rules over the land. She has asked me through her letter to reform you about a week back."

Rarity nodded, flipping open the saddlebag's flap. Revealing all the stuff she had brought. Sombra looked back down at the floor.

"If this Celestia told you to harm somebody, would you?"

He had just remembered how to form complete sentences, and he was ALREADY questioning authority. Rarity thought for a second.

"A.. I.. Uh.. She wouldn't even ask that in the first place!"

Rarity argued. Sombra turned his head the opposite way, making her look at his mane. The two sat in an awkward silence for about a good thirty seconds.

"Then why are you even here?"

Sombra asked. Rarity raised her eyebrow questionably. What was that supposed to mean?

"To reform you," Rarity confirmed. "to make sure you become nicer and social. You see, you can't wait for somepony to be kind if they don't know how. You have to teach them. Fluttershy told me that on my way to visit you."

She nodded with a smile. This did not change Sombra's emotion. It was still a rather degrading emotion. He seemed to be constantly and silently becoming depressed. She had no idea why. It was just a feeling. Maybe it was because he was alone for so long. The depressing air around him became usual.

"I don't think putting me in chains and keeping me in a stone room is teaching me anything about 'Kindness'. I don't even know where I am. What year it is. I know nothing. Nothing but how to talk, my name, and what I eat. I don't even know if I have family. I don't know where I came from. I don't.. know why I exist."

Sombra was devoid of emotion. Now Rarity was feeling guilty. Did Fluttershy teach him how to take somepony on a guilt trip? Rarity thought of a way to respond. Nothing came to mind at first.

"Well, why don't I help you?"

What a stupid response. Was she even thinking? She had just promised to help him get all of his memory back. Stupid.. Stupid.. She could see a flicker of happiness emerge from his features. As soon as it appeared, it was gone.

"You're only going to do so because of Celestia's orders, aren't you?"

He asked.

"No, Celestia told me to reform you. That's it. Besides, I can't help you when you're all sad."

Rarity reassured with a smile. She had brought a crystal with her, as she levitated it out of the one of the bags. She had a devious plan in mind. She could hear his stomach grumble. By Celestia, she bet that the entire tree could hear the rumbling that was emitted from him. Perfect. He looked at the crystal longingly. Rarity looked over at the levitating crystal as well.

"What?"

She asked. He attempted to grab at the crystal with his hoof. Held back by the chains. Just out of reach. He wanted that crystal. Right now. It was the only thing that brought him happiness and content.

"This?"

Rarity asked. Sombra continued to reach out for it. She pushed the crystal up to his hoof before ripping it out of his grasp. He wore a grimace as Rarity thought this as a time to teach him manners.

"What do you say if you want something?"

Rarity questioned, Sombra growled.

"I'm not saying it. Just give me the crystal."

Rarity pushed the crystal farther away, much to his growls of protest.

"May I have the crystal. Say it, or you aren't going to get it."

Rarity demanded with a smirk. She held the crystal by her bag now. About to drop it back in with her food. Her food that would get all over the crystal and ruin it's flavor. He flung himself forward, still held back by the chains as he attempted to get to his current favorite food.

"There is no way in Tartarus I'm going to say that. It feels wrong."

Sombra admitted.

"There's nothing wrong with having manners."

Rarity tauntingly lowered the crystal, causing Sombra to desperately hiss for her to stop. This did not intimidate her anymore. She was used to his hisses of disapproval.

"Ugh.. May I have the crystal.."

He whispered. Rarity stuck a hoof in her ear, and pretended like she was clearing out her ear to hear him.

"What was that?"

Rarity asked, her smirk staying.

"May I have the crystal.."

He said slightly louder. Just enough for him to receive his prize. The prize that disappeared into his fanged mouth in seconds. He crunched away at the crystal. The loud smashing of the mineral imbetween his teeth filling the room. He had finished the crystal quickly, though he regretted doing so. He should have savored it. Chances were he wasn't going to get another one for as long as he stayed here.

"I'm never speaking those words again."

He growled, which only made Rarity giggle in victory. She was on the right path. As soon as she got him to do something good, that means she was winning the battle.

"I'm sure I'll get you to say them again."

Rarity reassured him, with a disapproving snort from the prisoner.

"This is going to be torture. I despise you Celestia.. Whoever you are."

Sombra grumbled. Hatred for this Celestia pony lining his tone.

Chapter 5 : Curiosity

Time progressed slowly from there on. The disaster that had blown through Rarity's life had quelled for now. The rumors still existed, though they were ignored and almost forgotten. Almost.

"I swear I'm telling the truth! He had a perch right by the door!"

Diamond Tiara stamped her hoof on the floor of the police station. Why had they decided to not listen to her?! There was a demon in ponyville! One that could bite somepony's head off! She was desperate to get it out of ponyville. If those blasted Blank Flanks ever ran into that accursed boutique, she couldn't run in after them. That BEAST by the door would keep those commoners protected!

"You must find it and arrest it!"

She demanded. The demon had moved, it was gone, but Diamond Tiara was still weary. She could still feel its presence in ponyville. It was a godlike presence. A rather threatening presence. One she no longer wanted to mess with.

"We have done a thorough investigation." The police pony had said. "We really doubt that a gray stallion with burning coals for eyes was really there." He continued. He was a light gray stallion with a flaming blue mane with red details along the edges. He was basically born to be a cop. Diamond Tiara scowled at the police pony that towered high above. How much did she need to bribe him to get him to DO AN ACTUAL INVESTIGATION?

"He traumatized me! He NEEDS to be arrested!"

Diamond Tiara continued to stamp on the floor like a toddler having a hissy fit. This did not intimidate the officer of the law one bit. He was a rather bulky male, so he obviously wasn't going to be scared by an angry filly.

"We cannot arrest something that does not exist."

The cop had enough of this, as he simply started trotting out of the lobby of the police department and into one of the room that was marked for staff only. That was rather dramatic of him. With a huff, Diamond Tiara was about to follow after him. Though she was stilled by the hoof of Silver Spoon. Her trusty partner. Her only friend.

"Maybe we should do the investigation ourselves? Revealing those Blank Flank's monster would get us named Heroes of Ponyville, wouldn't it? All the popularity we could ever need!"

Silver Spoon suggested. She was the only pony Diamond Tiara truly appreciated and tolerated. She was rich like her, full of good ideas, and had her cutiemark. Diamond Tiara thought over it for a second. Eternal gratitude towards her, possibly from all four princesses..

"That is the best idea I've heard all day. Let's get started."

Diamond Tiara chuckled as she turned around to the entrance of the police station. Pushing the glass door with her hoof as she exited the extremely old police station. It was built last century or something. It was full of old wooden furnishings. Diamond Tiara preferred the much more luxurious life style over the poor pony wooden furniture life style. She would obviously never live long to even get a glimpse of that life style. Like she needed to see that sort of style in the first place. She released herself from the rackety place and took a breath of fresh air.

"Don't we have school?"

This was the only part of Silver Spoon that Diamond Tiara disliked. Silver Spoon was absolutely OBSESSED with school for whatever reason. Diamond Tiara clapped her hooves together, summoning a cart that would carry her and her friend. It was pulled by an old looking pony wearing an aged tux. He barley had any hairs on his head, so he was a tad bit bald. He was one many butlers Diamond Tiara had. Climbing into the cart, she left the door open for Silver Spoon. Who in which, shambled in and closed the door.

"I kind of don't want to miss today's lesson. I heard we're learning a surprise lesson in history period. Something about the Breezies."

Silver Spoon grinned. Diamond Tiara honestly see WHY Silver Spoon liked school so much. It's not like it helped them in the future. I mean, who needs school when you are born into a rich family? Also, Breezies sounded EXTREMELY lame. At least the 'War for Atlantis' was a half decent topic.

"HOUSTON! TAKE US TO THE SCHOOL!"

Diamond Tiara yelled, her butler nodding obediently. The ponies on the streets felt pity for 'Houston'. His real name was Story Line. He used to write short stories for ponyville. Fantastic stories. Now he was reduced to waiting for commands by a rich filly who basically controlled his life. How sad. The cart starting bumping along the road of ponyville, heading to the school house on the end of town.

"I seriously don't understand WHY you like school so much. We have to be in the same room as those blank flanks for like, seven hours."

Diamond Tiara complained. "Blech."

She added, making a face as if she had just saw something vile.

"I dunno."

Silver Spoon answered simply as the cart came to a halt. That was fast. A bit too fast. Diamond Tiara peered out the window of the cart. They were indeed at the school. Maybe Houston picked up the pace today. Good for him. Diamond Tiara exited the carriage, followed by Silver Spoon. Diamond Tiara dismissed her butler with a wave of her hoof, as he ran off into the distance, away from the red school house. Outside the school, there were multiple fillies and foals. Some played Wallball, which was a rather strange competitive sport. You had to throw the ball at the wall and if the ball touched you then you had to touch the wall. She seriously didn't care much for it, though it was entertaining to watch. It kept her on the edge of her hooves, especially when some filly was running to the wall and got hit by the ball. The swings and slide were clogged up with ponies, so she wouldn't be getting on those. Really, she was just here for Silver Spoon. She could care less for playing games or getting on the equipment.

"Besides, if we get lucky, maybe we could find out if that demon is mentioned in history class."

Silver Spoon, why were you so smart? Now there was a reason to pay attention to history class. Diamond Tiara felt herself smile. She was currently dreaming about what would happen if that monster was mentioned in history class. If it was, there was probably going to be a nervous reaction from one of those Cutiemark Crybabies.

"You're full of great ideas, Silver."

Diamond Tiara complimented as the two trotted onto school grounds. In hopes that she could learn about the monster. She was going to directly ask Ms. Cheerilee about it. She wasn't going to wait. Why should she? The faster she got rid of that beast, the better. Diamond Tiara trotted past the jump-ropers, ushering silence upon them just by being there. As soon as she passed, they resumed their talking. They truly feared her. Thank Celestia they hadn't heard of her running from what was supposedly just 'A Stallion with a Dentistry Problem'. She cringed as she got a sudden flash back of those blood-stained fangs in her face. It was unnoticeable cringe, even Silver Spoon couldn't see it. She made her way into the school house, seeing Cheerilee, their teacher, waiting patiently at her desk at the front of the room. The desk looked out upon at least twenty smaller desks that students were to sit in.

"Ms. Cheerilee? I have a question."

Diamond Tiara called for the teacher's attention as she entered the room.

"No, you cannot buy the school to tear it down."

Cheerilee rubbed her temples. What kind of response was that? Well, Diamond Tiara had been asking Cheerilee about buying the school so she could tear it down. Then build a factory on top of the rubble. Diamond Tiara ignored her answer.

"I was wondering about something recently.."

Diamond Tiara thought of a way to describe the beast. What were it's features? Diamond Tiara had paid attention to it's teeth most.. Though before it had snapped at her, she was able to get a good look at it.

"Is there a pony or monster that appears in history that has a long, red horn?"

Diamond Tiara smirked. She was going to get an answer.

"I don't know. If there is, the curriculum hasn't told me about that pony. Or any history books. Or anything, really."

Diamond Tiara was dumbstruck. How could CHEERILEE not have an answer?! She literally knew EVERYTHING. Also, Cheerilee was being a grump, as per usual. She wasn't always all happy around Diamond Tiara due to her being reported bully. Diamond Tiara stamped her hoof on the ground angrily. Why was it so hard to get answers about this monster?! It's like it didn't even exist! IT DID! It had crimson eyes, took the form of a gray stallion, had a mane and tail that whipped through the air, had a long red horn with a ring around the center of the horn, and hard sharp, pointed teeth! You'd think it would be REPORTED! Slightly fuming, Diamond Tiara turned to look at Silver Spoon, whom was right behind the angry Diamond Tiara. She was looking rather docile. She walked in front of Diamond Tiara, approaching the teacher's desk nonchalantly.

"Ms Cheerilee, why have the Breezies been gone so long?"

Diamond Tiara couldn't help but roll her eyes. Cheerilee's pink face lit up as soon as she noticed Silver Spoon was here. Silver Spoon was a reported bully too, but Cheerilee apparently favored her over Diamond Tiara.

"It was because the Crystal Empire attacked them a thousand years ago."

Cheerilee nodded, her smile staying as she answered Silver Spoon's question.

"Why would the Crystal Empire attack some defenseless Breezies?"

Silver Spoon wondered out loud.

"I have no idea myself, but I heard the Breezies are going to be making another trip soon! So I will be arranging for the class to go see their travels. Who knows, we might be able to ask them!"

Cheerilee clapped her hooves together happily. Silver Spoon smiled a wide grin. Diamond Tiara was busy shoving her hoof in her own face. Giving herself the mother of all facehoofs. This was so boring. Breezies? More like.. Uh.. Boring..zies.. Yeah. Silver Spoon was overwhelmed with Joy, obviously. Unlike her cohort. Silver Spoon trotted from the teacher's desk and up to Diamond Tiara. Noticing the extreme Facehoof Diamond Tiara was giving herself.

"Uh.. I guess I got carried away.."

She scratched the back of her head with her hoof, blushing slightly from the embarrassment.

Scootaloo slammed her face down into her desk. How long was this period? She couldn't wait to get out of this prison cell. She pulled her face back up off her wooden desk, looking around the classroom. Everypony else was busy writing their quizzes or doodling. Some of the smarter ponies were already done. How was that even possible? She looked down at her quiz. She was stuck on the last question. It was asking about how Breezies protected themselves. How was she supposed to know? Did they even go over this in class? She didn't remember. It had only been a couple hours since history class. It was Cheerilee's infamous Monday End Day Quiz, it reviewed everything from that day. Scootaloo grumbled some nonexistent words underneath her breath as she looked at the quiz. She picked the pencil back up as she wrote down her answer.

'By flapping their wings and activating their magical wind powers.'

It was a stupid answer, and Scootaloo knew it. It was better then keeping the question blank. She picked up the quiz, trotting to the front of the class and dropping the sheet of paper on Cheerilee's desk. The teacher was busy reading a small book. She usually read whenever they were doing the quizzes. Scootaloo went back to her desk and sat in the silence. She was busy thinking about a few things. What were they going to crusade for today? She had a totally blank mind. Nothing appeared for her. Cutiemark Crusaders Sword Users? Cutiemark Crusaders Potion Makers? Cutiemark Crusader Cryptozoologists? How did she know that word again? Cryptozoologists? What did that even mean? Maybe they should just do Cutiemark Crusaders Dictionary Searchers. Nah, that was boring. Cryptozoology was much cooler. It was the study of animals that were thought to not exist. She had just the creature to research. She would have to visit Lyra later. Maybe she could tell them about the mythical creature called a Human. The bell to the school rung, signaling the end of the day.

"Don't forget your homework!"

Cheerilee called, putting her book down as the fillies and foals from her class flooded out, leaving her alone before she could protest. Scootaloo was out of there in a flash. Running down to meet her friends. She had her backpack on, embroidered with her favorite logo, Rainbow Dash's cutiemark. Rainbow Dash had stopped selling backpacks and such ever since that Mare-Do-Well stuff. How long had it been since then? A fairly long time. Scootaloo had bought her backpack way back when. Clamoring up to her friends, Scootaloo greeted them.

"Hey! What should we do today? I was thinking of Crusading for a Cryptozoology cutiemark!"

She smiled, Sweetie Belle looked rather confused.

"And you call me the dictionary."

Sweetie Belle commented with a giggle.

"You should just stop crusading. You aren't going to get your Cutiemarks."

That familiar voice. The neighborhood spoiled brat, Diamond Tiara was right behind them. They thought of running to Twilight's to get some protection.. But well.. Twilight was somewhat insane now. In their minds. They no longer had Sombra to protect them. So they would have to face Diamond Tiara like usual. Tell her to leave, maybe. They grew weary of Diamond Tiara's antics.

"So, where's your gray monster now?"

Diamond Tiara mocked, speeding up to make her way to Scootaloo's side. Scootaloo thought of shooting out her wing and knocking Diamond Tiara to the curb. So that's what she did. Her slightly larger wings knocked into Diamond Tiara, pushing her away from Scootaloo slightly. Diamond Tiara grunted from the push, ignoring it as she made her way infront of the CMC, making all three of them stop. With the purple and pink barricade in their way, they couldn't move until she moved her fat plot off of the road.

"We didn't have one in the first place."

Sweetie Belle told her. Diamond Tiara pushed her face right up to Sweetie Belle's, her fury unleashing.

"Don't even try to lie to me. You had a demon inside that pathetic building you call home. I demand to know where it went."

She snarled. Sweetie Belle was no longer intimidated by Diamond Tiara. You kind of get used to her insulting you after two years of dealing with her. It no longer phased her. Sweetie Belle's face was now void of all emotion. Along with Applebloom's and Scootaloo's. An awkward silence was struck. The four did not move.

"Tell me, you vile, unnatural, blank flank."

Diamond Tiara spat, her glare looking deep into Sweetie Belle's nonchalant and bored eyes. Sweetie Belle suddenly moved, swerving past the barrier, her friends following after as Diamond Tiara was left behind. Her insults roaring across the play ground as the three crusaders left. Diamond Tiara not following after, as she slumped over to her 'royal' carriage.

"Are you thinkin what I'm thinkin?"

Applebloom spoke as they slowly trotted down the street to sugar cube corner.

"Cupcakes, then Twilight's place? Get ourselves a new member? Beat the snot out of Diamond Tiara? Dance Party?"

Scootaloo said out loud, in which, she got strange looks from Sweetie Belle and Applebloom.

"No, just the cupcake part."

Sweetie Belle corrected, in which Scootaloo face hoofed from her stupid answer.

"Though, I guess we could go see if he's changed his mind.."

Applebloom thought about it out loud. Scootaloo grinned. Scootaloo was ABSOLUTELY obsessed with this guy. She refused to leave him out of their 'Potential Members' list. It was rather short, and Scootaloo constantly thought about that list. It's like she just wouldn't leave him alone, even for just a day. He NEEDED to join them. Imagine them, protected by a god like presence. Protected by a exquisite copier of Death itself. A body guard like that.. Who wouldn't want that? It sounded totally AWESOME! Plus, he was like, half dragon or something. Maybe that's how he got his fangs and weird, dragon like eyes. Either that or he was part snake. Actually, that was a much better explanation.

"Maybe I could change up a few things in my speech, and he would join. Or how about-"

Scootaloo started rambling about how to get him to join, as the three passed into Sugar Cube Corner. Approaching the glass counter as Scootaloo chattered away. A pink mare stood behind the counter, juggling multiple cupcakes boredly. She lit up when she saw the customers walk in. Her pink, fluffy mane bouncing up and down as she flung down the cupcakes onto the counter in a decorative array. They all landed perfectly. Not a single piece of frosting was harmed on them as they landed. Applebloom pulled out a few bits from her mane. Those 'Pinkie Pie's How-To-Make-Your-Mane-Into-A-Storage-Space' classes really helped. It's like Applebloom actually had another universe in her mane. She put the bits on the counter, snatching a cupcake. Sweetie Belle grabbed one too, as Scootaloo was too busy talking to care. She did not grab a cupcake as she walked out. The pink mare flung the change back at Applebloom, and in which, it fell into Applebloom's mane. Disappearing within it. They continued down the road, noticing the long path ahead to the treehouse that stored books. How ironic. It was basically a tree storing trees.

"What do you think?"

Scootaloo finished. They were already at Twilight's library. Standing outside the front. They had to wait for Scootaloo to finish her rant about.. whatever she had changed the topic to. The other two Crusaders no longer followed Scootaloo's crazed talk.

"Wouldn't he be angry at us for Ponynapping him?"

Sweetie Belle suggested, finally pushing open the wooden library door. Because it was a library, the place had work hours. Right now, the library was open for the public's view and use. That's why they didn't need to knock. Though, they couldn't barge down into the basement. Even though they really.. really.. didn't want to be here. Maybe it was Scootaloo's extreme obsession that drew them here. They needed her to stop. Their stomachs churned and clenched as they heard something from the basement. The slow rattle of chains. There didn't appear to be anypony else here. Twilight was notably absent. As well as Spike. They only hoped that the two weren't downstairs.. Doing something foul with the eye that used to protect them. For his sake, and for the sake of getting Scootaloo to stop constantly obsessing over him, they would go downstairs.

Without permission.

They were the true evils of Equestria now.

"Cutiemark Crusaders, Rebels."

Scootaloo chuckled as she skipped to the basement before Sweetie Belle or Applebloom could intervene. Their faces frozen in fear as Scootaloo skipped down the darkness covered stairs. Within seconds, Scootaloo had disappeared into the abyss of darkness shrouding the basement's stairs. Sweetie Belle ran in after her, seeing that the figure of Scootaloo was already at the bottom of the stairs, about to push open the door. Applebloom was right behind Sweetie. In silent panic, they toppled down the stairs, smacking their limbs against the stairs as they fell. They too were soon at the bottom of the stairs, and were in the light filled basement.

Sombra stared at the pile of blurred colors drowsily. What, was Rarity back? No, it was a strange mishmash of shapes and colors. It was defiantly not a pony, by the looks of it. Rubbing his eyes with his hoof, he looked at the pile once more. No, it was not a pony. It was three ponies. All familiar. He couldn't recall their names, but they were apart of his first days here in.. Where ever he was. The small pile of ponies slowly got back up. The orange Pegasus whom often chatted to him back when he was on his pile wasted no time in rushing up to him. He was rather unsettled by them. They didn't make him feel well. He always felt sick around them, like they carried a temporary flu whenever they had decided to visit. Which was supposed to be never. He didn't exactly want to see them again after he was put here. He had connected them to the strange 'Put to sleep' escapades that had happened in the boutique. He had dropped them under the 'Don't talk to me' group. Which was obviously going to be a group they refused to stay in, if they were going to visit him daily like this. The yellow one had ran after the orange one, pushing the Pegasus back, giving Sombra the personal space he would demand from these fillies. He kept a close eye on that white unicorn who still chose to stay by the steps.

"Why are ya all chained up? You aren't an animal, you're a pony."

The yellow one mumbled, looking down at Sombra's shackles. The things made him feel rather animalistic. Or trapped. That would be a better word for it.

"You are ah pony, right?"

The yellow one had this strange thing she did with her words. It sounded different, the ways she said her a's. Though he didn't mind it. It was just a rather strange thing. He had noticed it when she had talked to the orange Pegasus back in the boutique. He didn't get to hear the white one talk. If she did, he surely didn't remember her ever talking. Maybe these fillies did tell him their names, but he just couldn't remember them. The orange one was Scoots or something of that sort. The yellow one had called the orange Pegasus that back in the boutique right before he had passed out from a rabid cloth attack. Sombra tried to think of the other two's names, but couldn't come up with anything. After realizing the yellow one had asked him something, he decided to stay silent. Putting his head in his hooves. Slapping a solemn look on his face as he tugged against the short, metal chains that held him. He had no idea why he was chained to the floor, but it was probably because he was in the care of some bad pony. Rarity had described his current holding cell as temporary, though it felt much more permanent.

"Does that mean you're an animal?"

Scoots commented, looking down upon him in pity. He didn't like receiving pity. It also didn't make him feel good. The sickly feeling slowly started setting in upon him.

"Scoots, shut yer yap!"

The yellow one whispered, trying to keep her voice down. So the orange one was called Scoots after all, good to know.

"I didn't mean it!"

Scoots retaliated. Sombra felt a yawn escape, as he smacked his lips. His yawn showing off all of his fangs as he went back to a neutral, rather docile face. His eyes droopy. He always felt tired. He didn't know why, but he was always tired. Constantly tired. It's like he was constantly drained of all his energy. Not like he had anything else better to do then sleep. There was literally nothing better to do then sit here and look at the walls, so constantly being tired and constantly sleeping was the best way to pass the time.

"Anyways, Sombra, why do they have ya chained up like this? It's really.. inhumane.. It's not like ya've done anything wrong."

The yellow one asked. Sombra stayed quiet, snuggling his muzzle into his hooves as he prepared to go back to sleep. Ignoring the yellow one's polite questioning. He seriously didn't want to deal with them after they had brought him here. To a new place that restricted his freedom.

"Have ya done something wrong?"

She continued asking. Maybe if he answered her, then she would leave. His annoyance would be made clear.

"Not that I know of."

His voice sounded rather sickly. It sounded like he had something stuck in his throat. Like a lump or something. It still allowed the annoyance in his tone to shine through, but it just made him sound strange.

"Go away."

He then demanded, continuing to look into his hooves. He could tell that their expressions sunk by the way they sighed.

"So much for asking him to join. If somepony didn't hog up all the questions."

"You could have pitched in any time."

They bickered as he could hear them walk off. Shutting the light off behind them as he could listen to the familiar slam of the basement door. This darkness that they had left him in. It felt safe, compared to the bright light that was left on when Rarity had left the room. The darkness provided him with comfort. Comfort that nopony could give him at the current moment. He felt new information spew into his mind as the darkness sunk in around him. He had been in the darkness of this room a little bit before, but it just seemed.. different now. He looked through this new information, and much to his surprise, it revealed nothing interesting of the sort. Nothing about his past, nothing about his family, nothing about him. Just new words that he had forgotten and how the darkness comforted him.

He was still just an empty corpse, waiting to recall what he used to know.

He couldn't remember anything. He was nothing. His existence was futile. He would not live if it was not for Rarity. He didn't even remember his own emotions and how to react to those emotions. He couldn't even describe his own feelings or why he was feeling that way. He didn't even know himself. He felt sad, so sad that a normally a regular pony would cry. He couldn't though. Something prevented him from shedding tears, even though he was alone. What was it? Why couldn't he emit emotions like regular ponies could? Like Rarity could? He felt like constantly had to keep a stale face for whatever reason. A reason he didn't know. It was beyond him. Even now, when he was reminiscing on who he was, he wasn't even FROWNING thinking that his entire life could just be called a waste. The only emotions he could express was anger. Anger and wrath. Was that all he was meant to be? An angry pony chained up in a dark basement? Because that's all he was at the moment. A grumpy pony with a case of amnesia. Also with a case of a cold now too. He coughed slightly, groaning about his now apparent sickness. This was fantastic. Rarity promised she would be back in 'Just a minute' but she still hadn't returned from her escapades to the store. He had wondered what she would bring back from the store she had spoke of. His ears flicked as he could hear the yells from upstairs. The yells came from a new voice, one he hadn't heard yet. It was muffled from him being in the basement, but he could still hear the basic words of the scolding.

"You did WHAT?!"

He heard the voice scream. It was one of those yells that could be conjured when you yelled at the top of your lungs.

"I forgive you, but do NOT go back down there AGAIN. You could make him remember something bad."

The voice continued. Slowly getting softer, until he couldn't hear the voice talking. Wait, remember something bad? Did they keep him down here, and hide his memories because he was bad? Or because he had some bad memories or past? They purposefully hid him from himself? They refused to let him have freedom, they refused to let him know why he was feeling certain feelings.. That couldn't be true. No one was capable of doing that sort of stuff. It's not like he could be blocked from remembering things. He would show them. He would get all his memories back, and still be himself. He wouldn't let his past overwhelm him.

That is, if somebody helped him do so.

He was now prone to learn what he had done. His curiosity taking over as the silence of the basement set in. For some reason, he couldn't fall back asleep for a couple minutes, despite his strangely tired state. He finally found himself slip into bliss of sleep. Well, he would have if the lights hadn't shot on once more. He growled at the lights turning back on, and removed his face from his hooves. Bound to see the new intruder and shove them off. Tell them to leave. There stood Rarity once more, closing the basement door behind her, she trotted down to meet the stallion that calmed as she approached.

"Sorry that I'm a tad late, Twilight decided to lecture me once I got back."

Rarity laughed, her smile lighting up her face. He kept his boring, stale face. He was like a rock. She dropped her saddlebag on the floor and revealed it's new goodies. The things she had were.. questionable. She had brought some red cloth and needles, as well as some more food in the other pocket of the saddle bag. For a refined mare, she did eat a lot. One or two crystals usually kept Sombra fed for a day. Why had there been so many annoyances today? He just wanted to sleep. It's all like they were prone to talking to him every second of every day. He didn't like talking to most of the ponies he met. He didn't meet very many ponies, so really, he would only talk to Rarity.

"I promised Fluttershy I would make you a cape of sorts, and I have been awfully busy as of late, so if you want, I could do it now."

Rarity offered. Why exactly would he need a cape? It's not like it was important. It did feel a bit drafty down here, so a cape would slightly help keep him warm. He nodded in agreement, much to Rarity's joy. Maybe she enjoyed making clothing. She didn't seem like the mare that would like to make clothing.

"Maybe after that I could get you out of this filthy basement and get you into public. Dress you up a bit, hide your horn, and you could be seen in the light of day."

Rarity chatted, her horn glowing a blue. Sombra had seen her horn glow before, but not this close before. He looked directly at it. How was that even possible? What was that around her horn anyways? A mystical aura thing that was blue? The aura grabbed the cloth and needles and took control of them, making them float and fly in the air. He didn't know how she did it, but she did say he had a horn too. Was he able to do that sort of stuff? He attempted to feel around for the horn he doubted he had, though the short chains prevented him from poking at his horn. With a rough growl, he continued to tug at the chains before giving up. He put his hoof back down to the ground.

"I don't like the sun."

He simply said. Rarity did not stop her stitching. She was poking the cloth with the needles, making other pieces of red cloth stick to eachother with string.

"I'll make you a hat when I get home.  Either that or I could get you used to the sun."

Rarity offered, as the cape slithered down from it's original pose. It looked shabby, but it would do. It was placed upon his back, and the feeling of a blanket like-object on his back made him feel much more relaxed. He thought over what Rarity had offered. He didn't want to stay in this basement for the rest of his unnecessary reformation. It would be nice to go outside and do something. If he was allowed to that is. Whoever was keeping him here was probably a acquaintance of Rarity, seeing as she wasn't trying to break him out.

"To go outside, I need to be freed from my shackles."

He rattled his chains noisily. Rarity's magic usage stopped finally, as she looked at the chains.

"Well.. I could get Twilight to consider letting you go out into public."

Rarity thought about it for a moment. There was no way that Twilight was going to let him go out in public. It was better if he went out now, before he remembered anything bad and goes outside on a rampage through town. Besides, if he was dressed up in a nice piece of Canterlot clothing, he could be taken to a nice restaurant. Rarity saw he was a robust and muscular stallion, so to have the chance to make some other mares jealous of her catch.. That would be rather fun. Even if her catch didn't understand what was going on. She shouldn't just be thinking about herself though. If he was taken out, he could experience some of the new foods pony kind had to offer. She could teach him about manners and how to act. She could basically remove his past! If she was given the chance.

"I'll have to ask her. You shouldn't be kept locked up in here. Plus, if Twilight lets you out, you might be able to see the Breezies blow through town. They are just the most adorable things. I reform you much easier if you were out of this dusty basement."

Rarity continued, motioning her hoof in the air as she talked. Sombra listened in at full attention.

"Who's Twilight?"

Sombra asked, breaking the conversation away from his reformation and the dusty basement topic. Rarity bit her lip slightly, thinking of the best way to explain her alicorn friend.

"Well, she's a friend of mine. She really likes books."

That's really all that came to mind when Rarity tried to explain her friend. Twilight was indeed a book fanatic, she would be arguing with Rainbow Dash about Daring Do, or attending her Pony of The Rings fanclub. She probably breathed books as well. Maybe she was secretly a book. Nah. That wouldn't make sense.

"Oh! And don't forget she likes vanilla cupcakes!"

Pinkie Pie blinked into existence, suddenly appearing within the realm around Rarity and Sombra. She appeared from underneath Sombra's cape, popping her head out before retracting back under the cloth.

"What? Pi-"

Rarity tried ask why Pinkie Pie was here, but as soon as she was there, she was gone. How did she.. how? Why? Where? Rarity was shocked by Pinkie's sudden appearance and disappearance, but not as shocked as Sombra was. He looked like he had just seen a cockatrice. He attempted to turn himself to pick up the cape that once covered the pink mare, but his chains were much too short to allow him to turn that much. Rarity sighed, knowing that Pinkie Pie was just being Pinkie Pie. Defying the laws of space and time, as per usual. Sombra, however did not know that Pinkie Pie could bend the fundamental building blocks of the universe to her will, so he was ruffled by the situation.

"That was just Pinkie Pie. She does that a lot. Don't question it."

Rarity breathed out, finding that Sombra was having a hard time accepting the fact that Pinkie Pie could just teleport around. Rarity simply did not know how Pinkie did it, but after many years of being her friend, Rarity decided never to question Pinkies antics. They were just too strange for her understanding.

"Anyways, as I was saying. I'll ask Twilight about it. Maybe we could go get a bite to eat if she lets you free of those dreadful chains."

Rarity was prepared. It was time to make some mare jealous. If Twilight allowed it in the first place.

Chapter 6 : Sunlight

"No."

Twilight looked down at her book as Rarity pouted in the background. Twilight didn't know how many times she would have to reject Rarity's request before she got the message through her thick skull. It was enough to let that beast stay in Twilight's basement, so Twilight was not going to allow him go out in public. Not now. Spike poked Rarity's side again. Drawing Rarity's attention away from the studying purple Alicorn.

"Why do you want him to go out in public anyways? I mean, I'm much more handsome then any stallion alive."

Spike bragged. He then covered his mouth and blushed. Laughing at what he had just said. Rarity gave Spike a motherly smile as she looked back at Twilight. Spike grumbled as he walked away, embarrassed.

"I just find that he should be outside more. I mean, that basement smells of something terrible. He also seems like he could use some sun, you know?"

Rarity tried to reason with Twilight, who had her face buried in a book she had on her study desk. Her face plopped into the book. Now she was really into that book.

"If he's staying under my roof, he has to play by my rules. No."

Twilight confirmed. She was sounding tired. Tired of having to deal with Rarity's request. How many times had she asked just within this hour? Fifty? Rarity was a determined mare, but Twilight never thought she would be THIS determined.

"Twilight, he was assigned to me. Therefore, I am in charge of him. I must take him outdoors to reform him."

Rarity continued her onslaught. Twilight put her chin on the pages of her book.

"Why didn't you just keep him at your house then? Don't you have a basement?"

Twilight asked, exhausted by this. Rarity was now being a nuisance.

"He's only temporarily in your home. Unlike you, I have to pay taxes for my business and home. Which makes no sense because I'm an element of harmony. But no, I don't have a basement. If I did, I wouldn't be chaining him up and putting him in it."

Twilight turned around to face Rarity. Her exasperation clearly shown in her face.

"Rarity. Just.. Just.. If I say yes, will you stop asking?"

Twilight huffed. Rarity nodded, making a silent agreement to stop asking to take Sombrero out for a day on the town. He was like a dog, now she had to walk him.

"I have an invisibility potions, dark blue, among the potions down stairs. You should see it. Use it on his horn if you're going out."

Twilight informed Rarity. Happy that the white mare would stop bugging her. It only took Rarity five hundred and twenty-four times to get Twilight to comply with her demands. A new record. Rarity, with a new success in the bag, started to go back downstairs. Spike quickly halted her descent down to the main floor. He jumped infront of her rather dramatically.

"Be careful, okay?"

He asked. He looked like he was about to tear up when he hugged her front hooves. He was such a cute little dragon. Rarity didn't see why there was such a need for drama, but Spike was always so concerned for her. No idea why. Rarity held the hug for a couple seconds before breaking. Going down the stairs to leave Spike upstairs with Twilight. Without a second glance, Rarity was back on the first floor, beginning her approach to the basement stairs. This place sure did have a lot of stairs. Without another interruption, she burst back into the stone basement. The ash gray stallion was still there. In the same spot, the center of the room. In the same chains. Rarity felt pity for him. She really did. She trotted down the extra  set of stairs and made her way over to an old oak table. It had so many potions on it, it had to be color coded to look like a rainbow. Rarity examined the vials, looking over the darker blues in the rainbow. She had narrowed it down to three vials that she had suspicions about. She picked them out with her lighter blue magic and carried them to the stallion. She placed two down on the floor, only levitating one up as she pulled out the cork keeping the liquid in.

"What is that?"

He asked as Rarity parted the mane of the stallion with her magic. Leaving the rustic horn out in the open.

"It's a potion."

Rarity answered as she positioned the bottle right above his horn, making sure just to drip one drop onto it. Just to make sure it was the right potion. The tiny drop of blue liquid at the top of his horn before disappearing to smoke. Nothing had happened. Rarity looked at his horn to see if only one side was gone, but no. It was still all there. With a sigh, Rarity corked the vial once more, and put it to the side. At least that wasn't a dangerous potion. Or at least, she thought it wasn't. Picking up the next potion to try, Rarity uncorked it as well. Sombra was silent while she did this. He was laying down on the floor, which made her job easier. Positioning the next potion above his horn, she dripped some of the liquid onto the flaming horn. As soon as the liquid touched, it appeared to make his horn disappear into thin air. Rarity smiled. She had found the right one! Now.. how to get the rest on? Oh, right. Rarity grabbed the liquid itself from the vial. Lifting the blue potion out of it's glass tube. She placed the liquid upon his horn, and slowly cloaked the horn. After the horn had disappeared from sight, Rarity had placed the remnants of the potion back into the tube. Corking it, then floating all three vials back to the table they were originally at.

"Now to get the shackles off.."

Rarity examined the shackles around his front hooves, making him extend his two front hooves to do so. She picked around at them, but saw no way to get it off without prying them off. With a swish and a flick of her horn, she focused in on opening the shackles. Her aura intensified as she could feel the shackles open. She suddenly broke her magic as the shackles snapped off. Wiping her brow, as sweat came from her forehead.

"NOOOOO!"

She yelled in terror as she looked at the sweat that was now on her hoof. She shook her hoof spastically.

"I'm all.. ALL SWEATY!"

She screeched. Sombra raised an eyebrow at the overreacting mare. It was like this was like a life or death situation. From what it looked like, it seemed like it wasn't such a situation. Rarity panicked, her magic sparking as she dug through her saddlebag she had left here. Pulling out a small white handkerchief, she wiped her forehead swiftly. Finally calming as the sweat was removed. Sombra still had to have his back hooves freed as well. Rarity would have to repeat what she had just done. She knew what was to come. If she was going to reform this stallion, she would have to sweat. Hopefully just this once. Rarity plopped back down near Sombra, her horn flashing on once more as she now focused on the back shackles. Even more sweat poured from her, much to her displeasure. She twitched as she could feel the sweat beads go down the side of her beautiful face and drip to the floor. She held back her yelps as the back shackles slowly budged open.

SNAP.

He was free once more. Rarity was swift to get the handkerchief once more, and wipe her entire face with the tiny cloth. Sombra stood to full high, hearing multiple bones snap as they were now standing up tall after what seemed to be a day of laying and sitting. His legs felt strange as he stood, a small tingly feeling slowly grew within them. Sombra stretched out his back, as more bones satisfyingly cracked. He felt them straighten. He seemed much more proud in this fully stood state. With the red cloth still slung over his back lazily, Sombra attempted to walk once more. He found himself strangely unstable as he placed one hoof infront of the other. Almost like he had forgotten how to walk. He wobbled, though he did not topple as he walked around. Maybe it was because he was without moving for about a day or so. Rarity joined him at her full height, which he now noticed how much taller he was than her. Sombra was atleast a hoof taller then her. He found her to be rather short. Maybe it was because he was just a stallion, and he was naturally tall. Though this tallness gave Sombra some strength. It gave him power. Though it was rather a power he couldn't use at the moment. With his hooves free, he tapped along at the top of his head to feel if he had one of these horn things. Much to his surprise, he did. It felt curved, strange to the touch as he poked at it. He placed his hoof back on the floor as Rarity started going back up stairs. Making a signal for Sombra to follow her up the basement's stairs. Seeing as Sombra was having problems with just walking at the moment, stairs probably wouldn't be a good thing to climb up. Staggering up the first few stone stairs, Sombra had made his way past the first flight of steps. Now to actually get out of the basement. Rarity stood by the door frame, as she opened the basement door with her hoof. Stomping back up, out of the basement and to the next floor. Sombra stamped over to the next set of stairs, seeing that there were more stairs. He knew he wouldn't like stairs. They took forever. He walked up the stairs, joining Rarity at the first floor. Sombra examined the new room, seeing shelves packed with books along every wall of the room. The center of the room had a circular table with a small, horse head statue in the center of the small table. Rarity was the only other pony in the room. Sombra walked to her, as she trotted to the next door. The one that probably lead outside. Where the sun could shine upon him. Sombra swore he had just saw a light purple limb disappear out of the corner of his eye. The limb was by the stairs about to go up to the next floor. He paid it no mind, only focusing on the white mare infront of him. What did she plan to do? She placed her hoof on the door, pushing it open as sunlight cracked into the room. Sombra hissed, closing his eyes as he stammered backwards from the door. His snake like tongue escaping from between his lips. He didn't like the sun. Had she not understood this? He heard the familiar sound of her magic activating. She had grabbed something, and had started out. Sombra reluctantly tried to open his eyes a crack. The natural light burning his eyes as he slowly trotted forward to the door. Following after Rarity, who seemed to be carrying something that produced shade. She was outside now. Sombra pushed himself through the door and out of the tree. Getting into the shade that Rarity had produced. His eyes opening more then just a crack, he looked back over at the white mare he was now right next to. Rarity carried an white umbrella. Wherever she got that from, Sombra would never know. He was grateful for the moving shadow producer. He was outside once more. It was somewhat nice to be outside without such panic from the ponies around him. The ponies around paid him half of their mind. Strange glares coming from them as they glanced at him. Sombra wondered why they gave him such glares, it was his job to glare. The ponies walked slightly faster after seeing him. This made him slightly curious. What made them quicken their pace? Was it Rarity? Hm. Rarity nudged him with her hoof, breaking him out of his stare at the ponies passing by. Rarity  started moving. To make sure his eyes literally didn't boil and burn from being out of the shade, he copied her pace. Keeping his tall and regal stature, he got a few extremely strange stares from some mares. The stares they gave him weren't the same ones as the stallions gave him. The mares were looking more curious, while the stallions distasteful. Mares chattered to eachother after he had passed. His ears picking only up some of their whispers as he walked down the street with Rarity. He didn't know where she was taking him, neither did he exactly care. It was just good to be free of the shackles. The sun cursed his existence, so his freedom was still limited.

"So, where would you like to go? We could go to get something to eat, go shopping, go visit some of my friends," Rarity listed off the options that Sombra could pick. "or you could let me choose." Rarity told him, halting her walk in the middle of the road. The two had gone down to the shopping district. Full of vendors selling fruits, furniture, and other things. Their yelled advertisements filled the air. Attempting to get customers attention and their bits.

"You can pick."

Sombra said. His regular voice was reduced to that of a whisper by the advertisements. Rarity still was able to hear him though. She thought of what to do with him. Maybe shopping would be the best at the moment. Chances are that he couldn't use utensils. Or hold anything with his hooves.

"Let's just go through the shopping district."

Rarity confirmed finally, continuing down the street. Going towards the vendors that were yelling. Most of this yelling was done by the vegetable sellers. They yelled out puns about what they were selling. Hoping to get their voice out the most, and get the most attention from passerbys. The couple got odd stares from fellow customers as they passed. Mares eyeing up the couple either with interest or with blank stares. Stallions were revolted or shocked. This made Sombra put his head down slightly. This attention did not make him feel well. Rarity promptly put her forehoof on his chin and lifted his face back up. With a reassuring smile that things were going to be okay. Sombra felt a grimace trying to etch its way onto his face, but he wouldn't allow it. He kept his blank, stern face as he looked at the vendors they had passed. His glance caused the vendors to freeze as he looked at them. His crimson eyes seemed to petrify them for whatever reason. When he turned his gaze back to the road in front of him, he could hear a sigh of relief from beneath the yells of other vendors. Was there something wrong with his eyes? Sombra didn't know. Maybe his eyes cast some sort of fear magic. Yeah, like THAT sort of magic existed. Out of the corner of his eye, Sombra could see a stallion walking next to him. He wasn't exactly minding his own business. This other stallion had a dark green coat with a white and green striped mane. This other stallion was sizing Sombra up, by the looks of it. When Sombra turned his head to get a good look at the stallion's face, the green stallion did not change the way he was looking at Sombra. A scowl upon his face.

"Can I help you?"

Rarity had noticed the other stallion, as she stopped her trot. The green stallion smiled innocently as soon as she entered the situation.

"Uh, yes! I was wondering who this new guy is."

The nosy stallion replied to Rarity's question. The locals were so curious. That wasn't exactly a good thing.

"He's just a friend of mine."

Rarity answered simply, returning his innocent smile while Sombra kept his boring and docile face. The stallion was somewhat content by this answer, and left the two.

"What was his problem?"

Sombra grumbled under his breath. Rarity didn't see the way the green stallion had sized Sombra up. It looked like he was about to pick a fight with the ash stallion. Though the way Rarity described Sombra. Friend. It made his left eye twitch when he thought of the word. To avoid looking like a weirdo, he stopped thinking about the word. Clearing his mind of it as Rarity lead him down the road.

Friends.. What pathetic things.

Rarity trotted confidently to Sugar Cube, the umbrella now in her hoof because her magic had depleted halfway through the walk. Though it was awkward to walk with only three hooves on the ground, it was better then holding the umbrella in her mouth. Her guest stopped and looked over the place. His bored face made her worry. Though he regularly wore this sort of feature, she was afraid that he was actually growing bored.

"My friend Pinkie Pie lives here. She was the one who popped out of your cape while we were in the basement."

Rarity told him. He nodded solemnly as he looked over the candy coated business. Usually the very sight of this place could make any pony's mouth water. The fake candy and frosting on the roofing was so well made, a pony could confuse it for actual sweet treats. Rarity had heard ponies ask Pinkie Pie if the roof was edible. Pinkie Pie would reply with a "I wish it was!" usually. Rarity prompted her friend inside the building. He followed her order obediently, entering the building as Rarity closed the umbrella and held it close to her side. Allowing him to go in first before following after him. She could hear a gasp from the counter as she entered. It was most likely from Pinkie Pie, by the way it sounded. Though the pink mare was not by the counter. A cloud of dust was by the counter, the dust leading to the kitchen, where Pinkie Pie was now probably located. Sombra leaned up against a vacant wall as Rarity trotted to the glass counter. Ringing the small bell to attract Pinkie Pie's attention. Though the pink mare did not rush back to greet Rarity. She stood there patiently, listening into the conversations going on around her. The talking came from the right part of the bakery, where all the tables were located. These tables were moved out of the way for Pinkie Pie's parties, but since it was business hours, the tables were out. They were decently packed full of customers chowing down on cupcakes and other sweet treats that the bakery could make. Rarity rung the small bell on the counter once more. What was taking Pinkie so long? She still was due for her cookies. Pinkie Pie had decided that one of Rarity's dresses wasn't pink enough one day, and well.. there was a lot of frosting getting thrown on dresses involved. Rarity needed to be paid back for the incident. Because Rarity didn't have a big enough refrigerator, she decided that she would get paid back periodically. Today she would be getting some of those cookies. Without another second wasted, Pinkie Pie dashed back out of the kitchen. A large cake in hoof as she bolted to the tables that her customers sat at. She placed down the large cake at a table that two ponies sat at. A mare and stallion. The cake was atleast ten layers high. Rarity had no idea how those two planned to eat it. Before she knew it, Pinkie Pie was back at the counter. Bouncing up and down.

"Hi Rarity!"

She greeted, as Rarity bobbed her head up and down to keep constant eye contact with the cotton candy maned mare.

"Hello Pinkie, I was wondering if-" Rarity was stopped mid sentence. "Cookies? Got it!" Pinkie rushed back into the kitchen. Leaving Rarity back by the counter to wait for her to return. Rarity had heard that Pinkie was a part time fortune teller, so Rarity didn't question Pinkie's mind reading abilities.

No pony questioned Pinkie Pie.

While waiting for Pinkie to return, Rarity picked up on a conversation happening behind her. She turned her head, seeing a light brown mare with a short black mane next to her guest. The mare had a cutiemark of a lock with a heart shaped symbol as a key hole. The mare had a long black tail as well. Rarity had heard of this mare in the news. She was in the gossip side of the news fairly often. This pony's nicknames was Heart Cager. She would steal stallion's hearts, then keep them all to herself. Not literally, but she was basically the Succubus of ponyville. It's to bad her tricks wouldn't work this time. Rarity knew her tricks would work, because Sombra had no idea that she was flirting in the first place. Rarity was interested to see the mare fail. She had heard of the mare failing to steal hearts before, and how funny it was, but now she had the chance to see it up close.

"You're lookin good there. You're just the type I like."

The brown mare started, as she slowly circled the gray stallion. Rarity giggled for what she thought was to come. Though the flirting mare slowly started to stir something within her that wasn't happiness. Rather, anger. It started small at first. So small that Rarity didn't even noticed the broiling emotion.

"Tall.. Muscular.."

The mare continued, brushing her black tail tip along the side of the Sombra's face. His features did not change from their blank state.

"Robust.."

The mare listed off the things she thought would catch the stallion's attention. They didn't. Rarity slowly started to have the anger grow as the mare was flirting with her friend. She still didn't notice the emotion.

"You're a quiet fella."

Heart Cager continued, her seductive grin not disappearing. She had full intentions to steal this new stallion's heart. It's like she was a changeling.

"Not that there is a problem with that."

Heart Cager slowly got closer and closer to her prey as she did her half circle. She couldn't tell she was failing at her mission. Which made Rarity all the more angry. Her emotion soon came to light. It slowly took over her happy smile and giggle. Wait.. Why did she care? Oh yeah, because Heart Cager was scum and she didn't want her friend to fall for her tricks. It's not like he would, anyways.. Would he? No, he wouldn't. He didn't even know how to emit certain emotions. When he first was resurrected here, he didn't even know how to do anything. The pink mare came out from the kitchen, a batch of cookies in her hoof as she dropped them to the counter on a plate. They were still warm. A small bit of steam coming off of each one as the chocolate chips sunk into the dough, near melting point. Rarity redirected her attention to Pinkie pie, and grabbed the plate of cookies in her mouth.

"Oh yeah, by the way, you should probably decide where you're gonna keep Sombrero, cuz people are getting super confused to who's reforming him and.."

Pinkie Pie started chattering away about some strange nonsense that Rarity couldn't exactly understand. Something about it getting confusing for the people reading the story. What story Pinkie chattered away about, Rarity wouldn't know.

Without a second though, Rarity stomped over to a vacant table and placed the cookies and umbrella down. She then trotted back up to Sombra and pushed Heart Cager out of the way.

"What the hay?"

Heart Cager hissed as Rarity grabbed Sombra's hoof and dragged him over to the table Rarity had prepared.

"Call me!"

Heart Cager called across the room to the stallion before leaving the business entirely. Rarity sat Sombra down at the table, prepared to stuff her face full of cookies.

"What was that mare doing?"

Sombra asked, he sounded like he had something in his throat. Maybe he was sick or something. Luckily, Heart Cager had failed to catch another stallion. Maybe it was because he didn't know what flirting was in the first place.

"She was trying to flirt with you. Some mares do that if they like you."

Rarity answered truthfully, picking up a cookies from the plate. Her mouth watering as she stared at it.

"I don't even know her."

Sombra shrugged, still confused by the situation, obviously. Rarity was happily scarfing down the fresh cookies. Her taste buds delighted by what Pinkie had made.

"No pony knows her real name. She's called Heart Cager. She is obsessed with getting stallions to love her."

Rarity talked with her mouth full, spitting crumbs all over the table. She then covered her mouth with her hoof. Maybe she needed a lesson in manners.

"What is love in the first place?"

Sombra wondered, not bothering to eat any of the cookies. Rarity could have all of them. Rarity thought about his question. If this was asked by anypony other then Sombra, she wouldn't be able to answer. Sombra however, was basically a foal in a stallion's body.

"It's this thing you feel when you really like somepony," Rarity swallowed the cookie mush in her mouth. "it's like society's version of acceptable insanity."

Rarity answered. Sombra nodded, thinking about it.

"Does love hurt?"

He interrogated. If he was going to be asking about love, this situation might get a bit strange. Hopefully Heart Cager wouldn't be coming back any time soon.

"Well, yes and no. If somepony breaks your heart, then you can feel hurt."

Rarity continued to answer all his questions with ease. Ready to scarf down the rest of the cookies on the plate; she reached out for the next few. This was extremely unlady like for her, and she knew it. Rarity couldn't hold herself back when it came to cookies.

"She made me feel sick."

Sombra groaned, as his stuffed up throat seemed to pass. If he was sick, his sickness came and went as it pleased.

"Tell me about it."

Rarity chuckled, about to shove another one of the delicious chocolate chip cookie all up in her face hole. Sombra brought one of his front hooves up to his face, looking at it strangely. Thinking about something that he had felt when that mare was talking to him. The feeling of pain. Rarity was busy stuffing her cheeks. She was going to get fat if she kept on like this. A pink mare raced to the table, switching out the now empty plate with a new one. Stacked with cookies, like a tower reaching to the ceiling. The pink mare whispered a couple things into Rarity's ear before disappearing back to the bakery's kitchen.

Rarity stumbled out of the gingerbread business, Sombra close behind as she held her belly. All those cookies did not do good things to her stomach. Sombra had grabbed the umbrella awkwardly in his hoof. He now wielded the shadows. Take that, sun. His hoof was wrapped around the handle of the umbrella, though Sombra wasn't exactly used to walking on three legs. He did his best to not fall down and remove his cape from his back. Rarity held back her belches, as she directed Sombra back to Twilight's tree home that was off in the distance. She had eaten about four towers of cookies made by Pinkie Pie, and was certainly not feeling well enough to travel with the stallion.

"Make it back to Twilight's. It's the tree. After you get there, find a better place to sleep. Or at least find a blanket to sleep on."

Rarity commanded the stallion as she wobbled away in the opposite direction. What did she just leave him to do. He was basically free. Though, he didn't like being alone and in public like this. It felt like somepony was going to leap out and attack him with all the glares he had been given by other stallions. Sombra took his time walking back over to 'Twilight's' tree house. He was in no rush to get back down to the dungeon he would now have to stay in. He still wasn't sure why he had to stay there in the first place. Rarity didn't exactly explain why he couldn't go back to her place. He didn't complain though. It was much more quiet and peaceful in that stone prison anyways. He walked back down the shopping district once more in silence. For some reason, ponies cleared the way for him. Which he did appreciate, though it was like he had a disease or something. Why did ponies dislike him? Other then a couple of mares who have him strange stares, the of the stares majority of the hateful. He felt empowered by this hate. Like it made something grow within him. He dared not to question it out in public. He would question it back in the stone basement. Sombra kept his gaze straight forward, wobbling still from only having three hooves on the ground. He would have to stop every now and again to stabilize himself. He then noticed somepony following him, a familiar pink earth pony. She had this twisted grin upon her face as she followed him. Though the grin was quickly replaced by a fearful frown as soon as he noticed her. She was quick to scamper off after the cinders that were his eyes had pierced her. With that out of the way, he continued down his path. Alone. He sighed as he started to think about a few things. That mare, Heart Cager or whatever her name was.. When she was telling him that stuff, it hurt. It felt like something was burning him alive. It was only a slight pain, and that's why he was able to keep his cool. Though, why did this 'Flirting' hurt? Was he allergic to this flirting stuff? If that was the case, he would have to ask Heart Cager to not do it again. Sombra was back at Twilight's before he knew it. Opening the wooden door, he dropped the Umbrella by the door. Not knowing it could fold up, he just left it there as he entered and closed the door behind him. He looked over the room once more, nothing had changed from when he had left. He rubbed one of his eyes. He was tired again. He was always tired. He didn't like the feeling of being tired while he was walking around. Sombra walked back over to the stairs to go downstairs. The pitch black stairs that lead back down to his holding cell. Putting one hoof infront of the other, he slowly made his way down the stairs. One of his hooves slipped, as he fell down onto his back and slowly slid down the stairs. When he was at the bottom, his back hooves had stopped his descent by pushing up against the basement door. His cape slid down next to him as he pushed the door open. Getting up to his hooves once more, he grabbed the red cape in his mouth as he entered the basement once more. His back ached now from his fall. He wasn't exactly feeling happy now. He never felt happy, actually. It was not a common emotion. The basement light was on, so Sombra could see. He closed the door behind him as he walked back to his holding chains. He put his cape down on the floor, placing himself down on it. Sombra had noticed Rarity had left her saddlebag here. As well as a strange jar of yellow things. Before he went to sleep, he poked through the saddlebag. It was mostly filled with food and knitting tools. Though, one thing stood out to him. A small picture was tucked imbetween the needles Rarity had used to make his cape. Picking out the picture, he examined it. It was a picture of Rarity and a small white unicorn. This small white unicorn was the one that hung out with Scoots. She must've been apart of Rarity's family. Family. He didn't have one. How lucky for Rarity. Was he undeserving of a family? What happened to his family? Were they dead? Alive? He didn't know. He couldn't remember. How stupid. He was stuck with amnesia. An amnesia that he had to get rid of. He placed the picture back in the saddlebag, and seeing as there was nothing else that caught his eye, he closed the bag part of the saddle. He pushed the saddlebag off to the side, to keep it from annoying him. He curled himself up so he could fit on the entire cape's reach. Dropping his head down, he continued to think. Why did he need to be reformed in the first place? He obviously did something wrong, so they decided to remove his memories.. To get rid of his memories of his family and friends. To get rid of everything that made him a pony. To remove his destiny and dreams. This could wait. Rarity might give him answers to why he knew nothing tommorow. He hoped she would. Plus, his back was killing him from the fall he took and he didn't want to deal with the pain anymore. He hoped that the pain would be gone by the time he awoke.

His eyes closed. Maybe he could at peace for once, with no interruptions.

Chapter 1 : Revival

After the success with reforming Discord, we'd like you to take up a new task. We ask that you do this one alone, or as little help from your friends as possible. We ask that you reform the King Of Shadows, King Sombra.

~Princess Celestia

Those words. Was she serious. She couldn't be. Hopefully this was all just a joke! Yeah! Just a nice joke from Celestia. Rarity exhibited a concerned smile as she rolled up the scroll again. Placing it into spike's hands as she stared up at the ceiling. Her smile growing as she thought. She couldn't do this. She couldn't. It was not possible. She was to do it alone. Princess's orders. This was going to become a new thing. A pattern. Celestia would continue to send them threats to reform. For no reason. She didn't even list a reason in this letter, unlike the last one. She couldn't do it. How could she. She would be keeping a tyrant in her home until he learned table manners. The most powerful dark magic wizard would be staying in her home. Most likely angry all the time by being kept there. Insulting her. Destroying her work. Making her fear for her life. Unlike Discord where Celestia had escorted him to ponyville, this time was different. Celestia had sent him in the scroll. The only part that was found after he was killed. It was here. In this house. Rarity trembled as Spike looked at her curiously. He hadn't read the scroll, or even knew what this strange bulge in it was. With his curiosity peaked, he unraveled the scroll.

"Who's King Sombra?"

Spike quizzed, reading over the letter and looking at the only part retrieved from his destruction. Rarity snapped, her eyes bolting to look at Spike, who was poking around in the letter he had delivered. The two were in the middle of something when the letter arrived. Spike had a bunch of sowing needles stuck in his back, and he shook it off like they weren't even there. Rarity was working on a v neck dress for one of her customers. It was rather modern, and a tad bit short. It covered the flank, but left the tail out. It also showed off the legs nicely. It was black and white, just like the customer had ordered.

Rarity kept her hooves still on the dress, refusing to move them as she levitated the paper back over to her face. Taking it away from spike. Who obviously forgot who this was. To be fair, it took Rarity about two minutes to remember who the he was. They never really got to know his name.

"He's umm.."

Rarity stammered, a sweat bead running down the side of her head as she store at the horn that was attached to the letter. It was a rustic shade of red. She remembered it atop his head when he was about to get rid of Spike and the Crystal heart. He had a rather marvelous cape on, and to be fair, she actually wanted the thing a tad. It was lined with a rare fur that came from snow leopards. They are a almost extinct species.

"Another 'special guest'? I don't remember us ever fighting somepony by the name of Sombra."

Spike reminisced, putting a claw on his chin as he started to remember. Well, he tried to remember.

"Nope. Nopony comes to mind."

Spike said, giving up immediately after he had started.

"Spike, be a dear and fetch me Twilight, please?"

Rarity asked, placing the letter on her sowing table as she tried to continue working on this dress that needed to be done by tonight.

"Oh yeah! Sure! I'll be right back!"

Spike said happily, pricking out each and every pin he had stuck in him quickly. Which he would regret in a few seconds from now. He rushed away, going out the door as quick as a flash. His moans and groans of pain heard from outside. Those pins stung once they were taken off of him.

"Rarity? I brought Twilight!"

Spike called from outside, the purple Alicorn standing close to the purple dragon. There was a lot of purple outside her door. Rarity galloped over to the door, swinging it open and hugging Twilight suddenly. It was as deadly as a Pinkie Pie hug. Twilight gasped for air as she was hugged tightly. Spike separated Rarity from the princess who was going blue. Pushing her back into her home gently. Rarity looked at the ground and sighed.

"What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

Twilight asked, puzzled. Spike was about to say something and spill all the beans for her, but his mouth was shut by Rarity's shiny hoof.

"Yes. I'm in a bit of a pickle, you see."

Rarity said truthfully, levitating over the letter that Celestia had sent her.

Dear My Little Ponies,

We thank you so much for the reforming of Discord. Luna has become much less worried now that has cleared. We shall provide him with a perfect place to stay and live in. We'd like to have Rarity, The element of generosity help us with our next worry. After the success with reforming Discord, we'd like you to take up a new task. We ask that you do this one alone, or as little help from your friends as possible. We ask that you reform the King Of Shadows, King Sombra.

~Princess Celestia

The letter read fully, as Twilight scanned over it. Putting her hoof on her chin. Obviously trying to remember something.

"King Sombra.. Sommmmbra.."

She mumbled, banging her hoof up against the side of her head, attempting to remember as she looked down at the detached horn. She suddenly sprung to her conclusion, her face lighting up before sinking down to a sadder state. She frowned.

"No help from others.. Princesses orders..?"

She mumbled, looking at the letter again.

"Are you sure you can handle this?"

Twilight asked. Rarity shook her head no, as Twilight smiled. Trying to keep a happy mood. Attempting to keep the sadder mood away. It was another task, ordered by the Princess. They had to do it.. Even if there was no reason to do it attached. Spike suddenly sneezed, fire bursting from his nose as another package was delivered. Twilight found it rather humorous that he belched letters and sneezed packages. A brown box dropped onto the ground, as Twilight picked it up curiously. Breaking it open, there was a dark black ring inside between all the packaging peanuts. If she recalled correctly, these rings, when slid on a horn, could not be removed. They were rather rare, and could only be built by master blacksmiths in the north. It blocked all magic and it must be teleported onto the horn. It can only be removed by an Alicorn. This one was black however, while regular ones were brown or purple. Maybe it's just for personalization reasons. Who knows. Well, Celestia did, but that didn't exactly matter.

"We'll be in town. You can always get us if you need tips. Fluttershy should be able to help the most, seeing as she had the most recent reformation job with Discord."

Twilight informed, hovering the package over to the white fashionista.

"I still don't get this."

Spike sighed in aggravation as he stomped his paw on the ground impatiently. He was starting to turn into Angel, honestly.

"Who is this Sombra pony anyways?"

Spike asked, crossing his arms as he looked up at the two mares. Almost annoyed.

"He's the pony who will most likely try to hunt you down and try to harm you in every way possible."

Twilight said, her gleeful tone creeping Rarity out a bit.

"W-What?! Why?!"

Spike shouted in shock. Still not remembering what he had done to get so much hate from this Sombra pony.

"You saved the Crystal Empire from him."

Twilight continued with a smile, nuzzling spike comfortably. He still deserved praise for that heroic victory.

"W-wait.."

Spike seemed to suddenly remember who he was going to be dealing with. Who was going to be taking up all his time with Rarity. Possibly even harm her.

"Twilight! You can't let him near me!"

Spike begged, grabbing onto her forehoof. He was scared for his life. Who wouldn't be? This pony was the highest ranked dark magic user to have ever lived. One who hated Spike with every ounce of his being. There was no hope left for the purple dragon. He was going to die!

"He's staying with Rarity."

Twilight said, rather sorrowfully. As she still kept up her smile when she looked at Rarity. Spike's eyes widened in horror as he thought of the worst possible things that could happen to Rarity. This was not good. It was like the Diamond Dog stuff all over again. Except this time, they weren't dumb, and she would be kept captive in her own home! This was absolutely terrible! He wouldn't be able to go to sleep tonight, that was sure.

Rarity sighed. She would have to do it eventually. It was Princesses orders after all. Much like a customer's demand, she had to do it to the best of her ability. After all, maybe she could be turned into a Alicorn for payment.

"I'm ready."

She nodded with confidence. Holding her head up high as she lead Twilight into her boutique. Her dresses and clothes getting shown off, silently. Her handiwork was amazing. She had really improved. She was making things for Royalty and for celebrities. Twilight had admired her work, really. This was really not the time for it though.

"Spike, go get the others."

Twilight asked, as Spike happily accepted his command. He ran out of the boutique at what he thought was light speed to go get the four other candy colored friends.

"It'll be tough, you know."

Twilight informed Rarity as she watched Spike rush out. Leaving the door open behind him.

"I know."

Rarity stated with yet another sigh. This was going to be a tough job, with such a rowdy customer staying with her. She had no idea how Fluttershy did it. She would have to figure out how. She did it in a few days. It would take Rarity years..

"We'll have to wait a bit for the others to get here."

Twilight said, trotting over to Rarity's newest line of dresses. Looking at the price tags. The white fashionista stared at the ceiling. Sweetie Belle. What would become of her from this constant presence of corruption?

"Why do we need them here?"

Rarity asked, slightly puzzled. How would that help whatsoever? Actually.. How were they going to revive him in the first place? Unlike Discord, he wasn't exactly.. Alive.

"I think he might be in a situation like how Discord was. He's imprisoned, not in a statue, but in his horn."

Twilight explained her theory. Squeeing as she found a decent deal on a dress she liked. She picked out the dress from the rack, and to her disappointment, it was a size smaller then she had anticipated.

"Oh."

Rarity said simply, looking back over at her door, where four ponies were rushing to be by. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Spike.

"Hey!"

Pinkie Pie bounced into the boutique first, a smile upon her face as she entered. It was good to see such happiness in a time like this.

"We got here as fast as we could. Well, as fast as we could go without Fluttershy falling behind."

Rainbow Dash explained, flying into the boutique 'slowly'. Fluttershy blushed as she entered. A bit embarrassed. She was a bit slow when it came to flying.

"What're we doin?"

Applejack asked, seeing the letter rather quickly. Rarity had put it back down on her sowing table, along with a brown box. The package spike had sneezed.

"We're reviving a certain pony. I need you all here so it doesn't go wrong."

Twilight nodded, placing the dress back where it was originally. She wandered up to the letter sent by Celestia, reading it aloud to her friends. It only made spike and rarity cringe as she read it.

"Who's King Sombra?"

Rainbow Dash inquired, shrugging as she landed.

"If you don't remember, I'll freshen your memories. He's the pony that tried to retake the Crystal Empire and nearly succeeded. He's also the wisest and most powerful Dark magic user around. He can transform into smoke and move in the shadows, and can make you see your worst fears."

Twilight reminded. Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped.

"Rarity has to take care of him? ON HER OWN?!"

Rainbow Dash was astonished. This was going to be a repeated theme. Soon enough, Celestia would be asking Rainbow Dash to reform a villain too! This was horrible! Discord was bad enough to deal with, but a King who was powered off hatred and FEAR? This was not going to end well.

"Yes."

Rarity said, nodding as Twilight pulled off the rustic red horn from the page. Levitating it infront of her friends.

"I'll need a circle formed for this."

Twilight informed, as her four friends spread out. Making a circle that Twilight and rarity had to complete.

Moving into position, she dropped the horn into the middle of the circle. Her horn glowing with intense light as she focused. She was without the elements this time. It should be simple enough though. Her horn sparked and flurried with magic. She was a Alicorn. She should be able to resummon anything she wanted. Her chest glowed a soft purple, as her friends closed their eyes as well. Their chests lit up too, a magical aura about them. They were still linked to the elements of harmony. This would back up Twilight's spell. She scrunched up her face as she started to go into phase two. Her horn's aura turning gigantic, much like it did when she was levitating the Ursa Minor oh so long ago.

"King Sombra.. By princess Celestia's.. Urk.. Orders.. I demand you be resurrected from your shadowy grave!"

Twilight spoke, a rainbow bursting from all six of the lights on their chests. Indivdually, it was a small rainbow. As all six individual rainbows twirled into the air above the unnatural horn. They combined into one larger one before slamming down onto the King's detached horn. A large ball of light forming around it as Twilight continued to surge power. Her eyes shot open, they were pure white. She could see her friend's eyes open as well all pure white and glowing. A wind gusted from the resurrection spell, blasting away small thing from it. Like books and fabrics. Twilight extended her wings and blasted the final part of the spell. A rainbow shot from her horn, and flew into the ball of light. Then there was the sound of an explosion. It blew back the six ponies, as the spell finished itself. It roared and swirled as the six ex elements of harmony were knocked backwards into desks and walls. Spike was hiding underneath one of the desks that got smashed into. The ball swirled and expanded, magic raging as the rainbows exploded out from it. Returning back to the elements of harmony. The ball of light covered the entire boutique. The building up with light, almost looking like it was consumed by the ball of light as the spell finished. The wind was gone. The six friends groaned as they stood up to see what they had done. The horn was still there, but now it was upon a body. A lump of grey sat curled in the middle of the room. A black mane and tail whipped through the air on it.

"Get the ring on!"

Rarity said, as Twilight acted quickly. Her magic was no longer operational. She panicked, her features screaming fear as she looked at the grey blob in the middle of the room. The blob laid a top a gigantic magical burn mark. The blob slumped over onto it's side. Showing that it had limbs and a face. It's eyes were closed, but it's limbs were starting to move. It slowly but surely made it's way to stand. Twilight fumbled with the ring that would cancel it's magic. She didn't have any magic to put the ring onto his horn! Rarity took the ring into her possession, concentrating as tears started pouring from her eyes. She was not able to use this sort of magic, and it was so advanced. It would hurt the horn and mind a lot. It would feel like your brain was getting sawed through. Her tears intensified as she focused. The blob now had transformed into a tall standing stallion. Eyes still closed. He was rather bulky. To a mare who was uneducated to whom this was, he would seem rather attractive. His eyes flashed open, showing off the neon green irises and crimson pupils. His eyes trailed a sickly purple smoke, said to be pure dark magic. The ring disappeared into a puff of smoke, and reappeared onto the stallion's rustic horn. The serpent colored irises transformed back to a natural white, and the purple smog cut off short as soon as it was placed upon his horn. After only a few seconds of being released, a change could be noticed. One was that he lacked his regular wear. He did not wear a crown or cape. Nor any of his armor. Which was strange. His eyes darted around the room as his tall standing figure was swiftly diminished to a slouch. His pupils dilated as he appeared to panic. Looking around at the circle in what seemed to be fear. He attempted to back up, but he was trapped within a circle of do-gooders. Something had changed with him. That was for sure. Twilight extended her wings and approached the formed King. He noticed this, his ears flattening as he hissed at her. Almost cat like. Twilight did not stop her approach towards the stallion. Rarity wiped away her tears, unable to see what was going on due to them being all blocked by her tears. She was still misty eyed. Her cheeks red from crying. The grey stallion hissed as he backed up, eyes still full of fear as she approached. He certainly wasn't the same. Twilight couldn't put her hoof on it though. He still wasn't talking very much, so that wasn't much of a change. Fluttershy suddenly flew by Twilight's side, halting her from going any further.

"Twilight.. Um.."

Fluttershy started, looking down at the stallion who acted like a lost animal.

"Let me handle it."

Fluttershy said confidently, taking Twilight's place as the purple Alicorn went back to her spot in the circle obediently. The two circled around, before Fluttershy made pinkie move so he could smack up against a wall. He pushed up his flank against the wall, his hissing intensifying as Fluttershy continued to him without fear. Only about a few inches from his face, she kneeled down to his level. Which was rather low to the ground. His growls and snaps did not scare the banana colored mare. She could see that he was fearful, but of what? She had thought of one thing.

"Are you lost?"

She asked, politely and quietly. She could hear her friends smack their fore hooves on their foreheads. She didn't care though. The grey stallion did not answer back, though his hisses slowly became hushed.

"Do you remember where you came from?"

She questioned. She didn't expect an answer, but she would try to calm him down. The best she could, anyways.

"Do you need help?"

She continued to ask, her soft voice calming him down. He was hyperventilating, but he had covered that up with his growls that he had just recently stopped.

"Do you remember who you are?"

She finally asked. She got a reply out of him this time. He shook his head no. Looks like she was right. She worked well with animals, and well, he was acting like an animal. Rather unbecoming of him.

"That was quick."

Rainbow Dash commented, which quickly got him back into his fearful mood. Fluttershy could see him shake. How sad. He probably wouldn't react well to her trying to comfort him in a hug.

"Rarity, do you mind if I borrow a room?"

Fluttershy asked, looking back at Rarity. Sombra followed her gaze over to the white mare. Growing only more and more fearful by the second. He twitched and shook. Fluttershy had noticed this, but to calm him down completely, she would need a completely quiet room.

"Not at all."

Rarity replied with a smile, which only made him freak out. He pressed his back up against the wall even more. His tail almost between his legs. If Spike was out of hiding to see this, he would truly be bursting with laughter.

"I'll help him get calmed down, then you can do the rest after I'm done."

Fluttershy said, looking back at the terrified King of Fear. How Ironic. Fluttershy grabbed ahold of his forehoof with hers, and much to his protest, as the robust stallion was dragged out of the circle and into Rarity's kitchen. It was rather quiet after then. Spike poked his head out from behind his hiding spot, scanning the room. No Sombra. He sighed in relief, wiping his brow as he approached Twilight. She seemed to almost be holding back laughter. It squeezed through her teeth slowly but surely. The room was then filled with laughter. Everypony in the room had joined in except for Spike, who stood confused. A racket could be heard coming from the kitchen, pans being toppled and dropped to the floor. The clatter of hooves on the tile counter. Seems like something was happening in there. The bellowing laughter finally hushed, as the racket did too. The muffled sound of Fluttershy talking could be heard from the main part of the boutique. She wasn't talking very loud, so it was barely hearable. The kitchen was suddenly quiet. Eerily quiet. Fluttershy walked out, a small smile upon her face as she walked out. Her smile quickly shifted to a scowl. Something that was not normally seen upon her face.

"Your laughing scared him. He doesn't even know anything about himself, and you five have the AUDACITY to laugh at him?"

Fluttershy snapped. She wasn't acting like herself. It shocked Twilight. Looking at her furrowed brow in confusion. Why was she protecting him already?

"You should be ashamed of yourselves."

She hissed, as Rainbow Dash drooped down. Her smile fading. Fluttershy was a good speaker. She knew how to put somepony on a guilt trip. She wasn't afraid too either.

"You're making fun of a pony who has no idea what we plan to do to him. He's absolutely terrified."

She continued. Stomping her hoof on the ground in a fit of rage. She was almost never angry.

"Why are you protecting him already? Don't you remember what he did to a entire empire?"

Twilight argued, approaching Fluttershy with a equal attitude.

"If I don't protect him, who will?"

Fluttershy pushed her snout up against Twilight's.

"I know you won't. You didn't care about Discord."

She continued to take twilight on a guilt trip. Showing her all the destinations. Twilight shrunk.

"I had a good reason for that."

Twilight argued, pushing her snout back up against Fluttershy's.

"No. You didn't."

Fluttershy growled, whipping around and turning back into the kitchen. Snapping her tail in Twilight's face as she left back into the kitchen. Was she growing sour so soon? Was this Discord's doing? It had to be. He was the only thing that could do something like this to Fluttershy.

"Twilight?"

Rarity asked, trotting up to Twilight, concerned. She did have to take care of Sombra. So naturally she did have to be worried for her friends.

"I'm fine."

Twilight snapped, moving away from the kitchen door.

"Spike. We're going back to the library."

Twilight demanded. Spike jumped onto her back, waving goodbye to Rarity as the place slowly cleared out. Fluttershy had been the only one who stayed. Now Rarity had to deal with her. In an angered state, while the metal was still hot. She pushed open the door to her kitchen. Revealing the mess inside. Pots of all sorts on the floor, drawers pulled out and sat on the floor. It really looked a bit terrible. She looked around the kitchen, seeing Fluttershy sitting by her guest. Who was now staring at Rarity. Fluttershy had turned her attention to the marshmallow mare too.

"Oh, um.. Sorry for the mess Rarity. I'll clean it up."

Fluttershy said softly, covering Sombra's eyes with her tail to prevent him from freaking out further. Rarity smiled, not minding the mess that was on her floor as she approached Fluttershy and laid across from her.

"If you are to keep him here, you're going to need a few things."

Fluttershy said, shuffling slightly forward.

"Such as?"

Rarity inquired, raising a eyebrow. She was curious about Fluttershy's break out that had only happened a few seconds ago. She would ask about it later.

"From what it seems, he'll need something to hide his flank with. Maybe a blanket or cape."

Fluttershy informed. Rarity was a tad bit confused.

"If I may ask, why?"

Rarity questioned. She didn't exactly understand why that was nesscary in the slightest.

"So he doesn't feel embarrassed."

Fluttershy was awfully concerned for Sombra, like she was his mom or something. She pointed back to his flank. His blank flank. It had no cutiemark on it. How was that even physically possible? All ponies get their cutiemark by the teen years or less. This was not possible in any way. Speaking of Cutiemarks.. Her sister still didn't have one. She was obsessed with them. She had been involved in this thing called 'The Cutiemark Crusaders'. They hunted or rather, crusaded for their Cutiemarks. Cutiemarks were these things that appeared on the flanks of ponies, showing their special talent. Did Sombra not have a special talent..? This could wait for later.

"Alright. I'll make one for him later."

Rarity nodded with a gleeful smile from Fluttershy.

"Why did you burst out at Twilight like that? It seemed rather unnecessary."

Rarity asked, and this time, Fluttershy kept her cool. She looked over at the horn poking through her tail.

"I think everypony and everything deserves a second chance. Some ponies just don't think second chances should be given to those who have done wrong. There's good in everypony. There's always something positive about them behind all their negitive feats that they seem to draw attention too. Or other ponies draw attention to."

Fluttershy explained with a smile as she removed her tail from Sombra's face. He was calm for only a few seconds, and once he started to freak out once more, she placed her tail over his face once again. He dropped his head to his hooves, as he was now fully on the ground.

"Since he's lost his memory, we can reform him much easier than say Discord."

Fluttershy smiled softly, which Rarity returned with a wide grin.

"RAAAAARITY!"

A squeal came from the main part of the boutique. A high pitched, loud squeal. Rarity sighed. It was Sweetie Belle. Her sister. Bringing herself up off the floor, she left the kitchen to Fluttershy and Sombra. She could hear Fluttershy singing when she left. Rarity had adored Fluttershy's singing. It was beautiful. Entering the 'lobby' of her boutique, she found her sister and two friends. A tan yellow earth pony with a light red shade of mane, with a pink bow at the top of her head and a orange Pegasus with purple scruffy hair. It was blown back by the wind outside, just by looking at it. These two friends were Applebloom and Scootaloo. Applebloom was Applejack's sister, as she was also apart of the cutiemark crusaders. Scootaloo was Scootaloo. Rarity really didn't know much about her other than 'Keep out of boutique at all times'.

"Yes?"

Rarity asked, annoyed by her tone.

"I was going to tell you that I'm going Crusading today. Can we have something to eat? Pleeeease?"

Sweetie Belle begged, putting on her puppy dog eyes. Her two friends joining in. Quickly winning Rarity over.

"Sure."

Rarity stated. The three friends galloping past her and towards the kitchen. She then realized the horrible mistake she had made. Still tired from her magical usage, Rarity dashed to the kitchen door, blocking it to the fillies.

"Uhhh?"

Scootaloo was rather puzzled, looking up at Rarity with her puppy dog eyes still lingering.

"You cannot come in here. You will wait out here, in the front of the store. I'll get it for you."

Rarity nodded, a sweat bead trickling down the side of her head. If she had not realized what they would do if they got in there.. Well. Things would be going from bad to worse. The things she thought of were rather realistic. They would gallop in there, see that Sombra was a blank flank and start harassing him. Fluttershy would snap at them for doing such a thing, and they would go out crying. That's what Rarity imagined what would happen, anyways.

"If ya say so."

Applebloom smiled as the three stomped away from the kitchen and to Rarity's dresses. Chatting about their next crusade. Rarity jumped back into the kitchen, where Fluttershy still sat next to Sombra. His eyes were closed though. He looked rather alien, without any of his stuff on.

"We need to move him."

Rarity demanded. Her voice rather panicked.

"My sister and her friends might see him."

Rarity informed, as Fluttershy gasped. She was well acquainted with The CMC. She liked them, but she knew what sort of trouble that would be caused if they even got a glimpse at his blank flank.

"They're out in the front part of the store. They asked for some food. Do you think that you could move him up to my room?"

Rarity asked, her voice becoming concerned as she moved the pots and pans off the floor. Getting the shelves back into the counter as the utensils rustled about noisily.

"Alright. I'll try."

Fluttershy said, nudging the grey stallion awake. She whispered something to him, but Rarity couldn't hear what she was saying. Soon enough, he was being helped to his hooves. He stood up tall and proud, giving off a facade of power. Power he would gain in time. He would be a rather handsome stallion, if he wasn't so coated in fear. Also, if he wasn't a tyrannical ruler who destroyed lives and enslaved thousands.

"Let's go. It'll be quieter up there."

Fluttershy lead him to the Kitchen door, pushing it open with her head and peering out into the front part of the store. Sure enough, the cutiemark crusaders were there. Standing in a triangle, waiting for their food. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had their backs turned to the yellow mare and monotone stallion, while Applebloom was looking directly at them. Fluttershy walked up right beside him to cover his flank. Applebloom raised her eyebrow, and started making some strange clicking sounds. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo noticed this, as they turned around to see Fluttershy right up against this stallion. Almost pressing up against him.

"Oooooooooo..."

They said at the same time, smiles creeping onto their faces as Fluttershy made sure to keep Sombra looking at the stairs to go up to the second floor.

"Fluttershy's got a colt friend!"

She could hear Sweetie Belle say. A tad bit of blush was put onto her face. She was still saving herself for the right stallion. Which she hadn't found yet.

"Maybe we should start up gabby gums again. Version two! 'Fluttershy caught with mysterious stallion! Possible love interest?'"

Scootaloo recited, waving her hoof up in the air. She was then bonked on the head by Applebloom.

"No. Don't cha remember what happened when we did that gabby gums stuff?"

Applebloom questioned, a tad aggravated.

"Oh. Yeah."

Scootaloo rubbed her head where Applebloom had hit her. She then gave Applebloom the same bonk right on back.

"Hey Fluttershy! Who's your colt friend!"

Scootaloo put her hooves around her mouth, yelling out across the room as the trio approached the couple. Sombra was constantly trying to turn his head to look at the incoming threat. Fluttershy pushed his head away with her hoof. They were just a quarter ways up the stairs when the CMC approached. This wasn't good.

"Uh.. He's a friend of Rarity's. She asked me to show him around."

Fluttershy answered with a nervous grin. They stood in silence for a good minute or so. Which seemed to last much longer then a minute.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders, Detectives."

Sweetie Belle raised her hoof into the air, with a serious look at Fluttershy. Her hoof was joined by Applebloom and Scootaloo's hooves. They all stared deep into Fluttershy's eyes. Her smile growing wider as she looked back.

"You're hiding something."

Scootaloo pointed out, looking at her tail, which was strangely put around his flank. Like it was stuck to it.

"Care to move your tail, Ms. Fluttershy?"

Sweetie Belle questioned, making her look directly at her. Applebloom looked around before going around to go look at the stallion Fluttershy was next too. Fluttershy, being distracted by Sweetie Belle, allowed Applebloom to slip infront of Sombra.

"Now, who are ya?"

Applebloom questioned, a serious look upon her features. She suddenly produced a wooden pipe from her mane. She had been going to Pinkie Pie's classes. She blew into it, making it produce bubbles. The once calm, upstanding King started to fidget and attempted to get away. He was pressed up against the wall by Fluttershy though. The more he fidgeted, the looser he became.

"Sweetie Belle? The food's ready!"

Rarity called from the kitchen. Applebloom gave the 'I'm watching you' gesture to the Sombra before walking off.

"Don't you move. We'll be right back."

Sweetie Belle commanded before she galloped to the kitchen.

"Coming Rarity!"

She called out as she disappeared into the Kitchen. Followed by her two friends. Scootaloo looked back over her shoulder at the stairwell where Fluttershy and her supposed Colt friend stood. She then stomped off.

"Thank Celestia."

Fluttershy brothe a sigh of relief before continuing up the stairs. Sombra still close by. He did seem rather frightened. Somehow. This had perked Fluttershy's interest.

"Can you understand what I am saying?"

She asked, looking over at Sombra, who still did not reply. It was a possibility he forgot the entire pony language. It would come back to him. Sooner or later. This was probably why he was so scared of even the tiniest thing. He didn't know what they were saying or if it was good or bad. He didn't know if they were threatening him or trying to calm him down.

He knew nothing.

He was nothing.

Everything he had ever learned was gone. He didn't know how to speak. What other ponies were saying. How to write or read. It was all just gone.

He was nothing more then a brainless child in a stallion's body.

He was lead up the stairs by Fluttershy. He was rather slow going up them. Once at the top, Fluttershy threw the both of them into Rarity's bedroom and locked the door shut behind them. He was rather puzzled by the room. He looked around it, observing his new surroundings as Fluttershy flopped onto Rarity's queen sized mattress. Making the blankets poof up as she collapsed onto them. Running her hoof through her mane as Sombra explored the room. Poking around at these weird machine things and ponies that didn't move or do anything.

"Why did you loose your memory in the first place? That's the question."

Fluttershy talked to herself, as Sombra paid her no mind.

"I wonder what Rarity is going to do with you. I'll only be here for a bit until I have to leave you to her."

Fluttershy explained to herself, Sombra ignoring her as he poked about the shelves of clothing.

"Maybe I could come over once a week or something. To see how you're doing."

Fluttershy suggested, as Sombra started to pull fabrics off their shelves and onto the floor. The yellow mare more caught up in her own thoughts to notice. He had lifted up the fabrics with his hoof and made his way underneath the pile of fabric. He had basically made himself his own cave. It was a considerably small one, but it was still a cave. A fake one, made of fabric. No matter. He curled up underneath it, attempting to go to sleep as Fluttershy talked to herself. He didn't exactly understand what she was saying in the first place except that it sounded nice. She was a rather friendly mare, by her tone.

"Then again, Princess's orders.. No help from friends."

She sighed, turning over and facing straight down into the blankets of the soft and luxurious bed. This was going to take a while. They would have to help him regain his memory just enough so he could speak and not be so scared of everything, but keeping away the memory of his defeat and the Crystal Empire enslavement. It was going to be a tough task, staying in that perfect limbo of repressing those bad memories.

Then there was the knocking. Three hooves pounding on the door. Obviously the cutiemark crusaders.

Fluttershy sprung from the bed, sitting straight up as she heard the banging. Her eyes flashed around the room, eventually finding the gray stallion under a pile of clothes. Running over to him, she covered up the places he could see out of with a couple of loose fabrics at the top of his colorful pile.

"Coming!"

Fluttershy called to the three nervously as she unlocked the door. It slowly squeaking open as The King stayed silent. Silent as he could be, really. Hooves tapped on the floor, as the three fillies circled around Fluttershy like sharks around a surfer.

"Care to tell us why the door was closed? And why your escort has suddenly vanished?"

Scootaloo asked, taking the pipe from Applebloom and holding it in her hoof.

"He's in the bathroom."

Fluttershy stated, pointing her hoof to the bathroom door. Which was indeed, closed. The CMC turned their attention to the bathroom before looking back at Fluttershy.

"You win this round."

Scootaloo laughed, before going back to a stale face. Blowing into the pipe. Making bubbles that popped in front of the mare's face. She then coughed a bit from using the pipe. It was a rather strange thing for a filly to have. The CMC stomped out of the room, but not before exchanging glances with the entire room.

Fluttershy didn't even notice she was holding her breath after the three 'detectives' left. She took a deep breath out and in. She couldn't have them even catch a glimpse at him. Without his regalia on, anyways. They would annoy and pester him for not having a cutiemark. That much she knew. Maybe even try to recruit him into their cliche. He couldn't go out in public, for the fear of the police recognizing him. Even though Fluttershy, didn't remember who Sombra was until after he was re-summoned. A bit disappointing really. She knew little to nothing about him. Fluttershy closed the door, locking it once more as she went to go check where Sombra was hiding. Lifting up the fabric, she found..

Nothing.

Nothing but more fabric.

Fluttershy gasped.

"Sombra? Sombra?!"

She called out, stampeding around the room. Desperately looking under the bed and underneath desks. Then she noticed something. While she was busy off in her own thoughts..

Sombra had opened the window.

Then jumped out.

"SOMBRA?!"

Fluttershy stuck her head out the window, frantically looking for the escapee. Looking out of the window, she couldn't see the stallion anywhere. Her wings started flapping, lifting her off the ground and into the air. Going through the window, she flew as fast as she could around Rarity's property. The stallion nowhere in sight.

"Oh noooo!"

She whined, her panic transforming into worry and fear. She couldn't keep her cool. Rarity was trusting her with calming him down enough for her to talk to him! She couldn't let Rarity down! She couldn't let any of her friends down! That was something she could not allow! She dashed around trees, looking under every stone she could find. Then she spotted the CMC, waltzing out of the boutique. Cheeks inflated with food, with smiles upon their faces. Fluttershy landed, to pretend she wasn't looking for a tyrannical dark magic user. Sweetie Belle spotted her, but was unable to talk due to her mouth being stuffed with the sandwiches Rarity had made. She pointed a hoof at Fluttershy, who was leaned up against a large oak tree. The one right outside the boutique. She could see Sweetie Belle swallow all her food at once, as her cheeks went back to their respective, regular places.

"Rarity still has some Sandwhiches! You should go get some!"

Sweetie Belle suggested, catching Fluttershy's attention. She was playing good cop.

"Where'd your colt friend go?"

Scootaloo asked. Her mouth still full of food. It was rather disgusting to see all the bread and lettuce inside her mouth. Converted to a weird saliva covered mess.

"He asked me to leave."

Fluttershy answered sincerely. A smile upon her face as one of the local birds landed onto her pink, cherry colored mane.

"Alright. Well, Seeya!"

Scootaloo waved. Like she had forgotten about the Detective cutiemark crusade thing. They were a strange bunch. Fluttershy waved back, the bird on her hair hovering above her. It chirped noisily. Demanding her attention.

"Yes?"

Fluttershy asked, curious what the bird was going on about. It tweeted rather quickly, telling her about a grey stallion with a strange horn trotting to Ponyville.

"Oh! Thank you so much!"

Fluttershy thanked, rushing off past the CMC rather quickly. Making them nosey. She ran down the path, seeing the grey stallion just ahead. He was in a slow trot, going to ponyville. Fluttershy caught him just in time.

"SOMBRA!"

She called, making him stop in his the middle of his trot. Maybe he had learned his name already? Who knows. He turned back to look at the mare, eyes glistening from the sun. She dashed up to him. Puffing from all the exercise. She didn't regularly run around town like this, much less fly frantically.

"I'm so glad.. You didn't.. Get into ponyville.."

She smiled as she looked up at him. He was standing up tall. His face blank as he looked down at her. She coughed a bit before returning to her regular stature.

"Let's get you back to Rarity's house, okay?"

Fluttershy said softly, her smile lingering as she turned him around to face the boutique. He was rather mindless, wasn't he?

"Wow. I didn't even know that was possible."

She suddenly hear a voice perk up behind the couple as they turned to face the boutique.

"That's so sad."

It was a filly's voice. She had never heard this voice before, but it sounded rather snobby and ignorant. Also a little bit rude. A filly appeared to the right of Fluttershy. Like she had teleported out of no where. Oh no. Sombra was noticed.

This filly had a pink coat, almost the same color as Fluttershy's mane. The filly had a purple mane, with a white streak going across it. She had the same pattern for her tail. Atop the filly's head was a Tiara. A rather boring one. She had a cutiemark that looked exactly like it. Her eyes were a nice shade of blue.

"Normally I wouldn't even talk to peasants like you, but I have to. I need to point something out."

The filly circled to the front of the two, making Sombra and Fluttershy look at her. Sombra scowled as soon as the filly was in sight.

"What would that be, Diamond Tiara?"

Another voice questioned the Pink filly called Diamond Tiara. Another filly circled to the front, coming from Sombra's side instead of from Fluttershy's. The filly was a light grey, with a even lighter shade for her mane and tail. She wore comically large glasses that had a cyan rimming. A pearl necklace was wrapped tightly around her neck. Though, not tight enough to make marks. She had a spoon for a cutiemark.

A Spoon.

"I just can't help but notice this abomination."

Diamond Tiara pointed to Sombra, who was still scowling. His mane whipped through the air unnaturally. He was really hard to miss with his horn and blowing mane and tail. Also his red horn that was basically like a beacon. It demanded attention because of it's odd, unnatural colors and curved shape.

"He shouldn't even exist. Do you know why, Silver Spoon?"

Diamond Tiara had a confident smirk upon her face, as Silver Spoon nodded. These fillys were quickly not tolerated by Fluttershy. Her tolerance levels were high.

"Mhm."

Silver Spoon replied, looking up at Sombra who got more and more infuriated by the second. He flashed his canines, which made Silver Spoon gasp. Her ears folding back as she slowly backed off.

"Uhh.. D-Diamond Tiara.."

She whispered, looking at the bared fangs. Fangs that were BLOOD STAINED. The red hue on them could not be removed. They glistened in the light, showing off the blood of fallen warriors. The blood was rather dull, but it was still there. The razors were still straight and sharp, by the looks of it.

"This guy's a BLANK FLANK!"

She called out gleefully, yelling out so loud that Fluttershy swore that the entire town could hear. Silver Spoon was now well backed up, just by looking at the teeth of the blank flank. His eyes focused on Diamond Tiara. A snarl was emitted, which caught Diamond Tiara by surprise. His eyes narrowed in fury, now showing off his teeth in a full display for her to see. Her smile quickly transformed into a fearful one. He snapped at her face, making her scream. She ran off as quick as a flash, Silver Spoon following after her at the same speed. Fluttershy wasn't very amused by Sombra's actions, but what else did she expect him to do, really? Just stand there and take the insult? Wait. If he knew what a insult was, then did he understand them?

"Can you understand what I'm saying?"

Fluttershy repeated the question. No response except for a aggravated snort. His blades returning to their sheaths. His face returned to it's blank state as he watched the two bullies run off into the horizon. Still screaming. Wasn't he gaining power from their fear? He needed to be taught to not cause fear. This would have to be worked on.

"Alright. Let's get back to the boutique. Don't go running off again."

Fluttershy commanded, pushing Sombra forward lightly. He trotted beside her, as the CMC was just up ahead of them. They were looking off in the distance, as they all looked over at the couple at the same time. Jaws dropped in shock.

"Oh.. Um.."

Fluttershy stuttered, as Sombra looked upon the fillies with the same scowl he gave to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

"They won't make fun of you."

Fluttershy whispered to Sombra, who still kept his scowl. Maybe he just disliked children all together. Sombra was still a bit fuming from the imbeciles from before. So he was still going to be a bit angry.

"That."

"Was."

"AMAZING!"

They all said their own separate part, stampeding over to the couple. Rejoicing. Fluttershy smiled, while Sombra's scowl deepened further down his face. The CMC ran around them in happiness. Fluttershy giggled from their joyfulness, while Sombra was highly unamused. He looked rather disgusted.

"Wait. He is ACTUALLY a blank flank?!"

Scootaloo gasped, going to the exposed blank flank. No cutiemark. She pointed to it, as he was quickly crowded around by the other two crusaders.

"Does that mean.."

Applebloom came to a sudden realization. Her eyes widening in horror.

"It's possible to never get a cutiemark..?"

Her joyful tone quickly sunk to a depressed one. A frown replacing her happy smile almost instantly. Sombra growled, rolling his eyes as he started to trot towards the boutique on his own. Good to know he had his own initiative now.

"Oh! Um.. Sorry. I've gotta go."

Fluttershy said sympathetically, trotting after Sombra. Quickly catching up to him. Leaving the CMC in the dust. To ponder over this new information of never getting a cutiemark. It was possible that they would never get them. It was possible to be a blank flank for the rest of their lives.

"Fluttershy? Are you alright?"

Rarity called, knocking on her own bedroom door. She had been knocking for a good solid minute and was still not getting a response, or sound of any kind. With a huff, she banged on the door. She was without magic because she had wasted it all on that teleportation spell. She heard the bell to her boutique ring. The bell was attached to the door so she would know when a customer or anypony entered her abode.

She rushed back down the stairs, a smile plastered onto her face. As she started to recite the welcoming words.

"Hello! Welcome! What can I help you with-"

She stopped mid sentence when her mind had actually registered who had entered. It was Fluttershy and the Ex-King. Her wide smile twitched down into a smaller one as she saw the two. She wasn't exactly clued into what was going on, despite this being HER job and not Fluttershy's. Sombra appeared to be less fearful now. Which was good and bad at the same time. Good as in he wouldn't spasm out every time he saw her, and bad as in he probably would slowly grow more.. Wrathful. Which was something she seriously did not need. Actually, no pony needed a grumpy tyrant around. Nor did they want one. Rarity was going to be stuck with one until he learned how to use his powers for good.

How could she do that though?

All villains think they are heroes in their own mind.

This cookie would be tough, especially tough because it has been frozen for over a thousand years.

"Sombra decided he wanted to jump out the window."

Fluttershy giggled, as Sombra stood up proudly next to her. His face showing no sign of weakness. Not even the slightest bit of a smile. Looks like he was going to try and maintain a King like stature so soon.

"Fluttershy, I can't exactly unlock my room from this side. Can you go unlock it please?"

Rarity requested, as Fluttershy continued her giggle as she walked back over to the boutique's door. Sombra did not follow her. He simply stood in the middle of the room. He was rather tall, strangely tall. He towered over a regular stallion's size. That only made him more intimidating then he already was. If she dressed him up a bit, maybe a tux or something, he would be a presentable pony. Then she could parade around town with a decently handsome looking stallion.

Wait, WHAT?!

Rarity eyed Sombra suspiciously. He wasn't handsome in the slightest! She would convince herself of that. She had her heart set on another stallion anyways, so she wouldn't be giving it out to a black hearted, cold, unloving King. He wasn't even a King anymore. But if she ever did decide to show him off to the town, she would make him a King once more. She would like to show off a trophy of her hard work once she got it. Sombra's eyes shot over to stare at the white mare. She swore the things could pierce steel. Rarity recoiled backwards a tad from his stare. She then regained her stature and stood up as tall as she could be. Which was about up to the middle of his neck. Normally, Rarity would be tall enough to be right below a stallion's chin. She hated being a regularly sized mare. Why couldn't she be taller?

"So, I hear you need some Regalia? Well, I'm just the mare for the job."

Rarity nodded confidently. Fluttershy had told Rarity that Sombra would need a cloak of sorts to cover up his flank. The last time she saw the stallion, back in Canterlot, his cape was attached to a strange metal neck brace thing. She wouldn't be making that. She wasn't a blacksmith, she was a dress maker. She would make him a cape and a thing that the cape would 'hang' from. It wasn't going to just stay there. It needed to be wind proof. Maybe a collar or something? No. What was he? A dog?

Well, he was acting like one just only what felt like a few minutes ago. It had actually been a hour since he was revived. As impossible as it may have seemed. Time certainly flies when you're constantly worrying about the greatest dark magic user of all time escaping and reeking havoc across the entirety of Equestria.

"You don't look like a tux type. I'll just try to recreate that chest plate you had."

Rarity thought. A collar wouldn't exactly be the best idea, lest he be stared at more then he would already be stared at. His presence just gave off the 'Look at me!' Sort of feel to everypony around him. It also gave the 'I'm going to kill you.' feeling if you were around him for too long and he was just glaring at you. Rarity could feel a chill climb up her spine as she found herself a piece of paper to draw on. She would draw her design for his chest piece.

"Alright, I unlocked the bedroom, Rarity!"

Fluttershy called at a almost impossibly quiet volume. Why was she being to quiet?

"Oh, thank you!"

Rarity realized she had been talking. She had heard the door to her room creak open and then shut fairly slowly. She needed to get the thing oiled or something because it sounded awful. She turned around to check if Sombra was still around. He was. He stood silently. It was a eerie silence. Rarity didn't exactly like it. She would have to deal with it for a while until he regained enough of his memory to talk once more. He gave her the chills.

Fluttershy walked down the stairs quietly, stopping at the final stair. She laid down on the last stair. She was obviously rather tired. Rarity was tired as well, having all your magic gone results in either regular fatigue or extreme fatigue. Luckily she was just feeling that regular fatigue. Her head felt like it was spinning around as she moved, so she wasn't going to be feeling the best.

"Rarity, it's Princess's orders that I can't help you.. But do you think I could come back once every week to check how you're doing? If you don't mind, I mean."

Fluttershy requested, she was rather anxious by her tone. Maybe she was growing more and more attached to these reformation things? Well, that's good because this seemed to be a repeating pattern.

"I don't see why not."

Rarity shrugged, continuing her drawing. Doodling with her hooves. Her doodle looked absolutely horrible. The lines were all wrong. She growled at her drawing before tossing it in the garbage. She could wait for later to make him some regalia. That wasn't the thing on the top of her priorities. The thing at the top of her to do list was to keep the Cutie Mark Crusaders away from the blank flank. If they hadn't already seen him, that is.

"I should get going. Angel might miss me."

Fluttershy was sounding a little regretful as she got up off the stair and left the store, closing the door behind her. Leaving only Rarity and Sombra left in the house in a sudden awkward silence. He had taken a seat on the still magic burnt floor, looking at the clock on the wall infront of him with a straight face.

"If you're going to live with me, King Sombra, we're going to have to set up some rules. We're also going to have to make you a schedule."

Rarity informed, walking infront of Sombra, blocking his view of the clock. She sat down, obstructing his view of the clock completely. It was hidden behind her mane.

"All right.

Rule number one.."

How long had it been?

A century? A millennium? He couldn't tell. This mare had been listing off all these things he didn't even know the meaning to. He felt like he should though. Even though he couldn't understand a single word coming out of the mare's mouth other than Sombra. He figured that was what he was called, as the yellow mare had referred to him as Sombra as well.

"You will be helping me with.."

She rambled on and on. He didn't care. He couldn't care less, really. He couldn't understand her language in the first place, though. So naturally he wasn't going to care. He found himself recalling those two fillies from before. They had ignited something within him when they had taunted him. It was a strange, tingly feeling at the top of his head. Like something was about to erupt from the top of his head. As weird as that sounds.

"Your chores shall be.."

She continued on and on. Would she ever stop? There was no end in sight. She just kept talking and talking. Something he would probably get sick of in the future.

"Are you listening?"

She suddenly asked, Sombra had dozed off a bit while she was talking. Who wouldn't, really? This rant was rather lengthy and boring to be honest. He just looked at her, half awake. He felt rather tired, even though he basically did nothing all day. He yawned, which made the white mare get a face of disgust. She then rose her hoof, ready to strike his face with a slap. But something stilled her hoof. He had pushed back against her hoof with his. Being a stallion, he was naturally stronger. He may not remember much, but he knew when he was going to get hit. He forced her hoof back down onto the ground and left it there. His hoof returned back down to his side.

"I don't know how I'm going to deal with you."

The white mare steamed, a vein appearing on her forehead from her anger.

"I wish Fluttershy had you instead."

She stuck her snout up in the air snobbishly as she got back up. Allowing Sombra to see the clock after she had moved. What was that she mentioned about 'Going out on the town with her every other day.'? She had listed it underneath his chores. Whatever those were. He had imagined that going out on the town meant going outside of a town's borders. Now why would he want to do that? He was rather curious to what this place was, so he wouldn't be leaving just yet. If he ever had his eyes laid upon those.. Diamond whatever and Spoon.. He was going to actually bite them. He couldn't understand them, but it did sound like they were mocking the little knowledge he currently had. Which he would not tolerate.

"You start your chores tomorrow. I'm going to make a list of everything you have to do."

This white mare sure was a nag. Rather annoying, really. Then again, he hadn't seen the more annoying friend that he would grow to despise. He was lucky he didn't have to deal with a more annoying mare, like that purple one who seemed bossy and uptight. The feeling of her with her horn and wings.. It lit up that flame that raged inside him. He was a stick of dynamite, just waiting to be lit. Once the explosion was set off.. Well.. Let's just say that things would be going very well afterwards. No one could predict what would happen when that dynamite would explode. Not even himself.

"If you have problems with my sister, just ignore her and she'll go away. She probably won't bother you afterwards."

Sombra had remembered a small filly, who had almost the same colors as the mare. Sombra disliked children. They were just.. No. He would never have one if he was given the choice. The grey stallion stared at the clock, scooting forward to look at the smaller details of it.

"At least you don't run around my boutique causing mayhem. Hopefully that clock keeps you distracted for the next week or so."

The white mare commented as Sombra looked at the clock. Watching the seconds fly by as the small, thin arm that symbolized seconds whirred around the clock. A longer arm slowly ticked as the smaller one flew by. A short, thick one stayed in place. Sombra couldn't tell time. Hopefully he could figure it out though.

"I feel like I'm talking to a wall. A wall that's alive."

She grumbled, annoyed as she trotted over to one of her dresses. The same one she had been working on this morning. Luckily her sister, Sweetie Belle, hadn't tampered with it. It was only a matter of time before Sombra regained his memory and decided to rain the fires of Tartarus that he had kept within him. Slowly raging inside him more and more as his reformation continued.

Chapter 3 : Giving

"I dare you to go see."

"No! I'm not going to go into a monster's lair!"

"You're such a chicken!"

The outside voices would call. They were often around, and they provided some entertainment when he was bored. Which he often was. Rarity, that white mare, seemed to be appearing around less and less. He had allowed her to walk through his territory, seeing as he would be living with her.

"You've got to be kidding me. Just take a peek."

They continued to talk. Sombra knew they were probably behind the curtain. He never bothered to open the thing. Mostly because he wasn't well aquatinted with the sun anymore.

"Will you stop asking if I do?"

It seemed like the voices were talking to themselves. Something they regularly did. They all sounded the same, so it made the voices sound schizophrenic. Like they were all coming from one pony. Sombra shuffled around on his hill of crystals. He didn't know where he got these things, to be honest. Neither did Rarity. The crystals just seem to appear when he started to create the mound in the first place. Sombra stayed low to his crystals. He was basically on a mountain of food that never went stale, and was always in perfect condition. He could hear the door being pushed, by the ring of the bell. He whisked himself off the top of his mound, and slid down to the back of the hill. Where he was basically invisible. An ambush would scare the voices away.

"So the rumors aren't true."

He could hear the voice say. It sounded rather disappointed. It's voice was too high to tell what gender it was. Sombra stayed quiet, keeping his mouth shut. He rustled a few crystals, which made the voice gasp.

"Who's there?"

The voice demanded. It sounded rather scared, which for some reason, made the grey stallion grin. He smashed his hoof down onto the crystals, which he could hear a crystal crack from his hoof coming down onto it.

"What're you doing? Go in!"

Another voice ushered. Pushing the door open fully. The bell jingled loudly as the door was swung open. On instinct, Sombra growled. His growl had developed that somewhat similar to a lion's. He had been here for about two days, and he knew that bell meant somepony was intruding on his boundaries.

"Uh.."

He heard the voice say. He slithered out from behind his mound. Making his head sneak over the side. His crimson eyes piercing his intruders. He scanned over them. His snake like tongue poking out from his lips. A small foal was staring directly at him. He had a light brown coat with a white and red striped mane and tail. His eyes wide as he was being pushed into the boutique by a light blue hoof, attached to a small filly with an identical mane color and style. Sombra crawled out from behind his hill fully, showing off his broad chest as he crawled. Crystals sliding down and moving as Sombra moved forward. His intimidating gray figure growled as he rose to his full stature. Approaching the two slowly. The foal smiled. It wasn't a regular smile. It was one of those 'I'm going to die' smiles. He let his hooves touch the regular floor of the boutique. It felt slightly weird, seeing as he had spent most of his days on his pile of crystals.

"Uh.. Sorry we intruded.. Mr.."

The foal stuttered, raising his right forehoof as he attempted to back up. Blocked to do so by the filly who had her hooves pushing him into the boutique. She refused to move. She appeared petrified. Sombra kept his teeth hidden behind his lips as he approached. He was then so close to the foal that his shadow was looming over the small pony.

"Please don't eat me.."

The pony whimpered, his ears flattening down to his head.

"Leave."

Sombra hissed, his canines bared like a wolf attempting to scare off another rouge wolf. These wolves were quick to leave. They shut the door behind them, leaving a cloud behind them as they ran. Sombra watched as they ran away from the boutique. He had looked out the door, as the door had a diamond shaped window on it. He immediately regretted his decision and hissed in pain. Covering his eyes as he trotted back over to his precious crystals. That sun hurt his eyes a decent amount, seeing as he hadn't been outside for a couple days. That burning ball in the sky will pay. It and it's supposed controller. That monarch that Sombra would DESTROY. Once he remembered her. Speaking of things to destroy, there was a certain thing sneaking around here. It wasn't always here, but sometimes Sombra would hear the bell slightly jingle. He thought it off as a gust of wind going through the house, seeing as his mane and tail appeared to whip through the air. He would get to the bottom of this mystery the next time in happened. Sombra retook his position of Overlord of the Crystal Pile, and sat atop the food he considered delicious. He plotted. This rustling and suspicious activity only started on the first day he got here. While he was asleep. He was a heavy sleeper indeed, but he had a hard time going to sleep for some reason. Maybe he was a insomniac, he didn't know. He would toss and turn spastically on his crystals. Grumbling whenever one of the sharper points stabbed into him. To an eye who knew nothing about him, they would say he was having a nightmare. Like that would happen any time soon. He had a lot of time listening to his environment, and whenever he was about to go to sleep, the door's bell would slightly jingle, then he would be in a comatose like sleep. Nothing would wake him after he had drifted off into the blank dreams he had. He would awake the next day. Still the same. Nothing changed except for the lighting in the building. Which he had gotten used to. Though he felt a strange feeling towards the lamps that hung off the ceiling. Much like when he was first brought back, it was that feeling of fear. He had no idea why he would be scared of such simple things. They freaked him out. So he avoided 'eye-contact' with the beings that hung from the ceiling. If he didn't bother them, they wouldn't bother him. Maybe it was because he feared for the unknown. He didn't know what had scared him. Neither what the creatures that hung from the ceiling names. Neither did he require knowing their names. Rarity, the few times she was around, flipped a small lever on the wall to activate the creature's burning eyes. Did she control them? Possibly. He would have to have a discussion about the things.

Jingle.. Jingle..

The bell warned Sombra about the newest intruder. He was about to go back to sleep too. He held his eye open but a crack, looking down at the ground from his pile. The jingle was early, as it was around the same sort of volume of the ones he heard late at night. Right before he slept. Sombra took a lot of naps, so it wouldn't surprise him if the intruder made its way inside the building while he was napping.

"Rarity..?"

The newest intruder called for his white mare. It's voice was unfamiliar. It sounded female.. Like a child.. But.. He couldn't put his hoof on it. It didn't sound like the other intruders. It sounded unpony, like it was a different species entirely. Through his still sleepy eyes would only reveal it's colors. He couldn't risk opening his eye more, lest the thing know he was awake. He would be asking this thing questions. Lots of them.

"Spike, I'm in the kitchen. Don't move."

He could hear his purple maned unicorn companion say. Her trot filling the room as she approached the crystals. She honestly didn't know she had that many crystals. It was good to see them all in the light, even if they were incredibly disorganized and took up a bunch of room.

"Don't talk."

She whispered, obviously to the intruder. Her colors came into view. Her white coat and purple mane. Sombra could see a lighter shade of purple and some green right infront of her blob of color that was obviously supposed to be the newest intruder. She guided the other blob of color out of Sombra's small range of sight. He moved his head, twisting it slowly to watch the two go farther back into the boutique. Away from him. The two blobs suddenly disappeared. So much for that questioning. He would do it later.

"Spike.."

He grumbled. He sworn he had heard that name before. Somewhere.. Somewhere. He really wanted to know how he knew this intruder, unlike the other ones. This intruder's color scheme did ring a bell in Sombra's mind, but he couldn't pinpoint which bell had rung.

"Spike.."

Sombra repeated the name, now opening his eyes fully to think about this. His nap could wait.

"He's scaring away customers."

Rarity sighed, plopping her face onto her hooves. She would be going broke soon. Sombra had put up his little tower by the front of her store, watching over everything that entered. She was surprised she could get Spike past his watchful eye, seeing as he was STILL AWAKE. It was none of her concern. Spike was here now, and she had somebody to comfort her. Her friends, other then spike, haven't been visiting her recently. Not even Fluttershy. Her Sister and Friends were basically the only others she saw. Other then Spike. Sombra had allowed the three entrance into the boutique.

"I could get Twilight to send a reconsidering letter to Princess Celestia. We could keep him in the basement underneath the library."

Spike comforted her. He had been suggesting the 'Reconsidering Letter' for the entire time he had visited her. Rarity knew that Celestia would reject her request. Spike would not stop nagging her about it. She was going to get more and more negative the longer Sombra was around. He just shed off his negativity onto anything around him. The negativity he didn't even know he had. He would know soon enough though. If he saw Spike, which he almost did, he would certainly recall EVERYTHING from the past thousand or so years. Then they would have a situation. It was always a constant disaster in here. Rarity always had to stay on edge when Spike was over. His worry for her made him traverse the land and get past the sleeping tyrant. Whom hated spike with every ounce of his being. He would he if he saw spike. He would remember what had happened in the Crystal Empire. He would be much more vicious. It was a chance Rarity no longer wanted to take. She didn't want to loose her boutique.

"Alright. Sure. Make the letter, please."

Rarity gave a desperate smile to Spike, who in which, returned with a hug. A warm, scaly hug. He gave her one every time he had left her alone. It gave her comfort. Spike was about to run out of the kitchen like a blind fool. Rarity had noticed this a bit too late, as Spike had opened the door. Though he quickly closed it, with a nervous smile etched onto his face.

"Uh.. I'll just take the window."

Spike pointed his claw to the window in Rarity's kitchen. Rainbow Dash often opened it to stop by and chat with her fashionista friend. Though it was kept closed because Rarity rarely cooked. Spike hopped up onto the counter, and pushed open the window. Rarity had silently approved of this course of action with a nod. With the window opened, Spike leapt onto the window sill. He had almost fallen off the other side, as his foot had slipped when he landed. Making him fall onto his back while on the thin windowsill.

"I'll be back in a few minutes."

Spike reassured Rarity, rolling off the windowsill and into the bushes located below the window. If he had a mane or tail, sticks and leaves would get caught in it. Seeing as the bush was rather sticky. Strangely sticky. A sap like fluid coated each branch of each bush. The bush was a flower bush, imported from the gryphon kingdom. So that was possibly why the bush was so strange, and how it kept out ponies from breaking in. It would catch their manes or tails and hold them in place with the thick sticky fluid along the branches. He poked his head out from the bush, leaves and other plant grown things stuck all over his face. He spat out a small stick and trudged through the plant with ease. He didn't know how to word the letter, and seeing as he would be having to write it.. That wasn't exactly the best problem to be having, but with all the disaster recently, Spike would have to write it. For Rarity, who finally agreed to hoofing over Sombra to Twilight. Well, hoofing him over somewhat. Celestia still needed to approve of the transfer. Wait a second.

What did he just agree to? Did he just agree to share a house with a evil pony who hated him in the past? The past he just so happened to forget about? He had to do it. Do it for his Rarity. His cru- His best friend.

He brainstormed ideas for the letter as he reproached the library. How did he get here so fast? Time was certainly flying. Spike walked up to the wooden door and slowly twisted the handle. Revealing the regular home inside. Twilight was a princess, so she didn't have to have a job. She wasn't worried about taxes like Rarity was. Spike felt that all of them shouldn't have to deal with taxes, seeing as they were the elements of harmony. Ex-Elements of harmony, that is. Spike walked into the library, shutting the door behind him.

"Twilight? I need some help."

He called out for his Alicorn friend, looking around the shelves for her. Maybe she was out, practicing how to fly with Rainbow Dash. Twilight still hadn't gotten used to flying. A bit disappointing.

"I'm upstairs!"

She shouted from the upper level of the library. Maybe she was studying. She always was studying. Study, study.. More study. Spike usually dared not to bother her study, but this was important. He stomped up the stairs noisily, going up to the second floor of the cluttered tree house. The place was stuffed with books, and it often got a bit musty in here. So constant cleaning was needed. Spike wasn't in the mood to clean today.

"Rarity asked me to write a letter of reconsideration to Celestia."

Spike said as he entered the room. Seeing Twilight was picking out books from the shelves. Mostly history books. Doing some more history study lately. Spike had noticed this. Maybe it was just a passing phase.

"A letter of reconsideration?"

Twilight questioned, looking at Spike with one her eyebrows raised. She hadn't exactly been informed on the entire situation that was going on with Rarity.

"Yeah. She says her special guest is scaring away her customers."

Spike stated, wandering over to one of the drawers that held scrolls. Twilight had about three drawers of scrolls just on the second floor alone. These drawers were etched into the walls; rather convenient.

"Who do you say that her special guest stays with, then? Stay up in Canterlot with the princesses? If that was your idea, then I'm not going to allow it, Spike."

Twilight was rather harsh. Spike had a much worse plan in mind. As he gathered the materials needed to write a letter, he thought of how to explain this to Twilight.

"Pinkie Pie would probably annoy him, Fluttershy would probably be too nice, Applejack is too busy, Rainbow Dash probably would drop him off in a ravine. So who are you going to suggest?"

Twilight asked, as Spike got a slight frown. What was wrong with Fluttershy being too nice to others? Twilight and Fluttershy had a bit of tension between them at the moment, which was understandable, but this was a problem that was beyond a small argument.

"Well, you just sort of listed off everypony else.. But.."

Spike mumbled, his frown deepening as he dropped all the supplies on the floor neatly. Plopping himself down infront of the scroll, he picked up one of the quills he had picked out and started his letter.

"You can't be serious Spike. There is no way we are keeping him here."

Twilight laughed at this like it was a joke. It was most defiantly not a joke. Spike continued his letter, already writing the first sentence.

"For Rarity's sake, just tolerate his existence in the basement for a week while she tries to get some bits."

Spike pleaded, keeping his sight locked on the paper. He would slap some fancy words in there, maybe some cursive on the final words, and maybe Celestia would accept.

"No means no spike."

Twilight was going to get annoyed quickly, so Spike picked up his writing pace. Within a few seconds, Spike was already done. He rolled up the scroll, and grabbed the Royal Mail stamp. Stamping the seal onto the scroll, spike took a deep breath. When he exhaled, a green flame was emitted. Burning the letter within seconds. Twilight had heard the flames burn up the letter. Spike was serious.

"Spike. Did you just send the letter of reconsideration."

Twilight demanded, her eyes showed her fear as she looked at Spike's now empty claws and the used writing tools on the floor.

"Possibly."

Spike shrugged. This was not funny in the slightest to Twilight. She rushed up to spike at full speed. Picking him up as her eyes widened so much it looked like her eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. She shook him violently, making him dizzy rather quickly.

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"

Twilight yelled, dropping spike to the floor as she started frantically running around the second floor. She wasn't prepared for this! What if he remembered everything while he was in her possession? What then? What if he broke the ring? What if? What? The worries kept piling up. Everypony was so full of worry. All except the ones who had to take care of the King. The King who shed off negativity and fear anywhere he went.

"Please, Celestia. Do not accept. Don't accept, don't accept.."

Twilight begged as Spike could feel something moving it's way up his throat. He let forth a mighty, flaming burp. Dropping a letter to the floor. Twilight ripped open the letter, unraveling the scroll.

"YES!"

Twilight hoof pumped the air, as Spike snatched the letter from her. Reading it over.

Dear Spike and Princess Twilight Sparkle,

We so humbly decline your offer to transfer King Sombra over to a new place of permanent residence while he is being reformed.

Spike read over the rather short letter with great disappointment. Then he felt another burp climb up his throat. A belch was released, another scroll dropped to the ground. Twilight was busy partying away over there, so Spike decided to read the letter out loud. He ripped open the seal and read over the letters written.

"Though we will make his move to Twilight Sparkle's place of residence temporary, while we find a way to give the Element of Generosity business to sustain her boutique and life.

Yours truly, Princess Celestia."

Spike read out loud. Twilight dropped her dancing and joyful form, down to a much more angry one. Looks like she would be having the special guest over after all. Much to her protest, she was to have him order. Princesses orders. Twilight scowled as she plopped her flank onto the floor.

"Do we have chloroform."

Twilight asked, her face gone from happy to annoyed within a matter of seconds. This was possibly the worst thing ever. She wasn't prepared for this. Not now, not ever. Was this a test by Celestia? To see how far her mercy would go before she lashed out at him? If that was the case, she'd be failing. She didn't have much tolerance for evil ponies, or evil anything really. She didn't take a liking to Sombra, obviously. She'd probably keep him chained up in the basement, alone and in the dark. Much like was when he was first banished. Though he would be asleep for most of the time because Twilight would probably put him to sleep with chloroform whenever she was down there. Spike did not protest against this sort of action. He didn't need to get involved with an insane dark arcane wizard.

"Uh.. I can go get you some."

Spike told her with a smile, wrapping up the two scrolls and wandering over to one of the drawers, which contained every single scroll Celestia had sent her. It was rather stuffed full of the papers. They were rarely sent, and in all of Twilight's studies, she had only ever received twenty or so of them from Celestia directly.

"Where exactly do you get chloroform?"

Spike wondered aloud, as Twilight picked herself up off the ground. She was rather down in the dumps about this new mess she had to take care of for Rarity, but as a good friend, she couldn't complain about it.

"Zecora should have some. Borrow some bits from the jar and buy some from her, please. Before we have to deal with Sombra. I'll go prepare the basement."

Twilight commented as she walked down the stairs with her head down. She was going to be annoyed through the entire time she would be foal sitting Sombra. Spike had jumped onto her back, riding her down the stairs before jumping off at the main floor and making for the door. He sure was one busy baby dragon.

"Oh, can you also get some Poison Joke from her too? I need it for one of my potions."

The talk of potions uplifted Twilight, much like it did whenever she talked about any of her hobbies.

"Sure."

Spike was about to leave, but he had almost forgotten about taking the bits needed to buy the chemicals and plant. He dashed back over to the small wooden table that was located dead center of the room. Jumping up into the table, Spike lifted up the small wooden statue from it's usual spot to reveal a small glass jar, filled to the brim with bits. Unscrewing the top, Spike grabbed a handful of the golden coins like chips from a chip bag before putting the top back on and hiding the jar once more. With that, he was off. With a handful of bits, Twilight estimated Spike would be back in an hour. Just enough time to get the basement set up to hold a monster. A monster in her basement huh? Seems like that was finally going to happen. Back when she was a filly, Shining Armor had convinced Twilight that there was an evil monster in the basement called the Dragonoco. It roared and hummed in the basement, long arms hanging from the ceilings and intertwining with the basement walls. It was really just the heater. Now she was to keep a real monster in her basement. Forced to give it some food and keep it happy as it stayed there. Hopefully this wouldn't take long. She didn't want to keep a vicious monster in her basement, lest it seem like she was planning to take over something by keeping it there. Twilight would deal with it, and hopefully keep it in the dark and quiet. She didn't need any more rumors about her then there already were. Especially not one about keeping a shadowy demon in her basement. She just hoped to get this over with quickly.. Where was Spike?

"What do you need the chloroform for? Could you answer my question before going out the door?"

Zecora had questioned through her thick accent. Counting up all the bits on the table. It was two bits change, so she separated out all the bits she needed off to the right, while handing the change back to Spike, who had held a small leather bag in his hand of the chemicals and plant Zecora had sold him. It didn't feel exactly right to sell chloroform.

"It's for a potion Twilight is making."

Spike answered simply, lying through his teeth with an added smile. Zecora shouldn't have argued back with the dragon, seeing as it was none of her business in the first place. Though, being almost like the prophet of the everfree, she knew almost everything it seemed. She was a rather wise Zebra, and Fluttershy often talked to her whenever she got lonely. Spike had wondered if she ever spoke out of rhyme. She showed no interest in stopping with the using of rhymes, so that probably meant she would rhyme to the end of time.

"There's more in those words, can you tell me what it's for?"

Zecora was a very smart zebra, she could detect a lie fairly easily. She had looked at Spike, who usually had a slight smile on his face when he was lying. She had learned this from being lied to by spike in the past when he rarely stopped by. Zecora peered into his eyes as he looked back with a twitching smile. Spike gave a uneasy chuckle as he scratched the side of his head.

"Twilight only told me what the poison joke was for."

He said, Zecora leaned in to look Spike directly in the eyes. Her simple eyes looking into his with burning determination to get his lie out of the way.

"I only ask to know and help. You don't have to keep your secrets from me."

Zecora didn't rhyme there. Maybe for good reason. He swore he had heard her mumble 'Whelp' underneath her breath. Though that wasn't his main concern right now. Zecora was being incredibly nosy, and that was his main worry at the moment. He could let her know about it.. She was a very knowledgeable pony and could help him with this endeavor. Maybe she could make it so they wouldn't be constantly stressed about their special guest's well being?

"We have a special guest over.. He's eh.. Sorta.."

Spike stuttered, trying to find the right words as Zecora stood back up to full form. Giving spike the breathing room he so needed. His was sweating; cold sweat.

"He's sorta kinda.. A dark arcane unicorn King who's fueled off hatred and fear."

Spike explained to the zebra, who in retaliation stayed calm. Though he had noticed her hooves scuffle slightly as she started walking around her tree hut.

"I see. You do need me."

Zecora commented, looking over into her large metal cauldron that was located in the center of the room. A strange, brown liquid circled inside of it. It smelled rather nice, unlike most things Zecora had in her home. She must've grown used to the smells because all the herbs and spices in here combined into one gigantic, overwhelming smell that could make somepony never able to smell anything again.

"Come to the cauldron, you will see. A darkness, a shadow as wide as can be. This is what you fear, is it not?"

Zecora asked, as the swirling brown liquid showed images of ponyville, covered in unnatural black smoke. Black smoke that would normally come from fires. Spike had climbed up to look inside the cauldron. It was indeed, what he had feared would happen.

"Yeah.."

Spike sighed, looking into the pot which had a strangely crisp image to it. Like he was watching it actually go down.

"I see. Come back to me soon, I may have what you need to destroy your worried doom."

Zecora reassured the purple dragon, as the swirling image disappeared into the brown liquid. It smelled rather tasty, a scent of onions could be caught in the air.

"What is this stuff?"

Spike questioned.

"Soup."

Zecora retaliated back with a chuckle.

Spike had said his goodbyes and left the abode of the Zebra. He reentered the Everfree forest, looking around at the trees. He had gotten to Zecora's rather easily. Mainly because Zecora had put arrows to get to her home on the trees. All he needed to do was follow the arrows, go through the deadly forest, appear on the other side, go back into ponyville, and give the stuff to Twilight.

SNAP.

Spike booked it down the path he had taken. A stick had snapped near him, making him startled as he ran through the forest at full speed. Taking all the correct turns as he rushed past trees and bushes that he thought he saw had eyes popping out of them in the corner of his eye. Gripping the bag tightly, Spike emerged from the forest, right next to Fluttershy's home. Which he promptly turned around and laughed at the forest for scaring him. He would never know that he had snapped the stick in the first place.

"You'll never scare me again! I promise you that!"

He shouted at the darkly colored plants before leaving the edges of the forest and the outer rim of Fluttershy's lawn. Holding the bag victoriously in the air with a proud chest. Proof he had braved the everfree twice, and was carrying poison joke without being changed in any way. Yet, at least. He walked like a soldier, sticking out his chest as he walked down the path to ponyville. This was going to take a while.

After about two hours or so, Spike had finally reached the library with his extremely slow pace. He opened the door slowly, still victoriously holding out the bag as the wooden door was opened. Twilight would be downstairs. Without hesitation, Spike closed the door with his tail. Slamming it accidentally. Though, spike was a bit too proud of his actions to care. He stomped down the stairs to go to the basement. He had stomped down rather loudly, and these stairs weren't exactly the most stable. Making an extremely loud crack on each stair he smashed his foot down onto. He found his way to the basement door, the light from the basement filtering out through the crack underneath the door. With a turn of the basement's door knob, Spike was into Twilight's lab. Where she sat, fiddling with potions. The door to the basement sat at the top of another set of stairs, which lead down to the main part of the basement. A round, large, scientist's lair.

"I got the stuff."

Spike said with a triumphant grin. He was grabbed from the door frame and brought down to the main part of the basement, next to Twilight. She had just spared him from more walking. What a nice pony. She looked rather focused on two individual test tubes. The liquids inside both looked rather lumpy, with pieces of something sticking out from the liquid parts. It almost made spike gag by the color the mush was. It was a raw tan. Like uncooked chicken.

Not like he would know what that would look like.

He held back his lunch from launching as he placed the leather bag down on the wooden table all the test tubes were on. Twilight quickly stopped what she was doing and ripped open the bag with her magic. Exposing the blue flower that spike was asked to get, as well as a small pure white bottle that was filled with the sleeping chemical. The bottle had no label; but Twilight could tell that it was the chemical she needed. Twilight grabbed the magical flower with her magic, and slowly tore it apart. The blue flower was soon no more, as tiny pieces were dropped to the floor. The pieces turned gray, and blended into the stone floor. The pieces she still had left were completely healthy and blue. Unscrewing one of the caps of the lumpy liquid filled test tubes, stuffing the blue pieces into the unnatural, green colored liquid. She then put the cap back on, wiping her brow. Like she was being timed. The green suddenly fizzed and bubbled, much to Twilight's joy. The liquid fizzed and foamed as the green color was shed to reveal a deep sea blue. Twilight smiled as she looked at the potion with pride.

"What does that potion do?"

Spike poked the glass of the test tube in curiosity, in which Twilight promptly removed his grubby hands from the glass.

"It's an invisibility potion. I've been working on it since last month."

Twilight levitated the potion up to her face with glee. Staring at the successful potion's new colors.

"Does it taste like blue berries?"

A sudden, cheerful pink mare popped into the basement, appearing behind Twilight. Spike was rather jumped by this sudden appearance, and he flinched as he heard her voice. It was Pinkie Pie; the party pony. She was known for popping up out of nowhere and her fantastic parties. Twilight was used to this by now, so she wasn't surprised by Pinkie's sudden arrival in her basement.

"I don't think so."

Twilight confirmed, looking at the pink, puffy maned mare.

"You know, should you be reforming King Sombrero right now? Oh wait! That's Rarity's job."

Pinkie Pie realized, tapping the bottle of chloroform with her muzzle. She was a awfully curious mare, so Twilight's library would be the gold mine of discovery for her.

"It'll be my job for a week or so."

Twilight informed Pinkie in which, she gasped with delight.

"Can I help?!"

She shouted. Knowing that Pinkie was Sombra's total opposite with her happy, and loving attitude, Twilight thought that Pinkie helping her with 'King Sombrero' would not be the best idea.

"I'm rather fine with keeping him here on my own, thank you, Pinkie."

Twilight denied calmly, swooshing the blue potion in the air slowly as Pinkie still eyed the container of chloroform. Her happy expression stayed as Twilight denied her access to see the monster.

"I was thinking of throwing him a-"

Pinkie started. "A party? He doesn't deserve a welcome to ponyville party."

Twilight hissed, as Pinkie's ears flicked at Twilight's sudden rudeness. Though she give her friend the benefit of the doubt. Right now Pinkie was doubting Twilight's intentions.

"Okie Dokie Lokie."

Pinkie submitted to Twilight's smarts. He didn't exactly deserve the party, did he? Well, if Twilight didn't let her then that means she probably shouldn't do it.

"Oh, Pinkie-"

Twilight turned to face the Pink mare. The space in which she previously occupied was empty. Pinkie was gone. Off to who knows where. Twilight gave a relieved sigh. Pinkie could be a bit of a nuisance whenever she was in Twilight's lab. Constantly poking around at all her potions, even drinking some without permission. Though, since she was Pinkie's friend, she'd always make up with it with a week's supply of baked goods.

"When do we put Sombrero in here?"

Spike had found a nickname for Sombra, courtesy of Pinkie Pie. How quaint.

"Whenever Rarity is ready."