Yin & Yang

“Mother, your concern is appreciated, but I’m eighteen already. I’m coming of age. I need a princess of my own to heir the throne.” An alabaster alicorn complained to his mother. He was a tall, strong, and well built stallion with a long floating mane and tail. The colors of which shined like that of an aurora. He wore a pure white royal dress coat and trousers, the trim a bright gold. Around his neck sat a royal jewel, passed down from his father.

“Young Solaris, I am aware of your age, but you are being inpatient and unreasonable. We shall find you a mare in due time.” The soothing voice of a black alicorn mare, whom sat in a quite large throne. She was a gorgeous mare with bright purple eyes and a pure black floating mane and tail. She wore a dark purple dress that draped to one side to show off her slender right leg.

“But I don’t want just any mare, mother! I want somepony I can love for who they are, not for how rich and powerful their parents are.” Solaris argued.

“Your father and I met in the same way you will meet your mare. Look how well it turned out for us.”

“Yes, for you. But think of me. I want to love a mare before I ever consider making her my queen. Why won’t you let me love like a normal sentient being!?”

The queen rose from her throne. “Because you are not normal, Solaris! You are an alicorn! And you shall live as such!”

Solaris balled his hands into fists in anger. “But what if I don’t want to be an alicorn!?”

“Enough!” The queen’s voice boomed. “Leave me.”

Solaris growled and spun around, before storming off. He shoved one of the guards out of his way and threw the door open as he left.

A navy blue alicorn approached Solaris as he stormed through the corridor. The stallion was a good head shorter than Solaris, wearing pretty much the same outfit as the elder stallion only black instead of white. His mane and tail were deep blue with stars dotting it's surface as it floated like the other alicorns. "Brother, why doth thy insist on enraging mother? We cannot bear to see thou in such turmoil with family."

"Let me be, Lunar. I don't have the patience for one of your lectures." Solaris growled.

"Please hear us out, brother. Mother is trying to do what is best for thee. Just think of how it would be if thou had nopony whom wished to care for thee.” Lunar tried to reason.

“I have nopony to really care for me. All mother wants is some random mare with money. That’s all she ever wants is gold. She even dresses me in it! Now leave me before I decide to lash at you!” Solaris yelled at his younger brother.

Lunar stopped in his tracks and let Solaris storm away. “Thou is wrong, brother…” He said, but Solaris was already gone. “Such a fool…”

A female draconequus popped out of nowhere reclining in the air next to Lunar. She wore a skimpy kilt-like skirt and a button up blouse that was tied together at her breasts instead of covering her slender stomach. She held in her hands a gamecolt that she was idly playing. “I’ve told you he was a fool for years, Lu.”

“That thy did, Eris…” Lunar admitted. “We just wish he would listen…”

“He won’t. Not until something chaotic happens to him.” Eris said suggestively.

“Do not even think about playing a trick on him.”

“Aww! You’re no fun!” Eris complained. She snapped her attention away from Lunar and focused on playing her game.

Lunar turned to look at the mare and raised an eyebrow at the device. “What, pray tell, is that?”

“A gamecolt.” Eris answered like it was obvious.

The alicorn tilted his head curiously to the side. “A what?”

“Gamecolt. Something that won’t be around for another thousand years. You should try it when it comes out. Pokemon is fun.”

“Okay… How did thy…” Lunar shook his head and reminded himself to not ask questions about Eris’ chaos magic. “Never mind.”

Solaris stormed out into the night air and yelled at the top of his lungs at the sky, his voice echoing through the still air into the quiet night. A few dozing birds were startled by the sudden racket and took off from their perches in nearby trees.

“Why can’t I just find a mare of my own to love? Why does it have to be what mother thinks is best for me? It’s all a load of ursan shit!”

The stallion spread his wings and leaped over the guard rail of the balcony. His wings caught the air and let him glide at high speed toward anywhere but the castle. He was sick and tired of his life being controlled by his overbearing mother, so he sought out a place of solitude.

The flight through the cool night air was enough to clear his mind of his anger toward everypony he loved and left it at a fixed angle toward his mother. The clarity let him think about how he snapped at Lunar, feeling bad for it. He made a mental note to apologise to his younger brother when he returned.

For now, Solaris sought solitude from the world. He flew over tree tops and over the small farming town that was currently thriving from one apple orchard. He loved paying visits to the Apple family. They were always so friendly and carefree. Why couldn’t he have been a apple-bucking earth pony? Life would have been so much more simple.

Solaris shook off the thought. Thinking about a life he could have had would not help him with his raging stress. He angled himself toward an area where he knew ponies were too afraid to wander into, at least not as far as Solaris dared to travel.

The Drako mountains were always his place of solitude. He had made good friends with a dragon prince and, through him, forged an alliance with the dragon kingdom. No dragons were allowed to even touch Solaris without permission.

Solaris straightened his flight path and slowed his pace as he approached a cave that he had designated as his own and landed on the cliff that extended from the mouth. The stallion sighed and sat down at the edge of the cliff with his hooves hanging over. He suddenly wished it was day. He hated being out at night. It made him feel vulnerable. At least when it was day he could see everything around him. But at least it was quiet and that’s what Solaris needed at the moment.

The alicorn settled into deep thought and slowly let his body calm down from the previous stressful moment from his mother. He went through the scenario again through his head and noticed several places where he was in the wrong, as well as his mother. “Damn… I can be a real ass at times, can’t I?” Solaris whispered to himself. “I guess Lu isn’t the only one I need to apologise to…”

A faint noize broke the stallion from his thoughts. He perked his ears up to catch the sound if it happened again. His right ear twitched. “There it is again…” It sounded like a sob. A quiet sob, but still a sob.

He turned to look back at his cave and angled his ears to catch the sound better. He heard it again, but louder. It was definitely coming from the cave. Solaris stood from his seat at the edge of the cliff and slowly walked toward the cave. It was too dark to make out any shapes in the cave, so when he approached the mouth, he lit up his horn. Suddenly the whole cave was illuminated by Solaris’ horn light. And what, or rather whom it exposed made Solaris gasp.

Sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them, was a black unicorn mare with her face buried into her crossed arms. She had a wild black mane that draped over her shoulders and down her back. Her tail was pretty much the same and trailed across the floor. Her horn was curved and red from mid base to the tip. She wore a skimpish plate armor that seemed to cover only her hooves, forearms, chest, and crotch area. Her body seemed to be firmly toned with muscles, like she was a born fighter.

The only thing about the mare that Solaris truly paied attentin to was that she was crying.

“Umm… Hello?”

The mare gasped and stiffened. “Wh-who’s there?” Her voice cracked from the previous crying.

Solaris slowly sat in front of the mare. “I won’t hurt you… I just want to know what you’re doing in my cave in such a miserable condition.”

“I-it’s none of your damn business…” She growled.

“Then could you at least tell me your name?” Solaris asked, hoping to get a more successful response from the nameless mare.

She looked up at Solaris with red eyes. Not from crying, but her eyes were actually red in color. “Umbra.” She said simply. “My name in princess Umbra.”

Solaris was frozen for a moment. Umbra’s face held a rebellious beauty about it, making her cute yet intimidating. Her red eyes were a convincing addition to the look. His heart seemed to beat a little faster.

“I’m… Solaris. Prince Solaris.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of you. The little rebellious prince of the sun.” Umbra stated like she didn’t even care.

Solaris scratched the back of his head nervously. “Umm… Yeah, I guess.”

A small smile inched across Umbra’s lips lips, making her look even more beautiful. “Anypony who can defy an equivalent of a god and still have enough self confidence to talk to somepony as pathetic as me is ok in my book.”

Solaris returned the smile. “So can you tell me why you’re here? You’re in my cave after all.”

Umbra lifted an eyebrow in confusion. “But this is dragon territory.”

“Prince Reyu Naga is my colthood friend. I claimed this as my territory when I was younger. My friendship gave me immunity to dragon territory customs, meaning this cave is mine for as long as I live. Being as this cave is the only one on this face of the mountain, this mountain is mine as well. The dragons keep their distance and let me stay in peace.”

“Oh… Well, anyway if you really must know…” Umbra looked at her hooves. “My parents died recently in a war for control of my family’s kingdom in the Crystal empire.”

“Oh no… I’m so sorry for your loss, Umbra.” What else could he have said?

“Don’t be. It doesn’t matter now. I’m not even a real princess any more. My inheritance was taken from me by force. My home is gone and even my pride is slipping from me.”

“Well… You could come with me to Everfree castle.” Solaris suggested.

Umbra shook her head. “I don’t want to be a burden on you, Solaris. I’ll just be leaving in the morning. Sorry for trespassing.”

Solaris narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think so. You’re not going anywhere, but back to Everfree with me. This is no place for a princess. I have a guest room that would be perfect for you.”

Umbra blushed slightly. “Umm... Well, if you insist.”

‘She’s a princess with nothing but her title to offer. Mother would freak if she knew what I’m thinking now.’ Solaris thought to himself. “You’ll like it there, just let me deal with my mother when we arrive.” He held out his hand for Umbra to take, which she slowly did. The alicorn stood and helped her to her hooves.

“Are you sure I won’t be a bother?”

“No, I’m not. But to hell with what my mother thinks of you. You’re in need and I’m providing.” Solaris stated. He noticed that his little display of rebelliousness against his mother to give compassion to a homeless mare made Umbra blush. ‘She looks kinda cute like that.’ He thought.

Umbra shrugged and looked back down at her hooves. “Well then fine. Just make sure I’m alone… I don’t want anypony to get hurt…” She said the last part almost too quiet for Solaris to catch what had been said, but the alicorn ignored it and treated it as a touch phobia or something.

“Of course. The guest quarters is near to my chambers. I’ll be sure to post a guard by your door at all times to make sure you’re safe. Deal?”

Umbra didn’t look at him, but still nodded. “Thank you.”

“We can leave now, if you want. Or do you want to calm down before I bring you home with me? I mean, not bring you home with me, but you know… home with me… As in as a guest, not…” Solaris stopped, noticing he was stumbling over his words. He laughed shyly and scratched the back of his head.

Umbra giggled a little and looked up at Solaris. “I think I’d like to stay a little longer, if it’s alright with you. It’s nice up here. I like how quiet it is, unlike the rest of the world.”

Solaris smiled. “Yes. That is why I chose it. I’m thinking I could start my own castle right here on the side of the mountain. Just for me and Lu.”

Umbra cocked her head curiously. “Lu?”

“My brother, Lunar.” Solaris confirmed.

“Oh, yes. The brother. I had forgotten about him.”

“He tends to be forgotten about. It angers him, but father can always talk some sense into the stallion. Don’t worry though. He’s good when you get to know him.”

Umbra smiled. “Okay… Can you turn that light off though? I… feel more comfortable in the dark.”

Solaris hesitated, but shook his head to clear his uneasiness of the dark. “Of course.” He replied and shut off his horn glow. The cave was instantly submerged in darkness, save for the glow of a few luminescent crystals lodged in the walls.

“Thank you for being compassionate to me… I don’t normally get ponies who want to be nice to me…” Umbra said suddenly after a while of them sitting in the dark.

“Why don’t you? You seem really nice.”

If Solaris wasn’t blinded by darkness, he would have seen the tear sliding down Umbra’s cheek. “I… would rather not talk about it.”

Solaris scooted closer to where he thought the mare was. “Oh, come now. It can’t be but so bad.”

Umbra curled into a ball again. “I-I’m sorry… I just can’t.”

Solaris sighed. “Fine. Don’t tell me.” He stood from his spot on the cave floor and began walking toward the exit. “I’m going to take a breath of fresh air. It’s stuffy in here.”

“Wait!” Umbra cried.

The alicorn stumbled when he felt something hard slam into his back and wrap around his midsection.

“Don’t leave me alone, Solaris…”

Solaris raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said-”

“I know what I said!” Umbra interrupted him. “I just don’t want you to leave me alone… I need somepony like you around me to keep me from going crazy… Please don’t leave me alone.”

The stallion blushed. ‘Holly mother! She can’t be admiring me already, could she!? We just met!’ Solaris shook off the thoughts. “O-of course, Umbra. You’ll be fine with me.”

“Th-thank you…”