Redemption: original

Chapter 1: Getting Drunk

Sombra had done the only logical thing that can be done after learning that he would have to constantly move about and do whatever six mares say, because they want to teach him about the magic of friendship; He found the wine cellar and got completely wasted. By the time Twilight found him he was laying on the floor surrounded by empty bottles.

"By Celestia! Sombra, really?" Twilight was somewhere between disgust and pity. Sombra looked like a mess, his eyes were blood shot his jet black mane was everywhere with several locks going across his face, and he was lying on his back surrounded by bottles and covered in spilled wine.

" Yeah, really. I'm getting cross eyed drunk." He took another swig from one of the very few bottles that weren't empty. "And don't worry. I left the ones that are as old or older then me alone. By the way I want the one that was made in 21 B.R.C (Before Rule of Celestia) for reasons."

Twilight rolled her eyes and kicked her way through the bottles to get to the ex-tyrant. "Come on, get up. I'm not having you drink all of my stock." She gave the dark grey unicorn a gentle kick in the ribs to encourage him to move.

"Ow. That's not very nice." The sarcasm dripping off his voice could practically be seen. Then Twilight took an unfortunate sniff of what Sombra's breath smelled like.

"OH CELESTIA!" She covered her muzzle with her wings. "Your breath smells like a brewery. You are going upstairs to take a bath and brush your teeth." She nearly gagged as she spoke, and gave him a much harder kick.

"UUGGGGGHHHHHHHHH! Fine..." Sombra rolled on to his stomach and slowly stood up. He took a single step when suddenly he felt a terrible pain in his stomach and keeled over. "There goes my liver." Sombra rolled on the floor holding is stomach in excruciating pain.

Twilight facehoofed. "Well what did you expect? You should be dead from alcohol poisoning." She sighed and shook her head at the pathetic scene she was looking at. "Can you get up?"

"Could use a little help." He began waving for her to come up to him. "Just support me and I'll be fine."

Twilight sighed, steeling herself as she walked over and let him put his left hoof over her neck. He leaned against her as he stood up bringing their faces close together. "When we get to the bathroom you are drinking mouthwash!" Sombra just nodded, struggling to stand, and breath. The two of them slowly and awkwardly limped towards Twilight's bathroom. The only obstacle between them and the bathroom though, was eight flights of stairs. Twilight nearly laughed at the irony as Sombra began sweating buckets and looking like he wanted to die. "What's with that look of despair? I thought you loved stairs."

Sombra spoke in a pained voice between panting breaths. "Stairs.... help me.... think... kind of like.... pacing.... for some ponies... I get my.... best ideas.... while climbing.... stairs."

"Well I hope you get a good idea. Because we have six flights to go."

"Dear Faust, no."

One hour and many stair steps later

Twilight nearly dragged Sombra up the final step. "Here we are."

"Thank bucking Faust!" Sombra looked like he was on the verge of tears, or dying.  Suddenly Sombra began to spasm and he fell back down a dozen steps until Twilight was able to catch him with her magic.

All Twilight could do was prevent him from falling further down, and wait for his seizure to end. Fortunately she only had to wait a few seconds, before he became unsettlingly motionless. "Sombra?" after a moment of silence Sombra groaned in pain. Twilight sighed with relief and began walking down to him. "Are you okay? What do you think just happened?"

"I'm just peachy. And I believe that what happened was my liver finally showing up." He stood up easily without any assistance and climbed up to Twilight.

Twilight couldn't help but note two details she hadn't noticed about Sombra; His eyes were no longer filled with pride and anger from when she fought him in the Crystal Empire. Now they made him look broken, like his soul and will had been shattered. Also he actually looked handsome with his hair a bit in his face. She pushed the second observation aside and focused on the task at hand. Twilight pointed to a nearby door. "That's the bathroom, use mouthwash, brush your teeth, and take a shower, and don't forget to use shampoo."

"The buck is Shampoo, and why would I use a brush on my teeth?"

"Wash behind your ears." Twilight shouted from her bed room to Sombra as she heard the shower turn on.

"I am 'mom'!" Twilight rolled her eyes at Sombra's remark and continued to take note of what she had learned about Sombra.

Born in the year 21 B.R.C?

Immortal?

Can heal from fatal injuries.

Not immune to pain.

Handsome.

Alcoholic?

Depression?

Red-Emerald eyes. Why?

Twilight sighed. Her note on what she had learned was practically all theories and questions. And it wasn't like she could just ask him, right? After a few minutes she decided to ask the most innocent of her questions. "Hey Sombra!"

"I'm washing behind my ears!"

"That's good, but I just wanted to ask you a question" A moment of silence followed, making Twilight a little nervous to ask.

"What's your question?"

Now or never. "What's so important about the year 21 B.R.C?"

Surprisingly he answered with no hesitation. "Year I was born. Now leave me alone, unless you want to join me in this shower."

"No thanks!" Twilight blushed having the mental image of them sharing a shower scarred into her brain. "Well when you are done in there your room is across the hall."

"Thank you. I'll try to resist the urge to go into yours." Twilight rolled her eyes at his joke, but locked her door just in case before she climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.