Redemption: original

Chapter 2: Nightmare

Sombra went to his new temporary bed and fell asleep immediately. Unfortunately his dream was not as welcoming as the bed.

Sombra stood in a room he did not recognize, a large maroon bed in front of him with an old white unicorn stallion with a black mane laying in the bed. The stallions’ breath was rough and slow, his last breaths were coming soon.

The old stallion spoke in a deep harsh voice. "Sombra, my son. Come closer." Sombra's head reeled. ‘My father? ... What is this!? What is going on?! I don't have a father...do I?'

"Yes father." Sombra's voice spoke without his intention and his body began to move towards the bed.

"What have you done with yourself since the last I saw you."

"W-well father... I became a smithy..." Sombra's body pulled out an elegant silver crown with many beautiful gems placed in it perfectly.

"Let me see that." Sombra's body passed the crown to his "father" who looked at the crown for a few minutes before throwing it across the room. "You are such a disappointment. I spent my entire life bribing, campaigning and crushing my opponents to get on the Crystal council, and you destroyed my life's work. What foal doesn't want to be a noble and would rather be a smithy. I also see you haven't got your mark yet. You were always such a disappointment Sombra. Always..."

Sombra woke with a start sweat dripping from his brow. He sat there panting in his bed slowly calming down. He had forgotten he had a father at all... It had been several life times ago, so he couldn't really be blamed for forgetting the past. In fact he really wished that, that past would remain forgotten. Sombra laid back down on his bed and tried to remember his five year rule as the king of the Crystal Empire. He shot up again and ran to the bathroom to splash water on his face. He looked at his reflection, taking note of his ever greener eyes, and pressed his face and horn against the glass. He couldn't remember anything about his rule. Plans, armament, and how many soldiers he had under his command, what his favorite dish was, all gone. Even the fight with Cadence and Shining Armor was as blurry as a dream. He wanted to hit something and curse Faust for his luck. He was remembering what he wanted to forget, and he was forgetting what he should remember. He also had a sneaking suspicion that what ever was causing his eyes to turn green was also messing with his mind. He sighed and looked at his reflection. "Is this a sign that I should stop drinking, or that I should drink more?"

If he wasn't regretting drinking then, he was later that day. His hangover was making plowing the Celestia damned bright and sunny fields a nightmare. He took a small breather and tried to cover his eyes from the painful sun. Though it didn't stop the migraine he was having at least it alleviated it a bit.

"Ah didn't say ya could have a break yet."

"I'm almost done Faust damn it!"  Sombra yelled back at the orange mare who had been eyeing him like a hawk all day. What plowing a field had to do with friendship he would never know. He worked through the pain and continued the slow farmers march as he plowed the remainder of the field. Sombra finally finished as the sun began to set. Every muscle on Sombra's body ached and he could tell that this whole thing was going to be worse then he thought possible. Sure he had hauled logs across town during the winter, but he was just sliding them across the snow and it took nowhere near the amount of time of plowing the field. He was going to have to work out if he was going to survive another day of this. He unhooked himself from the plow and headed back to the farmhouse. Applejack stood at the door way with a glass of water and a towel. He growled at her for the hard labor she had put him through and quickly chugged the water in a second flat. He didn't even bother to look at her when he grabbed the towel, used it to wipe of his sweat and placed it back in her hooves. He hoped that his actions had disgusted her for some sort of payback. He walked inside without a word, but with a sly smile on his face. "So where is my room? I am tired and I would like a place to sleep." Instead of an answer he only got silence. "Applejack?" He turned around in time to see her stuff something into her hat before walking towards him.

"Whatchya say?"

"I said. Where is my room? I do hope you have someplace for me to rest." He had to use every bit of his will to not call her a backwater redneck.

"Oh that'd be upstairs third door on da right. I hope you're ready for dinner. It'll be ready in a few minutes." The mare walked by with a skip in her step and a small smile on her face. Oh what he would give to wipe that smile off her face.

"EBON!" Sombra was barely able to turn towards the voice when he was hugged by a yellow filly with a red mane. "I can't believe your here. Why haven't you shown up to any of the crusader meetings? Hey what's with the ring on your horn?"

Sombra couldn't take this space invading annoying filly. "GET OFF OF ME! I SWEAR TO FAUST I'LL-"

"You'll what?"  Sombra was caught off guard by a stallion's deep voice. The voice was a perfect preview to the stallion he that was walking down the stairs and looked Sombra defiantly in the eyes. The large red stallion had a red mane and looked very strong. Oh what Sombra would have given for an army of soldiers like him.

The tense moment between the two imposing Stallions was interrupted by the filly between them. "Big Mac you should hoof wrestle Ebon!"