One minute she was running, terrified, from a pack of hungry timberwolves, and the next the wolves were gone, and she could finally rest. She did not want to rest, however, as the thing that drove the pack away was for more terrifying than they were.
It was not a manticore. It was not a tatzlwurm. It was him. Him, the one who had caused so much strife among everypony he could influence. Him, the one whom everyone feared. Him, the tyrant.
Lapis Lazuli did not know how she wound up in the Everfree at sunset, but what she did know was that she regretted ever coming here. Now, she lay on the ground, backed against a tree, whimpering and sobbing.
"P-please," she begged, "d-don't hurt me! I'll give you whatever you want, just please, don't take me back to those times!" Lapis was terrified beyond words. She felt ready to vomit, and her tears of fear would not stop flowing. "I'm begging you, please, don't do this!"
He stared down at her, silent, unblinking. His expressionless stare turned Lapis's blood to ice, making her want to shrink into the tree. Anything to get away from him. Her heart had moved past hammering against her chest and now seemed more like it wanted to punch its way out and run away from the pony above her. Lapis herself wanted to run, but she had nowhere to go. This pony would catch her no matter where she went. He was fresh and breathed steadily, ready to sprint for anything, while she was deathly exhausted from her run from the timberwolves. Even in the fading light, she could see his powerful chest and muscular form. She was nothing compared to him. There was no way she could defend herself from any attack he hit her with, and they both knew it.
Running was not an option. Fighting was not an option. So, to Lapis Lazuli, the only option was to beg.
"L-look, I know I'm lowlier than you. You deserve to have your rightful place back, Master. I am but a peasant! Please, just no more pain!" Lapis buried her face into her hooves as her sobs of terror became too mixed in with her words for anything she said to be decipherable. "I don wanna doianimor!" she wailed.
No response. Just that unreadable, unshifting stare, piercing into Lapis's soul like a shard of ice, freezing her with fear. Even without looking at it, she could feel it and the holes it bored into her. It gripped her. It paralyzed her. It trapped her.
And she so desperately wanted out. She wanted away from him, from his presence. She almost knew that it was either life, death, or enslavement with him, and Lapis didn't want to die, nor did she want to be his slave. And if she had to humiliate herself to avoid it, so be it.
So Lapis begged. And she begged. And she begged. She pleaded for him to let her go, screamed for mercy. Sob after terrified sob racked her body as she willed the creature above her to have mercy, tears streaming down her face. And all the while, he still was silent, never shifting or blinking his eyes, locking her under that gaze.
And then, just as Lapis began to fear that he was ignoring her, as her voice, her only bargaining chip, began to grow hoarse, through her own sobs and wails, she heard an intake of breath. He was going to speak.
The split second that it took for him to begin talking felt like seasons to Lapis. Her stomach grew ever tighter as these seasons passed, as she lay there, hoping and praying he told her he would let her go. She felt so beyond uneasy that her body tried to rip grass from the ground despite the fact that her hooves had no fingers. Her muscles went from contracted to almost completely locked as her entire body tensed, waiting for him to say something. Finally, he spoke. And when he did, it was not what Lapis wanted to hear—but it was not what she feared hearing, either.
"What is your name?" he asked softly.
"M-my name?" Lapis stuttered, baffled. She most certainly was not expecting him to ask something as meaningless as her name. It boggled her mind, so much so she fought to find the words to answer him.
"Yes, your name," he repeated. "What is it?"
"...L... Lapis Lazuli," Lapis answered after a moment's silence.
"Lapis Lazuli..." He gave a heavy sigh, and for the first time since Lapis had run into him, his eyes closed. Within an instant, though, they were back open, driving into Lapis like drills. "It's almost night," he declared. "We need to get you somewhere safe."
At first, Lapis didn't process what he had said. She was insanely bewildered by his response and did not know how to respond. Then, as her mind slowly took in what he had murmured to her, she gasped aloud as disbelief nearly ripped away her ability to breathe. Here she was, her fate in the hooves of one of the most evil ponies in all of Equestria, a powerful, terrifying figure who could wipe her out without so much as a second thought, and the first thing he tells her concerns her safety? No, Lazuli couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it. He would never say that. He would never do that. He wanted nothing more than power, and was willing to ruin the lives of thousands to get it. He didn't care for others, not one bit. What he said had to be a façade. He wanted nothing more than to catch her off guard.
But then again, why would he want her off guard when he already had her right where he wanted her? Lapis's heart leapt to her throat as she considered the prospect. If he wanted to hurt her, there was nothing stopping him. He could do whatever he liked with her without using a drop of effort. What benefit would come out of going through the trouble of lulling her into a false sense of security when he could easily have his way with her right here, right now?
Lapis could barely even consider the possibility of such a notion, but maybe, just maybe, he truly meant his declaration—and intended to act on it.
Sure enough, he continued. "I know a place where you can shelter yourself for the night," he began. "It's not a pleasant place, but it will keep you safe. I'll take you to it. I know exactly where it is—it's my home."
Lapis listened intently; the terrible fear she felt just seconds ago loosened its grip on her, just a little bit.
"I'll let you go in the morning, when it's safe—unless you would want to stay, that is, which you probably wouldn't." All of a sudden, he stopped there, then his head began to droop, and Lapis heard a deep breath come from him, as if he was preparing for something. Lapis tensed as he lifted his head back up to meet her eyes, his own gaze still terrifying.
"And... I know who I am, and I know what I've done. The idea of me offering shelter to someone must be otherworldly to you. You would much sooner imagine me tearing your entrails out and eating them, I assume?"
Feeling queasy at the thought he proposed, Lazuli weakly nodded.
"I thought so. Lapis, I have to tell you something. You have every right to fear me, to be distrustful and not believe anything I'm saying. But the pony that tortured you and everyone around you for all those years was different from the one you see now. That pony was, quite literally, on drugs. I was addicted to them, so much so that it became a part of who I was. Every waking moment I spent, I spent desperate for another high, another rush of power. I didn't care about others. I only cared about fixing my problem. Fixing it by feeding it.
"I've been torn away from that accursed drug, Lapis. I've forced myself through the torture of withdrawal. I've made the painful climb back to sanity. I've found something to live for. And now, if there is even a shred of hope to bring out the best of me, I intend to use that. I may not be able to bring myself back to the position I had before my downfall, but I can bring myself a better life than I ever did searching for one more dose at the expense of so many innocents. I can start by bringing myself to be a little more caring. A little more selfless. I can start right now."
He shut his eyes and stopped, as if pausing for breath. Then, his stare once more returned to Lapis.
"But this isn't just about me. I'm here right now to help you. I don't want you to be lost in the Everfree at night if I can do anything about it. And I can—if you make an exchange with me."
He returned to silence, and Lapis was left there, no longer afraid, but absolutely stunned. As if it wasn't hard enough to believe that he had offered her shelter, but now, he claimed to have actually undergone a genuine change into a much better person than he was before. It seemed almost to good to be true—which it probably was.
He had asked for an "exchange". What did he mean by that? Was he fooling her? Was he lying? Lapis didn't know, but she searched for a response. After a minute of trying to find her voice, all she could come up with was a question: "What do you want?"
He stepped closer to Lapis. "I give you shelter for the night or longer. I keep you alive to see one more day. And in return-" he offered his hoof to her, "-you trust me."
Lapis was immediately turned away. Shelter and safety, and all she had to do was believe he would give it to her? No, it seemed far too easy, as if he was trying to kill her vigilance. Then again, was it really all that easy to trust him? After all he had done, who was going to believe him when he offered them a place to stay while they were stuck in the Everfree? Probably nopony—which would explain her side of the deal. It really wasn't so easy on her part, after all.
Lapis stared at his hoof. Choosing to take it could end her life, but refusing to take could very well have the same outcome. It was either one or the other.
"I... I do trust you," Lapis murmured, shakily placing her hoof in his. "We have a deal."
His eyes widened a little bit, as if he didn't expect her to agree, but within an instant, he was back to normal. "Excellent," he replied, and Lapis felt herself jerked forward and upward as he pulled her off the ground. Hastily, she found her four hooves, then cautiously turned to face him.
He was walking away from her.
"What the—?" she screeched, but her voice dwindled when he looked over his shoulder at her.
"Follow me," he ordered. "My home isn't but five minutes from here. Now quickly, for it is almost nightfall."
Lapis hesitated. Should she do it? It was her last chance to turn back. Then, as he disappeared into the undergrowth, leaving Lapis all by herself in a forest of increasing danger, she made up her mind.
"Wait up!" she called after him, taking off in his direction.
The entire walk to his home was tense for Lapis. The entire time, no one spoke, nor did they look at each other. Lapis was too afraid to look at him. She was still uncertain if she could trust him, and feared that if she drifted too close to him, he would attack, so she tried to stay at least five feet away from him. Even so, every time she jumped—which she did, many times—she could see, out of the corner of her eye, his gait shuffle a little closer to her, and before long, his fur was brushing hers. But his advancement wasn't aggressive, nor was it malicious, rather, it seemed more like he wanted to... protect her. Instead of the attack Lapis was worrying over, the feeling of warmth his fur brought her as they walked sided by side calmed her, soothed her. Then, out of nowhere, she had felt the sudden desire to feel him wrap his hooves around her and tell her she was going to be okay. Then, as soon as this strange yearning had come, it had gone, and Lapis shook her head out and put some distance between her and him.
And eventually, they reached his home. The trees opened up to the face of a mountain, with a giant black cave yawning into it. He went in without hesitation, so Lapis followed, despite the fear the dark entrance instilled into her.
Once inside the pitch-black cavern, Lapis felt something soft brush against her, and she squeaked. But it was merely him.
"Stay by my side," he told her. "If you stop feeling my fur, call my name." Lapis obediently complied, pressing herself to his side.
Inside the cave, Lapis could not see at all, her only guide being the warm bundle of fur pressed against her side. She put her trust into it, stayed with it as they walked along in the suffocating darkness. It felt relaxing to know that someone was there to help her through this terrifying walk of blindness, and Lapis felt a strange content growing within her. As terrifyingly imposing as this pony was, he was her light in the literal dark. She should probably already be dead, but thanks to him, she wasn't. He was there to help her, and she needed the help. Pressing against his side made Lapis realize just how comforting he could be, so incredibly different from the demon he once was. Lapis sighed softly, smiling for the first time that frightful night, and rested her head against his shoulder—
—only to realize her side had grown cold.
"What?" Lapis jerked back. He was no longer there. She was alone in an unfamiliar tunnel that she could see nothing in. She was lost.
Panic overtook her, and the fear she had felt before came back to grab her. Before, though, it was because she was with the most horrible pony she met. Now, it was because she wasn't. Who knew what kind of creatures were in this cave, this dark, damp cave. There could probably be a taztlwurm in here, for all she knew. And she was all alone, with no means of defense.
Lapis Lazuli whimpered. Terror seized her as she desperately sought for a way out of this mess. She could try to backtrack, but she had been in dreamland the entire time. What other option was there? None. She was going to die. Lapis wanted to howl in despair.
Then she remembered.
"If you stop feeling my fur, call my name."
He was still in the cave. All was not lost.
Lapis silently prayed that he would be able to hear her. It was her last chance. Breathing as deeply as she could, she threw her head back and drew in a deep breath. Her voice would be hoarse for hours afterwards, but she didn't care. She called his name.
"Sombra!"
Sombra heard the call from where he stood. He whipped his head in the direction of the noise. It was Lapis. He set off on a dead run into the darkness, turning corner after corner and squeezing through tight spaces. Even in this hollow, echoing cave, Sombra knew where it had come from. Turn right, turn left, turn left again, keep going... he was closer than he had thought.
"Sombra!" It came again, much louder this time. Sombra was close.
He turned right one more time, and he could see her panicked eyes, shining like diamonds in the darkness. "I'm here!" he called, coming to halt in front of her.
At once, he felt hooves throw themselves around them in a hug. "Thank Celestia!" Lapis sobbed. "I was so scared! I thought I was going to die!"
Sombra tentatively returned the hug. "You're not going to die," he whispered, attempting to comfort her. "I just lost you for a second. I'm back again."
"I was lost in thought, and I just wandered off!" Lapis wailed. "Before I knew it, I was alone in the dark!"
"You're not alone anymore," Sombra soothed, holding her. "We're almost at our destination. There's a fire there, and you can see again." He gently released her, then pressed her up against his flank. "So let's go."
Lapis walked alongside Sombra, never letting her fur stop brushing against his. Before long, she could see an orange glow, and realized they were where they needed to be. Relief overtook her as she made a mad dash for the light, which Sombra did nothing to stop. She came into a small, closed room, almost circular with a modest fire burning in the center of it. They were done with the journey.
Lapis scooted as close as she could to the fire, as she felt Sombra come in and sit next to her. She stared at the fire for a bit, not realizing she was leaning her head against Sombra's shoulder until she felt him pull away. She jerked her head back and watched as Sombra laid down near the back of the room. "It's dangerous to sit that close to a fire," he warned Lapis. "You'll have to pull away soon."
Lapis waited for five minutes before complying, walking to the outer rim of the room. At once she felt the chilly, wet air of the cavern envelop her, and she shivered. "It's cold," she whimpered.
"You don't have to move that far away," Sombra told her. "Get closer. The air gets dry and warm."
Lapis complied, and immediately, the atmosphere was far better. She laid down next to the fire and draped a hoof over her nose, suddenly ready to sleep. "Good night, Sombra," she murmured.
"Good night, Lapis," he replied.
Lapis closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, but then realized just how uncomfortable a rocky, bumpy cave floor was. She tossed and turned, but no matter what position she lay in, at least one part of her body was uncomfortable enough to hurt.
She doubted she'd be able to fall asleep, and immediately realized in disbelief that Sombra slept here every night. She looked over at the grey pony, his smooth, steady chest, his long, gray fur, his strong hooves...
Suddenly, Lapis had a wild idea.
"Sombra?" Lapis whispered.
Sombra slowly drifted back awake from his half-conscious state. "What is it?" he yawned.
"Can I, umm... ask a favor of you?"
"I'm a bit tired, but what would you like?" he queried.
Lapis was silent for a bit, as if hesitant. Then, she politely asked, "Could you come over here?"
"Of course." Sombra groggily got up and stumbled over to Lapis, sitting down next to her.
"Now lie down," she instructed. Sombra did as he was asked, lying down with his back on the floor.
Lapis promptly rolled over and slung a hoof around Sombra, laying her head on his chest. "Much better!" she murmured contendedly, most likely to herself.
Sombra squirmed in surprise and awkwardness. "You... wanted to sleep with me?" he asked.
"Well... well... The ground was uncomfortable," Lapis whimpered.
"No, I don't mind. It's just, erhm, not was I was expecting," Sombra stuttered. "Use me as a bed as much as you like. It's not as if it kills me."
"Really? Thank you." Lapis smiled up at him. "I really appreciate it."
"It's nothing." Sombra allowed himself a lighthearted chuckle. "Good night, Lapis."
"Good night, Sombra." Lapis rested her head against his chest, and he sighed, closing his eyes.
As Lapis slowly drifted off to sleep, she recounted how her day had been nothing short of incredible. First, she hurt her back, then she got too tipsy. And then, thanks to her accursed tipsiness, she plopped herself in the middle of the Everfreee Forest. And as the day drew to a close, she was hunted by tomberwolves.
But to top it all off, she was saved by a tyrant.
