I Made a Deal with the Devil
May 2, 2484
Tarsonis Royal Palace Main Walk
14:21
“Ah, Regent Luna!” Sombra called. “If you could delay your departure for but one moment?”
Regent Luna turned towards her closet advisor with an inquisitive eye.
“Yes Sombra? What is it that you wish to speak about?”
The harried advisor quickly drew up beside his ruler.
“I am glad that I managed to catch you before you embarked on your journey Regent Luna. If you could spare me but a moment of your time so that I might present to you a most fortuitous proposal?”
The Lunar Regent of the Equestrian Dominion assented to Sombras request.
“Advisor,” Regent said as she stepped into her carriage. “Accompany me so that I might hear your proposal.”
Bowing his head in thanks Sombra did as his Regent asked. As soon as they were comfortably situated Regent granted the driver permission to begin the first leg of the journey.
“Regent Luna, if it is not to presumptuous of me to ask, but what is our destination?”
Sombras question was met with a tired sigh.
“Sombra we can drop the fancy talk. Driver will keep his mouth shut plus there's no one else who could hear us. As for where we are going, we are going to surprise a meeting of the military heads. It should prove to be very satisfying.”
Sombra groaned then stretched his back, popping several of several times as his pompous facade dropped. Regent did the same on her side of the carriage. Once they had relaxed and procured some light spirits from the Regent's personal supply the conversation began in earnest.
“You said that you had a proposal for me?”
Sombra quickly snuck a sip from his flask before answering.
“Yes, I have a proposal that I believe you will be very interested in.”
He quickly uncapped his flask and took another gulp from it.
“Do you remember the hacking incident that occurred five years ago?”
Regents eyes and face quickly took on a hard look.
“I don't think I'll be able to forget what that little witch did.”
Sombra smirked.
“Good. Because I haven't either. I have a plan in place to bring her to you.”
Regent pursed her lips then steepled her fingers. “I'm listening.”
“Do you remember the attempt on your life four years ago?”
“Do you want me to take your head off?”
“That’s a yes then. You see, contrary to your wishes the woman who tried to kill you is still alive.”
Regents pale face quickly became suffused in a ruddy red.
“What! What do you mean that bitch is still alive! Wh-where is she being kept.”
“And she will be dead very soon. But for now she is a necessary part of the plan.”
Regent took a deep breath to calm herself then thought about what Sombra said. She quickly came to a favourable conclusion.
“You want to use that Rogue Ghost to hunt down the traitor.”
Sombra smirked.
“You hit it right on the nose milady. Sunset Shimmer is the Ghosts name and she has a particularly harsh grudge against Agent Starlight Glimmer. We can use the incentive of revenge, along with some other encouragement, to get her to cooperate long enough for Twilight to drop into our grasp. Then we kill them both. Twilight gets her punishment and Sunset gets her… freedom.”
“What are these ‘other’ things that will encourage Shimmer to cooperate with us?”
“Her little brother, Sunburst... In fact,-” Sombra looked up at the digital clock built into a space above the carriage door. “- It's just after noon here which means that Agent Glimmer should have him in custody now.”
May 2, 2484
Outskirts of New Andasar.
13:12
The young sunny haired boy struggled in the imposters iron grip.
“You're not my mommy!” He yelled in a panic. His resistance just made his captor smirk.
“Whatever gave you that idea kiddo?” Starlight Glimmer asked. “Besides, I'm better than your mommy.”
Then she pulled the trigger on her stun gun.
'Fwapt...zzzt zzzt zzzt’
…
’thump’
"Target secured, Agent Glimmer requesting evac.”
May 2, 2484
Palace Boulevard
14:30
“That is cruel and risky Sombra. You're losing your edge I think.”
“Regent, you insinuating that I'm getting old?”
“Oh no Sombra I just mean that you're getting some grey hair sprouting from your chin.”
“Heh, it would give that old, wizardly look.”
“Nah, you'd just look old.”
“Harrumph, I brought us too far off track. We keep that Rogue in line because of the boy. She retrieves Twilight Sparkle, delivers that girl to a drop off point then Glimmer will kill them.”
“There's a lot of risk involved in that plan of yours.”
“What you call ‘risks’ I call ‘calculated maneuvers’ I know how this game is going to end Regent. One dead Rogue, one dead traitor and a possible Ghost.”
“The child, you want the child to be a Ghost.”
“Well of course. He is the second born of the Shimmer family, they have produced very powerful psionics in the past but, as an infant the child suffered from chronic psi-induced seizures which led to several deaths. His parents had a Psi-blocker implanted in him. For an infant to have powers like that at such a young age is unheard of, and after his chip is removed Agent Glimmer will train him. She will break him and he will become a Ghost.”
“…”
“Well Regent? What do you think?”
“I'll sleep on it.”
The carriage came to a halt.
“Regent Luna, we are at the assembly hall.”
Thank you Driver.” Luna called. “Would you be so kind as to provide Advisor Sombra back to the Palace?”
“I will do so immediately milady.”
May 4, 2484
12:35
New Folsom Prison, Warden’s Office, Corridor A, Level 7, Room 163
“-Your highness, I’m not… sure.”
“...”
“But, the decision is sound, correct?”
“...”
“Forgive me my lady I did not mean to question your authority. It’s just that the last time she was re-”
“...”
“Oh... You’re coming down here. When?
“...”
"We don’t have-”
“...”
"My head?”
“...”
gulp* “Very well. We’ll prepare her for you.”
“...”
“Yes Milady.”
“...”
“Hail.”
May 5, 2484
New Folsom Prison, Solitary Interrogation, Corridor D, Sub Level 6, Room 003
12:00
"Sunset Shimmer… fourteen years ago you voluntarily joined the Ghost program. You appeared out of nowhere. You had no warrants, no marks, no background. It took you three and a half years to get through the entire program. Upon graduating, your record, behaviour, and your reputation was the envy of all others, in fact some of your records still stand. You blew your way through trials that veteran Ghosts had difficulty completing. A Protege, that is what you were called… then you went on your first mission.
“Sonyan; Terran records indicate that it was a mining facility. Though, nowadays the Terran facilities serve as shelter for dissidents. Your task was simple; locate the dissidents; interrogate them; kill them if they resisted then bring as much info back as you could. You were given four weeks. Your Preceptor received the appropriate data files within three weeks. Then at the end of your deadline you came out of a warp jump and proceeded to land a cloaked Quantradyne APOD-33 special operations dropship at the Tarsonis Ghost Academy. That ‘little stunt’ made you into a legend you know, I looked up to you. I tried to secure a position at the Academy just to be close to a legend like you but, loe and behold, Sombra Heart wasn't good enough.
“They told me to ‘come back another day’. And I did with information on you, information about many of your illicit activities. That started this whole thing. That was a big news story, the Regents new advisor uncovered a conspiracy and traced the lines back to its composer; you. But I was too late, you had already begun your dastardly plan; kill the Lunar Regent. I took the bullet that was meant for her and lost my arm. You failed, and then you were bested by a novice Ghost. And yet here we are now, the ‘legendary Sunset Shimmer’ rotting away like a common criminal. And me, Sombra Heart, Head Advisor for the Lunar Regent, I am her right hand; eyes and ears; sword and shield; about to give you your freedom; for a price.”
Sombra placed a pile of manilla folders onto his side of the cold metal table. Grinning widely at Sunset he gestured at them.
“Pick one, any one.”
Sunset pursed her lips as she went through her options. Reaching a conclusion she reached out and, to the extent that her restraint would allow, chose the folder that Sombra was holding.
“That one. I want that one.”
Sombra chuckled, “And that's why I saved it for last.”
Sombra opened it to the first page then slid it across the desk to Sunset whose eyes narrowed in anger. A charged silence pervaded the room.
“I want her dead. You bring me her head then I'll hunt down Sparkle.”
Sombra smirked then pulled out his PDA. “We thought you might say that so we did a bit of digging and guess who we found.”
He set the tablet on the table then turned it around and Sunsets face paled.
“No. No you didn't!”
“Oh but we did Miss Shimmer, you see, we need, Miss Sparkle back here and if you don't want to cooperate… then that's not a problem.”
Sombra opened the video file and Sunset was instantly greeted by a picture of her little Brother’s Terrified Tear and blood streaked face. Sombra looked at Sunset then smirked as she futilely tried to break out of the restraints.
“Well just send another Ghost after Sparkle, after we deal with you and your brother of course. Who knows,” Sombra continued lightheartedly. “Maybe we’ll send that ‘rookie’ who beat you down.”
“You wouldn't dare lay a finger on him! I'll kill you!” And you know what, once I get outta here I’ll-”
*click*
“- Ahhh! Sunset help! Please make them stop! Make the voices stop! I-I don't want to- help! Me! M-Mom-mommy! Ahh-”
The short clip showed little Sunny in pain, horrible pain. And Sunset picked out one line, ‘the voices’ Sunburst hadn't mentioned anything about voices since- since. Sunsets face paled and she stopped struggling as the realization sank in.
“You- you removed his chip.”
Sombra smiled cooly.
“Well of course we did. A child with as much potential as ‘Little Sunny’ would be a great asset to the Dominion. And in fact, we-”
“-I'll do it.” Sunset whispered.
Sombra quirked an eyebrow then turned an ear towards Sunset.
“I'm sorry.” He coyly said. “But I didn't hear you.”
Sunset gritted her teeth then spat at Sombra, she had her moment of victory, the spit had landed in his ear.
“I'll hunt down little Sparkle Bitch myself, then once all this is all over I'm taking my brother and leaving the system. But if you cross me or hurt Sunburst again then I will not rest until you, the Regent, and the Dominion are dead, understand?”
“Heh, there’s that fiery spirit I heard so much about.”
Author's Note
---This does not represent the finished product---
Four out of Thirty-one. Only 27 more to go. Whoo Whoo!
But yeah, ya'll are going to need some clarification in order to understand some of the names, specifically Regent, i.e. The Lunar Regent, Regent Luna, Luna, and again, Regent. Those are all interchangeable she can be called any one of those. Comment if you have questions or concerns... or if you're really nice give a cookie
