Chapters Author's Note
The first few chapters are going to switch between Fluttershy and Sombra's POV's. This chapter will be him, the next will be Fluttershy and so on.
Sombra
Sombra growled as he sat in his cage. They called it a containment unit but it was just a cage. He rubbed at the ring around his horn, his hatred for the infernal device growing. For the past two years, since he'd been brought back, he'd been with them as they studied his magic. He was just lucky he hadn't been in the persuasion rooms yet. No one knew what they did in there, since anyone who was didn't want to talk about it. Groaning, he laid down and rolled onto his back, crossing his fore legs over his chest and belly. His short tail flicked as he sighed and licked his lips. He hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday.
A loud clang echoed through the area, making Sombra bend to see what was going on. He rolled onto his belly and stood, his ears pricked in interest. The collectors, or the ones that kidnapped, came in, leading a very familiar yellow mare. Fluttershy's aqua eyes were wide with fear as they brought her in. The cage between him and the wall opened and the shivering mare was thrown in. She curled into a ball, whimpering in fear. The door slammed closed and they left. Curious, he turned towards her and was saddened by the sight. Her wings were ruffled and a few feathers were missing while her ears were pinned flat to her head. When she looked up, her eyes were shimmering with tears. She turned towards him and her eyes widened. She stared at him for a few seconds before whimpering and curling up and starting to cry.
Sombra was about to reach through and comfort her when his own door clanged open. He turned and glared at the stallion staring a him, a collar and chain hanging from his mouth. They stared at each other for a whole minute before it started. Sombra growled as the stallion, named Rickshaw, lunged forwards. Snarling, the gray stallion tried to dodge but the collar snapped shut around his neck. He growled and turned snapping at his captor. Rickshaw pulled the chain taut, though Sombra still pulled away from him.
"You know, the less you fight, the faster this will go." Sombra snarled, noticing Fluttershy's terrified gaze out of his peripheral. Finally, he relented, although he still pulled out of spite. As they walked, he spotted the solitary hall. He'd been in there a few times before, when he fought them or bit someone. However, when he saw where they were headed, his heart dropped into his stomach. He sat down, making Rickshaw jerk. The dark blue stallion turned and glared at him. He gave a solid tug and Sombra jolted forwards.
As they reached the room and the platform in said room, he was greeted by a large machine. The chain was hooked to a large, wooden post while his hooves were hooked up to a small steel plate. He looked down then up at the two ponies working with the machine. The mare was wearing a pair of thick glasses while her thick blue mane was tied up in a bun. Her green eyes turned towards him before turning towards Rickshaw.
"What do you think Rickshaw? 3?"
That sounds good, Blueberry." Blueberry nodded and turned a dial to the number three. Feeling like being an annoying smart-ass, Sombra piped up.
"Three doesn't sound bad for what I think this is for. Electricity, correct?" The two glared at him. Rickshaw placed his hoof against his head while Blueberry simply gave him a bored look.
"It's 300'000 volts, not three. We don't appreciate you being snarky. We are in charge here, not you, former King Sombra." Sombra's eyes widened as she stated the amount of volts. He may not have experienced much electricity in his life but he did know that was a very high amount. She grinned at the fear in his eyes and turned towards the machine. Placing her hoof on the activation lever, she shot him another smirk before pulling the lever down. All at once, a searing, crackling pain filled his whole body. He didn't register collapsing on the floor amidst the white-hot pain that covered his mind and vision. He curled up as a loud, piercing scream ripped out of his throat. Sombra writhed on the ground as he screamed so loud that his throat turned raw. After what seemed like forever, the pain stopped as small cracks and sparks ran over his body and hair.
"His magic levels didn't change at all. What if we hit him again with a bit more. Say... 3.5?" Rickshaw nodded and the mare changed the number, while Sombra trembled. For the next two hours, they continued to pump electricity through his body, though his magic levels didn't waver. When he was brought back to his cage, Fluttershy was pressed against the bars. Sombra groaned, his legs limp as he tried to stand up. His groan caught Fluttershy's attention and she turned, gasping as she saw him.
"Are you o...okay? Sombra?" He let out a rusty laugh and looked up at her.
"Do I look okay?" Her eyes were concerned as he struggled to stand, small wisps of smoke raising off his body. When he slipped, she sighed and stuck her hoof through the bars. Sombra shot her a grateful look as he grabbed her hoof. However, as soon as he was steady, she pulled her hoof back, her concern replaced with fear and distrust. He laughed at her look and shook his head.
"I was wondering when the fear would show up. I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I'm a prisoner just like you." Fluttershy dropped her ears and walked away from him. Sighing, the dark gray stallion rubbed his horn, sore from the electricity. His ring had shorted out so they'd given him a new one, this time resistant to the treatment. He wanted to get to know the yellow mare, though first he would need to gain her trust.
"Fluttershy, listen to me. I get you don't trust me but I'd like to give you some advice. Try not to get in the Persuasion room. That's where I just was. They electrocute you." She looked up at him in horror, terror in her eyes. Sombra sighed and lied down, curling up to sleep the pain off.
When Sombra came back, Fluttershy was shocked. There were wisps of smoke coming off his body and hair as well as scorch marks all over his body. However, after she helped him up, she remembered who he was and walked away, not wanting to acknowledge him. Even after he gave her a warning before curling up and drifting off to sleep. Now that he was out, however, she felt brave enough to take a closer look at him. While he was gone, she'd heard some of their captors talking about him, even saying he'd been there for two years straight. For somepony who was trapped for that long, he was still in great shape. His chest and legs were solid while his back and middle were lean, showing a thinner build, though most of him was muscle. Sombra's mane was tangled but still retained it's healthy sheen. Fluttershy sighed, curious at how he was here and how, with how strong he clearly was, he hadn't escaped.
While she waited for him to wake up so she could ask, she looked around. For a place deep underground, it was surprisingly clean and well-kept. To pass the time, she turned her head and began to preen. Well-kept wings were essential for good health. Sombra stirred, making her freeze as she stared at him. He moved his head and uncurled his legs, rolling onto his side and sighing before settling. She relaxed and continued preening. Like most pegasi, she could preen for up to four hours on a single wing, to make sure each feather was properly in place, as even a single misaligned feather could cause discomfort. She got lost in her preening as it relaxed her. She didn't notice Sombra waking up and staring at her.
"Umm... Fluttershy?" She looked up and her eyes widened. Shaking her head, she finished the last few feathers before sitting up, her wings now sitting clean and flush against her back. He smiled gently and moved closer, completely relaxed. Fluttershy stared at him, her eyes wary. Sombra sighed and tilted his head to the side.
"You know, we're stuck here together so we might as well try to get along. Why don't we start over, with a clean slate?" Fluttershy glared before looking down in thought, weighing the pros and cons. She sighed and looked up, a hesitant smile on her face. Sombra grinned and he relaxed.
"Why don't you start. Just tell me something about yourself." Fluttershy nodded and narrowed her eyes, thinking hard. Sombra chuckled as her eyes crossed. Nodding her head she looked up at him and took a deep breath.
"I have a little brother who's about three years younger than me." Sombra's eyebrows shot upwards, clearly surprised. Fluttershy glared at him and he shook his head.
"Sorry, I just didn't take you for an older sister. You look like your not that old though you are pretty" Fluttershy smiled and fluttered her wings. She laid down and placed her chin on her crossed legs.
"Alright, your turn for fact giving."
"Well, if you can believe it, I wasn't very powerful before getting into dark magic." Now it was her turn to be surprised. However, before she could give another fact, the room went dark. She yelped and curled into a ball, shivering in fear. After a few minutes, she fell into a restless sleep.
Two months had passed since Fluttershy was abducted. She and Sombra had come to good terms as he helped her through her time here. She'd also been through some experiments as the group tried to figure out the connection between her cutie mark and her friends' cutie marks. She turned towards her sides, staring at the scars that surrounded her cutie marks. Whimpering, she curled up. As much as her young friendship with Sombra calmed her, she missed her friends and family. A gentle hoof pressed her back and she turned, meeting Sombra's calm gaze. His hoof moved to her head and he began to gently stroke her hair. A feeling of calm swept over her and she relaxed. As long as they were both okay, they could get through this together. Though, she could never have predicted what happened the next day.
She was woken up when she heard a loud scuffle outside her cage. Sombra was pinned by a familiar gray pegasus stallion whose dark blue hair and amber eyes were wild. Snarling, the darker stallion lunged, sinking his fangs into Rickshaw's shoulder. Rickshaw screamed and punched Sombra in the eye before jumping off. More ponies came over and restrained Sombra, although he still managed to bit a few of them. Fluttershy was terrified as they tried to pin him to the floor. Then, she got her first glimpse of his raw physical power. Sombra flipped, his hind legs clenching before he rammed them into the closest pony's belly. The mare was flung about two feet into the air before crashing to the floor. Fluttershy's jaw dropped, amazed by the sheer power in his body. Sombra suddenly dropped as Rickshaw wrapped a rope around his leg and pulled him down. Letting out a roar of rage, he flipped and launched towards Rickshaw. The two collided and rolled around while more ponies tried to pull them apart.
When he heard that some of the stallions were planning to use Fluttershy, his natural protective side kicked in. Since he was on his way back from studies, he was able to do something. However, when he saw her terrified eyes and tense body, he froze. He didn't want to lose his only friend. However, he was soon tackled by Rickshaw. As he locked eyes with her one more time, pain blossomed over the back of his head and his vision went black. When he woke up, he was in a large, cement room with a small bed in one corner. Sombra wasn't surprised, given what happened earlier. Rubbing the back of his head, he groaned as a pounding headache overtook him.
The door opened and Rickshaw walked in, his shoulder and leg bandaged. Sombra pinned his ears back, a growl rumbling in his throat. Rickshaw narrowed his eyes and stepped aside, revealing the last pony Sombra expected to see. Fluttershy's pink mane, now half the length it was when she got here, was hanging over her eyes as she looked away. Sombra's heart leapt as Rickshaw left, merely saying she had wanted to speak with him. Staring at her, he tilted his head.
"Why, were you fighting them, Sombra? Please tell me why you'd do this." Sombra's ears dropped and he looked down. Fluttershy sighed and walked over, sitting down in front of him. She gently touched his leg, once again surprising him with her gentle, kind nature. He sighed and relented.
"I... I heard them saying that they were going to use you for, well.... you know. I've always been protective of friends. So I snapped and overreacted." He looked at her to see a look of pure horror. Sombra gently wrapped a fore leg around her trembling shoulders, pulling her close. "I realize that I shouldn't have acted like that but I was just reacting." Fluttershy pulled away from him and smiled, though it fell when he turned away from her. His ears were pinned back and he just sat there trembling. He could hear Fluttershy pleading for him to keep talking with her but he didn't move. Finally, he heard the door open and close. He closed his eyes as his trembling increased. No matter how much she reassured him, he knew that he couldn't be forgiven. He remembered who he was but when he'd been brought back, his corruption had been washed away. So any hint of his old self that rose up made him feel worse.
"Fluttershy, you weren't actually..."
"No, luckily somepony came in before they could go too far. However, they did touch me. Rickshaw and his friends." Pure rage bubbled up in his chest. Rickshaw would pay for this dearly.
It had been almost a whole year since Fluttershy arrived and Sombra was having a dilemma. When he came back to his cage to see Rickshaw trying to force himself on Fluttershy, his vision turned red. He'd attacked him and once again got put in solitary. However, her reaction when he got back was worth it. Sombra shook his head as he thought about it. He refused to think about Fluttershy, with her soft fur, smooth and silky feathers, and her jewel-like eyes. He shook his head again, trying to clear the thoughts from his head. Sombra cared about her, of course. They had bonded quite well over the past ten months and he had gotten even more protective of her.
"Let's go, Sombra." His thoughts were broken when his cage door was opened. Rickshaw was staring at him, a deep V in his left ear. The nick was the product of his last attack. He turned to Fluttershy and sighed before following Rickshaw. Fluttershy had begged him to fight Rickshaw less, for fear he would get hurt. He pinned his ears back as they approached the Persuasion rooms. The highest amount he'd been put through without blacking out was level 7. His fur even spiked slightly as the got to the room. However, once the binds were attached, he began trembling.
He turned towards Blueberry to see her cranking the level up to 5. Sombra began to whimper quietly as she made preparations. After the lever was pulled, he was brought down in a few seconds. As he writhed in pain, tears streaming down his cheeks, he could feel his horn sparking. His body had had enough of this treatment. Curling, his screams pierced the air. Finally, the pain dulled and he could relax. He looked up, his vision blurred by tears. Blueberry looked at her screen and shook her head.
"Please, s... stop." The two turned towards him in surprise. Rickshaw shared a victorious grin with Blueberry. The blue mare nodded and turned the level up. Unknown to Sombra, however, she wasn't turning it up by one but by four. Sombra whimpered and his head dropped. He knew that if he got out of here, he would be afraid of lightning for the rest of his life. Suddenly, far more power than usual poured into his body, sending him into a world that consisted only of pain and electricity. His eyes were squeezed shut as tears poured down his cheeks and he writhed around, sparks running over his body, hair and horn. Blueberry kept an eye on her monitor, sighing in frustration before going up again.
Sombra was soon in so much pain he went silent, his mouth open in a silent scream. Finally, his levels began to fluctuate as his horn began to glow a brilliant red. Blueberry nodded to Rickshaw and flipped the lever. They looked at Sombra, unconcerned at his state. He was barely lucid and was still twitching. Tears were still streaming down his cheeks and he was shaking. Blueberry wrote something down and nodded to Rickshaw.
"Get him back. He can rest then we'll go again in a couple days. We're so close to some real results with him." Rickshaw nodded and pulled Sombra after him and to his cage. When Fluttershy saw him, she screamed in horror. His head was lolling to the side as he was rested against the side. Shudders ran through his body and he still had tears running down his cheeks. Fluttershy gently reached through and stroked his fur. Sombra tensed at her touch before whimpering, more tears flowing as he silently cried. She stuck her other hoof through and wrapped them around his shoulders and neck. He stayed like that for the next hour as his body and mind reached their breaking point. That night, he decided that he'd had enough.
"Fluttershy, I can't take this anymore. I need to get out of here." Fluttershy was shocked, since there was no way out.
The girls were exhausted. In the past two months, they had been searching every nook and cranny for Fluttershy, with no success. So far, they hadn't told Zephyr Breeze about his missing sister, though they'd have to soon. He was coming over to visit her for the week tomorrow and would need to be told. Twilight looked at Rainbow, concern for her friend briefly outweighing her worry about their missing friend. The blue mare was draped over her throne, not saying a word while her eyes were shiny with still unshed tears. Suddenly, the door to the throne room burst open, revealing Spike and Zephyr. The green pegasus was holding onto her little brother while the drake had a look on his face that clearly read 'help me'.
"Hey all. I knocked, like, ten times but you didn't answer. Finally, I went in and got him to show where you all were. Now, where's my sister? She wasn't at her cottage." He looked around, though his face fell as he soon saw that something wasn't right. When he turned towards the lethargic Rainbow, his unsure face turned concerned.
"Girls?" Twilight sighed and flew over, levitating Spike over to Rarity. She sat down and gestured for Zephyr to do the same. Now, he was very worried.
"Zephyr, I realize that we should have told you this sooner." His head tilted and he gave a short, unsure laugh.
"Told me what. You're... you're scaring me a little bit." Twilight sighed and looked at Rainbow, who had curled up, shaking and very clearly crying. She turned towards a scared Zephyr and gently wrapped a wing around him.
"Fluttershy's not here. She went missing about two months ago. We thought we could find her so we didn't tell you. Your parents agreed to keep it a secret." Zephyr froze, his mind going blank as he tried to process this. Soon, he began to shake and hyperventilate. Twilight gently wrapped her hooves and wings around him, holding his shaking body close. Soon, she felt drops of water fall against her neck and tightened her grip. Zephyr whimpered and his tears increased as what she'd said finally registered completely. He could feel Twilight rubbing his back as she tried to comfort him but it wasn't registering. That word kept echoing through his head as his trembling sped up.
After a few more seconds, he let out a loud scream and wrapped his hooves tightly around Twilight, sobbing loudly. Twilight gently stroked his mane, shushing him and trying to provide comfort. Although they never really showed it, Fluttershy and Zephyr were almost as close as Twilight and her own brother. He buried his muzzle into her neck and his shoulders shook and his chest heaved. Rainbow looked up and for the first time since Fluttershy first disappeared, her eyes brightened and she left her throne. She walked over and gently joined the hug, her own tears flowing as well. Soon, the other four, including Spike, joined as well. It took him a whole two hours to calm down. They needed to find Fluttershy, or Twilight didn't know what he would do.
When Zephyr had confronted his parents, he'd ended up not speaking with them for two weeks. However, he had been helping them search for Fluttershy. She'd been missing for ten months now and they were all losing hope. But when the police came to see them, their remaining hope was shattered.
"Twilight! Girls!" The girls and Zephyr came racing to the door. The two police-ponies outside had an odd look on their face. When they saw Twilight, they stood straight, though the look stayed.
"Princess and friends, I understand that you've been searching For Fluttershy. Well so have we, as you know but we've exhausted our leads and resources. I'm afraid we can't continue investigating a lost cause." Twilight and the girls looked at each other in shock. Shaking her head, the purple mare stepped forwards.
"What... what do you mean 'a lost cause'?"
"Well, it's become clear to us that Fluttershy is most likely not going to be found at this point. Our chief has signed a document that labels her as legally dead. I'm sorry, but there's nothing else we can do." The two nodded and left, leaving the group in a state of horror. Spike shut the door and turned towards his family. Out of the seven of them, Zephyr was taking it the hardest. He was shivering and whimpering, tears filling his eyes. Rainbow turned towards him and gently wrapped a wing around him. Only to have him pull away and fly out the window, small drops of water following him.
Author's Note
Time for escape.
Fluttershy
It was two months before Sombra had a chance to escape. Fluttershy did what she could to help but she couldn't do much. She cared for him and they had bonded almost as closely as her and the girls. On the big day, Fluttershy noticed that he was looking nervous. The day started normally, with them being fed and given water. Today, for breakfast they were having mushy porridge, applesauce and some strawberries. Sombra didn't eat anything so, when no one was watching, she stole his food. Not that he seemed to care. Fluttershy saw Rickshaw approaching their cages and signalled Sombra. However, he wasn't the one let out. She was.
"Her whole body filled with horror as their whole plan was destroyed.
"Wait, where are you taking me?" Rickshaw stopped and looked at her, his eyes clouded with a look Fluttershy knew on him all to well.
"You're going to be mine, sweet one. This time, your coltfriend isn't going to stop me from having you." Her eyes widened in freight and she began to fight. When that didn't work she did the last thing she could.
"HELP ME!!!" She at first didn't hear anything, until there was a loud clang and Sombra came barreling around the corner, his teeth bared and a look of pure, unbridled rage on his face. Rickshaw's eyes widened as the enraged stallion slammed into him. Fluttershy retreated as the fight ensued. It didn't take long for Sombra to overpower him and get away. Since she was now free, Fluttershy decided to go with him. Her unpreened wings were sore and she couldn't fly because of it. Sombra slid to a stop and pulled her close. She soon saw why as a group of guards raced past them. Fluttershy was shaking from fear as she followed Sombra out.
"Oh, shoot. The ramp's up." She looked up and saw the outline of their ramp. Sombra growled and began scraping at the suppressing ring on his horn. Fluttershy reached over and grabbed the device in her teeth, easily pulling it off. Once his horn was free he was bout to pull down the ramp when they both froze. In the hall behind them and growing closer, was the sound of their pursuers. Sombra looked down before turning towards her. Her frame was shaking and her beautiful eyes were glimmering with tears. In a split second decision, he grabbed her chin and gently kissed her. The contact only lasted a couple of seconds but it still managed to send her heart racing. He pulled the ramp down and shoved Fluttershy towards it.
"S... Sombra, what are you doing?!" He turned towards her and simply smiled before releasing the ramp, sending her up. She was frozen for a few seconds, listening to the sounds of fighting below her. However, she bolted as the ramp began to glow. Her sore wings flapped as she ran, giving her a boost. She began panting as she ran, not keeping track of time. However, when she saw the entrance she grinned and sped up. As soon as she was out of the forest, she collapsed, gasping for air. A rainbow streak across the sky caught her attention, especially when it began to curve towards her. She stood, took two steps and collapsed, still gasping. Rainbow landed and raced towards her.
"FLUTTERSHY!!!!! YOU'RE ALIVE!!!" Fluttershy looked up at her friend as her vision started to turn black. Rainbow's voice started to warp as the lack of air started to take effect. She slumped to the side and her yelling friend faded away completely.
"I FOUND FLUTTERSHY!!!!!"
Fluttershy's eyes slowly fluttered open as she moaned. As her vision cleared, she saw that she was in a hospital room. She turned towards the door right as Rainbow poked her head in. She grinned and shot in, quickly wrapping her hooves around her neck. Fluttershy returned the hug as the rest of her friends poured in. It took a few minutes before Fluttershy could get them off her, though she was giggling hard. Rainbow turned towards Twilight.
"Did he let you in?" Twilight's face fell and she shook her head. Rainbow sighed and shook her head, her eyes downcast.
"Um... may I see to Miss Fluttershy?" The girls jumped before shuffling out of the way. Nurse Redheart walked over to the yellow mare, a clipboard hovering in her pink magic. After a quick check-over, she announced that Fluttershy was ready to go home. The necessary paperwork was filled out and she was allowed to leave. For the first time in a year, Fluttershy stood in her hometown. However, her relief was short-lived. Sombra popped into her head and she was soon extremely worried about him.
"Girls, there was someone who I left behind and he's.... he's in danger. We need to rescue him." The girls looked at each other and nodded. Fluttershy nodded and turned, shooting towards the Everfree forest. She didn't even notice that her wings had been preened. It took a short while but they found the entrance. Rainbow, though, was getting suspicious.
"Say, Flutters, who exactly are we saving? It had better not be Dumbbell." Fluttershy shook her head no, although she suddenly looked nervous.
"It's, um... Sombra."
"Eh?" Fluttershy sighed and steeled herself for the onslaught she was about to receive.
"Sombra" Instantly Rainbow started shouting, Rarity actually fainted and the other three remained silent.
"Girls, just trust me! He's changed a lot, and for the better." She didn't notice Applejack's ears prick and the glimmer of belief that appeared in her eyes.
"CHANGED!? Flutters, this is a guy that imprisoned a whole RACE! He won't change at all, no matter WHAT you do!"
"RAINBOW!!!" Everypony went silent and turned towards Applejack. She was leaning against a tree, her eyes disappointed. With a huff, she pushed of the tree and walked over to Fluttershy, intent to put her built-in lie detector to good use.
"Fluttershy, I want you to look me in the eyes and swear that Sombra has changed like you said." Fluttershy took a deep breath and met Applejack's steady gaze with her own.
"I swear on the lives of my mother, father and brother he has changed." Her gaze never wavered. Applejack took in her posture before nodding and turning towards Twilight and Rainbow.
"I believe her." Once they were inside and had incapacitated everypony, while freeing the prisoners, they split up into three teams. Twilight and Rarity. Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Rainbow and Fluttershy. Fluttershy whimpered, the dark halls bringing bad memories. As they searched, her thoughts turned to when she'd first told Sombra about her brother in detail.
Fluttershy looked at Sombra as he told a story of when he was a foal. She smiled and sighed, her eyes suddenly going down. Concerned, Sombra inquired what was wrong.
"I'm just missing my friends and family. My brother isn't very good at keeping a job. He gives up at the slightest hint of trouble."
"Sounds like me when I was young. Whenever something went wrong I would give up and go to the next thing in a cycle. It wa because of one reason." Fluttershy tilted her head, curious.
"What was the reason?" Sombra looked up at her and sighed, his eyes sad.
"I felt like a failure. I put up this façade like it was just to hard or wasn't right for me but in truth, I felt like I couldn't do anything right. When I quit, I felt like such a failure that I just didn't want to do anything. So, I lived with my family and leaned on them till the next failure. It was only after my brother asked me what was wrong that I gave in and changed my view. After crying like a baby, of course." Fluttershy was horrified as she thought about it. What was worse was that it explained a few things about her little brother. When she got out, she was going to have a good heart to heart with him.
Fluttershy was shaken from her thoughts when Rainbow gave a loud shout, like a battle cry. She looked up to see her wrestling with Rickshaw. Fluttershy looked around and finally noticed where they were. The persuasion rooms. Her heart seized with fear and she raced into the room. Blueberry wasn't there but the one she was hoping wouldn't be was. Sombra was laying on the platform, his whole body was limp and his head was lolling to the side. Letting out a cry, she shot forward, catching his head in her hooves. The warmth made him stir and his eyes cracked open and he looked up.
"F... Fluttershy?" Her heart broke as she heard how broken he sounded and her eyes filled with hot tears. She whimpered and curled around him, keeping a hold on his head so he didn't roll. Rainbow pooped up to see Fluttershy holding Sombra, her eyes filled with tears. She nodded and raced off to find the others.
"Fluttershy, what... what are you d... doing here? You're supp... pposed to be free. Not here."
"Shhh. It's okay, you're safe now. I brought my friends and we're going to get you our of here. I promised."
The girls came racing up the stairs, hot on Rainbow's tail. When they saw Sombra, their hearts also broke. Twilight walked over to him before noticing the machine. She walked over to investigate while the girls checked on the limp, barely lucid stallion.
"These machines have been illegal for decades. Celestia taught me how to destroy them safely, in case I came across one that was working." As she tinkered with the machine, the girls tried to help Sombra. He had large bruises, along with extremely deep cuts all over his body. A small pool of blood was forming beneath him and his back legs were twisted and clearly broken. His horn was chipped with the tip broken off. Tears of pain were gently rolling down his cheeks as he whimpered. Fluttershy gently stroked his mane, trying to calm him down. Sombra was trembling and they could see the pain on his face. Twilight walked over and sighed, her ears drooping. Fluttershy looked up, her eyes full of tears. She took a deep, shuddering breath and spoke up.
"There's another one in the next room over." Twilight nodded and left, her horn glowing. Fluttershy watched her go before nuzzling into his mane while the girls got up and left, to detain any waking ponies. Now alone, Fluttershy gently placed a delicate kiss on his forehead, right above his horn. His chin rested on her left fore leg, while she had her other leg wrapped around his neck to keep his head from lolling. He moaned and tried to shift, only to yelp in pain.
"Shh. Don't move. Your legs are broken." Sombra whimpered as the girls came back in. Twilight's horn was glowing as she looked around, wary. Once she was sure things were safe, she dropped the spell.
"Fluttershy, we need to get him to the hospital."
"How? He can't walk at all." Twilight's horn began to blaze and there was a bright flash of light. When, Fluttershy's vision came back, they were in the Ponyville hospital. She turned right as the nurses spotted them. They gasped and quickly took action, gently lifting Sombra onto a stretcher and taking him away. Fluttershy stared after him, terror gripping her heart. His life was no longer in her hooves.
"Fluttershy, you need to go see your family. Though, when you get there, be gentle and patient with Zephyr." Panic flashed through her eyes at Twilight's words regarding her younger brother. He had a habit of getting into trouble and if she needed to be gentle then something was wrong. But why would she need to be patient?
"W... why would I need to be patient? Gentle, I get but patient?" Twilight sighed and looked down, deepening her friend's fears.
"He... hasn't been the same since you disappeared. Two months ago, you were declared legally dead by the police. After that, he shut himself in his room and doesn't come out except for food, water and the bathroom. He's completely broken." Fluttershy was horrified. She knew that they were close with each other but this... In a split second, she bolted past Twilight and out the door, her heart racing in panic. She flew faster than she ever had, desperate to see her brother. As she touched down in front of her parent's house, she felt fear wash over her mind. Taking a deep breath, she walked in. Her parents weren't looking at her, though they were in the middle of making a meal.
"Hello?" Her parents froze before whipping around, they're eyes wide. After a few seconds they raced over, nearly knocking her over. Fluttershy whimpered and buried her muzzle in her parent's necks, tears starting to flow down her cheeks. They stayed there for ten minutes, simply holding each other. When they pulled apart, her mother gently touched her cheek, a happy smile on her face. Fluttershy smiled back before her brother entered her mind. Her gaze went down as well as her ears. Concerned, her father touched her leg.
"What's wrong, Fluttershy?" She sighed and looked up at them, a look of fear in her eyes.
"Where's Zephyr?" Her fears were worsened as her parents looked at each other, unsure. Sighing, her mother turned towards her.
"He's upstairs in his room. As usual." Fluttershy turned on the spot and flew up the stairs, her ears pinned back. When she reached his room, the door was closed but not locked. Opening the door, she peered in to see Zephyr laying on his bed. However, he wasn't sleeping. He was looking at the photo album she'd given him two weeks before she was taken. He'd originally not been very pleased, though she had insisted he take it. His ears were down and his eyes had a scarily dead look to them. However, what scared her most, was his lack of wing care. Pegasi had a biological urge to preen when their wings got messy. The only time this urge was ignored was in times of immense emotional pain. Fluttershy whimpered and walked over to her brother, her own neat wings folded.
Small streaks ran down his cheeks. Fluttershy sighed and took the album, drawing his attention. She placed the open album on his table before flying back over. Fluttershy settled on the bed and wrapped her hooves around his neck, only to feel he was shaking. Her eyes squeezed shut as his shaking got worse. His breathing sped up and he began to whimper. Fluttershy started to stroke his messy mane, her touch gentle. She pulled back slightly and placed a gentle, loving kiss on his head. For Zephyr, that was the last straw. He knew his sister's touch and while many ponies could match it, his family were the only ones who could even get close to kissing him. A loud, heartbroken sob ripped out of his chest ad he buried his muzzle in her mane, wrapping his hooves around her neck in a tight grip. Fluttershy knew the grip very well. He was looking for a lifeline. Zephyr was so scared that if he let go, she evaporate. She continued stroking his mane while his shoulders heaved, loud sobs still filling the room.
"Shhhh. It's okay, it's okay. I'm here." He let out a wail and his grip tightened, hurting her neck. Fluttershy bore through it though. Right now, her baby brother needed her and that was more important than her own comfort. Fluttershy could feel him trying to press his muzzle into her neck. His hind legs had curled up against his belly, giving away his terror. He thought he was dreaming. Fluttershy simply stroked him, unable to help his fear at the moment. After an hour, Zephyr calmed down, his body quaking and his breathing shaky. She tried to pull away, but when she did, his hold tightened even more. Sighing, she twisted her head and pulled away. Zephyr's eyes were red and his cheeks and chin were soaked with his tears. Her own tears appeared and she leaned up, pressing her lips to his forehead. He whimpered and stared at her, his eyes still filled with tears. Fluttershy spread her wings and was about to go downstairs for some food when Zephyr spoke.
"P... please d... don't leave m... me." Zephyr never stuttered. His voice, normally so loud and full of energy, was small, quiet and broken. He looked so terrified that Fluttershy stopped, torn between her brother and the pull of food. Zephyr won.
"I'm not going anywhere."
When Zephyr woke up, he was confused. He didn't understand the warmth against his side, or the hooves around his neck. He lifted his head, and a chin rolled off his head, landing with a thump on the leg below him. He turned and froze, his eyes wide in shock. He'd thought that was a cruel dream. His big sister was laying on the bed beside him, her wing draped over his back and her left foreleg on his neck. her eyes were closed and she was breathing gently. A flood of pink pooled around her chest. As he stared in disbelief at his sister, her eyes fluttered open.
Her turquoise eyes slowly opened and turned up towards him. She put her leg down and lifted her head, letting out a loud yawn. She smiled at him while he stared at her, trying to find something to say. Fluttershy gently placed her hoof against his cheek and kissed his forehead. Zephyr whimpered as she laid her chin on his head, pressing into the touch. Fluttershy nuzzled him before hopping off the bed. Zephyr followed and watched her as she puffed up a large patch of cloud. After, she sat down and patted the patch.
"Sit." The word wasn't a suggestion or a request. It was a command. He walked over, not sure what her plan was. He sat on the fluffy mound, his tail flicking. Fluttershy walked around behind him and sat back, pressing her hooves to his shoulders. He fell forwards and rested on his forelegs. She settled down beside him, her tail draped over his forelegs. In a single, swift movement, she got his wing spread over her legs. Zephyr tried to pull his wing back but Fluttershy kept a hoof on the feathers, glaring at him.
"Your wings need to be preened. Now calm down and let me or I'm telling mom about your lack of personal care." His eyes widened at her threat.
"You wouldn't" Fluttershy growled and shoved her nose up against his.
"Try me." Zephyr sighed and relaxed, allowing her to preen him. She nodded in satisfaction and began to preen him. Unlike of most pegasi, he had extremely thick feathers, making preening a bit difficult. As she straightened the good feathers and pulled the loose ones, her brother rested his head on her lower back. As each feather was put into place by his sister, he had to admit it felt nice. Over the past two months, he'd never noticed how much pain his wings were in. Now he was noticing. The pain was making him groan and move, his face scrunched up. Fluttershy looked at him and sighed before returning to her work. It took five hours for the one wing to be fully preened, though once it was the feathers were glossy and smooth. She then did the other side. When she was finished, Zephyr looked a lot more comfortable.
"Feeling better, Zeph?" He nodded and sighed, ruffling his now tidy wings. Fluttershy gently nuzzled him before jumping over him and heading downstairs for some food. Her parents gave her a kiss and some breakfast for her and Zephyr. When she went up, he was looking at the photo album again, though this time his eyes weren't dead. However, he wasn't smiling. When Fluttershy nudged him, he flicked an ear.
"Where were you? Over the past year. Why didn't you come back?" Fluttershy nuzzled him only to have him pull away. Zephyr looked up at her, a hurt look on his face. She looked down, her ears going down and starting to tremble. When she looked up, Zephyr was looking back at the album. His ears were also pinned back. She looked at the picture and saw it was the same one as earlier. The one of her playing with her one year old brother. She looked at him and sighed. They had been nearly as close as Twilight and Shining.
"You promised me you'd never leave me. Remember, when I got left behind at school and you came to get me? You promised me that you'd never leave me again."
"I didn't, Zeph. It wasn't my fault at all." Zephyr huffed, glaring at her. Fluttershy sighed and stood up, turning her cutie mark towards her brother. If he was going to believe her, he needed to see her scars. Zephyr looked up and his eyes locked on her scars, going wide.
"I was taken, Zeph. They were trying to find out what connected me with my friends." His eyes stayed wide as a look of horror passed over them. She walked back over to him and pressed against her brother's chest as she tried to stop trembling. Zephyr wrapped a foreleg around her shoulders and nuzzled her, sighing as he held her close to him.
Fluttershy was playing chess with her brother, with both of them failing gloriously, when Twilight came barging in. The whole Shy family turned and stared at her. She was gasping and her tongue was hanging out of her mouth. Fluttershy looked at her family before jumping off her seat and walking over to Twilight.
"What's wrong?" The panting Alicorn looked up at her friend and explained between breaths.
"Sombra's... out of... surgery. He... woke... up... and was... asking to... see... you. So you... should... probably... " Fluttershy was gone before she finished. Twilight looked up at her friend's parents, who were staring at her. Zephyr stood and went into the kitchen, coming back out with a large glass of water. Twilight wasted no time in gulping the water down.
Fluttershy's wings were buzzing as she shot towards the hospital. She was desperate to see if he was okay and to find out what his kiss had meant. When she got there, Redheart took her to Sombra's room. She stuck her head in and stared at the dark gray stallion. His hind legs were both held in splints and he was reading. The tip of his horn was repaired, probably thanks to Twilight. Fluttershy walked in, the gentle clipping of her hooves making him look up. A bright grin split his face as he put his book down. Fluttershy recognized it as a history book. He had a small pile of them beside the bed. Rolling her eyes, she smiled and walked over to him.
"Hey there, Fluttershy. I'm glad your okay." She smiled and sat down, after moving the book pile. Sombra sat up and looked at her, his scarlet eyes bright. Fluttershy smiled, albeit half-heartedly.
"What's wrong?" Fluttershy sighed and looked down.
"I... I was just wondering what the kiss before I escaped meant." Sombra's eyes widened and soon he matched Fluttershy's faint blush.
"Oh. Well... it was a spur of... of the moment. I'm sorry if I messed with your head." Fluttershy nodded and looked at him with satisfaction in her eyes. They talked for a while before she turned and left, allowing Sombra to sigh in relief. As long as she believed that, he was good.
A few months had passed since Fluttershy and Sombra were rescued. So far, only a few of their captors had been caught. Though neither of them had told the extent of what they'd been through, they had told a little. Twilight hadn't told the princess's yet, though Fluttershy's bond with her brother had been salvaged and they were closer than before.
Her soft belly was gently moving as she breathed. The bright sunlight was making her butter yellow fur glow a little while her thick, pink mane was spread out over the grass, a few hairs waving in the light breeze. A prod on his shoulder made him jump. He turned and blushed as he saw Rainbow's knowing smirk. Her and Rarity had both guessed how he felt for Fluttershy, though they had promised not to tell her. He glared at the now giggling mare and took his turn. Pinkie glanced between the two and shrugged, waiting for Rainbow to go.
Spike came running over, his eyes wide. He slide to a stop and fell over. Sombra looked at him and smiled as the young drake stood up, a scroll clutched in his claw.
"Twilight! You need to see this now." Twilight looked up and Rarity dropped her work. The Alicorn brought the scroll over and scanned it, her eyes going wide as she paled. Concerned, Fluttershy stood and walked over to her.
"What's wrong, Twilight?"
"Celestia and Luna are coming over for a week." The girls looked at each other in shock, while Sombra stiffened in fear. He couldn't hide for a whole week if both were going to be there. His heart began to race and his breathing sped up. Fluttershy turned towards him and her ears drooped. She walked over to him and gently wrapped her hooves around his shaking form. The worried Fluttershy could hear his heavy, rapid breathing.
"Is he okay?" Sombra took a deep breathe and pulled away from her, nodding to Pinkie.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just scared. If you recall, the Princess's and I don't have a very friendly history." Twilight nodded and sighed. This was not going to be a fun week. The princess's got there the next day.
"H... hello Princess." Celestia narrowed her eyes. As of late, Twilight only called her and Luna 'Princess' when she was upset or hiding something. Given her nervous behaviour and darting eyes, she figured it was the latter. Deciding not to confront her, the three Alicorns walked into the castle. As they approached the dining room, however, there was a loud crash from the library, followed by a very familiar voice.
"Oh, come ON, Rainbow!" Celestia and Luna glanced at each other, praying they were wrong about the voice. They all teleported to the library. A dark gray stallion was in a very heated argument with Rainbow, surrounded by shards of glass. Off to the side, the other four were watching in bemusement as Sombra and Rainbow yelled at each other. Luna and Celestia stared for a few seconds before glaring at Twilight who grinned sheepishly.
"Umm.... surprise?"
"I told you, it wasn't my fault! It was..."
" For the last time, Rainbow, a window can't put itself in your way!" Rainbow snarled at him, starting to tremble in rage. Twilight rolled her eyes and walked over, using her magic to teleport them to different areas, a short ways away. She sighed, backed away and repaired the window. Afterwards, they all turned towards a very unhappy Celestia and a neutral Luna.
"Care to EXPLAIN, Twilight!" The purple mare's ears pressed down at the pure venom in her mentor's voice. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. Sombra stood up and started to approach, though the look of pure hatred from Celestia made him sit right back down. Luna placed a hoof on her sister's shoulders. The moon princess stepped forward and lay down in front of a shivering Twilight, her voice calm and even.
"Twilight, tell us what happened. At least I won't go nuts." Luna shot a glare at her sister. Due to the volatile star Celestia controlled, she had a very well hidden temper. Luna was calmer and tempered her sister's tendency to charge in, horn a blazing and ask questions later. Twilight took a deep breath and calmed.
"He was with Fluttershy as a prisoner of the Ying-Yang group, as we're calling it. He risked his life and almost died so she could escape. So, as a thank you and at Fluttershy's behest, we saved him." Sombra looked at the shy pegasus in surprise. She'd never mentioned this to him. Celestia huffed and looked away.
"Can you please just give him a chance? Just get to know him from an objective standpoint." Celestia growled, stood and turned around, walking away. Twilight whimpered and looked at Luna in despair. Luna growled at her sister, her eyes narrowed in anger.
"Do you trust your 'precious student' so little?" Celestia stopped, her ears pricked and her mane began to whip and snap. Seeing she had her sister's attention, Luna continued. "If Twilight didn't trust him whole-heartedly, she would have put a ring on his horn. What's more, if he wasn't deserving of this chance then he would have attacked as soon as he was well. As such I trust him because I trust Twilight' judgment, even if you won't." With that, Luna sat down, not planning on moving an inch. Celestia turned around, guilt clear in her eyes. Luna was correct, as usual. She hadn't trusted Twilight's judgment. She looked at Twilight and her heart cracked. The purple mare's eyes were filled with tears as she stared at Celestia in hope. Hope she shouldn't need to feel.
Celestia relented and walked back to Twilight, scooping her up in a hug, her ears going down even more as she heard Twilight's start to quietly sob. She had betrayed Twilight's trust by not showing her own.
"I'm sorry, Twilight. My sister is right, as usual. I should have trusted you." After Twilight calmed down, Celestia released her and turned towards Sombra. She sighed and walked over, his ears going down. "For the sake of my former student Twilight, I would like to offer a clean slate. We can start over and try to get to know each other." Sombra nodded and gave a gentle, happy smile. Celestia smiled and offered her hoof, which Sombra gratefully accepted.
"However, there is one more issue with Sombra being accepted among us." Everypony turned in confusion towards Luna. She sighed and finished her thought. "Your brother and Cadence must be told." Twilight's ears pricked and a horrified expression came over her face.
"B... but Cadence is pregnant. He's never going to trust Sombra at the moment with Cadence around in her condition." Sombra's ears dropped and he dropped, his face smacking on the floor.
"Great. That's just fantastic."
Shining Armor looked at Cadence as they walked towards the throne room. Suddenly, a loud snore made the castle shake. They both jumped, yelping as the loud sound echoed through the halls. Then, they heard Rainbow remark.
"I didn't know ANYPONY could snore that loud. How is that healthy?" They poked in, freezing once they saw the dark gray stallion draped over Twilight's throne. His sharp horn was still curved and red, though the colour wasn't so bright. His eyes were closed and his thick mane hung over his neck as he let out another loud snore. Rainbow was rolling on the floor laughing hard as he slept. Twilight and her friends were staring slack-jawed while the princess's were shaking their heads. Shining shook his head and cleared his throat. They all jumped and whipped around, though Sombra didn't wake up. Suddenly, a devious look appeared on Cadence's face and she began to slink towards the sleeping stallion. She stopped behind him and caught one of his legs with her nose. In a swift motion, she swung her head up, sending him down.
"AAAHHHHHH!!!" Sombra jumped up and tilted to the side. Everypony, excluding the extremely suspicious Shining, started laughing. He turned towards his sister and narrowed his eyes. Sombra popped up over the table and froze. Twilight turned and also froze.
"Mind telling me what's going on here?" Twilight gave a sheepish smile and stood up. She could barely meet her brother's eyes.
"Umm.... I can explain."
"HE'S BEEN HERE FOR THREE MONTHS?! HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL US, TWILIGHT?!" The purple mare hunkered down to the ground, whimpering as her brother yelled at her. Her eyes filled with tears as he ranted at her, his unbridled fury so strong everypony could practically taste it. Sombra had been detained by the white unicorn, despite protests from everypony, even Cadence. The pregnant mare was currently off to the side, sitting by Sombra. He looked up at her then back towards Twilight and her brother. As Shining snarled at her, still seething mad, Twilight curled up into a ball, shivering. Her eyes were filling with tears and when she blinked, they started to stream down her cheeks.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, TWILIGHT?!" She sniffled, wrapping her hooves and wings over her head. However, her brother was too infuriated to notice. Cadence growled and walked over to her husband. However, the venom in his eyes made her reverse. Sombra lowered his ears and narrowed his eyes. After a few more minutes of Shining wandering around yelling while not noticing his sister crying, he'd had enough. His horn glowed and his binds dissolved. Eyes and horn bright with anger, he stomped over to him. When he failed to gain Shining's attention, Sombra let out n enraged scream and, in a flash of brilliant red, teleported Shining across the room.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!!" Growling, he shot back over and stood over him. He was only a couple inches taller than Sombra. Shining pulled his hoof back, only for an aqua glow to surround it. He turned and met his wife's seething glare. Snarling, he put his hoof down and sat. Right as he was about to say something, however, Twilight sniffed and whimpered. All at once his anger vanished and he turned, his eyes going wide in horror. His sister's shoulders and body were shaking and she quietly sobbed, her hooves and wings wrapped around her head. The wings are what made him stiffen. Wings over the head was well known sign among pegasi and even the four Alicorns that one main feeling was running through their heads. Fear. His precious sister was scared of him and it killed him.
"Twilight?" Her crying worsened, despite his soft voice. Pinning his ears back, he walked over and laid down. Gently, he reached out and pressed his hoof against her cheek, feeling her recoil slightly. She was shivering and he could hear her quiet whimpers behind her sobs. Shining sighed and sat up, pulling her up after him. He held her close as she cried, apologizing constantly. After a short while, she calmed and nuzzled into his belly.
"I'm sorry, Twilight. I don't trust him and I was upset and hurt about not being told. But that's no reason to yell at you." Twilight nuzzled into her brother, smiling gently. After a few minutes, she pulled away.
"I'll forgive you, on one condition. You need to give Sombra a chance." The two looked at each other.
"Please, Shining?" Sighing, he nodded and smiled as Twilight cheered. Sombra smiled and turned towards the girls, or more specifically, Fluttershy. Her eyes were bright with joy as she locked eyes with her. They had tried to interfere but Shining would simply glare at them with such a fury they backed off. Celestia was still looking at Twilight's brother with a cold anger. When she took him out, they came back in with two very different looks. Celestia was very pleased with herself while Shining Armor was wide-eyed, a look of fear in his eyes. Sombra could still see hatred in the white stallion's eyes. Things were going to be interesting.
"I just have one question. How did you get here in the first time? You were killed by the Crystal Heart." Sombra flattened his ears and looked down.
"I... I came back about three years ago."
"Then where you for all that time?" Sombra whipped his head up while Fluttershy stiffened. She'd gone to see him during the night a lot, because of nightmares. The princess's looked at each other and nodded in agreement. They had been wondering the same thing.
"W... well, I... um. A group c... called the Ying-Yang g... group brought me back. Though I still have my memories, I'm not evil anymore." Then Celestia made a mistake.
"Sombra, what happened to you in there?" Sombra stiffened, his eyes widening as he stared at them. His breathing sped up and he began to tremble. Fluttershy was also looking scared but she shoved it away. She hadn't been through nearly as much as Sombra. The most she'd been was when Rickshaw almost used her. Sighing, she stood and walked past the others towards her now hyperventilating friend. Fluttershy gently wrapped her hooves around his shoulders, feeling him jump. She could feel his racing, heavy heartbeat against her chest. He was trembling so much it was almost shaking Fluttershy. She gently nuzzled his neck and rubbed his back. Sombra was gasping as the memories ran through his head. The girls looked at each other. Not even they knew the extent of what he'd been through.
Fluttershy gently squeezed his shoulders as he wrapped his hooves around her middle. His reaction to the simple question, incinerated any misgivings Shining had about him. From what he'd seen of the Shadow King, he was sure that that Sombra wouldn't act like this. Fluttershy wrapped her wings around him, trying to calm him down. She was shocked. Sombra had always been strong for her, not showing to much pain. They'd thought he'd gotten over it thanks to her help. Now, they were seeing the truth. He'd been strong for Fluttershy's sake, while hurting on the inside. He didn't want to confront what happened. Twilight walked over herself and joining the hug, followed by the other four. Sombra was still shaking, though not quite as much. However, he had tears streaming down his cheeks. A loud sob shuddered out of him and Cadence sighed. She may not have knw him very well but right now, Sombra needed comfort. She walked over and nuzzled his back. After a while, he was still trembling and whimpering but the tears had stopped. The group hug broke up, while Fluttershy stayed close. He wiped his eyes and sniffled. Fluttershy pressed into his chest, rubbing her head against his fur.
"Sombra, can you talk to us?" The white Alicorn's voice was soft and quiet as she spoke. Sombra looked up at her, still shaking. Smiling, she placed a hoof on his chin and made him look up. Sombra shook his head, stood up and ran with Fluttershy close behind. When he got to the hall and disappeared, though, Fluttershy slid to a stop and stared. Sighing, she turned to see all of them staring at her, concerned. Fluttershy sat down as Twilight spoke up.
"Celestia, they had two Eletrocons with them. You know, those illegal electrocution devices. I broke them for good but... that's where we found him." The implications sickened the four guests to their stomach. Due to her pregnancy, Cadence actually threw up. Fluttershy looked up and cleared her throat as Shining tried to calm his wife. They needed to know what he'd been put through, even if it hurt him.
Fluttershy knew that if Sombra was going to pardoned on account of his decorruption, then the four royals needed to know the extent of his trauma. That meant telling them of his crippling fear of lightning.
"Um, Princess? Although I don't know what he went through during the first two years but right after I got there he went to the rooms. Where those machines were. Sometimes he would be in there for the whole day. You could hear him screaming almost at the entrance. Now he's terrified of lightning." Celestia tilted her head and glanced at her fellow royals. Shining looked intrigued yet apprehensive while her sister and niece looked curious yet worried. She herself was concerned. Fluttershy sighed and started her story from a few weeks after they were brought home.Fluttershy shook her fur and ruffled her wings, despite the heavy downpour. When Rainbow warned her about the storm, she didn't think it would be this strong.
BOOM!!
She screamed as a bolt hit the ground and sent out an almighty boom. The sky lit up in a flash of silver. She whimpered as another bolt came down, filling the air with energy and making the clouds crackle. She'd been on her way to visit Sombra when the storm started.
"OH NO!! Sombra!!" Fluttershy bolted, her wet mane sticking to her fur. Panic made her heart race. He'd told her about what they'd done to him and about the terror he felt. With what she'd heard, she knew he'd be afraid of lightning. She sped up, tears rolling down her cheeks. Soon, the hospital appeared and she sped up even more and burst in.
"Where's Sombra!?" Redheart looked up in shock at her quiet shout. Fluttershy slid to a stop in front of the desk. The white nurse sighed and walked around the desk.
"Fluttershy, I know you care about him but at the moment he's not allowed visitors. He's a little freaked right now, with the thunder and lightning." Fluttershy pinned her ears back as another nurse came in, his mane scorched.
"Redheart, we need another sedative. He knocked the other one away and it broke." She nodded and leaned down, grabbing a filled needle. Toran grabbed it and turned, heading back down the hall. Fluttershy pricked her ears and tried to follow him, only to have Redheart stop her.
"I said he's not allowed visitors right now. The lightning is scaring him and he's dangerous right now." A hoof pressed against her shoulders, making her turn. Twilight was staring at her, a gentle smile on her face. The others were sitting a short ways away. Rarity was drawing in her sketchbook while Rainbow and Applejack were playing cards. Pinkie was doing something in a folder.
"Listen, they wouldn't let us in either. Come sit down and you can..." There was a loud boom from the back of the building, right where Sombra's room was. Toran came scrambling out a few seconds later. His face, neck, chest and forelegs were scorched black. He coughed out a small cloud of smoke.
"We can't get near him, right now. He's insane." Twilight looked at Fluttershy and sighed.
"Nurse Redheart, why don't you let Fluttershy try. She knows Sombra better than any of us and I think that gives her a better chance of calming him down." Redheart looked nervous but at Toran's hopeful look, she relented.
"Fine." Fluttershy wasted no time in racing down the hallway. The two nurses followed after her, trying not to loose the speeding mare. Soon, she reached his room and glanced inside. The floor, walls and ceiling were scorched black while his bedsheets were smoking. Sombra was curled in a ball on the floor. His eyes will wide as he lay there, whimpering in fear. Another flash from outside, followed by one of the loudest boom yet, made him shriek and whip his head around towards the window. Fluttershy tilted her head and walked towards him. The sound of her hooves made him jump and whip his head back around. His eyes were wild with fear and his horn was sparking. Fluttershy knelt down in front of him, shushing him. Sombra skittered back slightly, despite her gentle voice and calm aura.
"Shh. It's okay Sombra, you're safe. Nothing's going to hurt you." He shook his head and whimpered, recoiling from her in fright. Another boom went off and his horn glowed, a small explosion going off. Fluttershy pinned her ears back as he did so. In a flash, she wrapped her hooves around his neck, feeling his whole body quaking. She nuzzled him and held him close while gently rubbing his back. Sombra jumped again as another clap of thunder was heard. Sombra whimpered as she held him. She knew that if he got to scared, she would be in danger.
"Sombra, listen to me. Your fine. The lightning isn't going to hurt you. Your inside, safe and I'm right here with you. I won't let you get hurt." His wild eyes locked with hers and he slowly calmed as her words sank into his mind. She could feel his fear in his tension. However, she wasn't trying to rid him of his fear entirely, as she knew that was impossible. She was trying to reduce it, so he wasn't this bad for every storm.
"You'll be okay, Sombra. I swear that you'll be safe as long as I'm here."
"On behalf of my fellow rulers, I grant my trust in Sombra and my willingness to start anew." Fluttershy's eyes filled with tears and her face split in a wide, beaming smile. This was what she had been hoping for. However, they still needed to do some damage control. While the equestrians had heard of his deeds, they trusted her and her friends implicitly. They would be willing to grant him that same trust as long as they all vouched. It was the Crystal Ponies that would need some work, with them having been directly wronged by him.
"Um, Shining Armour, Princess Cadence? When are we going to commence reintroduction with the Empire? We need to do that if he's ever going to travel with us. The ponies here will trust him as long as we all vouch, but your ponies..." The shy mare trailed off, leaving the sentence and her fear hanging in the air. The two looked at each other, surprise flaring in their eyes. They hadn't even thought of that.
"That's going to be tough, Flutters. Are you sure that's a good idea?" Fluttershy met her prismatic friend's eyes and nodded.
"Absolutely. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check on Sombra."
Author's Note
The next chapter will be split into three parts, with the first being him dealing with his own trauma a bit before we head to the empire during the last third. After that, they're going to be there for the last two halves. Whose excited for the Empire bit? I know I am.
Author's Note
This takes place right after the last chapter.
Damage Control Part 1
Sombra was in his room, shivering and trying to calm himself down. His tough guy act had been shattered and he knew that Fluttershy would put her own fear aside to help him, which he didn't want her to do. But he couldn't do it anymore. The Ying-Yang group had tortured him, filled him with diluted poisons and chemicals to gauge his reaction before healing him, removing all traces and scars from his body before letting him recover for barely a day or two. He whimpered as the memories ran through his head and he collapsed, curling up and wrapping his hooves around his head, trying to protect himself from invisible terrors.
"Sombra?" He curled even tighter, mistaking Fluttershy's voice for that of somepony out to get him. A gentle hoof caught his chin and forced him to look up. Her face was blurred from his tears but he recognized her. Fluttershy settled down in front of him and moved her hoof to his cheek. He whimpered again as she did so, pulling away slightly. Fluttershy sighed and leaned forward, resting her forehead against the base of his horn while wrapping her hoof around his neck. Sombra started trembling as his fear got the better of him and distrust festered in his heart. In his heart he knew she wouldn't hurt him, but his head was screaming otherwise. Fluttershy gently pulled him close and began to rub his back. His heart won and Sombra pressed into her, returning the hug as he started sobbing.
Fluttershy could feel his tears soaking her fur but she ignored it. He needed her right now far more then she needed him in the past few months. She couldn't even begin to guess what they did to him before she arrived. But if his fear of her just now said anything, it was that he had been put through more pain than would have been given had he been punished for his crimes. Fluttershy stayed silent as he wept his pain onto her shoulders and neck, opting to simply hold his shaking frame. This was not the same stallion she'd known four years ago. Her thoughts went to Twilight after the destruction of her home. Even she'd not cried this much or this hard. Sombra's grip tightened as he curled his back legs into his belly.
"Oh, oh, it's okay. Your safe and sound, Sombra and nopony's going to hurt you. We won't let them. It's okay, it's okay." While his grip loosened slightly, he didn't stop crying for a good half-hour. As he calmed, Fluttershy gently rubbed his back and shushed him. Sombra nuzzled into her neck and sighed, still trembling. Fluttershy twisted her head and pressed her muzzle into his mane. Sombra slowly relaxed as she held him, the sound of her steady heartbeat calming him down. After he'd calmed down, they got up and left the room, Fluttershy in the lead. When they got back to the throne room, Shining and Cadence were clearly preparing to leave while the two elder princesses already gone.
"We'll talk to them but I don't think they'll be to keen on the idea."
"What idea?" They turned and smiled sheepishly, while Twilight walked over.
"Well, we managed to get my brother to trust you but there is one thing we need to do. Something you're not gonna like." Sombra looked around before locking eyes with Cadence. As they stared at each other, a look of realization then horror filled his eyes.
"OH, no. You don't mean the..." Twilight nodded and confirmed his fear.
"Yes, you need to make amends with the Crystal Ponies. My brother's going to tell them when they get back and a week from now, we're heading over for a visit." Sombra's head was spinning, multiple outcomes flashing through his head and none of them good. His breathing sped up as he spiraled. Fluttershy placed a hoof on his shoulder and smiled at him.
'T... that's a very, very bad idea. I... I don't want to, Twilight. I really don't. Do you remember what I did to them?" Twilight smiled, her eyes kind, as she nodded.
"You've changed though, Sombra. If we can get them to see that, then we've made progress. This is going to take more then one visit. Trust for them won't come easy but it will come with time and effort." Sombra looked down, his ears back as he thought. He could remember everything he'd done to them and with how much he'd changed, it killed him. However, he was scared to go back. No one there would be willing to give him a chance and he had a feeling that he'd be attacked a few times. But he didn't want to let his friends down.
"O.. okay. We can give it a try, Twilight." She squealed and wrapped her hooves around a very tense Sombra. One thought was going through his head. This is going to fail.
Sombra sat on his bed, trembling violently as he stared out the window. He scratched at the ring around his horn. When the Crystal ponies heard about him, they were outraged. The only way they had agreed was if he wore a restricting ring to stop his magic. Twilight hadn't wanted to but it was necessary. He felt Fluttershy lay a wing over his back and lean into him. Luckily he was facing away from her, as it hid his heavy blush.
"We're almost there. Are you doing okay, Sombra?" He nodded, still not looking away from the window. Sombra could see the glow as they left the snow behind and entered the outer plains that circled the Empire. Soon, the station came into sight, though Sombra was on the opposite side of the train. He squirmed when Fluttershy moved away, missing her warm body pressing to his side. Sighing again, he rested his chin on the sill of the window, his breath fogging the glass. As the train rumbled to a stop, he pressed his ears back as fear filled his body again.
"Well, here we are. It's do or die time." Twilight wasn't helping his nerves at all. as she kept talking about how much was riding on this, he snapped.
"Will you shut up, Twilight!? You're not helping my nerves in the slightest!" He turned and glared at her. She lowered her ears as guilt crossed her face.
"Sorry." His angry expression melted to one of fear and he turned away. A gentle hoof rested on his withers and he tensed, turning to Twilight smiling at him. Sighing, he jumped off the bed and followed the girls off the train. Nopony was at the station, though that was hardly surprising. The girls formed a tight circle around him with Fluttershy wrapping a wing around him. Sombra had his ears pinned to his head while he looked down. When they started through the Empire, the few ponies out on the streets stopped and sent the seven of them glares, mainly Sombra himself. His short tail flicked and he lowered his head. After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the castle.
"Sombra. How was the trip" His pained, sad eyes made Cadence drop the subject rather fast. She sighed and nodded to the guard standing off to the side. The purple stallion stepped forward and rounded up the girls, though he did give Sombra a hard shove and made him stumble. The girls all clustered around him with Rainbow sending a glare at the guard. As they were led to their rooms, Twilight was talking with Rarity about Spike, with him staying in Ponyville to take care of the castle.
Fluttershy looked at Rainbow and Sombra. The cyan pegasus was talking with him quietly, though he didn't seem to be saying much. They were all beside one another, with Twilight being the only one by herself. Rainbow was paired with Applejack while Rarity was with Pinkie Pie, leaving Fluttershy with Sombra. Sombra went straight to bed without a word. Fluttershy sighed and flew up to the top bunk. She whispered a quick 'goodnight' before curling up under the covers. This was going to be a long two weeks.
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Sombra leaned towards Fluttershy, taking in her confused expression. Before he could lose his nerve, he closed the gap and gently pressed his lips to hers. He felt her tense as a shock ran down his spine. For a second, she didn't move. Sombra felt his mind freeze with fear and almost pulled away when Fluttershy reacted. She gently tilted her head and pressed back, breathing through her nose. Sombra chuckled and pulled away slightly before kissing her again. He pressed a hoof to her cheek and wrapped it around her neck. Fluttershy gave a sharp exhale and sighed. After a few eternities, Sombra pulled away from her, pressing his forehead against hers. He could feel her shivering against his chest and laid a hoof over her back. Fluttershy sighed and nuzzled into his chest.
"So, that kiss before I escaped wasn't 'spur of the moment'?" Sombra blushed and grinned sheepishly, rubbing his neck and looking away.
"No, it wasn't. I just didn't want to risk you turning me down. I also didn't want to risk my feelings not being real." Fluttershy giggled, the sound chiming in his ears. Sombra sighed and gently nuzzled her cheek, wrapping a hoof around her shoulders. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed. A few hard knocks made them jump, Sombra whipping his head around. Kissing her forehead, he got up and walked over to the door, his horn glowing red. The door opened to reveal Twilight, her eyes worried.
"Sombra, are you okay? We're all worried about you right now."
"No, I'm not okay but I'm feeling better." Twilight nodded and turned.
"Come on, you two. We need to get back to the others. Oh, and the two guards want to talk with you, Sombra." His ears drooped and he looked down, fear sneaking back onto his face. Fluttershy wrapped a wing around his shoulders and rested her head against his neck. Sombra whimpered as they approached the throne room. The two guards turned and Sombra stopped, shaking from fear. Fluttershy gently nuzzled him and walked past the two guards, sending them a warning look. They left the room and the door closed behind them, locking them and Sombra out. One of them began to push Sombra and the three walked away from the door, moving through the halls till they reached a secluded area of the castle.
"What do you two want to talk to me about?" The two guards looked at each other and nodded. The larger one head-butted Sombra in the chest, knocking him over. He gasped as he hit the floor, his eyes wide as the guard pinned him.
"Let me make this perfectly clear. If you're playing them, we won't hesitate to end you. Are we clear?" Sombra gave a short, sharp nod, his eyes wide. The guard let him up and the two turned away. Sombra's ears flattened as he stood up, letting out a quiet whimper. When they got back to the throne room, they found the others planning.
"So, if we start one by one, maybe that would be better. That way, we... oh, hello Sombra." He pinned his ears back and looked away. Fluttershy walked over, pressing against him in comfort. She rested her muzzle on his shoulder and placed a wing over his back. Sombra sighed, looking down at his hooves.
"Sombra, you knew this wasn't going to be easy for you. Don't worry, we'll help in any way we can. Just try to be brave and everything will be fine. Okay?" The dark stallion looked at her then at the others before nodding. Even if he was scared, he had to try for his friends.
They'd been in the empire for a week and so far all attempts at reintroduction had backfired. Sombra lay on one of the balconies, his ears down. His guess about being attacked had been right. The sound of hooves caught his attention and he turned, smiling at Fluttershy. She lay down beside him, gently nuzzling his cheek.
"How are you doing, Sombra?" He gave her a defeated look and sighed, tears gathering in his eyes. Fluttershy gently kissed his cheek and placed her chin on his forelegs.
"This is never going to work, Fluttershy. No matter what I do, those ponies are never going to forgive me. I don't deserve their forgiveness." He stood up and left, his head drooping. Fluttershy watched him go and sighed, her ears flat. How were they going to do this?
Sombra whimpered ignoring the glares and jeers of the Crystal ponies. He kept walking, eventually finding himself in a small park. He sat down under a tree, placing his chin on his hooves. A ball hit his head and he looked up, meeting the frightened gaze of a small filly. Her eyes were wide as Sombra stared at her. He smiled and hit the ball back to her. The young filly grabbed the ball and, after a few seconds she tossed the ball back to him. Surprise blossomed in his eyes at the young foal's action. A bright smile spread over his face. For a few hours, he and the filly played games before she fell asleep. Sombra pulled the filly close and curled up around her, falling asleep himself.
He was woken by a quick prod on his neck. Sombra looked up to see Fluttershy staring at him. He looked down at the filly pressed against his belly. Sighing, he gently nuzzled her head, smiling as her eyes fluttered open. She giggled and pressed her head against his chin. Sombra chuckled and rolled onto his back, the filly clambering onto his belly. Fluttershy giggled and nudged the filly.
"What's you're name, sweetie?"
"Cinnamon swirl, miss. My mama is always telling me he's mean and evil but he's so nice." Sombra ruffled her hair and she jumped off his belly, allowing him to stand. Sombra looked over at Fluttershy to see a mint green mare racing over, her eyes wild. She slid to a stop and Cinnamon walked over to her mother. The mare glared at Sombra and began to herd the filly away.
"Wait!" The mare stopped and watched as her daughter ran back over to Sombra, rubbing against his side before she ran back to her mother. Sombra hit her ball to her and Cinnamon giggled and trotted away, her stunned mother following after her. Fluttershy nuzzled him and spread her wings. Sombra followed her as she flew towards the castle, his head going down as the Crystal ponies continued to jeer. One filly wasn't going to change anything.
Author's Note
I'm going to leave the next chapter up to you guys. What do you want to see next chapter?