"Okay, Stygian, focus! You can do this!" The former scholar turned reclusive author was mentally preparing himself as he stood just outside the boundary to Somnambula's village (it had in fact been renamed after her). "You're just going to go up to an old friend and tell her to her face that you love her! It's not that hard. You left your own village to seek out the pillars. Just saying four simple words should be a piece of cake compared to that, right? Right?!"
The stallion swallowed a lump in his throat. Why was he having second thoughts about this all of a sudden? He'd already convinced himself that he had to do this! And it would be silly to have come all the way out here only to turn and run. Somnambula was but one of the friends he'd made that on that fateful journey long ago. The friend he had come to discover he had incredibly strong feelings for.
But Stygian knew that if he turned around now and went home, he'd be taking the coward's way out. He had denied himself a chance to explain his actions once before, and that had sent him down a dark path of revenge that he was lucky to now be freed from. He wasn't about to stay silent and leave this time. "I have to do this! I must do this!" The unicorn mentally reassured himself. "I'll just walk up to her, tell her how I feel, and go from there!"
However, upon trotting into the village, Stygian didn't see any sign of Somnambula anyway. Not on the palace grounds, not at the little podium where she held her relaxation sessions, not even in the market square. Had she been called away on some urgent matter that Stygian wasn't aware of?
No, that couldn't be true. Stygian had kept in touch with all of the pillars. In fact, he was the one who updated all their contact information so the princesses could easily reach them. If there had been something that warranted Somnambula being called away, Stygian would've been the first to know.
So where was she?
Well the only way to find out the answer to that question, was to ask around. Somepony in the village had to have seen her. Somepony had to be aware of Somnambula's current location.
The first pony Stygian decided to ask, was a local merchant tending to his apple cart. Stygian lightly tapped the merchant on the shoulder with a hoof. The merchant spun around, locking eyes with his guest. "Ah, a visitor. Welcome to Somnambula Village," He warmly greeted. "What can I do for you, fine traveler?"
"I was wondering if you could tell me where Somnambula might be," Stygian inquired of the merchant. "I know she has to be in this village somewhere, but I haven't found her in any of the usual places."
"Well, if you're looking for Somnambula, she headed off to the tombs of the pharaohs just a short while ago. Probably wanted to pay her respects to the departed." The merchant replied.
At that, Stygian felt his heart sink. "No! There could be only one pony she would go to the tombs for!" He thought to himself. "And because of me, she never got to say goodbye to him! How could I have forgotten about Prince Hisan?! They seemed so close together from what I saw of him."
But while every instinct told him to just give up and go back home, somehow the words that left his lips instead asked the merchant. "Where are those tombs located?"
"Inside the great pyramid, over yonder." The merchant instructed as he pointed a hoof.
"Thank you, sir. I appreciate the help," Stygian responded. "Best be going now." And before he even had a chance to ask himself what in the name of Celestia he was doing, the unicorn with a coat of gray found himself trotting off in the same direction the merchant had pointed to earlier.
"Somnambula. I hope you can forgive me." The former scholar thought to himself.
Somnambula was indeed inside the pyramid, the very same pyramid where she had stood up to that sphinx and rescued Prince Hisan all those years ago. Yet to the pegasus mare with a coat of light scarlet, it seemed like only yesterday.
Tears streamed down her grayish-violet blue eyes that were usually so full of optimism and playfulness. Above her was an inscription that read: "Here lies his greatness: Prince Hisan I. Reign: 100-125 A.C. Born: 84 A.C. Died: 125 A.C."
"Oh Hisan, how I wish I had been able to say goodbye to you," Somnambula sobbed. "I am sorry I promised to come back one day. For I did not know it was a promise I could not keep." She continued to weep openly, seemingly not aware of the sound of approaching hoofsteps.
Said hoofsteps belonged to Stygian, who hesitated just before he would've been close enough to Somnambula to touch her with a hoof if he so desired. "This is a bad idea! She's sure to blame me for not being able to be with Hisan. And the worst part is, she'll be right," He thought to himself. "Why'd I have to get the stupid desire to be a hero?! I was always meant to be a scholar! If I had simply known my place, Somnambula and the others would never have been banished to limbo just to contain me!"
Stygian turned and began to trot away. It was stupid of him to think he and Somnambula could've ever worked out. Her heart had clearly belonged to another. One who was now dead.
All of a sudden though, the stillness of the tombs was interrupted. For out of the blue, Somnambula called. "Stygian, I know you are there. There is no need for you to hide."
"What are you talking about? There's nopony here!" Stygian protested, only to realize a moment later that he'd given himself away with his comment.
Somnambula's mood seemed to change in an instant, and a playful smirk seemed to appear on her face as she turned to lock eyes with Stygian. Looking the unicorn square in his brilliant azure eyes. "Stygian, I could hear your breathing from a mile away," She told him in a tone that sounded almost like she wanted to chuckle but couldn't bring herself to do so. "You clearly came here for a reason. I always have time for a friend."
The former scholar tried not to gulp. This had to be some kind of ruse. Any moment now, Somnambula was going to lay into him for the role he'd played in keeping her from Hisan. "Are you sure? This seems like a bad time, and I... wouldn't want to intrude."
"I was simply paying respects to an old friend, one to whom I unintentionally promised something I couldn't guarantee," Somnambula somberly explained as she briefly turned back to Hisan's grave. "It is okay to cry, sometimes. I know the dead can't speak to me, but being here helps me feel close to Hisan. Like a part of him is still alive."
"I understand." Was all Stygian bothered to say.
Somnambula then turned back to the stallion. "But you have come here now, no doubt because you were concerned about me. Or perhaps, you had another motive in mind? Is Equestria in peril again? Is my help needed to stop some great evil from long ago?"
"Um... no," Stygian responded. Somnambula was really giving him mixed signals. Why didn't she seem to be upset with him like he had expected? "I... I... just happened to be traveling and thought I'd... stop by your village for a while."
Somnambula just stared at Stygian, as though sizing him up. "You wish to tell me that you love me, don't you, Stygian?" She suddenly questioned.
"What?! How did... I mean, no! That's crazy talk!" Stygian retorted as he tried to keep himself from saying too much.
Somnambula let out a giggle. "Well I like crazy. Ponies always thought my methods of dealing with problems were strange and out there, but that never stopped me. Even Prince Hisan, may the maker rest his weary soul, never fully understood how I worked," Then she smiled at the unicorn. "It is okay, Stygian. Even before that whole Pony of Shadows business, I sensed that there was something between us. I simply wondered when you would work up the courage to confess."
All sense of composure left Stygian, his lip began to tremble and he couldn't stop himself from shaking. "But... but... what about you and Prince Hisan? You always seemed close."
"Perhaps we were, during the time I was his royal adviser. But that was long ago, back when we were both young. It is pointless to speculate on the what might have been, for the past cannot be changed," Somnambula replied to Stygian in that gentle, hopeful tone of hers. "Besides, I never considered the prospect of a relationship between Hisan and I. I do not even know if he felt the same way I did, or if he regarded our bond as simply a close friendship."
Gulping, Stygian managed to force out. "S-so, I take it you would be interested in a date? Not anything fancy, just a simple dinner and then maybe we could gaze at the night sky."
Somnambula smiled, embracing Stygian in a hug. "That sounds wonderful! A date it shall be! I shall look forward to it this evening with great anticipation!"
"Really? So soon? B-but, I'm not prepared!" Stygian protested.
"Well, neither I am. So that's something we already have in common," Somnambula teased. "I don't want you to over prepare or over plan this. A first date doesn't need to be anything spectacular," And then she put a hoof around the unicorn. "I'll be ready for you by the time Celestia's sun is beginning to set. I have my duties as a motivational speaker to finish up first, but after that I shall be free for the evening."
"Then, I guess it's a date." Stygian nodded, yet in the back of his mind he was thinking. "Did that just happen? It went a lot smoother than I anticipated."
Author's Note
Considering some of their interactions in the "Legends of Magic" comics, I couldn't resist the urge to ship these two. I actually wanted to do it back in October, but after "What Lies Beneath" GallusStream rose to the forefront of my mind and wouldn't leave.
"A.C." stands for After Celestia (as in, after Celestia began to raise the sun). I know I've used "Luna's Banishment" and "Luna's Return" in a few other fics, but that's something I think would only work for places that knew of Princess Luna.
With Somnambula having more or less decided on the time and place for him, Stygian rushed to prepare himself for not only the first date with a friend (a close friend at that) but also the first date he had ever gone on. As a scholar, the only company he'd had were books and the occasional pony he conversed with.
But books could only get you so far in life. There was no book on how to plan and carry out the perfect first date (or if there was Stygian had never heard of it). So the scholar turned reclusive author knew that he would have to go it alone. With Somnambula as his date, all bets were off as to how things would go.
That didn't mean he didn't still consult a few books for general advice, because he did. Books were his first friend after all, and they had guided Stygian through many a crisis before.
As for Somnamubla, she went about her day as if nothing out of the ordinary had transpired. "It's funny how mysterious life turns out sometimes," She thought to herself with a smile. "Certainly I would not have imagined that upon my return from limbo, I would find myself on a date with Stygian of all ponies. Though he certainly seems very eager to please me. A trait I find most admirable."
The hours ticked by faster than Somnambula had expected them to and far faster than poor Stygian would've liked them to. Soon it was sunset, and the appointed start time for the date drew near.
With her work finished for the day, Somnambula flew to the outskirts of her village to greet Stygian. From the air she easily spotted him and landed effortlessly with a flap of her wings. The mare chuckled when she saw that her suitor for the evening had traded in that brown cloak he always wore, for a lightly tailored black jacket and tie.
"Miss Somnambula," The stallion spoke in the most formal tone he could muster. "I hope you will allow me the honor of accompanying you for the evening."
Somnambula smiled, she couldn't resist a teasing remark. "Lose that overly stuffy voice and I'm all yours, Stygian. There's no need for such formalities, we know each other well enough."
Stygian struggled not to blush in embarrassment. "V-very well then," Then he noticed that Somnambula was still wearing that white tunic and headdress that she always wore, and he couldn't help but comment. "Are you sure you don't want to put on something a little bit nicer?"
"Oh, I was not aware our date was fancy dress only," Somnambula chuckled. "I thought it'd be best if I came as I was. No need to make such a big production out of it all. It's just a simple night out between two friends, hoping to be something more."
"How is she always so optimistic and unphased by things?" Stygian thought to himself as he carefully put a hoof around Somnambula.
Stygian led Somnambula to a hilltop not far from the village, where he had set up a small table with a lone, flickering candle for light. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I consulted some cook books and made a few recipes that are supposed to be really popular in your village."
The pegasus mare smiled. "Dinner is dinner, no matter if it is a meal in a tavern or at a table on a hill. I had no idea you knew how to cook, Stygian."
"Sort of had to learn how in order to survive in my life of solitude," Stygian explained as he sat down in the seat at the opposite end of the table from Somnambula. "I know it's probably not as grand as anything you're used to eating, but I hope it's alright."
"You kidding? All those stuffy new places are not to my liking at all," Somnambula protested. "I much prefer the foods of old, from the days of Hisan," A sigh of longing escaped her lips as she commented. "A lot has changed in my village since his time. I almost didn't recognize it the first time I came back. To think that ponies worship me like a deity, it's certainly a lot to take in."
Stygian felt a pang of guilt take hold in his stomach. He tried his best not to let it show. "Great, now I've gone and accidentally reminded her of the pony she may or may not have had feelings for in her time. Stygian, can't you ever do anything right?!" He mentally scolded himself.
Aside from that little "slip-up" though, dinner went off without a hitch for both involved. Somnambula was quite impressed by the food Stygian had made for her. "Tastes like it was made by an expert. Even the tiniest of details was perfectly captured. Not one pinch more or less of salt or spice to be found anywhere."
"Well, I'm glad you think that way, Somnambula. I can't begin to tell you how difficult it was to measure out the ingredients so they were just right," Stygian smiled, before noticing what appeared to be a small smudge on the mare's right cheek. "Forgive me for being so blunt, Somnambula. But you have something on your face." He told her.
"Oh? I do?" Somnambula seemed to comment in surprise, before she noticed the smudge and giggled. "Seems I enjoyed myself a bit too much. It can't be helped though." She quickly moved her tongue to lick the smudge off, much to Stygian's surprise.
The former scholar could hardly believe what he had just seen. "Somnambula, I would've gladly wiped that away for you."
The pegasus mare just grinned, leaning back in her chair. "Oh, but what would be the fun in that? Honestly, Stygian, you worry so much about the silliest of things. Though I suppose that's why I like you so much."
Stygian gulped. "When you say 'like', do you mean as a friend?"
Somnambula happily shook her head. "Stygian, why do you continue to doubt yourself? I was expecting a simple date with a friend, not another session of my motivational speaking. Are you worried that my heart belongs to another?"
Stygian reluctantly nodded in confirmation. And Somnambula looked him square in the eyes as she told him. "I already told you, it is pointless to speculate whether or not Prince Hisan and I might have ever worked out. He is gone, and I miss him dearly."
"I don't want you to think I'm trying to replace him. You must blame me at least a little for preventing you from being with him." The unicorn glumly confessed.
The pegasus with a lovely coat of light scarlet sighed, shaking her head once more. "Stygian. Do you mean to tell me that you still blame yourself for the events of over a thousand years ago?" When she got a confirming nod, Somnambula was quick to reply. "I meant it when I said that I don't hold the Pony of Shadows debacle against you. There are things we both could've done to resolve it in a better way."
"But-" Stygian began, only to be silenced.
"Hisan's death is something I have made peace with, even though it still grieves me to this day that our time together was so short," Somnambula continued. "Even as I was paying my respects to him this morning though, I understood that he was gone and is never coming back. He wouldn't want me to be sad forever though, Prince Hisan would want me to go on living and be happy with somepony else. If he were here now, or at least if his spirit were, I'm sure he would be telling us the same. So do you see? The past is set in stone, Hisan and I obviously cannot be together now. But I intend to make the most of the time I still have in this world and enjoy myself. And for now, that includes your company."
Stygian struggled to wipe a lone tear from his eyes. "Oh Somnambula, you're way too good for me. You deserve somepony better!"
"Oh hush now, Stygian. You mustn't sell yourself so short!" Somnambula firmly insisted. "It's just like all those times you kept repeating you were but a scholar and not a hero. The mere fact that you were willing to seek out others to defend your village when you could not, makes you a hero in my eyes. And the fact that you would go to all this length for me, even if you yourself don't seem to believe we could work, is proof that there is something between us in my eyes. And that's good enough for me."
"You really mean that?" Stygian questioned.
With a smile, Somnambula flew over and embraced Stygian. "You'd better believe it, Stygian. It's clear to me that we belong together, no matter what others might think."
"But... but... how would we make things work? I'm not sure I'm ready to move into your village just yet." Stygian protested.
"Details to be worked out at a later date and time. For now though, let us enjoy the night sky as Princess Luna brings it forth for us," Somnambula suggested. "And I hope you won't mind if I nuzzle into you a little for warmth."
Stygian felt his cheeks grow ever so faintly warm. "Oh, I wouldn't mind that at all. In fact, I'd quite like it. You truly are a pony on a whole different level, Somnambula. But that's just what I like about you."
