Sombra's Bat

The underground room is in complete darkness. Sombra and I can barely contain our laughter as we walk in a circle around the prisoners: Shining Armour, Cadance, the six Elements of Harmony, Spike the baby dragon and Wishbone, along with a few guards from Canterlot. All of them have had their magic bound. They cry out, "What do you want?" and "Let us go!" and "Princess Celestia's going to stop you!" It's amusing because we don't actually want to hurt them.

"Oh, look at you all," I mock them. "Even after being trapped for a week, Celestia's servants defend her until the end. Sombra and I are going to tell you what we want in a moment, but you have to be patient while we think about what we're going to do with you." I look at Sombra, who is at the opposite end of the room. "I have an idea."

"Enlighten us," he answers. We are slowly beginning to learn to work out what the other is thinking and use telepathy spells, but I am more unpredictable than he is, so he doesn't immediately know what ideas I have to improve the Crystal Empire.

"I think we might be able to let our guests choose what they do with their lives. Go back to Equestria and remain her servants, or live here and enjoy themselves for the rest of their lives. I wouldn't make them work in the mines all day as long as they behave, as they have so much more skill than that. The guards from Canterlot could join our own guards, and I'm sure that we could find a role for the ladies here."

"Not a terrible idea. As you already know, Moonlight, I think they need to be sent back to Equestria, because the last thing I want is a war, and Celestia would surely be upset if they did not return home. Also, they have annoyed me enough already, complaining even though I have given them food, water and shelter. However, if you would like to, we shall give them the choice to stay."

"It has been decided, then," I address the ponies in the middle of the dark room. "You can stay here or go home. If you stay, you'll be rewarded for good behaviour."

"However," Sombra adds, "if you decide to encourage any little rebellions or protests, you will be treated how you treat us and our rules. Nopony is allowed to abstain, and if you refuse..."

"The decision will be made for you," I finish. "Decide now."

Unsurprisingly, none of them make a choice immediately. They still fight for Equestria and the good of its ponies, even though I have already encouraged Sombra to make better choices. He wanted to use dark magic to control the guards, whereas I told him that only those who cause trouble should have to be subjected to mind control. I also spoke out against him reducing the working age, and instead suggested that those who break the law can work in the crystal mines. I'll admit I don't know why he tells other ponies to go down into the mines for him when he can make those black crystals with ease, but I haven't had the chance to ask him about it.

"Tick, tock, tick, tock, time's up on the clock," I say in a sing-song voice, standing still after walking around the room for a few minutes. "If you want to stay in the Crystal Empire, go and stand with King Sombra. If you want to leave, come here and stand next to me."

There is movement in the room, and almost everypony walks over to where I am standing. Everypony except Wishbone, who remains in the middle of the room.

I tilt my head to one side as I look at her. "Wishbone?"

She does not reply.

"King Sombra, it seems that somepony isn't making a decision. Maybe she just refuses to speak to me."

He looks down at the bat pony. "Wishbone Willow, do you wish to remain in the Crystal Empire or return to Equestria?"

"Tyrant."

"Why, what name did you just call me?" he questions her, faking shock.

"You think that was aimed at you?" she screeches. She glares at me. "Tyrant. Monster. Liar. Traitor. What have you done to yourself?!" Her wings flare outwards menacingly.

Old me would be terrified by such a sight from my old friend. I just laugh as if she was telling me a joke. "What did I do? I set myself free."

I barely register anything before I am pinned on the floor. I try to roll her off of me, but it is hopeless. She spits at me, "You let Sombra control my mind for your own selfish whims. Why?"

"You were going to sell me to Celestia. You were going to tell her to kill me. I'm surprised you even remember what happened."

"Sombra's curse was never going to last forever. I'm a Dreamwalker. I know more about the mind and memories than the vast majority of Equestria. I figured out what he'd done, and it broke the spell."

"Clever. What's also clever is that the Elite Guards are now in this room and you probably didn't even hear them."

She looks around, startled. Sure enough, guards clad in black armour covered in metal spikes stand all around the room, ready to kill Wishbone Willow should she make a move to attack me. That moment of hesitation and fear is all I need to push her off of me and get up. I tower over her cowering form.

"Fine," she says shakily. "Do what you want. Under Equestrian Law, you can't lay a hoof on me. I am your teacher. I'm helping you learn to Dreamwalk."

"Well, guess what?" I retort. "I'm giving up my apprenticeship with you, and switching teachers to King Sombra. Since I can't bear to look at the one who wanted to sign my death warrant and stab me in the back, you're allowed to leave the Crystal Empire. Next time I see your face, I won't be as kind and make sure to give you a hard time. Goodbye, Wishbone Willow. I've made my choice, and you've made yours. Get out."

I watch as she rushes over to the group of ponies on the other side of the room before trotting over to Sombra's side.

"Guards," orders King Sombra, "please escort these ponies to the dining room so that they can eat and enjoy themselves for a while. The next train is not expected to arrive for another few hours. I am not merciless, and I also want Celestia to see that I am treating her ponies kindly." Everypony begins to move towards the door. "Dragon."

Everypony stops, and Spike gingerly steps forwards.

"I have a letter here." Sombra's horn glows purple with dark magic, and said letter appears, rolled up into a scroll and tied with a red ribbon. "Send it to Princess Celestia to inform her that you will be returning."

"Uh - uh - yes, Your Majesty," answers Spike, taking the letter quickly and retreating to the relative safety of the group.

We watch the group of ponies leave, and when the guards are gone, we burst into laughter. That was... ridiculous. Us, hurt anypony? Sombra wouldn't hurt a fly. The problem is, we have to act like that to get them to take us seriously, otherwise the two of us would be a laughing stock.

"Oh, you seemed so threatening! Where does your talent for acting come from?!" I giggle at Sombra. It's all a joke to us, a bit dark but still funny.

"I don't know, Moonlight. You seemed far more dangerous to those ponies than I did. I was trying my level best to be nice," he replies.

"They have no reason to be scared of you. They have faced oh-so-terrible villains before and have grown used to it. I used to be one of Them, and the fact that I changed, in their opinion, makes me seem like the bigger threat. Oh, you were never trying to be nice, were you? If you showed this side of your character they would've let you into the Empire to make everypony laugh enough to power the Crystal Heart!" I say jokingly.

"Ah, good one, Moonlight. You said it yourself, though. They see this." He points a hoof at himself. "They think that this is the only side to me. You were smart enough to realise that I was different. Their loss. What would you like to do now, my bat?"

"Eat. The Crystal Empire is far too cold for mangoes, but right now I wouldn't trade living here with you as my leader for all of the mangoes in the world." I kiss him quickly, and grin. "Besides, there is crystal berry pie here."

We laugh as we too leave the small room in the dungeons, and head for the dining room, all the while thinking how lucky we are to have each other and this kingdom. Celestia's biggest mistake was allowing this to happen, and I briefly wonder how she's sleeping at night now that we have succeeded before I remember that I don't care.

Princess Celestia's POV

When I receive the letter, I don't know whether to jump for joy or scream. Everything went silent a week ago, and for a while I feared the worst. I knew I could just find out for myself what had happened, but I didn't want to be injured in the process. My little ponies need me, after all.

So when I am given news that everypony who was captured by King Sombra is alive and going to return home on a train soon, I become giddy with relief, despite knowing that Sombra won.

My relief quickly gives way to despair as I read about the one pony who won't be returning to Equestria. It's her. She helped him. Without her, he would not be a problem. But they...

"Impossible," I whisper, dropping the letter.

"Is there a problem, Your Majesty?" my scribe Raven Inkwell asks.

"Yes indeed. Almost everypony who was sent to the Crystal Empire will return home. One isn't going to, and I am particularly concerned."

"Who is it?"

"The one we were all worried about. She's alive, but in a bad place. If she didn't go to the Crystal Empire... King Sombra would not have won. She was helping him right from the start."

"Her? Isn't she-"

"Yes." I don't want her to continue that sentence, because admitting that little fact would be admitting that I have close ties to a traitor whom I hate. She has now betrayed me three times, and I don't intend to let her get away with it. "A train will travel to the Crystal Empire to pick up the rest of them. As for her... I will wait until the rest return to the castle to discuss the matter." I glance at a Solar Guard. "Inform Princess Luna that everypony save... Everypony except Moonlight will be returning."

The guard nods and leaves.

"Raven, cancel court for today. This could be a big problem."

"Got it." She runs out of the room to make sure everypony knows.

The day passes remarkably quickly despite my nerves and anticipation, and eventually all of them are escorted into the throne room by the guards. I leap into the air from my throne and land softly on the ground in front of them, taking in their appearances. All of them have injuries, and one of Shining Armour's back legs is broken. Almost immediately, my sweet little student Twilight embraces me. I lower my head and wrap my forelegs around her. She begins to weep silently into my shoulder.

"I... I failed you, Princess," she cries.

"You failed your test, Twilight. But me? No." I look at the others: my adopted niece Cadance, who seems to be in a state of shock; her husband and Twilight's brother Shining Amour, scowling at the carpet; the other five Element Bearers, comforting each other; the dragon Spike who I know is like a younger brother to Shining and Twilight, wondering what to do; the guards, who all keep brave faces, though I know that they feel similar to Twilight at the moment; and the bat pony Wishbone Willow, Moonlight's friend. Or so we thought. "None of you failed me. You fought hard, and did what you could. Unfortunately, those two monsters fought hard as well."

"Don't call her a monster."

I look at Wishbone Willow. Her greenish mane is a mess, but behind it her gold eyes practically glow with anger.

"I understand, Wishbone. You were her friend."

"Don't use that word, either. She still is. She wouldn't abandon me like that."

"But she did," Twilight snaps at her. She stops hugging me and instead wraps her forelegs around Spike. "She saved Spike, but she messed with our heads. I was watching from above, because I was trapped in one of the towers, and she had the Crystal Heart in her hooves."

"The Crystal Heart?" Unfortunately, I know very little about the Crystal Empire. All of Princess Amoré's predecessors were incredibly secretive, and even though she gave visitors a much warmer welcome, I didn't spend as much time in the Crystal Empire as I should have done.

"It powered the protection spell to keep the storms of the Frozen North out. It could also have stopped Sombra, if Wishbone's 'friend' hadn't destroyed it. Then she knocked Shining off of a balcony. She's a monster. Wishbone, do you really still want to be her 'friend'? She doesn't care for anypony except herself and Sombra."

"And myself." Lulu walks into the throne room, her voice commanding everypony's attention as she approaches us. "So, the Daughter of the Night has turned to darkness again. You should not be surprised."

"Lulu," I say quietly.

"Don't interrupt me, sister. She does not care solely for herself. Wishbone, was she under the influence of mind control?"

"No."

"That proves that she cares for Sombra, as she sided with him despite our best efforts to protect her. I know she still cares for me, as we have a close bond." She closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath before continuing. "Wishbone, when I found out that you were looking after her, you made a deal to keep her safe for as long as possible, and you have more than fulfilled your duty. You spent a lot of time with her, and she still cares for you."

"She doesn't," Twilight answers.

"Shut up, will you?!" Wishbone screeches. "She might have hurt me, she might have said that she doesn't want to be my student any more, but she still cares. I still care. There has to be something we can do to get her back!"

"Wishbone?" I ask. I am beginning to wonder whether the thorn in my flank did all of this alone. The alternative is far worse.

"Yes?"

"How much do you care?"

"What's it to you? You have the rest of Equestria to worry about."

"Exactly. I am just wondering whether she and Sombra would have been able to do all of this on their own."

She looks at me like I am going mad. "What?! I didn't help them, if that's what you were saying. I was going to tell Princess Cadance-"

Twilight shouts, "Then you knew this was going on!"

"I was going to tell you, but King Sombra's magic is more powerful than I thought. He used the mind control spell in Moonlight's dream. I don't even know how that's possible."

I look into those golden eyes, and decide she is telling the truth. "Neither do I. Thank you for being honest, Wishbone. I will keep in touch. If, as my sister says, she still cares for a few ponies, then we can use that to make her see reason. Now, I want all of you to get some food and rest. Shining Armour, you need to go to a hospital so a doctor can have a look at that leg. Cadance, go with him."

"I will." Her blue magic surrounds both of them and they teleport away.

"Lulu, take them to the private dining room if you can."

"I will, sister." She too uses magic to teleport everypony out of the throne room, leaving me to ponder what to do about the little vampire. If it is all true, if she is as powerful as they say she is... All of Equestria could be in grave danger.