I wake up, and notice that something isn't quite right when I open my eyes. The sun is bright outside the window - curse you Celestia, since whatever is wrong is probably your fault - but the bedroom is dark, and there are no shadows being cast by the light. Something has messed around with the way light is performing. I try to cast a spell to light up the room, but the glow is dampened severely despite me pouring all of my energy into it and drawing in the magic in the air around the room. That's when the penny drops. I'm drawing the shadows towards me with my magic.

I get out of bed and look at myself in the full-length mirror in the dressing room. The shadows are drawn towards me, clinging to me and forming a black smoke. It is most noticeable around my chest and looks disgusting. It reminds me of decay. I realise that Sombra is going to want me to stay in bed for a whole month, maybe longer, looking like this because supposedly the next few weeks are going to hurt.

I use a telepathy spell to wake him up, hopefully not from a nightmare, and tell him to come to my room as soon as he is wearing his armour and cloak and his mane isn't a mess. He pretends he has no idea what I mean, but before he has walked into the dining room early in the morning without brushing his mane, and the guards spent the day quietly laughing when he wasn't in earshot.

Stop. I am a professional, he pleads. That never happened, and none of the other guards have any memory of it. Don't make me resort to a memory spell to get you to stop laughing.

I'm not laughing. There's a much more serious problem than your scruffy mane, but I still want you to look acceptable, or the gossipers among the guards will have a field day with the rumours.

Do I risk walking through the corridors and being spotted heading towards your room, or do I teleport there?

Teleport outside my door. If you teleport into my room, I'll nail your ears to the door so you remember to use it next time. Also, I want you to knock. I tell the guards off for walking into our meetings with Chrysalis without knocking, and just because you are the King of the Crystal Empire it doesn't make you above the Empire's laws.

So refusing to knock on a door before entering a room is now treason, hmm?

I'll have that law passed just to spite you.

Remember all the laws have to be run past me first before they are accepted.

Not all of them. You taught me how the system works in the Crystal Empire and I know of a few loopholes that would allow me to pass new laws even without your approval. I'm not telling you what they are at the moment though, because it's amusing to know something that you don't.

I hear a knock at the door. "I am outside, Moonlight," he calls.

"Well done for knocking. Don't come in. It's horrible to look at. I don't feel ill, but I look a bit of a mess."

I open the door a crack and he smiles at me. "This is a little miracle. So the spell worked, then. You are going to be an Umbrum within a month, and you won't always look like this. However, you are going to have to stay here, firstly because we don't want everypony to know about this, and also because it will hurt at times and I want to make sure you feel OK."

"I don't want to be confined to my room for a month. At least let me walk around the castle. Please?"

"I cannot say yes, because it is too risky. We can't take Wishbone's word for anything after what she did, and she could easily go Dreamwalking to see what the civilians know about us."

"There's no way I am staying here for a month," I protest. It then dawns on me that the Crystal Castle has some nice guest accommodation that has a lot more room and might feel less claustrophobic. I had refused to stay there because I knew that I wasn't going to be a guest, and I also wanted to spend more time with Sombra. "I know I turned it down when we first moved into the castle, but isn't there a spare guest suite with its own living room? It would make sense for me to stay there, because something tells me that when we're discussing tactics with Chryssie she won't want to turn into one of the Crystal Empire's miniature ewes just to fit in here."

He laughs. "I will ask the servants to sort the guest suite out for you, but I still don't want you leaving. It may seem draconian, but I want to protect you. Believe me, this is better than spending a month curled up on a cave floor groaning to yourself."

The guest suites each have a double bedroom, dressing room, bathroom and a kitchen/living room. It's slightly better, but I still dread the thought of being cooped up in such a small space for so long.

Sombra breaks the news to the guards that I have 'fallen ill'. Simple cover story, but they're never going to believe an elaborate tale. We both know that they will spread the word on our behalf.

Sombra gets on with his duties. I read a book about Starswirl the Bearded, and think. Speaking to Wishbone was strange last night. She went from completely hating me when controlled by Celestia, to suddenly realising that she had to move on. I never thought about how she felt, because I thought she was working against me the whole time, even when she said that she was caring for me and trying to get me away from Sombra because she thought he was dangerous. I assumed that was an act, even when I knew deep down she was probably thinking about me. I must have hurt her a lot over the last few weeks. I was so ready to get revenge because I thought she worked only for Celestia. It's still mainly my fault, but Sunbutt has some of the blame in this as well. I do not know if that alicorn chooses me specifically as the target of all her twisted jokes, or if everything she does affects me indirectly, but she is trying to strip away all the things that make me a pony. Becoming an Umbrum is just the final step.

Wish... Oh Tartarus, I should have been nicer to her. Technically, she was right from the beginning: Sombra is dangerous. He's not an ordinary pony. We found a common bond and rushed into things without thinking. We hurt those who actually cared for us because we thought they were going to tear us apart. Sombra has turned me into an Umbrum. At times, he's made me quite a horrible pony to be around. But I'm not going to let that hold me back. I can still be a good pony, even if I'm with him, and I can make him nicer too.

Eventually I get bored and decide that leaving the room quickly can't do any harm. Sombra is busy, so I am certain he won't notice if I slip out of my room for a while. I make it ten paces down the corridor before I hear, or rather, think, him talking to me.

Sneaking away isn't going to work.

I tell him that I am free to do what I like providing I don't break the law, and continue walking down the corridor.

Wishbone appeared again last night, and though she isn't helping Celestia anymore, we can expect somepony else to bother us soon.

Soon isn't now. Please?

I have a letter from Luna saying that we have a few leaks in our boat. Anypony could be giving the Sun Pony information.

Well, the Tall Bug Horse made a good point and suggested that Moon Pony might be our leak. Not impossible.

If you thought for one second that Luna was a traitor, you would have told me. Get back in your room before you are seen.

I grin. What if I say no?

Then I come here to make sure you stay. I'm trying to stop Sunbutt from finding out that you have actually decided to become an Umbrum. It could make things a lot worse, since she would know our biggest weakness if she found out. Right now she's playing a guessing game.

I trudge back into the room. He has a point too, as much as I don't want to stay here. I continue to read. It could be worse.

Four or five days pass, each one less interesting than the one previous. I run out of reading material. I have no idea what to do. He claims that it'll only be a short while before I want to stay in here all day, but as each minute passes my temptation to leave doubles, and eventually I give up and open a window. The attempt to squeeze through is almost successful, but Sombra just happens to be outside on a balcony not far away from me. He teleports into the room, and I shuffle back inside.

"I am so sorry about this, but you can't leave. It is too dangerous. I feel terrible about this. How about I come and visit you each hour to keep you company?"

"I need to see somepony other than you and Chrysalis. As much as you're great company, I have to see somepony else every once in a while. I thought you said I wouldn't want to leave in a few days."

"Clearly you have been affected differently. It's fine. Here, have one of these."

"One of-" My sentence is interrupted by a kiss. "So maybe that makes me feel slightly better."

The next day isn't any better. I am even more desperate to spend five minutes outside of the four walls that contain me. I decide that magic is the best course of action. The door is locked, and I have no hope of picking it because the lock is enchanted. The same goes for the window. I haven't been taught the dark magic spell for unlocking an enchanted lock. Teleportation it is then. The Crystal Library is as good a place as any to visit. Considering the time of day, there won't be many ponies there. I focus on the place, try to create the temporary portal, and nothing happens. A ward has been cast to stop me. I feel as though I am trapped in a fishbowl. It looks like the only way to escape is using some cutlery from the kitchenette as a hammer and chisel. I actually consider this idea for a few minutes before common sense kicks in. If only I could walk through the walls...

Walk through the walls. Sneak around unnoticed. Like a shadow.

Glass of water into a rain cloud. That was the analogy he gave me.

I concentrate on the shadows that have now almost completely engulfed me. I try to draw them in even closer with dark magic, focusing on my wonderful desire to escape, my hope that once I am out of here I am free to do as I like, and how the shadows are going to help. A strange tingling sensation occurs and I glide through the door as if it never existed. I reverse the transformation. Easy as pie. I look down at the remaining shadows, and cast them away so I look normal.

I go back to my old room via teleportation to put on my armour. I'd like to make an entrance when I walk into the throne room. I use teleportation again because I don't want to be spotted. There are two guards outside the throne room, but I hold one hoof up to my lips and they take the hint. Then, with all the power I can muster, I shove the doors all the way open and all eyes turn to me.

"I'm back," I cheer.

Sombra stares at me, not moving from his throne.

"I felt rubbish for a while, but I'm cured."

Sombra continues to stare.

"What? Did I miss something?" Dark thoughts begin to run through my head, of battles and blood and Celestia smiling wickedly at us.

"Stop messing with me. I told you that you needed bed rest for a good month. How on Equis did you get here without anypony noticing that you'd gone on a walk?"

"Sombra," I sigh, "you may have locked me in a turret room to keep me safe, but nothing," I pause to transform into my shadow form and glide over to the two thrones, "is going to keep me from your side." I turn back into a pony and sit on the second throne.

"I suppose you are correct, Moonlight. There is nothing I can do." He reaches over to embrace me, and I return the gesture. The changelings in the room are not the only ones smiling at the sight of us two.

"So, has anything happened while I've been going stir-crazy?" I ask after a moment.

"The Solar Guards from Equestria have left. The first shipment of food from the yaks is set to arrive by airship tomorrow. Everypony has been missing you. Sunbutt has sent us a letter, although it isn't that nice."

"Let me see this."

The letter floats over to me, and I begin to read.

Author's Note

I found this cute picture!

Source