The Throw Away

by Scriptz Error

Rating: mature
Tags: Discord, Violence, The Pillars, Death, Human, Pony of Shadows, Drama, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Tantabus, Adventure, King Sombra, Suicide / Self Harm, Profanity
Length: 16512

After a deal was struck, a human was allowed to live out his dream. So why does he feel like this is going to go horribly wrong?

After bland, tastless days passing by, a human wishing, dreaming, for his fantasy world struck a deal with a mad god. What he thought would be an amazing experience would now turn into one of many wrong choices in his life.

The deal? He has one year to turn over a person's reputation into a redeemed person, he's failed to realize how horribly wrong that can go...

Will he crack under the pressure? Will he come out with a black heart? Or will he find the courage to keep fighting for what may or may not be a reward to him.

...Or maybe, he will want revenge?

Cover art used with permission of the Deviant Artist

Additional tags: Slice of Life, Romance, and sad.

Light gore on Chapter 6

Warning: When this story is finished you will regret getting attached. Read at your own peril

Featured on June 6th to 7th 2022

Published 2022-06-06 06:50:00 UTC
Last updated 2022-11-14 18:22:27 UTC

Chapter 1- Spotlight's on YOU

A meek voice rang through the cold winter wasteland. "What is... going on?" Groggily the body began to lift itself with a mane untamed and drooping as it rose but in response, the creature felt piercing pain and aching joints. "Ah!" The voice yelped in pain, feeling like shards of glass had pierced what he barely understood was happening.

The body began to slowly push itself through the pain as it began to breathe shallow breaths, slowly regaining a rhythm of breathing before opening its eyes.

The light had been too much for the body to handle all at once and forced the eyes to shut in compensation, slowly he began to open them. Squinting to reduce the light but drinking in more and more of the surroundings. "Where-" It turned around to view the surroundings to find nothing but a cold desolate snow desert.

"I-" it caught its voice, as it began to process the area and its unfamiliar voice it looked downwards, and a huge smile formed.

The area, the cold harsh weather, the resonating pain that was like being struck through a building. I looked down to see what I thought I had seen, hooves, black hooves like charcoal covered in some kind of armor around my hooves. The scenario, the new body I was within...

I looked at the vast empty cold harsh weather on the endless trek of snow. "My God, it's Equestria. My parents, my co-workers. I'll never see any of them again...."

"Yes!" Excitement flowed through my body as a huge sense of gratitude oozed over me. "I did it! I got in! Yes, yes yes YES!"

I've never had more buyers' delight than I had now, what seemed like a dream was now a bright reality that I was slowly taking in with all my delight. A fresh new start! In my favorite show! I was gushing inside but slowly my excitement mellowed down only for me to realize how much my body ached. Maybe the changing of consciousness affected the spell? Or maybe this character I was in was just lost... The idea made me move my head to take in the snow field. Lost? In a blizzard, huh that uh, that doesn't sound very promising. But! If it's a side character then it really shouldn't matter!

I'm here! I'm in Equestria with all my loveable characters and stories with so much lore that I could fill a whole book with! Wait, that's a...GREAT IDEA! Yeah yeah, I can make a book of my experiences, relish the deal and make the most out of it. I am so smart.

As I tried to lift myself with my hooves I realized two very bad things. One. I was failing miserably at keeping my balance and Two. I uh, don't know who I am," I frowned but shook the feeling off. In hindsight, it doesn't matter, some sprinkles of good brownie points, some praising, friendship problem-solving, and I'm basically absolved of all sins.

Heh, wow this deal is the easiest! Once a year comes around and Discord comes to check on my good behavior, I'll be practically as saintly as Fluttershy in this world's terms of good, free to roam the world as I please.

One year to turn around someone's name? I chuckled, shaking my head from all the worry and anxiety I had before. I mean come on, could this be any easier?

I lifted my front right hoof then my left, it felt weird having stumps as legs to hold yourself up but, it dem the breaks I guess.

But as I lifted myself over multiple trials and errors I felt a chill in my spine, not from the cold, no I was out here for a while, it felt... different.

As I looked in front of me I heard flapping behind me, at first, it was distant but began to get closer and closer. I felt myself freeze at the moment, I saw a figures outline in the shadow it was making in front of me. But then I saw its wings and relief washed over me, it was a pegasus of course! A lost pony in a blizzard of the Crystal Empire, of course, someone would go looking for me!

I chuckled as I turned to my savior, "You know you had me scared for a second I thought you were an" As I finished my rotation my voice got caught in the middle of my sentence as I saw a familiar rainbow maned mare. "-animal..."

I couldn't contain a smile slowly approaching my face, the first pony I meet is THE RAINBOW DASH!

But before I could say anything, her eyes widened and flew off at high speeds I hadn't seen in cars.

I was mostly at a loss for words before I heard the crackling of where Rainbow was, particles of purple light began to form before briefly vibrating and shining as if one event had just ignited a keg of powder. And just as a powder it exploded with vibrant purple light with a rush of wind pushing onto me, I had to close my eyes to cover my senses but just as quick as it started it didn't even linger for half a second. While the light was bright I could see six figures slowly fade into light as the particles slowly disappeared.

As the light slowly dampened in its velocity and as it slowly became clearer and clearer to see the figures, I saw what I wanted from the start, along with a familiar rainbow theme pegasus I saw the rest of the gang, with Twilight having a purple hue left in her horn giving me a good idea who had started the small display in their place.

I smiled like a maniac, all the important ponies were here! I could be friends with them while I turn over this "new leaf" for this background character! Killing two birds with one stone and more!

Hair strands began to intervene with my vision of my idols and I quickly tried to blow it away, "Guys!" But when I finally got a look-in at what was on their faces, it was as if all ranged from shock to amazement with open eyes and mouths.

Twilight was the first to speak, with no wings I knew I wasn't past season 3. She spoke in amazement, "It's- it's really King Sombra-." Her voice became quiet and trembled.

What?

"King Sombra? Where?" As I turned to look behind me I caught something in my vision, at the bottom corner of my eye I saw a cape, tattered and ripped but a red crimson cape that faded slowly into black at the end. With white fluff surrounding what was left of the actual material, it was as if a blade had cut the cape diagonally in a perfect, clean half.

My mind recoiled at it all, the deal made with Discord, the wasteland near Crystal Empire, the sudden surprise and appearance of Rainbow Dash, and the others. The aching in my body, the coat color- I. Am. Sombra.

Twilight eventually found her ground and took a small hesitant step forward, "King Sombra! As Celestia's Student, I'm here to stop you here and now!" She began to take a fighting pose and so did her friends.

"I-" The words were stuck in my throat, they couldn't know who I was- it was part of the deal...

"Let's clobber this guy!" Rainbow bumped her hooves together before immediately flying towards me with hooves out.

"Rainbow, no!"

As my heart quickened and my eyes shot open, seeing Rainbow quickly close the distance between us, I slowly felt intangible. When I heard the speed of her flight from where I was I had closed my eyes in wait for her body to collide with mine to strike me with pain. But as I heard the impact I heard her yelp and groan in pain but I felt nothing. I opened my eyes to see my body disappear, with no traces except a black smoke surrounding where I once was.

My eyes widened as I realized what had happened, "I just phased into smoke." I gaped at the revelation as if a flight or fight response had occurred, even without knowing how to use Sombra's abilities, I had used his signature phasing ability.

Twilight was in shock with the others, but I saw an opportunity to take my leave as Rainbow recovered.

The purple pony yelled out, "Don't let him escape!"

As I moved and solidified without command I saw a shadow over me to look up to find a yellow lasso. As I tried to sidestep away I saw a rainbow already by my side, "You're not going anywhere!" I got pushed towards the lasso and yanked away towards the Applejack.

As I got pulled along I tried to quickly activate whatever sort of fight or flight accident that caused me to phase out but nothing was working!

This was starting to piss me off! First I get the worst person to inhabit and then I have to fight off the main six?!

"Watch out Applejack! He's about to use his magic!"

I stopped to look up at my horn to see it bubble with purple and green with black coursing and pulsating with streaks in zig zags like lightning. It was the same kind of effect that Sombra used when he attacked!

"How did-"

"Stay back! I got him!"

"Rainbow, no!

I turned to see Rainbow charging at me, and without thinking I phased again.

As she passes me a look of disbelief and annoyance was all along her face. When I heard the thud I solidified without command, I quickly realized I was out of the rope but turned to see the gang quickly recovering.

Rainbow snarled in protest, "Agh, I hate when he does that!" She hit the snow with her hooves like a child in a tantrum.

I ran but from the sound behind me, it didn't take much to realize they were already on my trail.

The blizzard felt as if it was becoming harsher and wild as the snow blazed around me and my pursuers. The snow began to become thicker in smoke and fog, I turned to see Twilight holding a light in her horn to keep some kind of viewable distance but slowly I began to gain more distance as the snow slowed them down. Just as I was about to lose them a rainbow streak began to whizz by me and stopped a few feet in front of me before turning around to hit me before I could react.

As we rolled in the snow I used my hind legs to kick her off and launched her away. But as I slowed down I felt a sudden inclination in the ground going down. As I picked myself up I saw what I feared, inches away was a canyon of deep ice that seemed bottomless.

"Shit" I cursed under my breath.

As I turned I saw the main six stopping only a few feet away from me. "Surrender King Sombra! There's nowhere to go!"

They began to slowly approach me with Twilight leading the charge. I took one hoof back but felt the half-empty space with a small rock being pushed into the endless abyss. Readying their bodies, they had their walking in unison. I couldn't do anything! This situation was going from bad to worse and I couldn't do shit but watch!

Twilight backed off a bit only lighting up her horn, "Stay back girls! He's readying a spell!"

Looking up I found the same result as before but what was causing it? My frustration was getting bigger and bigger and I was becoming more and more furious with the inability to do anything!

As I was clouded with anger I quickly realized Twilight had put up a shield and very slowly pushed forward.

I grinded my teeth, this wasn't how things were supposed to happen! This was supposed to be easy! More and more my anger built. I slowly realized the brightness of my horn was building up, I looked up to see it was going wild with black lightning and oozing purple and green. Anger.

That was the key to it! Anger! Of course, the built-up of frustration was making my horn activate and the episode where the main six was going to the Crystal Empire for the first time revealed that black magic was incited by anger!

It all made sense! I lifted a smile, and for once in this whole horrible situation, I found a win! I laughed, I genuinely, heartedly laughed. It was all so simple! Anger led to his magic and since I now knew the power I could easily take them down!

But the winter became more wild and strong and I had to shut my eyes in response, it became wild and unreasonably stronger. As I tried to get a view of the main six I saw them only doing the same I was with Rainbow slowly readying her wings with one final push she flew towards me.

But just as I was preparing for the hit the storm wrapped around my vision. I closed my eyes waiting for the collision but seconds seemed to drag on to minutes. I cautiously opened my eyes to find myself in a forest, I was thrown off by the sudden change in the environment before I heard a click of a tongue behind me.

As I turned I found a spectral ghost of a certain Draconequus with one eyebrow raised and a look of slight shock but amusement on his lips.

He chuckled before uttering a single sentence. "I'm glad my guess wasn't wrong."

Author's Note

Yes yes I know, "A new story? Really?" And while yes not a good idea, I want these concepts out of my head. And I'd like to mention this is still very much a side hobby for me. But if you're that invested in my works there is a discord server I have now, you can keep track of Offical Artwork (Well official as it gets), progress on stories and more!

I know you've probably seen this and honestly I'll shill my server one more time before I stop.

Chapter 2 - Ponies BEWARE!

My eye twitched, "The hell's wrong with you! You sent me to the Crystal Empire in front of the protagonists! I could've been captured!"

But Discord has the balls to just smile up at my situation!

"I needed to make sure you were up for the task, of course, sending you to the empire needed to happen as that was the last physical spot He was at. I just" he rolled his ghostly claw out looking for the word, "wanted to see how you'd fare."

I was starting to get angry. "So you just let me come across the most important ponies that could easily destroy me with the elements?!"

He slowly came forward with a smirk, I growled at him but he gave it no mind, lifting a lion claw, he clamped his index paw and thumb on my horn. The result is me hearing a sizzling sound effect, "I would recommend you keep your anger in check, wouldn't want to give the wrong idea right?" His mischievous grin slowly turned into a serious scowl, "Or at least don't aim it at someone important enough to send you three dimensions off from where you came from."

Looking directly at his eyes, all it spoke of was a gaze that put my soul in place. My insides stirred and I felt my hooves become weak, anxiety began to build up and dwell in my mind.

"Good, glad we understand each other, now!" He smiled again with mischief. "Onto business." He clasped his hands together but made no noise.

"Hey if you could make noise with your tongue then why can't you-" I was interrupted with a talon on my lips.

"Now now, show some respect for your conductor." As he lifted it back away I looked up to find him with a conductor hat and a scarf. I could tell he was fucking with me with the slightest shit, I stood there confused but silent.

"I'll take that as a 'you understand' silence. So this makes it easier for me." He snapped his fingers and with it, I became dizzy and disoriented before I heard more snapping, but without the lights and magic.

Discord called out. "Hey," I slowly regained my senses, but he kept snapping for a good measure I guess. "Oh look you're back!"

"Where-" I looked around to see the walls and chairs of a train, I was seated on a couch that had a table in front of it with Discord being opposite to me. I looked out to my left to find a window that showed odd purple swirls and stars.

"My personal chaos dimension, isn't it great?" I looked back at him with confusion.

I still was feeling the effects of the- teleportation? Wait did he just knock me out?

He laughed a bit, "Aha no, just teleportation I'm afraid, nothing as dark as knocking somepony out."

"Did you just-"

"Read your thoughts? Oh goodness no, nothing as silly as such, your face is just saying it all."

My eye twitched, I was starting to feel like I was being toyed with.

He sighed before pulling out a small glass of water, bringing it above my head, he dumped it causing a waterfall to pour down on me.

Sizzling and a wet mane were what came afterward. But I didn't react, this was Discord, while annoying he had a point.

He smiled innocently, "Now how was that?"

I forced a smile with my teeth grinding while I spoke out of it. "Just. Peachy."

"Glad to hear because our deal is going to need an overview as I'm sure you're just fuming your little head with sparks as to why my choice of Sombra."

"You didn't tell me I would be taking SOMBRA'S BODY!"

He chuckled, "Such naivety, I never said it wasn't going to be him, now did I?"

I was starting to build up rage once again, "Oh yes I'm soo sorry for not asking, what I meant is YOU FAILED TO MENTION KIND OF A BIG FACTOR IN THIS DEAL!"

I opened my maw again only to be dumped with water again, "AND WHY THE HELL AM I GETTING SOAKED!?" Which led to another gallon of water hitting my head.

Discord rolled his eyes with a sigh, "So I neglected to tell you of what body you'd inhabit, big deal, this is still your dream right? Becoming one of the many ponies that encompass the land?"

I felt the build-up of anger but as I looked up to the bucket that was over my head I saw it had tilted. I took in all the anger in one inhale and then exhale, I looked back to see the bucket had righted itself.

I figured it out, the bucket was merely to take out the anger that was leaking from my horn, whether Discord did it to calm me or just to punish me was something that felt like was going to be up in the air.

"So why Sombra?"

That caught Discord off-guard, "Sombra? Oh yes, your body, well I felt if anypony was to be reformed, well why not the worst king to rule?"

"You chose to use the worst example!?"

"Careful King, your crown is tilting." He spoke in a vaguely threatening way. I moved back to cling to the cushions and shut my mouth.

"As to what this was about, I want to make a message."

I parroted that last bit, "'A message'?"

He smiled like a madman, "Can you imagine the look on the princess's faces when they realize how they denied a tortured a victim to the whims of the universe? How do they deny a King's request for pardon when he finally has accepted harmony? How sweet it is to see a former villain reform and the very ponies that preached it become the last to accept him!"

"You're doing this to fuck with them? To fuck with me!?" My blood began to boil and I was getting heated and at the top corner of my eye, I saw the bucket slowly tilt. I focused on it, soon it was surrounded by a red aura, I felt the weight, the water's volume, and slowly pushed it back but I didn't stop there.

My anger was starting to rise as I've already had to deal with shit, the bucket began to slowly have creases, and punctures began to form with black crystals with the metal crumpling like paper. Everything was laid out to me, all this just to fuck with me and my dreams! I crushed the metal container in one swift moment, but as it was crushed I felt exhausted. I let go of the metal can to fall. I realized, the anger clouded my sense of depletion, I looked back to see the bucket had fallen onto the ground with dark purple crystals protruding from the iron exterior.

"I guess this had to come eventually." I looked back to Discord with a wince in my horn, an aching began to form around my brain and horn.

"What?"

Discord rolled his eyes and began to lay back with his back against the cushions of his seat. "Due to the revival of king Sombra's physical form, its muscles had atrophied. Think of it like a coma, during the unconscious period the body cannot do daily activities such as walking or running. These daily minor, trivial as they are, keep your muscles working and build your endurance whether you notice it or not. So when you come out of a coma your muscles are weakened and unable to do a sufficient amount of work without slow steps to build It up again, thus the same effect is what you're experiencing from lifting the bucket with your normal magic before switching to dark magic with anger in replacement of your initial use of magic.

I tried to rise from my side but my hooves felt weak. "But I could run just fine earlier?"

Discord laughed at the notion, "What happened was adrenaline coursing through you in a fight or flight response, it was amusing, however."

"Wait then-" I was interrupted by a major spike of pain in my head.

"That leads to our next lesson which holds your fascination in this world so much. Magic!" He said with sparkles in his eyes and confetti popping out of nowhere. "Magic itself is not a tangible muscle you can work, your horn, however-"

I started to feel ridiculously weak each second, slowly losing my back support and leaning onto the cushion of my chair. "What?"

"Your horn is a conduit for magic, something that can be good and bad depending on how well trained your horn is, think of it as a gateway, without command it stays close but say the word and it will open!"

He leaned forward with a smile, "Just like your mother."

I was becoming too exhausted to be irritated so I just gave him a death stare.

"Anyway, the problem is you have a gateway for a reason, using magic constantly drains you of your endurance and strength, each pony has a set pool amount of mana. You can make it bigger and stronger with practice but it can also be cheated with huge drawbacks."

"So wait, why could I move within Sombra's- I mean in my form?"

"Hm, that was surprising, I was did wonder that myself, to see you activate his most prominent card of escape was quite the development."

"Wait, you were watching?"

He chuckled, "But of course, who did you think caused the blizzard to become strangely stronger and powerful?"

"Agh! Of course, that was you." I could only express my discontent in my voice.

"Back to the point, I have do have a theory; I am guessing since it was such a vital surprise card to his arsenal that it was ingrained into his body like a reflex. Strange how bodies that are taken over by another could be used all the same."

"Ah"

"And as to why you could use his black magic, that is slightly worrying, it's strange that his body has allowed using his horn like nothing without a single thought. Truly fascinating."

"Wait, worrying? As in danger?"

"Well, I suppose with how easily you could incite dark magic it could drain you for all you got. Much like a succubus, your very being could be sucked dry and left a husk of a corpse."

"You mean I could die!?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't worry too much, as long as you don't get angry it shouldn't be much of a problem right?"

"What do you mean 'not worry too much' I could die from anger!"

"Yes much like you are doing to yourself right now." He snapped his fingers and a cascade of water hit me.

"It will be something you will have to learn to control, I will not be holding your hoof throughout this, from here on out you and your silly actions will be yours to hold. So right now would be a great time to ask questions before you are completely alone.

I became slack onto my side of the table. "You're an asshole."

"You did sign up for this, I held my bargain and more, now you must as well."

"...What happens if I die before turning my reputation better?"

"Your soul will be sent to Tartarus."

"What?!"

"You didn't think failing wouldn't lead to consequences did you?"

"You mean if I don't succeed I'll go to Tartarus either way?"

"Indeed."

"That's- that's insane!"

"Well, you did make the deal without seeing the paperwork."

"I- agh."

"Yes if you are to fail your soul will be sent to our imprisoned hell for all of eternity!" He spoke in mock sorrow and a claw on his heart. "The tragedy! The heart-break! The-" he stopped midway to look at me.

"What?"

He began to lean closer, inspecting me as if some puzzle was off. "Hmm, I thought I saw something on your soul."

"What!?"

"It was probably nothing."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN JUST NOTHING?!"

"Egads, such a drama queen."

"FOR SOMETHING IN MY SOUL?!"

Another dump of water had hit me, soaking my mane this time.

"Let's get back on track, after this incident with the elements of harmony they will know you are alive. Probably tell the princesses and Yada yada." He began to stand up straight, "The point is you're going to be on the run, I'd recommend you try to cool down that fuse of yours to stay low."

As he said all this I looked at him.

"What?"

"What about Fluttershy?"

He raised his eyebrow, "The element bearer of Kindness? What of her?"

My eyes shot open, Of course! This was in season two but Discord hadn't become friends with her. For him, this was the present but no knowledge of the future.

I shook my head, "Never mind."

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow but shook it off.

"Well anyway, the point is your real threat is the main six, as you so delightfully call them."

"Wait you've watched the show?"

"Hm? Oh, just a few of the first episodes, from what I could see it's quite accurate."

"How would you know if they're accurate, they were just about Twilight."

He looked at me dumbfounded, "Tell me, how do you think I'm here now?"

"Uh-"

"Trick question, I'm in a statue hell, I've moved my spirit outside of it and watched as Equestria unfolded. This is me still here, I've bided my time and allowed you to move from your world to mine. Universes apart might I add."

"So, why wouldn't you want me to help you escape?"

"Oh but you already are, the chaos you will sow will bring me free of my prison."

"Huh" freeing Discord didn't sound good at all.

"Ah, seems we've reached our destination."

I heard the train screeching as it slowed down to a halt.

"This is your destination."

With a snap of his fingers, I felt refreshed, "What just-"

"I gave you some energy to help your progress on recovery, it's only enough for you to feel normal. If you have another hot-tempered moment, however, well."

I nodded, getting the message I looked out to the window to see a small village near a forest clearing, it resembled Ponyville but was a lot less colorful. "Where is this place, I've never seen it before."

Discord smirked back to me, "Your new hideout." He snapped his finger and I looked behind me to see a boot floating mid-air and rearing. "Oh, you f-" I got kicked through the window, and through disorienting flashes of light and colors I opened my eyes to see back where I started, the forest.

"I failed princess, I failed the test." Twilight looked down holding back tears.

Princess Celestia moved a wing over her student's back in comfort, "You helped a city, I'd rather have a student selfless and look for the good of the people than worry about their own gain."

Twilight looked up to Celestia with tears welling up in her eyes. "I know princess but, I couldn't beat King Sombra, or capture him."

Celestia took a somber face but kept warm compassion behind them, "The test was never about taking Sombra head-on, I wouldn't have imagined he would come back but the important thing is you and your friends are safe and well."

The front doors moved with a strong force that caused Celestia to push Twilight behind her with a calm, expressionless pose.

A single guard had rushed towards the princess before bowing with his head down. "Princess, forgive my intrusion but there has been a development that had occurred."

Celestia kept her cold expression, "Is it of Sombra?"

"No, it's-" the guard stopped to look towards Twilight and then at Celestia.

Celestial nodded before turning to Twilight. "I'm sorry Twilight, please go outside, I will join you shortly."

"Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong?" She began to panic but Celestia lowered her head to lay on Twilight's shoulder. She whispered, "Of course not, Twilight this is unrelated, go with your friends and tell them you did a great job"

While Celestia pulled back Twilight looked up to meet her eyes, "Does that mean?"

Celestial smiled and nodded, Twilight smiled brightly before leaving, and Celestia looked at her student with a warm smile before turning to the guard.

She began to pull a neutral mask over her face. "What is it?"

The guard straightened himself up at the attention. "Ponies have been found in a forest, they call themselves The Pillars."

Her mask of poker broke immediately, she spoke in shock "Of old?"

"Yes," the guard squirmed before continuing "There is another thing."

Celestia's eyes began to widen."Yes?"

"There is an individual, that we wouldn't be able to identify by ourselves."

"Are they conscious?"

"Yes, and he calls himself...Starswirl the bearded, says he fears the end of Equestria is on the horizon."

Author's Note

Ooo development.

Chapter 3 - Humble Beginnings

This was full of bullshit, I was set up from the start! I was hit with various waves of nausea and pain. Stopping my train of thought I looked up to my sudden aching to see my horn have glowing bits of the same signature look of my earlier use of black magic.

Even though Discord was an asshole, he was right, I need to control my temper if I want to last longer than a minute. I began to trek through the greenery, calming and peaceful were the words that came to mind as I saw the forest. Its plant life was bright, healthy, and alive, the leaves served as a sort of canopy, hanging over the ground with small holes and empty spaces that let the sun shine through with graceful beams showing small bits of the outside world.

It was almost tranquil in a sense, nothing could be heard but the chirping of the birds with flaps of flight souring through the most harmless forest. As I walked along I found a small clearing the showed a dirt path, not very used due to the dirt's uneven mound of earth.

I spoke out loud."This must lead to the village." I now knew what direction to go, my hooves began to pick up the pace in a brisk trot. As I picked up the pace more and more I found a bright opening that led outside, I galloped towards it with haste only to be blinded by its radiance.

I felt my body crash into something, as I got bumped from the force and onto the ground I saw what I had mindlessly hit.

An earth pony with a short chinese brown-colored mane with bangs splayed at different lengths. The back of her hair was a lot more puffed in volume with high lights of peach, like buttery salmon onto the back ends of chunks of hair with braids onto the front. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I just was in a rush and I wasn't trying to feel the environment and I just-"

Seeing her around brought a smile onto my face, usually when something like this happened the stranger would just yell and throw insults as if they were trash meant to be thrown at anyone or anything.

I laughed a bit, seeing something so small become a disaster to a pony was very refreshing after everything.

I looked back to see her still blubbering about with apologies and alike but her looks kept my attention, her eyes bright like gold mixed with orange. Freckles upon her face with golden hearts as an earing piece on her ears, her coat like white dampened with peach creating a fresh honeydew color as her coat. Looking away from the mess she was slowly turning into I looked behind her to see a small yellow bow upon her tail, with a satchel wrapped along her stomach and back with a small lock mechanism in the middle. The satchel was dark cinnamon-colored on the underneath with the top/cover of it being of dark brown with the belt that held the entire thing together being the same color.

I had absorbed enough of the appearance of the mare to finally re-engage where the conversation was.

"And I just don't know how I didn't notice you," I pulled up a hoof to signal her to stop but she just kept going. "N-not that it's your fault or anything it's just-"

I cleared my throat which finally got her attention as she went rigid. "Listen it's my fault as well, I was uh, lost, and when I found a clearing in the forest I just ran out."

Slowly she let her form relax and become more normal and closed her eyes in relief.

"Are you okay?"

Her eyes snapped open along with her mouth but quickly shut it. Why is she afraid- Oh. My. God. What the HELL WAS I THINKING? OF COURSE, SHE FROZE SHE'S SEEING KING SOMBRA-

She slowly mouthed words but I didn't register them until a few moments later. "You're still here?" Confusion fogged my brain as I recoiled at the question, fear and worry now set aside from what should've been the obvious reason as to why she was stuck in motion.

"Uh, yeah?"

Her eyes widened before speaking. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make it sound like that, I just couldn't sense you is all."

What should've led to screaming and running for a pony was now questioning if I was there? "What?"

She showed a small smile before looking down. "I'm well, blind, I can't see anything, and how I know where things are by tapping into my magic in my hooves. I can use my connection to the earth to have vibrations tell me where ponies are or read the magic aura. But for you- well I've never met somepony who I couldn't sense."

"You can't see?"

"Yeah, Oh my Celestia! You probably were waving your hooves or telling me to stop while I was apologizing, weren't you? I'm so sorry! I know I can go off with words and slowly sentence derails and becomes a problem and-" she topped before blushing, "kinda like what I'm doing now." Pawing at the ground she just stayed silent.

I was at a loss for words, she was bubbly and energetic yet shy and unconfident. "It's fine, I wasn't doing any of that but um now that we have calmed down, can you tell me where we are?"

She frowned. "You were lost in the woods and, don't know where you are?"

Shit that did sound suspicious, "Uh, yeah, just got lost exploring heh." I started to sweat bullets, knowing she couldn't see me only saved me half the anxiety.

"Hm, well you're currently in Shimmer Summer falls, the forest you were in was what we call 'Humid Breeze' usually nothing comes by. How did you get here if you didn't even know that? And what's even your name?"

"I'm uh-" shit shit, think of something, anything! Wait! Pony names are either puns or direct meanings to their ability or cutie mark! That's it just think of something with shadow involved.

"I'm-" I looked around to see a tree's shadow, "Shadeyyyy-" darting my eyes I looked back and forth to no avail, nothing was in the range! I looked up to the sky to see the sun slowly shift to near dawn. That's it!

"Dawn, Shadey Dawn, and I was exploring, looking for new monuments, and crashing from town to town." I nervously smiled, even knowing she couldn't see me, I was sweating bullets from her eyes singling on me alone.

"Hm, well welcome to Shimmer Summer! If you'd like I can show you around." She smiled obliviously to my heart rate slowly dropping.

"I would love that." Sighing under my breath.

"Great! Let me show you around!" She trotted along a dirt path and as I trotted with her I saw the village in close distance.

Something tells me I'm not going to have an easy time around here.

Author's Note

Now we enter my second favourite part of the story! Well third actually- point is this is where it's going to get wholesome... For most of the part-

Oh and if you'd like to see her character design in a real drawing I have it on my Discord server- cough selling out cough

Chapter 4 - Whispers In The Shadow

"So this may be a weird question but, do you happen to have a cloak or jacket I could wear inside your satchels?"

Even asking a question she went right along the path without even a second thought. "I don't have any clothing like that but I do have a picnic quilt." She stopped her merrily trot to unlock her right side's satchel, seeing her head move a bit before she had a quilt in the classic pattern of red and white in her teeth.

"Ish dish phine?" Tilting her head to the side.

"Uh, yeah" I focused on the quilt that began to engulf with a red aura. Yes! Finally using magic that doesn't kill me! Slowly the mare let go of the quilt and as I brought it closer to me the aura around the piece of cloth flickered.

I cursed under my breath. "Oh come on" the aura began to flicker more and more with each second letting the quilt fall for a second before the next tick comes.

I tried to maintain the connection but strain slowly came to me as the flickering became more fleeting and weak until it completely gave out. It fell to the floor with my exhausted pants.

"Are you okay?" The mare turned facing me, probably due to the panting I'm making-

"Yeah, I'm fine." I winced as the words came, moving one of my hooves to my aching horn I rubbed it in some slim chance it would calm the aching waves of pain. "Just over-exerted myself is all."

I lowered my head to grab the soon-to-be disguise of mine between my teeth.

"Not to pry but why do you need the quilt?"

I whipped my head to my right letting go of the quilt and focused my magic quickly to wrap it around me with a knot at my neck. Draining me even more I sat on my haunches. Through my sweating and panting, I looked up to find the sun still shining brightly even when it was lowering.

"Well, I wanted some shade from the sun?"

She just looked at me with puzzlement, "Well okay but I wouldn't recommend going back to the forest."

She trotted again and I kept pace with her but that last line burned curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh well, earlier when I was picking flowers and some fruit, I felt a weird aura, it was like a warped feeling of ripples with tidal waves pushing. Very violent, felt like waves thrashing and crashing into anywhere and everywhere." Her mood slowly shifted to a scowl. "I've never felt anything like it."

The way she cryptically spoke of it, was it Discord she felt? No, he wouldn't let someone like a random blind mare be able to see him. Especially if he was hiding away from the princesses. But what was it? Wait... Didn't he say that he thought something was in my soul? My breathing slowly quickened, What if-

"It was probably some animal or monster I haven't felt before. For all, I know it could be just a timber wolf."

"Oh, aha, yeahhh." I breathed a sigh of relief. Discord was probably just fucking with me...probably.

Walking closer and closer I can see the village and us losing distance.

"So um, this was probably very rude of me to only ask now but...what's your name?"

The sun was shifting ever so slowly, and the fields of grass that once moved to the wind's whim with light dancing into the day were now covered in shadows. Trees and buildings alike have an overhanging duplicate of themselves.

As patches of grass that were once lush and bright now sunken with shadows.

Two rulers trekked through the shadowed grass, as they trekked further deeper into the forest they had followed a path of steps that were given to them soon coming across broken, and smashed hedges.

Luna stepped forward with a hoof out, touching the outlines and etchings of stone. "Ponehedge, I wonder why of all places this would be where they had been brought back."

"It is where I and the pillars last fought."

Both rulers turned to see Starswirl with tired eyes.

Celestia gawked with her mouth open, "How are you still alive over a thousand years?"

"We were stuck in a limbo, but that doesn't matter right now, what does is that Equestria is in danger."

Luna stepped forward. "From what?"

"From the Pony Of Shadows."

Celestia only looked at him, slowly turning gears in her head before turning to a guard close by. Lighting up her horn, an aura popped to reveal a letter and a quill with fast writing she gave it to the guard. Quickly understanding the task He flew off with haste.

Celestia turned to Starswirl, "Tell me everything."

"I and the pillars were fighting a dark creature that took hold of your darkest desires, it had taken hold of Stygian, a unicorn that had told us of danger and to where we might be needed. He's currently being held in prison as the guards have told me, we fought off to delay the darkness that the creature was going to spread, but we couldn't find a way to take him down. So we had sacrificed ourselves by using our magic together to seal him away into limbo..."

Luna in awe spoke under her breath, "Limbo, perpetual freeze in a dimension of its own."

Celestia still looking to Starswirl, "So what changed? A timer onto the spell?"

Starswirl groaned while bringing a hoof to rub his horn.

"Something unworldly changed, limbo did not have a passage of time so I can't say if this had happened just now or a thousand years ago, I never studied the spell enough to know. But something with a blue aura had awoken us in a deep dark void, it was like a comet falling through space, sending shockwaves along the dimension we were stuck in. Causing time rifts or leaking time- I again, have yet to study the spell enough to know but what I do know is that it did not just wake us. The pony of shadows had awoken shortly after we did, but the comet that had passed by had created a rift, a hole so to speak that led to the escape of the shadows. We followed suit and wound up here, the Ponehedge."

"So if the Pony Of Shadows is not here..." Celestia looked off to the sky, "Where?'

Starswirl spoke up," If I may, princess, The Pony Of Shadows had seemed not only excited to escape but possibly to come after that comet we had seen. My best guess is that it looks for that comet as it has enough power to cause rifts in dimensions. If the Pony Of shadows were to have its hooves onto it-"

Luna spoke in a displeased and ominous tone, "Then it would be even a bigger threat than you had faced."

"Exactly why we must step into a search at once!" Star swirl began to move, "I will speak to the others, and then we can-" His legs failed on him mid-speech as he caught himself with the support of a hedge. "Excuse me, I think I will need to go recover a bit." He tried to pull himself up but slowly felt his eyes become heavy, muscles became sore, and soon he dropped to the floor.

Both princesses yelled in worry, "Starswirl!"

Author's Note

Next chapter will solely focus on Shadey and "???"

So a bit of slice of life coming up ahead and a bit of drama.

Chapter 5 - How To Make A Friend

The mare smiled brightly to the forward path with a pep in her step. "Cherry Blossom!"

Cherry Blossom, chuckling to myself I think of how ridiculous some of these names are.

"Nice to meet you Cherry, Do you mind if I ask what you do around here?"

"Oh not at all! I just pick cherries, well I and my sister. We are farmers so we just farm cherries and sell them on stands and outsource them."

"So then why be near the forest, wouldn't you have your own acre of like, cherries?" Instead of thinking over it she just laughed at the notion,

I was confused. "What?"

She held a big smile while speaking. "I wasn't over there to farm cherries, I was there to get fruit, I and my sister prefer to grab what's around the edges of the forest or a little further down. Although now that I felt that aura," She grimaced. "I think I'll stay out of its path for a while."

I hummed in agreement. "Probably a good choice, although you keep mentioning you and your sister, what about the rest of your fam-" before I could finish my sentence she interrupted.

"I don't want to talk about it." Her tone was hollow and cold.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, on the bright side we're here" Her tone shifted to a slightly hopeful tone.

Looking up I found what here was. A dirt path had lined itself in the middle that splits into two different directions after a few feet away. To each side along the path held small houses that were fenced along the road. At the split of the road held two signs with one below pointing to the right while the other one on the top pointed to the left, I couldn't see very well what it read.

"This seems a lot more," I tilted my head in thought. "closer than I expected, don't you guys have farmers? Or are you and your sister the only ones?"

She giggled, "This area is more of a home-based location for ponies who aren't farmers, you know where the sign is at the split? It divides to a town center or to the farmer's market which a little further down has farmer's land.."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"Mhm, let's go to the town center, I'm sure you can get a map of the place over at the city hall. That is, if you are going to stay, I wouldn't recommend going out at night though."

Just as she was about to move I stopped her. "Wait, how do you know it's turning night?"

"Huh? Oh! Well, you know how I talked about sending magic from my hooves to the ground?"

"Yeah?"

"Well with the moon luminesce it sends energy similar to the sun where it can be used by plant life to animals. A sort of heat and light, not nearly as potent but still enough to send energy that we can use. So I can sense its energy and due to the difference in intensity I can tell when it's night or day."

"That's, actually pretty cool."

"Thanks!"

"I don't know if I'll stay long though, I was thinking of just keep on moving."

She frowned. "Wouldn't be wise to travel due to a sort of a parasprite infestation."

"Parasprites? The small bugs?" I couldn't imagine them being much of a problem. "That doesn't sound bad to travel through."

"Well no, but they are prey to animals nearby, some ponies say it also attracted a monster that's been seen a couple of times."

"Monster?"

She shrugged "It's nothing, just some gossip, but now that is on the subject I think we'll need to withhold the tour." She stopped at the sign with a hum.

"I- yeah that's probably a good idea."

She sighed before turning. "I'm worried I know the answer but I'm gonna ask anyway, do you have a place to stay?"

The deafening silence is all I could muster... after a few seconds, I could only suck in air through my closed teeth. "If I say yes-" before I could continue she just interrupted with a big, long sigh.

"You can stay over at the farm as I'm sure if you didn't already have a plan of housing then you aren't particularly loaded either huh?"

Damnit she's pretty sharp. "No, I-"

She cut in again. "Shadey, I may not be able to feel your aura but I can hear pretty well, and from the sound of it you're not even wearing a satchel or bag."

"I-" Shit, she's got me there.

"Come on." She started to move along the road leaning towards the left.

"Wait!" I tried to keep pace with her, "What about your sister? I mean wouldn't she, I don't know, be surprised for you to bring in a stranger? And why go through this trouble for me?"

"In my book, strangers are just friends you haven't made."

Okaaaay so ponies are more gullible than I thought.

She zoned in on something, it looked as if it was distant and yet close to her face but she was blind? "And my sister won't be back for a while, she has this trip she's making for some of our extended family. And for you, well while I may not feel your aura I have felt what bad ponies' auras are like. I can't say yours is fuzzy and warm like others but it's not bad, y'know?"

"You, you can see if people are good?"

She laughed at that, "Pft no!"

"What?"

"It's like, y'know how sometimes when you get super excited you feel like you can do more? Or if you're sad you don't feel like you can do as much?"

"Yeah?"

"It's kinda like that, I can feel what ponies are feeling inside sorta, like what is weighing on their soul? It's kinda hard to describe." She knit her brow before slowly continuing. "It's like, it's like I can see a bit of that emotion in a sense, like if it's affecting someone's mana pool like if they see super excited and they release a more powerful spell. But for you, I didn't and still don't feel anything, I can't see your magical aura or your kind of emotions hanging over it. Just nothing, sorry if that didn't make sense." She frowned with a bit of concentration worn on her face.

"No no, that uh," Thinking it over I spilled my thoughts in real-time. "actually kinda made sense."

Author's Note

I know I know, weak but I've been struggling with this chapter for a bit and I've been dealing with school so I'll probably rewrite this chapter later on.

Chapter 6 -What Trouble Awaits...

"Sister before you sleep, please tell me honestly what you think we should do?"

Celestia stiffened before slouching her shoulders, "I don't quite know, so much has happened in one day, Sombra's appearance, The Crystal Empire showing itself, and an ancient evil propping up for ultimate power." She rubbed her temples with the frog of her hoof. "Everything feels like it's rushing to something I don't think is going to end well, and we don't even know what IT is. Like we're the only ones not in the loop of the power struggle that is going to inadvertently blow up in our face!" Her voice pitched at the end, hysteria slowly creeping up but just as it began it stopped.

Celestia poured all her baggage into one, long sigh. "It feels as if everything just wasn't meant to happen like this. Some things too soon and others out of our grasp. I don't like any of this and worst of all we are not prepared."

Luna chipped in with her idea. "What of the elements?"

She asked her sister, "I thought you had skepticism when I was handing down the trial to Twilight?"

Luna gave Celestia a reassuring smile. "And they have proven me wrong."

Celestial gave in a bit. "Yes I suppose so, but that doesn't make them ready, they aren't ready in a long shot."

"We should still keep them in the know."

"For what? The pillars are out of commission, six ponies of experience of olden dark magic, AND a princess having to guard a kingdom along with one of our top guards. We are spread as is, defense is the only play we have for now."

"Then you have already set for protocol spellbound?"

"I did it once Starswirl had told us of this- this disaster!" Her voice pitched again.

"Then rest sister, we shall look over the night."

"But you will be watching over the dream realm, who will-"

Luna came forward with a hood onto her sister's shoulder. "We can manage multiple things at once sister." stepping forward she smiled softly at her sister. "You are not alone anymore."

Celestia's mouth slowly curled to a smile before embracing her sister. "Thank you, I'm so so sorry."

"Tis fine sister, we understand you are under a lot of stress, we merely seek to remind you that We- I am here."

Celestia laughed lightly at that slip-up, "Speech lessons with Raven are going well?"

Luna blushed, "Ah yes, slang and wording are still very difficult to take on."

Celestia draped a wing over her sister's back, "I'm glad to see you adapting sister."

"As am I." Both nuzzled heads together before splitting.

The air was tinged with a metallic taste, yards were covered in blood, and crystals along with bodies of red-soaked white and black coats adorned with yellow and dark purple armor. Some ponies were impaled by the purple shards that extended and pierced out in jagged and unnatural ways like cracks within ice. The earth was soaked in the blood bath with one pony standing above it all.

Eyes aglow with red slits for irises with a green hue around the fury-filled eyes. A dark purple mist followed along with the eyes as the pony stood there.

"PRINCESSES, GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND NO MORE BLOOD WILL FOLLOW!"

Two tall celestial bodies stepped forward from their perch. Armor adorned their bodies with their respective color schemes of sun and moon with swords in their holsters.

Celestia spoke with an even, cold tone. "You don't need to do this Sombra, forgo your weapons and we can stop the bloodshed."

Sombra squinted with a burning stare, his muzzle twitched with anger. "Give. Me. What. I. Want. Or I will not hesitate to crush you and your sister with everything I have." Snarling he earned a cold, calculating stare from the solar princess.

Celestia's horn came to life with a yellow glow, "You know why we can't do that."

Luna stepped forward with her magic gripping her own sword. "You need to stop this madness or you will die with it."

Sombra growled, adorning a scowl, "If you wish to protect Him, then I will not prolong your death."

Shards slowly began to protrude from the soil around the king, crackling and impaling the earth. "Today will be when justice is shown in its true form, soaked with blood and anger."

The sisters jumped in unison charging at Sombra but in one swift moment, the shards surrounding Sombra exploded in growth, skyrocketing towards the sisters. In the sky, they dodged at a moment's notice with a cut on their respective sides.

"I deserve this! This is justice!" Mist around the eyes began to grow in intensity with his horn beginning to glow bright with red, "Why do you defend him!" The sisters began to take dives and twirls to avoid the pillars of crystals shooting toward them. Snarling he stepped forward with a hoof to his heart. "He has taken EVERYTHING FROM ME!"

Both sisters in union made their horns glow with the colors of the celestial bodies, lighting with the power they shot at the crystals, destroying them like paper. The sisters, growing closer, caused Sombra to move slowly with crystals growing underneath him, height slowly growing with each step. "This is justice!"

Destroying shards and crystals Celestia spoke, "This is madness, not justice, soaked with the sins of your rash actions!"

Sombra yelled in anger with his steps becoming more aggressive and faster with each hoof coming closer. "You speak as if blood has not already been spilled! You hide it behind your frivolous laws while I show the horrible truth behind true justice. It is not impartial nor blind, the price is heavy and deadly, not hidden away behind some feign deception of comfort." The princesses swooped around the spirals of crystals and shot their beams together, magic fusing to hit the platform that Sombra was on, before he could react the Crystal floor shattered within seconds right underneath him.

The debris and dust clouded the fall but the Crystal pillars attacking the princesses stopped. The princesses flapped their wings but stayed where they were, everything became still and frozen until a red glow shot from the floor hitting Luna's left-wing, her sister quickly came to aid, slowly helping her land on the floor.

Once they reached the ground they found that from the darkness and dust, came the eyes of their enemy. Glowing brightly as day with his signature colors. "You let him hide behind you when he caused nothing but trouble, causing a rift in dimensions, making a friend out of nowhere to feign a lie. A weak soul trying to salvage what he could in this world." Sombra snarled, "Letting him play with a body of a pony as if nothing were to come with consequences. And for what? Unable to control what was to happen until somepony stepped in, until I stepped in."

The princesses took their swords out with prepared stances as they saw more and more of Sombra's body peak out from the shadows until he was clear in view. "Sowing chaos more than he could handle, and you did nothing but calm worried ponies while clasping your hooves. Pathetic."

Luna looked underneath Sombra to find his shadow slowly shifting form. Black tendrils began to wrap around his back hooves quickly moving up onto his back and then writhing in the air as he stood.

"He deserves true justice, not a mock trial to an already sentenced fate. He played with a life, MY LIFE and he will pay with blood!"

The black tendrils shot towards the princesses, they slashed and dodged but the dark tentacles still came, even when cut they grew back with more ferocity. Celestia began to fly up to get a better range but the dark black appendage kept up while Luna had tried to parry and slow the momentum of her attacker.

Sombra snarled before more tendrils came out of his back as it slowly overwhelmed the princesses, the dark tentacles wrapped around the duo slowly bringing them closer to Sombra until they were just a few inches away from his face.

"I promised a quick death, any last words?" His dark enforcer slowly wrapped tighter around his foes slowly constraining their airways.

Celestia quickly used a spell to focus the sun's rays into a beam and hit Sombra with everything she had. The force of the spell struck Sombra with the noise of disintegration burning around her and her sister. The tentacles burned in contact and let both of them go while burning into the air.

Luna's horn lit with a spell, wrapping a shield around them in a bubble, steadying her breathing in concentration.

Celestia fell to the floor, panting with exhaustion.

"Sister you mustn't use the power of the sun, his clouds of dark magic prevent the recharge of your abilities. And with no moon for me to draw power from, I can't help your side of the battle, we must work together."

Celestia began to find her hooves and slowly lift herself with wings draping. "Yes, you're right."

Both looking upon the debris of mist Luna felt something was off, staring intently with a twitch of the ear leaning forward. "The dust should've settled by now."

Readying her sword and her body she waited. And waited. And waited.

"Sister, can you scan for" before Luna could finish her sentence a vertically spinning red blur broke her spell, pulling her sword horizontally she deflected the weapon upon the loud clash of metal with a forward push. The weapon bounced off into the air slowing down in momentum through the open sky just enough for Luna to see what was just thrown, a red double-headed axe, curved from top to bottom with a sharp-pointed spike on the top.

"Luna watch out!" She turned her head back forward to see Sombra's eyes glowing with a shield strapped around his hoof. Luna quickly realized her opponent's distance and regained her senses with a slash downwards onto the enemy. But Sombra moved his shield to cover his head, a loud clash of metal was the sound of his success in defense whilst sliding down to knock her off her hooves.

With that swift movement, she began to fall forward while Sombra held his hoof out to her face. Luna could barely see small shards of dark crystals slowly building up, her eyes widened as she got closer before a yellow beam hit Sombra to the side leading her to face plant on the ground.

Lifting her head she rubbed her cheek with a hoof, "Did you have to let me fall?"

Celestia was slowly losing her balance before Luna came to her side. "Sister you need to rest, go retreat to the castle with the elements of harmony."

Celestia looked at her with tired eyes, "No! If I leave you will fall and if we are to win we need to work together as you said."

"That was before I realized how much he had dampened your power from earlier. You need to lead Twilight," Luna smiled, "Equestria still needs a leader sister."

"Equestria needs both of us, Luna."

Luna gave out a hollowed laugh, "Sister, we both know that Equestria has done fine with only one."

Celestia's lips trembled with eyes watering, "Please, don't say that Lulu, I need you!"

Luna softly smiled with tears in her eyes, "And Equestria needs you, sister." Her horn began to glow a soft light blue hue. Celestia's eyes widened, "NO-" before she could finish she was surrounded by the blue aura before disappearing.

A dark small laughter snapped Luna out of her sorrowful goodbye, leaving only anger in her heart.

"You will not leave here alive, cretin."

Eyes aglow with a sinister smile moving with the dark mist. "You are all the same and it will all end the same. Royal blood will be spilled along with your pitiful insults for your last dying breathes."

"I may be struck down today but my sister will lead and teach the elements of harmony bearers on how to destroy you."

With a click of his tongue, he lifted his empty hoof to the sky.

Luna eyed the empty hoof with suspicion, "What are you-"

A red blur swooped from the sky to land on his hoof before being twirled with a red aura of magic. Luna instantly recognized the tool to be the same axe she had seen thrown at her. Sombra smiled with a wide grin along with his menacing eyes.

"Today is the day I overcome the night."

The night was peaceful and lulled creatures of all kinds to sleep. But one creature; a deer, couldn't sleep.

She slapped herself trying to get ahold of the situation, "Come on Alice don't panic, don't panic!"

Her wooden cozy home could hold no comfort from the horrible vision she had seen. Her fellow raindeers were asleep with no tremble, no worry of what was to come. For she alone held that power. The power to see the slow inevitably of the future. The horrible truth that fate had been set in place... The conquest of Sombra

Author's Note

A vision... but who was the victim? A damaged person with a misguided look upon life that pretends and tries to play along...

What was taken from another? What was used for their own gain?

Also sorry if these chapters seemed a little less up do quality.

Chapter 7 - Soooo you might be screwed

Chapter 7 - Soooo you might be screwed

When I opened my eyes the first thing to greet me was the ground. I felt small tingles on my stomach.

"What the-" I lifted myself from the ground to see- grass? It was light green with strips pointing out being made of different colors, akin to confetti.

I moved my hoof through it, feeling the small tickle it gave. Thin, very thin, not like grass blades, Odd.

"I'm glad to see you are finally awake, well more like awake in your dream- or would that be lucid dreaming?" My head swerved to see Discord floating In place a few inches above the ground. He had a red robe with a black outline that stretched from his neck with fur to the bottom. In a claw was a wooden smoke pipe that curved from his lips to swirls creating big loops until an inch away from his face. On his nose was holding a small set of glasses but instead of being normal reading glasses, one was much bigger than the other with swirls in its lens.

His dragon leg was on top and over the goat leg, he held the pipe out while having his lion paw caressing the short white beard. He looked out with a million-yard stare out in space.

Everything about this felt weird, the confetti-like ground, the space I looked out to find the space that encompassed us was just changing vibrating colors. "Uh-"

"Well, it doesn't matter." He threw the pipe away while ripping the robe off him with both tasks using only one hand. "Hello, again King Sombra." He grinned ear to ear.

Wait what? "King Sombra? Oh!" I smiled nervously, "That's me, yup! King Sombra!" With a nod and a noise of confirmation, I looked at him with a smile.

Discord could only look at me with disappointment written all over his face. "Really? You're going to try to pass as a ruthless king with that kind of performance? Honestly, maybe we should have run through rehearsals."

Raising his talons I shut my eyes in preparation for the bright flash. As I waited no sound or crack of light came to wash over my eyelids.

Slowly cracking open an eye, I saw his face in discontent.

"Discord are you-"

He sighed, lowering his talons. "As much as I'd like to play around, I'm afraid I'll have to be- uck"

He stuck out his tongue, the ground beginning to shake as he, alone, stood still.

I lost balance and fell backward, as I pulled myself back up the tremor stopped.

"-Serious."

"What about-"

Discord raised a paw, I obliged with a skeptical eye.

"So would you like the bad news or the worse news?"

My eyes bugged out. "Wait what?!"

He rolled his eyes, "I said do you want the bad news or the worse news."

"Discord you can't just-" as I looked up at him, his eyes glowed with his red slit irises.

I sunken back with my head a little lower."Ah gotcha," my voice cracked and with a cough, I spoke again. "Ahem, what I meant was, bad news please."

He waved his talons in the air as if they had no weight or care for the subject.

"So we may or may not have summoned a demon from another realm." He said nonchalantly, examining his claws.

"THAT'S THE BAD NEWS?"

"Well, the worse news is you now have the attention of the royal guard, the two demigods, and a batch of foals that sent away said demon."

WHAT THE FUCK?
"HOW?!"

"Weeeeell, if you want I could give you some of the worst news, well to this universe anyway."

"There's more?!"

He snapped his talons and with a puff of magic a cage appeared. Showed into the darkest corners were eyes laid open, red irises and a sharp maw that had opened at the acknowledgment of my prying eyes.

My brain shutting off I looked to Discord in a state of shock.

"Discord."

"Shadey."

My eyes widened at that, "How did you-"

"I watch everything and every creature that holds my interests or is integral to my plans."

"Ah, okay so can you explain where the hell does-" I pointed straight at the cage. "THE real Sombra fit in this?! I thought we switched places!"

Discord gave a big sigh, muttering away. I could only hear 'humans' and 'big babies' but I kept my tongue as I mulled over the consequences.

"I never said anything, I will say this wasn't what I had expected." Stroking his beard with a lion paw, he looked puzzled. "Something is keeping him tethered to your body, refragmenting his body was one thing, but it being tethered to his soul is another."

He smirked and elbowed the cage, rattling and causing a hiss, "I must say, I am quite impressed." looking back at me he gave a smug look on his face. "Guess I know what I felt was attached to your soul, or now specifically, your body."

Closing my eyes I rubbed the sides of my head with my hooves, trying to understand what was going on.

"Okay so explain again, why is HE here? Can't you just banish him or something?"

"One, rude, and second I can't."

I opened my eyes to give him a sly eye, "can't? Or won't?"

His expression grew serious, slowly coming closer to me, I stepped back only to be made aware of an invisible wall behind me. His face drew close as I could see his face in close, full detail.

"What I can and will not do is not up to you to know, human." He snarled, burning his eyes into my soul as he slowly drew back. I gulped.

"And the process would be a waste on a being such as me, it would be like delicately using a scalpel to cut you apart from the body. Soul magic is very precise and dangerous, one wrong move and I could be removing a piece of your will, not to mention the amount of difference between yours and his. Soul magic like this taints the body and soul."

He knocked at the cage earning himself another snarl from the previous king. "His knowledge on soul magic is quite extensive if his attachment to his body being remade is anything to go off of. Possibly done to make coming back to life that much easier for him, would explain why you gained a bit of his arsenal so quickly."

"So uh, he has a preset for just coming back?"

"Precisely, although I know what you're thinking; no he is not a threat. I spoke to him while your unconscious mind was reeling into a dream-like state, I could tell he was weak." Discord clasped his two palms, "So I don't have to do anything!"

"But what if he escapes? I mean how are you even holding him hostage? Can't he use soul magic to just get him out? What if-" Discord looked at me with a bored expression.

I sighed. "I'm assuming you've thought of everything?"

"Quite, his containment is in balance with your soul, so him escaping is just dependent on you dying. His studies in soul magic can't work in this scenario so that's quite out the window."

Unsettled I still probed. "C-could you at least explain it to me? I don't wanna keep thinking about how Sombra could rip me apart in my sleep."

"Ugh," He rubbed his forehead but relented.

"Let me explain it like this; soul magic is one of the many, many subjects that are within black magic. Although black magic isn't evil, yes Celestia has lied to the masses. Black magic is merely unrestricted magic in the sense that there are no proper safety restraints to it. So if you were to use a teleportation spell without a spatial echo spell beforehand It would be considered black magic, and also extremely painful death."

"So how does that connect with yknow, soul magic?"

"Soul magic is essentially messing with the tethers that keep you into your body, like strings. Connections to certain abilities and emotions that keep your soul from being swayed easily, imagine crossing a red wire with a blue wire. Those connections were meant to hold a certain voltage or to keep the electricity going towards one direction, so if I were to say, mess with the capacity of my emotions on my physical body so it left an opening to my soul well-"

"Is that why I can use magic when I'm angry?"

"Yes actually, I've dabbled quite a bit in messing emotions onto the body of mortals, it's quite easy actually-"

"So how does that stop Sombra?"

"Oh yes, that. Well, you can't tap into the restraints that your body holds. Imagine using that horn of yours, you've been feeling aches in its presence right?"

"Right?"

"Well in certain die or try situations, that restraint to cool your horn is a limit that could be bypassed when certain chemicals and reactions lead to your body making that choice. Now as a soul you are just a driver's seat to the body unless you were more skillful in such arts. But I've only met one that as such and she lives in a big castle with her emo sister."

"Point is that you'd have to be practically an expert in a field and that is by no means a small accomplishment. To have control over a body would require an energy source for you to use, that's not even mentioning a conduit to go through. Adding that list to also having some kind of enabler to allow some kind of contact to the soul to allow access is just a tedious task."

"So what you're saying is he needs to devote his entire life to the study which we know is basically what he's been doing?"

"Pft, Shadey. I don't think you understand the gravity of what you're trying to sarcastically say. A lifetime alone would not be enough, countless experiments, soul testing, and countless untested and unethical spells would've killed him by now. He may not be a simple villain but he's by no means near a proper necromancer either."

The cage rattled with a loud bang as Sombra snarled and opened his mouth, fangs accompanied the rows of teeth. "You will pay for this Discord!"

"Yes, yes, and you'll rule Equestria too, blah blah blah." Snapping his talons a blanket encompassed the cage in an instant. The cage shook and wobbled but no sound came.

"Soundproof sheet comes quite handy in situations such as this." His smile faltered.

"I think this as good as time as any to speak to you about the real crux of the matter."

"This wasn't all?"

His face morphed into disappointment. "Sadly no, while Frost Butt and Moon Mare are unaware of your existence, they might try to look for the ripples you left when coming to the Crystal Empire."

"I left?"

"Yes, yes, I know you want to apologize but we have no time for that."

I opened my mouth but he just kept going.

"Point is they'll probably be looking into radiation waves you left passing by their homely turf. Now I did disguise them as best as I could and highly doubt they could see a good magical matrix made of the first magical essence, I wouldn't put it past them."

"I- YOU'RE SAYING THEY COULD FIND ME?!"

"Well it's highly improbable but, there is a very slight chance."

"I barely just got here!"

"And you should stay, while they could look for it, staying in one place helps mask the radiation. Like if you had a string attached to you, if you don't travel far then you aren't leaving a trail now are you?"

I deadpanned. "That sounds like a horrible idea."

"It is an idea though!"

"But what about my whole redemption arc? The whole redeeming a villain plan! I can't exactly spread my goodwill from one town."

"I didn't say you would have to stay here forever, just simply stay by for a bit, lay low."

I sighed, looking around I found a purple hazy looking ethereal background.

"So where even are we?"

"Oh, we're in your subconscious mind, a kind of in-between."

"Wait shouldn't I be dreaming?"

"Yes and no, I had to stop mid-way to not risk us getting found by Luna. Dream realm is not my expertise."

Seeing golden embers I looked below to see my hooves starting to turn to gold dust. "What the fuck? Discord?"

He looked dumbfounded. "Must be you waking up, or dying in your sleep." He shrugged.

"What?! WAIT WAIT WAI-" The golden embers began to envelop me and all I could see was a gold bright flash before everything went dark.

Chapter 8 - A Foggy Night

The grass was drained of color as was the ground, sky, everything. Creatures all around were frozen in place, as if they were were just statues.

Luna's eyes glowed upon the scene, walking from within the forest she stumbled upon the scene. The pillars were in action against what her teacher called "The Pony Of Shadows".

The Pillars were frozen along with everything else, Starswirl having his mouth open, yelling something. Probably commands Luna had summarized.

The others were arranged from left to right with different ready fighting positions. Rockhoof charged toward the enemy with a shovel in his hoof whilst Magnus was doing the same with his shield and in front of the charge.

Most likely to act as protection before unsheathing a knife

Luna nodded in agreement with the strategy.

Mist mane and Somnambula were creating a source of light of some kind behind Starswirl.

What caught Luna's eye was that it was the only source of color in the frozen piece of the scene. Walking towards the light source she found that upon closer inspection it was anything but just an orb of light. The flow of magic was coming from Mistane and yet, Luna could feel it was more.

Lighting her own horn she scanned the orb, she found multiple forbidden spells entangled and wrapped around the core like a ball of yarn.

Most likely an experimental spell to drive away the dark.

Luna looked back to her mentor, frozen with an expression of fear and anger. She had not seen her teacher like this in a long time, she had finally turned to see the enemy.

It wasn't a pony nor any creature, it was like tar, and its dark substance took the form of a blob, Luna could not decipher what it was meant to be. Its mouth was open with jagged teeth of the same substance yet solidified.

Devoid of color the goo was dripping from the top of the maw, waiting to bite into two soldiers.

Taking a step back Luna could now see the whole picture; The pillars were on the defense, and Mistmane, Somnambula, and Starswirl were creating a concoction to destroy the ink-like creature. Magnus and RockHoof were, on Starswirl's instructions, taking The Pony Of Shadows head-on as a distraction to buy more time.

Luna took a few steps toward the inky monster with curiosity.

'A monster of goo...I had heard of something like this but only from elders of my time. Is it the same?'

She lit her horn once more to scan upon the monster but the moment it touched upon the mass of dark Tarr the magic fizzled.

The moment it lost its light Luna took a step back. "What?"

Luna's fur ends began to go straight, the air shifted and she felt it. She felt somepony, some creature was watching her.

"Who goes there?!"

The air grew still.

Slowly color began to bleed in, and splotches of black began to show themselves within the monster she was looking at.

Everything else was still frozen except for the Tarr.

The eyes moved to look at Luna, she took one step back before her body began to feel stiff. She tried to budge from her situation but she felt just as stuck in place as the Pillars.

She saw the mass of ink begin correct itself, taking back excess pudge and becoming slimmer, more refined.

It only took seconds before it looked less like the mass of spilled ink and more like a pegasus.

Its maw shut and as its white clear eyes laid upon the frozen princess, it smiled.

Luna shuddered.

It took a few steps forward before lowering its head with a malicious grin.

"You may have power over the realm of dreams but not power over the mind. I thought someone such as you would have considered the possibility of me being kept within the mind of the old stallion?"

It looked at Luna with pure fascination. "Or perhaps, you did think of that. That is why you are here, isn't it? To purge any trace of me within the mind?"

Luna felt her neck slowly able to move, along with her head. She looked at her body, trying to move anything lower than her neck but to no avail.

She looked back to those white orbs, she felt the eyes eagerly await her response. "I did." Her gaze hardened at it. "How do you know of my abilities? Surely I was not as famous as four centuries ago."

The monster's grin grew to reach side to side. "Oh but you were, you and your sister were everything Starswirl would talk about when he wasn't talking about magic theory." The monster leaned back and began to pace from left to right.

"His 'precious protégés'. His studies could wait if anything of the 'future rulers of Equestria were struggling with."

Luna lifted an eyebrow. "Forgive me if I hold skepticism towards that but, as I recall, my teacher was anything but overindulgence."

The inky monster laughed at that.

"Of course he wouldn't show it, being tough on his most prized individuals was his most prominent trait." The laugh quickly subsided. "But that was a different pony, a different life."

"And what would be next? You may have more control over the mind than I do. But you have no control over my teacher."

The Pony Of Shadows looked at her with hatred.

"Yes, that old fossil is still living... I plan to distract him while I find a new body. Somepony to control and use, well that was my plan."

Luna held a bit of intrigue. "Was?"

He looked at her smugly. "Yes, because I had already latched upon somepony, a real interesting one might I add. Not one I've bonded with before, even after a millennium worth of hosts I could not find any creature similar to Him.

She studied the face of The Pony Of Shadows. "And how could you inhabit a host if you're in Starswirl right now?"

"Because I'm but one bit of my true self, I felt it was a good precaution to suck the life out of your mentor whilst I have the main body corrupt another. The real question is what to do with you."

"And what would your answer be?"

"Suppose I could just kill you," He walked forward with a sadistic grin. "And set an example for what will happen."

Luna smiled at the idea.

"You wish to harm me? A shadow of history such as yourself?" Her smile turned into a grin. "That is quite humorous."

His expression became grim. "Laugh all you want but death," black tendrils sprouted from the sides of his body and slowly began to grow in length. "Is." They drew closer to her. "INEVITABLE!" He snarled and drove the extra appendages to impale her.

A moment of silence engulfed the atmosphere and a look of shock came to him.

"H-how?"

The bodily-made spears had phased right through Luna with no traces of blood or holes.

She laughed.

"HOW?! I CONTROL THE MIND! It shouldn't be possible for you to control anything!"

Luna looked at him as if he was a child that had reality crush upon him. "I may have no control over the mind, but I wasn't created nor based upon the mind now was I?" She had her sinister smile. "And you had just fallen into my trap, monologuing your plan to a cornered adversity. Really you are all the same, thinking you've won and simply spilling everything."

He roared before pulling out more spear appendages. Luna simply smiled before speaking, "You may want to point your frustration to the eroding spell behind you, although you can't do anything about it, I insist you try to counteract it. It'll give me a good measure of your strength."

The Pony Of Shadows looked behind him only to regret it. The space was being burnt in holes like a film, his anger only grew when he looked back to see the spot in which the princess was held in was now vacant.

He yelled out before spewing out more appendages to try to mend the situation.

It was fruitless.

He burned in that memory.

Author's Note

Hey! I'm here, I did a chapter. I originally wanted to publish one about Cherry and our protagonist but then I was like. "I'm feeling edgy today." So I set this up.

Hoped you liked it! I'm sorry if it's sloppy, haven't wrote in a while obviously.

And I have a patreon! as well as a Discord

Chapter 9: An Eventful Morning

Hey CB! It's your sister here! I've been currently tending to Mom and Dad's place, flowers and plants need watering. I've been meeting up with some of our cousins too! Heard a lot about Violet and her two other sisters, they went through and got to the big city of Manehatten! I know! It's still crazy to think those three fillies that used to shy away from dirty work are now working in the dirtiest city! I remember when all of you would play in the backyard sharing flower secrets and silly little gossip you heard from around the farmer's market. Just thinking about seeing you scatter as I came by to ask what was going on makes me laugh.

I'm a little worried about you though, I know you didn't want to go because "somepony needs to take care of business over here" but I feel like you're not telling me the full story, CB, we've been so close for so long, and I feel like sometimes you bury yourself in the work, trying to prove something to somepony. I'm worried about you and I'm not just saying that because you don't have eyesight so don't pull that card. Listen, I'm just worried about you is all, even Violet's parents miss you You know it's not your fault, right? That Mom and Dad-

Just write back to me some time okay? I know I've only been here for two weeks but I'd like to get at least more than one letter by the time I'm coming back okay?

Sending lots of love,
Your sister, Cheryle -

Cherry Blossom could only stare at the letter.

She sighed, her head down on the wooden kitchen counter, her ears held to the sides of her head. Tapping hooves at the counter, Cherry wished she could wish away the well-meaning reminder of her sister.

Cherry didn't hate her sister nor bare Ill will to her kin, she just didn't wish to be in existence at the moment.

Sticking her tongue out, blowing raspberry, she wished the feelings of discomfort and horrible memories went away along with her past.

Closing her eyes, she took a slow breath in and exhaled at the same pace. She focused on her senses, it took only a moment before she could sense the magic within the envelope. The letter was etched with energy, the only way Cherry could read without needing the use of her eyes.

She had read it once, twice, and yet she couldn't find a way to respond to her sister's worries. She DID want to bury herself in her work, she wanted to prove she was worth more than a blind pony that everypony seemed to pity. She wanted to be the anchor for her family.

Cherry had to pay back her family somehow.

A scream, then a loud thud with metal clashing interrupted the further progression of her thoughts. Taking her out of the depressing status she ran towards the source of the noise. Running through the kitchen to the living room and up the stairs, through a hallway, she opened the door closest to her which was to the right.

"Shadey, Are you okay?" She cursed inwardly at the inability to see if he was fine.

But the self-chastising was cut short at the sound of groaning and vocal discomfort.

Cherry sighed audibly, tension released and let loose.

"S-sorry! I uh, had a nightmare." Shadey sheepishly spoke whilst still wincing from the fall and pushing his leg pieces away. Looking back to the bunk bed he mentally took note to not take the top one again and to not have his armor to not be so easy to land on.

"Well, as long as you're safe I guess." Turning back she took a step before the door. "I'm gonna be out in the garden for a bit but later I plan to head to town. I'd say that's the best time to give you a tour, so be ready in an hour or so."

Getting up from the ground, Shadey's only response to it was a groan.

A light streaked upon a sleeping pony, like a blaring air horn the slightly conscious pony, turned to face the other side from the burning sun's wrath.

Settling into the dark, cool corner the dark blue coat pony had formed a smile upon her lips as she reveled in her victory. That was until a tap echoed across her chambers, then another and another. Its intervals became more and more rapid as its owner was becoming impatient.

A groan could be heard from under the sheets as the nocturnal pony shifted deeper into her pillows as she tried desperately to hide away and muffle the noise. It was all in vain however as the simple annoyance became much bolder and instead of the rapid taps, noises of hooves replaced it.

Clip-clop

"Luna." A voice spoke sternly.

A hoof was placed upon the (struggling) sleeping creature. A groan and a half attempt to stray the evoker was the result.

An audible sigh was all that Luna's sister could give before silence reigned.

Peaceful ignorance was bliss upon the now successfully semi-sleeping unicorn.

...That was until the full might of the blazing ball of light had streaked to Luna.

A golden aura took the groggy princess's blanket turning her over to the blistering might of the sun.

Hooves were thrown to hide the eyes from the pure holy light. "The light! It burnnnnssss, thou play foul, Sister!"

Regretfully to Luna, her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness. Her content smile had now dropped to a scowl with peer disapproval written along her face.

And Celestia was given the full might of it, her smile showed she did not care for it. "Luna, how nice of you to wake up, just for me." Luna had to admit that her sister was much better at holding a deceitful mask, perhaps a little too good.

Luna was not about to give up a good opportunity when she saw one. Forcing a sour frown into a smile took decades of training, good thing that was all she had. "Of course Sister, you know how I love our monthly engagements at the morning table."

"I'm glad to hear because I knew you would never dare spare the thought to skip on such an occasion that we agreed on."

"Yes well, if I even had thought of it, I probably would have realized how dreadful it would be to wake up at this time of an hour for such a sisterly bonding moment."

Celestia's smile grew. "Why sister, I think you may have slipped up."

Luna's face switched to confusion, "What? I did not-" then a switch flipped. An un-princess-like horse groan came.

Celestia's expression softened and looked pleased. "It's only natural to let slip a few distasteful remarks when acting like a noble Luna."

But Celestia's sister could only scowl. "I am a princess! I shouldn't even have to practice such- such round-about loops of speaking!"

Celestia draped a wing over her sister's sulking. "Luna, dealing with such people is commonplace in the palace, I think you would realize that since you had made one shriek in fear.

"We had told thou twas a misunderstanding."

Celestia giggled. "I'm sure that's what BlankCheck and two of our guards thought when seeing your costume. And your old ways are showing again."

Luna shuffled awkwardly while her wings twitched before her face showed a tint of red.

"We- I was simply caught off-guard and spoke what came to mind. You can't expect me to- to- to meld in with such a short time frame can you?"

Celestia raised an eyebrow before her lips formed a smile. "Luna, I know it's hard to adapt and I'm not pushing you, you know how I miss the old ways just as you do. But we have a kingdom to uphold, ponies that depend on us, while I'm not pushing you I can't let you slow down either."

Luna just grunted. Celestia sat up and moved to the door, before leaving she turned to her sister. "I am happy to say how much progress you have made Luna. Don't think I had not noticed that new word."

A black void surrounded a single pony, the endless abyss rumbled and moved. The Pony was completely immobile, unconscious, and unaware of the white eyes that began to open. Black goo dripped upon the prey, blots of ink falling to hit his coat.

The Pony had a chill run up his spine, squirming his eyes began to open.

"Shadey!"

"Huh, wha?" Surroundings were blurry, the warm light began to seep through as he slowly became accustomed to the brightness once more. He recognized he was in the kitchen, specifically on top of a stool, and his neck aching a bit. Looking down he saw a bit of drool on the kitchen counter.

Turning to the voice he saw Cherry Blossom. "I uh, fell asleep didn't I?"

Cherry just gave a small smile. "Apparently. You're lucky you snore otherwise I wouldn't have been able to know where you were."

"Must've been more tired than I thought from yesterday."

"C'mon, it's been long enough for me to keep you away from some proper folks."

"Uh yeah, sure."

"You okay?"

"I uh, think I just had a bad dream. Can't remember it but I just have chills is all."

"Well, maybe swinging around town is just what you need."

Luna walked through the hallways with a sour expression. Opening the doors to her location in mind she saw her sister already sitting on a chair in the dining room. She sighed before losing distance between her and her chair.

"Sister remind me, why do we have an unnecessarily long table again?"

Celestia gave a sly smile. "I'm sure you know why. Now, if I remember correctly you told me you have some news about your last trip to the dream realm."

Luna sighed. "Fine."

Author's Note

Sorry for the late upload, things have been coming up faster than I like. By the way, I wonder if anyone recognized the deer from before? It's not an original character and they barely have any stories of them, as far as I know.

Any support is welcomed whether monetary or not.
Patreon!
Discord