MLP: FIM - The Origins of King Sombra.
Chapter: One - Where It Began.
(Author's Note: Take heed that MLP: FIM does not belong to me but to Hasbro. Also this is not canon so please don't get too offended if the story isn't what you expected. Thank you and enjoy!)
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Rain.
The last thing the young colt had expected to encounter today, was rain. Galloping as fast as his legs would allow through this wet grass and mud, he honestly should have expected this but he was too busy with work to ask questions at the time. The colt went by the name of Sombra and he was well known, within his hometown at least, for his brilliant mind and wit.
Today, however, proved to have caught him at an inconvenience since here he was galloping through the rain in order to get home. He knew he should have expected this, prepared for this but like a fool he hadn't.
It wasn't long before Sombra finally caught sight of shelter, it was a gazebo but anything would do at this point. So with haste he made his way to the gazebo, awaiting the sweet embrace of rest.
Sombra slowed to a walk as he entered the large gazebo, it was made of the most beautiful crystals one could ever gaze upon. He made his way to the very centre before sitting down and letting out a sigh. Shelter at last.
"How did I get myself into this predicament? Honestly, a little heads up would have been nice." Sombra shuck his head before letting the silence take over, the rain was loud against the crystal roof but somehow it had a sense of mystical charm to it.
It was calming. Listening to the pitter-patter of rain but he couldn't stay here for long, after all he had new spells that he found worthy of research and time he couldn't afford to waste anymore.
So with a sigh of defeat Sombra got to his hooves and prepared to run again, however the weather had other plans. The rain slowed to a stop and streaks of sunlight started creeping through the clouds, Sombra stared at the sky for a moment.
Weather truly was the most unpredictable force to ever exist.
Approximately a half-hour later and Sombra was finally back within the warmth of his home. He lay beside the fireplace and in front of him was the spell book that he had borrowed earlier that day.
The book cover read, "Ancient Spells and Potions" but this wasn't what had intrigued Sombra. Rather it had been the rumours surrounding this book, they said that the book held magical properties and whomever read its pages would be granted ultimate power!
"Sombra? Is that you down there?" A chirpy voice called from upstairs, it was Sombra's room mate who went by the name of Elizabeth O'Wheatly. She had been a good friend of Sombra's since childhood but sometimes she could be a tad difficult to deal with.
"Yes Lizzy, it's me." Sombra called back, Lizzy was his nickname for her. It had stuck since they first became friends but nevertheless he was always happy to be in her company.
Elizabeth had light blue fur; a dark blue and red mane/tail, the most captivating orange eyes and her cutiemark was a cluster of wheat since her talent was with growing and caring for wheat. (And she was also an Earth pony)
Sombra heard her hoovesteps coming down the stairs before she finally came into view. She smiled as she approached Sombra and planted herself next to him once there.
"Yeesh Somby you're soaked! Were you caught in the rain again?" Elizabeth asked whilst shaking her head in disbelief, you'd think he would know better by now!
"Yes, I'm sorry for my incompetence." Sombra replied, finally using his magic to summon a towel so that he may dry himself off.
"Incompetence? Oh what am I going to do with you?" Elizabeth sighed before taking the towel from Sombra and playfully throwing it onto his head.
Sombra chuckles whilst lifting the towel off of his head with his hoof, he looked at the mare before him and smiled. He had to admit, he was lucky to have met her and to have her in his life.
"What? Why are you smiling at me like that?" Elizabeth's question had caught him off guard so he couldn't do much but stare for a second.
"Oh, apologies I was just... Appreciating the mare in my life." Sombra states with a playful smile, he liked to tease her with his flirting sometimes. Her reactions were always priceless to watch.
As if on cue, the mare's cheeks flared a bright red colour. She glared at the colt before her but that blush never left her cheeks as she did.
"Psshh! As if you flirt!" Elizabeth held her glare as she made her retort, however deep down she was wishing that the words he spoke were true.
"I'm being serious, I really do appreciate having you here... Elizabeth." Sombra rarely ever called her that; so for him to use her full name like that, it must have meant that he spoke the truth and only that.
"You. You said it. You said my name, you never use my full name... You mean it. Don't you?" Elizabeth was shocked, he appreciated her. Sombra, appreciated her. Something swelled up within her, it was an odd feeling. Pride maybe? Whatever it was, it felt good.
"Like I said, I'm being serious and you know that I mean it if it's serious." Sombra gave a quick nod as he gave his answer and he had meant it too, he couldn't be more happy to have her sitting by his side like she was this very moment.
Elizabeth looked away for a moment, her mind drifting to the realm of her thoughts. Sombra was such a gentle pony, he always kept her feelings in mind. Sure he was a bit of a flirt but he also knew how to worm his way into her heart and mind.
She knew then that it was time to tell him exactly how she felt for him.
"S-Somby? Can I tell you something?" Elizabeth realized that her nerves were a bit harder to handle than she had first comprehended, despite this she was still willing to go through with her plan.
"Yes? What is it Lizzy?" Sombra gave her an encouraging smile, whatever she was going to say he could tell she was nervous about saying it.
"I...Um.. I wanted to say that..." Elizabeth stumbled for the words she wanted to say, who knew that it was going to be this hard to do?
Sombra just waited with a patient smile on his face, as much as he wanted to tease her about her nervousness he didn't want to throw whatever confidence she had out the window. So, he waited instead.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and sighed. "I wanted to tell you that I... I... I... I LOVE YOU!" She blushed immediately as soon as those words were out, she had said it! Now, all she had to do was wait for his reaction.
For a moment Sombra just stared at her, he wasn't sure how to feel about the sudden confession. However he couldn't deny the fact that he could feel the heat in his cheeks rising, no doubt he was visibly blushing too.
So he sighed and looked at those familiar orange eyes dead on, his research could wait a moment longer.
Now, it was his turn.
"Lizzy? No, Elizabeth?" The moment he said her name he could see the surprise forming upon her features, she hadn't expected him to use her full name again.
"Y-Yes Somby?" Elizabeth gave a meek reply, her heart was racing. She could feel it pound against her chest, how was this going to end?
"I have something that I too have been wanting to tell you. That I, Sombra, love you too." Sombra states with a goofy looking smile, he was proud of himself for his own confession but that was overridden by surprise not a moment later.
Elizabeth had rushed forward and hugged him as soon as he had finished talking, she was so happy that she didn't even stop to think about the embarrassing consequences. When she pulled back all she did was give Sombra a cheesy grin before going in for a kiss.
Sombra took that as an open opportunity to react, he shuck his head quickly and put a gentle hoof up to stop the mare from making further progress.
"What's the matter Somby?" Elizabeth asked, she had pulled back a few inches but was still close enough to swoop in for a surprise kiss.
"I appreciate the gesture but I don't think we should rush into kissing just yet." Sombra replied, moving his hoof onto the base of Elizabeth's muzzle in order to gently push it back some more.
"Awwww but Somby, I've been waiting for this moment for ages now!" Despite his disapproval, Elizabeth was still going to try get a kiss out of him yet.
"Well then I'm sure you can wait a little bit longer." He knew how much Elizabeth wanted this but he just wasn't ready for that kind of physical contact, it was weird and he needed time to gather his thoughts anyway.
"Okay, I understand. Love ya Somby!" Elizabeth gave an exaggerated sigh before leaning forward and kissing Sombra's forehead. After which she stood up, winked and left the room.
Sombra smiled and shuck his head lightly, what was he going to do with that mare? So without much hesitation, Sombra took the book which layed before him and sighed.
What if those rumours had been true? What if he did gain some sort of incredulous power from it? He didn't want to end up hurting somepony if he couldn't control said power.
Then again, what if they were wrong? What if there was no power hidden within the pages? What if those rumours were started to keep ponies from reading whatever secrets lied within?
Sombra sighed again, he was conflicted. What was he to choose? He already had the book and it would be a waste if he didn't read it but on the other hoof he was worried that the rumours may actually turn out to be legit.
"Hmm! Come on Sombra get a grip, you were determined to find out what this book held upon its pages not long ago! Why must you feel differently now!?" Sombra shuck his head in frustration, he was losing his motivation to even go through with this. Why? Why now!?
As he sat there, getting a tad more frustrated as the minutes passed he found his mind to be wondering to other subjects. Eventually his thoughts stopped on one particular subject and it surprised him to find that it was Elizabeth, giving him a loving smile.
Sombra cocked his head at the image of her, why was she on his mind like this? He knew that he cared for her, loved her but was it in such a way that she was lingering in his mind?
Then it hit him, Elizabeth! Elizabeth was his motivation! She was his light and he wanted to protect her from the outside forces which was the ruthlessness of reality. He needed her and she needed him!
Sombra snapped out of his thoughts not a moment later and smiled, he had his motivation back and he had her to thank for it.
"Don't worry Lizzy, I'm going to make sure that nothing bad ever happens to you." Sombra murmurs quietly before taking the book once more and opening the cover.
...