Authors notes: This chapter was written by a friend, writing style will be off. Reason why I had him write is was because I'm getting behind on writing, and because chapter 16 is like seven parts long and like ten-thousand words each. Luckily, I have summer break and stuff. I will try the best I can.
Chapter 15B: Overprotective Father
Maneful, tired and relieved, walked through the door leading into her room. Yesterday was rough, amazing, and shocking. She fell flat on her bed, with sheets that matched the color of her appearance. she rolled on her back staring up at the ceiling progressing through the previous events that went on. Closing her eyes, some small images flashed before her. Images of the ponies she fought and the city she took over with Dark Fire. But they weren't proud images, she didn't show any sign of rejoice. Placing her hooves against her forehead, she groaned getting off the bed.
Looking outside of her window, she admired little of Canterlot's decor and sighted only boredom just by the overlooking sight of it. Walking out to the balcony, she sighed looking down at the garden below. Some guards were kind of enough to transport crystal flowers from the Crystal Kingdom all the way here. It gave her a small look esthetic that smoothen her homesickness just by the sight of their sparkling pedals. Sighing again, she went back inside and hop on top of her bed.
"Something wasn't right. Just being there, I thought it would be amazing, but...I feel like...it wasn't amazing. At first, I thought they would be kind of proud a little to see their princess come back to their kingdom and free them of Celestia's tyranny, but..." She paused and frowned before opening her eyes. She started to hum a melodic hymn before singing in a low mellifluous tone. "Alone...no...that's not how it goes." She muttered before hopping off her bed and heading towards her dresser. She took out a music box made of pure crystal and smiled softly at her reflection but frowned once she stared at her eyes. "How can I smile when I know something isn't right?" She muttered.
Walking back to her bed, she sat on top of it and opened the music box seeing a little filly with an orange coat and black mane kissing the nose of a colt with a white blue-green coat with a blond mane pony-tail. A soft melodic tune started playing off the music box as Maneful started to sing along with it, following its notes with ease and touches of oral heavenly tune.
"Alone, for a while I've been searching through the dark,
For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart,
To weave by picking up the pieces that remain,
Melodies of life-love's lost refrain." She sung softly.
She wasn't aware that her father was standing at the doorway staring at her calmly. He watched as his daughter sung with her eyes closed. Her voice was angelic and soothing, but sad and grieving. But this song; he remembered so well. Reminded him of her when she was a filly. Always gaining his attention with her skills of musical talent, wanting to explore the world and share it, only to be held back-secluded from reality that he surely plagued. And he knew it without denying it to even himself.
"Our paths they did cross, though I cannot say just why
We met, we laughed, we held on fast, and then we said goodbye
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?
Let them ring out loud till they unfold."
Sombra sat down and closed his eyes, allowing the voice of his precious filly touch his ear-and heart. Images of her being a small filly spending time with him in the castle that kept her shut in from the outside world ran like a film. They were voiced by her, and supported by the music. He felt like it was real that he could touch his little filly and give her piggyback rides like he use to do. But they were only memories, memories he could not touch or make up anymore. She was a grown mare now and he was too old.
"In my dearest memories,
I see you reaching out to me
Though you're gone,
I still believe that you can call out my name."
Sombra felt the sad feeling in his heart grow. He couldn't stop it, for these memories were sad to look at. He wish he spend more time with her like he used to. Opening his eyes, wishing for no more flashbacks. He waited for his daughter to sing her chorus.
"A voice from the past, joining yours and mine
Adding up the layers of harmony
And so it goes, on and on
Melodies of life,
To the sky beyond the flying birds-forever and beyond." She opened her eyes and paused looking at her father shocked.
"Continue, I want to hear you sing more." He requested calmly. Maneful blushed embarrassingly before looking away.
"How long were you here watching me?" She asked.
"Till you sung the chorus, not long really." He answered. "I didn't know you remembered that song and still had that music box Princess-
"I do, okay?" She interrupted him by his mid-sentence.
"But what are you still doing here, don't you have business to take care of, dad?" She asked looking at him calmly.
"I do..." He sighed. "But I also have to talk to you. What were you thinking?" He asked as his tone grew worried.
"What do you mean?" She asked him confused before closing the box.
"Are you trying to kill yourself? You went behind my back and went on a mission to help Dark Fire, not saying it's wrong to help him, but you pretty much endanger yourself upon it!" Sombra said sitting down before rubbing his forehead frustrated. "You could have gotten kill."
"But I am still alive, so what, why does it matter to you?" She asked angrily.
"Because you are my only daughter. If I were to lose you, I wouldn't know how to liveproperly anymore. I might as well sign a contract with death if I lost you." He said looking at her.
"Dad, you are always keeping me inside; preventing me from seeing what the thrill of danger is actually like? Come on? I am still alive. I helped Dark Fire succeed!" She stated just before she set the music box down. "It was amazing, the best thrill I ever had in my life!" She said smiling.
"There's nothing thrilling about war. It is the most horrible thing, anypony could ever experience. Trust me, I been in war, and it's not pretty," says Sombra as he walks around the room pondering thoughts in his head. He was angry that his daughter went behind his back, but even more angry when she enjoyed it. "War is never pretty, it is ugly. Only a sociopath would believe it is beautiful and you are no sociopath. You are an innocent young mare who should be kept away from the darkness of society!" He said stomping his hoof.
"Darkness of society?!" She asked looking at him with disgust. "You should be the one to talk, Sombra!"
"You don't address your father by his first name. That's just putting my face in-between my flanks. You are insulting me!" He said hissing in anger.
"I don't care and I bet you too either." She said flicking her mane to the side. "Answer my question, because this has been pondering around my mind for a very long, long, looooong time! Is it true, what Celestia said all about you?" She asked expecting an honest answer.
Sombra gulped becoming nervous. He swore never to reveal the truth about him enslaving crystal ponies and forcing them through the acts of treacherous labor. He might as well been the world's most terrible dictator known beneath Stalin and the dead King Talos of the griffin kingdom. He poured lies within his daughter's mind, hoping it would keep her safe and loving to him. She was precious to him and he couldn't afford losing her love or subjecting her to his cruelty towards other ponies upon his control.
"Answer the question!" She demanded bucking the dresser growing frustrated.
"Yes." He answered calmly. He looked down, too shame from looking at her face. He knew the pain that was bearing upon her. Deceived from her own father. The only pony that meant a lot to her. He could tell, her dreams, her love for him, they crashed down just from the blunt answer. "I am sorry." He muttered.
"Sorry?" She asked as her voice was laced with pain of deception. She sat down and looked down shocked. "Sorry doesn't even make up for any of that nonsense you told me when I was little. Why?!" She shouted.
"I-I wanted to keep you safe." He said.
"Safe? Safe from myself!? Safe from the madness you caused when I was little, keeping me away from the dark secrets you surely hid?! Tell me, Sombra, what were you keeping me safe from?" She asked glaring at him angrily as her wings flared open in an intimidating stance. "Why would Celestia even keep you away from me?"
"Because...I was a cruel dictator amongst the Crystal Kingdom. I enslaved and forced ponies to suffer under my labor. I humiliated them, made them suffered beyond everything for my amusement. I wanted them to see that I was their king, master, god! But I didn't want them to see you, vulnerable for them take and use against me." He said staring at her with a sadden expression. "I don't blame them, honestly. Even I was losing control over myself. Celestia and Luna persuaded me to free these ponies, but I didn't listen and spite them. They fought back and won, casting me to the abyss. When I came back out, seeking for my kingdom and you, those elements of harmony vanquished me. That is when Dark Fire brought me back to life, well, back to this form. I was never dead, honestly, I was curse by them to not die but suffer for my sins. The crystals sure made me lose my mind, but the fear of losing you was the worse. She did what any ruler had to do." He said.
Maneful looked at him shocked before frowning. She started to sob wiping her tears away from her eyes. "You know-I always believed you were the best dad. The greatest dad in this world. One who ruled better than any king, especially Dark Fire. But I guess I was wrong. I wish he didn't bring you back. I wish they didn't curse you. I wish you were never my dad. As much as it pains me to even talk to you...I..." She bite her lower lip as tears started to dribbled down her eyes. "I wish you were dead and I was not your daughter!"
Sombra looked at her frozen in shock. He felt pain echoed around his heart like a knife piercing through cold skin. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't. His mouth opened but no words came out. His eyes blink but no tears shed. His ears started to dub everything out. but the only thing he heard when it came back in a split-second was the music box. It played slowly; burning his eyes, regaining his senses and reactions. When he blinked again, he was too late to shed a tear in front of her in time. Maneful smacked him by the right side of his cheek before running away crying.
He stood there, looking at the ground feeling the burning sting on his cheek. "I'm sorry." He muttered as tears started to slip down his eyes. He looked at music box and slowly walked to it. He stared at his own reflection. But in his reflection, what he saw wasn't who he wanted to see. He saw the pony he hated the most. The pony with no heart. The pony who broke his daughter's heart. He opened it and watched as the two colts played together under their kingdom of Alexandria.
He started to mutter in a sad painful soft tone, following the pattern of the song. And as he sung, he closed his eyes and pictured his daughter exploring the outside world with him as a filly. And his kingdom basking in the golden age. Nopony were enslaved and forced to work. Everypony was happy, in peace, and proud that they had a king like him.
"So far and away, see the bird as it flies by
Gliding through the shadows of the clouds up in the sky
I've laid my memories and dreams upon those wings
Leave them now and see what tomorrow brings."
Maneful flew to the top of the kingdom's rooftop weeping and sniffing. She started to softly sing to her favorite song. Wishing that it would soothe her of the pain that fell before her.
"In your dearest memories,
Do you remember loving me?
Was it fate that
Brought us close and now leaves us behind?" She sung.
"A voice from the past, joining yours and mine
Adding up the layers of harmony
And so it goes on and on
Melodies of life,
To the sky beyond the flying bird-forever and on!" Sombra sung.
"If I should leave this lonely world behind,
Your voice will still remember our melody
Now I know we'll carry on
Melodies of life,
Come circle round and grow deep in our hearts-" Though they were far apart, Sombra and Maneful both changed their tune to sync with each other at the same time. "As long as we-remember."
Sombra closed the box looking out the window. He frowned shutting his eyes. "I'm sorry, my daughter." He muttered.
Maneful got up and look ahead before shedding her last tear. Her wings opened and she flew off into the sunset. Her tear fell all the way down till it touched the music box, Sombra set on top of thebalcony rail. He looked up shocked before sighing after seeing that there was nothing up there. "I need to make up my mistakes. I need to find her." He said looking at the sunset basking in its rays of sadness.
"Sombra, you alright in here?" Dark Fire called walking into the room.
Sombra looks at him wiping away his tears. "Yes, I am alright," he says walking by him quickly.
"Woo...what's the rush?" He asked looking at him.
"Nothing!" The former king snapped before looking away shamefully. "Nothing." He muttered gritting his teeth. He looked at Dark Fire and sighed before walking away with his head down.
"Because of us, she ran away."
"Wait, who?" Dark Fire asked confused.
"Maneful." Sombra answered as he turned around glaring at him.
"She ran away? Why?" He asked.
"Because...I broke her heart. This would have never happen in the first place if you didn't take her back here instead of letting her participate in your world domination. Because of...our mistakes, she ran away. I don't know where..." He paused and gasped.
"So it's my fault? Sombra, I wasn't aware she was in the city by the time we had the Mayor surrender." Dark Fire said looking at him offended. "I have nothing to do with this."
"I know where she is." He muttered looking out the window.
"Are you ignoring me? You know how I hate being ignored!" Dark Fire shouted as Sombra walked to the window and opened it. "Hey, pay attention to me!" He yelled, but Sombra softly sighed before leaping on the edge. "Woo! What are you doing, you don't have to kill yourself just because she ran away!" Dark Fire panicked.
"I know where she is. Sorry for blaming you." He said calmly as he leaped out the window.
"SOMBRA, YOU CAN'T FLY!" Dark Fire yelled running to the window. When he looked down he watched as Sombra descended fast to the ground. When he reached the end of his fall, his body exploded into a dark form of miasma. It took the form of a serpent slithering around the kingdom. "What the-" Dark Fire was cut off when Sombra roared flying to the sky before heading straight towards the sunset. The windows in the kingdom shattered to pieces and as he flew off, the garden Dark Fire soon look down at was completely turned into a garden of crystals. Looking around, he facehoofed and yells, "YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THESE WINDOWS ARE GOING TO COST ME, SINCE YOU BROKE THEM JUST BY ROARING!?"
Dark Fire back up from the window and heard a 'Clink' behind him coming from his right hind-leg. Looking back, he spotted Sombra's crown and picked it up with his two hooves while sitting down. "Why would he drop this?" He wondered before looking out the window. He narrowed his eyes at the sunset. "Wait a minute...HOW IN THE NAMES OF NAMES IS THE SUN EVEN-" He was cut off when the a large explosion from up ahead blew a large dark cloud over the sky. He facehoofed again when it began raining. "Great, you even blocked the sun. Dang it, CLEAN-UP! ON AISLE FIVE!" He yelled before trotting away frustrated.
Darkness was only saw echoed by the sounds of a young foal crying.
"It is-a girl. A girl, my lord. A healthy baby girl." A female voice was heard sounding excited.
"A-a girl?!" Sombra yelled.
"Yes, a girl. Here, my lord, hold her." She said.
"I-I don't know what to do. What should I name her?" He asked.
"Whatever name pleases you, my lord." She said. Suddenly she started coughing causing Sombra to gasped.
"Corona Dust!?" Sombra yelled.
"A mane full of colors that represents her beauty, don't you think?" She asked coughing more.
"Take deep breaths. Doctor, something's wrong!" Sombra yelled.
"Her heart is slowing down. She is going to cardiac rest and if she does, she won't wake up!" He yelled.
"Yet, just by looking at her, she might be the sneakiest filly you can ever find in this world. Heh, look at me...making assumptions in who she is going to be." Corona Dust said sounding weak.
"Corona, hang in there. Come on, you can't leave me now! CORONA, what about our daughter, come on?! Corona, CORONA, CORONA!" He yelled.
"Sombra, what's her name?" She asked weakly.
"Her name-her name-is-" Sombra opened his eyes staring at a small house. "Diamond Rose." He muttered to himself feeling all of his energy being drained away after transforming to his serpent form. So much magic was used up in him, he was starting to feel dizzy and become unbalance whenever he took a step forward.
When he walked up to the door, he knocked, but no answer came back. "Diamond Rose, open the door!" He yelled, but no response came. He knew she was in there, he felt her presence near and it was best to assume she was inside securing herself from the outside world and him. He rest his back against the door and looked up.
"You are all that I got left in my life. Please, understand that I only lied to protect you. I am so sorry, and I know you heard that from me for so long, but you must also understand that I mean it from the depths of my soul."
Yet again no answer came back in return. Sombra closed his eyes and heard thunder crackled in the sky. Looking up, he opened his eyes seeing through the dark branches attached to trees, rain coming down. Images flashed before his eyes as he saw a ceiling of dark ice. Looking around he saw more ice and darkness. He was alone. Just as he always was. Blinking twice, everything went back to normal. The cloudy dark skies of weeping rain was back before him. To remind him suffering. An illusion? He wondered before it laid in his thoughts. He shook his head attempting to clear it out.
"And yet again, I am here alone. Force to prostrate here in his lament regardless of his sins. Even if he tried to make up for them, he still suffers. He is fated to this cold abysmalistic sadness. It is how his life goes on, how his road extends. And how it will end before he sees it or after he sees it coming? He will not know until it stabs him cold in the heart." He muttered closing his eyes as the rain drench his coat.
"So, you were afraid?" Diamond Rose asked causing Sombra to slowly open his eyes and look at his daughter looking down at him from the rooftop frowning. She too, was wet in the rain that continued to pour down. "You were afraid that you couldn't protect me and so you kept me within the kingdom, away from the outside world." She said.
"Am I...dead?" Sombra asked weakly.
"No, what made you ask that question?" She asked looking at him confused.
"Because...I can't feel anything anymore. I don't know why though, maybe I used up too much of my magic to look for you. So, it is hard for me to believe that you are actually talking to me or just a simple hallucination. If this is all a dream, then, I wish to wake up. I wish this never happened. I want to make sure none of these bad events occurs ever and forever again." He said.
Diamond Rose flaps her wings and descends next to him. She turned his face towards her before her right hoof collided hard into his right cheek. Sombra spat out blood rubbing his muzzle painfully from the strong smacked.
"Does this seem like a dream?" She asked in a stern tone.
"Ow." He muttered looking at her. "No," he answers.
"Good, now if you don't mind. Answer my question." She said sitting down.
"Yes, I always fear loneliness, who wouldn't honestly," he asks frowning.
"Then why were you not nice?" She asked.
"I needed to establish a role in letting all of them know I was in charge. Heck, the princess I overthrew was a big example just before you came into this world. I was so over myself in power, that it forced me to not realize that I was hurting you. I was lying to you. I am not the greatest dad as you once thought. I could never believe you whenever you say 'You are the best daddy, ever' for I knew that was not true." He said resting his head back.
Diamond Rose looks down and grits her teeth.
"You didn't have to lie, you know? I feel like a fool, a pathetic fool for even believing your lies. What I said about being glad that Celestia casting you to the abyss. I actually meant it, just because you lied to me for so long. You deceived me. You shattered my happiness!" She said starting to sob.
Sombra looked down before glancing up at her.
"I know," he says rubbing a tear off her right cheek, but she smacks his hoof off and backs away.
"Nothing is as it seems. Not when I am around you. I...I can't believe you anymore. I don't want to believe you anymore. But something in me is telling me that you meant those words. That you feared of being alone. Who wouldn't fear that, unless you are an anti-social type of pony. I...I want to be alone. I don't want you visiting me until I come to you and see..." She paused and looked away. "If we could make up our amends."
Sombra frowned again before looking back up at the raining dark sky. "I...understand." He muttered. Everything was silent now except for the crackling thunder and the cold rain. Both father and daughter had their eyes shut. Diamond Rose right eye slowly wept a small tear while Sombra' left eye did the same. In-between these two was a ethereal like mare wearing a hooded white cloak.
'Diamond Rose, are you crying?' He thought.
The hooded pony looked at him and nodded her head before vanishing away. But as she vanished, the sky went with her. The sun's rays pierced through the clouds. But even as its rays penetrated the clouds, they gave a gloomy gray background for Sombra as he opened his eyes and slowly looked around. His daughter was gone. He frowned and got back up and slowly limped away across the wet muddy road.
Behind him was small feather matching Diamond Rose's coat color started floating down before touching the small puddle in front of the door of the house. Attached to it was a small note that wasn't wrapped around it too well. When it opened up, it was a small letter from its owner.
"In my restless dreams, I see that town. Outside the castle's window in Canterlot. A small town, only a pony with good vision like I, could see. A town full of happiness that corruption could touch and harm. I feel a connection to that town. A certain connection none could understand. But only you. I...I understand that you are now depressed, who wouldn't be? But I just wanted to let you know, that I am too and the only way we, yes, WE, could ever solve it is if we stick together to the end. As an happy family. I am not sure if you ever will come and see me. Maybe you will if I told that...I need you here...with me...and our foal.
I know you are trying to keep everything under control, and it is alright. I clearly understand why you keep me away from that place. Those ponies are smarter than any of us could imagine. But, I need you here. Celestia and Luna still doesn't know, I never told them about you. I never bother even mentioning your existence or even the origin of the kingdom I came from either. I didn't want them to go after you. But now, I am here, in this town full of happiness and relief that I am sure you need. Please, come...I'm so lonely.
I didn't really had a name for our foal, and I was hoping you gave one to it. Anything of your choosing. I hope to see you again, and bring a doctor just in case if you ever come. I hope you come. Here in this town, I will be...safe and sound happy as any mother could ever be. With her foal in arms and her mate by her side that she loves. A mother I am and will be, will be the happiest mare you ever could have and see.
-Corona Dust"
-To Be Continued-
(The song, sung in here is called Melodies of Life from Final Fantasy 9
The songs recommended to be listen too...
Gabriela Robins/Yoko Kanno-Moon,
Giles Lamb- Dead Island Trailer Theme Raindrop version,
Garbage- Not Your Kind Of People)
Ps: I will edit this more when i get back earlier today...i hope.