>You are Anon
>Over the course of a few hours you've learned a lot of things
>You've learned that there are indeed different universes
>You've learned that people and ponies can indeed have a good or evil version of themselves
>You've learned that the evil version of yourself sports a Fu Manchu and thinks wearing a fedora is a good thing for some reason
>It was all just a big cluster fuck and a huge waste of time
>But there was something that changed your life
>You've learned that other world had a Sombra that was totally alive and that he seemed like a nice guy
>It seemed like after all this bullshit had passed you two could of been friends and had a couple of drinks
>Too bad you learned that the mare you loved was two timing you behind your back with him and all you wanted to do was bash his head in...
 
>The anger you felt at that moment...
>All you saw was red
>It was foolish of you to think that cheating didn't happen in magic pony land
>She was a princess for fuck's sake isn't she supposed to be pure?!
>Did they fuck?!
>What else hasn't she told you?!
>The questions just wouldn't stop popping into your head
>Apparently she had been seeing him for quite some time, ever since her and that old fart Star Swirl found out that the mirror lead to other worlds
>So that means even though she met Sombra a long time ago, she still lead you on
>You thought you two actually had something
>You've been on the receiving end of cheating before you didn't think you'd ever go through it here in Equestria of all places
>You never even got the chance to bash his head in unfortunately due to the fact that the evil Celestia and Luna made their move...
 
>Their plan was simple, Celestia hands over Equestria A over to evil Celestia in return evil Celestia will leave her and Sombra alone in Equestria B to be with each other
>Except there was no way that was gonna happen as Celestia sent the Mane 6 over to help Sombra deal with her
>Next thing you know Luna flies into the mirror and the worlds start to merging together and shit
>You were no detective but from what you could tell the evil Celestia blasted the evil Luna which sent your Luna flying thus making your Celestia irate
>Celestia and her evil counterpart began to battle in the sky as the Mane 6 and Sombra were getting ready to help her
>You had your chance to get to Sombra to make him pay to make him feel the pain you felt
>Too bad some faggot that looked like you got in your way
>All you remember about him was him screaming about how much of faggot he was
>Like any shit poster you encountered you just ignored him there was no point in encouraging his stupidity
"Hurr Durr look how retarded I am!"
>That was only thing you heard as you walked away from him
>In that short time dealing with that idiot Sombra somehow had the two sun princesses in two orbs of light yelling at the Mane 6 to do their thing
>They began to encase the orb containing evil Celestia in some weird crystal magic but something was wrong for it was doing the same thing to your Celestia orb
>They were going to stop the spell when Celestia told them not to this had to happen to restore balance in both world Twilight was crying Sombra was panicking
>You just rolled your eyes you were still mad you could care less what happens now...
 
>Lo and behold Sombra came up with a plan
>Something about if he could restore balance then the spell wouldn't have to happen and everything would go back to normal
>It seemed he was going to do some heroic sacrifice in order to save Celestia
>He looked over to you his eyes sending you the message that he was sorry for everything
>Even though you were angry you knew you couldn't put your anger on him Celestia probably hid you from him he probably knew as much as you
>Sombra looked back to the girls and blasted them with magic throwing you and Spike off guard
>Stepping over them he levitated the Elements of Harmony in front of him
>What the hell was he planning to do?!
>He looked down in sadness, whatever he was planning do I would change him forever
>You could hear Sombra say something shaky under his breath
>"I'm so sorry Umbra forgive me."
>Umbra?
>Who the hell was that was he seeing another girl on the side?
>Sombra began to glow with the power that the elements gave him
>He blasted the two crystal orbs that held the two Celestia's open
>Your Celestia yelled at him, wondering what was he doing
>He said that he needed to restore balance if he could pull the evil out of Celestia and Luna he could fix everything they wouldn't be hurt and too him Celestia would be safe
>she asked where he would put all that evil magic
>"The only place it can go"
>And with that, both the evil Celestia and Luna started to glow their evil magic being torn from them and being put in Sombra
>An purple cloud exploded from where he stood and Celestia was sent flying
>When the dust settled Sombra stood there looking just like the Sombra from your world purple evil magic and all
>He didn't stay long, he just looked at Celestia like it was all her fault which it was and flew away
>You didn't even have a chance to open your mouth before you and everyone else was sucked into a portal that lead back to your world...
 
"Fuck my head."
>You weren't prepared to be sucked into a portal that appeared behind you
>In turn you landed on your ass
>As you rubbed the pain from your fall away you looked up to see everyone else come through the portal
>Everyone looked so sad you can't really blame them though as angry as you were at Sombra he went out in a pretty good way
>At least he didn't get blown up like your Sombra did that would of sucked
>You looked over to see Celestia staring at you with sadness in her eyes
"What?! You want fight now or later?!"
>"Anon please allow me to explain myself!" Tears beginning to form in her eyes
>That was it you've been holding in this anger for the longest time the only reason you didn't start anything in bizarro Equestria is because the fate of the world was at stake
"Allow you to explain what?! How you lead me on?! How you lied to me?!"
>The tears were flowing now not just from her but you too you were in love with her and she betrayed you like it was nothing!
>"I wanted to tell you, but I was scared of what you might have done"
>You looked around to see Twilight, her friends, and Luna all just looking at you both they knew not to get involved
"You know you could of told me sooner I wouldn't be acting like this if you had said something but no you had to keep it a secret and let me find out the hard way that the only mare I loved was seeing another guy!"
>Celestia just stared at the floor, her tears hitting the floor was the only sound that filled the room
>"I'm so sorry Anon"
>That's it she was crying, she knew she hurt you she knew nothing she could say would calm you down
"I am too, I'm leaving Celestia."
>The look on her face said it all she wanted to stop you from leaving, but she couldn't she had no place to stop you
>"C-can you at least tell me where you're going?"
"No the only reason I say that is that I have no idea where I'm going I'm not going to Ponyville I'm not going to the Crystal Empire I'm sure as shit not staying here."
 
>After you stormed out of the room the Twilight and her friends rushed to console the now sobbing princess while Luna chased after you
>"Anonymous! Please Stop! Please talk to us!"
>Kicking open the door to your room you began to pack up everything just about anything you think you'd need
>Looking up you see an out of breath Luna standing at your door
>"Anonymous please reconsider!"
"I said no! If I stay things will only get worse for the both of us!"
>You had everything you need some clothes, bits, and a sword Celestia had given you for your birthday
>Walking to the door Luna put a hoof up to stop you
"Move"
>"We will...On one condition..."
"And whats that?"
>Luna looks up at you with seriousness in her eyes
>"We will let you go IF you allow us to enter your dreams from time to time..."
"WHAT?! Hell no! If I didn't let you enter my dreams before what makes you think I'm gonna start now?!"
>"Simple..." Her eyes still trained on you with no hint of backing down
>"Our sister will be worried about you every day it may get in the way of her leading our subjects which as you know, would be troublesome."
>As much as you hate to say it, she has a point
>"If you let us enter your dreams, we can see if you are still alive and thus let our sister know, easing her worries."
>She was right this way everyone wins in a strange way you'll be allowed to leave Luna gets to finally enter your dreams and Celestia will know your safe
"Luna...you got a deal"
>"Excellent! In that case Anonymous, please be safe on your journey we wish you luck!" she says in a cheerful tone
"Yeah, yeah"
>After getting some food for the road you reached the outskirts of Canterlot
>Looking back at your home for the last time you set off north hoping this won't end badly
 
>Day...You can't even remember how many days you've been out here
>Everything started off nice you had food, money, a form of defense what could go wrong?
>Well everything went wrong, you plowed through your food faster than a Changeling plows through love
>The food you weren't able to shove down your throat was taken by the inhabitants of the wild while you slept
>You used all your money to buy more food which ended up going bad a short time after you bought it
>You still ate it though...It probably wasn't your best idea, but you'll be damned if you let that money go to waste
>Let just say the effect of eating rotten food affected your dreams more than you would of thought
>"Pray tell Anonymous..." Luna says, looking around your dream "are you...Doing okay?"
"Yeah! Of course! What makes you think I'm not?!"
>It didn't help your case when a clown came up to you and Luna on honked a horn in your face
>Who were you kidding with every passing day you were losing it slowly but surely falling deeper and deeper into your own insanity
>These talks with Luna were the only thing stopping you from losing your shit
>"Anonymous please come back home our dear sister misses you!! She would gladly welcome you home where you would be safe!"
>As much as that sounded like a good idea you were stubborn, There was no way you'd go back home...
>Even though you'd have a bed
>Shelter
>Food
>The ability to bathe
>...
>No. you had to stand your ground there was no way you could cave now you've come to far!
"Luna I'll be fine...Tell Celestia I'm doing all right...Tell her I'm just in a bit of a rough spot, but I'll be all right."
>"Anonymous..."
"I'll be fine...I promise."
>With that you gave her a smile you were determined to get through this
>"Fine then Anonymous...we will deliver your message to our sister." Luna says as she walks off "please look after yourself." and with that Luna faded away
>It must be time to wake up...
 
>Feeling the warm sunlight on your face you opened your eyes only to shut them once again due to the sunlight stinging your eyes
>It was getting colder lately as you headed up north the wind howled through the woods you had spent the previous night in
>It was a good thing that you brought a blanket with you otherwise, these nights would have been the worst
>You were a little bit away from the frozen tundra of Equestria wondering how you were even going to tackle that scenario
>Hell why were you even trying to go up there? All because of a rumor you heard in a small town?
>Finally opening your eyes and tanking in your surroundings you thought back to the other day you heard that strange rumor
>In another town you passed through you had heard some of the towns folk talking about some strange black kingdom up north
>You assumed they were talking about the Crystal Empire but when you asked them about it they just ignored you
>Maybe they were scared of you only ponies in Canterlot, Ponyville and the Crystal Empire knew who or what you were
>You kept asking around the town for anything until finally a old lady pulled you off to the side to tell you about this rumor
>She told you about a kingdom off to the north made of black crystal, its citizens unknown to everyone else
>It sounded a lot like the Crystal Empire when Sombra was in charge
>When the old lady finished her tale she handed you a map and what you saw confused you
>You knew where the Crystal Empire was but the marker on this map pointing out where this new Crystal Empire was, was WAY further up to the northeast
>Well curiosity got the better of you and you wanted to find this imaginary kingdom
>The last thing the old lady said to you was that anyone that has searched for the Black Crystal Empire has never come back
>Pfft you said to that you ain't afraid of no ghost stories!
>Wiping the sleep from your eyes and gathering your belongings you set out into the frozen tundra ahead of you
 
>You're so cold you can't even feel your fingers
>You're shaking so much your starting to feel sick
>You're so tired that your vision is starting to blur
>You're stomach is begging you to feed it anything at this point
>This wind feels like razor blades are tearing your face apart
>You can't even tell how long you've been walking
>The sky is gray
>You can't even see the damn sun
>Each step you take tires you out even more
>It feels like the snow is trying to pull you under
>You can't keep going on like this...
>...
>Your body can't take it anymore, you collapse face first into the snow
>Trying to muster up some form of energy you attempt to get back up
>...
>Nothing you're at your limit
"..."
>Is this it?
>Are you going to die out here? In this frozen hellhole?
>All because of some stupid rumor of a kingdom that may or may not exist?
>God you're an idiot...
 
>Clenching your fist in the snow the only words that come out of your mouth are
"I...don't want to die here...I CAN'T die here...Not like this!"
>You try getting up one more time you'll be damned if you let nature win...
>The wind is trying to push you back down
>The snow feels like tiny arms on your leg trying to pull you back down to the ground
>You can feel the adrenaline flow through you
>You're able to get on one foot!
>Now the other!
>If this was the WWE you'd be John Cena right now because you're overcoming the odds here!
>Finally standing back up on both feet you trek forward, determined to get out of this shitty situation!
>...
>Making some distance you can feel your adrenaline rush start to die out
"NO! Just a little bit longer PLEASE!!!"
>No use you were losing steam again your body was telling you it's done
>The warmth you felt was leaving you being replaced with the chill that filled the air
>This time your body just crashed into the snow your face being the first thing to hit the snow stinging your skin in the process
>You just laid there what were you gonna do?
>You were spent
>...
>Why did it feel like you were being watched?
>You looked up to see a black mass in front of you
>Your throat was dry but you were able to get the words out
"P-Please...Help m-me..."
>"What...are you?" the black mass said it almost sounded feminine or maybe you just lost it who knows?
>Looking up one last time you were met with a pair of eyes you thought you'd never see again
"S-Sombra?!"
>The last thing you heard was the black mass yelling at someone to carry you before you shut your eyes passing out
 
>Are you dead?
>I doesn't feel like it...
>Your body still feels cold but...it's not as bad as it was before
>As you regain consciousness you start to slowly open your eyes
>It takes a second for your eyes to adjust to the light but when they do you're more than a little confused about your surroundings
>The walls are made of crystal, black crystal to be exact
>As you turned your head to look up at the ceiling you feel a wave of sickness just rush through your body
>Your head feels like it's filled with water making you even more sick
>You lay you head back down on the pillow that was on bed you were on in a desperate attempt to feel better
>The bed itself seemed rather big for a pony, your legs didn't hang off the edge and the shape of the bed was a circle giving you enough room to roll around
>You tried to look over to your side to see if you could find out more the room you were in
>Empty
>Besides the bed there was a window on your right side
>Turning over to the left the same, a window slightly bigger than the other one
>The strange thing was you couldn't see anything out them they were black not like it was dark or anything outside but straight up opaque
>Rolling onto your back you finally got a look at the ceiling above you it was high up, black the same as the walls with a strange design going around in circle a chandelier in the center of it all
>You begin to feel the pain in your gut rise again, it felt like some one was just punching your gut over and over again
>Probably due to the fact you pushed your body to its limits and this was its way of punishing you
>Oh god it hurt like hell at this rate you'll be wishing for death to take you right now
>Any thing to make it stop
 
>The pain it just won't go away
>You're in the fetal position now clutching your stomach hoping PRAYING that this pain goes away
>It just won't it's getting worse as a matter of fact there's only one thing you can do...
"HELP! ANYONE PLEASE! HELP ME OR KILL ME! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!"
>Jesus it hurt to yell your throat was as dry as a desert and sore as shit
>Just then the doors to your room flew open and four guards clad in black armor rushed in two going to your right side and two going to your left side
>One for each of you limbs
>They pulled you from your fetal position and held you down
>The pain was only getting worse what the hell was wrong with you?!
"What are you guys doing to me?!"
>They didn't respond they stayed silent, holding you down with minimal effort
>Their armor looked way different than anything you had seen in the Crystal Empire or Canterlot it was black it looked bulky their armor seemed to reflect the light could it be made out of this black crystal stuff too?
>Who were these guys?!
>You didn't have time to think as suddenly a strange purple aura started to surround your body
>The pain in your stomach was starting to fade away allowing you to finally relax
>Dropping your head back onto the pillow you breathing heavily relived that the pain was gone
>"Guards you may leave us now" a voice said calmly, that same voice you heard before you passed out
>On cue the 4 stallions released your limbs and proceeded to leave the room in a single file line the last one shutting the door on his way out
>"I'm sorry about that. I needed to aim for your stomach for that spell to work." Who ever this was they were getting closer to you
>Looking up at your saviors eyes the only words out of your mouth were
"Sombra?!"
>"No!" It says in a dismissive tone "Allow me to introduce myself" she presented herself "I am Queen Umbra." She said as she looks at you dead in the eyes "and you have a lot of explaining to do."
 
>Umbra? You go to open your mouth, but instead of words you feel something else come up
>Sensing this Umbra materialize a trash can for you
>Grabbing it you turn your back towards her, No one should have to see this
>Prepping yourself for the worst, you let it all out
>Smooth Anon...you meet a queen and the first thing you do is hurl in front of her
>...
>It feels like a weight in your stomach has just been lifted!
>It feels like a demon has been purged from you!
>It feels...like heaven!
>Smiling a big ol' grin you look into the trash bin the see a horrible sight that wiped that smirk off your face
>Sludge, It looks like black sludge
>This was in you?!
>No wonder you felt like shit
>"Maybe next time you will think twice before shoving rotten food down your gullet." You can hear Umbra chuckling at your expense
>After placing the trash can by the side of the bed and wiping your mouth you turn back over to Umbra
"Um thank you for that...I take it you also saved me out there?"
>"Indeed, my guards happened to see you running through the snow screaming something about overcoming the odds."
>"Here." Umbra says as she levitates a glass of tea in front of you "drink this it will help make you feel better." she says with a smile
>Hesitantly you take the cup in your hands the aroma flooding your nostrils
>It smells like cinnamon
>You lean in to take a small sip
>...
>It's delicious! It tastes just like honey and cinnamon mixed together in the perfect way!
>You try and down it in one go, but Umbra stops you
>"Take it slow otherwise you can't savor the taste."
>Following her advice you take it slow and continue to take small sips while Umbra tell you how you ended up here
 
>You are Umbra
>Your guards have just sent word that they have found something that may require your attention
>Making haste you prepare to travel to the group of guards that require your assistance
>As you walk through the hall of your castle, you wonder what your men could of found that required your assistance
>A spy?
>A group of weary travelers?
>Maybe...They found...Your brother...
"Sombra..."
>Finally reaching your destination you opened the doors to the chamber that held the heart of your empire
>The Crystal Tree
>No matter how many times you looked at it, it never ceases to amaze you
>The roots of this tree are spread far and wide deep under your empire
>Under your control you could do anything
>Build new establishments
>Build new homes for your subjects
>Build Weapons and armors for your guards who defend this empire with their lives
>Yes with this tree you could build an empire to rival even Canterlot
>But there was one thing the tree did that amazed you to no end
>It grew a special red crystal when plucked had a special ability
>It allowed you to fast travel through the tree to anyone who may have had a red crystal in their possession
>Thankfully you only gave these crystal to your most trusted of captains, the crystal being engraved on their armor
>Should they ever need your help
>Placing your hoof on the tree your horn begins to glow, searching for the right crystal
"Found you"
>And with that you began to slip into the tree
>After a moment of silence and darkness you're met with the cold howling wind of the Equestria tundra...
 
>The wind was more violent than usual today you thought as you stepped on to the snow
>Turning around you see your men bowing down before you
"Rise Arthas, Tell me why have you brought me out here? In such dreadful weather?"
>"My apologies my queen, but we have encountered a strange creature we have never seen before, we wanted to know what we should do with it."
>A strange creature? There was something about oddities that always made you want to have them all to yourself.
"Arthas where is this creature located"
>"Just over that ridge ma'am" Arthas raises his hoof and points to the right, "right now it seems to be exhausted it's just laying face down in the snow."
>In this weather? This strange creature must prefer the cold climate if it was to just sleep in the snow.
"Well Arthas ready your men we're going hunting!"
>"Yes ma'am" Arthas says as he turns around to address his men "You heard the queen let's go she's counting on us so none of you better disappoint her so I'm only gonna say this once. Don't. Fuck. This. Up."
>Oh this would be fun, you haven't gone hunting in ages since that Chimera a long time ago
>Reaching the top of the ridge you and your men watch as the creature begins to stand back up on two legs!
>You could hear it yell something, but the wind was making it difficult to understand what it was saying
>Luckily the wind started to die down so you could hear it yell
>"I'm...Gonna make it...I'm going to overcome the odds! I'm gonna APPLE DOUGH MY WAY THROUGH THIS!"
>Apple dough my way through this? Was this creature insane?!
>And just like that it took off making it's way to your empire!
>You had to stop it before it got to the gates!
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDHZgVf8xsU [Embed]
"Damn this beast!"
>You kicked it into high gear there was no way you were gonna lose this beast!
>One second it's laying on the ground, exhausted and the next it's plowing through the snow like a train?!
>Where the hell was this thing?!
>Thankfully you weren't alone your men were right behind you determined to catch this creature for their queen!
>Only the best you say if they couldn't keep up with you, you would have no need for them.
>You couldn't stand weaklings being apart of your guard...
>"My queen!" Arthas finally galloping by your side yelled "I'm afraid we have no choice you may need to use your magic to bring it down"
"But Arthas that's cheating! There's no fun in that!"
>"I know! But at this rate it will reach the gates and cause more problems!"
>Dammit! You had no choice...You had to hit it with debilitating spell
>Focusing your magic you aimed at the beast...lining up the shot until...
>Boom
"Gotcha"
>The beast began to lose steam
>"NO! Just a little bit longer PLEASE!!!" You heard it cry out before it crashed into the ground
>Finally catching up to it the beast its face still in the ground said
>"P-Please...Help m-me..."
>Help it?! It just ruined your fun and it wants you to help it?!
"What...Are you"
>It looked up and said one last thing before it passed out
>"S-Sombra?!"
>With that the beast passed out your men stared at you confused on how this creature knew your dear brother
"Well don't just stand there pick him up!!! We're going to save this creature at all cost!!!"
>As the words leave your mouth your men scramble to pick him up and follow you back to your empire...
 
>"Open the gate!" Arthas yells up to the guards on the wall
>As you wait for the gate to be raised, you turn to address your men who are carrying the strange creature
"We got lucky that the creature was carrying a blanket on its person, it will make it easier for us to travel through the city without causing a scene."
>"My queen where are we going to take the creature? To the dungeons?"
>You looked at the creature before you, it was wrapped up in its blanket hopefully your subjects would not notice anything odd
>Still...You had ordered Arthas to gather some men and clear you a path to the castle
>The gate opens Arthas rushes on ahead to clear a path
"No. We're going to the castle, I'll use the tree to create a spare room."
>"My queen are you sure that is a good idea? What if it's dangerous?"
"This creature knows something about my brother...I need to find out what."
>"Very well. But please allow us to make up for our failure of not being able to catch the creature back there."
>You can't help but smile at them, here they are begging to make it up to you when really it wasn't their fault.
"Fine. When I build the room, I want you four to stand guard and make sure no one besides me enter the room."
>In unison they shout "Yes ma'am!"
>"My queen it seems a path has been made for us." One of your men point out as you turn to see a clear shot to the castle
"Excellent! Let us not waste any more time out here. I wish to warm up by the fire!"
>As you make your way to the castle you hear your empire start to come alive
>Your subjects bow before you
>The children cheer your name
>Everypony carries on their daily routine
>Nearing the castle you see Arthas standing by the doors
>"My queen..." He says as he bows "What else do you need?"
"Arthas fetch the royal doctor for me, I need her to see if there anything wrong with the creature..."
>"As you wish, my queen..." With that Arthas galloped away in a rush to get to the hospital and find the doctor...
 
>As you open the doors to your home, you are rushed by the dozens of servants that occupy your home
>"Lady Umbra! You've returned!" A young looking mare white as snow with a light blue mane and red eyes says as she approaches you with a cup of tea
"Thank you Ariadne, but I'm very capable of making my own tea"
>"Of course you can but we are your loyal servants!" Ariadne smiles "It's our job to serve you."
>Levitating the cup in front of you, you smelled the aroma coming from the cup trying to guess what it was today
"Ah Cinnamon Chocolate, thank you Ariadne your too kind."
>"Nonsense lady Umbra" Ariadne says as she takes a bow "I live to serve you, ever since you saved me and my family out in the wastes, I have made it my life's goal to see that you are happy"
>Smiling you take a sip from your cup, the warm liquid warming your once cold body
>"Lady Umbra?" Ariadne says grabbing your attention "What is this thing?" she's looking at the wrapped up creature
"It's a strange beast we found in the waste...I think it may know my brother."
>"Master Sombra!?" Ariadne says as she covers her mouth with her hooves
"Yes which is why I need you to help me prepare its room"
>"What do you need lady Umbra?!" Ariadne says as she pulls out a piece of paper and a quill
"A large pillow, that spare mattress from my old bed..."
>"The very large one?!" Ariadne says slightly shocked
"Yes, but have some of the guards bring that up and finally a large blanket we will get rid of the one its wrapped in once everything is set"
>"Okay!" Ariadne yells "Leave it to me!" and with that she takes off eager to do her job
 
>As you traveled up the stairs in the main hall you thought of where you were even going to put this room.
>The Basement held the barracks for the guards in the castle you made sure it was a nice place for them nice, warm, decorated they never complained
>The 1st floor held the main hall, your throne room, a kitchen, a dining area and the chamber that held the Crystal Tree
>Outside there was the training grounds, a garden, and a place where your men created their armors and weapons
>The 2nd floor held the servant quarters
>The 3rd floor held your war room where you would meet with your captains to discuses the state of your empire
>The 4th floor held your room and your study and your private bathroom
>Reaching the 4th floor you looked down the end of the hall to the doors that lead to your room and the doors closer to the stairs led to your study
"I suppose we will put him here, across from the study..."
>"My queen!" one of your guards yelled "This beast is way too close to your private chambers! Please reconsider!"
>Looking back to them you gave them a reassuring smile
"It's fine. I have guards that guard my room at all times anyway, it won't get past them, besides do you think your queen can't handle some wild animal?"
>"I meant no disrespect my queen forgive me..." he says lowering his head
"It's fine, no disrespect taken."
>Looking back to the wall you place your hoof on the spot where this room would be
>Your horn began to glow as you felt the crystal start to move
>Imaging in your head what you wanted the room to look like the crystal took shape
>It was extending out into a circular way
>The spot on the wall where your hoof rest opened up and you proceeded to walk forward
>Now watching the crystal take shape you watched as the ceiling rose higher and higher until finally it stopped leaving a pattern in the center of it...
>The glow from your horn died down and you took a look around the new addition to your castle
"Perfect!"
 
>Heading to the back of the room you tapped your hoof on the ground
>As you did that four pillars rose from the floor the tip of the pillars started expanding out into a circle
>There! You got the bed frame made all you need is the mattress...
>"Lady Umbra I got the stuff you wanted!" Right on cue Ariadne with the blanket and pillow came charging into the room
"Excellent! And the Mattress?"
>"Oh! I did what you said and had some guards that were doing nothing help me."
>"We weren't doing nothing Ariadne!" A guard said as he and another carried the oversized mattress into the room
>"You and him were talking about getting drinks after your shift was done!" Ariadne said as pointed her hoof at them "If you have time to talk about drinks you have time to help lady Umbra!"
>Both of the guards grumbled at her then they turned your attention to the you
"Just put it right there on the frame"
>They proceeded to lay the mattress down all the while Ariadne was sticking her tongue out at them
"Thank you, you two you've made your queen happy, you're dismissed for today try not to drink too much."
>"Thank you my queen!" They both said they bowed and left the room
"Okay you four place the creature down on the bed."
>As they placed the creature down on the bed you could of swore you heard them all breath easy, they did carry it around for quite sometime they must have been relieved to finally drop it
>"What do we do now lady Umbra?" Ariadne said as she looked at the creature
"Now we wait for the royal doctor to come."
 
>It would be some time until the doctor arrived
>You sent your guards to wash up and get something to eat, you would stay and keep an eye on the creature
>Placing the cup that once held your tea on an end table you made right next to the bed you sat down on your rump, waiting for the doctor to arrive
>How did this creature know your brother?
>How did it out run you and your men?
>What is it?
>"Lady Umbra?" you snapped out of your thoughts to see Ariadne standing at the door "The doctor is here."
"Thank you Ariadne, you can go now thank you for all your hard work today."
>Taking her leave Ariadne bowed and opened the door for the doctor
>The doctor was a red unicorn mare with a black mane her mane covering the right side of her face, her cutie mark was a scalpel
>"Queen Umbra!" the doctor proclaimed "How are you?"
"I'm fine doctor, how about yourself?"
>"Good, good." she said nodding her head "So Arthas told me you needed to see me?"
"Yes. We found this strange creature out in the waste and I was wondering if you could heal it?"
>"Hmm..." The doctor had pulled out her glasses to examine the creature closely "in all my years of traveling around Equestria I've never seen anything like this..."
>The doctor started to move the creatures blanket around she seemed to be interested in its lower body...
 
>"Well only one thing to do!" She says as her horn lights up
>In an instant the creature clothes are ripped from its body
"Doctor!? What are you doing?!"
>"What?" She says as she fixes her glasses "I need to determine the sex of the creature..." she looks back down "It's male."
>Covering your eyes you use your magic to cover the creature lower body again
>"You're no fun!" The doctor jokes "still though...It's amazing that he is even alive..."
"What? Why?"
>"Well look at him." The doctor starts pointing at parts of his body "Frostbite on his fingers, cuts all over his body..."
>The doctor places her hoof on his stomach
>"He seems to be famished..." The doctor moves her hoof and her horn begins to light up again
>"Perhaps it just started living in the wild?"
>A red aura begins to surround the creature body
>"What did he eat?!"
"What is it..."
>"I don't know...It looks like a black fluid" The doctor moved her head closer to his stomach squinting her eyes "It looks like rotten food, though I can't make out what it is."
"He ate rotten food?"
>"Seems that way..." The doctor said, taking off here glasses the glow around her horn dying down "I can heal the frostbite and clean his cuts and bandage them up but his stomach..."
"What?"
>"When he wakes up...It's not gonna be pretty, he is gonna hurt. Bad." The doctor says as she begins fishing around her bag
"Well is there anything you can do for him?"
>"Not me, but you can." She says as she begins to clean him up "here."
>The doctor hands you a small bottle containing a strange liquid
>"Put this in any drink and have him drink it, it should help him feel better."
"That's it?"
>"Well there is one thing...That black goo isn't gonna come out on its own you're going to need to use a certain spell to induce vomiting..."
"I don't know any spells like that!"
>"I can show you! don't worry my queen I won't leave you high and dry."
 
>"Well I've done all I can my queen." The doctor says as she starts packing up her things "I cleaned his cuts, bandage his wounds, healed his frostbite, and helped with his famine."
"Are you sure this spell will work?"
>"Without a doubt!" She says "You're queen Umbra! You can do anything you set your mind to!"
>"Well I've done all I can my queen." The doctor says as she starts packing up her things "I cleaned his cuts, bandage his wounds, healed his frostbite, and helped with his famine."
"Are you sure this spell will work?"
>"Without a doubt!" She says "You're queen Umbra! You can do anything you set your mind to!"
"You give me too much credit..."
>"Not enough I say!" as she proceeds to leave, she turns back to look at you "make sure you hit his stomach with that spell you may want to have those big strong stallions of yours hold him down."
"Don't worry I will"
>"Good. Make sure to send for me when he wakes up I wish to learn more about him..." The doctor says as she goes down the stairs
"Wait! When will he wake up?!"
>"Give it a few days! I imagine he must be exhausted!" You hear from down the stairs
>A few days huh?
>You might as well have Ariadne get the tailor to make your "guest" some new clothes...
 
>Several days passed, when you weren't on official business you were visiting your guest checking in on him
>It didn't seem like he would ever wake up
>The only source of information about your brother and he's in a coma of sorts!
>Until one day during the day court...
>"Lady Umbra!" Ariadne burst through the doors of your throne room out of breath
"What is it Ariadne?!"
>"He's awake...He's upstairs thrashing about right now"
>Now of all times?!
"Ariadne prepare some tea I don't care what kind and meet me upstairs!"
>"Yes ma'am!"
>Rushing upstairs to the 4th floor your guards tell you that he just woke up and started screaming in pain, you ran to your room to grab the bottle the doctor left for you
>Running back out you could see Ariadne coming upstairs with a cup of tea in her magic
"Here Ariadne! The doctor said to mix this with his drink!"
>Looking at the four guards, you let them know that the plan was to hold him down while you use the spell on his stomach
>As they rushed in you prepared to use the spell
>Your horn began to glow brightly with magic, as you entered you could see the pained look on his face
>Aiming the spell at his stomach you shot a beam that hit its target, his body began to be enveloped by a purple aura and he seemed to finally relax
>Ariadne came into the room to hand you the tea, now mixed with the medicine the doctor left for you
"Guards you may leave us now."
>As your guards left the room you walked up to the side of your guest placing the tea on the end table
>Ariadne stood by the door, not knowing what to do
"I'm sorry about that. I needed to aim for your stomach for that spell to work."
>Finally opening his eyes, he looked over to you and said "Sombra?!"
"No!"
>Ugh! Do you really look like your brother?!
>First impressions are important so you presented yourself to you guest in a luxurious way
"I am Queen Umbra."
 
>You are Anon
>You've been sitting in bed, listing to Umbra as she tells you her story of how she found you
>All the while you've been taking sips from the cup of tea she handed you
>This was some good shit!
>With every sip you took it felt like you were getting your strength back
>It's a good thing you didn't drop it on your lap when you found out you were buck ass nude under the blanket
>That would of been a bad time for you and little Anon
>Umbra assured you that the doctor was the only one to see your "private area"
>Though you swear you could of saw a blush come across her face
>Speaking of Umbra
>When you would take glances up at her you couldn't help but see Sombra in her
>Same green eyes with the red iris
>Same grey coat, same black mane
>Hell even the hairstyle looked the same
>Her horn was also red just like his was
>Her choice in attire was the just the same as well!
>She wore a thin crown around her head with two small horns on the left and right side, in the center there was a slightly larger oval piece in between two red horns
>Her neck was covered by a silver piece of armor
>Attached to that was a red cape with white fur lining
>When you looked down could see that she also wore those "shoes" that all these royal types besides Chrysalis wore
>They were also silver, and instead of just covering her hooves they covered most of her legs like armor
>Even though she looks kinda scary
>You can't help but feel at ease around her
>She's kinda cute...
 
>"It's not polite to stare." Umbra says, snapping you out of your thoughts
>Looking at her, she has a smile on her face
"Sorry..."
>"It's fine." She says as she waves her hoof "it's only natural to be awestruck in the presence of royalty!"
>Someones got an inflated ego...
>She's not nearly as bad as Chrysalis though...
>After a moment of silence, you clear your throat to speak up
"Well seeing as how you saved my life, I guess I'll answer those of yours."
>"Excellent!" She says as begins to get up "First off...What are you?"
>Finishing the last of your tea you put the cup down on the table next to you
"Sorry, but can I get some more?"
>"Ariadne." Umbra turns the the mare in the corner "can you get us some more tea?"
>"Of course lady Umbra!" she says while she bows "I will return at once!"
>As the mare named Ariadne exited the room, Umbra turned her attention back to you
"Sorry about that, I'm a human."
>"A human?" She says with a confused look on her face "Are you native to Equestria?"
"No I'm not from here, I'm actually from a different world."
>"A different world?" She raises an eyebrow at you "How long have you been in Equestria?"
"A few years now..."
>Umbra now standing at the foot of the bed, looks down at something
>"Interesting..." She says as her horn starts to light up "We found two items on you when we saved you out there, I was wondering if you could explain what they are..."
 
"Shoot."
>Looking up at you, you can see that she has a serious look in her eyes
>"I want you to tell me right now...Are you a spy?"
>A spy?
"No...Why would you say that?"
>She begins to lift something in front of you
>It's your sword
>"Tell me then..." She says as she unsheathes the blade "Why is the emblem of the sun on your blade?!"
>She slams her hoofs down
>The sound echoed throughout your room
>Damn she looks pissed
>How the hell can she go from caring for you one second to accusing you of being a spy the next!?
>She must take the security of her empire seriously
>Understandable
>Looking down at your lap you begin to speak
"..."
"It was a gift."
>"A gift?" she asked
>You could see that Umbra was still defensive
"Yeah. Celestia had it made for me, for my birthday..."
>Umbra continued to watch you as you tell her about the sword
"It was the first and only sword I ever owned..."
>"Why would the princess of the sun have a sword made just for you?"
"I think you already know the answer to that, The other item was a locket wasn't it?"
>Umbra seemed surprised that you knew what the other item was, she nodded pulling out a purple locket
>As she handed it to you, you couldn't help but tear up
>All the memories came flooding back...
 
>Damn
>Even after all this time...It still hurts
>You didn't think you'd fall in love with horse, let alone a princess of the sun
>You had asked girls out before back in your world
>But when it came to asking Celestia out...You couldn't do it
>You felt like you weren't good enough for her
>She was a princess, and you were just some strange creature from another world
>Thankfully she had asked you to accompany her to the gala
>From there on it was the start of a wonderful time in your life
>From spending days with her going to picnics, dinner, social events
>To spending private nights with her
>There was nothing more you could of asked for...
>Then in a instant, your whole word came crashing down
>She betrayed you
>With a guy from a different world!
>Nothing could heal the pain in your heart
>You were empty inside
>Even though you yelled that you didn't want to die out there in the snow
>Part of you did wish for death
>You haven't even seen her in months, yet here you are about to break down in tears
>Before the tears could come out though, you felt a hoof on your shoulder
>Looking up you were met with Umbra eyes
>"I'm sorry..." she said "I shouldn't have pushed you so far when you've just woken up."
"It's fine, it's not your fault I can understand why you thought I was a spy."
>Looking back down at the locket in your hand, you took a deep breath
"It was supposed to be her birthday present..."
 
>Umbra, her hoof still on you shoulder, listened as you begin your tale
"I wanted to get her something even she didn't have, so I figured I'd make her something from the heart."
>"Wait you made this for her?!" Umbra says, looking at the locket
"Yeah, I went to the crystal empire to see if I could find the right crystal for her."
>Glancing over to Umbra, she seemed to go silent after you mentioned the Crystal Empire
"Anyway, when I got there I asked some of the jewelers there if they could help me find a crystal for Celestia."
>You looked back down at the locket in your hand
"I wanted to find something to match her eyes or at least come close to it."
>"I take it they had something like it?" Umbra said finally speaking up
"Yeah, he was willing to make what I wanted, but I told him I wanted to be the one to make it."
>"You knew how to make jewelry?" Umbra asks a smile on her face
"Well, no. But the jeweler showed me how."
>"Well it was a sweet thing of you to do." Umbra says as she laughs "I take it you never gave it to her?"
"No we had a falling out and that's how I ended up out there lying face down in the snow."
"..."
"I'm sorry I'm not ready to talk about it yet."
>"I understand uh, I'm sorry we've spent all this time talking and I don't even know your name"
"Anonymous, or Anon whichever you prefer."
>"Anonymous? That's a strange name." Umbra says "Well it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise..."
 
>"Lady Umbra!"
>You could hear Ariadne coming up the stairs
>Umbra took her hoof off your shoulder and walked over to the door
>As the door opened, in came Ariadne carrying two cups of tea with her magic
>"Cinnamon Chocolate for lady Umbra!" Umbra takes the cup and takes a sip while Ariadne makes her way over to you "and Cinnamon Honey for..."
"Anon."
>"Lady Umbra I found out his name!" Ariadne shouts as she hops around the room
>This girl could give Pinkie a run for her money
>"I'm sorry Ariadne but I already found out his name." Umbra states before taking a sip of her tea
>"Lady Umbra you're so amazing!" Ariadne exclaimed
>Man she reminds you so much of Pinkie
>She's just as hyper
>And just as annoying
>"Lady Umbra?" Ariadne asked, trying to get Umbra attention
>"Yes?" Umbra looked over to her
>"Did you ask Anon about master Sombra yet?" she asked looking down at the floor
>That made you choke on your tea
>"Anonymous! Are you okay?!" Umbra asked with a concerned look on her face
"Y-Yeah, I'm alright, the tea just went down the wrong pipe."
>Ariadne came over to you and began to pat your back
>"Well then, yes as Ariadne stated I wanted to know if you knew anything about my brother Sombra"
>Ah shit here it comes...
>"I haven't seen him in many years..."
>Please don't ask this Umbra
>"He use to write to me all the time from his empire, the Crystal Empire..."
>Dammit how is this going to affect her?!
>"And seeing as how you knew his name..."
>Not like this!
>"Also since you told me you visited the Crystal Empire not too long ago..."
>You can't tell her!
>"I was wondering if you've seen my brother?"
>Shit
 
>Ah shit this is bad!
>Umbra is looking at you with those piercing red eyes
>All she wants to know is where her brother is
>The only thing is he's FUCKING DEAD!
>What do you tell her?!
>That her brother was fucking blown up by princess Cadance?!
>That the Crystal Empire is a way different place than she remembers!?
>Fucking shit this is too much to handle!
>"Anon?" Umbra looks at you with concern in her eyes
>You should lie
>Yeah that will work!
>Except...
>When she finds out what happen...
>She'll be devastated...
>And mostly likely pissed at you
>You know what it's like to be lied to only to find out the truth
>It hurts...
>Also look at her!
>You can't lie to that face
>She deserves to know what happened to Sombra
>Hopefully she doesn't kill you on the spot
>Okay...
>You know what you must do...
 
>Fuck this isn't going to be easy
"Umbra..."
>Nice and slow break it to her easy
>"What?!" Umbra says as she walks over to you "What is it!?"
>Come on you can do this
"I don't how to tell you this, but..."
>Umbra has her front legs on the bed, her gaze is dead set on you
>You don't want to see the look on her face when you tell her, so you look down and prepare yourself
"H-he's gone..."
>"What do you mean he's gone?!" you can see her hooves start to shake
"...He's dead..."
>"W-What do mean he's dead?!" Her voice was shaky "What happened to him?!" she was about to break "PLEASE TELL ME!"
"I'm sorry..."
>Looking at her hooves you saw teardrops hitting your bed
>Don't look up
>The tears keep falling
>Anon don't do this
>You had to...
>Lifting your head you saw a sight that destroyed your heart
>Umbra was crying
>Her eyes shut tight, tears streaming down her cheeks
"Umbra..."
>You reach out to hold her
>Anything to stop her from crying
>But before your hands can even reach her, she turned and stormed out of the room
>You could hear her crying down the hall before you heard the doors to her room close, after that it went silent
>You didn't even get a chance to think before the guards stormed in with their weapons drawn, each of them aimed at your throat
>"WHAT DID YOU DO CREATURE?!" one of them yells at you "SPEAK! WHAT DID YOU DO TO QUEEN UMBRA?!"
>"WAIT!" Ariadne yells "He didn't do anything to lady Umbra besides telling her what happened to master Sombra!"
>After a LONG moment of TENSE silence the guards finally withdraw their weapons and left the room
>Letting out a sigh of relief you turn to Ariadne
"Thank you Ariadne...They would of killed me if you weren't here."
>"Anon please excuse me!" She says as she bows quickly "I have to check on lady Umbra!" She says as she rushes out of your room
>Leaving you alone to think about what you've done...
 
>It's dark
>Something doesn't feel right
>You open your eyes to see...
>Darkness
>You try to sit up to gain an understanding of your surroundings
>Where the fuck are you?
>Your still in your bed under the sheets
>Thank god
>"Good evening Anonymous..." You hear a voice call from behind you
>Turning around in your bed you're met with a familiar sight
>Princess Luna
>"It's been some time since our last talk has it not?"
"Yeah, I suppose it has been a while since you came into my dreams."
>Luna chuckles as she walks past your bed
>"So tell us Anonymous." Luna says still staring into the black "How are you doing."
>Great
>What do you say?
>Oh hey I found another Crystal Empire!
>Lead by none other than the sister of Sombra!
>The only thing is I told her that her brother is dead!
>Thankfully she didn't ask how...
>Yet...
>No
>You need to hide this from Luna
>Who know what Celestia will do if she finds out your crashing at Umbra place!
"I-I'm doing fine..."
>Luna looks back to you, then back at the darkness
>"Really?" you can hear the doubt in her voice "Tell us then, why do you not dream?"
 
"What do you mean? Aren't we in a dream right now?"
>Luna turns to face you
>"Well yes, and no."
>What does she mean yes and no?
>"While we may be in the Dreamscape." She raises her hoof and points out to the darkness "There is no dream, it's nothing but darkness."
>Man this sounds kinda bad
>"Think of it as a blank slate Anonymous..." still pacing around your bed "Have you really not been influenced by anything as of late?"
>Come to think about it...
>After telling Umbra about Sombra, When you slept you really didn't dream you just...Slept and you would wake up...
"I can't say I have Luna."
>Luna is looking at you with a worried look on her face
"As you can see, I've been doing nothing but recovering from my injuries."
>Pointing at the bandages on your head as well as the one wrapped around you abdomen
>Luna comes over to you and places her hoof on the side of your face
>"W-What happened to you?" she says as she looks over your body
"I got roughed up out there, but don't worry a passing family found me out there and they're currently taking care of me."
>She looks like she's about to cry
>In an attempt to stop her you look her in the eyes
"Hey, hey don't worry about it! Like I said I'm recovering now, I'll be fine."
>She's still worried, but at least it looks like she's not gonna cry
>Luna wraps her hooves around your neck and pulls you into a hug
>"Please, just be careful..." She whispers into your ear "I don't want anything to happen to you..."
>And with that she plants a kiss on your cheek
>What the hell?
>Before you can even ask, she's gone
>And your left alone in the darkness
>What the hell is going on?!
>Why did she kiss you?!
>Why is everyone so crazy town banana pants lately?
>You lay your head back down on the pillow
>Whatever, you'll ask her why next time
"Well then, that was different I guess it's time to wake up..."
 
>Opening your eyes you're greeted by the same red glow that awaits you every morning
>The chandelier above you, it was black with red candles placed in it, it always seemed to light the whole room
>It was weird always waking up to that first thing in the morning
>You were afraid it was gonna fall on you one day
>It's been a rough couple of days
>After you told Umbra about Sombra she hasn't come out of her room in days
>The only person allowed in was Ariadne
>And that was so she could deliver her food
>Wiping the sleep from your eyes you couldn't help but think back to what Luna did
>Why did Luna kiss you?
>Sure it was a kiss on the cheek but still...
>Sitting up in your bed you looked over to the end table to see some of the books Ariadne got you
>Bless her heart
>If it wasn't for her you would of went crazy by now
>Or died of boredom
>She was your only visitor at the moment
>She would bring you your food and tell you how Umbra was doing
>Judging by what she has been telling you it hasn't been good
>All Umbra does is lay in bed
>Her eyes devoid of light
>She won't say a word to anyone
>Hell she won't even look at anyone
>Ariadne has been telling you that Umbra hasn't even been eating well
>Every time Ariadne goes to deliver her new food, she ends up finding yesterdays meal barely touched
>You can't blame her
>She thought her brother was alive, only for some stranger to tell her he's dead
>Damn you could only imagine what she would of done if you lied...
 
>Hearing the door open, you looked up to see Ariadne come in carrying a tray of food with her magic
>"Good morning Anon!" she says as she walks over to you "Sleep well?"
>Besides the princess of the moon giving you a kiss?
>Yeah you'd say you slept well
"Yup! I slept like a baby!"
>"Good!" Ariadne said as she handed you the tray
>Looking down at your meal you let out a sigh
>Fruits
>And a cup of tea
>What you wouldn't do for some eggs and bacon
>Taking the apple in your hands you take a bite and look at Ariadne
"So...How is she?"
>As you said that a huge smile went across Ariadne face
>That's not what you were expecting
>"She's doing better finally!" she says as she starts hopping around the room
"Really!?"
>"Yup!" She says as she stopped hopping to look at you "When I went to deliver her food I saw she actually ate what I got her yesterday."
>How strong was Umbra?
>Well, it has been 5 or so days since you told her
>"And when I went to leave the room, she said thank you!"
>There's not enough room on her face to contain that smile
"That's good to hear!"
>As you finish your food you take you cup full of tea so Ariadne can take the tray of your now finished meal
>"Oh. One more thing!" Ariadne says before she leaves to room
"Yeah?"
>"Lady Umbra told me to tell you she is going to visit you tonight, after she catches up on the work she's missed."
>Oh shit
"D-Did she say what for?"
"No...She wouldn't tell me." Ariadne says, looking down at the ground "But she didn't sound mad, so I think you'll be okay!"
>With that Ariadne leaves the room
>Leaving you alone with the feeling of dread
>She said Umbra didn't sound mad so maybe you'll be okay
>Maybe...
 
>God how you wish you had something to do
>Reading a book is cool and all but...
>It gets old fast
>Sitting in bed all day doing nothing seemed cool when you were a kid
>But now that it's actually happening you're just bored out of your mind
>Hell all this time out here and you still haven't taken a bath
>You'll have to ask if they'll wash your blanket and bed sheets for you
>Man you wonder how long you're going to wait for Umbra to show up
>Shame that you don't have a clock anywhere around you
>...
>It'd be real nice if you could see out these damn windows
>But no, for some reason they were pitch black
>Jesus this is boring
>...
>Alright fuck this you are going to find out what time it is
>You figure if you wrap yourself up in your blanket you could walk over to the door and ask the guard what time it is
>Wrapping yourself up you sit at the edge of the bed
>Okay, all you gotta do is stand up
>No biggie
>After preparing yourself you try to stand
>Your feet feel cold as they touch the crystal floor
>Trying your hardest, your finally able to get back up on your two feet!
>You had to stand still so you wouldn't fall right back down
>Man this feels weird
>Setting your sights on the door you start to shimmy over to it
>Holy shit you're doing it!
>Your like the little engine that could!
>Just a little bit more...
>Wait what was that?
>Did you just hear the door click?
>OH SHIT ABORT MISSION!
>You shimmy as fast as you can over to your bed
>Looking back at the door start to open there's no time to unwrap yourself
>You just throw yourself on the bed and pretend to be asleep
>Lets hope this works...
 
>Hearing the door open you can hear the sound of hooves hitting your floor
>The sound is getting louder
>"Anonymous I know your awake." You hear Umbra say "I could hear you running around the room, not to mention the sound of you throwing yourself onto the bed."
>Well there goes that plan
>Rolling around on the bed your finally able to roll onto your back and fix yourself
>After adjusting around on the bed you sit up and look at Umbra
>Oh man...
>She looks visibly drained
"A-Are you okay Umbra?"
>"As okay as someone who found out their sibling is dead would be..." She says, her expression unchanging
 
"I'm sor-"
>"It's okay Anonymous." She cuts you off "I always had a feeling he was gone, but I just didn't want to believe it..."
>She looks down at the floor
>You can tell she's trying to hold back the tears
>"I just wanted to see him one more time..." She sniffles "He was my brother, my friend, my everything."
>"And now he's gone..." She's crying now "I just wanted him to tell me how proud he is of me..."
>"He'll never be there to see what my Empire has become..."
>"He'll never be there to see what kind of ruler I have become..."
>"He'll never be there...To walk me down the aisle when I find that special somepony..."
>"My children will never get to meet their uncle."
>Be strong Anon
>"It's just not fair..." Once again the tears fall from her face hitting the floor
>It's the only sound in the room
>With each drop your heart breaks more and more
>You have to do something
>Reaching out to her again, you pray that she doesn't run off
>Thankfully your able to get your arms around her and you pull her in, lifting her onto the bed with you
>"A-Anonymous?!" She stammers "W-What are you doing?!"
"Shh...Just let it out."
>She attempts to push you away, but eventually she just rests her head on your shoulder and lets tears flow
>...
>She cries for what feels like forever
>Your shoulder is getting all wet
>You don't care though, You're just worried about Umbra
>Eventually the crying turns into sniffling
>"I guess it's my turn to say sorry?" She says as she looks at you teary eyed
"It's fine everyone needs to cry once in a while, you're no different."
>"Thank you Anonymous." She says as she hugs you "I needed that."
"I guess we're two souls who have had their hearts broken huh?"
>"It seems that way." she says as she lets go you
>She begins to get up off the bed "Goodnight Anonymous, sweet dreams."
>And with that she leaves your room and you're left alone with your thoughts
>Thinking about what you just did, you lay your head down and close your eyes.
 
>As you woke up the next day, you couldn't help but feel good about yourself
>You helped Umbra let her emotions out
>When you slept you actually had a dream
>Luna didn't show up though
>She better not be avoiding you after what she did
>Hearing the door to your room open, you sat up thinking Ariadne was bringing you your breakfast
>Only to see it was Umbra...
>She was carrying a tray of food and a cup of tea in her magic
>"Good morning Anonymous." She says as she closes the door "I trust you slept well?"
"Uh yeah, Umbra why are you bringing me breakfast?"
>"To show my thanks of course!" She says as you take the tray from her "After last night I did some thinking..."
>Taking a sip of the tea you continue to listen to Umbra
>"While I miss my brother very much, I can't let my empire fall into a state of disarray over my emotions."
"So what are you going to do?"
>"I'm going to continue running my empire as I see fit." She says proudly
"Good I'm glad to hear that!"
>She looks back at you with a sense of worry in her eyes
>"Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah sure what is it?"
>"How would you feel about becoming a citizen of my empire?"
 
>Huh well there's a question for you
>You got nowhere else to go
>And it's not like you hate it here
>Umbra and Ariadne are good company
"I love to but..."
>"But?"
"I've only seen this one room."
>She blinks at you before realizing what you said
>"Yes, I suppose you have."
"Maybe when I take a bath and get some new clothes you could show me around?"
>"M-Me?!" She stammers "Why?"
"Well this is your empire who better to show me around than its queen?"
>"Yes, I suppose you're right..."
"Also I don't know anything about this empire, a brief history lesson would be nice."
>"Of course." She nods her head "I would tell you everything you would want to know."
"Cool so it's a date then!"
>"A d-date?!" Umbra eyes shoot open
"Yeah as friends."
>"Yes..." She coughs into her hoof "As friends..."
>As she turns to leave the room she looks back at you
>"A tailor should be here today to take your measurements." She says as she opens the door "When he arrives we will come see you."
"Okay sounds good, but what about a bath?"
>"Yes about that. I will allow you to use my washroom just this once so you can get cleaned up"
>"When you're ready, ask the guards to escort you to my room from there clean yourself up."
>She has her own washroom?
"They'll just let me go?"
>"I will give them their orders." She says as she steps out of the room "See you then."
>And with that you're alone...Again
>But hey at least you finally have plans today
 
>After you finished your breakfast you wrapped yourself in your blanket and made your way to the door
>Opening it you could see a guard standing by the door
"Uh, I'm ready to get cleaned up."
>The guard didn't say anything, instead he opened the door and pointed you in the direction of Umbra's room
>As you waddled down the hall you thought maybe you could talk to the guard
"So...How long have you been a guard for queen Umbra?"
>"..."
>Okay that could of went better
"So how long have you lived in Umbra's Crystal Empire?"
>"..."
>Dude work with me here
>On they way to Umbra's room you couldn't help but look at the walls
>There were painting everywhere
>Tables with flower pots on them
>Chandeliers hanging from the ceiling
>The usual stuff you'd find in a royal household
>The wall though shined red not like in your room where everything was black
>The floor was black with a long red rug leading from the stairs to Umbra's room
>Perhaps Umbra can change the color of the crystal?
>Finally reaching the door to Umbra's room the guard spoke up
>"You are to do nothing more but get cleaned up." he said, sounding serious "The Queen has allowed you to enter her private chambers don't make her regret it."
>And with that they opened the doors and pushed you in...
 
>You turn around to see that the guards have closed the door behind you
>At least they won't watch you as you bathe
>Looking at Umbra's room you're left speechless
>It's huge!
>You can see a fireplace and in front of that some big red cushions
>What looks to be a walk in closet
>A desk for work
>The floor is the same as the hallway, black with a red rug leading to the end of the room
>At the end of the room there's a bed that has the same color scheme as your bed, but this bed is twice the size of yours
>On the bed there are two red pillows and what seems to be a plushie crystal
>Cute, you wonder if she snuggles with it at night
>Walking around you manage to find the washroom
>As you walked in the washroom the candles lit up all around the room
>The bathroom actually seemed normal to you
>The walls were black while the floor looked like black tiles
>Making your way over to the back where the shower was, you took your blanket off and stepped in
>Fuck
>It's just like when you spend some time at a friends house and you have no idea how to work their shower
>After suffering a few burns and hypothermia, you manage to get the water to a comfortable temperature
>As the warm water washes over your body you think to yourself
>How long has it been since you left Canterlot?
>How are all your friends doing?
>What is Luna trying to pull?
>How long has it been since you bathe?
>All good questions, but right now you could care less
 
>Man what type of soap is this?
>It's all girly and shit
>There's gotta be something you can use here
>After searching for some time you come across a red shampoo bottle
"Twisted Desires?"
>Popping the cap the smell of cherry's fill your nose
"Well it's better than all the other stuff here."
>Pouring some into your hands you begin to lather your body
>After some time you finish up and step out of the shower
>Grabbing a the two towels off the rack you wrap one around your lower body
>And place the other on your head
>Picking up your blanket you make your way out of the bathroom
>Walking over to the door you notice a large square object with a sheet over it
>Looking back at the door, then back at the object your curiosity gets the better of you and you walk over to it
>Moving the sheet you can't help but feel sad
>It's a painting of Umbra and Sombra
>Umbra looks so happy standing next to her brother
>While Sombra still looks evil as ever
>She must of took it down so she wouldn't be reminded of him
>Placing the sheet back over the painting you go over to the door and open it
"I'm ready to go back to my room now..."
 
>When you got back to your room you couldn't help but ask yourself
>What would you say if Umbra asked you how Sombra died?
>If you say it was Cadance how would Umbra react?
>Come to think of it, does Umbra even know who Cadance is?
>One of these days you'll have to ask her
>Hearing the door to your room open you see Umbra come in alongside a younger looking unicorn stallion
>The stallion had a dark gray coat and his mane was 2 colors black and blonde his cutie mark was a needle and string
>And he wore a pair of round sunglasses with a yellow frame
>"Is this him my queen?" he said as he moved his glasses down to look at you
>"This is him." Umbra said as she pointed to you
>"Hmm" He said as he walked around you "I think I can work with this."
>"Excellent, I'll just have a seat and let you get to work." Umbra says as she sits down on your bed
>"What's your name?" The stallion asked as he searched his bag
"Anonymous or Anon for short."
>"Not the name I would of gave you but okay." he says as he pulls out a tape measure "You can call me Seth."
"Seth? That seems like a normal name."
>"That's because we don't do complicated names here in the empire." he says as he starts to measure your upper body
>Still though Seth?
>"Okay so that's it for the upper body now..." He stops as he looks at the towel "I'm gonna need you to lose that hot stuff."
"I-I'm sorry?!"
>"You heard me I need you to lose the towel."
"For what?!"
>"So I can measure your legs!"
"You can't just do it with the towel on?!"
>"Who's the tailor here me or you?!"
>You grumble under your breath as you turn around to face Umbra
"Turn around."
>"What? Why?" Umbra says with a confused look on her face
"You know why! You're a girl and I don't feel comfortable getting undressed in front of you."
>"Fine, I suppose..." She says as she turns around
>"Alright so we gonna do this or what?" You hear Seth call from behind
 
"Yeah, Yeah fine!"
>As you go to unwrap your towel you look over your shoulder to make sure Umbra isn't looking
>You take a deep breath and unwrap yourself
>...
>"I'm impressed! I thought it'd be smaller!"
>He did not just say that
>"Are they all this weird looking?"
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
>"What?!" Seth jumps "I'm only giving credit where it's due!"
"JUST TAKE THE DAMN MEASUREMENTS ALREADY!!"
>Behind you, you can hear Umbra laughing at you
>God this is embarrassing
>"Alright!" Seth waves his hoof at you "I was just having a little fun..."
>Finally after what is probably one of the most embarrassing moments in your life Seth finally has your measurements
>"Okay Anon and queen Umbra my job is done."
>Reaching back down you grab the towel and wrap yourself in it once more
"Good, finally."
>"Thank you Seth." Umbra says as she gets up and turns around "When can we expect his new clothes to be finished?"
>"For you Queen Umbra, I will try my hardest to finish them by tomorrow."
>By tomorrow? Damn that's fast
>Maybe this guy could give Rarity a run for her money
>"And you already have the plans I sent you?"
>"Yup!" he says as he adjusts his glasses "Don't worry I got it."
>"Very well Seth, payment will be delivered when Anonymous gets his clothes then."
>Seth bows his head and leaves the room
>"Anonymous?" you hear Umbra ask
"Yeah?"
>"Did you use one of my shampoos?"
"Uh yeah, why?"
>"It was Twisted Desires wasn't it?"
"Yeah, How'd you know?"
>Umbra just laughs as she leaves the room
>What the hell was in that shampoo?!
 
>After the events with Seth transpired you decided to turn in for the night
>Waking up the next morning you sat up and started to stretch
>Opening your eyes you look around to see that your room is still the same
>You swear if you don't get out of here today your going to lose it
>Just as you think that the door opens and in come Umbra
>Behind her are Seth and Ariadne
>Seth seems to be carrying a big package
>While Ariadne carries a cup of tea
>"Are you excited Anon?!" Ariadne yells as she hands you the cup "You finally get actual clothes today!"
>Awesome now you can actually get out of this bed and explore this place!
>"I tell you..." Seth begins to speak as he opens the package "This was actually a fun project to do, I've never made clothing for a...Whatever you are."
>As Seth pulls out the clothing you can't help but get excited...
>A leather jacket with a fur trimming around the collar most likely for going outside
>A black button up vest and a red dress shirt
>"I hope you like the colors Anonymous." Umbra speaks "They're my favorite."
>You figured as much
>A red black and white stripped tie
>A pair of black boxers with red hearts all over it
>You look at Seth
<"What?"
>Shaking your head you take the boxers and put them on while your under the blanket
>A pair of black slacks
>And a pair of dress shoes and some boots
>"You have no idea how hard it was to make the shoes." Seth says as he points at your feet "Seeing as how no one here has those."
"Thanks Seth, I really appreciate it."
>"My pleasure." Seth extends his hoof to shake you hand
>Reaching out you take his hoof and give it a big squeeze
>"If you ever want something new you come visit my shop alright?"
>Nodding your head Umbra tells Ariadne to see to it that Seth is paid
>As they leave the room Umbra turns to you
>"I hope you like your new clothing Anonymous." she turns to leave "I'll be waiting outside your room, get dressed so we can get breakfast."
>Alright now we're getting somewhere!
 
>As you were getting dressed you can't help but think that you look like a villain off a James Bond movie
>Oh well you were in the presences of a queen who favorite colors just happen to be red and black
>Adjusting your tie, you grab your new jacket off the bed and make your way to the door
>Opening it you see Umbra dismissing the guards in front of your room
>As they turn to leave Umbra looks at you
>"My~" She says as she eyes your body "I didn't expect you to look THAT good in your new clothes."
>Trying to control the blush on your face you look down at the floor
"Thanks."
>"My pleasure." She says as she begins to head down the stairs "Lets go, we mustn't be late for breakfast."
>As you walk down the stairs you wonder how big this place actually is
>1 floor
>2 floors
>3 floors?
>4 Floors?!
>When you reach the ground level you notice that there is still a set of stairs that lead down
>Must be the basement
>As you and Umbra walk into what seems to be the main hall you're blow away
>It almost look similar to Celestia main hall in a way
>Only thing is it's made out of crystals
>The colors are surprisingly different
>The floor is made up of black and purple tiles
>While the wall is a darker shade of purple
>There are red rugs that lead all over the place
>Up the stairs
>Into the hallways
>You name it
>Banners hang from the wall
>Each one of them looking like they have a silhouette of Umbra on them
>Looking around you notice that there are ponies dressed up like maids running around making sure everything is neat and tidy
>You can see Ariadne giving orders to the others from the top of the stairs
>She must be head maid or something
>As you enter the dining room you're surprised to see that it's actually not that big
>The walls are a sort of golden color
>While the floor is red
>The floor is pure crystal there are no rugs in here
>Probably so people won't spill food on them
>Umbra takes a seat at the table and motions you to come sit by her
 
>As you take a seat next to Umbra you notice an elderly looking mare approach you
>"Good morning lady Umbra." She says with a smile "I see you brought a guest with you today."
>"Indeed I have Edith." Umbra looks over to you "This is our guest I have told you so much about."
>The old mare looks at you
>"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr?"
"Anonymous or Anon for short."
>"Anonymous, what a wonderful name."
>You can't help but smile at that
>"So what will you have today lady Umbra?" Edith asks as she pulls out a pen and paper
>"I think I shall have steak and eggs today..." Umbra states as she taps her chin with her hoof "With black cherry tea."
>Did she just say steak?
>Like the meat?
>There's no way she said that
"I'm sorry but..."
>Both Umbra and Edith look over to you
"Do you mean steak as in the meat?"
>"Of course." Umbra looks at a you with a puzzled look on her face "What other type of steak is there?"
"So you eat meat?!"
>"Of course I do." She start to open her mouth and you can see them
>Her sharp ass teeth
>As she closes her mouth, she chuckles at your expression
>"Anonymous I'm not like those other ponies, you've spent time with."
>No she sure as shit isn't
"So I can have meat if I want to?!"
>"Of course we didn't know if you ate meat that's why we didn't give you any in your room."
>Turning to Edith you almost yell at her
"T-Then I'll have bacon and eggs with strawberry tea!"
>"Okay!" Edith says as she jots down your order "It will be right out shortly."
>She bows at Umbra before returning to what you believe is the kitchen
>Holy shit you're actually going to eat meat again!
 
>As you sat waiting patiently you look over to Umbra to see that she staring at you
"What?"
>"You look like a child who's waiting to receive a gift." She chuckles at you
"Maybe I am, I haven't had meat in a long time."
>"Well then enjoy your meal, we have a big day ahead of us."
"We do?"
>Umbra looks up at the ceiling
>"After breakfast I have to attend the day court and see to my subjects needs."
>Okay so seeing how ponies come to her, it means she doesn't treat them like shit
>You hope
>"From there I will head to my war room to discuss the security of my empire; You will have to wait in the main hall."
>She has her own war room?
>"And then after that I can finally show you around my empire."
>Oh okay so the tour happens today
>As you go to open your mouth Edith enters the room with a cart with your food on it
 
>"Sorry for the wait!" Edith places two trays on the table "Here is your food."
>As she lifts the lids off the tray your nose goes crazy
>Oh man the smell is intoxicating
>Looking down you see two eggs and strips upon strips of bacon
>It's been way to long
>You look at Umbra and she nods her head at you telling you to dig in
>Trying to control yourself, you take your fork and eat
>The taste of bacon
>You could never forget it
>The taste just dances around your tongue
>It's like fireworks going off in your mouth
>You haven't even touched your tea yet
>As you eat, you take glances over to Umbra to see how she eats her steak
>All prim and proper
>She cuts her steak into little pieces and eats them one by one
>Well she is royalty after all
>"It's not polite to stare at a lady Anonymous." She catches you again "Is there a problem with the way I eat?"
"No, not at all it's just you eat all royal like."
>"Well I am a queen Anonymous." She says as she wipes her mouth "Also even though I like the taste of meat, I can't seem to eat it as fast as you."
>Maybe you should slow down you pig
>Taking a sip of your tea you decide to ask her
"Where do you even get this meat?"
>"My people are hunters Anonymous, we hunt."
"Do ponies like Ariadne and Seth eat meat?"
>"I can't say for sure, What they choose to eat is up to them."
>As you finish your food you wipe your mouth and look at Umbra
"Do I just leave my plate here?"
>"Yes, Edith will come get it." She says as she wipes her mouth "Come, we have day court to get to."
 
>Making your way back to the main hall, You turned and headed up the small stairs in the center of the room not to be confused with the stairs that led to the 2nd floor
>You stopped at two giant doors before Umbra turned to face you
>"I'm sorry, but for you this will probably be the most boring thing in the world."
"It's fine I actually want to see how the day court goes for you."
>"Really?" She blinks at you "You are a strange one indeed Anonymous."
"I used to sit around and watch Celestia do day court as well."
>"Please don't mention her name around me." Umbra growls "I despise her in more ways than one."
>Yikes
>As Umbra opens the door to the throne room you see a familiar sight
>It looks like the throne room in Cadance's Crystal Empire
>Minus the windows
>Also not as pure looking
>The rug leading to the throne is red
>While the floor is black
>The walls are purple
>The thrones crystals itself are a mix between Purple, Red, Black, and even a big green one in the center
>Umbra walks up to the throne and plants her rump right on it
>She motions for you to sit on a chair nearby her
>Taking your seat, Umbra turns to the guards near the door
>"You may let them in now." she commands
>As the doors open a line of ponies enter...
 
>As the ponies enter the room you take note of their appearances
>Some look respectable
>While some look like they've fallen on hard times
>Each pony does the same thing
>Walk up
>Bow
>Tell Umbra what they need
>Umbra answers them back
>They thank her and leave
>Most of them ask for small stuff like more guards in their neighborhoods
>While some ask for shelter and food
>You notice that some of them brought their children with them
>The kids look happy at least, though, when they see you make eye contact with them they hide behind their parents
>That's understandable no one has seen you before they must think you're Umbras new pet
>Speaking of Umbra...
>She looks so calm dealing with the problems of her people
>And every time someone thanks her, she gives off such a warm smile
>Are you even sure she related to Sombra?
>Finally the last pony leaves and Umbra breaths a sigh of relief
>"I'm sorry that took so long Anonymous." Umbra says a she gets up from her throne
"It's fine I don't mind, you have a job to do who am I to get in the way?"
>"You're too kind." Umbra chuckles "Are you always this nice to everyone?"
"Look who's talking Ms. kind hearted queen!"
>"I treat my subjects with respect Anonymous." She waves her hoof at you
>That she does...At least she doesn't have chains around their necks like Sombra
>"It's almost noon, perhaps we should head out?"
"Yeah sure lets go."
>Slipping your jacket on the two of you head back to the main hall
 
>"Lady Umbra where are you two going?" Ariadne asked
>"I'm going to show Anonymous around the empire" Umbra tells her "Please have some tea ready for us when we return."
>"Okay lady Umbra!" Ariadne yells "Don't stay out too late or you might get sick!"
>Turning around you and Umbra head out the door and into the city
>As soon as you step outside you're met with the cold wind
>It reminds you of that time you almost died
>"Are you okay Anonymous?" Umbra asks with a hint of worry on her face
"Yeah, I just haven't been outside in a while..."
>"Well if it gets to be too much tell me so we can go back home."
>Looking around you notice some similarity's between Umbra and Cadance's empires
>There is a long black crystal road leading to Umbra's castle to what seems to be a gate
>There's also a giant wall going around the city most likely to keep out intruders
>"Before us is the residential district." Umbra points in front of you "My castle is in the center of the empire."
>So you were right
"Umbra, did you and Sombra model your empires after each other?"
>"Well, we had created this empire first." Umbra says as she looks down "We both ruled for years until he entrusted it to me."
"So he left this whole empire to you?"
>"Yes, he decided it was time for me to run my own empire and left to create his own."
>That explains why the two empires are almost similar
>Walking down the steps you travel down the crystal road and turn around
>Okay so her castle isn't like Cadance's it terms of shape
>It also is on the ground not like Cadance's who castle is above the ground in a weird way
>"Well should we get going?" Umbra says to you "There's much more to see."
"Yeah lets get going."
 
>Throughout the rest of the day you and Umbra walked all around the city
>You saw how similar her empire is to the other one run by Cadance
>Besides the wall keeping intruders out and the castle in the center of the city of course
>It feels like Sombra just copied and pasted the Crystal Empire
>As you walked around the many districts in the city Umbra showed you many things
>Hospitals
>Schools
>Dungeons
>You were able to find Seth's shop
>"If you decide to stay you'll have to find a way to earn money" Umbra reminds you "I can't just give you money."
>Walking around some more it seemed that the citizens of this empire loved Umbra very much
>No matter where you went ponies bowed to her
>Children came up to her and gave her flowers
>They also asked if you were her pet
>It seemed unreal
>If she's like Sombra why isn't she using fear as a tool to control her subjects?
>"Anonymous would you like to take a break?" Umbra asked, grabbing your attention "There are some benches we can sit on."
"Yeah, sure."
>Taking a seat you were relived to get off your feet Umbra got up on the bench next to you and sat down
"It feels like we've been walking forever, but it's only four o clock."
>"Indeed, it's been a long time since I've been able to go on a walk..." She looks up at the sky "It's nice."
>Glancing over to her you can't help but see how beautiful she is
>That beautiful hair
>Those piercing eyes
>Her amazing personality
>Everything about her seemed too good to be true...
>"Anonymous how many times must I tell you it's not polite to stare." Umbra says as she looks over to you giving you a warm smile
>You can't help but smile too
>There was only one more thing you needed to know
"Hey Umbra, you think you can tell me how you got the Crystal Empire started?"
>"Of course Anonymous, I would be happy to tell you..."
 
>You begin to relax as Umbra tells you the origins of her crystal empire
>Even though it's chilly outside you feel warm sitting next to Umbra
>"A long time ago when I was young me and Sombra explored Equestria as brother and sister."
>"We traveled all over Equestria trying to find a place we could call our own."
>"Eventually we headed up north, Sombra was sure we would find what we were looking for up there."
>"After a few close calls we found a cave to take shelter in."
"A cave?"
>"Yes a cave." Umbra moves closer to you "As Sombra slept one evening I noticed a glow in the back of the cave..."
>"Investigating it I found a strange plant poking through the ground."
>"As I reached out to touch it, it exploded out of the floor.
>"It knocked me back into the wall knocking me unconscious."
>"When I came to I saw it, the Crystal Tree."
"Crystal Tree?"
>"It's the heart of my empire, its root spread far and wide underneath the city."
>"When I went to touch the tree my horn lit up, and out came more crystals."
>When Sombra tried touching the tree his horn didn't glow and nothing came out."
>"Sombra said that I might be able to control the crystals to form new structures."
>"When I tried to picture a house for us crystal walls rose from the ground around us and it converged to make a roof over our heads."
"That's amazing!"
>"That's how I created your room."
>"From there we continued to improve our home until one day a family showed up outside our home."
>"They told us the two sisters banished them from their home in Canterlot."
>"I told Sombra we couldn't just leave them out there, they would surely die."
>"He told me to create a home for them, they could live with us as long as they served us."
>"I didn't care about that, I wanted to save them so I went to the Crystal Tree to make them a new home."
>"Most of the families here are either decedents of the people we saved or refugees."
>"As time moved on and our empire grew..."
>"Sombra began to change..."
 
"How so?"
>"He was getting angry that the tree would not respond to his touch."
>"It seemed that since I found it first it was under my control."
>"Sombra only got more jealous as time went on."
>"My subjects began to fear him, so they came to me with their problems."
"Let me guess that made things worse?"
>"Very; Sombra began to curse at them during the day court and even began to threaten them."
>"I pulled him aside to tell him he couldn't do this, we had to treat our subjects with respect."
>"That made him even more angrier."
>"He wanted to treat them as slaves, force them to do as we said."
>"Rule over them with fear."
>"I couldn't let that happen."
>"I gave him a choice."
>"For him to change his ways."
>"Or to leave."
"Wait I thought you said he left of his own free will?"
>"..."
"Umbra?"
>You can see the sadness in her eyes
>"He said that he would leave."
>"He told me that this was my empire and that he would leave it to me."
>"I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't stay."
>"He told me I had an empire to run and that I was only eliminating a threat from it."
>"He hugged me one last time before leaving me all alone."
>"As time went on I thought maybe one day he would return but he never did."
>"And then here you come."
>"Only to tell me that he died."
"I'm sorry..."
>"Don't be. You helped me learn about his fate, at least I only need to worry about my empire now."
>"I just wished we could have talked one more time before his passing."
>With that she gets up off the bench
>"Shall we head back Anonymous?" She looks back at you "The sun is setting."
>Getting up you rub the back of your neck
"Yeah, lets head back."
>You walk back home with Umbra now feeling like you know her better...
 
>After a short walk back you and Umbra reach you destination
>Opening the door you feel the warmth of the castle just spew out
>You and Umbra quickly enter and close the doors behind you
>"Lady Umbra your back!" Ariadne yells from behind you
>You turn around to see she's carrying two cups of tea in her magic
>"Thank you Ariadne." Umbra says as she takes the cup from her "Did anything happen while I was out?"
>"Well..." She says with a hint of worry in her voice "Captain Arthas was looking for you, he wanted to know why you didn't show up to the war room."
>War room?
>Oh yeah now you remember
>Umbra told you after the day court she had to attend a meeting with her captains
>But it seemed she forgot
>Or she just skipped out
>"What did he say?" Umbra now sounding concerned asked
>"He was screaming at us asking if we knew where you went."
>"I told him you went to show Anon around the city and-"
>"QUEEN UMBRA!" you hear a voice from the stairs call out "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN YOU?!"
>Out stepped a stallion clad in a different type of armor, his was a very dark shade of blue
>"First off Arthas you will not address me like that!" Umbra stomps her hoof down "I am still your queen!"
>"I mean no disrespect my queen, I only want to know why you skipped out on the meeting for this thing."
>He looks over to you
>"He's not a thing Arthas..." Umbra says as she steps between you two "He is my friend."
>"Oh so the beast is now your friend?!" Arthas starts to raise his voice "What about the security of your empire?!"
>"I decide to skip out on one meeting!" Umbra now begins to raise her voice "My empire won't fall because of it!"
>"Hmph!" Arthas says as he begins to walk over to the door
>Reaching it he turns to look at you
>"And you..." He looks at you with a cold stare "I'm watching you."
>"Jeopardize this empire security...and I'll kill you myself."
>"ARTHAS!" Umbra yells
>He opens the door and disappears into the night
>Leaving you with a chill down your spine
 
"What's his problem?!"
>"I'm sorry Anonymous..." Umbra rubs her head with her hoof "He's always like that."
"Always?!"
>Umbra sighs
>"Come Anonymous." She starts making her way over to the stairs "I'll tell you on the way."
>You grab your cup of tea and follow her up the stairs
>"Arthas has been in my guard longer than any of the guards currently on duty."
"Does that give him the right to yell at you like that?!"
>Umbra sighs again
>"He is only like that because of his family line."
>"Remember when I told you about the first family me and Sombra came across?"
"Yeah?"
>"When we took them in, the father vowed that his family would protect us with their lives for generations to come"
>"From that day forth decedents of that family lived to serve in our guard."
>"Arthas was the next in line defend me and the empire."
>"He has always been overprotected of me and my empire."
>"Perhaps he thinks that if something happens to me or the empire, he will have let his ancestors down."
>"Thus bringing shame to his family..."
>As you and Umbra step onto the 4th floor you walked down the hall before stopping at your room
>"Don't worry about him, when he starts to trust you I'm sure you will become friends."
>Umbra turns to head down to her room
>"Anonymous..." Umbra says "Now that you've seen my empire and learned about it's history..."
>She turns around to face you
>"How do you feel about becoming a citizen of my empire now?"
 
>Well you're presented with this question again
>But at least it''s easier to come up with an answer
>You saw she's not some slave driver
>Umbra did keep her word to show you around the Crystal Empire
>And she did give you a history lesson of sorts
>Hell would you be dumb enough to say no?
>You got nowhere to go
>And are you really thinking about risking it out there again?
>Nah fuck that
>You had a home
>Friends of some type
>More importantly you were safe
>But for some reason
>You wanted to stay because of Umbra
>Looking at her you can see that she really wants you to stay
>She said downstairs that you were her friend
>What kind of friend would you be if you left her alone?
"Umbra."
>"Yes Anonymous..." She says with hope in her eyes
"I'll stay, I like it here."
>"Really?!" Umbra says trying to hide her excitement
"Yeah, this place is nice I wouldn't mind staying here..."
>She runs up to you and wraps her forelegs around you
>"Thank you Anonymous..." She hugs you tighter "I didn't want to lose a friend I just made."
>You get down on one knee and hug her back
"I got no where else to go so don't worry about me leaving okay?"
>Finally she lets you go
>"Well then Anonymous." She looks away trying to hide her blush "I will see you tomorrow then, good night."
"Goodnight Umbra."
>With that she heads back to her room as do you
>As you close the doors you take off all your clothes besides your boxers and fall into bed eager to fall asleep...
 
>Opening your eyes you see you're dream land
>You take a look around and see you're on a bench on top a hill
>In your boxers
>And it seems you brought a pillow with you
>You must of been snuggling with it pretty hard
>Looking out you see grasslands, more hills, and even a river
>There's a slight breeze in the air
>Kicking back you put your hands behind your head
"This is nice."
>"Yes it is Anonymous..." you hear a voice from behind you
>Snapping your head around you see the mare who has been avoiding you lately
"Luna..."
>"Who else?" she says as she walks around the bench
"You know you have a lot of explaining to do."
>Luna gets up on the bench and plants her rump down
>"Explain what?" She says as she tilts her head
"You know what..."
>Luna puts her hoof on her chin making it look like she's thinking
>"Ah you mean the kiss!"
"Yeah, you mind telling me what that was about?"
>Luna blushes
>"I'm sorry Anonymous." Luna says as she looks out at the fields "I know you and my sister were lovers once..."
>She turns her head to look you in the eyes
>Those eyes of hers are staring deep into yours
>"But I was worried about you!" She says as she start to get closer to you "You seemed hurt and alone..."
"L-Luna?"
>"I wanted to be there for you..." she whispers as she inches her face closer to yours "To help ease the pain in your heart."
>Holy shit man she is really close
>This can't be happening
>You can feel her breath hit your face
>You had thought of trying to get with Luna once but now that it's about to happen you want no part of it
>Shit man you gotta think quick!
 
>Using the pillow in your lap you shove it into Luna's face
>"Anonymous?!" she yells "What are you doing?!"
>You practically leaped off the bench to get away from Luna
"I can't do this!"
>It's true even though you and Celestia are pretty much over with...
>It just doesn't feel right!
>Looking back at Luna you can see the hurt on her face
>She looks like you just tore her heart out of her chest and stomped on it in front of her
>After the display of rejection you might as well have
>"I-I'm sorry Anonymous..." She's visibly shaking "I shouldn't have overstepped my boundaries..."
>Dammit how far was she going to go with this, was it just going to be a kiss?
>But the way she was talking it made it sound like she wanted more...
>Swallowing the lump in your throat you look back over to Luna
>She looks like she gonna break down at any moment
>Why are you such a nice guy?!
>Walking over to her you put your hand on her and rub her neck
"I'm sorry Luna...I'm just not ready for any type of relationship right now."
>You start thinking about Umbra
>But why?
>You're just friends
>"But Anonymous it's been months since you left!" Luna yells snapping your attention back to her "Surly you've moved on!"
>If it had been a normal break up, yeah sure you'd be over it by now
>But this wasn't normal she broke your heart and betrayed your trust
"I just can't move on right now okay?! I'm stuck dammit!"
>Looking down at the ground you can help but feel weak
"I'm just not ready yet..."
>...
>"I'm sorry Anonymous...I'll leave you be." Luna says getting up off the bench "I only ask that you can forgive me and that you keep allowing me to enter your dreams..."
>After thinking about it for a moment you raise your head and nod
>As much as this encounter freaked you out you couldn't hate her or banish her from your dreams
>Luna smiles at you as she starts to disappear
>Leaving you alone
>Rubbing your head you grab your pillow and lay down on the bench waiting for this dream to end
 
>You woke up with a cold sweat this morning
>That was too close
>So...
>Does Luna love you or something?
>She never acted this way around you before
>What changed?
>Wiping the sweat from your brow you notice something...
>The candles in your room are not lit
>And there is a natural light coming through the room
>Looking over to your right side your eyes shoot open
>You can see out the window!
>Looking over to the left side you can see out that window too!
>Holy shit it's like your world has opened up
>Running over to the right side you look out the window
>You can see so much of the city from here
>Looking over your able to see Seth shop
>Your gonna need to see him later so you can get him to make you some pajama pants
>More like dream armor...
>As you continued to look out at the city you didn't notice the door to your room open
>"Amazing isn't it?" You hear a voice from behind
>Turning around you see it's Umbra
"Did you do something? I could never see out them before."
>"I did." She says as she walks over to you "When we found you I had placed a spell on you preventing you from being able to see out those windows."
"Why'd you do that?"
>"I didn't know if I could trust you, I didn't want you seeing anything about my empire unless I knew I could trust you.
"Makes sense."
>"I'm glad you think so." She turns and heads towards the door "Get dressed Anonymous, we need to determine what profession you will have."
>Ugh work...
 
>After getting dressed you met Umbra out in the hall and from there you both made your way to the dining room
>You decided to go the healthy way today for breakfast so you ordered a fruit bowl
>Umbra just got eggs, no meat today
>The two of you sat in silence until your food arrived
>With last nights dream running through your mind you couldn't eat fast
>You kept picking at the slices of apples in your bowl
>Umbra noticed this and began to speak up
>"Anonymous are you okay?" She waves her hoof in your face "You seem out of it today."
>Snapping back to reality you look over to Umbra
"Huh? Oh yeah, I just had a bad dream last night."
>"Do you want to talk about it?" She says as she puts her tea down "We have time today."
>You go to open your mouth, but before you can speak you think
>What are you going to tell her?
>That the princess of the moon tried to make a move on you?
>How would Umbra react?
>Would she think that you were telling Luna about her empire?
>Would she think you were a spy after all and that you've been lying to her all this time
>No you can't tell Umbra
>At least not yet
"No I'm fine, it was just some spooky skeletons chasing me."
>Umbra looks at you like she's about to laugh
 
>"As I was saying earlier Anonymous, if you're going to stay here you're going to have to find work."
>Why can't she just give you money again?
>"There are many establishments where you can find work."
>"There are the sweet shops..."
>You did part time at Sugar Cube Corner before, you know your way around sweets
>"You could always see if Seth would give you a job..."
>You did work for Rarity awhile when you lived in Ponyville, so you know a thing or two about clothing
>"We could go see if the farmers need any help..."
>Working on the farm with Applejack and Big Mac was a good workout but tiring
>"You could always enlist..."
>Enlist?
>As in be a part of the guard?
>Shining Armor did say you'd make a great addition to any guard due to your size
>And you knew your way around a sword
>But that prick Arthas would be there
>And no doubt he would make your life a living hell
>But hell if it gets him to trust you then sure you'll put up with his shit
>How bad could it be?
>"Well, whatever you decide to do come see me and I will help you get your job." Umbra says as she wipes her mouth
>As she gets and head towards the door you can hear her say
>"When you get done seeing Seth I will be in my throne room come find me when you're ready."
>You told Umbra you wanted to see Seth to see if he would make you some pajama pants
>When asked why, you just said it was too cold at night
"Alright then Umbra I'll see you in a bit."
>Getting up from your chair you slipped on your coat and made your way to the main hall
 
>After you left the castle you walked over to Seth shop
>On the way there you notice some of the citizens staring at you as you walked
>Man it feels just like the day you arrived in Equestria
>Everyone is staring at you like you're some monster
>You try and keep your head down so you won't freak anyone out, but it doesn't seem to help
>Parents seem to hide their kids behind them when you walk past
>Oh come on it's not like you're gonna eat them
>Some kids just run away from you
>Are you really that scary looking?
>Nah it's just your imagination
>As you keep walking you feel like someone is following you
>Turning around you see no one
>Strange...
>As you keep walking you can hear a tiny set of hoofs hitting the crystal floor behind you
>Turning around holds the same result
>No one
>You can see some bushes rustling off to the side before they just abruptly stop
>Alright time to get to the bottom of this
>Walking over to the set of bushes you swore you heard a small "eep!" come from them
>Opening the bush revealed a grey pegasus filly with a blue mane
>She looks up at you with fear in her eyes
"Why you following me kid?"
>"I'm sorry!" she says as she shuts her eyes "Please don't eat me!"
>This whole you're a monster thing is starting to make you angry
>Rubbing your head you sigh
"Calm down kid, I'm not gonna eat you."
>Y-You're not?" Says as she starts to open her eyes "R-Really?"
"Yeah really, come on get out of there."
>Stepping back she comes out of the bushes and faces you
 
"So what's your name kid?"
>She looks up at you you can still see she's afraid of you
>"C-Cynthia" She says still trembling "My name is Cynthia..."
>You get down on one knee so you don't look as scary to her
"Cynthia huh? That's a nice name."
>"Y-You think so?" She says as a smile start to form on her face
>You start to extend your hand towards her
"Of course I think so! My name is Anonymous, or Anon for short."
>Hesitantly she puts her hoof in your hand
"It's nice to meet you Cynthia!"
>As you shake her hoof you sense that she's loosening up
>Standing back up Cynthia starts to fly in front of you
"You want to tag along? I'm going to see a friend."
>"S-Sure." She says as she nods her head
>You start walking to your original destination which was Seth's shop
>All the while Cynthia is flying next to you
"So tell me, why were you following me back there?"
>"It was part of a game I was playing with my friends."
"A game?"
>"Yeah!" She says cheerfully "Whoever lost had to talk to you..."
>Ah you get it loser has to talk to the monster
"So that's why you were afraid to come out."
>"Y-Yeah, everyone thinks you're a monster that queen Umbra caught and made her pet."
>What?!
>"But now that I've actually met you I can tell you're not a monster you seem like a nice..." She stops "What are you anyway?"
"A human."
>"Hooman?"
>You can't help but laugh at how she pronounces it
>With Cynthia flying next to you, you make your way to Seth's
>It seems you've made a new friend kinda...
 
>Finally arriving at Seth shop you look through the window to see he has his back to you
>Looking at the outside of the building it reminds you of one those clothing shops you'd see in any downtown
>Opening the door you hear a bell ring above your head
>"Hello! Welcome to my shop how may I..." He turns to see it's you and Cynthia "Oh Anon I didn't expect to see you back so soon."
>As the door closes behind you, you walk up to the counter while Cynthia takes a seat on one of the chairs in the shop
"Hey Seth I was wondering if you could make something for me."
>"And what would that be?"
"I need pajama pants."
>Seth looks at you with a blank stare on his face
"W-What?"
>"Anon I don't know what those are..."
"How do you not know what they are?"
>He walks around the counter
>"We don't wear pants you dolt."
>Right
>Pointing to your pants you begin to speak
"They're like these but for sleeping."
>He looks at your pants then back at you
>"And why do you need these again?"
>You can't tell him the real reason
"I get cold at night."
>He just gives you a blank stare, then shrugs
>"Alright, I guess I can do this for you." He says as he walks back around the counter "For this job it's gonna cost around 10 bits."
>10 Bits!
>How much did it cost to get all your other stuff?!
>Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but you're dead poor right now
>"Also I should have it done in about a week or so..." He says as he writes in a book
>Okay so you got a week to round up 10 bits
>"Is that all you need?" Seth says as he looks up from his book
"Yeah, Thanks Seth I owe ya."
>"You'll owe me 10 bits in a week." He says as he looks back down at his book
>Signaling Cynthia you and her leave the shop and head back to the castle...
 
>After seeing Seth you make your way back to the castle
>"Hey Anon?" Cynthia asks
"Yeah?"
>"Where are you going to get the money for Seth?"
"I was thinking about trying to join the guard."
>"The guard?!" Cynthia yells "My brother is in the guard!"
"Is he now?"
>"Yeah but he's still just a uh rooky?"
>Cute
>"He says that Mr. Arthas is a meanie..." She looks down "He says that if you don't do good you're not fit to serve the queen..."
>So you were right, Arthas must either teach the newbies or talk shit to them
>Great
>"My brother says everyone is scared of him..." She looks up at you "Aren't you scared of him Anon?"
>To be honest, no
>Sure he seems scary, but you're twice his size
>Hell the only things here that have scared you are Chrysalis and dragons
>Gotta make yourself look cool though...
"Not really, nothing scares me!"
>Cynthia looks at you with amazement
>"Nothing?! Not even skeletons?!"
>For some reason chills went down your spine as she said skeletons
>Damn skeletons
>"Anon!" She yells grabbing your attention "If you join the guard you can protect queen Umbra!"
>Oh yeah how could you forget that?
>Maybe you could end up being her personal guard if things go right
>No doubt Arthas would get in the way of that though
>Well no one said it would be easy
"I suppose you're right Cynthia being able to guard the queen would be pretty cool."
>You and Cynthia finally arrived at the castle as the clock struck noon
"Well Cynthia it was nice meeting you, but I have to go get a job."
>"It was nice meeting you Anon!" she says "Maybe next time you can play with me and my friends!"
>You smile at her
"Maybe I will."
>She waves as she starts to fly in the opposite direction to where her friends are
"Hey where are you going?"
>"I'm going to see my brother!" You can hear her yell "I want to tell him I'm friends with the monster!"
>There's that word again!
>Laughing you open the doors and head inside
 
>Closing the door behind you, you turn around to see Ariadne is running around the main hall cleaning everything in sight
"Uh, Ariadne?"
>Snapping her head back at you she relaxes a bit
>"I'm so sorry anon!" She bows "I didn't hear you come in."
>She looks like hell
"Why do you look so out of it?"
>"Some people got sick so I'm trying to cover for them."
>Ah
"Do you know where Umbra is Ariadne? I'm trying to find her."
>Ariadne finally catches her breath and begins to speak
>"She's in the throne room." she points to the doors "Day court just ended."
"Thank Ariadne."
>As you make your way up the small steps you can hear Ariadne speaks up
>"But Captain Arthas is in there with her..." She looks away "They're talking about you..."
>About you huh?
"Thanks for the heads up Ariadne."
>She nods her head and gets back to work
>Arriving at the doors you can hear two voices coming from inside
>They sound like they're arguing
>Putting your ear on the door you can make what they're saying
>"The creature is healed, my queen!" That sounds like Arthas "There is absolutely NO reason to keep it around!"
>"What would you have me do?!" A voice that sounds like Umbra yells "Just kick him out and let him fend for himself?!"
>"YES!" Arthas screams "It's nothing but a useless animal!"
>"How many times must I tell you he is not just some animal!" Umbra screams "He is my friend and I won't let you harm him!"
>You take this as your cue and open the doors...
 
"I'M BACK!"
>Walking in Umbra and Arthas turn to look at you
>Umbra smiles as she sees you
>While the frown on Arthas face gets worse
>You wave at Umbra before facing Arthas
"You seem to be in a bad mood."
>He doesn't address you
>Instead he turns to Umbra and begins to speak
>"Where did it go?" He says, pointing to you "You told me it was in its room."
>"He went to take care of something." Umbra says, looking over to you "Did it go well Anonymous?"
"Yeah, Seth said he'd make me what I wanted and I made a new friend on my way over there."
>"You let it walk around unattended?!" Arthas interrupts "What if it was relaying information to our enemies?!"
"Relay what to who!? I've haven't talked to anyone from my past life in over a month!"
>Except Luna that is
>This is getting annoying
"And will you stop calling me an it?! I have a name dammit!"
>In a flash Arthas draws his sword and aims it at you
>Umbra taken aback by his actions
>"I will address you as I feel fit, animal!" Like I told the queen "I will take you down if I have to!"
>"ARTHAS! LOWER YOUR WEAPON!" Umbra yells at Arthas, clearly she has had enough of his shit
>He still got his sword aimed at your throat his eyes giving off a killing intent
>"NOW!" Umbra scream slamming her hoofs into the floor, the sound vibrating throughout the room
>Both you and Arthas slowly look over to her to see that she is fuming
>There are cracks in the crystal below her hoofs
>Wisely Arthas finally lowers his blade and sheathes it before turning away to head to the door
>Holy shit
>Note to self don't ever piss Umbra off
>She wasn't even yelling at you and yet you feel like she put the fear of god into your soul
>God damn man she can be scary...
 
>Umbra closes her eyes and takes a deep breath
>As she inhales she raises her hoof
>And when she exhales she lowers it
>Opening her eyes she looks at you
>"I'm sorry about that." She looks towards Arthas "I don't usually get that angry."
"U-Uh it's fine..."
>Looking over to Arthas you see he has made it to the door
"Wait Arthas!"
>He stops and looks back at you with a irritated look on his face
>Looking back at Umbra you begin to speak
"I know what job I want."
>"Oh?" Umbra says "What is it?"
"I want to enlist in the guard!"
>You expected Arthas to yell out in some way but...
>Nothing, it was silent
>Turning around you saw Arthas just standing there
>And instead of a frown you saw a smile on his face
>Okay not what you were expecting
"Why do you look so happy?"
>"You really think it'll be easy don't you?"
>Well kinda, you are twice the size of a pony
>It shouldn't be that bad
>He starts to laugh while looking down at the floor
>"I don't care how big you are..."
>Raising his head he looks you dead in the eyes
>"I'll take pleasure in breaking your spirit..."
>What are you a super villain now?
>"Training starts at 6 in the morning." He says as he turns to leave the room "Don't be late."
>With that he leaves you and Umbra alone in the throne room
 
>Damn
>You wanted to make him angry
>But instead he turns it around on you?
>"Well it looks like you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow." Umbra says as she gets up off her throne
"Yeah it seems that way...What you think he has in store for me?"
>Umbra motions for you to follow her
>"I can't say for sure..." She says as you walk with her "I can only imagine he's going to put you through an even stricter regimen."
>Don't you feel honored?
>"It doesn't matter, I'm sure whatever he can dish out you can take it."
"Thanks Umbra."
>As you reach the door she turns to look at you
>"And don't worry if he is telling you to do near impossible thing I'll step in.
"Don't."
>"Anonymous?" She seems confused by your answer
"Okay if he's telling me to lift the castle, then sure but if it's something I might be able to do then let me do it."
>"But why?" She asks as she opens the door "It's not fair for you to have to do more than the other recruits."
>In a way it is fair because you have a different body than these ponies
>And besides you need to prove to Arthas that you can take it
"If you help me he'll never come to accept me, the only way for us to get along if for me to beat him at his own game and earn his respect."
>"Well then you may want to rest early today and prepare for tomorrow."
"Yeah you're right."
>After leaving the throne room you and Umbra went to sign the paperwork for you to enlist
>When dinner rolled around you and Umbra talked about how to earn your 10 bits
>Apparently only actual guards get paid
>BUT
>Recruits who scored the highest in daily challenges would earn 2 bits
>So all you got to do is win 5 and you should be good to go
>After dinner you turned in, ready to face tomorrows challenges
 
>As you opened your eyes the first thing you see is the bright blue sky
>You feel like you're laying on sand
>And water is washing over your legs
>Sitting up you see that you're on a beach
>Another dream huh?
>First a bench on a hill
>Now a spot on the beach?
>You wonder what it could mean
>Standing up you look around to see if Luna is here
>Nope
>But you do find a beach chair under an umbrella
>Taking a seat you kick back and think
>Where do you know this place from?
>It seems so familiar
>But you can't put finger on it
>"Hello Anonymous." a voice comes from beside you
>Looking over to your side you see someone you haven't seen in a while
>Celestia...
 
>"It has been a while hasn't it Anonymous?" She says with that warm smile you love
>Or used to love
"Celestia what? How are you even?"
>She laughs
>"I asked Luna to bring me." She says, pointing off to the distance
>Looking in that direction you can see Luna looking back at you both
>You bet your money she didn't tell Celestia about what she tried to do to you
>Well for your sake you might as well lie if she asks about that
"What are you doing here?"
>"I came to see you of course."
>Her voice is so calm and caring
>It always put you at ease
>She looks back out to the ocean
>"Do you remember this place Anonymous?" she says
>God dammit you know this place but from where?!
>Think!
>Celestia looks back at you with that smile still on her face
>"You took me here for my birthday."
>As soon as she finished her sentence all the memories rush back into your head
>That's right
>You did bring her here
>You two spent the whole day together for her birthday
>You two didn't swim or anything you just spent all day relaxing
>It was nice
>Rubbing your forehead you can't help but feel bad
"I knew this place felt familiar..."
>"It was a wonderful day."
>A cool breeze goes through air
>It feels relaxing
>After a moment of silence between you and Celestia before you decided to speak up
"Celestia."
>"Yes Anonymous?"
"Why are you really here?"
>Celestia sighs before getting up
>"I've come to see if you'll come home now..."
 
>Come home?
>Is she serious?
>She still thinks after all this time you would come home
"No."
>"Anonymous please." She says calmly "It's been over a month since you left, I think it's time you come home."
>Is she kidding?
>She breaks your heart like that and expects you to get over it like it's nothing?!
>Getting up from the chair you can't control your emotions
"You think?! Hell no! I'll come back when I damn well feel like it!"
>She looks hurt by your words
>"I know what I did wrong and I apologize for it!" She starts to yell "But why won't you come home so we can talk about it?!"
>Looking up at the sky you can see gray clouds covering what was once a blue sky
>The water is also starting to change
>What was once a calm ocean was now a raging storm
>The gentle breeze has now turned into what feels like a small hurricane
>What the fuck is going on?!
>"I'm done playing games my love." Celestia says as she walks over to you "Now tell me where you are, so I can come get you!"
>What is this?
>Why do you feel like this isn't a dream
>Why can't you move?!
>You feel something pulling you down
>Looking at your feet you see two hands made of sand are stopping you from moving
>Not only that but they're pulling you in!
>You struggle to break free from their grip, but to no avail
>You're already waist deep into the sand
>This is not good!
>"I can save you right now my love." Celestia says as she now stands over you "Just tell me where you are."
>There is no way this can be real this has to be a nightmare!
>You try yelling for Luna but as you open your mouth sand floods in
>Your head is slowly being covered in sand
>You can't move
>You can only watch as the only light you have fades out leaving you in darkness
>...
>"Wake up..."
>...
>Who's there?
>...
>"Please wake up..."
>...
>Umbra?
>...
>"Anonymous! Wake up!"
>You open your eyes and spring up from your bed to find Umbra with her hooves on your shoulders...
 
>Your heart is racing
>You're shaking like crazy
>You're sweating bullets
>You're breathing heavily
>Why is your blanket in your mouth?
>What the hell just happened?
>Was that really Celestia?
>Is Luna trying to kill you?!
>Or do you just have some serious problems?
>"Anonymous are you okay?!" Umbra asks, her eyes clearly filled with worry
>After a few minutes you're able to calm yourself down you take the blanket out of your mouth
"What happened?"
>"I don't know." Umbra says "I came in here to wake you up for your training, but when I came in here you were thrashing about in your bed."
>It seemed all so real even if it was a dream
>"When I tried to wake you, you started screaming!" She tells you "I had to shove your blanket into your mouth so you wouldn't wake the whole castle!"
>Maybe that's why you couldn't scream for Luna
"I-I'm sorry."
>She looks at you with concern in her eyes
>"Anonymous, what happened?" she asks you "You can tell me, we still have some time before training..."
>You need to talk about this with someone you don't care who at this point
"I think, I had a nightmare..."
>"That much is obvious, what was it about?" she says letting go of your shoulders
"It was about Celestia..."
 
>"What?!" Umbra yells "What happened?!"
>You really don't want to think back to it, but you have to
"We started talking and she seemed like her usual self until..."
>"Until what?"
"Until she asked me to come home."
>Umbra just stays silent as you tell her what happened
"I told her no, I'd come back when I felt like it, when I was ready...It seems she didn't like that answer,"
>"What did she do?"
"She changed and so did the whole dream."
"She was angry, yelling at me to tell her where I was."
>"Did you tell her?!"
"No, I tried to run, but I couldn't even move because I was being pulled down into the floor."
"And then darkness..."
>"Anonymous?"
>Your heart starts to beat faster again
"It was dark I couldn't see anything and I couldn't hear anything..."
"I was terrified..."
"And then..."
"I heard your voice, yelling at me to wake up."
>Looking over to her you smile at her
"And I think because of that I was finally able to fight my way out of the nightmare and wake up."
>As you finished that last sentence you felt Umbra pulls you into a tight hug
>"It's okay Anonymous." Umbra speaks up "You're safe now."
>As she hold you, you feel at ease
>It's like nothing can hurt you as long as she's here
>You wrap your arms around her and return the hug
>You think though
>Was that really Celestia and Luna?
>Or is you mind really fucked up
>It doesn't matter right now
>All that matter is that your safe and sound
>With Umbra
"Thank you Umbra."
>Chuckling she hugs you tighter
>"What are friends for." She whispers in your ear
 
>You two stay locked together for what seems to be an eternity before Umbra lets go of you
>"Do you feel better now Anonymous?"
>To be honest?
>Yeah
>You do feel better
>Granted you still feel a little freaked out about your nightmare
>But you'll manage
"Yeah I feel way better now, thank you Umbra."
>Smiling she gets off your bed
>"Do you feel up for training today?" She asks
"Yeah I actually think I need some exercise to clear my head."
>"Very well..." She says making her way to the door "Come Anonymous, I need to have you fitted for your basic armor."
>Say what?
>You're getting some armor?
>You can get down with this
>Getting dressed you and Umbra make your way downstairs
>Walking through some hallways Umbra leads you to a room with a set of double doors
>Before she evens opens it you can feel heat radiating from the room
>"We're about to enter the room where the armor and weapons for the guards is made." Umbra states "Please be on your best behavior."
>Whats that supposed to mean?!
>As Umbra opens the door you can feel a heat wave cover your body
>Looking around you see tons of weapons hanging from racks all around the room
>Shields and armor sets
>This must be an armory of sorts
>It's impressive
>You notice 2 big doors on the side of the room it looks like they lead outside
>Also in the way back there seems to be an closed door
>What's in there?
>"I forgot I woke you up so early." Umbra speaks up "He must still be asleep..."
>Who could she be talking about?
>Before you can ask her, she calls out to someone
>"Credo are you awake?" She yells "I brought the new recruit for you!"
>In the back you can hear crashing sounds along with someone grumbling like they just woke up
>The door in the back opens and what you see leaves you without words...
 
>What the hell?
>A gray stallion with a long gray mane and what looks like a gray beard comes out of the room in the back
>But he's no ordinary stallion
>He's fucking HUGE
>He's as big as Bulk!
>Build and all!
>No way he's slightly bigger than him
>Also his legs aren't like Bulk, they're actually proportionate to his body
>He seems to be an earth pony
>Trying to take a look at his cutie mark you can see it's an anvil and hammer
>He must be the blacksmith
>"Ah lady Umbra what can I do for ya this early morning!" He says
>His voice has a hint of an Irish accent to it
>How? You don't know
>"Credo I'm sorry to wake you so early in the morning." Umbra says as she points to you "But I brought the new recruit I told you about."
>"Bah! It's no problem lady Umbra!" He laughs "It's like they say the early bird catches the worm!"
>This guy is way too happy to be woken up this early
>He turns to look at you
>"So you're the new recruit I've been hearing so much about lately." He says as he extends his hoof "Names Credo a pleasure to meet ya!"
>Taking his hoof you two shake hands
"It's nice to meet you my name is Anonymous or Anon for short."
>"My that's an odd name...But I like it!" He yells
>How is he not cranky?
>Maybe cause Umbra is here
>"Lady Umbra tells me you've enlisted in the guard."
"Yeah that's right."
>"Good man!" He says as he walks over to a box "Everyone should live and die for their queen!"
>Well he's loyal that's for sure
>"So you need to be fitted for some armor eh?" He says as he pulls out a hammer out of the box
"Yeah I pretty sure you don't have anything for my body type?"
>"Not right now of course!" he laughs "But in an hour I will, come on Anon follow me outside."
>With that you, him, and Umbra heads out the double doors leading outside
 
>Stepping out side the wind is quiet this morning
>The moon is still in the sky
>Though it feels like it can be morning soon
>If you had to guess you'd say it's about 4 in the morning
>Thinking back to what the moon represent to you, you shiver
>Following Credo he leads you and Umbra to a forge
>"So you need basic armor eh?" Credo says as he heads over to a chest
"Yeah, are you going to make it out of crystal?"
>"Sorry lad but only the guards who have graduated get crystal armor." Credo says as he pulls out some leather "The basic armor for recruits is made out of leather."
>Damn that's a shame
>Well more of an incentive to get through this
>"Don't feel bad Anon." he says rummaging trough the chest "If all goes well and you become a captain, I can make you your own set of custom armor!"
>No shit for real?
>That would explain why the armor of Arthas is different than everyone else
>Credo walks up to you and asks you
>"Do you know your measurements?"
>Uh?
>"I have then right here Credo." Umbra speaks up pulling out a slip of paper from her armor piece
>"Thank you lady Umbra!" He says bowing his head "I'll get right to work."
>Heading back to the chest he takes out as much leather as he thinks he needs and begins to make a plan
"Thanks Umbra."
>"It's no problem Anonymous." She says waving her hoof "I'm only here to help."
>Credo takes out all his tools and gets straight to work
 
>While you kick back and wait Umbra begins to speaks with you
>"Anonymous."
"Yeah Umbra?"
>"I'm going back to bed." She says before she lets out a yawn "But don't worry, I'll come see you when training starts."
"Alright Umbra, see you then."
>Umbra lets out another yawn before heading back inside
>As she closes the door you hear Credo chuckle
>"She's quite the lady isn't she?" You hear Credo say
"Yeah...She really is."
>"Who ever ends up marrying her is going to be a lucky one I say."
>Credo right, who ever does end up with Umbra is going to be a lucky man
>You think about how much she has done for you up to this point
>Hell she saved you from a nightmare and held you close to her
>Without her you'd be dead
>And probably not as happy as you are now
>You need to make it up to her one of these days...
>"Anon can I ask you something?" Credo says as he continues working on your armor
"Go for it."
>"What in the world are ya?" he laughs "I've never seen a beast the likes of you before."
>You can't help but laugh at his choice of words
"I'm a human, I'm kinda not from around here."
>Looking at Credo you wonder how the hell he got here
>He's bigger than everyone here that you've met at least
"Hey Credo?"
>"Yes Anon, what do you need lad?"
"Can I ask how you got here?"
 
>"Now there's a story I haven't told in a long time."
>Clearing his throat he begins his tale
>"I used to live in a small village to the south of here."
>"It was a quiet town with not that many people living there."
>"I lived with my mother, my father...I don't know where he went..."
>"Mother just said he up'd and left her."
>What a fucking dirt bag
>"It was nice living in that village not having a care in the world."
>"Until one day..."
>"When I was still a wee lad my village was attacked by dragons."
>Oh shit you didn't expect that
>"My mother and I were able to escape during the chaos though."
>Okay thank god
>"But the village was gone and so were all the people that lived there..."
>"With no home or money we traveled north, hoping to find a settlement that a wandering traveler that passed through our village spoke about."
>"It was a gamble, but at that point we were willing to try anything."
>"It was tough and we had a few close calls."
>"But our luck was running out."
>"We almost died out there, but we had enough luck that lady Umbra and her guards found us out there while she was hunting."
>Kinda like how she found you
>"She took us in gave us a home and more importantly, safety."
>"Ever since then me and my mother have lived here safe and sound."
>Wow that's one way about getting here
>Still doesn't answer why he's bigger than Bulk
"Can I ask you how you got so big? I only know one other person that's as big as you."
 
>Credo chuckles
>"The first few years I lived here I met the blacksmith of the castle before me."
>"Every day I watched with amazement as he work to create pieces of art for the guard."
>"I believe that's how I was inspired to be a blacksmith."
>"I also believe that's how I got my cutie mark
>"One day I was able to talk to him and somehow I convince him to train me."
>"Everyday after school I would rush over and practice my craft"
>"Lifting materials isn't easy Anon especially when your a wee lad."
>"I guess you could say I just got bigger as time went on."
>"I did this every day until I was almost as good as he was."
>"My mother was so happy I found my purpose in life..."
>You notice the smile on Credo face start to fade
>"Then one day my master finally passed away..."
>Damn...
>You don't want to interrupt him so you stay silent
>"On his death bed he told me that I had surpassed him long ago, around the time I learned how to make weapons and armor out of the crystal lady Umbra can make."
>"He told me that he had talk to lady Umbra that when he passed away, he would leave everything to me..."
>"I didn't know my father, but my master was the closest thing to a father I ever had."
>"He thought me everything I know about blacksmithing."
>"He even let me have my first drink."
>"Mother won't admit it but I think she loved him."
>"I know he loved her."
>"He tried to get me to set up a date with her."
>Credo laughs weakly
>"It was tough to see him go..."
>"I was a wreak, Not sure on how to deal with my master passing away."
>"After his funeral lady Umbra came to me and gave me my most prized possession."
>"My masters hammer."
>"She told me how he wanted to pass it on to me and that she was supposed to give it to me."
>"I took it as a sign that like my master I too was to serve my queen and make sure her and her citizens were safe."
>"Ever since that day I've promised my master and lady Umbra that I will make the best and ONLY the best for our guards to keep them safe from harm so that they may defend this empire."
>That some motivation right there
>Sighing Credo looks at you
>"Thank you Anon, it feels good telling that story sometimes."
"I glad you told it to me, thanks Credo."
>Getting up he goes back inside only to come back out with two mugs and what looks to be cider
>"After I finish your armor Anon we're having a drink to celebrate our new friendship!"
>Smiling you couldn't wait to drink with your new friend...
 
>"There all done!" Credo says as he puts the finish touches on your armor
>Looking at it a wide ass smile forms on your face
>Holy shit it looks pretty good
>It has a design on the center of the chest
>And two buckles above it on the right and left sides
>Best of all it has fur around the neck and shoulders to keep you warm
"This is amazing Credo!"
>"Well don't just stand there try it on!" He says as he begins to open the cider
>Not one to keep him waiting you try on your new set of armor
>Taking off your vest and shirt you place them on the chair behind you
>Slipping your armor over your head like a t-shit you're surprised how it feels
>It's snug but secure
>The fur is so soft it feels like a pillow
>Plus you can still move around in it, it doesn't feel bulky at all
>"So how does it feel?" Credo asks as he hands you your mug now full with cider
>You don't feel fucking invincible, but you feel safe
"Feels good. I feel like I take a few hits."
>"Good!" he yells "Let us not waste anymore time talking then lad, lets drink!"
>He raise his mug to you
>"To our new friendship!"
>Raising your mug you yell
"To our new friendship!"
>The two of you toast and take a drink
>As the cider travels down your throat you close your eyes
>This is some strong shit right here
>It taste way better than the Apple's family cider
>Where did he get this stuff from?!
>Whatever it taste great!
>You're gonna have to watch how much you drink though, you still have training coming up
>Sitting by the forge you and Credo keep taking drinks and telling stories until the sun begins to rise
 
>As the sun rose you felt ready for today's events
>Looking back the bottle of cider that was once full now completely empty
>You didn't even drink that much, you just had 2 fills
>Credo on the other hand, drank most of the fucking bottle
>The scary thing is...
>He doesn't even look tipsy!
>"Eh this cider just doesn't do it for me anymore..." Credo says, throwing the bottle away "How about you Anon, how do ya feel?"
"I feel somewhat tipsy but I'll be fine, h-how are you not shit faced?!"
>Credo laughs
>"I know how to hold my liquor lad," he says as he sits next to you "I guess I just can't get drunk off this brand anymore."
>Wow
>"Maybe one day we can hit the taverns Anon..." He said "I know a great place where the mead is warm and girls are nice!"
>You didn't take him for a player
>"How bout you Anon?" He says as he nudges you on the shoulder "Do you have a special somepony?"
>You think back to Celestia
"I did...But she ended up breaking my heart."
>"I'm sorry lad." He says "I didn't mean to open old wounds."
"It's fine, It happened a long time ago."
>Both you and Credo sit there in silence for a bit before he speaks up
>"Anon let me ask you something."
"Yeah?"
>"Why do you want to join the guard?"
 
>That's a good question
"At first I wanted to just piss off Arthas but that didn't work."
>Credo laughs at that
>"Do you want to protect lady Umbra?"
"Yeah of course I do."
>"Ya know you could try to be her personal guard." Credo looks back at you "But you'll need to get through Arthas first."
>Yeah you figured as much
"Wait why do you think I want to be Umbra personal guard?"
>He laughs
>"I only assume because the two of you spend so much time together." he nudges you again "She seems to care about you."
>It seems that way
>"Do you care about her Anon?"
>What kinda a question is that?
"Of course I do!"
>"But do you CARE about her Anon."
>You sigh
>Why is he trying to get this out of you?
>You want to say yes, but for some reason you can't
"I care about her, but I'm not sure I can just move on after my last relationship."
>Credo just stares at you
"W-What?"
>"I understand Anon." he says as he puts his hoof on your shoulder "A flesh wound is easy to heal you clean it, wrap it up, and take some medicine, you're fine..."
>"But a wound on the heart can only be healed by time..." He looks you in the eyes "Give it some time and the pain will eventually go away."
>For a blacksmith Credo is a pretty cool guy
"Thanks Credo."
>"It's no problem Anon." he says, taking his hoof off your shoulder "Training is about to start you better get going."
"Where do I go?"
>"Over there." He points over to an open field "That's were the training grounds are."
>Grabbing your clothes you start to make your way over there
>"Anon!" Credo calls out "Good luck! Make me and lady Umbra proud!"
>You give him a thumbs up before running the rest of the way
 
>As you made your way to the training ground you could see Arthas practicing on one of the training dummies on the field
>The training field itself was different then the rest of the area
>The ground is made of crystal
>It looks like there are some weapon racks here, though they're filled with mock weapons
>And there's what look like an obstacle course in the way back
>But in the center of it all seems to be a small arena surrounded by a crystal railing
>It must be where the recruits spar
>"You're here early..." Arthas says turning around to face you
"Do I get a reward?."
>"I'm afraid not..." Arthas says as he sheaths his sword "I hope you know that the Queen can't save you."
"You're implying that I'm gonna need saving, which I don't."
>"You have confidence, I like that." He starts walking towards you "The question is though can you back it up?"
"You'll see, I'm gonna blow right through your training program and shut you up."
>Arthas laughs before going back to the training dummy
>"Why don't you pick up one of those mock swords and practice." He says as he draws his sword again
>"We won't get started till your fellow recruits show up."
>You nod your head
>Walking over to the weapon racks you look at what you could use
>There are multiple swords hanging off the rack, but there's one that catches your interest
>It's a very large dummy sword, it looks like it's to be held with both hands, err hoofs
>It's reminds you of the sword Celestia gave you
>Picking it you swing it around feeling confident about your choice
>You decide to pick a dummy and swing at it until training starts.
 
>You practiced swinging on the dummy for what felt like 30 minutes until you heard the sound of multiple hooves making their way over to you
>Turning around you saw 3 different stallions, making their way over to the training field
>"Ah good, your fellow recruits are here." Arthas says turning towards you "Why don't we go introduce you to them?"
>Nodding your head you follow Arthas over to the others
>You wonder what your fellow recruits will be like
>As you and Arthas walked over to them you could tell that were wearing leather armor just like you
>Also all three of them were different
>One was a white Pegasus with a red mane
>One was a red Unicorn with a silver mane
>The last was an blue Earth Pony with also a silver mane
>"You're late, all of you!" Arthas yelled
>"We're sorry sir!" they all said in unison
>Sir?
>You could of sworn you didn't have to say sir in basic
>Maybe Arthas is just a hard ass
>"I swear you three..." Arthas sighs "In any case we have a new addition!"
>Arthas points to you
>"He's the beast that the queen brought back." Arthas pokes you with his hoof "Introduce yourself rookie."
>You look back to the other recruits and clear your throat
"My name is Anonymous, but you guys can me Anon for short."
>All of them look at each other before the pegasus steps forward
>"It's a pleasure to meet you I'm Lance." He says extending his hoof "I believe you've met my sister Cynthia?"
>Oh so this is her brother...
"Yeah she was following me around until I caught her, then we walked around for a bit."
>"Yeah sorry about that, she told me your a nice...human?" He looks like he's trying to remember "So if she says you're okay then we're okay."
>Shaking his hoof he motions to the other two
>The red unicorn walks up to you
>"The names Biggs and this is Wedge." He says, pointing to the blue earth pony "If Lance says your cool then we have no problems with ya!"
>A new friend and 3 acquaintance in one day?
>It's not even breakfast yet
>Not bad...
 
>"If you girls are done talking we need to get down to business." Arthas yells "Anonymous stand next to Lance and shut up."
"Alright hold on."
>You walk over to the side to put your clothes down, but before you can you hear a familiar voice call out to you
>It's Umbra
>"Good morning Anonymous." She says as she walks up to you "Here, I'll take those so they don't get dirty."
>Thanking her you hand her your vest and shirt along with your tie
>"Good luck, I'll be watching." She says before turning to leave
>Walking back over to everyone you stand next to Lance
>You can see Arthas isn't happy about Umbra watching
>Maybe because he know that he can't bully you now
>Grumbling Arthas clears his throat and begins to speak
>"Since you're new Anonymous, I'm going to have to go over why you're here, I give this speech to every recruit so listen up!"
>Arthas clears his throat and begins to pace in front of you
>"Are you here because you want something?"
>"Do you want fame?"
>"Do you want fortune?"
>"Do you want glory?"
>"Or are you here because you want to better yourself?"
>"To find some purpose in life?
>"Or do you want to give yourself up to the whole"
>"To defend this empire and all its citizens?"
>"But most importantly, its queen..."
>"Are you willing to swear your undying loyalty to the her?"
>"To protect her with your life?"
>"To die for her if she asks?"
>"Without a second guess?"
>Arthas gets on his hind legs and get in your face
>He seems to have no problem standing like that
>"Only time will tell what your intentions are..."
>"And we will see if your will is strong enough to achieve it."
>"Your training starts today rookie, when I'm done with you, you will either be a battle ready warrior..."
>He turns around and gets back on all fours
>"Or you will be reduce to a broken mess of what you used to be..."
 
>"Any questions?" Arthas ask looking you dead in the eye
"None what so ever."
>"Good." he says "I want you to know we didn't have time to modify the training ground for you."
>As he says that he starts to pull out a box from under his cape
>"So I went the trouble and got you these..."
>He opens the box and pulls out four black bracers
>"Here put these on." he says tossing them to you "They go around those."
>He point to your wrist and ankles
>As you take them in your hands you can tell what these are
>They're weighted bracers...
>And their heavy as shit
>You want to say somewhere between 50 to 80 pounds
>Maybe 75?
>You look at Arthas
>"What?" he says with a smile on his face "I told you we couldn't find a way to modify the program for you."
>"Your fellow recruits would feel cheated if you just breezed through the course."
"Right."
>"I hope you understand, I had to make it fair."
>"If it's too much for you you're welcome to leave."
>This motherfucker really wants you out
>But you're not one to give up so easily
"No it's fine I understand."
>With a smile you put them on, first the ankle ones then the ones on your wrist
>Moving your arms and legs around you can tell it takes a bit more effort to move them like normal
>Aright this will take some getting used to but you think you can manage
>Arthas turn and starts walking to the obstacle course
>"Lets go rookies it's time to get to work."
 
>These bracers are annoying as fuck
>You have to put more effort just to lift your legs
>Granted though these could actually give you a work out if you wore them long enough
>Lance grabs your attention as you walk
>"Psst Anon." He whispers so Arthas can't hear him
"Yeah?"
>"Don't worry about the obstacle course I'm sure you'll do just fine."
"Is it difficult?"
>"Nah we always do good on it, just make sure not to fall down and keep moving."
"What's in it?
>"Just some running and jumping over stuff, you know, the usual."
>Okay seem simple enough with these bracers on the jumping might be a bit difficult, but you can do it
"Alright, thanks Lance."
>"Don't mention it, I'll try and stay with you so that if you fall I can pick you back up."
>Damn you just met Lance and already he's like a bro
>Looking over to Biggs and Wedge they also nod their head at you
>It as if their saying we got your back
>Maybe they don't like Arthas too and they want to help you piss him off
>This should be fun
>"Quite down back there." Arthas yells "This isn't school."
>Shutting up you look ahead
>You feel good
>Arthas might try to make things unfair, but you have a feeling with your teammates you can do anything.
 
>When you arrive at the obstacle course you take a look at it
>Lance was right it doesn't look that bad
>"Uh sir what is that?" Biggs says pointing to a sizable wall
>"I'm glad you noticed that Biggs." Arthas says "That was the only thing I could add to the course for our new recruit."
>What the shit?
"I thought you couldn't make any modification to the course?!"
>"One wall is not a modification to the course Anonymous." Arthas said "Besides the queen thought it was fine she the one who made it after all."
>Dammit
>You take a closer look at the wall
>Lance can fly over it with ease
>And you'll have to jump and grab the top and pull yourself up.
>But with these damn bracer on it's gonna be hard
>But you can tell there is no way Biggs and Wedge can make it over
>Grumbling you look over to Biggs and Wedge
>They don't look too happy
>"How are we supposed to get over that?!" Wedge yells "We can't fly and we're not as big as Anon even on our hind legs!"
>"That is for you to figure out." Arthas says "Now line up and get ready!"
>You can't help but feel bad for them, this is kinda your fault
>As you line up your eyes are trained on that damn wall
>You were trying to think of a way around it for everyone
>I doesn't seem like it was possible
>But at that moment a light bulb lit up in you head
>Yeah that'll work
"Everyone listen to me."
>Lance, Biggs, and Wedge turn to look at you
"I think we can get past the wall but we need to stick together."
>Lance nods his head and after he does Biggs and Wedge do too
>"Ready..." Arthas begins to speak
>"Set..." He raise his hoof
>This is it...
 
>"GO!" Arthas yells bringing his hoof down
>You and the others start running as fast as you can straight down the course
>You were right, these bracers do make it harder to run
>Each time you lift your legs you feel the muscles in your legs get weaker from the weights
>But you can also feel the muscle getting stronger
>So it kinda evens out
>Coming up to the first set of obstacles you see it looks the same as tires obstacle you'd see in a boot camp or at football training
>Except instead of tires they're rings made out of crystals
>You try to take note of the order you guys are in
>The order is so far is...
>Wedge
>Then Biggs
>You
>And Lance taking up the back
>Getting closer to the rings, memories from your past came up
>You didn't play football as a kid, but you would mess around with this obstacle when the team failed to put the tires away
>Thanks to that experience there no way you could fail on this
>You lift your legs and drop them in quick succession as you and the other make your way through the rings
>You almost trip on the rings twice before you all fly past this obstacle with no problems
>"Good job Anon!" You hear Lance yell from behind "I was sure you were gonna eat it there!"
"I used to do that all the time in my teenage years!"
>Turning your attention forward you saw the next obstacle come up
 
>It looked like hurdles
>Okay here is were things get tricky
>You have no idea if you could make these jumps
>But you have to try!
>Coming up on the first one Wedge and Biggs jump like any horse/pony would
>As you try to hop it you try to lift your legs as high as they'll go
>It's tough but your able to get over it
>Landing right though, was a different story
>Your feet didn't land right and you end up crashing and rolling into the hard crystal floor
>"Anon!" You hear Lance yell "Come on get up!"
>He bites down on the collar of your armor and picks you back up
>Back on your feet you two keep running to the next hurdle
>"If you need to use those things to help you get over those hurdles use em!"
>He must mean your hands
"That's not against the rule!?"
>"It shouldn't be!" He says "Arthas can't grill you about something he never told you!"
"You're right! He can't!"
>Coming up on the next hurdle you place your hands on the crystal and vault over it like some guy who does parkour
>You get over it easily and clean
>Landing right on your feet you can't help but smile
>"It's easier isn't it?" Lance says to you as he hops over the hurdle
"Much."
>"Good, come on we need to catch up to Biggs and Wedge!"
>You two decide to pick up the pace and try to catch up to the other
>Now that you can use your hands this is much easier
>And like Lance said, Arthas can't do shit since he never told you
>After some more vaulting you and Lance finally get past this obstacle and catch up to Biggs and Wedge
>"You two took your sweet time catching up." Biggs laughs
>"Shut up." Lance says jokingly "Come on, just a few two more obstacles left."
>Nodding your head the four of continue on to your next obstacle...
 
>As you and your teammates make your way to the next obstacle you confused at what you see
>It looks like a pool of water
>And above it look like ropes going from one side to another
>Looking at Biggs and Wedge they jump up and wrap their hooves around the ropes
>From there they start to shimmy across the water
>"Word of advice Anon." Lance says as he jumps up "Don't fall in, it's cold and if you do fall in you have to go back."
>Shit
>You grab the rope and hold on to it for dear life
>Struggling to lift your legs up all the way you eventually get them up there and you wrap them around the rope
>You start to shimmy your way across the water as fast as you can
>Taking a look at the water below you to see that it's as clear as day
>The pool it's in seems to be made out of crystal as well
>Looking around at everyone you can see that they're clear above the water
>You on the hand, you're very close to the water
>Dammit it must be because of the extra weight
>As you shimmy you feel some of the water touch your ass
>HOLY FUCK IT'S FREEZING COLD!
>You lift your ass out of the water and let out a scream
"AHHHH! MY ASS!"
>You want to rub your ass, but you know if you do you're going to fall in
>Gritting your teeth you can hear your teammates ahead of you laugh
>You can't help but laugh yourself
>"I told you it was cold!" You hear Lance yell
>"Don't worry we've all felt how cold that water is!" Biggs yells
>"Just be glad you haven't fallen in like I have!" Wedge yells back
>Making sure that it doesn't happen again, you finally make it across the water
>"How's your ass Anon?" Biggs asks
"Cold."
>"Well don't worry at this point we would be done, but now we have that damn wall to deal with." Lance says
"Lets not keep it waiting then."
>You all nod your heads and race over to your last obstacle...
 
>As you all approach the wall you can see it's bigger than you thought
>"Well Anon I hope you have a plan because there is no way me and Wedge can get over that..." Biggs says as he look up at the wall
"I do, Lance fly up to the top."
>As instructed Lance flies to the top and awaits your next move
"Okay so Biggs what I'm gonna do is lift you and Wedge up."
>You look at Lance
"Lance your job it to help them up!"
>"Anon what about you?" Lance yells down
"Here's the thing I didn't think this wall would be so high up, so I'm going to need your help to get over it."
>They look at each other and nod before Wedge speaks up
>"Lance when you help me get up there I'm going to help you pull Anon up!"
>"What about you Biggs?" Lance yells
>"When I get over I'm going to hold onto both your tails." Biggs yells "When you and Wedge start to pull Anon up I'll pull you guys back!"
"Alright so we have a plan then?"
>Everyone nods their heads at the same time
"Lets do this! Biggs you first."
>You cup your hands and Biggs climbs up and puts his hoof in it
>Lifting him up Lance reaches out to grab his hoof
>They eventually hook and Lance pulls him over
"Alright Wedge your turn."
>Doing the same for Wedge he's able to get on the wall with Lance
"Alright you guys ready?"
>"Yeah!" you hear all three of them yell
>Jumping up you barely manage to grab Lance and Wedge's hoofs
>You almost bring them down before Biggs starts to pull
>"PULL!" Lance yells to Biggs
>Slowly but surely you start to ascend the wall
>You can see the sweat dripping off of Lance and Wedge heads
>"Dammit Anon you fatass!" Lance yells "Lose some weight!"
"Blame Arthas not me!"
>Finally you near the top and Lance and Wedge wrap their hoof around your back pulling you over
>You don't even have time to react before you all fall down crashing onto Biggs...
 
"Ow..."
>Looking up you see that you fell a long way
>Biggs is under you while Wedge is on top of you and Lance being on top of him
>All you hear is the wind as you all try to catch your breath
>"Did we do it?" Lance grunts
>"I think so." Wedge speaks up "Anon is under me, so yeah."
"You guy's didn't have to just pull me over like that..."
>"Can you fatties get off me now?!" Biggs yells
>Laughing each of you begins to get off of Biggs and stand back up
"I think we did good!"
>"Yeah I think we did." Lance says "Wedge how much time did it take us?"
>"About twenty five minutes!" Wedge says
>"Nice!" Biggs yells "Just 6 minutes over what we usually get."
>Everyone start hoof bumping and celebrating
>When you look at the others a smile start to form on your face
>If it wasn't for Lance you probably would of ate the crystal floor a few more times back at the hurdles
>And if not for Biggs and Wedge you would probably still be trying to get over that wall right now
>You guys make a pretty good team...
>The celebration is cut short though as the sound of hoofs clapping grab your attention
>All of you turn around to see Arthas standing in front of you
 
>"Congratulation recruits." Arthas says with a sour tone "I didn't think you could do it."
>What an ass
>You can see the frown on his face
>Oh well it makes all that shit you went through worth it
"Well we did so what's next?"
>He looks at you
>"I'm sure queen Umbra has told you about how you can earn bits here correct?"
"Yeah she said something about daily challenges that you guys do?"
>"Yes." Arthas starts to walk away "All of you follow me we're heading to the arena."
>As you walk over to that small arena you saw Arthas continues to speak
>"Before you showed up I would have the other 3 race through the course."
>"Who ever finished it first would win the bits."
>"But now that your here we can try something new..."
>As you arrive at the arena Arthas turns to face all of you
>"We're going to have ourselves a little tournament."
>A tournament?
>Yeah sure this could be fun
>"So I take it whoever wins the whole thing gets the bits?" Lance asks
>Arthas nods
>"The first match will be between Lance and Biggs..."
>"After them it will be Wedge and Anonymous."
>"And then the winners of those two will face each other for the bits."
>You look at the others
>They all seem to have a smile on their face
>Looks like they're down for this too
>Good to know
>You're not gonna lose to them you need those bits!
>"Now all of you get your gear and get ready!" Arthas yells
>You run over and grab your dummy sword and head back to the arena to watch Lance and Biggs get started...
 
>Heading back to the arena you take a seat next to Wedge and wait for the match to begin
>Lance and Biggs step into the arena, both of them carrying a different type of weapon
>Lance carries a spear type weapon
>While Biggs carries a hammer like weapon
>"So Lance what the score?" Biggs ask
>"Between us?" Lance asks "Two to two."
>"So then this is the tie breaker eh?" Biggs replies
>"Seems that way." Lance answers back as his wings start to flutter and he starts to hover above the ground
>"So you're gonna use your speed to out maneuver me huh?" Biggs asks "You know I can still hit you right?"
>"Yeah I know, but you know I can still psyche you out right?" Lance retorts
>"Aw man this is gonna be good." Wedge says to you "They always give it their all when they spar."
>"Are you two ready?" Arthas asks
>Both Lance and Biggs nod their heads
>"Then begin!" Arthas yells
>They charge at each other ready to go
 
>Watching Lance and Biggs go at was entertaining
>You made sure to take note of what they both could do, you could be fighting one of them
>Lance uses his speed to fly around whoever he's fighting and takes shots in when he finds a chance with his spear
>It's difficult to keep up with him
>Biggs on the other hand look like he can take the hits
>Each time Lance hits him it looks like he just shrugs it off
>He must be a tank
>He can probably dish it out too
>But that means he can't catch anyone
>At one point during the fight Biggs had swung his hammer spinning on his hoofs and tried to hit Lance
>Lance had dodge it by flying back
>Biggs had expected it and let the hammer go sending it flying into the air
>His horn lit up and the hammer was surrounded by his magic
>So he uses his magic to extend the range of his hammer?
>Smart
>Lance didn't expect it and the hammer came crashing into his side
>It look like it hurt
>You could tell Biggs was strong
>But this strong?
>Lance was taking tons of shots at Biggs but Biggs just powered through them
>Biggs hits Lance once and Lance goes flying?
>God damn
>Lance fell to the floor and dropped his weapon
>Biggs sensed an opportunity and immediately ran over to Lance his hammer coming back to him
>Lance opened his eyes to see Biggs standing over him with the hammer hovering over his head
>"If this was the real deal you'd be dead." He says out of breath "I win."
>...
>"Damn." Lance says
>"Biggs you move on." Arthas says "Lance better luck next time."
>Biggs helps Lance up and they step out of the arena
>"Looks like it's our turn Anon." Wedge says to you "Lets make it a good one."
>You nod and follow him into the arena...
 
>You decide to walk to the far end of the arena while Wedge waits by the entrance
>You notice the weapon of choice for Wedge is just a normal dummy sword
>Strange
"Hey Wedge?"
>"Yeah Anon?" he yells back to you
"You just use a sword?"
>"Yeah, call me old fashion I just like using a simple sword over anything else."
>He's hiding something
>"Are you two done talking!?" Arthas yells at you both "Hurry up and get started!"
>"Alright Anon..." Wedge says "Show me what you got!"
>With that Wedge takes his sword in his mouth and gets into a fighting stance
>Doing the same you draw the sword on your back and take a stance
>You need to win, there's money at stake here!
>"Good luck Anonymous!" You hear a female voice yell
>Turning around you see Umbra and Credo sitting down next to the others
>"Show me what you humans can do!" Credo yells
>Where the hell did they come from?!
>Whatever now a girl is watching
>You gotta look cool now
>Clearing your mind you prepare for your fight
"Alright then, lets do this!"
 
>"Begin!" Arthas yells waving his hoof in the air
>As soon as Arthas waves his hoof in the air Wedges charges directly at you
>Not one to wait, you decide to meet him halfway
>Raising your sword you charge at Wedge
>You start to blocking out everything around you
>The only thing you can hear is the sound of your footsteps and Wedges hoofsteps on the crystal floor under you
>As you close the distance you and Wedge begin to ready yourselves to strike
>Finally in swinging distance you both swing at each other
>Both your sword clash and you start a test of strength
>What the?
>How are you not overpowering him right now?
>Looking at him you see steam coming out of his nose
>He wants to win
>But so do you!
>Both of you back up for a second before charging back in
>You start swinging at Wedge with everything you got
>With each swing he seems to counter your every move either by using his sword to block it or dodging your swing in general
>You try to swing horizontally but Wedge jumps over it
>Landing behind you he tries to kick the back of your legs with his hind legs
>Luckily you roll out of the way before it connects
>Not giving you a chance to recover Wedge charges right back at you preparing to swing
>You are able to get your sword up just in time to deflect his strike
"You're pretty good Wedge!"
>Wedge can only laugh due to the sword in his mouth
"Too bad I just won!"
>Wedge raises his eyebrow at you
>With your free hand you place it on the crystal and extend your leg out
>Moving your leg you sweep Wedge off his legs
>As Wedge lands on his side you get back up on your feet and aim your sword at Wedges neck
>Smiling you say
"I win..."
>Wedge lets his sword fall out of his mouth and looks up at you before laughing
>"Damn Anon you got me." He says trying to catch his breath "I wasn't expecting you to use your legs like that."
"That was part of the plan!"
>Liar
>Quick thinking saved your ass
>Oh well you get to move on and face Biggs now...
 
>"Anonymous is the winner." Arthas says with no enthusiasm in his voice "Wedge stay there, you're facing Lance."
>"Good job Anon." Wedge says as you help him up "Good luck with Biggs!"
"Thanks, good luck with Lance."
>Turning around you make your way out
>On the way Lance comes in and he stops you
>"Word of advice, don't get hit by Biggs hammer." He says, rubbing his side "It hurts, a lot."
"I'll be careful, Good luck on your match Lance."
>As you make your way over to Umbra and Credo you pass by Arthas
>Walking by him you two end up looking at each other for a second
>Arthas looks back to Lance and Biggs
>You shrug
>As you turn around you hear Arthas speak up
>"Good job Anonymous..." He says "That was smart, using your leg to catch Wedge off guard..."
>Wow
>He actually complimented you
>He probably had to swallow some pride to do that
>Nodding your head you smile
"Thanks Arthas..."
>You hear a "hmph" come from him before he speaks again
>"Rest, your match with Biggs is up next."
>You nod and keep walking over to Umbra
>Walking past Biggs he gets your attention
>"Hey Anon good job out there!" He says "Looks like you and me will be going at it for those bits."
"It looks that way..."
>"I want you to know, I'm not gonna lose..." He says looking you in the eyes
"Neither will I..."
>You have a slight stare down with Biggs before you both nod your heads and go your separate ways
>As you walk away you take one look at his hammer
>It doesn't look like a good time
>You gonna need to find a way to get around it
>Shaking your head you continue towards Umbra and Credo
 
>"Congratulations on your match Anonymous." Umbra says as you get near her "I didn't think you could turn it around there."
"Neither did I, I think it was dumb luck that I won."
>"Anon give yourself some credit lad!" Credo yells "It was an impressive turnaround!"
>Smiling you take a seat next to Umbra on the floor
>You hear Arthas start the next match between Lance and Wedge before you look at Umbra
"So when did you two get here?"
>"Credo has been here since you started the obstacle course." Umbra says "I had arrived near the end when the 4 of you got to the wall."
>At least she didn't see you eat shit back at the hurdles
>"I have to say I was impressed that you and the others worked so well together, for only having known each other for a few minutes." she says
>"Perhaps people are just drawn to him lady Umbra?" Credo asks
>Umbra chuckles
>"I think Credo might be right Anonymous." She says "There is something about that just draws people in."
"You think so?"
>"I know so." she says looking you in the eyes "But enough of that, you rest you have another match after them."
>Nodding your head you all go back to watching the fight between Lance and Wedge
>As everyone is watching you keep looking over to Biggs
>He seems restless
>Like he is itching to fight you
>That hammer of his is making you uneasy
>There has to be a way around it
>Maybe you could block it when he swings?
>If he throws it your gonna have to keep an eye on the hammer
>But that means you won't be able to keep an eye on him
>This is tricky
>Maybe if you can keep him from throwing it you can focus on him
>But that means staying in swinging range
>If that's what it takes to win, then so be it
>As the match with Wedge and Lance comes to an end Lance emerges the victor
>"Looks like you're up Anonymous." Umbra says "Good luck and be careful."
>Nodding you head you get back up and head to the arena one more time.
 
>As you walk to the entrance of the arena you see Biggs just jump over the side
>Deciding to speed things up you follow after him, hoping over the wall
>"The final match will feature Anonymous vs Biggs!" Arthas says "Winner will get the 2 bits for today."
>"Are you two ready?" Arthas ask
>"Yup!" Biggs replies
"Yeah!"
>"Then begin!" Arthas yells waving his hoof in the air
>You charge straight for Biggs trying to close the distance so he doesn't chuck the hammer at you
>Biggs seems surprised at your actions for a second before a wide smile forms on his face
>"So you're gonna meet me head on then huh?" He says readying himself "I like that enthusiasm Anon!"
>Closing the distance you get ready for the swing
>As Biggs starts to swing you dodge roll to the side of him
>Sensing an opening you attempt to take a shot at Biggs
>Wait
>He's still swinging!
>Bracing yourself with your sword you get ready to take the hit
>As the hammer connects with your sword you can feel a force slowly drive you back
>You feel like a baseball and the bat is Biggs's hammer
>Biggs puts in enough force to send you flying into the air
>Landing hard on the crystal floor you rub the pain in your back
>Damn he's stronger than you thought
>Getting back up you see Biggs smiling
>"You're gonna have to try harder than that Anon if you want to win!" he says
>Damn it
>You need to think of something quick!
>As you struggle to think of some think a light bulb light up in your head
>His hammer takes time to come back to him
>If you could beat it to him you might be able to catch him off guard
>All you have to do to win is either knock him out or put him in a situation where he would die to an enemy
>This might work
>You just need him to throw his hammer at you
>But how are you going to...
>Is he dancing!?
 
>"What the matter Anon scared?!" Biggs yells "If you won't come to me then I'll just have to hit you over there!"
>Biggs start spinning around again like he did with Lance
>Finally he lets the hammer go and it starts flying towards you, all while his horn starts to glow
>You stand your ground and brace for impact
>Using your sword again to block, the hammer collides with you
>You can feel your getting pushed back but not as much
>Just as you thought his magic swing isn't as strong as his physical swing
>Moving your sword off to the side you deflect the hammer and it falls to the floor along with your sword
>The glow around the hammer dies down
>This is your chance!
>Leaving them both on the floor you start running at Biggs
>Biggs start to panic clearly confused by your actions as his horn lights up again
>You can hear your sword being moved behind you
>You're only going to get one shot at this
>As you close the gap between you two you clench your hand into a fist and get ready to strike
>Throwing a straight up superman punch your fist connects with Biggs face sending him flying
>As he falls to the ground the glow around his horn dies
>Turning around the prepare to catch the hammer coming right at you
>As it collides into your gut it pushes you back a little before you able to grab the handle and hold it properly
>Looks like you were right...
>When the glow around his horn died the hammer started to lose speed, making easier to catch
>Thank god you were right
>Still trying to catch your breath, you stand over Biggs with his hammer in your hands
>As he opens his eyes you speak with ragged breaths
"Looks like you got nothing to defend yourself with..."
>He blinks before closing his eyes
>"You win Anon, I can't get out of this." He says rubbing his face while smiling
>"The winner is Anonymous!" Arthas yells
>You did it
>You outsmarted Biggs
>Brain does beat brawn
>All you can do is smile before you fall down on your ass and try to catch your breath
 
>Eventually you get back up, your body has finally calmed down
>Walking over to Biggs you extend your arm out to help him up
>He extends his hoof out and you help him get back up
>"Damn and here I thought I had you beat you Anon." He says "That was a sweet plan you came up with."
>You share a laugh as you both head out of the arena
"To tell you the truth, I didn't think it would work."
>"Well it did work." He says "And now you get the bits for today, so congrats."
>Stepping out of the arena Wedge and Lance run up to you both
>"Holy shit Anon what was that?!" Lance yells "I've never seen anyone fight like that!"
>"That was impressive Anon!" Wedge says in a more calm tone than Lance "I don't think any of us would have thought of that."
>"Anon has a mean punch there." Biggs says rubbing his face "My face still hurts."
>"When I saw you go flying Biggs, that's when I could tell Anon had some power in him." Lance says
>"Dammit I'm only bummed out that I didn't get a chance to fight Anon." Lance says
>He looks at you
>"Next time Anon I promise we'll fight." He says
>You nod your head at him
>Hopefully it'll be easier then fighting Biggs again
"It was great fighting you guys, I'm glad we got the chance to do it."
>Extending your arm you make a fist
>The others catch on and they each place a hoof in touching your fist
>You feel a bond forming between you and your new teammates
>While it's weak right now but maybe someday it'll grow into something amazing
>You all take a look at each other before nodding your heads
>You guys are a team
>And a teams gotta stick together
>Hearing the sound of hoofsteps you all turn around to see Arthas approach your group
 
>"Well done Anonymous,,," He says "I didn't think you could do it."
>Looking behind him you can see Umbra and Credo
"Well I did it Arthas, are you gonna hold up your end of the bargain?"
>He sighs before reaching under his cape
>For a second you thought he was going to pull out his sword
>But instead he pulls out the two bits you were promised
>"Here." He says as he hands them to you "You earned them."
>You reach out for the bits hesitantly before taking them from Arthas
"Thanks Arthas, I thought you were gonna pull your sword out to stop me from having those bits."
>"Anonymous please..." He says, chuckling "I still might not trust you fully, but I still honor my word."
>"You earned these today, congratulations." He says, turning around "All of you are dismissed for today, go get cleaned up."
>Arthas didn't try to pull some shit?
>Maybe he isn't such an ass
>"Come on Anon time to hit those showers!" Biggs says hitting your arm
>Wut?
>Oh yeah Umbra said she'd let you use her shower once...
>Great...
>Nodding, you and the others make your way to the showers
>As you walk past everyone Umbra stops you
>"When you get done getting cleaned up come see me in my study." She says "It's the room across the hall from your room."
>Why does she want to see you?
>Whatever it's probably nothing bad
>"Come on Anon!" Lance yells "We don't got all day!"
>"You best not keep them waiting..." Umbra says
"Can I please use your bath again?!"
>She laughs
>"Sorry Anonymous." She says with a sly smile on her face "Maybe one day I might let you use it again."
>Dammit
>Accepting defeat you lower your head and follow the others to the showers...
 
>You are Umbra
>After telling Anonymous he couldn't use your personal bath again, you laugh as he walked away looking dejected
>He's so strange
>Yet so...Interesting at the same time
>Maybe one day...
>You shake your head clearing your mind of the thoughts you are having
>Looking back you see that Anonymous has disappeared most likely off to the showers
>You'll need to leave his clothes for him to find when your done here
"So Arthas, what do you think of him?"
>He sighs before turning to face you
>"I suppose you were right my queen..." He says "I guess he's not completely useless."
"What did you gain from him, combat wise I mean?"
>"He seems to have the power and the quickness." He says closing his eyes "He also seems to be a quick thinker."
"Meaning?"
>"He's quick to come up with a plan my queen."
(Brain fart shut up!)
>"Even after getting put in a rough spot he's able to find a way to come out on top."
"What about faults?"
>"The only thing I could see is how he swings his sword, he must of had little or no training with a sword."
"Judging by what he told me I think the sword he had on him didn't see much action."
>"With some more training hopefully he'll learn how to wield his blade right."
>Now is the time to ask him
"Will you continue to train them Arthas?"
>He looks down at the ground for bit before looking back at you
>"Yes I will." He says nodding his head "I'll continue to train them to be great additions to the guard."
"Good, maybe you and Anonymous can get along one day."
>"I won't promise anything my queen, but I will try to get along with him."
>Smiling you bid Arthas and Credo farewell and head back to the castle
>Traveling downstairs you arrive at the showers only to hear a familiar voice screaming...
>"Dude stop looking at my junk!"
>That sounds like Anonymous
>What could be happening in there?
>Smiling you pull up a chair and leave his clothes for him
>Ignoring the screaming in the shower you head back upstairs and into your studies
 
>You are Anon
>After getting shot down by Umbra you followed your team through the halls of the castle
>Eventually you all reach the stairs, looking at the stairs that go up, your tempted to go against Umbras word and head to her room
>Nah, you don't want to get yelled out
>"Come on Anon." Lance says "The showers are down here."
>Heading down the stairs you arrive at a large circular room
>Around the room are 5 doors
>"These are the guard barrack." Biggs says "Guards who are chosen to defend the castle stay here."
>Makes sense
>"Also you can choose to stay here anyway if you join the guard." Wedge says "It's just if you're assigned to guard the castle you have to stay here."
>Ah so if anything ever happened they would be right here ready to defend
"How big are the rooms?"
>"They're fairly large to be honest, one room can hold about 20 guards." Lance says "But enough about that the showers are over here."
>Following the others, you enter the room ahead of you
>You try to take a look around
>It looks like a locker room shower
>The floor is made of stone not crystal
>Maybe so these ponies won't slip and fall?
>There's a large rack filled with towels of different color
>Biggs uses his magic to hand each of you a towel
>Taking it you see that everyone is taking their armor off and placing it on the bench in the center of the room
>Oh boy here we go...
 
>You start taking the upper part of your armor off
>Slipping it over your head you place it on the bench in front of you
>Next are the bracer on your wrist and ankles
>You forgot you even had these on
>Maybe you just got use to having them on
>Taking them off you feel ten times lighter!
>It feels weird to move your arms and legs without them on
>You feel stronger though
>Next you kick your boots off and place them on the bench
>Now onto the pants
>Undoing your belt, you take them off only to hear a chuckle from Lance
>"Anon what are those?" He says, pointing at your boxers
"They're underwear, where I'm from most people wear them under their pants."
>"Why do they have hearts all over them?"
"I don't know, I didn't make them."
>He only nods his head before he goes back to getting undressed
>Okay now the boxers come off
>Waiting till everyone looks away you practically rip them off in a flash and wrap the towel around your waist
>"Okay you guys ready?" Biggs says, the towel hanging around his neck "Lets hit those showers!"
>Why is he excited for this?!
>Time to get this over with
 
>Walking into the shower your fears come true
>It's a big open room, no stalls or anything
>The guys spread out and you look for a corner for yourself
>Unwrapping the towel around your waist you go to turn the shower on
>You breath easy that the shower looks simple to operate
>Turning on the shower you feel the warm water wash over your body
>Feels real good
>As you shower you feel someone looking at you
>Turning your head you see that Lance is trying to take a peek at you
>Panicking, you cover your junk
"Can I help you!?"
>"Huh?" He says making eye contact with you "Oh sorry I just wanted to see what you were working with."
"WHY?!"
>"Jeez Anon calm down!" He says "I just wanted to know!"
>Looking over you see that Biggs and Wedge are trying to sneak a peek now too
>Looking back over to Lance you see he's looking at your junk again
"Dude stop looking at my junk!"
>You swear you hear someone laugh outside
>Nah it's just your imagination
>"Anon it's cool." Wedge says "None of us are into guys."
"That's not the point dammit!"
>"What's the problem then Anon!" Biggs yells "We just want to know what your love gun looks like!"
"The point is, that shit is gay where I come from, other guys don't try looking at each other junk!"
>"But we're not gay!" Lance answers back in a hurry
"You sure as shit act like it!"
>"I bet you if queen Umbra was in here with you you'd have no problem showing her your gun!" Biggs says
>You feel a heavy blush come onto your face
>Having no rebuttal for that you just turn around
>"Sorry Anon." Biggs says "I didn't mean to say that."
>Sighing you look back to him
"It's fine, don't worry about it."
>"Ah HA!" Lance yells "So you would show queen Umbra your love gun if you had the chance!"
>Embarrassed you just finish your shower in silence while the others laugh at you...
 
>Finishing up in the shower you wrapped yourself up in your towel and left the room
>When you came out you see a chair with your regular clothes on them
>Does that mean that laugh you heard was actually someone?
>Probably Umbra
>After drying yourself off and getting dressed the other members of your team emerge from the shower room
>"So Anon, why did you freak out so bad in there?" Lance asks
"I just don't like when guys look at my stuff."
>"I guess that's understandable." He says "Where are you off to now? We were thinking of getting some lunch."
"Sorry guys, I have to go see Umbra right now, maybe next time."
>"Alright we'll hold you to that then!" Lance says "Good luck with the queen Umbra then."
>With that he gives you a wink
>Laughing you grab your gear, wave them goodbye and leave the room
>Walking back upstairs you make a stop to your room just to drop off your gear
>Walking over to the door that leads to the study you knock on it
"Hey Umbra it's me can I come in?"
>"Of course." You hear her say "Come in."
>Opening the door to the study you step inside
>Wow this room looks nice
>There are multiple bookshelves around the room each of them filled with different types of books
>One for big books
>Small books
>Old books
>New books
>And some strange looking books and scrolls?
>Umbra is laying down on some cushions in the center of the room
>Looks like she was reading something
>Taking a seat next to her you speak up
"This is an impressive study you have here Umbra!"
>"Thank you Anonymous." She says putting the book down "It's taken me a long time to collect all these book."
>You glance down at the cover of the book she was reading
>Looks like it belongs in the strange section
>It doesn't have a title on it, just what looks to be a moon
"So what did you want to talk to me about?"
>She turns her attention to you before she speaks
>"I want to talk about your nightmares Anonymous." She says bluntly "I think I can help you with them..."
 
"My nightmares?"
"Yes." She nods "This is the second night in a row you've had nightmares."
>Well to be honest you lied about the first one because it was more about Luna trying to make a move on you
"What do you think you can do to help?"
>She opens the book with the moon on it again
>"After searching for some time, I believe I have found a way to enter your dreams Anonymous..."
>Say what?
"How? I thought only Luna could do that seeing as how she's princess of the night and all that jazz."
>Umbra growls at the mention of Luna
>Right, if she has a problem with you mentioning Celestia of course she'd have the same problem with Luna
"Well how can you do it? You're not her?"
>"Anonymous I am a Queen!" She says in a regal manner "There is nothing I can't do!"
>There's that ego again
>Rolling your eyes you speak up again
"Alright so what the deal then? How are going to help me with my nightmares?"
>"I think just like the lunar princess, I may be able to enter your dreams and rid you of your nightmares."
"You can do that?"
>"I believe I can, there is a spell in this book that can allow me to enter your dreams when you sleep."
>"The only thing is I don't know how to do it yet..." She says "And I don't think I would have total control like she would."
"Then how are you going to help me?"
>"Easy!" She says "I'm going to practice on you while you sleep"
"You're just going to stay in my room at night and practice on me?"
>"No Anonymous, I was going to inform you to come to my chambers tonight." she says "From there you will stay while I try to master this spell."
>What
>Is she really inviting you to sleep in her bed?
>Get your mind outta the gutter Anon this is to help you
"Are you sure you're okay with this?"
>She looks at you with a puzzled look
>"What do you mean?"
>Oh boy...
 
"Well I mean you're pretty much inviting me to sleep in your bed tonight."
>"Yes, and?" She says still confused
"Where are you going to sleep exactly?"
>"In my bed where else..." She says as she starts to realize what you were getting at
>You start to nod your head as if you were saying "ya see what I mean?"
>You see a slight blush work its way onto her face
>She turns around quickly before she speaks up again
>"Well, um...Just be there at nine okay?"
"But what about our sleeping arrag..."
>"Silence!" She yells "We'll discuses it when the time comes!"
"Okay, fine, I'm not the one who suggested I sleep in your bed though."
>You swear you hear her growl at you
>Changing the subject so you don't make her more mad, you ask her about the books
"So Umbra where did you even get this book? Or all those strange looking ones in general?"
>She finally turns around looking much more calm
>Thank god
>"Would you believe me if I said we got a visit from an unexpected guest?"
"Who?"
>"A wizard." She says "A wizard by the name of Star Swirl the Bearded."
 
>Star Swirl?
>Oh yeah he was that wizard that Twilight goes crazy over
>He's also the one who discovered that the mirror led to other universes
>He's the reason Celestia met Sombra
>...
"How did he end up here?"
>"When we met he told me that he was traveling all across Equestria, I guess he somehow stumbled across our empire."
"What did you do to him?"
>"I showed him around the empire of course." She says "Even I knew who Star Swirl was, I was honored to meet him."
>"It wasn't long till we sat down here in my study and talked about magic and such." She says
>"He told me stories about his travels, the two sisters, their empire, many things!"
"Wait why would he tell you all this?"
>"He had told me I seemed like a nice pony that he could trust." She says "Even though he thought my appearance was scary at first, he could see that I treated my subjects well."
>"He praised me for how well I ran my empire, He told me I was better than the princess of the sun."
>"I offered him a place to stay in my empire but he kindly declined." she says, sounding disappointed
>"He thanked me, but said that Celestia still needed guidance on how to run her kingdom and that he had to return to her."
"Were you sad he didn't stay?"
>"Of course, a wizard of his caliber would have made a great addition to my empire!"
>She looks back over to the strange bookcase
>"Before he left, he gave me some books and scrolls that were in the cart he brought with him
>"He told me that he was going to entrust me with these books."
>"And that I might be able to master the spells that they held."
>"With that I saw him off." She say "I gave him directions on where to go and he left us."
"So all those are his?"
>"Yes, The strange looking books and scrolls are all his." She says looking back at you
>Umbra stands up before motioning to you
>"Come on Anonymous, lets go eat."
"That sounds like a plan."
>You two exit the study and head down to the dining room
 
>You were getting use to walking around this big castle
>Even though you still didn't know everything about it this place was nice
>And you have a room right down the hall from the queen of the empire
>Not only that, but you're gonna sleep in her bed tonight
>You wish you had mirror in front of you just so you can say "DAMN YOU'RE COOL"
>Arriving in the dining room you and Umbra took your seats
>Almost on cue Edith comes out of the kitchen and walks over to you two
>"Good afternoon lady Umbra, and a good afternoon to you too Anonymous." She says with a smile "How did your first day of training go?"
"It went fine I suppose, I got my 2 bits for today!"
>"That's wonderful to hear!" She says in that grandma style voice
"Wait, how did you know I was training?"
>"Lady Umbra told me when she came to get her morning tea."
>Oh
>Edith pulls out her pen and paper out of her apron
>"So what can I get you two this afternoon?" she asks
>Man she really does that sweet old lady role well
>"I'll have a fruit bowl Edith." Umbra says
>Fruit sounds good right about now
"Yeah same here."
>"And what to drink?" Edith asks
>Pumpkin spice tea." Umbra says
"Eh I'll just have some water."
>Writing down the last of your order she bows and head back into the kitchen
 
>After a short time Edith came out with both your orders
>"I hope you enjoy your meal." She says as she places the bowls on the table
>"Thank you Edith." Umbra says as she lifts her cup
>"It's my pleasure lady Umbra." Edith says as she takes a bow before heading back to the kitchen
>As Umbra takes a sip from her cup you pick up your fork and dig in to the assortment of fruit before you
>As you eat, you just feel weird
>You haven't felt the same since Umbra said she wanted to invade your dreams
>Maybe because it's really your only private spot now
>Even after telling Luna it was fine for her to come in your dreams you were still angry about it
>Besides you were afraid what would happen to Umbra if Luna saw her?
>Why do things always gotta be complicated?
>"Anonymous are you okay?" You hear Umbra calling to you "You've just been staring at your food..."
>Maybe you should talk to her about how you feel about your dreams
"Sorry, I'm just...Thinking."
>"What about?" She asks, putting her fork down
"I just, I don't know I just don't like when people enter my dreams."
>She stays silent and listens to you
"When I still lived with Celestia I told her sister to never enter my dreams."
>"Never?"
"Yeah, my dreams were my private place to relax to get away from the real world, the fact that someone could just enter them bugged me."
>"But what about nightmares?"
"In my world when a nightmare happened you could get out of it yourself you didn't need help."
>You sigh before looking at her
"I'm sorry, I'm not mad at you or anything I just..."
>You feel Umbra place her hoof on your hand
>"I promise you after we get rid of your nightmares I won't bring up anything regarding your dreams ever again."
>With that she gives you a reassuring smile
>"Besides I don't even know the spell yet!" She says "Maybe your nightmares will disappear on their own."
>You're still not sure about this, but you trust her to help you get through this
 
>After you two finished your meal you really didn't know what to do to kill time
>"Anonymous I have day court to get to." Umbra says wiping her mouth "You're free to do as you please but make sure your back before dinner."
"Yeah alright, have fun Umbra."
>"You too Anonymous." She says getting up from her chair "Try not to cause any problems, okay?"
"Since when have I caused any problems?"
>She only laughs at you while she leaves the room
>Alone you sit in your chair trying to figure out what to do with yourself
>"Oh did lady Umbra leave?" You hear a voice call out
>Looking towards the direction of where the voice came out you see Edith coming out of the kitchen
>"So is the life of a queen..." She says coming over to the table "Always busy."
"You need some help?"
>"No I'm fine dear, thank you." She says coming to grab the plates
"I insist, here allow me."
>Grabbing the dishes in front of you, you hold them in your arms
>"Thank you Anonymous." She says "Follow me."
>With the dishes in tow you follow her into the kitchen
 
>Walking through the door you take a look around
>Huh
>It looks just like a restaurant kitchen
>You see a few chefs in the room doing things like cooking some food and cleaning the stoves
>"Just place them in the sink Anonymous." Edith says
>You place them in the sink and turn around
>While Edith starts washing the dishes you look at some of the other chefs
>They seem to be giving you the stink eye
>Give them funny mustaches and they look like cartoon villains
>"Don't worry about them dear." Umbra says "They just don't know who you are yet."
"Yeah but it still bugs me, they keep giving me a dirty look."
>Edith turns to face them
>"All of you back to work!" She yells
>They all quickly go back to what they were doing
"I take it you're the head chef Edith?"
>"How did you know?" She says surprised
"Just a hunch."
>"I taught them every recipe they know so I guess I am."
>She turns back around and continues to wash the dishes
"So why are they cooking things if nothing is going on at the moment?"
>"That food is for the guards Anonymous." She says "We make food for those who can't go out to eat."
"Like the ones that are stationed here?"
>"Precisely!" She says "They always have to stay here under captain Arthas's orders."
>That must be a bummer
>"There all done!" She says as she puts the last bowl away
>That was fast
>"Thank you Anonymous for spending some time with an old mare like me, it was fun having someone to talk to."
"Hey now you're not that old besides it was my pleasure talking to you."
>"You're too sweet Anonymous." She says "Are you always this nice to the ladies?"
"Only the nice ones."
>She laughs
>"Anonymous would you tell me about the food where you're from?" She asks "I love to know what your kind eat."
"Sure I got tons of time to kill."
>"Excellent!" She says getting out another pen and paper "Lets get started."
>Looks like you found something to do after all
>You wonder if they know about burgers, they had them in Ponyville.
 
>For the rest of the day you spent time talking to Edith about food
>She was amazed at what humans would eat
>Hamburgers, not to be confused with the sandwiches that Twilight would shovel down her throat back in Ponyville
>Hot Dogs
>Chicken
>The works
>You were no Chef Ramsay either but you told her about other cooking techniques that you knew about
>Which was pretty much just grilling
>And most of the time you wouldn't even cook for yourself
>You just pick up some food on the way home from work
>From what you could tell at least they fried their meat
>It didn't bug you at all
>Beside for all you know you and Umbra were the only ones who ate meat
>And those years living with Celestia and the other kinda turned you off meat
>Sure you were ecstatic when you learned they had meat here
>But you didn't mind just eating fruits and salads most of the time
>It seemed more of a healthy alternative
>These damn ponies have turned you from meat...
>After talking with Edith she thought you were some kind of a master chef
>You had to tell her that you didn't know shit really
>You just knew the basic of how to cook
>Edith told you that she was going to try and make you a burger tonight for dinner as a thank you for telling her about your worlds food
>You told her she didn't have to but she insisted
>Who are you to say no?
>The two of talk for some time before Umbra finally returned to the dinning room
 
>"Oh Anonymous!" Umbra says surprised "What are you still doing here?"
>Umbra comes over to the table and takes her seat next to you
"There is no way it's dinner time already!"
>"Look outside." She says pointing to the window
>Looking outside you see that the sun is slowly setting and the moon is slowly rising
>Jesus time must of really slip past you
>"Were you just sitting in here all day after lunch?" She asks
"At first I was just sitting here not knowing what to do with myself, but then I started talking to Edith about the food my kind eat."
>"I'm very sorry lady Umbra!" Edith says as she runs out of the kitchen "It was my fault he's been here all day."
>Edith lowers her head like she's done something wrong
>Umbra looks at you and then back to her
>"It's alright Edith." Umbra says gently "You did nothing wrong."
>Edith raises her head slowly to look at Umbra
>"In fact I'm happy Anonymous is making more friends here!" Umbra says
>Huh she sounds like Celestia
>Edith nods before smiling and pulling out her trusty pen and paper
>"What do you want to eat tonight lady Umbra?" she says
>"What is Anonymous having? Umbra asks
>"I plan to make something from his world." Edith says "It's a piece of meat in between two pieces of bread."
>Umbra looks over to you
>"Anonymous what is that?" She asks
"Uh it's called a hamburger where I'm from."
>"Hmm..." Umbra says, tapping her chin "Edith I'll have one of these hamburger things he is having."
>"Very well, what do you two want to drink?"
>After ordering some tea Edith heads back into the kitchen to prepare your dinner
>"Anonymous?"
"Yeah?"
>"I wanted to let you know after dinner we're going back to my chambers for the night."
"Are we turning in early?"
>"We have to." She says "You have training in the morning and I have my duties to attend to."
>It's like you're a kid again
>Some time passes before Edith comes out with both your dinners
>It looks...edible
 
>Edith first attempt at a burger was...
>Alright to say the least
>The meat was bland and there was no condiments
>But it was big so it filled you up
>You told Edith what she could do to make it better and she took notes
>A good thing to come out of this was watching Umbra try to eat her hamburger
>She tried to cut it into pieces
>While you ate yours like a normal person
>You kept telling her she was doing it wrong
>Which she kept yelling at you that she would not eat like pig
>Which you yelled back at her that this is how you eat it
>It was all in good fun though
>You argued for a few minutes on how the proper way to eat a burger was
>You were right of course
>They from your world for fucks sake
>You two laughed it off anyway
>Finishing your dinner the two of you made your way out of the dining room and up to the 4th floor
>On the way you couldn't help but feel uneasy
>But why though
>You're just gonna sleep why she tries to preform the spell on you
>No worries right?
>Finally reaching the doors to her room the guards open them and you and Umbra proceed to enter the room
 
>Entering her room you feel slightly uncomfortable
>You can feel the same feeling radiating off of Umbra
>You clear your throat before you speak up
"Sooooo..."
>Umbra shakes her head before speaking up
>"Yes um..." She says "Just uh, get ready for bed while I look for the spell!"
>She quickly walks over to a desk that has that one book on it
>As she flips through the pages you shrug your shoulders and begin to undress
>Taking off everything besides your boxers, you fold your clothes and place them on a chair in the room
>"Okay Anonymous I found the spell." She says turning around
>"I just need you to...Anonymous?!" She yells
"What!?"
>"W-Where are your clothes?!" She says as a slight blush works its way onto her face
"I took them off."
>"B-But why?!" She starts to stammer
"You said to get ready to sleep! So I took my clothes off, that's how I sleep."
>"Every night?!"
"That's how I sleep so yes."
>"But it's cold outside!"
"Yeah but I'll be under the blankets!"
>Umbra is clearly freaking out
>It's like she's never been with a guy/stallion before
>Feeling a little mischievous and daring you decide to mess with her some more
"And besides if we're sharing the same bed maybe you could keep me warm at night..."
>Getting closer to her you whisper
"Just to let you know I like to cuddle in my sleep..."
>Umbra eyes shoot open as she looks at you the blush is in full effect
>"Y-You fool!" She yells "D-Don't say such things out of the blue!"
>She pushes you away
>Man she is too cute
>You laugh for a bit until you calm down
"So do I just get in bed then?"
>She nods silently
>"Just hurry up and fall asleep." She says "I need to get ready for bed."
>Doing as she says you lift the blanket and hop into the bed and wait for her to come out.
 
>As you lay in bed you just can't fall asleep
>Hearing noises coming from her bathroom you look to see Umbra come out
>She not wearing anything at all
>Not that cape
>Not her little hoof shoe things
>Not even that little crown of hers
>Nothing
>Unf~
>Her hair looks so good
>You just want to run your finger through it
>She walks over to her side of the bed before hopping in
>"I thought I said it's not polite to stare at a lady Anonymous." She says "Why aren't you asleep."
>Oh god that voice of hers is doing things to you now
"U-Uh I can't sleep."
>"What do you mean you can't sleep?"
"I don't know I just can't..."
>You can't even look her in the eyes
>Jesus get a hold of yourself
>Taking notice she scoots closer to you
>"What's the matter Anonymous?" She says "I thought you were a big casanova?"
>It's your turn to look away from her, trying to hide the blush on your face
"I-I was just messing around."
>"So what changed?" She says placing her hoof under your chin before moving your head to look at her
>"Surly my appearance hasn't changed your attitude..."
>Oh god
>One second she acts all shy and shit and now she's making you feel flustered
>Letting go of your chin, her horn begins to glow as the book on the desk floats over to her
>"Sleep now Anonymous, it's the only way I can practice this spell."
>Time passes as you try to fall asleep, but for some reason you can't
>You feel afraid to enter the dream world again
>What if you have another terrifying experience
>Umbra seems to sense this as she place a hoof on your hand
>"Anonymous don't worry, if you have another nightmare I will be right here next to you to wake you up."
>She's right
>You'll be safe as long as she's here next to you
"Promise?"
>"A Queens promise."
>Nodding you start to relax on the bed
>You let out a long yawn before your eyes slowly start to close
"Dreamland here I come..."
 
>Opening your eyes you sit up to see that you're on a bench
>Only this time you seem to be in a city
>Getting up you see you were sitting on bus stop bench
>Is this your world version of a city?
>You can't really tell there seems to be a thick fog
>Seeing nothing around you, you decide to just walk down the street
>Walking down the street you see there are abandoned buildings all the way down the street
>It's a ghost town here
>You don't get far before you're stopped by an obstacle
>The obstacle is...Well the road itself
>It's gone
"What the fuck? Where am I Silent Hill?"
>Why the fuck are you dreaming about Silent Hill?
>All you need to see is that damn sign
>Walking back down the road you start to feel light headed
>Placing a hand on your head you can hear a voice
>"Ano...ny...mous?"
>That sounds like Umbra
"Yeah? Umbra? You there?"
>...
>Nothing
>You can't help but feel like you're being watched
>Damn this place is giving you the creeps
>And you swear you're hearing things
>Like footsteps
>You keep walking down the road until you eventually reach something
>It looks like a hotel
>Walking up to the front door you peer inside
>Huh it actually looks nice in there
>You expected it to look like a horrible mess
>But it actually looks safe in there
>Opening the doors you step inside
 
>As you walk into the hotel you're greeted by the sound of piano music
>That feeling of dread you had outside starts to leave you
>You feel safe
>Walking up to the front desk you ring the bell on the counter
"Hello? Is anyone here?"
>You turn around and lean back on the counter
>Who would be here this is your dream?
>The only ponies that can get in here are Luna, Celestia with Luna's help, and now Umbra is trying to get in here
>Turning back around you notice a key on the counter
>Picking it up it says you look at the little tag attached to it
>717
"Weird this wasn't here before..."
>You assume it means the 17th room of the 7th floor
>Walking around you find the elevator
>As you call it you turn around and wait for it to arrive at your floor
>Looking outside you see a strange shape outside
>It looks humanoid
>It doesn't seem like it can get it though
>Good
>Hearing the bing of the elevator you turn around to see the doors opening in front of you
>Stepping inside you look at the buttons
>There are 20 floors
>Pressing 7 the doors close and the elevator begins to move
>While you wait for the elevator to reach the 7th floor you think
>Usually your dreams mean something
>So what the hell does this one mean?
>You're sure you've never been to Silent Hill before
>So what does it mean?
>You didn't have time to think because the elevator had reached the 7th floor
>As the doors open you step out into the hallway
 
>The smell of cherries fill the air as you step out of the elevator
>The lights are pink
>You should feel weirded out
>But for some reason you just feel safe on this floor
>Looking at the key in your hand you start checking the numbers on the doors
>714
>715
>716
>Here we go 717
>Putting the key into the door you open it and step inside
>Walking into the room it looks straight out of something in a love hotel
>The room itself is large and the lights are a mix of red and pink
>The walls are pink
>And the curtains in the room are red
>Walking closer to the bed you examine it
>The bed is under a mirror which is strange
>On the stand next to it there's a chrome telephone
>Sitting down on the bed you get comfortable
>Why did you come here?
>Better question
>What does this dream mean?
>Just as you're thinking you hear the sound of a shower stop
>That's weird you didn't hear one going on when you came in
>Sitting up in the bed you watch as the bathroom door opens
>Steam comes flooding out
>"Hello Anonymous." You hear a voice call out "You sure took your sweet time getting here."
>You know that voice
>It's Umbra
>She steps out of the bathroom with a towel over her head
>As she finishes drying her hair she throws the towel on the floor and opens her eyes
>Her eyes are filled with lust
>And they're looking dead at you.
 
"Umbra is that you? Did the spell work?"
>She stares at you for a second before speaking up again
>"Of course it worked!" She says in a regal tone "I am a queen after all"
>You get up off the bed
"So uh...what are we doing here?"
>You see smile form on her face
>"You tell me." She says in a sultry tone "This is your dream after all."
"Yeah but I don't know what this means."
>Looking back at Umbra you can see that her gaze hasn't changed at all
>She looks like a lion hunting its prey
>"Well Anonymous..." She says "Since we're here all alone, why don't we have some fun."
>You swallow the lump in your throat
"Some f-fun?"
>She doesn't answer
>Instead she start walking towards you
"U-Umbra?!"
>As she gets closer to you, you try to back up only to be stopped by the bed
>"What's the matter Anonymous?" She says closing the distance between you two "Isn't this what you wanted?"
>You'd be lying if you said you didn't
>So why doesn't this feel right?!
>You should be pumped for this!
>Umbra finally reaches you
>Standing up she places a hoof on your chest and pushes you back onto the bed
>She climbs up onto the bed with you and begins to climb you
>Leaning down she whispers into your ear
>"Just relax Anonymous." She says "I'll make your dreams come true..."
 
>Umbra leans in and starts delivering soft kisses to your neck
>Each kiss she gives you feels like electricity on your skin
>You let out a small moan
>To which Umbra just giggles
>"Do you like that Anonymous?" She says still whispering in your ear
>All you do is nod
>"Good..." She says "Lets see how you like this..."
>You don't have time to react before she starts to nibble on your neck
>This isn't like when Celestia would nip at your neck
>Umbra's teeth are sharp as fuck
>It feels nice though
>Each time she bites down on your neck you can feel you partner in crime getting excited downstairs
>Umbra keeps switching from kissing, biting, to licking your neck
>You struggle not to let you urges take you
>It's not easy though
>Your struggling under her grabbing handfuls of the blanket under you and squirming about
>You're slipping
>Reaching up you grab and squeeze two handfuls of her flank
>Umbra jumps at your actions
>She looks back before looking back at you
>"My, someone is eager!" She says
"Look who's talking."
>Smiling she leans down and plants a kiss on your lips
>Her lips are so warm
>You can feel her tongue trying to break its way into your mouth
>Granting her access she slides her tongue into your mouth
>Both your tongues begin a battle for supremacy
>Did she have a forked tongue?
>Whatever you don't care, her mouth taste like cherries
>It's intoxicating
>Umbra breaks the kiss
>A trail of saliva connects your mouth together
>She sits up on you
>You can feel something moist on your abs
>She looks ready to go
>"I can't wait Anonymous..." She says with a hunger in her voice "I neeeeeed this..."
>She starts to move down your body giving you kisses on the way before she stops at your waist
>"I'm sorry Anonymous but these are going to have to go..."
 
>Umbra bites down on the edge of your boxers as she begins to pull them down
>Oh man this is really happening isn't it?
>And with Umbra no less?
>Umbra manages to free your member from its confines
>Her eyes light up as she takes her prize in her hoofs
>"It's bigger than I expected." She says in awe
>Aw yeah maximum ego boost
>Umbra move her head closer to your dick
>She begins to sniff it
>She looks like she is trying to get your scent
>Weird
>"I can smell your love Anonymous..." She says "It smells wonderful."
>After sniffing your dick Umbra starts kissing the tip
>Happening.jpeg
>Every kiss she gives you makes your dick twitch in pleasure
>Oh god how is she doing this to you?
>She's better at this then Celestia
>"Are you ready Anonymous?" She asks "I'm going to make you mine..."
>Sitting up you nod your head
"Yeah, I'm ready."
>Umbra opens her mouth and her tongue slithers out
>She begins to take you into her mouth while her tongue wraps around your dick
>Oh god she wrapping it tight around you
>Finally she has you in her mouth
>Your dick is so warm right now it feels amazing
>Her eyes meet yours as she begins to move her head up and down
>It's been way too long
>You need this
>As she moves her head, her tongue continues to dance around your penis keeping it nice and warm
>Oh god this is heaven
>You lay your head back down on the pillow as she works you
 
>You are Umbra
>As you lay in bed next to Anonymous you look through the book you acquired from Star Swirl
"Lets see..."
>Step 1: Make sure the subject is asleep.
>Looking over to Anonymous you see he is clearly sleeping
>Step 2: The caster must clear their mind as not to interfere with the subject's dream
>You take a second to clear your thoughts
>Stupid Anonymous talking to you like that!
>Who does he think you are?
>But for some reason a part of you liked when he talked to you like that
>Why?
>Shaking your head, you take a deep breath and clear your mind
>Step 3: Once step 1 and 2 are met cast the spell
>Your horn lights up as you begin to cast the spell
>A aura surrounds Anonymous's head
>As you look around your room the walls start to disappear and you are transported to Anonymous's dreams
>Closing your eyes you brace yourself
>...
>Opening your eyes you look around your surroundings
>You did it!
>You're in his dream
>This is amazing!
>You are sitting on the floor
>Behind you it looks like a chasm
>You can't tell where you are
>There is also a thick fog everywhere
>It's hard to see anything in front of you
"What kind of dream is this?"
>Getting up off the floor you walk down the path in front of you
>You need to find Anonymous
 
>As you walk down the strange path before you, you reach eventually reach something
>It's a sign
>"Welcome to Silent Hill."
>Silent Hill?
>That's a strange name
>Pressing on you notice that the town is devoid of life
>It's eerie
>Walking for a bit longer you seem to arrive at the center of the town
>Looking around you see and strange shape in the fog
>Almost the same shape as Anonymous
>You rush over to it
"Anonymous!"
>As you reach the shape
>You stop in your track when you see it's not Anonymous
>The thing in front of you is a human but he looks much different than Anonymous
>He turns around to face
>He had a brown jacket with a black and white undershirt and blue pants
>He seems to be holding what looks like a metal stick
>"Oh hello." He says "My name is Harry Mason."
>"And you are?"
 
>He extends his hand out towards you
>Placing your hoof in his hand you speak up
"I am Queen Umbra."
>"Queen?" He says with a chuckle "I suppose it wouldn't be the strangest thing I've seen or heard here."
>Perhaps he has seen Anonymous?
"Excuse me but have you seen another human like you? He's my friend and I'm worried about him..."
>He rubs the back of his head before he speaks up
>"I think I've seen someone walking around in their boxers." He says "I couldn't get a good look at him with this fog, but I think he went that way."
>He points to the right
"Thank you Harry, I have to go find him."
>As you turn to leave, Harry stops you
>"Wait you can't go alone!" He says "There are strange creatures on the street."
>Street? Is that what these are called?
"I'll be fine Harry, I am a Queen they won't be able to harm me."
>"But they're different from the ones I've seen, they're like you..."
>Like you?
"What do you mean?"
>"They look like bugs in a way." He says "They were following your friend around."
>Bugs?
>Oh no...
>Anonymous might be in danger!
"I have to go Harry, thank you for your help!"
>"Be careful Umbra..." He says "I hope you find your friend in time."
>As you turn to leave he stops you one more time
>"Umbra wait!" He says "Have you seen a little girl? Short, black hair?"
"I'm sorry, I haven't"
>He nods before pulling out what looks like a map
>"I guess off to the school I go then." he says before disappearing into the fog
>Turning around, you head down the street...
 
>As you gallop down the streets you think back to what Harry said
>Bugs...
>Dammit you only know of one type of bug pony
>Changelings
>But how are they here?
>Has Anonymous seen them before?
>You wonder if she's here
>That bitch they call a Queen
>There no way she could get here
>She's too much of an idiot
>Besides the only two ponies that can enter dreams are
>Luna
>And now you
>So many thoughts are running through your head
>All you know is you have to find Anonymous and protect him
>As you run down the street you eventually reach a large structure
>It looks different than the rest of the buildings here
>Walking up to the building you see another human peering into the door
>He's wearing a green jacket along with gray pants
>It looks like he's also holding a metal stick like Harry had
>As you walk up to him he spins around and readies his weapon
>You don't even flinch as you speak to him
"I suggest you lower your weapon human, I do not wish to hurt you."
>He looks at you surprised
>"What the?" He says "A talking pony?"
"I am no ordinary pony, I am Queen Umbra."
>"Queen Umbra?" He says as he extends his hand "I'm James, James Sunderland."
 
>Who are all these humans your meeting?
>You shake his hand
>"So what are you doing here?" He asks
"I'm looking for a friend, he's a human like you."
>"A human like me?" James says "I did see a guy walk in here."
>"Was he wearing nothing but boxer shorts?"
"Yes that's him."
>"I tired to talk to him." James says "But when I tried to open the door it was stuck."
>Looking through the door you see a nice looking lobby
>"I think he saw me as the elevator he was in closed."
"Why are you here James?"
>"I'm looking for someone." He says "My wife, Mary."
>Anonymous sure has some strange dreams
"It looks like we're both looking for someone then, we should stick together for the time being."
>"Yeah, just stick close to me, I won't let anything hurt you."
"I don't need protecting, I can handle myself."
>You try to open the door, but it remains in place
>"I've been trying to open this door for a while." James says "But no matter how hard I push it won't budge."
>Looking at him you turn around and kick the door in
>The door goes flying into the lobby
"There, now we can get in."
>James just looks at you as you trot inside
>"Yeah, I guess that works."
>He follows right behind you as you enter the building
 
>As you and James look around the lobby you come across a problem
>You have no idea where to start looking
>James runs behind the desk and starts rummaging around before pulling out a map
>"Umbra do you even know where to start looking?"
>You look away
"No, I don't."
>"I think I know where your friend is."
"What? How?"
>He points to a board with keys hanging from it
>"Well all the keys for the rooms are still here besides one."
"Which one? That must be where he is."
>"Room 717."
"Where's that?"
>"The 7th floor." He says "Here I'll call the elevator for you."
>James walks over to what he calls the elevator before pushing a button on the wall
"James what are you going to do?"
>He looks over to you
>"I'm gonna search this place starting from the ground floor." He says
>The doors open and you step inside
>"Just press the 7 Umbra and it should take you to the floor your friend is on."
"Thank you James, good luck finding your wife."
>Even though this is a dream and it won't matter when Anonymous wakes up
>As you press the 7 button with your horn the doors closes and you begin to move
>Thinking back to James and Harry you begin to wonder who they are
>Maybe you'll ask Anonymous about them
>As the door opens you step out into the hall
>You start looking at the doors until you find the one James talked about
>717
>This is it
>You're going to have to brace yourself for the worst
>Using you magic you begin to turn the handle
 
>You are Anon
>Umbra has just finished trying to milk you dry
>But she wants more
>The only problem is you don't think can keep going
>"Don't tell me you're done Anonymous..." She says as she starts to climb up your body again "We're just about to get to the main event."
>You groan as her horn starts to light up
>You can feel your dick being moved
>Umbra positions herself perfectly above you ready to take you in
>"Soon you will be all mine." She says as she starts to lower herself onto you
>Right as you two are about to be linked you both hear the door to the room open
>Looking you both see...
>Umbra?!
>Then who the hell is this?!
>"Get away from him!" She yells
>You sit up and push the impostor away from you
>She doesn't have time to catch herself before Umbra kicks her into a wall
>Or through the wall
>Holy shit that's some power
>Umbra turns to look at you, but before she can say anything her eyes shoot open when she sees your exposed man parts
>"Anonymous what's going on!" Umbra yells trying to control the blush on her face
"I-I thought she was you!"
>"But why are you dreaming about doing such things with m-me?!" She says throwing your underwear at you
"It's not my fault your attractive!"
>She looks at you, her blush is going crazy
>"Y-You think I'm attractive?" She says in a timid voice
"Well yeah, also you were laying it on pretty thick before I went to sleep."
>"I only did it because you were messing with me!" She yells
>Before you can say anything you hear laughter coming from the next room
>You know that laugh
>You heard it when Shining was getting hitched
>That's Chrysalis
 
>You look through the hole in the wall to see those eyes of hers light up in the darkness
>"I was so close..." You hear her say "So close to making you mine."
>As she steps through the hole you take a defensive stance
>"What the matter Anonymous?" Chrysalis says "Don't tell me you don't want this."
>As she says that she bats her eyelashes at you
>Fucking Chrysalis
>You admit even though she scares the hell out of you she was attractive
>When you left Canterlot a month ago you thought about going to see her at first
>Thank god you didn't
"Tell me something..."
>"What is it Anonymous I'll tell you ANYTHING." she says
"Are you the real Chrysalis? Or are you just part of this dream?"
>"Who knows I could be the real deal, or I could just be a part of your mind."
>She focus her eyes on you
>"It doesn't matter either way." She says "You gave in to me and I helped you relive yourself."
"That not fair! If I had known it was you-"
>"What? You would have stop?!" She cuts you off "Oh please Anonymous you needed it you wouldn't have stopped even if I had revealed myself, besides..."
"Besides what?"
>"You're a male, you have needs, and since you left Celestia no one has been there to satisfy those needs."
"How that hell do you know that?"
>She doesn't get a chance to reply because Umbra steps between you two
>"You're not the real Chrysalis." Umbra says with confidence
>"Oh and tell me, how would you know that?" Chrysalis replies
>"If you were the real Queen of the changelings you would be trying to tear me apart right now." Umbra says
>"And why would I do that?" Chrysalis says
>"Because of what I did to you and your children when you tried to overthrow me..."
 
>Wait, she knows Chrysalis?
>Chrysalis just stares down Umbra
>While Umbra does the same to her
"Umbra how do you know her?"
>"Her kind tried to sneak into my empire years ago." She says her eyes still focused on Chrysalis "I dealt with them."
>You'll have to ask her about this later
"Alright so if isn't this isn't the real Chrysalis what is it?"
>The fake Chrysalis begins to speak up
>"There's no point in trying to hid it anymore is there?" She says "I am a manifestation of your desires."
"My desires?"
>"Think about it, how long has it been since you've been with someone?" she says "Physically or emotionally."
>Thinking back it's been a long time
>The last time you remember was before you went to the other Equestria
"Then why are you here? Why now?"
>"You tell me." She says, looking back to Umbra "Perhaps somepony pushed you over the edge..."
>Umbra?
>"You're saying this is my fault then?" Umbra says
>"You were the one who pushed him!" Chrysalis yells getting in her face "You're the reason I'm here!"
>"And I'll be the reason you disappear!" Umbra says as her horn starts to glow
>"Ha! you can't get rid of me!" Chrysalis laughs "As long as he has needs I will always be a part of him!"
>"No." Umbra says while she charges up her spell "I know exactly how to get rid of you, when he wakes up I'll tell him how."
>"What?!" She yells "Do you plan to deal with his needs!?"
>Umbra doesn't answer her
>The fake Chrysalis growls before she starts to charge at her
"Damn you!" She yells "You can't get rid of me!"
>"This is goodbye." Umbra says as she gets ready to fire her spell
>But before she can shoot you feel something
>Grabbing your head again you fall down on your knees
>You don't feel lightheaded but instead you feel sheer pain
>It's like your skull is trying to crack open
>Closing your eyes a sound begins to fill the room
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KQwlSxl68Y
 
>When you open your eyes you see that the whole room has changed
>What was once nice looking hotel room now looked like a nightmare
>Everything has changed
>The walls are bloodstained
>The floor is made of metal
>The bed is dirty and torn apart
>The mirror above it has turned into an industrial fan
>Yeah this is Silent Hill alright...
>"Anonymous!" You hear Umbra yell as she runs over to you "Are you okay?! What happened?!"
"Ugh my head...Umbra where's Chrysalis?"
>Umbra points over to the hole in the wall
>When that sound started blaring she jumped back into the hole
>This isn't good
>You know how this works
>Umbra is in danger here
>Getting a hold of yourself you look at Umbra
"Umbra you need to get out of here, it's not safe..."
>"What?" She says looking at you with confusion "I can't leave you alone!"
"I don't want you to get hurt!"
>"I can handle myself Anonymous!" She says
>You start to hear noises coming from the other room
"Dammit Umbra we don't have time for this! Just get out and try to wake me up!"
>She looks back to the hole, then back to you
>"Fine..." She says "But you better stay safe until then."
"I promise."
>She looks at you before her horn lights up again
>As her horn lights up the and the rest of her body begins to glow before she starts to fade away leaving you alone
>Getting up on your feet you quietly leave the room
 
>Stepping out into the hall you notice that the hallway itself looks just like the room you left
>As you walk down the hall you start to hear loud noises coming from behind you
>Looking back you see nothing
"I need to get out of here..."
>Getting over to the elevator you press the call button
>The doors open and you step inside
>Even the elevator has changed
>Pressing the 1 button the doors close and you start to descend
>Leaning back against the wall you start to think to yourself
>Why can't you take control of your dream?
>It's YOUR dream dammit!
>You never had this problem before
>And now god only knows what's happening to that fake Chrysalis upstairs
>Come on Umbra what's taking so long?!
>The doors start to open and you step out of the elevator
>Only to stop in your tracks by the sight of a familiar Alicorn
>Luna
>"Hello Anonymous, how is this evening treating you tonight?" She says with a smile on her face
 
"Luna what the hell is going on?!"
>The smile on her face doesn't change
>"What ever do you mean Anonymous?" She says
"You know what I mean, look around dammit! Does this look normal to you?!"
>She looks around the now twisted looking hotel lobby
>"Your dreams are always so different than everyone else..." She says "Why is that?"
"I don't know! Can't you do something?!"
>"What do you want me to do?" She asks
"Oh I don't know get me out of here?"
>"But Anonymous..." She says "You don't seem to be in danger."
>Is she serious right now?!
>Does she not see what you see?
>Scratching the back of your head you decide to ask Luna about something that's been bothering you
"Luna I need to know something..."
>She looks back at you
"What happened last night? Why did you and Celestia put me through that?!"
>She tilts her head to the side
>"What are you talking about Anonymous?" She says "Sister and I did not visit your dreams last night."
>You give her a look
>Is she telling the truth?
>She doesn't look like she's lying
>But you can never tell with her
>You go to open your mouth, but before words can come out you hear a high pitch scream
>As you looks around the lobby you see it's starting to shake
>Looking up at the ceiling you see cracks starting to form on it
>With each thud you hear the cracks start to get bigger and bigger
>With one final thud the ceiling explodes and a black mass falls from it
>As it lands on the floor you lift an arm up to shield your eyes from the dust it kicks up
>Moving your arm you take a look at the black mass in front of you
>It's Chrysalis
>Or at least something that looks like her...
 
>Oh god
>She looks like something straight out of Homecoming
>The worst Silent Hill game
>You turn to look at Luna, who has a look of shock on her face
>"Anonymous what is that?!" She says, taking a defensive stance
>You can't tell her what that fake really is
>Time to lie
"I don't know I think I'm just having a fucked up nightmare!"
>Looking back at the monster in front of you it begins to speak
>"AnON WhERe ArE yOU GoiNG?!" It says in a distorted yet demonic voice
>"Anonymous stay back!" Luna yells as she gets in front of you "We shall handle this demon!"
>As you stand behind Luna the monster lets out another high pitch scream
>You cover your ears to block out the noise
>It feels like nails on a chalkboard
>When she stops screaming she charges at you and Luna
>Luna meets her head on and takes her down to the ground
>As they battle it out you start feeling strange again
>You start hearing a voice in your head again
>"Wake...Up...Anon...ymous!"
>Umbra?
>It feels like someone shaking you back and forth
>She must be trying her hardest to wake you up
>So why can't you wake up?!
>Looking back up you see the Luna winning the fight against the Chrysalis monster
>She keeps flying around it all the while blasting magic at it
>Until finally Luna hits it with one big blast of magic
>It screams in pain before it falls to the floor
>It just lays there the light in her eyes gone
>You were about to walk up to it before it melted into a pool of black goo
>Luna lands in front of you with a triumphant look on her face
"Is it...Dead?"
>"Yes Anonymous it is dead." Luna says turning around to face you "You are safe now."
>Luna proceeds to wrap you up in a hug
"Luna uh, personal space."
>She doesn't let you go
>Instead she looks up at you and begins to move her face closer to yours...
 
>You push Luna away in a hurry just before she kisses you
>"Anonymous!?" She yells "What are you doing?!"
"I could ask you the same thing!"
>"I just saved you Anonymous!" She yells her voice filled with anger "The least you could do is show thanks!"
"I wouldn't have needed saving if you had just fixed everything!"
>"So this is the thanks I get for saving you?!" She yells "You reject me once again?!"
>She starts walking up to you
>You start to back up only for your back to hit the elevator doors
>"Tell me..." She says as she keeps walking up to you "What does my sister have that I don't?"
>Come on Umbra!
>"TELL ME!" She yells in that royal whatever the fuck she called it voice, slamming her hoofs on the ground
>Dammit hurry up Umbra!
>She finally closes the distance between the two of you before she hooks her fore legs onto your shoulder
>"I'm tired of playing games." She whispers into your ear "I'm taking what is mine."
>She pulls her head back before moving in to kiss you
>You try to push her away, but your arms won't move
>Looking down you see Luna has pinned them against the elevator doors with her magic
>As she gets closer to you, you close your eyes
>...
>What's going on?
>You don't feel Luna on you anymore
>"Anonymous! WAKE UP!"
>Umbra?!
>Next thing you know you feel like you've been slapped as hard as you've ever been slapped
>The force behind the slap seem like enough to suck you out of your dream
>Opening your eyes you see Umbra
>Both her fore legs are on your shoulder
>She looks shaken
>You quickly pull her into a tight hug
>She squirms around for a bit shocked by your actions before she returns your hug
"Thank you Umbra, you saved me again it seems."
>"You idiot, I thought you would never wake up..." She says softly as she hugs you tighter "I was afraid."
>Umbra afraid?
>Yeah right...
"It's okay, I'm awake now."
>You and Umbra finally let go of each other
>It's at this time you finally notice she's sitting right on top your lap
 
>You start to blush like crazy again
>"Anonymous what's the matter?" Umbra says before she looks down
>Seeing exactly where she sitting she starts to blush as well
>She gets off your lap before speaking up again
>"I uh, I'm sorry for hurting you..." She says "It was the only thing I could do."
>Rubbing your cheek you can feel where she hit you
"I understand, I'm um glad you did it, I was in a tight spot there."
>"So everything worked out in the end, I suppose." She says not looking at you
>You laugh
"I guess it did."
>You two sit in an awkward silence for a moment before Umbra speaks up
>"Anonymous?" She says "Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah sure, what is it?
>"D-Do you really think I'm attractive?" She asks, trying to hid the blush growing on her face
>Oh shit you did let it slip when she caught you getting it on with the fake Umbra
"Of course I do, why would I lie to you?"
>"I just wanted to know if you truly meant it." She says "I-I think I know how to help you with your desires."
"Umbra where are you going with this?"
>"The fake Chrysalis said that you've been alone for quite some time." She says "Maybe if we sleep together in a way it will help you?"
"What do you mean s-sleep together?"
>Her face turns red
>"Not like that you fool!" She yells
"Then what?!"
>She looks at you with those red eyes of hers
>"You said you like to c-cuddle at night right?" She says "P-Perhaps if we sleep like that you'll sleep normally."
>No way
>Did she really suggest that?
>Hell it might work
"Are you okay with that though Umbra?"
>"Y-Yes..." She says, nodding her head "Like I said, it gets cold at night."
>She looks down at your arms
>"Y-You can keep me warm."
>Looking over at the clock you see it's barely 12
"Let me just splash some water on my face okay? Then I'll jump back into bed."
>She nods and you get up from the bed
>You start to make your way over to her bathroom feeling happy as you can be
 
>You are Umbra
>After telling Anonymous your plan to help him sleep, he asked you if he could just splash some water on his face real quick
>You allowed it
>He got out of bed and practically skipped over to your bathroom
>What have you gotten yourself into?
>As the door closed you could hear the water start to run
>Laying on your bed you can't get rid of the nervous feeling that fills your body
>You and Anonymous are going to be sleeping together
>Of course not like that but still...
>You're going to be wrapped up in his arms
>A part of you is nervous
>But a part of you is excited at the same time
>Why?
>You've only known Anonymous for a short time but yet you care about him so much
>When he wouldn't wake up you began to lose your composure
>You were scared he wouldn't wake up
>You did everything you could and he still wouldn't wake up
>You were panicking
>Your new found friend was trapped in his own and you might of been responsible for it
>With no other options left you had to strike him
>You hurt him...
>Even though he said it was fine and he was glad you did, you couldn't help but feel terrible
>You needed to make it up to him somehow
>But the question remained
>Why wouldn't he wake up?
>It seemed like something was keeping him from waking up
>Or someone...
>Your snapped out of your thoughts when you notice the sound of water running stopped in the bathroom
>You prepare yourself for what you see as your most difficult challenge yet...
 
>You are Anon
>You're standing in front of the sink in the bathroom
>You needed to clear your head before you tried to sleep again
>"Okay you can do this, It's just cuddling you did it all the time back in Canterlot."
>But that was with Celestia
>Now you're with a Queen of an empire
>Splashing some more water in your face you turn off the faucet
>You turn to the door and place you hand on the handle
>"It's go time."
>Opening the door you step out onto the cold floor and head back to the bed
>Looking at Umbra, she keeps taking glances at you
>She looks as nervous as you
>You don't blame her
>It seems like she doesn't get any male visitors
>Your heart is racing like crazy
>Shit you guys aren't even going to do the dirty tango
>Come on Anon get a hold of yourself!
>Getting into the bed you turn to face her
"A-Are you ready Umbra?"
>She looks at you
>"Y-Yes." She says "I'm ready."
"Are you sure this will work?"
>"I'm sure it will." She says nodding her head
>You laugh
"Alright Umbra, lets do this..."
 
>She nods her head again before you both lay back down on the bed
>You turn over to face Umbra, she does the same and faces you
"S-So how do you want to do this big spoon little spoon or face to face?"
>"W-Whatever makes you feel most comfortable Anonymous." She says, looking down
>Dammit she's adorable
>Reaching around you pull her into your chest and hold her tight
>You hear a slight *eep* escape from Umbra
>"Is t-this your favorite position?" She asks
"Yeah, I used to sleep like this all the time back home."
>You can feel her start to relax in your arms
>"Y-You're really w-warm Anonymous." She stutters "I-It's nice."
>Your hands start to drift down her back...
>"A-ANONYMOUS!?" She yells "Where are your hands going?!"
"Sorry! It's a bad habit..."
>Laughing you bring your hands back up
>You lay there in silence for a second before she speaks up again
>"Anonymous." Umbra says
>You look down at her to see she's looking up at you
"Yeah Umbra? Am I holding you too tight?"
>"No it's not that, I'm just..." she says before she plants a kiss on your chin
>Your face lights up like a Christmas tree
>"I-I'm sorry for hurting you..." She says her face is as red as yours "I hope you're not angry with me..."
"You're still on this? I told you I'm fine..."
>"That not the point you foo-" She's cut off as you plant a kiss on her head
"I'm fine...You did what you had to, I can't get angry at you for that."
>She doesn't say anything instead she nuzzles her head into your chest.
>"You f-fool." She says "Who gave you permission to kiss me?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
>"I'm a Queen, Anonymous." She says "I can do as I please."
>The two of you share a small laugh as the candles in the room start to die down
>"Goodnight Anonymous." Umbra says letting out a yawn
"Goodnight Umbra."
>Your eyes begin to close as you fall asleep with Umbra in your arms
 
>As the next day rolled around you awoke to find Umbra's head resting on your chest, your arm still around her
>The two of you must of switched around during the night
>Wiping the sleep from your eyes you could say you finally had a good nights rest
>Looks like Umbra's plan worked
>You had a normal dream for once, nothing to crazy or scary
>Best of all Luna didn't show up
>Looking down at Umbra she seemed to still be asleep judging by her snoring
>Thank god they were quiet snores though
>It was cute
>You carefully ran your hand across her side
>As you did this Umbra would mumble in her sleep
>Most of it you couldn't understand, she was too quiet
>"Anon..." She mumbles
>She too cute when she sleeps
>Glancing over to the clock you checked what time it is
>It was barely turning 6
>It's almost time for training
>Letting out a mental groan you decide it was time to get up
>The only problem is you didn't want to wake Umbra up
>You slipped your hand in between your chest and her head
>Slowly lifting her head you place her back down on a pillow
>You started to slowly sit up as to not disturb her
>You were about turn to get up but next thing you know Umbra wrapped her hooves around your arm, not letting you go
>Dammit
>As much as you really wanted to stay in bed with her, you had to get to training
>Looking around you found her plush crystal
>Grabbing it you started to remove your arm from her grasps
>Just like Indiana Jones you switch in the crystal for your arm in a flash
>She quickly began to snuggle with the crystal
>She looks so peaceful
>Smiling you got up from the bed and grabbed your clothes off the chair
>Heading to the door you opened it slowly and left the room...
 
>Exiting the room the two guards on watch stop you
>"Halt you!" One of them says "Where do you think you-"
>You grab and hold his mouth shut
>You start to speak in a hushed tone
"Jesus keep it down she's still asleep!"
>He nods before you let him go
"Good, I'm going to practice alright? No need to freak out."
>He nods and you continue walking down the hall until you reach your room
>Getting dressed in your gear you head back out of your room and down to Credo's workshop
>Entering the room you see him hard at work
>"Oh Anon!" He yells "How are ya this morning?"
"I'm good, hey can you do me a favor?"
>"Sure Anon, what is it?"
"I was wondering if you could watch my stuff for me while I go to practice."
>"Oh course I will Anon!" He says "Good luck with today."
>Nodding your head you head out the door in Credo workshop and walk to the training grounds
>It's colder than usual today
>Arthas is already waiting for you
>Jesus, what time does he wake up?
>"Anonymous you're here early." He says "That's a good way to get on my good side."
>Not like you wanted to be here right now
>You're still kinda mad you had to leave Umbra alone in bed
>Looking around you notice it's just you two out here
"So what? We gotta wait for the others again?"
>"Yes Anonymous." He says "While we have this time to ourselves, lets practice how you handle a sword."
>You shrug your shoulders and grab your dummy sword off the rack
>While you practice swinging Arthas keeps giving you pointers on how to swing a sword properly
>It's more along the lines of yelling at you
>It's not long until the others arrive again
>"Yo Anon!" Lance says "You look like you had a good night!"
"Is it that easy to tell?"
>"You got a big dumb grin on your face." Biggs says "Something must of made you happy last night."
>Laughing you all line up and get ready for training
>Those 2 bits are as good as yours
 
>You are Umbra
>You eyes slowly began to open only for them to shut again due to the sunlight coming through the window
>When you finally open your eyes again you take a look around your room
>Anonymous is no where to be found...
>Looking at the clock you see it's 7
"His training, Of course..."
>You wish he had stayed here until you woke up
>He was so warm
>Looking down you see you're holding your plush crystal
>Anonymous must of placed it there for you before you left
>Smiling you think back to the events of last night
>Aside from dealing with his dream, it was one of the best nights you've ever had
>It was nice having someone to share your bed with
>Especially when that person holds you in their arms, keeping you warm at night
>And the two of you kissed one another last night
>It may have not been an actual kiss. but a kiss none the less
>As you think back to it your heart begins to flutter
>Why?
>A knock on your door snaps you from your thoughts
>"Lady Umbra are you awake?" you hear a voice say
>It sounds like Ariadne
"Yes I'm awake Ariadne give me a second."
>Wiping the sleep from your eyes, you get out of bed and head to the doors
>As you open them Ariadne hops in
>"Good morning lady Umbra!" She says with a bow
"Good morning Ariadne."
>As she gets to work fixing up your room you make your way to the bathroom to prepare for the day ahead of you
 
>Stepping into the bathroom you hopped into the shower and turned it on
>As the water poured over you, you started to stretch
>Grabbing the shampoo and conditioner you began to wash yourself
>You begin to wonder what the day has in store for you
>Day court
>Meeting with the captains in the war room
>And other such meeting around the city
>All you know is you wanted to get through it quickly so that you spend tonight with Anonymous again
>The plan to stay with him throughout the night seemed to work
>But you were still worried that more nightmares would plague him during the night
>You needed to stay next to him in case the worst happened
>Finally done with your shower you turned off the shower and stepped out
>Grabbing a towel off the rack you began drying yourself off
>You still wonder why Anonymous couldn't wake up
>The last nightmare he had didn't require you to strike him
>Perhaps you entering his dreams had something to do with it?
>Drying yourself off, you pushed the question to the back of your mind
"The answers will come in time I suppose."
>Stepping out of the bathroom you walked over to Ariadne
>"Lady Umbra I have your clothes ready for you!" she says
>Getting dressed Ariadne started to speak up
>"Lady Umbra?" She asked
"Yes Ariadne?"
>"Did you sleep funny last night?" She says "Your bed was more out of place than it usually is, like somepony else was sleeping with you."
>You can feel a small blush works its way across your face
"U-Uh yes Ariadne, I did sleep funny last night, I was so tired yesterday that I just fell on my bed I didn't properly tuck myself in."
>"Hmm..." She says "But I could of sworn you went to sleep early last night."
>You hold your breath as you watch Ariadne think
>"Well being a Queen must be tiring I suppose!" She says with a smile
>Sighing you finished getting dressed and made your way out of the room with Ariadne
 
>Walking down the stairs into the main hall Ariadne said goodbye to you and went about her duties
>As you entered the dining room you took a seat at the table
>Edith came out to take your order
>"Do you want the usual for breakfast?"
>You nod and she heads back into the kitchen again
>You're so used to your morning routine that you want to do something different for a change
>Looking towards the window you get up and walk towards it
>Looking outside you see the training grounds outside
>You notice Anonymous and the others lifting weights outside
>Looking at his face it seems like he's having a fun workout
>At least Arthas isn't too hard on him
>Though you can see that Arthas keeps adding on to what he's lifting
>Yet the look of determination never leaves Anonymous's face
>Hearing Edith come back out you look to see she's carrying your breakfast
>Sitting back down in your chair she place your fruit bowl in front of you
>"Watching Anonymous lady Umbra?" She asks before laughing "He seems to be doing well."
"Yes he is, at this rate Arthas will have no choice but to move them up."
>You take a bite out your breakfast
>"I'm sure he'll make a wonderful addition to the guard." She says, taking a seat
>"You have quite the day ahead of you don't you lady Umbra?" Edith says "I assume the preparations for the festival will keep you busy today."
>Ugh the festival
>Every year you have a festival celebrating the day the empire was created
>The organizers are always a pain to deal with
"Yes it will be no doubt exhausting, but it's all for the citizens of the empire."
>You and Edith continue to talk for some time before you glance at the time
"It's almost time for day court."
>Getting up you bid Edith farewell and head out of the dining room
>As you arrive at the throne room you see a long line of ponies all ready to see you
>Walking up to your throne you take a seat and get comfortable before motioning to your guards
"Lets begin, guards open the door!"
 
>Ponies of every single type began to enter your throne room in a single file line
>Luckily you ran your empire right, so no major issues came up
>Ponies would ask you for simple things such as
>More Food
>Help with something
>Security
>Simple things...
>As you powered through the day court you couldn't help but feel bored
>Day court was never interesting for you
>Anonymous told you he actually like watching the sun princess do her day court
>You wish you could share his enthusiasm
>As you finished up with the last of the ponies seeking something from you, you let out a sigh of relief, thankful that you made it through another day of boredom
>Now having a moment to yourself you checked the time
>It's almost noon
"Anonymous must be done with training by now."
>Unfortunately due to your schedule today you wouldn't be able to see him until dinner
>Hearing the door open you see Arthas poke his head in
>"Ah my Queen." He says "Are you ready for the meeting?"
"I am, I just finished up here, lets go."
>You get up and head over to the door
>As you walk with Arthas up to the 3rd floor you decide to ask him about Anonymous
"So how did he do today?"
>"He did well..." Arthas says "He won his two bits for today."
"Excellent!"
>"He seemed really motivated today unlike yesterday." He says "Perhaps something changed?"
>You smile at that
>After a short walk you and Arthas finally arrive at the war room
 
>Entering the war room you see your 4 other captains already waiting for you
>They all salute you as you enter
>As you take a seat in your chair the other take their seats as well
"Well then lets begin."
>You begin to discuses with your other captains the state of your empire
>You talk about many things such as
>Criminals in the dungeon
>Reports from guards on the wall
>And current recruits
>"Lady Umbra we have one last thing we need to discuses, the guard situation for the festival this year." Arthas says
>Yes that's true
>Even though you wished everyone could enjoy the festival, you couldn't leave your empire defenseless
"Is there anyway we can make it a fun time for everyone? I'd hate for even one soul to miss out on the festival."
>"Not really..." Arthas says "Unless you want the empire to be defenseless, or a repeat of that one year."
>You tried a few years back to explain to Arthas that hardly anyone comes up here
>What harm could it be if everyone took the night off?
>That night prisoners escaped from the dungeon and broke into some of the shops
>They were rounded up quickly but the damage was done
>Arthas would never let you hear the end of it
"Perhaps we can get a list of the guards who were on duty last year and give them the night off?"
>"That could work." Arthas says
"Excellent! Also I was thinking we could have the chefs make cakes for those on the wall along with drinks."
>Arthas give you a look of disapproval
"Non-Alcoholic of course, something like juice or soda no mead, wine, etc."
>He nods his head
>"I suppose that would work." He says "While the guards from last year enjoy themselves to the fullest, the ones on the wall won't feel too left out."
"So we're in agreement then?"
>Looking around you see everyone nods their heads in agreement
"Wonderful! This meeting is dismissed then, all of you enjoy the rest of your day."
>You had one last thing on the list today
>Dealing with the preparations for the festival
>Oh joy
 
>Making your way out of the war room you traveled down the stairs to main hall
>Upon arriving you see the festival organizers already waiting for you
>You motioned them to follow you to one of the rooms you used for holding non-military meetings
>Taking a seat you see them setting up their charts and paperwork
>You hated this time of the year just because of the work they put you through
>You notice that Ariadne manage to sneak into the room with a cup of tea and a muffin for you
>"Here lady Umbra..." She whispers placing them on the table "Good luck with them."
>With that she sneaks back out the room
>Thankful that you finally have something to eat, you take a bite out of the muffin
>Chocolate
>"Alright lady Umbra, I think we're ready to get started!" The pink mare with a white mane says
>As you meet with the festival organizers you "discuses" things regarding the festival such as
>Food
>Refreshments
>Decorations
>Firework locations
>Entertainment
>And your attire for the evening
>As you approve of these the organizers keep shoving more paperwork for you to sign
>Thank goodness for magic
>As you sign the last of the paperwork you look up to see a determined party organizer
>Here we go again
>"Lady Umbra..." She starts out
"No."
>"But you don't even know what I'm going to ask!" She says
"No I know, the answer is still no."
>"Lady Umbra we go through this every year!" She says "I think it's time."
"I don't think it's time. My answer remains the same"
>Every year you go through this song an dance with her
>You swear it gets harder to tell her no
>"Lady Umbra please!" She says as she pulls out a list from her bag "Here look, it's a list of gentlecolts who are ready to accompany you this year."
>The list itself goes from the end of the table she's standing at to where you're sitting
>"I'm sure somepony will catch your eye!" She says with a smile on her face
>You groan before laying your head down on the table
 
>Raising your head again you glance at the list in front of you
>All the stallions on this list are nothing but arrogant ponies
>You horn begins to glow as you roll up the list
>"Lady Umbra!?" The pink mare says as she unrolls the list again "You need to choose someone!"
"Not when the list is full of stallions like these."
>"Why not?!" She says "You're a Queen, you only deserve the best!"
"Exactly, these stallions unfortunately do not meet that criteria."
>"What do you mean?!" She starts to yell
>As she rambles on about how every stallion on the list seems like a suitable candidate you place your head back down on the table
>There was no way you would go with any of those stallions
>You know how they are
>All of them would talk about you like you were some prized they won
>They would bore you with their uninteresting stories
>They would somehow think this was the first step towards marriage
>Not to mention each of them looked like boring company to you
>You sighed
>There had to be a way out of this...
>Your mind began to drift once again, this time to Anonymous
>You wonder what he was doing right now
>Whatever it was it must be more fun than this...
>At that moment you came up with a brilliant plan
>Anonymous!
>Yes of course!
>You could spend the evening with him and actually enjoy it
>Sitting back up you placed your hooves on the table
"I think I know someone I wouldn't mind going with!"
>"Excellent!" The mare says "I knew you'd come around, So who's the lucky stallion?!"
>You push the list away
"None of them, I was planning on asking my friend Anonymous to accompany me."
>"Your friend Anonymous?" She asks "Wait is he that strange creature you were showing around the empire the other day?"
>You nod
>"Absolutely not!" She yells "You are a Queen of an empire and he is just some strange looking animal!"
 
>Your entire mood shifts at the word animal
>You get up from your chair and begin to walk over to mare
>As you walk over to her you see panic beginning to fill her eyes
>"Lady Umbra?" She says as she fidgets in her chair
>Your gaze never falters
"You say he is an animal, yet you have never had a conversation with him..."
>Panic begins to turn to fear
>"I-I'm sorry my Queen!" She pleads "I never meant any disrespect!"
"Oh really? You don't know him, yet you think it's okay to call him an animal?!"
>As you finally near her she jumps out of her seat and gets down to your hooves
"You don't know him like I do, what give you the right to call him something he's not!"
>The mare is now grovelling at your hooves
>You look to the other organizers that can only watch as you strike fear into this mare heart
>"P-Please forgive me my Queen." She says her voice beginning to tremble "I-I was out of line..."
>You lean down and whisper into her ear
"Next time you insult Anonymous, I will make it so that you never speak another word in your life..."
>She starts to breakdown in tears in front of you.
>"I-I'm s-sorry..." She says "P-Please forgive m-me."
>You take a deep breath
>Exhaling you look back down at her
"You're forgiven, next time you have something to say about Anonymous, keep it to yourself if you wish to keep your tongue."
>"Thank you my Queen!" She says as she begins to kiss your hooves "Thank you!"
>You turn to face the other organizers
"Anyone else object to me attending the festival with Anonymous?!"
>They all quickly shake their heads
"Good. I think we're done here then."
>Looking at the clock you see it's almost dinner
>Leaving the room you head over to the dinning room
 
>As you enter the dining room you spot Anonymous sitting at the table
>Upon noticing you he waves
>You'll have to tell him that he is to accompany you to the festival
>Heading over to him you take a seat in your chair
>"Hey Umbra how was your day?" He asks
>You sigh
"Exhausting to say the least, how about you Anonymous?"
>He pulls two bits out of his pocket
>"I'm up to four now!" He says with a smile on his face "Three more challenges to win and I'll have all ten!"
"That's wonderful Anonymous, how did you win them today?"
>"A lifting competition." He says "Arthas wanted to see which one of us could lift the most weight."
>He puts the 2 bits back into his pockets
>"So what about you?" He asks
"Just the usual day court along with a meeting with the captains."
>"Sounds fun..."
"It wasn't."
>He laughs as Edith comes out to take your order
>Ordering your food you and Anonymous ate dinner together talking about your days
>After eating dinner you and Anonymous retired back to your bedroom
>You were eager to sleep, but you still needed to ask Anonymous to the festival
>He quickly got undressed and hopped into bed
>After getting ready for bed yourself you hopped into bed with Anonymous
>"So Umbra what was it you wanted to ask me?" He says
>Yes now that the two of you are in bed it was time to ask him
>You were afraid he'd say no
>What if he has other plans?
>Mustering up the courage, you began to speak
 
"Anonymous, has anyone told you about a special event we are going to have soon?"
>He puts his hand on his head as if he thinking back
>"I think Lance had mentioned something about a big party you guys were gonna have."
"Did you ask him what it was about?"
>"He said something along the lines of, it's a night for picking up mares to take home."
>Your eye twitches a bit there
"That fool! No that not what the festival is for!"
>Anonymous jumps at your sudden out burst
>"Jeez don't yell at me!" He say putting his hands up "That's just what he said."
>You sigh while rubbing your head
"Do you actually know what it's about?"
>He shakes his head
>"No, when I asked Biggs he also said it was a night for picking up mares." He says "And Wedge said it was a night for drinking."
>You groan
>You hope Anonymous doesn't get influenced by those idiots
 
>"They invited me to go with them." He adds
>Your eyes dart back to Anonymous
>The thought of him going to pick up mares with those idiots filled you with a strange feeling you've never felt before
>But what was it?
>Shaking your head you speak up again
"I swear those three...No Anonymous, the festival is to celebrate the founding of my empire."
>He throws his head
>"Oh okay, I see now." He says "That's why they said it was like a city wide party."
"Yes. but there's something else."
>He looks at you with an eyebrow raised
"While it's true that most ponies celebrate in the streets. I have to host an opening ceremony here at the castle for the higher class ponies."
>You look away
"Remember when I told you about the party organizer I had a problem with this afternoon?"
>"Yeah you she called me an animal and you didn't take too kindly to that so you scared the hell out of her."
"Yes, well the reason you were even brought up in the first place is because I asked if you could be the one to accompany me to the party..."
>"Wait, say what?" He says "Me?"
>You nod
"They wanted me to go with some high class stallion, which I said no."
>"Why?" Anonymous asks "I'm not the most classy of guys to go to a fancy party with."
"That's why I ant you to go with me, You're not like them, they're nothing but arrogant, besides..."
>Looking back to Anonymous you swallow the lump in your throat
"I know that I would have more fun with you than I ever would with them them."
>He laughs
>"Well I don't mean to brag, but I kinda am a party animal." He says ginning
>Now it's your turn to laugh
"So I was wondering...If you would be so kind as to accompany me to the party."
>Time seems to slow down
>You hold your breath as you wait for Anonymous to answer you
>He puts a finger on his chin and thinks before looking back to you
>"Umbra, I would be honored to go with you." He says "Count me in."
 
>You throw you hooves around Anonymous's neck and pull him close
"Thank you so much Anonymous! I was afraid you would say no..."
>"And why would I do that?" He says "I can't leave you hanging!"
>You smile before nuzzling your head into his chest
"That's right, you can't."
>He laughs as he brings his arms around you
>"We might have a problem though..." He says
>You look up at him
"What?"
>"Unless you don't mind me wearing my usual outfit, I don't have anything formal to wear party wise."
>Curses
"I guess I'll just have to Seth make you something again."
>"Am I going to have to pay for it?"
"No, it will be a Queens order that he makes them, we'll pay him."
>"Okay good." Anonymous says "I still have to buy my pajama pants from him."
>You laugh before nuzzling back into his chest
>"So when is this festival?" He asks
"In a few days probably after you earn your ten bits."
>"Okay good."
>Anonymous starts to lay back down on the bed bringing you with him
>As you both get comfortable you speak up
"Anonymous."
>"Yeah?"
>You start to blush
"I think I could get used to sleeping like this."
>He laughs before squeezing you tighter
>"Me too Umbra, Me too."
>It's been such a busy day
>So busy that you're not able to keep your eyes open for long
>You yawn before you close your eyes letting sleep take you
 
>You are Anon
>Opening your eyes you look over to the clock
>It's still pretty early, you can just lay in bed for right now
>Looking towards the window you can see the sky is a mix of blue, purple, and orange
>You let out a morning yawn before laying your head back down on the pillow
>Laying there you start to shiver in bed
>It's colder than usual this morning
>What are you saying? it's cold every morning
>You shake your head
"God I'll never get used to this weather..."
>Reaching down you pull the blanket up over you and Umbra
>Speaking of Umbra
>She's clinging to your body again
>Sleeping as peaceful as she can be
>Her mouth is slightly open and she's snoring again
>You start to slowly move your hand across her body again
>As you do this she lets out a content sigh as she nuzzles into you more
>You smile
>You wonder what other ponies would do to be in your position right now
>As you continue to pet her you look back up at the ceiling
>You sigh and begin thinking to yourself
>What are you doing Anon?
>With Umbra you mean...
 
>By that you mean your relationship with her
>Are you two just really close friends or are you something more?
>Your heart says something more
>But your brain is telling you no, just friends stop being stupid
>Dammit this is annoying
>You care about her that's for sure
>You love talking to her and spending time with her
>And sleeping like this is fun for both of you...
>But then again your brain is telling you no, that this is a bad idea
>Maybe you just feel this way because she saved your life
>Without her you just be a body in the snow right now
>Maybe you feel indebted to her...
>Then again
>You don't want to get hurt again
>Sure Umbra doesn't seem like the type to cheat or anything but
>What if something happened?
>And you don't me between you and her
>You mean in general
>You'd be alone again
>And that's a feeling you don't want to experience again
>Sighing again you look back at Umbra, you're still running your hand up and down her side
>You think about the festival coming up soon
>You practically have a date with her
>You and her together in front of her citizens
>Who knows what's gonna happen that night?
"I guess we'll know that night won't we?"
>Looking back over to the clock you see it's about time to go
>As you try to get up Umbra holds you in place
>Her grip tightens on you before you hear something
>"No...Stay." She says as she opens her eyes slowly
>Oh shit did you just wake her up?!
 
"U-Umbra?"
>She just nuzzles into your side
>"I said stay..." She says "That's a Queen's orders..."
>You smile and decide to play along with her
>Relaxing you put your arm around her and pull her in some more
>Her grip on you relaxes a bit now that she thinks you're not going anywhere
>You chuckle before whispering into her ear
"You know I have to go right?"
>"No." She whispers back "I said to stay and that is what you will do."
"But if I don't get going soon Arthas will bite my head off."
>"Not while I'm around he won't." She says before she yawns again "I won't allow him to yell at you."
>You can feel your heart skipping a beat
>Too cute
>When you look at Umbra now she doesn't look like a Queen, but as someone who knows what it's like to be alone
>Maybe that's why she won't let you go
"Umbra you gotta let me go so I can get to training."
>She grunts
>"No, you left me alone yesterday and I was freezing here by myself, I won't allow you to go again."
"I didn't mean to Umbra, I had to go like I do right now."
>She grumbles and curses before finally releasing you from her grip
>"You're so mean Anonymous, you know that?" She says as you get up
"Yeah I'm a jerk I know, but I promise one day I won't go anywhere."
>"You better honor your word then Anonymous." She says "I don't like being lied to."
>Getting up you turn around and make sure Umbra is covered in her blanket
>As you cover her up she snuggles into her blanket before she says something to you
>"Good luck today Anonymous, I'll see you later."
>You nod and she closes her eyes as she tries to sleep again
>Heading back to your room you get ready and head down to the training grounds
 
>As you head towards the grounds you see Lance, Biggs, and Wedge are already there
>You run up to them and take your place next to Wedge
>"You're late Anonymous." Arthas says
"I know, sorry!"
>Arthas shakes his head
>"No matter, as you all know the festival is coming up soon." He says pacing back and forth "I assume you all have plans?"
>"Yeah we do!" Lance yells in a excited tone "The festival is the perfect time to pick up mares!"
>Lance and Biggs proceed to "high hoof" each other while laughing
>Jesus these two...
>Arthas places a hoof on his head and shakes his head before turning to Wedge
>"I'm just going to go drinking with these two." Wedge says "I have no intention of picking up some mare."
>Arthas just nods before turning to face you
>"What about you Anonymous?" He asks "Do you have any plans for the festival?"
>Biggs starts to chime in
>"Yeah Anon you gonna come drink with us or what?" He says "We were thinking of asking Credo to come along."
>Oh shit Credo might go?
>Damn that sounds like fun
>Looking at the guys they look like they really want you to go
>But shit you already have plans
>Clearing your throat you speak up
"Actually I have plans...With Umbra, she asked me to accompany her to the festival."
>They all look at you with shocked expressions on their faces
"W-What?!"
>"You're going to attend the opening ceremony with the Queen?!" Lance yells "Dude you need to get us in there!"
>Say what now?
 
"I'm sorry?!"
>"You heard me!" Lance says "You gotta get us into that party!"
>"Absolutely not!" Arthas yells "This is not that type of party."
>"Anon, come on, you gotta, we ask Arthas every year to lets us in..." Lance says
>"And every year I say no!" Arthas cuts him off "This is a party for the most dignified of ponies here in the empire."
>"None of you unfortunately qualify." He says
>Lance looks angry
>"Then why does Credo get invited?" Biggs says "He's not the fanciest of ponies either."
>"Credo gets invited for the same reason I get invited, our positions." Arthas says turning to Biggs "I'm head captain and he's the royal blacksmith."
>"Oi did I hear someone call my name?" You hear a voice call out
>Looking behind you, you see Credo making his way towards you
>"Yes, I apologize Credo." Arthas says "I was telling them how we get invited to the opening ceremonies."
>"Oh for the festival!" Credo says "Bah, it's not my kind of party."
>"Then why do you show up?" Arthas says "I've seen you there every year."
>"I show up for lady Umbra of course!" Credo says "She always looks so bored during the parties, so I keep her company for a bit before I head out to drink."
>Arthas nods
>"Hey Credo did you know Anon going to go with lady Umbra to the festival this year?!" Lance says
>Credo turns to you and pats you on the back
>"I knew you had something for her!" He says "Good on ya lad!"
"Actually she invited me."
>Credo pats you harder on the back
>"That's impressive Anon!" He says "This will be the first time SHE ever brought someone."
>He laughs before Biggs speaks up
>"So what does that mean? you can't come drinking with us now Anon?!" Biggs says
"I don't know really if I can now."
>You all stand there, deep in thought trying to figure something before Credo speaks up
 
>"I think I have a solution to our problems." He says
"What?"
>"Simple we bring Lance, Biggs, and Wedge with us to the opening ceremony..."
>As Credo says that all three of their faces light up in joy
>While Arthas has a look of confusion on his face
>"And after we've spent some time with lady Umbra, we all excuse ourselves quietly and go drinking like the stallions we are!"
>You think about it
>That doesn't sound like a bad plan at all
>Go hang out with Umbra for a bit
>Then go drinking with the guys
>It could work
>While Lance and Biggs get excited, Arthas pulls you and Credo to the side
>"You can't be serious Credo!" Arthas whispers "They can't attend this type of party!"
>"Ah it's fine!" Credo says "As long as they behave themselves it should be fine."
>Arthas grumbles before turning to you
>"Then you ask lady Umbra for them to come!" He says "I'm not getting in trouble for when they eventually mess something up!"
"Yeah, alright, I'll ask her."
>Arthas sighs and the three of you head back over to the others
>Looking over to Arthas, you can see he's clearly nervous
>You wonder what he's thinking about
>Maybe it's about the party...
 
>As you get back to the others Arthas speaks up
>"Okay if you three are going to come with us then we need to lay down some rules."
>They all nod their heads
>"Rule number one, You will not act like your usual selves, you will behave." Arthas says as he paces back and forth again
>"Rule number two, You will stay with Anonymous at all times, no going off on your own."
>"Rule number three, No drinking, you can do that after you leave the castle."
>"And one final note." Arthas says turning to face them "Do you all have something formal to wear?"
>They all nod once again
>"Good, try to look nice on that night." He says "Now that we got that out of the way lets get to practice."
>You wave goodbye to Credo and follow Arthas and the others to the training ground
>"Since we wasted some time on the party discussion, I suppose we can just move onto the challenge for today."
>You and the others reach the arena
>Arthas hops into the arena before turning around to face you
>"For today I'm going to test your agility in combat."
"Our agility?"
>"Yes." He says "I want to see who is the quickest on their hooves."
"So how are we gonna do this?"
>"I'm glad you asked Anonymous!" He says "I will be testing all of you."
>He will?
"We're gonna fight you?"
>"No, none of you could beat me alone right now." He says shaking his head "I'm going to try and hit you, I want you to dodge my strikes for as long as you can."
>You nod
"Alright, seems easy enough!"
>Arthas laughs
>"Don't get cocky now Anonymous." He says looking over to Biggs "You're up first."
>"Wish me luck guys!" He says hopping into the arena
>You and the others take a seat on the floor and get ready to watch the match
 
>Well you expected this
>Biggs didn't even last a minute against Arthas
>He tried though, you'll give him that
>But he was just too slow
>He ended up getting whacked in the face by Arthas's hoof like thirty seconds in
>After him it was Wedge's turn
>He actually lasted a bit longer, but not by that much though
>You wanna say about a minute and ten seconds?
>Arthas ended up confusing him to the point where he pretty much judo chopped his neck
>And then it was Lance's turn
>Lance now, oh boy he was able to last the longest
>He kept zipping around and shit
>Two whole minutes before Arthas finally got him
>Instead of trying to hit Lance we threw a punch at where Lance was gonna go
>It worked and Arthas's hoof collided with Lance's gut
>Arthas said something along the lines of "after a while you became predictable."
>Damn
>Now that Lance holds that record, you're going to have to last at least more than two minutes against Arthas
>But you have a plan thankfully
>And none of the others were able to figure it out
>"Come on Anonymous!" Arthas yells "We don't have all day!"
>You smile, getting up you hop into the arena and face Arthas
>"Are you ready Anonymous?" Arthas asks "Like I told the others, do whatever you wanna do, all you have to do is last more than two minutes."
>You nod
"I'm ready, let's do this!"
 
>Arthas nods his head
>"Let's begin then!" He shouts
>Like a instant he's rushing straight at you
>How old is this guy again?!
>He looks like a blur in your eyes
>AS he gets closer you see he's about to strike
>You manage to move your head before he connects
>Shit that was close!
>Not giving you a chance to think Arthas rears up for another strike
>As Arthas keeps swinging you keep dogging
>Moving back is really your only strategy at the moment
>At this rate Arthas is gonna get you!
>You've already past Biggs's time and you're closing in on Wedge's
>But at this rate you won't beat Lance!
>You're having a hard time keeping up with this guy
>All those of years of serving Umbra are showing now
>You hope this plan of yours works
>All you need to do is get in close without getting hit
>Arthas isn't making that easy though
>As you make some distance Arthas you place your hands on your knees to try catch your breath
>Arthas doesn't let up, in a flash he's right on you again, getting ready to hit you with an uppercut
 
>Arthas swings and you lean back enough that his hoof barely misses your chin
>But you lean back to far that you fall on the floor
>Landing on your butt you look up to see Arthas preparing to stomp
>Shit!
>You roll out way just before he connects
>"Anon you just beat my time!" You hear Wedge yell
>Good, just 41 more seconds left
>Getting back on one knee Arthas turns to look at you
>"You're a slippery one Anonymous." He says "How'd you learn to move this well?"
>You think he'd give you a chance to answer
>You would be wrong
>He charges at you once again
>Looking at Arthas you can tell how he's going to strike
>If you can dodge this strike it'll leave him wide open, giving you a chance to put your plan into motion!
>Rushing in you spot the look of confusion on his
>You smile
>As Arthas throws his punch and you evade it by pushing his hoof in a different direction and going over to his side
>Now's your chance!
>You grab hold of his cape and pull it over his head making sure it's snug
>"What in the world?!" He says
>Arthas is taken back by your actions as he starts flailing around
>Avoiding his hooves you get close and push him to the ground
>You see Arthas struggle on the ground to get back up
>Huffing you finally get a chance to speak
"I *huff* learned to move like that *huff* because I used to spar with a pony back before I came here."
>You're referring to Shining
>Arthas still is trying to get out of his current predicament
>Your heart finally settles down and you start to catch your breath
"I didn't really know what I was doing fighting wise, so I did my best to avoid his magic."
>You take a seat on the floor
"I guess I just got good at dodging."
>Arthas finally unwraps himself from his cape before looking around to find you
>"What are you doing?" He asks getting back up "Why are you sitting down?"
>You smile and look up at him
"3...2...1..."
>His eyes widen as Lance speaks up
>"Yup!" Lance calls out "Anon beat my time!"
 
>Arthas looks over to Lance for a moment before looking back to you
>Smiling he extends his hoof towards you
>"I suppose you did." Arthas says "Congratulations Anonymous on another job well done."
>You grab his hoof and he helps you up
>"That quick mind of yours is impressive." He says as you two make your way out of the arena
"I wouldn't say it was a quick mind, I came up with that plan right after you beat Biggs."
>"Ah so you knew what you were going to do from the start?"
"That's right, the only thing was trying to get close."
>You laugh
"You didn't make it easy."
>"Well I'm impressed either way." He says "Here."
>Turning to face him he pulls two bits out and hands them to you
>Six out ten
>Almost there
>Walking towards the other they all congratulate you on winning the challenge
>"Well I suppose you all are done for today." Arthas says "Enjoy the rest of your day."
>"Sweet! come on lets get something to eat!" Lance says
>You nod and start walking with the others before Arthas stops you
>"Anonymous wait, I need to talk to you for a second." he says
>You look back to the others
"Just wait by the door I'll catch up."
>They all nod and head back to the castle
>Turning around you face Arthas
"What's wrong did I do something bad?"
>"No it's not that." He says "I just, I just want to apologize..."
"For what?"
>He sighs
>"For the way I've treated you lately."
 
"What do you mean?"
>"Everything, from treating like dirt when you arrived to not trusting you at all."
>You stay silent
>"You know why I acted like that right?" He asks "It was because I care about Queen Umbra and her people."
>"She must have told you the story about my family line correct?"
>You nod
>"We protected her and her people since the start of the empire."
>"The next decedent in line always wants to surpass the one who came before them."
>He lets out a small chuckle
>"I feel like I haven't surpassed my father yet..."
>Shaking his head he looks back to you
>"When you arrived both the Queen and I looked through your possessions."
>"When we found that sword with the symbol of the sun on it, I was sure you were some form of spy."
>"I was tempted to cut you down right there, but she stopped me."
"You were gonna take me out while I slept?!"
>He nods
>Jesus Umbra just keeps you alive
>"I'm sorry." He says in an apologetic tone "I should had given you a chance like she did."
>"I can see now you're serious about serving the queen." He says "I only hope you can forgive me for the way I've treated you."
>A moment of silence passes before you let out a chuckle
"You don't really apologize much do you?"
>He laughs
>"You can tell?" He says "You're right, I don't apologize that much to anyone, I'm sorry if that apology came out terrible."
"It's alright, I understand where you're coming from."
>He smiles
>"Good." He says
"Are we done here Arthas?"
>"Actually there is one more thing I want to talk about."
"And what is that?"
>"It's about your date with Queen Umbra..."
 
"Uh..."
>"Relax Anonymous, It's nothing bad."
>You let out a sigh of relief
"Okay so what is it?"
>He starts pacing back and forth again
>"I assume you've noticed how she feels about you?"
>You nod
>"Good, my next question is...Do you care about her?"
>What kinda question is that?
"Yeah of course I do, I wouldn't be here if not for her."
>"Good, now I obviously don't know how close you two are but I want to make something clear..."
>He turns and looks you in the eyes
>"She is not just some mare, She is a Queen." He says in a serious tone "You are going to be the first person ever to go to the festival with her, a position that some would kill for."
>The more people tell you about this, the more you feel that you don't deserve to be in this position
>"I hope you know what you're doing." He says "She seems very excited to go with you."
>Is he implying you'll mess this up somehow?
"Arthas I plan to make it the best night ever for her, you don't have to worry about her."
>"I would hope so Anonymous, I feel that if she spends the night with you she may finally find the festival enjoyable."
>Way to put pressure on you
>"I only ask that you don't do anything to hurt her in anyway." He says
>Hearing that you place your right hand on your heart
"Arthas I promise you that she will enjoy that festival, and that I won't do anything to ruin it for her."
>He smiles
>"I'm glad to hear that Anonymous." He says "You can go now, enjoy the rest of your day."
>You nod
>As you turn to leave you look back to Arthas
>There's something you wanted to ask him
>Now's your chance
 
"Hey Arthas?"
>Arthas turns around to face you
>"Yes Anonymous what is it?" He says
"Has Umbra ever asked you to go to the festival with her?"
>"No, and even if she did I would politely decline her invitation."
"Why?"
>"She is my Queen, Anonymous I don't think of her in a romantic sense." He says "I'm only here to serve and protect her."
>Wow he takes this seriously
"I see, I'm sorry I thought you had cared about her that way."
>He shakes his head
>"I can't, I'm not worthy of her." He says "Why? Were you afraid I would be jealous of you going with her?"
"Kinda yeah."
>He laughs
>"Anonymous you are a very lucky human." He says "On the night of the festival enjoy yourself."
"Thanks Arthas...Hey can I ask you one more thing?"
>"Go ahead." He says
"Why do you trust me now? I've only been here a few weeks now."
>He looks away
>"Like I said before, when you first got here I didn't trust you at all."
>"But now that I've seen your determination to succeed here in training I've come to respect you in a way."
>You smile
>"Also I see how you and Umbra are when your together." He says "When she with you she looks happy."
>"As long as she happy then I'm fine."
>"You've also made some friends here in such a short time." He says "If you were a spy I doubt you'd try to make friends."
>"He looks back to you
>"I wonder why?"
>"I believe I heard Umbra and Credo say something about you on your first day of training."
>You try to remember what they said
>But you're drawing up blanks
>"They said there is something about you that just draws people in, But I can't explain what though..."
>Maybe you do have the power of friendship in you
>"In any case I trust you, please don't do anything to make me regret it..."
"I won't, I promise."
>He nods
>"Is that it?" He asks
"Yeah sorry to take up your time Arthas."
>"It's no problem Anonymous, have a good day."
>Smiling you nod your head and make your way back to the castle
 
>Heading back to the castle you see the others waiting for you
>Lance is the first one to notice you approaching
>"Geez Anon took you long enough." He says "What did Arthas want with you?"
"It was nothing just stuff about the party."
>At the mention of the party Lance claps his hooves together and points to you
>"Oh yeah about that, when are you going to ask her?"
>You shrug
"I don't know probably later."
>Lance gives you a strange look
>"No let's go right now!" He says
"Isn't day court going on right now?"
>Lance grabs your hand and starts pulling you with him
>"It's fine if it's you right?" Lance says "She won't yell at you."
"I don't want to interrupt her though!"
>"Lance will you let him go?" Biggs says "He can ask her later. he sees her all the time."
>"Yeah!" Wedge interjects "Besides we're all sweaty, Arthas really put us to the limit today, Lets at least go shower first."
>Lance grumbles before letting you go
>"Fine I guess." He says
>Biggs sees that he's all angry
>"Hey cheer up you big baby." Biggs says "I'm buying lunch today!"
>Lance cheers up a bit at that and you all head down to the showers and get cleaned up
>After getting cleaned up you get dressed in your usual attire and meet the others by the front doors of the castle
>"You ready to go Anon?" Biggs ask
"Yeah I'm ready, let's go."
>The four of you open the door and step outside into the cold weather
 
>As you travel down the streets with the others, you look around to see ponies staring at you again
>It doesn't bother you as much now that your with friends, but still...
>As you keep walking you notice a familiar gray filly with a blue mane flying up to your group quickly
>"LANCE!!!" She yells flying up to him
>Lance winces at his name being called before opening his eyes again
>"Cynthia why are you screaming?!" Lance yells
>"I'm hungry!" She says "It's your job as my brother to feed me!"
>Lance groans
>"Weren't you supposed to be hanging out with your friends right now?" Lance asks
>"They went home early." She answers "So I came to find you!"
>Cynthia looks at you and the others
>"Hi Anon! Hi Biggs! Hi Wedge!" She says waving at you three
>You all wave back to her
>"You wanna come with us Cynthia?" Biggs asks "We were just about to go eat."
>She nods before Lance interrupts
>"You sure Biggs?" He asks "I can tell her to go home."
>Cynthia puffs her cheeks making you laugh
>"Nah it's fine I got bits to burn." He says "Besides it fun watching Cynthia annoy you."
>"Yay!" Cynthia yells sticking her tongue out at Lance
>Lance grumbles before turning to Cynthia
>"Just behave alright?"
>She nods before taking a seat on Lance's back
>You continue down the street with your friends before you arrive at a restaurant
>You look up at the sign
"The Stray Mare?"
>Huh that's a weird name
>Biggs opens the door for all of you and you step inside
 
>As you enter the building you take a look around
>It looks just like a restaurant back home on earth
>To the left you see a small set of stairs leading down into an area with booths
>Looking ahead of you, you see a bar
>The bartender is a white unicorn pony with a slick back black mane
>As you look around you notice the restaurants patrons are also staring at you
>You cannot wait for these ponies to get used to seeing you
>"It's fine he's with me!" Biggs says
>The bartender nods his head and the others go back to eating
>You wonder what would of happen if Biggs wasn't here
>You all stand there before a yellow unicorn mare with a short red mane comes up to you guys
>"Hey guys!" She says "Table for..."
>She stops talking when she sees you
>"He's with us." Wedge says "Table for five."
>She looks at you then back to Wedge
>"Alright." she says "Come on your booth is open."
>You all follow her down the stairs to an empty booth
>Biggs takes a seat on the right side scooting all the way down
>While Lance and Wedge take a seat on the left side with Cynthia sitting in between them
>You take a seat next to Biggs
>The waitress pulls out a pen and paper
>"So what will guys have?" She asks "The usual pizza I suppose?"
>Pizza?!
>They serve that here?
>"Yeah that's fine Erika." Biggs says "Just make it an extra large, we got a bigger group with us today."
>"Alright!" Erika says "What do you guys want to drink?"
>"Four sodas and uh..." Biggs says "Cynthia what do you want?"
>"Apple juice!" She says
>"Okay, everything will be out shortly!" Erika says jotting down the last of your orders
>As she takes off you relax in your seat and wait for your order
 
>Man this place feels nice
>Like all the worries outside can't follow you in here
>The ponies that were staring at you when you came in are now back to minding their own business
>Out of the corner of your eye you see Biggs pull out two bits
>"Hey Cynthia can you do me a favor?" He asks
>"Sure what is it?" Cynthia answers
>You see that jukebox over there?" He says pointing over to a machine "Can you put these two bits in it and press the 3."
>"Okay!" She says nodding "Leave it to me!"
>Cynthia takes the two bits from Biggs and flies out of her seat and over to the jukebox
"You guys have jukeboxes here?"
>"Why wouldn't we?" Lance says
"I just didn't think you guys had those here."
>"You'd be surprised what type of ponies lady Umbra brings into the empire." Wedge says "If not for her we probably wouldn't have them."
>"Anon you're not even the first non-pony to be brought into the empire." Biggs says
"For real? What do you mean?"
>"Over in the dungeons there are Minotaur's that watch over the prisoners there." Biggs says
>"Don't forget those Griffons that run that antique shop." Lance adds
>"Oh yeah them, they're nice." Biggs says
>"There's also that one thing that goes digging for gems." Wedge says
>A Diamond Dog?
>"Oh him! Yeah." Biggs says "The one that digs for gems then sells them to the jewelers?"
>"That's the one." Wedge says
>Wow Arthas had a hard time letting you in yet there's Minotaur's, Griffons, and a Diamond Dog
>You let out a chuckle before you hear the sound of music fill the place
 
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n08b1ptdnYM
>Holy shit this music is really good
>Cynthia comes flying back to you guys before taking her seat again
>"Did I do good?" She asks
>"You did excellent Cynthia!" Biggs says "Thank you."
>Cynthia smiles
>As the music plays your body start to go along with the rhythm
"Damn this music is good."
>"You like it too?" Biggs says "This is my favorite type of music."
"It makes this place feel even nicer."
>"The reason I want to go to the party, is because I heard the band that does this song is going to be playing at the castle."
"That's awesome."
>"Yeah it is." Biggs says "Hey if want to borrow some of my records, just say the word."
"Thanks Biggs."
>As you talk with the others you notice how relaxed they are
"So is this like your guys favorite place to eat?"
>"Pretty much." Lance says "Ever since we all met we always come here after training and just relax."
"Do you guys go anywhere else?"
>"Sometimes..." Biggs says "But Boss treats us good, so really we don't feel like going anywhere else."
"Boss?"
>"Oh the bartender." Biggs says "Sorry I forgot it's your first time here."
>Looking over to the bar you see Boss cleaning some cups with his magic
>He sees you looking at him and nods in your direction
>You nod back
>You look back to your friends
"I take it there are other places though?"
>"Oh yeah of course." Wedge says
>"There's The Wet Mare." Wedges says "Place is a pure bar just for drinking."
>"The Unamused General." Lance says "You could say all the hard asses go there to drink."
>"Can't forget about Teats." Biggs says "Place has tons of beautiful mares in there, It's like The Stray Mare in terms of a bar and restaurant."
>"The Icy Gem Cavern." Lance says "Now that's a bar, only problem is it's expensive to drink there."
>"It's pretty much a high class bar." Wedge says
 
"What about restaurants?"
>"Well there's Teats and The Stray Mare." Biggs says
>"The Emerald Cafe." Wedge says "But like The Icy Gem Cavern it's a high class joint."
>"You guys forgot about Freddy Fazmare's Pizza!" Cynthia says
>"No way!" Lance says "That place is just weird, also it's not a restaurant it's a place for kids."
>"You don't like only because you're an adult!" She says sticking her tongue out at him
>"No last time I took you and your friends there for your birthday, I couldn't even hit on the cute mare working there I was so creeped out."
>"Good!" She says "You shouldn't have even been trying to hit on anyone, it was my birthday!"
>He grumbles while the you, Biggs, and Wedge laugh at him
"What's so creepy about the place Lance?"
>"Man I don't know as soon as you walk in you feel something's not right with the place." He says
>"Lance you're just being a scared baby." Biggs says "As usual..."
>"Am not!" Lance yells
>Before they get into a argument Erika comes by holding a plate with her magic
>"Okay I got your drinks!" She says "four sodas and one apple juice!"
>Using her magic she places you cups in front of you
>"Sorry for the wait on the pizza we've been pretty busy today." She says "So hey what's this I hear about Fazmare's?"
>"Lance was telling us how much of a scared baby he is." Wedge says
>"Hey!" Lance says "I'm serious, something's not right about that place!"
>"I believe him.,," Erika says as she puts her hoofs onto the table "I've heard some stories from the other customers here."
>"Thank you!" Lance says throwing his hoof up into the air "Finally..."
>You laugh before taking a sip of your soda
>Taste like ginger ale
"What kind of stories?"
>"The spooky kind..." She says in a hushed tone
 
>"Oh really?" Biggs says laughing "Then tell us Erika, what are these spooky stories?"
>She looks around to make sure no one is listening
>"Well from what I've heard the place sounds haunted or cursed or maybe both." She whispers
>"How so?" Wedge asks
>"They say at night you can here strange noises coming from inside the place after they close for the night." Erika replies
"That could just be the manager or owner of the place."
>"Then tell me, why have people seen the owner leave for the night and still hear noises inside?" She says
>You shrug you shoulders
"Maybe they have someone cleaning up inside?"
>"What are the noises anyway?" Wedge asks
>"Moaning, things banging around, and sometimes even a scream!" Erika says
>"Yeah my ass..." Biggs says
>"What?!" Erika says "You don't believe me?"
>"Nope." Biggs says "Just because a few rumors go around doesn't mean it's true."
>"How do you explain the noises inside then?" She says
>"I don't know, but I doubt lady Umbra would have a cursed and or haunted building in her empire." Biggs says
>"Then why don't you go in there after dark huh?!" Erika says
>"Can't." Biggs says "I got training in the morning."
>"H-Hey can we stop talking about this shit?" Lance says "You're scaring Cynthia."
>"No they're not!" Cynthia says "You're more scared than I am!"
>You all laugh before you hear someone call out
>"Hey Erika, can we get another round!?"
>"Coming!" She says "Sorry I have to get back to work, your pizza should be done soon."
>You all nod before she runs off again
 
>While Wedge talks with Lance and Cynthia you look over to Biggs
>He seems to be lost in the music
>You don't blame him
"Hey Biggs?"
>Biggs turns his head to look at you
>"Yeah Anon? What's up?"
"What's on the pizza usually?"
>"Oh right I keep forgetting this is your first time here..." He says "Ah don't worry about it there's no hay, we usually get veggies and stuff."
"Oh alright."
>"That's not a problem is it?" He asks
>You shake your head
"Nah it's fine."
>"Next time we can just get cheese if you want." He says
>You nod before looking back over to the others across the table
>"Hey Lance can I have a bit?" Cynthia asks
>"For what?" Lance says
>"I want to play the game over there." She says pointing over to an arcade cabinet
>He looks over before pulling out a bit
>"Yeah sure, just make sure you get back over here when the pizza comes." He says
>She nods before taking off to play the game
>"Your sister such a sweet kid Lance." Biggs says
>"Yeah..." Lance says "She might be a pain sometimes, but she's all I got."
>All he's got?
>What about parents?
>You decide not to bring it up right now
"Can I ask you guys something?"
>They all turn to look at you
"Does it bug you guys that I've been winning the challenges so far?"
 
>They all look at each other before looking back at you
>"To be honest?" Biggs says "Nah."
"Nah? Just like that?"
>Wedge interrupts
>"Okay let me rephrase that for him." Wedge says "We've been in training for a while now, like months now."
>"Over that time each of us has won challenges over and over." He continues
>"I guess you could say we've all saved up." He says
>"Yeah what Wedge said." Lance says "I got enough bits saved up from my wins..."
>Lance looks down before speaking up again
>"Also me and Cynthia receive a form of compensation every so often." He says quietly
"A form of compensation?"
>He stays silent
>"It's nothing." He says waving his hoof "Don't worry about me and her, we've never been strapped for bits."
>Biggs and Wedge look at him before looking back to you
>You decide to leave it at that
"And you Biggs?"
>"Before you showed up I was winning most the challenges." He says before looking away "And before that I would sometimes part time here, making drinks."
>Huh
>"Now if we had all just started at the same time." Biggs says "Yeah we'd be pissed at you."
>"Yeah he's right." Wedge says "We would probably be pissed if we all started at the same time."
>"But since we already have some bits saved up..." Lance says "We're fine letting you win right now."
>You smile
"Thanks guys."
>You all laugh again before Erika shows up
>"I got your pizza guys!" She says carrying a big plate in her magic
>"Yo Cynthia pizza is ready!" Lance yells
>Cynthia flies right back to you guys and takes her seat
 
>"In any case Anon we're fine with you winning some of the challenges." Biggs says "None of us should be losing our homes anytime soon."
>You laugh
"Well if you guys are fine with it then..."
>"Don't worry about." Wedges says "Let's just eat and relax, as friends."
>Erika place the pizza down in front of all of you
>Wow this is a big pizza
>It takes up most of the table
>"Enjoy your food you guys." She says before she runs off again
>Looking at this pizza it is making your stomach growl
>Biggs hears it and laughs
>"Well don't be shy!" Biggs says "Dig in!"
>Getting the A OK you all dig in
>You, Wedge, Lance, And Biggs all take 2 pieces
>While Cynthia only gets one
>You all start to eat your pizza while making jokes and having fun
>Man your a lucky guy to have found some friends here
>You were afraid that Umbra was gonna be the only person to talk to here
>Not that you had a problem with Umbra just, it would be like only talking to Celestia all day
>And that seems like it would get annoying...
>After finishing your pizza you and the others spent most of the day in The Stray Mare talking and listening to the music
>Time seems to pass quickly
>You don't even notice that the place is getting more and more empty
>Not that you mind...
 
>Looking outside you see the sun is down and it's now night time
"Time flies in here doesn't it?"
>The others look outside
>"Huh I guess it does Anon." Biggs says letting out a sigh "This always happens..."
>Looking around you see most of the patrons are gone besides two at the bar
>"I guess we should all head home huh?" Wedge says "We do have practice tomorrow."
>"Yeah and Cynthia has school tomorrow." Lance says "Besides..."
>You look over to see Cynthia passed out
>She's leaning on Lance sleeping peacefully
>"Poor girl." Biggs says "Sorry Lance."
>"It's fine, she loves hanging out with us anyway." He says
>As you and Wedge start to get up Biggs speaks up
>"Wait, There's something I wanted to do." Biggs says
>Looking up he motions to Erika
>"Hey Erika four glasses of hard cider please!" He says
>"Coming right up!" You hear her say
>"What's the occasion?" Lance acts "Usually you're a cheap bastard when it comes to drinks."
>Biggs chuckles
>"Shut up..." He says with a smile "It's to celebrate Anon joining our little group here."
>You let out a small laugh
"I feel so honored..."
>"You should, anytime you come with us now this is usually where we'll go." Biggs says
>"Think of it as a home away from home." Wedge says
>"Who knows maybe you could bring lady Umbra here sometime?" Lance says
>You wonder if she would be down to going to a place like this
>"Oh yeah speaking about lady Umbra..." Biggs says "What are you two exactly?"
>Why do they keep popping these questions out of the blue?
 
>Here we go
"W-What do you mean?"
>"You know what I mean." He says "How close are you two?"
>You place your elbows onto the table before sighing
"To be honest, I've been wondering about that myself lately..."
>"The way she acts when she's around you makes me think she has a thing for you." Wedge says
"You think?"
>If anyone would know it'd be Wedge." Lance says "He's the only one of us who can find love apparently."
>"Hey don't say that shit." Wedge says "I wouldn't call it love."
>"Whatever you say Wedge..." Lance says "I keep getting shot down and Biggs doesn't really care about relationships."
>"Sure don't!" Biggs says
"Anyway back to me, you really think Umbra has a thing for me?"
>Erika comes over to you guys with your drinks
>"Here you go guys." She says putting the cups down "Four hard ciders."
>She looks at you
>"Are you and lady Umbra really a thing?" She says
"I don't know to be honest. but please don't say anything."
>"Don't worry my lips are sealed!" She says pretending to zip her mouth
>"As I was saying..." Wedge says "You tell me Anon, do YOU think she has a thing for you?"
>You shake your head
"I don't know."
>Wedge lets out a sigh
>"Well in any case I'm sure you'll find out soon." He says
>"If you two are done let's drink so I can take Cynthia home." Lance says
>The four of you pick up your glasses and Biggs start to speak
>"To new friends and teammates!" He says
>You all toast and down the cider
>Placing your cups down on table you stand back up
>You've been sitting so long you stretch and let out a heavy yawn
>Man your tired
>Wedge holds Cynthia till Lance is out of the booth before putting her on his back
>"Money is on the table Boss!" Biggs yells
>"Goodnight boys!" He says "Get home safely."
>Slapping on your coat you and the others step outside
>You all walk together for a bit before saying your goodbyes and going your separate ways
>Back to the castle you go
>Hopefully Umbra not mad at you for staying out late
 
>Arriving at the castle you open the doors to be greeted by Ariadne
>"Oh Anon you're back!" She says stopping from what she was doing "We missed you for dinner, where were you?"
>You scratch the back of your head
"I went out to eat with Lance, Biggs, and Wedge."
>"Oh okay..." She says "I was just asking because lady Umbra looked bummed that you weren't here tonight."
>You were afraid of this
"Hey Ariadne where is she by the way?"
>"She already went back to her room, why?" She asks
>Not answering back you make your way up to the 4th floor and to her room
>The guards don't try to stop you as you approach the door
>Taking a deep breath you knock on the door
>"Yes?" You hear Umbra say from inside "What is it?"
"It's me, Anon..."
>You hear nothing from inside for a second before she speaks up again
>"Come in Anonymous." She says "We have things to talk about."
>She doesn't sound mad
>Why would she be?
>All you did was go eat with your friends
>Swallowing the lump in your throat you start to open the doors
 
>You look into Umbra's eyes
>She want the truth
>Lying now would just be a stupid move on your part
"Yeah I know Luna."
>Umbra doesn't looked shocked
>"Does she visit your dreams?"
"Yes."
>"How often?" She asks
"Before you brought me here it I want to say once every two weeks."
>"And what does she do when she visits you."
>You sigh
"At first she would check up on me, so that she could let her sister know how I was doing on my own."
>Umbra looks away for a second before looking back to you
>"Okay, I have just a few more questions okay?" She says
>You nod
>"Has she visited you while you've been here?"
"Yes."
>Umbra starts looking worried
>"How many times?"
>You think back
>The dream where she first kissed you on the cheek
>The dream on top of the hill
>That one nightmare with her and Celestia?
>But was that her?
>You still didn't know
>And last but not least the Silent Hill dream/nightmare
"Three, one I'm not too sure about."
>"What has she done in those?" Umbra says
"At first it was just checking up on me but lately..."
>"What?" Umbra says "Tell me, it's okay."
>You take a deep breath
"She's been trying to...Do things to me."
>Umbra's eyes turn serious
>"What types of things?!" She says her voice is getting a bit louder "Anonymous tell me!"
>You take another deep breath before proceeding
"It feels like she's trying to um...Rape me..."
>In a split second Umbra's face goes from worried to extremely pissed
>"She's been trying to do what to you?!" She yells
>Oh shit she looks mad
 
>Umbra is standing on the bed now
>She so mad that her face is practically red
>"When has this happened!" She says
>You look away
"The same night you entered my dream, almost right after I told you to go."
>She's still angry, but starting to calm down a bit
>"I knew I shouldn't have left you there alone..." She says quietly "Has she always tried to do this to you?"
"No, at first it seems all she wanted was a kiss."
>Umbra looks at you with worry in her eyes
>Trying to reassure even more you place your hands on each side of her face
"But each time I told her no..."
>A small smile start to form on her face as she looks at you
"I guess this last time she wasn't taking no for an answer."
>She looks back down
>"Anonymous, how close are you to her?" She says "I want the truth..."
"She was just a friend Umbra, I never once thought about her like that, I don't know why she's acting like this all of a sudden."
>"You swear that's the truth?" She says looking you in the eyes
"I swear."
>A sigh of relief comes from her
>"Next time I'm in your dream and I see her..." Umbra says "Me and her are going to have a small little talk."
>Oh man that's not going to be pretty
>Hopefully that never happens
>You wrap her into a hug and you two lay back down on the bed
"Hey Umbra why did you get all angry there?"
>"Shut up Anonymous." She says as she nuzzles into your chest again "Let's just go to bed, we have things to do tomorrow."
>You can see the small blush on her face
>You laugh
"Hey Umbra I need to ask you something now..."
>"Hmm?" She says "What is it?"
"I was wondering if you would let Lance, Biggs, and Wedge come to the party."
>"Will they behave themselves?" She asks
"Yeah, they said they would."
>"Then as long as they dress nice and behave themselves they can come." She says
"Thanks Umbra, I'll let them know."
>"Goodnight Anonymous."
"Goodnight Umbra."
>She yawns before closing her eyes again
>Not being able to fight it any longer you do the same and pass out
 
>You wake up the next morning feeling refreshed
>Still no sign of Luna
>You wonder when the next time she's gonna show up is
>You shake you head
>No use worrying about it now
>As you turn to see what predicament you're in this morning
>Only to see that Umbra is already awake
>She's just holding onto your arm tightly
>She notices you looking at her and she just stares right back at you
"You okay Umbra?"
>She doesn't say anything, she only holds your arm tighter
>"I'm worried..." She says
"About what?"
>"About..." She stops herself "It's nothing, don't worry about it."
>You look over to the clock
"Are you sure? I have some time before I have to go."
>She stays silent for a moment
>"It's fine Anonymous, I just...Need some time to clear my thoughts." She says
"You sure?"
>She nods
>"You should get going Anonymous, you don't want to be late again." She says "Don't forget we have to pick out your formal wear today."
"I won't, I'll see you later Umbra."
>She hesitantly lets go of your arm
>"It's getting harder to let you go in the mornings Anonymous..." She says "I don't know why though..."
>You laugh before getting up
>Sitting on the edge of the bed you go to stand up only to feel Umbra wrap her forelegs around your neck from behind, stopping you from getting up
>"Good luck today." She says
"Thanks Umbra, now get some sleep, you still look out of it."
>She nods before laying back down
>Pulling the blanket over her you grab your stuff and go
>As you walk down the hall you say to yourself
"There's definitely something between us..."
 
>You are Umbra
>After seeing Anonymous off, you laid in your bed, trying to fall back to sleep
>Unfortunately you couldn't
>You groaned as you tossed and turned in bed
>Why didn't you tell him about these feelings you've been having?
>About you and him
>Maybe he has been feeling them too
>You could of talked about them
>Each day they get stronger
>Every morning it gets harder to let Anonymous go
>Maybe he feels the same way as you?
>Could it be you're getting used to sharing a bed with him?
>You just wish he would stay in bed with you for a little while
>And keep you wrapped up in those warm muscular arms of his..
>As you two share each others heat... .
>You shake your head
>Thought like these are starting to fill your head more often
>They're becoming troublesome...
>You sigh
"Why did I act like that last night?"
>When he told about what the lunar princess tried to do to him you lost it
>But why?!
>You've never felt these emotions towards anyone before!
>This is all his fault!
>Stupid Anonymous...
>Making you feel strange emotions like this
>Looking up at the ceiling you sigh again
"I can't sleep..."
>Getting up you look at the clock
>It's been thirty minutes since Anonymous left
"I might as well get ready myself..."
>Wiping the sleep from your eyes you make your way to the bathroom
"Perhaps a hot shower will clear my head..."
 
>Stepping into the shower you turn on the water and allow the warm water to wash over you
>Standing there your mind begins to wander back to dinner last night
>You remember sitting there waiting for him to show up for dinner
>But he never showed up
>You ate dinner alone that night
>Normally you ate dinner alone before you met Anonymous
>So why did it bother you so much that he didn't show up?
>You told him it was okay, but actually you wanted to tell him how you felt
>But you decided against it
>You didn't want to make Anonymous feel guilty for spending time with his friends
>You just hope that he doesn't leave you alone at the party
>That's one of the reason you allowed his friends to come
>He won't leave you alone if his friends are already there...
>Right?
>Speaking of the party
>For the first time ever, you were excited to go this year
>You just want to spend the night with Anonymous
>Eating
>Drinking
>Maybe dancing?
>Even though you haven't danced in so long
>Can he even dance?
>You chuckle
>But it's after the party you were most excited for
>Maybe something will happen between you and him
>Yesterday morning you heard Anonymous say something
"I guess we'll know that night won't we?"
>That's what he said
>Is he going to tell you something?
>Or is he planning to do something to you?
>You mind starts to wander
>And so does your hoof
>What is this you're feeling?
>Your heart is beginning to race
>And your body is getting hotter
>You close your eyes and allow your hoof to travel down your body
>What are you doing...
 
>As your hoof travels down your body you are startled by the sound of knocking on your door
>"Lady Umbra are you awake?" You hear a voice call out
>Snapping back to reality you stop what you were doing and look over to the door
>"Lady Umbra are you in there?" The voice calls out again
>That sound like Ariadne
>Pulling your hoof back up you clear your throat before speaking up
"A-Ariadne?!"
>"Yup!" She says "I came to wake you up, but you weren't in bed."
>How long have you been in here?!
>That was too close!
>What were you about to do to yourself?
>It doesn't matter
>Now that Ariadne has surprised you, you don't feel those feeling anymore
"I-I'll be right out Ariadne, just get started with your chores!"
>"Okay!" You hear her call out
>The sound of hooves hitting your floor get quieter
>You sigh before letting out a giggle
"I guess we will know that night won't we Anonymous?"
>Stepping out of the shower you dry yourself off before stepping out of the bathroom
>"Good morning lady Umbra." Ariadne says as she spots you coming out of the bathroom
>You glance over to the clock to see she was right on time
>That means you were lost in your thoughts in there
"Good morning Ariadne, You seem excited this morning."
>"Aren't you lady Umbra?" She asks "The festival is in two more days!"
>You smile
"For once I am excited Ariadne, I think it will be a magical night for everyone."
>She smiles
>"I heard you asked Anonymous to go with you!" She says "Is that true?!"
"Yes, Yes it is true."
>"I wonder if any stallions are going to be jealous of them?" She says with a smile on her face
"Well hopefully if they are they'll keep there mouths shut, I don't want anything bad to happen that evening."
>"I'm sure everything will go fine!" She says
"As am I Ariadne."
>After getting ready for the day you made your way down the castle to the dining room
 
>When you arrive at the dining room you made your way to your seat
>Before sitting down you look over to the window
"I wonder what they're doing today."
>Making your way over to the window you pull back the curtain to see Anonymous and his friends trying to avoid getting hit by Arthas
>When you take a glance at each of their faces you see that each of them has a different look on their face
>Lance looks angry
>Biggs seems to have a stumped look on his face
>Wedge also looks stumped but not as bad as Biggs
>Anonymous looks like he's about to solve some sort of puzzle, but he's not too sure he has the right answer
>Anytime one of them stops to think Arthas whacks them on the head with a dummy sword
>What in the world could Arthas be doing to them?
>"Oh good morning lady Umbra!" You hear Edith call out "Will you have the usual fruit bowl today?"
>Turning around you make your way back to the table and take a seat
"Uh no Edith, I'll just have an apple muffin and some coffee today, I don't really feel like eating a fruit bowl today."
>"I'll have it out shortly." She says before taking off
>Your mind starts to wander again before you hear the door open
>Looking over you wonder who it could be
>It's Credo
>"Good morning lady Umbra!" He yells as he makes his way over to you "How are ya this fine morning?"
"I'm well Credo and yourself?"
>He takes a seat in one of the chairs next to you
>"I'm doing well." He says "Even better now that you said the boys can come to the party."
>Credo must of been there when Anonymous told them
"Tell me Credo, how did they react?"
>"All three of them started bouncing around like children." He says
>You laugh
"That's good, I'm glad they're happy."
>"It's going to be a fun night that's for sure!" Credo says "Nothing but friends and drinking!"
"Care to join me for breakfast Credo? It has been sometime since we last ate breakfast."
>"I would love to lady Umbra." He says
 
>"Here you go lady Umbra." Edith calls out "Your breakfast."
>She place a small plate with your apple muffin on in on in front of you on the table
>"And as for your coffee I put two spoons of sugar and some cream in it, just the way you like it."
"Thank you Edith, Credo has decide to join me for breakfast can you get him something as well?"
>"Of course lady Umbra." She says turning to Credo "What would you like to eat Credo?"
>Credo puts his hoof on his chin
>"I'll just take some coffee." He says "No cream or sugar, just black."
>Edith nods before returning to the kitchen
>"I wonder how they plan to out do themselves this year with the cake?" Credo says looking towards the kitchen
>You pick up your cup with your magic and take a sip of your coffee
>As the warm liquid fills your mouth you immediately feel more awake and energized
"I'm sure whatever they do it'll be amazing as always."
>Edith returns to you once more and leaves a cup of coffee in front of Credo before returning to the kitchen once more
>You watch as Credo picks up his cup and takes a sip of his coffee
>He notices you looking at him and stops drinking
>"Is something the matter lady Umbra?" He says
"No it's just, how can you drink just black coffee? Doesn't it taste horrible?"
>"It does." Credo says placing his cup back down "But it taste so horrible it's the perfect jump start to the morning!"
>You shake your head before taking a bite out of your muffin
"You're a strange one Credo, you know that?"
>He laughs
>You continue to eat your small breakfast before Credo speaks up
>"Hey lady Umbra can I ask you something?"
>You look over to him
"What is it Credo?"
>"Is there anyway you can leave the party during the festival?"
 
"What do you mean Credo?"
>He takes another sip of coffee before placing the cup back down on the table
>"I mean can you leave early or anything?" He says "Or are you stuck at the party?"
"Only to go to bed early then yes, otherwise I'm expected to stay at the party throughout the night."
>You notice that Credo has an annoyed look on his face
"Why? What's the matter Credo?"
>"I just wanted to know if it was possible for you to leave the party early." Credo says "I was gonna ask you if you wanted to come and drink with us."
"Us?"
>Credo looks at you with a hint of confusion on his face
>"Didn't Anonymous tell you?" He says "Yeah us, myself, Anon, Lance, Biggs, and Wedge, even Arthas!"
"Wait so he's going to leave with you all when you leave?!"
>"Well..." Credo says as he looks like he's thinking "I don't know really, it seems like he wants to come but..."
"But?"
>"It also seems like he wants to spend the night with you." Credo says "So I think if you don't go he won't go, he doesn't want to leave you alone at the party."
>You feel a smile creep it's way onto your face
>Anonymous would really stay with you at some boring party than go out and fun with his friends?
>The thought of this makes you extremely happy
>You were afraid of him leaving during the party
>Now it seems that won't be the case
"In any case Credo I can see if it's possible, but I make no promises."
>"It's fine lady Umbra." He says "Even if they say you can't I'm sure one of us will stay behind to keep you company."
>With that he gives you wink
>Which in turn you laugh at him
>Finishing the last of your muffin and coffee you wiped your mouth before getting up from your seat
"It was fun talking to you again Credo, but I must attend day court please excuse me."
>"Of course I'll talk to you later!" He says "Have a wonderful day lady Umbra!"
>You say your goodbyes and make your way out of the dinning room and up to your throne room
 
>Arriving at the doors to your throne room you see there's not a long line of ponies today
>It must be do to the festival
>Smiling you open the doors and take your seat on your throne
>Preparing yourself you take a deep breath before looking at the guards
"Let them in."
>The guards nod and open the doors allowing the ponies to enter
>As they enter they come up to you asking for different things
>Time passes before a group of ponies come up to you
>"Good morning my Queen." The leader of the group says
>You've seen these ponies before
"Good morning my ponies, I assume you're here for the same reason as always?"
>"Forgive me your highness." He says "But we wanted to ask if you would send someone over to investigate Fazmare's again."
>This isn't the first time they've asked you to investigate that place
>Freddy's Fazmare's Pizza you believe it was?
"Are you sure you're not just hearing things again? We've sent guards over there before."
>"Yes my Queen but that was during the day when nothing happens." He says "The night is when we hear the noises."
>This is true you've never sent anyone over during the night
>You look at the ponies before you
>They all seem like they've been deprived of sleep as of late
>One of them is practically passed out
>You hate to see them like this
"I come to a decision."
>They all look up at you
"As soon as I have some guards who aren't busy I will send them over to investigate the place."
>They're expression doesn't change
"And I promise this time I will send them over during the night this time."
>Their face brighten at that and they bow to you
>"Thank you Queen Umbra!" They all say "Thank you!"
"You are welcome, I will try to have a team ready as soon as possible, now get some rest and enjoy the festival."
>They all nod before making their way out of the room
 
>After a few more ponies come and go a familer griffon stands before you
>Her head, wings, and the tip of her tail is a dark blue color while her body and claws are gray
>"Good morning my Queen." The griffon says "How are you this fine morning?"
"I'm fine Sasha, what is it that you need?"
>"I wanted to ask if you could station more guards around our shop." She says "Just a few perhaps? We don't care how experienced they are."
"Can you give me a reason to why you need more guards?"
>"I think you already know my queen." She says
>You rub your head
>Yes, you do know
>Since she and her husband aren't ponies some of the other citizens don't trust them
>You sigh
>It's the same with the minotaur over in the dungeon
>And DD
>And almost the same as Anonymous
"Are you having problem with some of the citizens again Sasha?"
>She nods
>"Some of them just watch stand outside the shop looking in at us." She says "Of course we don't think they'll do anything but still..."
>You hate when this sort of thing happens
>You love your citizens but sometime their loyalty to you gets to be too much
"I'm sorry Sasha of course I'll send some guards to help out, please tell me if those ponies try to do anything, I'll come deal with them myself."
>She bows
>"Of course Queen Umbra." She says "Thank you so much for your help."
"I'll send them over as soon as I have a chance, enjoy the festival oh and tell your husband I said hello."
>She nods as she turns around to walk out the door
>You notice the pony behind her is giving her a funny look
"You there! Stop holding up the line I have things to do today!"
>The pony snaps his head back to you before lowering his head
>"I'm sorry my Queen, my apologies..."
>You shake your head before looking down the line
>Just a few more by the looks of it
 
>After a few more ponies come and go you finally finish the day court for today
>Letting out a sigh of relief you look over to the clock
>It's almost time to go and meet up with Anonymous
>Getting up from your throne you make your way out the throne room
>As you head down the stairs you see Anonymous sitting on the steps
>His friends are also with him
>Lance is the first one to notice you
>He flies up to you before bowing down to kiss your hooves
>"Thank you Queen Umbra!" He says "Thank you!"
>You smile and shake your head before Biggs pulls him off you
>"Jeez calm down Lance." He says to him before turning back to you "Thank you lady Umbra for allowing us to come to the party."
"You are all very welcome, I assume you'll all be on your best behaviors?"
>They all nod
"Excellent! Just make sure you all look and dress nice for the party."
>"Way ahead of you lady Umbra." Wedge says "We're about to go dust off our formal wear from school right now!"
>"I really hope my suit still fits..." Biggs says with a hint of worry in his voice
>"I sure it will." Lance says "Then again all that pizza you eat might have something to say about it."
>"Hey!" Biggs yells
>You all share a laugh before the boys start to take off
>"We'll see you tomorrow Anon!" Lance says as they start to exit the castle
>"See ya guys later." Anonymous says waving to them
>When the door closes Anonymous stands up to face you
"Are you ready to go?"
>"Yeah, let's head out." He says as he puts his jacket on "Sorry about the guys, I told them they should thank you before they left."
"That's alright Anonymous I didn't mind, come on we have to go choose the color for your formal wear."
>Taking the lead you both head towards the door
 
>Stepping outside into the cold and windy weather you notice Anonymous start to shiver a little
"Still not used to the cold I see?"
>"No." He shakes his head "I don't know if I'll ever get used to it."
"Give it some time I'm sure you will."
>He sighs before you two start to walk down the path to Seth's shop
>As the two of you walk you talk about various things with each other
"Anonymous can I ask you something?"
>"Sure what is it?"
"What were you and the others doing this morning?"
>He chuckles
>"For some reason Arthas had us solving riddles, puzzles, and just questions in general." He says "Whoever got the most right would win."
"But he was trying to hit you at the same time?"
>He nods
>"He said something along the lines of a smart and quick mind is just as important as a strong and powerful body." He says "Which I could understand that."
"What about the others?"
>Anonymous lets out a laugh this time
>"It was funny." He says "Lance kept getting mad because every time he would stop to think, Arthas would end up whacking him on the head really hard."
>"Biggs was just stumped so half way through I think he gave up." He says "Now Wedge on the other hand was keeping up me to a point before he got stuck allowing me to win."
"You won?"
>Anonymous pulls out 2 more bits out of his pocket
>"Yup!" He says with a smile on his face "One more to go!"
>You smile as well
>You didn't expect him to do this well in the challenges
>You see the reason why Arthas is now trying to get along with him
"Congratulations Anonymous, I'm proud of you!"
>He looks over to you before looking away
>You swear you saw a small blush on his face
>"Thanks Umbra." He says "It means a lot to hear you say that."
>The two of you continue to walk until you finally reach Seth's shop
 
>As you approach the door Anonymous runs up and opens it for you
>"Ladies first." He says
>What a gentleman
>You smile at his actions
"Thank you Anonymous."
>He nods and you both enter the building
>"Hello valued costumer!" You hear a voice call out from the back "How can I help-"
>He stops when he see you
>"Oh Queen Umbra!" He says "I forgot you were coming today."
>He turns to look at Anonymous
>"You got my bits Anon?" He asks with a grin on his face
>"If things go right you'll have them tomorrow." Anonymous says "My pajama pants done?"
>Seth sighs
>"Yeah, but I'm not showing you till I get my bits." Seth says before turning back to you "So I take it your here to pick out a color for his suit Queen Umbra?"
"That we are Seth, can you show him which ones he can pick?"
>"It would be my pleasure my Queen." He says before turning back to Anonymous. "Alright you let me go grab something real quick..."
>Seth runs to the back before coming back out with two scrolls
>"Okay Anon..." He says placing them down on the counter "I have two colors for you to pick from."
>You watch from the side as he rolls one of the scrolls out
>"I can make you a black tuxedo jacket and a red bow tie." He says "You already have those pants and shoe things I made for you along with your undershirt so it's save me a bunch of time."
>Seth rolls out the other scroll
>"Or I can make you a red tuxedo jacket and a red bow tie AND red slacks." She says "But trust me I think you would look better in black."
>Anonymous looks at both scrolls in front of him before looking back to you
>"What are you wearing Umbra?" He asks
 
"Oh um I'm wearing a black dress with a red trimming."
>"Those fancy tailors beat me to her." Seth says throwing his hooves in the air "I could of made a better dress than any of them could!"
"Seth we talked about this, I had no choice in the matter."
>Seth grumbles before turning back to Anonymous
>"So which one do you want me to make?" Seth asks "The sooner I get to work the better."
>Anonymous takes a look at the scrolls again before turning back to you once more
>"I would not look good in all red Umbra." He says "I'll take black, that way me and her can match."
>Seth nods and rolls up both scrolls before looking back to Anonymous
>"All right then." Seth says "Thank you for saving me the trouble of making you a whole new set of clothes."
>Seth looks over to you
>"I should have it done tomorrow." Seth says "He can pick it up if he gets his bits tomorrow."
"Very well, I'll have Ariadne give him the bits for this order then before he leaves."
>Seth looks back over to Anonymous
>"I wish I had the Queen buying all my clothes..." He says in a mocking tone
>"Shut up." Anonymous says as he put his hand on his face
>Seth laughs
>"I'm only messing with you Anon." He says "Can't insult the Queen's date after all."
>Anonymous turns to look at him
>"You know too?!" He says "Does everyone know now?"
>"Of course! You're the first person the Queen has ever asked to come with her to the festival, This is a big deal!" Seth yells "You're pretty much the talk of the town now!"
 
>Anonymous sighs
>"Great..." He says
>You walk up beside him
"I think it's wonderful they talk about you Anonymous, At least they know you're attending the festival with their Queen, that's a good thing right?"
>He chuckles
>"You're a lucky..." Seth says waving his hoof around "Thing Anonymous."
>"Human Seth." Anonymous says "And yeah I guess that's a good thing Umbra."
>"I just don't like being talked about when I'm not there." He says "It bugs me."
"I'm sure you'll be fine."
>Looking around you find a clock with the time on it
"It's three Anonymous, do you want to get some lunch somewhere?"
>He looks over to the clock
>"Yeah you're right." He says "Sure I could go for something to eat."
"Very well. Seth Anonymous will come see you tomorrow please have his things ready for him."
>"Of course Queen Umbra I've won't let you down." He says
"I know you won't Seth, enjoy yourself at the festival."
>Seth waves to you both as you exit the shop
>Stepping back outside you look back to Anonymous
>"So where do you want to go Umbra?" Anonymous asks
>You think to yourself
>You want to take him somewhere nice
"Let's go to the Emerald Cafe, I'm in the mood for something sweet."
>"I could go for something sweet." He says nodding his head "Lead the way then."
>Smiling you and Anonymous make your way over the the high end of the empire
 
>Nearing the Emerald Cafe you turn around to face Anonymous
"We're here!"
>You watch as Anonymous looks over the exterior of the building
>"Wow the guys weren't lying this place does look fancy!" He says
"Well come on Anonymous lets get out of this weather."
>He nods and goes to open the door for you again
>Smiling you both enter the cafe
>As you enter the cafe the smell of sweets fills your nose
>It smells more like a mix of chocolate and strawberry
>You look around and see some of the girls attending to the other customers
>"Oh hello Queen Umbra!" You hear a voice call out
>The voice comes from a light gray mare with a light brown mane
>She's wearing a maid outfit like the others are
>"Are you here to eat something today?" She asks
"That I am, can you prepare my table for me and my guest?"
>"Guest?" She says until she notice Anonymous
>"Oh uh, of course follow me." She says turning around
>You and Anonymous proceed to follow her through the cafe
>Looking around you see some of the ponies taking quick glances at Anonymous
>They look like they just want to know what he is
>There's nothing wrong with that so you pay them no mind
>You hope that when Anonymous becomes part of the guard someday your citizens come to trust him
>Reaching the back of the cafe the mare stops at your private spot in the cafe
>"Here you go Queen Umbra!" She says "Shall I bring you some coffee, tea or something else?"
>Taking a seat on one side Anonymous sits opposite of you
"I'll take cinnamon tea, what about you Anonymous?"
>Anonymous looks up at you and the other mare still shaking a little
>"Do you guys serve like hot coco or something?" He asks
>"We do, is that what you want?" She replies
>"Yes please." Anonymous says "If it's not to much trouble."
>"It's not don't worry." She says handing you and Anonymous a menu "I'll be back with your drinks real quick!"
>With that she leaves you and Anonymous alone
 
>"The smell of this place is making me really hungry." He says laughing while holding his abdomen
"It's a wonderful smell isn't it?"
>He nods
>"So Umbra do you come here often?" He asks
>You shake your head
"No I only come here if I have someone to go with."
>"How come you never come here by yourself?" He asks
"Some of the higher class ponies of the empire tend to come up to me and talk to me when all I want is some alone time."
>"Ah okay that makes sense." He says as he start to look over his menu
>"Man do they serve nothing but sweets here?" Anonymous says with a smile "I used to know a pony who loved sweets, this place would be heaven for her."
>You let out a small laugh before seeing that something is wrong with Anonymous
>You look over to him to see he's lost in thought
>His eyes are closed
>And he's shaking his head
>The smile on his face starts to disappear
"What's the matter? Are you okay Anonymous?"
>He shakes his head hard before looking back up to you
>"Huh?" He says "Oh yeah, I'm sorry it was nothing, forget I said anything."
"Are you sure? We could talk about it back home if you want."
>"No I'm fine really." He says trying to muster up a smile "I just reminded myself of the past there and I wish I hadn't."
>He must be talking about the princess of the sun
>What could she have done to him?
>He told you they had a falling out, but he never told you what it was over
>You shake your head
>No now is not the time to ask about this
>Maybe one day he'll open up to you some more
>When he is ready
>But for right now it's a time to be happy and enjoy yourselves
"So tell me Anonymous is there anything on the menu that catches your eye? Go ahead and choose whatever you want my treat."
 
>That cheered him up a little
>He starts to smile again
>He goes to open his mouth, but before he can speak another voice comes out
>"I got your drinks!" Your waitress calls out "Sorry for the wait!"
>She place your tea in front of you and place Anonymous hot coco in front of him
>"Have you two decide on what you want to get yet?" She asks
"We have, I'll have just a slice of carrot cake."
>She turns to Anonymous
>"What about you?" She asks "What would you like?"
>He looks over the menu once more before looking back up to the waitress
>"I'll have a slice of this chocolate volcano cake."
>"Alright!" She says taking your menus "I'll have them out as soon as I can."
>She runs off again leaving you and Anonymous alone
>There is nothing but silence between the two of you for a moment before he speaks up
>"I'm sorry about that." He says "I don't know what happened to me."
"It's okay Anonymous I understand, let's just eat and we can head back to the castle."
>He nods
"If you want to talk when we get back we can."
>"If I feel up to it sure." He says
>The two of you sit in silence for a while before the waitress comes up with your food
>"Okay I have your food!" She says placing your food in front of you "Is there anything else you need?"
"No we're fine now thank you."
>She bows before leaving you two alone
>Looking back to Anonymous you see he's waiting for you
>You smile
"Go ahead and eat Anonymous, you don't need to wait for me."
>Anonymous nods and starts to dig into his cake
>You decide to eat like a normal pony and take your time
 
>"Oh man..." Anonymous says rubbing his stomach "That cake hit the spot."
>Anonymous has just finished his cake and coco
>Whatever problems he was having seem to have disappear now
>Wiping your mouth you laugh
"I'm glad you enjoyed the cake Anonymous."
>"It was so good!" He says "I still can't believe how great it tasted it."
"Well I'm glad to inform you that the Emerald Cafe is going to deliver some sweets to the party, so you can have even more then."
>"Awesome." He says patting his legs "Now I can't wait to go to this party with you."
>As you continue to eat Anonymous patiently waits for you to finish your slice of cake
>Finally finishing up the last of your cake and tea you look over to Anonymous
"Sorry for keeping you waiting like that."
>"Oh it's fine I didn't mind." He says "So what's next on the list?"
>You look outside
>Looks like it's getting late
"I think we should head back to the castle, I want to keep reading that dream book."
>"Why?" He asks "I haven't had a nightmare in a few days now."
"It never hurts to be safe Anonymous, what if something happens and I can't wake you up?"
>He sighs
>"Yeah I guess that would be a bad thing." He says "But are we gonna turn in? It still is pretty early."
"I'm actually quite tired Anonymous, I couldn't sleep after you left me in the morning."
>"Oh really?" He says "What did you while I was gone?"
>You start to think back to the shower incident before shaking your head
"N-Nothing! I just laid there in bed until Ariadne came!"
>Anonymous get up and walks over to you before kneeling down next to you
>"You okay Umbra?" He says "Your face turned red there for a second."
"I'm fine! Let's just go back to the castle!"
>Getting up from your seat you rush past Anonymous and through the cafe
>"Thank you Queen Umbra for stopping by have a good day!" You hear the waitress call out as you rush out the door
>Anonymous finally catches up to you and The both of you make your way back to the castle
 
>Getting back to the castle you see the sun is setting
>"So why did you run off like that?" Anonymous asks "We didn't even pay the bill."
"It's fine Anonymous as Queen I get to eat free."
>"Oh alright." He say "Still didn't answer my question on why you ran off."
>You turn to face him
>"I tell you later maybe on some other day!"
>"No need to yell Umbra." He says putting his hands up "I just wanted to know."
>Shaking your head you open the doors to the castle
>Entering the castle your greeted by Ariadne
>"Oh hello lady Umbra." She says all sleepy like "How was your day?"
"It was fun, how about you?"
>"Exhausting!" She says stretching "We always get so busy this time of year, I hate it"
>Looking around you see decorations set up all around main hall
>Banners and Streamers hang everywhere
"This looks amazing Ariadne!"
>"Thank you lady Umbra we all spent today decorating." She says before letting out a yawn "We're not even done yet, we have to finish the rest tomorrow."
>You look back to her
"Well Ariadne I think you deserve some well earned rest for this hard work, go get some sleep."
>She nods before making her way to the stairs
>"Oh lady Umbra I forgot to tell you the party people dropped off your dress today." She says "It's in your room."
>Your dress is here?
>You can't let Anonymous see it
>At least not yet
"Thank you Ariadne, now go get some rest."
>She yawns once more before heading up
"Come on Anonymous let's head upstairs as well."
>He nods and follows right behind you
 
>As the two of you near your room you stop at the doors before turning around to face Anonymous
>"What?" He says
"You need to stay out here for a second while I look over my dress."
>"Why can't I see it?" He ask
"You know why, it would ruin the surprise if you saw it early!"
>He chuckles
>"Fine I guess I'll wait out here then." He says "Just call me when I can come in."
"I will, guards make sure he doesn't try to anything funny."
>Both the guard standing near your doors salute before you open the doors and step in
>As the doors shut behind you, you look around to see a long red box with a black ribbon on your bed
"That must be it."
>Walking over to it you undo the ribbon and pull the lid off
>Pulling out your dress you awestruck at how beautiful it looks
>The dress is all black with bits of red in there mostly around the edges
>As you look over the dress you wonder if Anonymous will like it
>You hope so
>Everything needs to go right during the party
>Placing the dress back in the box you place it in you closet
>Now that that's out of the way you begin to get undressed
>Taking off your cape and armor you hop into bed
>Levitating the book of the moon in front of you, you start reading
"You can let him in now!"
>Hearing the door open you see Anonymous enter the room
 
>"So we are getting in bed early huh?" He says "Alright I guess."
>You try to focus on the book as Anonymous begins to get undressed
>This is proving to be difficult though
>You keep taking peeks at Anonymous from your book
>Has he always looked that good without his clothes on?
>How have you not notice before?
>He looks more muscular now
>Is that training of his really paying off?
>After all his clothes are off beside those boxers of his he start to stretch
>As he stretches you just stare at him
>You start to shift uncomfortably in bed
>Those feeling from the morning are starting to pop back into your head again
>Get a hold of yourself Umbra!
"Anonymous will you just get in bed already?!"
>He jumps
>"Alright sorry!" He says "No need to yell, I was just stretching and why is your face red again?"
>You cover your face with the book
>"Were you watching me get undressed?!" He asks
"Just get bed already!"
>Anonymous crawls into bed next to you and pulls the blanket up to his abdomen covering himself
>Thank goodness
>That was too close
>"Umbra you've been acting weird lately." He says "Are you sure nothing's going on?"
>You want to tell him
>But you still need to sort out your feelings yourself
"I'm fine Anonymous, just please let me read."
>He looks at you for a second before laying back down
>"Alright." He says placing his hands behind his head "I'll just shut up then."
>Now that you finally have a chance to collect your thoughts you start to read through your book again
>Maybe you can find out more about how dreams work
 
>As you read you look over to Anonymous
>He's kicking his feet around
>He looks over to you
"What are you doing?"
>"Nothing, I'm just bored." He says "I don't feel tired yet."
>You raise a eyebrow at him before looking back to the book
>There's so much information on dreams here
>Easier ways to get into them
>And how to get some form of control over them
>But nothing really catches your attention at the moment
>Looks like there's no new information tonight...
>You let out a loud yawn
>Anonymous laughs at you
>"Somepony is tired." He says "Here put the book down."
>He's right you are extremely tired
>Closing the book you place it down on the table next to you
>"Alright now come here." Anonymous says pulling you into an embrace
>You get startled at his actions and let out a yelp
"Anonymous! At least give me a warning when you're gonna do that!"
>He laughs while you try to turn around to face him
>"I thought it'd be funny to surprise you." He says
>Finally facing him you nuzzle into his chest again
>It's almost time
"We just gotta get through tomorrow Anonymous, then we can enjoy the festival together."
>"Yeah." He says "To be honest I'm kinda nervous."
"Why?"
>"I haven't been on a date in a long time." He says "My last one was a while ago."
>You sigh
"You worry too much, I'm sure we'll be fine."
>Just as you're about to fall asleep Anonymous speaks up again
>"Hey Umbra?"
"Yes Anonymous, what is it?"
>"You still want to know about our falling out?" He says "I think I'm ready to tell you more."
 
>Your eyes shoot open and you look up at him
"Anonymous?! Are you sure?"
>He nods
>"Yeah." He says "Seeing as how we're a bit closer now, I feel more comfortable telling you now."
>You keep your mouth shut as he starts to begin his tale
>"I told you we had a falling out before." He starts out "I just never told you what it was over."
>"Like I said I loved her she was my everything and I was sure she loved me." He says
>"But I guess I was wrong."
"What happened?"
>"I found out she was seeing another pony behind my back..." He says shaking his head
>What?!
>When he said they had a falling out you didn't think it'd be because of something like this
>You can see tears start to form in the corners of his eyes
"I loved her!" He said "And she goes and sees another guy behind my back, what kinda shit is that?!"
>He lets go you as he sits up on the bed
>You get up as well, you feel like your going to have to be sitting up for this
>"And you know what the fucking kicker was?" He says looking at you "She was already seeing him before we met, meaning I was the guy off to the side!"
>The tears are coming out of him now
>"Fuck how could she do that to me!?" He says "I thought we had something!"
>Your own heart aches from seeing him like this
>How could she do that to him?
>That...Whore
>Feelings of sadness and anger fill you as you look at Anonymous
>"I guess I wasn't good enough for her." He says wiping the tears from his eyes "Story of my life."
>Not hearing anymore you throw your hooves around his neck and pull him into a hug
"Don't you dare say that! She doesn't deserve someone like you after doing something like that!"
>You feel his arms wrap around you before he buries his head into your neck
 
"I knew she wasn't perfect like ponies would make her out to be, but doing something like that!?"
>You look down at him
"Who was she with Anonymous? Did you ever find out?"
>You feel Anonymous tense up a bit before he speaks up
>"It doesn't matter anymore." He says "I met him but he disappeared, I don't know where he went."
"What a coward."
>You feel like Anonymous is keeping something from you
>But you decide it's best to leave it at that
>You don't want to keep pushing him
>He'll tell you whatever it is when he's ready
>Anonymous lets out a loud yawn now
>Now it's your turn to laugh
"Look like your finally tired now."
>He chuckles
>"I'm emotionally drained can you blame me?" He says
>Letting go of him you both lay back down on the bed and cuddle up even more
>As you snuggle up to him again you speak up
"Thank you Anonymous for telling me, I feel like we're much closer now."
>His grip around you get tighter
>"I feel the same way Umbra." He says
>You feel like you need to tell him something now
"Anonymous?"
>Nothing
>You hear Anonymous's steady breathing
>Did he fall asleep already?
>That was fast
"I guess I can wait till the festival to tell you."
>Smiling you lean up and plant a kiss on the bottom of his chin
"Sweet dreams Anonymous."
>Your eyelids start to feel heavy
>Letting out one final yawn you close your eyes and fall asleep yourself
 
>The sun starts to rise over the empire
>Signaling the start of a new day
>You are Anon
>As you stir from sleep your eyes open and the first thing your greeted with is
>Umbra
>She's out like a light this morning
<Her mouth is hanging open a little and she's quietly snoring
>For a Queen she sure doesn't sleep gracefully
>Oh Umbra if only you could see how you look right now
>Rubbing away the sleep from your eyes you think back to last night
>What the fuck were you thinking?!
>You almost dropped Sombra's name again!
>That would of made for a fun conversation with her
>Oh hey Celestia was cheating on me with another universe version of your brother!
>You feel bad keeping it from her. but telling her now would complicate things
>Somewhere down the line you'll tell her about it
>But now's not the time
>For now your focus is on the festival
>Looking down at Umbra again you want to see what kind of predicament you're in today
>Oh this is new
>It seems this morning you have a grip on her
>You should be able to slip away easily this morning
>Letting go of her slowly you start to scoot away from her on the bed
>Nearing the edge of the bed you turn and sit up on the edge
>As you stand up you turn to look back at the oh so beautiful sleeping Queen on the bed
"I'll talk to you later Umbra."
>Leaning down you pull the blanket over her and tuck her in
>Looking over to the clock you see it's almost time to meet the others
>Grabbing your stuff you make your way out of Umbra's room and back to yours
 
>When you enter your room you can't help but laugh
"I don't even use this room anymore."
>At this rate you might as well see if Umbra will share her room with you
>She loves sleeping with you apparently with your arms wrapped around her
>And you love sleeping with her all nuzzled up to your chest
>Cuddling really is the best way to sleep isn't it?
>Getting dressed in your gear you head downstairs and out to the field
>As you head out to the field you see your friends and Arthas all waiting for you
>"How nice of you to join us Anonymous." Arthas says
"Yeah sorry I was sleeping like a baby."
>Arthas shakes his head before he starts to pace back and forth
>Standing next to Biggs, Arthas starts to speak up
>"So I assume you're all wondering what today's challenge is?" He says
>You all shrug
"Sure, what could you have in store for us today?"
>Arthas reaches under his cape and pulls out a little bag
>"In this bag I have 16 bits I want each of you to take 4 and get yourselves something nice."
>Say what now?!
>"Whoa for real?!" Lance yells "What the catch?"
>"No catch." Arthas says "The festival is tomorrow, I'm sure you all have things to do today."
>"Something's not right here." Biggs says "Are you sure there's no catch?"
>"If you want I could not give you anything and just dismiss you right now." Arthas says as he starts to pull the bag away
>You reach out
"No wait I'll take those bits!"
>Arthas smiles before opening the bag
>"Just take 4 Anonymous." He says
>Reaching into the bag you pull out 4 bits and hold on to them
>The rest of the guys also take 4 before Arthas puts his bag away
>"There now you can't say I never gave you anything." He says "I also want to let you know that I'm giving you three days off due to the festival."
>You all look at each other in shock before looking back to Arthas
"Why?"
 
>"Well think about it." Arthas says "I give you today off so you can get last minute thing out of the way."
>He looks directly at you
>"Maybe if any of you are going with somepony you can get them something nice for the party."
>The other laugh at you
>"Tomorrow is the festival so why wouldn't I give you the day off?" He asks "Give time you time to get ready for the party and what not."
>"And lastly the day after the festival Lance, Biggs, and Wedge will probably be too hungover to do anything." He says
>"Well he's right on that one." Biggs says nudging Lance "We're gonna drink till we drop."
>"Yes well, if you boys have anything to do today I suggest you get it out of the way now." He says "So tomorrow you can spend the day getting ready."
>The four of you nod before Arthas turns around
>"Oh and just a word after these 3 days have passed." Arthas looks over to you all "I'm going to make sure you all work up those 3 days."
>Cheeky bastard
>"You're dismissed see you all tomorrow."
>You hear a groan come from Lance
>"Well I guess we should have expected that." He says "Guess we just gotta buck up and deal, at least we get some time off."
>You all let out a collective sigh
>"So Anon what are you doing right now?" Wedge asks "I got nothing to do now."
>"Same here." Biggs says "I didn't expect Arthas to do that."
>"Well seems like we're all following you Anon." Lance adds "Where we going?"
"I have to go pick up my stuff from Seth now that I got the bits."
>"Alright cool!" Lance says "Off to Seth's we go!"
"Don't I get a say in this?!"
>"Nope." Biggs said "Let's go."
>As the others walk ahead you, you decide that having some company would be nice
>What's the worst that can happen?
 
>Getting dressed back in your normal clothes you meet the guys back at the doors of castle
>Fixing your tie you grumble
"I wish he could of told us ahead of time that he was gonna give us the day off, would save me the trouble of switching my clothes again."
>"If it's that much of a problem maybe you shouldn't wear them." Lance says
"I'll pass on that."
>They laugh at you before you hear a familiar voice call out
>"Oh Anonymous!" You hear the voice say
>It's Umbra
>"What are you four doing here?" She says "Aren't you supposed to be at training right now?"
>You turn around to face her
"He gave us the day off Umbra."
>"Really?" She answers in a surprised tone "He's never done something like that before."
"Well he also gave each of us 4 bits to spend."
>Umbra lets out a chuckle
>"Now this is strange behavior for Arthas." She says "I'm going to have to talk to him and see what you boys did to him."
>She laughs
>"In any case here." She says pulling out a tiny bag "This is Seth's payment. I assume your going to see him now?"
"Yeah, after that we don't know what we're doing."
>"Well whatever you do make sure you don't stay out too late." She says handing you the bag "I want to continue our research."
>"Whoa what kind of research!?" Lance interrupt with a big dumb grin on his face
>Almost immediately Umbra shoots him a look full of murderous intent
>Taking the hint Lance shuts his mouth and hides behind you
>"In any case just make sure you don't stay out too late okay?" She asks
"Yeah alright I'll be home before it get dark."
>She gives you a warm smile
>"Alright then." She says looking to the other "I'll see you later."
>She turns and heads off to the dining room
>She must be going to get breakfast
>"Man she can get scary when you make her mad." Biggs says
>"Yeah just look at Lance he's still shaking." Wedge says
>They laugh at him before you turn to face the others
"Come on let's get going."
>Putting on your jacket you open the doors and head outside
 
>As you step outside the cold wind is the first thing to greet you
>Fuck this weather
>Looking around you see that the streets are practically empty
>There are some guard patrolling the street but that's about it
>"Man this place really does look like a ghost town in the mornings." Biggs says passing you
"Yeah it does."
>"Cynthia probably sleeping in right now, seeing as how they get some time off of school." Lance says
>Zipping up your coat you start walking over to Seth shop your friends following right behind you
>As you the four of you walk you see ponies start to come out of their homes as the sun rises higher into the sky
>"Looks like people are waking up finally." Lance says
>"It so weird to see." Wedge says "We're always at training during this time so we never see this."
>As you keep walking Biggs grabs everyone attention
>"Hey Lance look it's your favorite place in the empire!" He says pointing up
>Looking at what he's pointing at you see it
>Freddy Fazmare's Pizza in big bright letters
>"Man shut up Biggs!" Lance yells "I'm telling you there's something up with the place!"
>Biggs laughs before catching back up with the rest of you
>As you start to walk you see a pony looking at you
>Poor guy looks like hell
>You decide to leave him be, you just want to get out of this cold weather right now
>You guys continue on until you finally reach Seth's shop
>Opening the door you step into the building, your friends follow right behind you
>As you step in the building your body starts to warm back up
>Looking around you see Seth is nowhere to be found
 
>You see a little bell on the counter
>You ring it a few times before you hear someone yell from the back
>"Coming!" The voice yells out
>Seth emerges from the back, he still looks half awake
>"Anonymous why are you here this early?!" He yells "Do you have any idea what time it is?!"
>You look at the clock on his counter
"7:37, anyway I got your bits, is my stuff done?"
>"Bits first, then I get your stuff." He says wiping the sleep from his eyes
>Placing 10 of your 12 bits on the counter you slide them over
"These are for the pajama pants."
>You place the bag Umbra gave you on the counter as well
"And these are for the other things."
>He looks through the bag before he looks back at you
>"Wait right here." He says before heading to the back
>As he run to the back you look at the others who are just patiently waiting for you
"So what do you guy's want to do after this?"
>"We could always just spend the day at The Stray Mare." Biggs says "We have really nothing else to do."
>You start to think
>He's right you really have nothing to do today
>Just pick up your clothes and see if you can get Umbra something
>That's it
>You look back over to the guys
"Yeah sure why not, after this though I want to see if I can find something for Umbra."
>They all nod before you hear Seth come back out
>"Alright Anon here's your stuff." He says placing a box down "Your tux jacket is in here, and here are your pajama pants."
>The pajama pants are of course the two colors you're know to wear now
>Red and Black
>"I put the jacket and bow tie in the box so you don't somehow ruin them." He says "Tell Queen Umbra I thank her for her business."
>You nod
"Thanks Seth, will do."
>"Yeah, yeah now get out of here I'm going back to sleep." He says yawning
>Looking over to the others they get up and begin to follow you out the door
 
>As you step outside the cold wind slaps you in the face again
>"That guy seemed like no fun." Lance says
"He was just tired, it still is pretty early to be honest."
>"So what's next Anon?" Biggs says "You said you wanted to get something for lady Umbra?"
"Yeah, I got two bits left what can I do with them?"
>"Why not get her some a big bouquet flowers?" Wedge says
>"Or how about some sweets?" Lance says
>You stop and think to yourself
"I think I want to go with the flowers, seeing as there's gonna sweets at the party anyway."
>"Yeah I guess that makes sense." Lance says
>"Alright then Anon follow me!" Wedge says as he takes off down the street
>You Lance and Biggs follow right behind him
>As you follow Wedge you see ponies setting up decorations all around the city
>It's almost like every citizen is helping to get everything ready
>You walk for what seems like forever until Wedge leads you to a flower shop
>"All right this is the place!" He says turning around to face you
>"Damn Wedge!" Biggs says trying to catch his breath "We past like three other shops on the way here, why is this one so important?"
>"This place has the best flowers for the cheapest price." He replies
>As he says that a green mare with a light purple mane comes out
>"Oh hello do you need help with something?" She asks you
>While Biggs and Wedge argue over flower shops you and Lance approach the mare
>You go to open your mouth but the words you hear aren't yours
>"Yeah my boy Anon here has a date with none other than Queen Umbra!" Lance says cutting you off
>"We were hoping he could get some flowers for her." He says
>The mare looks at him before looking at you
>"Are you really the one attending the festival with Queen Umbra?" She asks
"Yes I am, I was hoping I could get something nice for her."
>"Of course!" She says "Come on let's find some flowers for her!"
>You and Lance enter the flower shop while Biggs and Wedge stay outside
 
>As you follow the mare into flower shop your nose is filled with the aroma of hundreds of flowers
>The smell of this place is making your brain go haywire
>As you follow her to the counter she goes behind it before turning to face you
>"Okay so how can I help you?" She asks
"Well I wanted to get Umbra something nice and I figured flowers were the best way to go."
>"You figured right!" She says "So what kind of bouquet do you want?"
"Well I only have two bits what can I do with that?"
>She stops and thinks
>"Well normally I charge two bits for a big bouquet but." She looks at you "Since it's for Queen Umbra I'll only charge you one bit."
"Really?"
>"Sure I'm feeling generous." She says "Just walk around and pick out some flowers, when you have all you want just bring em to me and I'll get you set up."
>Nodding you go around and start picking up flowers
>It's a shame you don't know anything about flowers so you're just gonna have to pick out the ones that look pretty
>As you run around picking out Roses, Pink Roses, and an assortment of different flowers you notice Lance talking to the mare
>"Hey I'm going to the same party he is you wanna be my date?" He says giving her a grin full of confidence
>She stares at him for a second before laughing
>"Sorry hotshot you're not my type." She says
>You see the grin on Lance's face fade before he lets out a sigh
>"Shot down again." He says
>Walking up with the flowers you place them down on the counter
>"Is this everything?" She says
"Yeah."
>She reaches down and pulls out some red wrapping paper
>As you wait for her to finish wrapping up the flowers you look over to Lance
>He seems to be over getting rejected
>That was fast
>He must be used to it
>"Okay all done, that'll be one bit!" She says handing you the now complete bouquet of flowers
>Handing her a bit you take the flowers and leave the shop
>"Thank you for your business have fun with Queen Umbra!" She yells as you leave the shop
 
>Heading back outside you see Biggs and Wedge still arguing about flower shops
>After grabbing their attention and shutting them up the four of you made your way over to The Stray Mare
>Spending the rest of the day there you and your friends ate and talked about the plans for tomorrow there
>Making sure you made it back the castle on time you decided to head home before it got dark out
>Before you and the others split up though Wedge offered to take the flowers and hold on to them for you till tomorrow so Umbra wouldn't see them
>Agreeing with this plan you gave him the flowers and made your way back to the castle with your pajama pants and tuxedo jacket in tow
>As the night rolled around Umbra looked sad when she realized your pajama pants would cover your lower body at night now
>Even though when you called her out on it she yelled at you calling you an idiot
>You couldn't help but smile though after seeing the blush on her face
>Laughing the two of you got into bed and she continued to read the book about dreams
>She still couldn't find anything in the book before she got tired
>You wonder if she's ever gonna find more info to help you
>Not that it matter Luna was no where to be found and you slept peacefully with a queen in your arms
>You pulled her into an embrace again as the two of you cuddled as you both drifted off to sleep
>She was the first to fall asleep tonight
>Looking down at her you smiled
>This is it
>Tomorrow is the day
 
>You wake up to another cold morning in the empire
>Wiping the sleep away you try to peek out the window
>The sun is still rising slowly in the sky
>You try to move around only to notice you can't move again
>Smiling you already know why
>You look down to the mare you've been sharing a bed with these past few days
>She has a big smile on her face
>Probably due to the fact that today is the day
>The festival
>To be honest you've been really looking forward to this now
>You're sure Umbra has as well
>You try to shift around until she stops you from moving
>"No, you're not going anywhere this morning." She says as she clings to you tightly "You said you have the next two days off."
>You laugh as you put a arm around her
"I wasn't going anywhere Umbra, I was just trying to move around a little."
>She rests her head on your chest her eyes looking up at you
>"How are you feeling?" She asks
"Better, I feel good, but I'm still kinda nervous."
>"That understandable." She says "It's a big day today."
>She lets out a sigh
>"To tell you the truth, I'm a bit nervous myself." She says
>You laugh
>She smiles before jabbing you in the ribs with her hoof
>"Don't laugh!" She says "Tonight will be the first time I've ever brought anyone with me to the festival."
"I feel so honored."
>"You should." She says "I guarantee some ponies will be green with envy tonight."
"Great I gotta deal with dirty looks tonight."
>She laughs
>"You'll be fine." She says "Let's just enjoy ourselves tonight."
>The two of continue to relax under the blanket as the sun continues to rise
>Here's hoping everything goes well
 
>Some time has passed as the room is now being fully lit by the sun that is now high in the sky
>Looking over to the clock in the room you see it's about ten
>Time to get up
>Looking down you need to break the news to Umbra
"Hey Umbra, I think it's time we get up."
>She grunts
"Come on don't you have day court or something today?"
>"No." She says "I use today to get ready for the party."
>The entire day?
>Either way you both need to get up
"Come on Umbra I know you don't want to, but we both need to get ready for tonight."
>Letting out a groan she lifts her head off your chest and rolls away from you
>"Sometimes I hate being Queen." She grumbles while she sits up
>If only you didn't have things planned for today you'd happily stay in bed with her
>"So what do you have planned today?" She asks running a hoof through her hair "I assume you need to see the boys."
>You get up and start to stretch
"Yeah we were all gonna meet up at Credo's and figure out what to do from there."
>Umbra lets out another long yawn giving you a chance to see her sharp teeth
>"Very well Anonymous have fun." She says "I have to stay here during most the day."
"Why?"
>"To get ready for the party of course." She says "I have to get dressed, do my hair, and practice my speech for the opening ceremony."
>Sounds like a pain
>"In any case I'll be stuck here for most of the day." She says "But I should be done at six so come get me by then."
"Six? Got it."
>Finally done stretching you pick up your other clothes and head towards the door
"I'll see you then Umbra."
>She gives you a warm smile before you head out the door
>Now in the hallway you head back to your room
 
>After getting dressed and taking out your black tuxedo jacket you headed back down to Credo's workshop
>You passed Ariadne along the way
>Apparently her and a bunch of other ponies were going to help Umbra get ready for tonight
>Girls
>As you get down to the main hall you take a look outside the windows
>There are lot of ponies out there
>As you look from face to face of the ponies they all look excited
>Man this must be a wonderful time for them
>Walking away from the window you head on over to Credo's workshop
>Nearing the door you give it a few knocks
>"Come in!" You hear Credo yell out
>Opening the doors you step into his workshop
>You see Credo is sitting at a table with none other than Arthas
>Looks like they've been drinking cider
>Arthas doesn't even have his armor on instead he has his suit hanging on the back of his chair
>"Anon you're here!" Credo yells "Come here, have a drink with me and Arthas."
>You walk over to the table and take a seat across from Credo
"The others haven't shown up yet?"
>Credo shakes his head
>"It's just been me and Arthas all morning." He says
>You look over to Arthas
>He looks so different with out his armor on
>"What is it Anonymous?" He says
"Nothing it's just I haven't seen you without your armor on before."
>He laughs before taking a drink of his cider
>"Here Anon." Credo says sliding over a cup of cider "Drink up."
>Taking the cup you down it hoping it kill the butterflies in your stomach
 
>Placing the glass back down on the table you wipe away the bit of cider still on your lips
>"How do ya feel Anon?" Credo asks
"Better, but I'm still nervous here."
>"You shouldn't be." Arthas says "You need to have a calm mind for tonight."
"It's not really that easy you know?"
>"He's right though Anon?" Credo says "You just need to relax and calm down."
"Easier said than done, fill her up."
>You slide the glass back over to Credo and he fills it up
>When he slides it back to you. you hear knocking on the door
>"Come in!" Credo says
>The doors open and Biggs and Wedge come in
>You see Wedge brought the flowers
>Thank god he didn't forget them
>"Hey boys!" Credo yells "Come have a drink with us."
>As they walk over to you they're both carrying their suit jackets
>Biggs has a light blue jacket while Wedge has an orange jacket
>There's something familer about this but you can't really remember right now
>You feel like they both need a top hat
>Biggs takes a seat next to you
>You can't help but smile at his suit
>"What?!" Biggs says "It's all I had, I haven't worn a suit in a long time."
>"Here's the flowers Anon." Wedge says handing them to you
>Wedge takes a seat across from Arthas while Credo get their drinks for them
"So where's Lance?"
>"We went to go get him." Wedge says "But when we showed up he was busy dealing with his sister so he told us he'd meet us here."
>"I'm sure he'll be here." Credo says "Here boys have some cider."
>He slides their glasses over to them and they quickly take a drink
>All you got to do is wait for Lance now
 
>"How does it feel Anon?" Biggs asks
"How does what feel?"
>"You're just a few hours away from going to the festival with the Queen of the empire." He says "You must feel on top of the world right now."
"I should feel like it, but I'm still freaking out a bit."
>"I could slap you around if you want." Biggs says "You need to get pumped and get rid of those feelings!"
>You take a deep breath
"You're right, I need to snap out of it, I can do this."
>"That the spirit Anon!" Biggs says patting you on the back "This is your and her's night!"
>As he pats you on the back you hear another knock at the door
>"That must be Lance." Credo says "Come on in Lance!"
>The door opens and Lance comes in
>"Sorry I'm late everyone!" Lance says "I had to deal with Cynthia and her friends."
>Lance is wearing a red suit
>It looks good on him
>"Doing what?" Biggs says
>He takes his seat next to Wedge
>"Since I might come home late, I told her she could have her friends over for a slumber party so she wouldn't be alone during the night."
>"So that's why all those filly's were running around your home." Biggs says "I was afraid we'd have to call the guards on you."
>Lance shoots Biggs a look
>The rest of you laugh at him though
>"Dammit it's not like that!" He yells
>Time passes as you all start to relax
>As time passes you feel more confident
>Yeah you can do this
>You have to
>For her
 
>Looking around you find a clock with the time on it
>5:30
>It's time
>Waving your arm around you get everyone's attention
"Alright it's about that time now, we can get down to business."
>They all look at you listening attentively
>You clear your throat before speaking up
"This isn't about me or us tonight."
"It's about Umbra, I want her to have a fun time at this festival for once."
"If she can't leave, I'll stay behind as we planned."
>Lance opens his mouth but you cut him off
"We can drink some other time, but tonight is for her, I'm not going to leave her alone."
>Lance closes his mouth, he looks a little bummed out
"So I ask all of you, let's just make this a fun night for her, one that she'll never forget."
>Credo nods as he starts to get up
>"Anon right tonight is for our queen!" He says
>Everyone nods and raises their glasses before yelling
>"FOR THE QUEEN!"
>All of their glasses collide before they all down the cider
>Good thing you stopped a while ago
>After they finish their drinks they place the glasses back down on the table
>They all look at you and smile before nodding their heads
"Alright boys time to suit up!"
>You start to slip on you jacket while the others do the same thing
>Credo heads to the back and brings out a mirror for you guys to use
>Making sure your bow tie is good you smile into the mirror
>You're looking as fresh as can be right now
>Grabbing the flowers you head to the doors
>"Anonymous!" You hear Arthas call out
>Turning around he smiles
>"Good luck, we'll be waiting for you two in the dining room."
>Nodding you leave the room
>You stand there outside the room for a second before taking a deep breath
"Time to pick up my date."
 
>Heading out to the main hall you already see a line of high class ponies making their way into the dining room\
>There are a lot of stallions here
>Making your way through them you reach the stairs
>Heading up to the 4th floor you make your way down the hall till you stop at Umbra's door
>You look to the guards standing watch
"Do I look good?"
>They don't answer you instead they only look you over before nodding their head
"Thanks guys."
>Lifting you hand you knock on the door to Umbra's room
>Oh man your heart is racing right now
>Come on get a hold of yourself!
>Magic starts to surround the doors as they slowly begin to open
>Time seems to slow down as they open
>But when they finally open they reveal the most beautiful mare you've ever seen in your life
>Umbra is standing in the center of the room in her red and black dress
>She looks amazing
>You cant take your eyes off her
>"Anonymous?" She says a small smile on her face "You know it's not polite to stare at a lady."
"I'm sorry I can't help it this time, you look so amazing tonight."
>A light blush start to form on her face before she walks up to you
>"You look very handsome yourself." She says "Are those for me?"
>She points to the bouquet of flowers
>You nod
"Y-Yeah I hope you like them."
>She takes the flowers with her magic smelling them
>"I love them, thank you." She says pulling a rose out and placing it behind her ear "Shall we go now Anonymous?"
"Yeah, let's go."
>She place the flowers down on the desk and stands beside you
>With your date in tow the two of you make your way downstairs and towards the dining room
 
>Reaching the dining room Umbra stops you before you two enter
>"Okay Anonymous are you ready?" She asks
>You raise an eyebrow at her
"Ready for what?"
>"Just follow me okay?"
>You nod your head
>Umbra turns around and motions to the guard standing by
>"Go ahead." She says
>The guard salutes her before walking into the dining room
>You watch as he opens his mouth and begins to speak
>"Now announcing the arrival of Queen Umbra and her guest for this evening Anonymous!" He yells
>You hear applause coming from the room
>"Okay Anonymous." She says "Lets go."
>The two of you enter the dining room
>As soon as you enter you feel all eyes on you
>You look around to see your friends sitting at the table where you and Umbra usually sit
>As you walk with Umbra you take glances at the other ponies in the room
>Some look at you normally
>While some look at you with intrigue
>And some with jealousy
>Nearing the table you take your seat next to Lance while Umbra takes her seat at the head of the table you're sitting at
>A moment of silence passes before Umbra speaks up
>"Good evening everypony!" She says "I'm so glad you all could come out this wonderful evening."
>"For tonight is a special night for everyone here, It is a night for celebrating whether that would be drinking, eating, or spending time with that special somepony."
>She looks at you for a second before looking back to everyone else
>"For on this very day, my dear brother Sombra and I founded this very empire!"
>"And even though he is not here with us, we will continue to celebrate this glorious day
>"So I tell you my faithful citizens, to enjoy yourselves tonight."
>"For this isn't just a night to celebrate the empire, but to celebrate yourselves because you are the reason the empire continues to thrive!"
>"Enjoy yourselves everypony you've earned it!" She says concluding her speech
>The room erupts into applause as ponies begin to converse with each other
>Umbra sits down letting out a sigh of relief
 
>"That was a wonderful speech my Queen." Arthas says "You did well again."
>"Thank you Arthas." She says looking over to you "What did you think Anonymous?"
"I thought it was a solid speech."
>"Thank you Anonymous." She says with a smile before turning back to talk to Arthas
>As you sit there with your friends you look around the table you're sitting at
>On your side it's you then Lance then Wedge
>While on the other side it's Arthas then Credo then Biggs
>"Anon take a look at that monster!" Lance yells nudging you in the side
>You turn to see what Lance is talking about until you see it
>Holy shit man it's a giant chocolate cake!
>As a group of ponies dressed like chefs wheel the cake into the room your stomach starts to rumble
>Ah man that cake looks so good
>At the top of the cake chocolate sauce seems to be pouring down it
>You swear your're drooling a little
>You hear a giggle come from Umbra before she leans in and whispers to you
>"I asked them if they could make the cake similar to the one you had at the Emerald Cafe." She says "You seemed like you loved it."
>This mare is too good to you
"Thank you Umbra."
>"Your welcome Anonymous." She says as she turns her attention to the ponies approaching your table
>"As Queen you get the first slice, please enjoy it." The chef says handing her a plate with a large slice of cake on it
>"Thank you." She says taking the plate from him "It looks delicious."
>The chef turns to face everyone in the room
>"If you want cake come and get it, we will serve you." He says
>On cue ponies get up from their seats and head over to the giant cake
 
>Shit you better get some of this cake before it's all gone
>As you get up Umbra grabs your attention
>"Anonymous can you get me something to drink?" She asks
"Yeah of course, what do you want?"
>"Some punch would be nice." She says
>Looking over to the cake you see a punch bowl beside it
"Yeah alright I'll be right back."
>"Thank you Anonymous." She says
>As you get up from your seat Lance and Biggs also get up
>"Anon we're gonna go with because we wanna get cake too." Biggs said "And Arthas said we can't go off on our own so sorry."
"Alright then come on."
The three of you start to make your way over to the giant cake in the center of the room
>As you near it one of the chefs notices you and walks over to you
>"Hello sir would you like a slice of cake?" He asks
"Yeah and can I get some punch to go with that?"
>"Of course let me get that for you." He says going around to get your things
>While you wait Biggs walks up besides you
>"I wonder when the band is gonna get here?" He says
"Hopefully soon."
>"So how are you digging this party Anon?" He asks "You like it?"
"It's fun so far, I just hope me and Umbra can do more stuff later."
>"Hey maybe you two can dance later!" Lance says
"Maybe, I haven't dance in a while so I'm not too sure about that."
>"Here you go!" The chef calls out
>He has a plate with a slice of cake and cup of punch for you
"Thank you so much."
 
>When Lance and Biggs finally receive their pieces of cake you they follow you back to the table
>As you walk through the crowd of ponies some of them try to avoid you like you're the plague or something
>Not that you mind, it makes it easier to get back to the table now that they've gotten out of the way
>Finally making your way back over to Umbra you hand her the punch
>"Thank you Anonymous." She says taking a sip "If you want we can share."
>You smile at her
"Sure Umbra."
>When you take your seat you look over to Wedge
"You didn't want any cake Wedge?"
>"No I'm fine." He says "I'm not a cake guy."
>How can anyone not like cake?
"Alright suit yourself."
>Digging into your cake you make sure not make a pig of yourself in front of these ponies
>Taking a bite of your cake it feels like fireworks are going off in your mouth
>You taste chocolate and a hints of cherries in there
>Did they mix them in?
>It's so good!
>As you eat your amazing cake Umbra grabs your attention
>"Anonymous have you noticed the looks my citizens are giving you?" She asks
>You look up from your plate and over to her
"Yeah, I have, it's actually not bothering me though."
>She smiles
>"You have a little bit of chocolate there Anonymous." She says using her magic to wipe some chocolate from the corner of your mouth
>You laugh
"I'm not a kid you know."
>"You sure eat cake like one." She says "In any case I'm glad the looks don't bother you now."
"I think it's because I'm here with you. I could care less what they think right now."
>"Good." She says "In any case me and Arthas want to talk to you about something while we have the chance."
>"It's about you and the boys." She say
>"Would you two like some cake as well?" He says turning to Biggs and Lance
>"Sure." Biggs says
>As you stand and wait for the guys to get their cake you look back over to Umbra
>She looks happy
>Maybe she's just happy being with you tonight
>Maybe you will see if she wants to dance
 
"What? Did we do something wrong?"
>"No, nothing like that." Umbra says turning to Arthas "Would you care to explain to him?"
>"Of course my Queen." He says turning to you "Lately lady Umbra has been receiving small request from her citizens."
>"Now I won't go into detail of what they are yet." He says "But the thing is we feel that the requests don't need actual guards to look into them."
>Oh now you see where he's going with this
>"Lady Umbra talked to me and we decided we would send you four, as you four are recruits to cheek into these matters." He says
>"Think of it as a test of sorts." He says
>Lance seemed to tune into your conversation and pokes his head in
>"I have a question." Lance says "Would we be getting paid for doing this?"
>You look over to Arthas
>Who in turn looks over to Umbra
>She places a hoof on her chin before answering you
>"I suppose I can arrange for a some for some form of payment." She says "Of course it won't be much, but at least you won't feel like you're wasting your time."
>"Thank you lady Umbra." Lance says before turning to tell the others
>They look excited at the news of work
>You smile and look over to Umbra
"So I take it they're small things then if they don't actually need the guard?"
>"Correct." She says "I'm sure you can handle them."
>Smiling you take a drink from the glass you and Umbra are sharing
>"Hey Anon!" Biggs says "Look they're here!"
>Looking over to the far end of the room, you see a group of well dressed ponies setting up their instruments
>Once they finish one of the ponies takes a seat at the piano and readies himself
 
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWeC1OmMliY
>As the music begins to fill the room ponies lower their voice and continue to converse among themselves
>Looking over to Biggs I
>It looks like the music has put him in a trance
>You can't help but laugh
>Poking Lance you point over to Biggs
>He starts to smile
>"Hey Biggs snap outta of it!" Lance says
>"Lance shut your mouth and let me listen to the music." Biggs says
>Lance sees this as an opportunity to steal what's left of Biggs's cake
>You laugh before looking back over to Umbra
"What do you think of this music Umbra?"
>She looks over to you wiping her mouth of some cake she had on her lips
>"I think it sounds beautiful." She says "I see Biggs has become entranced by it."
>As you talk with Umbra out of the corner of your eye you notice a sharp dressed stallion making his way over to you
>He's carrying a bucket filled with ice with his magic
>But in the ice there's a fancy looking bottle in it
>When he reaches the table you and the others watch as he talks to Umbra
>"Queen Umbra The Icy Gem Cavern sends it's finest bottle of champagne for you." He says reading a note he had "We hope you enjoy it and your evening."
>"Thank you." Umbra says "Send my thanks to your employer as well."
>He bows before placing the bucket down on the table along with two glasses before taking off
>"I'll get glasses for me and the boys, Biggs come help me." Credo says nudging Biggs "Those two cups are for Queen Umbra and Anon."
>Biggs shakes his head before getting up to follow Credo
>"This looks really high class." Wedge says eyeing the bottle "I wonder if it's powerful stuff?"
>"Who cares?" Lance says in an excited tone "It's from The Icy Gem Cavern you can't get this stuff anywhere else!"
>"Be careful you two." Umbra says "This isn't just your typical champagne, drink slowly."
>You wonder what she means
>Credo and Biggs return shortly with the cups for the others
>Handing them out Umbra begins to open the bottle
 
>Umbra manages to get the bottle and begins to fill everyone's glass with champagne
>She pours the first glass for you and her before doing everyone else
>As the bottle goes around the table filling everyone's glasses you take a look at the champagne
>It's not that golden color it's supposed to be
>Instead it's almost white, more like a very light pink
>As she finishes filling up Lance's cup she places the bottle back into the ice
>"There, now everyone remember to drink it slowly, savor it." She says "I'm sure this is the first time any of you are having something from The Icy Gem Cavern."
>Almost all of you nod besides Arthas
>"Then let's drink." She says raising her glass "I hope you all enjoy your champagne."
>On that note you all take a drink of your cups
>You and Arthas do as she said and take a small sip of your drinks
>While Credo, Lance, Biggs, and Wedge all try to down it
>You look over to Umbra who is shaking her head with a smile on her face
>She looks over to you
>"Try not to drink too much please?" She asks you "I still have things I wish to do with you tonight."
>Get your head out of the gutter you idiot! You don't know if she's talking about THAT
"Sure, this stuff is really strong anyway, I don't think I can drink the entire glass."
>She smiles and looks back to the others
>You do the same all while taking sips of your champagne
>This stuff really is strong
>Each sip feels like a surge of electricity on your tongue
>And that surge goes all the way from you mouth to your stomach
>As you look at the others their mood seems to have changed
>They all look really tipsy right now
>Even Credo
>Lance is starting to get up from his seat
>Oh this outta be good
 
>Arthas looks like he going to tell him to sit down but Umbra stops him
>"Wait Arthas, this could be interesting." She says as a smile starts to make its way onto her face
>"Oh man this is some good stuff!" He yells grabbing the attention of the ponies around you
>The band is still playing but they seem interested in what Lance is doing
>Now standing he throws a hoof around your neck leaning on you
>"Anon I want to tell you something!" He says taking another drink "None of these fancy pants ponies are as good as you!."
>You smile as he rambles on
>"I want you to take a look at these guys Anon." He says as he starts to point to ponies around the room "Look at how jealous they are of you."
>"He jealous of you!" He yells pointing to one
>He points to another
>"Look at that pony, he's super jealous of you!"
>He looks to another
>"You giving my friend a dirty look?" He yells to another "This guy will slap the life outta you he's such a monster!"
>He gets off you and starts to stumble around the room talking to the other guests
>The conversations go from him telling other stallions how jealous they are of you
>To trying to ask the mares out
>After insulting a few high class guests and get rejected enough he stops in the center of the room
>"Come on losers, let's get to dancing!" He yells as he starts to dance around
>You try to cover your smile by placing a hand over your mouth, but you can't stop the laughing
>Looking over to Umbra she's also trying not to laugh at Lance but is failing
>Arthas has his hoof on his face as he shakes his head
>"It seems like it was too much for him." Credo says
>"Dammit Lance!" Biggs yells to him "Why do you have to be such a lightweight?"
>"Fuck off Biggs, I'm dancing!" He yells as he shakes his butt towards him
>Lance turns to some mares who were watching him dance
>"What's up ladies?!" He says running his hooves down his body "You girls want some of THIS?"
>They give him a look of disgust before turning around
 
>"Come on Biggs let's go grab him." Wedge says
>Biggs groans
>"Remind me to kick his ass later." Biggs says
>They get up and head over to him before taking him down to the ground
>"GET OFF ME YOU GUYS!" He yells "HELP! THE NO FUN ALLOWED GUARDS ARE HERE! THEY'RE RAPING ME!"
>"Shut up Lance!" Biggs yells "You're making a scene!"
>"YOU'RE THE ONE MAKING A SCENE!" Lance yells "ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS DANCE!"
>"You just asked those mares if they wanted some of you!" Wedge yells "All the while you were thrusting at the air!"
>"IT'S NOT MY FAULT THEY'RE HOT!" Lance yells before Biggs whacks him in the head
>"Will you stop squirming?!" Biggs yells
>You watch as they try to get Lance under control
>"See Anonymous?" Arthas says grabbing your attention "I told you they would get out of control."
>"Hush Arthas." Umbra says "It's all in good fun."
>After a bit of a struggle Biggs and Wedge finally drag him back to the table
>"Man you two are no fun." Lance says as they put him in his chair
>"Maybe if you didn't make an ass out of yourself we would be." Wedge says taking his seat
>"It's not my fault that champagne is so strong!" Lance said
>"That why lady Umbra told you to take it slow you idiot!" Wedge says
"How come you three aren't acting like him? You all tried to down it too."
>"Anon we can hold our liquor!" Biggs says as he takes his seat "Lance is just a baby."
>"Aye." Credo says "I've never seen anyone going from normal to acting like a jackass so fast."
>Lance just groans before putting his head down on the table
 
>After a few minutes pass the other party guests have gone back to doing what they were doing before Lance's outburst
>"Why don't you boys head out?" Umbra says "I know how much you all want to have fun."
"Can you not come with us?"
>She looks down to the floor
>"I can't, I have to stay." She says "But I want you to know you made me finally have a fun night tonight, and for that I thank you."
>"Are you sure you want us to go lady Umbra?" Credo asks "We can stay for a bit longer."
>She looks back up to Credo
>"It's fine, I promise!" She says "Just go and enjoy yourselves, don't worry about me."
>Your friends turn to look at you before they do anything
>You quickly nod your head so Umbra doesn't see
>You already know what you're doing
>"Alright then." Credo says with a small smile on his face "Let's go hit the bars boys."
>Every one of your friends start to get up with small smiles on their face
>Umbra looks surprised when she sees you're not getting up with them
>"Anonymous?" She says "Aren't you going with them?"
>You look at her and give her a smile before speaking up
"Nope, I'm staying here with you tonight, I can drink with them some other time."
>"Are you sure?" She asks "I don't want you to stay just because you feel like you have to."
"Umbra it's fine, I need to stay with you tonight, for me and you."
>She blushes a bit before looking away
>As the guys say goodbye Lance leans in and whispers into your ear
>"Good luck tonight buddy." He says as he pats you on the back before turning to follow the others
>What does he think is gonna happen?!
>Must be the alcohol talking
>As the leave the room Umbra speaks up
>"Thank you Anonymous." She says looking back to you "I really did want you to stay with me tonight."
"Of course Umbra, I'm not going anywhere."
>You lift your glass towards her
>Noticing this she does the same
"Let's just keep the fun going."
>She smiles and nod before tapping your glass with hers
>It's just you and her now
 
>As you enjoy your evening with Umbra you see a pink mare approaching your table
>You look over to Umbra who is staring daggers at her
>"Excuse me my Queen." She starts out
>"What do you want?" Umbra says bluntly
>The mare looks down at the floor
>"I wish to apologize to your date." She says
>Umbra looks over to you which in turn you just shrug your shoulders
>"Fine." Umbra says "Mind your words though."
>The mare looks up at her and nods before looking over to you
>"Uh hello." She says
"Hi, you said you wanted to apologize to me?"
>She nods
"For what?"
>"I called you some thing I shouldn't have." She says "At least without getting the chance to talk to you first."
>Wait a second
>Oh is she that mare?
>The one Umbra told you about?
"Were you the one that called me an animal?"
>She nods again
>"I am so very sorry, it was wrong of me to judge you before getting the chance to know you."
>You smile
"It's fine I'm not offended in any way."
>Umbra looks at you with and eyebrow raised
>"Y-You're not angry?" She asks
"No, I can understand why you would call me that, I'm not a pony so what else could I be?"
>She starts to smile a bit
"But for the record I'm a human, not an animal."
>She nods once again
>Umbra smiles before looking back to the mare
>"You are lucky Anonymous is so forgiving." Umbra says "Now please, let us enjoy our evening."
>"Of course my Queen!" She says before looking over to you "Thank you for your forgiveness!"
>You nod and she runs of again
>"You let her off too easy." Umbra says taking a sip of her drink
"Umbra you know you don't have to act like that right?"
 
>"Like what?" She asks
"You know, getting angry when ponies call me things."
>She looks over to you before letting out a sigh
>"I just don't like when they call you something you're not." She says
"I know I can tell, but how are you so sure I'm not an animal?"
>She laughs
>"Oh please mister I like to cuddle in my sleep." She says "I know you're no animal."
>You smile and look away as a blush makes its way onto your face
"Alright you got me there."
>Looking back to her you both share a laugh
>Umbra looks towards the ponies in front of the band playing
>"It just bothers me how fast my citizens can judge something without ever getting to know it."
>She looks back over to you
>"I just wish they could see you like I do." She says
"It's alright Umbra we'll get there someday."
>She gives you a soft smile
"Hey who knows maybe they'll start to trust me when I help with these requests you're giving us."
>"I hope so." She says "I really do."
>You look over to see some ponies dancing to the music in the room
>Looking back over to Umbra it looks like she wants to dance as well
>Alright Anon it's time
>Time to buck up
"Hey Umbra?"
>"Yes Anonymous?" She asks
"Would you like to um, dance?"
>A large smile flashes on her face before she returns to normal
>"I would love to Anonymous." She says "Come on let's go!"
>Nodding you both get up and you follow her into the group of ponies in front of you
 
>As you follow Umbra you wonder how well is this going to go
>She's not as tall as Celestia that's for sure
>But she's not as small as these other ponies
>You want to say she's about as tall as Cadance maybe just a little bit taller
>If only you could Umbra next to the others!
>Everyone watches you and Umbra as you make your way to the center
>They give you and her some room
>As you stand in the middle of the room you try not to look at the ponies staring at you
>But fuck if it's not hard
>"Anonymous?" Umbra says grabbing your attention "Are you okay?"
>As you look into her eyes you start to relax
>Just relax Anon
>Who cares what they think?
>You're here for Umbra
>Taking a deep breath you nod your head
"Yeah I'm fine now."
>She gives you a reassuring smile
>"Just imagine it's just you and me here." She says
>You nod before she gets up on her hind legs before she leans on you for support
>She tries to get her hooves onto your shoulders which she eventually gets them there
>You place your hands on her sides
>"Do you even know how to dance Anonymous?" She asks
"I used to dance before, nothing too crazy but I knew how to slow dance."
>She smiles
>"Then that's how we'll dance then." She says
>She looks over to the band and motions them to play something else
 
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgLekh4dCis [Embed]
>Huh this is something slow
>As the music starts to play the ponies that were dancing before begin to dance again
"Umbra do you even know how to dance with something like me?"
>"No." She says "But I'm a fast learner, don't worry."
"Alright."
>You decide to take the lead and begin to move
>At first Umbra had a hard getting used to dancing with you
>Occasionally she would step on your foot on accident
>Or she'd almost end up falling
>You were there to catch her though
>You placed one of your hands on her back and brought her in close to you
>From there the two of you would sway back and forth to the music as time passed
>The music itself was nice and relaxing to you
>It was almost perfect for this
>As the two of you dance you looked down to your partner
>Umbra's head was resting on your chest her eyes half open
>She looks so content right now
>As you dance the smell of her hair was getting to you
>It's intoxicating
>It smells like chocolate, it's slowly driving you crazy right now
>"Anonymous." Umbra says softly "Your heart is starting to beat faster."
"Can you blame me? I mean I do have a beautiful Queen in my arms."
>You see her face light up a little before she speaks up
>"Don't say things like that." She says nuzzling into your chest "I don't want the other guests to see me like this."
>You let out a small laugh
"What guests? You told me to imagine it was only you and me here."
>She lets out a quiet growl
>"I suppose I did say that." She says "Just be quiet Anonymous."
>You chuckle before shutting up
>As you dance she speaks up once again
>"Anonymous?" she says quietly
>You lean in and whisper in her ear
"What's wrong?"
>She doesn't say anything for a moment before speaking up again
>"After this dance I need to talk to you..." She says "In private."
"Alright Umbra, after this."
>She nuzzles into you some more before she goes silent
>As the music goes on you continue to dance with Umbra in your arms
 
>As the music comes to a close the whole room erupts in applause
>The musicians all take a bow
>With Umbra still on you, you start to clap for them as well
>Umbra turns in your arms so her back is pressed against your chest before clapping for them
>"Thank you!" The one at the piano says "That was one of our new song we made for tonight, we are so happy you all enjoyed it!"
>Umbra goes back to standing normally in front of you before motioning to you
>"Come with me Anonymous." She says quietly before heading to a set of doors in the dining room
>Stepping through them it looks like they lead out to a balcony
>It's cold but it's not too bad out
>Off in the distance you can hear the sounds of the festival going on
>Looking around it seems the streets are all lit up
>The whole empire must be celebrating
>Umbra goes over to the railing and looks out towards the lights
"So what did you want to talk about Umbra?"
>She doesn't say anything
>Walking up behind her you place a hand on her back
"Umbra?"
>She finally turns to face you
>In her eyes you see worry
>"Anonymous what's wrong with me?!" She says with a shaky voice
>You're confused on what she means
"Whoa slow down Umbra, what do you mean?"
>She takes a deep breath before continuing
>"I've been feeling strange things lately." She says "Strange emotions from time to time."
>You decide to keep your mouth shut and let her talk
>"The only thing is, I only feel them when I'm with you." She says "Or anytime I think of you."
>"I don't know why though!" She says "Every time I'm with you I can't think straight!"
>Could she be...
>"And every night we spend together these feelings get stronger!" She says "Especially after the first night we spent together."
>She starts to blush
>"When I saw you with that fake me in your dream I just-" She stops herself
"U-Umbra?"
>She looks you dead in the eyes
>"Anonymous I need to know something." She says "What do you feel when you're with me?"
 
>So that's how she feels huh?
>Well this is what you wanted to happen Anon
>Now that you know what she feels towards you there's no more beating around the bush
>Now it's go time
>Looking her dead in the eyes you say it
"I feel the same Umbra."
>A smiles forms on her face before she throws her hooves around you
"Without you I would be a corpse in the snow right now, you saved my life."
"You gave me food, shelter, and some new clothes. but most of all you gave me something I had lost."
>She holds you tighter
"You gave me trust and friendship, something I never thought I'd never have again after what happened with Celestia."
"I didn't want to get hurt by anyone ever again so I left and tried to make it on my own."
>You chuckle
"The only thing is I almost died out there."
>She squeezes you more
>Anymore of this and she's gonna break you in half!
>"You idiot." She mumbles
>You laugh
"But as time passed and I got to know you better, we became close friends."
"Until the first night we spent together."
"After you saved me from that nightmare and we spent the night cuddling I started feeling those same feeling you have"
"But I didn't know if this was something I wanted yet, I wasn't sure I was ready yet, but now I know..."
>She looks up at you
"I care about you Umbra, you're more than just a friend to me."
>As the words leave your mouth Umbra starts to tear up
"Woah, Woah, Woah! Why are you crying?! You're supposed to be happy!"
>Her hooves go from your waist up to around your neck
>"You fool!" She says "I AM happy!"
>Smiling you wrap your arms around her
 
>You two stay locked in a hug for a long time before Umbra moves her head back
>As she stares into your eyes she starts to speak up
>"Anonymous, this feeling, is this?"
"I think it is Umbra."
>Umbra smiles before she closes her eyes and she starts to lean into you
>This is it huh?
<Now you know
>You do love her
>You close your eyes and decide to meet her halfway
>Closing the gap your lips connect
>It's a sweet and tender moment for the time being
>By coincidence it seems they're shooting of fireworks at this time
>But the simple kiss begins to turn into something more as it goes on
>Soon you two are making out like some horny teenagers
>Her hooves are tightly wrapped around your neck not letting you go
>You're running your hands trough her soft and smooth hair
>She was able to get you to open your mouth so her tongue can invade yours
>As your tongues battle for supremacy you can taste everything she's had tonight
>The cake
>The punch
.The champagne
>Everything
>When she finally breaks the kiss the two of you try to catch your breath
>There is only one word to describe what just happened
"Whoa."
>She giggles before speaking up
>"Anonymous." Umbra says, her eyes filled with desire "Would you like to retire for the evening?"
 
>You don't even give her an answer, you just scoop her up in your arms and make your way back to the doors
>"Anonymous!?" She yells surprised by your actions
"Act like you're asleep so the party goers don't suspect anything."
>She nods before closing her eyes
>As you rush through the dining room almost all the ponies in the room look at you
"She's just asleep, I'm just taking her back to her room now everyone, enjoy the rest of the night!"
>They all seem to buy it and go back to what their doing before
>Leaving the dining room you head up the stairs
>All the while Umbra is delivering soft kisses to your neck
>It's taking ever ounce of your will to control yourself right now
>Occasionally she nibbles your neck sending your mind into a frenzy
>Damn her!
>She knows she getting to you
>You look down to her and she just blushes with a innocent smile plastered across her face
>As you reach the top floor you pretty much sprint down the hall
>The two guards standing by open the door for you as you approach the room
>"Anonymous stop." Umbra says
>Stopping at the doors she address the two guards
>"Absolutely no one is allowed to enter!" She says "Understood!?"
>Both guards salute as you two enter the room
>As Umbra closes the door with her magic a single thought runs through your head
>Holy shit this is actually happening.
 
>You pretty much drop Umbra onto the bed and begin your barrage of kisses on her
"My turn now!"
>As you kiss her neck she's letting out small giggles of satisfaction
>Her hooves wrap around your neck pulling you in
>From time to time you nibble her neck
>This grants you moans from her varying from quiet to loud
>You smile and look her in the eyes
>Her eyes are already half lidded
"How's it feel to be on the receiving end?"
>She responds by pulling you into another kiss
>She pretty much forces her tongue into your mouth this time
>That cake she had is overpowering everything else she had
>She tastes wonderful right now
>As you kiss Umbra the tightness in your pants is getting worse
>When you break the lip lock Umbra leans in and whispers into your ear
>"Get up."
>Complying you get off her and stand back up
>Umbra gets off the bed and her horn starts to light
>The strings on the back of her dress start to glow as they become undone
>All the while she has yet to break eye contact with you
>When she undoes the last string on her dress it falls to the floor revealing herself to you
>Unf~
>She sleeps like this all the time why are so excited now?!
>She walks up to you and gives you a quick peck on the lips before opening her mouth
>"You're lucky those are your only pair of clothes, otherwise I would of ripped them right off of you." She says
>That just made you even more excited
>"The clothes, lose them." She says in a demanding yet sexy tone
>Umbra stands in front of you while you tear off every article of clothing you have
>Shoes, jacket, vest, undershirt, bow tie. pants
>Getting down to your boxers you go to tear them off but Umbra stops you
>"Not yet." She says with a small blush on her face as she tackles you onto the bed bringing you into another lip lock
 
>As the two of you fall to the bed you're engage in another battle between your tongues
>God she must love kissing
>Now that she pretty much has you pinned down she leans down to your ear and takes this opportunity to tease you a bit
>She just messes with you at first by blowing on your ear
>For some reason this is making you really excited
>Then she goes to licking your ear making you shiver in pleasure
>Until she finally nibbles on your ear lobe
>Fuck you can't take it anymore
>Reaching down you grab as much of her flank as you can and squeeze
>This incites a yelp Umbra
>She looks back to her flank then back to you before she blushes again
>You give her a wink before reaching up to kiss her neck again
>As you do she starts to moan again
>"Annnnooooonnn~ I, I can't take it!" She says in between moans
>You try to speak even though you're still kissing her neck
"I know Umbra, neither can I!"
>"I want you Anonymous! No I NEED you!" She says pinning you back down before kissing you again
>You love this mare
>You can't deny it anymore
>All you want to do is love her, to care for her, to pleasure her
>As you make out some more you run your hands up and down her back
>The heat of the moment is starting to get to you as you overpower her and flip her over onto the bed again
>You take a moment to stare into those beautiful red eyes of hers
>It feels like an eternity before she speaks up
>"I love you..."
>You smile while placing your hand on the side of her head
"I love you too Umbra."
>She starts to tear up again
>You deliver a kiss to her lips and the corners of her eyes to stop her
"Don't cry, I'm gonna make you feel good okay?"
>She nods, a smile on her face
>You kiss her again on the lips before slowly making your way down to her neck then down her body to her stomach and then her thighs
>Until finally you reach your destination
>Her marehood
 
>You just stare at what could be the most beautiful marehood you've ever seen
>You can clearly see the Umbra is ready to go already
>"A-Anonymous is something wrong?" She says
>Looking back up you give her a reassuring smile
"No I um, I'm just admiring the most beautiful marehood I've ever seen."
>She blushes before covering her face with her hooves
>Laughing you look back to the thing that requires your attention
>Getting closer you start to smell her arousal
>It smells like chocolate and cinnamon
>The more you smell it the more it drives you wild
>Control yourself Anon take it slow for her
>As you get closer you can feel the heat radiating off of it
>You gently start to trace the outside of her lips
>You can hear Umbra gasp at your touch
>Smiling you slip one finger in
>Umbra starts to shake as it enters her
>It feels so soft inside her it's like velvet
>As you move your fingers in and out you move your head in closer
>Delivering a lick to her Umbra shudders again
>"Anoooonnnn~" She moans
>You look up
"You okay?"
>She nods her eyes shut tight
>"I'm fine please keep going Anon!" She says
>Nodding you continue your assault on her
>Eventually you stick two fingers in and continue to pump her
>All the while licking up the juices flowing out of her
>You stick your tongue in her and she moans even louder
>Oh god she taste so sweet almost like vanilla
>You start to lose control of yourself
>As you continue your assault Umbra starts to moan faster and faster
>"Anon! Don't stop! I think somethings happening!" She say before she lets herself go
>She lets out a loud scream as she arches her back
>Her love juice explodes onto your face as you try to drink up as much as you can
>Finally Umbra rides out her climax and lays back down
>Your about to look up at her until you hear the doors start to open
 
>Umbra is able to use her magic to throw a blanket over herself covering you entirely
>"Queen Umbra what's wrong!" You hear what sounds like a guard say
>God dammit
>You sigh
>Apparently Umbra feels that and shudders a bit
>"G-GET OUT!" Umbra yells "I SAID NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO ENTER, THAT INCLUDES YOU TWO IDIOTS!"
>You hear what sounds like something being thrown
>Maybe one of your shoes?
>Or maybe that book with the moon on it?
>"Y-Yes ma'am our apologies!" You hear a guard say before you hear the doors close again
>Laughing you travel up the blanket until your head pokes out in front of Umbra
>She's blushing like crazy
>"This is so embarrassing..." She says
>You can only laugh what just happened
>Looking at Umbra you see her hair has gotten all out of control
>But she still looks beautiful
>She looks up at you before pulling you into a kiss
>When she breaks the kiss she smiles
>"So that's what I taste like." She says "Here lay down, it's my turn now to pleasure you now."
>Doing as she says you switch with her
>Now laying back down on the bed Umbra starts to do the same thing you did for her
>She kisses your lips before moving down your body to your neck
>To delivering kisses to your chest then to your abs until she reaches your waistline
>She stops and looks up to you
"What's the matter."
>She blushes before looking away
>"What if I can't do the same for you?" She says
"You mean pleasuring me?"
>She nods
"Umbra it's fine, I'm sure you can do it."
>She smiles before lowering her head again
>"Then these need to go."
 
>She bites down on your boxers and start to pull them down
>As she frees your partner in crime he springs up ready for action
>Her eyes widen at the sight of it before she looks away, that blush you love making its way onto her face
>Helping her out you kick off you boxers sending them to the floor
>Now fully exposed to Umbra she carefully looks at little Anon
>"So what do I do?" She asks "I've never done this before."
>You blush a little
"Um, it's kinda weird to describe it, but um you take it in your hooves and lick it until you feel like putting in your mouth
>"M-My mouth?!" She says
"Y-Yeah then from there you have to like move your head up and down, all while using your tongue at the same time."
>She looks down to your dong then back to you before nodding her head
>"O-Okay I'll try my best." She says
>You give her a reassuring smile
"I know you can do it, just take your time and go at your own pace."
>She smiles before leaning down again
>You watch as she gets close to it and proceeds to sniff it
>It looks like she's trying to get your scent
>It's kinda weird, but hot at the same time
>Then she starts to poke it with her hoof moving it around a bit, she looks amazed that it always returns to it's original position
>Eventually she sticks her tongue out and gives it a quick lick
>It may of been quick. but as soon as her tongue connected with you it sent a jolt of pleasure in you
>She notices this and continues to lick it
>She knows she's doing something right
 
>You notice as time goes on she's getting better at this
>She started to do longer licks all around your dick getting it wet
>It's only a matter of time before she-
>You stop thinking to yourself when you feel the warm sensation of her taking in all of you into her mouth
>Looking down her eyes meet yours
>You nod before she starts to bob her head up and down your shaft
>It's so warm
>You let out a moan as you lay your head back down
>She's doing a wonderful job
>Every time she goes up you shudder at the cool air assaulting your exposed manhood
>And when she goes back down all that warmth returns
>Oh god it feels like heaven
>Umbra starts to lose control of herself though as she picks up the pace moving faster and faster
>You can feel that feeling rising
>You need to warn her
>She's doing too good
>Getting up on your elbows you try to stop her
"U-Umbra, wait a second, please, I'm gonna, FUCK!"
>Your hips buck and you let it go
>Your love gun starts to fire off rope after rope of your seed inside Umbra's mouth
>You watch as Umbra eyes shoot open, she looks surprised at first
>But then she closes her eyes and keeps your dick in her mouth
>Is she?
>She is
>She still sucking up whats left
>You throw your head back as she drinks your man jelly
>When it seems you got nothing left she lets your dick go
>You hear an audible *pop* as she takes it out of her mouth
>A little bit of man goo is hanging from the corner of her mouth
"U-Umbra, you got a little..."
>She looks at you with a smile before she uses her tongue to lick it up
>"Sweet, but a little salty as well." She says a blush on her face
>She lays down next to you
"I love you so much right now."
>"You drank my juices." She laughs "I assumed I was supposed to drink yours as well."
>You kiss her on the head
"I think it's time we moved onto the main event."
>She blushes as you get up over her
>Revving up little Anon he starts to come back to life
>It's time
 
>With Umbra laying on her back again you position yourself right on her folds
>Both of you are nervous
>But it's time
>Okay here we-
>"Anonymous wait!" Umbra says
>Looking up at her she looks sorry she stopped you
"What's wrong?"
>She fidgets a bit before speaking up
>"It's my first time with a stallion." She says "Please be gentle with me."
>You blink before leaning in to kiss her as to try and help her relax
"Don't worry I'll go nice and slow, you tell me if you want me to speed up."
>She nods before giving you a quick peck on the lips
>Returning to your original position you slowly start to penetrate Umbra
>Thanks to her being wet you're able to slip right into her
>She's so warm and soft inside it's crazy
>You huff and laugh
>Umbra lets out a very lewd and long moan as you push forward
>Putting your arms on the bed you lean over her
"You okay Umbra?"
>She nods
>"Yes I'm fine!" She says "I'm so happy I'm doing this with you!"
>You blush at her cuteness
"I'm gonna start moving now okay?"
>"Mmhmm!" Is all you hear from her
>Upon hearing that you start to move your hips back and forth
 
>As you move in and out at a slow pace Umbra is letting out the cutest of moans
>You try to lean down and kiss her ears as you make love to her
>Umbra has her fore legs resting on your shoulders as she kisses and licks the bottom of your chin
>When your eyes meet again she tells you to go faster
>Obliging her request you start to move back and forth faster
>"Anon~" She says wrapping her hooves around your neck she leans in and whispers into your ear "Fa-Faster please."
>You just grunt as you pick up the pace even more
>At this rate your not gonna make it
>You turn your head and whisper into her ear
"Umbra, I'm gonna!"
>"I know, me too!" She says biting your ear "Let's do it together."
>The two of you go into another kiss as you thrust harder into her
>Giving it all you got you pump into Umbra like a crazed animal in heat
>Who are you kidding you both need this
>Umbra moans into your mouth before she bites your bottom lip
>It's too much you-
>"ANON!" Umbra yells as she holds you tight
>You feel her juices spray out and cover your junk and your legs
>Because of her orgasm her inner walls are going crazy
>It's enough to send you over the edge
"UMBRA!"
>You hold her tight against you as you climax
>Your body pumps as much as it can into her before your body finally calms down
>You collapse next to Umbra as you both try to catch your breath
>Umbra slowly starts to cuddle up to you by placing her head on your chest
>You wrap an arm around her and pull her close
>You both look at each other before smiling
>"I love you Anonymous."
"And I love you Umbra."
>You share one last kiss before Umbra brings the covers over you with her magic
>You close your eyes and fall asleep with your new lover in your arms
 
>As the next morning rolls your eyes start to open
>Taking the morning in you feel incredibly happy today
>Last night was probably one of the best nights you ever had in your life
>And it has to do with the mare sleeping on your chest
>She has a smile on her face as she sleeps
>She probably needed that as much as you did
>Thank god Arthas gave you the day off today
>Not like you would go anyway
>A laugh escapes you
>Umbra's head bounces on your chest there for a second and she starts to stir
>Good job idiot you woke her up again
>Umbra's eyes slowly start to open
>When she sees you her smile get bigger
"Good morning Umbra."
>"Good morning." She says reaching up to give you a quick peck "Did you sleep well?"
"Like a rock."
>She breathes easy
>"That's good." She says nuzzling into your chest "Can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
>Umbra stays silent for a moment before speaking up
>"What happens now?" She asks
"What do you mean?"
>"Between us I mean." She says "Where do we go from here?"
>You think
>Now that's a question
>She's looking into your eyes awaiting your answer
>"I meant what I said last night, I really do love you."
"I know Umbra, I meant what I said last night too."
>Umbra climbs on top of you and gives you another kiss
>"You do also know now that if the princess of the moon ever tries to take you away from me, me and her are going to have a very heated discussion." She says
>You swallow the lump in your throat before chuckling nervously
 
"No need to be a scary queen now."
>She laughs
>"I'm sorry Anonymous, but I love you now." She says "I won't let any other princess take you from me."
>You sigh before wrapping your arms around her
"To answer your question on where we go from here, I think it's best if we try to keep things kinda like they are now."
>She raises an eyebrow at you
>"Kinda?" She says "What do you mean?"
"Like how we are now, the only difference is now we know we both care about each other so we can act like a couple."
>She smiles
>"I'd like that." She says leaning closer again "Those two guards are gone now, word will spread of our night."
>"I don't care, if they have a problem they can come see us."
>She giggles
>The two of you share a kiss
>When you break the kiss you sniff around the air
"You know we smell right?"
>"Well then why don't we go take a shower then?" She whispers in your ear "Together."
>Your heart skips a beat and your face feels hot
"Umbra how naughty of you!"
>She blushes
>The two of you go for another kiss before you hear a knock on the door
>You both look over to the door before you hear another knock
>"Lady Umbra, are you awake?" You hear a voice
>That sounds like Ariadne
 
>You look up to Umbra who still looking at the door
>You try to whisper to her
"What do we do?!"
>She looks back to you and smiles before she speaks up
>"You said you didn't care what ponies think about us." She says "Come in Ariadne!"
"What are you doing!?"
>Umbra get off of you and lays back down beside you cuddling up to your side
>You watch as the doors open and Ariadne steps inside
>Almost immediately she stops dead in her tracks when she sees you
>"Anonymous!?" She yells "What are you doing in lady Umbra's bed?!"
>You really don't know what to say right now
>So you go for the cop out
>Shrug your shoulders
>Luckily Umbra answers for you
>"We spent a very romantic evening together last night Ariadne." She says
>Ariadne mouth hangs open as she looks to her Queen
>"Does this mean you two?" She asks
>Umbra nods holding your arm tighter
>"Indeed it does." She says kissing your cheek "He's been spending the night with me before, but last night was the night."
>"Ewwwwwww!" Ariadne say stomping her hooves about "I have to clean your sheets you know!"
>Umbra laughs
>"I know Ariadne and I'm sorry." She says "I'll make it up to you."
>She huffs before Umbra speaks up
>"I suppose it's time we get out of bed Anonymous." She says "Come on lets go get cleaned up."
>Umbra gets out of bed and head to the bathroom before stopping to look back at you
>"Well come on Anonymous, we need to get cleaned and Ariadne need to get to work." She says
"I'm nude under here, throw me my boxers?"
>Umbra looks around before using her magic to throw them at you
>Slipping them on you get out of bed and you try to follow Umbra before Ariadne stops you
 
>"No, no, no!" Ariadne yells "You go shower downstairs!"
"What's the problem Ariadne?"
>"Lady Umbra needs to get clean!" She says "And if you go in there with her who knows what you'll do to her!"
>You look over to Umbra who looks to be disappointed in the turn of events
>"I suppose she's right Anonymous." Umbra says letting out a sigh "I'll meet you in the main hall."
>You throw your hands up in the air
"Fine! I'll see you there then."
>Umbra walks up to you and gives you a kiss
>"See you there." She says before heading back to the bathroom
>As you pick up your clothes scattered around the room you see Ariadne sticking out her tongue out at you
>You chuckle
"It's not my fault!"
>Grabbing the last of your clothes you head out the room and down to guard showers
>As you get closer to the showers you see two guards wave to you
>"Oh hey you're that creature from the other night." One of them says
>Oh shit these are the two from last night
"Human, hey I want to ask you guys a favor."
>"What is it?" He says tilting his head
"I was wondering if you could keep what happen last night under wraps for the time being."
>They look at each other before looking back to you
>"Sure human, we'll keep it a secret." He says "For the Queen."
"Just like that?"
>"Yeah, it's none of our business anyway." He says
>You breath easy
"Thanks you two, I owe ya."
>They nod before leaving you alone
>You smell a weird scent in the air
>Smelling yourself you shake your head
"I need to get cleaned up."
 
>Grabbing a towel you remove your boxers and cover yourself up
>Leaving your clothes outside on the bench you step into the shower room
>Looking around it seems you have the showers all to yourself for now
>Cool
>You walk across the cold shower floor over to your spot in the showers, the far back of the room in the corner
>Taking off your towel you place it somewhere out of the way so it doesn't get wet
>You shiver a bit as the temperature of the room starts to gets to you
"Alright time to turn this on."
>Reaching for the dial you turn it right, the hot water starts to wash over your body
>You let out a sigh of relief as the water warms your body
>A warm shower first thing in a cold morning?
>Still the best feeling ever
>As the steam rises you start to relax
>Scratching the back of your head your mind starts to wander
>It's been a crazy couple of weeks hasn't it?
>If someone was to tell you all this was going to happen to you, you would of told them they were crazy
>But you were happy it all happened
>Without any of the bullshit, you wouldn't have had the chance to meet the friends you have now
>More importantly Umbra
>She something else
>You expected her to be crazy evil like Sombra
>But instead you got a kind pony that cares about her citizens
>And best part of it all is the two of you care for one another
>You smile
>Life is good right now
>The only thing you still worry about is Luna
>What if she finds out about Umbra
>What would she do?
>Would she tell Celestia?
>Fuck how would Celestia react?
>You shake your head
"Dammit Luna, when are you going to show up again?"
>Looking up the warm water washes over your face
>Looking around you grab a brush and you start to get cleaned up
 
>When you finish getting cleaned up you turn the water off and dry yourself off
>Wrapping yourself up in your towel you step back out into the cold locker room
>You see steam from the bathroom follow you on your way out
>Getting dressed in your usual outfit you throw the towel into the dirty basket and head towards the door
>Alright time to start a new day
>Heading back upstairs you find Umbra waiting for you already
>She dressed in her usual attire as well
>As you make your way over to her she turns to see you coming
>She give you an apologetic smile as you approach her
>"I'm sorry about that." She says "About Ariadne I mean."
>You grumble and cross your arms
"I wouldn't have done anything to you."
>She chuckles
>"Come on Anonymous let's go get something to eat." She says
"Alright lead the way Umbra."
>Umbra turns and you go to follow her to the dinning room
 
>As you step inside the room you see the remnants of the party last night
>Confetti, streamers, the whole nine yards
>The room is a mess
>There are a few ponies running around cleaning up the whole room though
>"Ah our table seems to be clean Anonymous." Umbra says "Come on let's go sit down."
>Following her over to the table you notice the ponies cleaning up the place are looking at you
>You smile and wave as you continue to follow Umbra
>That was weird
>Reaching the table Umbra takes a seat and you go to take yours
>As you take a seat it's only now that you notice that Umbra is pretty much glowing with happiness
>She has a big smile across her face
>You smile at how adorable she looks
"You look really happy today."
>She give you a warm smile
>"I have every right to be happy Anonymous." She says placing her hoof on your hand "I found my special somepony err human."
>You laugh wrapping your hand around her hoof
"I saw the two guards from last night downstairs."
>"Oh? Did you say anything to them?" She asks
"I asked if they could keep quiet about last night for now."
>Umbra tilts her head at you
>"Why would you do that?" She asks "I thought you said you didn't care who knows about us."
"Right, I don't care who know about us, like right now I could care less if the ponies here see me holding you hoof."
"But I don't want everyone to know about our night last night, that's a private moment between us."
>Umbra lens in and gives you a quick peck on the lips
>"I understand." She says "I told Ariadne if she could stay quiet about the morning for me."
"I just don't want our bedroom adventures to be told to everyone."
>She smiles before you notice Edith making her way over to you
>Edith herself has a grin on her face
>"Hello you two!" She says "What can I get the two lovebirds this morning?"
>What
 
>Both you and Umbra blush at what she just said
"What?! When? How do you-?"
>Edith laughs at your reaction
>"I saw you two last night!" She says "When you two were out on the balcony, kissing like two kids madly in love with each other!"
>You facepalm
>You wonder how many ponies saw that display of affection last night?
>"I can also see you holding her hoof." She says "And the little kiss she gave you right now."
>Edith turns towards Umbra
>"I'm so happy for you my Queen!" She says to her "You finally found someone to hold dear to you."
>Umbra smiles at her before clearing her throat to speak
>"Thank you Edith." Umbra says "Yes it's true, we confessed our love for each other last night during the party."
>Edith smiles and goes to hug Umbra before speaking up again
>"I thought I would never see the day." She says holding Umbra close
>Umbra pulls her hoof out of your hand so that she can return the hug
>You just sit and watch as they hug
>This must mean a lot to Edith, for Umbra to find someone
>It's sweet to see
>She lets go of Umbra before pulling out her trusty pen and paper
>"What can I get you today?" She says wiping some tears away
>"Just egg will be fine." Umbra says "And some tea please."
>Edith jots it down before looking over to you
"Blueberry muffin? If you have that."
>"Of course we do dear." She says "What would you like to drink?"
"Coffee with cream and sugar please."
>She jots down your order before looking back up
>"It'll be out shortly." She says before taking off to the kitchen
 
>After a bit of time passe Edith comes out of the kitchen holding your breakfast
>Placing it down on the table she bows to Umbra before running off
>You watch as she runs into the kitchen before looking down at your meal
>Wow this muffin is actually huge
>It's like the ones you'd get at a bakery back on earth
>There are tons of blue spots all over it
>How many are in here?
>Taking a bite the taste of blueberry overwhelms your taste buds
>Delicious
>Grabbing your cup of Joe you see the steam rising from the cup
>Nice and hot just the way you like it
>Taking a sip of your coffee the warm sweet liquid travels down your throat and warms your stomach
>You look over to Umbra who is taking her sweet time to eat her breakfast
>You smile before taking another bite of your muffin
>Things are good right now
>You turn your head to the sound of someone coming through the door
>Oh it Credo
>He looks like hell
>His hair and beard are a mess and he only has one eye open
>It looks like he just woke up
>He grumbles and grunts as he makes his way over to you and Umbra
>He takes his seat across from you before putting his head down
>Umbra laughs at him before looking over to the kitchen
>"Edith!" She yells "Credo need a hot cup of coffee!"
>You hear Edith yell back to her before you turn to Credo
"Hey bud, you alright?"
 
>You hear grunts come from him
>Reaching over you pat him on the head
"I take it that it was a fun night?"
>Credo finally sits back up before wiping the sleep from his eyes
>"I woke up on a table in The Wet Mare Anon." He says "You tell me."
"What about the others?"
>He rubs his head with his hooves
>"That's a good question Anon." He says "I don't know really, you'd have to ask them."
>Edith comes up and hands Credo a piping hot cup of coffee
>"Here you go Credo." She says "How bout some food?"
>Credo takes a drink of his cup before putting the glass back down
>"I'll have what Anon's having." He says pointing to your muffin
>Edith nods before leaving you all alone
>"I remember we left the party and headed back to my workshop to drop off our suits." Credo says
>"After that we hit all decided to go to The Wet Mare." He says "From there we drank and drank."
>"My memory is still fuzzy, but the last thing I remember was crashing into the table I woke up on."
>Damn you're gonna have to ask the others what happen
>Credo takes another drink before looking at you then to Umbra then back to you
>"So how did it go last night?" He asks "Lady Umbra seems to be in high spirits today."
>You scratch your head with your right hand before Umbra reaches for your left hand
>Looking over to her she nods at you
>Smiling at her you hold her hoof again
"We uh, both told each other how we really feel about each other."
>You expect Credo to laugh and yell like he usually does but instead he chuckles and gives you a smile
>"I knew it was gonna happen sooner or later." He says "If my head wasn't trying to split open, I run over and give you a big hug."
>Fucking hell is everyone gonna say they saw it coming?
>You and Umbra laugh as Edith brings over a muffin for Credo
 
>Time passed as you eat breakfast with Umbra and Credo
>Eating the last of your muffin you wash it down with the last of your coffee
>Looking over to Credo you see he has gone through 3 cups of coffee already
>Jesus fuck they must of REALLY partied last night
>A very, very small part of you regrets not going with them
>Umbra wipes away's the last of her breakfast before looking at Credo
>"Well Credo I'm sorry, but we have to go now." She says "Day court is about to start."
>Credo just nods, he's still resting his head on his hoof
>"Get some rest okay?" She says getting up from her seat
>You start to get up as well
"Yeah Credo, just take a nap or something."
>He groans as you walk around the table to get behind him
>Patting him on the back you speak up again
"Talk to you later Credo, hope you feel better."
>He puts his head down on the table again before closing his eyes
>You laugh as Umbra walks past you and you turn to follow her
>As you two exit the dining room you follow Umbra up the smaller set of stairs to the throne room
>Nearing the door the ponies waiting in line look at you as you follow Umbra
>You smile at them as you walk past them
>Entering the throne room you take a set on the left side of the room while Umbra makes her way to the throne
>When she takes a seat she turns towards you and give you a smile
>Turning back to the door she motions for the guards to open them
>As the guards begin to open the doors they don't even fully open till a gray Pegasus filly comes flying in through the doors
>Hey it's Cynthia
>When you look at her face she seems scared and distraught
 
>Cynthia is just freaking out in the throne room in front of you and Umbra
>She's trying to speak but she's freaking out too much to say anything clear
>Umbra looks over to you as if to ask you what's going on
>You shrug your shoulders
>Umbra looks back over to Cynthia
>"Calm yourself little one." Umbra says "What's the matter?"
>Cynthia looks up to Umbra visible tears in her eyes
>"I-I'm sorry Queen Umbra b-but..." She says "I can't find my brother Lance!"
"Wait he didn't come home last night ?"
>"No!" She yells the tears start to flow "This is the first time he's never come home after hanging with his friends!"
>She looks down to the ground and starts to cry
>You get up and head over to her before kneeling down next to her
"Hey don't worry, I'm sure he's fine, why don't you head on home and just wait a little bit long-."
>"No!" She yells cutting you off "I don't want to be alone again!"
>You look back to Umbra
>Umbra thinks for a moment before speaking up
>"Anonymous I have an idea." Umbra says "Why don't you take the little one and go look for Lance with her?"
>You nod before looking back down to Cynthia
"How bout that Cynthia? Wanna go look for your brother?"
>She looks up at you before nodding her head quickly
"Alright then let's go!"
>"Be careful Anonymous." Umbra says "I'll see you later then."
"Yeah I'll be careful, see you later Umbra."
>You stand back up and Cynthia starts to fly next to you
"Let me get my jacket and then we'll go, okay?"
>She nods once again and you two make your way out
 
>Putting your jacket on you and Cynthia make your way outside
>As you step outside you look around the mess that was once the empire
>There are ponies stumbling about
>Banners and shit hang from the street lamps
>Garbage all around the streets
>What a fucking mess
>Ponies are cleaning it up though
>The all look a mess as well
>"Uh Anon?" Cynthia says grabbing your attention "Where do we start?"
>You open your mouth but then you realize
>You don't even know yourself
>Rubbing your chin you think
>Where is the best place to start?
>And then it hits you
>The Wet Mare!
"We go to The Wet Mare, Cynthia."
>She cocks her head to the side
>"Why?" She asks
"It's quite simple my dear Watson, A friend of mine and your brother went out with Lance last night and the first place they went was The Wet Mare."
>"Watson?" She says before shaking her head "So if we go there we might find more clues on where my brother is?"
"Exactly! So let's not waste anymore time here and get going!"
>You start to walk until you stop abruptly
>You don't know where this place is
>"Follow me Anon." Cynthia says taking the lead "I know where to go."
>Chuckling you follow right behind her
 
>Walking through the streets filled with garbage, you see everyone out and about doing their part to get the empire clean
>It's kinda interesting to see
>Some ponies work together to take down decorations
>While you see some ponies waking up from their drunken sleep
>And some are stumbling home
>Some of the guards walking around are helping those ponies home
"Man this is a sight to see, does this always happen Cynthia?"
>Hearing no response you look over to see a still worried Cynthia
>She must be really worried about Lance
"You alright Cynthia?"
>She looks over to you before looking back in front of her
>"I hope we find him fast..." Cynthia says "I hope he's okay."
"Don't worry, we'll find him."
>She nods towards you again before she stops flying
>You stop and give her a confused look
"What? Why did we stop?"
>"We're here Anon." She says pointing up to the sign "The Wet Mare."
>You look up to what she's pointing at
>It's a old timely looking sign made of wood
>The words "The Wet Mare" are in dark green on the sign
>Like one you'd find at a pub
>Alright stop number one!
"No use standing outside, come on let's head inside."
>As you open the doors you step inside with Cynthia following you
 
>As you walk through the door you look around The Wet Mare
>It looks like an actual tavern all old timely and shit
>There are a few wooden tables and chairs around the room
>Looking around you see a pony cleaning up a destroyed table
>Must be the one that Credo fell on
>The pony cleaning up the place looks up to you
>He's a purple pony with a short blonde mane
>At first he just looks at you not sure what to do or say
>That is until Cynthia comes up from behind you
>"Hey, uh you." He says "Sorry but no kids, besides we're closed."
"I'm a human, besides I'm not here to drink, we were wondering if you could help us?"
>He raises an eyebrow at you
>"With what?" He asks
>Cynthia flies right past you and up to him
>"Have you seen my brother?!" She yells "He came here last night and-!"
>You quickly grab her and put her next to you
"Cynthia relax, we're not gonna get anywhere by yelling at ponies."
>She looks up to you before looking back to the other pony
>"I'm sorry." She says
>"It's fine." The other says looking back to you "So you're looking for her brother?"
>You turn to face the other pony
"Yeah, we're trying to find him can you help."
>The pony puts his broom down and heads back over to the bar
>"Alright sure what does he look like?"
 
 
"Pegasi, white, spiky red mane?"
>The bartender rubs his chin
>"Was he with the pony that broke my table?" He asks
"Yeah that's the one!"
>Cynthia starts to lighten up at the news that the two of might have something
>"Well I know who you're talking about." He says "He and 4 other ponies showed up here last night."
>"After the big guy got piss drunk and crashed into my table, they tried to help him up but just decided to leave him there and head out."
>You shake your head
"Did they say where they were going?!"
>The bartender shakes his head
>"I was too busy freaking out about my table." He says
>Both you and Cynthia drop your heads
"Anything?"
>He rubs his chin before it looks like he remembers something
>"I believe I heard one of them say he was going to The Unamused General?" The bartender said "At least that's what I thought I heard."
>Fuck well this was a waste of time
>You sigh
>"I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful." He says
"It's fine, don't worry about it."
>You look over to Cynthia who looks sadden that you didn't learn anything new
"Hey come on, we'll head over to The Unamused General and see if anyone is waiting for us."
>She looks up and nods before flying towards the door, her head hanging down
>You need to find Lance soon
>"Come on Anon." She says in a sad tone "I know where the way."
>Following her the bartender calls out to you
>"Tell that pony he owes me a new table human!" He yells
>You nod before heading out the doors
 
>Walking back out of the bar you follow Cynthia down the street
>As you walk you think back to what the bartender said
>They split up last night?
>He must of meant Arthas
>Well if anyone is gonna know where the guys went it would be him
>You just hope he's still there
>As you reach your next destination Cynthia stops and speaks up
>"Anon what if we don't find anything out." She says "What if-"
>You stop her
"Don't worry we will, look."
>Pointing at the window you see Arthas sitting at the bar by himself
>"Isn't that Lance's captain?" She asks
"Yup! He was with the boys last night if anyone knows where the others are it's him."
>That cheers her up a bit
> Smiling you open the door and you and Cynthia step inside
>The moment you walk in the mare at the bar notices you
>"We're all out of booze if that's what your here for!" She yells
"Uh no I'm here to talk to him."
>You point over to Arthas
>She looks back to him then over to you
>"Fine but make it quick I'm about to close for the day." She says motioning you to come over
"Thank you."
>Nodding you and Cynthia head over to Arthas
>Standing behind him you tap him on the back
>"What do you need Anonymous?" He groans
>You laugh
"Fun night?"
>"You could say that." He says "I assume you're looking for Lance?"
>You blink
"Yeah how'd you know?"
>"His sister is hiding behind you." He says "Here sit down. I'll tell you everything I can remember about last night."
>Nodding you take a seat next to him and Cynthia goes to sit on your leg
>This worked out after all
 
"So what did happen last night?"
>Arthas groans before resting his head on his hoof
>"How much do you know so far?" He asks
"Just up until Credo passed out."
>Arthas laughs
>"That fool drank more than he could handle." He says "I take it he made it home?"
>You nod
"Yeah he help get us started."
>"Well then I might as well tell you what happened after that." He says
>"After Credo crashed through the table we all tried to pick him back up."
>Arthas shakes his head
>"Unfortunately we were all too intoxicated to pick him back up." He says "So we opted to just left him there."
>You laugh
>"We sat and drank for a few a bit more before deciding to go somewhere else."
"Wait, so why did you split up?"
>Arthas looks away
>"I uh, couldn't keep up with the boys." He says embarrassed "They out drank me."
>He puts his head down on the counter
>"Maybe my age is catching up to me..."
>He looks back over to you
>"The last thing they told me was they were going to Teats." He says
>Teats huh?
"Thanks Arthas, make sure you get back home."
>He nods before speaking up again
>"One more thing, I had a bad feeling leaving the boys alone." He said "Something just didn't feel right."
"What?"
>Arthas shakes his head
>"Like I said it was just a feeling I had." He says "It's probably nothing."
>Saying your goodbyes to Arthas you and Cynthia got up from your seat and made your way out
 
>Stepping back outside again Cynthia grab your attention again
>"Lance was right." She says "He is scary."
>You laugh
"Alright Cynthia where to next?"
>"This way!" She says pointing south
>She sounds much happier now that you have a lead again
>That's good
>Walking with Cynthia you again you notice that time has passed quite a bit
>Looking at one of the street clocks you see it's about noon
>Now that you think about these bars are pretty spread out around the empire
>Not to far, but it's still quite a walk
"Hey Cynthia, what do you know about Teats?"
>She looks over to you
>"I know that only girls work there." She says "And that every time Lance has tried to hit on them they reject him badly."
>Man he has no luck with the ladies huh?
>"Speaking of which we're here!" She says pointing up "Teats!"
>You look up to see a sign with an orange silhouette of a mare
>And in big orange letter you see the words "Teats!"spread out
>Looking inside you see a few mares cleaning up the place
>It looks like a normal restaurant mixed with a bar
>As you look around you see two familer faces
>Biggs and Wedge
>"Look Anon we found them!" She says "They have to know where Lance is!"
"Yeah come on let's go talk to them."
>Smiling you open the doors and step inside
 
>As you step inside Teats a few mares look at you and Cynthia cautiously
>They look to each other before they start talking among themselves
>"Well go see if it want's to eat!" One mare says to another
>The mare she was talking to nods her head nervous before turning and heading over to you
>"Hi welcome to Teats!" She says "Are you two here for lunch?"
>You shake your head
"I was actually wondering if we could just talk to those two over there?"
>You point over to Biggs and Wedge
>She looks over to the direction your pointing before looking back to you
>"Yeah sure go right ahead!" She says before taking off "If you want something to eat don't hesitate to ask!"
>Motioning for Cynthia to follow you the two of you make your way over to the booth the guys are at
>When you get over to them you can see how much of a wreck they are
>Wedge looks like someone is trying to split his head open
>And Biggs's hair is all ruffled and he looks like someone hit him over the head
>They both have two cups of Joe in front of them
"This seat taken?"
>They look up at you both before scooting down their booth
>"Hey Anon." Wedge says "What are you and Cynthia doing here?"
"We're looking for Lance."
>"He didn't come home last night?" Biggs asks "Dammit Lance."
>He looks at Wedge
>"Then again neither did we." He says "The thing is, we don't have ponies waiting for us at home."
>He turns to Cynthia
>"You okay Cynthia?" He asks
>"Mmhmm!" She says "Anon has been trying to help me find him so I'm not alone."
>He laughs before grabbing his head in pain
>"Man that hurt!" He says "Anyway we probably know where Lance is."
"You do? Where?!"
>Biggs takes another sip of his coffee before looking at you again
>"He might be at Fazmare's..."
 
"Say what?"
>"You heard me Anon." Biggs says "He might be at Fazmare's."
"No, no I heard that, but why Fazmare's?"
>Wedge looks over to Biggs and gives him a disappointed look
>"I uh, egged him on..." Biggs says
"You did what?"
>"I kinda pushed him to go." He says "After we split up me, Wedge, and Lance all came here."
>"It was fun, we were drunk off our asses having a good time, Lance was trying to hit on the mares."
>"After he got rejected so much I started to mess with him."
"How so?"
>"I kept telling him that the mares wouldn't want to be seen with a baby like Lance." He says
>"That someone who was so terrified of a place for kids couldn't pick up anyone."
>"He said that he could step in Fazmare's if he wanted to."
>Biggs shakes his head and Wedge cuts in
>"He had told us that he was gonna prove he could do it so he got up and left."
"Why would you guys do that to him?"
>"We were drunk Anon!" Biggs says "I couldn't help myself!"
>You rub your temple
"Well come on if he's there we might as well go get him."
>Biggs groans
>"Anon do we really have to go?" He says
"Seeing as how you egged him on? Yes now let's go."
>Both Biggs and Wedge down their coffee before they get up to follow you
>As you walk to the door a mare stops you
>"Um excuse me." She says "I couldn't help overhear your conversation and I think there was something you should know."
"What?"
>"Well last night when they were here I heard another group of ponies talking about you three." She says
>"Us?" Wedge said "What did they say?"
>"It seemed like they were waiting for you to split up." She says "Because when the white one left the three other ponies followed him."
"What did they want with Lance?!"
>"I don't know." The mare says "But it looks like they wanted to teach them a lesson."
>"Do you know what they looked like?" Biggs says
>"They looked high class."She says "Like rich types."
>Uh oh
>Thanking the mare you, Cynthia, Biggs, and Wedge all rush out of Teats and towards Fazmare's
 
>As you, Biggs, and Wedge run Cynthia is holding onto you so she doesn't fall behind
>"Anon is my brother okay?!" Cynthia says into your ear
"I think so, but we need to find him fast."
>"How did we not notice them?" Biggs says "How long were they following us?"
>"We were drunk without a care in the world." Wedge says "How were we supposed to notice them?"
>Arriving at Fazmare's you open the door and step into the place
>The sound of cheesy kids music fill the air as you enter the building
>Looking around you see that Fazmare's is actually a nice looking place
>Huh
>The way Lance talked about this place you thought it would be something out of a nightmare
>But it's not that bad
>It looks like any pizza place back home
>"Hi welcome to Fazmare's!" You hear a voice call out
>Looking to the right you see a mare at the counter
>"Table for four?" She asks
>You shake your head and walk up to her
"No, but is the manager or owner of this place here?"
>"She is, why?" The mare says
"We need to talk to her."
>The mare looks at your party before nodding her head
>"Alright, let me just go grab her." She says before she heads to the back
>"Lance wasn't kidding she is cute." Biggs says oggleing the mare
"Cool it, we're here to find Lance."
>Soon after she comes out with an older looking pony
>The pony herself is brown with a grey grandma mane
>"Oh hello." She says "You four needed to see me for something."
"Yes we're looking for this girl's brother, have you seen a white Pegasi with a red mane around here?"
>The manager looks like she's trying to think about who you're talking about.
>She shakes her head
>"Sorry doesn't ring any bells."
"Wait what?!"
>"I'm sorry but I don't know who you're talking about."
>You look back to Biggs and Wedge
>They don't know what to think of this either
>Shit!
 
>"What do you mean you don't know who we're talking about?!" Biggs says "He must be here!"
>"I'm sorry but I haven't seen this Pegasi you boys are talking about." She says
>You place your hand on your forehead
>Where could he be?
>While you think Biggs and Wedge are talking to the manager
>"He has to be here, I told him he didn't have the brass to come in here after dark." Biggs says
>"Biggs if she said he's not here, he's not here." Wedge says in an attempt to calm him down
>"I should never had said that to him..." Biggs says "What if something happened to him?!"
>"Biggs relax!" Wedge yells "You're freaking her out."
>Wedge looks over to Cynthia who looks like she's about to have a panic attack
>Biggs looks at her before sighing
>"I'm sorry Cynthia." He says "I'm sure he's fine, we'll find him."
>While Biggs tries to reassure her Wedge comes up to you
>"I wonder who those ponies following him were." He says "If we could find them we'd find Lance."
>Just then it hits you like a sack of rocks
"Excuse me, but did you happen to see three sharp dressed ponies at all today?"
>The manager puts her hoof on her chin
>"Come to think about it yeah." She says "Before I came to open up the place, I saw three sharp gentlecolts coming out of the alley next to my building."
>"They looked like they had just gotten into a scuffle." She says
>Upon hearing that you dart out the door and around to the corner of the building until you come across the alley she was talking about
>Now at one end of the alleyway you cautiously walk into it
>It's dark
>And smelly
>And kinda scary
>Lance has to be here
>If he's not then it means those ponies took him
>As you walk down the alleyway looking all around you stop when you reach the center
>Asleep on a pile of garbage you find the pony you've spent half the day looking for
>Lance
 
>"Anon!" You hear Biggs yell from behind you "Don't run off like that! Did you find any-"
>He stops talking when he sees what your looking at
>"Damn Lance..." He says "What the hell happened to you?"
>Hearing the sound of hoof steps you look back down the alley to see Cynthia and Wedge making there way over to you
"Shit! Biggs buy me some time, don't let Cynthia over here yet."
>"What about Wedge?" He asks
"Send him over to me."
>Biggs nods and heads over to the others why you look over Lance
>It must of been some fight
>Lance has some bumps and bruises all over his head
>Looks like he's got a shiner
>Can ponies even get black eyes?
>There some dry blood on his nose
>They really did a number on him
>When you find the ponies who did this...
>"Anon I take it yo-" Wedge says before he also stops in his tracks
>He looks over Lance's body
>"I knew I shouldn't had let him go!" He says looking down to the ground
"Relax Wedge, he's not dead just knocked out."
>You shake your head
>Well there's no point in waiting any longer
"Bring Cynthia over here."
>Wedge nods before heading back over to the others
>This is gonna be tough to see
 
>You watch as Wedge nervously make his way over to Biggs and Cynthia
>When he gets over to them you see Biggs is hesitant on letting Cynthia see her beat up brother
>They look over to you and you do a motion with your hand telling them to come over to you
>Before Cynthia actually sees Lance you kneel down so you can be eye level with her
"Just be strong okay? He's look banged up but he's fine."
>She nods slowly before you move out of the way
>When she sees past you her expression changes for worried to scared
>You and the others watch in silence as Cynthia looks over her brother's body
>"Lance?" She says getting closer to him "Lance come on, wake up..."
>She gets closer and start to shake him
>"Wake up dummy!" She yells "Wake up so I can yell at you for leaving me alone!"
>She shakes him pretty violently before stopping
>Climbing on top of him she wraps her hooves around his neck
>"Please wake up." You hear her whisper
>Cynthia begins to cry on Lance
>You look over to the other to see they look clearly angry
>"We need to find the ponies that did this." Biggs says
>"Agreed." Wedge tells him "Hopefully when Lance wakes up we might find out more about them."
"That's if he can remember."
>"This is our fault." Biggs says "I should of never pushed him to leave."
"You guys were having fun there was nothing you could of done."
>"L-Lance?!" You hear Cynthia yell
>Turning around you see Lance start to stir on the pile of trash he's on
>"Ugh my head..." Lance says before opening his eyes
>When his eyes open he looks at all of you confused
>"What?"
 
>Lance looks around his surroundings again before looking back to you guys
>"Damn." He says laying his head back down on the trash "Talk about a wild night."
"What happened to you Lance? You look like shit."
>He laughs
>"You should see the other guys." He says "I didn't go down without swinging."
>"Do you know who did this to you Lance?" Biggs asks
>Lance shifts on the garbage before speaking up
>"They were some ponies from the party apparently." He says "It seems I insulted them last night."
>Lance starts to rub his head with his hoof
>"Needless to say they didn't take to kindly to that."
"You mind giving us the run down?"
>"Sure just let me get up first." He says looking down to his chest "You okay Cynthia?"
>Cynthia stays attach to her brother refusing to let go
>"I thought I was going to be alone again..." She says "You didn't come home last night, I was scared."
>"I know." He says wrapping her into a hug "I'm sorry, I didn't expect what happen last night to happen."
>They hug it out for a bit till Cynthia opens her mouth again
>"You smell bad." She says
>"Yeah..." He says "Here let me get up."
>Cynthia reluctantly lets go of Lance before he stands back up
>As he stands back up he wobbles a bit before he regains his balance
>"Oh fuck my back." He says "Garbage doesn't make a good bed
>You laugh before Biggs speaks
>"So what happened?" He asks
>Lance puts his hoof around his neck and moves his head around
>"Well it all started like this..."
 
>"Seeing as how Biggs and Wedge are with you I'll just tell you what happened after I left." He says
>Lance clears his throat before speaking up again
>"After Biggs called me a cowered I got mad and I wanted to prove him wrong."
>"So after I left Teats I made my way over to Fazmare's."
>"As I walked over to Fazmare's I noticed some stallions following right behind me."
>"I didn't anything of it at that point so I kept going."
>"Eventually when I reached Fazmare's I tried to break into the place."
"Wait you tried to break into the place?"
>"Yeah." He says "I was determined to get into the place."
>"But unfortunately I was drunk off my ass." He says "So I couldn't even attempt to get in."
>"I fell and stumbled around the doors for a bit until I tried to fly up to the roof."
>"But when I tried that I ended up crashing back into the floor."
>"After trying and failing to get into Fazmare's for a few minutes those ponies finally reveled themselves."
>"They grabbed my drunk ass and threw me into the alley."
>You laugh
>"They threw me onto the trash and started talking to me."
"What did they say?"
>"Stuff like you think it's funny to disrespect those who are better than you? And all sorts of other shit"
>"They must of got mad at me calling them jealous of you."
>"Anyway I had enough so I started to fight back."
>"I got a few good hits in before two of them took me down to the ground."
>"With my legs held down the leader of the group started taking his shots."
 
>"As you can see I'm not as handsome as I used to be." Lance says
>"God I wish they knocked out that sense of humor you have." Biggs says
>"Oh please you love my jokes!" Lance says
>You cut in before they get started
"Anyway, you were saying Lance."
>"They beat the life out of me." Lance says "The leader said he was gonna teach me a lesson."
>"Punch after punch after punch!." Lance says "It never ended!"
>"It felt like forever they beat me down." He says "The moon was in the sky when they started and by the time it was over the sun was coming up."
>"When he finally had his fun they threw me down on the trash."
>"I thought that was it, but no the leader wanted to rub it in that he beat up a drunk with the help of his two friends."
>"What did he say to you?" Wedge asks
>Lance smiles before looking towards you
>"I hope you remember this next time you decide to speak ill of those better than you..."
>"I am NOT jealous of that creature you call a friend! He is nothing more that a pet that the Queen owns, nothing more."
>You guessed it
>"Even after he said that I still had a grin on my face." He says "I told him he was just jealous that the Queen preferred a strange creature to him."
"That must of made him even more mad."
>"Oh yeah it did!" Lance says with a huge grin on his face
>"He got so mad he punched me square in the face."
>"Even after he did that, all I did was smile at him before spitting some blood I had in my mouth in his face."
>"I told him he was just mad he had no game like my boy Anon!"
>Biggs and Wedge shake their head
>While you just chuckle
>"After that he punched me one last time knocking me out."
 
>"Damn Lance." Biggs says
>"Crazy huh?" Lance replies "The rest you all already know."
>You all stand and look at each other for a second before turning back to Lance
"Did you remember what they look like at least?"
>Lance shakes his head
>"Sorry Anon I don't." He says "From it being dark to me being drunk I don't remember much visually from last night."
>You rub your hand on your forehead
>"The only thing I can remember is that smug voice of his." He says "If I heard it again I'd be able to find him."
"Well in any case we should go see Umbra and tell her what happened."
>You turn to start walking out the alley until Lance call out to you
>"Anon wait!" He says "I don't want to bother the Queen about this."
"Lance look at you, you're banged up the least we could do is tell her about this."
>There is a look of hesitation on Lance's face
>"He's right Lance she needs to know about this." Wedge says
>"Yeah come on I want to find the bastards that did this to you." Biggs says "They can't even fight fair, if we were there we would of took em down."
>"Guys I'm fine!" Lance says "I just want to go home and get some rest."
>He tries to give you a reassuring smile
"Are you absolutely sure? I'm sure she would want to get this handled."
>He nods
>"I don't want to interrupt her day just because of this." He says "Tell her when it's just you and her or something."
>You look over to the others who only shrug
"Fine, I'll tell her later then."
>"Thanks Anon." Lance says "Now let's get out of here, my head is killing me."
>Now that you've found Lance you and your group exit the alleyway and follow Lance back to his home
>As you walk you see that Cynthia is happy now that you found her brother
>She's on his back telling him about the "adventure" she just had with you
>It brings a smile to your face
>Mission accomplished
>Now you just gotta wait till you run into those ponies again
 
>Walking up to Lance and Cynthia's home it looks a bit bigger than the other crystal homes you see around
>"Here we are home sweet home!" Lance says
>"Why are you saying that?" Biggs says "We've been here before."
>Lance looks at him
>"Anon hasn't been here before." He says
>Biggs shakes his head
>Lance walks up to the front door and opens it for you all
>"Come on in." He says
>Entering his house you take a look around his home
>This looks like a pretty comfy home
>"Here guys just have a seat in there while I put Cynthia in bed for a nap." He says
>Looking over to Cynthia who is till on his back you see she's pass out
>She must of really tried herself out
>As Lance head up the stairs with his sister on his back you follow the others to the living room
>As you take a seat on the blue couch Biggs and Wedge sit across from you on another couch
>Looking on the little table in front of you, you see a picture frame
>On the picture you see a younger looking Lance and Cynthia on it
>And along side them you see a white mare and a black pony behind them
>Must be his parents
>"So Anon what are you going to tell Queen Umbra?" Wedge asks
"I'm gonna tell her what happened what else?"
>"What are going we gonna do when we find these ponies." Biggs says he's clearly still ticked off
"We report them or something I don't know."
>"So we're not gonna pay them back?!" He says
"Biggs trust me I would love to get back at them, but what happens if we get in trouble?"
>"You guys still talking about this?" You hear Lance call out "We'll deal with them when we see them again."
>Lance takes a seat next to you and starts to relax
 
>"Anyway enough about them." Lance says "I need to thank Anon."
>You look over to him
"Thank me? For what?"
>"For taking care of my sister this morning." He says "Thank you for being there for her."
>You wave your hand around
"It's no problem Lance, she came flying into the throne room freaking out and stuff, I had to help her."
>Lance looks down at the floor
>"Yeah that's my own damn fault." He says "I know she has a fear of being alone and yet I stayed out too late."
"She has a fear of being alone?"
>He nods his head
>"For a while now." He says looking down at the floor "I'm the worst brother for that."
"Hey don't beat yourself up, you didn't know what was gonna happen last night."
>He looks up at you and smiles
>"Thanks Anon." He says before the smile turns into a mischievous grin
>"So Anon enough about my sorry ass." He says "Did anything happen between you and Queen Umbra last night?"
>You blink before looking away
"Uh some stuff happened, nothing too big."
>"Likeeeee?" Lance asks "Come on Anon I gave you my luck last night, I need details!"
"All you did was pat me on the back!"
>"Yeah that was my way of passing my luck to you!" He says "No wonder I couldn't pick up anypony at Teats!"
>You hear Biggs laugh
>"Yeah because THAT was the reason!" He says
>"Biggs please!" Lance yells "I'm trying to see if Anon got lucky."
>Lance looks back to you
>"So did you?!" He asks
>You shake your head and sigh
>There's no way out of this
 
"Well we told each other how we feel about each other."
>All three of them just stare at you their eyes asking you for more
>You clear your throat
"Then we kissed."
>Lance practically jumps off the couch
>"And then?!" He says "What happened after that?!"
>You shake your head
"I'm not telling you what happened after that! That's private!"
>"Anon please." Biggs says "I, I mean WE need to know."
"Damn it no you guys!"
>They all groan in union
>"Fine Anon." Lance says "I'll let it go. for now."
>For now?
>What the fuck does that mean?
>"But that means you and the Queen are a thing now doesn't it?" Wedge asks
>You nod
"I guess we are, we both said I love you like there was no tomorrow last night."
>"I knew you had it in you!" He says "That luck of mine came in handy after all."
>"So does that mean you can't get in any trouble now?" Biggs asks "You are the Queen's lover after all."
"I don't know, I'm not really ready test that out, I don't know what Umbra might do to me."
>You all look at each other before bursting out laughing
>Sharing a laugh with your friends you all start to settle down
"So what do you guys think Arthas has in store for us tomorrow?"
>"We're in for a bad time." Biggs says "This isn't the first time we've been through this."
>Oh great
>"If anything we should probably rest early today." Wedge says "We're gonna need all our energy for tomorrow."
"That bad huh?"
>"Yup." Lance says "So guys if you would, I need to get some actual rest."
>Nodding the three of you start to get up
>As you get to the door Lance calls out to you
>"Anon, I just want to say thanks again." He says "I owe you one."
>You smile and nod at him
"No problem Lance, get some rest I'll see you tomorrow."
>He yawns before he makes his way up the stairs
>Biggs opens the door and you and Wedge follow him out
 
>Stepping out onto the crystal outside Biggs and Wedge turn to face you
>"Well Anon it was fun, but we're gonna head back home too." Biggs says "We all need our rest for tomorrow."
>You rub the back of your head
"Yeah alright then, I'll see you guys tomorrow then."
>As Biggs turns to leave Wedge stays behind to talk to you
>"Anon I hope this goes without saying..." He says as a smile forms on his face "But try not to stay up too late."
>You laugh
"Yeah alright Wedge, see you tomorrow."
>He nods before going his separate way
>Slipping your hands into your pockets you make your way back home to the castle
>As you walk you spend this time thinking about your current status
>There's so much going on right now
>You and Umbra are in a relationship
>You have great friends which now with them you're in for a challenge tomorrow
>Soon you and these friends of yours will take on request that Umbra needs dealing with
>Those are the positive, now the negatives
>One of your friends have been assaulted by the rich
>And you're starting to get worried about Luna
>But other than that things are good right now
>Reaching the castle you open the doors and step inside
 
>As you step into the castle the cold in your body starts to disappear and you start to warm up
>Taking off your jacket you look around the main hall
>It's back to normal
>The party decorations have been take down and the place is squeaky clean again
>As you continue to look around you see Ariadne tending to some things
>Walking over to her she turns around as you approach her
>"Oh Anon you're back." She says glaring at you
>What with that look on her face?
"Uh yeah, do you know where Umbra is?"
>"Why!?" She asks "What do you plan to do Anon?!"
>You throw your hands up
"Nothing I just wanted to talk to her!"
>Ariadne eyes you down for a second before nodding her head
>"She's in her study upstairs." She says "She wanted me to tell you when you got back."
"Thanks Ariadne."
>Turning to head up the stairs you hear Ariadne call out
>"No funny business Anon!" She yells
>Shaking your head you laugh before heading upstairs
>When you get to the fourth floor you stop at the first door on your right
>Knocking on the door you hear Umbra call out
>"Is that you Anonymous?" She says
"Yeah it's me, can I come in?"
>The doors glow with Umbra's magic before they open
>Entering the room you see Umbra laying on some cushions
>In her magic grasp is that book with the moon on it
>Walking over to her you sit down right next to her
>She leans over and gives you a quick kiss on the cheek
>"So how did things go with the little one?" She asks "Did you find Lance?"
 
>You sigh
>Might as well tell her now
"We found him, but he wasn't in great condition."
>"What do you mean?" She asks
"Apparently some ponies didn't take to kindly to his drunken banter last night during the party, when he and the others left three ponies followed them."
>Umbra listens to you as continue your story
"When they all split up the ponies confronted Lance and took him into a dark alley."
"From there they beat him down and left him in the alley."
"When we found him he was messed up, his face had bumps and bruises and he was bleeding."
"But other than that he was fine."
>Umbra clearly does not like what you just told her
>She looks rather angry
>"Did Lance see what they looked like?!"
>You shake your head
"No the only thing he could remember is the voice of the one that beat him."
>"He said something to him?" She asks "What did he say?!"
"Yeah. he said that he wasn't jealous of me for being your date last night and that I was nothing but a pet to you."
>The look on Umbra's face as the words leave your mouth is so terrifying you can't describe it
>She looks like she's about to smack a mare
"U-Umbra?"
>She closes her eyes before taking deep breaths
>After a minute of breathing in and out she opens her eyes
"Anonymous, this will not stand." She says "The moment you or the boys find the one who assaulted Lance I want you all to turn him in."
>You nod
>"And Anon..." She says
"What?"
>She stares into your eyes
>"You're not a pet to me." She says placing a hoof on your cheek "You know that right?"
"Of course I know that Umbra."
>She smiles "
>Smiling back at her you look down to the book
"So you find anything new yet?"
 
>She looks at the book before looking back at you
>"I think I may of learned something new." She says with a smile
"Oh? Like what?"
>"Just some small things such as helping you with the nightmares and messing around with your dreams." She says
"Messing around with my dreams?"
>She laughs at you
>"Don't worry Anonymous I don't think can do much right now." She says "But I might be able to change some things in your dreams."
"Like what?"
>"Oh I don't know, I suppose we should try it out sometime." She says "Perhaps we should try tonight."
>You nod
>Wait you can't
>Fug
>Sighing you shake your head
"We can't tonight Umbra."
>She frowns
>"Why not?" She asks
"I'm in for a big day tomorrow, the guys told me I should get some extra rest for tonight."
>She huffs and looks away from you
"Come on Umbra it's not my fault Arthas plans to put us through hell tomorrow."
>"Fine." She says in an annoyed tone "I suppose we can try tomorrow then."
>Laying down on the cushions next to her you start to relax
"Tomorrow then."
>She nods before nuzzling her back into you as she continues to read the book
>Looking over her shoulder you read along with her
 
>There's so much shit in this book it's insane
>As you read along with Umbra the both of learn more about the dream world
>Unfortunately most of it is just notes that the old fart Star Swirl took
>Still nothing that can help you really
>At least from what you can see
>Damn it!
>It feels like Umbra tears through that book yet she still can't find anything
>You just wished she could find something that would help you with Luna
>Even though Umbra is willing to "talk" to Luna you were afraid Luna would end up hurting her if they got into it
>The dream world is pretty much Luna's turf after all
>Umbra herself is still learning about it
>If they fought you feel like Luna would come out on top
>Annoyed you let out a small groan
>Umbra being pressed up against you turns her head to look at you
>"I know Anonymous." She says "I'm just as frustrated as you are."
>She sighs before closing the book
"I feel like we're getting nowhere with this book."
>"Well I think we are getting somewhere." She says "I'm learning more and more about this dream world."
"But most of this is just Star Swirls rambling about dreams!"
>Umbra chuckles
>"You never paid attention in school did you Anonymous?" She says
>You roll your eyes and chuckle
>"Even though he is rambling on in his notes there are a few things I can learn from them." She says "I just need a little more time."
 
>Time
>You feel like your running out of that to be honest
>It feels like Luna can show up at any moment now
>And when she does what's gonna happen?
>You quickly snap out of it when you feel Umbra plant her lips on yours
>At first you don't know how to react before you decide to kiss her back
>As she kisses you she starts to climb on top of you
>When she's finally on top of you she breaks the kiss letting you catch your breath
>Looking up at her she blushes before speaking up
>"I know you're worried about her Anonymous." She says "But I promise you, I will protect you from her."
>"Just have faith in me." She says "I know I can protect you."
>Looking into those red eyes of hers they help you feel better about the current situation you're in
>Yeah stop worrying, Umbra won't let anything happen to you
>You're safe as long as you have her
"I know, I trust you Umbra, thank you."
>Smiling she leans in for another kiss
>Only to be interrupted by the sound of your stomach growling
>Umbra stops and looks at you before giggling
>"I suppose it is dinner time." She says getting off you "Come on Anonymous, let's go eat."
>Way to kill the moment there
>You smile and nod before getting up
>Leaving the book in the study the two of you make your way out of the study and down to the dining room
 
>After a normal dinner with Umbra the two of you retired to the bedroom for the night
>Laying in bed with Umbra you let out a loud yawn
>You look over to Umbra who is reading through the book again
>You can't help but study her facial expressions as she reads
>Even so often you can see her focus on something in the book looking at it closer
>Other time she looks confused by something she just read by the raised eyebrow
>And sometimes she looks intrigued by something she read with a small smile that forms on her face
>After some time passes Umbra speaks up
>"Anonymous I think I found something." She says looking over to you "I want to try it."
"What is it?"
>"You need to sleep." She says "I'll explain when we're in your dream."
>You shake your head
"Umbra I said we can't tonight, I have super training tomorrow and I-"
>Umbra places her hoof on your mouth shutting you up
>"It'll be quick I swear." She says "Besides you will already be asleep anyway."
>Well she has a point
>You will actually be asleep
>And besides Umbra is giving you a look that says please
>You sigh
"Fine Umbra let's do this then, but really quick okay?."
>She nods
>"Of course Anonymous." She says planting a kiss on your cheek
>Smiling you lay your head back down on the pillow
>Umbra closes the book and places it next to her before cuddling up to you
>You look down to Umbra as your eyes begin to close
>The last thing you see is her smiling before her horn starts to light up
 
>As your eyes open your eyes all you see is blue skies
>Sitting up you see you in a forest of sorts
>Kinda like the one you were in before you made your way into the tundra
>The tress have little to almost no leaves on them
>And there some snow on the ground around you
>Standing up you see a hole open up in the air
>And out comes Umbra
>As she comes towards you, you look around to see if you can see Luna anywhere
>...
>Nope not here
>You hope it stays that way
>When she reaches you she takes a look at her surroundings before looking back at you
"I think it's the last place I slept before I met you."
>"You slept out here in the cold?" She says "Why?"
"I really had no other options at the time."
>She shakes her head before looking back at you
>"So are you ready to get started Anonymous?" She asks
>You nod
"Yeah sure what are we doing?"
>Umbra only closes her eyes, she doesn't say anything
>As her horn begins to light up the ground starts to shake
"Umbra?"
>When you try to reach over to her four wall come bursting out of the ground around you
"Umbra what's going on?!"
>They rise a bit higher above you before stopping
>When the walls stop rising a roof forms over your head blocking off the light you had
>You stand there in silence for a moment before the walls start to change again
>The walls start to morph into bars around you just like a giant cage
>When they finally stop moving you see Umbra smiling at you
"What are you doing?!"
>"Setting up what I want to try out." She says "It's also to see if you and manipulate your dream."
 
"Manipulate my dreams?"
>She nods
>"Why can't you? It's your dream after all." She says "Even I was able to do something."
"Putting me in a cage?"
>"Yes, about that..." She says "I want to see if you can break out of it."
"And how do you expect me to do that?"
>"Just try Anonymous." She says "Take your time."
>You sigh and shake your head before grabbing the metal bars in front of you
>Even though you gained some muscle over the time you've been here it's still not enough to break these bars
>As you push and pull you don't get anywhere at all
>They're not even budging
>Letting go of the bars you look around for anything that might help you
>The only thing is there's nothing but pebbles in the floor
>"Anonymous the solution is quite simple." She says "Need some help?"
>You try to grab the top of the cage and push on the bars with your legs but it still doesn't work
>How the hell does she expect you to do this?!
>Letting go you give up
"Yeah I could use some help."
>She chuckles before walking up to the cage
>"Anonymous close your eyes."
>Doing as she says you close your eyes
>"Now reach out to the bars."
>Reaching out you firmly grab the bars
>"Now I want you to think of something, anything you want the cage to be."
>As you hold onto the bars you imagine they were made of wood instead of metal
>The instant you think that you can feel the bars change
>Opening your eyes you see the cage is turning from metal to wood
>When the last of the cage is turned to wood you look to Umbra
"Get back."
>She moves away and you kick the front of the cage down
>Thankfully the bars were thin or that would of hurt
>Stepping out of the now broken cage you head over to a pleased Umbra
"So how does this help us again?"
>"I think we might be able to use this on the princess of the moon." Umbra says "I have a plan."
 
"And what is this plan of yours now?"
>"It's simple." She says "We use these powers to trap the princess and we persuade her to leave you alone."
>Looking at Umbra you can see she is full of confidence about this plan of hers
>The only thing is you know this isn't gonna work
>Umbra notices the look on your face and speaks up.
>"What is it Anonymous? She asks "Is there something wrong?"
>You nod
"Umbra I don't think that is going to work."
>"Why wouldn't it?!" She yells her voice echos through the woods
"It's just that I think Luna even IF we were able to trap her, she would get out of it no problem."
>Umbra stays silent as she listens to you
"I mean Umbra it's not that I doubt you, it's just that Luna knows the dream world like the back of her hoof, I don't think we can get the drop on her."
>Umbra huffs before sitting down on the ground
>"Then what do you suppose we do then?" She asks
>You sit down next to her and put your arm around her before pulling her in closer
"I wish I knew, but I don't."
>As you sit there holding Umbra you start to hear the sound of tree branches snapping behind you
"Uh oh."
>Umbra looks at you
>"What is it?" She asks turning around
"We have company, Umbra just keep your cool okay?"
>She nods
>"If she tries anything though, get ready for the worst."
>Swallowing the lump in your throat you turn around to see the pony you've worried about all day
>Princess Fucking Luna
>She's walking out of the woods and towards you and Umbra with a smile on her face
>"Good evening Anonymous." She says looking over to Umbra "Care to inform us on why you are dreaming of Sombra?"
 
>Sombra?
>Oh shit you forgot you confused Umbra with Sombra when you first met her too
>Maybe you can use this to your advantage
"Uhhhhh yeah Sombra! You're are right about that!"
>Luna raises an eyebrow at you before looking over to Umbra
>"You still haven't answered our question." She says "Why are you dreaming about him, why is he here?"
>You start to sweat a little
"Oh I um, just was thinking about him lately
>In your mind the only words going through your head are "PLEASE BUY THIS BULLSHIT!"
>Luna looks over to you before back to Umbra before nodding her head
>Holy shit she bought it
>You can't believe it
>"Pray tell Anonymous." She says as she eyes Umbra "Why does he look so...Feminine?"
>Shit!
>Okay calm down you lied your way through high school you can do it here too
"I just think he's really attractive, so that how I see him."
>Both Umbra and Luna turn to look at you
>Luna looks at you with an eyebrow raised
>While Umbra tries to conceal the smile forming on her face
>Dammit Umbra keep it together!
>When Luna looks back to Umbra, Umbra's face returns to normal
>"It matters not." Luna says as she moves to be in front of you "We wish to ask you about something Anonymous."
>You notice that Umbra moves behind her off to the side
>Looking back to Luna you nod
"Yeah shoot."
>"How did you escape us last time?" She asks in a cold tone
 
>Escape?
"What do you mean, I just woke up that night."
>Luna's gaze never falters
>"No, We had you under a spell." She says "A spell that would keep you from waking up."
>Wait she was the reason you couldn't wake up that night?!
"What?!"
>"You heard us." She says "Now tell us, how did you wake up?"
>Out of your peripheral vision you see Umbra with a look of shock before it turns to anger
>Oh shit she looks like she's gonna hit Luna
>You try to get her attention by coughing
>Noticing she looks at you
>You do your best to tell her no in your current situation
>Luckily she gets the hint and backs off for now
"Luna tell me, why did you do that? I was almost killed that night!"
>"I did it because you keep rejecting me!" She yells breaking her regal manner "I wouldn't have had to do it if you would just love me!"
>Luna starts getting closer to you
>"I thought maybe if I saved him from his nightmares he would come to love me!"
>As she gets closer you start backing up
>"He would forget about my dear sister and I could finally have him to myself!"
>Finally with you back against a tree she moves in closer
>"But no you still won't love me!" She says "So no more, I done playing games my beloved."
>Beloved?!
>You try to move your arms but you notice that Luna has pinned them to the tree with her magic
>Dammit not again!
>"I've already cast the spell again." She says "This time you're not getting away."
>Luna closes her eyes and begins to lean in for a kiss
>Fuck it's just like last time
"UMBRA!"
>Right on cue Luna goes flying into some trees
>Looking back you see a clearly pissed off Umbra in front of you
>Looking back over to the wreckage you see Luna wobble out
>"What?!" She yells "Who are you?!"
>Umbra smiles before presenting herself
>"My name is Queen Umbra!"
>"And you and I need to have a talk!" She says as she stares down Luna
>Well shit's popping off now!
 
>"Queen Umbra?" Luna says confused
>"That's right!" Umbra yells back "I am the sister of Sombra!"
>Luna shakes the branches and twigs out of her long flowing mane before looking dead at Umbra
>"What are doing here then sister of Sombra?" She says in a dark tone "Or a better question would be, how are you here?"
>Umbra looks over to you and give you a reassuring smile
>"I'm here to protect my beloved from you," She says looking back to her "And how I got here is none of your concern."
>Luna looks over to you
>"Anonymous?" Luna says "Did she just call you beloved?"
>You look over to Umbra who nods at you
>Looking back over to Luna you nod before opening your mouth
"Yeah, she did."
>Luna has a worried expression on her face as she begins to speak
>"But why?!" She says "I thought you said you weren't ready for a relationship."
"I did, but I've been with Umbra for a few weeks now that I come to realize..."
>You look over to Umbra
"I love her."
>Umbra smiles to you before looking back to her
>"And I love him." Umbra says standing in front of you "I won't allow you to harm him any longer."
>You expect Luna to freak out but instead she only looks towards the ground
"Luna?"
>She shakes her head
>"No." She says "I won't allow this to happen, first my sister and now this Umbra?!"
>You notice Umbra take a defensive stance in front of you
>"Anonymous this will not stand, I won't allow it!" She yells, steam shooting out her nose "I will defeat this Umbra and when I do you WILL tell me where you are!"
>Umbra laughs
>"I've always wanted to do battle with and Alicorn princess!" She says "Looks like I finally got my chance!"
>Umbra looks back to you
>"Anonymous retreat somewhere safe." She says "I don't know how bad this will get."
>Nodding you quickly get behind some rocks and poke your head out
 
>As you watch Umbra and Luna have their stare down you can't help but feel nervous and intrigued
>This will be the first time you see Umbra fight
>"I suggest you step away." Luna says "This does not concern you."
>"When it involves my beloved it does concern me." Umbra says
>Luna scoffs
>"You dare challenge me?!" Luna says "In my own domain!?"
>Umbra only smirks at that
>"Tell me princess Luna, do you always lose your temper when you don't get what you want?" Umbra says
>You swear you see Luna's face flashes red at that
>"Are you just going to stand there looking angry at me or are you actually going to do something?!" Umbra says mockingly
>And with that Luna charges straight at Umbra
>Umbra herself also charges in
>As they close the distance they eventually lock horns
>As they push against each other neither of them gives an inch
>You can hear the grunts of Luna and Umbra as they continue to push on one another
>"You're stronger than you look." Luna says
>Umbra chuckles
>"I'm not just strong..." Umbra says
>In a flash she moves around Luna to her side as she positions herself to kick
>"I'm also fast!"
>With a strong kick Luna goes flying again until she collides with another tree
>What the fuck man!?
>Why does Umbra even need guards?!
>You see Luna is trying to regain her senses
>"Come now Luna." Umbra says "Surely you must be stronger than that, I mean you are princess of the moon after all!"
>As Luna gets up magic surrounds her body before it explodes clearing some of the trees around her
>"YOU DARE MOCK ME!" Luna yells
>Umbra mocks her even further by pretending to yawn
>"Are you all bark and no bite Luna?" Umbra says "Please tell me that whore of a sister of yours is stronger than you?"
>Jesus Umbra what's with the sick burns?!
>Just then it hits you
>She's trying to make Luna angry so that she can't think straight during the fight!
>And it seems to be working because Luna starts flying straight at Umbra
 
>You watch as Umbra readies herself for the incoming attack by standing on her hind legs
>When Luna finally makes contact Umbra tries to hold her back with her fore legs
>You can see that Luna is pushing her back though
>It doesn't take long until Luna is able to break through Umbra's defense and take off with Umbra in her grasp
>They go flying even deeper into the woods
>Getting up you run right after them
>Following the trail of broken trees you eventually reach another clearing in the woods
>You see Umbra and Luna both laying on the ground
>As you approach them they start to get up
>"Is that all you got Luna?" Umbra says as she rises "It would be a disappointment if it was."
>"Damn you!" Luna yells as she rises "I, won't lose, to you!"
>Judging by that banter you say Umbra is winning this fight
>When they finally get back up Luna flies into the air before her horn starts to light up
>Umbra knowing what she's about to do also charges up her magic
>Now charged up both girls fire their magic at each other
>Blue and purple meet as both blasts connect to each other
>It seems to be even with each girls giving it their all
>But by the looks of it both of them don't have much left to give
>Luna is the first that starts to weaken giving Umbra the opportunity to overwhelm her with her magic
>Umbra uses one last burst of magic effectively overpowering Luna's magic
>It looks just like when Chrysalis took down Celestia except this time Umbra's magic engulfs all of Luna
>Looking up you see Luna just fall down to the snow below
>As she crashes into a mound of snow you run over to check on Umbra
>She trying to catch her breath
>It must of took more out of her than you thought
>Running over you kneel down next to her
"Are you okay Umbra?"
>Finally catching her breath she nods
>"I'm fine." She says "Get back though Anonymous, she still not done."
>Hearing and explosion of magic again you look over to see a banged up Luna staring down Umbra again
 
>Luna is trying to catch her breath as she begins to speak again
>"This *huff* is my realm!" She yells "I'm in *huff* control here!"
>Luna horn lights up and she shoots another blast of magic
>Except this time it's coming for you!
>Umbra with little time to react pushes you out of the way and gets hit with the blast
>As you hit the floor you see her fly into a tree before bouncing off it
"UMBRA NO!"
>Getting up you run you over to her
>"I did it I beat her!" Luna yells "I knew that would work!"
>When you get to Umbra you kneel down next to her
"Umbra please be okay!"
>She still breathing thank goodness
>But she has a huge mark on her side from the blast
>When she opens her eyes she smiles at the sight of you
>"It's okay Anonymous, I'm alright" She says as she start to get up "I'm tougher than I look."
"How?"
>"What?!" You hear Luna yell "How can you still get up?!"
>Umbra shakes some of the leaves and branches out of her hair before speaking up again
>Jesus after all that she still looks amazing
>"You still don't get it do you?" she says walking towards Luna "I'm stronger than you."
>As she gets closer to Luna, Luna starts to back away
>"And no matter how much you hurt me, when it comes to him!" She says pointing to you "I won't let anyone hut him!"
>Luna now with a look of fear on her face tries to run away
>But when she turns Umbra grabs her tail
>"No way! You're not getting away!" She yells as she starts to spin
>You can only watch as Umbra spins Luna around and around before sending her flying into a big ass redwood looking tree
>Luna collides back first onto the tree leaving a visible mark on it
>As she starts to come off the tree Umbra is already there in prime bucking position
>"This fight's over, I win."
>Kicking Luna one final time she sends her through the tree onto the other side
>After that the only sound that can be heard after that is the tree falling to the ground
 
>With no time to spare you run over to Umbra who looks clearly exhausted
>"I did it Anonymous, I won." She says smiling at you
>You pull her into a hug and hold her tight
"Remind me never to get on your bad side."
>Umbra chuckles against you
>"Come on we need to go find her." Umbra says
>Letting go of her you stand up
"Alright then let's go."
>As you turn to go find Luna you notice Umbra is still sitting on the ground
"Umbra what's wrong?"
>"Can you carry me?" She says as she blushes "I'm exhausted."
>Smiling you pick her up in your arms
"Alright now let's go."
>As you make your way past the tree you see a hill in front of you
>Luna must of rolled down this way
>Carefully making your way down the hill you make sure not to drop the pony in your arms
>When you get to the bottom you and Umbra look around
>Luna is nowhere to be found
>"Anonymous look." Umbra says "Hoof tracks."
>Looking down you see them lead away from your position
"Luna still was able to walk after all that?"
>"She's not a princess for nothing Anonymous." Umbra says "Lets follow them, she couldn't have gotten far."
>As you and Umbra follow the tracks you notice that they start to fade out in the snow
>Eventually they completely disappear leaving you stumped
"Where the hell did she go?!"
>"It seems she left." Umbra says
"Like left my dream?"
>"Yes, I imagine she's just as exhausted as I am."
"Does this mean I can wake up now?"
>"Yes I'm quite sure you can now." She says "Here let me down."
>Letting her down her horn starts to light up and she disappears
>A second later you find yourself waking back up in Umbra's room
>Looking down to her you see she's still in your arms completely unharmed
 
"How are not banged up? When we were in the dream you had big bruise here from when Luna blasted you."
>As you rub the spot where the bruise was Umbra shivers at your touch
>"Stop~" She says playfully "Remember I wasn't there physically, I was sleeping in your arms the whole time."
"So those that mean you're okay?"
>She smiles
>"Well yes and no." She says "I'm not hurt physically, but mentally I'm exhausted."
"What about Luna?"
>"I don't know really." She says "She could be damaged physically or she could exhausted like I am."
>Just then it hits you
"Shit! What if she tells Celestia?!
>"Then we deal with her like we did with Luna." She says "I don't care who it is, I won't lose you."
"But Umbra you barely beat Luna, how are you gonna take on Celestia?"
>"Anonymous the only reason I "almost" beat Luna is because the dream world takes more out of someone than the real world."
>"If we had battled in the real world, it would of been a different story." She says
"Yeah but what if-"
>Umbra silences you with a kiss effectively shutting you up
>You could get used to be told to shut up like this
>When she breaks the kiss she stares into your eyes
>"We won the first battle." She says "I don't think we'll see her again for a while, so let's not worry for now."
"Yeah but-"
>Again she cuts you off with a kiss
>"Silence my human." She says with a smile "You have training tomorrow."
>You laugh
"Oh so NOW I have training!"
>She only lets out a small laugh before nuzzling into your chest again
>After a few moments pass she's already fast asleep
>Giving her one last kiss on the head you quickly follow her to sleep
 
>Waking up the next morning you look to see Umbra sprawled out next to you
>Her mouth is wide open and she's snoring a bit
>She must of been really tired after that
>Trying to hold out a laugh you slip out of bed and give her kiss on her head before you leave
>When you do kiss her she shakes a little before she starts talking in her sleep
>Most of it is just gibberish but it's still cute none the less
>Grabbing your stuff you head back to your room and get dressed for your training today
>Now dressed up you head out to the training ground
>When you get outside you see Arthas swinging away at some training dummies
>Grabbing your dummy sword you go over to the dummy next to Arthas and swing away
>It's a while before the boys show up
>Looking at Lance you can see his face is mostly back to normal
>"Good they're here." Arthas says "Anonymous get in line."
>Nodding you stand next to Biggs
>Arthas starts to pace in front of you all as he begins to speak
>"So today is the day." He says with a smile "I hope you four are ready for a grueling day of training."
>"We have three days to make up so that means we won't be done till about four or five." He says
>"In that time I'm going to work you four like you've never been worked before."
>Normally you bitch and moan about something like this, but for some reason you're ready for this
>After what happened last night you want to be able to fight by Umbra's side
>And even though she doesn't need it, you want to be there to protect her
>"Are you boys ready?" Arthas says
>Biggs and Wedge nod while Lance whines and when Arthas looks at you, you give him a determined smile
"I'm ready for this."
 
>You are Umbra
>You just felt a warm feeling on the top of your head
>It must of been Anonymous giving you a kiss goodbye
>You try to say "good luck today" but all that comes out is sleep talk
>Smiling you snuggle up in your blanket and return to sleep
>Time passes before you wake up again
>As you open your eyes you sit up and yawn before rubbing your eyes
>Running a hoof through your hair you lay back down
>Looking over to the clock in your room you see it's 6:30
>You let out another small yawn before you smile
"One princess down another one to go."
>You did it
>You defeated an Alicorn princess
>Maybe now Luna will leave Anonymous alone
>Your thinking is interrupted by the sound of knocking at your door
>It must be Ariadne
"Come in Ariadne."
>As she opens the door and steps inside she looks around like she looking for someone
>You shake your head and chuckle
"He's not here Ariadne, he already left for training."
>She looks back over to you before bowing
>"I'm sorry Lady Umbra!" She says "I just wanted to make sure he wasn't hiding."
"Ariadne why do you act like this? You used to be nice to Anonymous."
>"I'm still nice to him!" She says "I just don't want him doing nasty things to my Queen!"
>You smile
"But I love him Ariadne and he loves me, so it's perfectly okay for us to engage in those...activities."
>"Ewwwwww!" She yells stomping about again "I don't want to hear this!"
>You can't help but laugh at her reaction
>"I'm sure when you find that special somepony you'll understand what I mean."
>As Ariadne begins her chores you get out of bed and head to your bathroom
 
>Stepping into the bathroom you enter the shower and turn on the water
>As the hot water washes over your body steam begins to fill the room
>As you shower you can't help but feel good about last nights adventure
>Not many ponies can say they've defeated a princess
>Though you wish her sister had been there as well
>No matter a victory is a victory after all
>As you finish washing yourself off you step out of the shower and dry yourself off before leaving the bathroom
>By the time you exit Ariadne is already done cleaning your room
>"Okay lady Umbra all done!" She says admiring her work
"Thank you Ariadne, let me get dressed and we can go."
>Ariadne nods as you head over to fetch your clothing
>After getting dressed and fixing your hair you are ready to begin a new day
>"Lady Umbra why do you look so happy this morning?" Ariadne asks "Did something happen?"
>You smile grows even wider
"Let's just say something wonderful happened last night."
>"Was it about Anonymous?" She asks
>You tilt your head before nodding
"Yes, it did involve him."
>"I don't want to know then lady Umbra." She says as she opens the doors
>You laugh before heading out the doors with Ariadne
 
>After reaching the main hall Ariadne left you to attend to her duties for the day
>As you entered the dining room you made your way over to the window to see if you could spot Anonymous
>But when you looked he wasn't there
>"Sorry lady Umbra you just missed him." You hear a voice call out
>Turning around you see Edith making her way over to you
>You sigh
"Do you know where he is?"
>Edith nods
>"I was listening to them when he got out there." She says "It seems the workhorse is making them run an entire lap around the empire."
>You shake your head before taking a seat
"I suppose Arthas is going push them to the limit today."
>"They all looked ready." Edith says "Especially Anonymous."
>You smile
"I sure he'll do well, I believe in him."
>"As do I." Edith says with a smiles before pulling out her pen and pad
>"What is it today lady Umbra?" She asks
"A fruit bowl will suffice for now."
>Edith bows to you before heading to the kitchen
>It's not much longer until she arrives with your food
>Picking up your fork you dig into your breakfast
 
>As you eat you notice Edith off to the side of you
>Looking over you raise an eyebrow at her
"What is it Edith?"
>Edith takes a seat next to you and start to speak up
>"I wanted to ask you something, but I couldn't because Anonymous was here." She says "It would of felt strange talking about it with him here."
>You tilt your head
"What is it?"
>Edith looks around for a second before looking back to you
>"Did you and Anonymous, well you know." She asks quietly
"Did we what?"
>Edith leans in and whispers to you
>While you put a piece of apple in your mouth
>"Did you two mate?"
>Immediately you feel a blush makes it's way onto your face as you spit the slice of apple out
"E-Edith?! That is none of your concern!"
>Edith laughs before she speaks up again
>"With that reaction now I know the two of you did!" She says in a hushed tone "Tell me what was it like? He's no pony or stallion after all."
>You can only look at her in shock wide eye mouth agape
>"What is it my Queen?" She asks
"I'm not going to tell you!"
>Edith giggles
>"Why not lady Umbra?" She asks
"Because something like that is private!"
>Edith smiles and nods again before speaking up
>"I'm sorry my Queen." She says with a smile "You're right that is only for you to know, my apologies."
>You shake your head and sigh before getting up
"Well it was nice talking to you Edith, but day court will begin soon I need to get going."
>"Of course my Queen." She says "Have a wonderful day."
>Saying your goodbyes you make your way out of the dinning room and head towards the throne room
 
>As you walk to the throne room you see that group of ponies concerned about Fazmare's are in line
>They must be here to ask about their situation
>Very well, you already have a solution to their problems
>Entering the throne room you take your seat and motion for the guards to open the door
>As the doors open and ponies walk in you do your best to help them with their problem
>It's not long until that group of ponies finally get up to you
>Before the leader of the bunch can speak cut him off
"Ah! Before you open your mouth I have great news!"
>The leader of the group blinks before you continue
"I will be sending a group to help you with your situation tomorrow night."
>The leader smiles
>"Thank you Queen Umbra!" He says "Who are you sending?"
"I'm glad you asked! I am sending four recruits to investigate Fazmare's."
>"Recruits?" The leader says his head tilted
"Yes, I'm sorry but we don't actually have any guards to spare."
>"It's fine Queen Umbra we believe in your judgement." He says bowing down
"Good. They will be at your home tomorrow evening then."
>The ponies all bow and thank you before they practically skip out of the throne room
>This brings a smile to your face
>The day court continues as you help you citizen get what they need
 
>As more ponies come and go you come across the little filly from yesterday
>She comes up and bows before you
"What do you need little one? I thought Anonymous found your brother."
>She nods
>"He did, but I want to ask you if you can help me again." She says
"Of course little one what is it you need?"
>"Please find the ponies that hurt my brother!" She says "They need to apologize for what they did!"
>You are actually taken aback by her words
>Smiling you rise from your throne and approach the filly
"Little on I promise you we will find the ones who did this."
>The filly looks up at you and smiles
>"You mean it?!" She says
"Of course I do, I will not tolerate such acts taking place in my empire."
>The little filly begins to hope around you in excitement
>"Thank you Queen Umbra!" She says "You're the best!"
>Smiling you nod your head
"I know little one, now get back to school or I'll tell you brother you're skipping."
>The filly quickly nods her head before flying out of your throne room
>You let out a small chuckle returning to your throne
>Planting your rear down you motion for the next pony in line to come forward
>"Almost done." You think to yourself
>Just a little more left
 
>Nearing the end of day court you notice the last pony in line is a guard
>As he approaches you wonder what he need
"What is it you need?"
>"I have a letter." He says "From The Big Bull."
>Oh the minotaur that runs the dungeons for you
"Let me see the letter."
>The guard nods before reaching into his pack to pull out a letter
>Taking it from him you open it up and begin to read it
>"Hello Queen Umbra it is I, Your fateful citizen THE BIG BULL!" it starts out
>Shaking your head at the writing style of Big Bull before you continue reading
>"Recently The Big Bull has been having a weird feeling lately."
>"The Big Bull can't describe it but it feels like something supposed to happen soon."
>"Some of the prisoners seem a bit anxious as of late."
>"I've been trying to learn more. but The Big Bull can't seem to find anything."
>"In any case The Big Bull was wondering if you can send some guards over to the dungeon to help The Big Bull keep and eye an the place."
>"Whatever you decide The Big Bull thanks you for your time Queen Umbra."
>Looking at the bottom of the letter you see the words "Signed by THE BIG BULL!" signed at the bottom
>Closing the letter you look back to the guard
>You would send Anonymous and his friends to help Big Bull, but you can't this time
>You need to have experienced guards on this job
>This might actually be a serious matter
"You there."
>"Yes my Queen?" The guard asks
"Tell Big Bull that I will have a group ready for him as soon as I can."
>The guard salutes you before heading out of the throne room
>As he exit the room you see you are done for today
>Letting out a sigh of relief you arise from your throne and make your way out
 
>Stepping out of the throne room you decide to head down stairs to find some guards to help with Big Bull's situation
>As you enter one of the five rooms you find a group of guards without their armor on playing a card game
>As you approach them they all straiten up and stand
"It's okay boys, you can relax."
>Hearing you say that they all seem to relax just a bit
"Good, now I need help and seeing as how you boys are playing a game you seem to have some free time."
>They all nod
"I've gotten a letter from Big Bull over at the dungeons, he need some help looking after the place."
>"Oh so you want us to go don't you or Queen?" One of them says
"Precisely! I want you four to get dressed and lend Big Bull some assistance."
>They all look at each other nervously before looking back to you
"What is it?"
>One of the boys starts to speak up
>"It's just, well, Big Bull can kinda get annoying sometimes." He says "We'll still go it's just..."
>You laugh
"I understand boys, even I can't have conversations with him for long periods of time."
>The boys all laugh before one of them faces you
>"Don't worry Queen Umbra we'll head over right now." He says
>Smiling you nod your head
"Thank you boys, I'll see to it that you all are compensated for your work."
>As they get dressed you turn and leave the room
>Heading back upstairs you stand in the main hall
>Now that Big Bull situation is out of the way you need to find something to do now
 
>Standing around the main hall for a while you finally decide to see if Anonymous is back from his run
>You also need to see Credo about something
>Making your way to Credo workshop you knock on the door
>After hearing some commotion from inside Credo opens the door for you
>"Lady Umbra what can I do for ya this afternoon?" He asks
"I wanted to ask if you could do something for me."
>"Anything my Queen!" He says "What is it?"
"I wanted to know if you could get to work on making the armor for the boys."
>Credo laughs
>"I'm already ahead of you my Queen." He says "I figure I'll be making it some day I might as well start now."
>You smile
"Are they out there?"
>Credo nod
>"Yup they just got back!" He says "Right now they're sparing with each other."
"I might as well go see him then."
>Following Credo you exit his workshop through the side door
 
Holy shit I needed to make a new paste part 2 here
http://pastebin.com/WSp0Cpxv