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Post by Mal on Aug 15, 2016 23:55:05 GMT -5
King Sombra expected the princess and her court jester to go off on their way, contenting himself to sitting here and waiting, when he heard Celestia speak up again. He turned to her, an eyebrow arched and an incredulous look on his face at what she was saying. In his mind, he didn't think she understood. They - he and this good other - were both Sombra, at the basic core. They were as much the same pony, as much as the alicorn Sombra was. As an afterthought: Sombra felt he'd need to give these other versions of himself different names just so he didn't get tied up and confuse himself. The memories already had him confused on what to think, feel and do.
The grey stallion's ear twitched and he took a slow, deep breath. So dense. "You speak of something that you know so little of, that you base off of a version of myself from another world," he stressed, "perhaps we might be able to sit down sometime when things are not so tense so that I may tell you the full truth of it."
"Go. Do not waste your time with talk. Your city needs one of its princesses." By speaking, Sombra wasn't trying to keep Celestia here any longer, but usher her on. His green gaze shifted back towards Discord at the sound of that groan, ears twitching in the draconequus's direction. There were key things in this entire conversation that he picked up on: choice, and second chances. There wasn't any point in them giving them a second chance so soon, not with what he had in store. It'd be wasted. Still.. even Hope spoke to him of choice, and displayed it by choosing him over becoming a princess. It was a very important decision to make, to throw away a chance like that. He felt a little regret at the thought, after the stained glass window with a new princess on it.
Sombra lifted a hoof and waved it imperiously at the group in a shooing gesture, whether or not Princess Celestia deigned to let Discord stay behind to take him to this.. room for some alone time. If it happened, he'd be able to tear the draconequus down without using so much as magic or lifting a hoof. Words were power, and they were the best weapons.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 0:28:42 GMT -5
Celestia found her muzzle curling into an amused and yet exasperated expression as she heard him speak. "I wish to put forth this query then. Which one of us has done research into crossing into alternate worlds? She'd gone to many worlds with Star Swirl, and even had to recreate the enchantments in order to bypass the lock said pony had put on the mirror." Was it she that truly knew so little? Choice meant a 'lot' in her opinion.. Timelines changed at those pivotal moments when certain choices were made.
Did a pony kill? Or did a pony show mercy? Was there a happy ending? Or was there Genocide?
But that is another tale that she might bring up with Sombra should he not do something unbelievably stupid. The alicorn turned to Discord as he spoke up and dispatched the sass. Said sass brought a smile to the alicorn's face and even a musical laugh.
"Never change, Discord. You are wonderful how you are~" she leaned in and gave the draconequus an affectionate kiss right then and there. Perhaps it was a bit of a statement of sorts? The alicorn then pulled back and glanced at Sombra long enough to note his shooing gesture. "You may feel free to show Sombra to his room, Discord. At least then you'll have some way to keep occupied." the latter part 'and keep an eye on him' was left unsaid. Was she also siccing Discord on Sombra to take out her frustration on him? She'd never admit to it.
As she said before, she was willing to give a second chance, but she not an idiot.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 12:34:38 GMT -5
Discord had half a mind box the Umbrum's ears, but than he remembered he really only had half a mind left. Being a time traveling noodle often did things to your melon. And head. Poor watermelõns. Discord missed them… he would give note never to offer Tia a mallet so easily for comedy night! The pone really was quite arrogant for one who seemed more suited as a try-hard, zealous, one-time villain for a badly written comic arc. He met all the qualifications thus far. He was a goofy goober, he had big, poofy hair and, as if two out of three weren't bad enough: capes! He hated capes. Far too gauche for his tastes. And the spirit came with high standards! And a cotton candy pink cloud of TERROR! Of course he would have a doppelganger that was at least 20% cooler. He would bet any mare wouls swoon over that, not realizing the trap!
It was a thirty-year old mistake!
At the most basic, intellectually poisonous truth: Sombra was right in that keeping your your paths from your enemies kept you safe, but even when allies were finding fault in one's logic these plans had to go. Now suffice to say Discord's mind had drifted and for about five moments he had viewed Sombra as a face he knew well, one he could never care for, one he could have respected. But the 'king's' insults toward his greatest rivals, his partners, was disgusting. His paw flexed. And through the appendage was soft the sharp, dagger-like claws it his, were a frightening contrast. Where his eagle's claws could tear through time, his manticore's paw could rend flesh as easily.
The spirit was seated on the ground so he had been at level with the mare. His ears perked at the praise. "Well thank you neighb--" but as he turned his head to condescendingly mock the praise while wholly accepting it he found his muzzle pushed into deep contact with Celestia's.
As she kissed him the chair, previously lit aflame, turned to ash and collapsed, as if to visually depict the hotheadedness in the draconequus snuffing out. His ears flattened as steam hissed from them. Was he okay? Not really. He did not usually kiss them publically not out of fear, but respecting the fact that he was, who he was and it could bring question to their rule. He wasn't controlling them, or tricking them. What did mortals understand of it.
His paw and claw tucked against his chest when the mare released her kiss. "Why certainly. I'll show him every inch of respect he has shown me~" Oh, he snapped out of it.
When Celestia made her way the spirit rolled his eyes and floated up off the ground, curling his head to look at Sombra from under his belly, tail raising and hind legs tucking up. He vanished part, by part like a Cheshire Cat before he manifested behind the king. His lips curled back, baring those predatory front teeth, seeing as his back teeth were that of a pony's. The red tail raised up, the tuft forming a hand before it snapped, removing the tuxedo from the ashen lord.
"Well let us go." No sass?
No. He needn't, not at this time. He will let the silence speak for itself. Honestly he was frustrated enough to blink the truffle out of existence, but that was hardly polite. He floated around Sombra and out of the parlour. He glided his way toward the foyer steps, but by bit towards the eastern half of the castle where the guest rooms were. Discord wandered the castle often, napping in the most arbitrary areas, and obnoxious. He's cause a bit of trouble with the guards, maids and butlers alike.
"I'll never understand you mortals. You have this obsession with time, yet you do so much to waste ot, a maddening concept as it is. Truly the definition of insanity. I may be the most sane player on the field right now!" Not really though.
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Post by Mal on Aug 16, 2016 13:07:01 GMT -5
He was highly considering dropping all pretense (and his disguise) entirely if just to rip the answers he wanted out of them and be on his way. They spoke so much of respect and preached choice, yet they hadn't shown him the most basic respect since he'd been here. Why did ponies think respect had to be earned, first? So they were allowed to treat somepony however they wanted until they were given a good enough reason otherwise.
Sombra lifted a hoof, the bottom facing the ceiling as he rested his chin on it, almost looking bored but stopping shy of it. "Then you have many answers to offer me for what is happening to me." He replied. The king didn't change from his position when Celestia turned and abruptly kissed Discord, which was a surprise. So they were courting then? In his own frustration he shoved away the feelings that leaked over from the memories deep down, stubbornly ignoring them at this point. They'd caused him so much trouble. Other than being the spark to his plans, they'd done nothing more than get in his way and confuse him; if he had done better than he did, perhaps the situation wouldn't have soured so much as it had.
For the duration of the kiss, Sombra rolled his eyes and looked off to the side at a wall than at them, though he could still see them out of the corners of his eyes. His gaze did briefly drift to the scorched chair when it collapsed in a pile of ashes. How much furniture did they go through if their princess was prone to bursting into flames? Truthfully he didn't think she was worthy of running her own kingdom.
He was impatient, but he didn't show it. Sombra looked around at the mention of respect, hoping Princess Celestia would move off on her way already. She always came to the aid of ponies if she could help it, and if there really was a riot happening outside..
King Sombra glanced up at the draconequus at the flash above the back of his chair, and back down at himself when the tuxedo was finally removed. He was glad it was, because he couldn't have removed it with magic himself. Never had he known normal unicorn magic, and it was the farthest thing from what he could use now as an umbrum despite his current appearance. All he had to call on was dark magic, and he had no intention of using it around any of them. The grey stallion got out of his seat, adjusting the cape briefly, to follow Discord out of the parlor. The short journey towards the guest rooms allowed him more of a view of the castle's interior and decoration, which he took in, in the place of idle conversation.
Scratch that.
"It's questionable. Ponies have always sought rule and control over everything. You need only look at how they handle the weather and the seasons. Even the animals." He'd seen and learned enough of Equestria from his travel through it.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2016 14:41:50 GMT -5
Celestia found it rather difficult to give respect to a creature such as Sombra. If he didn't want ire or suspicion then he had better work for it! She couldn't make it easy after all; she was a millennia old! In the 'arena' she had lived in for that time it took more than just some pretty words and a costume. For the love of the sun and stars nobles tried that sort of stuff on her! ~ As for the chair... he just held a special place, didn't he.
Actions would speak far louder than words and her emotions were already on edge. Perhaps it would have been wiser to have turned him away? No~ Better the enemy known than one unseen.
She no sooner stepped out the door before there was a brilliant gold flash and she and the guard both vanished; heading out to deal with the so-called 'riot'...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2016 12:27:10 GMT -5
The spirit folded his ears back as Sombra spoke, to better listen. He already had planned to abandon the truffle as soon as he planted his seed. He motioned his claw, manifesting a single seed between the flexible, scale covered digits. He did wonder of the possibilities, but there was also a bit of pity there for the pony. He tried far too hard to be accepting even as Tia scolded him, he kept his cool. That sort of pony annoyed Discord most. Everypony had their limitations.
Respect, Discord knew, was something that was earned. He never sought respect from ponies, so he couldn't ever say his behavior sought it. The things he did and said were a upon his leisure, never out to impress or appease others. He acted in understanding to the boundaries his friends set up, little by little. He showed them respect out of sheer kindness. There were two kinds of respect and Sombra seemed to suffer from the first. The second type of respect was something earned through efforts to gain recognition. The former was the dort many figures in authority or power felt they had, but it was oft overestimated. Seldom did such a figure of power understand that when they placed themselves in such a privileged position.
Discord led Sombra up to the guest rooms, his serpentine body constantly shifting. Sometimes the spirit would vanish, and reappear several meters ahead, motioning his paw at Sombra's 'slow pace'. He would eventaucome upon the halls and lower himself the the geound. The guards were ignored as he stood and folded his forelimbs behind his back. Ears would prick up, swiveling forward, as all of his focus went to Sombra.
"I think you need to reevaluate a few of your personality quirks. Particular your dreadful stoicism. I do not think I have ever seen any creature so content." He floated up, chuckling. "Sickening, really. But I suppose I'll leave you to it. But don't think you can weasel your way into Tia's graces." He pressed his paw to his chest, claw folded against his lower back.
His tail was curled down and anchored on the carpeted floors as if he was balanced on the thick muscle. His wings were raised back slightly and hindlegs tucked up in that snaking grace. What was Discord, really? A plaything? A distraction? He had his purpose and knew exactly what he did and was too surprised by what he did. Whatever he was his presence was a quasi permanence. He was, sometimes, always. And sometimes never.
"I don't know what you what, nor do I care who you think it is you are, but the time in which you have existed in this world, is but a drop in the ocean compared to the world itself. You lack experience and forget that there is much in this world dependent on you." Whether he knew it or not. "Skulk, gripe, whine, complain, but in the end if you let your memories, or peers tell you what to do and how to think… that is when you're a slave to their desires, rather than your own."
He was the god of chaos.
It was his job to twist, confuse, throw a pony off their intended path. Plus he was flirting with Celestia.
That was not gunna fly.
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Post by Mal on Aug 18, 2016 13:05:21 GMT -5
After he said his piece, Sombra followed the draconequus in silence. His concentration was put to memorizing the different turns and decorations in the hallways just so he'd be able to find his way back again, and he was sure he could. The Crystal Empire's palace had been as confusing, but not so large and spread out as Canterlot was. It'd been tall, and one need only find their way through different floors. This marble castle was an entirely different matter.
He supposed after a time of living here a pony learned the directions easily enough.
King Sombra took his time following after the spirit, but his long stride enabled him to keep up without rushing to do so. Discord's gestures onwards he ignored. He wasn't going to be rushed and risk missing an important detail that would allow him to find his way back. When he finally reached the door that Discord landed in front of, he came to a halt.
"I would rather strive to remain stoic than let old habits rise up and cause me problems, wouldn't you agree?" Sombra replied with an arch of one eyebrow. A hoof raised up to carefully rest upon his own chest in a humble gesture. "I have no intention to weasel. Only seek her forgiveness and acceptance in hopes that I might be able to do better than I did. I fear my very existence here has caused her undue stress and for that I am sorry." The words Sombra chose were deliberate, and he picked them specifically so that they might resonate in Discord, some similarity. It'd throw him off.
"I'll keep that in mind. I hope Celestia might provide some answers that will allow me to unshackle myself from these scattered memories."
Sombra considered going after Discord now with what he had in mind, but he marked it up to being 'too soon.' It'd have to wait until another time when he'd have a better foothold. The king turned towards the door to the room and pushed it open, beginning to retreat inside provided he wasn't stopped.
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