Luna froze at the sight of him.

Oh no.

He's silent, awaiting her answer.

Luna released the breath she didn't realise she was holding.

''The story, the one in the garden'' Luna said, meeting Sombra's gaze. ''It isn't the whole truth.''

Sombra's pupils widen, not blinking.

Scarlet eyes searched teal.

''What is the whole truth then?''

Luna cast a hesitant glance at the Crystal Heart.

''I can show you.'' Luna said. ''With a spell.''

Sombra followed her gaze to the Heart and flinched. ''Does it involve the relic?''

Luna gave a small smile.''It won't involve the Heart.''

''Do you remember the spell? The one you used to..'' Luna paused, pursing her lips before she tentatively continued. ''To see my fears?''

Luna wasn't sure if she saw right but Sombra appeared to wince before nodding. ''I do.''

''Perform it again and access my memories.'' Luna said. '' I'll do another to guide you to the right memory.''

Sombra appeared to be caught off-guard by her response as he began to stutter for the first time.

''I-'' He paused.''Only if you're sure you want me.''

She blinked.

''I am sure," Luna said, with a hint of surprised amusement. ''Allow me to start.''

Sombra became still as Luna stepped towards him and took his hands, a cornflower glow gliding from her to him.

Following her lead, Sombra's unicorn swirls coursed a scarlet hue and met Luna's in a lilac burst of light.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luna opened her eyes to the familiar astral plane, only this time it was shimmery and bright, not like the other time when she came where it was grey and dark.

Luna scanned the area and found Sombra standing in front of a crystal door, silent memories of what she had seen in the Heart playing across its surface.

Sombra turned around and meets her gaze."I'm assuming it would be this memory?''

Luna nods, walking to his side.

Sombra rested his hand on the hinge of the door, unsure.

A moment passed.

"What's wrong?" Luna asked.

Sombra's gaze stayed on the hinge as he pushed it down. " A little pondering, that's all."

He paused. ''May I enter alone?''

Luna stared at him, considering him.

''If you'd prefer that.''

''Thank you, Princess.''

And he disappeared into the door.

Luna unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself and watched as the door shut closed.

It was time for her own pondering.

What was he going to do after he steps out that door?

Stop everything at once? Scream this was an illusion? Weep at being deceived to? Or simply never come out the door?

She did not know which.

This was Sombra after all.

A strange, mysterious creature of the dark none was familiar with the likes of.

A creature like her.

A light pink coloured her face.

Luna shook herself from the thought, chiding herself at her childishness.

A creak at the door awoke Luna from her thoughts and she looked up to see a pale Sombra with an unreadable expression on his face, his hand grasping the door's handle tightly with his gaze on the ground.

''Sombra?''

An unsettling silence fell in the room.

''Does this truly matter?'' Sombra said with a tremble.

Luna widened her eyes.''W-what?''

Sombra lifted his head to meet Luna's gaze, scarlet piercing teal.

''They won't listen. Rabia won't listen. It's too late," He breathed, his grasp on the handle tightening. "After a millennia of being imprisoned, they won't simply forgive and forget.''

His eyes softened upon seeing Luna's expression change.

''I'm sorry, but this won't change anything."

The Princess locked eyes with the King, determination in her eyes.

''They may not listen, but will you?'' She quietly asked.

He froze at her expression but he looked away, shaking his head.''I cannot just leave them trapped there. They were still wronged.''

Bile began to rise in Luna's throat as she stepped towards Sombra.''You cannot just free them! They're vengeful and bitter. They'll take out their anger on the Empire's citizens, none of whom have anything to do with their imprisonment.''

He gritted his teeth at her tone, scorn tainting his voice.''And what do I do? Tell them to simply drop a millennium-old resentment and live happily ever after with Crystal citizens who would take out pitchforks and torches at the mere sight of them?''

Luna felt silent, letting his words swirl.

Then, she begin to laugh.

Sombra drew back, staring at her as her peals of laughter rang through the air, confounded. ''You find this...humorous?''

''It's just...what you said has actually worked before...at least for me.'' Luna said softly, shifting her eyes away from his to reminisce her past. '' I...I was exiled before...for a millennium too, as I was filled with hatred and jealousy for my sister. It's a long story but I paid the price with a thousand-year long imprisonment for my actions. And everyday, I waited impatiently, telling myself that when I was freed, I would take what was rightfully mine and I would never feel this horrid again. But it was no use, I was still as bitter as before. It was only when I freed myself of these negative feelings that I finally became contented."

She wrapped her arms around herself, fondly reminiscing about her friends and family.

"But I couldn't have done it alone. I needed people to guide me to releasing my heart from the harm I was causing myself. '' Luna said, her eyes beginning to shimmer. ''You'll need to do the same as them. How much can they do to compensate their treatment? The damage has already been done. The longer they dwell in the past, the more they'll sink further in their resentment.''

Luna stepped closer and gently took his arms.''If you truly want to help them, show them a way out from the past.''

Fury drained out of Sombra's face as he gazed at her earnestness.

He softened at her touch.

''Princess I-''

Sombra gave a shout, recoiling away from Luna like her hands burned him.

He stumbled and hunched over as he tightly gripped his face. A stormy purple mist poured through his fingers and he trembled.

Luna flinched back, reaching for him.''S-Sombra?''

He stopped, his arms quickly falling to his side and a cold frostiness washed across his face as he straightened. "I'd like to return the palace.''

''W-what?''Luna said, unnerved by his sudden change in tenor. ''Did...Did something happened?''

''It was nothing but a magical fluctuation,"He replied smoothly with a subtle gleam in his eyes. ''If you would, Princess?''

He extended his hand, rushing with carmine sparks.

''R-right.''

She tentatively took his hand with azure and met his glow in a twisted shade of plum.

Luna raised her head to the dim ceiling of the laboratory as she returned, acquainted with the annoying ringing that came with the use of the spell.

She saw Hope beginning to awake with Fluttershy and Pinkie still attending to her intently.

Sombra was seemed to still be recovering from the same reverberation, a hand gripping his hair as his eyes tightly shut.

''I thank you for showing me your discovery.'' Sombra murmured as he opened his eyes.

Luna blenched at the sight of his eyes, they were no longer red but sickly palish and white.

She shook it off as she had something more pressing on her mind.

She begun carefully.''Does...does that mean you'll...you'll stop your attacks?''

Sombra turned to face her, eyes becoming more bleached as he tilted his head.

He revealed sharp teeth as he smiled.''I never said that.''

''W-what?'' Luna said, confounded.''But you-''

She caught herself.

Luna's gaze became inflamed.

''You're not Sombra, are you?'' She hissed, eyes blazing into his as she clenched her fists. ''It was Rabia, if I recall?''

His smile widened as his eyes rolled inward, white devouring their colours as a familiar voice spoke through Sombra.'' Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Bring him back this instance!" Luna demanded, her arms sparking blue.

Sombra struck her with his magic and summoned crystals onto her skin. Luna was knocked against the table and she slid down to the floor, hissing in pain.

"Impressive." Sombra remarked, admiring his hand. " I guess he was good for something after all."

The possessed King's attention turned to the fallen Princess. "And as for you, Princess."

Sombra walked over to Luna, grabbing her chin to wrestle her face close to his.

"I will never let go of what your kind has done to mine. Your little speech of forgive and forget? How cute." He bared his teeth and snarled. "How pathetic."

"What are you going to do now? Kill me? Kill everyone else? Then what?" Luna said weakly, breathing hard for air. "Will you be satisfied then?"

She lifted her eyes at straight into the possessed King, venom and blood filling her mouth. " Let me tell you the answer is never. Nothing will ever satisfy you, Rabia, nothing if your anger never ends."

Sombra considered her, grip remaining firm as he held her glare.

"We'll just have to wait and see." He replied coldly.

A cruel smile curled his mouth. " Luckily for you, I'm not done with you yet. I still need your silly marriage to this fool to solidify my claim to your kingdom."

He released his grip and stood, eyes on the trio. "As for them."

His arm coursed with black magic." I suppose some magic practice would do good."

"NO!" Luna staggered up but her body failed her, dropping her back down.

Pinkie and Fluttershy looked up from Hope and paled at the sight of Sombra approaching with magic aflame in his hands.

He shot a blow-

Hope blocked it with a brilliant spell, deflecting the blow to a wall, crumbling it to bits and dust.

Sombra growled."You dare stand in my way, Hope?"

Hope seethed as she shot the next hit, propelling him against the floor.

She stormed towards him, magic sparking furiously.
" Get out of his body."

Sombra's eyes burned with indigo and he clenched his glowing fist in rage. He lunged forward and seized her neck, his magic scalding her before she could back away.

Hope writhed, hammering hard at his chest and he strangled her harder. Slowly, her desperate punches begin to weaken-

"HEY RABIES OR WHATEVER!'' Pinkie yelled, holding a handful of test tubes.''PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!''

She pelted the instruments at Sombra alongside Fluttershy with endless energy and swiftness but he paid them no mind.

His grip tightened on Hope.'' Any last words, little Hope?''

''Sombra.'' Hope choked, glaring hard into Sombra.''I know you're in there. Get her out of you. Push her far, far away.''

He froze, his grip loosened as his eyes widened, slowly changing back to red-

''ENOUGH!'' Sombra roared, grip returning harder than ever. ''HE'S NEVER COMING BACK!''

Hope gasped as she tried to force his hands off but to no avail.

Luna widened her eyes in horror, the state of Hope harking her back to the memory of Celestia in the same position.

She forced herself up shakily, eyeing the Crystal Heart. Luna stabbed out her hand, concentrating on her fondest memories and with a graze, the Heart lit up and showered with a light of blue, cleansing her arms of the dark crystals to free her magic.

Luna's eyes shone blue as she growled. ''Release her.''

Sombra turned to face her and laughed. ''Or what? I have magic too, Princess.''

Luna struck him with a blow of her magic, driving him into the ground.

His jaw clenched, rising from the ground as he hurled an angry spell at her. She narrowly dodged it as it grazed Luna's ear and destroyed the wall behind her.

Luna tried striking him again but he vanished into shadow, reappearing next to the Crystal Heart.

''You think you've won, little princess?'' He boomed with narrowed eyes, as he curled his hand into a fist.

Luna threw another hit at him but Sombra deflected it with a red magical shield.

''You haven't.''

With a roar, the King swung a smoldering fist into the Heart with a deafening crash.

Luna watched in horror as the Heart shattered into millions of shards as the sound of Sombra's unearthly laugh resounded through the room.

Magic coursed forcefully into her hand. "WHAT HAVE YOU-''

Sombra smiled sickeningly, eyes paler than ever. ''Good luck, princess.'' He mocked as his form fell back into darkness and fled the room.

Luna's wings spread, ready to give chase only to remember Hope. She quickly turned and saw Hope slumped down on the floor, wheezing for air with Fluttershy and Pinkie by her side.

Pinkie caught her gaze.'

"GO! SHE'S GETTING AWAY!'' Pinkie shouted at her with a hard look.

''But-''

''We'll be fine!'' Fluttershy said, hand clasping Hope's arm. ''Just go, Luna!''

Luna smiled gratefully at her friends, backing away hesitantly.'' I'll be back for you, I promise.''

Then she flew off, following the possessed King to wherever he was headed to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey everyone! So I'm back! Happy to say you can expect faster updates now because it's holiday for me now. Anyway I just watched the MLP finale and it gave me so much feels but I'll still be writing this story as well as another Lunbra/ Lumbra story after this one so I hope you'll stick around for this and the next Lunbra/Lumbra story! BTW I hate Sombra's voice and personality in season 9 so don't apply it in this story! :P Thank you for reading and I hope you'll continue! Have a great day!!

Also apparently some people have already read this chapter before I published it?? Says 9 people have read it. What's up with that?