Twicord AGAIN?!

Part 8

As the mane six, Discord, and Sunburst trotted along, the latter at the very end of the pack, Twilight sidled up beside the orange unicorn.

"Hi," she whispered.

He seemed startled, gasping lightly and glancing at her. But then his surprised face turned into that of a happy one, and he smiled. "Hi," he mumbled back.

"So, uh...about Sombra."

He sighed, chuckling softly. "Yes?"

"He seems rather fond of you."

"How so?" he asked, cocking his head.

She cleared her throat. "Well, I've studied pony psychology a little bit, especially before coming on this trip, just so I could read his behavior without angering him. 'Cause you know, he's a very easily-angered pony."

He giggled. "Go on."

"And when he looked at you, his expression was very odd. And everything stilled, you know? There wasn't any thunder or lightning, and the wind stopped. He looked very...peaceful, when he looked at you, and when you spoke to him."

He rubbed his hooves together thoughtfully. "I suppose you're right. He does act rather friendly when we're alone. He's a nice pony, I promise you, nicer than he appears. He just tries to be tough, you know? It's just part of the facade he took up, and the one that he has to hold. Part of his philosophy is survival of the fittest and being intelligent and strong to survive."

"And part of his 'being strong' fantasy is not having feelings, right?"

"Exactly! So when I started talking to him, he wouldn't respond. He would just...stare...and it was uncomfortable at first, but he later told me that A. his voice hurt his throat and B. he mainly learns visually and auditorily, so he's been told. So I just started lecturing him, and he would listen, and eventually he got around to lecturing me. And let me say that he's a rather interesting teacher."

Twilight laughed. "Really? What are some of the things he told you?"

"He told me a lot of history lessons, mostly, and how the world worked over two-thousand years ago. Apparently there wasn't really a palace, or it was still being built, and the houses were made out of wood and stone and other things, not crystal, and the Umbrum were stalking the place like nobody's business. He said that he got into Umbrum culture a little bit, because he isn't full-on Umbrum. He has a pony mother and an Umbrum father, who was the Umbrum king, or so he told me. He said he got to explore the Umbrum capital of Morreia, the location of which he refused to tell me. He's very secretive about the Umbrum, and I can't imagine why. Besides that he seemed to tell me a lot, and he seems to genuinely trust me. I appreciate him, you know? I would actually consider him a friend of mine."

Twilight nodded, thinking about it.
"Discord said that Sombra used to be a student of his," she said. "One that he picked himself before he turned evil, and helped him record history in a cavern off of Canterlot. I've seen it. That's where I got his notes from. He's a good writer, or he was, and he had a lot of notes on psychology and anatomy and whatnot. It's actually really fascinating, especially knowing who wrote it. Apparently one of his books' drafts was officially finished only a few months before his downfall."

Sunburst nodded. "He is a fascinating character, isn't he?" he said with a smile.

She nudged him with one wing. "What, do you like him back?"

"What? Of course I do! He's a friend of mine. A once-evil friend, but a friend nonetheless, and I expect him to be treated well once he's done reforming. In fact, I think he's almost ready to be released."

"Into the empire?"

"No, into the castle," he responded with a laugh. "I most certainly would not want him wandering the streets alone. Hey, did you know that he sings?"

"He what?"

"I know right? He can sing really well, actually, and he says that if he could get his hooves on a piano, he would gladly be reformed. He absolutely loves playing piano, and is really passionate about it. I accidentally got him to lecture me on the differences between orchestral and piano waltzes, and I swear to god it took two hours. Two hours. I nearly fell asleep."

Twilight giggled. "So you like him, huh?"

There was a long beat of silence. The simple sound of hooves clicking on stone, and the howling of the wind outside. He nodded.
"I do."

A deep rumble echoed in from outside, and the guards posted around the walls shuddered. They were trying to straighten up, she could tell, in her presence. They feared greatly the raging storm outside, but were still trying valiantly. She giggled, silently thanking them for their loyalty.

"Now was that visit so bad?" Discord asked, launching swiftly into the air to fly alongside Twilight.

She laughed. "Uh, he threatened us with a lecture. I'd say that was a dream."

Sunburst tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I wouldn't call that a lecture as much as a speech."

They nodded in agreement, and there was another pause.

"So we're to be staying here."

"Until Sombra is reformed, yes."

Discord flapped his hand at her. "I'm sure he's already reformed. He's a real softie. He's just hiding it."

She giggled.

Well this one certainly is short, isn't it?