"So are you sure you don't need any more help?" Sombra ask as he turned to glance one last time at the bulking stallion placing his tools back on his wagon.

"Eeyup." Big Mac responded. Nothing more was needed to be said. They were basically done with the restoration of Fluttershy's cottage safe for the grassy rooftop, which Mac was going to do on his own. Though Sombra had offered to help, the other said that using magic would not help the grass. Apparently there was a whole process to keeping the grass alive on the cottage that was specifically made for Fluttershy and her critters.

This really cut into the time needed to work on the cottage for Sombra as he began to wonder aimlessly through Ponyville. A quick glance at the sun in the sky told him that there was still plenty of time before Pinkie's party, but he really did not wish to go to the library. Twilight would be there and that alone would be cause for discomfort, on her part more than anything. This morning she had shown an unbelievably strong interest in his well being, which perplexed him.

Up until now she had wanted nothing more than to keep him locked up and hidden away, but this morning not only did she not show any sort of aggression, she even allowed him to leave without an escort. Sombra's mind raced as he played out multiple scenarios as to why the sudden change of heart, but then the most obvious one came to mind.

"Agatha..." He mumbled to himself as he came to a stop. Surely she had something to do with it. They were curious about his history with the changelings, maybe they looked up his part in the changeling war, maybe they found out about his lineage. About his brief time in Canterlot as a colt. Could she have really found all of that out?

"You alright there?" A voice suddenly jolted Sombra back to reality. He looked around and found a mare who looked at him rather oddly.

"Oh, hello Ditzy." Sombra said as he straightened his composure, A second glance at her allowed him to see that she was in a sort of uniform, and by the bag around her back, she delivered mail. "I am fine, just a lot on my mind."

"I see, so what are you doing here exactly?" Derpy asked as she gestured with her arm. Sombra hadn't noticed that he had stumbled upon a school of some sort. Small, but for a town like this is was surely big enough for a number of fillies and colts.

"Huh, I hadn't noticed." He said just as the bell ran and a flood of small ponies ran out from the building. He was overwhelmed to say the least. "How did all those children fit in there?" He questioned casually.

With a small giggle Derpy responded. "It might seem small, but it's bigger on the inside."

"Mommy!" They heard a filly cry out as she ran to them. "What are you doing here?" Dinky asked as she hugged her mother.

"I just happened to be in the area and wanted to see you for a few seconds before getting back to work." Derpy responded as she picked up her daughter and tossing her up. Before she could even begin to fall back down the grey mare flew up and caught her as they both began to giggle. A smile began to stretch across Sombra's face as he saw the two interact. Being short on time, Derpy placed the filly back down and say their goodbyes.

"Okay my little muffin, stay out of trouble." Derpy said as she began to leave, but not before glancing at Sombra. "You stay out of trouble too."

"What ever do you mean?"

"Ponyville is a small town, word gets around fast. Especially when houses get blown up. Not to mention that I meet lots of ponies when I deliver mail." She finished with a wink. To this Sombra remained quiet as he began to question his life choices in a rather comical manner.

"Mister Sombra?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Good question, I wonder that a lot as well. Some times I wonder why the blizzard didn't finish me off, or why I have survived the wounds of battle and war, or why Celestia took pity on me when I was found."

"I don't get you some times..." Dinky said as she scratched her head, seeming confused by Sombra's words, oblivious to his past.

"Ponies rarely do, little one."

"Oh!" She finally said. "I've got a great idea!"

"Pray tell, what is this marvelous idea you speak off?" Sombra said as he chose to humor her.

"Follow me!" Dinky said as she bit onto his mane, pulling him along.

"You realize it's not 'following' if you drag me along right?" He joked.

The two ventured somewhere into the woods not too far from the school. As they approached what Sombra believed to be their destination; sounds of wood clashing and children screaming and laughing filled the air. Dinky maneuvered through the bushes of the area quite well, but from Sombra height it was more funny than how dramatic she made it seem.

"Take that!" A voice said in the distance.

"Ah! I'm down I'm down!" Another responded, as Sombra peeked out from the bushes along with Dinky. He saw quite a strange sight, fillies and colts all dressed in improvised armor and robes were running around and fighting one another in a sort of role play.

"Where are we?" Sombra asked as he stepped out. Dinky did the same and shook the leaves off her body before replying.

"Well you said something about war, and it reminded me off the game my friends and I play after school. We dress up and pretend that we're fighting in an epic pony war!"

The fillies and colts who had been playing up until now began to take notice of the rather tall new participant and slowly began to crowd around him.

"War you say?" Sombra said as he glanced around and saw their rather tacky armor and weapons. "And how exactly are you fighting this war?"

"We get a sword and we hit each other with it!" A colt shouted from the crowd and many cheered in agreement.

"Classic combat, I agree, but how do you know who is friend and who is foe?" He asked out to the crowd.

"We separated into the three races. Unicorn, pegasus and earth." This time a filly said from the side.

"Hmm, so an epic pony war of the divided races? A very interesting premise." Sombra said as he inspected the children. As he did all of them held a rather large grin. Like Derpy had said, word spreads quickly, and thanks to Dinky, every filly and colt now knew of Sombra and his recent accomplishments, safe for the one from last night, only a few knew of that one, and apparently Derpy was one of those few.

"But I must say you are going at it all wrong." At once all the children gasped as if their dreams and hopes had been crushed. Sombra quietly walked out of the crowd and took a deep breath before turning around. "I guess that just means I should educate you, right?" All the children shouted out in a cheer as they ran back up to him as he began to teach them in the ways of war.

Twilight, after finding out what had happened last night, was looking for Sombra. Partly to see how he was fairing from his recent injuries, and partly to scold him for the risks he took, placing the lives of her friends in danger, boy would she give him an ear full. By the time she finally was able to go to see Fluttershy's cottage, it had been completely fix, as if nothing had ever happened, had it not been for Big Mac packing up his stuff when she arrived, she might have questioned her friend's story, so she was completely lost as to where he would be.

"Gah, where is that stallion?" Twilight asked out loud to no pony in particular as she looked left and right for him. She had been to the center of town, Pinkie's place, and even Applejacks, but each time she arrived anywhere they would all say that they hadn't seen him since morning. "You'd think that a guy that leaved destruction in his wake would be easy to find."

"Talking about Sombra?" Derpy asked as she closed a mailbox. Twilight had just past her and in her self absorbed rant, hadn't noticed her.

"Oh, uh yeah. You wouldn't have happened to see him would you?"

"Last I saw him he was near Cherilee's school." Derpy said with a smile. Twilight didn't share the gesture as she seemed almost distraught by the statement.

"What!? What is he doing with children?"

"Don't know, but I wouldn't worry. I'm sure that with him around they are perfectly safe." Derpy teased, only adding to Twilight's burning desire to find him. "In all seriousness, I do have something to ask you though."

Reverting back to her rather calm demeanor, Twilight looked at the cross eyes mare with a worried expression. "What's wrong?"

"Sombra, do you trust him? It's just, I know he tends to save ponies recently, but the things the newspaper had said about him, about always being evil and even when helping the places around him end up destroyed. I-I'm just worried for Dinky. I know that with Ponyville housing you and the other elements we are more or less safe, but I can't shake the feeling that..."

Twilight pressed her hoof against Derpy's muzzle, causing her to stop her small monologue, As the grey mare looked at her, she saw Twilight give her a gentle smile that somehow brought some peace to her mind.

"I think that Sombra is doing the best he can with what he has." She finally said. "I too am guilty of thinking badly of him, but I've found that he has quite a soft spot, give him a chance okay?"

Responding with a smile of her own, Derpy replied. "Okay!"

Twilight couldn't believe it herself. Just the other day she was hell bent on getting Sombra as far away from her and Ponyville as possible, now she was defending his actions. As the mare waved goodbye, Twilight help a strange shift in the wind, almost simbolic, but she couldn't exactly linger in the uncertain, what she needed to do now was find Sombra. She had something she needed to say to him.

Following Derpy's instructions, she began to search around the school yard, but it was just as she had believe, no pony to be seen, well, all but Cherilee who was still locking up.

"Hi Cherilee, have you seen Sombra anywhere?" Twilight asked to the mare just now closing the door to her school.

"Sombra? That stallion that saved us from the Ursa? Can't say that I have." She replied as she placed a hoof to her chin. "It would be hard to miss such a handsome stallion."

Brushing that last comment aside, Twilight tried a different approach. "Well, do you know where your class has gone to?"

"Oh, most day they like to go play in the woods not too far from here. I've already checked the place out and it's completely safe...unless Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetiebelle are there. Those three always end up getting either themselves or some pony else hurt." Cherilee said as she passed Twilight.

"Right, thanks!" She replied as she spread her wings and took flight making her way in the direction the teacher had gesture before waving bye. Sure enough, she soon found Sombra with a small flock of children as he walked back and forth speaking about something. It was very strange, it was almost like they were at attention or something. "Hey Sombra!" She shouted as she flew down, getting the attention of the dark stallion.

"Oh, hello Sparkle. What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing. What are you doing working with those injuries?"

Sombra slowly turned around as the children remained very still, which was unsettling for the mare. "I can assure you I did no heavy lifting. I used my magic the majority of the time, and now I am taking some down time to teach these fillies and colts on proper combat procedures."

"What!? They're too young for whatever you're teaching them!"

"Too young you say? It was their idea, I am simply assisting in their endeavors. Which, by the way, you are interrupting."

"Huh? What is that supposed to mean?"

But before Twilight could get a response a loud collection of screams and shrieks were heard. Both pegasus and earth pony fillies began to run out of the rear by trees, abandoning their cover and running to where Sombra and Twilight were standing. Using his magic, Sombra raised himself up in a pillar to get a better view as the fillies and colts began their role play. Twilight joined him so after, but not without a scream of her own at almost being tramped by tiny hooves.

"What is going on here?!" She shouted out, looking at Sombra for an answer.

"Short answer: An Epic Pony War of the three races."

"And the long?"

"I am helping the fillies and colts appreciate their childhood, playing out their fantasies while I pray they never actually have to go to war themselves." Slowly, he turned to the purple mare and with eyes that could almost be called sad, continued to speak. "I would not wish for them to have to go through the same thing I did."

Twilight was again lost as to how she should react. On one hoof, she wanted to scold him for allowing them to play out such dangerous games, but at the same time, she could feel his sincere motives on the matter. Twilight sighed as she stepped close to him and looked down at the children playing, screams and laughter was heard even at their height.

"Okay, I get it. So were you planning on just supervising them while they played?"

"It isn't like I have anything else to do, Sparkle."

"Well...can I help?" Twilight asked almost awkwardly. Being so friendly and caring towards him was still foreign ground, and it was pretty hard to get used to. Sombra eyed her and hummed to himself as the thought.

"Sure. Children! I ask for your attention!" Sombra shouted, and at once every pony came to a halt. Twilight was astonished at how much influence he seemed to have over them. "It seems that Miss Sparkle wants to partake in our little war. Thus, I would like to ask of you to cooperate and split the earth ponies among the unicorns and pegasi. Sparkle and I will split and command each army." At once all the children cheered in excitement as they all rushed to split up, trying to get into their teams as fast as possible.

"Wait, what are you doing!?" Twilight asked as she looked at him rather bewildered.

"What's wrong Sparkle? Afraid of a little game of chess?" Sombra asked with a sly smile.