Tick, tock.

Tick, tock.

Tick, tock.

Sombra's eyes followed the thin hand of the clock before him, moving in time with the tiny clicks it made with every passing second. Although he knew that it hadn't been very long since his waiting had begun, he was absolutely sure that time was slowing down, preventing his patience to continue.

'Perhaps it's my imagination,' Sombra told himself, but he didn't believe his own words.

With a tired and exasperated sigh, Sombra stood up from his spot on the floor, stretching out his tensed muscles to prevent himself from falling asleep.

'I figured they'd be back by now,' he mused, his brows furrowing in worried annoyance.

Against his better judgement, knowing it would do little to ease him, he began to pace around his sitting area. Sombra's gaze would occasionally flicker over to the grandfather clock, his patience and will to continue pacing fading with every glance.

"Pacing will not solve your problems, Sombra," said a feminine voice.

Sombra jumped in surprised, much to his chagrin, and he begrudgingly glanced at the entrance of his room. As he expected, Princess Luna stood there, her sparkling, ethereal mane flowing continuously as she gave him a fixed look.

"Also, you are creating a draft," Luna told him, walking into the room gracefully.

Sombra's ear flattened against his head in annoyance. "I should have closed the door," he muttered, hindsight dawning on him. He gave her a stern look, his face showing the regal mask he had spent years using to hide his thoughts from his subjects. "Tell me, Princess. Why did you wish to grace my presence this evening?"

Luna gave him a playful look. "Drop the act, Sombra," she said, not sounding like her regal self, "I know you're not as tough as you're making yourself out to be."

Sombra blinked in surprise, his ears perking upwards. He sighed as he put a hoof on his face, shaking his head in an upset manner.

"Curse you, Sparkler..." he muttered under his breath, then looked up at Luna, "How much did she tell you?"

Luna chuckled. "Enough to know that you're a softie," she replied simply, causing him to frown, "but I digress. I am guessing your brooding involves the Element of Laughter?"

Sombra sighed, then nodded in surrender. "I thought she and the others would have been back by now," he admitted, being careful to keep the worry out of his tone, "she's normally so quick to return."

Luna nodded, her eyes showing sympathy. "She and the others are nearing the point of return, Sombra," she told him, walking over and placing a consoling hoof on his shoulder, "your waiting won't be long."

Sombra gave her hoof on his shoulder a bemused look, his eyebrow arched in interested confusion.

"Careful where you place your hooves, Princess," he told her, brushing her hoof off of him, "it'd be best to keep them to yourself."

Luna blinked at him, then narrowed her eyes. "Was that a threat?" she said darkly, her gaze turning icy.

Sombra shook his head. "It's a warning, but not for my actions," he explained, "Pinkie will murder any mare who so much as looks at me for too long. Touching will result in total annihilation."

Luna gave him a bewildered look. "I never took her for the jealous type," she mused aloud, giving her hoof a quick once over, as if she were checking for any evidence that she touched Sombra.

Sombra chuckled. "You'd be surprised," he told her, "green has nothing on pink when it comes my Pinkie."

Luna smiled at that. "Your Pinkie?" she repeated, arching a brow cheekily.

Sombra's cheeks tinged pink as he seemed to fully realize what he just said, his ears downturned in embarrassment.

"I mean..." he stammered, completely flustered, "Shut up!"

Luna giggled, putting a hoof to her mouth to smother her giggles and her ever growing grin, which was difficult on account of how hilarious she found Sombra's expression.

"I'm just teasing!" she told him, waving a hoof, "Twilight told me about you and Pinkie ages ago!"

Sombra's blush lightened, but only slightly. "Does she have to report everything that happens between us?" he asked exasperatedly, "It's not very comforting knowing that you and your sister know everything about our relationship."

Luna grinned at him. "But, even if Twilight didn't tell me, I would've figured it out sooner or later."

Sombra narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Luna giggled once again. "You might be surprised to hear I can see into the dreams of ponies. Including those who share the same age as myself."

Sombra gaped at her, his eyes wide as his cheeks darkened to a crimson red.

"You are such a perv!" he exclaimed, pointing a hoof at her, "I doubt I'll ever be able to sleep again!"

Luna gave him a sly grin. "Like you want to with Pinkie around?"

He glared at her. "Shut up!"

"If it makes you feel any better, you're not the only pony whose dreams I've entered," she told him, turning around to leave.

Sombra gave her a wide eyed stare. "You didn't..." he trailed off as she looked back at him, clarifying her claim, "Pinkie is going to be mortified when she finds out."

Luna chuckled. "Keep it to yourself. And just as a tip, she's quite fond of that crown of yours."

"There are so many levels of which that is wrong," he told her, but held up a hoof to emphasize his statement, "but thanks for the tip. I'll save that for a later date."

Luna gave him a sour look. "That's another thing that you should keep to yourself," she advised.

Just then, a loud series of sounds originated from outside the room, a burst of bright light and sparkling after effects joining in.

"It would seem the others have arrived," Luna told him, causing his eyes to widen, "go to her, Sombra. Go to your lover!"

Sombra gave her an unamused look. "I feel like I'm being mocked," he said flatly, "and I don't appreciate it one bit."

Luna laughed. "Just get to her before she starts jumping to conclusions as to why we were alone in the same room together," she told him.

Sombra's eyes widened, horror taking over his features as his ears flattened against his head in a shocked manner.

"Pinkie!" he exclaimed, dashing past Luna and out of the room.

As soon as he was out of hearing range, she chuckled to herself.

"That stallion has got it bad," she said, following him after there was substantial distance between them.

"OOF!"

All six mares and a baby dragon piled on top of one another, each struggling to get out of the unintentional dogpile they had created.

"Rainbow, get yer wing outta mah face!" Applejack exclaimed, pushing the cyan feathered appendage away with a fierce shove.

"Ow!" Rainbow cried, then smacked her wing back into Applejack's muzzle, "I need that for my job!"

"Can somepony please get their horn out of my side? I'm scared it's going to pierce the skin..." Fluttershy said quietly, wriggling under the weight of the ponies.

"Ugh, whoever put their leg in my stomach, get it off!" Pinkie demanded, managing to shimmy her way to the middle of the heap.

"Pinkie Pie?" asked a familiar voice, prompting the group to quit struggling.

Pinkie poked her head out between Applejack and Rainbow, who had froze mid-quarrel at the sound of the voice. A wide grin took over her features as she hunched her legs into a crouch, pressing into her cramped friend's bodies.

"Oh, no..." Twilight groaned, looking at Pinkie with a worried look, "Pinkie, that's probably not a--"

"SOMBRY!" Pinkie cried, totally ignoring Twilight.

With large amount of force, she leaped out of the pile, successfully scattering her friends across the room with her obscene amount of strength.

"Wait, Pinkie, don't-- GAH!" Sombra was cut off by Pinkie ramming into his chest, her forelegs outstretched. Almost immediately, she clutched onto his form, her legs stretching around him tightly.

"Can't... breathe..." Sombra rasped, his eyes bugged out as his face turned violet.

Pinkie giggled and snuggled into his neck. "I missed you, Sombry!" she told him, releasing him from the hug slightly so he could breathe.

"Huh? But what about--oof!" Rainbow started to say, but was cut off by Rarity elbowing her in the side.

Sombra took in a generous amount of air before smiling at her. "I missed you, too, Dork," he replied, returning the hug.

"Aw..." Rarity drawled, putting a hoof to her chest as she swooned over the display of affection.

"Ew..." Rainbow said to herself, her eyes narrowed peevishly.

"Ahem," said a familiar tone, gaining the room's attention.

Sombra and Pinkie looked up at the new occupant of the room, Sombra's vision turned upside down. He blinked in surprise at the appearance of Luna, who was looking at the couple with a grin.

"I see you've reacquainted with one another," she said, giggling at their embarrassed looks.

"Sorry, Princess!" Pinkie exclaimed, scrambling off of Sombra quickly, "I forgot where we were!"

"It's quite alright," she said, chuckling as Sombra picked himself off the floor, "however, you two can hold your catching up for later, when you're alone."

Pinkie nodded. "Okie dokie lokie!" she replied, saluting the princess, then snuggling into Sombra's shoulder.

Luna lost her blithe expression as she looked around the room briefly, her gaze turning worried.

"Have any of you seen Tia?" she asked, her brows furrowed.

"I'm here, Sister," said the regal tone of Celestia, who gracefully stepped from the others.

Sombra thought he must have imagined it, but he could have sworn Pinkie flinched at her appearance.

Luna gave her a wide eyed stare. "Are you alright?" she asked, rushing over to her side, "I mean, after all that's happened--"

"I am fine, Luna," she told her, holding up a hoof to silence her, "However, I don't wish to discuss the matters that transgressed at this time."

Luna looked like she wanted to argue, but she held her tongue as she sighed in surrender. Sombra quirked a brow in interest, but refrained from asking, deciding to discuss it with Pinkie later on.

"Very well," she replied, then her gaze shifted all around the room, "it would best for all of us to get some rest. You've all had an exhausting day, I'm sure."

As if to clarify her claim, the girls let out a cacophony of sleepy yawns, Sombra joining in once he realized how late his waiting had gone into the night.

"Come on, Pinks," Sombra said, nudging Pinkie with his shoulder, "let's head to bed."

Pinkie nodded sleepily in agreement. "Alright, let's... er..." Pinkie trailed off as she swayed and leaned against Sombra for support, yawning once again.

Sombra gave her a small smile, then ducked his head under her form and slid her onto his back.

"Come on, Dork," he said, looking back at her to see her eyes drooping, "don't pass out on me just yet."

As the couple and the others walked down the hall, they were unknowing of Celestia's gaze following Sombra, her eyes warbling as she fought the tears in her eyes.

'He's here...' she thought, watching him turn a corner down the hall with sad eyes. Her gaze shifted over to the mirror which was the cause of the mission, and her misery. Celestia felt her heart clench when she saw Pinkie snuggle into Sombra's mane, his smile tearing through her insides.

'...but he isn't mine.'

Pinkie felt every fiber of being freeze as those words reached her, her body stock-still as she tried to process what she just heard.

"Your...?" she breathed, totally shocked and flabbergasted.

"Dear?" Applejack blurted out, her eyes wide.

"Sweet...?" Rarity said through gritted teeth, her face strained as she tried to hold in her horror.

"Celestia?!" Twilight cried, finishing the collective statement of shock.

Pinkie couldn't find the words to say as she stood still, her eyes wide with pure, unadulterated horror. Her gaze went over to the stallion before her, so familiar and so different at the same time.

His normally, solid black mane was accompanied by a moderate cobalt blue, the red eyes she grew to love a green that she never knew. The only armor he bore was on his hooves, the chest plate replaced with a simple brooch, a handkerchief tucked into it. His horn was not curved or red, instead grey and segmented, like a normal unicorn's.

He was her stallion, yet he wasn't, because he didn't belong in her world.

"No harm may come to her..." Sombra said, his gaze downcast, "...I love her."

Pinkie awoke with a gasp, taking in gulps of air as she jolted upwards. She clung onto the covers wrapped around her, not taking the time to question their presence as she tried to still her erratic heartbeat.

'It was just a dream...' she told herself, then frowned as she shook her head, 'no, it wasn't... that actually happened...'

"Pinkie...?" groaned Sombra, who looked up sleepily from beside her.

Pinkie looked over at him, her heart clenching as she did. Sombra's drooping eyes widened as he caught her expression, worry taking over his features.

"Are you alright?" he asked, putting his hoof over hers, "You look like you saw a ghost."

Pinkie blinked in surprise, not just at his question, but at his touch. Without giving it much thought, she pulled her hoof away and looked off to the side, hiding her abashed face from him.

"I'm fine," she replied, "I just had a bad dream, is all."

Sombra blinked in surprise, his gaze shifting to where her hoof had just been for a brief moment. He couldn't see her face in the darkness, so he wasn't able to tell what she was thinking or feeling.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he questioned, not sure what else to say.

Pinkie didn't turn back to look at him as she shook her head, refusing to look at him.

"I'm fine, really," she told him, laying her head down, "I just wanna go back to sleep, okay?"

Sombra blinked in surprise, not sure what to make of her secluded behavior. But, he decided that now wasn't the time to confront her, what with it being the middle of the night.

"Alright," he conceded, laying his head down next to hers, "goodnight."

To his surprise, Pinkie flinched at his touch and moved away from him, as if afraid of what it would do to her.

"Goodnight..." Pinkie replied, her body stiff as she laid next to him in the least intimate manner.

Sombra blinked in shock, somewhat hurt by her being distant with him, the reason unknown to him. Although he so desperately wanted to know why, he knew that he wouldn't get anything out of her.

'I'll talk to her about it in the morning...' he told himself, 'besides, how bad can it be?'

Sombra awoke to the sound of birds chirping in the distance, sunlight flooding in from the windows. He yawned loudly as he cracked his eyes open, his tiredness slowly fading as he picked his head up from his pillow.

"Good morning, Pink-" Sombra froze when he saw that Pinkie wasn't next to him, "Pinkie?"

He sat up, his sleepiness leaving him as his gaze darted around the room. There was no sign of her anywhere, meaning she must have left sometime while he was sleeping.

"Where did she go?" he wondered aloud, climbing out of bed.

Sombra warily looked around the room once more, again no signs of his special somepony around for him to find.

"I'll have to look for her," he said to himself, walking over to the door of his room. After stepping out into the hallway, Sombra looked left and right, no one there to see.

'Perhaps she went down for breakfast?' he thought, walking down the hall. After a series of twists and turns, he found himself nearing the dining room, where he heard loud chattering and eating going on.

"Look, all I'm saying is that this entire mission has been totally insane!" Sombra heard Rainbow exclaim, her mouth no doubt stuffed full of food.

Sombra froze as he neared the entrance to the room, withholding his entering to listen to the conversation.

"Dash has got a point," said the southern accented voice of Applejack, "this has been a rather... strange experience, to say the least."

"I agree!" Rarity concurred, "I mean, meeting the alternate versions of ourselves? How overly tacky!"

Sombra's eye widened at her statement, but he held back his urge to audibly react.

"I'm so surprised at Sombra..." Twilight mused aloud, "I mean, it was so unexpected!"

"What was so unexpected?" Sombra interrupted, stepping into the room, a curious, but stern look on his features.

All the girls-- save for Pinkie, who he soon saw wasn't there-- looked at him with surprised expressions.

"S-Sombra!" Rarity exclaimed, her eyes wide as she tried to withhold her stammers, "What are you doing here?"

Sombra gave them a sharp look. "What was so unexpected?" Sombra repeated, walking over to the table, "I wish to know."

The girls all exchanged worried looks with one another, then turned back to Sombra, who was impatiently waiting for their answers.

"Ya see..." Applejack started, "something happened while we were in the other dimension..."

"And...?" Sombra said, knowing that would be the next word.

"And..." Twilight continued for Applejack, "we met that world's version of you."

"I figured that much out," Sombra said flatly, "now tell me what happened."

Again, they exchanged worried looks before looking at him once more. Finally, Rainbow let out a groan, breaking through the tension.

"Oh, for feathers' sake!" she cried, "Why is everyone tiptoeing around it? We're gonna have to talk about it sometime!"

"Rainbow!" everyone shouted, save for Sombra.

"Let her speak," Sombra ordered, then looked over at Rainbow, "tell me what happened."

Rainbow let out a ragged sigh. "Since everyone is so scared, then fine, I'll tell you," she replied, rolling her eyes, "so it turns out at some point, the other you and this Princess Celestia had a thing going on, and they're in love with each other and all that jazz."

Sombra gave her a wide eyed stare, unable to speak for a moment as he ran through what she just said, making sure he heard her right.

"Wait... other me...? I can't even..." Sombra continued to say random, half-finished statements to himself, totally flabbergasted. Finally, with a horrified look he screeched, "Celestia is in love with me?!"

"Tartarus, no!" Twilight cried, cringing at the thought, "She's in love with the other you!"

Sombra was silent for a moment, his eyes wide as he tried to process this new information.

Finally, he screwed his eyes shut as he let out a long, "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew."

"I know, right?!" Rainbow exclaimed, throwing her hooves in the air, "It was soooooo weird!"

Sombra stopped cringing as he realized something. "Wait, is that why Pinkie was so... distant?" he questioned, more to himself than the others.

Twilight gave him a wide eyed look. "Speaking of, where is she?" she inquired, looking around the room, "I haven't seen her all morning!"

Everyone let out murmurs of agreement, looking towards the others with nods and suggestions as to where she could be.

"By Tartarus, I have to find her!" Sombra exclaimed, galloping out of the room.

"Sombra, wait!" Twilight cried, reaching for him, but saw the futility in doing so when he ignored her.

As Sombra rounded a corner, he tried to think of all the places Pinkie would go, none making sense to him as he continued to dash through the halls.

'Where could she be?' Sombra thought, looking left to right quickly.

CRASH!

Sombra was taken off guard by the sudden collision he made with somepony, falling onto his rear as he bounced back.

"Oh, my! I'm so sor-" Sombra looked up to see Celestia in front of him, her mouth open in surprise as she looked at him, "Sombra?"

Sombra, against his will, was reminded of her feelings towards his other self, which was enough to give him nightmares for the rest of his life. He sighed as he looked at her abashed face, not liking how she acted like he was her crush while she was a schoolfilly.

"Celestia, have you seen Pinkie?" he asked, deciding not address the elephant in the room.

Too late, he realized how bad it was to ask her, especially after she had just had to say goodbye to the stallion she loved, who he resembled in ways that disturbed him.

"Oh..." Celestia said, her eyes going to her hooves as sadness overtook, "I'm afraid not."

Sombra felt a pang of guilt for being so heartless in regards to her feelings and sighed as he continued to look at her.

"Thank you anyway," he replied, then held out a hoof as he stood up, offering it to her to help her up.

Celestia blinked in surprise, not sure what to make of his sudden kindness. But, regardless, she took his hoof and allowed him to pull her up.

"I have to go," he said, walking past her.

"Oh," she said, "alright, then. I'll... see you later."

Sombra looked back at her, pained to see the high and mighty Sun Princess so low and humble, something he never though he'd feel.

"Celestia?" he called out.

She looked back at him, her eyes wide as she gave him a surprised look.

"You look lovely today," he told her, giving her a small smile, "I hope you realize that."

Celestia blinked in shock and Sombra swore he saw her blush at his compliment.

"Th-Thank you," she replied, "that means a lot."

He nodded at her, then turned around as he walked out of the hall, careful not to look like he was rushing until he was sure she couldn't see him anymore. Once he rounded the corner, he broke into a full sprint, not caring about the consequences of his action.

'I need to find her!' he told himself, sliding into another hallway, 'I need to know where she is!'

After opening his twentieth door, Sombra found himself sliding into the castle's ballroom, the emptiness of the room so full and expansive, it was almost dizzying to him.

"I went too far..." he said, chiding himself, "I gotta go back."

But, just as he was turning away from the room, his gaze flickered over to the windows of the room. He stopped once he recognized the familiar magenta coloring of Pinkie's mane and tail, his heartbeat increasing when he realized he found her.

Pinkie was outside in the garden, facing a statue that he couldn't see all of, a forlorn expression on her face. Sombra rushed out of the ballroom and into the garden instantly, his breath quick and fast as he slammed into the open area.

Pinkie's gaze shot up from the statue's pedestal, her eyes widening when she saw Sombra.

"Sombra?" she questioned, standing up, "What are you doing here?"

Sombra didn't reply, instead rushing over to her and tackling her form to the ground. Pinkie let out a surprised yell at his abrupt action, looking up at him with wide eyes as she laid on her back.

"Sombra, what are--" she was cut off by him crushing his lips to hers. Surprised by the sudden act of love, she froze as she tried to process all the feelings going through her. Finally, after a moment's hesitation, she leaned into the kiss, disappointed when he pulled away.

"What was that for?" she questioned, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sombra continued to heave, still trying to catch his breath from running. "I... never... got to... say... 'Good morning'..." he panted, then leaned closer to her, "good morning..."

Pinkie smiled up at him. "Good morning, Sombry," she replied, then leaned towards him again.

"I just want you to know..." he said, finally having caught his breath, "I care about you, Pinkie."

She frowned at his statement. "But you can do so much better!" she argued, turning away from him, "Even Princess Celestia likes you!"

"I know."

Pinkie blinked in surprise, then looked back up at him. "What?" she blurted out, her eyes wide.

Sombra nodded, not saying anything.

"But, she's a princess!" Pinkie exclaimed, "Why have me when you can have her?"

"Because," Sombra told her, "a princess is nothing..."

He leaned towards her, his nose barely brushing past hers as his eyes were half-lidded, anticipating his next action.

"...compared to a queen," he finished, closing his eyes completely.

Sombra kissed her again, then grinned as she kissed him back. They both stayed there for a moment, enjoying the other's company as they continued to lean into one another's embrace.

"Why don't we go back up to our room?" Pinkie whispered, pulling away for a brief moment.

"Why bother?" he asked, ignoring her question, "We're already comfortable..."

Pinkie blushed at his implication. "Sombry!" she cried, gasping when he started to kiss her neck, "We're in public!"

"Wrong..." he said, continuing to kiss her exposed throat, "we're in a secluded, private garden and nopony is around to see us..."

Pinkie opened her mouth argue, but let out another gasp as he worked his way up to her jawline.

"Sombry, this is a bad idea..." she whispered, but then pulled him closer as she grinned, "but that's what makes it fun!"

Luna looked out the window of her room, a brow arched upwards as she watched Sombra and Pinkie "get comfortable" in the castle gardens.

"Looks like 'Pinkie Fantasy #23' is in the process of happening," she mused aloud, then frowned as she looked at Sombra, "if only he brought his crown with him... That would've made things interesting..."

Author's Notes:

Spoilers involving comics. Read at your own risk.

Those comic issues freaking killed me... As soon as Other Sombra said, "I love her," I absolutely died... And I'm a ghost, writing this to give myself closure so I can move on. Ha, but seriously, I cried a little when I saw Pinkie's sad face when he said it. If you don't believe me, take a good look for yourself!

If ya heard a shatter, that was my heart breaking...

But I'll be damned if Sombra doesn't look good as a good guy!

Meoooooooow!