**Author's Note** Alright everyone, it's time for Rarity and Starlight to reach shore. They have no idea what awaits them in the Dragon Lands but they're about to find out.

Furthermore, we get to see what happened below the Crystal Palace while Twilight had been busy having her conversation with Luna and then Celestia.

Violence warning! There is a short fight scene which does involve some injury. While my last warning scene with Tirek was a bit gruesome, this one is more of a Thriller than for Horror. And while I might purposefully scare a character or two, it is not my intention to scare my readers. I hope you continue to enjoy the drama that I've come up with!**

The Heart of Pleasure
By Haunter Rayne
Chapter 31 - The Desire of Hearts

Loud drums could be heard in the distance while huge plumes of smoke rose from a massive bonfire beyond the mountainside. “That's… not a good sign.” Starlight said as she gave a small leap off the raft to the hard rocky shore below. She turned and levitated the raft higher upon the shore so that it would not be washed away by the waves.

Not a moment later Rarity stepped right up behind Starlight and stomped her hoof. “You… rest!” Her expression was a serious one and she raised her chin in an adamant fashion.

Starlight was a bit stunned at this as she mumbled, “But Rarity, we’re so close! Spike is probably-”

But the pale gray unicorn placed a hoof over Starlight's lips. “I am well aware of that fact and don't you dare question my desire to race to Spike's rescue. But very likely, I may need your help in saving him by force and you just spent an extraordinary amount of magic helping us get here. I've never seen anypony power blast a raft like that and you did so without stopping all the way across the sea! I need you to recharge, even if only for a moment.”

Starlight hesitated but then took a breath. “You know what? Thank you Rarity, I could really use that.” She smiled and then felt no shame in immediately collapsing on the spot with her eyes closed.

Rarity nodded and then turned back towards the now exhausted looking earth pony who was panting while holding his steering oar. “And as for you mister,” Rarity began as she walked over, “I must sincerely express my gratitude for all that you have done for us. Offering to steer the raft all the way across the sea is simply beyond anything that could be asked for. I assure you that once we are all safely back in Ponyville that I will find a way to repay you for your valiant efforts!”

Hayseed Turnip Truck smiled to her weakly as he panted. “Ah shucks there miss Rarity. You're so purdy and sophisticated. I didn't quite follow all them fancy words you used but you don’ have to repay me nuthin’. I was just happy to be of assistance. But uh, if you'd excuse me, I think I'm about to take a rest now too.” Then without Rarity having a chance to respond he collapsed and looked like he instantly fell asleep from exhaustion.

She giggled and patted his head. Then she looked to Starlight who also appeared to have succumbed to her weariness. “Okay Rarity…” She said determinedly to herself. “Time for you to pick up your hooves and and go save your…! Err… stallion?” She asked herself as she slowly began climbing a hill of loose rocks. “Dragon?” She hummed as she slipped a bit but trudged onward up the hill. “Save your… symbol of affect- no, no, that's much too long.” She sneezed as the volcanic dust was getting the best of her. “Hmm, boyfriend just doesn't have the right power behind it.” She slipped again and caught her balance between two stones as she looked down surprising herself by how high up she seemed to be.

As Starlight lay on the ground she resisted the urge to laugh at Rarity's outward monologue as she peaked upwards. She giggled seeing that Rarity had only climbed about twelve feet but was acting like it was a hundred. “Silly girl.” She snickered.

Proceeding on, Rarity decided to spend her time climbing by evaluating her relationship. “Save my… future betrothed? Oh wait a minute, don't get ahead of yourself girl. Well, I do suppose if things work out then that would be the only logical direction for the relationship to go. What would my parents say?! Married to a dragon… Well this adventure is a CLEARLY sign that we definitely wouldn't be visiting any in laws for the holidays on his side. Or well, I guess that would be Twilight, wouldn't it? But why am I even talking about this?! Would that really happen? What would he propose to me with? He would probably eat the engagement ring on accident before he could give it to me.”

However Rarity was taken by surprise as there was a snap of magic and she suddenly found herself standing all the way atop the hillside that she had been attempting to climb. Looking around she saw Starlight standing next to her with an extremely smug grin. “You didn't think that I was asleep just because my eyes were closed, did you?”

Knowing she was caught red-handed talking to herself Rarity simply closed her eyes and lifted her chin proudly. “I would kindly appreciate you not repeating anything that was spoken aloud in the appreciation of privacy!”

Starlight snickered and said, “So do you really think that Spike would eat the engagement ring?’

“Shoosh you!” Rarity snorted and just kept her head raised proudly as she marched on.

Starlight giggled more as Rarity began to step over the hill and away from her laughter. But that was only until she noticed light flickering against the rocks that Rarity was just about to walk over. “Rarity NO!” Starlight yelled and quickly chomped down with her teeth to pull her friend back by the tail.

Rarity's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she looked down seeing she had almost walked right over a cliff that had a tremendous fire burning just below. Once she was safely back on the ledge she gave a sigh and wiped her brow. “Oh goodness! Thank you Starlight! My goose was nearly cooked! Uh, heh, I feel like I've been thanking you a lot on this trip.” Then the two of them peered over the edge spotting nearly a hundred dragons of different shapes and sizes all crowded around. But as they looked on, Rarity continued, “I know that I never would have been able to do this on my own. Thank you for being a true friend Starlight.”

Now the other unicorn blushed a little and nodded. “Don't mention it. But wow, would you look at all of those dragons! How are we going to find Spike in-" But she stopped as she saw that Rarity was already pointing.

“Look, he's there.” She said while bringing her attention to a ridge of rocks with a purple mass sitting against it. The two ponies saw that he was tied up with his arms behind his back. His eyes weren't covered but he had what looked like an obsidian stone tied into his mouth, likely so he wouldn't be able to burn his ropes off. “It doesn't matter how many dragons are down there.” Rarity said but it was more about how she said it that got Starlight's attention. She sounded deep and thoughtful now, staring down to Spike not even blinking with a warm gaze that glowed in the fire light. “I saw him right away.”

Starlight sighed as she saw the look in other mare's eyes. “Don't blame me for this but I have to ask." She pointed down toward their rescue target, "There he is... Now that you see him again, are you sure? Is he what your heart truly wants?”

Rarity stood there transfixed as she stared at the little dragon. “Starlight… do you want to know what I really see? What I truly see, even now when I look at Spike?” She asked and her friend simply nodded. “I see integrity, Starlight.”

“Integrity? Well, you're not wrong. But I've got to admit that isn't quite what I was expecting you to say.” She admitted openly.

Rarity chuckled and turned toward her friend saying, “Oh listen, I know what you think. You and everypony else. And it's okay. Silly Rarity with her head in the clouds. Emotional Rarity jumping from one romance to the next.” Rarity then gave a tender look with her eyes. “I wear my heart on my sleeve, it's true. I know this about myself, even despite all the fuss that I can throw up in my defence. But this isn't adoration that I feel for him. I haven't fallen star struct with the image of some Spike the hero or Spike the brave. I have fallen for someone who has touched my heart through his own actions. When I say that I see integrity in Spike, it is because I truly believe in the honesty of his feelings for me. He has no ulterior motive. He doesn't want to get anything selfish by being with me. He hasn't even tried properly wooing me as a special somepony because it isn't about titles for him. He just wants to be around me in any way that's possible. And for him, that is enough. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel? What that's like to be that important to someone?" She asked while holding a hoof over her heart.

“Rarity…” Starlight said softly but her friend just shook her head.

“No, please. I know this is crazy. I know that he is a dragon and I am a pony. I realize that we might never be able to have a ‘normal’ future together as nature intended. We might never be able to have offspring. We might never be able to even have sex. It is entirely possible that while right now he is a bit too young for that aspect but that overnight he could change to become too big and the physiology will be impossible. I am aware that dragons out live ponies. One day I am going to grow old and Spike will still be youthful long after I'm gone. I might have to sacrifice so much that another stallion could give me. And one day I might cause Spike so much heartache. But… who says that love has to fit a mold? We wouldn't be the first couple in love to never have little ones. And who is to say that Spike doesn't deserve what makes him happy even if it only lasts for a short span of his overall life? I love him… I love Spike. And I trust him that he really does feel the same way for me.”

“Rarity!” Starlight gave a soft yell while she was almost laughing. “Rarity stop, I believe you. If you stare down at him any more adoringly you're going to burn a hole through him.” She snickered. Then nodding over in the direction of a side path she said, “Now come on, I see a ridge that we could use to sneak down behind the dragons and we might be able to do something once we get closer to him. Let's go save your…….. engagement ring eating fiance!” She quickly said before running down the side of the hill laughing.

Almost in a flash Rarity's mood shifted from heartfelt love to agitated anger. “Starlight!” She yelled as she chased after her friend threateningly.

Unbeknownst to the both of them, another pair of eyes had been watching and listening to their entire conversation. “Hmm. Silly ponies…” Said the onlooker as wings flapped overhead.

- Crystal Palace, Within Sombra's Sanctuary-

Down hidden beneath the Crystal Throne, down at the base of a nearly endless staircase, a cloaked unicorn mare stood nervously before a secret door. While most ponies were busy sleeping, this pony stood trying to muster the courage to face what awaited her. And all the while she did so mistakenly believing that she was alone. Pushing open the door she was greeted by the sight of an old study which already had candles lit to illuminate the room. Rows of books were stacked upon the walls and an old lectern supported a bust of the villainous ruler who had once enslaved the empire. “Wow. After all these years, I still wasn't ready to see this place.” She said softly.

As quietly as could be, a dark figure loomed above the doorway behind her. “Thank you for opening this cursed door for me little one.” He thought to himself silently. He slid a claw into the back of the doorframe from the stairway above, remaining out of sight but wedging the door so it would remain ajar.

Light purple hooves carried the cloaked mare into the study as she looked around the room. At first it appeared as if no one else were there but she knew otherwise. Somepony had to have lit the candles and there were corners of the room where light did not shine, even though it should have. “You can come out.” She called aloud. “There's no need to hide from me… Sombra.” She spoke with confidence and Rayne wondered how many times she had rehearsed saying that line in her head. He remained out of view and listened carefully. But all he heard was silence. His patience was rewarded though as the mare continued on. “Fine. You may not recognize my voice, but you won't have forgotten my face.” At this moment Rayne chanced a glance into the room.

Looking only through the door frame he saw the mare reveal herself. She was a purple unicorn with a long mane of light artic blue that shined almost like ice in the candlelight. Her eyes matched her mane as she glanced about with a determined stare. Furthermore, on her flank was a cutie mark of a golden staff with two lines wrapped around it. As she revealed herself the were-panther remained hidden while carefully scrutinizing the pony before him. “Who IS this unicorn?! I don't recognize her AT ALL! And what is that cutie mark? It looks like the medical symbol for hospitals. Is she a healing unicorn? … Shit! Wait! NOOO!!” He yelled in his mind, panic almost causing him to tear the door from its hinges and storm into the room. But somehow his better judgement allowed for him to hold back.

“Look at me Sombra. Do you recognize me? What's my name?” She asked toward the dark corners on the room.

“Hope.” Called a dark and melodious voice. Suddenly darkness seemed to pull away from the back wall as if a veil were being withdrawn. As light filled in its place a severed red horn sat limply upon the ground. Much to Rayne's surprise, it then lifted itself upright and began to bounce a few paces toward her. After which the voice called out again but sounded less than pleased to see her. “You've come to finish the job, have you?” Smoke began billowing from the horn in great amounts and Rayne quickly pulled further back to make sure he was not detected.

Hope stood there unafraid as the dark gases formed together into the monstrous face of King Sombra. It loomed over her murderously but she looked upon it with sorrow and dismay. “Finish the… Sombra, you don't understand.”

“I understand perfectly.” He interrupted. His every word came out as a booming roar. “You were my best friend in the world and on the day I found out that my life was a lie, you abandon me. Then you brought the two sisters to vanquish me.”

“It's not that simple, Sombra. I didn't know what you were. I didn't know what Princess Amore had done. What the Crystal Empire had done.” Rayne was stunned and listened as Hope pleaded with the shadowy figure. “But I've learned a lot in the time I've been gone. And now I want to make it right.”

Sombra was quick to change his tone. He looked at her curiously even though he continued to speak while full of anger. “Make it right? How? Look at me! It's taken more than a year to get this far! It may be a decade before I am strong enough to leave this room.”

Just then Rayne's eyes spread wide. His confidence surged and his fangs grinned. “He's weak… all he can do is form his head.” He began to lean forward around the door now, stalking in through the shadows of the room.

Radiant Hope stood before Sombra as her horn began to glow. Such brilliant light began to fill the room. Even her eyes became solid white as she harnessed such powerful magic. “Hold on! This is going to hurt!” She yelled as she began to envelop Sombra's mist with her spell.

“YOU'RE RIGHT!!!” A third voice suddenly called out, taking the both Hope and Sombra by surprise. Then from right behind Hope's mane Sombra saw a dark figure lean over her shoulder. This was immediately followed by several large fangs sinking deeply into her neck. She screamed as she was now lifted clear up off of her hooves. Then with great force the creature slammed her torso down into the lectern which sent splintered shards of wood scattering all over the room.

The light from her horn went out as she lay unmoving while Sombra's billowy form returned to only smoke. “HOPE!!!” Sombra screamed with rage seeing his old friend lying motionless upon the ground. Then as the unknown assailant dropped the mare from his grasp, Sombra saw the dark figure for what it was. A black feline with muscular definition and razored claws stood in his room looking far beyond the normal size of any panther or jaguar he had seen. It had released Hope and was now smirking as it slowly stalked it's way toward him.

“Good evening King Sombra.” Rayne said in an equally menacing voice. “Don't worry, she’s still breathing.” He said with a slight pur underlying his excited tone. “For now.”

“HOW DARE YOU HURT HOPE?!!!” He roared as his misty body grew and grew. But Rayne was not frightened by the glamour of smoke, no matter how large it became. “RAAARRR!” Sombra roared and rushed toward the feline. Rayne simply stood his ground and chuckled as Sombra drifted around him.

“Hmm?” Rayne mumbled curiously as he felt a slice on his cheek. Looking up he saw a drop of blood fall from Sombra's horn. The were-panther chuckled aloud. “Heh, heh. It seems as if you do have some bite to you after all. You very nearly caught my eye there. But I'll say, I am fortunate to have found you in such a state as this. So… vulnerable.” Then he turned towards the unicorn on the ground. “And you, I don't know you but I suppose you are to blame for me being rushed here as I was. I hadn't planned to come for Sombra for weeks or months to come yet. I guess it's just my good luck that I got here in time to stop you.”

“Wha-what happened?!” She mumbled weakly as she looked around confused.

“What is the meaning of this?! Why have you come here?!” Sombra screamed to the black cat.

Rayne snickered as he was definitely enjoying himself. Here he was, technically outnumbered and in a situation where he should be out powered. And yet, he still had all of the control. “Why have I come here?” Rayne asked in mock surprise. “Why… I came for YOU!” He leapt forward opening his mouth wide. Suddenly, all of Sombra's smoke began to glow a fiery orange as Rayne breathed in heavily.

“No! What are you… Fool! I shall NOT relent to you!” Sombra growled as the flow of his magic suddenly halted and begin to twist at the panther's mouth.

After pulling back Rayne pouted sourly. “I see. You might not be able to defend yourself but I am not strong enough to stop you from resisting. Tch, this is why I wanted to wait and gather more power on my own first!” He hissed out, stalking back and forth trying to discern a new solution now.

“I don't know who you are, but you shall never have my powers!” Sombra yelled as he now hovered defensively away from Rayne.

“We shall see.” The panther replied as he turned to look back at Radiant Hope. Luckily for Rayne he had looked back just in time to just barely dodge a blast that the unicorn had shot out to stun him. “Clever girl…” He growled. Rayne observed the mare carefully, seeing that as her horn was shining her bite wound was healing.

“Hope! Look out!” Sombra yelled as Rayne dodged another two spells that were blasted out at him. Hope gasped in surprise as the panther managed to clasp a paw right over her back leg.

Rayne grinned and yelled out, “Heal this!” Then he pulled and twisted until the bone broke with a loud snap.

“YYYYIIIAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!” She screamed as the light of her horn went out again and her wounds stopped healing. Quickly Rayne leaned over the smaller pony and wrapped his jaws right over her face.

Now the mood in the room had instantly changed from that of action to a terrified silence. Nobody moved, nobody spoke. The only sound was that of Hope whimpering in fear. One of her eyes looked about the room in a panic as her other eye starred straight down the open gullet of the beast. She squealed in pain as the panther lifted her by her face from the ground. Her body fell limp with terror, unable to move as she was visibly shaking from staring down a predator's throat.

“STOP IT! NO!!! RELEASE HER NOW!!!” Sombra yelled out. Rayne's lips grinned around her shaking face. Slowly and tauntingly he ran his claws up and down her underside. “STOP, I GIVE! WHATEVER YOU WISH, JUST RELEASE HER!”

Rayne looked over to the once king and mumbled from around the face of the unicorn that hung in his grasp. “Ar-e yo- su-re?”

Sombra paused and then spoke in a softer voice that Rayne did not expect. “Don't hurt her anymore… she, she was to be my queen… we were supposed to rule the Crystal Empire together…” He said lamentingly. Her one clear eye looked to Sombra sorrowfully as a tear ran down her cheek. “... Take what you want from me.” Sombra growled.

The overgrown cat grinned and dropped the unicorn to the ground. “If you want him to survive this then you had better not cast anymore spells at me.” Rayne lied as he turned his back to her. Then he approached Sombra and opened his mouth wide once more. As he inhaled Sombra's dark vapor of magical energy, Rayne's eyes started to crackle with a black electric charge. “Oh my…” He sighed in satisfaction as Sombra's smoke shrank to be smaller and smaller. “Sombra… the power you have… oh, the spells… arghh such knowledge you have…” He rejoiced as he continued to intake the abilities of the umbran pony.

All of a sudden the red horn fell to the ground with no signs of Sombra's head being able to materialize. “Sombra!!!” Hope screamed from where she lay on the floor. The horn weakly gave a sigh and called out to Hope but otherwise sat lifeless where it had fallen. She sighed with relief seeing that he still lived but then turned towards the beast in anger. “What are you?!” She screamed and shot another blast at him.

Meanwhile Rayne had been bent over in euphoria as his mind awakened in ways he never dreamed. Just as Hope attacked, a plate of obsidian rose from the ground deflecting the spell. “Hahahaha! I understand magic! And I now know… Umbran Magic!” He said as he suddenly disappeared into a puff of shadow and reappeared just behind Hope while whispering into her ear.

“Ahh!” She screamed as other plates of obsidian appeared. They reached up pinning all four of her hooves out to her sides. Then Rayne grabbed her around the throat and spread his mouth open again.

Being tremendously more powerful now than he had been a moment before, Radiant Hope felt helpless to resist as her magic essence began to leave her body. “Oh Hope, you too! There is so much…” He purred. It did not take quite as long as with Sombra but eventually a yellow mist of energy escaped her until her cutie mark vanished. Immediately Rayne focused and felt the cut on his cheek seal closed as if it had never happened. “This is an added bonus indeed! I never expected to find a pony with THIS kind of ability. You were really something Radiant Hope, quite far from being just the average pony! I have a feeling that I may not taste powers like yours again for some time to come.”

Now the slightly grayed purple mare looked up at him defiantly. “I was a student of the greatest alicorn to ever live, Princess Celestia! One thousand years ago I was in line to become the next alicorn princess! Once she learns that I have returned and what you have done to me then you will be hunted down and she will stop you! Beast!” However her words lacked conviction as she quivered fearfully before him.

Rayne balked at her statement saying, “I followed your trail your highness. You came straight here from the prison of the Umbra.” She gasped at him knowing about them. “You wore a cloak. You didn't stop to tell anypony that you're back. Nopony knows about you after a thousand years and no pony is going to know you either.”

“...Hope.” Sombra's horn called weakly as it twitched a little bit toward her.

“Oh no…” Rayne called out and suddenly a massive black paw heavily slammed down. “No more hopping away for you. I need to save you away for later. I'm not done with you yet. But thanks for all the new spells dear King.” Rayne said before he materialized a swirling dark void in the air. He picked up Sombra's horn and effortlessly tossed it inside before sealing the void closed again.

“What have you done with him?!” Hope whimpered helplessly.

“With who? Sombra? Why nothing, yet. He is now trapped within my magic until I pull him out again. Well, I suppose it would be more accurate to say that I trapped him within his own magic, heh heh. He is not in any cave, not in any prison. No one is going to hap upon him accidentally to free him. I have Sombra locked in darkness where no one should be able to find him! I certainly can't leave him free to fool around with my plans.”

Even with her abilities taken, Hope mustered a resilient attitude and scowled at him. “You fiend! Is that what you plan to do to me? Lock me away too in order to keep me from Celestia?!”

Now the panther's fangs gleamed in the candlelight. “Now why would I do something as foolish as leaving you to escape or to be rescued later on? I wouldn't be a very clever villain if I did that, now would I? For you, hehe… I cannot leave hope alive...”

“Whu- what?” She mumbled fearfully as he approached her. She struggled but still had all four hooves bound by obsidian plates.

The panther purred sinisterly as he looked down upon her frightened eyes. “Let's have some fun…” He grinned enjoying the sight of her struggling against the stone bonds as he descended upon her.

Author's Notes:

So it's been fun for me writing the Ponyville ponies being sarcastic with each other. I hope that you've enjoyed that too. This was supposed to be the big scene where Rarity really comes to grips with her feelings even though she already knew she had them. What she doesn't know is that they were spied on. But will that help them or hinder them?

Now for the scene with Radiant Hope and Sombra. In the comics, this was supposed to be the introductory scene to Sombra's big return. But needless to say, it has been interrupted. Rayne had wanted to use Tirek’s power on lots of smaller targets first before eventually going after Sombra's horn but life doesn't always go as expected. Sombra is now imprisoned by Rayne and it will be a very long time before that horn resurfaces in the story again. As for Hope, let's just say that the chances of her returning again in my story are slim. I tried my hand at having that ending scene be a little bit of a Thriller. I've never tried to write like that before so I hope the suspense was effective. But at the same time, this story isn't about bringing gore to Equestria even though I do enjoy writing out Rayne's predatory nature as a panther.