It was almost nighttime; with the sun still out, but with the sky in different colors as the sun was setting. Sombra and the two infants were still looking up at the ceiling of the bedroom when a few hours had passed. However, after a few minutes went by, something went wrong...

“*sighs*, don’t you just love the ceiling decor? It’s rather amazing isn’t it?” Sombra was really calm and relaxed; since not only is he amazed at the ceiling’s decor, but he was also glad that Starlight and Sunburst hadn’t made a fuss about anything; yet. Starlight sighs, and replies “yeah, it’s breathtaking.” Sunburst just replies also with a nod while having a relaxing catnap, (even though his eyes weren’t closed, and he wasn’t actually napping). Just then, both of the infant’s tummies started growling. Sombra looked down at the two, and asks “you two hungry?” Both of them nodded, and raised their hooves with a smile. Sombra smiles also, and says “alright then, let’s get y’all something to eat.” And with that, he starts to carry the two in his magic, got up from the floor, and walks with them to the kitchen.

Sombra then sat the two down on their highchairs again once they arrived to the kitchen, and went to go look for something for them to eat. It’s only been a few seconds, and Starlight is already beginning to lose her patience. “I’m hungwy. When’s dinner?” she whined. Sombra looked at Starlight, and says “in a minute. I’m still looking for something that you two can eat without making too much of a mess.” Starlight frowned at that response, and says “owkay den”, before going back to being pouty and whiney. After a few minutes, Sombra has placed a bowl of oatmeal for the two foals on their highchairs to eat; while Sombra sat down on the table, and placed himself a nice sandwich for him to eat. “Enjoy”, he says, and starts to eat his sandwich. Both foals followed suit, and began eating their oatmeal.

However; like lunchtime, they’ve eventually gotten bored of the same old routine, and both foals just decided to toss their oatmeal all over the place. Sombra was just too busy to notice the mess that’s being made, when suddenly he was hit with some oatmeal. He placed his sandwich down a little hard on his plate, got up to walk towards the foals, took a breath, and then says in a raised voice, “look kids; I know that you two are having fun and all, but let’s make things clear here.” He took a moment to take a deep breath, and then says in a slight threatening tone, “if I am to make y’all something to eat, you eat it, got it? Otherwise, there’d be Tartarus to pay if you were to do otherwise, or something else of the sorts; like making a mess for example, okay?” Both Starlight and Sunburst got a little teary eyed, and nodded their heads in shame. “Owkay Sombwa. We sowwy”, they said in unison. Sombra breathed as a means to calm himself down a little, and says “alright then. That’s what I figured”, before going back to finish his dinner.

Once all three ponies were finished with their meals, Sombra breathed again, but with a sigh of relief because he’s satisfied with his dinner. The foals however; were done with their meals, but are feeling cranky because they still feel bad for what they did to Sombra, and to the kitchen. With that, Sombra cleaned up the mess, picked the two foals up from their highchairs, and then went to Flurry Heart’s bedroom again to either calm them down, or at least put them to bed early. However, once the three arrived to the bedroom, Starlight and Sunburst both just couldn’t take it anymore, and started crying. Sombra then knew what was happening, and goes to place them on Flurry’s bed so he can attempt to calm them down. “Hey hey, it’s okay”, he says as a means to reassure them, “no need to get all cranky, it’s okay.” He then took a deep breath, regains his composure, and says “look kids; I know that it’s been a tough day and all, but that’s really no good reason to cry like that? Okay? It’ll be alright, I promise. Okay?” The two foals stopped crying a little, but not completely. Sombra then knew what the problem was, and then continues by saying, “look kids; I know that it’s been hard to get a threat of punishment like that, but you’ve gotta understand; I don’t like doing that as much as you do, and I only did it because you two were making a mess and not eating your oatmeal like I’ve told y’all to, understand?” Both foals stopped crying some more, then Starlight said, “b-but we wanted to have fun. W-we’re just babies.” Sombra sighs in slight annoyance, and then says in a disapproving tone with a look of disappointment, “I know that, but still... babies or otherwise, you two should know better than to cause a ruckus like that when y’all were turned back into babies, alright? It’s just not nice, and it isn’t right, okay? You two should know better than that. You two know better than this, okay?” Both of the foals understood the situation that they’ve caused, and then nodded their heads in defeat and slight shame. “We’re sorry”, they said in unison again. Sombra sighs in a way to calm himself down, and says, “alright then. That’s all I need to know”, before picking up the two foals, and embracing them in a hug. The foals then smiled, and hugged Sombra with a warm embrace of their own. After that was settled, they all stopped hugging each other, but are still smiling.

Suddenly, Starlight started to yawn, and so did Sunburst. With that, Sombra laid the two on the bed, and placed a blanket over them. “Sleep tight”, he said in a caring tone. “See you two tomorrow; hopefully as grownups again, hehe.” Both of the foals nodded, and yawned before falling asleep. However, as soon as Sombra began to get up and leave, Starlight said something that stopped him in his tracks. “Wait, Sombra, come back.” Sombra stopped for a moment, then turned back to see what was the problem. “Yes Starlight? What’s the matter?” Starlight breathed for a moment to calm herself down first, then says in a pleading tone, “will you wead us a bedtime stowy, pwease?” Her eyes looked like that of a foal’s, and she was basically pleading with Sombra to do this task for her. Sombra sighs in slight discomfort, and says, “I guess I can read y’all a bedtime story before bed, but I thought you two were going to sleep already?” Sunburst got up a little, and says, “we were, but we wanted you to stay with us for a little longer.” Starlight nodded in agreement, and says, “yeah, we do.” Sombra smiles at that gesture, and then says, “aww, okay then. I’ll stay with y’all for a while longer. Okay.” Both of the foals smiled, and then Sombra got up to find a book to read them for a bedtime story. Sombra was about to choose something to read to them, when he was stopped again by Starlight, who then says, “wait, no. Not those books.” Sombra then went to go lay on the bed with them, and asks, “why not?” Starlight got up close, and says, “we don’t want those stories. We want you to tell us a story; any kind.” Sombra got a bit uneasy; as he doesn’t know on how to come up with a story on a whim, and asks, “you sure about that?” Starlight nodded her head in affirmation, and then replies, “yes. I’m sure.” Sombra smiled a little, and then says, “alright then, why not? Come closer”, he gestured to the two foals. They did so, and then Sombra laid them on his lap again with their heads laying against him, and then he starts, “okay kids, get this. So, when I was the ruler of this kingdom, I was...”.

After a few minutes, Sombra finished the story by saying, “...and they all lived happily ever after; the end.” Both foals were laying asleep on Sombra while softly snoring. Sombra smiled, and then whispers, “ sweet dreams kids. Sweet dreams”, and then sighs before going to sleep as well.

When morning came, Sombra started to wake up first, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes to get up in the morning. However, right before he was about to get up, he saw that the two foals that he was babysitting, are now right in front of him, and that they were no longer foals, but adults again, and in their original clothing. And also that he wasn’t the first one to get up in the morning after all. Before he could say anything, Starlight got up close to him and then says, “thank you, Sombra; for everything.” Sunburst then replied, “y-yeah, thank you. We couldn’t have done it without you.” Sombra then knew what was going on, and then says, “well, it’s no problem really. I just know how to calm people down is all; no problem really. No biggie.” Both Starlight and Sunburst smiled, and then Starlight says, “well, we’ve best be going now. Be sure to leave before the family comes back, okay? We’ll be fine.” But, just before the two left the room, Sombra got out of bed, and asks, “wait, is it okay if I get one last hug, please? Just before you two leave? I-I know that you two aren’t infants anymore, but it’s just that...” he was soon interrupted by the two ponies hugging him without letting him finish his sentence. With that, he smiled, and then embraced the two in a hug once more. After that, he let them go, and they went on their way. As soon as they left, Sombra walked around the room, and started to look for his stuff before he can leave as well. But just before he can begin, Starlight peeked into the room, and asks, “h-hey, Sombra. I-is it okay if, you know.. you can stay for breakfast with us?” Sombra thought for a moment, and then says, “okay, no problem. I’d like to.”

With that, Sombra left the room with Starlight, and the three ponies had a nice breakfast together.

Author's Notes:

Well.. that’s the end of this story. Be sure to leave some nice comments, or ways to edit my story better. Anywho, see y’all soon, and hope that y’all have a great day. Peace