Sombra willed the bowl away a few inches. "Where do you actually get rid of things like that?"

Shining looked less stressed. The cause had paused. "I'll call a maid to come gather that."

Less off balance, Cadance was looking at Sombra directly with a singular focus. "First, thank you. You obviously worked very hard, for us." The stained bowl as a physical marker of evidence of that. "But we don't know why, and something strange is happening that needs to be addressed, now."

"Strange?" Sombra waved her still metal clad hoof at Cadance. "Besides being a pony? Besides having yellow eyes? I didn't think that was possible, but here they are." She gestured at her eyes, no longer green and purple as she wasn't actively using dark magic. "I have a horn! That makes me a unicorn, right?"

"That would be correct," noted the pink pony that also had a horn. "You don't seem to know much about ponies."

"I don't." Sombra curled a hoof under her chin, fluttering her lashes at Cadance. "Am I a pretty pony?"

Cadance blinked, clearly caught by surprise by that line of questioning. "A little intimidating, but fine enough, I suppose... Sombr-- No, let's visit that first. You are not Sombra."

"I'm not?" Not-Sombra squinted at Cadance. "That was the name that came to me. What am I then? Are you being mean because I look like that jerk?"

"That other jerk is named Sombra," calmly explained Cadance.

Shining returned with a maid, unleashing her to gather up the bowl and flee, but he stayed. "Everything alright?"

Cadance gestured her head at their guest. "She's not Sombra. This much is obvious. Sombra is a King, to start, and a cruel and wicked pony. Are you either of those things?"

"I am a pony, but I try not to be cruel or wicked. Ugh, dealt with plenty of those." She rubbed the side of her head as if a headache were coming on. "So this Sombra was a Grade A jerk, not just bargain bin?"

Shining Armor took a step forward. "He ruled over this kingdom in a reign of terror, so far we know."

"Jerk," she repeated as if the word just encapsulated the entire situation. Her eyes went to Cadance, a wispy train of purple leaking free a moment. "So I'm not that guy."

"I should hope not. But you do seem to... share his love of shadow magic." Cadance looked from not-Sombra's eyes down across the rest of her. "Though you've used it, so far, pleasantly enough." As pleasant as shadow magic could be.

"Well, fine." Not-Sombra flashed a sharp grin, sharper than most ponies. "Sombra is like some other language shadow. I'll go with shadow in our language, but subtle. Exotic, shadowy." She waggled her hooves in waves up and down. "I do have that going on. Queen... Shade? No, that's dumb. Baroness Penumbra? Too many syllables."

Shining quirked an ear at their guest. "Does it have to have a royal title?"

"It feels right." Not-Sombra stood up. "Right! Queen Umbra! That sounds right. Behold." She struck a firm stance, tail wafting through a breeze that wasn't really there as lines of purple wafted from her eyes. "Yes, Queen Umbra. That's better, right?"

Cadance nodded at Umbra. "Nice to meet you, Umbra. I do remind you, you're not actually queen of anything.

Umbra shrugged at the reminder. "So? I knew a king, wasn't a king of anything. Just gives me something to aim for, right?"

Cadance clopped a hoof. "That would involve replacing me."

"Well, just can't do that." It seemed Cadance wasn't expecting that answer, disarmed a moment. "What? You seem nice, and I love the pink."

Shining stepped up towards Umbra. "I want to test something, mind?"

"Will it hurt? Had enough hurting today." Umbra looked at Shining with fresh suspicion.

"No, I just want to touch you." He extended a hoof. "Nothing painful, just a touch."

"Aren't you two a thing?" She wasn't 100% on that, but they seemed to act involved. "You alright with this?"

Cadance colored faintly with a laugh. "I feel certain he is not trying to do anything that will give me reason to chew his ear later."

"N-no!" he squeaked with the proper fear of his mare. "Just a touch."

"Well, alright?" Umbra seemed to relax, setting on her haunches. "By the way, ponies sit odd, but this is the only way that feels natural."

Shining reached for Umbra, gently booping her right on the nose, but the squeak came from Cadance, not Umbra.

"I felt that." She rubbed where her nose felt poked. "Can you feel where I'm rubbing?"

"No." Shining drew his hoof back. "This needs more testing. Umbra, go ahead and return the favor."

Umbra snickered softly. "You are all acting funny." But permission was given, so she booped Shining right on his nose.

Which got a fresh gasp from Cadance. "Alright, I felt that. What's the difference? And since when could I feel what you felt, Shining?"

Shining smiled around the hoof parked on his snout. "I think I have it. Something besides yourself has to be doing the touching. Like the wash rag, or it being another pony."

"And it doesn't echo," completed Umbra. "Or I'd feel me touching you? Seriously, you felt that before?!" She began to color at the thought. "God... I wasn't trying... Oh wow." She sank back. "You must think I'm some kinda pervert."

Cadance raised her forehooves quickly, even with Umbra. "No no. You are clearly just as startled. I felt something, during that fight, like we were being... bound, connected. I thought it was the rush of the moment, but this... seems very literal."

"Wait." Umbra cocked a brow. "Wait wait. What happens if you two touch each other with parts that can feel good? Like, I don't know. You." She pointed at Shining. "Nuzzle your girl." She pointed at Cadance.

Cadance burst into laughter at the suggestion. "You heard the queen. Nuzzle your mare."

Shining colored with a soft chuckle. "I suppose I can oblige that request." He went over to gently press his nose to her cheek and nuzzled the soft fur there, the two looking pleased at the contact and intimacy. Neither felt the echo of the other's touching.

But Umbra was coloring. "Oh wow..." She rubbed at the cheek that would have been being nuzzled were she Cadance. "I can feel both sides of that."

Shining pulled back his snout sharply as if he had been in contact with something hot. "Sorry!"

Cadance rolled her eyes at her husband. "We just established this isn't on purpose. This... will be awkward." She shook her head. "But it does explain things... Shining, you should get ready."

"Hm?"

"It's about time to get Twilight," reminded Cadance. "And her friends. They won't have to battle Sombra, but her intellect and researching skills may be exactly what we need regardless."

"Yeah, good thought." And off he trotted to get that under way.

Alone with the other mare, Cadance nodded at Umbra. The door clicked shut, knob glowing with Cadance's magic. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a little mare talk, just us mares."

"Just us mares." Umbra was smiling a bit goofishly. "What's up?"

"The way you talk... The way you think, so far as I've seen... What were you, before you were here? You don't act like a shadowy mare, to be blunt. You act like a... something that was not a pony, and possibly not a mare."

Umbra scowled at that. "I was a girl!" But she deflated, anger puffing. "On the inside."

"On the inside?" Cadance inclined her head with clear confusion, but it clicked over. "Oh! Oh! Oh... You poor thing. I've heard of that, but never... actually met one before, at least that I spotted." She rubbed at her own cheek. "If they were crossdressing well enough, I might not have. Not like I was searching for it, but, um, alright. Sorry, that was mean of me."

"I didn't crossdress." Umbra fidgeted from hoof to hoof. "You get caught doing that, you get beat up." Her ears pinned against her head. "And I didn't have freaky shadow powers back then, so..."

Cadance reached, tapping one of Umbra's hooves lightly, ringing against the metal show garbing it. "You've expressed surprise at your hooves a few times now. I can only assume you didn't used to have them?"

"Fingers. Hands." Umbra rose her right hoof into view, shaking it limply. "Hooves are definitely lower tier. No offense. On the other hand, I have magic now." Her horn began to glow as she thought of it. "I like that. Fair trade?"

Cadance smiled gently at that. "I was curious about that. You seem to use magic surprisingly well if this is your first time having it. I was quite helpless in the magic department when I first got my horn."

Umbra hopped to her hooves. "Wait? Got yours? Were you a human too?!"

"Human? No. I was a pegasus." She spread her wings out in either direction. "I grew up with these, but I earned the horn, and had to learn how to use it. You're just... doing it."

Umbra peeked, but she had no wings to call her own. "It came to me, like the first name. I had to get used to it, but it was... more like remembering how to ride a bicycle rather than learning how to do it in the first place?" She shrugged emphatically, hooves upturned in either direction. "I really don't know why."

"I believe you... But let's move on... to a mare topic." She smirked a bit. "In the future, kindly ask for a maid to wash you. They know how to do it well and properly and without.... unrequired wandering."

Umbra colored savagely. "I'm really sorry about that!"

"You didn't know." Cadance seemed devoid of anger that that incident, already putting it behind them. "I'm more worried for you. You've gone and connected... somehow... to two married ponies. That carries... issues, for you." She set a hoof on her chin. "Whatever inconvenience you gave us today is going to be a petty little thing compared to what we have to offer in return."

Married people kissed and hugged and possibly more. Umbra's blush was not abating. "Can we... turn it off?"

"We still don't know how we 'turned it on', so to speak. My sister in law is coming. She's a very smart pony." Cadance turned for the exit. "Come, let's get something to eat."

"You are speaking my language!" Umbra gladly trailed after Cadance, looking quite ready to satisfy her rumbling belly.

"Twilight!" Garbed in thick winter clothing, Shining waved at the girls. "This way!"

"Shiny!" Twilight hurried up to her brother with a big smile. "We came as quickly as we could."

"Glad to have you here." He turned and began to lead the girls back towards the Crystal Empire. "I left Cadance keeping the weather at bay around the city. Sorry it doesn't reach out to the train station. That'd be nice."

"Without a doubt," chimed Rarity, trundling through the snow. Like Shining Armor, she was dressed for the occasion. Her odds of frostbite were low. "So what is it we're here to fix, exactly dear?"

"Things... changed." He licked over his lips. It had been a most of a day since he had last spoken to them, but they were eating. He could taste it like he was eating it. Distracting, that. Also tasty. "King Sombra is defeated."

Twilight's ears danced atop her head. "Wait, what? Isn't that what we're here to help with?"

"You were." He looked over at the mares following along. "And we are very grateful you're here. We still need you."

Pinkie sprang high into the air, coming down with a crunch of snow. "Well, that's great! We're here to help. Need a party planned? A new fashion line? Local animals confused about a sudden new city?" She nodded at the appropriate pony as she went down the list of possible conundrums. "Library all out of order after a thousand years in limbo?"

Shining smiled a little quirk at Pinkie's enthusiasm. "More that last one."

Twilight's eyes began to shine. "Really? I thought this would be a whole new thing, but if you need books sorted, I'm your mare!"

Rainbow landed, on Twilight's back to be precise. "You did not make us ride all the way up here and through the snow just so Twilight can geek out over some books. Aren't there ponies way, you know, closer that coulda done that?"

"It's more complicated than that." Things grew quieter, save for some idle banter between the mares. "Twi?" He leaned in, whispering to her. "Something happened."

Before she could reply, Rainbow was between them. "Ah ha! I knew it! Lay it on us. We can handle it!"

Shining snorted at the interruption. "Yes... Sombra attacked, but we won, so that's good... But in the process, we ended up with a new pony."

"A new friend's never bad," sang Pinkie she bounced along. "They are a friend, right?"

"I think they are... They're also very odd."

Applejack adjusted her hat. "We've had experience with an odd pony or two. If they're anythin' like Zecora, ya just have to learn 'em and they'll stop being so scary-like."

"I will hope that is the case. But there are... complexities."

Rarity hiked a brow. "Now you're just playing with us, dear. Go on and share it with us. We know how to be discreet."

"I don't!" sang Pinkie, bouncing further away. "Alright, go ahead!" she shouted, still bouncing along, but not so close.

"There it is." The city of the Crystal Empire was coming into view. "It'll be easier to show than to explain, but I'll try." He could already see that excuse was not going over well. "A mystery mare helped us fight Sombra."

Twilight nodded softly with a hm. "That's nice of them."

"But they look like Sombra."

Fluttershy adopted a fresh look of confusion. "Sombra is a stallion?"

"He is." Shining sighed as he stepped past the snow to the warmer grass of the shielded part of the city. "Ah, that's better. She's Queen Umbra, not actually a queen. She seems nice, but, as we fought Sombra, something happened."

Rainbow soared in circles through the warmer air. "Did you kick flank?!"

"That we did." He nodded in agreement. "But that wasn't what I meant. We got... connected... somehow? I can feel what they feel, both of them, and they can feel what the other two are feeling. Not emotions, thankfully, just physical touches, which is still very awkward."

All the mares paused, struck by the statement. Even Pinkie, who was, in theory, too far away to easily hear.

Twilight set a hoof on Shining's side. "How can we help?"

Shining smiled at his sister. "I knew you'd be there for us. We found this crystal, a heart made of crystal. Like Cadance's cutie mark? But in real life! We're pretty sure it's important, but have no idea how. Also pretty sure it was involved in the connection thing. We were hoping you could--"

"I'm on the case." Twilight moved to march off, only to be gently grabbed in magic. "Hm?"

Shining was holding her securely. "Let's report back. I'll take the shield duty back from Cadance and she'll be really happy to see you all."

With a chorus of agreement, they all set out to the castle.

At the castle, Cadance knocked on a door a moment before opening it. "They're back, I think."

Umbra looked up from what she had been reading. "How can you tell?"

"It's warmer." She brushed at the fur of her side. "It was cold, but then it became warm. Don't you feel it?"

Umbra was quiet, concentrating on that sensation. "You're right. I was filtering it out. That's nice." She rose to her hooves. "So he has a sister? That's kinda neat, having a sister. I never had one of those."

"You... mentioned not having a daughter... Did you have any family?"

Umbra's ears pinned back against her head in a fearful look that did not suit her intimidating appearance. "None I'd want to call that... Thank you, again!" She hurried forward. Cadance didn't shy back, and was hugged for her foolish decision. "For just... accepting all this. I know it's a lot."

Cadance smiled at the admission. "Who's life isn't a lot? Come on, we should greet Shining and the others."

Together, they descended to the entry hall just in time to spot Shining Armor and the others ascending the stairs into view. "Shining!" Cadance called, accelerating into a lively trot towards him. "So good to see you again."

They met, nose to nose, gently rubbing them against one another. "Good to be back." He pointed back. "Twilight and the others are here. Twilight was about ready to run off and start searching."

"That's my sister." She looped around him, approaching Twilight. Without word or prompt, the two began their ladybug summoning ritual.

"Thank you all for coming." Shining was facing the girls. But not all of them were returning the attention.

Pinkie landed before Umbra. "Hi there! Wow you're neat lookin'." She leaned left and right, taking in Umbra from all the angles. "Are your eyes dry? My eyes change color when they get dry too. Watch!" And so a staring contest nopony had asked for began.

Umbra inclined her head at the chipper earth pony. "Uh... hi?"

Rarity gently brushed Pinkie aside. "Don't mind her. This is just Pinkie being Pinkie. Welcome. I hear you've already lent a hoof to our friends."

"I did my best." Umbra smiled as the conversation slid to something she knew better. "I'm sure you'd have chipped in if you were here."

"Without a doubt." Rarity nodded firmly. "Shining, this is the mare you spoke of, correct?"

"That's her." He turned his gaze to match theirs in observing Umbra. "And what we're hoping a little research can shed some light on."

"I will remind, I am Umbra." She pointed at herself. "Don't shine too much light or I might vanish."

Pinkie began to giggle uncontrollably. "I get it!" She wailed, flopping over. "Can we keep her?"

Fluttershy kept trying to look Umbra over, but seemed to just as often glance away, hiding behind her mane.

Rainbow noticed. "What's up, Flutters? They don't bite, I think? Do you bite?"

Umbra snorted at the question. "Only if you ask me to nicely."

Rainbow threw a hoof at Umbra. "See, they... wait..."

Pinkie burst into a new set of giggles. "We're gonna get along great!" She threw a leg over Umbra, hugging. "Now I need to know your details. Favorite dessert, favorite cake flavor, why is it chocolate, and do you like big parties or huge parties?"

Umbra laughed, a deep sound, the contrails of shadow magic becoming brighter with her emotional outpouring. "You are something else. I once had a friend like you... A long time ago. Yes... We will get along. Now, uh, ice-cream, ice-cream, chocolate ice cream's alright! And uh... I'm not actually super used to parties?"

Applejack licked her lips. "Ain't nothin' wrong with some of that, but have ya tried apple ice-cream? Ya wouldn't think it'd work, but, trust me, it's good." She nodded with confidence in the power of the apple.

Twilight finished her greeting with Cadance. "Let me get started on that project. I can't imagine that's... comfortable. The sooner I can cure you, the better."

"You are a treasure." They touched noses once, and Twilight was allowed to hurry off in search of books. "Now, the rest of you." Cadance turned towards the girls. "You are welcome, here, in the Crystal Empire. The ponies, I should warn, are a bit shell shocked. To them, enslavement by Sombra was practically yesterday. They're scared and confused, so treat them gently."

Umbra frowned sharply. "He was a slave owner too? What a jerk!" Her favorite word to describe Sombra by far. "If I see him again, he's getting kicked."

"Only if I don't get to him first." Rainbow winked at the combative shadow mare. "So, you like getting physical?"

"I like protecting what's important to me." Umbra rubbed at one leg with the metal-clad hoof of the other. "He isn't allowed to try to scare me, or my friends. Um, what was your name again?"

"Rainbow Dash." She punched a hoof through the air as if socking something unseen.

"Rarity." Rarity fluttered her long lashes at Umbra. "Darling, you look like you could use a hoof. We should talk."

"Fluttershy, um, nice to meet you."

"Pinkie. Pinkie Pie. Pikamena Diane Pie if I did something naughty and you're totally calling me out." She bobbed in confidence at her name delivery.

"Applejack, right nice to make yer acquaintance." She took her hat off a moment to hold it before her before putting it back on her head.

Cadance smiled at the group. "It's good to see everypony's getting along. Now, since you seem to be--"

"What did you mean I could use a hoof?" Umbra presented both of hers in the front. "I have four already."

Rarity tittered at that response. "I meant lending you one of mine. Your lines, bold, strong, but screaming for a wardrobe change. I'll make you the belle of the ball! Aside from me, of course."

Applejack smirked softly. "She's offerin' to get all fancy with you. Now's yer last chance to run."

But Umbra didn't run, instead looking shocked. "I..." A tear escaped her right eye, trailing down in clear view. "I... I would like that... a lot..."

Rarity was soon in close with Umbra. "No need for tears, darling. This is a joyous occasion."

"You can have happy tears," snapped Umbra, sniffling a little. "Which these are... Why are you being so nice? You don't even know me."

Rainbow gave a hearty pfft at the whole thing. "If a pony lets her, Rarity will make anypony look fancy and frilly. Do you like frilly? 'Cause she's gonna give you frilly."

Cadance watched the interaction with a pleased expression. "Well, I suppose I don't need to ask then. While Twilight searches, help Umbra settle in."

Twilight's eye swept over the spines of many books. "You look..." She snatched it free. It had interesting facts, but they didn't get her closer. "How about..." She grabbed another. 101 interesting facts about crystal berries? No no... Ah ha! She grabbed for a third book. "The Crystal Faire?" With a little giggle of scholastic joy, she began eagerly devouring it. It had a picture of the crystal empire right on the book, a good sign it would provide a hint!

It outlined many events and attractions the crystal ponies would look forward to enjoying at such an event and she began musing on how to unleash them on the still shocked population of the city. "The girls can help with this." She folded the book shut. "Do I need a library card?" She went off in search of the librarian to confirm that one way or the other. She would not be known as a book thief!

Princess Celestia had trusted in her to put things to right, and, by golly, she was going to do it. "Still, a three way sensory connection. I've never heard of such a thing before... Surely somepony somewhere wrote something about it..." But first, she'd figure out the mysteries of that crystal heart and how it worked into things. "If I can help the ponies of the city, that will be a great first step."

Soon she was jogging out of the library, book secured against her side, a due-back card poking free of it. She would be sure to get it back on time. Wouldn't do to be the library's first tardy return in over a thousand years.

The story continues! Rarity takes an interest in making Umbra a pretty pony, which is an idea Umbra is entirely alright with. She would like to be a pretty pony.

I mean, who wouldn't be? Maybe Rainbow Dash, I suppose.

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