King Sombra did not necessarily have the triumphant, incredible and awe inspiring terror – fest of a return from the dead that he expected.

No, the once-king of the Crystal Empire was rather furious upon his destruction.

Honestly, what kind of ‘peace loving ponies’ just go and blow somepony up? That’s insane.

Clearly, far more insane that Sombra ever was, and he repeated that mantra to himself as he drifted ephemerally through the air.

That was one thing that the warped unicorn had learned in his long life; a mantra could be extremely helpful when one needed focus. Spending any extended time without a body was a time when he especially needed the focus, as without any form of focal point to bring his energy to a single place, even a spirit as powerful as his own would dissipate from the Equestrian plane within a matter of minutes.

Therefore, it was rather difficult for Sombra to be choosy when he found that he could not inhabit any of the crystal ponies when he was destroyed.

That had been his backup plan, and why he allowed them to flourish and grow; should he ever be defeated, he could simply let his physical form rot away and steal the body of some young colt and amass power once more.

Perhaps it had been because of that ludicrous ‘love conquers all’ nonsense that the intruders spewed nonstop, but he could not inhabit a single crystal pony. Not like he didn’t try, of course.

Sombra’s panic grew as he desperately swooped unseen and unheard back and forth amongst crystal ponies, unable to possess any of them. For a while, Sombra was convinced that he was doomed, that his backup plan had failed. The terror welling in his chest grew as the promise of an infinite void awaited, ready to devour his lost soul. Even now, he could feel bits and wisps of himself slipping away as he lost focus.

Finally, death had come once again for King Sombra.

At least, until he noticed one little pegasus leaving the Crystal Empire’s boundaries…

Fluttershy gasped, a frigid tingling jabbing into the base of her neck.

She sat bolt upright in bed, massaged her head tenderly. After a couple of minutes, Fluttershy eased out of bed and rubbed her eyes, the break of dawn just trickling over the horizon like a golden brook. Fluttershy yawned tiredly, the scritch and scratch of her mane beneath her hoof filling her ears.

YOU SHALL FEAR ME!

“Mm, that’s great,” Fluttershy tried to stifle another yawn as she dragged herself downstairs, and began to prepare coffee.

Yes, imbibe your revolting bean water! And then, the world shall be MINE!

“Of course it will,” Fluttershy said aloud again, the steaming kettle comfortingly warming the small kitchen. “Just keep telling yourself that.”

Do not mock me! Sombra bellowed inside her head to absolutely no avail. You cannot last for much longer mortal! BOW before my inconquerable might!

Fluttershy poured herself a hot mug of coffee, dropping in a couple of sugar cubes.

“I think you mean ‘unconquerable’, don’t you?” she mumbled to the air, having long since gotten used to the dethroned king’s ranting.

Uh… no! Sombra insisted furiously. Inconquerable is totally a word!

“I don’t think it’s a real w-”

YOU SHALL FEAR ME AND MY INCONQUERABLE SELF! he yelled, actually causing her to cringe a bit.

“Do you mind?” she asked the air as Angel tottered tiredly into the kitchen, giving her a strange look. “Can we do this after coffee?”

No! Sombra growled viciously, not terrifying Fluttershy in the slightest. Today, we conquer all of Equestria!

“Of course we will,” Fluttershy nodded without a hint of sarcasm, even though Sombra knew full well that she didn’t believe in him at all. “Right after coffee. Oh, I’m sorry, Angel!” Fluttershy gasped, slapping a hoof to her forehead.

Sombra tried to flinch when she did so, and couldn’t for obvious reasons. When her hoof hit her head, he heard an oddly hollow noise, like a stone skipping over a log.

… Huh. So that’s why I could fit in here, Sombra mused loud enough for Fluttershy to hear as she fawned over her frustrated rabbit. No room for a brain.

Ignoring him, Fluttershy asked “Would you like some breakfast, Angel bunny?”

Angel promptly gave the pegasus a look that could have warped glass.

The fluffy one mocks us! Sombra spouted hatefully. Kill him! Crush him! Destroy him!

Much to Sombra’s (and Angel’s) displeasure, Fluttershy picked the rabbit up between her hooves and petted him softly between the ears.

“Just a minute, Angel. What do you say we fix you some nice carrots with radish sauce, hmm?”

Only if you poison it first! the angry voice in Fluttershy’s head demanded. Stuff his stomach full of terrible poisons, toxins, and all sorts of awful things! Ah hahahahaha!

King Sombra’s wicked, maniacal laughter went largely ignored as Fluttershy did no such thing, humming peacefully as she sliced and chopped carrots gracefully.

Stop that, Sombra said in what he hoped belied a very scary tone, but couldn’t really tell because Fluttershy seemed to be ignoring him again. You aren’t cutting… evilly enough!

Fluttershy snorted, placing the bowl of vegetables before the pleased rabbit before returning to her hot coffee. “I doubt that anypony can cut something evilly,” she stated incredulously, taking a sip of her morning brew.

Of course you can! The phantom king insisted. You’re just not trying hard enough! Stab, slice, chop! If you have to cut something, cut with hate and fury!

“I’ll get right on that,” Fluttershy nodded quietly, sitting down at the table and reclining in her wooden chair. “Just after you stop being such a like cryfilly.”

Lies! Lies and slander! I’ll… I’ll tear you apart from the inside out! Sombra vowed cruelly, the full force of his wickedness striking the poor, unsuspecting pegasus.

Unfortunately, the extent of Sombra’s power could only make her sneeze a little.

It wasn’t even a very large sneeze.

Just a tiny one.

A horribly, unbearably adorable sneeze that made slivers of glee shoot through Sombra’s ghostly black heart.

Ha! Take that, animal hugger!

“Excuse me,” Fluttershy said calmly. “But can you please hush a little? Rainbow Dash is supposed to be here at seven for today’s picnic.”

And it shall be the foolish unicorn’s undoing! Mwa-hahahahaa! Sombra declared in a monstrous voice.

“Rainbow Dash is a pegasus.”

… I already knew that, Sombra replied swiftly. I was… testing you! Yes! It was all a test of your evil potential, and you passed with flying colors!

“I thought that you said I made for a terrible evil overlord,” Fluttershy conversed with a little smile as she reclined in her chair, the phantom obviously agitated.

I was lying! I do that, I lie!

“Whatever for?” Fluttershy asked innocently, packing up a couple of dandelion sandwiches for her upcoming picnic.

Because! Sombra started maliciously, pausing for a long moment. Because… uh…

“Because you feel like you have to make things up because you don’t have any friends?” the pegasus proffered helpfully.

Of course not! he responded swiftly. I’m just evil! Very, very evil!

“Sure you are,” Fluttershy nodded. “That’s why you’re doing such a splendid job of taking over the world.”

… Are-are you mocking me? Sombra asked in disbelief.

“Of course not,” she stated with composure.

… Are you certain? The ghost in her head inquired. Because it sounded an awful lot like you were making fun of me.

“Oh, no,” Fluttershy shook her head. “I would never make fun of somepony for being incompetent.”

Surprisingly enough, King Sombra didn’t really have a decent response to that.

He did, however, unleash a sneezing fit the likes of which Fluttershy had never seen.

Author's Notes:

Still had more screen time than Sombra.