With a look of pure joy, Rainbow Dash spun quickly in place to face her friend...only to have her joy immediately fall from her face.

"Twilight?"

A purple unicorn stood several feet away from Rainbow Dash. She had glowing red eyes, a spiked red horn, and her mane flowed as if in water. A devious smile crossed her face. "Of course."

Rainbow Dash took a tentative step forward. "What happened to you?" she asked worriedly.

Twilight smile changed to one of pure elation. "I broke free." she said simply.

Rainbow Dash was taken aback by her answer. Not knowing how to reply, she struggled to find words all the while Twilight simply looked on and smiled.Seconds passed by before Rainbow Dash found her voice, but before she could speak. Grim laughter began to emanate all around them.

Rainbow dropped into a fighting stance and hurriedly looked around for trouble while Twilight continued to smile.Shadows appeared to move into the center of the room and congeal into a writhing mass before taking on the form of a large unicorn stallion. As the shadows melted away, Rainbows eyes widened at the realization of who stood before her.

"Sombra!" Rainbow said with malice, her features hardening into an intense stare.

A smile that rivaled Twilight's appeared across Sombra's face. "Ah you must be Miss Rainbow Dash." he said, with a sweeping bow. "Twilight's told me so much about you."

"More like he's seen you in my memories." Twilight said as she walked up to stand beside Sombra, casting him a sideways glance as she did. "Thanks for your help by the way. Celestia almost killed me."

Rainbow Dashes eyes widened in shock. "What!?"

Sombra reached down and took one of Twilights hoofs in his own. "My apologies, my dear but she possessed my body and tried to use me against you."

Twilight leaned forward and gently brushed her lips against his. "That does explain why Celestia was on the bed with me instead of you." A sly smile played across Twilight’s face. "I expect to be repaid for saving you." She said in a seductive tone.

"What!!"

"In due time, but first we must attend to the matter at hoof." He turned his gaze to Rainbow Dash who had remained silent after her last outburst. Her legs were unsteady and her face showed signs of a mind in turmoil.

Twilight walked forward to stand face to face with Rainbow Dash. "You seem upset?"

Twilight’s voice snapped Rainbow out of her shocked state enough so she could reply. "Wh...how..?" she asked.

Twilight's eyes flashed red as she spoke. "You see Rainbow, we have been living a lie. Everything we've ever known was fabricated by the Princesses to further their own ends." She glanced back to Sombra before continuing. "He helped me to see this. Together we will fight back against the lies woven by Celestia and Luna and free the world from their tyranny."

Twilight's words jarred Rainbow out of her stupor. With steel in her eyes, she grabbed Twilight and forced her to look at her. "Do you even hear yourself?! You've been Celestia's student for years, she practically raised you. Don’t you think that after all the years you’ve known her if she was what he says she is you'd have seen it? You’re the smartest unicorn alive, nothing gets past you!" she pointed angrily at Sombra. "He’s evil! He’d tell you anything to get you to believe him!"

"Get your hooves off me!” yelled Twilight slapping Rainbow across the face.

Rainbow was staggered by the blow. She brought a hoof up to rub her face where Twilight struck her.

“If I may interrupt?” Sombra said, stepping between the two mares. He gave Twilight an angry look. “She is the only one to return for you and this is how your repay her?”

Twilights face burned with anger. “But she’s calling you a liar!”

“So did you.” He said.

Twilight opened her mouth then closed it quickly before looking away. Sombra then turned to face Rainbow Dash. “You truly live up to your reputation as the Element of Loyalty.” He said with respect.

“Uh…thanks.” She said while still rubbing her face.

Sombra nodded once before continuing. “You do not trust me and rightly so, but you do trust Twilight no?” Before she could answer he continued. “I seek only to protect Twilight and to see that the crimes committed against me and my Empire a thousand years ago are answered for by the two Alicorns beasts.” Rainbow opened her mouth to say something but Sombra stopped her with a raised hoof. “We will need allies in the days to come.” His eyes flashed red as he looked into Rainbows eyes. “Will you stand with your friend who earned your loyalty or will you stand with those who simply claim it?”

Rainbow broke eye contact with Sombra but found her gaze came to a rest on Twilight. After Sombra scolded her, Twilight refused to look at either of them. “They will go through with this whether I’m with them or not.” Rainbow thought. At that moment Twilight glanced back towards Rainbow Dash and their eyes locked for a mere instant before Twilight turned away but in that instant Rainbow Dash made her decision.

With determination in her eyes, Rainbow Dash rose up to her full height and looked Sombra directly in the face. “Ok, count me in.”

“I’m glad you see reason.” Sombra said with a smile.

“Don’t get too excited.” She said forcefully, stepping up to Sombra and placing a heavy hoof on his chest. “I still don’t trust you but….” She glanced to Twilight who returned her gaze. “I trust Twilight.”

Rainbow Dash dropped her hoof and walked up to Twilight who had turned to face Rainbow. Raising her right hoof, Rainbow Dash snapped off a smart salute. “On my honour as the Element of Loyalty as well as your friend Twilight, I will stand with you against the Princesses. I will be by your side through the fire and the fury, and I will follow you into the very pits of Tartarus if need be.”

Twilight said nothing, simply staring at Rainbow Dash. Finally after several moments Twilight rushed forward and grabbed Rainbow Dash in a tight hug. Slightly startled Rainbow Dash returned the hug with the same amount of force.

“Thank you, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight whispered in her ear.

“Hey, what are friends for?” she whispered back.

They broke the hug and took a step back. An awkward silence ensured as neither knew what to say next. Twilight was the first to speak.

“Sorry about hitting you earlier.” She said sheepishly. “I've been having anger issues.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Rainbow Dash flashed her a wide grin. “Nice hit by the way. I didn't know you were so strong.”

Twilight blushed at the compliment. “Normally I’m not but I absorbed all the energy in an ancient relic of unlimited power.”

Rainbow Dashes eyes widened in shock. “Whoa seriously? I guess that explains why your eyes, horn, and mane look like that.”

It was Twilight's turn to look shocked. “What do mean by that? I look the same as always.”

“Well your eyes are red, so is your horn and your mane is flowing like your underwater. Kind of like his.” She said while pointing at Sombra.

Twilight reached up to feel her mane and found that it seemed to have a mind of its own. “Oh my this is odd.” She said with an odd smile.

Sombra began to chuckle at the display. Twilight glared at him as her face turned crimson. “Don’t you start!” she said angrily. Sombra continued to chuckle as he walked away from the two mares.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Twilight called out angrily as she followed.

Rainbow Dash merely shook her head as she followed in her friends wake with a single thought weighing down her mind.

“For you Twilight, I have committed treason against Princess and country.”