This was it. DJ and his army were ready to take back the Crystal Empire. He stood with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Twilight, and Prince Shining before their gathered troops. DJ wore his trademark sun glasses, keeping his eyes hidden from the ponies, and spoke out to them. “Today will be a day long remembered, my friends. King Sombra has taken much from us, much from all of you. That stops today!”

He received cheers from his audience and resumed speaking when they calmed down a little. “I won’t sugar coat it; this will not be easy. It is quite likely that not all of us will make it out of this alive. But do not let that stop you from fighting to the fullest. This war is not about you, or us, but it is about our friends and families and the other innocents of this world. If we fall then Sombra will spread his evil all across Equis and everypony will suffer.” He then stomped his foot on the ground to emphasize the point. “Which is why we shall not fail! It is Sombra who shall fall before our combined might! You are the strongest of the strong, the best of the best! Are you going to let some ancient unicorn with an ego trip take away everything you care about?!”

“NO!!!!!!!” he received from his troops.

He smiled brightly and exclaimed out them, “THEN TODAY…WE TAKE BACK OUR HOMES!! TODAY…KING SOMBRA WILL FALL!! ARE YOU WITH ME?”

“SIR YES SIR!!”

“GOOD!! Now, you all know the plan. Get into positions, we move out in fifteen.” The troops thundered back to where they were needed. Shining Armor trotted up to him and gave a small punch to the leg.

“And here I thought only Malice was the motivational speaker,” he said with a chuckle. DJ joined him in the laughter.

“Indeed,” added Celestia. “That was quite memorable, DJ. Very inspirational.”

DJ shrugged. “As Malice once said, if it’s one thing that humans know, it is war.”

Damn, right, kid. DJ’s eyes opened wide. He hadn’t heard from Malice since he forced him back down into their combined mind.

Malice? You’re not still pissed, right?

Not as much as before, no. Don’t forget that I know how you operate, punk. I should have seen it coming. Sorry I let you down there, DJ.

Who are you and what did you do with Malice?

Enough with the sarcasm. We got a battle to get to. Hop to it! I’ll be here making sure you don’t do something stupid, like die. Again!

DJ allowed himself a small laugh at the ‘demon’s’ wit. It was good to know he stall had Malice on his side, at least for now. Bringing himself out of his thoughts, he found that the others were ready to move out. Let’s get this done!

**********

They waited just outside the perimeter of the Crystal Empire. DJ’s personal team consisted of Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and roughly three other troops that DJ didn’t know the names of. Those three were tasked with watching everypony’s back and make sure that everything went off without a hitch. As the troop hid in a back alley, they spotted their target: two lone guards, the one blind side of Sombra’s castle.

Any moment now, the plan would start. Then he heard it, the sound of horns and the stomping of hooves. After a moment a loud voice rang out across the empire, “KING SOMBRA!! YOUR REIGN OF TYRANNY ENDS ON THIS DAY!!” The Royal Canterlot Voice at work for a certain white alicorn. He looked over and saw that the two guards were rushing off to join the battlefield. What he hadn’t counted on was one other guard taking their place. It was no problem, though. Using his physics bending Pinkie powers, he was behind the guard in a moment and then proceeded to ‘taze’ the guard into submission.

After making the guard pony nice and toasty, he motioned for his team to follow. Everything was going according to plan. Celestia and Luna would lead their army in a head on assault against Sombra. All the while, DJ and his team would sneak past the Palace’s defenses and take Sombra out while he was distracted. They proceeded through the castle, Pinkie and Rainbow taking out any guards from the towers, while Twilight and Applejack took care of those that were on the ground. Rainbow’s speed and Pinkie’s ability to appear almost anywhere made them the best choice to take out any guards that were in high places. Twilight’s teleportation and magic spells and Applejack’s tough legs made quick work of any ponies that they ran into on their way to the throne room.

They were almost there, according to their previous visits as well as the castle’s blueprints. They approached the throne room doors cautiously, not wanting to lose the element of surprise. Or so they thought. Without warning, the floor immediately under DJ gave way and he fell into darkness. He didn’t even have a chance to yell as he plunged. The floor then sealed itself, offering the others no way of going after him or what would happen to him. Twilight could only stare at the spot where her husband had once been standing, unsure of what she should do. She decided that DJ would want them to finish the mission. He will be alright. I know he will, she told herself.

“Come on, everypony,” she said to the others. “We have a king to stop.” Together they trudged off for the throne room, eager to put an end to all this fighting.

**********

DJ awoke in complete and total darkness. He groaned as he continued to wake, but soon felt a strange sensation on his arms, specifically his wrists. He pulled one arm forward, but it refused to move, instead only causing a jingling sound to be heard out amongst the dark room. His arms had been completely restrained and, after some testing, realized that his legs were too.

Well, this another fine mess you have gotten us into, quipped Malice.

“Oh shut up, you grey faced weirdo,” DJ replied back out loud.

Bite me!

“Where am I?” DJ asked, ignoring Malice’s remark.

No idea.

“That was rhetorical,” replied DJ.

Your point?

“Jackass,” DJ mumbled under his breath. He tried to look around, but couldn’t see anything through the blackness. Then he heard a familiar sound, one that made his heart beat with fury. It was soft at first, but continued to grow louder with each passing second. It kept getting louder, and louder, and louder! It was laughter; haunting, evil laughter that could only be made by one being.

“Sombra,” said DJ to the darkness. Then out of the emptiness, came a cloud of black smoke that only barely stood out against the rest of the room. Then those piercing eyes appeared within, and then a head formed from the smoke.

“Creature,” said Sombra, dragging out the word. “I should be surprised to see you, but I am not. Your stubbornness is to be admired.”

“Gee, thanks,” DJ said dryly. “And stop calling me creature. It’s Prince DJ Sparkle, to you. Ya big cloud of hot air!”

“Sticks and stones, your highness, sticks and stone.” He continued to float around DJ’s restrained form, ticking off the temporary human even more. “I am actually glad that you survived. Now I have the chance of a lifetime, once more.” His evil chuckle racking DJ’s ears.

“And what, pray tell, does that mean?” he asked with ice in his voice.

“Oh it is quite simple, my little prince. You are my chance of a lifetime. Your skills and survival tactics are quite unique and I want them for myself. Celestia is only holding you back, with me you could have real power. Join me, DJ and together we could rule this world!”

“When hell freezes over!” he shouts at the smoke, baring his teeth. Sombra only laughs at his threat, as if expecting this.

“I expected such a response. But worry not, for I know how to break you, creature. Behold!” The smoke pulled away from DJ’s face and he witnessed a viewing portal open up in front of him. It was quite similar to the one Death had once made him look into, but now it was Sombra who was showing him. The portal began to glow and an image of Ponyville appeared within. A second later, it seemed to focus on a pony. A small orange filly with a purple mane, running outside of town with a big, happy grin on her face. The sight made DJ’s face pale.

“You know,” said Sombra, “you should really learn to keep a tighter seal on your mind. I have been peering into your memories for some time now and they hold quite the tale. I believe you know this, Scootaloo, is it?” DJ only stared at the portal, a look of horror on his face. “If I recall, she is your favorite, isn’t she? What did you say it was? ‘Canon-wise’ she was you favorite. Is that right?” Again, DJ could only stare. After a moment of watching, though, he had to speak.

“Sombra, please. Whatever you do, please leave her out of this. She has nothing to do with any of this!” DJ’s voice kept getting louder and louder as he pleaded with the dark king. “Don’t do this Sombra. I beg of you!” If Sombra could see his eyes, then what he would be looking at would be eyes that were desperate to protect a friend.

“Sorry, DJ Sparkle, but you have already made your choice. And now your friend will face the consequences.” DJ watched the portal in terror of what Sombra was up to. He stared as the portal zoomed out behind Scootaloo as she was running towards her home that was just outside of town. Her parents would be waiting for her with an after school snack, like usual. Without warning, Sombra’s horn went ablaze with his magic and then the worst possible thing happened.

Scootaloo was suddenly sent flying back as her house exploded from within. She stood up and looked in horror as she saw her home burning. The fire raged and engulfed the house. Even DJ could hear the screams coming from within the fiery building. Scootaloo’s parents were still in there! Then DJ looked over at the king who was sneering at the sight of a filly watching her parents burn. DJ’s face was pale and his breathing was ragged.

“MOMMY!! DADDY!!” he heard Scootaloo scream at her house. DJ only stared in desperation at Sombra.

“Please, Sombra, please stop this! Scootaloo has done nothing to deserve this!” Then DJ witnessed as the dark king’s horn once again began to glow and DJ was struck with a deep sense of dread. “No, no, no, no, NO!!” he screamed. “NO SOMBRA!! DON’T DO IT!!”

But he was too late. DJ saw Scootaloo’s home suddenly collapsed on itself, leaving only a pile of rubble where the house once stood and silencing the screams from within. He knew instantly that he has too late; Scootaloo’s parents were dead. DJ’s head hung in shame and failure. He stayed this way as Sombra began to whisper into the portal.

“This is what happens when others cross me, young filly. This is all because your friend refused to join me. It is because of him that your parents are dead. You can blame all of your sorrows on your dear friend…DJ Sparkle!”