I resisted the urge to scream. It wouldn’t work for I could not disable the spell. I did the calm thing. The collected thing. The cool thing. Celestia help me. I looked him over. Collectedly.

   His eyes were their ‘normal color’; reddish crimson irises, normal, yet not normal for a pony. There was a distinct absence of dark magic eye smoke, and the scleræ were white. Again normal, yet not normal. The pupil was like that of a normal pony in both shape and color, black.

His mane and tail now bore a shaggy and unkempt look. The grotesque crown he formerly flaunted was gone and his voice was now no longer echoey nor evil, merely sarcastic. Same height but his build seemed to be less on the hulky-and-bulky side than before. Had it been an illusion? He still did look threatening though. Slightly underweight but still threatening.

   But how he had obtained the cloak was beyond me. It was not a King’s scarlet robes trimmed in white but a deep blood crimson hooded cloak meant for travel.It was the one I found earlier.

Cadance, get back on track! I snapped in my mind.

“You should be dead,” I finally mustered.

He rolled his eyes. “Life is full of disappointments.”

“You’re a disappointment.” I retorted.

He raised an eyebrow. “Then why were you staring at me that long?”

He did not just go there.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he replied coolly.

I tried a last resort one. “Your family must loathe you!”

He chuckled darkly. “Never met ‘em.”

I whimpered a little louder then I should have. He laughed in a maniacal way.

“I HATE YOU!” I spat through clenched teeth. His remarks were getting to me and that laugh was chilling.

This is not what I had in mind for ‘exciting’.

“I never would have guessed.” Still aloof.

I went red with anger.

“WHY ARE YOU IN MY CASTLE YOU MAGGOT?!”

His eye smoke flared into existence, his scleræ greened and his fangs poked their way into his mouth.A second later they vanished and he decided to speak, almost as if he didn’t care to slay me. Odd.

  “I will not die because part of my original curse is my lifeforce is tied to the Empire's. My curse was simple: if I was threatened or worse the empire would go with me and return with me, as long as it existed I WOULD so as long as it exists so do I in a temporary immortality for about another three months, unfortunately for you.” He smirked, I scowled.

“My brief period of absence was only so I could reform, by breaking the silly flower that was the bait you only secured my comeback.”

“I won’t let you re-enslave the Empire!” I asserted presuming that was his plan.

“That’s not why I’m here!”

“Then why are you?”

Sombra frowned and eyed the floor.

“Because we are the Empire’s only hopes.”

As confused and suspicious as I was I decided to hear him out. After making him promise not to harm the Empire, its allies, rulers, or citizens. His claim was brief but urgent – the Empire would be attacked and he knew how stop it.

“An old evil…needs to be fed. The only meal option for it is the Empire. I have an idea of what it might be but I am not completely sure. But either way not only will I be right and this will occur; mark my words: all my suspects, however unsure I am, have the power to destroy the Empire completely. It will be final and it will happen. We truly are the only options. I have calculated the odds we are the only two who have a good chance of success, for if the Empire is gone….it will take anypony within a few leagues with it. Also, me,I tied my lifeforce to the Empire and outwitted the Two Sisters.”

He paused for a moment.

“Where does Equestria keep its most important records currently?”

“Canterlot Archives…” I said, wondering where this was heading.

“First we will need gear… Then we will break into the Archives.”

“WHAT?!” I cried.

More eye rolls. “There is information within the Archives you need.”

“Wait, let me get this straight… Something in the Arctic threatens the Empire and we need to break into the Archives to get information.”

“Yes,” he replied, “but gear first.”

He drew his hood as we walked out to gather supplies.

I loathed this mysterious plan.

   In the armory which was conveniently empty we found some supplies for our journey. I don't know why but I found Sombra's…taste….odd. Out of all the splendid examples of Pre-Sombra craftsmanship he choose a barely adorned onyx bladed sword with a simple gold hilt and ruby pommel and cross-guard ends. He picked out them plainest brown saddle packs with unsightly (at least in my opinion) onyx fasteners. Then he picked out the most austere iron travelling shoes.

  I on the other hoof traveled more splendidly wearing durable gold shoes and a rosy pink cape with a lusterdust  fur trim and a heart shaped crystal clasp. I added some glossy tan saddle packs which bore a similar clasp. Next I picked out practical items such as freezeproof canteens and bed rolls (or simply anything Sombra forgot to put in his bags).

   Lastly came my weaponry which outshined Sombra's. My small gilded knife with a sea green hilt and pommel matching my cape's. My main weapon was my gorgeous bow, made out of rose quartz with sculpted heart ends and an enchanted gold string. Its arrows were of made of the same stone with deadly heart shaped heads and bore an enchantment of frosty blue fire that sprang to life on my horn whenever they were notched and fired.

  On the train I worked out how to sneak Sombra into Archives undetected. For the past hour or two I had been writing down plans as furiously as a tornado spins. Sombra was currently sitting and dismantling small portions of the train car wall and gazing at it like a fool. How in Equestria was I going to sneak this (currently) useless butt into the most guarded city in Main Equestria?

Plans 1-27 failed to show promise.

“I’m out of ideas!” I shrieked. Sombra snorted and looked up from the window no longer in awe at the concept of a train.

“So…can I give my plan if you’re done rampaging now?”

“Fine.” I snapped scowling.

He began, “If I turn into an äerint necklace I can use a telepathy spell to link my conscious to yours….”

I asked what äerint was, he ignored me and continued; “…I will guide you to the right resources and Archive materials, all we need to do is sneak in somehow…” he trailed off before quickly asking-

“Are the Archives in part of the Canterlot Castle you mentioned?”

“Yes…I think we should go with your plan, none of mine seemed very good.” I had hopefully. Sombra ignored the unintentional praise and a troubled look emerged in his eyes.

“You afraid of Celestia?” I inquired, partly teasing.

“No, Princess….?” He asked voice trailing off once more.

“Oh! You don’t even know my name! How silly of me, I’m Princess Mi Amore Cadenza; or just Cadance to some ponies.”

“Fine, Princess Amore it is.” He responded. “Now, let’s get to work on my brilliant plan.”

His smug expression was just obnoxious.

With a brief contemplating look and a swish of his horn he transformed into a black äerint necklace.

An almost reluctant glance worked its way onto my face as I fastened it around my neck (where normally my tasteful gold necklace resides) and glanced skeptically in the mirror.

This won’t do. I thought wondering how I could make the creepy and smoky crystals look better.

Poof.

A pearl necklace guise appeared over it.

I hate you. My cranky necklace said.

Feelings mutual. I telepathically chirped back.

Next Chapter: Chapter 3: Snarky Necklaces Go Out Of Style Estimated time remaining: 60 Minutes