Sombra eventually entered the banquet room of the mansion, sporting his brand new mane cut. It was extremely short in length and rough along the edges, and styled in a more naturally wild style as if it were ruffled. But as he entered the banquet room standing on his hind legs, he glanced around momentarily as he only saw food flying from one end of the room to the other. He wore a blank expression.

Nightmare Moon was standing atop the table. "Absurd! I dare not betray the Mcmuffin!" She used her magic to toss another muffin across the room as it slammed right into Derpy's face, who was too busy packing up some food for Dinky.

Sombra simply turned around, not wanting anything further to do with these fools.

Nightmare Moon leaned forward in that moment hurriedly, before being held back by Lightning Dust. "GRAH KING! WAIT! I-"

Lightning Dust covered her muzzle as she snarled angrily. "That's enough!"

Nightmare Moon crumbled to her belly as she reached out for the unicorn desperately in her mumbles. "MMMMPH!"

Sombra paused momentarily, before heading off again and shutting the banquet room door behind him as he did.

Sombra proceeded to navigate his way through the mansion, first proceeding back down the main corridor and into the main lobby. He was lost in the size of the home, and had a nostalgic recollection of his old home before his life ended the first time. A sly smile crept onto his face as he glanced around at the paintings on the walls to the chandelier on the ceiling. He continued on to the opposing end of the main lobby and went into another banquet room, this one was more empty and tidied up compared to the other. His eyes widened as he saw that on a nearby porch overlooking one of the gardens of the mansion was Raindrops, who wore a simple pleased smile.

Sombra made his way over to her, raising a brow. "What're you doing out here?"

Raindrops glanced back at him. "Oh hey Sombra! Just enjoying the beautiful night skies! Nice aren't they?"

Sombra glanced up at the stars before looking back at Raindrops. "Such things have never interested me."

Raindrops bore an amused smile, smirking slightly. "Hah, I expected you to say something like that." She tossed Sombra a casual wave before looking back up towards the stars. "Well have fun Sombra, I should still be here if you need me." She was silent from then on.

Sombra nodded plainly, before returning back to exploring the mansion. He made his way back into the banquet room, where he proceeded to another door on the opposing end, making his way through it which took him to another part of the mansion. Along the way he ran into two butlers who were busy conversing about an entirely different topic. Sombra couldn't help but listen in on their conversation.

"Have you heard the rumors? They say there is a new boss in town!" One of the butlers exclaimed.

The other shook his head. "Hah! Surely you must be joking! Nopony could ever replace Filthy Rich!"

The other replied to him in suit. "I'm not too sure about that, they say he had to return to his hometown to take care of some things!"

Sombra shrugged it off and continued on his way through the mansion. Soon proceeding on upstairs to where he was now standing in a long hall leading to numerous rooms on each side. He was drawn to one in particular where the sound of constant giggling and yammering could be heard from childish voices. He proceeded down the hall and found that open door, only to raise a brow before glancing inside. Within he saw a bundle of numerous child models who were playing with makeup and looking over themselves in the mirror. Sombra blinked a bit before muttering to himself, "Dark rituals? How disturbing." He shrugged, and proceeded to head further down the hall again.

Eventually Sombra opened one door which lead him to a room which immediately caught his interest. It was a library. He made his way inside, already familiar with the way all the books were categorized. He stopped before one particular shelf and pulled a random book from it, flipping through the pages quickly as if he were taking in all the information on each page in mere seconds. "Let's see if we can learn a little bit more about this world while we're here." He sighed a little however, sulking at the thought of doing so much research. Or perhaps, it was something else? His gaze drifted to the lower right in question, before he smirked again with satisfaction, closing his eyes.

"And what has you so amused? Hm?"

Sombra opened his eyes halfway before looking atop one of the large cabinets and catching sight of Nightmare Moon. "Many things."

Nightmare Moon was flat on her belly as she had one forehoof crossed over the other and raised a brow at the past king. "Oh do tell do tell!"

Sombra sighed as he continued to look over the book and spoke at the same time. "Where did you come from anyway?"

Nightmare Moon chuckled as she raised a devious brow. "Hah! I'm just as quick as you Grah King, perhaps even quicker. Surely you knew this? Is it a crime for me to explore this lovely little home to my heart's content as much as you do?" She grinned cheekily.

Sombra bore no expression, only continuing to flip through the pages. "Oh is that the reason? Surely you aren't hiding from your master who's failed to keep you on her leash yes? You two have gotten awfully close haven't you?" He glanced back up at her.

Nightmare Moon gasped, as suddenly black shadow shrouded her area she was in and she glared fiercely at him. "Master!? What is this nonsense you speak!? I have NO master! And I am on NO leash! You have gotten mighty confident to believe that you could insult me in such a manner! Who do you think you are whelp!?" She huffed before calming down and pouting, puckering her lower lip.

Sombra closed the book and exhaled heavily, before turning to face Nightmare Moon and peering up at her blankly. "I am King Sombra, that much is certain. But I'm starting to wonder if you've forgotten who you are." He continued to give her a plain stare.

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened before she looked away from him in hesitation. "W-What're you talking about?"

Sombra continued. "If you truly recall who or what I am Nightmare Moon, then you know I'm able to read into fear and despair quite easily, something you've been exuding since we've arrived here. It stinks, it wrenches, and I'm fairly curious why." He never let up.

Nightmare Moon cringed as she looked extremely flustered and irritated with his proclamation. "W-What? How dare you accuse me of such things! I, I fear nothing! I AM fear! I am a nightmare! What have I to fear!? Nopony can stand against me!" She growled.

Sombra lowered his head and gaze, momentarily making his way over to a table and sitting at one of the seats. He opened the book again, and leaned his cheek onto one hoof before reading the book in a bored manner. "Nopony but your sisters, isn't that right?"

Nightmare Moon flinched before gritting her teeth angrily. "Shut your mouth..."

Sombra rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Or no, maybe it's not your sisters. Maybe it's this comfortable lifestyle you fear losing. Maybe you've grown too attached to the idea of living in this world that you can't bear with the thought of losing it." He glared at her intensely from his new position. "Maybe you're forgetting our true mission and getting distracted with the idea of playing house in la la-" but Sombra paused as he noticed his pages become shrouded in an infinite black, and he glanced around noticing that darkness was now consuming the entire room while strange unknown entities writhed and wriggled in the background. Sombra felt a shiver run down his spine before he hesitantly turned, and only saw wide cyan eyes mere inches from him, staring straight at him. He stumbled back out of his seat.

The only solace in the darkness, those cyan eyes remained focused on him. "Is that truly what you believe?"

Sombra began to crawl back in reverse, a slight sweat drop coursing down the side of his head before he felt one of his hooves sink into the now pitch black floor like mud. He immediately raised it and pulled it free before muttering in irritation. "Enough..."

The gaze drew closer to him, inch by inch. "That our mission is a waste of time? That everything we've done is a waste of time? That all that we've accomplished and are trying to accomplish is a waste of time? Are those your true feelings? Mhmhmhm~ amusing."

Sombra was now the one cringing before he stood, and backed into a blackened wall. "Okay, I get it..."

And soon, emerging around the perimeter of those cyan eyes, tentacles emerged and began slithering towards the colt. "Perhaps you'd like to return to that place. Perhaps you'd like a reminder of what I can do? Surely such things would jog your memory." She cackled softly.

Sombra swiped a hoof angrily as his eyes were wide with paranoia. "NIGHTMARE THAT'S ENOUGH!!"

And suddenly the door to the library swung open, as standing in the open doorway was Lightning Dust, accompanied by Fleur De Lis. "So this is where you two runts were hiding! We come here to discuss strategy and here you two are playing around!?"

Almost immediately the darkness dissipated instantaneously as it returned to an absolutely normal library. Nightmare Moon stood in the center as she wore a surprised expression while looking at the two at the door. "O-Oh! Lightning, and...the other one."

Sombra crumbled to the floor as he still wore a petrified expression, breathing heavily, almost wheezing.

Nightmare Moon gave him an ominous silent glare from her position, not saying anything.

But Sombra spoke, soon catching the attention of both Lightning Dust and Fleur De Lis as well. "I'm not saying that it was all a waste of time. But-" he swiped another hoof at the alicorn, "You are overestimating yourself! You are getting too comfortable! Once this cello mare is dealt with! Once that insect is dealt with! What next!? You are too impulsive! You're like a spoiled child!" He gasped for air before struggling to all four hooves. "You are losing sight of your own plan, and even I can see it! You're not as certain as you pretend to be!"

Nightmare Moon got in his face before snarling at him. "And you are!? Tell me then mister, what is YOUR grand plan then!?"

Sombra got in her face right back as the two just continued to snarl and growl at each other like dogs. Sombra eventually spoke. "Well, I certainly have more skills than you when it comes to this new world of talent and rising up this so called social ladder!"

Nightmare Moon flinched as she looked down at him. "W-What!?"

Sombra continued. "What can you even do besides frighten ponies and draw attention to yourself!? For all they know you're still a villain! You're still this big bad monster! Otherwise you have no skills to carry on over! You're practically useless in that sense!"

Nightmare Moon's expression immediately sunk as her lower lip quivered.

Sombra rose hurriedly, before stomping out of the library and muttering on the way out. "Grah! Imbecile!..."

Nightmare Moon began to tremble as she crumbled, and stared blankly at floor, saying nothing.

Lightning Dust turned around, briefly attempting to trail after him. "Hey! Sombra wait!" She glanced back over at Nightmare Moon who was still looking lost and laying on the ground and then shook her head before trailing off after Sombra. "Ah buck..."

Fleur De Lis blinked a bit, as she made her way over to Nightmare Moon, lowered her frame and tilted her head up. "Hello there."

Nightmare Moon glanced to her lower right as she sulked. "What do you want?"

Fleur De Lis smirked as she ran a hoof through Nightmare's astral mane. "Oh, nothing. This is absolutely fine." She paused before rising to all fours. "Here, I brought this!" She placed a muffin in front of Nightmare Moon happily, before trailing off merrily.

Nightmare Moon stared at the muffin plainly before taking it nearly taking a bite, before crushing it to pieces.