After the dinner at the Canterlot palace, it would appear that Celestia and Luna were now more opened with the idea of reforming Sombra, that it was actually possible to do it. That for certain would decrease the amount of pressure they were putting on Twilight, mainly Celestia who before was bombarding her faithful student with tons of letters asking how things were. Just that gave Twilight a certain amount of peace… and more time to be with Sombra.

The love between them was becoming even more stronger. They hardly spent any time apart, something that started to upset her friends a little bit and arouse some suspicion in them. Despite knowing something was going on, they couldn’t possible even come up with the idea they were together.

Also, the fact Sombra spent as much time with Twilight as he was, also meant he spent time with her friends. Using his natural charm and sweet words, eventually he ended started to conquer slightly their trust, or at least from Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, as both Applejack and Rainbow Dash were still very skeptical regarding his change of heart. Spike was the only one who didn’t know what to think. Despite living in the same castle as Sombra and seeing how he was befriending everypony, he still had some distrust and fear of him.

As a few weeks have passed since the dinner, Twilight started to wonder if she and Sombra should assume their love for each other to all the others, a talk she addressed him after another night of love.

“I don’t know, Twily” Sombra replied, while embracing Twilight’s shoulders with one of his forelegs.

“But it had passed some months since you arrived and weeks since we start what we have” Twilight said, looking at Sombra, while holding her hoof over his chest. “Why can’t we just assume our relationship?”

“Because I don’t think it’s time” Sombra said. “I just started to create some sort of friendship and only to some of your friends. That farm and racer friends of yours don’t seem to give me any chance and your assistant… well, he barely stays in the same room with me.”

“They just need more time” Twilight said. “Applejack and Rainbow are the ones who care very deeply about the wellbeing of the group, in a way that can be harsh and suffocating, but they won’t be able to deny the kindness in you if you dare to show them. And the best way to show them is to show the Sombra that I know.”

Sombra looked at Twilight, who looked him back with those profound eyes of hers. She really had a lot of faith in him. In a way, that caused him to become a little guilty, regarding what he had planned, but the desire that he had for both power and Twilight’s love was so strong that his motivation soon was renewed.

Passing his hoof through her delicate face, Sombra said:

“You always can find a way to convince me do whatever you want, my love.”

“Does that mean that…” Twilight started, while opening a smile.

“It means we can assume our love to everypony” Sombra said.

Twilight released an excited scream and hugged Sombra, while saying:

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, Sombra. You’ll see, initially, they may be reticent, but I’m sure with time they will accept you completely after seeing the stallion that you really is.”

But the only thing Sombra could think about all that is that he hoped Twilight’s friends didn’t crossed on his plan by trying to prevent Twilight from loving him. However, with Starlight working on the adjustments on his dark spell, he knew it wouldn’t be long for his plan to come to reality.

At the next morning, Spike had just awake and was heading towards the dining room to have some breakfast. When he opened the door, he came across something that he wasn’t expecting. Twilight and Sombra were laughing together, but it was not any kind of laughter. It was a laugher of pure joy, but the worse part was how close they were to each other and how they were touching each other’s hooves.

Noticing Spike’s presence, Twilight and Sombra instinctively moved away from each other, with Twilight blushing and then she got up and said to Sombra:

“That joke was very funny, Sombra. You have to tell everypony later. Well, I have to go. You know, princess things to do and that.”

And so she got out of the room, leaving Spike alone with Sombra. The young dragon was so caught up by surprise that he didn’t remembered the fear he had for Sombra.

“So, this time will you stay and have breakfast with me here?” Sombra asked, while adding some coffee to his teapot.

“You know, I think I’ll wait until you have finished” Spike said, trying to make one of his escapes. “It’s just so you can eat in peace.”

“You know, Spike you don’t have to fear me” Sombra said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Say that to the crystal ponies that you enslaved” the young dragon said at the corner of his mouth.

“I heard that, you know?” Sombra said.

That caused Spike to petrify and then ask nervously:

“You did?”

“My ears are very keen” Sombra said, while taking a sip of coffee. “Marvelous… There are so many things you take for granted when you have a body that you don’t give any importance until you become a shadow and then you can’t take them anymore. I’m here for a few months and I’m never tired of the flavor of pure coffee…”

“Pure?” Spike asked. “You don’t put sugar in it?”

“I prefer to not tamper with perfection” Sombra said. “Twilight knows that about me so she makes sure I have my favorite sugar-free coffee. You would know that if you make an effort to know me better.”

“And why do you think I would want to know you better?” Spike asked.

“Spike, if I really have some sort of evil plan to take advantage of Twilight so I can recover my power and empire, do you really think I would waste it in harming her most faithful and dedicate assistant?” Sombra asked.

The baby dragon tried to find an answer to give, something that would tell him there was no way he would never take breakfast with him, but Sombra had made a very good point. So, in order to keep his pride, Spike did the last thing he could possibly do: cross his arms and turn his back, while saying:

“That doesn’t mean I’m going to sit with you at the same table.”

“Come on, aren’t you curious to see how it goes when the tyrant of the Crystal Empire and Spike, the Great and Glorious, savior of the crystal ponies, sit together at the same table, eating and drinking side by side. I for one would find rather ironic and amusing, but I prefer to try it first. Besides, it would make Twilight very happy to see that his number one assistant is making an effort to be friends with the pony she’s reforming.”

Those words of Sombra, both taunting and reasonable and touching on his need to make Twilight happy caused Spike to do the last thing he wanted to do. Turning to Sombra, he told him:

“One time only and then I’ll eat my breakfast where, when and with who I want.”

“One time is good for me, thank you” Sombra said, keeping his smile and sipping his coffee.

Spike then dragged his feet to the table, sat at a chair as far as possible of Sombra, reached a bowl full of breakfast gems and some milk and started eating. At that moment, Spike’s fear for Sombra had put him in a big state of alert, as he watched carefully any possible movements the former king could do, something that really didn’t allow him to appreciate the taste of his gems, while the dark unicorn remained unchanged, keeping his cool while taking and appreciating his coffee, along with some overly toasty toasts.

Later, Twilight was walking through a corridor, when she came across of one the guards Celestia had sent.

“Good morning” she greeted.

But the guard just passed by her. That was strange, but Twilight quickly let it go. A few hooves later, she encounter Sombra.

“Hi, Sombra, sorry if I had to leave so quickly” Twilight said to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “But Spike’s arrival…”

“I know, don’t worry” Sombra said. “It’s still not the time. You want to wait for your other friends, right?”

Twilight nodded to him and then said:

“I already set up a meeting in a few moments. So, tell me, did Spike avoid you as usual?”

“Actually, I managed to convince him to have breakfast with me” Sombra revealed.

“Really?” Twilight asked, both surprised and impressed. “How did you do that?”

“Just using my charm” Sombra replied, in his seductive way. “It doesn’t work only in beautiful mares, you know?”

“Stop…” Twilight said, while blushing. “You know how I hate to blush like this.”

“It’s only the truth.”

“Well, you can keep that truth for later. So, what do you say, do you to take a stroll before the meeting?”

“That would be lovely” Sombra replied, while following Twilight.

Answering Twilight’s call, her friends came to the meeting, sitting on their respective thrones, while waiting.

“What’s holding Twilight for so long?!” Rainbow Dash asked, very impatient. “I wanted to do a little training before my training with the Wonderbolts.”

“Calm down, RD, I’m sure she’s coming” Applejack said.

“Well, at least I came prepare to entertain myself” Rarity said, while sewing by hoof one of her dress. “I simply have so much work that I can’t afford any time to lose.”

“Oh, do you want my help, Rarity?” Pinkie Pie asked her in her excited. “I may not be as good as any other sewer, but I can work really fast. Remember those dresses we helped you make back in Manehatten.”

Despite Pinkie Pie’s enthusiasm, Rarity was reticent in accepting her help because of her tendency to not do the job she was expecting, so the white unicorn decided to settle her down quietly.

“That would be lovely, Pinkie, but I’m afraid this client of mine is very rigid when it comes to their product” Rarity said. “It would be better if things are done with quality, instead of speed. Besides, sewing is actually very soothing and helps me clear my mind and I also don’t want to prevent you from doing things you love just because you have to help me finish an order I can perfectly do by myself.”

There was a pause and then Pinkie Pie replied with a smile:

“Okie dokie lokie.”

And she went back to her chair, much to Rarity’s relieve.

“Good call” Applejack said to Rarity.

“Thank you, you don’t know much it costed me to come up with that one” she whispered her back.

The doors opened and Spike got in, trembling a little and with a dozy look.

“Wow, Spikey-whikey, what ever happened to you?” Rarity asked.

“I was eating some gems…” he said, while climbing slowly to his chair. “Well, I think it was more stress-eating. I think I exaggerated a bit.”

“Why were ya stress-eatin’, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Because I couldn’t enjoy my breakfast because I took it Sombra” Spike replied. “That guy gives me the creeps.”

“Wait,wait, wait, you took breakfast with Sombra?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I thought you fear him so much that you can’t even stand be in the same room with him.”

“I don’t fear him!” Spike exclaimed, before downing his tone as he feels nausea again. “He just… makes me nervous.”

“Well, it was nice of you to made an effort to be with him” Fluttershy said, with a smile. “It was time for that.”

“Actually, he was the one to convince me” Spike told. “And it was in that weird way of him. It was like he knew exactly what to say to me to make me sit with him at that table.”

“Yeah, that Sombra is really manipulative” Rainbow Dash said. “We really need to come up with a way to move him away from us. That guy is practically with us the all time.”

“Should it be he is with us, because he is always with Twilight and Twilight is always with us?” Pinkie Pie said, making every one look at her. “What? I must not be the only to noticed that.”

“Actually, Pinkie has a point” Applejack said. “Tha only reason fer Sombra spendin’ time with us, is ‘cause he is with Twilight.”

“That only proves he is up to something” Rainbow Dash insisted.

“Actually, Rainbow, it proves that he’s tryin’ tah reach us through Twilight” Applejack said. “But it doesn’t quite proves that he’s doin’ it for an evil propose.”

“Applejack is right, darling” Rarity said to Rainbow, while keeping sewing. “Twilight is the one to support his reformation the most. It’s obvious he relies on her to reach to others.”

“Once you come to know him better, he doesn’t seem to be the evil king he once was” Fluttershy commented.

“And he has a way with words I can’t even describe how fabulous it is” Rarity said. “Only signs of someone that had a very firm education. I like that in ponies.”

That particular observation was not that well received by Spike.

“And he also has a great sense of smell and taste” Pinkie Pie said. “He was able to know each one of the ingredients I use at my special pie with seventy-three super secret sweets and spices. Now that was an accomplishment.”

Rainbow Dash was starting to get frustrated how her friends were starting to really enjoy Sombra’s presence. She turned to Applejack and told her:

“Please tell me you’re not falling for his act.”

“My position in this discuss is the same one I have been taking from the beginning” Applejack said firmly. “I’ll wait until there’s undisputable proof that Sombra is either evil or reformed.”

That only made Rainbow Dash even angrier and she shouted, while taking flight:

“Can’t you see that he’s playing us?! He’s probably manipulating Twilight with those silvertongy words and that’s why she is so blind about him. And now you’re falling for the same trick.”

“Come on, Rainbow Dash, stop being so paranoid” Rarity said. “Our Twilight is perfectly capable of thinking by herself. She wouldn’t let anyone manipulate her like that so easily.”

“Yeah, what comes next?” Pinkie Pie asked. “He’s going to make Twilight fall in love with him so he can draw the power of her element to him so he can regain his power back?”

That caused all the mares, except for Rainbow Dash to drop a laugh.

“Fer that tah happen, Twilight need’d tah be in love with him and, as far as we know, that day hasn’t still come.”

Once Applejack said that, Spike remembered the scene he saw that morning at breakfast and how fast Twilight and Sombra moved away from each other quickly. Then he remembered what Twilight had told him weeks before about the kiss he and Sombra shared and that, combined with everything that was discuss, he let out:

“OH MY CELESTIA! THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HE’S TRYING TO DO!”

It was then that he noticed the others had heard what he had just said. Remembering he had promise Twilight to not tell her friends about the kiss, Spike made an awkward smile and said:

“Oh no, my indigestion in causing me to say things with no sense. I better go to bed and rest.”

But when he went down his chair, Rainbow Dash caught him and placed him back on the chair, while saying:

“Wo, wo, wo, wo, you’re not going anywhere until you explained why did you said that. Come spill the bins.”

“Yeah, Spike, do it!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, jumping to above the map and putting herself in front of Spike, using her aggressive voice, passing then to her normal voice. “But be careful with the table. A hooful of vomit green gems doesn’t quite match the design of the all.”

This time, everypony was at Rainbow’s side. They all wanted to know why said what he said.

“It’s nothing, really…” he said, nervous for having everyone looking at him with those inquisitive eyes. “Like I told you, it’s the indigestion.”

“Spike, please, we know somethin’ is happenin’ fer ya tah say that” Applejack said. “Ya know ya can tell us. We’re yer friends.”

“But… I promised Twilight I didn’t told you about it” Spike said.

“Tell us what?” Rainbow Dash asked, even more inquisitive.

The young dragon could feel his heart racing and racing, while he started to feel claustrophobic. It was like the only way to get some relief was to tell the secret, but his loyalty for Twilight was preventing him from doing it. However, the desire the others was showing to know the secret was so intense that put Spike in so much pressure. Eventually, he ended up confessing:

“Twilight and Sombra kissed!”

That news shocked everyone who asked:

“WHAT!!”

Rainbow Dash grabbed Spike with force and asked, while shaking him:

“When was that?!”

“A few days… before dinner with Celestia and Luna” Spike answered with more nausea because of Rainbow Dash’s shaking, before she dropped him.

“I can’t believe she didn’t tell us that!” Rainbow Dash asked. “We’re her friends.”

“I wonder why she didn’t tell us” Applejack said. “This changes everything about Sombra’s case.”

“Come now, girls, there must be a reasonable explanation for this” Fluttershy said.

“What possible explanation can it be?!” Rainbow Dash asked. “Haven’t you heard what Spike just said. Twilight and Sombra kissed!”

“But we don’t the circumstances of it” Fluttershy said.

“Fluttershy is right” Rarity agreed. “We can’t jump into conclusion without knowing all the facts.”

“Well… she did say it was… because of a moment they have” Spike spoke through his dizziness. “She said it didn’t mean anything to her.”

“See, Rainbow, it meant nothing to her” Rarity said.

“But Twilight is always bottle up what she feels” Applejack said. “We all know she has that habit. She may be trying to deny her true feelings.”

“And how are we’re going to know how she truly feels about Sombra?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“By asking Twilight ourselves” Applejack declared.

At that moment, the doors of the thrones room opened and Twilight appeared with Sombra, saying:

“Hi, girls, how are you…”

It was then that everyone looked at her with the same inquisitive looks they once did to Spike. Just by looking at them, Twilight knew something bad had happened and her eyes laid on Spike, still recovering, who told her:

“Sorry, Twilight, they forced me to tell them about the kiss.”

At that moment, Twilight realized her job to convince her friends about Sombra would be harder than ever.

While Twilight talked with her friends, Sombra waited outside. He could hear the sounds of their voices, despite not being able to decipher the words, but he could image Twilight was having a hard time with them. The moment of truth to his plan’s success was about to come out and he couldn’t wait any longer.

It was then the doors opened, meaning the end of the meeting. From there, Rainbow Dash got out flying really fast and Applejack was the second to leave, passing by Sombra without even speaking or looking at him. Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy were the last to leave, but at least they didn’t seem threatening to him. Twilight got out, holding Spike who was now sleeping on her back, resting from all the nauseas he had.

“So, how it went?” Sombra asked.

“Well…” Twilight started. “I’m pretty sure Rainbow is not going to talk with me for the next few days and Applejack was not very pleased with the news. Pinkie and Rarity didn’t react that badly, but they are not keen of the idea too. I think Fluttershy is the only one that seems to support us, despite not entirely.”

Noticing how upset Twilight looked, Sombra asked:

“Are you okay, Twily?”

“Yes, I am, it’s just…” she started. “Well, we already had fights before. They are the reason why our friendship is so solid, but… we have never fight because of a stallion before.”

“Do you need anything?” Sombra asked.

“Just a little rest” Twilight said. “I’m going to bring Spike to his room and then I’m going to mine if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not” Sombra replied. “But tell me one thing, Twilight… Do you still love me?”

The princess of friendship showed a smile and then kiss him in the lips, saying:

“Of course I do. I promise we’re going pass through this.”

Having said that, she went away.

Sombra returned to his room and looked at his mirror with a heavy look. He knew that the fact that Twilight still loved him despite the fact her friends were against their relationship was a good thing to his plan. However, the distress she was feeling was such that he even could feel it. In a way, he could feel Twilight’s love for her friends interfering with his motivation in following his plan. It was imperative that things happened as soon as possible.

As if deducing the right time, the mirrored shown, being someone trying to magically reach him. Using his magic, Sombra accepted the call and Starlight’s image appeared, saying:

“I’m done. We can meet this night at the Tree of Harmony.”

And the image dissipated, while Sombra finally got some relief with those news.

When he was certain Twilight would be sleeping, Sombra turned into shadow and went to the cave of the Tree of Harmony, where Starlight was waiting for him with his book.

“Finally!” she said, while Sombra approached. “I was starting to think you had second thoughts about this plan of yours.”

“King Sombra never has second thoughts when it comes to one of his plans” he replied coldly. “And for your information, I need to leave the castle without anypony to notice I’m gone, because allegedly I’m still in probation and without the full use of my magic.”

“Wow, you’re touchy today” Starlight commented. “Did something happened between you and your marefriend?”

And angry look made Starlight to gulp and then said:

“Sorry… Take this, I made all the modifications you needed.”

Sombra took the book and looked into Starlight’s notes. After analyzing them for a moment, he became quite satisfied with the result.

“Impressive…” he said. “Very impressive… I knew you were good in revising spells, but being able to do something like this with such dark magic…”

“Well, I’m good at my job” Starlight said. “The only thing you need to do is doing the spell on Princess Twilight’s element and everything will be in place. Next time, when she and her friends use the power of the elements…”

“I will get their power and Twilight will be mine” Sombra completed.

“Yes, that was part of this plan of yours” Starlight said. “However, I’m not seeing how this will properly satisfy my desire for revenge to Princess Twilight Sparkle for taking my village from me.”

“You said yourself that there was nothing you wanted more than to take Twilight’s friends from her, with her being unable to stop it” Sombra said. “Well, with my plan, she will lose them and she won’t be able to do anything about it, both to prevent it or reverse it, because the only thing she will need… will be me.”

“I see…” Starlight replied, thinking about the reasoning of his plan. “That really is evil and diabolical… I love it! But with the previous spell you were planning to use before, you would get the power from the elements, anyway. Why go for such complication? I mean, I believe it was not to fulfil my revenge, because the only thing you would need was to dispose of me, so…”

“So let that be a thought for when you talk too much, dearie” Sombra replied.

With that, Starlight stopped talking. Sombra then procceded:

“If you really want to know why, I’ll tell you. I came across with one reality that became clear to me as soon as I returned: there are certain needs that we don’t give the importance they deserve, that only when we lost them is that we learn to appreciate them with more… intensity and dedication. It can be something simple like the flavor of coffee, the feel of the blood of your enemies passing through your hoof… But with Twilight I have found the one thing that I’ve never expected to find again after I killed my parents: love. And now that I recalled that feeling, I’m not going to allow anypony to take from me. I’m finally going to have them all: power and love!”

Having said that, he casted the modificated spell that hit the heart of the tree that opened to reveal the Element of Magic. After he finished, the element became darker and then returned to its place, inside the tree, waiting now for Sombra’s evil plan to unfold.

I’m really sorry for the great delay, but my attention to my stories had been compromised, as well a terrible block I had in my mind. But don’t you worry, you’re about to have the great finale of The Rise of Sombra, and I’m promise you won’t regret that you started to read this story.