I’m sorry if it took me almost a year to publish a chapter, but I got too much involved with the Order and Chaos Saga that I ended up forgetting this one. Don’t worry, now I’ll try to publish more chapters and not let this story be forgotten again.

With his book of dark magic now in his possession, Sombra returned to his bedroom at the Friendship Castle to study the magic that would allow him to return to his maximum strength and not having the fear that his enemies could defeat him once more.

“I see…” he said, while deciphering the written runes. “So the power of the Elements of Harmony is focused on the Element of Magic. Without it, the others won’t have any power. I knew Twilight Sparkle was the key to my great plan. Now, how can I use this weakness of the elements in my advantage?”

Sombra search in the book what he would need and then found it.

“Perfect…” he said. “It’s not properly something that I would do, but it has certainly a certain evil and deceiving side that I love…”

At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Hurrying to hide his book under his mattress, the evil unicorn went to the door and opened it. It was Twilight who was on the other side.

“Princess… I mean, Twilight…. What brings you to my room?”

“It’s just that you were taking too long to come to breakfast and I wanted to know if everything was all right.”

Sombra was so focused on his book that he hadn’t noticed the pass of time.

“I’m sorry, Twilight, I think I let myself sleep a little longer this morning” he replied. “But, if you wait just a few seconds, we can go together to the dining room.”

“Of course” she replied. “I can wait, there’s no problem.”

Sombra closed the door and hurried to put on his armor and cape. After that, he got out of the room and he and Twilight started to head to the dining room. During the way, they met with the guard Sombra had killed and turned into his dead puppet. For a moment, the former unicorn king feared that the guard would ruin everything by bowing down before him, but eventually he only bowed down respectfully before Twilight instead, moving away after.

“Tell me one thing, Sombra, don’t you feel uncomfortable using that armor to wherever you go?” Twilight asked.

That question caught Sombra off guard, but he didn’t waste time to answer:

“Ah, well…. You know, this armor used to serve to inspire fear on my enemies and protect me from any possible attack. I already use it for so long that I can’t feel comfortable without using it in public anymore. Actually, I dare to say that feel vulnerable without it.”

“But you don’t have any reason for that” Twilight said. “If it is your intension to get the ponies’ friendship, then you have to show it, not only through your actions, but also through what you transmit to them. That armor of yours makes ponies to remember the tyrant Sombra that used to torment the crystal ponies. If you don't use it, I am certain that the others would become more comfortable on your presence and it would become easier for you to make new friendships. Beyond that, I think you would look better without it…”

Realizing what she had just said, Twilight got quiet and blushed slightly. That made Sombra to draw a smile, not only because that showed that the trust Twilight had on him was gradually increasing, but also because he found her rather adorable with that pink shade on her cheeks.

“Thank you for the advice, Twilight. I’ll take it into consideration. Furthermore, I admit that this armor don’t quite fit my style… and I would be a lot lighter without it.”

That caused Twilight to drop a laugh and the two continued to advance to the dining room.

Spike was at that moment taking his reinforced breakfast, with sweet potato muffins with amethysts to go along. When he saw the door opening, while Twilight got in with Sombra, he hurried to put his last muffin in his mouth and then headed to the exit, while he said with his mouth full:

“I have chores to do…”

After he got out, Sombra commented:

“I think he just got out so he can’t be on the same room as me.”

“Don’t worry about Spike” Twilight told him. “He will eventually get used to you. But I think that, for now, he will continue to fear that you put him in dark crystal and then you break him into tiny pieces to feed other dragons.”

Twilight made a slight laugh from what she just said and Sombra followed her example, although he made his best to not add his evil tone, as that was an idea that pleased him.

They started to take the breakfast. Twilight, while she ate her oatmeal potatoes, observed Sombra trying to put jelly on a toast without magic. Although it had already passed some days since Sombra arrived to Ponyville, he still had difficulties in doing what he used to do with magic without it.

“If you want, I can attenuate the magical block on your horn so you can take breakfast at will.”

That suggestion caught Sombra by surprise and he asked:

“Really? You would do that for me?”

“Don’t get any wrong idea” Twilight answered. “I just do this so I don’t have to watch you struggling to use a knife to spread jelly on a toast. Also, I will only change the spell so you can only focus your magic to only use the normal levitation of a unicorn.”

The stallion with the black mane couldn’t believe on his luck. With that, his disguise would become easier to sustain. Beyond that, he could take advantage of that moment to begin his great plan.

“Do what you think it’s best, Twilight” Sombra replied, trying to not look too anxious.

The young alicorn advanced to Sombra and charged her horn with magic. Sombra did the same with his, focusing to make look like the block was still active. He let a part of Twilight’s magic to involve his horn and, when he thought that was the right moment, he ended the magic flow and then used the levitation, in order to show Twilight that it had worked.

“Thank you, Twilight” Sombra said, making a fake thanking tone. “This will without doubt improve my comfort.”

“You don’t have to thank me” Twilight replied. “If I thought you didn’t deserved it, I wouldn’t change the block.”

After breakfast, Sombra asked:

“So, what there’s today for you, Twilight?”

She hesitated in replying, but then she said:

“Today, Spike and I will to Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie is preparing a party to celebrate Rainbow Dash’s promotion as a full-time member of the Wonderbolts.”

“Really?” Sombra asked.

“Yes, Fire Streak just reformed and Rainbow took his place” Twilight told. “You know, I could take you, but…”

“But Rainbow Dash doesn’t want me there” Sombra completed.

“Rainbow has a tendency to take her loyalty a little too far” Twilight explained. “Don’t worry, someday she will end up accepting you.”

After Twilight and Spike got out to go to Rainbow Dash’s party, Sombra started to go to his room. Meeting with his evil warrior, he told him:

“I’ll start to prepare the beginning of my plan. When I get out of the castle, I want you to cover me up. Tell to your colleagues that I’m in my chambers and that there’s nothing to report. By the way, why don’t you invite one of them to wait for me there? Maybe we can get new friends.”

“Yes, my king” the guard answered, making a brief bow.

Sombra went to his room and consulted his book one more time before saying:

“I hope this works.”

And he turned into shadow and he get out discretely from the castle, heading to the Everfree Forest. There, he found, close to the Castle of the Two Sisters, the secret cave where the Tree of Harmony was. Getting there, Sombra found the beautiful and brilliant tree, whose five branches hosted five of the Elements of Harmony, the ones connected to Twilight’s friends. However, the one he wanted was the element connected to the young alicorn princess. So he noticed the tree’s trunk, where there were representations of Celestia and Luna’s respective Cutie Marks… and Twilight’s.

“So you’re hiding there” Sombra said.

He made a try to advance to the tree, but it, feeling Sombra’s threatening presence, released an intense light that forced the tyrant king to retreat until where he would be able to tolerate all that light.

“Of course something with a power so pure and powerful would be protected from a pony with a black heart like mine. Fortunately, I came prepared.”

And, focusing his magic, he released Twilight’s magic that he had absorbed when she tried to change the blocking spell she thought that was still active. With it, he created a barrier that shielded him from the intense light of the tree, allowing him to approach. When he was closed enough, Sombra, remembering the spell he had read on his book, casted his dark magic against the place where the Element of Magic was.

At Sugarcube Corner, everypony was having fun on the celebration of the fact Rainbow Dash was able to become full-member of the Wonderbolts. Between the invited were all of Rainbow Dash’s best friends, as well Big Mac and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, with Scootaloo being the one that showed the biggest excitement for the success of the one that was her greatest idol.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash approached Pinkie Pie and the former told her:

“Wow, Pinkie, I have to say that, for a party organized in a matter of hours, this is pretty great, even for you.”

“Yeah, Twilight’s right” Rainbow Dash agreed. “I mean, it’s not as awesome as the birthday and moving to Ponyville party that you organized with Cheese Sandwich, but, even so, it is awesome!”

“Thank you, Rainbow” Pinkie thanked. “When I got to know from my Pinkie Sense that you would be chosen to be a full-member of the Wonderbolts, I started to organize the celebration party right away.”

“Wait, are you telling us that you have a combo for when Rainbow Dash becomes a full-member of the Wonderbolts?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, Twilight…” Pinkie Pie said, while ruffling the young alicorn’s mane. “I already told you that I have a combo for all kind of situations. But don’ expect me to tell you, because that would ruin the surprise… And also because I did a Pinkie Promise to myself that I would never reveal my secret combos to anypony. And no one breaks a Pinkie Promise… not even Pinkie!”

Adopting unexpectedly her less serious tone, Pinkie said:

“But, meanwhile, why don’t you enjoy by nine-lays-every-berry-every-chip-surprise-cake that I did?!”

She then whispered to Twilight:

“The surprise is that I lost a measuring spoon in the batter. Somepony’s gonna get a very special slice of cake! I wonder why I keep doing that…”

And then she moved away.

“I think it is for the best if we get away from that cake” Twilight told Rainbow.

“I agree” she answered.

And the two laughed.

In the cave where the Tree of Harmony was, Sombra continued to use his spell and it was then that the Element of Magic emerged.

“There you are…” Sombra told, continuing the spell.

And his magic started to penetrate the element.

Back to the castle, Twilight got in with Spike and Rainbow Dash, who decided to escort her.

“You didn’t have to come, Rainbow” Twilight said. “I know the way back to my own castle.”

“I know, but you never know with that villain living here as well” the blue Pegasus replied.

“You know, you should give Sombra a second chance” Twilight told her. “He’s not that bad.”

“You may be the princess of friendship and having the duty to give second chances, but you need somepony that continues to see that guy for what he really is, just in case he tries something.”

“What I think is that you are getting too much paranoiac” Twilight commented.

She then noticed the guard that was loyal to Sombra passing by and called him:

“I’m sorry, but can you tell me where Sombra is?”

The guard took some time to answer, as his master hadn’t yet arrived and he didn’t know what to do to cover him up at that point. It was then that hoofsteps were heard and Sombra appeared, saying:

“I’m here, Twilight.”

“And I am not” Spike said, moving away.

“Rainbow Dash, I’m glad that you managed to become full-member of the Wonderbolts” Sombra told her. “Twilight told me that was always your dream.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t even think you convince me with those sweet words” Rainbow Dash replied to him.

“Never mind her” Twilight said to Sombra. “It won’t take long for to get used to you, just like Spike.”

“As if that would ever happen…” Rainbow said.

“Here, I brought you cake” Twilight said, giving a package to Sombra.

“Thank you” Sombra thanked, taking the package with magic.

Seeing that, Rainbow exclaimed:

“He has magic! I knew you were up to something!”

And she prepared to attack Sombra who, for instinct, prepared to use magic to protect himself. Fortunately for him, Twilight stopped Rainbow with magic and told her:

“Stop, Rainbow! I was the one who allowed him to use magic.”

After letting her go, Rainbow Dash asked:

“And why did you do that?! You know the danger he already is without magic!”

“Sombra is not a threat without magic” Twilight ensured. “Futhermore, he can only use levitation. I think that, after the improvements that he has been showin, it’s the least I can do.”

“Not to me” Rainbow Dash replied. “And I am certain the others will agree with me.”

“Well, I think it is for the best if I go back to my room” Sombra said. “I don’t want to cause any more conflict. Thank you for the cake, Twilight.”

And, having said that, Sombra moved away. The guard bowed before Twilight and then followed Sombra. When they were at a safe distance, the guard commented:

“That was close, my king. I didn’t know for how long I would be able to cover your absence from Princess Twilight.”

“But it was worth it” Sombra told with a smile. “The first step is done. Now, everything will depend on my façade… and how much Twilight really believes on it. By the way, did you do what I requested?”

The guard made a gesture to Sombra’s room and he entered there, finding another guard, tied up and gagged.

“Well, well, I think you’ll do” Sombra said to the imprisoned guard.

And, having said that, Sombra pierced the guards’ body with his hoof, making blood cover the floor. The guard didn’t take long to die and, when he did it, Sombra took out his hoof from him, saying, while cleaning the blood with magic:

“Killing always makes me hungry.”

And he unpacked the slice of cake that Twilight brought him and started to eat it.

“Not bad…”

It was then that he felt something that caused him to spit. It was the spoon Pinkie had lost.

“What the…” Sombra said. “I’ll never understand the ponies from today…”

He then turned to the body of the dead guard and, with magic, turned him into a dead puppet, just like the other. The two guards kneeled before him and Sombra said:

“It won’t last for all the guards Celestia sent to watch me to become under my control and, once that happens, I’ll have the freedom that I need to advance with my great plan.”