Chapter 1-The Last Stand

At long last! I...am...reborn! As King Sombra neared the Crystal Heart, he discovered he had been restored to his former glory, granted both a physical form and returned to sanity in the process. Taking a moment to savor the look of fear on the dragon hatchling's face, King Sombra ripped the Crystal Heart out of the air with his magic and held it close to his chest, feeling its power pour directly into him. A pink blur entered his peripheral vision and he reacted, blasting the alicorn in the chest with a black and red energy beam as the dragon landed on her back, sending the two plummeting to the ground. A deep cackle reverberated throughout the kingdom as King Sombra stood triumphantly on his black crystal spire, the dirt-brown skies and jagged crystalline structures a testament to his victory.

"Attention all crystal ponies, your Lord Sovereign has returned!" King Sombra roared, his voice echoing like a clap of thunder. "All those who wish to aid these foreign dissidents will be branded as traitors to the empire and punished severely." His crimson eyes focused on the ponies on the castle balcony, concentrating all of his black magic on them as monolithic spikes rose from the ground to their location, causing them to scatter fearfully. Storing the Crystal Heart deep inside his black spire, King Sombra changed into his shadow form to charge towards the fleeing ponies, trapping them in a large black claw. "These are the Elements of Harmony? Pathetic!"

"No, no, no!" Twilight Sparkle could only watch in horror as King Sombra was restored to his former glory, transforming from a pony-headed shadow to a black-maned flesh-and-blood stallion. She wasn't sure which was worse but knew that now that he had his body, he was now virtually unstoppable. I've got to get out of here! I've got to help my friends! Twilight attempted to summon her magic only to find her horn pathetically sputtering and spitting out a few sparks before it stopped working altogether. Frustrated, she slammed her hooves against the barrier, trying different spots in order to find a weakness. It would've been more plausible to try to give an ursa major a belly rub.

After what seemed to be the fifty-second or fifty-third kick, Twilight lay in an exhausted slump, staring bitterly at the barrier and silently cursing King Sombra's villainous ingenuity. What am I going to do? As if to answer her prayers, the barrier suddenly retracted into the floor, leaving Twilight momentarily dumbfounded before she shook her head and charged back downstairs, not wishing to push her luck by questioning her good fortune. When she arrived at ground level, Twilight froze at the sight of a gigantic version of Sombra's shadow form engulfing her friends in a massive cloud of darkness. Laughter, like icy water droplets, chilled Twilight's spine and the unicorn found herself shivering as two red burning lights peered deep into her soul. All joy, love and hope vanished from her heart, replaced with sorrow and mind-numbing fear that kept her hooves planted to the ground.

"TWILIGHT!"

A scream snapped Twilight out of her terror-induced stupor and she felt her heart drop at the sight of Cadence and Spike being swallowed up by the darkness, the little dragon's hand pleadingly reaching out towards her. Meeting those soft green eyes of his, Twilight found her strength renewed as she charged towards the shadow pony, her horn blazing with intensity. With a mighty war-cry, she released a bolt of raspberry-pink energy at the tyrant, cutting a hole in the black, smoke-like form. The darkness retreated, pulling her friends behind it and throwing them into a newly-erected crystalline cage. It then charged towards the ground six feet away from Twilight, shrinking and reforming into a unicorn stallion, his mouth contorted into a smile of sheer amusement and malicious intent.

"And you must be Celestia's prized pupil," King Sombra grinned, his words poison-laced honey. "I must admit, I'm impressed with your gung-ho attitude, even in the face of defeat." He began to casually pace around the mare, whose horn was illuminated with magic and ready to strike. "Most inspiring. However, even someone as foolishly brave as you cannot be so naïve as to think that you actually stand a chance against me?" Noticing Twilight's furiously defiant expression, King Sombra chuckled darkly, "Very well then. Let the games begin, Miss Sparkle."

What many would call a battle was actually a misnomer since a "battle" would imply that one participating party has a chance at victory. Twilight's magic, though advanced, stood nary a chance against the Shadow Emperor's own black arts, being the equivalent of attacking a bear with a feather duster. Her magic blasts did nothing except blow non life-threatening holes in the king's body, which he promptly repaired and continued fighting as though nothing happened. It was clear that Sombra was toying with Twilight; he could end the fight in one fell swoop but instead prolonged it to get a better understanding of his enemy's capabilities. Even in her tired, desperate state, she had to give him credit for thinking strategically, even if it was mainly for sadistic showboating reasons.

"Had enough, Miss Sparkle?"

Fatigue had begun to set in as Twilight stood heaving on trembling legs. Sweat glistened on her brow as her lungs fought for air. "No...not even close," she panted, refusing to surrender. Oh sweet Celestia, what am I doing? I'm ready to collapse and he's not even showing any signs of slowing down! There's no defeating him!

The umbrum stalked up to Twilight, his curved horn burning with black and purple fire. "Well now! You're a real spitfire, aren't you? No wonder Celestia keeps you around!" She found herself settling to one knee, her joints aching and her body begging to rest. "It's been a long time since I've had a good magical duel and you, my dear, have provided me with a millennia's worth of entertainment. For that, I'll finish you off quickly." Rest...I just want to...rest...

A rainbow-colored trail zoomed past Twilight and attacked the king, causing his energy bolt to narrowly avoid hitting Twilight's head. She jerked her neck to see Rainbow Dash darting to and fro, evading Sombra's blows and putting in some hits of her own. "Dash? What are...-?"

"Twilight, get out of here! I've got this!"

"Dash, I...-"

Sombra adopted his shadow form and unleashed several, tentacle-like appendages that swatted at the Pegasus as if she were a fly at a picnic. "Now Twilight! Go!" Rainbow screamed just before a tentacle grabbed her and formed a cage around her body. She thrashed around, stomping, hitting, even biting at the black tendrils. Her cerise eyes, now brimming with tears, peered into Twilight's violet ones. "Please..."

Twilight nodded and forced herself to tear her gaze away from Rainbow Dash as she fled from the castle grounds, fighting back tears at the sound of screams that echoed behind her. Everything blurred past her as she ran, past the shops and businesses, running until the weakened forcefield and the kingdom were long behind her. Taking one last look at the Crystal Kingdom, Twilight sank to her knees and collapsed, the weight of her cowardice pulling her into merciful darkness.

The castle's dungeons shimmered with crystalline brilliance but this did nothing to alleviate the distress and terror of being locked underground. Sombra took his time upon his descent, savoring the joy of victory as he beheld his captives. It had truly been too long since his dungeons were empty and he was fortunate to have such noteworthy heroes to help break it in again. The Elements of Harmony, plus Princess Cadence, Shining Armor and the baby dragon were all chained to the wall, their faces sullen with defeat. Those with wings, horns, or in Cadence's case, both, had their respective appendages covered in black crystals to ensure their compliance as prisoners.

Eyeing each and every one of them, Sombra clapped his hooves together and asked rather cheerfully, "So...who's going to be the first one to start talking. Anypony?" He was met with indignant silence, which was to be expected. He placed a hoof beneath Princess Cadence's chin. "What about you, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza?"

"Don't you touch her, you creep!" Shining Armor growled as he thrashed around in his chains.

Sombra removed his hoof and considered the unicorn. "Don't you think the lady can speak for herself? How presumptuous."

Princess Cadence turned her face away. "Leave him alone, Sombra! Do what you want...with me...but let Shining Armor and the others go!" Her whole body shook with revulsion and only then did Sombra grasp her implication. And it did not make the umbrum happy.

"I'm not keeping any of you for...that," he spat angrily, appearing disgusted by the very notion. "I'm many things, but a pervert I am not!" They were all terrified by Sombra's sudden outburst; even Rainbow Dash found her stomach twisted up in frightful knots. "Besides," he continued with more calm in his voice. "With five of the six Elements of Harmony out of commission, there's no way Celestia and Luna can use those meddlesome trinkets against me."

"So why in tha tarnation are we here?" Applejack inquired irately.

Sombra's hooves crashed onto the wall on either side of Applejack's head, immediately silencing her as he bent his face in close to hers. "In politics, we call this 'leverage.' I have something the other side wants. And I bet you that they'll trade anything to get you lot back." He leaned in so close that his and Applejack's noses were almost touching. "So I highly suggest you all act smart and do not...piss...me...off." Slowly withdrawing his face with a deep breath, Sombra made his way back up the steps when he stopped and added, "By the way, I hope you're enjoying your stay in the Crystal Empire."

Visions of living shadows, black crystals and seeing her friends drowning in darkness haunted Twilight Sparkles' mind, investing her brain with nightmares, especially ones about the black stallion with the scarlet eyes and bone-chilling laughter. She tossed and turned in her sleep, her front hooves flying out to batter anypony that dared to approach her. The umbrum came closer and closer; she could practically feel his breath on her cheek. An armored hoof caressed Twilight's cheek, its icy cold touch traveling to her chest and infecting it while her heart pounded like a war drum.

"You're mine now, Miss Sparkle. You can't escape the darkness. You can't escape...me," Dream-Sombra said licking his lips, his voice dangerously silky-smooth as his face came closer and closer to her own.

"No, no. Not me. NO!"

"Twilight, Twilight Sparkle?"

Everything was blurry but once her vision cleared, Twilight found herself lying in a queen-sized bed, its ivory-white silken sheets drenched with sweat. She sighed with relief once she caught sight of a familiar face smiling sweetly down at her. "Princess Celestia!" Ignoring the sweat, she leapt up and wrapped her arms around her teacher. "Oh Celestia, it was so terrible! King Sombra returned and now he's whole again, he captured my friends along with Cadence and Shining Armor and I just ran because Rainbow Dash told me to while she held him off and I-..."

Princess Celestia chuckled and held the tip of her hoof against Twilight's lips. "It's good to see you too but I'm afraid I couldn't catch all of that. Take a deep breath and once you're calm, why don't you tell me the story, only a bit slower?"

Twilight nodded and laughed nervously as Celestia took her hoof away. Taking several deep breaths, she then went on to explain what happened, starting with her and her friend's arrival at the Crystal Empire, their discovery of the crystal ponies' memory problems, their attempts to correct it, King Sombra's attack and finally how the umbrum managed to regain his lost power and take over. "....So Rainbow Dash told me to run and I ran. I ran until I passed out. And then the next thing I know is that I woke up here." She looked around, unfamiliar with the room's setup. "Where is 'here,' anyway?"

Princess Celestia chuckled, "Oh, well, you're in Canterlot. A group of merchants found you and brought you here. I couldn't very well have my student stay in a dingy hotel so I had them bring you in my room."

Twilight nearly leapt out of the bed. "Y-your r-room? I'm staying in your bed? I don't mean to inconvenience you...-"

"I assure you, it's quite alright. After your ordeal, I figured you needed a good night's rest."

"Ah, so the patient's awake? That's excellent to hear!"

Princess Luna strode into the room carrying a tray with a glass of water and a plate of tomato soup and crackers. She set the tray down on the nightstand and placed a hoof against Twilight's forehead. "Are you alright? You're cold."

Remembering her dream, Twilight visibly shuddered at the word and smiled weakly, "I'm alright. Just tired."

Thankfully, Princess Celestia took the opportunity to jump in. "Sister, Twilight just got done telling me that King Sombra is back and has successfully not only regained his physical form but has also taken over the Crystal Empire and is holding Twilight's friends, Cadence and Shining Armor hostage."

Princess Luna's face darkened at the news. "This...this is terrible. If there was any being I feared more than Sombra, I have yet to encounter them. While Discord was irrational, childish and selfish, Sombra is cruel, fiendishly clever and above all, completely heartless and power-driven. There's no telling what he has in store for his hostages."

Understandably, Twilight ignored the food to down the glass of water, finding herself very thirsty and lacking an appetite. Slamming the glass down, she sat up and declared, "Okay, so what's our next move?"

Author's Notes:

Okay, full disclosure: I did base this loosely off of DisneyFanatic23's "Bride of Discord," which I HIGHLY suggest you either read or watch the audio drama on YouTube (which is what first got me into MLP).

Whoo! Writing King Sombra was a lot of fun. He just oozes with sadistic charm and sly villainy. Honestly, I love his design and abilities and I thought the showrunners wasted an opportunity with his character, especially since they based him off of Sauron from The Lord of the Rings, one of the biggest ficitonal baddies of all time.

Chapter 2-Filling the Void

The two alicorns stared uncertainly at one another before directing their combined gaze at Twilight, who sat in confusion at the two. She didn't like how silent they were nor how reluctant they seemed to act. Her friends were one thing but what about their niece? Surely that was a huge motivator! What is wrong with them? This is the part where one of them says something profound and they rally the troops before taking off to deal with the threat. What's going on?

"Is everything alright, Princesses?"

Princess Celestia sighed and placed a tentative hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "I'm...afraid it's just not that simple," she replied gently, an undercurrent of sadness gripping her voice. "We...can't launch an attack against Sombra. At least, not yet."

Twilight was stunned. "I don't understand. Why not?"

Seeing her sister at a loss for words, Luna gently interjected, "You see, Twilight, the last time Celestia and I defeated Sombra, we were only able to do so with the Elements of Harmony. We lost our connection to them and they later chose new bearers: You and your friends. Since your friends are with Sombra-..."

"-...They can't use the Elements of Harmony," Twilight finished, earning her a sad double nod from the princesses.

"Indeed. You yourself could try using them but they won't respond to you," Celestia stated sadly. "Since you are only the Element of Magic, the corresponding Elements won't work. Not unless..." She strayed off, refusing to meet Twilight's eyes.

Feeling a lump develop in her throat, Twilight swallowed and asked, "Unless...?"

Luna replied, "Unless...your friends were to die. Then the Elements would choose new bearers."

The whole room seemed to spin and Twilight had to grip the edge of the bed to keep herself upright. A vice of despair gripped her chest, her breathing coming out in harsh bursts. "Unless they...oh goodness." Not only had a terrible, nigh-unbeatable foe risen up to once again enslave an entire race, but he'd also captured her friends and is apparently invulnerable to the greatest weapons Equestria has to offer. Never before had she felt so...helpless. With Nightmare Moon, Twilight had her friends to fall back on and even Discord, in his own twisted logic, gave them a chance to win, even if the game was rigged. But Sombra? He was the raging forest fire, the eye of the hurricane. A force of nature.

Celestia gently pushed Twilight onto her back and pulled the covers up to her chest. "Don't worry, Twilight. We'll figure something out. In the meantime, I suggest you eat something and rest. You're going to need your strength." She brushed Twilight's hair aside and gave her a maternal smile before heading out, Luna shortly following suit. Reluctantly, Twilight forced herself to eat the soup until she was full before wrapping herself in the silk sheets like a cocoon. How? How can I possibly sleep at a time like this? My friends are in the clutches of a monster and here I am doing nothing! She pictured gentle Fluttershy scared out of her wits, shivering in a dark dungeon and sweet Cadence bolted to a wall and screaming in agony. Her greatest fear, however, came in the form of Spike bound and muzzled, crying out to her.

Soft tears wet the pillow as Twilight feared for her adoptive brother's safety, praying that the others could watch out for him. Her fear turned into rage at the thought as Sombra torturing Spike, cackling madly as he shoved a red-hot poker in the baby dragon's face. No! Stop thinking about it! Spike is fine, the others are fine! She curled up in a ball and hugged the sheets close to her, wishing she could believe what she was saying. After what seemed to be hours of quiet sobbing, Twilight finally sank into an exhausted sleep, dreaming of black crystals and red eyes.

King Sombra looked over his redecorated throne room with pride, having swapped the vibrant, shimmering transparent crystals for black, opaque crystals. Jagged pillars stretched from the floors to the gothic-style ceilings and spiked gargoyles littered every corner. Ascending the dais' stairs, he took a moment to admire his new throne, a high-backed chair comprised of red and black crystals and shaped like his crown. "And now, for the finishing touch."

Placing the Crystal Heart in the center of the dais, he touched its center with his horn, sending all of the collected fear and misery flowing into the relic, charging it with an ominous black and purple glow. It surged with negative energy, transforming it from a glistening blue to a malevolent blood-red as it hummed with a black aura. He then levitated it to the top of his throne so that it was situated between the two horns at its peak. Slowly lowering himself into the seat, Sombra sighed deeply and sat back with his eyes closed, feeling as though all was right with the world. After spending a thousand years in a dark haze as a living shadow, he could finally just kick up his back hooves and enjoy the spoils of his glorious conquest.

He finally opened his eyes to behold his dominion but found that despite how gloriously desolate it looked, the castle felt somehow...disappointing. Wait, how in the name of Tartarus can that be? He tapped his chin thoughtfully with an armored hoof. I've captured the Elements of Harmony-well, five of them anyway-and deposed the false rulers. I've successfully regained my physical form, corrupted the Crystal Heart, taken back my kingdom, created an army of brainwashed soldiers and reclaimed my throne. Why is this so damn underwhelming?!

"What more do I have to do?!" Sombra yelled in frustration, his voice echoing throughout the empty throne room as his personal guards stood by motionless, barely registering the world around them. He grumbled angrily as he rubbed his temples, vexed by his sudden boredom. He thought back to his reign a thousand years ago, where he ruled the Crystal Empire with an iron hoof for over two-hundred years until those damned princesses stuck their noses in his business. In all that time, he alone held dominion over the Frozen North, solely responsible for keeping the kingdom running.

He glanced out of the corner of his left eye to an empty spot on the dais, idly wondering what it would be like to have... Wait, that's it! That's what's missing! Shooting out of his throne, Sombra slammed one hoof on the top of the other, pleased with the sudden epiphany. What I need is someone to share my position with, to rule beside me and perhaps even give me an heir that I may groom to one day succeed me. A wicked grin crossed his face, a newfound purpose brining glee to his black heart.

"What I need...what I desire...is a queen."

Making his way to the dungeon, Sombra went over a list of possible candidates in his head, frustratingly rejecting one after the other when one name rose above the rest, shining brightly like a great bonfire at night.

"And I know exactly who it should be..."

Author's Notes:

Now, my explanation on how the Elements of Harmony work exactly is just pure speculation plus I needed a way to explain why Twilight simply couldn't use them all as Princess Celestia once did against Luna/Nightmare Moon.

What do you think? Is Sombra just bored with the status quo or is it something else...?

Chapter 3-Ultimatum

Slamming another book on top of the dangerously-leaning pile next to her, Twilight snatched a book from atop the book gurney and began to flip through it. It'd been two weeks since her escape from the Crystal Kingdom and she'd spent that time in the Canterlot Royal Library, searching in vain for some spell or ritual to save her friends and stop Sombra. The way she figured it, if she dedicated four hours to sleep, five minutes to each meal and fifteen minutes of outside strolling, that'd leave her with at least nineteen hours of research. So far, her search had been long, tiring and fruitless, having not come close to finding even a clue in the whole accursed library. Starting with the essential basics, Twilight read through the Principles of Magic, Houyhnhnm’s Guide to Magical Arcana and Trotter’s Tome of Reliquary before tackling the more advanced spell books. These included The Lesser Key of Solomule, The Kybalkion, The Sworn Book of Hornorius and the Codex Imponyium, all which would've been better served as crossword puzzles for five-year-old foals.

Twilight rubbed annoyingly at her baggy eyes and resumed reading, finding excellent recommendations for creating protective wards around your home and summoning incantations but nothing on bypassing magic-blocking crystals. After gulping down her sixth coffee for the day, she sighed and placed the book on the stack. She was ready to start another one when the stack came tumbling down on top of her, burying the unfortunate unicorn beneath a pile of well-thumbed spell books. Well, this is just great! Twilight mentally grumbled as she dragged herself from out of the pile, receiving minor bumps and paper cuts as a result. Rubbing her slightly bruised scalp, she exhaled the breath of impatient irritation that she'd been holding in and decided to take a break.

The halls of the castle were filled with royal guards: grim-faced stallions in golden armor, each and every one of them ready to lay down their lives for the princesses and for Equestria. Ever since King Sombra's return, Princess Celestia was adamant on tripling the security of both the castle's interior and exterior. This meant that Twilight couldn't walk two feet without running into a royal guard. Still, two weeks and not a peep from the Crystal Empire. Sombra should've made a move by now, right? After a very close inspection by two guards, Twilight entered the throne room to find Celestia and Luna arguing in hushed murmurs, both of them clearly on edge about something and, from the few snippets Twilight could make out, it was something involving the Shadow Emperor. If it involves that monster, it has to be terrible.

"Um, Princesses?" Twilight asked nervously, not prepared for the dead silence nor the apprehension and fear written on the two alicorns' faces. "Is...is there something the matter? M-maybe I could help?"

A full minute passed before Celestia replied, "It's...it's nothing, Twilight. You should take a nap. You look tired."

"Celestia! She has a right to know! This could be our only chance!" Luna hissed.

"Chance to do what? I've not giving into a tyrant's demands! How do we know he'll honor the bargain!"

"Um, Your Highnesses?"

"King Sombra is many things but he's always upfront about his intentions. Perhaps we should hear him out-..."

"'Hear him out?' Have you gone insane? Sombra doesn't know the meaning of the word, 'diplomacy!'"

"Celestia? Luna?"

"It's my niece and nephew too, you know. Not to mention we'd be getting back the Elements of-..."

"This is not up for discussion, Luna! There's no way I'd allow Twilight to-..."

"YOUR MAJESTIES!"

Both Celestia and Luna stopped talking and looked perplexingly at Twilight, who stood back and stared wide-eyed at them as her ears drooped in embarrassment. She nervously chuckled, "I'm sorry it's just...this seems to involve me and if it does, I want a say in it. Please, please don't keep me in the dark. Let me help."

Seeing that there was no way out, Celestia sighed and held up a scroll marked with a seal depicting three red crystals and a column of smoke, no doubt the personal sigil of King Sombra himself. "This arrived an hour ago. It just appeared out of thin air and I have reason to suspect that it...came from Spike."

"What?! Let me see it!" Twilight made a mad dash for it but was held back by Luna. "Huh?"

"Twilight, just...prepare yourself for what's written on it. You won't like what it has to say."

From the pained look in Luna's cyan eyes, it was clear that the scroll contained news grave enough to worry the Princess of the Night. Twilight nodded and Celestia hesitantly levitated the scroll over to Twilight, who unfurled it shakily as her nerves made her magic jittery. The handwriting was neat and flowing, running across the paper in elegant penmanship that also held a certain egotistic but strangely isolated feel to it.

Princesses of Canterlot,

As you are no doubt aware, I have returned from my exile, one that you both are well-aware of due to your hooves in enforcing it, and have taken back my throne as the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire. As the king, I believe a bit of diplomacy is due in order to form a healthy relationship between our two kingdoms, at least for the time being. According to my spies, you have found an escapee from my kingdom, one Twilight Sparkle. As she has no doubt informed you, I have the other Elements of Harmony along with the baby dragon, your niece and your nephew-in-law. Believe it or not, I am more than willing to trade the Elements and your family back to you in exchange for Miss Sparkle, who I have the extreme pleasure of naming as my...-

"...'Q-queen?'" The scroll dropped from the air and rolled across the floor. Twilight stood petrified, her body completely unmoving, save for her trembling lower lip and heaving chest. "Sombra, he...wants me for his...he wants..." She fell forward and if not for the timely intervention of Princess Celestia, would've fallen face-first onto the hard marble floor. Being supported by Celestia's forelegs made Twilight feel as though she were a once again a foal her in mother's embrace. Overwhelmed by everything-worry about her friends, her inability to use magic to help them, King Sombra's shocking proposal-she buried her face in Celestia's chest and broke down in a harsh sob, letting all of her pent-up impotence and despair come pouring out of her.

Once Twilight's tears subsided, she dried her eyes with Luna's handkerchief and took several deep breaths, allowing her rational mind to once again take control at the helm. "Thank you both. Now, let's see what the rest of the letter has to say." Although reluctant to continue, the sisters finally relented and nodded, privately in awe of Twilight's strength and fortitude in light of such an astounding development. Opening up the scroll, Twilight picked up where she last left off and continued, more concerned with news of her friends:

The hostages have not been harmed and will remain so unless my demands are met. I know, of course, that neither of you trust me and you are right not to. However, on the memory of my mother Queen Lumen Morningstar, I swear that Princess Cadence, Shining Armor and the Elements of Harmony will be returned to you if Twilight Sparkle willingly returns to the Crystal Empire alone. The dragon hatchling, however, will remain with me as insurance until Twilight is in my possession. Then, and only then, will he be set free. As for Twilight, I can assure you that as my future wife and queen, no harm will befall her as long as she is with me. Any attempts to rescue or contact her will be seen as an act of war and I will not hesitate to march on Canterlot and burn your pathetic city to the ground. I can afford to lose the lives of my citizens in the fires of war. Can you?

Just know that this bargain is non-negotiable and I will accept nothing else other than the hoof of Miss Twilight Sparkle in matrimony. If either of you should dare to try to suggest an alternative, bribe me with riches or trick me, then I will ensure that not only will my hostages, your pretty niece included, suffer greatly for this affront but I will also destroy Ponyville before making my way to Canterlot and, as previously stated, burn the whole damn city to the ground. You can keep your riches and you can continue to rule Equestria for however long you alicorns live for but as the second part of my demands, the Crystal Empire is to secede from the rest of Equestria and all lines of communication will be cut off. You will no longer have any authority over it and we are not to be disturbed. Keep your noses out of our business and I will extend you the same courtesy. Must I remind you of the city-burnt-to-the-ground stipulation?

You have two days to deliver your answer. Should you agree to my terms, send a message to the dragon and instruct Twilight Sparkle to meet me at the edge of the Crystal Empire's barrier. The hostages, with the exception of the dragon, will promptly be released and once Miss Sparkle is in my custody, the dragon will go free too. I may have spent a thousand years as a literal shadow of my former self but do not get the idea that I am a patient stallion. Do hurry.

His Royal Highness,

Sombra, King of the Crystal Empire, Warden of the Frozen North and Lord of the Umbrum

Crumbling the up piece of paper, Twilight sat on the floor with her face buried in her hooves, unwilling to believe what she just read or the enormity of what was expected of her. Even with the princesses wrapping their arms around her, she felt anything but safe. Sweet Celestia...what am I going to do?

Author's Notes:

The first few spell books mentioned appeared on the show while the others are based on real-life grimoires. They are:
The Lesser Key of Solomule (The Lesser Key of Solomon)
The Kybalkion (The Kybalion; "balk" or "baulk" is when a horse refuses to move)
The Sworn Book of Hornorius (The Sworn Book of Honorius)
Codex Imponyium (Codex Imperium)

The Game of Thrones reference was unintential; as soon as I started writing "Warden of the Frozen North," it immediately hit me but I liked it enough to leave it in.

WINTER IS COMING!

Chapter 4-Phantasm

The afternoon sun reached its apogee, bathing the Crystal Empire in light and brilliantly illuminating the castle, which shone like a million stars. Sombra found himself on a nearby hill and blinked, confused at his surroundings. What...what is all this? Why is everything so bright and colorful? The sky was blue and dotted with fluffy clouds, which was wrong considering that the sky around his kingdom was dark brown speckled with yellow. Something's wrong. He wandered into town to find gaggles of crystal ponies but as they were before: sparkling, transparent beings that walked around...smiling! Sombra frowned. They're not supposed to be smiling! They're supposed to be miserable!

Once he came into view, the Shadow Emperor was further confounded when a few of them turned in his direction and started to wave, smiling and greeting him with compliments and statements about the weather. He took all this in with a forced grin, still baffled by whatever the hell was going on. A clear, sunny sky? Crystal ponies acting friendly towards him? One mare even asked him to sign her son's hat and the grateful colt gave him a hug, something that Sombra was greatly unaccustomed to. Physical contact now too? What in the name of Tartarus is happening?!

Starting to panic, Sombra made a mad dash for the castle and promptly bolting the doors shut once he was inside. There. Now I have peace and quiet to make sense of this rubbish. Swallowing several deep breaths, Sombra back away from the doors and ran a hoof through his mane, feeling once more at ease and in control. He was about to head up to his bedchambers when he froze in place, his eyes practically bulging out of his skull. His heart was beating so fast, he was afraid that it might actually burrow its way out of his chest.

A mare with a light grayish mulberry coat descended the grand staircase, her body wrapped in a sparkling sky-blue gown, accentuating her natural curves and adding to her loveliness. Her mane, which was dark sapphire blue with purple and raspberry streaks, was swept up off of her forehead and cascaded freely down her shoulders and the top of her head was adorned with a pink and violet crystal tiara. A smile more radiant than the sun formed upon her lips as her sparkling violet eyes met his. She's...she's perfect... Finally gaining control of his limbs, Sombra took a few steps towards the mare that looked like,-but couldn't be-Twilight Sparkle. It can't be her, it can't be!

"Is everything alright, Sombra? You look like you've seen a ghost," Twilight remarked, her voice soft but containing a hidden strength and wisdom beyond her years.

Sombra nodded, "Yes, I think I'm alright. It's just very sunny is all. I'm not used to it."

That radiant smile appeared once more as Twilight laid her head on Sombra's chest, a sigh of content escaping her perfect lips. "I know, sweetheart. It's a big adjustment but trust me, things will only get better from here on out."

"Sweetheart?" To his own surprise, Sombra's hooves went to Twilight's back, gently rubbing her exposed flesh and earning him a satisfied moan. "Only as long as you're with me, Twi." Okay, where did that come from?

The unicorn raised her head, her violet eyes half opened as she leaned her face in close to his, her licks gently puckered up. "Of course, Sombra. Forever," she whispered as their lips met.

Sombra's eyes flew open as he jolted upright, his breathing erratic as his heart thundered in his ears. His eyes darted around, taking in the familiar sight of his red and black-colored bedroom, the drawn window curtains and drapes of his four-poster bed were a dark purple. He shook his head and rubbed his face with his hooves.

"A dream. It was just a-..." He paused, leaning up against his headboard as he contemplated what had just transpired. When was the last time he even dreamt? Hmmm. It had to been at least four or five hundred years since I last dreamt or at least that I remember dreaming. Sombra thought back to his dream, skipping past the colorful day and smiling crystal ponies to arrive at the moment dream-Twilight Sparkle descended the stairs. He recalled with perfect detail what she was wearing and how beautiful, no stunning, she looked. It's true that she wasn't was considered to be conventionally beautiful but it was more of a natural beauty, one that didn't need to be enhanced by make-up or jewels.

"Ugh, why am I even thinking about this?!" Sombra yelled aloud, tossing the covers aside to don his crown and armor. The familiar cold weight of the armor reminded him of what he was and, more importantly, why he was that way. Throwing open the door, he walked out onto the balcony to survey his kingdom, focusing his gaze on the direction Canterlot was. He gave the princesses two days and he hoped for their sakes that they made the right decision.

YOU DO REALIZE WHO YOU SOUND LIKE, RIGHT? A CERTAIN PATRIARCH AND EX-UMBRUM RULER?

"Oh, shut up!" Sombra growled, wishing that the Darkness had a throat so that he could throttle it. He sighed and banged both hooves on the balcony's railing. "I am...nothing like Erebus. Long may he rot in Tartarus."

OH REALLY? BECAUSE FORCING A MARE TO MARRY YOU AGAINST HER WILL SOUNDS AN AWFUL LOT LIKE-

"ENOUGH!"

The railing cracked beneath Sombra's hooves and he disgustedly withdrew them and turned away, cursing himself for losing control of his emotions. When Celestia and Luna used the Elements against him, they inadvertently blasted away his rational mind along with his body, leaving him an incorporeal mass of raw emotions, mainly hatred and vengeance. Those emotions kept him going for a thousand years but since reclaiming his physical form and rational mind, he found no further need for them. So what in the hell was that dream about? Shaking his head, Sombra re-entered his bedchambers and seated himself at his writing desk. It doesn't matter. The sooner I take a queen, the sooner my true rise to greatness begins. Better hurry and make your choice, Twilight Sparkle.

The prisoners all raised their heads as a familiar dark figure made his presence known, their hearts filled with fear at whatever tortures their host had planned for them. While it was true that he did nothing to them, aside from keeping them chained and locked up, it was a likely possibility he did this to lull them into a sense of false security. They'd heard tales of King Sombra's cruelty and figured that it was only a matter of time before he broke out the whips and pliers. Instead, the umbrum stood there silently glaring at the octet.

"Ugh, if you're going to torture us, just get it over with!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "At least then something exciting would happen!"

"What are you talking about? Sitting in my own filth with an unwashed mane is torture!" Rarity whined, her legs kicking futilely as she hung from her wrists, her mane drooping down her face in stiff clumps.

Applejack groaned, "Rare, Ah love ya an' all, but please...shut up!"

"Hey, lay off of her!"

"Ya can shut up too, Spike! Stop defendin' her!"

"All of you shut up!"

They all stared at the now-fuming Sombra. He pointed a hoof at Applejack. "You."

"M-me?"

"Yes. You're the Element of Honesty, right?"

"Yessir."

"So tell me, what does it mean when, after centuries of empty sleep, you suddenly...dream?"

Applejack tilted her head, unsure if she herself was dreaming. "Uh, well, usually tha's a sign that, uh, a big change has happened in yer life. Ya did just get yer body back and took back yer kingdom after all."

Sombra tapped his chin thoughtfully. "That is true. Perhaps it was nothing." He turned to leave when:

"Um, Mister Sombra? Wha was yer dream about exactly?"

He spun to face the orange earth pony and snapped, "None of your damn business!" Without another word, he shifted into a stream of darkness and slithered back up the stairs, leaving the group very confused.

"Well somepony woke up on the wrong side of the bed!" Pinkie Pie remarked.

Author's Notes:

Phantasm (n.)-1. An apparition or specter
2. A creation of the imagination or fancy; fantasy
3.A mental image or representation of a real object
4. An illusionary likeness of something

The only reason I bring up the defination of this chapter's title is that it has more than one meaning. Not only does it refer to the fantasical nature of a dream but also the fact that it can mean a ghost, in this case, a "ghost" of what Sombra's future could be and a mental representation what he truly desires but denies what it is.

Also, whenever I hear the word, I'm reminded of the movie and its original film trailer.

R.I.P. Angus Scrimm (1926-2016) 😢

I already had a chapter dedicated to Twilight's feelings so I wanted to show what Sombra was going through as well.

Chapter 5-Twilight's Choice

"Twilight? Why don't you take a seat, my innamorata?"

King Sombra was seated atop a throne of black crystals, his outstretched armored hoof beckoning her to the smaller throne beside him, his fanged mouth contorted in a massive grin. Twilight gasped, finding herself dressed in a shimmering, sky-blue gown that glowed like a sapphire. Her eyes darted to a nearby crystal mirror, which revealed that she had a pink and violet crystal tiara adorning her head, her bangs brushed back against her scalp and her hair draping down her shoulders. She looked like...a princess. A beautiful one at that.

"Of course you're beautiful," Sombra smiled as though he'd read her mind, licking his lips while he said this. "But then again, you've always been beautiful. You've just never had the chance to show it, haven't you?" Twilight wanted to run, to scream at him but she found herself paralyzed by his words, her body numb from his probing stare. While ponies normally walk around naked, she found his lustful stare made her feel far too exposed, like he was undressing her with his eyes. Those scarlet eyes that seemed to burn with a life of their own....

Twilight shook her head, confounded by the warm feeling worming its way through her skin. She wanted to tell Sombra to stick it where the sun doesn't shine but instead found herself floating towards the king, her arm outstretched as if reaching out for him. She gasped when his larger hoof caressed her own and to her surprise, his touch was soft, tender even. Dark gray lips laid a feather-light kiss on the edge of Twilight's hoof and she found her knees buckling as her whole body begged for his touch. Don't just sit there; touch me damn it! Twilight again shook her head, baffled by the aggressive thought and its implications. She knew what sex was; she read books, even the occasional (okay, many) romance novels. Even though she'd never experienced it, it was something she secretly desired, but only if the right stallion came along, one that would sweep her off her hooves like the heroines of her romance novels.

"Sombra?" She momentarily panicked when the umbrum vanished but breathed an unsteady sigh of relief when he appeared behind her, his arms wrapped beneath her chest and across her stomach. "Oh Sombra…" Those hooves of his, which had no doubt did unspeakable horrors, were now sliding across her body, causing her legs to squeeze together uncomfortably as her most intimate area began to heat up like a furnace. Light whimpering escaped Twilight's lips, not out of fear but out of pure arousal. No, no, no! This is wrong! This is King Sombra! You can't be enjoying this...- Those thoughts were silenced when the aforementioned stallion spun Twilight around and gazed deeply into her eyes, peering into her very slowly with a mix of longing and gentleness she'd never seen before, certainly not from an admirer, which she'd had a couple of back when she was still a student at the university.

"Twilight..." That one word nearly undid her. The way her name rolled off Sombra's tongue like a prayer sent a pleasurable shiver down Twilight's spine. He dipped his head forward and to Twilight's own shock, she welcomed it.

"Twilight..."

The mare's eyes shot open as she gripped her bedsheets, taking several deep breaths as she took her surroundings. She was back in her room and to her relief, realized the whole confusing situation was only a dream and nothing more. Her sheets were slick with sweat, no doubt due to the...intensity...of the dream itself and Twilight made a mental note to never eat cinnamon coffee cake before bed. Shifting around, she reached beneath the covers to wipe sweat off of her thighs when, to her unending shame and horror, found that her marehood wasn't covered in sweat. Twilight tumbled out of bed and collapsed onto the floor, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets. Oh sweet Celestia!

After having the staff replace her sweaty sheets with fresh new ones and a freezing-cold shower, Twilight furiously rubbed her skin dry with a towel and began to pace feverishly in her room, trying to make sense of her confusing erotic dream. Sure, she'd had them before; what mare her age hasn't? They've just never been that vivid before. Then, of course, there was the subject of her dream, an evil psychotic shadow-demon. Eager to figure out her strange feelings, Twilight dashed to the library and scooped up every book she could find on dream symbolism and sexual psychology, the latter earning her a raised eyebrow from the librarian, who had known Twilight for years and was surprised to find the self-admitted bookworm studying such a subject. Yep, I'm never going to live this down.

Psychology and sexuality were studies Twilight had never had interest in learning but what she read was indeed mind boggling to her. As it turns out, many mares that are attracted to "bad colts" do so because of an instinctual need to seek out a strong mate, one that will protect them and father them healthy colts. On the psychological side, there were many factors to consider, including the desire for the forbidden or unobtainable, attraction to a stallion that is confident and displays passion and charm, an allure to power, if the stallion is an authority figure or if the male in question is seen as damaged or broken and the female thinks that she can fix him or heal his woes with love and affection. Bored of the topic, Twilight switched to Sigmane Freud and other dream-psychologists, hoping to find a suitable answer. She found that attraction or sex in a dream didn't necessarily equate to the act itself, rather it symbolized an urge to find a connection with that person or to settle your differences with them. Okay, we're getting somewhere.

She read that some dream analysts believe that relations with somepony you hate or don't know can symbolize your own frustrations or even conflicting parts of your personality that you try to repress. Instead of fighting those flaws, you should find a way to merge them in order to find a balance in yourself. It can also mean that you're terrified of the future and that you should be prepared for and confront it rather than shy away from it. Huh, so I'm terrified about my situation with Sombra but he seems to represent something that I don't like about myself? Twilight groaned and slammed her head on the table. I need a place to clear my head but where to go? A ray of light from a nearby window hit Twilight's face, causing her to look up and an idea took root. That just might work.

Up on the balcony of the castle's highest tower, Canterlot lay spread out beneath Twilight, giving her the impression of being a bird glancing down on an ant hill. On the ground below, the ponies laughed, worked, ate and played, moving about in their regular routines without any clue as to the momentous danger that they were all in. Twilight had heard the phrase, "Ignorance is bliss," but never truly comprehended its meaning until she'd read King Sombra's letter. She let out a prolonged sigh, as if all the weight of the world appeared to be supported by her shoulders. Then again, considering Equestria's fate rested solely in her hooves, it wasn't that far off an observation.

"I thought I'd find you up here."

Just by the motherly tone alone, Twilight could tell Celestia had joined her though she didn't know how long her teacher had been standing there. She heard movement to her right and felt the alicorn sit down beside her, a sense of warmth and comfort quickly surrounding the young mare. She expected Celestia to start spouting sagely advice but instead, she merely sat silently and watched the crowds down below. The two remained quiet as the throngs of busy ponies increased and decreased, selling or buying goods or simply exploring their fair city and seeing what it had to offer. It was oddly comforting to know that the everyday, normal ponies of Canterlot were simply living their lives. No evil kings, Spirits of Chaos or changeling invasions. Just life.

After an hour, Celestia finally spoke: "You know, when I was around your age, I used to sneak up here to watch the commoners and make up stories for each one I saw." When Twilight failed to reply, the alicorn went on. "I pictured each pony and wonder what their life was like. I'd wonder if they were happy with their lives and if I'd be happier if I wasn't a princess. Perhaps I was a schoolteacher hurrying to class or a fruit stand clerk or a young mare enjoying an afternoon with my husband and foals." Twilight turned, looking at Celestia with surprised curiosity in her eyes. "But at the end of the day, I'd go back inside and return to my life. I realized that imagining a different life for myself was taking my focus away from the life I did have and I couldn't shirk my responsibilities. Whether I liked it or not, I was a princess and that meant that I had a whole country looking to me to one day guide it."

Twilight nodded and sighed, getting the gist of what Celestia was saying. "I know what I have to do but...I'm just so afraid. Sombra is a monster, a black-hearted creature just like you said he was. And for whatever reason, he chose me as his queen, his wife!" She stared up pleadingly at her mentor. "Why me? I'm nopony special." She then added in a whisper, "I'm not you."

Placing a wing around Twilight, Celestia pulled her close and looked her right in the eyes. "Look at me. You...are not...nopony. You are a brave, intelligent, wise and compassionate young mare. You defeated Nightmare Moon and brought my sister back to me. You outsmarted Discord and stopped him when I lacked the power to do so. And don't forget that you alone stood up to King Sombra and managed to escape his clutches. A truly un-special nopony couldn't have been able to do all of that. And no, you're not me. But I couldn't be prouder of that fact."

Twilight sat stunned at that last statement. "You...you are?"

"Of course I am. Twilight, believe it or not, I've made my share of mistakes. Because of my status, whatever mistakes I make have lasting consequences on Equestria and everypony residing here. So far, you've fixed every single mistake that I've made and went above and beyond the call of duty. You may not be a princess but you have the heart and spirit of one."

Resisting the urge to cry, Twilight sniffled and beamed up at Celestia. "Thank you. But...why does Sombra want to make me his queen so badly? He said he'd accept nothing else but my hoof in marriage. I just don't understand."

Celestia thought for a moment, equally as confused. "I know I didn't say this before, mostly due to it still being painful to talk about, but Sombra and I...we were engaged once, a long time ago."

"WHAT?! You...you and Sombra, Sombra and you? How did...what?"

Celestia chuckled, "Yes but like I said, it was a long time ago. Sombra was different then. He was actually...a good stallion. He had a wonderful smile and the way he would hold me..." She lowered her head sadly, letting the words hang in the air as Twilight put the pieces together herself.

"You loved him, didn't you?"

The heartbreak was written on Celestia's face. "Yes. When he became...that creature, it hurt me deeper than anything you could possibly imagine. I don't know why he's so fixated on you but I can tell you this: he wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't see something special in you. Despite his malice, Sombra isn't one for harems or concubines. I do believe he legitimately wants you and you alone as his wife and queen."

"Are you saying that I should go with him?" Twilight asked, her voice small and unsure.

"What I'm saying is, no matter what your decision is, just know that I will support it." Celestia then tilted Twilight's face up with a hoof and looked upon her sorrowfully, her voice cracking. "But if you decide to be Sombra's queen, know that you...you are so much more than the greatest pupil that I have ever had." She wrapped her arms around Twilight as her wings folded over the two, both mares sobbing as they held one another.

"Celestia?" Twilight sniffled. "I know what I must do."

Author's Notes:

It was very interesting doing research on both human sexuality, particularly attraction to the wrong people, and dream interpretation.

Hmm...both Sombra and Twilight seem to have parallel dreams. Coincidence?

Yes, Twilight's dream is more sexual in nature and that's because I wanted to show a contrast between the two and what they desire. King Sombra wants love and an emotional connection while Twilight wants freedom from her own repression and to be desired for her cons as well as her pros.

Chapter 6-The Exchange

A shadow seeped down the dungeon stairs like a puff of smoke, causing the dungeon's eight inhabitants to instantly freeze as the shadow formed itself into the shape of a stallion. Opening his red eyes, Sombra looked from one uncertain face to the next and smiled wickedly at Spike, who earlier had belched out several scrolls, each one addressed to him and containing the answers he wanted to his demands. It's good to see the princesses using those empty shells that they call brains. Casually strolling past each and every prisoner, he then clapped his hooves together, which he did just about every time he was going to speak. Everypony prepared for his next words with anticipation.

"And how are my guests feeling today? How was the porridge?" He gestured to several bowls laying on the floor, each one cleanly emptied of their contents. Seeing as how it was the only meal that the prisoners were allowed and each meal time were few and far between, they had taken to greedily consuming every bit of their measly repast.

The hyperactive pink pony, whose energy and unbridled enthusiasm irritated Sombra to no end, licked her lips and replied, "Weeeeeeell, you added too much cinnamon and not enough apple but I thought it was delicious!"

"I'll make a note of it," Sombra muttered, finding the urge to strangle her harder and harder to resist. Just stay calm, Sombra. You can't make a trade if you don't have all of your bargaining chips.

"What do you want, Sombra?" Cadence spat, his name like venom on her lips. "I doubt it was to inquire about the cuisine."

"Indeed! This gruel you insist on serving us is an absolute abomination of the culinary arts!"

Silencing the white unicorn with a glare, and deciding that he loathed her far more than the pink pony, Sombra turned to Cadence and flashed her a toothy grin. "You're absolutely correct, Princess. The real reason I came down here was to congratulate you on your early release. Oh, I will indeed miss the pleasure of your company."

Shining Armor sputtered, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What?"

"Uh, say what now?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

"Aw, thank you!" Pinkie Pie absentmindedly added.

"What are ya talking about, Sombra?" Applejack asked, being careful to keep her voice low and even. She'd seen the king upset before and, despite her reservations about seeing him in a good mood, decided that it was less scarier than his previous freak out.

"You're all going free today." With a wave of his glowing horn, the chains and manacles vanished, allowing them to all stretch and flex their sore and atrophied muscles. The two pegasi, two unicorns and alicorn all still had black crystals attached to their wings and horns, however.

Fluttershy rubbed her forelegs and quietly cleared her throat. "Um, ex-excuse me, King Sombra, but...but why are you just letting us go? Not that we mind but is there a catch or something?" She whimpered when Sombra bent down to look her dead in the eyes. No matter how badly she wanted to look away, her eyelids stayed glued to her face.

"A very astute observation. The truth is, the price for your freedom is a little...high. Luckily, the princesses had the wisdom to agree to my demands and thus, you can all leave this place."

Spike gulped, "Wh-what do you mean, 'high?' What price did they have to pay?"

"Ya asked for tha Elements of Harmony, didn't ya?!" Applejack shouted loudly, her voice full of fear and worry.

The umbrum momentarily blinked before throwing his head back and madly cackling like a hyena at a comedy club. "Those worthless baubles? What in the world would I want those things for? What I want is far more valuable, ten times as beautiful and much, much rarer than that."

Cadence, who had her forelegss wrapped tightly around Shining Armor's neck, paused and stared bafflingly at Sombra, a sense of dread working its way into her chest. "What did you ask for?"

There it is...the Crystal Empire. The city had changed drastically since the last time that Twilight had seen it: the magical barrier surrounding it was a jagged, blood-red globe of crackling energy, giving her the impression that it was alive. The crystalline buildings were thorny black structures that resembled burnt, twisted trees that had refused to die. The castle itself didn't fare much better, transformed into a spiky, onyx-like fortress as green and purple flames spouted from random clifftops. The tallest spire was crowned with a black banner depicting Sombra's crown, waving triumphantly above the foreboding castle.

Peering through the light brown mist seeping through land, Twilight spotted the empire's inhabitants and the sight made her heart sink into her stomach. When she'd first arrived, the crystal ponies were ignorant about their misery, trying to get by in their day-to-day lives. The ones in front of her, however, were hopelessly dejected, fear and despair openly worn on their faces as they each scuttled shakily past one another. What did Sombra do to them?

Her thoughts were abruptly scattered when a shadow wove its way serpent-like through the landscape, sending crystal ponies fleeing for their lives and into the crystalline monstrosities they called homes. It slid past the barrier and instantly solidified into the grinning visage of King Sombra. Twilight's stomach did several backflips as she beheld the figure from her dreams, both enthralled and disgusted by the shadow pony. Crimson eyes fell upon her, the orbs softly burning as they beheld her with something akin to curiosity and beguilement, nothing at all like the shadow spawn she'd first encountered in what seemed like an eternity ago. What is going on with him?

"Twilight Sparkle, I'm so glad you could make it," Sombra smiled, his tone light and welcoming.

"Where are my friends, Sombra? We had a deal."

The umbrum's smile dissipated. "Very well then. So much for niceties." It was strange; he sounded as though he was hurt. He stomped one hoof and a large, multi-sided black crystal rose out of the ground right inside of the barrier. The front crumpled away to reveal all eight of Twilight's friends, trapped up to their necks in black crystals. Sombra lit his horn up and the crystals crumbled to pieces, allowing the eight to move. Seeing Twilight, they all burst past the barrier at break-neck sped, all except for Spike, who yelled and pounded his tiny fists against the magical wall as it denied him admittance.

"Spikey!" Rarity yelled and hit the barrier repeatedly. "Spike, hold on!"

"Remember Twilight, the hatchling stays with me until you're on the other side of that wall," Sombra reminded the unicorn, slowly snaking his way to her left side to whisper into her ear. "That was the deal after all."

"Twily, what's he talking about?" Shining Armor asked, his mouth hanging open.

Twilight pried her eyes away from Sombra's mocking smile to face her friends, who all gathered around her with the same question on their minds. With a heavy heart, she groaned, "Sombra offered me a deal: he would release all of you...on the condition that I stay with him...and become his queen." The words tasted of bile coming out, the reality of her predicament hitting her like a ton of bricks. As expected, she was suddenly bombarded by questions and angry protests.

"That's enough, everypony!" Cadence shouted, placing a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Twilight...I don't understand..."

"Neither do I but it's the price that was set and I...agreed to pay it."

"Yes, she did. Now, we go," Sombra interjected coldly. He made for the barrier only to find Twilight missing from his side. "Twilight, now!"

Tears built up in her eyes but Twilight forced them back, knowing that she had to be strong, if not for her sake, then for her friends'. "Could I have a moment to say goodbye? Please?"

Sombra rolled his eyes. "Fine. Make it quick."

Twilight turned back around to find Shining Armor had tackled her in a bear-hug, his shoulders shaking as he began to sob uncontrollably. Unable to hold them back, she let loose her own tears, frustrated with life and furious at the one forcing her to leave her friends and family behind. "I'll miss you too, Shining Armor."

"Don't go, Twily! You don't have to go!"

"I know." Twilight then said softy, "I don't want to go."

Shining Armor finally relinquished his grip on Twilight when Cadence lightly brushed a hoof against his shoulder and gave him a gentle loving glance. He sniffled and stepped aside, allowing his wife to pull Twilight into a much gentler hug.

"Cadence, I-..."

"Shh. It's okay. I know why you did this. I just..." The alicorn's voice cracked. "I'll miss you so much."

"Me too. Sunshine, sunshine ladybugs awake..."

"...Clap your hooves and do a little shake," Cadence finished, touching the tip of her horn to Twilight's. She then ran into Shining Armor's awaiting arms and began to weep. Twilight found Pinkie waiting for her, her coat a grayish-pink and her hair hanging deflated over half of her face. She then cried loudly, torrents of tears pouring out of her eyes like miniature waterfalls. Despite being the Element of Laughter, Pinkie was known to be very sensitive and morose on occasion, becoming an emotional wreck in situations like these.

"You can't marry that meany-bo-beany!" Pinkie screeched, burying her face in Twilight's chest. "IknowyoumadeapromisetoSombratomarryhimsohewouldletusgobutIdon'twantyoutogo!"

Twilight lifted Pinkie's face up and smiled, "Pinkie, do you remember when we first went out to find the Elements of Harmony? Do you remember what you said to me when we encountered those scary trees?"

"I told you that I...laugh the fear away," Pinkie replied through her tears.

Twilight nodded and wiped Pinkie's face. "I now need you to laugh the sadness away. Can you do that? For me?"

Whimpering softly, Pinkie choked out, "Cross my heart and hope to...to fly. Stick a c-c-c-cupcake in my eeeeeye!" Twilight placed Pinkie's head on her shoulder as the earth pony resumed her crying. Fluttershy led Pinkie away, smoothing out her dull mane and fighting the tears that streamed down her face too. She quickly hugged Twilight and managed a squeaky goodbye before joining Pinkie, the two tightly embracing one another as they cried for their friend.

"Applejack?"

Twilight suddenly found the orange mare with her arms around her neck, her face hidden beneath her signature hat. From the way she was shaking, it was evident that she was ready to ball her eyes out. Snaking her arms around Applejack's waist, she returned the hug and felt the cowgirl trembling against her.

"Twilight, ya don't let that scoundrel push ya around now, ya hear? Ah ain't gonna be able to protect ya in there so you've got ta do it yerself. Promise me?"

"I promise. Thanks for always looking out for me. You're the strongest pony I know."

Applejack pulled away, keeping her hat pulled down as she turned away. "No I ain't. That'd be ya." Without another word, she ran into Cadence and Shining Armor's arms and shuddered uncontrollably. It was hard for someone so tough and self-reliant to cry in public, since it denoted weakness to let yourself be seen as vulnerable. Twilight disagreed; letting others see your vulnerability was strength and she meant it when she said that Applejack was the strongest. When it came time for Rarity, the white unicorn's face was puffy and streaked with black from her running mascara, her blubbering loud and screechy. Her words were indecipherable through her sobbing but Twilight got the gist.

"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight found the Pegasus standing stiffly with her arms folded across her chest, her whole body shaking as she kept her lips tightly pressed together. She kept her eyes averted, as though even looking at Twilight was tantamount to staring into the sun. "Dashie?"

"I'm not dong it," Rainbow said though gritted teeth. "I'm not breaking down like everypony else. You can't make me."

Twilight sighed and gently eased her into a hug. "I know you're not. You're Rainbow Dash. The toughest, fastest, most awesome pony I've ever met and will ever know. I think I might miss you more than the others."

"Damn you!" Rainbow seethed and Twilight felt something wet hit her shoulder. "Don't look at me!" The hitched breathing and light sobbing told her that the prideful future-Wonderbolt had gone back on her word. Twilight did as she was told, instead looking at the clouds above and when she'd looked back, she found Rainbow Dash had already zoomed away, unable to say her goodbyes to a best friend nor let her see her as a weeping mare like the others.

"Alright, you've said your goodbyes. Come on," Sombra growled and began entering the barrier, glaring expectedly over his shoulder at Twilight. After giving her friends a long parting glance, she reluctantly followed the shadow pony and was immediately tackled by Spike, who, by the looks of his red eyes, had already gone through the crying phase.

"I...heard everything and I want you to know that you're the bravest pony that I've ever met and that you've been like a big sister to me." He smiled sweetly and pressed his cheek against Twilight's chest. "I love you, Twilight."

Lifting the dragon up in her arms, Twilight held him close as memories of Spike as a hatchling came pouring in. Evenings spent feeding him, reading him to sleep, rocking him in her arms as she sang a lullaby. She'd helped to raise him and dragon or no, he was her blood and that would never change. "I love you too, Spike. You're my little brother." The moment was cut short when all at once, Spike was yanked out of her arms and enveloped in a violent red aura.

"This is all very touching but I have a kingdom to run and a wedding to plan. Fare thee well," Sombra hissed and shoved Spike through the barrier, where he landed with a soft thud. The dragon growled and viciously attacked the barrier with all of his might but to no avail. Ignoring Spike, who began to spout obscenities that Twilight never would've dreamed he was capable of using, Sombra gestured towards a an enclosed, crystal pony-driven carriage. "Shall we?"

Author's Notes:

Yeah, this chapter was long but I'm glad I did it. It was a little tough writing how each character would deal with their emotions in this situation but I hope I did a good job.

I think Sombra's thoughts about wanting to strangle Pinkie Pie were added for comedic purposes but I don't feel that way. Pinkie Pie's my dream girl! Rarity, on the other hand, who else feels like it wouldn't be a loss if she..."went away?"

Chapter 7-Private Tour

The carriage ride to the castle was, oddly enough, filled with silence, giving Twilight plenty of time to think. The mare's thoughts were solely occupied by her friends and the pain she'd forced them to endure. It didn't matter that she agreed to this deal in order to save their lives; in the end, she put them through emotional and potential psychological distress. She only hoped that in time, they'd be able to move on and perhaps even forgive her. She couldn't say the same about herself.

With her mysterious captor thoughtfully staring out of the window, Twilight took a moment to get a good look at King Sombra, really observing his facial features for the first time. His fur was dark gray, like the color of ash after a campfire, his cheekbones high set and his chin strong and angular; the bone structure of a monarch. Sombra's wild, black mane flowed behind him and Twilight actually found herself imagining running her hooves through it. Brilliant scarlet eyes shone in the light, dominating dark scarlet pupils that seemed to burn with a life of their own. His chest slowly flexed with every breath, highlighting the strong, taut muscles that formed beneath his skin. All in all, he was actually quite attractive. For a sadistic, power-mad, evil ego-maniac, that is.

Twilight froze when she found Sombra's gaze upon her. "And how are you enjoying my company so far?"

With a gulp, she nervously tried to hide her apprehension at the sound of his voice, which was shockingly husky and velvet-smooth. "I, uh, so far so good." She forced a large grin, causing the umbrum to lift a skeptical eyebrow.

"Please, Miss Sparkle. I know you think very little of me. So far, I have been nothing but honest and straightforward with you, so I'd expect the same courtesy out of you." Twilight's smile quickly vanished. Sombra's tone was weary, hurt-sounding even. "Don't forget, I can pick up on negative emotions, such as your anger and fear." He tapped his dark red horn for emphasis. "I want you to be honest with me at all times."

Furious violet eyes met curious scarlet eyes. "Of course I'm angry! You just tossed Spike out of the barrier like he was a sack of potatoes! You kept my friends, my family…locked in a dungeon and now, I'm forced to spend the rest of my days away from my home and everypony I've ever loved to be stuck with a selfish, pompous, inconsiderate bastard!"

Sombra stared at the outstretched hoof then at the panting mare that raised it. "Is that all?" He asked with a playful little grin. "Oh, how I missed seeing this out of you! The spirit, the raw fire! This is why I chose you, Twilight. You're feisty, strong-willed, tough and smart. You don't even have a crown, yet you already have the makings of a queen."

Twilight's horn flashed a fiery raspberry light as she scowled, "I will never...be...your...queen."

To her absolute frustration, Sombra peered at her amusingly, his burning eyes twinkling mischievously. "Is that so? Well, I've waited a thousand years to be released from a cold, icy prison and back into a physical body. I can afford to wait for you to change your mind." His own horn glowed black and violet and suddenly, Twilight felt a sharp prickling on her horn as her magic sputtered and went out. Dashing around, she found the metal hoof-rail and discovered her horn was covered in small black crystals, similar to those on Shining Armor, Cadence and the others.

"Take them off right now!"

"Or what? You'll zap me with a pink laser beam?" Sombra tut-tutted Twilight as though scolding a petulant child. "I will remove the crystals once you've calmed down. You have my word."

"I'm calm," Twilight muttered.

"No, you're not. Incidentally, we're here." Twilight's fury took a backseat to shock at the sight of the redesigned Crystal Palace. The crystals that formed around it, which from a distance appeared midnight-black, were actually a dark purple with a soft, thumping glow like a heartbeat. Carefully sculpted and masterfully detailed statues surrounded the castle, each one multi-colored and in the shape of a rearing shadow pony, appearing to leap out at Twilight. A cadre of armored guards hurriedly formed a line on each side of the red carpet leading up to the castle entrance, their motions precise and mechanical.

An unnamed crystal pony, dressed in a black hoofman uniform, opened the carriage door and stood aside with a bow, allowing Sombra to exit with a flourish, his red and white-trimmed cape flapping behind him in the breeze. Offering a hoof frog-up, he stared expectedly at Twilight, flashing her a large grin. Hesitantly, she took the offered hoof, which took hers in a surprisingly delicate motion and gently led her out. She marveled at the softness of the umbrum's touch, leading her thoughts embarrassingly back to her dream back in Canterlot, the way those ghost-hooves touched her softly and intimately. Shooing away such flights of fancy, she found herself being led past Sombra's guards. They all stood ramrod-straight in their spiked armor and gray and black helmets, green lights shining ominously through their slit-like eyeholes.

"Is something amiss, Twilight?"

"It's...your guards. They're very creepy."

"Hmm. Then they're doing their jobs."

A pair of guards promptly opened the massive entrance doors and then closed them behind the new arrivals. The foyer was massive, ten times the size of the Golden Oaks library and featured a giant design of the Crystal Empire sigil on the floor. A massive, shimmering staircase lead to the upstairs and a multi-tiered chandelier hung from the ceiling, emitting a blinding light whenever the sun shined upon it. As Twilight looked around at the familiar settings, it dawned on her that Sombra, with his desire to twist beauty into ugliness, did nothing to change this part of the castle. If he went through the trouble to warp the castle's exterior, then why leave this vital part of the interior alone? Well, only one way to find out, I guess.

"Um, King Sombra?"

The umbrum stopped and laughed, a mocking, unpleasant sound. "'King Sombra?' If you're to be my wife and queen, there's no need to be so formal. 'Sombra' will do." A predatory grin lit up his face as he practically slithered over to Twilight, taking her hoof in his own with the same gentleness he showed before. "That is, if I get to call you 'Twilight.' Will that be alright, my sweet?" His lips hovered above her hoof, his breath lightly tickling her flesh.

It was difficult to read Sombra's expression, being somewhere between warm and friendly and dark and lustful. His eyes burned with desire but also held a sort of hopeful amiability, like he was yearning for her approval. Reluctantly, Twilight nodded and sighed with relief as Sombra withdrew his lips and relinquished his hold on her hoof. A crystal pony mare shyly scooted into the room and stood by awkwardly until caught by Sombra's gaze, shrinking slightly underneath his red eyes.

"Wonderful! Now, Amber here is to be your hoofmaiden; she is to follow your commands no matter what they are," He said, briefly shooting the crystal pony a warning glance. "She will now escort you to your room and will act as your guide should you decide to go anywhere else. The kingdom's your playground!"

"Wait, you mean I don't have to stay in the castle?"

Sombra snorted, "Of course not! You're free to go anywhere whenever you wish. My kingdom is your kingdom too. Except for my bedchambers. That place is off-limits unless I give you consent." He turned to leave when he clapped his hooves together and turned to face Twilight. "Right! I almost forgot!" With a flash of his horn, Twilight felt a soothing pressure relieve itself from her horn as little black crystal shards clattered to the floor. "I'm a stallion of my word. Dinner is at seven o'clock so don't be late!" And with that, he shifted into an amorphous shadow and zipped out of the room.

"My kingdom is your kingdom too."

Sweet Celestia, I'm going to be sick! Sombra's words echoed in Twilight's head as she stumbled around, looking for something to throw up in. Finding an empty flower pot, she emptied her stomach and laid dry-heaving on the floor, leaving the crystal pony to observe her worriedly. Gently helping Twilight to her hooves, the crystal pony smiled gently and wiped her mouth with her apron.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?"

Twilight looked at what she assumed to be a maid and replied with a shuddering nod. She was a lavender-blue mare with an orange mane done up in a bun, her pink eyes soft but also telling wordless stories of fear and distraught.

"I'm-I'm alright...Amber, was it? And you can call me 'Twilight.' I'm not royalty."

"But if you're marrying the king, then technically you are royalty...Twilight. Besides, His Majesty gave me explicit instructions to address you as 'Your Highness.'"

Patting the mare on the shoulder, Twilight replied, "Well, if I'm the future queen, then you must obey my commands, right? Then I command you to call me 'Twilight.' Sombra will just have to deal with that."

Amber smiled. "You are very brave, Twilight. I...I must show you to your room now. His Majesty doesn't like tardiness." And with that, Twilight was lead up the stairs and past numerous corridors, her every nerve on high alert for whatever dark and depressing lair "His Majesty" had picked out for her. They turned several corners until they had arrived at a light violet door. "This here's your room, Your High-oops, I mean, Twilight." The door swung open to reveal a simple, light blue bedroom with a balcony and a small alcove for a four-poster bed draped with indigo-colored silk drapes. The room also contained a large wardrobe, a writing desk and a private bathroom. It actually rivaled many of Manehattan's fanciest hotel suites but with none of the cost or traffic.

"Here's your key," Amber said with a little curtsy before handing over a small brass room key on a light purple ribbon. "His Majesty has already had the wardrobe filled with clothing and requests something nice for your dinner date. If you need me, there's a rope next to your bed. Pull it and I will come."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you Amber."

The crystal pony smiled and did another curtsy before closing the door behind her, leaving Twilight alone in her new room. This is...my room. In my castle. In my kingdom. With my fiancée. With a disparaging scream, she threw herself on the bed and began to viciously punch and kick the pillows, imaging each one of them as Sombra's smug face. She eventually tired herself out and curled up into a ball, wanting nothing more to be back in her bed, back in Ponyville, among her books and her friends. My friends... The epiphany hit her like a runaway carriage. I'll never see my friends again. She would never see Fluttershy's sweet smile or attend another one of Pinkie Pie's parties. No more boastful feats of awesomeness from Rainbow Dash or local gossip from Rarity. No more of Spike's sarcastic remarks, Applejack's apple pies or having Shining Armor ruffle her mane and call her "Twily."

Mom...Dad...Princess Luna...Princess Celestia… Twilight found her mind swamped with all of the faces she'd never see again, all the laughs she'd never share in or the memories to make. It would just be her, the big empty kingdom and the horrid stallion that ripped her from her home and forced her to be here. Not since Discord's attempts to break up the Elements of Harmony did she ever feel so hopeless. It didn't matter that she was in a beautiful, private suite; a prison cell was a prison cell, even if you dressed it up and called it a different name.

"I...I want to go home!" Twilight sniffled and buried her face into a pillow, keeping her weeping muffled up so that nopony could hear the sounds of her heart breaking.

Author's Notes:

Ooh! I bet many of you are hating King Sombra right now! Don't worry, there's some humanity to him. Just a smidge.

The design of Sombra's royal guards came from The Cutie Re-Mark-Part 1(MLP season 5, episode 25).

Chapter 8-The Dinner

Wait...wait a minute. Something's not right...

In a dreamless haze, Twilight felt a pair of hooves shaking her while a voice, somehow close yet faraway repeated her name over and over again. She tried shooing away the presence, only to have it persist in shaking her, this time even harder as the voice spoke louder. Twilight's eyes fluttered open, her vision clearing up to reveal a flustered-looking Amber standing over her, her hooves on her shoulders as she gave the half-conscious mare one last shake. With a groan, Twilight sat up and rubbed her head, blinking away the eye-crust of her nap. "Amber? What's with the frantic wake-up call?"

The crystal pony responded by throwing the covers off of Twilight and pulling her to her hooves, taking time to hastily brush her sleep-ruffled mane and fur. "Don't you remember His Majesty's dinner date? It's in one hour!"

Twilight stared incredulously at Amber. "You mean, I've been asleep all day?"

"Well...His Majesty thought you were exhausted from your trip and needed time to yourself. I didn't think you'd fall asleep!" Amber exclaimed, grabbing a towel from the wardrobe and pushing Twilight towards the bathroom. "Now get a shower and let's pick out your dress! King Sombra expects punctuality from everypony, especially his queen-to-be!"

Going by her hoofmaiden's fearful tone, she could tell that Amber was terrified by her ruler and decided to assuage her fears by getting a quick shower. The tub was porcelain and stood on old-fashioned claw foot pedestals which, along with the copper wall sconces and dark brown and egg-white floor tiles, gave the room an old, high-class look to it. These were temporary design choices Cadence and Shining Armor went with when they began renovating the castle and so far, Sombra did little to alter them. After turning on the saucer-shaped showerhead, Twilight set about washing her body and mane with jasmine-scented soap and berry shampoo. Even if Sombra was a short-tempered brute, he did go out of his way to provide Twilight with basic comforts. Simple, non-flashy gifts. Maybe he has potential after all. Wait, where the hell did THAT even come from?!

Wrapping towels around her head and waist, she rejoined Amber by the wardrobe as the crystal pony was hurriedly looking through several gowns. The first one was black and lacy, something a sexy widow might pick out for herself. Next, a poofy, navy-blue dress with a frilly sweetheart neckline and another that was slim, red and showed off a lot of leg. Who did he buy these for, an escort? Deciding not to answer herself, Twilight paused at a full-length, maroon gown with long sleeves, a draw-string top and a bodice. Not only was it one of the more conservative choices but it also would make her look like a princess. Or a queen.

"It's pretty, right?"

"Yeah...it'll have to do," Twilight replied unenthusiastically, dreading the forthcoming dinner while holding some distant, fleeting hope that Sombra would like her choice of dress.

Holding Amber's hoof, Twilight was directed towards the dining room, passing a darker part of the castle, one filled with low-lit rooms, black crystal walls and macabre statues, which were more fitting for the King of Shadows. Twilight momentarily paused to inspect the statues, wondering if their life-like details were due to them being petrified ponies before shuddering and decided she was better off not knowing. They stopped outside of a pair of dark purple and onyx doors, where a couple of Sombra's royal guards were stationed, the only indication of their living state being the steady rise and fall of their chests. From what she could glean, they were crystal ponies but since Sombra had little time to prepare an army, she theorized that they were being mind-controlled and while it fit with his modus operandi, it was still chilling to think about. How does it feel? Are they even aware that it's happening to them?

"Um, excuse me? Princess Twilight Sparkle is here to dine with the king?" Amber waved a hoof at the guards, who stepped out from in front of the doors, turned and faced one another in one solid movement, their steel-capped hooves clacking echoing throughout the halls. "Oh, um, th-thank you. Go ahead, Twilight."

The doors swung open wide with a creaking-thud and it was no mystery who was behind it. Alright, let's do this. There's nothing to be afraid of. Taking a deep breath, Twilight slowly walked past the guards, her skin crawling as they stood there unmoving, the green glow of their eye-slits appearing to follow her every hoofstep. Amber gave her a reassuring nod and smiled, despite the palpability of her fear and Twilight was actually relieved to know it wasn't just her. The doors closed themselves behind Twilight, causing her to jump slightly as a sinister yet inviting voice boomed:

"Good evening, my innamorata. My, you look ravishing."

The speaker was seated at the head of the massive oak dining table, a glass of wine telekinetically swirled around in front of his chest. He took a quick sip before setting the glass down and standing up to saunter around the table to his waiting guest. Lacking his usual attire of cape and armor, Sombra instead wore a wine-red waistcoat and pants combo with a black dining jacket and cravat, giving him the appearance of an 18th century aristocrat. Then again, being trapped in ice for a thousand years probably left him stuck in another time period. Taking Twilight's hoof, he placed a feather-light kiss on it and stared deeply into her eyes, his hypnotic gaze making the mare's knees buckle slightly. Alright, stop it! You're not some filly with a crush! Get ahold of yourself, damn it!

"Oh, um, thank you...Sombra. You look nice too."

The stallion's eyes seemed to light up at this remark and he chuckled slightly. "Thank you but clearly you are the one deserving of praise. You took such a simple garment and elevated it to something akin to angelic." Twilight's cheeks burned, both at Sombra's compliment and at his gaze. It wasn't that she'd never received praise from the opposite sex, it was just that it was usually some brash schoolcolt looking to blow off steam after a big quiz. With Sombra, however, he seemed to mean every word, his eyes drinking in the sight of her as if she were the only thing in the world. It was flattering-no, downright thrilling-but also somewhat uncomfortable. She almost let out a sigh of relief when Sombra let go of her hoof to push out her chair for her. "My lady."

Twilight took a few slow steps to her seat and gulped when Sombra pushed her chair in, his snout right next to her ear as he took in a whiff of her shampoo. Is he seriously sniffing my mane? What was more unsettling was the fact that she wasn't entirely creeped out by this and watched him take his seat on her left, his stride wide and confident. Most stallions she'd met like this were usually self-conscious jerks hiding their insecurities with false swagger but in her host's case...he truly believed in himself and owned it, a truly admirable trait. If it wasn't for his massive ego, it would've come off as, well, sexy. Ugh, did I just call King Sombra "sexy"?

"The chefs are preparing a nice pasta puttanesca with a Caprese salad side and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon."

"Actually, could I have a glass of water?" Twilight asked, absolutely on guard due to her host's dubious intentions, especially where alcohol was concerned. "I don't drink...wine."

Sombra grinned, allowing his fangs to peer over his bottom lip. "Of course, Twilight. Ivory Rook!" A light yellow crystal pony stallion with a blue mane made his way into the room, trying to balance being quick and efficient but slow and dignified. He was dressed in a black and purple tuxedo and bore a pin on his lapel bearing Sombra's insignia.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"The princess would like water instead of wine."

The stallion nodded and disappeared, shortly reappearing with a wheeled cart and after pouring Twilight a glass, bowed and scampered away. Twilight took a small sip of the water and looked back to where Ivory Rook had run off.

"You know, I'm not actually a princess."

Sombra shrugged, "So? If you're betrothed to a king, that makes you a royal, does it not?"

Twilight tapped her hooves together. "I suppose I can see the logic in that. After all, marrying into a patrilineal line does elevate one to...th-that's not the point. I don't feel comfortable with that title."

"But darling," Sombra smiled as he leaned forward. "If you can't handle being called 'Princess,' however can you expect to survive being addressed as 'Queen?' After awhile, you get used to it. I know."

This sparked Twilight's curiosity. "How did you become king of the Crystal Empire? I would've thought a crystal pony would be in charge, not an umbrum." Not only would she get background on Sombra but she'd also receive first-hoof knowledge on the history of shadow ponies, a subject most Equestrian history books shied away from or mentioned in one-sentence snippets. The researcher part of her brain would not let this go.

"I was born into royalty. My father was a king as was his father before him," Sombra replied as he stared bored into his wine glass. "The umbrum used to work as a patriarchal monarchy, with a few exceptions. My father then conquered the Crystal Empire, took a queen and then I happened. Nothing really much to it." Twilight frowned at this. A stallion as bold and egotistical as Sombra should be spilling his guts about his heritage and rise to power. Instead, he said very little and seemed to be almost ashamed of where he came from. Something of a contradiction, isn't he?

After it became clear that he was done speaking, Twilight peered around the room for a conversation starter when she spotted a gold-framed portrait hanging over the fireplace. She thought back and realized that while she hadn't actually been in the castle for very long, she didn't recall seeing any other paintings hanging up. It featured a slim, beautiful pure-white unicorn mare, her ivory mane wildly spilling down her shoulders while she gazed at the viewer with clear blue eyes. A strange, pink star-shaped birthmark appeared at the base of her horn and while she was smiling, it was evident that she wore a mask of immense pain and sorrow. It was like she was being forced to be happy.

"She's beautiful. Who was she?"

Sombra followed Twilight's gaze and replied somberly, "My mother, Queen Lumen Morningstar." She'd recalled that Sombra had mentioned his mother in his letter. Clearly she'd meant a lot to him, enough to hang up her portrait in an otherwise bare and impersonally empty castle. "But never mind her," Sombra said, suddenly perking up. "I want to learn about you. Tell me something about yourself." It was something of a jolt for him to switch moods so rapidly, obviously done to avoid giving out personal information. Before, Twilight had only seen the king as a cruel, black-hearted tyrant so it was a shock to see him upset about something. She decided to play along, if only to avoid an uncomfortable topic.

"Well, I have an adoptive older brother and I...spent most of my life in a library with my nose in a book..."

"Ah, a bookworm, I see! You look like the bookish sort. So you're beautiful and possess a brain! Wonderful!"

"...Right. And I grew up in Canterlot. I didn't have many friends growing up, due to the whole shut-in thing."

Sombra took another drink of wine. "I used to visit there, when I was younger. Of course, the 'Royal Sisters' weren't in charge at that time, barely out of earning their wings. Wasn't much of a place to look at. Ah, the food's here!" Several rather miserable-looking crystal ponies waddled into the dining room carrying plates of various dishes. Apart from the still-steaming pasta, there was salad, bread, fruit, pastries and some kind of tomato soup. It wasn't until Twilight's stomach angrily rumbled that she realized how famished she was. The king peered amusingly at her and raised his glass.

"Don't be shy, Twilight. Dig in."

Author's Notes:

The design for King Sombra's mother came from the title character of the 1982 animated film The Last Unicorn. There's a backstory that I will go into in later chapters but-spoiler alert!-it is rather...dark.

Sombra is definately a closed book but one that'll be read soon enough...

This was a fun chapter to write, since Sombra is just so much fun to write for! Twilight is definately out of element with this one! ;)

I know some (okay, all) of you are confused by Twilight's "adoptive brother" comment. I promise, I have an explanation.

Chapter 9-The Dinner Part II

The meal, although delicious and well-prepared, was somewhat tense for Twilight. For starters, Sombra made it a habit to constantly leer over her every couple of minutes. True, it was more subtle than the all-out drooling that she'd seen stallions do in Rarity's presence but it make her feel very self-conscious all the same. Due to her excessive studying as a filly, Twilight never got around to dating and was often oblivious to the stares of colts, which she sadly became more aware of as she got older. Apart from the umbrum's unnatural eye color, his gaze was also unnerving in how unflinchingly absorbed it was in taking in all of Twilight. She wasn't sure what was worse: the constant staring or how it put butterflies in her stomach.

"Sombra? Do you think you can stop staring at me like that?"

The stallion's face drooped somewhat. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Very."

Leaning back in his seat, Sombra scooched the chair an inch away from the table and nervously coughed into his hoof. "My apologies; it wasn't my goal. You're just so...beautiful. I just wanted you to know that because you seem to be unaware of it." The gentleness and sincerity of Sombra's words gave Twilight pause. While she never felt ugly-in fact, she often found herself to be plain-and was often told by her parents how pretty she was, she had never received the impression that she was all that attractive. Perhaps it was more than just lust that compelled Sombra to fawn over her.

"So...what is your favorite part? Of my face, I mean?"

Sombra leaned forward and smiled, only showing the very tips of his fangs. He scanned her from top to bottom before replying breathily, "Your eyes. I've never seen such a shade of purple before. It reminds me of the night sky." This held Twilight's attention. "When I was a colt, I used to watch the sun set. Just before the sun lowered, the skies would appear violet, bringing forth the night and with it, the true wonders of the cosmos. Most ponies would tell you that the night sky is just darkness but that isn't true. Dark blues, swirling magentas, light grays. Such beauty."

Twilight realized that she'd been holding her breath when she suddenly had to release it. The passion with which Sombra spoke and the far-off dreamy look on his face was captivating. For a brief moment, she forgot she was dining with her shadow-bending captor. She put a hoof to her chest to feel her heartbeat, which wildly thump-thumped away in her ribcage. "You know, I have a thing for star-gazing. Astronomy is one of my fortes."

"Really? Perhaps we should put your knowledge to the test sometime."

"I'd like that," Twilight said softly, fighting the blush that creeped along her cheeks. Easy girl; keep it together. The logical part of her mind chastised her for letting her emotions get the better of her and warning her not to fall for Sombra's bullshit. He was, after all, still a master manipulator and could be influencing her at this very moment. She returned to gaze to Sombra only to realize that he'd left his seat and was setting a record on an old phonograph.

"Can you believe it? A device of wood and electricity that plays music! What an age of wonders!" The needle slid across the record's surface, producing the sounds of an accordion mixed with a cello and a violin. This was soon followed by the rhythmic taps of Sombra's hooves as he stomped out the melody, swaying gracefully around the room. The violins became more prevalent, screeching along to the building drumbeat as a guitar wove its way in. Is this...tango music?

"Um, Sombra, what...-whoa!" Twilight was magically pulled out of her seat and thrown into the waiting forelegs of Sombra, her annoyance overshadowed by her surprise as one hoof placed itself on her waist and the other on the small of her back. That fluttery feeling in her stomach returned, not helped by the smoldering gaze Sombra cast down at her as he spun her around. Due to their size difference, he was lifting her up to meet her eyes, leaving the mare dangling a foot off of the ground. He walked backwards with a bounce, letting the music dictate his moves as the click-clack of castanets joined in the chorus. He then spun Twilight around so that her back was up against his chest.

"I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that you're here," Sombra sighed, sending a wave of pleasure rolling through Twilight as she felt his voice humming against her back. With another spin, she was once again brought face-to-face with the umbrum, his right leg stuck far out as he crouched down slightly with his left. "When you faced me for the first time, you stirred something within me, something I had thought to have been long dead and buried."

"I did?" Twilight asked, her voice coming out as a squeak. Sombra grinned as he suddenly bounced to his hooves and glided across the room, his movements flowing and precise. She had to admit: he certainly could move on the dancefloor. After a couple of twirls, Sombra dipped Twilight, his hoof snaking around to graze the back of her leg.

"You did. When others fled, you stayed your ground and fought me. Oh, the determination in your eyes, the fire in your soul! In that moment, I knew that you were special. What a mare!" Pulling Twilight back up, he bent slightly so he could wrap his left leg behind her own. The guitar strums picked up while accompanied by the steady bum-da-bum-bum of a drum. Twilight bit her lip, unsure of how much more of this extremely close-quarters and provocative dancing she could take. He's doing this on purpose! There's no way he can be clueless about how he's affecting me!

She was set down on her own hooves as Sombra prowled around her, his arms bent at his sides as one hindhoof was placed in front of the other. He waved a forehoof in front of Twilight's face and placed his arm around her to hug the air. He led her back and forth with a predatory grin, letting her know that yes, he was in control and would exert it whenever he wished. Those scarlet eyes shot Twilight a message, one that she could read all too clearly: "I want you and I want you now." She was then lifted up once more into the air to face her dance partner, who she was contemplating either hitting or kissing. Or perhaps both.

"I'm confused. Why go through all this effort? You could just mind control me like you did with the guards."

A vein momentarily popped on Sombra's furrowed brow and he quickly turned away so that he could face her again with a mask of flirtation. "Now why would I do that? As any hunter will tell you..." He paused to spin her around each arm and ended the dance with a quick dip as the music came to a close, his face dangerously close to hers. "...It's that chase that's really the fun."

Sweet Celestia, is he going to try to kiss me?! Shoving Sombra back, Twilight smoothed out her dress and took several deep, panicky breaths. Once she had regained her composure, she cleared her throat. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, Your Majesty, but looks like you're going to be chasing me for a very long time." She began to hurriedly march out of the room when a smooth and poised voice called out to her:

"Then let the chase begin."

With those five words, Twilight broke into a gallop, rushing past the guards with their stone-like stances and the life-like crystal statues, her head and chest pounding so loud it drowned out the world around her. She didn't stop running until she slammed and locked her bedroom door behind her. Sliding to the floor, Twilight gasped in air as she tried to put logic and reason into how she was feeling. She felt like a golden trophy coveted by a lecherous shadow demon. She felt like her fiancé and captor was deeper and more pony-like than he let on. She felt like some dark inner voice was calling out to out, offering her freedom and pleasure in exchange for her very soul, her core being.

…She felt broken.

Author's Notes:

Muy caliente! Things are really heating up!

I know some of you may see Sombra as some pig-headed, Gaston-type but his line of reasoning will be more apparent as the story goes on.

Can you really blame Twilight for her conflicting emotions?

Chapter 10-Research

Two days had passed since the dinner and Twilight hadn't seen Sombra since then, which was a relief to the unicorn as she needed time to think about her new environment as well as her feelings regarding the umbrum. He was vicious and perverted but also seemed to hold back an inner sadness looming inside of him, as if he were haunted by something terrible or even traumatic in his past. She shook her head. Now was not the time to think about Sombra or his supposed woes. Steeling herself, Twilight tip-hoofed past the masked guards, noting no changes in their breathing or posture. It would seem as though Sombra was a stallion of his word; she did have free range to explore the kingdom undisturbed.

Once she'd made it past the main entrance, Twilight wove her way into town, finding it harder and harder not to be infected by the same melancholy that struck its inhabitants. She thought it'd been a good idea for her and her friends to reawaken the crystal ponies' memories but in retrospect, it now seemed like a cruelty rather than a mercy. A forlorn shopkeeper briefly looked her way before getting back to sweeping his storefront, his eyes dull and empty. There was a time when the shopkeeper would've been ignorant of the reason behind his misery but now he and everypony else knew what the reason was. And it was all Twilight's fault.

The Crystal Empire Public Library was deathly silent, bearing all of the stillness and gloominess of a tomb. Despite this, libraries were a safe haven for Twilight, even the dust-covered derelict ones, and she could always find joy in burying herself in a book or two. Or twenty. Aside from the desire to get away from the castle, she also wanted to do research on Sombra, perhaps find something about him to help her crack the code behind his behavior and motives. After all, knowing is half the battle. Where did I hear that from again? Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin and shrugged, deciding that whatever it was, it probably wasn't important.

After ringing the bell at the front desk, she was met with a familiar elderly mare as she came in wheeling a cart piled with books. Amethyst Maresbury wiped her forehead and sighed, readjusting the large, round-lensed bifocals over her surprisingly vibrant purple eyes. The lilac-coated crystal pony moved with a spryness and vigorousness not expected in somepony her age. Noticing the unicorn, Amethyst cleared her throat and smiled, assuming her professional librarian posture and voice. "Hello again, how may I help you?"

Twilight's head dove to the left and right before staring right back at Amethyst. "You're...happy to see me?"

Amethyst chuckled, "Of course I am! You're that nice young mare that came here to visit and tried to fight off King Sombra. Which, between us, was so incredibly brave!"

"But...I failed. I couldn't save you or the Empire. I'm sorry."

The old mare surprised Twilight by placing a reassuring hoof on her shoulder and tutting at her. "Now, now, there's no need for that. The fact is, dearie, is that you fought for us. You could've run and tried to save yourself but instead, you stood your ground and reminded us of who we are. You're very brave, Twilight Sparkle. Of course, you're going to be needing it if you're going to marry that horrid Sombra and become queen."

"What?!" Twilight practically screeched. "How did you know that?"

Amethyst sighed, a long-winded sound. "Before you arrived, His Majesty gave a public announcement proclaiming that he was taking a queen and named you as his bride-to-be. Many of us were outraged by this. We knew that there was no way that you'd willingly agree to marrying that monster, not without him threatening you somehow."

It was actually nice and uplifting to hear that the crystal ponies didn't hate her, nor did they want her to marry the king. Looks like I might have some friends here after all. "Thank you so much, Amethyst. Anyway, I came here because I was hoping to find information about Sombra, particularly on his race, the umbrum."

"Hmm. That might be a challenge. Let me see the catalogue."

Searching through a series of wall-drawers, Amethyst returned with three small cards, each one a dismal faded yellow. "You might find something on the king in 'Royal History' and 'Genealogy' while anything on umbrums might be under 'General Reference,' 'Races of Equestria' or 'Species of the Realm.' Honestly, I'm not even sure there'd be anything for you to find, due to Sombra's need for secrecy. There's not much else I can help you with, I'm afraid," Amethyst said apologetically, her gaze cast downward wistfully.

Glancing at the cards, Twilight gave the librarian a quick hug and yipped, "No problem! Thank you for all of your help regardless!" before making a beeline for 'General Reference,' literally kicking up a cloud of dust as she fled.

Two and a Half Hours Later...

"Well...that was a chore!"

True to Amethyst's word, digging up on info about the King of All Monsters turned out to be like searching for a needle in a hay factory. After frantically and painstakingly searching the five sections twelve times, Twilight only found two books on the subject, one of which was your basic Charles Darwhinny zoological tome while the other a book on different Equestrian species. All information in the "Genealogy" and "Royal History" sections were missing; books with torn-out pages or missing records altogether. Whatever information was there, Sombra clearly didn't want anypony to find.

Dragging herself to the study area, Twilight started with the Darwhinny book, flipping through until she found:

Chapter XXXVIII---A Study on the Everyday Existence and Culture of the Dark and Nocturnal Species and Races

This looks promising! Twilight smiled inwardly as she read on, skipping past chimeras and cyclopes until she found the section on umbrums, her body shaking from excitement and anticipation.

Now we come to the more enigmatic of Equestria's dark races, those beings who are responsible for every campfire story and bump in the night: the umbrum. Known colloquially-and more appropriately-as "shadow ponies," the umbrum dwell somewhere between Equestria and the Shadow Realm, a supposed other-world where light does not exist and only darkness is given dominion. The umbrum are taller than your average Equestrian pony, with red glowing eyes--much like the flames of Tarturus--and lithe, onyx-black bodies, which are extremely malleable, being able to bend and contort by actually becoming living shadows themselves. As of yet, the umbrum have rejected all attempts to join Equestrian society, preferring to keep to the company of their own kind. Perhaps some day, Celestia-willing, we will unravel their macabre mystery, bringing light to the dark nature of the shadow ponies, of the umbrum.

"Wait, is that it? It can't be it!" Twilight searched through the book over and over again, certain that she'd missed something, positive that somepony as detail-oriented as Darwhinny couldn't possibly have documented such little information. Sliding the book aside with a groan, she magically flipped open An A-Z Analysis on Equestria's Races, hoping to find answers that Mr. Darwhinny failed to provide. "Let's see: 'Minotaur'...'Siren'...Ha! 'Umbrum'!"

Umbrum: Also known as a "shadow pony," "shadhavar" or "karkadann," an umbrum is a member of a mysterious race of pony-like beings that are believed to have come from another world, known in myths as "the Shadow Realm," though such a land's existence has yet to have been proven. An umbrum is identified by its fiery red eyes, black fur, dark flowing mane and ability to actually bend darkness to its will, even morphing into a sentient shadow. Although their origins are shrouded in mystery, it is said that the first umbrum Ahriman become one with the Primordial Darkness and all other umbrums were created by his shadow. Alas, since the apparent extinction of their kind, we may never learn more about the umbrums' culture, biology or origins. Perhaps it is better left forgotten.

Twilight slammed the book shut in frustration, once again cross by another dead end. She buried her face in her arms and banged them into the surface of the desk, barely registering the pain. She was frustrated, exhausted and wishing for something to smash into pieces; it was like being in school all over again. All I want are some answers! Why can't I find any stinking answers! Forget the hay factory, it was like trying to find a needle in a hay continent! This left Twilight wondering what could've possibly happened to the umbrum. From what she'd read, they were a race that had existed but then vanished, leaving nothing, not even their culture behind. It's like they just crawled out of the darkness...

Her head shot up as an epiphany jolted her body like a bolt of electricity. She turned her mind back to the book, about how it briefly touched upon a "Primordial Darkness." It sounded like a creation myth and if there's a myth, then there must be documentation on it! Both authors had mentioned something the umbrum believed which might mean that there was a chance that somepony had recorded their beliefs, or at least a fraction of it. And if she could find those beliefs, those myths, then that could lead to something about the umbrum, about Sombra!

Scrambling out of her chair, Twilight cheered, "Once more onto the breach, dear friends!" before rocketing back to the information desk and to a very alarmed Amethyst. After the two cross-referenced any books mentioning the "Primordial Darkness," the old mare directed Twilight to the "Myths and Legends" section, which proved to be a much more fruitful search than her previous one. Ignoring the rumbling in her belly, Twilight meticulously checked over every book on Equestrian cosmology myths, taking notes and digesting every word and letter like a three-course meal. She halted when one book, Hesijog's Theogoneigh, caught her attention:

Long before the founding of Equestria, when the universe was young and the stars not yet alight, there existed six consciousnesses known as the Primordial Ones, from out of the void they came. First Darkness came to be, but next followed by Chaos and Light, then Time and Life and finally Death. To each the Primordial Ones were given dominion over a share of the earth and with them, a representative. The unicorn Ahriman came to be the vessel of Darkness, the father of the Shadow Ponies. The draconequui claimed Chaos as their lord and master, those discordant serpents retreated to their world and to their wiles. Light had been claimed by the alicorns while it is said that the lone mortehippus was the bearer of Death. Time was claimed by none while Life called all creatures unto its bosom.

While Twilight was unfamiliar with the term "mortehippus," she had a pretty good idea what old Hesijog was getting at: six gods or cosmic beings supposedly existed and merged or interacted with the different races of Equestria. As a draconequus, it made sense that Discord would be the bearer of Chaos while alicorns like Celestia and Luna used Light to guide the ponies and protect them from evil. She flipped back to her notes, recalling how she'd found a passage detailing how the umbrum believed that their chosen element the Darkness actually spoke to them, aiding them in their actions. "The umbrum claim that the personification of Darkness was a living presence and appeared as voice in their heads, instructing them on how to manipulate their shadowy forms and use dark magic." Finally, a lucky break! But how to use this information?

Author's Notes:

This chapter was to show a little bit of how the crystal ponies were faring under Sombra's reign but mostly to delve more into the umbrums and what they are exactly.

Incidentally, Ahriman (or Angra Mainyu) is the Zoroastrian god of darkness and opponent of their god of light Ahura Mazda.

Shadhavars and karkadanns are both legendary Arabic creatures resembling unicorns.

Charles Darwhinny=Charles Darwin

Hesijog and Theogoneigh=Hesiod and Theogony

I apologize for the fault with the puns. Those responsible have been sacked.

By the way, the term "mortehippus" is one that I invented and I plan to implement it in another story. If you wish to use it, please ASK FIRST. Okie dokie lokie?

Chapter 11-Fatherly Advice

"Um, Y-your Majesty?" Rubinstein squeaked, trying to get the attention of the angrily pacing umbrum, his metal-tipped hooves furiously thump-clacking dents into the floor as he muttered to himself. Those who personally served the king knew of his habit of speaking to a voice in his head, something he addressed as "The Darkness" and would intermittently start talking to it at random intervals. Sombra could be eating supper or dictating notes when he would start muttering to himself out of the blue, a habit that only further added to the overall displeasure that the purple crystal pony felt serving him. Well, him and all of the other servants and staff. At the moment, it seemed like the king was talking to "The Darkness" about his queen-to-be, who Rubinstein found to be actually sweet and endearing. So why is such a cheerful and polite mare like Twilight Sparkle marrying a cruel and deranged brute like King Sombra?

"Because I said so, that's why! I'm the king and that means I get to marry a mare of my choice," Sombra shot back at the Darkness, fed up with its plain disgust at the thought of the umbrum wedding a commoner.

True but why this particular mare? Princess Cadence would've been a far more suitable choice. She was already designated as the new sovereign of this land. Marrying her would've made the takeover more official. Plus, she's a princess and an alicorn.

"You have a point but I didn't want to add fuel to the fire by demanding the hoof of Princess Celestia's favorite niece! Better her prized pupil than her own flesh and blood. Besides, she's already married and I'm not going to degrade myself by trying to rub another stallion's rhubarb."

Is this pride talking? Who cares if she's already taken?

"I do! This is not up for discussion! I chose Twilight Sparkle as my queen and that's that!"

Sombra slammed his hoof down for emphasis, though it was a futile gesture considering he was attempting to intimidate a disembodied voice, one that only he could hear. He sighed and emptied his wine glass, smacking his lips as he took in the smoky taste. "Rubinstein!"

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Have Sand Arrow and Check Mate bring up another barrel of wine. I'm feeling especially parched today."

The crystal pony bowed and scurried off, almost hitting Twilight Sparkle as she apprehensively entered the room. Sombra turned and spread his arms out joyfully. "Ah, Twilight. It's been too long. Welcome, my dear. How might I assist you?" The mare looked around, clearly uncomfortable by the fact that she was currently standing in his private-and rather spacious-bedchambers. For once, Sombra didn't look at Twilight's body, instead focusing on the intense gleam in her violet eyes. They were bright and full of knowledge, with just a bit of fire lurking behind them. Well, what do you know? He thought amusingly to himself. There's a physical trait I'm liking about a mare that has nothing to do with her body.

Twilight finally stated, "I was at the library and I was trying to look up information about you, about umbrums."

"Is that so?" Sombra was intrigued. "And did you find anything?"

She paused to pull a few sheets of paper from out of her saddlebags. "From the few books I could locate, I found that umbrums have a legend about a pony named Ahriman and his connection to the 'Primordial Darkness.'"

Though it was barely imperceptible, Sombra's facial muscles twitched with surprise. How did she find out about that? I had every book on the matter either removed or destroyed! I was very thorough! When Sombra took over the Crystal Kingdom, he knew that any information about umbrums would prove dangerous in the wrong hooves and could inspire rebellion in his new slaves. So, he did what any rational overlord might: he had the library scourged of anything dangerous to his reign, including anything pertaining to his father, mother or family lineage.

Not thorough enough it would seem. There was a chance that something would've fallen through the cracks.

Ignoring the Darkness, Sombra forced a grin and asked pleasantly, "Ah, yes, I remember that from my days as a young colt. It's an old myth, nothing more. What did you learn about the Primordial Darkness?"

"Well, it's one of the Primordial Ones, a group of cosmic beings that supposedly came into existence at the start of the universe. One of the beings, the personification of Darkness, apparently chose the unicorn Ahriman as its vessel or representative and he in turn became the father of the umbrum race. Other than that, I couldn't find anything."

Sombra shrugged casually, "Perhaps it's for the best. I'm the last umbrum so what does it matter?" He then boldly approached the unicorn, catching the flicker of fear in her eyes as she tensed up. He leaned in closely, so much that he could smell her breath. "Then again, I don't have to be, do I?" Sombra's voice dropped to a husky whisper, sending goosebumps popping up all over Twilight's flesh. Why do I find her so irresistible?

A hoof hit Sombra in the center of his chest, shoving him away as Twilight faced him angrily, her glow glowing threateningly. "What happened to you? How can you be so cold-hearted and-and repulsive?! Were you ever even remotely decent?" Astonishment gave way to admiration, as Sombra considered the mare. It was like their first meeting, which seemed ages ago and the fire that was present then was there then, radiating off of Twilight as she faced him down. To Sombra's own shock, looking back on that day lead his mind towards going back further to another day, one that would forever help to cement his destiny as the future King of Shadows.

"It was...a very long time ago," he answered in a serious, almost pained tone, causing Twilight's horn to stop glowing as she stared at him uncertainly. "But I had to grow up. I had to kill the colt so that the stallion could live." He turned away from Twilight, who thought over his words and struggled for a response. Sombra, on the other hoof, no longer thought about the unicorn, instead finding his brain occupied by a memory. A memory that continued to fester in his mind like a fresh battlefield wound, the reminder of a war he'd started and had yet to win centuries ago...

Young Sombra was unceremoniously dropped to the floor, his flank and left hind leg aching from the slight fall. Wincing slightly, he froze when the stallion in front of him glared at him, deep breaths being exhaled from his flaring nostrils. King Erebus resembled a grown-up version of his son except he was more muscular with broader features and kept his mane and beard long and wild, like black banners on his face and scalp. He also bore a deep scar on the right side of his face, plunging over his eye, down his cheek and over the edge of his lip, giving him the appearance of always scowling on that side. What was truly horrendous was how the king gained it; Sombra was there and would never forget it for as long as he lived.

"What were you doing?! I didn't give you permission to leave the castle!" Erebus roared, shaking the room with his voice.

"B-but Father, I just wanted to make some friends and I thought...-"

"You thought what? They'd just hop up and down with joy at the notion? Bah, what naivety!"

Sombra dragged his front hoof along the stone floor in little figure-eights. "The filly seemed, well, not so bad." His cheeks flushed at the memory. "And she-she was pretty too!" He nearly screamed when a green corona surrounded him and dragged him up to his father's scowling face.

"Of course she was! They all are! Mares-and by extension, fillies-are the most conniving, devious creatures in all of Equestria! Once they have your heart, they own you. Now, what have I told you? No pony will ever want to associate with you, especially mares! Nopony could ever love an umbrum." He closed his good eye and Sombra once again fell painfully to the floor. The colt whimpered softly, wanting his mother now more than ever. It'd been almost six months since her death and at that point, he would've given anything to see her again. No, no! Don't think about her! Not like that!

King Erebus slowly circled his son, with Sombra feeling as though he were a deer being swarmed by a school of bite-acudas. "You have to grow up, Sombra, if you ever wish to one day succeed me and be king. You have to become strong, merciless, ready to do what must be done. You must kill the colt so that the stallion may live."

"I don't understand, Father."

"I know you don't. Yet. You are still young and full of fear. It's time that I showed you the Gateway."

Sombra scurried away but was caught by two armored sentries, their faces hard but sympathetic. "No, not the Gateway! Please, don't do it! Father, please!" His cries went unheard however, Erebus coldly regarding his offspring before turning on his hind hoofs and stomping away, the guards following closely behind with a thrashing Sombra in their clutches. From what Sombra had read, the Gateway of Phobetor was the most dangerous of the umbrums' relics, one that could drive a creature to insanity if entered. And Sombra was twelve, which meant that he was old enough to pass the initiation. He would face his greatest fear and thereby conquer it. At least, he hoped he would.

They traveled past the throne room and down a secret passageway, which lead into the catacombs that lay hidden deep beneath the castle. After half a mile, they stopped in front of what appeared to be a simple wooden door, with a large gem at the center of its lintel. Channeling his dark magic into the gem, Erebus unleashed a blast of black energy, charging the gem and unlocking the Gateway, which began to open with a blinding light that poured out of it.

"It is time, my son. Embrace your destiny. Fear is the greatest tool, the best teacher. Learn from it."

Seeing how much nearer he got to the relic, Sombra kicked and thrashed as hard as he could but the guards never relented, holding onto him until he was directly in front of the door. The guards finally relinquished their grip, leaving Sombra at the Gateway's mercy. He wanted to run, flee from this accursed place, but found to his own horror that he could not. Every muscle in his body refused to obey him, leaving him petrified on the spot as the door swung all the way open. A blinding light enveloped Sombra, tugging at his flesh and yanking him into it. A scream erupted from his throat and he fell downward, deep down into the darkest recesses of his mind, into the place he dreaded to venture.

Author's Notes:

The line, "Kill the colt so that the stallion may live," is based on "Kill the boy so that the man may live," which I borrowed from A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones. It's just such an impactful line and I knew that I had to incorporate it somewhere.

Wow, that's the second GOT reference I've made in this story. Huh.

The rhubarb line was lifted from Batman (1989). Such a funny line.

So what did young Sombra see behind the door?

Chapter 12-Puzzle

Despite the highly therapeutic peace and quiet of the library, Twilight's mind was anything but, her thoughts swirling around like the eye of a hurricane. Shutting the book she was reading about the history of the Crystal Empire-the eighth volume no less-and rubbing her eyes, she sighed and leaned back in her chair. After the tense moment with Sombra in his bedchambers, during which the king finally revealed something about himself, the butler Rubinstein returned with news regarding a barrel of wine and Sombra snapped out of his contemplative mood to carry on as though nothing had happened. When Twilight asked him to elaborate, he promptly showed her the door, promising to see her at dinner. Defeated, she made a beeline for the library and tried to forget the experience altogether.

Except I can't. Ugh, that umbrum is driving me insane! Placing the book back onto the shelf, Twilight stretched her legs and sighed relievedly as she heard a couple of small pops. Feeling that the library was somehow restrictive, a notion that the bookworm never even dreamed that she'd ever consider, she decided to have a walk around town, hoping a little exercise might screw her head on straight. Bidding Amethyst farewell, Twilight descended the library staircase and past the twin emerald griffons that guarded its entrance, their pupil-less gazes seeming to follow the mare as she made her way into town. Carefully navigating her way past a spiral of jagged black crystals, she couldn't help but feel dread at the state of this once beautiful land.

A high-pitched, almost musical sound erupted in the air, momentarily taking Twilight back as she recognized the sound but figured that it must've been her imagination. She shrugged and continued onward when she heard it again. There's no way that it could be...laughter? Peering past some bushes, Twilight's jaw dropped at the sight of five crystal pony foals rolling a multi-sided crystal ball along the ground, giggling and whooping as they galloped to and fro. All across the Empire, Twilight had only seen miserable faces and heard despondent voices and yet, here was a group of foals just happily playing as if they didn't live in a dictatorship. What in the name of Celestia is going on? Well, only one way to find out.

"Hi there, kids," Twilight began, noticing the total lack of fear or suspicion from the young ponies at a stranger addressing them. She'd read that crystal ponies were very a very tight-knit race, valuing trust and community above all other things. It was completely safe and normal for children to hang around strangers or dine in their homes with no fear of ill intentions. The foals all looked uncertainly at one another before bending their knees and bowing.

A filly replied, "We're playing, Your Majesty," a slight lisp in her voice. She possessed a grayish vermilion coat and a curly magenta mane that had a stripe of spring green running through its center.

"Please, call me 'Twilight.' I'm not comfortable with a title I didn't earn. And what's your name?"

"I'm Peridot but my friends call me, 'Peri.'" The others nodded their heads in conformation before all sitting in a semi-circle around Twilight, intrigued by the arrival of their important visitor, their hexagonal eyes aglow with awe.

Twilight smiled and looked at little Peri, noting that she'd no doubt make a lovely young mare once she grew up. "Well Peri, I was wondering how...how is it you and your friends are so...happy?" It was difficult to ask that question without sounding weird but the children all laughed and it was clear that it was one of mirth rather than mockery.

Peri shrugged, "I'm not sure I understand, Twilight. We're happy 'cause we are."

"Yeah, how come that's odd?" A grayish-cyan colt asked, shaking his light green-maned head.

Oh, how to explain this?! Twilight scratched the back of her head. "It's just that...since I've been here, I've noticed that the adults are very...unhappy. And when I heard you laughing and having fun, I thought it was weird that you weren't unhappy too. King Sombra hates happiness and laughter." At the sound of the umbrum's name, the foals all did a strange gesture involving tapping their front hooves together, placing them above their hearts and then, with their hooves still touching, rotating them clockwise over their chests and stomachs.

"Nasty King Sombra makes everypony sad. My mama told me he cast a spell to take joy away but it didn't affect us or any of the other kids." Another filly answered, this one with a brilliant yellow coat and cornflower blue mane.

Twilight mulled this over, trying to make sense of the Empire's ruler in light of this new information. Sombra gains power through fear and misery, this much I've already figured out. So why leave the foals alone? Surely their negative emotions would be much more potent due to their young ages. It just doesn't add up. After going through all of the extra effort to keep an entire kingdom emotionally crippled, it was simply mind-boggling why such a cruel and power-hungry sorcerer would exclude such a reliable source of magical nourishment.

"Thank you so much, children," Twilight beamed as she rose to her hooves. "You've helped me out so much."

"Will you come back to play with us?" Peri asked through large gamboge-orange eyes.

Gently ruffling the giddy filly's mane, Twilight nodded, "Of course I will. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," finishing with her hoof over one eye. The foals all giggled and repeated the gesture, which awoke Twilight to the fact that she'd unconsciously made a Pinkie Promise. Oh Pinkie, I miss you more than you know.

"My goodness, would you look at the size of it!" Amber gasped, closely inspecting the diamond necklace, holding it up to the light so that it sent little box-shaped bits of radiance around the room. "His Majesty must really like you!"

Twilight glanced at the excited hoofmaiden through half-lidded eyes, disinterested in yet another shiny bauble from her fiancé. Ever since her arrival, he'd brought her many "tokes of affection" such as flowers, gemstones, pretty dresses and now jewelry. Uncomfortable with the gifts, she gave them all to Amber to return them to the king, who was less than happy that his presents were being callously returned. All except for the flowers, which Twilight ripped apart and threw in the trash. It was mean but keeping them meant that she held some sort of favor with Sombra.

So you're not even a little interested in Tall, Dark and Unequivocally Evil?

She wouldn't give her conscious the satisfaction of a retort so she stayed silent. The unintentional Pinkie Promise made Twilight sick with longing for her home and friends, leaving her a brooding, unenthusiastic mess. She tried distracting herself with the mystery of why Sombra spared the Crystal Empire's foals of his dark magic, but her mind drew only blanks, focused only on how much she missed her friends. Since returning to the castle, Twilight skipped lunch and stayed in bed, unable to do anything else without conjuring up memories of her happy times in Ponyville. She could almost taste one of Applejack's pies or smell the gallons of perfume in Rarity's boutique. There wasn't anything in all of Equestria she wouldn't give up to hear Fluttershy's sweet voice or Rainbow Dash's brash, egotistical boasting. Nothing could beat the warmth-or bone-crushing discomfort-of a patented Pinkie Pie hug.

"I miss you all!" Twilight cried aloud and stuffed her face into her pillow, the sounds of her sobs muffled by the soft fabric.

Author's Notes:

Aw, that was such a sad chapter!

Next Time: We see how the ponies (and dragon) in Twilight's life are handling in their friend's absence.

For some reason, I pictured little Peridot as sounding cuter with a lisp. Is that wrong?

Chapter 13-The Mare Who Laughs

Mrs. Cup Cake wiped her brow, cleaning it of the slight bit of perspiration before turning to face her next customers, a young couple with large grins plastered on their faces. They were no doubt still stuck in the "honeymoon phase," that early period in a relationship were everything is bliss and happiness, where you and your significant other feel as though you are soul mates through and through. I give it two months before they start bickering and sniping at each other. While she was an ardent proponent for romance, Mrs. Cake was a practical mare and could tell when two ponies were meant for each other or just infatuated. After showing the couple to their table, she stopped to gaze at Mr. Cake as he made his way into the kitchen, noticing his short orange mane and soft amber coat. My, I am such a lucky mare!

Despite how early it was in the day, Mrs. Cake was shocked by how packed Sugarcube Corner had become, bewildered by the sudden lunch rush but deciding that it did her no favors to question a good thing. Delivering a plate of cinnamon rolls to a mare and her daughters, she caught a glimpse of Pinkie Pie setting some frosted strudels on a table and calmly telling the patrons to enjoy their meal before walking away. Ever since Twilight Sparkle's departure, the specifics of which none of the remaining Elements of Harmony were willing to divulge, a very noticeable change had taken hold of the pink mare. She no longer bounced or talked incessantly, instead replying in short, level answers and always acted as though she were half-awake at all times, lacking her usual alarming levels of energy. Her once poofy mane was now long and straight, kept tied back in a ponytail while her raspberry coat had turned a horrendous grayish pink hue.

What was truly awful, however, was Mrs. Cake's inability to help her tenant and friend, who absolutely refused to discuss what had happened with Twilight, instead parading around as though nothing was wrong. Once the two were alone in the kitchen, she set aside her clump of dough and rolling pin just in time to see Pinkie gazing off morosely into space. "Pinkie, are you alright?"

Shaking her head, Pinkie reattached the big grin she wore nearly 24/7 and nodded. "Of course I am, Mrs. Cake. Why wouldn't I be?" It was a difficult decision for Mrs. Cake to agree on what was worse: the clearly fake and toothy smile Pinkie gave to everyone in public or the immense pain and sadness she was evidently carrying with her at all times. "Were my strawberry swirl cupcakes with extra sprinkles not yummy enough? I could add more strawberry or sprinkles."

"N-no, it's fine. They're great and the customers love them. It's just that...hmm, how do I say this? I'm very worried about you, dear." While the edges of Pinkie's mouth never wavered, they did twitch slightly, throbbing gently as though they were alive and very angry.

"Aw, no need to worry about me, Mrs. C," Pinkie replied through her grin, which was now starting to become very unsettling. "I'm feeling just supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." She then pulled a tray of coffee cakes out of the oven and began applying a thick cinnamon coating, her left eye spasming faintly. Mrs. Cake frowned, not fooled by Pinkie's causal made-up word usage or her somewhat calm tone. There were nights when she and her husband could hear crying coming from the bedroom above theirs, alternating between mad sobbing and quiet whimpering. Whatever happened to her friend had the poor mare twisted up like a pretzel and not acting her much more lovable happy-go-lucky personality.

"Alright, if you say so." Mrs. Cake placed her cookie sheet in the oven was ready to exit the kitchen when she sighed and turned to face Pinkie, who was humming a little tune without her usual bubbly excitement. "Pinkie?"

"Yes, Mrs. Cake?"

The light cerulean mare sighed. "I just want you to know that if...you ever want to talk, my door is always open." For a brief glimpse, Pinkie's mask seemed to shatter, the sorrowful little filly breaking the surface as her smile drooped and her eyes dulled from exhaustion for playing such a demanding role. But then, the mask was reformed and Pinkie nodded.

"Okie dokie lokie. Thanks for the advice, Mrs. C."

Her attempts at aid politely declined, Mrs. Cake grabbed a tray of cookies and walked back out the kitchen door, missing the tear that raced down Pinkie's cheek on onto the counter.

The rest of the day raced by and for that, Pinkamena Diane Pie couldn't be for thankful for that. Man, who knew forcing a smile in public for hours on end could hurt so much? She thought as she stared into her bedroom mirror, rubbing at her aching cheeks and noting the gray color of her coat. Not even the Cloud Cuckoo Lander that was Pinkie Pie could ignore how clearly depressed and non-vibrant she was, silently wallowing in self-pity while ignoring her duties as Equestria's Premiere Party Planner. It had been three days, forty-eight minutes and sixty-two seconds (in counting) since Pinkie last threw a party, even for something as insignificant as Mr. Sand Trap's hip replacement, which definitely improved his golf swing.

Untying the scrunchie that held her mane back, Pinkie let it fall over her shoulder and half of her face, making her look as bad as she felt. She sighed loudly and threw herself on her bed, burying her face into her arms, groaning at the tons of stress that she was under. The bed moved slightly and Pinkie picked her head back up, coming face-to-face with a pair of large, pale purple eyes. The alligator licked the tip of her muzzle and lazily blinked at her.

"Hey Gummy. Are you hungry boy?"

The alligator stared blankly ahead.

"What do you mean, 'Stop this foolishness?' There's no foolishness-ness going on!"

Gummy kneaded the covers with his tiny claws.

"What? I am too perfectly happy! That's me: happy, happy, happy!"

Pinkie glanced at Gummy licking one unblinking eyeball. She gasped, "Gummidemus Licks-A-Lot Snap, I should wash your mouth out with soap for using such language! I am NOT a sat-tur-ninely, lee-thar-gic mope! Whatever that is."

Slowly blinking one eye after another, Gummy curled up on the bed and began to gnaw on his tail.

Pinkie sighed, "Yes, I know I'm faking it. But you don't understand! I made a Pinkie Promise to Twilight to be happy and that's what I have to do. I'm doing this for her and besides, you can't make a Pinkie Promise and not not go back on your word." She brought Gummy close to her and put her arms around him. "I miss Twilight so much. By this time, she'd be flipping out about something tiny or explaining in big words why something wouldn't work." She sniffled but no tears came forth; Pinkie had promised her friend to laugh the sadness away, even if the joy was fake. Despite being a lump of misery, Pinkie Pie tried to ensure her smile stayed on. After all, she'd made a promise and she was a mare that kept her promises. Even if they killed her.

Author's Notes:

The title of this chapter comes from the Victor Hugo novel, The Man Who Laughs, which is about a sideshow freak whose face was mutilated to resemble a huge grin. No matter what happens to him, he always has a smile on his face. Man, Victor Hugo was such a downer!

I came up with "Gummidemus Licks-A-Lot" for Gummy's first and middle name because, well, Pinkie Pie seems like the type to give her pet a full name.

Chapter 14-Feelin' Rotten

Bam! The orange earth pony's powerful hindlegs gave the tree trunk another kick, sending a cluster of ripe apples tumbling into the basket beside her, filling it up as Applejack removed her signature hat to wipe the seat off of her head with her arm. For the past few days, she'd been working tirelessly to get a head start on apple-bucking season, figuring that it was better to begin early than to finish late. She checked the tree of her list, which stated that it was her twenty-fifth of the day, and gave herself a pat on the back. Dang, twenty-five in one afternoon? That's a new record!

"Heya, Sis? Don'tcha think yer workin' yerself just a little too hard?" Apple Bloom asked, trying to keep the worry out of her voice as her sister began pounding on another tree trunk.

"What'cha talkin' about, Apple Bloom?" Applejack asked between blows, apples descending from the tree like raindrops. "There's lots of work ta be done and Ah'm just makin' sure it gets...done!" Whirling around, she grabbed the basket with her tail and, in a fluid motion, caught the falling apples and filled the basket to the brim. "Besides, Ah like keepin' myself busy," she panted through the sweat and hard breaths of fatigue. "It's like tha old saying goes: 'No hard work, no gain.'"

"Ah'm not sure tha's how it goes," Apple Bloom remarked skeptically, grinding her teeth as the next few whacks boomed in her ears. "Applejack, Ah think ya should slow down an' relax fer a couple of days!" She shouted, her tiny voice unable to be heard over the blows on the wood. "We all know tha the thing with Twilight is rough on ya but Ah think yer overdoing it! Ya need a rest; ya hardly eat or sleep!"

As suddenly as it appeared, the banging stopped and Applejack peered over at Apple Bloom curiously. Heaving in a few breaths, she asked, "Ah'm sorry, Sugar Cube. What did y'all say?"

The filly huffed in annoyance. "Ah think ya should take a break. Look at ya! Yer exhausted!" Applejack, despite her hard-working, down-and-dirty nature, still always made herself presentable, washing her coat and keeping her blonde hair tied neatly back. Now her mane was dingy with split ends and hung in a matted clump while her coat was practically always covered in dirt and twigs. She stood on wobbling legs and, due to her custom of skipping meals to do farm work, had lost much weight. It was a miracle that she had as much strength and energy as she did.

"Ah can rest when tha work's done an' it's time to go to sleep."

"Ya hardly sleep!" Apple Bloom frustratingly yelled. "Ya just work, work, work an' that's about it!" She sniffled and fought to hold back her tears, her gaze angry but also hurt and sympathetic. "Ya don't eat, ya don't sleep, ya just work and let yerself waste away." The tears came flowing, leaving Applejack speechless. "Ya don't ever have time fer me or Big Mac or anypony else. Ya don't even feed Winona or take her out on walks anymore. Ah know you're hurtin' 'cause of Twilight not being around but it's still no excuse! The more ya push away the ponies tha love ya, the further away they're gonna be until one day ya can't even see them anymore!"

"Aw, Apple Bloom..." It pained to see the hurt on her sister's face and she felt awful for being the reason behind it. She stepped forward to hug her but Apple Bloom shuffled away and ran off towards the house, her sobs audible in the distance. With a heavy, regretful sigh, Applejack plopped down onto the ground and rubbed at her face irritatingly. "What have Ah turned into?"

Ever since Twilight vanished behind that magical barrier, Applejack felt as though she'd been gut-punched repeatedly by a buffalo with a muscle spasm. Nightmares soon followed so she refused to sleep and when food was presented to her, a sickly feeling developed in her stomach so she refused to sleep. At first, apple-bucking served as a distraction but it soon turned into something akin to an addiction, a way to dull the pain for her friend's absence. Apple Bloom was right; in her haste to forget her agony, Applejack had forgotten to take her friends and family into consideration. She rose to her hooves. "Ah've got ta make this right."

The Apples’ family home was naturally fragranced with the scent of freshly-baked apple pie as, like clockwork, Granny Smith tended to her baked goods in the kitchen. Seeing the elderly matriarch hard at work making scrumptious goodies and humming to herself brought a proud smile to Applejack's face. Inhaling the cinnamon-infused aroma, she panted gently as she stumbled into the kitchen, a room she hadn't visited in days. A wave of happy memories washed over her and she bit her lip to keep it from quivering. Granny Smith turned and greeted Applejack.

"Hey there, how've ya been? Long time since Ah last saw ya," the old mare smiled warmly. Without warning, Applejack dove forward and Granny Smith briefly shrieked before realizing that her granddaughter had her in a tight embrace, the orange earth pony's chest heaving as she lightly sobbed. "There, there, sweet thang. What's troublin' ya?"

Applejack lifted her head from off of Granny Smith's shoulder and sniffled, "Ah'm so stupid! I should've seen how mah moping around was affectin' y 'all, especially Apple Bloom. Ah'm so sorry, I..."

Granny Smith shushed her with a hoof and chuckled, "There's no need for apologizin'. Ya miss yer friend an' yer sad about it. It's natural. Just remember ta spend time with those that're still in yer life instead of focusin' on those that ain't. Believe me, Ah've been there." There was a pause, during which she sadly glanced over her granddaughter's shoulder. Applejack didn't have to look to know that Granny Smith was staring at a picture of her husband Cortland, who died when Bright Mac was twelve. Although she'd never gotten the chance to meet her grandfather, Applejack had been told stories about him from both Granny Smith and the other relatives, painting a picture of a tough but honest and good-natured stallion, the kind of guy that everypony aspired to be like. It was because of his example that Bright Mac turned out so great and in turn, passed his hard-working and kind-hearted traits onto his children.

"Ya miss him still, huh?"

Granny Smith sighed and turned her attention back to Applejack. "Every single day, Sugar Cube. Him, yer pa an' yer ma. They say that time heals all wounds, but that ain't so. Truth is, tha more time passes, the more ya feel tha ache of them not bein' there. The thing ta do is ta just remember all tha good times y 'all had. Ya know, Cortland was tha rough-an'-tumble type but he always knew how ta make others laugh. He used to say, 'If yer not smilin' or laughin' yer face off, ya might as well be gettin' ready for the grave. Humor lets ya know you're alive.'"

"Thanks, Granny. Ah really needed that. Ah'm goin' ta talk ta Apple Bloom an' set things right."

"Tha's great dear, but first, do ya know wha ya really need? A long shower 'cause ya smell like a pigsty!"

Author's Notes:

I came up with the name "Cortland Apple" for the name of Granny Smith's (presumably) long-deceased husband, since there's been no mention of him nor an appearance on the show, not even in a flash-back. Besides being another type of apple, Cortland is just a rustic, old-timey name.

Apple Bloom's outburst was vital since I felt that only she could bring Applejack's bad habits to her attention and it was just a sad scene to write. Children witnessing bad situations are always so brutally honest when given the chance.

Chapter 15-Kindly Leave Me Be

"Ah, now this is a positively glorious day!" Parcel Post cheerfully declared as he trotted past a cluster of colorful houses, waving at each and every pony he came across, overjoyed at seeing so many smiling faces. The air smelled of baked goods and freshly-cut grass, bringing to mind the carefree summer days of his colthood. After making a delivery at Sweet Apple Acres, he began whistling a happy little tune as he made his way to the residence of Ponyville's sweetest and kindest Pegasus. It also helped that she, in his and the other stallions' opinion, was one of the most beautiful mares that lived in town. The agreed-upon list of "Ponyville's Most Beautiful Mares" went as such: Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle (though she had since been removed since her unexplained absence), Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Muffins "Derpy" Hooves (despite her crossed eyes).

The birds chirped overhead and this caused Parcel Post to tweet back at them, despite not being fluent in bird like Fluttershy was. Hopping up to the modest cottage, Parcel knocked on the door and withdrew the package from his satchel, eagerly awaiting the lovely mare that would come out the door and minute now. He could picture her flowing pink mane and creamy yellow coat, her eyes sparkling like miniature stars as she sweetly smiled at him. What he found anticipated the most, however, was her gentle, harp-like voice. Oh, I could listen to that voice all day long! The door finally swung open and Parcel removed his cap as he bowed graciously.

"Good afternoon, Miss Flutter-..."

Parcel's voice died in his throat as he did a double-take, his eyes bulging with shock. Whoever this mare was, despite her resemblance to Fluttershy, was certainly not her. She stood hunched over with her arms across her chest, her bloodshot eyes peering disapprovingly at him though puffy eyelids. Her smile, which would've lit up even the darkest night, was replaced with a deep frown was etched into her face like pictographs on a stone tablet. Fluttershy's yellow coat was ruffled as though she'd been rubbing herself with a balloon and her wings, which were normally neatly preened, possessed crooked feathers that stuck out in all directions. What happened to you?!

"...Yes?" Fluttershy enquired in an annoyed tone, breaking Parcel Post out of his stupor.

"I, uh, have a package for-for you," he replied, hastily digging through his satchel while Fluttershy sighed irritatingly and thrust out her hip against the doorframe. He pretended not to notice her eyerolling as he pulled out box after box in search of her package. "It's in here, I know it is-ah, got it!" Parcel held up the small box-most likely containing a book from Amazon-and presented it triumphantly. "Here's your package, milady."

Fluttershy snatched the box away and shoved some bits into Parcel's hooves, slamming the door in his face before the confused stallion could respond. Replacing his cap, he huffed and stormed away from the cottage, wondering what in the name of Celestia could've possibly happened to her. In fact, something's been off with the other Elements of Harmony as well. Parcel Post considered, his anger dissipating as the puzzle began to work itself out. Ever since they returned from their trip to the Crystal Empire, minus Twilight Sparkle, the girls had all began to act radically different. Something must've happened to Twilight Sparkle! Oh, I know if one of my best friends was dead or missing, I'd be a miserable grouch too! He took one last look in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage and wished her the best of luck.

Once the door was shut and locked securely, Fluttershy got to work tearing open the cardboard box and throwing aside the bubble wrap to reveal Ronald Hockley's Birds of the Green Belt and the Country Around London, which she'd been tracking down and attempting to buy for several years now. As she admired the book's cover, her thoughts turned back to Parcel Post and how rudely she'd treated the mail-stallion, considering he was one of the few ponies she allowed near her cottage other than her friends. Sliding down the surface of the door, Fluttershy sank to floor and curled herself up into a ball, her long pink mane obscuring her guilt-ridden face. She knew that her behavior was unjustly cruel and thoughtless. It was just that lately she'd felt all of this rage building up inside of her and she didn't want to see anypony, fulfilling a need for isolation even worse than what she usually experienced. She hugged the book to her chest and slammed her eyes shut, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over.

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully, with Fluttershy finally finishing the entirety of her David Attenburro documentary collection and putting the final touches on a new birdhouse she'd been building for a robin she found the other day. Her friends, mostly Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, would come around to ask her to come out or write her letters to attend a party but as much as it pained her to do so, Fluttershy refused to respond. Twilight Sparkle's predicament with that horrid King Sombra was still a fresh wound and she needed time to heal from it. It chilled the Pegasus to the bone to recall her time in the dungeon, how the Shadow King's red eyes bored past her eyes and into her very soul, filling her with the kind of fear and dread she thought only could've come from Discord or the changelings. They were scary, yes, but only King Sombra, a literal creature of darkness, could haunt her nightmares the way that he did. At least Discord adhered to some kind of list of rules and changelings were easy to spot, if you know how to look.

A furious thumping sound tore Fluttershy away from her thoughts. Angel peered up at her apprehensively, his foot tapping impatiently on the floor. "What is it, Angel? I just fed you two hours ago. Your next feeding isn't until six-thirty." The rabbit dragged over a cookbook, hurriedly searched through the pages and slammed it onto the coffee table, pointing to a picture of an Ambrosia fruit salad. It was a classy recipe that consisted of sweetened pineapples, mandarin orange slices, and miniature marshmallows served in a cottage cheese dip. "Oh Angel, it's too soon for your next feeding and I don't have the ingredients to make it. Besides, you need something healthier to eat."

The rabbit scowled and tapped agitatedly on the page, his eyes saying, "I want this and I want it now."

"Angel, we've talked about this. You can't just go demanding-..."

Leaping onto the couch, Angel jabbered angrily and gestured towards the picture once more.

"Angel Bunny, it's such short notice and I...-"

Angel grabbed Fluttershy's hoof and began, with quite a lot of difficulty, to try to drag her up out of her seat.

"I SAID 'NO'! SO SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!" Fluttershy roared, sending Angel tumbling to the floor as she stood seething over him. "You think because I'm a socially-awkward little weakling that you can just walk all over me?! I feed you, bathe you, pay for your medication, fluff your tail and you think you can just act like an entitled brat? Well newsflash: the world doesn't revolve around you and ever once in a while, I need some love and attention too!" She froze when she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror: a wild-haired, heavy-breathing mare with unkept wings and an ugly grimace spread across her face. Is...is that me? Is this what I am now?

Angel's whimpering snapped Fluttershy back to reality and it broke her heart to see her beloved bunny staring at her with such fear in his tear-filled eyes. She reached for him, but he cowered away from her touch and formed himself into a little shivering ivory ball. "Angel," she whispered, getting down to her hooves and knees. "I'm so sorry. Please, please just forgive me. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." A tiny black eye peered up from the ball, noticing the non-aggressive Pegasus as she gently spoke to him. Slowly, he uncurled himself and made his way towards Fluttershy, his nose nervously twitching the whole way. "That's it. Come to Mama." The bunny settled himself into the crook of Fluttershy's arm and rubbed his face against it, feeling the warmth of her arms softly wrapping around his little body.

The Pegasus rose to her full height and rocked Angel in her arms, whispering reassuring words into his ears as the tears came pouring down like rain. "I'm so sorry, Angel Bunny. Ever since Twilight...I just feel so angry. I lost a friend and all I could do was stand there being afraid. I don't want to be afraid. And I can't lose anymore friends." They deserve better than a weak, frightened little filly like me. That's why I've got to stay away. Kindness can only go so far. It didn't help Twilight and she needed it more than anypony. "I'm so sorry, Twilight. Forgive me."

Author's Notes:

David Attenburro=David Attenborough

Ronald Hockley=Ronald Lockley

We apologize again for the fault in the puns. Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked, have been sacked.

Man, angry Fluttershy is scary!

Chapter 16-Sew What?/Little Dragon Blue

"No, no, no, no! This won't do either!" Rarity groaned, magically crumpling up the piece of paper and tossing it over her shoulder to join the others, forming a hill of paper balls tall enough to bury her should it topple over. The design she'd just came up with featured a half-cloak over the right shoulder, a military coat-type bodice with a high collar and a flowing skirt with a slit up the right hindleg. While not a terrible concept, it was overall...average and the proud owner of Carousel Boutique strived for perfection. Her unofficial motto was, "It's perfection or nothing" and it was one that she severely held onto. Her friends often found her pedantic outlook on fashion to be a bit on the obsessive side, but Rarity paid them no mind; her business would've crumbled years ago if not for her dedication.

Taking a dainty sip of her chamomile tea, Rarity removed her red glasses and trotted over to her fainting couch, throwing herself upon and stretching her foreleg over her eyes dramatically. "Oh Opalescence, what has become of me? I used to draw up sketches for spectacular designs in an instant! Now it is as though the creative well has dried up! What could've caused this?" The white cat merely rolled her eyes and began to lick her tail, clearly fed up with her mistress' theatrics.

Rarity sighed and her wandering eyes targeted a picture of herself and the other Elements of Harmony. picking out a certain brainy purple unicorn. Oh right. Now I remember. Twilight had willingly given herself up to be King Sombra's prisoner in exchange for their lives, something that Rarity had to admit that she herself would never have the will or constitution to do. Rarity missed having Twilight around; even if she wasn't keen on fashion, she was very organized and had an eye for detail. More than that, however, was the fact that Twilight's cleverness and natural leadership skills were the glue that held the Elements of Harmony together. Without her, they fell apart like a house of cards.

Gazing into the glass' reflective surface, Rarity noted her baggy eye sockets, frizzy hair and, Sweet Celestia, a wrinkle on her cheek! No, I'm too young for wrinkles! She tore her gaze away from the picture and buried her face into her hooves. Sleep eluded the ivory-colored unicorn and her creativity block was putting a hamper on her business and her downtime. What was once an innate talent and source of relaxation had now become a chore, one that threatened her very livelihood and reputation. Rarity glanced around the empty building and sighed, missing her friends, mostly Twilight and Spike, who anypony barely saw anymore. What did happen to my Spikey-Wikey anyhow?

"And almost...done!"

Spike wiped his brow and took a step back to admire his handiwork, amazed at how sparkling-clean the library was and knew that once Twilight got back, she'd faint with delight. Two and a half hours of dusting, scrubbing, sweeping, and reorganizing turned it into a bookworm's paradise. And to think, this was the third time that day the young drake had made the library look so nice and neat. "So Owlowiscious, what do you think?"

A gray-brown owl atop a wooden perch rotated his head sideways and replied, "Who-who?"

"You're right; I forgot to double check the list," Spike nodded, completely unaware of what Owlowisicious actually said, which was, and I quote, "Don't you find all of this cleaning a bit excessive?" This left the owl feeling quite annoyed and shaking his head pitifully at his draconic friend. Yanking a long scroll from off of the coffee table, Spike unfurled it and cleared his throat. "Let's see: 'Scrub the bathroom, replace the sheets on Twilight's bed, refill the ink wells, rearrange the quills from longest to shortest, organize every single book in the library alphabetically by title and subject, dust the shelves, sweep and wax the floors, wash the windows and polish the door handles.' Done, done, done and done." Rolling the list up, Spike fluffed up his spot on the couch and sat facing the door, eagerly awaiting the return of his big sister and whatever nerdy activity she had planned.

A nearby ticking clock was the only source of sound for the hour and half Spike spent waiting, his tail furling and unfurling as he stared at the door, an eager smile forcefully stretched across his face. Any minute now. Any minute now... He tried his best to ignore the bowls filled with glittering gems that rest next to the door, consolation gifts from his friends that he felt he couldn't eat until Twilight returned. Then, and only then, could he deserve such delicious treats. A rapping on the oak door made his heart skip a beat. Finally, it took you long enough! "Come in!" Spike shouted, ready to pounce on his visitor as the brass handle turned, the excitement threatening to blow up his tiny body.

Instead of Twilight, a familiar white unicorn carefully pushed the door open and posed theatrically, wearing a yellow sunhat and a transparent light blue scarf. "Oh, hi Rarity," he sighed. Usually, whenever Spike caught a glimpse of Rarity, his heart would start pounding and all of his attention and focus would zero in on her and her alone. On this occasion however, his cartoonishly large grin vanished and he sagged into the couch cushion, a dejected sigh escaping his lips. It was as if the supposed love of his life wasn't standing in front of him. For all Spike cared, it could've been a random pony off of the street. Rarity must've caught onto to this because she stopped posing and stared at the dragon with a mix of heart-aching sadness and ego-destroying disappointment.

"Spike, are you alright, dear? And look at this. You haven't eaten the gems everypony brought you."

"I'm okay. I'll eat them later," Spike stated monotonously, even as Rarity stood right in front of him and gently rubbed his cheek, being close enough for him to smell the lilac and honeysuckle perfume she knew he loved. He really was a sad sight: his light mulberry scales were a muted magenta and coming off in large, flaky chunks, giving him the appearance of a sickly lizard. Once vibrant emerald eyes now gleamed with a dull listlessness beneath a furrowed brow and his head spikes hung askew on his head. If somepony were to guess Spike's age, they would've said something closer to twenty instead of twelve. Even though he was an adolescent admirer with a crush, Rarity still saw him as a valued friend and it genuinely pained her to see him look so lifeless.

"Um, Spikey-Wikey? Why were you just sitting there? Are you expecting company?"

Scratching his neck, and peeling off a small patch of skin in the process, Spike regarded his guest with lackluster eyes. "I was just...waiting for Twilight to come in. I've spent all day cleaning the library and I know she'd appreciate it." The only thing sadder than Spike's appearance was the little smidgen of hope that managed to break through the tedium. Rarity was momentarily taken aback by this statement. Wasn't he there when Twilight traded herself for them in exchange for being King Sombra's prisoner forever? Doesn't he know that she's not coming back? She was about to remark on the dragon's childishness when she mentally slapped herself. Of course he's acting childish, he's a child! Poor thing, he's got to be in denial about the whole thing.

Carefully taking a seat next to Spike, Rarity removed her hat and scarf to put an arm around him, which he seemed to treat as though it were a normal, everyday activity. "Spike...," Rarity began, trying to choose her next words carefully, not wishing to upset him any further than he already was. "Darling, you do know what's happening, don't you? Where Twilight is and why she's not here with us at the moment?" She bit her lower lip as Spike looked up at her, considering her as if he'd just noticed her presence for the first time since she'd arrived.

"Of course, Rarity. I'm not stupid. Twilight is at the Crystal Empire with King Sombra. But she's strong and really smart so she'll be back here in no time and everything will be like it was before."

Rarity hung her head low. "Spike, Twilight is...well, she's not coming back. Ever. You heard King Sombra, Twilight is going to stay with him and...you saw how powerful he is. I don't think Twilight's going to be able to get away this time."

Spike leapt up onto the couch faster than Rarity could blink. "How could you say that?! Of course she's coming back! She has to. There's no Elements of Harmony without her and without her, the rest of you are nothing!" Angry tears flowed freely as he vented. "Twilight told me she loved me, that I'm her little brother. Well, she's my big sister and that's why she has to come back! You need her, Equestria needs her but most of all, I...I need her! Without her, I have no one!" Now that his defenses were down, Spike crumbled to his knees and cried harder than he ever had before, numb and in agony over the absence of the only family he'd ever known. His arms found their way around Rarity's neck and the mare pulled him in tightly, gently murmuring for him to let it all out. They stayed like that for a while, locked in a tight embrace, saying nothing as nothing needed to be said between them. They both missed their friend. They both missed their sister.

Author's Notes:

Okay, writing Rarity's part was...slow. Honestly, she's my least favorite of the Mane Six (although she still gets a chuckle out of me from time to time) and is just uninteresting. Spike, on the other hand, was easier but also harder, as I wrote him like a puppy whining and waiting for his master to come home. Spike is just adorable and the thought of him in misery is just sad to me.

Chapter 17-A Sister-Shaped Hole

Inside the Canterlot Castle throne room, the air was thickly-laden with the kind of tension that can leave a room of ponies completely silent as the white-furred stallion paced back and forth in front of the round table in front of him, his gaze fixed on the model of the Crystal Empire laid out on top of it. Celestia and Luna could only watch helplessly as Shining Armor positioned little wooden pieces shaped like soldiers at different locations around the model, shaking his head and repositioning the pieces as more strategies popped into his mind. Ever since Twilight Sparkle was taken by Sombra, Shining Armor had done nothing but work out different battle tactics and research the surrounding areas around the Crystal Empire since he and Cadence had first arrived in Canterlot. Hours upon sleepless hours were spent in the royal library, pouring over military history guides, old maps and different offensive incantations, all in the hope of rescuing Twilight from the King of Shadows' clutches. Shining Armor glared at the model castle intensely, his hooves pressing down hard on the tabletop with a soft creak. I don't know how, but I swear I'll get you back, Twiley.

A pale cerise alicorn mare placed a gentle hoof on Shining's shoulder as she held him in a one-armed hug, her face wrinkled with concern. "Shining, why don't you go get some rest? I'm sure Celestia and Luna can take it from here-..."

Shining removed Cadence's foreleg and stepped away from her. "Cadence, I'm fine. I just need to look at it from a new angle or a-a new strategy." While he appreciated his wife's concern with his wellbeing, he didn't need her worrying about him, not when that worry could be best served with somepony that needed it more, namely his sister. "Besides, as Twilight's brother, it falls to me to save her," he stated and then added softly, "I'm her B.B.B.F.F."

A little-known fact about Shining Armor that very few knew was that he and Twilight weren't actually biological siblings. When Shining was six, he was placed into foster care when his birth parents just didn't have the financial means to support him and their selves. Night Light and Twilight Velvet were unable to conceive a foal of their own, so they adopted Shining and gave him all of the love and attention he otherwise couldn't have received from either his parents or at the orphanage. Then the unexpected happened: Twilight Velvet managed to get pregnant and Shining Armor was far from happy, believing that since the couple would be having a child of their own, they wouldn't need or want him anymore. He tried running away though, due to his young age and fear of everything, didn't get very far and was shocked when Night Light and Twilight Velvet came looking for him. They explained that yes, they would be having a baby but that didn't mean he wouldn't still be their son and that they'd love him no matter what. They were a family and nothing would change that.

After Twilight Sparkle was born, Shining Armor took one look at the foal and his heart was instantly hers. From then on out, he spent all of his time playing with and looking out for his sister-not-sister, promising to always be there for her. Even though they weren't related by blood, the two had formed an iron-clad bond, with Twilight even calling him her "Big Brother Best Friend Forever," a term that stuck with and persisted with Shining due to the fraternal love he felt for her and the uniqueness of the title. He knew that Cadence loved Twilight as well but felt as though she wouldn't understand the depths of his love for his adoptive sister. By initially hating her even before being born, Shining felt a deep kind of shame he needed to atone for and saving Twilight would forever free him from this debt and relieve her from being forcibly tied to a horrible monster like the Emperor of Darkness. I won't let my baby sister suffer like that. She deserves better!

"Shining Armor, while your intention is incredibly noble, Cadence is right. You need to take a break," Princess Celestia said, being as sweet and nonaggressive as possible. "Let Luna and I handle this."

"I agree with my sister. Let not this burden be thine only," Luna added. "Thou art looking very tired and undernourished. A trip to the kitchen shall alleviate thy stress, would it not? We shall undertake this endeavor while you take your repast."

Cadence nodded, "Yes, that sounds perfect! And we can eat out in the terrace and watch the birds!"

Shining shook his head. "Look, I appreciate all of your support but I need to do this. Twilight is my family and I swore to always look after her so I can't rest, not until she's safe and sound and that monster is dead." He focused his efforts once more on the map, causing the three princesses to stare at one another with defeated expressions. Despite how Cadence loved Shining with all of her heart, she secretly hated how stubborn he could be. Didn't he realize that they all loved Twilight too and wished for nothing more than her to be home? Shining, please forgive me.

"Cadence, I've already told you that-..." With a gentle prod of her shimmering horn on his temple, Cadence magically caught Shining Armor as his eyes rolled back and he collapsed, deep in an enchanted sleep. She brushed his mane to the side and kissed his cheek, noticing how adorable he looked when he slept and was instantly hit with guilt over her action. He was in serious need of rest and would no doubt keel over from sleep deprivation. Cadence wasn't used to putting others to sleep but her husband needed her. Hopefully, when this was all over, he'd thank her for this but for now, she had a sister-in-law to rescue and time was of the essence.

"Now that he's asleep, let's try to figure this out. Aunt Luna, have you figured out a way to get into Twilight's dreams?"

"Nay. Whatever dark magic King Sombra is using is still negating my dream-walking abilities. He hast thought of everything: blocking my powers, placing a protective barrier around the Crystal Empire and corrupted the Crystal Heart's magic. Unfortunately, we art at that braggart's mercy methinks."

Princess Celestia patted Cadence's back reassuringly. "We'll figure something out. We always do." While Cadence levitating a snoring Shining Armor away, she sighed and stared down at the Crystal Empire model sorrowfully. She knew Sombra was fiendishly clever but never before had she felt so powerless. I only hope that for Twilight's sake that it won't be too late. Should anything happen to her, I'd never be able to forgive myself.

Author's Notes:

I don't think that the two are really siblings since Shining Armor looks nothing like Twilight nor their parents but that's just me.

Writing Luna's dialogue was a pain in the hindquarters but kind of fun.

I swear, the next chapter is the last one dealing with Twilight's circle of friends. We'll get back to her and Sombra very soon.

Chapter 18-Rain On My Parade

The stillness of the air was interrupted as a thunderous multicolored streak burst through the sky, whooshing above the small town of Ponyville and sending stray newspapers, leaves, hats and even ponies flying as it continued on its hurried trajectory. Traveling faster than the average eye could track it, the streak performed loop-de-loops, barrel rolls, bomb dives, figure-eights and tailslides. In a nearby field, Muffins "Derpy" Hooves, a gray Pegasus with golden crossed eyes, watched the spectacle with amazement as the streak landed with a thud not twenty feet away from her and skidded to a complete stop. The dust cloud cleared away, revealing Rainbow Dash, who slid her goggles up to her forehead and did a hoof-pump, clearly impressed with her aerial acrobatic display. "Now that...was AWESOME! Derpy, what's my time?"

Regarding her stopwatch, Derpy smiled, "Four minutes and eight seconds. You beat your last record by half."

Rainbow Dash, however, was having none of this, evidenced by her next action of furiously flapping up to Derpy's face. "What?! Only four minutes? That's ridiculous!" She had been training all day to push herself past her limits so that she could one day join the legendary Wonderbolts, the most elite fliers in all of Equestria. Ever since she could remember, it'd been her dream to one day be counted among their ranks and she wasn't about to let anything get in the way of her dream. "Come on, you-you must be reading that wrong! I either do things all the way or not at all. No halfway for me."

Derpy glanced at the stopwatch. "Nope! It clearly reads, 'four minutes and eight seconds.' Sorry."

"Give me that!" Rainbow snatched the stopwatch and stared shockingly at it. "Huh, I guess you were right after all, Lazy-Eyes. My bad." She tossed it carelessly back to Derpy, who barely caught it by sliding along the ground and ending up with a face full of dirt. Derpy spat out some dirt and wiped her face clean before looking hurtfully at Rainbow Dash.

"Actually, it's constant concomitant esotropia. Most ponies refer to it as 'cross eyes.'"

Rainbow Dash began doing stretches, not even facing Derpy. "Yeah, okay. So, are you ready to try this again?"

Shaking her head, Derpy responded, "Um, why is it I'm here again? This is the longest conversation we've ever had. How come your friends aren't here helping you out, like Fluttershy or Applejack?"

The blue Pegasus stopped mid-stretch before shrugging and noncommittedly resuming what she was doing. "Pssh, those fillies? They're all acting like little crybabies just because Twilight isn't around anymore." It irritated her that not only were all of her friends avoiding one another like a plague but were also all acting so mopey and depressed. She managed to move on with her life without breaking a sweat. She tried to get through to them, such as attempting to get Fluttershy to come out of her cottage and asking Applejack to stop overreaching with apple-bucking, but they were all so wrapped up in misery that they all forgot to live. At least Rarity seemed the least damaged. All she had was a little creative block.

"What happened to Twilight Sparkle anyway? Nopony's given us a direct answer. Some rumors here and there but nothing concrete. I tried asking Mayor Mare but she said to ask one of you and, well, none of you are talking."

Pulling back her hindleg, Rainbow Dash sighed as she felt it crack and went to work on the other one. "Well, we were in the Crystal Empire when this shadow guy King Sombra came back and captured all of us except for Twilight. Sombra said he'd let us go if Twilight gave herself up to be his queen and she agreed. Now Fluttershy's a shut-in...again, Applejack's obsessed with farm work, Rarity's all out of dress ideas, Spike's acting like a lost puppy and Pinkie Pie's always got this big weird smile on her face. They're all so bent out of shape that they're acting like it's the end of the world."

Derpy put her hooves up to her mouth. "That's awful! You're telling me that one of your best friends is forced to marry an evil king and stay his prisoner for all time? No wonder your friends are all so upset. I know I'd be too if that happened to Time Turner." The brown earth pony was one of the few friends she had, even if he insisted that he was a time-traveling alien from the planet Gallopfrey.

"Yeah it's messed up but they're all forgetting that Twilight chose to go. It's not like it was any of our faults or anything," Rainbow replied insistently, though it sounded more like she said it to herself rather than Derpy. "They should get over it and acting so guilty. All this crying and moping around is really getting old." The more she said it, however, the more that Rainbow felt the pain of not having Twilight around, making lists and asking all kinds of questions like a massive nerd.

"How...how can you be so heartless?!" Derpy yelled, causing Rainbow to jump back from the normally quiet Pegasus' sudden outburst as she practically stomped right up to her. "One of your friends gave herself up to exist in a life of unhappiness with a monster in exchange for your lives and you act like you don't even care! What's the matter with you?!"

"OF COURSE I CARE!" Rainbow roared and Derpy instantly shrunk back as the blue Pegasus began to tower over her threateningly. "Twilight sacrificed herself for us and I did nothing to stop her! It didn't matter how tough I am or how strong, I just couldn't beat Sombra or prevent Twilight from being so stupid!" She was now weeping, her shaking hooves now lying at her sides. "I...I wasn't fast enough." She plopped down on the ground and shuddered uncontrollably. With a scream, she beat her hooves at the ground, imagining that each blow raining down on the soil was being directed at King Sombra's smug face. "Ahh! You stupid bastard! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! Why did it have to be Twilight?! Why did she have to be so selfless? We weren't worth it! I wasn't worth it! Damn it!"

For the first few minutes, Derpy could only stand there in stunned silence, watching with a broken heart at the sight of the prideful Rainbow Dash hitting the ground and sobbing before curling up in the fetal position and muttering something about Twilight being too good. Tentatively, Derpy laid down beside Rainbow and slowly wrapped her forelegs around her. The crying mare was hesitant at first but then gave then, murmuring a thank you and burying her face in Derpy's chest. It seemed that the toughest of ponies took the worst of things to heart. They try so hard to be tough that they forget what it's like to let anypony in, instead working to completely reinforce their defenses. And no power in Equestria or any universe made you put up stronger walls than the power of guilt.

Author's Notes:

Rainbow Dash was certainly interesting to write due to her cocky, I-am-awesome-so-nothing-phases-me attitude. I think that if something happened to one of the Main Six, she'd take it the hardest. In my experiance, the toughest people are also usually the softest.

Yes, I know, the "Gallopfrey" pun was painful. I was originally going to go with "Gallineigh" but "Gallopfrey" just sounded better.

Next time, on "Shattering a Heart of Darkness," we again return to what's going on with Twilight Sparkle and King Sombra as they spend some time together and we learn more about the enigmatic umbrum's backstory. Stay tuned.