Sleep eluded Sombra and despite how tired he'd felt after making love to Twilight-something that warmed his heart at the very thought of-he could not bring himself to close even one eye. Instead, he watched his beloved sleeping peacefully in his embrace, a look of fulfillment and serenity on her face. Air lightly passed through Twilight's lips as she snored, followed by a quick whimper and some muttering. She's so adorable when she's sleeping! Sombra mused as he combed some of her mane out of her face, admiring the feminine softness of her cheeks and her small but full lips. He was glad that she was resting but it also irritated him somewhat as he longed to once again lose himself in her violet eyes.

He gently traced the contours of Twilight's face with the tip of his hoof and tenderly kissed her cheek, bringing a soft smile to the sleeping mare's face and she muttered his name pleasurably. This brought an indescribable joy to his heart, his chest expanding and contracting almost painfully as his eyes roamed over her blanket-covered form. Even now, after they'd been joined together as lovers, something deep called Sombra to Twilight, something that told him that he belonged to her just as she belonged to him. Who are you Twilight Sparkle? He wondered in amazement. And how is it that you can affect me so?

Just then, the mare sucked in air through her nostrils, making her cute nose twitch as she squinted up at the beaming stallion peering over her. She blinked a few times and murmured, "Sombra?"

"The one and only," Sombra chuckled and placed a hoof on Twilight's cheek as he laid a kiss on her lips. With a slight moan, Twilight shook off the remnants of sleep and stretched, her mouth opening comically wide as she yawned loudly. Amazingly, even with her squinty eyes, frizzy mane, drooping face and stale morning breath, Sombra still found her exceedingly beautiful. Whenever he awoke after sleeping with Celestia, he could barely stand the sight of her in the morning and that was saying a lot considering she was considered to be one of the most ravishing, if not the most ravishing, mares in all of Equestria. But Twilight...she was lovely no matter what. It truly must be love.

Twilight's eyes opened fully as she inspected him closely. "Did you...just lay there watching me all night?"

"I couldn't sleep," Sombra shrugged. "Besides, I didn't want to miss out on your beauty."

Blushing lightly, Twilight turned away and pulled the sheets over her head. "No, don't look at me. I'm a mess in the morning," she responded in a muffled tone. Sombra snorted and yanked the sheets off, much to Twilight's surprise before she yelped and then giggled when he pulled her on top of him, catching her in an open-mouthed kiss.

"No you're not," Sombra smiled. "You're perfect." They laid there staring at each other in total silence, their chests heaving with their heavy breaths as they gazed into the other's eyes. He became aware of a shift beneath the covers as his throbbing member came into contact with Twilight's rear, the head being slightly tickled by her swaying tail. "Aheh, sorry. It's a little hard to control with you on top of me like this." At first, there was more blushing followed by a moan and then, surprisingly, a naughty grin he never would've expected from Twilight Sparkle.

"So last night wasn't enough for you, huh?" She then leaned down and in a husky whisper, added seductively, "This time, I'm on top."

Unbeknownst to the copulating lovers, a black, ink-like substance leaked from the back of Sombra's head and seeped to the floor, squeezing through a small crack and slithered across the ceiling, making its way past the few servants Sombra kept on staff. It wondered where Sombra's Shadow Guard was, recalling that he usually kept at least forty of them patrolling the castle at all times. Deciding that it didn't care, it clawed and propelled itself forward on newly-formed, millipede like limbs until it reached the throne room. Once upon a time, this was its favorite room in the whole castle, where it truly felt its superiority had come to fruition. Above the throne, the Crystal Heart slowly rotated in mid-air, beckoning the creature forward, something that it was all to happy to oblige.

Clambering up the side of the throne, the creature reached hungerly for the pure-blue artifact and felt a white-hot pain flare up throughout its body as it felt its malleable but frail form twist and contort. Cold air hit its now fur-covered flesh and air rushed into its lungs, causing it to nearly choke as it took its first breath in over a thousand years. It landed on the floor on four hooves, though it stumbled briefly due to the sensation of having flesh and blood limbs again. It opened its one eye to discover that it was a stallion and a fanged smile lit up his malevolent face. Glancing at his reflection in a nearby crystal, the stallion pulled at his wild mane and beard, relishing at the newfound sensations that he sorely missed.

Sniffing the air, the stallion gagged as he detected the stink of love and hissed, preferring to instead be dipped in molten lave rather than have the stench of such an emotion clogging up his nostrils. He shook his head, severely disappointed in the state of his empire and a plan formed to rid it of its current ruler. Sombra was still in bed with his little purple whore and it would be so easy to teleport up there and snap his neck before the fool even realized that anything was amiss. No, no it would be TOO easy. Death would be too simple a fate for him. The stallion decided. He wanted to take everything away from Sombra, hurt him more than conceivably possible before ending him. Better yet, have another end him. With a plan set, the stallion turned into a sliver of a shadow and made his way into the hidden catacombs.

Entering the Hidden Gallery was hardly a challenge, as easy as squeezing himself through the keyhole and ending up on the other side. He took a moment to gaze at all of the weapons and artifacts on display, licking his lips at the prospect of using them to flay and dismember his enemies. The stallion shook his head and continued on his way, coming across the Black Bead sitting atop a pedestal, glowing with an ancient power that he himself know nothing about. Sombra had made the mistake of severing ties to a powerful ally and now that mistake would cost him dearly. With that ally in mind, the stallion used the crystal ball to scry for her current location and upon receiving it, immediately took off, eager to set his scheme in motion.

Deep inside the changeling hive, a despondent but mostly infuriated Queen Chrysalis lay curled up in her throne, her chin resting on her forelegs as she glowered into space. True, while Operation Venus Flytrap was so far making progress, it would be quite some time before it could truly take off the ground and reach the queen's end goal. Her changeling hoards were still love-deprived and it would only be a matter of time before they entertained the remote but real notion of mutiny. Most of all, she fumed at her last meeting with King Sombra, insulted by his downright refusal of an alliance and how he had the gall to choose a wimpy little mare over her. Either of the three princesses would've made sense but some unicorn whose only significance was brandishing a magic crown? Clearly a thousand years trapped beneath the Frozen North had damaged what little brains Sombra had left.

"You're going to just sit there and sulk? Hardly behavior befitting a queen, don't you think?"

Chrysalis immediately leapt into action, taking to the air as her crooked horn burned with a green glow. "You're either very brave or very foolish to enter my inner sanctum. Reveal yourself!"

Something smoke-like poured into the throne room, swirling around violently like a miniature tornado before pinning itself to the floor and solidifying into the shape of a pony. She landed and peered closely at the intruder, at first mistaking him for Sombra but upon closer inspection, finding him far more sinister. The resemblance was uncanny but this stallion had a long scar on the right side of his face, his one eye a milky-white, unblinking orb on his cruel-looking face. His mouth was twisted into a large smirk devoid of warmth or humor, instead one of a predator trying to lure in his prey. A chill swept down Queen Chrysalis' spine but she ignored it, her gaze never leaving the stallion's. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you where you stand!"

The stallion replied in a deep bass, "I have a very good one, Your Highness, the best of reasons: vengeance." The glow vanished from Chrysalis' horn. Seeing her confusion, he continued: "I know of your troubles of late and I empathize. Your armies are weak and your greatest potential ally practically spat in your face and shut the door on your partnership. Sombra is too soft-hearted to rule the Crystal Empire, on this we can both agree. Wouldn't you like to crush him for his impudence? Wouldn't you like to see him beaten and broken at your hooves? I know I do."

If there was anything that a shapeshifter like Queen Chrysalis knew, it was that nothing was ever as it appeared to be and that if something was too good to be true, it usually was. "I would, very much so. The question is, however, what do you get out of all of this? I doubt it's because you sympathize with the changeling plight. So what do you want?"

The stallion's grin widened as he lazily made his way around Chrysalis in a half-circle, his movement making the changeling queen very nervous but also somewhat intrigued. "Very clever. You see, my son stole my kingdom from me and I want it back. Help me with this and I'll help you in your conquest of Equestria. You and your children can do what you wish with it but the Crystal Empire is mine." He then took a few steps closer, his eyes lustfully tracing her body as he licked one fang. "I'll even aid you in...making...a new army. Only a fool would turn down a beauty such as yourself."

The changeling backed away, terrified by the sudden but appreciated attention she was receiving from her new suitor. He was clearly an umbrum and, if his claim was true, the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire. She didn't believe in his flattery though the way his eyes rested on her flank was frightfully genuine. "If I agree to this, and I'm not saying I am, why me?"

"Simple. You have the numbers and your transformation abilities are quite unique. Besides, nothing acts as a better motivator for a partnership than the prospect of revenge. My son really needs to vacate the throne and only we together can make that happen. I'll even throw in a steady supply of my subjects for you and yours to dine on. It's what I believe you would call a win-win scenario."

Straightening herself out, Queen Chrysalis regarded the stranger and ruminated on his proposal. He wasn't interested in co-rulership nor Equestria, only obsessing over a frozen wasteland and a shiny city. Then again, it was abundantly wealthy due to its endless supply of gems and raw minerals plus its erratic weather conditions made it practically isolated and easy to defend against foreign invaders. She, on the other hoof, would gain control of the rest of the land and a never-ending food source for generations to come. What really sealed the deal, however, was the image of a bleeding and screaming Sombra tied to a rack while Twilight Sparkle lay nearby, her pretty fresh as dry and cracked as a raisin.

"If I'm going to agree to an alliance, I would first like to know my ally's name."

The stallion grinned, his fangs shining in the soft glow of the throne room. "Erebus. King Erebus at your service."

Author's Notes:

The Twibra ship is asail and there's no way it's stopping now!

Ha ha, I like to think Sombra is rubbing off on Twilight.

Can the happy couple contend with this dealy new alliance?