Sombra sucked in the air through his nostrils, a weight lifted off of both his shoulders and his soul as he found himself chatting with Twilight's friends, drinking a chocolate beverage he was now addicted to and regretted not having in his time. It was certainly a change to just sit and talk with these five mares without having them locked in a dungeon or see them trying to kill him...again. His preconceived notions about them was, well, rather unfair the more time he spent with them, such as Applejack being a backwoods hick when, in actuality, she was the most levelheaded of the group. Pinkie Pie was humorous and even a little cute in a cloudcuckoolander sort of way, Fluttershy was quiet but observant and even Rarity wasn't as annoying as he thought she was. The jury was still out on Rainbow Dash's sexuality but he admired her confidence and spirit. Perhaps being a member of the group wouldn't be so bad after all.

"'...An' then tha farmer said, 'So that's where Ah left mah plow!'"

Sombra snorted, accidently drippling hot chocolate on his chest, which only increased the roaring laughter of the mares around him. Huh, so this is what it's like to have friends. It's not as bad as I thought it was. His heart stopped at Twilight's approach and he leapt out of his makeshift seat to meet her, finding her expression hard to place and therefore a tad unnerving. "Twi, listen, about our fight-..."

"It doesn't matter," she quickly responded and grabbed ahold of Sombra's cape, pulling him into a deep, almost possessive kiss. Wow, we should get into arguments more often! He ignored the protests around them and stroked Twilight's mane, savoring the taste of her lips before she pulled away gasping. "I love you Sombra and I don't want to get married right now but if you were to ask me later on down the line, there'd be a ninety-five percent that I'd say, 'Yes.'"

Sombra's brain took a minute to recharge. "So...we're good?"

Twilight giggled, a sound he'd sorely missed. "We're better than good, Sommy. We're great."

Rainbow Dash gagged, "Ew, enough with the sappy stuff! Can't you get a room?"

"No, no, no, darling. I don't want to think of...that," Rarity replied squirming. "No offense you two."

"Some taken," Sombra half-joked.

"What's the big deal? They've already done it like twelve times!"

Fluttershy choked on her hot chocolate and smacked her chest to clear her airways. Once she could breath, she shouted hoarsely, "How do you know that, Pinkie?!"

The pink mare shrugged, "I bake and I know things."

The blush on the couple's faces only served as confirmation. Twilight waved a hoof, "Um, well, it's not really a big deal is it? I mean, we're in love and, well...these things happen."

"Twiley, for the love of Celestia, please stop talking before I kill your coltfriend."

They turned to find Princess Celestia, Princess Cadence and a steely-eyed Shining Armor standing behind them. The blue and white stallion was none-too-pleased about this discussion, appearing to be restrained by Cadence's hoof on his shoulder. "Sombra, you're sort of okay at the moment but you're still on thin ice."

The umbrum bowed his head and sardonically replied, "Duly noted." He then turned to Cadence, noticing the odd look of amusement and even admiration on her face. "Your Majesty, I have...something that I wish to tell you." He ripped of his cape and tossed it aside, proceeding to do the same with his vambraces. He felt oddly exposed without them but felt as though it was time to free himself of everything holding him back.

"Sombra, what are you doing?" Twilight asked as the last of the armor clattered to the ground.

He briefly faced her and smiled, "The war's over, Twi. And I'm done fighting." He then removed his crown and slowly placed it at a confused Cadence's hooves before laying down on his stomach. "Just because somepony can rule doesn't mean that they should. I'm...no leader." Sombra then cleared his throat and began formally: “I, Sombra of the House of Tenebris, first of his name, do hereby willingly abdicate the throne of the Crystal Empire in favor of the rightful ruler, Cadence, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Long may she reign.”

"Say, 'Whaaaaaaaat?" Pinkie gasped astonishingly.

They all stared at him incredulously, trying to determine if the umbrum was only joking but quickly realizing that he was, in fact, completely serious. Cadence tapped the crown with her hoof and then cleared her throat. “I, Cadence, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, do hereby accept the willing abdication of the throne to the Crystal Empire by Sombra of the House of Tenebris. May he live long and prosper.”

Sombra nodded gratefully and rose, his body feeling at least five-hundred years younger. He approached Celestia and went down to one knee. "Celestia, I know apologies are overdone and no amount of 'I'm sorries' can ever erase what I've done. I just want you to know that I am sorry and...I'm ready for whatever punishment you deem fit for me. I know it will be just and fair."

"Sombra…" Twilight laid a gentle hoof on Sombra's shoulder, which he took and kissed.

"I need to take responsibility for my actions. Just know that no matter what happens, you are my whole world and nothing will ever change that."

"That won't be necessary," Celestia said softly. "Look, I believe somepony thinks your penance is adequate."

"What are you...-?" Sombra gasped, feeling a strange burning in his bare chest and upon close inspection, found a ball of gold light protruding out of it. Streaks of light shot out of the ball, lifting Sombra off of the ground and enveloping him in a shining cocoon. Everything spun around him, up becoming down, left becoming right and silver stars flew past his field of vision. "What's happening to me?!" He didn't know if he screamed it or if it was a thought but the fear pounding in his chest was a certainty as his body began to stretch, break and reform.

The cocoon vanished and Sombra found to his relief that he had floated back to the ground. His stomach had taken a beating and he fought to swallow the taste of bile in his throat. "What the hell was that? Wait, why are you all staring at me?" Without breaking eye contact, Rarity hastily pulled out a compact mirror and held it up, allowing the stallion peer at his reflection dubiously. His body was more elongated with slightly longer limbs and the scarlet had retreated into his pupils, allowing him to see the whites of his eyes for the first time. His horn was the same color, only straight and sharp but what was the most unbelievable, however, were the large, dark gray feathered wings that protruded from his back.

"But...this would make me an...an..."

"An alicorn," Twilight breathed, carefully running the very tip of her hoof against the feathers of one wing.

"Is this even possible?" Cadence asked. "I've never heard of this happening to an umbrum."

"And why him?" Shining Armor interjected and was silenced by the dual glare of both Twilight and Cadence.

Celestia herself looked baffled, slowly nearing Sombra as though he were made of fire. "It's never happened but that doesn't mean that it can't. Sombra, you were a tyrant, a murderer and a kidnapper. But you found the courage to find the flaws within yourself and work to change them. You have become generous, brave, selfless and humble, all the traits of a true ruler. To become an alicorn is a privilege, not a right and the cosmos has decided that you've proven your worth."

Sombra felt tears gather in his eyes and stared down at Twilight, who was similarly crying with joy and pride. "Ahem, well that's all well and good but, ah, what do I do now?"

Princess Celestia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm. By official royal decree, I hereby sentence Sombra to reside in Ponyville under the close watch of his keeper Twilight Sparkle. Are there any objections?"

Shining Armor opened his mouth to protest but then clamped it shut when Cadence kicked him in the flank and gave him a dirty look that said, "Speak up and I'm sentencing you to the couch!"

Sombra bowed once more. "Thank you...Your Highness," he smiled and found Celestia bowing in return, a light smile touching her own lips. He then lifted Twilight up in his forelegs, a mercurial grin on his face. "So Miss Sparkle, what do you say we try these things out?

"Sombra, what are you do-INNNNNNNG!"

The ground disappeared behind them and soon, the Crystal Empire became a speck in the distance. The new wings were quite strong though Sombra deemed it best to convert his lower half into a shadow just in case something went wrong. It was all so liberating: the air rushing past him, the wind in his mane, that feeling of just floating. Sure, he could fly before but doing it in shadow form always seemed like passing through mist, never giving him the full pleasure of just enjoying being above the clouds. Now he knew why some Pegasi never left the skies.

Are you there, Darkness?

Yes I am, Sombra. Well, this'll take some getting used to.

It sure will.

"Sombra!" Twilight screamed hysterically. "Put me down this instant!"

"And miss out on the view?"

"I hate you!"

"And I love you!"

Author's Notes:

Wow, another GOT reference. I don't know why that is. #TeamTyrion

Let me tell you, the choice to make Sombra an alicorn was not an easy one and was not in my original notes. But I did this as a way of further paralleling Beauty and the Beast, as it goes with the theme of transformation as a reward. Besides, didn't I foreshadow this in an earlier chapter?