When I arrive at the dining hall, I make my disgust clear as I enter. Stony faced, I sit down at the table without saying anything and scowl at the wall opposite me.

"Is there anything wrong?" Princess Cadance questions me.

"You could say that. I wasn't feeling that great, and when the guard came to say that you wanted me to join you, I said that I didn't want to come down here. So he decides to pull me out of my bedroom by my mane. When I manage to call the other guards to help me out, the one who started it all called me a vampire twice and none of the others have anything to say about it."

"WHAT?!" shouts Shining Armour. "Moonlight Shade, who did this?"

"He is an Earth Pony. Red coat, blue mane and tail. His cutie mark is a golden spear. The others were two Pegasi with yellow coats and a Unicorn with a blue coat and mane."

"I will have words with all of them. I told all of the guards to treat you as they would any other pony. Moonlight, haveyou had any problems?"

I look at Moonlight, who I have not spoken to all night. "Some of the guards would not speak to me when I asked them to show me where my quarters were. I had to ask about five different ponies before one would actually take me there."

"This is ridiculous," mutters Shining Armour. "Never mind. I will have words with them later. Princess Cadance and I need to speak to you about what Sombra is doing, and how Twilight Sparkle and her friends are going to protect the Empire on a more permanent basis."

Uuuuuuuuuugh. Sombra, have mercy and rescue me while Cadance isn't reinforcing her silly protection spell. Although, it occurs to me that if I know how Celestia's minions are defending the Empire, I can work out how to get past those measures.

"Well," begins Sparkle, "Last night we found a book about the Crystal Fair, an event that uses the positive emotions of the Crystal Ponies to help protect the Crystal Empire. This seems like a better idea than getting Princess Cadance and other unicorns to use their magic all the time."

"Good start. Once that is up and running, Sombra will never be able to break into the Empire."

I try not to growl at Cadance.

The breakfast arrives, and we eat in silence. Wishbone and I would ordinarily be having a cooked dinner right now, probably vegetable stew. I am not used to going to bed at this hour in the morning, and a yawn escapes. Wishbone looks at me a little strangely, as if she is considering something important.

"Are you going to try to talk to King Sombra in your dreams today, Moonlight?" she quizzes me.

"Sure. If he does pop up, then I have got to try and get some information out of him," I reply. "Why?"

"I wasn't sure if you wanted any company."

No. Please, no. I am actually more happy for Sombra to visit my dreams than Wishbone now. I have to make something up on the spot. "I'd love for you to visit my dreams, but if you're there he might not trust me enough to say anything to me. He might not even show up if he knows that I have a friend with me." More importantly, I can't tell him how I plan to get him into the Empire.

"Oh. Ok. Just checking, because I haven't spoken to you all day. I only know about your Umbrum whispering skills and your fight with the guards."

"What are they?"

Sparkle recites, "The Umbrum are a race of magical shadow creatures who are fluent in the practices of dark magic. They are often cruel, and put other ponies through extreme misery unless they themselves turn into Umbrum. Once they are converted, there is no turning back for them, and they will live forever unless killed. As is the case with windigos, the only way of doing this is through using the combined love and friendship of all of the ponies in a community." She pauses for breath. "There have been many conspiracies and rumours stating that King Sombra is one of them. It may not be true fact, but it seems like a pretty logical explanation."

"Wait. You... You're planning to kill him?"

"Unfortunately, yes. If the only way to save the Crystal Empire from him is wiping him off the planet, then that is what must be done."

"No. There must be something else that you can do." I look to Prince Cadance and Shining Armour, hoping that either one of them would argue against Sparkle's reasoning. Neither one of them says anything.

"You say that you are doing the best for Equestria and that you give everypony a second chance, but that is a lie. I am distrusted for trying to find out what Sombra is doing, I am treated like scum by the guards, and then this? Who in Tartarus do you think you are?!" I teleport to my room and try to calm down so that I can sleep.

Sombra is there when slumber stops evading me. Before he can ask what is wrong, I tell him, "They want to kill you by using the love and light of the Crystal Ponies. Oh no, what will we do, Sombra? I don't think that I can lose you now that you're a part of my life!"

"Calm down, Moonlight. Did anypony mention the Crystal Heart? No?"

I shake my head.

"Nothing will work without the Crystal Heart, and it can only be accessed by somepony who can use dark magic, unless you go right to where I have hidden it. That is in the," his eyes shift while he talks, "tallest tower. You cannot use magic to get it though, and even in that tower it is hard to find. Nopony can find it there except me."

I turn to see what he is looking at. I can make out Wishbone's form behind the crystal pillar.

"Wishbone?" I call her name.

"Give it up Moonlight," she spits at me, stepping forward. "I knew this was happening. I have rarely left your dreams alone, and I could see the friendship that you were building. The worst thing is that this is more than the kind of friendship where somepony takes advantage of you and stabs you in the back." She glares at Sombra. "It didn't even take a mind control spell. You are actually beginning to love each other, and Moonlight, it seems that you would risk your life helping Sombra."

"What do you mean?" I ask her, dread building up inside me.

"Your death warranty will be signed the moment I tell Prince Shining Armour. I can't let you do this, Moonlight. You would sooner see the whole Crystal Empire in chains than see this crook punished for his crimes?"

"Yes, Moonlight. I would. I didn't realise before, but..." I look up at Sombra, and I realise how much this stallion's life means to me. I know we have not known each other for long, but standing by his side feels the right thing to do. "I do love you." I look back at Wishbone. "Also, I am sorry, but why would you hand me in to be killed?"

"Heroism. Respect. Not wanting to see my friend turned into an Umbrum, because that's what he'll do. If you decide to get together, he'll want some commitment shown."

"Then I would become an Umbrum, for his sake. If you say that you're going to hand me in, I will leave the Empire today, and Sombra and I will both attempt to get into the Crystal Empire each night. Why, though? A true friend would walk a mile in their friend's horseshoes. I have - I can see where you are coming from. I have tried time and again to get Sombra a second chance, and nopony would listen, which is why I have sided with him. Also, if you do hand me in, my last request will be for you to watch."

"That will never happen, you know. Swear your allegiance to the good of Equestria or I tell the guards immediately."

"The problem is that you won't tell anypony, Wishbone," I say softly. I nudge Sombra's front hoof. "The problem is that you are going to help us, whether you like it or not."

It happens quickly. Sombra's horn glows red, and purple light surrounds Wishbone's head. When it disappears, she stands up straight and tall. "You are right. I will not tell anypony. Instead, I will help you and King Sombra take over the Crystal Empire."

"You are dismissed, and can go back to your own dreams," says Sombra. "You will have no memory of any of this when you wake."

Wishbone jumps through a mirror on the wall and disappears. She does not return.

"Wow," I say to Sombra. "Impressive dark magic. The strange thing is, I don't have any regret. At all."

"Thank you for complimenting me on my magical abilities. Also, what was it you said about loving me?"

"Well," I stumble over my words, "it's early days, but you look amazing, and you have quite a fun personality. Others would say narcissistic, psychopathic even, but you have a soft spot for me, and I realise that."

"Do you remember my offer of you being a queen?" he inquires.

"We have to make you a King again before I become a Queen."

"Too right. Would you like to practise using dark magic, because you might have to retrieve a certain Crystal Heart for me."

"Where do we start?"

The scene changes, and I recognise the Throne Room of the Crystal Castle. Sombra sits on the throne. "This is where the entrance to the secret passageway is at the real castle. You have to really think about all of your negative feelings - not just sadness and anger, but greed and desire too - on this throne." He jumps off and steps to one side. "Try it."

I focus all my hatred of Celestia on one tiny crystal piece of the throne. It turns black and a long shadow is cast upon a section of floor. It disappears and reveals a long, winding staircase.

"Good job," he muses. "What thoughts did you use?"

"All the names that I would like to call Celestia. It is a long list. Can I fly down?"

The scenery changes again. It is dark, but I have a feeling that this is the bottom of the staircase. A locked door stands in front of us. Sombra instructs, "Do not use dark magic here, or the door will show you whatever you fear the most. Alight magic spell for opening doors is fine." I zap the crystal piece above the door and it opens, revealing one of the Crystal Castle towers.

"Is this the tallest tower?"

"That was a lie to get Wishbone off of our tails. If she does remember anything, she will give everypony the wrong advice. This is the second tallest tower. However, if you just fly up there without going through the secret passage first, the Crystal Heart will be hidden from view."

"That's interesting. How does that work?"

"It is a very clever string of spells that I invented called the Wild Goose Chase Effect. If the pony looking for the Heart goes straight to the destination, there is nothing there because they have to complete a series of spells to get hold of it, including dark magic spells. The spell is cast over the whole Crystal Empire and cannot be undone. At the top of the tower is the Crystal Heart. If you fly up there, you will find it, but it is not there in the dream realm. The other thing that I will point out is that you must be alone at the top of the tower, or black crystals will stop you from taking it." He looks longingly up at the tower. "Do you think that you can find the Heart and bring it to me?"

"I think I-"

There is a sudden clap of thunder. "It is happening," breathes Sombra. "Cadance's spell is wearing off. Her magic will not last much longer. Some of my black crystals have already penetrated the Empire. Go now, Moonlight. It is still day, but the other ponies will already be searching for the Crystal Heart."

"Goodbye, Sombra. I won't let you down."

I wake up, and all around is screaming.