"Previously, on Embracing Darkness..." Twlight's voice said.

"Brace yourself my king..." Twilight told King Sombra. "For you will see just how easily I can break the spirits of three children!" Twilight said before giving off an evil laugh.

"And now, the continuation..." Twilight's voice said.

The CMC finally managed to locate the throne room doors and entered the throne room, seeing Twilight there with Sombra.

"Who the heck is this next to Twilight?" Scootaloo said.

"That must be...King Sombra! Our sisters told us about him!" Sweetie Belle said.

"Then he must be the mean pony who caused our sisters such fear." Apple Bloom said. Twilight laughed. "...Princess Twilight?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Oh you naïve children...I thought you'd figure it out despite not having your cutie marks yet." Twilight said with a smirk.

"Huh? What do ya mean?" Apple Bloom asked.

"For being the sister of the element of honesty, you don't get it yet do you? I'm the one your after. Not Sombra." Twilight said. This caused all three fillies to be shocked.

"YOU?!" The CMC all said at once.

"That's right. And let's start with you, Scootaloo. Not only have you yet to earn your cutie mark, but you've been struggling to fly. Such a shame." Twilight said.

"That's...not...fair..." Scootaloo said, suddenly looking distant.

"And then there's Sweetie Belle. You yourself have been struggling with using your unicorn magic." Twilight said.

"Why...are you..." Sweetie tried to say, but found her voice fading fast in her throught; going distant.

"But let's not forget Apple Bloom...bullied by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon yet forgets about Family Appreciation Day." Twilight said.

"So...savage..." Apple Bloom said going distant as well.

"But I'm not heartless. These things needed to be said." Twilight said. "Every attempt you've made to earn your cutie marks has ended in failure and disaster." She added.

"It's...true..." Scootaloo said, growing dark.

"And yet you've become so determined to find your purposes, that you don't want to give up. Just as Scootaloo doesn't want to give up on trying to fly, or Sweetie Belle doesn't want to give up on using magic." Twilight said.

"So...very...true..." Sweetie Bell said, growing dark.

"And let's not forget Apple Bloom, who tried so hard to get her cutie mark the day she met the two of you, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, just so she could stick it to Diamond Tiara's face." Twilight said.

"I...am sorry..." Apple Bloom said, growing dark.

"But now, I offer you a choice: Join Sombra and I in making my friends join us willingly, or we force you." Twilight said.

"We accept your offer." The CMC said at once.

"Excellent." Twilight said. At this, Dark magic enveloped the CMC before converting them into...THE DARK CMC! Plus, they all had cutie marks now, and they were black shields complete with their respective sister's elements on them. Also, Scootaloo could actually fly now on top of Sweetie Being able to use magic properly.

"Oh yeah, this is AWESOME!" Dark Scootaloo said.

"You bet, I can't wait to show our sisters!" Dark Sweetie Belle said.

"Ah reckon there's only one thing to do..." Dark Apple Bloom said.

"DARK CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS DARK SPREADERS, YEAH!" The Dark CMC all shouted at once before running off to go find the elements. King Sombra turned to Twilight.

"Seems I was worried for nothing...I can hardly wait to see how your friends react to this." Sombra said with a grin.

"If things go as planned, they'll be coming back as soon as the Dark CMC shows up in their new forms and their new cutie marks." Twilight said. "All of this, to preserve the friendships I've made in a brand new way. And they say the darkness is evil." She said. "No, Darkness can be good even if the methods are bad. I see that so clearly now. And I can't wait to show you more." Twilight said.

"I can't wait to see more." King Sombra said with a grin.

END OF THE DARK CMC ARK

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE DARK ELEMENTS ARK