Disguised Dreams

"I can't let you free. I need you,"

The shadow both loathed and loved those words.

It was long ago when the first of a butterfly effect started.

His vessel, a unicorn named Starswirl had been brought to Canterlot Castle for his weekly training section with Celestia and Luna.

Oddly, Celestia sent Luna up to bed early, and asked Star Swirl to come to the balcony.

And she asked for a demonstration on healing magic.

Of course, healing magic is surprisingly dangerous. A unicorn must deplete many of his natural functions in order to perform the spell properly.

Including their automatic ability to fend off demonic forces.

The shadow had always wanted a way into the mortal realm, and this unicorn was his chance!

He had seeped into a ventilation system and possessed the unicorn.

It was amazing.

For the Shadow had possessed the most powerful unicorn in Equestria.

He killed every pony in Celestia's castle, except for a meddlesome filly.

She broke through his crystal barrier to save her mortally wounded sister.

She almost succeeded in doing him in, almost.

He made the empire his own.

Enslaved the crystal ponies.

Then they came along.

The two sister princesses had returned.. And both were like lambs to the slaughter to him.

But surprisingly, the foals bested him.

However, neither had the power to kill him.

Instead, they turned him to shadow and encased him in ice.

Sombra had shrouded the empire in a spell, and waited for a chance to return.

Unfortunately, his return was short-lived, and he was killed this time.

What he expected was for his vessel to be sent to the Elysian Fields, while he had to toil once more in the art of collecting evil souls in tartarus.

What happened was that both he and the vessel were caught, saved in a sense, by Celestia.

So here he was, trapped in a little clay box.

The words she had just spoken to him, he loathed them. He would have strongly preferred his simple jobs as a demon over imprisonment.

Yet, he longed for more of her voice. It wasn't the mare he enjoyed, it was the noise directed to him. It had been long since the last time he had a single ounce of attention, and her voice made him better. And there was more.

"There is a war to come. My sister has much power on her side. The powers of the night…" she sighed, "The embodiment of love, with she is no doubt infatuated with. And Hope, they all say she is the key to Luna's victory, but she is no more than an ill-bred filly."

A war! The spirit enjoyed where this was going.

"Your power, well allow me to extend an offer. If you aid me in victory, perhaps you shall not be considered as lowly as you truly are by Hades, that half-witted ape…"

Sombra shrugged off the obvious insult towards him. This idea was more than intriguing.

"Do we have a deal?" Celestia listened to the shadow's silence, and smiled.

Sombra's joy was unmatched as he felt the familiar tingle of black magic completely overwhelming scrapping the last shreds of the pony queen's innocence.

This was her final chance to redeem herself, a test. And she failed.

Sombra's cage exploded, and the demon lavished in its freedom.

What Celestia had expected was Sombra's support in the upcoming battle, and she got that.

What she didn't realize was that the spirit of envy and pride that had once infected Luna was now taking over the white alicorn.

The mare didn't know, but through sacrificing innocence for power, she had given up her own mindset.

The spirit just needed to find the perfect moment to take over.

It would win this time.

Sombra watched a fire-red glow flash from Celestia's eyes.

Equestria would be under new management soon.