"...Sombra. I'm sorry Discord, but I just don't feel I can trust you. Sombra has made a convincing point, while you've done nothing but point claws and call names."
Sombra, at hearing this, pointed his hoof at Discord and laughed, "Ha! In your face, Jigsaw Puzzle!" Discord, feeling defeated, vanished with a snap.
Twilight knocked on her front door. From the inside. Spike was outside, assigned the duty of standing guard and delivering anything from the outside that Twilight requires. in this case, it was advice. "Yes, Twilight?" Spike sighed.
"My gingerbread cookies are burning! I need to know how to use the toaster!
"Did you just say that you were using the toaster to make cookies?"
"Yes! Now tell me how to use the toaster!"
"First of all, you do not use the toaster for cookies. Secondly, you select how long you want the object being toasted to cook with the dial, then you push the platform down and wait. All good, Twilight?"
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you asked."
"What did I ask?"
"How to use the toaster."
"Exactly! Not how to cook with the toaster, of course I know that! I want to know how to use it."
"What do you mean 'use' it?"
"How to use it to get out of this Celestia forsaken place!"
"I'm not at liberty to tell you."
"Oh, come on Spike. You know I won't hurt anypony. You can set me free. We both know you want to."
"No, I can't let you free. I'm under orders from Celestia. The entire kingdom wants you locked in."
"And that," another voice arose, "is the beauty of democracy, isn't it. The many outweighs the one. But, if I recall, Equestria isn't a democracy, is it Twilight."
Twilight cringed at the voice. She was still sane enough to know who was an enemy and who was a friend. Right now she only had two friends: her mind, and her shadow. The voice, however, came from a true enemy, one she had battled before. King Sombra.
The King hissed again in his evil voice, "Here, the one outweighs the many, if that one happens to be Celestia. Which it does, Twilight Sparkle."
"That's Princess Twilight Sparkle, to you."
"Ah yes, I apologize. I wasn't there, too bust gathering up my shattered face. And the rest of me, for that matter. So we appear to have a common enemy. The Princess."
"Stop right there Sombra. Equestria may believe I've done it wrong, but I'll prove that I've done nothing."
"Oh no, you take my offer all too wrong, dear. I'm not asking you to kill the Princess, I'm asking that you save her."
Twilight took a step back. "Save the Princess? Why would you want me to do that? You hate her."
Sombra frowned, "Twilight, what makes you believe I hate her? My defeat? Old news, Sparkle. I tried once and failed. I tried again and failed again. It's obvious I can't win, so if I can't beat her, I'll join her. I may not have been able to talk when we first met, but I'm certainly not stupid, I assure you."
Twilight was still unsure of Sombra. She didn't say anything for awhile, just stared at Sombra. Then she asked, "Why the sudden change of heart?"
"Because I'm no fool. I've tried twice now. I failed twice, too. I'm not about to waste eternity trying to take over a thriving oasis in the middle of a frozen wasteland. I don't wan the crystal kingdom. All I want is power."
Things were clear now. Sombra was still the same as when Twilight had battled him. His desires had not changed, just his methods. But, in all fairness, he was a good guy now, so Twilight could at least hear him out. "I'm listening. Tell me about the princess."
"I thought you'd come around. After all, you are one of the most sane ponies I know. Equestria may have tagged you as crazy, but I'm sure you won't be surprised that they're the one that need to be locked up. You and me, we're the kind that know what's what. Unfortunately, we are outnumbered by those outside, so we're tagged as the insane ones."
"Really?"
"Of course. Would I lie to you?"
"You would, and you are." convicted another voice, once more familiar.
Twilight looked around for the source of the voice, finally spotting a materializing figure. Discord.
"Twilight here is not crazy, you're right in that aspect. But you, Sombra, are lying to the both of us if you say you don't see yourself on Celestia's throne. That's your plan."
"I would never-"
"But you did. Twice. You know the Crystal Empire's importance. You want to control it, just so you can control the rest of the world."
"Fine, let's let Twilight pick a side. Just remember the truth Twilight."
"He's lying Twilight! Which one of us is reformed here?"
Twilight didn't know what to do. Discord was reformed, she knew that. But Sombra seemed so sincere. She just wished she knew who was a friendly face and who was not. Meanwhile, Sombra and Discord were still bickering over which side Twilight should join. "ENOUGH!" She shouted, causing the two spirits to calm down, "This is my choice, and I choose..."
