So...What do I do Now?

Chapters

I...won?
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?
The Musical Number
Now I know
I-It's over?
This is the part where we leave you
So...what now?

I...won?

Author's Note

Not just one, but TWO people did a reading of this story:
Mr. Mixer
and Guardian of Brittania
not enough thank you's to give these guys

I...won?

He was so close. He could almost feel the power coming off it, and soon, all of it will be his. All the power of the crystal kingdom will be under his control, and this time, no one will stop him. Not even the princesses, or was it pronounced princessi?

He ignored that thought and concentrated on the task at hoof. His body had already reached his whole form, so now, he was no longer a black cloud with a face, but now it was that of a pony, but he didn’t care, the only thing he cared about was that “crystal~”

“I really need to stop doing that.” He thought. He never really knew why he said it like that, sure, he liked crystals, and they are the only thing that, not only gives him great power, but are also keeping him alive, but he doesn't have to say it like that, he even pronounces, “Slaves~” that way too. Did he like them too?

He shook these thoughts away and continued climbing toward the crystal, his vision was locked on that crystal heart, nothing will stop him from reaching it, he knew his power was far too strong for anypony to get in his way, only a fool will try.

It was at that moment he saw something, or someone, was after the crystal as well, it was right behind it, some weird, purple...lizard? He couldn’t tell from here. He stepped forward on his platform to see that there was, indeed, a purple lizard falling toward the crystal.

“What a foolish reptile.” He thought “How will that thing even survive this, even if it catches the heart he’ll die when I reach impact. It’s not like I’ll save that hideous thing when I reach it, so why is he after it?”

Sombra looked down at the crowd of crystal ponies, each one of them looking up. “Does he think they'll reward him for his bravery? Build a statue in his honor? These ponies can’t even remember their own names. That was how I enslaved them so easly in the first place, they would probably die out from their sheer stupidity. How will they even know who this reptile is?” He looked back up. “How will they...wait...did I see...no, I can’t believe it...really?” Sombra lost his focus on the crystal and saw something right below him. This time it was a pink blur.

“Pink!” He knew exactly what that blur was. It resembled that meddlesome princess. “That clever couple,” He thought. “using the 'throw the wife’ maneuver to try and stop me.” He recognized that tactic anywhere, where a husband threw a wife at a target to catch anything in mid air, and Sombra had to admit, that white unicorn truly had the arm. Unlike him.

Sombra remembered trying that once with his queen, which would explain why he doesn't have her anymore, “I just hope that bug isn’t still mad at me.” He shook his head again, getting tired of all these thoughts that were going through him. “How have I not reached the crystal yet?” He looked straight forward and saw that the heart was only yard away.

“Nice try Miss Cadenza,” He thought with a grin. “but I know just how to counter such a maneuver.” He narrowed his eyes and stepped back from his still ascending pedestal. He arched his flank in the air like a cat and, with all his strength, leaped off.

He then quickly regretted it once all three of them collided into each other. It was also then that he realized he didn’t have any wings. He felt the force of the wind as he fell. “Maybe this wasn’t the best ide-”

*SLAM*

“...ow.” Sombra felt pain in his back, and his neck, and his head. Just about his entire body was in pain, but that quickly went away once he rolled off his back and on his side. He heard gasps around him, “At least my ears work.” He thought. “Now if my eyes could just cooperate with me I can...hu?” Sombra opened his eyes, and even though they were still blurry, He could tell exactly what was in front of him.

The crowd of crystal ponies were starting to move away from him, he smiled, knowing that they still feared him, at least he had that going for him. He turned his gaze to something that resembled a pink blob with some purple on it, or magenta? No, it definitely looked purple, or was his eyes still adjusting to color as well.

He groaned and slammed his hoof in front of him, causing the crowd to yelp. He continued to groan as he pushed himself up from all of this, this...whatever this was, he wouldn’t call it an injury. It’s not like he was in real pain, it just hurt falling several stories from the sky. He was still powerful to withstand such a hit. He survived being in ice for over a thousand years, so he was pretty sure he could survive this.

He finally got on his front hooves. He turned around and saw that his lower half was still on it’s side. “Now if I can just get on my back ones up, then I can..can...um...bah! I’ll worry about what I’ll do later.” He grunted and pushed hard, it was becoming very difficult for him to do it, with only being able to breath through his nostrils, because for some strange reason, his mouth refused to open, even though it felt like it was open, and that it was...holding...something...in…

“How in my name…” Sombra finally got on all fours and reached for his mouth. He heard more shock from the crowd doing so, and once he stuck his tongue out, he realized just what they were afraid of.

“Holy...slaving...crystals” He whispered. “I...I have it…The- The crystal. It’s...it’s...mine…” He inspected the crystal heart on all sides, seeing that it was, indeed, shaped like a heart. He tapped it a bit, held it too his ear, he even licked it to see if it was true, and it was.

He turned to the crowd to see that his vision had finally came to, and now that it did, he could see that the pink blob was the princess on the ground, looking like she was unconscious, as was the lizard that laid on top of her. Sombra was starting to have the same reaction the ponies were having. Dropped jaws, looks of horror and shock, but that would soon change with what would happen next.

He was ready for this, he had prepared it over and over again in a mirror, and even a couple times with his slaves, but he wanted to take as much time as possible, to make this be a minute that would last forever.

Sombra held his head down and started walking toward the fallen princess, the crystal now in his magical grasp. He could feel it coming, the one thing that he always wanted to do in a situation like this, what everyone would do at a time like this, the one thing that would always start slow, then end with fear.

First was the chuckle, and with every step, it grew louder. Then came the half-laugh, where it was still a chuckle, but it was getting there. He then started raising his head once he loomed over the princess. Surprisingly the pink princess raised her head as well. “So she is awake...good.” She look up at him with a determined face, which quickly turned into shock as she realized just what had happened.

Sombra smiled at the princess, looking deep in her eyes, seeing that she knew it was over, that he triumph, that she was no longer in charge, that it was his turn to be ruler now. He closed his eyes, ready for the next part, the one he enjoyed the most. He raised the crystal heart in the air, reared his front legs, craned his head to the sky, and with a deep breath...

He laughed; he cackled; he roared; he yelled in victory; he screamed to the sky above, so loud that thunder came from it. Once he was finished with one round of laughter, he did it again, laughing more and more, each one more fearsome than the last. He finally did it. He won. He’s the ruler now! He continued laughing, and laughing, and laughing.

That was, until the fifth round of laughter came, then the sixth was starting to calm down, as was the lightning, and when the seventh came, he was starting to lower his front hooves down to the ground, and then a short eighth round of laughter came, with this one, he opened his eyes, seeing most of the ponies were starting to become more concerned than scared.

It was when the tenth round came that he lowered the crystal too, and this one was the last, he chuckled a few times, hoping to bring it back, but it was over, the whole ‘evil laugh’ had finally ended. Now, it was just him, with a crystal in his hooves, a crowd of crystal ponies, a princess laying in defeat, and an awkward silence between all of them.

Sombra looked around, wondering what to do next, usually something would interrupt him. A yell from someone in the crowds, where he would then blast them with magic, or the princess saying ‘you won’t get away with this,’ with him making a comeback, saying ‘I already have,’ or a bolt of magic coming his way, or at the very least someone tackling him to the ground. "Come on ponies! Do something!" He thought.

But no, they just stood there, some of them looked around, seeing if something else would happen, some were rubbing their arms in embarrassment, and the princess herself was looking down in awkwardness too. Sombra looked back and forth again, and since no one else would say something, he decided to do it himself. He raised the crystal in the air, and with no confidence whatsoever, he said,

“So...um...Yeah! Hail the king! And all that...stuff...um...uh...new ruler and..uh…” He then lowered the crystal and scratched his neck. “Wow, this is awkward...Um, can all of you just...cower in fear or something...I don’t know...uh...” Sombra looked at the crystal. “What was I gonna do with this thing again?”

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

“No, seriously, are you kidding me! For my sake, just….REALLY? You all lasted that long, you didn’t even touch me and now you’re all like this. ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!?”

Twilight and her friends could only look down at the half crystallized bodies and frown. “Well, you fought pretty dirty.” The pink one said.

Sombra rolled his eyes. “All I did was stand still while my crystal powers did the rest, I mean, come on! All I did was encase you in this stuff.” Sombra tapped the crystal structure, making sure it was actually keeping them in place. “You girls seriously can’t move?”

They looked away, not wanting to accept the answer, but they all knew it was true. This ten second fight was all for nothing, but that didn’t stop her from trying to break free “No...We...We can’t.” Twilight grunted while she closed her eyes, not wanting to believe any of this.

Sombra was in the same position; mentally, not physically. He couldn’t believe any of this either. “You can’t even use your magic?” Sombra faced Twilight and tapped her horn, not a single spurt of magic was coming out.

Twilight instantly shook her head away from him. “Get your hooves off me you...you...you!…”

“Me what?” Sombra backed up and raised an eye, actually wanting to hear what other insult this unicorn would give him.

Sombra was starting to see fire in her eyes, and her legs looked like they were trying to break free from the casing, yet it seemed they were still stronger than her. “You...You! YOU!...oh...what's the point…” Twilight hung her head again.

“‘What's the point?’ The point in what?” Sombra was starting to become more confused with this situation.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Well, what do you think, Sombra? I’m talking about...THIS!” Twilight craned her head to her friends. “And that!” She looked over at her brother and sister-in-law, with Cadance holding onto her husband who was now encased in crystal along side her. “And especially that.” Twilight looked over at the crystal ponies, most of them terrified, and some simply tired to be sitting here for so long.

Sombra looked around as well, seeing that everything was, indeed, going as planned, or at least; it looked like it was. “So, what you’re saying is, what’s the point in trying if I..already…” Sombra was starting to look at the ground.

“Won…” Twilight said, looking at the ground as well. “Yes Sombra, it’s...it’s true...you...won…”

Almost everyone in the area gasped, except for Sombra and the still unconscious Shining. “Don’t say that, Twilight!” Cadance yelled while still cradling her husband. “W-we still have a cha-”

“Open your eyes Cadance!” Twilight yelled louder than she thought. “Can’t you see? HE WON; WE LOST! It’s over! We can’t move,” She strained to get out of the crystals, only having the same effect as before. “we can’t use magic,” She tried to flare up her horn, yet it was in the same condition her legs were in. “and he already proved friendship can’t beat everything…”

“But...but friendship always prevails…” Twilight’s pink colored friend said, with no confidence in her voice.

“How…” Twilight said coldly. “How will friendship save us this time, pinkie?”

The pink pony opened her mouth, only for her to close it seconds later after realizing she was right. “Exactly.” Twilight said, she turned to Sombra, who was still looking at the ground. “I hope you’re happy, Sombra. You have your kingdom back, and you’re holding the elements, my...my brother and sister…” Twilight closed her eyes, wanting to hold the tears that were coming, “A-and you even have t-the crystal ponies to help you...s-so go on...Do it.”

Sombra shook away his blank thoughts and looked at her in surprise. “D-do what?” Sombra had no idea what she meant.

“Oh you know...you will enslave all of us; take control and get as much power as you can from the crystals, then you’ll make your way to Canterlot to exact your revenge on the p-p-princesses, and once you rule over Equestria, you’ll...you’ll..” Twilight sniffed and started to calm down. “Um...w-what will you do once you conquer equestria?”

Sombra stepped back, never even thinking about any of this before hand, admittedly, he never would of thought he’d get this far. Sure, he thought he would get his hooves on the crystal, but, what after that?

Should he enslave the ponies again? Try taking control of the whole world rather than just this kingdom? Should he destroy it afterwards? Would he still be alive after that? How long would he live with all of this, surely no one can live forever, even with all the crystals in the world he would still die some day.

“Uh...I..um, I...really don’t know.” Sombra scratched his neck, “I...uh...didn’t think I’d get this far, really, I just thought that getting the heart would solve everything, and now that I have it...I...hu...I seriously don’t know what to do…”

“R-really?” Twilight was surprised, as were the others.

“Well, I mean, I know I’m gonna be enslaving these ponies and probably mind controlling you and your friends, maybe even…actually, you know what?” Sombra turned around and walked up to Cadance and Shining. “Cadenza! wake up Shining up for me?”

Cadance froze. “W-why, What are you-”

“Just wake him up!” Sombra stomped his hoof, causing the ground to shake and making Shining wake up.

“Hu...What...D-did we win?” Shining looked around in a daze, hoping to see a now defeated Sombra laying on the ground in misery, but he saw the exact opposite. “W-what happened?”

“You lost and I won, now can you please make yourself look...well, like you’re surprised or something.”

“W-what? Cadance, what is he...why can’t I move?”

Cadance grimaced while Sombra tapped his hoof. “Any time now.”

Shining stood up and faced the king. “H-how did you win, me and my friends-”

“Were easily encased in the same material you are in," Sombra finished. "I’d say the name of the material, but I’d rather not.”

Cadance raised an eye. “Why?”

Shining started struggling. “Who cares! Sombra, you let us go or I’ll-”

“You’ll what? Struggle more and call me names,” Sombra stood next to him and wrapped an arm around his neck. “Listen, I hate to break it to you Shining, but it seems that I won this little battle of yours, so, if you would be so kind as to make yourself look presentable, then I can finally move on.”

“Move on with what!” Shining yelled, trying to swing a hoof at him again. “and what are you talking about?”

Cadance dropped her jaw once she realized what Sombra was talking about “Y-you're turning us into a statue?”

Shining and Sombra looked at her in surprise. “Wow,” Sombra let go of Shining and faced Cadance. “Your wife catches on quick Shining.”

“Y-you are a monster, w-why would you want to-”

“Oh please, I’m sure someone in this world has done the same thing.”

“Done what?” Shining snarled. “encased them into something so they can’t move anymore.”

Sombra shrugged. “I’m sure someone has.” Sombra glared at Twilight. “Your princess would know.”

Twilight realed back in shock. “H-how do you know she turned Discord into stone.”

Sombra tilted his head. “Who the heck is Discord, I was talking about me, encasing me in ice so I couldn’t move,” Sombra walked up to Twilight. “What, does your princess do that with every villian she meets? She just throws them away and waits to deal with them for another thousand years?”

Twilight thought about that while Sombra turned to the couple again. “All I’m saying is that I want that same feel, so if you two would be so kind.” Sombra stomped his hoof, causing the crystals to move up Shining’s and Cadances’ bodies.

“N-no don’t..don’t this!” Cadance cried, while looking around frantically, trying to think of some way out of this “S-Surely there's some good in you that doesn't want to-”

“Sorry sweetheart, but that died a long time ago. So long that I can’t even remember.”

“You can’t remember?”

“Um…” Sombra thought to himself for that second. “I think I remember...Back when I was young and free, I think I met some golden mare or something, after that I think I…” He looked up at his horn. “Was my horn always this red?” Sombra tapped his chin. “Did I stay underwater for too long at one point?" "Bah!" He said. "It doesn't matter." He tapped the ground again, making the crystals rise higher and higher to the top of Shining’s and Cadances’ heads.

The prince and princess hugged each other as the crystals made there way from their legs, to their body’s, to their necks. “W-wait...y-you can’t neerh...do...this.” Shining said while struggling.

“I can and I am,” Shining crossed his hooves and looked away. “I seriously don’t know what else to do right now other than this.”

“You could sing a song!” Pinkie yelled happily.

Everyone raised an eye at her. “A song?” Twilight said. “Pinkie, I don’t think he can-”

Sombra stomped his hoof again, making the crystals stop at the base of the couples necks. “A song?" Sombra ran up to the pink pony. "You are absolutely right pink pony!” Sombra went out into the open and held a hoof to his chest. “I haven’t sung yet, and now would be the perfect time!” Sombra smiled and walked into the crowd, “Does anyone here know how to play an instrument, or at least can sing a chorus?”

The crowd went silent. “You can’t be serious…” Twilight said while shaking her head.

Sombra turned around and smiled. “Oh no, I am serious, Twilight. Everyone sings once in a while, and since I’m gonna rule after this, I might as well make the best of it, so…”

Sombra tapped his hoof again, causing a makeshift microphone stand made of crystal come out of the ground. He then cleared his horn and brought a microphone to his mouth. “Come on now,” His voice echoed from who knows where. “where’s my singers and players?” Sombra was too into this idea for a song that he forgot how none of the crystal ponies remembered much. Singing and playing instruments was one of them.

After a long time of silence, Sombra sighed and grabbed the stand. “Fine, I’ll sing my own song...Now let’s see here...uh...” Sombra tapped his hooves to get a rhythm going, even though he doesn’t have any idea what he would sing, he knows that this wouldn’t be too hard.

So, he took a deep breath, and started singing.

The Musical Number

Author's Note

I know some people hate chapters like this
but I'm sure it won't be that bad...
right?...

The Musical Number

“What do you mean ‘already used?’”

Twilight sighed. “Someone already sang that song…”

Sombra was dumbfounded. “Someone else-wuh...Whom, and how do you know?”

“Because Chrysalis already sang that verse.” Pinkie said, causing glares to come her way again. “What? She did.”

“Why that evil little…” Sombra groaned and set the mic down. “What am I supposed to sing now!”

Twilight looked around, this was starting to be very awkward. “Sombra, you don’t have to-”

“Yes I do! This is the perfect opportunity, for these ponies will cheer for me and call me king when this is over.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I doubt that, Sombra.

Sombra glared at her. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that they fear you, so I don’t think they’ll uh...chear for someone who-”

“Not if I force them to!” Sombra grinded his teeth, but then stepped back once he realized what he said. “Force them to….wait…” Sombra turned to the crowd. “Now I know what to sing…” The crowd stood motionless, not knowing what this evil pony would do next, but all he did was make his way into the crowd.

“Now, I never thought I’d rely on these ponies,” Sombra sang, now closing his eyes. "They are useless and unspeakably plain,”

He opened his eyes, which were now full green with no red iris. The crowd of crystal ponies were starting to be drawn to his eyes, not looking away.

“but maybe they have a sliver of potential,

When I take control of their BRAINS!”

Sombra blinked and revealed a red slit in his eyes. Almost every pony that was watching him now had the same colored eyes.

Twilight and her friends gasped. “Y-you brainwashed them!”

Sombra turned around, his eyes now back to normal. “Oh, you’ll soon find out why…” He walked deeper into the crowd, with everyone now looking at him in a daze. He made his way to another pony, waving a hoof in her eyes.

“Now it’s clear by your vacant expressions

That the flames aren't all lit upstairs,”

He grabbed her by the throat, with her eyes still boggled out.

“but listen when I speak about ruling!

Even you can’t be caught unawares.”

He let go of her and stomped his hoof, protruding a crystal podium for him to stand on.

“So prepare for the chance of a lifetime!

Be prepared for a new age of rule

for a brand new era, is trotting quite nearer.”

Twilight sighed. “Why must he sing…”

“HEY!” Sombra glared at her and stomped his hoof, causing a crash in the crystal Twilight is trapped in. “listen to the king!” Sombra ran back to his podium while Twilight noticed the crack, and the crystal nearby.

“I know it sounds stupid

and so convoluted

when I explain all of it to you!

Just listen and don’t rebel

but be EVIL!”

The crystal ponies, now fully taken control of, cheered and clapped for their king. Sombra was almost too surprised to see that it worked. “Yeah,” a pony yelled, “Be evil! Yeah!...Uh...How do we do that?”

Sombra sighed. “It’s quite easy, you will all help me in taking good care of Celestia!”

Twilight broke her front hoof out of the casing. Her friends all turned to her and smiled, knowing they still had a chance. “Who?” One pony questioned.

“The princess!” Sombra yelled. “The very princess who banished me for a thousand years, and now I will have my revenge.”

“What are we gonna do to her?”

“We will DESTROY HER! And her sister too.”

“So...with no princess…” The pony tapped her chin. “Does that mean we can be free without listening to a ruler?”

“NO, you fool, I will be the new ruler! The KING!”

“Oh…” The pony frowned.

“And soon, all will remember the name KING SOMBRA!”

The crowed ignored the thoughts of fear and sadness and cheered for their king. As for Twilight, she smashed the casing around her other front hoof, hoping that Sombra wouldn’t notice.

“It’s great to forever worship" The crowed sang. "to a king who’ll forever be adored”

Sombra smiled. Now realizing this was his plan, to take control of every pony in this kingdom, then the next one, then the next, then the world, and then he would...Sombra didn’t care about that last part and started singing again.

“Of course, after all this happens,

you’re all expected to take other duties on board.”

Sombra stepped off his podium and crawled through the crowd, Just as Twilight finally broke free from her crystal trap, no one, except her friends noticed her crawling to the crystal heart.

“For this world is littered with crystal~ really need to stop doing that...

All of which, will soon fill me with glee.

To dumb it down to all of you so simple...minded…” He grabbed the nearest pony by the throat and yelled,

"YOU WON’T SURVIVE WITHOUT ME!...that verse was horrible..."

He let go, with the pony being completely unfazed and still smiling and cheering for the king. Sombra then ran back to his podium and sung again, just as the Twilight took the crystal and hid behind her brother and sister-in-law.

“So prepare, for a new era approaching

be prepared for a new way to rule

silently planning;

crystals expanding;

years of imprisonment

shall soon be irrelevant.

To be a king so evil

respected and medieval

and seen for the villain I am!”

Twilight, with a look of determination, ran back and put the crystal back where it belonged, she looked to her friends, who all nodded, knowing full well what to do.

"So get ready to upheaval

and be EVIL!”

The crystal started to glow, and Twilight made her way to the soon-to-be-destroyed king. She looked at all of her friends, silently cheering for her as well.

“YES! Get ready to bring upheaval

AND BE EVIL!”

Sombra cackled. Now truly feeling it, the great power, the plan, the one thing he wanted to do, and now that he has every pony under his control, all that’s left is for him to get rid of the prince and princess.

Sombra smiled. “Well, now that that’s out of the way.” He closed his eyes and turned around. “I think now would be the appropriate time for you to-” Sombra then opened his eyes and wiped the smile off his face once he saw a huge white light come his way.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Twilight smiling, and even though it was a surprise for him, he knew something like this would happen, that even after everything went according to plan, there was always something that stopped it, so, he closed his eyes again and prepared for the worst.

Now I know

Sombra was ready, he was prepared for whatever came his way, he was ready to receive whatever pain this bright light would give him, he knew it would happen any second now, the amount of pain would probably explode him into a million pieces, and he knew something like that would hurt in the morning, if not ever.

The amount of time this was taking was very nerve racking for him, last time he remembered light travels very,very fast. He wanted to open his eyes and see it coming, but he knew something like that would be idiotic, no one want’s to see their own death, not even him. So, he waited, and waited, and waited…

“How long is this supposed to take?” He thought “Am I already dead? If so, then that was far less painful than I thought.” He had to be sure, that this was indeed the end for him, and that he could just go to...wherever he would go after getting destroyed.

Taking as much time as possible, he slowly opened his left eye, seeing what looked like…crystals…

Pony shaped crystals.

“What the slaving of crystals in the king’s kingdom…” He slowly walked up to the very thing he would never of seen coming, something he knew was impossible, that nothing like this should happen, but here it was, staring him right in the eye, with a terrified looking face.

It was Twilight, completely encased in dark crystal, and just as he looked ahead, he saw the other ponies who tried to defeat them in the same state, frozen, unable to move, completely helpless, and...very nice as well.

The crowd behind Sombra were just as shocked as he was, since they practically shared the same emotion with him, but they were happy to see this; unlike him.

“T-There’s no way...what...how…?” Sombra tapped Twilight's crystal encased nose, causing a ding sound. Sombra continued having his jaw drop as he inspected the rest of this now fallen hero.

“No, t-this is just some trap isn’t it!” Sombra looked above and around, trying to find some indication that this wasn’t over, that this battle was still going. “I know you’re out there Twilight, you’re just trying to get my hopes up, you can’t just...be...like this!” Sombra pointed at the Twilight statue. “I know that you can’t...you can’t...”

Sombra faced his mortal enemy again. “No...I know this isn’t true.” He turned around and looked at his now loyal subjects; each one of them were either confused or looking slightly brain dead.

“So...uh...did we win yet?” One pony asked with some ponies starting to think the same.

“Yeah, is it over?”

“Can you rule over the empire now?”

“Is it mining time yet?”

“When do we get to the destroying and ruling?”

“Can I use the restroom yet?”

“SILENCE!”

Every pony backed up from Sombra’s sudden outburst. “I know you are all in on it!”

“In on what, master?” One pony asked, only for her to be caught by Sombra’s magic.

“Don’t you ‘what master’ ME! I know this is all part of the plan.” He dragged her till she was inches away from him. “Tell me where she is, and just what else she has under her hooves!”

“But master, we only know what you know, how can we know what you can't know...ya know…” She looked away and cringed a bit, trying to figure out what was going on as well.

Sombra groaned and threw her back. “I KNOW that this isn’t over, that this battle is still going on, that. SHE HASN'T GIVEN UP YET!” He faced Twilight again. “Come on you purple unicorn. I know you can hear me, and I know you still have plans. So...say something!”

Sombra waited for her to actually speak, but the casing around her face was making it impossible. “Fine...Let me help.” Sombra held her head by both his hooves and flared up his horn, and in seconds the crystals surrounding Twilight shattered, making her gasp for air and cough a bit before looking around in a daze.

“W-where...w...wh….why did….S...Sombra!?” Twilight wanted to reel back in horror, but only her head could move at this point.

“Why are you doing this to me?” Sombra growled.

“W-what do you mean, and...d-did you encase my friends too?” Twilight craned her neck to see her friends suffered the same fate as her.

Sombra grabbed her chin and made her face him again. “Nice try, Twilight, but I know exactly what you’re doing.”

“What are you...what are you talking about?”

Sombra wanted to smack her right then and there, but he continued keeping calm and instead yelled. “YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!” Twilight had to flop her ears just to listen to the rest of Sombra’s rant. “I know this is all part of the plan, that you’ll soon have some surprise attack coming right behind me.” He turned around to make sure it wasn’t true.

“Sombra…”

“And I know you have already contacted the princess, preparing for her to arrive any second now to-”

“How can I with Spike encased in crystal?” She craned her head toward her assistant, who was in the fetal position. “He delivers the parchments to Celestia, and I don’t think he can do that right now…” Twilight was starting to tear up again.

“B-but that...y-you can’t just...I...we were….and they...you...you…”

“Just go ahead and say it Sombra.” Twilight looked down and closed her eyes.

“What? That this isn’t over, that you still have other plans, that soon, I will perish and you will-”

“Lose…”

Sombra threw his hooves in the air and walked away from her. “YES! I knew you had some ridiculous plan to try and stop...wait…” He turned to her again. “What?”

“We...we lost....” Twilight looked up at him, her eyes now filled with tears. “Y-you won, you...won...and we….lost...you won, we lost…” She looked down again. “H-how could we lose...we...g-good always...prevails.”

Sombra shook his head, completely speechless. He felt like he did an hour ago, when his throat was sore from yelling and roaring all the time that he couldn’t even say anything, he hasn’t talked in over a thousand years, so it was only natural he couldn’t speak real words at that time, at least now he could speak clearly, ever since that crystal went in his mouth.

“Seems like you actually did it.” Twilight sniffed. “You won. So what now Sombra, will you just freeze me like Celestia did to you?”

“W-well…” Sombra scratched his neck, he was thinking about having a statue in his honor, and since the crystal ponies couldn’t even build a home, he might as well make one himself. “But how am I gonna carry them?” He thought “They could break at any moment if I brought them to...wait, where do Celestia and Luna live anyway?” Sombra looked away and tapped his chin.

“Then after you’re done with me” Twilight continued, her eyes starting to water. “you’ll just….move on to the next city and enslave them, t-t-then after th...that...you....” Twilight looked down, not wanting him to see her sobbing.

“The next city?”Sombra looked at the crowd, still seeing the green eyes, they were starting to unsettle him. “Well, I can rule one city...I’m sure I can...No wait, how am I supposed to watch over two, I’m just one ruler, and there is no way I’m having a queen, I learned my mistakes!”

“J-Just please remember that they’re ponies like you, a-and they still need...t-to sleep and eat and...j-j…”

“These guys eat too, I thought it was just me…” Sombra turned back to Twilight, now seeing the mare was starting to lose it, it reminded him of when he went insane while frozen in ice. “Good thing it only lasted a hundred years, it would’ve been horrible for me to be completely insane.” Sombra thought about that for a second. “A-Am I still insane?”

“A-and please d-don’t destroy her, or...or any of my friends...t-they mean so much to me and…”

Sombra looked at the other ponies encased in crystal and cringed. “Now that I look at it, they do not look that good in crystal, should I....control their minds and make them slaves...No...No they would just break any moment, I know they can comprehend thought,” He glared at his subjects. “Unlike these guys.”

Twilight took in a shaky breath. “A-and Sombra…”

Sombra raised an eye at her, he was getting pretty annoyed at how long this pony was talking. “What?”

“D-don’t kill her…”

“KILL!?” Sombra stepped back a bit. “I don’t wanna kill anyone, how am I supposed to get crystals if I just kill everypony that I see, that’d be the stupidest thing any villain would do, that’d be like destroying the world, why would anyone even want to do that, what are they gonna do, move to another world and do the same…” Sombra shook his head “Listen, uh, Twilight."

Twilight quivered, not wanting to talk anymore. “W-what is it!” She yelled, now starting to really lose it.

Sombra bit his bottom lip, “I-I gotta admit...this whole...taking over everything isn’t working out...so...how about this…”

“Y-you’re not taking over Equestria?” Twilight had to raise her ears just to see if she was hearing that right.

Sombra walked up beside her and wrapped an arm around her neck, without even realizing the crystal around her were traveling down to her hooves “Look, I’m gonna be honest with you, the way I see it, If I take over everything, how am I supposed to be sure every little piece of land is being taken care of, I’m just one guy.”

Twilight looked at him and the crystal around her, it was already to her legs. “So, you’re not taking over Equestria?”

Sombra sighed. “Well, if I do, then it’s gonna be a lot of work, I mean, how are you supposed to watch over everyone?”

Twilight wanted to say the princess did the same thing, but she was smart about this situation. “Does that mean you’re staying here?”

Sombra let go of her, her body now free from the crystal. “I guess, I mean, I did it once before, I’m sure I can do it again, though...I might need to do something different…”

While He continued talking, Twilight slowly backed up to her friends, trying to see if there was some way to free them, then she noticed her now working horn “Guess Sombra forgot about that too.” She grinned and flared it up.

“Maybe I can hold one of you hostage, saying that if Celestia even thinks about coming back over here, I’ll just kill them...yeah...yeah that...that might work.” Sombra shook his head and turned back to Twilight. “The thing that I’m saying is...what are you doing?”

Twilight stopped straining herself in using her magic and looked back at the king. “Oh...uh...Um...I-I was just-”

“You do realize this crystal is controlled by me and me only, so only I can do this.” Sombra smashed his hooves in the ground. Twilight stumbled a bit and saw that her friends were free as well, each one of them collapsed to the floor, completely unconscious.

“W-why did...h-how are they...what did.” Twilight was, once again, speechless at the situation.

As for Sombra, he sighed again. “They’re not dead, they’re just asleep, I’d rather not have all of you awake and try and stop me, and can you pick one of them to be my servant for me, I’d rather have a really stupid one, maybe your lizard slave or something.”

“Lizard? He’s a dragon, and what do you mean slave, I thought you wouldn’t take over-”

“That doesn’t me I still want to rule,” Sombra crossed his arms. “I still want this place, and the way I see it. If I control one of your friends, I’m sure the princess won't even touch me and let me rule in peace.”

Twilight glared at him. “You are not taking any of my friends, you’ll have to get past me instead!” She went into a stance, preparing to fight.

Sombra rolled his eyes. “Fine, then how about this, you tell the princess that I can stop these ponies from breathing if she even thinks about coming back over here. That fair?”

Twilight dropped her jaw. “Y-you can do that…”

Secretly, Sombra couldn't, he wasn’t that powerful to control the rest of the pony’s body, sure he could make them brain dead, but they’d still be alive, and that would still give Celestia an excuse to come over here and kill him, he shivered, still remembering what she did to stop him, her and...her sister.

“I’d rather not have another...whooping from them, s-so just tell them that so I can rule by myself, with no one else to stop me, besides, just look at them, aren't they happy?” Sombra pointed at the still smiling crowd of ponies.

“I...Uh...I don’t really think there...happy...I mean, they are still under mind control and…”

“Doesn’t mean they’re not happy, I’m sure you’re princess will understand. Now, if you would be so kind.” Sombra pointed ahead, causing the crowd of crystal ponies to make an opening for Twilight and her friends to walk through and leave the kingdom.

“I...I...I…” Twilight didn’t want to do this, with her going back and telling Celestia that she failed, it would be horrible, and she didn’t want to let her mentor down. “I can’t leave, this was a test for Celestia!”

Sombra laughed. “R-really, a test, what kind of ruler sends a pony to save an entire kingdom for some test, that’s a little too harsh of a test to give.”

Twilight wanted to object, but he did have a point. This test was very big, and it almost caused all of them to be forever crystallized. “W-well, d-do you really have to rule, I mean, you can do other things besides rule you know. You can just stay here and let Cadance rule while you...help her or-”

Sombra groaned. “Oh no, I am not having a queen, not like last time.”

“She isn’t...last time?” Twilight was curious. “What do you mean?”

Sombra started backing up in the crowd. “What I mean is that I learned from my mistakes, I am not having a queen by my side, they are backstabbing, bossy, really pushy, very demanding, utterly loud, very aggressive, and overall the most evil mare I have ever met, she was so cruel…”

Twilight was starting to regret asking. “What is with him and queens, did she abandon him when he was ruling or something, and who would be his queen, the only queen I know is...wait…” Twilight had to ask, even if it was stupid. “Um..Sombra?”

“And even though she was very attractive, and she shared the same ideas I had, I knew she just wanted me for her own selfish gain. That overgrown bug and her stupid ideas, she probably had holes in her head too.”

Twilight was sure of it. “Y-you were in love with-”

Sombra scoffed. “I wouldn’t say...love, I’d say I was acquaintances with her.” He quoted with his hooves when he said that.

“So you did know her.” Twilight was starting to get the picture, she could see it like a green ball of...fire...heading..straight towards… “What in Celestia’s mane is that?” Twilight was starting to back up.

“Who? Do you even know who I am talking about?” Sombra sighed just as the apparent fireball was coming closer to his position. “I might as well tell you, look, her name was…”

*SMASH*

Sombra was thrown right at Twilight as the fireball made contact. Sombra was the first to recover and stood on his hooves. “W-what...how did...wait…” Sombra grabbed Twilight by the throat and held her in the air. “This is your plan...ISN’T IT!? Throw a fireball straight at me eh?”

Twilight struggled, “N-neah...no...It...w.wahgh...wasn...tn...neah…”

“Well, I’m telling you right now. There is no way that I’m falling for it a second-”

*SMASH*

Twilight gasped for air once Sombra let go of her to see another green ball of fire crashed into the ground. “Wait a minute…” Sombra shifted his eyes. “I know this plan, she wouldn’t shut up about it.”

Twilight took deep breaths and got back up. “W...what are...who did...why?”

Sombra ignored her and moved to the first place the fire made contact, he reached in the smoke and held on to something that Twilight couldn't see. “WHERE IS SHE!”

Twilight tried to see, but the smoke and the now raining green fire was making it difficult. “Sombra, what is it?”

Sombra roared and threw a figure both him and Twilight knew all too well at her. “Useless insect, always brain dead like the rest of them!”

Sombra looked to the sky while Twilight looked at the figure that stood before her. She would never thought she’d see something like it again. It was… “A changeling?”

“Are you surprised?”

Twilight froze. She knew that voice, she knew it all too well. “C-c-c…” She turned around and tried to say it, but now seeing her enemy stare her straight in the eye only made her too shocked to finish.

"Why yes Twilight, it is me." One of her worst enemies looked down at her and smiled wickedly. "I have come to take control yet again, and this time. Nothing will-"

“Chrysalis!” He growled, now storming his way to Twilight, making sure to kick the changeling out of his way first.

As for the changeling queen, she looked up from her evil stare at Twilight and went wide eyed as Sombra got closer to her. “S-S-Sombra?”

Sombra stood in front of her, the only thing between him and her was Twilight, and she was starting to realize that. “Surprised to see me...you backstabbing little…”

“Oh...Don’t you start!” Chrysalis leaned in and went nose to nose with Sombra. “I know what you’re going to say Sombra, and I don’t want any of it, this invasion doesn’t concern you!”

Twilight felt a little unease with two of her most hated enemies sandwiched between her, so she slowly crouched down and moved toward her friends.

“What are you even doing here Chrysie? Trying to make up for your mess at the last town you went to?” Sombra said mockingly.

Chrysalis grinded her teeth. “No, I’m taking my revenge by getting love from this kingdom, my scouts knew all too well about this place, and since there’s plenty of love to go around, I knew now would be the time to strike! And what are you doing here?”

Sombra tried standing over her, but with his size and how tall she way, it was rather difficult. "I'm ruling over this kingdom, so if you really want to rule this place you can..."

Twilight nudged Cadance and her brother. Hoping to wake them up, but it seemed that crystal spell really knocked them out. “Mmmmhhhmmh?” Twilight turned to her friends to see that Spike was waking up.

“Spike?” She ran up to him and got him on his feet. “Are you okay?”

“Wha...what’d I miss.” He said dazily. “A-are we still winning?”

Twilight bit her bottom lip and looked back at the still arguing king and queen. “WELL," Chrysalis yelled. "I know for a fact that I can rule way more subjects than you, Mr. I can’t throw a mare!”

Sombra growled at his former queen’s remark. “Says the one who can’t even support her subjects! Miss...I can’t...help...my subjects!”

They continued bickering while Twilight held Spike close. “Um...I think we are…”

“How?” Spike asked, his eyelids still trying to open. “Did we...talk it out?”

Twilight grinned, starting to see the two rulers circle each other. She could only guess they would fight, and by the time they were done, her and her friends could handle them, so, She sat back, hugged Spike, and said, “You could say that.”

“G-good...cause...cause I thought I would have to...breath fire again...and...stuff…” Spike then snoozed in Twilight’s arms. Twilight smiled and looked at the now fighting king and queen, she would probably send a letter to Celestia during the fight, but she could wait, after all, who wouldn’t want to miss a show like this.

I-It's over?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2 Hours later

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Give up now, Chrysalis! It’s over!”

“I haven’t even begun to fight, Sombra!”

Chrysalis lunged at Sombra for the thirtieth time, and just like the other times, he dodged at the last second and tackled her to the ground. “You...won’t...win…” Sombra struggled to pin her down, but Chrysalis fought back...just like last time.

Chrysalis flared her horn and blasted him in the face, knocking him a couple feet before he took a stance. He shook the pain away and growled at his ex-queen. “Is that all ya got?”

“I have way more power than you think.” Chrysalis charged toward the king, and just like her other attempts, he stopped her with a crystal, making her stop and get her horn stuck in the material.

Sombra laughed at the display before quickly stopping once Chrysalis blasted the crystal structure into pieces. “This ends now!”

And once again, the fight between the king and queen continued, as for the fight between Sombra’s slaves and the changelings, they were in the same position...about an hour ago.

After some time, the hypnosis on the ponies wore off, and the Changelings were starting to get tired from punching and kicking, so then they resorted to pushing and shoving, which then led to them not fighting and just...looking at one another in awkward silence. The changelings would’ve used their green gunk, but they learned from the last time that that stuff was very hard to get off, and they’d rather not have a city full of it.

And even though Twilight and her friends weren't frozen in crystal anymore, the only thing they could do was watch. Just a few minutes ago, Twilight was finally able to wake her friends and explained what happen. She would’ve asked them to fight the changelings, but something caught her eye once she stopped talking.

Twilight looked past the still fighting king and queen to see some of the ponies and changelings now looking at the fight as well, some were even talking to one another, wondering how their ruler treated their subjects and how life is with them, it was almost like they were…

“Uh, guys,” Twilight pointed at the crowd. “are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

“A fight that has yet to die down and is still going?” Shining answered.

Twilight shook her head. “No, not that, I’m talking about the changelings, why are they just...sitting there, they were fighting a second ago.”

“Maybe the same reason why we’re not fighting.” Cadance shrugged. “It seems like a waste of time, with the whole thing being about who rules what.”

Twilight tapped her chin. “But they didn’t do this in Canterlot.”

“That’s because we didn’t attack for two hours straight.”

Twilight and her friends yelped as a changelings came up beside Pinkie with a bag of popcorn. “Here’s your food by the way.”

Pinkie grinned and dove her face in the bag with the changeling still holding it. “Thunks doohmeh.” She said with her mouth full.

“Don’t eat that, Pinkie, you don’t know where it’s been.” Twilight walked up beside her and looked at the changeling. “Where did you get that bag of-”

“Phil and some of the ponies are making some for you guys,” The changeling pointed behind him at a changeling that was currently in a concession stand with others helping. “I mean, who wouldn’t be hungry after fighting for so long.”

Pinkie swallowed and took the bag out of the changelings hooves. “I know I would.” She said. “Thanks for getting us some.”

The changelings shrugged with a smirk. “Anything for a pony that actually wants to see my shape shifting skills.”

Pinkie giggled and waved goodbye as the changeling walked back to the crowd, which was still watching the fight. “You...know him?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie swallowed another hoof full and said, “Well duh, didn’t you recognize him, he was the bug that changed into me when we were fighting, remember?”

Twilight and the others raised an eye. “Uh, I don’t think that-”

*SMASH*

Twilight and her friends jumped as Sombra tackled Chrysalis into the castle wall. “Chrysalis, you need to learn when a fight is over...so GIVE UP ALREADY!” Sombra strained to keep a hold of her, but Chrysalis would let up. She grabbed him by the throat and threw him against the same wall she was on and pinned him against it.

“I’ll give up when you’re dead!” At that point, they started throwing hooves, which turned into a struggled contest over who would push who to the ground

Twilight stepped forward and looked back at her friends, wondering if they should intervene, or at least say something. After some blank stares, she sighed and cleared her throat. “Uh, hey, guys.”

Both the king and queen looked at her and yelled, “Not now Twilight!” They then continued their pushing game, which let to them landing on the ground and struggling for who will get on top.

Twilight sighed again. “Look, guys, if you keep this up, you’re gonna get yourselves killed.”

“Not if I kill her first!” Sombra sat up and grabbed Chrysalis’ throat. “I will end you...you bug!”

Chrysalis grinned her teeth and wrapped her arms around Sombra's neck. “You...won’t..win!” She used all her strength and threw him across the ground. Making him slide on his side and groan in slight pain.

“I've had it with you, Chrysalis!” Sombra started walking toward her, eyes filled with rage

“And I’ve had it with you, Sombra.” Chrysalis did the same, preparing to end the pony’s life.

“And I’ve had it with both of you!” Twilight stepped in between the both of them and surrounded herself with a shield bubble. “Can’t you both see this is a waste of time.”

“Waste of time?” Chrysalis asked. “How? If this shrimp would just give up already-”

“Well, maybe if somebuggy would surrender…” Sombra said mockingly

“How dare you call me that!” Chrysalis rushed at him, but was immediately stopped by Twilight’s magic.

“Will you two...STOP FIGHTING!” Twilight slammed her hooves on the ground, causing the ground to shake and making everyone step back, except for the king and queen, who were only feet away from each other. “Listen, I know you two hate each other, but is this fighting really necessary?”

“Yes it is.” Sombra yelled, trying to get past the shield that was blocking him from destroying Chrysalis.

“Can't you two just talk it out?” Twilight suggested.

“I’d rather discuss a treaty between my children and send a drone to your princess to deliver it!” Chrysalis tried pushing the shield away, but Twilight’s magic was becoming too much for her. “W-why...can’t….I-”

“Well, with both of you fighting each other, and using a lot of magic, it tends to lead to your magic not working to it’s full power.”

“Nonsense!” Sombra yelled. “I can still blast this so-called queen to oblivion right now.”

“Then go ahead Sombrie.” Chrysalis said mockingly.

Sombra roared and flared up his horn, which immediately burned out seconds later. Chrysalis laughed and did the same thing to prove she was still powerful, but her horn had the same effect as well. Twilight groaned and dropped her shield. “Can’t you see this is pointless, you both know you’re not strong anymore, and I’m pretty sure me and the others can take both of you down.” She smiled and looked over at her friends, who were having the same expression and agreeing with her.

“Perhaps you should both surrender.” Cadance suggested, “Instead of one of you.”

Sombra scoffed. “I’ll deal with the rest of you once I destroy this bug! Then I’ll...I’ll…” Sombra trailed off while Chrysalis started walking toward him.

“You’ll what Sombra?” Chrysalis asked. “Try and take over all of Equestria? Sorry, but that’s my job, not yours.”

Sombra growled and started walking up to her as well. As for Twilight, she decided to step back and let this quickly resolve itself. “Oh, so you think you can do that...Well, Chrysie, what are you gonna do after that?”

Chrysalis grinned her teeth and went nose to nose with him again. “Oh, I’ll tell you what I’ll do once I rule over everyone, I’ll...I’ll...I’ll feed all my subjects and...and...uh…” Chrysalis looked away and thought for a bit, then she looked up at her changelings. “Children, you know what I’ll do, right?”

Most of them scratched their necks or shrugged. “Weren’t you gonna decide that after you took over?” One of them asked.

“And what about us Sombra?” One of the crystal ponies asked. “Just what would you do once you made us help you destroy the princesses?” They then crossed their arms and waited for a response.

The king and queen could only stare dumbfounded at them. They looked back at each other, then at the crowd, then at Twilight, who was tapping her hoof impatiently. “Well, Sombra? Chrysie? Do you give up?”

The villains looked at one another again, knowing full well that once their plans went in motion, it would stop even before it began. “Uh…” They scuffed their hooves and rubbed their arms, trying to find some way to make this less awkward then it already was.

“Well...Uh, Chrissy…” Sombra asked

“Sombra…uh...” Chrysalis looked away again.

They looked at each other one more time before throwing their hooves in the air and yelling. “Alright! Fine! You win!”

Sombra sat down and grumbled. “If I planned this out more I would’ve won a long time ago.”

“Same here.” Chrysalis said. “Maybe if you stayed with me, then-”

“Oh ho ho ho no, don’t you bring this up again!” Sombra stood up again.

“No, I will bring this up, because if you would just stay at the hive and raise our children-”

“If you would just understand that my powers would work with crystals instead of love!”

The two then went back into arguing, leaving Twilight and the others to groan in annoyance. “Guys, can you just-”

“You’re such a love sucker.” Sombra yelled, now inches away from Chrysalis’ face

“And you’re a crystal chomper!” Chrysalis stood over him with eyes starting to burn.

“Insignificant Insect!”

“Big horned freak!”

“Jagged horned monster!”

“Short shouter!”

“Hole filled wonder!”

“Over sized filly!”

“Overgrown cockroach!”

“WORST KING EVER!”

“HORRIBLE QUEEN!”

Twilight held a hoof to her mouth, thinking that any moment now they would attack one another again, then, after a few seconds of silence between both rulers, they grabbed one another by the necks, and before Twilight could stop them, they did something that made her stop dead in her tracks.

They kissed.

They closed their eyes, leaned in, and kissed.

And not just a regular kiss, it was one filled with strange sounded moans and slight sloppiness in their mouths, and seconds after it started they landed on the ground and continued kissing.

All the while, everyone dropped their jaws and stood still as the king and queen continued to make out. Pinkie dropped her bag of popcorn and some of the changelings cringed. One changeling that was wearing an Australian slouch hat and sunglasses slowly held up a camera to videotape the whole thing.

As for Twilight, she quickly covered spikes eyes and cringed. “Um, maybe we should let them...work this out.”

The others nodded and waited for the king and queen to 'sort things out.'

Author's Note

Had to stop it here...
I just...I had to...

This is the part where we leave you

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

So...what now?

“NOOOOOOOOOO!”

Shining could only scream and watch in horror as his wife crashed into Sombra, which led both of them to fall toward the ground. He thought about jumping from the balcony and make a grab for her, but he knew he would only join her fate. All he could do now was watch and hope that his wife would survive the landing.

Meanwhile, Cadance was now understanding just how stupid this plan was. She knew for a fact she wasn’t even that strong, with keeping a shield up and all, so what made her and Shining think that launching her at the crystal would solve anything. She would just have to rely on her wings to glide her down once she caught it, and even then it would be a very shaky landing.

Even Spike was having seconds thoughts when it came to this situation. Sure, he wanted to get the crystal, but he didn’t have to jump for it. He knew there was a time for bravery, but sometimes stupidity gets in the way, and even though he wanted to be the hero, maybe now wasn’t the best time.

As for Sombra, he could only groan in pain and regret all of this once he made contact with the pink princess, and the lizard as well. All three of them smashing into one another created so much pain for all of them that they would be seeing stars for a bit.

That was, untill they crashed on the crystal floor, causing cracks and letting them be in more pain than before. So now they laid there, in complete immobilization, and worse of all, Shining saw the whole thing.

“No….NO!” Shining shoved Twilights friends out of his way before they could get a word in. He didn’t care what would happen to him. He wanted vengeance! In his mind, he thought this was all that kings fault, sure Shining threw Cadance straight at him without even thinking of the consequences that would soon follow, but couldn’t just sit here and watch. He had to do something.

Shining stopped dead in his tracks and looked up at his horn; he tapped it, seeing that it still wasn’t working. He stomped his hoof in frustration. “I can’t just rush him without magic, he’s too powerful, I need help, and, no offence to the girls, but I don’t think twilight’s friends have the power to...” Then it hit him. He turned his gaze up at the ceiling. “Twilight…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh come on!” Twilight flared her horn again and tried to teleport out of the crystal trap, but it still had the same results. Her being ported back into the same crystal structure. “Spike! Are you there!?” She tried to look over the jagged, black crystals, but they were too tall. She tried teleporting again to at least get a look on the outside.

Twilight could only catch a glimpse of, well, crystal. It was the only thing surrounding, not only her, but the entire room. At least it looked like it wasn’t spreading any more. “What is he planning?” She said. “Maybe he’s just plotting, waiting for the perfect moment to strike down and destroy us.”

She stood up and held her chest and head high. “Well, I won’t let that happen! You’re gonna have to get past me before you do anything else Sombra! You hear me?!”

“T….twa…...wie….lieeet….Bleh….”

Twilights ear twitched. She recognized that voice, it was, “Shining?” She turned toward the door. (or where she thought the door was.) and yelled, “Shining? BBBFF?”

“I…..I’m….all….almo….ost….gheh...wh...th...the..er...Ufh…” Shining tried to form words, but he was far too exhausted to do so.

Twilight heard a thump. “Um...Shining?” She flared her horn again and teleported out in the open, where she was able to catch a glimpse of Shining, who laid on the floor, panting heavily and drenched in sweat. “Shini-” Was all Twilight could say before she was forced back into her cell, smacking the back of her head while doing so.

“Ow…” She rubbed the injury and stood back up. “Shining. Did...Did you run...all the way-”

“All….the way….and….did...n’t….stop…” Shining tried forming words again, but with his heart pounding against his chest, and his lungs working into overdrive, it was almost impossible. “T-Twi...ly….the….guha...theres...dan...ger…”

“There’s a badger?” She questioned. “You came up here for that?”

“N-no...C-ca...dance is...in...tru…...mpl.”

“Cadance is a trumpet?” Twilight was starting to become concerned. It seemed that Shinings brain had the same effect his heart and lungs were having.

“NO!...Cands...dances….is….hugh...Just….letmecatchmybreath….” Shining crawled to the crystal dome and rested against it.

“Um..okay? Uh...Shining, I don’t know if you know but, Sombra has me, well, trapped in here and-”

Shining slid off the crystal structure and slumped on the floor again. “W-waht!...He...He has you...too?”

Twilight scratched her neck. “Well, I wouldn’t really say he ‘captured me’ I think that he just has me. AAH!” Twilight then felt a strong force of dark magic wrap around her horn.

Shining was thrown across the room from the force of the magic, making him groan in pain and tiredness. “Oooohh….my entire body hurts….” Shining was starting to think that he couldn’t move anymore.

“SHINING! S-somethings...something’s happeniii...AAH!”

Shining’s brotherly instincts took in as he stood back on all fours. He looked at the crystal trap to see it was now glowing dark purple, and sparks of black magic were coming off it. “Twilly!” Shining put his legs into it and ran toward it, no longer caring what state his body was in, or how strong the structure was, all he cared about was saving-

*SMACK*

“Twilly?” Shining stood back and looked ahead to see he just smacked into a wall, rather than the crystal prison. “H-how in...No..” Shining turned around to see that the crystals, and his sister, had now vanished. “Great...now he stole her too...well. I won’t let that...oh no...” Shining glanced over at the door, which was wide open to show the stairs again. “Dear Celestia; give me strength.” Was the last thing he said before walking back down the huge flight of stairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Maybe I was supposed to harness the power of it. No...no that’s not right, this things powered by love, right?”

Sombra held the crystal up to the now trapped Cadance, who was sitting upright with her legs encased in dark crystal. She could only glare at him in response.

With no answer, Sombra groaned. “Come on, Miss Cadenza, I just need to know if it’s just powered by love, this is very important.”

“I doubt she’ll tell you.” Sombra turned around to see the purple lizard trying to speak up, but the crystal surrounding his feet didn’t help him at all.

Sombra stood over the reptile and shook his head. “Listen, Uh, little lizard, I doubt that you know anything about-”

“I’m a dragon.” It yelled. “And my names Spike.”

Sombra laugh again, though not as evilly. “No offence lizard, but last time I remembered, dragons have wings, and are really tall.”

“He’s a baby.” Cadance said, with the same expression of hate still present in her face.

Sombra turned around. “Oh really, then can he breathe fire?”

“Wanna find out!” The apparent ‘dragon’ took a deep breath, and as Sombra turned around, a wave of green flames come his way, almost all of it engulfing him.

The crowd of ponies gasped, wondering how a dragon so small could do such a thing, even Cadance was surprised. Though, the fire didn’t last as long, since Spike could only blow for five seconds before he collapsed on the ground and panted heavily.

And as the flames cleared, there stood Sombra, with no burn or scorch marks whatsoever. He, and everyone else, looked at him in complete disbelief. He checked his hooves, his cape, he even took off his crown and saw not a single singe was seen on him.

With his expression of ‘how did I not get burnt’ still plastered on his face, he turned toward Cadance again and said, “So, do dragons like him not have fire burning capabilities or something?”

Cadance looked at Spike, who still laid on the ground in exhaustion, and looked back at Sombra, who still had an eye raised at her. “Uh...how, how did…”

“Wait a sec, isn’t this dragon a slave to that purple pony? I need to stop doing that...” Sombra pointed up, signifying that Twilight was still on the top floor of the tower.

“Y-yeah she...wait, how do you know she’s-”

“Because I know these things princess.” He smiled and tapped his front hoof twice. “That and I sorta saw her try and take this thing away,” He waved the crystal in the air while the ground started shaking. “and after I stopped her from doing so, I put her in a crystal trap and made a run for the heart,” He turned his head to a circle of crystals now forming in front of him and Cadance. “it was pretty clear that her and this lizard thing were friends of some sort.”

Spike raised his head. “I’m a dragon.” he exclaimed before falling face down on the floor again.

Cadance was speechless, not only did he trap her, but now he was in control of Twilight as well. “Y-you have her too!” Cadance strained herself in trying to get out of this crystal trap.

Sombra shrugged as the crystals shattered, revealing an unconscious Twilight Sparkle, with her horn now encased in the same thing Shining armor had. Cadance and the rest of the crowd dropped their jaws at the sight, as for Sombra, all he could do was shake his head.

“Hu.” Sombra said. “Guess I do have her too. Weird,” He started pacing while Cadance felt tears coming to her eyes. “I expected someone to try and stop me, I mean, for my sake, ponies!” Sombra ran out into the crowd. “I have two powerful mares, and one of them’s an alicorn. How can none of you at least try and fight me?”

“SOMBRA!”

Sombras ears twitch. “Oh thank the king.” He said to himself. “At least someone is brave and stupid enough to try and stop-”

*HOOF TO THE FACE*

Sombra fell into the crowd, making everypony make a hole for him to fall in. Some ponies were dumb enough to try and help him up, but Sombra got up himself. “So, who’s the pony” He cracked his jaw back in place. “who was stupid enough to...oh…It’s you.”

“S-Shining?” Cadance tried to move to her husband, but the crystals were making sure that wasn’t happening. “Shining! Y-you can’t just-”

Shining ignored her and said, “You let my wife and sister go.” he said as menacingly as possible, while also trying to stay upright from gliding down the stairs.

Sombra snicked. “Oh come on Shining, you and I both know that horn of yours ain’t gonna work, so why are you even trying to-”

Shining stomped his hoof on the ground. “I don’t need magic to stop you!” He started making his way to the king. “The only thing I need is confidence, and love,” He looked over and smiled at Cadance, who smiled back. “and friendship.”

Sombra snicked again, louder than before. “F-friendship, really? That’s how you’re going to defeat me? Friendship, tell me, how will you, and it is just you, right?”

“No.”

Sombra looked past Shining to see Twilight getting up. “T-twily?” Shining walked up to his sister and helped her get on her hooves. Sombra just shook his head.

“Really?" Sombra said. "Are you being serious right now?”

“No one is fighting alone.”

Everyone looked to the entrance to the tower to see five more ponies walking toward Sombra.

“G-girls?” Twilight slowly got up, and with the help of her friends, she was able to stand on all fours. “Y-you guys came to-”

“To help,” An orange one replied. “‘cause nopony is gonna face him alone.”

Sombra facehoofed. “Oh come on, you guys don’t even have any magic to back you up, you really think strength in numbers will help you win?”

Shining stepped forward. “It’s not just strength, it’s how close we are to one another, knowing that nothing will stop us. Not even YOU!” Shining put his back legs into it and rushed toward Sombra, ready to rid the world of his evil and take back the crystal kin-

*SMACK*

Everyone gasped as Sombra backed hoofed Shining straight back to where he ran from. “Shining!” Twilight and her friends tried to help him up, but he was now unconscious. “You…” Twilight glared at the dark King. “You monst-”

“Oh please, I heard it before, now then.” He slammed his hooves on the floor, making the whole ground shake and causing dark crystals to form around him. “Try to defeat me and take this crystal back.” He said with a look of pure evil in his eyes and a grin putting a lot of effort into showing it’s fangs.

Twilight and her friends looked at one another. “A-are you sure we can do this.” The yellow one said.

Twilight hung her head. “Girls…” Then she held it high with confidence. “I know we can do this. Because friendship always prevails, no matter what. Now come on! Let’s show this red horned beast that it’ll take a lot more than this to stop us!”