"Now arriving at Ponyville Station!"

The six mares exited the train feeling drained, not just from the umbrumling fight but also the past few months and the sight of their home was a welcome one. Twilight stretched out a kink in her neck and sighed, never feeling more at peace than she was now. Sombra stepped onto the platform, chatting it up with a bluish-gray earth pony stallion dressed in a crisp dark blue jacket and muttonchops. Since the ride started, Sombra decided that he wanted to know how trains worked, being as how they weren't around a thousand years ago and had a lengthy discussion with the conductor about the different components that went into a locomotive's operation. Once that concluded, the conductor went on about the history of trains, from their very conception to the hundreds of different models used over the years and to this day. Twilight had to smile at how cute Sombra was when he got like this, almost like an inquisitive colt.

"Thanks for the talk, All Aboard!" Sombra beamed, taking the stallion's hoof. "You've really taught me a lot!"

"No problem there, Sombra! Enjoy your stay!" All Aboard tipped his hat and walked away, whistling "I've Been Working on the Railroad" with a noticeable bounce in his step.

Shaking his head humorously, Sombra rejoined Twilight, making sure his thick gray cloak was completely concealing his wings. "Sorry for the wait, Twi. I just had to know how that machine functions!"

Twilight giggled, "It's fine, Sombra. Well, what do you think?"

"This place looks nice. Homey."

"That's what I-..."

"TWILIGHT!"

Spike raced across the platform and wrapped his arms around Twilight's neck. "I missed you so much!"

"Aw, I missed you too, Spike."

The dragon smiled and then shrank when he spotted Sombra. "Uh...hi there." Twilight had sent Spike a letter explaining everything-while leaving out the more darker aspects-and told him that Sombra was now reformed and would be staying in Ponyville under Princess Celestia's orders. While he understood, he was understandably spooked and still put off by the strange umbrum/alicorn standing before him.

Sensing Spike's distress, Sombra bent down so that they were at eyelevel. "Hello there, Spike. I want to apologize for my behavior. I want you to know that I want nothing but the best for Twilight and I'm hoping that you and I could become friends. That is, if you want to."

To Spike's credit, he managed to look at Sombra without shaking with fear. "Th-thanks. It'll definitely take some time."

"I understand."

Spike then whispered to Twilight, "I know he's your coltfriend and all but please tell me he's not staying with us."

"I offered but he didn't want to make you uncomfortable. He'll be staying in a house just outside of town until the Castle of the Two Sisters has been made inhabitable."

"Thank Celestia!"

"I like to whisper too," Sombra added, earning him a half-hearted glare from Twilight.

The house in question was a three-story cottage with an upstairs, a basement, three bedrooms, one bathroom and a study, which Sombra decided to convert into a library. He placed his bag on the bed and unpacked his meager possessions. All of his magical books and relics remained at the castle, though he thought this was fair and only took with him a small box he'd hidden, filled with things from his childhood and teenage years. He slowly opened the lid, greeted by the sight of items he hadn't seen in centuries, including a yo-yo, three marbles, a leather-bound diary, a wooden spool, his first black crystal and a candle, the very one his mother used to light during Hearth's Warming. Reaching beneath the miscellaneous objects, he gently retrieved a pendant, one that was made out of clay and in the shape of a mortar and pestle inside of a heart.

He clasped it over his heart, the memory of that day flooding his head. His mother's smile caused a deep ache inside his chest. "Mother," he sniffled, recalling how proud she was whenever he gave her something he made, whether it was a clay figurine or a crude drawing.

It's beautiful! Thank you, Sombra! I'll treasure it forever.

His hoof pushed aside an old handkerchief and smoothed over a wooden baby's rattle, one he'd carved out of a piece of ash tree that somepony had thrown away. The name, "NYX" was carved into its surface and he reminisced his excitement upon first hearing of the news, how eager he was to be a big brother. Sombra scoffed, only now realizing how he'd been an idiot child with a head full of dreams. He placed everything back inside the box and shoved it into the bag, deciding that he'd spent enough time living in the past. Now there was the future to look to and that scared the hell out of him.

"Sombra, are you ready to go? You don't want to be late for Pinkie Pie's 'Welcome-to-Ponyville-Slash-New Bestie-Slash-Best-Friend's-New-Coltfriend Party.' Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay," Sombra sniffled and rubbed at his eyes. "Just going through some old junk. Say, does Pinkie really come up with convoluted names like that all the time? It's just a party."

Twilight shook her head and slid underneath one of his forelegs. "Trust me, Sommy, you don't ever want to use the words, 'Just a party' in Pinkie's presence. She takes this stuff very seriously. I haven't even told you about the Pinkie Pie Promise."

"The what now?"

"Oh, you'll see."

Sombra placed Twilight's back against the wall, his eyes staring into hers. "Oh yeah? Well, I'm sure we can afford to run a little late. Let's say, I don't know, twenty minutes?"

Twilight tried to look firm but it was hard when she was licking her lips. "Ten minutes."

"Fifteen."

"Done."

The changeling known as Tagma buzzed into the hive, excited by the news that he had to share with his queen. He noticed the damage on the hive's exterior wall and the despondent glances of his fellow changelings. The umbrum's attack left them heavily demoralized and, even worse, afraid, something that a changeling should not ever feel. The sight of their queen tossed to the ground like a ragdoll left many of them wondering if she was even fit to continue to lead them, a sentiment that Tagma himself was starting to have. Still, he was a loyal monarchist and would give Chrysalis the benefit of the doubt. I just hope it comes soon. When mutiny comes-and come it shall-I don't think I'll be able to stand by her.

Some heavily armed guards led him to the queen's bed chambers, where Queen Chrysalis laid sitting up in bed, a stack of papers towered up at her side. She still looked a little pale from the amphisbaena venom, which left her dizzy and weak. According to the guards, she had been given the antidote but it still took some time for the venom's aftereffects to dissipate so for now, she laid in bed and thought up new schemes to get food supplies and to get revenge on King Sombra.

"Your Highness?" A guard announced. "The spy Tagma has returned with news from the Crystal Empire."

The changeling queen's eyes darted up from the paper on her lap. "You're relieved. I can handle this." The guards bowed and hurriedly left, making Tagma a little uncomfortable being alone with the queen. She clacked her hooves together, the anticipation for news on her hated enemy written on her face. "So tell me, Tagma, what news do you bring?"

"Your Highness, King Erebus is dead, destroyed by Princess Celestia and the Elements of Harmony along with the umbrum changelings. It would also appear that King Sombra has...abdicated the throne to Princess Cadence and is now..."

"'Is now...?'" Chrysalis rolled her hoof impatiently.

"...An alicorn, Your Majesty."

The queen froze. "Get out."

"Your Majesty?"

"GET OUT! YOU ARE DISMISSED!"

Tagma couldn't have flown out of there fast enough, leaving a distressed and bitter Queen Chrysalis in his wake. He didn't stop flying until he was safe in another tunnel far away from the queen, his chest shuddering as he caught his breath. Things underneath Chrysalis' reign had gone from bad to worse. First there was the Canterlot Royal Wedding Fiasco, then her scheme to marry King Sombra and finally her alliance with Erebus and the creation of those disgusting half-breeds. Still, she was cunning and clever so there was a chance however slim that she might pull something off. And if not... Well, the thing about leadership is that it's constantly shifting. I only hope that the queen's next plot doesn't drag all of us down with her.

"Idiots. I'm surrounded by idiots," Chrysalis grumbled. Not only did the army that she suffered for get completely annihilated but now that bastard Sombra was an alicorn! How much longer do I have to keep suffering! "Well, at least I still have one plan still in action, one that only three of us know about." She reached over with a shaking foreleg to retrieve the orb on her nightstand and activated it, creating a glowing rectangle. Let's check in on my agents in Manehattan, shall we?

"Summer Wind, Twinkle Sky, report!"

The screen revealed an apartment living room as a unicorn couple came into frame. The stallion was dressed in a gaudy yellow sweater and big glasses while the mare wore a white dress covered in cherries and had her light blue mane in a tall bun. They bowed deeply as their eyes glowed green, the only betrayal of their true natures. They were Queen Chrysalis' best agents and were the only ones beside her that were aware of Operation: Venus Flytrap and it was better that it stayed that way. It was her last and best scheme and there was no way that this one was getting mucked up.

"Dionaea is fast asleep, Your Highness," Summer Wind stoically replied. "She grows stronger every day."

"She is powerful, perhaps more so than you, Your Majesty," Twinkle Sky added.

"Good. Let me see her."

Queen Chrysalis waited patiently as the couple made their way to the second bedroom and turned on the light. They stood over a crib and she caught a glimpse of the infant lying inside of it. Unlike regular changelings, royal changelings grew at a slower rate but lived longer and were far more powerful than their counterparts. The infant dozed quietly, her right foreleg changing from brown to red while her mane went from short and blonde to long and crimson. It astounded Chrysalis how quickly the filly picked up on metamorphosis but then she remembered to give herself credit for being her mother. That, and how strong her father is.

"That's my sweet Dionaea," Queen Chrysalis grinned. "My little Venus flytrap."

Author's Note

Annnnnnnnnnd fin. That's right, I'm ending this thing on a cliffhanger! Mwah-ha-ha!

Thank you all for reading and for your support! Honestly, it's surprising how much of a response this got. Now, there will be a sequel (or two or three), but first I'm going to resume work on "The Reign of Chaos: Discord's Story," which is a part of my offical headcanon works. Once I get working on that whole universe, I will return to this one.

Whenever I wrote King Erebus' lines, I pictured Keith David speaking them. Man, how awesome would that casting be, huh?!

This is MisterEdd and stay groovy, all you colts and fillies!