Chapter 1: The Dream

It has been about 1 month since Sombra's defeat, the Crystal Empire remains peaceful filled with joy, friendship, and harmony. Twilight Sparkle was in Ponyville having a picnic with her five friends, also known as the Elements of Harmony, and with Princess Cadence and Shining Armor who came to visit. They ate cucumber sandwiches, drank tea, played Frisbee and chat and laughed. As everypony played Frisbee Cadence and Twilight sat at their picnic setup and chat.

"Princess It is so good to see you after what happened at the Crystal Empire." said Twilight with a smile

"Yes Twilight it is also good to see you too, running the empire does take some hard work and Armor and I finally got the week off after so much ruling. How are things here in Ponyville?"

"Everything is great thought I sometimes think."

"Hmm? About what Twilight?"

"Well I was thinking about Sombra, I know we defeated him about a month ago but, I was thinking, was he always evil?"

"Twilight, Sombra was always evil, he was pure evil and had no remorse for anypony. Reports from crystal pony historians told us that Sombra had an evil scheme to take the throne and reign Tyranny all over the Empire, but them Celestia and Luna stopped him, and then later, us."

"Okay thanks Princess." Twilight looked over at Celestia's Sun and noticed that it was being lowered slowly, it was sunset and the plains were becoming dark. "Well it's looks like Celestia is lowering her sun, time to go inside, where are you and Shining staying at while you're in Ponyville?" asked Twilight

"We are staying in at the Hay and Stay hotel during our visit."

"Well I guess we should pack up."

"Agreed."

Everypony packed up and left for their homes. Twilight was in her Library reading, and reading, and reading dozens of books. After a dozen books later she looked at her clock and it said 12:30 pm, she was amazed at what time it was and she went to bed. Twilight was sleeping soundly in her bed dreaming, she dreamed of the Crystal Empire, but it was strange, the Crystal Ponies were worshiping somepony else on the Crystal Castle Balcony, a different pony other than Cadence. The pony was a unicorn, with a golden glaze coat and a white and blue colored mane. Twilight was crowded with the crystal ponies and wanted to know who that pony was.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts, I will be your new ruler, Queen Diamond may have passed but she has trusted me to become king of the Crystal Empire. I am your new leader, I am King Sombra!!!" All of the ponies cheered for him as if they trusted him. Suddenly in a flash, Twilight suddenly saw from paradise to depression as she now saw slavery and hard working, depressing crystal ponies as they worked hard for Sombra. Twilight couldn't believe what she had seen, was that really King Sombra? And why were they cheering for him when he is a cold heart ruler? Twilight couldn't help but tear as she saw all of the hard working ponies, in pain under Sombra's control. As she looked around in her nightmareish dream she heard a voice, a chilling and sad voice.

"Help me."

"huh?" Twilight looked around but nopony was talking, not only that but nopony was anywhere near few feet of her. She heard it again.

"Help me"

"Who is there?" Twilight said looking around suspiciously

"Twilight Sparkle..."

"Who are you? Where are you? How do you know my name?" She began to become frightened with sweat.

"I...am...Sombra... go...to...the...Crystal...Empire..."

Suddenly a transparent pony appeared in front of Twilight, the pony was the same pony that Twilight saw on the Crystal Castle balcony. It was King Sombra, though he looked different, he had tears in his eyes and a sad expression on his face.

"Wait... King Sombra? I thought we defeated you."

"No...I...still...suffer...please...help..me...the...Crystal...Library...I...will..explain...later...PLEASE...GO!!!" His final words passed as his transparent figure faded away and shocked Twilight awake. Twilight gasped for air, and sweated down bullets not knowing if it was a nightmare or a message. She needed to talk to somepony about what she had just seen.

On the next day she needed to talk to somepony about the Crystal Empire, and who else than Princess Cadence. She walked down the streets of Ponyville and found her and Shining having breakfast at a nearby cafe. She walked over to the two with a worried expression on her face, hoping that Cadence could answer her questions.

"There you two are, I've been looking for you."

"Oh hey Twily whats up?" Shining said

"Hello Twilight. Why were you looking for us?" asked Cadence

"Well... I need to talk to both of you, It's about a dream I had last night."

Twilight sat down with both Shining and Cadence, a waiter came by to ask what Twilight wanted anything but she shook her head and the waiter trotted off.

"Shining, Cadence, I have a question for you."

"What is it Twilight?"

"Was there any other ruler besides you and Sombra?" asked Twilight

"Well...If what the crystal pony historians told me, there was only one other ruler and her name was Queen Diamond and she passed away due to an illness she had. Then there was Sombra and like i told you before he stole the throne and..."

"But he didn't" Interrupted Twilight. The married couple both had an eyebrow raised from Twilight's objection

"What do you mean Twily" question Shining

"Well..." Twilight explained everything that she had seen, both Cadence's and Shining's face both had confusing looks on them.

"Now do you see why I asked and thought about Sombra? I think he wasn't evil and he was asking for help, not only that but, he looked different when i saw him as a different ruler. He told me to go to the Crystal Library and he'll explain everything there." Said Twilight

"I don't know Twily, King Sombra was a tyrant and an evil ruler, are you sure we should help him?" asked Shining

"Well I wasn't feeling sure about this too BBBFF, but when I looked at Sombra he had tears in his eyes instead of a dark aura, and his face was more depressed than Fluttershy if she was sad. Not only that but I couldn't help but feel sadness, and depression for Sombra. I have to help him, and I have one more question, was he really planning on being evil, or was he possessed?"

"I don't know Twilight, but I am intrigued in finding out Sombra's secrets. But I am also confused why auntie Celestia wouldn't know about this."

"Well she told me that her information on the Crystal Empire was limited, so it's quite possible that she didn't know much about King Sombra or Queen Diamond."

"Alright Twilight, we should go to, but we should also inform Celestia and we should bring your friends. They could become useful what with being the Elements of Harmony and all." said Cadence

"Right I'll inform Celestia right away, when should we leave for the Crystal Empire?" asked Twilight

"Well I was thinking of leaving in 2 days, so you and your friends can have enough time to pack up anything you'll need."

"Right"

"So let me get this straight Twah. You got a dream about This King Sombra feller and he was asking you for ar' help? And we a' going back to the Crystal Empire to help him?" asked Applejack

"Well that's what I heard." said Rainbow Dash

"Are we going to have a party?" asked Pinkie Pie

"No darling we are going to help somepony in need of assistance." said Rarity

"Um...do...we have...to?" asked Fluttershy

"Yes Fluttershy we have to, I fear and think that there is something more evil than King Sombra. Now Cadence and Shining Armor have given us two days to prepare, who knows what could happen."

Everypony gave a nod and set off to their homes to prepare for an adventure they would never expect. Twilight was in her home asleep writing down the situation to Celestia. Twilight wen't to bed, sure enough she was having the same dream, Good Sombra and Bad Sombra but this time it was different. Twilight was in a crystal hallway and could hear Sombra's voice in new words.

"King Sombra."

"Ah Captain Shimmer it's good to see you my friend. What news do you bring?"

"Well you see sir, some of our scouts have found a crystal mine, we believe that we can use it for resources.

"Oh? Well may I see it for myself.?

"Of course sir."

Twilight woke up again gasping for air and sweating bullets again like last night.

"A mine? I don't recall any mines back at the Crystal empire. *sigh* I hope that I'm right and that King Sombra isn't tricking me." Twilight went back to sleep awaiting the next morning.

Today was the day the Elements and the Crystal Empire rulers were to return back to the Empire. They all got on their train and left. Celestia had accepted their curiosity and proceeded them with their research. They shortly arrived at the Crystal Station all had supplies to be ready for anything. It was now the start of the truth.

Author's Note

Well here's the start tell me what you think, I can take criticism.