Settled comfortably in his ride, King Sombra munched on a bag of apple chips (leftovers from Dirty's lunch) as Squeaky Clean's tail worked it's way across his coat, dusting away spots of dried sewage. A few steps in front, Dirty Job was guiding the army through now-dry culverts and tunnels, their flow diverted after the main pipe had "burst". An occasional involuntary tic or shudder marked the only vestiges of freedom left to the pair of earth ponies, and mercifully, what was left of their minds had found that happy green field where the over-brutalized pony brain is wont to flee to in times of trauma.
Eyes closed in a moment of sheer pleasure, the last of the bag's contents emptied themselves into Sombra's mouth, crinkling the empty bag against his nose. "The first thing I conquer will be Equestria's most prized apple farm once I've taken back my Empire...", thought the evil monarch. He then realized that he looked like a donkey with a feedbag strapped to his face. A snort blew the emptied bag of snack food to the ground.
A clawed foot crushed it, leaving the bag stuck on it's taloned heel. Should anyone have cared to read it, "Sweet Apple Acres "Big Mac" Size Golden Chips" would have been still easy to make out as it rode towards the surface...
---
A white ghost lurked in the tunnel leading up to the stadium floor, sky-blue eyes catching the streak of light as it's sister glided down from above. Then he turned back to watching his wife speaking to the crowd, cheers and whistles echoing around the tunnel each time she paused for breath.
Shining Armor's wife looked magnificent. Her mane was a complex blend of crystals and her own hair, blended together by Rarity in the traditional regal style- "With a bit of flair, darling". The stones caught the sunlight and left her in a nimbus of glittering rays that made her attendants look nothing so much as pieces of pony-shaped rainbows themselves. Most ponies hadn't seen such a sight since the Empire had vanished. It was exotic, and reminded Shining that whenever he thought his wife couldn't be more....well, there she was. He'd quietly let the guards know to keep on their hooves while he stood watch over the direct route for anypony who might try and cause trouble.
Nothing was causing his crystal princess any trouble without getting under his hooves to do it!
---
About three feet below Shining Armor, Sombra sneezed. The snort echoed briefly through the tunnel, but was drowned out by the crowd noise. Yards down the way, light and sound poured from a drainage grating, the odd bit of confetti wafting through the hole.
A voice flowed like ink into Sombra's ear.
"Go, my Rider. Leave your servants here and face your destiny. They will strike when the time is right, but if the little ponies panic...they cannot watch you conquer and know proper respect."
At that moment, a unicorn vendor walking around the stadium edge chose to stand his wares by the grate.
"PIES FER SALE! GET YER HOT FRUUUUUUUUITY BERRY PIES HEYYYAH!"
King Sombra gave his litter bearers a meaningful glance.
Four clawed hands ripped through the grate and pulled the unfortunate unicorn, pies and all into the drainage tunnel. A brief roar and green flash grabbed the attention of Princess Cadence's guards as a few observant spectators poked their heads over the railing for a closer look at the commotion..
Those nearby could hear something...munching. A rumbling growl of a belch briefly shook the stands below the grate. Two dozen spears turned and pointed at the hole as Shining Armor galloped to his wife's side, Cadence's honor guard being more than aware of SOMETHING lurking in the shadows.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH....", breathed a feral growl from the spot. The vendor's cart clattered out of the darkness, empty of pies and life. A few red stains were the only ominous sign that anything living (or edible) had occupied the space.
Three benches worth of front-row seating cleared in less than five seconds, with spectators from the vacated seating opting to find a new perch someplace with a better view. Like the exit.
"THAT WAS....DELICIOUS."
Spotlights painted the ruined grate in harsh brightness as the commotion spread outwards, rippling as far as the Royal Box. Twilight Sparkle rushed into the crowded room to see her friends straining to catch a glimpse of the spreading chaos, the two Princesses craning their necks over her shorter friends to look at the bright spot on the stadium floor.
Still licking a bit of strawberry filling from his muzzle, King Sombra stepped into his spotlight.
"YOUR TRUE LORD....HAS RETURNED. BOW BEFORE SOMBRA, KING OF SHADOWS, MASTER OF THE EMPIRE, POWERFUL AND MIGHTY!"
Noticed only by one, Pinkie Pie's Doozy finally ceased, the exhausted pony slinking down almost puddlelike to settle on the floor in Fluttershy's lap. A moment of silence swelled like an overinflated balloon.
"WOO!", uttered Pinkie as she bounced off of the ground, standing there like hours of frenzied thrashing had only been a brief trot in the park.
"WHAT"
"A"
"DOOZY!"
The moment popped, and anarchy descended upon the stadium.