Searching for any records King Sombra may have left behind, Twilight learned of the shadowy king's tragic past. However, she also discovered his horn, in which his mind and remaining power were contained. Determined to learn how to use his Dark Magic for Good, Twilight brought Sombra back to Ponyville with her. After all, what could he possibly do as a horn? ...Or will he stay that way?

Edited by Darth Vendar and Myrkur
Inspired by Issue #1 of FIENDship is Magic
Gore tag just to be safe.

Edit 06/15/23: Now in the top 2K stories on the site, by rating! Thank you all!

King Sombra, the tyrant of Crystal Empire is back, only to be imprisoned by princesses and put through reformation with Twilight Sparkle as his teacher. Can somepony with heart as black as night be reformed? Twilight believes so. Sombra in other hoof isn't so sure but something in that mare makes him try.

This is going to be one of my longest stories this far. Marked Teen for sexual innuendo and slightly gory-ish scenes. Nothing too bad though. Also this will not be a story that deserves a dark marking.

For now I'd like to thank Alun Aleriksson, pony of change, Microshazm and Sidetrack for helping with the grammar and overall writing in general. Thank you so much.

Cover art by lorekhearts.

Twilight had reached her peak, she was at the happiest point in her young life. The day of her coronation as Equestria's newest princess had finally arrived. Then the unthinkable happened, Sombra appears in the throne room alive and well demanding his chance to be reformed by pony society. The unthinkable happens again, when his wish is granted, spearheaded by none other than Princess Twilight herself. Will Sombra's nefarious plans bring her to ruin, or will she succeed against all odds? Only time can tell as it reminds them both that plans have a way of changing all on their own.

"Learning to trust your instincts is a valuable lesson to learn."

Mere months after the events of "A Canterlot Wedding," the memories of cold shoulders and dismissals remain fresh in Twilight Sparkle's mind, which causes her to question her ability to face the next task that Princess Celestia bestows upon her.

Alone, she must find a way to protect an entire empire. She's afraid and unprepared, but when a mysterious stallion lends a hoof to her success, she soon discovers a friendship that threatens to blossom into something much greater.

(6/9/2016): Made it to the "Featured" page again! You're so awesome, guys!

(( "Of Magic and Masquerades" is the first story in the Crucibles of Harmony series. It is an alternate take on "The Crystal Empire," with some alternate events from Season 3 and minor Twilight/Sombra shipping. ))

Sombra may have been defeated after his attempt to retake the Crystal Empire, but he was not destroyed. He still lives, and now he seeks to work his way into the mind of Princess Twilight Sparkle. As she struggles with the implications of her new immortality, she finds less comfort in the wise words of Princess Celestia, and is drawn to the dark magic of a fallen king.

Twilight, my Faithful Student, my friend, if there is anypony that can create a world of Harmony, true Harmony, it is you.

More than a thousand years ago, my sister and I sought to create a perfect world, a world ruled by Harmony. A world free of evil. We were powerful and believed ourselves above the laws that governed this world. But this world is governed by the laws of Magic, and Magic, it seems, demands balance.

Where there is Light, there is Darkness.
Where there is Order, there is Chaos.
For there to be Love, there must be Hate.
For every Dream, there is a Nightmare.
Each begets the other.

And like boiling water over a fire, each can extinguish the other.

I should not have been surprised when the day came that the evil I had to fight was my own sister. It was the world restoring the balance we so foalishly ignored.

Perhaps, it is for this balance that I now stay my hoof. I have chosen to have you,Twilight Sparkle, act in my stead as the evils I thought vanquished, inevitably return to Equestria. It is in hopes that you may learn this balance, that you may learn from my mistakes. It is not something I alone can teach you, when I myself still understand so little. It is why I must now rely on the help of an old nemesis.

He intends to take you away, my protégé, and make you his own. You must not succumb to his influence. Yet if you are to learn the balance that is at the essences of all things, it will be through him. For the future of Equestria and for the sake of Friendship, you must prevail.

I hope that some day you can forgive me.

This stories is redone and continued in: The Student of Sun and Shadow

King Sombra's attempt to reconquer the Crystal Empire may have been thwarted, and he himself cast back into the shadows, but it will take more that that to stop a being who endured a 1000 year of imprisonment in ice and darkness. Especially now that he has set his sights on a new conquest. Twilight Sparkle's effort to save the Crystal Empire may have gone unrecognized, but not by Sombra. She has earned his interest, and his admiration. The implications of which Twilight fails to appreciate. And will regret.

This story was inspired by the fan comic A Somber Meeting by Omny87

Today, King Sombra is reviled as one of the darkest and most evil beings to ever blight the face of the world. When the Crystal Empire was freed from his grasp, the people of Equestria were more than happy to forget him.

But Sombra was not slain, and he has not forgotten. He alone knows the truth behind his tyranny, the reason for his fall.

And he will be remembered.

Featured by Equestria Daily on Saturday, April 12th, 2014.

Runner-up for the Everfree Northwest 2014 Fanfiction Contest.

[img]http://24.media.tumblr.com/a257ad5165644b1f79354634dfdee284/tumblr_mqo61uYbwk1rj6vd5o1_400.png[/img]

Once upon a time, the School of Friendship was praised and accredited, after its lessons drove a little filly mad. Imprisoned in Tartarus with only an ancient monstrous centaur to keep her company, Cozy Glow was in the perfect place for Grogar to whisk away so that he could force her to do his bidding.

Twilight Sparkle's friends, bastions of Equestria's highest virtues, left Cozy Glow forgotten and alone, locked in that rusty cage deep underground. Nopony ever attempted to visit her, check up on her, care for her, reform her, or try to find out what was wrong with her.

This is not that story.

Summer break is upon The School Of Friendship and every pony has plans of how to spend the time away from academics (Sans Twilight)

Starlight has plans, too. However they are ones that only Trixie knows of and even The Great And Powerful illusionist isn't totally aware of what Starlight plans to do upon releasing Cozy Glow from Tartarus.

***

This is a fun story that explores a theory I came up with for how Cozy Glow came to be and why she is the way she is. Enjoy!