No important political meetings to attend? Check! No letters to answer? Check! A magical and child-safe gift for Flurry Heart that she's sure to love? Check!

Her schedule was clear. Shining and Cadence were off on vacation. She'd prepared all her materials. Twilight Sparkle was more than ready to spend a fun-filled weekend babysitting her favorite niece.

But she wasn't prepared for King Sombra's return. Nopony could prepare to be trapped with him inside a storybook of fairy tales.

And nopony's ever ready for an unhappy ending...

Proofread by: Alicornpriest

Winner of November 2017 NaPoWriMo: Goal of 50k smashed!

Now Featured on Equestria Daily - First hit the Featured Box on April 28th!

I deserve no forgiveness. If I could take it back, well... I would never have met her. Somepony who could forgive me. I think. Look, it confuses me so stop asking!

I hate him and what he did to the Crystal Ponies is something I will never forgive. So why is it that I care when ponies scorn him? When they hurt him, why does it make me cry? When I see him, why does my heart skip?

Is it just me or has Twilight gone crazy? Dude's a jerk.

Can we please change the subject?

Author's Note: Other is flagged due to the character flag limit. Expect Cadance, Shining Armor, Luna, and Discord at least!

This story is a sequel to Lost into Shadow

The impossible has happened, through all the pain and darkness, Twilight Sparkle succeeded in her impossible mission...mostly. King Sombra is still plenty rough around the edges, but despite being an old dog he's making an effort to learn new tricks. Where will this new way of life take him? He has absolutely no idea, but with his queen to guide him, what could possibly go wrong?

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!

This story is a sequel to The Return of the King

Twilight Sparkle, still adjusting to her new role as a Princess of Equestria, finds herself plagued by stress and self-doubt as she questions her worth to her friends and to her country. Unknown to everypony, Twilight included, she has become possessed by the same force that turned Princess Luna into Nightmare Moon. Soon, Twilight is transformed into Midnight Sparkle, self-proclaimed Queen of Magic and sets off to conquer Equestria for herself. Desperate, her friends reluctantly team up with Sombra in order to get their Twilight back and end the threat that started a thousand years ago once and for all.

*Part of my head canon series

Set during Season 5 after "The Cutie Map" but before "Castle Sweet Castle"

Contains Twibra; if you're not into that, then you might not enjoy this story

Cover art by MelSpyRose

This story is a sequel to When Darkness Falls

King Sombra, the dark sorcerer and former ruler of the Crystal Empire, has been defeated by Twilight Sparkle and the other bearers of the Elements of Harmony, leaving him stripped of his magic and imprisoned deep below the surface of Canterlot Castle. There, he waits for his chance to take revenge against Princess Celestia and conquer Equestria, though his affection for both his long-lost daughter and the mare that he loves have him question everything that he knows. Can the shadow-pony learn forgiveness and mercy or will he let his deep-seated anger and desire for vengeance consume him?

*Takes place in my head-canon universe

This story is a sequel to The Return of the Shadows

Princess Celestia sends King Sombra to Ponyville to learn about friendship with Twilight and her friends.
But days passed, and between Sombra and Twilight something else grows.

This story is a sequel to CoH (Book One) : Of Magic and Masquerades

After the chaotic debacle in the Crystal Empire, and a week's respite, Twilight secrets Sombra away to his new home in the Everfree Forest. The Castle of the Two Sisters is vacant, decrepit, dark. It's the perfect place to hide the former tyrant.

While she plans to continue her tutelage under her new friend, however, a metaphorical wrench is thrown into said plans when Ponyville makes a new and sudden addition to its town guard.

Twilight does her best to reform King Sombra, but things don’t go exactly as planned.

Edited by ROBCakeran53 and Alcatraz

This story is a sequel to Shattering a Heart of Darkness

After returning to the side of good and banishing a threat to Equestria, Sombra is dealing with new changes, both physically and emotionally. He is now dating Twilight Sparkle and has moved to Ponyville with hopes of a fresh start. What kind of wacky adventures can the former Shadow King get into?