//------------------------------//
// Episode 19: "Julius Sombra" 
// Story: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 11 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
//------------------------------//

King Sombra was known as a pony who had a heart as black as night. But he wasn't born that way. There was a moment in his life that caused him to become such that, a moment that had since stayed with him.

However, since he was recruited by Grogar to serve as his second-in-command, the disposed former king of the Crystal Empire was now going to face his darkest moment again.

It all began in an arena in the courtyard of Grogar's castle on the moon. Grogar held competitions to ensure his fighters were in top fighting form and Sombra was currently pitted in battle against the Predacon Quickstrike. "Well, lookee here!" The scorpion/cobra Predacon fuzor remarked. "If it ain't King Sombrero! Always wanted to take you on, and take you down!"

Sombra snarled at this remark and turned his eyes into a glowing green as he fired his horn's magic at Quickstrike, who only just managed to duck out of the way as the blast hit a back wall. Roaring loudly, Sombra charged at Quickstrike, jumping on top of him over and over again.

"Quickstrike, you fool!" Megatron remarked, throwing a hand over his face. "Actions speak louder than words! How many times must you learn?"

Throwing Sombra off of him, Quickstrike transformed and began to fire blasts out of his cobra head. Sombra negated the attack by using his dark crystal powers to build a tall crystal pillar. "Hey no fair, Sombrero! You can't do that!"

"Who says I can't, cockroach?!" Sombra said as he used his powers to walk down a dark crystal staircase made out of pillars. Without warning, Sombra created another pillar to lift Quickstrike into the air, causing him to cry out loudly. "You happen to be facing a king here. Always consider your opponent before you strike."

Jumping off the pillar, Quickstrike attempted to throw himself onto Sombra, trying to cover his face up. Watching from the sidelines, Grogar was amused by Sombra's ability to defend himself as Sombra threw Quickstrike onto the ground hard. "He just grows more and more stronger," he remarked to himself while stroking Scarface's head. "That's what I like to see."

The grizzly growled quietly at his master's remark.

But Sombra wasn't done with Quickstrike yet. Taking him into his magic aura, he turned the Predacon upside down and stuck his head into the ground. Then he took Quickstrike and began sticking his head into the ground repeatedly over and over again. After several grueling minutes, Sombra stopped and threw Quickstrike's unconscious body against a wall of the arena. "Who is next?!" He shouted into the stands. "Come on! I could use a challenge!"

From up in the stands, Cozy Glow, Tirek and Chrysalis were watching Sombra with keen interest. "He seems to be in deep pain," Chrysalis remarked. "I can sense it."

"But I thought you couldn't even feel love until just recently," Cozy Glow replied. "Isn't love what defines you the most?"

"I can detect any feelings, child," Chrysalis retorted. "And it seems to me that King Sombra has a dark past that he's trying to hide."

"Similar to the rest of us," Tirek added, scratching his chin in thought. "And with a battle on my homeland approaching…"The centaur began to get himself an idea on how to get Sombra to open up about his situation.

…

…

Eager to give Sombra what he wanted; the Storm King was the next to enter the ring. The satyr powered up his Staff of Sarconas ready to use. "You want to rumble?" He cried with a confident smile on his face. "I'll give you a match you'll never forget! One king to another, we'll see who's truly the best."

Roaring, Sombra grabbed an axe and began to battle the Storm King with it, much to Grogar's amusement.

"By the way, what makes you so good?" The Storm King asked as Sombra took his axe and attempted to slice the staff in half. "I've always been a fan of yours!"

"Shut up and fight me, satyr!" Sombra roared. "Talk is cheap."

Doing as he was told, the Storm King fought with Sombra while their peers watched. After a few swings and misses, Sombra took the axe and with a loud yell sliced the Staff of Sarconas in half!

With his staff broken, the Storm King merely stood trembling at the demonic unicorn king. "Uncle! Uncle! Uncle!" He shouted, raising his hands up and waving them at Sombra wildly for a moment. "Um…I'm dead." And closing his eyes, the Storm King fell back and played dead, much to Sombra's annoyance.

"That was too easy," Sombra growled before turning around and leaving the arena in a huff. "Julius would have killed him right on the spot for such a pitiful performance."

As Sombra left the arena, Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow each sensed the fury and sadness in Sombra's body language.

"He seems to be hiding something," Tirek remarked to his girlfriend, and daughter figure. "Did you hear what he said?"

"Some dude named Julius would have killed the Storm King or something like that," Cozy Glow replied. "What kind of name is Julius anyway?"

"Either way, Cozy Glow," Chrysalis declared, her horn glowing sickly green. "There's something about Grogar's right hoof we don't know about." The overthrown changeling queen flew out of her seat in the arena and both Tirek and Cozy Glow followed her.

…

Retreating to his private quarters, Sombra threw down the axe and made his way over to his nightstand, looking down at a picture of a young unicorn just like him. Sighing deeply, Sombra placed the picture to his chest and tried to hug it tightly. But his tender moment was short lived for he was about to have company.

"Sombra," Tirek declared. "You seem troubled."

"What are you even doing here, Tirek?!" Sombra coldly snapped. "Leave me alone!"

"We just wanted to see if you were alright," Cozy Glow spoke up, her large alicorn wings flapping towards Sombra. "I mean, golly, you had death in your eyes, didn't you?"

Sombra glared at the young filly and snorted loudly, turning back to the picture of the young unicorn he held in his forelegs.

"Sombra," Chrysalis asked, walking over to her evil equal. "Who is that?"

But Sombra was hesitant to reply right away.

"I have ways of making others talk." Chrysalis implied and Sombra finally gave in, showing off the picture to his nosy comrades.

"Golly," Cozy Glow remarked, pointing to the picture. "He looks…just like you."

Grunting, Sombra realized he wasn't going to get the alone time he so desired. Putting the picture back on the nightstand, he turned to his comrades. "So you know my secret?" Sombra asked, taking his crown off his head and placing it next to the picture. "The secret of how I became a king with a black heart. The king who became a dictator of an entire empire out of my own grief. The king who…"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Cozy Glow interrupted, sitting on Sombra's bed while her father figure and his girlfriend also gathered around. "You destroyed the Tree of Harmony and attempted to take over all of Equestria."

"That's not the whole story, foal!" Sombra shouted as he glared at Cozy Glow with his green eyes. After a moment, he sighed and began to activate his horn's magic.

Not knowing what he was planning to do, Tirek and Chrysalis held onto one another and after a moment, Sombra and the others found themselves standing in what appeared to be the Crystal Empire where a parade was taking place.

"Where are we?" Cozy Glow asked, suddenly finding herself seemingly in ghost form along with Tirek and Chrysalis. "And what is this place?"

Just then, Sombra pointed in the direction of a young unicorn dressed in military garb, waving to a crowd of ponies. Next to him was a slightly older looking pony with a short black mane. The parade continued towards the four ghosts and because no one could see them, they easily walked through them.

"This is the Crystal Empire," Sombra explained. "During the reign of Princess Amore."

"Princess Amore?" Tirek wondered as the parade approached the entrance to the Crystal Empire's castle where a yellowish-white colored alicorn stood, overlooking the crowds.

"Yes, Princess Amore," Sombra explained. "The pony that couldn't rule over the Crystal Empire forever. The one I ultimately usurped."

Stepping towards the balcony, the young gray unicorn bowed and looked up towards the alicorn princess. "Has the enemy been disposed of?" She asked the young gray unicorn.

"He has!" The unicorn called back. "The general formally known as Glamdring has been defeated. This is a great day for the Crystal Empire, a great day for Equestria!"

"Then you shall be rewarded for your accomplishments, young Julius!" Princess Amore announced. "For today, you shall be made a knight of the Equestrian Garter by order of her serene highness, Princess Celestia!"

A loud cheer from the crowd roared, only for it to stop when a shrill voice cried out from amongst the crowds. "SOMBRA!" The voice shouted, catching the young unicorn by surprise. "SOMBRA!"

Julius and his father turned and caught the attention of an old, light orange coated unicorn pony emerging through the crowds.

"Speak," Julius commanded to the old pony. "I am present."

"Beware of the Ides!" The old pony warned.

"What?" Julius blinked. "What Ides do you speak of?!"

The old pony simply repeated his warning. "Beware the Ides!"

Julius looked at the pony for a moment and merely scoffed at him, turning towards a small group of Crystal Ponies on his left. "He's nothing but a dreamer," He chuckled to the ponies before turning up towards Princess Amore. "Nothing but a dreamer, your highness. He's clearly off his rocker."

But Princess Amore could sense that something was foreboding about this message, though she kept it to herself. "The Ides are fast approaching. But what danger lies on that date, I cannot foresee." She thought to herself.

"Who's that pony?" Tirek asked Sombra as he watched the vision. "He looks like that pony from the picture."

"That's my only son, Tirek," Sombra answered as he watched his younger self and his son make their way into the castle. "While he was alive. Sadly, he would not live for long."

…

…

As the crowd continued to celebrate the apparent victory, Sombra and his comrades proceeded towards another part of the empire, this time in a tall house in the city. There they saw two crystal pony friends of Julius, one with a blue colored coat and one with a green colored coat, sitting down at a table and drinking cider.

"Brutus, I've been watching you lately," The green coated crystal pony remarked. "You seem less good-natured and affectionate toward me than usual. You've been stubborn and unfamiliar with me, your friend who loves you."

"Cassius, don't take it badly," The blue crystal pony replied. "If I seem guarded it's only because I'm uneasy with myself. Lately, I've been overwhelmed with private thoughts and inner conflicts which have in turn affected my behavior."

Looking slightly confused, Cozy Glow quietly flew over towards the two ponies, trying to get a closer look at them.

"Brutus, I misunderstood your feelings, and therefore kept to myself certain thoughts I might have shared," Cassiues remarked. "Tell me, can you see your own face?"

"Of course he can see his own face," Cozy remarked and then chuckled. "That is, if he had a mirror."

"Brutus and Cassius were supposed friends of my son," Sombra explained, beckoning Cozy Glow to come back over to them. "He trusted them with his life up until his recent victory you just saw."

"I think I know where this is heading," Tirek guessed. "They became jealous of his success and turned on him, not unlike what Scorpan did to me."

At that moment, there was a knock at the door of the house and one of the two ponies went to answer it. Opening the door, a red colored crystal pony entered. "You wanted to speak with me?" The red coated pony asked. "About how the ceremony was in Canterlot?"

"Yes, Casca," Cassius answered. "Tell us what happened today that put Sombra in such a mood."

"Celestia offered to name him successor to Princess Amore," Casca explained. "He dismissed it, yet I dare not believe his humility is entirely sincere."

"Indeed," Brutus murmured. "To be next in line for the throne is not an honor one just passes up without a motive."

"Yes, he was very loath to lay his hooves upon it," Casca continued. "And yet as he refused it only to have it pressed upon him anyway, one hooted such a deal of stinking breath that they collapsed while foaming at the mouth. And his father stood there all the while, rendered speechless."

"Of course," Brutus cried while slamming his front hoof on the table. "He was probably overcome with the thoughts of becoming Amore's successor! If he becomes our new ruler…"

A hushed silence befell on the three crystal ponies upon the realization.

"What does Princess Amore see in him that makes him a worthy successor of her?" Cassius scoffed. "We cannot let that happen! I refuse to accept Sombra as our empire's leader! His father is not to be trusted."

But Brutus began to appear conflicted.

"I…I don't get it," Chrysalis commented while observing from afar. "Your son seemed like such a nice pony to lead the empire. Who are they to question his qualifications simply because of you?!"

"Don't draw your own conclusions, changeling," Sombra replied, giving a look to Chrysalis. "Julius had dreams of making the Crystal Empire better than ever before. Making it rival Canterlot in majesty. However, after the ceremony in Canterlot, I began to have second thoughts about him being named successor."

Activating his magic yet again, the villains found themselves in a large house not far from the castle. Outside, thunder and lightning lit up the night sky as Julius stood out on the balcony of his bedroom, testing out the robe he planned to wear at his coronation.

"Neither the sky or the earth are quiet tonight," Julius remarked as Sombra entered the bedroom. "What do you think, father? Honestly, I never thought that Princess Amore would announce her retirement in front of Celestia!"

"That's what concerns me, Julius," Sombra declared while walking over to his son. "Listen, I never believed in omens, but now they frighten me. A servant told me the night watchers saw horrid sights too. Supposedly, a lioness gave birth in the streets, and graves cracked open and thrust out their dead."

"And since when do you believe in omens, father?" Julius asked in a surprised tone. "I thought they were mere superstitions."

"When I saw you faint when Amore announced her retirement, that's when I began to believe that soothsayer might be true," Sombra answered. "I mean…you haven't even had time to prepare!"

"Do you think that if I hadn't been able to secure our victory against Grogar's top general, I would have not been prepared either way?" Julius snorted. "This was a sign, Father! A sign of good things to come."

"But the Ides…" Sombra pleaded.

"He was only a dreamer, father," Julius coldly retorted. "Wait and see. I will make the Crystal Empire the way you always wanted it to be! Better than anything Queen Amore could ever dream of."

Sombra could only watch his son's excitement as it continued to grow and grow. "Never thought he would be so merry," Chrysalis commented. "He…he kind of reminds me of myself whenever I have my gleeful moments."

"What about those other ponies?" Cozy Glow asked Sombra. "The ones we saw earlier?"

Answering Cozy's request, Sombra transported himself and his allies to another large house within the Crystal Empire, where they saw Brutus at his front door.

"Good morning, Brutus," Cassius answered, removing the hood of a black cloak off of his head. Are we bothering you?"

"I was awake. I've been up all night," Brutus answered. "Do I know these stallions you've brought?"

"Yes, every one of them. There isn't one of them who doesn't admire you, and each one of them wishes you had as high an opinion of yourself." Cassius declared.

Just then, each of the cloaked ponies stepped forward removing each hood that covered their faces.

"This is Trebonius," Cassius explained as an orange colored crystal pony revealed his cloak. "This is Decius Brutus," Cassius said as a yellow crystal pony emerged from underneath his cloak. "There's also Casca and Cinna. And this is Metellus Cimber." The three cloaked crystal ponies then revealed their identities with red, indigo and violet colorings.

Leading the group into his home, Brutus gestured them to gather around in a circle. "Give me your hooves," He ordered. "And let us swear to our resolution. That our friend, Julius Sombra, shall never be our next ruler. Whatever it takes, we shall stop him!"

Reaching into their cloaks, each pony pulled out a small dagger. "We shall ensure that the legacy of our true ruler continues to live on!" Cassius cried! "If Julius attempts to take the throne, it shall be the last thing he ever does!"

…

…

Having seen enough of what was happening, Sombra then transported himself and his associates to the very next day as the young Julius Sombra arrived at the castle, dressed in his coronation robes. As he entered the castle, he encountered the soothsayer again. "The Idea has come!" He declared to the soothsayer.

"Aye, Sombra," The soothsayer replied. "But not gone! Please heed my warnings, be on your guard."

Up in the throne room and dressed in military uniform, Brutus and the conspirators were waiting for the young soon-to-be king to arrive.

"Let us hope that our endeavor goes well today," Cassius declared while looking down at the dagger in his holster. "The future of our empire is at stake."

At that moment, they saw Princess Amore and Sombra approached the throne room, only to be diverted by a random reporter pony. "Trebonius knows his time and place." Cassius whispered to Brutus.

Once Amore and Sombra had left, Julius slowly began to approach the throne room and each of the conspirators prepared to make their move.

"Where's Metellus Cimber?" Cinna asked, whispering to Brutus. "He should go up and offer his loyalty to Julius now. That's the signal."

"He is addressed," Brutus whispered. "Press near and second him."

Doing as he was told, Cinna made his way up to the young soon to be king.

Brutus then turned to Casca. "Casca, you are the first that rears your hoof." Nodding, Casca went to take his position up by the throne.

"This isn't the actual ceremony, is it?" Cozy Glow wondered as she watched the conspiracy take shape.

"Of course not," Sombra answered. "The ceremony never begins until her highness is present. So Julius found himself some time to practice being a king."

"Are we all ready?" Julius announced to the small crowd in the throne room, unaware of what was about to unfold. "What problem should I discuss with you first, my soon to be subjects?"

"Most high, most mighty, and most powerful Sombra," Cimber cried, kneeling before him. "Metellus Cimber kneels before you with a humble heart."

"No need for that, Cimber," Julius commanded. "These kneelings and humble courtesies might excite ordinary mares and colts. But don't be so foolish as to think you can sway me from what's right by using such tactics. This flattery, low bows and puppy-like fawning."

A loud series of groans were heard upon him speaking this. "Your brother has been banished by decree!" Julius declared. "If you kneel, beg and flatter for him, I'll kick you out of my way like I would a dog. Know that I am not unjust, but I will not grant him a pardon without reason. I assume that is why you've come before me."

"Is there no voice worthier than my own to appeal to you to repeal the order?" Cimber pleaded, turning towards the crowd as Brutus made his way up to the throne, kneeling and kissing his friend's hoof. "I kiss your hoof not in flattery, Sombra, but desperation. I ask you to repeal Publius Cimber's banishment immediately upon your crowning."

Right away, Julius began to notice something was amiss with his friend. "What, Brutus? What is the meaning of this?"

"Pardon him, Sombra, pardon him," Brutus pleaded as well. "I beg you to restore Publius Cimber to citizenship."

But Julius was not convinced. "If I could beg others to change their minds, begging would convince me too. The world of Equestria is full of ponies capable of reason. Yet out of all of them, I know only one who is unassailable. To show you that that's me, let me prove it in this case. I was firm in ordering that Cimber be banished, and I remain firm in that decision."

As he spoke, Casca began to slowly move towards Julius' backside, his dagger clutching in his aura. "But, Sombra…"

"Enough!" Julius roared. "Would you try to lift Mount Everhoof?"

Brutus pleaded again. "Great Sombra…"

"Haven't I resisted even Brutus, begging from his knees?" Julius protested as Cassius nodded for Casca to make his move.

"Speak hooves for me!" Casca screamed, sinking his dagger into Julius' shoulder. As Julius recoiled from the sudden strike, the other conspirators followed suit, throwing their daggers into Julius' body! Finally, near death, he staggered over to Brutus with his back turned.

Yet when Julius attempted to touch him, Brutus shrugged his former friend off and drew out his dagger, looking Julius right in the face.

"Brutus, even you betray me?!" Julius asked while gasping, the last thing he would say.

Brutus delivered the finishing blow, striking his former friend in the chest. "Fall, fiend! The throne shall never belong to evil."

With no more life left in him, Julius fell face first onto the floor.

Terrified honored guests who'd come for a coronation but had witnessed a murder ran out of the throne room, screaming.

"Citizens, do not be frightened!" Brutus cried out. "Ambition's debt has been paid! The would be tyrant has been slain!"

From his ghostly form, Sombra could only watch with tears in his eyes at the lifeless form of his young son. "I... can't believe this! Those heartless brutes!" Chrysalis gasped to Tirek. "To slay one of their own like that!"

"My son, you had ambition!" The Sombra of the past angrily sobbed, dropping to his knees in front of his dead son (he had come immediately upon hearing of the horrific tragedy). "Dreams for the Crystal Empire, all of whom were taken away by these… these traitors! Rest assured, your death shall be avenged if it's the last thing I do!"

"So what happened?" Cozy Glow asked and Sombra, knowing that there was no life in his son, transported them all back to his house where they were greeted by the sight of another untimely death, this time of Queen Amore herself. "Ohhh…"

"Yes, look at this, young filly," Sombra seethed. "I let my rage and grief take command. So what did I do, you may ask? I decided to honor my son's memory…by taking the crown for myself! Amore herself allowed my son to be slain by enabling the conspiracy to develop. And when she would not order the deaths of those traitors, her life came to an end right then and there."

And they all watched as Sombra placed Amore's crown on his head and using his magic, made it into the crown he wore today. Before they could watch anymore, Sombra transported them all back to his quarters. "Now you know the truth," He declared. "Of why I became who I am today."

"And why you seemed like you were ready to kill the Storm King, Cozy Glow added. "Until he cried uncle, of course!"

Turning his back to them, Sombra ordered them out of his quarters and the mean three complied.

…

As they left, the changeling, centaur and alicorn filly were left to reel in what they had all experienced as they returned to the arena.

"No wonder he became mad," Chrysalis remarked to her comrades. "Guess we all know the truth about our backstories, don't we? Me, thrust into the throne after the death of my parents."

"My parents abandoning me for their own gain." Cozy Glow sadly added.

"And my father…bringing and putting me down," Tirek finished. "Much like what Sombra did, those who betrayed and hurt us will pay dearly…if only it were that simple." And all they could do was watch the fighting from inside the stands, reflecting on their own hardships on what made them all villains to begin with.

Meanwhile inside his own quarters, Sombra continued to stare down at the picture of his deceased son. "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!" Sombra cried in a quiet voice, bringing the picture to the side of his face. "Soon I will finish what you hoped to start. The Crystal Empire shall eclipse all other civilizations in glory!"