//------------------------------//
// Chapter 20: Confrontations From Within 
// Story: The Not-So-Normal Adventures of King Sombra and Pinkie Pie 
// by Harmony Charmer 
//------------------------------//

	There are moments in life where you find yourself frozen in time, lost in a moment as breath and movement come to a standstill. Sombra was experiencing that feeling as he gazed upon the Princess of the Crystal Empire, one of his attempted destroyers in his plan to reclaim the Empire he once ruled.

Her amethyst eyes continued to glower at him, the love she was meant to represent gone from their icy depths. Yet, within the glaciers of her eyes laid a burning flame, one that he had no doubt been the creator of.

Sombra could only continue to stare as he felt his own heart stop.

"Well?" Cadence questioned, her tone crisp and sharp.

Sombra blinked as time resumed and everything went back into motion, his heartbeat included, thankfully. His gaze flickered over to Pinkie, who was faring no better from the shocking intensity of the situation.

"Cadence, what are you doing here?" Twilight questioned, finally getting over her shock, "I mean, it's great that you're here, but I thought that you would be in the Empire!"

"We sent her a letter regarding Sombra's return to Equestria a couple weeks back," Princess Celestia explained, trotting over to the shell-shocked princess and putting a hoof on her shoulder.

"But, Sombry has been here for months!" Pinkie exclaimed.

Cadence's glare flickered over to Pinkie briefly, her gaze somewhat softening, but still maintaining it's rigidness.

"Auntie didn't tell me because she wasn't sure how I would take the news," she said crisply, her gaze turning to Celestia briefly, "and I didn't take it well."

Sombra flinched as Cadence returned her glare back to him, her lids narrowing as her sights zoned in on him. His tensity didn't disappear, even when Pinkie put a reassuring hoof on his. But, not wanting to worry her, he placed his other one on hers affectionately.

Cadence blinked in surprise at Pinkie's act and Sombra's response, but immediately turned back to her former angered look as she reminded herself of her reason for being there.

"If it wouldn't be an inconvenience to you, I'd like to get started," Cadence told him, her gaze flickering over to the couples' interacting hooves.

"Cadence, please," Twilight said, walking over to her sister-in-law, "I know you're angry with him, but he's harmless now!"

"So you say," Cadence replied, her gaze turning to Twilight, "but if I recall, you didn't tell me about Sombra's return, either, Twilight."

Twilight flinched, her ears turning downwards in sadness. "I-I'm sorry, Cadence," she told her, her eyes going to the floor, "I know it's not a good excuse, but it just slipped my mind, is all."

Cadence narrowed her eyes at her. "An ex-tyrant who happened to have attacked my Empire turns up at your home and you don't even think to notify me about it?!" she shouted, leaning towards Twilight in hostility, "You kept me in the dark about a possible threat to Equestria, Twilight!"

Twilight quivered as tears came to her eyes. "I-I didn't m-mean to..." she said weakly.

"Enough!" Sombra exclaimed, jumping between the two alicorns as he faced Cadence, "Your quarrel is with me, not her!"

"Sombry!" Pinkie breathed, rushing to his side, "Please, calm down!"

Sombra turned sharply towards her, his eyes narrowed in hostility. But, as he gazed at Pinkie's worried expression, his eyes softened and he let out an aggravated sigh.

"Alright, fine," he grumbled, turning to Cadence with narrowed eyes, "Leave Sparkler out of this. She may be an annoying know-it-all, but I'll be damned if I let someone talk down to her."

"Sombra..." he heard Twilight say from behind him, "You don't have to..."

Sombra turned back to the tear-filled eyes of Twilight, his gaze ruling out any backtalk. "You're Pinkie's friend, Idiot," he said simply, "it's only customary I defend you when necessary."

Twilight blinked in surprise, but gave him a small smile as she nodded in response. "Thank you."

Sombra ignored her and returned his attention back to Cadence, who was giving him a wide-eyed stare. "What are you gawking at?"

Cadence blinked as she returned to reality and shook her head lightly before resuming her glare. "It doesn't matter," she said crisply, "let's just get our judgement over with so I can get back to the Empire."

Without another word, Cadence whipped around, her mane and tail flying behind her gracefully as she sauntered away, her head held high.

"Come on, Sombry," Pinkie said, pulling Sombra with her as she followed Cadence, "we gotta go."

"I'm afraid that this won't concern you, Pinkie," Twilight told her, "Sombra has to be judged by himself."

Pinkie and Sombra exchanged surprised looks, their gazes turning worried as they looked back at Twilight collectively.

"But... I'm his reformer!" Pinkie exclaimed, her eyes shining with sadness.

Sombra put a hoof on her shoulder. "It'll be alright, Pinks," he told her, leaning his muzzle against her head, "I'll be back in no time."

"But--"

"No 'buts'," Sombra ordered, putting a hoof to her lips, "promise me you'll wait for me?"

Pinkie opened her mouth to argue, but instead sighed in surrender. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," she said glumly, lacking her usual enthusiasm.

Sombra smiled at her. "Attagirl," he told her, "I'll see you soon."

Pinkie returned his smile, but it was weak. "Back at ya."

Sombra wasn't prepared for Pinkie pulling him into a tight hug, her head snuggled into his chest affectionately. After a brief moment of shock, Sombra returned the embrace and leaned his head down to her ear.

"I'll be right back," he told her, releasing her.

Pinkie released him in return and nodded as a response, a weak smile playing across her troubled features. With a heavy heart, Sombra walked away from her, his gaze flickering back to her worriedly as he caught up with Cadence. Once he and Cadence reached the doors, he looked over his shoulder one more time, his heart lifting as he saw Pinkie smiling at him.

'You're doing this for her,' he reminded himself, 'don't mess this up.'

With that last bit of self-reassurance, he followed the Crystal Princess out of the throne room, casting Pinkie a small smile as the door closed behind him.

As the alicorn and unicorn left the room, Pinkie dropped her smile as her ears turned downwards in sadness, her gaze downcast.

"Good luck, Sombry," she said to herself, casting the door a long look, "you're going to need it..."


*	*	*


The walk to wherever it was Cadence was taking him seemed to take an eternity to Sombra, especially since the pressure of acting correctly in the princess' presence was starting to take it's toll on the ex-unicorn king.

'Conscience, you wouldn't happen to have any ideas up those insane sleeves of yours?' Sombra asked, his unease growing with each passing moment.

'Keep calm and carry on,' he heard Conscience tell him.

'What does that even mean?' Sombra questioned, trying to keep his face from scowling.

He heard Conscience sigh. 'You wouldn't understand, you're not omniscient.'

'What?' Sombra blurted out within his mind, flabbergasted.

'Nothing,' Conscious told him, 'it's just something Rose Quartz told me about.'

Before Sombra could question his counterpart on who that was, he found himself caught in a faceful of pink and purple feathers.

"Gah!" Sombra exclaimed, batting the feathers away to see Cadence sticking her wing out in front of him, "What was that for?"

Cadence didn't even blink at him. "You were in a daze," she said simply, "I've been trying to talk to you for the past couple of minutes."

Sombra felt a sense of embarrassment take over and he cast the floor an interested look as he fought a wave of heat that came over his face.

"Oh," he said, his gaze flickering back to the Crystal Princess.

Cadence arched a brow interestedly. "You're a lot more reclusive than I thought you'd be," she commented, "I figured you'd be more..."

"Vocal? Loud? Commanding?" Sombra suggested, somewhat surprised by his own comfortability.

Cadence blinked. "Yes," she replied, then arched a brow again, "you seem rather at ease."

Sombra scoffed lightly. "I'm the furthest thing from 'at ease', Cadence," he told her, shaking his head, "I'm surprised I'm talking without putting my hoof in my mouth."

Cadence cast him a somewhat peeved look at his use of her name, but she held in her urge to comment on it. With a flick of her mane, she ushered Sombra to a turn in the hallway, hoping that the physical change in course would follow in their verbal exchange.

"You say that as if you've done it before," she stated, questioning underlining her tone.

Sombra frowned slightly at her implication, but it was more at himself than Cadence. "You'd be surprised," he told her, "I can't tell you how many times Pinkie has harped on me for miscommunication on my part."

Cadence gave him a peering look. "Speaking of, it seems you and her are rather close."

Sombra felt a sense of dread take over him as Cadence stopped walking and turned to look at him completely. Her eyes held no malice, but they still bore an intensity that made him extremely uneasy.

"So, tell me, Sombra. What is Pinkie to you?" Cadence questioned, a brow arched upwards in questioning.

"W-What?" he stuttered, completely off-put by her question.

Cadence scoffed lightly. "Don't act so oblivious," she said, her eyes narrowing, "I saw the way you two were with each other back there. You'd have to be blind not to see something there."

Sombra frowned slightly. "You and Rarity both," he muttered, shaking his slightly in annoyance.

"This is serious, Sombra," she said curtly, taking a step towards him, "While I was awaiting our arrival to the study to discuss this, I suppose we could talk of your reformation and, what seems to be, your relationship now."

Sombra narrowed his eyes. "Why do you care so much about what happens with my love life? What does it matter to you what I do?"

Cadence's eyes seemed to widen in anger, a flame bursting from within her irises as her lips formed a tight thin line. A low, feral growl resonated from her throat as she stared him down.

'Oh, you shouldn't have said that...' Conscience told him.

"Why do I care?" Cadence repeated, her tone low and icy.

'Oh, you really shouldn't have said that...' Conscience said, his tone fearful.

"Why do I care?" Cadence said again, her voice rising in volume, "Because if I seem to recall, you tried to re-prison my empire!"

Sombra flinched as her wings spread out to full length, the sight of the feathery appendages awakening a flicker of fear within him.

'You shouldn't be afraid of that mare,' he heard a voice say within him.

Sombra blinked in shock. 'C-Conscience?' he thought, his unease reaching it's peak.

He heard a dark chuckle. 'No, you fool... But I do resemble that imbecile, in a way.'

"So forgive me if I'm less than kind to you, you brute!" Cadence exclaimed, stamping her hoof angrily, "I find it awful surprising that an Element of Harmony would be interested in the likes of you!"

Sombra felt a small flicker of anger awaken within him as Cadence's scathing insult reached him, his eyes narrowing to thin slits as they zoned in on the princess.

'Are you just going to let her talk down to you like that?' he heard the dark voice say.

Sombra found himself growling, while quiet at first, it slowly grew in volume as his anger did.

"I mean, honestly!" Cadence snarled, her train of insults showing no sign of stopping, "You enslaved my ponies, tried to retake my empire and you expect me to just up and forget about it like nothing?"

'Sombra, don't!' Conscience exclaimed within him as Sombra leaned forward in hostility, 'Remember why you're doing this!'

Sombra felt his anger subside as Pinkie came into his mind, a vision of her smiling and laughing appearing. With a small shake of his head, he tried to regain some of his sense.

'Stay out of this, you fool!' the dark voice growled, a wave of coldness rushing over Sombra.

Within seconds, Sombra felt Conscience disappear from his mind, the voice's presence seeming to have faded into thin air.

'Now that he's out of the way,' he heard the dark voice say, a small chuckle resonating within his mind, 'we can have some fun...'

"You are such a fool," Cadence said icily, shaking her head, "I was right all along about you."

Sombra froze as those words reached him, his narrowed eyes turning into the size of saucers.

"You haven't changed," Cadence growled, her eyes narrowed thinly, "You are still the tyrant that lived 1000 years ago. And I have no reason to believe otherwise."

Sombra felt horror take over his being, his breath hitching in his throat as he gave Cadence a wide-eyed stare.

"You are a manipulator and a user," she hissed, "that poor girl waiting for you is in love with you, you know."

Sombra could barely process Cadence's words as the shocking intensity of the situation began to sink in, his breaths becoming ragged and hitched.

"This is going to hurt her," Cadence told him, "she is going to be so hurt when she finds out that you've been using her."

Sombra, finally managing to get Cadence's words through his flurrying mess of a mind, felt something begin to grow within him. It was cold, yet oddly... familiar.

'Don't fight it,' he heard the voice order, 'allow it flow through you...'

Although Sombra was hesitant to do so, he found himself accepting the voice's orders, almost as though he had done it many times before. A flow of cold energy rushed through him, the iciness taking over his limbs as it slowly mind it's way from the bottom up.

'Don't fight the hate...' Sombra found himself thinking, 'it's there for a reason...'

Finally, Sombra felt the energy take over his mind, a familiar flush of feeling leaving him as the darkness took hold. His eyes remained closed in concentration as he let the energy build up and flow through his horn, something he hadn't been able to do in what felt like forever.

Then, when the spell was almost complete, he opened his eyes, a wave of excess magic sparking from his eyes. A glowing ember burned within their depths as purple flames flowed out, a sign that the spell was ready to be cast.

Sombra found himself smiling at Cadence's horrified expression, a sight he had been hoping to see for some time.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about Pinkie being hurt," Sombra heard himself say, even though it didn't feel like his own.

'What's happening?' Sombra questioned, fear taking over him.

'What needs to be done,' the dark voice replied simply.

Sombra could feel horror begin to take it's hold on him, the sudden realization of what was to come about the Crystal Princess finally making it's way into his mind. Despite his many cries within his mind to stop what was happening, the darkness within him bore no reason to take heed to his words.

'Please, no!' Sombra begged, unbelievably horrified.

'Silence!' the voice growled.

Sombra felt himself get pushed down into a inner recess of his mind, the repression being enough to silence his many cries. But, despite the place he was in, he was still able to see everything that "he" was doing.

"Sombra" grinned sickeningly as his horn sparked alive, the familiar dark bubbly energy electrifying the room's atmosphere. With a show of flourish, "Sombra" stood on his hind legs and held up his forelegs as if he were preparing to gallop into battle, which may have as well been the case.

"Because by the time I'm done with you, she won't be the only one," "Sombra" finished, slamming his forehooves into the ground as mountains of dark crystals burst forth.


*	*	*


Pinkie sat cross-legged in the throne room with a troubled expression, her top leg bouncing out nervously as she tried to keep her mind busy from her special somepony's judgement.

"Pinkie, you're worrying over nothing," Twilight told her, putting a reassuring hoof on her anxious friend's shoulder, "I'm sure things are going alright."

"I don't know," Rainbow murmured from the air above, her wings flapping in a steady beat to remain in the same place, "this is Sombra we're talking about."

"Rainbow!" Rarity exclaimed, her eyes narrowed, "Now is not the time for your off-hoof comments!"

"Ah kinda agree with Dash," Applejack concurred, her gaze shifting to from Rainbow to Rarity, "Ah mean, Cadence ain't gonna go easy on 'im."

Pinkie let out a small gasp. "Do you really think so?" she whispered, her eyes wide with fear, "Oh, no! What if she thinks he's still bad and sends him to the Everfree Forest?" She gasped again. "Or puts him a dark dungeon?" She gasped a third time. "Or maybe a dark dungeon in the Everfree Forest?!"

She put her hooves to her face as she jumped up onto her hind legs, small, quick breaths escaping her lips as she began to panic visibly.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" she cried dramatically, "I don't know what I'd do if something like that happened to Sombry!"

"...Sombry?" Princess Luna whispered to Twilight, a brow arched in questioning.

"I know, right?" Twilight replied, a small grin taking over her features, "You should have seen how upset Sombra got when he heard it the first time."

Princess Celestia let out a small chuckle. "I imagine he was rather red in the face."

"Now is not the time to be laughing about such matters!" Rarity snapped, her eyes narrowed to thin slits. Almost immediately afterwards, she gasped and put a hoof to her mouth in horror. "I apologize, Princesses! I meant no disrespect!"

"It's alright, Rarity," Luna told her, holding up a hoof in reassurance.

Celestia arched an interested brow. "You seem to have a lot of faith in Sombra. Would you care to explain why?"

"Oh, pick me, pick me, pick me!" Pinkie exclaimed, holding up a foreleg like she was a schoolfilly waiting to answer a question.

Rarity sighed. "Let her tell it. She needs the distraction, anyhow."

"Yay!" Pinkie cheered, throwing her other foreleg up as she waved them about joyfully, "It all started one day in Ponyville when--"

A loud, ear piercing shriek interrupted Pinkie, causing all the inhabitants of the room to freeze as it resonated throughout the long hall.

Finally, Twilight broke through the shock. "That sounded like Cadence!" she cried, her eyes wide with horror.

"Oh, no..." Pinkie whispered fearfully.

Without another word, she broke away from the others and sprinted out of the room in seconds, a pink streak following her.

"Pinkie, wait!" Rarity exclaimed, running after her with the others in tow.

Pinkie's speed didn't let up as she burst out of the doors, her concern for her special somepony's well-being outweighing her sense.

'Sombry, please be OK,' Pinkie prayed silently, her hooves pounding into the floor as she rounded a corner.

Another screech rung in the air, which only motivated Pinkie and the others to run faster.

"Cadence!" Twilight cried, extending her wings as she awkwardly flapped them to accelerate her speed.

"Don't worry, I'll go see!" Rainbow Dash cried, leaping into the air once she saw Twilight's struggle. Without another word, she zoomed off, her speed just shy of a Sonic Rainboom.

"Dashie, wait!" Pinkie called after her, her gallops breaking into a full-on canter as she ran after the Pegasus.

"S-Slow down!" Spike panted from behind the group, holding up a claw to pantomime his order.

"Oh, for the love of the night!" Luna exclaimed, her wing extended to Spike. With a grunt of effort, she slid the wing under the baby dragon and flipped him onto her back mid-gallop, causing him to nearly bounce off.

"Gah!" Spike exclaimed, his claws digging into Luna's mane, "Thanks for the ride!"

"Don't mention it," Luna replied, her eyes not coming off the route she was taking.

Suddenly, a loud cry resonated from the area Rainbow had flown to, causing all the runners to look on in horror.

"Dash!" Applejack exclaimed, her eyes wide as she zoomed on.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Pinkie, terror taking over her being.

'Let Sombry be safe...' she begged silently, 'I need him to be alright!'

"Sombra, leave Cadence alone!" they heard Dash command, followed by a yelp of pain.

Pinkie felt her blood freeze as she heard those words, but her mind kept urging her to run, to see what was happening so that her worst fears would only be seen as just that.

But, as she slid into the hallway's corridor, she could only feel her entire being come crashing down with her reality.

Cadence was on the floor, her wings bent out of shape and her body battered and bruised beyond belief. Her eyes were screwed shut in fear as purple wisps flew out of the closed orbs, small, incoherent whispers making their way out of her tightly closed lips.

Standing above the quivering mare was none other than Sombra, a sick, twisted smirk playing across his once handsome features. His sharp canines bore a new glint of malice, the previous playfulness found within his devilish grin gone.

"Sh-Shining!" Cadence cried out, tears running down her cheeks, "P-Please, don't g-go!"

Pinkie could only look on as her heart seemed to have frozen in her chest, her breathing coming to an abrupt standstill.

Sombra chuckled darkly. "It's such a shame to see you break so easily," he said with a slight shake of his head, "but what am I to expect from the Princess of Love?"

Everyone but Pinkie audibly gasped at his implication, their gazes flickering over to the frozen pink mare, then back to the dark unicorn.

"Sombra, what on earth happened?" Rarity cried, her eyes shining with agonized pain, "I thought that everything was going alright for you and Pinkie!"

Another chuckle fell out of his lips. "You mean that incessant mare?" he questioned, a brow arched in an unamused manner as he looked at Pinkie's frozen form, "The only thing she's good for is warming sheets."

Pinkie felt tears spring to her eyes, all the words in the world having no way to convey how her heart shattered within her. A slight whimper, her mane let out a loud deflated sound as the curls on her head dissipated into straight, flat locks that resembled her crushed heart.

"You shouldn't be so upset, dear," Sombra told her, his pet name for her only adding onto her pain, "it's nothing personal. Oh, wait, I suppose it is."

"You-- You bastard!" Rainbow exclaimed, revealing her presence across the room, "I knew you couldn't be trusted!"

"No, this can't be happening!" Rarity cried, tears coming to her sapphire eyes, "They... They love each other! I know, I've seen it!"

"Love?" Sombra questioned, a dark laugh following, "You obviously hold no experience in the matter, then."

"Enough!" Celestia exclaimed, stepping up to the dark unicorn, "You may have deceived the Elements, your reformer included, but I will not allow your actions to go further than that!"

"Your reign of tyranny was put to an end long ago!" Luna concurred, her eyes narrowed as she bore her teeth aggressively, "And you shall not prevail!"

"Oh, dear Luna," Sombra said in a fake sympathetic tone, "I expected you to understand, what with your performance in the dark arts, as well."

Luna's features tightened substantially. "Shut your mouth, you heathen!"

Sombra's gaze flickered over to Celestia. "Oh, and before I forget..."

Almost immediately, his body reverted into it's shadowy form, his glowing green eyes holding malice unlike any other.

"You did such a lovely job with Luna."

Celestia's eyes seemed to flare to life, as did her horn. "Silence, you cur!" she snarled, a beam of golden light rushing towards the dark unicorn.

But, as it was about to reach him, he split into two and dodged it. He let out a small chuckle at her expense, his fangs glinting in the light maliciously.

"Pathetic," he said, shaking his head disappointedly, "it would seem my presence isn't welcome here. Then I shall be taking my leave."

Before anypony could make a jump for him, the dark villain disappeared into the shadows, his presence disappearing along with his form.

"Where did he go?" Fluttershy whimpered, her eyes quivering with fear.

"We have to stop him!" Twilight cried, "If only we had the blasted Elements!"

"Tw-Twilight..." Cadence rasped, finally managing to get some words out.

Twilight and the others gasped collectively, save for Pinkie, who was still immersed in tearful shock.

"What is it, Cadence?" Celestia asked softly, her eyes shining with pain as she looked at her niece.

"H-He's going to the Empire..." she told them, her eyes closing briefly as she tried to scrounge up what little strength she had left.

"What?" Rarity gasped, her gaze flickering to Twilight, "You don't think he's going to..."

Everyone felt horror take over them as they realized Sombra's intentions, the silence of the room raging between them all. Finally, a quiet whimper broke through the deafening silence.

"S-Sombry..." Pinkie whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks as she found the urge to move again.

"Oh, darling..." Rarity said, her ears turning downwards at the sight of her broken friend.

Without so much as a warning, Pinkie let out a loud cry of sorrow, a waterfall of tears cascading down her face as she collapsed to the floor.

"Pinkie!" the girls exclaimed, their eyes wide as they rushed over to her broken form.

"I-I love him!" she cried out, "I-I thought that he--"

Pinkie couldn't find it in her to finish as another sob overtook her, her form racking itself from the loud cries.

"You poor thing..." Celestia whispered, walking over to Pinkie's sobbing form, "you still care about him, don't you?"

PInkie barely managed to nod in response, another sob escaping her as she pulled into her form.

"He-- He said he loved me!" she sobbed, "And I-I believed it!"

Luna put a hoof on her shoulder, which caused Pinkie to jerk away from her as she turned from the girls who could only watch as she fell apart.

"Sombra's done something that even Discord couldn't manage to do..." Luna whispered, her eyes shining with pain.

Ceelstia nodded in agreement, but her gaze still held onto Pinkie, who couldn't find anything else to do but let go all of her hurt.

"He's destroyed an Element," Celestia finished, "He's destroyed the Element of Laughter."