Sombra could only remain in shock as he watched "himself" attack Cadence, who, despite her earlier insults towards him(which were questionably out of character for a princess of love), obviously didn't deserve any of the actions taking place.
'Please, leave her be!' Sombra begged, 'She's done nothing to deserve this!'
'In a way, you're right,' he heard the dark voice say, 'but that's what makes this all the more enjoyable...'
'I won't let you do this!' Sombra snarled, trying to gain some modicrum of strength, but found none.
'You're defenseless and weak,' the dark voice said snidely, 'you hold nothing over me!'
Sombra felt his heart only begin to ache as he watched Cadence suffer at "his" own wrath, the princess of love letting out cries for "him" to stop. But, despite how much he wanted to, he couldn't stop the real enactor of his actions, who held more power than he could ever hope to have.
"Get away from her!" he heard a familiar voice shout from above him.
Sombra was horrified to see Rainbow Dash flying above him, her face hard with anger as she looked down at him with the utmost disgust.
'Please, this isn't what it looks like!' Sombra cried within him, 'Stay away!'
"Stay away!" "Sombra" growled, his magic focusing in on the flying Pegasus.
'No!' Sombra exclaimed, the horror of the situation reaching.
Surprisingly, "Sombra"'s magic diverted and blasted into an area near Rainbow, but it missed her, nonetheless.
'Why are you protecting her? She holds no trust within you!' the dark voice snarled.
'Her wing is barely operational as is!' Sombra snapped back, 'It's barely recovered from Spike attacking all those weeks ago!'
Sombra felt himself cringe in remembrance of how Spike had gone rogue after an argument with Twilight and how Rainbow returned from the search with an injured wing. It had recovered nicely and quickly, but she still favored her uninjured wing better when flying.
'Is that so?' the dark voice purred, 'Perhaps I shall use that to my advantage!'
Sombra could only watch in horror as "he" aimed at Rainbow's questionably healed wing, where small plumes of newly grown feathers showed quite predominantly.
'Don't you dare!' Sombra shouted within his mind, attempting to force the blast away from her again.
But, alas, the beam shot out against his will and hit Rainbow's injured wing, just barely grazing it, though it caused her to falter in her flight.
Rainbow let out a scream as she crashed to the floor beside Cadence, her wing held at her side as she winced in evergrowing pain.
'Rainbow, I'm sorry!' Sombra cried within his mind, 'I couldn't stop him!'
The dark voice laughed. 'You are finally realizing your own worth, aren't you, Host?'
'Please, leave her alone!' Sombra begged, his need for rebellion fading as he watched Rainbow try to get up, 'Rainbow, stay down!'
'Please, I have no quarrel with her now. I can't say the same for the princess...'
Sombra felt his fear grow as "he" circled around Cadence's form, "his" horn sparking to life as she gave him a terrified.
"I can feel your fear..." "Sombra" said, a sick grin taking over his features, "both of your fears."
Sombra froze as he realized that it wasn't Rainbow he was referring to as the second conduit for fear, but rather, himself.
'I'm feeding you...' he realized, completely horrified, 'Why are you doing this?!'
"Sombra" let out a growl. "It was supposed to be so simple..." he snarled, "you were me, once, you fool."
"What?" Cadence whimpered, confusion taking over her.
"Sombra" snarled. "Stay down!"
With a spark from "his" horn, Cadence's eyes became glowing green orbs with fiery licks of purple leaking from their depths. Her hitched breaths soon became loud cries as she faced her worst fear, the princess of love finally being succumbed to the hate that the king before her held.
"Sombra, leave Cadence alone!" he heard Dash command, followed by a yelp of pain as she struggled to move her injured wing.
'No, please!' Sombra cried, 'I don't want you to get hurt!'
Then, much to Sombra's horror, he saw the rest of Rainbow's friends hurry into the room, Pinkie being the first one to arrive.
And she was completely horrified.
'No...' Sombra whispered, 'no, please, Pinkie, this isn't...'
"Sh-Shining!" Cadence cried out, tears running down her cheeks, "P-Please, don't g-go!"
Sombra felt his entire being begin to crack as he watched Pinkie stare at him with the utmost horrified shock, her eyes wide as it appeared her entire world shattered before her.
'Pinkie, this isn't me!' he cried, 'I swear to you, I would never do this on my own accord!'
'She can't hear you, you fool. And she never will...' the voice said darkly.
"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."
'No! No, that's not true!' Sombra exclaimed, his heart beginning to crumble as he watched Pinkie's eyes fill with tears, 'I love you, you pink idiot!'
"You shouldn't be so upset, dear," "Sombra" told her, his pet name for her only adding onto Sombra's disdain, "it's nothing personal. Oh, wait, I suppose it is."
'You monster!' Sombra snarled, 'Leave her be!'
"You-- You bastard!" Rainbow exclaimed, revealing her presence across the room, "I knew you couldn't be trusted!"
'Rainbow, no, it's not like that!' Sombra tried to say, but realized his words held no bearing.
"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!"
'I do! I do love her!' Sombra cried, but he knew she couldn't hear him.
"Love?" "Sombra" questioned, a dark laugh following, "You obviously hold no experience in the matter, then."
'She knows more than you!' Sombra snarled.
"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!"
'No, Celestia, I would never--'
"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."
'No, no, no! Luna, don't listen to him!'
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."
'No! Please, for the love of the gods, no!'
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."
Sombra didn't even have it in him to scream his protests anymore, all of his need for rebellion disappearing as he spared Pinkie one last glance.
'Pinks, I am so sorry... I wish I could say more...'
And, with that, "Sombra" disappeared from the castle, the weight of his actions finally beginning to take it's toll on him
* * *
"How could this have happened?" Celestia questioned, more to herself than anypony else.
The Elements managed to get Pinkie into a bedchamber for her to sleep in as she recovered from the shock of the situation, though only time would tell if she was able to fully heal herself. Princess Luna had taken initiative in the search for Sombra, deeming herself in charge of the guard's actions until further notice.
"I honestly thought that things were going great for them..." Fluttershy whispered, her gaze going over to Pinkie's sleeping form.
"We all did, Sugarcube," Applejack told her from beside the bed, "poor Pinkie..."
"I knew we shouldn't have trusted him," Rainbow muttered angrily, looking over to her wing with renewed anger, "He's lucky my wing is still healing or I'd give him the what-for!"
Fluttershy sighed. "I don't get it!" she exclaimed, uncharacteristically loud, "I mean, everything was going so great! Why is he acting up now?"
"I think this is a little more than acting up, Fluttershy," Rarity said, her gaze going
Twilight frowned as she nodded sorrowfully. "He's going to take the Empire back. And without Cadence's love to shield the citizens, Celestia knows what will happen!"
"You seem to be forgetting about the Crystal Heart," Celestia told her, "the Crystal Ponies will be able to defend themselves with or without Cadence's assistance."
"Not if he manages to get in without their knowing," Rarity interjected, "Sombra's not going to make the same mistake twice; he's not stupid. Knowing him, he'll change his form and enter the city as if it were his own. Then, when nopony's expecting it--"
"--he'll attack and steal the Heart!" Twilight finished, her eyes widening in horror, "We have to stop him!"
"How are we supposed to do that?" Fluttershy questioned, "He could be anywhere in Equestria by now!"
"Why are we all talking about him as if he's the enemy?" Spike blurted out.
Everypony turned to look at him with bewildered expressions, their eyes wide and their jaws agape.
"Are you kidding?" Rainbow exclaimed, "Just look what he did to my wing!"
Spike frowned at her. "You mean the same thing I did only a couple weeks ago?"
Everyone went silent at that statement, unsure of what to say.
Celestia turned to Twilight. "What is he talking about?"
Twilight frowned as she sighed raggedly in remembrance. "Spike and I got into an argument one night a couple weeks ago and Spike stormed out. We had to send out a search party to look for him, but on the third night..."
"I found him," Dash told Celestia, "but, when I did, he... he attacked me."
"What?" Celestia questioned, her gaze going over to Spike, "Why in Equestria would you do such a thing?"
Spike held onto his tail abashedly. "I-I was really upset..." he told her, wringing his tail tightly, "I mean, I wasn't even thinking when I did it..."
"And you're bringing this up because you think the same thing happened to Sombra?" Rarity finished, walking over to the nervous baby dragon.
Spike nodded. "Yeah. And Sombra was the one to come look for me, 'member?"
"That's right!" Applejack exclaimed, "And he found ya, then managed t' bring ya back home!"
"Why didn't you notify me about this?" Celestia asked Twilight, "I could've helped you in your search."
Twilight shook her head lightly. "After he attacked Rainbow, I felt awful... And I realized, that with him gone, I wouldn't be able to handle anything..."
"Including Sombra's reformation," Spike finished, "that's why he went to look for me."
Twilight's eyes widened. "How do you know that?"
Spike blinked in surprise. "Sombra told me. I assumed you told him!"
Twilight shook her head. "I only wrote that down in a letter to send to Celestia!" she exclaimed, "But, that means..."
"He heard you writing to me," Celestia concluded, "But that doesn't make any sense. Why would he go to the trouble of finding Spike so he could stay in Ponyville?"
"Because of Pinkie," Rarity answered, her gaze going to the sleeping mare.
Everyone gaped at Rarity, their eyes immediately darting over to Pinkie in perfect unison.
"Sombra loves her," Twilight breathed, her eyes wide.
"Oh my, gods..." Rainbow whispered, "Looks like Rarity was right all along."
"Aha!" Rarity exclaimed, pointing a hoof at Rainbow, "You admit it!"
Everyone gave Rarity a deadpan look as she continued to point at Rainbow.
"Ahem," Rarity said, regaining her composure, "inappropriate."
"But, that doesn't explain his behavior," Twilight said, putting a hoof to her chin in thought, "I mean, why would he do all of this if he loved her?"
"Because it's not his fault."
Everyone turned simultaneously to see a weak-standing Cadence at the doorway, her knees knocking together as she struggled to stay upright.
"Cadence, you should be resting!" Twilight exclaimed, rushing over to sister-in-law for support, "You're still weak!"
"I'm not resting until I tell you what happened with Sombra," Cadence said sternly, her eyes holding a deep determination, "it needs to be said."
"Cadence--"
"Please, Twily," Cadence said in a softer tone, "I need to come clean."
"Come clean?" Rarity repeated, "Whatever for?"
Cadence took a deep, steadying breath. "I goaded Sombra into turning into... that monster."
Everyone gasped collectively, their eyes wide.
"Cadence, what on earth are you talking about?" Celestia questioned, "I thought that you could handle judging him!"
Cadence sighed. "I thought I could, too," she admitted, "but, when I saw him back in the throne room... I got so unbelievably angry."
"Cadence..." Twilight started to say, but Cadence held up a hoof to silence her.
"I-I had never felt so much hate in my heart..." she told them, her voice becoming shaky, "I mean, I could see he loved Pinkie, but that just made me angrier... That that-- that monster had the right to love somepony!"
Cadence took in another ragged breath. "I understand love is beautiful and that I should be open to whatever the form it comes in, but... but when I saw the way he was so happy and content with her, it reminded me of how he snatched those feelings away from the Crystal Ponies... my ponies..."
"And the worst part is, she loves him back! She still loves him!" Cadence threw a hoof out to point at Pinkie's sleeping form. "She still loves him, even after he tore her heart out! And it's just so-- so sickening that he can have that!"
She pulled her hoof back in to herself as she covered her shame-faced expression. "I-I didn't want him to be reformed... I didn't think he deserved to be able to live on with his life, especially after everything he's done."
"Cadence..." Twilight said softly, "I know it's hard you to bear, but you need to realize just how much he loves her."
Cadence let out a small whimper. "I know how much he loves her..." she replied shakily as tears began to fall down her face, "but that's why it makes it so difficult for me to judge him properly..."
Celesita put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. "I know it can be difficult to see the good in somepony who's caused you so much grief..." she told her, "I was the same way with Discord when I first decided to try to reform him."
"And now he's harmless," Fluttershy concluded, then added quietly, "most of the time..."
"Ya know he only does that 'cause he likes ya, right?" Applejack questioned, a brow arched upwards.
Fluttershy blushed lightly. "N-No! It's because he-he--"
"Oh, come now, Fluttershy," Celestia said, a small smile playing across her features, "Discord talks about you all the time. And, don't tell him I told you this, he has a picture of you he carries around with him all the time."
Fluttershy's became as red as tomato as small squeaks escaped her lips, her body frozen in total shock.
"Ah think ya broke her, Princess," Applejack told her, shaking her head with a smile.
"But, getting back to the question at hoof, why were you so consumed in your hate?" Twilight asked, "I mean, you're the Princess of Love itself! Why would you of all ponies be prone to hate?"
Cadence shook her head. "I'm not sure. I mean, I was angry when I found out about his return in Auntie's letter, but I was even angrier when I was just in the same room with him. It's like... somepony was pushing me to that hate."
"Huh?" Twilight questioned, "How is that possible?"
"Perhaps it has something to do with Sombra's transformation..." Cadence mused aloud. Suddenly, her eyes widened in horror as she put a hoof to her lips in shock. "Oh, my gods!"
"What is it?" Celestia questioned, alarmed at Cadence's cry.
"Back in the hallway..." Cadence started slowly, her eyes wide with fear, "Sombra talked about how he could sense both of our fears..."
"Huh?" Rainbow exclaimed, "But I wasn't scared!"
"That's what I thought, too," Cadence replied, then continued on, "who else could he have been referring to?"
"Conscience," said a hollow voice.
Everyone froze for a brief moment, then slowly turned to see Pinkie sitting up in bed, her face stoic and expressionless.
"Pinkie!" Twilight exclaimed, "Oh my, gosh, are you alright?"
"No," Pinkie said flatly, her voice devoid of any emotion, "my heart was ripped to pieces by the love of my life. I'm the furthest thing from alright."
Cadence shook her head rapidly as she got over her shock. "Pinkie, who is Conscience?"
"He's a voice in Sombra's head I met when he and I switched bodies," Pinkie replied simply.
"What?" Celestia blurted out, her gaze going over to Twilight.
Twilight out a small, nervous laugh. "About that..."
"Wait, hold yer horses!" Applejack exclaimed, holding up her hooves in a "back it up" motion, "Are you saying Sombra's got some schnitzel-phrenia?"
"Schizophrenia," Twilight corrected, then turned her attention back to Pinkie, "What do you mean Sombra had another voice in his head?"
Pinkie didn't even blink. "We talked to each other for a couple minutes about how I thought he was Sombra's conscience and how I didn't know if Chimi-Cherry or Cherry-Changa was better than the other one. He just said, 'Why not both?' and we both started chanting about chimi-cherries and cherry-changas."
"Whoa..." Rainbow breathed, "she must be upset she isn't even going into how she came up with it..."
"Her heart was broken," Spike said flatly, giving Rainbow a deadpan look, "I don't think she cares too much right now."
"Wait... I am so confused..." Twilight said, "Why would a voice in Sombra's head be so compliant with you?"
Everyone took a moment to ponder this information, save for Pinkie, who only remained stoically frozen.
Cadence gasped. "Do you all remember how the Crystal Ponies weren't able to remember anything about the Empire before it's rule because of Sombra's spell?"
"Yeah, I do," Twilight replied, then arched an interested brow, "What does that have to do with anything?"
"I know this is going to sound crazy, but... Do you think it's possible Sombra lived in the Empire before he ruled?"
Everyone gasped collectively, including Pinkie, whose eyes widened in shock.
"And Conscience is actually..." Pinkie started, emotion starting to return to her.
"The real Sombra!" Twilight finished, her eyes wide with undeniable shock, "Sombra's real self is still there!"