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!

Twilight seeks out Sombra's horn after his defeat to study it but quickly finds herself studying with him once she finds the horn. Despite Sombra safely residing inside his own horn, Twilight learns that he is slowly dying.

How will Twilight behave once she learned of Sombra's fate?

The original cover art was done by a friend of mine, Ablaze Emblemier.

The redone cover art was drawn and colored by, Elu.

Thank you both Ablaze and Elu.

This story is a submission to the Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord writing contest.

The plan, he thought, was perfect. Instead of returning to the mortal world as a shade of his former self, King Sombra would transmute his soul into the body of his greatest foe, using her influence and power to destroy Equestria from the inside and take vengeance on the Princesses that stole his beloved empire.

There's just one problem: after her fight with Tirek, Twilight Sparkle changed her address. This turns out to be a much bigger problem than Sombra thought. A Dinky-Doo-sized problem, to be precise.

5th-place finalist in the More Most Dangerous Game contest.

Cover art crudely Photoshopped by me from this and this. I am art and so can you.

Reading by Neighrator Pony

When a familiar presence enters the free Crystal Empire, the scattered remains of King Sombra begin to take shape once more...

In the chaos after Luna's banishment, four warlords meet.

Spanish translation, by SPANIARD-KIWI.

The rays consume my body as I scream out, yet I feel no pain from the power of the crystal heart. No, the only pain I feel is from the memories that pass through my mind, the memories of my life.

Reading by Forgotten Dream

Fanfic Reading by Eighth Flame

Inspiration

Pinkie never really considered herself to be beautiful. At least, not until Sombra told her so.

But, when she still doubts her own worth, she looks to Sombra for consolation and asks for something that just might tip the balance of how things are between the reformer and the reformee.

Takes place between chapters Four and Five of The Not-So-Normal Adventures of King Sombra and Pinkie Pie.

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]

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.

Celestia has often looked to the furthest edges of her kingdom when watching for dangers. Sometimes, she may even journey there, just to make sure things are on the up and up. Today, she goes to, of all places, the former village of Starlight Glimmer. But it is not the mare herself she has come to see, but the village's newest resident, who is not as unfamiliar to her as might first appear.