- Ponyville Express -

Twilight and Sombra sat on the train, Twilight was asked by Cadence to come down to the Crystal Empire, Twilight didn't mind it at all since she had been meaning to visit her brother Shining Armor and his wife Cadence anyway, Sombra came along as he was curious about what had become of the kingdom he once ruled, Sombra looked out the train window, Twilight looked at Sombra curiously. "Nervous about seeing the Crystal Empire again?" Twilight asked, Sombra looked at Twilight. "Kinda." Sombra said, Twilight smiled at Sombra. "Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine." Twilight said, trying to comfort Sombra, Twilight yawned and leaned her head aganist Sombra's arm, Sombra blushed slightly as Twilight rested her head aganist him, he looked back outside the window, Sombra eventually drifted off to sleep himself. When he woke up, he looked to see the Crystal Empire. "Twilight wake up." Sombra said slightly nudging her, Twilight opened her eyes and looked up at Sombra, she sat back up and looked out the window. "Oh! We're here." Twilight stated, she got out of the seat and trotted down the train cart, Sombra followed and the two got off the train.

- The Streets of the Crystal Empire -

Sombra and Twilight trotted through the Crystal Empire, Crystal ponies all looking at Sombra with fear as they hid away from him, Sombra sighed as he noticed they were still afraid of him, he didn't think it would bother him this much but it did, the two were stopped by Cadence and Shining, who were waiting for them. "Cadence!" Twilight cheered as she trotted over to Cadence. "Sunshine, Sunshine, ladies bugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!" Twilight and Cadence sang as they did the dance that went along with it, Sombra couldn't help but find this adorable, he glanced to notice Shining had an angry look on his face. "Twily, what is he doing here?" Shining asked in a serious tone. "Shining, Sombra's changed, or at least he's working on it." Twilight repiled, Cadence had a worried look on her face. "Now Shining honey, We promised to give Sombra a chance remember?" Cadence said trying to get Shining to cool down, it didn't work as Shining just scoffed. "Why should we? He's never gonna change, he's still the same evil king he always will be, the only difference is that he's not a king anymore." Shining said with hatred in his voice, Sombra growled, Twilight looked at Shining, she was angry as all get out. "I expect better from you Shining!" Twilight shouted, she trotted up to her brother and looked him dead in the eye. "Sombra has shown me he wants to change and you should be mature enough to give him the chance." Twilight stated, Sombra blushed slightly as Twilight defended him, Shining trotted up to Sombra. "I still don't trust you, you'll have to do alot more then lose your horn to gain my trust." Shining said, then he turned around and trotted away, Cadence looked at Sombra. "I'm so sorry Twilight." Cadence said before following her husband, Twilight turned to Sombra and sighed. "I'm sorry for Shining, he still sees you as a villain." Twilight stated, Sombra groaned. "It's fine, they're all scared of me." Sombra repiled. "And they should be, I ruled over them with an iron hoof and even tried to take over, I deserve all the scorn I get." Sombra said sadly, Twilight hugged Sombra, his eyes widen as she held him close. "No you don't! yes you were awful and you've done some awful things but you don't deserve to be treated like that when you want to make amends." Twilight said softly, Sombra hugged back as tears streamed down his face. "Thank you." Sombra said, Twilight stopped hugging him and smiled at him. "You know the Gala is happening tonight." Twilight stated, Sombra looked at Twilight and raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah, that thing Her Royal Sunbutt puts on every year, what about it?" Sombra asked, Twilight smiled widely. "I thought it'd be a good experience for you socially sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo I wondering if you would come with me?" Twilight asked, Sombra was shocked and his blush from earlier returned. "As-uh-as-uh part of your re-reforming process of course." Twilight said in a shy voice, Sombra smirked. "Sure, I'd love to." Sombra repiled, Twilight smiled an adorable, wide smile. "Great!" Twilight said with glee, she trotted towards the Crystal Empire library. "I'm gonna get some books from the library and then we can go back to Ponyville." Twilight said, Sombra followed her...

- The Gala in Canterlot -

Sombra and Spike stood at the front of the door, dressed in proper attire waiting for the girls. "So...uh...no hard feeling for the whole destroying your horn thing?" Spike asked, Sombra smirked. "It's fine" Sombra repiled, the two talked to pass the time until the girls arrived, Sombra's jaw dropped slightly when he saw Twilight dressed in her Gala dress. "O-Oh my...you look..beautiful." Sombra said, Twilight blushed slightly. "Oh this, this is the same dress I've worn every year." Twilight stated. "Well it's the first time I've seen it." Sombra said, the two laughed. Rarity giggled at the sight of Twilight and Sombra. "Shall we?" Sombra asked as he held out his hoof, Twilight place her hoof in his and the two entered the Gala hall. Rarity sighed. "Oh love." Rarity said, Applejack looked at Rarity with a raised eyebrow. "Come again?" Applejack asked. "Look at them, they're obiviously in love with each other and simply don't know it." Rarity stated, Applejack rolled her eyes. Twilight and Sombra looked at each other. "Ya sure nopony's gonna be bothered by my presence here?" Sombra asked smirking, Twilight giggled. "I'm sure they'll manage." Twilight repiled, the two saw Celestia. "Hello Twilight Sparkle, and hello to you too Sombra...um...Sombra..." Celestia greeted, struggling to remember Sombra's full name. "Just Sombra." Sombra said, Celestia smiled gentley. "So, how are you enjoying your reforming process?" Celestia asked. "It's fine I guess." Sombra said as he tried to hide how happy he really was. "Have you seen the royal garden? it's a lovely sight?" Celestia asked. "No, I've kind of been...not here for years, remember?" Sombra repiled, Twilight and Celestia giggled at Sombra's response. "Of course, well I'd recommend visiting it before the night ends." Celestia said before trotting off. "Woah, Sunbutt sure seems to be enjoying the Gala." Sombra stated. "Well, ever since the first year me and the girls came here, it's been...an exciting event." Twilight stated as she smiled awkwardly. "Well, judging by the journal entries, you and your friends have a knack for making things exciting here in Equestria." Sombra said, stating the obivious, the two joined up with Twilight's friends and they all began to talk among one another.

- The Canterlot Garden -

Sombra and Twilight trotted through the garden of Canterlot, admiring all the lovely sights of the beautiful garden. "I remember that Fluttershy was so excited to see this Garden when we first came here." Twilight stated, Sombra looked at Twilight as she went on and on about her and her friends first two times at the Gala. "So Discord actually tried to send somepony to another dimension cause he was jealous?" Sombra asked. "Yes he did." Twilight repiled, Sombra laughed hard. "That was kinda over doing it though." Twilight said. "Some ponies will do crazy things when in love." Sombra stated. "I am sorry for earlier today, the way Shining treated you was wrong." Twilight stated. "You have no reason to be sorry Twily." Sombra said, Twilight turned to Sombra and raised an eyebrow. "Did you just call me Twily?" Twilight asked, Sombra blushed, Twilight giggled. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." Sombra said blushing harder as he turned away from Twilight. "Oh my gosh! are you blushing?" Twilight asked teasingly. "N-No." Sombra lied, Twilight giggled, she leaned her head aganist Sombra's shoulder. "Well, blushing or not, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." Twilight said as she closed her eyes and sighed lovingly, Sombra blushed harder and harder with each minute Twilight layed her head aganist his arm. "So...uh...yeah..." Sombra said nervously, Twilight moved her head away from Sombra and looked up at the sky. "It's the night is so beautiful." Twilight said, Sombra sighed. "Yes you are." Sombra said lovingly. "What did you say?" Twilight asked, Sombra turned away. "Nothing, you must have heard something." Sombra repiled, obiviously lying, Twilight turned to Sombra, Sombra looked at her and again, his gaze went into her eyes, her deep purple eyes sparkled in the moonlight. "S-Sombra...I...I.." Twilight said, Sombra stood in silence, Sombra gulped. "T-Twilight I..." Sombra tried to say. "I'll be right back!" Twilight said nervously and then trotted away, Sombra sighed and then sat down. "What's wrong with me!?" Sombra asked himself. "Why do I feel like this? what even is this feeling?" Sombra asked himself...

- The Canterlot Garden (Later That Night) -

Sombra looked down at the ground, still sitting where he was earlier, he looked up and saw Twilight trotting over. "Sorry about that, I just had..to...uh..." Twilight said, Sombra sighed. "It's fine." Sombra repiled, Twilight sat next to him. "I was just nervous, I don't know why but I felt my nerves just...ous-ing," Twilight said, Sombra laughed. "That's not a word." Twilight laughed with Sombra and playfully hit him. "Oh come on." Twilight said laughing, the two continued talking. "ya know Sombra, I'm glad you came with me tonight, this has been fun." Twilight said, Sombra grinned nervously. "Oh c-come on, it was nothing." Sombra repiled, blushing harder then ever before, the two stood up. "We should probably go, the Gala will be over soon." Twilight stated. "I'll meet you back home." She said before trotting off, Sombra sighed a loving sigh. "She's the best" Sombra said to himself, he felt his heart actually beating, it was odd how good he felt around Twilight. "Oh my, I-I think I'm in love with her." Sombra exclamined, luckily nopony was there to hear him, his eyes widened as he came to the realization, meanwhile Twilight trotted towards the garden entrance only to be stopped by a statue of Sombra himself, from back in his king days, she leaned aganist the statue and sighed, she didn't know why but Sombra had began to grow on her, her heart fluttered at the thought of Sombra. "I don't know what's with me, I just...can't stop thinking about him." Twilight said. "Sounds like Somepony's in love." Rarity teased in a sing song voice, Twilight moved away from the statue and blushed hard. "No I'm not!" Twilight exclamined with nervousness. "Admit it, you have a crush on Sombra." Rarity teased, Twilight blushed harder. "N-No I don't!" Twilight lied, Rarity giggled like a school filly. "Oh you do, you most certainly do." Rarity teased again, Twilight sighed. "Okay okay, you caught me." Twilight admitted, Rarity sequeled with joy. "You can't tell anypony, and you certainly can't tell Sombra!" Twilight said. "I promise, and a lady never goes back on her word." Rarity repiled, Sombra trotted towards the girls. "Sorry, I was busy. What'd I miss?" Sombra asked. "Oh nothing much." Twilight lied, the three trotted off to meet up with the others and go back to Ponyville...

(To Be Continued)