//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty Two // Story: Battle For Equestria // by Cutiemarkcrusader //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash's eyes opened a small crack, her eyes dialating from the sudden light that blindsided her. Wincing, she turned over to her side, trying to get a grip on her surroundings. A stained glass window gleamed up at her, its surface sparkling in the dawning sunlight. With a small groan, Rainbow Dash sat upright. She had been lying down on a long, dark-red carpet that stretched over a white marble floor. Before she could immediately take note of where she was, a soft voice cried out behind her. "She's awake!" Twilight and Rarity's heads turned at the sound of Fluttershy's voice, their eyes meeting Rainbow Dash's. Pinkie Pie lept up from her spot on the ground, her wide eyes soaked in tears of happiness, "Do you have ANY idea how worried you got me, Dash?" "What's going on? Where are we?" Rainbow Dash half-grumbled through clenched teeth. She had been awake for ten seconds and already her head was throbbing in pain. "We're in Canterlot Castle," Twilight whispered in a low voice as she crept closer to Rainbow Dash, "That pegasus and a few other guards escorted us here not too long ago after Rarity here knocked you out." "YOU were the one th- "In my defense," Rarity was quick to interject, "It was the potion wearing off..." Fluttershy let out a small squeak, "That doesn't matter now...We still don't know where in the castle we are." Rainbow Dash's eyebrows shot up, "Wait, did they just leave us here by ourselves?" "Yes...But- Rainbow Dash burst out laughing before Fluttershy could continue her sentence, "We have wings though. Or did they forget that tiny detail already?" "No, they remembered. Try to open your wings..." "My wings..." Suddenly, Rainbow Dash began to feel faint as she tried to move her wings, only to have them be constricted by some force. She quickly glanced up at Fluttershy for some sort of support, but was shocked to see the metal bands that were tying her friend's wings to her body. "When...How?" "They put them on so we couldn't leave. They even put magic blockers on Twilight and Rarity's horns..." Rarity sighed, her eyes getting cloudy-eyed by the second, "Just look at these ugly, metal things. I look like a cyborg!" Pinkie let out a small laugh as she pranced around the hallway in circles, "I'm the only one they didn't change." "But Pinkie," Twilight tried to follow the swirling outline of Pinkie as she continued to dance around the place, "You're an earth pony...You're the one in the most danger here. For all I know, we could be getting taken to our graves this very moment." "Oh, relax Twilight, it isn't all that bad." Rarity's eyes snapped onto Pinkie, her pearly white teeth already barred, "It isn't all that bad? Really? Where exactly are we at this very moment, Pinkie?" "Canterlot Castle." "And why are we here?" "We got caught in a horrible, horrible lie. And because we're the carriers of the elements of harmony..." Rarity rolled her eyes, "No, I meant why are we in Canterlot." "Hm? Oh, I know! To rescue Apple Jack." "And do we have Apple Jack?" Rarity inched closer to Pinkie Pie, her left eye twitching dangerously. "Um, no," Pinkie stopped her hopping and stood in place awkwardly. "So, is there a silver lining that you can think of with that energetic, little mind of yours? Or do I have to spell it out for you?" "No need," Pinkie Pie flashed a positive smile in Rarity's direction, "I know how to spell." There was a white flash of movement, the sound of hoof against shoulder bones, and Pinkie's cut off scream as Rarity shook Pinkie with all her might, "THERE IS NO SILVER LINING, PINKIE! THERE IS NO BRIGHT SIDE TO THIS STORY! WE ARE GOING TO DIE AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT!" "We have the elements though..." Pinkie's voice quivered in fear as Rarity released her from her cold grip. "Oh, and how is that going to work without Apple Jack?" Pinkie Pie, for the first time in ages, fell silent. Her smile was extinguished all too quickly, as though a bucket of water had slashed through a small candle-lit flame. Her pink, curly hair seemed to be two shades darker than usual...and a bit straighter. Pinkie Pie let out a short sniffle, "It won't..." Rarity felt a small stab in the stomach at the softness of Pinkie Pie's words. She bowed her head down slightly, "I'm sorry Pinkie Pie. I-I-I shouldn't have snapped at you that way." "Don't be," Pinkie's blue, orb-like eyes threatened to swallow Rarity whole, "I was just acting stupid...As usual, huh?" Twilight stepped forward, "It wasn't like that Pinkie...You know that. If anything, it wasn't your fault at all." "Twilight's right, Pinkie...It was all my doing. I'm terribly sorry...could you please forgive me for acting so brutish?" Pinkie Pie opened her mouth to say something when a loud and mighty voice shook the room. "Prisoners, line up single file!" The beefy pegasus was back with two armed guards standing right behind him. He cocked a bushy eyebrow at the five ponies, his smug look still alive from hours before. Rainbow Dash returned the look with a rude snort, "Prisoners?" "Yeah, and if you have a problem with that, I could ask your friend to knock you out cold...Again." The other two guards chortled at the lame joke, their sharp and jagged teeth glinting in the light. Twilight struck Rainbow with a stern look, silently gesturing for her to line up as they said. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in defeat as she got up from the floor. One by one the ponies lined up next to the beefy guard, their faces twisted in anticipation. The white guard's gleeful stare turned swiftly into something cold and bitter as he signaled for the other guards to leave with a backwards nod. The two sauntered off, opening the wooden door they had entered from, and closed it with a lengthy slam. Twilight flinched as the pegasus slid by her, his eyes fixated on the group. "Now, it's time for you five to meet a very special friend of mine..." his voice trailed off slightly as his shoulder brushed up against Fluttershy, "She's been tracking all of you very intently...even before we arrived in Equestria." "What does she want to meet us for?" Rainbow Dash spat, "To be there in person when she turns us into shadow slaves like you?" The pegasus's eyes flashed intensely at Rainbow Dash's words. His lips trembled slightly as he tried to keep his composure, "Yes, in fact she does. But she also wants to clear a few things up. Offer a couple of deals that you five could benefit from. You could find her to be blatantly honest; very trustworthy. But trust me, if you do turn into one of us...I wouldn't miss it for the world." Rainbow Dash muttered something under her breath, but the beefy pegasus wasn't paying attention to her anymore, "I will be escorting you all to your fates in a few minutes, but let's get something straight, shall we? I can and I will make sure that each and every one of you behaves while in the presence of my ruler. Any sudden movements, danger-provoking gestures, or bad attitudes can be easily fixed. If it can't be fixed...it can easily be possessed. Is that understood?" "Yes," the group said as a whole. "Good," He smirked again, "And if you're nice...well, maybe my ruler can answer a few questions for you. Now, follow me." The pegasus turned on his heels and promptly began to escort the ponies out of the giant hall. Fluttershy whimpered slightly, to afraid to think. Twilight was looking around the hall, trying to bide the time. Rarity and Pinkie Pie trudged behind them. And Rainbow Dash glared at the pegaus' backside, wondering if it would be possible to knock him out cold and escape in ten seconds flat. The wooden doors in front of them creaked maniacally as they opened ever so slowly, depositing the ponies into a very familiar and very bright surrounding... The ponies' eyes watered at the sheer luminosity that greeted them. White, marble floor stretched out before them, shining in every direction except on the long, red, velvet carpet that led to the other side of the room. A shining gold, square object glinted among the dozens of stained glass to the sides of it. The ceiling shone above them with a furious anger, illuminating every sparkling surface before them. It quickly began to dawn on Twilight as to where they were. They were in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. "We have the five ponies you've been looking for your majesty," the beefy pegasus bowed to a small spreck in the distance. "Good," Twilight heard the faint voice of a mare, sitting in what used to be Princess Celestia's throne, "Bring them here." Twilight's eyes wandered over to her friends. Rarity's head was bowed down, her wavy mane covering her face. Fluttershy's face was frozen into a state of utter terror, her eyes threatening to spill every tear she was attempting to hold back. Together they moved forward slowly. Details that were blurry were soon becoming crystal clear. Individual, carved images were appearing in the blobs of color that were the stained glass windows. The golden throne still seemed a mile away, but with every new step they took, it radiated with heat. Rainbow Dash looked around the almost empty throne room in mild bewilderment. It was hard to think that throughout all of the chaos outside, this was the only place in Equestria that looked exactly the same as before. But who could say that these creatures hadn't changed it? After all, there was somepony sitting in Celestia's rightful place at that very moment before them. Rainbow Dash craned her neck to get a better view, but just as she did, a small herd of guards closed in on them. "You've taken their personal belonging away, right?" a powerful voice growled from his place in the herd. "Of course." "Then you may be excused, Light." Light scowled softly as he walked away from the group, muttering under his breath. Rainbow Dash looked back at guards, her curiosity peaked at its highest point. The others did the same. The guard with the powerful voice smirked at Light before talking once more. "You five, will address our high and mighty ruler as 'Your Highness', or, 'Your Majesty'. Is that understo- "It's fine, North," the mare's cold voice sliced through the air like a dagger, "Let's just get on with it. There's no need for formality at this point, wouldn't you say?" North's face flushed slightly as he bowed his head slowly, "Point taken, your highness." "Stop crowding the ponies, everyone. I want to see my guests face-to-face." "Yes, your highness," North repeated once more before he and his following guards dispersed. There has always been a moment in the universe, where time itself just seems to stop entirely. The moment before a tree snaps in a thunderstorm. The small insert of time before pain comes crashing through a pony. Those are small, insignificant examples compared to the time it took to pass before all five of the ponies realized who was in front of them this whole time. The thing to organize the entire war. The very creature to bring untold destruction to all of Equestria. And they had seen her face before. Like lightning, it hit every single one of them. From the unnaturally cold smile on her face, to the subtle glint in her green, orb-like eyes. All of them had recognized her in a heartbeat. "Did you miss me?" Apple Jack smiled from her place on the throne.