Xenolance stared at what used to be his food stockpile, and reclined on the pile of gold bits he had placed nearby. The plural pony princesses had fixed the spell he had placed upon the clouds a few days ago, and the stockpile of food he had set up had run out shortly after that. On a nearby wall hung a clock, showing the time to be just before breakfast.
Xeno continued to stare at the empty food stockpile for a few more moments, before looking around his lair for a method of solving the food shortage. After but a few moments, his eyes found themselves resting on his desk, with a pile of blank paper, a quill and inkwell, and some sealing wax set upon it. Moments after that, a smile formed on his face.
“Perfect.”
Twilight was reading a book on her couch when she heard a knock at the door. Spike, having stayed over at Rarity's house, was unavailable to answer the door, forcing her to do it herself. With a grunt, she pulled herself up off the couch while placing a bookmark in the book with her magic.
Opening the door, she found herself confronted by a royal guard, silently holding a scroll out to her with a forehoof. Taking the scroll with her magic, she turned back around, and closed the door behind her. She didn't even notice as a hand shot out of the nearby bush and picked up the guard, who was promptly folded and placed under the arm of one diabolical villain, who walked away whistling a jaunty tune.
All of her attention was focused on the very official looking letter from the royal guard, and the words placed upon it.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
We regret to inform you that your brother, Shining Armor, has been mortally wounded in a training exercise. Sadly, it is believed he will not live if he does not receive a massive dose of harmony magic within the next four hours. The only thing that could produce the amount required, however, is a direct blast from the elements of harmony, which are currently locked up in Celestia's personal vault, who coincidentally did NOT lock it with the code 35-27-14.
We extend our humblest condolences, and ask that you do not, under any circumstances, gather up your friends and make your way to Canterlot. After all, it's not as though you're the bearers of the elements, and can just use them on him to save his life.
Our condolences,
The Royal Guard.
It took her only a moment before she was running off in the direction of Sugarcube corner, to gather her friends.
At the train station in Canterlot, Spike struggled under Rarity's luggage.
“Rarity, did you pack more than you usually do?”
“No, why?”
“It's just, this trunk is really heavy! What did you put in here, lead bricks?”
“No, just my industrial strength hair dryer.”
“Oh. OK then.”
“Twi, I have no idea where you got it into your head I was dying...”
Twilight was walking with Shining, who was looking at her with a bemused smile. Twilight herself had a frown on her face, and had the element of magic on her head. After a short distance, they reached Shining's office as captain of the guard.
“I'm telling you, it was sent by the royal guard! It was hoof delivered and everything!”
“Well, somepony was obviously playing a trick on you,” Shining said. Glancing at the element, however, he continued. “What bugs me is how the letter had the right code to get into the element's safe.”
“Well, what are you going to do?”
“Launch an investigation, obviously! If somepony knows the code to the safe, then there must be a serious security breach somewhere. In the mean time, I'd suggest returning back to Ponyville with your friends, and giving the elements to Princess Celestia for safe keeping.”
"Although," Shining said with a sly look. "Now that you're here, you could stay a while and visit with our parents until I'm off duty..."
Twilight gave Shining a hug, before she looked back at him with a smile.
“Thanks, BBBFF. I think I'll do that. Though, Spike will probably want to go back with the others. He's been working on some secret project for Rarity, and I think he's almost done with it.”
“Well, wish him luck for me. Later, Sis.”
Twilight walked back down the hall as Shining opened the door to his office.
“Huh... I thought I locked this...”
With a shrug, he continued inside and sat down at his desk. Upon it were several scrolls detailing troop redeployments, all of which he gave a passing glance to before signing his name next to Luna's, indicating his approval. With this paperwork out of the way, he quickly set about gathering the forms required to launch an investigation into the breach of security that Twilight had stumbled upon.
Unknown to Shining, however, a shadowy figure had silently cracked open his door. Watching his every movement, the figure smiled as shining signed off on the troop redeployment request. Before retreating into the shadows once more, the figure let one word slip past their lips.
“Perfect.”
Celestia was just finishing up with her lunch, and was preparing to dig into what was to her a rare treat. Placed upon a gleaming plate, designed by the finest artisans and inlaid with gems and precious metals, was a slice of rainbow-cloud Faust-food cake. To her eyes, this was the epitome of what any desert should be.
So distracted was she, that she failed to notice a shadowy figure above her, looking through an opened skylight. The figure ensured that no guards were nearby, and upon finding none, made their move. With speed that most would say was impossible of somepony of that size, the figure jumped, darting down to land on the table below.
Celestia had only a moment to respond before the plate with the cake was collected, and the figure flew back up to the skylight. Celestia looked towards where the assailant had gone with an expression of shock, which slowly morphed into one of anger. With a great bellow of the Royal Canterlot Voice™, Celestia expressed her anger towards her aggressor the only way she could.
“LUNA!”
From above, a voice snickered and responded, though muffled by a mouthful of cake.
“Faust doth giveth, and Faust doth taketh away, dear sister!”
Twilight had just entered her library, and was shocked at what she found.
The place was trashed.
Every single book was pulled off the shelves. Smoke was pouring out of the kitchen. Spike was held up to the ceiling by some sort of shiny silver ribbon, and was looking down at her with pleading eyes. Pouring down from up the stairs was a flood of water, and the basement door, which had been ripped off it's hinges, appeared to contain some form of portal to Tartarus, if the demonic eyes were any indication.
And standing in the middle of it all, was a Royal guard holding a scroll.
Or rather, a cardboard cutout of a Royal guard.
Taking the scroll from the cutout, she unrolled it, and read what was written.
Dear Ms. Sparklebutt McFloppyhorn,
Thank you for your food donation to the 'Feed a Villain' foundation. Your contribution is appreciated.
Sincerely Yours,
Xenolance
FounderP.S.: Your toilet is clogged.
Twilight was quick to mirror the actions of her mentor, but with a different target.
“XENOLANCE!”
Unknown to her, the other five element bearers had conducted similar performances across Ponyville just hours prior, having been presented with similar circumstances.
(Well, except Pinkie. She thought it was kinda funny. 'Sides, she's not really one for drama. The cakes, however, were less than pleased.)
“And that's why you can't have a midnight snack tonight.”
The cake twins looked up at Pinkie, expressions of disbelief evident on their cynical faces.
“True story, honest!”