Royal Duties

by biasedeyes

Dreams of Discord

Twilight stepped forward into the shadow of the enormous maze, shivering slightly from the sudden chill. For a second, the voices of her friends grew dimmer in her ears as she considered the labyrinth they would have to search.

“Easy peasy!” Rainbow Dash was saying. “A quick flyby with these babies and we’ll know the way.” she said as she flexed her wings. “Discord will be none the wiser!”

Just as Rainbow was about to crest the top of the outside wall and begin scouting the maze there was a glimmer and a noise from the air, and she rammed right into a serpentine body and fell to the ground.

“Dear me,” said the suddenly materialized figure, mouth working strangely about the snake’s tooth it contained. “It seems that some ponies have trouble even obeying simple ground rules” it said as Dash stumbled back onto her feet.

“I guess I’ll just have to give your wings to somepony with more self-control.” said the voice with a twisted smile. Twilight felt some tingling on her back not unsimilar to what she had felt a few moments ago stepping out of the sun, but this time she looked down and she had wings! Rainbow’s mouth hung open in shock, her back as wingless as Twilight’s had been a few moments ago.

“And Rarity, while I do trust you to keep from using magic in most situations, I’m afraid the least splash of mud in the maze and you’ll charge up your horn. And we can’t have that now, could we?” the white unicorn remained stoic while the voice addressed her, although she did wince a bit when it mentioned mud.

“I know! Given how Fluttershy makes use of her wings, I’m sure your horn will be safe with her!” There was a flash as Rarity’s horn disappeared, and one appeared on Fluttershy.

“Oh dear...” the yellow pegasus-turned-alicorn whimpered.

Rarity’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Fluttershy. “Give it back.” she said, voice raw and guttural. “Give it back now!”

Twilight began to have a very bad feeling about what was going to happen to Fluttershy.

A pink blob bounced into Twilight’s peripheral vision. “Do you know what I’ve always wanted?” Pinkie Pie asked rhetorically. “Wings!”, she answered gleefully, bouncing toward Fluttershy.

Twilight was pretty sure she knew what was going to happen to Fluttershy, and it made her sick to think about.

“Ya’ know,” Applejack put in casually, eyes suddenly turning to Twilight’s head, “I’ve always wondered what it’s like ta’ have a horn...” She edged forward, and Twilight’s nervousness about Fluttershy shifted quickly to herself. Rainbow Dash began advancing too, expressionless. She didn’t like where this was going...

Twilight backed away, head spinning. “Now... girls...” she croaked as her friends drew towards her. She turned to run away, her heart was beating fast now, but she wasn’t fast enough, she couldn’t get away, she felt hooves catch her and pull her down toward the ground.

“Help! Fluttershy!” she cried, remembering too late that her other friend probably couldn’t help her. “Help!” she screamed, as her former friends began to tear off parts of her body. “Stop, stop!” she sobbed, frightened as she had ever been, but her friends continued to tear her to pieces.

Twilight Sparkle woke with a start. Her wings were badly tangled in the sheets, and she had somehow managed to wedge her horn between the head of the bed and her mattress.