Chapter 4 Nova Sparks
A sudden emanation of petrifying light broke the sky and struck the Princess, making movement impossible. She tried to use her magic to break the seal but it was useless. Everypony was in utter shock and horror as they watched the attack unfold. It was mesmerizing yet fearful. Twilight became concerned and hostile then attempted to break the immobilizing energy. She used every force of magic she could muster up against it but the bond was too powerful. Suddenly Comet used his powers and struck Twilight with a beam of powerful energy, knocking her down.
Rainbow Dash and the Pegasus ponies were confused. The light appeared to come from no where. Then soon, the skies began to darken. Everypony was in anarchy. They didn't know what to think in such dismay. Meanwhile, Applejack, Pinkie and the others hurried as fast as they could, up the palace to the balcony. A figure in the sky began to form around the light. It was almost as if it was just coming out of thin air. As the figured became bigger and bigger, it took the form of a gigantic, titanium airship. It had been cloaked and snuck up on the entire party.
The Pegasi (including Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts) immediately took action. They were going to charge in and take out the ship but were quickly knocked away by a shocking force field. The guests started to run away but they could not get passed the gate because while no one was looking, Buckingham had placed a magic proof lock on the large gate. They were all trapped.
Rainbow looked down and noticed Twilight was hurt and without delay, she rushed down to help her fallen comrade and assist her other friends who had finally made it up to the balcony.
"Twilight, are you ok?!" Applejack hollered worriedly.
"What did you do to our friend?" Rarity demanded angrily.
"I've done her a favor. She would've wasted all her useless magic on an impossible task." Comet stated.
Applejack threatened him, "Release the Princess immediately or were gonna have to get ugly."
Comet scoffed, "You are no threat to me or Buckingham! We'll strike you down like the peasants you are."
"Buckingham? Nonesense! He would never do something such as this." Rarity defended him.
Comet laughed, "You are one naive mare, isn't she Bradshaw?"
Buckingham suddenly appeared from behind them, smiling deviously, "She shore is Comet. I thank you very much fer yer company the last couple days Ms. Rarity. Without you and Ms. Sparkle, we'd never be able to pull this off so perfectly."
Rarity began to tear up, "Wha...I trusted you. All this time, all those ravishing compliments, the charming kisses. I thought you were a dashing gentlecolt. But your nothing but a deceptive, lying, miserable excuse for a stallion!"
Bradshaw began to laugh, "Well Mr. Comet. Should I alert the big guy that it's a good time to come down now?"
He shrugged grinning, "I don't see why not, I don't see any threat from these fillies." No sooner the words were out of his mouth, Applejack bucked him right into the railing of the balcony. Comet staggered but shook it off easily as he used his magic and slammed AJ with incredible force against the wall of the palace. She blacked out on impact.
"Applejack!" screamed Pinkie Pie and Dash. Fluttershy rushed over to tend to her fallen friend. Rarity kicked Buckingham's front leg.
"Ow!" exclaimed Bradshaw.
Comet grabbed Rarity with his magic, "Listen girly, if you think that I'm afraid to hurt another mare then your dead wrong, now back off!"
Comet shoved her away, "Tell him to come down now."
Bradshaw spoke into the gadget, "Alright sir, the crowd's awaiting on yer big debut."
Then suddenly, airship then lowered right above the crowd. They were in astonishment. The hull of the ship opened in the center and a platform began to lower. It was a small platform, carrying big, burly, armed dogs and a grey pony. The dogs were equipped with unusual weapons, attached to their wrists. Black with very specific and complicated functions on them. They looked dangerous nonetheless, similar to Bradshaw's. They wore shining, white metal armor and had a crest on their abdominal armor plate. It was the same symbol as Bradshaw's and Comet's cutie mark. An "R" with the white horn, and a gold star at the pointed end.
The grey pony was also a stallion, he had a short grey mane with a long tail. The pony wore glasses and a black business jacket. He too, had a gadget that was attached to his hoof. His cold looking eyes were yellow and he had a grin on his face that seemed like it never left. The platform lowered to the balcony, where the dogs and the steed disembarked. He slowly trotted and padded both Comet and Buckingham on the back. Twilight and Applejack started to come to. The pony then looked at Celestia who was still immobilized, "Long time no see your Majesty. Remember me?"
He grinned even harder and ordered his canines, "Stand over there and guard the way if they should attempt to escape."
The dogs obeyed and walked over to block the door to the inside of the palace. Twilight and her friends were surrounded. The grey pony looked at Rainbow who was right next to Applejack, still flying, "Comet, ground her will you?"
He saluted, "Right away Sir."
Comet then casted a spell on Dash which locked her wings in, forcing her to fall to the ground. The English pony turned away to the crowd, who were now silent in a state of shock. Afraid of what the dogs could do. He laughed briefly to himself then addressed them, "So...My longed, anticipated return went unnoticed. I'm disappointed. But I suppose I'll re-introduce myself to the Equestrian folk. It's been a long time since I stood in Canterlot. Last time it was on bad terms. But now...It's on my terms...My name...is Nova Sparks. I come from the far-eastern side of Equestria, the city of Manechester. For years I was banished from this land. Now years of recruitment and many more years of highly detailed scientific research have assisted in my return. You will all come to know me as your new dictator! The laws and ways of Equestria will change. I know it appears to be a tad shocking and abrupt right now but you will in fact get used to it. As you can see, I have immobilized the Princess. I have rendered her magic obsolete. This is only the just of what I am capable of. You will respect my laws or else a high and strict form of discipline will be summoned upon the abuser."
There was an outcry from the crowd, "What makes you think were going to listen to you?"
Spark's smile slipped and he looked around, "Who said that?" He shouted.
He looked to where the voice was coming from and seen that it was a local Ponyville citizen, Berry Punch. Sparks grinned again, "You will soon regret talking back to me, my dear. Dogs, cease her!"
The burly dogs got on to the platform and were lowered to the crowd. Everypony was intimidated by the large canines and didn't attempt to charge at them. The dogs then approached Ms. Punch and wielded batons that were strapped to their sides then violently began to beat her to the ground as the crowd watched in fear. It was the longest thirty seconds Berry Punch had ever went through. She was whimpering by the time they had stopped. Battered and bruised, the dogs took her to the platform to await their next command from the seemingly already corrupted Nova Sparks.
He continued, "Now, that is low level discipline. Do you want to see hard discipline? Then somepony please talk over me again. I insist on it." Nopony spoke a word.
"The Celestian era has come to an end. The new era of leadership will now rise with this rebellion. I shalll be your great dictator, your emperor. You will obey my laws, you will obey my morals, you will obey my army, and most of all, over everything. You WILL obey me. I will now decree my first law. A nightly curfew for all of Equestria. Each night at 9:30, everypony must be inside or within their property, or else will be charged and punished. My military of rebels will enforce this law and many others with great encouragement. Now I have many of my soldiers to be distributed. I got many dogs as well as loyal ponies, but I could use more. So for the past few days, I have sent my associate Comet, to recruit many volunteers, and you have done that, right?" He looked at Comet.
"I have done what you have requested Mr. Sparks." He replied.
"Ah Perfect, then without further delay, I will now order that all Equestrians head home for I have many things to discuss with my other associates. Now of course I will have my militia of dogs assist in your departure of my new city. But also I would like the help of my new recruits...Comet if you could do the honors?"
Comet approached to the front, "My pleasure Sir...I will now initiate, project: silent knight!"
With Comet saying this, about 40 strong looking ponies had rose up from the crowd...To Applejack's dismay, she seen Big Macintosh rise as well. A tear ran down her face, "...Oh No..."
"Tell the recruits to begin directing the ponies home, we need to get to work." Demanded Nova.
Comet nodded his head, "Colts, Stallions! I command you to guard the streets, make sure no one tries to flee the land. It would be an insult to our new leader."
Every brainwashed pony responded, "YES MASTER!"
Nova, Bradshaw and Comet laughed. Sparks concluded, "Dogs, make sure they all get home, tonight there will be an early curfew for I need time to put the new laws to pass. Welcome to my well deserving reign. I am your new leader, your dictator, your emperor, Nova Sparks!"
He glanced to Celestia, "And as for you...We need some time to talk...(he grinned) Catch up on the old times..."
He looked at Sparkle and her friends, "And you seven? Your also coming with me."
Another, much bigger platform lowered from the other side of the aircraft. More goons emerged from it, an entire armada of dogs and other ponies. All wearing the same type of armor; Shining white metal torso plates, white headgear, batons, the strange apparatus attached to their wrists and hooves, and that definitive cutie mark. The dogs had it embedded on their armory. But the Unicorn rebels, appeared not to have the wrist gadget. There were also Pegasi to patrol the skies and Cloudsdale. One dog used the wrist gadget to open the locked gate. The rebels directed the traffic everypony back home in Canterlot. They loaded ships to take others back to Ponyville, Pegasi rebels lead ponies back to Cloudsdale and others from other cities and communities around Equestria were told to wait on Spark's recommendation.
Fluttershy spoke timidly to Nova with a shaky voice, "W-What are you going to do to us?"
"I simply need you seven for interrogation." He said.
Nova ordered some of his guards to escort Celestia, Twilight, and her friends up to the gigantic ship, "Take them to the main holding cells, I'll want to talk to Celestia first so keep her held until we get to my office."
Nova pressed a button on a remote control he took from his pocket and the surging, freezing light broke from Celestia, but Comet took immediate control of the immobilizing spell and continued to hold Celestia still. They all climbed upon the platform and as they rose into the ship, Twilight and her friends all looked at each other. They wondered what was going to happen, they started to feel their hope slipping away. Into a dark void of emptiness, they felt that soon, nothing would ever be the same again...
[...To be continued]