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// Intermission- Rise of Dark Equestria 
// Story: Returning to Dark Water 
// by ImNoPony 
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After the disastrous fire of the Everfree Fire, there was a period of peace and calmness for Ponyville. None of the ponies think they were in any danger and think everything is normal.

But when everything is at its quietest, that is usually when disaster strikes.

A few days later, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her council of Friendship announced their conquest of Equestria and lay siege of Ponyville. A horde of animals swept through the town and set fear to all the inhabitants. When the citizens try to spread the word of Mane 6's betrayal to the rest of Equestria, Twilight cut all communication from the outside world by casting an invisible dome over the town.

Once they conquered Ponyville, Twilight and her friends declared themselves as the "True Princesses of Dark Equestria" and set their sights for the rest of the kingdom.

After forcing some of Ponyville's strongest citizens under their command, their next goal was to attack Canterlot and take down Princesses Celestia and Luna before they could have time to react. However, Celestia and Luna was already made aware of their treason (thanks to a miraculous letter that Spike managed to send to them despite his captivity). The Equestrian capital then became a battle ground for a fierce battle and many ponies were hurt by the result of it. But in the end, despite Celestia's and Luna's best effort, they were defeated.

Fear had swept the kingdom as their once proud heroes are now the overlords of their enslavement. Once the Canterlot was captured and the other princess has been imprisoned in an undisclosed place, the "6 Princesses of Darkness" then went on and take each major city for themselves.

Twilight went to the Crystal Empire and strip Princess Cadence's rule of her kingdom. Despite her family's pleas, Twilight imprisoned them and uses the Crystal Power to assert her dominance over the empire.

Rainbow Dash invaded Cloudsdale and swiftly defeated the Wonderbolts single handily. She then dismantled the famous flying group that she worked so hard to join and form her own elite flying group to enforce the Dark Princess's rule:
The Rainbowbolts.

Rarity takes control of Manehatten and renames it: "Raretopia". She asserts her dominance over the fashion world and forces her own tastes and "perfection" on every designer and artistically inclined pony. If any pony may have a negative opinion on her or her work, Rarity would punish them, shame them, and then blacklist them from ever finding a job again (except for being her slave).

Applejack took ownership of the desert area of the kingdom and enlist every outlaw and bandit under her fold. AJ then enact harsh taxes and rules on any business who isn't her own and force every pony to be a consumer for her "Sweet Apple Empire".

Fluttershy seizes dominion over all the forests and natural areas all across Equestria and set up her animal kingdom in the remains of the Everfree Forest. However, Twilight gave her a role to hunt down all the zebra that she can find and prevent them from making a cure that will free them from their madness.

Pinkie, the last of the Dark Princesses, was put in charge of Ponyville and let her have free rain over the town. In her own sweet, twisted madness, Pinkie converted the town into a "fun wonderland" where every pony and laugh and smile, even when they don't want to.

The Dark Princess's rule was absolute and all shortly fell before their might. However, not all quickly surrender to their rule and races from other kingdoms was not liking the new status quo of Equestria. The Yaks, the Griffons, the Changelings and the Dragon all opposed the Dark Princesses, with the leaders of the latter two (Fire Lord Ember and Changeling Leader Throax) being worried about their close friend: Spike. To make sure the other races don't invade and challenge her rule, Twilight bribe the Yaks and the Griffons into neutral relations and threaten to harm Spike if the Dragons and the Changelings dare oppose her.

And with that, Equestria had fallen into a dark age of tyranny and fear where everypony but obey the Dark Princess's rule. All resistances were stamped out and were made examples of for the future resistances to come. During this harsh times, the mystical land of ponies was given a new name.

Dark Equestria


However, not all hope is lost. There are still few ponies who still (silently) oppose the Dark Princess's rule and conspire to restore the kingdom to what it once was. They may not be many and they aren't strong enough to stand up to them yet, but the tiny ember of hope haven't faded from their hearts.


Meanwhile, in the realm of Chaos...