Queen Chrysalis snarls her disapproval as King Sombra looked down upon her with disdain. "I am not some prize to be won or triumphed over," she hisses, her fangs bared in a feral way that would send lesser ponies running. "And I am not your slave to do your dirty work."
She didn't have to scream to make her point. She made it clear in the way her velvety voice emitted the words with threat and menace. Her flaring green eyes narrow as she waits for the king's reply.
"Oh, darling," Sombra says sweetly, his smile fake as the sugar he uses in his afternoon tea. "But a few of our friends will be there; the mane five."
At Chrysalis's scowl, he explains, "The pink party one passed in the Battle of Thriftic last month or so. I don't particularly care, however," he adds, his smoky black shadows weaving in and out of sight. With a cruel smile tossed in the changeling's direction, he walks towards her, a gleam in his eyes.
"I don't do your bidding anymore," Chrysalis tries again, but the resistance in her voice lessens, the fight already won. She would do it... On one condition. "I do not bring them back here. I kill them on sight," she demands, green aura fizzling around the room as her magic takes hold.
The shadow king only sends another vicious grin, and that's all it takes for Chrysalis to flutter her wings and disappear into the Everfree forest.
Oh, Gods, how she hates the forest. Though everything sings evil, it doesn't sing home. The thorns wrap around her hooves, testing her and her power, the dark mysterious eyes watching her every move. She didn't dare look them directly in the eyes; there are things far more dangerous than her here, ever since those wretched ponies turned her own against her.
This was not only her payback for that, but for every damned thing they had taken away from her.
Growing increasingly tired of tracking without magic, Chrysalis longs to use it, though it could make her easy to be seen, as magic always leaves a trace. Leading them directly to her, which could be a good thing. But not yet. She wants to take them down one by one, starting with the most annoying, other than pink pony, the fashion mare.
As she reaches the sewer's home, she falters as she watches the still growing younger sister of Rarity trot around, happiness filling her entire face. A low growl slips from her. Why in Equestria was she feeling pity? These very ponies had taken everything from her. Everything.
It would take but one teleportation spell and a few torture methods to take the mare down. She allows herself a smile, matching the one on Sombra's own face, and flashes a bright green as she reaches the second floor.
"Oh, Rarity," she purrs, cornering the designer.
Examining the room, it has not changed one bit since she had last stormed it. Chrysalis recognizes the same disgustingly mare-ish bed, the same sewing machine that somehow hasn't broken. "Ever the fashion maker," she adds, advancing so the frightened mare was backed up into the wall.
"Bitch," Rarity spits, horn glistening in blue as she conveys her rage. Sending a beam of light for the changeling, she misses as Chrysalis deflects it against the mirror. "You have the nerve to show up here after we offered you friendship, and you denied it!"
Chrysalis shakes her head in disbelief. "Why have friends to share with when you can have it all?" she sneers down at her.
"Get the hell away from me," Rarity screeches, sending another flash of light, spearing in Chrysalis's direction, hitting her in the shoulder. The mare was learning, wasn't she? "Oh, you wanna be friends now?" she mocks, her face contorted in anger.
"Oh, you wanna go be friends with Pinkie again?" the changeling retorts. She could tell immediately she had hit a weak spot. Smiling, she adds, "Then join her."
The room floods with green light as she lunges for the pony, for her revenge. The room turns teal as the unicorn's blue magic joins it, and Chrysalis lets out a shriek of rage as the unicorn disappears, having teleported before she could make her final move.
It seemed as if this would be harder than she thought.
Twilight paces the long corridors, her hooves clopping over the red and gold carpeting lining the floors as Spike gazes at his queen. Occasionally mumbling to herself, the dragon couldn't make out most of the words, yet he got the gist. "Twi, I know you're stressed," he begins carefully. "But-"
"Your majesty!"
Though Spike's eyes were squeezed shut tightly, he heard clearly Twilight pausing her pacing as the hoofsteps stopped as she approaches the commander. Peeking through his claws, he observes as she cocks her head and responds with, "What?"
The unicorn whom Spike somehow still didn't know the name of didn't bother bowing, which was rather surprising. Gasping he explains, "There's been an attack in Ponyville." Spike felt everything in the Equestria stop, including Twilight and the commander.
His eyes flicked to the stained glass of the hallway, attempting to act as if he were uninterested, but as everypony remained silent, he had to ask, "W-Who was the victim?" Another attack was a serious issue, whether or not it was on somepony 'important' or not...
"Rarity."
"Ah don't understand why you want us here."
Twilight whips around, hair rippling in the process, her face the picture of fury and desperation as she glares into Applejack's eyes. "Because they're clearly going after us first," she growls, looking every part the determined queen destined to save her kingdom.
Rainbow exchanges a wary glance with the farm pony, and at the pointed look from the purple alicorn, she hastily says, "It's just that we're not immortal, Twi. We're too old to be saving Equestria." With another nervous glance in Applejack's direction, she adds, "And what about Luster Dawn or that other one you were teaching?"
Fluttershy nods cautiously, clearly afraid at whatever wrath was brewing under the queen's skin. Fluttershy swallows and steps forwards, joining her friends. "We're nearing our own deaths, of age," she says softly, yet not weakly. "If you wish this to be our last day, then so be it."
"That's not what I meant," Twilight snaps, magic sparkling. She looks to Rarity for her reassurance, but the mare doesn't quite meet her gaze.
"Ah, but it might just end up that way, won't it?" Applejack asks, snorting quietly. "With us under your command."
That did it. The Royal Canterlot Voice echoes through the room as the queen demands, "You will stay here." And judging by her tone, it most definitely was not a choice. It was surely the nerves getting to her, but... Twilight could be quite terrifying, especially as her wings, which were neatly tucked by her sides fly out suddenly as she tries to regain control over everything.
"You are my friends," she says gently, looking them each in the eyes as she starts leading them to their rooms. "But you will respect me." As they reach the designated rooms, each could see easily the worry in her eyes as she adds, "I know you helped me become this pony. But I cannot forgive myself if you die because of it."
Fluttershy's eyes fill with tears that don't quite spill. There was sadness, pain, and also happiness in those droplets. "We can make it, Twilight. You can make it."
And with that, she follows the other three into the suite.
She isn't sure what to make of it all. The deaths, the rifts in their friendships... Whom would have wanted revenge on them? With Tirek's sentence coming to an end, he wouldn't dare do anything that would keep him in Tartarus. As for the rest, the likely option would be Chrysalis or Sombra.
Twilight feels her blood chill and her heart speed up as a thrill rushes through her, at the possibility she could see... Oh, who was she kidding? Either way, even if Chrysalis were back, they would be on opposite sides, each warring for the crown and revenge. Things were getting messy.
Breathing in deeply, she watches as Spike approaches her slowly, leaning into her touch as she begins weeping, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably as she sobs outside the suite's door. She was lucky the soundproof walls were there, or she'd have to face them again.
They all have something to deal with, she has to remember. And everypony was figuring out how to deal with Pinkie Pie's sudden death. Twilight closes her eyes and looses one more shuddering sob before wiping away her tears, solidified with more determination than ever.
"It's gonna be okay," Spike breathes, tightening his grip on his queen. "You're gonna be okay."
When Twilight works up the courage to look at him again, she wishes she hadn't. For what she sees is not only the unwavering loyalty, but the lust in his eyes. The want. As Spike leans closer to her, the longing clear and apparent, she stands suddenly.
Twilight shakes her head quickly, swallowing thickly as she backs away. "I... We can't do this," she manages to get out, hating herself for the hurt in her friend's eyes. "It's just..."
This could not happen for three reasons. One, he was a dragon for Celestia's sake. Second, she was in love with an evil queen, and third, this could cause serious problems with the court. She shakes her head again and hurries to her own room, unable to look at him.
"Fuck," Twilight mutters under her breath, launching herself onto her bed and covering her face with a pillow. "Fuck," she repeats, banging her head against the bed frame.
A polite yet urgent knock sounds at the door, and she clears her throat and says a little louder than necessary, "Come in!"
One of the members of the royal guard turns a light shade of red as he finds the queen sprawled across her bed, mumbling a hurried apology. She gives him a pointed look, as if to say, 'Out with it then!' He opens his mouth to speak, but Duskfall barges into the room behind him, gasping.
"Queen Twilight," he pants, catching his breath. "There's been another attack, in Ponyville again!"
The alicorn wastes no time, not even giving a nod of confirmation before teleporting out the room and straight to her hometown. But no words form as Sugar Cube Corner, the last of Pinkie Pie, burns to the ground, flames licking the ground and smoke rising in the air.
This had been no accident, but a clear warning and sign. For her. There had been no pony in there, she was constantly reassured. There had been nothing of value, the others told her. They are wrong, Twilight thinks. The whole place was of value. And now it was gone.