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PREVIOUSLY ON "MY LITTLE PONY"
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Queen Opaline: "Behold my power! The Queen of the Crystal Empire has returned!"
Spike: "Come and catch me, slowpoke!"
Misty: "You are such a little runt!"
Perseus: "Do you think you and Luna can reach for the orbs? Anything can happen in these caves!"
Starswirl: "Why do evildoers like you run and hide?"
Celestia: "I dare you to call me sunbutt one more time."
Master Vile: "I'm going to destroy them and take their magic back by force! You haven't seen the worst of Master Vile!"
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Back in Maretime Bay, Twilight and her friends had been given a small amount of time thanks to Spike's quick thinking. In the skies over Maritime Bay, Spike and Misty continued their chase as they exchanged fire and magic back at one another.
"Come here!" Misty snarled, a beam of her magic hitting the roof of a building instead of Spike. "You can't run from me forever, little dragon!"
"Oh yes I can!" Spike as he flew by the town's clock tower. Misty once again fired a shot and the beam hit the clock, destroying it, much to Mayor Candy's dismay.
"Hey, that's our clock tower!" The mayor called from beneath the cellar of his home only for Rainbow Dash to be thrown by Opaline into the side of his house.
"We'll help pay for it," Rainbow muttered as Opaline took to the air and encased herself in protective magic. "If we make it out of this."
Opaline then proceeded to charge up her horn once more and from the protection of her magic, proceeded to fly towards Twilight and her friends, hitting at whatever stood in her way. "It is my world now!" She cried, hitting at guardsponies and sending them into the building. "I have come to reclaim this land as my own! You shall all bow to me if you wish to live!"
"Never!" Twilight cried, tapping into her alicorn powers and jumping into the air, hitting towards Opaline's shield and pushing her back!
"You are strong, Princess Twilight," Opaline remarked with a snarl. "But guess what? Not strong enough! I've been an alicorn for far longer than you have!"
Charging her horn, Twilight cast a force remover spell to try and remove the magic protecting Opaline, but to no avail as the Crystal Empire queen easily cast a counterspell.
"I've heard all about you, Princess Twilight," Opaline went on. "Yes, we do get news in Tartarus. You were trained by Celestia herself. It was because of you that my husband is dead. You and your friends! If nothing else, I'll see to it that I avenge my husband by killing you all here and now!"
In a fit of rage, Opaline casted a telekinetic spell and swung Twilight around like a top, producing a small tornado that began to absorb items on the ground!
"ENOUGH!" Twilight cried, stopping the tornado and causing small pieces of debris to rain down on ponies below. One of the pieces of debris wound up hitting Applejack in the side, causing her to yelp in pain. Seeing the princess of honesty in pain, Twilight snarled back at Opaline. "He chose his own fate, Opaline! Long ago when he enslaved the empire!"
"And you have chosen yours!" Opaline sneered, speeding towards Twilight and pushing her into several buildings, and she continued to push Twilight through houses and buildings before ending up in the town's river. Opaline then grabbed Twilight by the throat and began to choke her.
But Twilight wasn't giving up, and growling, attempted to restrain herself from being choked. Then, seizing a moment, Twilight kicked Opaline between her hind legs and pushed her back, giving Twilight enough time to get back on her feet.
"Twilight, are you okay?" Rarity asked, helping Twilight up.
"She is…for now!" For a moment, it seemed like Opaline was going to finish off Twilight right then and there, but suddenly, Opaline stood down. "But I'm not going to finish you off today, Princess. It's far too easy."
She then lowered her magical protection and stepped towards Twilight and Rarity. Fluttershy, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash came forward with the injured Applejack, her side bleeding from cuts.
"I barely met you for the first time and I know now that it is going to take time to take back what is mine."
Just then, Twilight and her friends looked up to see Misty coming back down with Spike in a magical bind, much to Twilight's horror. In her mind, she was seeing a repeat of Hopper! "Opaline, don't you hurt him! If you touch one scale on his head, I swear I'll be your end!" Twilight demanded, stamping her hoof down as the remaining guardsponies surrounded Opaline and Misty.
"Sorry, Twilight," Spike groaned against the magical bonds against him. "I tried to stop her. Opaline has taught her techniques no unicorn should be capable of. There's no limit to her cruelty!"
Twilight narrowed her eyes. "What do you want, Opaline?"
"I want my castle and this town under my command," Opaline answered. "You will lead all of the residents out of here by sunrise," She then pulled Spike in front of Twilight and forcefully stretched out his wings. "Refusal to comply will result in the dragon's wings to be removed," She cooly replied as she tried to pull Spike's wings apart, causing him to yelp in pain. "What's it going to be? Better hurry, I don't think the dragon's wings can hold together for long."
"Twilight, we shouldn't listen to her!" Rainbow Dash protested despite knowing Twilight needed to get her little brother out of harm's way. "This is a trick!"
Lowering her head, Twilight knew what she needed to do. "Opaline," she said, looking back up at the deposed queen and her daughter. "We will submit to your request. Release Spike to me…now!"
"Very well," Opaline replied, smiling as she released Spike into Twilight's protection. "Don't go back on our promise now."
Mayor Candy and his wife could not believe what they were seeing. The six princesses of Equestria had surrendered their own town to Opaline. "Mr. Mayor," Twilight commanded, looking towards him and his wife, beckoning them to come out of the basement of their home. "Come out at once," Then she looked back to Opaline. "And you must allow Princess Applejack to be treated for her injuries or at least provide some medical support."
Rainbow gently laid Applejack down on the ground in an effort to gain Opaline's sympathy.
Just then, Mayor Candy and his wife emerged from their home. "Princess Twilight, I refuse to allow to do this. I will not surrender Maretime Bay! Not on my life!"
"We have no choice, Mayor," Twilight sighed in defeat. "Do we want anypony else to get hurt? Your town is already being torn apart by this battle, and we know Opaline can undo all of it with ease. She'll stop at nothing and no one to get what she wants. What would be the point of defeating her if we had to sacrifice half of Equestria to do it?"
Exasperated, Mayor Candy stared at the queen and could only scowl at her. He was losing his town to her.
"We have to evacuate the town, Mr. Mayor," Twilight insisted. "I promise you, we'll get it back eventually. But for everypony's safety, we must evacuate while Opaline gives us the chance. I can't risk my little brother losing his wings and possibly his life. It's a price I refuse to pay!"
Resisting the urge to talk back, Mayor Candy eventually drafted up the articles of surrender for Opaline. As he presented the articles, ponies emerged from their home and gathered at the center of Maretime Bay, just below the destroyed clock tower.
"Citizens of Maritime Bay," Twilight said as she flew above the crowd gathered around. "We must surrender your town to Queen Opaline for your own safety. Please gather any family members and belongings and leave here by sunrise, unless you wish to tough it out under Opaline's rule. But know that if you do, you'll do so without the protection of Equestria's government. You'll be at Opaline's mercy."
The citizens were stunned to hear this from their supreme princess. They were even too stunned to protest the surrender.
"And don't worry, I promise to take care of everything," Opaline said in a taunting tone. "Rest assured. Swear loyalty unto me, and you'll be fine. Resist, and you'll be lucky if you live to see another sunset or sunrise!"
As the citizens started to do as they were told, Twilight gave one last look at Opaline. "Enjoy this while you can, Opaline," She snarled. "We will take this town back eventually! We'll be ready for you the next time we meet, and you won't be so lucky!"
"I doubt it, princess," Opaline smirked. "By the grace of my husband's spirit, I will control this town, and soon all of Equestria as well! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a coronation to attend. Come, Misty! Let us remake Maretime Bay in your father's image. I already know some ponies I can press into service to build a statue in his memory."
The mother and daughter teleported away leaving Twilight and her friends feeling defeated as all they could do was aid in the mass evacuation of Maretime Bay. They couldn't believe they had been bested like this. They had defeated Grogar and the Legion of Doom, yet Sombra's wife and daughter had proven too much for them.
"How could we have failed?" Fluttershy wondered. "Did our victory over Grogar blind us to other threats?"
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Back in the Caves of Deception, Master Vile had fully charged his scepter and prepared to fire a fatal blast of magic at Celestia, Luna and Starlight. "Are there any last requests, not that you have any?" He taunted Starlight and the ex-royal sisters. Hearing nothing, he let out a loud yell and he fired his magic at them, but they each managed to duck out of the way!
"Well, stop them you fools!" Master Vile ordered Rito and Goldar as they all gave chase.
With the orbs in their possession, Celestia and Luna continued to try and dodge the encroachment that Rito and Goldar were putting on them. Finally, they couldn't dodge them any longer, and realized they had to fight back.
"I dare you to call me Sunbutt again," Celestia warned, her horn pointed directly at Rito. "Come on, I dare you!"
Rito, undeterred, smiled. "Okay, Sunbutt…"
And Celestia swung her horn at Rito, striking him through his skeletal body while he tried to pathetically fight back! Eventually, Celestia resorted to using fighting skills of a different sort, using her front legs to punch Rito repeatedly in the face. She then proceeded to use her right hind leg to kick Rito in the chest.
"Okay, okay! Uncle, uncle!" Rito pleaded, jerking around for a few moments. "Um, I'm dead! Please, just let me go! I'm sorry I called you 'Sunbutt', okay?"
Exasperated, Celestia grabbed her orb and dashed away from the fainted Rito.
In another cavern, Luna was facing off against Goldar. The ex-princess of the night managed to hold her own against the golden armored warrior.
"Stand down, Princess Luna!" Goldar cried. "You cannot win!"
Smiling, Luna leaped for a barred section of the cavern and using her hind legs, she kicked Goldar back onto his back. "I beg to differ, fiend!" Luna laughed, using her horn to swat at Goldar's chest, but his armor was protecting him. Then taking his sword, Goldar attempted to stab at Luna, but he ended up stabbing into the cavern wall and getting his sword stuck.
"Who says you can't teach an old alicorn new tricks?" Luna taunted as she took the orb containing her magic and ran off.
Elsewhere, Starlight was fighting off Master Vile and Calibos while trying to protect Starswirl and Perseus.
"This is boring, let's have some fun!" Master Vile remarked, trying to use his magic to capture Starlight, who managed to bounce off and avoid the magic. As she fought Vile and Calibos, she had been absorbing her magic from the orb in her possession. With each ounce of magic she took, Starlight felt herself growing stronger and stronger. Eventually, she managed to build a magical force field around herself, causing Vile and Calibos to not penetrate her.
"Nice try, but you can't take my magic that easily," Starlight said as Celestia and Luna arrived. "Or any of our magic so easily! We have it now, and you'll never get it back!"
But Calibos instead found himself smiling. "You think your magic is important to us at the moment?" He asked, much to the confusion of his enemies. "It doesn't really matter right now. Not if you knew what I know."
"What are you talking about?!" Starlight asked as Vile produced a screen of Maretime Bay, with the town's citizens being forced out while Twilight and her friends solemnly watched. "What is that?!"
"That's Maretime Bay," Calibos answered, much to the horror of Starswirl, Starlight and the royal sister. "Now under the control of my mother and for that matter, my family! As I expected, Princess Twilight was no match for my mom!"
"Impossible!" Luna cried in dismay!
"It isn't impossible," Master Vile cruelly remarked. "And now, I shall send you back to witness my protege '''s conquest of what is rightfully hers! At least I'll take pride in knowing I kept you from aiding Princess Twilight, sending her down to humiliating defeat!"
Before any more questions were asked, Vile sent the five ponies away just as Rito and Goldar regrouped with him and Calibos.
"Dad, I can explain everything!" Rito nervously commented.
"You don't have to, son!" Vile replied. "Opaline has begun reclaiming her home and has absorbed everything we have taught her. Come, let us return to M51. Opaline is still of use to us for the time being." And the villains disappeared to witness the mass departure that was happening to Maritime Bay.
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Back at the Castle of Friendship, Twilight and her friends were left to lick their wounds as a result of their defeat.
Sitting in the throne room, Twilight could only self-reflect on what transpired while covered in bandages to cover her cuts and bruises as a result of being pushed through the town's buildings.
"How could we surrender so easily, Twilight?!" Rainbow Dash protested. "I know it was Spike, but still…surrender an entire town?! I'd sooner have died than make such a sacrifice! Heck, I say we should've destroyed the whole town after evacuating it, rather than let Opaline lay claim to it! At least then Opaline would have to waste time rebuilding the town from scratch."
"It's better than someone losing their life as far as I am concerned," Twilight glumly admitted. "Opaline and Misty's cruelty knows no bounds. I know this was a hard choice, but I believe what we did was for the best. It is the standard we have to abide by."
"What standard, Twi?" Applejack asked, her center covered in bandages. "Name one foe we have here faced that has had standards?! So Opaline kept her promise this time?! So what?! She only did it because she wanted Maretime Bay, and we let her have it! Now she'll be able to use it as a base to attack other parts of Equestria!"
"What I mean," Twilight said to her friends. "Is that Opaline intends to be like Grogar, wanting to see her victims suffer before doing what she needs to do. I have a feeling that this is going to be a long fight. Even longer than us fighting Grogar. But I know that ponies will resist Opaline's rule in Maretime Bay."
Just then, the doors opened and in stepped Starlight, Celestia and Luna.
"Twilight…" Starlight said. "What happened?"
"Shut the door, Starlight," Twilight ordered. "We need to prepare to live amongst our newest enemy, Queen Opaline, until a plan to defeat and overthrow her again is made. She has won the battle, now we must prepare for war!"
Doing as she was told, Starlight shut the door to the throne room and the six princesses began to draft up a solution to a temporary problem in the form of their newest enemy, Queen Opaline.
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