//------------------------------// // Unravel // Story: Blooming Days // by Hoofprintz //------------------------------// This day could not be going any better. I knew it was only a matter of time until Celestia and Luna took notice of my humble little... kingdom. Stupid fools. Instead of dealing with me personally, they chose to send their inexperienced underlings in their stead. Now, I held all the cards. The red and yellow sun that hovered before me brought an ever growing smile to my face. It really was a beautiful cutie mark. Sunset Shimmer, Celestia's lapdog had been more defiant than I expected. Sadly for her, in the end, she'd ended up just like all the others that made the mistake of opposing me; in a heap on the ground, like the trash they were. "Now it's your turn, little foal," with the insignificant one out of the way I could get to her... Twilight Sparkle. Luna's little... pet project. She was nothing special, or so I'd assumed until she managed to break free of my paralysis spell. No other creature had ever been able to do that before. She was strong, much stronger than I'd given her credit for. Most of my toys were weak, pathetic creatures. Acquiring somepony as strong as Twilight Sparkle would make me even more dangerous. I had to have her. Currently, she was spent, splayed out on the dirt barely able to lift her head. She was already mine, she just didn't know it. They both were. Life is grand. "Then we can get you two to wo-" "I believe that's quite enough, Starlight Glimmer." Life sucks. I didn't have to look up, didn't even have to venture a guess as to who that voice belonged to. With the grace of an otherworldly being, Luna landed on the ground between me and my two new toys. "My dearest student..." She didn't look particularly pissed off, which was definitely a good thing. She probably could've leveled my home without batting an eyelash if she was angry enough. I'd guess she hadn't done so already cause her little foal was here. "You've nothing to worry about now. You are safe." Yep, definitely cause her little pet was here. "I knew you'd come eventually." Even though this wasn't according to plan, I was still prepared for it. This royal whelp would feel my wrath like everypony else that dared cross me. She was just an alicorn, nothing special. Yeah right, maybe if I kept telling myself that I'd eventually believe it. "Then you are fully aware that your machinations are done for." Her aura was even more oppressive than mine. I wouldn't be able to rattle her. Not only that, but I felt strongly compelled to bow in her presence. It was maddening. "You are under arrest, Starlight Glimmer. For the enslavement of the ponies of this town and for assaulting Celestia's pupil and my beloved student." "You think I'm that stupid, Luna?" I spat. "I've prepared for your arrival as well!" She was standing inside my town. I had absolute authority here. I held all the cards. I channeled my magic. In my town... I AM God. "Stay your hoof, Starlight Glimmer. If you persist you will force me to stop you by any means." She was so irritatingly calm. She wouldn't be if she knew what she'd done. This place was one giant spell and any that set hoof in it were at my mercy, even a princess of Equestria. "You haven't realized it yet, have you, Luna?" I couldn't help but smile at the prospect of making her one of my toys. If I had Luna, not even Celestia could stand against me. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. With her... all of Equestria... no, all of the world would be mine. "This is your last chance, Starlight. I shall give you no further warnings." She channeled magic, the glow coming from her horn powerful enough to rival mine, despite her lack of interest or effort. I laughed at the unfairness of it all. Such absurd strength. If only she was as smart as she was strong. "You made one fatal mistake, Luna," my spell began to take form, the ground glowing brighter than either of our horns. "You set hoof in my town!" It was ready to go and Luna was anything but. The only action she could muster was to look down at the ground in surprise. "YOUR HIGHNESS!!!" Twilight Sparkle shouted, but it was far too late to warn the alicorn. The explosion was glorious, blasting directly into the sky in an endless pillar of swirling light and fire. I'd personally laid the foundations for this spell all those years ago when I first started my town. It drew mana from all of my toys and even from my own essence. Trotting along the ground caused a drain to whomever was doing said walking. For the past five years it had grown in strength and now all of that power was being sent throughout Luna's body. There's no way she would be anything but a crumpled mess once it was done with her. "Oh wow! she actually got you, Lulu." Yep, life definitely sucks. "I fail to see how that matters, Tia.." Okay, what the hell!? As my failsafe dissipated into nothing but small sparks and embers, Luna stood completely unscathed by my ace in the hole. "Yeah, yeah, you're invincible, we get it, little sister." Celestia chuckled as she came to a landing behind me. Great, they were both here? And to top it all off I'd drastically underestimated their capabilities. "But she did trick you, you can't deny that." "Or could it be that I simply do not wish to play foalish games like you so often do, Sister?" Luna looked like she was growing a little annoyed, Celestia's taunting apparently one thing that could get on her nerves. "Perhaps," Celestia conceded. "Though I'd say; at least I don't take joy in crushing the spirits of our subjects as much as you do." Her horn flashed gold as my entire town was enveloped in her spells field instantly. "And yet you do things like this..." Luna swept her hoof through the air towards Celestia's mana. Their lack of respect was starting to get to me. To come to my home, to oppose me, to ignore ME! I couldn't care less who or what they were, I'd make them both grovel before me. "Well I do have to punish one of my little ponies when they go astray, don't I?" Celestia walked toward me, her aura eclipsing both mine and her sister's. I had to resist the urge to throw myself at her hooves in adoration as she approached me. I ran through any and all options I might be able to explore, but nothing solid was coming to me. If my plan to deal with just one of them had fallen through so spectacularly, dealing with both at the same time would be impossible. Still, I was no quitter. "You think you can ju-" my mouth clamped shut as if it were suddenly held closed by a magical seal. "I believe we've heard enough from you for now, Starlight," Celestia's voice was as sweet as honey, but the eyes that beared down on me sent tremors running up and down my spine. "Return Sunset's cutie mark at once." I wanted to fight against her command, wanted to defy her with all my might, but instead my horn pulsed with energy as I meekly floated the sun back to it's rightful owner. So this was the power of the Immortal Sisters... unquestionable, undeniable authority. "Thank you, Princess," Sunset stood to her hooves, her stamina and magic completely restored as soon as her mark was back on her flank. Luna was already tending to Twilight and all I could do was stand at attention like an obedient little mare. "I am returning to Canterlot with Twilight, Celestia. She needs aid." Luna's horn glowed with magic as she teleported the saddlebags back to their owners. "Sunset," Celestia's voice did not become any softer as she addressed the golden unicorn. "Return to the castle with Luna and Twilight, this... situation is going to take some time to clean up." "But Princess I-" "Sunset." I wasn't sure if Celestia used the same spell on her own student as she had on me or if she was simply being stern. Either way, her words had the desired effect. "Of course, Princess... I'll... I'll see you at home." The unicorn looked dejected, but listened obediently. The trio was gone in an instant leaving me and the white alicorn in the middle of my town surrounded by my toys. "You may speak," Celestia said as she moved to examine the others. They were still as statues and would stay that way until I bid them to do anything else. I stretched and flexed my mouth, the seal on it apparently completely gone. "Are you really so cocky you'd face me alone?" I tried to project an air of confidence where there was none. I had no more tricks and she was essentially an actual goddess. All I could do was bluff my way through this stupid predicament. "This is a very powerful spell," she completely ignored me as she scrutinized the cutie marks on my toys. "How long have you been doing this for?" "Five years," I slapped my hooves over my lips as soon as the words left them. Why had I answered her so willingly? "How many ponies did you start out with?" She waved a hoof in front of the faces of one of my slaves. His expression didn't change. He didn't even blink. "Six," I said through my hooves and clenched teeth. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!" I wanted to strangle the arrogant alicorn. "Not a thing," she finished her inspection and stalked toward me, her violet eyes concealed just behind her flowing rainbow mane. "What were you going to do to my Sunset?" Her horn pulsed menacingly causing me to fall to my flank and then onto my back. "I-I," I tried my hardest to keep silent, but something was forcing me to speak. "I was going to turn her into one of them," I pointed with my hoof. "Into one of my playthings." Her horn flared, burning as fiercely as the sun itself. She moved her face closer to mine... terrifyingly close, her horn inches away from me. "I could turn you into a pile of ash with little more than a thought, Starlight Glimmer." She was pissed. I did the only thing I could do, cowered in fear. I'd enraged a goddess and I was just an insignificant mortal in comparison. "I-I'm sor-" "Do NOT lie to me," her voice remained steady and low. I could finally see her eyes. The rage I found in them would haunt me for the rest of my life. "You are coming to Canterlot... Your fate will be decided there." I could only nod in response. The next thing I knew I was alone inside a sadly decorated room, lying on a bed nodding at nopony. I surveyed my surroundings, immediately looking for an escape. There was a single wooden door that I knew would be locked. After trying the knob and confirming my suspicion I attempted to utilize magic. It felt as if I was an earth pony, not even a sprinkle of mana forming at my most intense efforts. There was a window on the wall, but even from here I could tell the room was up high enough that I'd fall to my death trying to escape through it. With seemingly no other options left to pursue, I returned to searching the room. It was sparse, but I counted myself lucky not to be in a disgusting dungeon. A bed with a single pillow and a thin blanket were the only luxuries I could find. There was nothing else. Bed, door, and window... welp, I was done looking around. I could get some sleep... not really. I wasn't tired in the slightest. Regardless, I threw myself on the bed. All I could see when I closed my eyes was Celestia's unforgiving visage. I don't think I've ever been closer to dying than in that moment. "I'm gonna get executed..." I groaned. She was a ruler. She'd go through the appropriate channels and then... I rubbed at my neck with a hoof, imagining the descent of the axe. She wasn't that barbaric, was she? I saw her face again. Who was I kidding? I told her to her face that I'd tried to turn her protege into my slave. "Darn it!" I buried my face in the pillow before letting out the loudest scream I could produce. This couldn't be it, I had to find a way out, had to escape, but I'd never been captured by somepony as powerful as her. Not only did she have the resources to find me no matter where I tried to flee, but she had the ability to keep me imprisoned... Forever. I realized. She'd never grow old, never die. I felt nauseous imagining myself trapped in a dungeon for the rest of my life. I wasn't sure if that was better or worse than having my head lopped off. I had no options. I just had to wait. After what felt like an eternity the door being pushed open drew my attention. "L-Luna?" I was not expecting the younger sister to walk in the room.