Chapter 6: Reluctant Thoughts
"P-Pinkie Pie!?" Shining Armor said. "What are you doing? Why are you doing this!?"
"I'm going to say this before it starts to get really awkward for you." Pinkamena said. "Pinkie Pie isn't here anymore, You can call me Pinkamena."
"What? What do you mean Pinkie Pie isn't here anymore?" Shining Armor asked. "What exactly is going on?"
Pinkamena sighed in annoyance.
"I've already explained this before many times to those I've encountered, it's starting to get really repetitive and I'm in no mood to explain it again to someone else." Pinkamena said. "So I'll give you the short version."
Shining Armor was confused, he was talking to Pinkie, but it wasn't Pinkie? He couldn't possibly give the order to attack one of Twilight's best friends... could he? He has to listen to "Pinkie's" explanation first before he could decide anything.
"I'm Pinkie's split personality, I took control because I was sick of being stuck in her head, She's trapped instead and now I'm taking my revenge for my imprisonment by destroying whatever proves to be an obstacle in my path." Pinkamena said.
"Wait.. so your..." Shining Armor said, trying to get his thoughts together.
Pinkamena sighed again in disgust of the idiocy and incompetence he had.
"Ugh listen, to put it bluntly." Pinkamena said. "I'm your enemy now, if you decide to get in my way."
Shining Armor had no choice. If she was going to be a threat to the citizens of Canterlot, he had to give the order for Pinkamena's capture, after all it wasn't the same Pinkie they used to know.
"Fine, then if your going to pose a threat to the city, then I have no more reason to delay your arrest." Shining Armor said. "As Captain of the Royal Guard, I will fulfill my objectives!"
Shining Armor raised his hoof and commanded the guards to place Pinkamena under arrest.
"Everyone! I want Pinkamena apprehended immediately! In Celestia's name we will not fail!" Shining Armor decreed.
The guards all got into their positions and started to fire magical blasts from their horns.
"Hmph, guess this is where the fun begins." Pinkamena said.
Pinkamena standing in the open with waves of magical bolts coming at her. With a wave of her hoof they all stopped only inches from her face, and were launched back towards the guards.
"Alright, as much as I would love to savor the time of playing around with you weaklings. My patience is wearing thin and frankly I just want to get this over with." Pinkamena said.
Pinkamena looked towards the first wave of guards who were blocking her path. She took one step and in a flash she was already behind them, not even a blur to be seen.
"Was that really a good idea Pinkamena?" Shining Armor said.
The first wave of guards turned around and started to close in on her, while the second wave was already moving closer about to surround her.
"Yes actually, I think it was a good idea." Pinkamena said. "Now I can get rid of all you pests in one fell swoop."
Pinkamena gathered her energy, darkness building around her body. Guards fired they're magic at her in an attempt to stop whatever she was doing, but to no avail. She gathered enough energy until her eyes started to glow a bright red, in which she then released it all in one wide spread attack, causing a wave of darkness to fly out, much like Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom. All the guards flew back and writhed in pain as the darkness engulfed each guard it touched with a searing pain, including Shining Armor.
"You know it's really quite funny." Pinkamena said. "How Princess Celestia relies on weaklings like you to protect the kingdom."
Shining Armor got up, ignoring the pain he was feeling from the darkness.
"I can't believe how strong you are." Shining Armor said. "But your crazy if you think that you can overthrow the princess."
"Shining Armor you make me laugh, your precious princess isn't even that strong. She was defeated by the Changeling Queen for goodness sake." Pinkamena said. "I don't think I'll have so much trouble, especially since I'll be getting a new ally..."
"No! I won't let you!" Shining Armor yelled, but was incapacitated by the darkness.
Pinkamena trotted up to the statue of Discord and looked up at it.
"Well Discord, I hope you'll be of some use to me." Pinkamena said. "At least it's better than nothing I suppose..."
Pinkamena was about to place her hoof on the statue, but was greeted by an all too familiar group.
"Pinkamena!" Twilight yelled.
"Whoa..." Rainbow Dash said. "What the heck happened here?"
Everyone looked around to see guards everywhere, defeated and in pain about to be swallowed by the darkness that was enveloping them.
"This is... just awful." Fluttershy said.
"You said it, Pinkamena's not playin around..." Applejack said.
"Hey Twilight." Rarity said. "Isn't that your brother over there?"
"What!? Where!?" Twilight yelled.
Twilight looked over to where Rarity was pointed and saw Shining Armor being engulfed by the darkness, just like the rest of the guards.
"Shining Armor!" Twilight yelled.
Shining Armor looked up to see Twilight through his blurred vision.
"Twi- Twilight?" Shining Armor said weakly.
"Don't move! I'm coming just hold on!" Twilight said, as she was about to sprint down to her brother.
"Hold on one second Twilight." Pinkamena said. "Don't come any closer, or I'll speed up the process of his demise."
Twilight stood there, her face red with anger towards Pinkamena.
"Let go of my brother you demon!" Twilight yelled.
"Demon? That's a little harsh don't you think?" Pinkamena said.
"I don't care! You took Pinkie away from us, but I will NOT let you take my brother away too!" Twilight yelled.
"Yes! Hehehe... all this negativity in the air, it's just simply wonderful! Don't you agree my dear?" Pinkamena said.
Twilight was about to lose it, but luckily she had her friends with her to calm her down and stop her.
"It's so great that your all here actually, I couldn't have asked for a better reunion time." Pinkamena said. "Your brother was a big disappointment by the way, not even a challenge."
"Why you..." Twilight said.
"Easy there Twi, she's just tryin to rile you up." Applejack said.
"I honestly hope that the princess will be a bit more of a challenge when I pay her a visit in a bit..." Pinkamena said.
"Don't you even think about laying a hoof on the princess you!" Twilight said.
"Ohh what's the matter? Did I hit a nerve?" Pinkamena said laughing.
Twilight just stared at Pinkamena, knowing any more negative outbursts would only empower her further.
"What? Just because I'm the manifestation of Pinkie's anger and hate, doesn't mean I can't have a laugh from time to time." Pinkamena said. "Ohh, but I think I've stalled for quite enough now."
Pinkamena turned back around and placed her hoof on the statue.
"Now then." Pinkamena said. "Why don't we say hello to an old friend girls?"
Pinkamena released a burst of dark energy from her hoof onto the statue. The statue started to pulsate and in a matter of seconds... Discord was released.
"Hahahahahaha! Ohh man! It sure does feel good to be able to move again." Discord said, stretching his arms and body.
"Hmm?" Discord said. "Well well well, If it isn't Twilight Sparkle and her friends, how very nice to see you all again!"
"Hmm, but what's this?" Discord said. "It looks like your missing someone from your little group. Tell me, what happened to Pinkie Pie?"
"It's so nice to see again Discord." Pinkamena said. "Though in your case, this will be your first time meeting me."
"Pinkie? Is that you? What happened my dear?" Discord said, laughing.
"Pinkie isn't here anymore and I'm the one who freed you from your imprisonment." Pinkamena said. "I'm her split personality who took over, you can call me Pinkamena."
"You? You freed me? Hahaha! That's rich! As if someone like you would have the strength to overcome the Elements of Harmony!" Discord said, laughing uncontrollably.
"Believe me or not, It's the truth. Now I freed you for one reason and one reason alone." Pinkamena said. "You're going to be partner and do what I say, when I say it. Do I make myself clear?"
Discord started to laugh harder then he ever did, the thought of him taking orders from someone, anyone was just hilarious.
"Oh, my dear you are indeed hilarious. But you're crazy if you think you can boss me around." Discord said.
Pinkamena sighed. "I knew you wouldn't listen to me, so I'm going to say this one more time." Pinkamena said.
Pinkamena waved her hoof in the air and surrounded Discord in a veil of darkness, getting smaller and constricting him tighter by the second.
"I didn't have to free you, I don't need you. I only did so because it would make plans go faster." Pinkamena said. "Now I'll ask again. You are going to listen to me and do whatever I say, whenever I say it, Is that clear Discord?"
"Y-Yes, Yes! Alright! You've certainly made your point my dear!" Discord said, struggling to breathe.
Pinkamena released Discord and dissipated the veil.
"You're certainly much stronger than I imagined, I guess that's the kind of power you obtain from being trapped in an idiot's mind for years." Discord said.
"How did you know I was trapped?" Pinkamena said.
"Oh please dear, You're Pinkie's split personalty. You don't look like something that Pinkie Pie would reveal so where else could you be?" Discord said.
"Hmph, good observation." Pinkamena said.
"Now then." Discord said. "What exactly do we do with these five?"
Pinkamena turns to look over at her five "friends".
"Oh yes, them. I completely forgot they were there." Pinkamena said.
Pinkamena looked down at the guards and noticed they had been completely engulfed, including Shining Armor.
"Well Discord, I say we move on to see Celestia herself." Pinkamena said.
"Oh, We're already heading there?" Discord said. "I know you want to take revenge and all, but can't we have a little fun first?"
"Taking care of Celestia is my top priority at the moment, when we're done with her you can go and wreak as much havoc and chaos as you want outside." Pinkamena said.
"Well alright then, shall we go then?" Discord said.
"Hold up right there, you're still not done with us!" Rainbow Dash yelled.
"That's it, I've had enough of all these interruptions." Pinkamena said. "I was going to be nice and give you the chance to walk out of here, but you five are clearly too stupid to take my offer to heart."
Pinkamena raised her hood in the air and the guards on the ground started to convulse as the darkness started to seep into them. The guards then all got up, wounds healed and all. But they're armor had turned to a pure black instead of the radiating gold that it was, and they're eyes... All they're eyes glowed a bright red.
"You brought this upon yourselves, I have no more time to waste on insects like you." Pinkamena said.
All the guards lined up and moved towards the five friends.
"They're under my control now, continue to try and pursue me if you wish, but know that you'll be facing an army soon enough." Pinkaemena said.
The guards started to fire black bolts from their horns and burned on impact.
"Pinkamena! We will stop you! Don't even think that you'll get away with th-" Twilight said.
"Yea blah blah blah blah, enough of this, come on Discord we've wasted enough time here." Pinkamena said.
"Yes of course, and I must say my dear, Mind Control, I haven't seen that used in such a long time. You just keep surprising me." Discord said, laughing.
Pinkamena and Discord left the gardens and headed towards Celestia's Throne Room in the castle.
"No! No we can't let the-"Twilight said, who was nothing but awestruck to what was blocking her path.
"N-No.. No this can't be!" Twilight said. "S-Shining Armor! It's me! Your little sister! Twilight!"
Shining Armor was no longer who he was and Twilight's words could not get through to him, he was nothing but a puppet to Pinkamena now.
"Come on Twilight! We can't stay here! There's nothing we can do!" Applejack said.
Twilight just stared at her brother who was consumed by Pinkamena's power. Shining Armor was about to blast Twilight, but she was pulled back by her friends.
"Snap out of it!" Rainbow Dash said. "We have to go! We can't pursue her anymore at the moment!"
Twilight realized she had to abandon Shining Armor for the time being, she and her friends escaped the gardens with minor injuries and fled to the outskirts of Canterlot.
"Well..." Fluttershy said. "Now what do we do?"
"I-I don't know anymore." Twilight said. "Pinkamena's taken over most of the Canterlot Royal Guard, including my brother..."
"Don't worry Twi, I'm sure well find a way to fix everything." Applejack said.
"But how? Pinkamena said she'd have an army by the time we'd get back." Rarity said. "How can we possibly stop her if we're going to be up against the Royal Guard?"
"Not to mention Discord, I can't believe that she freed him!" Rainbow Dash said. "He was enough trouble by himself last time, and now he's with Pinkamena! What do we do!"
They all started to bicker and panic about what they could possibly do, if there was anything they could do.
"Pinkamena said she'd have an army right?" Twilight said. "Then I think we need to get one of our own."
"Where in the world would we get an army large enough to go against the Royal Guard?" Applejack said.
"Think, who is the only other person we know of that stood a chance against the Royal Guard?" Twilight said.
They all stood there pondering for a minute until they realized who she was talking about.
"Wait... You don't mean?" Fluttershy said.
"You can't be serious! We can't ask her!" Rarity said.
"As much as it pains me to say it, Queen Chrysalis just might be our only hope in standing up against the Royal Guard!" Twilight said. "She was the only one who could take the Royal Guard with her army of changelings, not to mention their ability to change their appearance could be very useful."
"We really don't have any other choice here guys." Twilight said.
Everyone looked at each other, they all didn't think it was the best idea but what else could they do?
"Alright Twilight, if you think that the Queen would be willing to help us, then we're with you." Applejack said.
"Yea, I guess we gotta try and hope we get lucky!" Rainbow Dash said.
"I guess we don't really have a choice." Fluttershy said.
"Fine fine, lets go then shall we?" Rarity said.
Twilight was unsure of the plan herself, but she had to try. For her Celestia, for her brother, for everyone.
"Alright everyone, lets head out." Twilight said. "To the Badlands."
At Pinkamena's Perspective...
Pinkamena and Discord had arrived to the door of Princess Celestia's Throne Room.
"Well Pinkamena, this is what you've been waiting for, is it not?" Discord said.
"Yes, it is." Pinkamena said. "Prepare yourself Celestia..."
Pinkamena kicked the door to the Throne Room off it's hinges, no element of surprise that's for sure.
"So you've finally come." Celestia said. "Pinkamena."
"Oh, so you were expecting me?" Pinkamena said.
"I was hoping that Shining Armor and his guards would be able to handle the situation." Celestia said. "But I guess that didn't happen..."
"What have you done with Shining Armor!" Cadence said, sprinting out from the back of the room towards Pinkamena.
Pinkamena waved her hoof and Cadence was ejected forward in front of Pinkamena.
"Don't worry, you can join him." Pinkamena said.
Pinkamena engulfed Cadence in a veil of darkness and she was consumed almost immediately, her eyes glowing red and under Pinkamena's control.
"There, now your both my puppets." Pinkamena said.
"Bravo! Once again! Simply wondrous!" Discord said, laughing.
"Your a demon Pinkamena, how could you do such a thing to Cadence!?" Celestia said.
"Being called a demon sure has been happening to me a lot recently." Pinkamena said. "Heh, Oh and I didn't do it to just Cadence my dear, most of your precious guards are under my control."
"Enough, I will not let you continue with your plans, you stop here Pinkamena, and I'll make sure to find a new place to lock you up in Discord." Celestia declared.
"Oh really Celestia, so boring! You were never any fun my dear." Discord said, laughing again.
Pinkamena's Chaos Guards blocked the entrance into the Throne Room and castle in general from the rest of Celestia's Royal Guards.
"Just so we won't be interrupted." Pinkamena said.
"Sister!" A voice called out.
Just as Pinkamena was about to engage Celestia, Princess Luna broke through one of the stained glass window panes to assist her.
"I'm sorry I'm late sister, but I wanted to confirm if Twilight's suspicions were true." Luna said. "But when I saw the castle being blocked off by guards in black armor, I knew something had to be wrong."
"I'm glad you made it Luna, With you here I feel a lot more better about this fight." Celestia said.
"Yes, indeed sister." Luna said. "Together we'll stop this Pinkamena and, hopefully, bring back Twilight Sparkle's friend."
Pinkamena looked directly at Luna and snickered.
"Heh, I didn't expect you to be here, Princess Luna." Pinkamena said. "But now I can kill two birds with one stone."
"Prepare yourself sister, I can see that this will not be an easy fight." Luna said.
"Looks like were going to be in for a wild fight, wouldn't you agree Pinkamena?" Discord said happily.
"Yes, Discord." Pinkamena said. "I think this will be quite fun."