//------------------------------//
// Celestia is Held Hostage! 
// Story: THE FINAL BATTLE 
// by MySecretLife11 
//------------------------------//

	Discord calmly pranced through the times square for everypony to see, zapping things as he went by, turning them into chaos-related things. "Hello, everypony!" he happily called.
All the pony's stood in shock, for there was nothing they could do. Discord was unstoppable without the Elements of Harmony, which were all the way back in the Princess' castle.
"How are you all doing? Miss me?" he laughed, zapping a celery stand, turning it upside down, and making it cry.
Yes, he made a celery stand cry.

Meanwhile, Twilight's letter arrived at Canterlot, and was delivered directly to Princess Celestia, who was having a little drink on her thrown.
A royal guard galloped in, holding Twilight's letter.
"Princess!" he called. "An urgent message from your student, Twilight Sparkle!"
"Ahh, probably her weekly check-in" Princess Celestia smiled warmly. She took the letter from the guard with her magical horn, and brought it up to herself.
The royal guard bowed and trotted out. Princess Celestia rolled open the parchment. She became concerned when she saw the letter didn't start with the normal cheery opening "Dear Princess Celestia."
Instead, to the Princess' dismay, it read, "Sorry for the urgent message, but it's something you must know about! Please take me seriously! I know, I couldn't believe it, too, but I assure you. Discord has somehow returned."
Princess Celestia gasped.
"Somehow, some way. I'm not sure. It happened about 5 minutes ago... Discord stopped by and said hello. At this second, he's walking about the town causing chaos! Please, check on the Elements of Harmony, and send some help to Ponyville while me, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack come for the Elements. Thank you!

From, your most trusted, faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Princess Celestia sat up in her thrown. "GUARDS!" she called. "Ponyville is in trouble. It seems Discord has returned much earlier than suspected."
The royal guards saluted, and took off, destination: Ponyville.
Princess Celestia leapt off her thrown and ran over to the next room where she stored the Elements of Harmony.
She trotted over to the door and stuck her horn into the lock. It lit up a bright white, and opened.
She was prepared for the worst, but that wasn't needed. Sitting in front of her were six shining pieces of jewelry, the Elements of Harmony. They shone brightly, illuminating the room, and Princess Celestia was relieved. She sighed. 
"At least the Elements are safe. Now, we just have to wait for Twilight and her friends and this ordeal could be over before it really starts", she thought.
Princess Celestia turned, relieved, only to be stopped.
Discord stood, blocking the door. "Going somewhere, Princess?"
"Discord!" Princess Celestia gasped. She got into an attack position, a glare in her eyes.
"Oh, Princess, come on, there's no need for fighting."
"You won't get away with the Elements of Harmony. I don't know how you got in here, but I have guards surrounding the primacies."
"Oh, but you see, Princess", Discord laughed. "It's not those silly Elements I'm after. They're SO last year anyway."
"Then why are you here?"
"I... Require your assistance", Discord chuckled.
"What-" the Princess started, but was cut off.
"CHANGELINGS!" Discord called out.
Princess Celestia gasped and looked up. There were about 20 small changelings hovering in the air. In a second, they all darted for Princess Celestia and grabbed her, and she was captured within 5 seconds.
"Discord! You won't get away with this!"
"But I already have" Discord laughed. "My plan has been moving oh-so smoothly so far."
"The girls will be here soon, and you'll be done for", Princess Celestia cried, struggling against the changelings.
"Good point, Princess. But I've already taken the custody of, shall we say, fixing up the Elements of Harmony."
Princess Celestia's eyes widened. "What have you done with the Elements!?"
"Well, I'm not gonna talk in riddles or mess around with you this time. Long story short, they're pretty much bombs now. Girls try to activate them, kabloom goes your castle!"
"You wouldn't!" Princess Celestia gasped.
"But I already did! Mwahahaha!"
At that second, the strange hooded pony that brought Discord back to life slowly walked into the room.
"I see everything has gone well so far", the hooded pony said. "Not so powerful now, are you... Princess?"
"Release me at once! GUARDS! GUARDS!" Princess Celestia called, still being held down by the wave of changelings.
"Oh, we've taken care of them as well", the hooded pony sneered. With a magic horn under her hood, she picked up something outside.
Princess Celestia watched in horror as, in a wheelbarrow, 10 statues rolled in.
But these statues weren't always statues. They were once Princess Celestia's royal guards. She spotted a stone version of Shining Armor, Twilight's older brother.
"No!" the Princess cried. "What have you done!?"
Discord asked, "Um, what does it look like? It's not like we turned them to stone or anything."
The hooded pony hissed, "Now is not the time for joking, Discord."
"Like I said, the girls will be here soon", the Princess stated. "Even if the Elements are useless, they'll find a way to save me and the rest of Equestria!"
"Well, how, silly girl!?" Discord cackled. "The only way they can beat us is being linked together with magic! And only the Elements could do that! Sorry Princess. You're ruling has ended!"
The hooded pony put in, "Indeed it has. And I am now the ruler of Equestria."
"Whoever you are, what did you have against me!?" Princess Celestia asked.
"Time will tell, ex-princess", the hooded pony laughed.
The hooded pony slowly walked past the wheelbarrow of stone guards and climbed up the steps to the Princess' throne. The pony sat down, sighing.
"Since I have become the new ruler, there is no need to hide myself anymore."
The pony slowly reached up and grabbed the hood.
She threw it back, exposing her face.

"No..." Princess Celestia whispered.

Sitting on the throne was none other...

Than Princess Luna.