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// Chapter 9 - In the Presence of Enemies 
// Story: Leader of the Pack (Book 3/3) 
// by AdrianJNovelle 
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	A gentle rain began to trickle from the clouds above. The storm was encroaching as the day of the revolt drew closer and closer. It was a bitter, harsh, and admittedly cold few days the Ferals spent in training from their Master and Mistress. Twilight now bore a necklace: much like the one Zecora made for her when Trixie isolated her from Ponyville after a rematch when Trixie gained the Alicorn Amulet and enslaved Ponyville upon Twilight's inevitable defeat. Those who were not in training proceeded with the task of manufacturing weapons and armor. Twilight had earlier announced that their only targets were Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, so the weapons which were not shields were crafted more on the defensive side of tactics as opposed to the offensive side. The weapons they created were designed to apprehend anyone who would stand in their way, but not necessarily kill them easily. Twilight did prepare them, however, for anything, and that includes the ability to kill anyone who would go great lengths to stop her or her army. 
The Ferals were sent through several tests of strength, speed, agility, and strategy, being unable to advance in their training until the previous test was passed. Some took all three days to pass all the tests they were given; most passed on their first try. Because there were over two thousand of these ponies, Twilight did tend to let some slide since she and Dawn experienced difficulty in keeping track of all the information and data they acquired. She also let anyone who was manufactoring weapons slide, since there was already enough ponies in training. Amazingly, only half of the Feral population spent any time working on weaponry, but they crafted enough weapons and armor for everypony: armor which covered their entire body, including their hooves and their flanks, and weapons which were both lightweight and functional for the task of moving the natives out of the way, and attacking them if and when necessary.
The day had finally come. Twilight and Dawn stood side-by-side at the top of the Divine Fortress to give one final speech before they made their move.
"Ferals," she called from above, in her loud, booming, female voice. "The day has finally come that we commence our revolt against the Royal Canterlot Throne. It is with great pleasure and honor that I hereby commemorate you all to be the greatest warriors we can produce. Granted, we're not an academy, and we only spent three days on training you all, but between our strength in numbers and everyone's individual abilities, I have no doubt that we will succeed in our efforts. This is it. Our time has come to tear down the walls of Canterlot Castle - literally, if we must - and annihilate the Royal Canterlot Sisters once and for all, so our voices can be heard, and everyone here will obtain the freedom you each deserve. No more torment. No more agony. No more scorn. As of now, you are all free ponies. Good luck, and if any of you don't make it, it's been an honor being your Divine Mistress."
Lightning struck, and thunder roared overhead.
"ALL OUT!"
Twilight and Dawn climbed down from the Divine Fortress, and led the massive army of Feral ponies to the entrance of the Everfree Forest, where they took a quick breather to allow everypony to catch up, and then proceeded determinedly straight to Ponyville. An earthquake began to rumble under the hooves of everypony in town. Since Rainbow Dash was not present to warn everypony of the upcoming stampede of Ferals, everyone was all for themselves in finding shelter and protection away from the legion of charging Feral ponies as they galloped and sped through town, crushing or destroying everything in their path. Several natives tried to stop them - including Mayor Mare - but the Ferals pushed on, and overwhelmed anyone who dared to block their path. 
Twilight and Dawn were at the very front of the pack, just inches ahead of the crowd. They guided the mob, and were the first line of attack for anypony who forbade their progression. No defense on Ponyville's part would be enough to stand up to the Ferals. Their numbers just too great, their strength simply too overwhelming, and their determination uncanning. 
A heavy fog started to roll in over the streets of Ponyville. Large, bright strikes of lightning cracked in the night, thunder boomed and bellowed in the distance as a mighty roar spread through the heavy, black clouds above. A near endless onslaught of rain wetted the roads and stained everything in water, but was of no intrusion to the army which trotted across town to the Friendship Express station.
Twilight turned around when they arrived.
"I want a few hundred of you to stay here and make sure we receive no surprise attack from Ponyville."
Over two thousand nods, and a few hundred salutes. The rest lined up on the tracks of the Friendship Express. Twilight's army shrunk from twenty-five hundred heads to two thousand even. The line of Ferals stretched over a mile, and caused the train itself to brake dead on its tracks. The remaining Ferals stormed the train, and gained control of it. Dawn hurried to the helm, and Twilight stood at the top of the engine car. A good number of the Ferals boarded inside, and the rest followed the slow-moving train to Canterlot along the tracks. 
The fire within Twilight's eyes blazed in a frightful flame which lust for destruction and terror, a flame which was not extinguished from the wind and raindrops which violently struck her eyes. She stood on her two hind hooves, covered in her armor, spear on her back, sword and shield in hoof, and watched in determination as the Canterlot Castle grew ever the more close to the her. She could pratically see the Princess through the humongous windows of the Great Hall at the top of the Castle.
Ponyville may have not been prepared for the stampede. Canterlot, on the other hoof, was. 
While Twilight was training the Ferals for the revolt, the warning Rainbow Dash heeded the Princess was more than enough for Canterlot to prepare for the attack. Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, was contacted, and a command structure for the revolt was established long even before the Ferals began their journey to Canterlot. 
The train drew closer. Twilight clenched her teeth so hard, they ached. She gave a ravenous look to the magical city. It's a good day to die she thought to herself. The storm abated as the raindrops fell like bullets from the sky. Lightning lit up the darkness, and thunder howled like wolves in the night. The steam engine passed through the station of Canterlot, the entire Royal Canterlot Army greeting them. At the head of the league was none other than Shining Armor, decked out in his purple armor.
"Hello, Twilight," he said darkly as the Friendship Express came to a stop. 
Twilight jumped down onto solid ground from the engine. 
"Shining Armor," Twilight said.
She barely remembered him, her brain was so corrupted and consumed by the lust for freedom she desired. 
"I have the entire Royal Canterlot Army at the ready," he continued. "And they are ordered to attack if necessary. But not unless I give the word. Now, you're still my sister, and I still love you. I will give you one chance to drop your weapons, tell your little friends to retreat, and bring this nightmare to an end."
Twilight stood motionless, sweat (or maybe that was just the rain on her face) pouring down her lavender cheeks, sword in hoof, and determination pulsing through her veins.
"I cannot break the promises I have made to my people," she retorted.
Shining Armor pretend to laugh under his breath. "You really think you're one of them?" he asked. A long moment of silence. "Guards..." he sighed. "Sieze her."
All at once, the Ferals burst from the Friendship Express, and the Royal Canterlot Army butted heads as they engaged themselves in battle, except for the few hundred remaining Ferals who would participate in the final phase of Twilight's plan. Twilight inched her way through the chaos, having to retaliate many, many times with her sword as she crawled to freedom at a frustratingly slow pace. She dared not get herself into any actual combat, for she was saving the greatest portion of her mortal strength for the Princess. 
Slowly, the final bunch of Ferals emerged from the warzone that was formerly the entrance to Canterlot. The streets were completely vacant. Twilight figured Princess Celestia must have ordered everyone indoors for their safety. All that did was make Twilight's plan go all the more smoothly as she soon found herself approaching the stairs to Canterlot Castle. 
There she might an unkindly group of guards, who drew spears on her without warning. She dueled with her sword, her final move involving doing a backflip in midair, and performing a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree spin with a mighty thrust of her weapon. The spears broke into two. 
"That's why I switched to swords!" she exclaimed as she scurried up the rest of the staircase, a good number of Ferals trailing behind her, leaving the guards in nothing but a cloud of dust. 
Twilight made it to the Canterlot Castle front doors. A huge plank of wood was placed in the handles, and forbade entrance. Twilight raised her sword high over her head and sliced it in half, gaining access inside. There, she simply bypassed all the guards that came her way by hopping off the walls, leaving the actual duels and brawls to the ever-shrinking number of Ferals who followed her as she got further and further to the Princess. Luna was nowhere to be found. Twilight did wonder where she was hiding, but she decided to worry about her at a later time. She was after Princess Celestia, the most powerful alicorn in Equestria. 
She was the only pony remaining by the time she reached the Great Hall. There, at the other end of the interminable hallway, was Princess Celestia, who had been waiting for her. The shadow Twilight cast whenever lightning flared in the night stretched across the entire red carpet. That was the only thing which stood between her and world domination: that very red carpet. 
Now here they are: a lavender-colored Feral unicorn without any magical prowess, and one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria - who is also an alicorn - face to face, about to begin the final battle for Equestria. The Feral unicorn had her pretty mane wrapped up in a bun, her whole body painted and covered in a heavy suit of armor, a sword and a shield in hoof, standing on her hind legs, her cutie mark out of sight, and nothing but a burning passion for death in her pupils. 
"Well well well," Princess Celestia began calmly. She made no anguish in her one visible eye. "If it isn't my most faithful student."
Twilight hissed.
"I know what your plan is, Twilight Sparkle. You intend to slay me and conquer Equestria. Obviously, I cannot allow that. But I am not interested in your plan for world domination and the liberation of your precious ponyfolk: I am interested in the chain of events which led to your antagonism. This is not like you, Twilight. I know something is up. Something isn't right about you. Something is definitely amiss. What, I cannot say. But I understand that I am not talking to Twilight Acorna Sparkle, the greatest student to ever have attended my magic school. Why throw all that time and effort you spent learning and earning knowledge with this one stupid show you put on, Twilight?"
Twilight began to creep closer to the Princess, sword already at the ready in her two front hooves as her hind hooves moved her forward.
"I know that you would never try anything like this if you were in your right mind. Even your husband believes you're out of your mind - and he's dueling your older brother back at the entrance! So of course, I will not kill you unless I absolutely have to. I cannot afford for you to kill me, and gain the power you don't even desire - let alone need. You think you need to conquer Equestria in order to be happy. When truly, I know you find happiness with your friends. Take a look around! Look at all these murals - all that you have accomplished as a regular unicorn studying abroad in Ponyville!"
Twilight paused halfway to the Princess, and stared up at the mural she was in front of: the one in which brought memories of the six of them defeating Discord. Something in Twilight snapped, and she swung her sword and smashed the glass, causing the terrible storm outside to leak into the Great Hall. She resumed her walk, dripping from the rainwater, thirsty for blood.
"So, that's how it is? You don't even want to remember the good times before you became a homicidal maniac? You know very well that I will do whatever it takes to defend my kingdom and the ponies of Equestria. Even if it means to eliminate my most faithful student. The cost of one life in order to redeem many more...it's a hard choice...but an easy decision."
Twilight let out a battle cry, charged, and leapt up to the Princess, who flew up into the air, and shot a powerful bolt of magic at Twilight's hooves, causing her to stumble backwards on the carpet. She landed. 
"I will not let my kingdom fall!" she exclaimed.
Twilight rose to her hooves, picked up her sword and shield, and charged again, the Princess, in response, let out a massive bolt of magic, which reflected off the walls of the Great Hall and shot Twilight in the stomach. She collapsed to the ground. 
The Princess then approached the injured Twilight. She was hurt, but there was no mark anywhere on her chest or anywhere else on her little pony body, probably due to the armor she bore. Her sword and her shield were just out of her reach She panted as she desperately sat up. 
"Look at you," Princess Celestia began. She put her hoof on Twilight's cheek and applied pressure to turn it to face a mural in which Twilight could see her own reflection. "All that body paint...all that armor...your mane up in a bun...that insignia painted on your forehead...this is not the Twilight Sparkle I know and love and respect as a student. This is a demon in a false body; a homicial maniac trapped in a friendly, purple pony body. It is clear to me now that you truly believe you're one of those Feral ponies. Rainbow Dash and your other friends told me all about them. Those Nubs and Fwaps that they used to be called. Poor things. It's a shame they have to live their lives in social isolation. Clearly, bringing them to their enemies and promoting violence and destruction was the wrong thing to do. They elected you to be their leader because you're the only one of them who has an artificial horn. Well, wake up Twilight! You're not one of them! You're just a regular old unicorn who happened to lose her horn saving Equestria from genocidal annihilation. I'm sorry I have to do this, but I have no other choice."
Princess Celestia held Twilight down firmly with her hoof. Twilight squirmed to get up, but failed. She grunted and whined, but the Princess did not let up. The yellow aura around her horn glowed. She slowly brought her horn closer and closer to Twilight. When she was just centimeters away from Twilight's horn, the Princess brought her head back and smashed her horn against Twilight's.
Twilight expected sheering pain in her head, but felt absolutely nothing as her artificial horn was shattered off her head, leaving nothing but a purple nub in its wake.