//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: As Sanity Shatters // Story: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse // by Bundle of Funyuns //------------------------------// At long last, everything was coming together. All the planning, the blood and tears shed, everything would be worth it for Discord when the last mare and colt were dead. He had already made contact with Queen Chrysalis, telling her army to mobilize. Nightmare Moon was away in search of King Sombra's horn, all that was left of the King when his body was obliterated by the Crystal Heart's power. Discord had decided he wanted a throne of pure diamond, and that the Crystal Ponies would make it for him. Discord had prepared for this for eons, and with everything going according to his plan, Equestria would soon be nothing more than a darkened wasteland. "Discord, you wished to see me?" The Draconequus' ears perked up at the sound of Queen Chrysalis' voice. "Aah, my dear Chrissy! So wonderful to see you.." The Changeling Queen smiled, a soft giggle escaping her mouth. "Oh come now Discord, how long has it been? Have you truly yet to cease with the nicknames?" The two chuckled like old friends, contradicting the twisted monsters they both were. "I would hope our army is prepared?" Discord tugged at his beard as he listened. Chrysalis sighed , clearly annoyed. "It would have been beyond prepared a week ago, were it not for our.. Miscommunication." Discord slithered through the air towards her. "Oh come now Chrysalis, you speak as if I PLANNED to trap myself in stone again. Besides, the army is ready, as you said, and Nightmare Moon is on her way to Sombra. And once they control the Crystal Empire.." He playfully summoned a black towel, tossing it over a globe of Equestria. "The fun will truly begin." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As chaos erupted in the streets of Canterlot, Twilight Sparkle and her friends, escorted by several Royal Guards and Prince Blueblood, quickly traveled to the train station, hoping to catch a train to the North. With Nightmare Moon's return, it was clear that Princess Cadence, the only Alicorn besides Celeste, would be the best person to turn towards for help. The Crystal Empire had made wonderful progress in rebuilding, and re-integrating the Crystal Ponies into modern society. It would be the safest place for Celeste, far out in the Northern Arctic. Celeste awoke from her nap near the end of the train ride, nudging Twilight with a hoof. "Mommy.. Why is it so cold? Why are we going.. Wherever we're going?" Twilight held Celeste close, brushing her hair back with her hoof. "We're going to see your Aunt Cadence and Uncle Shining Armor. It's not safe in Canterlot, everypony is getting a bit stir-crazy. Plus you've never met your Aunt and Uncle, so I thought it'd be fun." Celeste lowered her head softly into Twilight's arms. They would be greeted by the Crystal Empire with comforting warmth as the train, which now stopped directly inside of the Empire, slowed to a stop at the new Train Station. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was there to as well. "Hey Twilight!" Twilight and her former foal-sitter rushed to meet each other, performing their usual ritual. "Sunshine sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!" When she realized Celeste was watching, Twilight giggled and waved her over. "Celeste, this is your aunt Cadence. We've been friends for a long time." Celeste smirked, trying her best to hold back a laugh. "What was that thing you just did? It was hilarious!" Cadence smiled with a blush of embarrassment, and answered for Twilight. "It's just something I taught Twilight when I was her foal-sitter. Maybe I could teach you, if you're interested?" Celeste giggled and nodded, just as Prince Blueblood stepped off the train, prissily and quite frantically checking for mud, snow, or any other form of liquid that his hooves might touch. "Ugh, you would think a Crystal Empire would keep their ground more well-kept." Cadence pulled her cousin into a tight hug. "Nonono, Cousin Cadence, you can't hug me yet! I had my vest cleaned just before we arrived!" Cadence smiled slyly. "Oh really? You know the drill Blueblood." Before now, no one would have thought anyone could whine worse than Rarity. "But Cousin Caaadeeeence!" Cadence chuckled and began the dance. "Sunshine Sunshine, ladybugs awake!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Most of the catching up was done inside the Castle, where several bedrooms were prepared for the visitors. Prince Blueblood naturally was given the largest room, chosen by Princess Cadence. Not an hour after arriving, letters were delivered to everypony's temporary bedrooms. "The Council of Canterlot Advisers has requested an audience with the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, Princess Cadence, and Prince Blueblood. Please join in the Royal Council Room at half-past seven." The group gathered anything they might need, and headed towards the Council Room. There they found three elderly ponies, clearly unhappy to be there. "Take your seats," growled one pony, seated at the center of the opposite side of the table. The three ponies were of quite strange colors. All three of the ponies had a yellowish-gold coat, but their manes were different. The mare in the center had a pink mane, the stallions to the left of her having varying blue manes. The ponies quickly gathered near the table and seated themselves. "We are sure you are all very tired, and want to get back to bed, so we'll get right down to business." He shuffled in his seat, clearly annoyed about having to travel so far for a meeting. "Just sign these papers and we'll leave with.. Celeste." He spoke as if he couldn't give a donkey's hoof about what he was saying. He clearly wanted to get out of there. Twilight's eyes grew wide, wide enough to fall out of her skull. "Leave with her? What are you talking about?" The Councilor groaned. "You were supposed to read the other side of your letter, miss Sparkle. I would think the former student of Princess Celestia would-" Twilight had enough of his foul attitude, slamming her hooves on the table. "You aren't taking Celeste. Are we done here, or are there other matters that need attending to?" The center Councilor grimaced. "I am Streaming Sun, High-Councilor to the Court of Canterlot, personal friend to the once Princess Celestia, and higher in the food chain then even you, little miss Twilight Sparkle. And as such, I demand the respect I have earned." He stopped for a moment, staring directly into her eyes. "Princess Celestia's reincarnation has, according to my reports, been taught little more than simple history, math, and magical spells. You are hindering her in a way we could not have possibly foreseen. She must become a worthy Princess fast if we are to locate Princess Luna, and keep control of Equestria. And you, Twilight Sparkle, are the worst thing to happen to her since she was reborn, possibly before." Twilight left the table, prepared to exit the room. "You aren't taking her, and that's final." Streaming Sun laughed in his rough, elderly voice. "It wasn't a choice in the first place. We just thought we would give you some papers to sign to make you feel as if you matter. You may have mattered to Princess Celestia, but you are nothing but the unfortunate prisoner of an Element of Harmony now. You belong to Equestria, and Celeste is it's future, without you." A voice spoke up, clearly annoyed. "Now hold on a sec! Nopony can just tear Celeste out of Twilight's hands, Celeste wouldn't be able to cope!" Councilor Sun groaned again. "Memory spells, miss Dash. We can wipe the unfortunate events from the poor princess' brain. Now if there is no more idiocy to be had, the guards will be at miss Sparkle's room in one hour. Be grateful I am allowing a goodbye." Twilight returned to the table, circling it and standing behind Streaming Sun's back. She placed her horn against the back of his skull, a spell illuminating her horn. "I have prepared simple spell used to fire magical energy in a concentrated line of fire. You are going to sit there, and you are going to listen." The Councilor was clearly not prepared for this, nor much too happy. "Stand down, or I'll have your neck in a noose in under an hour!" Twilight laughed. "We'll see how that works out for you with your brain matter littering the floor." The whole room was in shock, Twilight's friends pleaded with her to stop, while the guards, clearly untrained for such an event, stood by and watched, prepared to attack her the moment she stepped away. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna agreed that I would take care of her womb, and that I would raise her reincarnation. I was the one who cared for Celeste as if I literally gave birth to her myself. I have raised her, and taught her everything I know, everything Princess Celestia knew. She is my daughter, I am her mother, and I will not hesitate to kill you if you try to take her from me. You are a criminal trying to take a foal from her mother, and that mother happens to be the current most powerful Unicorn in all of Equestria." She rammed her horn into the back of his head, throwing him against the table, purposely too little force to knock him unconscious, but enough to ram his nose painfully against the crystalline table. He shouted in anger in pain as Twilight and her friends left the room. ----------------------------------------------- He's here. The horn. There it is. No, over there. Crystals all look the same. Ponies all look the same. Need to kill all the ponies. Need to find the horn first. The ramblings of Nightmare Moon's tormented, unfortunate mind made it difficult for the Bringer of Night Eternal to focus. Only when in battle was she ever able to think straight. She wasn't a mare of many words, but even she enjoyed the occasional monologue. Every time a Crystal Pony threatened to come too close, Nightmare Moon would flash her horrific, feline eyes, sending them off in a fit of terror. She knew she was close, but she could not pinpoint the exact location of King Sombra's horn, all that remained of the tyrant. It did not take long for Nightmare Moon to lose her patience. In a rage, she began to cast the spell meant for Sombra's horn on every crystal in the vicinity, morphing the magical energies of the crystals into monstrous abominations. A small battalion of black-crystal golems formed from the foul spell. And among them, their master, King Sombra in his physical form of flesh, blood, and steel armor. He roared with the force of an earthquake to usher in his return, to let all of the Crystal Empire know that he was there. The two corrupted ponies crashed their horns together, their horns crackling with foul energy. A cloud of black dust shot forth from their horns, becoming a cloud, and then a storm, until a blanket of dark magic covered the skies, endlessly moving outward, blanketing all of Equestria in irreversible night. The only thing visible in the blackened night sky were Nightmare Moon's stars and moon, only just visible by the naked eye.