Twilight Sparkle was clothed in a gown as black as night, with her Element on top of her head. The purple crystal had turned a much darker shade, and a small crack had appeared on the edge. Her eyes were a bright green, and seemed to flare like the fires of Tartarus. All around her were almost equine shadows upon the ground, though nopony seemed to be casting them.
In front of her stood Ponyville, with only five mares standing between her and the town. Her friends - former friends - had taken defensive stances. They all had around their necks their respective Elements.
"Twilight, please, don't do this," Applejack said, taking a cautious step towards her foe. "Can't you see that this isn't you? It's that book you've been reading. We tried to tell you to leave it alone. It's corrupted you."
"We don't want to fight you," Fluttershy added.
"Well, well, well, look who's lying. Applejack? Honesty? Really?" Twilight said. Her voice seemed to echo, as if it was not just herself speaking. "Stand aside. Ponyville is mine. You can't destroy the Shades."
"Listen up, Twilight! You're fighting some of the most powerful mares in Equestria here! You can't really expect this attack to succeed!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
"Don't be foalish, Rainbow. You can't work the Elements without me. Alone, you're all useless. Shall I demonstrate?" Twilight said.
Suddenly, the Shades upon the ground surged forward. Rarity tried to set up a small barrier between the five friends and the shadows, but her magic proved far weaker than Twilight's. The Shades raced along the ground, completely enveloping a surprised Fluttershy in darkness. A solid, black cocoon formed around her. When Applejack attempted to kick the cocoon. She merely bounced off and stumbled a bit, only to be imprisoned herself in the same manner. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all stared at Twilight in disbelief.
"Twilight! This game is no fun!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Let them go!"
"Dear... please call this off. It's like Applejack said: this is not you. You should never have read King Sombra's spellbook. It's consumed you. Everything you're doing... it's powered by hatred, and vice," Rarity said, as she slowly backed away from a Shade creeping towards her.
"Both of you. Shut up. I earned this. I am the most powerful unicorn in Equestria. I am taking what is rightfully mine. I will forge an empire of my own. None of you will deny me my right," Twilight said, walking towards the town.
"Please, stop this. We're your friends. We're trying to help you," Rarity said.
"Funny how you choose to remember our friendship when you're so close to defeat," Twilight said. "As I remember it, rather recently you attempted to banish me into the Everfree Forest. What's more, you succeeded, up until this point."
"We did what we had to do to protect Ponyville," Rainbow said. "You've forced everypony into a state of terror! If you think taking this town by force is going to help you, you're wrong!"
Rainbow leaped into the air when a Shade lunged at her. Her eyes went wide when the Shade pulled itself up from the ground, wrapping in a cocoon around her and turning solid. Rarity quickly found herself in the same situation, as she was backed into another Shade's embrace. Only Pinkie now stood between Twilight and Ponyville. For once, she was struck speechless. The Shades circled her slowly, as Twilight stepped up to her face.
"What's wrong, Pinkie? Poison Joke got your tongue?" Twilight asked, with smug sympathy.
"But... but... Twilight, why?" Pinkie asked, her eyes showing welling tears.
"I told you why. Now, are you going to stop me? I don't want to imprison you. You would make a fine jester for your new Queen," Twilight said.
"I... I... surrender," Pinkie said, after several long seconds.
As soon as those words came out of Pinkie's mouth, her hair let out a long noise, as if a balloon was being deflated. It wasn't so different, as her hair turned flat. The Shades circlng the duo moved on to search the town for other resistance. Twilight smiled at her saddened jester, and walked into town behind her army, prepared to begin her new empire.