The Sparkle Dash Family
Prompt # 358: The Crystal Empire falls
Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
It was a tense atmosphere that hung over the Crystal Empire. The streets were almost completely deserted. Most of the crystal ponies had already fled, the few who chose to remain behind were hiding in their homes. Loved ones huddled together in fear, waiting and watching the doors.
It was over. If anypony were to be honest with themselves it was over before it had ever truly started. The Crystal Empire and her ponies had fought bravely, but in the end bravery was not enough. They had been all but decimated and now they were just waiting for somepony to finish the job.
Inside the Crystal Palace, Princess Scootaloo worriedly cast her gaze to the horizon. She could already make out the fires of war. The battle had reached her home. Any second now the gryphons of Talonsgard or the dragons of Embris would be marching down her city streets, and there was nothing she could do to stop them. Not even the Crystal Heart could help her people now, as it had been stolen by a dragon she had once called her brother.
It was that betrayal that had precipitated the fall of her kingdom. With the Crystal Heart gone there was no way to keep the Empire safe. Soon spies and saboteurs had begun wreaking havoc amongst her populace. Their food stores were destroyed, their waters were poisoned. Starving and sickened, her soldiers never stood a chance.
She knew she should have never agreed to an alliance with the dragons of Embris. Even if it was her brother who had proposed the alliance. Of course everything went well at the beginning. The combined might of the Embris and Crystal Empire armies were more than enough to invade Equestria. The march upon Canterlot had gone on without a hitch, and Equestria’s Princess had been banished, and then imprisoned in the place she had been banished to.
It was only after Equestria had fallen and the Crystal Empire was embroiled in a war with the gryphons that Princess Scootaloo had discovered the dragons’ deception, and by then it had been far too late.
So now she simply waited. Waited for the end to come, waited for either her brother or her mother, whoever won the battle currently waging in her lands, to come and take her life. She would not go quietly, but she held no illusions over the reality of the situation. It was game over.
“Hah! Take that Scales! My Talon Guard unit destroyed your forward command base! I win!” Rainbow Dash cheered as she knocked Spike’s piece off the game board with a flourish.
“Darnit!” Spike groused, folding his arms over his chest. “I can’t believe I forgot that the Talon Guard got a +2 attack bonus if they moved more than 3 spaces! I was soooo close!”
Rainbow shook her head tauntingly. “Close, but no cider! Now it’s just you and me Scoots!” Rainbow looked over the board, grinning at the vast empty space on Scootaloo’s side. “Awww, but lookit that! You don’t have anypony left to guard you keep!”
Twilight rolled her eyes. She had been the first one defeated after the rest of her family had allied against her. “Come on Rainbow, you don’t need to taunt her. Just finish the game already.”
“Oh I will Twi, but I’m gonna do it in style!” Rainbow Dash picked up the figureher commander, Griselbrand the Gryphon King, and placed it in the Crystal Palace. “I believe that means I win!” Rainbow Dash cheered.
“Not so fast featherbrain, Scootaloo still gets a chance to play a card in response.” Twilight said. She gave Scootaloo a small smile laced with pity. “Do you have any cards to play Scootaloo?”
Scootaloo just sighed. “I guess.” She said, pulling a card out of her hoof. She looked around the table, pausing for dramatic effect. She then smiled menacingly at Rainbow Dash and slammed the card on the table. “I play “The Elements of Harmony Activate!”, I get to target one enemy piece in my palace and banish it to the moon!” Scootaloo then flicked the Griselbrand the Gryphon King figure, causing it to go flying until it bopped Rainbow Dash in the nose.
Rainbow Dash was staring in shock at the card Scootaloo had just played. “I... I lost? I lost?!” She gasped in disbelief. “But...but we even took out Twilight first! I thought I had this game in the bag!” Rainbow Dash slumped in her chair, before sitting back up and giving a good-natured smile to her family.
“Wow Scoots, that was an awesome play! How did you know to hold onto the Elements card?” Spike asked.
“I just know my moms. Rainbow Dash always likes to win in person, so I figured she’d just waltz into my Palace. I was actually worried that you might win that last battle Spike, I wasn’t sure if you would’ve risked sending your commander in.” Scootaloo said.
Twilight ruffled Scootaloo’s mane. “Well well well, look at that. My little Scootaloo, thinking ahead and using tactics! I think that deserves a reward.” Twilight used her magic to gather up all the pieces of the game, placing it back into its box. “How about we go to Sugarcube Corner and get some dessert to celebrate Scootaloo’s victory?”
Rainbow Dash’s perked up visibly at that and flew to Twilight’s side. “Oh! Can we get a milkshake Twi?” She asked, wiggling her eyebrows at her marefriend.
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Sure thing Dashie,” She then leaned forward, placing her muzzle next to Rainbow Dash’s ear. “But only if we share it.” She whispered, before nipping playfully on Rainbow’s ear.
“Ugh, you two are gonna put me off milkshakes for the rest of my life!” Spike said, making hacking sounds.
“Seriously!” Scootaloo agreed, “Can’t you guys act all mushy after we’ve celebrated my win?”
“Oh? So we can be all mushy then huh?” Rainbow Dash said. She started making kissy faces at Twilight, who just giggled and pushed her away.
“Later Dashie, after the milkshake. Come on guys, let’s get going” Twilight said, opening the door and motioning for her family to head out.
Princess Scootaloo smiled as she led her defeated opponents out of the library. Victory was sweet, but she knew her reward was going to be much sweeter.