//------------------------------//
// The Fall of Canterlot 
// Story: Terror in Equestria:  Rise of the Dark Queen 
// by StormLuna 
//------------------------------//

The day of the attack finally arrived.  Twilight and her allies were in the throne room discussing their final strategies.  Twilight offered a suggestion.  She said, "I know of an even better way to sneak up on them, we need to make ourselves invisible.  Yes I know it will be very dark given that it will be the new moon but there will still be a bit of light radiating from the torches around the city.  We don't cast the counter spell until we are right there in their faces."

Sombra replied, "You know Twily, you have to be one of the smartest leaders out there."

Chrysalis added, "You don't seem to be afraid of anything.  I am guessing that your advanced knowledge of magic is probably part of that."

Twilight nodded and signaled for them to head down to the base of her tower.  She stood before the massive army and said, "All of you have done well in your training.  The attack is tonight.  There will be no training exercises as I need you guys to be well rested, have a full stomach, have plenty of composure and be alert."

General Iron Sheath said, "My queen, what time do we plan on launching our attack?"

Chrysalis replied, "We will start to head towards Canterlot shortly after the sun has set.  There is a new moon tonight so there will be no moonlight to alert them of our coming."

Sombra added, "Also, Queen Twilight Sparkle has a master plan to make detecting us all the harder.  Tell them about your plan Twily."

Twilight said to them, "I know an invisibility spell.  It will allow us to attack them completely by surprise.  I will cast this spell on all of you.  We will be sending Sombra's unicorn soldiers in first.  There is a ramp on the side of the castle that leads to the back of Canterlot.  That will allow the unicorn soldiers to get to the main part of Canterlot undetected while our changeling army attacks from the air."

General Dark Night said, "Your Majesty, that sounds like a great plan.  No wonder King Sombra is always talking about how smart you are when he is around me."

"Well when you've had your nose in books since you were a young filly, you tend to have a great deal of knowledge." said Twilight

In Canterlot, Celestia is not nearly as calm and collected as the leaders of the Dark Alliance are.  She is in the throne room pacing back and forth frantically.  Luna enters the throne room and tells Celestia, "Big Sister, what did I tell you about not being so nervous?  You need to calm down and focus.  Like I said before, I can't do this alone."

Celestia replied, "I know little sister but still, the fate of all Equestria rests on what happens tonight.  I don't know how you can be so calm right now.  Do you even care about the battle tonight?"

Luna looked at Celestia with a scowl and said, "Yes, I care Celestia.  I just know that you can't be a nervous wreck going into battle.  I know that we can accomplish this.  Yes 2 alicorns versus an army of over 15,000 sounds like a suicide mission, especially when one of their leaders is an Alicorn herself."

Celestia replied, "I am sorry to have doubted you.  I do know though that Twilight knows all my weaknesses and she has probably shared them with not only Sombra and Chrysalis, but with all their soldiers.  I wonder if we shouldn't just surrender and see if they will let us go into exile somewhere else?"

Luna's jaw dropped open at this comment and suddenly she became very angry and shouted, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  YOU WANT US TO JUST SURRENDER?  FINE, BE MY GUEST.  I WON'T GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT."

"But Luna, what are you going to do if things get bad during battle and it is a matter of us being put in chains or us having to flee the battle and go into exile, what are you going to do?" said Celestia

"Good point big sister, " replied Luna "we will figure something out."

Back in Ponyville the afternoon was transitioning to the evening.  Twilight gathered her allies with all their soldiers out in the courtyard and said, "Ok everypony, i can see in your eyes that you are just as focused as I am.  It is time for our last meal before we go into battle.  Clear your mind, enjoy your meal and the company of one another and stay relaxed.  I along with Chrysalis and King Sombra will be eating out here with you.  We are not a bunch of individuals.  We are one, well oiled military machine."

The changeling army and the unicorn soldiers cheered loudly hearing this coming from Twilight.  All at once they shouted, "To our leaders, to the dark alliance, to Queen Twilight, to King Sombra, to Queen Chrysalis!"

The three leaders stood before their armies with big smiles on their faces, even blushing a bit.  Twilight's chefs brought out a massive feast for the leaders and their massive army.  This was a feast that even Twilight had never seen as a filly up in Canterlot.  Everypony was eating when Green Haze sat down next to Twilight and said, "Twily this food is delicious!  Where did you get it?"

Twilight replied, "We have a lot of good farms around here.  The farms here produce the finest food in all of Equestria, whether it be apples, beef, carrots, oats, hay, etc.  The soil here is nutrient rich and that is why the food is so good."

Green Haze replied, "I am so happy you have such good food for us.  I am happy as can be right now!"  

"That is good," replied Twilight "enjoy the rest of your meal, the sun is setting." replied Twilight

In Canterlot Celestia just set the sun and Luna raised the dark new moon.  Yes, even though you can't see it, a new moon has to be raised just the same as any other.  Luna stood guard out on the balcony facing Ponyville.  Celestia walked up to her and said, "Any signs of the invasion yet?"

Luna replied, "No, not yet.  I would not count on them launching their attack until after the sun has been down for a while."

Celestia looked confused and asked Luna why they would wait.

Luna said, "They want to wait until a decent portion of the city is asleep.  They figure that if some of the city's residents are asleep, there will be much less resistance.  I have studied war tactics and that is how night attacks work."

Celestia was trying to calm herself down as she was standing by the more alert Luna but she just couldn't do it.  She was thinking to herself, "If we lose, I have a bad feeling it will be because I can't control my fears the way Luna can."

A couple hours had past since the sun had set when Twilight gave her allies and their armies the signal.  She said to them, "The time is now, the time to complete our conquest is upon us.  We shall not fail."  She then went on to tell them that she needs to put the invisibility spell upon everypony, including herself.

Twilight gathers in the center of the army with Sombra and Chrysalis, her horn begins to glow purple as she recited," Whether it be one or a bunch of ones, nopony needs to see so that we don't have to flee, invisibility is the treat of not having to retreat"

Suddenly Twilight, her allies and the whole army become invisible.  Twilight shouts, "TO WAR, TO VICTORY!"  

The dark alliance's soldiers cheer loudly and then go quiet as they leave the protective dome of Twilight's realm.  They stop about one mile east of Canterlot.  Twilight tells Sombra, ok, you see that ramp on the left side of the city.  It will take you to the back of the city and you can launch your attack from back there."

"I can see it.  There is just enough torch light coming from the city to see it." replied Sombra

"Chrysalis, you along with our changelings will continue to fly towards the city.  We will stop about a quarter of a mile away from it.  You see that balcony way up there?" said Twilight

"Yes, I see it Twily." replied Chrysalis

"It has not been used in over a hundred years.  I am going to go land on the top of it.  When the time is right, I will perform a reversal spell for the invisibility spell.  This is going to behave differently.  Since we are all spread out, this one will show up as a large purple ball of energy at the top of my horn and then it will release, making us all visible and then we can attack them.  It will be as though we have come out from nowhere."  said Twilight

Chrysalis asked, "Why do we have to be visible during the attack?  Why can't we just attack them while we are invisible?"

Twilight replied, "Magic used for attacks is very weak when one is invisible.  Also, if you are to try to physically attack an enemy, such as kick them, you will simply pass straight through them, the same way a spirit does."

"Ok, that makes much more sense Twily.  You really had me confused there for a minute." said Chrysalis

Twilight, Chrysalis and their changelings reached the point that they would wait for Sombra and his unicorns to reach the main level of Canterlot.  Twilight flew up to the top of the old balcony and waited.  

Luna was standing on the balcony facing east and waiting for any signs of trouble.  Celestia asked "Luna, any signs of trouble yet?"

Luna replied, "No, there are no signs of any attack yet.  I am wondering if perhaps they knew we were expecting them tonight  and decided to push their attack back."

Celestia said, "You might be right Luna.  If that is the case all it will do is push back the inevitable, that we will have to ultimately face.  

Luna replied, "I know big sister."  Suddenly Luna saw a bright purple light glowing from the top of one of the towers.  She could not figure out which one though.

Twilight, up on the tower recited, "The unseen shall now be seen.  With her friends being present, hiding only shows resent, those who have disappeared, shall now appear."

The ball of purple energy exploded going in all directions, making Twilight and her allies visible.  Luna saw changelings charging towards the castle.  "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!  CELESTIA, GET OUT HERE!  WE NEED TO DEFEND OUR CITY!" shouted Luna.

Celestia came running to the balcony and was terrified by what she saw.  She began to panic and fell to her knees.  Luna began firing bolts of energy at the changelings and yelled, "Celestia, you can't panic right now.  We are under seige!"

Luna continued firing bolts of energy at the changelings, killing them as she hit them.  Celestia was on the balcony when suddenly a very familiar figure landed in front of her, Twilight Sparkle.

"Twilight, what has happened to you?  I never thought you would do this." sobbed Celestia

"That is QUEEN TWILIGHT to you Celestia.  I always knew that you would be the one to panic in the event of an attack.  Luna is up there killing changelings while you are here crying your eyes out.  Quite funny I think, if I were her I would banish you to the sun for a thousand years for being a coward." shouted Twilight

Luna continued to kill changelings as Sombra and his unicorns stormed through the main level of Canterlot.  They fired bolts of energy at the residents of Canterlot, scaring them immensely.  The changelings flew above the main level and fired bolts of energy, damaging buildings and scaring everypony.

Spike and Twilight's friends were in the VIP room when they heard and saw all this happening.  "What in tarnation is going on out there?" asked Applejack

Fluttershy replied, "Oh no, we are under attack by the changelings.  What do we do?"

Rainbow Dash said, "Look, there is a closet.  Let's hide in it for now.  I am sure Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are doing their best to handle the invasion."

They all ran and hid in the closet.  Spike said in a low voice, "Geez I wish Twilight were here.  I don't know what has happened to her, if she is still alive, if she has gone mad or if she simply doesn't care."

Applejack said, "Shhh.  We don't want them hearing us."

Back on the balcony Celestia finally got up on her hooves and saw a wrathful Twilight stand there laughing at her cries.  This put the fight in Celestia that was so important at this time.  She said, "Alright Twilight, this means war!"

Celestia began to shoot a beam at Twilight but she fired her own energy back.  Their energies met and the two were trying to knock the other one out.  Celestia said, "Twilight Sparkle, you little tyrant, I wish I had never taken you in as a student.  After we win this, you're going to the moon forever!'

Twilight using as much energy as she had to repel Celestia's energy replied, "In your dreams commoner.  Bow down before the Dark Queen or you shall meet your own death."

This struck Celestia wrong and she got sad, at the absolute wrong time possible.  Twilight easily overpowered Celestia and knocked her out cold.  Twilight saw that Luna was killing off a lot of her changelings so she aimed her horn at where a lot of them had bunched together and shouted, "From one to two, two to four and so much more. When one is simple mere, more and more shall appear."  

This more than countered the changelings that Luna had killed.  Twilight was flying through the battle when she saw Green Haze in Luna's cross hairs.  "Green Haze, move!  Luna is about to kill you!"  Before he could react, Luna's powerful bolt of energy incinerated Green Haze.  This enraged Twilight, she knew that trying to attack Luna was a mistake, so she went back after Celestia.

Celestia was coming to when she saw Twilight return.  "Twilight, please stop.  What did I ever do to you?  I always treated you like a daughter." said Celestia as she started to cry harder and harder.

Twilight yelled, "What did you do?  What did you do?  Does it matter?  You sit up here acting like you are the greatest thing in the world when you aren't any different than anypony else."

Luna saw Twilight yelling at Celestia and shouted, "Celestia, the city is lost, we must retreat.  We have to go some place safe.  Come with me and you will soon discover where."

Twilight looked up and shouted, "Come take your precious big sister.  Just get out of Equestria, IT IS MINE, ALL MINE!"

Luna levitated Celestia and carried with her as she sped off to the west, heading towards the Pegasus Ocean.

Twilight shouted, "AT EASE!"

Suddenly the battle stopped and Chrysalis flew over to Twilight and said, "Twily, why did you stop the battle, we were winning."

Twilight got a smile on her face and said, "Chrysi, we won.  Luna and Celestia are leaving Equestria.  They fled towards the Pegasus Ocean.  Equestria belongs to us now."

Twilight and Chrysalis fly down to Sombra and tell him that they had won and that they now had rule over all of Equestria.  Sombra smiled over this news and said, "This is truly a great day for our alliance.  We were able to drive out Celestia and Luna!  Equestria is ours, forever!"

Twilight replied, "Yes this is a great triumph for all of us but now we need to figure out how we are going to rule.  Are we going to rule everything together, making decisions together or are we going to divide Equestria into three large empires and each one of us rule that?"

Chrysalis told them that this was a very important thing to discuss but that they along with their soldiers should get some rest, as it has been a long day and that they had just fought a very tough battle.  Both of her allies agreed and they all headed to their new sleeping quarters.

Twilight headed to what was Celestia's bedroom and thought to herself, "I have to share power?  Well I can not let that happen.  I think I know what to do."  Twilight left Celestia's old bedroom and headed to the Canterlot Archives, which survived the attack unscathed.  She said to herself, "I know there are spells in here to banish those two and spells to brainwash their forces to be loyal to me and loyal to me alone.  I will not share power with anypony.  Equestria shall belong to Queen Twilight Sparkle and nopony else."