Colgate and Twilight's recruits returned to the tower shortly before supper. When they arrived in the dining hall Twilight could see that Colgate seemed a bit frustrated. She was wondering if her friends did terrible at the range.
"Colgate, how did things go out there at the range this afternoon?" asked Twilight
Colgate replied, "I will talk to you after supper about this. For the most part I am impressed with your friends, but there is one issue we must discuss."
Twilight replied, "I take it we can't discuss it now?"
"No." replied Colgate "Besides, supper is getting here. You're the one that doesn't like to discuss matters such as this over a meal."
"Alright Colgate. We will talk in the throne room after supper." replied Twilight
Twilight's friends were hungrier than normal that night. This was the first time in a while that Pinkie had filled up on normal food instead of sweets. Rarity wasn't overly thrilled by the meal as it wasn't a fancy meal. Applejack looked across the table and noticed her actions.
"Rarity, nothing is good enough for you now is it? You should be happy Twilight is feeding us." said Applejack
Rarity replied, "Well, I was thinking that with Twilight being royalty now that she would serve food more like Princess Celestia did in Canterlot."
Twilight frowned at Rarity and said, "Rarity, I am not Celestia and this is not Canterlot. The food I serve comes from local farms. Nothing is imported from any further than 30 miles away. If you don't like the food, then wait until you get home to eat."
Rarity replied, "But Twilight, you have discarded everything from the past. You live in a black tower, you hide the archives, you have a standing military, you don't want anypony calling you queen and you serve your guests commoners' food."
"COMMONERS' FOOD?" shouted Twilight "If I remember correctly it was just a while back that you said to me in Sugarcube Corner 'oh hi your royal highness, what are you doing down here with us commoners?' Do you remember that?"
"Yes I do your royal highness." said Rarity
Twilight said, "Look, if you're not going to eat your food, let somepony else have it. I am sure one of the rest of us would love it."
Applejack said, "Ah'm still hungry Rarity, if you don't want it, I'll eat it!"
"Fine, take it. I'm going to go home and eat something more refined than this swill." replied Rarity
Twilight interrupted and said, "You're not going home until Colgate and I have a meeting with you in the throne room after supper."
"Ok Dark Queen Twily." grunted Rarity
After supper Twilight, Colgate and Rarity headed to the throne room while the rest of Twilight's friends headed home. Rarity looked like she was about to snap as they entered the throne room.
"What is that scowl for Rarity?" asked Twilight
"You want to know what my scowl is for your royal highness? I am upset because you expect me to take part in those idiotic exercises you had your little lap dog Colgate put us through. What is the point of those? You could at least have decent food around here. Potatoes, steak, apples and corn are not something a queen should be serving her guests and I still have no desire to help you in your ridiculous treasure hunt." ranted Rarity
"You see why I wanted to talk with you after supper?" said Colgate "She was whining and complaining all afternoon and complaining because the rest of your friends did good and she didn't. I think she has potential. It isn't a matter of that she can't, she just doesn't want to take part in the exercises."
Twilight said, "I agree Colgate. What I see here is a jealous friend who wishes that she were the one who was in power. Rarity is not used to things like this. Ever since she was a filly she never had to do much of anything that she didn't want to. Am I right Rarity?"
Rarity replied, "Twilight, you make me sound like a spoiled brat. There is a big difference between a spoiled brat and a pony who is used to the finer things in life. In Canterlot Celestia served the finest food in all of Equestria. You feed us the same mess hall food you feed your army. How in Equestria anypony else can like it is beyond me."
Twilight and Colgate headed over to the far end of the throne room to talk about this situation and what needs to be done about it.
Twilight said, "Good grief, is there any kind of loyalty spell that will work on her? Am I going to have to use more power on her than I did LaurFa?"
Colgate replied, "Chances are you will Twilight. I am planning on putting Applejack in charge of handling her since they are friends. Rarity basically just sees me as your lap dog and won't listen to me."
Twilight replied, "I'm not sure if putting Applejack in charge of handling her is that good of an idea. She views Applejack as unrefined. Let me handle her. I am thinking a night in the dungeon will straighten her out."
Twilight and Colgate returned to the other side of the room with stern looks on their faces. Just about as Twilight was about to address her, Rarity said, "Oh, so what were you and your little lap dog saying over there? Are you going to send me to the void? Are you going to turn me back into a unicorn? Whatever it is, I don't care."
"Colgate," replied Twilight "Could you go get my brother and General Dark Night? I am going to need help with this."
"I will be back Twilight. I agree, you will need lots of help. She can get feisty." said Colgate
While Colgate went to get Shining Armor and Dark Night Twilight put her hoof on Rarity's shoulder and said, "Look Rarity, I don't think you understand the importance of what needs to be done. I made you an Alicorn because you are one of my friends. I should have listened to my instincts when they were telling me that Sweetie Belle would make a better Alicorn."
"WHAT?" shouted Rarity "You think Sweetie Belle would be a better Alicorn than me? You do know that she knows absolutely no magic don't you?"
"Yes Rarity, but I saw how she was when you and her were fighting and she wanted Applejack as her sister. I saw how much she wanted to help out over on the farm and had fun doing it. You just can't chip a hoof now can you? You can't eat normal food except for the sweets Pinkie fixes and you just can't not be in a position of authority now can you?" said Twilight
Before Rarity could say anything Colgate returned with Shining Armor and Dark Night. "What do you want us to help you with Twily?" asked Shining Armor
"I need you and Dark Night to help Colgate and I take her down to the dungeon. I am thinking that if I can't use magic to make her obedient, perhaps imprisonment will." replied Twilight
Rarity shouted, "WHY TWILIGHT? I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS!"
Twilight sighed and said, "You know Rarity, I should have known that this would not be for you. I know you like the glamour of being an Alicorn but you can't handle the responsibilities than come with it."
Rarity growled, "Twilight, the only responsibilities than an Alicorn had when Celestia was our princess was to live in Canterlot and be loyal to her. They never had to do anything like you want us to do, and Colgate, how can you stand having a boring regular job now that you are an Alicorn?"
Colgate replied, "You know what Rarity? Life is about a lot more than being pretty and sitting in some ivory tower. Twilight is in charge now and being an Alicorn doesn't make you better than other ponies. Regarding my job, I love being a dentist and that is something that Twilight didn't take away from me."
Rarity shouted, "Fine Dark Queen Twily, fine Commander Colgate, have your bouncers take me to the dungeon. I will get out sooner or later."
Twilight laughed, "You know Rarity, you still don't know how to teleport and the locks on the doors can only be unlocked by a spell that only I along with Shining Armor knows. So until you calm down and quit being a spoiled, disobedient brat, you will remain locked up. Even if I free you before our mission to Faustica, you aren't going. Right now I think you are a threat to national security."
Rarity continued shouting as they were all hauling her down to the dungeon. Shining Armor led her into her cell and locked the door. She was enraged glaring at Twilight shouting, "You won't get away with this! I will go to Faustica myself and let the true royal family know about your tyranny!"
"Rarity, with the way you have been behaving your sentence is thirty days. More outbursts will lead to a longer sentence, increasing in one month increments, so if I were you, I would shut up." said Twilight
"Colgate," said Twilight "could you go and take Sweetie Belle to Sweet Apple Acres and take Opal to Fluttershy's cottage since Rarity won't be home for a while?"
"Of course I can Twilight! Consider it done!" replied Colgate
Rarity shouted, "YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE MY SWEETIE BELLE AND OPAL SOMEWHERE ELSE!"
Twilight replied, "Rarity, I don't think Sweetie Belle is old enough to be left on her own yet and with Applejack having a dog, I don't think Sweet Apple Acres is the best place for a cat."
Colgate said, "Yeah Rarity, cats and dogs just don't mix. I'm off Twilight, I will see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow Colgate. Get plenty of rest." said Twilight
"You too." replied Colgate as she left the dungeon and headed off to take care of Sweetie Belle and Opal.
Rarity replied, "Well ok, I understand your reasoning there. But what will I eat down here in all this muck?"
Twilight laughed, "Oh don't worry Rarity, you will get a decent portion of the commoners' food you complain so much about."
"And what if I refuse to eat it?" said Rarity
"Well I guess you will starve then. Even I don't eat fancy Canterlot food so why would I give a prisoner of mine that expensive stuff." replied Twilight
Dark Night said, "You know Twilight, she is your first prisoner. I am thinking you should make some sort of plaque commemorating this event since she seems to be such a drama queen and loves attention so much."
"You're right Dark Night!" laughed Twilight "Then she will forever have fame here in the black tower! I know she will love that!"
Rarity just rolled her eyes and sulked in her cell knowing that it was going to be a long thirty days.
Twilight said, "Come on everypony, we need to get some rest. I'm getting tired anyway."
Twilight, Shining Armor and Dark Night left the dungeon, slamming the door behind them. Rarity sat down there and used her horn to make some light. She was thinking to herself, "Ok Rarity, just keep quiet and when thirty days have passed, we will head to Faustica. I overheard Twilight and LaurFa talking about how that is where Celestia and Luna went to with their parents. We will join their side and defeat the dark queen."
Upstairs Twilight and Shining Armor were having a final snack before they headed to bed.
"You know Shining Armor, Rarity is a friend but I just can't have somepony disrespecting me like that." said Twilight
"I know," said Shining Armor "not to mention criticize you over your plans."
"Well she has thirty days to think about it. By then we will have recovered that relic and relocated that library so I'm not overly worried about it. I'm off to bed." replied Twilight
Twilight headed to bed feeling a bit more at ease. She stood on her balcony facing to the west and thought to herself "If she does move to Canterlot after she finishes her sentence, there won't be any gourmet food left there to have!" Twilight decided to turn in for the night and very quickly fell asleep.