//------------------------------// // Prelude // Story: Queen of Equestria // by Ponyman14 //------------------------------// A chill ran up Rarity's spine. A powerful energy seemed to be taking control of her. It felt just like in her nightmare. Her anti-element, greed, was taking hold of her. "It's everypony's dream to some day wear a crown," she recalled her own words. "No!" she yelled, trying to shake the feeling off. Rarity inhaled as her emotions gave way to greed. Her fur was standing on end. "I can have everything I've ever dreamed of," she muttered. "Servants, Jewels… But everlasting beauty and eternal youth? Is it possible?" "If you will it, it shall be done," said the powerful dragon, Salazar. "No. No I do not will it!" shouted Rarity, trying to control herself. "You're tearing my apart! I just want things to be how they used to be. That is my wish." "I have changed nothing," responded the dragon. "The only thing that has changed, Rarity, is you." "But only because you've made me change!" yelled Rarity. "I never asked for this! You manipulated me. I'm not myself anymore!" "That is not half of it," grinned the great black dragon, "all of my puppets played their part. Your friends Twilight and Fluttershy, and even Celestia and Luna played their roles perfectly... All so that you should stand before me now." "It's simply unthinkable. I could never betray the princesses!" "Did they not betray you?" rumbled Salazar's voice. "Did Celestia not exploit you and your friends so that her chosen heir should ascend? Your service is done, and they mean for you to sit idly by. In one thousand years, Twilight Sparkle will rule, and your bones will be dust!" Rarity started to cry. "Why do you torment me so?" she yelled, "I'd sooner die than accept your offer!" "Your will is your own. Leave if you wish," said Salazar. "I shall return to the North, and your life will return to normal. In time, you will forgive Twilight, and she will forgive you. You will work happily until your bones ache and you become worn and weary. Old and gray you shall become. And dead you shall lay, rotting within the earth, long before the demise of your princesses." Rarity spoke up, "You've done all of this… You've wasted all this time and effort…" "I know you will not decline my offer," said Salazar. Rarity wiped tears from her eyes. "Why me? I wish it wasn't so," she cried. "I wish this choice was not mine to make. Why must I choose? I wish this was still just a fantasy." "And a distant fantasy it shall remain, if you decline," responded Salazar. Emotions churned within Rarity. She turned away from the dragon, considering her choices. She thought of her Ponyville friends and her sister. Could things really return to the way they were? How could she possibly accept the dragon's offer? Was he even telling the truth? What would her friends say? Would she lose them? But the temptation… Oh Celestia the temptation! Everything any filly or mare had ever dreamed of could be hers! The prestige, the attention, the fame, the fabulousness… It was no use resisting any longer. That strange dark energy continued to flow through her body. Her entire being seemed to be screaming 'yes!' She could no longer deny her true desires. "I accept," muttered Rarity. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One Month Earlier - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Rarity!" yelled Twilight Sparkle from the ground far below. "Help!" screamed Rarity as the dragon tightened his huge claws around her, creating a scaly prison for his pony captive. Rarity could not squeeze through the gaps between the claws. "Why does this always happen to meeee!?" screamed the white unicorn as she gazed down at the equestrian capital city below. Her head stuck out from between two great black claws. The dragon was flying towards Canterlot castle. Rarity could see ponies running around the streets below in panic. Multiple fires burned in the city center, where a skirmish between the dragon and royal guards had taken place just minutes ago. Giving up hope for the time being, Rarity tried to adjust herself and get comfortable. As she maneuvered, a razor sharp scale cut her leg. Seeing blood slowly seep into her pristine white fur seemed to upset the pony even more than being kidnapped. "Listen you here big buffoon! You philistine! When my friends get to me, you'll be sorry. We have these little things called the Elements of Harmony. When we activate them, you'll wish you had never come here! You picked the wrong day to kidnap Rarity the unicorn! I bet you don't even understand what I'm saying, you big stupid oaf!" Rarity kicked at one of the claws, with not so much as a twitch from the dragon in response. Suddenly a booming voice vibrated through Rarity's skull as if it was coming from inside her head. "Spare me your empty threats. Soon you will have no need for them," said the voice. Rarity fell back in surprise, causing her mane to get caught between more dragon scales. After a tense minute, Rarity managed to free her now frizzled hair at the expense of a few strands. Meanwhile the highest steeple of Canterlot castle loomed ahead. The bouncy ride calmed down as the dragon appeared to be settling down on the tower. As the black serpent wound its body around the Canterlot tower Rarity looked out below. Princess Celestia immediately caught her eye as an imposing figure on the balcony below. Rainbow Dash, a blue pegasus pony, flew up besides Princess Celestia. "Let her go, you overgrown snake!" yelled the pegasus. "Rarity! Can you hear me?" "Rainbow Dash! Yes, I'm here! His talons are too strong, I can't get out!" "We'll figure something out. Just hold on!" yelled Rainbow Dash. "Rarity!" came a small, raspy voice from below. Spike had just run out onto the balcony. Clearly exhausted, he must have just run up the lengthy tower staircase. "We're comin' for ya Rarity! Let go of her you big bully!" said Spike. Spike was a baby dragon and loyal servant to Rarity's friend, Twilight Sparkle. The little guy had had a crush on Rarity since he and Twilight arrived in Ponyville. Having no other dragons around his entire life, Spike had grown up knowing only ponies, and mares at that! This had stunted his growth and softened his natural dragon aggression. Rarity and her friends knew this, but liked 'little spikey-wikey' just the way he was. A sudden movement by her kidnapper knocked Rarity down again. She was lifted up above the tower. The dragon opened its claws and Rarity found herself standing in the dragon's palm high above Canterlot. Vertigo overcame her as she looked below. She immediately lay down on her belly, too afraid to move. The dragon's voice echoed through Rarity's head, "Equestria. It's borders stretch far and wide, expanded and sustained through conquest and pacification. Yet as of late your powerful queens and their army have wavered." Rarity noticed that the dragon's mouth was not moving when he spoke. It's as if it was speaking to her directly through her mind; some very high level magic for sure. Perhaps dark magic even, Rarity thought. "And what are you, my filly-school teacher? That's a nice little lesson in current affairs... but I'd really like you to PUT ME DOWN PLEASE!" retaliated the unicorn, stamping her hooves on the dragon's palm. "Who are you talking to, Rare?" shouted Rainbow Dash below. Rarity's response was cut short as Princess Celestia appeared in view, her huge wings spreading and contracting gracefully as she rose to confront the dragon. Equestria's resident sun god shot a piercing look at the black serpent before her. Celestia spoke in a stern and loud voice which Rarity had never heard before, "I don't know why you've come so far from your homeland, Salazar, but Equestria has nothing to offer you. You know this. If it's rare jewels and riches you seek, which is always the case for your kind, you are in the wrong place." Hearing no response from the dragon, which was apparently called Salazar, Celestia continued in a raised voice. "I caution you to leave Equestria immediately, after you release my subject. There are no treasures here; return North to whence you came... This is your last warning Salazar," spoke the princess so that all the ponies on the balcony below could hear. Rarity looked down. Now all five of her Ponyville friends were there, as well as princess Luna. "Woohoo! You go princess! You tell that big scaly meany head!" shouted Pinkie Pie as she jumped up and down excitedly. Salazar's tail slowly wrapped around the castle tower, like a great snake constricting it's prey. Slowly and tempered, the dragon's booming voice responded, "Tempt me not, princess, unless you wish to part this life before the eyes of your subjects." Rarity looked at princess Celestia hopefully. She glanced at Rarity with a fearful look, then back at Salazar. To Rarity's horror, Celestia hung her head and backed off, returning to the balcony below in a solemn descent. The unexpected look of hopelessness and defeat in her princess' eyes caused Rarity to scream. Salazar's voice reverberated through Rarity's skull again, causing her to clap her hooves over her head as if experiencing a terrible headache. "Far have I come, and long have I flown, and now I have found you. A common pony you are not. For greatness you are bound, and if you obey me, your dreams shall become a reality. The time has come for a change in Equestria's future." "No! What are you rambling on about?! Get out of my head!" yelled Rarity. A murmur of concern arose from Rarity's friends below. "What's he doin' to you, Rare!?" yelled Applejack. "Enough of this!" yelled Rainbow Dash, as she prepared to fly up to help Rarity. But she was caught in a magical aura from Princess Celestia, holding her back. "Let me go!" yelled the frustrated pegasus. "It's too dangerous," said the princess calmly. "If you're not going to do anything, then let me go! I'm going to get Rarity back down here so we can use our elements!" "Oh my," said Fluttershy. Ponies weren't suppose to talk to the princess like that. "Rainbow Dash!" said Twilight Sparkle disapprovingly. "I have watched your princesses since they arrived on this earth, as I now watch the deterioration of their empire," continued SalazarI have resolved that Equestria is in need of a new queen." Rarity now realized that her friends couldn't hear the dragon; he was using some sort of telepathic magic to communicate with her only. "Rarity," came the stern but soothing voice of Princess Celestia into Rarity's mind. "Princess!" Rarity shouted in excitement. Salazar grimaced, realizing that Princess Celestia was communicating with his captive by the same telepathic means. "My little pony, listen to me," started Celestia. "Greed is the essence of all dragons. They have cunning tongues. They are crafty and manipulative creatures. This dragon is particularly powerful. He will say anything to use you for his own purposes. Whatever he says to you, know that it's for his own selfish agenda..." Celestia was cut off as a wave of fire emanated from Salazar's mouth and hurtled towards their balcony. The balcony was swallowed in a mass of light and heat which Rarity had to shield her face and eyes from, even this far away. "And you, Rarity, are to be that new queen," continued Salazar. "All your dreams shall become reality. Mounds of gems shall you have, fame and attention. Eloquent garb fit only for a queen. Banquets of the finest fare. Your chalice shall brim with wine, as your chests brim with gold. Your subjects shall love and worship you. You shall have dominion of all that lies before you." Rarity gazed out upon the vast plains and mountain ranges extending to the horizon. "You shall rule Equestria as long as I am beside you. But now you must do as I say," finished the dragon. Still shocked speechless, Rarity looked down as the smoke cleared below. Hope returned to her as she saw a glistening force field protecting her friends. Twilight had reacted at the last second to save everypony on the balcony. "What? Do you really think me to be that gullible? Queen of Equestria? Hah, I'm sure!" retorted Rarity, renewed with confidence by seeing her friends unharmed. She stood on the dragon's palm, still lifted above the city, and boldly continued, "So you expect me to believe that you flew all they way here, burned down half of Canterlot, and tried to kill my friends, just to make an ordinary unicorn like myself the queen of Equestria? You could have picked any random pony off the street, and be telling her the same thing right now! 'All your dreams will come true, Rarity, if you just do as I say.' Oh give me a break!" The dragon was silent. "Heads up!" came a voice from somewhere up in the sky. Suddenly Rainbow Dash slammed into Rarity, swiping her clear out of Salazar's open claws and also knocking the wind out of her. The dragon looked around in confusion, trying to find where his captive had gone. Seconds later Rarity was set down up on the balcony with her friends. Dizziness took a few seconds to wear off, by which time she was embraced by her friends. "Wow Rainbow Dash! I didn't even see you grab Rarity you were so fast! But if I could see it, I bet it would have been totally awesome!" said Pinkie Pie. "I knew you were tough enough to handle that dragon," said Applejack. "You didn't expect anything less of me, did you?" said Rarity triumphantly. "Rarity! You're alright," said Spike, waddling up to her. "I would have rescued you myself, only I don't have wings." "Oh Spikey-wikey, I'm sure you would have made a most daring rescue," said Rarity kindly. "Alright team," said Twilight, "time to send this dragon the way of Discord! Elements ready!" A puff of smoke appeared behind Twilight. "You called, madam Sparkle?" said Discord in a French accent. "How may I serve my dear pony friends this afternoon?" Discord was wearing a butler outfit. His usual playful manner turned to one of genuine surprise as he noticed the gargantuan serpent above him. "Sa... Sal... Salazar?" stuttered Discord. "We don't have time for this, Discord. Get out of the way!" yelled Twilight. Discord reluctantly stepped to the side. The six mares concentrated their elements, now that Rarity was among them, just as they had done in the past to defeat Equestria's enemies. Around each pony's neck hung the elemental necklaces, through them the girls were linked with an inseparable bond. A magical aura wrapped around the six ponies, and levitated them above the balcony. Twilight Sparkle's eyes glowed white, as she opened up the magical core of her element deep within her. With Twilight's energy, the other girls followed suit. Magic, laughter, loyalty, honesty, kindness, and finally generosity entwined in a bright aura of light, blinding the others on the balcony. "Oh not this again. Isn't this old gag a bit overused, girls?" said Discord, "Oh, this brings back memories! Not very nice memories, but memories nonetheless... Oh, I'm sorry, am I distracting you?" Celestia glared at Discord, warning him to not interfere. "Fine. I can see when my help isn't appreciated," responded Discord mockingly. "I can't imagine how I'll ever become fully 'reformed' with you treating me like this, Celestia." Discord disappeared in a poof as suddenly as he had appeared. Ever since he had been re-released from his stone imprisonment by Celestia's order, to harness his powers for harmony instead of chaos, Discord had been a resident of Canterlot castle. What tasks the princesses had used him for had been a mystery to the girls ever since. Salazar now spotted Rarity. He began to move towards the ponies. A beam of rainbow colored energy shot towards the dragon. It stopped Salazar in his tracks. He snarled and tried to shield his face, but the powerful magic continued to press against him. At first Salazar was not effected, and continued to move in. But the beam grew stronger and engulfed him in its magic aura. "Auurrgggh!" groaned the massive black serpent, as his grip on the tower began to loosen. Rarity felt completely engulfed in her element, as did her friends. But suddenly Rarity was startled by that booming voice in her head again, "Our destinies are not chosen for us, but by us." Loosing her concentration, Rarity's elemental energy faltered, and she fell back to the balcony with a thump. The others dropped off one by one after Rarity, since all six elements are required for anything to work. "What happened?" asked Twilight Sparkle in a daze. "Don't know, but look!" cried Pinkie pie. Salazar's body lay mostly limp around the spiraling tower above. "He's very weak," said Princess Celestia, standing over the girls. "He's defeated. There's an observation floor in the tower. I will use this as his prison for now." "What in the hay did he ever want in Equestria?" asked Rainbow Dash. "I don't know," said the princess, "but whatever it was, he won't find it now." "I know!" Pinkie Pie blurted out. "He wanted to kidnap Rarity and bring her to his far away cave and marry her and give her gems. And then Rarity could make him dragon clothing, and MmmMmm…" Twilight Sparkle shoved her hoof in Pinkie's mouth, preventing the hyperactive pony from saying more. Fluttershy chimed in with her soft voice, "Oh. Maybe he was tired of the ruff 'n tuff dragon lifestyle and wanted to move to Equestria because we have nice ponies and cute little animals. Who wouldn't want that?" "My dear ponies, you do have quite the imaginations," said Celestia. "I think for right now you should all get some rest. This has been a very eventful day, especially for you, Rarity. We will find out more later when Salazar wakes up." "Excuse me," interrupted Fluttershy, "but, um, shouldn't we get the elements back to the Tree of Harmony right away?" "That's probably a good idea," agreed Rainbow Dash. "I know this was an emergency, but the tree just looked so sad when we had to take them away again," sighed Fluttershy. "It's only a tree, Fluttershy," said Applejack, "I think it can wait." "Rarity, are you alright?" said Twilight, putting a wing around her friend. "You're bleeding." There were cuts all over Rarity's body from the dragon's scales. "Oh dear. I was so in the moment, as it were, that I completely forgot about that," said Rarity. "Getting you cleaned up shouldn't be a problem," spoke Princess Luna, stepping forward. "You don't mean to say I'm invited to visit the royal baths and spa, do you?" asked Rarity excitedly. "Of course, Rarity," smiled Princess Luna. "Friends of the princesses are always welcome."