//------------------------------// // Timberwolves Attack/Flash Sentry's Death // Story: The Pony King // by Darth Redbeard //------------------------------//         The next day, Blueblood was walking with Spike into Ghastly Gorge, his plan being set into motion.         “Now wait here,” Blueblood said. “I have a surprise for you.”         “How about I come with you, or I go get my friends.” Spike suggested.         “No, you stay on this rock,” Blueblood replied. “You don’t want to end up in another mess like with the Diamond Dogs, right?”         “I guess not. Alright, I’ll wait.” Spike sat down on the rock as Blueblood walked away. Unknown to Spike, an evil smile crept onto Blueblood’s face. As he walked away from the gorge, Fido, Rover, and Spot were waiting near a Timberwolf’s lair, keeping an eye out for Blueblood.         “Where’s he at?” Spot asked. “We can’t wait forever for him to show.” Just as he said that, Blueblood arrived on a small cliff.         “There he is,” said Rover. “Let’s go.” The walked over to the mouth of the cave before setting out some explosives that Blueblood had given them.         “I’d hate to be the poor sap that deals with these crazy wolves.” Said Spot. After setting the explosives, Fido pushed the plunger, setting off the explosives. When the smoke cleared, the timberwolves rushed out, running into the forest, straight to where Spike was at. Blueblood smiled as his plan was set in motion.         ‘Soon, this entire Kingdom of Ponyville will be mine.’ He thought.         At this moment, Spike was still waiting to see the surprise Blueblood had in store for him, when he heard the howling of the timberwolves. He turned and looked to his left and saw twenty of them heading right for him. As he tried to fire off a spell to repel them, his magic was once again not working.         With no magic for him to use, Spike began to run from the angry timberwolves, hoping to make it back to Ponyville where he could find help. If he could get home, he would be safe since they wouldn’t go near all the ponies there.         However, everytime he tried to run off towards Ponyville, another timberwolf appeared, cutting off his escape. He turned and fled deeper into the forest, further away from Ponyville and his home.         Flash was flying over the Everfree, doing his usual patrol when he spotted Spike running from the timberwolves. He immediately rushed down to rescue his son. No sooner had he landed, did he find his ability to fly had disappeared. He ran after Spike, finally catching up with him near a cave. He rushed in front of Spike, determined to protect his son.         “DAD!” Spike yelled. Flash ran at the nearest timberwolf and attacked it, cutting off it’s legs with his sword. Another wolf ran at him, biting his back, only to have it’s teeth hurt the Flash’s armor. Flash turned and slashed the wolf’s head off. The others all rushed at him, determined to kill him, only to have Flash’s sword continue to cut them down.         Unknown to Flash, one of the timberwolves got under him and slashed his stomach, causing him to fall to his side. Spike watched on in horror as his dad was attacked. He turned away, hoping everything was a dream.         The timberwolves howled and left, allowing Spike to look out of his hiding spot. He saw Flash, lying down near a broken tree, not moving. He ran over to his dad, hoping to get him up.         “Dad?” he asked. “Come on dad get up. We need to get home.” When Flash wasn’t moving, Spike ran into the clearing. “Help!” he yelled. “Somepony! Anypony! Help.” Spike finally realized that no one was coming and went over to his dad and lied down next to him, tears flowing from his eyes.         After a few minutes, Blueblood walked into the clearing and went up to the two. His shadow alerted Spike to another ponies presence, causing him to look behind him.         “Spike,” Blueblood began. “What have you done?”         “It was an accident. He tried to save me from the timberwolves. I didn’t mean for it to happen.” Spike explained.         “Of course you didn’t,” Blueblood said. “No one ever means for these things to happen, but you dad is dead.” Spike looked up, tears no fully flowing from his eyes. ‘And if it wasn’t for you, he’d still be alive.”         “What should I do?” Spike asked.         “Run,” Blueblood said. “Run away and never return.” No sooner did those words leave his mouth, that Spike ran off into the forest, doing just as Blueblood said. The Diamond dogs appeared behind Blueblood as he gave them the command. “Kill him.” The Diamond Dogs ran after Spike, determined to finally get rid of him.         Spike continued running from the Diamond Dogs, eventually reaching the side of a cliff after rolling down the hill side. He tried to fly over the cliff, only to fall in the brambles below. As he continued running, he heard the Diamond Dogs stop, until Fido hit them from behind, knocking Spot into the brambles. By the time he had climbed back out, Spike was off in the distance, far away from the trio. The last thing he heard them say before he was out of earshot was “If you ever come back, we’ll kill ya!”         Later that night, Twilight was reading one of her books when Celestia and Luna appeared in the living room with Flash’s body.         “What happened?!” she exclaimed. When Celestia explained that he was attacked by timberwolves, Twilight broke down. She had lost her husband and was worried about what Spike would think. All three of them were very close, not just because of being a family, but because they were all friends.         The next day, Twilight went to Canterlot with Celestia and Luna, as she was not ready to face her friends about what happened. As Twilight was not in a fully stable mood, Celestia teleported all three of them to one of the many rooms of the castle, allowing Twilight to hopefully have time to get over the shock, as both Shining Armor and Princess Cadance arrived, wondering what had happened. Right after Celestia explained that Flash was dead, Cadance went over to her sister-in-law and began rubbing her back, trying to calm her down. Eventually, Blueblood arrived with more news.         “Spike was killed by timberwolves.” he said. No sooner did those words leave his mouth, that Twilight immediately broke down in tears that both her husband and son had died. What Blueblood said next, sent chills down the five ponies present. “Since this has happened, I spoke to the other nobles and we’re all in agreement that you will be not fit to rule after the death of her loved ones, as well as Celestia and Luna are unfit to rule due to the closeness between them and Spike. Shining Armor and Cadance will also have to give up control of the Crystal Empire to a new ruler.”         “And who might that be, Blueblood?” Luna asked. Blueblood just smiled.         “Me.” he said. The five began shouting until he showed them a scroll with all the nobles signatures. “Equestria is officially mine, and you five are no longer royalty.” However, what Shining said next changed everything.         “Then the Crystal Empire will secede from Equestria.” he said. “Until the true monarchy is restored, all ties will be broken.” he turned to his family. “I’m sorry, but I can’t allow him to rule over the Crystal Empire and Twily, I’m sorry about Flash and Spike.” Shining and Cadance left, returning back to their home, knowing that Equestria would never be the same again.