//------------------------------//
// Canterlot 
// Story: Destiny Book 1: Dark Vengeance 
// by SirScribe 
//------------------------------//

Upon arriving to Ponyville, the girls found the town about ready to tear itself apart from the panic that was the Changeling takeover. When the train stopped at the station, the doors of the cars burst open, spilling ponies of every shape and size onto the platform. Some of the ponies, instead of running around and screaming, charged at the Changelings, ready to defend their home. Trixie elected to get off with the other ponies at Ponyville. She argued that her magic could help them get an edge on the invasion. Instead of agreeing, Applejack argued that her magic could help them get back to Canterlot and fight whatever was attacking them.

While Applejack and Trixie argued about the situation, Rainbow was busy unhooking the train cars from the engine. Fluttershy was at the very front, tinkering with the controls. While she had no professional knowledge with trains and how they work, Fluttershy worked the controls like a professional conductor. This surprised Rainbow Dash as she worked on the last of the cars.

Finally, Applejack gave up arguing with the magician. "Ya sure about this?" she asked her.

Trixie nodded. "Trixie-er I mean I- believe that my business is better here. Besides, I need to fix some broken roads."

Rainbow gagged in the background. Fluttershy gave Rainbow a look that was too perfect. "We need ya help Trixie, but if ya really think this is best-"

Trixie smiled. They clopped hooves and went their separate ways. Applejack boarded the train, but before she closed the door, she turned around to face Trixie once again. Trixie was standing next to a trash can. Her hat glowed in her pink magic aura, and it levitated into the empty bin. Applejack's heart broke. Maybe something could be done. Applejack smiled. She knew what to do. She closed the door behind her, and the train took off.

Thanks to Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash had to struggle to keep up with the train. With no rear luggage holding her back, the Friendship Express blasted through the hillside of Ponyville and toward the royal capital of Equestria. Applejack had to hang onto both her Stetson and a rail just to survive the trip over there.



When the train pulled into the station inside Canterlot, the three friends found themselves in the middle of a war zone. Entire shops were blown up from within. Mannequins with stylish gowns and tuxedos were thrown all over the city streets. Broken glass littered the sidewalks. Guards in full armor were sprawled out onto the ground. Some were alive, some weren't. Fluttershy walked over to one to check for a heartbeat.

She got something different.

As she got close, she noticed something different about the pony. There was no blood, no blunt injuries, no anything to suggest that this guard was involved in battle. The pony seemed to only be passed out. Fluttershy placed her hoof on the pony's head, and that's when it happened. A green glow enveloped the unconscious pony. Fluttershy squeaked and flew back to her friends. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

"Changelings? But how-?"

"I guess we were the distraction," Rainbow said.

Fluttershy hid behind Rainbow. "W-why are th-they here?"

Applejack lowered her stetson. "Ah don't know, but ah would like to find out."

Rainbow smiled. "Let's go ladies! Canterlot is not saving itself!"

"Wouldn't that be amazing," Applejack muttered.

Rainbow was about to fly towards the castle, but suddenly stopped. In front of her was a cage made entirely out of...smoke? The bars were shifting within the darkness, like it was deciding whether or not to be cell bars. The cage had two ponies inside. One was the pompous Prince Blueblood. The other was...Rarity? The fashionista was knocked out on the floor of the cage next to Blueblood. It took all of Rainbow's willpower not to laugh at the sight before her. Rarity would go on rants concerning that night at the Gala when she was treated like garbage by the prince.

Fluttershy flew up and nearly shrieked. "Rarity?"

The unicorn stirred in her sleep. "Not now Sweetie Belle, go play with your friends," she muttered.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Ok, A'hm done here. HEY RARITY, WAKE UP!"

Nothing. Rainbow tried rattling the cage, but it didn't move. It felt heavy. "Rarity, please wake up, if you want to," Fluttershy said.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "The boutique burned down," she whispered into the cage.

In a flash, Rarity was at the cage looking like a maniac. "WHO DID IT? IS SWEETIE BELLE SAFE? WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SUMMER COLLECTION?! I'LL HAVE THAT PONY'S HE-"

Rainbow Dash started laughing uncontrollably. Fluttershy managed a weak smile while Applejack just shook her head. "Nice to see somepony still has her priorities straight," she said.

Rarity looked down at the farm pony. "Excuse me for thinking about my work."

Applejack smirked. "Rarity, what are ya doing up there? Cages aren't your specialty," she said.

Rarity sighed. She looked around, and immediately went into panic mode. "This-this monstrosity! The ugly shades of black and purple just do not make a cage pretty. This horrid craftsmanship is enough of a punishment. Get me out of here!"

Fluttershy flew to the cage door located on the other side. She tried opening it, but found it locked. Rarity sighed. "Well, it could be worse. I 
could be stuck in the same cage as- OH NONONONONONONONONO!"

She kicked Blueblood's hoof away from hers. Even when unconscious, he was still an unpleasant pain in the plot. "I don't care how you get me down, JUST DO IT QUICKLY!"

Applejack smirked. She threw her hat down and revealed her lasso. She threw the hoop at the lock on the cage. The cage was heavy enough for it to be almost impossible to move. Suddenly, she felt the cage begin to rock, but only a little bit. Summoning all her strength, Applejack began rocking her body with the cage, struggling not to break her jaw or neck while saving the fashionista.

Applejack could feel the rope started to give away, but she needed it to hang on for just a little longer. The cage was now violently rocking back and forth, throwing Rarity all over the cage. Her mane was all over the place, but not Blueblood's. Figures.

Suddenly, the cage flew off the hook it was hanging on. Rarity grabbed onto the nearest bar, and braced herself. The cage hit the ground, and cracked the pavement below. The loud echo of metal slamming into the ground rocked the dead quiet city. The cage door slowly opened, and Rarity flew out faster than Rainbow Dash could make a Rainboom. Speaking of Rainbow, the cyan pegasus was still laughing her mane off at the sight before her.

Rarity growled like a lion, but sighed. "Thank you Applejack. Although, when I say 'I don't care how you get me down', you should consider that I mean 'Get me down from here posthaste without damaging my mane'."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Nice to see ya too Miss Prissy."

Rarity smirked and hugged the earth pony. "Applejack, where ever did you go? You disappeared from Ponyville, and everypony was worried."

"Ah needed to travel. Ah was just bored with tha scenery," she said.

Rainbow nodded. "Feels good huh?"

"Mighty so. But, ah missed the family. Ah heard Twilight was in town so ah hopped on a train to get here."

Rarity perked up. "Twilight? Twilight was in Ponyville?"

Fluttershy nodded. "This morning I was going to pick some flowers for Angel, and I saw Twilight run toward the Library. She seemed busy, so I didn't go talk to her," she said.

Rarity smiled. "And dear, I do apologize for missing our spa days. I promise to make it up to you in the future."

Fluttershy smiled. "You don't have to do that-"

"Oh, but I insist. And to make it up to you, once this is all over, I will treat everypony to a grand day at the spa here in Canterlot. You thought the Ponyville spa is amazing? Wait until you try-"

"Ah, girls, ah think that's enough," Applejack said.

Rarity chuckled. Rainbow went to check on the knocked out Blueblood. He didn't move nor speak. He was out cold. "I don't think Blueblood is waking up sometime soon," she said.

The girls all agreed and proceeded to move. All of a sudden, thunder clouds rolled into the city. The wind started to howl in the day. A crash of thunder scared Fluttershy to the point of unconsciousness. Luckily, Rarity was there to help calm her down. They all were.

Rainbow landed on a pile of rubble to avoid the winds. They were picking up quickly, and these clouds were moving on their own. A crash of thunder followed a blast of lightning. The bolt pierced the clouds, and a chariot was seen flying towards the city of Canterlot. The ponies all backed away as the chariot got closer. Behind the reins was a pony in a black cloak.

Fluttershy backed a bit farther than the rest. She suddenly stopped when she realized something was behind her. She turned around, and there was her now ex-best friend: Discord. He gave her a small wave. "Why hello Fluttershy, it's been a while."

Fluttershy stood in shock and anger. "Discord? So it is true! You decided that, even after we forgave you for everything you did, it was a good idea to do this? To turn against your friends?"

"Where's the fun in being good? It's so much better being bad," he said, donning a curly mustache seen on the faces of movie villains.

Her blood began to boil. She launched herself at Discord, but he disappeared in a flash bang. Fluttershy landed face first into a potted plant. The group turned to see Fluttershy eating daffodils. They heard an echoing laughter from their favorite Draconiquus as the scene in front of them turned into smoke.

"Discord! Ya two-faced traitor!" Applejack yelled.

"Bring it on, Discord! I've always wanted to do this!" Rainbow shouted.

The smoke died down. In front of them was the cloaked pony. They all knew who it was. The hood came down, and the face of Nightmare Moon was burned into the minds of all the ponies. "Well, look what we have here. The 4 ponies who stripped me of my power. That failure will be made up here, tonight."