Twilight awoke late in the afternoon, dried tears coating her face. Blinking rapidly, the blurriness vanished to reveal her friends standing around her. She slowly sat up, stretching her wings and legs as she did, then crawled out of bed.
"Hey! Hey! What's wrong, Twilight?" Pinkie's voice was accompanied with dull thumps, most likely the pink mare prancing on the bed.
"Celestia. I don't know why, but there's something off about her. She-she's been so grumpy lately, and she's not acting normal." With that statement, Twilight began pacing, her friends standing to the side and watching with mingled expressions of curiosity and confusion.
"Well, sugarcube, how's she actin' so diff'r'nt?" Applejack's accent was comforting, and Twilight relaxed slightly, sitting down at her desk.
"Well, take yes-um, this morning for example. I was exploring the castle, and when she found me, she was really, really angry that I wasn't in my room. As if she needed me to be there for something..." Twilight was scribbling magically until Spike tugged gently on her mane.
"Would you like me to-"
"Spike, take some notes," replied Twilight, a small gleam in her eye.
"Yes ma'am!" grinned Spike with a mock salute before jumping up into the chair Twilight had just been in.
"Princess Celestia has been acting grumpy and angry lately. Seems upset I'm not in my room. Coat was greyer," added Twilight, recalling the small tidbit from the morning. "Wait, greyer! You don't think..."
"I sincerely doubt it, Twilight dear. And besides, why would he pull the same trick?" Rarity was pacing as well, her mane bobbing with each step.
"Okay then, there has to be something... Wait!" Exclaimed Twilight once again, stopping the pacing. "What if there's some sort of spell here? It's a long shot, but..." Twilight sat down, her wings flaring out as if she was about to raise the moon. Her eyes closed, her horn began glowing the familiar pale, glittering magenta. Twilight began looking about the room, seeing with her horn. She saw the normal lines of magic, such as the electricity, each pony's natural glow, etc. But then she saw a dark line, running along the door, ceiling, and to her bed. Snapping out of the spell, she was shaking, quickly met by a tight hug from Fluttershy.
"What did you see?" Asked Fluttershy, her voice quiet, even for her.
"I-it's not safe here. I'm going to teleport you guys out, one at a time. I'll start with you, Fluttershy. But first, I'm going to make you invisible. Just for safety. I'm going to teleport you to Luna's room, okay? But let me go check it first." Twilight was rambling, but she closed her eyes, picturing Luna's room. She opened her eyes to see the room, and it appeared normal. Closing her eyes once again, she tested the same spell she had done in her room. There was no dangers to be seen, so she teleported back to her room, not even fazed at the effort.
"Where were you?" Asked Spike, but Twilight ignored him. She quickly cast a light vanishing spell on Fluttershy, and it worked, much to Twilight's shock.
"Grab my arm, Fluttershy," commanded Twilight, and she was met with light pressure on her forearm. Closing her eyes, she pictured Luna's room, and appeared there moments later. Removing the spell from Fluttershy, she saw the yellow pegasus was shaking, her eyes shut. "It's okay," sighed Twilight soothingly. "I'm going to put a protective spell on you, okay? It might tingle for a minute." She closed her eyes for what felt like the millionth time that afternoon, and within a few minutes, Fluttershy was encompassed in a nearly invisible bubble. "I'll be right back," added Twilight, teleporting back to her room.
She repeated the teleportation with everypony, all letting them into Fluttershy's "bubble". They were all nervous, until Twilight began explaining.
"There's some sort of dark spell in my room, leading right to my bed. Luna's room is free of this for now, and I think she may be able to help us. I want all of you to stay here, I'm going to look for her."
"Be safe, alright Twilight?" Rainbow Dash's warning was lost, as Twilight had already teleported back down to the spa. Luna sat, her hooves still being filed, until Twilight ran into her, pulling angrily on her mane.
"What's wrong, Twilight?" Asked Luna, her eyes filled with concern.
"Teleport back to your room, now!" Luna nodded, excusing herself from the mare and teleporting up to her room, followed by Twilight anxiously. They flickered in, and both saw the protective spell surrounding the others.
"What's wrong, Twilight?" Repeated Luna, even more worried.
"There's some sort of dark spell in my room, and I had to get these guys out. Your room is safe for now, but I don't know who did it, or how. What do I do?"
"I'm not sure," whispered Luna, sitting down. Twilight gently nudged the spell to encompass Luna as well, though Fluttershy stayed away from her, still wary of the Nightmare Moon incident. Without warning, Celestia barged in, the door nearly falling off its hinges.
"Congratulations, Twilight! You've finished the final test. You are now ready to become Princess!"
"What?" Exclaimed Twilight, jumping up confusedly.
"You're crowning will be tonight, at dusk. You will set the sun and raise the moon after I give you my Regalia. Now, I have preparations to make, so have a good day."
"What?" Asked Twilight again, dejectedly.
"I'm not sure Twilight, but I'm going back to the spa to try and figure this out." Luna flickered out, and Twilight nodded slowly. Looking out the window, she saw there was maybe an hour left until dusk, and she flopped onto the ground, staring at her friends.
"What's going on?" Her friends had no answer, but Spike did.
"Well, Twilight, maybe you could look if up?" Spike honestly didn't think there'd be anything in books, but he knew reading would get Twilight mind off of things.
"Of course!" Exclaimed Twilight, a smile reappearing on her face. "Girls, stay here!" Closing her eyes, she imagined the wooden "Seven" sign and appeared there, pushing open the door with a grin. She began scanning through the shelves, searching for any book on alicorns.
Celestia
Celestia was pacing angrily in her room, scowling and muttering to herself. Of course, giving Twilight the crown now would speed up her plan, but was it worth it? Her thoughts were interrupted by a small cough.
"What is it, Green Hoof?" Snapped Celestia, her eyes filled with rage.
"You said I'd be paid for getting you that plant," whispered Green Hoof, fear evident in his voice.
"This payment enough for you?" Hissed Celestia, grabbing him and teleporting down to the prison. Throwing him hastily in a cell, she teleported out, leaving him alone in the darkness.
Back in her room, Celestia resumed her pacing when an idea struck her. Smiling much wider than was natural, Celestia left the room and headed down a long flight of stairs.
Twilight Sparkle
Twilight finished another book and magically threw it in anger. There was nothing about creepy Princesses at all! Glancing out at the window, she saw she had mere minutes until the crowning ceremony, and she teleported up to her room. Brushing her mane quickly, she teleported back down to the front door. Celestia stood there, waiting with a grin on her face.
"Hello, Twilight," smiled Celestia kindly, and Twilight grinned back.
"Hello, Princess." Twilight's nervousness echoed in her words, but any and all thoughts were cut short as the doors were magically thrown open. Walking numbly towards the platform, Celestia stood next to her with an extremely large grin.
"Welcome, citizens of Equestria! We are gathered here today to watch as Princess Twilight Sparkle becomes sole ruler of Equestria!" The crowd stood from its bowed position, and Twilight resisted the temptation to gnaw at her hooves.
"Thank you Princess Celestia," declared Twilight, levitating slightly to receive the final regalia. Spotting her friends in the crowd, she briefly waved before Celestia began her spell.
"Sim potens solis obscurat aeternum!" Twilight blinked slowly, confused. Wasn't the spell different, and longer? Looking back at the sun, she saw it had completely disappeared, blackened out by some unseeable magic.
"Where's Luna?" Asked Twilight in a quivering voice as the rest of the crowd screamed in tower.
"Oh, she couldn't make it," smiled Celestia sweetly as she began to change. Her body became a bright, blinding white, and her regalia transformed as well. The crown became a dull, dark silver, the gems disappearing. The necklace transformed simply to a dull silver with a bright white sun emblazoned on it. The hoof covers elongated, stretching up the majority of Celestia's legs.
"No!" Yelled Twilight, recognizing what was happening. Celestia was no longer dear Celly, but Terror Sun! She had read rumors of it earlier, merely in a children's book, but now it was true. Celestia had become evil. "Girls, grab on," commanded Twilight, and Spike did as well, leaping to Twilight's back as they teleported away.
They arrived in the spa where Luna had been, but what Twilight saw there was unforgettable. The water was a deep red, all from two bodies. Princess Luna and the spa attendant lay floating in the pool, eyes filled with terror. On the wall, spelled with a red, dripping substance, read two words.
"I'm Coming," read Twilight in a dull tone. "She killed my mom." With those words, what had happened sunk in, and Twilight whirled around in rage. "Girls, do you know what we need to do?"
"Yes, Twilight," chimed the five other ponies, followed by a hesitant Spike. They lined up as Twilight marched past them, handing out commands left and right.
"Applejack, I need you to begin a resistance. Recruit as many followers of Luna as you can, have them meet on the second floor of this tower. Rainbow Dash, you will guard there- armor is available fourth floor. All of you, get some armor. Fluttershy, stay on the second floor as well, Rainbow Dash will protect you. If you can, rally any animals from the garden. You'll find it somewhere here in the tower-have Pinkie accompany you. Rarity, help hand out armor to any recruits Applejack can get. I'm going to get armor myself, and get as many guards as I can to guard this tower."
"And me?" The others had already ran off, but Spike remained, attempting to be brave.
"You can help Rarity," decided Twilight, and he ran up the stairs after her. "Now then," smiled Twilight, "Celestia's going to get it."
Twilight had dragged the bodies out of the pool, and now was in the armor gallery, as Rarity tried to find her something lightweight but strong.
"Perhaps-no, maybe-I doubt it..." Rarity's indecisiveness was only encouraged by Spike running back and forth between her and the wall of armor.
"Just pick one!" Snapped Twilight, and Rarity took a step back.
"Okay! Try this one!" The armor wasn't too impressive, a simple silver, but it molded itself to fit Twilight perfectly.
"Thanks," cried Twilight over her shoulder, having already ran off towards where her brother was stationed.
At Shining Armor's Station
"Shining Armor!" Cried Twilight, and Shining Armor turned towards the corridor his sister was tearing down.
"What is it Twily?"
"All of you, come with me," declared an exhausted Twilight Sparkle, running back towards the tower. They didn't spot any problems, and arrived quickly. "Shining Armor, guard here with Rainbow Dash. The rest of you, go guard somewhere on the tower. No pony except me, my friends, and anypony Applejack has with her gets near this tower. Permission to kill or fatally injure, understood?"
The guards stared in shock for a moment, then saluted together before flying/running off to different doorways. Twilight grinned momentarily before bursting into the room where Fluttershy and Pinkie waited. Of course, they weren't alone. About one hundred animals were in the room as well, hopping along and nibbling on carrots Pinkie continued to produce out of no where. Nodding once, Twilight ran out again, saluting briefly to Rainbow Dash before running off to find more guards.
A/N: This chapter was only 2,037 words, and I apologize. I am right on track for my goal of at least 30,000 words though, so it's all good. The next two chapters will be quite climactic, followed by an aftermath chapter and an epilogue. Comment away!