//------------------------------// // Chapter 18: The Dark Kingdom // Story: Queen of Evil and Princess of Kindness // by kurusagi16 //------------------------------// Chapter 18: The Dark Kingdom Queen Celestia entered the infirmary as soon as she heard that her sister had regained consciousness. The princess was sitting up in bed, still a bit dazed. "Luna!" Celestia cried happily. She wrapped her arms around Princess Luna. "Thank goodness." "I'm fine sister. Where is Melodia?" Celestia let go of her sister and faced her. "She escaped, and took Fluttershy with her." Celestia lowered her head in shame. "You were right Luna, I shouldn't have put so much faith in Melodia so easily, and now, I've put everypony's lives in danger." Celestia shut her eyes. The weight of everything crashing down upon her shoulders. Luna looked at Queen Celestia with pity. "It's not all your fault Celestia, Melodia fooled everypony. What matters now is what you do about it. How will you handle Melodia now?" said Luna. Queen Celestia wasn't sure what say, when Lady Spitfire came rushing into the infirmary in a panic. "Queen Celestia! Princess Luna! Something has happened!" she said, a bit out of breath. "What is it, what's happened?" asked Queen Celestia. "Princesses Twilight Sparkle and Rarity are missing! As well as Applejack, Pinkie Pie, even Squire Rainbow Dash." "They must be heading to the Dark Kingdom." said Celestia. "What makes you say that?" asked Luna. "Because that's where Fluttershy is, and there's no doubt they're trying to save her." "My Queen, what are your orders?" asked Spitfire. "Round up the Wonderbolts and the rest of the guards, and have them look after the castle. I'll be heading to the Dark Kingdom to and stop them." "We'll head over and stop them." said Luna, getting out of the bed and stumbling a little. "Luna, you're in no condition to travel, or even fight should we need to." Celestia argued. "You'll need all the help you can get. I'll be fine, please sister, let me come." said Princess Luna. Queen Celestia shook her head. "I won't lose you Luna, you're staying here." Luna was laid back down on the infirmary bed, and Queen Celestia followed Lady Spitfire out of the room. As Queen Celestia was heading down with Spitfire, she was stopped by a paw on her shoulder. She turned her head, to see Discord grinning. "I have a little proposition I'd like to make." he said, his grin growing wider. Twilight and the girls had taken a large hot air balloon, and were flying it toward the Dark Kingdom. Prepared to face whatever might come their way. "How will we know when we arrive?" asked Rainbow Dash. "I think that creepy, dark castle ahead is a good clue." said Pinkie Pie. Sure enough, a tall spire castle, made out of roughly cut black rock, surrounding the castle was a poor, desolate land full of dying grass, dead trees and dilapidated houses. "Never mind." said Rainbow. "Ugh! It's so dreadful!" exclaimed Rarity. "How can anypony live here?" "It's certainly a sad sight, how will we find Fluttershy?" asked Applejack. Before anypony could answer her, an arrow from the castle shot toward them, and punctured a hole in the balloon. The girls then went crashing down, screaming all the way. "We're gonna die!" Rarity shrieked, holding tightly onto Applejack for dear life. "And there was some much I wanted to do!" Rainbow flew out of the balloon, carrying Pinkie Pie. Twilight also flew out and used her magic to levitate Rarity and Applejack out of the basket and placed them safely on the ground. "Oh, we're alive!" Rarity cried joyfully. "Uh, you can let go now princess." said Applejack. Rarity saw that she was still holding Applejack and let go of her, embarrassed. "Right, sorry." she said. The girls faced the towering castle that loomed over them. "There's no turning back now." said Twilight. The girls took a single step forward, as the did so, a horde of shadow ponies rose up, surrounding the girls. "Aw man! Why can't it be easy?" Pinkie complained. The shadow ponies herded the girls toward the castle, to meet whatever fate awaited them inside. Inside the throne room, the girls were forcibly knelt onto the floor. Before them, smiling smugly was the Queen of Evil herself, Queen Melodia. "Welcome, to my humble home." said Queen Melodia. Her arms gesturing to everything around her. "Where's Fluttershy?" asked Twilight, her voice hard as she looked up at the queen. "My daughter is preparing for her coronation, though, I suppose it's about time that you meet your new queen." She turned and called out, "You're subjects are awaiting you my dear." Fluttershy appeared, but she didn't look like the pegasus they knew and loved. Her eyes, now crimson, regarded them coldly. She slowly walked toward them, wearing a black dress, and a necklace around her neck. The opal on it was clouded over. "Fluttershy?" Twilight couldn't believe it. This couldn't be their friend! What had happened to her?! "Is this them?" Fluttershy asked. Her voice was full of contempt that didn't suit her at all. "Fluttershy, it's us! Don't you remember?" inquired Twilight, unable to take her eyes off the pegasus. Fluttershy sneered. "Why should I remember peasants like you?" "What has that witch done to you?" asked Rarity. Fluttershy's eyes zeroed in on her. "What's the matter Rarity? Not used to having everything be your way?" Rarity shrank back. "Well, sorry to disappoint you girls, but I'm no longer the weak, simple-minded fool I once was. You won't be able to push me around anymore, never once complaining. I've changed for the better." "More like for the worst." said Rainbow Dash. "Fluttershy, this isn't you, choose who you want to be! Be the friend we love and care about!" said Twilight, hoping to reach through to her. But Fluttershy didn't seem to care. "Frankly girls, I don't give a flying feather about you, or your friendship. You can all stay in the dungeons for all I care." Queen Melodia was practically glowing with pride. "Well said my dear, well said." she said. Melodia motioned for the guards to come forward. "Take them to the dungeons, they shall be an example on all who think they can just trespass into this kingdom and get away with it." Queen Melodia laughed maniacally as the girls were dragged away. Fluttershy watched, feeling the smallest bit of sadness and regret, deep within her hardened heart. "Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were rattling against the bars, trying to get out of the cells they'd been locked in. Twilight tried to use her magic, but there was some kind of anti-magic field surrounding them. "We need to get out of here." said Applejack. "How in Equestria are we going to do that?" asked Rarity. "I'm sure Twilight has come up with something." said Pinkie Pie. Twilight was sitting on the floor, deep in thought. It didn't seem like there was any chance of them escaping. 'What are we supposed to do now?' she asked herself. "Looks like you ladies are in need of some assistance." The girls all looked up to see Discord standing near the stairway. "Discord!" they all cried. "How...when...huh?!" said a confused Rainbow Dash. "What the hay are you doing here?" asked Applejack. "Is that the kind of treatment you show your rescuer?" asked Discord. "Come again?" asked Rarity. Discord pulled out a ring of keys he'd "borrowed" from on of the guards. "Queen Celestia made a deal, that I help rescue you, and Fluttershy, in return I get to leave the castle with a free pass." he said. He bent down and unlocked the prison doors. "You came to rescue us? Why?" asked Twilight. "Let's just say that you're not the only ponies that care what happens to Fluttershy." he said. Discord was surprised to see Twilight smiling at him. "Thank you, Discord." she said. "Yes, yes, now tell me, where can we find Fluttershy?" "Sorry to tell you this sugarcube, but it's not gonna be as easy as you think." "Yeah, that queen put so kind of freaky spell on Fluttershy, making her nasty and mean!" "Not if I have anything to say about it." said Discord. He snapped his lion paw and disappeared. "Hey, no fair!" Pinkie shouted, running up the stairs to try and follow after him. "Come on girls!" said Twilight, leading them out of the dungeon. Queen Melodia couldn't help but smile as she looked down below at the army of shadow ponies she'd summoned. The barrier had considerably weakened her powers, but now, she was at full strength. She could almost reach out and touch the victory that was so close and yet so far. Equestria would fall, her daughter would be queen, and together they'd rule, not needing anypony else that would betray or abandon them. Not like her mother, father, Celestia, or Drake had done. They'd left her behind, but n turn, they'd led her to this glorious fate that awaited her. One of the guards entered without knocking. "What is it?" she growled, hating it when ponies disturb her. The guard shook with fear before he said what he'd come to tell her. "The princess asks for you, she says that she doesn't feel well." he said. Melodia's eyes widened at this and she instantly teleported into her daughter's bedroom. Fluttershy was hunched over, in apparent pain, gasping for breath that would not come. Queen Melodia felt her maternal side take control as she went to her daughter's side and placed both hooves on the young mare's shoulders, worried for her daughter's well being. "Fluttershy, what's wrong?" she asked. Fluttershy lifted her head, trying her best to speak. "I-it...hurts..." Queen Melodia looked into her daughter's eyes, within them, she could see massive turmoil in them, as they cleared and clouded with black magic. She put a hoof on her daughter's chest and concentrated. The evil and black magic she'd given her daughter was being rejected, and it was hurting Fluttershy in the process. 'How can this be?! It never hurt me before! I must do something, to help ease the pain.' Hoof still on her daughter's chest, she allowed some of her own black magic to flow into Fluttershy. Gradually, Fluttershy managed to breathe at a normal pace, and was no longer in pain. "There, that should help you, are you okay?" asked Melodia. Fluttershy whacked her mother's touch away with the back of her hoof, giving her a look she'd never seen before, or at least, nopony had ever given her before. "Spare me the sympathies mother, it's none of your concern." she spat. "Now leave!" Queen Melodia was shocked, but regained her composure, and did as she wanted. Back in her throne room, Melodia began to wonder. Why was Fluttershy rejecting the black magic? It was supposed to make her stronger, but instead, it was causing her pain. She'd given her more, but how long would it last? As of now, it was hard to tell. She also couldn't help but feel a sadness at her daughter talking so harshly to her, instead of the sweet manner she usually used. 'Did I do...the right thing...?' Discord and the girls had left the dungeon level and made it to the first floor, where they found some shadow ponies waiting for them. "Oh great, who tripped the alarm?" asked Discord. Most ponies were looking at him. "Oh, right, in that case, there's only one thing left to do." He conjured a large cannon in front of them and shouted, "FIRE IN THE HOLE!!" He plugged his ears and the cannon blasted the shadow ponies through the wall. "Oooooo I have to get one of these for myself." said Pinkie rubbing the cannon. "Except of course it'll need lots and lots of confetti!" The rescue party continued onward, searching for their friend. Along the way, they would blow away any guards or shadow ponies that stood in their path. This caused so loud a commotion that it reached the ears of Fluttershy. "What in Equestria is making all that racket?!" she stormed out of her room and peered over the railing. She saw the girls and Discord fighting of the shadow ponies, her eyes narrowing on them. Using her magic, she teleported down to them. "So you've managed to escape." she said. "I should've known you'd be stubborn enough to escape." "It's gonna take a lot more than a dungeon to keep us from helping you." said Applejack. Fluttershy scowled. "Then you a sorely out of luck girls, this is the end of you." Her eyes glowed, and she lifted the ponies into the wall, squeezing the life out of them. "Fluttershy!" they cried, trying to reach through to her. But something unexpected happened. Fluttershy let out a cry of pain and released the girls. She collapsed to the floor, feeling a surge of pain rearing her to pieces. "Fluttershy, what's wrong?!" Fluttershy was unable to speak, she started to hyperventilate, trying to regain control of her magic. She felt a tapping on her shoulder, she turned to see Discord behind her. "Sorry about this my dear." he raised his talons in the air, and used them to slash the necklace off. As it fell off, Fluttershy fainted. "What did you do?" questioned Rainbow Dash, shaking Fluttershy a little. The pegasus moved and her eyes opened up. The red flushing out of them and returning to their normal teal. "Oh no, I had the most horrible dream!" said Fluttershy. She looked up at the friends who surrounded her. They pulled her into a group hug. "Fluttershy!" "Fluttershy, you're back!" "Girls, Discord, you...you came for me?" asked Fluttershy. "Of course we came for you, you're our friend." said Twilight. Fluttershy looked up at Discord and smiled at him. "Thank you Discord." she said. She turned to the rest of the girls. "Thank you everypony." There was a loud clashing outside, from the army that was preparing to invade. "We're not out of the woods yet." said Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy's eyes widened in fear. "Y-you're not going to fight them, are you?" asked Fluttershy. "Don't worry my dear, Queen Celestia is on her way as we speak, and besides, you have me on your side." said Discord. The ponies formed a protective circle around Fluttershy, ready to head out into the army, and escape this Dark Kingdom.