Chapter 11-
interlude-the tragedy of Paradise Estate
It was a clear day at Paradise Estate, the sun shining down on the Ponies who called the large manor house home. While many of the fillies and colts played outside on the grounds, the adult Ponies were inside, arguing over what they should do about the growing crisis. The foals outside turned their heads at the sound of the yelling and shrieking coming from inside the manor house. Angry curses so foul that nopony should ever hear them were uttered, and friendships as strong as a steel chain were torn apart, as if they were made of paper.
"I'm telling you, Truly! Tirek has returned!" Galaxy whinnied in anger, stamping her hoof. "It's not safe for Ponies to be here at the Estate anymore! Honestly, you're as stubborn as a mule sometimes!"
"Galaxy Swirl!" The Earth pony named Truly snorted, speaking in her thick southern drawl. "Y'all and Wind Whistler may have moved yah families back to that dingy old castle, but that doesn't mean the rest of us should have to!"
"Yeah, who'd want to go back to that place, anyway?" Paradise agreed. "So that Majesty can boss us around all the time?!"
"I dunno, girls... maybe we should what Galaxy says." Fizzy replied nervously. "I'm think I'm gonna go back with her!"
"Yeah, me too!" Buttons agreed. "I think we should all get our tails outta here, before the dark lord Tirek grinds us all into mush!"
Behind those two, Posey, Surprise, Masquerade, and Heart Throb nodded their heads in agreement.
Truly looked at all of them, then quickly exploded in anger.
"Then get the hail outta here, ya selfish mares!" Truly spat. "Give up all the hard work, blood, tears and sweat we've poured into this place over the past year, and go crawling back to kiss Queen Majesty's high and mighty flank!"
Behind her, Lofty, Mimic, Paradise, and Magic Star looked away in shame, hiding their guilt over the decision to stay at the Estate.
"Watch your tongue, Truly." Masquerade warned. "She is still your queen, too. And the estate sits on her lands."
"That is not your concern, or hers." Lofty replied angrily. "This is our home, and we're not leaving!"
"Um, e-excuse me." Posey, the yellow earth pony with pink hair, replied. "Can't you ponies see the danger you're all in. Y-you have to get out of here... not just for yourselves, but for your families, as well."
"Oh, like we're going to listen to you... oh miss high and mighty descendant of Element-harmony bearer Fluttershy." Mimic yelled, getting up in the timid mare's face. "We all don't have such a great pedigree to wave around in front of the queen! So why don't you go outside, and play in in the dirt with your flowers!"
The tears welled up in the gardener pony's eyes, and she ran out of the room, crying. "Fizzy, go after her." Galaxy told her. Nodding, the Jewel-eyed unicorn ran out after her friend. The two angry groups of ponies glared at each other.
"Is there no gettin though to y'all, little sister?" Heart throb asked in her southern accent. "Ah know we've had our differences in the past, Truly but..."
"Shut up, Heart Throb, you've made your decision!" Truly snapped. "As far as ahm concerned, Ah don't have a sister anymore!"
"Come on, Paradise!" Surprise, the White Pegasus descended from Pinkie Pie, pleaded with her friend. "I loves jokes just as much as the next pony, but this is serious!"
"This is no joke, Surprise." The Pegasus pony replied sadly. "This is goodbye."
"Is there nothing we can say, that will change your mind?" Gusty pleaded with them.
"You'd better leave now, girls." Magic Star replied. "I think there's nothing more to be said."
With that, Galaxy and the ponies that supported her, took their families and left. Leaving the Paradise Estate ponies to their fate.
It was several hours later, in the dead of the night, that the great hoard of Strydons came, spewing fire upon the manor house, and setting the roof ablaze. Mares and their foals ran in every direction, screaming and crying, as the goblin hordes unleashed their blades and arrows upon them. The ponies fought back, unicorns blasting away and the invaders, and the Pegasus attacking the Strydons in the air. The Battle was visible for miles, and Majesty sent a detachment of her Pegasus guards to aid the ponies' plight. But when they arrived... the scene they found was too horrific for words.
What had actually occurred during those last moments of the battle, may never be known. Twilight and Wind Whistler later theorized that when they realized they were outnumbered, Mimic unleashed the magical might of the golden Horseshoes she possessed, and took out the entire estate in one fiery blast. Others believe that several of the Ponies managed to escape the estate, and were forced to flee beyond the borders of Dream Valley. Whatever the case, Truly and the others were never heard from again, nor did any of Tirek's forces return to him to report what had occurred.
But the message of the attack had been sent, loud and clear; the Dark lord had returned, and he would favor none and spare none. It was now truly a war, which would leave nopony untouched. Every race was in danger; not just ponies, but humans, elves, and Gnomes, as well. The inhabitants of Ponyland would have to fight for their lives, their homes and their families... if they did not want to share the tragic fate of the thirty Ponies of Paradise Estate.