The train to Canterlot was packed from floor to ceiling. Every car seemed to be laden with more ponies than they had ever been meant to carry. There were even ponies hanging from the caboose and crouching in the coal car.
It wasn't much of a surprise, as the summons had gone out to all of Ponyville. Everypony was invited to attend a special event in Canterlot, where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would be making a grand announcement of import to all of Equestria. The Princesses had granted special dispensation to the citizens of Equestria, so that all who were invited could ride the trains that day for free. As such, it seemed nearly all of Ponyville had tried to jam themselves onto the Express Train to get to Canterlot to see what all of the fuss was about.
"Is there a reason we didn't just fly to Canterlot?" asked Spike grumpily, his tiny dragon body wedged between Bulk Biceps and Big Mac. "Or maybe, ya know, teleport? Ride a hot a air balloon? Something!?"
"The Friendship Express is the fastest and safest way to travel to Canterlot," replied Twilight Sparkle as though she were quoting a brochure. It was likely she in fact was, knowing what a bibliophile Twilight could be. "Besides, all of our friends are here! Isn't this exciting!?" And it was true. It seemed like everypony they knew had been squeezed into the same car. Starlight Glimmer and Applejack sat with Twilight, while across the aisle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash sat with the three Cutie Mark Crusaders. Even Granny Smith was on board, sleeping awkwardly next to Mayor Mare who, with a long suffering smile, had to keep getting her attendant to gently shift Granny's nodding head so as not to get drool on her ruffled ascot.
"Oh, sure it's real exciting," replied Spike rolling his eyes, "But that still doesn't explain why we're taking the train."
"Cause it's free," said Applejack, matter-of-factly.
"Eeyup." responded Big Mac.
"YEEEAAHHH!" added Bulk Biceps, rather over enthusiastically.
"I've got to agree with Spike on this Twilight," said Starlight with some consternation. "I know the royal decree said all the citizens of Ponyville should travel to Canterlot for today's announcement, and that the trains would be made available for everyponies use. But aren't you royalty yourself? Shouldn't you be, I don't know, arriving in some private carriage pulled by Royal Pegasus Guards? Or appearing in a burst of magic? If what's going on in Canterlot is so important, shouldn't you be a part of it?"
"That's funny coming from you Starlight. I thought you'd appreciate sharing the plight of the 'common' ponies," replied Twilight, teasing her pupil. "I will be a part of it Starlight," replied Twilight with a smile. "Just like every other citizen of Ponyville. There's no place I'd rather be on this auspicious day than beside my friends and loved ones. If that means having to put up with a little over crowding, I think that just adds to the specialness of the day!"
"Today's special all right," grumbled Spike as he shifted in his seat and accidentally put his snout in Bulk's armpit. Twilight's assistant gagged, causing the muscular pony to blush slightly. It would take a rank smell indeed to make a dragon like Spike react with revulsion, and it seemed the sweaty Pegasus had achieved just such a scent. Spike coughed, and gave Bulk Bicep's a look halfway between disgust and respect, before turning his attention back to Twilight "Any idea what the Princesses are supposed to be announcing?"
"I have no idea!" replied Twilight with a grin. "Like I said, I'll be finding out with the rest of you! Though it must be something major for the Princesses to go to so much trouble to make sure everypony for miles around is in attendance. I don't think there have been this many ponies heading to Canterlot since my coronation!"
"Doesn't that bother you though?" asked Starlight, still concerned. "I mean don't you wish Celestia and Luna would include you when it's something that's important to all of Equestria?"
"Pfft, nonsense," replied Twilight. "The Princesses have always kept me in the loop."
A mischievous look crossed Applejack's face. "Like that time Princess Celestia told ya ta make friends, but didn't tell ya it was so you could harness the powers of the Elements of Harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon?" asked Applejack.
"Or that time she let you know she was keeping the embodiment of Chaos as a statue in her garden after he broke out?" chimed in Spike.
"Or that time when she sent ya a letter about yer brother getting hitched a day before the ceremony?" added the unusually verbose Big Mac.
"OR THAT TIME SHE SENT YOU ONE OF STARSWIRL THE BEARDED'S SPELLS TO COMPLETE AND THEN DIDN'T TELL YOU IT WAS PART OF A PLAN TO SEE IF YOU WOULD BECOME AN ALICORN UNTIL AFTER YOU HAD RUINED YOUR FRIENDS LIVES, FIXED YOUR MISTAKE, AND SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED?" practically screamed Bulk Bicep's, attracting the entire train cars attention.
"How did you know about that?" questioned Spike.
"Okay, okay, so Celestia has a tendency to keep me in the dark about some things," responded Twilight defensively, "But it's usually for a good reason, and it has a tendency to work out in the end. This time she's probably just wanting to surprise everypony, that's all."
"Surprise everypony?" asked Starlight incredulously.
"Yeah, like a big surprise birthday party~!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, joining the conversation from across the aisle. "They've probably got enough cake and ice cream for all of Equestria to celebrate the big surprise announcement!"
"Thank you Pinkie, I'm glad you agree with me." said Twilight, smiling smugly beneath the fringe of her purple mane.
"Oh, I didn't say I agreed with you Twilight. I just hope there's lots of cake and ice cream, because it looks like there are going to be a lot of confused and hungry ponies when we get to Canterlot," replied the pink party pony with a grin. "It doesn't take much to start a riot in a crowd like this, and cake and ice cream can go a long way to buying enough time for the Royal Guard to restore order."
"Uh, I guess..." replied the purple pony, perplexed. "Either way, you guys should just relax and enjoy the ride. I'm sure we'll all find out what's going on soon."
If the train had been crowded, then the city was absolutely packed. Teeming crowds of ponies from all walks of life surged like a living river through the streets of Canterlot. Twilight had been all over Equestria, from Las Pegasus to Manehatten, and she had never seen so many ponies in one place in all of her life. As a matter of fact, there were way more ponies than had been in attendance for her coronation. As she looked around she saw ponies from as far away as Dodge Junction, Fillydelphia, Manehatten, and even the Crystal Empire. All surged towards Canterlot Castle, where a great sea of onlookers had already gathered.
Twilight and her friends would've been stuck far, far at the back, were it not for the timely intervention of a member of the Royal Guard. He told them that special seating had been reserved for the Princess of Friendship, her associates, and their guests from Ponyville near the front of a covered pavilion in the courtyard. It was just beneath the balcony where Twilight had stood and revealed herself to the nation as a Princess for the first time, and it seemed it would now serve as the platform for the Royal Sisters announcement. It still looked pretty far away from where she was sitting, and she was having second thoughts about her insistence earlier that she experience this moment with her friends and the other citizens of Ponyville gathered around her.
For one, the metal chairs that had been provided weren't exactly the hallmark of comfort. For two, somehow Pinkie had managed to secure a plate of cake and ice cream and was noisily masticating the half melted sugary mess practically in Twilight's ear. When she wasn't getting jabbed by Pinkie's elbow on one side, she was being thumped by Spike's tail, as he jumped up and down on his chair trying to get a better view of the balcony. Twilight noticed the sympathetic look that Starlight Glimmer gave her, the unicorn herself having ended up in Spike's earlier position, wedged between Big Mac and Bulk Bicep's.
Twilight smiled awkwardly at her student, and was about to say something along the lines that she might just have been mistaken about how wonderful it would be to be part of the crowd witnessing history, when a voice like thunder made everypony jump in their seats. "CITIZENS OF EQUESTRIA! PLEASE RISE FOR THE EQUESTRIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM!" As the echo's of Luna's voice faded, a nation rose to its hooves and began to sing along with the familiar strains played by a brass band through hidden speakers. It took a moment for everypony to recover from their shock and join in, but as the song rolled over the crowd, their voices rose. A surge of pride filled Twilight's heart as the citizens of Equestria, in one voice, sang the song of its people.
As the song faded, there were more than a few eyes that were blurred with 'liquid pride', as her brother would call it. "Citizens of Equestria!" called Luna from high atop the palace balcony in a slightly quieter voice, though still enhanced by magic so all could hear her as though she were standing beside them. "Thank you all for gathering here today as myself and my sister Celestia have bid you."
Here, Celestia stepped forward to join her sister, "Indeed, thank you one and all for being in attendance on this, a most joyous and auspicious day in Equestria's long and storied history. In the years to come, you will all look back upon this day and count yourselves lucky to have been here! To have heard our words and born witness to history in the making!"
"We ask that you be patient, and hold your questions and applause until after our announcement has been made," added Luna with a playful, mock sternness that caused a ripple of laughter to wash over the gathered audience. "But, it is not our intention to keep you all in suspense. That is why, my sister and I would like to make this announcement together!"
Luna and Celestia looked at each other and smiled, before turning back to the gathered citizenry of Equestria and in joyful voices they practically shouted in unison, "We hereby abdicate our rule of Equesatria!"
A stunned silence rolled over the crowd as the Princesses, their smiles never leaving their faces, bowed. The quiet seemed to extend even to the birds and insects, as not even single cricket chirped. Celestia then continued, "We know this must be a shock to you our loyal citizens, but we thought it would be best for you to hear this news from us, your former rulers."
"Indeed dear sister," added Luna, "For we want there to be no confusion. We have decided to willingly give up our claim to the throne to one who is far more suited to rule. Her radiance knows no equal. Her beauty and kindness are unmatched. Here today to tell you more about your new ruler is her emissary. Please, give him a warm round of applause!"
At her words, a unicorn strode onto the balcony, situating himself exactly between the two Princesses. He wore what appeared to be a fur-lined crimson cloak. An armored gorget sheathed his throat down to his chest, greaves protected his legs, and a circlet of the same metal sat upon his head. In every way he looked exactly like a very familiar enemy to Twilight and her friends, especially Spike. In every way except that his coat was white, he had a two toned blue mane, and the fact that he was Twilight's brother. "Shining Armor!?" exclaimed Twilight, confused. As if this were a cue for the rest of the assembled citizenry, the 'emissary' was met with a surge of confused and angry questions from a stunned populace. Even Fluttershy, who normally took this kind of thing in stride, was shaking a hoof and demanding an explanation.
"Citizens of Equestria!" boomed Shining Armor, his voice deeper and more sonorous than usual. "I am not surprised many of you are confused, even angered by this turn of events. I know you have loved Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, as they have ruled over you all for centuries." His voice grew even deeper, and he adopted what he must have thought was a heroic pose. "But times change. This is a dawning of a new era! With this peaceful transition of power from the old rule to the new, the truly rightful ruler of Equestria shall take charge of your lives!" This was met with only more cries of uncertainty. "Fear not citizens! Your new and eternal ruler is kind and benevolent. She forgives you for not giving her the reverence she is due. She asks only for that which you have given freely to your monarchs in the past! She asks only for your loyalty... and your love!"
On his last word, Shining Armor's eyes flashed with dark magic. All around the courtyard, massive spikes of dark crystal erupted from the earth. Terrified screams replaced the angry cries of the crowd, as the ponies found themselves suddenly cut off from any escape. A darkness flooded the skies as a shadow fell over Canterlot. "Do not panic brave citizens. This is only a natural part of the transition of power!" beseeched Celestia.
"Please remain calm! If you must leave your seats, please do so in an orderly fashion!" implored Luna to no effect. As more purple and pink crystal engulfed the Palace, day seemed to fade to a gloom choked dusk. It was all Twilight could do to extend a protective magical barrier around as many citizens of Ponyville as she could as the mass of panicking ponies devolved into a stampede. Run or riot, some ponies appeared to do both. Pegasus ponies took to their wing to try to flee through the sky, only to find themselves trapped by a dome of energy. Shining Armor's protective barrier, a sight that had instilled calm so many times before, now only alarmed everypony further as they realized that it was being used to trap them inside the city.
"Worry not, former Princess Celestia, former Princess Luna. The Empress has chosen to grant her citizens serenity, rather than see them suffer through the necessary tribulations to come." His words seemed to calm the Princesses even as an ugly, gnarled crystal in the shape of a broken heart, formed upon the balcony. It glowed with a smoldering pink light that seemed to rob the air of what little illumination that had not already fled away. The crystals all around seemed to glow darkly in kind, as the metallic tang of magic flooded the air. With no further warning than that, the Broken Heart began firing beams of magic into the crowd. Twilight watched, speechless as beams of dark magic scythed through the crowd.
Everywhere the light touched, calm prevailed. Hysteria was replaced by tranquility, rage by exuberance, dread by rapture. Before long, half the citizenry seemed to have been converted to some new state of acceptance by the roving beam. Their words rose to drown out the screams of their fellows. "Such radiance!" they cried. "Such beauty!" they screamed. "Oh bright and shining lady!" they seemed to call, practically in a swoon. "Hail to thee Empress of Love, hail to the eternal Crystal Empire! Hail Empress Cadance!"
Cadance!?
This was all Cadance's doing!? Twilight couldn't believe it. But... it fit didn't it? Her special talent was having ponies fall in love... And it seemed the beam was causing everypony in the crowd to fall in love with her.
No, that wasn't possible.
Something must have happened. Someone, or something else had to be behind all this. Yet, there was her brother up beside Celestia and Luna, who she could never imagine willingly giving up their thrones, and all three were smiling brightly as dark magic twisted the minds of the citizens of Equestria. Twilight had seen enough. Concentrating, she pushed outwards with her magic, enveloping as many ponies as she could. A spell this massive would mean she couldn't travel far, but even so, it was her duty to save as many ponies as possible. Straining under the weight of her spell, Twilight released it all at once! She and a sizable portion of the crowd teleported away from the courtyard, and the sickly rays of the Broken Heart shaped crystal.
Meanwhile, in the massive throne room of the Crystal Empire, a figure sat alone in the dark. A wavering portal of magic opened before them. Bright pink eyes, wreathed in a green and purple mist widened as an image took shape at the heart of the portal. Shining Armor stood tall and proud, resplendent in his armored finery. The voice that reverberated from the tall backed throne contained strange harmonics, as if there were two people speaking as one. Even so, the voice is unmistakably familiar as it says, "Ah, my emissary. Tell me, how goes the consolidation of my Empire's new territory?"
"All goes according to your will, my Empress." responded the former Prince of the Empire with clipped, military precision.
"And the Princesses, Celestia and Luna?" asked the voice seductively.
"They were the first to see your light my lady," answered the Crystal Emissary with a bow. "Your wisdom in showing them the light of your love before granting your vision to the populace was a stroke of genius!"
Something not unlike a pleased purr emanated from the throne, as the entity who sat there seemed to take great pleasure in this news. "And what of the so called 'Princess of Friendship'. What of your sister Twilight Sparkle?"
Shining Armor's reverent gaze fell for a moment, before he continued, "As you suspected, she has resisted the call to your light. She and a small group of citizens escaped the courtyard shortly after the conversion process began."
Though it seemed the one who sat upon the throne had indeed predicted Twilight's resistance, the dull growl that resonated throughout the crystal halls indicated that this was not what they wanted to hear. "You let her escape, didn't you? Traitor!" In a flash, the Crystal Emissary's armor began to glow cherry red. It swiftly intensified into a blinding white as the sound of sizzling flesh filled the voluminous throne room. "The warmth of my love is ever with you, but you will know the fires of my passion for your betrayal!"
"I did not betray you!" howled Shining Armor, visibly in agony, but struggling to speak none the less. "I never would! Twilight cannot escape! She cannot penetrate my shield so long as she tries to protect her friends! She will not abandon them!" The metal of his armor seemed to warp and dance in a shimmering haze of heat, as beads of bubbling metal begin to roll down his exposed skin. A normal pony would be dead by now, but as the attack was magical in nature, Shining Armor would not die unless the one attacking him so willed it. "Please your radiance! I am your most loyal and loving of subjects! I am your Emissary!" panic edged his voice, "I am your husband!"
As quickly as the unbearable heat had flared up, it began to fade. The dull clink of cooling metal replaced the sizzle of pony flesh, and Shining Armor gasped with visible relief. "And if you wish to remain as such, you will find your sister and her friends and show them the light of my love! They are the only ones who could possibly stand against me now. Do I make myself clear?"
"As clear as crystal," replied the emissary coughing and pulling at the gorget around his throat. Miraculously the flesh beneath was unharmed. The heat and pain he had experienced had not damaged him physically, but the pain still echoed across the raw endings of his nerves. He did not want to feel his lady's wrath again. "Your will shall be done, oh Empress of Love."
"See that it is," smoldering darkness boiled in the eyes of the one who sat upon the throne. "There can be no mistakes. Deploy the Crystal Juggernauts."
A look of panic crossed Shining's face, but after what had happened he dare not give voice to any trepidation. "Y-Yes your grace. Right away!" As the image faded, the throne room was plunged again into silent darkness. Silent, save for an almost imperceptible sound just on the edge of hearing.
A quiet sob.