Terror in Equestria 4: The Collapse of Evil

by StormLuna

Twilight's Return Home

Sunday finally arrived and Twilight and her envoy reached the coast of Equestria and feasted on some of those apples everypony likes so much before heading back to Ponyville.

Spike asked, "Twilight, how do you think Colgate did while we were gone? Do you think she has done anything to try to turn everypony against you?"

Twilight laughed,"Oh Spike! There you go with your paranoia again. She is the last pony that would ever do that!"

Shining Armor said, "I'm sorry Spike but I'm with Twily on this one. I know Colgate well enough and that is something that she would never do."

Spike said, "It seems like Lyra is turning against you. What if Colgate does as well?"

Twilight replied, "Enough with the whole what ifs? Colgate is far more loyal than Lyra and doesn't have a province to watch over. A military commander is far more loyal than a steward is."

Starswirl said, "I'm just happy to be close to home. I am so excited to sleep in my normal bed again."

Twilight replied, "I agree Starswirl, let's just get home."

Dark Night said, "I agree Twilight, let's go!"

Twilight and her envoy headed back home but had a strong head wind which was slowing them down quite a bit.

Back in Ponyville Colgate was watching them through the eye. She saw that they were in their final leg of their journey and made sure that everything was as it was when Twilight left. Colgate made sure that the book on her nightstand was exactly the way it was, she did not want to get in trouble.

It was late in the afternoon when Twilight and her envoy finally got home. Colgate flew down from the balcony and met Twilight at the base of the tower.

"Hi Twilight! How was your trip?" asked Colgate

Twilight replied, "Well it went. We need to discuss something important. It involves one of the other stewards and my plans for generating revenue for the country."

Colgate asked, "When do you want us to discuss this?"

Twilight replied, "I have sent the others up to the throne room. I want to discuss this now."

Colgate replied, "Alright, let's go."

Twilight and her commander headed up to the throne room to have a meeting over this. Colgate knew what this was about but she knew that she had to agree with Twilight on this. When they arrived up in the throne room they were greeted by General Thunder Rage.

"Hi Colgate, how is everything going?" asked Thunder Rage

Colgate replied, "Well things are going. It was a rather uneventful couple of weeks. Nothing out of the ordinary happened."

Twilight asked, "Nothing at all? Everything just went as it normally would?"

Colgate said, "Yep. Except for when I was over at the base, I was able to relax."

Twilight said, "Well at least one of us was able to rest and relax. As for me, I have a problem."

Colgate asked, "What kind of problem are you having?"

Twilight said, "Well, I have a new idea for how to generate revenue for various things around the world, such as helping those in need, repairing infrastructure such as dams and aiding with construction costs of new homes. We voted to pass a measure that would require that ponies pay me 10% of their monthly income in tribute. Everypony except for one went along with it, and she is extremely mad over this."

Colgate asked, "Who is against it?"

Twilight replied, "Lyra Heartstrings. She went on crowing about how she had pulled Neigh Zealand out of 200 years of economic hardship by eradicating taxes and letting them keep their money in their own saddlebags. She told me that forcing them to pay tribute would cast them back into an economic depression."

Colgate replied, "Well you are the leader of the world. Whatever you choose to do is your right."

"Thanks Colgate," said Twilight "I knew you would understand this. Lyra goes around acting like she knows everything about economics when I am the pony in charge. What is your opinion?"

Colgate replied, "I'm no economics guru, I'm a military commander and a dentist. You are the best one to judge what economic policies will work and which ones will not."

Shining Armor said, "Well it looks like Spike's paranoia was all over nothing."

Colgate asked, "Why do you say that?"

Twilight replied, "Oh he thought you were jealous of me being in power."

Colgate replied, "Me, jealous? Never! I'm perfectly happy being a commander and a dentist!"

Twilight asked everypony, "What is your opinion on Lyra's questioning me? Do you think she is being disobedient and needs to be punished or do you think she is simply getting overly emotional towards those who live in her province."

Shining Armor said, "Well I think it might be a bit of both. She shouldn't be questioning you but I do think that she is overly sentimental towards the ponies down there."

Starswirl said, "I think it is just her being overly sentimental. I don't see her as the type to blatantly disobey you."

Dark Night said, "I know disobedience when I see it and I think that is what she is doing. She is showing blatant disregard towards your authority."

Thunder Rage said, "I agree with Dark Night. Chrysalis would have killed her on the spot. She's lucky you're nice."

Twilight asked, "What about you Colgate?"

Colgate replied, "Well given that I wasn't there I can't give a fair assessment of it. From what you have told me though, she is being disobedient."

Shining Armor asked, "Twilight, I know we just got home but who is going with us on our trip to Maredrid in a few weeks?"

Twilight replied, "The same ones who went on this trip. Colgate, will you be up for another couple or three weeks of watching over things?"

Colgate replied, "Of course! You can always count on me!"

Twilight replied, "I wish all of the stewards were like that. I know Galaxia and Cosmos felt forced to vote yes, Lemon Hearts seemed a little scared as well and you all know about Lyra. LaurFa is the only one of the stewards who is unquestionably loyal to me."

Shining Armor asked, "Twilight, do you think your loyalty spell is wearing off or do you think that those stewards are just adjusting to their new roles?"

Twilight replied, "I honestly believe that they are just adjusting to their new roles. No loyalty spell keeps them absolutely subservient to you. A pony would have to put an unimaginable amount of power into a loyalty spell for it to never wear off."

Colgate said, "I have heard that loyalty spells can wear off, I guess it is just depends on the pony it is cast on."

Twilight said, "Well I need to get some rest tonight because tomorrow I am going to start going around town collecting what ponies owe me. Thunder Rage, I have a question. Would the area down around where Chrysalis's tower is still standing make a good labor camp?"

Thunder Rage replied, "Well if you want them to be in a gloomy place where little grows, yeah."

Twilight said, "That is right. I remember when I was down there that there were plenty of rocky hills and cliffs that could be broken down into smaller rocks."

Thunder Rage asked, "What would you do with the rocks?"

Twilight replied, "I don't know. I might just make ponies chip rocks away from those hills simply as punishment. I might decide to do nothing with the rocks at all."

Dark Night said, "You know, if you want a good place for a labor camp, the place where Sombra lived before he retook the Crystal Empire is dark and gloomy as well and there are plenty of rocks for them to break."

Twilight replied, "That is good. I also want to find some areas where there are precious metals and gems. There are those areas off to the east of town where Rarity always went to find gems. I can force those who can't pay or refuse to pay to find gems for Spike to eat."

Colgate asked, "Are you going to send forces to every city in Equestria to collect the tribute and round up those who won't and send them to a labor camp or are you just going to focus on Ponyville for right now?"

Twilight replied, "For now I will just focus on Ponyville and send those who can't or won't pay out east of town to find gems. After all, Spike is always hungry."

Shining Armor asked, "Twilight, why don't you just let Rarity go out and find them?"

Twilight said, "No big brother, no. She isn't leaving that cell. Besides, that would make things way too easy on the other ponies and it isn't punishment if things are easy."

Starswirl asked, "What about the other provinces? Will the ponies there who can't or won't pay be brought here or will they be put in labor camps in those provinces?"

Twilight replied, "Those in the Equine province and Saddle Arabia will be put in labor camps there. Those in Neigh Zealand will be brought here and the ones in Faustica will be brought here as well, although Faustica is well off enough that I doubt there won't be any that can't, it will just be a matter of they won't."

Colgate asked, "Who will you have watching over these labor camps?"

Twilight replied, "I will give more drones minds of their own and give more Alicorn soldiers the wits to be officers and guards. Each labor camp will have 100 of each type of soldier and 3 officers of each. I figure that will keep them in line and any dissenters will be punished enough that they won't complain more than once."

Shining Armor asked, "Will there be different camps for different levels of criminals, disobedient ponies, non-payers or other dissidents?"

Twilight replied, "Yes, there will be. The low level dissidents, including those with low incomes who refuse to pay will be placed out east of town collecting gems. If any of those are from Ponyville, I might even let them stay in there homes. For the worst, such as rich snobs who refuse to pay, will be sent down to what used to be Chrysalis's realm or what used to be Sombra's realm."

Colgate said, "I think that is a great idea. I have a feeling I know of one pony who won't be able to pay."

"Who is that?" asked Twilight

Colgate replied, "Miss Cheerilee, teachers generally don't get paid much so she may be classified as a low level dissenter."

Twilight looked stunned and said, "Oh no. There is no way I am touching Cheerilee. We do need a teacher around here. We can't have our foals growing up to be dumber than dirt. That would not be in our best interests. I am thinking instead of starting off with Ponyville, we should hit Canterlot first."

Starswirl asked, "Why do you think we should start out there first?"

Twilight replied, "Take care of the high level non-payers. I am sure there will be some there who refuse to pay and naturally, they would be high level non-payers and wind up in the far south."

Dark Night asked, "Aren't there some ponies there who aren't that wealthy?"

Twilight replied, "There are a few. They will be classified as mid-level offenders and will be sent to the northwest."

Very soon her entire company realized that she had everything planned out. Shining Armor was completely behind her but surprisingly, it was Dark Night and Thunder Rage who were starting to see the dark goddess in Twilight coming to the surface. This scared them but they knew better than to say anything.

Supper had come and gone and Twilight was ready for bed. "Good night guys" said Twilight "I am turning in for the night."

Colgate headed home after that while everypony else headed into their bedrooms within the black tower. This would wind up being the last somewhat peaceful day in Equestria, as tomorrow Twilight would begin rounding ponies up and putting them in chains.

Author's Note:

Invisibility----"Whether it be one or a bunch of ones, nopony needs to see so that we don't have to flee, invisibility is the treat of not having to retreat."

Visibility---"The unseen shall now be seen, with their friends being present, hiding only shows resent, those who have disappeared shall now appear."

Duplication---"From one to two, two to four and so much more, when one is simple mere, more and more shall appear."

Banish to void--- "You have committed treason and that is not in season, you are a threat to me and I simply can not let that be, I can no longer be annoyed so you shall be cast into the void."

Loyalty spell---"From another to me, that is where your allegiance will now be, you thought your old commander loved you like pie when all they wanted was for you to die. With me all shall be great, there shall be no hate."

Giving drones a mind of their own---"those without a mind are in a bind, no longer shall they just be, but they will still be loyal to me, for officers they are now but they don't ask how."

Unbanish---"The one who has been banished has done their time, they are now forgiven for their crime, their time has come, now they need to contribute some, it is Equestria that they must serve or into the spiral of the void they shall curve."

Transform unicorn to Alicorn--- "The unicorn who has no wings is bound to the ground, they can not really get around, their smarts are great yet without flight they will be late, with these wings they will be great and they shall never have a bad fate."

Transform multiple unicorns to Alicorns--- "The unicorns who have no wings are bound to the ground, they can not really get around, their smarts are great yet without flight they will be late, with these wings they will be great and they shall never have a bad fate."

Transform Pegasus to Alicorn---"The one who can fly likes to fly free desires the powers that allow the unicorn to be, he/she wishes so much to levitate and create, rather than berate, for the winged one now has magic, without that it would be tragic."

Transform Earth Pony to Alicorn---"The pony without magic or flight is in a bind, for they feel like they have fallen behind, they work themselves to death, even to their very last breath, for now with magic and wings, great things shall be what life brings."

Increase size of pony---"The small one wishes they were tall so that they won't have to crawl, with height their future is bright and everything will be alright, for the small one is small no more, with height their happiness shall be galore."

Mature pony--"The innocent pony is unsure of who she wants to be, that may be cute but it is not what is good for me, she needs to mature if she is to be strong for without maturity she won't last for long, the naive one shall be so no more, for her maturity will carry her into lore."

Strengthen Armor---"The one without armor does not stand a chance, so it is what we must enhance, the unarmed one will likely receive death, with armor he shall continue to draw breath, without armor he will be torn to shreds like a rag but with armor victory is in the bag."

Activate Jade Alicorn---"The jade Alicorn will help me see all, without it I might miss a brawl, while the distances are great, I can see all the hate, wisdom is what comes along with the eye so that overthrowing me nopony will try."

Hurricane spell--- "The nice weather must come to an end, for without a storm the enemy will not bend, the wind shall be strong and my enemies won't last for long, a hurricane is a must so the tyrants will sink and go bust."

Fixing spell--- "The city was devastated by a storm, which is not the norm, their suffering is great yet we can not allow normalcy to be late, the city must be restored to the way it was before so they can pay taxes like they did before.

COLGATE'S SPELLS

Unlock---"The door is locked, but from me my information is blocked, a lot of learning I have to do, but with this locked I won't have a clue, now the door is open for me and infinite knowledge for me shall now be."

Lock---"Right now the door is not locked, from others the information is not blocked, the others must not be allowed to learn, for this is not theirs to earn, the door is now closed for all but me because infinite knowledge is not free."

Shatter Armor---"Our foes' armor is great, that is something I hate, with their armor they are strong, but them having armor is just plain wrong, now their armor is gone and it is time for them to say bye as they are struck by energy and die."

Return Blue sky---"The sky is purple which is ok for some, but it just makes me numb, for I miss the way it used to be, blue is beautiful to me, the normal sky shall be back and everything will return on track."

Drain pony---"The large pony is too big for me, for smaller the pony shall be, the size and knowledge will become mine, but the negative qualities is where I draw the line, for what must grow is my power, so that I may remain in the tower."

Change eye blue---"The green eye is not for me, for blue is what it shall be, the evil shall be banished as the good can not vanish, what shall return will be an eye of blue as it is the perfect hue."

Freeze time---"Tick tock, tick tock, look at the racing clock, what is short is time and being late is a crime, we must finish on top so it is time I must stop, with time froze, it is my enemies I shall bulldoze."

Unfreeze time---"Look at the clock, it is stuck in place, with this there can be no pace, everything is still but that does not fit the bill, for now the clock shall again run so everypony can have fun."

Time bubble---"A bubble is what we need, so from frozen time we can be freed, in this bubble we can move fast, while everything else is stuck in the past, it is frozen time which through we must pass so we will never be late to class."

Undo time bubble---"In the bubble time continues to run, but now the time outside runs and allows fun, the bubble must burst so we can quench our thirst, from the bubble we are now free and everything we can clearly see."

PINKIE'S SPELL

"The changeling's power is good, but not great, they can fire ooze but not enough to make their foes lose, for them to be great, they must fire bolts of hate, the energy shall be strong so their enemies won't last for long."

Comments

[dragondarko]

Twilight replied, "Well it went (well)."
There's a word missing here after the word "went".