Iron Mare

by Plain Hunter

Titanium vs Iron

Twilight looked around at the swarm of party guests, seeing a swarm of nobles from across the world, all of them gathered here to celebrate Twilight’s return to Equestria. They all were swarming her at the start, obviously, and it took the intervention of Celestia to get them to back off a bit.

“So, why isn’t Spike here celebrating?” Celestia asked as the latest nobles to speak to Twilight and welcome her back walked away.

“Oh... He said something about opening doors.” Twilight said, Celestia turning with a puzzled look.

“So... I see the Council is really making it their job to get well acquainted with the party guests.” Twilight said, gesturing to Fleur De Lis and her husband, Fancy Pants, chatting with some party guests, while the other two Council members chatted and laughed at a table of a previously alone guest.

“Well Fleur does love any chance to improve her publicity,” Celestia replied, “must be why she even bothered giving you a chance to make non-lethal weaponry in the first place. Oh, how bad would it have looked for her to have turned you down. So, how have things been in Ponyville with you girls?”

“Eh, Twilight and us haven’t really hung out that much.” Rainbow replied.

“Yeah, she’s just been all cooped up in her castle, working on whatever it is she’s got in there.” Applejack added.

“Ah, but it’s completely alright darling, we understand that you wish to prove to the Council that you can create non-lethals.” Rarity added upon seeing Twilight somewhat wince from Rainbow and Applejack’s comments.

“Yeah Twilight, we completely understand.” Fluttershy added, putting her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder.

“So Celestia? My letter I received... It said that this party was orchestrated by Lulamoon Corps., which means... Trixie’s back?” Twilight said, turning to the princess.

Celestia looked down to Twilight, then sighed and turned back to gaze upon the crowd.

“Yes, Twilight. It seems that, after three years of silence, Trixie has finally done something publicly,” She said, “and I think it’s great. Because she came back, and orchestrated something with the Council, all for this very moment.”

Twilight smiled softly as Celestia said that, and the thought of Trixie was in the back of her mind, and then she began taking a closer look at the crowd, “So will she even show up? I mean... It’s not really sensible if you plan a party for somepony and then don’t show up without telling why.”

Celestia was about to open her mouth when Fleur and her husband walked up, Fleur greeting Twilight with her typical friendly greeting that Twilight could see right through. Fleur was angry. And she could see from the way that Fleur looked at the whole party, that she was angry at the party and most likely at Trixie herself.

“Ah! Twilight! My, my, you look quite amazing!” She said, Twilight mentally rolling her eyes at her fake greeting before giving one of her own.

“Ah, Fleur! Thank you, and I have to say that you look quite lovely too!” Twilight said.

“So, I see that all of your friends are here with you.” Fleur said, looking to Twilight’s friend, and stopping at Moondancer, who was at the other side of the table, her head somewhat lowered as if in fear.

“Ah, well who is this?” Fancy Pants asked, causing Moondancer to squeal a little bit.

“Moondancer? She’s another friend of mine.” Twilight answered.

“Ah, Moondancer then. Greetings! I hope you’re enjoying the party!” Fleur said, stopping her husband from greeting himself.

“S-So, Ms. Twilight, I’ve noticed that one of your friends is missing. And it’s been all over the news. I’m terribly sorry for the disappearance for your friend, Pinkamena.”y Fancy Pants said.

Twilight sighed and nodded, “thank you Fancy, that means a lot. My big brother is on the case right now, but I’m just kinda worried because of all the new cases that have been showing up all across Equestria recen-”

Twilight’s train of thought was quickly derailed as soon as she saw a pony behind Fancy Pants and his wife. A light blue pony, with an even lighter shade of blue for her mane, which was carefully done in small waves. Her dress was a shade of purple that instantly reminded Twilight of the cape Trixie loved to wear, with a decor of small stars across it, some even shaping constellations. Underneath that was a light blue addition that also had small star decor at the end. Her eyelashes were done in a color of pink similar to that of Fleur’s own mane, light pink at the top, with a somewhat darker shade at the bottom. And her hooves each had a bracelet, with a star at the front. And what was holding the entire dress together was a small, diamond shaped clip.

“T-Trixie...?” Twilight slowly said, unable to fully believe that she was seeing Trixie standing there, about five feet away from her.

Trixie sighed deeply, closing her eyes as she quickly put on a smile, opening her eyes as she walked closer to Twilight, Fancy Pants moving out of her way as she walked.

“Hello... Twilight.” She said with a smile.

Twilight wrapped her hooves around Trixie with a big smile, squealing as she did.

“I can’t believe you’re here Trixie! I-I-Thank you, for organizing this party for one. And two, what happened?? Why haven’t you been so silent for three whole years?” Twilight said to Trixie, who gulped at the last two questions.

“W-Well Lulamoon Corporation made a deal with a much bigger company three years ago. And they’re incredibly strict, you see. So it only took until recently for us all to finally work out some agreements about how we’ll all act to benefit each other.” Trixie said, smiling still as she nervously tapped her back hoof against the floor.

Trixie looked up to the ceiling, taking a quick look around as she tried to pass it off as if she was stretching, which worked, thankfully.

“Oh... That’s it?” Twilight asked.

Trixie nodded, chuckling softly. She saw movement from the ceiling from her right eye, and she quickly took a peek, seeing a dark figure moving through the area up above, Trixie able to see the figure up above through the hole that allowed those upstairs to peek downward onto the lower level.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Trixie said, “so... I heard you recently escaped imprisonment by the terrorist group known as the Four Rings.”

“Ah, you heard right.” Twilight said, frowning slightly, “but I’d much rather put that behind me, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course Twilight, I completely understand.” Trixie said, her eyes lowering to the light purple glow from Twilight’s dress, Trixie instantly knowing what it was as her eyes quickly went back up to Twilight’s face.

“So, how are you Trixie?” Rainbow asked, “the last time we saw you, you were just starting out your very own business for magic tricks.”

“Ah, I’ve never been better Rainbow Dash.” Trixie replied.

“We’re glad you decided to come back Trixie, ya wouldn’t know how many of us were concerned about you.” Applejack chimed in.

“Yes, we were all wondering what had happened to make you hide.” Fluttershy said.

“Well, I’m glad to be back. And I hope that we can all continue being friends.” Trixie said, “after all, it would be a spit in the face of the pony who helped me.”

“Of course we can Trixie,” Twilight said, “and after this, you and I can work together. Over the years I’ve thought of some ideas over how you and I can work together for more magic tricks and spellbooks your company creates.

“Of course Twilight, that sounds wonderful.” Trixie said, smiling warmly as she felt her eyes water up, holding back the tears as she felt overjoyed by finally being back, but the back of her mind was reminding her about what she was really doing at this party.”

Twilight spoke more as Trixie heard a voice coming from her headset, carefully hidden behind her hair. “I’m in position. Just keep her back turned to me and this’ll be a quick, clean shot.”

Trixie sighed again softly, shakily, immediately regretting it as it came out louder and more noticeable than she planned.

“Trixie? What’s wrong?” Twilight said, concerned.

“Yeah, you okay sugarcube?” Applejack added.

“I-I’m fine, really guys.” Trixie said, her face going back to smiling and warm, as a single tear broke free and rolled down her face.

Twilight’s brows furrowed as she saw the tear, turning her head behind her to see if it was something Trixie was looking at.

“T-Twilight!!” Trixie said quickly, Twilight looking back still and then turning to Trixie, “Trixie, what’s wrong?”

Meanwhile, the figure Trixie saw earlier was staring straight through the scope of his rifle. He was unmoving, and it was aimed to the back of Twilight’s head, and he was about to pull the trigger, if it hadn’t been for Twilight turning and showing her face.

The figure continued staring through the scope, but spoke softly. “T-Trixie... T-This target,” he could see Trixie gulp, “who is she...?”

Trixie chuckled and then spoke loud enough for the whole party to hear, “T-Twilight!!”

The assassin, Whooves, stopped dead, still looking through the scope of his rifle as the purple mare turned the back of her head to him.

“T-Trixie...?” He struggled to say, breathing heavily, “T-Twilight... Twilight... Why... What... Why do I know that name... Why do I... Trixie??? TRIXIE?!?! TWILIGHT! WHO IS SHE TRIXIE?!?!”

Trixie’s eyes grew wide as she, and the rest of the party, heard a voice coming from above them beginning to yell. It continued shouting out Trixie and Twilight’s names until the Royal Guard dragged the stallion down to the main party room.

“TRIXIE! TELL ME WHO SHE IS! WHO IS SHE?!” Whooves continued yelling, allowing the Royal Guard to drag him down to the main room.

“Princess, we’ve found the cause of the noise along with a few of his party gifts.” One of the guards said, another one with a large duffel bag walking up and dropping it, opening it up to show several different type of guns.

Twilight was taken back at seeing them, along with everypony else at the party, and Twilight definitely couldn’t believe that she was watching her friend, Whooves, scream at the top of his lungs, crying out to Trixie of all ponies.

Twilight turned to look at Trixie, who by now was the main focused of the entire party, as everypony stared at Trixie with shock, whispers were heard from the crowd, all of them calling Trixie a liar, a thief, a murderer, and many more.

“T-Trixie,” Twilight managed to say, “W-What’s going on here…?”

Trixie gazed over to Whooves, who was still yelling atop his lungs, and began shaking slightly, her eyes darting all across the room as she began backing away slowly. One of the Royal Guard shouted something, and that was the spark that caused the whole room to explode into an uproar, ponies shouting as the Guard pushed past them, sprinting to Trixie, who yelled and sprinted away, her horn flashing as she tried to cast a teleportation spell.

“Oh no you don’t!” Celestia yelled, casting a spell of her own, summoning a magical wall in front of Trixie, stopping her from casting her spell as she ran through it. Her horn only shooting sparks as she struggled to cast her spell.

“Trixie!!” Twilight called out to her, sprinting after her with the guard as Celestia called to Twilight to stop.

“Twilight! Let the Guard handle her!” Celestia said.

Twilight ignored her teacher and her friends as they called to her, sprinting after Trixie still, a mix of anger, confusion, betrayal running through her mind as she did. But it didn’t take long for Twilight to eventually lose them, Trixie leading the guards through alleys after alleys trying to lose them, only for her to lose Twilight instead with the Guard still hot on her tail.

Twilight panted, leaning down and sitting on the street ground, the bottom of her dress covered in dirt from running through the alleys. “How… How am I going to find her now…?” Twilight asked herself, before a spark went off in her eye, signaling her having an idea.

“I’ll have to think of an excuse for the silver pony being here... But I’m sure I can find Trixie with the suit’s help!”

Twilight got up and began jogging back to Moondancer’s home, panting heavily as the door opened as she stepped a foot in front of it.

“Welcome home Twilight. Need the suit?” Spike said, not looking up from a comic book he was holding.

“Uh… Y-Yeah. I do… How did you know?” Twilight asked, taken back by Spike asking such a question.

“The way it’s written...” Spike looked up to Twilight, her face still one of confusion, “your face! Your face looks like the way it always looks when you’re about to use the suit. And since you do, it’s right beside you.” Spike said again, rolling his eyes and walking away, burying his face back into his comic book again.

“Uhhh...” Twilight began as Spike walked out of the room, but then shook it off and rose one of her hooves, waving it aimlessly to her side, feeling for her suit before finding it.

“Ms. Sparkle, has something happened at the party?” AIVHA asked Twilight, who had unveiled her suit, and opened it up, taking a step inside with the suit, the suit closing shut as she steps inside.

“I... I saw Whooves... But he wasn’t Whooves. He was something else, crazy... I think he tried to shoot somepony at the party.” Twilight answered, her voice modulator activating near the end of her sentence.

“Your friend, Dr. Whooves? Ms. Sparkle, didn’t you tell us that he had become deceased when you had made the escape from the cave you were held in by the Four Rings?” AIVHA asked.

Twilight nodded, “I thought he was... But I guess I was wrong... And Trixie knows just what’s going on, so then if I find her I can find out who he was trying to kill, and why.”

“Uh-huh, and if the Royal Guard ask you just what the Iron Mare is doing at Canterlot?” Spike asked.

“Well I’ll just tell them I was already on this case for a while.” Twilight said, walking to the back door of Moondancer’s house, each step making a dull and loud thud, making the floorboards creak and make the three think that the floorboards were going to come down at any moment.

Twilight opened the door and closed it behind her, the sound of her thrusters activating is heard and she flies off.

“I do hope that Ms. Sparkle will be okay, do you believe she will Spike?” AIVHA asked.

Spike didn’t look up from his comic book, but answered, “Yeah, she’ll be fine. I’m still worried, but I have confidence that Twilight will be fine. She’s got the suit, she can fight back. And honestly, with the stuff going on, she’s going to need it and more.”

---

Trixie panted heavily as she ran through the halls of her HQ in Canterlot, her dress dirty from running through the streets in her attempt to evade the guard, but to her misfortune the guard had kept their eye on her, following her no matter how many alleys she went down and no matter how many times she thought she lost them, they always just turned a corner that led them right to her.

She ran down the stairs, hearing the guard at the other end of the hallway she just left, making her groan as she continued down.

She then burst through the doors to the lab where her scientists were working on the suit that Twilight had used to escape, which made her stop, giving her an idea.

The guards burst through the door, all of them checking the area, and not seeing Trixie, and they slowed down.

“Alright, it doesn’t look like there are any exist in this room. So she should be in this room, locked with us. You,” the captain of the crew pointed to one soldier, “guard this door. Me and the others will search this place for her. And remember, she doesn’t have the use of her magic, Princess Celestia blocked her horn. Now, spread out.”

The guards all separated as they went deeper into the large lab, one guard checked the area with several computers, all of them attached to large wires that went to the far corner of the room. Another guard checked Trixie’s office, several papers detailing several of them detailing Trixie’s involvement with the Four Rings, and each one talking about a machine that would be used in the future to take over all of Equus.

“Men!” The captain of the crew called out from the far corner of the room. Following the wires, and the voice, the men eventually found themselves next to the captain, each of them staring directly at a giant armor, a body structure similar to that of a Minotaur, and flamethrowers where the hooves are.

“What... Is this thing?” One of the soldiers asked.

“A monstrosity.” The captain of the crew said, “we need to contact Princess Celestia as soon as we’re done here and let her know about this.”

The suit was dark on the inside, and claustrophobic, Trixie breathing heavier with each second she spent trapped inside the silver contraption.

The soldiers then separated, going their separate ways throughout the room, except for a single soldier, who stayed in his spot in front of the suit, even slowly stepping closer, his eyes facing directly towards where Trixie was looking through the eye holes, and his head gently tilted to the left, as though he were listening for something.

Trixie tried to quiet her breaths, but the soldier continued moving closer, sweat slowly dripping down her forehead. The soldier’s eyes grew wide and Trixie knew immediately that she had been caught.

The next thing she knew the arm of the suit was extended, and the soldier was screaming as he was flung backwards, hitting the wall on the far side of the room.

The soldiers all turned straight towards the giant suit, as it raised its arms, it’s flamethrowers firing, each soldier running and/or hiding behind something as the machine made a single step, moving towards the door.

“She’s trying to escape! Don’t let her!” The captain said, moving from his spot, his horn glowing as he prepared to fire a blast of energy towards the machine.

Trixie quickly turned, firing towards the captain, who was quick to get out of the way. Trixie turned back around and walked out of the laboratory, taking the large filing cabinet next to her and dropping it in front of the door.

The captain ran to the door and turned on his trotty-talkie, “We found Trixie! She’s leaving her HQ in a giant, metal suit. She is armed with flamethrowers and very dangerous!”

---

Twilight flew up into the air in her suit, looking around the city, “Computer, have you finished hacking into the Guards’ communications?”

“Yes, Ms. Sparkle. And it appears they have found Ms. Lulamoon in her Headquarters for her company. They describe her being in a large, metal suit armed with flamethrowers.”

Twilight’s heart sank, “Oh Trixie... Please stop this...” Twilight flew off towards the Lulamoon Corp. HQ.

Trixie broke through the door, and looked up to the sky, “I just need to get far enough away.” Trixie said to herself.

“Trixie!” A robotic voice called out, making her turn quickly, startled by the sudden cry. She saw a lavender, pony shaped figure land in front of her, standing on it’s hind legs. Trixie looked at the suit and saw the lavender, the pink, the yellow, cyan, orange and white colors on it and knew instantly who it was.

“Twilight... You... You are the Iron Mare...” Trixie breathed out, still unable, or unwilling, to fully comprehend what she was seeing.

“Trixie, please. Stop this. Get out of the suit.” Twilight held her hoof out towards her. “Please.”

Trixie found her gaze stuck on Twilight’s hoof, and for a second, she was about to open the suit, but then she heard the sounds of sirens, alarming her of the Royal Guard’s advance.

“I... I can’t Twilight... I just... I just can’t!” Trixie held her arm back and then swung it towards Twilight, hitting her head on with the back of her hoof, knocking Twilight back far, crashing into one of the Guard’s cruisers.

“T-Trixie!” Twilight coughed as she fell from the hood of the vehicle. Twilight stood back up and looked to Trixie, who’s arm was raised, flamethrower at the ready.

“Stay away from me, Sparkle! I mean it! I can’t go with you!” Trixie said, “Now let me go!”

“... I’m sorry Trixie… But I can’t.” Twilight’s pulse reactors on her hooves began glowing, “Now please... Just come with me. Or I’ll be forced to make you. Please don’t force me to make you.”

Trixie remained silent, but released a missile from her arm, Twilight instantly raising her hand and firing a beam towards it, instantly detonating it. The detonation caused Trixie to stumble back slightly, and Twilight’s pulse reactors on her bottom hooves fired, allowing Twilight to jump forward, knocking her hoof directly onto Trixie’s helmet.

Trixie fell down onto the ground, and then activated her shoulder missiles, which turned and shot towards Twilight, hitting her helmet and knocking her far back. Twilight managed to start up her blasters just in time, catching herself in mid-air.

Trixie picked up a parked auto carriage next to her and threw it, Twilight being knocked back by the projectile.

Twilight hit the ground and Trixie started up her bottom hooves’ blasters, flying up to escape the city.

“No! Trixie!” Twilight cried out, starting up her own blasters and flying after her, knocking into her, causing the two to fall and crash onto the ground.

The two landed next to Spike’s favorite donut shop. Twilight groaned as she struggled getting up, but Trixie was already up, and kicked Twilight with her bottom hoof, sending her flying to the side into the next building across the street, an auto carriage hitting her as she hit the wall.

“Computer-”

“The building is uninhabited, Ms. Sparkle.” AIVHA quickly replied, Twilight sighing in relief.

“Good, now I can take the fight here.”

Twilight shot up into the air, Trixie following her into the air, swinging towards her. But Twilight managed to move quicker than Trixie, and knocking her down into the building, crashing through the roof.

Twilight floated where she was for a moment, hoping Trixie was finished with the fight, but quickly knew she wasn’t as she fired a blast towards the lavender mare, knocking her down to the ground.

Trixie crashed through the wall, and turned her head, seeing a bus stopping right in front of her. She picked up the bus with a groan and throwing it towards Twilight, who quickly caught it.

The passengers screamed as they were flown to the lavender mare, and each sighed in relief as the lavender mare caught them and put them down.

Twilight flew over the bus, but was hit by a stallionhole cover, and then punched back, crashing onto the ground.

Trixie landed a few feet away from Twilight, another stallionhole cover in her hoof.

Twilight got up and quickly flew towards Trixie, knocking her up into the air, "Trixie! Please! Get out of the suit! Stop this!"

Trixie knocked Twilight down to the ground, and she continued falling. She turned and saw the castle that the party for Twilight was at, and she could see the Council quickly coming closer to her as she fell towards them.

She shut her eyes tight, but didn't hear the impact of metal on concrete and ponies, instead she felt herself get stopped. She opened her eyes to see Twilight holding Trixie, firing her bottom thrusters at full capacity, groaning as they flew up towards the sky.

Trixie tried knocking Twilight with the stallionhole cover, but Twilight fired at it with her thrusters, knocking it out of her hoof, and then felt Twilight's hoof knock into her, sending her flying.

“Ms. Sparkle, I strongly implore you to look towards her chest. The suit uses the same power source as yours.” AIVHA said.

“The first arc! So I just need to tear it out of her, or at least temporarily disable it.” Twilight said.

“Exactly.”

Twilight jumped forward and brought her hoof down to Trixie’s helmet, knocking her into the ground as Twilight pressed her hoof against Trixie’s suit’s chest, grabbing onto the area around the arc tightly with her miniature claws, and began to pull.

Trixie punched Twilight, the sound of metal crashing against concrete was heard as Twilight slid away, groaning as she got up, only to be knocked back down by Trixie, who held her bottom hoof against Twilight’s chest, holding her there.

“! Let me go! I’ve caused enough pain! I’ve gone too far! Just let me leave!” She cried out.

“Why…? Why won’t you let us help you?!” Twilight groaned, struggling to lift her foot as her own suit was finding slight difficulty turning her blasters on.

“I thought this was what I wanted! Revenge on you! But I realized too late that I was getting more than what I asked for! I didn’t want any part of it and now I just want to leave! So leave me be!” Trixie cried out.

“Ms. Sparkle, you have enough energy for one blast.” AIVHA told Twilight.

“Then let’s make it count...” Twilight thought, quickly lifting her arm up and firing, hitting Trixie’s arc reactor, the beam from Twilight quickly going up and hitting Trixie’s helmet, knocking her back with a loud yell and a thud as she hit the concrete behind her.

Her suit slowly began regaining it’s energy, so Twilight had to stand back up slowly, and she slowly moved to Trixie’s head, praying as she tore off the face, seeing Trixie’s teary face.

“The ponies I was working with will find you...” she managed to say in between sniffs and sobs, “and they’ll find me too...”

“... Well then I’ll stop them.” Twilight said, looking up as she saw the Royal Guard slowly begin trotting towards them. She activated her blasters and flew away, leaving the Guards alone with Trixie, crying in the suit on the ground.

---

Twilight looked at the newspaper Spike was showing her, using her hoof aid to apply her makeup.

“Catchy name, isn’t it?” Spike said.

“‘Iron Mare’?” Twilight said, “well I guess it’s pretty nice. But don’t get used to this Spike. This is only lasting until I take down the Four Rings.

“Well yeah, but doesn’t mean we can’t have a cool name to go along with it.” Spike said “So, this party is going to have a big cake there, right?”

Twilight giggled softly, “Yes Spike, the cake should be pretty big.”

“Ms. Sparkle. I have put the suit away as instructed, and am now running more scans over satellite images to pinpoint more areas where the Four Rings could possibly be hiding.” AIVHA said.

“Alright, thank you computer. Now come on Spike,” Twilight said as she got up, trotting to the door of Moondancer’s home, “we’ll wait for her here.”

“I’m here, I’m here!” Moondancer said, trotting down the stairs quickly. “So the others are already there?”

“Yes, now come on guys. But first, we have a stop to make...”

---

Twilight looked through the mirror into the interrogation room, Whooves sitting alone in the room, looking down to his hooves with an expressionless face.

“... I’ll just be a minute. I just… I just need to talk to him.”

Celestia nodded to the guard at the door, and he opened it, allowing Twilight to pass through.

“H-Hey… Whooves… Dr. Whooves? You… You remember me… Right?” Twilight said as she as she sat down across from him.

“... Twilight...” He simply said.

Twilight smiled and nodded. “... Whooves. Please. You can tell me. Who hurt you? Who did this to you? Who wanted me dead?”

“I’ve already told you… I don’t know who, why or where… I can’t remember. I’m sorry...” Whooves replied.

“... It’s okay... You know... You can come to my party that the Council is throwing for me before you leave.” Twilight said, “another party since the last one... Y-You know...”

Whooves remained silent.

“... And they just wanted me to remind you to call them if you can remember anything.” Twilight continued.

“I… I know. And I would love to go to your party… But I remember my home before I was fillynapped... Where I moved to, and found the love of my life... Where I raised a child with her... And I just need to go back to Manehatten Twilight. I need to.”

Twilight nodded, “Alright... And remember, you can call me too if you need anything Whooves.”

Whooves nodded, and Twilight sat up and hugged him tight, Whooves remaining still and staring at the table. Twilight broke the hug and trotted to Celestia, “I’m ready to go now.”

---

Twilight smiled as her mother and father hugged her tight, her returning the hug with a few tears shed between the three.

“We’re so glad you’re back here and safe sweetie. We were… We were so worried.” Twilight’s mother said, her voice cracking up as her eyes teared up again.

Twilight’s father patted her back and smiled to his daughter, “We both were worried sick for you, Twilight.”

“I missed you two too.” Twilight said.

“Excuse me, Twilight?” Princess Luna said to Twilight, “It’s time for you to go up.”

Twilight nodded and gave her parents’ one last hug, then following Luna up to the stage at the end of the room. Twilight trotted up to the stage and turned to the crowd of ponies, Celestia stepping to the side next to her sister as Twilight cleared her throat.

“Hello everypony. Thank you all for coming. Your support, everything, all of it. It means so much. You being here truly warms my heart. I just wish… I just wish Pinkie Pie were also here to celebrate.” Twilight said, smiling sadly as she thought of Pinkie.

“We’re all sure Pinkie would have made this party the best one she could ever throw.” Celestia said, patting her student’s back.

Twilight chuckled softly, and sniffed, “Yeah... She would have. Anypony have any questions before we get back to the party? Oh? Um... Yes?” Twilight pointed to the mare raising her hoof up high, struggling to stand up the highest, like a small filly in school.

“Ms. Sparkle! What do you think about the pony that’s making all the news: The Iron Mare?”

“The Iron Mare?” Twilight said, gulping softly, “I... Uh... Well...” Twilight looked down, and began thinking, she stood like that for a while, before the mare spoke up again.

“Ms. Sparkle? Are you okay?” The mare asked, snapping Twilight from her trance.

Twilight remained silent as she looked to the crowd, and she then let out a deep breath, “.... I am Iron Mare.”

The room exploded after that, everypony standing up, each member of the press shouting their own questions and pushing past the nobles, trying their hardest to get their question heard and answered.

Twilight let out another deep breath as she watched the press shout their questions and push past the nobles, and she could see the Council member, Fleur, at the back of the room, her eyes open wide in surprise, and her mouth open to allow Twilight to see she was grinding her teeth in anger.

Twilight closed her eyes and smiled, knowing that nothing was going to be the same after this party.

Comments

[Titan Commander Sebaste]

So Fleur was behind this?! Well that was a surprise...

[Summer Melody]

This is a good ending.