The Empress of Equestria

by DustyBones

On a Wing and a Prayer

“Are you sure about this, Dash?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Twilight, we’ve gone over this twelve times already.” She took a deep breath. “Put it on me, already.”

Twilight bit her lip. “If you’re absolutely sure.”

“What do you want? A signed consent and release form?” Dash paused. That sounded exactly like something Twilight would do. “You aren’t actually going to make me sign a waiver, right?”

“Well…” Twilight said with a worried chuckle, “It’s a big step. Magic like this hasn’t been used since the Old Days, when some particularly perverse unicorns kept earth ponies and pegasi as…” She trailed off and swallowed the lump in her throat. “Slaves.”

Rainbow flicked her mane aside confidently. “I know. And that’s why I need it. I’m the Element of Loyalty. I can’t go around second-guessing you or the others. I need to be free of those thoughts. They’re holding me back. Keeping me from doing my job. Everytime I look in the mirror, I hear them. I want them to shut up.”

Twilight’s smile froze on her face. “Mirrors. Ah. Yes. Mirrors. I see the problem now.” She cleared her throat. “W-well, if you’ll follow me, we’ll get everything set up. Is the throne room good for you?”

Dash shrugged. “Wherever’s most convenient.”

“Convenient. Right.” Twilight chuckled, but her ears lay flat against her head.

The setting sun painted the throne room a warm orange. At Twilight’s orders, the guards left. She ascended to her throne and, with a flare of magic, her books came to her call. Rainbow Dash fidgeted impatiently. She paced back and forth, slowly drawing closer and closer to the throne. Twilight began to sweat. She glanced up at Dash and offered a nervous smile. “Um, be patient now.”

Dash huffed and sat down.

With a deep sigh, Twilight set aside her books. “Alright. We’re ready to begin.” She stood strong and raised her head. Her horn lit up. Slowly, she weaved an iron collar into existence. Simple, utilitarian, and the perfect size for Dash’s neck. Once on, nothing less powerful than Twilight’s own magic would remove it.

Next, under her careful eye, runes formed. Powerful, ancient runes of hateful magic. They bound the will and mind of one pony to another. She shuddered. This was wrong. Her magic stopped. “I’m sorry, Dash. I can’t do it. You’re my friend.”

“Oh come on, Twi,” Dash urged, “I need this.” She stepped forward and put a hoof on Twilight’s leg. “I’m out of control. It’s like...it’s like lightning is trapped inside me. I can’t control myself, so I need you to. Help me.”

With a deep breath, Twilight picked the metal collar up. She etched the runes and imbued them with magic. They glowed faintly. After several minutes of fine-tuning and testing, she set it down again. “It’s ready,” she pronounced with dread finality.

Dash jumped down from beside her and inspected it. “Huh. It’s…” She picked it up. “Heavy. Could you make it lighter? I don’t want it to affect my fly-speed.” Twilight glared at her. “Right, right. It’s fine. I mean, I’ll get used to it. I’m the best pegasus alive. Even slowed down, I’ll still be best.” She picked it up and tried to fit it around her own neck. Twilight yanked it out of her grasp. “Hey! What’s the problem now?”

Twilight glowered. “Dash, this is going to hurt. I don’t know how much, but all accounts say it’s excruciating. It will be easier if you submit to it.” Dash nodded. “Now, for the last, time, are you sure about--”

“Yes, Twilight. I’m sure.” Dash drew herself up proudly. “Collar me.”

She felt the weight press into her neck. She felt a cold chill from the metal pressing through her fur. The snap of the clasp sent a thrill through her. And then the burning started. There was no resisting it. The pain lit up her entire nervous system, as if every nerve were dipped in heat strong enough to burn but not strong enough to kill, perfectly tuned to extend the agony for as long as possible. Worse than the venom of the red-brown ant, which stung Daring Do back in book seven. Worse than the chains of Tartarus which kept Tirek restrained. And worse than any torture Chrysalis could concoct, despite all her depravity.

Instinctively, she tried to fight it. To move away. Yank the thing off her neck. The pain grew worse. She asked for this. She’d told Twilight to put the collar on. By the stars, she was an idiot!

She collapsed to the floor, breath driven from her lungs. Twilight was by her side, trying to say something, she couldn’t hear what. But she could see the shapes her mouth made and that was enough. ‘Don’t fight it! Give in!’ Oh good idea, Twi. Let’s put one around your neck and see how willing you are to just give up!

No, she’d wanted this. She’d needed this. The things Daring had said… She tried to take a deep breath but couldn’t, so she settled for forcing her forelegs away from the collar. They trembled. Heck, her whole body was trembling, locked up tighter than rigor mortis. The pain decreased slightly, enough so she could relax a little more. Every time she forced herself to let it take control, the pain lessened. In time it faded and left her panting in a pool of her own sweat with Twilight stroking her mane comfortingly.

“Rainbow Dash?” she asked softly, “Are you alright?”

Her mind felt, dull, fuzzy somehow. But Twilight’s words sent a spark of urgency through her. “I’m fine,” she rasped.

A warm, comforting magic field enveloped her. “No, no you’re not,” Twilight said. A shiver ran up Rainbow Dash’s spine. Twilight’s magic never felt good before. It really didn’t feel like anything except pressure, like being locked in smooth foam that gave a little but wasn’t going to let you go anytime soon. When it disappeared and deposited her on a soft couch, the world felt cold and she let out a little whine.

“What? What’s wrong? Is something broken?” Twilight demanded.

“Not that I can...tell,” Rainbow said. Her throat really hurt, but she had to answer.

Twilight bit her lip. “How...how can I help, Dash?”

“Hold me,” Dash said without hesitation.

Confusion crossed Twilight’s face. “Al...right.” She bent down and awkwardly wrapped her forelegs around Dash’s shoulders.

Warm, pleasant softness flooded Dash’s senses. She relaxed and went limp, letting the joy of being near Twilight fill her. Something told her this was wrong, but that couldn’t be it. This was what loyalty, unbending, unbreakable loyalty felt like. This was the only right thing to do.

Twilight shifted above her. “I’m...I’m going to let go now.”

Dash wanted to stop her, but couldn’t bring herself to. Twilight’s hoof lingered and traced her pelt right along the collar. A frown on her face, she took a step back. “Rainbow Dash, are you sure you’re alright?”

She went to say yes, but a ‘no’ came out instead. “I don’t know what all this is going to do to me,” she said, “But I do know that everything feels kinda...warm and good around you.”

Twilight sucked a deep breath. “Oh,” she said in a quiet voice, “The books said it instilled loyalty. They weren’t clear on exactly how. Let me just...” Her horn glowed and Dash felt a thrill of magic passed through her. Twilight looked grim. “I should have guessed.” She pinched the bridge of her nose.

“What? What is is?” Dash asked.

“Emotion manipulation,” Twilight says. Her horn summoned her books from beside her throne and she began flipping feverishly through them.

“Meaning?” Dash prompted.

Twilight looked up for a moment. “Dash, describe your feelings about me at this moment.”

Words came unbidden to the pegasus’s mouth. “You’re perfect, Twi. Nothing about you could be better. You’re the only one I trust completely. Far as I know, your word is law.” She sat up. “I would do anything for you, Twi, anything. Just say the word and I’ll throw myself off the balcony with both wings tied.” She bit her lip. “I only...I only want to make you happy.”

Twilight was not pleased. Dash wondered why. She’s said the truth. Everything was as it should be now. “Perhaps the collar should have been tested on Sunny first.” She began flipping again. “There’s got to be a way to take it off. Let’s see here...”

“Take it off?” Dash repeated, “No! Never!” Both hooves flew to it and held it protectively. “This is my, uh, in-sure-ants. Yeah, insewerants that I won’t betray you!”

Twilight hesitated, a pained look in her eye. “Alright. Well, who knows? This could just be the settling-in period! Everything could go back to normal the instant it’s--”

The door opened and a pony stepped inside.

--------------------------

Celestia was having a wonderful day.

Really, it had been a wonderful week. When she’d been princess, she’d spent so many hours of each day attending to the problems of the nation and making sure that nopony felt slighted or unwanted. It was an exhausting, if rewarding, task the likes of which only her immortal shoulders could carry. It also left precious little time for recreational activities or quiet breaks. And so, if there was one thing out of all this mess that she wanted to thank Twilight for, it was giving her a chance to step away from the office and the responsibilities of leadership for a while. In short, she had rediscovered her passion in life, which was currently finding all of Twilight Sparkle’s buttons and pushing them in no particular order.

After the fiasco with the Grand Galloping Gala, Twilight had forebade her to let the Crusaders do anything without clearing it with her first. And so, when Sweetie Belle asked to go the bathroom, Celestia waltzed into Twilight’s bedroom, woke her up from a nap, and asked.

After Twilight was done flinging things at her head, she said only to bother her if the Crusaders were doing something irresponsible. That decree lasted until she caught them careening down a waterslide in the front foyer. When she demanded an explanation, Celestia quietly produced the design notes, speaking in glowing terms about the thoroughness and care they used in the slide’s construction. Everything was done very responsibly, so she’d seen no need to disturb Twilight.

This final iteration of this command was to bring any plan of theirs that had the potential to disrupt palace life to Twilight for further review.

Today, she and the Crusaders had come up with at least twenty such plans, all of which Celestia had dutifully carried to Twilight and all of which had been promptly incinerated and swept out the window. Now, she had only one more to deliver before calling it a day.

She pushed the door to the throne room open, serene smile resting in its place and folder clutched under one wing. She caught sight of Twilight and Rainbow Dash talking. Her eyes fell on the collar around Dash’s neck. She stopped smiling.

Celestia was having an awful day.

-------------

“It was at her request!” Twilight said defensively.

“Twilight, some forms of magic were banned and their books destroyed for a very good reason,” Celestia said with a low growl in her voice.

Twilight huffed. “I don’t know why I’m justifying my actions to you. I can do as I please. I am the Empress of Equestria now.”

“You’re an arrogant foal.”

Twilight froze. In all her years as Celestia’s student, she’d never been insulted like that. Even since her successful coup, she’d always been the perfect model of politeness and poise while undermining everything Twilight was trying to do. But now, gazing into those steel-hard eyes, Twilight had the sinking feeling that she’d crossed a line she really shouldn’t have. “What do you--”

A chime sounded at the window. Her ears flicked. She’d installed a several twin sets of bells, one for each of her friends. They’d ring the bonded one and it would ring in her throne room. That way if they needed help she could be there in a flash. This one was the softness of the five, which could only mean…

Dash said it first. “Fluttershy,” she said, breathless.

Twilight faced Celestia. “We will finish this conversation later!” she declared. Her horn glowed and both she and Dash disappeared in a burst of magic. The last thing she saw of that room was Celestia’s hard eyes.

-------------

They appeared in the middle of a riot. Fluttershy’s office had become a fortress to keep those who would harm her at bay. The lights were off. The blinds drawn shut. Furniture was pushed up against the door, holding back the tide of angry prisoners. And as for the Element of Kindness herself…

She was hiding under her desk.

“Um, hello Twilight,” she said, “Things have gotten a little out of hoof.”

“A little,” Twilight agreed. “What ha--” A crash from the other side of the door pushed it open a tad. Fluttershy squeaked and threw herself to the floor.

“Come out, come out, little warden,” a stallion’s voice growled, “We’re here to re-negotiate the lunch menu!”

“Biscuits with gravy? What do you take us for? Savages?”

“Hey! I like the gravy!”

“Shut up, Brass Tacks, you’re from Appleloosa.”

Twilight sighed. “Stand back.” Her horn lit up. The door slammed shut with such force it catapulted the mob backwards a few feet. Not satisfied with that, she cast another spell to reinforce the barricade and turn the door to solid steel. A final spell muffled the screams and shouts of the ponies outside. “There. That’s so much better.” She turned back to the matter at hoof. And, as Applejack would say, boy howdy, was it a doozy. The entire reformation facility in chaos, Discord nowhere to be seen, and Fluttershy was staring at her with big, scared eyes. She sighed heavily.

“Fluttershy,” she began, “what happened?”

Fluttershy’s eyes flicked between Twilight and Rainbow Dash. “Oh, it was, um, the stallion in the blue box. He rescued Daring Do.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “How?”

“Weeell…” Fluttershy took stock of her options, decided she didn’t like any of them, and answered as best she could. “He...appeared in her cell. With the blue box. Then Derpy broke the door down by running into it, which raised the alarm. But when the guards arrived, they were gone!” Her breaths came hard and fast. “They were everywhere! Some ponies disappeared into the box with them, but the others formed a mob! They trampled the tranquility garden! They trashed the arcade room! And now they want strawberry jam during lunch when I made it very clear that jam is for ponies very far along in their reformation process!”

“Come on, Fluttershy. You didn’t need us for this. Don’t you have Discord?” Dash asked.

“He’s gone after the blue box!” Fluttershy screamed, “And I don’t want anypony getting hurt!”

A frown impressed itself on Twilight’s face. “It’s alright, Fluttershy. We’ll take care of this. Just...stay here and don’t get into any more trouble.”

Not that she wasn’t in plenty of trouble. Such behaviour couldn’t be allowed to stand. And letting Daring Do escape along with Faust knows how many others? That had ‘bad time’ written in big, red letters all over it. Not a good sign.

Her horn glowed. “Right,” she growled, “Let’s go put some prisoners in the infirmary.”

The door flew open and she charged into battle, Rainbow Dash right by her side. And as they kicked and and fought and threw the mob aside, to the sky-blue pegasus, everything in the world was just the way it should be. She was with her master and nothing, not even death, would be able to break them apart again.

---------------

Derpy kicked the door to the dining room open and nearly caused Daring Do to leap out of her seat and fall to the ground. “I’ve got the muffins!”

“Great,” Daring said not-very-sincerely. Under her breath, she added, “At least it’s better than toast with no jam.”

Dr. Whooves cleared his throat. “Right. To reiterate, everypony meet the newest member of our resistance. The famous, if until recently considered fictional, Daring Do.” He grinned. “I must say, if half of what your books say about you is true, you are one very impressive mare, Ms. Do.”

“I left some stuff out,” Daring said. She put her hind hooves on the table and leaned back in her chair. “So you broke me out. Thanks for that. And now you want me to join this, what, this revolution.” She snorted. “Sorry, no can do. Got my face ground into the mud enough for one lifetime.”

Whooves’ smile faded. “Ms. Do, while you were not the only pony of interest, you were our primary reason for breaking into that facility. Are you saying that you have no interest in aiding our cause? And after we risked so much to break you out?”

“None whatsoever,” Daring said. She took a sip from her mug. Hot chocolate, and the good stuff too. “Look, I’m grateful. Very grateful. But I’ve fought one of them and lost. And she wasn’t even an alicorn. No way I’m going up against the Empress. And if you’re smart, you won’t either.”

The other ponies in the room muttered to themselves, dismayed. A grey pelted one (who Daring didn’t know) glowered at her. “Then what,” she said with perfect pronunciation, “Do you intend to do?”

“Leave,” Daring said, “I have plenty of contacts down in Mexicolt. I’ll set up down there, keep adventuring, and maybe write a few more books.”

A blue-haired mare sitting next to the first (who Daring also didn’t know) slammed her hooves on the table. “So,” she said, “You’re giving up on Equestria, on harmony, on everything we worked hard to make?”

“Vinyl,” the grey-coated one said, “If she’s really made her choice--”

“I’m acknowledging the reality of the situation,” Daring said. She leaned further back and closed her eyes. “After all, there’s no way to beat them, so why try?”

“And that’s where I must beg to differ!” Discord’s booming voice shook the room. With a decidedly undramatic ‘pop!’ he appeared on the table, reclining and eating a grape. As one, the assembled ponies performed the most sacred and time-honored tradition of Ponyville. One bred from generations of living next to the Everfree forest, the strangest and most dangerous place in all Equestria, a tradition that had been passed on from mother to filly and father to colt for generations.

That is to say, they panicked.

“Buck!” the blue-maned mare shouted.

“Vinyl!”

“Don’t worry!” Derpy shouted over the chaos, “I’ll save us!” Screwing her face into a determined expression, she seized a muffin in each forehoof and flew at Discord’s face. With a battle cry of, “FOR DINKYYYYY!” she threw both of them at the Lord of Chaos’ eyes.

He lazily opened his mouth and caught both of them.

Derpy huffed, cheeks puffing out, and a frown appeared on her face. “Oh...muffins.”

Discord raised a claw. “Please, everypony, as much as I enjoy watching you all run around screaming your heads off, I did expect more from the ‘brave’ Resistance.” He sighed. “Of course it seems the general quality of modern heroes is decreasing. Not even the Elements of Harmony can keep on the straight and narrow.

Daring poked her head out from behind her chair. “If you think I’m going back, you can kiss my flank!”

With a chuckle, Discord swallowed his last grape. He sprang to his feet. A muzzle appeared on Daring’s mouth. “As tempting an offer as that is, I must ask for you to shut up and listen for once, my little adventurer. I’m actually here to help.”

Fancy Pants (who Daring definitely recognized, he was one of her richest buyers) tugged at his collar. “Er, Lord Discord, sir. Don’t take offense at this, but why would you help us?”

Discord’s smile faded. “As fun as it is to see dear old Sunbutt toddle around in the body of a pegasus and have the Elements of Harmony reigning as tyrants, the way things are now…” He trailed off and shook his head. “It’s just no good. No good at all.” As an afterthought, and more to himself than anything, he added, “After all, I can’t let Fluttershy keep crying herself to sleep every night.”

Dr. Whooves cleared his throat. “What...sort of help?”

“Simply put,” Discord said with a grin, “I know the dear old Purplesmart’s weakness. And I can arrange enough chaos for you to get near enough to use it. How does that sound, laddie buck?”

The resistance members were silent for a long moment. “If it’s true,” Fancy Pants said, politely clearing his throat, “It is better than we could have dreamed.” He stood, a smile on his face. “I, for one, approve of this development. After all, if he’s telling the truth, it’s the best chance we have. And if he’s lying, we have no chance anyway.”

Discord laughed. “No. You don’t.” He raised a claw. “Now before you ask, I cannot do anything too ‘obvious’. The little purple tyrant made it very clear that--” He cleared his throat and spoke in a high-pitched, squeaky version of Twilight’s voice. “--If you are implicated in any illicit activity, I will summon the Elements and turn you to stone again, Fluttershy or no Fluttershy.” He sighed. “So, I will open doors, bend the rules of probability in your favor, but I can’t do anything overt. The actual work rests squarely on your little shoulders.”

Dr. Whooves looked around, meeting the eyes of each of the other rebels. “Then...welcome?” He glanced sideways. “And as for you, Ms. Do?”

Daring slowly stepped out from behind the pillar she’d used to hide from Discord. She cleared her throat. “I’m in.”

Whooves grinned. “Then let’s get down to the serious planning.”

Comments

[Dusk Star Shine]

Oh I can't wait to see how the Mane 6 find out how much they Bucked with the World, I can't wait to see Pinkie Pie's face when she finds out ponies aren't happy at her parties anymore and even when they get sick of them all together, also I can't wait to see what Celestia tells Dash about that collar and what it will REALLY do to her over time.

[Carbon]

Great. Now Twilight made slaves from her friends.

[Piemaster128]

This is getting good. Please continue

[DeKar]

Twilight was not pleased. Dash wondered why. She’s said the truth. Everything was as it should be now. “Perhaps the collar should have been tested on Sunny first.”

Uhh... Holy crap, she's gone bonkers... Well, that would be an effective way to reign Celestia in at least. Or maybe she has another one. If Twilight did this to her own friend, there's nothing stopping her doing the same to Celestia now if she keeps annoying her, even if it is funny...

Discord! I knew that he would also be displeased of this situation. Hmm. Pretty sure he's talking about Con Mane's magic mirror. For some reason they have it stored somewhere. I mean, the way they talked about him suggested that they would gladly destroy that mirror, but now I'm not so sure.

[Hombre que Rie]

lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/WZEBCY3BfMv5r2Mj6JjSKQfy-CvEDlGCczUpg7tnamMEzKBALiw6fl8cshI4gPy-6QIeclHQGgzI4Glhn8pt4PxFjL6gdU5pQThHnDQhOY_ILuyNUHYNaw=w393-h374-nc

[Effectivekill]

Welp time to send twilight to Tartarus forever.