The Downfall of Equestria, Volume 1: Conflict Uprising

by TheHylianBatman

Chapter 2: Getting the Gang Together

Chapter 2
At the Train Station

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Naps. We all love naps, or, at least, those of us that are sane. Of course, one pony who REALLY likes naps is Rainbow Dash. We should all be aware of this, yet, it seems like nopony in Ponyville is. There's always something falling, somepony crying, and one pony who's most definitely NOT napping. However, today was one of the few, few days Rainbow actually could enjoy her lunch-to-dinner nap.

Or so it seemed.

"RainbowDashRainbowDashRainbowDashRainbowDashRainbowDaaaash! Wake UUUup!"

Rainbow would recognize the voice of her best friend, the hyper-hopping baker, anywhere. She frowned, groaned, and peeked over the side. Sure enough, there she was, hopping, smiling, and waiting for a response. So that's exactly what she did.

"Pinkie," Rainbow said, yawning, "If you're going to ask about the cupcakes, I don't feel like baking any. I just get an... eerie feeling when I go into Sugarcude Corner's kitchen. Sorry."

"Nononononononononononononononononononooooo, silly! Twilight wants to meet us all at the train station! I don't know why, I want to keep baking, but I listen to Twilight, and she told me to come get you, so here I am! Hi!" She plumped her rear on the ground, stared up, smiling, and started waving. Rainbow rolled her eyes. She loved Pinkie more than any of her other friends, but only in a friend way (right?), and there were times that she could just really, really, REALLY annoy her.

Rainbow sighed. She could be having a meeting with the mayor of Snoozeville. But duty calls, and she's not just the Element of Loyalty for the Hell of it. Besides, if Twilight wanted her, it must be important.

She rolled off the cloud, spreading her wings just before she hit the ground, slowing the fall and allowing her hooves to gently hit the ground. Suddenly, her back was on the ground with the pink baker on top of her, squealing.

Rainbow Dash could get used to this.

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Her back hooves hit the tree, the apples fell, and onto the next. A standard day in the life of Applejack. She straightened her hat as the apples cam tumbling down, then moved on to the next tree. She'd be back to pick them up later. Applejack sighed. Somedays, she wished she were a unicorn so she could just magic down all the apples and actually have some free time before late in the afternoon. Maybe she'd go get a book from Twilight or go see if Rarity was still interested in that "Rural Beauty" dress line... but, she realized, if she kept daydreaming, she wouldn't even have the little free time she regularly gets. She shook her head and walked on to the next tree.

Meanwhile, on the edge of the expansive property that was Sweet Apple Acres, Rarity slowly walked towards the gate, watching for any mud puddles from the rain the night before. She shuddered, wondering why Pinkie wanted her to get Applejack. She knew that she didn't have time for a party; her dress line wasn't going to make itself. She decided the sooner she was done with this, the sooner she could make sure the Carousal Boutique was still intact and Sweetie Belle's cutie mark wasn't for pyrotechnics. By now, she had passed the gate, and she could feel the mud squish under her rain boots; the sweet scent of apple pie wafted into her nostrils. She thought about merely forgetting Applejack and getting some apple pie.

Of course, if she waited long enough, Applejack would give her plenty of apple pie, with a very special ingredient in it...

She glanced around for a hint of orange amongst the brown and green. Sure enough, there she was, her beautiful Applejack, bucking the trees as normal. Rarity knew how strong those legs were; she'd seen them in action many times. She started walking towards her favorite mare in Ponyville. Applejack glanced her out of the corner of her eye, and saw white and purple. She smiled, knowing exactly who was there to visit.

"Well, hiya, Rarity! Need somethin'? I'ma bit busy right now, but I could probableh swing by the boutique later tanight. Ah cud bring that toy ya like, the one with the-"

Rarity practically shouted, "APPLEJACK! You know we don't discuss such things outside either your barn or the boutique, and only after the little ones go to bed. You never know who could be listening. Rainbow Dash could be on a cloud above us, Pinkie- well, Pinkie could be anywhere, Twilight could have a sound-enhancing spell or something... you never know. NEVER."

"Rarity, ah'm pretty sure everypony knows ba' now, and ah'm amazed the little ones get any sleep, after all the noise we make.. especially when I-"

Applejack chance a glimpse at Rarity, and regretted it instantly. She was giving Applejack the 'shut up now before I start wrenching your very soul out of your body' look. Applejack shut her mouth. Rarity smirked.

"Anyways," Rarity continued, "Pinkie sent me to get you. We all have to meet Twilight at the train station. Before you ask, I don't know why; I just know that's what Pinkie told me."

"And you're sure that it's not one a' there pranks?"

Rarity knew that question would come. Both of them were often at the blunt end of the prankster's 'harmless' jokes. She had made Pinkie Pinkie Promise that is wasn't a prank before she left the boutique.

"Yes, Applejack, I'm certain. Now, we need to head to the station. Are you coming or do you need to grab anything?"

Applejack's mind flashed with all sorts of thoughts, and she whispered in Rarity's ear.

"Well, there might be a few things I need ta... grab."

Rarity looked at Applejack, and her face broke into a smile. She knew her next destination in a heartbeat: Bedroom, right end table, second draw down, press the pressure release switch and open up the false bottom...

~~><~~

Meanwhile, at Canterlot Castle, Princess Luna stood at the top of her tower, watching the clock that was Canterlot's marketplace tick. That unicorn is getting a new coat. The pegasus over there was at the Wonderbolt Merch Stand, buying a replica of Spitfire's goggles. A brown earth pony is getting into that police box, and now it's disappearing- wait, what? The Princess of the Night dismissed it as an eye trick, a shadow caused by her sister's beautiful sun...

'Oh, my dear, dear sister. Who could've done this to you?' Luna thought. She forced her eyes shut as the dam broke and the tears poured out.

Rap.

'What was that noise?' Luna wondered. It couldn't be knocking; she'd asked not to be disturbed.

Rap. Rap. Rap.

And yet it was. The princess sniffled, wiped away her tears, and yelled, "What is it?! I ordered that I was not to be disturbed!"

A gruff voice came from the other side, muffled. "Your sister is awake, your majesty. She's asked for you to come to the hospital immediately."

Luna's eyes went wide. She pondered the mathematics in her head. Celestia was at point-blank range, the bomb was powerful enough to destroy the royal tower, her fur was black when she entered the hospital, it's only been 53 hours, 26 minutes, and 47 seconds, and her sister was awake? It didn't add up. Which meant...

Luna took on a fighting stance. Whoever this was, it was most definitely NOT a royal guard.

"Show yourself, imposter!" The Royal Canterlot voice kicked in, "Who are you and how did you get up here?! Speak!"

The voice took on a sinister echo as it started laughing madly. Luna did not back down; she only used a secret trigger to summon her Dark Guards.

"Discord? Have you escaped? The Elements of Harmony are on their way; they will stop you!"

The disembodied voice just kept laughed insanely, then replied, "Please. Discord is a carnival sideshow compared to me, and I'm not afraid of those petty jewels. They can only put me in a prison, and every prison has an entrance. Only the mighty Celestia can stand up to me; that's why I took care of her. My only regret is I didn't give my minion a more powerful bomb..."

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Luna screamed through the door.

The voice just laughed. Luna charged the door, and buck-kicked it open, magic at the ready. She did a 360 so she would be facing out the door, and she found...

Nothing. An empty hallway.

She broke down and cried.

Thanks for reading! If you have anything to say or point out, just comment below!
Written and edited by me.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, all characters, and all locations created by and property of Hasbro.