The Dark Coming

by LordLogan

Part 7

Far away from Ponyville, to the east of Canterlot, stands another kingdom not ruled by ponies but by a more sinister species. A black guard runs into the throne room,

"My Queen, our people still starve. The love of small creatures is not enough alone. We must take action and assault Canterlot once again or perhaps one of the smaller villages."

The Dark Queen rose from her chair with her opened green eyes. She glared down at her subject instilling fear into him but she, too, felt some compassion for her people. After all without them she had not much to rule. She was Queen Chrysalis of the Changeling Kingdom.

"Unfortunately my subject, we'll need more than our shape shifting abilities if we were to make another attack on Canterlot. We'll need more of an edge but what?"

"HA HA HA HA!" a familiar voice echoed the room like once before.

"Who goes there?! Who dares to enter the kingdom of Queen Chrysalis!? Show yourself coward!"

"My, my you have quite a temper there changeling Queen. Freight not, I am here as your friend."

"I fear nothing! And if what you say is true why must you hide!?"

"Oh very well, since you're not very much the gaming type." A cloud of smoke instantly appeared behind the Queen and out stepped the all familiar foe, Discord.

"You, you still walk among us? But how? I thought that pony Princess imprisoned you?!" Queen Chrysalis stepped back away from him as a precaution.

"Ah yes well as you see, I made my way out, again. I mean really, one cannot bottle up chaos and wish it away. Chaos is to be felt throughout the universe to ever flow during day or night or perhaps both at once HA HA HA!" Discord chuckled at the thought of him either fusing the sun and the moon or simply have them co-exist in the sky together.

"And you've brought your chaos to my mighty kingdom! How dare you?!"

"Actually Chrysalis it would seem that chaos has crawled its way to your people without my doing. I know of your people's troubles such as famine."

"If you know this then why are you here? To make it worse for me? If so then I will have to stop you here and now!" The Queen's horn started to glow and then blasted a green bolt at Discord who teleported away in time to avoid the hit. He reappeared behind the changeling Queen, putting his hands on her shoulders and whispering in her ear,

"Now now I'm not here to fight. I have come for quite the opposite than what you think. I came with…opportunity."

Chrysalis' eyes looked at the chaotic entity, "What could you possibly offer me?"

"Why the very things you seek. Food for your kingdom, power for your strength and of course revenge for your ego."

"Revenge?"

"I know that deep within your heart you seek to destroy those who have made a fool of you. I believe it was the strong love of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor hmm…? I can help bring your dreams to reality."

Chrysalis turned around to look at her potential ally, "Why would you seek to help me? What do you gain? What do you seek Discord?"

"Well I promised the ponies a war would be coming and to make war there must be at least two armies to play the game."

"I suppose you expect me to simply hand over my subjects to you? Never!"

"Oh no, no you have it all wrong. I want YOU to lead them into battle. Of course I'll have some other friends that I can acquaint you with later."

"I suppose you want this war to merely bring chaos to Equestria? You really are mad aren't you?"

"HA HA, well yes but there is a goal in it for me. You see, I also wish to take back my rule over Equestria before the sisters overthrew me eons ago."

"So if we succeed you get Equestria and I get the love of the ponies?"

"And your revenge do not forget."

"Very well Discord, you have yourself a deal." Chrysalis lifted her foreleg to shake on it. Discord grabbed it with his lion-like paw and as they shook they laughed together creating echoes that roared throughout the kingdom.

---

"Pinkie I'm…I'm really scared. Do you really believe Discord was telling the truth about war? We have no experience in real combat. What if…what if…" Tears started to flow from Fluttershy's eyes terrified at the images of her comrades falling and years of endless violence. Pinkie sat down next to Fluttershy and nuzzled her, "It'll be ok Fluttershy, we got the Princesses that will solve this and we'll just all have a good laugh about it later." Pinkie smiled to try to calm her dream mare; however Rarity over heard and couldn't help but get angered towards Pinkie,

"Pinkie! This is war were are talking about here. There is nothing funny about it darling! This is a serious issue that none of us has ever had to deal with before. Nopony has gone to war in milenia." Pinkie lowered her head for she knew it was true but didn't know what to. She felt useless and thus her normal curly hair fell down into its straight smoothness, leaving the pink pony feeling depressed.

"Umm Pinkie…?" Fluttershy said as she got close to her to try to return comfort. Celesia looked towards the group,

"Although we haven't had actually war since the overthrow of Discord we cannot be unprepared and thus Canterlot's guards are trained to fight if ever need be. The troops must be alerted at once." Celestia teleported out of the room leaving her sister and the Elements behind. Luna looked upon the Elements and saw great discourage. Although it was more of her sister's duty to inspire others, it could not be helped,

"Freight not mighty subjects of Ponyville! Discord will have no chance against the eight of us and we'll only be brought a swift victory! Discord is foolish for challenging us again!" Twilight looked upon her idol's sibling,

"You really believe we have a chance?"

"You forget Twilight Sparkle that while you had to reacquaint us with the new world we still held the power and strength of the old world! Discord has underestimated his foes!"

Rainbow Dash joined in the conversation, already to take on Discord or anyone that stood in the way of peace,

"Yeah! Applejack and I could stomp all over Discord and his plan in ten seconds flat, isn't that right AJ?"

"You sure know it Sugarcube! Ah bet victory will be easier than buckin' a whole field of apple trees!" The confidence in Rainbow and Applejack grew within their friends lifting their heads slightly higher,

"Indeed he may be powerful but what does Discord have up his sleeve to declare war on a whole kingdom all by himself?" the white mare questioned. The throne doors slammed open and behind them stood Shining Armor,

"Your majesty of night, the scouts report that the changelings are on their way here and will arrive at dusk tomorrow."

"Has thine sister been alerted?!"

"Yes your highness and she requests you and my sister come with me to meet in the war room"

"Thine room has been dusted off once again?!" said the night pony with a little glee.

"Princess Celestia had kept it clean just in case she ever wished to refurnish I believe however; who could have known there'd be war again?"

"Well shall we be off then Shining Armor?" said the nervous lavender unicorn.

"Yes dear sister, with haste!" and the three trotted off leaving the others in the room.

"Whatever are we supposed to do?" said the uncomforted Rarity.

"Ah suppose we have to remain around the kingdom until we get our orders."

"Pssh orders are for squares! I should just zoom over there and beat all there changeling butts!"

"Now Sugarcube, don't get ahead of yourself. There is more to this than we know."
"Indeed darling, we don't know anything Discord intends to do."

"He's just a wimp! He couldn't hold his own against us!"

Rarity was getting irritated, "Rainbow Dash please, settle down! You will have your chance once the Princesses have made the decisions. They and Discord are the only ones that have any experience in war!"

Rainbow pouted and walked away towards the balcony, "yea, yea whatever Rarity."

"Hmmph!" Rarity walked away as well to admire the gold of the throne chairs. Applejack followed Rainbow Dash and Pinkie and Fluttershy still sat together.

"Pi…Pinkie? Are you alright?" Fluttershy asked trying to compose herself but tears still flowed.

Pinkie looked at her crush unsure what to say. It was like thousands of emotions and thoughts contradicted one another. She wanted to be her normal happy self to keep everyone from feeling scared or depressed but at the same time it felt like that'd make things worse. It'd make her look like she didn't care about anyone or that war has returned. She wanted to tell Fluttershy how she felt in case if the worse ever did happen but didn't know how she would think. She didn't want to lose her friendship.

"I…I don't know Fluttershy." The yellow pegasus was in shock. If something could get Pinkie upset, things were not good and it tore Fluttershy apart. If there was anything Fluttershy truly hated, it was seeing someone she really cared for hurt or sad.

"Pinkie I want to tell you something before anything falls apart. I want you to know that I…" Fluttershy shook a bit but with willpower pulled herself together to make it stop. "I really care about you Pinkie. In fact, I…love you." Pinkie was in awe. She couldn't believe her highest problem that she was contemplating had magically disappeared. Fluttershy cried a bit more feeling sad that Pinkie wasn't going to like her anymore. That she would get up right now and tell Rarity, Rainbow or Applejack that she was a fillyfooler and that they'd all leave her before this whole war had even begun.

Instead Fluttershy's eyes became wide opened and her cheeks blushed as red as a rose as she felt Pinkie licking her tears away, while blushing too, and saying,

"I love you too."