Alternate ending to season 3 opener

by Riverclan101

First published 22nd of December, 2012

What if the ponies had lost?

When Twilight is given the choice of staying or letting Spike bring the crystal heart, she chose the wrong choice; Doing nothing. All because of this, King Sombra takes over the Crystal Empire and the Mane 6, Spike, Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, and Princesses Celestia and Luna are in big trouble.

Chapter 1

“King Sombra is already attacking the Empire; he could reach the crystal ponies at any moment!” Twilight said, frantically trying to think of what to do. There’s no way out. Spike could take it, but then I would fail Celestia’s test… I have to get out somehow. Twilight tried teleporting out once more but to no avail. She looked out the window and saw everything dark and colorless. It was over. King Sombra had won.

Shining Armor looked at the blank Empire. “Twiley…” he whispered. He held Princess Cadence close to him, to make sure she was out of danger. He looked down off the balcony and saw the crystal ponies running around, trying to flee. And then he saw him. King Sombra stepped onto the balcony, his glowing eyes glaring at them, no, at Cadence. Shining Armor tightened his grip on her even more. King Sombra walked over and pushed Shining Armor aside without even trying and laid his hoof on Cadence’s neck, his eyes filled with hatred and the tiniest glint of fear. “No!” Shining Armor screamed. He jumped up to save her, but was pulled down by large jagged black crystals. He struggled, trying hopelessly to help the one he loved, but could not. King Sombra looked down at Cadence as she awoke. She gasped and looked up at him with wide fearful eyes. And then, Shining Armor watched as King Sombra crushed the neck of his wife.

Princess Celestia awoke to her sister, Luna bursting through the door. Luna looked at her and shook her head. “Come sister!” Luna said frantically. What? Did Twilight not make it? No, no she had to. She was chosen for thisCelestia followed her sister out to the balcony. She looked around at the great city of Canterlot, now filled with hatred. There are ponies trapped in black crystals, and almost Everypony she can see looks depressed. “Sister, she failed. You said she wouldn't.” Luna said angrily. Celestia looked at her sister just in time to see the crystals grow from under her. “Luna!” Celestia yelped. She tried to grab her sister, but instead was grabbed by a huge black crystal, which then grew until the Princess was covered in crystal, unable to do anything.

Rainbow Dash had heard Shining Armor. She looked down at Applejack who was still trapped in the crystal that Rainbow had been trying to get her out of. Apparently Applejack had heard him too. “Go.” Applejack said. “I’ll be fine, but they might not be.” Rainbow nodded and flew up to the balcony just in time to see the door close. There was no one else there. She broke through the door and only saw King Sombra taking a seat on his throne. He glared at her and she shot up in the air, just avoiding the crystal that appeared right where she had been. Quickly, she dashed into the nearest room and found herself in a room that was just a huge crystal wall. She tried to go back out the door but was blocked off by, you guessed it, crystal. She was trapped.

Spike stared Twilight in her prison, then looked at the crystal heart. "What are we going to do?" he asked frantically. He looked at Twilight, brave, smart, the mare with the plan, hopefully. "Nothing..." Finally came the answer. Spike's eyes grew wide. He sat for a moment hoping Twilight would just go "Ha! Just kidding" and then tell him the plan, but no, she just sat there, and stared at the ground. Twilight, nerdy, friendly, motherly Twilight, had no ideas, nothing. Then Spike felt a large hoof lightly land on his back. Thinking it was Shining Armor, Spike sighed with relief. But then he saw the look now on Twilight's face. He turned to see King Sombra staring down at him. King Sombra then pushed Spike as hard as he could, impaling him on a waiting crystal. The last thing Spike heard was Twilight screaming his name at the top of her lungs, and the last thing he saw, was King Sombra taking back the crystal heart, and the crystal empire with it.

Tears fell down Twilight's face as she stared at Spike's body impaled on the sharp crystal. Her #1 assisstant, her little baby dragon, dead. "You MONSTER!" She screamed at Sombra. King Sombra looked at her and smiled. "And what are YOU going to do about it?" he asked. "We'll stop you, somehow," Twilight growled. King Sombra laughed. "Without the crystal princess? I doubt it." And with that, he left. What did he mean? Is he going to kill Cadence? Has he already? Twilight wasn't sure, but she hoped that last question wasn't answered with a yes. Then, Twilight Sparkle lay down on the cold heard floor to cry for the lost of her baby dragon.

Rarity ran as fast as she could, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie at her side. All around them huge crystals were acsending from the ground, trapping whoever they could find, including Pinkie Pie. "Go on without me!" Pinkie screamed as she fell to the ground. Rarity started to run again, but Fluttershy stopped for a moment unsure what to do. Quickly, Rarity grabbed Fluttershy before a crystal could grab her. "B-but what about Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy whispered. "There's no time, I'm sorry," Rarity explained, a couple of tears escaping her eyes and smearing her mascara. But that didn't matter anymore. They had to get out of there.

Shining Armor growled at himself. Stupid! Stupid Stupid! He should've gone to retrieve the crystal heart, not his little sister! Sure Cadence needed him to stay and protect her but see how well THAT turned out! Now he was alone in a dark room, pinned down by crystals, the only light in the whole room is the light glow that King Sombra had put around Cadence's dead body just to taunt him. Shining Armor had no idea what to do. All he knew was that Twilight had failed, and now his wife was dead. The screech of the one door echoes through the room, then fills it with light as King Sombra enters. "Look what I've got!" He taunted, revealing the crystal heart. "It was easy, really, that little unicorn did absolutley nothing, not even after I killed that puny dragon." Shining Armor looked up at him. "You killed SPIKE? A baby dragon? Wow, you really ARE evil, not that I ever doubted that." King Sombra glared at him. "Yes, I killed a baby dragon. I impaled him on a sharp crystal. He died as fast as your wife did. And your little 'Twiley' just sat there and watched." King Sombra then left, leaving Shining Armor once again in the dark thing, the only seeable thing being his dead wife.

Chapter 2: Ponyville

Apple Bloom had invited Sweetie Belle over while Applejack and Rarity were out, so of course Scootaloo wanted to come too. They had thought that it would be fun. They were wrong. "Come on!" Scootaloo screeched. "But I can't leave Winona in this....crystal!!" Apple Bloom said as she tugged on Winona, trying to get her out. But Scootaloo knew it wouldn't work. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE IS GO!" She sceamed. Reluctantly, Apple Bloom left her dog and joined Scootaloo. "Where's Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom asked. "I think she went to help Big Mac get Granny Smith!"

Scootaloo was only partly right. Sweetie had gone to help Big Mac, but she never got there. "HELP!!" She squealed as the crystal trapped her body. But there was no one around to hear her. Big Mac was already running to Ponyville with Granny Smith on his back and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were still upstairs. She was trapped and alone.

Angel quickly hopped over to the still locked chicken coop. Thankfully, none of the chickens had been trapped yet. What had been trapped is the mouse family, some birds, the seal, a couple of pocupines, three bats, and some of Angel's brothers and sisters. Angel had learned the hard way that you couls only save the critters before they were trapped. As fast as his little bunny feet could take him, he opened up the chicken coops and was swarmed by dozens of hens. Sighing with releif, Angel hopped out of the chicken coop and looked around. There was still much more to be done.

As Pound Cake and Punpkin Cake screamed and cried, Mr. and Mrs. Cake were busily trying to help ponies out of their homes. "Did you get Daisy, Rose, and Lily?" Mrs. Cake asked as she hurried a few fillies out of a house. "Yes, did you get the Rich family?" said Mr.Cake. Oh no, I forgot the Rich family! "Be right back!" Mrs. Cake hollered. As she neared their mansion, she knew she was too late. Crystals were coming out of the windows, doors, and even through the roof. "Help!" a voice called from inside. It was the filly, Diamond Tiara. "I'm so, so sorry!" Mrs Cake yelled. "But there's no way I can help!" "You better save me or I'm going to make sure my Dad sues your sorry flank!" Diamond Tiara threatened. What a nasty little filly! "There's nothing I can do." Mrs. Cake repeated.

Owlicious had no idea what to do. Twilight had told him to take care of the library, but how could he do that with crystals breaking through the walls? He hand as many books as he could carry in him talons; they were Twilight's favorites, how could he leave them to be destroyed? His wings were getting tired, and he knew he had to go. As he left the breaking library, he couldn't help but feel bad. He had promised. Then again, there were hundreds on ponies down below him that couldn't even save their favorite books. So Owlicious flew out into the wild, having no idea where to go.

Cranky stared out the window at the falling Ponyville. Crystals were breaking through the floor, all of his memories were being crushed before him. "Cranky!" called a voice from the back room.Matilda! He ran to the back room, jumping over crystals and rubble, where he found his Matilda partly engulfed in crystal. He sprinted over and grabbed her hoof in his. He tugged, in high hopes to get her out, but nothing happened. "Go," Matilda whispered. cranky shook his head. "I traveled all over Equestria looking for you. I'm not going to leave you now." So the couple was then covered with crystal, holding hooves, so they would keep each other company.

Cheerilee ran with the town of Ponyville. Ponies were screaming and running everywhere and pegasi were flying overhead. Eventually they reached a cave large enough to hold the town. Cheerilee stared at the cave. Relatively untouched. Rocks not too sharp. Mostly closed off. "We've decided to stay here for the time being," Mayor Mare announced from the front of the herd of ponies. The cave was filled with ponies in about 10 seconds flat. Cheerilee sank to the ground, exhausted. How long had they been running? "Mrs. Cheerilee." Cheerilee looked up to see Mayor Mare staring down at her. "Can you look around and make sure all of the fillies and colts that go to your school are present?" Cheerilee nodded and went to work. Okay, there's Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, Silver Spoon, Twist, Snips... Finally, after a while, Cheerilee figured out that Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara, Snails, and Featherwheight were missing. She reported back to Mayor Mare then lay down for a much-needed nap.

Big Mac rested against the cave wall. He wasn't all that tired, working on the farm had helped with that, but he figured he should get some rest while he could. "Big Mac?" Apple Bloom was trotting over. "Eeyup?" Big Mac looked at her little sister. "Do you think Applejack's okay?" The small filly asked. Big Mac looked down at the ground. He didn't want to lie to his sister- because honestly he did not. But there was a chance that she was. He finally looked back up and nodded at Apple Bloom, who then gave him a weak smile and snuggled up against him. "I hope you're right." Me too Apple Bloom. Me too.

Scootaloo was sitting with the other ponies at the orphanage. This was something that Diamond tiara and Silver Spoon would tease her about. If Diamond Tiara was there. Scootaloo wanted to be happy about that, but she couldn't; Nobody deserved that fate. not even Diamond Tiara. And especially not Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo imagined her friend alone and afraid. We could've done something done something other than just leaving her! Where was she anyway? She might have been in one of the rooms downstairs that we didn't pass on the way out. Scootaloo sighed once more and looked over at Apple Bloom snuggling with Big Mac. Lucky.