"Awww…what's the matter Princess?"

The fiery embers reflected in Princess Celestia's eyes as she gazed upon what was once the bustling city of Baltimare. Fires raged around her as explosions rocked the ground beneath her hooves. One uncomfortably close blast shook a nearby high-rise from its foundations and sent it collapsing to the ground. The equine Sun Goddess strode through the devastation alone, having sent the last of her personal guards to ferry the remaining citizens to safety of Canterlot, now looking to deal directly with the nightmare that had been released upon this kingdom with dignity and determination.

"Does it hurt Princess?" the voice of Discord spoke out again as he appeared in a shard large broken glass they was lay in the street in front of her. Celestia furrowed her brow and gazed down at the image of the Draconequus that lay at her hooves. She snorted a breath of hot air through flared nostrils and with a swift stomp smashed the glass to pieces, then stepped through the glass and continued down the street. Discord let out a cackle that seemed to echo from every direction as his essence danced from glass pane to glass pane, following the Princess on her march through to the heart of the city. "Oh it must burn you up inside," he continued to antagonize as he appeared on the side of wall, taking the form of living graffiti. The Princess stopped, turned her head to face him, her one eye covered by her flowing prismatic hair and her horn crackled with power. The wall Discord was lounging on exploded in a burst of magical energy as Celestia issued forth a powerful blast before continuing on her journey.

The dust from the exploded wall swirled into the air next to Celestia and collected and condensed into the form of the Lord of Chaos who began to walk casually alongside her.

"What is it that you're more upset about, I wonder? One of your precious cities burning or your beloved sister abandoning you during your hour of need?"

"Away with you Discord!" Celestia seethed, trying not letting the Draconequus distract her from her true quarry.

"It is your sister isn't it?!" the Lord of Chaos relished. "Oh, it must drive you mad she's galloping across Wyndia lying down with that wolf, the great betrayer! All the while seeking to usurp your throne! And after you gave her a second chance! Where is she now while your kingdom crumbles around you?"

"Enough of your lies Discord! I will not have you drag my sister's honor through the mud!" Celestia snarled. "I will deal with this abomination you have unleashed, and then I will lock you away for good."

"Oh and how will you do that? He can absorb your magical powers, your sister is gone, and your precious Elements of Harmony are across the ocean!"

"I am Celestia! I will find a way! I have already sent word back to Shining armor and Cadence in Canterlot. They know that the monster can absorb unicorn magic and have begun to put measures in place to prevent that!"

"Yes!" The Draconequus squealed with glee. "Let's see how that's going shall we?" he said as he teleported in Celestia's path snapping his fingers and creating a small portal showing the princess her Castle back in Canterlot.

Princess Cadence passed back and forth in the royal chambers of Canterlot. Celestia's message had frightened the young Princess with its gravity. According to the Princess, unicorns were not only being killed in Baltimare, but their magical powers were being drained, feeding the monstrosity that plagued the east coast. She was inexperienced at ruling during crisis, but Celestia had placed her faith in her and she was determined not to let her down. Shining Armor had raised his shield over Canterlot and as the ponies from all over Equestria fled to Canterlot's walls for safety, she had to make one of the hardest decisions she had ever made and prayed that it was of sound judgment. However, there was no time to second guess her as Shining Armor, despite protesting the decision, began to carry out her orders.

"What do you mean only unicorns are allowed?!" Braeburn shouted. He was one of hundreds of earth ponies and pegasus that now surrounded the main entrance to Canterlot. Before them stood the great purple shield with a small entry way, guarded by royal unicorn guards, the earth pony and pegasus pony guards having been replaced, by Cadence's decree, as the city was placed on lock down. The crowd surrounding the city was screaming their disapproval; some had come as far as Manehattan, Las Pegasus, and Van Hoover. Now they stood, denied entry to the great city simply because they weren't unicorns.

"Applebloom, what's going on?" Scootaloo said to her friend, cupping her mouth and shouting to overcome the yelling of the angry crowd. "Why aren't we going in?"
"I dunno, Scoot!" she yelled back. The two had come with Braeburn and Granny Smith, but had trouble understanding why some of the ponies she had known where going in but they were not. "I have no idea what's going on, have you seen Sweetie Belle?"

"No, I saw her traveling with her parents earlier but I can't see her!"

"NOO!" A loud scream yelled from the gate drawing Applebloom's attention. She turned to see it was Derpy; she was wrestling with a guard who had firm grasp on Dinky as he ripped the young unicorn from her mother's arms. She tried reach back for her but another Unicorn guard shoved her back roughly knocking her to the ground.

"Don't you touch her!" A pegasus roared as he flew in and punched the assaulting guard sending him staggering back.

"Get back, citizen!" the guard shouted. "We are the Royal Guard!"

"I'm Soarin' of the Wonderbolts!" The stallion yelled back, slugging the guard again and knocking him to the ground. Immediately the other guards lowered the spears menacingly driving the pegasus back. "You guys can't do this! We're Wonderbolts! Look at what you're doing!" he said helping Derpy to her feet.

"Celestia help us…" Applebloom said as she saw the violence erupting in front of her. Then her ears perked up as she heard Scootaloo.

"I see her!" The young Pegasus had hopped onto Time Turner's back. The Ponyville clockmaker had made his way to the city and scootaloo managed to climb onto him despite his annoyance, and saw the small white Pegasus moving closer into the city. She was fighting with her mother and father and causing a small commotion.

"C'mon Sweetie Belle, all your friends are going in, see?" her mother urged, pointing to Snips and Snails, who had gone in before them.

"No!" she screamed out her voice cracking in frustration. "I'm not going anywhere without the other Crusaders!"

"Now that his enough Sweetie Belle," Her father scolded. "You're going in and that's fi-"

"MAGNUM!" another voice came from the crowd, causing Sweetie Bell's father to turn. "Magnum, what in all of Equestria is going on here!?" The voice came from Filthy Rich who was trying to shove his way closer; Diamond Tiara was close at his hooves but complaining about all the shoving.

Magnum swallowed hard as he looked back at Filthy Rich, "I going in the city and I'm taking my family with me, Filthy." A guilty look crossed over the older unicorn's face as the words left his mouth.

"Magnum, you can't! We, we grew up together, you can't just abandon us like this!"

"I gotta protect Sweetie Bell, Filthy!" Magnum yelled back to him trying to defend his actions, yet he knew the look of guilt betrayed his convictions. "You'd do the same if you could!"

A look of shock washed over Filthy Rich's face at the other stallion's words. He felt a nudging coming from his side and looking down he saw it was Diamond Tiara.

"Dad? What's going on? Why aren't they letting us in?" she asked, more annoyed than scared, but only because she was too young to understand what was happening around her.

"Magnum, wait!" Filthy Rich shouted in desperation. They might not let him in but in the end there was only one thing he really cared about. He scooped up the pink filly and, rising up on his hind legs, he reached to extend her over the crowd. "Take Diamond Tiara! Please, take my daughter!"

"Dad?!" The young spoiled filly asked, her voice filled with confusion and shock.
Magnum's conscience got the best of him as he broke ranks from the line into city and began to shove unicorn guards aside as he reached for the filly.

Shining Armor was posted above his men, he didn't like his orders that his wife Cadence had given him, but Celestia had entrusted her with the city and her orders where final. He sent another bolt of concentrated magic skyward, renewing the city-wide bubble shield as he had been ever since Celestia had called him and his wife back from the Crystal Empire. Once he was sure the shield was intact, he returned his attention the main gate. The mob at that gate was pretty unruly, and from his position he was having a hard time making out what was happening. The equine prince reeled in horror at the scene that began to unfold.

"What gives yous guys da right to keep us out?" A large, gruff looking Stallion shouted out in a thick Manehatten accent."

"Yeah, let us in bro!" yet another joined in with a Las Pegasus surfer tone.

Suddenly the crowd stampeded forward, shoving and pushing and forcing the gate guards back. The guards pushed back using their spears as leverage. Then with one violent surge the crowd threw several of the guards off balance causing a few to fall, their spears lashing out uncontrollably…

The unmistakable sound of steel piercing flesh and bone rang out and a haunting quiet filled the air. Breaking the silence was the sound of labored breath and coughing of a single stallion.

Filthy Rich fell backwards, dropping Diamond Tiara hard onto the ground. A young unicorn stallion that had fallen forward in the attack stared wide at what had happened, his spear buried deep in the Earth pony's chest.

"It…It, it was an accident," the unicorn guard started. His voice was quiet, almost inaudible over the sound of Filthy Rich choking on blood that began to gurgle from the comers of his mouth. There was no question about the fatality of the injury; the spear had passed through the stallion's lung and heart, jutting out awkwardly from his shoulder, the protruding tip stained with the blood of the earth pony.

"Daddy?" Diamond Tiara recovered from the fall. She looked up at her father's face, wracked with agony and pain, crawled over to him and hugged him tightly. "DADDY!?" she screamed, but her father's eyes glazed over as death came for him.

"No," the guard said, louder this time. "No, it was an accident! Oh Celestia what... what have I done…"

"Murderer…" a voice from the crowd said.

"Murderer," more joined in, slowly at first, steadily growing louder and angrier as the chant continued.. "Murderer, Murderer, Murderer!" it quickly swelled to a deafening roar.

Sweetie Belle saw her chance to break free from her mother when it looked like her attention was distracted with whatever was going on with the crowd. She managed to duck and weave her way under the legs of the guards, and soon was able to spot Applebloom and Scootaloo. She raced to them but then, out of the corner of her eye, saw a flash of pink that caused her to turn. She gasped at the sight of a sobbing Diamond Tiara hugging her father tightly as blood spilled onto the cobblestone of the main gate. Her eyes watered at the sight and rushed to her classmate's side.

"Dear Celestia, no!" Shining Armor called out as he saw the brutal scene unfold before him.

"Sir," another unicorn guard rushed to his side, shouting, "That crowd! They're gonna kill him, we gotta disperse them with magic!"

"NO!" The prince whirled. "Tell the guards no pony does anything without my say! I'm going down for him!" With that the prince galloped to the main gate.

Magnum had lost sight of Diamond Tiara after he saw Filthy Rich fall backwards against the crowd. He then felt a strong hoof on his shoulder yanking him into the city. "Now, just wait a second!" he began, but as he turned, he saw it was a guard who had a deathly serious look on his face that left no room for argument. Magnum gulped and decided to cut his losses. He managed to get his wife and Sweetie Be…

Where was Sweetie Belle?

Magnum's eyes darted left and right as he searched for his youngest daughter, his heart seizing in his chest momentarily, but eased as he saw his daughter forcing her way through the crowd, back towards her friends. He started after her but the guard yanked him down hard and soon, several more gripped him and pushed him through to the city despite his protests.

Time Turner had never seen pony folk so enraged before, but now, an innocent stallion was dead at their feet, and he saw no good coming from the scene. Now, two young fillies stood in the middle of everything. He wasn't sure how the event would end, but he knew that those two were in danger. He quickly galloped through the crowd and placed a hoof on the pink filly's shoulder, prompting her to look up at him, tears streaming down her face. The other stood next to her speechless, also crying.

"We must go, young ones," the brown stallion said, trying to sound a friendly as possible, while scooping Diamond Tiara onto his back and ushering Sweetie Belle to follow him. He led them away from the heart of the Conflict. "Allons-y!"

"C'mon Granny Smith, Faster!" Braeburn called out as he led her, Applebloom and Scootaloo away from the crowd, back towards Ponyville.

"But, but what about Sweetie Belle?" Applebloom said, nervous after she saw the town clockmaker take her away.

"I saw Time Turner turn tail and head back for Ponyville, I reckon that'll be the safest place for us."

"But I thought we left Ponyville to be safe?" Scootaloo said as she buzzed alongside them on her scooter.

"So did I darlin'. So did I."

Shining Armor reached the gates just in time, the young guard who had accidentally struck down the earth pony was scrambling backwards as earth ponies and pegasus advanced, reaching for his hind legs to drag him into the mob. Shining Armor was able to get solid wrap around his upper body just as they managed to get a grip on his one of his legs. The Captain of the guard heaved with all his might, but the strength of several outweighed the pull of one and he felt himself begin to get yanked forward.

"Friends!" he yelled trying to appeal to their better natures. "Friends, I know you're angry, but…Hrnnngh!" He strained as he gripped tightly with all his might refusing to let go of the guard as others guards began to pull him back. "But, he must stand trial for what has happened!"

"He murdered him in cold blood!"

"We all saw it!"

"Please! Calm down, he will stand trial!" Shining shouted back against the random voices.

"He's protecting him!"

"Of course he is! He's a filthy Spiker!"

"I've heard enough yous guys!" A thick Manehattan accent yelled out close to the prince.
"Let's break his freakin' horn!"

Shining felt his grip slacken as he was sucker punched across the jaw. Then, in a swarm of hooves, he felt ponies swatting and punching his horn. The pain was almost unbearable and the great shield around the city faltered.

A loud explosion rocked the crowd sending ponies into the air and reeling back. Suddenly, the attacks on the Prince stopped as angry yells gave way to terrified screams as the guards from the walls let loose salvos of magic spells into the crowd. Fire spells exploded in clusters of earth ponies, and lightning spells streaked through the sky towards madly buzzing pegasus.

"No!" Shining Armor yelled to the wall but it was late. The crowd had scattered in terror, leaving him holding onto the petrified guard. In his anger he galloped back to post and demanded from his most senior officer in charge who had given the order to attack on the crowd, but his answer chilled him to the bone.

"Sir, it was a direct order from the Princess…"

Celetia's eyes widened with shock at the images unfolding before her in the display. She shook her head at the sight, refusing to believe her subjects would act like this or that Cadence would give such an order. She knew the Crystal Princess was inexperienced but never dreamed she would allow such a crisis to erupt.

"No…it isn't true, you lie Discord!" she spouted in disbelief.

"Dear Celestia, why would I lie to you…when the truth hurts you so much more?" Discord cackled. "Oh and it gets so much better!"

Celestia looked at the Draconequus with disbelief. "What more have you done to my people Discord!?"

"Nothing, nothing at all, I was just about to tell you…" A scroll magically appeared in front of Celestia. "You've got mail."

Celestia nervously unraveled it and read its contents as her and lost her breath as her heart fluttered in fear. Discord teleported into a miniature form and sat on her shoulder.
"What's this?" he began gleefully. "Twilight Sparkle and her friends are coming home? How marvelous…I wonder what sort of home they'll return to, don't you? I'm sure that unicorn horn of hers will make her quite popular."

"No, I won't let you hurt her!" Celestia promised as she quickly conjured up a letter and began to write furiously. "You must turn back Twilight. You must return to Wyndia and seek protection with Lord Graywing. You must turn back now." Then, with a burst of magic, the scroll disappeared.

"Do you really believe that she'll listen?"

"She is my faithful student Discord; I know she will do as I ask." she said defiantly.

"I suppose, she's like the sister you always wanted," he said, broaching the sensitive subject yet again.

"Leave me Draconequus!" the Princess shouted angrily.

"It's true isn't it? You never would have put Cadence in power if your sister where here. It really isn't the Crystal Princess's fault when you think about it. Heavy is the crown and it's Luna's to bear…but alas…Where is she now? I can tell you're furious that Luna constantly disappoints you. First, she rebels against you, showering the world in eternal night, and now she betrays Equestria to have that filthy mutt slobber all over her? Oh, she's just a peach, isn't she?"

Celestia's fury burned and she struggled to maintain her cool. She knew she couldn't let Discord get the better of her. She knew deep in her heart that Luna wouldn't do such a thing; she knew she must have had a good reason…

Another scroll appeared before her; she unraveled and quickly scanned it over.

'Dear Sister,

I am writing to tell you that I have rendezvoused with Twilight Sparkle in Wyndia; we are en route to arrive within the week. What is the state of Equestria that you would have her seek protection from beyond our borders?

Your Sister,

Luna

The scroll dropped to the ground as the words sunk into the Sun Goddess mind. She had prayed to herself that the Draconequus's words were false…but now...

Celestia's shocked expression disappeared as her face contorted with rage. She quickly conjured up another scroll and relayed one last message. "All is lost. Remember where you were when Equestria burned. May the events of this day forever weigh on your conscience. All is lost." Then, with another burst of magic, she sent it away.

"I suppose that 's it then? Has the wise and benevolent Celestia reached her boiling point? And before I have to reveal my biggest surprise."

"There is nothing you can do to me now, Discord."

"Challenge accepted!" Discord said with a smirk as he quickly transformed into a gigantic game show curtain, his face plastered across it. "Well ,Johnny, let's see what's behind curtain number DISCORD!"

Then, with a magnificent flourish, the curtain pulled back and disappeared altogether, revealing behind it figure comprised of brilliant gold and red fur with golden flames of energy lapping across it's body, a cruel smile upon its face.

"Hellooooo nurse."