Terror in Equestria 5: A Thousand Years Later

In Ridead, Twilight, her stewards, Celestia and her brother were resting after going over how things will be with Twilight being the top pony again.  Twilight just couldn't help but think that Lyra would not cooperate.

Twilight said, "You know something everypony.  I have a very bad feeling that Lyra will not cooperate with me on anything and that I will have to punish her."

LaurFa asked, "What kind of punishment would you have in mind and who would be the steward in Neigh Zealand?"

Twilight replied, "Well my number one choice would be Celestia, since she has leadership experience.  Would you be up for that Celestia?"

Celestia said, "Yeah, I could do that.  If Lyra does indeed have to be punished and removed from power, I promise you I will enforce every single one of your laws."

Twilight replied, "Thanks Celestia.  I will greatly appreciate it."

Lemon Hearts asked, "What sort of punishment would you impose on her?"

Twilight replied, "I would banish her to the void.  That is what I plan on doing with Colgate and all my former friends who betrayed me once we take over Equestria, although deep down I really wish I could just execute them."

Shining Armor asked, "Would that be for the crime of treason?"

Twilight replied, "Yes, it would be.  I have a feeling that when we go in to take Ponyville and if we were to lose, she would probably impose that punishment on you as she will view you as a traitor."

Lemon Hearts asked, "So what day will we depart for Prancington?"

Twilight replied, "I want us to leave tomorrow.  The sooner we leave here, the sooner we can get there and then it will be sooner for everything else to happen.  In the end, it would be sooner to my overthrowing that tyrant Colgate, banishing her and reclaiming everything as my own."

Celestia asked, "Uh, don't you think we will need an army for that.  Right now you have no soldiers."

Twilight said, "I will duplicate many in Faustica and take them home with us.  I will duplicate them enough so that Colgate and her forces won't be able to just wipe them out.  As for now, I think we need to get plenty of rest because we will set sail early tomorrow morning and it will be a 4-5 day voyage to Prancington."

They all rested the rest of the day and got a good night's rest before waking up early the next morning where they all met in the dining hall.

Twilight said, "Alright everypony, enjoy this breakfast.  It will be the last substantial meal we will have for a while.  While we are out at sea, we will primarily be eating apples, oats, hay, plums and other berries."

Shining Armor added, "I know little sis.  I am glad it is only four or five days we have to go without meat again, I don't think I could handle a whole lot more than that without meat."

Lemon Hearts asked, "Why are you two so obsessed with meat?  Most ponies around the world don't eat it.  The only place I have known of ponies to eat meat is in Equestria and on Alicorn Island, when they have access to it."

Twilight replied, "It is primarily a Ponyville thing.  In Canterlot we didn't eat much meat and neither do most ponies across Equestria.  Only in Ponyville, Dodge Junction and Appaloosa do ponies consume larger quantities of meat."

Shining Armor interrupted, "Twily, since we have finished eating think we should get on board our ship and get going?  You are the one who wants to get there sooner after all."

Twilight replied, "Let's leave now.  I don't want to have to wait too long to complete my objective.  Let's go everypony."

Twilight and her envoy headed to the ship and set sail for Neigh Zealand.  Twilight was dreading arriving there as she knew that Lyra would not just cave in to her demands.  She also knew that Lyra would order her forces to open fire upon them since she is an enemy to Lyra now.  All she could do was hope for the best.

Four days had passed with perfect weather when Shining Armor finally sees Neigh Zealand on the horizon.  He said, "Twilight, finally.  Our target is on the horizon!"

Twilight took a look and sure enough, there was Neigh Zealand and the capitol city of Prancington on the horizon.  Twilight said, "Well very soon we will know whether or not Lyra will be with us or against us."

LaurFa interrupted, "I don't mean to burst your bubble Twilight, but I wouldn't count on her being on our side.  She is too much against your tribute laws and most likely won't surrender full control of Neigh Zealand."

Twilight growled, "Yeah, you're probably right.  I don't know why she can't just accept things the way I want them.  Back in the old days, had she been good friends with the rest of us, she would have been the element of generosity, not Rarity."

"Seriously?" asked Shining Armor  "She did help you guys out a lot and gave all of you many things."

Twilight replied, "That is true but she has never risked her life the way Lyra has to prevent me from going into her country and taking what is rightfully mine."

Lemon Hearts asked, "What is rightfully yours?"

This really angered Twilight.  She shouted, "Ten percent of their monthly income you moron.  Don't you ever pay attention to anything?"

Before Lemon Hearts could say anything their ship made landfall at the port in Prancington.  They all rushed off the ship hoping to get something tasty to eat.  Twilight and Shining Armor were hoping to feast on bacon.  Twilight was also wondering where Lyra was.

"Figures," growled Twilight "I knew she would be the one to not be here waiting to meet with us.  Well I guess we will just have to go find her."

Twilight and her envoy were walking around town headed towards the palace when a changeling officer stopped them.  He asked, "Who are all of you and what are you doing here?"

Twilight snapped, "Well I am the Dark Goddess Twilight Sparkle, this is my brother Shining Armor, this is Princess Celestia, this is Steward Lemon Hearts from Saddle Arabia and this is Steward LaurFa from the Equine Province."

The officer replied, "I am General Green Moon.  I need all of you to come up to the castle.  We have been expecting you."

Green Moon led them up to the palace into the throne room where they were greeted by many other changeling officers, dark Alicorn officers and General Dark Dusk.

Twilight saw Dark Dusk sitting up on the throne and asked, "Who are you and where is Lyra Heartstrings?"

Dark Dusk replied, "I am General Dark Dusk.  Regarding Lyra, she is gone.  I don't know where she went.  All I remember is that some blue pony with a bunch of changelings and dark Alicorns of her own came, took Lyra, put all of them into some sort of weird bubble and then it seemed like time froze and when we finally came to, they were long gone.  It is as if that blue pony froze time."

Twilight asked, "This blue pony, did she have an hourglass for a cutie mark and have a blue and white mane and tail?"

Dark Dusk replied, "Yes, that is an accurate description of her.  I take it you know her?"

Twilight said, "Yes, I know her.  She is a pony that at one time I made my top commander.  She ultimately turned on me and overthrew me.  Would you happen to know where they went?"

Dark Dusk replied, "I heard the blue pony mention something about Ponyville, but that is all I was able to hear.  I am sorry that I couldn't provide more information."

Twilight was angered that Colgate came and got Lyra but was thrilled that the general knew that.  She said, "Thank you General, that is all the more information I needed.  Let's go to Faustica, I need to tie up some loose ends there."

Dark Dusk said, "Dark Goddess Twilight Sparkle, aren't you guys hungry?  Wouldn't you like to at least sit down to a good meal before you go?"

Twilight replied, "Yeah sure.  That would be good.  What are you guys having?"

Dark Dusk asked, "Well we are going to be eating bacon, eggs, apples, cider, pork chops, oats, hay and sausage."

Twilight got a huge grin on her face and started saying "Bacon, bacon, bacon!  Oh you have no clue how badly I want some bacon!"

Dark Dusk replied, "I knew that was what you were hungry for.  I know that Ponyville ponies are known for their appetite for bacon and other meat.  Come on everypony, let's head to the dining hall and eat!"

Twilight and her envoy headed to the dining room.  Twilight was unsure as what to think about the hospitality and friendliness of the changelings and dark Alicorns but she did know that if she retook the whole world, that Dark Dusk would be given stewardship over Neigh Zealand, not Celestia.

Not too long after they arrived in the dining hall their meal had arrived.  Changelings and dark Alicorns have a voracious appetite for meat but they were surprised to see how quickly Twilight and Shining Armor devoured their meals.

Dark Dusk commented, "Wow, I knew that Ponyville ponies liked their meat, but you two must be the biggest meat lovers there."

Twilight replied, "Oh, I wouldn't say that.  Colgate tends to eat a ton of meat as well."

Dark Dusk said, "Well you seem to have huge appetites for it.  Are you sure you two don't have a bit of dark Alicorn in you?  You sure have our eating habits!"

Twilight replied, "I don't think we do.  I think our parents would have said something about it when we were growing up, oh wait, it was Celestia that raised me, not my parents."

Celestia growled, "Twilight, I thought we got over that."

Twilight snapped, "Celestia, I have forgiven you.  It is my parents am still mad at.  I know it does no good now because they have been dead for over 900 years but still."

Green Moon asked, "Your parents didn't raise you?"

Twilight replied, "No, they didn't.  When I was very young I was accepted into Celestia's school for gifted unicorns and because of the raw power I had, Princess Celestia here wanted me to move into the palace so she could guide me and help me control my powerful magical abilities.  I never saw much of my parents so of course my lineage is a complete mystery to me."

Dark Dusk said, "I'm sorry to hear that.  That must be tough not knowing where you came from."

Twilight replied, "Now I know how Spike felt when he wondered where he came from."

Green Moon asked, "Who is Spike?  Was he an orphaned pony?"

Twilight replied, "No, he was my assistant.  My entrance exam involved hatching a dragon egg using my magic.  It took me a while at first, but I was able to hatch it and he was inside the egg, so he became my assistant.  During a dragon migration, he started to wonder where he came from."

Dark Dusk commented, "I feel sorry for the lad.  I know dragons are very family oriented creatures and for him to not know about where he came from, must have been tough."

Twilight replied, "Yes, it was tough.  Supper is over and before we all hit the hay, I would like for us to have a meeting in the throne room.  Oh wait, I guess I should ask first.  Would it be ok if we stayed the night here before heading out tomorrow."

Dark Dusk said, "Sure.  Just be sure and have a filling breakfast with us before heading out.  It is always best to head out with a full belly!"

They headed to the throne room where Twilight addressed them.  Twilight said, "Well I had initially came here to tell Lyra what I wanted her to do but since she is not here I will give you this honor instead.  I want you, General Dark Dusk and General Green Moon, to share stewardship over Neigh Zealand.  You have proven yourselves beyond worthy of having this position.  You are great hosts and I know you will treat your subjects well."

Celestia jumped in, "But Twilight, you promised me stewardship here!"

Twilight replied, "Well things change.  These two know this land very well, they know the ponies and I think that is what would make them perfect for the job.  I do want you two to do one thing for me though."

Dark Dusk replied, "Consider it done.  We will start collecting tribute as soon as possible."

Twilight was stunned by this statement.  She said, "Wow, you already knew what it was before I said it.  You two are beyond perfect for the job.  I do want to know when Lyra said she would return."

Green Moon replied, "Well she didn't give us any given amount of time.  That blue pony seemed to want to keep her once she took off with her.  It seemed like she had some sort of plan for her."

Twilight replied, "The blue pony's name is Colgate.  She is the commander I was talking about.  At first she seemed like the ideal commander but once my brother and I started taking a lot of out of town trips, she decided that the world needed a pony who would actually be in the capitol to do her job and took it upon herself to supplant me."

Dark Dusk said, "Well that isn't a very good reason to want to over throw you.  It sounds like she was simply jealous and found some lame excuse to justify what she did."

Celestia interrupted, "That is true and then she decided to use treason as an excuse to banish Twilight to the sun for a thousand years."

"Whoa!" said Green Moon  "That is terrible.  How could any one pony be so evil."

Twilight said, "She was just power hungry.  When ponies get an insatiable thirst for power they will become a tyrant.  I am getting tired.  What do all of you say that we hit the hay?"

Dark Dusk replied, "That sounds good to me.  I'm getting tired myself."

Everypony headed to their sleeping quarters but were unaware that from Ponyville Colgate was watching and listening.  Lyra was in her room with her at the time.

Colgate said, "Lyra, either your officers are betraying you or they are playing nice to earn Twily's trust so that they can stab her in the back later.  I hope it is the first thing I listed and not the latter."

Lyra replied, "I hope so as well.  I know Twilight is getting good at turning ponies loyal to her without loyalty spells here lately, but these are dark Alicorns and changelings.  I just hope they have enough brains to not fall into her trap."

Colgate replied, "You and me too.  It's time for lunch.  Let's go and grab a bite to eat."

Lyra said, "Sounds good to me, I'm hungry as well."