The Run

by Dragon Genesis

Rating: mature
Tags: Romance, Dark, Alternate Universe
Length: 5537

A group of rebels plan on escaping the changeling ruled Canterlot in a stupid and daring way. A mad dash run.

All three princesses and Shining Armour are captured and sealed in cocoons, four elements, including AJ and Rarity, marefriend's of Rainbow Dash and Twilight, are killed, and Canterlot has fallen to Changeling rule.

Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Philamacora join a group of rebels consisting of the candy maker Bon Bon, the lyrist Lyra, the claimed dentist with an hourglass cutie mark named Minuette, a former alcoholic suffering from release withdrawal, and the grieving elements of harmony, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle, as they come up with a plan to escape Canterlot and form an army to take back the fallen capital. And it all starts out with a mad dash out of the city.

Cover Art by Tamikimaru

Editing by: AuthorGenesis

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-01-07 15:57:38 UTC

Chapter 1: Survivng

The Run

Chapter One: Surviving

Written by Dragon Genesis

Edited by AuthorGenesis

In the more secluded suburban district of Canterlot sat a single house.  Inside this house lived two famous musicians.  And this house was being ransacked again for the daily hunt.

A group of changelings turned over every piece of furniture that had seen enough abuse over the past three weeks that it's amazing that it's still intact.  After all, each piece was flipped over or thrown everyday for the past three weeks, changelings searched for ponies that were hiding from them.  However, they never checked the basement often enough.

In the basement of this suburban home were two mares, holding onto each other as the changelings destroyed their home above.  The couple stayed quiet and still, not letting their breathing give away their location to the monsters above.

Vinyl Scratch held onto her marefriend, Octavia, as they hid.  She stroked the grey mare's black mane to help calm Octavia's nerves and give a sense of security and reassurance.  Octavia just shuddered at every noise above them, shivering in her marefriend's embrace.

Vinyl merely sat there, calming her in any way possible.  She placed a gentle kiss on herforehead, carful of how much love she projected to keep them hidden incase the changelings could sense her love for Octavia.  Right now, Octavia's well-being was more important.  If changelings did find them, Celestia help them when they find themselves an opponent of a protective marefriend.

"Tavi?" Whispered Vinyl, leaning so her mouth wasn't far away from Octavia's ear.

"Y-yes, Vinyl?" Said the mare shakily.  Vinyl leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips.

"You do know I would fight Tartarus for you, right?  That I wouldn't let a single changeling lay a hoof on you?" Asked the alabaster unicorn, her electric blue mane falling over her red eyes.  Octavia stared into them with her own violet, both oculars filled with fear for the other.

"Of course, Vinyl.  I know you will.  But I am afraid to lose you."

~~~~~~

"What the hell is this sappy shit?!" Shouted Vinyl as the caravan moved towards Canterlot.  Her, Octavia, and a group of soldiers sat in a covered carriage as they prepared themselves for the battle to come.

"It's the story of how we all got here, Vinyl." said the mare with a frown.

"I hardly remember it being that fucking sappy!" Said Vinyl.  Octavia sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Fine.  I will retell it how I remember it."

~~~~~~~~

"I'm so fucking scared, Tavi!" Whined Vinyl, gripping onto her marefriend.  Octavia sat proudly, holding onto her marefriend protectively.

"Do not worry, Vinyl.  I will protec-"

~~~~~~~

"You fucking bitch." said Vinyl, narrowing her eyes at her wife.  Octavia grinned and winked at the unicorn.

"Only for you, Vinyl." said the gray mare with a snicker.  Twilight Sparkle sighed.

"Will you two just get to the important part of the story?  And please, no romantic or bullshit versions." said the lavender unicorn.

"Okay, bossy." said Vinyl. She cleared her throat before speaking, her voice going out to every cart of soldiers in the mile long caravan.

"We were three weeks into the changeling rule, so a month.  Me and Tavi's supplies were almost gone and it was getting harder for me to keep the wizard fire going... ."

~~~~~~

Vinyl coughed, her stomach growling in response.  She cursed, but kept magic pouring into the blue fire in the center of the room that provided their heat and light.  Octavia's ears perked up at the sound and turned to see her marefriend shivering despite the warmth of the fire.

"We cannot keep going like this, Vinyl." said the mare in a sad tone.  The white unicorn scoffed.

"We h-have to, Tavi.  I'm not going to let you go up into some fucking cocoon." said the mare, shivering as if cold water was poured onto her.

"Vinyl, you are hungry, tired, and exhausted of almost all of your magic.  You have to let go of the spell and rest." said Octavia, putting a hoof on her shoulder.  Vinyl shied away from the hoof.

"We will freeze if I did.  I can't let you suffer." said Vinyl, pouring even more magic into the fire, causing it to grow bigger and brighter.  Octavia's eyes widened as she watched it grow.

"Vinyl, stop!  I am suffering by watching you suffer!  Please, just drop the damn spell."  Vinyll's eyes widened and the spell died down to nothing but a candle flame before it sputtered out, leaving nothing but the small specks of daylight shining through the window to provide light.  Vinyl leaned against Octavia, and started crying.

"I just don't know what to do, Tavi!  Why did they have to come?" Cried out the white mare, tears soaking both their coats.  Octavia held her protectively as she looked over at their rations.  It was a single crate tipped on its side that barely had anything in it anymore.  It survived them the month but won't survive the next day before it's depleted.

"We need to find more food, Vinyl.  It is either go out and look, or we die here." said Octavia with a sigh, leaning head against Vinyl's.  The mare sobbed softly for a moment, thinking their situation over in her head.

"W-we should get some sleep and head out before the patrols start." said Vinyl.  Octavia nodded and slowly laid the two of them on the ground, Vinyl's head laying on her chest.  She sat there, stroking the electric blue mane of her marefriend to comfort her.  It ended up calming the two of them as they drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~

The night was just approaching as two figures stepped into the Scratch/Philimacora household, taking their first steps into the main floor for the first time in over a month.  Furniture was overturned and pretty much destroyed while photos of the owners were smashed on the floor.  Octavia and Vinyl looked it over with sad looks.

"They really don't care about the ponies, do they?" Asked Vinyl, looking around her destroyed home.  Octavia sighed.

"I am afraid so.  The only thing we are to them is food.  They could not care less about the rest." said the grey mare.  And, for the first time in a month, Vinyl chuckled.

"Did you just rhyme?" Asked the unicorn, suppressing her giggles.  Octavia thought a moment before laughing.

"I did, did I not?  I did not even notice." said the giggling mare.  The two stood there giggling, before they deemed it time to venture outside and begin their search for food.

The sun had set an hour before.  It was said that the changeling queen, Chrysalis, was able to find the spell for moving the celestial orbs by digging into the minds of Celestia and Luna as they were most vulnerable in the cocoons.

Vinyl had lit a small latern with actual fire, deciding it best to save her energy.  It wasn't much, but it illuminated far enough in front of them to help their search.  The dangers of scouting in the night was that the lantern light was easliy seen.  But the bright side was that there were fewer changelings on patrol.

Keeping her lantern low as they crept along the streets of Canterlot, Vinyl led the two of them towards where she would think best to scavenge for food and supply's.  From what she knew, the only other thing they needed besides food was Vinyl's pills.  If she could find a bottle, she would be set for the next month.

"You want to head to the pharmacy first?" Asked Octavia.  Vinyl thought about it before nodding, checking to see where exactly they were.

"Yeah.  I probably only have enough to last me a few days." said the unicorn, motioning to the saddle bags that held whatever stuff they had, which was very little.  Octavia nodded and Vinyl took them down the familiar path down to the pharmacy.

"You do know how to get them without a pharmasist, right?" Asked Octavia.  Vinyl rolled her eyes.

"Tavi, I had to memorize the name of the pills so I could tell them what I need.  And last I checked, it's labeled on the bottle.  The only thing I'm worried about is the alarm." said Vinyl, checking around the corner to see if it was clear.

"What about the alarm?  It is not like we are breaking windows." said the grey earth pony.

"To get the pills we have to get into the back room.  No doubt there is an alarm set up just I case someone tried to break in.  I'm going to have to look fast since it will alert the changelings." said the unicorn as they finally came up to the building.  She looked over the door until kneeling in front of the door, lighting her horn.

"What are you doing now?" Asked Octavia, nervously looking down the street.  Vinyl huffed a the door unlocked.  She pushed it open with a hoof and trotted in.

"Letting myself in, of course." said the mare as she walked in.  Octavia soon followed.  Inside the shelves were haphazardly throw across the room and isles, no doubt ponies trying to grab what they needed.  However, Vinyl grinned as she saw the back untouched.

"Alright.  I'm going to turn on the gas laterns and quickly get into the back.  I may be able to delay the alarm but get ready to run when I come out." said Vinyl as the lights came on with a flash of her horn.  Octavia squinted before her eyes adjusted and nodded.

"When did I ever fall in love with a thief, Vinyl?" Asked Octavia with a smirk.  Vinyl rolled her eyes.

"I did what I had to do to survive.  It wasn't till of recent that I started rolling in the big bits.  Unlike you, I didn't grow up with Celestia knows how many bits saved away." said the unicorn as she knelt before the back room door, examining the lock and the wires that rigged it to the alarm.

"And my parents always told me I would fall in love with a handsome prince." said Octavia with a smirk.  Vinyl scoffed.

"Some sexy prince I am." said the unicorn with a smirk as the door unlocked.  "Alright, get ready." said Vinyl as she ran inside, looking over the shelves franticly, pulling open drawers and other as she tried to find what she was looking for.  However, the shelves were empty.

"Come on, come on.  Did someone already clean this fucker out?" She asked herself, going over to the last shelf.  Before she could reach it a high pitched rining sound went off.  Cursing, Vinyl went back out into the main part of the store.

"Come on, we have to go!" She shouted as she exited the store, Octavia trailing behind her.  Vinyl could just barely her shouts as changelings were alerted of the noise, she knew they didn't have long to find cover.

"Over here!" Shouted out a blue unicorn from inside an abandoned apartment complex.  Vinyl looked back then over to the building before motioning for her marefriend to follow as she barreled into the front door that was being held open.  The unicorn slammed it shut behind them and locked it.

"That was a close one, you two.  Next time, I would stay away from setting off alarms." said the mysterious mare with a smile.

"I-I'll keep that in mind." panted Vinyl as she tried to regain her breath.  The mare turned away for a second before turning back around and giving each of the two mares a prick in the shoulder.

"Hey!  What was that for?!" Shouted Octavia, rubbing her shoulder.  Vinyl stepped in front of her marefriend with a growl.  The mare ignored them and held two needles in her magic.  She sat there for a second before destroying them with a burst of magic.

"Please follow me, and sorry about that.  The leaders of our little sanctuary here are strict on the 'make sure they aren't changeling's first' rule." said the mare, motioning for them to follow her up the stairs.  The two hesitated before doing just that.

"What is this 'sanctuary' exactly?" Asked Octavia.

"Well, we are a group of rebels that plan on trying to fight back against the changeling rule and reclaim Canterlot. Each of us so far actually had some part in the wedding before all hell broke loose." said the mare.  She turned around, walking backwards, and grinned at them.  "I'm Minuette, some call me Colgate.  I was supposed to be one of the three bridesmaids."

"I'm Octavia Philmacora, this is my marefriend, Vinyl Scratch.  We were supposed to play at the reception.  Fate was kind enough to make us late." said Octavia.  Minuette, nodded as they stepped onto the third floor.  She led them to the end of the hall before opening the second to last door.

The rooms next to each other must have had their walls knocked down since the entire area looked a lot larger than it should.  In it was four more mares.  Two of them Octavia recognized as Lyra and Bon Bon, friends of theirs.  Octavia had played with Lyra a few times before and that seemed to be the only area they would bicker in.  The other two mares, however, shocked them.

"What are the elements of Magic and Loyalty doing here?" She asked curiously.  Twilight and Rainbow Dash looked up from where they were currently playing chess, the latter seemed to be losing.

Rainbow Dash wore Applejack's trademark stetson on her head whole Twilight had a simple Diamond necklace around her neck.  Each looked tired beyond belief as well as their eyes being puffy.

"Well, if Minuette told you the story, then you should know why." said Twilight.  She gestured around them.  "We started this."  Vinyl was about to reply when Minuette stepped in.

"Hey Twi, do you know where Berry is?" She asked.  Dash pointed to a room on the far end.

"In the bathroom.  You need to find her some hard candy soon before she pukes up that stomach of hers." said the cyan Pegasus.  Minuette winced and turned to Bon Bon.

"Did you finally get the ingredient's?" She asked nervously.  The cream colored earth pony shook her head as she held on to the shaking Lyra.  The poor unicorn looked tramuatized, but from what Octavia didn't know.

"Sorry, ‘Gate.  Punch is going to have to wait until I get the sugar I need.  I suggest once that alarm settles down on checking that pharmacy for anything." said Bon Bon.  Minuette sighed and headed towards the bathroom.

"I'm going to comfort her if you need me." said the mare before disappearing behind it.  Silence ensued.  Octavia and Vinyl stood awkwardly as the unicorn and earth pony couple held each other and Twilight went ahead to beat Rainbow Dash.  Finally, hating the silence, Vinyl spoke.

"What happened to all of you?" She asked.  The four mares looked at them then at each other.

"I think we should start first." said Twilight.  Rainbow nodded and adjusted to a more comfortable position.  "It was back when they invaded ..."

Chapter 2: Deafeat and Loss

The Run

Chapter Two: Defeat and Loss

Written by Dragon Genesis

Edited by AuthorGenesis

~~~A month earlier~~~~

Twilight sat huddled against the wall with her marefriend in her forelegs.  Rarity nuzzled into her chest as they watched numerous ponies get hoisted up to the ceiling in cocoons.  Twilight, however, kept her eyes on the cocoon containing the princesses and her brother.

"They already got Sweetie." Rarity laminated.  Twilight looked down at the white unicorn, Rarity’s curly purple mane obscuring her expression from Twilight’s sight.  Rarity kept her hoof pointing at a triplet of smaller cocoons.  She didn't need to examine them more closely to know exactly who they contained.

"They're monsters." Said Rainbow Dash with a huff as her own marefriend, Applejack, leaned her head on Dash's shoulder.  The cyan Pegasus shook her head, images of her younger ‘sister’ in a cocoon plaguing her.

"I-I don't want to go into a cocoon." whispered Fluttershy softly.  She shivered in the arms of Pinkie Pie.  The pink mare's mane had lost its puffiness and fell limp on her shoulders.  A small, sad, smile stayed on her face as she stroked Fluttershy's mane, trying to calm her.

"It's okay, it's okay, I won't let that happen." Said the pink mare softly into the Pegasus' ear.  This helped calm her greatly, though she was still shaking.  Twilight sighed and looked around the throne room, her eyes momentarily stopping on the royal guard that was carrying the royal throne on his back.  She was amazed the he was able to carry the golden chair while having spears pointed at him as he walked.

"I am definitely going to kill that bitch when I get the chance." muttered Twilight, following the stallion with her eyes for a moment before looking over to the mare the threat was being made against.

Chrysalis was humming to herself as she looked over her captives with a grin.  She took a moment to grab the fallen crown of Princess Celestia and slip it on her head for a moment.  She examined her look in a broken shard of glass before discarding it with a huff.  She the hovered up to the crowns owner with a triumphant grin.

"Oh, it is joyous to see you under my control, Celestia.  I never understood why the ponies put so much trust in you." Said the queen, shoving the cocoon.  She watched it sway back and forth, the pony trapped inside doing nothing.  The queen grinned and looked down to see her throne reaching its proper place.  Grinning further, she hovered above it before dropping, not giving the stallion a chance to slip out from beneath its weight.

There was a solid thud as the throne slammed to the ground and the blood of the stallion holding it up sprayed over the ponies closest.  They screamed and backed away, some vomiting.  Chrysalis just watched in amusement.

"Such weak, pathetic creatures." She said, watching the fleeing ponies.  "You disrupt one small piece of order and they all go mad!  Oh, but how does their love taste delicious in the time of need.  It is most satisfying." said the queen with a grin.  "And it is all mine until we move on with our final piece of our plan.  Expanding out to the rest of Equestria, and once that is accomplished, then the surrounding countries."

From her spot on the other side of the room, Twilight gritted her teeth in anger as she watched the changelings shout at the ponies in front, demanding them to calm or they would have to force them calm them.  It angered her to no end and proved to help fuel her already burning hatred of Chrysalis.  For a queen who fed off of love she was truly heartless.

"I will not let that monster win." Growled Twilight as she watched said changeling lounge in the golden throne as if she owned the entire castle.  And in many senses, she now ruled the entire city.  Of course, Equestria had always had back-up plans to keep the monarchy and rule if Canterlot was to fall and the princesses captured.  It wouldn't be a shock if said back-up was now in full swing in keeping Equestria running.

"I agree, darling, but what can we do?  We are obviously outnumbered by these ..." Rarity trailed off as she watched a pair of changelings fly up towards the cocoons of the three flower girls, focusing on Sweetie Belle mostly.  She couldn't catch a single word, but motions and snickers were more than enough to give her a very descriptive idea on what they were talking about.

"... perverted, nasty, jackass monsters." Finished Rarity with such vitriol that if words had the power imbued in them, then the sheer hatred and scorn felt against the offending species would have leveled mountains if possible. Twilight was initially shocked by her marefriend's vulgar language, until she saw what she was glaring at.  The laughter of the changelings as well as their lewd motions sending the same ideas to Twilight's mind as they did Rarity's.  She only growled.  She had grown attatched to Sweetie Belle and the other Crusaders, none of them deserved the perverted attention they were getting,

"Ah really don't care if we are outnumbered.  Ah would still like to buck as many of these monsters in the face as ah can." said AJ.  By now, the groups attention was focused on the three fillies, blissfully sleeping away while changelings made sexual motions towards the cocoons, laughing their flanks off before continuing.  It didn't help that Chrysalis watched with an amused look.

"We just need to make it to the Elements, then we can use them against Chrysalis.  Most insects die off in the absence of their Queen.  Some instantly, some within a day or two." Said Twilight. She glanced around the room, trying to find a suitable exit that wouldn't cause a full-on battle.  The majority of the ponies were in the center of the room, making it impossible to get to any door without being seen.

"What do you think, Twilight?" Asked Rainbow.  Twilight hummed and leaned forward.

"Fluttershy, do you think you are up to running?" She asked.  Pinkie leaned her ear closer to the yellow Pegasus and nodded to Twilight.  Twilight sighed and looked back at the main two doors.  "Alright, I have a plan.  However, it's risky."

"How so?" Asked Rarity.  Twilight pointed towards the door.

"Because we will be running towards that with our backs to the enemy.  If we don't get there fast enough, we could end up captured, injured, or … other." said Twilight.  There was a collection of winces.  "It's the only option we have at this point, besides sitting here to be shoved in a cocoon."

"I'll do it." said Rainbow with a shrug.

"Ah might as well."

"I don't see why not."  Their attention turned to the softly conversing earth pony and Pegasus.  Pinkie held her ear close to Fluttershy for a moment before planting a kiss gently on the mares forehead.

"We'll go, too,"

"Alright.  When I say go, we all run towards the door.  Try to keep up." said Twilight.  She then turned her attention to the golden throne room doors guarded by two changeling guards.  They could easily be overthrown by the crowd, but there were plenty of changelings in the room to easily solve that problem.  However, six elements of harmony, magic or no magic, was a different story.  There may be a limiter on both unicorns horns and straps around both pegasi's wings, but they could still hold themselves well enough.

Twilight waited for the right timing.  She waited till the airborne guards were facing towards the throne and for the queen to be distracted so her attention would be turned away from the door.  When that happened, they would have a better chance at successfully escaping.

"Go."  The six of them got off the ground and started a full on sprint towards the door.  The guards took a moment before realizing they were being charged at to get off a warning, though how Twilight wasn't sure.  All she knew was that attention was on them now.  They were just ten feet from the doors ...

And then the sickening sound of metal piercing flesh met their ears.

Twilight checked herself as she stopped to find no wounds.  She turned to Rarity to find her similar.  Both Rainbow and Applejack were fine.  However, it was when she turned to the last couple that what little food that was in her stomach threatened to come up.

Fluttershy looked frozen in time.  She wasn't moving, her eyes didn't blink, but she didn't fall over either.  But that was only because the spear shaft sticking out of her back and embedded in the floor was keeping her upright.  And from her spot on the throne, Chrysalis grinned at her marksmareship.

One could nearly her the very last strand of sanity that Pinkie Pie had held onto for so long snap at the sight of her marefriend dead.  Pinkie watched the pegasus' eyes dim and her head fall limp as the yellow mare died.  It was in that moment that gone was Pinkie Pie, the lovable, silly party mare.  In her wake was Pinkamena, a mare with nothing left to lose.  And the most dangerous enemy who has lost everything and has nothing left to lose.  And she displayed this perfectly.

"You fucking bitch!" Shouted the pink mare.  Physics never seemed to apply to the mare, and they didn't seem to apply as she stood up on her hind legs, unsheathed the spear from her dead marefriend, letting her rest in relative peace, and hurtled it towards the queen.

Chrysalis stared at the oncoming projectile blankly.  Instead of sending a request for a drone to take the hit, she grabbed the nearest pony in her green aura and threw them in the air, effectively getting the spear to lodge the spear on the selected ponies skull.  Pinkamena only growled and stared down the queen.

"Do you not care for pony life, for you to use them as meat shields?" Asked Pinkamena.  Chrysalis waved a dismissive hoof.

"What is one pony life except a resevoir of love.  I have an entire city and soon an entire continent, once my army is prepared enough.  Other than that, you are merely meals to me so, the loss of a few meals are acceptable, considering the net gain harvested." said the queen with a smirk.  Pinkamena gave a low menacing growl.

"Fluttershy didn't deserve the death you gave her.  She deserved to die old with the one she wishes to spend the rest of her days with, not by some evil bitch with a power complex." said the pink mare.  Her ear twitched, causing a small smile.  "And you'll need more than a simple flanking maneuver to kill me."  Pinkamena dived forward, effectively avoiding the drones that came from behind.  Rolling to a halt, Pinkamena stared down her two new opponents.

"Like I said, I care not for what life ponies hold or held.  I don't care what happens to them.  They can be raped, murder, slaughtered, or used as some sort of gory couch, I don't really give a flies ass." said Chrysalis.  She smirked and leaned forward in her throne.  "Though, I will confess I look firward to how such an aberration such as you will end up dying."  Her request sent, the drones prepared themselves.  But, by some twist of fate, Pinkamena was able to pick up the request before the drones and was already charging by the time they prepared themselves.

Thorax was a war veteran.  He had seen his fair share of wars, dead bodies, and adrenaline related feats that are normally impossible.  But, in the split-second that Pinkamena was tearing the sword out of the sheath at his side, preparing to kill him, he decided that this mare was not natural.  In his final moments, he depicted her as a god of was as his head was lopped off by the overly pissed mare.  Thorax's companion faired now better as the sword was driven into his eye, Pinkamena twisting it around before pulling it out, gore sticking to the blades surface.

Chrysalis frowned at the feat.  She knew the pink one was a force to be reckoned with.  It was her ability to see almost anything coming and be everywhere at once that had made her a threat.  But the sight of watching her pretty much teleport in front of a drone before decapitating him was what had shook her to the core.  She was able to do something that was impossible for an earth pony, and she seemed unfazed by it.

"Kill her!  I want her head at my hooves now!" Shouted Chrysalis, forgetting the other elements who watched on at their position at the throne room doors.  Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash watched in horror to what some ponies will do when they have nothing left.

Pinkamena gave a dry chuckle as she was charged at from all sides.  She stood so she was standing tall on her hind legs.  She knew she wouldn't survive this wave.  Too many at once.  But she was sure as hell going to take as many as she could with her before she dared thinking about dying.

As the first of the changelings reached her, she did the first thing she could think of, spin in a three-sixty, effectively killing the surrounding changelings.  She prepared herself for another wave just as the changelings in the far back remembered their ability of flight.  She soon had changelings charging from front, sides, behind, and above.  She smiled one last time as she was engulfed.  Chrysalis smiled in victory at the mound of living changelings...

… until the mound exploded in gore of green and red.

Chrysalis watched in shock as bits of changeling fell, covering the floor in their green color.  And, in a cruel twist of fate, a pink head landed in her lap.  Pinkamena's mane was covered in a mixture of her own and changeling blood.  A twisted grin was plastered on her face.  It was the sort of grin that would give nightmares and would be deemed worthy of a horror movie.

The sound of the throne room double doors slamming shut brought her back to reality.  She frowned and stood.

"You are not getting away that easily."

~~~~~

Twilight slammed the door shut behind her as they entered the private study of Princess Celestia, a fair distance away from Chrysalis at the moment.  The others sat on their haunches against the door, Twilight hyperventilating over the gruesome death she just witnessed.

"Wh-why did she do that?!  Wh-why didn't she just run?!" Asked Twilight pacing around.  Rarity winced as she watched her marefriend slowly lose her own sanity.

"Twilight, love, please just sit and calm down.  Pinkie Pie had nothing left to live for in her mind.  She did what she did because she was overcome with grief, anguish, and a need to avenge Fluttershy’s untimely death.." Said the white unicorn, putting a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.  Twilight hesitated before falling into the waiting forelegs of her marefriend.

"What do we do now?  I doubt we can use the elements with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy dead." said Rainbow, playing with her hooves.  It was obvious she was trying to be strong despite the tears running down her cheeks.  Twilight finished her own cry and sat up.

"We should try and escape the city, set up a guerrilla army operations and recruit other ponies to rally our cause and banner.  If we can do that, then we are poised to strike back, and fight against this menace to ponykind." Said Twilight, wiping away her tears.  The others nodded and they stood, preparing to exit, when the doors were kicked open by a smirking Chrysalis.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting a heartwarming moment." said Chrysalis as she flared her horn, sending them crashing into the wall.  Marble hands shot out from the walls and grabbed ahold onto the four mares.

"You six have caused me tons of trouble.  That pink one killed some of my best drones.  Now, I should kill the rest of you right here, right now."  She glanced at the trembling mares before her and grinned evily as a plan formed in her mind.  "But I have a more suitable plan."  Applejack and Rarity were released from their prisons, only to be found on the floor trapped by a sickly green aura.  Chrysalis grinned as she approached.

"The love you four share is very potent.  This I can obviously tell.  While I would normally love to feed off of you, I'm going to simply make sure that you won't dare to go against me again." said Chrysalis.  She raised her right forehoof off the ground and let it transform into a black blade, shining dully in the dim lit room.  She brought it done so Rarity was staring wide eyed at it.

"And I will enjoy every second of your punishment."  With that, Chrysalis raised her hoof a second time and brought it down, impaling Rarity's right foreleg with the sickening sound of tearing flesh and cracking bone.  The white mare let out a blood curdling cry of pain, thrashing about to remove the offending object.

Growing annoyed with the sound, Chrysalis removed her blade and brought it to the back of the mares neck, gently applying preasure.  The cry became less coherent and just a gurgling sound as blood started to fill her throat.  Tears filled the white mares eyes before Chrysalis sent her blade all the way through her throat, sending it out the other side.  The unicorn fell silent before Chrysalis made sure she was dead by removing her hoof and sending it through the mares skull.

"Noo!  You monster!" Cried out Twilight, thrashing in her own bonds.  Applejack looked horrified at the corpse, then back at Rainbow.  The orange earth pony jerked up her head, dislodging her stetson, grabbed it in her mouth, and tossed it so it was just in front of Rainbow.

The Pegasus stared at it and looked back up in time to see AJ mouth 'I love you' before the hoof-blade swiped down.

There was a moment of complete silence as the head of Applejack fell to the ground, the headless body flailing for a moment before falling limp.  The silence was broken by the sound of Chrysalis' laughter.

"Chicken with its head cut off. Ironic for a farmer." She shook her head and grinned up at the silently crying ponies, who just stared at the dead corpses of their loved ones.  "Now, I will freely let you leave this castle, but the moment you are seen in the streets, you will be killed.  Have fun." Chrysalis turned around and left the room.  Once the doors closed, the marble hands released them and the wing and horn restraints fell off.

They sat there.  Crying silently, staring at the motionless bodies of their marefriend's.  Their minds slowly recovered from the state of shock they had been in, as anger, rage, and sadness were experienced in a tumultuous cauldron of emotions.  The emotions were expressed as tears down their cheeks.  Finally it was Twilight stood.

"I'm going to find a way to kill her, Rarity.  I promise." muttered Twilight to the blood stained corpse.  Rainbow Dash watched as the mare started for the door before she grabbed the stetson lying on the ground and followed.

War had begun.