Friend Or Foe?by FryguyChaptersThe VisitorWho should you trust?Invasion The Fall Shackles and ChainsThe VisitorThe sun began to rise over the eastern skies which gleamed an orange glow. The birds were chirping, the ponies began their daily work and jobs, and the animals in Fluttershy's property were rising up for breakfast. Ponies began talking about some news about what's going on in other towns and cities, like the baking contest that was going to be held that day, or, the princesses are talking about Tirek and how he almost succeeded in conquering Equestria, or, Pinkie Pie started throwing vanilla cakes in ponies' faces, how she got vanilla cakes no one knows. They were all happy, and with no worries they enjoyed themselves and talked to their friends, but it all changed one fateful day. A pony in a cloak was walking through the streets of Ponyville, heading towards Twilight's new castle, he didn't say anything to anyone, like if he didn't trust anyone. He briskly made his way to the castle, and he knocked on the door that gleamed in crystal-like diamonds, which glowed in the sunlight. The door opened and the glow faded as Twilight walked out with Spike on her heels. "Oh! Hello there! What can I do for you?" Asked Twilight, who was staring at the pony who was rubbing his hooves against the ground like if he was nervous, not just any type of being nervous though, no, he looked like he was scared of everypony surrounding him. "I'm here for one purpose, I want a new house here. Please? The rumors I've been hearing suggest that this a great place to live." Said the pony in the cloth. He was looking around at the crystals on the castle in front of him, like if he was interested in them. "Oh! Um...I'll look for a settlement for you. I promise I'll find something!" Said Twilight, who was signaling Spike to go look for a house that was unused and so on. "While Spike is doing it that, you can stay here until you have a settlement here in Ponyville. We like new ponies coming in to learn the magic of friendship!" Signalling the stallion inside, Twilight and the clothed pony entered the castle, but as they were, the stallion stared at the crowd who watched the entire thing, when he did, he didn't feel nervous or scared anymore, in fact, he smiled, but not any smile, but one that meant trouble. He then entered the castle, putting on another face that looked innocent. The room he was presented was full of crystal decorations and the window view of Ponyville. The pony then took off the cloak he was wearing, revealing the blue unicorn he was. He had a black, bushy main and tail, and his cutie mark was a chessboard. He looked out the window that was in his room. He then started to smile and and this time, laugh quietly to himself. "This....Ponyville, will perfectly suit for my headquarters...heh, heh heh heh heh. Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Soon my master plan WILL begin..." As he was speaking to himself, he reached for his saddlebags that he brought with him, he pulled out a weird device that nopony had ever seen or used before. Then he levitated it near his mouth and pressed a switch, and began speaking to it. "Guys...can you hear me?" There was a pause, then finally, a response came from the device he had. "Yep, we're all here, Butter. We need you to tell us when you want us to come to Ponyville. We need your signal." Butter smiled, he knew that soon he could do what he needed for his friends to invade. "Guys, I need to first work my magic on these stupid ponies of Ponyville, then once I do, I'll give you the signal to invade, and then we'll have an edge on accomplishing our plan that we worked years on." And with that, he turned off the device and hid it again. He then decided to start his part. "Okay partner, I'll give you the basics of apple bucking." Said Applejack, who was talking to Chessboard Pawn, or Pawn for short, the new guy in the town. He moved in yesterday, he got a new house and everything, Twilight was so nice to him so Ponyville thought to do the same thing in return. Applejack though of a way by taking Pawn to the orchard of hers and demonstrate the apple bucking "Okay, so....you buck them by kicking the trees with your hind legs or something?" Asked Pawn, who was staring at the tree in interest. "Yeah, why? You wanna own an apple orchard or somethin'? Asked Applejack, who was surprised at the unicorn's knowledge of the apple bucking routine. Pawn turned around and said. "No but, I know a old friend of mine back from where I'm from who owns an apple orchard, his name was...I forgot." Applejack smiled, saying. "That's fine." "Applejack! Big Mac wants to talk to you!" Cried a filly's voice. A yellow filly was running to the two, she had a red main and tail with a red bow in it. "Applebloom! Okay, I'm coming, sorry 'bout that, gotta talk to my brother." Pawn didn't seem to mind, so he dismissed himself from the orchard and started to the town. Applejack seemed to already be falling under Butter's spell, exactly what he wanted. One pony down, many more to go... Butter decided to head back to Ponyville to his new house to communicate with his friends again. He briskly walked through town and quickly entered his house and shut the door behind him. Locking everything in his house, he then took out his device, and turned it on. "Guys, start towards Ponyville, from where you are you'll be able to reach me in 4 days." Butter said, knowing that 4 days was enough time for him to finish his work. "Okay! We're bringing lots of weapons with us too, making Ponyville scared to death!" Said one of the ponies at the other end of the transmission. Butter shook his head to himself, then said. "Alright, but NO killing, not even a single soul. Got it?!" Butter said forcefully to his friends. "I mean it, Jackdaw!" "Okay! Okay! Butter, we're on our way now." Said Jackdaw, and after those words were spoken, the device died. Butter then looked out his window, placing the device on a stool near his bed. "Those ponies of Ponyville better do what we say, or we WILL kill them!" He said to himself, and as the sun was setting, he closed his window, and went downstairs to make his supper. Ponyville's time left to be happy began to fade, for Butter's friends were on their way, to conquer? Or something worse? Author's Note Why did I write what I did in that last paragraph? Oh well, hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Who should you trust?The moon shone in the night sky like the sun in the daytime. The town slept peacefully as the moon made it's journey through the darkness. The citizens rested in their beds as they slept, except one. While the ponies were without worries in their beds, a shadowy figure sneaked through the shadows as he headed towards the edge of town. When he got there, here he sat down. The owl's hooting was the only thing disturbing the silence, and the shadow pony stared into the night. Suddenly a rustling noise made the pony turn around in fear and surprise. The noise came from a few bushes nearby the scene, which made the snapping of twigs and the rustling of leaves. The pony was ready to defend himself when suddenly, another pony emerged from the flora he was in. Together the two ponies stared at each other, not knowing whether to trust or distrust the stranger before them. Until finally one of them spoke. "Greetings, I trust your enjoying the view of the night's beauty?" The second pony at that moment felt fear of the pony who spoke. "Who are you? What do you want with me?!" The questions he asked echoed through the quiet, somber night. "Who am I, you ask?" Said the first pony, who started pulling out something shiny from his saddlebags he had on him. The second pony froze in terror, he knew what he had. "I'm Equestria's nightmare, destroyer, and to be one of the new leaders..." At that moment he stabbed the second pony with the dagger he pulled out. The second pony yelped in pain, blood started to seep out of a wound in his leg. "Ugh...YEEEOW!" Cried the bleeding pony, the dagger the first pony held now was dripping in the red liquid, it's thirst for it still not satisfied. The armed pony then stabbed his victim a second time, this time to his neck. The second pony couldn't shout, for his throat was sliced. No help could save him now. Admitting his fate, the second pony began to fall limp, and he twitched and twitched like someone freezing from a harsh winter. Finally, he stopped shacking, his breathing ceased, and his blood ran cold. The murderer stared at his dead victim with great happiness, the pony dead before him would do good use for his future deeds, and as the sun began to rise at the light of dawn, the pony then with his dagger still bloodstained ran. He ran into Ponyville and into the house of Pawn. "AAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Screamed a pony from the edge of town. Twilight as well as everypony heard the screech from a mare. They all ran to the edge of town, to find a mare, frightened out of here wits, staring at a dead body. Everypony went into a frenzy of screams and shouts, a murder happened near their own town, and the murderer may be among them. "Check his body! How did he die?!" Cried a stallion in the crowd. Rainbow Dash stepped up to examine the victim's body. She gasped in disbelief, and then cried. "It's....It's.....!" The words were in her mouth but she couldn't get them out. "'It's' what?" Asked Twilight, in a frantic tone. Rainbow Dash said back. "It's....It's nopony we know! The victim is not a resident in Ponyville!" Everypony then wondered. "Was he a visitor?" A mare asked. "A mail-carrier?" said another. "Alright, alright, calm down everypony. Rainbow Dash, how did he die?" Asked Twilight after calming everypony down. Rainbow Dash was trying to put on a brave face, but Twilight could tell she was scared. "He was stabbed, twice, one to his leg and the other to his neck." The ponies who heard her gasped in disbelief, a brutal murder in the outskirts of town to a pony who was currently identified. "What a strange but horrifying homicide we have here." Said Twilight. She turned to Fluttershy, who was next to Pawn, clearly frightened by what happened, and said to her. "Fluttershy, get Spike here at once, we need an investigation team from Canterlot and fast, a murderer is on the loose in Ponyville!" Fluttershy at once started flying towards Twilight's castle, not wanting to see more of the gruesome scene. "Rainbow Dash, you sure seem quiet all of a sudden, maybe you know something of the murder?" Said a mare from the crowd. "What? NO! I was in my house all night!" Cried Rainbow Dash, clearly frightened by being accused off the bat. "I bet Fluttershy may be connected to the murder, but as a accomplice, not the killer herself." Said another stallion from the crowd. Twilight was shocked by the fearful accusations by the ponies. "Stop it! You don't have any evidence of the sort to prove my two friends were connected to this crime." Knowing Twilight had a point, the crowd backed down, but still suspected the two pegasi of the foul deed. "Twilight, I'm here with Spike!" Said Fluttershy who flew in with Spike on her back. He had a feather pen and paper to write to the Sun princess about what happened. "YIPES! That guy is all bloody and...such. What happened to him?!" Asked Spike in alarm. Twilight explained everything to Spike including the accusations by some ponies in the crowd that watched them. When Fluttershy heard she was being suspected as an accomplice, she began shivering, she went to Rainbow Dash and and stood beside her, wanting some comfort. "Woah, everypony wants to find out who the killer, or killers could be, huh?" Said Spike when Twilight was done telling him everything. Twilight nodded. "Yep, both of them seem suspicious to everypony. But why suspect them?! No evidence other than the body have been found. They must be very fearful." She said. The purple alicorn then wanted Spike to write a message to the Princesses about the murder. Spike scribbled everything she said to write and then sent it on it's way. A bit after it was sent, Spike belched up another letter that had the sun princess' seal on it. Spike read it aloud for all to hear. "Ahem, Twilight, I've sent a team to investigate the matter just now. They should be here in about...15 minutes. Princess Celestia." The dragon concluded reading the letter and let the words sink into the crowd of ponies. "So we have to wait?!" A stallion yelled from the crowd, frightened by the 15 minute wait. "The murderer could strike again while we wait!" Said a mare with a filly around a year old in her hooves. "Who's the killer?!" Cried Pawn, still shivering at the thought of the murderer being nearby. "Calm down everypony!" Twilight yelled. "If the murderer is among us, and kills another, he or she will surely be caught red-hooved." She said trying to re-assure the crowd. As her re-assurances went into the ears of the ponies. They realized that she was right. If the murderer was dumb enough to try to kill another here. The chances of them getting away were very slim. As soon as the investigation team arrived, they began the search for clues to the killer's identity who murdered the stallion dead on the ground. The blood was dried up now and the victim was cold as a stone. "The murder weapon seems to be missing..." Muttered one of the stallions investigating the scene. "But there are traces of there being a bit of a struggle because of the bloodstain near the tree..." Said another one. The investigation seemed to drag on for like forever, everypony watched as the ponies searched around the body and near the trees and bushes. Performing an autopsy on the victim, identifying him, and other investigation things. "Ah! I found something!" Yelled one of the stallions to the others, they all rushed over to see what he found. Everypony braced themselves to see what they were looking at. "We found evidence that two pegasi, yellow and blue, have been at the scene recently, care to explain who these feathers belong to?" Said one of the ponies. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy gasped in disbelief, they've been framed. "I knew it! Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy ARE suspicious!" Shouted a stallion from the crowd. Twilight just stared mouth wide open. "Th-there must be some mistake, it could be anypony's." Said Twilight. But, to her surprise, her friends looked guilty. "Oh no!" Thought Twilight to herself, she knew that her friends may confess to being at the crime scene! "We-we confess to being here, but that was two days ago!" Said Rainbow Dash. "Hmmm..." Wondered one of the investigation ponies. Believe her or not was the question. "Alright, we believe you." Said another stallion from the team. Who seemed to believe everything that went through his ears. "But the question is...who was here last night with the victim. The autopsy says he was stabbed last night." Said another officer. Pawn then chose that moment to step forward. "My friend is guilty of the crime." He boldly stated. "He came to visit from Manehatten yesterday, but he fled this morning after he told me." Everypony gasped in disbelief. "If you knew this, why didn't you tell anypony?!" Asked Twilight in a harsh tone. Pawn only replied in a scared, fearful tone. "W-well...I...I...I didn't believe him at first...and..well, he said he was joking, but when there was a real dead body out...here...I..." Pawn couldn't finish, because he was starting to shake in fear about his friend being a cold-hearted murderer. "Get him somewhere to lie down. We'll go back to Canterlot, we may have found our killer." Said one of the investigation ponies, and after saying that, they all ran to the train station. Everypony who witnessed the entire thing had so many questions left than answers. "Is Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash innocent?" Some asked each other. "Who is Pawn's friend?" Asked others. "Alright everypony! Go home, and we'll resolve this soon!" Said Twilight, and everypony obeyed her at once, not wanting to see more of the scene they saw. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash still were frightened over the events, they knew they were prime suspects still. "Twilight, d-do you think we're guilty of this horrid crime?" Asked Fluttershy, who was trying to find comfort from anywhere she could find. "No Fluttershy, I don't think ether of you are guilty of this, but Pawn's testimony brings room for doubt on his credibility." Said Twilight, who looked towards a one Pawn walking towards his house. "Do you think HE commited the murder Twilight? I mean, everypony trusts him now, and well, he seems to timid like Fluttershy to do it." Said Rainbow Dash, realizing that Twilight may point a hoof at him. "No, but I think he may be covering up for somepony else for the crime, and he successfully may have brought suspicion on somepony else which he'll likely frame." Replied the purple alicorn of Friendship. "That's crazy! What? So he was manipulating everypony this WHOLE TIME?!" Asked Rainbow Dash, challenging Twilight's theory. "What? NO! It's just that...well, he may have something to hide from us. Which may include the murder in question." Said Twilight. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement, he was suspicious of lying, but they had no proof yet. "Come on, let's go back in town, and you two can stay in the castle until the suspicions on you have died." So the three ponies were the last to leave the scene, leaving the body where it was. Butter entered his house with a relieved look on his face. He got on his device right after entering his house. "Guys, Butter here." "Butter! We heard from some other cities in Equestria we were hiding in that a murder has occurred in Ponyville!" Exclaimed one of them, knowing that the murderer could kill Butter. "Guys, no need to worry about me, and I know this goes against what I said a few days ago, but I was the one who killed that stallion." Gasped of shock and disbelief rose from the device. "YOU?!" Shouted one of the ponies on the other end. "Yes me, but I did it to get more ponies' trust, now they're all on my side, when will you be here?" Asked Butter in his house of wood. "Tomorrow morning when the rooster cries." Said one of them. "Excellent! Soon they'll see our...or should I say my, true form." Said Butter, and with that, he turned off the device and headed towards the window. "Ahaaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Look out Ponyville! Butter will soon show who Pawn really is to you!" Invasion Invasion The sun was beginning to rise, Butter was awake by now, for he knew that the time he waited for was coming to Ponyville's borders. Soon he would hear what the ponies would say when they finally figured out who Chessboard Pawn really was. "I can hear it now, ponies in shock and fear, full of the fear they will soon feel. My friends should be here any moment now. Heh...heh heh heh heh heh heh, ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" He laughed and laughed to himself, soon realizing that some ponies will wake up from his laughter, he went back to his house to be ready for his friends. "Hmm, looks like Butter was right about him killing somepony, after all we have a corpse here." Said a grey unicorn with a sword on his back. His other comrades nodded in agreement. Jackdaw, who was a yellow pegasus, said. "Butter will want us to be there soon, it's minutes until sun-up." "I still can't believe it though, Butter managed to fool everypony in town!" Said an orange earth pony with a bow in his mouth. "I know, but we still should trust him, he did it with a good reason, the plan will still have to work with or without a murder." Said another yellow pegasus, who was holding a spear and a few unlit torches. "Alright guys, this is it. If we want to be powerful, we must act like it in this attack." Said Jackdaw, who also added. "No killing." "Invasion! We're under attack!" Yelled a stallion from the edge of town. The small army of Butter's friends started an attack on Ponyville, because they weren't armed, the town was defenseless and they ran everywhere trying to escape. Pawn was among them, trying to escape the spears and swords of the invading army. "FIRE!" Yelled Jackdaw, signalling a few ponies near him to shoot at the wings of the pagasi trying to escape. They shot down Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, and they plummeted to the ground, arrows were in their wings, so they couldn't fly. The earth ponies including Applejack were trying to find any blunt object to hit the invaders with, but because of the skill of the ponies with weapons, they were swiftly defeated, they were gagged and then tied up and beaten. The unicorns were trying any spell they could to defeat the small army of invaders, even Twilight was among them, but the swords and arrows pierced their bodies and injured them to surrender. "That's it you ponies of Ponyville, surrender or die!" Yelled Jackdaw. "NEVER!" Yelled Twilight, trying to break free of the soldiers grabbing her. "Suit yourself." Said the grey unicorn, who was holding his sword aiming at Twilight's throat. Everypony who watched immediately began panicking. But before the unicorn could stab the princess to death, Pawn came out of nowhere and attempted an assault on the unicorn. "Pawn!" Shouted some of the ponies, hopeful that Pawn had found courage to defend his home. Pawn may have had a good attack, but the grey unicorn was stronger and faster, and he easily defeated the blue unicorn. "No! Pawn!" Cried some of the pegasi bleeding from the ground, some tried standing up to run to Pawn, but were immediately grabbed by some of the soldiers nearby. Everypony thought that the grey unicorn was going to kill Pawn, but to their surprise, he didn't, in shock, they saw the grey unicorn give a sword to Pawn, who accepted it gladly. "Pawn! What are you doing?!" Asked Twilight in utter disbelief. Pawn looked at the alicorn, he seemed confused at first at the question, but then began to smile and laugh. "Heh...heh heh heh heh heh. Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! You should see everypony's faces right now! Such shock! Such disbelief that who you thought was an ally was actually their enemy!" When Pawn said those words, all of Ponyville was in immediate anger and sadness. Some yelled at Pawn harshly, others were tearing up and yelled at Pawn with hurt and sadness. "How! He....Argh!" Yelled a unicorn, clearly angry for being fooled. "Pawn...Why? Why would you betray your friends?!" Yelled another. "You were our friend Pawn! How could you!" Yelled a pegasus on the ground. Pawn only replied with a snort. "Friend? HA! You fell right into my little trap, can't you tell the difference between real friendship and betrayal?! You stupid ponies dug your own grave! Oh! How much fun it is to manipulate ponies to my side and have them stabbed in the back by me! Their most trusted pony!" Replied Pawn in a very harsh tone. But as soon as some unicorns tried to launch themselves at Pawn, they were at once held down by some of the soldiers nearby, who didn't wear any armor of the sort. "By the way, you wanna know who killed that stallion? IT WAS ME!" Yelled Pawn to the crowd. At once the ponies gasped again. Knowing that they were wrong to accuse the two pegasi they accused. "Finally! Our innocence is proven!" Yelled Rainbow Dash, who then realized nopony was listening. "Oh ho ho! Hey guys? Can you go inside the castle to see if we can use it?" He asked some of his friends, who went into the castle right after that. "Pawn...you won't get away with this! Princess Celestia and Luna will figure out what you've done and come down here to kill you and your friends!" Yelled Twilight, who was beginning to be tied up by some of the soldiers. "Is that so? Well then, I guess me and my friends will take care of them and then take all of Equestria! Then the Empire up north!" Said Pawn, signalling his friends to rush to Canterlot to take the capital, who did just that, they ran with their small armies behind them, and he then sent a few more to the empire to capture. "Argh! Pawn you-!" Twilight began to say, but she was then gagged and taken away. "And as for the rest of you..." Began Pawn, clearly seeing that the ponies feared him and the few remaining friends with him. He held his sword at them and said. "You shall never be free again." More gasps came from the crowd, what will he do to them?! "Hmph, guys, have them put in Twilight's dungeons with her for now, until we have fully captured Equestria and the Empire, they'll be useless. We'll need more of them to have them fully capable for doing our dirty work." Said Pawn, and his friends gathered everypony and led them away. "Alright guys, capture Canterlot! We'll soon have the capital as ours!" Said Pawn to himself, and he then went into the castle. The Fall The Fall The darkness started to come over Canterlot, which haven't heard news yet of the capture of Ponyville and the threat against Canterlot and the Empire. The guards began patrolling the castle grounds and walls for the night, thinking it would be just like any other night. The princesses were in the dining room eating their dinner, and the talk of the city was about the Ponyville murder. "That murder is surely strange." Said a few. "It's the first murder in ages!" Said others. "Is there something big behind it?!" Asked more ponies. The citizens of the capital of Equestria were wondering about the what happened in Ponyville so much that many thought that a ghost committed the vile deed. Everypony didn't know that Jackdaw and some other friends of his were sneaking through the streets towards the castle, armed with swords, bows, and spears. The guards patrolling the castle didn't even notice Jackdaw and the others pass by sneaky, stealth skills. But if some of them did see them, Jackdaw had a bow pulled back, and an arrow would go through the guard's head. Some guards experienced being shot in the head by Jackdaw and the grey unicorn. "As the darkness rises, so will us, and the princesses will be at our mercy." Said the grey unicorn cunningly. Jackdaw laughed. "Correct you are Feather." He said to the grey unicorn. Feather then picked up his bow and started banging against a window with his hooves. "What's that?" Said Luna suddenly, who began hearing banging like if somepony was trying to break through a window. Celestia was starting to hear it too, who ordered their guards to look into the matter at once. "Yes your highness." Said one of the guards, and a total of six guards went to the source of the noise. "Celestia, six guards?" Asked Luna in an uneasy tone. "We can't be certain, the castle may be under attack in secret." Said Celestia to her sister, who sighed. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Yelled a voice in the distance of the castle, Luna and Celestia at once became alarmed. "CRASH" The sound of breaking glass echoed through the building, and even more shouts from the guards came to the princesses ears. "Luna! We need to see what in the name of Equestria is going on! Fast!" Luna nodded and they both ran through the halls. What they came across was a horrific site, blood was splattered everywhere, and six bodies of six guards lay sprawled on the floor. Trying to remain calm, the two princesses noticed a broken window on the wall and one of the guards was pierced with a shard of glass most likely from the broken window. "Celestia...we need to...get the army!" Shivered Luna, but before they could make any moves, ponies armed with swords and ponies with bows drawn appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the princesses. "Not so fast Luna." Said Feather, his sword reaching her neck. Jackdaw just laughed and held his sword at Celestia's head. "Were you the ones responsible for this?!" Demanded Celestia. Jackdaw replied with more than what Celestia wanted, saying. "Hmm, do what? Kill that stallion, take over Ponyville, kill your guards, and threaten your lives?! Well then, rest assured, me and my friends are responsible for everything I just said." Luna and Celestia only could give him a angry glare. "Ha ha ha! Hey guys! We found some royal road kill!" Feather shouted through the halls. Soon more ponies appeared, laughing while they held spears and swords. "Royal road kill?!" Celestia shivered at the thought of them being smashed to look like they were ran over by something. "Sister, why are we afraid of these...foolish ponies! Let's attack them!" Luna snorted. Jackdaw heard her and said more threateningly. "I wouldn't do THAT if I were you, especially since if you attack a few ponies we can all kill you swiftly and easily, then we can take the crown away from you and enslave your subjects. So don't, k?" "Grrrrr..." Celestia was frustrated and angry like a bear robbed of her cubs, do they even dare... "Enslave our subjects and you WILL face the consequences for it!" Threatened Celestia. Jackdaw then turned to the princess with rage in his eyes. He swung his sword and nicked Celestia's cheek, blood began to well out of it. "Sister!" Luna tried to rush to her sister, but Feather then made it clear with his sword to her neck that he would do the same thing if she moved. Jackdaw angrily said. "Like if you have the authority to say that!" He then swung again, this time hitting her forehead. He then swung again hitting her chin. "Well? What consequences will we face? Death?!" Taunted Jackdaw, swinging his sword again, slicing a tiny bit of her star-like mane off, he then swung again, this time knocking Celestia's crown to the floor taking part of her ear with it. Luna could do nothing but watch her sister being tortured, and Jackdaw's friends just simply enjoying the site. Blood was now dripping onto the floor from her wounds from Jackdaw's sword. Luna tried to think of a way to escape the grasp of the soldiers, but she couldn't think of a way to get out of it and stop Jackdaw from spilling more blood. She felt powerless to stop the pegasus from hurting her dear sister. Celestia began tearing up from the constant nicking from Jackdaw's sword, Jackdaw saw it and began teasing her. "Oh! Look who's crying! I thought you were the great princess Celestia, one of the princesses who defeated Discord!" He then swung his sword so hard at her cheek that he sliced through it. "OWWWW!" Cried Celestia, who clearly did not like the treatment she was getting. "Celestia!" Luna cried, who freed herself from the soldiers and tried to lunge to her sister. Feather then swung his sword blocking Luna from Celestia, leaving a mark on her neck. "The choice is yours, surrender Equestria to us, or die." Said Jackdaw in a threatening tone. Luna seemed extremely shocked from this. "Celestia, I hate to admit it, but they seem to have got us." Celestia also realized that if they were killed, that wouldn't leave many princesses left, especially if they've killed Twilight. "Fine! Equestria is yours! But you've not seen the last of us!" The sun princess yelled. Jackdaw looked surprised, that was easier than he thought, WAY too easy. "Hmph...okay then. Feather, take these two to Butter in Ponyville! I'm going to announce our presence." Said Jackdaw to Feather, who nodded and started escorting the princesses towards Ponyville. The citizens of Canterlot heard all of the shouts of pain and came rushing out of their homes, when they all gathered under the castle, they heard a laugh as loud as a trumpet. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA! Citizens of Canterlot! Kneel before your new rulers and masters!" Jackdaw appeared with a bloody sword in possession, everypony who looked at it gasped in horror. "Your princesses are dead, Equestria is ours! Soon the Crystal Empire will fall too! Bow before us! Your new masters!" Everypony knew that if they didn't their blood may end up splattered on the ground and on his sword, so they did bow before Jackdaw and some of his friends with him. "Hmph, hey guys? You got them things ready?" Asked Jackdaw to his friends, who nodded and brought a clothed wagon. "From now on your freedoms are gone! Ponyville and soon everypony else in Equestria will suffer the same fate!" Then with his bow he shot an arrow at the cloth, the arrow caught the cloth and carried it off the wagon to reveal chains, hundreds of them. "Everypony gasped with fear and shock. Jackdaw then started to fly towards the moon, laughing so much and so loud that all of Equestria heard it. "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Shackles and ChainsNews that the empire was defeated just like Canterlot, the citizens of Equestria were simply sad and afraid, they knew that they were at the mercy of the conquerors. Many believed the princesses were dead, but only Ponyville knew the truth, for the princesses, all four of them, were locked in the Ponyville dungeons and under heavy guard. But because of this, they were treated more unfairly than any other city in Equestria, mainly to keep their mouths shut. Rainbow Dash was working just like every other pony now in Equestria, building things, mining for crystals and diamonds, gold, and more, and was whipped if slacking. She figured that Pawn was the leader now, and he'll make things harsh for them all. News came that Jackdaw, who took Canterlot, was now the leader of the capital of Equestria, and Feather was the leader in the Crystal empire, mercilessly overworking the ponies there. Each one of Pawn's friends were the leader of a city now and their government and army forces were well organized, a revolt was rather impossible. One day Pawn himself came to see how his new "slaves" were doing. His guards who were watching them said that they were doing well, and that they were working hour after hour for him. Pawn chuckled. "That smell of revenge...it's so sweet." He mumbled to himself. "Revenge?" Rainbow Dash thought to herself, what sort of revenge was he talking about? He was new in Equestria and there was no record of him or his friends. The revenge scheme seemed impossible to exist. "Sir, Jackdaw has come to see you." Said a guard nearby. Pawn then went with the guard to listen to Jackdaw. "Butter I tell you, this was just simply perfect! The perfect plan and the country is ours! Ponies coming at our call to do our hard labor for us, and they can't refuse! Life is so good these days." Jackdaw said, and Butter nodded in agreement, they planned this for months to years. They couldn't have been more pleased with their accomplishments. "Jackdaw just one question, ponies aren't dying from this, are they?" Jackdaw looked puzzled at the question, why did Butter want to know if ponies were being killed during their reign. "No, why are you asking?" Butter then explained the rumors he's been hearing about Jackdaw killing guards and beating Celestia to make her surrender the kingdom, and how ponies were afraid of him for it. Jackdaw simply said. "That's true, but I'm not killing any more ponies, after all, they're good use!" Butter didn't seem convinced, for he knew his friend very well, of course he had to have killed citizens than more guards, after all, he has an unusual thirst for blood. "Jackdaw, pardon me for saying this, but...what you've said can't be right! I know you Jackdaw, killing is something you do! Your a wanted felon for murders in other countries and now this! Feather too! I helped you all become great! Now look what's happened, you kill innocent guards and maybe, just maybe, attempt to kill citizens!" Jackdaw's anger began boiling, and simply said to his friend. "This is a warning, don't say something like that again, and you won't be killed." Butter was shocked, kill your friend and helper to your success?! "Jackdaw what's gotten into you?! You'll kill me to cool down your anger?! Your out of your mind!" Jackdaw didn't say anything, he just told his guards that their meeting was over, and started back to Canterlot. Butter was staring at Jackdaw going away, with fuming anger lurking within him. "That son of a snake! Was he using me this whole time?!" Butter was angered even more for thinking about it, trying to calm down, Butter thought about other reasons for Jackdaw's reactions to Butter's statements. "Maybe he's just...really tired and anything can make his temper explode for the time being? Yes that's it!" Butter thought that the reason was plausible but still very likely. So he ignored Jackdaw's anger for the rest of the day and went to make his lunch. Fluttershy heard about the brewing trouble between Pawn and Jackdaw looming over Equestria, Fluttershy or anypony else didn't know that it may lead to bloodshed, after all, they've been working together for a long time, and her shackles were reminding her that she had other things she needed to do. The sound sound of chains hitting each other were a common sound to the new pony slaves. The only facts they knew now were to work and work without upsetting their new masters. Fluttershy was trying to break rocks with her pic-axe she was given in her now life search for crystals and diamonds when she heard Rainbow Dash coming, she could tell it was her friend from the noise of the shackles it produced as well as the constant moaning from the whippings she keeps receiving. "Hi Rainbow Dash, how's your day going." Fluttershy said in a joyless tone. Rainbow Dash kept moaning. "The whippings aren't helping me feel any better, I mean, why do we have to suffer?! What did we do to deserve this?" Rainbow Dash's complaints were heard by a nearby guard and a leather strap whipped Rainbow Dash in the back, leaving another whip mark and making the cyan mare shout in pain. "OOOOOWWW!" The rainbow maned pony began tearing up from the intense pain she felt. Fluttershy received the same punishment, crying tears as the whip teared at her back. To the guards whipping them, they seemed to enjoy the moment. "P-please stop!" Rainbow Dash pleaded to the guards, who again whipped her. Fluttershy, after her whipping, could only watch as her friend was being beaten up, wanting to help but could not. After Rainbow Dash was whipped three times, she was left bleeding on the ground. Fluttershy ran over to her and helped her up, terrified about what happened. Rainbow Dash, who was trying her best not to cry, told Fluttershy. "How much longer are we going to suffer like this?! Pawn used to be a nice guy! Now he's a pathetic jerk who's greedy for power." Rainbow Dash was very angry at Pawn for being a traitor to Equestria, and somehow, a pony will defeat him and free Equestria from the slavery they were forced in. Little did they realize that pony was much closer than they thought.
The VisitorThe sun began to rise over the eastern skies which gleamed an orange glow. The birds were chirping, the ponies began their daily work and jobs, and the animals in Fluttershy's property were rising up for breakfast. Ponies began talking about some news about what's going on in other towns and cities, like the baking contest that was going to be held that day, or, the princesses are talking about Tirek and how he almost succeeded in conquering Equestria, or, Pinkie Pie started throwing vanilla cakes in ponies' faces, how she got vanilla cakes no one knows. They were all happy, and with no worries they enjoyed themselves and talked to their friends, but it all changed one fateful day. A pony in a cloak was walking through the streets of Ponyville, heading towards Twilight's new castle, he didn't say anything to anyone, like if he didn't trust anyone. He briskly made his way to the castle, and he knocked on the door that gleamed in crystal-like diamonds, which glowed in the sunlight. The door opened and the glow faded as Twilight walked out with Spike on her heels. "Oh! Hello there! What can I do for you?" Asked Twilight, who was staring at the pony who was rubbing his hooves against the ground like if he was nervous, not just any type of being nervous though, no, he looked like he was scared of everypony surrounding him. "I'm here for one purpose, I want a new house here. Please? The rumors I've been hearing suggest that this a great place to live." Said the pony in the cloth. He was looking around at the crystals on the castle in front of him, like if he was interested in them. "Oh! Um...I'll look for a settlement for you. I promise I'll find something!" Said Twilight, who was signaling Spike to go look for a house that was unused and so on. "While Spike is doing it that, you can stay here until you have a settlement here in Ponyville. We like new ponies coming in to learn the magic of friendship!" Signalling the stallion inside, Twilight and the clothed pony entered the castle, but as they were, the stallion stared at the crowd who watched the entire thing, when he did, he didn't feel nervous or scared anymore, in fact, he smiled, but not any smile, but one that meant trouble. He then entered the castle, putting on another face that looked innocent. The room he was presented was full of crystal decorations and the window view of Ponyville. The pony then took off the cloak he was wearing, revealing the blue unicorn he was. He had a black, bushy main and tail, and his cutie mark was a chessboard. He looked out the window that was in his room. He then started to smile and and this time, laugh quietly to himself. "This....Ponyville, will perfectly suit for my headquarters...heh, heh heh heh heh. Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Soon my master plan WILL begin..." As he was speaking to himself, he reached for his saddlebags that he brought with him, he pulled out a weird device that nopony had ever seen or used before. Then he levitated it near his mouth and pressed a switch, and began speaking to it. "Guys...can you hear me?" There was a pause, then finally, a response came from the device he had. "Yep, we're all here, Butter. We need you to tell us when you want us to come to Ponyville. We need your signal." Butter smiled, he knew that soon he could do what he needed for his friends to invade. "Guys, I need to first work my magic on these stupid ponies of Ponyville, then once I do, I'll give you the signal to invade, and then we'll have an edge on accomplishing our plan that we worked years on." And with that, he turned off the device and hid it again. He then decided to start his part. "Okay partner, I'll give you the basics of apple bucking." Said Applejack, who was talking to Chessboard Pawn, or Pawn for short, the new guy in the town. He moved in yesterday, he got a new house and everything, Twilight was so nice to him so Ponyville thought to do the same thing in return. Applejack though of a way by taking Pawn to the orchard of hers and demonstrate the apple bucking "Okay, so....you buck them by kicking the trees with your hind legs or something?" Asked Pawn, who was staring at the tree in interest. "Yeah, why? You wanna own an apple orchard or somethin'? Asked Applejack, who was surprised at the unicorn's knowledge of the apple bucking routine. Pawn turned around and said. "No but, I know a old friend of mine back from where I'm from who owns an apple orchard, his name was...I forgot." Applejack smiled, saying. "That's fine." "Applejack! Big Mac wants to talk to you!" Cried a filly's voice. A yellow filly was running to the two, she had a red main and tail with a red bow in it. "Applebloom! Okay, I'm coming, sorry 'bout that, gotta talk to my brother." Pawn didn't seem to mind, so he dismissed himself from the orchard and started to the town. Applejack seemed to already be falling under Butter's spell, exactly what he wanted. One pony down, many more to go... Butter decided to head back to Ponyville to his new house to communicate with his friends again. He briskly walked through town and quickly entered his house and shut the door behind him. Locking everything in his house, he then took out his device, and turned it on. "Guys, start towards Ponyville, from where you are you'll be able to reach me in 4 days." Butter said, knowing that 4 days was enough time for him to finish his work. "Okay! We're bringing lots of weapons with us too, making Ponyville scared to death!" Said one of the ponies at the other end of the transmission. Butter shook his head to himself, then said. "Alright, but NO killing, not even a single soul. Got it?!" Butter said forcefully to his friends. "I mean it, Jackdaw!" "Okay! Okay! Butter, we're on our way now." Said Jackdaw, and after those words were spoken, the device died. Butter then looked out his window, placing the device on a stool near his bed. "Those ponies of Ponyville better do what we say, or we WILL kill them!" He said to himself, and as the sun was setting, he closed his window, and went downstairs to make his supper. Ponyville's time left to be happy began to fade, for Butter's friends were on their way, to conquer? Or something worse? Author's Note Why did I write what I did in that last paragraph? Oh well, hope you enjoyed the first chapter!
Who should you trust?The moon shone in the night sky like the sun in the daytime. The town slept peacefully as the moon made it's journey through the darkness. The citizens rested in their beds as they slept, except one. While the ponies were without worries in their beds, a shadowy figure sneaked through the shadows as he headed towards the edge of town. When he got there, here he sat down. The owl's hooting was the only thing disturbing the silence, and the shadow pony stared into the night. Suddenly a rustling noise made the pony turn around in fear and surprise. The noise came from a few bushes nearby the scene, which made the snapping of twigs and the rustling of leaves. The pony was ready to defend himself when suddenly, another pony emerged from the flora he was in. Together the two ponies stared at each other, not knowing whether to trust or distrust the stranger before them. Until finally one of them spoke. "Greetings, I trust your enjoying the view of the night's beauty?" The second pony at that moment felt fear of the pony who spoke. "Who are you? What do you want with me?!" The questions he asked echoed through the quiet, somber night. "Who am I, you ask?" Said the first pony, who started pulling out something shiny from his saddlebags he had on him. The second pony froze in terror, he knew what he had. "I'm Equestria's nightmare, destroyer, and to be one of the new leaders..." At that moment he stabbed the second pony with the dagger he pulled out. The second pony yelped in pain, blood started to seep out of a wound in his leg. "Ugh...YEEEOW!" Cried the bleeding pony, the dagger the first pony held now was dripping in the red liquid, it's thirst for it still not satisfied. The armed pony then stabbed his victim a second time, this time to his neck. The second pony couldn't shout, for his throat was sliced. No help could save him now. Admitting his fate, the second pony began to fall limp, and he twitched and twitched like someone freezing from a harsh winter. Finally, he stopped shacking, his breathing ceased, and his blood ran cold. The murderer stared at his dead victim with great happiness, the pony dead before him would do good use for his future deeds, and as the sun began to rise at the light of dawn, the pony then with his dagger still bloodstained ran. He ran into Ponyville and into the house of Pawn. "AAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Screamed a pony from the edge of town. Twilight as well as everypony heard the screech from a mare. They all ran to the edge of town, to find a mare, frightened out of here wits, staring at a dead body. Everypony went into a frenzy of screams and shouts, a murder happened near their own town, and the murderer may be among them. "Check his body! How did he die?!" Cried a stallion in the crowd. Rainbow Dash stepped up to examine the victim's body. She gasped in disbelief, and then cried. "It's....It's.....!" The words were in her mouth but she couldn't get them out. "'It's' what?" Asked Twilight, in a frantic tone. Rainbow Dash said back. "It's....It's nopony we know! The victim is not a resident in Ponyville!" Everypony then wondered. "Was he a visitor?" A mare asked. "A mail-carrier?" said another. "Alright, alright, calm down everypony. Rainbow Dash, how did he die?" Asked Twilight after calming everypony down. Rainbow Dash was trying to put on a brave face, but Twilight could tell she was scared. "He was stabbed, twice, one to his leg and the other to his neck." The ponies who heard her gasped in disbelief, a brutal murder in the outskirts of town to a pony who was currently identified. "What a strange but horrifying homicide we have here." Said Twilight. She turned to Fluttershy, who was next to Pawn, clearly frightened by what happened, and said to her. "Fluttershy, get Spike here at once, we need an investigation team from Canterlot and fast, a murderer is on the loose in Ponyville!" Fluttershy at once started flying towards Twilight's castle, not wanting to see more of the gruesome scene. "Rainbow Dash, you sure seem quiet all of a sudden, maybe you know something of the murder?" Said a mare from the crowd. "What? NO! I was in my house all night!" Cried Rainbow Dash, clearly frightened by being accused off the bat. "I bet Fluttershy may be connected to the murder, but as a accomplice, not the killer herself." Said another stallion from the crowd. Twilight was shocked by the fearful accusations by the ponies. "Stop it! You don't have any evidence of the sort to prove my two friends were connected to this crime." Knowing Twilight had a point, the crowd backed down, but still suspected the two pegasi of the foul deed. "Twilight, I'm here with Spike!" Said Fluttershy who flew in with Spike on her back. He had a feather pen and paper to write to the Sun princess about what happened. "YIPES! That guy is all bloody and...such. What happened to him?!" Asked Spike in alarm. Twilight explained everything to Spike including the accusations by some ponies in the crowd that watched them. When Fluttershy heard she was being suspected as an accomplice, she began shivering, she went to Rainbow Dash and and stood beside her, wanting some comfort. "Woah, everypony wants to find out who the killer, or killers could be, huh?" Said Spike when Twilight was done telling him everything. Twilight nodded. "Yep, both of them seem suspicious to everypony. But why suspect them?! No evidence other than the body have been found. They must be very fearful." She said. The purple alicorn then wanted Spike to write a message to the Princesses about the murder. Spike scribbled everything she said to write and then sent it on it's way. A bit after it was sent, Spike belched up another letter that had the sun princess' seal on it. Spike read it aloud for all to hear. "Ahem, Twilight, I've sent a team to investigate the matter just now. They should be here in about...15 minutes. Princess Celestia." The dragon concluded reading the letter and let the words sink into the crowd of ponies. "So we have to wait?!" A stallion yelled from the crowd, frightened by the 15 minute wait. "The murderer could strike again while we wait!" Said a mare with a filly around a year old in her hooves. "Who's the killer?!" Cried Pawn, still shivering at the thought of the murderer being nearby. "Calm down everypony!" Twilight yelled. "If the murderer is among us, and kills another, he or she will surely be caught red-hooved." She said trying to re-assure the crowd. As her re-assurances went into the ears of the ponies. They realized that she was right. If the murderer was dumb enough to try to kill another here. The chances of them getting away were very slim. As soon as the investigation team arrived, they began the search for clues to the killer's identity who murdered the stallion dead on the ground. The blood was dried up now and the victim was cold as a stone. "The murder weapon seems to be missing..." Muttered one of the stallions investigating the scene. "But there are traces of there being a bit of a struggle because of the bloodstain near the tree..." Said another one. The investigation seemed to drag on for like forever, everypony watched as the ponies searched around the body and near the trees and bushes. Performing an autopsy on the victim, identifying him, and other investigation things. "Ah! I found something!" Yelled one of the stallions to the others, they all rushed over to see what he found. Everypony braced themselves to see what they were looking at. "We found evidence that two pegasi, yellow and blue, have been at the scene recently, care to explain who these feathers belong to?" Said one of the ponies. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy gasped in disbelief, they've been framed. "I knew it! Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy ARE suspicious!" Shouted a stallion from the crowd. Twilight just stared mouth wide open. "Th-there must be some mistake, it could be anypony's." Said Twilight. But, to her surprise, her friends looked guilty. "Oh no!" Thought Twilight to herself, she knew that her friends may confess to being at the crime scene! "We-we confess to being here, but that was two days ago!" Said Rainbow Dash. "Hmmm..." Wondered one of the investigation ponies. Believe her or not was the question. "Alright, we believe you." Said another stallion from the team. Who seemed to believe everything that went through his ears. "But the question is...who was here last night with the victim. The autopsy says he was stabbed last night." Said another officer. Pawn then chose that moment to step forward. "My friend is guilty of the crime." He boldly stated. "He came to visit from Manehatten yesterday, but he fled this morning after he told me." Everypony gasped in disbelief. "If you knew this, why didn't you tell anypony?!" Asked Twilight in a harsh tone. Pawn only replied in a scared, fearful tone. "W-well...I...I...I didn't believe him at first...and..well, he said he was joking, but when there was a real dead body out...here...I..." Pawn couldn't finish, because he was starting to shake in fear about his friend being a cold-hearted murderer. "Get him somewhere to lie down. We'll go back to Canterlot, we may have found our killer." Said one of the investigation ponies, and after saying that, they all ran to the train station. Everypony who witnessed the entire thing had so many questions left than answers. "Is Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash innocent?" Some asked each other. "Who is Pawn's friend?" Asked others. "Alright everypony! Go home, and we'll resolve this soon!" Said Twilight, and everypony obeyed her at once, not wanting to see more of the scene they saw. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash still were frightened over the events, they knew they were prime suspects still. "Twilight, d-do you think we're guilty of this horrid crime?" Asked Fluttershy, who was trying to find comfort from anywhere she could find. "No Fluttershy, I don't think ether of you are guilty of this, but Pawn's testimony brings room for doubt on his credibility." Said Twilight, who looked towards a one Pawn walking towards his house. "Do you think HE commited the murder Twilight? I mean, everypony trusts him now, and well, he seems to timid like Fluttershy to do it." Said Rainbow Dash, realizing that Twilight may point a hoof at him. "No, but I think he may be covering up for somepony else for the crime, and he successfully may have brought suspicion on somepony else which he'll likely frame." Replied the purple alicorn of Friendship. "That's crazy! What? So he was manipulating everypony this WHOLE TIME?!" Asked Rainbow Dash, challenging Twilight's theory. "What? NO! It's just that...well, he may have something to hide from us. Which may include the murder in question." Said Twilight. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement, he was suspicious of lying, but they had no proof yet. "Come on, let's go back in town, and you two can stay in the castle until the suspicions on you have died." So the three ponies were the last to leave the scene, leaving the body where it was. Butter entered his house with a relieved look on his face. He got on his device right after entering his house. "Guys, Butter here." "Butter! We heard from some other cities in Equestria we were hiding in that a murder has occurred in Ponyville!" Exclaimed one of them, knowing that the murderer could kill Butter. "Guys, no need to worry about me, and I know this goes against what I said a few days ago, but I was the one who killed that stallion." Gasped of shock and disbelief rose from the device. "YOU?!" Shouted one of the ponies on the other end. "Yes me, but I did it to get more ponies' trust, now they're all on my side, when will you be here?" Asked Butter in his house of wood. "Tomorrow morning when the rooster cries." Said one of them. "Excellent! Soon they'll see our...or should I say my, true form." Said Butter, and with that, he turned off the device and headed towards the window. "Ahaaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Look out Ponyville! Butter will soon show who Pawn really is to you!"
Invasion Invasion The sun was beginning to rise, Butter was awake by now, for he knew that the time he waited for was coming to Ponyville's borders. Soon he would hear what the ponies would say when they finally figured out who Chessboard Pawn really was. "I can hear it now, ponies in shock and fear, full of the fear they will soon feel. My friends should be here any moment now. Heh...heh heh heh heh heh heh, ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" He laughed and laughed to himself, soon realizing that some ponies will wake up from his laughter, he went back to his house to be ready for his friends. "Hmm, looks like Butter was right about him killing somepony, after all we have a corpse here." Said a grey unicorn with a sword on his back. His other comrades nodded in agreement. Jackdaw, who was a yellow pegasus, said. "Butter will want us to be there soon, it's minutes until sun-up." "I still can't believe it though, Butter managed to fool everypony in town!" Said an orange earth pony with a bow in his mouth. "I know, but we still should trust him, he did it with a good reason, the plan will still have to work with or without a murder." Said another yellow pegasus, who was holding a spear and a few unlit torches. "Alright guys, this is it. If we want to be powerful, we must act like it in this attack." Said Jackdaw, who also added. "No killing." "Invasion! We're under attack!" Yelled a stallion from the edge of town. The small army of Butter's friends started an attack on Ponyville, because they weren't armed, the town was defenseless and they ran everywhere trying to escape. Pawn was among them, trying to escape the spears and swords of the invading army. "FIRE!" Yelled Jackdaw, signalling a few ponies near him to shoot at the wings of the pagasi trying to escape. They shot down Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, and they plummeted to the ground, arrows were in their wings, so they couldn't fly. The earth ponies including Applejack were trying to find any blunt object to hit the invaders with, but because of the skill of the ponies with weapons, they were swiftly defeated, they were gagged and then tied up and beaten. The unicorns were trying any spell they could to defeat the small army of invaders, even Twilight was among them, but the swords and arrows pierced their bodies and injured them to surrender. "That's it you ponies of Ponyville, surrender or die!" Yelled Jackdaw. "NEVER!" Yelled Twilight, trying to break free of the soldiers grabbing her. "Suit yourself." Said the grey unicorn, who was holding his sword aiming at Twilight's throat. Everypony who watched immediately began panicking. But before the unicorn could stab the princess to death, Pawn came out of nowhere and attempted an assault on the unicorn. "Pawn!" Shouted some of the ponies, hopeful that Pawn had found courage to defend his home. Pawn may have had a good attack, but the grey unicorn was stronger and faster, and he easily defeated the blue unicorn. "No! Pawn!" Cried some of the pegasi bleeding from the ground, some tried standing up to run to Pawn, but were immediately grabbed by some of the soldiers nearby. Everypony thought that the grey unicorn was going to kill Pawn, but to their surprise, he didn't, in shock, they saw the grey unicorn give a sword to Pawn, who accepted it gladly. "Pawn! What are you doing?!" Asked Twilight in utter disbelief. Pawn looked at the alicorn, he seemed confused at first at the question, but then began to smile and laugh. "Heh...heh heh heh heh heh. Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! You should see everypony's faces right now! Such shock! Such disbelief that who you thought was an ally was actually their enemy!" When Pawn said those words, all of Ponyville was in immediate anger and sadness. Some yelled at Pawn harshly, others were tearing up and yelled at Pawn with hurt and sadness. "How! He....Argh!" Yelled a unicorn, clearly angry for being fooled. "Pawn...Why? Why would you betray your friends?!" Yelled another. "You were our friend Pawn! How could you!" Yelled a pegasus on the ground. Pawn only replied with a snort. "Friend? HA! You fell right into my little trap, can't you tell the difference between real friendship and betrayal?! You stupid ponies dug your own grave! Oh! How much fun it is to manipulate ponies to my side and have them stabbed in the back by me! Their most trusted pony!" Replied Pawn in a very harsh tone. But as soon as some unicorns tried to launch themselves at Pawn, they were at once held down by some of the soldiers nearby, who didn't wear any armor of the sort. "By the way, you wanna know who killed that stallion? IT WAS ME!" Yelled Pawn to the crowd. At once the ponies gasped again. Knowing that they were wrong to accuse the two pegasi they accused. "Finally! Our innocence is proven!" Yelled Rainbow Dash, who then realized nopony was listening. "Oh ho ho! Hey guys? Can you go inside the castle to see if we can use it?" He asked some of his friends, who went into the castle right after that. "Pawn...you won't get away with this! Princess Celestia and Luna will figure out what you've done and come down here to kill you and your friends!" Yelled Twilight, who was beginning to be tied up by some of the soldiers. "Is that so? Well then, I guess me and my friends will take care of them and then take all of Equestria! Then the Empire up north!" Said Pawn, signalling his friends to rush to Canterlot to take the capital, who did just that, they ran with their small armies behind them, and he then sent a few more to the empire to capture. "Argh! Pawn you-!" Twilight began to say, but she was then gagged and taken away. "And as for the rest of you..." Began Pawn, clearly seeing that the ponies feared him and the few remaining friends with him. He held his sword at them and said. "You shall never be free again." More gasps came from the crowd, what will he do to them?! "Hmph, guys, have them put in Twilight's dungeons with her for now, until we have fully captured Equestria and the Empire, they'll be useless. We'll need more of them to have them fully capable for doing our dirty work." Said Pawn, and his friends gathered everypony and led them away. "Alright guys, capture Canterlot! We'll soon have the capital as ours!" Said Pawn to himself, and he then went into the castle.
The Fall The Fall The darkness started to come over Canterlot, which haven't heard news yet of the capture of Ponyville and the threat against Canterlot and the Empire. The guards began patrolling the castle grounds and walls for the night, thinking it would be just like any other night. The princesses were in the dining room eating their dinner, and the talk of the city was about the Ponyville murder. "That murder is surely strange." Said a few. "It's the first murder in ages!" Said others. "Is there something big behind it?!" Asked more ponies. The citizens of the capital of Equestria were wondering about the what happened in Ponyville so much that many thought that a ghost committed the vile deed. Everypony didn't know that Jackdaw and some other friends of his were sneaking through the streets towards the castle, armed with swords, bows, and spears. The guards patrolling the castle didn't even notice Jackdaw and the others pass by sneaky, stealth skills. But if some of them did see them, Jackdaw had a bow pulled back, and an arrow would go through the guard's head. Some guards experienced being shot in the head by Jackdaw and the grey unicorn. "As the darkness rises, so will us, and the princesses will be at our mercy." Said the grey unicorn cunningly. Jackdaw laughed. "Correct you are Feather." He said to the grey unicorn. Feather then picked up his bow and started banging against a window with his hooves. "What's that?" Said Luna suddenly, who began hearing banging like if somepony was trying to break through a window. Celestia was starting to hear it too, who ordered their guards to look into the matter at once. "Yes your highness." Said one of the guards, and a total of six guards went to the source of the noise. "Celestia, six guards?" Asked Luna in an uneasy tone. "We can't be certain, the castle may be under attack in secret." Said Celestia to her sister, who sighed. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Yelled a voice in the distance of the castle, Luna and Celestia at once became alarmed. "CRASH" The sound of breaking glass echoed through the building, and even more shouts from the guards came to the princesses ears. "Luna! We need to see what in the name of Equestria is going on! Fast!" Luna nodded and they both ran through the halls. What they came across was a horrific site, blood was splattered everywhere, and six bodies of six guards lay sprawled on the floor. Trying to remain calm, the two princesses noticed a broken window on the wall and one of the guards was pierced with a shard of glass most likely from the broken window. "Celestia...we need to...get the army!" Shivered Luna, but before they could make any moves, ponies armed with swords and ponies with bows drawn appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the princesses. "Not so fast Luna." Said Feather, his sword reaching her neck. Jackdaw just laughed and held his sword at Celestia's head. "Were you the ones responsible for this?!" Demanded Celestia. Jackdaw replied with more than what Celestia wanted, saying. "Hmm, do what? Kill that stallion, take over Ponyville, kill your guards, and threaten your lives?! Well then, rest assured, me and my friends are responsible for everything I just said." Luna and Celestia only could give him a angry glare. "Ha ha ha! Hey guys! We found some royal road kill!" Feather shouted through the halls. Soon more ponies appeared, laughing while they held spears and swords. "Royal road kill?!" Celestia shivered at the thought of them being smashed to look like they were ran over by something. "Sister, why are we afraid of these...foolish ponies! Let's attack them!" Luna snorted. Jackdaw heard her and said more threateningly. "I wouldn't do THAT if I were you, especially since if you attack a few ponies we can all kill you swiftly and easily, then we can take the crown away from you and enslave your subjects. So don't, k?" "Grrrrr..." Celestia was frustrated and angry like a bear robbed of her cubs, do they even dare... "Enslave our subjects and you WILL face the consequences for it!" Threatened Celestia. Jackdaw then turned to the princess with rage in his eyes. He swung his sword and nicked Celestia's cheek, blood began to well out of it. "Sister!" Luna tried to rush to her sister, but Feather then made it clear with his sword to her neck that he would do the same thing if she moved. Jackdaw angrily said. "Like if you have the authority to say that!" He then swung again, this time hitting her forehead. He then swung again hitting her chin. "Well? What consequences will we face? Death?!" Taunted Jackdaw, swinging his sword again, slicing a tiny bit of her star-like mane off, he then swung again, this time knocking Celestia's crown to the floor taking part of her ear with it. Luna could do nothing but watch her sister being tortured, and Jackdaw's friends just simply enjoying the site. Blood was now dripping onto the floor from her wounds from Jackdaw's sword. Luna tried to think of a way to escape the grasp of the soldiers, but she couldn't think of a way to get out of it and stop Jackdaw from spilling more blood. She felt powerless to stop the pegasus from hurting her dear sister. Celestia began tearing up from the constant nicking from Jackdaw's sword, Jackdaw saw it and began teasing her. "Oh! Look who's crying! I thought you were the great princess Celestia, one of the princesses who defeated Discord!" He then swung his sword so hard at her cheek that he sliced through it. "OWWWW!" Cried Celestia, who clearly did not like the treatment she was getting. "Celestia!" Luna cried, who freed herself from the soldiers and tried to lunge to her sister. Feather then swung his sword blocking Luna from Celestia, leaving a mark on her neck. "The choice is yours, surrender Equestria to us, or die." Said Jackdaw in a threatening tone. Luna seemed extremely shocked from this. "Celestia, I hate to admit it, but they seem to have got us." Celestia also realized that if they were killed, that wouldn't leave many princesses left, especially if they've killed Twilight. "Fine! Equestria is yours! But you've not seen the last of us!" The sun princess yelled. Jackdaw looked surprised, that was easier than he thought, WAY too easy. "Hmph...okay then. Feather, take these two to Butter in Ponyville! I'm going to announce our presence." Said Jackdaw to Feather, who nodded and started escorting the princesses towards Ponyville. The citizens of Canterlot heard all of the shouts of pain and came rushing out of their homes, when they all gathered under the castle, they heard a laugh as loud as a trumpet. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA! Citizens of Canterlot! Kneel before your new rulers and masters!" Jackdaw appeared with a bloody sword in possession, everypony who looked at it gasped in horror. "Your princesses are dead, Equestria is ours! Soon the Crystal Empire will fall too! Bow before us! Your new masters!" Everypony knew that if they didn't their blood may end up splattered on the ground and on his sword, so they did bow before Jackdaw and some of his friends with him. "Hmph, hey guys? You got them things ready?" Asked Jackdaw to his friends, who nodded and brought a clothed wagon. "From now on your freedoms are gone! Ponyville and soon everypony else in Equestria will suffer the same fate!" Then with his bow he shot an arrow at the cloth, the arrow caught the cloth and carried it off the wagon to reveal chains, hundreds of them. "Everypony gasped with fear and shock. Jackdaw then started to fly towards the moon, laughing so much and so loud that all of Equestria heard it. "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Shackles and ChainsNews that the empire was defeated just like Canterlot, the citizens of Equestria were simply sad and afraid, they knew that they were at the mercy of the conquerors. Many believed the princesses were dead, but only Ponyville knew the truth, for the princesses, all four of them, were locked in the Ponyville dungeons and under heavy guard. But because of this, they were treated more unfairly than any other city in Equestria, mainly to keep their mouths shut. Rainbow Dash was working just like every other pony now in Equestria, building things, mining for crystals and diamonds, gold, and more, and was whipped if slacking. She figured that Pawn was the leader now, and he'll make things harsh for them all. News came that Jackdaw, who took Canterlot, was now the leader of the capital of Equestria, and Feather was the leader in the Crystal empire, mercilessly overworking the ponies there. Each one of Pawn's friends were the leader of a city now and their government and army forces were well organized, a revolt was rather impossible. One day Pawn himself came to see how his new "slaves" were doing. His guards who were watching them said that they were doing well, and that they were working hour after hour for him. Pawn chuckled. "That smell of revenge...it's so sweet." He mumbled to himself. "Revenge?" Rainbow Dash thought to herself, what sort of revenge was he talking about? He was new in Equestria and there was no record of him or his friends. The revenge scheme seemed impossible to exist. "Sir, Jackdaw has come to see you." Said a guard nearby. Pawn then went with the guard to listen to Jackdaw. "Butter I tell you, this was just simply perfect! The perfect plan and the country is ours! Ponies coming at our call to do our hard labor for us, and they can't refuse! Life is so good these days." Jackdaw said, and Butter nodded in agreement, they planned this for months to years. They couldn't have been more pleased with their accomplishments. "Jackdaw just one question, ponies aren't dying from this, are they?" Jackdaw looked puzzled at the question, why did Butter want to know if ponies were being killed during their reign. "No, why are you asking?" Butter then explained the rumors he's been hearing about Jackdaw killing guards and beating Celestia to make her surrender the kingdom, and how ponies were afraid of him for it. Jackdaw simply said. "That's true, but I'm not killing any more ponies, after all, they're good use!" Butter didn't seem convinced, for he knew his friend very well, of course he had to have killed citizens than more guards, after all, he has an unusual thirst for blood. "Jackdaw, pardon me for saying this, but...what you've said can't be right! I know you Jackdaw, killing is something you do! Your a wanted felon for murders in other countries and now this! Feather too! I helped you all become great! Now look what's happened, you kill innocent guards and maybe, just maybe, attempt to kill citizens!" Jackdaw's anger began boiling, and simply said to his friend. "This is a warning, don't say something like that again, and you won't be killed." Butter was shocked, kill your friend and helper to your success?! "Jackdaw what's gotten into you?! You'll kill me to cool down your anger?! Your out of your mind!" Jackdaw didn't say anything, he just told his guards that their meeting was over, and started back to Canterlot. Butter was staring at Jackdaw going away, with fuming anger lurking within him. "That son of a snake! Was he using me this whole time?!" Butter was angered even more for thinking about it, trying to calm down, Butter thought about other reasons for Jackdaw's reactions to Butter's statements. "Maybe he's just...really tired and anything can make his temper explode for the time being? Yes that's it!" Butter thought that the reason was plausible but still very likely. So he ignored Jackdaw's anger for the rest of the day and went to make his lunch. Fluttershy heard about the brewing trouble between Pawn and Jackdaw looming over Equestria, Fluttershy or anypony else didn't know that it may lead to bloodshed, after all, they've been working together for a long time, and her shackles were reminding her that she had other things she needed to do. The sound sound of chains hitting each other were a common sound to the new pony slaves. The only facts they knew now were to work and work without upsetting their new masters. Fluttershy was trying to break rocks with her pic-axe she was given in her now life search for crystals and diamonds when she heard Rainbow Dash coming, she could tell it was her friend from the noise of the shackles it produced as well as the constant moaning from the whippings she keeps receiving. "Hi Rainbow Dash, how's your day going." Fluttershy said in a joyless tone. Rainbow Dash kept moaning. "The whippings aren't helping me feel any better, I mean, why do we have to suffer?! What did we do to deserve this?" Rainbow Dash's complaints were heard by a nearby guard and a leather strap whipped Rainbow Dash in the back, leaving another whip mark and making the cyan mare shout in pain. "OOOOOWWW!" The rainbow maned pony began tearing up from the intense pain she felt. Fluttershy received the same punishment, crying tears as the whip teared at her back. To the guards whipping them, they seemed to enjoy the moment. "P-please stop!" Rainbow Dash pleaded to the guards, who again whipped her. Fluttershy, after her whipping, could only watch as her friend was being beaten up, wanting to help but could not. After Rainbow Dash was whipped three times, she was left bleeding on the ground. Fluttershy ran over to her and helped her up, terrified about what happened. Rainbow Dash, who was trying her best not to cry, told Fluttershy. "How much longer are we going to suffer like this?! Pawn used to be a nice guy! Now he's a pathetic jerk who's greedy for power." Rainbow Dash was very angry at Pawn for being a traitor to Equestria, and somehow, a pony will defeat him and free Equestria from the slavery they were forced in. Little did they realize that pony was much closer than they thought.
