Flash Sentry steals your Waifu!

The Sun appears to be rising earlier today than expected. Clearly, Celestia must have important plans for her to hasten the day's activities. No matter, you could use a head start yourself as you crouch in preparation for a long day of applebucking!

"YEEEE-HAWWWW!" you jump with glee as you attack the first trees.

Not long into your favorite chore, you flinch back as a large figure swoops overhead. You quickly look around to see the white figure fly toward the farmhouse of Sweet Apple Acres. You sprint toward home so you can investigate this disturbance and see if it might pose a threat. The rest of your family is already gathered when you find none other than Princess Celestia herself! She stands before you with a deeply concerned look on her face as she expresses a forced greeting.

"Good! You are all still here. I must speak with you as it is most urgent!" the fatigue is obvious on her face. She did not rest well last night, then she had to lower the moon AND raise her Sun mid-flight.

"Sure, Princess! Whatever yah need, we'll be happy to help!" you offer.

"Eeyup!" Big Mac adds.

Celestia grins as Mac responds with his signature catchphrase. It comforts her to know there are some ponies willing to drop everything and help, no questions asked. Unfortunately, this matter is not appropriate for all audiences, and it will probably be best if Apple Bloom stays out of it.

"Young Apple Bloom," she addresses the yellow filly with the pink bow in her red mane, "I'm afraid you must stay outside; this is too dangerous for you. But stay on property, and let us know immediately if anypony suspicious arrives. Can you do that?"

"Ah suppose...but Ah can do more to help! Jus' gimme a chance!" Apple Bloom protests.

"If the Princess HERSELF says stay outside, you stay OUTSIDE!" you reprimand your little sister.

Celestia smiles, as this interaction reminds her of Luna and how she would always ask to do more than what is expected of her. She turns back to console the disappointed filly.

"It's all right, I understand how you feel," she places a hoof on Apple Bloom in reassurance, "but trust me when I say this is in your best interest. And I mean it when I say be on the lookout, we may need it."

"Alriiight..." Apple Bloom scratches at the ground. She is still disappointed, but she has just been tasked by Princess Celestia.

"Very good. The rest of you I wish to speak with inside. May we proceed?" The Princess turns back to the rest of the family as Apple Bloom heads off toward her clubhouse.

"Dern Tootin'!" Granny Smith cheers, "Ah've been waitin' tah see what this hullabaloo's all 'bout since yah got 'ere!" Granny was never one to stand on manners and tact. You grin with apology as you politely escort the princess into the farmhouse.

Celestia and Granny Smith sit at the dining table first, Big Mac politely brought up the rear as a good gentlecolt should. You offer The Princess any refreshments.

"Can Ah get you anythin', Princess? Water? Cider? Biscuit?" you rummage through the cupboard for whatever place setting the princess requires.

"If I may, could I trouble you for some coffee?" The Princess had a rough night and could use a little assistance in staying awake. The only pony in this household with any coffee is Granny Smith, who sneers at you when you commence making it without hesitation. You wait for the coffee to percolate, when Celestia grabs the cold pitcher and instantly warms it with her magic. She clearly does not have any patience for cold coffee! Satisfied, you pour her a cup as you take your seat with the rest to hear why The Princess has honored you with her unannounced visit.

"Much better!" Celestia takes a sip. "Now then, Applejack, have you had any contact with your friends lately?"

"No, sorry Princess..." you respond confused, "we've been workin' real hard on thah farm. Even Apple Bloom hasn't set out into Ponyville. Only Granny has been into town recently".

"Granny Smith," Celestia felt awkward calling her that. She is, after all, nearly a millennia older than the Apple Family matriarch. "Have you noticed anything strange in Ponyville? Specifically: have you noticed anypony missing?"

"Now that yah mention it, Dearie..." the elderly green mare rubbed her muzzle trying to remember the events of the past few days. "It has been a might quiet. I thought Ah was just losin' more of mah hearin'!"

"This is no auditory degradation. A treasonous pegasus has been manipulating and imprisoning innocent mares. For what purpose, we don't know, but I think we can assume the obvious. I regret to inform you that he has already captured your friends, Applejack, as well as my own sister! He has taken a particular interest in your group, that is why I quickly flew down to warn you. That and..."

"And what Princess! If there's anythin' Ah can do to help, just name it!" you panic as news of your friends' disappearance alarms you. "You name the no-good varmint and Ah'll take care of him mahself!"

"I'm sorry, Applejack, but I'm afraid you already know the perpetrator. It is Flash Sentry, Princess Cadance's own guard! She is fine and has been warned, but the rest of Equestria is still at risk," the royal Alicorn admitted in humiliation.

"WELL, FOR CORN'S SAKE! LET'S GO OUT THER 'N GIT 'EM!" you yell, eager to exact retribution. "AH'LL ROUND UP A POSSE AND-"

"NO!" The princess interrupted. "He has some malevolent enchantment about him I cannot explain. Please, stay here! Stay in the house if need be, but do NOT confront him. I have my best scholars researching what might be causing this. I shall return if and when I require your assistance!" The Princess got up to leave before you stopped her, demanding a greater explanation.

"Now wait here! I'm not gonna hide under mah bed like a coward! If there's somethin' Ah can do..." your temper starts to get the better of you. Nopony implies you to be helpless, not even Celestia herself! Celestia turns back toward you.

"Please, I do not request this lightly. It is safest for you to remain here as well," she re-encourages you. You have none of it though as you sit and cross your forelegs with an audible huff! "I merely came to warn you and, if need be, it is not your help I will require." The Princess takes one last sip, finishing off her coffee.

"Huh? If not me, then who?" you ask, annoyed.

"I've said too much," The Princess makes her way back to the front door. "Take heed in what I said and remain here! I shall return with news, be it good or ill!" She unfurled her majestic wings once outside in preparation for the flight back to Canterlot. After a final warning and farewell, she took flight and soon disappeared into the distance.

"Stay here and hide...AH'LL SHOW HER!"

Apple Bloom sat alone in the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse. She was sulking after, once again, being told she was too little to help, too little to make a difference. She might as well make herself useful in the only way she was told. She walked next to the window and looked out using the telescope she would occasionally bring when she and her friends tried to be Cutie Mark Crusader Stargazers. She watched the skies and the horizons for any signs of suspicious activity.

"Seems borin' enough to me..." she sighed. She can see the outskirts of Ponyville through her spyglass and the first thing she noticed is how quiet it was...too quiet. It seems only the stallions and Cranky Doodle were out, and it seems they were also patrolling for any suspicious activity. Some were even eyeing each other, as if they did not know of whom they were suspicious. The only mare Apple Bloom could see was a gray pegasus wearing a helmet with some shrubbery taped on in a foolish attempt to conceal herself.

Apple Bloom turned her attention to the air only to scan vast patches of empty blue sky with the occasional stray cloud. With Rainbow Dash and a few of the other weather ponies missing, the rest of the team had a difficult time herding the stragglers. Apple Bloom, however, knew nothing of the tribulations of the outside world as she was stuck on the farm helping her siblings with chores. Her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were, at this very moment, quite beside themselves at the loss of their sister and mentor. All Apple Bloom knew was that they had neglected to visit recently.

She let out another sigh as she moved her telescope to face the Everfree forest. In the distance, she could just make out a figure flying through the air. It was an orange blur, moving fast against the wind and heading straight for the farm. She kept the target in her view until she could make out that it was a Royal Guard.

"Must be  somepony from Canterlot, Celestia probably sent him to keep an eye on us," Apple Bloom reasoned, ignorant of the conversation earlier in the kitchen or as to why he was approaching from the forest. She figured she might as well greet the pony and see if there was anything he needed. She left the tree house and lept to the ground before sprinting over to the presumed guardian.

She intercepted the orange pegasus just as he landed, still some distance from the farmhouse. He had hoped to scout the area without anypony alerted to his presence, but when he noticed young Apple Bloom, he was forced to improvise. He gave a courteous grin as his spread his wings in an attempt to appear glorious to the young filly. All the sunlight reflecting off his armor temporarily blinded Apple Bloom's sight of him.

"You're much too flashy there, fella!" she recoiled and attempted to shield the light from her eyes.

"Sorry!" Flash lowered his wings. He had to quickly think up a reason as to why he was trespassing. Fortunately, the guard excuse usually does the trick. "Princess Celestia sent me, is your big sister home? I shall very much like to speak with her."

"Stay here and hide...AH'LL SHOW HER!"

You sulk outside the front door to the farmhouse while Big Mac is busy clearing the table after the brief visit from Princess Celestia. Granny Smith has already retired to her rocking chair for her well deserved early morning nap. Mac eventually covers her in a blanket before heading out to the barn to begin his chores for the day. You just continue to sit and sulk, basically forbidden from straying too far from the house. But anypony who knew you knows you won't take that lying down.

You head out anyway to continue your daily chores. Before you get too far, you see Apple Bloom making a bee-line toward the house. She stops, still some distance from the house, when you see she is approached by an orange pegasus guard. You identify him right away as the dastardly Flash Sentry. You hasten all resolve as you sprint to defend your little sister from this low-down varmint!

"Princess Celestia sent me, Is your big sister home? I shall very much like to speak with her," you hear the villain ask.

"RIGHT HERE, PARDNER!" you announce, heroically defending your kin. "Apple Bloom, get to the house!" you maintain your focus on Flash as you sneer through his black soul.

"But Ah-"

"GET! NOW!" you demand, never relinquishing your gaze.

Apple Bloom looks between the two of you. Her confusion grew as you two orange ponies stared each other down, neither refusing to break. She cautiously backed away before retreating to the farmhouse as you demanded.

"I see you've been expecting me," Flash figures you had been warned.

"And Ah'm also expectin' a beat-down!" you snap a retort.

"Oh, come now! Whatever have I done to deserve that?" he mocks, "I see Celestia has poisoned your mind and tightened her stranglehold to turn you against me!"

"Where are my friends?!" you demand to know.

"Right to the point, I see. I like that! But haven't you wondered WHY I'm doing this?" now appears to be the moment which the villain will reveal his plan. You don't care.

"WHERE. ARE. MY. FRIENDS!!!"

"Quite safe, I assure you. And they're much happier to boot!" he takes a more polite tone as he begins his justification. "You see, they are about to be the first citizens of the new Equestrian Republic! A nation no longer controlled by a select chosen few Princesses solely because they are 'Alicorns'. Being an Alicorn does not make one a great leader! Especially now that one can be BORN an Alicorn!"

That...actually makes sense you think.

"Why should complete control lie with one, or even with a chosen few! That's why I had to persuade Twilight first! And now with Luna behind me, we will soon be able to challenge the supreme matriarch to give Equestria to its rightful owner: the ponies!"

What's happening, I'm starting to believe him. I'm hating him less and less!

"With the Tetrarchy splintered, I will soon defeat Celestia and take my place as Premier Chairpony! I will impose order, security, and prosperity! And through me, the ponies shall own it all, not some authoritarian like Princess Celestia!"

Your expression changes as you find yourself strangely believing the sincerity in this pony's voice. You find yourself wanting to believe his promises for a better future.

"All I need now is to have a beautiful working pony by my side, to show all that we can throw off the shackles of the elite aristocracy of Canterlot! Join us, Applejack; join me!" he smiles and stares longingly into your eyes.

You find yourself lost in his dreamy blue eyes. A moment ago you were ready to destroy him. Now, you want to rule by his side as if some magical force promised you everything you never knew you desired. You feel no longer in control of your emotions as you slowly raise your hoof, not to strike him, but to accept his proposal.

You slowly begin to lose your awareness of the outside world as all you focus on are his eyes, promising everything you could ever want. Soon, he leads you away from Sweet Apple Acres; to where, you do not know. You actually find yourself not caring about your destination, as long as it is by the side of this marvelous, magnanimous, and visionary figure.