Return to the Mirror Universe

Twilight could have simply chosen to teleport herself and her accomplices to Canterlot castle, but she decided on a more spectacular approach. She drew on the power of her element, expanding a sphere of darkness from the tip of her horn. The locket magnified her power, causing black bolts of energy to shoot out from the sphere. Twilight enveloped everypony in a bubble of pure dark magic.

Above her she noticed that a violent storm seemed to be expanding from the Tree of Disharmony, tearing apart the sky with flashing bolts of lightning. A storm was coming alright. Straight for the Princesses and their pathetic friends. Twilight stomped her hoof and the sphere lifted up into the air, carrying the mane six with it. As they raced over the Everfree forest, Twilight noticed that the storm followed them, expanding further as they flew towards Canterlot.

As they soared over the city, Twilight saw that the place was vibrant with celebration. Heart shaped balloons filled the air, fillies played and lovers embraced. The Fesitval of Love was still in full swing, Twilight remembered. Not for long. She noticed the change immediately, as ponies glanced up at the sky, pointing with fear at the ball of swirling darkness, and the dark ponies within it. They were flying low enough so the citizens could see that it was none other than the mane six, the most infamous criminals in Equestria, who flew over them.

"Don't worry, y'all will be absolutely fine!" Applejack called out reassuringly. She grinned at Fluttershy, who responded with a menacing smile. Her locket glowed with power and bolts of black energy began to rain down on the city. Ponies ran for cover, screaming and crying as the many heart shaped decorations around them collapsed in burning black flame.

"Ooh gems! Mine!" Rarity said in a high pitched voice as they passed over a jewel shop. Her locket glowed and the jewels smashed up through the ceiling of the store in a huge swarm. "In fact... it may be time to accessorize!" The jewels melted together around her body magically forming into a sparkling purple dress adorned with rubies, diamonds and emeralds. "Don't I look just fabulous!?"

Twilight rolled her eyes at her vain companion. Some days she had to tell herself that this was a partnership of convenience, and that she didn't just hang out with these idiots to torture herself. The castle loomed ahead of them, under the only patch of sky that wasn't covered in storm. Throughout the rest of the city, the dark, stormy sky had replaced the clear night sky Luna and pegasi had made for the continuing celebration.

Twilight noticed that the guards were finally starting to fight back, shooting arrows (blunt tipped, those Princesses really were pathetic) and drawing their swords. She flicked her hoof and a bolt of dark magic arced toward the guards. They quickly jumped out of its way, but to their surprise it didn't explode on impact. The disharmonious magic sunk into the ground bubbling with a vile smell. Huge black vines shot out of the ground and started whipping around like tentacles, snatching guards and dangling them by their hooves.

Now that the guards and citizens knew her true power, Twilight didn't wish to waste time. She teleported them inside the castle, right to the throne room. The bubble of energy dissipated, as Twilight immediately prepared for an attack. However no attack came. The throne room was completely empty.

"They're NOT HERE?!" Twilight yelled furiously.  She heard hoofsteps from a dozen directions, as guards came rushing in from all sides. To her right, she saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stride in behind their guards, horns glowing. They were wearing white and black dresses respectively, as if they had just come from the celebrations in Canterlot. She heard someone snap their fingers, and to her left Duchess Chrysalis and Sir Discord poofed into existence. The Duchess wore a frilly pink dress, and Discord a black tuxedo. All of them looked very very unhappy.

"You were foolish to come here. I suggest you give up!" Celestia demanded regally.

"Yes, regrettably I do believe you're outmatched madames." Sir Discord said with perfect tact as always. He snapped his fingers and Twilight saw iron cuffs appear on her hooves.

Twilight's locket glowed, and the cuffs melted into black goo. "Quite the contrary," she said matching Discord's light tone, "I believe you are the ones who are outmatched." A ring of power blasted outward knocking out the dozens of guards that surrounded them.

"Impossible! Only an Alicorn could have that much power!" Princess Celestia said in disbelief. "Take them down!" Multicolored rays of magic shot toward them from all sides crackling with immense energy. Twilight instinctively braced herself, but found there was no need. The lockets glowed, erecting a shield of dark energy around her and her allies.

"Power? I am the element of power Celestia!" Twilight said gleefully. "Let's see how you like a little prison time of your own!" She channeled her magic, directing the dark energy at the Princesses, Discord and Chrysalis.

"Element of... no NO!" Sir Discord realized too late. The dark magic enveloped the four would-be heroes. They screamed in horror as they were slowly petrified, until nothing remained but four terrified looking statues.

"Ah that was... exhilarating." Twilight remarked.

"We should break them into itty bitty pieces and give them to the citizens of Canterlot as a present!" Fluttershy suggested excitedly.

"We'll get rid of them more permanently soon enough, but I still have some scientific uses for them." Twilight said. "Besides, we aren't done here. If Sir Discord and Chrysalis are here, then those four virtues should be here too. It's just a matter of finding them." Twilight lit her horn and performed a search spell. "Ah there you are..." She stomped her hoof sinking them through the floor to the underground parts of the palace.

"Go Derpy, they're the only ones that can save us now!" Twilight heard a hoarse voice say. It sounded like a Griffin.

"We'll scramble the mirror after you go so they can't follow you." A mare's voice said.

"You should be the one to go your highness." a dry, almost professor like voice replied.

"No I can't Derpy. This auxiliary mirror can only take one pony to the other side. You are the wisest of all of us, if anyone can find a way to defeat these criminals it's you. Now go!"

Twilight finished phasing through the floor and found that she landed in a small cavernous room. The stone walls reminded her uncomfortably of her previous prison. Dim lamps lit up most of the room, but caused the stalagmites and stalactites to throw eerie shadows everywhere. Besides herself and her allies, she saw four other occupants. A blue alicorn with a small silver tiara, a fiery orange mare, an armored griffin, and a grey unicorn with a purple cape and gold crown.

"Ah, the virtues and our former king!" Twilight observed with delight. "Hmmm, but there are only three of you annoying virtues here, where is the fourth?" She looked behind them and saw a rippling mirror.

"Trixie! Scramble the mirror! We'll hold her off!" King Sombra yelled.

"Gee Twilight, looks like they might be able to stop us after all!" Applejack said rolling her eyes.

"Ha, without your fourth member, you don't even stand a chance!" Rainbow Dash mocked.

"It's kind of sad really." Pinkamena noted. "Without wisdom your virtues mean nothing. Temperance is cowardice, Humility is false modesty and altruism is misguidedness."

"Enough!" Sombra shot a ray of silver light from his horn. Sunset followed suit, hurling stalagmites from the ceiling. Gilda the griffon readied her sword and shield, moving into a defensive stance.

Their attacks simply bounced off of the dark energy shield created by the elements. Twilight laughed at their attempt. At her direction a beam of darkness shot from the 6 necklaces toward the attackers.

"Done! I've sealed off the-" Trixie began, cut off as the dark magic flowed over her. When it dissipated it left behind only four silent statues.

"Curious..." Twilight said walking toward the mirror. "This looks like a trans-dimensional mirror." She laid a hoof on the glass experimentally. A red barrier appeared, stopping her from directly touching the glass.

"Woohoo! No goody goody virtues or Princesses to tell us what to do any more!" Rainbow Dash celebrated. "We- I- can do whatever I want!"

"Actually Rainbow Dash, there is a Princess that's in charge now." Twilight remarked casually.

"What? Ah thought we got rid of them all? Cadence is still sitting in Canterlot dungeon... so who?" Applejack wondered.

Twilight stepped forward, her entire body crackling with dark energy. Everypony in the room took a step back, a little unnerved by her power. "Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Disharmony and ruler of all Equestria!"