Alternate title: How "The Movie" Should Have Ended
Author's Note
I would like to reiterate that this isn't meant to be taken too seriously.
Alternate title: How "The Movie" Should Have Ended
Tempest Shadow walked out onto the top of the ramp, sickly brown smog billowing around her hooves as she moved. She stopped a third of the way down and stared down at the crowd of onlookers with a look of superiority.
Princess Celestia stood firm, flanked on either side by her sister and niece. "Tempest Shadow, I presume," she calls out. "And what can we help you with?"
Tempest continued to stare as she drew in a breath. "You can help me with one thing," she starts; her voice strong and commanding. "Your complete and unconditional surrender."
A few ponies in the crowd gasp, Celestia's eyes narrow, she and Tempest glare at each other in a silent battle of intimidation......and the faint sound of snickering can be heard from behind Princess Cadence; dispelling the shadows that had somehow gathered around the plateau.
The princesses moved apart slowly, revealing Twilight Sparkle as she struggled to hold in her sounds of humor. The princesses could do nothing but look to each other in confusion, and Tempest grit her teeth as she glared daggers into the youngest Alicorn.
"Are...are you mocking me?" she asked. "I'm here to take over your country and enslave your entire population...and you think that's funny?"
Twilight held up a wing and coughed a couple times to calm her twitching diaphragm. "I-I'm sorry," she said once she calmed down enough to speak. "I just...I need you to clarify a few things for me, real quick." She relaxed her facial muscles as much as she could. "So, you're here on behalf of this 'Storm King'?"
"Yes," Tempest growled. "I've been sent to conquer your land, enslave your citizens, and present your humiliated leaders to my master. I believe that was made perfectly clear."
"So, you chose today, of all days, when all four Princesses - including me - are in one place," Twilight continued as her lips threatened to break into a grin again. "Am I right to assume this was your plan?"
Tempest rolled her eyes. "Yes. Why go hunting for the four of you when I can snatch you up all at once? How is this difficult to comprehend?"
"Just humor me." Twilight casually sidled up to Tempest's side and wrapped a wing around her shoulders. "Now, you chose the Festival of Friendship to attack. Do you realize what you've just done?"
Tempest, confused and off-put by Twilight's casual action, stumbled over her thoughts. "Um...n-no? What have I done?"
Twilight began to snicker again, extending her other wing to gesture with it. "You've declared open war on Equestria in front of our diarchs, the leader of our ally The Crystal Empire, the entirety of the Champions of Harmony - including me, my pupil who is as strong as any Alicorn, the leader of our Yak allies, the leaders of our Changeling allies, the entirety of our ancient heroes The Pillars of Old Equestria, and the spirit of chaos himself. Not to mention my brother, who is not only in charge of the Royal Guards and Crystal Guards, but is also husband to the Princess of Love." As she rattled off names, each of the mentioned individuals stepped forward; some running in response to the sudden disturbance.
Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Starlight Glimmer charged their horns; Prince Rutherford and his attendants snorted and stomped their hooves; King Thorax and Prince Pharynx shapeshifted into giant monsters; Shining Armor and the combined Guard Corps ran up brandishing spears and crossbows; Discord poofed in behind Fluttershy; and the Pillars of Old Equestria stood side-by-side with the Champions of Harmony. The civilians wisely evacuated the premises as Twilight casually sauntered over to her friends; her magic dispelling the smog to reveal Tempest's comparatively pitiful reinforcements.
"Now, I have one question left," Twilight said as she turned to face Tempest. With a flash of magic, each of the Champions entered their Rainbow Forms and floated in the air; the full might of the Magic of Friendship flowing through their veins.
"Are you feeling lucky? Well are ya, punk?"
Tempest couldn't help but gulp and take a few steps back in fear as she realized the huge mistake she had just made.
"You'll ain't gettin' away with this, Ponies!" the diminutive Grubber called from his place behind cell bars. "Th' Storm King's commin', and he's way stronger than Tempest! Yer gonna get your tails handed to ya if you don't let us go!"
"My sister and her friends have taken down Tirek," Shining stated as he finished locking away the enemy forces. "I doubt this 'Storm King' will be too much trouble. You just sit tight until your trial."
Shining walked away, and Grubber shook the bars. "Yeah, you better run! You don' wanna see me when I'm angry! Why I'm gonna-OW!"
Tempest retracted her hoof from atop Grubber's head. "Will you just shut up for once in your aggravating life?" she growled in annoyance. "I'm tempted to rip out your tongue if I don't get some peace and quiet."
Grubber clamped his hands over his mouth and silenced himself.
Back at the party, Twilight looked over a map of Equestria with the other Princesses.
"If we leave now, we can get to my castle in a few hours," Twilight said; her mind formulating a plan. "When we get there, I could possibly use it's magic to generate a shield large enough to at least make travel to Canterlot difficult. I'll need a bit of help, but it's hypothetically possible."
"That sounds like an excellent plan, Twilight," Princess Celestia complimented. "You have such a brilliant mind."
"Don't patronize me, Celestia," Twilight grumbled. "After we deal with this 'Storm King' issue, you and I are going to be having a long talk about keeping me in the loop about potential threats to Equestria. What good are 'the greatest defense of the country' if we don't have time to plan any such defense before we're needed?"
"W-well, I..." Celestia grinned nervously and rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. "I-I just didn't want you to worry...? Y-yes! That's it! I didn't want to bother you with worrying and distract you from having fun! Y-you know how you get when you worry!"
"Celestia, I love you," Twilight sighed. "You've been like a second mother to me, and I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for you. But you're a worse liar than Applejack, and there are times when I feel like you're a rather incompetent leader; especially when disasters pop up on you. If this keeps up, you'd better watch out for me taking your job away."
Celestia broke into nervous laughter, her eyes shifting to look anywhere but at her pupil. "O-oh Twilight! You're such a kidder!"
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Twilight deadpanned. "Just go keep everypony calm while the real caretakers of Equestria prepare to repel invasion." With that she got up and walked away, leaving behind a depressed Sunbutt.
"Luna? Cady?" she whined at her fellow Alicorns. "A-am I really a bad Princess?"
Cadence decided checking on her daughter would be far safer than sticking around for the waterworks, and Luna wrapped a wing around her sister.
"Well, Tia," the night princess began. "You're not exactly the best military leader. B-but you're great at leading in peaceful times!"
Celestia groaned and broke down; her tears coming out in Pinkie-style comical waterfalls. "M-my student is growing up so fast and leaving me in the duu-huust!" she sobbed. "I-I don't know whether to be h-happy or saaa-haaad!!"
Luna put up a shield to keep her face from getting wet as she rubbed her sister's back; wishing someone else could have this responsibility for once. "There there, Tia," she sighed; knowing it'd be a while before she heard the end of this. "It'll be okay."
