Rise of the Earth Pony Rebellion

Shadow Flare's followers arrived at Canterlot's gates as told. Their objective was to free the pony world of the unicorn and pegasi races to live in a more peaceful world without racism or perfection blinding the ponies of Equestria...but the looks on their faces made it seem like they were out for blood. A wagon being pulled by two stallions made it's way to the herd of Earth ponies. Shadow Flare looked out the wagon to see his rebellion ready for battle. He pulled his head back in and smiled.

"Hmmm," he wondered to himself, "If I had to guess, that's about three hundred Earth ponies. I suppose that'll do." He stuck his head out the window. "That's far enough, gentlecolts." His stallions nodded there heads in approval and halted. Shadow Flare exited the wagon with grace and walked towards his followers head high and eyes closed. Once he pushed his way through the herd of Earth ponies, he turned around and faced them with the coolest smile he could muster and lifted up a hoof to cease the noise of his troops.

"Greetings, everypony," he began, "The time has come for us to take Canterlot and demand that Princess Celestia give us the respect we deserve!" A loud shout emitted from the crowd. "Now, remember what I said: Let's not hurt these guys too badly. Only attack the ones that stand in your way, avoid mares, fillies, and foals as much as possible. I will deal with Princess Celestia personally. All you need to do is help me open a path to the castle where the alicorn princess resides. Now, if anypony here has had a change of heart, this is your last chance to back down, because there is no going back after this." The crowd of ponies did not wave or falter. They knew their mission and were going to carry it out no matter what the consequences. Shadow Flare let out a fiendish grin. "Very well, my friends. Then it is time."

Shadow Flare turned towards the gates. Two guards stood there on duty, seemingly ignoring what Shadow Flare and his buddies were here to accomplish. "State your business." said one of the guards with an indifferent look on his face. "Very well." Shadow Flare said. He turned around, reared back, and then bucked the guard in his face. The stallion dropped to the ground covering his face with his front hooves. Everypony stopped in shock. After a moment, Shadow Flare yelled, "ATTACK!" The mob of Earth ponies let out a battle cry and tackled down the front gates, stampeding through the two guards. They galloped into the unicorn city of Canterlot, prepared to do their worse.

Shadow Flare looked down at the two Canterlot guards, now lying there unconscious, with a look of pity on his face. He looked back at the broken down gate then to the stairs leading up into Canterlot. Under his breath, he said "All according to plans." With that, he trotted passed the guards and gate and began to make his way towards Canterlot Castle.

***

After an several hours, the train finally came to a stop. Twilight Sparkle, the only one who seemed to be on the train, exited slowly out the doors and into the Canterlot train station. Just like Ponyville's train station, it was quiet and empty, devoid of any life it seemed. 'Well that's odd.' thought Twilight, 'but that's not important right now. Gotta get to the castle.' She galloped out of the train station and into the city of Canterlot.

"What the-" Twilight said. Chaos had spread throughout the city, windows shattered, doors boarded up, and even carts on fire. Twilight saw the Earth ponies doing battle with the royal guards. "How did he get here so quickly? There's no possible way he made here before me!" She began to gallop towards the castle.

***

As Twilight made it to Castle, she saw a few dozen guards standing watch, prepared to risk their lives for the princess. "Hatl!" one yelled, referring to Twilight. "Be you friend or foe?" He had a brown coat and gray mane. His helmet covered his eyes, it was a wonder he even saw Twilight. "Oh, enough of that, Biggs," the guard next to him said, "Can't you see that's the princess's student?" he had the opposite color scheme of Biggs; Gray coat and brown mane. He, however, was actually able to see out from under his helmet. "Is that true, Wedge?" He looked closer at Twilight Sparkle to make positively sure Wedge was right. Twilight felt very uncomfortable by this and couldn't help but blush.

"Oh, it IS you, Ms. Sparkle! Boy, are we glad to see you here..." Biggs said, relieved.

"Where's Princess Celestia? I need to help her stop this madness!"

"She's in the throne room. She's been waiting for you and your friends." Wedge answered.

"Speaking of which, where are they?" Biggs asked.

"I left them behind," Twilight sighed, "Is it too much trouble to ask you to go get them?"

"T'would be an honor, Ms. Sparkle." They both said. "Alright, men, two of you accompany Ms. Sparkle, while the rest of you guard the front gates!" yelled Biggs. "Yes, while Biggs and I go get Ms. Sparkle's friends. Understood?" asked Wedge.

"Sir!" cried the royal guards.

"We'll fly as fast as our wings can carry us." Wedge said, flapping his wings.

"Thank you so much, you two. I owe you big time!" Twilight said. "I told them I'd meet them at the train station in Ponyville, so that's where they'll more than likely be. Good luck."

"Understood, Ms. Sparkle." Biggs said. "And we wish the same for you. Canterlot is in your hooves." The two flapped there wings than soared through the skies off to Ponyville.

***

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried out. The princess was sitting on her throne, in depression. "Twilight Sparkle..." she replied weakly.

"Princess, it's horrible! Somepony named Shadow Flare has come to-"

"I know, Twilight. I know all too well."

"Then why aren't you doing anything! Ponies can get hurt."

"True." Twilight froze. She recognized this voice and knew who it belonged to.

"Shadow Flare!"

Shadow Flare slowly walked out from behind Celestia's throne, trying so desperately to make a unique entrance.

"Your princess can't do anything at the moment, I'm afraid. There's too much at stake after all." He pulled Spike out from behind Celestia's throne. Sticks of dynamite surrounded his torso. "But that's not all, of course. Every layer of Canterlot is filled with bigger, badder bombs than this. So, think before you act, or you'll die." he laughed.

"Spike...oh no..." Twilight said, sadly. "How could I be so stupid... I shouldn't have involved you."

"How can you do this? You AND you're soldiers will die, too!" Celestia said.

"Of course. But so will you. And that's good enough for me."

He looked out he window behind Celestia's throne. His Earth pony army was destroying everything, disobeying his orders. Shadow merely chuckled at this.

"It seems when somepony is given the chance to destroy something, they gain the desire to destroy more and more. At this rate, there will be no Canterlot. How incompetent are your guards, Celestia? Surely they're more than enough to handle my little rebellion. Ah, well... They couldn't really do much in the past, could they? Not against Nightmare Moon, Queen Cryhsallis, or Discord. Ha, here I am comparing myself to those villains...villains who actually HAD power, who HAD strength. And yet you can't even stop a few Earth ponies from raising hell in your kingdom. Why?"

"Because...they've been deceived. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Fair enough. That's actually what I thought you'd say. Anyway, let's get down to business..."

"STOP!" Rainbow Dash, Applejack and the others accompanied by Biggs and Wedge, came bursting through the doors. The girls were wearing their necklaces.

'Wow, that was pretty convenient...' Twilight thought to herself. "Here ya go, partner!" Applejack through Twilight's crown over to her. "Alright, Shadow Flare, time to right all the wrongs you've made."

Shadow merely stood there unimpressed. "I think not." And with that, he raised his front hooves in the air and violently clopped them back on the floor. A glyph below Celestia started to glow. It covered her in a pale green light. BOOM! Smoke covered the entire room. Everyone in the room started coughing.

"Where's the princess?" Twilight asked, trying to see through the black fog.

"At last... I have done it. All these years of practicing, all these years of studying... It finally payed off!"

The smoke finally started to clear. Princess Celestia lied on the floor unconscious. But she was different: She was missing her horn and wings, and her usual slim and slick body was now gone. She looked just like anypony else.

"Princess!" cried the mane six.

"Fools."

Shadow Flare walked out from behind the lingering smoke and revealed himself. He had the appearance of an alicorn, horn, wings and all.

"Alright, now the real fun begins!"