Twilight awoke as the doors opened but revealing eight mares three of which were affected by dark magic. Sweetie Belle was helping her sister along while Scootaloo was pushing Rainbow Dash along in her wheelchair in. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were trotting in slowly, all four were showing clear signs of age. Their coats being less vibrant than when they were in their prime and their muscles largely faded.

Rainbow shotued “What happened in Canterlot and where’s Fluttershy!”

Twilight slumped “There is not Canterlot, it’s all gone. Somepony wanted to assassinate me and when that failed they ruptured the core, Fluttershy gave her life to limit the damage to just Canterlot.”

Sweetie Belle had panicked look on her pale bony muzzle “My Phylactery is up there. I have to check if it’s safe!”

Rainbow growled “Why didn’t you stop her!”

Twilight growled “Blue Belle dragged me away, she used her magic to seal mine temporarily until we left Canterlot! Don’t act like I didn’t care about her Rainbow!”

Just at that moment a flash of light filled the room as Discord appeared in all his chaotic glory. He looked at everypony in the room, Sweetie Belle was panicking while everyone else was looking morosely at Twilight who was calming herself down “Did something bad happen?”

Twilight looked up to him with tears in her eyes “Fluttershy’s gone.” Discord’s face paled as he froze before shattering into a million pieces. Twilight sighed “As much as I’d love to stay and discuss this with you further I have to speak to the guard. I do believe that Celestia and Luna would have survived the explosion So I need to send in a small rescue team in of skilled individuals.”

Applejack slumped “Ah can’t believe this happened. To think that’s she’s gone, she was the best of us.”

Scootaloo looked down “She was so kind, always offering to speak to me when I was bullied about my wings.” Rarity was sobbing as Sweetie Belle held her, drops of dark magic dripping from the eyes of the younger sisters

Apple Bloom was crying as she whispered softly “She was so very kind, Ah still remember the first sleepover we had at her cottage. She did her best to entertain us while we caused her a lot of trouble.”

Rainbow was deathly silent as tears streamed down her face, her best friend was gone forever and she never got to say goodbye. Pinkie Pie was laying flat on the floor, her mane laying flat on her back.The whole room was deathly silent as they contemplated the loss of the kindest pony they knew.

Meanwhile in Canterlot, Fluttershy was busy constructing the glass walls around the bunker. They were now high enough that Celestia and Luna could start farming using some seeds that were in the bunker, Luna smiled as she was pulling one of the ploughs that was also in the bunker along the ground “I must admit I missed this kind of work.”

Celestia groaned as she pulled the other plough “Really because I am finding this very difficult.”

Luna giggled “Because unlike you I actually keep fit. Seriously you need to cut back on the cake and started doing some actual exercise for once.”

Fluttershy finished the current part of the wall and flew outside chasing one of the twisted ponies outside before leaping on it tearing into with her claws until it stopped moving. She then tore into it with her mighty jaws, she thought as she swallowed the flesh (I never thought I’d enjoy the taste of flesh but then again several of my animals used to do it all the time. I’m just another predator I guess.)

Fluttershy returned after she finished her meal, she yawned as landed on the ground “Do you mind I get some sleep? I just ate and after all that work it makes me feel sleepy.”

Luna smiled “Sure, just don’t fall asleep where we are pulling ploughs.” Meanwhile the two Alicorns continued their work.

Celestia frowned “Do you have any idea why somepony would wish to assassinate Twilight?

Luna snorted “It was likely one of the nobles, form what you told me they were deeply offended when Cadence ascended and then Twilight did really insulted their pride. It all take is one bad noble who wants power and would do anything to get it, even if it means killing the two of us.”

Celestia blinked in shock as she stopped “You can’t be serious! The nobles would never be that foalish, even Blueblood back in the day would never have pulled such a stunt!”

Luna frowned “It has been thousands of years since then, many have forgotten what we are capable of. Back then they grew up on the stories of us defeating evil but now they grow up on the stories of how we failed to stop Tirek, Chrysalis, Sombra and Discord. They thought if they took out Twilight they could take over the whole nation.”

Celestia slumped “What happened to the both of us? We once were capable of repelling any threat but now we are just a pair of fools. Maybe it’s high time Twilight is given the reigns of our nation.”

Luna frowned “We should have done that ages ago, we already have Twilight doing most of our paperwork.”

Meanwhile as they were having that conversation Twilight was sitting in a large room on a throne designed for her to hold court in case of an emergency. A noble exclaimed “I need to build myself an estate in Ponyville. My former one as in Canterlot, I was hoping I could get a permit to demolish some buildings in the town.”

Twilight looked over the plans and scowled “Several of these building are already occupied by ponies. I will not have you force ponies out of their homes for your own gain!” She glared at them daring them to give her a similar request, most of the Nobles evacuated the premises immediately unwilling to upset the current only Princess available.

Author's Note

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please tell me what you think in the comments.