Author's Note

This was an extra chapter meant to be placed in the middle of 'Survival of the Fittest.' It tells the tale of what happens to Ponyville after the call goes out of the death of the 'Shining Spectre.'

Bonus Chapter: Ponyville Falls

All seemed well in Ponyville. The citizens were going about their day as they normally would; tending to their gardens, selling their wares, building up their stores for the war effort and most important, keeping their town clean and well-kept in case any soldiers came back. They would need rest, and a boost to their morale. Ponyville was ready to give it to them. They couldn't give anything more substantial, as almost all of their local guards had been called away to protect more important and populous places.

That's why it was such a shock when loud booms were heard outside of the city, and absolute bedlam took hold moments later as the first building collapsed. Screams rang out as the second volley came in from the other side, striking Sugarcube Corner's main support beam. Pinkie's quick response was enough to usher seven of her customers out safely, but three more were trapped under the collapsing building, not including Pinkie herself. The third and final volley of cannon fire rained down from the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

The town was surrounded on three sides by cannons and the zebras manning them. There was nowhere for the citizens to go. There were a few guards and even a few civilians that were armed, but not very many. As the zebras rushed into the town, a few pegasi tried to flee. This would be the first time anypony in Ponyville would see or hear the wrath of the zebra hand cannons.

Surrender came quick, to nopony's great surprise. Everypony was brought to the town square and lined up. Ponies that didn't do as they were told were whipped. Ponies that still fought back were tied up. Those injured were either killed off to end their suffering, or quickly bandaged up if they were deemed both useful and capable of recovering. Only a few were tied up and carted away, and what remained were left for the inspection of the commanding officer.

"My, my, my, what a fine-looking lot. What a lovely collection of ponies we've caught. Many of them are mares, I see. I may take one of you, just for me."

At that moment, the zebras from Sweet Apple Acres approached. They had taken the farm early this morning, before setting everything up. They brought with them Apple Bloom and Applejack. They were bound and gagged. Apple Bloom was very clearly scared and unsure. Applejack, on the other hand, was very much frenzied and enraged. It took six zebras just to drag her along. She wasn't responding to the whip at all, despite the fact that it had already torn though her shirt in multiple places. A single Zebrican stallion was able to direct Apple Bloom with only one hand on her shoulder.

The commander approached Applejack, well outside of her range of motion. He had a smirk on his face, an indication that he had some plans for her. His smirk soon contorted into a sneer, and he pointed to the ground. "On your knees before your new master, peasant." She picked up a rock on the tip of her boot and flung it at him. It struck his shoulder, not particularly doing much damage. "It seems you want your life to be even less pleasant..."

Turning away from Applejack, the commander approached her younger sister. Apple Bloom's eyes went wide as he pulled out a knife. As he grabbed her by the shirt collar, she closed her eyes tightly. She'd just seen them kill Big Mac and Granny Smith. She was prepared to have her life ended in a similar way, but what she felt instead was the cool blast of Ponyville air against her bare stomach. He'd cut off her shirt, and a moment later, her skirt went with it. Putting away his knife, he grabbed Apple Bloom by the shoulder, directed her in front of Applejack, and placed his hand over her navel.

Apple Bloom was humiliated. She was now standing in her panties and training bra in front of the whole town, shaking in fear, and her sister, her only protector remaining, was tied in front of her, watching as a strange stallion rubbed his hand over her abdomen. The commander looked right into Applejack's eyes. "I've issued one command, do not make me issue another. Unless, of course, you wish worse for your sister than the fate of your brother." Neither moved for several seconds. The zebra commander's hand began to slide down Apple Bloom's body. By the time he touched her waistband, Applejack had surrendered and fallen to her knees. As a show of good faith, he pulled his hand away from the filly, sending her over to one of his soldiers, who took her by the shoulder and lowered her to her knees.

The commander walked up to Applejack, removed her Stetson, and patted her head. Rather than return her hat, he placed it on his own head, letting it hang on his upturned mask. He then turned to the crowd, whapping his tail against his quarry's face as he did so. "Let this be your first lesson on the path to your new home. Do as you are told, and you may be allowed to roam. If you defy us, and fight at every turn, you can expect to suffer worse than simple rope burns."

The ponies settled down a fair bit more, some of the weaker-willed ones falling to their knees in acceptance of their fate. To them, it was far better an option to cooperate and have a better chance of survival than it was to fight back and risk injury or death. They weren't soldiers, they were civilians. Fighting was not something they could do with any degree of certainty.

The commander, seeing their submission, smiled. He turned to his second in command, waved him over, and whispered, "Take the feisty one back to camp and tie her down to my cot. There is a particular way I want her will to be fought. As for the rest, remove their outer clothes. For what they will be doing, we won't need those. Take the mares and the foals, box them up in carts. Dispose of the ones with the less fun parts."

The soldier nodded, and relayed the order to all of those under his command. The mares were to be taken as sex slaves and brood stock, the fillies would be trained so as to be better slaves to their eventual masters, the colts would either be made into fieldworkers or painted soldiers, and any full-grown stallions that could not prove their usefulness would be beheaded. The elderly would go the same way. Such was the cruel tyranny of Zaka's Empire.