(Twilight POV)

I was sitting in front of my desk, ever since that Discord fiasco I have been getting letter from the Princesses daily. She also been asking me to assist in filling out some paperwork, I am starting to under the struggles my mentor is under on a daily basis. I haven't left the library since the Discord incident.

My musing over paperwork was interrupted by Pinkie blasting through the door, that wasn’t abnormal. The fact that she closed all the blinds and locked the door was though. Her usually bouncy pink fell flat, she turned to she wiped under her eyes I could see that she black bags under eyes. She was shivering and shaking, she slowly made her way to the couch before collapsing down on it.

I walked over, Pinkie didn’t look well at all. I frowned “Pinkie, what is going on.”

Pinkie yawned “I’ll be fine after some shuteye, the town needs me to be my usually perky self.”

I frowned (I will talk to her about this after she wakes.) I smiled “Get some sleep Pinkie, we can talk once you wake.” I turned to the door to hear knocking, I trotted over to open the door. When I did to see Fluttershy staring at me with determination. She walked in and let out a sigh of relief. I frowned “Why are you so relieved?”

Fluttershy turned to me “Pinkie has been running herself ragged. She has not slept since Applejack, Apple Bloom and Rainbow vanished. I was the only person she told about it but as you can see it is having a negative effect on her health. She believe she has to work harder to keep the town happy, even if it kills her. I have been trying to get her to stop.”

Twilight turned to her desk and then to Pinkie, I frowned “The Princesses can wait. This is more important, I’m going to lose another friend. You stay here and make sure Pinkie stays put.” I walked out to the town hall, I knocked on the door. Mayor Mare walked out, I scowled “I need to arrange an emergency meeting today. I am not talking no for an answer.”

Mayor Mare looked at me before nodding “Very well, I’ll have ready within ten minutes.”

It didn’t take long before I was at the meeting stage, I looked over the entire town. I frowned “I am here to talk about Pinkie Pie who is currently collapsed on my couch.” The crowd let out a gasp, I nodded “Yes she had been working herself ragged since we lost Applejack, Apple Bloom and Rainbow Dash. She hasn't slept since then and has been hiding from almost everyone. So before she hurts herself further we will have to let rest for a while. We will have to go on without her cheer for a time.”

The crowd looked at me before nodding. Granny Smith smiled ‘We here ya loud and clear Twilight, young Pinkie has done so much for us. We should repay the favour, we can go on without her. We show the world how strong we Ponyville ponies are.” I smiled, I made the right decision.

(Celestia POV)

I sighed “Luna, we both know that if we acted everything would be worse off. They dealt with Discord for us.”

Luna growled at me “Yes and now they have taken over an entire city. Not to mention of 90% of our guards have annihilated by such strange circumstances that only Discord could be responsible! Yet this feel targeted which means that he follows the orders of that yellow bipedal thing, how are we supposed to stop this.”

I frowned “We call all the guards back to Canterlot and prepare to hunker down.”

Luna glared at me “They have a large dragon, Discord and even an Alicorn on side. How can we beat that! At this point I am willing to sign a surrender, I know how this will turn out if we don’t surrender. Innocents will die, caught in the crossfire as both sides clash in the streets of the city.”

We were interrupted as Cadence entered the room from the balcony “Why is the capital in chaos, Nobles are outside the doors demanding answers from us. Now I have found the two of you are squabbling like children, it doesn't matter what has happened but what you two will do now.”

Luna turned away from me towards Cadence “I am going to surrender to them, they have crippled our defenses to the point where we will not be able to win a war and even if we did the casualties toward the innocents will be too great.”

Cadence nodded “I agree, with what happened to the main Barracks there will be too many more casualties if we try to oppose them.”I sighed, with the two of them in agreement I couldn’t do anything to stop them from carrying out their plans. I watched as they left the room.

(Luna POV)

I smiled at Cadence “I must thank you, if it wasn’t for you my sister would not stop arguing with me to prove that she was right.”

Cadence frowned “You are doing what needs to be done to preserve the safety of the nation. I am simply agreeing that you are doing what needs to be done. I don’t like but it’s what has to be done.”

The two of us walked in silence, the halls quiet. The guards as stoic as ever, I stepped onto the balcony “I understand that you are all concerned but now I am here to tell you that, for your safety, surrender will be the best option available to us.” The nobles started to shout loudly, I roared “Silence. The majority of our forces have been destroyed and what we have left will not be enough to oppose the threat.”

One of the nobles shouted “Are you telling us we just give in to this threat to our nation!”

Luna turned to him “If we don’t, our capital may be destroyed and everyone here to be killed. They have shown that they are willing kill thousands to get what they are seeking. Their leader was not just able to defeat my sister but stole a great deal of her power. I can’t stop her, neither can our army. So tell me if you wish to oppose such an overwhelming force.” The nobles were silent, I frowned “I will talk over the terms of our surrender but first we must send them a message.”

I jumped as Discord appeared in front of me, he grinned “I have already delivered your message. She is on her way here to discuss the terms of your surrender.” I took a deep breath, this was going to be complicated.

Author's Note

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.