"And there..." Flurry Heart said. "Don't you just look dapper, Apple Bloom?" She asked.

"I kind of dig the fake scar. Makes her look more bad-ass looking." Scootaloo said.

"I do enjoy the bad-girl look~" Diamond Tiara said, looking at Apple Bloom lovingly. The look Apple Bloom had on was very western.

"Ah admit, I do make this look good. Or, is that bad in this case?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Heh...don't confuse yourself Apple Bloom." Cozy Glow said. "I am curious though: what's the purpose of giving her a fake scar?" She asked.

"Because Apple Bloom's going to be leading my ground forces when the time comes. Which will be coming very, very soon." Flurry Heart said. "I just have to do a little more interference before the time comes for the first pieces of my plan." She added.

"Which is stealing the Crystal Heart in secret of course. Empress Flurry Heart has given that task to me." Apple Bloom said.

"Wait, you're making Apple Bloom steal it?" Cozy Glow asked.

"Have you ever wondered why I made sure the brainwashing made her eyes glow green? This way everyone will assume she's being controlled by the magics of the Umbra, which will start a fruitless Goose Chase. Meanwhile, not wanting the Crystal Heart to be taken by them, I will act all innocent and convince my parents to let me keep the Crystal Heart close by. This will allow me to infect it, and once I do and place it in its place, well...the result should present itself." Flurry Heart said.

"Huh...this is just pure genius." Cozy Glow said.

"Flurry Heart." Shining Armor said to his daughter as she was flying around the castle. "Starlight called, she wants to know if you've seen the Cutie Mark Crusaders around. They haven't been seen around lately. I know that the Friendship School is currently closed for Spring Break, but Starlight is curious as to where the trio could be." The former Royal guard captain said.

Before Flurry Heart could answer though, Apple Bloom came out of nowhere and stole the Crsystal heart from its place, which then prompted the Crystal Guards to seize her. "What the...Apple Bloom?" Flurry Heart acted confused.

"Looks like she's been brainwashed. Looks like them Umbra are looking to come back once more, as Apple Bloom's eyes remind me of when Sombra was brainwashing ponies." Shining Armor said. "I can't get her to come out of it." He said. He noticed Flurry Heart grab the Crystal Heart. "What are you doing, Flurry?" Shining Armor asked.

"If the Umbra are after the Crystal Heart...wouldn't it be safer with me for the time being? Once we find and eliminate the Umbra once and for all, we can put the Crystal Heart back in it's place. I'm sure the populace would understand that it needs to be kept in a secure location under the current Umbra threat." Flurry Heart said.

Shining Armor laughed. "You must get your smarts from you Auntie Twilight sometimes. Okay Flurry Heart, me and your mother will make an announcement in fifteen minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on the crystal heart at all times." He said before leaving.

"...Fifteen minutes? That long?" Flurry Heart asked when no one but the knocked out brainwashed Apple Bloom was there with her. "That's just enough time." Flurry Heart said before she used her dark magic to corrupt the Crystal Heart and then placing it in it's original place. Just in time for Apple Bloom to come to; still brainwashed.

"Looks like it's proceeding as planned, Empress." Apple Bloom said. Soon the others came.

"In just fifteen minutes, I can use this crystal heart to spread my brainwash spell across the entire Crystal Empire." Flurry Heart said. "Only those that I personally protect will be safe from it's corrupting spell." She added before pulling Cozy Glow to her side. "That includes you." The alicorn said.

"Are you...sure you don't want to brainwash me? It'd make sure I could never turn on you." Cozy Glow said.

"Trust me, it's a risk I'm willing to take. After all, I won't need to brainwash you since I'll be working my charms to get you to fall in love with me." Flurry Heart said. Suddenly, as the corruption spread in the dias, slowly from the ground, a yellow earth pony stallion slowly rose from beneath the floor.

"I LIVE!" The Stallion said, his voice demonic in nature. "Finally, after five thousand years I have returned! Bow before--" The Stallion suddenly looked around at the seven ponies and when he next spoke, his voice sounded more normal. "...You are not anthro horses." He said.

"What's an anthro? Also, we're ponies." Scootaloo said.

"Ponies...interesting..." The stallion said. "...Hmm...yes I see..." He added.

"Who exactly are you?" Flurry Heart asked. Suddenly the stallion's left eye became black and the iris was bloodshot red.

"I'm the Devil."

The Stallion's eye returned to normal. "Now if you'll excuse me...hmm...yes I think I'll come back to this world at some point, but this will be the last you ever see of me." The stallion said before a pentagram suddenly appeared and he hopped through it; disappearing in the process.

"...Who...the hell was that..." Diamond Tiara said.

"Hell is right..." Silver Spoon said.

"Wh-what now? I didn't plan for some devil to show up..." Flurry Heart said.

"Wait, we can use this." Cozy Glow said. "We can make it sound like, you had freed me in secret in an attempt to reform me, and while you had been making progress in secret, that obviously evil earth pony stallion showed up, did this whole thing with the Crystal Heart, and we sell the whole thing by having me carry you into Canterlot to Twilight where you'll explain everything I just said. That way, she'll believe you've reformed me and she'll never suspect a thing. This will allow us to brainwash the rest of the elements." She said.

"Cozy Glow that's...that's brilliant!" Flurry Heart said, before hugging Cozy Glow. "I knew there was a reason I wanted you as my fellow empress!" Flurry Heart said.

For the first time in her life, the smile that was on Cozy Glow's lips was a genuine one. Even if it was still an evil smile.

Author's Note

Just uh...imagine that same picture but with Apple Bloom's official cutie mark.