Princesses of Equestria

Chapter 8: Fear Her

Twilight was home. She'd been lost, alone and forgotten, but now she was home. She'd found some nice new friends, and invented a clever new trick too, a trick for making pets. Her special pets; as obedient and inseparable as her own shadow. Even better, the more friends she made, the more pets she got. Rutabaga sauce, what fun!

Hmm. Her pets needed names. They were a bit ugly, and not especially smart; like the goblins in those fairytales she'd read as a foal. Goblins created by her special magic. By phobomancy. As in, phobo mantea: 'phobia magic' in Latin. Hmmm. Phobo mantea. Goblins. Phobia-goblins. Phoblins! A fine name!

Yes, soon she'd make lots more phoblins, and they'd help her find lots and lots of lovely sweet new friends, and those friends would help her do a wonderful thing, a thing that'd make their sick, filthy, twisted world all better again—

"Twilight Sparkle!"

Sunlight in her eyes, roaring in her ears, somepony standing in her bedroom, somepony she knew.

"P-Princess Celestia!?" Twilight blurted, bowing before she was even fully awake. She blinked back spots, shook her head, and checked again to make sure she wasn't going insane.

Nope. Princess Celestia had just crashed Pinkie's sleepover.

"Your royal highness!" Rarity exclaimed. She feverishly corrected her bed-mane, thrashed free of her sleeping bag, and gave an elegant curtsy. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Spike, swept up in the madness, bowed as well, and Pinkie squeed in delight.

"Ooh! Are you sleeping over too? I brought an extra bag—"

"Come with me, quickly," Celestia said, firmly brushing away the bag Pinkie had shoved in her face. "You're all in terrible danger!" Telekinesis pulsed from Celestia's horn, pressed insistently at the smalls of seven backs and, ignoring everypony's bewildered protests, herded them outdoors. Them and the entire population of Ponyville.

Sunlit motes of Celestia's magic shone through every cottage window, turning night to artificial noon. Captain Flash Sentry's elites, with steely-eyed determination, drill sergeant bellows, and a few kicked in doors, shepherded freshly roused townsfolk by the hundreds.

Young and old, earth pony, unicorn, and the odd pegasus, from Mayor Mare to Big Mac and Granny Smith, they marched in relatively neat lines to the town square. Celestia brought Twilight and her friends to a stop there, turned before the 'what' from Twilight's "What the hay is going on?!" had left her mouth, and used the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"Good morrow." Celestia's melodious call resonated across town, reaching every ear. The gathered thousands, though clearly baffled as Twilight was, stilled, and listened. As soon as Celestia was certain she had their undivided attention, she continued. "My apologies for the rude awakening, but time is short." Her blazing eyes bored into theirs. "An old enemy has returned. Ponyville isn't safe anymore." The absolute conviction in Celestia's tone made everypony quiver. Several glanced around nervously, searching for escape routes. Celestia had them covered. "All of you will evacuate via train to Canterlot." Her light motes shot past the town hall's tower, and lit a path to Ponyville station. Flash already had the Express fuelled up, steaming, and ready to go. "Once there, you'll remain under the protection of myself, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, Prince Shining Armor, and Captain Spitfire, until the threat has passed."

"Hail Celestia!" proclaimed the royal guards.

"Hail Luna!" proclaimed Pinkie.

Twilight did a doubletake. Her friends did a doubletake. Celestia did a doubletake. Ponyville's entire population stared in bewilderment at Pinkie. Totally unembarrassed, she pointed. Ponyville's entire population followed her hoof, up, up, to the shadowed roof of town hall ...