----- "Alright, then," said Countess Twilight Sparkle, "We have kept Equestria in Queen Celestia's mighty hooves, so what do you say we expand our rule?" "Good idea, My Lady," said Rainbow Dash, her most loyal and trusted lieutenant, "I've been thirsty for some action for weeks now." "Sounds wonderful," said Fluttershy, Twilight's dungeon keeper and torture expert, with a downright passionate smile, "I do enjoy the screams of those who resist us..." "Indeed," said Rarity, Twilight's best strategist, "We may be able to teach the foreign plebians their place yet." "I don't see why not," said Applejack, don of the Sweet Apple Mafia, "It would be an offer they can't refuse." Pinkie Pie, the insane and unpredictable mercenary, laughed and said, "Anything to liven up the place!" "Then it is settled," said Twilight. "Oh, Spike?" "Yes, master?" replied Spike, Twilight's constantly abused but still faithful slave dragon. "Fetch my chariot, and fast!" ordered Twilight, "I have a little surprise for a little town in the southeast..."
Derpy headed outside of her home, looking at how orderly the streets of Ponyville were, looking like it was nothing short of a world that is described in a certain dystopian novel. She was however, unaware of the trouble that was about to occur in Ponyville. ----------- Behind Countess Twilight was a red unicorn with a short purple and yellow mane and an impressive beard. Although his physical frame was impressive, his rather masculine appearance is nothing more of a distraction to his enormous power. "Do you require me, Countess?" A unicorn asked said in a very masculine Australian accent, sounding like a super villain?
"General Crimson Lionheart," replied the Countess, "What a pleasant surprise. I was hoping you and your partner could suppress an insurrection for me. Duchess Luna has betrayed us and is plotting the fall of our glory at this very moment!" Into the room galloped a young grey unicorn, with a chestnut mane and goatee. While his physique was not as impressive as his partner's, he made up for it in sheer intelligence and hot-bloodedness. He wasn't head of the Equestrian Royal Police and Rainbow Dash's husband for nothing. "You called for me, My Lady?" he said, brushing back his mane. "I trust that you have heard my instructions, Circuit Breaker?" "Yes, My Lady." "Then carry them out. I expect it to be taken care of by tomorrow night." "My Lady, permission to accompany my husband for his assignment?" asked Rainbow Dash, "I have a... personal matter with the Duchess that I must resolve. Oh, and I need to ensure my husband doesn't injure himself. He is a valuable asset, but he can't fight worth a damn." "Permission granted," replied Twilight, "In fact, I had already arranged for that." Circuit sighed in relief. He did geniunely love his wife, but open display of affection was discouraged in this society, as it served as a distraction from the task at hoof, and any affectionate behavior was confined to the bedroom, and was often violent and passionate. Nevertheless, he felt that his wife at his side was a good idea, though purely for professional reasons. He could express his gratitude later. ----- "Come along, young one. It's not safe here," said a regal female voice. Derpy turned around, and saw what appeared to be Nightmare Moon standing behind her. She looked different, however. Her teeth weren't jagged fangs, her eyes had circular pupils, her coat and mane were similar colors to Luna's, and her armor was battleship grey. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sweetdream Moon." Derpy shrugged. "You remind me of somepony. Somepony powerful and vile." Sweetdream Moon laughed. While her voice was exactly like Nightmare Moon's, her laugh wasn't Nightmare's bombastic cackling, but rather a friendly, light-hearted chuckle. "I can assure you, Miss Hooves, that I am nothing like the being you call Nightmare Moon." "How do you know who I am and who Nightmare Moon is?" Derpy asked. "Because I brought you here. You are in an alternate dimension where this land is ruled by the evil Queen Celestia and her young, war-mongering Countess, Twilight Sparkle. I am trying to free Equestria from her tyranny, along with my fellow freedom fighters." "That explains so much..." said Derpy. "Wait, WHAT?!"
"Right behind you," said Circuit. Though they weren't technically friends (unlike, say, their counterparts from another dimension), Circuit and Crimson felt a great deal of respect for one another. This mutual respect could be termed as a friendship by the casual observer, and this would be accurate, however they (and most ponies in this version of Equestria) didn't think of it using that particular word, possibly because this Equestria was more of a warrior culture, rather than a diplomatic one like its counterpart. Nevertheless, Circuit and Crimson were practically inseparable, for better or worse. They set off, with Rainbow Dash following not too far behind.
Derpy looked at Sweatdream with a confused look on her face. "I don't understand. So everypony that was...um...'Good', is now bad?"
"From your perspective, yes," Sweetdream Moon replied, "but it is much more complicated than that. There are cultural differences that separate our dimension from yours, mainly that your Equestria is pacifistic and diplomatic in its approach to solving problems, as opposed to this one, which is barbaric and violent. And as for those in your Equestria who have caused you problems... Well, there's my counterpart, obviously. But do the names Lord Tirek, King Sombra, Queen Chrysalis, and Discord hold any significance?" Derpy nodded. "I even tried to defend Cloudsdale from Tirek." "Well, here... they're actually trying to save ponies. Prince Tirek, Prince Sombra, Princess Chrysalis, and Accord, respectively, they all bear no ill will here. And... well... I turned against my sister, when I finally saw what she had done." "TRAITOR!!!" shouted a voice. Derpy knew that voice. Normally, it would belong to a kind-hearted, if hot-blooded and self-centered, weather management pegasus. Knowing this place, however, she shuddered to think of what its owner would be like here. She craned around Sweetdream Moon's body, to see a very familiar, yet very different pegasus. Her normally multicolored mane had been mostly reduced to stubble, save for a long ponytail in the back. There was a scar across the bridge of her nose, and her frame, equally athletic as the pony Derpy knew, was shielded by ash grey armor, covered in bloodstains. Rainbow Dash pulled a stun baton out of its holster on her waist, and spun it around threateningly. She seemed to have been followed by Circuit and Crimson, two ponies that Derpy occasionally spent time with. These two had beards here, and didn't seem to give off friendly intentions. "Duchess Luna, you are under arrest for high treason and conspiracy against the Equestrian Empire," said Rainbow Dash, "Surrender now, and you will be publicly executed. Resist, and I shall be forced to kill you now, and more brutally." She licked her lips at this thought, her lust for blood shining through. Sweetdream Moon turned to the stunned Derpy and said, "Miss Hooves, run. I'll handle this."
Derpy looked horrified at what she found, and upon hearing Sweetdreams orders, she turned tail and ran. Sweetdream turned around to face the three ponies respectively. Crimson had a small smirk on his face. "Want me to head after the mare?" He offered.
"She's not worth pursuing," said Rainbow Dash. Sweetdream Moon glared at the three intently. "If you wish to kill me," she said, "you'll find that task to be much more difficult than you hoped." "You've been nothing but empty boasts since you abandoned the Empire," said Circuit, "What makes you think you can stop us this time?" "I can't," Sweetdream Moon admitted, "But I'm going to damn well try."
Derpy ran as fast as she could, not knowing nor caring which direction she was going, as long as it got her out of Ponyville.
Rainbow and Circuit followed suit. "I've always wondered if I could put up a fight against royalty," said Rainbow Dash, "though normally, I respect the Countess and the Queen too much to try. You, Duchess, since you've betrayed us... I have to thank you, in a way. I'd never have been able to fight a fully-grown alicorn otherwise." Rainbow Dash lashed out at Sweetdream Moon with full force, knocking her flat on the ground.
Sweetdream hit the ground fairly hard, but she tried to protect herself against the cyan colored Pegasus. Crimson and Circuit remained in the back, able to step in whenever necessary. --------------------------------- Derpy got out of Ponyville and fled to the Everfree in this world, which still remained as a giant forest and not used for real estate. In there, she vanished and tried to find the ponies that Sweetdream told her about.
Rainbow Dash struck Sweetdream Moon while holding her down on the ground, bashing her face in repeatedly. "Not so high and mighty now, eh, Duchess?" Rainbow Dash taunted haughtily, as she continued pummeling her opponent's face in. ----- "Are you okay, dear?" asked a voice. It sounded like multiple mares talking simultaneously. Unlike the creature who normally owned that voice, this voice showed concern. Derpy turned around to see what looked like Chrysalis, except that her horn was completely straight and her wings were more like those of a dragonfly. "Yes, I'm fine," replied Derpy, "You're Princess Chrysalis, right?" "The one and only." Chrysalis giggled slightly. "You must be the mare Sweetdream Moon told us about." "Yes..."
"I'm here to get you to safety. Although the Everfree is protected from the harsh world outside, patrols still go through here. I'll take you home to our base of operations in the Everfree, where those who fight against the Regime are home" Chrysalis told Derpy.
Derpy eagerly followed Chrysalis, which is an event that Derpy would in any other circumstances liken to following a timberwolf. ----- "Any last words?" asked Rainbow Dash snidely, gleefully glaring down at her battered foe. Sweetdream Moon stared defiantly at her attacker. "Nothing... lasts... forever..." "General Lionheart... Commander Breaker... if you will."
Crimson went over and held Sweetdream with his hooves, yet he seemed to possess immense strength. "Goodnight, sleep tight..." He said to the princess as he dealt the final blow...
"And don't let the bedbugs see your treachery," Circuit said, as he fired a magical beam at Sweetdream Moon's now-deceased head, dissolving the flesh surrounding her skull. "I have to admit, Duchess," said Rainbow Dash, "I expected you to put up a better fight. And when somepony disappoints me, they die. Though you would know all about that... wouldn't you, my little, traitorous friend?" And she crushed the skull of her fallen opponent under her hoof.
Derpy suddenly shuddered, as if she felt something terrible happen. Followed by a powerful wave of goosebumps which caused her to tingle across her body, but she felt the awful emotions of what happened. "What just happened?" Derpy suddenly said in confusion. "Why did I just shake?"
