Celestia and Luna sat on their balcony as they did from time to time. Observing their kingdom in its early morning stretches, carts rolling out, shops opening, good ponies going about their good business. They snacked on cookies, freshly baked from the royal bakery, and drank tea given as gifts from foreign dignitaries. A pleasant snack as a headliner for a very unpleasant conversation.

"They are going to die if this keeps up." Celestia broke the pleasant silence.

"Who, dear sister?" Luna asked already knowing the questions answer.

"Acropolis and Rune Shift." Celestia sips from her cup quietly and calmly.

"And how do you know this sister? A prophecy or perhaps a vision?" The dark Princesses mane became more lively, its stars twinkled and shimmered in irritation.

"No, you told me how they will die," Celestia's words confused Luna, "Their armors will kill them if they attempt treason, correct?"

"Yes, but they haven-"

"They are growing more and more dangerous to us and the population, their madness grows by the day." The elders sisters tone was cold and calculating. She had seen this coming, and had let it happen, even feeding it. Allowing Acropolis to amass troops quickly giving and Rune access to magic well beyond her. Well aware that Luna's un-shielded mind was slowly tainting her subordinates, and yet she still let it happen. Ever the elder sister teaching the younger.

"But-"

"Put simply sister, you need to be more careful with your toys." The next sip Celestia took was sinister, if anypony ever made drinking tea menacing it was the sun princess. "And do you remember what happens when you mistreat your toys?"

"But sist-"

"Do you?" The elder was starting to show her darker colors, her tone was of a scolding mother instead of a caring sister. The pause was thick, neither sister spoke for several minutes.

"They break." Luna finally spoke with a defeated tone. Her eyes fell to the floor, cast down by her realization that her little play time was over. She was slowly poisoning the very things she was trying to protect, driving those she brought to combat madness deeper into it. Twisting Acropolis and Rune into shadows of their former selves. And she knew it was affecting them, but she didn't think it would become a problem so quickly. "What should I do?"

"Invite them both to a meeting later tonight, I will do the rest. Oh, and don't wear and regalia, just the pendant." Celestia gave a simple order, and only silence followed. A perfectly ruined pleasant snack.

The sounds of swords on shields faded as Acropolis awoke, Rune beside him in his bed. He had dreamed of conquest, bloody conquest, not just of Celestia anymore. In his dream he stood on the bloody corpses of three princesses, his bloodied queen at his side. He had torn it all down, and marched across the world, all the sun touched was his. And he loved it. All he wanted resonated in one word.

"Power." He said aloud under his breath. His voice quaked as if the word made him sad. A tear rolled down his face, undeterred he wiped it away and began to get ready for his night. Rune awoke shortly after him. They had shared in their dreams of conquest, but hers weren't about conquering Equestria. Hers were about the finer details, the blood on her armor, the feel of her magic ripping through flesh, the noise ponies make as you squeeze the life from them. The sound of bones snapping lulled her from her slumber. She said nothing as she laid in her bed as a devious smile came over her face. Her wondered who would try and stop her today, who would die today. Their silent musings were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Celestia requires your attention, 9pm, side hall B." A celestial guard called out from behind the door.

"Understood." The pair called out.

Celestia sat on her throne in her full royal garb. Jewels everywhere, her crown tall and majestic, she out shined the sun. Luna stood a ways off in her regular clothes, no flair, no jewelry, only her broach. The sun princesses plan was in motion, a trap of a deadly nature. A trap if sprung correctly would save more than it would destroy. There were no lunar guards in attendance as Acropolis and Rune Shift entered the room. Celestial guard lined the walls, a shoulder lengths apart, around the whole room. They strode into the room, the madness consuming them, they feared no-pony, the static grew louder, their arrogance showed in their strides.  

"Princess, what is the reason you called us?" Acropolis asked. It was time, Celestia had all her pieces in place, Celestial guards everywhere, and a subjugated Luna. Celestia looked like the empress instead of a princess. Everypony was on edge and unsure of the princesses plan.

"I am absolving the Lunar guard." Celestia's eyes never broke from Acropolis' as she spoke, "And establishing myself as sole ruler over Equestria." She spread her wings wide and cast shadows on every pony in the room.  

"She's WHAT?!" Brigade shouted at Flash Sentry. Glint, Gumshoe, Chrysalis, Coco, Trixie, Spinneret, Doc, and even Golem all stood in shock at Sentry's explanation of Celestia's plan.

"That's why everypony was ordered not to wear their Lunar armor." Flash explained, "If Celestia's hunch is right, the armor should rip the taint from them. And hopefully because the taint is of Luna, the armor will panic at attacking it and separate it from them."

"Hopefully?" Glint chittered, hiding behind Brigade.

"Yes, Even Celestia is unsure of what will happen to them, they could be fine, or turn to dust." Flash's face betrayed his calm tone. He didn't see eye to eye with Acropolis on many issues, but he respected the task he had taken on.

"I don't see why this needs to happen!" Spinneret pleaded on the verge of tears. Coco pulled the quaking mare close to her.

"When they put on the armor they were exposed to Luna's un-shielded mind," Doc spoke up, clearly he knew some information the others didnt. He took a swig from his flask as the cogs on his leg spun. "And then they went to the Asyl, Acropolis peered into a moonstone, and Rune killed, alot. They caught glimpses into the mind of possibly the craziest pony in this reality. Its like suddenly seeing everything that will ever exist ever all at once. Except what they saw was an unfathomable amount of brutality, violence, and insanity. And even at a trickle, a shadow in the back of their minds, it was enough to drive them here. Reminds me of a poem by Poe."

"I believe I know this one," Chrysalis said, "Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before, But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, 'Luna!' This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Luna!' Merely this and nothing more." Her read from memory was chilling. Like hearing a eulogy of a dead lover, her tone was sad and sweet. The room fell silent at the conclusion of her poetic.

"Quite," Docs goggles spun and locked into place as he peered at Chrysalis.

"Wait," Gumshoe spoke angrily, "You knew this was happening?"

"I knew they were effected," Doc took another swig of the flask, "However I was not sure how far they had progressed. This is all moot though, it's all in Celestia's hooves now."

"And if they die?" Coco asked while trying to keep Spinneret from crying.

"Then they die." Flash replied.

Celestia's proclamation struck Acropolis and Rune still.

This cant be happening. Acro thought.

"Your services will no longer be required." Celestia continued, "And your guar will be disbanded.

What is happening? How can I stop this? Rune thought. They tuned into Luna and felt nothing but defeat.

She cant be?

Defeated? the static got louder

Never. And louder

Wont disband. And louder.

Only one option left. And louder.

Cant let her take the throne. Deafening.

WONT LET HER TAKE THE THRONE! Silence.

KILL CELESTIA! The pair shared over the link.

The sound was deafening as their armor cracked and shattered. Tears ran down their faces as the broken plates fell from them. A dark smoke shot like steam from a cracked pipe from the seams in their armors. They didn't scream, they couldn't. Their minds were locked, torn apart by the armors defensive functions. Their vision blurred as the static enveloped them, Celestia's trap sprung, Luna used her magic to pull the taint from the armor before it moved onto consuming the pair. Brigade came in through the door, Gumshoe and Glint right behind, just in time to see Acropolis and Rune Shift fall into Luna's wings.

"Brigade." Luna looked up at him, Acropolis and Rune's still bodies held in her wings. "Im sorry, I-i broke them."