Hello everyone. I wanted this to come out by Valentine's Day, but work kinda messed that up. Oh well. Today we will be reading chapters 9-12 of Longest Night, Longest Day by RainbowDoubleDash. The story is finally picking up! ...Sorta. Thinking about the pacing of this fic, I totally think you could cut four chapters out of it no problem. About half of the festival preparations could be cut. They don’t really mean much(And it would cut out the needless slandering of the Mane 6) and it didn’t really lead anywhere. I know the point of it is was to show that Trixie was freaking out over nothing, but if that was the case...why drag it out so long? I really wish this story had the brisk pace the MLP pilot had.

If you have a fanfic recommendation, comments, or criticisms please leave a comment or PM me at my fimfiction account or my blog on Tumblr. Please NO clop or fanfiction with extreme violence. I am not going to do those. I want to do a more family friendly series and it is going to be relatively clean. Besides everyone else does them. Okay, I might do one for a special occasion. But otherwise no clop or extreme gore fics. Ok, enough rambling. On with the fic!

Special thanks to RainbowDoubleDash for letting me do his story. You are awesome!

Also, thanks to the people of the Lunaverse group for helping me edit this riff. I really like getting feedback, and find it really helpful.

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Doctor and Ditzy’s Science Theater

by Rixizu

Episode 23 - Part 1

        Dinky started prancing about nervously. Today was the big day, Hearts and Hooves Day. This could be the day when her plan finally got back on track. Her parents finally get together and she can finally get her life back. She, however, couldn’t get past the feeling of dread she felt. Despite her friend’s promises, she doubted this one day would make them instantly fall in love. The obviously had watched too many lovey dovey shows. She could at least settle for them becoming interested in each other. Even a single romantic moment would suffice.

        Dinky watched her parents on the monitor. Her mother was jogging hard through the garden while her father was relaxing on a bench reading a book. Her mother over the last month or so had developed a love for running and did it at least 3 times a week after the escapade of being turned into a different species.

        Dinky heard somepony enter behind her and turned to look. It was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

        “How are they?” Diamond Tiara asked.

        “Same as always.” Dinky replied.

        “Well, they’re about to receive the shake up of their lives.” Diamond Tiara boasted. Despite Dinky’s misgiving, Diamond Tiara was completely confident their plan would work one hundred percent. This constant confidence was something Dinky always liked about her. Dinky smiled and nodded.

        ----

        Unbenounced to the Dinky and her friends, they were being watched. The entity had been watching these fillies plan for this for days. It was finally able to piece together why this filly named Dinky had trapped the Doctor here. Much to the convenience of the entity. It refused to allow this plan they’ve been working on to work.

        “I’ll never allow it!” It boldly proclaimed. “There is no way I’ll allow the Doctor to be happy after what he did to me!”

        Admittedly it wasn’t the revenge it wanted, but it would be a first step for its ultimate revenge. It chuckled evilly to itself. It was only fair after he ruined its life. It was slowly gaining back power after its last failed attempted to kill the Doctor, and this would set it back a little and cost it more needed energy, but it would be worth it.

        “Watch out Doctor!” It thought. “This will be the first step to your inviable destruction!” It chuckled to itself. The Doctor’s end was soon.

---

        Dinky entered the final commands into the compute, now all she had to do was spring their plan after the experiment. The computer would make the necessary changes while her parents were distracted with the experiment.

        Dinky watched her parents leave the garden area for the experiment. Her mother was wiping the sweat off of her with a towel while she going to the main meeting room. Dinky was disappointed that her mother didn’t bother taking a shower and it would ruin the romantic mood a little, but it only seemed like a small factor in their big plan.

        “Ew, is she really just going in all sweaty like that?” Silver Spoon said in disgust.

        Dinky sighed. “Yes, but nevermind. It’s too late to do anything about it now. I doubt dad will care much anyway.” It seemed to be true. If her mom smelled bad, her dad didn’t comment on it.

        “Dinky’s right.” Diamond Tiara said. “It won’t matter with what we have planned.”

        The two finally got to the main meeting room and Dinky mentally prepared herself. “Hello my little test subject. Happy Hearts and Hooves Day.”

        Ditzy shrugged. “Not the best way I would want to spend it, but it doesn’t matter. I’m a time traveller, so I can just go back and spend it again properly latter.”

        “After what happened last Heart and Hooves Day, I’m perfectly happy spending it here. trapped in a hole in the ground.” The Doctor commented. Dinky wondered what happened and decided to ask them about it someday.

        Ditzy laughed. “I can see why you would say that.”

        “Besided, this is quite the pedantic holiday anyway.” The Doctor huffed.

        “The Doctor isn’t much for romance.” Ditzy explained.

        “What a stick in the mud.” Diamond Tiara whispered. Luckily, it was too quiet to be heard over the loudspeaker.

Dinky sighed. Why must her father be so difficult? ”Today we will be reading chapters 9,10,11,and 12 of Longest Night, Longest Day by RainbowDoubleDash. Enjoy.” Dinky gave her trademark evil laugh. She watch her parents enter the theater and started work on fine tuning their plan.

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Corona’s blank eyes widened a little in surprise at Luna’s statement. “Sister, wherefore art thou calling me by such a false title? Hath a thousand years slowed thy memory?”

Ditzy: (Corona) You’ve been growing old sister.

She chuckled. “Celestia, dear sister, though I recall that thou wouldst call me Tia in thy more endearing moments – ”

Ditzy: And no, not like that you pervs!

“You are not my sister!” Luna exclaimed as she moved,

Doctor: Where is your birth certificate Celestia?!

charging forward with horn flaring with magic,

Doctor: You’re not even going to attempt to talk her down?

Ditzy: Yeah! Screw diplomacy! Violence solves everything!

wings spreading wide as she leapt for Corona.

Ditzy: Luna used tackle!

The white alicorn’s own horn glowed as Luna did so, however, and the Princess of the Moon was seized in a white aura and thrown to the ground,

Doctor: Wait, isn’t Celestia’s magic gold?

Ditzy: Maybe it’s different because she went insane. That’s why her eyes are white too! Wait no, that makes no sense.

with force that would have shattered any other pony’s bones.

Ditzy: Now that’s just cheating.

Doctor:So much for the violent approach.

Corona’s eyes had narrowed, as she spread her wings wide. “Ah,” she intoned as she began walking forward. Tiny flames would spark to life and then die beneath her hooves with each step she took.

Ditzy: She must pay a fortune repairing floors.

“I see that thou remain resentful of my power and rightful station. I had hoped that the millenium I have spent imprisoned hath been but a mistake on thy part,

Doctor: Old butterhooves Luna accidently sealed someone in a astral body again.

but it seems thy treacherous nature remains.”

Ditzy: (Corona) And don’t think I didn’t notice all the times thou cheated while playing board games.

“How did you escape?” Luna demanded, as she struggled to rise. Corona’s magic flared, however, keeping the princess firmly pressed to the ground beneath her as she leaned close to the darker alicorn, a sad look on her face.

Doctor: (Corona) It’s been a thousand years and thee have no desire to catch up at all? I’ve brought tea and biscuits for naught it seems.

“Luna…my poor, covetous sister…

Ditzy: Doctor?

Doctor: Greedy, envious, wanting something that belongs to someone else.

Ditzy: Thanks.

I am the sun. I am the elder, the rightful ruler of the earth. Thou hast great power, but I am power, the burning fires of creation itself.

Ditzy: (Corona) The internet? That was all I!

Thou couldst never overcome me without the corrupted Elements of Harmony, and even with them, thou couldst do naught but seal me away for a time.”

Doctor: And for exactly a thousand years. Who would have ever guessed that?

Ditzy: Magical prisons love their big round numbers!

Corona withdrew from her sister, wings still spread wide. “A thousand years is not so long a period, Luna, for beings such as we.

Doctor: (Corona) It gave me to time to work on that novel I’ve been wanting to do for the longest time.

‘Twas but the barest moment to mine eyes, and it took no more than that moment to break thy prison locks.

Ditzy: Yeah, but it’s still a thousand years. Didn’t you get bored?

Locks I had not dared to believe, however, that thou intended to make permanent.”

Ditzy: Seriously Princess Luna. Since when has a seal ever lasted forever? Like ever.  

Doctor: (Shakes head)

Corona began walking in circles around Luna, eyes still focused upon her.

Ditzy: (Corona) Do you like my villainous monologue? I’ve had plenty of time to work on it!

“No. I had hoped that thou wouldst see reason. That thou wouldst understand that I was meant to reign over the day and the night. I am wiser. I am stronger. I am the sun. 

Ditzy: Didn’t you already say that?

But thou hast a place in my realm, sister,

Doctor: As second banana.

if thou wouldst only see fit to remove the veil of jealousy from thy sight! I admit to not having thy creative spark, thine artistic abilities.

Ditzy: (Corana) I enjoy those comics thou makes about that show with the humans.

Thy nights are far more beautiful than any I could ever construct,

Doctor: (Corona) I particularly enjoyed that one time thee created ‘The Scream’ in stars.

and it would warm my heart to have thee yet manage them in my name.

Doctor: (Corona) Thou would get generous benefits with plenty of vacation time.

Thou wouldst even retain thy title of Princess, for it belongs to thee by right – as the title of Queen is mine, as is the land of Equestria and all who inhabit it.”

Doctor: (Corona) Except Detrot, thee can keep that.

Corona stopped pacing around Luna, coming to stop directly in front of her and tucking her wings back against her body. The white alicorn’s horn flared with magic once more, lifting Luna up, placing her on her hooves in front of her. Corona took several steps backwards, and the aura around Luna disappeared as Corona’s head raised slightly, and she extended one long foreleg. “Kneel before thy Queen, sister. Kiss my hoof

Ditzy: (Luna) No. Where have those hooves been?

and swear obedience, and we shall consign all this to the realm of unpleasant memories and dwell upon the matter no further.”

Doctor: (Corona) I won’t even make a tweet about it.

Luna’s horn flared with magic, but Corona, once more, was the faster. Luna was again wrapped in white magic and forced to her knees before she could launch even a single spell.

Ditzy: Wow, Princess Luna is jobbing hard.

Doctor: What, no laser beam fight?

Corona, for her part, seemed hardly surprised, only disappointed.

Ditzy: Yeah, this token resistance is embarrassing.

“Unfortunate,” she observed. “But perhaps a thousand years of ruling alone hath only heightened thine arrogant presumption.

Ditzy: And she really should have used those years to train instead of eating pastries on a couch.

Very well! I shall have to take more extreme measures with thee.”

Doctor: (Corona) Thou are going to sit in the corner and think about what thy has done!

Corona spread her wings wide, as Luna continued to fight in vain against her arcane bonds. The white alicorn’s horn began to glow brightly. “Thou art treacherous, covetous, and in all ways unbecoming of a sister of the Queen of Equestria!” Corona proclaimed. “And so, though it pains me greatly to do so, I am forced, for the good of Equestria, to banish thee from the land! Thine exile shalt be for a term of not less than one thousand and one years, and the site of thine exile shall be the moon itself!

Ditzy: (Corona) But don’t worry, I hear they have affordable condominiums there.

Thou shalt for a millennium look down upon the earth and see the glory that I, Celestia, bring to it!” A comforting look appeared on Corona’s face, an utterly alien expression for a being with blank eyes.

Ditzy: Now that was just mean and hurtful thing to say.

“But before thine exile begins, I will gift thee once more with the sound of my subject’s voices,

Doctor: (Corona) And some old Home & Garden magazines. I am sure it will keep thee well entertained.

the subjects thou reignedst over for a thousand years. Perhaps thou shalt begin to understand thine error once the praise for the return of their rightful Queen reaches thine ears!”

Ditzy: (Pony) I, for one, welcome our new sun goddess overlord!

Corona turned from Luna, raising her head high and closing her eyes as she let the silence spell she had cast over Ponyville dissipate, ready to drink in the eager…

…cries of terror and shouts of horror at what the multitude of ponies were witnessing.

Ditzy: (Rarity) That brute! She’s getting dirt and grime all over the Princess’s beautiful coat!

Corona’s eyes fluttered open at the sound, though they remained without pupil or iris.

Ditzy: Well, yeah. I wasn’t expecting her to suddenly have them after just closing her eyes.

A look of doubt appeared on her features. “What?” she demanded, looking around as though seeing the ponies for the first time. Many had fled utterly, while some remained close, paralyzed with fear or else trying to work up the courage to do something to protect their Princess and their loved ones, although what, none of them had even begun to guess.

Doctor: (Pony) I’ve got it! Pies! Everypony get all the pies you can and let her have it!

Each time Corona’s gaze would fall upon a pony, they would whimper, or recoil in horror, or find whatever small courage they had managed to gather fail and simply turn tail and flee.

Ditzy: The royal guard were hiding in a corner.

“N…nay!” Corona cried, taking several steps forward. Luna redoubled her efforts to free herself, but a glare from Corona and a reinforcement of magic kept her in her place. “Ponies, wherefore do you flee in fear? Screams of delight should be reaching mine ears, not screams of terror!”

Doctor: (Corona) Maybe the wall of fire was a bit much, but you should have gaze it in awe!

The white alicorn punctuated this remark by slamming her right hoof down upon the cobblestone street with such force that it sent a ten-foot-long

All: Hoof.

crack straight forward.

Doctor: I hope you plan on paying for that. Someone has to fix that.

Ditzy: It’s also really dangerous. Somepony could get hurt! What if a cart hit that crack wrong?!

The white alicorn’s horn glowed brightly and her wings flapped once. Instantly, scores of ponies were seized in her grasp and dragged forward, even those who had hidden inside buildings.

Doctor: (Corona) Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize thee were, um, relieving thyself. I shall leave thee to it.  

Corona was careful to guide them out open doors or windows and place them all in front of her, holding them on their hooves and in place.

Ditzy: And put them is silly poses.

This easily doubled the wails of abject horror, and over and over again one word reached the white alicorn’s ears – Corona! Corona!

Ditzy: Huh, I was expecting the word to be dirtier.

Corona closed her eyes and grit her teeth. “Cease your cries! Your Queen commands silence!” she shouted, not merely enhancing her voice, but using magic to adjust its tone and inflection to be one that most ponies simply couldn’t disobey. Shortly thereafter – not instantly, but quickly enough – the screams and cries died down to a low-level murmur of whimpers and held-back tears.

Ditzy: (Pony) You jerk! I was just about to find out if the father of Moony Galore’s foal was really just a clone on the Young and the Restless!

Corona looked around at the ponies frozen in place before her. “Explain yourselves!” she commanded. “After one thousand years your rightful Queen has returned!" she approached one pony, getting close to the stallion "Wherefore do you run?" she demanded as he flinched and tried to move away. Corona snorted in disgust and turned to another. "Wherefore do you find cause for fear?”

Doctor: You terrorize a few ponies and suddenly everyone is terrified of you.

Luna stopped struggling against her bonds, breathing heavily. She looked to Corona, and the faintest grin appeared on her features. “It was the same a thousand years ago, Corona,” she said. “Don’t you remember?”

Corona turned quickly, glaring at Luna. “The filth! The spittle!” she exclaimed.

Ditzy: (Corona) The unwashed socks!

“Such lies are unbecoming of thee, sister! A thousand years ago, ‘twas thine actions that made the ponies rise against me! Thy corrupting influence in my Court!”

Doctor: (Luna) Lies! I didn’t threaten or bribe any nobles into siding with me!

“You mean the Court that you had to drag from their homes, kicking and screaming?” Luna asked. “No, wait. That was earlier. You’re referring to the Court that attended you only because you held their families hostage.”

Doctor: Corona really wanted to repeal the law that states that is illegal to serve beer and pretzels at the same time in a bar.

“Their obedience was better assured in such a manner!

Doctor: (Corona) Can thee claim thy court ran as smoothly?

But always I had the love of the common pony – ”

Ditzy: (Corona) And I’ve kissed enough foals to prove it.

“You mean to tell me you don’t remember having to threaten to burn down Canterlot and start over, ‘like a phoenix risen from the ashes,’ if everypony in the city didn’t line up for your procession that one time?”

Doctor: (Corona) I payed thousands of bits for that procession! Why shouldn’t all my subject be allowed to see it?

“Thine influence was strong in the capital! But in the rural areas – ”

“Where the revolution began?”

“It would hath gone no further had thou not – ”

“Had the Royal Guard not immediately switched sides as soon as I had stolen the Elements from you?”

Doctor: (Corona) Only because thee promised to increase their wages and give them a generous pension!

“Be silent!” Corona shouted, the aura surrounded Luna doubling in size and forcing her to the ground. She cried out in pain. “I should have known. A thousand years may not be so long for an alicorn, but for ponies…thou hast had a millennium to sew thy lies amongst my subjects. To turn me into naught more than a monster in their eyes.”

All: She’s got you there princess.

“I didn’t need to. You did that fine by yourself.”

Doctor: All she did was constantly remind everyone of your crimes.

Luna’s horn glowed, and though she did not escape Corona’s magical grip, she managed to force herself to her hooves, and look Corona in her blank eyes. “You had all you could ever want, but you wanted more. You tried to take everything. You weren’t a queen, you were a despot.

Doctor: Why must queens always be evil in this universe?

Ditzy: Maybe the power goes to their head or something?

You ceased being my sister and became something that I needed to – that I had to stop.” Her eyes narrowed. “You aren’t my Tia. You don’t deserve that name. You are Corona, the Tyrant Sun. A monster.”

Ditzy: Ok, she may be bad, but that is just mean. Princess Celestia never disowned her sister and called her a monster.

Corona’s eyes widened at so blatant an insult. “Enough! The life of a pony is as that of a gnat. As thou hast had a thousand years to sew thy lies, so shall I have a thousand to expunge them! Whatever paltry edifices thou hast raised in mine absence, I shall tear down, and raise glorious monuments of mine own.

Ditzy: (Corona) It will 50 hooves tall and be covered in gold and diamonds.

All that thou hast accomplished shall turn to ash in the fires of rebirth that shall spread across Equestria.

Doctor: (Corona) And I will delete all thy save files on thy Ponystation!

Ditzy: (Luna) You monster! I have 200 plus hours on Persona 4!

Nopony shall remember thy lies, nor even thy reign! Thou shalt be forgotten!”

Ditzy: (Corona) Not even conspiracy theorist on the internet will hear of thee!

Corona’s horn flared, the light growing painfully bright. “Thy banishment begins now, Luna!”

Luna tried, one more time, to escape from Corona’s magical aura, but her struggles were in vain as white light encompassed her completely. She opened her mouth to shout some final defiance,

Doctor: But were tastefully cut out of the fic.

but the sound of Corona’s magic drowned out whatever she tried to say as she shot straight upwards, towards the sun and the moon that lay hidden behind it, disappearing into the unnatural midday’s glare. Corona watched the white comet disappear into the sky, her face holding a bizarre, manic mixture of grim determination and sadistic glee,

Ditzy: You know author, I think that would actually be scarier if she had normal eyes.

mane and tail billowing like flames caught in a breeze but which were too determined to be put out by it.

Doctor: At least she resisted the urge to laugh maniacally.

At length, Corona turned around, looking over the ponies and letting her white aura of magic fade from them. All were too paralyzed by fear to run, instead only huddling together, trying to protect each other from Corona’s gaze. “Who among you leads this settlement?” she demanded, stamping a hoof. “Who represents my sister’s Court? Step forward and present thyself to thy returned Queen.”

Doctor: (Corona) Come now, don’t be shy.

There was a long pause, before a beige-colored earth pony began creeping forward, head low but eyes locked on Corona and fighting back tears of fright. “I…I – I’m the m-mayor of Ponyville, y-your majesty,” the pony said as she came forward and began to bow. “M-my name is – ”

“Wait!”

Corona blinked at the interruption, as a light blue unicorn, wearing a tall, purple, star-studded hat and matching cape, as well as a blue shirt and deep purple coat, pushed her way to the front of the crowd. On reaching it, and having no more ponies between her and Corona’s glare, she paused for a moment, as though regretting her actions, but then grit her teeth and made her way forward.

“I’m the one you want,” the unicorn said.

Doctor: (Trixie) Day Court position here I come!

---

“There would appear to be some confusion as to who leads this settlement,” Corona observed. “Explain.”

Doctor: (Trixie) Being court representative basically means I’m queen of Ponyville. Nopony cares about this yokel mayor.

Trixie stepped forward. “You asked two questions,” Trixie noted. “Who’s in charge? Who represents Luna?” The unicorn nodded to the mayor. “She’s the elected mayor of Ponyville. But if you’re looking for the representative of Luna’s Night Court…that would be me.” Trixie ground her teeth together as she closed her eyes. “Don’t – please, your majesty, don’t hurt her. Don’t hurt anypony here. If you’re looking to destroy Luna’s government, then I’m the one you want.”

Ditzy: (Claps) I didn’t know she had it in her.

Doctor: It’s about time she did something heroic.

There was long silence, broken only by the cackling of the flames that still surrounded Ponyville – and, Trixie noted, a similar sound coming from Corona’s mane and tail as well. Trixie heard hoof-steps in front of her, and dared open one eye. Corona was pacing around her and the mayor, appraising them both, as well as the gathered ponies who were still watching in abject terror, wondering if they were about to witness an execution.

Doctor: A pony the crowd started selling popcorn.

Trixie tried not to think. She tried not to think about her future and the innumerable ways that Corona could kill her, many of which would involve fire, all of which would be painful beyond belief, and few of which would be quick.

Doctor: (Corona) This is excellent! I’ve had so many years trapped on the sun to think up new and inventive ways to kill a pony!

She also tried not to think about her immediate past, and what she had just seen – Luna, Princess Luna, the immortal ruler of Equestria, her mentor, in many ways her surrogate parent for the past ten years, utterly and completely dominated by this monster, by a dark and terrible legend come to life, banished to the moon for a thousand years.

Ditzy: And one day.

Trixie would never see her again.

Ditzy: The princess’s contract went out and the author refused to renew it.

And their last true exchange had been Luna expressing how disappointed she was in Trixie –

Doctor: But hey, that was a normal day for her.

how she intended to terminate Trixie’s apprenticeship. Trixie didn’t want to die. But she did want to live up to the standards Luna had set for her – be the pony that Luna had wanted her to be.

Ditzy: The pony that was about to become well done...on second thought Trixie thought this might be a bad idea.

If that meant offering up her life to Corona for Ponyville, or even just Ponyville’s mayor, then so be it.

Corona completed her circle of the two, and settled down on her haunches as she did so, looking between the two. “Madame mayor. I have no quarrel with thee. Thou shalt leave my presence.”

Doctor: (Mayor) Thank Luna almighty! You made the right choice. Better me than that annoying waste of space mare like her!

The mayor bowed deeply – either that or her forelegs had given out in relief, but the effect was much the same – and withdrew. Corona turned her blank gaze upon Trixie, and leaned forward. “Thy name?” Corona asked.

“Trixie Lulamoon, your majesty,” Trixie responded, keeping her head bowed.

Doctor: (Corona) Lulamoon? Like the old foal’s song Skip to My Lou? Skip, skip, skip to my Lou, Skip, skip, skip to my Lou, Skip, skip, skip to my Lou, Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Just make it quick, she thought. That’s all I’m asking…

Doctor: (Trixie) And for Luna’s sake no wheels!

“And thy standing? Thou must be a viscountess, at least, to hold dominion over so large a settlement."

Trixie blinked a few times at that. “Uh – ” she said. Her mind whirled. Corona expected her to be a noble. She expected her to be a noble because of how large Ponyville was. Of course. A thousand years ago – when last Corona was in Equestria – Ponyville would have been considered a decent-sized city, instead of just barely more than a large town.

Ditzy: Hold on a minute. I thought Ponyville was suppose to be almost the size of a small city.

Doctor: Didn’t the story establish it to be one of the largest communities in the realm or some such.

To Corona’s blank eyes,

Doctor: So, is she blind or what?

Ditzy: Maybe it’s her over 9000 power level at work..

Ponyville seemed like a major appointment, where an important noble pony would have been entrusted to oversee it in the name of the Princess.

Doctor: Because nobility makes the best rulers.

But this paled next to the realization that Corona even cared. If all Corona had intended to do was begin the process of immolating the members of Luna’s government, Trixie would already be dead, and so would the mayor.

Ditzy: What if she just wants to have small chat first? It has been a thousand years since she has talked with anypony.

No, Corona was seeking something else…and it took only a second for Trixie to realize what, keyed in from what she had heard Luna say to Corona about Corona dragging her Court to session, then holding their families hostage to keep them there.

Doctor: (Corona) Thee are going to stay here until the filibuster ends!

Corona may have been a despot, a mad alicorn, the Tyrant Sun – but even she couldn’t run a land as large as Equestria all by herself.

Ditzy: Well, there is that duplication spell.

She needed a Court of her own to handle day-to-day affairs, and simply burning away all of Luna’s Night Court was hardly practical, especially if she really did want to try and earn the love of ponies everywhere.

Ditzy: Wait, won’t it be the other way around?

It would make far more sense to, at least in the short term –

Doctor: Until she replaces you all with her loyal followers, then kills you.

“I grow impatient,” Corona intoned.

Trixie glanced up, then bowed her head. “F-forgive me,” she said,

Ditzy: (Trixie) I’m...uh...er.. a princess!

and picked a relatively middling noble rank at random. “Duchess, your majesty.”

Corona’s eyes widened slightly. “Duchess?” she asked. “What crime hath been committed by thee to warrant thy appointment here?”

Ditzy: (Corona) Did thee have an affair with one of my sister lovers?

Trixie winced – apparently she'd shot a little too high.

Ditzy: (Corona) And this really the latest fashion of the nobility? Thee more looks like a court jester.

But – yes. She could work with this. “I…had a…disagreement with Princess Luna, your majesty, over my duties. I felt I could handle more than she was giving me.” Trixie said, keeping her head bowed. “This appointment was intended as more of a banishment from the Night Court than anything.”

Corona considered Trixie, as Trixie once more dared look at Corona’s blank eyes. The white alicorn’s emotions were difficult to read thanks to those empty orbs.

Doctor: Trixie was very bad at reading body language.

She had no idea what Corona was thinking, what Corona intended to do to her. At length, the white alicorn spread her wings. “Whatever quarrel thou hast had with mine sister,” she said, “I believe to be most unfair. ‘Twas a brave thing for thee to present thyself before me. No doubt thou believed that thy very life was at stake due to the lies about me that thou hast heard from my sister."

Ditzy: (Trixie) Hehehe! Of course not! I wasn’t expecting you to burn me alive horribly or anything! No siree!

Corona stood. “I am not the monster mine sister hath claimed me to be. I am not!” she emphasized this point with a flutter of her wings. After a moment of letting her proclamation sink in to the ponies of Ponyville, she regarded Trixie with an arch look. “Equestria has languished under my sister’s clumsy hooves for too long,

Doctor: (Luna) What is this law? Eh, whatever I’ll pass it. It is too early for me to care.

Ditzy: Hmm...she might have a point. Nopony seems to like the Night Court very much.

ever since she somehow corrupted the Elements of Harmony and turned them upon me. I shall bring glory to the land once more!”

Ditzy: (Corona) Free cake for everypony!

Corona extended her right hoof. “Kiss my hoof, Duchess Trixie, and swear allegiance to my reign, now and forever.”

Ditzy: (Trixie) Where has that hoof been?

Trixie paused only a moment before doing so. “I swear,” she promised. It felt like her mouth was full of bile as she did,

Doctor: Corona really liked to overdo it with hoof lotions.

but if it let her come out of this alive, along with everypony in Ponyville…even as she did, however, she struggled to keep her eyes from widening as she struck upon something that Corona had said. The Elements of Harmony.

Ditzy: With all her monologuing, of course she gave out the only way to defeat her.

Of course! All she had to do was make it out of the next few minutes alive…which, as she glanced up at Corona, suddenly seemed unlikely.

Ditzy: Doh.

Doctor: Spoke too soon.

Corona was regarding her with narrow eyes, wings spread threateningly, as she withdrew her hoof.

Doctor: (Trixie) Oh ponyfeathers! She can read minds!

“No…” the alicorn intoned. “No…’twas too easy, somehow. I find it hard to believe that a pony who would lay down her life to save another's would so easily bow to me, no matter her quarrel with my sister or her Court.”

Trixie blinked. “I – no, your majesty, it’s just, with Princess Luna gone, I – ”

“Ah…” Corona said, cutting Trixie off and grinning widely as she believed she understood the source of Trixie’s actions. “’Twas not bravery. ‘Twas a peculiar cowardice, and spite for thy former princess, and opportunism. Thou believed that thou couldst ingratiate thyself within my new Court.”

“N…y…maybe…?” Trixie asked stupidly. On the other hoof, it certainly made her sound like such a pony as Corona was describing, caught in the act.

Doctor: (Trixie) Those years at the local community theater have paid off!

Corona considered, probably weighing the value of such a pony against the fact that, at the end of the day, she really would need to, for the moment, keep Equestria’s infrastructure more-or-less intact, lest the realm collapse into anarchy.

Ditzy: But on other hoof she was just a disgraced noble without any power anymore. So burning her alive won’t really affect anything.

At length, she brightened, stepping back several paces. “An idea occurs to me,” she said. “Thy desires seem genuine enough, but thy loyalty is in question. Still, thou were willing to risk death itself for thy fellow pony. ‘Tis evidence of a shred of true nobility in thy veins, somewhere.” Corona smiled as her horn glowed.

Ditzy: Right. Maybe she’ll be a good Element of Magic after all.

Doctor: And this moment of morality feels real and not forced. Nice going.

Behind Trixie, she heard cries of terror and screams. Turning swiftly, she saw a multitude of ponies wrapped in white auras, being pulled from the crowd that Corona had assembled and dragged through the air, towards the white alicorn one at a time. Specifically, Corona was grasping foals.

Ditzy: Oh no.

Doctor: Corona isn’t a terribly original villain is she?

“No!” Trixie cried out, not thinking as her horn glowed brightly, reaching above her and trying to grab at the colts and fillies being dragged to Corona. She was powerless against the alicorn’s magic, however – it was possible that Corona didn’t even feel her feeble attempts to wrench the kicking, screaming foals from her telekinetic grasp.

Doctor: (Corona) Neener neener neener!

Trixie wasn’t even the only one – mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters all tried, with magic if they were unicorns or bare hooves and teeth if they weren’t, to hold on to their children, but against the Tyrant Sun, their efforts were wasted; indeed they were wrapped in white auras of their own and pushed back.

Trixie’s magic failed utterly,

Ditzy: We can not stress how much Trixie is sucking right now.

and her heart stopped beating, at the last foal to pass overhead, a gray-coated, yellow-maned unicorn filly who was being held onto tightly by her pegasus mother.

Ditzy: The town being in danger wasn’t enough of a motivation for me to be involved in the plot I guess.

Ditzy Doo’s eyes were focused on her Dinky Daisy Doo’s own, tears staining both their eyes as the Corona’s magic forced them apart,

Ditzy: Dang, that’s going to leave some annoying reddish-brown streaks.

driving Ditzy Doo back to the crowd and Dinky Daisy over to behind the mad alicorn. Without thinking, Trixie rushed to Ditzy’s side, magic and hooves both holding the pegasus back from charging at Corona. Other ponies tried to do likewise, but Corona only chuckled slightly as she shoved away.

Ditzy: (Corona) I am a level 99 boss character! What can thou do to me?

All in all, Corona had captured at least fifty foals, probably more.

“Of course, I shall be too busy in Canterlot to keep a good eye on them,” Corona mused aloud.

Ditzy: (Corona) Where can one get a foalsitter at this hour?

At random, a handful of other ponies were dragged forward, much as the foals had been, though with less resistance as the Ponyvillians were still trying to recover from their children having been stolen. Among them, Trixie saw, was the cream-colored, blue-and-pink haired marefriend of Lyra.

Doctor: How convenient.

Ditzy: Hey, this gives Bon-Bon opportunity to fight Corona from within!

Corona’s eyes narrowed as her horn flared. “Fear not, my subjects,” the Tyrant Sun said. “They are merely my hostages.

Doctor: Oh, is that all.

Ditzy: What’s to worry about? They are only being held captive by a nutso pony with a goddess complex.

They shall ensure the loyalty and stability of this settlement, with the mares and stallions I have taken to keep the colts and fillies in good health.”

Ditzy: (Corona) We shall have a pizza party at the castle.

Corona leaned forward, towards Trixie, as the flames around Ponyville finally disappeared. “And this shalt be thy test. Keep Ponyville ordered and secure, and thou shalt need not fear for thy fellow pony. Provided, of course, thou survive thy fellow pony’s judgement.”

Doctor: (Corona) And try not to blame Duchess Trixie too harshly for bringing this upon you.

With that, Corona beat her wings, taking to the air, and dragging the screaming foals and adult ponies with her. Once she was hovering over Ponyville, she stood as though the air were solid ground, smiling widely. “Rejoice, my subjects!” Corona called. “Your true queen hath returned! In celebration, there shall be an unbroken ten days of glorious sunshine!

Ditzy: You mad pony! Think of all the sunburns!

On the tenth day, if all has gone as I wish it – if I am obeyed – your foals shall be returned to you. If otherwise…” Corona let her sentence hang, feeling no need to complete it.

Doctor: (Pony) Wait, so what’s going to happen if we don’t?

Ditzy: (Corona) I’m going to kill the hostages.

Doctor: (Pony) Oh, thank you!

With a burst of light and a strong beat of her wings, she was off, dragging the ponies held in her magical grip behind her.

Ditzy: She absentmindedly twirled them in the sky with her magic.

All eyes turned to where Trixie had been holding Ditzy Doo –

Doctor: (Pony) Quick grab her before she does something rash!

Ditzy: (Pony) Keep her away from chainsaws!

or at least all the eyes of everypony who wasn’t too broken by the events that had just occurred to do anything other than stand in shock or weep. But the unicorn was already gone from sight, as was Ditzy Doo.

Doctor: Oh dear.

Ditzy: Corona you screwed up royally now! Next Chapter: Episode 23 - Longest Night, Longest Day - Chapter 10 Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 48 Minutes