"So, what have you girls been up to the past year?" Twilight asked Cadence, Nightmare, Chrysalis, and Galaxy.

Cadence waved a hoof, saying, "Oh, not much. For the most part, we've just been making sure Celestia didn't suspect your return and that she didn't once suspect we were with you."

"Plus," Galaxy said with a small smile, "we've been working on a plan to overthrow Celestia."

"Oh, care to let me in?" Twilight said.

"As soon as we get to the palace, Twilight," Chrysalis said as the group began to make their way to said palace. "Cadence, Nightmare, Galaxy, and myself were able to cast enough of a spell on the crystal ponies that they won't notice you or me, and see Nightmare and Galaxy as normal unicorns, but they will still be able to overhear our conversations, and we'd much rather play it safe."

"Right, I understand," Twilight says. "I'm surprised you guys aren't wondering why I look the way I do."

"We figured it's because of your training, and we figured that new Element of yours is simply a negative version of it Plasma, whoever he is, made it."

"You'd be right, there, Nightmare," Twilight said, tapping her new cyan Element. "It's the Element of dark magic, which I got training in over the last year, by the way." She began tapping her chin. "I think he said it was one of four, or something, and that they're more powerful then the Elements of Harmony. I actually think he said I'd meet him sometime this calendar year, actually."

"Well, who ever it must be, they'd better help us, for their sake," Chrysalis growled.

"I am certain they will," Nightmare said. "Oh, and you won't believe which of you is a changeling."

"I already know. Pinkie. She was there, with Celestia and the others, when I was defeated. How did you find out?"

"Pure chance. I happened to walk in on her as she changed into her changeling form a week ago," Cadence said. "She does't know. Obviously, she and the others are visiting."

Twilight smiled. "Then get Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. It's time they met with me. Oh, and Pinkie too. I want to know what she was doing with Celestia and Rainbow that night, as well as how Rainbow's an alicorn," she said, growling that last part.

"Wait, the Element of Loyalty is an alicorn," Nightmare said in surprise.

"I knew I felt ascendancy magic while we were in Canterlot a year ago," Galaxy said. "That explains it!"

"Then we might need another to have a chance, assuming Celestia did the same to other ponies," Twilight said. She then smiled a little. "I have to give Celestia a little credit though. She must have done that so she could have a chance against dark magic the Elements wouldn't be able to handle, even with us being the Elements. Probably one of her more intelligent moves."

"Agreed," Nightmare said. "Though, who did you have in mind for our ascendancy?"

"Dark ascendancy, Nightmare," Twilight said. "It's what first made you, and I was thinking of all of you girls getting that treatment, aside from Nightmare, obviously."

"I'm guessing it makes one even more powerful, even if they were an alicorn to begin with?" Galaxy said.

"If I understand it right, yes," Twilight said. "Now come on, we need to get to the palace. Cadence?"

"Yeah, Twilight?"

"Would you mind getting the others I said earlier?"

"Not at all, Twilight," Cadnece said as the group left the station, Cadence splitting off to get Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie.

Ten minutes later-palace throne room

Twilight sat on the throne in the palace. Fortunately, she had learned from Chrysalis on the way that Shining was away in Canterlot to help train a new batch of guards, and would be for the next week.

"Sitting on a throne fits you well, Twilight," Galaxy said from beside the seat of power.

"Thanks, Galaxy," Twilight said.

"No, problem, Twilight. So, what are you going to do specifically to your old friend?"

"I have a few things planned," was all the lavender alicorn said as Cadence walked in, Rarity close behind. They closed the doors behind them.

"Hello, Twilight," Rarity said. "The others are just outside. I must say I like the new look."

"Thanks, Rarity," Twilight said. "You know, I've been wondering: Haven't you always wanted to be an alicorn?"

"Why, yes, darling," Rarity replied. "Cadence told me of what you wanted to do," she said before she transformed into her nightmare form, "and I would be honored if you did so."

Twilight smiled. "Then hold still." She lit her horn, her magic having a distinct blood red color to it now, and an orb of the same color enveloped Rarity. When it collapsed five seconds later, Rarity was, for the most part, unchanged. The difference was that she now had wings in addition to her horn.

"Thank you, Twilight," Rarity said with a bow of her head.

"No problem, Rarity," Twilight said with a smile before she took on a more serious look. "Send them in."

"Right," Rarity said opening the door, with the three other mares walking in.

"Hello, girls," Twilight said with a smile as she took a hold of the pink mare in her magic. "And to you, especially, Pinkie. Want to play a game?" The look on Pinkie's face said that, for once, no, she did not want to play a game.

Celestia, in her personal room, stopped what she was doing, which was reading her favorite book. She set it down on her nearby desk, and put a hoof to her head. It can't be, she though to herself. I haven't felt something like since-

Her eyes widened in alarm. Not since Nightmare. She bolted out of her room, the guards not even trying to keep up with her at thes speeds. They had tried before, and it was impossible. Celestia rushed to Rainbows room and opened it, revealing Rainbow, her horn visible, sleeping on her bed, back on it. "Rainbow, wake up!" Celestia yelled. "Don't bother with your disguise."

"Wh-what's going on?" Rainbow asked as she jumped to her hooves.

"I will explain on the way to our destination," Celestia said, urgency in her voice. "Come, we have a long walk ahead of us."

"Right," Rainbow said, nodding and getting off her bed, not hiding the fact she was an alicorn.

"Now, Pinkie," Twilight said, she and the others still in the throne room. "Here are the rules: answer a question, and I don't break a limb. Don't answer too many, and I'll crush you. Understand?"

"O-only if you answer one of mine in return, Twilight," Pinkie said in fear.

"I don't see any harm in it, seeing as how we won't let her leave," Rarity said.

"Agreed," Twilight said. "First question: Why was Rainbow an alicorn?"

"Because the Princess made her one to help fight dark magic. My question: When did Rarity become one?"

"Just before I let you in," Twilight replied. "Are there more alicorns other then those in this room, Celestia, Rainbow, and the two that were there a year ago?"

At Pinkie's silence, Twilight applied pressure on Pinkie's front left leg. Pressing inward. There was aloud snap, and Pinkie screamed in pain as her leg bled from the dislocation.

"I'll ask again, Pinkie: Are. There. More. Alicorns?"

"Y-yes," Pinkie said, crying from the pain. "W-why, Twilight?"

"Why did I break your leg? Oh, well, I need to show I was serious. Don't worry, if you live, I'll make it better. Now, how many are there, and are they organized somehow, and are you, somehow, a part of them? Yes, I know, three questions. I'll let you ask three."

"I-I don't know. I really don't," Pinkie said, tears still coming from her eyes. "Y-yeah, they're organized. Yes, I'm a part of them." She looked Twilight in the face, sorrow evident. "Twilight, why are you doing this? After all we've been through? How could you try to over throw your own mother?"

"Why!? Because, she's the reason I nearly lost my life every damn time I did something for Equestria. The only reason I went to Ponyville was to make sure everything was ready for the Summer Sun Celebration! She didn't even try to distract Discord when he was free, and I don't care what she says the reasons were for the Empire, we could have had help from her or Luna! You and the others didn't really want to be my friend. You only wanted to get in with Celestia! NOT ANYMORE!! Now, what do you think of my new look?"

Pinkie only looked in confusion while answering. "Uh, nice, I guess. Why?"

"Thanks, and because I want to actually look good when I take over Equestria. Now, final question: Has the group working for Celestia ever had a traitor?"

"No. Why?"

"This," Twilight said, firing the loyalty spell at Pinkie, who was unable to get a mental barrier up in time before it hit her in the face. Twilight also mended her broken leg as Pinkie looked around the room. She stopped as she looked at Twilight, then removed her disguise and bowed.

"Hail, Empress Twilight," she said.

Celestia and Rainbow walked through the halls of Canterlot castle with a purpose, the ponies, even the nobles seeking an audience, in there way moved aside and bowed. Eventually, the two made there way to a single hall, with a single painting depicting the rising sun over a field of what could be guessed as defeated enemies of the past, numerous alicorns in the sky.

"Here," Celestia said as she lit her horn, the painting disappearing, and a hall way appearing. "Come, Rainbow," Celestia said. Nearly ten paces in, the solar alicorn got a major headache, which faded just as quickly, and she tripled her pace, Rainbow doing the same.

"Princess, what's going on?"

"A grave threat," was all Celestia said as the two reached a door surrounded by rock. "What you are about to see, Rainbow, is a room not used in over twenty thousand years, not since my grandfather was alive," Celestia said. "He had it constructed in the mountain, and it saved the planet during his days, and, Harmony permitting, it will again," she said as she lit her horn with an ancient spell, and the door opened, and the two stepped inside.