The other ponies on the dance floor started to panic as Princess Twilight Sparkle looked around to make sure Rainbow was ok, she saw the other mare slowly getting to her hooves with help from rarity, she was shaky but looked unhurt, some kind of stun spell most likely.

She saw more of the robed ponies taking out amulets as the crowd panicked more and they aimed them at the crowd.

“Everypony stop!” Twilight shouted as loudly as she could, wishing she had taken the time to learn the Royal Canterlot Voice. Either way it had the desired effect as the panicking died down and the ponies stared at her.
Twilight flew up above the crowd and did a quick visual search for her friends and the Commander; she spotted her friends gather by Rainbow but couldn’t see the Commander anywhere. Carefully Twilight flew down to the head of the crowd and landed trying to look as regal as she could. “I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, who are you and what is it you want with me?” She asked formally. She was still new to being a princess but Celestia had been tutoring her in speaking formally when they had the chance.

“My name is unimportant to one such as you, as for what we want from you. “Spoke the leader of the robed ponies and the two closes to him pulled out some sort of jewels. “We want you.”

Twilight looked at him without emotion and she saw out of the corner of her eyes her friends move up alongside her. “You invade this party, attack one of my friends, insult me and you expect me to come with you?” Twilight asked. “Leave now before I call the Royal Guard.”

“We know there are no Guards in this ton unless you would send the towns people against us.” The leader said calling Twilight’s bluff.

“No, we will take you on!” Rainbow said and snorted as she glared at the robed ponies.

Before any side could do anything another voice cut in. “Whast goin’ on? Why the musics stop?” A slurred voice said and Twilight saw the Commander stumble out of the crowd, her mostly empty bottle of whiskey floating beside her and her hat crooked on her head and her uniform partly unbuttoned. Had she been off getting more drunk while all of this was happening? Twilight had to resist the urge to facehoof.

The Commander stumbled in between the two groups and looked at the robed ponies. “Oh! HeeeEEEEEeeeey guys, are you here to party to?” She asked and took another drink from the bottle. “Wes seem to be having proble’ with the musics for some reasons.” She slurred.

The Leader looked over the drunken pony and chuckled before pointing at one of the other robed ponied. “You, move her to the side before she hurts herself.” The other robed pony nodded and made their way over to the drunken pony.

As the robed pony neared the Commander took the last drink from her bottle and then looked in it in disbelief before holding it up to approaching robed pony. “I’ms out.” She said with a frown. “Whats am I going to do withs an empty bottle?” She said and scrunched her forehead as her drunk addled brain tried to think.

Twilight then saw the Commander smile brightly as the pony stopped before her and even the robed pony had to smile at absurdity of the commander. “I know just the thing!” She said happily and then proceeded to smash the bottle across the head of the robed pony and as he stumbled to one side she brought the jagged edge of what remained of the bottle across the pony’s neck in a spray of crimson causing all present to recoil in horror as the robed pony collapsed clutching their throat.

The commander looked down at the pony bleeding on the floor. “Oh dear I think your friend is hurt! Don’t worry I’m a medic!” She said in a voice distinctly not slurred as she leaned down over the bleeding pony and to Twilight horn thrust the broken bottle into their eye, pushing it deep till they spasmed and lay limply. “Well in my medical opinion your friend is dead. “ The command said as she stood up on two legs and fixed her uniform and hat. “Princess hold these for me.” She said taking off her sunglasses and tossing them back towards the Princess who caught them in her magic.

“You know there are few things in this world I can’t stand. “The commander fixed the robed ponies with a glare. “One of them is a racist and you’ve given me more then enough reason.” She said with a smile as she slammed her left fist into her right hand and closed her eyes tiling her head to either side producing a pop each time. “So who wants to die first?” She asked opening her eyes which were now glowing red as she smirked at the gathered robed ponies.

“M-monster!” One yelled and fired a beam from his amulet that struck the Commander and made her take a step back as what looked like electricity danced along her body for a moment before she righted herself.

She fixed the stallion who at attacked her with a smile. “Did you just try to taz me?” She asked and then laughed. “Let me tell you something about me, I had a shock collar placed on me for an entire month, one people used to regularly for their own sick enjoyment.” He smile grew cruel and the stallion took a step back. “You ever have twenty-five hundred volts of electricity pumped through your body for an hour straight just because someone could? No? Well I have!” The commander took a step towards the stallion who stepped back again and fired another blast that made the commander pause for a moment closing her yes as the electricity danced. “And let me tell you. “She opened her eyes and glared at the stallion. “You got nothing on that!”

Twilight blinked as the Commander crossed the room in a second and grabbed the stallion by his robe and lifted him up over her head before she brought the screaming stallion down on her knee releasing a loud crack and the stallion went limp before the commander tossed the body to her side and fixed the rest of the robed ponies with a smile. “Next?”

The robed ponies looked at each other and as one raised their amulets and the fight was on. Twilight and the gathered partygoers could only watch as the Commander sprinted forward as blade shot out from her fore hooves as she zig zagged to avoid the spells the amulet fired till she was almost to one of the robed ponies where she dropped to the ground and slid, her arm extend and the blade sliced through both legs on the ponies left side causing the mare to fall to the side screaming as blood sprayed from the severed limbs as the commander stood up and silenced her with a quick thrust of the other blade at the base of the skull.

She withdrew the blade just in time to dodge another magical blast before sprinting forward at the next nearest robed pony who fired magical blast franticly till the mare was onto him and burying her blades in his chest. With the blade still in the stallion she spun him around and used his body as a shield to block two other magical blasts.

The commander withdrew her blade and used her magic to fling the still living stallion t the two ponies who had attacked her and ran after him. The injured stallion collided with the other two and they all three went down. A moment later the commander was there and her blades swiped over their throat producing another spray of crimson.

Twilight and the rest of the partygoers could only watch in horror as the smiling military mare turned towards the remaining robed ponies, her blades dripping blood that she slung off of them. “You know something, I had been worried that today I wasn’t going to get to kick a little ass today so I must thank you for crashing my party and giving me the chance.” She said with a chuckled as she stalked towards the robed ponies who stepped back.

Twilight watched as her unicorn self-moved like a predator stalking its prey, every movement precise and deadly and filled with finality to it, as if there was no escape for the prey and she knew it.

The Robed ponies quickly moved to surround the mare and raised their amulets and before they fired a small purple shield appeared around the military mare that absorbed the blasts. The commander looked around at the fact she was surrounded and suddenly a large metal object with a box under it and what looked like a chain of brass colored metal feeding into it appeared beside her.

The second there was a pause in the magical blast the shield dropped and Twilight’s ears splayed against her head as the metal object left forth a load clatter as it spat fire and brass raided down from one side of it as the Commander swept it to the side. Everywhere it pointed a robe pony jerked as red fountains of blood and when the noises stopped a dozen dead ponies laid around the Commander and the metal object vanished again. “Got to love light machine guns.” The commander laughed as she looked at the three remaining robed ponies. The leader and the two that stood beside him neither had moved since the fight had started.

“I must say, you are very proficient in killing, I don’t think I have seen somepony take on so many and defeat them so fast even if they were the lesser of my followers.” The Leader said calmly.

“Thank you kindly, I am very good at what I do. “The commander said as a large silver version of the thing on her flank appeared in her hands and she aimed it at the leader. “Now it’s time for you to join the rest of your followers.”

“No I don’t think that will happen. “ The leader said calmly and the pony to his left pulled a vile from his robe and shattered it against the floor and the room was filled with smoke in a second causing everyone percent to cough. There was a curse that Twilight was sure was the commander then there was a bright glow and the smoke forced from the room reveling the three robed ponies to be gone leaving just the bodies of the dead.

“Celesita-damnit!” The commander yelled as she looked around the room. With a growl the silver object vanished and gore splattered mare turned to face the rest of the guests her eyes returning to normal.

The sight of her, uniform and face splattered with the blood of the ponies she had killed without hesitation caused many percent to recoil in fear and horror. Calmly the mare walked towards the group, stepping over bodies and through the pools of blood till she reached the Princess and held out a hand. “My sunglasses if you will?” She asked calmly. Twilight could only stare wide eyed at the gore splattered soldier with the back drop of the ponies she had killed within a few minutes.

Princess Celestia’s carriage touched down and the Princess of the Sun stepped out as Luna’s chariot touched down beside it. Her sister joined her as they were surrounded by Royal Guards as Royal Guard chariots touched down and with the Princesses leading they made their way towards the town hall. The air around the town was not its usual happy atmosphere, it was on of fear and the princess could see ponies hurrying away from the town hall as fast as they could, glancing fearfully over their shoulders as if something was chasing them.

When the Solar Princess entered she knew why, the air was filled with the copper smell of blood and death. Looking around she saw dozen of bodies covered in sheets with drying red pools beneath them and splattered on the floor and walls and some of the tables was splashes of more. The building had clearly been in the middle of a party when whatever happened. Twilight’s letter hadn’t given any detail and had clearly been written in haste based on the shaking lettering.

The only ponies in the room where Twilight, her friends and standing off a ways from them stood the commander with her hands behind her back looking completely indifferent to the six Royal Guards standing around her. Twilight seems to have sent for the guard as well and a small group had arrived before the Princesses though why they were surrounding the unicorn mare Celestia had no idea.

As she walked towards the group of six mares the Royal guard filed in behind her and paused at the scene before moving to secure the area. “Twilight, are you alright?” Celestia asked with concern as the group of friends kept glancing at the unicorn mare surrounded by the Guards.

They all jumped and quickly bowed, even Twilight. “Rise my little ponies, and Twilight you don’t need to bow.” Celestia said calmly.

“Right sorry. “Twilight answered sounding more than a bit shaken as she glanced at her unicorn self.

Celestia frowned slightly. “Twilight what is wrong?” She asked with concern. “What happened here?”

The purple Alicorn looked around the room, her eyes avoiding the white sheets. “We…we were having a party to welcome the Commander.” Twilight said slowly. “Everypony was having fun when these robed ponies showed up and interrupted the party and…and demanded the other hoof me over. They used amulets to do magic; they didn’t seem to want to harm anypony at the party.....” The mare trailed off.

“Take your time Twilight.” Celestia said soothingly, whatever happened clearly had affected the Alicorn.

“I neutralized the threat.” Twilight voice said and the group looked over at the Commander who was now facing them with the same indifferent expression.

Celestia looked at the bodies then back at the commander with a stern expression. “Surely there was a better way to handle the situation than this.” She said gesturing to the blood covered room.

The Commander shrugged. “They attacked a party with civilians in it and were about to attack the civilians to get to the Princess, or the “abomination” as they called her. She prevented that but the threat to unarmed civilians I couldn’t stand for and them being a racist to boot? Sorry, but they signed their death warrants in my book.” The Commander said calmly. Celestia looked at her at a loss for words. “I planned to take one alive so you could find out who the hell they were but the last three fled with the use of a smoke bomb and I couldn’t leave the civvies without protection incase more showed up so was unable to pursue.”

Celestia looked between the commander and the room once more. “You did all of this? By yourself?”

The Commander nodded. “Yes ma’am, I don’t think they were expecting a trained solider to be present.”

Celestia looked at the Commander sternly. “We will speak on this later Commander.”

The mare nodded calmly. “As you wish, but frankly I’d be more concerned with the fact you seem to have a problem in your country with some form of cult that uses powerful amulets and has a profound hatred for Alicorns and based on what their leader said, a small army.”

Celestia stared at the unicorn for a few more moment before turning back to Twilight and the other Element Bearers. “Twilight I think it would be best if we continued this conversation away from here.” The group nodded.

“Can I leave or are you expecting me to stay here because right now I could use a shower.” The Commander said.

Celestia looked back at the mare and noticed her face and uniform had dried blood on it. “I suppose you may shower but I will be sending guards to keep an eye on you.” She said.

“Sure whatever. “The mare shrugged. “But they aren’t going into the bathroom with me, sorry but that’s where I draw the line.”

Celestia frowned at how calluses the unicorn seemed to be. “I hadn’t planned for that but they will be outside your room in the castle.”
“Fair enough.” She said and started walking the guards blinking and scrambling to catch up. Celestia watched the mare leave with the guards then turned back to Twilight. “We should go to your castle as well Twilight there is much we must discuses if what the Commander says is true.” She said and Twilight nodded.

“O-ok.” She said and the group headed for the castle leaving the bloody mess behind them.

Princess Twilight Sparkle sat in the Map Room with her friends and the two Princesses. She kept trying to get what happened out of her head but the image of her blood splattered counterpart standing in the middle of the carnage without a care in the world wouldn’t leave her thoughts. She couldn’t begin to understand how somepony could kill so readily and brutally and not even care. She knew her counterpart was dangerous by how she took down the Guard when they first met but this….this was way beyond that.

“Twilight I know you are upset and I wouldn’t be having this meeting if this wasn’t important.” Celestia said from where she stood before the map with Luna a little behind her.

Twilight blinked and looked at the other Princess.” Yes, right, what was it you needed to talk to us about?”

Celestia sighed. “First a bit of history, you remember the story of the three tribes and how Equestria was founded.” The gathered mares nodded. “Well there were parts that were left out of history. Even though the tribes were united in friendship and the leader ruled fairly there were still many disputes especially after the passing of the old leaders.”

Celestia sighed once more. “It was a couple of generations before they reached full harmony with each other as so many years of resentment just don’t vanish overnight.” She said and looked at each mare. “They had had a few leaders till Discord arrived and usurped the throne and ruled with chaos and Disharmony for many years till me and my sister arrived and stopped him with the elements of harmony and took our place as the rulers of Equestria with the support of the ponies.” She said and sighed.

“Most of them anyways, what the history books do not talk about was a small group of ponies that called themselves the Purifiers. They were a group of ponies who formed near the end of Discords rein and fought against him to being about order and they made great strides in magic and enchantments and were able to create pockets of order.”

“Why were they left out of history if they were able to do such amazing things?” Twilight asked in surprise.

“Because Twilight Sparkle they did not look kindly upon us as Alicorns.” Luna said.

Celestia nodded. “Luna is correct, they saw us as more chaos and an unnatural combination of the three tribes and fought against us just as they had Discord.” Celestia said sadly. “It started off with just small things, them preaching from town to town but as they lost support and ponies started to run them out of towns they began to resent us and claimed we were corrupted the minds of the ponies with dark magic. And soon things turned violent between the first Royal Guard and the Purifiers. It kept escalating with more and more ponies getting caught in the cross fire as the Purifiers created more and more powerful amulets to “Purify” our Guards that me and my sister needed to step in. Even with our combined might we were still young and there were many Purifiers.”

“What happened then?” Twilight asked.

“There was a city, Horseton that was the site where me and my sister had our first and last battle with the Purifiers and their leader and his followers.” Celestia explained and sighed looking down. “The battle was fierce, much of the city was destroyed and many ponies on both sides were killed but we had the Leader cornered and were ready to take him into custody when he used a powerful enchanted amulet they had. To this day me and my sister do not know what happened but when he used it we were thrown from the city and had to be recover by the guard with severe injuries that even us being Alicorns took over a month to heal. The entire city and the guards within were no more just a swatch of scorched earth with nothing living upon it now known as the Badlands”

Celestia looked up at the shocked mares. “We had assumed the Purifiers had chosen to die fighting rather than be captured and face trial for their crimes but it seems they survived in hiding and have chosen now to resurface and if that is true then Equestria is in great danger if the Purifiers are even half as strong as they used to be.”

The six mares were silent, what the Purifiers had done was unthinkable to them, sacrificing an entire town and the surrounding area just to try and kill the princesses because they saw them as monsters akin the Discord.

“What do we do? How do we stop them if they are so powerful?” Twilight asked.

Celestia looked at the gathered mares and then sighed once more. “As much as I know you probably won’t like to hear this but I believe we will need the commander’s help.”

“What?!” Rainbow said. “Why would we need …..her help? Did you see what she did? She is no better then what you just told us the Purifiers did.”

“Calm yourself Rainbow Dash.” Celestia said. “I know the Commander’s method are….unpleasant, but from what she told me and what is aw she faced almost two dozen of the Purifiers and defeated them by herself despite their amulets and if this does turn into another war like in the past we will need somepony with the Commander’s expertise and skill to fight them and as the Commander said she only reacted because the Purifiers were going to attack those at the party and the fact of how they spoke of you Twilight.”

Twilight slowly nodded, as much as she hated to admit it the Commander had had good reason for reacting but her methods left much to be desired. “Her methods may not be what we are used to but her morals are good and she does have good intentions for the most part.” Celestia went on. “And I know this is asking a lot of you Twilight but I’d like you to work with her and try to keep her from going too far if you can. You don’t have to and have every right to refuse and I will find somepony else.”

Twilight thought about it, the unicorn was just short of being a monster but she had done it for good reasons and that was to protect those t the party and Twilight herself and Twilight had gotten along well with the other mare up to that point even if they did not agree on everything. Twilight sighed. “Alright, I’ll work with her and try to keep her under control.” Twilight said looking at the other Princesses.

Celestia smiled. “Thank you Twilight, from what I have seen and heard you two have gotten along well over all so I know you will be able to keep her under control and work with her better than anyone and if you ever need help I am only a short flight away.” She said reassuringly.

The Princess nodded, the image of the Soldier splattered with gore and standing in the middle of the carnage she herself had caused returning to the forefront of her mind, but if Celestia though they needed the mare then Twilight would work with her and try to keep her from going too far in the name of protecting the nation.

Author's Notes:

whelp decided to do an actual chapter rather then an interlude so here you got, got to see the commander fight and learned who the robed ponies are and now everyone knows what the commander is capable of.