Applejack was running on fumes while she was trying to come up with a plan. She tried contacting Princess Cadance, but communications were cut off everywhere around the Crystal Empire. Everypony in the room was dead and all she could do was hide.

“There has to be some way we can fight this off. They can’t all just be coming in all-out and burning everypony to a crisp. Shucks. All I can do is run and see if the Princesses are still alive.” Applejack thought before making a beeline out of Mission Control.

She was immediately spotted the moment she jumped out of the desk.

“It’s that Apple pony! Bring to the castle alive!” one captain shouted upon spotting Applejack.

Applejack ran really fast, avoiding every attack that was being thrown her way while trying to escape. She was being chased by vicious manticores across the halls of Mission Control. She was keeping a good pace against the creatures that pursued her. Just as soon as she was about to exit, she was punched back by an angry Yona.

“That smarts. Gotta admit. You yaks sure know how to smash.” Applejack said, wiping the blood off her nose and getting back up on her hooves.

“Pony needed back at castle! Go quietly or go nasty!” Yona said, cracking her hooves.

“How about we dance?” Applejack said before getting into a mocking fighting pose with a smirk on her face.

Pounding her chest with rage, Yona charged at Applejack with all her might and before she could get a swing in, Applejack dodged. But Yona close-lined her and knocked her into a wall. Applejack was winded from that attack and struggled to get back up. Yona walked over to Applejack and knocked her out cold before picking her up and taking her back to the castle.

***

After making it back into the throne with Flurry Heart in hoof, Starlight was filled with exhaustion and needed a breather. Relieved that she was unharmed, Cadance went over to Flurry Heart and hugged her.

“Thank Celestia you’re safe…” Cadance said as she embraced her baby.

But looking outside, it was getting worse. Feeling the presence of the defeated ponies and that failure was imminent, Cadance looked at Starlight and said,

“Starlight, take Flurry Heart and go.”

“What?” Starlight reacted.

“You heard me. You promised that you would take Flurry Heart and warn Sunset along with any other survivor to stay away from the Crystal Empire!” Cadance said.

“But what about you? I can’t just-”

“It’s not about me or my kingdom anymore! Take Flurry Heart and run!”

“But I-”

“JUST GO!!!”

Left with no other choice, Starlight took Flurry Heart out of her hooves and backed away. As a teary-eyed Flurry Heart reached out for her mother, Cadance said,

“I love you, Flurry Heart…”

In that moment, Starlight teleported away from the Crystal Empire with Flurry Heart in hoof from the distance off the Crystal Empire. Starlight could only watch as the once proud kingdom fell to ruin.

***

After ponies were thrown against the wall and being entrapped by the ooze, every soldier was lined up in perfect order as they awaited their king. Avion flew in from the balcony, carrying a scroll with him. After unfolding it, he reads,

“Greetings, my fallen foes. As you have graciously thrown down your lives and surrendered your kingdom, you contributed your meaningless lives to the growth of my kingdom in Equestria. You have the dubious honor of-”

After Rainbow Dash wakes up and overhears this, she shouts,

“AS IF!!! WE WOULD NEVER THROW OUR LIVES AWAY TO THE LIKES OF YOU!!!! JUST WAIT-”

Suddenly, she was knocked across the head with a club by a yak.

“Be silent, pony!!! Or yak go for jaw next…”

Rainbow Dash get quiet while still reeling from the pain of having her wings ripped off.

“-meeting the divine King Bahamut in his glorious conquest. Your gracious host has made his way all the from the nothing you gave him and he has arrived to grace you in his ravishing presence! My beloved subjects, I give you: KING BAHAMUT!!!”

Opening the doors, the shadowy figure walked towards the captured Mane Six and the soldiers bowed as it walked past them. In his hands he carried was Shining Armor.

“I have been looking forward to this meeting. Ever since the day I took your home from you, all you ponies were on my agenda.” the Creature said before throwing Shining Armor in with the rest with them.

“It does not matter how many enemies throw at us! We will always find a way!” Cadance said in a defiant tone.

“Yes, you do. Yet here you stand against my strength and all of my followers. But this…”

The Creature walked towards Cadance and started sniffing her mane. She recoiled in disgust when it sniffed her in such a manner, but then the Creature took it a step further by grabbing her face and licking her left cheek. This sickened the Mane Six to a high degree. Especially Shining Armor.

“HEY! LET GO OF MY WIFE BEFORE I-”

Suddenly, he was slash in the face by the Creature before he could threaten him even further.

“Silence, pony. You will have your chance when I allow it.” the Creature said in a condescending manner.

“Just who do you think you are, buddy?! Coming in and uprooting our home like you're some big-shot! You won’t get away with this, you slimeball!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“That is where you are wrong, rainbow pony. For a long time, you have reaped the rewards and you were treated with the utmost dignity anypony would hope to relish. Except for one certain creature in your group.”

“What’re you getting at?” Applejack asked with a serious expression.

“There is a certain someone who has been eager to meet you. He was nervous, but he came through. I hope you are all ready to see him. Especially after what you did to him.”

“What do you mean?” Cadance asked.

Instead of answering, the Creature started dissolving itself and slowly seeped into its host. Upon revealing who the host was, their eyes and mouths widened with disbelief and shock.

“N-No! It-! No-! It-! It can’t-! It cannot be…!” Cadance shouted with tears starting to pour from her eyes.

“SPIKE?!” everypony shouted upon seeing his full identity.

“Hello, everypony. Did you miss me?” Spike asked with a dark sense of humor.