Shining walked through the corridors of the castle confidently, easily remembering its layout due to uncountable times of walking (and sometimes running) through them, turning corridors left and right almost mechanically while his mind wandered, satisfied with how things had gone. Everything according to the plan, just like how the King said... they had Canterlot under control by now, and soon, all of Equestria would be theirs. A grin spread on his face with that last thought while a soft pink hue shone on his eyes, vanishing a moment later while he continued to move.

A soft rustle from a nearby pot caught his attention, making him stand on guard when he heard a small yelp of horror. His horn lit up, preparing a stunning spell for the intruder as he got closer to the pot. He raised a hand to prepare and get whoever was behind the pot out, with force if needed, and take care of them. His horn shone brighter with the spell finished, taking a step forward and plunging his hand inside.

A sudden yelp of pain left his mouth as his hand was submitted to an intense pressure, instantly pulling his hand away and noticing a bite wound on it. A soft pink hue crossed through his eyes as his anger peaked, making him to glare intensely at the bush while his horn lit with a powerful beam.

Right before he could send the pot and its pesky inhabitant into oblivion, a small and panicked rat burst into a full run away from the furious menace.

"Of fucking course CUNTlestia had allowed such pests to roam freely in the castle!" The thought had always crossed his mind more than once, but he was blind... blinded by the bitch who had dared to impose herself not only over the whole pony population, but over the rightful male supremacy!

The hue in his eyes shone brighter, much like his horn's before he sent a beam towards the little pest who had dared to bite him! The fleeing rodent barely had time to dodge the beam, looking scared at the piece of charred tile as it flew over its head. Without much time to stare, the rodent sprang into action, fleeing towards his own home while dodging several more beams thrown at it by the furious pony.

Shining watched with a growing annoyance as the little pest managed to escape his beams, finally hiding behind the wall via a small hole not so cleverly hidden behind yet another pot. Yet another stupid decision made by fat ass Celestia.

He turned to the plot right besides him, barely controlling his rage before giving it a solid kick, sending the pot into a swinging motion, threatening to tumble over and send its vegetal inhabitant to the ground. After a few seconds, the pot returned to his original position, much to his own annoyance, the shine in his eyes returning once more as he lifted his hoof to deliver yet another hard hit to the pot.

But he stopped, taking a moment to breathe deeply, trying to control his emotions, just as his training of captain taught him. A good captain always remained calm and conscious, so he could see things clearly.

In his own mind, the word "captain" was suddenly replaced by "emperor". But of course! He was the ruler of the crystal empire, not a simple captain of the royal guard. He had surpassed the dreams of the colt who wanted to be a guard!

And it was all thanks to Dainn... King Dainn. No more standing at Celestia's, Luna's or even Cadence's shadow. No... he'd be the only character standing at the spotlight back home. The thought brought a smile to his lips, making him to forget about the plant and the little pest that bit him earlier.

Of course, he'd deal with them later, but for now... the King was waiting for him... though perhaps he'd take a quick detour first...

Twilight's face was slowly turning a deeper violet shade the longer she held her breathing, trying to avoid any kind of detection by her brother, who was standing barely a hoof away from her. Her eyes watched with intense attention as he finally started to walk away, leaving the place in a disturbing quietness.

At last, she allowed her lungs the sweet oxygen they had been denied for some time now, making her face to return to her natural shade of violet, still panting for a few moments before sighing in relief, thanking to whatever deities out there who were watching over her for not allowing the pot to fall, revealing her hiding place to her brother... or whatever that thing was.

That pony she had just seen could NOT be her brother! She knew him literally all her life, and not a single time had he reacted like that: so aggressive, so furious, so... so... so... dominating...

The thought sent chills down her back as memories of what she had just witnessed not only an hour before, how he so openly fucked his wife in public, treating her like a whore instead of a dignified princess... and how much she seemed to enjoy it...

And then Celestia came back to her memories, the mutilation she suffered, the torture she endured and the humiliation she had been submitted! It all reminded her of her own failure as a princess, as a friend and as a pony.

It should had been her! It definitely should had been her! She should be in any of her friends' place instead of them, they did not deserve it as much as her.

She hadn't been able to save anypony,.. and it should have been her who had been subjected into those perverted situations...

The mere thought sent a shiver down her spine as the foul memories came back to her mind, but somehow making her be on the same situations, under the same humiliating and degrading situations, Celestia and Cadence being replaced by her, always being in an embarrassing situation, in positions or events that she, never in her wildest and/or kinkiest dreams, would have thought to be in.

Her head shook as she suddenly realized she had been daydreaming for Celestia knew how long, only then realizing she had lost her "brother's" trace!

Almost immediately, she resumed her pursuing, silently thanking the little filly who had roamed those halls and corridors so many times before as a game of hide and seek, or also turning "bedtime" into "sneak silently and undetected through those halls to slip into the library to read to the candlelight, if possible, the whole night".

She didn't want to reveal her presence or position by using magic, be it by some being with enough magic power to feel her own, or even by the popping she made with each teleportation. Yet another silent thanking to filly Twilight.

She barely suppressed a surprised gasp of shock as she saw a pair of guards running past her hiding place. Her eyes widened when she realized what kind of guards they were: batponies!

It was only then when Twilight remembered the Caribou king's words about how Cadence had joined with them, how Celestia had fallen and of how Luna would be easily captured.

Her mind started to formulate a plan with the one she had already had, adding some objectives to it before making a visit to the captain's quarters:
-Find Luna and join forces.
-Find and rescue Celestia, if possible...
-Find and rescue her friends, if possible, too...
-Find Shining and convince him to lower the shield.
-Escape to Ponyville.

Fortunately for her, the guard Captain's quarters were close to the actual location of the princesses' bedrooms, so she could simply take a quick detour to Luna's chambers, or at least find out if she had escaped or barricaded herself either in her room or somewhere else, and then join forces with the most fearsome of the four princesses. It was such a brilliant plan!

With that plan in mind, she decided "Shining's" pursue would have to wait, instead deciding to go across the maids and butlers' rooms that were destined to be the princesses' personal attendants.

She started to move, trying to stay away from sight as much as she could, but also avoiding anything that could give her position again, like that pesky loose tile that had betrayed her so long ago, making a guard to discover her as she tried to sneak into the library to get that book she so badly desired to get, give it a quick read and then return to its place right before the sun rose. And she definitely wanted to return it!

The next Morning, Celestia had tried to confront her about it, trying to look stern and firm. But in the end, that little filly whose awkward social skills and desperate attempts over a mere book brought the princess some amusement in the castle she called home, and by such, brought some life back to the castle.

Twilight blinked away a tear produced by such a happy memory that seemed so distant to focus on her current task, least she wanted to get captured and raped mercilessly to the point where she lost herself to the pleasure.

"Oh, Master, YES! HARDER!"

Her ears perked and her eyes widened as she heard a voice from a room whose door was slightly ajar, allowing her to hear a repetitive creaking, heavy breathing and squeaks of pleasure, which were sometimes interrupted by a pleasured moan.

Curiosity once more took the best of Twilight, slowly peeking into the room to see if her suspicions were true. She knew and had seen how some mares had decided to join the "new regime", mostly out of resignation and without any other option, but her mind wanted to see which of those cases the mare in the room was... or worse, like some leading the parade, were openly accepting it.

"OH, YES! HARDER! DEEPER! FUCK ME, MASTER! FUCK ME LIKE THE USELESS SLUT I AM!!"

Oh my! Twilight's head turned away as quickly as she could, but the image was already burned into her mind. Just a second, or even less was enough to make her mind imprinted with the image of a maid, whose uniform had been ruined beyond repair, taking such a large object into a place that was clearly not designed to have something inside of it.

Slowly, she lifted her hands to her chest, almost as if she was shielding her heart from everything as she took deep inhales through her nose and then exhaling through her mouth. Once calmed enough, her mind quickly thanked Cadence. Even if she had betrayed them, her calming technique still worked for her.

The more distance she made between THAT room and her, the less noise there was, making her silent and slow walk into a confident stride, feeling with her magic and confirming that no pony... or creature was close.

Despite that, once she arrived at the royal bedrooms' zone, she slowed once more, taking extra cautions as she peeked around the corner.

Luna and Celestia's rooms were just in front of her. Celestia's door was closed, as expected. It wouldn't be touched for some time until the regime was firmly established, though Twilight desperately hoped that room would be opened again in just a couple days, when things had returned to what they were before.

Her eyes widened when she turned to a dark blue door next to the pristine white: Luna's room. In deep contrast to Celestia's white, Luna's room had been kept and preserved just like how it was before her banishment, though the night princess had quickly started to reform it to avoid and forget past and painful memories, suffering several redecorations from time to time.

The door was opened, or more like bursted open, with several of the princess' personal things thrown across the hall or near the door. Unless it was yet another one of Luna's "redecorations", Twilight started to panic when the word "battle" popped into her mind.

Barely avoiding the urge to barge into the room to make sure she was safe, she moved towards the room slowly and silently, just as she had been doing so far, with the exception of avoiding any of the objects lying around on the floor.

Using the almost broken down door, allowing her to take a peek inside, she immediately spotted the night princess. Her mouth opened to call out for her, having a wide smile on her lips with newfound hope.

That hope died when she saw a couple of guards... HER guards inside of the room with her.

Onlythos who proved themselves worthy of her, to be real batponies were allowed to be in her personal guard, resembling more a small army than actual guards. Even less had the honor of just barging into her room unannounced to warn her princess of an imminent threat.

The guards she saw inside had proven themselves unworthy of such honor, not only by what they were doing, but also for being in company of one of THEM... a caribou.

Luna, much like her sister before her, was being raped in her vagina by a large caribou, seemingly a high ranking one, judging by the more pristine armor he carried and the runes imprinted on it. Her anus and mouth were being abused by her two personal guards while the princess herself merely glared at them with a coldness that could as well freeze the very Tartarus itself.

But why isn't she doing something!? Twilight's mind rushed with a million questions as to why Luna was submitting herself to such treatment. The answer became clear moments later, as her eyes saw a small vial lying on the floor near of the bead and a large object resting pristinely in a royal pillow: Luna's horn. Not too far from them, a large sword and a shield laid lifeless on the floor, making Twilight realize the truth sadly as her last hope vanished.

Luna had been taken by surprise, and even if she managed to defend herself or a while, not even her was a solid match for the caribou's apparent upper strength. She had been given a paralyzing potion and then subjected to the same treatment as all the other mares so far, even noticing only then yet another couple of guards who were slowly and painfully plucking each feather from her elegant and powerful wings, making sure to apparently take their time to do so.

"I'm sure you all are enjoying it, but hurry up! The parade's already done, so the coronation will be soon! She needs to be ready for the ceremony." The caribou's rough voice sounded as he started to thrust harder, receiving a solid nod from the guards as they sped up in their ministrations, making the princess to release a muffled shout of unwanted pleasure. "You, slut! Bring the binders and her collar. But remember to bring the black ones!"

His shout was answered by a voice with a thick accent while yet another mare stepped forward. Twilight's pupils shrunk as she saw Equestria's top supermodel, Fleur de Lis, completely naked, without horn, and worse of all, carrying a thick collar around her neck of a rich crimson color.

"Oui monsieur, maître. Shall i also bring... the other object?" She asked with her voice carrying a seductive tone as she lifted with her hand yet another perverted object: an anal dildo with runes engraved on it, but still having its exterior completely smooth and pristine.

Twilight could watch no more, taking several steps back consequently faster before finding a place to hide. Only then her composure truly broke, starting as a soft sniffing while her eyes filled with tears, turning into an uncontrollable sobbing moments later. Not because of what she had seen, not because of how cruel the caribou were or how every stallion suddenly seemed to turn just as them, if not worse for betraying those they were close to.

No, those tears were because, yet again, she had been forced to abandon another pony in need. She had failed once more.

Yes, she could take on those guards by herself, but the caribou? And what about Fleur? What could she do to them? And even if she truly could do something, Luna would be of little help under that situation. With her whole body paralyzed, she'd only be dead weight, becoming a burden for her and threatening both ponies. She wouldn't even be able to help them until well several hours later, when the effects of the potion stopped at least.

All in all, with every possible justificative ideas her brain came up with, reasons she was actually right to have, the pain didn't decrease at all. Instead, it only made it heavier on her heart knowing there was little to nothing she could do for the rest of the ponies in there.

Her sobbing slowly was controlled, still having tears on her ears, matting the fur right beneath them to allow everypony who saw her to notice she had been crying... but it wasn't time to cry. It was time to do something, if anything at all to stop them.

A serious and decided look showed in her eyes as she turned yet another corner, her brother's former office and quarters were right ahead. It was time for her plan to take action. She didn't had Luna's help, so it'd be nearly impossible to rescue Celestia and the others until later. But for that, she needed help, so she needed to go to Ponyville, where 2 of her friends still were free... hopefully.

She charged a stunning spell, just in case somepony... or someone else was inside. Her hand slowly and trembling reached for the knob, slowly twisting it to not make any noise as she started to open the door. Her ears immediately tried to listen to anything inside to try and tell if somepony was inside. Not hearing anything at all, she pushed the door open with a hard push, pointing her horn forward for any assailants that were inside.

After a few moments, she let out a sigh of relief as she saw absolutely nopony in the office. There would be no fight at the moment, and that gave her a few moments of peace before continuing in her mission. Taking the chance, she took a look around at the office, softly mourning the lack of personal items her brother used to have there, reminding her of his departure to the crystal empire a couple years before.

Of course, with his quit, a new captain had been named, one she realized at the moment that she didn't even remember her name, and as such, that office had been given completely to her. The shelves were still mostly empty, barely any papers being stacked into the simple and humble desk sitting at the middle, and a golden chest armor silently hanging from a wall.

Memories of the times where she went there quite often to visit her brother at work came back, making her nose to softly sniff before a tear could fall, realizing such times like those would never repeat again... not with everything she had seen so far... and that might still be seen...

A muffled clopping sounded by the door, waking Twilight up from her remembrance as she realized something: with how sparsely decorated as the office was, she didn't have a place to hide in case somepony would enter, be it Shining or not. Before the steps got closer, Twilight backed into the only object that might conceal her for a few seconds: the very same door. Opened, and unless the intruder wouldn't actually enter the room, she wouldn't be seen.

Her brain tried to make a quick joke as she stood still, thinking if that was how Discord had felt both times he was imprisoned in stone, only being able to wait. And wait she did, listening intently as the hoofsteps slowly got closer and closer to the office... and then turning away and walking away.

She let out a sigh and allowed her lungs another ration of oxygen for who knew how many times she had repeated it, and then going back to listening intently for any signs of someone approaching... she wanted... no, she NEEDED answers... but for that, she would also have to wait for "him" to show up, so she waited patiently...

And she waited...

And she waited...

The door almost collided with her, barely managing on drowning a scared yelp, least she was noticed. Her nerves didn't have time to relax as she saw her "brother" confidently striding inside of the room, having a pleased and satisfied smile. Her cheeks immediately turned a bright crimson as she also noticed he was wearing no pants or any underwear.

Her eyes immediately turned to the door, trying to listen if anybody else was coming. Her hand slowly raised to the door once she was sure they were alone, slowly pushing it closed with a soft click that made her "brother's" ear to twitch. Quickly rising a silencing spell around the room, which definitely caught Shining's attention, she also prepared for the next part. Just as he turned around to throw at her a shocked look, her horn flared as he was instantly surrounded by her magic field, instantly holding him tightly.

She never imagined she'd have to do that to her brother, to restrain him, to interrogate him as if he was a simple criminal. Her voice slowly lost her nervousness while a bright fire of conviction shone in her eyes, turning into a serious and diplomatic tone.

"Now that you are here... we need to talk." Shining opened his mouth to shout something, her magic immediately closing it open as she raised a hand. "Don't bother asking for help, a silencing spell is around the room and nopony else can hear us."

Of course, using her magic right in the middle of the wolf's mouth also meant that HE would already notice... she was running out of time, she realized as she moved Shining to the chair and made him sit down.

By Celestia, was he always that... no Twilight, focus. She whispered to herself as she released Shining from her field, but also summoning a magic dampening ring around his horn to seal away his magic for a while, at least. Of course, the shield around the city wouldn't vanish unless he wished to... or he was unconscious.

"Twily... lovely to see you!" Shining's voice sounded, making her look towards him, her eyes widening as she saw a collar in his hands, though that collar, instead of the rich maroon or the dark black she had seen so far, that was a bright, silver color. "You see? I was kind of disappointed when you wasn't there with your friends when they were captured... but it makes sense now... you wanted to be collared by somepony close to you, didn't you? I suppose that is reasonable, though you've made it hard for us... but not like that sunbitch down there. Oh, you should see and hear how she moans like a whore in-"

"SHUT UP!" Twilight's voice flared, every word "Shining" was saying made her anger peak even more, though with how he had just talked about her former mentor. "And now... take off your disguise."

Shining's face showed a truly confused look for a moment, shrugging as he started to undo his gala jacket. "Well, if you want to be collared like that, i don't oppose-"

Her horn's shine was suddenly in front of his face while his sister held a look of pure anger, almost bordering on hatred towards him.

"Take. It. Off. Now!" Before "Shining" could say another foul phrase, her patience suddenly ran out as she fired an anti concealment spell, bent over on taking away the Changeling's disguise so he would stop shaming her brother's name.

"So... was that supposed to do something useful, Twily?" Shining asked with an amused tone, watching yet another example of female's "magic", just as useless as they were.

Twilight was almost at the verge of having a mental breakdown, yet again. Her magic hadn't revealed the Changeling or whatever that thing was. She tried the same spell over and over, trying to reveal the wretched being below her brother's loved visage, only succeeding on revealing the crushing truth to her: unless it was a really powerful changeling using some sort of unknown magic to conceal himself, another being that could use magic to disguise themselves... or the most logical but horrible conclusion... it was truly him.

The pony who had been her only true friend when a filly had somehow turned into a depraved monster in the time they hadn't seen each other. But what had changed? What had brought that change upon her loved brother? And his wife? And his people?

A tear threatened to fall down her face, obscured by her own mane while Shining smirked darkly. "Don't cry Twily. Just be a good female, put this collar on and submit, and you can have a happy life... just like Cadence and just like the others will do in the future! LIke your friends, like Celes-"

His speech was interrupted once more by the desk in front of him suddenly smashing with him against the wall, almost breaking a couple ribs while his sister turned to him with a cold glare.

"You... You've betrayed everything you swore to protect... But..." She finally lifted her eyes to look at him, a small pang of guilt tore in his heart as he saw those wide and teary eyes of hers, reminding him of the time when both were fillies, when he used to pamper her, made her smile. But also of the times he had to comfort her, feeling a great urge to run at her side to embrace her. "... but why? Why betray Celestia?"

A peak of anger arose on him yet again when that name was mentioned, making Twilight watch with suspiciousness as a small, pink shine glowed in his eyes before any resemblance of her brother's former look vanished, leaving behind the monster she had seen that day.

"Because, Twily... i haven't betrayed anything! Just how many times has she proven herself as an incompetent ruler? Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Chrysalis. All those times, it wasn't even her who faced those evils that threatened ponydom, it was you and your friends! All those times she sent you to clean her own mess? She was arrogant, and that showed with her own incarceration in the moon when Nightmare returned, with the elements vanishing from her own vault with Discord! Nopony, not even her saw the Changelings coming, and she even fell to the clutches of Chrysalis! She couldn't stop Sombra's curse over MY people when she faced him! Take off that blindfold, Twilight! She's only false radiance, as Cadence showed me! Despite the look and the visage we have of alicorns like Celestia or Cadence, they are nothing but common ponies like us! They are even below us sometimes, below you!"

Twilight felt bile rise in her throat. Her brother spoke with the madness of the true believer, and she could not understand how he of all ponies could buy so wholeheartedly into something like this.

"... Shining... You swore... to protect her. You swore... an oath to Celestia, to Equestria!"

"No, i never made an oath to her. My oath was to protect Equestria and the throne. And so I will, now that its rightful owner is in it."

"... Shining... what happened to you?" Her voice broke down again, having to turn away from him to look through the window, having a clear sight of the stadium, the main street and part of the stairs where Celestia had fallen, and Cadence had revealed her true self, just like the pony in the room with her. Of course, she also noticed one of those cursed caribou in the plaza, chatting joyfully with a number of ponies and even some changelings.

The caribou... the shine in his eyes... they were controlling him... they were only using her beloved brother against all of them!

"Shining... *sniff* ... I'm so sorry... for not noticing it before..." She whispered as she turned to him once more, looking at yet another victim of the caribou magic, being tainted like so many other mares and stallions she had seen in Canterlot that day. Much like them, he had merely fallen under the corrupting influence, and was being controlled by them... perhaps Cadence, too...

"So you've come to your senses now. Will you submit to us? You don't have to suffer like Celestia has... or will. You can just submit like Cadence and enjoy life, being pampered and comforted by your master." Shining said with what Twilight identified as a hopeful look in his eyes. He really wanted her to be at his side, just like the old times!

Yet...

"... No, Shining..." She turned fully to him, having a serious look she had never used before. It was a lifeless expression, as if a big part of her was torn apart, but she still had to go on. "... I will not. And i'm sorry to say it, but i need you to lower the shields..."

Shining didn't answer at that, only having a disappointed look in his eyes, which was the only answer Twilight needed.

“Very well. I will remember you as you were, BBBFF. And I promise, I will find a way to free you from your nightmare.” Twilight bowed her head down in silent mourning, and Shining started to rise to confront her, or as much as he could without his magic.

His sight suddenly turned black, falling unconscious as his body was sent backwards towards the wall, courtesy of an overloaded stunning spell from his own sister. Twilight's face was stained with tears as her magic flowed into her brother, forcing his mind to undo the shield around the town, watching its sickly pink shine slowly vanishing until Celestia's warm sunshine finally fell on the city, a silent promise of the nightmare's end in the future, promise Twilight herself would see accomplished, even if it brought her own death.

Her magic immediately advised her of several beings coming closer to her destination, having to leave her brother behind... and Celestia, Luna, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Applejack behind. But she'd save them, just like they had saved her in the past.

With that, her wings opened, making a powerful flap as she started to fly away, seeing the caribou in a chaotic state as they tried to contain the situation.

More ponies, mostly pegasi, started to follow her, most of them carrying foals or other ponies, mostly all of them were mares with a few exceptions. Even a royal guard carrying a small filly in his hands, with parts of his armor destroyed or charred by different causes.

"Princess Twilight! It's good to see you! We started to believe all hope was lost!"

Twilight felt her heart swell with happiness and joy as she watched as even more ponies and guards, all of them helping somepony else, joined her. A small army of rebels to the "new regime" was starting to rise right then and there. They could fight back now.

"Where do we go, princess? We can't stay here!" A mare guard asked, having her armor destroyed in several parts and even a sore black eye.

All of them had resisted so far, but seeing her had brought their hopes back, and she'd be sent to tartarus by herself if she let them down... if she let anypony else down... not anymore.

"... to Ponyville."

Author's Notes:

After a year (almost), yet another chapter. Not many comments on this one, but only saying that now i know what Ponkpank is passing through as a responsible adult with a hidden hobby. But anyways, now to work on almost unknown territory. the next chapter was also written by [REDACTED], but she left the story there before her problems arose, so now i'm on my own.

As I said, I have a Ko-fi page now. If you like my stories, have money to spare, and find it within your heart to spare it in me, then i'd be grateful. And if you want to keep reading stories, then you can hit that "follow" button.

Leave a like if you want, and also a comment. Good ones help me to improve, and critics help me to correct mistakes. I'd really appreciate it.