Even Luna and Celestia were completely unaware of the Iron Guard and the truth of Equestria, proving how determined Starswirl was to maintain the lie. They immediately suggested confronting him and the rest of the now so-called pillars of equestria – believing that now even their title was a lie to help erase the guard from history. They both departed temporarily to do just that, and Twilight returned inside with all her friends to check up on Shining Armor and Tempest Shadow. Fluttershy remained to collect her thoughts around Discord’s statue. Rainbow dash then suggested scouting crystal empire to see if the implication of the ‘butt-head’ that sliced of her wing was true or not. Twilight disagreed, telling her to rest. Rainbow blows a raspberry in frustration and lopsidedly flew off. According to her she doesn’t have time to rest and needs to do all she can, handicapped or not.

For the rest of the day Twilight prepares Canterlot and equestria for the worst, sending messages to the hippogriffs, Griffins, Yaks, Dragons, Kirin and Changelings of the impending threat. Shining armor was worried sick over the fate of his family and the crystal empire, but Twilight assured him that both are completely alright. However she sends scouts to the crystal empire to be sure – hoping that she is right.

Everything appeared to be going smoothly, until Pinkie Pie rushed into a meeting, shouting that Marble is missing. Twilight assures her it is nothing but then she gets other reports from both ponyville and Canterlot. Abductions. Disappearances of around 50 regularly prompt ponies whose location should be very well known. Marble was only one of them. Fleetfoot, Sugar belle (Much to Big Mac’s horror), Bulk Biceps, Aloe, Coco Pommel (Who picked a terrible time to visit Ponyville), Braeburn (Who also has spectacular timing) Fleur di Lis, MoonDancer, Trixie, Clear skies and Zephyr Breeze to name a few. A few royal guards had also disappeared.

The ill news is released to the ready worried public Pinkie shouts “WE’RE BEING FILLY-NAPPED!” and starts a panic in canterlot. Twilight manages to contain the situation and moves all the ponyville ponies to bunkers in canterlot, giving commander tempest and her troop’s control of ponyville, as it is on the way to canterlot – that is the military base of operations for now.

Night falls and a new day begins. However this day is not without surprises. Luna and Celestia are en route back to canterlot after having met up with Star Swirl and the Pillars of Equestria, who were scared out of their minds upon hearing the news. After telling the two former Princesses that the situation was hopeless, they went into hiding. The Princesses are beyond disappointed with a cowardice of the Pillars – and began their return to Canterlot to inform Twilight of the disappointing news.

On the way, they see a mysterious clocked pony going to ponyville. They decide to hang back and stalk them to see who they are is. The pony approaches ponyville and is faced by Tempest, who asks who she is. She removes her hood to reveal that she is Marble Pie - one of the missing ponies – and requests and audience with Princess Twilight. As much as Tempest doesn’t enjoy doing what other ponies tell her to do, she complies, and tells Twilight that Marble has returned.

Surprised and full of questions Twilight tells the rest of her friends, Maud and Shining Armor and goes to meet her with them – Fluttershy elected to stay behind with Discord’s statue. Twilight insisted that the rest of Pinkie’s family stay back in the safe house in canterlot. Upon seeing her little/twin sister Pinkie yelped with delight and bear hugged her. Marble returned the hug, but something was off, and Pinkie felt it.

She broke away, looked at Marble with concerned eyes and asked if she was okay. Marble smiled confidently and said that she had never felt better – her hair was tied back in a long braid leaving her face and weirdly confident eyes completely visible. That was not like her at all, and everypony present realized. Maud broke the silence by asking her why she is here – this is rather surprising to the other’s, they would rather ask how. But Marble preferred to bluntly answer her elder sister with a sinister smile, “I am here on behalf of the Iron Guard and Arctic ponies to accept your surrender.”

Pause. Arctic ponies? Surrender?

Wait what?

Tempest snorted in disbelief and Shining’s jaw dropped. The others eyes widened and Maud’s gaze remained unchanged. Pinkie simply smiled softly and asked, “Marble, what are you talking about?”

Marble looked pinkie dead in the eye with a rock solid gaze she never had. “I am no longer just the pathetic afraid little Marble you all once knew. Now I am so much more. Citadel enlightened me and made me one of the guards to serve justice to them and to the Arctic ponies that our ancestors betrayed all those years ago.”

“You’re with them?” Pinkie asked softly in shock.

“Nay,” Luna’s voice sounded from behind marble. She and Celestia landed behind Marble, “She is not with them, she’s one of them.”

“Very good Luna.” Marble responded with a sly smile without turning to face her.

Pinkie took a few steps back with a tear in her eye. Why? What had they promised her? Twilight put her hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder and returned Marble’s Iron gaze. “Marble it’s not too late to change. You can still help your family and friends.” Marble snorted, and told Twilight that her pep-talks had gotten rusty. Tempest stepped forwards and said that they would surrender if certain conditions were met. Both Shining and Rainbow opened their mouths to protest but Twilight silenced them.

“Name them, Commander.”

“Firstly, you will leave the crystal Empire and every other neighboring kingdom out of this, and-”

Marble shook her head, saying it was too late for this, the empire had already been overrun by the arctic pony’s army. Rainbow interrupted by asking “am I the only one who as no idea who these guys are?” Marble grinned, saying that she will soon. That they all will soon.

“I tire of this.” Celestia piped up. “We know what you are, so why do you hide?”

Marble turned and looked towards her for a brief second, smiling maliciously, then turned back to the rest of the ponies. With that her eyes glowed red and metal strips began to whirl tightly on her body, emerging from under her like a second skin, making metallic clangs as it folded and produced wings and a horn as she grew. And suddenly before them stood the exact same figure as the ones who had invaded the castle the day before. Pinkie whimpered.

“Scared, little ponies?” Marble snarled in a familiar voice that nopony wanted to hear again.

Tempest’s poker face remained unfazed as she continued, “Then you will return Princess Cadence and Flurry Heart to us completely unharmed.”

Marble tilted her head and appeared to chuckle, “as you wish.” She responded, opened a familiar white cauldron-shaped portal above a vacant spot on the ground. The beaten and defeated figure of Princess Cadence fell through, landing with a thump. “Cadence!” Shining shouted, running to his crying spouse while the other’s eyes widened in shock. Tempest’s gaze narrowed. “Both of them unharmed.”

Marble said that the little foal was a rather annoying problem, perhaps an even bigger one who was harder to deal with than her mother, so she was dealt with… accordingly.

“Deal’s off.” Tempest spat. “What kind of deluded ponies hurt a foal?” Marble shrugged, and said that if only ‘hurt’ could be used to describe the foal’s current state. Marble looked towards the rest of the shocked ponies and said that the guard will destroy equestria beyond recognition – and that if any of them want to join the truly righteous side they will not get another chance. Nopony budged. Pinkie’s hair drooped and fell straight as she looked at marble and begged softly, “Marble, please don’t do this.”

“My name is no longer Marble. I am beyond my quivering past self – I am Magma!” She opened her metal wings, flew up and disappeared with a burst of red lightning.

All the ponies stood there in shock for a second, then Twilight said, “Get Cadence to the castle and call Zecora. NOW.”

She left with cadence, shining and tempest, as the rest of the ponies tried to comfort pinkie. Maud had walked away after having shed a silent tear on her emotionless face.