Empress and Empire

Canterlot was hers.

Or at least it soon would be, and even then, that was going into semantics. Practically, Canterlot was hers, in as much that the forces of the Crystal Empire controlled it. Her ponies marched down its streets, carrying her banners aloft, the people of Canterlot looking on in trepidation. It wasn't exactly what she'd call a bloodless conquest, but the city had fallen without putting up much of a fight. It was as if after years espousing the worth of "the magic of friendship" and all that nonsense, that this forsaken kingdom had forgotten how to do battle The Royal Guard hadn't guarded the gates, and on the field of combat, hadn't turned out to be so royal either.

But there was one last thing she had to do. Which was why, accompanied by an escort, she walked down the empty halls of Canterlot Castle to the throne room. No doubt the queen's court had evacuated, she reflected – some government in exile, some brave resistance, some utterly hopeless act in overturning what had been fated since she'd taken the throne of her kingdom. Still, she had plenty of time to make the queen talk. So, with the power of her horn, and with her wings carrying her aloft, she rose into the air of the castle's throne room, looking upon empty tiles, and a not so empty throne. One from which the queen looked up at her, her eyes a mix of sorrow and contempt.

"I was wondering when you would come here," Queen Twilight Sparkle murmured.

She touched back down on the ground, grinning. "Why Twilight," she said. "Can't I come see my favourite aunt?"

"I'm your only aunt Flurry Heart, as you are my only niece." She leant back in the throne. "And under better circumstances, you could have seen me at any time."

Flurry Heart shrugged and went back down to ground. "No time like the present."

Twilight just sat there. Sat, and stared. For a moment, however brief, Flurry Heart felt a pang of regret. If nothing else, Twilight was her aunt on her father's side, and thanks to certain events that had led to her ascension to the throne, her last living relative. But then, that in of itself was a sign of weakness. It was why Equestria needed a new ruler.

"Like I said, no time like the present," said Flurry. She walked up to the throne. "Canterlot's mine. Equestria's mine, even if the people don't know it. So, you can either hand over your throne now, or hand it over later." She came to a stop before her aunt. "Or not turn it over at all I suppose, but I'm not fond of regicide."

"Did you tell your parents that?" Twilight whispered.

Flurry shrugged, and Twilight's eyes darkened. "You've changed," she whispered.

Flurry couldn't help it – she laughed. Through her magic, her laughter echoed throughout every corner of the throne room. The darkness in her aunt's eyes remained, but as dark as they were, there was no hiding the twinkle of fear within them.

"I've changed," Flurry patted. "Oh sure Aunt Twily, you knew me so well when I was just a drooling filly. You of course knew me well enough that the pony I'd be was solidified then and there."

"I saw everything you could be Flurry. Even then."

"And did you see this?" Flurry asked. "The point in time where your miserable reign comes to an end?"

Her aunt didn't say anything, which gave her the time to look at her. Actually look at her. Over two decades since her aunt had taken the throne of this land, passed down to her by Celestia and Luna of old. Two decades of peace accomplished on the backs of better mules, and still, without any heir. Celestia and Luna had had the gift of immortality, while her aunt had not. In a way, Flurry supposed, it made her job simpler – she could just kill her aunt and claim right of succession by bloodline. Still, a scroll appeared in the air between them, complete with quill. With her magic, Flurry dangled it in front of Twilight.

"Sign it," she said.

Twilight said nothing.

"Age take your ears Aunty Twi? I said, sign it."

Twilight let out a sigh and got to her feet. "Flurry, you're my niece. Part of me will never stop loving you, but-"

"Twilight, if you're going to sing a song, forget it. No-one does that anymore."

Her aunt fell back on the throne.

Good grief, that was actually your plan?! Flurry tapped the quill against the parchment. "Make it easy for us Twilight. Sign it."

"Us, Flurry?" She met her niece's eyes again. "Who's us?"

"You. Then me. You get to live, I get to claim Equestria."

"And its people?"

Flurry snorted. "You obviously cared about the people so much dear aunt. Perhaps that's why your showing against the forces of the Crystal Empire was so pitiful."

"I never thought…" Twilight took a breath. "I never thought that my own niece would-"

"Enough talk. Sign it."

Twilight glared at her. "No."

Flurry sighed. "Fine."

The choking spell was easy to do – she'd had plenty of practice on the dissidents within the empire. And while her aunt had once been the most powerful spellcaster Equestria had ever seen since Star Swirl the Bearded, age and apathy had taken its toll. Her aunt was lifted into the air, choking, and she had neither the will nor power to resist.

"I can do this all day," Flurry said. "Question is, can you?"

Twilight tried to say something, but couldn't manage it.

"Louder, Aunty Twi."

"You…little…mon…"

"Monster," Flurry Heart. She flew up to Twilight, sneering. "Yes, I know, I know, so many people have called me that – your brother most of all. He actually lasted longer than most in the dungeons. Longer than my mother did at least."

Twilight couldn't say anything, but the tears in her eyes said all of it.

"Fine," Flurry said. "I'll keep you alive. Long enough for you to see how I execute your subjects one, by one, by one. And then, when you're on a throne of skulls, you'll get to-"

"I'll do it," Twilight rasped.

Flurry frowned – she'd been hoping Twilight would have let her finish her monologue.

"I'll do it," Twilight rasped.

Flurry sighed. "Sure. Fine. Whatever."

The spell was ended and her aunt plopped down into the throne. Flurry followed down a moment later. Her aunt didn't see it, as she sorrowfully signed the scroll, but upon the alicorn's features was a look of contempt. There'd been a time when she'd actually admired her. This creature who had gained wings through her own efforts, not born like them like Flurry had. Reading stories of her aunt's victories, against Discord, Tirek, Chrysalis, the Storm King…it had been the stuff of legend.

But then things had changed. Or she'd changed. Either way, she knew the truth. The "magic of friendship" was only as powerful as the world allowed it to be. In truth, the source of power in the world was power. And in her world, that would be the way of things. Not silly songs conferring silly morals, wrapped up in nice twenty-minute sessions. Those ways were dead. Just like her aunt would be when she could afford to dispose of her.

"It's done," Twilight whispered. She looked down and held the parchment up to Flurry.

"Bout time." Flurry looked at Twilight's signature, nodded, then used her magic to send it to one of her guards. "Have copies of this made. I want one attached to every wall of every house in Canterlot. The people just got a new queen, and…" She chuckled. "Actually, make that new empress. I mean, that is what I am, right?"

Her soldiers bowed. "Of course, your grace."

Flurry smirked and watched them leave, before looking back at her aunt, still seated on the throne, looking as despondent as she ought to be. "Aunt Twi?" Flurry asked. "Your crown, if you will."

"You already have a crown."

"Yes, but, symbols and all that." Not waiting for her aunt to oblige, Flurry used her magic to carry it over, and let it hover beside her crystal one. "Hmm. Nice. Maybe I'll have a new crown forged to commemorate my status as empress of Equestria. Of course, Equestria technically no longer exists, since it's just part of the Crystal Empire, but…" She smirked, seeing that her aunt was on the verge of tears. "Oh fine. Have a good cry. You helped me when I cried, so I guess I can let you get through it. No singing though." She turned round and headed for the exit. "I'll be back for you soon Aunty Twi. I'm going to need you to say some words to your people and all that."

"Why?" Twilight whispered.

Flurry growled and turned around. "Are you really that naive?" she snapped. "Do you have any idea as to how lines of succession actually work?"

Twilight looked like she was barely paying attention, and when she asked, "Flurry, why are you doing this?" it was all the proof that Flurry needed.

"Why?" she asked. "Why?"

"Your parents loved you. I loved you. And you…you turn against everyone who loved you, and-"

"My people love me."

"No," Twilight said. "They don't love you. They fear you."

"And that makes it even better," Flurry said, laughing as she saw her aunt's face fall. "Oh Aunty Twi, you don't get it. I was born to be princess of the Crystal Empire. A single city with no territory outside its borders. All I've done is made the name stop being a lie. I've lived up to my obligations and made my empire an actual empire."

"You've become a monster."

"I am a monster Aunty Twi, in case you missed it." Flurry sniggered. "I know, I know, you'll always think of me as your cute little filly, but when you were some drooling idiot, did you have any idea as to what you'd become? How far you'd go?"

Twilight said nothing.

"Exactly. I've taken my destiny. I've made the Crystal Empire an actual empire again, and I've done in a matter of weeks what no-one has managed to do in decades. Just think how far this land, no, this world, can go under my leadership."

"I've thought a lot," Twilight whispered. "And it's haunted my dreams each night."

Flurry scowled. "Keep dreaming Aunty Twi," she whispered, before turning around and heading out of the throne room. "Because the sleep you're headed for is going to be dreamless."

The doors closed with a heavy thud.

A/N

So why's the Crystal Empire called "the Crystal Empire" when it appears to be confined to a city-state? For Celestia's sake, Equestria covers more territory than this "empire" and that's just called a kingdom.

Dunno, but I drabbled this up.