//------------------------------// // The Rebel // Story: There's More to Magic Than Friendship // by Haoryu Changer //------------------------------// "Power might feel great, but deep inside you'll be consumed by loneliness! You don't have to follow in his hoofsteps. I know you're smarter than this, Cozy! You're the smartest filly I know! Please realize that even if you have all the power at your hooves, if everypony is forced to follow you, you'll still be truly alone. No pony wants that! No pony thinks that power is worth more than friends and family!" "Stop..." Cozy has been pacing around the castle in random paths for the past few hours. Those words from her older sister were wedged deep into her mind, replaying like a good catchy song one would enjoy so much. "...I'm not alone. I'm a great leader and my subjects will love me, even if it takes generations..." Except it wasn't a good song. "Please, Cozy! You still have a chance to stop all of this. I just want my sister back..." Cozy whined and held her head with her hoofs. "No... Stop talking idiot! It's too late to turn and go the other way now!" "You used to care about everypony. You used to be so kind, what happened?" "I still do!" She held her head tighter and sat on the ground, groaning, and getting a bit frustrated aswell. "Cozy, a lot of ponies and even other creatures are hurting. Don't you care about their wellbeing?" "They aren't! They haven't realized it yet!" Her eyes became watery. "Cozy... this is wrong." "N-no... it's everypony for themselves, power is everything... Power is... is...!" She gave a cry before slamming her hooves on the floor, cracking it a bit. After her fit of anger, her breaths grew heavy, and she panted while sweat dripped down her face. Gaining composure, she stood up on all fours, and tried to steady her breaths. "I-I'm a great leader... I am..." She said, attempting to convince "Spur," but more importantly herself. Returning to a memory from the other day, she smiled. "Afterall, I did save the town from an Ursa Major." She wished her smile was a bit less fake. "I'm not a monster..." She whispered to herself. Sighing, she looked around and noticed she was in the main lobby of the castle. She went over to a nearby window and looked out to the stary night sky. "One thing I will give credit to Princess Luna would be her amazing stary skies. Mine aren't nearly as pretty for some reason." Cozy always loved staring at the clear night sky. It never failed to calm her down. She remembered a time she was a bit angry when she was told by her butlers and her papa that she couldn't have any more sweets one night. Being the innocent filly she was, she only cared about how good they tasted, and she wanted more, not even listening to the consequences of it. That night, to calm herself down, she stared out her window and into the stary night. Looking at the patterns in the sky, with a bright moon, whether it was full or not, was a great piece of art to her. She begged her papa to get her a painting of the nighttime sky, and he did no problem. Next thing her papa knew, was that he had to get her sweet filly a constellation guide book so she could actually notice them in the sky from then on. She gawked at it for minutes and before she knew it, time traveled fast. She was settled down on a couch she pulled up just to simply stare at the sky. Soon, she saw a bright shooting star making its way across the canvas. "Wowza! This means I get to make a wish. Let's see..." She thought for a bit, resting her chin onto her front hooves that were on the base of the windowsill. After thinking quickly, before the shooting star disappeared, she found something. Smiling, she said, "I wish Tirek and Chryssy were here." Her smile turned into a sad one. "It's getting real boring." She stared at the shooting star some more, and she noticed it wasn't leaving. Something then clicked in her head. Something was wrong. She had a feeling. Her ears perked up, and she sat up straight, no longer slouching. And suddenly, before Cozy had the chance to act, the shooting star got brighter and bigger and dropped right in front of her. *Boom* "They what?" Starswirl shouted in the caverns. Big Mac flinched a bit at the volume and nothing more. "I couldn't stop them." He informed. "They managed to do the fusion thing then stormed off to attack Cozy." "This is not good," Starswirl said, pacing around the meeting room of the Crystal Caverns. "If they do not return, we lose so much." "Yeah," Big Mac took a little offense since Starswirl was talking as if they were only powerful allies and nothing more. "I lose a sister, and two of her friends I also care about deeply." He said with a little attitude. Starswirl widened his eyes for a moment and apologized. "Sorry if it seemed I felt indifferent about the situation. Of course, losing those fillies will be a tragedy I will hope to never see, but you must see my point." Big Mac sighed. "Yea, I understand." "We must go after them. And if we cannot stop them from continuing, we must aid them to secure victory. I must find the others and relay this information." "No need." A mare's voice said behind Starswirl. "We'll go aid them." "Hold this for us until we return." A stallion's voice added. Cozy was blown back by the force, and the wall with the window was also blown off. She flew into the wall on the opposite side of the room. Quickly getting up she regarded the crater outside where the 'shooting star' landed. "Was it an asteroid?" Cozy asked. "Or maybe my wish did come true and Tirek decided to visit with an entrance." She said with a grin. Then, the pink filly started to hear steps coming from the crater, but it wasn't big and loud steps like Tirek's, nor silent and deceitful like Chrysalis's. It sounded... like hers. Small and... cute. Cozy's eyes widened as another filly, her size, with multiple colors along her coat, stepped out of the crater. She was... "An alicorn?" Cozy asked in shock. The multicolored filly coughed when dust from the impact entered her throat. "Boy..." She began. "I really need to get used to this power." She then looked over to Cozy and glared. "Who are yo-" Cozy was cut off harshly. She was blasted by powerful light green magic and was sent through the wall into the other room. "The end to your horrible story!" The filly yelled in absolute rage. "Destiny!" Cozy burst out of the other room with a magic pulse and flew in the air, glaring back at her new friend with both anger and confusion. "Destiny? Just who are you! Being both a filly and an alicorn is my thing!" "No more games!" Destiny yelled with a wave of a hoof and charging her horn. "All that torture you inflicted will now backfire on you tenfold!" She fired a magic beam at Cozy, who fired back with a colorful red beam. The beams were even, but Cozy was acting casual, and Destiny was struggling a bit. Giving a little battle cry, Cozy pushed back the beam with a little more force, and the momentum was great enough to win the little battle. Destiny gasped and jumped out of the way of Cozy's counterattack. Since she stopped powering her beam, Cozy's attack continued where she was just standing and destroyed the ground where she once stood. "Wow, you're really making us sound cooler than usual." She said to herself in a lower tone. "Uh, thanks?" She said again, in a confused tone. Cozy raised a brow again and dropped a few feet in front of them. "Wait, that cutie mark..." She has seen it before, yes. The only trio of Cutie Marks with the same main design that she knew of. Except, this one didn't have an apple, music note, or lightning bolt feather in the middle of it. "Orange wings? Yellow hooves, and a w-white horn... it can't be..." She slowly pieced it together. "How did they even..?" "Whatever! Just focus!" Destiny said to herself louder and shot again. Cozy stooped and rolled to the right to dodge the incoming powerful beam, which hit the wall behind her since it missed and shaking the room, before gritting her teeth. "Let's see if I'm right." She said to herself through gritted teeth, before charging towards Destiny with a flap of her wings. Destiny scowled at Cozy before lighting her horn and jumping into the air with her powerful hooves, shaking the ground beneath her and cracking it. Cozy widened her eyes when she realized the other alicorn was about to come back down with the help of her wings and gravity and slam down onto her. She procured a shield around her and Destiny slammed into it, but to her shock, the shield was cracked open and Destiny came through its roof, hitting Cozy in the back and creating a crater below. "AH!" Cozy yelled as Destiny stood on top of her. "I owe you a ton of payback, Cozy Glow. You better get yourself ready for it!" Destiny screamed. "You know, I thought we never met each other at first!" Cozy responded, gritting her teeth. "But I'm sure you have plenty pent up rage, Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Straining a bit and charging magic, Cozy worked her muscles and pushed herself up a bit and blew them off of her with a burst of red magic. She aimed her horn at Destiny and fired, but the fused trio dodged by flapping their wings with ease. Destiny fluttered again, this time aiming at Cozy with her wings, and generated an airwave every flap that flew towards Cozy. The pink alicorn was too shocked to react and got hit by the wave made of air. It felt as if she was getting hit back a cart filled with goods. She was slammed against the far wall. Wasting no time, Destiny flapped her wings repeatedly, blowing four smaller air bullets at Cozy who was standing up again but too dazed by the airwave to dodge, from her left wing, right wing, then both. They hit her side in quick succession, the first hit her right side, the second hit her left and the last two got her in the chest and face. Cozy was blown away face-first backward, and bounced on the ground and flipped over so her stomach was facing the ground again, then finally landed one more time. But Destiny wasn't finished yet, she landed on some debris of the castle, closed her eyes and began to sing. La la la la la la laaaaa~ White glowing music notes outlined in black flew out of her mouth and floated around Cozy, who stood up once more. The notes rotated around her body. Cozy lifted a leg and nervously looked at the music notes before they collapsed on her and tied her forelegs to her sides, forcing her to balance herself backward and plop on her rump. The pink evil alicorn had scratches all over her body and looked beaten up. Any stranger would probably call any nearby guards and foal protection services. But anyone who knew who she was, and what she accomplished also comprehended that she doesn't deserve such a fine treatment. Destiny trotted up to her menacingly, with a frown and bored expression on her features. "These past two years have been absolute Tartarus, Cozy Glow." Cozy chuckled darkly in her restraints. "I've been to Tartarus and back. It wasn't that bad you ingrates." Destiny ignored her. "How dare you! Who do you think you are, taking away everypony's happiness with no remorse whatsoever? Then torturing those who managed to survive? Are you even a child!?" "Spur told you about my past, didn't she? I assume so, she's the one who distracted me long enough for you to escape. So you should know I'm just a cute little filly, then." "You may look cute, but you're a manipulative evil filly," Destiny said. "Because I don't see Spur anywhere around here." "I may be so, but all of this was just for power. I'm sure you know why." Destiny growled. "Was it worth it?!" She yelled in question. "Hurting anyone that defies you? Banishing Celestia and Luna to the moon, imprisoning the Elements of Harmony in Tartarus, and turning Discord to stone? Every pony under this shattered land hates your guts and wants you to leave and never return! You force other fillies your age to do slave work! Not to mention who knows what happened to Spur, your sister who you're supposed to love forever!" Cozy scoffed. "Sacrifices had to be made. I'm a great leader, but you'll never give me the chance," She said with a shake of her head, and looking down to the cracked and destroyed floor. "We gave you two years!" Destiny yelled, enraged. Cozy shook her head again. "I'm the best Empress. All I wanted was power, not to be evil." "No..." Destiny trotted closer and held up Cozy's chin so she was forced to look at her. "You're a monster." Cozy stared into those sharp golden eyes for a few moments, before turning her face into a frown and using her magic to once again blast Destiny away, destroying the musical note bindings on her. "I'm not a monster! I'm cute and lovable!" Cozy charged her horn and fired a beam at Destiny quickly, who just barely evaded the attack by jumping to the left. But as soon as she landed, Cozy channeled her magic and threw a red magical rope matching the color of her magic from the tip of her horn, grabbing Destiny's right forehoof with it. She pulled her head back, and along with it pulled Destiny as well. "You're stupid if you think I was just being lazy once I grew to power!" Cozy declared, lighting her horn again and this time a red monkey's paw emerged from it, grabbing Destiny who was still flying towards her. "With the magic I have now, why waste it on simple spells when I could grow even stronger!" She squeezed Destiny's torso in her hold and glared at her. "Every week, I took some time learning spells from the same books your precious Twilight read." Destiny yelled in the tight hold, feeling her forelegs being pressed against her sides painfully. Cozy smirked. "I'm stronger than I was when we first declared victory. I'm stronger than the Princesses. I'm stronger than Chrysalis and Tirek. And I'm stronger than you!" She cackled at the sky madly. A beam came out of nowhere from outside. "Wah!" Cozy brought up a shield, in turn, her hold on Destiny came apart and blocked the attack from the unknown person. Destiny dropped to the ground and groaned. But Cozy wasn't focused on them, her center turned to the newcomers. Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, and their young daughter, Princess Flurry Heart. She examined them for a few moments and chuckled. "I see you've managed to avoid Tirek all this time. It's nice to finally meet you." She said with a bow. "The feeling is not mutual, Cozy Glow," Shining said, sending a scowl towards the small alicorn, who rose back up. "Your reign of terror is over!" "When did I ask?!" Cozy smirked and threw three magical ropes towards her new opponents, catching Cadence and Shining but missing tiny Flurry Heart who jumped high to dodge. "You heard my dad!" Flurry Heart yelled and took to the skies, circling halfway around Cozy. "Buzz off! Monster!" "For the last time! I'm not a monster, just a pony in power!" Cozy yelled at Flurry while turning to Flurry's direction and pulling on her ropes and Cadence and Shining, slamming the two into their daughter, the three of them landing on the ground. Cozy laughed for a second before flying up and out of the room, Flurry got up and chased after her with haste, Cadence following. Shining instead went over to Destiny and help her up to her hooves, "Are you alright, Crusaders?" He asked worriedly. Destiny figured Big Mac or somepony else told Shining and the other two about her newest appearance. "Yeah! Let's go chase after Cozy Glow!" "Right behind you!" Shining said with determination. Cozy and the other two pink alicorns flew across the big hallway that led to the throne room. She descended and kept her height low to the ground through gliding. Cadence and Flurry surrounded her at her sides, matching her altitude. The mother and daughter stared at each other for a moment and nodded towards one another, lighting their horns. But Cozy noticed this and used her magic to procure some more apes hands like before, grabbing them in mid-air and forcibly throwing them through the crystal doors to the throne room. "Ah!" They both screamed, and landed on the hard floor. Cozy entered the room and immediately flew up to the ceiling, spinning once before shooting a giant beam at the two. Cadence had noticed it first and made a magical shield that braced against the powerful attack. For a moment the Princess of Love struggled against the attack, trying her most to keep up the shield against one of the most powerful attacks she's ever encountered. The shield started to crack, but Flurry stood next to her mother and helped with the defense. But it wasn't enough, Cadence knew that and before it shattered she grabbed Flurry and dove to the side, the explosion pushing them against the wall, which Cadence took on as well. "Mom!" Flurry said, getting up and checking on Cadence. "I'm fine." She said and got up with a fair bit of difficulty. Cozy cackled as Shining and Destiny entered the room. "This is the most fun I've had in ages!" She yelled with a grin, landing on the floor and spreading her wings. "Come on, I'll take all of you from your little resistance!" Destiny shook her head, one of her wings was bent in the wrong way. "And you say you aren't evil?" She scoffed. Cozy laughed again and looked around the room, preparing a monologue. "That's right! I'm just a filly who... who..." As she spoke her sentence, she noticed one of the broken pieces of the crystal doors on the floor beside her. She trailed off and stopped speaking once she regarded her reflection in it, showing a picture of a filly who had the most disgusting expression on her face. An expression of no remorse, an expression of evil. A look of a monster. She stepped back from the broken piece of crystal holding her reflection, now anything but evil-looking. Replaced by a troubled and timid appearance. "No..." She peered back up at her confused enemies, "I-I'm not..." She looked back down. That was a mistake, as Destiny took the chance to fire at her, who was too dazed to notice. When the beam hit her, she put her forehooves up to try and block some of the raw energy, but to her avail, Flurry quickly began to assist by firing a laser herself, combining her magic with Destiny's. She wasn't given any chance to charge her horn, the attack was too pressuring. Shining and Cadence looked at one another, wondering if this what right. "Don't let up!" Destiny said. "She's taken so much from us!" "No..." Cozy said weakly with a wail, "Stop!" With one quick thought of Twilight, Celestia, Luna, and the rest of the ponies, Shining and Cadence charged their horns... "No. You need to stay here and protect Flurry Heart. If we don't... If things don't work out, she's Equestria's last hope." ...and fired as well. Cozy's forehooves felt like they were burning, and soon she couldn't feel them. But still, she stood proud and straight and took on their attack, trying to push it away with her bare hooves. "..." "Papa!" You trotted into your enormous wealthy living room, with three large couches and tables accompanying them, a single bookcase, and chandeliers. You instantly spotted your pegasus papa, and ran over to him, hopping up on a couch and sitting next to him. "Hello, there my little princess. What's seems to be the trouble?" The red stallion asked through his mustache. "There's nothing wrong, I'm just happy that you're home!" You said, snuggling up to him. You've been waiting for him to return home from his job ever since he left this morning. He laid back against the couch and pulled you into a side hug with his wing, he was really warm and soft. "Sweet Celestia, I'm so tired after a long day at work!" He said, his voice even sounding tired. "It's okay, now you can relax," You responded, and offered, "Want something to drink? I'll go ask a butler!" He smiled. "You're so thoughtful, Cozy! I would love a beverage." So you went off to go get a butler to, in turn, fetch your papa a gift. Later that night, Clout Glow read Cozy Glow a bedtime story. "How did everything change... It was so perfect... Life was perfect..." You sat under the table in the dining room, hidden to everypony else, peaking through from below and watched your papa, another unicorn stallion you didn't know, and a professional-looking unicorn mare with glasses you also didn't recognize. The dark blue mare with a light grey stylish mane was using her light blue magic to hold a clipboard with a bored expression but was just staring at it next to the orange stallion. The unknown stallion smiled and said, "So? What's it gonna be? Do we have a deal? Your filly will be mine?" You gasped and looked over to your papa in shock, who had wide glowing eyes that instead of its usually calm brown were the same color as that mare's magic. "I-I can't..." Your father struggled to say in a monotone. He looked as if he was resisting something. "Five-Million." The orange stallion said. "U-uh..." "Very well then, twenty-million, and I'll even add in ten percent of the shareholdings of my largest company!" The stallion bid. "D..." You stared at your father, whimpering. "Deal..." He breathed out in a whisper. "Excellent!" The orange stallion said with delight. "Just sign here!" The mare held out some papers with her magic, and your papa didn't hesitate. He took out a wing and signed the contract with an ink and quill, legally allowing the stallion in front of him to adopt his daughter. You. "You've spent a lot of bits sir." The mare said, pushing up her glasses. "We have to make it believable. Great job, by the way." "Thank you, sir." She bowed. "Make sure you get to his other one as well." "Of course." You were too young to understand back then. Your young self ran out of under the table and yelled at your papa with tears rolling down your eyes. "How could you?!" You yelled at him. The stallion you thought would love you forever. His eyes stopped glowing, and he snapped his head towards you in shock. "C-Cozy I-" "I thought you loved me!" And that's where this memory stops. But this time something is different. This time you're older, stronger. So when you recollected these memories, you understood everything. That mare. That stallion. What they did to Spur, and what they did to you. They made you both think... Your papa was a monster... The powerful explosion shook the entire castle and half of Ponyville. The magic beam aimed at Cozy Glow destroyed the throne room. The alicorn filly stood where she took on the attack, but with bruises and marks all over her body, both her wings burnt and broken. She gave one last look at the ones who defeated her, her eyes could see nothing, just a blur as if she needed prescription glasses, and the ones who did the deed noticed that her eyes looked empty, unlike the usual colorful radiating pony eyes. Without a word, she closed her eyes and fell forward, and since half the floor was gone, she fell to the first floor of the castle from the third floor, gravity gave her landing no mercy. The crystal royals and Destiny flew down to Cozy Glow, Shining with the help of their magic. They landed next to her. The colorful, loud, and obnoxious filly was now just a shadow of her old self, laying there on the ground cold and not responding to anything. Cadence sighed. "She's unconscious." Destiny bent to the ground and groaned, holding her sides, then defused. Her body glowed gold and it separated into three figures, then when it stopped glowing the figures were now Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo once again. "Wow..." Sweetie blurted out, opening her eyes and staring at Cozy's form. "We did it!" Scootaloo stated. Apple Bloom walked up to her and just gazed down at Cozy's unmoving body. "...What now?" She asked. "We-" The wall was broken in by a giant red being by the name of Lord Tirek, who had an enraged look on his face. The Crusaders yelped and hide behind Cadence and Flurry as Shining put up a blue shield, ready for any attack. But Tirek's eyes weren't on them, it was set upon the small frail alicorn. He wasted no time, and grabbed her with his hand, before turning tail and sprinting away. The ponies left in the castle looked dumbfounded for a second. "No... no!" Scootaloo screamed. "He's getting away!" Flurry yelled and was about to beat her wings to chase, but Shining stopped her. "No, this is good. We must head back to the Crystal Caves and group up with everyone else!" He explained. "But isn't that the direction Tirek is going?" Apple Bloom asked. "There's no need to panic," Cadence said. "Think about this, if Tirek really intended to defeat us he would have stolen Cozy's magic and done so. He must be taking her somewhere for shelter. He's not a complete moron, he wouldn't charge straight into our base when his ally can possibly get hurt." "Besides, I doubt he knows we have a base there, otherwise he would have attacked us already," Sweetie said. "Exactly." "We don't have much time," Shining said, taking a few steps towards their base. "We must group up with the others if we are to win this fight." The rest nodded and they left the destroyed Friendship Castle. Tirek entered Ponyville in a gallop, sweat dripping down his head. For once in his life, he could actually admit the one thing on his mind wasn't stealing magic or defeating his foes. No, for once in his life he wasn't worried about himself. That his plan, his power, his freedom, and everything else was going to be taken away from him. This time, when he felt the ruptures from a battle taking part, and he burst open into the side of the Friendship castle, spotting Cozy Glow on the ground and the weakest he's ever seen her, his heart for the first time ever, was racing for someone's wellbeing other than himself. That's why he didn't think to fight the ponies that stood before them. He wasn't focused on their magic he could steal, Grogar's bell, or revenge against Cadence and Shining Armor for outsmarting him earlier. Instead, he tactically retreated back to the abandoned and demolished Canterlot Castle, the same way they left it after their victory those years ago. Entering the throne room of Canterlot Castle, he gently put down the wounded filly, he looked at her exactly like a father would look at his sweet little girl, worried sick with widened eyes, examining every part of her. Internally, he was surprised at himself for how he was behaving. Just not too long ago, he thought he wasn't going to betray this little one and the bug living in her new hive. Perhaps he did indeed miss them, even if he denied it so. He bent down to her broken and battered form, alone in this ghost of a castle. She was barely breathing quietly. He thought of giving her some of his magic, but magic wasn't the issue here, her physical body was. He knew there was a medical center somewhere in the castle, but he never learned to treat injuries, let alone on a little filly. "Some rest should do." He said out loud and was about to scoop her in his arms. "Wait!" Tirek looked at the ceiling, and with a shocked expression watched Chrysalis flutter down and land next to Cozy Glow. "What are you doing here?" "Saving one of the two only beings who..." She trailed off and continued to look over Cozy Glow. Tirek would have smirked, but the situation the filly was in currently made it impossible for him. The winds of the night coming through the giant hole they blasted years ago made him shiver a bit but was no trouble. However, he realized it would be trouble to the one pony in the room without her winter coat. "We must take her to a warmer room," Tirek said. "If you are truly here to help her." "Agreed." She looked over to him with a hurt frown. "And... I am. Really." Chrysalis told Tirek to grab her gently with his hands, and the two took her to the top of the castle that wasn't obliterated, Celestia's bedroom. Now laid down on the bed, Cozy was inside a cocoon Chrysalis made. "Aren't those for your... meals?" Tirek asked, feeling a little disgusted. "Normally, yes, but they also have hyper healing factors so the creature stays alive. In a changeling's case, we use them in our hives to recover." "I see." She looked at Cozy with a sad look. "The last time I've used, or seen a cocoon made to treat a changeling, or anything in that matter, was since the Canterlot Invasion five years ago." "How long will it take to heal her?" "For changelings? About half an hour, but I'm not sure how long for a pony such as Cozy Glow." Tirek sighed. "It's... been a while, hasn't it." "Yes, it has. I've... missed you both." She admitted, closing her eyes. The two were soon on the balcony of the bedroom, giving Cozy some space. They both looked outside at the wonderful scenery of Equestria under the moon and night sky. "I thought you were happy in your new hive?" Tirek asked Chrysalis, who just stared out the window. "I was! At first... Then I slowly began to realize without you and I arguing about simple things like: who ate the last of my leftovers, or: who's turn was it to dump the trash into the river. And Cozy with her attempts to get us to work together. It was... so silent in my new hive. All I had was my prisoner Starlight Glimmer and Pharynx, but every changeling I have there is just being controlled by me, like puppets that can never speak. It... got lonely pretty quickly." She explained, then chuckled to herself. "I know, pathetic, right?" "Perhaps..." Tirek started, and Chrysalis couldn't help but snarl a bit, but he continued. "But I feel the same way." He said. Chrysalis smirked. "The all-powerful Lord Tirek? Lonely?" She teased. Tirek smirked back at her. "Walking around searching for Princess Cadence and Shining Armor all around Equestria was getting pretty old, finding nothing at all most of the time." "I could see that." Chrysalis nodded. "Then when I did manage to find them, it was more annoying than anything." He breathed through his nose and looked at Chrysalis in the eyes. "They have the bell." Her eyes widened. "They what!?" She yelled. He held onto the railing of the balcony with one hand, leaning forward a bit. "Unfortunately, Dragon Lord Torch and the other dragons took their side and they managed to outsmart me. I was too confident." He gripped the railing harder because of his frustration. "Dragon Lord Torch... That explains a lot." She says with a hoof to her chin. "It may not sound... alright to say at the moment. But with Cozy in that condition, and the bell in the ponies' hooves, we are at a major disadvantage." "We still have my army of Changelings back at my hive. If I bring them here, they can search for those pests. We can find and take back the bell, and imprison those who are left that oppose us." "And then...?" Tirek asked with a raise of the brow. She looked back at him quizically. "...What?" "What do we do after we win? Do we go our separate ways once more?" Chrysalis opened her mouth to speak, promptly about to say yes, but stopped herself and contemplated for a bit. "Could there be a chance... we stick together?" He proposed. Chrysalis gagged, not to Tirek, but in general. "As friends?" "No, no." Tirek waved his hands in front of him. "Of course not. We'll call it, being companions." Chrysalis gave a warm smile. "Companions. I... I'd like that." She said, before frowning. "But what if we lose?" Tirek laughed. "And how do you suppose that happens? The only way that could even be an outcome is if we give up at this point." Chrysalis looked at Tirek and stared into his glowing eyes. "I'm serious. Listen to me, Tirek. I've lost not only once, nor twice, but three times to those icky ponies." "You have?" He asked, crossing his arms. "The Canterlot Wedding, the day I lost my hive, and... let's not talk about the last one." She explained. "My point is, there's a chance. I had Princess Celestia in a cocoon, Cadence weaker than you were in Tartarus and Shining Armor in my grasp at the wedding, and their love still defeated me. I had them all trapped in my hive with no magic, including Discord, and Starlight Glimmer managed to defeat me by merely talking to my changelings, and she nearly got me as well." "But look at us now!" Tirek said. "We're all extremely powerful, and Cozy Glow is even an alicorn that could take on the princesses now." Chrysalis looked at Tirek in a deadpanned stare. "You had all the alicorn magic in Equestria, remember? The news got to me, and somehow you still lost." She noted, making Tirek's face drop. "And I'm assuming Twilight Sparkle and the rest had to do with it?" She finished. "I-I guess so, but there's three of us now." He said, a little less confident. "We're down one member, we don't know where they are, and they have the bell." She said, silencing Tirek. "All I'm saying is that there's a chance." "Okay fine," Tirek said, crossing his arms. "Also something to take note, they don't know how to use the bell, we got rid of the book that contains the spell, remember?" "We did, but they have the legendary Starswirl the Bearded because I don't have him in my hive so unless Cozy or you dealt with him he's still out there." Tirek growled under his teeth. "Starswirl is one of the most dangerous of all of them. His knowledge could be our downfall." "So back to the question, what do we do if we lose?" The queen asked. "Well, it depends." Tirek began, leaning against the banister and looking over at the peaceful looking Cozy Glow in the green cocoon. "If we lose, we'd probably be sent to Tartarus." "Or worse," Chrysalis mentioned. "The both of you have escaped Tartarus. Twice for you." "Cerberus left his post the first time, and Discord got me out of there the second." He said with a shrug. "The fact that you, for whatever reason, escaped twice is enough to scare the Princesses," Chrysalis explained. "Because they know if you manage to escape by any means you're a threat to them. And now that includes us as well." "So I guess we'll be companions lost in time and space then," Tirek said jokingly. "But I propose a better outcome. One where if we lose, we... disappear." "What do you mean?" Chrysalis asked. "We escape, and ditch this land. Leave Equestria forever." He explained. "So we... give up?" She asked. "Well sure, why not?" Tirek said with a smile. "We left the ponies in peril for years, longer than any other evil has, including Discord and the real Grogar." "We would be legends!" Chrysalis realized. "The three of us would be in the history books as the greatest monsters that have ever existed! And lived to tell the tale!" She said excitedly. "The ones who've overtaken the princesses and caused depression across Equestria!" Tirek added. "The most powerful changeling queen that was ever conceived!" Chrysalis smirked. "The mightiest Centaur to roam the lands!" They both turned to Cozy, stupidly waiting for her to continue. They got quiet. Tirek closed his eyes. "Now we just need to wait and see if that brat agrees." He jokingly said in a quieter tone, pointing to Cozy's direction with a thumb and giving a little chuckle. "Then it's settled between you and me then," Chrysalis said with a smile. "The moment we realize it's doomed we'll make our escape. We'll ask Cozy on this matter when she wakes up. I might as well be companions with the two of you if we're going to be free outside of Tartarus." "Agreed," Tirek said. "My controlled changelings should be here in a couple of minutes," Chrysalis said. "We must find that bell!" Down below many levels, the Crusaders, Shining Armor, and the other two alicorns sneakily entered the Crystal Caverns. They wasted no time and met up with the rest of the resistance in the meeting room. Yona was the first to greet them. "Ponies back!" She said happily, grabbing the three crusaders plus Flurry Heart and pulling them close in a hug. "We missed you too." Apple Bloom said. "Yona worried." She said, a little sadder. "Ponies no disappear like Sandbar!" They patted her on the shoulder. Big Mac came up to his sister and her friends and scooped them all in a warm loving embrace. "I'm so glad you're all okay." Princess Cadence walked over to the rest of the group, consisting of Big Mac, Sugar Belle, Starswirl, Stygian, Ember, Sunburst, Yona, and Tempest. "You have returned! Excellent!" Starswirl said. "And with great news," Cadence said. "We have defeated Cozy Glow." Everyone's hearts in the room jumped. "That's..." Sunburst looked a tad disturbed but wasn't complaining. "Is she...?" "Sadly, Tirek got to her before we could do anything more," Shining said. "She's out of the fight for now at least. Unless he finds some way to heal her." "Still better than nothing," Tempest said. "We are now at an advantage. We must abuse it!" She turned to the table, where two ancient objects lie. Grogar's Bewitching bell, and Gusty the Greats magical silk. "Yes, I agree," Stygian said. "With one of them out of commission for the time being as well as the bell within our reach, we must act swiftly. "However..." Tempest started intensely. "Rusty Bucket told us that to use the silk and bell together would require a lot of strength." Big Mac snapped his head towards Tempest, no one noticed except the crusaders. He stopped the embrace and stood up, looking towards the rest of the group. "It could very well destroy any one of us who tries to use it." Cadence lit up her horn. "Very well then." "Magic won't help." Big Mac said, walking forward. "Rusty Bucket said that, did he not?" He said to everyone. "Mac?" Apple Bloom said worryingly, before trotting up to him and standing next to him in front of the table. Sugar Belle shut her eyes tight and looked away. "He said it required physical strength, not magical. Grogar might have been physically fit as well I reckon." "Alicorn's may look slim," Cadence said. "But we are as tough as some stallions." "I know." Big Mac said. "...I lost to Princess Celestia in a hoof wrestle." He explained, which made the other creatures who knew Celestia, eyes widen. He didn't say it with grief, but as matter-of-factly. Ember stepped in. "If you want to see who's stronger, we could just test it-" "Cadence is as strong as I am physically," Shining said. "And Big Mac is stronger than I am, so..." He faltered. "N-no!" Apple Bloom said, looking to everyone. "W-what if he gets hurt!" Then, Big Mac laughed. Apple Bloom looked at her older brother perplexed. "Oh have the tables have turned," He said. "Just now, I was the one worrying about y'all three." He put a hoof on his little sister's shoulder and put on a serious look, and spoke in his usual tone. "I'm doing this for Granny and Applejack, and also for the rest of the family and all of Equestria." "But-" "It's my choice." He shook his head. "I'm sorry." Her ears drooped, she closed her eyes and a couple of tears dropped. "Me too." She sobbed. "How do we know you'll survive?" Tempest asked. "We don't." He said simply, making Apple Bloom shudder more, focusing on the items he was about to wield. "But I'm your best shot." "So..." Sunburst said. "This is it then." "Yup." Big Mac took hold of the silk and carefully thread it through the bell's crown. Once it was, the bell shook and the cracks of age were repaired, and the bell looked brand new. "Are you absolutely sure Big McIntosh?" Starswirl asked. "Yes, I am." He said bravely. The old unicorn stared at him in the eyes for a while, before lamenting and saying. "Very well then," Starswirl began. "Before you put it on, we should summarize what you need to use its power for. You may only have one chance to use it." "The Princesses trapped on the moon," Shining said. "Our sisters in Tartarus." Sweetie Belle said. Big Mac remembered visiting the doors to Tartarus and seeing Chrysalis's guards. "Yona's friends in scary hive." Yona said. He had memories of venturing to that things entrance as well. "The magic inside the bell should be returned to its owners as well," Starswirl told. "Unpetrifying Discord," Sunburst mentioned. "But we don't know where his location is, I think you should only focus on those whose general location you have knowledge on," Stygian said. "Alright." "You'll be fine." Sugar Belle said, trotting up to him and pecking him on the cheek. "I know it." Big Mac sighed. This was it, the moment that the sum of nearly three years came up to. All up to this, bringing back everyone's friends and families. "Stand back every creature," Starswirl said. "This might shake the entire cave." "Shouldn't we worry about everyone being caved in?" Ember asked. "Dragons like to have their caves, but..." Starswirl nodded at Sunburst, and the unicorn lit his horn and many support beams made out of the crystals found in this cave erupted out of the ground. "And the innocents outside this room?" Cadence asked. "Evacuated with the royal guards. It's only us down here." Tempest said. Big Mac took in a big breath and exhaled, doing his best to relax. His heart was beating fast. "Everypony comes home." He sat on his haunches, and with his forehooves, took both ends of Gusty's silk. He brought them behind his next, and being an expert at it due to farm work, tied the silk together. Immediately, he felt a painful surge of power around him and he yelled while squinting his eyes. "Big Mac!" Apple cried with teary eyes and was about to sprint over to him but was stopped by Sugar Belle, who was also tearing up. The red stallion gave a manly cry and slowly rose up to the ground with a little struggle. Lighting and yellow magic surged around the bell and the silk, including his chest and neck. "Are you alright!?" Tempest asked. He groaned some more and nodded, and giving one more long cry, thinking about his sister and granny, Twilight Sparkle and the other princess, and of course those around him now who he couldn't afford to disappoint. Rising up to his full height, a misty yellow horn appeared on his head, and with a final scream, he channeled magic into his horn and a giant wave of yellow and black magic pulsed from it, expanding around him and the room and then suddenly gaining speed and escaping the room. Chrysalis and Tirek, with his arms crossed, stood on top of the highest spire of Canterlot Castle, watching and listening coldly to the giant ring of magic pulsing all the way across Canterlot as a circle, then reached the distance of Ponyville and kept going until it retreated over the horizon. Chrysalis grunted. "I guess they know how to use the bell then." "I still can't believe you don't know how to use shielding magic, it's a really powerful spell in combat!" Tirek said, speaking about their previous conversation about their strategy. "I told you I never had a need for it. Changelings aren't so... upfront." She waved a hoof. "Well be glad we had that quick lesson, you may find it handy." "If I remember to use it." Tirek chuckled and stopped crossing his arms. "Cozy's shielded, I'll sense if anything tries to disrupt her," Tirek said, magic surging between his horns. "Shall we begin?" He said with a smirk. "She'll be angry we started without her," She said, lighting her horn. "Let's." Big Mac fell to the floor, and everyone rushed over to him in worry. His neck was a darker shade of red and was smoking a little. "Stand back!" Sunburst conjured some magic and shot a gentle beam onto the large stallion, covering him in his light magic. "I can't heal him, but this spell will stop the pain and any further injuries." Apple Bloom sat next to her brother, who had his eyes shut as if he was asleep. "Cmon Mac!" She cried. "Say something! Anything!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sat next to her to comfort and support her. Big Mac murmured and groaned a little, making everypony a little more relieved. "M-Mac?" She shook him a bit. He opened his eyes a little. "Did it... Did it work?" He managed to say. Then suddenly, every pony in the room heard multiple explosions... coming from above. The room shook like it was an earthquake. "Everyone get down!" Starswirl yelled, diving to the floor. Big Mac sat there, feeling disoriented, but still felt the vibrations of the explosions. He closed his eyes, couldn't help but rest for a bit. He hoped that everyone would be alright.