//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Work and Lunches // Story: The Evil Bunch // by Puzzling Frost //------------------------------// The day was dragging on slowly. Tirek, Cozy, and Chrysalis found themselves growing more and more annoyed. Seemed Celestia or Twilight or whoever was controlling the sun was still miffed about the event many have called, “Grogar’s return/Friendship gets rekt.”, as the heat seemed to continue to grow with each passing minute. The foundation of the new lair was finished, and now came the framework. “Okay, I may be no architect, but these schematics don’t make sense!” Cozy groaned as she stared at the assorted blueprints for the thirteenth time. “UGH! Why couldn’t we just stay in the old place?!” Cozy growled. “Ask Grogar. He’s the one who made us carry all these items and supplies from the old lair to here.” Tirek said hammering a nail into a wood beam. “Why did he pick this place though?” Cozy asked she flew up looking around. They were mostly surrounded by green hills, few trees, and a large river stream. “It kinda feels out in the open.” “It appears the real Grogar doesn’t care for secrecy or being hidden, given how he displayed the massive power gap between him and the ponies,” Chrysalis said as she sawed some wooden boards. “A far cry different from how Discord portrayed him.” She snarked. “Heh, did you see his face when Grogar showed up? He was so terrified!” Cozy giggled as she brought over more supplies. Tirek and Chrysalis chuckled at that. “Shows him! Pompous upstart thinking he was so high and mighty! Serves him right for all the trouble he put us through.” The queen laughed. She looked to her pile beams and groaned. “Ugh, though it seems he wasn’t that far off for how the real Grogar acts, That ram wants to work us to death!” She huffed. “Oh quit your bickering Chrysalis. At least you’re not back in the woods all by yourself with your logs.” Tirek laughed. Chrysalis growled and lit her horn, subtly moving the centaur's thumb in the way of the hammer. *poink* “YEOH!” Tirek shouted, pulling his hand away. His thumb looked redder than usual. “How dare you!” He yelled as the queen whistles innocently. Aiming his hammer he tossed it toward the support legs of the queens cutting board causing it to collapse. “Really?! I was in the middle of cutting wood, you buffoon! I nearly sawed off my leg!” Chrysalis hissed. Tirek laughed at her plight. Chrysalis roared in anger and leaped at Tirek knocking him over. “You dare?! I am a queen! You no good buffoon!” She hissed as she began to snap at him. Tirek, using his four legs pushed the queen off him, sending her flying toward a stack of boxes. The queen hissed before transforming into a bear. Using her new form’s strength she lifted the box over her head and threw toward the centaur. Tirek dived out of the way as the box crashed down and exploded into pieces, spilling out several bags of cement across the ground. “Ha, you’ll have to do better than that!” Tirek grinned, before receiving a wood beam to the face. “Thank you, dear, may I have another?” Tirek groaned, he shook his head and grit his teeth. The two yelled and charged toward each other. Their angry fighting resulted in a dust cloud of limbs and debris flying everywhere. Much to Cozy’s annoyance and slight amusement. However, before she could intervene a voice interrupted. “I leave for twenty minutes and you are already at each other's throats?!” Grogar snapped as he trotted toward them, his voice echoing across the small construction site. Tirek and Chrysalis freeze as the ram approaches. Tirek with a hammer in one hand while trying to pry off Chrysalis who was preparing to bite his other arm. “Uh...I can explain.” The two said at the same time, the ram lowered his eyebrows in annoyance as he pulled the two apart with his magic. “I need to keep you fools on a tighter leash.” Grogar groaned as he sat the two in front of him. Meanwhile Cozy began to fix their mess. “I need both of you to get along, starting now!!” Grogar said stomping his hoof. “Well, we would be if someone wasn’t so petty!” Tirek snarked. “Petty!? Says the one who allowed that draconequus to get under his skin and allow our prisoners to escape!” Chrysalis hissed back as the two glared at one another. “Okay enough of this.” Grogar huffed as he lifted the two and banged their heads together. “Gah/Ow!” The two groaned as their heads spun from the impact. “Now if you two are done bickering like children, get back to work! The longer this takes the longer we all go without a roof over our heads!” Grogar shouted as he dropped the two. “Ugh, and who’s fault is that?” Chrysalis rebuttal as she dusted herself off. “Why did you ever wish to move in the first place?!” Chrysalis asked as she stared down the ram. “I wanted a new change of pace, and I didn’t want to live in a swamp.” Grogar deadpanned. “Oh please, what’s the real reason? You’re hiding something.” Tirek accused. Grogar rolled his eyes as he went back to camp. “Remember who’s in charge here fool, now I am going to go finish making lunch, and if the support structure isn’t done by the time I get back then you two can forget about me serving you food and you’ll also spend the first week sleeping outside the lair!” Grogar yelled stomping off. The two muttered curses under their breath and returned to work. “About time! I don’t wanna pick up your guy's slack!” Cozy yelled from above as she was already putting together the mainframe for the front wall. “Quiet you welp! You’d be annoyed too if you had been reverted back to your weaker form! Oh, wait, you don’t know because that ram felt pity for you!” Chrysalis hissed. Cozy rolled her eyes and continued working. “Honestly, why did he decide to move locations? It's not as if the old lair wasn’t too bad. We may have caused a bit of damage here and there, but it wasn’t in shambles.” Tirek asked lifting more wood from the boxes. “Perhaps he did want a change of scenery?” Cozy guessed as she hammered some nails. “Please, that old fool is up to something. I don’t know what, but there’s more going on than he’s letting on.” Chrysalis accused as she secured the beams into the ground. The three continued working for another three hours. “Alright! Lunch is ready!” Grogar yelled from across the hill. The three sighed in delight as they dropped their tools and ran over to the camp. None of them would admit it but, the building process had taken more out of them then they thought. When they arrived they saw that Grogar had at least been pulling his weight. A decent campsite was set up with a small unlit campfire, makeshift outdoor kitchen, a large enough table for the four of them, and four tents for all of them. Chrysalis narrowed her eyes at the tents, most notably the large blue one. “Let me guess the big one’s yours?” She said Grogar chuckled as he approached, carrying food with his magic. “Only the best for the best after all.” Grogar laughed much to the annoyance of the three of them. “Now, here you are. I take it the lack of explosions or yelling for the past few hours means you’ve gotten some work done?” He asked setting the covered plates in front of each of them. “Yes, sir mister Grogar! We’ve been working very hard today!” Cozy said, doing her best to warm up to the ram. “Don’t patronize me filly,” Grogar said, making Cozy drop her act as the four sat down. Tirek sitting closest to Grogar. Tirek eyed the Bewitching Bell hanging from his neck. “Don’t try it,” Grogar stated plainly. Tirek jerked as the ram seemed to read his mind and turned his attention to the plates. “Ahem, so what did you make for us?” Tirek asked trying to change the subject, Grogar grinned. “Well for you, I’ve prepared a...” He began as he lifted the cover, “...corn on the cob with butter, along with biscuits, three small cheese sandwiches and a glass of water.” Grogar turned to Cozy. “And for you, I’ve made a hayburger with fries, ketchup, mustard, and a soda.” The two were surprised by the old ram’s display of cookery. Grogar then turned to Chrysalis who cut him off before he could speak. “Yes, yes good show and all that. But if you forget I am a Changeling. A REAL changeling not those traitors under that pony loving grub.” Chrysalis hissed. “While I may be able to consume regular food, I require Love to sustain myself, and unless there’s a pony under here, then I highly doubt whatever you’ve made can satisfy me.” The former queen groaned. Grogar simply smiled at her. “Oh believe me Chrysalis I didn’t forget about your needs. I prepared this just for you.” Grogar said as he lifted the cover to reveal an assortment of strange green glowing gems. “Uh, you know she’s not a dragon right?” Cozy said already eating her fries. But to her surprise, Chrysalis’s eyes widened as she stared at the plate before her. “It can’t be, there’s love radiating from this! How in the world did you do this?!” She said as her mouth began to water. Grogar smirked with confidence. “Please, as the Father of Monsters I am well versed in all manner of creatures and their diets. I might have not created your species but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t able to study your people’s abilities and unique nature.” Grogar grinned. “What sits before you is a creation of my design. These crystals are similar to that of the crystal heart. Capable of containing, growing, and releasing love energy. All you need to do is either suck up the energy normally or if you are in desperate need of energy you can consume them like rock candy.” Grogar stated. However, when he looked up he saw the changeling not paying him any mind as she devoured every crystal, much to the amusement of her companions. “I think she likes it.” Tirek laughed. Chrysalis stopped midway through her meal and looked up. Her ears dripped in embarrassment quickly eating crystals stuffed in her mouth. “Oh har har. You would do the same if you felt as hungry as I did every day.” Chrysalis hissed returning to her cold attitude. “No need to thank me,” Grogar smirked, Chrysalis huffed and went back to eating. Grogar rolled his eyes and lifted his cover, revealing a plain peanut butter and jelly sandwich with milk and apple. The three stared at him in confusion. “Huh,” Cozy said drawing the ram’s attention. “What?” Grogar asked as he cut his apple into slices. “Nothing, I just thought that you would be eating something a little more, I dunno refined?” Cozy said raising an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with PB&J?” Grogar asked as he ate one of the apple slices. “Nothing, I just thought the former ‘Emperor of Equestria’ and the ‘Father of Monsters’ would eat something a little more different? Like one of those fancy dishes in Canterlot?” Cozy said shrugging. Grogar rolled his eyes at the foal. “Child, just because one has such a high status, doesn’t mean they can’t eat ordinary food,” Grogar said simply, taking a bite out of his sandwich. “True, though I’m with filly here. Except I thought you were going to eat something more carnivorous.” Tirek stated. “Like what?” Grogar asked, taking a sip of his milk. “Um, a cooked hydra-head or deep-fried cockatrice?” Tirek said shocking the old ram making him choke on his milk. “Why would you give that idea?! I’m a ram for Faust’s sake.” Grogar coughed before composing himself. “My diet is strictly vegetarian. I can’t eat meat, and even if I could I doubt I’d like it.” The four resumed their meal and sat quietly as the summer breeze passed through the air. “So why did you want to move and make a new lair?” Cozy asked, breaking the silence. Grogar raised an eyebrow. “I mean, the one we had was good enough, and it was well hidden.” Cozy pointed out. Tirek and Chrysalis looked between the two waiting for a response. “Well, while it is true the old lair was structurally sound, it wasn’t exactly so secretive anymore,” Grogar said wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Thanks to that idiot Discord and the three of you it’s been swarmed with guards since we left. No doubt he blabbed to the princesses of his failed plans and your betrayal. They, along with most if not all of the most powerful heroes in Equestria now knew where my home was.” Grogar said annoyed. The mean three sweatdropped at this. “But this place isn’t exactly so secretive either,” Cozy said, motioning to the large empty green hills and fields. “We’re out in the open. They could attack us at any moment!” She said worriedly. “Fear not little one. My deal with Celestia still stands.” Grogar said, he stood up and trotted toward the outdoor kitchen with his plate in tow. “I ensured that we would remain undisturbed while she still reigns. I bound us together in a magic contract to show I was serious.” He said as he cleaned dishes. “But Celestia isn’t going to be ruling much longer, Twilight Sparkle will become the ruler of Equestria,” Chrysalis said finishing her meal. “What’s to stop her and her ‘friends’ from storming over here and locking us all in the dungeon?” “Do you have brain damage from or something? Or did you forget how I single hoofedly defeated her and her friends.” Grogar said as he levitated the queen’s plate over to him. Her eyes twitched in annoyance. “No, how could we forget? It was both terrifying and satisfying to watch.” Tirek said as he continued to eat. “That mare finally got her just comeuppance, finally seeing what it’s like to be on the wrong side of an instant win magic spell,” Tirek said teleporting his plate to the ram. “However, given how paranoid she could be, I highly doubt she would let us run around freely.” “An astute point Tirek, which is why I need this lair built asap,” Grogar said. “While you three finish construction I will ensure no one can just walk in and attack us in our sleep.” Grogar grinned. “As for your other question, I chose this area specifically because of where it’s located,” Grogar said, the three tilted their heads in confusion. “Have none of you bothered to look past the forest surrounding this meadow? Two of you can fly, just go up high and look around!” Grogar sighed. Cozy decided to follow the ram’s advice and took to the air. Flying higher and higher she finally saw what Grogar meant. She gasped and flew back down. “You put us right between Ponyville and Canterlot?!” Cozy proclaimed, Tirek and Chrysalis looked to the ram in shock. “Why?!” “To mess with them.” Grogar grinned. “Just imagine it, every time they look out their window, there we’ll be just a few miles from them. With nothing but a forest between us. Besides, from what I’ve heard everything crazy and hilarious happens with them.” Grogar laughed maniacally, Cozy returned to the ground and looked at the ram in terror. “You’re nuts!” She yelled Grogar shrugged. “Not nuts, just bored. I need some source of entertainment around here and with you, three under my care, that paranoid princess and her friends will bring the entertainment to me!” Grogar laughed. “That and I can make sure to keep them in my sights at all times.” He said, taking Cozy’s plate. “Now go! Lunch’s over, get back to work!” Grogar shouted. The three villains sighed at the ram’s antics. One by one the three went back to the site. Cozy gave the ram one last look before leaving. Once the three were gone Grogar chuckled to himself. “All the pieces are falling into place, now all I need to do is watch. ” Grogar grinned.