//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Can't Escape on an Empty Stomach 
// Story: Tartarus Changes People 
// by Dashed 
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“So... do you think I should eat it yet?”

“I don't see the point. You gain nothing from doing so."

Ethan gave Tirek a disbelieving look. “You've never had pudding before, have you?”

“If 'pudding' is what's inside the small brown cup, then no.” Ethan felt his jaw nearly drop. After several seconds of silence he shook off his disbelieve and a look of resolve graced his features.

“New plan, we are sharing this, and since I am oh so generous, I'll let you have the first bite, Tirek,” Ethan said with a smirk, only receiving an annoyed glare in return.

“How many times must I tell you? It is Lord Tirek," said Tirek as he rubbed his forehead with his claws.

“Lord, shmord, it's all the same to me and besides, I think I've hung around you long enough to drop the title. I don't even want to know how long I've had to look at your ugly mug," Ethan responded, smirk still on full display.

“You think I enjoy looking at you? HA!" Tirek scoffed, "I don't force you up here. You could always play with your glorified drooler down by all the other creatures," he said with a dismissive wave of a claw.

“Yeah I could, buuuut while they're cool and all... they can't exactly hold a conversation like you.”

Tirek deadpanned, unamused by the human's antics. “...Be glad I find you presence amusing, otherwise you wouldn't be given the honor of talking to me."

“Oh I feel so honored speaking to someone of your stature. Tis but a shame that you seem to squander your rule on one who completely ignores it," Ethan jested with a rather silly medieval accent.

Tirek sneered in contempt, "You have no idea how easily I could force you to submit once I absorb some magic from those stupid ponies."

Ethan just rolled his eyes, “Sure, whatever you say, dude. Let's just go back to the pudding... Do you want to try some? It's really good, I've been saving it for something special as a kind of... celebration I guess, but seeing as you've never had any, I think I can make an exception,” Ethan reached behind him and brought his lunch box into his lap. Sitting cross legged on the ground in front of Tirek's cage, Ethan looked at Tirek, who was laying down about as well as one thinks a centaur stuck in a cage can.

Opening up the box, Ethan reached in and pulled out the pudding and searched for a spoon, only for his face to blanch when he realized he forgot to pack one.

'Just how forgetful was I that day? I'm surprised I haven't forgotten how to breath... yet'

“Okay, so, I forgot a spoon,” admits Ethan, “but you can just use the lid to eat your half and I'll eat mine with my fingers,” he said while wiggling his fingers in front of him with a slightly sheepish grin.

Tirek, who remembered he was dealing with an idiot, facepalmed and dragged his hand down his face. Looking at Ethan, Tirek relented, if only to shut him up, “Fine, I'll try some of this pudding you speak so fondly of.”

Ethan fist bumped the air and hissed out a, “yes,” in response. Quickly peeling off the lid, Ethan wiped the pudding off it with his finger. He then proceeded to stick his finger in his mouth to get off the dessert, causing Tirek to grimace slightly at the grossness of the act. "There is such things as manners, although I think you lost those quite some time ago," said Tirek as he looked away.

Ignoring the centaur, Ethan began folding the lid in a way to create a make-shift spoon, before handing both the make-shift spoon, and the cup of pudding to Tirek.

Taking the handed items, Tirek gave them both one last inspection before putting the spoon in the pudding and pulling out a decent sized portion. Moving the spoon closer to his face, Tirek smelled the "food" and was pleasantly surprised to receive a wondrous smell in return. Throwing caution to the wind, he put the spoon into his mouth, before suddenly becoming rigid.

Seeing this, Ethan became slightly worried for his friend and began trying to get his attention. The best way he could come up with? Slapping the bars of Tirek's cell with his hands and shaking the cage. Neither heard the protests coming from the bars, nor did Ethan realize the bars seemed to give more and more to his abuse. After several more seconds of trying to get his friend to respond, Ethan stopped when Tirek finally came to...

In the form of him quickly scooping up the majority of the pudding and eating it before going to clean out the cup. Ethan, too shocked to respond properly, could only gape as Tirek cleaned out the only cup of pudding that he had. Realizing the grave mistake he made when giving Tirek the first half, Ethan sulked, closing his eyes in the process to take deep breaths. 

'Well... at least I still have my turkey sandwich and my chips. I could care less about the water though' Ethan thought, trying to salvage the situation.

Suddenly feeling a weight lift from his lap, Ethan's eyes shot open, before widening more in shock as he witnessed the destruction of his sandwich and chips. Even his water wasn't free from the assault. Tirek finished by licking the remnants of his massacre from his claws and giving a quick belch.

“That was marvelous, simply delectable,” said Tirek while rubbing his stomach. Instead of responding, Ethan gave Tirek the stink eye for a few seconds, then smirked, getting a mischievous glint in his eyes that caused Tirek to raise a brow.

Reaching back behind him, Ethan grabbed the last container he had brought with him, thankful he had separated it from the lunch box, out from behind him. Opening the container, it revealed two pristine looking chocolate covered donuts. Now originally Ethan had planned to share one with Tirek, but with all his food taken by the centaur, and said centaur being stuck in a cage, he decided to have a little payback.

Grabbing one of the two donuts Ethan slowly brought it to his mouth, making sure Tirek's gaze was on him as he does so. Ever so slowly he began to eat the treat, throwing in some delight filled moans and even pausing at one point to confirm that Tirek was still watching. He quickly noticed that Tirek had began sulking himself due to being forced to watch as Ethan ate.

After what felt like years to Tirek, Ethan finally finished one of the donuts, giving a satisfied “ahhh” before reaching for the second one, only to pause just before reaching it.

“Oh, did you want one Tirek?” asked Ethan, making sure to keep an innocent look on his face.

“What do you think, you incessa- I mean, of course I would like one of those circle treats,” replies Tirek, catching himself halfway through his insult. Gaining a thoughtful look, Ethan decides to cut the centaur some slack, not to say he won't get anything out of this.

“Okay, I'll give you the last donut... on one condition, I get to call one favor from you, it can be anytime, anywhere, deal?”

“Yes, yes, I'll do anything you so desire within reason. Now give me that donut,” said Tirek, too busy with eyeing the donut to fully process the request.

“Shake on it, I need to know you will keep your word when the time arises,” said Ethan, making sure there were no loop holes or surprises from this, admittedly one-sided, deal.

“Fine,” sighed Tirek, reaching one of his claws between the bars of his cage, quickly watching Ethan grab his claw with his own appendage before giving it a firm shake. Releasing their hold, Ethan gave Tirek the remaining food he had, watching as the centaur devoured the poor pastry.

Once finished, silence hung thick in the air between the two unique creatures before rustling from the stairs broke the silence. Letting out a sigh, Ethan grabbed one of the bars to the cage and begins pulling himself up when suddenly the bar gave under his weight and a piece broke off causing him to fall onto his ass. Ignoring the sharp pain in his tailbone, Ethan and Tirek looked at one another disbelievingly, then smirked.

Ethan grabbed the remaining pieces of the broken bar and began pulling, hard. The bar creaked and groaned, but eventually gave in and left a sizable gap, almost large enough for the human to slip through. Grabbing another bar directly to the right, Ethan repeated the process, the same thing occurring. Doing so once more left a gap big enough for the centaur to squeeze through.

Tirek took his first steps out of his cage, stumbling slightly before composing himself and standing at his full height, barely over taking the human. Speaking of the human... Tirek looked at Ethan.

“And here I thought you were taller," said Tirek with a smirk.

Ethan deadpanned and slowly shook his head while cracking a smile.

“It's not my fault I was born 5'10 instead of 6'5.”

Stretching out, Tirek took his time walking towards the stairs. Looking down, he observed the, now many, creatures with them and Cerberus. Pondering what to do, he looked back at Ethan, who had began to step up beside him. While thinking, Tirek's gaze wandered to the large doors that kept all the creatures in Tartarus.

“Have you tried to open those doors yet?” asked Tirek, looking at Ethan with a raised brow.

“Not yet, I spent most of my time so far with you or Cerberus. Figured I'd get to it eventually,” said Ethan while rubbing the back of his neck. Rubbing his chin in thought, Tirek started walking down the stairs to where Cerberus lay. Ethan, realizing Tirek wasn't waiting, picked up the pace to walk side by side with Tirek, who rolled his eyes in response.

“Must you always follow me?” The centaur asked with a sigh.

Ethan shrugged his shoulders, “Well you're the most entertaining thing in this place, without you I'd probably have died of boredom already.”

“I don't care what you think, but since you're so insistent on being near me, I want you to do something,” said Tirek, hiding none of his charming personality.

“Okay? Gives me something to do anyways I suppose,” replied Ethan before he rushed ahead to beat Tirek to a sleeping Cerberus, who awoke at the sound of something approaching.

Seeing that Ethan was coming closer, Cerberus's tail began to wag and he exposed his stomach, hoping for some belly rubs.

Obliging the dog, Ethan gave Cerberus belly rubs until Tirek passed, continuing his voyage to wherever it is recently freed centaurs go. Not wanting to be left behind, again, Ethan stopped rubbing Cerberus's belly and walked towards Tirek, in turn Cerberus followed Ethan until eventually all three made it to the large doors that marked the entrance and exit to Tartarus.

“You broke those bars fairly easily... I tried for years to break them myself but was never able to, for that you have my gratitude, but I still think you're hard to look at,” said Tirek, causing Ethan to smile yet again.

“Well I could say you owe me, but I see you as a friend at this point so see it as a friendly gesture.”

Tirek mulled the word “friend” in his head for a few seconds, before nodding his head.

“Very well, but it will take much more than that for me to call you anything close to a 'friend'. Now try to open these doors; I have a theory and you're the perfect and only test subject for it,” replied Tirek while distractedly thinking on the recent events since this 'human' showed up. Ethan looked up at the massive set of doors and whistled.

“You actually think I'm going to be able to open these door?” asked Ethan, skepticism clear in his voice as he shot a look over to his companion.

“These doors are powered and opened by magic, and without the right magic, will never open. I think you were capable of breaking my bars because you are able to block magic. You said your world doesn't have magic, yes?” At Ethan's nod Tirek stepped aside to allow Ethan to come closer to the doors and give an attempt at opening them.

Deciding to humor the centaur, Ethan placed one hand on each door and gave a small push.

“Even if I can apparently 'block magic' these doors must weigh a ton when... they are... this... big?”

As Ethan was saying this, the supposedly 'heavy doors' opened with relative ease causing Ethan's jaw to drop while he looked at his hands in a whole different light. Tirek only smirked and began stepping outside when he and Ethan were suddenly pushed to the side by a massive black mutt making it's presence known by rushing outside. Cerberus, who was seeing the outside for the first time in a very very long time, began to run wild while Ethan and Tirek recuperated, eventually Cerberus made his way back towards the duo as they closed the gates to Tartarus again. A large locking sound radiating from inside the doors once they were fully shut.

“Huh, I figured it would be a lot harder to get out of there...” said Ethan with mild shock as the realization that he could easily have left ages ago set in. Not wanting to brood over time lost, he shook his head rapidly and looked at Tirek, who had been silent thus far.

“Hey Tirek, what do you plan on doing now that you're free?” asked Ethan. At first nothing changed, but after a few moments Tirek's claws slowly formed fists.

“I'm going to take revenge on those stupid ponies for what they did to me, but for now we must bide our time,” replied Tirek in a menacing tone, which almost sent a chill down Ethan's spine had he not been used to Tirek's darker side already. After hearing the centaur go on and on about ponies of all things, a person tends to get used to it.

'I'll let him have his fun for now, Lord knows I'd be pretty pissed in his situation too.' Ethan thought.

“Why wait though? I thought you wanted revenge as soon as possible?” asked Ethan, slightly confused.

“The best revenge takes time, and I am pitifully weak. Until I have the strength to use my magic we will have to wait.”  Ethan nodded his head in understanding before deciding to give a little warning.

“Well that's all fine and dandy, but try not to kill anyone, I'd rather not be seen as a criminal in this weird world,” Ethan admonishes while giving Tirek a stern look.

'If all else fails, I always have my last resort. I'll probably end up using it on something stupid though.'

“Oh don't worry, I can promise you, no one will be killed. A dead pony can't be farmed for magic anyways,” replied Tirek, who already began walking to find a location to lay low for a while. Ethan shook his head slightly before following, hearing and feeling the steps of Cerberus chasing after them.

“Hey you wouldn't happen to have a bone Cerberus can use, would you?” asked Ethan. After several minutes of silence he deflated a little at the lack of response.

'I'll take that as a no...'