//------------------------------// // Chapter 3-5: Reunion // Story: The Social Rejects Squad: Loose Ends // by Betty_Starlight //------------------------------// Cozy trotted into the darkened room with the ruined bed on the right and just beyond it, an earth filly on the left with a unicorn filly to the right as she stared at the imprisoned centaur there inside the blue bubble and trotted past the two other fillies. Tirek stares down at Cozy Glow and narrows his eyes, “Oh, you’re back!” as Crystal slowly trots to Cozy’s back left, opposite to Little. “Yup!” Cozy says while smiling and continuing to trot to the centaur, “And, I know how you can get out of here and not be turned back to stone!” She tilts her head to the left and stops trotting, “Doesn’t that sound swell?” Tirek frowns, “Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?” Cozy corrects her head and stops trotting before looking up at Tirek as she says, “Probably because you won’t?” while squinting her left eye. She normalizes her eyes, “Tell me more about Scorpan, Tirek! Why don’t you two like each other anymore?” Tirek widens his eyes, “What about my worthless brother?” Cozy scratches the back of her head with her right forehoof, “Uh, yeah! They weren’t very clear on this in class?” She lowers her hoof, “At least, not while I was there… What happened?" She tilts her head left again, "Why don’t you like him anymore?” Tirek sighs, “Well, we came to Equestria to explore! We met the ponies who lived there, and I made the obvious choice, take all of their power for myself!” He stares up with his eyes, “Oh, all of that delicious power the ponies of that age had!” He stares down at Cozy harshly, “But Scorpan had other ideas! He actually met the ponies face to face and made…” he shudders, “friends with them!” “Well, golly right!” Cozy says before nodding her head, “But you didn’t wanna do that, huh?” “Ponies are only good for their power!” Tirek flicks his right claw in the air, “Beyond that, I have no use for them!” he lowers his claw. “Well, golly gee! You sure are powerful now! You know, maybe you shouldn’t have upset them so much?” “That’s not the point Cozy and if you’re going to mock me, I have nothing more to say to you!” Tirek says before turning his body to the wall behind him. Cozy turns back to her two friends and takes a few paces their direction before whispering, “Okay, so uh, how do we get him to talk to his brother?” Little Snack turns her body to Cozy and says, “Well, we got Discord? We could just have him teleport Scorpan to us and do it that way?” Cozy looks at Little on her right, “I don’t think Scorpan is gonna like being teleported against his will?” Starshine chimes in from the other side while her body shakes slightly, “It’s about his long-lost brother, Tirek? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind?” Cozy looks at Starshine, “That’s a good point!” Starshine frowns, “Yeah, but what if Tirek instantly goes nuts and starts yelling at Scorpan?” Little looks at Starshine, “Well uh, maybe Discord can gag Tirek?” Tirek suddenly shouts from behind Cozy, “I can hear you and I don’t wish to be gagged!” Cozy turns to Tirek, “Tirek, you’re not really in any position to be making requests! Now kindly shut up while we talk about what to do with you!” Cozy turns back to her friends and makes a “HMPH!” noise with her mouth. Starshine looks at Little, “Gag him? Uh, why?” “Well, he can’t yell at Scorpan that way?” Little says to Starshine while her pigtails vibrate slightly. Suddenly, a smile forms on Starshine’s face. She turns her head to Tirek and begins trotting forward to the centaur, past Cozy’s right side, looks up at him, and says, “Uh, Mr. Tirek!” as the other two fillies face the centaur. Tirek looks down at her and grumpily stammers out in his hoarse voice, “What is it foal?” Starshine smiles as she looks up with sky-blue eyes and says, “Hi! I’m Starshine! Remember? Uh, we were gonna bring Scorpan in here so you can talk to him. Now, we won’t gag you if you promise to behave and not scream at him! Whaddaya say?” before leaning forward with an even bigger smile on her face. Tirek lowers his face as he says, “I’d say that I’d sooner die than make up with my brother!” Cozy stares at the centaur with her body facing him, “Uh, is that an option? Can we kill him?” Starshine turns back to Cozy and snaps, “NO!” Cozy looks down at her, “Oh uh, thanks! Right! No killing!” Before looking back at Tirek and saying, “Okay, look Tirek! You’re our prisoner now! Well…” She stares up before back at him, “Yeah! So, the first thing you need to understand is that you cannot request or demand anything!” She sighs, “Next, we will be bringing in Scorpan soon and you need to talk to him…” “I will do no such thing!” Tirek bellows as he lowers his head menacingly again. “QUIET!” Cozy screams, “Now, you need to understand that you don’t really have a choice here! Now talk to your brother!” “And if I refuse?” The centaur snidely replies while haughtily raising his chin. “You know, you’re trapped in there…” Cozy smiles, “We can pretty much do whatever we want to you now!” Tirek’s eyes widen as suddenly, memories of what happened 12 years ago in Tartarus flood his mind. He throws his arms to the sides, “Alright! Alright! I’ll talk to my worthless brother!” Cozy nods and exclaims, “Good!” before looking up with her brown eyes and saying at the same high volume, “Uh, Discord! I know you’re here! We’re ready now! Go ahead and bring in Scorpan!” and then fluttering her wings in triumph. Discord suddenly appears in the air on Cozy’s right while wearing a pale blue turban with a red jewel in the golden decorative center and a darker blue plume. He bows while putting his lion paw below, bent under his body, “Your wish is my command!” before vanishing in a blue cloud of smoke… Suddenly, all fillies and centaur hear a loud angry voice bellow, “TIREK!!!!” before the front door is taken off its hinges by two blue claws on either side and is soon thrown behind the blue centaur now standing at the doorstep. He turns back to the house after throwing the door and they can all see, he is 8 feet tall, has green eyes, large horns on the side of his head that curve to face forward, and bulging muscles, biceps, traps, pecs, and abs on a light blue upper body that is lightly covered with hair while his horse half below is a dark brown color. He trots in and says from his clean-shaven mouth underneath his dark brown, dreadlocked, and beaded hair, “I am Scorpan!” before pointing to the imprisoned centaur with his right claw and saying, “It has been some time, dear brother!” Tirek looks at this centaur and narrows his eyes, “Not long enough, I’m afraid!” He looks to Tirek with fierceness ignited in his eyes as he takes a few paces forward and Little jumps to the right, while Cozy flitters and Starshine scrambles to the left, “I don’t wish to fight you brother! Not that you could put up much of a struggle, as you are now…” Tirek frowns, “And just what business is that of yours?” “Tirek, listen to me… Taking power that isn’t yours gets you nowhere… Look at me! I could level this village and my power is all mine!” Scorpan says while flexing both of his biceps. Tirek snidely replies, “A village? Oh wow! I could’ve taken out this whole miserable country, once upon a time!” Scorpan lowers his arms and smirks, “Oh so, did you? Tell me Tirek! Where is all of that power now?” “That’s not the point…” “Yes, it is, Tirek!” Scorpan cuts off his brother while throwing his right arm out and swinging it to his side. He lowers it, “The point is, you were always defeated! And it wasn’t just in Equestria, was it?” He points to Tirek with his right claw, “Remember Griffonstone? Do you recall what happened in the Dragon Lands? Perhaps at that changeling hive you once attacked, far to the east?”* Tirek narrows his eyes and composes himself to calmly say, “You don’t understand Scorpan! One! Just one victory and I could’ve slowly taken over all of Equus as they wouldn’t be able to stop me by that point!” He lowers his arm and asks, “Oh, so how did that work out for you?” while tilting his head to the right. He straightens it, “Just one, right? How many times have you tried?” Tirek throws his arms in the air, “You said you didn’t wish to mock me, but now you do! Is this how friends keep their promises?” Scorpan sneeringly replies, “I wish for you to see why you’re wrong!” Tirek shudders, “So, what do you want from me Scorpan?” Scorpan smiles and says, “I wish to be your friend again, dear brother… I wish to teach you how to cultivate your own power so you can grow yourself and be happy!” before flexing his impressive biceps again. Tirek narrows his eyes, “And why would you care about me?” He looks up wistfully, “Ugh! Why are we even talking? Friendship is toxic!” A filly on Scorpan’s left trots forward, “Well, golly gee! Why not just give it a try Tirek?” Tirek turns his head to Cozy, “I will not! I shall be turned back to stone and none of you are to ever bother me again!” Cozy frowns, “Didn’t I already say, no requests?” She looks up, “Was sure I did?” “Brother! Surely, you see this is madness!” Scorpan says while swinging his right arm from his front to his side again. He lowers it, “Why not give our way a chance? If you don’t like it, I can contact Discord and he’ll turn you back to stone personally!” Tirek frowns, “I don’t really have a choice in the matter, do I?” Cozy leans forward with wide auburn eyes, “Welcome to my world, ugly!” She turns her head to Scorpan on her right, “What do you want to do now, Scorpan?” Scorpan turns his head to the pegasus, “I’m not sure? We need to convince him to come with me, back to the Centaur-Lands…” Suddenly, a familiar draconequus appears rooting in the air on the right side of the room, “Gary! Gary! Gary!” Discord bends his neck down to Cozy and Scorpan, “You know, I’ve seen better episodes of Gary Blinger! You should’ve seen that one earlier, where the audience faced off against the Pegasi Knights of Purity! That one was WAAAAYYYYY better!” he says while flicking his eagle claw down. “Ugh!” Tirek says while cringing. He normalizes his face to the other centaur and filly, “Why are we doing this? What is the point?” Scorpan lowers his face slightly as he narrows his green slitted eyes and says, “I already told you dear brother…. I’m offering you friendship! I can also offer you food and shelter as you get better and learn a new way…” Tirek smirks, “And, if I refuse?” Scorpan raises his head and says seriously, “Then, it appears we are at an impasse!” Tirek smiles, “Yes, and you don’t have anything I want…” Scorpan smiles, “So, tell me Tirek! How have you been all of these years? I know not what became of you after the changeling incident…” Tirek frowns, “Well, I tried to take over Equestria… I almost succeeded too! But those ponies used some sort of magic and defeated me!” “Of course, dear brother! Didn’t I already tell you that that’s not the way?” “I was really close!” Scorpan sighs, “That’s not the point!” “Well golly gee, you know, close only counts in horseshoes, right?” Discord finishes up his popcorn from the red and white paper container in his eagle claw by quickly munching it all up as his snaggle tooth goes up and down before casually tossing it behind him, “Okay, I’m getting bored!” “Worry not draconequus!” Scorpan bellows while facing Discord with his head. He turns it to Tirek and smiles his serrated grin, “Tirek! I’ve known you since we were fledglings… I know you are very stubborn… All I ask is that you trust me!” He tilts his head slightly to the right, “Surely part of you missed me?” Tirek narrows his eyes, “You were my oldest and best friend and yet, you betrayed me!” Scorpan sighs as he straightens his head, “I am sorry, dear brother… I did not wish you to harm the ponies and so I warned them of your approach…” “Yes! And that was the first time I was imprisoned in Tartarus!” Scorpan lowers his head slightly, “But it wasn’t the last, was it?” Tirek sighs, “No… No, it wasn’t…” Scorpan raises his head and stares intensely at the other centaur, “So, the question remains… How many times is enough Tirek?” Tirek rolls his eyes, “Oh yes! This ‘better way’ I keep hearing about!” Scorpan smiles again, “Tirek, you are nowhere near as formidable as you once were…” Tirek frowns, “Yes, because of these infernal ponies!” “You really can’t stop me…” Tirek sighs, “No, not as I am now…” Scorpan nods, “Good! You will accompany me to the Centaur-Lands for rehabilitation!” “Uh, question!” Cozy says while raising her right wing for attention, “Shouldn’t he actually want to be reformed? I mean golly! Is it really right to force him like this?” Starshine interjects from the left of Cozy, “Well, remember when you were a prisoner? They certainly forced you in the beginning!” Cozy moves her head to face Starshine, “Well, I know that, but uh…” She cringes before composing herself, “Golly gee! We don’t really have a choice here, huh?” Scorpan turns his head left to Cozy, nods, and smiles, “Don’t worry foal! This has been going on since long before you were born. Tirek is stubborn, but I know how to reach him…” Cozy looks to the mighty blue centaur and gauges him with her eyes… She knows that regardless, she and her friends cannot stop him and considering this gets Tirek out of Equestria, this also means that Discord must accept that as a victory for her. She turns her head further to the left to face the old decrepit centaur, still trapped inside the bubble and thinks before raising her head and speaking, “You know, with a few exceptions, you’ve been a weak old centaur all this time.” She looks to Scorpan further to the right at her flank, “But Scorpan here looks pretty built!” She lowers her head and furrows her brow, “Golly!” her eyes open, “I guess there’s more power doing it the right way, huh? Scorpan says, “That is correct foal!” Suddenly, the unusual shape of Discord appears in front of Cozy and she can barely move her face to see him before she’s taken aback while he shakes her right forehoof with his lion paw while saying, “Congratulations, Cozy Glow! You know, I could’ve went to anypony in Equestria, but I knew you were the right one for the job!” Cozy narrows her eyes before saying, “I’m the only pony with any connection to these two, dickhead!” Suddenly, there’s a bright flash of light and Cozy finds herself at a picnic table in the park. She looks up with her eyes to see a red and white party hat on her head with a little red poof at the top. She looks down to see a plate with chocolate cake on it and a glass of red juice on the upper right side. She sees Little Snack on her left with a startled look in her eyes before she happily screams, “YAY!!!!” while throwing her forehooves over her head in celebration as her pigtails flow behind her. She turns her head to the right and also witnesses Starshine there, sitting with a green and white party hat on her head that’s like her own and with a somewhat glazed over and confused look in her blue eyes. Starshine stammers, “Uh, what just happened?” Then, she stares forward to Discord’s serpentine body as he stares down at her with his yellow and red eyes with an exuberant smile on snaggle-toothed face from the other side of the table. At that point, Cozy could only sigh as she stared at this obstinate draconequus… She squinted momentarily at him before widening her eyes, looking down at her cake, and grasping her Styrofoam plate with her forehooves to bring it to her face and devour the morsel… For at that moment, she knew that come what may, at least she didn’t have to face it alone and she also knew that there would always be problems in Equestria… But maybe, that was okay too… <*****> After a few more days of frivolity with her two best friends, little Cozy Glow finally returns to the School of Friendship. By this point, it’s an entirely new class and nocreature recognizes her. Little Snack is able to transfer to the school with little problems through Trixie, to which she replied, “Hooray! I get to be with my friends now!” One day, after class, Cozy trots into the cottage at a slow pace as she’s tired from the day’s activities. She goes to her room and sees her bed with her beloved plush toys on it on the far wall to the left with her desk directly in front of the door and set against the adjacent wall. She trots in and shuts the door with her right forehoof before throwing the heavy brown leather bag onto the floor with her right wing and trotting to her desk to see two letters there, waiting for her. She lifts her right eyebrow, “Oh golly! I never get mail! Who could those be from?” She trots over and sits down to pick up the first with her forehooves. She sees it’s from Tirek, in an address somewhere in the Centaur-Lands that she doesn’t recognize. She tears it open with her mouth before placing it on her desk before her with her teeth… It says: Dear, Cozy Glow It has been a long time since I was with Scorpan and he’s different now. I confess that, I myself have also changed. My time in stone made me think about a lot of things and after spending some time locked in my room and trapped, I finally talked to him… He’s surprisingly nice, considering how stubborn I was earlier! You’ll be happy to know that I’ve reluctantly agreed to give “friendship” a try once more… If this works out, I’ll be thanking you! If not, you’ll never hear from me again! Sincerely, Tirek Cozy raises her head to face the wall before sighing, “You know, either circumstance is fine with me!” She shakes her head before moving the letter and open envelope further towards the wall to reveal the other letter. She looks down and it says, ‘To the brat’ on it. She scrunches her mouth before saying, “Guess mom figured it was for me?” She opens this letter by holding it down with her left forehoof and tearing it open with her mouth and then using her mandibles to bring the letter outside the envelope and to the right side of her desk and she sees that it’s from Discord! She raises her eyebrows before looking down at it, Dear, Coziest of the Glows Once again, I must say, congratulations! I knew that with my help and guidance, you could do so much better than just a couple of new friends and I succeeded by getting you to reform not only Chrysalis, but now Tirek as well! I can tell that thanks to me, you’re now all kinds of ready for the School of Friendship! Good for you! Sincerely, Discord Cozy starts as her brown eyes grow extremely wide and she exclaims, “Fucking asshole!” At that point, the door to her room opens wide on her right to show a blue unicorn with a very concerned look in her violet eyes says to the filly, “Cozy Glow! Where did you learn that language!” Cozy can only stare at the wall wide-eyed as her mouth scrunches and she says, “Oh golly!” (The end…)