//------------------------------//
// 50 - Feeling Drained 
// Story: New Endings, Old Starts 
// by David Silver 
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Sweetie Belle advanced, Cozy Glow having left the area. "Cozy Glow did all of this? How? Why?"

Apple Bloom stood in defiance, scowling. "I don't know. But come on, y'all. We gotta get Starlight out of there before she comes back."

They rushed ahead, all the crusaders as one.

Comforting was distracted by the strange orb of powerful magic. It was a spot of color in an increasingly grey world. The magic was moving. Wait. "Wait!"

It was too late, phantom hands grabbing at Sweetie. "Help!" Fortunately, the others were quick to act, grabbing her by the tail and working together to yank her free of their clutches.

Apple Bloom snorted at the angry orb that had almost gobbled her friend. "That's gotta be what's suckin' up all the magic in Equestria."

Sandbar took a step back, tail lashing. "But if that's true, then Twilight and the others went to Tartarus for nothing. And if all of Equestria's magic's getting sucked up in there, there's no way for them to get back!"

Scootaloo waved a hoof away from it all. "We need to get help!"

Sweetie Belle wasn't ready to leave yet, instead focused on the pony still caught. "But Starlight's trapped here, and there's no way to get word to Celestia or anypony else!"

Apple Bloom sighed. "I guess we're on our own."

"Not entirely." Comforting joined them properly. "We have each other."

The crusaders shared a look, then to Sandbar. As one they thrust their hooves out and Comforting joined it with a final clop. They had each other, and that wasn't argued.





Gallus yanked the knob to the left and right with grunts of effort and the jiggling of the metal that wouldn't give. He fell backwards, hands coming free.

Smolder smirked softly. "Still locked, huh?"

Gallus scowled at the stubborn door. "We gotta at least try to get out."

Ocellus fretted visibly, shaking with fear. "Why? If Sandbar's turned his back on us, every other pony probably has, too."

Yona stomped, as was her way. "Sandbar not turn his back! Sandbar is our friend!"

Smolder rolled her eyes with a great shrug. "Uh, did you miss the part where he said he didn't want anything to do with us?"

Silverstream perked with an idea. "Maybe he just said that so one of us could be free to snoop around and figure out what's going on."

The window suddenly slid open, revealing Sandbar with a crowbar. "I dunno. That sounds too clever for a pony to come up with."

Yona gasped with laughter as she charged forward. "Yona knew Sandbar was still our friend!"

Sweetie Belle made herself known. "We all are."

Scootaloo tossed her head back where they came from. "Except for Cozy Glow. That pony is not who we thought she was."

Apple Bloom threw a hoof. "She's the one draining magic out of Equestria!"

All of the Young Six, minus Sandbar gasped. "What?!" they cried in unison.

Sandbar waved out of the small room. "We'll explain on the way. But right now, we gotta get to get to Chancellor Neighsay."

Gallus hiked a brow. "Huh?"

Sandbar strode free of the room, waving the others along. "I know he doesn't like non-ponies. But if we tell him what's going on, he'll help."

"Turning to a racist in dark times." Comforting shook her head. "What a time to be alive."

Sandbar laughed at that. "I swear you sound older than you are at times, Comforting." Not that he seemed to grade it against her, instead ruffling her mane.

"Old Soul," agreed Yona, but they had places to be.





Chancellor Neighsay stood before a crowd of students, addressing them all with his formal tone, "I am sure you are all concerned about the magic situation. But I want to assure you that this institution is safe, despite the absence of your headmare. As your new headstallion, let me be the first to say that the reign of Princess Twilight is over! From now on, this school will adhere to EEA doctrine, as it should have from the start!"

The student body murmured with obvious apprehension.

Cozy Glow clapped, flying sedately with a confident smile. "Thank you, Chancellor Neighsay, for that rousing speech. I know you're a stallion who truly believes what you say. And when you say this school will be run according to EEA doctrine, I know you mean it. And when you say there won't be any more lessons from the Princess of Friendship at the School of Friendship, I guess you mean that, too." She put on a real pout, glancing at the crowd.

The mutters of dissatisfaction increased in that crowd. That wasn't the school they signed up for.

Chancellor Neighsay took a step back, glancing about. "That's not exactly what—"

Cozy Glow advanced on her small wings. "But Twilight decided to run her school outside of the EEA guidelines. And even though you tried to stop her, Princesses Celestia and Luna trusted her enough to support her."

That's exactly what happened. The students whispered among themselves in remembrance of that event.

Chancellor Neighsay faced the crowd. "Well, I-I wouldn't say that—" That he was losing ground wasn't hard to see.

Cozy Glow kept pressing with her sweet expression, "So, since I know you mean what you say, my question is really for the students. Are we going to give the pony who already tried to wreck Twilight's school once another chance to do it?"

The murmurs grow ever louder. They didn't want that, did they?

Cozy Glow rubbed her hooves together. "Oh... I guess things will have to stay the way Twilight wants them. Which includes leaving me in charge."

The murmurs became loud shouts. They wanted things as Twilight left them!

Chancellor Neighsay sputtered in defeat, "This—! I can—! Just—!"

Sandbar opened a door in the hallway to see the student body grabbing the chancellor and securing him. "Okay. So maybe we need a new plan." He casually closed the door on the scene, turning back to the others. "Ideas?"

"Well..." Comforting considered. "He's more likely to see our side now."

Yona nodded in slow agreement. "Not so good."

Apple Bloom waved at the door. "But he's captured by a bunch of ponies, most of them bigger than us." At least the crusaders.

Sandbar smiled deviously. "We can get around that... We just need to keep Cozy distracted. Crusaders, up to it?"

Sweetie perked at being called. "We'll do our best! C'mon, girls!" She led the charge away towards the headmare's office.

Scootaloo was the first one to head inside to hear Cozy giggling in a not entirely wholesome way. "Hey, Cozy Glow! What's so funny?"

Sweetie Belle wandered in quietly next, looking non-chalant. "Are you just happy to be running the school?"

Cozy Glow ran her hooves over the arms of her chair. "Oh, I'm just keeping Twilight's seat warm."

Apple Bloom was the last in, looking about slowly. "Still, it's pretty impressive if ya ask me."

Sweetie Belle leaned towards the new headmare. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Scootaloo threw an arm on the desk, hoof tapping. "We can hang out with you all day if you want."

Cozy Glow smiled with that evil hint. "You know, there is something I need help with."

The crusaders cheered as one.





Rushing free the moment they saw the Crusaders going off with Cozy Glow, the rest hurried to the room that had their target. Inside was the chancellor, hopping awkwardly and tied to a chair. "Oh, wonderful. I suppose you've all come to gloat?"

Silverstream was on him in an instant, her talons wrapped around his chains and working on them. "Actually, we've come to undo all these chains and free you!" Sandbar was at his front, gnawing at the lock.

"But... But why?" Neighsay stopped resisting, instead watching the young creatures work. "And you. Did he bring you along?"

Comforting was standing next to Yona. "It's alright to be wrong."

Yona nodded. "Now that nasty pony met even nastier pony, maybe nasty pony not be so nasty." She kicked at the ground with one swipe of a forehoof, charging at Neighsay. He cringed in fear, but she came to a halt right in front of him and jabbed her horn into the lock at his front, casually picking it. Once undone, she gave him a shove and he crashed backwards, the chair splintering into pieces, freeing him.

Sandbar nodded at Yona in kind. "Also, we'd kind of like to stop Cozy before she drains all the magic from Equestria."

Neighsay popped up from the pile of chains. "She's behind that as well? I must get word to Celestia and Luna."

Sandbar looked  dubious at best. "How? Without magic, it'll take forever to get to them."

Comforting pointed at Neighsay's amulet, visible to her in its glowing brilliance among a pile of tash that Neighsay had just tipped over. "I have no idea what that thing is capable of." Her eyes were locked on it. "But it's the brightest, most wonderful thing in this room..."

Neighsay looked to where Comforting was looking, focusing his attention and grabbing the amulet with delight. "While it's true that unicorns have lost their ability to cast spells, the most potent magic in Equestria is housed in our... artifacts. The EEA medallion allows me to travel throughout Equestria. Its magic worked when I chained you up. Perhaps it still has enough to send me to the princesses."

He tapped at the amulet, a few sparks escaping but little more. He rapped on it, coaxing it to fitful life with his horn glowing with its magic as a sort of focus. A round portal formed in front of him. Without a word, he strode through it.

Ocellus curled a hoof to her chest. " I hope he makes it."

Smolder had a far more pragmatic face on. "I hope he doesn't come back and lock us up again."

Gallus was quick to add, "If he comes back."

Silverstream bumped in next to Gallus. "Everything's gonna be fine! Twilight and the others are probably already on their way!"

Comforting sank to her haunches. "I hope so, but we can't just... trust that'll happen." She had a part to play! She didn't know what that part was, but she had to do it. The room was so grey and dull, the sparkly amulet gone. She already missed it. But there was one place still that was just as bright, with that wonderful color of magic... "Starlight is still trapped."

Sandbar clopped his hooves together. "Brilliant. C'mon." He led the way without another word, marching through the school back down under the library to where Starlight was being held in that great sphere. 

Yona looked between the orb and Sandbar. "Uh, why pony lead us back down here?"

Sandbar considered the situation with a hum. "We obviously can't handle Cozy on our own. But we can't just sit around and wait for help. So, there's one more prisoner I think we should free."

Silverstream pointed excitedly at the floating Starlight. "Ooh! I guess Starlight! Is it Starlight?"

Yona tried her best, shouting, "Counselor pony, come out! We need help with nasty pony!"

Sandbar nudged her back a little. "She can't talk to us from in there. We'll have to figure a way to get her out."

Gallus struck one open palm with the other closed fist. "Hey! This is just like chapter twelve in 'Kanthaka's Facts and Artifacts' from Twilight's class!"

The students looked at him with amazement. Comforting broke into a bright smile. "I remember that."

Ocellus nodded quickly. "I remember too. Cozy must've linked these artifacts to act like a mystical magnet, attracting all the magic in Equestria into that orb." She looked to Comforting with a hopeful little smile. "Can you stop it?"

"Um..." Oh no. Comforting had some magical training, but about none of it involved artifacts. "We could... take one of them." She pointed at the many artifacts in a circle.