//------------------------------//
// The Enemy Of My Enemy (Part 2) 
// Story: Tomorrow War 
// by Battwell 
//------------------------------//

"Twi, are ya sure that this here is a good idea?" Applejack asked cautiously as they trotted through the desolate realm known only as Tartarus, where the most vile and despicable creatures of Equus are banished for all time. 

Twilight and her friends, except for Fluttershy, who refused to leave Discord's side, were making their way through Tartarus to get the help of three individuals that they'd all rather forget. After having been freed from stone and working under Eggman as his Roboticized lieutenants, sans for a certain evil filly, who worked under the mad man so she wouldn't be Roboticized, they were sent to Tartarus for their crimes. 

Now they, the ones who sent them here, had to ask them for their help. 

Twilight hated the fact that she had to ask these... Monsters for help, but the situation forced her hoof. 

"I hate this just as much as the rest of you," Twilight addressed the girls as she continued trotting towards their destination, "But Sonic is right, if we have ANY hope of surviving this, we're gonna need their help." 

"But it's THEM!!!" Rainbow exclaimed loudly as she hovered next to Twilight, "How do we know that HE won't just drain our magic when we let him out?!" 

"Rainbow is right, darling," Rarity agreed with the prismatic Pegasus, "They are uncouth, vile, barbaric, and most of all... Untrustworthy." 

Twilight's head snapped around as she turned to glare at her friends, the stress finally becoming too much for her, "DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?! YOU THINK I LIKE THIS?! YOU THINK I LIKE WORKING WITH THE ONES WHO NEARLY TORE EQUESTRIA APART?! WELL I DON'T!" Twilight panted heavily before realizing that she had just snapped at her friends. 

She saw them all look at her with a hint of fear and shock all across their faces. 

Twilight let out a tiny gasp at what she had just done, "I-I'm so sorry, girls! I-It's just... We've never faced anything like Thanos before! The stakes have never been THIS high! If we fail..." 

Twilight grunted as she was suddenly tackled into a bone crushing hug by Pinkie Pie, "Don't worry, Twilight! We know the stakes, we know what has to be done. Just remember that everything will work out the way it's supposed to." 

The rest of the girls took a step forward, giving Twilight gentle smiles. 

"Yeah, we're with ya, Twi." Applejack reassured the Alicorn. 

The rest of her friends all agreed, they were with her until the end. Twilight felt tears brim her eyes as Pinkie pulled away, she wiped her eyes with her foreleg as she sniffled. 

"T-Thanks, everypony. I-I needed that." 

Rarity walked over and placed a comforting hoof on Twilight's shoulder, "Darling, if you say that we need their help, then we need their help." 

Twilight nodded as Rarity removed her hoof from Twilight's shoulder, "Thanks, believe me, I hate this just as much as the rest of you..." 



 

"But what choice do we have?" 

Those six words replayed in each of their heads as they ascended the stone stairs leading up to the giant cage where the three most dangerous villains in Equestria resided. Twilight and the others ascended the last step and came face to face with the living definitions of Disharmony. 



Lord Tirek. 

 

Queen Chrysalis. 



And Cozy Glow, who looks a lot older than the last time Twilight and the others saw her. 

The sound of hoofsteps caught their attention, causing them all to turn to the Mane 5 with hateful glares on their faces. Chrysalis hissed as she shot forward and banged against the bars, Cozy simply scoffed, muttering a simple "Whatever" and turning away. 

Tirek on the other hand looked genuinely curious as to why they were here. He got up from his rump and trotted towards the bars, with Chrysalis still desperately trying to break through. 

Tirek studied the group with his eyes, contemplating several thoughts for why they were here, "Twilight Sparkle," The Centaur addressed the Princess of Equestria, "To what do we owe the pleasure?" 

"I'LLKILLYOUI'LLKILLYOUI'LLKILLYOU!!!" 

The Centaur rolled his eyes at the Changeling's antics, "Enough, Chrysalis, it is pointless. You'll never break through the bars." 

Chrysalis ignored him and continued to hiss at the five Ponies before them. Tirek sighed as he placed a hand on the Changeling's shoulder and shoved her backwards, away from the bars. Chrysalis landed next to Cozy, who simply huffed and looked away. 

Tirek turned back to Twilight with a curious look in his eyes, "I'm curious, Princess. What would possess you to travel down here? What would make you..." His words faded as he suddenly came to a realization, "Ah, that look in your eyes. Desperation. You are desperate. But why? 

"What would cause you to become so desperate that you would come visit us?" Tirek pondered for a moment before snapping his fingers in realization, "Fear. You are afraid. But of what? You're cheeks are moist, you've been crying recently. Your eyes have bags under them, obvious sleep deprivation, you all look like you've been here and back. You've been in a battle. 

"From my deduction, it appears that there is a threat that you cannot deal with alone. So the only reason as to why you are here is obvious." Tirek found that a smug smile found its way onto his face, "You need our help, don't you?" None of the Ponies responded, all was silent. 

Pinkie shuffled her hoof nervously, "Uhhh, am I the only one who was the teensiest, tiniest bit creeped out with how fast he figured that out?" 

"Nope." The Ponies all responded. 

Tirek chuckled as he folded his skinny arms, "It appears my deduction was accurate. Oh, this is an interesting turn of events indeed." 

Twilight recomposed herself and gave Tirek a stern look, "Enough, Tirek!" 

The Centaur waved his hand dismissively, "Yes, yes, I've had my fun. Now, allow me to ask you this." Tirek placed his hands on the bars and leaned forward towards Twilight, "What could scare you all so much that you would come rushing all the way down here for our help?" 

"How about the death of trillions of people?” Pinkie answered in an uncharacteristically eerie tone. 

This actually caught Cozy's attention as she turned around to face the Ponies. Chrysalis snorted at the filly, "So now you decide to stop being an angsty teen?" 

Cozy sighed depressively, "When you spend more than a year trapped in a dark, desolate cage you tend to see how ugly the world truly is." 

"You're just acting emo because neither of us would pay attention to you anymore." Chrysalis deadpanned to the filly. 

"Yes, the sweet little filly act got old fast." Tirek added. 

Cozy scoffed as Chrysalis sneered at her enemies, "Well, it looks like you had a wasted trip! We would NEVER help the likes of you! And I would never help that wretch, Starlight Glimmer!" 

At the mention of their deceased friend, each of the Ponies' ears fell to the back of their heads. Pinkie sniffled while everyone looked down to the floor. Tirek took notice of this and instantly knew what it meant. 

Tirek turned his head back to Chrysalis, "It appears you've missed your chance for vengeance." 

The Changeling's eyes widened, "W-What do you mean?" 

"She's gone!" Rainbow sneered as she flew up to the bars, "I bet that makes you happy, doesn't it?!" 

However, instead of gloating like they expected, Chrysalis grit her teeth in anger, "No, no, no, NO!!! She was my prize! My trophy! MY KILL!!! She was mine! MINE!!! MINE!!!" 

Tirek ignored the Changeling's tantrum and turned to Twilight, "We appear to have gotten off track, Princess. This threat you speak of, it could bring the end of trillions of lives?" 

Twilight nodded, "Yes, we wouldn't be here otherwise." 

Tirek crossed his arms, "Say we help you..." He ignored the outcries of his peers and continued, "What's to stop me from draining you of all of your magic as soon as we leave Tartarus?" 

"Absolutely nothing." Twilight responded with little hesitation, "But if you do, then there will be nopony to stop the death of trillions. If half of all life is erased, then so would half of the source of your power." Tirek's eyes widened, Twilight had him now, "Think of all that magic, gone to waste. What then, Tirek?" 

Twilight then turned to Chrysalis, "What would happen to your Hive? Half of your forces would be no more." She turned to Cozy, "There would be nopony left for you to manipulate. No one left to do as you please." She turned back to Tirek as the other two villains actually considered the possibility, "Plus, we both know you can't let anypony else have the honor of killing us, right?" 

She had him there, all of that magic... Gone, erased. 

Twilight smiled, "Your move, Tirek." 

Everyone waited in anticipation for their answer, hoping that would've been enough to convince them. Tirek closed his eyes as he placed his hands behind his back, Cozy and Chrysalis looking to him as he pondered what to do. They had already made up their minds, but they were a team. 

All was silent. 

Tirek then opened his eyes and gazed at Twilight with what looked to be a look of pride on his face. 

The Centaur chuckled darkly, "Well played." He said as Cozy and Chrysalis slowly trotted up beside him, "You have our cooperation... For now."