//------------------------------// // Seeking Brilliant Minds // Story: Return of the Core // by TheClownPrinceofCrime //------------------------------// Early in the morning, Princess Twilight arose from bed and prepared herself some breakfast. Spike was in the kitchen making some haycakes of his own. He smiled warmly as Twilight sat down on the table. “Good morning, new ruler of Equestria!” “*Giggles* Good morning to you too, Spike.” “Had a pleasant night?” “Well, it was certainly a…unique one.” “Ha, I tell ya, the bedroom they provided me with was amazing! It’s definitely better than having to share a room with someone,” said Spike right before he widened his eyes nervously. “Umm, no offense.” “None taken,” she chuckled, rolling her eyes playfully. As they sat and ate together, The Core looked around from inside Twilight’s crown. Once it was done analyzing the room, it closed its eye. Suddenly, a Royal Guard entered the kitchen before reverently kneeling before Twilight. “Forgive my interruption, Your Highness, but Chancellor Neighsay requests your presence.” “Neighsay? Huh, I haven’t heard from him in a while,” uttered Spike, licking the syrup from the plate. “It would be nice to meet with him again. Alright, tell him I’ll be there right away,” Twilight ordered. “Yes, Your Majesty,” the guard acknowledged before departing. “Come on, my royal advisor, time to fulfill our first royal business!” “Right behind you, Twilight!” “Dear goodness, did our big climatic battle leave that much of a mess? Looks like I got some cleaning up to do!” Discord shouted, magically wearing garbage clothes. He grabbed his carrot binoculars and noticed dozens of little portals everywhere in the atmosphere. He then brandished his razor-sharp waffle and shot it through the first half of the portals, extinguishing them in the process. Then he spotted another portal just right below him; smirking, he flew down and grabbed something from the portal. “Well, well, well, what do we have here? Hasbro merchandise? How blatantly shameless,” he sarcastically remarked. He dropped a transformer toy and picked up a different one. “Okay, now that can really hurt,” he muttered, holding a package that contained a fish’s leg. Then he dropped it as well. “But still not interested.” “MY LEG!” the fish cried out. After closing the portal, he turned into a vacuum cleaner and absorbed all the rest of them, finally cleaning the atmosphere. As he turned back to normal, he rubbed his belly. “Ohh, yes, I haven’t eaten like that since the good old days,” he sighed, burping. “Hmm, the combined magic must have caused an inter-dimensional imbalance of some sort. Should I tell Twilight about this or not? Hmmm…” Discord stroked his beard as he was thinking about it. “Nah, it’s probably not a big deal. We had to take care of Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow one way or another. Ha, it’s not like something terrible came out of a portal or something,” he laughed off. Snapping his fingers, he vanished from sight. Chancellor Neighsay bowed before Twilight as he entered the throne room. “Princess Twilight…” “Chancellor Neighsay. It’s a great pleasure to you again,” Twilight welcomed. “Likewise, Your Highness. It has come to the attention of the EEA that six of your brave students have assisted in defeating three of Equestria’s greatest enemies. Therefore, as the head representative of the EEA, I humbly request that these students be given some form of recognition for their outstanding contribution in saving our land.” “Hmm, their help was definitely a surprise for sure, but it was nonetheless a welcome one,” noted Twilight. “Not to mention those guys are the best students of the School of Friendship,” Spike added. “Agreed, which is why we would like to give them letters of recommendation ahead of time so that once they’re old enough to consider job applications, they’ll be ready to be sent,” continued Neighsay, sadly sighing. “Besides, I owe them for saving me from Cozy Glow before. It’s time that I return the favor. It’s the least I can do.” Twilight and Spike looked at each other and smiled in support. “Don’t worry, Neighsay. Inform the EEA that I approve your request, and that these students will be recognized for their heroism, bravery, and success in re-uniting Equestria!” Twilight happily commanded. Neighsay smiled back before bowing. “Thank you, Princess. Much thanks.” After he departed, the crown opened its eye while incomprehensibly whispering. Twilight looked up and shook her head which caught Spike’s attention. “Uh, are you alright, Twilight?” The eye closed up again without being noticed. Twilight looked back at him with a nervous smile. “Me? Oh, I’m fine. *Clears throat* Uh, actually, excuse me for a moment. I have to, um, use the restroom.” Then she teleported off. “Whoa…she didn’t seem to be in a rush a few minutes ago,” said Spike, puzzled. In the restroom, she looked at the mirror while The Core opened its eye again. “You know I have duties to attend to, right? You can’t just keep talking in my head all the time.” “Well, pardon my intense curiosity, Twilight Sparkle. I couldn’t help but notice that stallion you talked with earlier.” “Neighsay? What about him?” “He seems to be an intelligent creature with a respectable personality. Care to tell me more about him?” The Core asked. “We’ll worry about that later. Right now, I have to be at the throne as Equestria’s ruler. So try not to talk in my head while I’m busy, okay? It’s really distracting.” The Core groaned in annoyance until it closed its eye. “Thank you, Core. Seems like we have a long way to go before we become great friends,” said Twilight, teleporting back to the throne room. The fragment climbed on top of the castle and zoomed its vision on Neighsay as he was departing from the palace. “If I am to acquire new minds for The Core, I must seek out intelligent beings who will serve its purpose well. That creature…shall be the first.” “Princess Twilight has approved our request to give forms of recognition upon the six distinguished students of the School of Friendship. We will procede as planned!” Neighsay announced. The EEA board nodded approvingly and began the paperwork to be sent later. “Much work is to be done. We will continue to work with the Princess before we can commence a celebration for these brave souls,” he concluded, smiling. “Dismissed.” “You are not going anywhere.” The EEA members looked around in confusion. “Huh? Did somepony say something?” “Down here!” They looked down and saw The Core stare intensely at them from the floor. This took Neighsay and the others by surprise. “What in the name of Celestia is that thing?!” one of them cried out. “I am the one who will unite you brilliant minds with my own—a place where we can all be ‘friends’ and where your biggest dreams will come true. I am your new benefactor. I am your new master. I am…THE CORE!” “I have no idea who you are or what you are, but you have no place here!” Neighsay rebuked, igniting his horn. But before he could blast it, The Core stretched its tentacles and snatched all the members of the EEA, including the chancellor himself. Then it electrocuted them all through its tentacles, transferring all their minds into it. The Core’s eye brightened as it relished the blood-curling screams of agony from its victims. As their minds were transferred, what used to be a fragment suddenly grew back into a new and improved helmet but only small enough to fit a pony’s head. A hole was formed right above the middle eye, and two sharp horns were erected on both sides of the helmet. Once it finished, the bodies of the EEA board fell limply on the ground. The Core stood up and opened multiple eyes like it had before. “Yessssss! Welcome, my new brethren. Victory is nigh at hand, and Equestria will soon be ours.”