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// Introducing: Comet Tail 
// Story: My name is Comet Tail, and I have died many times. 
// by Sol Nemesis 
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My name is Comet Tail, and I have died many times.

The first time I died was for a little filly known as Twilight Sparkle.

"I think you're pretty neat." I remember saying all those years ago on the playgrounds of Ms. Kindle's Magic Kindergarten. Twilight Sparkle, the then outcast and target of bullying by foals who didn’t know any better, turned to me with fresh tears in her eyes and no small look of surprise. 

“R…Really?”

“Yeah!” I squeaked hopping off the swing set and marching over to help the lavender unicorn dig in the playground sandbox. She was in the middle of unearthing her books and school supplies buried by pranksters who, again, didn’t know any better.

“I mean, you’re really good at magic and stuff. You can use telake…tele…”

“Telekinesis?” Twilight offered helpfully.

“Yeah that! You can telekinate books and stuff, and I think that’s really cool.” As I dug around the sandbox, I spotted the corner of a story book sticking out of the sand. From the Binding I recognized it as the book of old mare’s tales, Twilight loved carrying around. I went for it like I was bobbing for apples, stuck my head in the sand and everything. I pulled it out with my teeth and gave Twilight my best winning, albeit sandy, book filled smile.

“Mpphttt…mmmh...phrmm!” I sputtered. Twilight giggled. I’ll never forget that look of joy on her face. If I hadn’t already gotten my cutie mark months ago, I would have gotten it then. I liked making ponies smile, especially her. My eyes wandered to her blank-flank and wondered why she of all ponies hadn’t gotten her cutie mark yet. She was clearly talented at magic just like me. But I shrugged those thoughts off. It’s just like Ma said, you can’t rush things, especially cutie marks.

Twilight gently wrapped the book with her magic and tugged but I refused to let go. I gave her a playful look and crouched low before jumping out of the way of Twilight’s magical grasp. I crouched again like one of those farm dogs who wanted to play, complete with the tail wag. Twilight looked upset at first but giggled again, then mimicked my stance. The two of us tussled in the sandbox. Laughing. Hollering. It was fun. I wanted it to last forever. 

Not even a minute later.

“Twilight dear! It’s time to go!”

Her mother. Twilight Velvett, if I recall. Was waving at her from across the school yard. Twilight looked at her mother then back at me a little sad. “I have to go now.”

“it’s okay.” I said, finally releasing the book from my mouth. “We can play tomorrow.”

She nodded. The last of her tears now dry and forgotten. Twilight lit up her horn and pulled the rest of her school supplies from the sandbox in a magical display that made my jaw drop.

“Take care Comet, and…thanks…” She said, giving me a quick hug before galloping off towards her mother. I stood stunned for a moment with the sudden display of affection. I felt light on my hooves as I watched her go. Then I realized that I still had her book at my hooves. I called out to her, took the book in my mouth and ran after her. 

This is where things went wrong. And my destiny changed forever.

I don’t know if you’re familiar with Ms. Kindles Kindergarten. It’s located at one of the lower levels in Canterlot. There is a main road that ends at a T section right where Ms. Kindle’s was located. The road is supposed to be for hoof traffic only, mostly because of how steep it is. That doesn’t stop the occasional business pony, or some noble from trying to take a shortcut with their fancy carts and wagons. As fate would have it. Some noble pony had left a wagon of goods unattended at the top of that hill. And the wind, or fate, or the hooves of…something else... Decided to inch that wagon over the top. 

That infernal rattling, I hear it in my dreams sometimes, reminding me of how it all started. But I digress. The cart rattled loudly as it careened down the steep road. It took seconds to cross the distance to the kindergarten. But I heard it in time. I saw it and Twilight saw it too, but she was frozen stiff. Mere seconds before impact I dropped the book. I lunged. The only sounds I could hear was that infernal rattling, the shouts of Twilights mother and my own scream even as I shoved Twilight out of the way, just as the cart burst through the fencing that surrounded the playground. Then my world became pain.

Such an unbearable pain. I’d like to say you get used to it. But that would be a lie. As a young colt I lay there dying for the first time. Unable to breathe. I remember not being able to feel my hooves. But that wasn’t the most memorable thing about that first time. I’ll never forget her face. That pretty, young, innocent face. Twisted in fear and shock as she looked at me from a safe distance in the magical grasp of her mother. They both stared at me. Her mother was shouting something, maybe calling for help, I don’t know. All I remember about the next few seconds was thinking about how I didn’t want to die yet.



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But I did die that day and woke up with that same sandy book in my mouth. Right back at the sandbox with Twilight trying to tug it out of my mouth with magic. 

Now I hope you can forgive me, a young colt, for reacting the way I did. I spat the book out, hard, and started freaking out at the top of my lungs. “Old Mares Tales and other Ancient stories Volume 2” impacted Twilight Sparkle right at the tip of her horn, sending her reeling backwards, fresh tears flying from her eyes as she cried in pain. Unicorn’s horns are sensitive you know.

I think she called me a jerk right after that, and she said something else. But I couldn’t hear it. I was too busy screaming. All that pent up emotion from all that pain was too much for a young colt and it had to go somewhere. I jumped back, still screaming as I landed on the swing seat. The seat, of course, is on chains designed to swing back and forth so naturally I fall backwards, hard. Getting the wind blasted from my lungs brought me back to my senses. Funny how it takes pain to bring things into focus, anyway I digress again. My panic subsided and my mind focused even though Twilight Sparkle was a little blurry as I recovered from the fall.

“I thought you were different!” She yelled angrily.

“You told me you thought I was neat! And then you go off and hit me right in the horn!”

“Twilight dear! It’s time to go!” Came her mother’s voice.

“I’m telling mom!” And then she leapt off, her things forgotten in the sandbox. My eyes were glued to her as she ran off. I lay there frozen unsure of what I was seeing. Then the infernal rattling came again. My head turned to the top of the hill as the cart had started its deadly descent. Scrambling to my hooves I found my voice and croaked out a yell.

“Lookout!” 

Twilight stopped. Looked back at me, then at the rattling cart. She barely registered a look of surprise and terror before she was no more. Crushed as the wheels of the cart went round and round. I let out a scream. But my screams were drowned out by the screams of her mother. Between that infernal rattling and Twilight Velvets screech of maternal agony, I’d pick the rattling every time.

I stared silently at Twilight’s maimed body. I had run out of screams at this point, all the feeling drained from me like I was practically dead. I think there was commotion around me, but I couldn’t focus on anything but Twilight’s bloody body. Then my heart broke and everything went black.



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When I said my heart broke, I wasn’t being cute. My heart felt like it was literally being torn in two. This is the second time I died. The pain was excruciating but, mercifully, it only lasted a few seconds. I woke up again with that blasted book in my mouth. Sand and all. This time I clamped my mouth shut. Hard. So hard in fact that my teeth no doubt made indents in Twilight’s beloved book.

“Um. Comet? Please let go?”

I did the opposite. I clamped down harder. Twilight’s magic increased in power. Twilight was just a filly not much older than me, and she was stronger than even my own mother! The raw magic of that filly was so strong that there was no doubt I wouldn’t be able to fight it forever. Forever was not the objective though, I just had to hold on long enough. My Jaw grew sore, and I felt like my teeth were about to fly out of my mouth, but I had to hold on. I had too. For Twilight’s sake, and my own. I didn’t know why I was doing this. It’s not like I had a plan or anything. Instinct took over, I think. My poor little colt mind wanted to avoid more trauma, I guess. Didn’t want to see my friend hurt. 

“Comet! You’re going to ruin my book!” 

My eyes kept flickering to the top of the hill, dreading that terrible rattle. Twilight grunted, her horn sparking. Her power seemed to have doubled and I couldn’t hold it any longer. She finally ripped it out of my mouth. 

“Twilight dear! It’s time to go!”

In an act of pure desperation, I called forth the magic inside me, and without realizing what I was doing, I had wrapped my magic around Twilight’s aura and yanked back. The first time I ever did telekinesis. If it had been any other situation I would have been prancing in celebration. Obviously, this was no time for celebration. 

So no kidding there we were, our auras wrapped up in a magical unicorn tug-o-war over a stupid book. Twilight’s power waned and then flared, and my magic threatened to wink out, but I dug in my heels as she dragged me across the sandbox. I tried to tell her why I was doing this. Why I was being a huge jerk, after what I said to her earlier, but every time I tried to open my mouth my concentration threatened to break. It would fail anyway, when the rattling started.

I was so startled after hearing that dreadful rattle that my concentration failed. Seeing her opportunity, Twilight gave one final yank with her magic and freed the book from my magical aura.

“Ha!” She exclaimed. Trotting towards her mother.

“Victory is Mi…” 

What else could I have done? I tackled her of course. Her muzzle ate sand as I struggled to keep her still. She twisted and turned. Until she faced me. Bucking and striking. I just kept her still.

“Get off me! MOM!”

The rattling was louder now. She got me good, right in the stomach, and I flew back over the sandbox, once more getting acquainted with the impact of my back to the cold hard earth. Twilight Ran. What should I do? Should I call out to her? Tell her to stop like last time? Have her keep running and miss that rattling death trap some pony’s negligence had sent our way? No. This was not happening again. I’m not sure if I unconsciously used a haste spell or something because I was up and running, even without air in my lungs. I lunged after twilight just as the cart crashed through the fence. I bit down on her tail hard and yanked her back, using my momentum to swing her around, somehow, my momentum caused me to spin, and while I had successfully managed to pull Twilight out of the way, I had somehow ended up in her place. 

We made eye contact then. Her vision flashed from anger to fear and then to shock. I’d like to think that at that moment she understood what I was trying to do. I smiled despite it all. Right up until the cart smashed me into the dirt.

I didn’t die right away this time. I made it to a hospital. I heard lots of crying. My Ma and Pa. I’ve heard my Ma cry before but never my Pa, he was a tough old royal guards pony and they’re not supposed to cry, that hurt a lot more than I thought it would. I don’t remember their final words to me. I don’t remember how long I was even there. But it was a good long while. The last thing I heard I think was beeping. Then a tone. Then nothing.



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So that was number three. Getting repetitive I know. See. I had a good long think at the hospital. About what I could have or should have done. I grew up a lot. Death and dying does that too you, I guess. Now I want you to know, in hindsight, I could have handled things differently. Maybe I could have asked Twilight to stay for longer or maybe tried to get her to chase me with the book. But I wasn’t thinking clearly you see. Dying does that to you sometimes. Not to mention I was a little colt. If only I had another chance. I kept thinking to myself. Of course, I would get my wish. I wouldn’t be here talking to you if I hadn’t. Anyway. Same book. Same mouth. Same sand. Same Twilight trying to yank the book from me. Instead of the tug-o-war I spat it on the ground. The scenario I rehearsed over and over in my head played out like clockwork. 

Twilight Sparkle let her magic fizzle out and bent over to pick up her book with her hooves. I kicked the book away.

“Run.”

“Comet…What the…”

“Run you stupid blank flank! I hate you!”

I thought I could handle it. I could hate her for making me hurt, for making my ma and pa cry. I kept telling myself it was her fault that the cart rolled down that road even if I knew that wasn’t true. I wanted to keep that hatred to force myself to do what I needed to. But that look on her face broke me. Ears folded back. Fresh tears welling up. The quivering lower lip. I wanted to apologize. Say I didn’t mean it. But there was no time for that. My Pa always said. “When protecting the princess, you must be willing to sacrifice everything in their defense.”

“Comet, I don’t know what you mean…” Twilight stuttered confused.

My magic gripped the book of Old Mares Tales and with magical strength and control I didn’t even know I had, whipped that book across the playground towards where Twilights mother would be coming from.

“Your telekinesis aint nothing special! Even I can do it!”

Twilight followed the trajectory of the book. Wide eyed, maybe even impressed, I looked away and steeled my nerve.

“I said run! Get out of here! Go home! I don’t want to play with you anymore!”

I shoved her towards her mother, who at this point had appeared at the edge of the playground. At any moment

“Go! Get out of here!” 

Twilight obeyed slowly at first. I kicked up sand onto her back and she yelped as her slow movement turned into a full gallop. 

“Go on. Go on. Keep Going.” I muttered hopefully. I wanted to chase her. To make her run faster. But I didn’t…I couldn’t go though that again. Twilight spun around to get one last look at me.

“KEEP GOING!”

And she did. She had reached her mother just when the rattling started. The cart was on its way and Twilight was free and clear. I watched her longingly. Even after the cart came barreling through the fence and toppled harmlessly into the side of the sturdy walls of the kindergarten. She was crying and her mother was comforting her. I wanted Twilight to look back, I wanted to tell her I was sorry. But she didn’t. She didn’t even come to school the next day, so I could say I was sorry, say how much she meant to me. Why? She got accepted into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. 

Somehow, I got popular that year. Some of the snooty foals saying how I gave that blank flank “what for.” Of course I hated that kind of attention, but it didn’t matter what I wanted. That reputation followed me you know and I was somehow known as the kindergarten bully. It didn’t help that Twilight became Princess Celestia’s prized student. Then every pony turned on me, and started picking on me because Twilight became popular. Fillies and Colts can be tremendously cruel sometimes. Boy. Foalhood got rough from then on let me tell yeah. Gave my ma and pa the biggest hugs from then on though. A year later they wanted to enroll me into Celestia’s school, only, the thing is I never used my magic since all that happened, don’t know why, more trauma, I guess. Never saw Twilight again either, well except for in the papers.



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“Why…*Cough* Why are you telling me all this?”

Comet Tail sat on one of many of Canterlot Castle’s kitchen counters. Wearing an apron and serving attire. His pristine white sleeves a contrast to the chaos and green bug blood all around him. The once towering decorative wedding cake he had been so painstakingly working on for the last 4 days of his life lay in ruins amidst the carnage. His contemporaries, well, those that weren’t changelings, had fled long ago right into the changeling invasion of Canterlot. Such rude timing for them to invade. During a wedding no less.

“Because my dear…er…what was your name?”

“Ro…Rotex.”

“Thank you.” Comet bowed in thanks much to the Changelings confusion. “Because my dear Rotex. You asked me how I knew you were a changeling. And Instead of lying to you I thought I’d tell you the whole story. It’s far more cathartic that way.”

“How does…*Cough* *Cough*…” Rotex, formerly known as the baker Minty, lay broken on the ground. Literally broken. All four legs. She coughed up more of her green blood all over the floor while Comet Tail waited patiently for Rotex to stop.

“How does…telling me all that hogwash about dying and coming back to life…*Cough* have anything to do with finding out how you…you knew I was a changeling?”

Comet’s eye twitched. It was slight but it was enough for Rotex to notice and whimper in fear.

“Because Rotex. You and your friends have killed me.”

Comet hopped off the counter and sat down next to the bug. Careful to avoid the broken chitin scattered all over the floor. 

“Many. Many times.”

Comet Tail stretched, popping several joints. He rubbed his temple with his forehoof carefully to wipe sweat from his brow, but not the sleeves. Signs of a good kitchen employee? Clean sleeves.

“Tell me. Minty. Sorry…Rotex. Over the past few months you’ve known me have you known me to be a very martial pony?”

The changeling coughed. Or was it a scoff? Comet couldn’t tell. He didn’t care.

“You said it yourself during your Tenure as Minty that my magical skill is abysmal. Not to mention that you called me…what was it? Ah I remember. Nooooodle hooves!” He said waving his hooves around like one of those wacky inflatable tube things on Mainstreet. Comet allowed himself to laugh and Rotex responded with another cough and a whimper.

“So how do you think I single handedly took down not only you, but all the rest of your well-trained warrior bug friends in the kitchen staff?” Comet kneeled next to the changeling and placed both hooves on either side of his head looking like he was having the largest headache.

“Think Rotex. Think!” I’ve become a super pony out of nowhere! I am nothing but a stallion with perfect timing and EXCEPTIONAL MENTAL FORTITUDE!” Comet yelled that one so loud it reverberated down the hall.

“And here’s the thing you see. We’ve done this song and dance before.” 

Comet moved fast. Faster than Rotex could follow. He kicked up a skillet and launched it with his magic towards the entranceway to the kitchen. At that moment a heavily armed Changeling wearing royal guard armor stepped into view before being promptly wrecked by the cast-iron club. The said club proceeded to beat the ever-living snot out of the changeling even as Comet resumed talking.

“Oh yes. I’ve gotten pretty good at magic you see. I’ve had lots of practice these last…er fifteen minutes. Well. Fifteen minutes for you. For me…it’s been a while.” There was that twitch again.

The skillet kept beating the now motionless royal guard changeling, as Comet gathered all the cutlery around him in a display of deadly magical prowess. Rotex was so scared she was shaking now. She could have sworn that she heard a dark laugh somewhere in the distance.

“We’re running out of time. You see no matter what I do even if I escape you and your friends here, at around 2:16 pm. 1416 military. Don’t ask how I know that. I will suffer a rather sudden and deadly heartbreak, and if you had been listening to my story at all that only happened when?” Comet let a pause linger, expecting the changeling to fill in the blank.

“When Twilight *Cough* died.”

“Bingo!” Comet applauded the sound of clapping hooves going in time with sloshing noises as the cast-iron skillet turned its victim into mush.

“Ah Minty. You were always a great listener.” Comet looked off into the distance as if nostalgic before snapping back to the helpless changeling

“So. Tell me everything about your little invasion. But specifically, and most importantly.” Comet launched itself at the bug, until they were practically muzzle to muzzle.

“Where is Twilight Sparkle?”

Rotex the changeling spilled everything she knew. Invasion plans. Where they were holding the bride princess Cadence. Where they were going to place Twilight or any other prisoners they captured. The grand plan to harvest Canterlot and then all of Equestria of emotional resources. Their other spies in other cities. What worried Rotex is that no matter how much she spilled. Comet was always unimpressed like he had heard it all before. Rotex was in the middle of listing out their saboteurs in Manehattan when Comet finished it for her. 

“….and finally Mithrax as Cool Breeze the Pegasus Custodian at Manehattan Middle School…yadda yadda…” Comet sighed and slumped down against a clean section of kitchen cabinet.

“You really don’t know anything else do you.” Comet looked sullen. Defeated even. He closed his eyes for just a moment, and the Cast-Iron Skillet finally stopped its grim work and clattered on the ground.

“Hey.”

Comet winked an eye open at Rotex, who once again took the form of Minty.

“It’s okay. You can rest now. You’ve beaten me. You’ve beaten us. Please. Just leave me alone. You can still escape.” Minty whimpered in that cute way she does when she wanted something. She always got it. Comet laughed sadly, thinking of the times he and Minty shared in the castle kitchen. It was no comfort knowing that the real Minty wasn’t even in Canterlot but was working far away on the border of Yakyakistan as a surveyor. The changeling had taken her identity and transferred to the castle on a spy mission. The real Minty didn’t even know who he was.

“I’m sorry Rotex. It’s too late now. We’re all going to die.”

Minty looked concerned about this but still played off her persona.

“It’s never too late. No one else has to die today.”

Comet chuckled and Minty could see the cold air coming from his breath and suddenly realized how much the temperature had dropped.

“You don’t understand. There are three rules I have come to know about this curse of mine.”

Comet turned to look at the doorway where it looked like smoke was pouring into the kitchen. Minty struggled to move but couldn’t due to the lack of working limbs. The smoke wasn’t from a fire. It was from something worse.

“My life rewinds to an earlier fixed point in time. When either I die, Twilight Dies and whenever I reveal my story.”

Minty. Now Rotex felt something coming. Dark. Horrible. Evil. The strongest evil she had ever felt. It tasted bitter and it was forcing itself into her very being. The smoke dissipated revealing a dark lavender alicorn with black regalia and glowing red eyes. Rotex yelled in terror just as she expired in a shower of chitin and gore. 

Comet Tail closed his eyes and waited for the end to come. The being was in front of him. He could hear her. Feel her ice cold breath. She gave a faint yet strangely familiar tither. Comet tried to ignore it. He tried to think of his next course of action, using the information he had just confirmed from Rotex.

“Twilight.” He whimpered.

“I wont give up. I will find you.”