"So, yeah, that's why were were in here the other day."
I hummed and continued to stare at the roof of my cage. "Dozy Grow, right. Explains why you only visited Tirek over there." I glanced over at Twilight. "So, don't you have a school for basic decency and common sense to be teaching?"
She scowled. "Considering you tried to conquer the whole world and tried to abuse the power of friendship, you're really not one to talk."
I smiled and rolled onto my side to face her. " I tease, but you know this largely confirms what I said years ago, right? Ponies need someone to guide them."
She nodded. "Yeah, and I never denied that."
I frowned and reached over to tap my bars. "And yet when I try to-"
"What I refused was your method for guidance. If you just force everypony to behave and don't give them a chance to learn it'll never stick. Instead, you'll build resentment for what you're trying to teach them. That's why-" She winced and looked away.
I raised an eyebrow. "Why what?"
She didn't answer right away, but after a moment fixed me with that sad frown of hers. "Why I feel like I failed you so badly." I recoiled and she sighed. "I've thought about it a lot. Back when Celestia caught you making golems and all that, I should've stuck up for you more. Heck, I should've tried harder to be there for you after she found out we couldn't-"
"Don't," I snapped. Her ears flopped back, and she hung her head for a moment. Then she blinked and gave me a sad smile.
"Well, I might have some news about that you'll like."
I hummed and lay on my stomach. "And what's that?"
"After everything that's happened, Neighsay's had a real change of heart." I rolled my eyes and snorted. "In fact, completely unprompted, he asked me to offer his apologies for everything he did to you." I paused.
"He wanted to send you a care package, but Tartarus has pretty strict rules about-"
I rolled to a sitting position and glared. "Yeah right."
She winced. "He did!"
"Yeah, I'm sure. But I don't buy that he's sincere."
"Eddy-"
"He's not sorry for the hurt he caused. He's sorry for what I turned around and became as a result. Because of the threat I pose to his happy safe little world."
"You don't know-"
"I do."
"Eddy.."
"If I hadn't become a threat, you really think he'd ever think about me?" I scoffed. "Look at what it took for him to even consider rethinking everything!"
"But at least he is reconsidering!" She stuck her head into the bars. "I'm not asking you to forgive him, and I'm not asking you to be his friend."
I scoffed again and scooted against the far side of my cage. "So what are you asking?"
"I'm asking you to stop letting the past decide who you are. You've proved you can make wonderful things happen, but because you're so fixated on all the bad things that happened, you use those gifts and talents to hurt creatures," I folded my arms and glared at her. "I want to help you, really I do. But Eddy.."
"You have to realize and accept that you need help."
I smiled and leaned against the bars of my cell. "I'm fine, and how are you?"
"Golly! Coulda fooled me," the puny alicorn chirped, tapping the bars.
"Seems like the only time I see you is when you're in a cage," Tirek scoffed.
"Let's be fair. Your current size and liberated status is a recent development," I retorted, at which he snorted.
"Careful who you mock, Outworlder," Chrysalis hissed. "Especially when they control your fate."
I pursed my lips and hummed. "Oh, is that what's happening?"
The tiny alicorn fluttered to my eye level to fix me with a dopey smile. "Sure is! I heard all kinds of stuff about you and your inventions, so I said we should give you a chance to join up!"
"I was opposed to the idea," Tirek added.
"And I knew we could make use of your ingenuity if you submit," Chrysalis continued, before scowling at Tirek. "So, two to one! We win."
"Submit?" I chortled.
"Yep! You work for us and we let you outta this cell!" The alicorn chirped, sticking her head through the bars. "So? How 'bout it?"
I laughed. "Not a chance!" Tirek rolled his eyes, but the alicorn looked like she was about to retort. So I cut her off and continued. "Quick question for you! What happens next for you three?"
Chrysalis scoffed. "And I thought you were supposed to be clever. It should be obvious!" She stamped her hoof. "We dominate Equestria!"
"Evenly, between the three of you?"
"Yep!" The alicorn replied.
"Who gets Canterlot?" I frowned and glanced out my window at the ruined city skyline. "Or more likely, the region Canterlot used to stand upon." Tirek shook his head and sighed while Crysalis and the alicorn shared a look.
"Why's that matter?" The pipsqueak asked.
"I will, of course," Chrysalis declared at the exact same time with a hoof to her chest. Tirek groaned, while the pipsqueak.. OH! SHE must be Cozy! Anyhow, Cozy turned to Chrysalis with a scowl.
"Uh, since when?"
"Since always!" She recoiled as Cozy zipped up to her face with an angry glare.
"Nuh-uh! We-"
"Stop," Tirek stepped forward and waved her back. "He's trying to compel us to infighting over petty nothings. I warned you both he was crafty." The pair considered his words before turning to glare at me. I smiled in return.
"Very clever Outworlder," Chrysalis hissed before jabbing a hoof at me. "But not clever enough!"
"Thank you. Though, my intention wasn't to compel anything, merely to make a point."
"And what point is that?" Tirek asked with a sigh. I hummed a laugh and shrugged.
"That you three have the same problem I saw in Iggy the Storm King. You've got the power, sure! And you've clearly got some solid heads on your shoulders," I frowned. "And yet you're just gunning it straight for the finish line." Tirek blinked and furrowed his brow while the other two shared similar expressions of confusion.
"Why's that a problem?" Cozy pressed.
I leaned on the bars and looked at the ceiling. "You become so focused on winning you never stop to consider what it even looks like. How you'd feel afterward," I tilted my head back to them. "You just assume victory is enough in and of itself."
Chrysalis scoffed. "That's because it is, you low-born thing."
"Really? You sure? Cause you haven't even won yet, and you and the lil one are already arguing over who gets this dumpy plot of land." She scowled at Cozy and then back at me. "You see, I killed Iggy because when you mix power with fear, people get hurt. But when you mix power with short-sightedness you wind up with senseless destruction."
I smiled. "I've always looked ahead. Carefully envisioned what I wanted my victory to look like, and then took careful steps to get there. My methods might not be the fastest or most efficient, but I make sure I get exactly what I want in the end."
Tirek chuckled and leaned toward me. "And what you want is Twilight Sparkle, right?" Cozy snickered while Chrysalis adopted a malicious grin.
"Correct." His smirk vanished. "And I'm not ashamed to admit to someone who barely knows what he wants." His eyes lit up with fury. Might've pressed a bit too hard. Well, maybe I can.. I blinked as a faint but familiar noise reached my ears, which drew a smile that only seemed to anger the centaur further.
"I refuse to work with you three. But not out of some moral misalignment. But because I refuse to compromise on my vision for the entire world by even one half-acre," I sighed and smiled before resting my arms behind my head. "But hey! If you need some proper direction and guidance, I'm always hiring."
"Not anymore, you're not," Tirek responded cracking his neck and charging a ball of red magic.
"You really think you can lecture and insult us and get away with it?" Chrysalis added.
"So much for that big brain, huh?" Cozy continued with a smug leer. I met hers with one of my own.
"Like I said."
WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
"I always look ahead."
A small swarm of drone animunculi flew through my cell window and straight at the three of them.
POP POP POP POP POP
"MY EYES!" Tirek roared.
"MY FACE!" Chrysalis bellowed.
"MY EVERYTHING!" Cozy shrieked.
Amidst the tiny explosions, which seemingly did little more than daze and confuse the three, I heard the sound of stone being magically sliced. Jumping to my feet, I whirled around to see a circular chunk of the wall fall in. Tempest leaped with a spell saber held up in her magic.
"Heya, Handsome!" Jury called from just outside, in the driver's seat of the Integrity. "You come here often?"