//------------------------------//
// Mobius pt. 5: To Hate or Lose? 
// Story: Mobius: Equestrian Adventure (Revamped! Old chapters included) 
// by Mobius of the Moon 
//------------------------------//


Acting in anger and hatred throughout my life, I frequently precipitated what I feared most, the loss of friendships and the need to rely upon the very people I'd abused.
-Luke Ford




I awoke to a radio blaring noise. Or at least, I thought it was my radio. It turned out to be a telepathic signal. I get those sometimes, being able to do... telepathic... stuff, and... screw it, just call me a madman and be done with it!

"Can anyone hear me?" Like any telepathic message, the voice had a weird echo to it. I could tell it was female, but I couldn't distinguish who it exactly was. "We're all in danger. Equestria is in danger!" Wait... Equestria? "Our friend, he tried to help, but he.... What!?" The voice grew fainter and unintelligible for a moment before returning. "Alright... M-" A sound like static broke in... How does that even work!? This is telepathy! I thought. For a moment the static continued, then the voice returned, "Can you hear me? This is *kzzrghk*! Remem*Krrghszz*! Remember what hap*krrsghzzgh*!"

I cocked my head, trying to get a better signal. If it were failing, that would have to mean that the transmission was a general broadcast, not personal. And that meant trouble. It meant that whoever sent the signal was trying to get the attention of either everyone. or trying to find a single person in a wide area. Either way, it didn't mean anything good.

But I was in my living room, and everything was fine. Still bleary, I sat up and took a deep breath. Whatever was happening, I was hoping that it wouldn't be bad. 

"Seriously? This is what your house looks like here?" Well, there goes that little hope.

I jerked up, all sense of bleariness gone. I whipped around and stared into the bored red eyes from Rarity's Boutique. 

Hunter stood there, but now in human form. His hair fell over his face in a black curtain. He wore black clothes all over, somewhat skintight. Over that he had on his normal attire. Black armor. And if you couldn't get any more cliche than that, he held a mage's staff in his hands, black wood that was gnarled and twisted the closer it got to the end. His bone-white hands were wrapped around it, his long spindly fingers drumming the sides. I always found it tiring how he had always looked like the perfect bad guy image.

I cast a look behind him to the door. What if a pony came in now?

"Don't worry." Hunter said quietly, "I've locked the door and cast a Muffle on the room. We need to talk, Mobius."

Glaring, I too changed into human form. Hunter laughed when he saw me.

"Seriously, is that what you're wearing?" he laughed, grabbing his sides and laughing as if what I had on was the funniest thing in the multiverse. "You've got to be kidding me!"

I looked down. I saw gray cargo pants, a gray t-shirt with a Mobius Strip on it, and a black jacket. I looked back up. "And?"

He stopped laughing. "Oh, Mobius, you are so clueless right now."

I cocked my head. "Oh? And how's that?"

He stopped laughing immediately. "This is how."

The room became shrouded in a dark mist, and Hunter's pale face shone like a spotlight. "I have... a proposition for you, Mobius."

Immediately I was on guard. Nothing was well and good when Hunter was able to fill an entire room with "his domain" of dark energies. I stood there, transfixed and erect, not daring to move. "And that is?" I asked through clenched teeth.

Hunter laughed again, low and wheezing. "I can't make a big ripple just yet. Lord Hades' orders. But I can get someone else to do my job for me." 

I raised an eyebrow. "So you decide to get your rival to do  something he'd never do?"

Hunter shook his head. "No, no... I could never accomplish that. But maybe if I give him a little coaxing..." 

I finished for him. "So you're going to blackmail me. With what?"

Hunter grinned, thin and anything but cheerful. "With your life."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "You're not serious! You can't be! I fear death like a child fears their parents-"

"The parents could be abusive." Hunter interrupted.

"... Shut it. Anyway, blackmailing me with my life won't work, I hope you know." I was frantically grabbing at all my resources, begging the Gods and Goddesses that he doesn't tear the hope away-

Hunter stared at me, evil glee in his eyes. "Oh, but it all depends on how I kill you, doesn't it?"

My retort died in my throat. My only hope of escaping this fled. "The worse the way I die..."

"The longer it takes for you to return." Hunter smiled again. "Now of course, I could never keep you away for more than half a year, but that is more than long enough. In six months time I could turn this pathetic world into my kingdom. But that's just boring."

I gulped. This conversation was not going in a good direction. Think, Mobius, THINK! Don't freeze up now, not when you need to THINK! But my mind was whirling, and my limbs were locked up.

"But doing that would be boring." Hunter continued. "I'd much prefer to plant the seed of chaos, and watch this carefully built empire slowly crumble." to emphasize his point, a classic Jenga game appeared, already built. Hunter placed a black colored block near the bottom, where six different colored pieces were. At the top lay two large pieces, one midnight blue, the other blinding white.

"Let's see...  start at the bottom, with what seems like the least important people. But these apparent least importants hold the entire structure together."

The black piece moved, shoving the lavender Jenga piece out of the foundation. The lavender piece shattered as it hit the floor. The tower wobbled.

"Now, I could see what happens when I also put a Seed in the middle."

A black piece was inserted into the center of the structure. Immediately four pieces shot away, shattering when they came into contact with something. The tower shook a little more violently. A few seconds later, the orange piece at the bottom was shoved away, shattering like the others. The tower leaned, then regained balance.

"But of course, the real fun is when you take from the top. Slowly but surely, the tower disappears."

A black piece was put next to the two large ones at the top. The midnight blue one was the first to go. Instead of shattering, it burned slowly. And in the fire that burst forth, I saw Luna; bloody, dying, pleading for mercy with someone. I grit my teeth. As the blue piece slowly was burnt away, the white piece began shaking. Then of its own accord, it wobble to the edge and off the tower. I knew what that meant. Celestia would commit suicide out of self-shame.

For a short moment, I felt like crying. I'd been here about a month. How had I become so attached so easily?

Then another, white and purple piece flew from the bottom, splitting in half instead of shattering.

Then I watched as more and more pieces fell off the child's game, shattering or cracking or burning. Finally what was left was a skeleton, and one rainbow-cyan colored piece holding it all up. The tower wobbled, twisted, and teetered, but never fell. All of it was held by the cyan-rainbow piece. Then, in one heart shattering moment, I saw it. It flashed in front of my eyes. Rainbow Dash was running through the palace in Canterlot, buildings burning outside. She went into a room I recognized immediately. Luna's room, now turned into a war council.

Rainbow began arguing with some ponies who looked desperate, and ready to give up. But Rainbow's eyes were lit with an inner fire, and she glared them all down. Finally though, the other ponies shook their heads, and left the room.

Dash, in a fury, flew out the window. I saw her confront a dark shadow, and a fierce battle commenced. But it was all in vain. Rainbow lost.

She was hung at a public gallows, next to five other ponies, all maimed, decaying, but recognizable. The Elements.

With that, the Rainbow piece all but disappeared, and the tower fell. As it fell, I heard screams. Screams of a toppling society, scared and helpless as their world fell around them.

I looked Hunter in the eye, terror piercing through me. That could never happen. Not here.

Hunter smiled, full of glee at his success. "So... what'll it be?" he asked, "Some mild chaos, or this?" He indicated the mess on the floor.

I gulped again, my throat dry. What choice did I have?

I hung my head. "Tell me what to do."

The mist disappeared, and Hunter stepped closer. "Here." He placed something in my hand. His fingers felt like ice.

I looked down. It was an earpiece. "So you'll be telling me what to do then."

"Exactly." Hunter stated matter-of-factly. "And these will help me decide what you should do where you are."

Glasses. Bifocals, to be exact. "Let me guess... rigged so you can see what I see."

Hunter shrugged. "Obviously." He motioned for me to put them on.

I did, and I felt pretty awesome. Even though these were "evil" glasses, they looked cool. The earpiece fit fine, but then Hunter spoke.

"Everything okay?" He asked mockingly. His voice rang through my head, and I fell to a knee, clutching the side of my temple. "Oh, I guess I forgot. You'll have to deal with this too."

I looked up in defiance. "What did you do?" I growled through then clenched teeth.

"Just made it so you hear me no matter what. But I can turn it down."  As he said that, his voice sounded normal, as if he were talking to me in a room, which  he was. "Or I can do this."

My head was filled with a screeching noise, not unlike that of a... something with a loud screech. I clenched the sides of my head in pain. What was this.

Slowly the screeching faded, and Hunter was laughing. "You see? I can control you, and kill you if I have to."

Looking back, I realize that there was something screeching in the back of my mind, but it was telling me that I could fight back, but for some reason my body refused to move.

I hung my head yet again, then stood. "What is it I should do first?"

Hunter giggled like a child with a new toy. "Just go outside. I'll tell you what to do."

I changed into ALS form and the door opened. Hunter flopped down onto the the couch and waved. "Au revoir! See you later!"

Have a made out Hunter to completely evil? Well he is, but at times, he's just a downright troll.

I padded out into warm  sunshine. Sure, Celestia may or may not know what's going on a the moment, but it still seems like she's mocking me.

I walked down the dirt path towards Ponyville. All around me,  the day was going by as normal. Birds were making their noises, small animals were doing whatever the hell they do behind our backs (skunks and raccoons play Poker, sometimes with badgers), and it seemed like a happy day. Of course, it all was against me.

As I neared the town, I heard fast-paced hoof-beats behind me. Turning, I was met with an orange coat and a stetson, which ran straight into me. Applejack and I tumbled on the ground for a minute before coming to a stop.

I looked up at her. "What are you in such a rush for, Applejack?"

Applejack looked over at me with wide eyes. "Oh! Consarn it, Mobius! Sorry, ah was on my way to the market with more apples. It's selling day."

"Ah, I see." I said, "Well then, good luck... but, where are the apples?"

Applejack blushed, and her eyes flicked around sheepishly. "Well... that's why ah was runnin' so darned fast. Ya see, I-"

I shook my head and chuckled. "I understand. Here, let me help you." Before she could say anything else, I spread my wings and took off, speeding up almost instantaneously. Hey, we can all be Gary Stu at times, right?

I looked down as the world whizzed by, and saw the cart as it bounced and jounced towards Ponyville. As I tried to catch up, I watched in amazement as it dodged almost every obstacle seemingly with a will of it's own.

But then I heard the suave, cold voice in my head. "Push it to the left. With your magic."

Looking to the left, I saw Carrot Top and her stand. If I did as Hunter asked, well, it's probably obvious what would happen.

As I hesitated, the screeching noise filled my ears. Hissing in frustration, I did as I was told. The cart shot to the left, and both apples and carrots flew into the air, showering the areas around them. One carrot whacked me in the face, and an apple whizzed in between my hind legs.

As I touched down, Applejack was right behind the cart. She skidded to a halt and glanced at me. "Ah thought you said you had it, Mobius!"

I hung my head. "I know, I almost got to it, but it was just out of my reach. Sorry Applejack."

Carrot Top suddenly appeared out of a pile of mixed Carrots, apples, and broken wood. "Hey! You did that on purpose!"

Applejack gaped openly back at the other earth pony. "Ah did not! Mah cart just got away from me!"

Carrot Top Hmphed! and stuck her nose in the air. "You're lying!"

That did it. he Element of Honesty, lying. Applejack just barely kept her motions in check, though I could see a growing urge to hurt in Applejack's eyes. Ponies fighting physically... this is screwed up...

Hunter's cackle echoed in my head. "Oh this is rich! Walk away now though, I want to find something else to do."

I turned and slowly crept through the growing crowd. As I left, I heard mutterings about who was the wrongdoer. It sounded as if they were going to fight as well.

I heard voices being raised as I slowly crept away. But just as I was leaving, I heard Applejack shout, "Mobius! Wake up, Mobius! This isn't- Ah told you, it warn't me!"

I stopped for a moment. What? Wake up? What was she talking about? But after some insistent prodding with the earpiece noise, I kept on walking.

My next destination happened to be none other than Sugarcube Corner. I stopped at the door when Hunter said, "Here." Then he told me to do something that you be pretty obvious to cause chaos. "How do you cause a little chaos in a bakery?" he asked in an icy tone. 

I sighed. "What else?"

"Just get in there." he said, then was gone. I went inside, and the first thing I saw was Mrs. Cake and Pinkie.

"Now, I don't want you messing up those cupcakes again, Pinkie." she was saying sternly. "We need them by the end of the day."

"Yes, Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie said in her cheerful way, bouncing up and down.

I stepped farther inside. "What's this about baking? Maybe I can help."

Mrs. Cake looked at me, "Oh, no, dear, that's quite-"

"Sure!" Pinkie said happily, "You can be loads of help!" I was instantly grabbed and dragged into the kitchen, Mrs. Cake's protests dying in her mouth.

"Okay, first we need the sugar. Then, the water. Then weneed-" her words became so jumbled I couldn't understand them if I had recorded them and slowed said recording down.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Pinkie." I said, unable to resist chuckling. "Now, tell me what you need, and I'll get it for you."

She did as I said, and we began working. We chatted nonchalantly about lots of things, mainly circling around the bakery. Pinkie seemed to have grown up here, after leaving wherever she used to live as a filly. She would never say why she left or where she left from. But soon we had made the batter, and Pinkie was about to put the unbaked cupcakes in  the oven, when a bell dinged at the front counter. Pinkie got a wildly happy look on her face and sped away, leaving me alone.

"Now," Hunter's voice spoke, cool and calculating, "Here." A small, clear bag of red-black dust appeared in front of me. "Put this on each of the cupcakes. When heated enough, boom-boom happens."

I sighed, "You seem so childish at times."

"And you don't?"

"... You make a good point, though I hate to say it." Then, sighing again, I sprinkled the dust evenly on all the cups of cupcake batter. The dust dissolved and was hidden immediately.

Pinkie came in not one second later. "Hi again! Time to put the cupcakes in the oven!" But as she went up to the pan, she looked down at it with an odd look. "Wait..."

I gulped inwardly. "What is it, Pinkie?" Had I missed a spot, and some dust was visible?

Pinkie looked back up, her previous look of consternation gone. "Nope! Nothing! Just my imagination." With that, she shoved the entire tray into the oven.

I mimed looking at a watch on my wrist. "Oh! Look at the time! Ahaha... I got to go! See ya later Pinks!" With that I quickly walked out of the shop, hearing Pinkie's happy reply behind me.

Just as I left the bakery, a humongous rumble shook the ground. Then the sound of a muffled blast. Then Mrs. Cake screaming, furious.

"Mobi! Are you still asleep? Wakey-wakey!" Pinkie? I turned back again, but then  I was sent off by the incessant screeching.




Yet again my next destination was not far off. I found myself at the doors to Rarity's Boutique, though I wasn't sure when or how I'd gotten here. But what I did know was that a disappointed Sweetie Bell had plodded out, flopping down on the ground with a huff.

I stepped inside and looked around. An angry Rarity was at a sewing machine, looking at a tear in a dress with a critical eye.

"I'm guessing Sweetie Bell had something to do with it?" I asked as I came closer. Rarity looked up and grimaced. 

"Yes, dear, my sister doesn't seem to understand what 'be careful' means. I just barely didn't stop her from ruining this dress!"

Looking at the dress, all I could see was a small tear that would disappear if repaired properly. But of course, I was no fashion guy... professionally, anyway.

"Well... maybe I could help?" I asked casually. Rarity looked up with a quizzical expression, then smiled.

"Well, I guess I could a little more help... definitely from someone that's MORE CAREFUL THAN A CERTAIN YOUNG FILLY!" I cringed at her volume, but made sure to show no sign of it.

"Very well... where do I start?" I asked. Rarity pointed out a list of duties for me, and I set to work. This time there was little talking, only Rarity tweaking something and muttering to herself.

After a while, Hunter began complaining. "This is boring. Do something."

"I can't." I replied in my head. "I'm not going to do it myself, with Rarity watching." Whoa, where'd that come from? Usually I'd take the blame for a friend any day.

"Hmmm... well here's your chance." Rarity had stopped sudden;y, and just left the room. "Now, what was it she said about Sweetie Bell?"

I groaned. "By the Gods and Goddesses, you're horrible." But I went outside anyway.

There was Sweetie Bell, in the same spot as before. "Hey, Squirt." I said cheerfully.

"What?" the filly asked, anger obvious on her voice.

"Well, I just... you know, Rarity's calmed down now. She told me she wants YOU to help her."

Sweetie Bell sat up immediately, beaming. "REALLY!?" she asked in amazement.

"Yeah! Go on, help her out!" I opened the door and smiled warmly. Sweetie Bell held her nose high, and trotted inside. I closed the door, then walked away, but was stopped by Hunter.

"Wait." He said, "I love this."

Not too long later, Rarity screaming words at Sweetie Bell came to my ears. Hunter laughed, deep, booming, hurting my ears.

But then, "Mobius! Mobius darling, what have you done to your suit? I just gave it to you a few days ago! Wake up so I can show you what you've done!"

Um... hat was a little different, but it still had those two words in it, wake up!... What was going on here?




And then I found myself at Fluttershy's cottage, again with no recollection of how I had gotten there. But Hunter was speaking to me, and I listened.

"This one will be so easy." he chuckled. "Just tell her there's an animal injured in the Everfree, just about to the river. I have a little surprise planned for her."

I gulped, then knocked on the door. The butter yellow pegasus opened it, and looked at me in surprise. I had put on a panicked look, making my eyes wide and terrified, and making my fur ruffled.

"Mobius, what's the matter?" she asked in her quiet, breathy way.

"An... animal..." I panted, putting on a show. "In the... Everfree... injured.... needs help... by the river."

"Oh... Oh my. The Everfree... Oh, I can't go alone... will you come with me, Mobius?" she asked timidly.

"Of course." I said, still acting breathless. 

"Okay, you wait here. I'll go get some supplies... Oh, I hope it's not a poor little bunny." Fluttershy went back into her cottage.

"What are you going to do?" I asked Hunter.

"It's all going to be so fantastic." Hunter said with glee. And for some reason, I felt like joining in with his cold laughter. I wasn't able to shake the malicious joy from my mind, even when Fluttershy reappeared and we sped off to the Everfree.

And again I was suddenly by the river, not sure when I got there, just knowing that I was... there. And Fluttershy was right next to it, searching the banks. "Mobius?" she asked. "Mobius? I don't see any animals. Are you sure it was here?"

I didn't reply. I was hiding in the bushes, close to sharing Hunter's evil glee in what was about to happen. 

"Mobius?" Fluttershy turned around. "Mobius, where are you? Where-"

Two jets of water erupted from the river, and drenched everything within a ten yard radius, including me. Two webbed hands grabbed the river bank, followed by two fish-like, yet also wolf-like, heads. They were followed by scaly bodies, and then two wolf paws with webbed toes for legs. They had the tails of fish, which they slapped into the ground menacingly.

Fluttershy backed up, and they advanced. "Mobius?" Fluttershy asked, the fear growing in her voice. "Mobius?"

And then they pounced. I laughed in horrible, evil glee as their claws ripped into her, and as she cried out. "Mobius! What's wrong? Something's wrong with Mobius! He's... changing!" I didn't notice as the scene before me grew fuzzy, then broke up, but reappeared a few seconds later, like an old television on the fritz. I just kept on laughing.

Even as I fell into a darkness that held echoes and voices, calling out to me.

"Mobius!" One voice called out, a definite Southern accent to it. "Mobius, whatevers happening to you, it isn't the truth!"

"Mobius!" a cheerful, pippy voice said. "You told me you'd throw me a biiiig party someday! Is this the party? Because I don't like it!"

"Mobius, darling!" A high-class voice spoke, "You really must wake up!"

"Um, Mobius..." A meek voice chimed in. "We... really need you to wake up now... "

"Mobius!" A confident, somewhat angry voice shouted. "What happened to 'I can take him?' Huh? And what's with the new look? You're all... black."

"Mobius, wake up!" The voice from earlier shouted... wait... Twilight? "You need to remember! This... Hunter pony used a spell on you! He attacked me, remember? You began to fight! And then you just fell down. Hunter's returning, we can hear him coming! WAKE UP, MOBIUS!"




I tried to go towards those voices, but then a bright spotlight blocked my way. When my eyes adjusted, there were seven figures in front of me. The mane six, and Hunter, but he was shrouded in black.

"You lied to me, Mobius. It was you who moved the cart." said a bruised Applejack, her words dripping with hatred.

"And you messed up my cupcakes! Meanie!" Pinkie shouted, more angry than I'd ever seen her. "It's all your fault!"

"And you lied to Sweetie Bell! You  absolutely ruined my shop!" Rarity was fuming, her face red.

"And you did this to me." Fluttershy put in. She was cut and bleeding in several places, bone and muscle showing. IT made me sick.

"You're a coward." Was all Dash said, before turning away.

"You see, Mobius? You're a horrible person. Nobody needs you. You ruin lives, for fun." Twilight, looking as calm as ever, began to list things off I'd almost forgotten. Things I never wanted to remember. Things that made me cringe and squirm. Things that made tears spring to my eyes, and drove my mind over the edge. I could feel myself slipping.

"And you see? It's who I am." Said Hunter, still shrouded.

"Hunter! This is your fault!" Yet even as I pointed an accusing finger, I felt uncertainty growing.

"Hunter?" The voice asked dubiously. "I'm not Hunter." The shape stepped out of it's shroud, yet it looked like Hunter.

"But-" I grasped for words, and then my worst fears came back.

Hunter's skin began to peel away, but there was no blood. In fact, a bigger form filled the space where Hunter had once been. A form that looked very familiar. One that I saw in the mirror every day.

Me.





And on that odd note, I end this chapter, that actually seems pretty predictable now.
But anyways, I thank all of you who were patient with me, and waited for this chapter to come out.
Ciao
Mobius