Cory: The Fear of Water

by artman7391

The source of it all

It was another morning within The Crystal Empire. Everypony was about their daily business, including Cory, who was found once again with his private tutor: Sunburst. Cory had felt like a new colt in the past week and a half. He had stopped isolating himself, overcame his fear, and gained a new partner in the form of a Hippogriff. Everything seemed to be back in place with his life, along with the perk that was true love.

Today was a bit special, for Cory had invited a few students from the School of Friendship for a field trip to Sunbursts house. The two decided to demonstrate a very special spell he had just mastered the other night. Learning from his mistake of not to launch so deeply into advanced spells, he decided to have the assistance of his tutor.

"Welcome travelers from Ponyville!!" Sunburst declared proudly. "Today, we are to show you some very magic my star pupil has mastered over the course of his teachings. One of which involves the relief from that which is stress and migraines. "

The class groaned in boredom.

"I thought you were going to show us something a little more....awesome." Smolder commented.

"Do not get to comfortable Smolder." Sunburst replied. "This particular spell is something nopony has ever done in over 1000 years."

A few creatures gasped in awe while others just rolled their eyes in carelessness.

"But first, let us start with a few simple spells," Cory added. "Don't worry, they're just as mesmerizing."

The two started their show with a little light display from their horns. It involved a few sparks, a few spinning halos, and even a few fireworks. The second act involved about 3-4 well rehearsed card tricks, which was more engaging as it involved audience participation. Next they moved on to a little friendly duel to see who would outsmart the other with their magic. Cory felt as if he were a certain boy wizard from a popular series in his home world. As they dodged and parried each others attack and and wielded together each other's defense, the students stood their in amazement at the spectacular display their guest speakers had shown. Even Smolder seemed intrigued.

Finally, it was time for the big finale. The spell that was to be the highlight of the day.

"Oh, great." Smolder said sarcastically. "Didn't really know the finale would be the least interesting part of the trip."

"Alright!" Cory said enthusiastically, "To have a chance that this spell will work. We will need a volunteer from the audience."

"How about Smolder here." Suggested an earth pony who was sitting right next to her.

"Wait, what?" Asked Smolder.

"Yeah, you've been acting very cranky lately." Another Pegusi commented. "Even by cranky dragon standards."

"Come on guys." Said Smolder. "I'm just feeling what any dragon would feel now: bored. It's not like you don't see me like this on a daily basis. Do you?"

Everypony just shook their head.

"Alright, alright." Smolder said with a sigh as she came center stage.

"I would like every creature's complete silence for this spell to work just right." Cory said.

"From what we know, the last pony to ever conduct this spell was Mage Meadowbrook herself." Sunburst added, to which everyone gasped in shock.

"Luckily, I was able to invite her over in order to give me pointers on how to make this potion." Cory added. "It took me seven tries to get it right, but after much research, I think I've nailed it."

A hush fell on the room as Cory escorted Smolder to a stool, facing the audience. Then with magic, Cory gathered a few ingredients from the cabinet behind him and stirred them in a bowl on the tabletop. While levitating the bowl in the air, Cory messaged his hooves between Smolders cheeks to find a pressure point.

"How do you feel Smolder?" He asked.

"I feel...a little mortified?" Smolder replied.

"How do you feel Smolder?" He asked again, to which Smolder fell into a small trance.

"I feel stressed." Smolder replied in monotone. "I feel conflicted, angry, unbalanced and tuckered out. It's like I'm restless, but at the same time, wanting to sleep."

Cory nodded with interest, after which he finally found the pressure point. He dipped both his hooves into bowl, giving them a shining texture. With the firmest of aim, he pushed them on her cheeks again and messaged them once more. Instantly Smolder's face turned from distressed to relaxed.

"Now how do you feel?" He asked.

"Hey dude." Smolder replied with swag. "I feel like I'm chilling out."

"It's funny." One of the earth ponies commented. "She's acting like her brother when he's doing poetry."

"Was I wrong?" Cory replied, after which everyone applauded in delight.

The show ended and the class applauded, with both Cory and Sunburst taking a bow. As everyone else gathered their thinks and Cory put the supplies away, he noticed a rather familiar looking unicorn coming in his direction.

"Hi Cory." Said Sunset Shimmer.

"Oh, hello Sunset." Cory replied. "I never really saw you in your pony form before."

"Yeah I know. It's not often I come visit Equestria."

"So what are you doing here Sunset?"

"Oh, just came in to check on your health. Twilight tell's me you've made a speedy recovery recently."

"Yes. It feels like I'm back to my rejuvenated self again."

"That is so great to hear. Any chance you would be able to come back to Canterlot High? We really miss you there."

"You know Sunset." Said Cory as he placed his hoof on her shoulder. "I really think that's a great..."

Suddenly, there was rather ominous sound coming from one of Sunburst's shelves. Everypony just stood there in silence, not having any idea what it was. This was followed by tremor in the atmosphere, as if an earthquake was about to happen.

"Sunburst, what is going on here?!!" Cory shouted as classmate as everyone stared to panic.

"I..I don't know." Sunburst replied. "I don't really remember there being any fault lines underneath the Crystal Empire. Or at least of such magnitude."

Then, without warning, everypony started to levitate off the ground, pushed up by a mysterious green mist.

"Wow." Said Smolder, who was still undergoing the effects of the potion from before. "Now this is one rad field trip."

"Does anypony have a knowledge about this?" Asked Sunset Shimmer as screaming from the students could be heard. "Because I definitely don't remember reading about spontaneous magical outbursts in the middle of a sunny day."

"Sunburst and I studied a lot of magic together." Cory panically replied. "And this clearly is not something from our written text."

"Or maybe it is." Sunburst added. "Cory. Sunset. Round up all the students and gather them outside. There's got to be a logical explanation behind this."

They nodded their heads in approval as they escorted the visiting students into the back yard, while Sunburst swam through the air to his private library.

"Aw man." Said Smolder in disappointment. "And just when it was getting interesting."

"Alright is that everyone?" Sunset asked as the last of students headed outside, to which everyone nodded back.

"Great." Cory replied. "I have to go inside and check on my teacher."

"Cory wait!" Sunset said. "It's too risky."

"I can't just leave him in there." He said back.

He headed inside to find a whirlwind of books and knickknacks swirling around the walls and ceiling. As he shuffled and forced himself against the blowing typhoon of magic, he saw, in center of the chaos, Sunburst. Only, he was not Sunburst. His eyes a were a demonic green and his mane had turned a rather deep black.

"Sunburst?" Cory asked.

"Your mutant friend is not here you worthless maggot!!" Said a dreadfully familiar voice that came out of Sunburst's mouth.

"C...Coach?" Cory whimpered.

"That's right!!" Said another voice he hoped never to hear again. "All of us are in this body."

"You are no longer teachers!!" Cory shouted back. "Stiffson Academy is gone. Now give me back my real teacher!! If you lay a single claw on him.."

"Oh, don't worry." Said Cozy Glow's voice. "We'll take good care of his consciousness. Why, it will be like he doesn't exist."

"Cory!!" Shouted Sunburst's voice. "Help meeeee!!"

"What do you want!?" Cory shouted.

"We just want you in exchange for his soul." Said a snippy voice from another one of the teachers. "After all, you did ruin our careers."

"I don't know how you got here, or how you tracked me down, but I'm not going back to that hell hole you call a life." Cory replied. "Nopony ever should live the life I had."

"Oh dear." Said another bratty voice with a cackle. "He's even adopted the pony terms from these quadrupeds. Very well, we'll just whole on to this body for all eternity and..."

"Wait!!" Cory shouted as he looked around for the source of the evil spell, "I'll do anything you say. Just don't hurt him."

At that moment, Sunset came bursting through the door.

"Cory!!" She shouted. "What's going on here?"

"I know what's going on here!" Cory replied.

It was then he spotted the source: The old timey chartreuse lamp he gave to Sunburst as a gift. He could see the waves and sparks of the evil spell coming out of the antique, spreading everywhere across the room. With one fell swoop, he dodged a few of the items within the artificial whirlwind, jumped towards the cabinet of the targeted object, grabbed it, threw it against the ground and shattered it to pieces. At that instant, thick fumes filled the air as the spell seemed to disappear, and Sunburst along with his belongings fell to the floor.

"Oh my." Sunburst said with a headache. "What happened?"

"You seemed to be under an evil spell." Sunset replied as she picked him up, "But Cory snapped you out of it."

As the smoke cleared the room and the two of them looked around, they noticed the unsettling truth: Cory had disappeared.