Cory: The Fear of Water

by artman7391

Back home

Silverstream and Cory, (who had returned to his Alicorn form), opened their eyes and saw they were lying on the floor of the crystal treehouse. Yet ,the two of them were still holding hand and hoof. After a few moments of staring at the sky, catching their breath and gaining a bit more consciousness, they sat up and stared into each others eyes. Then they slowly turned their heads to make sure they were back. Everything was in it's place, just before Silverstream had left it.

"We...We did it." Cory said as a smile grew on his face.

"We won!" Silverstream added as she embraced her boyfriend .

The two laughed a sigh of relief when suddenly they heard a knock from downstairs.

"Silverstresm?! Cory!?" Said two familiar voices from below.

The two lovers looked down to see Sunburst and Sunset arriving at the treehouse, who had just picked up their essence from that spot a few moments before.

"We're up here guys!" Cory shouted down.

"Oh, thank goodness." Sunset sighed in relief. "We just heard Silverstream disappeared too."

"You gave a big scare back in the Crystal Empire Cory." Sunburst added. "But we were thankfully able to trace your energy back to this area."

"What happened to you two?" Sunset asked.

"Would you believe us if we told you?" Silverstream asked, to which they all laughed in unison.

"I think with what you two have gone through, we'd believe anything." Sunburst replied.

It was then the four of them heard a moaning sound coming from the crystal treehouse. They walked in one of the study rooms to find several shriveled up bodies of what appeared to be the teachers from before. They were skinny, wrinkled, bald and short in stature. They're breaths were full of wheezing and coughing, as if they were recovering from some trip into the mines. As for Cozy Glow, she was nowhere to be found. But above them was a deep, dank, sparkling mist that floated higher and higher into the air.

"What are these things?" Asked Sunburst.

"Well," Cory replied. "They were once bullies. Bullies that tormented me throughout a big chunk of my life. But now, they seem to be torn up shells of who they used to be."

"I remember you telling me those things." Sunset added. "And from the look on your face, it seems you really finally conquered them."

"Yeah." Cory said. "I suppose so."

"You fool!!" Said a familiar voice from the rising mist above. "You think you can defeat me for good?!!"

"It's done Cozy Glow." Said Cory. "I'm no longer under your power."

"I'll get back at your life someday!" Said Cozy Glow's voice. "I'll get back at all of Equestria!!"

And with those words, the mist disappeared over the trees and beyond the clouds.

"Should that be something we should worry about?" Sunburst asked.

"Nah." Cory replied. "Not for me. When she returns I will totally be ready. We'll all be ready."

Their attention focused back on the pathetic creatures.

"Shouldn't we help them out?" Silverstream asked.

Cory looked at the bodies that were once his tormentors. At first, a fireball of rage filled his stomach. But then he remembered Sheldon Stiffson, and his willingness to reform, and the fire began to sizzle down. Suddenly the creatures began to move in a squeamish way. One of them stared up at Cory with sunken in eyes.

"Aagh!!" They yelled as they suddenly scurried to their hands and feet and backed into a corner.

"Get away from us!" Screamed what was once the thin teacher

"Please don't hurt us!" Shrieked what was once the fat teacher.

"Just leave us mercifully alone!" Yelled what was once the coach.

Cory couldn't believe it. They were...afraid of him. The power on them must've been so much, they couldn't take any more of it. They didn't know how to handle this power Cory had. This power of friendship, family and love inside of him. So they reacted the only way they knew how...in fear. Cory, Sunset, Sunburst and Silverstream all looked at each other. Then they took a deep breath and slowly walked towards the helpless creatures.

"It's alright," Cory said sympathetically. "Come on out."

"Did you no hear us?" The fat teacher snarled pathetically. "Get back!"

"Shhh. It's ok." Sunset said. "We're not going to hurt you."

"That's what they all say." The coach said meekly. "They tell you they wont, but..."

"It's OK." Silverstream reassured motherly. "We won't bite."

"I still smell deceit." The thin teacher said meekly.

"We...promise we won't hurt you." Cory said. It took a lot of gumption for him to say that.

"Yeah. We're here to help." Sunburst added.

Suddenly the eyes of the strange creatures changed from one of distrust to that of awe and wonder. It was as if they had mentally become children again, curious towards something they hadn't heard before.

"H...help?" The fat teacher asked awestruck.

"Yes." Silverstream reassured. "Help. You've never been helped before?"

"Well." The thin teacher thought. "I...I suppose not."

"No one has ever said they wanted to help me." The coach added.

"Well we'd be happy to give it to you." Sunburst said.

"Isn't that right Cory?" Sunset asked.

Cory thought for a bit. This was a rather tough decision. These creatures were formerly the same people that tried to kill him from the inside out. They made it their mission to do away with him. To not cease at any cost to torture him till death. Now, here they were, shells of their former selves, only wanting to scurry away from him.

At first, he felt the urge to want to put them out of their misery and turn them to stone. His horn started to charge with a spell. An anger was filling his eyes. But then, he remembered Stiffson, and the second chance he and others mercifully gave him. He wondered if he was fulfilling his promise, and whether they would fulfill that as well.

"I'd be willing to help you." Cory replied calmly as his horn eased in energy. "On the condition that you do exactly as we say."

A short silence fell around the crystal treehouse. And then...

"Anything." The pathetic creatures said all together.

And so it was, the beginning of a new journey for Cory's former foes, and possibly a new friendship.