Bizarre Happenings

by Art Inspired

Chapter Eleven: A Red Rook Within a Dark Room

Rarity could be seen sipping her tea as she listened to Twilight from within the other room. She seemed uneasy with every nod that she made. Cozy Glow could just faintly make her out through the door's tiny keyhole. Sweetie stood behind her, and said, "Come away from there, Cozy. Twilight's talking to her right now."

Cozy blinked, and squinted. "I know, but I wanna make sure... that Rarity isn't gonna-"

Sweetie lightly grabbed Cozy's hoof, and managed to pull her away from the door while cutting her off by saying, "That my sister isn't going to what, Cozy Glow? Stop Twilight from taking you to Canterlot?"

Cozy looked away, and said, "I'm not sure... I'm just nervous about doing this. Okay?"

Sweetie glanced away as well, and said, "Had I known that this was what you were up to, I would've asked you to let me help you, or to at least talk to me about it."

Cozy commented, looking back, "But I only just discovered this the day before yesterday, and Sweetie... I don't think you should be involved." Sweetie still wasn't making eye contact with her friend, but she looked down, knowing that Cozy Glow had a point. "This is Tirek we're talking about. I'm not even sure my plan will work."

Sweetie began to glance back towards Cozy as she asked, "What's your plan anyways?"

Cozy looked back towards the door slowly, but then calmly said, "I want to talk with him in a way that won't allow him to harm me, or Equestria. I want to convince him not to harm Equestria until he... at least is willing to give friendship a chance." She became a bit more animated while saying, "I think he might come around if he sees his brother."

Sweetie wished that she could respond positively to such a notion, but everything that she knew of the mighty lord was telling her that Cozy Glow was sorely confused. "Uhm..." she voiced, but Cozy Glow remained ever silent after that utterance, waiting patiently for her best friend's opinion. "You... think you can..." She stopped speaking for just a second to consider what she was actually saying, but continued, "S-s-seriously, Cozy... you don't really think that you can... c-convince Tirek to give friendship a try... Do you?"

Cozy was now the one looking away, and down towards the floor. "I... umm..."

Sweetie meant well, just as she always did, but she didn't want Cozy's hopes to be inflated over something that might very well go very wrong, and very quickly. Taking a deep breath, Sweetie Belle began telling Cozy Glow, "I know that what you're trying to do may seem... noble? But, Cozy Glow... Since losing your memory, you don't really know him. You've never even met Tirek yet... He's a monster..."

Slowly, the pegasus looking at the ground glanced back up, but the expression on her face was cold. She seemed as if she knew what the word meant, but she had never actually heard it used before. With lips trembling, she asked, "M-monster? He's a... M-monster?"

Sweetie blinked, and gulped. "Do you know...?"

Cozy shook her head solemnly. "What's it mean?" she asked, but truth be told, she could've answered her own question.

Sweetie said, "It means... he wants power. He wants to... destroy... just because he can." Sweetie then continued, "A monster is something with claws, and fangs, and horns."

Cozy whimpered on the spot, remembering what his pictures looked like. "He h-has... all of those things."

Sweetie nodded, and mentioned, "He's evil, and I just... I doubt highly that he'd ever be willing to give friendship a chance."

Cozy's mouth was now ajar, and she almost seemed as if she were lost as far as what she should be doing all of the sudden. She backed away from Sweetie, and the door, and simply said, "I don't... understand..." She breathed heavily, but asked, "Why?"

Sweetie tried to stand her ground, and not waver from her resolve. "I just... can't let you see him without knowing... It's... because..." She seemed lost in her words at first, but then, after a few seconds of them listening to the murmurs coming from the other side of the wall, she said, "That's just how he is... How he'll probably always be, Cozy."

Cozy Scoffed, and said shrewdly, "Not if he's like me, though..." Sweetie glanced at Cozy, fearful of what she had just said. "Not if he, like... loses his memory. Right?"

Sweetie shook her head, and said, "Cozy... that's... not the answer!"

"Then what is?" Cozy Glow asked hastily. "Ponies that have messed up, like I did... Ponies that just... they just..."

"Are evil?" Sweetie Belle offered.

At this, Cozy found herself nodding. "I, uh... suppose that's one way to put it."

Sweetie came closer towards Cozy Glow, and said, "Look... you're not evil, but erasing their memories... isn't the answer..." She sighed, and then offered, "Maybe... it actually is an answer, sure, but it's not an ethical one... Do you know what ethics are?"

Cozy Glow breathed in deeply, having read thoroughly on the subject. "Yes..." She scoffed once again, and forced out, "A-and... you're right, Sweetie Belle... I was just getting ahead of myself."

Sweetie nodded at Cozy's ability to keep her temper, and said, "If you're going to do this... I think you should know."

Cozy Glow looked sharply at Sweetie Belle's glistening eyes as she spoke her dangerous words. "What is it, Sweetie?" Cozy asked in anticipation.

Biting her lip, Sweetie nearly had second thoughts about telling Cozy Glow this, but she had to know. "You might even get hurt... Tirek has always been violent."

Cozy merely nodded, and said, "I know..."

After exiting, Twilight and Rarity both stood together awkwardly. Cozy didn't have a very good feeling about this.

She looked from Twilight to Rarity with disbelief forming.

"We've decided that..." Twilight began. "Cozy, we just can't let you see Tirek." There was silence for only a second. "It's too dangerous."

"But..."

"Cozy Glow," Rarity said with worry. "We talked, and I'm begging you... don't do this."

Cozy could only shake her head, and tried not to cry. "But... I... know that I can do this...!"

Twilight tried to assure Cozy Glow, "You can't, though. You might get yourself hurt."

Cozy tried once more, "Twilight... Rarity... I'm also begging you... let me do this." She then firmly stated mostly to Twilight, "I know for a fact that I can do this. I..." She sighed, "I already consider him to be my friend."

There was another long pause, and eventually, Twilight looked to Rarity to say, "I'll ask you... for your permission one last time, I guess..." She blinked, and both mares hugged one another graciously. "P-please... I'll be right beside Cozy Glow the whole time that we're doing this... but, Rarity... I won't go through with anything until you say... that it's alright."

Rarity unexpectedly gave Cozy Glow a sudden, but quick hug, and said dramatically, "J-just b-be... careful while dealing with that brute!"

It took some effort on Cozy's part to get Rarity off of her, but once she was freed, she came up to Twilight to thank her. "I, uh... really appreciate this."

Twilight smiled at first, but then, she sternly told the filly, "Just... pretty please, Cozy Glow... Please don't botch this."

Cozy simply nodded at the Princess, saying, "I promise, your Highness... I won't."

Twilight's horn glistened, and she remarked, "Okay... Here we go."

A brief teleportation spell later, and Cozy would find just herself alongside Twilight. They stood face to face with the statue that Cozy Glow had at one time been sorely acquainted with.

Twilight turned to Cozy Glow to ask, "Are... you... sure you know what you're doing?" She now stood right next to the statue mysteriously, and suddenly, Cozy Glow felt odd. The image of Princess Twilight standing there, and asking her that question the way she did made Cozy Glow shiver, and glance downwards. The filly winced as she gave a glance towards Queen Chrysalis.

Twilight voiced very slowly, "What's wrong?"

Cozy blinked a few times, and rubbed her eyes. "Nothing... Nothing's wrong, I just... I guess that I'm... a little bit nervous about doing this after all...! About confronting Tirek... That's all."

"If you don't really want to do this," Twilight began to say. "I'd understand. This is... a huge risk for us to be taking."

Cozy Glow watched as Twilight stood back. "No," Cozy Glow said, finally smiling. "I wanna do this," she said. "I have to do this... because... I just can't accept it."

Twilight's eyes became more and more worried as time went on. "You can't accept what?"

"I..." Cozy stopped speaking just for a second or two in order to breathe. "I can't accept... that he's hopeless, Twilight!"

The Princess then asked, "And what about Chrysalis?"

"H-her, too," Cozy exclaimed suddenly. "From what I hear, she might've bullied me around more than Tirek did... B-but I don't care about that! They can't... be completely evil... can they? I mean... Twilight, I know that I might've been just as... diabolic, if not worse, but didn't they basically befriend me?"

"Cozy, they... associated with you, I think," Twilight said, looking down at the filly.

To that remark, Cozy said, "Call it what you will..." An eerie silence came over the two ponies. They just stood there for a while, staring at each other, and soon, Cozy sighed. It didn't matter what anypony else said to her, and Twilight knew this. Cozy's perspective on the matter was locked, and her solution to what she considered to be a problem was simply to take charge of the situation, so Twilight conceded peacefully, and with a bow. She wouldn't smile for this event, however.

With Twilight's horn dimly shining, she waited for Cozy Glow to come up to the stone statue, and for her to give the command. The filly trotted closer, and as she stood right next to the statue, she managed to get a better view of Tirek's elderly features.

She looked down at one of her hooves, and in the frog was the old tassels that she used to wear in her hair. Slowly, over her left shoulder, she offered them to Twilight, saying, "Just one last thing. I, uhm... brought these along. Do you... think you can do my mane the way it was? A-and my tail, too, please."

Twilight merely smiled, and grabbed hold of the tassels with her magic. While she got to work, she questioned Cozy, "Why, though?"

Looking back at Twilight, and almost scowling, she expressed, "I think it'll make it harder for him to try and bully me."

Cozy looked back at the part of the statue that belonged to Tirek, and asked, "He'll look like that, right? He won't be all muscular?"

Twilight shook her head as she finished with Cozy's mane, and said, "No." She then fashioned Cozy's tail as well.

"That's good, but still... he'll be taller than me... C-can he really hurt me in there?"

Twilight gulped before saying, "Yes... he can, so you've got to be careful, Cozy."

Sighing once again, Cozy lowered her eyes for only a second, but then quickly looked back up, and into that gruff face of Tirek. With Twilight finishing, she stood back, and said, "There... You, uh... look just like your old self now."

Cozy nodded, and said, "Good... I'm ready then."

Twilight seemed animated, but Cozy refused to look her way. She was transfixed on Tirek, so Twilight began to cast her spell. "This will," she said after engulfing Cozy Glow with her magic. "This'll make it to where..." she strained for just a second, but then continued. "T-to where you're physically, and mentally connected with him. I'm not turning you to stone, Cozy, but if he does anything to you..."

Cozy was the one who looked more animated now, and she looked back at Twilight one last time to say quite boldly, "If I have to scream, you break his statue into pieces!"

Twilight glumly nodded despite thinking about such a harsh reality. She didn't say anything else following Cozy Glow's statement, either. Twilight simply sent Cozy Glow into Tirek's prison, and once the filly's eyes had changed from it's usual, blissfully pink and red color to opaque, her Highness sat down, huffing from a little bit of exhaustion, and waited in suspense for the outcome.

---

Everything around Cozy Glow was utterly dark, and a feeling of sheer loneliness washed over her like an ocean. It was a familiar feeling, though. It was a feeling that she hadn't gone through in quite some time. Cozy Glow had been inside this odd space before, and had felt its emptiness already. That didn't stop her eyes from widening while she strained to see anything at all from beyond the thick cloud of nothingness that completely surrounded her.

Memories began to surface. Cozy Glow hadn't even told anypony about what she went through when she was turned back into stone by Starlight Glimmer. She remembered crying in there, and crying, and screaming at the top of her lungs, but for what seemed like the longest time, she thought that nopony was coming to her rescue. Those moments were probably the worst, and most horrific moments of her life.

Cozy Glow suddenly wasn't precisely sure when it was exactly that she had began walking, but with each step, she glanced around in search for Lord Tirek. The emptiness seemed so big, too, so how was she to find him? Cozy began feeling frantic, and although she was normally a fairly calm pegasus, the void was getting to her. Cozy Glow wasn't even sure how she managed to keep herself from running as soon as she had arrived. She just kept walking, and observing her surroundings.

In time, she'd spot an irregularity within the harrowing silhouettes, and she'd be drawn to it like a moth to a flame. The closer she got, the more and more she could just faintly make out Lord Tirek's elderly facial features. The rest of his body was also wrinkly, and frail in comparison to when he's been at his best. Cozy stared at him from a safe enough distance, and could hear snoring noises. She approached slowly, and saw his eyes were also closed.

Despite sitting straight up, Tirek was sound asleep, and even appeared content. Everything for Cozy Glow slowed down, and she thought just a little bit more about how she was going to persuade him. Although, deep down, Cozy Glow had this unshakable feeling that once this started, her control over the matter was inevitably going to falter.

A hoof rested on Tirek's knee, and the centaur stirred. He blinked a few times while not looking downwards one bit, but then he sighed, and frowned. Slowly, he looked, and finally saw who was holding onto his knee, and for a moment, he considered that he might still be dreaming. He probably would've fallen back to sleep were it not for Cozy Glow at last breaking the silence.

"Tirek? Uhm... I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep, but..." The centaur's eyes widened, and his yellow pupils seemed to scan Cozy Glow with every word that she spoke. "We need to talk."

His frown remained unhindered. "What is this?" He asked accusatively. "How did you get in here?" He stood for a moment, keeping Cozy Glow from responding for a few seconds. As he stretched, he claimed, "It doesn't matter, I suppose... Perhaps..." Sitting back down, Tirek told the filly, "If you're here... we might be able to escape this fate after all!"

He stroked his beard in thought, but as soon as her nerves came back to her, Cozy Glow attempted to correct the mistaken villain. "N-no, actually... umm... Y-y'see, Tirek... L-Lord... Tirek."

After rolling his eyes, and grumbling to himself, Tirek groaned, "Out with it!"

Cozy Glow winced. She had never been yelled at so ferociously, so naturally, she trembled before Tirek's booming voice. "I'm sorry!" She blurted out, "I've forgotten everything! I... I-I don't r-remember anything from before being t-turned to stone!"

Tirek began backing away from the young filly as these words entered his ears. "You've... f-forgotten?" He asked, somewhat annoyed. At first he seemed as though he was ready to destroy his only visitor on the spot for revealing this to him, but then, he calmed himself down. Breathing, and stroking his beard, the centaur now found himself with even more questions. "Then... why... are you here exactly?"

This subtle, though sudden change in tone helped Cozy Glow to settle her nerves, too. She stared into those yellow eyes belonging to Tirek, wanting desperately to believe that she could make him reform. As calmly as she could, Cozy Glow said to Tirek, "I'm... uh... I'm here to try and make friends with you." Tirek's eyebrows had already been rising more and more with intrigue, but hearing this forced his arm to lower, and he just stared blankly into those soft, hopeful eyes of Cozy Glow as she spoke to him. "There's more reasons than you're aware of... for you to at least consider being peaceful towards everypony, and every creature for a change."

Tired's eyes slowly started to squint, and he questioned his visitor, "What reason could you possibly have for me to befriend you ponies?!" He began to laugh hastily, and waved at the notion. "You can't be serious!"

Cozy Glow spoke up, "But, I am being serious! Please! If you'll just... hear me out!"

The centaur turned, shaking his head. "You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to be anyone's... friend!"

Cozy followed him wherever he went, and said as they wandered in the darkness, "But, why do you want our power so badly? You just want to use it to hurt others? Is that all you find enjoyment in?"

"Of course," Tirek said, turning sharply to try and shake Cozy Glow, but the filly followed closely behind, but never getting too close, either. "It brings me joy to see others flooded with sorrow," he said in a dull tone. "You should know this about me even if you've forgotten everything."

Cozy Glow countered by saying, "I do know that! But, that's because... you only think stealing energy is the only way! Well, what if I were to tell you..." Cozy Glow gulped, her throat feeling dry all of the sudden. As Tirek stopped, so did Cozy Glow, and she finished, "What if I were to tell you... that you don't even have to steal it?"

From Cozy Glow's perspective, the words seemed to vibrate within Tirek's head. He stared incredibly blankly towards her approximate position, but at the same time, he almost seemed to be staring right passed her. However, slowly, he chuckled, and nearly tore Cozy's fragile heart into pieces just by saying, "That still wouldn't make a difference!"

Were it not for the fact that Cozy Glow could tell that he was lying to her, she might've taken him a bit more seriously. He laughed at her, and snickered, but the more she coldly stared back at him, the less and less his audible sounds of amusement became until they ceased all together. Cozy told him, "I'm being serious, Tirek..."

By now, she could hear something within the background of the two. For a good, long second, she thought it might've been the rough, and deep beat of a drum, but the more audible it became, the more she realized that it was the distinct sound of a heart beating faster, and faster, until it started to palpitate. Soon enough, she realized that this heart beat wasn't hers, but Tirek's. His face was now contorting into sheer, unrelenting rage, and as he advanced towards the defenseless filly, she gasped with great amounts of fear.

Snatching Cozy Glow right up from where she stood was all too easy for Tirek, and he was even smiling as he did it. Even in his older form, his presence was far too intimidating for Cozy Glow to withstand. He had her tightly grasped by the neck with both of his claws, and he rose her higher and higher so that he could see the torment in her eyes that much more clearly. At first, Cozy Glow struggled, and bucked as best she could, but soon, she began to stop while Tirek began to strangle her.

In that moment, she slowly dangled her hooves, and her neck was completely enveloped by the palms of Tirek's claws, making it easier for him to choke her. That's when he stopped smiling at the filly that he was holding onto, and saw her disappointed stare, and heard her slight chokes. He loosened his grip, and through her nostrils, Cozy breathed.

"Go ahead," she strained to say. "P-prove... how petty you really are..."

The centaur blinked at her, and became nearly paralyzed. It was as if he wanted deep down to say something back at her, and to hurt her that much more, but he couldn't. He just frowned, and then gave her a slight look of annoyance, but nevertheless, he didn't dare go any further with this violent act against Cozy. Slowly, he lowered his head in defeat, but then, he heard Cozy Glow say something else.

Through her strained coughs, she commanded, "Put. Me. Down."

He found himself loosening his grip more and more, until he almost dropped her. While doing as she told him, he placed her down gently, and watched her as she cleared her throat. Holding on to her bruised neck, she asked with worry in her voice, "Can I... explain now?" Tirek didn't say a word. "Well?" Cozy Glow asked sharply, "Can I?"

He held onto his head, and seemed lost as she heard him say, "Y-yes! You may... explain..." He folded his arms angrily.

Cozy didn't quite look at him as she began. She merely looked downwards at his torso. For the longest minute, she just stayed there, waiting for her strength to come back, and staring at the useless gesture he had just made towards her. "I found a message from your brother."

Hearing this made him lower his arms at last. All of the sudden, Tirek didn't feel quite so tall, and towering above Cozy Glow anymore. He suddenly felt emptied of all his general knowledge, and left with far too many questions on his shoulders. He thought he had everything figured out, but somehow, he now truthfully knew nothing at all. Giving him even more of a headache was this little filly wanting friendship from him when he's loathed her kind for so many, many years.

Cozy Glow continued to say, "You don't have to steal our magic in order to become powerful, either, Tirek. Befriending us will do the exact same thing. It'll make you strong."

He looked at her with an unsure expression, but asked, "Why should I believe you?"

Cozy Glow replied, "Because... I can prove it." Tirek just stared at Cozy Glow with a glossy haze in his eyes. "If you leave with me, and promise to stop being so evil, you'll see... with what little magic I give you, and just by being your friend, too."

Tirek looked to his left, and considered what Cozy Glow had just offered him. "But, that... also means... You'd actually expect me... to start b-befriending others?"

He looked back at her, but for the moment, while she confirmed all of this, she didn't stop making eye contact with him. "Of course," Cozy Glow said, nodding. "You'll also gain more power with the more friends you have. The counter measure, though... The trick with it is that ponies can actually recall that power that they give to you at will, and that power is also somehow magically recalled as soon as your friendship with us ponies ends. If you try to steal it, then we're basically back where we started, and... I don't know exactly why you'd want to do that to us... or to me."

Tirek blinked, and gave a very light sigh. It was almost as though he wanted to roll his eyes at her just one last time, but he finally understood just how childish he was really being. He sat there for a few seconds, pondering, and then asked, "What if I don't accept your friendship?" By now, Tirek was just as serious as the filly in front of him. "I... want to know."

Cozy gulped, and as the words left her lips, she could feel her whole entire body become as cold as her statement. "I'll have to have Twilight destroy your statue." Tirek remained silent. "Equestria simply can't put up with the chaos that you might still one day be able to bring, but I don't want it to come to that..."

Tirek said profoundly, "I... think that I agree with you for a change. I don't think that I want it to come to that as well..."

His left claw rested shakily on his right claw, and for the first time since Cozy Glow had arrived, Tirek was the one who seemed completely, and utterly without his defenses. He hadn't even been noticing it yet, but the more and more he talked with her, the more and more he sank down to the floor, until he was fair and leveled with Cozy's head. Tirek then felt the hoof of the filly rest on his knee, and she said, "Let me take you to where your brother has left you his message. If you can't control yourself, though..."

Tirek stood back up, and taking a deep breath, he said, "I know what will happen... You needn't go any further, Cozy Glow."

The filly managed to give Tirek a thankful smile, and then frowned again. "Promise me... that you're not just doing this to be free of your imprisonment. Promise me that once we're outside, you're not going to attempt anything. Please, Tirek... don't make me regret all of this."

Tirek's lips felt dry, but with honesty in his tone, he assured Cozy Glow, "I promise."

His last words echoed throughout the never-ending plains of darkness, and with a fearful glance into the void, Cozy Glow said, "A-alright..."

Before his very eyes, she disappeared, but Tirek didn't have to wait very long before his entire surroundings morphed before his very eyes, and he then found himself positioned above Cozy Glow, and right next to the stone form of Chrysalis. His eyes widened, and a feeling of unexplainable euphoria came over him. Even though he didn't smile, he was happy to be out of the unrelenting darkness.

He came down, and saw Twilight as well. She didn't say much to him, but just kept a stern eye on him. She glanced towards Cozy for only a second to ask her, "Are you... alright, Cozy?"

Tirek's eyes went from Twilight to Cozy glow, and suddenly he felt his stomach start to tighten. She reached upwards, and held her neck while responding to Twilight. In the light, the marks looked even worse than before. She coughed again, and said, "I'm... fine!" She then cleared her throat profusely before continuing to say, "I took care of it..." She looked back to Tirek, and stated, "Tirek promised to be my friend."

Twilight had redirected her sour gaze back at Tirek, but after hearing this, her eyebrows would raise, and her eyes would widen. She stared at him with a fair amount of surprise showing on her face, and she questioned him, "You... promised?"

Tirek started to nod. He still kept sulking during the conversation, though, and said, "Cozy Glow told me that in return... you two will bring me to my brother's message." He came up to Twilight, and mustered a humble request. "Will you... take me to it? I... need to know..."

He became lost in his words, and Twilight asked Tirek, "You need to know... what?"

He had started looking down, but upon hearing Twilight ask him that, he looked back up at Twilight to say as if she should already know, "I-I... need to know... just how much of a fool I am."

Both Twilight and Cozy Glow looked at Tirek with surprised eyes, but they both were also at least happy to see him being overall a whole lot less destructive. Twilight huffed, and simply teleported the three of them to a hill nearby Cozy Glow's familiar, snack-time lake.

The impressively large, twisting tree still stood strong, although bare of its blossoms due to the seasons that had gone by. Tirek was the first to start walking towards the soft waters. As he did, Twilight followed along, and Cozy Glow behind her. Tirek squinted his eyes at first as he trotted along, but soon enough, he'd see the yellow ripples, and he wouldn't have to strain to see Scorpan any longer. He came up to the tree, and just stood there for a second.

Glancing towards Cozy Glow, he asked, "Well?"

Cozy Looked back up at the elderly centaur, and asked, "Huh?"

"Are we friends now?" Tirek asked while gesturing with a claw.

Cozy Glow then realized what he was asking for, and said, "Oh, umm... y-yes, I suppose we are." She smiled, and then saw a shimmer of light leave from within herself. It wafted into Tirek, and just like that, Tirek had regained a very little bit of his overwhelming strength and magical might. Twilight gasped upon seeing this happen, but she didn't interfere, and she was still hopeful that this would somehow workout.

Tirek looked at his lean physique in admiration, and although he still wasn't blistering red, it was enough to make him reconsider the true, and mysterious power of friendship. He gave Cozy Glow a nod, and then looked back at the lake before taking his two, strong claws, and clapping them together.

The shockwave was enough to evaporate the entire lake in one quick motion. It still wasn't enough to put Twilight on edge, but it was enough to make her bound back just a little bit from the display of sheer power. Where the lake once rested now was what resembled a barren desert with a thick mist flying away from it in the distance. Making sure his strike was powerful enough to leave the bed of the lake hardened, Tirek took the first step, and began approaching the distorted image of his brother. While he came to a solemn halt before his brother, Tirek's face became animated.

Scorpan was translucent. Soon, Tirek learned that this wasn't Scorpan at all, but a spell made in his image. Tirek glanced from the spell of Scorpan to Cozy Glow, and then back at Scorpan, and asked, "Brother?"

Scorpan came alive, and said to nopony in particular, "Hello... My name is Scorpan, and if you've found this, do me a favor. I'd like for you to bring my brother, Tirek here. That is... if he's changed at all."

Tirek blinked, but listened, and so did Cozy Glow and Twilight.

"My brother... h-he wasn't the best individual. At this time, however, I have reason to believe he might've escaped Tartarus, and if this is true, I hope he discovers friendship. Maybe I'm just an optimistic birdie, but... well, I've made so many friends, and they've made me so strong! I don't know why, but outsiders like me... when we befriend these ponies, they're able to share their magic with us... Unfortunately, also, if that friendship ever ends, the magic will often leave us immediately. Uh, my brother, on the other hoof..."

Tirek voiced mostly to himself, and quietly, "Your wreck of a brother..."

"He got it in his head one day that the only way to obtain such magic was to steal it, and to take it by force... I... don't really want to get into the details, but if you find him, tell him to come here. Perhaps the aspect of friendship granting him this same power will appeal to him, and if it doesn't, perhaps this will..." The transparent Scorpan almost seemed to look directly at Tirek as he said, "So long as I am alive, and so long as I have these powers from the ponies, this message will remain in this clearing for somepony to discover someday."

Tirek blinked, and then shivered as the spell shimmered, and them restarted. "Hello," Scorpan said. "My name is Scorpan, and if you've found this..."

Soon enough, Tirek stepped away in order to properly think about what he had just heard. Cozy was right behind him, and as they slowly came to a stop, he asked her, "My brother's... alive? After all this time?"

Cozy blinked at him, and nodded while appearing sympathetic for her new friend. "It appears that way... Now that you're out, and you have nothing keeping you from making more friends, I suppose you'll go visit him?"

Tirek gave Cozy Glow this look of disbelief towards what he was hearing, but then, he settled himself down again, knowing that she was probably correct on the matter. He drew a heavy sigh for himself, and replied to the cunning filly, "I suppose you... may be right after all, Cozy Glow..."

He then felt her hooves grace his knee again, and as he look down to see what it was that she was doing, he found himself being embraced by her. Cozy Glow held tightly to Tirek despite him still appearing to be so intimidating. All he could do after everything the two of them had been through was gently hold onto her as well with one of his broad claws, and feel his regrets begin to surface.

---

Later that same day, Twilight would have Tirek take up residency inside of the Castle of Friendship for the time being. This would work out well considering ever since her coronation, Twilight hadn't gotten a chance to use the Castle of Friendship for much of anything, and although her other friends had helped her out by checking in on the place from time to time, there was never anymore friendship quests showing up on the map of Equestria. So, just in case something ever did arise, Twilight asked Tirek if he minded informing her whenever and if ever something happened to pop up on the map.

Tirek would have no quarrels about this, claiming that he, too, would probably find it difficult to ultimately figure out his brothers whereabouts anytime soon. He still had an attitude about him, but that part of him wavered immensely, and every time it did, Twilight couldn't help but to start smiling at his efforts. As for Cozy Glow, she parted ways with Tirek for the day, leaving him to contemplate over his newfound disposition.

The following morning, Cozy would awaken to her pillow being thoroughly stained by all of the salty tears that she had fought back during her previous encounter with Tirek. Her throat was quite visibly blackened from the Lord's rough grip, but even so, she managed to voice as she woke up, "C-chrysalis... I feel like she'll be a bit more tricky than he was, I'm afraid." To make matters worse, Cozy's poor mane and tail was entangled by her tassels which she had forgotten to take out the night before.

Author's Note:

<Click here to be linked to the source of the picture used for this chapter.>

Comments

[Bronycommander]

Nicely done! And nice use for the picture, saw it on Derbiborou

[Art Inspired]

10292368
Oh yeah, I gotta link it in the author's notes.

[Myrkin]

Two down, one to go. :)

[TheLocalCannon]

I very much like where this story is headed, keep up the efforts. Well-written overall, only issue I personally take was with how quickly it seemed Tirek changed, which is leaving my paranoia on edge. Though, that’s a minor thing.

[ScorchingFlamesInc]

I liked this enough, but the fact that you are giving the other two villains a chance made me love this even more. Well done, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I know I’m coming to conclusions even though we haven’t seen Chrysalis yet, and we still have a long way to go, but I’m going to say it anyway: It’s always nice to see (possible) happy endings for such great characters who didn’t have their stories close on a high note.

[honeyhoneyhoney]

Veri tasteful. :)

[asdtroi8895]

Quite a tense reformation. I'm happy that it worked out and excited for Chrysalis.

Celestia pissed be pissed at having her final decree be ignored so soon. I'd love to see how she'd react.

[leaderofstars]

10294122
refresh my memory what was the final order decree?

[asdtroi8895]

10297541
Chapter one.

Every once in a while, a pony or some other type of creature would come and visit them, and reflect on life before leaving them once again to the tranquil solitude of nature. This was to be the fate of ponies who just couldn't find peace within their hearts. They had no such shot at any type of redemption, either. Unlike Discord, Celestia and Luna had already made it quite clear that they were to never be released under any circumstances.

[DawnOfsnow]

This was sweet! I liked the idea, and the dialogue is done quite well too. It wasn’t exactly my cup of tea ( I like cozy being evil) , so I only read the first few chapters, but that’s not to say it isn’t a good story. Keep up the good work!!

[Omega Wolf LT5]

Excellently executed. A gripping tale from beginning to end. Would love to read more of this though.

[Art Inspired]

10325348
Not over, and probably won't be over for a good while tbh.

[Omega Wolf LT5]

10325452
At least. I'm looking forward to reading more.

[Rubae]

In all honesty, I have to admit I’m a little worried cozy may get her memories back, but not because it would make her bad again, but because due to this new personality it may make her feel split between the to personalities, like each one is fighting for control, and she may mentally scar her psyche if that happens; if you still don’t know what I mean by that I mean like in the fimfiction “Past Sins” (spoiler warning) when Nyx/NM was acting seemingly kinder than we remember her, but she still tried to act like her old evil self(something like that except more mentally straining/violent)

[Yoshifan30]

Cozy was the one who looked more animated now, and she looked back at Twilight one last time to say quite boldly, "If I have to scream, you break his statue into pieces!"

Whoa like kill him dang cozy your something else girl 😥

[Yoshifan30]

Wow ok so cozy Is planning to reform the other 2 So it is gonna be very hard to convince them But somehow tirek is Concerning To give friendship a try and hopefully Founding his brother soon Well at least it works now she just have to convince Chrysalis to do the same She's gonna be a very hard one But I'm sure she'll figure it out

[Ice Star]

Seeing Cozy have such a strong impact on Tirek right off the bat (even though mentioning Scorpan clearly solidified his interest) is both surprising and kind of... well, I was hoping for more of a challenge? Cozy, even in her current state, has a lot of room to develop herself and show introspection in how she engages with others through more drawn-out interactions across something like multiple meetings. Considering her age and tentative experience with this sort of thing, it only made sense to expect she might fumble with extending an olive branch to a creature like Tirek at first.