Chapter 3: A Plan For A Tyrant
I sat at my desk and stared down at the papers in front of me. A small candelight sat just nearby.
The papers were scrawled over with texts and words that I felt like I had read and reread several times over. So much information and so much knowledge... and for what? Why I doing all this? It was so... easy. Surely the next step won't be as easy as this.
The world was unfair. Many had power that I could never dream of holding. That several could never dream of holding. It was time to change that. For better or for worst. It was time I did something about it.
Hopefully, by next week, all those reigning high above will lose any power they have and been brought down to my level.
Hopefully then, I'll get my chance.
"And why should we stop Sombra, exactly?" Tirek grunted, "You've proven your point, I get it, but is he really important for our own benefit?"
"I can help you but first we're helping Sombra! He's going to lose!" I stomped my hoof on the table.
"What are you two simpletons going on about?" Queen Chrysalis hissed.
"Oh right- let's let her in on this too." I pointed a hoof at her.
"In on what??"
Tirek looked between us, "And why should we do that?"
"Three reasons. We all get imprisoned in the same thing, she can help us, and because she's cool! Let me have this. She's the real Queen Chrysalis!"
Chrysalis stared, "Did you just call me... cool?" She stuck her tongue out in disgust.
"Fine, we'll talk about this with her, but first I want to know why you want to save King Sombra. From the sounds of it, he loses. Is he really that useful? Just leave him to his demise."
"It's not about usefulness, Tirek! We can't let this happen! I'm not going to let this happen!"
Chrysalis let out a frustrated noise, "Can someone PLEASE explain what's going on? What are you two on about and stop talking like as if I'm not here!"
"This pink cretin has seen our future." Tirek decided to say, "And besides the encounter with Grogar, she won't tell me what else happened to us."
"You've seen our future?!" Chrysalis practically lunged for me, "What happens??? Do I regain my hive? Do we FEED off of the lowly SCUM of Equestria!?"
I had fallen back in surprise, "Ah! Back off! Jesus. Listen Chrysalis, I'll tell you and Tirek everything I know, I swear, but first things first... I want to save Sombra."
"Again, why?" Tirek questioned.
"Well, not only could he possibly be a new member of our group and help us out but... I would like to learn more about him. He's annoying as all hell, but I want to know his past and how he got so much magic and power. How did a pony like him become so evil? I guess kinda like Cozy, except... I'm definitely not going to be able to learn about that now seeing as..." I gestured to myself.
"So you want to save a tyrant just to gather information on how to gain more power and magic? Hm. I can respect that." Chrysalis hummed.
"No- Nononono not like that," I waved my hooves in front of me, "Please, just help me save him and I'll help you! I could prevent your future imprisonment."
"Intriguing, but besides the words of this grotesque centaur-"
Tirek shot a glare in her direction, "Excuse me? What did you just say you pesky termite-?"
Chrysalis chose to ignore him, "How am I to believe that you actually saw our future? I haven't seen any proof as of yet."
I tapped my chin in thought, "Hm... I've already proven it to Tirek, but I'm not sure how to prove it to you... Well. Except, I guess, telling you how Sombra went about conquering The Crystal Empire."
The queen perked at this, "... Well? Go on?"
I blinked, "Oh! Well, right. Um. Let me just try and remember..." I rubbed my temples in thought at what I did or did not want to share, "So. First things first, Sombra decides to just march through the streets of the Empire and goes up to families to mind control them or something. Then, the guards try to fight back and he overcomes them and puts these weird helmets on top of their head that also mind controls them! With them he marches out into the Empire itself.
There he holds Flurry Heart hostage. I have no idea how he even knows about her. She's Shining Armor and Cadance's kid. Then he-"
"Ugh. Those three." Chrysalis growled with hatred, "I should've sucked every ounce of love out of them when I had the chance."
"That's gross. Anyways, he takes over, muzzles the royal family, and puts the crystal heart in between these black crystals that start infecting it. Then after a bit, whadya know, the big six plus Spike come in. The fight goes by fast, everyone breaks out of their greatest fears and imprisonment, and Cadance was able to grab the crystal heart and return everything to normal except this time the Heart doesn't get rid of Sombra so they had to- ... to..."
I paused.
"... Wait why didn't the Heart get rid of Sombra?"
"And let me guess," Tirek continued, "They used the elements of harmony against him and he was destroyed? That's where he loses and everything is all fine and dandy, pony paradise or what have you."
"Yes and... no." I narrowed my eyes, "He managed to avoid it somehow... and came back. He had the plan to follow them to the source of their magic. There he destroyed it. The Elements."
I watched as both of their eyes widened. They turned towards each other in shock.
"Then... How was he defeated?" She questioned.
"Because the Elements that he destroyed weren't the only versions of it. The six were their own Element of Harmony. So, with Discord's help, they used the magic inside them to defeat Sombra without the jewels they usually wore."
"And that is his future?" Chrysalis turned away from the two of us and contemplated the truth behind my words.
"That's what I remember, yeah." I nodded, "His plan was smart, but in the end he was still defeated by his own arrogance and ego."
She then addressed Tirek, "Do you believe her, centaur?"
"Earlier in Tartarus she told me about our future encounter with Grogar, Sombra, and yourself. That all came true. So this, in hindsight, could come true as well." Tirek shrugged.
"Hm. Then I guess the only way for us to know if it is true or not is to see it for ourselves. Does anyone here know how to work this... thing?" Chrysalis headed over to the peculiar orb on the table left behind by Grogar. I narrowed my eyes and gave it a small tap.
"Nope. No idea. I might've seen a future, but I never saw how you work this."
Chyrsalis picked it up in her green changeling magic. She then looked it over and began to shake it, "Ugh. Show me The Crystal Empire!"
"Wait. Let me." Tirek insisted, "I absorbed some of Grogar's magic. Surely I should be the one out of us three that can figure it out."
The queen tossed it over to him, "Fine. Figure it out, and quick!"
Tirek scrutinized the orb in his hands and turned it this way and that. He then summoned a collection of magic in between his horns before blasting the goat-like eyeball.
A moment went by. The only thing that seemed to move was the smoke that fluttered off of it. When we were almost certain nothing was going to happen, images then started flickering in the orb.
"You got something to work!" I hopped up and hooked my forehooves over one of Tirek's arms to get a better look. He was quick to shove me off.
"Hurry! Show us the Empire!" Chrysalis commanded.
Tirek focused his attention and energy on the orb, "Show us Sombra."
The orb flickered between images like one would go through channels on a television. It passed several instances of the Empire... only to come to a halt once we all saw the familiar dark stallion's face.
"Mama!" The whimper of a foal being held hostage hit our ears.
"You won't get away with this." Cadence's voice had appeared.
"Oh... but I already have~" King Sombra chuckled as he lifted Flurry Heart into his hooves. She tried to fight back but was only met with evil laughter from the king himself.
Queen Chyrsalis watched the scene slack-jawed as he began ordering his recently mind control minions to shackle and muzzle the royal family.
"Well? Do you believe me now?" I asked.
"Either you're a great guesser or you've actually seen our futures." Chyrsalis hummed.
"Zeri is telling the truth." Tirek huffed as he placed the orb back down.
I perked, "You called me by my name!"
"Well you're not Cozy anymore, it seems. Besides, if you can call me by my proper title when you're not pretending then I suppose I can to."
I smiled, "Thank you Lord Tirek!"
"Ew, stop that." He pressed a hand over my cute face.
"I have a question." Chrysalis raised a hole-riddled hoof, "The last battle between Sombra and those... six. Does it happen instantly after he breaks the tree? Does he perish right then and there?"
"Oh, no actually. He takes over Ponyville and uses the residents to conquer Canterlot for a while. There he gets defeated at Canterlot's throne room."
Chrysalis hummed in thought, "And you're certain you want us to save this pesk before you will tell us the rest of our future?"
I gave a determined nod, "Yes. We have to save King Sombra. Then I'll help you all escape your future imprisonment."
"Alright. Then let him fail for now."
"... What?"
"Let him fail his Crystal Empire takeover and let him destroy the elements. Even though the six can use the elements within them or whatever, we should still at least let that part of our futures come into play. I am so sick of those putrid colorful stones anyhow."
I froze at this, "But..." In all honesty, a part of me wanted to stop the destruction of the tree. Even though it continues to live on with the young six afterwards, it's "death" still must have hurt. A lot.
Tirek decided to step in, "As much as I hate to agree with anyone here, I say we go with her suggestion. We let Sombra destroy the tree, then we'll step in. That's our condition."
I looked between the two and wasn't sure what to say at first. The thought was very conflicting... but I guess it'll just have to happen. It's going to be more difficult for Sombra in the future, but oh well. Several villains have done what was considered irredeemable before and were still somehow redeemed. Though Sombra might be a more difficult case.
Either way, I let out a defeated sigh and agreed, "Fine. We'll wait until Sombra destroys the tree, but I still want to talk to him as soon as possible."
"And while we wait," Chrysalis plucked the orb up in her magical hold, "Would you care to enlighten me on your... future vision?"
"And why you want to keep this a secret from Grogar but not Chrysalis and myself?" Tirek questioned.
"Alright, well... Jeez I don't really know where to start exactly. Let me start with Grogar in case he decides to walk in or something. He's not what we think he is. I'll... reveal more later but the moment he realizes I'm not the real Cozy and I'm some being from another dimension, I don't think he'd let me stick with you guys anymore. He'd maybe try to send me home or something. He's very unpredictable. I just can't trust him right now."
"You want to stay here. With us?" Tirek crossed his arms. He clearly didn't believe what I was saying from his glare.
"Well, I think it would be easier to change my own future if I also worked with others to change our futures! Win win for everyone, right?"
"You're a being from another dimension?" Chrysalis questioned.
"Oh right, I haven't told you that part. I'm not from this world, I'm from another one. One that kinda observed this world. I'm not a little pony I'm a grown ass adult-"
"Did you just swear?" Chrysalis hissed.
"You get used to it." Tirek grumbled.
"And I guess I just... fell asleep one day and then woke up in Cozy's body?? I'm not exactly sure what happened or why."
"Hm. Must have been very powerful magic to drag you from one world into another." Chrysalis turned to Tirek, "Do you think there's some leftovers from that journey?"
"None that I can sense. As far as I'm concerned, she's a normal pegasus." Tirek answered.
"Wait what-?"
"Something as powerful as traveling between worlds can usually leave leftover magic in its wake. It's been a while however since you first woke up, I doubt it's stuck to your body anymore."
I looked over myself, "Huh... Well, I guess that would've been good to have but I'm not really in the mood to try traveling through dimensions again. I'm good with this one."
"Wouldn't you want to go home?" Tirek raised a brow.
"Not really..."
The three of us went silent at my answer.
Chrysalis then abruptly tossed the orb back to Tirek, "Is the fool done failing to conquer the Empire yet??"
Tirek rolled his eyes and used the orb to spy on the Empire. The images on the orb revealed Sombra at his throne, facing the main six who had now just charged into the castle, "Looks like he's just about to."
"It might take a while longer," I piped in, "They still have to go all the way back to Ponyville after the battle is over."
"Right. I'll keep an eye on it. You two... just wait I suppose." Tirek boredly waved his hand as he went to find a quiet spot to sit at.
I raised one wing to my side and looked them over while Chrysalis idly pulled out a purple log. She held it close to her and began whispering something to it. The evil Twilight Sparkle, I remember, who had been reverted back into a log by the Tree of Harmony. If Chrysalis was so attached to her manipulative little minion, I guess I could understand why she wanted to see the Tree go down.
I decided not to pester her about it and instead tried focusing on my wings. As a pegasus, I can fly. I especially know that I can in this body seeing as Cozy has done it throughout her time in the show. I scrutinized my feathers before raising both my wings to my side. This was probably the best time to practice! So, I crouched down, readied myself, and then leaped off the table while rapidly flapping my wings. I felt one lucky push into the air before I went plunging back down to the ground. Chyrsalis looked up as I groaned in pain.
"What. Are you doing?" She spat.
"Shit. Uh- Trying to learn how to fly..." I admitted.
She set her log to the side, "That's not how you do it at all! Ugh. If you're going to be working with us you should at least learn how to get off the ground!" The queen growled as she went up to my side and nudged me back on my hooves, "Get up and pay attention."
"Uh, yes ma'am!" I swiftly stood and felt this light tug at my wing as Chrysalis stretched it open with her magic.
"The way you were flapping made you look like a desperate headless chicken. Pegasus wings are not that difficult to work with!" She then transformed herself into a pony. A light green pony with a brown mane and a lady bug cutiemark. I recognized this disguise as her photographer self, except this time she had wings instead of a horn!
"You see, your flaps have to have rhythm. First you start by pushing yourself off the ground-"
This went on for a while. I'm not sure what made Chyrsalis decide to teach me how to fly, even if she was very snappy about it, but I was grateful that she chose to. Maybe she was just annoyed about it. I don't blame her, I was frustrated about it too. Each attempt left me cursing like a sailor.
I failed a couple more times during my lesson, even smacked my chin against the table somehow, but Chrysalis was determined to at least get me to hover. It kind of felt like being taught how to swim! Except with hands on your back and no water!
It was actually really fun to try and learn how to fly. I almost forgot about everything else that was going on, until I heard Tirek's voice after what felt like a few hours of cursing and pain had gone by.
"He's done it." He announced, "He's destroyed the Tree."
"Well it's about time!" Chrysalis transformed back into herself, "I was tired of playing babysitter with this foal."
I managed to push myself up a couple of flaps besides her, "Fucking excuse you??" And then I fell back down.
"All this time and you STILL struggle??"
"IT'S LIKE HANDS ON MY BACK!" I argued.
Tirek looked down at his own hand with a confused stare.
"Ugh, whatever! Let's just go stop that buffoon already." Chrysalis plucked me up with her magic and set me on her back, "Where is he off to next?"
"Um- well, he should be trying to take over Ponyville and mind controlling everyone there." I explained.
"Then that's where we're headed."
"Wait." Tirek raised a hand, "We can't let anyone see us. If they knew we escaped Tartarus, who knows what could happen?"
"Then we just won't get caught!" I smiled, "Chyrsalis is good at not getting caught!"
"Indeed I am." She raised her head with a smirk.
"Fine. You two go out and stop the tyrant, I will stay hidden and stay back with the orb. If anything happens, I'll jump in. Sounds fair?" Tirek tossed the orb in his hand.
"Sounds smart!" I agreed, "Let's go already! Come on!"
"Impatient as a CHILD!" Chrysalis grumbled, "Let's just get this over with." She then sprang up and swiftly fluttered out of the cave while I hung on from her back. Tirek began to walk off, taking his time since he wouldn't be needed for a while.
I watched as the world around us changed, the lair clearly somewhere deep in the Everfree. At least I assumed so? We were in a large swampy area that slowly transformed into more forests. I looked to Chyrsalis, confused, "How do you even know where we're supposed to be going?"
"I can sense the overbearing amount of love of Equestria from this distance. Now shut up so I can focus."
"Right! Sorry!" I sheepishly smiled...
"... Tirek can find his way too, right?"
"I said shut up! Tirek has that orb thingy, I think he can figure himself out JUST fine."
"Right, okay! Sorry sorry!" I apologized again.
....
I shifted, "... So why do changelings consume love anyways-?"
"RAAGH! I will THROW YOU INTO THE EVERFREE!"
"SORRY!"
We were finally at Ponyville and let me just say, it's not that exciting as I originally thought it would be. It looked like a normal town, except more cartoony and bright. There wasn't anything special about it- OH EXCEPT THE GIANT MARKETABLE SHINING CRYSTAL TREE CASTLE TOWERING ABOVE EVERYONE!
It looked so OFF. Completely off from everything else.
I know I was hesitant when it came to destroying anything tree-related but... I stuck my tongue out in disgust and turned to Chrysalis, "Hey so. In one part of our future, you guys did destroy Canterlot castle... Um. Can you destroy this castle instead next time?"
Chrysalis looked between me and the castle, "I'd be glad to."
"MWAHAHAHAH!" King Sombra obnoxious evil laughter rang through the air, "With all of you at my command, we shall MARCH straight into Canterlot and FINALLY take over ALL OF EQUESTRIA! Ahahahah!"
Chrysalis and myself looked over to find Sombra underneath the castle, atop a crystal pillar. Around him were the townspeople all mind-controlled with some strange dark magic turning their eyes a light shade of green. I groaned.
"Alright. Now we gotta do this. Chyrsalis, can you please take me to Sombra?"
"Fine. Just get this over with so we can get out of this grubby town. Though what Sombra did with it does appear to be an... improvement. Hm, and they'd be so distracted with being mind controlled. Maybe Sombra wouldn't mind if I just took a couple away and-"
"Chrysalis please don't kidnap them and eat their love!"
"No promises." She hoisted me up and flew over to the tyrant who was now getting ready to leave along with his army, "Pardon me you insignificant grub, I have this nuisance here who wants to share a few words."
King Sombra blinked and turned towards the two of us as we flew down to his side. When we landed, Queen Chrysalis harshly shoved me off her back.
"Ugh, you again?" He rolled his eyes, "Can't you see I'm busy? I am TRYING to take over Equestria!"
"And you fail and DIE!" I spat, "I am trying to warn you of your future-"
"BAHAHAHA! Really? This is what you came ALL the way over for? I'm winning, filly. I've destroyed the tree and captured those six heroic wannabes and their baby dragon. Nothing here can get in MY way!"
"Ugh. In pony history I don't recall you ever being so... annoying." Chrysalis reeled her head back, "Just listen to the child and come with us."
"Oh? So she's convinced you to do some friendship building exercise, didn't she? Well excuse me if I'm not in the mood. Now pardon me! I have a schedule to follow and I have places to be! You two can either get out of the way or suffer the same fate as the rest of these slaves."
I breathed in. This was frustrating. HE was frustrating... but I didn't want to give up. So, I angrily flapped my wings and actually managed to throw myself in front of Sombra. I hovered just in front of his face, "Fine, then do it! I'm not going to stop bothering you until you stop this and come with us! I'm trying to explain something to you, you jackass!"
"... Did you just curse?" Sombra questioned.
"You get used to it." Chyrsalis sighed, "Listen. The filly won't leave you alone until you stop your invasion or something. So just do it so we can get this over with."
"Really? I am not stopping my takeover because of some foal telling me to!"
"Then turn me into a mind controlled slave or something or we'll drag you back to the lair! If you go to Canterlot you die!"
Chrysalis faceplamed, except with a hoof, "Don't turn her into a mind control slave, I actually need this one."
"Ugh. Why don't you two just go back to the dirty cave lair or whatever? Go follow Grogar and become his little minions, just stop bothering me already!"
"Like I said Sombra, it's either you mind control us or we'll DRAG you back ourselves!" I pointed out.
"Hm. And how can you drag me back... WHEN THERE IS NOTHING TO GRAB?! BAHAH!" He then suddenly exploded into a dark cloud of black mist. I watched with this deadpanned look as he flew away into the air, the army he created slowly trailing after him.
I hovered there a moment longer and then placed my hooves over my face, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Why is he LIKE THIS?"
"True, this is not the kind of behavior I expected from the dark king himself." Chrysalis grunted, "But honestly he's a pony. You ponies are just as annoying as that."
"Racist!"
Chyrsalis ignored me and tapped her chin in thought, "... Perhaps this is a lost cause. He's very persistent in getting what he wants and his voice is grating to the ears."
"Do one thousand year old kings say... whatever?" I asked, "In fact I have so many other questions."
"Like what?"
"Well, first of all, how did he know about Flurry Heart? He was banished for so long there was no way he could have gotten that information. Another thing I'm confused about is how did he know the elements of harmony had a source for their power? For all he could have known, the source just came from the stones themselves. I've also never seen him use this mind control spell before until this episod- um until now. This spell just looks... different than his usual dark magic stuff."
"Well, it does fit with his theme, though."
"I guess, but why would he need helmets in the first place if he could just do that? or why would he have to chain everypony up? Look how many here got mind controlled!" I gestured to the army that was moving by us, "In the past- or in an alternate timeline, he wouldn't have to give anypony helmets or chain them up. AND ANOTHER THING-"
"Listen, can we just move on instead of doing whatever this is?" Chyrsalis questioned, "You said he was off to Canterlot next, right? Perhaps we could stop him there?"
"Right... And Celestia and Luna would be busy trying to stop the Everfree with Starswirl, so we won't get caught over in Canterlot. However we need to make it quick, Discord and the rest of the six will be coming in soon. The throne room is the last place we can convince Sombra before he gets fucking DISINTEGRATED!"
"Why not just let him? Do we really need him?"
I groaned, "Goddamnit Chrysalis it's not about USEFULNESS! If you don't help me try to stop the big evil dark king bitch, I'm going to run away and never come back! Then you'll never know how you got imprisoned!"
"Fine. Fine. Just stop shouting, you're giving me a headache." Chrysalis grabbed me in her magical hold, "Come on. Geez if I had known I was going to be flying all across Equestria, I would have slept the night before."
"You... You haven't slept?" I carefully asked as she placed me on her back.
"NO! I'm working on ZERO SLEEP right now so SHUT UP and let me focus!"
"Right, sorry! Appreciate you Chrysalis!"
"QUEEN CHRYSALIS."
"QUEEN CHRYSALIS, RIGHT! YES! APPRECIATE YOU LOTS! Now let's go stop Sombra from DYING!"
"FINE!" She then abruptly took off, "But after this I'm going to sleep ALL DAY!"
"FAIR!"
...
I quietly whispered, "Hey Chrysalis?"
"What?"
"Thank you."
She grumbled, "Yeah yeah. Shut up."
And I did. For the rest of the trip we flew on in silence. Towards Canterlot. Towards King Sombra. How the hell am I going to convince him now?
"Hey Lord Tirek! Nice hiding spot. What's up?"
We three were all just outside of the castle, hidden underneath a cascade of water from the falls besides us. Tirek had managed to find a cavern just underneath and was now reviewing the images within the orb. Chyrsalis and myself would have gone into the castle, but we ran into a very clear problem.
King Sombra had controlled all the guards and ponies. The pegasi harshly blocked our flight and the unicorns even began shooting bolts of magic towards us. Rude, but not unexpected.
Soon after struggling a third time to get in, Tirek managed to wave us down with a bolt of his own magic. It was odd that it came from the opposite direction, so the two of us went to investigate. I was pleased to see Tirek, Chyrsalis was pissed.
"WHY did you SHOOT AT US?" She hissed.
"To get your attention! What? I've been trying to wave you down but neither of you even noticed! It was easier that way."
"Thank god you're here!" I sighed, "With your help maybe we can figure out an easier way in this thing!"
Tirek narrowed his eyes, "Hm. You're the one with future vision. How did the six nitwits managed to get in?"
"They teleported in, but I don't think either of you can teleport me that far in there, can you?" I hovered between them and crossed my hooves.
Chyrsalis grumbled, "I do know a teleportation spell, but she's right. I can't teleport that far with the amount of magic I have now. I'd have to gain more love."
Tirek scratched his chin, "I suppose it's the same for me."
"See? We need another way by all those ponies and into the throne room! If only there was a way to get by," I tapped my chin in thought. Then, my attention slowly went back to Tirek.
"Wait... I think I have an idea!"
Chyrsalis raised a brow, "Oh? And what's your idea?"
I smirked and pointed at a large, fancy glass pane leading to the throne room, "You see that window over there?"
King Sombra stood at the thrones of Celestia and Luna, laughing in victory, "Ah. King of Equestria! A fitting title for a dark king as I. Now to redecorate as I wait for those to challenge me, only to fall!" He easily blasted several crystals along the floor, "No one can beat me now!"
"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-"
The distant sound of a muffled scream slowly caught Sombra's attention as it got louder and louder, ".... What is that noise?"
"aaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" CRASH!
In came ME! Thrown into the throne room by Lord Tirek himself! The world was spinning and my body was in PAIN. Glass shards danced across my vision before I abruptly landed with a harsh thud onto the throne room floor. Luckily I didn't land on anything else but the dark red carpets! Cartoon logic, hopefully, saved the day! Everything still hurt, however.
"Ow..." I groaned as a small fly flew out of my hair and transformed herself back into Chrysalis.
"That was a stupid idea." She grumbled and picked me up in her magic.
"It worked, didn't it?" I chuckled before clutching my skull, "Ow."
"I swear you better not have lost anything important in that little head of yours."
"Ahem, excuse me?" Sombra glared at us from the thrones, "What are you two doing here? Why can't you both just leave me alone?!"
I waved a hoof, "Hey Sombra! Great to see you again. We need to talk." Chrysalis dropped me and I hurriedly flapped my wings to get myself to at least hover.
"No. You need to leave. I can't have you two here when there are still foes to face. Return to Grogar and let me be, you simpletons!"
"Shut the fuck up! Alright, you can't go anywhere this time, I KNOW this is your last and final stand, Sombra. You don't make it, okay? You die and Grogar does NOT bring you back. You LOSE! Not only is the Lord of Chaos coming, but destroying the tree and the stupid stones does NOT destroy the Elements!"
"I don't know why you're coming to me with this pointless drabble. I destroyed their puny tree and took away their source of power. They have no other magic to-"
"EXCEPT YOU DIDN'T TAKE THEIR "SOURCE OF POWER!" You left them alive! You contained them but guess what? They ESCAPED because you left them behind. You know what you just did? You just solidified your defeat. The Elements aren't the damn stones. IT'S THEM! And they are going to END YOU right here, right now, unless you leave and come with us. Then you can survive longer. Then you can actually do more than what you did in THAT future!"
Sombra growled, "Foal! I LET THEM have an easy escape because I WANTED them to see their town collapse. I WANT THEM to face me and I want to go up against them again, to prove I am the strongest and that I can win."
"No offense but your plan is idiotic." Chrysalis butted in, "You should have just controlled the six when you had the chance. Why give them an opportunity to fight back?"
The tyrant ignored her and glared daggers into me, "How do you know so much, anyways? About the Elements? Furthermore, why haven't you just stayed in the cave and tried to work together like Grogar told you to do instead of bother me all day with this lunacy?"
"Well, technically we have worked together already trying to stop you." I added, "But listen. I'm a being from another dimension that observed this world. I know what happens here and it's not pretty for you. I'm really trying to help you here, Sombra. You're a villain, but I'm not having you get killed off. I will either try and get you out or stay and stop the Elements myself."
"You should leave." Sombra insisted, "Everything is going according to plan!"
"I'm tired of bickering like this. Perhaps I could just cocoon him and take him with us that way?" Chrysalis suggested, "Besides, I'd rather not have those six nuisances catch us here."
"I'm making my own decision and my decision says I stay until Sombra leaves." I firmly sat down where I was.
"I said you should leave. Now." Sombra stomped his hoof like a child, "The others will be coming soon. I need to challenge them alone. You have to go."
"I won't go until you come with us!"
"Leave!"
"No!"
"Just go!"
"Nuh uh! Come with us!"
"Graaaaghh!" Sombra yelled out with a voice that seemed to shift and change, "Great Tartarus, Cozy Glow! If I had known you were like this I would have never released you from that prison with that red jerk!"
"..."
Chyrsalis and I stopped and stared, "What?"
Sombra seemed to freeze.
"But... it was Grogar who released her?" Chyrsalis questioned.
"Wait, how did you know her- erm.. my name? And red jerk?? That's what you call Lord Tirek?"
"You two have heard enough. Let me say this one more time. Leave so everything goes as plan. Stay and I will get you out of here myself!"
"Goes as plan..?" I tapped by chin in thought.
Chrysalis growled, "What are you playing at, Sombra?"
Sombra wasn't able to answer because his attention snapped to the door nearby. He swiftly covered it with crystals and pillars, "Leave. Now. They're getting closer! Just go away so they can blast me to smithereens already!"
"Why... Why would you want that??" I interrogated.
I then heard muffled voices on the other side of the barrier.
"Ugh! He's blocked us out!"
"Discord, can't you get us in?"
"Oh- uh.. Well- I'd LOVE to, but... I think we should stay out here a couple more minutes! Yeah! So the timing is just right!"
"Beg ya pardon? What timin?"
I blinked and whipped my head back to Sombra, "... What. What is going on?"
"Oh what's the use in pretending anymore?" Sombra's voice was completely different now. Deeper and more playful. Similar to the voice just outside, "I should send you back to Tartarus where you belong. I'll find different villains to work with, you two are just too much trouble already!"
Was that... "Discord..?"
"Why so surprised? Didn't you say you already saw what happens?"
"Not this- I've never seen this. S-So... SO YOU'RE A FAKE SOMBRA?!" I gasped just as Chrysalis swiftly nabbed me in her hooves and dived away from the lashing darkness nearby.
"We need to go." She hurriedly dashed back towards the broken window nearby, "Leave him! If he wants to get obliterated then let him!"
As she tried to fly through, several pillars suddenly formed a rock-hard wall in front of us. Chrysalis slammed into it and clutched her head in pain.
"WHERE'S THE REAL ONE, DISCORD??" I shouted down at the pompous jerk.
"He was the first of you four I summoned and he instantly saw through me. I had to banish him again! I couldn't have somepony like that running around mucking up this plan to show these six their true potential! And now YOU decide to come in here and mess with MY set up! I can’t have rebellious villains like you if I want to get Twilight’s disastrous coronation right!”
“But- but you destroyed the tree..!”
“Of course, to show them they don’t really need it. Plus a little sacrifice and chaos was made for a good reason! They will be much better off like this.”
“Fuck you Discord!”
“Alright, that’s enough out of you! You and that mouth of yours!”
Several dark limbs suddenly lunged forward and snapped at us. I let out a shout while Chyrsalis tried in vain to escape. The next thing we both knew, we were plucked away and taken somewhere else entirely. I felt Chrysalis’ grip slip from me as I went tumbling and falling onto a cold metal surface.
I let out a pained groan and rubbed my eyes. With a tired sigh, I opened them and spotted a nearby pebble that had caught my interest.
Wait... No. No way.
I was back in Tartarus.
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10474688
Very Good Supervision on that Topic. I hope our Human/Cozy Glow criticize this to the Main Six, Celestia, Luna, Young Six, Etc..
This...was a very clever twist! Well done! Now we have a conflict with uncertain consequences and a plot worth following.
10474688
10476171
Oh I'd definitely love to write Zeri in situations like that where she gets into some pony politics.
10476185
I can't wait to write more, I have so much planned. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you Mac!
I don’t understand why they wouldn’t you just fake it until they got alicorn powers and then leave right away? Like this legit confuses, this gal knows the script, everyone there is super freaking evil. Sombra is pro slavery(Unless you count the Archives in which case he’s possessed by Umbras which you need Radiant Hope to asspull him a good exorcism), Queeny while one of my more favorite character is pro parasitic Hive Mind, and Tirek is described as Pure Evil, so Evil that he spends most of his time thinking of Evil scams that freaking work. The only person I thought deserved a second chance was Cozy because fucking hell they did her wrong.
10476198
Well, Zeri started really far away from when she would ever really get alicorn powers. I don't think she'd want to sit through the whole thing, following the whole script, just to get wings and shooty alicorn magic when she's never had that kind of power before, especially as a human. Heck she doesn't even know how to fly well. (Besides I don't think any of us want to go through something we've already seen before, unless we were really determined to, just to get an end result)
And sure, everyone in this group she's with is super evil. But let's be honest here, a lot of villains in the show itself were considered super evil before they got reformed. Like Discord. No one thought he would get a second chance, and yet he did.
Plus if she did follow the script up until alicorn magic then the other two would be off to go try and conquer Equestria before failing and getting imprisoned and Zeri does NOT want that. She doesn't really want that future for those villains like how she didn't want King Sombra to get disintegrated. It's not because they're all her favorite characters, but she herself doesn't see it as right.
Well I did not see THAT coming! But seriously brilliant just absolutely brilliant twist, and it really actually makes sense that the Sombra we saw in that season wasn't the REAL Sombra. But this most surely throws everything out of the window canon style, and really really makes Discord out as a bigger jerk than you think.
Seriously with this revelation it just adds more fuel that he should have gotten the stone treatment along side the other three, instead he didn't get any kinda of punishment, I mean seriously what the heck?!
But yeah very very interested in how things will play out next from here.
Hmm unreformed villains? Well the first one that come to mind are the Dazzlings but their in the mirror world. I think Tempest little pal Grubber is reformed but we never saw him again after the movie. Same goes to those Storm Creatures that served as Storm King's army.
Storm King himself is dead shattered into little bitty pieces! So yeah he's likely not to come back they could put the pieces together but not sure if that would be enough without some powerful magic necromancer or otherwise.
There's Ahuizotl if you can swing the revelation of Daring Doubt a good way I suppose, frankly I was on fence about it. Disappointed because he had potential as a villain, but also enjoyed it because really showed what a jerk Daring Do has unknowingly been and the damage she's caused. Heck technically with what happen in canon she's a villain not only taking artifacts and hording them, destroying ancient temples and artifacts, but also smearing the names of others.
I'll admit not a lot of villains come to mind since by this point they were either reformed or out of the picture somehow. That is unless you plan on adding villains from previous generation but putting your own spin on them?
10476209
That honestly makes more sense, in a abnormal kind of way.
Ah, a variant of "Sombra was a phony" theory, which according to the show and tvtropes, its an 'epileptic tree' theory, due to Rarity's reaction and words despite her appearance and witnessing of the siege. It can somewhat be disproven as no longer an epileptic tree theory since the big fake out of Grogar since he's Discord and maybe it's possible that Sombra is still a phony and still dead. The horn wasn't present after all. Thanks to that it could be possible to recanonize "Siege" but in a new way.
Villains in the show that hasn't reformed? Ehhhh, they aren't quite villains, just jerky people but I guess it might count. Most of them appear in the comics. Unless you want to try Pony of Shadows and Mean 6? I don't think they need it since they are literally made of evil.
Reform Pinkie Pie! She still owes Celestia another Donut-Moosemousse-MMMM-éclair-cake after she ate the entire freaking thing at that bake-off, and I don't want that to hang over her for the rest of her life! She knows how much Celestia loves cake and she just NOMNOMNOM obliterated the damn thing in one bite right in front of her! That was cruel!
I like where this is going and this headcanon of yours. It's also means a completely different path way which Zeri can't make a guest anymore from her knowledge.
About MLP villain...
Flim Flam? after the Friendship University fiasco?
Ok... now THAT was a good twist. And the three of them already working together, amazing. I’m thoroughly enjoying this
Didn't see that coming. But it does make sense. So what now? Is NOT!Cozy Glow going to be getting any visitors?
And now we're completely and officially off the canon rails. Time to pick Tempest Shadow and do buddy-cop adventuring along the way.
Storm king is actually not dead, as his minions were trying to piece him back together and he was blinking (from what I remember of the credits).
If they get seen, ponies would be extremely confused about them stopping Sombra, just saying.
Hah, that manipulative jerk is too op here. Looks like Zeri is stuck.
What a twist!
10476195
Yup
I should have known discord that damn fool.
I just realized after looking into it there aren’t that many villains unless you count that dark pony from starswirls follower.
Well, the only non-reformed villain still there are Flim and Flam I think. There is also Suri Palomare but she is not a big villain. Maybe the Dazzlings?
Also, I wonder if Twilight and the others could be happy to know that Sombra was Discord, if Tirek and Cozy could send mail to each other, Cozy could tell to Twilight that Discord was Sombra and if she don't believe it to just let Fluttershy ask directly
10476228
Well, you can get away with a lot of things when you got friends in high places. Discord is definitely in for it if the others found out. But thank you for reading! I was really nervous to do this twist but I'm glad you liked it. Also yeah, Discord is going to be a bit of a chaotic jerk in this story but not evil, just rude.
Lol for a show with so many villains, it's kinda hard to choose who to use. I'll still look in to those options tho!
10476254
Ah right, those theories that seem completely out there. Yeah, that's the one thing I liked about the Discord reveal was that I could make a more sound theory on the Sombra in that episode actually being a fake. It just personally made more sense to me than whatever we got, even though Sombra being fake means Discord did some extreme chaos on his friends like hold a baby hostage, infect an important artifact, destroy the TREE, mind control everyone, and fake his suffering and pain just so they could unleash their rainbow friend magic. All a crazy plan to make them realize their potential.
Honestly though? He's Discord, Lord of Chaos. I think he needs to set off some chaotic events every once in a while and if the Sombra phony theory was ever true, this was just one way to do that.
10476306
Oh my god you're right. I GOTTA FIX THIS. I GOTTA FIX THE GUILT PINKIE PIE FEELS OVER THAT CAKE
10476314
Thank you! And yeah, Zeri has definitely screwed with the timeline and now it's going to screw with her. Time for something a lil new~!
10476373
I'm glad you're enjoying it! It was kinda hard figuring out how to get them to work together exactly, but I'd assume anyone would want to know their future if it meant avoiding anything unpleasant, so that was how Zeri got them to buddy up for now.
10476387
Hmmmm possibly.
10476395
Ooh I'd like to write in Fizzlepop somehow, though I'm not sure where exactly she'd fit in the story right now. Guess I'll figure that out along the way.
10476396
HMMMMM that is a good point! Starts scribbling down notes
10476397
Zeri is stuck... FOR NOW!
Also I can imagine it being really shocking, but maybe they'd see it as a small chance of redemption..? Or as a manipulative tactic. One or the other.
10476410
Indeed
10476607
Darn Discord always causing chaos
10476672
Ohohoho imagine Fluttershy questioning and then scolding Discord over faking King Sombra. She'd get so upset. Also as for letters and mail? I think that's going to be cut off from Tartarus this time around, because last time they had letters and mail going through the place it nearly caused the extinction of magic entirely.
Yeaaah, bet no one in Equestria wants to risk that again.
Well, I did NOT expect that
10476716
They can forget about the mail, it can happen. after all they did not check Tirek mail, and is not only the things puppet Sombra did (That are many like brainwashing the empire and kidnapping Flurry), there is also he got out Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy (And if Sombra did not discover that was fake, also him) and they don't know what could happened
Zeri does know that by revealing these things so far ahead of time and helping the villains escape defeat she may inadvertently ruin Equestria's happy future and lead the protagonists to defeat?
I just hope she finds a way to redeem her fellow villains without damaging the ending of the show.
Well if you want villains that aren't reformed then maybe you could possibly maybe add Nightmare Moon
he he (as by now I like to believe that Luna and Nightmare have become separate being and that they are one of the more threatening villians from the show)
You should add The Mean Six To the story!
10476767
The theory actually was out there for a while, provided that it is canon that Sombra wasn't Sombra. Sombra must have been a construct similar to mean six, why not directly controlled?
...Holy shit, that makes sense.
Hehe, saw that as soon as she stepped back and started actually questioning things. She really should have seen that coming...
Alright fine….bend over.
Make Neighsay a villain. I plan to do that ounce I get to that part in my story.