Chapter 5
In a sanctioned area of the castle, the legion were contemplating what their next course of action should be. There was nothing distinct about them that immediately made them enemies, but something about him gave off unsettling vibes.
"So what are we going to do about Mr. Sourpuss?" Amber asked.
"For allowing us to investigate Tirek's parents, he sure put a lot of restrictions on what we're allowed to see in his castle." Chrysalis said.
"In MY castle." Tirek corrected.
"Guy's big, but he hardly looks like he's in good shape." Cozy wondered. "Did you see how he lumbered around?"
"I don't like the game he has set up." Amber said.
"Why play by his rules in the first place?" Tirek asked. "He's the one trespassing where he doesn't belong. This castle belonged to my father, and he has no right occupying that throne room. I say we take the castle from him, and find out what's really going on." Tirek suggested.
The three looked at him with a look of concern.
"You're not really suggesting a..." Cozy started.
"Mmm hmm." Tirek affirmed.
"The three of us will organize our plan, just like the good old days." Chrysalis said.
"Another classic backstabbing." Cozy said, grinning.
"Are you guys so sure? Remember the last time you rebelled against a powerful leader?" Amber said.
*flashbacks of them betraying whom they thought was Grogar, but turned out to be Discord. Followed by Discord turning the three of them to stone*
"This'll be different... I'm pretty sure." Cozy affirmed.
"So long as this Sourkis doesn't have a legion of friendship wielders to shoot rainbows at us, we've got him out numbered, and out matched." Chrysalis said.
Cozy was going to say How can this possibly be worse than last time? But she dared not actually say those words out loud.
"Then what am I doing?" Amber asked.
"Oh, of course. You are going to stay close to me, and not say a word to either of those guys." Cozy said.
"What?!" she exclaimed.
"Yep. All you have to do is sit and look adorable. Easy for you to do. Runs in the genes. That's my little sister. Who's a good little sister?" Cozy cooed. "You just sit tight, and we'll handle those big baddies."
*ergh* "Stop treating me like such a filly!" Amber exclaimed.
"What's the matter, Amberden?" Cozy asked.
"It's just that, when you were my age, you were so ambitious." Amber said.
Not that those are things to be proud of these days. But still, you were so... sufficient, and independent.
I thought that when I agreed to join you you'd treat me more equally." Amber said. "It's just, you were so ambitious. A big thinker so to speak. Meanwhile, I'm stuck doing what you have to say. By age... I don't know, 9? You single handedly almost succeeded in draining all the magic in Equestria! And almost overthrowing a kingdom a mere season later? You made your mark on Equestria, and I'm just wondering when I'm gonna get a chance to make my mark..."
Emotional pause from Cozy.
"Amberden Fullerton Glow, look at it this way. Growing up, I didn't have anyone looking out for me. To make sure I was safe. To make sure I didn't get myself hurt. I get what you mean, and I know you want to help. But, it's true that I accomplished a lot as a filly, but look at the bad things that happened to me. Nopony was there to come to my rescue. I know you want to help, but as your older sister, I can't help but look out for you." Cozy said.
Amber wept, and looked the other way. "Amberden Fullerton? Seriously?"
"I was lonely. The reason I wanted to be crowned Empress of Friendship was because I wanted friends. I didn't know better, and I didn't know the difference between real friends, and loyal subjects. But through this convoluted journey, I have seen how good real friendship felt. And it all started when I climbed Mt. Everhoof with these two lugs. Now we do big stuff together! And you're a part of us."
"You trust me to be safe right?" Amber asked.
"Trust me. This isn't due to a lack of faith. It's just, I suffered for over 20 years as a stone statue. Unable to move, see, think, or feel anything at all. It was the worst experience of my life, and it didn't even seem fair how it happened. I can't even describe what missing all those years felt like. I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing so unfair, and terrible ever befalls you." Cozy said.
Finally, Amber looked Cozy in the eyes, and responded.
"I know, and I understand. It's just... thing is. No knock against our dad, but it seems like after what happened with you, he went too far in the other direction. Sure he was very protective, but, there was something missing with him. And I'm not just talking about our mom. I was only ever homeschooled. I never had any friends besides him.
So when you came along, sure the circumstances were weirder than I ever could've imagined, and you put me into a lot of unnecessary danger, but, it felt like my savior had come, as weird as that sounds." Amber said.
*flashback*
Some time ago:
Amber Glow sat in her dad's recliner, while he was making her soup. It was a pretty typical and boring day. But there was somepony staring at her from outside the window. A blond-maned alicorn, with a bright pink coat, and setting sun cutie mark. Luster Dawn, but not as she
Cozy Glow was shocked to see... herself in her dad's house. That was impossible. She was Cozy Glow! Err, she was, but now her soul lived in Luster Dawn. So who in the world was this lookalike? The only way to know for sure was to just ask her.
Amber continued to sip, when suddenly she noticed the blond maned, pink unicorn in her living room.
"Hi friend." Luster Dawn said.
Amber didn't reply. She was very shy, and nervous to speak to this stranger.
"What's the matter? You got a voice, little one? Why are you looking at me like I'm a total stranger?" Luster asked.
Amber continued to stare blankly.
The unicorn looked at themselves, and remembered what they looked like.
Well let me tell you. I knew your dad. He and I go way back.
"So you don't recognize me?" Luster looked at herself, realizing that she wasn't the pony she used to be on the outside. But on the inside... "Hmm. Tell you what? I've been through a lot as of late. It's a lot to explain, but golly, I have like a zillion questions for you! But you don't seem very talkative right now. I think I have the perfect solution to this conundrum."
Luster Dawn lit her horn, and slowly peered it to Amber's horn. The magic essence made Amber's horn glow, and suddenly, but their pupils dilated, and their minds merged.
Amber Glow found herself in mindscape. It was mostly dark, and quiet. She saw that same pink unicorn caged above her, begging to be freed. But her eyes were a different color, and her personality different, so that couldn't have been the one she had just seen. She only needed to look just below the caged, caged unicorn, and there she somepony familiar staring back. It was her! Or rather, somepony who looked just like her, except they were a pegasus pony instead of a unicorn like her. Her mane was styled in a very particular way, where her whole mane had curls, whereas Amber's own mane was a lot more basic by comparison.
The pegasus filly looked sad. Amber approached with caution. The two touched hooves, and that's when they made a magical connection. This mysterious stranger who visited her, seemed to be her missing half.
The flashback concluded, and Cozy and Amber's minds were in the present moment again.
"I should've been terrified of you when you broke into my house, but that odd sense of familiarity is what earned you my trust, in spite of what you did to our dad, and your plans." Amber said. "But then things got crazy, and you went away, but then you came back! And sure, your village seemed like it's got a nice community, but I was looking forward to all the adventures we were going to have together. Though it seems like I would've been better off with Magnolia at the village."
Cozy looked down, as she started to understand where her sister's state of mind was.
"Thing is, we defeated Grogar ourselves. I'm young, but my magic is still pretty potent. Luster Dawn taught me enough about magic that I can fend for myself." Amber added.
Cozy thought and paused. It wouldn't be fair to not give her sister a significant role in this tale. So she thought of a fun way she could be useful in her own unique way.
"If I go down, I go down with dignity." Amber said confidently. *ahem* "Not that I plan on going down of course."
"Tell you what. I'm not gonna make that mistake. If you want to help us, I can think of a solo job you can do." Cozy said.
"And what's that?" Amber asked.
"Someone's gotta keep that Torre guy distracted. Why don't you see what he's up to." Cozy suggested.
"You want me to spy on a mysterious new centaur by myself?" she asked.
Cozy nodded affirmatively.
"You got it!" Amber said with a gleeful smile.
"Excellent!" Cozy said, gleefully. "Get as much information as you can from him. And report back your findings to us. Spare no detail, no matter how mundane or unimportant it may seem at first."
"Alright, team. It's official. We're gonna stick our noses into Tsourakis' business, see what he's hiding, and find out what he's really up to." Cozy said.
"I like the sound of it." Chrysalis said.
"That's the Cozy Glow I know." Tirek said.
"Excellent. Amber will keep Torre occupied. I'll keep Tsourakis occupied, and you two snoop around the place, and find out what you can." Cozy said.
Meanwhile, Grogar's team were still figuring out what to do next.(relatable) He sat around a campfire with Sludge, and attempted to become acquainted with their newest member, the Mane-iac(yes, as in Power Ponies Mane-iac).
However, they would mostly end up getting into heated arguments with each other.
"So, Grofar, is it?" Mane-iac asked.
"Grogar!" he corrected.
"Whatever. You brought me into your world so that I could assist you in your mission to crush your enemies." Mane-iac recounted.
"That is the plan." Grogar said.
"We were desperate. Everypony's so nice in Equestria now, we had to resort to bringing a comic book icon to life." Sludge said.
"I don't know what a 'comic book' is. Anyway, Mr. GroGAR, if you're so powerful, why can't you shoot magic beams, or whatever it is hooved creatures do in this realm?" Mane-iac asked.
"I used to have my own magical power. I was once THE most powerful sorcerer in the entire land. I ruled over everyone. I was king of everything. I had magic in spades." Grogar said. "My magic was so great, I could hardly contain it all at once. So to ration some of my magic, so that I could harvest some more later, I constructed an artifact out of a rare element, to hold my magic. The Bewitching Bell. However, a pony named Gusty became aware of the rumor that Grogar kept much of his magic inside of a magical bell. She realized that if she could get ahold of that bell, then she could cut off my ration of magic, and use it."
"Why put your magic in a little magic bank in the first place anyway?" Mane-iac asked.
"The power any material creature can bear is limited, but the power that bell can hold is almost limitless. And when used wisely." Grogar explained.
*yawn* "Magical bell. Old news..." Sludge said.
"Both Gusty and Cozy Glow used my own bell against me. Gusty used it, and drained me of my own remaining magic. And that Cozy Glow used it to defeat the Rainbow of Darkness." Grogar said.
"You put too much stake into material objects, my dear." Mane-iac said. "What am I without my Hairspray ray of Doom? Still a plenty formidable foe as it is! Look at yourself, Groggy. You've got a sturdy build already. Those horns must be made from strong stuff. However, if you're nothing without your bell, then frankly, you're nothing with your bell as well."
"I have plenty of strength myself! I have the strength of pull!" Grogar exclaimed. "I was born with magic, which was robbed from me!"
"Yeah yeah, welcome to the club, magic user." Sludge said, with air quotes.
"Who needs magical artifacts in the first place? Dear, you just need what you got up here, and all over here." Mane-iac said.
"She's saying to use that brain of yours. Come up with a winning strategy." Sludge said.
"Winning strategy?" Grogar asked.
"Yes. Picture your enemies, and their weaknesses. And use those weaknesses to your advantage." Mane-iac said. "For instance, Filly-Second might be fast, but get her hooves sticky with peanut butter, and she'll be going nowhere fast!"
"Hmm. Spike was really upset when he found out I wasn't his father. Does that count as "exploiting" a weakness?" Sludge asked.
Grogar thought about Mane-iac's advice, and suddenly it clicked.
"I know what I'm going to do." Grogar said. "I shall find Lord Tirek! And I shall defeat him, without any magic!"
"Woah. Watch out here..." Sludge said, unimpressed.
"That's the spirit, you old goat!" Mane-iac cheered.
"You've seen that centaur before though. All he has to do is breathe and he absorbs magic from any creature around him. Not that you have any left to give him, after he drained you, and imprisoned you after you tried to hurt his girlfriend and her little filly."
*ugh* Why did I confess so much to you while in Tartarus... Grogar thought in his head.
"Tirek used to be one of the most formidable creatures in Equestria. He may still have all the same abilities he used to have, but now he is weak." Grogar started to chuckle. "He has no actual spine. If we go after his precious Cozy Glow, he'll fold like a house of cards and crumble in a miserable defeat!" Grogar said.
"Excellent! A classic kidnapping and hostage situation!" Mane-iac said, gleefully.
"Not quite. I won't be taking any prisoners this time." Grogar said, with a sinister tone.
"Even better. Take away the thing that matters most to that centaur, and that's when he'll beg for mercy!
"BWAHAHAHA! AH HA HA HA!!" Mane-iac let out a mighty evil laugh, but she was the only one.
"Stop laughing. It is very irritating." Grogar said.
"Uh, hello? We're evil. If we're a team, we're supposed to laugh together." Mane-iac said.
"They only do that in fiction and pop literature." Sludge said.
"Ergh. I get the sense you guys don't take me seriously." Mane-iac said. "Like I'm some cartoon villain come to life."
Grogar and Sludge rolled their eyes, and looked at each other.
Stats
Page generated in 0.019 seconds
Total duration
911 users online
607,891 hits today, 2,732,798 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Welp, it may not be the restart we were hoping for, but oh well. At least it's something. You've gotta respect this man for juggling three stories at once!
Grogar = Trixie confirmed?