> Hands of Fate
>  by Storm Shine
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> How it begins..
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My green eyes gleamed in the artificial light of the convention center as I peered through leaves of a potted fern, watching a group of three guys as they spoke to one another. My name is Cassandra, Cassie to my friends, and I'm a somewhat short but otherwise average female with auburn hair. I can be bit anti-social sometimes, and maybe some of my thoughts could be considered 'evil', 'crazy', or 'sadistic' by people who view the world in black and white, instead of the shades of grey that it is.

Anyways, I was watching as one of them made their way over to a stall. "Tony" I thought with some venom, "John would be better off without that jerk." The jackass used to tease me relentlessly back in middle school, and he wasn't any nicer to me after that either. I honestly have no idea how he managed to become one of Johns closest friends. I watched him buy some sort of ring or trinket- before falling into the shadows of the stall and disappearing. Admittedly I grinned for a moment at the happy coincidence, before wincing as another guy, the one I had really been watching, then crashed face-first into the stall where his friend had just been.

"Good thing John is pretty resilient.." I thought, noting how often he tended to crash into things when he wasn't thinking or paying attention. I've always thought of him as cute, but my .. fascination? Love? I wouldn't say obsession.. He really caught my attention after I saw just how vicious he can be, despite his friendly and almost.. derpy demeanor. Never really raising a hand to defend himself and laughing everything off, but when something hurts or threatens someone he cares about he can be downright ferocious. I almost felt bad for the guys that pushed me around in front of him. Almost. I still went to their hospital rooms afterwards to get my own revenge.

My eyes narrowed in anger as I noticed that he too had vanished from the stall, having been given some sort of pink gem.

I almost stood from my hiding place, stopping myself as the third and final member of the trio ran over to the stall owner, grabbing him by the shoulders and slamming him into the display. "Dante.. I don't think I've ever seen him act so recklessly." Dante was the calmest one of the trio. He was usually very composed, and it was unusual to see him rush into anything- especially like this. Unlike Tony, I actually approve of Dante as one of Storm's closest friends. Unfortunately, he was soon spirited away by a helmet that had been slammed onto his head by the cosplay merchant.

Having had enough, I marched over, a single-minded determination taking hold of me as I walked towards the merchant that had caused John and his friends to disappear. "You!" I stated angrily, but not loudly, as I approached.

The merchant looked over with a grin, straightening his clothes and acting as if the little fiasco from before hadn't happened. "Ah, hello there little one. Is there anything you might be interested in?"

"Tell me where John went." I said seriously, ignoring the remark at my height and placing my hands on the table between us to lean across the table. "And either bring him back or send me after him." John was my focus here. Though on the bright side, I won't even have to worry about getting rid of Tony now.

The merchant's grin widened a tad, unaffected by my angry posture or tone. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, my dear." He replied, a hint of humor in his voice.

I almost snarled at the man, but quickly reigned my considerable temper in. There's a time for everything, and losing my temper almost definitely won't help me here. "You gave him some sort of.. Pink.. Gem.. Thing." I stated carefully, keeping the boiling rage under control. I hate being taken for a fool. "I want to know where he went, and how I can find him."

The merchant shrugged, that same damnable smile on his face. "I'm afraid all three of my last sales had some crystalline qualities to them." He said, rather unhelpfully. It was painfully obvious that he was being frustrating on purpose, he probably found this whole situation incredibly amusing even. "I'll tell you what, why don't you buy something? I'm sure it might help clear some things up." The shifty shop-owner suggested, gesturing around to his wares.

My hands clenched angrily, one of them ending up clutching onto some sort of furry rope or string, "I'm not here to buy.. anything.." I trailed off as things seemed to get a bit fuzzy, the world around me falling out of focus. "W-what's.. going on?" I asked as my surroundings disappeared.

"Good luck.." The merchants voice seemed to be coming from everywhere.. nowhere.. Colors were melding, lines were blurring, there was nothing anywhere and everything was nowhere. The void was all around me, dark shapes shifting in the nothingness, staring into my very being...

And then suddenly it was over. The world snapped into clear focus, colors bloomed all around and light shone brightly onto the stone floor in front of me. "what?" I wondered absently, my mind stuttering in shock at the sudden displacement from reality. A large stone floor, lit by the sun coming through an opening in the ceiling above, lay before her. Steps led from the stone floor up to a raised platform, where I was sitting. There was a rhythmic thumping coming from just beyond the doorway at the end of the room. My eyes widened at what came through the door.

Ponies. lots of almost tribal looking ponies filed into the room, spears somehow held in their hooves and thumping along with their march. They lined up along the sides of the room, continuing to thump the ends of their spears against the ground in a rhythmic pattern that could almost be considered soothing.

"Oh no.."
> Taking an opportunity with both.. er.. all three hands
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My mind raced as I looked at the tribal ponies assembled in front of me, all looking like something straight out of my sister's favorite cartoon. "Please tell me I'm not a pony.." I thought, looking down at myself. I took in the dark blue fur, the odd four fingered hands, and the cat like hind legs. "Okay, definitely not a pony..." I paused at that last thought, remembering one of the few times my sadistic sister managed to force me to watch the show with her. My parents had thought it was cute we were spending time together, the traitors. If you ever think I'm bad, just remember that true evil is the little girl who forced me to watch a show about technicolor ponies with just a pout and watery eyes.

"Owie-something, I think?" I shrugged, scratching at a slightly itchy nose with my.. third hand? "I won't freak out, I won't freak out.." I mentally chanted, shuddering and trying to pull my line of thought back on track. "Owi-whatever was that Indiana Jones knock-off's villain, I think." The more I thought about it, the more I felt sure of that fact.

Now that I had shoved the mounting panic to the back of her mind, I noticed something else. Something more important than anything else going on right now. "Woah, I'm tall now!" I thought, mentally comparing myself to the ponies.

My attention shifted as a group of ponies landed heavily on the floor, having been pushed there by some of the tribal ponies. "Cassiopeia, please, you have to understand.." The lead pony begged softly once she had gotten up, "My men and I would never betray you, of course. I had intended to sell the ring to you."

The pony looked familiar.. except I remember her being male in that stupid show. "Caballeron." I took a moment to marvel at the velvety tones my new body possessed. "While I would love to believe you..." I then trailed off, thanking those few classes of improv I had taken for keeping me from freezing up.

The pony raised a hoof, "Uh, it's Caballera-" She wilted as I directed a smoldering glare her way, keeping to the villainous character. "Sorry." She squeaked.

"As I was saying, while I would love to believe you.. It is rather incriminating, the way you held the ring out with a bag of bits at your hooves." I had to think hard to remember the scenes from my sister's show, but I think that sounds about right.

"I hadn't planned on actually giving it to her, of course!" The pony exclaimed, looking around as she tried to come up with some sort of excuse.

"Silence!" I shouted, before looking at her thoughtfully. She is an archaeologist.. "There may be a way you can be useful yet." I mused aloud. This pony would know a lot about this world and it's obscure artifacts, artifacts that may actually hold powers from legends or myths. "Tell me, is there anything that could be used to peer into another world? To track down one not of this realm?"

Caballera was silent for a moment, but she soon gained a hopeful smile. "Yes! Yes, the Mirror of Veils is said to allow those who gaze into it to see other realms. Mostly it was used to peer into the realm of the dead or to spy on others in this world, but it's said that the mirror can pierce the void and gaze into any world."

I tapped a claw against the stone floor in front of me, producing a rather satisfying sound. "Then you will find this mirror, and you will bring it to me. If it works as you claim, I will forgive you this transgression." I drawled.

"And payment?" The pony asked hopefully.

"I will reward you for this endeavor by allowing you to keep your life.. And perhaps, if I am in a good mood, I may be persuaded to pay you for further tasks." I said menacingly, glaring down at the shivering pony. "But if you cross me again, there is not a being in this world which will keep me from finding you.."

"Y-yes, We'll get started right away!" Caballera ran out of the room, followed quickly by three large henchponies that I had barely noticed.

"Don't worry John." I mused quietly, "I'll find you."
> A moment of reflection
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I drummed my fingers against the stone throne I was seated in. Seriously, who makes a throne out of stone? Because it rhymes? Because it's intimidating or something? It's way too uncomfortable! "I'm so bored.." I murmur, yawning wide to reveal the many sharp teeth my new body had. "Cabara-whatever had better hurry up with that mirror. It's been over a week already"

I stood up and stretched, still marveling at how light and agile my new body is, considering its size. "Surprisingly flexible.." I noted to myself as I stretched. "I wonder how strong this tail is.." I looked at the odd tail with a hand at the end. I really don't know what the heck kind of creature I am now, but I suppose it's nice that I still have hands. "I wonder if it's strong enough to.."

My musings were cut short, somewhat thankfully, by the arrival of a small group of ponies. "Lady Cassiopeia.." The lead pony grovelled slightly, "I have returned with what you asked for." Caballera gestured to her helpers, who parted to allow a third to drag a covered cart into the middle of the room. "I present to you.. The Mirror of Veils!" She exclaimed as she dramatically removed the sheet covering the top of the cart. Unfortunately a corner of the sheet snagged, nearly flinging the mirror from the cart. Caballera nearly had a heart attack, thanking whatever gods may listen that one of her henchponies managed to steady the mirror in time.

"Hmm.." I prowled down to look over the mirror. "How does it work?" I demanded, looking over at the corrupt archaeologist.

"Y-you just need to touch the frame, think about what you want to see, and chant, um..." Caballera pulled a slip of paper out and unfolded it with some difficulty, revealing some charcoal rubbings. "Pierce the Veil and Light the Fire, Tip the Scale and Show my Desire."

Using the hand on my tail I gently grasped the mirror from the top of the frame and brought it over to a wall. Placing it to stand up against the wall, I left my  tail touching the frame as I imagined John and chanted in a soft voice. "Pierce the Veil and Light the Fire, Tip the Scale and Show my Desire."

The reflection in the mirror warped and went black, dark as any void. A pinprick of light appeared in the center, slowly growing larger. Somehow, through the light creatures, horrible and indescribable, were revealed in the darkness. They appeared to growl and stare at the mirror, but slowly backed away from the growing light in the center.. The light rushed to fill the frame, before fading to an image.

"Is that really..?" I couldn't believe my eyes, but I knew it must have been John. An orange human with blonde hair.. no, not human. A blonde half-kaiju. "So he's that character from his favorite movie now.." I smiled softly, watching as he knocked down a giant beast and heated a sword that was used to decapitate it. "And he's not fazed by death or killing- violent as ever when his friends are in danger.." I shivered slightly in restrained joy, grinning as wide as my new features allowed. "Oh John, if only I could've been there to watch this in person.." I had the mirror zoom in on John's new form and brushed a hand against the image of his face. "It'll take a little getting used to, but it's still him.."

"W-what is that thing?" A voice spoke from behind me, sounded a shocked? "Some kind of weird dragon?"

I whirled around to see who had spoken, coming nearly muzzle-to-muzzle with a pegasus in a pith hat. Who the he- oh right, stupid indiana jones knock-off pony. "What do I owe the pleasure?" I drawled, annoyed that this pony was interrupting me. How dare she?

"Daring Do!" Caballera shouted in surprise and anger. Little late on the draw there, no wonder she always beats you.

"That Artifact belongs in a museum! I'm not going to let you use it for your evil plans Cassiopeia!" She shouted (squeakily) angrily, putting her hooves up to fight.

Snarling, I quickly snag her around the neck with the hand on my tail- apparently catching her off guard. "Evil plans you say?" I questioned her rhetorically. I glanced behind me at the image in the mirror. "No, this treasure will stay with me."

"I.. Won't... Let.. You.... Have it..." Daring Do choked out, hooves failing to separate the fingers curled around her neck. "Go ahead and... Put me in.. one of your stupid.. Death traps.."

"Death traps? Oh no, no, no.." I giggled evilly, "That wouldn't do. I can't have you worming your way out of some seemingly inescapable trap to come and take the only means of seeing my beloved. That just wouldn't do."

"Beloved?" The pony gasped out, disgust now written all over her expression. "You and... That thing in the mirror?"

I squeezed her neck a little tighter, bringing her in closer. "Don't insult him." I growled out, before my face fell back into a grin. "Tell me... Daring..." I plucked the pith hat from her head, examining it. "Have you ever had the pleasure of seeing someone die, knowing that you were the cause of it?" I looked at the so-called hero with a manic grin splitting my face. "Watching the light leave their eyes, their last moments in the world knowing that they had crossed you and regretting it?" I plopped the stupid little hat back on her head.

"W-what?" Daring gasped out.. 'This.. This didn't seem like Cassiopeia. Yes, she was evil.. but.. She was always angry, wild, trying to cause problems on a large scale. She was never this collected, never this smart, it was always the same routine. Bust in, try and get the artifact, get caught, get out of the trap, get the artifact, get away. Cassiopeia never caught me personally, never took the time to calmly talk like this unless it was to monologue about her plans.. In fact that was the only thing she ever seemed to talk about.. what changed?' The little pony's mind raced.

"Oh, you heard me. But of course you wouldn't know. You're the good girl after all." I mused, paying less attention to the pony in front of me as her mind raced. "Well, I don't want you getting away, even if you do get the chance." I shifted my weight onto my hind-legs and reached over and grasped one of Daring's legs with my hands. Wrenching hard, the limb broke with a sickening snap. "So I'll make it a little harder on your mobility before throwing you out" I glanced at my hands for a moment, marveling at just how easy that was.

Daring screamed, her world briefly turning white with the pain.  "Who... Who are you?" She panted, the hand around her neck having loosened slightly. "You're not... Cassiopeia..."

"Oh? Noticing something amiss with your little fairy tale world?" My grin became just a little more malicious and I leaned in to whisper into the pony's ear, "Well, I'm afraid that you're right." I grasped one of her wings next, "I'm much worse."

*SNAP*