The Rookie

by dicerollball

First published 3rd of October, 2020

A struggling young adult finds herself in Tartarus as the nefarious Cozy Glow. If she wants to go out and freely explore all of Equestria with her villainous buddies... she was first going to have to change this evil filly's future.

I wasn't the most consistent fan of My Little Pony, in all honesty. In fact that show wasn't the only thing on my list of interests. For a long while I had left those colorful ponies in the dust. I practically missed seasons 7-8 because I had gotten bored. However... it was the last season that drew me back in. I guess I now know a bit about the show, but not everything. I definitely knew of Cozy Glow however. She was hated by everyone. Well, except me. For some reason I liked her as the mischievous little filly she was. Her character interested me and I wanted to learn more. I wanted to see what kind of history she had. Why did she decide to turn evil? She was probably the only reason I went back to previous seasons.

You could guess how disappointed I was when the finale came up. Instead of helping her, they turned her to stone. Instead of trying to figure out the issue, they left her behind to be forgotten. Everyone cheered and laughed while Cozy, Chrysalis, and Tirek were turned into statues for the rest of eternity. I was displeased. Afterwards I drifted away and instead tried to focus on my work. I had to, after all. I was becoming an adult. I was growing up. Though the stress might pile up on me, I had to keep going. I had to get things done...

I could keep going... couldn't I?

It seems however that the universe had decided to drag me back into a world of rainbows and magic. Imagine my surprise when I suddenly woke up the next day inside a cage in the deepest, darkest chambers of Tartarus. Not only that but also as the small pink bundle of feathers that everyone loathed and despised. A billion questions rang through my head but the most prominent ones of all continuously pounded against my skull: What in the holy hell do I do from here?
And how do I stop what comes next?

---

Inspirations:
The Tirek Who Tolerated Me by Kotatsu Neko
&
An Unexpected Aftermath by Autumn Breeze

[Note: This is half a self-insert and half not really. This character is different from me but does have a few traits from me as well. Like cursing, I curse a lot, but there are some traits here and there I don't really have.]

Chapter 1: Too Much

I sat on my bed and contemplated everything. My life. My home. My family. I can't help it sometimes. I just get existential when alone for too long. The silence just claws at me and my thoughts start to become too loud.

I didn't like it. Everything about me. Everything that I was part of.

I fell back onto my pillow and just stared at the ceiling. Should I run away tomorrow? Disappear and hope to never return? Could I really do that to them though? To those I knew?

Probably not now.

I was going to this new school soon. Maybe my life will change then? Maybe I'll be entirely different after a year or two? Heh, I guess I could only hope really.

I didn't like myself.

I couldn't help but wish I was somepony else.

I pressed my face against my pillow and let out a frustrated groan. I shouldn't focus on that right now. Instead, I should be focusing on sleep. I have a big day ahead of me after all! Many to meet and smiles to be had. I allowed myself to relax and closed my eyes with a tired sigh.

Time to see what tomorrow brings.

---

When I had stirred awake my eyes were heavy and my body was sore. It felt like I had been sleeping atop metal and stone for a good hell of a while. I felt this pounding in my head and this cold chill seeping through my body. I scrunched up my nose in discomfort and curled in on myself in an attempt to get warmer. At least I had some sort of blanket, though it was itchy and strange... was it attached to my back? At this I was a bit unnerved. Something didn’t sit right with me. My whole body felt wrong. Did I get smaller? Did my head get larger? My hair felt longer for some reason... and heavily uncomfortable. It was like as if someone had decided to tighten each lock of hair and repeatedly tugged at it with no rest throughout the night. I found this odd because not only did I get a haircut recently, but I was also usually very low maintenance as well. However that wasn’t what freaked me out the most. What really freaked me out was the fact that my hands and fingers were completely gone.

My eyes snapped open as I quickly sat up and spotted the flat pink nubs where my light beige hands were supposed to be. I let out a surprised gasp before the top of my head suddenly slammed against the solid metal roof above me. I gritted my surprisingly flat teeth and rubbed one of my fingerless nubs over my aching forehead. My ears would fall back, pressing themselves against the back of my skull.

Wait- what? I blinked and reached up to pat down the long ears sitting atop my head. What were they doing up there??? Why weren’t they on the side of my head? I gave myself a good once over and saw a splash of pink and blue colors. I frantically tried to figure out what was happening until I suddenly spotted the small feathered wings on my back. I froze, stared at them, and gave them a good flap. That’s when I lost it.
What was- when did- I couldn’t even process what was happening. All I could do was scream.

I screamed into the heavens and clutched myself with my nubs. I’m dead! I have to be! There was no other logical explanation for all this! I wasn’t usually this religious but- I’ve been cast into heaven and then thrown into hell! I’m in the afterlife! A small cold and cramped afterlife in the body of a spiritual fallen angel!! This was my fate! My torture! My-

“Oh would you shut up in there??” The disgruntled voice of an old demon growled from his cell.

I shouted out in surprise and scurried away from the voice. When I banged the back of my head against the metal bars behind me I suddenly felt this hot breath against my fur. I slightly turned my head to see three pairs of eyes stare down at me as a loud multitude of concerned whimpers rang through my ears.

I slammed into the bars behind me and looked up at the beast that neighbored my cage. Thanks to the tears streaming down my face my vision was blurry and the details were muddled. All I could really see was a hunched over red creature with black eyes and two goat-like horns, “A-Are you the devil..? Am I in hell??” I croaked out in a voice that sounded surprisingly young.

“The devil? What are you going on about this time, Cozy Glow? And are you crying? Please. It hasn’t been that long since you’ve been here.” The tall creature grunted.

“C-Cozy Glow..? The little Shirley Temple wannabe from that pony show?” I questioned, “What are you-“ I then froze. I gave my body another once-over before swiftly wiping the tears off my face with one of my forelimbs. My eyes cautiously scanned my surroundings before they carefully scrutinized the demon nearby, “... Lord Tirek?”

“Thank you! You finally called me by my full title! Now see, was that so difficult?” He then turned back with a smug smirk that soon fell when he saw my face, “Why are you giving me those large puppy dog eyes? Whatever you’re trying to get out of me, it won’t work. I know your games, Cozy.”

“I- I’m not Cozy...” I started as I swiped another limb- erm hoof- over my tearful eyes, “How did I get here?? I’m so confused- am I in Tartarus??”

“Well of course you’re in Tartarus! You were tossed in here with me for your crimes against Equestria, or have you already forgotten?” The centaur growled, “And why wouldn’t you be Cozy Glow?? Who else would you be?”

“I’m a pony...” I began, half-listening to Tirek, “I’m... in Equestria... I’m not a person anymore- I have wings!?”

“Um- Hello?”

“I’m the most hated child in the whole pastel universe but I’m also not in Hell! I'm in EQUESTRIA!!” I suddenly beamed and threw myself against the bars, “Tirek! I’m in Equestria!!”

Tirek flinched at this and scooted away, “No. You’re in Tartarus.”

“Oh...” I suddenly deflated and slowly sat back down, “Right. I’m in Tartarus...”

Tirek stared at me from his cage, “Why are you acting like this..? Your behavior is all over the place and it hasn't even been that long! Have you snapped so soon?”

“Well it’s just a lot to take in,” I carefully explained, “Am I dead? Am I dreaming? Is this real? It can’t be. This can’t be real. I had hoped to find a world like this but- not like this. And why as Cozy Glow? In Tartarus? There’s a whole world out here I want to explore and yet... I’m stuck here. I’m stuck in some other kid’s body for god knows how long and I’m a criminal of Equestria! I'm locked away in Tartarus... and I don’t know why.”

Tirek seemed taken aback, "I don't see what you have to gain here with these lies. You might be playing this new role of yours surprisingly well but you can't fool me. I know your tricks and I know when you're trying to manipulate me. It won't work."

"I'm not trying to manipulate you! I'm trying to make sense of all this! Here, look, I'll say something I definitely know a child from this world would never say. Not even this one. Ahem... What the ever-living FUCK is going on??"

"Cozy!"

"I'm not Cozy you jackass! I'm a grown ass adult from another bitch of a universe!!" I yelled before banging my head against the bars, "Ow..."

"..." Tirek seemed to stare at me as I rubbed my head, "Did you get that out of your system you annoying little twerp?"

"Oh fuck off." I grunted and turned away to pout.

"You know, I guess I do prefer this over you trying to make me your friend all the time. It was getting really... maddeningly predictable. Though I didn't expect this much of a mood-swing from you. You seem a bit too young for that." The other pinched his fingers together with a smirk.

"Imagine with me for one moment... You go to sleep one night and suddenly wake up in the body of this little pink creature of pure spite and hate. Wouldn't you freak out too??" I questioned as I testily flapped my wings once more.

"I suppose so, yes."

"WELL THAT IS WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW!" I then toppled over and crumbled onto the cage floor. My cheek was now squished against the cold metal and my glare burned through a particular pebble that had seemingly caught my interest. Cerberus, a three-headed dog I’d recognize from anywhere, came into view and tried to lick me through the cage bars.

"I guess I see where you're coming from now... but I'm still not convinced you're not Cozy. Give me a name."

"A name?" I suddenly perked.

"Yes, a name. A name to call you by. If you're really not Cozy it can't be that difficult, right?" Tirek asked as he leaned against the cold bars of his cage.

"... I don't know if I want to share it." I admitted, "I don't want to be associated with this show."

"This show..?"

"Listen Tirek. I don't care right now. I don't care if you believe me or not... We're stuck in Tar Tar us-"

"Tartarus."

"-and already this life is looking as shitty as the last one..." I grumbled as I stuffed my muzzle underneath my forelegs.

"Hm. Yes. It seems we're going to be stuck here for a long while, filly. You better get comfortable." Tirek grumbled as he went to lay his hooves once more.

"Yeah... for a while..." I muttered as I slowly closed my eyes in defeat. Then I perked in realization. I hopped up on my hooves and faced Lord Tirek with another large grin, “But not for long!”

“Huh?” Tirek blinked as he turned towards me, "What do you mean by that?"

It was then I slowly put pieces of the show back together. It had been years since I've seen those villain episodes and during my panic I had been confused. For a moment I somehow forgot that this wasn't their final defeat. This was another beginning... This was a chance of escape! Not only that but this could also be my proof. My proof that I wasn't Cozy Glow!!
"I know what happens next." I told Tirek, "I can prove I'm not Cozy Glow. I've seen her future and I have seen yours. If it happens you gotta believe me, okay?"

The centaur looked uncertain, "You know you did hit your head pretty hard earlier. Are you sure this is not a side effect of that?"

"Oh shut up and just listen to me! Uh... Please. I could save your life."

"Are you saying we die?"

"Well- kind of. ANYWAYS! This is what happens. After you make a billion tally-marks for whatever reason you decide to make them for-"

Tirek glanced down at the few tallymarks he's already made.

"-we both suddenly get transported elsewhere by this very powerful goat-guy named Grogar. Father of all evil monsters or something."

"Grogar..? Ah yes, Emperor Grogar. I've heard of him when I was young. But that was eons ago. How do you know of him?"

"Because I've seen this all happen. Grogar will take me, you, Queen Chrysalis, and King Sombra and put us all together in an attempt to make friends or whatever. Queen Chrysalis will think we took her first, then King Sombra will appear and we'll think he was the one who took us out of Tartarus, but then the goat guy will appear and go 'HE DIDN'T. IT WAS I, GROGARRRR!' and he'll try to be all evil while King Sombra starts acting all stupid for some reason- more flamboyant and weird?? And-"

"You have one imaginative mind, filly."

"Shut up. And then Grogar will introduce himself to me because I'm a puny pony who isn't scared of him and stuff then King Sombra will go- 'I don't do ours, I only do MINE! Ahahah, I'm so evil and selfish and I'm going to go get myself killed.' and he'll be sent off to go try and conquer Equestria on his own as part of a deal he made with Grogar. If he fails he has to work with us and- as expected- he failed. He doesn't come back though. Grogar hates him and so keeps him dead. Which is- wow. It's pretty messed up. At least to me, that's pretty messed up to me."

"... Is that everything?" Tirek questioned.

"Well- yeah! That's all I want you to know right now!" I smiled.

"Right. And how do you know all this?"

"I'm from another universe entirely. In this universe you and everyone else in Equestria is innnnnnnnnnnn.... um-" I bit my lip and tapped my hooves together. Sure I had already mentioned the 'pony show' several times to Tirek by now but I suddenly found myself hoping it might've slipped his mind. After all, finding out your entire life was a television show could create a mental breakdown in itself... and right now I did not need the only person who could believe me to fall into some sort of manic frenzy.
"Well uh- let's just say that in my universe my kind... observed yours?" I smiled sheepishly. Yeah. Alien approach. That could work, right?

"Oh really?" Tirek raised a brow towards me before turning away, "Like I said before Cozy, get comfortable... It's going to be a long eternity."

I huffed, "You'll see! Soon we'll be whisked away to some secret lair and then you'll believe me!"

"Whatever you say filly... now stop bothering me." Tirek grunted as he slumped over and rested his head against the icy bars.

I let out a sigh and lowered my head again. I wanted nothing more but to untie the ribbons in this filly's mane but I didn't want to risk "Grogar" getting suspicious in the future. I had hairpins clamped underneath my swirly blue hair and felt this annoying tug against the back of my neck. Ugh. I wanted nothing more but to let it all go loose. I held back for now though, but when I get the chance; I'm not wearing this hair like this ever again.

Cerberus meanwhile found a spot to sit nearby. He- or they- curled into a ball and made themselves comfortable while guarding the two frustrated prisoners.

A silence trickled between the two of us. I tried to stay determined and angry but soon even that had melted away through time. I ended up on my side and found my gaze boring into the pebble I had spotted earlier before. I watched and waited for something to happen to it. Anything, really. If to kill some time before the real exciting stuff happened later. Though even in the silence I was still internally freaking out. My mind was carefully processing everything that had happened and that's going to happen. What was I going to do? I don't want to be turned into stone. Could I stop it? Prevent it? How? How was I going to change what happens to me?

... by starting now, I suppose.

"Hey..." I quietly whispered, "Lord Tirek..."

Tirek grumbled something under his breath before turning his head towards me, "What?"

"Call me... Call me Zeri."

"Zeri, huh?"

I nodded, "Just not around everyone else, okay?"

The centaur shrugged, "Fine. Whatever. But there's not going to be anyone else for a long while, kid."

"Doubt it." I muttered as I pulled Cozy's curly tail up against my side, "It'll happen. You'll see..."

"... If you say so, filly. If you are telling the truth I will be sincerely surprised, but you should know that Grogar has been defeated a millennium ago. There is no chance he would return to bring us together for some silly friendship building exercise."

I silently pressed my face against the fluff of Cozy's tail, "... You'll see."

Tirek narrowed his eyes at me before settling down once more.

I gave the old, frail looking creature one more glance before curling up in a little furry pink ball. The quiet returned and it came back just as unbearable as before. I could be a patient person but I knew what was going to happen. I knew we would be out soon. It just didn't feel fair that I had to wait. Made me wonder how Cozy Glow was able to keep smiling even throughout her imprisonment. Oh yeah, because she was insane. How could I forget?
Now that I was her, others would start calling me that too. An insane friendship-crazy filly. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. A part of me didn't want to be here, but a part of me also saw a chance. Maybe things could get better? Maybe I could change everything? Wouldn't that be something...

It was then I heard another scratch as Tirek added another mark among the many others.

I yawned and tiredly turned my head towards Tirek, "Hey... what're those tallys for anyways?"

"Well seeing as we have no day or night... They mark the many times I wish I could end my life." Tirek sarcastically grunted in response.

"Oh..." I blinked at this and stared down at the metal flooring beneath me. I reached over and used a hoof to push up against the pebble just outside of my cage to scrape it against the floor inside. With it I soon scratched my own tally mark against the ground.

Tirek stared at me for a good solid moment before rolling his eyes, "That's not what they actually are for."

"Well that's what this one means for me!" I announced before kicking the pebble away and toppling back over in a ball of feathers and depression.

"... You are one strange filly." Tirek shook his head in annoyance.

Cerberus curled up nearby and licked at my cage bars.

My ears twitched at the canine's whimpers but I chose to ignore him. There wasn't much left for us to do now but wait... Wait until something new happened or something else occurred. As much as I wanted Tirek to call me by the name I gave him it wasn't worth arguing with that old centaur. No, all I could really do now for the time being was stay where I was and patiently wait. Wait for the proof to come crawling up to us. Wait for everything to soon come together. Wait for "Grogar" to pull us out of this hell just to throw us into another one. Wait. Wait. Wait.
That's all we could do now.

Author's Notes:

Yay we're in Equestria! Only inside the body of the evil pink nuisance everyone dislikes or hates!

Don't worry though, just because Zeri is hosting her body doesn't mean Cozy herself is fully gone! She's here alright. She's around!

But we'll have to meet up with her again later.

For now, just enjoy whatever the hell is going on with Zeri in her misadventures through a colorful pastel world that wants to see her dead!

Hope no one minds me making a new story, I still have several more I should be finishing up right now actually. But I'll get to finishing them in due time. For now, I was in the mood to write and finish up this first chapter. And so I DID. Hope you all enjoyed it! Until next time!

Chapter 2: Taken

I stood at the station staring at the train in front of me. Many were boarding and many were just getting off. I had a bunch of packed supplies sitting on my back and an extra case just next to me. I didn't have to bring much, truthfully, but my family insisted I bring clothes, products, and makeup if I ever wanted to keep up my image.

Speaking of which... I turned away and searched the crowd.

My family was nowhere to be seen.

Must be busy, I told myself. Must be doing something very important... More important than seeing their daughter get sent off, right? It must be game changing whatever they were currently going through.

I sighed and tried to focus on the positives. I was going somewhere very special. A school they had enrolled me to. It was fairly new and just starting with several well-known figures teaching the students. This could be a make or break future for me. I could really be somepony. I could be... known in a different way.

I smiled but not out of happiness. I smiled because that's all I knew how to right now. Smile. It'll keep the pain away. It'll keep me going.

I just had to keep going.

I just had to prove I was more than what I am now.

---

Its been forever. At least, it feels like its been forever. With no sun or moon it was difficult to tell how long I had been sitting here, cramp and cold in Cozy’s little cell. I’ve been trying to kill the time by trying to get used to my new body. I wanted to see if I could fly but that was difficult to do when I felt grounded by the limiting cage I was contained in. I managed to get a good few flaps but the new limbs were a bit strange and unnatural. At some point I just allowed them to hang limply by my sides. Now I was laying face first against the metal with my cheek pressed against the floor. My presumably auburn eyes would blankly stare out into a whole lot of nothing. My back stayed turned towards Tirek. I was still mad at him for not believing me but I frankly couldn’t really blame him there either. Cozy Glow was a strange and manipulative child. Maybe faking her memory and identity would be something she’d try to do. However she still couldn’t tell the future! That was something completely out of that deranged filly’s hooves! I couldn’t help but internally smirk. Just you wait, Tirek! It’s going to happen! For now however... Everything was quiet.

🎵 “Let’s say you’re lost, in the park sure. You can give in to the dark or-“ 🎵

“What are you doing..?” Tirek grumbled.

🎵 "You can trip a little light fantastic with me." 🎵

“Cozy.”

🎵 "When you're alone in your room-" 🎵

“Cozy!”

🎵 "Your choice is just embrace the gloom, or you can trip a little light fan-" 🎵

“Stop that infernal racket!!” Tirek bellowed from his cage.

“My name is not Cozy!” I sat up with a huff, “It’s Zeri!”

“Whatever you say, child. You still behave as you did before.”

I perked at this, “If you were in my shoes you’d be upset too.”

“Well yes, a grown stallion being thrown into a child’s body would be disorienting. Especially a little girl’s. Are you saying you’re a grown stallion?”

“No! I was a grown ass woman! Now I’m in the body of the most evil filly in Equestria!”

Tirek stared as I dramatically fell over once more, “... Alright, say you are telling the truth. What do you have to gain from all this?”

“What? Nothing. Just that you believe me.”

“And why do you want me to believe you that badly?”

“I-...” I paused at this question and seriously considered the other’s words. Then, I suddenly sat up and banged the top of my head against the cage’s ceiling, “Ow-! I don’t know! I was freaking out, I just reacted!”

“Alright, so let’s say I believe your senseless babbling. You predict the future and I now know you’re some being from another universe with a whole race of people that has observed this one. What exactly do you expect me to do with this information?”

“W-Well I uh... I guess at the time I had hoped that maybe, just maybe, you could, I don’t know... help me...” I sheepishly admitted. It was then I realized how stupid that all really sounded. I had definitely not thought ahead during my panic and I was probably screwing myself over having spilled so much.

Tirek would clutch his chest and bellow a laugh, “Help you?? A small little cutesy pony like yourself? Never in a million years!”

I grasped the bars with my pink hooves, “You helped Cozy make that cult-like demonic portal!”

“Well you see that was to help her defeat a common enemy. You meanwhile? You sound like a little victim to something completely out of my control.”

I blinked, “So you DO believe me?”

“What? No, I never said that!”

“But you just spoke like as if Cozy and me were separate people.”

“I am speculating on a what-if scenario you little cretin.” Tirek grumbled, “I still don’t believe that anything you’ve just said could be true!”

I huffed, “It is. All of it.”

“I’m going to need some proof first, child.”

“Oh just you wait, it’ll happen.” I grunted as I turned away to pout, “But... when it does happen, please don’t let Grogar know what I know. Call me Cozy as much as you want just don’t let him know I’m not Cozy.”

“Oh? Any particular reason why?”

I gulped and turned to look at the centaur once more, “Because the moment he finds out, you won’t get the information you need to avoid your future imprisonment.”

The other narrowed his eyes, “My future imprisonment?”

I nod back in response.

“Well that’s ridiculous. We’re already imprisoned,” Tirek growled as he went to scratch another mark onto the cage, “There is no possibility that we’ll be seeing an ounce of freedom in our near future, you insufferable little filly.”

That was when it happened. Like expected, Tirek went first. He vanished in a swirl of black magic that swiftly plucked him up and took him away. Meanwhile all I could do was stop and stare at the spot where he once was. I had to hold back a giddy smirk as the strange power decided to come pick me up as well from my cage within Tartarus. It was a strange feeling being in one area and then thrown into another. I was disoriented and confused but I had to try and stay still for now. Stay calm. I was anxious and nervous but I couldn’t afford to panic now. I had to remain calm, childish, and snarky. Ugh... but I couldn’t remember her lines!! What did Cozy even say? What did she even do???

Oh right. She flew around like a little- SHE FLEW!

I don’t know how to fly! What was I going to do now? My wings still hung lamely besides me and I was still trying to figure them out. I carefully raised them and tried to fold them against my back. The feathers were strangely smooth but itchy and I was not at all used to how it felt. They were a whole new set of limbs. While my body could move them it was an odd sensation having something that felt like hands but on your back instead?? It was too uncomfortable for me to make out.

“What..?” Tirek's voice caught my attention as his gaze went over the large cavern we found ourselves in.

It was then Queen Chrysalis appeared. She looked around in wild confusion before turning her attention over to Tirek and I, “Lord Tirek?”

“Queen Chrysalis?” He questioned right before I gave him a stern glare. Did he want to give us away? “What? Is knowing the name of a changeling queen suddenly the end of the world?”

I rolled my eyes in response while Chrysalis began to make her way down the slanted stone walkway she had appeared on, “You are right. Chrysalis, queen of the changeling hive. Or at least I will be when I'm restored to my rightful place. Why did you summon me here?” She interrogated as she hopped down and lit her horn ablaze, “What do you want?”

I remembered this part, but even then I still would’ve done this without the script in mind. I had reacted by quickly scurrying behind one of Tirek’s hooves while trying to find my words. Holy shit she was a lot more taller up close... “U-Um... We didn’t bring you here.”

“Yes, we were in Tartarus just a moment ago.” Tirek looked down at me with this unreadable expression.

“Tartarus? Whoever pulled you from there must be very powerful indeed.” Chrysalis hissed as she pulled away.

It was then we all heard it. A laugh. The very same laugh that belonged to King Sombra himself. We all looked up to witness his entrance. His body began to form out of dark wispy-like magic that started from his hooves all the way up to his head where he pretentiously flicked his muzzle upwards to let his black mane flow behind him. He was in full armor with his crown resting atop his head. When he was done with his show he gave the three of us a toothy grin to show off his sharp fangs.

"King Sombra? You have returned?" Queen Chrysalis questioned as I looked between both her and Tirek, "Why did you bring us here?"

I watched as Tirek lit an orb of concentrated but weak magic in between the stubs that were once his majestic horns. That wasn't going to do anything, especially not against Sombra, but he wasn't the one I was worried about. In fact, to Queen Chrysalis' question, I almost felt the need to answer it. I forced myself to hold my tongue back and continued to cower underneath the large centaur as a new creature approached.

"He didn't." The voice, I could tell, was practically made and created to be deep and threatening. It was the perfect big bad guy voice that was needed for this special occasion. Elderly, old, and ancient but wise. Cunning, and intimidating. A guy who was definitely more than thousands of years old.
His hooves went tapping across a stone path that helped get him over the swamp water just below. Each step I could already imagine the music that played when I had watched the episode back then. In a strange way, it almost made me want to giggle, but I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to be noticed by the guy at all. Not right now anyways, when it wasn't my turn. Seems like he didn't really care much for me anyways, or anyone else for that matter because he just walked right on by the three of us without a care.

King Sombra melted away back into the shadows as the new creature approached the roundish stone table that was just in the center of the lair. Atop of it was an orb that reminded me of an orange goat eye in a way. Just with more dark magic involved. Made me wonder if it was that one goat-like monstrosity from that griffin episode a while back.

"It was I," The voice quickly caught my attention once more, "You may call me... Grogar."

Heh. Right. Grogar.

He was a big blue ram who wore a whole bunch of bells like a reindeer. His large horns curled back across his head, white hair was visible here and there and honestly, he looked like someone you could pat. He seemed fluffy to me. However my attention was entirely on his eyes. You see, his eyes were a soft yellow and a harsh red. Familiar to me because I've seen them so many times from another creature. I tried not to grit my teeth in annoyance. After all, I had to start looking cute. My turn was probably coming soon. I had to pretend I had no idea who he was, right?

The other two had gasped while I stared at Grogar.

"The Grogar?" Queen Chrysalis seemed taken aback.

"I... Thought that you were a legend." Tirek seemed to glance down at me while I returned another annoyed glare. Can he stop trying to be so obvious about it? I know he can keep a secret so he better!

"I've heard of you." King Sombra chimed in as he reappeared besides Chrysalis. I had to be grateful, at least, that he hasn't gotten annoying yet.

I almost hesitated at first, but I knew it was my turn to say something. So, I stepped out from behind Tirek but did not trust myself to fly, "Uh. Who?" Hopefully that was cutesy enough.

"I assure you, I am very real." "Grogar" began as we stepped up to his table while I struggled with my wings, "And you have all been brought here as part of my plan to rid Equestria of- of..." He seemed to pause, and I exactly knew why, much to my dismay.

I was now panicking. I was hoping no creature would notice, but it seems Grogar did when he looked over in my direction. I couldn't get on top of the table for the life of me. I first tried flapping my wings a few times but that didn't exactly work out, so now I was trying to climb it... but it was higher than I initially expected.

Now the other villains were looking at me! Tirek I would care less but these guys? Oh nooooo. This was EMBARRASSING.

Tirek meanwhile rolled his eyes in annoyance, plucked me up, and placed me on the table.

I blinked, "Thanks."

"She somehow managed to injure a wing during our imprisonment," Tirek grunted as "Grogar" gave him a questioning stare, "Something about this "cool pegasus trick" or what have you." He crossed his arms as he grumbled about kids these days.

"Right." "Grogar" looked down at me with a bored glare.

"Why is this tiny, insignificant pony even here?" Chrysalis hissed. This was not something I remembered from the episode, or from the script in my head.

"You know I've been wondering that myself." Tirek shrugged.

In my moments of quickly trying to put myself in Cozy's shoes, I had felt this defensive urge, and possibly rightfully so in Cozy's eyes, "You'd be surprised with what I could do! And... What I have done! She- I mean I stole and drained magic away from every creature in Equestria! It was amazing. You should have been there to see the looks on their-"

"As I was saying." "Grogar" cut in with a growl which, thank god honestly, "I have gathered you all here today to take down Twilight Sparkle and her friends. For good. But in order to do that, I needed all of you here with me."

I gulped down my nervousness and knew I had to keep going from here. I had to be dumb and oblivious. So, I guess it was time for introduction, "Wait wait hold on. Sorry, um. I know who everyone else here is like Chrysalis, Sombra, and Lord Tirek. But Grokor? I've never heard that name before."

"GROGAR!" The ram stomped a hoof on the table and got close to my face while I stayed seated where I was, as still as possible. I still reeled back of course but I did not want to fall off when I was just able to get on with Tirek's help. I guess it was a mix of stubbornness and fear that kept me rooted to my spot.

"I have been away too long if my name no longer strikes fear into the heart of one so tiny." He spat at me before pulling away with a huff.

I let out a breath I had been holding and looked between "Grogar" and the rest of the villains. King Sombra's gaze was calculative and cold, I noted. Chrysalis's stare meanwhile was aggressive and bored like as if she didn't want to be there anymore. Which made sense. Tirek however was harder to decipher. He kept his expression neutral and tired but I could tell he was looking at me from time to time. I just wasn't sure what he was thinking.
Well, except maybe that I was right.

"Perhaps a demonstration of power is in order?" "Grogar" growled as his eyes landed on Tirek. The next thing we knew a soft yellow glow appeared around the bells along his neck. With a hoof he grabbed some of its essence and gently passed it along to the scrawny centaur across from him. Tirek eagerly scooped it up in his awaiting hands and ate away at the small fraction of magic. He then transformed into a more stronger and built version of himself. A version that could definitely beat me to a pulp if he wanted.

He happily flexed his muscles and gave one of his biceps a small peck, "That's more like it. Now, little one," Tirek chuckled as he considered me with a knowing stare, "Grogar is ancient and extremely powerful. The land that would become Equestria was a mere collection of farms and pastures until he declared himself emperor of all he saw. Did you get any of that?"
He asked in a way that felt so demeaning. Like I was a dumb child that had to be told something more than twice. I don't remember this tone or attitude in the show, but I knew this change was because of me and our conversation before. He knew I already knew all this but he was just jabbing at me and having a little fun before we really got to bite into this topic later. At least, that's how it felt like for me.

"I have also heard of the first emperor of Equestria," King Sombra piped up in a voice that was less than endearing, "The father of monsters."

God why does Sombra sound like that?? I never did like it and now I was going to have to hear it in real time in my version of real life! I guess after a while I'll get used to it, but I wish he sounded different.

"I gave life to the most foulest of creatures..." "Grogar" began while I started to tune him out. I wasn't too interested in this exposition really, or cared much for the script anymore, but I was curious of the orb in his hooves. I watched as pictures and images formed inside the eye while the ram spoke. It was so cool to see.

"And allowed them to run wild. Taking what they wanted and destroying the rest. My reign was a glorious fear-soaked epoch of darkness in Equestria."

"Hah!" Chrysalis interrupted, "Until Gusty the Great rose up and banished you."

"Grogar" glared, "That fool believed taking my bell would defeat me, but she only weakened me temporarily."

I said nothing. At this point, I was just zoning out trying to figure out what to do next while the episode continuously replayed in my head. At least, what I remember of it. I wasn't too focused on the script right now because I already got one thing I wanted and that was Tirek getting some magic. Now what did I want to do from here..?
Well. King Sombra would be speaking out soon. The thought was troubling for me. Not because I disliked his voice but because I knew the moment he was gone he'd be gone for good. I wouldn't see him again after this. Despite his strange personality in the show I actually didn't want to see him gone for good. I was curious to know more. So...

What do I do?

"-And you know why they've always bested you?" "Grogar's" question snapped me right out of my thoughts.

"Because they cheat!" Chrysalis called out before King Sombra could get a word in.

"Because they are annoyingly lucky." Tirek huffed.

I blinked from where I was on the table, "Because of friendship rainbow lasers?"

"Grogar" seemed to nod towards my direction, "Yes. Because they work together. When one is weak another is strong and thus unified they are a formidable force. But we shall use their own strategy to defeat them."

"What are you suggesting?" Chrysalis questioned, making me want to roll my eyes.

"I suggest nothing!" "Grogar" hopped down before us, nearly knocking me right off the table as I tried to scurry out of the way, "I demand that you join me, and together Equestria will be ours!"

"I don't do ours." It was then King Sombra spoke, "I only do MINE!" Oh shit I had to act soon.

The next thing I knew I went tumbling off the table as King Sombra teleported himself up onto it along with "Grogar." I landed with a small "Oof!" and quickly pulled myself up, knowing I was going to have to try and stop what was about to come next. I could not let King Sombra go just like that. He'll die after he gets sent away!

"I will take back the Crystal Empire on my own." Oh my god shut up, "And I will destroy anypony who gets in my way!"

"Such confidence," "Grogar" hummed, "Go! Try to take back your kingdom. I shall send you there myself."

When "Grogar" hopped off the table I reached up and began scrambling to try and get on it again. My wings were flapping wildly as I tried to pull one of my hindlegs onto the table.

"If you prevail you may keep it," "Grogar" continued despite me struggling nearby, "But when you fail you will submit to me."

"And if I refuse this deal?" King Sombra practically trilled.

"Then I shall return you to the darkness from which you were summoned."

"Fine-"

"NO WAIT!" I yelled out as I clambered up onto the table, "Don't do it!"

Every pair of eyes landed on me in that moment. I shrank back a little but I still stared up at King Sombra. I had to get him to either stay or stop this stupid plan. It was great, sure, but the ending wasn't. I had to prevent it somehow.

"Excuse us, the big creatures are talking." "Grogar" grumbled in annoyance.

"Hmph. As if I'd listen to a puny filly on my decision. Whose little, bratty servant is this?" King Sombra growled out. If only I had hands, then I could slap him across the face.

"I'm not anyone's servant! Listen, King Sombra, you seem like a... nice guy and all. You shouldn't do this."

"And why not? I know exactly what I am doing and I know that in the end I will reign over all, no matter what obstacles are in my way! I will not let some filly fresh out of the nursery dictate my choice."

"You've been locked away for thousands of years though! You don't even know what's going on out there nowadays. Whose very powerful and shi- stuff. Stuff like that. At least hang out with us for a little bit and maybe we could just talk? You know, you learn something and we learn something and we all become a big happy villainous family? Ahah..."

"You have a point, but I'd rather not stay and wait in this repulsive cave any longer. This is a waste of time. I will crush those who defy me." King Sombra started.

"Yeah but-"

"I will defeat all who get in my way!"

"Sombra if you just-"

"I-" And then he was gone. In a flash of yellow magic "Grogar" had transported the tyrant far away from the lair. Possibly somewhere in the frozen north. We all stopped and turned towards the ram.

"Now with that out of the way, I advise the rest of you to prepare to work together." "Grogar" huffed before turning away. The remaining three of us watched as he left the lair.

I didn't even bother to say anything or fake my cuteness anymore. I just waited until he was fully gone before I whirled towards Tirek and Chrysalis. I seriously considered them both.

"We have to stop Sombra."

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.

Author's Notes:

Listen okay.

I made the canon Sombra uncanon.

You can't stop me. THIS IS MY STORY AND I SAY I WANT COOL DARK EVIL SOMBRA BACK

And this is how I'm going to do it.

So to explain: Sombra is actually just a puppet dummy that Discord made and is controlling. That explains why Sombra wasn't obliterated by the Heart and actually managed to get away from the Elements the first time but not the second time, because he was never truly there to begin with. He was just an image made from chaos magic that can be dispelled whenever Discord pleases. It causes chaos and goes through the impossible. That's also how he knew things as well, like Flurry Heart.
King Sombra wasn't Sombra.

Don't worry though, we'll see more of the real King Sombra in future chapters~! After all,

Zeri is not giving up on the villains. All of them.

Oh and this isn't an end for the protag. Tirek is still walking around of course. However, stuff about "Grogar" is another story...

ALSO
if anyone has any other villains that aren't reformed as of yet in the show that you want to see in the fanfic, lemme know! I could be adding more later.

Chapter 4: Unknown Consequences

I quietly hummed to myself as I took a thread and needle and plunged it within the colorful fabric. After that it was just a rhythmic pace as I attached two separate materials together to make one. I made buttons into empty eyes, sown cotton into hair, and straightened out limbs with tight stitches. Whenever I needed to, I would snap off the thread with my teeth in a harsh tug.

I didn't have to make these dolls, not really, but it was fun. As I made them it would keep my mind busy. The more time that passed with each thread, the more ideas I got. My plan was coming together and it was coming together... well enough. There were still obstacles and bumps in the road that I could easily smooth out in the future. For now, I just took my colorful doll in my hooves and fiendishly hugged it.

A new friend... for a new world that will soon be under my control.

---

I raised my head and slammed into the cage’s ceiling. Hissing in pain I looked up and realized... this cell felt more cramped than usual. Did it get smaller? I could barely even raise my head all the way and I was laying down!
"What the hell is this??"

"Ugh. What a pitiful attempt to contain me."

I turned to spot Queen Chrysalis in the cage neighboring mine. The same one that had belong to Tirek previously. She ildly examined her prison before her glare landed on me, "What is this place?"

"Tartarus." I grumbled, "Great ol' fucking Tartarus."

"Bah! How... underwhelming." A flash of green went across my vision as she transformed into a small snake which easily slithered between the bars. The creature then slithered up and curled around my cell's bars.
"Well it looks like your rescue attempt was a bust. Was this our future imprisonment you were preaching about? I have to say, it's not at all what I expected. Especially when I so easily escaped. You however? Hah! You're clearly trapped here. Way to avoid it, even with your strange and WEAK future vision!" Her tongue lashed out at me before she turned to leave.

"Wait! This wasn't the prison I saw." I piped in.

"Oh really? And what WAS our prison then? We've already tried to save Sombra and it failed. You're stuck here forever and that's that. You might as well just tell me now, before you rot and become a forgotten shell of what you once were."

"I... I won't tell you if you don't free me now!"

"And how can I possibly do that?" Splat!

Chrysalis paused and glanced down at a splash of drool that landed next to her.

Splat! Splat!

I watched as she slowly looked up to find herself face-to-face with none other than Tartarus' famous guard dog, Cerberus themself. She slowly inched back in her snakey disguise and somehow gave off a sheepish smile.
"Ahah... Good dogs?"

The dog let out an excited bark, making Chyrsalis hiss out in surprise. She swiftly transformed into a black cat that arched its back and bounded away down the steps. I pushed myself against the prison bars to get a better look as Chyrsalis was chased throughout Tartarus.

She clambered up onto several cages where creatures of various sizes and colors were held prisoner. They growled, hissed, barked, roared, chattered, cawed, and etc as she went running by.

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU MANGY MUTT!" She yowled just before Cerberus pounced for her. She hopped up onto a cage that was hanging by a chain and managed to swing away from one of the dog's sharp maws. She let out a screech as she was flung right off and thrown into the air where she would transform herself back into Queen Chrysalis.

"TRANSFORM INTO CERBERUS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I yelled from my prison.

"SHUT UP! I WAS JUST ABOUT TO DO THAT!" The queen hissed before she dived down and transformed into a giant three-headed dog with a spiky collar. Except bigger. She let out a series of barks and began to barrel her way towards her double.

Chrysalis was the first to swing. She swiped a claw against one of Cerberus' three heads. The monstrous dog let out a surprised yelped and backed away in response. The left head she had attacked let out a pitiful whimper as the other two looked on in shock. That shock transformed into anger. The two pushed forward and lunged for their clone's leg. There, they both bit down and swung their head from side to side, pulling Chrysalis along with them.

"LET GO OF ME THIS INSTANT!"

They let out a loud growl and then they did exactly what she told them to do. Let go. They tossed their head to the side and practically threw Cerberus-Chrysalis right off the edge to plummet down into the depths of Tartarus below. She let out a loud screech before she hit the bottom with a painful THUD.

"Oooh..." I hissed, "That sounded like it hurt. Why didn't you just transform into something that could FLY?"

"I WISH YOU WOULD KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT FOR ONE SECOND, PESK!"

Cerberus let out a loud growl as it crouched, ready to pounce on down Chrysalis.

"Uh... Um- Hey! Here doggy doggy, hey!" I called from my cell, "Here Cerberus, you're all good boys, you know that? Good job! You got Chrysalis! Good boys!"

The three heads perked up in my direction. One even tilted its head curiously.

"Aw, are you alright? Did she hit you? C'mere boys let me get a look at it. I think I have something that could help..." I untied the ribbons from Cozy's mane. Which, thank god, honestly. Her curly mane fell loosely along my shoulders where it twisted and turned from having been held up for so long.

Cerberus stared at me with three pairs of eyes before cautiously making its way up to my cell. It gave me a curious sniff and I gently held up my hoof. I waited to see his reaction, "Hey Cerberus... Are you alright?" I carefully inched closer, "It's alright. Can I pet you?"

Cerberus gave off a triple huff before he leaned into my hoof with his head in the middle. With a smile, I reached up and attempted to scratch the back of his ear, though it was difficult without hands or fingers, "Aw you're all just a bunch of softies aren't you? Do you want pets too? Do you?" I turned to the head on their right and gently patted his cheeks. Their tail began to wag as they practically smiled with lolling tongues.

"Alright, now let's see what the big mean changeling did to you," I turned to the one on the left. He didn't look too badly hurt, but his ear had been nicked. It was a quick swipe, but it must have stung at least.
With a concerned frown I gestured for the head on the left to get closer, "Let me see that please, I'll be careful okay?"

The head on the left let out a whimper and glanced over at its brothers. The two others considered the offer and gave their more nervous side a confident nod. The one on the left then inched forward and rested its head by my side, against the floor seeing as I was practically stuck to it thanks to this cramped cage.

I gave Cerberus a pat on the head before reaching for one of my ribbons. Careful not to spook him, I began to wrap several over his ear and, though failing miserably at first with my lack of FINGERS, I somehow managed to tie it in a bow by tightening it up with my mouth. Ugh.

I pulled back and grinned, "It's not perfect, not how I want it to look, but you look really cute with it!"

The yellow bow I had tied to Cerberus was haphazardly put together. The bow, at most, was just tied with one knot instead of the double I'd usually prefer. I just didn't want to go through the hassle of tying it with my mouth AGAIN. Meanwhile the wrap itself almost hung loosely across the dog's face. Don't think they really cared though.

Their tail was now wagging at super sonic speeds, I overexaggerate, and each head practically beamed in my direction. I barely got the chance to react before a big slimy tongue smacked me across the face.

"Ah- okay. None of that please..! I'm glad you're very happy, you're a good boy! Just please don't lick me." I managed to somehow stop the second head with a hoof, but Cerberus found a different issue. He really couldn't thank me properly like this. After I had backed away he tried to lick me again but was stopped by the iron bars.

He stared down at me and looked very frustrated. I looked back up at him... "What're you thinking buddy?"

In unison, they let out a collective bark before Cerberus leaned forward and chomped down at the top of my cage with all three sets of teeth. I froze in fear half expecting that he'd probably just toss me off to the side along with Chyrsalis. Down wherever she is now. Instead, I got something else.
They placed one large paw against the bottom of my cell... and then they pulled. Their jaws were clamped tight around the top and they firmly kept the bottom pinned. The more they tugged, the more I noticed the change in my little cell. It began to bend and creak, something that felt almost impossible. Sounded almost impossible... and yet I was witnessing it. This three-headed dog was about to snap open my cage.

With baited breath I watched as Cerberus eased on his attempt... Only to harshly growl and tug even harder than before. The creaking worsened and I even heard a strange pop, the sound of metal against metal, and then finally. SNAP!

I went flying forward as the cage went sliding back. The top of it went soaring into the air only to crash land somewhere out of view. I sat curled in one corner of the broken cage as it went sliding forward only to come to a sudden stop. With a sigh, I slowly uncovered my hooves to see Cerberus staring down at me with another happy grin.

I smiled back and hopped up, free to stand now that half of the cage was gone, "GOOD BOYS! GOOD DOGGYS!" I cheered as I hopped up and gave him all the pats and pets, "You're all such good dogs, Cerberus! Yes you are! Yes you are!"
He responded with a bark and a joyful tail wag.

"What exactly am I seeing right now?!"

I looked over to spot Chrysalis who had finally clambered her way back up to the platform. She was clearly frazzled and ticked off.

"I think I befriended Cerberus..?" I shrugged.

"BEFRIEND CERBERUS?! The legendary GUARD DOG of TATARUS? I don't believe a simpleton like you has the capability of doing something THAT bold."

Cerberus whipped his three heads towards her and gave out a loud, rumbling growl.

"Hey hey, it's okay boys. She's just playing! You know what you need? You need dog treats. Lots of dog treats! If you don't hurt Queen Chrysalis, I'll get you as many dog treats as possible, okay? She wasn't even supposed to be a prisoner here, she's just upset. Don't let her get to you, you good dogs you!" I got another lick to the face thanks to that, but I didn't care. I just laughed out and attempted to scratch under one of his chins.
"Ugh it's more difficult without fingers, where's Tirek? I need him and his hands."

"Did you actually tame Cerberus?" Chrysalis slowly approached.

I shrugged again as Cerberus butted his head against my face, "I dunno."

She quirked a brow, "Excuse me?"

"Well I mean, I have two dogs and four cats at home. So- like- Anyways. We need to leave... AND GET YOU SOME DOG TREATS! Ain't that right? Oh aren't you three all just good doggys?? Yes you all are!"

"Will you stop CODDLING THAT THING?"

Just as I was about to coddle Cerberus even more out of spite, we suddenly heard something behind us. The soft groan of a large open door. We all looked over in that direction and quickly spotted Tirek's bulky silhouette just at the exit.

He stared at me and Cerberus, "Well then. Did not know what I was expecting when I got here, but this is definitely new."

"HEY LORD TIREK CAN WE KEEP HIM?!" I called, "PLEASE?"

He sighed and began making his way over to us, "Keep him?? He's a giant three-headed dog that is known for guarding all villains in Tartarus! Do you know how much work that would be feeding him and grooming him?"

"I take full responsibility! I swear! Just look at these big ol' eyes though!"

Those very eyes of Cerberus glared daggers into Tirek. Their teeth were barred and it's growls were quite... unwelcoming.

"That's the eyes of a bunch of good big boys! Good big boys, yes you all are!" And just like that, as I began petting it, it turned its attention to me and happily wagged their tail.

"How did you tame Cerberus..?" Tirek questioned.

Chrysalis sighed, "Been wondering the same thing. And I was here. Wait, what are you doing here?"

"Well I came to help free you and figure out what just happened, really. Though it wasn't hard to conclude with the help of this," He pulled out the orb, "So Discord freed us only to imprison us again? Honestly, why am I not surprised by his antics?"

"And why have you come to help us..?" The queen scrutinized.

"... I suppose it would be smarter to work with the one who seems to know the most of what's going on, and our future. But from Zeri's reaction earlier I'm assuming this is all new to her too. Then again, she did just tame Cerberus."

"Right- okay. Listen guys. We need to leave." I quickly turned to the others, "Discord knows of all of us, so we need to be careful. We can't use any of our magic or else he'll find us- well Lord Tirek can't use any of his because that's a dead giveaway. I think Chrysalis is fine as long as it isn't too obvious and I mean-... I don't know about you but the only magic I got is cloud walking over here. And the phantom limbs of where my fingers once were." I stared down at my stubby hooves.

Cerberus responded with a concerned whimper. I reached up to pet his head but honestly, it just felt like I was sliding a flat limb against his temple.

"Hey buddy... it's alright. You know, you don't have to stay in Tartarus if you don't want. Every day, all day, you're spent guarding everyone aren't you? Don't you ever get a break? Have you even seen much of Equestria? How about this. We're your prisoners, right?"

"Oh please, don't remind him." Chrysalis grumbled.

"Well, how about this? You can come with us and keep an eye on us that way! And I can watch out and care for you, too!" I bargained, "We can go exploring, eat a bunch of different food! And we can figure out how to play catch or chase or whatever the heck you want to play! Would you all like that? I'd love to see Equestria with you if you want!"

Cerberus seemed to hesitate, but the more I spoke the more happier he got. His tail continued to wag and he happily licked my face once more.

"I think that's a yes~!"

"You know I just realized she's not cursing as much around the dog." Chrysalis muttered to Tirek, "Maybe bringing Cerberus along would better improve her attitude."

"That mutt has been nothing but trouble for me for the past thousands of years and now we're just going to... bring him along?"

"Why not?" I leaned forward and hugged one of Cerberus' heads, "Look at themmmm! Pleaaase Lord Tirek? Can we keep himmmm?"

Tirek threw up his arms, "Why are you asking me??? Fine! Fine! Let's just go already before Discord finishes up his friendship lesson or whatever. He's probably already blown himself up."

As we all went to leave through the large open double doors I would quietly whisper to a passing caged creature, "I'll come back for you too, alright?" I assured before hurriedly joining Tirek's side, "So we need to go into hiding. The Lord of Chaos will be on our trail soon enough."

"Well isn't that just great, and was this the future you wanted to avoid?" Tirek questioned.

"No, actually. This is a completely new path entirely. I didn't even know Sombra was a fake Sombra by Discord until... well, until that."

"So what was our future imprisonment anyways?" Chrysalis questioned as the doors slammed shut behind the four- or six- of us.

"We all get turned into stone." I simply say before curiously making my way down the path.

Tirek blinked, "Even Cozy Glow?"

"Yeup. Even Cozy Glow."

Chrysalis looked between us, "Wait, who is Cozy Glow?"

I stopped and tapped my chest, "The pony whose body I stole."

"You know possession, then?"

"Nope. I just appeared here. I don't get it, we don't get it. It's fine, it just kinda happened. We'll figure it out at a later time but right now... We need to hide ourselves and your magic." I walked forward and narrowed my eyes in thought, "How to hide our magic... How to hide our magic..."

"Magic concealment is not in my specialty I'm afraid," Lord Tirek admitted, "Though perhaps there is a spell I could figure out if I just-"

"No spells." I insisted, "We can't risk being found out that way. No, we don't need spells. We need something that doesn't cause attention. We need something quick and fast that doesn't need powerful magic. No. What we need... is a potion." I smirked.

Chrysalis joined my side, "And where do you suggest we get that?"

I turned to the two of them, "We have to get to the Everfree forest. I think I might know someone who could help... but," I held up a hoof,

"I'm going to have to talk to her alone."

---

I breathed in. After searching the Everfree we were finally able to find what I was looking for. A hut. No simple hut, of course. As I stepped over the patterned stone path that would curl and twist with little swirly designs, I would pass several masks that expressed various emotions from blank, to welcoming, to rage. Where this trail ended was at a hollowed out tree with carved-in round windows and several steps leading to a wooden door. Hanging from its branches were colorful bottles that kindly greeted me as they swayed in the gentle wind.

I carefully approached the door, made sure the others hadn't followed me this far, and tapped my hoof against it.

A few beats later, a zebra wearing gold stepped out to meet me. She stopped and stared down at me. I stared back.

....

"Uh. Hey there Zecora..." I sheepishly grinned, "I need your help."

Author's Notes:

Cerberus joins the party!

I mean... why not?

Also looks like Zecora is about to get dragged into whatever nonsense this is! Hopefully Zeri can convince her fast before Discord starts searching for the three of them. Or I suppose six of them now... or four? Does Cerberus count as one or three?

Anyways sorry this chapter took a bit, I was vacationing. Also a lot is going on irl so updates might be slow, but I'm really enjoying this story and I hope I can make more chapters in the future!

Thank you for reading~!

Chapter 5: A Helping Hand- Erm, Hoof.

I've made myself busy as of late. I studied hard, got on the professors good sides, and made myself as useful as possible. It wasn't hard, and in doing so I was able to collect information and items that I actually really needed. With a smile, I greeted the mailpony just outside after she had slammed against the school's crest. Then, I assisted a new student and helped keep the school clean. What are friends for? I asked another I knew. Throughout my tasks I finally found myself ending up within the office of the head of the school herself.

She began to panic, but I helped calm her nerves. I informed her of everything to let her know I had it all covered. I asked for help from another professor and cataloged all the magical artifacts within the school-

Gasp, "I hope that's okay..."

With an excited trill, I was assured it was amazing. I did my job, and they weren't sure what they'd be able to do without me!

I smiled, but something felt off... For a moment, just for a moment, I could have sworn the world shifted around me. The floor pulsed and the walls shook. Then everything went still again, and we continued like usual.

I'm sure it was nothing, but I couldn't help but feel a little lighter. A little... wrong.

I giggled, "It's like you taught me... Helping is what friendship's all about..!" I heard another giggle.

I ignored it, but something was clawing at me.

Haven't I already said this?

Haven't I already done this?

What am I doing here again..?

---

Zecora curiously tilted her head, "Ah, what is this I see? But a little filly come to visit me?"

"Right- Hi! Um. Wow," I didn't know where to begin at first. There was a lot to say and a lot I needed from her but... did she know about Cozy Glow? Did she think I was Cozy? I don't think they've met before, have they? But maybe Applebloom and the other crusaders have told her about Cozy by now, right?

I just wasn't sure.

Not to mention, I was getting a little flustered. This was Zecora. Who knows what she could know? Of course she doesn't know everything... but what if she could just SEE through me? What if all she needed to do was blow some dust in my face that will suddenly reveal secrets that not even I know about myself?! This was ZECORA! THE ZECORA!

Why was I geeking out so much about this???

Zecora's voice soon butted in, "Is something the matter, or wrong? You've been staring at me for... quite long."

I snapped out of my trance and rapidly blinked up at her, "Oh. Um. Sorry! I'm just not sure how to ask this. Let me start with introducing myself. My name is Zeri! I know of you from... the crusaders! Applebloom especially."

"Ah, well it is a pleasure to meet you little Zeri. And from the sounds of it, you already know of me. Come, my home is welcome to all like you. And while we talk, may we both learn a thing or two." She stepped aside and lead me into her hut.

"Thank you Zecora!" I followed after her and curiously examined the interior. Same as I last saw it in the show.

We were in a hollowed out tree that held decorative masks and hanging bottles. Roots hung from the ceiling, shelves were practically carved into the walls, and a large black cauldron would sit looking pretty in the middle. Their source of light came from lanterns, or little waxed candles... Which, if I'm going to be honest, sounds like a hazard inside a tree.
There was another area that lead to her bedroom, but the only thing I saw from where I stood was a bed with a yellow blanket.

"Now that we got introductions out of the way; there was some help you needed, didn't you say?" Zecora hummed as she settled herself next to her cauldron.

"Right. Well... There is no easy way to ask this." I admitted as I went up to her, "I need a favor. Do you- Do you know how to conceal magic?"

"Hmm... There may be a thing or two I know of magic concealment, but tell me little pony; why do you require this sealant?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story. One that I'm still confused about. I just really need your help," I let out a small yawn as the events of today slowly crept up on me, "I didn't know who else to turn to."

"An interesting decision on your part, though I'm not sure where to start. I've never met you until today, and yet it was me who guided your way? Why come to me if I may ask? Why come and ask for such an unusual task?"

"I don't know. I don't even know why I came to you out of everybody. I guess, maybe, I just trusted you would be the one I could go to for this."
I sighed, "I've been thrown into something that I have no control of or even asked for. I'm in a spot where... I don't know what's going to happen from now on. Everything is changing, and I'm not sure how things will go. I'm... worried. Not for me but, for others that I think put their trust in me? They're working together, which is great! But it's not going to last long. They're only doing it because of what I knew before but... now I don't know what I'm doing."

Zecora watched as I bowed my head in defeat, "Your path to your future is uncertain, you're trying your best, and isn't that good enough, then?"

"I don't think I can convince you to... do this though." I lowered my ears, "To help me with something crazy. I don't want you to get hurt. I don't even know why I came here when you have no real part of it. You're just... someone I really like. But you know nothing about me."

"Then let me learn, little one. Tell me, what is it that you need done?"

I breathed in, "I need... to hide my friends from someone very powerful and very dangerous to them. I need something that could conceal their magic so they can stay away from their radar."

Zecora blinked, "Is that truly it, though? Tell me, who is this dangerous foe?"

I gulped, "I don't want to be your enemy, or your villain, or anything like that. I want you to know that before I tell you. Can you trust me, Zecora? Please?"

The zebra hesitated but gave a small nod.

"... Discord. We need to hide from Discord."

Zecora shook her head in surprise, "Ah, so the lord of chaos is after you? From your true identity you've given me a clue, for he is on the side of Equestria. Who he is up against has given me an idea. From what I've heard Tirek was the last he tracked down, though that centaur made him look like quite a clown. If you are so frightened to be found by them, could it be you are what Equestria will condemn?"

"I don't-" I felt my wings ruffle up behind me, which was such a strange experience, "... I don't want to be a villain. Especially not to Equestria. I don't want to be caged anymore. I don't want to be seen as bad anymore,"
My eyes began to burn as tears threatened to escape, my voice even started to sound shaky, "I just... want to set things right. But I'm not sure how it will go. I don't know what to say or what to do! I just don't know why..."
"But I keep messing up."

A black and white hoof rested on my shoulder. A comforting but surprising gesture. I looked up at her and saw a warm smile on her face.
"Sometimes actions can be louder than words. Whether you like it or not, that can and has occurred. No matter how dire, it's nice to know you are no liar." She then walked away to examine a nearby bottle, "I feel that this meeting was more than a request, from your outburst there is more to this than I could have guessed."

I wiped one of my eyes, "Sorry. It's just... Where I came from, I don't think a lot of people really liked me. I kept messing up because I kept reading the situation wrong or I didn't hear what they said correctly. I assume and I blew up so many times. At least here, in Equestria, I feel like I can start over and have a better understanding of this world. Of the people that are here. Even the really bad guys, hah. Except I really can't because of what I... ended up as. I'm sorry, again, I don't mean to dump this all on you. I just... really trust you. More than my current friends, at least." I chuckled, "Don't tell them I called them friends."

"And who are these current friends, if I may? From the sounds of it, there's a lot more there is to say." She gathered up a small stone from one bottle.

"Maybe it would be best if they were ready to tell you themselves. Sorry Zecora but... we could do their introductions some other time."

"I suppose that is fair. You sound like you hang around with villains, if I am aware."

"I- uh- well, maybe. But-"

"Oh please." Zecora collected some things in her hooves and made her way to her cauldron, "Little Zeri, put yourself at ease. While dangerous aaaaand... unpredictable, I feel you can one day make it forgivable."
She dumped a strange greenish blue substance into her large pot and began crunching up some leaves with her hooves.
"Judging from your character and your plight, I say some things I've considered has come to light."

I watched her as she began pouring in several more ingredients into the odd mixture, "And what's that? What has come to light?"

"You wish to create change," Zecora grinned towards me, "For yourself and for others, that you will arrange. It was brave of you to come approach me during this time. Especially since I could report you on the dime, but I digress; because a crime I can not stress."

I blinked, "Man your rhymes are really hitting me hard right now-"

"I don't do this lightly for everypony, you know," Zecora interrupted, "Especially not villains who just so happen to know where to go. While I am trusting you for the time being, break it and pray for your well-being. I will give you what you need, as well as information that you can heed. To change your friends and make amends is all I ask, and when I drop this stone you shall begin your task."
She held up the round stone in her hooves and hovered it over the cauldron.

"Wait wait wait, you're actually helping me out? Why? What for? So I can... create change? How can you trust me when I've admitted I could be evil?"

"Because you have admitted it," Zecora hummed, "That was a curious tidbit. Not to mention many villains have been reformed or forgiven, what's one more, especially one so driven?"
"Zeri, I want you to understand this. What you're doing next can be a hit or miss. You and the rest can run and hide, but I trust that you will guide them in your stride. Though many things could end in disaster, it is possible that caging you is not the answer. Especially one so young and pink."
"Cozy Glow, isn't it? That I think."

I froze, "I'm... not Cozy Glow. I'm just someone who found herself like this. Heck I'm not even a pony! I don't know how to explain it exactly-"

"Well from what I have heard and what I have seen, you definitely don't fit the evil child's routine. From what Applebloom has informed, she is known for being tidy and cute. You meanwhile look like a mess that transformed into a little tiny small brute." Zecora gave a light-hearted chuckle.

I blinked and looked over myself. Zecora was right. My pink fur was messy with a couple scratches from the Everfree's thorns faintly scratched along my legs. My wings were still fluffed out and there was a bright blue glass shard stuck between them. What was worst however was the mane. The once swirling blue cotton candy buns were now a wavy, tangled mess that draped over my shoulders. I found a twig stuck on one end and a hair pin or two hanging from several knots. My tail wasn't doing any better either. Christ.

"Uh... I guess I could go for a shower-" I yawned again, "And... some sleep. And food. And-"

"One thing at a time you should concern yourself with, a lesson that is surely no myth. Let's first get this potion done and ready, then I will help you as I should have done already," Zecora then dropped the round stone in the cauldron and the contents within began to bubble up and foam into brilliant colors. I perked up and intently watched as the greenish substance became a dull and dark magenta.

"Will that... conceal our magic?"

Zecora nodded, "It is not for consumption, I am afraid, but in a vial and around your neck it will surely offer its aid."

I beamed, "Thank you Zecora..!"

"I only ask one thing in return," The zebra added, "Stay safe, stay smart, do not let the villains win what they yearn. Convince them to take a different path and avoid Equestria's wrath. Not only for yourself or for them, but for us and maybe even the little filly within." She rested a hoof over my chest where Cozy's heart would be.

I paused and thought hard on that. Where in the world could Cozy Glow have gone? I had replaced her, I assume, but I don't even know where she went. Did she take over my body? Did she vanish entirely? I wasn't sure. I couldn't be sure... It was all so confusing, "You believe I'm not Cozy Glow?"

"Not at all, truthfully. I believe you are something else, actually. Though I'm not entirely sure what you could be... You definitely can't be little Cozy Glow from what I understand and see."

"What if I'm lying to you?"

"Then that is a rather clever lie, but don't think that I will idly standby," She then walked off to collect several other items. Glass vials, string-like but sturdy vines, a brush, and a couple of hair ties.

She went up to the cauldron, "Now how many of these do you need? Might as well gather as much before its abilities recede."

"Umm..." I held up my hoof as if I were about to count with my fingers- and then realized I had no fingers, "Let's see there's me, him, her, and them... I'm not sure if they count as one or three though... Okay so that's, I guess, let's say six?"

Zecora blinked, "Six?" She then shook her head, "Fine, I suppose around a dozen I shall fix."

She handed me the brush and hair ties before she began filling up each individual vial with the dark substance. I held the brush in between my hooves but glared at it, confused. Sure I was able to tie a very messy and loose ribbon on Cerberus with my teeth recently, so I know I can hold this thing, but I wasn't sure how to brush like this.
I tried it out and attempted to rake the brush across my mane only for it to go flying out of my hooves and across the floor. With a sigh, I used my teeth to put the hair ties around my hooves like I would if I still had my wrists and then went to get the brush.
I tried picking it up with my hooves again. It fell. I attempted to pretend I was grabbing it. It sat there lamely. I pressed my hooves against it. Nothing.
I glared down at it and considered picking it up with my teeth... but it was on the ground! Ew! I don't want my teeth accidentally touching the floor!

"Now, as for your next mission, I suggest something within vision. For these vials are temporary and fleeting. Another alternative is what you needed to suggest in your next meeting. I have directions and a map, perhaps when you've well rested and napped-" When Zecora was close to done she realized I was struggling nearby. The zebra stared at me for a few seconds and snrked, "Ah. A fight with your hooves no one but you shall know. Tell me little one, is it as difficult as so?"

"It's not funny Zecora..!"

"Oh to you it is not, but watching you it tickles me a lot~!"

I stuck my tongue out and then turned back towards the brush while Zecora placed her vials into a small woven basket with some string-like vines. Along with the vials she even placed several small pouches besides them. When she approached me, she easily scooped up the brush and grinned.
"Now, how do you like your mane? I understand brushing it can be a bane."

"Um... Well, I don't like anything too fancy," I admitted, and tapped my chin in thought, "How about a..."

---

"A ponytail? Really?" Tirek looked me up and down.

As Zecora had untangled my mane, I requested a simple ponytail. I didn't think of it much at the time, but now that Tirek brought it up... I proceeded to hate myself for it.

My teeth gripped against the basket's handle, "I... Shut up. I like it like this, okay?"

We were in a small clearing we had chosen to camp out in. It wasn't even that far from Zecora's hut actually. It looked comfy... enough, but like expected the forest itself was very chaotic. Good place to hide from others, really, if they didn't know where they were going.

I set down the basket and gestured towards it, "Here. Zecora said to tie one of these around your neck and sprinkle some of the red powder in the small bags into the vial to activate it. That should be able to conceal any magic we have."

"And imbalances of magic?" Tirek asked as he reached down to pluck one up.

"I... Guess so? Where the hell is Chyrsalis and Cerberus?"

Tirek scratched his chin, "Playing." He hummed just before I heard a loud crash of trees nearby.

The high-pitched, annoyed shriek of Queen Chrysalis hit my ears, "YOU BLUBBERING MUTT! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO ATTACK THOSE TREES! THE ONES THAT LOOK LIKE PONIES! NOT THOSE! GRAH!"

I let out a sigh, "Oh my fucking god-"

Tirek held up one of the pouches and examined its contents, "Language."

"I am a fucking adult. Let me have my f-word."

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the long wait! Hope you guys enjoyed the update.

I'm honestly kinda just writing this as I go really, and creating Zeri's backstory and Cozy Glow's disappearance on the fly.

I do have A PLAN though, I can assure you. It's just,

we're all figuring it out together!

Thank you for reading!

Chapter 6: What A Party

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the late update! Lots of things happening in real life.

I have a lot of plans for future chapters, but enjoy this one! I think I'm getting a better understanding of how I want this to go.

Will try to update in the near future but fair warning, it's a busy month. There's a lot going on. So the next update might take a while.

Thank you to Avogadro for the three names for each of Cerberus' heads!

And thank you all for reading!

I sat at the desk with my hoof pressed against my cheek. So. It didn't even matter. What I was doing or where I was, it didn't matter. The sequence within the headmare's office continued to play out in front of me. I watched as several creatures helped assist that chancellor jerk from his chains and how his mind boggled as he tried to make sense of it all. I guess I should have tried it this way then the way I was doing it. This was clearly a way better version of gaining friends, trust, and allies. Yet there I went over-conquering without entirely thinking it through to make it more... permanent.

I sighed and rested my head over my hooves.

So how did I figure out this doesn't matter? Well, it was funny actually. I tripped. One small tumble was all it took for me to realize the loop I was in. When I fell over, cutting off whatever I was saying, the others continued as if I had finished my sentence. Confused, I watched as the familiar scene played out without me involved. I saw items I may have been carrying fly across the air and their eyes never landed on where I was now, even if they addressed me.

From then on, I was an observer. I could still affect others, surprisingly, but they never seemed to notice. I could change their mane, take an item out of their hold, or even splash water on them and they just... didn't react. I tried to communicate with them, but they only listened to old lines I've said before. While I could make these small changes, somehow the sequence would always revert to how it was supposed to be.

Sure, I got to explore more of the situation than I had seen previously, but I was... sick of it. I was sick of seeing my defeat over and over again. I was sick of the repetitive scenes. I was just... sick and tired of this strange loop.

I guess I could count one thing lucky though. I would have never realized I was here until the trip. Once I've tripped up in the same place I did the first time, then I break out of the loop myself. I've tried tripping others. It doesn't work for some reason... but at least I don't have to go back to the very start of my life over and over again. That I can barely even remember at this point. As I went through the halls of the school and idly watched a crowd of students run by, following after a floating crown which was once mine, I couldn't help but ponder something...

What made me trip in the first place? What broke me out of the loop..?

And how do I get out of it?

---

"Alright so let's go over this again." I sighed, "You see these vials? You tie them into a necklace, put it around your neck, and then sprinkle some of the powder in it to activate it. Lord Tirek? If you please."

Tirek easily demonstrated. He placed it over his neck and sprinkled the red powder in the vial before capping it. Then with a shake, the vial went alight with pinkish purple colors.

"This should help conceal your magic, but it's only temporary," I explained, "Which is why we have multiple, and a map. Zecora suggested that if we want a more permanent solution to hiding our magic, we should gather this crystal or whatever that's infused with magic concealment. It's generally hard to get but it should be at this mountain that's crossed out on the map." I unfurled the scroll and tapped at the image of a red cross just over a large, jagged looking moutain.
"Hell who knows? Maybe we can find a place to camp out over there or something and make our own base if we wanted to."

"Why do you have so many vials? Do they really not last that long?" Tirek questioned.

"Oh um... I don't know? I told her there were six of us-"

"Six?" Chyrsalis looked between the group, "Idiot, can you not count too?? There's clearly four of us."

"Wha- I can count! Cerberus is three, right?" I asked.

"Cerberus counts as one, Zeri." Tirek huffed, "They share one body, after all."

"But their heads act different!" I argued as I went up to one of them, "This one? On the right? This one is much more aggressive and cautious but can easily be swayed by treats." I casually tossed a small makeshift dog treat into their jaws. The small meat balls, for the time being, were made mostly of fish and whatever else Tirek or Chyrsalis decided to catch. I had asked them before I left to do some hunting and well... they did deliver, thankfully.
"The one in the middle? The leader. He's more mature, calm, and level headed! He's also really smart, aren't you?? Yes you are- Um. Ahem. And this one-" I gestured to my favorite head that still had ribbons tied on its ear, the one on the left, "Is an ABSOLUTE sweetheart. I'm telling you, even though they share one body they're clearly three. Not one."

"Then why do they share one name?" Tirek countered.

"Because everyone only gives them one name, duh!"

"Even so," Chrysalis hummed as she placed a vial around her neck, "I don't think they need three of their own vials. One should work plenty for them."

"I guess you have a point..." I tapped my chin in thought before Cerberus licked my cheek. Well, the one on the left did- Ughh... "Hey, maybe we should give them separate names?"

"Give them names?" Tirek raised a brow, "Why?"

"Because I don't want to call this one 'the head on the left' and this one 'the head on the right' or something like that."

Chyrsalis shrugged, "Leftie and Rightie. There you go."

"And what about the one in the middle??"

"Ummmm..." She hesitated.

"Exactly! So... Let's just give them each a name to make it easier on us. I call this one with the ribbons on its ears!" I chirped as I hugged leftie with my hooves.

"Hm... I guess I will have the middle one then?" Tirek suggested.

"Fine, whatever. I'll name that one if to make you shut up about it." Chyrsalis pointed at the one on the right.

"What do you think Lord Tirek? What kind of name should they have?" I asked as I happily petted Cerberus.

"Hmm..." Tirek looked directly at the one in the middle, and the head returned the stare with a cold and calculative look. These two have rivaled for centuries... and now he was going to name it. I couldn't help but feel giddy over it.
"Cervantes."

"Cervantes eh?" I hummed, "Nice. Alright, Cervantes it is! Where'd you get the name from?"

He shrugged, "Just thought it would fit."

"Chyrsalis? What do you want to name yours?"

"... Ughhh... Beryl." She grunted, and the newly named Beryl let out a low growl in her direction. She gritted her teeth back at it.

"I like it!" I chirped and then turned to the head I had chosen, "Now what to name you?" I pondered.

The other two watched and waited to see what I'd name it.

".... Russel."

Tirek blinked, "Really? Russel?"

Chyrsalis let out a snrk, "Even Beryl is better than that-"

"He looks like a Russel!" I patted him, "Do you like the name? Do you? Aw you're such a good boy!" I laughed as the left head, or Russel as we'll now call him, licked my face.

"Oh whatever, come here." Chyrsalis hissed as she grabbed me in her magic and pulled me away. Beryl let out a protective growl and she returned it with a glare, "Shut up! I'm only giving her the damn vial to hide her weak, pathetic pegasus magic!"

"Did you just say damn?" I gasped, "Oh no, I've influenced you! You're going to swear just like me!"

"Shut up."

"Don't you mean... shut the fuck up~?" I playfully asked.

"I will if you don't STOP." She then roughly placed one of the vials around my neck and angrily sprinkled the red powder into it so that it would activate.

"Do you even really need it?" Tirek asked, "You're a pegasus for crying out loud. Sure you have magic but it's more muted than, say, Chrysalis, Cerberus, and I."

"Hey, I don't know what Discord can or can't sense. It's better we play it safe." I argued, "Anyways. Zecora gave us directions to a more permanent solution to our magic concealing problems. Next stop, Mount What's it's face- uh... Stonepeak?"

"Mount Stonepeak? Hah. What an interesting location." Chyrsalis hummed.

I nodded, "Yeah, Stonepeak? Who names a mountain Stonepeak-"

"Ugh, it's not about the name you small minded foal. It's the mountain itself. Do you know ponies fear that thing? Apparently pony legend has it that anypony that gets too close to that thing will have the strange urge to explore its caverns. Then poof, they disappear, never to be seen again."

"Greaaat. Another strange urban legend we may or may not solve the mystery about. Knowing this universe I bet it's not even that big of a deal. Maybe it's just a tribe of runaway ponies or some sort of magical plant that makes you fall asleep or something. I think we can handle whatever the hell is going on over there." I shrugged, "Especially since you two are important villains to the plot- um. To the world or whatever."

Tirek raised a brow, "Knowing urban legends, it still could be dangerous. Perhaps there's another way to conceal our magic without these temporary vials."

"There probably is, but you still need a hideout right? A base of operations? If we go to a place ponies fear then no one will go where we go. I say it's a risk we should take. Plus I... really don't want you guys getting captured so soon." I quietly admitted.

"Awww, is the little grub concerned for our well-being?" Chrysalis mewed.

"Yes!" I then let out another yawn, "I... want to make sure I don't screw this up."

Tirek looked up at the orange sky as it began to darken.

"Screw what up, exactly?" The queen hissed.

I hesitated. My thoughts went back to Zecora and our previous conversation. The villains in front of me and the villain I was now were real to me. They were... characters. People. Just like everyone in Equestria now! In that moment, I don't know why, but it felt like whatever I decided to do with this group, the end result would be on me, "Everything. I don't want to screw up everything."

"It's getting late." Tirek commented, "We should all get some rest."

I rubbed my eyes and looked up at the setting sun and the rising moon, "... Oh fuck you Celestia."

"That I can agree with." Chrysalis chirped as she turned away, "Tirek, you take care of the foal or whatever. I'm going to go late night hunting before I settle in. Got that?"

He raised a hand in response, "Fine. Fine. Don't have to be so snappy about it you royal pain."

"I can and will devour you in your SLEEP!" Then just like that, she disappeared within the shadows of the Everfree.

Tirek was already pulling vines from a nearby tree, ready to set up camp. I sighed and made my way up to Cerberus, my hoof instinctively going to Russel, "Hey boys... Let's find a good place for you to sleep, alright? Hm. Hey Tirek? Do you need any help with the camp?"

He scratched his chin in thought, "Gather me more sticks and leaves. I can handle the rest." The centaur grunted before continuing his work with what he had now.

So that's what we did. Cerberus and I would gather supplies while Tirek easily built everything with his bare hands alone. Something I was very jealous of. I subjected myself to finally picking things up with my teeth and every time I was shivering with disgust. Ew ew ew. That was on the forest floor!

I told myself to get used to it, though. I was a pony now... and I hated it so much.

After some point, I shouted into the night sky, "I WANT MY HANDS BACK!"

"Too bad, so sad." Tirek grunted, "Can you shut up before you attract some dangerous animal into our campsite??"

"I can take it on." I joked before clumsily fluttering up to help put the final touches on a large makeshift tent built just for Cerberus, "There! And... yawn... done."

There were currently three tents in our campsite, and from the materials we had foraged they seemed to blend in with the environment around them. They were made of twigs, logs, moss, shrubs, and etc. Each one was of various sizes. A big one for Tirek, an even bigger one for Cerberus, and a small tiny one just for me. I didn't mind it. Each tent circled a center, and in that center was a fire pit that was dug out with several round stones marking it. A place to cook fish and other meat hung right above the pit. Just for the heck of it, as well, Tirek seemed to have made a lounging chair all for himself. Of course he would.

I couldn't help but smile as I softly landed back on the ground and went to pull my ponytail out, "Alright... Goodnight Lord Tirek. Goodnight Cerberus!"

Cervantes licked my face just before Russel nuzzled my forehead. Beryl, nearby, responded with a polite-ish gruff. Lord Tirek meanwhile grumbled something and waved his hand dismissively, "Right. Right. I'll be waking you up early tomorrow. We got a long way to go, so no complaining."

"Got it!" I chirped before giving Cerberus one more pat for each head. With that I disappeared into my tent. It was only temporarily, but it felt cozy and homey in a strange way... I was able to easily rest my head and pass out from all the activity I went through.

God. Had it only been a day..?

...

My eyes snapped open.

I was... in a school? I think I was floating, maybe, I feel taller all of a sudden.

No, wait... I was standing. On two feet?

I looked down myself and patted my body down with- HANDS! I have my HANDS! I let out a surprised laugh as they instinctively moved up to my face. I felt my button nose and my round cheeks. My glasses were even here, for some reason. I took them off but could still see the world around me. This familiar, colorful world.

The Friendship School?

My first thought was purple. There was lots of purple. Dark purple flooring and carpets, purple crystals decorating the walls, and purple banners or flags hung up besides looming windows. Well. This was Twilight's school, after all.

I took my first step as a human again and couldn't help but feel giddy. Legs! Hands! Real HANDS! I went to pick up the first thing that I could find, it was a flower vase of some sort. I plucked it up and giggled. This was ridiculous. I'm getting happy over picking something up. I guess it was a relief knowing I didn't have to use my mouth anymore... but-

How did I get here?

I decide to carefully place it back and roam the halls. It was quiet, at first, but I felt like it wasn't empty. Despite the vastness of the place there was clearly activity. A class or more had to be in session, and what helped solidify that was a small purple and green dragon running past with several papers and quills in claw. Spike. I couldn't help but smile as I tried to trail after him. Where was he off to? Oh look at his little wings! So adorable!

Damn. Besides Fluttershy, I'd love to befriend him and Big Mac if I could. That strange oubliettes game, the DnD equivalent in this universe, sounded like a lot of fun. So that's where my thoughts went to. I wanted to at least say hello.

I tried to stop him and catch his attention, but he already disappeared behind a door into another classroom.

I heard the chatter of students just on the other side. Curious, I gently pushed it open and peeked into the room to spot a familiar lavender alicorn hushing her students.

"Zeri!"

I blinked.

I heard a bird chirping nearby, and saw sunlight softly fluttering through my tent. It was morning. Lord Tirek's voice boomed just outside of it, "Wake up and eat your breakfast already!"

I sat up and pressed a hoof against my face. Cozy Glow's hoof. On her face. I was still in her body. I wasn't... me. Human. Slowly, but carefully, I pressed both of my fore-hooves against my head and sighed. What was that dream? It felt lucid but at the same time, not so much. I was in my human body. That was cool, at least. Why would I dream of that though? Maybe I crave to see the rest of the world? But as myself? I'm not sure yet...

For now, I just decided to get up and greet the Everfree morning. The smell of eggs instantly caught my attention.

Even though ponies were known for eating just vegetation and such, I was instantly drawn to meat. I didn't really care if it wasn't in my diet, for now, because I couldn't help but chow down at the food Tirek prepared for us. Chrysalis was the one who decided to stop me. Apparently eating meat, while possible, is not suggested for ponies. I can still savor it but I can't eat too much of it. I guess I'll get sicker over time. Saddened, I ate a daffodil sandwich for the first time. I hated it.

Tirek later decided to do some more hunting so he could catch some fish for Cerberus. Chrysalis had wandered off with them and I was stuck in camp trying to assess what we had and what we could bring.

So we still have the basket of vials. Bring that of course. We have the orb... Curious thing but that's coming as well! Then we have some food and some tools that Tirek made- Wait. Where did Chrysalis go anyways?

I paused and went searching for the others. While I knew Tirek was at a river nearby, I wasn't sure about Chrysalis. Why was she always running off with Cerberus?

It was easy to track them down. The big old sweetheart would occasionally break branches and foliage as he walked. His path soon lead me into a clearing with several trees knocked down into splinters of what they once were. I spotted marked carvings that showed figures of ponies, changelings, and even a centaur which could have been Tirek. I perked up, expecting to see some sort of epic battle training to commence, but I got something else.

I watched as Chrysalis used her magic to help clean and tighten the ribbons on Russel's ear, "There you insufferable mutt. I fixed it." She hissed just before Russel gave her a lick on the cheek, "Eugh! No! Stop that this instant! It was just getting on my nerves, alright? That brat doesn't know how to tie a proper knot for the life of her... but also this will probably be my only chance to after a while." The changeling queen grunted as she turned away.

I slowly made my way over.

"Well whatever. Those two can do fine without me. Especially with you by their side they're practically invincible so what do I know? You just keep your eye on them while I go off and-"

"Chryssy?"

"GAH! DON'T SNEAK UP ON ME LIKE THAT!"

"SORRY!"

"AND DID YOU JUST CALL ME CHRYSSY??" She plucked me up in her magical hold, "How dare you."

"Are you leaving?" I asked as she held me in her terrifyingly iron grip. At the question, though, it relaxed...

"... Maybe. So what? I have to."

"Why?"

"It's- I have my reasons." She grumbled, "I left something behind and now I need to go get it."

I narrowed my eyes in thought at what she could have left behind...

That was when I remembered the purple log. The log she always carried with her back in Grogar's lair. During everything, I don't recall her ever holding it again after we left, "Evil Twilight?" I quickly placed my hooves over my mouth, "I MEAN-"

Chrysalis froze, I froze. The events of that log wasn't actually well-known in Equestria. Hell the only one to ever really know about what the log once was is, in fact, Chrysalis. The purple log, along with several others, was once a copy of Twilight Sparkle. Except this copy was practically an evil version of her. Smart, strategic, but devious. It worked to betray Chrysalis along with the rest of the Mean Six at the time but she was unfortunately returned to her natural state, a tree log, by The Tree of Harmony itself. Thinking on that, I could see why Chrysalis would have wanted the tree destroyed even more now.

"How- How do you know about that?"

I sighed and lowered my hooves, "Listen. Chrysalis. You don't have to be embarrassed about the log, I get it. I've seen it... but you really shouldn't go back for it. It's practically in enemy territory now. With Discord in his lair. I'm sorry but- you shouldn't risk getting caught over something as pointless as that." I coldly said, only to regret it.

Anger boiled in her eyes and she harshly tossed me to the ground. I crashed against the hard soil and let out a pained gasp.

Cerberus let out a loud bark and protectively hovered above me, his claws raking into the earth as they all growled towards Chrysalis. I raised my head only to flinch at Chrysalis' burning glare.

"That log. Belongs. To. Me. I don't care if it's in Discord's lair or whatever, I'm GOING BACK FOR IT!"

"But-"

"No. Shut up. I don't care right now what you've seen. I don't care what you know. Right now, I need it back. I need her back. She was the only one of my minions that was competent enough to actually be the soldier I needed her to be."

I sat up, "But she betrayed you! I get it, you want minions because you lost yours but we shouldn't risk getting caught for someone who's already gone and wants you gone. If you get caught-"

"She is NOT GONE!" Chrysalis hissed, "And I am going back for it." She then turned and stomped away, "I will MEET YOU AND TIREK LATER AT STONEPEAK."

"Chrysalis come back! Goddamnit! We shouldn't split!"

"FUCK YOU!"

I gasped, ".............." I looked up at Cerberus, they looked down at me, and then we both looked back at Chrysalis' retreating form, "... Did she just fucking swear?"

---

"..."

Tartarus.

That was the last place he put two troublesome villains. At least, where he should have transported them... but- the cages were either empty or snapped in half. They were both nowhere to be found.

Heck, not even Cerberus was there.

He had already checked the lair, expecting Tirek to at least be lounging about somewhere, but there was no such luck. That red jerk had completely vanished as well.

They were just... gone. He couldn't even sense any magical disturbances as of yet.

"Now where did they run off to?" He mused to himself.

Chapter 7: Journey to Stonepeak

What. In. Equestria. Was. That?

I was just sitting in Twilight's class. I haven't heard this lecture before, and as bored as I was, I decided to listen in on it. It'll only be a few more days until everything starts over again after all. So might as well. Plus I wanted to test out just how limited this strange memory was. Apparently, it can see practically any angle of what ponies or creatures have been doing during the time. Strange. Weren't these just supposed to be my memories..?

As I began to fall in this existential crises about my situation, figuring this was much bigger than I originally thought it might just be, something had caught my attention. First, Spike entered the room. That wasn't very concerning. He was just doing his job and handing out some papers to Headmare Twilight... but then something new appeared. A whole new figure entirely.

It was tall. It stood on two legs. It lacked fur but it had dark hair that cascaded over its shoulders. The clothing they wore was a blinding white and in it's grasp was a pair of glasses. The thing reached up with it's free hand and gripped the door as it stepped in, it's eyes full of curiosity and wonder as it stared at Princess Twilight. I could only stare at it from my desk as it took one step forward- and then disappeared in a blink.

What. In. Tartarus?

My wings flapped behind me in alarm as I looked over at the rest of the class, "Did anypony..??" I questioned to a room that didn't even pay attention to me. No pony reacted. No pony even noticed. I was the only one who saw whatever that was. That creature- that THING. I couldn't even process what it was. I groaned in frustration.

"I'm going crazy..."

---

"Chrysalis wait!" I fluttered up in front of the changeling queen, "Please don't go yet! At least come with us to Stonepeak. We can help you get there and- and once we find the crystals then you'll be able to hide yourself better AND have a way to find us, eh? You need the map to find Stonepeak anyways, right?" I tried to bargain, hoping she'd stay with me.

Chrysalis scoffed, "I can find my way to the wretched mountain all by myself, thank you. And I don't need that crystal. I can easily infiltrate that sorry excuse of a lair and sneak right back out with no issue. I am good at staying hidden after all. Don't you believe that?"

I desperately nodded as she walked by me, "Yes! I do believe you're amazing at what you do... but we really shouldn't split up. It's not safe to split up, what if something goes wrong???"

She paused and turned to me with a raised brow, "Like what?"

"I..." My mouth opened and closed, "Um... What if... we... lose you?" I muttered out.

"Is that what you're concerned about?" Chrysalis hissed, "No. There's something else, isn't there? You're worried about something going wrong. What could that possibly be, I wonder..? Hm?"

"I- I don't know. Everything? What if everything goes wrong-??"

"Everything?" The queen seemed to lull over the word I had said, "Everything..?" She reached up to tap at the vial across her neck.

"Q-Queen Chrysalis?"

"You're worried... about Equestria." Her eyes widened in realization.

"Um- wait, what? Ahah, what gave you that idea?" I nervously smiled.

"Hah. Hahah! No. No no no. I see what you're playing at now." Chrysalis laughed, "Well I'm not playing this GAME! I know why you don't want me to leave. I figured you out! You're scared I'll run off with this sealant and take over Equestria, under the guise that no one, not even the lord of chaos himself, could find me now. You're not scared for me. You're scared for Equestria. For everything. Well I've had enough of you ponies trying to spread your LOVE and FRIENDSHIP, especially onto ME!" Her wings began to buzz behind her as she prepared to take off.

I flinched as her voice got louder and louder with each sentence, "Chrysalis wait no! This isn't about Friendship just let me explain!"

Before I could even reach out to her, she had already fled the scene. One moment she was there, the next she became a shrinking black dot in the sky. I wanted to yell something. To shout. Instead, my voice came out in a quiet whisper as I continued to stare at her retreating form, "You're... You're part of that everything, too..."

Cerberus could only whine behind me as Cervantes gently nudged the back of my head.

I sighed and placed my hooves against my forehead. Something about this situation felt familiar. Too familiar. I could hear this voice in my head pounding in my ears. It wasn't mine. It was someone else's. Someone angry and frustrated...
Someone who always took it out on me... and every time. Every time I would slip up with what I said. Every time I would try to explain myself but never get the chance to. Every time I was yelled over, insulted... or ignored as she walked away before I could even get a word in, leaving me behind to fester and to boil. Enough to break something. Enough to destroy something. Enough to... to...

I let out a choked sob as my emotions spilled out.

This was Equestria. This was my chance to start over and be a new person, right? A new person. I can do that, can't I? New life. New me.
Please don't repeat.

Russel licked my face and snapped me out of my thoughts. I breathed out in surprised and let out a rough cough. Looking up, I saw all three heads staring at me with concern before they nuzzled up against my chest. I let out a sniff and realized how stained my cheeks felt.
"I hope she gets out okay..." I quietly sighed as I rested me head against Russel's. After what that was, I think I just need to sit still for a moment... and what a nice moment it was. I was being cuddled by a giant three-headed dog in a demolished clearing. It was perfect and calm, even though the description wasn't much so. I couldn't help but chuckle lightly at myself, "Thank you Cerberus, I'm alright." I assured as I gently pushed their heads back.

They all whimpered at the same time.

"I'm sure things will be fine," I told them but also myself, "We should... probably go check on Tirek. At least he's not thinking I'm trying to infect him with the magic of friendship or something." I mimicked Chrysalis' voice with a more high-pitched noise before letting out a giggle. I quietly apologized, but I just had to get that out of my system.
"Man... At this point, the word Friendship doesn't even sound right anymore." I chuckled, "I hate it."

...

It wasn't long before I returned with Cerberus to camp. We found Tirek there, he had easily gathered up the supplies and prepared them for travel in makeshift sacks and bags. Most were meant to be held by the giant guard dog by our side.

"Ah, there you are," He grunted, "We should be ready to go soon. Where's Chrysalis?"

I bit my lip, "She wants to join us at Stonepeak later. She left something behind in Discord's lair so she went back for it."

Tirek rolled his eyes, "Risky, but with that concealment potion I'm sure she will easily return to us," He went to strap up some bags onto Cerberus, "That is if she even wants to. Come on, the sooner we get to that mountain the sooner we can have a place to rest up that doesn't feel as... out in the open as this infuriating forest."

"Glad to see you're not as concerned, as usual." I went to slip my own pack onto myself.

"Why should I be? She can handle herself. And even if she can't, well that's on her. Not us."

I fluttered up to help get Cerberus ready for the journey, "What if I ran off to do some crazy mission on my own? Would you be a little bit worried?"

"If you get yourself killed, that's entirely your fault." Tirek hummed.

".... but would you be worried?"

He paused at the question, "I would think you were an idiot, and I wouldn't try to save you."

"Would you try to save Cozy Glow?"

Tirek gave me a stare, "What exactly are you insinuating?"

"Oh, I-I don't mean anything by it..! Not like as a threat or anything if that's what you're thinking." I sheepishly smiled, "It's just, I am in her body, and you two did work together. You even called her your protégé once, didn't you? So... wouldn't you want her to at least stick around?"

The other scoffed, "Not only is she a child, but a pony as well. A little insignificant brat that's completely riddled with Friendship. Mind you a corrupted version, but still annoying all the same. I only tolerate her because of her potential. Nothing more."

"Okay... but would you try and save her? You never answered that question." I smirked playfully, "You know a lot of my kind likes to see you as her father figure sometimes-"

"FATHER figure???" Tirek fumed, causing me to fly backwards into Cerberus.

"OKAY OKAY! I'LL SHUT UP!" I laughed, "JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION, PLEASE!"

He huffed and crossed his arms, "Fine. If it was her own fault, I wouldn't go trying to save her. But if it was because of you or Chrysalis or any other idiot around here... Then I suppose. She is still my student after all."

"So if I fell off a cliff would you jump after me?"

"No, because you have wings and I don't. Now stop pestering me with these senseless questions and lets get a move on already." He grunted as he hoisted a pack over his shoulder and beckoned Cerberus to follow. The guard dog let out an annoyed grunt but still trailed after the centaur with me settling down on top of Russel's head.

A silence trickled between us as we traversed through the Everfree.

"... So you DO care about her?"

"Don't think such ridiculous thoughts. I will turn this journey around, young lady."

---

"Did you feel that..? Another one is arriving soon, my dear." The creature chuckled as it gently brushed its claw across the mare's black mane, "Oh her mind, so full of wonder and curiosity. Her thoughts all on the mountain. I can't wait to meet her. Aren't you excited, too..?"

"You'll have a new friend joining us very very soon~!"

---

Apparently Stonepeak was really far away. As a wave of orange brushed across the skies, Tirek made us stop and set up camp under the safety of the canopy. I remember I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to keep going and get to the mountain already! He insisted however, convincing me that it would be more dangerous at night. Equestria had many powerful and dangerous creatures after all... it would be risky blindly going through an unknown terrain in the dark of the night.

Even with Cerberus as our guard, there could still be something out there that no one has even found as of yet. It was better to be safe than sorry.

So, I agreed and helped get everything set up. Tirek was much faster that by the time I had managed to stick one stake into my tent he was already sitting in front of his with a makeshift blanket underneath and Discord's orb in his hands. The campfire crackled nearby as his glowing eyes peered down at the round object. Images reflected off the surface as he flicked through scene after scene.

Perhaps he was trying to figure it out. I sighed and continued with my work, Cerberus helping out where he could.

I suppose I really needed the rest. Though a part of me tries to avoid eating and sleeping as much, maybe because I think it's a total waste of time, Tirek always somehow finds a way to convince me. If I want to do more, I'm going to have to take care of myself. Of course I knew that, but I never saw... the need for it. At least not until now.
This wasn't my body, after all.

When it was finally time to retire, I gave Russel a hug and patted the others heads, "Goodnight," I whispered before retreating into my small tent. I stumbled over to my sleeping bag and collapsed right then and there. Exhaustion instantly took over. I just... really needed to sleep.

My mind went blank as I dozed away. The world around me seemed to disappear entirely. I felt myself lost, lost in an empty and silent void.

Then, there was light and noise. I snapped my eyes open at the shrill shout of an exasperated woman.

"She's always causing issues like this!"

I stood there. Human again. A mask on my face, an apron across my body, and a visor atop my head. The floors underneath me were tile and everything around me was colored in white and tan colors. The colors of the bakery. Those colors soon became a grey and silver, however, as I was ushered into the back where my boss and one of my new managers now stood. My manager was bent over a prep table, her face in her hands as my boss stood nearby, confused and disappointed.

Survive. Adapt. Appeal.

"First she has a problem with Mandy, and now she's having problems with me and the newbie!"

My mind whirled. Those problems..? Wasn't that a month ago? It was just a disagreement, wasn't it? "I don't..."

The lady spun towards me, "Hell no you don't! I don't want to hear your excuses! I don't know what's up with you but I am not here to be your friend! You have done nothing towards me but cause problems with your little outbursts!"

My outbursts??? What about yours? What about theirs? My first manager wasn't so rude! I wanted to say all this, but instead I fell into shocked silence.
Did I explode? Did I have an outburst? All I remember was asking if they needed help. What did I do after that..? Why can't I remember? Am I going crazy? Is my memory that bad? What... What did I do..??
And even after all of this, I can't even remember her name. The person I apparently hurt. Why couldn't I remember her name?

Survive. Adapt. Appeal.
I remember apologizing.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, I need to figure myself out," I had said.

I tried to continue. I had gotten stressed. Was stress what happened to me? I had been told to leave if I didn't want to be there, once, when I was fumbling about and panicked out of my mind. I had made a request, I remember, but then an argument happened.
I had left. Or did I get kicked out? I can barely remember.

Survive. Adapt. Appeal.
I have worked here longer than they have. Even got told by my boss I could make a good manager one day. Why are they pushing me around over something I've done for years?

I tried to continue. The next day went by like normal, until I was being told to do multiple things at once. I couldn't without my supplies, so I went back to get them. The new manager yelled at me to do my job, to stop being lazy even when I told her what I was trying to get.
I tried to ignore her and just get what I needed done. I need bags. Bags to store the products in. I had none of that up front. I needed bags-

"I don't like this ATTITUDE you're having!" She shouted behind me.

I snapped, "THEN WHY DON'T YOU KICK ME OUT AGAIN?!"

Silence. Things finally went silent. Everyone had paused. Even the manager. I turned away and continued my work. The customer didn't hear me, somehow. They didn't even care that I stepped back to get them a bag.

I continued my work.

I questioned why, if I had outbursts before, why could I remember this one but not the previous ones..?

Survive.
... I was pulled to the side. I idly listened to what my boss had to say. I didn't even pay attention much, honestly. I felt drained. I took off my visor, nametag, and apron all while he was trying to explain something to me. Some sort of life lesson.
Adapt.
I handed him my things mid-discussion.

Appeal.
"I quit."

I opened my eyes again.

The Friendship School. What was I doing back here? Didn't I already dream this, earlier? I was sitting criss-crossed on the carpeted floors. My mind was racing as I testingly raised my hand. I could move it again. I wasn't trapped in some old memory. My first job. Why did that come up..?

I sighed and brushed my hands through my dark hair. I remember when I first started that job. I was young and excited. The manager above me was nice and caring. A motherly type. In fact, all my managers were pretty chill... until they quit when disaster hit. A global disaster.

Maybe I shouldn't talk about it much, I joked to myself, what if I got in trouble or something for spreading misinformation~? Hah! Aaah..... I do not miss it. I really don't.

I leaned back and stared up at nothing. The silence was interrupted by the taps of hesitant hoofsteps behind me.

I turned and spotted a familiar pink filly with a curly blue mane. Our eyes locked and I couldn't help but smile, "Oh. What's up, Cozy Glow?"

A beat went by.

She screamed. I screamed. We both screamed. Before I knew it, she was running away with a flap of her wings.

"Hey wait-!" I stumbled up on my feet and gave chase, "Come back!"

"HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?! WHAT ARE YOU???" She called out behind her as she raced away.

"WHY ARE YOU FREAKING OUT? I'M LIKE, HALF OF WHAT TIREK IS. YOU DIDN'T FREAK OUT AROUND HIM!"

"HE'S IN A CAGE! YOU'RE CHASING ME!"

"THEN STOP RUNNING!!" I laughed, "WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?"

"BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T EXIST UNTIL NOW! OOF-!" She suddenly slammed face first against one of the paintings. I came to a screeching halt as her little pink body fell onto the ground.

"Oooooh... That's gotta hurt." I hissed out.

"Actually you'd be surprised, it really doesn't." Cozy muttered as she raised her head and patted her over-complicated mane, as if making sure it didn't get ruined, "You can't feel a darn thing here."

"... Then WHY were you freaking out??"

"You're not supposed to BE HERE! That's WHY!" Cozy shouted, "These are my old memories, what are you doing in MY memories??"

I went to pluck up Cozy, despite the yelp of disapproval from the filly, "Oh my god you're so fucking tiny."

"LET ME GO!"

"Chill, I'm not gonna hurt you." I chuckled as I held her out in front of me, "Okay so, we're in your old memories... but why are we in your old memories?"

"That's exactly what I asked you, you monstrous creature of-"

"Okay, but why are YOU?"

"..." Cozy stopped pushing against my face and seemed to actually consider the question. Her eyes narrowed as she opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again, "Oh golly, I'm not entirely sure..! Miss, can you pweaaaase help me figure this out? I don't really know what is going on and I feel really lost..!" She asked with large puppy dog eyes.

"Ew. Stop that." I dropped her, "Please don't ever do that shit again. I know that's your gimmick or whatever but it's so obnoxiously obvious that it just doesn't work on me. Plain and simple."

Cozy righted herself up, "Well EXCUSE ME! At least I know what personal space is you hairless monkey!"

I crouched down to her level, "Now that was just rude, you little piece of shit."

"Freak of nature!"

"Cotton candy brat."

"Underwhelming demon!"

"Lying bitch."

"Abomination!"

"Curls for brains."

We both stopped and stared at one another. Her face was angrily scrunched while I felt this giggly twinkle of amusement. Without warning, I clutched my chest and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny??" Cozy growled.

"I like you." I chuckled, "You're hilarious! Is that why you were one of my favorites??"

"I'm cute and lovable, not HILARIOUS!"

"Yes you are!"

"UUUGH just- Why are you HERE?"

"Hmm.... I dunno."

Cozy scrutinized me, "What do you mean 'I DUNNO.'" She badly mimicked with a dumb face to boot.

"I uh... Just don't. I fell asleep, had a weird dream, and now I'm here."

The other circled around me with a flap of her wings, "What even are you?"

"I'm human."

"What's a human?"

"I don't know."

Cozy blinked, "What?"

"Well let's look at it this way," I hummed in thought, "What are we? Why are we really here? Are we supposed to be here on purpose, or is our entire existence a complete accident? Some of us never even had a chance to exist and yet, here we are. Existing. So what is a human? Is it a species made with purpose or a species made to just... exist? What is a human, Cozy Glow? What are we?"

"... Please stop. You're hurting my brain."

I suddenly perked, "I uh, think I have to go."

Cozy jumped to attention at that, "Go? Go where? Wait! Don't leave me here!"

"Hey, don't worry kid, I'll be back." I said.

"How do you know you will though??? You just- You fell asleep! What if you don't come back??"

"... Somehow, I know I will. I gotta go." I repeated. Even though I really didn't want to leave and wanted to stay for as long as possible; I couldn't stop myself from turning away from Cozy Glow. I was walking without really thinking.

"Wait! Wait please. I don't want to be alone again. At least tell me your name!" The filly flew up by my side. Her crimson eyes were full of panic and fear.

I gently smiled back, "Just call me Zeri."

Then I woke up.

I sat up, panting. My- no... Cozy's hooves were now pressed up against her forehead. This isn't my body. It felt so wrong now. I was getting so used to her being me but now after that? After talking to her? I was dissociating really bad right now. She's there. She exists. She's SOMEWHERE. But where? Where was that somewhere..??

And where... where is my body?

---

"Insolent brat. I'll show her..." Chrysalis hissed out as she snaked through the lair as, well, a literal snake, "What does she think will happen? That I'll just allow myself to get caught? Hah..! As if. Hm... Where is- ah~! There we are."

The place where the three all met for the first time. The very (presumably) center of the "ram's" base. It was surrounded with jagged stone, swamp water, and overgrowth. The table that lay in the middle was now barren after Tirek had stolen away the orb that used to sit perched there.

The table should be where she last left her log. Possibly hidden behind it of course, that's why she couldn't see it now. Right?

The changeling slithered over to the table by easily crossing over the water in her slippery form. She made her way up to it and began to circle the area; expecting to find her purple log just sitting where she last saw it.
It... wasn't there.

Huh. Chrysalis stared at the spot. The empty spot. Well this wasn't right! It should be right there!

Where did Discord put it??

As she pondered over it, she decided to explore. Possibly risky, but she was not leaving without that log! She moved throughout the tunnels and caverns. Her form would shift and change into various small creatures as she made her way deeper and deeper into the depths of the lair. It had to be here somewhere, right?? Where could he have hidden it? That damn spastic jerk didn't just throw it out, DID HE?

She began searching more desperately now. WHERE IS IT? WHERE WAS HER MINION? She was tempted to screech. Her follower! Her creation! What could he have done to it?

Thud!

"Oops. Dropped it!"

Chrysalis looked up in her rat form as she heard a voice nearby. Gritting her teeth, she transformed into a large beetle and fluttered into the next area, where she soon spotted her log- THE log- as it was tossed into the air.

"GO LONG!" Somepony in a black and neon green outfit laughed underneath her helmet as she jumped up and bucked the log towards another one of her companions.

A more slender looking one of the pegasi trio hopped up and easily kicked it back across the chamber. A purple piece went flying, nicked off from the brunt force.

The queen stared wide-eyed as they kicked her precious purple log back and forth between each other. Anger boiled within her tiny body and her rage seethed behind her eyes. How dare they... HOW DARE THEY?

She wasn't thinking clearly. Chrysalis had dropped her disguise entirely and lunged for the next pegasus that was being passed her irreplaceable log. A small one that just seemed about the size of a putrid FOAL. His helmet went flying off, revealing a red stallion, as he slammed against the ground with a yelp. She let out a loud hiss as the log went tumbling along the floor besides her prey.

"HOW DARE YOU! Playing with something that DOESN'T belong to you! I should consume you where you ARE! You whimpering, pathetic WELP!" The queen spat, her fangs glinting in the torch-light.

"AH-!! HEY WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA? GET OFF OF ME!" The colt kicked at her face and went springing back up into the air to join his other companions.

The kick, though it hurt, just made her even angrier. Chrysalis let out a growl as she used her magic to pull her log besides her, "Come here my sweet baby, I'm so sorry I left you alone with these COWARDLY PEGASI!"

"Did you just call us cowardly?" One of them yanked their helmet off and tossed it to the side, revealing a fiery orange mane and turquoise fur. Her amber eyes pierced into the queen as she hovered in between the others.
"We are the Washouts. Nothing about us screams cowardly. And if you're not convinced then we'll show you! Come at us you overgrown bug!"

The slender one yanked her helmet off too, revealing a purple mane with curly white hair. A scar crossed over her light blue eyes and her glare would burn back at Chrysalis' look.

"Oh please. Like you three could take me on." Chrysalis laughed, "I'd love to see you try."

"Oh you asked for it! Get her!" The main mare in charge zipped towards the queen, a trail of green and yellow chasing after her as she readied her hoof. The other two followed behind, ready to wham into Chrysalis from the sides as they wasted no time.

Chyrsalis on the other hoof was preparing a spell, her horn glowing green as she confidently smirked at the three disgusting ponies- but before any of them could even land one hit on another, their bodies all abruptly froze within a yellow glow.

The Washouts found themselves stuck in midair, ready to kick, punch, and pulverize the queen with all they had. Chyrsalis stood as still as a statue with her mind blaring in alarm. Oh no.

"That's enough." A familiar voice grumbled. Chrysalis did not have to move her head to guess who it was. Especially when she saw a glimpse of blue nearby.

Discord. Disguised as Grogar.

The fake ram revealed himself. His head raised and his smirk cocky. He gracefully made his way in front of Queen Chrysalis and looked her up and down with a bored expression. Then, in victory, he grinned to the supposed leader of the trio, "Good job Lightning Dust. It seems you have helped me capture one of my... troublesome subjects. Welcome back Chrysalis." He nodded to her.

"I have just the place to put you."

Author's Notes:

Sorry for finishing this up really late. Looks like it took me really long too, because suddenly it's a new year entirely!

Oops. Ah well, happy New Years!!

New me, new beginnings, and NEW CHAPTER!

I'll be honest when writing this I struggled a bit. There was a lot I wanted to get through. And a new villain I'm gonna be introducing later~! Just an original idea I've had stored away. Meanwhile, Lightning Dust and The Washouts finally make an appearance! Of course, we'll be seeing more of them later, and I had a lot of fun while writing their introduction. I'll get more into their characters in the future but for now, they are just few of many more I plan to add to the story.

As for what's going on with Cozy Glow?

uhhhhh....

UNTIL NEXT TIME!

Chapter 8: Under The Mountain

"I quit."

The boss sighed, "... [REDACTED], you can't just quit like that."

"And why not? I've already given my two weeks notice. Does it matter if I stay here one more week?"

I pressed my pink hoof against the grey door and gently pushed it aside to peer into the strange room. What was this doing here..? Why was the weird human back, but with this other more taller, balding creature?

The boss took her visor and placed it back on her head. Almost playful and firm, but gentle, "You can't just give up like that. Listen. You have been an important part of the team. Especially after we lost the whole crew. You are one of the few that stayed with us even after everything. Do you really want this to be the way you go out? Do you want this to be how we remember your last day? Come on. I know you're better than this."

The younger human (Zeri, right?) gripped her visor, as if she were ready to throw it on the floor at any moment, "... Do you even really need me, sir? I kinda just get in the way."

The older man chuckled, "Of course! You're the only here who knows how to handle anything correctly around here. Look, you can leave now if you want, but if you stay until the end of your notice I'm sure that not only will you learn something new, but I'll be able to also give you a good reference for your future employer. Though if you had to leave, please don't leave on a sour note. I think we had some donuts planned for your departure, after all."

Zeri hesitated, "And what if I did just leave now..?"

Her boss frowned, "Well, If you wanted you can. Though a lot of us would miss you."

"Can I take a break and think about it?"

"Sure. But hey, I believe you're better than what just happened. I know you, known you for a while. You've really grown over the years," He handed her back a small nametag, the words on it seemed blurry, "Don't let one bad day bring you down, alright kid?"

She stared down at it with dark brown eyes and carefully took it back, "Alright, thank you sir. I'll just... think about it."

"Right! And hey, if you want I can treat you to that smoothie place you always liked. Though I'll have to grab Mandy one too if she finds out." He smirked as he went to grab his keys.

Zeri smiled, "I'd like that, sure. Here uh- I got some extra cash if you need it..."

The scene began to fade out. The two humans disappeared and the back area would begin to transform into a very different place. A street, it looked to be. As I cautiously stepped out to explore I suddenly heard a loud screeching noise. Two lights sped through the hard road. They looked like giant glowing eyes with a harsh blank stare attached to a rectangular body that went crashing into another. The noise became a chaotic mass of sound, as if metal and stone had collided with an explosion.

I stumbled away as a bike-like vehicle went flying across my vision and a colorful drink fell onto the pavement. I heard fire and shouting, but my hooves took me back into the halls of the friendship school behind me. My ears twitched at the human's pained voice, Zeri's, just before the grey door slammed shut and everything finally went silent.

I sat there, shocked...

That wasn't the only instance of something like this happening. Moments of a life I've never seen before would slowly begin to filter through the school's hallways. Some were normal, plain, and boring. Sitting in class, taking a walk, or staring at this weird rectangular glowing device on a desk. It looked like a skinnier version of a television or an arcade game. Others were happy but fleeting. Going to the beach with family, getting a new kitten, and getting her first job. Then there were the ones that I, honestly, can't really explain.

Here's some good examples: Once I was just walking down the quiet hallways when a grey mirror was shattered by the force of a flying bullet whizzing through the glass. When the gunshot rang out I had cowered on the floor fearing for my life.

Soon things had finally settled; I decided to investigate and flew up to the broken mirror. I never recalled it being there before. In fact, the silver design was riddled with this static-like effect. It looked like the object was moving, but it was in fact sitting still. There was nothing on the other side of the broken glass. It was like any other mirror, except it had fallen apart. Though I could have sworn the bullet had come from inside it. I experimentally plucked it off the wall and carried it on to the floor. The item seemed to twitch in my hooves, and when I had placed it down it just sat there a moment longer... before disappearing entirely.

I searched for it. Never found it again.

I trotted through the school and found more moments like these appear. I would hear the beeps of a heartbeat monitor with no source. I would spot a grey journal with a floating pencil scratching words along the pages. It vanished before I could even approach the desk. Within the teachers lounge there was a rectangular object that vibrated on the table. I tried to understand the text on its glowing surface. Something about missed calls.

All in all, this place was getting really freaky. I was sick of it. I couldn't wait until that human came back. Then maybe I can ask her to stop whatever this was.

It was really scaring me...

---

I yawned, "So... This is Stonepeak?"

We finally made it. Tirek had insisted that I woke up early that morning so we could get a move on. The rest of the day was spent with non-stop travel. With Cerberus I didn't have to walk as much, but I didn't like just sitting around. So, very often, you'd see me fluttering around the two as they continued their trek. Their seemingly endless trek. Gnawing boredom would often lead me to bothering Tirek, which would then lead him to brushing me away as often as possible, and so I would usually end up messing around with Cerberus by playing catch, giving him lots of pets, or accidentally getting the attention of nearby timberwolves by running straight through their nap time.

Yeaaaah... Luckily, Cerberus fended them off pretty easily. What with him being the guard dog of Tartarus and all.

When we came up to the mountain, it didn't look too special at first glance. It appeared to be like any other mountain you'd see in Equestria. Though this one, I noted, did have crystals jutting out from its base and along its top. They weren't huge, in fact it almost looked like they were attempting to be discreet, but I could easily spot them by their bright magenta colors against grey stone and white snow. This definitely had to be it! The stones that could conceal our magic!

That, at least, should be my main concern... but I found my mind wondering off. I wanted to explore. There was something under the mountain, wasn't there? Something that caught my attention. I really must see it. I have to see it. I need to-

"-Zeri? Are you listening to me?" Tirek huffed.

I snapped out of my thoughts and blinked, "Oh. Right, sorry Lord Tirek. What's up?"

"I said that I'm going to scout ahead. You should stay behind with Cerberus until I say it's all clear."

"Scout ahead?" Confused I asked, "Since... Since when do you ever scout ahead?"

Lord Tirek slipped off his pack to set besides us, "Pardon?"

"Well it's just- When you, Cozy, and Chryssy went out to another mountain in this one future you had, you just let them go ahead and scout for you while you stayed behind. I don't really take you for one that goes into the ominous-looking mountain first without sending others like me and Cerberus in beforehand."

The other narrowed his eyes and considered me with a tilt of his head, "I suppose your right, but sending you into this kind of mountain so blindly is... I'll admit, more risky and potentially dumb." He grunted, "The thing is, I can sense magic, correct? At least, the magic of living beings. That's how I knew you were in no real danger when you stumbled upon those timberwolves earlier. This mountain however is full of crystals that conceal magic. Get the picture yet, filly?"

I opened my mouth to say something but Tirek swiftly interrupted.

"And let's not forget that Chrysalis DID mention that ponies have wandered into the mountain caverns and disappeared without a trace. What are you? You're a pony. A pony with no abilities and even struggles to fly. Out of all of us here, you're the one that'll probably get yourself killed by whatever is in there. So, I'm going to scout ahead. I'll see for myself what could possibly be in there and I'll deal with it. On my own."

I bit my lip, "Well... Why can't Cerberus join you? Wouldn't you need some extra muscle if something really dangerous is in there?"

"Cerberus needs to watch over you in case you try to do anything stupid." Tirek growled before looking Cervantes in the eyes, "You'll do that, won't you? Keep the kid out of trouble while I handle whatever mythical beast is down there?"

The middle head let out an affirmative bark as it raised its head towards Lord Tirek.

"Good you... youuuu- scroungy mutt." The centaur tried to insult before turning away with an annoyed gruff.

I couldn't help but quietly wonder, was Tirek starting to like Cerberus?? Awww!

"Now if you excuse me, the sooner I get this over with the sooner we can live in... relative safety." Tirek grumbled as he cracked his knuckles and began making his way towards the mountain's base. That left me with Cerberus and the camp supplies he abandoned.

"Well..." I sighed, "I guess we gotta wait."

But the mountain... It called to me. I still wanted to explore it. I tried to ignore it as I began rifling through our stuff. Maybe I could make a temporary camp or something. Just chill out, play with Cerberus.

Wouldn't I feel safer playing with Cerberus inside the mountain caves, though? No one would spot us. No one would see us. The caves were probably huge and full of miraculous wonders.

"No. No." I muttered out, "We're safe here too. Cerberus is strong and can protect me."

Russel gave off a concerned whimper, alerting Beryl who let out a rough bark at nothing. Was something attacking, it wondered??

"Shhh, shh. Calm down. Everything's fine! Good boys! Sorry, I'm a little out of it." I assured, "Let's just play some catch while we wait for Tirek to come back, okay?"

So we spent our time in the woods nearby just trying to play games. We explored the surrounding area, even found a nice river to cool off in, and I managed to set up a miniature beach chair of my own to relax on. Thanks to Tirek teaching me how a while ago. Again... I had to use my teeth. Eugh.

The day went by, and before I knew it... It had gotten dark.

My mind was tugging me towards the mountain, "Why isn't he back yet?" I asked aloud as I lit the campfire with some flint, "You'd think he'd be back by now."

Cerberus only let out a collective whimper in response.

I sat there and stared at the growing, dancing flames... "We should go check on him."

Cervantes raised its head and growled with concern.

"Listen, we can go in together. You can protect me and maybe we'll figure out what's taking Tirek so long. Maybe we'll be able to save him from whatever's in there too! Come on, he's the only one here who can hunt for your dog treats, you know?"

Beryl seemed to perk at the mention of dog treats and looked over to Cervantes, as if pleading the other they go. Russel still seemed uncertain, but the middle head was considering their options.

After some convincing, we were finally on our way towards the mountain. I took some supplies with me in a small bag, strapped a few extras to Cerberus' side, and we were clambering our way to Stonepeak. From there Cerberus took the lead to sniff out the missing centaur. The woods were dark and the sound of night critters could be heard in the underbrush, hidden away to watch as we traveled over a hill and then down a slope. This slope lead us directly down into the maws of a large cavern that visibly welcomed me- I mean us- into the mountain. I cautiously stuck close to Cerberus' side as we approached the entrance. Stalactites hovered above our heads like teeth ready to close in at any moment. I couldn't help but feel excited, though I wasn't sure why.

"He definitely went through here," I breathed in, "Let's go."

I decided to take the lead this time. I don't know why but something told me where to go. I felt it. I heard it. It whispered me directions and I followed its lead. I suppose I should have thought for myself at this moment. Wasn't this suspicious? Wasn't this strange? No. No not at all. This wasn't weird, right? Everything was fine.
I'm just exploring, that's all.

The tunnel was massive. There were crystals scattered about, shimmering rocks, and the drip of water echoing through the caverns. The magenta crystals were scattered about, embedded within the walls. With how far we were walking down, it should have long gotten dark by now... but I noted how the area seemed to glow. That's when I spotted dark purple mushrooms about a foot bigger than myself. I couldn't help but pause next to one and smile up at it. They gave off a pleasant, warm glow that I could actually feel. It was almost like sunlight, in a way. They were speckled with darker colors along their cap and it seemed to sway away from me when I got too close. Cerberus let out a protective growl and I stepped back to calm them down.

"This place is cool..." I muttered in awe.

We continued our walk. I still knew where to go, which was a good thing right? This place was big, like a maze. There were tunnels branching off in several directions to who knew where. I don't know how I knew about this, but I was certain that if we kept the middle path, we'd find where Tirek was.

Cerberus would tilt its head in another direction however, his nose sniffing the air. I saw how he tried to lead me down one narrow pathway, but I hurriedly refused, "No Cerberus. This way. I know it's this way." I urged as I continued down my path, whether Cerberus followed behind me or not.

I... didn't seemed bothered if he was or not. I was safe. Something told me I was safe. So I didn't even check to see if he was still behind me, though I should. I couldn't explain to you why I felt so secure in this moment, but finally I found something I was looking for. Something new...

I went down one tunnel. It was rather small. I'm not even sure if Cerberus could fit through the way I just went, but I didn't even check. I couldn't check. I couldn't stop. I could only look.
There before me was a large open room that revealed itself. It was like the size of a grand aquarium. It even looked like one! The caverns held a blue amber-like substance that formed this wall in front of me. I saw figures within the ginormous resin that hovered, frozen in the earthy material.
It was like... the best way I can describe it in my own terms: That one scene in Gravity Falls where the twins walked up on several dinosaurs frozen in orange amber, but bigger and blue for some reason. Like an ocean... and the way these figures- these ponies- were preserved made it look just like the floating children in IT. All stuck in midair and unable to move their bodies.
We all float down here, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself... but then I felt this rush of alarm.

Those were ponies.

I heard Cerberus bark behind me. It sounded very distant. I couldn't turn around. My eyes were on the shimmering blue amber.

Then my hoof went forward. Then another, and another. Before I knew it, I was walking right up to the surface of the material. Again, it reminded me of the aquarium. Touching it I felt the smooth glass surface that I would always rest my hand upon. Then it cracked. A part of me expected water to come gushing out at any moment.
Instead, I just fell through. Into the earthy material itself.

...

I could move. I was still walking forward, without much thought, but I wasn't stuck in the harsh resin. If that's what it even was. I found myself in a void of some sort. A void with a blanket of land stretched out before me, seemingly endless. Above me were figures, frozen in time. Ponies of various sizes and colors. Some were shocked, some were confused, and some were scared. There was nothing that they could have done to escape their fate, it seems...

I could barely comment. I just walked. I stared at each pony that I passed before my crimson eyes finally landed on one that was lower than the rest. She was floating in the middle, right in front of me. A grey pegasus mare with a messy black mane and dark triangular markings on her cheeks. She had her wings stretched out almost majestically and her glasses innocently rested over her closed eyes. The strangest thing about this mare at first glance, however, was that she was kindly smiling. Unlike everyone else in this damned hell..

I finally had control again, "What the fuck?" Was the first thing out of my mouth.

... NO SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE FUCK? I stumbled back in surprise and tried to figure out where I came from. The place was infinite, at least it appeared to be. I had no idea where my escape was or where I even entered in the first place. It was like I was in a large room with mirrors decorating the walls, converting the place into an infinite space of the same void over and over again.

My attention went back to the pegasus mare in front of me and I found myself circling her, as if trying to figure out some sort of puzzle, "What do you want from me, huh?" I questioned that floating mare, "Are you the one that brought me here??"

She didn't respond. Figures. She's probably a prisoner too... but something interesting caught my eye. Her cutiemark. What is it? It looked like there was supposed to be some sort of picture there. Some weird marking, but... it looked so blurry. Why was it blurry?

I backed away and decided to look up at the ponies above us. I looked really hard at their cutiemarks.

Blurry. Wiped away. Images that were there but cut through. They weren't completely gone, but they were broken and messed with. I felt this shiver up my spine. What happened to these ponies?

"Another visitor, hmm~?" A new voice emerged.

I yelped and instantly jumped up into the air, "Who said that??" It was some guy's voice. I've never heard it before. This wasn't a villain I knew from the show.

The playful voice chuckled, and I froze as a shadow over-casted me. Hot breath hit the back of my neck, "Silly filly... I did."

I turned only to get smacked out of the air by a giant cat-like paw. My small body went crashing against the hard floor and I choked out a cough. Okay. Ow. I tried to pull myself up only for a brown claw to land besides my head. It was LARGE! At least, definitely bigger than a pony filly. I stared down at it as it dug into the seemingly stone floor. With a shaky breath, my gaze finally turned to the creature above me.

It was... like a ginormous brown ferret. At least, it had the body of a huge ferret but the head of a fox-like canine. Ears of a bear and the tail of a giant squirrel. Its eyes were a blank white. No pupils or nothing, but I could tell it was peering down at me, assessing its prey.

"Hm. I haven't seen a child come out this far before, or even dare come out here with such a wonderous mind. Haven't you heard the rumors, little one~?" It hissed, "Ah well. Foals tend to have a lot more joyous and positive memories than an adult's. At most, you might be a very pleasant snack!"

"Wait, shit! Don't eat me!" I covered my face.

"... Did you just curse?"

"Fuck yeah I did! Don't you dare eat me!"

It tilted its head, "Oh. I'm not going to eat you. Pony meat isn't as delectable... No, I have something better in mind. A pony's memories are much more interesting, after all."

I blinked and lowered my hooves, "My memories??? Uh, hey bud I don't think you want to be in here," I pointed at my head in warning.

The creature laughed, "It's already too late, I've made up my own mind. Look into my eyes, little pony. It'll be over soon~!"

It's not like I had much of a choice with what happened next. I tried to look away, but my body could NOT move. My eyes stared directly into his pure white ones despite my struggles. The world went black around us and I felt myself fall into the abyss that had formed. There was nothing but his glowing eyes as my mind began to form and my body slowly changed.

The first thing I saw were my hands. The beige fingers rematerialized before me in the black void. Then I saw my arms, my legs, and soon even my long dark hair.
I was floating out in space, with my glasses hovering besides me. I didn't need them to see, but I still instinctively reached out and placed them over the bridge of my nose.
I was human again.

At this realization, the void shifted around me once more. Colors and shapes came into existence as I found myself stumbling into a whole other area entirely. My feet hit the ground and my body soon straightened. The room was full of dark blue and grey colors of a bakery's backroom. I felt something cold in my hand and looked down to spot a familiar colorful smoothie. Strawberry banana, if my memory recalled. My boss had gotten it for me recently. Automatically, I sipped at it and couldn't help but smile. Huh...

What was I doing? Right! I was just about to head home. I grabbed my purse and my helmet nearby while holding the cold drink in between my arm and chest. Sometimes I would sneak a sip or two, of course. As I got prepared to leave, however, I could have sworn I heard an unfamiliar voice behind me.

".... You're not a pony?"

Author's Notes:

Decided to make a new villain for no reason in particular.

He's actually a total geek.

Like if him and Tirek went to high school together, he'd be the nerd and Tirek the jock.

Anyways, time to go into mental memory lane, maybe Cozy will be able to join the chaos too. Zeri is not gonna be having a good time and everything is depression wooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chapter 9: Glawackus

"Of course I'm not a pony, dipshit." I hummed as I opened the back entrance. It was a surprise, really, hearing myself speak. I didn't think I would be able to at first.

"How is this even possible??"

"Fuck, you tell me. I have zero clue." I stepped out into the cold parking lot that rested just behind the bakery. My hands automatically fished around for my keys as I made my way over to my perched vehicle.

"What is that thing..?"

I sat myself on it and readjusted my legs, "A motorcycle."

"What are you?"

"A human."

"What's a human?"

I playfully grinned, "WELL you see, that's a very interesting question~!"

"Eugh. Nevermind. With that tone I don't think I want to or even care to know."

"Rude." I chuckled as I took another sip of my fruity smoothie and started up the ignition.

"... it's loud."

"Well fuck! I'm sorry. What were you expecting? Perfect memories in a perfect world by a perfect person?"

"Yes. Except from a perfect pony in Equestria. Ponies are happy in Equestria. Ponies have perfect memories in Equestria... Why are you not happy?"

"Geez, that's a bit personal," I put my smoothie in my cupholder and place my helmet over my head, "God what are you? My new therapist?"

"Where is the pony?"

"Hm? Sorry I can't hear you!" I rev up my motorcycle and prepare to leave, "It's a bit uh, how'd you say it before? Oh yeah, it's a bit fucking loud!"

"Take me to the pony!"

"Get the hell out of head, jackass!" I drove off through the parking lot. In the memory, I was a mix of emotions. Still confused and conflicted in some areas, but feeling better after my shift finally ended. I had come to the decision then and there to ride out my last week.

Currently, however, I was just pissed off at this giant weasel thing.

"You are very rude." The creature grumbled.

"You. Are. Literally. Invading my head. Don't scold me for being rude."

"I thought this memory would be something more. You had a pleasant feeling, but all you did was drink a smoothie."

"Well yeah, it was a good fucking smoothie. Lay off."

"Wait..."

A silence trickled between us. We were like two entities in a simulation of my life. I could only watch as my past self sped down the streets and abided by the laws of the road. Mentally sighing I began to thinking of better, simpler times... but then, a noise. A ringing noise. A static-like noise. Something was coming, but that didn't make sense. This was my memory. I just drove home. It was business like usual. Nothing is supposed to happen next-

SCREEEEEEEEECH!

I could barely process what happened next. One minute I was gliding across the freeway, next I had witnessed two cars stumble and collide into one another. I let out a yell as the explosive sound of metal and the smell of burnt rubber hit my senses. I tilted my steer and attempted to brake but instead my wobbly vehicle went sliding along the pavement until I was sent flying into the air.

"NO!" The creature fearfully shrieked, "THESE ARE NOT THE MEMORIES I'M LOOKING FOR."

Everything froze. Time had been paused. I found myself hovering over the street with my colorful smoothie besides me just flying outward towards the ground. I was able to move, so I instinctively reached for my helmet. A tickling sensation raced up my wrist. I spotted some black blob speckled with tiny white dots just before I took off my only protection against the dangerous elements around me. For some reason, I paid everything no mind.
"I remember this," No I didn't, "I landed hard in the middle of the street and couldn't get up. I had hit my head, but I was wearing my helmet. Damn. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if I didn't have my helmet." As I said this, the very object I praised began to dust away into specks of dark blue. I could only look down at my hands...

"Quiet!" The being snapped, "This one then. This one has to be a good one."

The dark void returned to consume everything in its path while the scene transformed. My body moved and I found myself no longer in the air but now sitting at a desk with one hand idly resting on my cheek. My eyes bored into my computer screen while the sound of muffled music blasted from outside my house. I looked out my window to spot a party. A get-together made by my family. The grill was cooking, the table was full of food, and the children were running around with water balloons. It was a hot summer evening, and I was spending it inside away from everyone else... I sighed and turned back to the screen.

I remember this, and it was in fact a good memory. At first, I felt like I was being completely forgotten. My room felt safe but even as I playfully smirked at the odd silver mirror nearby, I knew I wasn't happy alone. Luckily for me my family had realized that. So I watched and waited. Waited for them to throw a balloon at my window to catch my attention and call for me to join. Even despite my hesitance. I hated to give the creature pleasant memories like this one, but if I got to at least witness it again, then I guess it wasn't so bad-

BANG! CRASH!

I froze.

Shock shivered throughout my body as I sat there, wide-eyed. I couldn't believe what just happened. Not "back then" and not now. This isn't my memory. This couldn't be.

"Hey!" My uncle called from the shot window, "You want to join us?"

I stared down at the broken pane. A bullet had clearly smashed right through it. From what my "memory" could recall, it had gone whizzing by my face before slamming into the silver mirror besides my head. I couldn't speak or even react. I could only look at the damage it had caused.
The mirror, I noted, looked blurry compared to everything else. Like as if it was made of static. The thing was shattered, broken beyond repair. Did I even ever own one, before? I remember, very vividly, that I used to have a fear of mirrors.
I would never have kept one right next to my desk.

On another note, when did my uncle get a gun?

My memory stood and rushed out the room, but I didn't follow. My eyes didn't follow. I felt myself disassociating. I was still in the room. My body was gone.
I could only stare.

"Loud. LOUD! Terrifying! Next memory!" It insisted as it switched to another memory. A memory that the creature was sure was supposed to be a pleasant one.

I was sure too, until it wasn't. That's how many of my memories went. They were supposed to be happy. They were supposed to be good... but they were twisted and tainted. These weren't real. They were fabricated, and I knew that.

I joined my father's side at his deathbed, which didn't make sense. He was still alive last I remembered.

I saw myself drown in alcohol and ignore my mother's distressed calls and texts. I was never one to drink because of these very scenarios I would anxiously make up.

I found myself in a plane that crashed and burned. I never experienced an accident like that.

All of these memories were fake, which slowly left me more confused than traumatized. These weren't my memories. It was almost like watching a dream. A nightmare. Except I was growing less and less scared of them. I was just... surprised.
The creature however? The creature was scared.

"WHY? WHY WHY WHY? WHY IS YOUR LIFE LIKE THIS? WHERE ARE YOUR HAPPY MEMORIES?" It cried out in a panic.

I didn't respond.

"This one." It sighed in exhaustion, "This one has to be it..."

I looked up expecting another fake, another illusion... but it wasn't. I recognized this memory. This one. This one was real... and it was nowhere near positive, was it?

I was sitting in the corner of a bathroom with a journal in hand and a pencil hurriedly scribbling away at the pages of the book. I was younger, and so I stared down at myself.
This memory was not fake.

I found myself settling down besides the other as she tearfully scribbled away at her journal. I refused to glance over. I knew what was in it.

"I'm just..." The little girl began, "I'm a bad person... I'm a bad person..." She seemed to force herself to grin, "I know I am. I know I'm a bad person. I'm a bad person."

"You're not." I muttered to myself, "Please stop telling yourself that." It fell on deaf ears of course, because this was a memory.

"I am. I am..." She clutched her journal close to her and let out a weak sob.

Why was this considered a positive memory for me..?

"This one doesn't make ANY sense!" The creature growled, "You're clearly in distress!"

I reached over to pluck the book out of the child's arms. She didn't react. I gave her one tired sympathetic look and then forced the journal shut. The memory collapsed around me, back into an empty dark void.

White eyes pierced into mine, "Where is the pony?"

"'Scuse me?" I raised a brow as the journal disappeared.

"The pony whose body you stole. Where is she?"

"Honestly I don't think she has many great memories either, fucker. Why don't you just leave us alone?"

A grumble grew in its throat, "I will search for her... even if it means shredding your mind!" Then it lunged. I let out a shout and stumbled back through an open doorway.

The void gave away to colors and shapes. My body was moving and I was racing down a hallway. That hallway gradually transformed itself. More details began to form and before I knew it I was stumbling into the Friendship School once more, "Huh, what the fuck-?"

"It's you again..!" Cozy's voice hit my ears.

I looked over at her, "... Shit."

"What?"

"Don't ask questions just RUN!" I plucked her up as fast as possible. The next thing I knew, something started crashing into the corridors just behind me.

"Little pony little pony! Where are you??"

Cozy yelped in my arms as I raced into another hall, "What IS that thing??"

"I don't know! Apparently it EATS memories and it's trying to eat yours!" I gasped as I charged into a random room and stumbled into a familiar, colorful gymnasium. It was practically themed like the professor who ran this room, Rainbow Dash, with blue flooring, walls, and rainbow decal. There were flags with the school's crest and symbols matching Dash's rainbow lightning bolt cutiemark. Large openings were made in the roof of this gym to reveal the skies where white fluffy clouds could sneak in and curl around the ceiling. Despite the situation, it was pretty cute.

"What? Don't let it eat mine! Get rid of it!" I tossed Cozy into the air and slammed the doors shut behind us. She easily flew up besides my head.

I began grabbing Rainbow Dash's equipment around the area to barricade the door. Baskets full of Hoofballs, cloud-like matts, and even a whole shelf of dumbbells. Why does she have this?? I half expected them to be heavy especially but... I realized they weren't. In fact, I could easily drag them across the floor.
Experimentally, I nabbed one of the dumbbells and tossed it into the air. I watched as the usually heavy metal-like object casually floated up like a balloon.
"Right... This place is almost like a dream." I grunted before the dumbbell abruptly fell to the floor, causing a loud noise to echo throughout the school.

"I HEAR YOU!"

"Shit." Barricading wasn't going to work if everything we touched wasn't even real.

"Quick! Up this way!" Cozy Glow urged as she flew up towards the large openings above us.

"I can't fly!"

"You just said this place was like a DREAM, idiot!" Cozy hissed before trying to revert to a more cutesy persona, "I mean, my new friend!"

With a sigh I yelled back, "Shut up with that cute shit I'm coming!" With an tentative jump up into the air, I learned it was true. The moment I thought about it, I was soaring through the gymnasium and up to Cozy's side. We both instantly took off out one of the openings together while I heard a crash just below us. I saw a hint of the creature before we left the scene entirely.

"... You know if we can just fly on a whim," I began as I followed Cozy outside of the ginormous school, "Why don't we just teleport all over the place and avoid him that way?"

Cozy giggled, "Gee golly that's not a bad idea! We could run circles around that creep!"

She suddenly disappeared in a POP and I had to pause. I have... no idea where she went so I found myself lost in midair blinking at where she was a moment ago.
This actually gave me a chance to look around. I raised my gaze and scanned the very vibrant environment. Ponyville. I felt nostalgia hit me like a freight train full of bricks. It was definitely very different when it was not under attack by a Sombra phony. This was practically my childhood this place. The town looked quaint and small from this height above the school. Besides the marketable castle towering over the simple homes, this place seemed very... charming. I would definitely love to live in a town like this. I could even spot the Town Hall standing tall in the middle of it all, found SugarCube corner by it's cupcake-like shape, and even spotted not only Cheerilee's tiny school in the distance but also the barn of the Apple family.
I couldn't feel much from Cozy's memories, but I can just picture the warm breeze and the sun's warmth from above Twilight's school. I closed my eyes and breathed in nothing, but tried to imagine what I might be able to smell. Maybe the clear sky? Nature? Pinkie's cupcakes even from this distance?? I wish I was actually there, flying above it all...

The moment was ruined, however, by the large weasel clambering up onto the school's roof from the gym, "THERE YOU ARE! WHERE IS THE PONY?"

I startled just before a small pink figure appeared by my side and grabbed my shoulder with her little hooves. One moment I was face to face with the being, the next I was in some unknown dorm room.

"Geez, why didn't you teleport away? You were the one who suggested it!" Cozy huffed as she pulled away.

"I don't really know where to teleport to, actually." I chuckled sheepishly, "Why did you come back and save me?"

"Because you have good ideas! And you made me realize more about this place! It's like a dream, why didn't I ever realize that?? I'm supposed to be the smart one!" Cozy crossed her hooves, "Also I have SEVERAL questions. Who is that? What is that? And why are your memories trying to kill me??"

"I will answer all of them under one condition." I raised a finger at her, "Say fuck."

Cozy stopped and stared, "What? What does that even mean?"

"It's an insult, a bad word. Like 'FUCK YOU!' kind of fuck. Do it. Say fuck."

"WHY???"

"Because it would be funny!" I laughed.

A large claw suddenly crashed into the room, disintegrating the wall around it as a large maw growled in our direction, "Stop trying to run. I will always find you! Give me your memories little pony!" It reached towards Cozy.

"Uuuugh! Fuck you!" Cozy touched my arm and teleported us both away again.

We reappeared in the headmare's office and I couldn't stop myself from doubling over in laughter, "Holy shit you said it!!"

"Now answer my questions!" She demanded.

I listed them off on my fingers, "I don't know who that is, I know it's a creature trying to eat all our positive memories, and what do you mean by my memories trying to kill you?"

"I almost got shot earlier." She explained.

I chuckled despite her glare, "Oh that's funny. Hey you don't happen to have any positive memories on you, do you?"

Cozy looked confused and uncomfortable, "Ummmm..."

The creature's head abruptly crashed in through the floor between us, "I WILL DESTROY THIS WORLD TO GET MY CLAWS ON YOU!"

I kicked at his head and prepared to teleport myself away, since Cozy was on the other side of the room, when I felt something snag my leg that made me stumble face-first onto the floor. Luckily, I felt no pain here.
One of the creature's paws was on top of my ankle with its claws digging into my pants. I felt my body freeze and couldn't seem to move.

Cozy appeared by my side and tossed something towards the creature. What is that? A thunder cloud? It flashed lightning bolts at the large bear-like weasel, but it didn't seem to react. In fact, the dark cloud easily dispersed into the thing's jaws as it clamped its teeth shut around it.
I cursed under my breath.

"You're coming with me little pony!" The thing hissed as it brought a claw down on Cozy Glow.

I saw nothing but black and blue in that moment. I reacted without thinking. I thought I was under the creature's influence but my body was moving in front of Cozy Glow and my hand was reaching for the creature's head. It staggered back, but I already felt my palm resting on the fur of his forehead.
I saw something dash up my arm as I stared at the white eyes of the beast. The most dangerous part of the creature to look at, but somehow the most vulnerable. It's weakness. I don't know how I knew this, and I'm not sure what happened next... but the world around us had disappeared entirely as Cozy Glow and I fell into an empty white void.

...

I stumbled onto green grass and heard the sounds of birds chirping nearby. Cozy let out a small groan and I looked over to spot the pink filly pulling herself out of flowered bushes. With a sigh of my own, I sat back and looked up at the swaying branches above us. They shaded us from sunlight, but I could still see sunlight trickling through the green leaves. This place was peaceful, calm. It was... nice.

"Where are we?" Cozy questioned as she walked up to my side.

"No idea." I chuckled, "Is this your memory? It's not mine."

She sat down and looked around the forest. It looked nothing like the Everfree, "No... I don't remember this place. At least not as clearly as this."

We both sat there in relative silence, though Cozy looked like she wanted to say a lot. I didn't. I wanted to sit there and just process everything that had happened, but I knew we had to talk.

"Cozy-" I began, only for a sharp cry to hit my ears.
We perked and turned our head towards the sound, "Erm, maybe some other time. Something is happening nearby." I went to stand and plucked up Cozy once more. She protested but I ignored her. It was like holding a cat in a way.

With a hush I made my way through the calm forest. Things didn't feel overgrown here. It was tended to and much more tame than the Everfree. I couldn't help but relax at the sight of the beautiful foliage. Cozy's crimson glare pierced into me before she turned her attention to an opening along the treeline.
We made our way into another clearing where we found the cries of a familiar creature.

There, sitting in front of us, was the large brown ferret. Except it was about the size of a horse, much smaller than it was previously. Still big of course but... younger?

The voice of an unknown mare hit our ears, "Hey, it's okay... It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you. Aw, your poor eyes. What happened to them?"

I slowly circled the large creature to spot a familiar pony cautiously standing in front of him. The grey pegasus mare. The same one with the gentle smile and the simple glasses, except this time I saw her brilliant blue eyes. She raised her hoof and slowly approached them like as if they were just a scared animal, not a terrifying beast.
I looked over and noticed that the creature's eyes looked infected. They were forced shut and bulging with puss. I silently gagged, but continued to watch the interaction.

"Come on. I'll take you home. I know a friend who can help. She's really great with medicine!" The pegasus rested her hoof on the creature's cheek and carefully began to lead them away through the woods, "This way. You're alright... Do you have a name..?"

The creature gently huffed, "G... Glawackus."

"Oh! You talk! Well... It's nice to meet you, Glawackus!"

I stared at their retreating forms...
"A positive memory." I muttered.

"Huh?" Cozy looked up.

"This was a positive memory from this thing that's trying to eat ours. He's been searching for ours but somehow we found his instead."

"Almost like we turned his spell back around on him." Cozy hummed in thought, "Now how did you do that..? Do humans have memory magic?"

"What? No way. I don't think so, at least." I shook my head before the scene began to melt away around us, "There's something we're supposed to be looking for though."

"Like what?"

"A way out." I explained, "If this is like a dream... then we need to wake ourselves up from it, right? We don't need positive memories. We need ones that can scare him into waking up."

"Negative memories..." Cozy nodded before hopping out of my hands, "Alright! Let's find some negative memories then!"

"Isn't that a bit intrusive, though?" I muttered.

"So what? Didn't he try to search through ours?"

"Well he already searched through mine," I rubbed a hand over my arm.

"That jerk! Then let's go find his!"

I guess she had a point. We had to get out of here anyways, and somehow I felt the only way to was to cause a nightmare. A reaction that will surely wake Glawackus up which will wake us up. This had to be our best chance to escape.

I took a step forward right before the environment shifted around us. I swiftly grabbed Cozy before she went too far as we appeared within a home. A cozy little home with a fireplace, a gray-ish blue rug, and several hanging planters. The place was quaint, and it was obvious from the overwhelming amount of trees outside that it was secluded. A nice little cabin in the middle of nowhere.
I heard a noise and turned to spot Glawacakus lounging on a makeshift nest of blankets, cushions, and even towels. He comfortably buried his head in some pillows before perking up at the sound of hoofsteps.

"I got your favorite!" The gray pegasus giggled, "A slice of my famous peanutbutter and banana pie!"

She came in with a tray of food on her back and carefully set it down besides the giant weasel.

"Thank you my friend.." He chuckled with closed eyes as he blindly reached over for it.

The mare tilted her head, "You know you could probably open your eyes now, right? They look a lot better now!"

"But I'm awfully hungry. I shouldn't risk it." He grumbled as he took a small bite out of the pie he was given.

The mare looked confused, "But you've been eating pretty well?"

"It's a different kind of hunger, my friend."

"Well, if you say so." The mare sighed and settled down besides him while her sapphire eyes rested on the fireplace nearby.

A silence trickled between them. I decided to settle Cozy down on the rocking chair nearby while I just sat on the floor criss-crossed.

"This is a negative memory..?" Cozy asked, "It seems pretty pleasant to me."

"Maybe it's just pleasant right now?" I suggested, "Maybe it gets worst."

And soon, it would. Especially when I heard Glawackus speak, "My friend, I thank you for tending to me and feeding me. But I'm still starving."

She looked over at him, "Did the fish not fill you up either? Do you need a different type of meat?"

"No. No it's not meat." He sighed, "I'm sorry, but I need to hunt." He placed his half-eaten pie down and stood.

"Hunt?" The mare stood as well, "What are you hunting?"

"Stay. Here." Glawackus demanded as he slowly made his way towards the door, "I don't want you to get hurt if things go wrong, okay? You and your friend... The town would not like that you both helped me.
You'll stay here, won't you..?"

The scene shifted and changed. Their bodies began to blur and the house melted away into a more forested area.

"... I promise." The mare swore just before they both disappeared entirely.

...

Cozy and I found ourselves at a forest trail besides each other. The shout of a stallion instantly caught our attention.

"Wait! Please, I have a family!" The pony begged.

"Silence!" Glawackus hungrily spat as it pinned the pony under it's claws, "And look into my eyes..."

"GLAWACKUS STOP!"

The creature looked up in alarm and their eyes met. White to blue. The mare who cared for him, who took care of him. She looked scared at first. The shine in her eyes began to dull and her breath would quicken with fear. Soon, that fear would melt away. She let out a small sigh and smiled at him with closing eyes... then collapsed.

Glawackus blinked and reeled his head back in surprise. The stallion under him managed to escape and went racing away towards town to get help. The long creature could only stare at the grey pony on the ground.
It's been months since he last had a proper meal. In his starvation, he was not thinking straight. He saw her memories, but didn't even properly look at them. He just consumed. Consumed everything he came across.

"My... friend?" He carefully stalked his way over to her, "Friend? Friend???"

He got to her. She was still breathing. Still smiling. Still.
Still. Still. Still.

"FRIEND??"

My eyes snapped open and the creature was suddenly above me, bigger and older. I was back in Cozy's small pink body. We were in the same spot we were before, in the endless ocean-like void, except this time the creature was stumbling back and clutching its head. His white eyes were brimming with tears.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Glawackus painfully whimpered.

I hurriedly stood and backed away. Where was the way out?

"YOU!" The creature glared at me while I swiftly avoided my gaze, "You're a demon! Don't think I didn't feel that dark magic coursing through you while in our memories! What did you do to me?? What did you DO?"

BAM! The brilliant blue of the void suddenly flickered into more dull and grey colors. We both froze. BAM! BAM! BAM! Each loud thud would temporarily strip away the mirage of the endless ocean before we finally heard the final blow.
SMASH!
Everything went crumbling down. The brilliant void disappeared entirely to reveal an average cavern with glowing magenta-colored amber and crystals scattered about. That same resin-like substance appeared to be what the lost ponies were currently contained in. Still looked horrifying. There was some glass-like barrier tinted with purple and blue that would cover each exit or opening, but one of larger ones was just broken through. At that smashed entrance there was a frustrated red centaur with a giant three-headed dog just behind him.

"What-" Glawackus began, "How?? You-"

"Hello again Glawackus," Tirek interrupted while cracking his knuckles, "Cerberus and I have a few words with you."

I scrambled back behind the grey pegasus who was completely covered in amber and hid behind her. I stared out at the scene before me and couldn't help feel excited but concerned.
On one hand, Tirek and Cerberus were fighting for me! Cool! On another... I couldn't get Glawackus' memories out of my head. I couldn't help but feel worried for him.

I have to stop this.

Author's Notes:

Let's go Tirek, let's go!

Sorry if the chapter is reaaaallly long, I thought it was going to be a bit shorter but maybe there were just too many events piled up in one chapter. I can't help it though, gotta keep things moving somehow lol.

Also I... really want to get back to Chrysalis as soon as possible

Also for those reading on the 19th: Today and tomorrow are the last days to submit your own OC, idea, or a canon character to the 2k Rookie Raffle! Toss em in before it gets closed, I'm actually accepting 2 winners this time around!
Just check out my last blog post if interested!

For those reading after the fact, don't worry! There will be more Rookie Raffles in the future as we hit more milestones!