You'll Never Find Out

Chapters

The End
The Last Chapter
The Finale

The End

"You'll never get away with this."

"So you keep saying, Ms. Bomb," the stallion flipped a switch in front of him causing the wire binding the mare to lift her.

"I mean it, you won't."

"Yes yes yes, 'my darling will save me, and you will be punished for your evil deeds,'" the mare was lifted to where he stood on the steel rafters of the large warehouse. "We've done this dance so many times, dearie, that I've memorized your lines." The pale red maned, grey coated unicorn stallion tipped his beaded black top hat at the mare before flipping a second switch on the console in front of him. The mare, a cobalt blue coated, silver maned unicorn, was slowly pulled back while the stallion used his magic to create a platform that glowed with a sickly green energy, one of the only light sources in the dark warehouse. Both he and his console of many buttons a switches followed the mare's path.

Ms. Bomb's horn was encased in a green, sticky substance that blocked her own magic. When she asked about it, the stallion just laughed and said a changeling owed him a favor. She didn't want to know more. Bomb was then pulled into what she assumed was an alcove in the side of the wall of the warehouse. What she didn't know, however, was that the two of them were nowhere near any of the warehouse walls. The wire unwrapped itself from around her, but from within the alcove her hooves became bound by metal shackles.

She struggled a bit before fixing the stallion with a glare, "What is this, Cliff Hanger?"

The stallion laughed before he pushed a button on the levitating console. A glass screen closed in front of him, trapping Bomb in the small space. "This? Well you see, Ms. Bomb, you are both bait, and the tool with which I'll rid myself of your special somepony once and for all!" With that, Cliff Hanger pressed another button on the console. From tiny unseen holes in Bomb's prison, and from them a bluish flowed around her. Bomb understandably began to panic, "No no no, do not worry, dearie. I need you alive after all, so no need to worry about drowning," the liquid rose to Bomb's neck before it stopped flowing.

"What are you planning, Hanger?"

The stallion moved his platform closer, "Ah, Ms. Bomb, you are still unaware of your own potential. The power within you lies dormant, but with a little...stimulation," he trailed off as he pulled away from Bomb, "Now relax, this won't hurt a bit."

On his console, Cliff pressed a big red button. The liquid began to glow, illuminating the area around Bomb. She had only a few moments to notice that the chamber she was in was not made of the same material as the warehouse, before she began screaming as she felt her magic being forcefully pulled from her body.

"I lied," small screens appeared above Cliff Hanger's console and he watched with a growing smile at what they were showing. "Yes yes yes, Ms. Bomb, as I suspected you have great potential! I have not seen this much power since our dear Princess of Friendship pre-ascension!" With another press of the big red button, the liquid around Bomb dimmed and she slumped silently in her restraints. Cliff moved his platform closer and leaned against the glass separating the two ponies, "Do not worry yourself, dearie, I will make good use of your power. We are going to change the world, yes yes yes."

Bomb, despite being exhausted, weakly looked up at him. Through her tears, she glared and said, "You'll...you'll never..."

"Oh but I will, dearie! I have been planning this for far too long to let your special one and friends stop me now! And you," stroked the glass in a loving manner, "are the crucial piece. But for now," Cliff Hanger pulled away and raised his voice, "I didn't hear you come in, dearie!"

He raised the platform and turned in the air to face a pale yellow pegasus mare glaring at him from the warehouse rafters. She brushed aside her long black mane and said, "You left a window open," she pointed above to where a skylight was indeed hanging open.

Cliff Hanger blinked once at the night sky before clearing his throat, "So how can I-," his eyes widened as the mare launched herself at him with a speed rivaling the best Wonderbolt. On instinct his horn lit with the same glow as the platform beneath him, and he vanished just as the pegasus shattered the platform with a single strike. The mare turned sharply as Cliff reappeared on a catwalk. Cliff was ready for her however and conjured a large shield between him and the raging pegasus. The sound of metal striking metal echoed throughout the warehouse as the mare struck Cliff's shield, but she continued to push against it.

"Where is she?"

Cliff Hanger grinned, "No no no, you need to be more specific, dearie!"

The mare pushed harder against his shield, "I'm not in the mood for your games, Hanger!"

"Awww, but we never talk anymore. It's always straight to business," with another flash, Cliff Hanger teleported into the open space behind the pegasus, and conjured another platform. With another surge of magic a large bow appeared before him, and he pulled the string to the side of his face. Several arrows of light appeared in the bowstring before Cliff loosed them towards the mare. The pegasus took wing out of the path of the arrows, only for them to curve and follow her.

Clicking her tongue in annoyance and sped around the warehouse in attempt to shake the arrows while ignoring Cliff Hanger's cackling laugh. Despite her speed, the arrows were beginning to gain on her. Twisting in the air, she managed to avoid the lethal projectiles, only for her to smack head first into a large metal object in the center of the warehouse. Shaking of the daze the impact caused her quite quickly, the mare flew straight up as the arrows impacted where she was mere moments ago. When they hit, they let off a brief brilliant glow and illuminated what seemed to be the head of a large, metal pony.

The pegasus could only stare at what she thought she saw, but was pulled out of her thoughts by a small, weak voice, "Res...,"

Looking around, the mare called out, "Drama?"

"Res...please."

Following the sound of the weak voice, the pegasus flew lower until she found herself staring at Bomb, "Drama!" The pegasus rushed to the imprisoned mare, only to be stopped by the glass separating them. She struck at the glass with all her strength, but was unable to even scratch it.

"Res...you have to...get...out of here," Bomb pleaded with a shaky voice.

"NO, I'm not leaving you here!"

"No no no, that would be bad," Cliff Hanger lifted himself level to the pegasus on his glowing platform. He looked at her from under his hat with a wide smile, "For you see, dearies, everything has played out exactly as I planned." Cliff Hanger then pushed the big red button. Once again the liquid surrounding Bomb began to glow, and she screamed again for a short time before slumping inside her prison, unconcious. The pegasus briefly beat against the glass futilely before turning to Cliff Hanger with murder in her eyes. Cliff however was nowhere to be seen.

"Now is the time!" his voice echoed through the warehouse. "Now is the time where our little rivalry ends, my dear Resolution!"
With a click, the warehouse was flooded with light. Resolution looked around the mostly empty warehouse before her attention was drawn to the structure that Drama Bomb was imprisoned in. Gritting her teeth at being unable to break the glass that imprisoned her love, Resolution flew back, and could only stare at what she saw.

Cliff Hanger smiled and tipped his hat at her before disappearing inside the head of a large, metallic pony. Drama Bomb's prison was embedded into the chest of the monstrosity. Several grooves spider webbed across the things body, all connecting Drama's prison. A glow the same color of the liquid surrounding Bomb flowed through these grooves, and soon after it's eyes sparked to life. The hole Cliff Hanger vanished in opened again only for a large horn to push its way out. The beast opened its mouth and threw back its head and laughed in Cliff Hanger's voice.

Resolution was dumbfounded, "Hanger...what...?"

Cliff's laugh fell to a light chuckle and he said, "Do you like it? I've been working on it long before our little 'encounter' two years ago. Sure it was difficult, but you are worth it!" Inside the head, Cliff Hanger stood facing several large monitors, each showing Resolution's shocked face. Around his head rested a device that was connected to several wires that were connected to various points inside the head. Directly in front of him in hooves reach was another console with another big red button.

With a smile, Cliff lifted a hoof and the mechanical pony lifted the same hoof at the same time. Cliff then took his first step in his new body. The hoofall of the behemoth shook the warehouse to its foundations. Resolution flew back and up to eye level with the beast.

"What do you think?" he asked again, "And be honest. It was after all made with the blood sweat and more blood of several dozen ponies," his tone then became mocking, "Not to mention being powered by love."

Resolution glared and grit her teeth, "You've finally lost it. What do you hope to accomplish in this...thing?"

Cliff Hanger tutted and waved a hoof back and forth, "No no no, I'm afraid that that portion of my plan is reserved for those who will live past tonight."

Resolution scoffed, "Do you really think...," she yelped as the beast's hoof came hurtling towards her. She flew above its swing, only just managing to avoid being swatted out of the sky like an insect. Unfortunately she didn't see the beast's tail until it collided with her body, sending Resolution crashing through one of the warehouse walls. She bounced on the pavement outside twice before she caught herself in the air. Had she been a normal pegasus, such a fall could have been fatal, but Resolution had been fighting Cliff Hanger for years. She knew how to take a spill or two.

Shaking herself out of a slight daze, Resolution turned in time to see the warehouse become enveloped in a sickly green aura. A second later the walls and ceiling burst outward. Luckily Resolution made sure that every building in the surrounding area was empty before she confronted Cliff Hanger, as their conflicts tended to lead to damaged property. For example, the former walls of the warehouse crushed the nearby buildings. Cliff Hanger's mechanical monster stood at the blasts epicenter with his horn glowing.

"Still alive? No no no, you are much to tenacious for your own good, dearie."

Wiping a bit of blood from her lip, Resolution smiled, "You're gonna have to try harder than that!"

"I agree," Cliff's horn stopped glowing and for a while, everything was silent. Soon Resolution noticed her shadow growing under the moonlight. Looking up, her pupils dilated at the sight of the warehouse's roof falling towards her. With another yelp, Resolution flew as fast as her wings could carry her. She managed to pull out from under the roof just as it exploded on the pavement behind her, only to find herself incased in Cliff Hanger's green aura.

Cliff raised the struggling Resolution to eye level, "It's almost sad. Quite anticlimactic, wouldn't you agree?"

Resolution ceased her futile squirming and glared at the mechanical pony, "You'll never..." her mouth was closed by Cliff's magic.

"Shhh, let's not spoil the moment, dearie." With another surge of magic, a colossal sized, twin headed battle ax appeared above Resolution, and Cliff used his magic to bend Resolution's body over, and placed her head on a conjured chopping block. "Now my dear, Resolution," the ax raised, poised to strike, "as much as I've enjoyed our time together, I'm going to enjoy this far more! Goodbye, dearie!" With that the ax came down towards her neck.

The Last Chapter

An explosion rocked Cliff Hanger's mechanical body, breaking his concentration. The battle ax disappeared, along with the magic binding Resolution. Before Cliff could reorient himself, a second explosion sent him careening into another warehouse which collapsed beneath his weight. Following the trail of smoke that led from Cliff's fallen form, Resolution flew off towards her mystery savior. Inside the mechanical pony, Cliff Hanger sighed, "Of course he was here, too. I really hate that guy."

Resolution landed on a building quite a ways from Cliff Hanger, right next to a bored looking, blue coated, teal maned earth pony stallion. He had a small scar beneath his left eye, and the image of a snake biting its tail adorned his flank. The stallion didn't even glance at Resolution and instead was inserting a small cone shaped object into a large cylinder. "You're late, Patience." Resolution said to him.

The stallion just hummed as he lifted the cylinder, and aimed it towards where Cliff Hanger was just getting to his hooves.

"Hey, careful! Drama's still..."

"I know," Patience said in a monotonous voice before pressing a button on the cylinder. The cylinder launched what Resolution could only assume was the cone, as it flew too fast for her to really see. The object impacted Cliff Hanger's side with another explosion, and sent him right back to the ground. Cliff's frustrated groan echoed in the night.

Resolution grit her teeth, "If you know, then stop...!"

"Drama Bomb is what is powering that thing. Wherever she is, she is in arguably the safest place," Patience began to load another explosive cone.

Resolution ground her teeth, but remained silent. She knew Patience was right, but she didn't have to like it. Realization came to her and she turned to Patience with a skeptical look, "Wait, how [did you know about Drama?" Patience raised a brow at her before launching another explosive cone. Another look of realization flashed on her face before it turned unamused. Using a wing to comb through her mane, Resolution pulled a small metal device from it. "How many times have I told you not to bug me?!"

Patience just gave her a small grin while loading the cylinder.

Resolution groaned and crushed the device beneath her hoof. Making a mental note to kick his flank later, Resolution turned to where Cliff Hanger jumped to his hooves with a crash, only to be sent back to the ground with an even louder angry groan. "That thing's tougher than it looks, and it looked pretty tough to begin with. Any ideas?"

Patience was silent for several seconds while he loaded another cone before he pointed to a large bag at his hooves that Resolution had missed earlier. "Adamantine tipped drill," he said finally. Resolution wasted no time in opening the bag and digging through its contents.

"Wait, why was the bag closed? Where were you getting the cones from?"

Patience grinned again.

After several minutes, five more explosions, and one "Son of a whorse!" from Cliff Hanger, Resolution pulled out a small drill with a triumphant grin, "Got it!" only to feel Patience's hooves wrap around her barrel. She then felt a lurching in her stomach followed by the sensation of shifting space. The feeling lasted for only a moment and Resolution found herself atop a different rooftop. She looked to Patience as he released her to see him discard the cylinder and what looked to her to be a watch that was sparking like mad. Patience just looked at her with the same bored expression on his face, before looking ahead. Resolution followed his gaze and saw Cliff Hanger crushing the building that they were on mere moments ago with a large hammer.

Cliff Hanger, surrounded by the glow of his magic, called out, "I must congratulate you, Patience. Even I thought a portable teleportation device was just a fantasy," the hammer vanished and he turned his massive head towards them, "But it seems there are still a few bugs to work out, yes yes yes." His horn lit up as he conjured a large bow. As he pulled back the string, an arrow with a wicked looking head appeared, "Think you can escape me again, dearies?"

Holding the drill in her hooves, Resolution spread her wings, "Think you can keep him distracted?" Without taking his eyes off Cliff Hanger, Patience pulled out a small device that reminded Resolution of a honeycomb. Resolution smirked, "Of course, what was I thinking?" Just as Cliff Hanger released his arrow, Resolution took wing and Patience vanished in a flash of light.

Cliff sighed, "Of course he had a second," he said to himself before turning his attention to Resolution. The pegasus was circling above him like a bird of prey, but before he could load another arrow, a swarm of tiny insects obscured his vision, "What?!" With his concentration broken, the bow vanished. He tried swatting at the bugs, but to no avail. Warning lights began to flare inside the pony, and two screen appeared above his console. The screens showed the body of the mechanical pony from different angles, and several points were glowing red indicating breaches in the armor. "No no no! Stop! Desist! Cease!" Cliff Hanger jumped around, and kicked all in attempt to rid himself of the pests. Any attempts to use magic caused the bugs to swarm his horn, and block his magic.

Soon a third screen appeared, and Cliff paled at what it showed. Resolution pulling Drama Bomb from her containment. One by one the lights inside began to fade out, and the mechanical pony's response to his movement began to slow until it eventually came to a complete stop. He groaned in frustration, "What else could..." The answer to his unasked question came in the form of one of the bugs finding its way into the pony head. Cliff Hanger watched as the bug flew over and landed on his console. Cliff's eye twitched in annoyance, and he raised a hoof. He swatted at the bug, only to miss as it flew away. Cliff's hoof landed instead on the big red button.

A robotic voice sounded around Cliff, SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ACTIVATED. WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN 10...9...8

Cliff Hanger blinked, and slowly sat on his haunches, "I wish brother Hindsight was still alive."

3...2...1...HAVE A NICE DAY

"Thank you."

The force of the explosion could be felt all throughout the city.

Fire ponies swarmed the district, putting out the fires caused by Cliff Hanger's mechanical pony's explosion. The local police kept any civilian who came to gawk at a safe distance, while medical ponies were let through. However only one pony needed their attention.

Drama Bomb suffered only from minor magic drain, and was conscious again moments after being pulled from Cliff's machine. Cliff Hanger survived the explosion by encasing himself in a shield, but the force of the blast nearly drained his own magic completely. He had barely enough energy to pull himself out of the rubble only to find Resolution glaring at him, and Drama bomb leaning against her. Patience simply stared on with the same bored look. Cliff Hanger smiled, tipped his hat and said, "Any chance for a drink before arresting me?" There wasn't.

Now in chains with a magic inhibitor ring around his horn, Cliff Hanger was none too gently being shoved into the back of a one of the APCD's jail carts. The chief of police herself came out to thank Resolution and Patience for finally capturing the leader of the Family. She expressed her joy and relief that she could finally close the book on the Family once and for all, and also a small scolding for the destruction of the district. Her anger only lasted a few moments as Patience showed her plans to not only repair, but also improve the buildings that were destroyed. Resolution and Drama trotted up to the carriage that held Cliff.

"You were right, Hanger," Resolution mocked, "This was our last fight."

"That remains to be seen, dearie," Cliff Hanger smirked.

Resolution scoffed, "We'll see how long that smug attitude of yours lasts in the Hole." With that, Resolution turned her back on her enemy.
Before Drama could follow, Cliff called out to her, "Nothing good will come from your continued association with Resolution. Heed my warning, Ms. Bomb, for your own sake."

Drama Bomb could only stare as the carriage began to make its journey to the prison known as the Hole.

Cliff hanger sat against the wall of the carriage with his eyes closed, and a smile on his lips. He whispered to himself "All according to plan," before chuckling lightly.

The Finale

Only twenty minutes into the journey, Cliff Hanger was already contemplating caving in his own skull against the carriage walls. Two members of the ACPD, both earth pony stallions, were carrying him to his future home at the prison known as the Hole, and one of them just wouldn't shut up. From what he could see, Cliff empathized with the elder greying stallion who seemed to be resigned to his fate. The younger of the two either didn't notice his partner's inner suffering, or else didn't care, and would talk just about anything that seemed to catch his interest.

Every now and then, the talker would look back at Cliff Hanger and sneer as if he were the one that put Cliff there. So far, Cliff had been spared the "pleasure" of his conversation, but Cliff knew that eventually all good things must end. "You ever been to the Hole, horny?" Cliff Hanger's eyes narrowed slightly at the slur, but before he could respond the talkative stallion continued, "Of course you haven't. 'Cause if you had, you'd still be there," he smirked, "Well let me fill you in on what you're in for."

The older stallion sighed, "Don't talk to the prisoner, Loose Cannon."

"Now now, Grizzled, our 'friend' deserves to know what he's in for," looking back at Cliff Hanger, Cannon smirked again, "Do you know why they call it the Hole?"

It took all of Cliff Hanger's will to not roll his eyes, "I assume you mean besides the fact that it's a giant hole in the ground?"

Loose Cannon scoffed, "It's because when they toss you in your small, windowless cell, and they'll just forget about you. Don't worry, though. You won't starve to death. The chains they'll use to bind you to the wall are..." he faltered as he looked for the right words.

Grizzled sighed, "Enchanted."

"Yeah, enchanted. Anyway, they won't let you starve. That's why they can just forget you exist." Loose Cannon laughed as if he told a very amusing joke.

Grizzled just sighed again, "Will you stop antagonizing the prisoner?"

Cannon kissed his teeth, "Not like we'll ever see him again after tonight," Cliff Hanger smiled at that. Cannon, seeing this, scowled, "What, think you can escape the Hole? Well allow me to kill that last bit of hope. There are over two hundred royal guards stationed there at all times, and you will have a special place at the very bottom with the rest of the filth where you belong. Even if by some miracle you break outta your cell and make it outside, nothing but a sheer cliff face waits for you," he chuckled, eyeing Cliff Hanger's cutie mark, "And no matter how good you are at rock climbing, you'd never survive the ballista."

Cliff's smile widened until he couldn't contain his laughter. He met both of there eyes, "No no no, you are quite mistaken as to the nature of my talent. It lies not in climbing mountains, but in the stories ponies call life. For example," he focused on Grizzled, " you have been on the force for many, many years. In that time you've had a very successful career, and always played by the book. That is until your new partner," he gestured to Loose Cannon, "dragged you into...undesirable situations. His reckless actions have nearly cost both of you your badges on numerous occasions, but together you've taken down some of the city's most notorious criminals." Cliff Hanger nodded, "Yes yes yes, the two of you are quite famous amongst my kind. Or infamous as it were.

"However, while piecing together one's life story is a simple enough task, I cannot see how their stories will end. Which, while frustrating at times, I've found that I prefer not knowing," he smiled, "Yes yes yes, it means that anything could happen."

Cannon opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, they all heard the high pitched screaming of a mare. With just a glance to one another, Grizzled and Loose Cannon galloped towards the source of the scream, while Cliff Hanger relaxed against the wall of the carriage. The smile never leaving his lips.

Less than a minutes gallop led the police stallions to a Pegasus mare weeping on the unconscious form of a rather large earth pony stallion. Her mane was a dual toned black and yellow, and her coat was an ashen grey. Her cutie mark depicted a theatre comedy mask, however the mouth was lined with rows of pointed teeth. Her ears perked up as the stallions drew near, and she turned to them with red, tear filled eyes.

"Oh thank Celestia!" she cried with a smile, "Please officers, you have to help us!"

Loose Cannon and Grizzled came to a stop and Cannon unhooked himself from the carriage before trotting over to the mare, "What seems to be the problem, ma'am?"

"It's my brother," she gestured to the brown maned, blue coated stallion, "he just collapsed!" the mare threw her hooves on Cannon's chest as the tears began to flow again, "Please, please you have to help him!"

Cannon gave her a not so chaste smile, "Don't you worry miss, I'll see what I can do." With a gesture to Grizzled to take care of the mare, Cannon trotted over to the fallen stallion.

The mare wiped her tears away as Grizzled laid a hoof on her withers, "Despite how he looks, my partner is trained in field medicine. Your brother will be fine."

The mare threw her arms and wings around the old pony, "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" Despite himself, Grizzled felt blood rush to his face at the rather intimate hug. The outpouring of affection almost distracted him from noticing the mare's brother on his hooves, and Loose Cannon on the ground, lying in a pool of his own blood and a dagger firmly lodged in his chest.

A giggle from the mare was all the warning Grizzled had before he felt the cold steel of a blade slide across his throat. The mare backed away from him with a manic grin, and Grizzled tried to stem the flow of blood from the wound in his neck. He tried to speak, but all he managed was a strangled gurgle.

"Thank you very much, officer," the mare said while dangling a set of keys in one wing, and stowing a bloodied knife with the other. "You've been a tremendous help Truly a cut above the rest!" It was then, even as Grizzled's vision faded, and when he caught sight of the stallion's cutie mark, a theatre tragedy mask, as both the stallion and the mare walked past him, that Grizzled recognized the two ponies. Dark Comedy and Tragedy, the siblings who were parts of Cliff Hanger's "family."

Grizzled's strength gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, his vision fading to black. His final thought was, Damn, only two days till retirement.

Turning away from the bleeding old stallion, Dark Comedy skipped happily up to the back of the carriage they were hauling. Finding the right key, she threw the carriage door open with a bright smile, "And here at the scene of a grisly murder where two brave stallions of the APCD tragically lost there lives as a very sexy criminal mastermind aided in the escape of the notorious, and less sexy criminal Cliff Hanger!"

Cliff Hanger clapped his hooves at Dark Comedy's narration before hopping out of the carriage, "Good work, very good work. Yes yes yes, the both of you preformed marvelously," Dark Comedy bowed at the compliment like an actress before her audience, when Cliff Hanger was scooped up and pulled into a crushing hug by Tragedy.

"Cliff Hanger!" he bellowed, tears streaming down from milky and useless eyes, "I've m-missed you s-so much!"

Cliff struggled for breath in Tragedy's embrace, "And it's-urk- good to...see you, too."

Dark Comedy laid a wing against Tragedy's side, "Easy there, big brother. You don't ant to kill him, do you?"

Tragedy immediately dropped Cliff Hanger and wailed, "NOOOOO! That would be so saaaad!"

Despite the pain in his ribs, Cliff Hanger laughed and stood on shaky hooves, "I don't blame you. It has been over two years, yes yes yes."

Dark Comedy cuffed the back of Cliff's head with a wing, "And why was that? What took you so long to contact us?"

Cliff rubbed the back of his head, but still smiled, "All part of the plan, dearie, I assure you." At Dark Comedy's scowl, Cliff raised his hooves defensively, "No no no, no need for that. Just put on those uniforms," he gestured to the bodies of the officers, "and we'll be on our way."

Tragedy sniffed, "B-but they won't fi-fit us."

Cliff Hanger cleared his throat and pointed to the ring still around his horn. Dark Comedy gave him a sheepish smile, "Heh, sorry."

"W-what? What am I mi-missing?"

After the ring was removed, Cliff Hanger used his magic to adjust the sizes of the uniforms to fit his friends forms. He then placed an identical, but useless ring around his horn and said, "Now we have one more stop, but our final destination is the Hole?

Dark Comedy raised a brow, "Why would we want to go there? Doesn't sound like a hole lotta fun to me." The wind blowing was the only thing heard after that. Not even the crickets made a sound.

Tragedy wailed again, while Cliff Hanger sighed, "Didn't miss that," he said to himself. With a smile he said aloud, "Because, dearie, there's someone there I think you'd like to see again."

Dark Comedy gasped in excitement, "You mean...?"

"Yes yes yes, it's time our family was whole once more."

With a squeal of unrestrained glee, Dark Comedy threw her hooves around Cliff Hanger, and Tragedy bellowed, "I'm so ha-happy!"

Soon Cliff Hanger was back in the carriage, while Dark Comedy and Tragedy pulled it towards the Hole. Dark Comedy was humming to herself, unable to wipe the smile off of her face. Tragedy was quietly sobbing, and Cliff Hanger muttered with a smile, "I win again."

In the depths of the Hole in the furthest room on the bottom most level, chained against the wall of a small, windowless cell sat a creature never before seen in Equestria. This creature, who claims to have crawled out of the depths of Tartarus itself, committed so many atrocities on not only ponykind, but on nearly every sapient race on the planet, that it was given the name Gore. This creature, after finally being caught and imprisoned, had been silent over the two years of its incarceration, much to the prison guards' fear and confusion, as Gore was known to talk. At length.

This creature, for the first time since imprisonment, laughed.