Author's Note

I don't plan to make this dark power arc too long. I'm planning on keeping it as short as I can before I go back to normal, slice of life stuff. After this arc is when a little bit of romance happens. I hope all of you look forward to it!

Chapter 12

"As all of you can tell, Cobalt isn't exactly in the right state of mind. As his mother, I am to know everything he does at every time, which is why your principal here updates me everyday on how he does."

"Wait, you two talk everyday?" Sunset asks as she looked between the two.

"Yes, your principal and I used to be schoolmates, and friends. However, that's not the point here. You see, my son probably has kept some information on his past from you. Such as where he lives, or why he was kicked out of each school he's attended."

"Well, he told us that he lived in the mountains. Is that not true?"

"It's true, but we don't just live in a house. Our house is part of a large village that is hidden amongst the trees within the mountain. That village is filled with mystics, which is where Cobalt resided in before he decided to leave the village. However, did he tell you why he was kicked out of his schools?"

"He said they thought he was too smart or something. Did he tell us something that he didn't want us to know?"

"Well, yes and no. You see, Cobalt had his memories erased each time he would start a new school. That particular reason is what you see now. His freakout from earlier is the direct cause of his constant jumping from school to school."

"I don't understand. I could understand that he could be a threat to the students, but you can't just prevent Cobalt from learning for that reason. Why not just let him have a 1 on 1 teaching session?"

"The reason is what I'm about to show all of you," Cobalt's mom took out a laptop from her back, and placed it front of them.

"Cobalt told us there wasn't any technology in your village."

"There's technology, we just choose not to use it," She clicked around on the laptop, and brought up two videos, "The video on the left shows what my husband, Cobalt's father looked like when he... lost control of himself.

"Humans are frail!" A man shouted in the video. A dark aura surrounded him as people ran away from him.

"Take a look at his eyes," His eyes were glowing red, and they had a crazy look in them, "And now, here's my son about 3 years before he left the village."

The video showed a young Cobalt who was grabbing his head fiercely, "No, get out of my head! Stop it right now!" Beams of light shot from his eyes as the same dark aura surrounded him.

"Cobalt... darling...," Rarity said as she held her heart at the sight of her crush Cobalt in such a state.

"Now, take a look at both of their eyes...," She showed both of their eyes, much to the girls anticipation.

"They look... identical."

"Yes, precisely. You see, my husband was consumed by the dark power, and soon, my son will too. Which is why I ask all of you, to stay away from my son..."

"What?!"

"The minute he loses control, he won't be able to know right from wrong. Which is the reason he's been kicked out of each school he's ever attended," Cobalt's mother began playing multiple clips of Cobalt destroying schools single-handily.

"Even so, we don't want to abandon him. So far, he's been fine. Today was the first day he's ever shown sign of this dark power. He just wants to live a normal life, and this dark power is preventing him from doing so."

"Yeah, I mean, 'Slice of Life' is in the genre, so where is this slice of life?!" Pinkie said as she hopped in place.

"Uh, anyway, is there someway we can save him from this dark power."

"No one can save him. He has to save himself either by accepting the power and becoming like his father, or purifying the darkness and turning it into light. For now, he'll have to do this on his own. However, if you do want to help, then I need all of you to help me... take out his father..."

"What?!"

"Yes, please, allow me to explain. You see, when the dark power took over my husband, he made a goal to enslave the humans."

"Why?"

"He said that humans were a frail and ignorant species that needed protection from themselves. However, he had changed his ways to where he wants to kill them instead so he wouldn't have the burden of keeping all of you in line..."

"And he plans to start with us?"

"Yes. He knows Cobalt is a threat until he loses control of his power. My husband will attempt to get my son on his side if he doesn't purify the power before then. Which explains the attack on him earlier."

"Was it his father?"

"No, if it was his father, Cobalt wouldn't have survived. However, I still think he was attacked by something his father sent him. My only question is why is planning this now..."

"Perhaps this whole time, you've only been dancing to his tune..."

Cobalt's mother looked down and sighed, "My husband is usually impatient when it comes to something he wants. If it takes too long, he'll execute his plan then and there. However, I don't doubt that his loyal subjects would try to deter him from doing so."

"Wait, Cobalt told us his father was imprisoned in the underworld. How is he going to come to our world?"

"These last few years, my husband has ruled the underworld with an iron fist. He controls everything there, even the denizens of it."

The girls fell silent, only for them to stand up in shock when Cobalt's mother suddenly collapsed to the ground, "What's happening?!"

"Cobalt's father... he's here. We're all doomed... it's too late..."

"No it's not mother...," They turned to see Cobalt standing before them, rocking a light cloth armor, with heavy arm guards on both his arms, and a helmet with a large blume on it. His entire matched the color of a cobalt gem, "We have a chance to take him out."

"How did you...?"

"The doctors saw that I was healed and that there was no mental trauma. I'm good to go."

"A-Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I feel great. I know where my father is. Now is a perfect time to strike while he's weak."

They all looked at Cobalt worriedly. His nonchalant attitude right now isn't like his usual nonchalant attitude. It seems like he's a little too mellow.

"Cobalt...?" Rarity attempted to ask, but didn't finish. Cobalt turned around slowly with a reassuring smile on it.

"Don't worry... everything will be just fine. Now, let's go. This will be our only opportunity!"