Madness Overlord

The sky was crowded by many dark gray clouds, but there was no rain. In a point far away from a village in the middle of nowhere, a black portal appeared.

Armed with a black sack and the unholy powers that Balamos bestowed to him, Suzaku came out of the portal before it disappeared. He appeared as a earth pony with a light green coat, a mane and tail being both emerald green, and retractable claws on his hooves that he could use to grab something rather than do it by twisting his hooves around. He was also wearing a black jacket and a violet vest.

Suzaku was awfully surprised to see the place in the distance. The houses were arranged into two parallel rows that form an equal sign, surrounded by a strong looking wooden wall, that blocked every way except the entrance.

"So that must be Starlight Glimmer's village." Suzaku said perplexed."But what happened there? I don't remember this fence being there."

"That is not supposed to be here according to the TV show, right? " Balamos replied in his head, causing him to flinch and shouting. His heart raced faster due to what Suzaku could consider to the scare caused by that.

"You could have at least warned me before using this telepathy of yours! I were almost giving me a heart attack!"

"Two months has passed since the Mane Six disappeared from Equestria and succumb to their possession. Many things have changed, and in a horrible way i will add. Besides, did you had at least checked the list that i have given to you?"

Realizing to have forgot that, Suzaku rummaged in the sack and pulled out a blank paper with a bloodstain on the middle, that started to deform itself and two words were written with it. Suzaku was little disturbed by that at first, but then his face contorted in irritation upon seeing the name of Starlight Glimmer appearing on the list. He wasn't happy about it.

"You cannot be serious." Suzaku quietly protested. "Why i have to recruit this retard of all peo-ehm ponies?"

"Starlight Glimmer is a prodigy with her magic and can use it like a pro if she want. You should know that since you were informed about the francise, thought you were doing that just to deliver some bashing precision strike in your daily trolling."

"Why not Celestia or Luna?"

"Equestria need their rulers, so is unwise to corrupt them. Besides, you had forgot the rules about the recruitment that i have told you before your arrival. You're very predictable, to even think about that. You can't turn them into pony freaks due to their immunity."

"I get it, i get it. But what about Discord?"

"Take a look to the paper before spewing names at random."

Suzaku glanced to the list once more when the name of Starlight dissolved itself into the bloodstain, only for it to write a list with various names. He wasn't this happy when he found out what is all about.

Recruitment Ban List.

Celestia.

Luna.

The Pillars (Starswhirl the Bearded included).

Tirek.

Chrysalis.

Discord.

Storm King.

Tempest Shadow.

Princess Nova.

"Not giving me any alternative, huh?" Suzaku said resigned before letting out a frustrated groan.

"Besides, having a unstable Celestia will only make the situation even worst."

"Nevermind. But wasn't Starlight supposed to be in the Castle of Friendship? If i'm -" Suzaku stooped, recalling something that Balamos told to him. "Oh, i forgot. Due to the time alteration of that mysterious culprit, Twilight wasn't around, so Starlight was never reformed. She remained her insufferable older self that is now planning a revenge against her."

"Which makes her even MORE ANNOYING. She was a little bearable after she became good."

"Since the corruption of the Mane Six happened in the past because of the culprit behind this change of history, Starlight is still eager to exact revenge against Twilight. Plus, that perpetrator has put a seal that affects every part of Equestria with the power to prevent any attempt of time travel. In order words, if you are thinking to go in the past to make the job easier, forget it. You got nerfed."

"I'm not even able to do that, so your sarcasm is unnecessary. But if she's not able to go in the past, then what is she doing right now?"

"Starlight found out that Twilight traveled into another dimension, which is half true, but doesn't know what dimension. Unable to reach her, Starlight studied a way to replicate the magic mirror and travel into other dimensions. But then something happened to her."

"What, exactly?"

"That is something that you have to find out on your own, as well as to discover the reason of that fence. You know where looking for since i told you about it before i opened the portal. You have also the tool that you have to use to corrupt Starlight. So don't waste anymore time and find your next target."

"Wait! You didn't even-"

"My rule has spoken"

With those words, Balamos' presence leaved his head for real. Suzaku was left irritated by the mocking behavior of his boss. Something that he will not get use to. He shrugged off all his nervousness and walked his way toward the village. He wasn't in so much hurry to reach it-

"I'm still against the idea to recruit Starlight Glimmer, but it has to be done. I know where she is. The problem is how to reach her. That fence blocked every entrance, including Starlight's former escape route. So i have to go for the main entrance and going inside her house unnoticed."

As he pondered about the possible options, a grin formed in his face.

"If i find her, I will be tempted to troll her hard."

In his arrival, Suzaku found a unusual scenario. There is nopony around. Very strange considering that it is usually crowded. His attention was then caught by a strange monument in front of him.

It's form was a bizarre one, and has nothing to do with the "equestrian mythology" according to his thinking. The monument was the sculpture of a bizarre marble emblem depicting a crud helmet of a soldier with a circle being in the middle of a warped sun.

"This is not the Sameness Sign, but is still something." Suzaku said, observing the object. "What kind of demented design is that? And why is this military helmet being depicted here? "

He immediately put aside his curiosity and headed toward the house in the end of the two, being Starlight's former house, but was then stopped by Night Glider approaching him from above unannounced. Caught by surprise, he stepped back instinctively.

"Excuse me, sir." Night Glider said, landing in front of Suzaku.

"Yes?" Suzaku asked nervously.

"We do not receive many visitors lately. What brings you here?" Night said, smiling normally.

"Thank god, that wasn't a creepy smile." He thought. "If i'm not mistaken, she was one of the four Starlight's followers. I think her name was Night Gloryhole or whatever the hell her name was. I never cared very much for second characters. In any case, I have to enter Starlight's house without any problem. I have also to justify my presence

"I'm just a private detective. I was just asked by Starlight's parents to investigate about her disappearance. Did you see her?" Suzaku asked, obviously half lying.

"Well... She left the town some weeks ago. I don't know anything about her whereabouts." Night answered.

"Nevermind." Suzaku said, knowing already the answer. "Besides, there's one thing that doesn't add up."

"Hmm?" Night looked at him confused.

"Why is there a fence?" Suzaku asked.

Night opened her mouth, but was then interrupted by another mare who was approaching them. This time being Sugar Bell, who was wearing a green cloak.

"If you permit me, i will tell you anything you need to know." Sugar Bell said, looking apologetic.

"Really?" Suzaku asked.

"I ask you to follow me if you don't mind. After all, you should be hungry after all that travel that you had done to come here. Am I right?" Sugar said.

"Well, if you insist." Suzaku said.

"You will not regret that, sir." Sugar Bell replied cheerfully.

"Ehm, what was your name again? Sugar Cube?" He though.

Suzaku followed Sugar Bell and went into her bakery accompanied by Night Glider. It was like how he previously saw. It was a very humble one. He took a look around the room as he walked toward a table were some sweets were exposed.

There are some Apple pies, caramel apples and caramel pear pies. Obviously, despite this being a bakery, there are no buns or salty food. He cannot even complain since sweets were almost the main food in Equestria.

He then looked at the paintings hanging of the walls and noticed a very familiar detail. One of then was depicting the same emblem of the monument, this time showing it's colors. The crude soldier helmet was brown, the circle was colored in bloody red, and in warped sun around them is golden.

"Why I have the feeling that the town is ruled by another crazy cult?" Suzaku thought, feeling a little disturbed.

"Your dress is very weird, but look pretty cool."Night Glider commented. "Rarity made this?"

"No, that was the job of a stallion named Neo Smith." Suzaku answered, inventing the name.

"I never heard of him."

"He preferred remain unpopular. It was his choice. " Suzaku said.

"I know that will look like exaggerated to you," Sugar Bell said as she goes behind the reception. "But we have built this fence to protect our town."

"By what?" Suzaku asked.

"Creatures engulfed in black flames." Sugar said.

"Black flames?" Suzaku said, trying to hide his shocked surprise as his eyes widened.

"Some weeks ago we heard from Celestia that they appeared in the Everfree Forest and killed a few ponies and other creatures. And they are now wandering across Equestria undisturbed, preying on the defenseless. That happened some days after the disappearance of Twilight and her friends. The Elements of Harmony disappeared with them. "

Suzaku was unconvinced, and a little distracted too. He was per se listening, but he cannot shrug off his own paranoia about that emblem. The circumstances looked too familiar to him.

"Sorry, lady but they are engulfed in flames and this fence is made of wood." Suzaku precised.

"Which is why Celestia also provided us a magic protection spell that allowed us to made the fence fireproof." Sugar informed.

Suzaku stared at Sugar with a perplex look, and not just because she explained the fireproof part vaguely.

"Is not like we don't trust the authorities, but we had to be prepared as soon as we can." Sugar added.

"Judging by her description, these creatures must be Mindeaters. Just like the hellhounds that Balamos sent against me during the test."

"Now let me show that new creation mine. Strawberry creamed cupcake." Sugar said cheerfully, heading a red cupcake on him. "There you go."

Suzaku was tempted to take a bite at first, but then he remembered something that he put a halt to this temptation. He considered that a crazy possibility, but that situation and these three words were too familiar too him.

"Hey, miss." Suzaku said, looking at Night Glider. "What about if you took a bite of it first?"

"What?" Night responded, chuckling nervously. "No, i pass. I'm not hungry at the moment."

"Are you sure?"

"Ye-" Night couldn't finish the phrase that Suzaku quickly stuffed the cupcake in her mouth and forced her to swallow.

Suzaku pulled back his hoof, leaving Night Glider coughing, trying to catch her breath after that forced feeding as Sugar watched the scene bewildered.

"What the heck are you DOING?!" Sugar yelled as Suzaku raised his hoof.

Suddenly, black chains appeared from above her and wrapped her body, blocking their limbs while making her stand on their two legs forcefully. She struggled to release herself, but the chains. Sugar glowed her horn and tried to use her magic, but that only emitted some sparks with nothing happening.

Suzaku's hoof became engulfed by a black aura and transformed into a sword of black-green energy. Sugar face contorted in fear as he pointed his incorporated weapon toward her.

"Don't even try to scream." Suzaku warned.

Sugar doesn't say anything. Suzaku calmly turned his head toward a slightly angered Night, looking at her as he was watching a scene he saw already.

"Wait for it," Suzaku said. "Waaaaait for it."

Night Glider glared at him and tried to do something, but felt instantly light headed. The female pegasus staggered, feeling weak and dizzied with the pass of the seconds. Her eyelids became heavier, connected with her growing fatigue.

"Oh, no... It's already affecting.. me...." Night murmured before she passed out and collapsed to the floor.

Sugar Bell glanced powerless to the unconscious Night Glider and then back to Suzaku, who was looking at her with a calm arrogance.

"I'll won't even apologize for that," Suzaku announced with a filter of mockery in his voice. "I'm too fed up of these cliches. You should had considered your choice of bait sweets."

Sugar Bell stared at him. Her face suddenly develop a grim veil on her eyes, filled with a sinister glow.

"How did you know about the sleeping drug that I put in that pastry?" Sugar asked calmly.

"Two days ago I heard about the urban legend of a infamous earth pony named Pinkatilo." Suzaku began, telling a really a absurd story like it was a fact. "Her method was always the same: lure her victims, making them sleep and using his 'tool' to turn them into 'cupcakes'."

"You think that i'm that killer, right?" Sugar asked.

"No. I just said that to screw with you. But, honestly, does that even matter?" Suzaku mocked.

"What do you want?" Sugar asked with a stern voice.

"Look, that emblem of yours is bothering me since I had arrived in this town." Suzaku responded, gesturing to the painting of the emblem. "Just tell me what's going on."

Sugar took a moment to gather her words. Despite Suzaku pointing his sword against her, she was completely calm, which was making him reflect. It was too easy.

"Let me tell you about the miracle happened two weeks ago," Sugar began.

"What miracle?" He asked.

"Some weeks ago, Twilight and her friends disappeared from the face of Equestria without leaving any trance. Their amulet, the Elements of Harmony, were missing as well. Without that, Equestria will be in danger and Celestia has done absolutely nothing about it."

"In other words, Celestia never came in this town to begin with. But then what happened?"

"We're having nightmares about a new menace that threatened to harm us. This dream hunted us for contless nights.... Until the day a alicorn, completely different by the ones we know well, came to help us. That was our savior."

"Oh, for the love of-" Suzaku halted his sentence and groaned in sign of annoyance before continuing. "Savior you say?"

"She gave us a new meaning to our lives and save us from the illusion of sanity and the deception of Celestia and Luna," Sugar Bell euphorically announced. "Madness is the only reality and Despair our only sister that could fill our hearts. We rejoiced this new life under her aegis."

Suzaku was disturbed to hear that. In comparison to Starlight's story, something that he saw; this one wasn't about warped idea born by a "friendship misunderstanding". Sugar Bell's story was a dementedly dark one with a sense of death lurking in her words. Eager to get out and not wanting to know the rest, he dissolved his energy blade, reverted his hoof back to normal and took a few steps toward the door.

"No, thanks." Suzaku said as he was about to head toward the exit. "I have something important to do. I won't waste anymore time on you."

"You will not have the time to do it." Sugar said with a sinister smirk.

Suzaku could heard a loud sound of something closing, coming from the outside.

"Are you kidding me!?" Suzaku exclaimed.

Suzaku stormed out of the bakery and turned his head toward the entrance of the town. He realized it was too late since the gates were closed, blocking his only way to escape. As that wasn't enough, the inhabitants were already out of their houses to circle him, closing him in a wall of frenzy. They were waiting for him for this whole time, each one armed with a shovel shaped sword. Each one of the unicorns of the mob used his magic to lift five of these swords above them and point them toward their prey.

His paranoia became founded by them wearing the same cloak as Sugar with the difference that they were red instead of green. The inhabitants weren't making that odd smile, but their faces looked grimly frenzied, accompanied by a glimmer of madness in their eyes.

"I apologize," said a grinning Party Favor being among them. "But we cannot let you escape. After all, you will be the next member of our brotherhood."

Suzaku facehoofed in response to that statement that confirmed current situation.

"Holy Ainz Ooal Gown on a electric guitar, i knew that was gonna happen. This is another freaking cult!" He complained mentally.

"Did you have learned nothing from the mistakes of the idiocy of Starlight Glimmer's cult?" Suzaku said a little irritated.

"She was a fool," Sugar deviously said, emerging from the crowd. "Starlight's concept of friendship consisted sorely on a cheap idea of equality without cutey marks because she wanted to compensate her loneliness."

"I don't know your intentions, but aren't you doing the same thing?" Suzaku asked.

"You are not even a real detective, aren't you?" Sugar said "We are different from Starlight. We won't brainwash you."

"Oh really?" Suzaku asked unconvinced.

"Purify you is more than enough." Sugar announced.

"To me it looks like the same thing." Suzaku commented. "So that emblem represent indeed some sort of cult."

"DON'T EVEN THINK OF DISMISS OF OUR EMBLEM AS A MERE SYMBOL!!" Double Diamond, also being among the ponies, screamed in rage, almost freaking out Suzaku.

Then, a chilling, gurgling noise echoed from behind them. Suzaku could see some dark shapes engulfed in black flames taking a very familiar form from behind the frenzied ponies. He immediately recognized them from their canine form and the blood colored flames coming out of their heads. They were accompanied by humanoid figures engulfed in black orange flames.

"T-the Hell Hounds? And they got reinforcements too?" Suzaku murmured.

"Wherever there is a mind eroded by madness, a Mindeater lurks in their shadows and devoured every trace of sanity remained in their victims. One piece at time. However, these ponies, including that Sugar Bell, were somehow able to make them their allies, which is quiet odd. Probably somepony give them the ability to do so."

"So this is how she knew about the Mindeaters." Suzaku said very quietly, a little annoyed by his boss' sudden telepathic contact."Thanks for the info. But you know, Balamos? That is a really screw up time to talk inside my head."

"Don't even bother to fight them. There's still the power abuse penalty issues. It need time for it to diminish this strict limit."

"You're the kind of pony who doesn't have faith in our savior," Diamond continued. "The one who resurrected our hope after the disappearance of the Elements of Harmony."

"But who the hell is this savior?" Suzaku asked.

"The same one who gave these new friends to us, stranger." Sugar zealously said, referring to the black flaming creatures. "They will serve our cause."

"This truth was given to us two weeks ago," Diamond informed. "Our savior came in the form of a wise alicorn. And that alicorn is our savior, which name doesn't deserve to be mentioned in front those like you."

"Very convenient this vagueness of yours." Suzaku said deadpan.

"She is the one who show the truth about the laws that rules this world." Sugar said with gleeful and yet serious tone. "Celestia and Luna deceived us for a very long time. But she unmasked their lies and revealed the Elements of Harmony's their true colors as the self proclaimed Elements of Insanity. But i have faith in Painset, because she will save us all!!"

Another wave of Mindeaters emerged from behind the crowd, that seemed to want claim Suzaku's life if he doesn't play ball. But more creepier than that was their misguided faith in something so twisted.

"You should join us. We need a powerful pony like you." Sugar said with a serene tone before shifting into a twisted one. "Which is why we have to mangle you a little."

"Wow. You took a very wrong interpretation of salvation," Suzaku retorted with a mocking tone. "Could you at least just let Celestia give you her version of the facts before giving in that cult of yours?"

"We suffered our nightmares and her deception for too long." Sugar said grimly. "We will not going back in that fake, warped reality ever again. Nor will you."

The living circle tightens around him. The inhabitants approached Suzaku with a disquieting pace, followed by the flaming creatures. Their gleeful frenzy, their chilling intent in their eyes and the monstrous sounds was a unpleasant scene. That wasn't some creepypasta. It's a real deal that he will taste on his skin very soon.

Suzaku was a little scared. He should be terrified instead, but knowing to possess his powers and due to the boost that his confidence received from that, he was able to maintain a medium amount of his calm. He doesn't do anything. He remain still. As they were almost reaching him, Suzaku gave his opinion about it.

"You know what? Fuck it!" Suzaku exclaimed before dissolving in black-green flames, much to their shocked surprise.

He reappeared nearby the penultimate house of the left row and immediately headed toward Starlight's house as fast as he could. Sugar and her followers turned their head toward him, who was almost far from their reach.

"Seize him!" Sugar shouted furiously as both her followers and the swarm of Mindeaters rushed toward him. "The heretic must not step inside Starlight's former house!"

All of the unicorns of the mob launched their shovel shaped swords toward him like they were arrows in response to her order..

Suzaku continued to gallop toward the house while dodging the flying swords that ended up missing him and being stuck on the ground. Some of the hellhounds made a leap long and were almost reaching their meal.

As Suzaku reached the door of the house, he stopped and quickly raised his hoof. A wall of dark fire suddenly raised from ground and grows as taller as mountain and, dividing him from his chasers and incinerating both the hellhounds and some of the shovel swords launched by the unicorns of the mob. Sugar and her followers halted their run. The Mindeaters did the same thing one second later.

Suzaku rushed inside and closed the door. He draw out his claws, grabbed a shelf near to him and use it to block the entrance, not even caring about the dishes and any other stuff falling from it and being shattered on the floor. He then went in the bedroom and overturned the bed, revealing a secret passage; quickly went downstairs and proceeded to explore the underground tunnel that Starlight used to escape in the past.

"A united front of Cultists and Mindeaters. Now that start to sounds like the millionth creepypasta to me."

Suzaku withdraw his claws and headed toward the end of the tunnel where he was supposed to find the exit, only to find it blocked by a big pile of rocks with a glow illuminating it from the left. He walked toward the source and found a third passage leading into a carved tunnel, illuminated by various torch hanging on the walls, burning in blue flames.

"Even that wasn't there before," Suzaku said. "That must be the reason why they tried to stop me."

He walked through the path and end up into a large and grotesque room, also illuminated by the blue torches. It looked like a combination between a prison and a ceremonial room used for some ritual sacrifice, which was baffling for him. There are cells on his right and on his left respectively. At the end of the room there was a altar with a statue behind it. That gave him a bad scenario briefly playing in his mind.

Having saw and read various MLP's grimdark fanfics, he was used to their dark atmosphere. But seeing that kind of thing personally was a completely different thing.

"That is more messed up than i have imagined."

He lifted his eyes on the statue of a alicorn being behind the altar, which appearance instantly stunned him.

"What?" Suzaku said.

He walked toward the object to check if what he was seeing is what he think it is. His eyes widened in disbelieve, and for a valid reason. It was too ridiculous to be believed. He could see that this statue represent their god, but he wasn't expecting it having a striking resemblance with another pony that he saw in a juvenile spin off.

"Sunset Shimmer?" Suzaku said a little loudly. "That cannot be right. Sunset didn't became a alicorn.... at least that has something to do with the time alteration."

The object in front of him was apparently a stone statue of a alicorn Sunset Shimmer. But it wasn't normal one. Much like Brutalight Sparcake, it looked like a demented version of Sunset, as it was demonstrated by her psychotic smile and her sinister eyes. But more baffling of all was her cutey mark. Instead of her sun shaped tao symbol, it almost resembled the emblem that he saw. It's the same crude helmet of a soldier with the blood circle, only without the warped sun. Though that he can count the blood circle itself as a warped sun.

As he was going to questioning about the alicornhood of the pony, one of the memories of the Mane Six's corruption emerged in his mind. The memory of Twilight corruption gave him some chilling hint

"Is this thing telling me that Sunset was somehow lured into the Freak World as well, was then possessed by some TF2 Freak's ghost, resulting her becoming a alicorn freak in the same way as Twilight, and managed somehow to appear in this village that now is considering her as their god?"

"Aaaargh..." a female voice coming from the cage on his left groaned, interrupting his pondering and drawing his attention. "My head.... W-where am I?"

He walked toward the cell only to find a very dizzied violet maned pink unicorn laying on the ground. Her face and cutey mark matched to the description. He has no doubt about it.

"I found Starlight Glimmer." Suzaku confirmed with sarcasm. "Smuckhead as ever."