Acrimony of the Eldroblyterby The EldroblyterChaptersWhen Blight Follows YouVillains, meet your guideReaching the OrphanAid from AilmentKnowing your Inner PainA Tale from the DeadSinister FindingsThe New StudentRelationshipsScavenge for PowerChild of ViolenceWhen Blight Follows YouGrogar's Lair... "Hey, you guys stepped in on my que!" Cozy Glow complained, then the three villains began their argument. Just then, Grogar himself stepped into the room. "Enough!" He shouts with a stomped hoof. The villains stop their bickering and turn their attention to their leader. "I was hoping that during my time away, you three would have reached an agreement with each other, but apparently not!" Grogar gruffed. "Well, if we knew what the plan for vengeance was, then we would be better able to prepare for it," Chrysalis marked. "That is if you even have a plan in mind," Tirek adds. "Of course I have a plan in mind! With the free time of focus I have given myself, I was able to finally locate an object of incredible power... And it just so occurs to me, that this would be the perfect test for you all to work together better," Grogar said with a sly smile. Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy all shoved each other to prove who would be better than the other. "And you three will do so to retrieve it. Once you retrieve this item for me, those ponies won't even stand a chance against our might," Grogar said. It was then that Chrysalis stepped forth. "I have come close to ruling Equestria several times before. Perhaps I should be the one to lead us," She said with a grin, but then Cozy shoved her out of the way. "I nearly drained all of the magic from Equestria, that was the best plan any villain could ever come up with," Cozy said with a confident smile, but then was shoved by Tirek. "I absorbed all the magic in Equestria! I could feel the power of it surging through is I rule," Tirek said with power, then the villains started bickering again. Grogar gritted his teeth and charged his horns, releasing a shock-wave of dark magic around the room. The three villains flew at the walls and were cuffed by the dark magic to the walls. "Each of you FAILED to defeat Twilight Sparkle and the others!" Grogar shouted with powerful frustration. The three villains each struggled to try and get out of the cuffs, but they were much to powerful for them. "My power is far more greater than all of yours combined into one ethereal embodiment. This is but a fraction of it, UNDERSTOOD!?" Grogar barked. The villains conceded and were released to the ground. "And now, you three shall work together to retrieve the rest of it," Grogar said. Then the emblems on his sash glowed darkly and released dark magic into the air of the room, showing an event that happened many years ago. "Many thousand moons ago, the self-righteous Gusty the Great, seeing that she was unable to best me face to face, stole my Bewitching Bell, a talisman containing a vast majority of my power and a weapon used to take the magic of those who feared me, and the bell cannot be destroyed. At least not by anything that the ponies know of. Seeing this knowledge come to pass, Gusty decided to lock the bell away in a secret cave upon the top of Mount Everhoof. Also taking into account that those who sought the bell would venture the mountain, she placed a mighty spell over the mountain of enchanted winds and a golden barrier to keep it out of anypony and anyone's reach, and the winds would prevent any who scaled the mountain from reaching the peak of it. There the bell has remained... Until now." You three must scale Mount Everhoof by working together. Go and retrieve my bell," Grogar said. Chrysalis giggled loudly, "The ease of this task is laughable." Tirek and Cozy agreed. What the four villains didn't know, however, was that an ethereal eye was watching them from the ceiling. Once it heard everything it needed, the seeped into the ceiling, every ounce and pint of the ooze going with it to not leave a mistake for investigation. Mount Everhoof... "Well it sounded easy," Chrysalis said. "Well, Grogar never said it was easy, but the plan is simple. We scale the mountain..." Tirek began. "Find the hidden cave and retrieve Grogar's bell..." Chrysalis added. "Together!" Cozy Glow chirped, a rolled up piece of parchment in her hoof. "I drew out a detailed plan showing how we can..." But Tirek and Chrysalis already started off to their own directions. "Ditch each other and do it alone..." Cozy said rather reluctantly. "Maybe when I reach the top, they'll finally take the chance to appreciate me," She said more confidently, threshing away the parchment to the wind. However, when the parchment reached the trees, an oozy claws snatched the parchment and brought to the viewer's eyes... that is if they could see anything at all. The hybrid himself couldn't see the drawing, but he sniffed it a couple of times, smelling the hidden desire of teamwork. The hybrid looked over in Cozy's direction and saw her heart in the blackness. It was crimson-red, but there was a spark of whiteness in the center. The hybrid released the parchment and divided himself into 3 eye-worms. With Chrysalis... The former queen of changelings was flying through the air, feeling the wind getting a little stronger as she came closer. When she looked down, she noticed a small clearing for her to safely walk. She pushed through the winds and landed in the woods, and then started walking. A bunch of yellow eyes with red pupils watched her as she walked, taking this changeling as a fresh meal to snack on. Then, a shadow started following her in secret. Chrysalis walked with a cocky smirk, until she felt a presence behind her. She simply narrowed her eyes, whirled around, and hissed loudly at the shadow. The shadow whimpered and instantly retreated with a look of fear. "Pfft! As if anything on this mountain are scarier than me," She said with a chuckle, hovering in the air as she continued to travel. The shadow however, as it retreated, was devoured look smoke by something a lot smaller. It was a hybrid eye secretly following Chrysalis as it stared at her heart, it too was crimson-red with a whiteness at the center. The eyes kept following quietly to not be seen. With Tirek... As Tirek walked, he stopped by a river and scooped up a handful of dirt. He aimed it at the mountain and blew it. The wind barrier threw the dirt back into Tirek's face, making him grumble under his breath. Just then, another oozy eye peeked from behind a rock and saw the mighty centaur heading towards the woods. With Cozy... Cozy traveled a little ways up the mountain and saw a cabin. That's when a pony came out and saw her."Halt! Who goes there?" The pony asked. "A pony? Huh, there hasn't been any ponies around here in I don't know how long!" The stallion said in surprise. Cozy saw the pony from afar and decided to play her innocence trick. She pretended to well up her eyes and give a sad and scared expression, fake sniffles following with big puppy eyes. "Oh, good golly, good sir. I'm trying to look for some help on this cold mountain," Cozy pretended to say sadly. "Aw, don't worry, little filly. Ol' Rusty Bucket is here and at your service," The pony known as Rusty Bucket said with a bow and a smile. "Oh, I'm so glad I found you, sir. I was wondering if I could get some help trying to get to the top of the mountain," Cozy asked. Rusty's expression turned dutiful. "Oh, no can do, ma'am." Cozy's face suddenly turned from somber and happy to perplexion and frustration. "WHY NOT!?" She screamed in rage, causing the mountain to rumble. "Shh! Not so loud, this is avalanche territory here. And I'm the guardian of this mountain, it's my job to keep pony's from heading up. There's absolutely nothing but dangerous snow, dangerous ice, and dangerous wind. So, basically, it's dangerous to go up," Rusty Bucket explained. Cozy cooled off and got another idea. "It must be really lonely for somepony like you to be up here all by yourself," She said innocently. "Oh, it most certainly is. I often wish I had someone to keep me company while I'm up here guarding the mountain." "Maybe I could be your friend?" Cozy asked innocently. "Aww, I'd love that, I haven't had a friend for so long," Rusty Bucket said happily. "So, now that we are friends, would you be willing to help me get to the top of this mountain?" Cozy said with a smile. "Well, if the mountain wasn't so dangerous and full of avalanches, I would. But like I said, it's incredibly dangerous," Rusty Bucket said. Cozy suddenly had an angry look in her eyes. "ARE. YOU. KIDDING ME!?" She yelled, causing the mountain to rumble again. Then she walked away with an upset look. "I didn't wanna be friends anyway," She said rudely. "Aw," Rusty Bucket said sadly. While Cozy walked away and sat down to rethink her strategy, the third hybrid eye peaked from the snow and looked at her heart. It was a little redder than before, but the light inside grew a little against it. All three eyes looked at the hearts of the ones they followed in secret. These were the ones with the unstable emotions, these were the ones in emotional and mental pain. The hybrid himself would see to it that they were fixed, especially Cozy and Chrysalis. Villains, meet your guideAuthor's Note Okay, so I've decided to just skip thew rest of trails and errors and go straight to the campfire conversation. I hope enjoy the story nonetheless. Villains, meet your guide "Yes, until that SOW, Starlight Glimmer freed Twilight and her friends, corrupted my subjects with friendship, and stole my entire hive!" Chrysalis said bitterly to Cozy. "You should both remember that those ponies have weaknesses. I used Discord's weakness to turn him against his own "friends" that he calls," Tirek said as he put 'friends' in air quotes. Cozy Glow ate a s'more whole and savored the taste of it. "Hm, Discord was really a powerful enemy to Twilight and the others, until he allowed friendship to ruin him," Chrysalis said. "But what was really funny, is when you both should've seen Twilight's face when I had her friends trapped in bubbles all around me! She was all, (incoherent babbling)." Cozy and Chrysalis giggled and laughed a little at Tirek's impression. "Twilight's always so stressed out all the time when things get tough," Cozy said. "When I posed as her former foalsitter at the day of her brother's wedding, I thought she was going to implode!" Chrysalis laughed. Cozy and Tirek laughed. What the villains didn't realize, was that there was a hidden presence heading there way. "I wish I could've seen Twilight's face when I nearly erased all the magic in Equestria into nothing," Said Cozy Glow. "All the magic in Equestria seemed a little excessive, don't you think?" Tirek asked bluntly. "Hey, you gotta think big. Besides, it would've been worth it just to see Twilight and her friends bow down to me," Cozy said with an evil grin. "It would indeed. Who wouldn't to see all those pretty ponies realize that soon, they would lose everything?" Said Tirek. "One who would want to see them bound to another's service," A voice answered in Tirek's head. Tirek looked around confused. "Did you two hear something?" He asked the two females. "No?" Chrysalis said in confusion. "Hear what?" Cozy asked. "I was certain I heard someone talking," Tirek said. "Maybe it's the voice in your head," Chrysalis said jokingly, but Tirek only gave that thought. "Actually, you may be right," Tirek said. "I am? Er, I mean, yes, of course I'm right," Chrysalis said with a smile. "Partially, Queen of Changelings, but the voice in the centaur's head was not his own," The voice said in Chrysalis' head. Chrysalis looked around herself with confusion as well. "All right, now that I definitely heard in my head." "You heard it, too?" Tirek asked Chrysalis. "Yes, but it wasn't my own voice," Chrysalis said. "What are you guys talking about?" Cozy asked confused. "They speak of the one who speaks through their minds... As I speak, through yours," The voice said in Cozy head lastly. "Whoa! O-Okay, now I heard what you guys did," Cozy said a little scarcely. "I shall set as all... free," The voice said to the three villains all together. Suddenly, the three villains huddled together and prepared for combat. "Whose there?" Asks Chrysalis. "Show yourself!" Tirek demands. "W-Wh-Who are you?" Cozy asks in a scared tone. "The one who shall shatter the shackles of this world that confine you." "Confined? We aren't confined to anything!" Chrysalis says. "Your pain cannot be hid from an all-powerful deity." "We are not in pain, whatever pain you're thinking of anyway," Tirek says. "I shall unveil the truth unto you." "What truth?" Chrysalis asks. Then, a rustling came from the bushes in front of Cozy Glow. "Who's there?" Tirek demanded. The rustling got rowdier. "SHOW YOURSELF, INTERLOPER!!" Chrysalis screeched. "M-My good friend T-Tirek is gonna b-blast you if you d-don't go away!" Cozy said scarcely. Then out of the bushes came... "A... rabbit?" Cozy Glow said in confusion. Tirek and Chrysalis looked at each other, and then Cozy Glow. Then, they burst out in vile laughter, pointing finger and hoof at the pegasus filly. "Stop laughing at me!" Cozy Glow demanded irritably, but the two continued to laugh their heads off. "STOP IT!!!" She screamed furiously. Suddenly, these crystals came up and trapped their hooves, wings, legs, horn, and wrapped around the centaur's hands. These crystals were garnet-red with very dark images of the cosmos, teeming with ruby-red stars and charcoal-grey galaxies. They let off this onyxian-black mist with cotton-white embers and shadow-grey flares of dust and ash burning off. They were cracked and spewed this tar-like liquid from them, and various parts of these crystals were covered in various amounts of this alien mold. The mold was crimson red with cotton white fuzz and variously-sized jet black spores. The trio gasped and they tried to free themselves. Chrysalis tried charging her horn, but it sparked and sputtered out in an instant. "I-I can't use my magic!" Tirek tried to form an orb with his magic, but nothing appeared. "Neither can I!" Cozy tried to stretch her wings, but the crystal were very tight on their grip. "I can't stretch my wings! I can't fly!" When Chrysalis continued struggling, she suddenly felt like she was getting... weaker. "These crystals... are... draining... my... energy..." Then she collapsed to the ground. Tirek started feeling the same way. "That's not... good," He said before he passed out. "Oh no..." Cozy Glow said. Then, she suddenly felt herself getting weary and cold, even with her coat on. "H-How c-c-c-can I g-g-get c-cold?" She said before she fainted as well. Before the 3, a figure came out of the bushes with the same crystals in his claws, except fur and blood was donned on them. 2 Hours Later... Cozy Glow groggily and sickeningly opened her eyes, seeing that everything had gone blurry. She groaned and tried to get up, but she collapsed to the ground again. She felt so weak and felt as if a fever had come over her. She was shivering, but she was sweating as well. "S-So... c-c-cold..." She moaned. The figure turned to her and walked over. He lifted the filly's head up onto a small rock. Cozy Glow blinked a few times before she regained her full vision. When she looked around, she saw Chrysalis' and Tirek's heads on rocks as well as hers. "T-T-Tirek? C-C-C-Chrysalis?" She said to the two. The two moaned and groaned weakly. "W-What... happened?" Chrysalis asked. "I... I don't... know," Tirek answered weakly. "Me," Said the same voice the trio heard earlier. They all turned their gazes to a creature that they had never set eyes on before in their entire lives. He had a head similar to Spike’s, two large carnotaurus horns above his eye orbits, and four long tusks on his cheeks. He had blood-red markings in the shape of uncontrollable fire around his eye orbits with sprinkled, shadow-grey markings. He had four demonic horns on the back corners of his head with crevices similar to Chrysalis’ horn, but were variously broken by the same crystals that would sprout out of his victims, and they grew ever so wildly from the broken parts of his horns. He had crimson-red ear fins with two stems and a tattered sail. He had 3 rows of spines on his head, down to a 1/3 of his tail, and they were shaped like variously-sized teeth with crevices between each spine like any other dragon, but they curved forwards instead of backwards, and they all lay between the horns on the back corners of his head. However, various spines on his head are missing and replaced with crystal spines instead. His snout was a little longer than Spike’s, covered in an alien ooze that started out as a rotting, currant-red mold with salty-white spores of these parasitic fluids and infections, and ended with a majority coverage of black ooze with ruby-red spots and shadow-grey spores. He had variously-sized, venomous teeth animated by the ooze and this iron-grey sand with flickering slits of a very evil and eerie maroon-red light, and they were all exposed to the open. His lip line reached barely 1/3 of an inch near the end of his eye orbits, and he had two horns on his snout, between and above his nostrils. He also had two scars on his right eye and his eyebrow, and the mold reached about 1/4 at the base of his neck and only the ooze and infectious spores covered his cheeks, and his cheeks and back of his head had variously-sized quills. His scales were onyxian-black. His neck was roughly two times longer than a filly’s neck, but it was not slender, and it had the infectious, salty-white spores in the front and on the sides. His torso was also twice as long as a baby dragon standing on all fours, indicating that it was assumingly part salamander, and his tail was roughly 3 inches longer than Celestia’s. His neck, underbelly, and a ways behind his legs were all blood-red, but he had scale plates on his chest and underbelly, scale plates between his legs, and chest, and they were garnet-red, with two rows of anchor-grey spikes on each plate. From the base of his head to 2/3 of his tail, are more garnet-red scale plates, but they reached down the sides of his neck and down the sides of his torso and tail, creviced between the spines, and the anchor-grey spikes were on the sides, but there was just enough room for his shoulders and thighs to move around, and there were 8, massive, tree branch-like spines from his shoulder blades near the base of his long torso, and there was more of those crystals that replaced various portions of his anchor-grey spikes. He also had armor plates on his upper arms and thighs, and there were anchor-grey spikes as well, and they were large, single spikes on his four elbows and heels of his feet. His entire forelimbs and feet were covered in the mold and long quills, but his claws, toes, and a third of his forelimbs were covered in the same black ooze with ruby-red spots and shadow-grey spores with the eerie shadow-grey sand, his index claws and middle claws were longer than his pinkie claws, but his thumb claws were lethally as long, and interestingly, unlike velociraptors who have two sports-toe claws, this creature had four on his raptor-like legs, but they were also animated by the same ooze and sand, and above on his heels were four more claws, giving this creature’s feet the appearances of misshaped hands. However, the forelimbs of this creature were also wreaking with variously-sized crystal shards on the outside of his arms and above the claws on his soles. The full ending of his tail was covered in the ooze and sand, but with protofeathers as well, and the limbs that connected the sails of his wings were replaced with wildly-grown crystals. He had massive, blood-red broad-wings with onyxian-black tips and ridges, from behind his shoulders all the way down to the end of his tail, the ending tail fins ended in a skydevilish tail-spade design. However, the wings were completely destroyed and have very little amounts of fingers for the sails, and a third of the sails on his tail were completely tattered and destroyed as well, but the wings ended with clawing tips of the sandy ooze, and between each crystal limb were lines of it as well. The tree branch-like spines were black and charred, covered in blood-red mold, spores and the ooze and sand, but there was also ooze sand from his chest to the waist line, spreading across his back at the trunks of his spines, and the tips replaced with the ooze and sand as well. The trio looked at the creature weakly. They were too tired to scowl if not glare, and they saw the creature feeding on Chrysalis' Ophiotaurus meal. "T-That... was mine," She said weakly. "Yes, but changelings do not go unstable alone," The figure responded. His voice was comparable to an 18 year-old teenager, but it carried no emotion. He sounded dead and lifeless, had a deliberate speech, and his voice reverberated very strongly. However, his mouth didn't move once. "How are you talking? Your lips didn't even sway," Tirek pointed out. "H-He’s... p-p-probably a... m-mind-talker," Cozy Glow shivered. "The pegasus is correct," The figure said, "You should know, Chrysalis. You have done it before." "Controlling a victim is different from telepathic speech," Chrysalis stated. She tried to get up, but then she fell limp. She exhaled, "What did you do to us?" "You are all ill and under grave fever... For now." Then, the creature turned to the trio, not looking at them though. His eyes were ash-grey with outward rims of an onyxian-black color, and they had no light in them either. The trio looked at those eyes and saw that they had no pupils and no irises either, similar to a changeling's, but dead and emotionless. His expression was completely neutral and blank. They also saw that he wasn't looking at any of them. "He's... blind," Says Chrysalis. "Indeed, but one learns to accept it." "Then... how are you looking at us then?" Asked Tirek. "Eyes that see only darkness and black, but the light and darkness of another's pure or vile heart." "You m-mean you... c-c-can t-tell who is-s-s... g-good or b-bad-d-d?" Asked Cozy Glow as she shivered. "Yes. The friends and caretakers are spared, the taskmasters serve. But the abusers die, and become my fuel for sustainability." "You mean... you need fuel to not lash out, as well?" Asked Chrysalis. "You should know. But my curse is far more dire than yours." Then the creature pulled out a small mug and filled it with herbal tea, colored sapphire-blue and golden-yellow. He walked over to Cozy on his hind legs, and presented the mug to her. "Drink." Cozy could see soft steam and the colors of the liquid. "W-W-What is i-i-i-it?" "Your medicine." Cozy Glow grimaced a little at the liquid, but it was as flexible as water, and it was warm. She slowly and weakly raised a hoof to grab it. But by cruelty's bargain, the creature retracted it from her. "For later." Cozy simply shuddered with a weak breath. "W-Why?" She whimpered weakly. "I know that none of you can be trusted, but I would at least give some hope that we can reach an accord with each other." "An... accord?" Asked Chrysalis. "You all seemed to be creating one after your failures to climb the peak. I want my fair share of this villainous bond." The trio only looked at each groggily, feeling too tired to even be cranky about being feverishly sick and ail. This creature may have put fevers and fatigue on them, but it does seem rather useful for someone like him. Not to mention that he could also pull off the same crystal nullifying spell that Sombra used to put on Shining Armor's horn once. But what really gets their attention, is that this creature somehow knows that they are in pain - not physically, but emotionally and mentally. If he knows about their pain, could he also possibly relate to them? If they were going to find out, they simply had no choice but to accede his wishes. Chrysalis sighed, "All right, creature... thing. You have our attention." "Where do you want to start?" Asked Tirek. "I have sensed that Chrysalis was to do an impression of this Twilight Sparkle who seems more pathetically stressed than one should be," The figure responded, looking over at Chrysalis’ heart. "I would, but I don't think I can do that if I'm sick," Chrysalis pointed out. "You are the strongest of your kingdom, Queen Chrysalis. I would suspect to recognize how much your pride means to you." Chrysalis groaned, "If you didn't sound dead, that would've sounded like an insult." The creature simply cocked his head in affirmation, and his inner eyelids blinked. The inner eyelids were dark sandy-red with very jagged and toothy ridges. However, the creature had two pairs that closed in a slanted V manner. Then, the creature tapped his right toe, giving Chrysalis a small whiff of restored ability. Once Chrysalis felt her changeling ability return, she transformed into Twilight Sparkle. "Oh, I'm such a pathetic, soggy little pony princess. I even made a very detailed list in all the ways that I'm an absolute failure," She pretended sob. Cozy and Tirek only chuckled due to sickness, but the creature himself would have smiled at the impression. This caught the trio's attention. "I thought you would've laughed at that," Chrysalis said. "No emotions... No joy... No love." The creature seemed to have done his homework with changelings, even if he really didn't have any emotions. Chrysalis was a little taken back. "Oh... noted." "You know, working with you two, at least, may not be the worst thing in this world," Said Tirek, referring to Cozy Glow and Chrysalis. "Perhaps... As long as it means the total destruction of our enemies," Said Chrysalis. "I wouldn't have it any other way," Said Cozy Glow with a weak smile. Then she looked at the blank hybrid. "N-No offence, but..." "We haven't really met properly," Tirek finishes. The creature simply blinked, "All in good time. Would her gracious and deceptive majesty care to continue her impression?" Chrysalis turned into Twilight again and started making sad and soggy faces again. Cozy and Tirek laughed softly if not hard. Reaching the OrphanSoon the trio was full of laughs, and the creature made them feel much better with the blue and gold liquid he showed to Cozy earlier. "I had no idea you turned Shining Armor into a mindless zombie!" Cozy Glow laughed. "Of course! But who would've thought that banishing Starlight without magic to Tartarus would've been as glorious as just ending her?" Chrysalis guffawed. "And to think that Discord would have been a match against all of us, even without your throne of ancient darkstone!" Tirek chortled. Cozy and Chrysalis laughed along with him. The creature simply stared at the trio's hearts on the ground, laughing away at their own villainous jokes. Then, he exposed his left palm and made a ruby-red ring with very demonic and dark-souled runes appear in front of the trio, and he started to turn it clockwise. The trio suddenly started to go into a fast forward trance, and then they stopped when the creature saw them stop laughing and wiping their tears of joy from their eyes. Then they returned to their normal speed. "I think we've had enough jokes for now. Let's address the elephant in the room," Chrysalis said as she referred to the creature. Cozy quickly looked around. "An elephant!? Where!?" Chrysalis sighed, "There isn't a literal elephant here, and this is a forest." Cozy Looked at Chrysalis confused. "Huh?" Chrysalis grew annoyed, but then the creature raised his palm and advised her to not speak out of turn. "It is the expression in which a couple or many associates talk about a subject that is important at hoof or hand," The creature explained. "Thank you," Said Chrysalis. "Oh... Okay, so let's hear about you," Cozy said to the creature. The creature was silent for a moment. "Before we move onto me, let us discuss... personalaffairs." "Personal affairs?" Cozy Glow asked. "Villainy often originates from pain or an embodiment created out of evil," The creature explained. "Oh, like that's going to be pleasant," Chrysalis scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "Excellent, Ms. Chrysalis. Would you care to begin?" Chrysalis' eyes widened a little. "Me?" But to her chagrin, the creature simply nodded. That just made her more annoyed. "I will do no such thing!" She said as she crossed her forelegs and looked away. Then the creature presented a vial of this pink liquid that gave off a bright pink mist. Chrysalis looked at it and found it curious. "What is that?" "The love from your meal, I vialed out the rest before I devoured it," The creature responded. Chrysalis was astonished and was about to grab the vial, but the creature pulled it back. She was annoyed as she was irritated with what he was trying to do. "For someone who has no emotions, you certainly show your levels of cruelty." "One cannot be cruel without a motive," The creature vexed. Chrysalis simply groaned and took the vial with her magic, opened it, and drank a small portion. She suddenly felt very empowered and... satisfied. "My goodness! This vial of love is even stronger then just taking it from that creature. Did you add it with other creatures?" "I have my ways with different species," The creature responded. "Now... your story?" Chrysalis sighed, "Right, right. Where to begin... Of course. I was created by a carnivorous plant that fed on literally nothing but bugs and bones." "Wow, rough start, huh?" Cozy said. Chrysalis chuckled, "It wasn't all that bad, I was a sinister foe to all of ponykind before I invaded Canterlot, and together we brought cities to their knees. But then one day, that sunny sun-raiser princess defeated me and my subjects after blasting holes in our legs!" She hexed as she showed her forelegs to the group. "So... You weren't always born with those?" Asked Tirek. "Of course not! I use to be whole." "A grand motivation for villainy. Tirek, what pain motivates your villainy?" The creature asked. "Well, my father, King Vorak, always thought very little of me. He would never let me outside of the castle, and never let me think of magic or ponies. And he always liked Scorpan best, who is my gargoyle brother," Tirek humphed. "Daddy issues, I get you," Cozy Glow said understandingly. "And what of your motivation of pain, Cozy Glow?" The creature said as he turned to the pegasus filly. Cozy looked away with an immediate somber glance. "I..." "Oh, don't tell me, 'My parents left me at the orphanage, and I cry myself to sleep at night thinking that they never wanted me in the first place," Tirek mocked in the filly's voice. "Shut up!" Cozy yelled irritably, "And I do not cry myself to sleep!" "Of course you do. We can hear you crying about the subject in your sleep. The least you could do is suck it up and just accept that your parents did abandon you," Chrysalis said. "I don't accept it, and I won't accept it," Cozy said, "But if you guys were left alone your whole lives, I'm pretty sure you would wail yourselves to sleep with your little stuffed animals," Cozy said with a taunting smirk. "Only if they live a lie with themselves," The creature says to the filly. Cozy looked at the creature confused. "What are you talking about?" A sparkle of malevolence and cruelty secretly flashed in the creature's dead, grim, heartbound eyes. "You believe that you do not show empathy or remorse for your crimes, you believe that friendship is power, and that you could have it at your mercy. But in truth, your actions, personality, and intentions are a lie. You do not snore, but you do weep and cuddle with your closest possession, trying in desperation to fight against the pain your heart suffers, yet... you discover that nothing can help your pain if you do not repent for your sins. You believe that you would never show remorse or guilt for the crimes you commit, but you do indeed mourn for your actions, trying ever so desperately to hide all of your shame inside the soggy and anxious coating of your heart..." "I-I don't know what you're talking about..." Cozy says in a faltering defense. "And there are your deceptions. Without magic or any other unique attributes, you use your wits and cunning to achieve victory over those you want to conquer, your cutie mark is the symbol of deception and devious strategy in word play, and the power of mind to play others into your hoof like the pawns of chess. But you could never fool those who see your devious symbolism the way I do. You think yourself a mastermind over all who would take your 'sweet and innocent personality' as a sincere fact, but you could not fool those who have watched you grow and submit to the arts of evil. But you grieve so truly, it hurts you so much to weep into your hooves as you rethink your actions, and you truly want to run to the Princess of Friendship and plead for her mercy, forgiveness, and her compassion. Yet you fear that she will never see you the same way she used to ever again." Cozy Glow didn't understand what was going, especially inside her. On one hoof, this creature sounded like he was trying to get to her through his own arts of deception. But on the other hoof, it actually seemed like this creature was actually understanding her, as if he knew where all of this pain inside of her was coming from. But she didn't want to feel the other hoof. Being remorseful and true was just a trick to throw her off guard. "Okay, you need to stop, I see what's going on here. You think you know me because you think you went through the same thing. I'm done with ponies and centaurs and dragons trying to trick me with their own words and actions," Cozy hissed. "I do not speak to you in general, I speak to your heart," The creature explained. "You have a talent for seeing deceptions by others done to you before they reveal them, just like when you could see when the Cutie Mark Crusaders tried to distract you from what is important to you. But your heart knew they were trying to protect their friends and family from harm, and your heart admired them for that. But your outer greed blinded you from seeing what their intentions for others were. Deep down, you know what I am saying is true, but your outer thinking says otherwise." "I said stop," Cozy ordered irritably. "You are in no position to demand anypony of your goals, and it is a shame that you do not listen to your spiritual heart that pleads for you to stop everything." "You simply try to command others because of what those houseparents always did to you those nights, didn't they?" Cozy froze in place once the creature said that specific sentence. The creature simply blinked. "Ahhh... so it is true..." "You were broken those nights the houseparents took command of you. You became enraged and unstably dangerous to the other orphans, and you wished that you did not become a threat to the other orphans. I can understand trying to control your rage and instability. You have always questioned whether you were good enough for your parents, if they ever loved you, or if they loved something even more than they could ever want to love you. You even wonder if you had parents at all, and that is why you tell yourself that you did have parents, yet you fear that you were created out of nothingness. You cry in the night when you dream of parents that abandoned you for something of far less value. You draw pictures of what you would want your parents to be like or who you think they should be, depending on who you think would be qualified to have mother and fatherly traits and attributes of love and nourishment. You always cuddle with your favorite millipede you found during your stay in Grogar's homebase as you try hopelessly to think of proud and loving parents. You say you are 'cute and lovable', but those houseparents took the real you... from you, and you thought you could never have those personalities again." "All your life after that orphanage, you've been furious, hurt, and strategically deceptive... because of your own lies," The creature finished. Cozy was as embarrassed as she was furiously, yet depressingly confused. How in Celestia's name could this creature know her origin, yet feel exactly where she's coming from? This creature couldn't possibly know everything about her past life, yet everything that he said was true, and he... understood her. But how could he understand her? They don't even know each other! Yet this creature spoke to her very troubled and aching spiritual heart, and somehow, this creature talking to "her" was... pleasing. Her density was softening, but she was still a little stubborn. "N-No, no. I don't care how much you know about me. Y-You don't know what I'm going through," She says with a little uncertainty. The creature simply blinked. Suddenly after a few moments, a swirling mist of dark red and black appeared in front of the three. Then, the scenes with Cozy Glow and Everhoof's snow came on. Cozy flew over Rusty Bucket with a devious smile, but then the wind picked up and blew her into a snow pile. Next, she tried climbing up on the edge of the mountain, but the snow collapsed and she fell in. Then when Rusty Bucket's staff hit the snow above his doorway, the snow above Cozy glow fell on her, and she opened her eyes in bewilderment. Once seen, Chrysalis and Tirek laughed. Cozy shot them a dreadful glare. "Stop laughing! It's not funny!" She yelled. The hybrid taps a toe on the ground. Then the scenes of Cozy and the snow replayed. Chrysalis and Tirek laughed harder. "Stop laughing! Stop it!" Cozy shouted louder. Then the scene of a giant boulder of snow came rolling down the mountain, and then took Cozy Glow with it as she screamed her way down the mountain. Chrysalis and Tirek laughed hysterically. "STOP LAUGHING AT MEEEE!!!!" Cozy screamed. Then, a large blanket of snow fell on her from the tree and covered her whole. Cozy shot up with a furious glare, but then a couple chunks of mushy snow fell on her head with a soggy 'sploosh'. Cozy gave a very sad and hurt look as she felt embarrassed and humiliated. Chrysalis and Tirek simply laughed at her humiliation, and the filly was on the verge of tears. The hybrid however, rose up from his haunches and walked up to Cozy, clearing the mushy snow off of her head and pulling her out of the snow. "H-How do you know... (Sniffle)... What I've been going through? You... You don't even know me..." Cozy thinks in her head for the creature to answer. "Perhaps you will not believe me, but try to when I say, that I too have been orphaned at a tender age of depression and despair. And I may not know you very well, but I can only imagine what it took for you to earn the respect you deserve," The hybrid says to the filly in her head. Chrysalis and Tirek stopped laughing as they saw the creature pull Cozy out of the snow. "Wait, you feel... sorry for her?" Chrysalis asked in disbelief. "If you three are to work together, not in the way Grogar asked of you, then you are to show empathy to those who hide their pain," The creature responded as he stroked the little filly’s mane. Cozy Glow simply closed her eyes and sighed happily, taking a liking to the creature’s soft touch. This creature seemed to spy her deceptions from a mile away, but he seemed to understand her, regardless. Chrysalis gagged, "Showing empathy is like showing care for another." "And you should know. You showed love and empathy to your swarm, and I would expect you to do the same for your fellow allies," The creature vexed. Chrysalis scoffed, "They were my children, until Starlight corrupted them!" "Until your quest for love-power corrupted your spirit." "I-!" Chrysalis was about to rage out, but then she was confused by what the creature meant. "What?" "Unfortunately, you misunderstood how love can power you. The way you acquire love is by stealing it from others, but it only satisfies you for two days time, and it can only empower you so far. However, to share love, which you have despised your whole life, could empower you much more and sustain you for all eternity, even if your spirit passes on to the next life," The creature explained. Chrysalis scoffed, "Love hasn't corrupted me. It is the only thing that satisfies me." "Shortly, but not forever," "Exactly, my hunger can never be satisfied!" "Because you misunderstood how it works," "I have not!" "I would like you to test that theory." Chrysalis shot the creature a death glare. "What?" "I do not challenge you to a battle to prove me wrong, I challenge you to test your own theory of love-power to prove me wrong. When you find the next victim, you can feed your spirit with their love, your way. If your spirit hungers after days with nothing for your spirit to feed on, then you will know that I am right." Then the creature set Cozy by the stump as he somehow put the little filly to sleep. "You two should also sleep, you all have a mountain to scale tomorrow," "I'm not sure if you've ever heard of this saying, but evil never sleeps," Tirek stated. "No, but even evil needs time to replenish." Then the creature curled around Cozy like the lion to the lamb and lied around her. "If you do feel the urge to want my assistance, you need only ask." "Noted," Says Tirek, lying in his chair with his arms behind his hand. Chrysalis was about to say something as she turned to the creature, but she decided against. She sighed and then decided to lie down. "What did he mean by love-power corrupting my spirit? Is that really why I've been starving for all these years...? No! That cannot be true! He's trying to poison me with those words! (Sigh) I just need to get some sleep," Chrysalis thought in her head as she prepared for a slumber. "So, y-you really understand what I've been through, and it's not because you can read my thoughts?" Cozy asked the creature in her head. "Of course not, Cozy. When the time comes, I shall tell you all my lament," The hybrid replies in Cozy's head. "I... I always thought nopony ever cared about orphans in this world." "I care only for the ones who are in the deepest pain. The life you've lived as a youngling is a tragic one, and at last, I see your pain of being an orphan." "I... I did so many bad things to ponies... But... Why are you being nice to me? I trick ponies into being my friends, I sent Twilight and the others to Tartarus, and I almost drained all the magic in Equestria... Even... ... ... Even yours." "My powers cannot be drained because they work differently. And I do not care for a princess who abuses her own sibling, let alone a baby dragon, not even her friends will be passed by their past sins. I will punish everything and everyone who did wrong to the good of heart and the fallens of sympathy." "Even... Even me?" Cozy asked with a strange feeling inside of her. "Of course. Every villain, big or small, cruel or hurt, intent or misunderstood... they all should be given compassion by villains who understand them." "I... I..." Sleeping Cozy's eyes welled up with tears and she sniffled a little, cuddling closer to the creature. The hybrid put an arm over her sides, being careful with his claws. "Thank you..." She said sincerely and more happily through her mind. "Of course... C... G..." Aid from AilmentIt was mid-day, and the villainous trio and the hybrid traveled up the mountain and up to Rusty Bucket's cabin. Rusty Bucket came out and saw the same filly with three different creatures with a shocked expression. Chrysalis turned into a female Ophiotaurus and roared very loudly at Rusty Bucket, causing the mountain to rumble and come down with a rock-slide of snow on top of Rusty Bucket and his cabin. Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy laughed while the hybrid simply stared at the snow as he followed his new allies, mostly Cozy Glow. He could feel that she was feeling a little closer to him ever since they had their talk last night. Rusty Bucket popped out of the snow and gasped for some air. "I'm okay!" He shouted. The hybrid, however, secretly whipped his tail at the stallion and released an eldritch plasma ring at him, turning him into a black, rocky skeleton with red crystals sprouting out of him, his clothes turning to ash and withering away. A While Later... The quartet looked around for the right direction. Tirek grabbed some vines from the trees, Chrysalis reluctantly allowed the creature to hold her tail because of his blindness, and Cozy was a little ways ahead of them, looking for the right direction. Coming at a crossroad, she looked left and right, and she pointed right with a confident smile. A While Later... The villains climbed up the mountain, except for the hybrid, who seemed to have absolutely no trouble against the enchanted winds. What was even more interesting, was that he wasn't even using his wings, he was just hovering like a chinese dragon would. Cozy put a hoof on one part and accidentally slipped. Luckily, Chrysalis let her catch her hoof by a hole, and the hybrid extended his fingers into oozy tendrils with a rocky surface and caught Cozy by the waist. Cozy looked at Chrysalis and the creature, seeing Chrysalis with a helpful smile and the creature with a reassuring nod. Chrysalis pulled Cozy up ahead of her and helped her climb the way. Tirek continued climbing fine with the creature watching his steps, making sure that the centaur wouldn't lose his step or slip. A While Later... The villains and hybrid got to the point where Chrysalis failed to cross to the other mountainside. Chrysalis motioned for Tirek to tie the vines on a rock, and the centaur did, while the creature tapped the vines and enveloped them in the rocky ooze to make them stronger, but the ooze only stopped an inch from Tirek's hands. The hybrid crossed the chasm with no problem and landed on the other side, waiting to catch either Chrysalis or Cozy. Chrysalis transformed into a Roc-bird and extended a foot to hold Cozy. Cozy took the vines Tirek held and landed in Chrysalis' talons. Chrysalis took flight and flew as hard as she could against the winds. Once she was far enough, she threw Cozy Glow at the other side, and the creature caught the little filly. Cozy wrapped the vine around the other rock and made sure it was tight enough. When the hybrid felt Cozy looking at him, he tapped on the vines again and they were fully enveloped by the rocky black ooze, making it much stronger. Once tight enough, Chrysalis turned into a spider monkey and crawled across, Tirek following. Once two got across the villains and hybrid looked up at the mountain peak. A While Later... After climbing all the way to the peak, the villainous trio and the hybrid came upon the enchanted cave that held Grogar's Bewitching Bell. Chrysalis flew towards the cave, only to be repelled by a magical sphere and blown back with a yelp. The hybrid extended his fingers and caught the changeling from falling in the snow, setting her upright. Tirek and Cozy looked at each other in surprise and approached the shield. Tirek touched the shield, but it zapped him with heat, causing him to grunt and shake his hand. "It's no use, this shield is meant to keep everypony and everyone out," Says Tirek. "Well, can you try to absorb it? It is a magical shield," Cozy Glow suggested. "I can only absorb magic from living things, anything else that's placed by somepony is not considered living in this world," Tirek stated, then the trio began to think. When Cozy Glow looked at Chrysalis, that's when an idea hit her. "Like... them?" Tirek looked at Chrysalis and the creature in realization. "Hmm..." Tirek said. Chrysalis looked at the two in shock, then she gritted her teeth. "Betrayal!" She shouted as she prepared to attack. The hybrid however, simply did nothing but land on the snow. "No, no, no. Not betrayal, teamwork," Cozy reassured the queen. "How is taking my- er, our magic apart of teamwork?" Chrysalis asked in a suspicious manner. "If you guys allow Tirek to absorb all of your energy and magic, then maybe he might be strong enough to break through the field," Cozy explained. Tirek looked at his muscles with glory and pride. "And then what?" Chrysalis asked suspiciously. "Then... he gives it back," Cozy provided. Tirek was taken aback and looks at the pegasus filly in confusion. "I do?" He asked. "Mm-hm." "How do I know you won't just take my- our magic, grab the bell, and then leave us to freeze on this mountain?" Chrysalis asked suspiciously. "Well, the creature thing said that for those in pain, we have to show them empathy. So if he says that you have to show it to us, I'm pretty sure that means we have to show it to you, too," Cozy stated. Chrysalis simply sighed in disgust, "Fine, but only if Tirek swears not to do it anymore at Grogar's lair," She said, eyeing Tirek. "As I said, I have done nothing of the sort!" Tirek tried to defend himself. "Tirek?" Cozy said with an arched brow. Tirek simply sighed. "Fine, but only if she doesn't talk to her log every 5 minutes," Tirek said with a smirk. "How dare you-!" "Chrysalis, we don't have time. We need to get the bell, or who knows what Grogar's gonna do to us? We'll make it 15 minutes, okay?" Cozy said quickly with a persuasive smile. Chrysalis sighed and stood up straight. "Do it." Then, Tirek started to absorb Chrysalis' magic and started to turn into his third form, the changeling could feel herself getting weaker by the second. Once finished, the changeling queen collapsed onto the ground with broken eyes. "So. Much. POWER!!!" Tirek roared in greatness, but then he noticed something. "Although, I didn't receive any power from you," Tirek said to the creature. "My powers cannot be absorbed because they work much differently in this universe than where they were given," The hybrid explained. "Ah, I see... Well, anyways, WELCOME BACK, BABY!!!" Tirek shouted with mighty joy. Then, he shot a mighty beam at the force field, but only a small portion of it opened. "It's not big enough for me!" He said straining. "Not for you, but it is for me," Cozy said before she went through the hole. "Keep it open, or I'll be trapped in here with the bell forever!" She called back before entering the cave. Chrysalis lifted her head weakly. "Would that really be so terrible to do?" She asked Tirek, who simply laughed at the question. "Can't... hold... much... longer!" He called through the hole. He could feel himself losing it. "HURRY!!!" He shouted. "Just a little bit-!" But Cozy was cut off when Tirek lost his grip, and the hole closed off. Cozy fell to the ground and looked up to see that the hole had closed before she was able to escape. "NOO!!!" Tirek roared, then he punched the side of the mountain. "We were so close!" "We... we failed," Chrysalis said weakly. "I... I'm trapped..." Cozy said. She saw that she had the bell, but she and it were now trapped inside the field. "W-What do we do?" Chrysalis asked. "Grogar said that we have to work together, so we can't just go back without the filly," Tirek stated. "And we can't go back without the bell either!" Cozy called through the field. Chrysalis was thinking, until she thought of one thing. "Creature... You said that your powers work differently here than where they were given to you, correct?" She asked weakly. The simply stared for a moment before he turned to the shield. "I understand your idea," He says as he approaches the shield. "Move," He said to the centaur. Tirek moved away and let the creature come to the field. Cozy looked up at the creature, hoping that he might be able to break her out of this field. "Beware, Cozy Glow. You will feel gravely feverish," "W-What does that mean?" Cozy asked a little worriedly. For an answer, the creature exposed his palm and placed it on the force field. The trio noticed that the creature didn't flinch at its touch, because it wasn't burning. Instead, the shield itself started to deteriorate and collapse. Cozy suddenly felt very queasy and sick. "I... I don't feel..." Then she collapsed to the ground, and her body began to break out in Leprosy and Melanoma. "Too... (shudder)... g-good," She whimpered weakly. Chrysalis and Tirek saw the diseases escalating. "What's... happening to her?" Chrysalis asked, almost concerningly. "Just a few more seconds," The creature responded without strain. Cozy Glow started feeling like her life was slipping away from her corpse. She still shivered and shuddered in her purple coat, and her eyelids began to falter. And then, when Death's door had almost opened to the filly, the corruption stopped. Then a portion large enough for the creature shattered like real glass. He walked in and grabbed the filly, taking her out of the field. He then made a syringe with this golden yellow liquid with glowing white swirls appear in front of him. He took it and injected it into the filly's neck. Then, the diseases started to vanish by the hours. Cozy Glow weakly opened her eyes with soft blinks. She looked up at the group, and then she smiled softly at the creature. Then she coughed a little and said, "T-Thank you..." The creature simply nods. Chrysalis looked at Tirek weakly and pitifully. "My magic..." She sulked. Tirek looked at his muscles for a moment before he looked at Chrysalis with a reluctant look. He opened his mouth, and Chrysalis' magic was returning to her horn, giving her the strength she needed. Chrysalis jumped immediately and charged her horn with glee. Then she looked at Tirek a little shyly. "I... I wasn't really sure you were going to give it back..." She said nervously, not used to telling creatures how she would usually feel. "Neither was I," Tirek said with a shrug. "But, working together seemed... smarter than to... continue fighting," Tirek said with a slight smile. "W-When we... helped each other, it... it felt better somehow..." Cozy said weakly. "I... I haven't felt like this since... I lost my Hive. Having others who will be there for you feels... pleasing... Chrysalis said thoughtfully. "There is a value you three could learn from this experience. Working together doesn't mean that you have to become friends..." The hybrid began. "Ugh!" Chrysalis groaned. "Certainly not," Tirek said firmly. "Bleh," Cozy said a little more sternly, despite her weakness from the diseases healing inside of her. "Yes, friendship is as revolting as it can be for us villains, but working together doesn't mean that you have to be friends. The other of thinking about it... Is that there are possibilities for you three to learn to cooperate with each with only glimpses of sympathy for one another," The hybrid finished. Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy looked at each other thoughtfully on this. "You... You're right, creature. We may not like the idea of being 'friends'..." Chrysalis began. "But there are other ways we can learn to work together," Tirek said. "Even if... we can show just... a little sympathy," Cozy added. The hybrid nodded at the trio. "Now that you three have obtained the bell, perhaps it is time that you all head back," The creature said. "Oh... You mean... without you?" Chrysalis asked a little reluctantly. "I mean, we've only met you just last night," Tirek said. "And you... helped us climb... up the mountain and... get the bell," Cozy said weakly with a smile. The hybrid began thinking of what to say. "Would you... like me walk with you, at least until it is time to part ways?" "I think that would be exceptional," Chrysalis said. "I suppose if you'd like," Tirek said with a shrug. "I'd like... (cough cough)... that," Cozy said weakly. "Very well." And with that, the trio and hybrid started their way down the mountain. Knowing your Inner PainTirek, Chrysalis, and the creature with Cozy Glow softly and quietly breathing in his arms, were walking through the forest. "So she doesn’t snore. Imagine that," Chrysalis said softly. "You should both be relieved that she is alive, or Grogar would have ended you both for letting her die by my claw," The creature says. "What, are you expecting a thank you?" Chrysalis asked in annoyance. "No, just your reliefs." "We are," Said Tirek. "Yes, of course," Says Chrysalis. The creature simply nodded and they continued walking. It was silent for a few minutes, then the creature started whistling a specific tune. 30 Minutes Later... Once the creature was done whistling, the changeling and centaur could hear the pegasus filly softly weeping in her sleep as gentle streams of tears slid down her face. "Is she... crying?" Chrysalis asked in disbelief. "You would have if you were just as young as this pegasus is," The creature said to the changeling. Chrysalis scoffed, "Why?" "It is a lament that only orphaned creatures would understand through heart. I would expect you to know since you are alone now." "What?" Chrysalis asked confusedly. The creature simply levitated Cozy Glow to Tirek. "You can take yourself and the filly ahead. I think the Queen and I might be having a talk," He said to the centaur. Tirek simply sighed, "Fine, but don't fall behind," He said as he started galloping ahead. Chrysalis and the creature looked at each other. The creature's eyes looked dead and blank on the inside, but Chrysalis was otherwise suspicious. This creature seemed like he was trying to get into her head, and she would not have it. Chrysalis walked in front of the creature, and he simply stopped before the ooze on his torso touched her hoof, which was safe for her. The changeling queen gave the creature a vexing glare. "Alright, newt. I'm tired of you playing mind games on me, and I know what you're trying to do," Chrysalis irked the creature. The creature didn't even arch an eyebrow. "Do you?" "Cut the act, you're trying to get into my head and turn me soft, but it's not going to happen. I won't let anypony or anyone such as you, tell me what I don't know about friendship," Chrysalis irked again. "Do you know?" "Of course I do! The Magic of Friendship is like a disease, and it infects those around you. You're just as blind as my hive, and I will not let it get me. So don't even try to put on the act of trying to make me change," The queen hissed. "I'm not talking to you," The creature simply said. Chrysalis only arched an eyebrow. "You can see my heart, but you're not talking me directly?" "No, I am talking to your spirit." "How do you know what my spirit wants to hear?" Chrysalis tested. All the creature did was slowly lift up his left lip corner, generating a smirk. "You don't have emotions, what are trying to smirk about?" The changeling asked demandingly. "Your spirit has blinded you," The creature responded. Chrysalis looked at the creature in disbelief. "What are you saying?" Then the creature slowly lifted his right lip corner, generating a smile. Chrysalis thought this was going to be a load of insults to piss her off... But the creature was right, he wasn't talking to her, and these words were not insults at all. "Your corrupted spirit has stolen your home and your swarm. Starlight offered you friendship, but you feared that she would have tricked you and taken you down to the depths of Tartarus and locked you away. You have cried and wept as you have believed that you have been disgraced and unloved by your subjects. You act vile, cunning, and malicious, but you can never stop the thought of how you could've lead your swarm... no, raised your swarm when the unicorn offered her friendship to you, but you threw that chance away and fell under Grogar's hoof to be a slave..." Chrysalis shot a death glare at the creature, but she thought him accursed as he was blind. "Stop..." She threatened with a hiss. The creature dispelled his smile. "Why? To cease your spirit from listening to its pain? It is your spirit's lust for love-power that has separated you from your kingdom, and it was that which has turned the unicorn's offer away, not yourself. You could have reformed, but you thought that love only means to hug everypony, throw out flowers to them, and say very sappy words to your neighbors. Your corruption has blinded you to the bone, and it has unbalanced you from what you wanted your children and yourself to be..." The creature continued. Chrysalis was just about ready to lash out at the creature, but at the same time, she felt as if this creature was actually talking to her spirit. The creature talking to her spirit was making her eyes water warm tears from fury and lynch, but sorrow, gloom, and grief. "Stop lying to... me!" She barked through a gasp. "It is not a lie, your spirit just refuses to accept it. You even thought of Celestia as a sister from a time, but the plant that has made you, has cursed you with its devious appetite for flesh and bone. You thought your swarm and yourself accursed for that. You thought Celestia would have been a wonderful and loving sister, but your spirit's greed and darkness took hold and made you think of her anything but. When you struck down Celestia at the wedding, you wanted to cry, but your spirit thought it was exhilarating, and you took pride in her downfall." "When you assumed that Thorax 'betrayed' your Hive, you knew that you wanted to be happy for him and take the chance to learn the ways he learned about friendship, instead your spirit grew hateful and despised the very thought, and that made you hate the idea. When your changelings attacked the Crystal Empire when Flurry Heart was around, you wanted your feral children to not harm your only true son, but your spirit would have him killed instead of spared because of its greed and lust for love-power. When you, Tirek, and Cozy Glow finally managed to work together, you seemed like a sweet little family, you even felt that way yourself, but the darkness and greed only wanted the task to be done and never see them again- which I daresay that you know that you would have deeply regretted." "Your spirit is corrupt because of the greed for love-power that it has become accustomed to... And you don't even even know it." "STOP!! JUST S-STOP IT!! STOP T-TALKING... Sto-Stop it... s-s-stop..." Chrysalis was going to literally slaughter this creature, but this creature also seemed to… understand her... somehow. She would have torn the creature's brain out and shoved it down his esophagus, but it was useless as this creature could really get to her and really speak to her in a way that no one ever thought of before. She thought this creature resembled the Element of Kindness, but he spoke to her more directly, without hesitation, and he knew how to really speak to somepony or someone in pain. Chrysalis didn't even care to see herself sobbing and bawling into her holey legs, not even in front of a creature that was talking to her very soul. "I am... not corrupt... I am not... corrupt," Chrysalis whimpered to herself. "It is not you... You only think it is," The creature said, standing before the broken changeling queen. Chrysalis shook her head, "N-No, I don't... I-I don't... I... d-don't..." Chrysalis could not see how to come back at the creature. "You do... You just do not know it yet," The creature said as he knelt in front of the changeling, softly stroking her mane. Chrysalis gasped at the creature's touch. "W-What are you- What are you doing?" She asked perplexed and shocked. "Has there been nopony to stroke you when you weep for your crimes, reassuring you that you will still have a chance to repent for them and forgive yourself?" The creature asked. If Chrysalis could read the creature, she would've made it out that he was trying to make the sentence sound polite, but sincere. Somehow she felt... pleased. For some reason she actually liked the creature stroking her mane, but of course she could not soak up his love because he had no emotions for anyone or anything, even if he was trying to show them. "N-No..." Chrysalis admitted. "I did not think you did," Then the creature got up and offered a claw. Chrysalis was as confused as she was still trying to pull herself together. "W-What?" She asked. "Just a simple hand to help you up," The creature answered. Chrysalis hesitated as she looked at the claw and then back at the creature. She lifted her hoof and slowly moved it towards the creature's claw. However, the creature retracted it. "Before you take the action you choose in your mind, test yourself on this: Is he offering a hand for redemption, or is he just going help me up and we can continue the rest of the way?" The creature said. Chrysalis realized that the creature had a point. Starlight offered redemption, and she thought that Starlight was going to betray her and lock her away in the depths of Tartarus, but this creature was impossible to read. Chrysalis looked away and retracted her hoof a little. "Just keep this in mind: Even of you don't accept my hand for help, I can always give you a little encouragement. A queen such as yourself... should not deserve to be alone without a comrade," The creature said. Chrysalis looked at the creature in the eyes again, and then... she placed her hoof in his claw. The creature helped her up. "I... I would if I could, kill you if you told anypony or anybody about this... But... ... ... Thank you," Chrysalis said a little weakly with a tint of sincerity. "Of course. No matter what queen you want to be... you can always at least try to hope for a helping hand from a true comrade." The two simply stood in place, the hybrid staring at Chrysalis' heart, and Chrysalis looking away with a somewhat reminiscent manner, putting one leg in front of the other. "(Ahem) You are... returning?" "Oh! Yes, yes, of course." Chrysalis snapped out of her strange feelings about the subject and buzzed off to her comrades, the creature hovering in tow. A Tale from the DeadThe trio and the creature were almost at the border of the mountain, walking silently without a word to each other. However, the trio have been wanting something from the creature that they gave to him... "So... We haven't heard where you come from, Mr... Creature," Cozy Glow said to the infectious beast. "Yes, we've all told you our stories, and now I think it's your turn," Said Tirek. "You know that we're all in pain, so now it's your turn to tell us what your motivation of pain is," Says Chrysalis. "Of course, of course. Where shall I start?" The creature said. "How about the beginning, were you always like this?" Said Tirek. "No, I was once whole as Chrysalis once was. If this is your choice, I only warn you that this is no tale for those faint of heart and feeling," The creature stated. "I'm fairly certain we can handle any story that comes our way," Chrysalis said with a smirk. "If this story is relative to the tune you were humming, I might cry again..." Cozy said sweetly, truthfully. The creature simply stared into darkness, whistling the same tune as he began to observe on the beginning of his life... (Play icon for the hybrid's theme) Many Millenniums Ago... There was nothing but darkness all around, a void of blackness and nothingness. Then, a pair of eyes opened to see a very elegant and beautiful dragoness and a strange monster with a strange head and burning eyes. "I was once a rare species of dragon. A dragon that would be charged to protect all of the Cosmos. My dragonflight was the chosen brood of the Titans of Light, the devoted guardians of their beloved creations, the children of stars, the avatars of spirits." "We were... the Neutron Starwyrms." "The Titans of Light themselves have proven to be the most powerful entities of the Multiverse, and have given only a small piece of their power to five individual dragons that started out as small drakes. They were of course: Alexstrasza, Ysera, Nozdormu, Kalecgos, and Neltharion. Eonar granted Alexstrasza the powers of Life and Ysera the powers of Dreams, Aman'Thul granted Nozdormu the powers of Time, Norgannon had first granted Malygos the powers of Magic until he became corrupt, and now the powers of Magic are given to Kalecgos, and Khaz'Goroth granted Neltharion the powers of the Elements. Over time, seeing the young Aspects doing good with their powers unto Azeroth, the Titans that granted them a small piece of their power, began to see them as their own children, and they taught them everything about their powers as mothers and fathers." The pair of eyes looked happy and comforted at the sight of their mother. "However, the Titans decided that they would add a sixth Dragon Aspect. She would be the Aspect of the Cosmos, Sylindrania, Queen of the Neutron Starwyrms. Our mother. She had power over the many universes of the Multiverse, moving stars in their exact positions, causing the swirls of galaxies, the births of Pulsars, Neutrons, even Black Holes. She was the primary guardian of all living things in the Titans' place as they discussed an important matter." "At the time, my mother was not yet betrothed, until she was deceived into mating with a creation of the 'One Who Is Bound'. A creation not of this world, but of another... N'Zoth, the Corruptor. An Old Titan of Shadow, Void and Nightmare." "Once N'Zoth and Sylindrania were married... They had me. And I was named 'Nutron'." "However, my mother began to fall to a terrible corruption of the soul, heart, mind and body. With what little conscience she had left... she sent me to a world far from her reach and the reach of my father." The pair of eyes saw themselves being sent through a portal and through the fabrics of space and time. Once they passed through, the portal close behind the eyes, and they saw that they were on a strange world without a sky. "We were sent here, the Equestrian Universe, but not in Equestria." The pair of eyes began to cry for their mother for hours. The only thing that came was a strange creature never seen before. That creature... was Princess Luna herself. "The Princess of Night found me on her beloved moon in the Dreamscape realm. Seeing as I was supposedly abandoned, and seeing no guardian around to nourish me, she decided to raise us herself." Princess Luna took the baby dragon to Equestria and showed him to her big sister, Celestia. The two sisters were only fillies at the time as their parents ruled over Equestria. The eyes looked to see a dark lavanderish-blue filly and a snowy-white filly looking at him with warm smiles and comforting eyes. "The Two Sisters gave us a prosperous and happy life, and Luna was my new mother. She would often take us to the moon and its beautiful Dreamscape Palace." The pair of eyes were as tall as a filly and saw an older Luna and Celestia talking with their father, sadness in their eyes. Next, the eyes saw themselves on Luna's back, fillies behind her soaring with her to the moon. "Luna's Children of the Night worshiped us as their brother and prince, showing us their love and affection for our past of abandonment... ... ... But nothing... lasts forever..." The pair of eyes saw their transformed mother fighting their aunt. Then they saw their aunt bringing out strange colorful rocks. Seeing that their aunt was about to blast at their mother, the eyes quickly flew up to their mother... The eyes and their mother banished to the moon, their mother being furious and angry. "Once her banishment had begun, she became a monster..." The pair of eyes were thrown all over their mother's chamber, crashing into furniture and walls, bruises and cuts all over their body. Next, the pair of eyes were being whipped upon or spat upon by their former brothers and sisters, the dream creatures throwing rocks at them. Finally, the last thing they saw was a dagger coming towards them in the face, turning everything black. "One day, we took it no longer..." When the young dragon felt a slap on his left cheek, he bared his claws and felt a scratch on his mother's right cheek. After a few moments of silence, the Alicorn monster left. Nutron slumped on his haunches and started crying into his lap. "And then... our fate... had come." When the dragon heard his mother coming closer, he suddenly felt his wings torn off of his body, feeling the blood gush from his back and onto the ground and his body. Next, he felt his lower legs cut off from his upper legs, more blood gushing out. Then, he felt himself being lifted into the air and slammed to the ground multiple times, knocking him unconscious. And finally, he felt a massive jab in his chest and a burst through his back, groaning and wheezing in pain... Then, he was lifeless. "We were mutilated..." Nightmare Moon started dissecting and ripping the drakeling to limbs and organs. ... "Disembowled..." Nightmare Moon carried a large sack that was dripping with fresh blood across the halls towards the Graveyard. ... "Thrown away..." Once Nightmare Moon took the sack to the graveyard, she placed it by a dead tree with an evil grin. "Enjoy the darkness," She gawked, then she laughed sinisterly and walked away. ... "But, in a way... we were saved..." After 20 years had passed, the bag was old and rough and attracted flies because of a very powerful stench from it. Then, these black, skeletal demon hands with ruby-red crystals came out of the ground with this black and red portal underneath the sack, and pulled it in. Then the portal vanished. ... A small dragon body was placed into a hybridization chamber, and a strange scientist was experimenting on him. The scientist had a humanoid body, but he had a draconic face, forelimbs, lower legs, and a tail. He wore a very tattered and smeared lab coat and a pair of glasses. His scales were black and he had ruby-red eyes with very slit pupils. He also had 3 rows of large blood-red spines on his back. He inserted a vial with this black liquid inside of an incubator. Then he pressed a pad button, and the liquid entered the chamber. Then, the dragon inside started to change in appearance. His scales started to turn onyxian-black, his fur began to deteriorate, and his horns and tail began to mold into something new. "Beginning Mutation," Said the computer. The scientist looked at the dragon with hoping eyes. "Come on, Neutron Starwyrm... Come on," He said quietly. The dragon's new form was almost finished... "But we failed to be made again..." But then, tragedy struck when the dragon simply burst into the crystal's the creature would eat. "Mutation Failure." The scientist sighed in disappointment. "Try again professor," Said a dark voice. "Yes, my emperor." The scientist returned to work. "And many a time, we failed..." ... The scientist entered another vial into the incubator. "Beginning Mutation." The dragon started forming again, but then the heart monitor gave out a long beep. "We failed..." "ERROR - Brain Deterioration," The computer blurted. The scientist looked over at the computer and saw that it showed the dragon's brain deteriorating rapidly and turning into dead tissue and rotten holes. He sighed again. "Mutation Failure." ... "And failed..." Next, the dragon started bulging, and the bubbles popped with living tapeworms coming out of him. "Mutation Failure." ... "And failed..." Then, various parts of the dragon started detaching and falling limp on the ground. "Mutation Failure." ... "And so forth..." Then, the dragon turned to crystal and shattered. "Mutation Failure." ... Then, a vital organ would simply burst or deteriorate. "Mutation Failure." ... Finally, the dragon would keep bursting into crystals. "Mutation Failure." Every time he was remade, the dragon would go through these bizarre events, and the scientist would grow much more despair. "All of this for over 7,300 years..." 7,347 years later... The scientist was looking over blueprints and schematics of the hybrid he was trying to create, wondering where he always went wrong. Finally deciding to give up, the scientist took the body and these strange crystals over to an escape pod and let the pod launch. "After those times... we finally returned..." The body and the crystals were found by Archipelago and Emerald Shine. But the same failing process went on, over and over and over again for 126 years. And at last... we were made again... Archipelago looked over at a container of the crystals and simply gazed. then, something caught his eye below the crystal label. He looked below and the label said, "2 minutes old". The scientist gasped, "That's it!" Then he turned a small knob that would change the age of the crystal. As the crystal aged, it started turning up with the alien mold, it started cracking, and the tarry substance started leaking out. Then Archipelago stopped when he paused the knob at 7,351 centuries old. Then he took the container with the crystal to the lab. ... Archipelago placed the corruptive crystal into a larger container, along with a vial of the tarry substance, and a vial with this much blacker liquid with eerie shadow-grey light in the shape of tapeworms, and they both pulsed around like living worms in a salt bath. Once the scientist pushed the pad, the process began to start. "So... what are you thinking about naming it?" Emerald asked. Archipelago started thinking. He looked at the screen as it told him that the base genome was Neutron Starwyrm. "I think I will name him... 'Nighdrak'." The creature was made, and thus... his life had taken the toll... ... ... ... ... ... Present Day... Then the creature known as Nighdrak, the Tantronus UR-H VI hybrid, finally whistled out the end of the tune. Cozy Glow was simply in tears from the tune, Chrysalis simply gave an sympathetic look, and Tirek was simply astonished by how much this hybrid had gone through. "And here we are," Nighdrak finished. "I'm... sorry to hear that. D-Don't read into anything when I say sorry," Says Chrysalis. Nighdrak simply nodded at the statement. "Not everypony or everyone is simply born with a happy life, but they always learn to talk it over... unlike us villains." "So your motivation of pain is Nightmare Moon?" Asks Tirek. "Not the moon ghoul in general, but also the one who listened to her lies." "Ahh... So Princess Luna started all of this with you?" Asked Chrysalis. "Yes, and for her crimes, I shall find a weapon to purge her and her beloved 'Children of the Night'," Nighdrak said, black-silvery saliva dripping from his jaws, his head and arms twitching a little. Cozy Glow wiped away the tears in her eyes and looked at Nighdrak with so much sympathy. She flew out of Tirek’s grasp and over at Nighdrak. Nighdrak extended his arms, and Cozy Glow landed in them. “D-Don’t worry, Nighdrak. We’ll help you get revenge on Luna. And we promise that we won’t do anything mean to you also. Right guys?” “Of course,” Says Chrysalis. “Obviously,” Says Tirek. “Thank you,” Nighdrak says almost happily. Then the quartet was silent for a moment. The villain trio looked at each other and nodded. "Nighdrak?” Chrysalis asked. Nighdrak turned his gaze to Chrysalis’ heart. “We were wondering, if it’s not too much of a concern to you… Perhaps you would like to join us back at Grogar's Lair? It's not exactly home as it is at your old one, but at least it doesn't get very cold inside," Said Chrysalis. “Yeah, I can show you whe- Tree,” Cozy said quickly. Nighdrak heeded the filly’s warning and walked around the trunk that he almost tripped over. “I can show you where my room is if you’d like. It’s a little small, but I think we can make a little more space,” Cozy offered. “Although, there isn’t really anything alive that you can feed on,” Tirek pointed. “But I can make cupcakes,” Cozy remarked. Nighdrak started thinking on the offer. Being part dragon, it was dangerously cold on this mountain, but he did have the ability to store up more body fat to keep out the cold. And being up on this mountain was rather a little lonely, so he wouldn’t mind a little company. However, he took the word ‘cupcakes’ into account, which meant that he would have to make his own moldy and rotten food. However, that didn’t bother him. "Very well, I accept the offer," Says the hybrid. The trio simply smile at the hybrid's exception. Sinister FindingsThe trio had returned to Grogar's lair. "You failed to retrieve the Bell!?" Grogar's voice echoed outside. Inside... The trio all bowed before the ancient goat. "W-We're so sorry, almighty Grogar," Cozy whimpered. "But we did work together as you asked," Tirek said with dread. "I suppose we just aren't as powerful as you," Says Chrysalis worriedly. "AAARGH!!!!" Grogar shouted in anger and shot a beam of darkness at a wall, creating a massive tunnel in it. The trio were intimidated. "Obviously! But at least you finally came to an agreement and worked together," Grogar said in frustration and a small amount of relief that the trio no longer fought against each other. Just as Grogar was about to leave though, he turned to the group with a suspiciously narrow-eyed look. "While you were there, was there anything out of the ordinary that you encountered?" "Not necessarily, but we did bring somepony, or someone who thinks they would be a great ally for our Legion of Doom," Says Chrysalis. The trio moved aside and revealed the hybrid, Nighdrak. Grogar had a shocked expression. "So... what do you think?" Asks Cozy Glow. Grogar furrowed his eyes at the 3. "Do you know... what he is?" Grogar questioned. "Should we?" Asked Cozy glow. "He said he was a hybrid of some sort," Says Tirek. "He is not a hybrid of this realm. He shouldn't be here," Grogar said. "But why? He'd make a really great addition to the team!" Cozy said in Nighdrak's defense. "This creature is too dangerous to keep around. His powers are far more superior than the entire world’s armies combined with their powers together. Even if you did succeed in retrieving the bell, not even that could stop this creature from losing control of himself." "Your master is right. Without fuel, I can become unstable," Nighdrak stated. "And you can be as vile and cruel as you are insidious and cunningly strategic in that condition," Grogar states. "And that is why I cannot have you here at all. So, take your leave and never return, and don't blight anything as you exit." Then Grogar turns around and starts walking away. "We're sorry, Grogar, but... we can't let him go," Says Cozy Glow. Grogar turns to the trio in irritation. "That creature is a danger to this world, along with every other he encounters. I will not allow him a sanctuary in my lair," Grogar snapped. "But we can't just let him go! He's really powerful, and he could help us!" Cozy defended. "His power doesn't work like ours! True, you all understand that he works with the powers of an infectious magic, but it's not magic at all!" "What do you mean it's not magic at all?" Asks Chrysalis. Grogar simply huffed and then sighed in annoyance, "Since the beginning of the first being who learned about magic, there was another who learned of another source of something far more powerful. However, that power never worked the same as any other corruption. That power was called 'devoid'. Devoid is a different kind of power that resembles major similarities of magic, but it doesn't carry the same properties as any other kind of magic. Whatever it touches, it will either corrupt or devour the population in a matter of seconds," Grogar said, extending a hoof at Nighdrak. "This creature is the worst of all those who use devoid to either defend themselves or harm others. He uses his power to either turn his victims into his fuel, turn them into his personal ghouls, or even... manipulate them to treat him as family," Grogar explained. "That is only if I am threatened or placed under harmful contact," The hybrid stated. "I do not care, I will not have you in my lair. Leave," Grogar says in irritation. Nighdrak simply stares at Grogar's dark heart. Then Cozy Glow comes in front of the undead hybrid. "We're not letting him leave," Cozy said defensively. Chrysalis also came in front of Nighdrak with a charged horn, Tirek stood behind him with a glare. Grogar was angry with these 3, but he knew that he needed them to help him take over Equestria. He looked for any glimpses of dark enchantment, and he found nothing. He also knew that if he attacked any of the 3, the hybrid would retaliate in a slaughterous manner. Grogar simply snorted in annoyance, "Fine, he may stay." The trio smiled at Grogar's affirmation, and at Nighdrak. "But I warn you, if he becomes even the slightest of uncontrollably hostile... his presence will be all of our undoing," Grogar says as he turns and goes into the cave. "Do not worry yourself, Mr. Grogar, I can be very accountable for this alliance," Says the hybrid. "And that will be our downfall from you," Grogar whispers under his breath. Cozy Glow sighs in relief for Nighdrak. "Come on Nighdrak! I'll show you where my room is!" She offers. "Wonderful." Nighdrak follows Cozy Glow to her chambers. Chrysalis and Tirek simply smile at each other, and then over by a stalagmite... where they hid Grogar's Bell! With Cozy and Nighdrak... "So, you don't talk to the pony or any other creature in general, because you know those... embodiments, won't listen to you?" The filly asked the hybrid. Nighdrak seemed to give her a special book on pronunciations. Nighdrak simply nodded, feeding on the moldy and fluid-leaking crystal. "And, you can tell how somepony is feeling, even though you can't 'see' them?" "Indeed," Nighdrak answered. "Wow... so, you actually know where we're all coming from?" Cozy asked in astonishment. "I can only do my best," Nighdrak answered honestly. Cozy chuckled, "Well, you definitely got me a lot. I never would've thought that there'd actually be anypony or anyone who could understand me. It's almost like having... a brother," Cozy said with honesty. "Now now, Cozy, let us not rush into any relationships just yet. Grogar claims for us to work together as a team, not as a family," Nighdrak did his best to make that remark sound polite, but when you don't have emotions, it's very difficult to let people know what you want your words to sound like. Cozy could tell he was struggling with tone modulation, and she giggled a little. "Don't worry, I know how you meant that to sound. But you know what it's like to be abandoned and not have a family- I mean, I don't know what it's like to die a thousand times, but at least there's somepony in the world who knows me... unlike Princess Celestia..." What Cozy didn't realize while she was talking, is that the word 'Celestia' caused a sparkle of darkness in the hybrid's eyes. Nighdrak looked up with slightly widened eyes and an insidious smile. "So yeah, now Tirek and I have a score to settle with that sunny-sunshine princess Celestia for sending us into... Tartarus?" Cozy noticed the look on Nighdrak's face, and she was a little creeped out. "Uh... Nighdrak?" She asked. She walked up to him and flew just as high for him to see her heart move. "Nighdrak?" She said in a sing-songy tone. Nighdrak instantly turned his eyes up to Cozy's, she flinched at the sudden movement. "O-Okay, you're kinda scaring me," She said a little concerningly. "Celestia...?" Nighdrak's voice got very demonic and deep. Cozy got more scared and slowly backed away. "Did you say... Celestia...?" "Y-Yes?" Cozy was anxious now, not sure what was going with Nighdrak. "A-Are you... o-okay?" "Oh, I'm fine... in fact... I think I'm feeling... ravenous for princess flesh," Nighdrak seemed to have more demonic emotion in his voice now, the sensation of deviousness coming in his throat. "Uh... O-Okay...?" "Celestia... Now that sounds... like fun." Nighdrak started chuckling, then it started turning to laughter. Cozy didn't know what to do, but she hesitantly laughed with Nighdrak. Nighdrak laughed insidiously, his eyes glowing with pure darkness and villainy… The New StudentIt was a bright new day in Equestria, as a certain dragon was awakening from his slumber. Spike the Dragon, #1 Assistant and younger brother to Twilight Sparkle, had just gotten out of bed and prepared breakfast for Twilight. "Twilight, breakfast is ready," Spike called. "I'll be done in just a sec," Twilight called back. Twilight Sparkle, former protege of Princess Celestia, the Princess of Friendship, was brushing her mane before she came downstairs. Once finished, she set down the brush, brushed and flossed her teeth, and then she walked out of the restroom to go eat the wonderful breakfast Spike had prepared for her. "Morning Twi," Spike said with a happy grin. "Hey, Spike," Twilight said with a warm smile, approaching Spike with a nuzzle on the forehead. "Hey did you sleep?" "I slept good, but I had a very strange dream." "Oh? Pray tell," Twilight said as she sat down and levitated a fork with a piece of pancake on it to her mouth. "Well, first it started all black, you know? And then everything zoomed out and showed a large fish tank with this strange slime in a glass chamber big enough for about 6 teenage dragons. Then an egg inside hatched with a very strange... uh... dragon that the slime seemed to be taking care of, and then there were some scientists testing and experimenting on it very harshly and punished it if it didn't cooperate. Then everything zoomed out to show a lab that exploded and everypony died, except for the hybrid. And... that was it," Spike explained. "Hm, that's an interesting dream, Spike." "Yeah, I felt kind of bad for the dragon though, being abused, being neglected and forgotten by everypony... The only thing that took care of him was that weird slime," Spike said a little somberly. "Well, I wouldn't dwell too much on it, just remember that the little dragon was being taken care of by what he was raised in," Twilight said. "Okay. Oh! Uh, isn't there a new student coming to the School of Friendship?" Spike asked. "Oh, that's right, there is a new student coming to the school. Thank you for reminding me." "So, what kind of creature's coming to the school?" Spike asked, not bothering to try and guess. "He’s another changeling, although his coloration is a little different from the coloration of other changelings," Twilight explained. "Does that mean he's a love-eating changeling?" Spike asked worriedly. Twilight only giggled. "No Spike, he's not a love-eating changeling like Chrysalis. But he does have Chrysalis' holey legs and insect carapace, but that doesn't mean that he feeds on the love of others," Twilight explained. "Oh okay, that's good to know," Spike said in relief. “Anyways, I’m sure that some of the students will be very welcoming to him.” “Well, let’s hope so, you know that every school has at least two or three more bullies,” Spike stated. “Well, I’m confident that there won’t be any problems him.” 2 Hours Later... The students at the School of Friendship were doing their own things in their individual dorm rooms. The Young Six were wondering what kind creature that this new student would be, not saying a word. All was silent, until someone decided to break the silence. “So... Does anybody know what this new guy could be?” Smolder asked. "I'm not sure honestly," Said Silverstream. "My guess is that he would be another pony," Said Sandbar. "I think he's going to be another dragon, not be confused with dragoness," Gallus said. "Yona thinks new friend will be a little Storm Creature," Yona said, earning a couple confused stares. "Yona think it's possible." "Maybe he's another griffon," Said Ocellus. "I honestly think he might be another hippogryph," Smolder said. "Well, whatever he is, Princess Twilight expects everyone to make him feel welcome and safe here," Sandbar stated. "And let's hope Chancellor Neighsayer won't be to harsh on him, no matter what he is," Smolder said. Suddenly, a holographic image of Twilight Sparkle herself came out of thin air. "May I please ask Sandbar, Smolder, Gallus, Yona, Silverstream and Ocellus to come to the front entrance of the foyer, please? Thank you," Twilight said with a smile before she vanished. "All right, let's go," Said Gallus. School of Friendship - Foyer... The Young Six were standing tall and concentrated. "All right, now as you all know, a new student is transferring here to learn about the attributes of Friendship, and we've been informed that he has some disabilities that could make it a little difficult for him to feel safe and cared for here. So, you all know the drill: Give him a smile, let him know that he's safe here, and please be sure to be careful about how you talk to him, especially if he does something by accident that makes you all get upset with him," Twilight explains. "Yes, ma'am," The Young Six said simultaneously. "Thank you. Spike, would you please get the doors?" Twilight asked her #1 Assistant. "Sure thing Twi," Spike said as he walked to the doors and opened them up. Once the doors opened, all heads turned to see... nothing? Everypony except for Twilight looked at each other with looks of confusion. Twilight walked up to the entrance and called out to the new student. "Come on! Come on out, it's alright, nopony's going to hurt you," Twilight said warmly and gently. Then, two hooves came from the top of the entrance, and a head poked out. "It's alright, they're not gonna hurt you," Twilight says again. After the reassurance, the new student came down and fluttered with his wings to the ground slowly, revealing his full demeanor. The Young Six looked at the new student in astonishment, especially Ocellus. He was a love-starved changeling. His eyes were blood-red and his mane and tail were black with silver-grey stripes, and his face was shadow-grey with ruby-red speckles around his eyes. His carapace was sangria-red with ash-grey straps under his stomach and on his sides, attached to obsidian-black armor plating on his back, his lower legs had holes and darkened to an obsidian-black color with two ash-grey streaks running up the black. He wings were much more elongated than a regular changeling drone's, and they were pebble-grey with black veins and tattered holes. His mouth was also wider and had four exposed fangs, and his horn was a little longer and was jagged at the bottom, along with larger horns on the sides of his head. However, his body was a little skeletal, showing the shapes of ribs, eye sockets and upper leg bones. He was just 2 inches taller than Ocellus. The Young Six stared in awe as the new student fluttered down slowly to the ground, his head lowered and a step taken back, his breathing a little rapid and uncertain about these strangers and a look of anxiety in his blood red eyes. "It's alright, come on in," Twilight said with a warm and encouraging look and smile. The new student slowly took a step forward, and then a couple more at Twilight's side. "Everypony and everyone, I would like you all to meet Scarab," Twilight said. "Hi," Said Sandbar and Silverstream with a wave. "Hey," Gallus and Smolder said with casual smiles. "Hello!" Yona said with a wave. Ocellus all the while, simply stared at the changeling known as Scarab in astonishment and concern. He seemed only a year older than herself and he had coloration that she had never seen on a changeling before. However, he looked very skeletal and devoid of fat and muscle, not an ounce of fiber in his body. "Hello," Ocellus said a little sheepishly. Scarab looked away and down from the strangers. "It's okay, Scarab, they're just saying hello. Why don't you say hello back," Twilight encouraged. Scarab inhaled and exhaled through his nostrils, turning his gaze to everyone. "H-Hello," He said with a weak wave. His voice was a little higher than Thorax's and was a little nervous, and the entire inside of his mouth was metallic black. "As you can all tell, he's very shy and he doesn't talk very much, so let's make sure he feels safe and welcome to our school, all right?" "Yes, ma'am," The Young Six responded. Twilight looked at Scarab and gave an approving nod. Scarab turned his gaze to the Young Six and slowly approached them. "So, do you know where your dorm room is?" Gallus asked. Scarab simply shook his head. "Uh, Ms. Sparkle?" "Scarab is actually assigned to you six," Twilight said. "Oh, in that case... Come on, we'll show you where our dorm room," Gallus said as he flew to the room with his friends close behind. Scarab slowly followed. "So, are you sure that he'll be fine with them? You know how rowdy Gallus and Smolder can get," Spike said. "Don't worry, Spike, I'm sure Scarab will learn to cope with them," Twilight said with a smile. Young Six Dorm Room... Gallus opened the doors and flew inside, he and his friends showing Scarab the interior. "So, what do you think?" Gallus asked. "It's not much, but we have art supplies, books to read, comfy chairs and bean bag cushions, and you can get a nice view of Princess Twilight's castle from over there," Silverstream said as she pointed at the window to her far left. Scarab looked around and slowly analyzed his surroundings, taking all the colors in and making out every object and shape. "... It... I-It's... fine... I guess..." Scarab said slowly. "So, Scarab, where're you from?" Smolder asked. "I'm pretty sure he's from the Changeling Hive," Gallus said bluntly. "No," Scarab corrected. Everyone looked at Scarab in confusion. "You're not?" Silverstream asked. Scarab shook his head. "Oh, so then, where are you from?" Gallus asked. "Hollow Shades," Scarab answered. "The Hollow Shades!?" The Young Six asked in shock. Scarab was taken aback by the sudden reaction and took a few steps back with his ears down. "Is... I-Is that... bad?" Scarab asked a little worriedly. "No, no! Of course not," Sandbar recovered. "It's just that usually nopony and no-one lives there because of the Pony of Shadows," Silverstream states. "I've... actually seen scarier... so... I thought living in a secluded area would draw off predators and aggressors," Scarab explained. "I... guess that would be a smart thing to do when you're living all by yourself," Gallus complimented. "But what about the Pony of Shadows?" Smolder asked with concern. "Yo-You don't... have to worry. I-I waited until Stygian was freed and the Pony was banished to Limbo," Scarab explained. "Oh, well that's good to know," Sandbar said with relief. "So, how did Scarab find way here?" Yona asked. "Well, sometimes when you're living alone, you have to be an expert adventurer to stay safe and survive, and sometimes... you just have to take a risk hiding in the shadows of your surroundings, or even in plain sight, no matter how scared or anxious you get," Scarab explains a little more calmly. "Wow... That's... really brave of you to do that, Scarab," Ocellus compliments. "T-Thanks," Scarab says a little shyly. Ocellus' cheeks turn to a very light pink. "So, just so we're all on the same page, you don't eat the love from others?" Gallus asked a little suspicion. "I-If you have suspicions of that, and i-if you think my nervousness is giving the answer away, I-I don't want you to get the wrong impression. I don't feed on love because it can create lust for more, in a way. I just don't eat love like most changelings used to. the truth is, I'm not really related to changelings at all," Scarab explained. "But you have the structure of one, albeit the colors, mouth and wings," Sandbar points out. "Yeah, most of the creatures that see me often get confused between the changelings and my kind. I'm actually a relative of Changeling called a Morphoca," Scarab stated. "A what?" Gallus asked. "A Morphoca is a distant cousin of changelings that have the same abilities as they do, but we often starve much worse than they do and resort feeding off of negative things, like hatred, mistrust and violent thoughts. And feeding on those things are what take our "fuller" selves away, if you will," Scarab explains. "Again, most creatures mistake Morphocas as Changelings." "That's a lot of negativity to feed on... Wait a minute, if you feed on negativity, won't that turn you evil?" Silverstream asked with dread. "No! No no no, of course not! I might feed on negativity, but that doesn't mean that my personality will change," Scarab reassured. "You sure?" Gallus questioned. "If-If you guys need me to prove it to you, I can do that. D-Do you need proof?" Scarab asked worriedly. "Well... If you promise the negativity won't change you, I guess I can try to believe you," Gallus said. "If you want to put your full trust in me, you're free to watch how the negativity affects me if I get the chance to devour it," Scarab said more sincerely. "I trust you, so you don't to worry too much about it," Silverstream reassures the youthful Morphoca. "Oh... O-Okay," Scarab says nervously. "So... What do you eat physically?" Sandbar asks. "Well, it's hard to explain, but I'm more of a piscivore than a carnivore." "A what?" Gallus asks. "A piscivore is an animal that mostly eats fish," Ocellus states. "Oh, gotcha," Gallus says. "Not Sea Ponies, though, the queen has magic and could curse me if I even tried once," Scarab said as he looked at Silverstream. "Oh, whew! Tha-That's a relief to know," Silverstream said. "I know," Scarab said with a weak smile. "I'm sorry if that scared you," Scarab said with a guilty look. "It's okay, it's good to know a fish predator that doesn't just eat all the fish in sight." "Yeah, it is... Uh, so... When does class start?" Scarab asked. "Actually it's early out today, so uh... You can just hang out here or find another place to hang out if you want," Smolder said. "Oh, that's wonderful, that should give me enough time to get the supplies I'd need for Monday. Well, it was nice meeting you all," Scarab said as he turned to leave. "Sure thing!" Silverstream said. "Anytime, man," Gallus said. "See you Monday!" Yona called as Scarab exited the room. "Well, that wasn't so bad," Gallus said happily. "Yeah, he seemed pretty nice," Smolder said. "It's kind of interesting that he came over his nervousness very quickly," Sandbar said with intrigue. "I like that he's smart, he knows exactly what to say and he knows how to recover the wrong impressions that he doesn't mean to give out," Said Ocellus. "I actually like that, too," Said Sandbar. "Not to mention kind of attractive, in a way," Ocellus thought to herself. RelationshipsIt was afternoon at the School of Friendship, and the Young Six and Scarab were sitting in their dorm room. Sandbar and Ocellus were reading their own books, Smolder was doing some stretches, Yona was coloring a picture, and Silverstream and Gallus were simply sleeping with each other. Scarab was staring out the window at Twilight's Castle of Friendship in curiosity. He was wondering how Twilight was able to unite all the races of Equestria with her kind and other races that followed. Ocellus was still reading her book until she looked over at Scarab. She saw in the window that he was looking into space as he was thinking. He was curious and intent in his thoughts. Wondering what Scarab was thinking, Ocellus decided to put down her book and walk over to him, not even bothering to fly. Scarab was looking at Twilight's Castle until he heard hoofsteps coming closer to his left. He looked back to see Ocellus approaching him. He then turned his gaze back to Twilight's castle. "You okay? What are you thinking about?" Ocellus asked the Morphoca. Scarab was silent for a moment before speaking. "I... I don't understand. I thought most races of the world were cruel, cold-hearted and selfish, like Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Tirek, Starlight Glimmer, the Pony of Shadows and Cozy Glow. I thought they would never come together as one and learn the ways of friendship. But... Princess Twilight, professors Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rarity, banding together as friends and using their powers of friendship to defeat each one, and then bringing them together. My race would always work hard every single day to survive, fight in packs, scavenge for food to feed their young, to... feed on the love of others, and then feed on hatred when their victims were... Uh... passing on. My own kind was extinguished by their own starvation, leaving me to be the last one alive," Scarab explained. "But... Then you all decided to... forget about each others differences... and share friendship and love with each other, giving way for new possibilities to happiness and peace. How? How did Twilight accomplish this with you all?" Scarab asked Ocellus. "I'm not sure. But I do know that once everypony started forgetting about their differences and giving friendship a chance... They actually enjoy being friends to this day," Ocellus answered with a smile. "I wish that would've come to my race before they were depleted from starvation," Scarab said somberly. "I'm... really sorry to hear about what happened to your kind. We had no idea you guys even existed," Ocellus said sympathetically. "I don't blame you, or anyone. They probably wouldn't have wanted to see us during our stage of withering, we don't really have the ability to think once we run out of food to feed on." "It must've been hard for you guys. Having to scavenge for food in smaller groups, struggling to feed the young when they were born, watching your own kind become extinct except for yourself..." Ocellus began. "Nopony to make sure you're fine, nopony to come for you when you're in danger..." Scarab began. "Sometimes I feel that way myself, aside from Thorax." "You just feel so..." "So..." "Abandoned," Ocellus and Scarab said in unison. The two looked at each other in surprise and blushed a little. "So... How did you survive?" Ocellus asked Scarab. "It's... pretty grim, you wouldn't want to know..." Scarab said as he looked away. "Yeah, you're probably right." "Well, at least you have friends who can always be there for you, even when you feel alone and forgotten," Scarab said with a reassuring smile. "That's true, do you have any friends?" "No, the only ones I've ever considered friends are my race, even though we've often competed for food sometimes." "Oh..." Ocellus said sympathetically. The two were silent once more, and then Scarab decided to speak first. "I... I really... like your... uh... mane," Scarab said a little shyly. "Oh, thank you, I actually had it done this morning before I came here," Ocellus said with a thankful smile. "I just... haven't seen a changeling for so long. It's been so many years since the Changelings and Morphocas came together once a year for Hearth's Warming. But, I've never seen one that's colorful and more kind-looking." Ocellus blushed a little at the end of the sentence. "You... you think I'm... kind?" "I think you're... kind of similar to... Thorax. He always wanted a friend since his hatching, he always wants to fight for what he believes in, and he was just misunderstood. I don't think a changeling like you should deserve to be commanded to do something they don't want to, you should be given free will and make your own choices, fight for what you believe in. That's what Thorax did, and I decided to follow in his steps and did what I thought was necessary." "I think anypony would be lucky to have friend like you, and I'm glad that you have such amazing friends who understand you," Scarab said with a smile. Ocellus was tugged at the strings by Scarab's words. She was kind of similar to Thorax in a way, misunderstood, wanting to fight for a good cause, and most of all, she wanted a friend. She got more than just all of that, she got five friends. "Thank you," Ocellus said with joy and appreciation, a hoof to her heart. "Yeah... A-Anytime," Scarab said as he turned his attention to the castle once more. Ocellus stared at the sky in thought of every word Scarab said to her. The two of them were silent for a moment until Scarab decided to speak again. "So... I've never really been given a chance to see the rest of the school since I got here. I mean I've seen this dorm room, but I would like to see more of the school." "Oh, well, would you like to be given a tour?" "Sure, I think it should also give me a chance to memorize the place once I see the whole school, that way I don't get confused of where to go when I need to get to a class," Scarab said with a smile. "Great! I'll go ask Sandbar," Ocellus said as she stood up, buzzing over to Sandbar. Scarab simply stared back at the Castle of Friendship in thought of Ocellus. She seemed really nice and kind, but he could tell that she was a little shy in the inside. "So, you wanted to go on a tour?" Sandbar asked as he approached the young Morphoca. "I-If that's alright with you, that is." "I'm down for it. Come on, I'll show you to Ms. Rarity's classroom," Sandbar said with a smile as he and Scarab started walking off. "Who's Ms. Rarity?" Scarab asked the lime-green pony. Sandbar started explaining Rarity to Scarab. Once they were out of the room, Smolder approached Ocellus with a sly smile. "I saw that face, ya know." "What face?" Ocellus asked in confusion. "You like him, don't you?" Smolder teased. "Well, only as a friend, but I don't like like him," Ocellus said in her defense. "Yes you do~" Smolder said in a sing-song tone. "No I don't!" Ocellus protested with a small tint of pink on her cheeks. "Oh, look, you're blushing," Smolder teased. "Wha- N-No, I'm not!" Ocellus said as her cheeks got a little more pink. "Oh, come on, Ocy, don't be coy. It's obvious that you have just a small crush on the new guy," Smolder said with a sly smile and crossed arms. Ocellus was about to say something, but she decided to keep it in. "Okay, maybe a little, but what do I do?" "Pfft! You're asking me? You should probably ask somepony more experienced, like Professor Rarity or something, stallions have had it for her for years," Smolder said as she walked. Ocellus started thinking and walked off to see Rarity. With Sandbar and Scarab... "And over there is the break-room for the teachers and professors, and finally, over there is the council room," Sandbar said as the two concluded on their tour of the school. "Wow, I never knew this building was much bigger on the inside," Scarab said with astonishment. "Well, that's the funny thing about magic," Sandbar said with a smirk. "So, how many students come here usually?" Scarab asks. "Huh, I have no idea," Sandbar says with a shrug. "Well, seeing the size of the school, my estimate would probably be about 1,376," Scarab said. "I'd say that's a fair estimate." "So... I-I hope this isn't... um... too personal, but... I-I couldn't help but notice that there was a special relationship between you and Yona. I could smell the love between you two," Scarab said a little nervously. "Well, it's actually a funny story, but I'm not sure if you're a one for long descriptions," Sandbar said. "No, probably not." "But, yeah, I guess Yona and I have a special relationship between each other. As well as Gallus and Silverstream, Gallus is the griffon and Silverstream is the hippogriff." "I could actually tell when I saw them sleeping close to each other," Scarab said a with a smile. "Heh, yeah, I guess it's pretty obvious when you see them close to each other," Sandbar said with a smile. "What about the dragoness?" "Oh, you mean Smolder?" "Oh, is that her name?" "Yep." "Oh, then yes." "Well, Smolder says that she's not really one for relationships, but I'm thinking otherwise." "Oh, who would the suspect be?" Sandbar motioned for Scarab to bring his ear closer. "I think it's Terramar." "Who's Terramar?" "He's Silverstream's brother." "Um... Wouldn't that be... uh... a little too personal?" Scarab out of concern for Smolder. "If my suspicions are true, I'm sure Silver and Smolder will find a time to work it out," Sandbar says confidently. "Oh... A-Alright, if you say. Uh, what about the uh... changeling, Ocellus? Is she already with somepony, or is she by herself?" "I'm not sure, why do you ask?" Sandbar asked slyly. "I... I just think she deserves somepony who has the traits of Thorax." "What traits are King Thorax known for?" Sandbar asks in confusion. "Well, based on what I've been studying, he's intent, kind, brave, a fighter for good cause, he thinks of others, and he cares for every one of his subjects. He was ready to become king when Starlight helped him dethrone Chrysalis, and he didn't want anything to do with her cause." "So, yes, I think Ocellus deserves somepony like that." "Yeah, I guess she could do somepony like that... But I think she's looking for somepony else in the school," Sandbar said with a wink. "Oh, who?" Sandbar motions Scarab to come closer again. "I think she's into you," Sandbar with a little snicker in his sentence. Scarab, however, was not shocked. "W-Why me? Why would she pick me? She doesn't even know me that well until we talked about how Twilight united every race in the kingdom as one, and that was only ten minutes ago!" Scarab said. "I don't, Scarab, but I'm telling you, she has it for you." This made Scarab a little nervous about himself, but also for Ocellus. "Uh... I-I'm not... really sure if I'm... ready for... that." "Why not?" "Well, for one, the Changelings and Morphocas are closely-related cousins by blood, and during the civil war of Changeling and Morphoca, my kind or Thorax' kind nearly wiped out the other's kingdom. But the Morphocas are far more dangerous when starved, because they commit one of the most heinous crimes from supernaturals, and we once fed on hatred when love ran out from passed on victims," Scarab explained. "And, what was the rime of supernaturals?" "You do not want to know," Scarab said firmly. "Well, alright, but listen, Scarab, just because your kind did something wrong to the Changeling race, doesn't mean that it has to continue. You chose to come here and learn about friendship between races, and you deciding to come here from the wild, is one the bravest things that any unstable creature could do," Sandbar said with a smile. "You... You really... think so?" "I believe so," Sandbar said with a soft punch to the shoulder. Scarab smiled only a little. "Uh... Alright, I'll see if it works out." "That's good." And with that, the two made their walk back to the dorm room. Scavenge for PowerIt has been two weeks since Nighdrak joined the villains for their conquest for Equestria, and there was plotting to be brewed. Grogar was about to leave the lair until he heard a familiar small voice. "So, Grogar! Where are you heading?" Cozy asked innocently. "Since you 3 failed to retrieve my Bewitching Bell, and instead brought back something for worse-" "Nighdrak is not a thing, he's in ally," Cozy said in Nighdrak's defense. "I don't care. Anyways, I will have to venture out for a new source of great magical power to help us defeat Twilight Sparkle and her friends," Grogar gruffed. Then he turned from Cozy's innocent smile and walked out of the lair. "Good luck!" Cozy called out. Once Grogar was far enough, Cozy retreated back into the lair. "He's gone~" She called out in a sing-song tone. Once she called out, Tirek came out from behind a rock and Chrysalis came out from a cave to the ground. Nighdrak dropped with an oozy splat, that surprisingly didn't get on any off his comrades. Then the hybrid rose up to his true form. "I don't trust that Grogar," Tirek huffed with crossed arms. "None of us do," Cozy said. "Which is why we need to solve the problem of Grogar's Bell," Chrysalis said as she got the bell out. "Indeed, we cannot figure out how to use the bell, then our plan will be ruined!" Tirek said as he took the bell. He shook it, but nothing happened. The trio began thinking. "Perhaps I may be of use for this thought?" Nighdrak asked through the mind. "Do you know how to get the bell working?" Cozy asked Nighdrak with hope. "If so, we must know immediately, or else we will have to spend the rest of our lives obeying that old goat. So, I will only say this once: Would you please be willing to tell us how the bell works?" Chrysalis asked with a polite tone. "I, of course, have no knowledge of how to activate the bell, but during my time with the two sisters, I did stumble across a book that showed how Grogar used it on his victims." "Then where can we found this book?" Tirek asked. "Celestia and Luna hid the book away in the restriction area of the Canterlot library, somewhere in the city. You 3 will have to travel there to retrieve it and discover the power behind Grogar's bell." "My triumphant return to Canterlot? I like the sound of that..." Chrysalis said deviously. "Oh my gosh! Roadtrip!" Cozy chirped. But then she noticed something about Nighdrak's sentence. "Wait, you said the 3 of us?" "You heard me correct, little Cozy." "But, what about you?" Cozy asked a little concerningly. "I must venture out myself to retrieve some material for the future battle ahead against Twilight the dragon abuser and her dragon abusing friends. I shall return as shortly as possible." Nighdrak approached Cozy and patted her head, despite his blindness. "I promise," He said before he left the lair. "He does mean it... doesn't he?" Cozy asked with a little uncertainty. "I'm positive that he will. Once he said that he needed to find items to create his own crystal ball that Grogar has, and would return within less than twenty minutes. And he did," Chrysalis said pleasingly. "Okay, I guess that makes me feel a little better." "Ahem, if we're done with this discussion, perhaps it would be best for us to get going," Tirek remarked. "Right, let's go!" Cozy said as she flew out the cave, Chrysalis and Tirek following. With Nighdrak... (Play icon for Nighdrak's scavenger theme.) At the School of Friendship, the students were walking down the halls to their classes for the day. Once they all disappeared into their classes, Nighdrak himself appeared from thin air, staring at the artifacts of each race. His ethereal vision showed him that there was magic inside of these items. With his palm, he touched the Helm of Yksler and Knuckerbocker's Shell and absorbed the magic of the Yaks and the magic of the Dragons. Next, he touched the Amulet of Aurora and Clover the Clever's Cloak, absorbing the magic of the Hippogriffs and the magic of the Ponies. Then, he touched the talisman of Mirage, absorbing the magic of the Changelings. Finally, he touched the Crown of Grover, absorbing the magic of the Griffons. Once completed, Nighdrak vanished away. Crystal Empire... In a secret vault of the castle, Nighdrak appeared right inside and found the artifacts of the Old Pillars. He used his power to grab all the artifacts and absorb the magic within them, even the damaged Tome of Starswirl. Once completed, he placed the artifacts back and vanished away once more. Unknown Realm... Inside of a dark realm unknown, Nighdrak appeared inside of what seemed to be a large castle with these strange monsters roaming around. Nighdrak came to the armory of the castle and saw a blacksmith just finishing with the last bit of plates of armor he was building for an armor set. The blacksmith turned to the hybrid and walked up to him, presenting a fairly large cart of this strange metal, and another cart of skulls and bones of unworldly creatures. "Plates of Dethronite, many times stronger than Xorzite, will protect against betrayers and manipulators, will further strengthen impenetrable scales," Said the blacksmith. His voice was ghostly deep and very demonic with abominations in his throat. Nighdrak took the two carts and nodded with thanks, vanishing back to Equestria with them. Grogar's Lair... The villainous trio had returned to the lair and were discussing the fun they had at Canterlot. Nighdrak appeared in Cozy's chamber and set the levers to the carts down, then he went straight to work. Nighdrak grabbed his first pieces of metal, some bolts, chains, and some skulls. He started bending the metal into the shaped he desired, which was surprising since he was blind... He must’ve been very well trained to do or provide without proper vision. He bent the metal, screwed the bolts to the other plates, chained the scales to the first piece, and used his power to make his birth crystals grow pout of the bones. His first piece was made. He had finished the helmet. Hearing all the commotion, Cozy came into her chambers and saw two carts of this strange metal and unworldly skulls of unworldly creatures. She also saw Nighdrak using his ability to bend the metal and put all the pieces together. "Hey... Nighdrak..." Cozy said a little confusedly. "You are confused about the many items I have brought here. Do you have the desire to know why?" "Uh... Are they the stuff you need for the battle ahead?" Cozy guessed. "You are correct, Cozy." "Oh, how'd you get them?" "I have my ways with the cosmos." "Oh! Right, right. Well, Chrysalis, Tirek and I got the book you mentioned about. Good luck with your project," Cozy said with a smile as she left. Nighdrak was thinking about these villains as he worked on his armor. These villains, they did everything they could to fight for what they believed was necessary, whether it was for good cause or to try and fix there long-remembered problems. Cozy was abandoned by her parents and given to an manipulative orphanage, turning her into a monster that she did not want to become in the first place. Chrysalis was born from a carnivorous bug-making plant that altered her mind to the ways of evil, blinding her spirit away from the truth. Nighdrak could hear their thoughts as he spied on their minds and feelings. He could see their hearts in his mind without seeing them in person. Chrysalis' heart was a little orange, and Cozy's heart was somewhat yellow. He could feel the two coming closer to their resolves. Tirek was okay, he was about neutral with Nighdrak, but all that mattered was that these villains were coming closer to being resolved with their pain. He saw potential for these 3 villains. As long as they were on the roads of change, they would have much brighter futures ahead of them. With the 3 in mind, Nighdrak continued his blind pursuit of armor-crafting. 1 Hour Later... Nighdrak was torching the pieces together with his devoid, chaining the skulls and torching the bones to the plates of every piece of armor he was making for his set, bolting pieces together, bending metal for more armor, and growing more crystals out of the pieces themselves. Nighdrak was in full rush while the villains had fallen aslumber. He cast a spell on them to be deaf until he was done with his armor. (Music ends here) 😊 2 Hours Later... The 3 villains were simply sitting around, wondering what to do as they were bored at the moment. Then the silence was disrupted when an iron footstep was sound. "My armor... is crafted," Said the one who stepped in. The trio looked over to Nighdrak standing before them. He wore the Dethronite armor over his torso, shoulders, legs, arms and tail. The armor was bolted together with plates of the strange metal. His shoulder pauldrons had crystal spikes on the sides, black feathers underneath the rims, a horned dragon skull with spikes on its head on the right pauldron, and the left pauldron had 3 centaur horns with changeling skulls punctured on them, and canisters filled with this very dark red liquid chained to the lower rim. The armor plates on his tail were armed with 3 dragon spike bones on top and two crystal shards on the sides, and at the end of his tail were 3 spiky rings with two crystal spines that curved backwards. On his raptorial legs were Dethronite metal plates that had the spines of a snake with the ribs, and between those were a single dragon spike bone and two crystal shards. Over his torso were ribs on the stomach and a large skull with horns and fangs in the center of his chest, 3 crystals between the ribs and 4 crystals surrounding the skull. On his face he wore a demon skull with horn-like tusks on both sides of the cheek bones, and he wore frills with 2 small spikes and 3 large spines on his scale-armored neck. On his forelimbs were gauntlets of Dethronite metal plates, black feathers, and 2 femur bones of baby dragons on top of ribbed snake spines, and 3 changeling skulls. The scaly skin on his head, neck, hands, wrists, ankle line, and feet of Nighdrak were all cloaked by this strange, shadow-grey smoke that gave of a mysterious black light, speckles of red sand traveling in a tentacle pattern through the skin underneath the armor of bone, crystal and Dethronite. The eyes in the skull were awfully thin garnet-red lines surrounded by a hollow emptiness of unfeelingness, and they were slanted down, giving off as a murderous and deadlocking look. The armor didn't even look heavy for Nighdrak as he stood straight and tall, very much flexibility at the joints of the armor. "Do you... like it?" The villainous trio stared at Nighdrak in complete awe and amazement. Chrysalis dropped a mug of water, Tirek's left eye twitched, and Cozy had her hooves to her chubby little cheeks. "Oh. My. GOSH!" Cozy screamed, then she suddenly flew up to Nighdrak and inspected the armor with awe. "This is the coolest armor set I have ever seen!" Cozy exclaimed excitedly. "I must say, you certainly have talent for your personality and crafting skills, despite being blind," Chrysalis said in astonishment. "It certainly looks strong enough to repel major attacks," Tirek said. Nighdrak, being as emotionless as ever, simply bowed in the praise. "With the bell in your possession, and I in your corner of the battle... the ponies and Equestria... shall fall to your will." "Now we just need to read more of the book and figure out how to work the bell," Chrysalis said. "Then let us begin," Tirek said as he opened the book and started reading with his fellow villains that could see. Nighdrak, however, as he took a seat under Cozy, who sat on his left on the table, going over his own plan in his head. "No matter how long it takes... we will escape..." Nighdrak thought to himself. Cozy looked back at Nighdrak and noticed that he was, theoretically, staring into space. "Nighdrak?" She asks gently. Nighdrak looks at Cozy's heart. "Are you okay?" Cozy asks with gentle concern. "Yes, Cozy, I am fine." Nighdrak struggled to put the emotion of reassurance in his mind-bound voice, but Cozy understood how he meant it and smiled, looking back at the book with her comrades. Nighdrak stared at the hearts of his fellow comrades. "Cozy will love us as a sister, Abysor. Just wait and see... You will see..." Nighdrak was starting to grow more attached to Cozy Glow as he felt Cozy growing more attached to him. He was bound to his inner prison of pain, hurt and wrath for all eternity. But he would help these villains escape their own pain... no matter what it takes... ... ... Child of ViolenceSomewhere in the far regions of the Frozen North, there was a massive abandoned laboratory on the side of a very high mountain, yet it still looked operational. The mountains were snowing heavily as the Frozen North would usually do, and the moon was shining beautifully behind the clouds. Inside the lab... Somewhere deep within the laboratory was a pony head-scientist and his assistant. The head scientist had deep orange fur and a light brown mane and tail. He had emerald-green eyes and the cutie mark of a dinosaur skull next to a vial with green liquid, and he had deep orange wings. He stood about 6 feet tall, and he was about 127 years old. His name was Archipelago. The assistant had emerald-green fur and an emerald-green horn with a white mane and tail, and he had a long white beard. His eyes were sapphire-blue, and he had the cutie mark of a blue and pink vortex surrounded by twinkling yellow stars. He stood about the size of Cadence, and he was about 336 years old, older than his mentor. His name was Emerald Shine. "Archi, I'm not sure of this is a good idea," Said Emerald Shine. His voice was old and a little gruff. "Relax, Emerald, I have the utmost confidence that this hybrid will not fall into failure," Said Archipelago with a confident smile. Then he put a vial of this indigo and blood-red ooze into a DNA Injection Machine, and started typing in commands. "Soon, the world shall know the truth of Eldritch and Blight," Archipelago said with a grin. "Sir, no creature has ever made a hybrid with the DNA of Eldritch Titans and Blightful Abominations. You are agitating the works of forces that are far beyond anyone's comprehension. "The Magic of Friendship is too strong for any villain to handle alone or together. But at last, with the powers of Cosmetic Eldritch and Celestial Blight, the Magic of Friendship shall be overtaken by the powers of a new source... Devoid." "You mean you have the means to use this hybrid to defeat Twilight Sparkle and her friends?" Emerald asked in shock. "Not just them, but also the creatures who would be foolish enough to stand by their sides. I will teach them that the Magic of Friendship cannot save everyone all the time," Archipelago said with a devious grin. "You're mad!" "That's what everyone called me... But no more." In front of the two was a massive stasis chamber that held an egg. The ooze came down from the tubes and entered the egg. The egg was held in a container filled this strange ooze, which floated in the center of special fluids to keep the ooze and egg running and well. There was a progression bar on a computer that showed how far this secret hybrid was from completion. "36 percent comple- ERROR: Hyppocampus deterioration. Hypothalamus deterioration," The computer blurted. "Is the rest of the brain and heart still stable?" Archipelago asked. "Yes." "Then proceed." "Very well." And with that, the process continued. 7 Hours Later... It was completely dark and black, and there was nothing around the area. No Clouds, no Sun, no water, no land, no horizons… nothing. All was quiet and still, until the echo of a heartbeat was heard all around. Suddenly, white cracks started forming... Archipelago saw the egg cracking, he pressed a button, and all the fluids inside started draining swiftly down. The tubes in the egg detached from it by the needles and retracted into the ceiling. The egg cracked and cracked even more, until it shattered below the surface of the ooze. “W-Wait a minute! Won’t he suffocate under all that Eldroblyt?!” Emerald asked in panic. “Do not fret, Emerald. The Eldroblyt is made to recognize this creature as its creator and master. It will serve this hybrid to the end of the universe’s days,” Archipelago explained. Archipelago stared at the ooze as it bubbled and rippled like water. Then the ooze lifted the newborn hybrid out of itself and allowed it to breath in its noxious and twisting air. The hybrid cried for his caretaker and master, pawing blindly at the air. Then he was placed on a newly hardened surface in front of this black and rotten stem with blood-red sports and patches of black fuzz. The hybrid’s eyes were still closed, but he found his food source started munching away at the spores like berries. "So, let me get clarify this: That hybrid is designed to feed on the food and drinks it makes?" Emerald asked. “Yes, Emerald, and he will want nothing to do with anything that is properly and freshly prepared, unless it comes down to a food of last resort,” Archipelago explains. “Ah, I see.” “Is the specimen hatched?” Asked a gruff voice from behind the two. Archipelago and Emerald Shine turned around to see their boss. He had light grey fur and a light grey horn with a dark grey mane and tail, his eyes were a yellowish-amber color and he had the cutie mark of a dollar with a T-Rex head. He wore a black suit with a black tie and sleeves down his forelegs. “Yes, Mr. Business, the specimen is alive and well,” Archipelago said. The Pony colt known as Mr. Business smirked and walked up to the chamber, staring at the hybrid that had just been born. Mr. Business chuckled, “Look at him, a monster born of Eldritch and Blight put into one. Who would’ve thought that this creature would be used for the army of the Storm King?” Mr. Business’ horn glowed with a green aura and enveloped the hybrid’s tail with his magic. The hybrid squirmed and cried as he was pulled away from his meal. He opened his eyes and saw the one who was magically carrying him. Mr. Business chuckled, “This little lizard will surely make a fine pet.” Suddenly, the hybrid fired a stream of his own saliva at the one carrying him by the tail. His saliva ethereally passed the glass and struck the carrier in the face. The saliva burned and bubbled acidically in Mr. Business’ face. “GAAAAAUUUGH!!” Mr. Business screamed as he ran out of the room. When the creature dropped, he was caught by the ooze in the chamber and pulled back to it. The hybrid snorted and resumed his eating. That was the first abuser he ever inflicted pain upon, and he liked it. He liked that he defended himself against that abuser. Once he finished the spores on the stem, he circled around and lied down to sleep. The ooze slowly extended tendrils from itself and starting attaching to random parts of the hybrid’s body. More specific it’s forearms, feet, chest and stomach, the back, it’s entire jaws, and a third of 2/3 of its tail. The ooze was giving this hybrid the powers and abilities he would need to defend himself, and it nurtured his health. The hybrid felt proud of himself for defending himself against his first abuser today, yet he wondered if there would be more abusers to inflict pain upon. 2 Days Later... “He’s not ready, it’s too soon for his development!” Archipelago said to Mr. Business. “I don’t care about his age, I want to see him in battle!” Mr. Business said back. The hybrid was about the size of a deer fawn and was as long as a montes python. He watched carefully as he examined the two ponies in front of him fighting. He watched the light grey unicorn with a strange feeling in himself. He didn’t like the unicorn, he didn’t like it when he was picked up by magic. He barked loudly at the two, causing them to jump and whirl to him. The hybrid watched ever so intently at the unicorn’s expression, making out how to make the expression himself. “Will somepony please deal with this infernal lizard!” Mr. Business said angrily. The hybrid heard electricity to his left and growled demonically with gorish ripples in his throat. He saw two pony guards with shockprods and lowered his head, giving a throaty hiss at the two. The pony guards simply chuckled and jeered. The hybrid growled until he pounced at the two and tried to bite at them. “Aw, does li’l Blighter want to play?” One guard jeered at the hybrid. However, the hybrid slowly lifted his lip corners and made a creepy and insidious smile, his saliva dripping from his jaws. The two ponies watched with dread as the hybrid smiled at them insidiously. “Nu-Uh! Forget it!” One guard said as he ran away. “Hey! Don’t leave-“ But the guard was cut off when he was caught by the neck and pulled to the cage. Then the hybrid bit the sides of his head grabbed his left foreleg. The guard squirmed and wriggled as he tried to escape. But it was hopeless. CRACK!! The hybrid swung his jaws right and pulled foreleg left, breaking the pony’s neck. Then he pulled the guard inside of his cage and started removing the suit. Mr. Business and Dr. Archipelago ran outside the room and saw the hybrid feasting on the lungs and smaller intestines of the guard. “You never said that thing was smart enough to know how to kill its prey quickly,” Mr. Business said in shock. “Well, your the one who allows your guards to quote-on-quote, “Teach it War”,” Archipelago remarks. “This hybrid is meant for war, but you or getting in my way of letting it fight.” “I told you, he’s too young to fight at this stage.” “And I told you that I don’t care.” The hybrid simply feasted on his meal and listened to what the two ponies were saying. They unicorn wanted him to fight a monster, but the pegasus wanted him to wait and grow stronger. What the hybrid accomplished today was earning the fear of their guards, and he managed to catch one in his jaws. 2 Weeks Later... The hybrid was already learning a lot from his experiences with pain, fear, and darkness. Darkness was due to his vision. It was completely black and dark, and all he could see was void and blackness. But when he turned his blind gaze to a living object, he would see crimson lights. Crimson lights indicated that these living organisms were evil to the heart, and that’s what the hybrid made out with his vision. He could see the hearts of others, and the light coloration would determine who was pure and who was vile. Most dragons and ponies would be given comfort and love immediately. But he was denied both. He was denied comfort and life, he was denied freedom and a good life. He was instead shackled to a life of negligence, abuse, and cruelty, doomed to become nothing more than a slave of bloodlust, a weapon of war and carnage, the abomination of massacre. The only thing that granted him comfort and love was the ooze that fed him the spores from 16 days ago. Yet, he learned how to inflict pain and instill fear in the hearts of pony colts. He could spray his own saliva at an abuser and he would cause their faces to burn and melt. When he quickly turned 16 years old, he discovered that he could inflict diseases and mutate ponies by the magic they use on him. He was about the size of a fully grown Kodiak Bear, but he was bound to be much bigger than that. The center of the floor opened and a baby antelope ascended. The baby antelope bleated and honked out for his mother, but all he saw was a strange creature before him. The hybrid looked over to see a white glow, indicating that it was an animal from the wilderness. The baby antelope kept bleating until he felt a sharp pain on his left hip. The hybrid grabbed the buck by the back and neck and clamped onto the baby antelope’s left hip. The baby antelope tried to run from the hybrid and got out a little bit, but then tripped over and fell to the ground of the stasis chamber. The baby antelope tried to escape, but the hybrid started munching into its belly as it wriggled and squirmed. Then the hybrid thrusted it up and slammed it to the ground violently. Then he dug his claws under the belly and started yanking with great force, prying the animal open. SQUELCH!! RIP!! SQUELCH!! CRACK!! CRACK!! [24]CRACK!!! The baby antelope kept bleating and yelping as it was being pried open. The hybrid dragged the antelope across the floor and swung its head at a drawer, which made it bleat quietly. Then the hybrid grabbed between the left femur leg and skin under the belly. SQUELCH!! RIP!! RIP!! SQUELCH!! The baby animal kept bleating as the beast started gouging on its liver and colon. Then it made its way through the lungs and pancreas. Blood was flowing out of the body and covering the hybrid’s jaws. Extracting Equestrian Hybrid Profile... The computer blurted. Then it showed a shape of the creature as completely black and unrecognizable. Then the creature itself showed. “Tantronus EBT-H Mark 6: Engineered by former DRACO’s Dr. Archipelago. This hybrid prototype has the base genome of a Neutron Starscale dragon, with a dangerous blend of Crawg, Carnosaur, Eldrazi, and Cosmic dragon. However, the rest of its DNA structure is unknown and classified. The breeds of unearthly creatures have given this hybrid intellect that rivals Pony and Changeling combined, with enhanced strength, speed, acrobatics and tracker abilities. The Eldritch and Parasitic powers of the Eldritch Titans have infested this hybrid’s blood vessels and veins with endoparasites and vital organs with noxious and airborne-infectious maggots, even the brain is infested with maggots and endoparasites.” Archipelago and Emerald looked at each other in anxiety and utter disgust. Emerald put his left hoof to his mouth and started slamming his right hoof on a table. Archipelago on the other hand, ran to a trash can and wretched, and he vomited so badly. Emerald Shine slammed his hoof a couple more times before swallowing his late supper. "Why..." He groaned. Archipelago raised his head and spit the last of vomit into the trash can. "That is far beyond anything a regular predator could handle eating." "This isn't something a predator would want to eat at all," Emerald stated. "Speaking of which... (gulp) That reminds me, let's test for what he eats himself," Said Archipelago as he approached the chamber. “But didn’t you say that he only eats rotten things and the food and drinks he makes?” Emerald remarked. “Well, sometimes the metabolism can change,” Archi stated. "Okay, first item: Meat." Emerald Shine placed a large chunk of meat into a drawer and pushed it into the stasis chamber. The creature pulled his head back away from the body of the baby animal and took a whiff of a strange scent that had entered his surroundings. he took a few more whiffs and turned to the source. He walked on all fours towards the scent and extended a claw out in front of himself to catch the wall in front of him. What he felt instead was a hollow cubish object with this strange softness and liquid enveloping the underside of his clawed fingers. It was a squishy, wet texture, and it smelled like blood and goat meat. The creature turned away and walked away, sitting on his haunches with his head turned to the opposite side of his surroundings. Emerald wrote down the results while Archipelago put a hoof to his chin in curiosity. "Meat: Not Applicable," Emerald said. “Well that’s a little strange, he was eating the innards of that antelope just a few seconds ago,” Archipelago said. "Try the plants next." "Sir, reptiles with triangular teeth and claws don't really-" "Just do it," Archipelago ordered. Emerald shook his head and grabbed a large pile of leaves and grass. He put it into the draw next to the meat drawer and pushed it into the stasis chamber. The creature caught a whiff of new material and turned his head like and owl. Then he turned his body and smelt the scent of plants and leaves. he didn't even bother following the scent and turned his gaze to the ceiling, smelling the DNA of what he made out to be Eldritch Titans and Blightful Abominations. Emerald arched his eyes at Archipelago. Archipelago scoffed and took the clipboard. "Vegetation: Not Applicable," He said rather bluntly. "Next, gems," Emerald said. Then he put different jewels and gems into the gem drawer and pushed it in. The creature whiffed up the scent of rubies, sapphires, topazes, spessartite, etc. yet, he had distaste and walked further away from the gems. "Huh... Gems: Not Applicable," Emerald said with curiosity. "Try foreign crystals," Archipelago said. Emerald placed crystals of unknown origins into a drawer and pushed them into the chamber. The creature whiffed up the scent of foreign crystals and turned his head towards the scent. It smelled intriguing, but there was no scent of what he needed. He turned his head away. "Foreign Crystals: Not Applicable," Archipelago said. "So, what we've made out so far is that the hybrid won't eat anything freshly prepared," Emerald stated. "Yes, now let us move onto the rotten items. Do we still have those leftover bagged meats from 2 weeks ago?" Archipelago asked. "There still in the trash can, why?" Emerald asked in confusion. "Grab the bagged meats, but don't grab anything else." Emerald was bewildered. "Sir?" "Just do it." Emerald walked over to a large trash can and gripped his magic on the bagged meats from two weeks ago. They were completely fuzzy and green with mold and liquid illness. Emerald gagged and held his breath as he put the bagged meats into the meat drawer and slammed it in. He gasped and coughed for air after that horrible stench. The creature whiffed up the scent of a rancid item and turned his head around. He got on all fours and walked towards the scent. He felt the cube-like object with a strange texture that grabbed his claws a little. He grabbed the smooth and sticky texture out and placed it on the floor. He smelled it and made out that it was plastic with a horrible food inside. He teared the bag open and smelled the horrible stench of moldy and oozy meat. He peeled off a small strip of moldy meat and softly lapped it up like a noodle. After a few seconds he smelled the meat's location and started munching on it. "Moldy Meats: Exceptional," Emerald said as he wrote on his clipboard. "Which is... strange. Wouldn't eating mold cause severe food poisoning?" He asked his boss. "There are some unearthly monsters of this universe that eat mold for a living. It would seem that this hybrid has inherited their physical taste for illness," Archipelago. "But what about pure mold in general?" "Hmm... Let us test that." Archipelago grabs a container of Saprophytes and places it within the plants drawer, pushing it inside. The creature whiffs up the scent of what smelled like parasitic mushrooms. He walks over to what he made out to be the drawer due to the familiar noise of it. He placed his left hand inside and grabbed what felt like a container of these parasitic mushrooms and slammed it harshly onto the floor, breaking the plastic container in the process. he then smelled the mushrooms and started eating them whole, one by one, and two by two. "It didn't even have the desire to taste them," Emerald said. "Well, it wasn’t exactly pure mold, so we'll move onto that." Archipelago grabbed a bag with his mouth that contained 6 balls of straight mold patches clamped together with every type of mold around, and placed the bag within the drawer after opening it. The creature whiffed up a scent of mold in the drawer and didn't even hesitate to inhale the spores that the mold released. He grabbed the bag and teared it in half to get to the mold balls and straight up ate them in one gulp. "He... He didn't even hesitate..." Emerald said in bewilderment. “So, the little lizard’s a mold eater is he?” Mr. Business asked as he entered the room. "It would seem like it, sir, and it will probably eat anything moldy and rotten," Archipelago concluded. "Now that we know what it will eat, let us see about drinking." Emerald Shine grabbed a hose attached to a container of distilled water and attached it to an import hole that poured out the water over a large, circular container. The hybrid heard the water pouring and followed it to the source. After he find a circular object in front of him, he could smell the water in the bowl. He gradually turned away and walked into the middle of his surroundings. “Distilled Water: Not Applicable,” Emerald said as he wrote down the results. “Okay, try parasite-infested water,” Said Archipelago. “It’s even better to say that this water is contaminated with Parasitic Algae from leathery-leaved plants,” Emerald stated. “Perfect.” Then the water container next to the freshwater filled up with the algae populated water. The creature smelled the foulness of the algae water and navigated towards it. After he found the water and smelled it, he stuck his tongue in it and swallowed the taste. He licked his lips and started drinking from thirst. “Algae-Infested Water: Exceptional,” Emerald said. “Good, now try the Blood of Cthulhu.” Emerald shot his head up and looked at Archipelago in shock. “Are you mad again?” “Just do it, Mr. Shine,” Archipelago ordered. Emerald was about to say something, but sighed and did as his mentor told him. He grabbed a flask of this black liquid, and inserted it through an injector. The injector sprayed the blood through a hose and landed into a small bowl. The hybrid smelled the essence of Eldritch magic and navigated his way over to the small bowl of Eldritch-rich liquid. He smelled the liquid and slowly retracted his head. The two scientists looked at each other in confusion. “Blood of Cthulhu: Not...” Emerald was cut off when he heard liquid filling up inside the hybrid’s mouth. Then the hybrid dispersed his own saliva into the bowl of Cthulhu’s blood. Then the hybrid’s saliva and Cthulhu’s blood started bubbling and creating a new type of liquid ooze. It was onyxian black and a little rocky with these black, glowing red spores with bubbles of puss and infection, and you could even see live tapeworms squirming to get out. Emerald grimaces and wretched. Archipelago pickup the trash can waited to vomit again. Once completed, the liquid ooze was mahogany-red with black, shadow-grey glowing bulges and bubbles, much more bubbles of puss, infection, and live tapeworms inside of them, and these stems with currant cherry-red spores with patches of black fur growing out of different spots of the ooze. The hybrid whiffed the scent and growled with devilish excitement. The growl was raspy, demonic and gorishly ripply. Then he started taking mouthfuls of the ooze he had just created, drinking the stems of the ooze like noodles. Emerald slammed his head into a table and started pounding on the table with great force and booth hooves, absolutely just waiting to vomit. Archipelago on the other hand, never hesitated and just puked away as he slammed his own hoof on the ground. “Astonishing...” Mr. Business said in astonishment. Once the hybrid was finished, he licked his lips for remaining ooze and walked to the center of his surroundings. Emerald swallowed his supper again and groaned with tears. Archipelago growled in disgust and spit the remaining vomit into the trash can. “Okay! No more regularities! It’s time to test his coping skills,” Archipelago said. “With what?” Emerald asked. “First, we will try a dragon hatchling,” Archipelago answers. The hybrid was sitting until he heard machines below him. He moved away from the middle of the chamber and saw a white glow in his blindingly-dark surroundings. He smelled fresh blood and cold scales. The dragon infant looked around it his surroundings and saw a creature in front of itself. The hybrid came closer to the white light and took small sniffs of it. It was a baby dragon. He continued to stare at the white light until he heard a voice in his own head. ”Kill...” The hybrid’s eyes started flickering, and he started twitching a little. Once the twitching was done, he saw that the white light had turned completely blood-red and gave off a black glow in the center. The hybrid picked up the dragon infant by the tail and lifted it high off the ground, standing on all fours. He looked around to see any signs of parents, but saw nothing. Suddenly, he threw the dragon infant to the ground. Next, he grabbed the baby dragon by the waist and threw it at a wall very harshly. The baby dragon yelped and whined in pain as he tried to stand up, but that earned him a grasp on the waist again and a plummet to the ground. The hybrid pinned the baby dragon by its tiny body and then thrusted its head it the tiny skull, then with one violent yank... CRACK!! Emerald gasped and gave a look of utter disgust and horrification. Archipelago wretched and held a hoof to his mouth to keep himself from puking. Mr. Business simply clears his throat and swallowed. The hybrid held the infant’s head in his jaws and started chewing before slurping the esophagus down its throat with the head. Then he started working on the body. “I don’t think any infant dragon would be safe from this predator,” Archipelago said. “That was practically cannibalism!” Emerald stated. “It’s not cannibalism if he isn’t the same species,” Archipelago remarked. “But his base genome is a dragon!” Emerald remarked back. “Enough, we can cross dragons off the list.” Emerald sighed and wrote down the results. “Next: Cockatrice.” “Wouldn’t that just turn him into stone?” Emerald asked in confusion. “This hybrid has scales made of a very Deathly-based material known as ‘Xorzite’,” Archipelago stated. “What is that?” “A rock of unknown power, and a material of a realm that no creature has ever learned about. One of the abilities happens to be a nullifying affect against magic, because Xorzite isn’t really made of magic material all,” Archipelago explained. “I see.” “Besides, even if the hybrid didn’t have nullifying capabilities, the Eldritch Titan DNA would make him too powerful to be turned to stone.” “Amazing,” Said Mr. Business. A fully grown cockatrice flew out of the hole in the ground and looked around. “You might want to shield your eyes,” Archipelago said as he put a hoof over both of his eyes. “Right.” Emerald extended a hoof over his eyes from the Cockatrice’s eyes. Mr. Business followed. When the Cockatrice looked around, he saw nothing. Suddenly, he was bitten by the tail and whirled around into the drawers in the chamber, causing him to by a little dizzy. The hybrid revealed himself from camouflage and pinned the Cockatrice down by the body. Then the hybrid creeped his head down with the same black ooze dripping from his fangs and jaws. The Cockatrice regained vision and looked up to see a monster looming over him. The Cockatrice’s eyes glowed red as he let out a loud screech at the beast. But the beast didn’t even flinch. The hybrid thrusted his head and clamped onto the Cockatrice’s own head. Then he yanked and teared the monster’s head off with the esophagus in tow as well. Emerald groaned and Archipelago grimaced. Mr. Business simply frowned. “I can only imagine that the Cockatrice suffered the same fate,” Emerald said in disgust. “If that is so, then perhaps we can unshield our eyes from the Cockatrice’s gaze,” Archipelago said. The three opened their eyes and saw the hybrid slurping up the intestines of the Cockatrice like a giant noodle. Once finished, the hybrid tossed the Cockatrice husk to the side. “Okay, next: Chimera,” Said Archipelago. “Isn’t that a little escalational?” Emerald asked with concern. “This creature is bred for war, Mr. Shine. I would expect you to know that we intend to have him understand the meaning of conflict,” Said Mr. Business. The hybrid whiffed up the scent of a dangerous predator to hapless fools. He turned to see 3 crimson-red lights with black glowing in the center. He got into battle position and growled gorishly. The Chimera looked around to see a strange creature in battle position, ready for a fight. “Pfft! What is this, same kind of...” But the tiger head was cut off when the creature pounced her, grabbed her head, and performed a most unusual technique for a creature his size. Once he was one the ground, he jumped and twisted his whole body in mid-air, twisting the tiger head with him. CRACK!! “BAAAUUGH!! You killed the-“ The goat head was cut off when the hybrid grabbed his head and twisted in mid-air once more. CRACK!! The snake tail simply looked at the creature in shock and dread. The hybrid looked at the smaller light and growled demonically. “Please don’t kill me...” The snake tail pleaded, but the creature didn’t comply. The hybrid shot out what seemed to be an elastic tongue and caught the snake head by the neck. He pulled her to his jaws, and he started chewing on the head. Once completed, he ripped off half of the body and lapped it up. Once the snake head was finished off, he rolled the chimera over and dug his claws into the chest cavity. RIP!! SQUELCH!! SQUELCH!! CRACK!! CRRRAAAAACCCKKK!!! Once the chest cavity was open, the hybrid started gouging on the internal organs inside, starting with the lungs, and blood flowing from the body. Emerald simply cried from witnessing organs and blood. Archipelago simply frowned. “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t see that,” He said bluntly. Mr. Business simply chuckled, “Amazing.” Once finished, the hybrid crawled inside of the Chimera body and made himself comfortable, despite the blood dripping from upward. The hybrid yawned and put his head down to sleep. “It would seem that the hybrid has spoken. That will be all for tonight,” Archipelago said. “I need to go reevaluate my life as a biologist,” Emerald said as he walked away. “Oh relax, Emerald, there will be plenty more bloodshed for you to witness,” Archipelago joked. “That’s not funny,” Said Emerald. Archipelago simply chuckled. Suddenly, the alarm went off and there were sparks everywhere. “What’s going on!?” Emerald asked. “I-I don’t know,” Said Archipelago. He ran over to the control and saw that there was an error. ”WARNING: Core Overheating! Explosion imminent, percentage of survival: 1” The computer blurted. “WHAT!?! Is there absolutely no way of escape?!” Archipelago demanded. ”Escape pods have never been thought of before or after the construction of this laboratory.” “SON OF A BETA...” But Archipelago was cut off when the explosion from the reactor core of the stasis chamber exploded, taking everything and everyone with it. The explosion was so massive that it almost covered the peak of the mountain, causing the building to collapse on everyone. 3 Hours Later... The laboratory was in ruins now. The roof had a massive gash over it, the walls had holes, the hallways were destroyed, flasks, vials and glass were shattered and spilt liquid chemicals everywhere, the stasis chamber had landed below the laboratory, there were steel pillars and debris of stone piled underneath the wreckage, and there was gasoline lit on fire, which lit the wreckage on fire as well. Everything and everyone was taken by the explosion... ... ... ... ... ... Well, almost everyone. Suddenly, there was a burst through all the rubble, and a roar followed. The 16 year old hybrid had survived. He crawled out of the rubble and revealed himself unto the world. He was a dragon hybrid. The hybrid growled as he pulled himself out of the rubble and stepped away from it. He looked back at his birthplace and saw absolutely nothing in his ethereal gaze. He snorts, turns his head back and growls as he slowly walks away with a bit of a wobble in his step. He looks back with a growl and lets out a raspy, demonic, gruesome and ripply roar out for bloodlust, thunder and lightning crashing down as he did so. After so many millenniums, he was finally released unto the world, and free from death. Author's Note Hey everyone! Here’s the first chapter! I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter and thinking about the future events for this story. Have a good day! 😊
When Blight Follows YouGrogar's Lair... "Hey, you guys stepped in on my que!" Cozy Glow complained, then the three villains began their argument. Just then, Grogar himself stepped into the room. "Enough!" He shouts with a stomped hoof. The villains stop their bickering and turn their attention to their leader. "I was hoping that during my time away, you three would have reached an agreement with each other, but apparently not!" Grogar gruffed. "Well, if we knew what the plan for vengeance was, then we would be better able to prepare for it," Chrysalis marked. "That is if you even have a plan in mind," Tirek adds. "Of course I have a plan in mind! With the free time of focus I have given myself, I was able to finally locate an object of incredible power... And it just so occurs to me, that this would be the perfect test for you all to work together better," Grogar said with a sly smile. Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy all shoved each other to prove who would be better than the other. "And you three will do so to retrieve it. Once you retrieve this item for me, those ponies won't even stand a chance against our might," Grogar said. It was then that Chrysalis stepped forth. "I have come close to ruling Equestria several times before. Perhaps I should be the one to lead us," She said with a grin, but then Cozy shoved her out of the way. "I nearly drained all of the magic from Equestria, that was the best plan any villain could ever come up with," Cozy said with a confident smile, but then was shoved by Tirek. "I absorbed all the magic in Equestria! I could feel the power of it surging through is I rule," Tirek said with power, then the villains started bickering again. Grogar gritted his teeth and charged his horns, releasing a shock-wave of dark magic around the room. The three villains flew at the walls and were cuffed by the dark magic to the walls. "Each of you FAILED to defeat Twilight Sparkle and the others!" Grogar shouted with powerful frustration. The three villains each struggled to try and get out of the cuffs, but they were much to powerful for them. "My power is far more greater than all of yours combined into one ethereal embodiment. This is but a fraction of it, UNDERSTOOD!?" Grogar barked. The villains conceded and were released to the ground. "And now, you three shall work together to retrieve the rest of it," Grogar said. Then the emblems on his sash glowed darkly and released dark magic into the air of the room, showing an event that happened many years ago. "Many thousand moons ago, the self-righteous Gusty the Great, seeing that she was unable to best me face to face, stole my Bewitching Bell, a talisman containing a vast majority of my power and a weapon used to take the magic of those who feared me, and the bell cannot be destroyed. At least not by anything that the ponies know of. Seeing this knowledge come to pass, Gusty decided to lock the bell away in a secret cave upon the top of Mount Everhoof. Also taking into account that those who sought the bell would venture the mountain, she placed a mighty spell over the mountain of enchanted winds and a golden barrier to keep it out of anypony and anyone's reach, and the winds would prevent any who scaled the mountain from reaching the peak of it. There the bell has remained... Until now." You three must scale Mount Everhoof by working together. Go and retrieve my bell," Grogar said. Chrysalis giggled loudly, "The ease of this task is laughable." Tirek and Cozy agreed. What the four villains didn't know, however, was that an ethereal eye was watching them from the ceiling. Once it heard everything it needed, the seeped into the ceiling, every ounce and pint of the ooze going with it to not leave a mistake for investigation. Mount Everhoof... "Well it sounded easy," Chrysalis said. "Well, Grogar never said it was easy, but the plan is simple. We scale the mountain..." Tirek began. "Find the hidden cave and retrieve Grogar's bell..." Chrysalis added. "Together!" Cozy Glow chirped, a rolled up piece of parchment in her hoof. "I drew out a detailed plan showing how we can..." But Tirek and Chrysalis already started off to their own directions. "Ditch each other and do it alone..." Cozy said rather reluctantly. "Maybe when I reach the top, they'll finally take the chance to appreciate me," She said more confidently, threshing away the parchment to the wind. However, when the parchment reached the trees, an oozy claws snatched the parchment and brought to the viewer's eyes... that is if they could see anything at all. The hybrid himself couldn't see the drawing, but he sniffed it a couple of times, smelling the hidden desire of teamwork. The hybrid looked over in Cozy's direction and saw her heart in the blackness. It was crimson-red, but there was a spark of whiteness in the center. The hybrid released the parchment and divided himself into 3 eye-worms. With Chrysalis... The former queen of changelings was flying through the air, feeling the wind getting a little stronger as she came closer. When she looked down, she noticed a small clearing for her to safely walk. She pushed through the winds and landed in the woods, and then started walking. A bunch of yellow eyes with red pupils watched her as she walked, taking this changeling as a fresh meal to snack on. Then, a shadow started following her in secret. Chrysalis walked with a cocky smirk, until she felt a presence behind her. She simply narrowed her eyes, whirled around, and hissed loudly at the shadow. The shadow whimpered and instantly retreated with a look of fear. "Pfft! As if anything on this mountain are scarier than me," She said with a chuckle, hovering in the air as she continued to travel. The shadow however, as it retreated, was devoured look smoke by something a lot smaller. It was a hybrid eye secretly following Chrysalis as it stared at her heart, it too was crimson-red with a whiteness at the center. The eyes kept following quietly to not be seen. With Tirek... As Tirek walked, he stopped by a river and scooped up a handful of dirt. He aimed it at the mountain and blew it. The wind barrier threw the dirt back into Tirek's face, making him grumble under his breath. Just then, another oozy eye peeked from behind a rock and saw the mighty centaur heading towards the woods. With Cozy... Cozy traveled a little ways up the mountain and saw a cabin. That's when a pony came out and saw her."Halt! Who goes there?" The pony asked. "A pony? Huh, there hasn't been any ponies around here in I don't know how long!" The stallion said in surprise. Cozy saw the pony from afar and decided to play her innocence trick. She pretended to well up her eyes and give a sad and scared expression, fake sniffles following with big puppy eyes. "Oh, good golly, good sir. I'm trying to look for some help on this cold mountain," Cozy pretended to say sadly. "Aw, don't worry, little filly. Ol' Rusty Bucket is here and at your service," The pony known as Rusty Bucket said with a bow and a smile. "Oh, I'm so glad I found you, sir. I was wondering if I could get some help trying to get to the top of the mountain," Cozy asked. Rusty's expression turned dutiful. "Oh, no can do, ma'am." Cozy's face suddenly turned from somber and happy to perplexion and frustration. "WHY NOT!?" She screamed in rage, causing the mountain to rumble. "Shh! Not so loud, this is avalanche territory here. And I'm the guardian of this mountain, it's my job to keep pony's from heading up. There's absolutely nothing but dangerous snow, dangerous ice, and dangerous wind. So, basically, it's dangerous to go up," Rusty Bucket explained. Cozy cooled off and got another idea. "It must be really lonely for somepony like you to be up here all by yourself," She said innocently. "Oh, it most certainly is. I often wish I had someone to keep me company while I'm up here guarding the mountain." "Maybe I could be your friend?" Cozy asked innocently. "Aww, I'd love that, I haven't had a friend for so long," Rusty Bucket said happily. "So, now that we are friends, would you be willing to help me get to the top of this mountain?" Cozy said with a smile. "Well, if the mountain wasn't so dangerous and full of avalanches, I would. But like I said, it's incredibly dangerous," Rusty Bucket said. Cozy suddenly had an angry look in her eyes. "ARE. YOU. KIDDING ME!?" She yelled, causing the mountain to rumble again. Then she walked away with an upset look. "I didn't wanna be friends anyway," She said rudely. "Aw," Rusty Bucket said sadly. While Cozy walked away and sat down to rethink her strategy, the third hybrid eye peaked from the snow and looked at her heart. It was a little redder than before, but the light inside grew a little against it. All three eyes looked at the hearts of the ones they followed in secret. These were the ones with the unstable emotions, these were the ones in emotional and mental pain. The hybrid himself would see to it that they were fixed, especially Cozy and Chrysalis.
Villains, meet your guideAuthor's Note Okay, so I've decided to just skip thew rest of trails and errors and go straight to the campfire conversation. I hope enjoy the story nonetheless. Villains, meet your guide "Yes, until that SOW, Starlight Glimmer freed Twilight and her friends, corrupted my subjects with friendship, and stole my entire hive!" Chrysalis said bitterly to Cozy. "You should both remember that those ponies have weaknesses. I used Discord's weakness to turn him against his own "friends" that he calls," Tirek said as he put 'friends' in air quotes. Cozy Glow ate a s'more whole and savored the taste of it. "Hm, Discord was really a powerful enemy to Twilight and the others, until he allowed friendship to ruin him," Chrysalis said. "But what was really funny, is when you both should've seen Twilight's face when I had her friends trapped in bubbles all around me! She was all, (incoherent babbling)." Cozy and Chrysalis giggled and laughed a little at Tirek's impression. "Twilight's always so stressed out all the time when things get tough," Cozy said. "When I posed as her former foalsitter at the day of her brother's wedding, I thought she was going to implode!" Chrysalis laughed. Cozy and Tirek laughed. What the villains didn't realize, was that there was a hidden presence heading there way. "I wish I could've seen Twilight's face when I nearly erased all the magic in Equestria into nothing," Said Cozy Glow. "All the magic in Equestria seemed a little excessive, don't you think?" Tirek asked bluntly. "Hey, you gotta think big. Besides, it would've been worth it just to see Twilight and her friends bow down to me," Cozy said with an evil grin. "It would indeed. Who wouldn't to see all those pretty ponies realize that soon, they would lose everything?" Said Tirek. "One who would want to see them bound to another's service," A voice answered in Tirek's head. Tirek looked around confused. "Did you two hear something?" He asked the two females. "No?" Chrysalis said in confusion. "Hear what?" Cozy asked. "I was certain I heard someone talking," Tirek said. "Maybe it's the voice in your head," Chrysalis said jokingly, but Tirek only gave that thought. "Actually, you may be right," Tirek said. "I am? Er, I mean, yes, of course I'm right," Chrysalis said with a smile. "Partially, Queen of Changelings, but the voice in the centaur's head was not his own," The voice said in Chrysalis' head. Chrysalis looked around herself with confusion as well. "All right, now that I definitely heard in my head." "You heard it, too?" Tirek asked Chrysalis. "Yes, but it wasn't my own voice," Chrysalis said. "What are you guys talking about?" Cozy asked confused. "They speak of the one who speaks through their minds... As I speak, through yours," The voice said in Cozy head lastly. "Whoa! O-Okay, now I heard what you guys did," Cozy said a little scarcely. "I shall set as all... free," The voice said to the three villains all together. Suddenly, the three villains huddled together and prepared for combat. "Whose there?" Asks Chrysalis. "Show yourself!" Tirek demands. "W-Wh-Who are you?" Cozy asks in a scared tone. "The one who shall shatter the shackles of this world that confine you." "Confined? We aren't confined to anything!" Chrysalis says. "Your pain cannot be hid from an all-powerful deity." "We are not in pain, whatever pain you're thinking of anyway," Tirek says. "I shall unveil the truth unto you." "What truth?" Chrysalis asks. Then, a rustling came from the bushes in front of Cozy Glow. "Who's there?" Tirek demanded. The rustling got rowdier. "SHOW YOURSELF, INTERLOPER!!" Chrysalis screeched. "M-My good friend T-Tirek is gonna b-blast you if you d-don't go away!" Cozy said scarcely. Then out of the bushes came... "A... rabbit?" Cozy Glow said in confusion. Tirek and Chrysalis looked at each other, and then Cozy Glow. Then, they burst out in vile laughter, pointing finger and hoof at the pegasus filly. "Stop laughing at me!" Cozy Glow demanded irritably, but the two continued to laugh their heads off. "STOP IT!!!" She screamed furiously. Suddenly, these crystals came up and trapped their hooves, wings, legs, horn, and wrapped around the centaur's hands. These crystals were garnet-red with very dark images of the cosmos, teeming with ruby-red stars and charcoal-grey galaxies. They let off this onyxian-black mist with cotton-white embers and shadow-grey flares of dust and ash burning off. They were cracked and spewed this tar-like liquid from them, and various parts of these crystals were covered in various amounts of this alien mold. The mold was crimson red with cotton white fuzz and variously-sized jet black spores. The trio gasped and they tried to free themselves. Chrysalis tried charging her horn, but it sparked and sputtered out in an instant. "I-I can't use my magic!" Tirek tried to form an orb with his magic, but nothing appeared. "Neither can I!" Cozy tried to stretch her wings, but the crystal were very tight on their grip. "I can't stretch my wings! I can't fly!" When Chrysalis continued struggling, she suddenly felt like she was getting... weaker. "These crystals... are... draining... my... energy..." Then she collapsed to the ground. Tirek started feeling the same way. "That's not... good," He said before he passed out. "Oh no..." Cozy Glow said. Then, she suddenly felt herself getting weary and cold, even with her coat on. "H-How c-c-c-can I g-g-get c-cold?" She said before she fainted as well. Before the 3, a figure came out of the bushes with the same crystals in his claws, except fur and blood was donned on them. 2 Hours Later... Cozy Glow groggily and sickeningly opened her eyes, seeing that everything had gone blurry. She groaned and tried to get up, but she collapsed to the ground again. She felt so weak and felt as if a fever had come over her. She was shivering, but she was sweating as well. "S-So... c-c-cold..." She moaned. The figure turned to her and walked over. He lifted the filly's head up onto a small rock. Cozy Glow blinked a few times before she regained her full vision. When she looked around, she saw Chrysalis' and Tirek's heads on rocks as well as hers. "T-T-Tirek? C-C-C-Chrysalis?" She said to the two. The two moaned and groaned weakly. "W-What... happened?" Chrysalis asked. "I... I don't... know," Tirek answered weakly. "Me," Said the same voice the trio heard earlier. They all turned their gazes to a creature that they had never set eyes on before in their entire lives. He had a head similar to Spike’s, two large carnotaurus horns above his eye orbits, and four long tusks on his cheeks. He had blood-red markings in the shape of uncontrollable fire around his eye orbits with sprinkled, shadow-grey markings. He had four demonic horns on the back corners of his head with crevices similar to Chrysalis’ horn, but were variously broken by the same crystals that would sprout out of his victims, and they grew ever so wildly from the broken parts of his horns. He had crimson-red ear fins with two stems and a tattered sail. He had 3 rows of spines on his head, down to a 1/3 of his tail, and they were shaped like variously-sized teeth with crevices between each spine like any other dragon, but they curved forwards instead of backwards, and they all lay between the horns on the back corners of his head. However, various spines on his head are missing and replaced with crystal spines instead. His snout was a little longer than Spike’s, covered in an alien ooze that started out as a rotting, currant-red mold with salty-white spores of these parasitic fluids and infections, and ended with a majority coverage of black ooze with ruby-red spots and shadow-grey spores. He had variously-sized, venomous teeth animated by the ooze and this iron-grey sand with flickering slits of a very evil and eerie maroon-red light, and they were all exposed to the open. His lip line reached barely 1/3 of an inch near the end of his eye orbits, and he had two horns on his snout, between and above his nostrils. He also had two scars on his right eye and his eyebrow, and the mold reached about 1/4 at the base of his neck and only the ooze and infectious spores covered his cheeks, and his cheeks and back of his head had variously-sized quills. His scales were onyxian-black. His neck was roughly two times longer than a filly’s neck, but it was not slender, and it had the infectious, salty-white spores in the front and on the sides. His torso was also twice as long as a baby dragon standing on all fours, indicating that it was assumingly part salamander, and his tail was roughly 3 inches longer than Celestia’s. His neck, underbelly, and a ways behind his legs were all blood-red, but he had scale plates on his chest and underbelly, scale plates between his legs, and chest, and they were garnet-red, with two rows of anchor-grey spikes on each plate. From the base of his head to 2/3 of his tail, are more garnet-red scale plates, but they reached down the sides of his neck and down the sides of his torso and tail, creviced between the spines, and the anchor-grey spikes were on the sides, but there was just enough room for his shoulders and thighs to move around, and there were 8, massive, tree branch-like spines from his shoulder blades near the base of his long torso, and there was more of those crystals that replaced various portions of his anchor-grey spikes. He also had armor plates on his upper arms and thighs, and there were anchor-grey spikes as well, and they were large, single spikes on his four elbows and heels of his feet. His entire forelimbs and feet were covered in the mold and long quills, but his claws, toes, and a third of his forelimbs were covered in the same black ooze with ruby-red spots and shadow-grey spores with the eerie shadow-grey sand, his index claws and middle claws were longer than his pinkie claws, but his thumb claws were lethally as long, and interestingly, unlike velociraptors who have two sports-toe claws, this creature had four on his raptor-like legs, but they were also animated by the same ooze and sand, and above on his heels were four more claws, giving this creature’s feet the appearances of misshaped hands. However, the forelimbs of this creature were also wreaking with variously-sized crystal shards on the outside of his arms and above the claws on his soles. The full ending of his tail was covered in the ooze and sand, but with protofeathers as well, and the limbs that connected the sails of his wings were replaced with wildly-grown crystals. He had massive, blood-red broad-wings with onyxian-black tips and ridges, from behind his shoulders all the way down to the end of his tail, the ending tail fins ended in a skydevilish tail-spade design. However, the wings were completely destroyed and have very little amounts of fingers for the sails, and a third of the sails on his tail were completely tattered and destroyed as well, but the wings ended with clawing tips of the sandy ooze, and between each crystal limb were lines of it as well. The tree branch-like spines were black and charred, covered in blood-red mold, spores and the ooze and sand, but there was also ooze sand from his chest to the waist line, spreading across his back at the trunks of his spines, and the tips replaced with the ooze and sand as well. The trio looked at the creature weakly. They were too tired to scowl if not glare, and they saw the creature feeding on Chrysalis' Ophiotaurus meal. "T-That... was mine," She said weakly. "Yes, but changelings do not go unstable alone," The figure responded. His voice was comparable to an 18 year-old teenager, but it carried no emotion. He sounded dead and lifeless, had a deliberate speech, and his voice reverberated very strongly. However, his mouth didn't move once. "How are you talking? Your lips didn't even sway," Tirek pointed out. "H-He’s... p-p-probably a... m-mind-talker," Cozy Glow shivered. "The pegasus is correct," The figure said, "You should know, Chrysalis. You have done it before." "Controlling a victim is different from telepathic speech," Chrysalis stated. She tried to get up, but then she fell limp. She exhaled, "What did you do to us?" "You are all ill and under grave fever... For now." Then, the creature turned to the trio, not looking at them though. His eyes were ash-grey with outward rims of an onyxian-black color, and they had no light in them either. The trio looked at those eyes and saw that they had no pupils and no irises either, similar to a changeling's, but dead and emotionless. His expression was completely neutral and blank. They also saw that he wasn't looking at any of them. "He's... blind," Says Chrysalis. "Indeed, but one learns to accept it." "Then... how are you looking at us then?" Asked Tirek. "Eyes that see only darkness and black, but the light and darkness of another's pure or vile heart." "You m-mean you... c-c-can t-tell who is-s-s... g-good or b-bad-d-d?" Asked Cozy Glow as she shivered. "Yes. The friends and caretakers are spared, the taskmasters serve. But the abusers die, and become my fuel for sustainability." "You mean... you need fuel to not lash out, as well?" Asked Chrysalis. "You should know. But my curse is far more dire than yours." Then the creature pulled out a small mug and filled it with herbal tea, colored sapphire-blue and golden-yellow. He walked over to Cozy on his hind legs, and presented the mug to her. "Drink." Cozy could see soft steam and the colors of the liquid. "W-W-What is i-i-i-it?" "Your medicine." Cozy Glow grimaced a little at the liquid, but it was as flexible as water, and it was warm. She slowly and weakly raised a hoof to grab it. But by cruelty's bargain, the creature retracted it from her. "For later." Cozy simply shuddered with a weak breath. "W-Why?" She whimpered weakly. "I know that none of you can be trusted, but I would at least give some hope that we can reach an accord with each other." "An... accord?" Asked Chrysalis. "You all seemed to be creating one after your failures to climb the peak. I want my fair share of this villainous bond." The trio only looked at each groggily, feeling too tired to even be cranky about being feverishly sick and ail. This creature may have put fevers and fatigue on them, but it does seem rather useful for someone like him. Not to mention that he could also pull off the same crystal nullifying spell that Sombra used to put on Shining Armor's horn once. But what really gets their attention, is that this creature somehow knows that they are in pain - not physically, but emotionally and mentally. If he knows about their pain, could he also possibly relate to them? If they were going to find out, they simply had no choice but to accede his wishes. Chrysalis sighed, "All right, creature... thing. You have our attention." "Where do you want to start?" Asked Tirek. "I have sensed that Chrysalis was to do an impression of this Twilight Sparkle who seems more pathetically stressed than one should be," The figure responded, looking over at Chrysalis’ heart. "I would, but I don't think I can do that if I'm sick," Chrysalis pointed out. "You are the strongest of your kingdom, Queen Chrysalis. I would suspect to recognize how much your pride means to you." Chrysalis groaned, "If you didn't sound dead, that would've sounded like an insult." The creature simply cocked his head in affirmation, and his inner eyelids blinked. The inner eyelids were dark sandy-red with very jagged and toothy ridges. However, the creature had two pairs that closed in a slanted V manner. Then, the creature tapped his right toe, giving Chrysalis a small whiff of restored ability. Once Chrysalis felt her changeling ability return, she transformed into Twilight Sparkle. "Oh, I'm such a pathetic, soggy little pony princess. I even made a very detailed list in all the ways that I'm an absolute failure," She pretended sob. Cozy and Tirek only chuckled due to sickness, but the creature himself would have smiled at the impression. This caught the trio's attention. "I thought you would've laughed at that," Chrysalis said. "No emotions... No joy... No love." The creature seemed to have done his homework with changelings, even if he really didn't have any emotions. Chrysalis was a little taken back. "Oh... noted." "You know, working with you two, at least, may not be the worst thing in this world," Said Tirek, referring to Cozy Glow and Chrysalis. "Perhaps... As long as it means the total destruction of our enemies," Said Chrysalis. "I wouldn't have it any other way," Said Cozy Glow with a weak smile. Then she looked at the blank hybrid. "N-No offence, but..." "We haven't really met properly," Tirek finishes. The creature simply blinked, "All in good time. Would her gracious and deceptive majesty care to continue her impression?" Chrysalis turned into Twilight again and started making sad and soggy faces again. Cozy and Tirek laughed softly if not hard.
Reaching the OrphanSoon the trio was full of laughs, and the creature made them feel much better with the blue and gold liquid he showed to Cozy earlier. "I had no idea you turned Shining Armor into a mindless zombie!" Cozy Glow laughed. "Of course! But who would've thought that banishing Starlight without magic to Tartarus would've been as glorious as just ending her?" Chrysalis guffawed. "And to think that Discord would have been a match against all of us, even without your throne of ancient darkstone!" Tirek chortled. Cozy and Chrysalis laughed along with him. The creature simply stared at the trio's hearts on the ground, laughing away at their own villainous jokes. Then, he exposed his left palm and made a ruby-red ring with very demonic and dark-souled runes appear in front of the trio, and he started to turn it clockwise. The trio suddenly started to go into a fast forward trance, and then they stopped when the creature saw them stop laughing and wiping their tears of joy from their eyes. Then they returned to their normal speed. "I think we've had enough jokes for now. Let's address the elephant in the room," Chrysalis said as she referred to the creature. Cozy quickly looked around. "An elephant!? Where!?" Chrysalis sighed, "There isn't a literal elephant here, and this is a forest." Cozy Looked at Chrysalis confused. "Huh?" Chrysalis grew annoyed, but then the creature raised his palm and advised her to not speak out of turn. "It is the expression in which a couple or many associates talk about a subject that is important at hoof or hand," The creature explained. "Thank you," Said Chrysalis. "Oh... Okay, so let's hear about you," Cozy said to the creature. The creature was silent for a moment. "Before we move onto me, let us discuss... personalaffairs." "Personal affairs?" Cozy Glow asked. "Villainy often originates from pain or an embodiment created out of evil," The creature explained. "Oh, like that's going to be pleasant," Chrysalis scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "Excellent, Ms. Chrysalis. Would you care to begin?" Chrysalis' eyes widened a little. "Me?" But to her chagrin, the creature simply nodded. That just made her more annoyed. "I will do no such thing!" She said as she crossed her forelegs and looked away. Then the creature presented a vial of this pink liquid that gave off a bright pink mist. Chrysalis looked at it and found it curious. "What is that?" "The love from your meal, I vialed out the rest before I devoured it," The creature responded. Chrysalis was astonished and was about to grab the vial, but the creature pulled it back. She was annoyed as she was irritated with what he was trying to do. "For someone who has no emotions, you certainly show your levels of cruelty." "One cannot be cruel without a motive," The creature vexed. Chrysalis simply groaned and took the vial with her magic, opened it, and drank a small portion. She suddenly felt very empowered and... satisfied. "My goodness! This vial of love is even stronger then just taking it from that creature. Did you add it with other creatures?" "I have my ways with different species," The creature responded. "Now... your story?" Chrysalis sighed, "Right, right. Where to begin... Of course. I was created by a carnivorous plant that fed on literally nothing but bugs and bones." "Wow, rough start, huh?" Cozy said. Chrysalis chuckled, "It wasn't all that bad, I was a sinister foe to all of ponykind before I invaded Canterlot, and together we brought cities to their knees. But then one day, that sunny sun-raiser princess defeated me and my subjects after blasting holes in our legs!" She hexed as she showed her forelegs to the group. "So... You weren't always born with those?" Asked Tirek. "Of course not! I use to be whole." "A grand motivation for villainy. Tirek, what pain motivates your villainy?" The creature asked. "Well, my father, King Vorak, always thought very little of me. He would never let me outside of the castle, and never let me think of magic or ponies. And he always liked Scorpan best, who is my gargoyle brother," Tirek humphed. "Daddy issues, I get you," Cozy Glow said understandingly. "And what of your motivation of pain, Cozy Glow?" The creature said as he turned to the pegasus filly. Cozy looked away with an immediate somber glance. "I..." "Oh, don't tell me, 'My parents left me at the orphanage, and I cry myself to sleep at night thinking that they never wanted me in the first place," Tirek mocked in the filly's voice. "Shut up!" Cozy yelled irritably, "And I do not cry myself to sleep!" "Of course you do. We can hear you crying about the subject in your sleep. The least you could do is suck it up and just accept that your parents did abandon you," Chrysalis said. "I don't accept it, and I won't accept it," Cozy said, "But if you guys were left alone your whole lives, I'm pretty sure you would wail yourselves to sleep with your little stuffed animals," Cozy said with a taunting smirk. "Only if they live a lie with themselves," The creature says to the filly. Cozy looked at the creature confused. "What are you talking about?" A sparkle of malevolence and cruelty secretly flashed in the creature's dead, grim, heartbound eyes. "You believe that you do not show empathy or remorse for your crimes, you believe that friendship is power, and that you could have it at your mercy. But in truth, your actions, personality, and intentions are a lie. You do not snore, but you do weep and cuddle with your closest possession, trying in desperation to fight against the pain your heart suffers, yet... you discover that nothing can help your pain if you do not repent for your sins. You believe that you would never show remorse or guilt for the crimes you commit, but you do indeed mourn for your actions, trying ever so desperately to hide all of your shame inside the soggy and anxious coating of your heart..." "I-I don't know what you're talking about..." Cozy says in a faltering defense. "And there are your deceptions. Without magic or any other unique attributes, you use your wits and cunning to achieve victory over those you want to conquer, your cutie mark is the symbol of deception and devious strategy in word play, and the power of mind to play others into your hoof like the pawns of chess. But you could never fool those who see your devious symbolism the way I do. You think yourself a mastermind over all who would take your 'sweet and innocent personality' as a sincere fact, but you could not fool those who have watched you grow and submit to the arts of evil. But you grieve so truly, it hurts you so much to weep into your hooves as you rethink your actions, and you truly want to run to the Princess of Friendship and plead for her mercy, forgiveness, and her compassion. Yet you fear that she will never see you the same way she used to ever again." Cozy Glow didn't understand what was going, especially inside her. On one hoof, this creature sounded like he was trying to get to her through his own arts of deception. But on the other hoof, it actually seemed like this creature was actually understanding her, as if he knew where all of this pain inside of her was coming from. But she didn't want to feel the other hoof. Being remorseful and true was just a trick to throw her off guard. "Okay, you need to stop, I see what's going on here. You think you know me because you think you went through the same thing. I'm done with ponies and centaurs and dragons trying to trick me with their own words and actions," Cozy hissed. "I do not speak to you in general, I speak to your heart," The creature explained. "You have a talent for seeing deceptions by others done to you before they reveal them, just like when you could see when the Cutie Mark Crusaders tried to distract you from what is important to you. But your heart knew they were trying to protect their friends and family from harm, and your heart admired them for that. But your outer greed blinded you from seeing what their intentions for others were. Deep down, you know what I am saying is true, but your outer thinking says otherwise." "I said stop," Cozy ordered irritably. "You are in no position to demand anypony of your goals, and it is a shame that you do not listen to your spiritual heart that pleads for you to stop everything." "You simply try to command others because of what those houseparents always did to you those nights, didn't they?" Cozy froze in place once the creature said that specific sentence. The creature simply blinked. "Ahhh... so it is true..." "You were broken those nights the houseparents took command of you. You became enraged and unstably dangerous to the other orphans, and you wished that you did not become a threat to the other orphans. I can understand trying to control your rage and instability. You have always questioned whether you were good enough for your parents, if they ever loved you, or if they loved something even more than they could ever want to love you. You even wonder if you had parents at all, and that is why you tell yourself that you did have parents, yet you fear that you were created out of nothingness. You cry in the night when you dream of parents that abandoned you for something of far less value. You draw pictures of what you would want your parents to be like or who you think they should be, depending on who you think would be qualified to have mother and fatherly traits and attributes of love and nourishment. You always cuddle with your favorite millipede you found during your stay in Grogar's homebase as you try hopelessly to think of proud and loving parents. You say you are 'cute and lovable', but those houseparents took the real you... from you, and you thought you could never have those personalities again." "All your life after that orphanage, you've been furious, hurt, and strategically deceptive... because of your own lies," The creature finished. Cozy was as embarrassed as she was furiously, yet depressingly confused. How in Celestia's name could this creature know her origin, yet feel exactly where she's coming from? This creature couldn't possibly know everything about her past life, yet everything that he said was true, and he... understood her. But how could he understand her? They don't even know each other! Yet this creature spoke to her very troubled and aching spiritual heart, and somehow, this creature talking to "her" was... pleasing. Her density was softening, but she was still a little stubborn. "N-No, no. I don't care how much you know about me. Y-You don't know what I'm going through," She says with a little uncertainty. The creature simply blinked. Suddenly after a few moments, a swirling mist of dark red and black appeared in front of the three. Then, the scenes with Cozy Glow and Everhoof's snow came on. Cozy flew over Rusty Bucket with a devious smile, but then the wind picked up and blew her into a snow pile. Next, she tried climbing up on the edge of the mountain, but the snow collapsed and she fell in. Then when Rusty Bucket's staff hit the snow above his doorway, the snow above Cozy glow fell on her, and she opened her eyes in bewilderment. Once seen, Chrysalis and Tirek laughed. Cozy shot them a dreadful glare. "Stop laughing! It's not funny!" She yelled. The hybrid taps a toe on the ground. Then the scenes of Cozy and the snow replayed. Chrysalis and Tirek laughed harder. "Stop laughing! Stop it!" Cozy shouted louder. Then the scene of a giant boulder of snow came rolling down the mountain, and then took Cozy Glow with it as she screamed her way down the mountain. Chrysalis and Tirek laughed hysterically. "STOP LAUGHING AT MEEEE!!!!" Cozy screamed. Then, a large blanket of snow fell on her from the tree and covered her whole. Cozy shot up with a furious glare, but then a couple chunks of mushy snow fell on her head with a soggy 'sploosh'. Cozy gave a very sad and hurt look as she felt embarrassed and humiliated. Chrysalis and Tirek simply laughed at her humiliation, and the filly was on the verge of tears. The hybrid however, rose up from his haunches and walked up to Cozy, clearing the mushy snow off of her head and pulling her out of the snow. "H-How do you know... (Sniffle)... What I've been going through? You... You don't even know me..." Cozy thinks in her head for the creature to answer. "Perhaps you will not believe me, but try to when I say, that I too have been orphaned at a tender age of depression and despair. And I may not know you very well, but I can only imagine what it took for you to earn the respect you deserve," The hybrid says to the filly in her head. Chrysalis and Tirek stopped laughing as they saw the creature pull Cozy out of the snow. "Wait, you feel... sorry for her?" Chrysalis asked in disbelief. "If you three are to work together, not in the way Grogar asked of you, then you are to show empathy to those who hide their pain," The creature responded as he stroked the little filly’s mane. Cozy Glow simply closed her eyes and sighed happily, taking a liking to the creature’s soft touch. This creature seemed to spy her deceptions from a mile away, but he seemed to understand her, regardless. Chrysalis gagged, "Showing empathy is like showing care for another." "And you should know. You showed love and empathy to your swarm, and I would expect you to do the same for your fellow allies," The creature vexed. Chrysalis scoffed, "They were my children, until Starlight corrupted them!" "Until your quest for love-power corrupted your spirit." "I-!" Chrysalis was about to rage out, but then she was confused by what the creature meant. "What?" "Unfortunately, you misunderstood how love can power you. The way you acquire love is by stealing it from others, but it only satisfies you for two days time, and it can only empower you so far. However, to share love, which you have despised your whole life, could empower you much more and sustain you for all eternity, even if your spirit passes on to the next life," The creature explained. Chrysalis scoffed, "Love hasn't corrupted me. It is the only thing that satisfies me." "Shortly, but not forever," "Exactly, my hunger can never be satisfied!" "Because you misunderstood how it works," "I have not!" "I would like you to test that theory." Chrysalis shot the creature a death glare. "What?" "I do not challenge you to a battle to prove me wrong, I challenge you to test your own theory of love-power to prove me wrong. When you find the next victim, you can feed your spirit with their love, your way. If your spirit hungers after days with nothing for your spirit to feed on, then you will know that I am right." Then the creature set Cozy by the stump as he somehow put the little filly to sleep. "You two should also sleep, you all have a mountain to scale tomorrow," "I'm not sure if you've ever heard of this saying, but evil never sleeps," Tirek stated. "No, but even evil needs time to replenish." Then the creature curled around Cozy like the lion to the lamb and lied around her. "If you do feel the urge to want my assistance, you need only ask." "Noted," Says Tirek, lying in his chair with his arms behind his hand. Chrysalis was about to say something as she turned to the creature, but she decided against. She sighed and then decided to lie down. "What did he mean by love-power corrupting my spirit? Is that really why I've been starving for all these years...? No! That cannot be true! He's trying to poison me with those words! (Sigh) I just need to get some sleep," Chrysalis thought in her head as she prepared for a slumber. "So, y-you really understand what I've been through, and it's not because you can read my thoughts?" Cozy asked the creature in her head. "Of course not, Cozy. When the time comes, I shall tell you all my lament," The hybrid replies in Cozy's head. "I... I always thought nopony ever cared about orphans in this world." "I care only for the ones who are in the deepest pain. The life you've lived as a youngling is a tragic one, and at last, I see your pain of being an orphan." "I... I did so many bad things to ponies... But... Why are you being nice to me? I trick ponies into being my friends, I sent Twilight and the others to Tartarus, and I almost drained all the magic in Equestria... Even... ... ... Even yours." "My powers cannot be drained because they work differently. And I do not care for a princess who abuses her own sibling, let alone a baby dragon, not even her friends will be passed by their past sins. I will punish everything and everyone who did wrong to the good of heart and the fallens of sympathy." "Even... Even me?" Cozy asked with a strange feeling inside of her. "Of course. Every villain, big or small, cruel or hurt, intent or misunderstood... they all should be given compassion by villains who understand them." "I... I..." Sleeping Cozy's eyes welled up with tears and she sniffled a little, cuddling closer to the creature. The hybrid put an arm over her sides, being careful with his claws. "Thank you..." She said sincerely and more happily through her mind. "Of course... C... G..."
Aid from AilmentIt was mid-day, and the villainous trio and the hybrid traveled up the mountain and up to Rusty Bucket's cabin. Rusty Bucket came out and saw the same filly with three different creatures with a shocked expression. Chrysalis turned into a female Ophiotaurus and roared very loudly at Rusty Bucket, causing the mountain to rumble and come down with a rock-slide of snow on top of Rusty Bucket and his cabin. Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy laughed while the hybrid simply stared at the snow as he followed his new allies, mostly Cozy Glow. He could feel that she was feeling a little closer to him ever since they had their talk last night. Rusty Bucket popped out of the snow and gasped for some air. "I'm okay!" He shouted. The hybrid, however, secretly whipped his tail at the stallion and released an eldritch plasma ring at him, turning him into a black, rocky skeleton with red crystals sprouting out of him, his clothes turning to ash and withering away. A While Later... The quartet looked around for the right direction. Tirek grabbed some vines from the trees, Chrysalis reluctantly allowed the creature to hold her tail because of his blindness, and Cozy was a little ways ahead of them, looking for the right direction. Coming at a crossroad, she looked left and right, and she pointed right with a confident smile. A While Later... The villains climbed up the mountain, except for the hybrid, who seemed to have absolutely no trouble against the enchanted winds. What was even more interesting, was that he wasn't even using his wings, he was just hovering like a chinese dragon would. Cozy put a hoof on one part and accidentally slipped. Luckily, Chrysalis let her catch her hoof by a hole, and the hybrid extended his fingers into oozy tendrils with a rocky surface and caught Cozy by the waist. Cozy looked at Chrysalis and the creature, seeing Chrysalis with a helpful smile and the creature with a reassuring nod. Chrysalis pulled Cozy up ahead of her and helped her climb the way. Tirek continued climbing fine with the creature watching his steps, making sure that the centaur wouldn't lose his step or slip. A While Later... The villains and hybrid got to the point where Chrysalis failed to cross to the other mountainside. Chrysalis motioned for Tirek to tie the vines on a rock, and the centaur did, while the creature tapped the vines and enveloped them in the rocky ooze to make them stronger, but the ooze only stopped an inch from Tirek's hands. The hybrid crossed the chasm with no problem and landed on the other side, waiting to catch either Chrysalis or Cozy. Chrysalis transformed into a Roc-bird and extended a foot to hold Cozy. Cozy took the vines Tirek held and landed in Chrysalis' talons. Chrysalis took flight and flew as hard as she could against the winds. Once she was far enough, she threw Cozy Glow at the other side, and the creature caught the little filly. Cozy wrapped the vine around the other rock and made sure it was tight enough. When the hybrid felt Cozy looking at him, he tapped on the vines again and they were fully enveloped by the rocky black ooze, making it much stronger. Once tight enough, Chrysalis turned into a spider monkey and crawled across, Tirek following. Once two got across the villains and hybrid looked up at the mountain peak. A While Later... After climbing all the way to the peak, the villainous trio and the hybrid came upon the enchanted cave that held Grogar's Bewitching Bell. Chrysalis flew towards the cave, only to be repelled by a magical sphere and blown back with a yelp. The hybrid extended his fingers and caught the changeling from falling in the snow, setting her upright. Tirek and Cozy looked at each other in surprise and approached the shield. Tirek touched the shield, but it zapped him with heat, causing him to grunt and shake his hand. "It's no use, this shield is meant to keep everypony and everyone out," Says Tirek. "Well, can you try to absorb it? It is a magical shield," Cozy Glow suggested. "I can only absorb magic from living things, anything else that's placed by somepony is not considered living in this world," Tirek stated, then the trio began to think. When Cozy Glow looked at Chrysalis, that's when an idea hit her. "Like... them?" Tirek looked at Chrysalis and the creature in realization. "Hmm..." Tirek said. Chrysalis looked at the two in shock, then she gritted her teeth. "Betrayal!" She shouted as she prepared to attack. The hybrid however, simply did nothing but land on the snow. "No, no, no. Not betrayal, teamwork," Cozy reassured the queen. "How is taking my- er, our magic apart of teamwork?" Chrysalis asked in a suspicious manner. "If you guys allow Tirek to absorb all of your energy and magic, then maybe he might be strong enough to break through the field," Cozy explained. Tirek looked at his muscles with glory and pride. "And then what?" Chrysalis asked suspiciously. "Then... he gives it back," Cozy provided. Tirek was taken aback and looks at the pegasus filly in confusion. "I do?" He asked. "Mm-hm." "How do I know you won't just take my- our magic, grab the bell, and then leave us to freeze on this mountain?" Chrysalis asked suspiciously. "Well, the creature thing said that for those in pain, we have to show them empathy. So if he says that you have to show it to us, I'm pretty sure that means we have to show it to you, too," Cozy stated. Chrysalis simply sighed in disgust, "Fine, but only if Tirek swears not to do it anymore at Grogar's lair," She said, eyeing Tirek. "As I said, I have done nothing of the sort!" Tirek tried to defend himself. "Tirek?" Cozy said with an arched brow. Tirek simply sighed. "Fine, but only if she doesn't talk to her log every 5 minutes," Tirek said with a smirk. "How dare you-!" "Chrysalis, we don't have time. We need to get the bell, or who knows what Grogar's gonna do to us? We'll make it 15 minutes, okay?" Cozy said quickly with a persuasive smile. Chrysalis sighed and stood up straight. "Do it." Then, Tirek started to absorb Chrysalis' magic and started to turn into his third form, the changeling could feel herself getting weaker by the second. Once finished, the changeling queen collapsed onto the ground with broken eyes. "So. Much. POWER!!!" Tirek roared in greatness, but then he noticed something. "Although, I didn't receive any power from you," Tirek said to the creature. "My powers cannot be absorbed because they work much differently in this universe than where they were given," The hybrid explained. "Ah, I see... Well, anyways, WELCOME BACK, BABY!!!" Tirek shouted with mighty joy. Then, he shot a mighty beam at the force field, but only a small portion of it opened. "It's not big enough for me!" He said straining. "Not for you, but it is for me," Cozy said before she went through the hole. "Keep it open, or I'll be trapped in here with the bell forever!" She called back before entering the cave. Chrysalis lifted her head weakly. "Would that really be so terrible to do?" She asked Tirek, who simply laughed at the question. "Can't... hold... much... longer!" He called through the hole. He could feel himself losing it. "HURRY!!!" He shouted. "Just a little bit-!" But Cozy was cut off when Tirek lost his grip, and the hole closed off. Cozy fell to the ground and looked up to see that the hole had closed before she was able to escape. "NOO!!!" Tirek roared, then he punched the side of the mountain. "We were so close!" "We... we failed," Chrysalis said weakly. "I... I'm trapped..." Cozy said. She saw that she had the bell, but she and it were now trapped inside the field. "W-What do we do?" Chrysalis asked. "Grogar said that we have to work together, so we can't just go back without the filly," Tirek stated. "And we can't go back without the bell either!" Cozy called through the field. Chrysalis was thinking, until she thought of one thing. "Creature... You said that your powers work differently here than where they were given to you, correct?" She asked weakly. The simply stared for a moment before he turned to the shield. "I understand your idea," He says as he approaches the shield. "Move," He said to the centaur. Tirek moved away and let the creature come to the field. Cozy looked up at the creature, hoping that he might be able to break her out of this field. "Beware, Cozy Glow. You will feel gravely feverish," "W-What does that mean?" Cozy asked a little worriedly. For an answer, the creature exposed his palm and placed it on the force field. The trio noticed that the creature didn't flinch at its touch, because it wasn't burning. Instead, the shield itself started to deteriorate and collapse. Cozy suddenly felt very queasy and sick. "I... I don't feel..." Then she collapsed to the ground, and her body began to break out in Leprosy and Melanoma. "Too... (shudder)... g-good," She whimpered weakly. Chrysalis and Tirek saw the diseases escalating. "What's... happening to her?" Chrysalis asked, almost concerningly. "Just a few more seconds," The creature responded without strain. Cozy Glow started feeling like her life was slipping away from her corpse. She still shivered and shuddered in her purple coat, and her eyelids began to falter. And then, when Death's door had almost opened to the filly, the corruption stopped. Then a portion large enough for the creature shattered like real glass. He walked in and grabbed the filly, taking her out of the field. He then made a syringe with this golden yellow liquid with glowing white swirls appear in front of him. He took it and injected it into the filly's neck. Then, the diseases started to vanish by the hours. Cozy Glow weakly opened her eyes with soft blinks. She looked up at the group, and then she smiled softly at the creature. Then she coughed a little and said, "T-Thank you..." The creature simply nods. Chrysalis looked at Tirek weakly and pitifully. "My magic..." She sulked. Tirek looked at his muscles for a moment before he looked at Chrysalis with a reluctant look. He opened his mouth, and Chrysalis' magic was returning to her horn, giving her the strength she needed. Chrysalis jumped immediately and charged her horn with glee. Then she looked at Tirek a little shyly. "I... I wasn't really sure you were going to give it back..." She said nervously, not used to telling creatures how she would usually feel. "Neither was I," Tirek said with a shrug. "But, working together seemed... smarter than to... continue fighting," Tirek said with a slight smile. "W-When we... helped each other, it... it felt better somehow..." Cozy said weakly. "I... I haven't felt like this since... I lost my Hive. Having others who will be there for you feels... pleasing... Chrysalis said thoughtfully. "There is a value you three could learn from this experience. Working together doesn't mean that you have to become friends..." The hybrid began. "Ugh!" Chrysalis groaned. "Certainly not," Tirek said firmly. "Bleh," Cozy said a little more sternly, despite her weakness from the diseases healing inside of her. "Yes, friendship is as revolting as it can be for us villains, but working together doesn't mean that you have to be friends. The other of thinking about it... Is that there are possibilities for you three to learn to cooperate with each with only glimpses of sympathy for one another," The hybrid finished. Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy looked at each other thoughtfully on this. "You... You're right, creature. We may not like the idea of being 'friends'..." Chrysalis began. "But there are other ways we can learn to work together," Tirek said. "Even if... we can show just... a little sympathy," Cozy added. The hybrid nodded at the trio. "Now that you three have obtained the bell, perhaps it is time that you all head back," The creature said. "Oh... You mean... without you?" Chrysalis asked a little reluctantly. "I mean, we've only met you just last night," Tirek said. "And you... helped us climb... up the mountain and... get the bell," Cozy said weakly with a smile. The hybrid began thinking of what to say. "Would you... like me walk with you, at least until it is time to part ways?" "I think that would be exceptional," Chrysalis said. "I suppose if you'd like," Tirek said with a shrug. "I'd like... (cough cough)... that," Cozy said weakly. "Very well." And with that, the trio and hybrid started their way down the mountain.
Knowing your Inner PainTirek, Chrysalis, and the creature with Cozy Glow softly and quietly breathing in his arms, were walking through the forest. "So she doesn’t snore. Imagine that," Chrysalis said softly. "You should both be relieved that she is alive, or Grogar would have ended you both for letting her die by my claw," The creature says. "What, are you expecting a thank you?" Chrysalis asked in annoyance. "No, just your reliefs." "We are," Said Tirek. "Yes, of course," Says Chrysalis. The creature simply nodded and they continued walking. It was silent for a few minutes, then the creature started whistling a specific tune. 30 Minutes Later... Once the creature was done whistling, the changeling and centaur could hear the pegasus filly softly weeping in her sleep as gentle streams of tears slid down her face. "Is she... crying?" Chrysalis asked in disbelief. "You would have if you were just as young as this pegasus is," The creature said to the changeling. Chrysalis scoffed, "Why?" "It is a lament that only orphaned creatures would understand through heart. I would expect you to know since you are alone now." "What?" Chrysalis asked confusedly. The creature simply levitated Cozy Glow to Tirek. "You can take yourself and the filly ahead. I think the Queen and I might be having a talk," He said to the centaur. Tirek simply sighed, "Fine, but don't fall behind," He said as he started galloping ahead. Chrysalis and the creature looked at each other. The creature's eyes looked dead and blank on the inside, but Chrysalis was otherwise suspicious. This creature seemed like he was trying to get into her head, and she would not have it. Chrysalis walked in front of the creature, and he simply stopped before the ooze on his torso touched her hoof, which was safe for her. The changeling queen gave the creature a vexing glare. "Alright, newt. I'm tired of you playing mind games on me, and I know what you're trying to do," Chrysalis irked the creature. The creature didn't even arch an eyebrow. "Do you?" "Cut the act, you're trying to get into my head and turn me soft, but it's not going to happen. I won't let anypony or anyone such as you, tell me what I don't know about friendship," Chrysalis irked again. "Do you know?" "Of course I do! The Magic of Friendship is like a disease, and it infects those around you. You're just as blind as my hive, and I will not let it get me. So don't even try to put on the act of trying to make me change," The queen hissed. "I'm not talking to you," The creature simply said. Chrysalis only arched an eyebrow. "You can see my heart, but you're not talking me directly?" "No, I am talking to your spirit." "How do you know what my spirit wants to hear?" Chrysalis tested. All the creature did was slowly lift up his left lip corner, generating a smirk. "You don't have emotions, what are trying to smirk about?" The changeling asked demandingly. "Your spirit has blinded you," The creature responded. Chrysalis looked at the creature in disbelief. "What are you saying?" Then the creature slowly lifted his right lip corner, generating a smile. Chrysalis thought this was going to be a load of insults to piss her off... But the creature was right, he wasn't talking to her, and these words were not insults at all. "Your corrupted spirit has stolen your home and your swarm. Starlight offered you friendship, but you feared that she would have tricked you and taken you down to the depths of Tartarus and locked you away. You have cried and wept as you have believed that you have been disgraced and unloved by your subjects. You act vile, cunning, and malicious, but you can never stop the thought of how you could've lead your swarm... no, raised your swarm when the unicorn offered her friendship to you, but you threw that chance away and fell under Grogar's hoof to be a slave..." Chrysalis shot a death glare at the creature, but she thought him accursed as he was blind. "Stop..." She threatened with a hiss. The creature dispelled his smile. "Why? To cease your spirit from listening to its pain? It is your spirit's lust for love-power that has separated you from your kingdom, and it was that which has turned the unicorn's offer away, not yourself. You could have reformed, but you thought that love only means to hug everypony, throw out flowers to them, and say very sappy words to your neighbors. Your corruption has blinded you to the bone, and it has unbalanced you from what you wanted your children and yourself to be..." The creature continued. Chrysalis was just about ready to lash out at the creature, but at the same time, she felt as if this creature was actually talking to her spirit. The creature talking to her spirit was making her eyes water warm tears from fury and lynch, but sorrow, gloom, and grief. "Stop lying to... me!" She barked through a gasp. "It is not a lie, your spirit just refuses to accept it. You even thought of Celestia as a sister from a time, but the plant that has made you, has cursed you with its devious appetite for flesh and bone. You thought your swarm and yourself accursed for that. You thought Celestia would have been a wonderful and loving sister, but your spirit's greed and darkness took hold and made you think of her anything but. When you struck down Celestia at the wedding, you wanted to cry, but your spirit thought it was exhilarating, and you took pride in her downfall." "When you assumed that Thorax 'betrayed' your Hive, you knew that you wanted to be happy for him and take the chance to learn the ways he learned about friendship, instead your spirit grew hateful and despised the very thought, and that made you hate the idea. When your changelings attacked the Crystal Empire when Flurry Heart was around, you wanted your feral children to not harm your only true son, but your spirit would have him killed instead of spared because of its greed and lust for love-power. When you, Tirek, and Cozy Glow finally managed to work together, you seemed like a sweet little family, you even felt that way yourself, but the darkness and greed only wanted the task to be done and never see them again- which I daresay that you know that you would have deeply regretted." "Your spirit is corrupt because of the greed for love-power that it has become accustomed to... And you don't even even know it." "STOP!! JUST S-STOP IT!! STOP T-TALKING... Sto-Stop it... s-s-stop..." Chrysalis was going to literally slaughter this creature, but this creature also seemed to… understand her... somehow. She would have torn the creature's brain out and shoved it down his esophagus, but it was useless as this creature could really get to her and really speak to her in a way that no one ever thought of before. She thought this creature resembled the Element of Kindness, but he spoke to her more directly, without hesitation, and he knew how to really speak to somepony or someone in pain. Chrysalis didn't even care to see herself sobbing and bawling into her holey legs, not even in front of a creature that was talking to her very soul. "I am... not corrupt... I am not... corrupt," Chrysalis whimpered to herself. "It is not you... You only think it is," The creature said, standing before the broken changeling queen. Chrysalis shook her head, "N-No, I don't... I-I don't... I... d-don't..." Chrysalis could not see how to come back at the creature. "You do... You just do not know it yet," The creature said as he knelt in front of the changeling, softly stroking her mane. Chrysalis gasped at the creature's touch. "W-What are you- What are you doing?" She asked perplexed and shocked. "Has there been nopony to stroke you when you weep for your crimes, reassuring you that you will still have a chance to repent for them and forgive yourself?" The creature asked. If Chrysalis could read the creature, she would've made it out that he was trying to make the sentence sound polite, but sincere. Somehow she felt... pleased. For some reason she actually liked the creature stroking her mane, but of course she could not soak up his love because he had no emotions for anyone or anything, even if he was trying to show them. "N-No..." Chrysalis admitted. "I did not think you did," Then the creature got up and offered a claw. Chrysalis was as confused as she was still trying to pull herself together. "W-What?" She asked. "Just a simple hand to help you up," The creature answered. Chrysalis hesitated as she looked at the claw and then back at the creature. She lifted her hoof and slowly moved it towards the creature's claw. However, the creature retracted it. "Before you take the action you choose in your mind, test yourself on this: Is he offering a hand for redemption, or is he just going help me up and we can continue the rest of the way?" The creature said. Chrysalis realized that the creature had a point. Starlight offered redemption, and she thought that Starlight was going to betray her and lock her away in the depths of Tartarus, but this creature was impossible to read. Chrysalis looked away and retracted her hoof a little. "Just keep this in mind: Even of you don't accept my hand for help, I can always give you a little encouragement. A queen such as yourself... should not deserve to be alone without a comrade," The creature said. Chrysalis looked at the creature in the eyes again, and then... she placed her hoof in his claw. The creature helped her up. "I... I would if I could, kill you if you told anypony or anybody about this... But... ... ... Thank you," Chrysalis said a little weakly with a tint of sincerity. "Of course. No matter what queen you want to be... you can always at least try to hope for a helping hand from a true comrade." The two simply stood in place, the hybrid staring at Chrysalis' heart, and Chrysalis looking away with a somewhat reminiscent manner, putting one leg in front of the other. "(Ahem) You are... returning?" "Oh! Yes, yes, of course." Chrysalis snapped out of her strange feelings about the subject and buzzed off to her comrades, the creature hovering in tow.
A Tale from the DeadThe trio and the creature were almost at the border of the mountain, walking silently without a word to each other. However, the trio have been wanting something from the creature that they gave to him... "So... We haven't heard where you come from, Mr... Creature," Cozy Glow said to the infectious beast. "Yes, we've all told you our stories, and now I think it's your turn," Said Tirek. "You know that we're all in pain, so now it's your turn to tell us what your motivation of pain is," Says Chrysalis. "Of course, of course. Where shall I start?" The creature said. "How about the beginning, were you always like this?" Said Tirek. "No, I was once whole as Chrysalis once was. If this is your choice, I only warn you that this is no tale for those faint of heart and feeling," The creature stated. "I'm fairly certain we can handle any story that comes our way," Chrysalis said with a smirk. "If this story is relative to the tune you were humming, I might cry again..." Cozy said sweetly, truthfully. The creature simply stared into darkness, whistling the same tune as he began to observe on the beginning of his life... (Play icon for the hybrid's theme) Many Millenniums Ago... There was nothing but darkness all around, a void of blackness and nothingness. Then, a pair of eyes opened to see a very elegant and beautiful dragoness and a strange monster with a strange head and burning eyes. "I was once a rare species of dragon. A dragon that would be charged to protect all of the Cosmos. My dragonflight was the chosen brood of the Titans of Light, the devoted guardians of their beloved creations, the children of stars, the avatars of spirits." "We were... the Neutron Starwyrms." "The Titans of Light themselves have proven to be the most powerful entities of the Multiverse, and have given only a small piece of their power to five individual dragons that started out as small drakes. They were of course: Alexstrasza, Ysera, Nozdormu, Kalecgos, and Neltharion. Eonar granted Alexstrasza the powers of Life and Ysera the powers of Dreams, Aman'Thul granted Nozdormu the powers of Time, Norgannon had first granted Malygos the powers of Magic until he became corrupt, and now the powers of Magic are given to Kalecgos, and Khaz'Goroth granted Neltharion the powers of the Elements. Over time, seeing the young Aspects doing good with their powers unto Azeroth, the Titans that granted them a small piece of their power, began to see them as their own children, and they taught them everything about their powers as mothers and fathers." The pair of eyes looked happy and comforted at the sight of their mother. "However, the Titans decided that they would add a sixth Dragon Aspect. She would be the Aspect of the Cosmos, Sylindrania, Queen of the Neutron Starwyrms. Our mother. She had power over the many universes of the Multiverse, moving stars in their exact positions, causing the swirls of galaxies, the births of Pulsars, Neutrons, even Black Holes. She was the primary guardian of all living things in the Titans' place as they discussed an important matter." "At the time, my mother was not yet betrothed, until she was deceived into mating with a creation of the 'One Who Is Bound'. A creation not of this world, but of another... N'Zoth, the Corruptor. An Old Titan of Shadow, Void and Nightmare." "Once N'Zoth and Sylindrania were married... They had me. And I was named 'Nutron'." "However, my mother began to fall to a terrible corruption of the soul, heart, mind and body. With what little conscience she had left... she sent me to a world far from her reach and the reach of my father." The pair of eyes saw themselves being sent through a portal and through the fabrics of space and time. Once they passed through, the portal close behind the eyes, and they saw that they were on a strange world without a sky. "We were sent here, the Equestrian Universe, but not in Equestria." The pair of eyes began to cry for their mother for hours. The only thing that came was a strange creature never seen before. That creature... was Princess Luna herself. "The Princess of Night found me on her beloved moon in the Dreamscape realm. Seeing as I was supposedly abandoned, and seeing no guardian around to nourish me, she decided to raise us herself." Princess Luna took the baby dragon to Equestria and showed him to her big sister, Celestia. The two sisters were only fillies at the time as their parents ruled over Equestria. The eyes looked to see a dark lavanderish-blue filly and a snowy-white filly looking at him with warm smiles and comforting eyes. "The Two Sisters gave us a prosperous and happy life, and Luna was my new mother. She would often take us to the moon and its beautiful Dreamscape Palace." The pair of eyes were as tall as a filly and saw an older Luna and Celestia talking with their father, sadness in their eyes. Next, the eyes saw themselves on Luna's back, fillies behind her soaring with her to the moon. "Luna's Children of the Night worshiped us as their brother and prince, showing us their love and affection for our past of abandonment... ... ... But nothing... lasts forever..." The pair of eyes saw their transformed mother fighting their aunt. Then they saw their aunt bringing out strange colorful rocks. Seeing that their aunt was about to blast at their mother, the eyes quickly flew up to their mother... The eyes and their mother banished to the moon, their mother being furious and angry. "Once her banishment had begun, she became a monster..." The pair of eyes were thrown all over their mother's chamber, crashing into furniture and walls, bruises and cuts all over their body. Next, the pair of eyes were being whipped upon or spat upon by their former brothers and sisters, the dream creatures throwing rocks at them. Finally, the last thing they saw was a dagger coming towards them in the face, turning everything black. "One day, we took it no longer..." When the young dragon felt a slap on his left cheek, he bared his claws and felt a scratch on his mother's right cheek. After a few moments of silence, the Alicorn monster left. Nutron slumped on his haunches and started crying into his lap. "And then... our fate... had come." When the dragon heard his mother coming closer, he suddenly felt his wings torn off of his body, feeling the blood gush from his back and onto the ground and his body. Next, he felt his lower legs cut off from his upper legs, more blood gushing out. Then, he felt himself being lifted into the air and slammed to the ground multiple times, knocking him unconscious. And finally, he felt a massive jab in his chest and a burst through his back, groaning and wheezing in pain... Then, he was lifeless. "We were mutilated..." Nightmare Moon started dissecting and ripping the drakeling to limbs and organs. ... "Disembowled..." Nightmare Moon carried a large sack that was dripping with fresh blood across the halls towards the Graveyard. ... "Thrown away..." Once Nightmare Moon took the sack to the graveyard, she placed it by a dead tree with an evil grin. "Enjoy the darkness," She gawked, then she laughed sinisterly and walked away. ... "But, in a way... we were saved..." After 20 years had passed, the bag was old and rough and attracted flies because of a very powerful stench from it. Then, these black, skeletal demon hands with ruby-red crystals came out of the ground with this black and red portal underneath the sack, and pulled it in. Then the portal vanished. ... A small dragon body was placed into a hybridization chamber, and a strange scientist was experimenting on him. The scientist had a humanoid body, but he had a draconic face, forelimbs, lower legs, and a tail. He wore a very tattered and smeared lab coat and a pair of glasses. His scales were black and he had ruby-red eyes with very slit pupils. He also had 3 rows of large blood-red spines on his back. He inserted a vial with this black liquid inside of an incubator. Then he pressed a pad button, and the liquid entered the chamber. Then, the dragon inside started to change in appearance. His scales started to turn onyxian-black, his fur began to deteriorate, and his horns and tail began to mold into something new. "Beginning Mutation," Said the computer. The scientist looked at the dragon with hoping eyes. "Come on, Neutron Starwyrm... Come on," He said quietly. The dragon's new form was almost finished... "But we failed to be made again..." But then, tragedy struck when the dragon simply burst into the crystal's the creature would eat. "Mutation Failure." The scientist sighed in disappointment. "Try again professor," Said a dark voice. "Yes, my emperor." The scientist returned to work. "And many a time, we failed..." ... The scientist entered another vial into the incubator. "Beginning Mutation." The dragon started forming again, but then the heart monitor gave out a long beep. "We failed..." "ERROR - Brain Deterioration," The computer blurted. The scientist looked over at the computer and saw that it showed the dragon's brain deteriorating rapidly and turning into dead tissue and rotten holes. He sighed again. "Mutation Failure." ... "And failed..." Next, the dragon started bulging, and the bubbles popped with living tapeworms coming out of him. "Mutation Failure." ... "And failed..." Then, various parts of the dragon started detaching and falling limp on the ground. "Mutation Failure." ... "And so forth..." Then, the dragon turned to crystal and shattered. "Mutation Failure." ... Then, a vital organ would simply burst or deteriorate. "Mutation Failure." ... Finally, the dragon would keep bursting into crystals. "Mutation Failure." Every time he was remade, the dragon would go through these bizarre events, and the scientist would grow much more despair. "All of this for over 7,300 years..." 7,347 years later... The scientist was looking over blueprints and schematics of the hybrid he was trying to create, wondering where he always went wrong. Finally deciding to give up, the scientist took the body and these strange crystals over to an escape pod and let the pod launch. "After those times... we finally returned..." The body and the crystals were found by Archipelago and Emerald Shine. But the same failing process went on, over and over and over again for 126 years. And at last... we were made again... Archipelago looked over at a container of the crystals and simply gazed. then, something caught his eye below the crystal label. He looked below and the label said, "2 minutes old". The scientist gasped, "That's it!" Then he turned a small knob that would change the age of the crystal. As the crystal aged, it started turning up with the alien mold, it started cracking, and the tarry substance started leaking out. Then Archipelago stopped when he paused the knob at 7,351 centuries old. Then he took the container with the crystal to the lab. ... Archipelago placed the corruptive crystal into a larger container, along with a vial of the tarry substance, and a vial with this much blacker liquid with eerie shadow-grey light in the shape of tapeworms, and they both pulsed around like living worms in a salt bath. Once the scientist pushed the pad, the process began to start. "So... what are you thinking about naming it?" Emerald asked. Archipelago started thinking. He looked at the screen as it told him that the base genome was Neutron Starwyrm. "I think I will name him... 'Nighdrak'." The creature was made, and thus... his life had taken the toll... ... ... ... ... ... Present Day... Then the creature known as Nighdrak, the Tantronus UR-H VI hybrid, finally whistled out the end of the tune. Cozy Glow was simply in tears from the tune, Chrysalis simply gave an sympathetic look, and Tirek was simply astonished by how much this hybrid had gone through. "And here we are," Nighdrak finished. "I'm... sorry to hear that. D-Don't read into anything when I say sorry," Says Chrysalis. Nighdrak simply nodded at the statement. "Not everypony or everyone is simply born with a happy life, but they always learn to talk it over... unlike us villains." "So your motivation of pain is Nightmare Moon?" Asks Tirek. "Not the moon ghoul in general, but also the one who listened to her lies." "Ahh... So Princess Luna started all of this with you?" Asked Chrysalis. "Yes, and for her crimes, I shall find a weapon to purge her and her beloved 'Children of the Night'," Nighdrak said, black-silvery saliva dripping from his jaws, his head and arms twitching a little. Cozy Glow wiped away the tears in her eyes and looked at Nighdrak with so much sympathy. She flew out of Tirek’s grasp and over at Nighdrak. Nighdrak extended his arms, and Cozy Glow landed in them. “D-Don’t worry, Nighdrak. We’ll help you get revenge on Luna. And we promise that we won’t do anything mean to you also. Right guys?” “Of course,” Says Chrysalis. “Obviously,” Says Tirek. “Thank you,” Nighdrak says almost happily. Then the quartet was silent for a moment. The villain trio looked at each other and nodded. "Nighdrak?” Chrysalis asked. Nighdrak turned his gaze to Chrysalis’ heart. “We were wondering, if it’s not too much of a concern to you… Perhaps you would like to join us back at Grogar's Lair? It's not exactly home as it is at your old one, but at least it doesn't get very cold inside," Said Chrysalis. “Yeah, I can show you whe- Tree,” Cozy said quickly. Nighdrak heeded the filly’s warning and walked around the trunk that he almost tripped over. “I can show you where my room is if you’d like. It’s a little small, but I think we can make a little more space,” Cozy offered. “Although, there isn’t really anything alive that you can feed on,” Tirek pointed. “But I can make cupcakes,” Cozy remarked. Nighdrak started thinking on the offer. Being part dragon, it was dangerously cold on this mountain, but he did have the ability to store up more body fat to keep out the cold. And being up on this mountain was rather a little lonely, so he wouldn’t mind a little company. However, he took the word ‘cupcakes’ into account, which meant that he would have to make his own moldy and rotten food. However, that didn’t bother him. "Very well, I accept the offer," Says the hybrid. The trio simply smile at the hybrid's exception.
Sinister FindingsThe trio had returned to Grogar's lair. "You failed to retrieve the Bell!?" Grogar's voice echoed outside. Inside... The trio all bowed before the ancient goat. "W-We're so sorry, almighty Grogar," Cozy whimpered. "But we did work together as you asked," Tirek said with dread. "I suppose we just aren't as powerful as you," Says Chrysalis worriedly. "AAARGH!!!!" Grogar shouted in anger and shot a beam of darkness at a wall, creating a massive tunnel in it. The trio were intimidated. "Obviously! But at least you finally came to an agreement and worked together," Grogar said in frustration and a small amount of relief that the trio no longer fought against each other. Just as Grogar was about to leave though, he turned to the group with a suspiciously narrow-eyed look. "While you were there, was there anything out of the ordinary that you encountered?" "Not necessarily, but we did bring somepony, or someone who thinks they would be a great ally for our Legion of Doom," Says Chrysalis. The trio moved aside and revealed the hybrid, Nighdrak. Grogar had a shocked expression. "So... what do you think?" Asks Cozy Glow. Grogar furrowed his eyes at the 3. "Do you know... what he is?" Grogar questioned. "Should we?" Asked Cozy glow. "He said he was a hybrid of some sort," Says Tirek. "He is not a hybrid of this realm. He shouldn't be here," Grogar said. "But why? He'd make a really great addition to the team!" Cozy said in Nighdrak's defense. "This creature is too dangerous to keep around. His powers are far more superior than the entire world’s armies combined with their powers together. Even if you did succeed in retrieving the bell, not even that could stop this creature from losing control of himself." "Your master is right. Without fuel, I can become unstable," Nighdrak stated. "And you can be as vile and cruel as you are insidious and cunningly strategic in that condition," Grogar states. "And that is why I cannot have you here at all. So, take your leave and never return, and don't blight anything as you exit." Then Grogar turns around and starts walking away. "We're sorry, Grogar, but... we can't let him go," Says Cozy Glow. Grogar turns to the trio in irritation. "That creature is a danger to this world, along with every other he encounters. I will not allow him a sanctuary in my lair," Grogar snapped. "But we can't just let him go! He's really powerful, and he could help us!" Cozy defended. "His power doesn't work like ours! True, you all understand that he works with the powers of an infectious magic, but it's not magic at all!" "What do you mean it's not magic at all?" Asks Chrysalis. Grogar simply huffed and then sighed in annoyance, "Since the beginning of the first being who learned about magic, there was another who learned of another source of something far more powerful. However, that power never worked the same as any other corruption. That power was called 'devoid'. Devoid is a different kind of power that resembles major similarities of magic, but it doesn't carry the same properties as any other kind of magic. Whatever it touches, it will either corrupt or devour the population in a matter of seconds," Grogar said, extending a hoof at Nighdrak. "This creature is the worst of all those who use devoid to either defend themselves or harm others. He uses his power to either turn his victims into his fuel, turn them into his personal ghouls, or even... manipulate them to treat him as family," Grogar explained. "That is only if I am threatened or placed under harmful contact," The hybrid stated. "I do not care, I will not have you in my lair. Leave," Grogar says in irritation. Nighdrak simply stares at Grogar's dark heart. Then Cozy Glow comes in front of the undead hybrid. "We're not letting him leave," Cozy said defensively. Chrysalis also came in front of Nighdrak with a charged horn, Tirek stood behind him with a glare. Grogar was angry with these 3, but he knew that he needed them to help him take over Equestria. He looked for any glimpses of dark enchantment, and he found nothing. He also knew that if he attacked any of the 3, the hybrid would retaliate in a slaughterous manner. Grogar simply snorted in annoyance, "Fine, he may stay." The trio smiled at Grogar's affirmation, and at Nighdrak. "But I warn you, if he becomes even the slightest of uncontrollably hostile... his presence will be all of our undoing," Grogar says as he turns and goes into the cave. "Do not worry yourself, Mr. Grogar, I can be very accountable for this alliance," Says the hybrid. "And that will be our downfall from you," Grogar whispers under his breath. Cozy Glow sighs in relief for Nighdrak. "Come on Nighdrak! I'll show you where my room is!" She offers. "Wonderful." Nighdrak follows Cozy Glow to her chambers. Chrysalis and Tirek simply smile at each other, and then over by a stalagmite... where they hid Grogar's Bell! With Cozy and Nighdrak... "So, you don't talk to the pony or any other creature in general, because you know those... embodiments, won't listen to you?" The filly asked the hybrid. Nighdrak seemed to give her a special book on pronunciations. Nighdrak simply nodded, feeding on the moldy and fluid-leaking crystal. "And, you can tell how somepony is feeling, even though you can't 'see' them?" "Indeed," Nighdrak answered. "Wow... so, you actually know where we're all coming from?" Cozy asked in astonishment. "I can only do my best," Nighdrak answered honestly. Cozy chuckled, "Well, you definitely got me a lot. I never would've thought that there'd actually be anypony or anyone who could understand me. It's almost like having... a brother," Cozy said with honesty. "Now now, Cozy, let us not rush into any relationships just yet. Grogar claims for us to work together as a team, not as a family," Nighdrak did his best to make that remark sound polite, but when you don't have emotions, it's very difficult to let people know what you want your words to sound like. Cozy could tell he was struggling with tone modulation, and she giggled a little. "Don't worry, I know how you meant that to sound. But you know what it's like to be abandoned and not have a family- I mean, I don't know what it's like to die a thousand times, but at least there's somepony in the world who knows me... unlike Princess Celestia..." What Cozy didn't realize while she was talking, is that the word 'Celestia' caused a sparkle of darkness in the hybrid's eyes. Nighdrak looked up with slightly widened eyes and an insidious smile. "So yeah, now Tirek and I have a score to settle with that sunny-sunshine princess Celestia for sending us into... Tartarus?" Cozy noticed the look on Nighdrak's face, and she was a little creeped out. "Uh... Nighdrak?" She asked. She walked up to him and flew just as high for him to see her heart move. "Nighdrak?" She said in a sing-songy tone. Nighdrak instantly turned his eyes up to Cozy's, she flinched at the sudden movement. "O-Okay, you're kinda scaring me," She said a little concerningly. "Celestia...?" Nighdrak's voice got very demonic and deep. Cozy got more scared and slowly backed away. "Did you say... Celestia...?" "Y-Yes?" Cozy was anxious now, not sure what was going with Nighdrak. "A-Are you... o-okay?" "Oh, I'm fine... in fact... I think I'm feeling... ravenous for princess flesh," Nighdrak seemed to have more demonic emotion in his voice now, the sensation of deviousness coming in his throat. "Uh... O-Okay...?" "Celestia... Now that sounds... like fun." Nighdrak started chuckling, then it started turning to laughter. Cozy didn't know what to do, but she hesitantly laughed with Nighdrak. Nighdrak laughed insidiously, his eyes glowing with pure darkness and villainy…
The New StudentIt was a bright new day in Equestria, as a certain dragon was awakening from his slumber. Spike the Dragon, #1 Assistant and younger brother to Twilight Sparkle, had just gotten out of bed and prepared breakfast for Twilight. "Twilight, breakfast is ready," Spike called. "I'll be done in just a sec," Twilight called back. Twilight Sparkle, former protege of Princess Celestia, the Princess of Friendship, was brushing her mane before she came downstairs. Once finished, she set down the brush, brushed and flossed her teeth, and then she walked out of the restroom to go eat the wonderful breakfast Spike had prepared for her. "Morning Twi," Spike said with a happy grin. "Hey, Spike," Twilight said with a warm smile, approaching Spike with a nuzzle on the forehead. "Hey did you sleep?" "I slept good, but I had a very strange dream." "Oh? Pray tell," Twilight said as she sat down and levitated a fork with a piece of pancake on it to her mouth. "Well, first it started all black, you know? And then everything zoomed out and showed a large fish tank with this strange slime in a glass chamber big enough for about 6 teenage dragons. Then an egg inside hatched with a very strange... uh... dragon that the slime seemed to be taking care of, and then there were some scientists testing and experimenting on it very harshly and punished it if it didn't cooperate. Then everything zoomed out to show a lab that exploded and everypony died, except for the hybrid. And... that was it," Spike explained. "Hm, that's an interesting dream, Spike." "Yeah, I felt kind of bad for the dragon though, being abused, being neglected and forgotten by everypony... The only thing that took care of him was that weird slime," Spike said a little somberly. "Well, I wouldn't dwell too much on it, just remember that the little dragon was being taken care of by what he was raised in," Twilight said. "Okay. Oh! Uh, isn't there a new student coming to the School of Friendship?" Spike asked. "Oh, that's right, there is a new student coming to the school. Thank you for reminding me." "So, what kind of creature's coming to the school?" Spike asked, not bothering to try and guess. "He’s another changeling, although his coloration is a little different from the coloration of other changelings," Twilight explained. "Does that mean he's a love-eating changeling?" Spike asked worriedly. Twilight only giggled. "No Spike, he's not a love-eating changeling like Chrysalis. But he does have Chrysalis' holey legs and insect carapace, but that doesn't mean that he feeds on the love of others," Twilight explained. "Oh okay, that's good to know," Spike said in relief. “Anyways, I’m sure that some of the students will be very welcoming to him.” “Well, let’s hope so, you know that every school has at least two or three more bullies,” Spike stated. “Well, I’m confident that there won’t be any problems him.” 2 Hours Later... The students at the School of Friendship were doing their own things in their individual dorm rooms. The Young Six were wondering what kind creature that this new student would be, not saying a word. All was silent, until someone decided to break the silence. “So... Does anybody know what this new guy could be?” Smolder asked. "I'm not sure honestly," Said Silverstream. "My guess is that he would be another pony," Said Sandbar. "I think he's going to be another dragon, not be confused with dragoness," Gallus said. "Yona thinks new friend will be a little Storm Creature," Yona said, earning a couple confused stares. "Yona think it's possible." "Maybe he's another griffon," Said Ocellus. "I honestly think he might be another hippogryph," Smolder said. "Well, whatever he is, Princess Twilight expects everyone to make him feel welcome and safe here," Sandbar stated. "And let's hope Chancellor Neighsayer won't be to harsh on him, no matter what he is," Smolder said. Suddenly, a holographic image of Twilight Sparkle herself came out of thin air. "May I please ask Sandbar, Smolder, Gallus, Yona, Silverstream and Ocellus to come to the front entrance of the foyer, please? Thank you," Twilight said with a smile before she vanished. "All right, let's go," Said Gallus. School of Friendship - Foyer... The Young Six were standing tall and concentrated. "All right, now as you all know, a new student is transferring here to learn about the attributes of Friendship, and we've been informed that he has some disabilities that could make it a little difficult for him to feel safe and cared for here. So, you all know the drill: Give him a smile, let him know that he's safe here, and please be sure to be careful about how you talk to him, especially if he does something by accident that makes you all get upset with him," Twilight explains. "Yes, ma'am," The Young Six said simultaneously. "Thank you. Spike, would you please get the doors?" Twilight asked her #1 Assistant. "Sure thing Twi," Spike said as he walked to the doors and opened them up. Once the doors opened, all heads turned to see... nothing? Everypony except for Twilight looked at each other with looks of confusion. Twilight walked up to the entrance and called out to the new student. "Come on! Come on out, it's alright, nopony's going to hurt you," Twilight said warmly and gently. Then, two hooves came from the top of the entrance, and a head poked out. "It's alright, they're not gonna hurt you," Twilight says again. After the reassurance, the new student came down and fluttered with his wings to the ground slowly, revealing his full demeanor. The Young Six looked at the new student in astonishment, especially Ocellus. He was a love-starved changeling. His eyes were blood-red and his mane and tail were black with silver-grey stripes, and his face was shadow-grey with ruby-red speckles around his eyes. His carapace was sangria-red with ash-grey straps under his stomach and on his sides, attached to obsidian-black armor plating on his back, his lower legs had holes and darkened to an obsidian-black color with two ash-grey streaks running up the black. He wings were much more elongated than a regular changeling drone's, and they were pebble-grey with black veins and tattered holes. His mouth was also wider and had four exposed fangs, and his horn was a little longer and was jagged at the bottom, along with larger horns on the sides of his head. However, his body was a little skeletal, showing the shapes of ribs, eye sockets and upper leg bones. He was just 2 inches taller than Ocellus. The Young Six stared in awe as the new student fluttered down slowly to the ground, his head lowered and a step taken back, his breathing a little rapid and uncertain about these strangers and a look of anxiety in his blood red eyes. "It's alright, come on in," Twilight said with a warm and encouraging look and smile. The new student slowly took a step forward, and then a couple more at Twilight's side. "Everypony and everyone, I would like you all to meet Scarab," Twilight said. "Hi," Said Sandbar and Silverstream with a wave. "Hey," Gallus and Smolder said with casual smiles. "Hello!" Yona said with a wave. Ocellus all the while, simply stared at the changeling known as Scarab in astonishment and concern. He seemed only a year older than herself and he had coloration that she had never seen on a changeling before. However, he looked very skeletal and devoid of fat and muscle, not an ounce of fiber in his body. "Hello," Ocellus said a little sheepishly. Scarab looked away and down from the strangers. "It's okay, Scarab, they're just saying hello. Why don't you say hello back," Twilight encouraged. Scarab inhaled and exhaled through his nostrils, turning his gaze to everyone. "H-Hello," He said with a weak wave. His voice was a little higher than Thorax's and was a little nervous, and the entire inside of his mouth was metallic black. "As you can all tell, he's very shy and he doesn't talk very much, so let's make sure he feels safe and welcome to our school, all right?" "Yes, ma'am," The Young Six responded. Twilight looked at Scarab and gave an approving nod. Scarab turned his gaze to the Young Six and slowly approached them. "So, do you know where your dorm room is?" Gallus asked. Scarab simply shook his head. "Uh, Ms. Sparkle?" "Scarab is actually assigned to you six," Twilight said. "Oh, in that case... Come on, we'll show you where our dorm room," Gallus said as he flew to the room with his friends close behind. Scarab slowly followed. "So, are you sure that he'll be fine with them? You know how rowdy Gallus and Smolder can get," Spike said. "Don't worry, Spike, I'm sure Scarab will learn to cope with them," Twilight said with a smile. Young Six Dorm Room... Gallus opened the doors and flew inside, he and his friends showing Scarab the interior. "So, what do you think?" Gallus asked. "It's not much, but we have art supplies, books to read, comfy chairs and bean bag cushions, and you can get a nice view of Princess Twilight's castle from over there," Silverstream said as she pointed at the window to her far left. Scarab looked around and slowly analyzed his surroundings, taking all the colors in and making out every object and shape. "... It... I-It's... fine... I guess..." Scarab said slowly. "So, Scarab, where're you from?" Smolder asked. "I'm pretty sure he's from the Changeling Hive," Gallus said bluntly. "No," Scarab corrected. Everyone looked at Scarab in confusion. "You're not?" Silverstream asked. Scarab shook his head. "Oh, so then, where are you from?" Gallus asked. "Hollow Shades," Scarab answered. "The Hollow Shades!?" The Young Six asked in shock. Scarab was taken aback by the sudden reaction and took a few steps back with his ears down. "Is... I-Is that... bad?" Scarab asked a little worriedly. "No, no! Of course not," Sandbar recovered. "It's just that usually nopony and no-one lives there because of the Pony of Shadows," Silverstream states. "I've... actually seen scarier... so... I thought living in a secluded area would draw off predators and aggressors," Scarab explained. "I... guess that would be a smart thing to do when you're living all by yourself," Gallus complimented. "But what about the Pony of Shadows?" Smolder asked with concern. "Yo-You don't... have to worry. I-I waited until Stygian was freed and the Pony was banished to Limbo," Scarab explained. "Oh, well that's good to know," Sandbar said with relief. "So, how did Scarab find way here?" Yona asked. "Well, sometimes when you're living alone, you have to be an expert adventurer to stay safe and survive, and sometimes... you just have to take a risk hiding in the shadows of your surroundings, or even in plain sight, no matter how scared or anxious you get," Scarab explains a little more calmly. "Wow... That's... really brave of you to do that, Scarab," Ocellus compliments. "T-Thanks," Scarab says a little shyly. Ocellus' cheeks turn to a very light pink. "So, just so we're all on the same page, you don't eat the love from others?" Gallus asked a little suspicion. "I-If you have suspicions of that, and i-if you think my nervousness is giving the answer away, I-I don't want you to get the wrong impression. I don't feed on love because it can create lust for more, in a way. I just don't eat love like most changelings used to. the truth is, I'm not really related to changelings at all," Scarab explained. "But you have the structure of one, albeit the colors, mouth and wings," Sandbar points out. "Yeah, most of the creatures that see me often get confused between the changelings and my kind. I'm actually a relative of Changeling called a Morphoca," Scarab stated. "A what?" Gallus asked. "A Morphoca is a distant cousin of changelings that have the same abilities as they do, but we often starve much worse than they do and resort feeding off of negative things, like hatred, mistrust and violent thoughts. And feeding on those things are what take our "fuller" selves away, if you will," Scarab explains. "Again, most creatures mistake Morphocas as Changelings." "That's a lot of negativity to feed on... Wait a minute, if you feed on negativity, won't that turn you evil?" Silverstream asked with dread. "No! No no no, of course not! I might feed on negativity, but that doesn't mean that my personality will change," Scarab reassured. "You sure?" Gallus questioned. "If-If you guys need me to prove it to you, I can do that. D-Do you need proof?" Scarab asked worriedly. "Well... If you promise the negativity won't change you, I guess I can try to believe you," Gallus said. "If you want to put your full trust in me, you're free to watch how the negativity affects me if I get the chance to devour it," Scarab said more sincerely. "I trust you, so you don't to worry too much about it," Silverstream reassures the youthful Morphoca. "Oh... O-Okay," Scarab says nervously. "So... What do you eat physically?" Sandbar asks. "Well, it's hard to explain, but I'm more of a piscivore than a carnivore." "A what?" Gallus asks. "A piscivore is an animal that mostly eats fish," Ocellus states. "Oh, gotcha," Gallus says. "Not Sea Ponies, though, the queen has magic and could curse me if I even tried once," Scarab said as he looked at Silverstream. "Oh, whew! Tha-That's a relief to know," Silverstream said. "I know," Scarab said with a weak smile. "I'm sorry if that scared you," Scarab said with a guilty look. "It's okay, it's good to know a fish predator that doesn't just eat all the fish in sight." "Yeah, it is... Uh, so... When does class start?" Scarab asked. "Actually it's early out today, so uh... You can just hang out here or find another place to hang out if you want," Smolder said. "Oh, that's wonderful, that should give me enough time to get the supplies I'd need for Monday. Well, it was nice meeting you all," Scarab said as he turned to leave. "Sure thing!" Silverstream said. "Anytime, man," Gallus said. "See you Monday!" Yona called as Scarab exited the room. "Well, that wasn't so bad," Gallus said happily. "Yeah, he seemed pretty nice," Smolder said. "It's kind of interesting that he came over his nervousness very quickly," Sandbar said with intrigue. "I like that he's smart, he knows exactly what to say and he knows how to recover the wrong impressions that he doesn't mean to give out," Said Ocellus. "I actually like that, too," Said Sandbar. "Not to mention kind of attractive, in a way," Ocellus thought to herself.
RelationshipsIt was afternoon at the School of Friendship, and the Young Six and Scarab were sitting in their dorm room. Sandbar and Ocellus were reading their own books, Smolder was doing some stretches, Yona was coloring a picture, and Silverstream and Gallus were simply sleeping with each other. Scarab was staring out the window at Twilight's Castle of Friendship in curiosity. He was wondering how Twilight was able to unite all the races of Equestria with her kind and other races that followed. Ocellus was still reading her book until she looked over at Scarab. She saw in the window that he was looking into space as he was thinking. He was curious and intent in his thoughts. Wondering what Scarab was thinking, Ocellus decided to put down her book and walk over to him, not even bothering to fly. Scarab was looking at Twilight's Castle until he heard hoofsteps coming closer to his left. He looked back to see Ocellus approaching him. He then turned his gaze back to Twilight's castle. "You okay? What are you thinking about?" Ocellus asked the Morphoca. Scarab was silent for a moment before speaking. "I... I don't understand. I thought most races of the world were cruel, cold-hearted and selfish, like Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Tirek, Starlight Glimmer, the Pony of Shadows and Cozy Glow. I thought they would never come together as one and learn the ways of friendship. But... Princess Twilight, professors Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rarity, banding together as friends and using their powers of friendship to defeat each one, and then bringing them together. My race would always work hard every single day to survive, fight in packs, scavenge for food to feed their young, to... feed on the love of others, and then feed on hatred when their victims were... Uh... passing on. My own kind was extinguished by their own starvation, leaving me to be the last one alive," Scarab explained. "But... Then you all decided to... forget about each others differences... and share friendship and love with each other, giving way for new possibilities to happiness and peace. How? How did Twilight accomplish this with you all?" Scarab asked Ocellus. "I'm not sure. But I do know that once everypony started forgetting about their differences and giving friendship a chance... They actually enjoy being friends to this day," Ocellus answered with a smile. "I wish that would've come to my race before they were depleted from starvation," Scarab said somberly. "I'm... really sorry to hear about what happened to your kind. We had no idea you guys even existed," Ocellus said sympathetically. "I don't blame you, or anyone. They probably wouldn't have wanted to see us during our stage of withering, we don't really have the ability to think once we run out of food to feed on." "It must've been hard for you guys. Having to scavenge for food in smaller groups, struggling to feed the young when they were born, watching your own kind become extinct except for yourself..." Ocellus began. "Nopony to make sure you're fine, nopony to come for you when you're in danger..." Scarab began. "Sometimes I feel that way myself, aside from Thorax." "You just feel so..." "So..." "Abandoned," Ocellus and Scarab said in unison. The two looked at each other in surprise and blushed a little. "So... How did you survive?" Ocellus asked Scarab. "It's... pretty grim, you wouldn't want to know..." Scarab said as he looked away. "Yeah, you're probably right." "Well, at least you have friends who can always be there for you, even when you feel alone and forgotten," Scarab said with a reassuring smile. "That's true, do you have any friends?" "No, the only ones I've ever considered friends are my race, even though we've often competed for food sometimes." "Oh..." Ocellus said sympathetically. The two were silent once more, and then Scarab decided to speak first. "I... I really... like your... uh... mane," Scarab said a little shyly. "Oh, thank you, I actually had it done this morning before I came here," Ocellus said with a thankful smile. "I just... haven't seen a changeling for so long. It's been so many years since the Changelings and Morphocas came together once a year for Hearth's Warming. But, I've never seen one that's colorful and more kind-looking." Ocellus blushed a little at the end of the sentence. "You... you think I'm... kind?" "I think you're... kind of similar to... Thorax. He always wanted a friend since his hatching, he always wants to fight for what he believes in, and he was just misunderstood. I don't think a changeling like you should deserve to be commanded to do something they don't want to, you should be given free will and make your own choices, fight for what you believe in. That's what Thorax did, and I decided to follow in his steps and did what I thought was necessary." "I think anypony would be lucky to have friend like you, and I'm glad that you have such amazing friends who understand you," Scarab said with a smile. Ocellus was tugged at the strings by Scarab's words. She was kind of similar to Thorax in a way, misunderstood, wanting to fight for a good cause, and most of all, she wanted a friend. She got more than just all of that, she got five friends. "Thank you," Ocellus said with joy and appreciation, a hoof to her heart. "Yeah... A-Anytime," Scarab said as he turned his attention to the castle once more. Ocellus stared at the sky in thought of every word Scarab said to her. The two of them were silent for a moment until Scarab decided to speak again. "So... I've never really been given a chance to see the rest of the school since I got here. I mean I've seen this dorm room, but I would like to see more of the school." "Oh, well, would you like to be given a tour?" "Sure, I think it should also give me a chance to memorize the place once I see the whole school, that way I don't get confused of where to go when I need to get to a class," Scarab said with a smile. "Great! I'll go ask Sandbar," Ocellus said as she stood up, buzzing over to Sandbar. Scarab simply stared back at the Castle of Friendship in thought of Ocellus. She seemed really nice and kind, but he could tell that she was a little shy in the inside. "So, you wanted to go on a tour?" Sandbar asked as he approached the young Morphoca. "I-If that's alright with you, that is." "I'm down for it. Come on, I'll show you to Ms. Rarity's classroom," Sandbar said with a smile as he and Scarab started walking off. "Who's Ms. Rarity?" Scarab asked the lime-green pony. Sandbar started explaining Rarity to Scarab. Once they were out of the room, Smolder approached Ocellus with a sly smile. "I saw that face, ya know." "What face?" Ocellus asked in confusion. "You like him, don't you?" Smolder teased. "Well, only as a friend, but I don't like like him," Ocellus said in her defense. "Yes you do~" Smolder said in a sing-song tone. "No I don't!" Ocellus protested with a small tint of pink on her cheeks. "Oh, look, you're blushing," Smolder teased. "Wha- N-No, I'm not!" Ocellus said as her cheeks got a little more pink. "Oh, come on, Ocy, don't be coy. It's obvious that you have just a small crush on the new guy," Smolder said with a sly smile and crossed arms. Ocellus was about to say something, but she decided to keep it in. "Okay, maybe a little, but what do I do?" "Pfft! You're asking me? You should probably ask somepony more experienced, like Professor Rarity or something, stallions have had it for her for years," Smolder said as she walked. Ocellus started thinking and walked off to see Rarity. With Sandbar and Scarab... "And over there is the break-room for the teachers and professors, and finally, over there is the council room," Sandbar said as the two concluded on their tour of the school. "Wow, I never knew this building was much bigger on the inside," Scarab said with astonishment. "Well, that's the funny thing about magic," Sandbar said with a smirk. "So, how many students come here usually?" Scarab asks. "Huh, I have no idea," Sandbar says with a shrug. "Well, seeing the size of the school, my estimate would probably be about 1,376," Scarab said. "I'd say that's a fair estimate." "So... I-I hope this isn't... um... too personal, but... I-I couldn't help but notice that there was a special relationship between you and Yona. I could smell the love between you two," Scarab said a little nervously. "Well, it's actually a funny story, but I'm not sure if you're a one for long descriptions," Sandbar said. "No, probably not." "But, yeah, I guess Yona and I have a special relationship between each other. As well as Gallus and Silverstream, Gallus is the griffon and Silverstream is the hippogriff." "I could actually tell when I saw them sleeping close to each other," Scarab said a with a smile. "Heh, yeah, I guess it's pretty obvious when you see them close to each other," Sandbar said with a smile. "What about the dragoness?" "Oh, you mean Smolder?" "Oh, is that her name?" "Yep." "Oh, then yes." "Well, Smolder says that she's not really one for relationships, but I'm thinking otherwise." "Oh, who would the suspect be?" Sandbar motioned for Scarab to bring his ear closer. "I think it's Terramar." "Who's Terramar?" "He's Silverstream's brother." "Um... Wouldn't that be... uh... a little too personal?" Scarab out of concern for Smolder. "If my suspicions are true, I'm sure Silver and Smolder will find a time to work it out," Sandbar says confidently. "Oh... A-Alright, if you say. Uh, what about the uh... changeling, Ocellus? Is she already with somepony, or is she by herself?" "I'm not sure, why do you ask?" Sandbar asked slyly. "I... I just think she deserves somepony who has the traits of Thorax." "What traits are King Thorax known for?" Sandbar asks in confusion. "Well, based on what I've been studying, he's intent, kind, brave, a fighter for good cause, he thinks of others, and he cares for every one of his subjects. He was ready to become king when Starlight helped him dethrone Chrysalis, and he didn't want anything to do with her cause." "So, yes, I think Ocellus deserves somepony like that." "Yeah, I guess she could do somepony like that... But I think she's looking for somepony else in the school," Sandbar said with a wink. "Oh, who?" Sandbar motions Scarab to come closer again. "I think she's into you," Sandbar with a little snicker in his sentence. Scarab, however, was not shocked. "W-Why me? Why would she pick me? She doesn't even know me that well until we talked about how Twilight united every race in the kingdom as one, and that was only ten minutes ago!" Scarab said. "I don't, Scarab, but I'm telling you, she has it for you." This made Scarab a little nervous about himself, but also for Ocellus. "Uh... I-I'm not... really sure if I'm... ready for... that." "Why not?" "Well, for one, the Changelings and Morphocas are closely-related cousins by blood, and during the civil war of Changeling and Morphoca, my kind or Thorax' kind nearly wiped out the other's kingdom. But the Morphocas are far more dangerous when starved, because they commit one of the most heinous crimes from supernaturals, and we once fed on hatred when love ran out from passed on victims," Scarab explained. "And, what was the rime of supernaturals?" "You do not want to know," Scarab said firmly. "Well, alright, but listen, Scarab, just because your kind did something wrong to the Changeling race, doesn't mean that it has to continue. You chose to come here and learn about friendship between races, and you deciding to come here from the wild, is one the bravest things that any unstable creature could do," Sandbar said with a smile. "You... You really... think so?" "I believe so," Sandbar said with a soft punch to the shoulder. Scarab smiled only a little. "Uh... Alright, I'll see if it works out." "That's good." And with that, the two made their walk back to the dorm room.
Scavenge for PowerIt has been two weeks since Nighdrak joined the villains for their conquest for Equestria, and there was plotting to be brewed. Grogar was about to leave the lair until he heard a familiar small voice. "So, Grogar! Where are you heading?" Cozy asked innocently. "Since you 3 failed to retrieve my Bewitching Bell, and instead brought back something for worse-" "Nighdrak is not a thing, he's in ally," Cozy said in Nighdrak's defense. "I don't care. Anyways, I will have to venture out for a new source of great magical power to help us defeat Twilight Sparkle and her friends," Grogar gruffed. Then he turned from Cozy's innocent smile and walked out of the lair. "Good luck!" Cozy called out. Once Grogar was far enough, Cozy retreated back into the lair. "He's gone~" She called out in a sing-song tone. Once she called out, Tirek came out from behind a rock and Chrysalis came out from a cave to the ground. Nighdrak dropped with an oozy splat, that surprisingly didn't get on any off his comrades. Then the hybrid rose up to his true form. "I don't trust that Grogar," Tirek huffed with crossed arms. "None of us do," Cozy said. "Which is why we need to solve the problem of Grogar's Bell," Chrysalis said as she got the bell out. "Indeed, we cannot figure out how to use the bell, then our plan will be ruined!" Tirek said as he took the bell. He shook it, but nothing happened. The trio began thinking. "Perhaps I may be of use for this thought?" Nighdrak asked through the mind. "Do you know how to get the bell working?" Cozy asked Nighdrak with hope. "If so, we must know immediately, or else we will have to spend the rest of our lives obeying that old goat. So, I will only say this once: Would you please be willing to tell us how the bell works?" Chrysalis asked with a polite tone. "I, of course, have no knowledge of how to activate the bell, but during my time with the two sisters, I did stumble across a book that showed how Grogar used it on his victims." "Then where can we found this book?" Tirek asked. "Celestia and Luna hid the book away in the restriction area of the Canterlot library, somewhere in the city. You 3 will have to travel there to retrieve it and discover the power behind Grogar's bell." "My triumphant return to Canterlot? I like the sound of that..." Chrysalis said deviously. "Oh my gosh! Roadtrip!" Cozy chirped. But then she noticed something about Nighdrak's sentence. "Wait, you said the 3 of us?" "You heard me correct, little Cozy." "But, what about you?" Cozy asked a little concerningly. "I must venture out myself to retrieve some material for the future battle ahead against Twilight the dragon abuser and her dragon abusing friends. I shall return as shortly as possible." Nighdrak approached Cozy and patted her head, despite his blindness. "I promise," He said before he left the lair. "He does mean it... doesn't he?" Cozy asked with a little uncertainty. "I'm positive that he will. Once he said that he needed to find items to create his own crystal ball that Grogar has, and would return within less than twenty minutes. And he did," Chrysalis said pleasingly. "Okay, I guess that makes me feel a little better." "Ahem, if we're done with this discussion, perhaps it would be best for us to get going," Tirek remarked. "Right, let's go!" Cozy said as she flew out the cave, Chrysalis and Tirek following. With Nighdrak... (Play icon for Nighdrak's scavenger theme.) At the School of Friendship, the students were walking down the halls to their classes for the day. Once they all disappeared into their classes, Nighdrak himself appeared from thin air, staring at the artifacts of each race. His ethereal vision showed him that there was magic inside of these items. With his palm, he touched the Helm of Yksler and Knuckerbocker's Shell and absorbed the magic of the Yaks and the magic of the Dragons. Next, he touched the Amulet of Aurora and Clover the Clever's Cloak, absorbing the magic of the Hippogriffs and the magic of the Ponies. Then, he touched the talisman of Mirage, absorbing the magic of the Changelings. Finally, he touched the Crown of Grover, absorbing the magic of the Griffons. Once completed, Nighdrak vanished away. Crystal Empire... In a secret vault of the castle, Nighdrak appeared right inside and found the artifacts of the Old Pillars. He used his power to grab all the artifacts and absorb the magic within them, even the damaged Tome of Starswirl. Once completed, he placed the artifacts back and vanished away once more. Unknown Realm... Inside of a dark realm unknown, Nighdrak appeared inside of what seemed to be a large castle with these strange monsters roaming around. Nighdrak came to the armory of the castle and saw a blacksmith just finishing with the last bit of plates of armor he was building for an armor set. The blacksmith turned to the hybrid and walked up to him, presenting a fairly large cart of this strange metal, and another cart of skulls and bones of unworldly creatures. "Plates of Dethronite, many times stronger than Xorzite, will protect against betrayers and manipulators, will further strengthen impenetrable scales," Said the blacksmith. His voice was ghostly deep and very demonic with abominations in his throat. Nighdrak took the two carts and nodded with thanks, vanishing back to Equestria with them. Grogar's Lair... The villainous trio had returned to the lair and were discussing the fun they had at Canterlot. Nighdrak appeared in Cozy's chamber and set the levers to the carts down, then he went straight to work. Nighdrak grabbed his first pieces of metal, some bolts, chains, and some skulls. He started bending the metal into the shaped he desired, which was surprising since he was blind... He must’ve been very well trained to do or provide without proper vision. He bent the metal, screwed the bolts to the other plates, chained the scales to the first piece, and used his power to make his birth crystals grow pout of the bones. His first piece was made. He had finished the helmet. Hearing all the commotion, Cozy came into her chambers and saw two carts of this strange metal and unworldly skulls of unworldly creatures. She also saw Nighdrak using his ability to bend the metal and put all the pieces together. "Hey... Nighdrak..." Cozy said a little confusedly. "You are confused about the many items I have brought here. Do you have the desire to know why?" "Uh... Are they the stuff you need for the battle ahead?" Cozy guessed. "You are correct, Cozy." "Oh, how'd you get them?" "I have my ways with the cosmos." "Oh! Right, right. Well, Chrysalis, Tirek and I got the book you mentioned about. Good luck with your project," Cozy said with a smile as she left. Nighdrak was thinking about these villains as he worked on his armor. These villains, they did everything they could to fight for what they believed was necessary, whether it was for good cause or to try and fix there long-remembered problems. Cozy was abandoned by her parents and given to an manipulative orphanage, turning her into a monster that she did not want to become in the first place. Chrysalis was born from a carnivorous bug-making plant that altered her mind to the ways of evil, blinding her spirit away from the truth. Nighdrak could hear their thoughts as he spied on their minds and feelings. He could see their hearts in his mind without seeing them in person. Chrysalis' heart was a little orange, and Cozy's heart was somewhat yellow. He could feel the two coming closer to their resolves. Tirek was okay, he was about neutral with Nighdrak, but all that mattered was that these villains were coming closer to being resolved with their pain. He saw potential for these 3 villains. As long as they were on the roads of change, they would have much brighter futures ahead of them. With the 3 in mind, Nighdrak continued his blind pursuit of armor-crafting. 1 Hour Later... Nighdrak was torching the pieces together with his devoid, chaining the skulls and torching the bones to the plates of every piece of armor he was making for his set, bolting pieces together, bending metal for more armor, and growing more crystals out of the pieces themselves. Nighdrak was in full rush while the villains had fallen aslumber. He cast a spell on them to be deaf until he was done with his armor. (Music ends here) 😊 2 Hours Later... The 3 villains were simply sitting around, wondering what to do as they were bored at the moment. Then the silence was disrupted when an iron footstep was sound. "My armor... is crafted," Said the one who stepped in. The trio looked over to Nighdrak standing before them. He wore the Dethronite armor over his torso, shoulders, legs, arms and tail. The armor was bolted together with plates of the strange metal. His shoulder pauldrons had crystal spikes on the sides, black feathers underneath the rims, a horned dragon skull with spikes on its head on the right pauldron, and the left pauldron had 3 centaur horns with changeling skulls punctured on them, and canisters filled with this very dark red liquid chained to the lower rim. The armor plates on his tail were armed with 3 dragon spike bones on top and two crystal shards on the sides, and at the end of his tail were 3 spiky rings with two crystal spines that curved backwards. On his raptorial legs were Dethronite metal plates that had the spines of a snake with the ribs, and between those were a single dragon spike bone and two crystal shards. Over his torso were ribs on the stomach and a large skull with horns and fangs in the center of his chest, 3 crystals between the ribs and 4 crystals surrounding the skull. On his face he wore a demon skull with horn-like tusks on both sides of the cheek bones, and he wore frills with 2 small spikes and 3 large spines on his scale-armored neck. On his forelimbs were gauntlets of Dethronite metal plates, black feathers, and 2 femur bones of baby dragons on top of ribbed snake spines, and 3 changeling skulls. The scaly skin on his head, neck, hands, wrists, ankle line, and feet of Nighdrak were all cloaked by this strange, shadow-grey smoke that gave of a mysterious black light, speckles of red sand traveling in a tentacle pattern through the skin underneath the armor of bone, crystal and Dethronite. The eyes in the skull were awfully thin garnet-red lines surrounded by a hollow emptiness of unfeelingness, and they were slanted down, giving off as a murderous and deadlocking look. The armor didn't even look heavy for Nighdrak as he stood straight and tall, very much flexibility at the joints of the armor. "Do you... like it?" The villainous trio stared at Nighdrak in complete awe and amazement. Chrysalis dropped a mug of water, Tirek's left eye twitched, and Cozy had her hooves to her chubby little cheeks. "Oh. My. GOSH!" Cozy screamed, then she suddenly flew up to Nighdrak and inspected the armor with awe. "This is the coolest armor set I have ever seen!" Cozy exclaimed excitedly. "I must say, you certainly have talent for your personality and crafting skills, despite being blind," Chrysalis said in astonishment. "It certainly looks strong enough to repel major attacks," Tirek said. Nighdrak, being as emotionless as ever, simply bowed in the praise. "With the bell in your possession, and I in your corner of the battle... the ponies and Equestria... shall fall to your will." "Now we just need to read more of the book and figure out how to work the bell," Chrysalis said. "Then let us begin," Tirek said as he opened the book and started reading with his fellow villains that could see. Nighdrak, however, as he took a seat under Cozy, who sat on his left on the table, going over his own plan in his head. "No matter how long it takes... we will escape..." Nighdrak thought to himself. Cozy looked back at Nighdrak and noticed that he was, theoretically, staring into space. "Nighdrak?" She asks gently. Nighdrak looks at Cozy's heart. "Are you okay?" Cozy asks with gentle concern. "Yes, Cozy, I am fine." Nighdrak struggled to put the emotion of reassurance in his mind-bound voice, but Cozy understood how he meant it and smiled, looking back at the book with her comrades. Nighdrak stared at the hearts of his fellow comrades. "Cozy will love us as a sister, Abysor. Just wait and see... You will see..." Nighdrak was starting to grow more attached to Cozy Glow as he felt Cozy growing more attached to him. He was bound to his inner prison of pain, hurt and wrath for all eternity. But he would help these villains escape their own pain... no matter what it takes... ... ...
Child of ViolenceSomewhere in the far regions of the Frozen North, there was a massive abandoned laboratory on the side of a very high mountain, yet it still looked operational. The mountains were snowing heavily as the Frozen North would usually do, and the moon was shining beautifully behind the clouds. Inside the lab... Somewhere deep within the laboratory was a pony head-scientist and his assistant. The head scientist had deep orange fur and a light brown mane and tail. He had emerald-green eyes and the cutie mark of a dinosaur skull next to a vial with green liquid, and he had deep orange wings. He stood about 6 feet tall, and he was about 127 years old. His name was Archipelago. The assistant had emerald-green fur and an emerald-green horn with a white mane and tail, and he had a long white beard. His eyes were sapphire-blue, and he had the cutie mark of a blue and pink vortex surrounded by twinkling yellow stars. He stood about the size of Cadence, and he was about 336 years old, older than his mentor. His name was Emerald Shine. "Archi, I'm not sure of this is a good idea," Said Emerald Shine. His voice was old and a little gruff. "Relax, Emerald, I have the utmost confidence that this hybrid will not fall into failure," Said Archipelago with a confident smile. Then he put a vial of this indigo and blood-red ooze into a DNA Injection Machine, and started typing in commands. "Soon, the world shall know the truth of Eldritch and Blight," Archipelago said with a grin. "Sir, no creature has ever made a hybrid with the DNA of Eldritch Titans and Blightful Abominations. You are agitating the works of forces that are far beyond anyone's comprehension. "The Magic of Friendship is too strong for any villain to handle alone or together. But at last, with the powers of Cosmetic Eldritch and Celestial Blight, the Magic of Friendship shall be overtaken by the powers of a new source... Devoid." "You mean you have the means to use this hybrid to defeat Twilight Sparkle and her friends?" Emerald asked in shock. "Not just them, but also the creatures who would be foolish enough to stand by their sides. I will teach them that the Magic of Friendship cannot save everyone all the time," Archipelago said with a devious grin. "You're mad!" "That's what everyone called me... But no more." In front of the two was a massive stasis chamber that held an egg. The ooze came down from the tubes and entered the egg. The egg was held in a container filled this strange ooze, which floated in the center of special fluids to keep the ooze and egg running and well. There was a progression bar on a computer that showed how far this secret hybrid was from completion. "36 percent comple- ERROR: Hyppocampus deterioration. Hypothalamus deterioration," The computer blurted. "Is the rest of the brain and heart still stable?" Archipelago asked. "Yes." "Then proceed." "Very well." And with that, the process continued. 7 Hours Later... It was completely dark and black, and there was nothing around the area. No Clouds, no Sun, no water, no land, no horizons… nothing. All was quiet and still, until the echo of a heartbeat was heard all around. Suddenly, white cracks started forming... Archipelago saw the egg cracking, he pressed a button, and all the fluids inside started draining swiftly down. The tubes in the egg detached from it by the needles and retracted into the ceiling. The egg cracked and cracked even more, until it shattered below the surface of the ooze. “W-Wait a minute! Won’t he suffocate under all that Eldroblyt?!” Emerald asked in panic. “Do not fret, Emerald. The Eldroblyt is made to recognize this creature as its creator and master. It will serve this hybrid to the end of the universe’s days,” Archipelago explained. Archipelago stared at the ooze as it bubbled and rippled like water. Then the ooze lifted the newborn hybrid out of itself and allowed it to breath in its noxious and twisting air. The hybrid cried for his caretaker and master, pawing blindly at the air. Then he was placed on a newly hardened surface in front of this black and rotten stem with blood-red sports and patches of black fuzz. The hybrid’s eyes were still closed, but he found his food source started munching away at the spores like berries. "So, let me get clarify this: That hybrid is designed to feed on the food and drinks it makes?" Emerald asked. “Yes, Emerald, and he will want nothing to do with anything that is properly and freshly prepared, unless it comes down to a food of last resort,” Archipelago explains. “Ah, I see.” “Is the specimen hatched?” Asked a gruff voice from behind the two. Archipelago and Emerald Shine turned around to see their boss. He had light grey fur and a light grey horn with a dark grey mane and tail, his eyes were a yellowish-amber color and he had the cutie mark of a dollar with a T-Rex head. He wore a black suit with a black tie and sleeves down his forelegs. “Yes, Mr. Business, the specimen is alive and well,” Archipelago said. The Pony colt known as Mr. Business smirked and walked up to the chamber, staring at the hybrid that had just been born. Mr. Business chuckled, “Look at him, a monster born of Eldritch and Blight put into one. Who would’ve thought that this creature would be used for the army of the Storm King?” Mr. Business’ horn glowed with a green aura and enveloped the hybrid’s tail with his magic. The hybrid squirmed and cried as he was pulled away from his meal. He opened his eyes and saw the one who was magically carrying him. Mr. Business chuckled, “This little lizard will surely make a fine pet.” Suddenly, the hybrid fired a stream of his own saliva at the one carrying him by the tail. His saliva ethereally passed the glass and struck the carrier in the face. The saliva burned and bubbled acidically in Mr. Business’ face. “GAAAAAUUUGH!!” Mr. Business screamed as he ran out of the room. When the creature dropped, he was caught by the ooze in the chamber and pulled back to it. The hybrid snorted and resumed his eating. That was the first abuser he ever inflicted pain upon, and he liked it. He liked that he defended himself against that abuser. Once he finished the spores on the stem, he circled around and lied down to sleep. The ooze slowly extended tendrils from itself and starting attaching to random parts of the hybrid’s body. More specific it’s forearms, feet, chest and stomach, the back, it’s entire jaws, and a third of 2/3 of its tail. The ooze was giving this hybrid the powers and abilities he would need to defend himself, and it nurtured his health. The hybrid felt proud of himself for defending himself against his first abuser today, yet he wondered if there would be more abusers to inflict pain upon. 2 Days Later... “He’s not ready, it’s too soon for his development!” Archipelago said to Mr. Business. “I don’t care about his age, I want to see him in battle!” Mr. Business said back. The hybrid was about the size of a deer fawn and was as long as a montes python. He watched carefully as he examined the two ponies in front of him fighting. He watched the light grey unicorn with a strange feeling in himself. He didn’t like the unicorn, he didn’t like it when he was picked up by magic. He barked loudly at the two, causing them to jump and whirl to him. The hybrid watched ever so intently at the unicorn’s expression, making out how to make the expression himself. “Will somepony please deal with this infernal lizard!” Mr. Business said angrily. The hybrid heard electricity to his left and growled demonically with gorish ripples in his throat. He saw two pony guards with shockprods and lowered his head, giving a throaty hiss at the two. The pony guards simply chuckled and jeered. The hybrid growled until he pounced at the two and tried to bite at them. “Aw, does li’l Blighter want to play?” One guard jeered at the hybrid. However, the hybrid slowly lifted his lip corners and made a creepy and insidious smile, his saliva dripping from his jaws. The two ponies watched with dread as the hybrid smiled at them insidiously. “Nu-Uh! Forget it!” One guard said as he ran away. “Hey! Don’t leave-“ But the guard was cut off when he was caught by the neck and pulled to the cage. Then the hybrid bit the sides of his head grabbed his left foreleg. The guard squirmed and wriggled as he tried to escape. But it was hopeless. CRACK!! The hybrid swung his jaws right and pulled foreleg left, breaking the pony’s neck. Then he pulled the guard inside of his cage and started removing the suit. Mr. Business and Dr. Archipelago ran outside the room and saw the hybrid feasting on the lungs and smaller intestines of the guard. “You never said that thing was smart enough to know how to kill its prey quickly,” Mr. Business said in shock. “Well, your the one who allows your guards to quote-on-quote, “Teach it War”,” Archipelago remarks. “This hybrid is meant for war, but you or getting in my way of letting it fight.” “I told you, he’s too young to fight at this stage.” “And I told you that I don’t care.” The hybrid simply feasted on his meal and listened to what the two ponies were saying. They unicorn wanted him to fight a monster, but the pegasus wanted him to wait and grow stronger. What the hybrid accomplished today was earning the fear of their guards, and he managed to catch one in his jaws. 2 Weeks Later... The hybrid was already learning a lot from his experiences with pain, fear, and darkness. Darkness was due to his vision. It was completely black and dark, and all he could see was void and blackness. But when he turned his blind gaze to a living object, he would see crimson lights. Crimson lights indicated that these living organisms were evil to the heart, and that’s what the hybrid made out with his vision. He could see the hearts of others, and the light coloration would determine who was pure and who was vile. Most dragons and ponies would be given comfort and love immediately. But he was denied both. He was denied comfort and life, he was denied freedom and a good life. He was instead shackled to a life of negligence, abuse, and cruelty, doomed to become nothing more than a slave of bloodlust, a weapon of war and carnage, the abomination of massacre. The only thing that granted him comfort and love was the ooze that fed him the spores from 16 days ago. Yet, he learned how to inflict pain and instill fear in the hearts of pony colts. He could spray his own saliva at an abuser and he would cause their faces to burn and melt. When he quickly turned 16 years old, he discovered that he could inflict diseases and mutate ponies by the magic they use on him. He was about the size of a fully grown Kodiak Bear, but he was bound to be much bigger than that. The center of the floor opened and a baby antelope ascended. The baby antelope bleated and honked out for his mother, but all he saw was a strange creature before him. The hybrid looked over to see a white glow, indicating that it was an animal from the wilderness. The baby antelope kept bleating until he felt a sharp pain on his left hip. The hybrid grabbed the buck by the back and neck and clamped onto the baby antelope’s left hip. The baby antelope tried to run from the hybrid and got out a little bit, but then tripped over and fell to the ground of the stasis chamber. The baby antelope tried to escape, but the hybrid started munching into its belly as it wriggled and squirmed. Then the hybrid thrusted it up and slammed it to the ground violently. Then he dug his claws under the belly and started yanking with great force, prying the animal open. SQUELCH!! RIP!! SQUELCH!! CRACK!! CRACK!! [24]CRACK!!! The baby antelope kept bleating and yelping as it was being pried open. The hybrid dragged the antelope across the floor and swung its head at a drawer, which made it bleat quietly. Then the hybrid grabbed between the left femur leg and skin under the belly. SQUELCH!! RIP!! RIP!! SQUELCH!! The baby animal kept bleating as the beast started gouging on its liver and colon. Then it made its way through the lungs and pancreas. Blood was flowing out of the body and covering the hybrid’s jaws. Extracting Equestrian Hybrid Profile... The computer blurted. Then it showed a shape of the creature as completely black and unrecognizable. Then the creature itself showed. “Tantronus EBT-H Mark 6: Engineered by former DRACO’s Dr. Archipelago. This hybrid prototype has the base genome of a Neutron Starscale dragon, with a dangerous blend of Crawg, Carnosaur, Eldrazi, and Cosmic dragon. However, the rest of its DNA structure is unknown and classified. The breeds of unearthly creatures have given this hybrid intellect that rivals Pony and Changeling combined, with enhanced strength, speed, acrobatics and tracker abilities. The Eldritch and Parasitic powers of the Eldritch Titans have infested this hybrid’s blood vessels and veins with endoparasites and vital organs with noxious and airborne-infectious maggots, even the brain is infested with maggots and endoparasites.” Archipelago and Emerald looked at each other in anxiety and utter disgust. Emerald put his left hoof to his mouth and started slamming his right hoof on a table. Archipelago on the other hand, ran to a trash can and wretched, and he vomited so badly. Emerald Shine slammed his hoof a couple more times before swallowing his late supper. "Why..." He groaned. Archipelago raised his head and spit the last of vomit into the trash can. "That is far beyond anything a regular predator could handle eating." "This isn't something a predator would want to eat at all," Emerald stated. "Speaking of which... (gulp) That reminds me, let's test for what he eats himself," Said Archipelago as he approached the chamber. “But didn’t you say that he only eats rotten things and the food and drinks he makes?” Emerald remarked. “Well, sometimes the metabolism can change,” Archi stated. "Okay, first item: Meat." Emerald Shine placed a large chunk of meat into a drawer and pushed it into the stasis chamber. The creature pulled his head back away from the body of the baby animal and took a whiff of a strange scent that had entered his surroundings. he took a few more whiffs and turned to the source. He walked on all fours towards the scent and extended a claw out in front of himself to catch the wall in front of him. What he felt instead was a hollow cubish object with this strange softness and liquid enveloping the underside of his clawed fingers. It was a squishy, wet texture, and it smelled like blood and goat meat. The creature turned away and walked away, sitting on his haunches with his head turned to the opposite side of his surroundings. Emerald wrote down the results while Archipelago put a hoof to his chin in curiosity. "Meat: Not Applicable," Emerald said. “Well that’s a little strange, he was eating the innards of that antelope just a few seconds ago,” Archipelago said. "Try the plants next." "Sir, reptiles with triangular teeth and claws don't really-" "Just do it," Archipelago ordered. Emerald shook his head and grabbed a large pile of leaves and grass. He put it into the draw next to the meat drawer and pushed it into the stasis chamber. The creature caught a whiff of new material and turned his head like and owl. Then he turned his body and smelt the scent of plants and leaves. he didn't even bother following the scent and turned his gaze to the ceiling, smelling the DNA of what he made out to be Eldritch Titans and Blightful Abominations. Emerald arched his eyes at Archipelago. Archipelago scoffed and took the clipboard. "Vegetation: Not Applicable," He said rather bluntly. "Next, gems," Emerald said. Then he put different jewels and gems into the gem drawer and pushed it in. The creature whiffed up the scent of rubies, sapphires, topazes, spessartite, etc. yet, he had distaste and walked further away from the gems. "Huh... Gems: Not Applicable," Emerald said with curiosity. "Try foreign crystals," Archipelago said. Emerald placed crystals of unknown origins into a drawer and pushed them into the chamber. The creature whiffed up the scent of foreign crystals and turned his head towards the scent. It smelled intriguing, but there was no scent of what he needed. He turned his head away. "Foreign Crystals: Not Applicable," Archipelago said. "So, what we've made out so far is that the hybrid won't eat anything freshly prepared," Emerald stated. "Yes, now let us move onto the rotten items. Do we still have those leftover bagged meats from 2 weeks ago?" Archipelago asked. "There still in the trash can, why?" Emerald asked in confusion. "Grab the bagged meats, but don't grab anything else." Emerald was bewildered. "Sir?" "Just do it." Emerald walked over to a large trash can and gripped his magic on the bagged meats from two weeks ago. They were completely fuzzy and green with mold and liquid illness. Emerald gagged and held his breath as he put the bagged meats into the meat drawer and slammed it in. He gasped and coughed for air after that horrible stench. The creature whiffed up the scent of a rancid item and turned his head around. He got on all fours and walked towards the scent. He felt the cube-like object with a strange texture that grabbed his claws a little. He grabbed the smooth and sticky texture out and placed it on the floor. He smelled it and made out that it was plastic with a horrible food inside. He teared the bag open and smelled the horrible stench of moldy and oozy meat. He peeled off a small strip of moldy meat and softly lapped it up like a noodle. After a few seconds he smelled the meat's location and started munching on it. "Moldy Meats: Exceptional," Emerald said as he wrote on his clipboard. "Which is... strange. Wouldn't eating mold cause severe food poisoning?" He asked his boss. "There are some unearthly monsters of this universe that eat mold for a living. It would seem that this hybrid has inherited their physical taste for illness," Archipelago. "But what about pure mold in general?" "Hmm... Let us test that." Archipelago grabs a container of Saprophytes and places it within the plants drawer, pushing it inside. The creature whiffs up the scent of what smelled like parasitic mushrooms. He walks over to what he made out to be the drawer due to the familiar noise of it. He placed his left hand inside and grabbed what felt like a container of these parasitic mushrooms and slammed it harshly onto the floor, breaking the plastic container in the process. he then smelled the mushrooms and started eating them whole, one by one, and two by two. "It didn't even have the desire to taste them," Emerald said. "Well, it wasn’t exactly pure mold, so we'll move onto that." Archipelago grabbed a bag with his mouth that contained 6 balls of straight mold patches clamped together with every type of mold around, and placed the bag within the drawer after opening it. The creature whiffed up a scent of mold in the drawer and didn't even hesitate to inhale the spores that the mold released. He grabbed the bag and teared it in half to get to the mold balls and straight up ate them in one gulp. "He... He didn't even hesitate..." Emerald said in bewilderment. “So, the little lizard’s a mold eater is he?” Mr. Business asked as he entered the room. "It would seem like it, sir, and it will probably eat anything moldy and rotten," Archipelago concluded. "Now that we know what it will eat, let us see about drinking." Emerald Shine grabbed a hose attached to a container of distilled water and attached it to an import hole that poured out the water over a large, circular container. The hybrid heard the water pouring and followed it to the source. After he find a circular object in front of him, he could smell the water in the bowl. He gradually turned away and walked into the middle of his surroundings. “Distilled Water: Not Applicable,” Emerald said as he wrote down the results. “Okay, try parasite-infested water,” Said Archipelago. “It’s even better to say that this water is contaminated with Parasitic Algae from leathery-leaved plants,” Emerald stated. “Perfect.” Then the water container next to the freshwater filled up with the algae populated water. The creature smelled the foulness of the algae water and navigated towards it. After he found the water and smelled it, he stuck his tongue in it and swallowed the taste. He licked his lips and started drinking from thirst. “Algae-Infested Water: Exceptional,” Emerald said. “Good, now try the Blood of Cthulhu.” Emerald shot his head up and looked at Archipelago in shock. “Are you mad again?” “Just do it, Mr. Shine,” Archipelago ordered. Emerald was about to say something, but sighed and did as his mentor told him. He grabbed a flask of this black liquid, and inserted it through an injector. The injector sprayed the blood through a hose and landed into a small bowl. The hybrid smelled the essence of Eldritch magic and navigated his way over to the small bowl of Eldritch-rich liquid. He smelled the liquid and slowly retracted his head. The two scientists looked at each other in confusion. “Blood of Cthulhu: Not...” Emerald was cut off when he heard liquid filling up inside the hybrid’s mouth. Then the hybrid dispersed his own saliva into the bowl of Cthulhu’s blood. Then the hybrid’s saliva and Cthulhu’s blood started bubbling and creating a new type of liquid ooze. It was onyxian black and a little rocky with these black, glowing red spores with bubbles of puss and infection, and you could even see live tapeworms squirming to get out. Emerald grimaces and wretched. Archipelago pickup the trash can waited to vomit again. Once completed, the liquid ooze was mahogany-red with black, shadow-grey glowing bulges and bubbles, much more bubbles of puss, infection, and live tapeworms inside of them, and these stems with currant cherry-red spores with patches of black fur growing out of different spots of the ooze. The hybrid whiffed the scent and growled with devilish excitement. The growl was raspy, demonic and gorishly ripply. Then he started taking mouthfuls of the ooze he had just created, drinking the stems of the ooze like noodles. Emerald slammed his head into a table and started pounding on the table with great force and booth hooves, absolutely just waiting to vomit. Archipelago on the other hand, never hesitated and just puked away as he slammed his own hoof on the ground. “Astonishing...” Mr. Business said in astonishment. Once the hybrid was finished, he licked his lips for remaining ooze and walked to the center of his surroundings. Emerald swallowed his supper again and groaned with tears. Archipelago growled in disgust and spit the remaining vomit into the trash can. “Okay! No more regularities! It’s time to test his coping skills,” Archipelago said. “With what?” Emerald asked. “First, we will try a dragon hatchling,” Archipelago answers. The hybrid was sitting until he heard machines below him. He moved away from the middle of the chamber and saw a white glow in his blindingly-dark surroundings. He smelled fresh blood and cold scales. The dragon infant looked around it his surroundings and saw a creature in front of itself. The hybrid came closer to the white light and took small sniffs of it. It was a baby dragon. He continued to stare at the white light until he heard a voice in his own head. ”Kill...” The hybrid’s eyes started flickering, and he started twitching a little. Once the twitching was done, he saw that the white light had turned completely blood-red and gave off a black glow in the center. The hybrid picked up the dragon infant by the tail and lifted it high off the ground, standing on all fours. He looked around to see any signs of parents, but saw nothing. Suddenly, he threw the dragon infant to the ground. Next, he grabbed the baby dragon by the waist and threw it at a wall very harshly. The baby dragon yelped and whined in pain as he tried to stand up, but that earned him a grasp on the waist again and a plummet to the ground. The hybrid pinned the baby dragon by its tiny body and then thrusted its head it the tiny skull, then with one violent yank... CRACK!! Emerald gasped and gave a look of utter disgust and horrification. Archipelago wretched and held a hoof to his mouth to keep himself from puking. Mr. Business simply clears his throat and swallowed. The hybrid held the infant’s head in his jaws and started chewing before slurping the esophagus down its throat with the head. Then he started working on the body. “I don’t think any infant dragon would be safe from this predator,” Archipelago said. “That was practically cannibalism!” Emerald stated. “It’s not cannibalism if he isn’t the same species,” Archipelago remarked. “But his base genome is a dragon!” Emerald remarked back. “Enough, we can cross dragons off the list.” Emerald sighed and wrote down the results. “Next: Cockatrice.” “Wouldn’t that just turn him into stone?” Emerald asked in confusion. “This hybrid has scales made of a very Deathly-based material known as ‘Xorzite’,” Archipelago stated. “What is that?” “A rock of unknown power, and a material of a realm that no creature has ever learned about. One of the abilities happens to be a nullifying affect against magic, because Xorzite isn’t really made of magic material all,” Archipelago explained. “I see.” “Besides, even if the hybrid didn’t have nullifying capabilities, the Eldritch Titan DNA would make him too powerful to be turned to stone.” “Amazing,” Said Mr. Business. A fully grown cockatrice flew out of the hole in the ground and looked around. “You might want to shield your eyes,” Archipelago said as he put a hoof over both of his eyes. “Right.” Emerald extended a hoof over his eyes from the Cockatrice’s eyes. Mr. Business followed. When the Cockatrice looked around, he saw nothing. Suddenly, he was bitten by the tail and whirled around into the drawers in the chamber, causing him to by a little dizzy. The hybrid revealed himself from camouflage and pinned the Cockatrice down by the body. Then the hybrid creeped his head down with the same black ooze dripping from his fangs and jaws. The Cockatrice regained vision and looked up to see a monster looming over him. The Cockatrice’s eyes glowed red as he let out a loud screech at the beast. But the beast didn’t even flinch. The hybrid thrusted his head and clamped onto the Cockatrice’s own head. Then he yanked and teared the monster’s head off with the esophagus in tow as well. Emerald groaned and Archipelago grimaced. Mr. Business simply frowned. “I can only imagine that the Cockatrice suffered the same fate,” Emerald said in disgust. “If that is so, then perhaps we can unshield our eyes from the Cockatrice’s gaze,” Archipelago said. The three opened their eyes and saw the hybrid slurping up the intestines of the Cockatrice like a giant noodle. Once finished, the hybrid tossed the Cockatrice husk to the side. “Okay, next: Chimera,” Said Archipelago. “Isn’t that a little escalational?” Emerald asked with concern. “This creature is bred for war, Mr. Shine. I would expect you to know that we intend to have him understand the meaning of conflict,” Said Mr. Business. The hybrid whiffed up the scent of a dangerous predator to hapless fools. He turned to see 3 crimson-red lights with black glowing in the center. He got into battle position and growled gorishly. The Chimera looked around to see a strange creature in battle position, ready for a fight. “Pfft! What is this, same kind of...” But the tiger head was cut off when the creature pounced her, grabbed her head, and performed a most unusual technique for a creature his size. Once he was one the ground, he jumped and twisted his whole body in mid-air, twisting the tiger head with him. CRACK!! “BAAAUUGH!! You killed the-“ The goat head was cut off when the hybrid grabbed his head and twisted in mid-air once more. CRACK!! The snake tail simply looked at the creature in shock and dread. The hybrid looked at the smaller light and growled demonically. “Please don’t kill me...” The snake tail pleaded, but the creature didn’t comply. The hybrid shot out what seemed to be an elastic tongue and caught the snake head by the neck. He pulled her to his jaws, and he started chewing on the head. Once completed, he ripped off half of the body and lapped it up. Once the snake head was finished off, he rolled the chimera over and dug his claws into the chest cavity. RIP!! SQUELCH!! SQUELCH!! CRACK!! CRRRAAAAACCCKKK!!! Once the chest cavity was open, the hybrid started gouging on the internal organs inside, starting with the lungs, and blood flowing from the body. Emerald simply cried from witnessing organs and blood. Archipelago simply frowned. “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t see that,” He said bluntly. Mr. Business simply chuckled, “Amazing.” Once finished, the hybrid crawled inside of the Chimera body and made himself comfortable, despite the blood dripping from upward. The hybrid yawned and put his head down to sleep. “It would seem that the hybrid has spoken. That will be all for tonight,” Archipelago said. “I need to go reevaluate my life as a biologist,” Emerald said as he walked away. “Oh relax, Emerald, there will be plenty more bloodshed for you to witness,” Archipelago joked. “That’s not funny,” Said Emerald. Archipelago simply chuckled. Suddenly, the alarm went off and there were sparks everywhere. “What’s going on!?” Emerald asked. “I-I don’t know,” Said Archipelago. He ran over to the control and saw that there was an error. ”WARNING: Core Overheating! Explosion imminent, percentage of survival: 1” The computer blurted. “WHAT!?! Is there absolutely no way of escape?!” Archipelago demanded. ”Escape pods have never been thought of before or after the construction of this laboratory.” “SON OF A BETA...” But Archipelago was cut off when the explosion from the reactor core of the stasis chamber exploded, taking everything and everyone with it. The explosion was so massive that it almost covered the peak of the mountain, causing the building to collapse on everyone. 3 Hours Later... The laboratory was in ruins now. The roof had a massive gash over it, the walls had holes, the hallways were destroyed, flasks, vials and glass were shattered and spilt liquid chemicals everywhere, the stasis chamber had landed below the laboratory, there were steel pillars and debris of stone piled underneath the wreckage, and there was gasoline lit on fire, which lit the wreckage on fire as well. Everything and everyone was taken by the explosion... ... ... ... ... ... Well, almost everyone. Suddenly, there was a burst through all the rubble, and a roar followed. The 16 year old hybrid had survived. He crawled out of the rubble and revealed himself unto the world. He was a dragon hybrid. The hybrid growled as he pulled himself out of the rubble and stepped away from it. He looked back at his birthplace and saw absolutely nothing in his ethereal gaze. He snorts, turns his head back and growls as he slowly walks away with a bit of a wobble in his step. He looks back with a growl and lets out a raspy, demonic, gruesome and ripply roar out for bloodlust, thunder and lightning crashing down as he did so. After so many millenniums, he was finally released unto the world, and free from death. Author's Note Hey everyone! Here’s the first chapter! I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter and thinking about the future events for this story. Have a good day! 😊
