The Hunter and The Hunted

Cerberus's body shook quickly,so fast that it seemed to leave a fuzzy outline around him.  He started gently lowering down from twenty feet, to fifteen, to ten, then to about Twilight's height, and then to a little bigger than Winona.

The Gates of Tartarus, one small unicorn, and a pup of the most feared canine who ever existed, rendered useless.

           "This is not good," Twilight shook her head, and the pup looked up to her in confusion.  The entire thing was seemingly a waste of time and the most reasonable thing t do would go back to Ponyville and get some help.

Twilight started trotting back towards home, but was stopped in her tracks within a few more steps.  First, there was a feeling that appeared in the back of her mind, and suddenly, a tidal wave of pain quickly overtook her.  It was one of the most excruciating feelings she had ever felt.

She turned back to see Cerberus sitting in the same spot he was and then it hit her, the pact.  She was not allowed to let Cerberus think Twilight was abandoning him... Or else.

"Cerberus!" she chocked out, "... I'm not going anywhere!"

The grip released from her.

After the feeling of pain subsided, she felt as if her being, her feelings, her own self merging with Cerberus.  They were becoming one with each other and Twilight could read his mind as if it was being translated for here.

"Please, don't leave me," he said.  Twilight's heart broke in her chest.  It was a terrifyingly beautiful scene in the Everfree.

The bond had finally been sealed, Twilight could communicate with the dog telepathically, but it only made her realize even more that this was going to be dangerous, otherwise it wouldn't take this much time preparing.

"So... Now what? Do you know the exact way?  What are we going up against?" Twilight asked.

"I know the way, but it is not an easy path.  It will test out your strengths, weaknesses, your faith in yourself, your fear... I am truly sorry about this, but it is the only way back."

"What made you so scared to have come running a trip of fifteen days all the way here?" Twilight pondered the pup as she started following the stumpy legged black dog.

"I... I can't rightfully remember... All I know is that I started running, and I went blank.  Then I snapped back to it when you wagged the ball in my face.  It must have brought me out of a trance.  I would like to thank you for that."

Twilight agreed, the only thing she was truly worried about would be Ponyville and the next Tuesday morning.  What happens if she got back and it was all just... Gone?  How could she live with herself?  Her face spoke for her feelings as Cerberus noticed.

"Listen, if this is a little to much, we can slow down and take a break," he said.

"No, it's just that if I looked at this from third person, I would have thought that I would go crazy if I figured out time travel was real, I could talk to dogs, and I would be risking my life over the possible destruction of Ponyville to deliver a dog back to the Gates of Tartarus."

Cerberus looked at her in confusion.

"What I mean is, normally, I would be freaking out! But I'm not, which startles me a bit.  I guess that if I just stay calm, I would be able to take it down easier, and who knows, maybe this trip will be easy.  How will I get back?"

"I know what you mean, uh... I'm sorry, but I don't even think I have properly got your name?"

"Twilight Sparkle."

"Well, Twilight, I'm sure we will find a way to get you back.  Maybe my boss will help you."

"Boss?" Twilight asked.

"Maybe you have heard of him.  We don't go by his real name, he does't like it, but if you are able to get on his good side, amazingly he can be pretty generous!" he replied.

"I hope so, but hope is the only branch I'm holding onto right now."