What do you know about insanity

Chapters

The Founding
The training begins
Darkness takes hold
The price of loyalty
The price of power
Turning point
The choice

The Founding

The sun was setting, casting long, ominous shadows over the dense jungle. A light breeze swirled through the trees, rustling the leaves and carrying with it the smell of damp earth and decay. The world was a chaotic symphony, where every creak of the branches and chirp of the insects seemed to add another layer to the madness that hung heavy in the air.

Vaas Montenegro, the infamous pirate and maniac, stood at the edge of the jungle, his eyes scanning the horizon. His mind was a whirlwind, as it always was, jumping from one chaotic thought to the next. He had been in the middle of a brutal campaign of destruction for the last few weeks, burning villages and leaving nothing but ashes and fear in his wake. But even Vaas needed a break from his own madness every now and then. Sometimes, a bit of quiet—well, relative quiet—was just what he needed to keep his mind sharp.

That’s when he heard it.

A small, pitiful cry.

His eyes narrowed, and his hand instinctively moved to the machete strapped to his side. A child’s cry? That wasn’t something he expected in this part of the jungle. He was used to hearing the desperate screams of the guilty, the terrified pleas of the innocent, but never a child. His lips twisted into a wicked grin as curiosity pulled him forward.

The sound came again, weaker this time, but still unmistakable.

Vaas pushed through the underbrush, his boots sinking into the wet soil as he moved swiftly. He followed the sound of the crying, his senses heightened, his mind already spinning with possibilities. Was this a trap? A decoy? Or perhaps a sign that the chaos he had created had left a legacy—a broken, crying child in the wreckage of the world.

He pushed through a thicket and stopped cold.

There, curled up under a tangle of vines, was a young filly, her coat a pale, dusty yellow, her eyes wide and filled with tears. Her mane was a messy, tangly mess, and her body shook with the tremors of fear. She was no older than a few years, her small frame trembling under the weight of her own helplessness.

Vaas stepped forward, a twisted smile creeping onto his face. His eyes were sharp, calculating, as he took in the sight of the child before him. He had seen the broken, the weak, the desperate in his time, but this… this was something else. The little creature before him was a blank canvas, innocent, vulnerable. A toy to play with.

“Well, well, well,” Vaas purred, crouching down before the filly. His voice was low, almost affectionate, as if speaking to something precious. “What have we here? A lost little lamb. All alone in the big, bad world.”

The filly’s large, yellow eyes locked onto his, full of confusion and fear. She tried to speak, her voice weak, but no words came out. She only managed a small, frightened whimper. Her eyes darted around, desperate for any sign of safety, but there was none.

Vaas chuckled darkly, a humorless laugh that was all too familiar to those who knew him. He leaned closer, his face just inches from hers, his breath warm against her fur. He could see the terror in her eyes, and it thrilled him. Fear was always the first step in breaking someone down.

“I know what you’re thinking, little one,” he whispered, his voice almost tender in its darkness. “You’re scared, aren’t you? Don’t worry. You’re not alone anymore. I’ll make sure you learn what it takes to survive in this twisted world. You’re gonna be just fine, sweetheart. Just fine.”

Vaas straightened up, wiping a nonexistent speck of dust from his clothes as he took a step back, his grin widening. His eyes gleamed with a dark promise. The filly was just the beginning.

He tilted his head, studying her for a moment longer. He could already feel his mind working, spinning a new plan, a new game. He could teach her everything he knew. It wouldn’t be a kindness—he wasn’t capable of kindness. But he could shape her, mold her into someone who would survive in this cruel world.

Someone like him.

Vaas reached down, extending a hand toward the filly. She flinched, her eyes widening as she scooted back, trying to put some distance between herself and the terrifying man before her. But there was nowhere for her to go.

“Come on,” Vaas coaxed, his voice turning more forceful, more commanding. “You want to survive, don’t you? You want to make it out of this mess? Then come with me. I’ll teach you how to survive. How to make them all pay. It’ll be fun. Trust me.”

The filly hesitated for a long moment, her mind racing, her instincts screaming at her to run, to flee from this monster who seemed to come from the very depths of darkness. But there was nowhere to go. There was only him, and his hand, and his promise of survival in this cruel, unforgiving world.

Finally, she placed her small hoof in his hand. She didn’t understand it, didn’t understand what she was getting herself into. But she had no choice. The world was terrifying, and this man, as monstrous as he was, might be the only one who could protect her.

Vaas chuckled darkly as he pulled her up. “That’s a good girl. You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. Now, let’s go. Time to get you out of here and teach you everything you need to know.”

The filly stood uncertainly at his side, her little body trembling, but she said nothing. She followed him as he led her deeper into the jungle, away from the remnants of her past life and into a new, twisted reality.

Vaas didn’t know what the future would bring, but one thing was certain: this little filly—whoever she was, wherever she came from—was now his to mold. He would break her, rebuild her, and make her his own.

And he would enjoy every minute of it.

The training begins

Days turned into weeks as the jungle became home. The world outside was still wild, unforgiving, but inside their camp, a new kind of order began to take shape—one that was ruled by Vaas’s twisted sense of discipline.

The small clearing he had claimed as his base was surrounded by thick foliage, but Vaas had crafted a deadly perimeter. Every tree, every shrub, every shadow was a potential threat. The camp was a place of isolation, both for protection and, as Vaas would often say, for the soul-crushing silence that was necessary to truly understand the chaos of the world.

Derpy had quickly learned the ways of survival. At first, she was just a lost child, but slowly, she began to understand that there was no room for weakness. Weakness led to death. Death led to nothing.

Vaas had been patient with her at first, watching from a distance as she fumbled through her days, unsure of what to do. But soon, impatience set in. He couldn't stand watching her waste her time being scared. She needed to know what he knew, to become more than just a scared filly. She had to become a force—a reflection of the madness he so adored.

One morning, after a particularly restless night, Vaas dragged Derpy out of her makeshift tent. The sun was barely rising, the air thick with the humid heat of the jungle. He marched toward the clearing where a few tools and weapons lay scattered about.

“Rise and shine, sweetheart,” he sneered, not bothering with the pleasantries. “Time for your first lesson.”

Derpy looked up at him, her eyes still tired from sleep, her mane messy and tangled from the night. She blinked slowly, the confusion evident in her expression. She hadn’t yet fully grasped the darkness of the world Vaas was forcing her to live in, but that would change.

“What lesson?” she mumbled, her voice quiet, unsure.

Vaas didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he picked up a crude knife, its blade chipped from years of use, and held it up to her face. He didn’t speak for a long moment, just stared into her large, vulnerable eyes.

“The first lesson, darling, is survival,” he finally said, his tone dripping with menace. “You’re going to need to learn how to fight. How to survive when the world is out to get you. How to make sure that when someone gets in your way, they know exactly what happens when they mess with you.”

Derpy flinched slightly, her hooves subconsciously drawing closer to her body in an attempt to shield herself, but Vaas didn’t allow her the luxury of retreat. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them.

“You think this is about kindness, don’t you? About safety? Ha!” He let out a dark, bitter laugh, before moving behind her, his voice a growl in her ear. “Let me tell you something, princess. There’s no kindness in this world. You survive, or you die. Simple as that.”

He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and yanked her toward the nearby tree.

“Now. Here’s how this works. You learn how to use this,” he thrust the knife into her hooves, “and you learn how to use it well.”

Derpy took the knife awkwardly in her hooves, her body shaking as she held it. It wasn’t like the gentle, caring world she might have once known. There were no soft words, no encouragement. Just this. Survival.

Vaas circled her, watching her every movement, his eyes keen with expectation.

“Come on, now. You’ve got to be quicker than that, filly. You think anyone’s going to wait for you to get your act together? No. You’ve got to make them afraid of you.” He grabbed a nearby rock and threw it at her, forcing her to dodge. “Don’t wait for a fight to come to you. Create it.”

Derpy stumbled back, surprised by the sudden assault, but she instinctively raised the knife in defense. It wasn’t much, but it was something. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the pulse of fear surging through her. But there was something else—a spark, a dark thrill beginning to creep through her veins. Vaas’s madness was infectious. It was impossible not to feel it when he was around.

“Not bad, not bad,” Vaas muttered, as if evaluating her like a piece of meat. “But you’re still too soft. You don’t want to be soft. Do you?”

Derpy didn’t know how to answer. She didn’t know if she wanted to be anything at all. Her life had been a swirl of confusion ever since she met Vaas, but deep down, there was something that was slowly taking root inside of her—a realization that in this world, she had no choice but to become like him.

“I’ll do better,” she whispered, almost to herself, though the words came out heavier than she had intended.

Vaas’s grin widened. “Good. Because the moment you stop getting better is the moment you become weak. And weakness gets you killed.”

Weeks passed, and Derpy learned more than just survival. She learned how to manipulate the world around her—how to twist it to her advantage. Vaas was meticulous in his teachings, though his methods were anything but gentle. Every moment was a test. Every failure was met with punishment. Every victory was celebrated with cruel mockery.

One afternoon, Vaas took her deeper into the jungle, to a clearing where a small group of prisoners from his latest raid were tied to posts. They were filthy, battered, and broken, their eyes wide with fear. They had been captured for no other reason than to serve as an example.

“Here’s your real lesson, sweetheart,” Vaas said with a twisted grin, pushing Derpy forward. “These people? They’re the weak. And they’re going to teach you exactly what happens when you don’t learn to control the madness.”

He handed her a short spear, the end sharpened to a deadly point.

“Go on,” he urged, his voice cold, almost affectionate. “Show me what you’ve learned. You want to survive, right?”

Derpy’s heart raced, the terror from earlier rushing back, but there was a new fire in her chest—a fire that had been kindled by Vaas’s cruel teachings. She wasn’t sure if she was ready, but in that moment, she understood. There was no going back. If she didn’t do this, she would become just like the prisoners—weak and useless.

With trembling hooves, Derpy stepped forward, spear in hand, and raised it high. The prisoners shrank back in fear, their eyes pleading for mercy. But mercy was a concept that had no place in Vaas’s world.

The filly hesitated, but Vaas’s cold voice rang in her ears.

“Do it. Now.”

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, took a deep breath, and then, with all the strength she could muster, thrust the spear forward.

The prisoner gasped, but before they could react, Derpy pulled the spear back. The blade was coated with blood, dripping down onto the ground. Her heart was pounding, her breath ragged, but the thrill of it—the rush of power—was undeniable.

Vaas clapped slowly, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

“See? You’re not so weak after all. But we’re just getting started, sweetheart. There’s so much more to teach you.”

Darkness takes hold

The sun set early in the jungle, casting the world in shades of crimson and black. The fire in their camp crackled, sending embers into the air, lighting up the shadows that crept along the ground. Derpy sat by the fire, her face illuminated by the orange glow, her eyes staring into the flames, lost in thought. The echo of her first kill still rang in her ears, like a distant, haunting melody. The blood, the fear, the rush—it was all so much, yet so little, in a world that didn’t care.

Vaas sat across from her, sharpening a blade with a methodical precision, his gaze never leaving the knife. The rhythm of the sharpening was hypnotic, calming, as if each scrape of the steel was a reminder of what they both had become.

"You look lost, sweetheart," Vaas said, his voice low, but there was no kindness in it, no sympathy. Just observation. "You’re thinking too much."

Derpy didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure how to. The reality of her existence was becoming clearer with each passing day, and it terrified her. She was changing. There was no denying it now. She could feel the darkness eating away at the part of her that had once known innocence, and though part of her resisted, another part of her—it felt stronger, more alive—embraced it.

Vaas chuckled, as if reading her thoughts. "You think you’re special, don’t you? You’re not. You’re just like the rest of us. We all have our demons. The trick is not letting them control you. You control them."

Derpy looked up, meeting his eyes for the first time that evening. Her expression was unreadable, though her mind was a whirlwind. "I’m not like you," she whispered, almost to herself. "I don’t... I don’t want to be like you."

Vaas stopped sharpening the blade, his eyes narrowing. For a long moment, he said nothing, his gaze boring into her like a predator sizing up its prey. Finally, he stood, tossing the knife into the dirt.

"Let me tell you something, kid," he said, his voice a quiet threat. "You are like me. You just don’t know it yet. And that’s the problem."

He stalked toward her, his footsteps slow, deliberate. "I didn’t want to be like me either, at first. But the world doesn’t care what you want. It only cares about how much you’re willing to fight for what you need. You need to stop pretending you’re something you’re not."

Derpy stood up, her hooves trembling slightly. "I’m not you," she said, her voice growing stronger. "I don’t want to hurt anyone."

Vaas smirked, his eyes cold and calculating. "You already have, sweetheart. The moment you raised that spear, the moment you looked into their eyes and felt that rush—you made the choice. And don’t try to tell me it was an accident. I don’t believe in accidents. You wanted it. It felt good, didn’t it?"

The words hit her like a slap. They stung, but they were true. The rush she had felt wasn’t just survival. It was power. It was control. And in that moment, she realized Vaas was right. She had made the choice.

"Power," Vaas continued, his voice growing darker, "is the only thing that matters. Not kindness. Not love. Power. It’s the only thing the world understands. You want to survive? You want to live? Then you better start thinking like a killer. Because this world doesn’t care about you unless you’re useful. And you, Derpy," he said, leaning in close, his breath warm against her ear, "are going to be very useful to me."

Derpy’s heart pounded in her chest, her breath shallow. She had come here to survive. She had come to escape her old life. But now, in this place, with this man—this monster—she realized that survival meant something far darker than she had ever imagined.

"You don’t have to do this," she whispered, the words feeling foreign on her tongue. She wanted to scream, to run away, but the fear of doing so, of facing what the world would throw at her alone, kept her still.

Vaas pulled back, his grin widening. "Oh, but I think you do. You’ll learn. You’ll see that there’s no other way."

That night, as they sat around the fire, Vaas’s lessons continued. He didn’t just teach her survival skills; he began to teach her how to manipulate the world around her, how to control others through fear and intimidation. He showed her how to read people—their weaknesses, their fears—and how to exploit them for personal gain.

Derpy learned quickly. There was something inside of her, a part of her that had been buried beneath the filly who had once sought warmth and safety, that responded to Vaas’s teachings. She found herself relishing in the power she could wield over others, in the way people recoiled from her, just as they had recoiled from him.

But there were moments, small moments, when the old Derpy—the one who had smiled in the face of hardship, the one who had always tried to see the good in others—flickered to life. And in those moments, Vaas would catch her in the act, his eyes cold and calculating, reminding her of what would happen if she let those moments linger too long.

“Don’t let me see that again,” he would snap, his tone sharp. “You want to survive in this world, you leave the softness behind. There’s no room for it.”

And every time, Derpy would swallow the part of herself that had once believed in kindness, in hope, and bury it deep inside, where it couldn’t hurt her anymore.

Weeks passed, and Derpy became more adept at navigating the world Vaas had forced her into. They moved deeper into the jungle, further from civilization, from any hope of escape. They encountered other groups along the way—traders, mercenaries, scavengers—and Vaas taught her how to deal with them. Some were useful. Others were expendable.

Vaas’s methods grew more brutal with each encounter. He would send Derpy into the heart of danger, testing her limits, pushing her to her breaking point. But she never broke. Not like he thought she would. Instead, she grew stronger, colder, more calculating.

And with each day, Vaas’s grip on her tightened. She had become more than just his partner in survival. She had become his creation.

One evening, as they sat by a campfire, Vaas handed her a piece of parchment. It was old and worn, the edges frayed, but the writing on it was clear.

“Do you know the definition of insanity?” Vaas asked, his voice low.

Derpy looked at the paper, the question echoing in her mind. She had heard it before. The words had haunted her for days.

"Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result," she said, reciting the words without thinking.

Vaas’s grin stretched wide, his eyes gleaming with madness. “That’s right. But here’s the thing, sweetheart. The world’s insane. You can’t expect it to make sense. So you make it make sense. Your way.”

Derpy looked at him, her eyes wide with a realization that began to sink in—this wasn’t just about survival anymore. This was about reshaping the world, bending it to her will. And if she wanted to succeed, she had to embrace the insanity.

The price of loyalty

The jungle was alive with the sound of nocturnal creatures and the rhythmic drip of water from the trees above. But in the small clearing where Vaas and Derpy crouched, there was a tense silence. A small fire flickered weakly, casting long shadows on the ground. Derpy’s eyes were fixed on the fire, her face expressionless, while Vaas leaned casually against a tree, his knife in hand, cleaning it with slow precision.

“Loyalty, kid,” Vaas’s voice cut through the still air, “It’s a funny thing, isn’t it?”

Derpy glanced up at him, her eyes wide but unfocused. She had learned not to question him anymore. His lessons, dark and twisted as they were, had become her world. The way he saw the world—through a lens of manipulation, fear, and control—had become hers too.

“It’s not just about following orders. It’s about knowing who’s worth your loyalty, and who isn’t. And when you can see that, you can do things you never thought you could do,” Vaas continued, his tone light but edged with something darker.

Derpy nodded, her small body sitting still, but her mind racing. She had learned the brutal truth: loyalty wasn’t about love or friendship. It was about power. Power over others, power over yourself.

Vaas stood up abruptly, his boots crunching against the earth. “We’re going to test that tonight, kid. See how far you’ve really come.”

Derpy didn’t flinch. She was used to his sudden shifts in mood, his unexpected turns. If he wanted to test her loyalty, she would prove it. She had nothing else. No family. No friends. Only Vaas.

They moved through the jungle as silently as shadows, the thick foliage surrounding them in an almost suffocating embrace. The mercenaries’ camp wasn’t far ahead. Vaas had been tracking them for days, waiting for the right moment to strike. Derpy felt the familiar weight of a weapon in her hooves, the cold steel of a knife she had learned to wield with precision.

“We’re not here to play games,” Vaas said as they approached the camp. “You’ll follow my lead, but you’ll also do what you need to do. You’ll decide who’s useful to us, and who isn’t. Can you do that?”

“Yes, Vaas,” Derpy answered, her voice quiet but steady. She had learned to adapt to his methods, to think like him. There was no hesitation in her voice.

Vaas stopped, signaling for her to crouch low. The sound of drunken laughter carried through the air, followed by the clink of metal. The mercenaries were unaware of their approach. Derpy’s eyes flickered to the campfire, the shadows of five men clearly visible. They were a ragtag group, all too relaxed, too sure of their own superiority.

“They don’t even know what’s coming,” Vaas murmured with a grin, his eyes gleaming with malice. “This is what happens when people forget that power isn’t given, it’s taken.”

He moved first, his body blending into the shadows with a fluid grace. Derpy followed, her movements precise and deliberate. The first mercenary didn’t even see Vaas until it was too late. A swift blow, and the man was down, a knife buried in his throat. The camp erupted into chaos, and Derpy knew this was her moment.

She sprang into action.

The second mercenary, a bulky earth pony with a scar across his face, swung his fist toward her. She dodged easily, her training kicking in as she aimed her strike. Her hooves found his chest, and with a sickening crack, his ribs shattered beneath her weight. He gasped for air, clutching his chest, but it was too late. A quick twist of her hooves, and his neck snapped.

Two down, three to go.

Vaas was already working on the next target, a lean stallion with a jagged knife. His movements were quick, the blade slicing through the air with deadly accuracy. Derpy hesitated for only a moment, but in that moment, she heard Vaas’s voice in her mind.

"Don’t hesitate, kid. You wait, and you die. This is about loyalty, about control. If you hesitate, you’ll lose both."

Her body moved of its own accord. She darted to the next mercenary, a young stallion with wild eyes, his gun raised in her direction. But he was slow. She was faster.

The gunshot rang out as she lunged, but the bullet missed by inches. She slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. The knife was in her hooves before he could react. A quick slash, and the blood poured freely. He gasped, his eyes wide with terror as life drained from him.

Vaas stepped over the last mercenary, a smirking mare with a twisted, sadistic grin. She had been watching them, waiting for the moment to strike. But Derpy was faster. With a well-timed kick, she sent the mare crashing to the ground, knocking the breath out of her. Before the mercenary could recover, Derpy was on top of her, holding her own knife to the mare’s throat.

The mare’s eyes went wide with shock. “You—You’re just a filly... What are you doing?”

Derpy’s eyes were cold, emotionless. She hadn’t hesitated. She hadn’t shown mercy. She was just like Vaas had taught her.

“Loyalty is power,” Derpy whispered, her voice calm, her heart steady. “And you’re not worth mine.”

She ended it quickly, the blade cutting through the air.

Vaas approached her, his grin spreading wider as he surveyed the bodies around them. “Well done, kid. I told you this was a test. And you passed it. You didn’t hesitate. You didn’t question anything. That’s loyalty. And loyalty means power.”

Derpy stood among the fallen, her heart racing but her face impassive. She had done what was necessary. She had done what was asked of her. And in that moment, she understood. Loyalty wasn’t just about following orders—it was about making the hard decisions, the ones that no one else would.

She had become like him.

And there was no going back.

The price of power

The jungle felt different now. Every rustle of leaves, every distant animal call, seemed like a whisper to Derpy. She no longer felt like an outsider in this world of chaos and violence. No, she had become part of it. Each step she took through the dense foliage was one more step into the abyss. It was a world she knew well now—taught to her by Vaas, who had raised her with a brand of darkness that had seeped into her bones.

Her hooves scratched against the dirt, the faint smell of smoke still clinging to her fur from the fire they’d left behind. Vaas walked ahead, his back straight, his movements like a predator’s. He never seemed to tire, never seemed to slow down. He was a force, a force that had shaped her.

“You did well, kid,” Vaas said without turning around. His voice was low, yet it carried the weight of approval. “But that was just a taste. We’ve got a bigger game to play now.”

Derpy kept her eyes forward, following him without a word. The words "did well" echoed in her mind, but they weren’t enough. Not yet. She needed more. She needed to prove to herself that she could handle anything Vaas threw her way.

“Remember what I told you about power,” Vaas continued. His voice was quieter now, almost casual. “You don’t just take it. You make it yours. You don’t ask for permission. You don’t wait. You seize it.”

They reached the edge of the jungle, where the moonlight barely touched the ground. The sight before them was a small village, nestled against the side of a mountain. A place untouched by the chaos of the world Vaas had built—a place of innocence. A place that would make for a perfect demonstration of power.

“They think they’re safe,” Vaas muttered, almost to himself. “They think they’ve got it all figured out, but they don’t. No one does. Not when you’ve got the right tools.”

Derpy’s eyes followed his gaze. She didn’t need to ask what Vaas had in mind. She could feel it—the pull of destruction, the desire to prove dominance, to show that power wasn’t something to be earned, but something to be seized.

“Are you ready for this?” Vaas asked, finally turning to face her. The intensity in his eyes was unmistakable.

Derpy took a deep breath. She had learned to control her fear, to keep it buried deep inside her. But now, a different kind of excitement bubbled within her. She had never been tested like this before. The stakes were higher now, the risks greater. But so was the reward.

She nodded, her voice steady. “I’m ready.”

Vaas grinned, his expression wild. “Good. Let’s show them what happens when you cross us.”

The village was peaceful—too peaceful. The dim lights in the windows and the soft chatter of families told Derpy that the people here had no idea what was coming. The air was thick with the scent of cooking food, and the sound of children playing reached her ears.

Vaas stopped just before the entrance, turning to look at Derpy. “You know what to do,” he said. “You don’t wait. You act. And if anyone tries to stop you, you make them regret it.”

Derpy nodded again. The words were familiar, ingrained in her mind. No hesitation. No mercy. This wasn’t a game. This was about sending a message—about showing these people who controlled their fate.

She felt the cool metal of the knife in her hoof, its weight grounding her as she followed Vaas into the heart of the village. Her heart raced, but it wasn’t fear she felt. It was the thrill of it. The power.

The first man they encountered was sitting on the porch of a small shack, a simple farmer by the looks of it. He didn’t even notice them approach, too focused on the small flame in his hand. Derpy moved without thinking, her body almost instinctively going through the motions. She reached out, yanking the farmer to his feet before he had time to react.

His eyes went wide as he looked at her, but before he could speak, Vaas stepped forward, a wide grin on his face. “Hello there,” he said, his tone playful, but there was no mistaking the malice behind it. “I’m afraid you’re about to have a bad night.”

The farmer stammered, his mouth moving in desperate attempts to reason, but Vaas’s hand was already on his throat, squeezing just enough to make the man’s eyes bulge. “You see, it’s simple. You’ve been given everything. Your home, your family, your peace. But peace... well, peace is a lie. And we’re here to show you the truth.”

With a swift motion, Vaas dropped the man to the ground, lifeless.

Derpy watched, her breathing steady. Her chest didn’t tighten. She didn’t feel the same hesitation that had once plagued her. She simply nodded, as if acknowledging Vaas’s point. The world was a place of cruelty, and she had learned that lesson well.

They continued through the village, Vaas’s grip tightening on those they came across, making them understand that resistance was futile. Derpy’s hooves were stained with blood, but she didn’t notice anymore. She was past the point of caring about such things. The power Vaas had taught her to crave was real now, pulsing through her like electricity.

But it was only when they reached the town’s center that Derpy felt a shift. The people had started to gather—shouting, whispering, some even holding crude weapons. They had realized something was wrong, and they were beginning to fight back.

“Now, kid,” Vaas’s voice was sharp, urgent. “This is where we show them who’s really in charge. You want power, don’t you?”

Derpy’s eyes glinted in the firelight. She was no longer the innocent filly who had stumbled into this world. She was something else now. Something darker.

With a quick motion, she lunged into the crowd, her hooves moving with deadly precision. Each strike was calculated, swift, and without mercy. A blow here, a twist there. She felt the adrenaline surging through her body, the thrill of destruction coursing through her veins. She was no longer afraid.

She was in control.

And she would never go back.

Vaas watched her with a twisted smile, his eyes never leaving the chaos unfolding around him. “That’s it, kid. That’s the power. You don’t just survive. You take what’s yours.”

The firelight flickered across Derpy’s face as she stood in the center of the village, surrounded by bodies, her knife still in her hoof. The villagers were either dead or too frightened to move. She had proven herself. But more importantly, she had proven to herself that she could be just like Vaas—unstoppable.

“Do you see it now?” Vaas asked, stepping forward to stand beside her. “This... this is what it means to have power.”

Derpy’s gaze met his, the glint of something fierce in her eyes. She nodded slowly.

“I see it.”

Turning point

The sun had just begun to dip below the horizon, casting an orange hue over the dense jungle. The sounds of the wild had grown louder, more erratic as the day shifted into night. Derpy stood beside Vaas, her hooves sinking into the soft earth as they watched the sky fade. She could feel the weight of the day’s actions still pressing on her chest, but there was something else—something far deeper in her that had awakened.

It wasn’t fear anymore. It was anticipation.

Vaas glanced over at her, his wild eyes gleaming in the dimming light. He could sense it too, the shift in her that only those who had embraced the madness could understand. There was no turning back now. Not for her.

"Do you know what the definition of insanity is?" Vaas asked, his voice low but dripping with intensity.

Derpy’s mind immediately raced. She’d heard him say those words a thousand times before. But now, they felt different. They felt like something more, something she could take ownership of.

"You do the same thing over and over, expecting different results," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vaas grinned. “You’re learning. But there’s more to it, kid. Insanity isn’t just about expecting different results. It’s about breaking free from what everyone else expects of you. It’s about doing the impossible and laughing in the face of those who told you it couldn’t be done.”

Derpy stared ahead, her eyes narrowing as she processed his words. It made sense. The world had always tried to define her, to tell her who she was and what she should be. But now, Vaas had shown her a different way. A way where there were no rules—no definitions—only power.

"You're right," she said, her voice growing firmer with each word. "There are no rules."

Vaas chuckled, placing a hand on her shoulder. “That’s my girl. You’re learning. You’re thinking like me now. But we’re not done yet. There’s something bigger coming. Something that’ll show everyone exactly what happens when you stop following the rules.”

The next day, they set out once more, this time towards a distant village where the locals had been resisting Vaas’s control. These people, so smug in their defiance, were about to learn the price of their rebellion. Derpy felt the excitement build inside her as they approached, each step drawing her closer to something she couldn’t fully comprehend yet, but something she knew she needed.

Vaas was quiet as they moved through the jungle, his gaze fixed ahead. Derpy’s heart beat faster with every step, knowing that soon, very soon, she would have to make a choice. She was no longer the scared filly who had wandered into Vaas’s world. She had learned too much, seen too much. And now, she understood what Vaas meant by true power. It wasn’t just about violence or fear—it was about control.

When they reached the outskirts of the village, the air was thick with tension. The villagers had set up barricades, and a small group stood at the ready, holding weapons—picks, axes, whatever they could find. Derpy could see the defiance in their eyes. They had no idea what was coming for them.

Vaas stopped in his tracks, turning to Derpy. “This is it. They think they can fight back. But they’re wrong.”

Derpy looked at him, feeling the weight of the moment. “What do I do?”

Vaas’s grin widened, a feral gleam in his eyes. “You show them what happens when they try to stand in our way.”

The village erupted in chaos as Derpy and Vaas made their move. The people were no match for them. Derpy moved swiftly, her hooves pounding the earth as she rushed toward the barricade. She could hear the shouts of the villagers, but it didn’t matter. She was faster, more ruthless.

Her hooves connected with the first man, sending him flying back with a swift kick. She didn’t wait to see if he was alive—there was no time for hesitation. The next came at her with an axe raised high, but Derpy dodged effortlessly, sidestepping and landing a blow to his midsection that sent him sprawling to the ground.

It wasn’t just the physical power that felt right. It was the control, the way she commanded the space around her. She had learned to fight, yes, but more than that, she had learned to dominate.

Vaas watched her with pride, his laugh echoing through the air. “That’s it, kid. You’re not just a weapon. You’re an artist.”

The villagers fought with desperation, but they were outmatched. Derpy and Vaas tore through them with ease, like a whirlwind of destruction. The sounds of combat—shouts, cries, the clash of metal—faded away as Derpy lost herself in the chaos. Her mind was clear, focused only on the task at hand.

At some point, she realized she was no longer following Vaas’s lead. She was leading now, moving on instinct, reacting before she even thought about it. The village was crumbling, just as Vaas had promised.

But it wasn’t enough. No, she wanted more. She wanted them to feel what it was like to be powerless, to be at the mercy of someone who didn’t care about their lives.

With a final, powerful motion, she stood at the center of the battlefield, the remnants of the villagers scattered around her. Her chest heaved with exertion, but she felt stronger than ever. She had done this. She had taken control. She had become the storm.

Vaas approached her, his voice low and full of admiration. “You’re ready now.”

Derpy turned to him, a fierce determination in her eyes. “Ready for what?”

Vaas’s grin widened. “For everything.”

Later that night, they sat around the campfire, the flickering flames casting long shadows on the ground. Vaas smoked his cigarette, his eyes locked on Derpy. She had changed. The filly who had once stumbled through the jungle, unsure and innocent, was gone. In her place was someone who had embraced the darkness, someone who had become part of the world she had once feared.

“You’ve come a long way, kid,” Vaas said, breaking the silence.

Derpy looked into the fire, her thoughts racing. “I’m not that scared filly anymore. I’m not scared of anything.”

Vaas chuckled softly. “No, you’re not. And that’s exactly why I chose you.”

For the first time in a long while, Derpy smiled—genuinely. There was no more doubt, no more fear. She was his now, fully and completely. And she wouldn’t let anyone take that away from her.

Not even Celestia.

The choice

The jungle was quiet tonight, save for the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant cry of a lone animal. The flickering campfire illuminated Vaas and Derpy, the only two figures in the vast wilderness. The flames danced, casting long, unpredictable shadows, as if reflecting the unpredictability of the world they now shared.

Derpy stared into the fire, her eyes lost in thought. The events of the past few weeks had been a blur—battles fought, villages destroyed, and lives shattered. Yet, something gnawed at the back of her mind. A feeling she couldn’t shake.

Vaas sat beside her, his gaze fixed on the fire. He had noticed the change in her—the way her eyes no longer held that spark of innocence. Instead, they now gleamed with a cold, calculated edge. It pleased him. She was becoming more like him with each passing day.

"You’re quiet tonight," Vaas observed, breaking the silence. "Something on your mind?"

Derpy’s ear twitched, but she didn’t immediately respond. She was used to being quiet. Used to thinking through things, especially now, when everything felt so… different.

"I’ve been thinking," she finally said, her voice soft but steady. "About what comes next."

Vaas chuckled darkly. "What comes next? Oh, kid, that’s the fun part. It’s all about making your own path. Forget about what's next. Forget about who’s chasing you. You’ve got power now. You can do anything."

Derpy glanced at him, her gaze piercing. "But what if there’s something more? What if there’s something else I’m supposed to be doing?"

Vaas raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Like what? You want to go back to that perfect little world of yours? You want to be the innocent little filly again?"

"No," Derpy replied quickly, shaking her head. "I don’t want that. But… what if there’s something bigger than all of this? Something that isn’t just about power or destruction?"

Vaas studied her closely, his lips curling into a grin. "Now you’re starting to sound like them. The princesses. The heroes. You think there’s some grand purpose for you out there, some higher calling?" He scoffed. "They’ll tell you there’s something bigger, but it’s all a lie. It’s just a way to control you. There’s no grand plan, Derpy. There’s only what you want. And you—" He paused, his voice lowering. "—You want to be free. To do what you want. To take control."

Derpy clenched her jaw, her mind swirling with doubt. She knew what Vaas was saying. She understood it. But still, there was something inside her that refused to let go of the feeling that there was more to life than this endless cycle of violence and madness.

The following day, the decision weighed heavily on her. They had arrived at a small, secluded outpost—one that Vaas had marked as a place to rest before heading out again. It was the perfect place to stop and reflect. Derpy needed it. She needed space to figure out who she was becoming and what she wanted out of this chaotic life.

But that space was short-lived.

From the edge of the jungle, she could hear voices. Strange, unfamiliar voices. Her ears perked up. Vaas was already on edge, but Derpy could sense something more in the air. These weren’t the normal hunters or mercenaries they had encountered before.

Vaas stood, his hand resting on the hilt of his machete. "They’re here," he muttered, as if he had known this moment would come. "The princesses. The ones who think they can take you back."

Derpy’s heart skipped a beat. Her first instinct was to retreat, to run deep into the jungle, to hide from them. But then, something inside her stirred. She didn’t want to hide. Not anymore.

"I’m not going back with them," Derpy declared, her voice firm.

Vaas smiled wickedly. "Of course you’re not. You’re not a filly anymore, Derpy. You’re a force to be reckoned with. You make your own rules."

The air grew tense as Celestia and the Mane Six approached the outpost. Derpy could see them through the trees—Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack, all standing in a line behind Princess Celestia. Their faces were a mixture of hope and confusion. They were there to bring her home, to rescue her from the madness she had been swept into.

But Derpy wasn’t the same pony who had once known them. The filly who had been lost and scared was gone, replaced by someone stronger, more ruthless.

Vaas stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "They really think they can just waltz in here and take you back?" he laughed. "That’s adorable."

Derpy didn’t speak. She didn’t need to. Her eyes locked with Twilight’s across the distance. There was a flicker of recognition in Twilight’s gaze—concern mixed with desperation.

"Derpy, please," Twilight called out, her voice full of pleading. "Come back with us. We can fix this. We can help you."

Derpy felt a pang in her chest. Help. That was what they always said. Help. But help didn’t come when she was broken, when she was left behind. Help didn’t come when they saw her as nothing more than a lost cause.

Vaas stepped to the side, his voice cutting through the silence. "She doesn’t need your help, Twilight. She’s beyond all of that. She’s mine now. And I’ll make sure she stays that way."

Derpy’s heart raced, but it wasn’t fear. It was determination. She could feel the pull of the past, the call of her old life, but it wasn’t enough. Not anymore. She had embraced this madness, this power. It was too late to turn back now.

"You think you can take me back?" Derpy called out, her voice loud and confident. "You think you can just bring me back to that world, where I’m nothing but a lost filly again? I’m not that pony anymore. I’m not going back."

Twilight’s face fell. "Derpy, please. We love you. We want you home."

The words stung, but they didn’t reach her. Not anymore. The only thing that mattered was the power she now held. The power to choose.

Celestia stepped forward, her gaze soft but firm. "Derpy, I know you’re confused, but you’re not alone. Come back to Equestria with us. We can fix this."

Derpy stood her ground, her voice unwavering. "No. I’ve made my choice."

And with that, the line was drawn. There would be no going back. The madness had taken root, and Derpy had embraced it.

As the battle began, Derpy’s heart pounded, but there was no fear, only anticipation. This was the moment she had been waiting for—the moment when she would finally take control of her own fate.