I don't want to tattle on my good friend Tirek, but…
you might like to know he left food out.
Again.
I'll deal with it when I'm done.
Don't trust anything that nosy little Pegasus says!
I don't trust anything any of you say.
Are you planning on attacking anypony anytime soon?
If not, I don't know why I'm wasting my time here.
I am a queen, you know?
I'm leaving, since it's impossible to accomplish the work I need to do here.
I suggest the three of you come to some kind of accord.
I don't care how,
but you must learn to work together!
Only then can we accomplish what you so greatly desire
the defeat of Twilight Sparkle and her friends!
Nothing says "teamwork" like an inspirational banner.
When Grogar sees this, he'll realize there's no way he could survive without me!
You're gonna have to exercise a lot to get as big as you were when you absorbed the life force of all those ponies.
Anyhow,
Grogar wants us all to work together,
so I've scheduled a team meeting.
Doesn't that sound fun?
And since Grogar left me in charge…
No, he didn't.
Someone's a real grumpy-taur today.
If we aren't meeting, I guess I could just stay and offer positive and inspiring—
Fine!
I'll join your meeting.
Just leave!
See you soon!
It's been weeks, and Grogar has done nothing!
It's not healthy to hold on to all of this rage!
I could lash out at any moment.
And how are you doing this fine—?
How do you think I'm doing?!
I'm ready to exact my revenge!
See what I mean?
Being cooped up with nothing to do is the worst!
You know what you need?
A team meeting!
I don't do meetings.
Grogar left me in charge.
No, he didn't.
And even if he did, Chrysalis obeys no one.
There'll be cupcakes.
Grogar wants us to work together to defeat our enemies.
Which means we need to trust each other.
If we are to trust one another,
perhaps inform Lord Tirek
to stop trying to absorb my essence!
I wasn't doing anything of the sort!
How dare you!
How dare I?!
Do you know to whom you are speaking?
How could I not?
You tell your log every five minutes.
This is why Grogar left me in charge.
NO! HE! DIDN'T!
I think I know
a way that we can grow
time to try something new,
something better
No more solo
Trust is the way to go
And all we need to do is
work together
Ah please!
No thanks, no way
I feel the need to say
I'm smarter, stronger,
and I don't need you two
Stronger? Okay.
I guess we'll downplay
How bad you got your rear end
handed to you!
It's time to try
a better way to be bad
Do we really need
a better way to be bad?
United as one!
Teamwork? Please. What a fad.
Combine all our strength
We'll go to any length
Once we have a better way to be bad
Let's go begin
This time we're gonna win
The ice you're on is thin, so watch what you say!
I know you're in
I think I see a grin
For all this pain and torture I swear you'll pay!
This time we've got
a better way to be bad
Seems like a long shot
this "better way" to be bad.
United as one
We'll make those ponies so sad!
If we say "okay",
would you just go away?
Once we have a better way to be bad!
We want to break their friendship
We want to make them weak!
You want revenge on Starlight,
You want that huge physique!
So let's increase our chances
by working as a team!
To crush our enemies to dust
and laugh as they all scream!
I think I see
a better way to be bad!
Just put me in charge,
make me queen, you'll be glad!
No! Listen to me
I'm the best of us three
Then you'll see a better way to be bad
Wait!
This is my thing,
a better way to be bad
You shall do as I command,
I will rule this triad!
Hey! This is my song!
Sorry, not any longer!
A better way to be bad
Now you're making me mad!
Won't the ponies be sad?
That would make me so glad!
Now we've got a better way to be bad!
You stepped on my cue!
Well I did not!
And your rhythm was way off!
You have stepped in on our cue. I…
Enough!
I had hoped by now you would've resolved your differences, but apparently not.
Perhaps if we knew what the plan was, we would be better able to prepare!
Assuming you even have a plan.
Of course I have a plan!
I have located an object of power,
and it occurs to me this is the perfect test.
The three of you will work together to retrieve it.
Against this item,
those ponies won't stand a chance.
I have come close to ruling Equestria several times.
Perhaps I should be the one to lead us.
I nearly drained all the magic from Equestria!
That was good!
I absorbed all the magic of Equestria!
I could feel it flowing through my body as I grew!
Each of you failed to defeat Twilight Sparkle and her friends!
My power is greater than all of yours combined.
This is but a fraction of it! Understood?!
Now you shall retrieve the rest of it.
Thousands of moons ago, the self-righteous Gusty the Great,
unable to best me face-to-face, stole my Bewitching Bell.
A talisman containing much of my own magic.
The Bell cannot be destroyed,
so Gusty hid it in a place it has taken me millennia to discover
an enchanted cave high atop Mt. Everhoof,
protected by magical winds that prevent anypony from reaching its peak.
There, the Bell has remained until now.
Scale Mt. Everhoof.
Bring me back my Bell.
The ease of this task is laughable.
Well, it sounded easy.
Scale the mountain…
…retrieve Grogar's Bell…
…together!
I drew up a detailed plan with several visual aids to show how we can…
ditch each other and do it alone.
Maybe when I'm waiting for them at the top, then they'll appreciate me.
As if anything on this mountain is scarier than I
Halt! Who goes there?
A pony?
There ain't been ponies around here in I-don't-know-how-many moons!
Golly, good sir. I'm just a poor lost pony looking for help.
Don't fret, little filly.
Ol' Rusty Bucket here, at your service.
I'm so glad I found you.
I need help getting to the top of the mountain.
No can do, ma'am.
Why not?!
Not so loud!
This here's avalanche territory.
I'm the guardian of this here mountain.
It's my job to keep ponies from heading up.
Nothing at the top but dangerous snow, dangerous ice, and dangerous wind.
Basically, it's dangerous.
It must get lonely all by yourself.
Maybe I could be your friend?
I'd love a friend.
So, now that we are friends, you could help me up the mountain.
A real friend wouldn't ask me to do something I'm not supposed to do.
Says so right here in the Journal of Friendship, written by Twilight Sparkle and her friends.
ARE.
YOU.
KIDDING ME?!
I didn't want to be friends anyway.
Almost there.
Nope. Not that way neither.
I tried being nice!
Now, just calm down there, filly.
You calm down!
Ponies are supposed to do what I ask them to do!
It's, like, my thing! Okay?!
Apparently I don't need anypony else.
It's not funny, Tirek!
Didn't make it to the top?
Surprise, surprise.
You didn't make it to the top either.
I didn't try to.
What?!
It took about five minutes to deduce that Grogar was right.
None of us could make it up alone.
So, rather than subject myself to the elements,
I decided to let you two face the danger, take what you learned, and use it to my advantage.
I put up with your "I'm smarter than you" attitude in Tartarus!
But I'm over it!
I'd had enough of you trying to manipulate me with that insincere, syrupy sweetness.
At least now we can see the real you.
This is not the real me!
I'm cute and lovable!
No, you're not.
You're annoying, and you snore.
I do not snore!
At least I don't talk to my Gram-Gram when I sleep.
Don't you dare bring Gram-Gram into this!
This is your fault!
Quick! It's distracted!
Let's go!
Wait.
So much love.
I haven't eaten this well in ages.
So gross.
Just so we're clear,
I didn't save you because I like you.
I did it because… because I…
Neeeeeeed us?
Yes.
Clearly I was right to wait.
Now tell me everything you learned today. Leave nothing out.
Why are you doing that?
Didn't you already drain it of love?
I always save a little for the next day.
You cocoon all of your… meals?
Of course.
So when you pony-napped Twilight and the others, you cocooned them.
Yes. Until that sow Starlight Glimmer freed them, corrupted my subjects, and stole my hive!
Those ponies have weaknesses.
I used that turncoat Discord.
Tricked him into helping me capture his so-called "friends".
Discord was really something until friendship ruined him.
You should've seen Twilight's face when her friends appeared in bubbles around me.
She was all…
She's so stressed out all the time.
When I posed as her former foal-sitter, I thought she was going to implode!
I wish I could've seen her face when I nearly erased all the magic from Equestria.
All magic was a little excessive, don't you think?
Eh, I think big.
Besides, it would've been worth it just to see Twilight and her friends bow down to me!
Indeed it would.
Who wouldn't love to see those prissy ponies realize they lost everything?
I'm a pathetic pony princess!
I made a detailed list of all the ways I'm a failure!
You know, working with you two may not be the worst thing.
Perhaps…
as long as it results in the complete destruction of our enemies.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Do the pathetic princess thing again!
I'm okay!
Can you absorb it and make it go away?
I can only absorb magic from living beings.
Like her?
Betrayal!
Not betrayal. Teamwork.
If Tirek absorbs your energy, he might be strong enough to break through.
And then?
Then… he gives it back.
I do?
How do I know you won't take my magic and leave me?
Would we do that to you?
Okay, normally, yes, we would.
I'll give you your magic back.
Do it.
So…
much…
power!
Welcome back, baby!
It's not big enough for me!
Maybe not you!
Keep it open,
or I'll be trapped forever!
Would that be so terrible?
Can't…
hold…
much…
longer!
Hurry!
My magic…
I-I wasn't sure you were going to give it back.
Neither was I.
But working together seemed smarter than to continue fighting.
When we helped each other, it felt better somehow.
I haven't felt like this since before I lost my hive.
Having others who will be there for you is… pleasing.
All of these years taking power from ponies…
When you use your power to help others…
Yes, it feels…
NOOOOOOOOO!
The Magic of Friendship is like a disease!
An infection that spreads to those around you!
I watched it infect my hive!
I will not let it get me!
Same.
Obviously.
But… Grogar said we have to work together.
Grogar is too powerful.
Something must be done about that.
Let Grogar think we're his loyal servants.
In the meantime, we'll hatch our own plan.
I love a good backstabbing!
After that, we can go back to trying to destroy each other!
In the meantime, what do we do with this?
You failed to retrieve the Bell?!
W-W-We're sorry, almighty Grogar.
We worked together as you asked.
We just aren't as powerful as you
Obviously!
At least you finally did as you were told and worked together.
Of course!
Whatever you command!
Forget about that old bell.
You were right.
We're so much more powerful…
when we work as a team.
SCHASTLIVIY PONETS
anon2anon sunnysubs.com