It was a cloudy and murky day. The swampy marsh of the wetlands harbored life of all kinds. But today, passing through, were three unwelcome guests. Freshly escaped from their rocky prison, Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow fled as far away from Equestria as they could.
"I can't believe we escaped that stone prison!" Chrysalis said.
"It's all thanks to the ignorance of Twilight thinking her protege could reform us, like how Fluttershy reformed Discord." Cozy Glow said.
"It's not going to be so easy to endocrine us!" Tirek said.
"My legs and wings are still stiff, I don't think I can go forward another inch!" Cozy Glow collapsed into the soil.
"Tirek, carry me." she said.
"In your dreams squirt." Tirek replied.
"We're all carrying our own weight. If you can't do it, then maybe you're best off rotting in the dirt." Chrysalis.
"Hmph, it was worth a shot." Cozy stood up and continued walking.
The three continued walking through what seemed like nowhere.
"Where are we going anyway?" Cozy asked.
"As far away from Twilight Sparkle as possible." Tirek replied.
"This is a very half-baked plan." Chrysalis said.
"We need to rebuild!" Cozy said. "They may have Grogar's bell, but there has to be some other magical artifacts we can find to regain our powers?"
"I still have this book I got from earlier, I wonder if there's anything in here..."
Cozy read through her stolen book to see if there were any other magic artifacts that could assist their revenge operation. And she found exactly what she was looking for.
"AH HA! I know just what we're going to do to get back at Twilight!"
"What is it?" they asked.
"Last time, we used Grogar's bell, which only held a finite amount of magic. But this book outlines something far more powerful. We're going to find the Rainbow of Darkness!" Cozy explained.
"The Rainbow of Darkness? I haven't heard that name in years. I once wielded the object's mighty dark powers. I almost used it to conquer Equestria.
"Golly, where do you think the Rainbow of Darkness is now?"
"I don't know. They defeated me and hid it somewhere super secret.
"Last time we had the benefit of Discord telling us where Grogar's bell was, but this time, we're going to have to figure this out ourselves." Cozy said.
"Let's see, if they already hid Grogar's bell near the peak of Mt. Everhoof. The top of the world..." Chrysalis pondered.
"So maybe the Rainbow of Darkness is at the bottom of the world?" Cozy gussed.
"That's ridiculous." Tirek said. "It wasn't in Tartarus, because if it was, I easily would have been able to sense its energy."
"Well still, I like where your mind is going. We'll keep that in mind and search for clues as to the whereabouts of the Rainbow of Darkness." Cozy Glow said.
"We'll be back." Tirek said.
"And Twilight won't know what hit her this time!" Cozys aid.
"For reals though. We won't be contained!" Chrysalis said.
*grrr* Cozy's stomach growled. "But first, how about some refreshments?"
The three found themselves in the woods, far from any development. After a day's journey, the sun was getting low, and it was time for our villains to take a break and settle down. Using what they learned from past experiences, they set up a base camp.
We've been camping before. This will be a cinch." Cozy said.
"It's a good thing that Twilight is a moron." Chrysalis said. "She probably doesn't even notice we're gone, let alone she'll never find us all the way here."
"Then that means we're safe for now. But what is our next plan?" Tirek asked.
"It's not enough to set up a temporary camp, we need a substantial base of operations." Cozy suggested.
"Why do we have to keep listening to your commands?" Tirek asked.
"Do you want to set up somewhere else then!?" Cozy snarled back.
"Fine, we'll set up camp (only because I'm tired of walking...)" Tirek mumbled.
Cozy set up a campfire, Tirek made a hammock, and Chrysalis made a tent out of wood and slime.
"Not too shabby a campsite if I do say so myself." Cozy Glow said.
"The camp is temporary. We can't go back to Equestria, yet. And we need to develop that long term survival plan." Chrysalis said.
"There's a reason survive, rhymes with thrive. That's what we're going to do!" Cozy Glow said.
"Yes! Not only thrive, but conquer!" Tirek exclaimed.
"I don't see any one else contesting for this land." Chrysalis said.
"Finders keepers, jeepers creepers. This place is our property." Cozy Glow said.
"Let's see, what can we learn from how Equestria was built?" Tirek wondered.
"Not much. The story of how Equestria was founded is the cheesiest story. The Earth Unicorn Pegasi were isolated tribes, but became friends blah blah blah!" Cozy mocked.
"Our story will be a lot more interesting." Tirek said.
"Their so called bond was easier to break than a twig." Chrysalis said.
"Us on the other hand, will form a stronger bond. Not with friendship or junk, but with an iron grip." Tirek stated.
"The kingdom of TCGT will be all ours. We start our own kingdom, one that embraces freedom, rather than oppression of friendship." Cozy Glow proposed.
"I'm sorry, TC what what?" Chrysalis asked.
"That's our names put together. Tirek, Cozy Glow, Chrysalis, TCGC." Cozy explained.
"That's more like an acronym than a real name." Tirek complained.
"Look, if you have a better idea for a name, I'm all ears." Cozy conjectured.
"Hmm..." the other two thought.
"Fine, your name will suit." Chrysalis admitted.
"Then TCGC it is!" Cozy grinned. "Our Kingdom will be free of the friendship curse. We'll create order, and build up power!"
"It's one thing to claim ownership and name it. We really gotta make this place our own!" Cozy Glow said.
"A kingdom needs a mighty castle!" Tirek said.
"Its citizens are going to need something to feast on." Chrysalis suggested.
"And a country is going to need a flag." Cozy added.
Tirek and Chrysalis stare at Cozy in confusion.
"What? Graphic design is my passion." she replied with a grin.
"Regardless, I like your suggestions. Tirek, I task you with building us a mighty fortress. More, Castle of the Two Sisters than Canterlot preferably." Cozy ordered.
"It'll be a castle fit for three mighty rulers." Tirek said.
"Chrysalis, I love how you conquered that creature during our first camping trip. I want you to do that ten fold! And then share with us your energy!" she added.
"Normally I keep the love to myself, but I suppose there is a way for me to make the love energy... palatable for consumption by others. I think. I've never tried it with non-Changelings..."
"Sounds good. We each have a plan, so let's put our kingdom on the map!
The three each prepared for the declaration of their independent kingdom. Tirek built more a robust shelter on top of a hill. A stone structure that would house and protect them. Chrysalis went on the hunt. She used her shape shifting powers to trick, and capture many great creatures for consumption. Cozy worked out the logistics, and started work on a flag.
After a week of work from all three. Their land was shaping up. Tirek's tower was a fortified hideaway. A primitive, yet effect drawbridge, constructed from wood and vines. It was a work in progress, but he liked where it was going. Chrysalis had gathered enough creatures to last our crew for a long time. And Cozy's flag was complete. Today, she presented the final design to her cohorts.
"I made this flag. It will be the official flag of TCGC." Cozy Glow said.
The flag depicted Cozy's cutie mark, Tirek's horns, and Chrysalis' horn as symbols, arranged in an inverted triangle. The background was maroon, with the constellation, Pegasus in the background. Cozy had already constructed a metal flagpole to hold the flag. It had a sharp point at the base to plant into the ground.
"Artsy, yet understated." Chrysalis said.
"Now this is a flag I would salute to." Tirek said.
"Then it's official. Once we plant this flag, the land of TCGC shall become ours. Now, everyone grab hold, this is ours kingdom, we're doing this together." Cozy said.
Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy all held the flagpole.
"Before we make this official, I wanted to um..." Cozy started. "Just like we used to do, before we plant the flag, I want each of us to say something nice to each other."
"I thought the entire point of this was to be free from friendship." Chrysalis said.
"Well, this isn't to embrace friendship or anything. Just as a way of confirming that we're a team, and that we're each contributing to this project." Cozy said.
"Fair enough..." she replied
"I'll go first." Tirek volunteered.
"If ever there was a flag that captured our image, it's this one right here. Nice work."
Cozy smiled at the surprisingly nice compliment.
"And Chrysalis, you alone contain quite a lot of magic. Just sucking up your magic was enough to break the barrier guarding Grogar's bell."
"Thanks, I guess." Chrysalis said.
"And Chrysalis, how about you?" Cozy lead into Chrysalis.
"You know, you're surprisingly cunning despite your exterior appearance. No one expected an evil mastermind underneath an unsuspecting filly." Chrysalis said.
Cozy's grin grew wider at Chrysalis' comment.
"And you Tirek. The castle looks okay I guess."
Tirek was half thankful for the compliment.
"And what about you, Cozy Glow?"
"Are you capable of saying anything nice? Are you just a sarcastic lying jerk?"
"What?" she was half dazed thinking about their compliments. "Well, Golly, um. This is something I've been wanting to say for a while now..." Cozy started.
"Go on..." Tirek said.
"I hope neither of you take this the wrong way or anything but, I really like being with you guys... " Cozy admitted.
"And um, even though, we're not friends of course, because friendship is dumb. But um... regardless of what we are, I've enjoyed our time together." Cozy smiled.
"Wow, um, thanks." Chrysalis said.
"Uh, alright then." Tirek said.
"With that out of the way, let's do this." Cozy said.
They all got into position, ready to plant the flag. Cozy lead them.
"On the count of three. One..."
"Two..."
"Three!" they all said simultaneously.
*clank*
The metal pole collided with bedrock. The surprised and stopped them all.
"Maybe we should plant this thing soft soil, instead of the rocky surface." Cozy suggested.
"Agreed." the two nodded.
The three moved to another location to try again.
"Take two. One..."
"Two..."
"Three!" they all said simultaneously.
*ker plunk*
"I now declare this land property of Queen Chrysalis, Lord Tirek, and Empress Cozy Glow!" Cozy exclaimed.
And with that, their flag was planted, and the Kingdom of TCGC was officially established. A land dictated by Tirek, Cozy Glow, and Chrysalis.
To be continued...