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"I....I would love to see them.....My daughter....My wife.....It has been so long....." Xeno said softly

And the other side of his mind still did not bother to show up.

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"Then guide the way, I'll be dragging your other half and this trickster along." she said while holding Xeno's mortal body by the mane.

Even as it flailed around in aggravation to escape, she slung her arm around the other biped's neck to tow him along if needed.

716254
"Hm," he suddenly said. "I seem to have fixed myself elsewhere for the moment. Didn't expect that. Ah well, anyways," he said, dropping his voice to a whisper again that Xeno could not hear, "you intend to inflict horror on this poor boy by means of terrifying or harming his family by his doing, don't you? I find a willing servant to be far more helpful than a broken or fearful one. Perhaps let him find peace by letting him truly see his family, and he will be grateful: you will have given him something he treasures and so long as he understands that you can take it away, he will not have any desire to leave or betray you; if one as powerful as you were to make off with him, he would be far more likely to return of his own volition and sabotage the offender on his way out."

716254
"They are....They are located in a cabin near the Everfree forest....And not Fluttershy's place.....Someponies get mixed up which ones which.....There should be a lake behind the cabin....That's where they are..." Xeno said softly in excitement.

As he was being dragged out of the factory. Still unable to move a single muscle.

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"Just make sure she doesn't hurt them. Not even my daughter. I can't bear to see a young filly like her to suffer." Xeno said in little worry and fear.

716299
The Story Teller tuned his eyes to Xeno's. The kind look he had in them let him know that he intended to make sure everything turned out alright.

716273

My poor little teller of tales, his mind is his own but his body is a machine. A body that will follow its programming, Story Teller heard in his mind before Echidna gave an uncharacteristic laugh.

"Let us be off then!" she said in an excited voice as a portal, bordered with a mix of thorns and runes, appeared.

Through it the borders of the Everfree forest could be seen. The lush trees bent in the wind as the calls of various beasts could be heard coming from within.

"First thing first though", Echidna said as she gave the not-quite-mobile pegasus device a kick through the portal.

He landed in an unkempt heap before absentmindedly sitting on his metal flank and rubbing his unfeeling muzzle. Echidna then walked through and made sure it shut before letting Story Teller go.

On her back Xeno's insane side continued to struggle as he started jabbing his remaining blade into her body.

716363
Oh, you! came the Story Teller's mental response. That's quite clever. Very sadistic. But clever.

The Story Teller looked around as Xeno adjusted himself. He seemed to be searching for something for several moments before picking a direction: he stared, blinking.

716347
"Thank you..." Xeno said with a smile.
716363
"My....My home?" Xeno said as excitement filled his body

"My home, my home, my home, my home!" Xeno said. He couldn't hold back tears of joy as he took his first step into freedom.

716379 / 716386

...Little did he know what was to come as he managed to canter towards the cottage. Behind him the other three followed out of earshot.

"...So of course there will be the initial panic from seeing a nightmare made real, but then there's a word that can activate and deactivate the various functions. When 'that' happens though, his mind shuts down and he'll simply awaken without memories." Echidna explained as Xeno's insanity paused to listen and Story Teller nodded.

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"I see," said the Story Teller. "And this is a word that you know, right?" he asked jokingly.
He looked to the cottage ahead and the top of one of his eyes arched for a second.

716412
Xeno's insanity part spoke.

"So....do you mean one of us is going to lose some.....memories?.......heh....heh....nrrrrr....."

716430 / 716423

"Only the foal that clings to his family my incompetent Insano and I'm sure we'll be hearing the activation phrase shortly Story." Echidna said as Xeno dusted his new metal from before knocking excitedly on the cottage door.

Seeing a shadow pass the window, Echidna quickened her pace to not miss the fun as Story Teller hurried to keep up. Even the aggressive stallion on her back took the rough treatment with a grain of salt as he tried to look over the biped mare's shoulder.

716495
The Story Teller seemed to be whispering something unintelligible to himself in anticipation of the event to come, his eyes tracking the figure's estimated movement after it had passed the window.
Power exine, Caster's delight:
White One redreams, making this right...

716511

"I think you're trying to hard..." Echidna said as she interrupted his chant with a rough shake. "...can't have you fixing things before they are broken."

Quickly regaining his focus, he restarted the long chant as the cottage door creaked open.

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716495
As the door opened Xeno's insane part of his mind grew a grin and quietly started laughing.
his eyes widen every second he was laughing.

Story Teller looked at him in concern of the actions of Xeno's insane part is doing.

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"Oh be quiet," the Story Teller muttered to the insane half as he began to mutter a different spell.
"Sound to mine, sound to thine,
quiet be the chosen's mind..."

721980
"Oh....Am I being too loud?......hehheh.....Well just look at him." Xeno's insane part looked at Xeno as he was greeted with his wife and daughter.

"It's a shame though.....To see his wife and daughter will soon be spectra.....heheheh....."Xeno's insane part taunted.
And his grin grew even wider.

721980

Giving Story a look, one of Echidna's tendrils circled the insane one's neck. She let go of him and gave him enough length in the noose to barely place a hoof on the ground.

"Just deal with the problem before--" Echidna started before a shout rent the air.

"Monster!"

An audible click was heard as Xeno's new body began its programming.

The pegasi mare narrowly avoided death when the dagger like tail, of Xeno's, embedded itself in the wooden door. A grinding noise came from inside the pegasus device as it easily broke through the wooden door as the two ponies fleed up the stairs.

"Let' watch the fun then." Echidna exclaimed as she followed behind the mechanical monstrosity.

Struggling to breathe, Xeno's insanity was dragged behind her.

722086 / 722063
"AGH, curse my dsitractability!" the Story Teller said, stopping his chant. He hurried after the group, quickly starting an entirely new chant.
Exin, exine, exinis, kot,
here we are as wrath is wrought,
terror's seen and screams are heard
for each induca I say these words...

722112
Xeno's isnanity started laughing.
"HAHAHAHAH!!!!! I KNEW IT! OH THE CRULEITY OF IORNY! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!" Xeno's insanity taunted

722112 / 722063

The first two steps were crushed as the pegasus device followed its prey. A whiling was heard before a cable shot from its mane and embedded itself at the top of the stairs. Gears whirled in the back of its head as it was slowly dragged up the rest of the steps.

The filly's screams of horror could be heard from the second floor as their hunter reached the second floor.

"Get back!", the mare cried in horror as the three watched her kick the device's muzzle.

Its head turned from the impact as its tail struck like a scorpion tail. There was a 'thunk' as the tail hit the floorboards, with the mare's severed leg next to it. The tail retracted as the mare limped towards her frightened daughter. Jabbing the severed leg, the pegasus device inhaled it as bloody mist filled vials on its back. The grinding noise grew louder as it sucked the trail of blood leading to the mare.

Placing a bloody hoof to the filly's cheek, she wiped the trail of tears as she tried to calm the frantic filly. "Shh, don't be afraid. Escape through the window. Fly just like I taught you and warn the others."

722273 / 722308
Soul is seen, the casters near,
one is blind, other can hear.
Truth is known, but not to one,
yet to learn a soul undone...

722362
722308
Xeno watched of what was happening.
"NO!!!" He screamed in horror.
Xeno's insanity taunted story teller and Xeno.

"H-HEY I CAN'T TELL WHO IS WHO! WHICH ONE IS TRYING TO KILL THIS GUYS FAMILY OR THE ONE TRYING TO SAVE IT!? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

"DON'T YOU DARE TUCH MY FAMILY!" Xeno screamed. As the machine looked at Xeno he looked the same as Xeno did.

Xeno grabbed a shot gun that was kept in the house incase of times like this.
He loaded it and prepared to strike.

722561 / 722362

"Faithless...", Xeno heard before the world around him blurred out of focus.

When he could finally make out what was happening, he wished it was a dream. His wife lay before him with blood pouring from her missing leg and the multiple gashes on her body. Hearing a whimper, he looked behind her and noticed his daughter ensnared by an open window. Trying to call out, the only sound he could make was the familiar roar of a grinder. Lifting his leg to help, he noticed the mare glare at him as she struggled to her remaining hooves.

"I ain't out of the fight yet you piece of scrap", she threatened weakly.

She swayed from the blood-loss as she protectively placed herself between him and their daughter. Trying to tell her, it was alright, he simply gave out another grinding roar. Seeing her dulling eyes suddenly glance behind him, he turned to see Echidna and Story Teller at the top of the stairs.

Xeno's insane half was dropped from the mare's shoulder as the tendrils disappeared. He lay on his knees as he massaged his sore neck. Trying to get up, he was pushed down as Echidna used him as a hoof stool.

"So what will it be my creation", he heard Echidna say before the familiar voice finished the sentence in his mind. "Do I save your wife or shall you be let loose to torture them to death, while you watch helplessly from the tool of they're destruction?

722561 / 723414
The Story Teller stopped moving in surprise at the mental transaction he had just heard, though the chant seemed to finish on its own.

A soul is seen, a mist is thrown,
reality seems to continue on its own.

Time seems to skip for a split second, almost as though reality were lagging. Then the Story Teller gains a sour, disappointed look on his face.

723414
723440
"Please save them! My wife my daughter! My daughter is still young and I don't want her to see her life all go away....Please save them! I don't care what happens to me! I just wanted to be with my family and away from a long nightmare" Xeno said as he stood by his wife and daughter

Xeno's insane half spoke.

"oh this is your family! HAH! It looks like two scared mares and some sorta......Thing....and a dude holding a shot gun! ahahahahahaha!!!!"

Xeno's daughter moved behind Xeno is fright of his insane half.

"Daddy? Who is that?" She said in worry.

"No one of your concerns. Go back to your mother for now ok Hot Arrow."

"Ok" Hot Arrow said as she trotted to her mother.

And as the monster that stands in front of them was silent and didn't even move.

723899 / 723414
The Story Teller breathed out heavily at the sight.
"He's hallucinating," he said. "He believes himself separate from his new body: he does not know that he is the pegasus device......"
He shook his head in sorrow. "The shock is too much. His mind is blocking the revelation..."

725513
Xeno's insane half eyes widen and looked in different directions.
"Ooohh.....uuuhhh.....I don't know how him and his family are.....hallucinating....heh.....I-It must be from some sort of spell of.....something....heh....*gulp*" Xeno's insane half said in worry

725537 / 725513

"It seems that you aren't as seprate from your host as I was told." Echidna growled with a glare at Story Teller.

He put his gloved hands up expecting her to punish him but relaxed when he saw her grab Xeno's insane half.

"You are deceived by your weaker half's mind you idiotic colt." she shouted in his face before hitting him in the jaw. " It was a mistake to give you Xeno's real body if you can't even stop his hallucinations from affecting you."

Tugging his muzzle roughly to the side, a rune flared on her arm. The painful shocks of electricity made him convulse as he saw the reality before him.

His previous host still remained as the pegasus device while making a grinding roar opposed to a voice. Apparently the mare didn't recognize her modified husband as she denied him any advances to the trapped filly. Her face looked pale as her life blood pooled on the floor.

"Now I'm going to see if you remain useful to me. Show him the truth or you will be the next thing Xeno gets to feed on." she whispered into the convulsing stallion's ear.

725602
".....Fine.....To be honest......His wife is about to bleed to death......heh......It'll be a shame to see his little daughter see her mother die in front of her....." Xeno's insane half said pointing at the pale mare looking to the monster in front of her.

725640 / 725602
"Well it's not entirely my fault they're still partially connected," the Story Teller says in his defense. "Connections between souls are unique, that connection just happened to be partially regenerative."
He waves his hands in a karate-chop motion. "There, that should redamage anything that regenerates."

727605
Xeno's insane half pointed at Xeno's wife looking paler than ever.
"ooohhh look at that poor mare bleeding to death.....Would somepony do something to save her?......Or let her die....." Xeno's insane half glaring at story teller and echidna.

727798 / 727605

Silencing him with a shove, Echidna walked over the stallion before pushing the shocked pegasus device aside.

"Who...are...you?", the mare demanded weakly as she tried to remain concious

Ignoring the pitiful act of defiance, four tendrils shot from Echidna's lifted hoof. The first three pierced her fur above the bleeding wound as the fourth bound her muzzle.

Her semi-conscious appearance vanished as the pain brought her back to her senses. The muscles in her neck went taut when she gave a muffled scream of pain and tried to pull loose.

Xeno's mechanical body turned on Echidna as his wife started to tear up from the pain.

727952
727605
"Whats going on!? What are you doing to my wife!?" Xeno said in worry to Ecidna's actions.

728208

"Exactly what you desired." she answered with a sly grin, hearing Xeno's thoughts. "Now before I repair her, you have to make me a deal."

The bleeding stopped as the tendrils were seen moving under the injured mare's fur. She gave another muffled scream as one of the moving bulges branched into five smaller ones.

"Mommy!" Hot Arrow cried from her own restraints as she watched her mother twist in agony.

"So do you accept my deal?" Echidna asked the mute being next to her.

728268
"What kind of deal is it!?" Xeno said in worry and anger.

728582 /727605

"If you want this mare her to live, I get the filly." Echidna said as there was a thump.

The whites of the mare's eyes showed as she lay in a heap. The pain had finally made the mare go unconscious as Hot Arrow continued to call for her mother. Clearly frightened out of her wits, the filly kept struggling as she looked between the two pony-like creatures that caused such violence. Her eyes widened in hope as she suddenly noticed the stallion standing beside Story Teller.

"Daddy help!" she cried, not knowing his body was possessed by her father's insanity.

730465
727605
"No! Not my daughter! anything but her! She is still a young filly! I-I can't lose her!" Xeno said in worry and fear.
Xeno's insane half looked down at the floor. A tear drained from his eye.

Am I crying? The insane stallion thought.
His wife passed out from blood lose. There is a filly crying for her mother....That stupid.....Beautiful little filly.... Story teller looked at the insane stallion and noticed the tear.

Xeno's insane half was quietly whispering to himself.
Story teller looked confused of an mentally insane mind of a stallion is crying.

Story teller walked to the stallion to check out the problem.

730465 / 730546
"So what's wrong here?" the Story Teller asks gently. "Could it be that you care for your family, whether you realized it or not?"

730907
"I d-......I don't know......Maybe......We share something together......" He said in anger and sorrow.

730962 / 730907

"So you'll be letting the mare die then." Echidna said casually as the three tendril slowly receded.

As they moved, blood started to seep from the exposed arteries and veins.

731087
730907
"NO!" Xeno's insane half said.
"She.......She will not die....."
Echidna stopped and looked confused of what the insane stallion said.
Even Story teller looked at him in great confusion.

Xeno even was confused to see a insane and careless stallion to say something like that.

"Does that filly want to watch her mother die right in front of her eyes......That will haunt her for as long as she lives." The insane stallion said. "I.......Feel......I don't know what I feel, but it is not the 'haha I love to see you die' feel." He said as the confused group of ponies starring at the insane stallion.
But Hot Arrow just looked at him in fear.

731724 / 730907

"Then you must decide, the life of your wife or the ownership of the child." Echidna said before her voice quieted to a whisper. "Answer before I choose to take both..."

732962
730907
Xeno looked at his wife and his daughter.
"You can take my freedom, you can take my free will. But you can never take my wife nor can you take my daughter but you can-"

Xeno's insane half interrupted him before Xeno can continue.

"You can take me.....You'd think I'm weak but you're far from wrong......you have no idea what I took from him...." The insane stallion chuckled.

"You can take me.....or you get nothing......I wont let you take his wife or his daughter......"
The stallion smirked and continued his sentence.

"His wife is just an average pegasus but she isn't powerful enough to take on.....Well anything.....And in her current state she has passed out. But she is still alive......And his daughter.......Little filly is not even 13......and what would you do with a filly anyways? Xeno.......Well he has some power......But not enough that will kill you and story teller, nor can it even kill me.....But it can kill things like timber-wolves, royal guards.....Nothing else that you can defeat......You'll just see it do some damage but not enough.....But if you take me.......You'll might get that servant that you wanted but 20% chance your servant will be THAT obedient.....And you'll get that warrior that you're looking for......So.....Do we have a deal or nothing......It's your lose....."
The insane stallion finished with a grin.

732962 / 734116
"A short translation is in order it seems," the Story Teller says. "For simplicity: He appears to be offering his full cooperation in exchange for allowing his wife and daughter to go free unharmed. He admits inferiority, but at the same time appears to be forcing his deal. He's making this... slightly difficult."

The Story Teller stood for a moment.
"Of course, that explanation was mostly so I could sort it out in my head for myself, but it can help others I guess."

734147
"heh.....Good thinking smart guy......" Xeno's insane half teased.
And his grin grew wider.

734175 / 734147

"Then you have chosen your path", Echidna said with a grim chuckle.

The gathered ponies watched in amazement as a black lump grew from the mare's bleeding stump. It quickly fashioned itself into a hind leg before the three tendrils separated from their host and receded into the flesh they'd pierced. A dark stain appeared around the mare's fur as the entry wound sealed itself.

Still stunned by the sudden display, the three took little notice of Echidna before hearing Hot Arrow cry out. Turning their gaze, a slight click was heard as a chain was fastened around the filly's neck. A rune glowed from it while a similar one appeared on Xeno's two halves.

735071
734147
"Wait what are you doing to us?!" Xeno's insane half said in anger and worry.

"And what are you doing to my wife and my daughter!?" Xeno said also in anger and worry.