Journey Through Tartarus (A MLP: FIM Fanfic)

Chapter One

I was able to buy the DVD collector edition of the My Little Pony Trick or Treat for my shelf. It was a steal of two dollars at a random garage sale that I passed by on my way home. The box had the plastic off but I could have cared less, it was one more piece to my collection. 

With the DVD player already hooked up to my TV when I got home, I popped the disk in and turned on the DVD player's power button. It runs for a half second then reads it and plays a few commercials. In the free time the commercials gave me, I got myself a bag of white cheddar popcorn and a can of soda before making my way back to my room. As I walked through the apartment, the echo of cartoon commercials made it feel a little less empty for a moment. 

When I made it back to said room, I was greeted by a home screen of Rainbow Dash in a vampire cape with three of the mane six logos behind her in a Powerpuff girl kind of vibe with the way the streaks of color followed behind them. I clicked the play button and the first episode began. 

I noticed right away that the DVD was just a cash grab due to the fact that they repackaged random episodes about storytelling and called it a day. It was just the story arc of Star Swirl and the warriors with the camping episodes. For a DVD about Trick or Treat, they seemed to have forgotten both Halloween specials they aired on TV. I decided catching up on some paperwork was a good way to use the recycled background music. 

Once the room was silent and the DVD played its contents in full, I got up from my desk and opened the DVD player once more. In habit, as I picked up the DVD, I checked the other side for any extra content or bonus features. I didn't expect to find anything on a My Little Pony DVD but I was surprised to say the least. 

Around the band in the middle of the DVD were three small words in plain text, "Journey to Tartarus". I shrugged my shoulders and flipped the disk to play the other side. It wasn't shocking to hear about Tartarus in this show, it was one of the many things that I didn't expect to find in a girls show the first time I watched it. 

The commercials played through like they did last time and the same screen from last time pulled up, except one thing, there was no play all episodes option and the homescreen was flipped. Rainbow Dash was now on the other side of the screen with the same logos behind her in a mirrored fashion. The banner where the options to choose episodes or options only held one option now. Play. 

I shrug the home screen off, they most likely reused that art too when they put this together, I mean, they were bold enough to recycle episodes, right? 

I hear the familiar click of the play button and the first episode starts up in Twilight's castle with the mane six, Spike, and Starlight sitting around the table. 

"We need to find out what Tirek is up to and where he hid the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Any ideas, girls?" Twilight sat her hooves on the table and stared at the others, searching for any kind of answer or any kind of additional help. 

I was now puzzled, there was never an episode of the Cutie Mark Crusaders being kidnapped, especially not by Tirek of all people. 

"Maybe look at the gates and travel down, I guess." I mumbled out loud to no one, I waited to see what the cast was going to do next. 

"Good idea, maybe if we go inside Tartarus, we'll find them." Twilight replied, her head faced towards me, some hope returned to her face. 

I blinked. Did… did she just reply to me?

I peered over my shoulder, maybe I was finally on one of those prank channels and they were somehow able to hire Tara Strong to mess around with me. But of course, no one was in my apartment with me, no one ever was to begin with. 

"Is there something wrong, Candy Heart?" I froze when Twilight looked into the camera as she asked this. The other vibrant colored horses were now staring at me as well. How did she know my OC's name? Why was she looking at me as if I was really there? What was this episode even about and when did it air because I watched all nine seasons and I had never seen this one. 

I had to look over my shoulder both ways again to confirm that I wasn't being messed with. It was really just me in the apartment, the front locked door and locked two story windows made sure of it. 

My attention went back to the TV and my mind had the craziest idea, I replied again. 

"No, nothing's wrong, Twilight, continue please." She nodded at me as if she really was waiting for my response and continued on about every detail like she did while the others listened. I sighed, what was I doing, replying to a kids show like I was five again? 

I closed my eyes and rubbed them for a moment, today at work was stressful enough and bills were always a pain. I pulled my hands away from my eyes and was greeted with white hooves instead of the hands I always knew. 

"Wha-" I started, I couldn't feel my hands and anytime I tried to move them, the white hooves moved instead. Moving the white hooves out of the way, I saw the crystal table map in front of me. Like, in front of me and I could touch it realistically looking in front of me kind of look.

I placed a hoof on the table, it made a clank. I made a scream, whipping the mane six's attention from their conversation to me. All of them appeared worried or concerned as I panicked. I was in the TV show somehow and I was a pony.