//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: Lord Tirek - Part 2 // Story: Relationships are Evil // by TheTimeSword //------------------------------// “Are you ready, Tirek?” The centaur sat on the station’s bench, he had been waiting patiently for the others to exit the train. All the Elements and Starlight had tagged along to witness the event, an apology from Tirek to the royal sisters. Even Discord showed, though not to support or incite Tirek, but more of a formality to his reformers. He mostly complained of the small train cart the entire ride to Canterlot. “Hm? Oh, yes, I am.” After his final test, he took a few days to collect his thoughts on whether or not to apologize. The notion that he would be free, truly free, was enough to push him towards the apology. He would be given the freedom to go anywhere he pleased, even return home if he so chose. It wasn’t his only reason though, as winning the bet for Twilight Sparkle still maintained itself at the forefront of his mind. “You nervous?” His nails were trimmed, the grime cleaned out from underneath. His hair had been brushed and beard combed, even his short horns were sharpened and smoothed. If he was going to be meeting with the royal sisters then he wanted to meet them as a well-groomed centaur. “Mortified.” One thing still irked him though. The unjustified reasoning behind his original imprisonment. He had yet to absorb any pony magic, simply discussing the plan with his brother. It was true that he would have used the magic to rule Equestria, but was that enough evidence to send him to Tartarus without a trial? This very thought ran through his mind the days preceding, and now that he was here, was he really willing to forgive and forget. “Don’t sweat it. I’m sure they’ve already forgiven you and this is just a formality. If Twilight believes in you, then you’ve got nothing to fear from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,” the lilac furred unicorn said, attempting to comfort Tirek. “I believe you are correct, though that doesn’t make this any easier. After all this time, apologizing to the two ponies that are equal in my hatred to that of my brother. It’ll be difficult to say those words,” confided the centaur. The Elements had all stepped off the train, Twilight leading the posse of mares and the single draconequus. Tirek rose from his seat and dusted off his torso, ready to follow the young alicorn to the throne room. She wandered over to the two former villains, giving a warm smile before speaking. “You two ready? We’re being led by the city guard, you’re getting the royal treatment today.” “Paraded through the streets like an animal? Lovely,” he murmured. “It’s better than being paraded through the streets like a criminal,” she sarcastically replied. Starlight wrinkled her nose from the comment. “That doesn’t actually happen, does it?” “Uh, no. It was a joke. We only hold parades for good things,” Twilight reassured with a discomfited laugh. As the group ascended towards the castle, Tirek could feel the eyes on him as they marched up the main street. Members of the royal guard blocked the road, preventing ponies from interfering with the honored group. Tirek noted all the fearful looks the citizens expressed. Ponies stood behind the barred barriers, whispering and glaring as he passed. It was then he noticed a brown pony with a blonde mane. He quickly poked Starlight, getting her attention, and then leaning in to whisper, “See that pony over there? I remember him.” “Remember him from what?” she quietly asked. “He was one of the first I absorbed before I was discovered by Discord. I wonder if he still remembers me.” Tirek then raised a hand above his head and waved in the direction of the stallion, causing the pony to shriek and gallop away from the crowd. “I guess you left an impression on him,” sassed the draconequus. Tirek crossed his arms, angrily looking in the direction opposite of Discord. “Nobody asked what you think,” he gutturally replied. “Well, you two are the ones whispering in a group of friends. How could I not offer my two bits?” Discord snapped his fingers and two coins appeared in his hand, to which he quickly ate like berries. “Eavesdropping is beneath me, but, Discord is technically right. You both do realize we can hear you whispering?” added Rarity. ”It’s not beneath me, I was totally listening in,” Rainbow casually mentioned. “Okay! I get it!” shouted the angry centaur, causing the entire parade to halt. The city guards turned to look at the commotion, fearing any outburst of the supposed reformed centaur. As everyone stared, a silence filled the street. Shifting armor was the only sound that permeated. Tirek could no longer bare the stare of eyes that burned like little suns. Refusing to stay halted, Tirek pushed the guards out of the way and began running for the castle. The slowness of the spectacle impeded his desire to be done with the apology; to get it over and move on with his life. As he rushed ahead, Twilight chased after him with friends in tow, leaving the guards behind for fear they might overreact to Tirek’s temper. As he rushed up the steps, eager to enter the throne room and complete the trial, he noticed the lack of guards that were stationed amongst the castle courtyard. When he felt he was no longer being watched, he scampered into a cozy, secluded garden to catch his breath. He could hear the trotting come from the main street and up the steps, the Elements rushed into the courtyard and pressed on into the castle. Before he could take a sigh of relief, a guard pony stood behind him and yelled, “Stop right there criminal scum!” Tirek fell forward into a bush, startled by the loud voice. After he had managed to pull himself from the shrubbery, still covered in leaves, he turned to face the random guard. Before he could shout or explain himself, he noticed the lit up horn on the pony, and then felt the foliage levitate from his body. “What do you think? Was my shout good enough?” The guard pony looked no different than any others from what Tirek had seen, an orange furred unicorn with ironclad armor. “You really shouldn’t be hiding from your problems, y’know.” “And you shouldn’t sneak up on a magic stealing centaur,” growled Tirek. The guard pony let out a laugh as if Tirek had just told a joke. “Well, it’s my first day, they stuck me with garden watching duty. Wanna see the rest of it?” He then motioned for Tirek to follow. As he was led, Tirek noticed the lack of concern for who he was. It was the opposite of how the ponies on the road had felt. This peculiar guard didn’t seem to care for who Tirek was or what he had done. The two reached the center of the garden, hedges surrounded the area and a large fountain sat in the middle. “Why did you lead me here?” Tirek questioned. “It’s a good place to think about things,” answered the guard pony. Tirek was unsure if that were true, but he couldn’t doubt the beauty of the garden. He listened to the fountain’s trickling water, stared at the trimmed rose bushes, and felt the warm sun beat down on his red skin. “This reminds me of the garden that I use to play in when I was a colt. It was before my brother was born, my mother would play hide and seek with me almost every day,” he reminisced aloud. “You’ll get to see lots of new places like this once you’re free. You should spend some time here while you stay in Canterlot, many of the nobles come by every day just to relax.” Watching the birds fly overhead, Tirek stood still for a moment, enjoying the serenity that surrounded him. “Mm, maybe I will,” his voice trailed off. “Wait. Didn’t you say this was your first day? How did-” He turned around, looking for the unicorn who seemed to have vanished. “What just happened?” he confusedly asked, scratching his head in bewilderment. Before he could even begin to search, his name was yelled by a feminine voice – one that he immediately recognized. “Tirek!” she called out, entering the garden’s fountain circle. “Oh, Twilight,” he greeted. “You didn’t happen to see a unicorn guard leave, did you?” She answered with a shake of her head. “No, I didn’t. What are you even doing in here?” “Hiding.” He sat down on the side of the fountain, splashing the cold water with his fingers. Twilight waltzed over beside him, sitting her rump in the grass and staring up at his sorrowful expression. She waited patiently for him to speak, but as he remained silent she decided to talk first, “The castle garden has changed since when I was a filly.” He turned his head, her words caught his attention. “After I became Celestia’s student, I was allowed on castle grounds. Back then, the gardens were sealed off to anypony except those select few deemed worthy by the royals.” “You’ve been her pupil for that long?” he inquired. She stared up at the sky, admiring the fluffy clouds that slowly floated on their own little path. “I’ve been her pupil my whole life, it feels like. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t anything besides her student.” Her focus shifted back to Tirek. “Well, except for recent history. Though some days still feel like I’m supposed to send her a letter or give her a report.” He pouted his bottom lip, surprised by her history. “You were groomed for success, much like I was. Except you actually accomplished what your mentor set you to be,” he mused, trailing his voice off as he became lost in a daydream. Placing a hoof on the fountain, Twilight lifted herself up onto the side and plopped her back against his torso. The centaur was surprised by the sudden closeness of the alicorn. The two sat there for a few minutes, silently thinking to themselves. “Twilight,” Tirek said, breaking the silence. “Could I ask a favor of you?” She was surprised by the question, simply nodding in reply. “Can you send a letter to my home?” Her mouth fell wide open, a question she had never thought to hear from the anguished centaur. The amount he had changed was astonishing to her. Giving the okay to come to Canterlot and apologize was one thing, but this was a whole new level, and she knew that. “I can, on one condition,” she brazenly replied. “Hmm, what is it?” She hopped off the fountain and began walking away. Tirek slowly rose to his hooves, following the alicorn. “You and I both know you really want to ask the princesses something.” Before he could respond, she continued, “Make your demand like I know you want to. Whatever happens, happens.” Her requirement left Tirek in shock, he halted his movements at the edge of the garden. He knew exactly what she meant, but how she could have figured it out was beyond any reasoning he came up with. An uneasy feeling built in his stomach as he knew what he had to do. These ponies are going to get me killed, he thought as he chased after the alicorn. The Elements, Starlight and Discord all waited patiently for his arrival. As he stood in front of the towering doors to the throne room, he looked to his friends who all smiled – except for Discord. Tirek gave a thumbs up, signaling the guard ponies to allow him access. The doors slowly shifted, opening to the ornate hall that held the royal sisters. White and red glistened the hall, lights shined from all directions. He took a deep breath and walked forward toward the thrones. Walking the red carpet, he remembered the last time he had been here. The thought seeped at the forefront of his mind as he ceased his movements, leaving a few yards between where he stood and the steps to the sisters. With a gracious bow he greeted the two alicorns. “Good afternoon, Tirek, and welcome to Canterlot.” Princess Celestia welcomed the centaur, bowing her head. “Thank you. I’m sure you two know why I’m here,” he paused as they nodded. “It’s not an easy thing for me to do, but…” his voice trailed off. He then lowered his forelegs, placing a fist on the ground to hold his balance. “I, Lord Tirek, would like to offer my apology to you, and to the citizens of Equestria.” The two princesses smiled at the centaur. “On behalf of pony kind, we humbly accept your apology,” they said in unison. That was far too easy, he thought as he raised his body back to its standing position, his friends cheering happily at the charming scene. Their cheering halted as he raised a hand and pointed a finger at the two sisters. “I must also make a request,” he sternly shouted. Surprised by the sudden change in demeanor, the two sisters looked at each other in confusion and then turned their focus back to the centaur. “Go ahead,” Luna said. The ponies sat with bated breath, even catching the attention of Discord. They all waited to hear his demand. “I was unjustly imprisoned by you two. When my brother betrayed me, I had yet to absorb any magic, and when you two came to take me away, I had no choice but to defend myself.” The look in his eyes burned with an intense rage as he spoke. “There was no trial or jury. You sent me away to Tartarus for so long, and I have missed so much. For that, I demand an apology from you both!” He clenched his fist, shaking it at the two oldest alicorns. Celestia looked down her nose at the centaur, a scorned frown sat upon her lips and furrowed her brow. She looked at Luna who held the same expression, and then turned her glare back to Tirek. “So, you want an apology?” she asked as she began sauntering down the steps with Luna in tow. “Apologizing is for those who believe they have made a mistake, dear sister,” Luna noted. “Tirek apologized, therefore he believes he made a mistake.” “Indeed,” replied Celestia as the two stepped onto the throne room floor. “And so it seems that he believes we too have made a mistake.” The two sisters halted themselves in front of the centaur, their towering proportions showed how inferior Tirek’s stature was, paling in comparison to their height. “I know all too well that even royalty can make mistakes,” Luna said, her face humbling, fading from the sour look it had held. “I agree, and as such,” Celestia paused, bowing with Luna to the centaur that stood before them. “We would like to offer our apologies to you, Tirek. We were wrong to imprison you for so long.” Tirek backed up, surprised by the ease of his demand. He wasn’t sure what he had expected them to do or say, but he never thought how accommodating they would be. It was a simple apology, but it brought him back to his knees, bowing with the two sisters. As the three rose, the ponies once again cheered for their friend, all rushing to be by his side. They all latched onto the centaur, giving him a big group hug to which he graciously returned. “You’ve made quite a few friends, Tirek,” mentioned the younger sister. “I think that a centaur who has been away for such a long time, yet has made several good friends, deserves a bit of a reward,” Celestia complimented, smiling down at the group. “As such, not only are you now a free citizen of Equestria, we would also like to offer you a room in the Canterlot castle. You are welcome to come and go freely, as much as you’d like.” Upon hearing those words, a single tear fell down his cheek, surprising the two sisters, the ponies, and even a few guards. “I’m… I’m free,” he said in a low-pitched tone. “You’re free,” Twilight repeated. “You’re free!” The ponies reiterated those words until everyone said it a few times. The royal sisters let out a giggle as the group chanted, almost taking part in it themselves. “To celebrate the reformed Tirek, let us have a royal feast for the honored guest and his friends,” Celestia proudly announced. Tirek stood slack jawed, surprised by the amount of kindness and integrity he was being given. “This is all so sudden. I need a moment.” “If you would Tirek, please wait in the hall,” Luna directed. “We must make preparations with your friends.” He gave a gracious bow before taking his leave. His heart still raced as he waited outside the throne room, the very thought of being free was just as startling as the sisters’ apology. He stood, staring out the window at the royal garden. I’m free, but I still feel so angry, he thought as he watched the wind blow leaves from a tree. He became so lost in thought that he didn’t even feel the presence of another. “Congratulations.” He continued to stare out a window, admiring the scenery from what he could see. “Even you’re congratulating me? Today’s been something,” the centaur mused. Discord leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and legs in a manner only he thought to be cool. “Yes, well. I’m sure you’re feeling really great right about now, you’ve accomplished so much,” he surmised with a tone that was clearly sarcastic. “Should I? Is that what I’m supposed to be feeling right now? Then why do I feel so empty?” His voice was monotone, but the seething could be felt even by Discord. Tirek slowly raised a fist, staring down at it with an anger boiling inside of him. “It is a lot all at once, but I’m sure-“ “Tell me Discord, do you feel happy with your situation,” interrupted Tirek. “Do you feel like you’re living a purposeful life? Do you ever feel like the ones who say they care about you, who say they enjoy your company, instead they actually fear you and have never stopped fearing you?” The draconequus stepped forward, watching the centaur’s rage build. “They don’t fear me, I’ve managed to change their-“ Tirek snapped his head around and yelled, “Of course they don’t, you’re a clown! They don’t fear clowns!” He faced the window once more, anger pouring off him like sweat. “I am not like you…” he murmured. “It sounds like you’d rather be me,” Discord proclaimed. As he heard those words, his rage overflowed, causing him to scream, “I am Lord Tirek!” He sent a fist through the window, shattering the glass. Shards fell from above, scratching and cutting the centaur’s hand as he pulled it back. Surprised by the sudden outrage, Discord watched on with a dumbfounded expression, unable to stop the centaur as he walked away. The throne doors creaked open as Twilight and Starlight came to investigate the noise. They trotted up to Discord and the broken glass, noticing the centaur in the distance. “Discord, what happened?” Starlight snappily asked. “Well,” he groaned. “I congratulated him.” Twilight noted the broken window, examining the shards of glass and remnants of blood, giving a demoralized sigh as she began trotting off after the centaur. “I’ll go get him. Let the others know,” she hollered as she left. The trail of blood lead the alicorn like a hound, droplets left across the marble flooring, the courtyard’s grassy field, and up to a separate tower that the mare immediately recognized. The blood slowly halted its trail as it led up the spiral steps of the unique tower. She slowly peered in, the library remained dark except for the sunlight that shined through its enormous window. “Tirek?” she called out as she waltzed in. “You know you shouldn’t let Discord get to you.” “It wasn’t Discord’s words that got to me. It was my own thoughts.” The centaur’s voice echoed in the main chamber, but to Twilight’s gaze he was nowhere to be seen. “Are you alone?” “Yes, though I doubt for very long. You know you’ve intruded on someone’s home, right?” she called out as she searched for the bleeding stallion. He finally showed himself, trotting out onto the balcony above the main chamber with a towel covering his hand. “This is inside the castle grounds. Who lives inside castle grounds?” he questioned. Flapping her wings, she flew up and hovered in front of the balcony. “Technically, no one lives here at the moment, as this use to be my home,” answered the mare. “Though I do hope Moon Dancer spends quite an abundant amount of time here. I don’t want this place to go to waste,” she mused. “Yes, well. If you’ve come to scold me, talk about my feelings, or something else just as awful, then I want nothing to do with it.” He then walked back into the bathroom, still clutching the towel against his injured hand. Twilight followed behind, watching as he rinsed the towel in the sink. “If you’re not in the mood to talk, then how about you let me fix your hand,” she said with a scolding but worried tone. Wincing from the pain, he turned his head to focus on the alicorn, giving a raised eyebrow before nodding to the proposal. She opened the cabinet behind the mirror, levitating bandages and a wound care cream from the medicine box. He lowered his hand, allowing her to nurse the cuts. “I suppose this revokes my citizenship status,” he muttered. “I thought you didn’t want to talk,” she scoffed. Ointment poured out onto the wounded hand, causing the centaur to flinch. He held tight, willingly riding out the pain, to which she took notice. “And no, it doesn’t. That won’t change unless you start eating magic again.” Once she finished wrapping the hand with the bandage, he began to pull it away, only for Twilight to grasp and hold it constricted between her hooves. The more he pulled, the tighter she held. He stared down at the alicorn, her eyes covered by the purple mane. “Scorpan was right,” he softly mentioned. She looked up at Tirek, her eyes glistening with tears that had yet to fall. Her voice quavered as she asked, “Right about what?” “The last time I spoke to him he said, you ponies would be the death of me.” “But… You aren’t,” she stuttered, thinking of the literal meaning behind that. “No, no. I think he meant my evil side, my passion for destruction and control. For one side to live, the other must die. Lord Tirek… or Reformed Tirek.” As he pulled his hand, she finally let go. “Tirek…” she whispered as he placed the other hand against her cheek. “You-You’re such a fool, Tirek.” Surprised by her words, he raised a questioning brow before asking, “What do you mean?” She wandered out onto the balcony, giving a sigh and a giggle as she regained her composure. Before the centaur could reiterate his question, she leapt and glided down to the bookcases below. Books flew from the shelves and circled her, she quickly scanned them each to find the information she desired. Tirek slowly made his way down the steps, still clenching his hand as he trotted up to the alicorn. The books that circled her were closed one by one until the final book levitated over to him. He looked up at Twilight, who smiled bright, and then grasped the open book. His eyes glanced over the paragraphs, attempting to figure out what she wanted him to see. “Am I missing something?” he asked, flipping a page. “Is this what was written about me? Why are you showing me this?” “Your name, Tirek. It’s never stated in any book that you’re Lord Tirek.” She levitated the book back over to her as she began to recite some of the words. “Tirek and his brother Scorpan. When Tirek refused. And Tirek was sent to Tartarus,” she listed the references to his name. “Don’t you see?” “Not really, no.” She placed the book down. “Lord Tirek isn’t mentioned. Only you, Tirek. Your past is part of who you are, and you can’t just throw it away,” she explained, staring at him with expectant eyes. “But, that means ponies will fear me for the rest of my life,” he objected, almost fuming at the very idea. “Well I don’t fear you.” The alicorn pointed at the centaur, a scolding tone in her voice as she spoke. “Neither does Pinkie, or Rarity, or Starlight, or Rainbow, or anyone else that knows you!” “But, I’m still a magic eater,” he objected once more, barely believing his own words. As her face crinkled from annoyance, she stomped her hoof. “Discord is still chaos embodied, Starlight still knows time travel spells, but none of that matters because I trust them. And I trust you too!” His lips curled from a frown and into a smile, her words finally hitting their mark. “Wow. It’s been a long time since anyone has trusted me.” “It’s also been a long time since you’ve trusted anyone, hasn’t it?” she remarked. He lowered his head, rubbing the back of his neck with the one good hand. “Erhm, well, yes. It seems I’ve been a bit of a fool, haven’t I?” “Yes, you have. It only became more apparent after you chatted with Starlight. You always seem to let your emotions run wild, except for the ones that hurt you the most.” She looked down at his hand. “Especially the ones that hurt you the most.” “All that time I spent in Tartarus, the hatred I’ve retained is still part of me.” Her ears flopped down as she frowned. “Maybe Starlight is right then, Tirek. Maybe you should resolve your issues with your brother, maybe then you won’t be-“ “I know,” he interrupted, placing a finger over her lips. “Perhaps I will, but for now I have a favor to ask, if you don’t mind.” She raised an eyebrow and gave a nod, to which he then asked, “Would you mind if I stayed in Canterlot for a little while after you and the others return to Ponyville?” “Not at all. Though, you don’t have to ask permission to do anything anymore. If you want to stay in Canterlot, then you’re free to do so for however long you desire.” She then coyly reminded him of the silly chanting, “You’re free, remember?” He placed a hand atop her head and patted the young alicorn. “I’m free, but that feeling pales in comparison to the feeling of being your friend.” He smiled at her, noting her abruptly large smile and glittering eyes, finally realizing what he had just said. “Oh no, mushy words. I think I’m turning into Discord.” Twilight couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “Well I’m glad to be your friend too, Tirek,” she said as her laughter slowed. “Thank you,” he replied with a smile. “Come on. I’m sure our friends are all worried. They probably think I’ve absorbed your magic.” “Tirek!” “Oh no! I am turning into Discord, the lame jokes are already starting!” He placed his hands against his cheeks, horror exaggerated across his face. As the two exited the regal tower, still laughing at each other’s jokes, a pile of books shifted in the corner. A cream colored unicorn sat up, awakening from her slumber. “H-Hello? Is s-somepony there?” she sleepily called out.