My Little Pony: Tirek's Revenge

by Darkblaze15

Chapter 2: The Switch-up

In the days following the incident at the Grand Galloping Gala, everything in Equestria seems fine and word has not spread about Celestia’s nervous breakdown. While everypony carries on with their lives, Twilight and John become concerned with Celestia’s visions and what they could mean for the state of Equestria. They meet often and discuss different theories on what kind of future will take hold based on these visions. Twilight and John’s friends, who have not been told the events following Celestia’s strange actions at the Gala, believe that something along the lines of a crush is developing between the pair, but they both reassure them that it is simply “research”. One particular night, Twilight stays up late looking through spells book by book trying to look for a way to see into the future. Spike, who is the only one in whichTwilight confided the details of the Gala, becomes concerned for her health.

“But I need to figure this out or Equestria will suffer!” she insists.

“You’ve been looking through books for days; maybe the visions really meant nothing more than a bad dream – or bad hors d’oeuvres,” Spike says, and insists that she take a break. Eventually Twilight agrees, and they both venture to bed. Meanwhile, in the homes of Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, a hooded figure sneaks in, along with more dark figures; when they find their target, one of the dark figures shape-shifts to replicate each member of the Mane 5 and the hooded figure places the real Mane 5 under a short-term amnesia spell.

The next morning, Twilight Sparkle, feeling well-rested, decides to go for a morning trot while Spike continues to snore in his bedroom. As she trots along the streets of Ponyville, she spies Rainbow Dash racing through the clouds and flies up to greet her. When Twilight arrives, however, Rainbow Dash races away again, completely ignoring Twilight; a little taken aback, Twilight chases after her until she catches up.

“Oh, it’s just you. I thought I was leading on a flyer who was actually good,” Rainbow Dash sneers.

“What are you talking about, you know I’m a terrible flyer,” Twilight responds, surprised by Rainbow’s sudden hostility.

“Whatever. I don’t have time to hang with you, you’ll just slow me down even more than you are right now. I’m outta here!” Rainbow Dash replies and zips away into the clouds.

Twilight cannot believe what just happened, but eventually she just skeptically blames the event on Rainbow’s volatile spirit. As she continues her walk around town, she meets Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube Corner, who is baking one of her favorite recipes. Twilight says hello and asks if she needs any help, but Pinkie Pie suddenly whips around and spills her batter all over the floor.

Instead of cheerfully cleaning up the mess, however, Pinkie shouts “Look what you’ve done! Now I need to start all over again.”

“Sorry, I –” Twilight starts, but Pinkie interrupts her.

“Just get out of here, Twilight. I don’t need you butting in around here ever again!” Feelings hurt and shocked, Twilight gallops out of the kitchen and away from Sugarcube Corner, wondering why her friends have all of a sudden become so rude.

All day, Twilight finds that the rest of her friends have abruptly become callous jerks – even Fluttershy threatened to use “the Stare” just to make her go away. Confused and dispirited, Twilight asks for Spike’s help in the matter, but he does not know what to do and reminds her that, if anypony can solve this problem, it would be the “Princess of Friendship”, referring to Twilight herself. Twilight, seeing no other way out of her situation, and not wanting to disturb the other princesses during their troubles, decides to visit the only other place where her true friends are – John Darkblaze’s blacksmith shop. Along the way, however, she sees Applejack and Rarity having a conversation; she trots over to them and they begin introducing themselves as if they had never met her before.

“Now’s not the time to mess around, why were you two so mean to me this morning?” Twilight asks.

“Why, darling, we’ve never even seen you before, let alone act in a disrespectful manner to you,” Rarity says soothingly.

“She’s right, sugarcube,” Applejack butts in, “I’ve never seen you around these parts. Did you just move to Ponyville? If so, then let us give you a tour of our town.”

“Stop playing around. Tell me why!” Twilight asks again, but to no avail, so she finally leaves, leaving her “friends” looking very confused. As she continues on her journey, she has similar encounters with the rest of her friends, which does not help to lighten her mood.

She soon arrives at A Dash of Imagination, John's shop just outside of Ponyville;s borders. He, Jacob, Emily, and Jenna are talking amongst themselves in the shop, observing John’s latest gadgets when Twilight arrives and explains her situation.

“Well, that is quite strange, but what can we do to help?” Jacob Braveheart asks.

“I want to know what you guys would do in a situation like this,” Twilight offers.

“Aren’t you supposed to be the princess of friendship?” Jenna Lightningstrike asks playfully.

“I know, Spike already reminded me of that,” Twilight snaps back.

“Alright, calm down Twilight, I think you’re making a bigger deal about this than there really needs to be,” John says. “Why don’t you try talking to your friends one on one and try to work out your problems?”

“I don’t know if that will work; just yesterday they seemed normal and happy. I haven’t seen them act this way before, at least not since –” Twilight suddenly stops mid-sentence and becomes furious.

“Uh, Twilight,” Emily asks “are you –”

Suddenly, Twilight screams in rage “DISCORD!” and, moments later, the master of chaos himself appears in the room.

“Hoo, hoo, did somepony mention my name?” he asks in his joking manner, but Twilight tackles him to the ground.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” she demands of Discord.

“Now, now, as nice as it is to see you again too, Princess, I haven’t the slightest clue of what you’re talking about,” Discord responds calmly.

“Don’t play games with me Discord, you know what I’m capable of. First, you alter my friends’ personalities, then you wipe their memories?! This is exactly something you would do!”

“Who, me?” Discord asks innocently, “I would never do that to you or your friends at all. Well, not again, anyways,” he adds, remembering their first meeting.

Twilight, however, will not have it; “Tell. Me. The. Truth!” she says as she blasts Discord with her dark magic.

“No . . . wait, stop it! I swear, I didn’t do anything to your friends. Honest!” Discord shouts.

All of a sudden, Twilight turns back to her normal self, however looking very defeated. “I know,” she says, sensing the truth in Discords words.

After apologizing to Discord and saying goodbye to her friends, Twilight returns home to her castle, feeling more helpless than ever. Although she is supposed to be the Princess of Friendship, she does not know how she can fix the problems between her and her old friends. Once inside, Spike immediately asks if she solved her friendship problems, which Twilight declines to comment.

“Well, I’m sure they’ll come to their senses by tomorrow. What you need now is a good night’s rest to take your mind off things,” Spike suggests, which Twilight agrees. Then, they hear a knock at the door just before it is blown inward by an unseen force; Twilight and Spike have just enough time to dive out of the way of the oncoming projectile. After the dust clears, Twilight spins around to see their attacker – and is shocked to see Starlight Glimmer standing where the door used to be.

“What are you doing here?!” Twilight demands and prepares to fire a blast of magic.

“I just thought I’d drop by to deliver some news,” Starlight says slyly as she teleports out of Twilights range of fire.

“What news?” Twilight asks through gritted teeth.

“The news that we have returned and are stronger than ever,” Starlight replies.

“Who’s we?” Twilight asks, to which Starlight responds “Well, I’ll give you three guesses.”

Twilight thinks for a moment and gasps when she realizes exactly who Starlight is talking about. “But, that’s impossible. They’re supposed to be gone,” Twilight states.

Starlight explains “No, they’re not gone, but simply been lying in wait. Oh, and you might want to know that Tirek is very keen to speak to you, and we have a little surprise waiting for you in the Everfree forest,” and Starlight shows Twilight an image of her friends tied up calling for her. “Oh, and I wouldn’t wait around too long. Tirek gets impatient, and he doesn’t care who he exacts his revenge upon,” and with that, Starlight vaporizes into thin air.

For a moment, Twilight sits frozen to her spot; could Tirek and Starlight really have her friends tied up somewhere, or was it just a trap. Nevertheless, Twilight decides to go to the Everfree forest to save her friends; before she can fly away, however, Spike receives a message from Princess Celestia. Twilight opens it and finds out that Queen Chrysalis has stormed upon Canterlot with her army of Changelings; the castle has gone into lockdown, but she fears that it will not remain that way forever. Twilight realizes that she has to choose between either saving her friends from Tirek and Starlight Glimmer, or rescuing the royal princesses of Equestria from Queen Chrysalis’ wrath. What makes the decision worse is that she is only one pony; she cannot be in two places at one time.

“What are we going to do?” Spike asks.

“I don’t know. I can’t –” then she realizes four of her friends who are still free; “but I know who can help!” and she gallops away to John’s shop again. When she arrives, she quickly explains her predicament to the group and they immediately agree to help.

“But, how can we help?” Jacob asks.

“We can split up into two groups; I’ll confront Tirek and Starlight Glimmer and get my friends back, while you four go to Canterlot and protect the princesses,” Twilight explains.

“No, that doesn’t make sense, Tirek and Starlight are far more dangerous, you shouldn’t take them on alone,” John says, “Jacob, Jenna, you help Twilight; I’m sure you and I can handle Chrysalis and her Changelings, right Emily?” to which Emily agrees.

“Alright, let’s go before anything worse happens!” Twilight says and she takes off with Jenna and Jacob in tow, while John and Emily teleport to Canterlot.