Rule # 16:
Villains always have clear goals
It was the most dangerous and inhospitable island of Equestrian territory (it was surrounded by sharks, jellyfishes and poisonous fish) and the island itself was so dangerous that only Zodiac-type beasts were able to live in. A hell of an island, the perfect place for Sombra and Chrysalis to place their new hideout, where they could work on their plan take over Equestria. They still counted on Tirek, but there was no guarantee that he would return from Equestria so they had to modify their original plan.
“Do you think the ponies beat him, again?” Asked Sombra in a nostalgic mood.
“Unfortunately, yes. At this point he must be in Tartarus already. You know what? I don’t like this all friendship-thing and all, but I must admit I’m gonna miss the big guy. With his bad mood and all, I kind of get used to having him around”
“I know, we’ll feel his absence and not only because of the plan”
The two of them sighed and tried to go back to work, when heard something big and heavy dragging towards them. The two villains prepared for a fight, thinking it was a Zodiac beast, but it was just Tirek.
“TIREK!!” Shrieked the two villains running to their partner,
“What happened to you?” Asked Chrysalis.
“Who did this to you? The new guys?”
Tirek nodded weakly and touched the Control Collar Z and Puppè put on him.
“Those two… those two monster! They beat me badly, they tortured me, mocking me knowing there was nothing I could do to stop them to finally force me to mutilate myself and then… THEY MARKED ME AS SOME KIND OF PET! Damn brats, I almost wish that Grogar comes in, and show his monstrous power to those two. How could they be so powerful?”
He smashed the ground in his anger, worrying his two partners; and Sombra approached to the Control Collar.
“They marked you with this? Why don’t you take it off? I’ll do it!” Said Sombra preparing his horn.
“NO SOMBRA, THERE’S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW!”
But it was too late, as soon as the Control Collar was surrounded by Sombra’s magic aura, it glowed and much to the Dark King’s and Chrysalis’ surprise, a powerful electric current surrounded Tirek, making him tremble and scream in pain begging for mercy. Sombra released the Collar and the current stopped torturing Tirek, who fainted instantly.
Sombra exchanged a look with Chrysalis and surrounded Tirek with his magic (careful enough to not to touch the collar).
“Damn it, he’s dying! Bring me water now!” Shouted Sombra.
Chrysalis obeyed and Sombra hurried to create a mat for Tirek. He carefully put Centaurus on the mat and tried to treat his internal wounds with his magic. Chrysalis arrived with the water and spilled some on Tirek’s face. It worked, Tirek slowly opened his eyes.
“Next time wait that I finish my story stupid… don’t you think that if it was possible, I would take off this collar myself?!”
“What kind of magic is this?” Asked Chrysalis examining the collar.
“I don’t know, but I won’t let you touch this thing ever again” said Tirek touching softly the collar. “Not until we know who are we really dealing with?”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know, but if you enter to Equestria, don’t underestimate them. Understood?”
Sombra and Chrysalis nodded, so Tirek took a book from his pocket.
“Also try to study this. It may help you to understand them better”
“The Code of the Villains?” Asked Sombra.
“Since when we have a code?”
“They invented it” explained Tirek. “All their little game is based on this, and if they face you, they’ll go as far as they have to force you follow it”
They nodded, it was obvious that they couldn’t count on Tirek anymore. His horns will heal, but his pride was another story. Now they had something else to be careful about besides the Power of Harmony.
A good guy would have enough by sealing them, but a villain wouldn’t hesitate in eliminate them for good.
Now the question was, what kind of ponies where those two monsters?
Bright and Luminositè’s laboratory:
“Who likes her little dress? Who likes her little dress?” Asked Luminositè to her tiny androids as she put on their dresses.
And for Bright, he was busy unsuccessfully trying to find the mathematically exact formula to replicate the power of the Tree of Harmony by non-magical ways. One by one his failed attempts were going into the trashcan and he tried again.
Lumi raised an eyebrow and used her magic to pull one of the papers form the can and examined it carefully.
“The problem is that the Hearts Warming Tree needs too much power. More than our power-sources can produce” mumbled the girl.
“I know, the only thing I can think about is my prototype of an energy source based on my Little Boy”
“We talked about this, don’t you dare to make that thing. We can destroy three cities at once and you know it”
“I know, I’m just a little frustrated. Wanna go rob a bank or do you prefer a jewelry?”
“What ab out an art gallery? Today I’m in the mood of high-class crimes”
The two friends made a high-hoof and readied their vehicles.
Canterlot Art Gallery:
Another boring day for the guard of the museum. As always he scolded a couple of students for taking pictures with flash, chased two kids who separated from the school trip and a couple of idiots who were about to put their chewing gum under the benches.
But then he heard it, electronic music out loud.
“This kids! When are they gonna learn?” He complained leading to the source of the noise.
But instead of kids, he found into a couple of grown ponies in black spandex suit aside a giant metallic structure that worked as a mobile disco complete with laser and fog machines; and lots of tiny dolls dressed exactly like their owner. He had read enough newspapers to know who they were.
“Dolly! Mister Z!”
“So we’re finally getting the recognition we deserve!” Cheered Z. “You saved us a couple of business cards!”
The guard then ran for his life.
“Oh come on, we weren’t going to hurt him unless he gave us a reason” said Dolly scratching her head. “C’est la vie! Come on Monseur Z, I just saw a couple of Pencazzos that would look truly exquis in my side of the lab!”
“Paintings? I don’t know, I prefer sculptures. Shall we split?”
Dolly nodded and the both of them went to different wings according with their interests: Z went to the sculpture area and Dolly to the paintings.
And then Z saw it: an abstract sculpture made of several gears, screws, metallic pipes and such; it spoke directly to his soul of mad inventor. Yeah, there was nothing more beautiful than the gear, the soul of the machine.
“I love it! Z-Bots, take it for me!”
Two of his machines took the sculpture between their claws and he was about to go when a stern voice ordered him:
“Drop that sculpture immediately!”
“I have nothing between my hooves Princess Sparkle” said Z calmly turning to his rival. “Besides, it’s a crime to want pretty things?”
“No but take them without permission certainly is”
“Your Highness, Dolly and I saved you from Tirek. Can’t you just look to the other side at least for once?”
“And then there’s that detail, why did you saved us?” Asked Twilight.
“Because Equestria is our personal playground with Dolly, and we don’t like to share. Only between each other”
“Again, why did you saved us? You could let Tirek drain our power and then defeat him so you wouldn’t have anyone in your way”
“Because I live for challenges, and not having anypony in my way sounds boring”
Twilight frowned, there was something wrong with this dude, not necessarily evil.
In the paintings wing, Dolly was looking carefully at the famous The Daisies from Van Pogh, and almost in trance she extended her hoof towards the paining. As always, her scarf wrapped on it as it was a snake and carefully retired it from the wall.
“That’s a very delicate and valuable work of art! Leave it where it was or you’ll damage it for life!” Commanded Rarity entering to the room.
“Madame, mon écharpe won’t harm it, is made of a very special material that not only resists the most powerful magic and the most extreme temperatures, but also is soft and delicate”
Rarity walked carefully towards the villainess and saw how one of Dolly’s dollies walked to her and made an inviting gesture.
“Their dresses are made of the same material” explained Dolly. “Touch it si’l vous pleit”
Still unsure, Rarity touched the fabric.
“Unbelievable! You know? My daughter and I are also interested in textiles, I wish she could get as good as you”
Dolly sighed.
“And for me, I wish I could show my true talent to my mère. But I can’t”
“Why?”
“Because if I show her, mère would realize that I use my talent for evil, and I don’t want to disappoint her”
“You don’t have to use it for evil” said Rarity feeling a possible way to reform the villainess. “You have more options! I’m a mother too and I love my daughter, I would love her no matter who or what she is. I think your mother will understand if you explain her your reasons to do this”
“Mon reasons you say? Simply to control the monster I have inside. I’ve tried and the only thing that keep it under control is to follow the game my best friend created, but after what happened with Tirek I realized I’m losing control”
Suddenly the entire place began to shake.
“What?” Asked Rarity.
“Monseur Z is fighting”
Back on the sculpture wing, Twilight was shooting magic beams against Z, who eluded it with his increased agility; but still received lots but he didn’t care, he knew that his mother was weaker than his godmother… still he didn’t like how this was going.
“I’m young your Highness, you’re not. Let’s stop this foolishness, you can’t stop me, I have…”
“Enough power to defeat Tirek without effort, I know” said Twilight. “Why don’t you use it with me? Fight!”
“I don’t want to!”
Rainbow entered flying and tackled Z from the back, but it didn’t work. The suit absorbed the impact but Rainbow didn’t get hurt; the fabric was softer than silk.
“You too, Loyalty?” Asked Z annoyed.
“We’re all here to stop you Z” said Pinkie Pie jumping out of nowhere. “But Twily didn’t wanted to do anything until she tried to reform you. If we don’t, we have no choice but use the Rainbow Power on you”
The three mares activated their Harmony Forms. Z froze as he had an epiphany: there it was! The answer to replicate the power of the Tree of Harmony!
“This is your last chance Z. Reform or face the consequences”
“Where are the soldiers? Why are you here instead of them?” Asked Z.
“Since you defeated Tirek, we realized that you’re the highest class of enemies” said Twilight. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Mister Z jumped just in time to avoid the combined Harmony Attack. They attacked again but this time the Z-Bots blocked the attack with their bodies. The older mares stepped forward and they extended their claws as a warning.
“It didn’t work?” Asked the girls.
Z sighed relieved, of course, machines weren’t alive, they had no soul so the Power of Harmony wouldn’t affect them. But he had a feeling that something bad will happen to him if the attack actually reach him. Who knew how the Power of Harmony would affect a sociopath.
“It doesn’t work. Stop now that you still can” warned Z.
“We’re not giving up Z” said Twilight.
Z nodded.
“But I do. Seriously, I told you before: I’m not fighting old ladies. Sorry but there’s no fun of that. I’m out of here. Take care!”
So the Z-Bots took him on their claws and flew away.
Rainbow Dash wasn’t that young anymore but still she won’t let Z escape just like that. Z looked at her flying after him and after a sigh, he aimed his hoof and sent a stream of light directly to her eyes disorienting the cyan mare and force her to go to a wall.
“Damn it!” Complained Rainbow Dash looking Z going away.
“I don’t know Rainbow Dash, I’m glad he escaped” sighed Twilight.
“What? Why?” Asked Rainbow Dash.
“Don’t you see it Dashie? His reaction was more like a child realizing his game wasn’t a game anymore” explained Pinkie.
Twilight nodded.
“Exactly. I don’t know who he is or what he wants, but I’m more interested in interrogate this guy instead of turning him into stone. With all the power he haves, why did they insist in stupidities like this?”
In the meantime Applejack and Fluttershy arrived to the room where Rarity was in order to help her, but they find their friend simply chatting with Puppè.
“What’s going on?” Asked Fluttershy.
Applejack shook her head.
“A’ don’t know but we must stop this. DOLLY!”
The villainess turned to the group of mares ready to fight.
“Is it possible that they’re all here?” Sighed the disguised girl.
“Darling, after you defeated Tirek Princess Celestia realized that you’re the highest class of enemies. Sorry about this but we must seal you with the Rainbow Power”
Dolly nodded.
“I know. Dollies!”
The tiny androids released a small smoke-screen that distracted the mares, allowing Puppè to jump away by using her scarf as a rope to hang from a rafter.
“Ya’ don’t wanna fight?” Asked Applejack.
“Non, you must understand but as the Code of the Villains says, a villain must always have clear goals; and fight living relics is not one of ours”
“Who are ya’ calling a relic?” Shouted Applejack throwing a trashcan she found to the villainess.
The thing impacted on her, but it didn’t affected Dolly at all.
“See? If you were a soldier I would punch you back, but I feel bad about fighting an old lady. I respect the six of you too much to harm you. Sorry but is not happening. Dollies!”
The robots answered to their creator facing Fluttershy and Applejack and tying them in a beautiful red ribbon that they couldn’t get free.
“Is invulnerable to magic and also cannot be cut, have fun” said Dolly swinging away.
But suddenly Dolly stopped and turned to take the painting but Rarity protected it with her body.
“I won’t let you”
Dolly sighed.
“And apparently I missed on. Whatever”
And this time she actually left the room with a resigned aura.
It took like two and a half hours to free Applejack and Fluttershy from Dolly’s ribbon. As the villainess have warned, it couldn’t be cut and magic didn’t affected it. But at the end they were all in the train on their way back to Ponyville.
“I get that they don’t want to hurt us, but I seriously don’t understand this behavior. They have more than enough power to overthrown the Crown… but they keep doing this pointless stuff” said Twilight biting her lip.
“I know, their behavior is more childish than anything” said Pinkie.
Rarity agreed, but didn’t said anything as she was deep on her thoughts. Why Dolly didn’t tied her as well? Why did she just quit to get the painting just because of her, who could she easily defeat. This didn’t had any sense.
And then it was what Dolly told her. Why did she tell an enemy all that personal stuff? It was when Rarity shivered as she put all the pieces together. Sweet Celestia, it can’t be!
When the train arrived to Ponyville station, Rarity pretended to act normally until all her friends left and then ran to her house in a hurry. When she entered, she saw her daughter having a tea party with some dollies. Not Dolly’s dollies, just regular dollies.
“Luminositè!”
“Oh mère, welcome home!” Smiled the little one.
“Lumi, why didn’t you tied me back at the art gallery?”
Lumi took a sip of her imaginary tea.
“Because it was what you needed to find out who I really was. Mère I need your help”
Rarity had to seat, seriously: how and why?