Tirek woke up, finding himself to be standing on... nothing. He looked around to find himself in what looked to be an endless cyan void filled with swirls, along with what looked like stars in the distance.
The void's look was sickening, but relaxing. He only got to look around for 30 seconds when a bright light suddenly appeared.
Tirek turned his head away, closed his eyes, and shielded them. He had no clue what was going on.
Finally, the light faded. And in its place, was his new enemy: Luster Dawn.
But something seemed off. She was more sparkly and transparent. And she seemed more calm... and peaceful.
That wasn't the majority of Tirek's wonder, however.
"WHAT are YOU doing here? Since when did YOU have the ability to go into our dreams?"
Luster said nothing. She just smiled and lit up her horn. Tirek again closed and shielded his eyes to prepare for more blinding light. But nothing happened.
Tirek unshielded his eyes and saw the void getting wavey, sporting a very peculiar movement. Finally, a landscape started to form. One all too familiar to the centaur. He didn't even think of running. But once the thought crossed his mind, it was already too late.
The landscape finally finished transforming into the place he dreaded to see... his old prison in Tartarus. It was exactly how it was when he was there last. His cage was there. Cozy's cage was there. Even the rock sculpture of him and Cozy that the evil filly made was still there.
But Tirek wasn't out of his cage.
He was in the cage.
Immediately when the landscape finished forming, Tirek ran up to the bars making up his cage and clutched them. Fear and rage were the only emotions he showed.
"Why are you so afraid and upset?" Luster asked with only harmony signified in her voice. "You know all too well this is a dream."
"I know... but I never wanted to..." Tirek didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he turned around.
"WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE?!?!" he demanded.
"To talk some sense into you," Luster said. She sat down and gave Tirek a look, telling him to do the same. Although reluctant, it only took him a few seconds to obey.
"Now then... what is it you want most of all, Tirek?"
"Hmmmmm. I'm surprised you already don't know that. I thought you would have learned that by now after your 'Princess' told you EVERYTHING about us. After everything WE told you?"
"All I wanted was an answer. Not a rebuttal."
"Fine. What I want most of all is ALL of the power in Equestria. Along with REVENGE! I want to drain EVERY ounce of power from this pathetic land, and then use it to exact revenge."
"I see. Well, the way I see it, it seems well thought out by your standards. But I also see that there are many flaws in that plan of yours."
"Really? Like what?"
"For starters, would you like revenge against a challenge?"
"No. Anything that results in the destruction of ponykind under my reign is passable."
"Understandable. Now, what would you do if there was NOTHING left?"
"What do you mean?"
"All of the power in Equestria is amazing for villains like you. All the revenge is amazing. But what happens when there is nothing left to take? Nopony left to exact revenge on? Nothing left to destroy? What would happen then?"
"I... well... I..."
"You see? You haven't thought it out. Your desire for power and vengeance will soon lose it's fun. And you've already lost a lot with that desire without even conquering Equestria."
"Like WHAT?!?!"
"Your brother."
Tirek fell silent.
"But if you gave... you would gain more than power. You would regain all that was lost. You wouldn't gain fear, but RESPECT!!! And there would be nothing to lose if you went that route. On Mount Everhoof, how did it feel when you gave Chrysalis her magic back after taking it?"
"It was... surprising... but pleasing."
"How did you feel when you took away the magic of almost everypony in Equestria?"
"Amazing."
"See? The quest of power is a habit. It makes you feel good. But giving also makes you feel pleased. However, only one route will have eternal pleasure."
"Yeah... but... but..."
"You know how you think your brother betrayed you?" Luster asked, changing the subject. "Well, this may or may not be surprising. Your brother NEVER betrayed you. If anything..." Luster's smile turned into a frown. "You betrayed him."
"He left my side," Tirek rebutted.
"Because he did what was RIGHT!!! You did what YOU did for YOUR own gain. The way I see it, betrayal is mostly done for that creature's own GAIN!!!"
Tirek was at a loss for words. He refused to believe what had just been said to him. HIM betraying SCORPAN?!?! Impossible. Scorpan left HIS side and it resulted in him, Scorpan's OWN brother, being sent to Tartarus.
He didn't even know what to think anymore.
BEEP BEEP
Luster looked at a watch that magically appeared on her forehoof. Tirek was still stricken by what has been said to him, that he didn't even bother to wonder.
"Time's up." Luster said. She looked back at the strict centaur and continued. "Looks like you're about to wake up. I hope my lessons make you more willing to listen to Luster's lessons."
That last sentence gave Tirek the courage to speak.
"Uuuuuh... did you just refer to yourself in third pony view?"
"Perhaps... or I'm not the pony you think I am." Luster winked before her horn illuminated a bright light. Tirek closed his eyes and shielded them. But the light was still the brightest one he has ever seen.
Again it got brighter. And brighter.
And then Tirek woke up.
He sat up to see the villains doing the same. He stood up, stepped over the log he was sitting on, and sat back down on it.
The other two villains did the same. Not a word was spoken.
ZIIIP
And then Luster's tent opened.