//------------------------------// // Undying Hope // Story: I Dream of a Genie with a Light Brown Mane // by Metool Bard //------------------------------// Chapter 12: Undying Hope Twilight stared back at Misty, unable to decide whether to struggle or stand in defiance. Either way, there was still a spark of determination in her eyes. "Aw, what's the matter?" Misty said in a condescending tone. "My wittle pet doesn't wanna play? Well, tough patooties! You are under my power, so you do whatever I say!" Twilight said nothing, dragging her hooves and the corrupted djinn pulled her by the reins. "Stubborn as a mule, aren't you?" said Misty. "Tsk tsk. You're a naughty pet. And do you know what happens to naughty pets?" Twilight didn't answer. "They get broken!" Misty made a whipping gesture with her hooves, and the reins cracked against the back of Twilight's neck. Twilight bit her lip, unwilling to give Misty the satisfaction of hearing her in pain. Seeing this, Misty floated over to the purple unicorn, taking her head in her hoof and forcing her to look at the battle between Cerberus and Orthrus. "I bet you feel really stupid right now," the genie whispered in Twilight's ear. "You're thinking to yourself; 'How could I have been so careful, yet so naïve?' You were my puppet the entire time. Oh sure, you fought against the strings, but in the end, I'm the one who's free while you're stuck in the lamp. Tell me how it feels, pet. Tell me how it feels to be manipulated. I want to hear your pain." Twilight continued giving Misty the cold shoulder as she watched the two giant hounds fight. Her expression remained passive despite everything that happened on the battlefield. She didn't cheer when Cerberus bit Orthrus right between his heads, nor did she gasp in horror when Orthrus managed to tackle his brother to the ground. She just stood there. Misty was starting to get annoyed. "I told you to speak, pet!" she barked, cracking the reins again. "So speak!" Twilight winced, a single tear of pain rolling down her cheek. She sighed. "You want to know what I'm feeling?" she said as she recovered. "I feel pity." "Well of course, pet," said Misty with a sneer. "You pity yourself for being such a fool. A fool who helped bring about Orthrus's freedom!" "No," said Twilight, shaking her head. "I actually pity you." Misty scoffed. "Me? Quite an amusing joke, pet, but I am not in the mood. I want to hear your suffering, not your humor." "You think you're free just because Orthrus corrupted your mind?" Twilight said in an even tone. "Even if you are loyal to him, you are still a slave to the lamp. Anypony who picks that up will have control over you." Misty began laughing. "Okay, I take it back, pet. Your humor is hilarious, not to mention just downright adorable! You think I'm afraid of somepony taking the lamp?! Does your naïveté know no bounds?! I only have one master, and that is Orthrus! If anypony thinks they can control me, woe be unto them!" Twilight looked over at the lamp, which was sitting off to the side. "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" she asked. Misty gave Twilight a knowing grin. "Nice try, pet," she said, folding her arms. "But you forget who's in control here. Even if I was afraid of somepony taking the lamp, which I am not, I wouldn't let you make the attempt." "That's alright then," said Twilight, maintaining her passive-aggression. "Because I know my friends will be here any minute now to rescue me." Misty rubbed the bridge of her nose with her hoof. "Okay, this isn't funny anymore, pet. You are starting to get on my nerves. I think it's time I made my second wish." She pulled back on Twilight's reins, bringing the lavender librarian's ear close to her muzzle. "I wish for you to suffer as I have suffered, and then some," the genie whispered. "Know that you are at my mercy. Erase any hope of salvation from your heart. Watch as Orthrus destroys everything you hold dear, knowing that you caused it to happen." Twilight shifted her attention back to the battle. She saw that Orthrus had Cerberus pinned, snapping at his brother with his two jaws. Cerberus barked back in defiance, fighting against his dark brother with all his might. Their battle was not over yet. And neither was hers. "Your wish is denied, Misty," she said boldly. "Because I know it's not what you truly want. It's only what you think you want." Misty's jaw dropped. "Th-that makes no sense!" she sputtered. "You can't talk back to your mistress like that! You will be punished!" "Hoo. Hoohoo." "You, you impudent foal! Who do you think I'm talking—?" The realization came too late. Misty turned around and saw a familiar brown owl snatch up the lamp and fly away. He dropped it into the waiting claws of Spike, who was standing there with all of Twilight's other friends. The corrupted genie's eyes widened. "What the hay are you all doing here?!" she yelled in surprise. "I thought I told you not to follow us!" "Pfft, yeah. Like we were going to listen to you," said Rainbow Dash, rolling her eyes. "You will pay for defying me!" Misty growled, turning back to Twilight. "Pet, attack!" "Not a chance," said Twilight. There was a pause, and Misty's jaw dropped. "What the—? Why aren't you in pain?!" she exclaimed. "You can't disobey me like that!" "Sure I can," said Twilight, pointing over to Spike. "You don't have control over the lamp anymore. Not until somepony else rubs it." Misty turned to Spike and snorted. "You will give that lamp back right now, or you will feel pain most dire," she said. Although she sounded angry, there was a clear undertone of panic in her voice. "Sounds like somepony is talkin' outta two sides of her mouth," said Applejack with a knowing smirk. "Now how's about we stop all this horseplay and you jus' give Twilight back, yeah?" "And lose my precious little pet? In your dreams!" said Misty with a laugh. "She is going help me aid the mighty Orthrus in his conquest of Equestria! Starting with getting rid of the lot of you!" "You're forgetting that you don't have control over the lamp anymore," said Twilight frankly. "Besides, I thought genies couldn't kill." "That was before Orthrus freed me," said Misty. "Now I can do whatever I want!" "Ah-HEM!" said Spike, clearing his throat and holding the lamp aloft. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Misty glared savagely at Spike, trying her best to hide her fear. "Give me that lamp, you scaly cretin!" she bellowed, sending a cloud of purple smog at the baby dragon. "Rarity!" Spike called out, tossing the lamp to the white unicorn just as the smog knocked him to the ground. With grace and ease, Rarity caught the lamp on the end of her horn. "You really learned nothing the last time, did you?!" Misty boomed, causing vines to form below Rarity's hooves. "Applejack, darling!" Rarity called sweetly, tossing the lamp over to the farm pony. Quick as a whip, Applejack snagged the lamp with her lasso, and began spinning it over her head. "All yours, Fluttershy!" Applejack hollered, cracking the lasso like a whip and flinging the lamp away before Misty got to her. The yellow pegasus fumbled with the lamp a bit. "Careful with that!" Misty yelled. "If that breaks, you'll destroy both me and your friend!" "Oh my goodness!" gasped Fluttershy, horrified at the prospect. "Here, Pinkie. You'd better take it." She passed the lamp off to the poofy-maned mare, who loaded it into her Party Cannon. "Hey, what did I just say?!" Misty shouted. "Go long, Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie called out, ignoring the genie. With that, the cannon fired, sending the lamp soaring over the horizon. In a burst of color, Rainbow zoomed after it. Everypony watched as the streak of myriad colors dotted the night sky, making a u-turn in the far off distance and soaring right back. "Heads up, Twilight!" Rainbow called out as she flew overhead. Twilight caught the lamp with ease, giving Misty a smile. "Wipe that grin off your muzzle, pet! I still control you, lamp or no lamp!" Misty snarled. "Now, I command you to give that back to me this instant!" "I think not," said Twilight, rubbing the lamp with her hoof. Misty's eyes widened as the black color of her reins began to crack, revealing bits of gold underneath. "What do you think you're doing?!" she screamed. "A genie can never have the same master twice!" "But I was never your mistress to begin with," Twilight said slyly. "That was all a trick, remember? Well, I am now." The ebony shell around Misty's reins shattered, reverting back to the golden reins she had before. But it was clear she was still under Orthrus's influence. "This doesn't change a thing!" she said haughtily. "I will never bow to you! I will never bow to anyone!" "Except Orthrus," said Twilight, raising an eyebrow. "Th-that's different!" Misty spat. "I want to serve him! He granted me my freedom!" "You call serving him freedom?" asked Twilight, pointing at the battle that still raged behind her. "Open your eyes, Misty! He's controlling you!" "Stop calling me that!" Misty howled, covering her ears with her hooves. "That's not my name! I don't need a name! I am Orthrus's servant!" Twilight took control of Misty's reins with her magic and yanked them back. "Do you even listen to yourself talk?" she scolded, staring the genie in the eye. "You think that just because you're doing what Orthrus says that you want to do means that you're free? Because that doesn't sound like freedom to me." "I-I command you to leave me alone!" Misty hollered. "Do it, or else I'll make Cerberus lose! I can do it, you know!" "Not as long as I say you can't," said Twilight firmly. "Now, for my first wish. I wish for you to wish that I was free." "Hmph. Sorry, no can do," said Misty. "I don't have control of the lamp, remember?" "That's true," Twilight admitted. "Well, here you go." She tossed the lamp to Misty, who caught it in her hooves. The djinn smiled and began to laugh maniacally. "How can you be so stupid?!" she roared. "As if I am going to grant your wish now! You are at my mercy, pet! Just as you should..." She was interrupted by an invisible force tugging at her reins. "What the hay?!" she exclaimed in shock. "No! This isn't supposed to happen! Twilight Sparkle, I wish for you to bow before me!" "I refuse," said Twilight, bracing herself. "Now, let's see who is truly the mistress of the lamp." As soon as those words left her lips, her own reins began pulling her back. Both unicorn and genie struggled against their bonds, locked in a battle of wills. Behind them, Cerberus and Orthrus were locked in their own bitter struggle, with neither side backing down. Pinkie Pie suddenly was dressed in a cheerleader outfit, holding a pair of pompoms and jumping around. "Brikker-bracker, firecracker, sis boom bah! Twilight and Cerberus, rah rah rah!" she cheered. Her cheers were accompanied by other words of encouragement from the rest of Twilight's friends. "Lick 'em good, sugarcube!" "Both of you, show those uncouth scoundrels who's boss!" "Um, don't give up. Woo-hoo." "You can't blow your winning streak now, Twilight! Keep fighting!" "You can do it, Twi. I know you can." Strengthened by the words of her friends, Twilight refused to yield no matter how unbearable the pain got. After a bitter standoff on all sides, Misty was the first to crack. "Alright, alright! I can't take it anymore!" she screamed. "I wish that you were free, Twilight Sparkle!" Just as she commanded, the reins around Twilight's muzzle shattered into particles of light. Both she and Misty collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Meanwhile, behind them, Cerberus won the power struggle against his brother, shoving him to the ground. Orthrus snarled. "You haven't won yet, brother! Our battle is only beginning!" the left head barked. "Come to us, loyal servant! Lend us your strength!" But Misty was in no condition to do anything. She struggled to pick herself up, only to stumble every time and fall back to the ground. As she struggled, Twilight's friends rushed to the purple unicorn's side. "You alright, Twilight?" Spike asked. Twilight looked up and smiled. "I'll be fine," said she. Slowly, she picked herself up and trotted over to Misty. Her horn began to glow. Just as Misty looked up to see her mistress bearing upon her, she felt the unicorn tap her on the head with her horn. Her black coat gradually shifted back to its original peach color. "What? What's going on?!" Orthrus's left head demanded. "Come to our aid, you worthless cloud of mist! We command you! You must obey!" Twilight turned around, a blazing inferno in her purple eyes. "Her name is Misty," she proclaimed. "And she's not taking orders from you anymore!" "Why you wretched—!" Orthrus was interrupted by his brother pressing his full weight against the left head's jaw. Orthrus snarled and growled, struggling against the great three-headed dog with all his might. However, it was futile. He soon found himself completely spent. The right head glared up at Cerberus with all the scorn it could muster. "Victory is yours tonight, Cerberus," the right head snarled. "But do not get complacent. Once I regain my full power, no matter how long it takes, I will make you and all of Equestria suffer my wrath." The right head chuckled sinisterly before finally passing out. Twilight turned her attention back to Misty, who was still on the ground. "Are you alright, Misty?" she asked, offering the genie her hoof. Misty looked up at Twilight, her eyes beginning to water. She suddenly sprang up and wrapped her arms around her mistress, weeping into her coat. "I'm sorry," the djinn wailed. "I'm so, so sorry." "Shh. It's okay," said Twilight, returning the hug. "Everything is going to be okay." Applejack took off her hat in reverence while Pinkie Pie let loose a fountain of tears and began bawling like a foal. Rarity and Fluttershy were misty-eyed as well, and Rainbow Dash brushed away a single tear. "D-darn it. I-I've got something in my eye," she said with a sniffle. Spike gave Rainbow a sideways glance, wiping away his own tears. "Sure you do, Rainbow. Sure you do," he said knowingly.