//------------------------------// // Chapter 92: Setting Up // Story: The Last Human // by Blackdragn18 //------------------------------// “Help!” A light brown unicorn cried as he ran down an alley, knocking over a trash can as he charged. Skidding to a halt his eyes widened in horror as it lead to a dead end. “Somebody, please-” “Shut up already.” The unicorn’s voice abandoned him as a blade pressed to his throat. Looking at it he saw the weapon was linked to a chain. Following the line of steel his eyes fell upon a bipedal figure in a trench coat. “I don’t understand,” The pony said in a whisper. “You were a hero.” “Not really.” There was a chuckle as chains began to surround the pony’s body. The unicorn winced as the binds tightened. “Careful you fool!” A raspy voice shouted from behind. “I need him alive!” Looking back the pony spotted a small cloaked figure approaching. “Watch your tone centaur,” The biped said with a growl as the figure approached. “Just absorb your magic and let’s move on.” The unicorn began to shiver in fear as he gazed into the dark hood of the second being. “With pleasure.” A faded red hand grabbed the hood and pulled it back to reveal a bony chimp face, the messy white beard flowed from its chin, a gold nose ring gleamed in the moonlight, two small horns jutted out of its head. With a smile the creature opened its mouth, before the pony knew what was happening magic began to spew from his horn and into the centaur. After a few seconds the unicorn fell to the ground as his binds were removed. With a weak and pained groan he watched the two figures walk away. “Your methods are far too tedious,” The human said as his chains finished coiling his torso. “It would be far easier to herd up an entire city and mass drain them.” “We can’t afford to draw too much attention yet.” The centaur shook his head as he pulled the hood back up. “I’m still too weak for us to face the princesses.” “I nearly killed both on my own.” “True, but the key word is nearly.” “Whatever, let’s just find another sucker to drain.” “I’m here, what’s the emergency?” Twilight asked frantically as she burst into the throne room. The young alicorn’s worry only grew as she saw Celestia, Luna, and Cadence all sitting in the room with concern on their faces. “There you are Twilight,” Celestia nodded to her. “Something terrible has happened, a great evil has returned to Equestria.” “Now Tirek has returned, and likely plans to seek vengeance.” Celestia finished. “I don’t understand, how did he escape Tartarus?” Twilight asked in confusion. “Our first guess was that he fled when Cerberus abandoned his post for that short time,” Luna said with a sigh. “Sadly, there is a chance he had help from another prisoner.” “You don’t mean?” Twilight looked at the empty space of the throne room, the imprint of a chair present on the floor. “I’m afraid so,” Celestia said, clear sadness in her voice. “When we checked the cells we found two of them empty.” “With his aid there is no telling what Tirek could do.” Luna shook her head. “Well what are we waiting for?” Twilight asked. “We need to get out there and catch them.” “I already have someone on the hunt for them.” Celestia’s eyes were full of concern. “Hopefully he can catch them before more ponies suffer.” “There’s one,” Sean said with a whisper as he gestured towards a gray unicorn standing with his back to them. “Excellent.” A smile crept across Tirek’s face. “You know what to do.” With a grin the human disappeared in a burst of darkness. Slowly creeping towards the pony, Tirek prepared to strike when its head suddenly turned and the face of a certain chimera appeared. “Hello there,” Discord said with a grin. “Discord?” The centaur said in disbelief. “When did you escape?” “Be careful.” The human’s voice rang in his head. “I sense a glimmer of kindness dwelling within him.” “A while ago.” There was a flash before Discord appeared in his full form. “Excellent, with your help we can conquer this land even more efficiently.” Tirek smiled. “Yeah, about that.” Discord snapped his fingers and handcuffs appeared around the centaur’s wrist. “Agh!” A cry came from behind them. Looking past Discord Tirek spotted Sean lying on the ground with a spear jabbed through his torso, sparks flying from the weapon as electricity flowed through it. When the human tried to grab it, the weapon lit up and send a massive pulse of power through his body. "That was easy," Discord said with a smile. “What are you doing?” Tirek asked in anger. “I’ve been sent here to capture the two of you and take you back to Tartarus.” A police outfit suddenly appeared on Discord as he spun a nightstick. “You’re working for the ponies now?” The centaur asked in disbelief. “How the mighty have fallen, reduced to a mere pet.” “I am not their pet,” Discord said indignantly. “Oh please.” The two looked back as Sean chuckled. “You are what I used to be, a fool sent to do Celly’s dirty work. Trust me, you’ll catch us then she will take all the credit for trapping the enemies of Equestria again.” The human winced as a surge of electricity went through him. “Meanwhile, you’ll still be that out of place freak that messed up once or twice.” “Be quiet you!” Discord snapped his fingers and two more spear jammed their way into Sean. Blood began to pool underneath him as the new wounds formed. “You know he’s right.” Tirek shrugged. “They don’t truly value you, all you are is a prisoner to their will. Look what they did to the human they supposedly cared for so much. Tell me, when was the last time you got to cause any real chaos?” “Well, a few weeks ago I turned Rainbow Dash’s cloud house into rubber.” “Wow, if that is what you call chaos these days you really have given up.” Tirek shook his head. “Face it Dizzy, Celly has domesticated you. Want me to get you a leash and collar?” Sean offered a blood filled smile as Discord glared at him. “Join us Discord.” Tirek yanked at his cuffs. “Help us gain vengeance and together the three of us will rule this world.” “But.” A picture suddenly appeared in front of him. “Come on Dizzy.” Sean grunted in pain as he tried to move. “Think about it, free reign.” The centaur smiled. “You could cause all the chaos imaginable, after so much time under their tyranny wouldn’t it feel great to stick it to the princesses?” “I suppose so.” Discord smiled. “Alright, let’s do this.” With a snap of his fingers the cuffs vanished. “I believe you are forgetting my partner.” Tirek pointed at the skewered human. “Oh yeah.” The spears then vanished. Getting up Sean dusted himself off, growled as he noticed his trench coat drenched in blood. "You owe me a new jacket," The human said, offering a glare at Discord. Sean smiled as the crowd of ponies screamed, Tirek had just appeared before them and they were all trying to escape after he absorbed the magic from a pegasus. He spotted one earth pony trying to climb out a nearby window. With a shake of his head the human sent a chain to grab the fleeing creature, there was a scream of shock and fear as the cold steel grabbed and yanked the pony towards them. “You missed one,” Sean said as he dangled it in front of Tirek. “Thank you my friend.” Tirek smiled before draining his prey. “You know, I didn’t believe it when that scrawny centaur told me he would become giant.” Sean smiled, Tirek had indeed grown, he was taller, more muscular, and his horns were beginning to grow. “That seems to be all of them,” Discord said as he looked around the room. “Indeed, let’s get-” The human’s statement was cut off as a large amount of blood spewed from his mouth, making a loud splash sound as it landed on the ground. Kneeling Sean began to spark as blood fell from his nose and mouth. “What’s wrong with him?” Discord asked, hovering back a few feet and summoning up a rain jacket, hat, and umbrella. “Magic over flow,” Tirek said as he approached the wheezing human. “Ever since the elements backfired on him he has trouble containing the magic he generates.” Holding out a hand the centaur grabbed the human's shivering appendage like a hand shake. Soon the sparks began to move down Sean’s arm and flow into Tirek. “So I take it for him.” After a few more seconds the red droplets ceased their falling and Sean stood back up, his lower jaw was completely red. “I really hate that.” Sean growled as he tore off his jaw. Soon it regrew, completely clean and pale as ever. “When I find those rocks I’m going to shatter them.” “I’ll be back,” Tirek said as he gestured towards the doors. “I’m going to hunt down any stragglers.” With that the centaur left. “Psst!” Discord tapped Sean’s shoulder. “What?” Sean asked in irritation as he cleaned one of his chains with a sleeve. “Don’t you worry about Tirek?” Discord whispered. “What about him?” “You’re giving him a lot of your excess magic, don’t you worry about a betrayal?” “Of course I do,” Sean said as he rubbed his bloody sleeve on an unconscious pony. “Don’t you?” “Not particularly.” Discord smiled. “He needs me.” “Keep telling yourself that Dizzy.” The human was now taking off his trench coat to reach the olive shirt, it had been caught in the blood spewing since his jacket was left open in the front. Removing the unit of clothing and ringing it he looked at Discord. “Tirek is just waiting for us to be obsolete, then he’ll toss us like we never meant anything.” “I have a plan to keep him from back stabbing me.” “As do I.” Holding his shirt out Sean looked at Discord. “Mind cleaning this?” “Fine.” With a snap of his fingers a washing machine appeared behind Discord. Tossing the shirt in he activated it and leaned back. “So what’s you plan?” “Let’s just say it involves magical backlash.” Sean smiled, as the click of the door knob turning sounded the two looked towards it as Tirek walked in. “Ok, I got-” Tirek stopped as he stared at Sean. “What did I say about keeping your shirt on?” “It was covered in blood.” The human shrugged. “Besides, look at me it can’t be helped that I embody perfection.” “Ugh.” Tirek slapped his hand to his forehead. “Just put it back on.” “Fine.” Swinging his head back Sean groaned. “Dizzy, is it clean yet?” “Almost.” Suddenly a large clown burst from the machine holding his shirt. “There you go.” Taking the garment Sean quickly put it on before picking up his trench coat. “Let’s get going,” Tirek said in annoyance. “You’re just jealous because you’ll never look this good.” Sean smiled as he followed the centaur. “Shut up!”