Tirek's Revenge, or How Revenge Can Create Justice

by Mistershield

Chapter Two- Discord

Tirek grinned, taking a moment to savor the incoming events. Over and over in his mind, Tirek went over his plan. Step one was finally achieved. He was glad that his new ally had finally arrived. All that was left now was to meet who was this new ally. Scorpan’s descendant? Maybe the official ambassador to the Equestrian kingdom? All he could do now was muse and think, for he all the time in the world. The harrowing place known as Tartarus could get awfully boring. Gray walls, the occasional screams and wails of the damned, never looking at the sun or moon, or be able to breathe fresh air. Home sweet home.

But how did Tirek know that his new ally arrived?

____________________________________

At Fluttershy’s cottage

“Tirek? Why must you bring up such an awful conversation at this time?” Discord frowned, hold a cup of tea in his left paw. The normally jovial face was now scrunched up in unpleasant memories. Just the mention of his name was enough to remember the sting of betrayal. Both of Tirek, and of his own betrayal over Fluttershy.

“Well,” Fluttershy placed her teacup down to look up at her friend, “I realize that I love our tea time… We simply do not do any fun activities together.” The pegasus raised a hoof out to point at the pictures along the wall. Most of the were of her animal friends, but many were with her pony friends. “You remember the diary we shared? And those pictures?”

“Yes, yes, I read the book, and I have seen those pictures many a times,” Discord scoffed as he calmed down. “Where are you going with this?”

“The photos, the entries, well- They are all from events. Activities. Things we have done together as friends.” Fluttershy flew up to one of the pictures. “One of those pictures is of Rainbow Dash winning the Young Fliers. And this one here.” She smiled as he pointed at another. “Is all of us at the coronation of Twilight. And in the diary entries, many were about traveling, learning of about each other, and making new friends.”

Discord took a moment, his left bushy eyebrow raised in question. Now that he thought about it, he was not in any of these pictures. Or in the diary entries. Upon reflection, many times they did learn about each other. Pinkie might be an Apple, Rarity was showing others how to be generous in the city... “Are you saying that you want us all to do more activities together for more memories?”

“Well, something like that,” Fluttershy said as she flew back down to the couch. “The reason I mentioned Tirek-” she had to stop there, noticing Discord flinch again. “While he was evil and you did bad things together- you had genuine fun and created a window pane of both you and him.”

“Was that the one where I was holding a loaf of bread?”

“Um, I never saw it, but you mentioned it once,” Fluttershy smiled. “While there are lots of things I can suggest we can do together, I would like to do things that you find fun. Tea is nice, but I realized that all this time, we have only done things I like. At least with Tirek, you actually created art.”

“Really?” Discord set his cup down, taking a second to actually remember things. Both eyebrows furrowed in thought as he set his cup down to start singing “Be Our Guest.” It was true. Even for Fluttershy, he never created art. And as far as activities go, he’s done more variety with Twilight. “Hm. I think you are right there. But I don’t think that you can handle what I find dear Fluttershy.”

“Well, there is another reason I bring up Tirek,” Fluttershy meekly raised a hoof out to rub Discord’s paw. “In less than a day, you learned more about him than it took you weeks to learn about us. At least, the friendly things.”

“Are you jealous?” Discord asked. This was a first. He’s seen Twilight jealous- but Fluttershy didn’t have a single selfish feather in her.

“I…” Fluttershy turned her head away. “I’m not sure. I do know one thing. I’m sorry for not being a better friend.”

Discord’s head and horns were blown off his head in a show of fireworks. Big colorful ones, those that blow up and then exploded into many more. His mind was literally blown. “Come again?”

“I realize that with Twilight making other ponies take friendship lessons, I neglected your needs. While we have a lot from each other from talking, I have no idea what else you like to do.” Fluttershy turned her head up to look at him, with a small sigh. “You have so little friends, and often I’ve see you having to entertain yourself. I’ve never seen you doing any sports, going to social functions, competitions, or even something less stressful like a class on dancing. I think that is because I never invited you to any. Or anypony thought to invite you to one.”

“Now Fluttershy, that’s hardly your fault-”

“But it is!”

That sudden outburst made Discord’s neck straighten up. Fluttershy herself realized that came out like Rainbow Dash, and raised both hooves up to her mouth and blush. “Fluttershy?” Discord’s eyes darted back and forth, not sure what had come over his dear friend.

“Sorry, let me say that a different way. I realize that you have tried to forge bonds of friendship with the others, but even now, they rarely do anything to strengthen loyalty. They do not send you invitations to things, nor do they seek you out for your opinions on matters. Things friends are supposed to do together.” Fluttershy lowered her hooves and sighed. “I’m guilty of that too. If we did things more often and made stronger bonds of kindness and loyalty, you would not have betrayed us.”

Discord was stunned by this. Both horns grew back from what was left of his head as he calmed down. Did… Was Fluttershy blaming herself for his betrayal? He was not sure what he was feeling in his chest. “But-”

“Would you have betrayed us if we had all been better friends?” Fluttershy raised her large eyes to gauge Discord’s reaction. His face turned away, eyes closed a bit. “So it was true.” Fluttershy shut both eyes, knowing she had failed her friend. No wonder Discord had betrayed them all.

“I- well I don’t honestly know. At the time- I only liked you. You were the one pony that made me hesitate from turning sides.” Discord turned his head to look back at her. “But that doesn’t mean it’s all on your shoulders. I wasn’t exactly the easiest creature to get along with, well at the time. While it is true that I had to force ponies to do what I wanted, I didn’t do it out of loneliness.” There was that Cadence and Twilight escapade that came to his mind. Lots of manipulation to earn the attention or sympathy of the other mane six, yet none bothered to come to his aid or offer hospitality. “And it's not like mail ponies can reach my home. That time for the Gala? It took forever for a ,mail pony to make it to my door. I’m sure I received invitations, they just got lost.”.

“Really?” Fluttershy picked up her head, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Now that I think about it, I’ve never been to your home.”

“Oh, one of these days I should invite you all!” Discord brought his eagle claw up in a eureka moment. “But I’m still confused as to why you would bring up that awful Tirek.”

“Oh well,” Fluttershy calmed down a bit, feeling better now that she got things off her chest. And that Discord was being such a sweetheart. “Well, I realized you did honestly had fun with him. True you were doing evil…” Fluttershy muttered in a low voice. “But while you were having fun and you did learn a lot from him.”

“Well, that’s true. Did you know Tirek is actually as smart, if not smarter than Twilight?”

“I- wait what?” It was Fluttershy’s turn to be confused. “No pony can be smarter than Twilight… well when it comes to magic at least.”

“Oh yes, it's true. Every single pony he took power from, including me- Tirek was able to duplicate their powers.” Discord sat back down and cross both limbs on his chest. “A snap of my fingers, and I can teleport and conjure up things. After he took my power, he did easily.”

“So are you saying Tirek can escape from his jail?!” Fluttershy suddenly looked around in fear.

“Oh, yes Tirek can copy powers, and he can even retain the knowledge he learned. But he lacks the power to do so,” Discord answered as his face turned away. “After he was drained, he can hardly even create a rubber ball.”

“But wouldn’t that mean,” Fluttershy closed both eyes in thought a bit, “that if Tirek got loose again and got more magic power, he will be more dangerous?”

“I doubt it. This time I sense him even try to use his magic drain, he will end up in jail again!” Discord snapped his fingers, and was dressed in his policeman’s uniform.

_____________________________________

Back in Tartarus, Tirek closed both of his eyes, meditating. Ever since he used magic drain on all of the ponies, he had been going through all the knowledge in his mind. One of them, was chaotic magic sensing. Whoever or whatever had come from his homeland- they had brought a powerful chaotic magical item. One that was inert, yes, but it was laced with the power of his homeland. A small smile crossed on his lips. “I see they got my letter.”

_____________________________________

Back at the center of Ponyville…

“You’re not Tirek!” Twilight screamed out, lifting her hoof up at the centaur.

“Uh, yes, I am,” Tirek replied, raising his right eyebrow in question. “Actually, my full name is Prince Tirek the IV, crown prince to the kingdom of the Netherrealm.” At the title of “prince”, many of the ponies started to chatter, mostly of gossip as they watched Twilight and the centaur study each other.

“I mean, you look a little- actually a lot like Lord Tirek,” Twilight said, coming back to her senses. This new Tirek was a centaur, with the same colors at the old Tirek. Red body, black for his animal half, the same bull horns, and even the yellow eyes. “But you are not bald, and look a lot younger.”

“Wait wait wait…” Prince Tirek looked left and right for a moment. “Lord Tirek,” the prince muttered in a low voice to think. The younger centaur moved his left hand to a blue pouch hanging around his neck. From the inside, he pulled out a rolled up scroll and unraveled it to start reading it to himself. “Lord Tirek the First sent this? My ancestor is still lives?”

Author's Note:

Prince Tirek, taken from Tirek's own comic.

Now then... we know why there is more than one Tirek.
Next chapter, the two will meet.

Comments

[kahnac]

Very interesting concept with Tirek. I like the idea of him being able to assimilate a magic-user's abilities after he takes their magic. It's like he also absorbs the knowledge of the abilities the pony previously possessed when he drains them. And with enough power, he can do practically anything. It's very plausible, and makes him all the more interesting.:)