I Dream of a Genie with a Light Brown Mane

by Metool Bard

Prologue: Licking Wounds

Prologue:
Licking Wounds

Orthrus was frustrated.

This was nothing new. The twin-headed Hound of the Moon had been frustrated ever since he was locked away in Tartarus a thousand years ago. He could've easily overpowered his brother Cerberus thanks to the enchantments bestowed upon him by his mistress, Nightmare Moon. If she had only won against her sister, he would've overpowered her as well and taken over Equestria. But, as history has shown, Celestia won the day, and the ambitions of Nightmare Moon and Orthrus were crushed. He had been frustrated ever since.

But this time, he had something to take out his frustrations on.

Snarling, he slowly paced the floor of his prison, his star-speckled manes bristling and his ebony fur rippling with tension. His four red eyes were glaring at a small golden oil lamp.

"You have failed me," the great dog's right head growled. "Your little plan didn't work."

"Excuse me? My plan?" said a voice from the lamp, sounding agitated. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but it was your idea to break out the Chimera and have it do your bidding in the first place!"

"Yes, because you couldn't break us out!" the left head barked back.

"Listen, if I could break you out of Tartarus, would I be stuck in this lamp?" the voice said. "I told you before, the enchantments on you are too strong. I can't work against magic stronger than my own."

"Yes, I know that," said the right head. "That's not the reason I brought you here."

"Well, you could've fooled me," said the voice.

"You misunderstand," said the right head. "It would be too easy to simply wish myself out of Tartarus. If I could do that, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. I wouldn't have even needed you."

"But this place weakens our dark magic," said the left head. "It took all of our strength just to bring you here from Saddle Arabia without our inferior brother noticing."

"Uh huh," said the voice. "So, why do you need me again?"

"I thought that would be self-evident," said the right head. "You are not a prisoner of Tartarus. Your magic is not suppressed like mine is. With your help, Equestria shall be mine!"

"Ours," the left head corrected.

Orthrus shrugged his right shoulder. "Six of one, half a dozen of the other," the right head said.

"Yeah, there's a slight hitch in your plan there, Orthrus," said the voice. "We had a deal. You used two of your wishes already: One to free the Chimera, and the one to give him the fire rubies. You promised me that your last wish would be my freedom."

"Oh, come now," said the right head with a chuckle. "Did you really think I would go back on our deal?"

"You're a monster driven mad by dark magic who planned to overthrow your mistress once she became ruler of Equestria; you tell me," the voice retorted.

Orthrus slammed his paws against the stone floor and snorted. "Now look here, you worthless puff of smoke!" snarled the left head. "We did not use our dark magic to bring you here just to hear your backtalk! Now show some respect, or we'll rip you to shreds!"

"I was going to say tear you asunder, but the sentiment remains the same," said the right head.

"I'll respect you once you respect our deal," said the voice. "Now are you going to free me or not?"

"Actually, I have something else planned for you," said the right head.

"WHAT?!"

The lamp seemed to glow bright red and began emitting steam.

"You two-faced double-crossing snake! We had a deal!" the voice from the lamp shouted.

"I said that my last wish would be to set you free," said the right head. "I didn't say when I would use it."

"Gee, that's reassuring," said the voice sardonically. "You're not the first master I had who promised me my freedom, you know. Plenty of ponies told me that two wishes were enough for them and that they would gladly set me free, but none of them really meant it. I guess you're no different."

"Oh, our deal's not off," said the left head, leering at the lamp with hungry eyes. "Not if you know what's good for you."

The right head cleared his throat. "What I meant to say is that I will uphold my end of the bargain. You just have to do something for me first."

"Um, hello? You're down to your last wish," said the voice indignantly. "And don't give me that 'wish for three more wishes' malarky. That won't work."

"No, that's not the plan," said the right head. "In fact, I am not going to make a wish at all."

There was a pause. "Wait, I'm confused," said the voice from the lamp. "How am I going to do something for you if you don't make a wish?"

"Simple," said the left head. "You are going to find somepony who can break us out of Tartarus."

"You're joking, right?" said the voice in a deadpan tone. "What pony could possibly want to break you out of here? Not even your mistress wants anything to do with you."

"This is true," the right head admitted. "But regardless, that is my favor. You will find a pony, and you will have them free me. After that, I will free you."

"And if you double-cross me?" asked the voice.

Both of Orthrus's heads smiled sinister smiles. "Then we/I double-cross you. It's not as though you have a choice in the matter." they said in unison.

Before the voice could protest, Orthrus reared back and let loose an ear-splitting howl. From his mouths, sparkling smoke flowed and enveloped the lamp.

"Wait! What the hay am I supposed to do?!" the voice shrieked.

Orthrus kneeled down to the lamp, as if he was about to share a secret. "Use your imagination," said the right head.

With that, Orthrus exhaled a gentle breath that carried the smoke out of Tartarus, and the lamp along with it. As the smoke disappeared, the great hound broke into a fit of nefarious laughter that echoed throughout the prison.

Author's Note:

I probably should explain this. Back when I wrote Beasts and Burdens, I felt that I built up Orthrus as a big threat, but in the end, I couldn't get him to do anything in that story. I had plans to bring him back, but I couldn't think of a credible and original way to present it. Then I thought of this genie story idea I had in my back pocket, so I just decided to put the two together. And so, here we are.

Comments

[Wildebeest]

I'm surprised that Orthrus didn't try wishing for more genies.

[Metool Bard]

1981930 Ha ha.

[ponyqqqq]

1981930 i dont think that work it could be out of the said genie power.