I Dream of a Genie with a Light Brown Mane

by Metool Bard

Roles Reversed and Secrets Revealed

Chapter 10:
Roles Reversed and Secrets Revealed

Misty reappeared in a barren wasteland far away from Ponyville. Off in the distance, she could see the torches that lit the way to the Gates of Tartarus.

"Looks like the right place," she said to herself. She then rubbed the lamp. "Alright, kiddo. Time to wake up."

The lamp expelled a burst of mist, and from it Twilight emerged.

"Ugh, my head," Twilight groaned, shaking herself. "What happened? Where am I?" She then turned to Misty, confusion in her eyes. "Misty, what's going on?"

Misty sighed. "You still insist on calling me that, even now? You really aren't making this easy for me, you know that?"

"Making what easy?" asked Twilight, starting to lose her patience. "I think I deserve an explanation."

"Yeah, you probably do," said Misty thoughtfully, placing a hoof to her chin. "Alright, here's the simplified version. Our roles are now reversed. You now grant my wishes."

"WHAT?!" Twilight gasped, unable to believe what she was hearing. "What do you mean our roles are reversed?!"

"That's just how magic lamps work," said Misty with a shrug. "I don't know what to tell you."

"You can start by telling me why you trapped me in your lamp like that," said a very agitated Twilight. "I treated you well, probably better than any other master you ever had, and this is how you repay me?"

"I didn't ask to be treated nicely, you know," said Misty, folding her arms. "I'm a genie. I don't expect anything from anypony."

"Well, for your information, I was going to wish for your freedom," said Twilight. "If that Ursa Major hadn't attacked, you would've been free by now."

Misty turned to Twilight savagely. "And for your information, I'm the one who summoned that Ursa Major in the first place!" she snapped.

Twilight placed a hoof to her mouth, a bewildered look in her eyes. "Y-you did? B-but why?"

Misty sighed and turned away from Twilight. "Because I wouldn't have been able to grant your wish to free me."

"But why not? Isn't that what every genie wants?"

"More than you know," said Misty. "And that's why I did it."

"I, still don't understand," said Twilight.

There was a long silence. Although it was difficult to tell, Twilight thought she heard Misty crying.

"Misty? Are you okay?" Twilight asked, walking up to the weeping djinn.

"Why the heck do you care?" Misty shot back. "You shouldn't care! Not after what I did!"

"What do you...?"

"You're not really my mistress! You never were! This whole thing, it was just a charade! A ruse! A trick to get you into that lamp! There! Are you happy now?!"

Twilight closed her eyes, processing what Misty just told her. When her eyes opened again, they still reflected confusion. "I'm sorry, Misty. I still don't really understand. Why did you do this?"

Misty sighed. There was no use in hiding now. "It was all a scheme, cooked up by my real master. He's the one who sent me to you."

"Your real master?" asked Twilight. "Who is your real master?"

"Oh, you'll meet him soon enough," said Misty. "See, he needs your power. Mine's not enough to give him what he really wants. That's why we're here now."

She then picked herself up and dried her eyes, turning back to Twilight. "Well, there's no use dawdling. It's time you granted my first wish."

"Your first wish?"

"Yes. My first wish, Twilight Sparkle, is for you to free Orthrus from Tartarus."

Twilight gasped in horror. "What?! You want me to free the Hound of Nightmare Moon from Tartarus?! Are you crazy?!"

"You know what? I probably am," said Misty. "I ignored and manipulated the goodwill of a false master just so that I can gain my freedom from a real one. Oh well, what're you gonna do, huh?"

Twilight folded her forelegs in defiance. "Well, I'll tell you what I'm not going to do. I'm not going to grant your wish."

Misty flattened her ears and turned away again. "You really don't want to do that."

"I think I do," said Twilight firmly. "What you're doing is not right, Misty, and you of all people know it. There has to be a better..."

She was interrupted when the golden reins around her muzzle seemed to tighten. An invisible force pulled them back, causing her to rear back on her hind legs and paw the air.

"Trust me, kiddo. I'm speaking from experience," said Misty, keeping her back turned to Twilight. "Those reins around your muzzle are not just for decoration. They are a sign of a genie's servitude. If a genie actively disobeys their master, the reins pull back. And as you can probably tell, it hurts. A lot."

Twilight whinnied in pain, struggling against the reins. "I will not do this!" she grunted.

"You don't have a choice in the matter, Twilight Sparkle," said Misty sorrowfully. "Just like I don't. Believe me, I didn't want to put you through all of this."

"Misty, you don't have to do this! Think, is this really worth it?!"

"It'd better be. Otherwise, I don't think I could look at myself in the mirror ever again. Heck, I already can't look you in the eye."

"Misty, we both know this isn't what you want! Stop this!"

"I'm not doing anything. You're the one hurting yourself by disobeying me."

"I know you feel the same way, Misty!" Twilight cried, tears forming in her eyes. "I wish you would just understand!"

Misty looked at Twilight through the corner of her eye. "Sorry, kiddo. You already used your last wish," she said darkly. "Now, I'm the mistress, and you're the servant. Get that through your head and free Orthrus. Please."

"N-n-never!" Twilight whinnied.

Misty sighed. "I didn't want to do this, kiddo. Oh, who am I kidding? I don't want to do any of this. But you leave me no choice."

She then raised her hoof.

"I wish for Orthrus to be free from Tartarus," she said, cracking her hoof in a whipping motion. "Hup hup!"

With that, the reins cracked against the back of Twilight's neck. Twilight howled in pain, and almost blacked out. When she recovered, she found that her horn was glowing.

"Wh-what's going on?!" she said, beginning to panic. "I-I can't control it!"

"It's an ancient trick that ponies used when genies were being unruly," said Misty. "A crack of the reins, and the genie grants the wish whether they want to or not. The trick hasn't been used in centuries, mainly because most genies know better."

Twilight moaned and groaned, the magenta glow of her horn shifting to a sinister black. She scrunched her eyes shut as black wisps began to radiate from them. Try as she might, she couldn't cancel the spell. With one final scream, her eyes shot open, and a large black shock wave exploded from her horn.

When the dust settled, she stood in fear, unable to believe what she had just done. Towering over her and Misty was none other than Orthrus himself, starry manes and all. The great twin-headed hound chortled nefariously.

"Gaze upon us/me and know what despair truly is, Equestria," said both heads in unison. "For after a millennia in Tartarus, we/I have returned to take what is rightfully ours/mine."

Comments

[superfun]

It's a good thing I'm reading the story after it's been fully published...