How was Mandarin's day might you ask? It was extremely uneventful.
His bulky form cast long shadows along the walls as he strode sullenly down the passageway. All he had been doing all day was patrolling. He never had the patience for such demeaning tasks. If he hadn't finished sooner, he would have lost his sanity.
Now all that was left was giving his report to his master.
When he entered another cavern, a wave of pride was sent over him. How proud he felt every time he set foot in his master's throne room.
Mandarin could clearly see the skeletal being in question occupied with watching something on TV Monster. Whatever it was, he couldn't tell because the machine's back was turned towards him. It was most likely footage of anything useful TV Monster might have gathered. Information that could lead to the Hyper Force's downfall.
"My liege?" he piped up.
The undead skeleton's gaze suddenly flickered upon the monkey. Mandarin caught his breath at the look of fury in his master's red eyes. It took all of the rogue monkey's willpower to resist the temptation to step back. A part of him noticed that the sound from TV Monster abruptly halted. If the lifeless machine did have emotion, he would be sure that it was curious to see how this confrontation would play out.
"Mandarin." Skeleton King's voice was quiet, his talon of claws tightening around his staff. "I recall… specific orders for you to monitor my Formless's activity at all stations."
The rogue monkey's lips trembled as he tried to speak. If one wrong word came off his tongue, he was convinced that the spot he stood on would be his grave.
"I… I have completed of what you have asked me, my liege," Mandarin stuttered. "I was coming here to give my report, but I did not know—"
"That you interfered with something of great importance to me?" snapped Skeleton King, standing up from his throne. "Did it not occur to you that I did not want to be disturbed?!"
"Forgive me, I—"
"Do you feel you are obliged to stroll into my throne room as if it were your own?"
"No, I wouldn't dare think of—!"
"Do you mock me?"
"Never! Never in a million years, my liege!"
"Do you really believe that I will tolerate discrimination of any kind from my own servants?!"
"No! I…" This time, Mandarin's words faltered not from fright, but from confusion. "Wait… forgive for my ignorance, my lord Skeleton King… but I do not understand. What sort of discrimination would I have against your imposing presence?"
Skeleton King opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped. Although a frown was still etched on his skeletal jaw, it was now more thoughtful than angry. Silence stretched on for a short time, but Mandarin didn't dare move a single muscle. For all he knew, his master was possibly considering an appropriate death sentence for his henchman.
Finally, Skeleton King spoke:
"You may go now, Mandarin."
Mandarin's eyes shot open in surprise. He was… getting off that easily? His ears must have been deceiving him.
"My… lord?"
While the rogue monkey was standing there like a deer in the headlights, Skeleton King was already settling back on his throne. The skeletal being's frown deepened when he noticed that his servant was still there.
"Are you by chance growing deaf, Mandarin?"
Mandarin flinched, straightening himself. "… N-no, my liege."
Hostility reentered Skeleton King's eyes. "Then get out of my throne room."
"Certainly, my lord Skeleton King," Mandarin immediately replied, bowing his head low as he slowly retreated outside. "I will disturb you no more."
Sensing the chamber's exit was just behind him, Mandarin turned around, preparing to take a step out to safety.
"Mandarin."
The rogue monkey halted.
"Yes… my liege?"
"You will forget everything that you heard or saw here today."
Mandarin felt a lump in his throat. "It shall be forgotten from this moment forth, my lord."
"Good."
The rogue monkey took that response as a sign for his dismissal. He left a little too quickly, not sparing a glance over the shoulder.
Skeleton King sat there on his seat of power, listening to the sound of hurried footsteps echoing in the corridor. They eventually faded out, filling the Citadel of Bone with its death silence once more.
He was now alone.
He turned his head to the patiently waiting machine. "TV Monster, commence the recording from its last point."
TV Monster made a whir somewhere in its mechanisms… almost a sigh. The image on its screen unfroze, bringing with it moving pictures and sound:
"… Oh, silly me! I must've put the confetti in the oven and the cake in the confetti cannons… again!"
An amused smirk spread on Skeleton King's face.
"Ha. It's good to be a brony."
This is pretty dumb, I know. I didn't spend a whole lot of time on it, but I think it came out fine all the same. Whether or not you think so too is up to you. Give me your thoughts in a review if you feel you have the time for reading this please.