Chapter 10

Discord's Warning

"Now really, you ponies should know better than to wait so long to ask for my help." the Draconoquis sneered. "Hello Fluttershy." he waved sweetly, his eyes large with thick, long lashes.

"Discord, tell us what's going on around here?" Twilight Sparkle demanded.

"How should I know? I've been on vacation." he answered, lifting his shades to see the ponies more clearly. He was suddenly dressed in a Hawaiian shirt sipping a brightly colored drink topped by an umbrella. Just then a bolt of red lightening struck near where he reclined. He looked to the massive crimson-hued thunderhead approaching their position. "Oh, well it's been very nice chatting with you. Now if you'll take my advice I would recommend leaving Equestria with all due haste." he shot out quickly. In one hand there appeared a large brown suitcase leaking a shirtsleeve - he picked up Fluttershy as though she also were a handled suitcase in the other. "Anyhow toodle-loo." the lasso landed over him before he was able to disappear. Applejack pulled it taut,

"Now you wait just one cotton pickin' minute."

"Fine fine." Discord grumbled pushing the lasso off from around him. "If you insist."

"Who is the Master? And what is his throne?"

"The Master - oh you remember him." He transformed each trait onto himself as he listed off the parts, "big horns, horse body, face only a mother could love." he held up a picture of a female version of the monstrosity wearing an old polka-dot dress, round glasses, and a grey bouffant hairdo. The image in the photograph took one look at his face, shreiked, and fainted dead away. "Well, perhaps not."

"Tirak!" Twilight Sparkle whispered.

"Ding ding ding! Tell the pony what she's won!" Discord announced taking on the form of a Game show host, a second, female Discord wearing a slinky sparkling dress and long blond hair guided Twilight Sparkle toward a screen on the game show set which had suddenly appeared from nowhere.

"You have won a lifetime of servitude to your new overlord!" the female Discord replied breathily. An image of the ponies laboring, exhausted and filthy in a mine played on the screen.

"And that's not all!" Discord intoned.

"You've also won these lovely chains. The perfect accessory for all slave labor occasions. Whether you're breaking rocks or building giant statues of tyrannical despots these all-purpose, weather-resistant chains will ensure complete obedience - or else!" the smiling female supplemented showing off a set of thick iron chains.

"But we defeated Tirak and sent him back to Tartarus!" Twilight Sparkle protested.

"Don't you ponies know anything?" Discord sighed. "That was merely a test of your powers."

"So, we beat him once, we'll beat him again!" Rainbow Dash declared punching the air.

"Oh, it is not nearly as simple as that."

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy shyly interjected.

"Well, you see, he's coming to reclaim his throne."

"So? What's the big deal about that?" Rainbow Dash argued.

"Because," Discord replied, pointing to the cloud. "That is his Kingdom."

"He comes from a cloud?" Pinkie Pie laughed. Discord wiped his face with his hand in frustration, causing it to contort up and down with his movement.

"No, it's what's in the cloud." lightning flashed and the ponies could make out the distinct shape of turrets jutting out from above the grey fluff.

"What is that?" Twilight Sparkle breathed.

"Tambelon."

"Tambelon?" A filmstrip complete with projection screen appeared. Discord hit the play button and a nasal voice began to narrate the grainy black and white projection.

"Yes Tambelon, the city in the clouds, home to the King and Queen of the eternal city." the film showed a rather pleasant pair of smiling humans in full royal regalia sitting on large thrones, around them two young boys, one with light brown hair and the other with black hair, played. Standing beside them a disapproving man with a beard stared down at them, on the other side a younger, long-faced man smiled on. "Tambelon was a happy place until the King and Queen died leaving the princes in their stead. The older Prince wanted all the power in Ponyland under his control and made a pact to join with the Lord of Darkness in order to take over the entire land." The image changed to a young man with light brown hair topped by a crown being struck in his chest by a bright light while above him a large, horned black shadow hovered, its tail rising up from a book. It's fearsome clawed hands seemed to be controlling the lightning striking the boy. "Consumed by darkness the Prince turned all the people in his kingdom into beasts," The film shifted from one picture of humans to one exactly the same filled with monstrous creatures where the humans had been. "including his younger brother." the film showed the black haired young man transforming painfully into a large simian beast. "But the dark magic transformed him as well and his heart was filled with hatred for all things bright and good - especially the Ponies of Ponyland who lived below." the film cut to an image of frolicking ponies kicking up their heels and capering about. "The Prince and his brother set out to capture the ponies and turn them into his army of darkness. But while he was gone the source of Tambelon's power was stolen by his vizier Grogar. The ponies were able to banish the kingdom of Tambelon" there was an scene showing a pony ringing a bell "and defeat the evil Prince and his royal vizier." an image of the rainbow of light flew across the screen before the film ended and the screen turned to white.

The ponies stared at the white screen, stunned.

"So are ya sayin'..."

"Yes, yes, Tirak is the true ruler of Tambelon and now that it has reappeared he can reclaim the power of Tambelon and unite it with the power of darkness thus allowing him to seize control over all of Equestria with his army of Changelings. Keep up Apple Jack, really!"

"The Changelings work for Tirak?" Spike interjected. Discord sighed heavily,

"Yes, the Changelings work for Tirak. Remind me again how you ponies ever survived without my benevolent guidance?"

"And the humans used to live in Tambelon until Tirak changed them all into monsters?"

"Ugh! Humans used to live all over Equestria, the place was practically infested with them - sheesh, you ponies! You haven't seen something in a thousand years and suddenly it becomes a superstitious legend!"

"So how do we defeat him then?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

"You'll need the Rainbow of Light-"

"Check!" Rainbow Dash declared. Discord rolled his eyes.

"Do I have to tell you ponies everything? That's the Rainbow of Power, not the Rainbow of Light. And besides, you'll need the power of the sunstone too."

"The sunstone?" the ponies and Spike said in unison.

"So where do we find this Rainbow of Light and Sunstone?" Twilight Sparkle demanded.

"How should I know? They were gone by the time those ungrateful ponies asked for my help."

"Some help." Rainbow Dash muttered.

"I am wounded by your accusation!" Discord cried with a hand draped dramatically over his eyes.

"Well, you did enslave all of Equestria." Fluttershy offered gently.

"Et tu Fluttershy!" Discord said, a knife stuck in the back of his toga.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Fluttershy apologized.

"Oh Fluttershy you know I could never be mad at you."

"Do you know who might possibly know where the sunstone and rainbow of light might be."

"Ask the Moochick. He always has his nose in everyone's business."

"What's a Moo-chick?" Rainbow Dash demanded.

"He's not a what but a who. And a very annoying who at that."

"Well where can we find him?" Twilight Sparkle inquired.

"Try the old ruins. He used to skulk around there a lot. Anyhow, I really must be leaving, I don't particularly wish to slave away in darkness for all eternity. Sayonara ponies!" He declared with a wave as he disappeared.

"The old ruins!" Rarity cried. "But they're supposed to be haunted!"

"Don't worry, I'll protect you Rarity." Spike volunteered.

"Guys, we've been over this before - there's no such thing as ghosts." Twilight Sparkle said reassuringly.

"That's a lot easier to believe when you aren't in the old ruins." Rarity cried.

"We don't have a choice, Rarity. We have to find this Moo-chick and see what he can tell us."

"Well then, let's saddle up and get the hay outta here!"

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash agreed.

"Wait, what about the castle?" Spike reminded Twilight Sparkle who had already begun walking with the others.

"Spike, you stay and guard the castle." Twilight Sparkle answered offhandedly.

"But... but... who will protect you from Tirak?"

"Don't worry, Spikey Wikey, we'll be back before you even have time to miss us." Rarity said, smooshing his cheeks about his face.

"Okay... if you say so." Spike looked about nervously.

"Thanks Spike!" Twilight Sparkle called back as they continued towards the old ruins.

"You're welcome." Spike's reticence caused his voice to waiver slightly as he bid them goodbye with a clawed hand. Looking back, he watched the ponies of Ponyville running back and forth about the Castle courtyard. "Oh great." he muttered. "Now what do I do?" He sighed, raising his voice he announced: "Okay Ponies here's what I need you to do..."