Song 2 "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree"
1978 single by Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
with reworked lyrics by the Great Allie
The reference to the "rainbow ribbon" as opposed to a yellow one is in reference to the many pieces of fanartart and fanfics (such as LazloTitan's "Odium and Love") that illustrate Timpani's Pixl form as a hair ribbon, often one that Blumiere gave her. This is the case in this story. The original song, if you haven't heard it before, is about a man on the bus coming home from prison after three years, asking if his girlfriend has been waiting for him- if she hasn't, then he won't even have to bother her in person to ask, just see that the ribbon isn't there and stay on the bus, keep going.
"WHAT?... Spat Count Bleck in utter disbelief. Surely this news cannot be true! The heroes still live?"
All of his minions were present: Nastasia, Mimi, O'Chunks, Dimentio- well, actually, not Mr. L, as he'd been lost to a bout of insubordination. But the rest were there, and they were rightfully nervous by his angry outburst. Everyone except Dimentio, of course, who the others assumed didn't have the good sense to be nervous in this situation.
"Ah ha ha," he laughed airily. "Oh, I'm afraid so, my count. In fact, they will be here before long."
O'Chunks lifted his head. "Whuh? Izzat true, then? What're we doin' twiddlin' our biscuits 'ere? Count Bleck! Lemme go throw 'em a nice welcome party... I'll bring the punch!"
Mimi seemed excited now. "Ooh, I wanna party with those party poopers, too! Wait up, O'Chunks! Mimimimimimi!"
O'Chunks jumped down off his pedestal and departed, with Mimi close on his heels. Dimentio, seeing as how he'd missed the boat, just smiled and said, "Well, I'm not one to miss a party..." He raised his fingers to snap out his exit, but suddenly his face brightened as he thought of something. "Oh, but wait a moment... Dear Count..." He turned to face Count Bleck, with his best innocent face, and said offhandedly, "Does the name Blumiere ring a bell?"
Bleck couldn't hide his surprise in hearing his true name, from Dimentio of all people. "Where did you hear that name?" Count Bleck demanded.
Dimentio shrugged. "Oh, the mustache man's Pixl went on and on... She said, 'I must stop Blumiere.'" Dimentio noticed with a twinge of pleasure that Count Bleck hid his face under his hat, and he knew he was getting to him. "But I suppose there's no reason to pay any mind to the ramblings of a Pixl... Ciao for now, my count!" And he disappeared, giddy with the perverse joy that came from screwing with someone's mind so royally.
Nastasia suddenly felt the urgency of the situation. She implored, "Count Bleck... If... Um... If that Pixl is who you think it is... there's still time! You can still stop the prophecy from destroying everything! Yeah, because, if it's really her... if she's alive, you have to stop all this!" You have to be with the one you truly love.
Count Bleck, face still hidden, said grimly, "You know not what you are saying, Nastasia. The prophecy can no longer be stopped by Count Bleck. No one can stop it."
"Yeah, I'm on board with what you're saying... but there must be a way." Nastasia stammered nervously, but had no effect on Count Bleck. She pressed harder. "There must... Lord Blumiere!"
Nastasia wasn't quite certain what her use of his true name would have on Count Bleck, but she did not expect a grim chuckle. "Bleh heh heh heh heh... the man known as Blumiere died long ago." He threw out his cape triumphantly. "Now there is only Bleck! The Dark Prognosticus's choice to fulfill the prophecy! Nothing more!
"But-"
"Come to Count Bleck, heroes... if you hope to save these worlds, then come... BLEH HEH HEH! BLECK!"
Nastasia grabbed his arm in a panic. "So, what are you going to do about her?"
"That depends," said Count Bleck darkly. "There's something I need to find out first. It may not matter... but it's something Count Bleck must know." He disappeared leaving Nastasia to wring her hands with nervousness, unsure of what was happening.
Count Bleck reappeared on the roof of Castle Bleck. He peered over the vast emptiness of his dimension until he fixated on one lonely fixture- a bare, twiggy tree, barely five feet tall, off on the edge of the path. It was the only tree in this dimension; Count Bleck had designed it that way.
"A long time ago," he muttered to himself, "I reached you through a special link that only we two share... when I lost you, I lost every link to you. Now that I have found you, I must try again. Please, hear my contact... my plea.
I've got to know, before we fight
Whether or not this love of mine was right
If you receive this message that I'm sending right from me
Then you'll know just what to do if you still want me
If you still want me
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the scrap of rainbow-colored ribbon, like the ones he would give Timpani to tie in her pretty hair. If ever there was a symbol of their love, past and present, this was it.
Please tie a rainbow ribbon 'round the only tree
After all I've done, do you still want me?
If I don't see a ribbon 'round the only tree
I'll know that I must forget about us
And I'll blame only me
If I don't see a rainbow ribbon 'round the only tree
His message sent, he ducked back into the castle and the meeting hall to wait for the inevitable.
And he waited...
And waited...
And waited...
Nastasia approached him again, hours later. "Just a quick update," she said. "Yeah, so the heroes have breached the perimeter and are making their way through the obstacles you set to stop them. O'Chunks is first in line to fight them, just as soon as you give the order."
Count Bleck didn't respond.
"Um, Count Bleck?... Is everything all right?"
Again, he remained silent. If they were in, then that meant the answer was waiting for him. If only he could stand to look...
"Yeah, so... if you don't mind me asking, um, did you find out what you needed to?"
"I'm about to," said Count Bleck.
Nastasia please, look for me
I just couldn't bear to see what I may see
My heart's locked in my dungeon and she has the only key
A simple rainbow ribbon's all I need to set me free
I called her, asked her please
To tie a rainbow ribbon round the only tree
After all I've done, do you still want me?
If I don't see a ribbon 'round the only tree
I'll know that I must forget about us
And I'll blame only me
If I don't see a rainbow ribbon 'round the only tree
"Okay," said Nastasia slowly, "I'm on board with what you're saying... but why are we singing all of a sudden?"
"Please just check for me."
Just then O'Chunks skidded into the room with Mimi on his back. "Count!" he shouted. "I'm ready! Jus' send me in an' I'll give 'em the chunks they been waitin' for!"
Nastasia loudly shushed them. "Hush! The Count is about to find out something important."
"Whuzzat?"
Nastasia beckoned to him and explained, in a whisper, as all three of them peered out the nearest window, to see the tree at the far end of the property.
Count Bleck didn't move. He didn't hear anything. That meant... what did that mean? There was nothing to see?
All the minions started cheering...
Count Bleck got up and looked out the window over their shoulders
And I can't believe I see...
A hundred rainbow ribbons 'round the only tree!
Mimi squealed and cried, and O'Chunks gave Count Bleck a hearty slap on the back. Nastasia beamed at him, having seen what she knew was right. And Count Bleck simply squared his shoulders, stared nodded to his minions, and gave the order.
I'm coming home...