Past is Present

Chapter 11

Paradise Estates

The old ruins sat only half hour's walk from the Castle of the Two Sisters, yet the forest around it was so dense and spooky no pony had ever dared to traverse it. Even in the fading daylight it was black as pitch. Strange blue lights glowed as in the distance.

"Ooo how pretty!" Pinkie Pie squealed, walking over to a light that instantly flashed out at her approach. "Where'd you go?" the perplexed pink pony called. A little ways off another appeared. "Oh there you are!"

"We've been walking for hours," Rarity complained. "Are you certain we're going the right way?"

"The map says the ruins are this way" Twilight Sparkle answered turning the glowing map this way and that as it floated in front of her.

"I don't know about ya'll but this part of the Everfree forest gives me the willies." Apple Jack stated glancing back and forth from one side of the dark enclave of trees to the other. "Maybe you should fly up and have a look around, Rainbow Dash."

"Be back in a flash!" Rainbow Dash declared.

"Wait!" Twilight Sparkle cried out; Rainbow Dash froze mid-take-off. "If Tirak really is back we can't let him know where we're going. We've got to lay low."

"That's right, lay low!" Pinkie Pie crouched down, crawling along the ground. "Real low..." She approached a bush which suddenly shook. "Eek!" she cried out falling backwards onto the other ponies, knocking them into a pile. The bush continued to shake.

"What is that, do you reckon?" Apple Jack asked nervously.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, we can take it." Rainbow Dash postured. "Come out of there!" she demanded.

"Okay, okay," came a familiar voice. A small pink dragon fought to disentagle himself from the brush.

"Spike!" they cried out in relief.

"If you wouldn't mind, I could use a hoof." he said through gritted teeth, pulling against a particularly thick vine coiled tightly around his arm.

"Here let me get that." the vine glowed as Twilight Sparkle unraveled it.

"Thanks Twilight." Spike said gratefully, rubbing his freed limb.

"You really should be more careful Spikey Wikey; it's too dangerous to be traveling out here alone."

"Not for a dragon like me." Spike replied proudly.

"Weren't you supposed to be helping out at the castle?" Twilight Sparkle suggested.

"Oh, I got somepony else to do that."

An annoyed Discord sat among a small herd of tiny foals who seemed very interested in climbing all over him. "That is the last time I ever bet on a game of Dragon Chess - what is Dragon Chess anyway? Ouch!" he cried pulling Carrot Cake from under him. She smiled at him. "Oh what are you smiling it?" he muttered. A frying pan clocks him in the head with a resounding clang. Discord hears laughter above him and turns to see Pound Cake, glowing orange frying pan still cradled between his hooves. Hearing laughter he looks to the unicorn filly still in his hand. "This is your doing isn't it?" she nodded, her brother fluttered next to her. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." he grinned slyly. "And you are so cute!" he declared nuzzling the little babies.

"So how much longer until we get to the ruins?" Spike asked, stretching.

"They should be just over this next hill- woah!" Twilight Sparkle stopped dead at the crest of the hill causing Spike to crash into her legs.

"What is it, Twilight? Oh!" Fluttershy and the others stood dumb beside their friend, mouths agape. There, before them, stood the remains of what must have once been a grand building. Faded pink walls and white columns marked its former glory. A rusted metal gate hung from the remains of a wall. Within the recessed area of what might have once been a fountain or even swimming pool sat, filled with rubble;

"This place is creepy." Rainbow Dash whispered as they walked by.

"Discord said the Moochick would be here - somewhere." Twilight Sparkle said hopefully.

"Twilight, I don't think anypony's been here in years." Rarity said, brushing off an errant vine.

"But he has to be here! We need him so we can find the Rainbow of Light! Mr. Moochick! Mr. Moochick!" she called, her hope quickly turning to desperation. "Mr. Moo-"

"No, I think not." a shadowy figure rose from behind a pile of brush to reveal his full enormity. Red cloven hooves pawed the ground, "I think not."

"Tirak." Twilight Sparkle whispered backing up a few steps before finding herself among her friends who had lined up to protect her. Seeing them about her she gathered her courage, "We defeated you once, Tirak, we can do it again." Tirak let loose a deep laugh that ended as abruptly as it had began,

"Defeated me? No. It was not yet my time. I merely devised that little game so that you would reveal the full extent of your powers - and I must say, I was not the least impressed. Though I was not expecting you would reveal the location of the traveling rainbow that was - oh how should I put it? - and unexpected delight. Now I shall be able to spread my dark reign throughout the realms."

"Now you wait just a galldarn minute-" Apple Jack started before a dark red cloud swept her into the air where she struggled to right herself.

"Oh yes, I remember you- what did she call you again? Oh yes "AppleJack!"" the name he cried out in the imitation of the shrill scream of a girl.

"You let her go right now!" Twilight Sparkle demanded as Tirak turned her friend about above their heads still twisting in the dark red coils of cloud.

"Or you'll what?" he shot her a glare of pointed disinterest, as though she and her friends were no more than pesky flies that might be swatted at any moment should he wish it.

"Girls." Twilight Sparkle warned, her eyes glowing. The others, save for Apple Jack (who did as best she could) readied themselves, their cutie marks aglow. Tirak laughed, loosening a bag from his belt he spilled forth the contents. The blackness swept over them, causing them to tumble backward, it traveled to Apple Jack in a large black band. It hesitated a moment before the airborne pony before wrapping itself around the ball of red cloud.

"What the hey!" Apple Jack cried just before the darkness enveloped the ball and her within. The ball grew, flames visible between the circling bands of black - the blackness retreated to the bag and where Apple Jack had been stood a large dark dragon with massive tusks. It let out a horrible shrieking roar.

"Come to me my pet." Tirak commanded, the dragon obeyed, allowing Tirak to pet its fearsome head. The ponies stood transfixed in horror. "Now then, my little ponies, it is time the rest of you learned the true power of darkness- gah!" Just as he had begun to loosen the bag again something pulled a basket over his head. On top of the basket stood a small brown rabbit who motioned to the ponies,

"I think he wants us to follow him." Fluttershy interpreted. The rabbit shook his head vigorously bouncing off his perch, once again pushing the basket further over the villian's head. The ponies took off in a run after the creature,

"But what about Apple Jack?" Rainbow Dash argued.

"We'll have to come back for her. There's nothing we can do, now." Twilight Sparkle shot back as they rounded a corner, Spike holding onto her neck for dear life.

"Or she'll come for us!" Rainbow Dash cried looking back; the dragon that had formerly been Apple Jack was crashing through the trees behind them bellowing its high pitched roar. "Run!" The five ponies doubled their speed but the creature still gained. The rabbit waved them into a clearing that possessed several large toadstools the dragon only seconds behind.

"Stop you poor corrupted beast!" the voice of an old man cried from behind them. Looking back, they saw a small, elderly gnome wearing a large mushroom for a hat and brandishing a walking stick at their former friend. The dragon struggled but seemed unable to pass beyond the edge of the clearing.

"Ah, the Moochick - so this is where you've been hiding." Tirak smirked as he caught up to his pet.

"Yes, until now. Now is the time we defeat you once and for all." the old gnome waved his stick threateningly at the centaur.

"I doubt that, old man. Behold my power!" Tirak loosed the bag and the dark coil of black lit by blue streaks of lightning flew out. It made for the gnome who stood before it as though unafraid. The darkness spread out over the clearing forming the outer impression of a dome.

"No need to fear ponies, Tirak and his dark magic cannot enter the Mushrom while the Rainbow of Light still exists in the world." the gnome merrily reassured the cowering ponies as Tirak raged outside the bubble.

"You may think you are protected by your magic Moochick, but rest assured I will be back once I have corrupted all that is good and light in this world and then I will destroy you!" Tirak spat vehemently, calling back the darkness. Climbing aboard the dragon that was once their friend, he flew off into the heart of the storm.

"A good riddance!" the gnome called out, waving his hat. A troubled look crossed his wrinkled face, "But he will be back. We don't have time to waste. Well come on." he said waving the ponies to follow him."

"Are you... the Moochick?" Twilight Sparkle was the first to find her tongue.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry, where are my manners!" he seemed more a doddering old man than a powerful wizard. "Yes, I am the Moochick, and this is Habbit whom I believe you've met." he said, indicating to the brown rabbit who held the door for them. A small black rat holding a broom began squawking angrily at the group, "Oh, and this is Reeka, my housekeeper - don't worry about her, she's just cross I didn't tell her we were having company. So now, what brings you to my Mushrom?"

"Well Discord-"

"That trouble maker! Don't tell me he's still around?"

"Unfortunately." Rainbow Dash muttered.

"He's reformed now." Fluttershy defended her friend. The Moochick looked to Twilight Sparkle dubiously who nodded in confirmation.

"You don't say. So why did he send you here?"

"He said you would know how to stop Tirak." Twilight Sparkle answered.

"I would? Oh yes, I would!" the abstracted gnome walked into another room. The ponies watched, perplexed. A moment later he popped his head out the door, "Well, aren't you coming?" The ponies nodded and followed him through the doorway.