Boncord: The Pre-Sequel

Bon Bon and Discord materialized just outside the gates of Tartartus.

"That's odd." Discord pondered. "I was trying to send us inside."

"More of that alloy!" Bon Bon pointed her front hoof at some familiar green scaly patina forming a lattice over the gates. "Somepony doesn't want magic users snooping around."

"Well now how are we supposed to get inside?" Discord complained.

"Haven't I taught you anything?" Bon Bon snickered as she reached into her mane and produced a hairpin. She slid the hairpin into a huge keyhole and fiddled around.

"Oh, come on now. You didn't really think that was going to work, did you?" Discord chided but Bon Bon just stared back smugly.

A short time later a shrieking alarm sounded. Bon Bon jumped behind a nearby bush and Discord quickly followed, barely fitting out of sight. The gate creaked open and two stallions dressed in heavy bronze armor stepped out.

"Look, sir!" One of the guards said to the other as he fished the hairpin out of the lock. Bon Bon tossed a rock into the nearby valley and both guards turned as the rock crashed onto the ground in the distance.

"Over there!" The other guard ordered as both Guards marched off toward the sound. Bon Bon quickly darted from the bush through the door and motioned for Discord to follow. The mighty gates groaned and slammed shut behind them as they entered.

"Are we learning yet?" Bon Bon grinned.

Inside the familiar scene of Tartarus laid before them but most of the cells were empty. Discord strained his eyes at a distant platform.

"The princesses!" Bon Bon shouted as she followed Discord's gaze. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both lay pale and meek in a cage together. "We have to let them out."

"Not so fast!" Discord snapped. "Glider's code of ethics- we can't interfere in other universes affairs. The magic thing is our affair but we simply don't have time to figure out why they are locked up in this universe. "

"Well let's just find Tirek then and get our Equestria's magic back." Bon Bon ordered as she stared forlornly over the Abyss at the two former princesses- now pale and feeble captives.

"It doesn't look like Tirek is here." Discord sighed. "I get the feeling that, in this world, he never was."

"Hold on now. We need to know what we're getting into here. If Tirek never happened in this world then what would have transpired?" Bon Bon pondered aloud as the two set out to make their exit.

"Intruders!" The guards shouted as they poured through the gates right as Bon Bon and Discord approached them.

"The princesses are escaping!" Discord pointed off in the distance; the guards turned around and followed his finger. Bon Bon turned around and swiftly bucked one of the guards, sending his head knocking into the other guards head. "See. I can do just fine without my magic." Discord boasted as the two made their way out past the gates.

Discord snapped his fingers and the two found themselves standing on top of a cloud peering over Ponyville. In this world it was barely recognizable. The town hall, the Carousel Boutique, the Golden Oak Library; any building that would otherwise have stood out was dilapidated and boarded up. On the precipice that should have held the friendship school there was a large industrial building which cast a shadow of gloom and smog over the rest of the landscape.

"Wait a minute." Bon Bon said as she strained her eyes upon the meager inhabitants going about their daily tasks with very little energy about them. Their cutie marks were all an "=" sign and banners bearing the same sign hung from buildings iIn the center of Ponyville.

"Of course." Discord pondered. "If not for the battle with Tirek there would be no Cutie Map."

"And without the Cutie Map Starlight Glimmer was free to expand her influence- unchecked." Bon Bon sighed.

"But what does all this have to do with our Equestria's magic?" Discord pondered further.

"I thought that was your area of expertise." Bon Bon mocked.

"I only sense magical disturbances- and after our little stunt at Tartarus Starlight Glimmer probably knows we're here." Discord lectured.

"Hey, what's that?" Bon Bon pointed to a commotion that was forming in the center of Ponyville where a polished brass statue of Starlight Glimmer glinted. Discord snapped his fingers and the two appeared in a dark alleyway between two identical, drab, houses looking over at the scene.

Starlight Glimmer and a large battalion of guards dragged a cloaked pony out into the middle of the street. The pony tried to get up onto its feet but Starlight Glimmer fired a blast of magic, knocking it back down.

"Gather around, citizens. Today is truly a remarkable day." Starlight Glimmer announced as the crowd went silent and stared at the scene.

"You'll never get away with this." A familiar voice strained with a cough.

Starlight Glimmer pulled the cloak back from the pony, revealing that it was Twilight Sparkle. "At long last. After you only one princess remains."

"Even your magic can't get past my brother's shield." Twilight Sparkle whimpered boldly before being treated to another painful blast of magic from Starlight Glimmer.

"Don't worry. We're working on that." Starlight Glimmer said smugly. "And when we liberate the power of day and night from Princess Cadence prosperity will belong not just to the Crystal Empire but to all ponies!" Starlight Glimmer raised her voice and spoke out to the crowd in a triumphant tone.

"She's gone mad with power in this universe." Bon Bon whispered discreetly.

"She seems like her usual self to me." Discord mocked.

"Set an example, Princess. Surrender your mark voluntarily and this can all end peacefully now." Starlight Glimmer taunted.

"Never! Just take it now and get it over with." Twilight Sparkle huffed.

"Now what kind of role model would I be if I didn't give you a night to think about it?" Starlight Glimmer flashed an uncanny smile out to the onlookers. "Take her away." She ordered to the guards who then converged on Twilight Sparkle.

"I wonder where they are taking her." Bon Bon pondered as they watched the guards carry Twilight Sparkle off.

"There's only one way to find out." Discord smirked.

"I haven't even heard your plan and I already don't like it." Bon Bon sighed.

"Come now fellow cutie mark enthusiast!" Discord said loudly as he snapped his fingers and a crude childlike drawing of a pony appeared on his side as he dragged her out into the middle of the scene.

"Well, what have we here!" Starlight Glimmer turned around and trotted up menacingly toward the duo. "An actual Draconequus. I bet you have at least ten shards of arcanium waiting to be extracted." Starlight Glimmer fired a containment beam from her horn at Discord. Discord shrugged it off with ease.

"I'd like to see you try." Discord mocked.

Red clouds swirled around Starlight Glimmer's horn and arcs of energy crackled as she fired a powerful blast at Discord, knocking him to his back. Discord pulled himself to his feet and pointed at Starlight Glimmer, sending a powerful blast of his own. Starlight Glimmer concentrated hard and a shield formed around her, protecting her from the ensuring blast.

"Enough! I grow tired of this" Starlight Glimmer shouted out.The crowd began to part as a menacing stomping sound shook the ground. As the stomping got closer the clatter of chains could be heard along with it.

"Oh this can't be good." Discord sighed. Bon Bon assumed a ready to fight posture. Tirek came stomping into the scene from around a nearby corner, bound partially in chains.

"I thought you said he wasn't here!" Bon Bon whispered angrily to Discord.

"I said he wasn't in Tartarus." Discord snapped back.

"Tirek. Drain this fool of his magic, take her cutie mark and bring it to the refinery.

"Yes, my queen." Tirek said reluctantly as he motioned toward Discord.

"No!" Bon Bon dived protectively between Discord and Tirek but with a blast of energy Tirek effortlessly drained th magic out of Discord. Discord collapsed helplessly to the ground, his complexion dulled. Starlight Glimmer fired a blast from her horn and Bon Bon's cutie mark lifted from her flank which Tirek then clasped his hand around before turning around and stomping off.

"Guards!" Starlight Glimmer called out and some of the guards that were escorting Twilight Sparkle doubled back. "It looks like Princess Twilight has some company for the night."