Synthesis of the Atheist

by BlackRoseRaven

Foreshadows

Chapter Seven: Foreshadows
~BlackRoseRaven

Antares Mīrus smiled nervously over at Meadowlark as they walked side-by-side through Subterra. Burning Desire had asked them to visit, and the young stallion had felt that it would be a better use of his time than sitting around, worried, at the top of the Thorn Palace. Especially since he knew this was personal for his parents and... he wanted to give them space.

He kept shooting little, nervous looks at Meadowlark: she was quiet, trying to keep her own gaze ahead, her head bowed a little. She looked both humble and determined at once, and Antares hesitated before he opened his mouth... closed it... then finally said lamely: “You look nice.”

Meadowlark gave him a softly-amused look: the only thing different than usual was the fact she was wearing a loose, almost-transparent white chemise that covered the scarred area on the side of her body. Antares lamely looked forwards again, and then Meadowlark sighed, saying finally: “Listen, if... if this is too hard, why don't we-”

“No, no. I... no.” Antares shook his head almost desperately, and then he looked back and forth quickly before his eyes widened and he suddenly bolted across the street, the crimson Pegasus staring at him blankly as he hurried towards a wooden table next to a wagon filled with crates and knickknacks and flowerpots.

The demon behind the table glanced up with surprise as Antares approached, then the serpentine creature smiled widely, straightening and rubbing its claws together eagerly. “Prince Antares Mīrus! How many I serve you?”

“Uh... uh...” Antares blushed a little, then he gestured at a large silver locket that was engraved across the top with an arch of five ornate runes, and embossed with a crest he didn't recognize: it looked like a roaring beast of some kind. “That. How much for that and... are those lunar lilies?”

“Your mother's favorite.” the demon said quickly, and Antares smiled a little as the demon reached out and touched one of the bouquets of flowers resting in a tall clay vase. “Fifty bits for the locket, but I'll give you the bouquet for free.”

“Fifty?” Antares reared back in surprise, then he grabbed at himself before realizing he had no money, and he sighed tiredly. Then he glanced apprehensively over his shoulder at Meadowlark, who was still staring at him curiously from across the road, and he bit his lip before mumbling and nodding awkwardly: “Okay. But still, fifty...”

“Oh, it's a very old relic, Antares, from Helheim itself... they say there's a cherished secret inside it, that only those with the right touch can open.” the serpentine demon replied seriously, even as Antares closed his eyes and his horn began to glow as he concentrated. But the demon seemed to recognize that Antares was listening all the same despite his attention being mostly elsewhere, as the entity wrapped its long, gangly limbs around its bare, green scaled body and continued with just the right amount of mysteriousness in his voice: “This family crest is ancient, after all... and as I'm sure you know, demons have a tendency to keep secrets. But who knows? You're the Prince of the Night, with associations from the lowest Nightmare rabble to the Mistress of the Night herself! Perhaps you can divulge its secrets.”

Antares wheezed a bit as he finally dropped his head forwards, the glow dying out from around his horn as there was a faint pulse. The demon glanced up in surprise at this, his orange eyes glimmering before he looked dumbly back down as a Nightmare appeared out of thin air, carrying a large bag of coins in its maw, and the shadowy equine flicked its head to throw this immediately into the merchant's face.

The serpentine demon yelped, grabbing wildly at the bag before the Nightmare said irritably: “We low rabble may not be as mighty as some demons, but we will always be held closer to the masters of the night than you will, Greed entity.” Then it paused, before turning a kind smile on Antares, saying gently: “It is a pleasure as always to serve you, young Prince. Do not look so worried... we are happy to help you, whether your need is great or small.”

Then the Nightmare vanished from sight, and Antares cleared his throat awkwardly as the serpentine demon mumbled to himself before opening the pouch and looking down. He jangled the coins inside it a few times, then brightened a bit, nodding hurriedly and declaring: “That's perfect! The locket's yours and help yourself to a bouquet.”

Antares smiled at this, nodding and mumbling a quick 'thanks' as his horn glowed and lifted both bouquet and silver jewelry. Then he turned and hurried back across the street, wincing and leaping high over a skeletal pony that flinched away with surprise before Antares landed safely beside Meadowlark and accidentally almost hit her with both items when he thrust them towards her with telekinesis, saying lamely: “Here!”

Meadowlark mouthed wordlessly, clearly not knowing what to do or to say as she glanced back and forth, then said finally: “Antares, I... I mean... you really didn't have to and... that's... that's a very nice thought and all, but...”

Antares' face fell a little, and the Pegasus sighed before smiling faintly after a moment at the hangdog expression on his features, shaking her head out a little before murmuring: “Well... the locket does look pretty. Okay, fine, fine. Help me put it on.”

The glossy-black unicorn brightened at this, nodding quickly before he drew the bouquet in with telekinesis, hugging it against his chest as he narrowed his eyes in concentration and his horn glowed brighter. Meadowlark smiled a little at the sight, unable to stop that old warmth from rising up in her chest despite herself.

Although the Pegasus would probably never tell him, one of the things she loved most about Antares was the fact that he had so much trouble with magic. Even his most powerful spells weren't concentrated or long range, and maintaining something as simple as a telekinetic hold over an object could be enough to strain him. But that was why it made it all the more meaningful as he carefully opened the clasp at the back of the necklace with telekinesis, then slid both ends of the chain around her neck before she closed her eyes... and smiled when she heard the click of the clasp locking into place and felt the locket drop over her breast.

Antares sat back with a wheeze of relief, and then Meadowlark reached up and brushed her mane carefully back over the chain, her eyes opening as she gazed across at him. He was just sitting there, smiling at her embarrassedly, the bouquet of white flowers in his hooves... and after a moment, Meadowlark reached out and plucked one, quietly looking down at it before smiling softly and sliding it up into her mane behind an ear. “You can give the rest to Twilight. They're her favorite, right?”

“I dunno.” Antares looked down lamely, kneading the flowers awkwardly between his hooves, then back up as he asked awkwardly: “You... you don't like it, huh?”

“No, Antares, it's a wonderful thought, I just...” Meadowlark glanced away embarrassedly, then frowned at the road, and for a moment the glossy black unicorn winced before she asked in a surprised voice: “What's that?”

Antares glanced to the side... then stared as well at the sight of two large silver insects lurking near the merchant's parked wagon. Silverbacks, like he had seen in the Everfree Forest... except he didn't think he'd ever seen the nasty little things inside Subterra before, or even around Canterlot. But when the stallion began to turn towards them, both insects scurried suddenly off, like they had sensed the glossy black unicorn had been staring.

He traded a look with Meadowlark, then finally smiled a bit and shook his head even as she looked at him apprehensively. “Just bugs, that's all.”

“I don't think they've ever been seen around here before, though...” Meadowlark said quietly, and then she hesitated before glancing apprehensively over at Antares. “It bothers me. A few years ago, there were none of these things here... now, they're all over Equestria. It just... I don't know why, but it bothers me.”

Antares opened his mouth to reassure her, to try and brush away what she was implying... and then he stopped himself as his eyes lingered on her. He thought of all the times she'd been right and he'd been wrong, even with his ability to understand things... but her intuition had always been sharper, and Meadowlark never blinded herself to the little details or the big picture like he sometimes did. His powers came with tunnel vision... Meadowlark's intuition made her see things even when she didn't want to see the connections.

He looked at her, then shook his head and said finally: “To be honest, I hope you're wrong, Meadow, because... if you're right, it could mean a lot of things I really don't want to think about right now. Not with Dad in the state he's in and... all this other stuff going on.”

He quieted, then glanced down at the flowers before lifting them with telekinesis to carry them beside him as he began down the street. Meadowlark gazed after him softly, and then the Pegasus hurried to catch up to the stallion, gazing at him for a few moments before she asked in a murmur: “So it was that bad, huh?”

“I'm worried about Dad, yeah.”Antares said softly, nodding and looking down, and then he smiled faintly as he glanced up and shook his head slowly. “It's not fair, you know? The way things pile up, I mean... and if Valthrudnir really is back... I... I don't know what I'll do. No one ever talks about him to me, really... they try really hard to avoid that particular subject.”

Meadowlark nodded slowly, but she remained silent, and Antares glanced at her and bit his lip before he continued in almost a rush: “I fought so hard to save my parents and now... what if I did this somehow? I overheard Aunt Tia talking about how it had something to do with the card I used and I... for all these years I've been thinking about that... blurry part of memory and...”

He suddenly halted, then blushed and looked down, shaking his head as he almost lost his grip on the bouquet of lunar lilies before he mumbled: “Sorry, Meadowlark. I... I can just... talk to you.”

The Pegasus smiled faintly, but before she could invite him to go on, their eyes were both drawn by a loud, cheery greeting to the front of Burning Desire's palace. The unicorn demon himself stood at the top of the stairs, grinning brightly and flanked on either side by a gorgeous mare... except their ram's horns, cloven hooves, and slitted, glowing eyes gave away the true nature of the beautiful, jewelry-adorned ponies. “Well, friends, it's wonderful to see you both! Oh, Meadow, I haven't spoken to you for months, and Antares, the last I saw you was at that little party for your father, and even then it was only briefly!”

The demon beckoned to them hurriedly, and Antares smiled lamely as both of the demonic mares immediately leaned in and studied him eagerly. They were succubi: lower-class Lust demons that thrilled in pleasures of the flesh and physical contact, but had a nasty habit of draining their victims of their vitality – sometimes in the form of spiritual energy, sometimes in the rawer form of blood – during or after intercourse.

Antares awkwardly looked at the two demon mares, and then he cleared his throat before carefully pulling the bouquet into two halves as best he could, and he offered either half to the two succubi. Both immediately giggled and took the flowers gladly, smiling at him delightedly before Burning Desire chuckled and said kindly: “There, darlings. You've gotten your look at the handsome young stallion and even a nice little gift. Now run along, girls, I'm sure I'll be calling for you later.”

“Yes, Lord Desire.” Both succubi bowed their heads to him, and then they leaned in on either side of the fiery unicorn and kissed either cheek. Burning Desire grinned pleasedly, winking at Antares as the glossy-black stallion sighed and Meadowlark rolled her own eyes, then blushed a bit when one of the succubi lingered for a moment, studying the Pegasus.

Then the demonic mare carefully pulled a lunar lily free and pushed it into her own raven-haired mane, mimicking the Pegasus before smiling and turning to hurry off with a happy look on her face. Meadowlark stared after her, and Burning Desire gave a content sigh as he looked over his shoulder, remarking: “My girls always make me think it's so much better to be beautiful and childlike than smart and ugly. Lucky for me, I'm both.”

“Ugly and childlike?” Antares asked before he could stop herself, and Burning Desire huffed but smiled all the same before the glossy-black stallion blushed a little as the demon turned around to guide them inside. “Sorry, I... uh...”

As they walked down the widening bottleneck formed by the entrance hall, Antares couldn't help but look back and forth, his eyes staring at the exceptionally-detailed statues of mares posed in all manner of provocative positions, some sultry, some alluring, some downright debased. Meadowlark sighed tiredly and pointedly kept her eyes on the stone floor as Antares swallowed and said lamely: “I forgot about your... decorations.”

“Yes, and I just commissioned a centerpiece for my garden that will be the crown jewel of the whole estate!” Burning Desire crowed, and Antares winced a little as he tried to keep his eyes forwards, before the demon's eyes glinted mischievously as he added: “And Meadowlark, darling, it's perfectly okay to look if you're curious. Why, if you're curious, I can even summon a pretty mare or two who would be oh so very glad to let you explore her every nook and cranny...”

“That's fine, thank you, Burning Desire... I think I know a mare's anatomy well enough anyway.” Meadowlark mumbled, and when both Burning Desire and Antares halted to stare at her, Meadowlark glanced up curiously, then turned scarlet as she babbled: “Not like that! I... Antares!”

“Don't look at me, it's his fault! And you said it!” Antares said hurriedly, and then he stared past Meadowlark at the posed statue behind her for a moment, before he turned and hurriedly flicked his horn out, knocking the doors at the end of the hall open so he could run to a less-awkward area.

Meadowlark followed after him quickly, and Burning Desire trotted cheerfully along last, chuckling as they entered into an open foyer and he chastised playfully: “Now come on, my little ponies, don't you want to enjoy these gorgeous works of art? Why, your mother Luna just absolutely adored them when she visited, as I recall!”

“My Mom's always been really, really weird, though.” Antares mumbled, and then he rubbed slowly at his face before sighing and asking pleadingly: “Can we just go somewhere where... I don't know, Lust demons won't throw themselves at us or we won't have to stare at... stuff like... that?”

“Oh, calm down, that's just how we Lust demons shake hooves. It means we like you. Well, usually. As long as you don't end up dying it means we like you.” Burning Desire paused thoughtfully, then looked over at Meadowlark with a wink. “Would you like to shake my hoof, Meadow...”

His eyes flicked down to the locket around her neck, and then widened slightly, and the playfulness vanished from Burning Desire's features as he straightened slowly. And both Meadowlark and Antares stared up at him with surprise before the demon began to reach hesitantly out, then visibly worked to restrain himself, pulling his hoof away as he whispered: “Where did you get that? May... may I please see it?”

“I... Antares just bought it for me...” Meadowlark said hesitantly, and Burning Desire smiled a little, but his eyes were almost pleading before the Pegasus reached up and undid the clasp as Antares frowned at the demonic unicorn. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing is... wrong, it's just been... it's...” Burning Desire shook his head slowly, then he held both hooves up, almost like a foal, as Meadowlark held the locket by the chain. And the Pegasus hesitated only a moment longer... but it was only so she could study him, looking into the demon's eyes with concern for the way all his usual playfulness had been so completely demolished.

She carefully set the locket down in his hooves, and Burning Desire clutched it tightly for a moment, breathing a little harder before he rose it in front of his face with a look like awe. He smiled after a moment, then gazed over it at Antares, asking in a rush: “Do you know what this is? Where did you buy it from?”

“Just... a Greed demon who said it was very old, from Helheim probably. He overcharged me for it and told me some story about how only the right set of hooves could open it but... I don't think me or Meadowlark even tried. It doesn't even look like it can open.” Antares said finally, glancing nervously at the locket: it did indeed seem like nothing but an oval piece of silver, after all, and the clasp looked as if it had worn away with time, but... all the same... “I bought it because those symbols, they mean...”

“Pride, Trust, Honor, Loyalty and Love.” Burning Desire finished, and Antares smiled embarrassedly as Meadowlark glanced over at him with surprise, then blushed a little herself. “But this symbol on the front of the locket... this is the symbol of Duke Magister. And I think...”

Burning Desire bit his tongue, his horn glowing faintly as he rubbed a hoof over the front of the silver pendant as it lit up with the same aura... before there was a quiet click, and the locket swung open, both Antares and Meadowlark staring with surprise. And then the glossy black unicorn looked up with something like shock at how Burning Desire looked like he was almost going to start crying, even though he was smiling as wide and openly as he had used to with Twilight Sparkle. “Yes...”

Meadowlark and Antares both stepped forwards, and Burning Desire flushed and almost hid the pendant for a moment, both ponies rearing back... before the demon closed his eyes, then smiled faintly and murmured: “No... no, it's alright, I... here, look.”

He lowered it back down, and Antares and Meadow both gazed at the portraits hidden inside the locket with surprise: one was of a demon that looked much like the profile of the crest embossed on the silver metal... but the other was a beautiful unicorn, with a vibrancy in her eyes that shone out even from the tiny, wonderfully-preserved painting.

Antares understood after only a moment: not just because of the similarities, but because of the trembles in Burning Desire's body, and the look on the demon's face. Because of his own experiences with that same longing, even if he knew that Meadowlark had gone through something similar. “That's... she's your mother, isn't she?”

“Yes. Yes, it is.” Burning Desire looked up with a smile and a blush and... what seemed almost like gratitude, as he said softly: “Her name was Illuminia... and the demon, that's her father, Duke Magister. Well... adopted father, but he was always there for her. He adored her and took care of her, to the point where they made a pact together...

“But you see, a pact is a dangerous thing. And the Duke had many enemies... enemies who were cowards, and traitors, and liars, who weren't people like us, who believe that we can shape our own destiny... they just wanted to believe that all demons were nothing but monsters anyway, like it gave us all a right to act that way.” Burning Desire's voice became bitter and sharp, the demon shaking his head fiercely... but the moment he looked back down at the pictures, he softened and murmured: “But it was my mother, you see, who taught me in the first place that demons could be good. And she never lied about that, because... the Duke was good. I strive to be like my grandfather every day... well... a little like other friends I was fortunate enough to have made in the past, too...”

He closed his eyes, then chuckled a little and murmured: “I'm sorry. I went off on a tangent... I...” He halted, then took a calming breath before saying softly: “My Mom... she died after giving birth to her fourth child, my youngest sister. She died because Duke Magister was murdered, by a devil named Cupidus. But while the Duke died quickly, my mother... died very slowly, and painfully. It.. I wasn't allowed to see her at the end, and I was still just a foal anyway and... it...”

He shivered once, then looked down silently before stroking the portrait, whispering: “I hope she's with the Duke now, or at least my father. My father was a hard stallion but it was never his fault... he was just hurt, and disillusioned, and... I never helped matters. I was such an idiot child when I was a mortal... and well, that hasn't changed much, but I don't sit and cry anymore when things go wrong. I get up, and I do something and... I... I work towards my goals every day.”

Burning Desire fell silent, then he reached up and rubbed slowly at his eyes with one hoof before closing the locket and smiling faintly as he held it back out towards Meadowlark. She looked up at him with surprise, and then the stallion said softly: “It's not mine. It's yours. I may be part Greed but that only means I understand the rules of property all the more and... besides. If I take what's not mine, violet will scold me.”

He laughed a little, and Meadowlark smiled faintly before she shook her head, glancing almost apologetically at Antares before she returned her eyes to Burning Desire and quietly pushed the hoof holding the locket back towards him. “No. It means a lot more to you than me... I mean, it's a beautiful locket but... those pictures inside...”

“Yes, I... I don't think I've even told violet all the truth about my past. More than most, but... seeing these things, that these relics of Magister's do still exist...” Burning Desire looked down at the locket, and then he closed his eyes and bowed his head forwards, his horn glowing. And a moment later, the silver jewelry vanished with a puff of flame, and Antares felt both glad and a little disheartened all at once as he gave Meadowlark a faint smile. Only I could buy a gift to try and impress the mare I like, and end up impressing a demon stallion instead.

Then Burning Desire stepped forwards and hugged them both fiercely against his body, his fiery mane wafting backwards as the two both wheezed in surprise: the demon's body was intensely hot, and more than heat, his very emotions seemed to pulse out of his body, both ponies experiencing for a moment the depth and wild array of the fiery unicorn's feelings as he whispered: “Thank you.”

“You're... you're welcome...” Antares managed, reaching up and awkwardly patting the demon on the shoulder, smiling lamely and feeling like his skin was beginning to scald just from contact with the fiery stallion's frame. “I... uh... I think you're going to set us both on fire.”

Meadowlark managed a wheeze of agreement, and Burning Desire only grinned, squeezing them firmer for a moment as he remarked cheerfully: “Now, Antares, normally I'd point out I'm very happy with mares... but if you're really interested in having me set your body aflame, I would be more than happy to oblige this one time in return for-”

Antares groaned and snapped his horn upwards, and there was a flash of white light before Burning Desire yelped and leapt backwards, bursting apart into a conflagration that quickly coalesced backwards into the form of a small red firebird. This swooped hurriedly upwards and away, landing on one of the rafters high above, and Meadowlark fell forwards with a groan as Antares shook his head out, before Burning Desire complained: “It's very rude to use an exorcism on a demon in their own home, Antares Mīrus!”

The glossy black unicorn only mumbled, unable to form too coherent a response before he leaned awkwardly over and pulled Meadowlark to her hooves, and she glanced up at him and smiled. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the heat in their bodies both rose... and then they hurriedly turned their gazes away and blushed, even as Meadow gave a minute tremble and Antares took a deep gasp of air, like he had been holding his breath this entire time.

From above, Burning Desire looked down at them thoughtfully in his firebird form, then he smiled to himself before hopping carefully along the rafter and cupping his beak with one wing, whispering loudly down to Antares: “Hey, kid. Only you can hear me right now, don't worry... if you like her so much, why don't you just kiss her?”

Antares looked up in surprise with a blush, glancing over his shoulder incredulously as Meadowlark looked moodily up at the firebird: she could definitely still hear Burning Desire. But Antares was still looking dumbly up, and the demon advised gently: “Don't be stupid, take a look at her... she doesn't want trinkets or gifts or toys, she just wants a promise that you're going to be there for her. And you need to show her that the person you're doing this for the most isn't her, it's you. Because you're just lucky enough that mare doesn't want a slave, she wants a stallion who's going to stand up beside her on his own hooves.”

Meadowlark hurriedly looked down, gazing across at Antares with the faintest blush as Antares drew his eyes away from the firebird, and for a moment, the two ponies looked at each other before Burning Desire leapt off his perch and flew quickly away, calling cheerfully: “I'll be back in a moment, you two!”

The firebird sailed away and down through an archway at the other end of the foyer, but Meadowlark and Antares only continued to look at each other, their gazes locked, almost hearing one-another's thoughts, tasting one another's emotions. Then, slowly, Antares leaned in... but instead of moving to kiss her, he quietly rose a hoof.

Meadowlark tilted her head, but rose her own, and the unicorn grasped it gently as he smiled at her faintly, saying softly: “Ever... since we were kids, I think... I've always cared about you. So much... so damn much. And I know we've had our differences and... I know a few times we almost killed each other and I... I want to apologize. Not just for how much I've hurt you, not just for how much I've screwed up, but... because... I forgot to live for a little while. And then I... I insulted you when I came here at first, asking for you to be my marefriend because that's what everyone else was telling me to do, not for the right reasons. Because I was scared I was going to miss being able to be with you, and for selfish reasons, instead of... because you're incredible, and wonderful, and beautiful.

“And I think... I think I've grown up enough now to understand what has to be done. I'm not going to make stupid promises to you, Meadowlark, and I'm... I'm never going to lie to you.” Antares looked up into her eyes quietly, nodding slowly once. “And I want this. I want us to be together. But I also want it to be... what you want.”

Meadowlark looked across at him quietly, and Antares smiled faintly at her before he said finally: “I'm... if you don't... I think I'm going to kiss you now. So... uh...”

Antares broke off, then leaned slowly forwards... before he trembled when Meadowlark reached up a hoof between them and gently stopped him, pressing against his lips. She looked into his eyes softly, and he gazed back silently before she said softly: “Wait.”

She slowly slid her hoof away from his mouth, cupping Antares' cheek as she squeezed his hoof in her own, and then she smiled faintly at him, asking quietly: “Are you honestly ready for this? Are you honestly going to be happy yourself? Do you... really... care about me?”

Antares remained silent for a moment, closing his eyes as he tried to think of all the words he wanted to say, the promises he wanted to make... but then, instead, he reached his free hoof up and slid it through Meadowlark's mane as he leaned in and kissed her slowly, saying everything he needed to without speaking a single word.

Meadowlark melted against him, the Pegasus sliding her own limb around his neck and kissing him fiercely back as she pushed forwards. And when the kiss broke, she clung to him, burying her face against his neck with a tremble as Antares embraced her against his body, their hooves still locked between them as he held her tightly and said finally: “Yes.”

The Pegasus laughed a little against him, and then she closed her eyes, smiling, feeling his heart beat as they rested together. His breathing was slow and even, but there was an almost palpable feeling of something loosening inside him, of the chains of pain and sorrow that he had been bound up with clinking and loosening...

And Antares felt it too, holding Meadowlark close as he felt the faintest touch of something along his spine, could swear he felt the feeling of lips brush his ear, the tickle of a mane as something... someone... passed close by him. He felt like he was being reassured... that it was okay, because amidst all his jumbled promises made to Meadowlark, he'd made a few to himself as well.

The two ponies held each other close, and then Antares said finally, softly: “I'm never going to forget Prestige Luster, Meadow, and maybe I shouldn't... talk about her so soon after... you know... but I want you to know I'm never going to compare you to each other. You're two different ponies, and the problem was never... never that you weren't right for me, or she was better. It was just that... the way things worked out...”

“I remember. And I think I only have myself to blame, but... I'm... I'm honestly glad you had that time with her, Antares. She... she had good effects on you, and she was a good friend.” Meadowlark quieted, and then she drew back a little, looking into his eyes and smiling faintly. “And I'm never going to ask you to forget about her. I know I can... only imagine what it must feel like, to have lost her in the first place, and now to... be living without her. But I want to think this is what she'd want for you... to move forwards. She... she always worked hard for you.”

“I know. She pushed me, motivated me, bullied me when I needed it. She kept me going.” Antares laughed a little, and then he closed his eyes as the two ponies finally parted, their hooves staying linked for a moment longer before sliding apart, and then the young stallion smiled across at her. “And I know ponies aren't just.. talking nonsense when they say stuff like that anymore. But that was really hard to believe at first and... even now, well...”

“I know. But I know you, Antares... you hurt over things, and you don't forget things very easily. But that's okay, because... it's part of who you are, and I love you for it.” Meadowlark replied quietly, and then she shook her head and added softly: “We can talk about it as much as you want, okay? I'm here for you.”

“I appreciate it, Meadow. How... how understanding you've been.” Antares stopped, then he reached up and squeezed her shoulder gently, murmuring softly as he looked into her eyes: “You're... you're better to me than I deserve.”

Meadowlark only shrugged a little, and then they both glanced up as Burning Desire strode back into the room with a warm smile on his face. Antares cocked his head curiously as the demon approached, looking at the objects floating easily beside the fiery unicorn before Burning Desire said warmly: “In the old days, when you received a gift, you always gave something in return... whether it was simply a token of gratitude or something of equal value, it didn't matter, only that you showed your appreciation this way.”

Burning Desire smiled a little as he looked back and forth between them, then he passed one of the two objects forwards to Meadowlark, and she reached up to take the heavy, leather-bound tome curiously in her front hooves as the stallion said softly: “This is for you. I know that you've been trained as a healer under that wonder-working shaman, Zecora, so you should understand many of the references to the rituals. But do be careful, sweet Meadow... this book isn't just on the culture of demons, but there are very real spells written in these pages, and even invoking a scrying ritual can invite dangerous entities in to play.”

Meadowlark gazed reverently up at Burning Desire, then she nodded slowly before the fiery unicorn smiled and turned his eyes to Antares, offering the second item to him. The glossy-black stallion cocked his head curiously as he reached up to take the offered object in his hooves, studying it with interest as Burning Desire said kindly: “This isn't much, but you're a tricky pony, Antares. But I hope this can be of some use to you.”

“Is it... what is it?” Antares asked awkwardly, as he turned the object back and forth in his hooves: he didn't quite understand what he was holding. It just seemed like a large jar of some kind, with a lid locked on tightly by several heavy clasps, and then he carefully reached up to try and pop one of these open, but Burning Desire winced and quickly caught his hoof.

“I wouldn't do that.” the demon said delicately, and then he reached down and patted the lid of the urn twice, saying kindly: “It's for magic amplification, let's put it that way. Your mother will know... well, both your mothers. Just... uh... please, don't open it.” The demon paused, then reflected: “Your mothers. I've always had this fantasy I would meet two mares who lived together serendipitously and wanted to become mothers, and begged me to play the part of helping them father foals. Not the actual fathering mind you, but the making...”

“Please don't share things like that.” Antares mumbled, and then he frowned as he shook the jar a few times, and Burning Desire winced a bit and hurriedly stepped backwards before the glossy black unicorn slowly looked up at this reaction, scowling a little. “Wait. This thing is dangerous, isn't it? What precisely am I holding here?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing hard to get, anyway...” Burning Desire said evasively, and Meadowlark frowned a little as well now, the two ponies looking across at the demonic stallion before he cleared his throat and explained slowly: “Well, it's made out of a rather special clay, inscribed with all kinds of runes, enchanted as you can clearly feel...”

Both ponies glared at him, and Burning Desire finally sighed and admitted lamely: “It may so happen to be filled with the ashes of demons and contains several rather angry lost souls, which is where it draws its energy from.”

Antares winced and almost threw the urn away, and Burning Desire yelped as he quickly caught it with telekinesis before it could hit the ground, the glossy-black unicorn asking incredulously: “And you're trying to give me a Curse Jar as a gift?”

“It's not a Curse Jar and I didn't make it! They're nasty, no longer sentient demon energies, anyway, I checked and everything!” Burning Desire argued, lifting the jar and thrusting it back towards Antares, but the glossy black stallion winced away before grumbling and finally taking it when the jar bumped firmly against his face a few times. “Look, it's very, very rare, and it should help you with your magic. You should be able to use this thing to cast portal spells, so if anything it's really a very thoughtful gift.”

Antares only mumbled under his breath, but he finally took the jar with a tired sigh, looking sourly down at it before grumbling: “This thing had better not be... you know. Evil. And I don't even know any portal spells. Time and space magic is way, way above anything I can do.”

“Well, violet or Luna can teach you over a few years, I'm sure.” Burning Desire said reasonably, and Antares hesitated before sighing and nodding grudgingly. “Just think of this as a battery that recharges itself over time, because that's really all it is. Unless you break it. Then you'll be dealing with some mindless forces of sin incarnate.”

Antares glowered up at Burning Desire, and then the demonic stallion clapped his front hooves together cheerily and asked brightly: “Now, what say we take a little walk and find some entertainment, shall we? I have just the perfect way to spend the afternoon in mind, young lovers!”

“I don't like when you say things like that.” Antares mumbled, and Meadowlark hid a smile behind a hoof as Burning Desire only grinned and then spun around, whistling cheerfully before the glossy black unicorn sighed. Then he tilted his horn, lifting both the urn and Meadowlark's book with telekinesis as the Pegasus gave him a smile, and the two fell in step behind the eccentric demon.

Late that night found the dining hall filled by ponies of every shape and size, all sitting around one enormous black table. Scrivener Blooms, Luna, and Twilight Sparkle were all smiling, although even their most distant friends could see they were worried about something... but the three were putting on a strong front, and not letting whatever concerns poisoned their minds ruin this time they had to share with friends and family.

Celestia seemed a little worried herself, but was striving to take after her family's example... and Sleipnir's endless pestering of her seemed to be helping distract her from her own thoughts. Cowlick kept jumping every time a Nightmare appeared out of thin air to refill the dishes of food on the table, while Avalon and Aphrodisia were apparently having an eating contest as Antares stared at them disbelievingly and Meadowlark only paged curiously through the book she had been given.

Near her brother, Scarlet Sage was holding the hoof of another mare seated comfortably beside her: an earth pony with a bright yellow coat and a vibrant red mane, her orange eyes happy and pleasant and a bandanna keeping her crimson locks tied back. Apple Bloom, Scarlet Sage's partner, and a pony who was like a daughter to Luna and Scrivener.

She was currently arguing with Cowlick about something, before the engineer winced when a Nightmare appeared right beside her to lean past and pick up an empty bowl, then simply vanish from sight again. And then the engineer glared when Apple Bloom laughed, saying flatly: “You shut up, or I'll demote your flank.”

“You remind me of Scoot. She'd always work so hard to never admit how scared she was of anything, and ended up just making herself even more afraid of whatever was bothering her.” Apple Bloom remarked, then she smiled amusedly and glanced over at Scarlet Sage, giving her hoof a light squeeze. “She and Sweetie wanted to know if we could get together sometime soon, by the way. I think they miss the old days.”

“That'd be fun.” Scarlet Sage smiled back, then she shook her head and glanced down the table, before frowning a little and asking Antares awkwardly: “Uh... does Avalon know what she's eating?”

“What?” Antares looked up, then winced at the fact both Avalon and Aphrodisia were now stuffing dumplings into their face, the glossy-black unicorn saying hurriedly: “Ava, wait, those aren't pastries, they're meat!”

Avalon froze with a dumpling half-raised to her mouth, at least three mostly-chewed ones stuffed into her mouth, and she slowly looked towards Antares as the stallion winced and Aphrodisia paused and swallowed her own food before saying sheepishly: “Whoops. Sorry, I forgot that normal ponies don't eat meat or anything. But it's still really good, right?”

Avalon slowly turned a multitude of sickly colors, then sprung away from the table: all she managed to do was hurry into a corner before vomiting loudly, however, and Rainbow Dash winced and hurried out of his seat as Applejack sighed and glanced awkwardly down the table. “Uh, say, Twilight, uh... do you have anything for sick ponies?”

“Selene, a pony requires medicine!” Luna called loudly as her horn glowed faintly... and a moment later, the strange, ivory Nephilim appeared out of thin air with a calm smile, gazing affectionately towards Luna even though there was a distinct surliness in the eyes of the sapphire mare. “Good. Please attend to poor Avalon and clean up the mess.”

“Yes, Mother.” Selene said softly, and Celestia sighed and looked pointedly at Luna as a few others at the table shifted in surprise: the Nephilim was the Overseer, after all, in charge of all of Subterra. But Luna only looked grouchily back at Celestia as Selene went about her business with the same calm, unchanging expression.

“We used to eat until we vomited in the old days. 'Twas fun, really.” Sleipnir remarked, and then he winced when Pinkamena punched him in the side, rubbing awkwardly at the offended area. “What? I do not do it anymore, do I?”

“Only because I think a fatass like you could devour our entire store and still be hungry afterwards.” Pinkamena muttered, and then she glanced down the table and added mildly: “And hey, kiddo, take it easy there. You don't want to be too much like your Daddy, do you?”

Aphrodisia only smiled brightly in return, and conversation went back to normal as Rainbow Dash glanced at Applejack, who nodded and quickly excused herself as the blue stallion hefted his ill-looking daughter onto his back. Selene lingered for only long enough to dissolve the large puddle of puke in the corner with a flick of her horn before she followed after them.

Big Mac shook his head with a small smile, and beside him, a sky-blue Pegasus glanced curiously up, reaching up to run a hoof through his darker, unkempt navy mane. “Poor kid. We were supposed to go flying later with her father, too, run through a few practices.”

“I'm sure she'll be just fine in a little while.” Big Mac said with a smile, reaching up and squeezing the stallion's shoulder, and then he paused before glancing curiously over at Cowlick when she snorted in amusement.

“Pretty sure she ate enough meat to kill ten ponies, but I'm also pretty sure Avalon there ain't gonna lay around and cry about it too long. Don't worry, flyboy, you'll get your flight time with Dash's daughter. Although I think it's really Dash you're all googly-eyes over.” Cowlick remarked, and then she paused and glanced mildly over at Big Mac. “Then again, pretty sure if I got my nasty little hooves on a stud like Mac, I'd drag him off to the bedroom and wouldn't ever let him leave.”

Big Mac slowly picked up his cup of water and sipped from it awkwardly, and then Cowlick rubbed at her face and looked down the table towards Spike and Rarity, adding meditatively: “Wonder what it must be like with a dragon, though. Then again, maybe I should ask Luna or Celestia if I really want to know the whole story.”

“What's what like, Cowlick?” Ross asked curiously, and the engineer mare smiled amusedly over at him before reaching up and stroking his mane back tenderly.

“Oh, you know. Dirty stuff that don't interest you none. But don't worry, you're my favorite, handsome. You're the pony for me. I just like to dream.” Cowlick looked meditatively around the table, rubbing a hoof absently down her own breast. “Although some days I feel like slipping a little something in your coffee.”

“I don't drink coffee, though. Not usually at least, nope.” Ross replied curiously, and Cowlick smiled as she gave him an amused look, warmth in her eyes.

“Metaphor, handsome. You remember that, right?” She gazed at him gently, then paused before turning a glare towards another pony seated at the table, snapping: “Stop your damn staring at me or I'll throttle you with that fancy tie of yours.”

Barry hurriedly cleared his throat and dropped his head, wincing and staring down at his soup before shivering and pushing the stew away. He hesitated, then awkwardly glanced over towards Scrivener, and the charcoal stallion sighed tiredly as he said moodily: “This is your own fault for showing up here.”

“I... I was just trying to let you know the score, champ! And besides, I mean... okay, yes, okay, it's very nice to be here and all and your friends are wonderful ponies, wonderful...” He halted, looking lamely back and forth down the table, eyes dancing nervously over Nirvana, Spike, the three young half-Phooka, and the Nightmares that were appearing more frequently now as more ponies excused themselves. “Uh... people. You can't blame me for being a little weirded out though. I mean, I'm sitting beside a former Wonderbolt, which is cool as hell, but that demon also tried to eat me.”

Sleipnir, on the other side of the table, automatically looked at Pinkamena, and his wife grumbled and punched him in the foreleg, saying sourly: “It wasn't me, asshole. Besides, look at him, he's all wrapper and no filling.”

Barry looked ridiculously hurt by this comment, and Scrivener slapped his forehead with a hoof before Luna interjected kindly: “Well, Barry, if it is of any consequence Hevatica has very discerning tastes. I am sure she merely mistook thou for a tasty treat, with all the... tawdry bundling thou art done up in, 'tis all.”

“Tawdry... hey! This suit cost me a fortune!” Barry grabbed at his clothing in vexation, blushing slightly as Twilight Sparkle sighed quietly and Celestia gave Luna a pleading look. “You know what? I've been trying to hold back from this, champ, because... because we laugh and have fun a lot, but... you and your friends, you and... her and... you... you're really not... nice.”

Barry stumbled to a halt, and the miniscule amount of courage he had managed to summon up vanished when Scrivener simply looked at him blankly, the smaller, lanky earth pony half-hiding and squeaking: “Don't fire me or feed me to demons!”

“'Tis cute, does thy pet do other tricks as well?” Sleipnir looked up curiously at Scrivener, and the charcoal stallion only sighed tiredly as he looked moodily at Barry.

“I've tried teaching him how to shut up, but that doesn't exactly seem to be going very well.” Scrivener remarked dryly, and then he grumbled a little and shook his head, adding finally: “Barry, look. We're mean, because... we're... mean.”

Luna and Twilight both looked flatly at Scrivener, and the dark-coated stallion shrugged and looked lamely around the table before Pinkamena rolled her eyes and spoke up suddenly: “Look, douchebag, you're in our house now, and our rules are simple. You be yourself and say what the hell you want. Sure, we're not walking around, sharing our feelings with each other and being all nice. But we're honest, and we take care of each other, and we don't mince our words. Just because I tell Scrivener here he's a jackass doesn't mean I like him any less. He is a jackass.”

“I am a jackass.” Scrivener agreed, and then he smiled over at the demon, but she only growled in response to him before the stallion looked at Barry as he glanced up meekly. “What Pinkamena's saying is trust in our actions, not our words. Look, once Luna and I have had our coffee after our meal and everything, I'll walk you out of Subterra. That way you can avoid upsetting any other demons. Some of the entrances from Canterlot might be public now, but that doesn't mean the demons like ponies wandering down into their city all that much.”

“God you're weird. Talking about it like it's the ponies' fault above and... no, no, forget I said anything.” Barry hid behind the table again when Pinkamena glared at him, even as Sleipnir reached up and put a soothing hoof on her shoulder. Then the agent winced as he looked back and forth, adding lamely: “And hey, Soarin' here might be a demon in the air but... he's not really... a demon, right?”

“No, but... you know. They didn't trust me at first but... I spent plenty of time here working on and off with Starlit Knights and hanging around and... they get used to you.” Soarin' said lamely, rubbing the back of his head and giving a small smile. Then he cleared his throat a bit, glancing over at Big Mac. “Just took patience, right? Although I was pretty freaked out myself at first, wasn't I?”

Big Mac only smiled and nodded in return, and Barry mumbled a little before he shrank down a bit in his seat. Gradually, everyone else left, until Barry was sitting with Celestia, Luna, Scrivener and Twilight Sparkle.

The agent had calmed down a little, although he was now nervously playing with a meat dumpling and tossing anxious looks at the Nightmares and other demons cleaning up the table. Scrivener was doing his best to ignore his agent, however, as he and Twilight argued over some old language theory and Luna sat back, looking almost... content, in spite of everything. Celestia had a cup of tea, sipping at it and listening with interest to the conversation before she glanced upwards with surprise at the figure that sauntered calmly in through the archway.

Scrivener and Twilight fell silent as well as Luna looked up with a slight grin, her eyes gleaming with interest... but also faint apprehension, as she asked mildly: “And what brings thou, of all the miserable creatures in this universe, to my pleasant little abode?”

“Just because in your mind all of Subterra belongs to you, Brynhild, that doesn't make it true.” retorted the unicorn that entered the room... or at least, Barry thought it was a unicorn, until his mind processed the fact that the beetroot-colored stallion was striding calmly along on his rear legs, and his upper limbs ended in not hooves, but black, smooth hands. The unicorn-like creature had a wavy golden mane and matching tail, and his eyes were ivory, as was the horn standing up from his skull: and the only thing that Barry could honestly relate to in terms of this creature was the fact that it was wearing a very nice, green-colored dress suit and perfectly-knotted tie.

“Kvasir, do not be an idiot. Anything that I desire to be mine becomes mine instantly, there is no greater truth than this.” Luna replied pompously, sniffing loudly as she sat back in her seat, then she sighed and glowered over at Barry, who was mouthing wordlessly as Kvasir approached them moodily. “You, idiot. If there is one creature thou does not need fear it is this one. Oh, aye, he may be Valhalla's new master, but god or not 'tis still nothing more threatening than a homunculus.”

“Yes, Brynhild, oh please, by all means tell every little mortal exactly who and what I am.” Kvasir said distastefully, stopping on the other side of the table and giving a moody look towards Barry, who shrank a bit and offered an awkward grin before the beetroot unicorn muttered: “I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. What precisely are you, mortal?”

“Barry, Barry Barter, at your service, sir, pleasure to meet you, I'm the literary agent for the champ, Scrivener Blooms!” Barry seemed to fall back on some kind of autopilot, giving a grin and rambling away as he stretched a hoof across the table, and Kvasir leaned back slightly and held a hand up in front of himself in what was almost a defensive gesture.

There was an awkward silence, and then Barry slumped a bit back into his seat before Celestia said gently: “It's important for a leader to always go an extra step for his people, Kvasir... to be willing to meet even the lowest and meanest of his subjects as an equal, to demonstrate his dedication to treating all with equality... even when they don't deserve it.”

“Your lesson for today has been noted, Valkyrie Freya.” Kvasir said dourly, and Barry looked dumbly back and forth before muttering and crossing his forelegs, slumping back in his seat. “But these mortals are not my subjects. I am only an administrator of Valhalla, nothing more... and besides, if I didn't care, I wouldn't be here right now. We have an... abnormality.”

Luna straightened a little at this, automatically looking down the table... but of course, Antares was long gone. She hoped that he was off with Meadowlark, celebrating the start of their courtship... even if he hadn't mentioned it yet, Luna had seen the way the two were closer, could tell that there was something blossoming between them... that the Pegasus had helped her son find closure, and move on. And right now, it was better that he remained distracted with good things, as she asked quietly: “Thou has a job for myself and my husband?”

“They are not your soldiers, Kvasir.” Celestia said quietly, but there was a strange edge to her voice as she put down her teacup, her amethyst eyes almost glowing as they locked on Kvasir's strange ivory irises when they slid towards her. “If something was wrong in this world, I would have already known about it. You can't expect them to go off into another plane again, to fix some other world's problems.”

“Celestia...” Luna's tone was soft, but almost chastising as she turned her eyes towards her sibling, who gave the faintest blush as she dropped her gaze away from Kvasir. For a moment, there was only silence, and then Luna simply reached over and squeezed her sister's shoulder before turning her eyes back to Kvasir.

He studied them calmly, then he shook his head and said softly: “Valhalla is strong, but I have no one I trust or respect as much I have come to trust and respect yourself and Brynhild and her... family.” His eyes flicked from Scrivener to Twilight, and then he shook his head, continuing quietly: “And you would be just as angry, Freya, if I went to Sleipnir instead. Besides, hear me out first. As I said, there is an abnormality, but I did not say a 'danger,' per se.”

Celestia nodded hesitantly, and the others looked up as Barry looked on nervously but curiously: for now, however, Kvasir treated the mortal as if he didn't exist, as the homunculus god explained calmly: “As you recall, nine anchors were laid in nine different layers of reality, to protect the core world. After your... misadventure while laying the first anchor, Odin saw fit to have each anchor modified slightly, so that it would send up a signal if it was tampered with.”

“Oh, aye, I remember. I remember that well.” Luna said with relish, looking up and grinning slightly as she rubbed thoughtfully at the underside of her jaw. “Corvette, was that not the name of the mercenary who tampered with us, Scrivener Blooms?”

“Bounty hunter, you mean. Well. Slave trader. Actually, let's just refer to him as a douchebag and call it a day.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna nodded thoughtfully a few times in agreement before the stallion turned his eyes to Kvasir, asking curiously: “Was it one of the anchors we laid, or one of the other four?”

“I have an idea, ponies. Why don't you let me talk, and maybe then you'll learn what's going on?” Kvasir asked crankily, and Luna huffed and grumbled and Scrivener sat back with a grunt. Twilight only smiled lamely when the beetroot unicorn looked back and forth, then rolled his eyes and shook his head slowly. “I don't know why Odin had to design his creatures to be so... so meddlesome.”

“Thou art meddlesome.” Luna grumbled, and then she fidgeted before finally quieting when Twilight Sparkle reached out and gently touched her shoulder, the sapphire mare grumbling to herself and motioning for Kvasir to go ahead with one hoof.

The homunculus looked at them grouchily, then he leaned forwards over the table, resting his black hands against the wooden surface and saying moodily: “Since you were so interested... it is not a layer of reality that you have visited before, no. I believe Sleipnir placed the anchor in this one. I believe it is an inner layer... not prime, though.”

Luna smiled wryly, looking up at the beetroot unicorn and remarking mildly: “Thou knows that... 'tis a dangerous game thou art playing, labeling and sorting out all the layers that Odin created. They were never meant to be so organized and labeled, after all... merely ninety-nine different realities, to vex any interloper and intruder seeking to reach the center layer.”

“Yes, but this is important.” Kvasir replied quietly, shaking his head and hesitating before continuing slowly: “As you know, Brynhild, the core reality is shielded by the nine anchors, hidden across nine different planes of reality. These layers vary from prime, the closest to the core reality, to omega, the furthest and most different... and often the most hostile. But every layer is molded from the same base.”

Luna looked impatient at the history lesson, before frowning when Kvasir said quietly: “But the surge we detected in Valhalla from the anchor prompted me to take a look at this inner layer, to see what could have caused it... and there is something... unnatural in the desert. Something that is blocking any effort to see inside it... all it appears to be is a blot of darkness. But it reeks of...”

Slowly, Kvasir looked over at Scrivener Blooms, and the charcoal stallion shivered a bit, shaking his head slowly and grasping at his skull as he felt something shift strangely inside him. And then he looked up, forcing himself to ask: “Valthrudnir?”

He almost whispered the word, as if afraid speaking his name would wake up the Jötnar hiding inside his mind, and Kvasir hesitated before nodding slowly and murmuring: “I expect that Decretum may be involved somehow, but... I don't know how. Clockwork World itself is quarantined, after all, and Freya has been generous enough to inform me of any and all movements of Clockwork Ponies left on this world...”

“And there's been little activity over these last few years. The Strange Ones are holding three in imprisonment, and there's another locked in the dungeons of Canterlot... but I almost feel pity for them. It feels like they're simply waiting to die.” Celestia said quietly, shaking her head slowly. “The last event we had regarding any of Decretum's forces was a skirmish with several Dullahan the Royal Guard flushed out of hiding.”

Kvasir nodded, grimacing a little. “And if anything, that only has me more concerned about this situation. If these toys of Valthrudnir showed some signs of sentience, of fight, then I'd at least have an idea of what we were dealing with... but instead, with how they seem to be shutting down, but something sinister that all the same reeks of his enterprises stretching its influence out over another layer, perhaps purposefully beginning to tamper with the anchor laid there...”

“Then we have no choice but to go.” Luna said firmly, looking up... and then she hesitated before smiling slightly and looking over her shoulder, asking as Celestia began to open her mouth: “And what about thou, big sister? Will thou come to aid myself, Scrivy, Twilight... and perhaps Antares?”

Celestia looked surprised at this... but then, slowly, she closed her mouth, and a strange frown crested her face before she lowered her head slightly. She breathed slowly in and out as Kvasir turned a contemplative look to the Valkyrie... and then Celestia smiled slowly, looking up and saying softly: “Well, little sister, when you put it like that... suddenly I feel much less concerned, and almost... excited.”

Scrivener smiled despite himself as Luna grinned widely, her eyes gleaming: and even though she felt worried and anxious, she also felt that same eagerness, and in a strange way, almost glad. Glad to be back where she felt she belonged, glad to be given a chance to chase down whatever remnants of Valthrudnir's machinations remained... glad she was here to be able to do so. And glad that she would have her family beside her, supporting her, as a faint hope whispered up through her soul, too: that maybe if they plunged headlong once more into fighting whatever forces of darkness had risen up again, they might stumble on a way to destroy the Jötnar lurking in Scrivener's mind as well.

Twilight Sparkle smiled faintly as she looked up, feeling excitement emanating from Luna and Celestia, and in a quieter way, from Scrivener Blooms as well. Except she understood it now, more than she wanted to... and while she rationalized it as a gladness she could protect her friends and family, told herself again and again that violence was only a method of last resort, something else inside her was whispering... making her feel...

A hoof reached up, rubbing silently over the front of her sweater and the stitching beneath this, and Scrivener looked over at her with surprise... but before he could speak, Barry once more reminded the room that he existed by asking hopefully: “So can we get a book deal out of this, champ?”

Kvasir turned a moody look on Barry, and the literary agent shrank hurriedly behind the table as Luna snorted laughter and Scrivener sighed, rubbing slowly at his forehead as he wondered morbidly what was worse: the thought of once more crossing layers and fighting monsters, or Barry and Ersatz and all the fun of being 'successful.'

Comments

[Shirohige]

Barry would turn a potential gigantic fight for everyone's live into a book deal. That's exactly the kind of sleezebag he is.
That was hilarious, and their reactions even more so, but I want to comment more about the other parts of the chapter, now.
I especially enjoyed the AntaresXMeadowlark romance that is finally blooming (FINALLY LIKE I WANTED IT TO) and they're really cute while doing it, too.
Some more reality stuff. Great, that was always interesting. It can still be explored practically indefinitely, and it doesn't get boring, for some reason. Maybe because you write it so well :P. Moving onto next chapter.

[Qwazy-Reader]

Memories: 1/1
Huzzah! The achievements have been doubled!

More Silverbacks, not gorillas, but insects of some kind... if something like that appears in the background at least twice and is noted at least once by a character you know they've got some kind of role. Meadowlark seems to get it, but Antares thinks they've got bigger fish to deal with for now.

I would like to turn your attention to this

“I know. But I know you, Antares... you hurt over things, and you don't forget things very easily. But that's okay, because... it's part of who you are, and I love you for it.” Prestige replied quietly, and then she shook her head and added softly: “We can talk about it as much as you want, okay? I'm here for you.”

I'm pretty sure that was supposed to be Meadowlark even if part of me wishes for Prestige's return.

A ritual book for Meadowlark, fun times ahead! I wonder if we'll be getting more demon contract fun in the future, and if it'll happen on the other worlds. That would certainly be interesting. Of course of even more importance to her is the growing relationship betwixt her and Antares. I'll give it to her, I think she deserves some good fortune after everything.

More dimension-hopping! Huzzah! So many possibilities, so many more words to read! With the hints in the achievement list, from what we've already seen, and from what we can guess, things are going to be awesome. We might see more Trixie, which would be snazzy. I would not be surprised to see alternate Celestias/Lunas again, and I would be especially pleased if we get a return of BA Cadence, who I just realized is spelled differently from the 'official' name, but that's okay considering even the show changes it up in the credits.
But what I think would be most interesting would be a meeting between Antares and alternate Prestige, not just because I love Prestige (okay, maybe it factors a little), but because I think it would be very interesting, perhaps as a way to help Antares move on, or perhaps to drive a slight wedge between him and Meadowlark to overcome and become stronger for it, or perhaps it really is just wishful thinking on my part.

A few last things. Looks like we've got the whole cast reassembled at long last (except those who are dead ).Oh, and best line goes to Barry.

“So can we get a book deal out of this, champ?”

(Okay, maybe not best line, but it was great).

There was a lot of good stuff to this chapter, but I think I'll end it here with a slight quote edit:

He wondered which was more exciting: the thought of once more crossing layers and fighting monsters, or Barry and Ersatz and all the fun of being 'successful.'

[BarrenBaron]

god I hate myself, at least two weeks or so behind on this

Anyways, in the interest of saving time so I don't lose story reading momentum here, the silverbacks make me want to remember a certain mercurial enemy from times past, Luna is getting a bit too into ordering demons around, and my speech therapist Isn't doing his job as my rambling problem still isn't properl addressed.

[Koekelbag]

(Possible) Slip-up:

How many I serve you?”

Either that's a simple typo, or that salesman is just that confident in his ability to sell things.

I wonder... Did the ponies from the old world discover what happened to the extinct-ponies of this mirror world yet? I mean, with Burning mentioning last chapter that he already was around for a 1000 years... or maybe he was also from the old world, derp.
But still, at least some demons from the mirror world should remember what happened to the extinct ponies, right? Sure, I can't tell how long this world has already existed (I can't translate the 1500-ish year lifespan of the old world to this one with certainty, because Scrivener's birth revealed time doesn't flow at the same rate in different dimensions), but some demons should remember...

[BlackRoseRaven]

6553041

Whoops. Thanks for catching that one. That is one of the few times where I don't mean to give someone a funny accent.
And Burning does, actually. If you read his origin story, Rising Fire, you can actually get a glimpse of what life was like for ponies pre-extinction, since he's native to this layer of reality. But uh. We're going to actually meet someone else from his far-flung past who is a very important character in this story, too, so you might not want to read it just yet.