//------------------------------// // Chapter Four: One Weird Bug // Story: Down Below // by RedRandom //------------------------------// DOWN BELOW SIX DAYS BEFORE NIGHTMARE NIGHT After a few hours of rest and trying to pull the ring off of Twilight's horn with failure, the doctor sat back in his seat. Sweat escaping his brow as he panted, watching the Princess of Friendship desperately trying to rip the ring off her appendage. With a sigh, Twilight stopped her attempts and sat onto the bed she rested in the bed she had slept in the previous night. "I'm sorry Miss Sparkle, but we can't keep trying to get it off," Dr. Rott gravely noted as he waddled over to his desk. Pulling a note from one the drawers, he gave it to Rarity as she was closest to him. "If you want out of here, then speak to this guy," he said as Rarity held the note to the others with her magic. The picture of an insect-like pony on the picture with the name "Bug Malone" on the name section of the form. Sweetie Belle recoiled at the sight of Malone as she looked to the Doctor. "W-why do we need to see this guy?" she asked with a confused and disgusted look. The Doctor's eye rolled a bit as according to some, he was the ugliest guy in the town and somehow this filly thought otherwise. "He knows how to get to the capital of Down Below faster than anyone else, trust me...I'm a doctor," he reassured to the young pony as the older mares giggled a bit. "I don't think it's the right time for a prostate exam Doc," Pinkie Pie stated as the others began to laugh, Dr. Rott chuckling as he caught on while the three fillies hadn't the slightest idea of what they were laughing about. Rott shook his head as his chuckles turned into infectious laughter. "But sir!" Apple Bloom exclaimed as the rest turned to her. "How do we find this Bug fella anyhow?" she asked as Dr. Rott walked over to the only window in the room and pointed towards a building. "When he isn't leading people to the capital, he sings at the local Jazz club, "The scattered bottle", you'll most likely find him there," he said as he went back towards his desk and gave the Passports to the girls, "You'll need these to get in," he added. As the girls took the passports from the Doctor, Rainbow Dash seemed a little confused as she looked at the strange creature that was Dr. Rott." Um...Doc?" she asked as he turned to her, a strange twitch in his eye could be noticed. "What is it Miss Dash?" he asked with a smile on his face."Is there something wrong with your passport?" he asked again with a concerned look in his eye. Rainbow's hoof rubbed the back of her head as she began. "Well, two things actually, How do we get out of here anyway? And how do you know Bub for that matter?" she asked as the group's eyes widened with the realization that they had not asked before. Dr. Rott sighed a bit from the second question and with an effort, opened his maw. "Bub is our ruler, the Down Below version of Princess Celestia. Most of us adore him, he helped us survive our afterlife and made it comfortable," he started as he sat in a chair while the others listened to the Doctor. "Before he came here, the land was a bloodbath, the home of the Spirit of War and Battle, Conflict. When Bub became the ruler, Conflict was nowhere to be found, It took a long time but he made the place like what it is now," he finished as he sighed, the girls seeing a huge amount of appreciation for Bub in the Doctor's eye as he remembered the events of his afterlife. After shaking his head to escape his memories, the Doctor chuckled in embarrassment. "Anyway, if you want to know more then you can visit the library in the capital, now come on, you got your world to save," he said as he began to politely shoo the group to the door. "Tell Malone I said hello," he requested as the girls started to go pass the door frame. "W-wait, D-doc. how do we get out of here?" Scootaloo asked as he had not elaborated of that detail. The Doctor's smile never disappeared as he began to close the door on them. "Just tell Malone that you want out and he'll explain everything." The broken streets of the city "Scumtown," seemed to live up the name of the small town. The overcrowded roads and alleys made the group uncomfortable as they passed by the homeless undead and demons that resided in Down Below. Imps and ponies walked the streets as the girls trotted to their destination as the red sky filled the air around them. The building that they arrived at was one of the more intact ones, a large demon stood outside, his beard looked dry and dirty as he tossed a drunken corpse onto the streets. As he noticed the group coming his way, his gruff and angry face turned into a calm and almost business-like fashion as he pointed at them with his cloven hoof. "Hello, welcome to The Scattered Bottle, ID please," he asked as the group showed them their passports. With his hoof, he opened the door for them as they began to enter the club. Sweetie Belle's face looked very confused as she looked into the demon's eyes "Wait, aren't we not allowed in?" she asked as she waved her hoof towards Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, the demon chuckled a bit as he looked to the little filly. "Well since it is the unfortunate truth that children do die, we think that they should be allowed to do things like go to these kind of places as it wouldn't be fair," he explained with an almost grim smile. With a smile in return, Sweetie thanked him and went inside. The inside of the club could only be described as pure, fun chaos. Multiple undead and demons danced and sang along with the Jazz band that played on stage, some even on the stage while one undead was swinging on the chandelier. As the group walked around, looking for the insect to talk to, they saw him singing on the stage while dancing with some undead griffons. His red vest covered most of the top part of his body, his mandibles looked as if they were like any other pony's mouth even though it was actually divided into four parts. His legs moved in a strange insect-like way as he danced, a smile on his face. His arms ended in the way a praying mantis' arms would and on his head were not only two antennas but also a black bowler hat adorned his head. "Now ladies and Gentlemen, Undead and Demons, a little while ago I had just been given info of Elements of harmony's death," he said in a scratchy and moderate tone as he noticed the group trotting to him, the crowd cheering in happiness." And I would like to personally welcome them to our PARADICE!" he shouted as he pointed his arm to the group, the crowd becoming even more heated up as they roared their approval. One of the undead Zebras was getting more lively than the others. "Heck, this guy seems to be dying to meet you!" Malone jested as his antenna glowed a snow white color, he lifted a revolver with his magic and shot the undead in the head. The undead zebra toppled over the table he stood on, the entire club cheering and rolling around as the zebra got back up, completely unscathed as he shouted at the top of his lungs "I'm alright!!!" Malone then turned to the girls as he put the revolver away, a smile on his mandibles. "So how are we enjoying our afterlife your Majesty?" he asked with a polite bow. Twilight looked at the zebra with a confused look before turning back to the bug. "Well, actually that's what we wanted to talk abou... how is he still alive?!" she asked, her confusion increasing as Bug's smile inflated. "Well... you can't kill what's already dead," he stated with a deadpan expression, his arms fixing up his antenna. "Don't tell me that you want to leave already do you? You mean to tell me you want to be brutalized by Deceit?" he questioned, the name stopping all activity in the club as everyone turned to the insect pony. "U-um, w-who's Deceit?...if you don't mind me asking," Fluttershy asked as she hid her face in her mane. Bug's face turned into a sly grin as he faced the numerous undead and demons in the band. "Guys... I think were all in for some overtime," he said as the band gripped their instruments with glee. "HIT IT!" he shouted as bone xylophones started to play, the club beginning to get ready for the song that was about to start. Lyrics to the song "End Up Here Anyway Hey! Hey all you listen, you cadavers of fear, at least those of you, who still want to hear. I'll tell you a tale, make you cry out and weep, about the warden of hell that they call Deceit! The crowd began to sing along as Bug danced with the band, Pinkie Pie had jumped onto the stage and began to dance with the insect. The rest stared at the spectacle before them as the band continued. He's one of those who hates that he died, Has a bitter hatred foe those who are alive! Even though we're deceased, we think it's okay, cause you just end up here anyway! Welllll, our boy was a king, had the biggest hive around, when a mysterious queen wandered into town. She was pretty good look'in, didn't have a hive of her own and our poor little changeling didn't know where it was going. You see he's never felt love, he's a creature of hate, he thought it was his only chance to mate! The chorus began again as Bug and Pinkie danced for the crowd's enjoyment, they had become in perfect sync as their moves mimic'ed each other. The group as well as the fillies began to join the rest of the club as they too danced like they didn't care. So they conjured up a plan to meet outside. Told not a soul, didn't want to spoil the ride. He brought the deed to the hive for her to sign, as he thought his life would soon be sublime. But unfortunate for him, she had different things in mind, he didn't even know she was the murdering kind. Then on a stormy night at the top of a cliff, He was just about ready but it was all kinds of diff. The boredom made him to die but there was his bride!.. And then? He waited. And then? With a little push. And then? He was about to hit the ground. AND THEN?! And then baby, it all went black. Now when he opened his eyes, he was Down Below, he was in anguish, didn't know where to go. But out of the fire, Bub stood with a grin, said, "Welcome to the paradise that you find yourself in." After years of work, he at where he is now, given out punishment, without moral or by how. So now you know why your in for a treat, cause that's the story of our Deceit!!! After a few hours, everything had been exchanged as the group traveled down the road along with the insect. who walked beside twilight, a smile on his face. "So Miss Sparkle, how will you stop Bub before he bucks up your town?" he asked with a confused face. Not being able to comprehend that his ruler would do such a thing as everyone thought he was a great guy. Twilight shook her head in defeat as they continued to walk. "I just don't know Malone, maybe we can get help from the princess," she stated. "But if you don't mind Bug, how do we get out of here?". "Well let me tell you about it," Bug said as they continued onward, the journey only beginning.