It was a beautiful summer day on the Loyal Palms Beach. There was not a cloud in the sky, leaving nothing to hide the endless blue. The wind was fair, the waves were perfect, and everypony was having a good time.
The sun illuminated the golden beach and the crystal sea. The soft sand glistened as it reflected the sun's ray. The water sparkled as it casually strolled up against the shore, leaving the rocks and sea-shells glinting. The ocean stretched far into the horizon getting darker and deeper, however maintaining serenity effortlessly as it transitioned into the sky.
As Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Spike, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie breathed in fresh air, the smell of the salty sea tingled their noses. The cold and refreshing breeze gently eased up against their fur and glided through their manes. The rustling of the swaying palm tree leaves, the twittering of birds large and small, and the delicate splashes of the seas soothed in their ears.
The sensations of the beach atmosphere took them back down Memory Lane. It took them back eight months ago when they were on the high-seas, fighting pirates and exploring the world.
But now was not the time for quarrel, it was a jubilee of relaxation.
Twilight was dressed into a purple and pink striped swimsuit. Rainbow Dash had a sports bikini and her mane was tied back in a ponytail. Rarity wore a luxury bikini covered in spangles. Pinkie Pie had on a pink polka-dot swimsuit, complete with a frilly swimming tutu. Spike wore his favourite shark swim-trunks. Fluttershy wore nothing. She didn’t really think of bringing anything to the beach other than snacks for the animals.
Upon arriving at the beach, the mares and Spike separated and enjoyed their time in their own way. Rarity pitched an umbrella and sun-bathed. Spike joined a bunch of other foals and ponies and built sand castles. Fluttershy went down to the sea to snorkel and play with the sea life. Rainbow Dash grabbed her surfboard and surfed on the rolling waves. Twilight and Pinkie Pie grouped together and played volleyball on the shore.
Spike eventually got bored after his sand castle was washed up and went back to Twilight and Pinkie Pie. Spike took a seat and sunbathed next to the mares’ game, serving as sort of a referee.
For the moment, everything felt as if it were perfect. However, a pair of troublemakers was amongst them.
As Spike watched the mares play, an unusual feeling suddenly stirred in his stomach. He shook this off as merely acid reflux or something just as trivial He continued to rest and relax, watching the ball bounce over the net and off of the playing mares.
“Take this!” Twilight exclaimed, spiking the ball.
“Taken…” Pinkie replied, catching the fast ball. “…I’d like a refund!”
She returned with an equally powerful spike, catching Twilight off guard. Twilight kicked the ball just short of the sand and flung the ball high into the air with aid of her wings. The ball soared in the air, climbing dozens of metres in the air. This was Twilight’s time to shine, her moment of victory. She looked over to Pinkie’s side, looking for the best place to drive the ball into.
The back left corner! Twilight yelled at herself.
The ball flew down at terminal velocity. Twilight jumped in the air. She prepared her hind hooves. This would be the finishing move.
BOOM!
Before Twilight could kick the ball, a monstrous set of claws burst from the sand and grabbed it. The claws were made of tentacles. They were long, black, and veiny, sporting razor-sharp blades as fins. The sight almost scared Twilight frozen. The hideous claw pulled the ball with it under the sand and out of sight. Twilight ended up kicking nothing and fell flat on her face.
Twilight pulled herself up and looked at the ground ahead of her. All that remained of the giant claw was a small crater of sand.
“What was that?!” Twilight exclaimed.
“Where’s our ball?!” Pinkie exclaimed.
“You mean this thing?” A mischievous mare called out to them.
Twilight and Pinkie looked over to her, coming face to face with trouble incarnate. Standing before them were a pair of mares and the giant claw, holding the ball next to them.
Their fur was blood red and their manes and tails were coal black. They had horns more gnarled than the deadest tree. Their wings were bat-like, but utterly enormous. Their bodies were curved and erotic, but pulsed with sheer muscular tension. Their eyes were cat-like and glowed gold. Their single-bangs hid one of their eyes each, with the exposed other locked onto their prey. Their tails were humongous, almost giving the illusion that their bodies extended into fish tails.
They were dressed in extremely tight, black latex that covered only small parts of their torso. Most of the actual “clothing” were semi-transparent frills of black cloth that decorated their outfits. Backless, sleeveless, legless, midriff exposed, their outfits looked more suitable for a risqué party than a casual beach venture.
Despite being nearly identical, they had key differences to tell them apart. The one on the right had pink highlights in her mane. It freely flowed in the air, frillier and spikier than the other’s. The one on the left had light-red highlights in her mane. Her mane was held back in a long pony-tail, neatly kept.
The tentacle claw dropped the ball, which the mare with red highlights caught with her hoof.
“Who are you two?” Twilight asked, extremely cautious of the two.
“I’m Libidine.” The mare with pink highlights said.
“I’m Ira.” The mare with red highlights said. “And we are looking to make a bet with you.”
“Oh no, I’m not falling for that.” Twilight replied.
“Fall for what?” Pinkie asked.
“They’re up to some fishy stuff, I can sense.” Twilight said.
“Hm, how can you tell?” Ira asked.
“Because your sirens.” Twilight answered.
Ira and Libidine gasped. They moved their hooves around and behind their necks, parting their manes away and revealing the gills on their neck. The two started to smug, like they were excited to be caught.”
“The purple one’s clearly had experience with our type.” Libidine told Ira.
“Perhaps, but she’s only half-right.” Ira replied.
“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.
“We’re half-demons and half-sirens, owning the best of both worlds.” Libidine told Twilight and Pinkie.
“We’re pulchrum equum daemonium: The Demons of Pulchra, for your primitive ease.” Ira explained.
“Primitive?” Pinkie exclaimed.
“If you can’t tell by our burning presence, we’re basically demigods amongst you mortals.” Ira said.
“Don’t you have a bunch of other demigods in an echo chamber you can be with?” Twilight asked.
“Oooh! She’s feisty! I like her.” Libidine told Ira.
“Hmph. Not even half of an hour on this beach, and rage is being thrown at us.” Ira said.
“I told you: You bring out the fury in ponies.” Libidine replied.
“Regardless, we simply want to strike a bet with you mares.” Ira told Twilight and Pinkie.
“…” Twilight stayed quiet and listened. She was interested.
“We will face off against you and your pink friend in a game of volleyball. If we win, you must forfeit your souls to us.” Ira explained.
“What?! That’s ridiculous.” Twilight replied.
“I told you they wouldn’t be interested without some persuasion.” Libidine told Ira.
“Exactly, which is why I grabbed some leverage on the way,” Ira replied.
Ira then levitated Spike’s body in front Twilight and Pinkie. His eyes were pure white, empty. His soul had been plucked from his body.
“What did you do to Spike?!” Twilight exclaimed, enraged.
“I pulled his soul from his body and added it to my collection.” Ira plainly explained.
“Give it back, or I’ll-”
“You’ll what, alicorn? Beat me up? If you do that, Spike dies.” Ira replied. “The only way you’re getting him back is to play against us and win.”
“What do you need these souls for?” Pinkie asked.
“We don’t need them for anything. We collect them because it’s fun.” Libidine told Pinkie.
“Then why don’t you take my soul on the spot as well?” Twilight asked.
“Don’t give them ideas.” Pinkie whispered.
“It’s more rewarding when we earn them. Especially what we do to them after we beat them. It makes me restless just thinking about it,” Libidine naughtily cooed.
“So? Do we have a deal?” Ira asked, extending a hoof.
“…Wait.” Twilight said. “First, we need some rules.”
“Rules?! Rules are Ira’s thing!” Libidine worriedly exclaimed.
“Doesn’t matter. Let her talk.” Ira replied, her forehead scrunching in mild frustration.
“Rule #1: No magic.” Twilight declared.
“Rule #2: No flying.” Ira counter-declared.
“Rule #3: No underground or underwater shenanigans like that tentacle-claw.”
“Rule #4: No assists beyond the court.”
“First to fifteen points win.”
“All other rules of common beach volleyball remain in action.”
“Is that it?” Twilight asked.
“Depends, are you ready to submit your soul?” Ira asked.
“I am!”
Twilight slapped her hoof against Ira’s, accepting the deal and ready to play.
“It’s on!” Ira and Twilight roared.
A red aura surrounded the four mares. Twilight’s, Ira’s, and Libidine’s horns and wings turned to wireframe and sublimated into invisible dust. The aura faded away, leaving the four ponies without any wings or conduits of magic.
“What did you do?!” Twilight gasped.
“The deal was set. No magic. No flying. Now, let’s get to the court.” Ira said.
Twilight and Ira galloped towards the volleyball area and evened out the sand on their sides. Pinkie and Libidine watched as the two worked.
“So how are you and Ira related?” Pinkie asked.
Libidine, struggling with the exact wording, answered, “We’re… sisters, but we’re also cousins… maybe half and half… I’m not sure. Explaining it isn’t really safe-for-work, if you know what I mean. Just refer to us as sisters.”
“Let’s get going!” Twilight and Ira yelled out to their partners.
Pinkie and Libidine joined their partners and the game began.
“It’s ponies versus sirens… Let’s win this.” Twilight told Pinkie.
Twilight served the ball over to the sirens. Ira caught the ball and passed it to Libidine. Libidine attacked, spiking the ball over to the corner. Pinkie dove in and saved the ball. Twilight set up the ball while Pinkie got up. Pinkie then attacked. Libidine caught the ball and passed to Ira.
This back and forth between the four continued until the ponies surprised them. As Pinkie spiked the ball, Ira jumped up to block the shot. When the ball bounced off of Ira’s hooves, Twilight jumped in and finished the attack. The ball smashed into the sand right behind Ira. The ponies won a point.
“This is actually pretty much!” Pinkie cheered.
“Don’t get too comfy with Spike’s soul, we’re getting it back.” Twilight taunted the sirens.
“Don’t get cocky! We’re just warming up!” Ira warned them.
“That’s it, just vent. I love it when you get angry.” Libidine told her sister.
“How about we show these suckers our true potential?” Ira asked Libidine.
“Yes, we should. We’ve teased them enough.” Libidine replied.
“Here it comes!” Ira roared.
Ira served the ball to Twilight and Pinkie. Pinkie set up and Twilight jumped to spike. She looked over to the sirens and where they were.
They’re just standing there…Twilight told herself. What are they doing?
Twilight spiked the ball right in front of the net, far away from the sirens. However, Ira suddenly bolted forward and saved it. She didn’t even need to dive. Ira just bolted forward at an almost invisible speed. Libidine then set up the ball and Ira attacked. The ball rocketed at the ponies at blitzing speed, too fast for them to catch it. The ball drilled into the center of their field, burying itself in the sand.
As Pinkie went over to dig out the ball, Twilight went to the net and give the sirens a piece of her mind.
“Oh, I’m sorry, you seemed stunned.” Ira smugly taunted Twilight.
“What was that?! You’re cheating!” Twilight yelled at the sirens.
“Cheat?” Libidine teasingly asked.
“We didn’t cheat.” Ira replied. “Don’t you know anything about demons? While your friend’s strength is good and yours is… passable, it’s nothing compared to a demon’s.”
“And that’s not even mentioning our hoof speed.” Libidine chimed in.
“You might as well forfeit and save yourself the humiliation.” Ira told Twilight.
“Or not!” Libidine exclaimed. “I have a thing for that…”
Ira rolled her eyes from her sister’s comment.
“Pinkie, huddle up.” Twilight said.
She and Pinkie pressed together at the far end of their field and talked.
“I don’t think beating them will be easy.” Twilight told Pinkie.
“But will it be fun?” Pinkie asked.
“I’m not sure ‘fun’ is our objective.” Twilight told her.
“Come on. As long as we keep a positive attitude and work together, we’re sure to win.”
“You’re right, Pinkie. By the next five games, we’ll be crushing them!” Twilight declared.
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
“Six to one!” Libidine declared.
“I can see why you’re into humiliation. It’s so rewarding.” Ira said.
“…We’re boned.” Twilight groaned.
“Next ball!” Pinkie roared, ready to play.