Chapter 1: The Morning Star and The Pink Demon
The last thing Lucifer remembered, after beating that stupid human to a pulp and getting back to his fight was Michael plunging a sword into his heart. By all accounts, he should be dead and incapable of remembering anything. Death spared no one, not even an angel. Death had been his slave for millions of years, after all. He knew everything there was to know about Death.
Right now, all the fallen angel knew was that he had a pounding headache. Something that angels didn't get. What had Michael done to him? No, not Michael. His brother had definitely shoved a sword straight into his heart. So why could he still think? Lucifer forced his eyes open and almost instantly shut them. A brilliant gold light was hovering above him. God? Could it really be Father after all these years?
The Prince of Darkness risked opening an eye again, and sighed. Just the sun. Except REALLY bright. Much brighter than anything he'd seen on Earth. He sighed and closed his eyes again, thinking. Michael couldn't have done whatever this was.
Lucifer was almost as powerful, and he certainly couldn't...er...teleport people to other planets, or whatever this was. No, this could only be the work of Father. Why would Father take an interest in His son after all these years? Was it because of those monkeys? The Winchester brothers and their defiance? Humanity?
Lucifer couldn't hold back the moan of pain that escaped his should-be-dead lips. Or rather...did he even have lips? With a bit of trepidation, the fallen angel opened his eyes again and turned away from the too-bright sun, finally taking in his surroundings. Grass, lush, green, springtime grass. Trees in full bloom. Birds chirping an irritatingly heavenly-sounding song. At least his body was still intact. Or rather, the body he'd been possessing...right?
With a sigh, Lucifer risked looking down. If he'd been a lesser sort of being, he would have screamed. Instead of the body of one of those talking monkeys, he was in the body of...a small horse. Even worse, a small horse with red fur and...oh, dear Father, no...a bright PINK mane and tail. It was CURLY, too! Lucifer then lost all of his dignity and let out an ear-piercing scream. This was The. Worst. Possible. THING!
“Oooh! Hey, mister, are you okay? I haven't seen you in Ponyville before. You're new. I know everyone in Ponyville. Ooohh! I know! You're from Cloudsdale! Do you know Rainbow Dash? She's a pegasus, too!” A grating, obnoxious female voice interrupted his self-pitying thoughts.
With even more rising horror, he noticed that the horse-thing talking to him was even more pink than his new body. Her fur, mane, and tail were all a bright pink. This had to be his own personal Hell. One of the brothers had to have done this. Not even his Father would have tortured him this much.
The talking horse didn't bother him so much, after all, he was an angel and could speak to animals. It was her...pinkness. Pink was the most evil color in the universe, and he was Satan, so he knew evil! What sort of super-demon was this pink equine? A new creation of Father's, sent by those Winchester monkeys to torment him?
The pink super-demon was still staring at him expectantly, an impossibly huge smile on her...what? Lips? Muzzle? No, he decided, face was probably the best word to use. Lucifer stood, which wasn't difficult.
When you'd been in the body of literally everything ever, including a T-rex, a horse body was quite easy to stand in. With relief, he noticed his wings were still intact. He spread the large, feathery red wings, giving them a few test flaps. He rose off the ground a few feet. He sighed in contentment. Even a small amount of flying...rather, hovering, made one feel...free. At least his precious wings were in working order.
Lucifer coughed a few times, slowly figuring out how to speak in this equine form, “What is this? Where am I? Did the Winchesters put you up to this?”
He glared at the pink thing, trying to use his powers to force her to tell the truth. That was when he realized he had no magic. The Prince of Darkness screamed again.
“Awww! Don't be scared, cutie. No one put me up to this. My Pinkie Sense told me there was a new pony just right near the Everfree Forest, and I just had to come get you. I know, we'll have a welcome to Ponyville party! Oh, right, you asked where you are. You're in Ponyville, a town in Equestria. The bestest, most amazingest, super partyingest town ever! Ponyville is the center of harmony and friendship!”
The pink demon lunged for Lucifer and pulled into a rib-breaking hug.
“C-can't...breathe...” Lucifer coughed, gagged. The pink pony released him, still smiling that ridiculous smile. Her huge eyes widened, if that were possible. She gasped and pointed a hoof at his own.
“What are those, mister? Are you a criminal? Did you escape from the Royal jail? Or maybe you're an evil monster from Tartarus!”
The pink one screamed, but ended up falling on her butt, giggling. “Oooh, I know. You just like wearing shiny bracelets.”
Lucifer glanced down. Damn it! Maybe this was why he couldn't use magic here. Though there was no chain binding his legs (both pairs) together, there were silver shackles clenched tightly above his hooves. He tried pulling them off, gritting his teeth in irritation. The pegasus-angel brought one shackle up to his teeth. Horses had strong teeth. Maybe he could bite the irritating cuffs off. Lucifer bit down and screamed. He spat a bloody tooth into the grass.
“Awww! It's okay. I've lost teeth! It only hurts for a little bit! Don't worry. I have some potion that will numb that right up. Come to Sugarcube Corner with me, and-” The pink thing babbled.
“SHUT. UP!” Lucifer snarled, blood from the tooth spilling down his muzzle, “Who are you? WHAT are you?”
The pink thing blinked a few times, that creepy, creepy smile never leaving her face. She tilted her head, which made her look even more creepy. No one should ever be able to out-creep Satan, but she was doing it!
“I'm a Pinkie Pie! My name's Earth Pony!” She shouted, bouncing around him, grinning.
Lucifer smacked his face with a hoof. “I'm pretty sure you have that backwards. Don't you mean your name is Pinkie Pie? And what's an Earth Pony?”
The pink demon, Pinkie Pie (what a creative name), looked at him as if he were stupid.
“You don't know what an Earth Pony is? Wow, you've spent way too much time in Cloudsdale! I knew some pegasises were arrogant, but claiming not to know what an Earth Pony is? That's weird! Oh, and an Earth Pony is a pony....of the earth!” Pinkie Pie explained...not really explaining anything.
Lucifer blinked. “Right. Okay. At least we're still on Earth...right?”
The pegasus-angel looked around. Everything at least looked Earth-like, just...brighter. More vibrant. It looked, to be honest, like the Garden did before he had corrupted Eve into eating the Fruit of Knowledge, leading to their expulsion and...Lucifer shook his head, sighing. Remembering what had once been wouldn't change things. Maybe this was an alternate Earth. One where ponies were the dominant species.
One where they weren't tempted, where the alternate Lucifer didn't tempt them into eating the Fruit. Perhaps...this was a world where Eden was still intact. The fallen angel felt a wave of peace. Eden. Even as a pony-creature, it could still be paradise. He could stay here. He could enjoy himself here. No one would ever know what he once was. He was a pony, now. He was in Eden. He would enjoy it...there would be no temptation. Just...whatever this was.
No, what a ridiculously sentimental thought! He had to get back to his world. He had to finish what he started. His goody-goody brother couldn't be allowed to win! No, Lucifer would find a way home, and he would win! He would-
“Earth? No, this place is called Equus! The capitol is Canterlot, the Crystal Empire is reeaaallly close to being a second capitol, especially since it now has it's own family dynasty! At least, it will when the Princess gives birth! So exciting, I can't WAIT! Sweet Celestia, it's going to be SUPER PARTY-RIFFIC!” The pink thing squealed, interrupting his thoughts.
“Oooooh! I don't know your name yet! What is it? Huh? Huh? Ohhh, I bet I know. It's like your cutie mark. Rising Dawn? Dawn Star? Oooh, I can get it!” The Pinkie Pie (he still wasn't sure if that was her name or species) asked, pointing at his...what, flank?
Lucifer turned, blinked. There was a weird mark on his flank. A ruby-gold half-sun slowly rising above a gold landscape. He almost laughed. The pink thing was sort of right. Dawn Star. Morning Star. Of course. Lucifer Morningstar. It made total sense. He glanced back at the pink pony, who was so perilously close to touching his flank with her nose. He kicked a hoof backwards, hitting the pink pony's own butt mark or whatever they were called and sending her head over hooves into the grass.
The stupid thing giggled! He wrinkled his nose in disgust. This place was even worse than the Cage! Worse than Hell! It was...super Hell or something!
“Soooo? What's your name?” Pinkie Pie stood up, bounced around a few times, shot into the air like a weird cannon ball and landed in front of him, a huge smile on her face. Apparently, getting kicked did nothing.
Lucifer's lips twitched. He almost told her to eff off, but something else told him she wouldn't listen and would just keep following him.
“Morning Star. My name is Morning Star. Some peop-er, ponies, back home called me Light-Bringer, but I prefer Morning Star. That's the name my Father gave me, and that's the name I'll always keep.”
He fluttered his wings in slight annoyance. This thing probably wouldn't get it no matter what. For that matter, why was his name so important to him? His Father, the one who made him like he was, gave it to him. He should have changed it, but the thought had never occurred to him.
Why was it now? In fact, why were ANY good thoughts occurring to him? Such as staying in this Eden-like place, in peace, living with these pony creatures as one of them without his dark past hanging over him.
Perhaps...Castiel, the other fallen angel, the one who had fallen for a different reason than him, for the love of a human, had it right. Angels needed to think. Angels could have free will just like humans. They just had to be shown the way.
Lucifer had never really had free will, not really. He had so loved his Father, so badly that he refused to bow to humans, but...had Father been RIGHT all along? Were they better? Was free will better?
He lay down on the soft green grass and closed his eyes, sucking in a breath of air. Apples. He almost laughed. Eden. It was truly another Eden. Even the air was heavy with the scent of fruit, particularly apples, just like Eden. The Morningstar smiled and spread his wings, stretching them into the air, feeling the warm currents rush through the red feathers. A soft sigh escaped him. A sigh of happiness, contentment.
Something he hadn't truly felt since...since Heaven. Since sitting beside his Father, his precious brothers, his family. Not even being united with his human vessel, that Winchester, had led to contentment. Just a feeling of victory, of triumph over his brother.
Michael's vessel hadn't agreed, so he had to unite with the third brother. The weaker one. Lucifer may have won, then. If he had been prepared for Michael's attack. If that Dean person hadn't shown up and distracted him. He'd seen many futures. One where he lost, where Sam took control of the body from him, jumped back in his Cage, with his brother. One where he won, killed them all, took over the Earth. That was as far as that future went.
He wondered if that meant he truly lost in the end. If the Second Coming happened, and Father won. If that future was truly the promised paradise. Or if it were just zombie city, like Dean had been talking about. What did it truly matter? This was the future now. No, this was the present. He was in a land of talking ponies. A Garden of Eden filled with them. Peace. Harmony. Could it last? Could a creature such as Lucifer Morningstar, Satan, evil incarnate, really have peace?
Or was he truly evil? He remembered Her. The real evil. The Darkness. His Aunt. Could Her cloud of Darkness be descending upon the world he left, even now? He needed to at least find a way to look into Earth. His Aunt or not, She was still Father's enemy, and he still loved Father. But...She was also Father’s beloved sister. So She messed up and tried to bring about eternal Darkness. Well, it did make sense. She WAS Darkness. Father had loved Her, even as He sealed Her away. Lucifer remembered his Father crying for YEARS after sealing away His beloved sister. To Him, losing Her was losing everything. She was the only one who had ever truly been His equal, at least that was what He had told Lucifer and his brothers.
Light and Dark were supposed to reign over the universe together. In harmony and peace, not fight one another until one was forced to seal the other away. Lucifer would have bet his hind legs that one of those Team Free Will kids would find a way to break Her seal. Of course, Lucifer knew his Father. Father would forgive Her. It was what He did, after all. Too bad Satan wouldn’t be there to finally get to know the Aunt he should have had. The kind, loving Woman of darkness and starlight, meant to guide the universe alongside Father.
Morning Star (that was the name he was going to use in this world) sighed. Enough thinking about things he no longer had any influence over. Father and the Darkness were not here. He was most concerned about the fact that he couldn't use magic. Probably due to the shackles on his legs. He would have to find someone who could to remove them. To do that, he would have to continue talking to...the Pink Thing.
The Pink Thing was still bouncing in place, apparently his thoughts hadn't taken up much time. She grinned at him.
“MORNING STAR! That's such a GREAT name! It's like...Twilight Sparkle! Er...or Sunset Shimmer...or Starlight Glimmer! Wait, what?” Pinkie Pie looked confused, for good reason. It seemed even she had no idea what she was talking about. “Welllll, whatever! It sounds like if you were a unicorn, you totallyyyy would have been one of Celestia's pupils!”
“Unicorn?” Morning Star blinked, then memories he didn't know he had came to him. Of course. A race of MAGIC users. Just what he needed. “Oh, yes. Of course. Do you...know any powerful unicorns? They might be able to help get these, er, fancy bracelets, off. I sort of put them on and can't get them off now.” He lied.
Pinkie Pie gasped, “Of course I know powerful unicorns! The absolutely most power-riffic unicorn ever! Well, she's actually an alicorn now, but she was a powerful unicorn and her magic is super duper amazing. She’s the Twilight Sparkle I mentioned. Oh, and she's a pretty mare, maybe you'll like her!”
The pink-hued pony started bouncing away, down a gravel road toward what looked like a garishly painted pastel town. Morning Star wrinkled his lips, muzzle, whatever. Disgusting! Still...he needed his power back. He grudgingly followed Pinkie, glaring at her flank, which was decorated with a triple balloon butt mark. Cutie Mark, his mind corrected him. That's what they're called.
This place was literally The. Worst. Possible. PLACE!