Dog felt life begin to slowly return to her. The moment the majority of her senses came back, they warned her of the fact that she was being held upside down by a foreleg, dangling several feet above the ground. Remembering her training, the filly remained silent and unmoving, pretending to be unconscious as she looked around as best she could.
The ground below her appeared to be little more than broken rock and dirt that made up a primitive trail. The creature holding her leg seemed to be the pain demon from before, as she felt the distinct feeling of his skeletal hand around her limb. The room itself was filled with a quiet bubbling and was strangely hot. The filly couldn't tell where the gurgling noise and heat were coming from until her head passed mere feet over an open flow of molten stone.
The filly clamped her eyes shut, suddenly very thankful her hide had started to come in, or else she would have been roasted from the heat alone. Feeling the heat pass over her, the filly opened her eyes and tried to stealthily look around without bending her neck. Something gray passed close by, drawing the filly’s attention up to the distinct appearance of many bars in a row. This meant cages and capture, and not a swift death.
Good, she thought to herself, this means I’ll have time to figure a way out of here. She had already deduced that there was likely no way she was going to beat a fully grown demon in a fight, so for now she merely waited and watched as best she could
She could only catch the odd glimpse of the cages’ occupants, and judging from how quiet it was, either those occupants were scared shitless, or dead. Either way, it would make the eventual prison break both easier or harder, depending on how she looked at it. Less variables, but also fewer potential allies, which was fine by her, as she only really knew one contract and she doubted any demon would agree to be her familiar. Plus it wasn't likely a demon was going to help her without a contract. Her studies had just begun, which meant she hadn't gotten past the part where Tirek told her all the ways a contract could screw her over.
Still, it was nice to know that she had at least one contract in her back pocket, and if she did manage to find a demon desperate enough to be her familiar, it would be quite the boon once she got out of here. Her train of thought was interrupted by the hand around her leg shifting slightly.
“Here we are, new meat. Get nice and cozy ‘cause you are going to be here for a while," her captor remarked cruelly.
Dog smirked. Not likely.
Her little bit of arrogance was knocked aside when she was roughly tossed through the air, her entire world spinning end over end until she slammed into the other side of the cage with a clang. She had somehow managed to flip upside down and slid down the bars before crumpling into a heap with a pained moan.
The pain demon laughed its cruel harsh laugh and slammed the cage door shut, locking it firmly.
“Oh, I can't wait to see what the boss does to you,” he remarked before turning and walking away, laughing the entire time.
Dog stuck her tongue out at the retreating demon, before scampering back up and surveying her surroundings.
Sure enough, her earlier assessment had been correct. She was in a massive underground room filled with numerous cages, lava flows, and a path that ran straight down the middle. Though the cages were enormous, they were also relatively close together, allowing her to survey the entire room, and noting that behind her cage was an enormous pool of lava that bubbled and hissed. She scrambled forward, standing in the center of the cage and carefully eying the lava for signs of movement. When the molten stone didn't reach out and bite her, the filly breathed a sigh of relief and once more scanned the room, this time focusing on the cage occupants.
Further down the line, she noted several imps, a large badly beaten greed demon, and a severely mutilated succubus that lay in the center of her cage, breathing slowly and staring at the ceiling. Dog winced at the sight before turning back to her own cage, only to notice a small blue shape in the cage next to her. The filly’s eyes went wide and she scampered up to the edge of the cage, hopping onto her hind legs and peering intently into the cage beyond.
The other imp was small, smaller than even Dog and it had a patchy rainbow mane, two short horns on either side of its head, and a pair of leathery wings on its back. Its dark blue hide was pockmarked with blemishes that gave the distinct impression that it had been tortured, making Dog wince in sympathy. Its entire form was curled into a tight ball, a hooved limb occasionally scratching at the patchy mane, prompting another few hairs to fall out.
“Hey!” Dog called. “Do you know where we are?”
The other imp suddenly went stiff before curling in tighter, clamping its wings firmly against its back. Dog frowned, confused by the odd reaction, and wondering what she had done to prompt such a response. Dog frowned when she realized it must still be terrified by the suffering brought upon it by these jerks her father disliked so much.
“Do you know what part of the castle we are in? Or even a direction like north or south?” Dog asked, pleadingly.
The imp growled and scooted even further away from Dog, curling tighter.
Dog sighed.
“Come on, give me something. I’m trying to figure out a plan here," Dog remarked.
The imp growled a low threatening growl but refused to turn around.
With one final sigh, the filly sprawled out in defeat.
“The one other imp I meet and it doesn't know how to talk. Just my luck,” Dog remarked glumly.
The blue imp went rigid again before peeking out from behind a wing, gasping as it finally looked upon the prison’s newest arrival.
The gasp brought Dog’s attention back up to the strange imp, her own eyes going wide as they met.
“Whoa!” They both exclaimed.
The blue imp scrambled to her hooves and sprinted over to the bars.
“Who are you?” she asked, her voice trembling as she dared to hope that this was not another trick.
“I’m Dog, who are you?” Dog replied.
The other imp cocked its head.
“That's a weird name. I’m Rainbow Dash,” The blue imp winced suddenly, scratching a particularly nasty bruise on her face. “I mean Reek.”
Dog lifted an eyebrow and scanned the room once more, noticing there were no goons around.
“You don't have to use the name that jerk gave you,” Dog offered, extending her hoof to the other imp. “It's nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash.”
The blue imp looked over her shoulder, before extending a shaky hoof towards the other imp’s, clopping them together.
“It's nice to meet you too, Dog," Rainbow Dash offered.
Flashing her new friend a wide smile, Dog pointed to the other filly’s horns.
“How did you get those?” Dog inquired.
Rainbow Dash brushed a hoof over one of them, wincing as she did.
“I don't know, they just kinda grew," Rainbow Dash muttered.
“That's so cool,” Dog exclaimed.
“C-cool?” Rainbow Dash asked hesitantly, pulling down the hoof she had been using to try and hide her horns.
“Yeah!” Dog yelled back. “Father says he doesn't know what kind of demon I am, but horns mean you already know!”
The other imp gulped.
“W-what kind of demon am I?”
Something about the way she asked made Dog raise an eyebrow.
“Why are you sad? I wish I knew what kind of demon I am gonna be,” Dog declared.
“I’m not supposed to be a demon, I am a pony!” Rainbow Dash proclaimed with a frown.
The filly winced, touching the horn growing out of the right side of her head.
“Or I was anyway..." Rainbow Dash muttered.
“Weird.” Dog shrugged.
“I don't know what kind of demon you are, but please don't be sad, I’m sure my father knows what kind you are!” Dog exclaimed. “I wonder if you are going to be a vengant.”
Dog tapped her chin thoughtfully.
“That would explain the odd horns," Dog concluded.
“I guess that's kind of cool…” Rainbow Dash muttered to herself.
A faint smile crossed Rainbow Dash’s face and Dog could faintly hear the other imp whispering “Rainbow Dash, the vengant” under her breath, as if testing what the words felt like upon her lips.
Dog smirked, leaning against the bars of her cage.
“You know, apparently they are super tough and go super duper fast,” Dog explained, pointing to Rainbow Dash’s wings. “Bat wings make it super easy to turn and stuff, making vengants really hard to escape.”
Rainbow Dash opened one wing hesitantly, grimacing only slightly as she looked at the leathery appendage.
“Really?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Uh-huh,” Dog replied, nodding along. “My father says they are the best bounty hunters in Tartarus.”
At the mention of Tartarus the other filly winced, but her curiosity was piqued.
“Why do you keep saying father?” Rainbow Dash inquired.
“Why not?” Dog asked incredulously. “That is what my father said.”
“How did you and your dad end up down here and where's your mom?” the blue imp asked incredulously.
Dog scratched her head.
“I’m not sure what you mean. I was born here, and dad...” Dog muttered, pausing to grimace. “He was put down here by some mean lady.”
The imp quickly bounced back though, grinning widely.
“But Pear Butter is kind of like my mom and she works for my father," Dog offered.
Rainbow Dash blinked.
“Huh," muttered the blue imp.
Unperturbed, Dog jumped back up.
“Where are your parents? Oh, are they in one of these cells too?” Dog asked.
The blue imp winced.
“No. They are back in Equestria. They abandoned me, just like everypony else, just like Fluttershy…” Rainbow Dash murmured.
“What happened?” Dog asked.
Rainbow Dash tried to speak, but couldn't seem to find the words, blood-red tears beginning to stream down her face. The filly crumpled inwards, curling into a ball, and weeping openly.
Dog hopped down, frowning at the sight of the clearly distressed imp, she had to do something. What could she possibly do to earn the imp’s help and prove she wasn't going to abandon her like the others apparently had? The filly’s eyes went wide and she clopped her hooves together, an idea forming in her mind.
Conjuring up her innate magic, she forced a thin scroll into being before placing it against the ground. Noticing there wasn't anything to write with, Twilight winced and used her sharp hooves to scratch herself, drawing a slight trickle of blood. With some replacement ink now on hoof, she began to hastily scrawl down the contract as best as she remembered it, and in no time at all, she backed up, a wide smile on her face.
“Hey!” she called, waving the newly forged contract. “Rainbow Dash.”
The imp sniffled, peeking out from behind a limb.
“W-what?” she whimpered.
“I am going to break out of here, but I need your help,” Dog continued.
The other imp winced, making Dog wave the contract.
“I know you don't trust me but don't worry, I wrote a contract!” Dog proclaimed.
“A contract?” the blue imp asked incredulously. “What's that for?”
“It means if you sign it, I won't abandon you if you help me.” Dog declared with a grin. “It's a familiar contract that means we enter into an agreement where you help me out and in return, I give you something you want.”
“Something I want?” Rainbow Dash asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Uh huh, anything.” Dog frowned. “Well, within reason anyway.”
The blue imp seemed to really think about it, her first reaction being a friend, but that seemed like a lame thing to ask for. A best friend though…
“I made up my mind," Rainbow Dash declared.
“Oh good, because my blood is starting to dry.” Dog dipped her hoof into the slowly healing cut and positioned her hoof over the line, ready to write. “And what do you want?”
Rainbow Dash seemed to hesitate, but she shook her head as confidence filled her. She wanted a best friend, one that would never give up on her, and never leave her, unlike her.
“I want you to be my best friend, forever! No matter what!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
Dog looked up at the other filly’s intense look and nodded, a smile slowly crossing her face.
“I always wanted a B.F.F! This is going to be great!" Dog proclaimed.
The filly squealed happily, quickly adding a few lines to the contract.
Turning it over, Dog hoofed it to Rainbow Dash.
“Just sign at the bottom. Oh, but you gotta use blood though, it's the only way the magic works," Dog explained.
Rainbow Dash glanced down at the surprisingly long sheet of paper and attempted to read all the rather complicated-looking words written in blood. She tried not to think about it, but between the rather unpleasant writing material and the hard-to-understand hoof-writing, she couldn't make heads or tails of the strange contract.
Dog watched as the other filly turned it to the side before flipping it around, then finally turning it back straight.
“There isn't a problem, is there?” Dog asked nervously, suddenly doubting her hoofwriting.
“Uh no. Just give me a second,” Rainbow Dash replied awkwardly.
The blue imp wasn't so sure she wanted to do this anymore, the entire situation seeming a little too good to be true. The other filly seemed young but had a calm air about her as if the lava pools and getting locked in a cage were just another day for her. Rainbow Dash wondered if this was another test, what if this strange purple imp was put here just to give that jerk's face another reason to torture her?
Rainbow Dash glanced up at the smiling face of the other imp, her gaze lingering over her incredibly sharp teeth, strange eyes, and purple hide. On one hoof she did remind her of a pony, as she hadn't seen many demons with as bright of skin. On the other hoof, it seemed unlikely that another filly just happened to pop up here right when the beatings usually began.
“Why are you here?” Rainbow Dash asked pointedly.
Dog blinked.
“My father tasked me with bringing down the shield that guards this place, but I failed…” Dog muttered.
Her forlorn expression vanished after she gave her head a firm shake.
“But I can't give up yet, father always has a backup plan," Dog declared.
Rainbow Dash nodded slowly, figuring that the bright red thing she had seen while outside was this shield the other filly spoke of.
“So what happens if I sign this thing? What does a familiar mean?” Rainbow Dash inquired.
“It's kind of like a best friend, we stick together and hang out and stuff. We also share power in a way, oh and if you sign it, we could also talk to each other at any time!” Dog exclaimed, grinning at the other filly.
Rainbow Dash admitted that did sound good, but this being a familiar thing still sounded kind of fishy, and it did involve demon magic… She pursed her lips and stared down at the sheet of paper, muddling it over.
“Well, while you think about it, I’ll try and get us out of here,” the filly announced before hopping over to the cage door and beginning to fumble with the lock.
The other imp watched closely as the purple filly wiggled the tip of her cloven hoof into the keyhole, trying to pick the lock as best as she could with nothing more than a hoof. Dog approached this seemingly impossible task with such confidence that Rainbow Dash felt a small spark of hope well inside her. If helping this filly by signing a contract got her out of here, well… being a familiar didn't sound that bad, and it did mean they were friends forever.
The thought nearly brought a tear to her eye and she felt her breath hitch in her throat as she thought about it. Sure, her best friend would be a demon, but wasn't that what she was now? Would that really be that bad to be a demon’s friend forever?
Her train of thought was interrupted by a sudden rumble that shook the entire cavern, causing loose rocks to fall from the roof, and the molten stone to bubble violently. The purple filly stopped, straining her ears as if she were listening for a voice just outside the room.
Rainbow Dash perked up, forgetting about the contract for a moment.
“What was that?” she asked nervously, glancing up at the ceiling and listening as tiny rocks bounced off the top of her makeshift cell.
“I don't know, but it kinda sounded like Pear Butter…” Dog remarked.
“That's your stepmom, right?” Rainbow Dash inquired.
Dog nodded slowly.
“But she sounded weird, and really, really angry," Dog murmured absently.
Rainbow Dash gulped, glancing around as a second rumble shook the room.
Their collective gaze was drawn across the isle where an enormous stone had come loose and crushed an empty cage in a single earth-shattering clang. Their eyes went wide, and the fillies exchanged a brief panicked look, with Dog turning and frantically working at the cage door, her hoof jammed into the lock. Rainbow Dash considered doing the same but she didn't know a single thing about picking locks, or even locks in general for that matter.
Clutching the contract tightly to her chest, Rainbow Dash watched as Dog worked faster and faster, her gaze drawn up to the roof every few seconds.
Another rumble shook the room, this one more intense than either that had come before, causing the magma to bubble and pop, splattering over the back of Rainbow Dash’s cage. A second later a harsh grinding sound echoed from above them and an enormous boulder fell on the corner of Dog’s cage, crumpling the side without destroying it utterly.
Seeing her chance to escape the purple imp slipped through the bent bars and ran up to Rainbow Dash’s cage, her hoof jamming itself into the lock.
“Don't worry, Rainbow Dash, I won't leave you behind!” Dog declared.
The blue imp whimpered, glancing to the back of her cage that was now covered in angry red magma. The heat was intense but somehow it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be and the filly scooched further up the cage, watching Dog work. The longer she watched, the more Rainbow Dash’s heart fell. The other filly clearly wasn't sure what she was doing, and her increasingly desperate expression made panic surge in Rainbow Dash’s chest.
What if she just leaves me here? Rainbow Dash’s eyes went wide and she glanced down the center aisle, noticing other chunks of the roof coming loose and crashing down around them. She could just leave right now. She looked down at the contract, realization dawning on her. Best friends don't leave each other behind.
She brought her hoof up to her horn and poked it through her leathery skin, causing a thin trickle of blood to run down the limb. Using her other hoof, she applied some blood and started signing her name, only for another thunderous boom to knock the sheet from her hooves.
The cage lurched suddenly, the ground welling up at the forefront of the cage, causing the entire thing to tip back and begin to slide toward the bubbling magma. The blue filly only barely managed to scramble forward and grip the front bars, desperately trying not to fall into the bubbling magma. In her other hoof was the half-signed contract she had managed to save.
“Sign the contract! I might be able to get you out if you do!” Dog yelled, pointing to the scroll.
Rainbow Dash, who was now nearly completely vertical, tried to hold on but found she couldn't do so while also signing the contract. She glanced at the batlike wings on her back before sighing and unfolding them, giving the leathery wings a test flap before letting go of the cage. The strange wings were different from her feathered ones and she nearly tumbled into the magma before getting the hang of it and managing to hover in place.
“Alright! You can do it, Rainbow Dash!” Dog cheered.
Rainbow Dash grinned despite the molten stone slowly creeping further up her cage. She used one hoof to hold the contract against what used to be the floor of her cage while the other hastily scrawled her name. Just as she was nearly finished another thunderous boom filled the room, shaking everything and causing the cage to sink faster.
With panic flashing in her heart the blue imp scratched the last few letters of her name.
“There!” she yelled, holding up the contract.
Just as Dog’s hoof touched the contract, the ends of the paper began to burn with a strange black flame that slowly consumed it.
“It worked, just hold on, Rainbow Dash!” Dog cried, banging her hooves against the lock with all the force she could muster. “Once the magic is complete, I can get you out of there, I think.”
Rainbow Dash glanced over her shoulder where the magma was now mere feet away.
“You think?” she yelled back.
“I haven't gotten that far in my studies okay?” Dog retorted.
Dog bit her lip and watched as the last of the contract finally disintegrated, the ashes of which flowed into both imps’ bodies. As the last bits of ash suffused into the imps, a thin black line suddenly appeared between them, connecting one heart to another. Strange sensations flowed through both imps and for a second Dog wasn't sure it had worked before all of a sudden she heard something.
Please save, please oh please! I swear I’ll do whatever you say, just save me! the voice cried.
Dog looked down, feeling instinctively that the voice was the strange blue imp’s thoughts echoing in her own mind. Dog brushed the thoughts away for now, focusing on the fact that the other filly had mere inches of cage left before she too was swallowed by magma. The last remnants of the filly’s mane were aflame, and Dog knew it was growing unbearably hot for the other imp.
She needed to get her friend out of there, and although she felt like the magic of the contract would help, she didn't know how. Then, a feeling not unlike a tug came from her chest, directly her attention downward. The black line that connected them tugged again and this time the purple imp answered, tugging hard on the strange connection.
Rainbow Dash was suddenly overcome with the strange sensation of weightlessness, coupled with the odd fact that her back legs were no longer scalding hot. Glancing down she noticed they weren't even there anymore, and the rest of her form was quickly following suit, turning into a strange black mist that flowed upwards, towards her new friend. More and more of her form dissolved until all at once the rest of her body evaporated, flowing into Dog’s body.
The strange black mist suffused her form, slipping past her eyes, mouth, ears, and nose. Filling the inside of her body with a strange and utterly alien sensation of fullness. Dog brushed aside the feeling for now, hopping off the cage just as it sunk into the red-hot magma. Sprinting down the aisle and towards the exit, the filly got the distinct feeling that there was a second person watching from behind her eyes, the other filly’s voice echoing in her mind.
What the hay is going on? Am I in your body? What happened? Rainbow Dash yelled inside their head.
I saved your butt, now be quiet before we get us both killed! Dog thought back, shutting down the other imp’s panic.
Sprinting up the stairs, the filly dodged around falling debris, hopping up stairs before exiting into a far more well-reinforced room, one that lacked the distinctly natural look of the last. All around her were various tools of torture, including strange racks, knives, and many other things Dog didn't have the time to look at. She could feel the other imp’s terror, but she could also tell that Rainbow Dash had been here before, meaning the exit was right…
Dog sprinted across the room and threw open a door at the other side, revealing a spiral staircase going up. Leaping upwards, the filly narrowly managed to dodge a piece of falling debris, and she could hear the entire room behind her begin to collapse under the weight of the destruction. Running up the stairs, the pair ignored everything, screams of dying demons, the crackle of flames, and the rumble of something massive above them.
Eventually, they emerged into a large room filled with demons of all shapes and sizes, some grabbed weapons, others cowered in corners, all while larger ones tried to shout orders, none of whom had caught sight of them yet. Not wanting to deal with such an overwhelming force, the merged pair turned and glanced to the right, noticing a low window that had already been shattered.
Coiling their legs under them, they sprinted towards it and leaped into the air only for their surprisingly heavy body to not make the distance and begin to fall. Come on! Dog cried.
I got this, Rainbow Dash replied back.
The smoke billowed out of their back, forming into a pair of wispy black leather wings, which pumped hard, bringing them back on course and allowing them to fly through the window. As they passed through the window, their wings dissipated, leaving Dog to tumble to the ground, rolling over herself before landing with a thump with her face in the dirt.
She shook her head and hopped up to her hooves, glancing around at the ensuing chaos. She wasn't sure if any of the demons had seen her though, which meant she had to move and move quickly, but where?
She looked around, only to stop and stare as her jaw hung open.
In the distance, on the other side of the courtyard was a massive Pear Butter easily standing over the tallest structure in the castle. Enormous bonelike spines lined her back and head, while even more gigantic jets of flames sporadically burst from beneath the few damaged scales that Dog could see. Her eyes crackled with such a rage-filled intensity that Dog flinched at the sight.
The now massive Pear Butter reared back and breathed deeply before slamming into the ground and causing a massive tremor before unleashing a blast of flame that was so focused it looked more like a beam. The flames exploded through the castle grounds, tearing through stone, flesh, and dirt like a hot knife through butter. Chunks of stonework exploded, raining down from the heavens and destroying even more of the castle as numerous demons cried in terror and pain.
That's your mom? Rainbow Dash asked.
Dog nodded dumbly. Kinda.
Awesome! Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
Dog watched as a group of winged demons tried to attack the enormous rage demon, only to be smacked aside with relative ease, splattering them across the ground and other structures.
“Whoa,” Dog muttered to herself.
The sound of boots coming from behind them drew the filly’s attention back down to reality. Instinctively, the filly pressed herself against the building, making her profile as small as possible and hoping the demon didn't notice her.
A second later the pain demon from before sprinted around the corner, an enormous blade in his two dominant hands while the smaller set both wielded daggers. Its eyes were wide and it looked around half in a panic.
“Oh fuck, oh fuck,” it muttered to itself.
Just as he was about to look down at where Dog was hiding, a shape emerged from behind the four-armed demon, shortly before a hand burst from the demon’s armored chest. The pain demon’s weapons clattered to the ground and he turned, finding the grinning form of Sisyphus looking down at him.
“Our deal-” he tried to say.
Sisyphus smirked.
“Has been completed, it said nothing about what happened after,” Sisyphus remarked.
The trickster demon tore his hand back through the pain demon’s body, making it crumple to the ground.
Is he your dad? Rainbow asked.
Dog shook her head. No, my father is way cooler.
Cooler than even him? Whoa. Rainbow Dash thought.
The trickster demon looked down at the imp and smirked.
“Ahh, I see you two are safe and sound, good. I had hoped this fool hadn't bungled the plan too badly," Sisyphus exclaimed.
“What plan? What's going on?” Dog asked nervously, glancing around.
Sisyphus ignored the filly’s question and pulled out a small crystal, which lit up and created a familiar floating head. That's my father! Dog thought, pointing to Tirek’s head which had appeared above the crystal.
You are right, he is way cooler, Rainbow Dash thought back.
The trickster demon bowed slightly.
“I have your daughter and the package," Sisyphus declared.
"Good work, Sisyphus,” Tirek stated, his head swiveled down to Dog, a wide smile crossing his face. “Well done, Dog, your mission is complete, prepare for the jump home.”
“But I didn't shut down the shield. I failed!” the filly cried.
Tirek smirked, tapping his nose.
“I always have a backup plan," Tirek reminded.
Your dad is awesome! Rainbow Dash added.
He sure is, Dog replied.
Sisyphus leaned down, gently scooping the filly up.
“You got heavier, what did you do, eat rocks?" He teased.
“N-no!” Dog stuttered.
The trickster demon snickered.
“Get ready, this isn't the most pleasant way to travel," he warned.
“What do you-”
A sudden flame erupted from the ground beneath them, consuming all three of them in an instant, leaving behind only a small fire that continued to burn for a second longer, before it too vanished.