//------------------------------// // Burning Love // Story: Elements: Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children // by Nightmare_0mega //------------------------------// Bedazzling lights stood proud and decadent, as far as the eye could see, in the flamboyant metropolis of Las Pegasus. It was an invigorating and truly jovial city of Equestria that was famous for being the everlasting party. More than that, the city itself was a double layered extravaganza. The top layer, high above the Applewood Mountains, rested the The Clouds; an extensive theme park-like layer that hosted an abundance of rides and family friendly games, affordable and constant shows and events, and the bulk of hotel accommodations of pure luxury and entertainment. It was definitely a popular vacation spot, especially among thrill seekers. The lower layer, below the shrouding darkness of The Clouds, was the Ground Floor, the extravagant city of constant night-life. This half of the city served four purposes. The first was to act as residential accommodations for the workers and entertainers of Las Pegasus whom kept the party going all city wide on both layers. The second was to act as commerce for all land based travelers and traders. The third was to establish a direct link to The Clouds from the rest of Equestria, as the center of the city held a grand lift that transported land-locked individuals to the upper half, if that was their destination. The fourth, final, but perhaps most important purpose was its own set of entertainment. Down in the ground level, here ponies could partake in a wide plethora of games of chance in their extravagant and well regulated buildings. Between games, one could go and visit one of the many grand event theaters, where high quality and rigorously scheduled shows, normally aimed at adult crowds, would play to patrons, for no small ticket fee, however. If stage performances were not to one's liking, special arena sports, competition, and concert events were held to thunderous applause and cheers. Said shows tended to be highly exclusive, and were well worth the steep cost to watch, whether they happened night after night, once in a lifetime appearance, or anything in between. Of course, from the legal gambling to the premium cost shows, the Ground Floor is where the majority of Las Pegasus' money and funding came from, which kept The Clouds so affordable. It was also where performers would see the better profits, which made it highly sought after by show-ponies and entertainers all across the land, while room was limited in schedule. Never-the-less, prospect to expand business, whether it be in The Clouds or The Ground Floor, was never a frowned upon idea. Indeed, it was this idea that prompted two friends to scout for openings to provide food services. Pinkie Pie and Elvis, at the behest of their bosses, the Cakes, were here to start a sales pitch for Sugar Cube Corner catering services. After a variety of baking experiments concocted between the endlessly energetic Pinkie and the sweet pastry gourmand Elvis, it was decided it would be best to try to share the results with the rest of Equestria, and what better place would there be to start than at the city of endless parties. Coming along with these two was Applejack, current proprietor and lead farmpony of Sweet Apple Acres, whom was there to assist in the sales pitch, along with acting as a business associate to advertise for the farm. After all, a variety of the apple based pastries used produce from Sweet Apple Acres. To round out the group was Rarity, who was mostly there as a tourist, after having found time in her busy schedule to actually have a day off, but also offered to act as an escort and advisor in assistance to both Pinkie and Applejack. Reaching the perpetually overcast Ground Floor of Las Pegasus, the quartet were captivated by the colorful and lively lights that danced along the cloudy ceiling in a rainbow of colors and patterns. To be fair, the source of these lights were equally mesmerizing, but the abstract visual warping of the cloudy ceiling just gave it an extra intriguing twist. The crown jewel of The Grounds, however, had to be 'The Colosseum at Salad's Palace', the grand theater hall that had hosted many, MANY extravagant and legendary performances over the decades, named after the famous monument to the aforementioned Romane emperor of yesteryear. It was also their true destination. Back in Ponyville, after extended baking recipe experiments, the Cakes, Pinkie, and Elvis had asked for advice on how they could start advertising the newer creation. It was Filthy Rich that suggested such a large and risky place to do business, expressing past successes, laced with warnings that it might be difficult without the correct connections. They knew what he was referring to, upon which he would then speak to the Apples of Sweet Apple Acres about the venture, now seeing a prime business opportunity of his own accord. Rarity was there at the time, and saw stars in her eyes upon learning of the location. "Oh, I am positively DELIGHTED I've been given such an opportunity to come here!" Rarity exclaimed, bewitched by the famous theater hall and tantalized by the promises inside. "We are here fer business, Rare," Applejack interjected, "Don't be draggin' us about too much, ya hear?" "Oh, pish-posh, darling," she waved off, "I'm a responsible Lady. Work before fun, and all that." "Oh, oh, oh! Can we please visit The Clouds later? I wanna get some serious partying going up there. Ya know, see how it stacks up to the stories!" Pinkie Pie excitedly exclaimed. "Eh, I'll pass on that, Rosa," Elvis grumbled, "No trabajo bien con alturas. Now, casinos, on the other hand..." he grinned with an evil chuckle. "After we finish the meetin'," Applejack reiterated. "Mr. Filthy Rich was kind enough ta set it up fer us, after all. Don't wanna waste it. We should probably hoof it to the meeting spot soon." "Oh, speaking of scheduling," Rarity started, as she fished through her dainty saddle-pack for a moment, producing four tickets, "I had just so happened to purchase tickets to the latest show at The Colosseum when I learned of this venture. I feel we should start off our playtime in Las Pegasus with some bedazzling, first class entertainment. Now, before you ask, I made sure to pick a time-slot that was reasonably after our business rendezvous." "Rare, I wish ya'd inform me about these things beforehoof," Applejack stated with slight irritation, before she gave a defeated sigh, "Well, I guess we've got our plans post business meetin'. We can all do our own thing after that, I suppose." "Oooh, this aughta be fun! What kind of show?!" Pinkie asked, elated. "T'is a surprise, darling," Rarity teased, "But I assure you, he's the best in Equestria. At least that's what I've been told by very reliable sources." She gave a playful wink as Applejack rolled her eyes and Pinkie sqee'd in excitement. Elvis gave a half hearted chuckle and a shake of his head. "Pequeños caballos tontos," he uttered as he followed the mares towards their appointment. -o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o- Deep in the heart of The Colosseum, behind curtains and away from prying eyes of tourists, guests, and onlookers alike, stage hands and performers of all kinds scrambled to and fro to finish final preparations for their performances, all while the current show was getting ready to wrap up its own act. It was here where a light, cornflower blue colored pony, wearing a deep purple and gold trimmed tuxedo, flipped through a clipboard of notes, while carrying a bizarre looking book in pale, light grayish orchid colored magic. He flipped strands of his light gray and pale, light grayish cornflower blue mane away from his eyes with his hoof as he continued to read, lazily skimming through the words with his moderate violet eyes. Honestly, he didn't know WHY he needed to read these insufferably long notes he had his intern jot down, but for the sake of outdoing that upstart he was willing to go through such agony. "Sir?" a diligent young stagehoof addressed, communication gear upon his head and his own clipboard suspended in magic before him, "What are you doing here? You're show doesn't start until an hour from now." "Oh, not another new hire," he grumbled lowly, but he turned with a sneer towards the young stallion, "I have a routine, and I'm VERY adamant about keeping it. I can't stand being alone in my room reviewing," he stops, flipping through the notes again, "excessively boring notes. Do you know who I am?" "J-Jack Pot?" he answered with trepidation. "That's SIR Jack Pot, Master of Prestidigitation and Illusionist Extraordinaire, to you!" He announced with a flourish of his cape. "I'm not some two-half-bit yokel that can conjure flowers or perform card tricks, and you'd be wise to remember that." He gave a sharp snort as he turned away and resumed his skimming, flashing his row of golden stars cutie mark as if he were presenting a prestigious title or badge of honor. "Uhm... S-Sir Jack Pot?" the stagehoof addressed. Jack Pot's eyebrow raised as he leered back at the young stallion, as if he was waiting for something else. Cluing in reluctantly, the stagehoof continued, "Uhm... M-master of Prestidigitation and Illusionist Extraordinaire." "Better," Jack Pot finally replied, "But you must properly address me if you wish to remain working in this city." He then closed his clipboard and turned towards his addressee. "IF you must know, I study better when I'm around the hustle and bustle of the common workers. The ants of show business are what allows the real stars to shine in these glorious stages. It helps me concentrate, knowing so many ponies out there work to shine that light on me. After all, I deserve it." "R-right," the stagehoof reluctantly agreed. He wasn't wrong that it was their job to highlight the performers, but couldn't really side with the idea of seeing them as nothing but that. "Uhm, if I may be so bold as to ask, what even is your act this evening? I've only been told to help with lighting and detailing, but I've noticed some odd... props." "Oh, yes, quite," he replied, "You see, word has been spreading that some upstart filly out in the boonies had made a name for herself. Rumors say that she had subjugated a horrific being from the bowels of Tartarus and now utilizes it in her shows. Outrageous, I say!" "That... does sound rather wild," the stagehoof agreed. "So, I've done a little sleuthing, and have managed to find a book that details that sort of thing. Found it in some backwater shop in Canterlot. With it, for tonight's presentation, I am going to actually SUMMON a creature and immediately tame it, therefor outdoing her for just finding one." "I uh," he started to say, before realizing that questioning the act could get him reprimanded again. This sounds like a bad idea, he thought with worry. "My name will go down in history for such a feat, and such a charlatan will be forgotten. Oh yes, it'll be such a sweet victory. 'Great and Powerful Trixie', my hindquarters." That's who did it? the stage hand internally exclaimed, Maybe the rumors about the Ursa Major are also true... Jack Pot turned back around and began flipping through his notes once again. "Now, away with you. I am quite busy with preparations and soaking in the toil of the common workers." The stagehoof turned away, now understanding who his boss was referring to when describing a showboating, narcissistic magician with a fragile ego. He began to canter off to go and check on the stage lighting, but caught a glimpse of something large tucked away a little further back. Approaching it, it seemed to be a rather large shape with an equally large tarp covering it. Lifting one of the free flaps, he peaked inside, and realized what it was. Backing away as thoughts began to swirl, he came to a worried notion, and only hoped that Sir Jack Pot knew what he was doing. Otherwise, this show would likely end in disaster. -o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o- It had been several hours of negotiation with the management of The Colosseum, and the quartet were absolutely exhausted. Filthy Rich's recommendation and introduction certainly gained them access, but who would have thought the one being recommended would be so stubborn. To be fair, management of The Colosseum did clarify that the whole operation of this building, and others on The Ground Floor, was to ultimately drive up profits and present premium luxuries and entertainment to those that were willing to spend the cash. Baked goods and fresh farm produce, while nice, wasn't something they were exactly looking for. The suggestion of trying The Clouds to sell the presented goods was tossed about, but it turned out that all vendor slots were filled for the season, and the waiting list for opportunities at later years was excessively long. All hope for this trip would have been lost if it weren't for Rarity's own proposal. A free trial. All product they brought with them were to be sold at the upcoming Colosseum show as a catering stint, with all proceeds going directly to the Colosseum. If the apple produce, pastries, and baked goods sold well enough, then management would negotiate a contract for an official order. It was a bold move, and one that would cost both Applejack and the Cakes short term net losses, but the reward would mean so much more if it was a success. Sensing the gamble and tenacious spirits of these mares and strange chaperone, they allowed this stunt to be pulled, and arranged for all product presented to be injected into the catering for the next available show. However, the four were warned that if their goods failed to sell well enough, they were to resign their attempts at submitting business to The Ground Floor, and sign up as vendors in The Clouds. The terms were crystal clear. After that, while details were hammered out, a contract was drawn up, with a liability clause attached, just in case unforeseen circumstances interrupted the whole thing. Said clause was discussed rigorously, which costed them that much more time. Which brought the four of them to the Colosseum's grand theater room after all was said, signed, and done. An open space filled with the finest furniture one would believe Canterlot Castle itself had commissioned. One-thousand, three-hundred, and seventy-four seats in total with a variety of seating arrangements, each with their own table. Red, velvety cushions lined the chairs, and majestic, pure white table cloths decorated the exquisitely crafted tables. Simple but elegant flowers stood as modest centerpieces of each table, also acting as a light snack for hungrier patrons. The lights adorning the walls gave the hall a moody feel, making it feel as high class as it looked. At the far end was a massive stage, big enough that just about any performance could be done with room to spare. Red velvet curtains lined in gold kept the majority of it concealed as the next show was making final preparations for the evening's entertainment. As the patrons whom all bought tickets gathered in and found their seats, so too did Rarity, Applejack, Elvis, and Pinkie. Finding their table, they each took their seats, incidentally labeled seat six hundred and sixty-four to six hundred and sixty-seven. "Willikers," Applejack blurted in a hushed tone, "Didn't think this place would be so fancy." "Well, it is THE Colosseum of Salad's Palace, my dear Applejack," Rarity reiterated, "One of the FINEST entertainment venues in Las Pegasus, neigh, in all of Equestria!" "If ah knew it were like this, I'd've brought somthin' more formal." "Wait, you didn't bring anything?" Pinkie asked innocently. The others looked over to her and noticed she was wearing her show-mare dress she wore back in Appleloosa. The other two mares were gobsmacked, one for why she still has that outfit, and two on how she managed to change without no one noticing. She wasn't wearing it before they sat down, that was for sure. Elvis simply raised an eyebrow, wondering why classic burlesque outfits were available to ponies, and ultimately gave a thumbs up in approval. "Yeah, I know, I promise I won't sing and do the can-can this time. Pinkie promise." she declared, doing the variety of very practiced hoof gestures. "Back to the topic at hoof, don't worry too much about it, darling," Rarity reassured Applejack. "Las Pegasus is known more for its thrill seekers and flashier guests. Formal attire would just stick out like a sore knuckle." "An' she's not gonna stick out?" Applejack stated, pointing her hoof at the rather garish Pinkie, whom just smiled wide. "Honestly, no. Not this time," Rarity stated flatly. slightly unamused. "Ugh, this place is so backwards." "I dunno about your chicas, but I feel quite comfy. It's been a while since I've felt at home," Elvis stated, pulling out a cigar. "AAP UP UP!" Rarity exclaimed, snatching away the smokable from Elvis's fingers before he even had a chance to light it. "EH! What gives?!" "I'm sorry, Elvis dear, but smoking has been prohibited ever since a major fire years ago due to a frequent guest leaving behind little 'accidents'. It was so bad, that anyone with the name Smokey is questioned and searched at the gate." "Yeeesh," Elvis sneered, "Fine, fine. No smoking. Can I at least get a drink?" "Well," Pinkie started, "Menus are right here." She then pointed to the pamphlets before them, which Elvis immediately began to read. While he and Pinkie were engrossed in the selection, picking out some of their own pastries from the list, Rarity and Applejack began to talk. "So, our stuff will be served at this show?" Applejack asked, mostly in confirmation. "Yes, I believe so. Here's hoping our negotiations weren't for naught," Rarity then picked up her own menu and gave it a quick skim, "Impressive." "What?" "These menus are entirely up do date, with Sugar Cube Corner and Sweet Apple Acre products put on special." "Dang. That is impressive," Applejack stated with slight surprise, "Didn't we just finish talkin' to those managers less than an hour ago?" "I heard rumor that The Ground Floor establishments are ruthlessly efficient, but I really didn't expect this." Just then, the sound of announcer spoke out from a hidden speaker. "Mares and Gentlestallions. The stage performance will begin shortly. Please take your seats, and enjoy the show." "Oh, already?" Rarity exclaimed. "Ruthlessly efficient," Applejack parroted with a smirk. "Quiet you." As everyone in the theater sat down and took their orders, quietly chatting to themselves over the excitement of the show, the lights slowly began to dim. The sound of talking devolved to whispers for a moment, before altogether ceasing. Lights shone on the beautiful curtains of the stage as orchestral music slowly came to life and fog seeped out across the surface of the platform. It was then that curtains were slowly drawn back, showing a pitch black background with speckled stars peppered about. Soon, the stars began to move and swirl around in a hypnotic fashion, getting faster and faster. Then, uproarious and confident laughter could be heard all around the theater as an explosion of light and smoke caught everyone off guard. As the blinding flash dissipated, what stood on the stage was a lone stallion, adorned in a black cape filled with stars, a golden top hat with a deep purple band, sporting a deep purple tux with golden trim and purple bow tie. He gave a daring, confident smile, and he cackled again with a flourish, accompanied by sparks erupting from the ground. Everyone cheered. Everyone, except Rarity and Applejack, who squinted at the pony on stage. "Hey, Rare." "Yes, Applejack?" "Doesn't he seem sorta... familiar?" "Entirely," she answered, rubbing her hooves unconsciously. "Greetings my lovely, wonderful audience. For those of the uninitiated, I am the amazing, stupendous, and completely unparalleled magician, JACK POT! Master of Prestidigitation and Illusionist Extraordinaire!" There was another roar of the crowd in applause, before he continued, "And, I welcome you all to my show!" He gave a triumphant pose as more sparks shot off. The crowd was absolutely loving it, and he was clearly adoring the attention. "Well, at least the crowd actually likes him," Applejack pointed out. "Yes. Perhaps we're being too hasty in judgement," Rarity adds, "Heckling a magician without due cause led to a major debacle, after all." "Two," Applejack pointed out. "Yes, two," Rarity repeated with a slightly annoyed tone. As the crowds cheer began to die down, especially as he raised his hooves with a gesture suggesting to quieten down, he began to speak. "My dear guests. Tonight, I have quite the show planned for you. Normally, I'd simply treat you to my well known, famous, wonderful acts of enchanting incantations and bewitching allurement, which I'm very sure you all would be happy to gaze upon." He gave a light chuckle to himself as an organ slowly began to play and pick up in volume. "Oh yes, but my dear audience, I am an artist at heart, and I'm always seeking new and inspiring ideas for my show. Endlessly searching the corners of Equestria for these muses and secrets to inject into my ever evolving, ever loved performance." Murmurs danced about the hall between ponies as they wondered what he was on about. Once again, he raised his hooves, which had the curious equines all silence themselves as they continued to listen to his explanation. "Tonight, and for tonight only, I will be selecting a random patron from this very hall in order to assist me with my performance." Shocked and excited chatter rose back up among the crowd as a stage hand dressed in black wheeled out a black box with a golden, sparkled question mark presented at the front of it. "Within this box are the numbered seats of all one-thousand, three-hundred, and seventy-four seats. I shall reach in," he declares as he does just that, "And pull out the number of my random assistant." As he buries his foreleg deep within the box, swirling it about to mix the numbers within for extra assurance, the hidden orchestra begins to swell, with the organ still playing, now part of the tense music. After some time, he pulls out a slip of folded paper, and holds it aloft. "Behold! The number in which somepony in this very room will help shape destiny this very night!" Unfolding the paper, he reads the number out loud. "Number six hundred and sixty six!" "Heh," Elvis chuckled to himself, as his face was still buried in the menu, "Mi número favorito." Then, the spotlight shone upon him, causing Elvis and the girls to realize what just happened. "Espera, ¿qué mierda?!" Jack Pot, for all of his bravado, slightly faltered when he saw the 'lucky' participant. He wasn't expecting anything like that to show up at his show. Griffons, maybe. Minotaurs, perhaps. Not... whatever that was. However, he was a stallion of pride, and the number was already taken. Trying to replace it now would just make him look like an idiot. At least, that's how he saw it. Pinkie, with the most excited gasp and the biggest smile, placed both hooves on his arm and shouted, "OH MY GOSH! You got picked! That's SOOOO super lucky! I wish I got picked, but you're the one that got picked, and you get to be part of a big, once in a lifetime magic show that totally isn't like Trixie's but eerily kind of is in a way. I wonder what's up with that. Anyway, you should totally go up there!" "No, no no no no no," Elvis said, waving his hands in front of him, "I'm not really into dealin' with magicians and basura like that. Shanon I can tolerate... and those chicas in the top hats, too, but this is a bit too much for me. Esto no est bueno." "Number six sixty six! Your number has been selected and I doubt anyone here appreciates the delay." Soon, the entire audience began to jeer, demanding him to go up to the stage. Elvis stared at the grand theater platform for a moment with annoyance and embarrassment, before he heard the sound of the girls cut through the heckling. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," Rarity stated with sparkles in her eyes, "Make history and do NOT regret it!" "Ah, what's the harm in tryin' this one thing out? Hey, if it'd make ya feel better, I'll order somethin' extra from the menu for ya, on mah bit!" Applejack assured with a wink and a smile. "I mean, hey, this could be a lot of fun! You never know until you go up there and give it a shot!" Pinkie chimed in, giving him a gentle tap against his shoulder with her hoof. Elvis glanced back and forth between the expecting girls at his sides and the crowd that continued to urge him on so the show could continue. "I'm waiting!" Jack Pot stated, tapping his hoof in irritation. Elvis gave a deep sigh. "Can't smoke, denied food, and dragged up on stage to probably embarrass myself. Dios maldito." He then shuffled away from his seat, walked around the table, and followed the path that led up to the stage as the whole audience cheered and the spotlight followed his movement. The orchestra swelled once again as Elvis got closer to the front of the hall. "I don't envy him at all," Applejack confessed. "I DO!" Pinkie exclaimed, "But I wasn't picked, so I just have to deal." She then whipped out a bowl of popcorn, eliciting strange looks from the other two. At the front of the hall, upon climbing the stairs at either side of the stage, and approaching Jack Pot, Elvis, gazed about, somewhat disturbed by the light, no longer able to see anyone out in the crowd. Jack himself just looked up at Elvis, realizing he was easily over twice his height, perhaps even three times, and just as wide. What was more alarming was his arms, decorated in large gold rings, were thick and muscular, denoting a likely impressive strength. That is a big... pony? he thought, I just hope he'll be useful. Jack Pot then gestured to somepony offstage, where a stagehoof quickly shot forth and produced a microphone, handing it off to the magician before disappearing from the stage once again. "Now, for the audience's curiosity, and my convenience, could you tell me your name, my good... stallion?" Jack Pot stated, still trying to figure out what he was. Never-the-less, he stuck out the microphone towards his new assistant. Leaning forward, the mostly unwilling participant spoke into the micorphone. "Uh... Elvis," the Deva stated flatly. "Elvis," Jack Pot repeated equally as flatly, "Interesting name." Never heard of a name like that, he thought. Can't even make a pun or joke out of it. This is going to be rough. "Give a round of applause for Elvis, folks!" The crowd once again erupted into cheers, hoofstomps, and hoofclops so thunderous that it drowned out the ambient music that still continued to play. Elvis himself gave a small, nervous wave. "Yo quiero ir," he quietly mumbled to himself, giving quite the bad, forced smile. "Now, Elvis, It seems like this is your first time, but don't be so nervous. Trust me, what I'm going to have you do is VERY simple. Through it, we are going to make HISTORY together!" "Si, si, I get ya," Elvis responded, waving him off. Jack Pot gave a snort of indignation. Regardless of his feelings and growing ire towards his new "assistant", the show must go on. With a wave of his hoof, the inky black backdrop with the speckling stars soon lifted like a second set of curtains, revealing a massive object beneath an equally large covering. Many stagehooves deep in the shadows began to move said object forward with great difficulty while Jack Pot beckoned it forth. In moments, the massive, shrouded object now stood between them, and Elvis couldn't help but whistle in approval and awe. "Looks like you like to go big, or go home," Elvis stated, scratching the beard upon his chin for a moment, before he gave the magician a thumbs up. "¡Lo apruebo! ¡Lo apruebo mucho!" Jack Pot took off his hat for a moment, and pulled out a set of hoof-cuffs. The very ones that the Royal Guard utilize when detaining a dangerous suspect. He looked at them, then at his rather large compatriot, before his horn glowed and cast a small size change spell upon the cuffs, making them just big enough. Once he did, he grabbed the cloth and yanked it off with all of his might, revealing a giant, thick cage of iron bars. Inside were a variety of object, meticulously placed, all within a strange, circular design on the wooden floor of the cage. Before Elvis could react, Jack Pot raced to Elvis's outstretched hand, clapped one of the cuffs upon his wrist, before clapping the other onto one of the bars. "EH!? What gives?!" Elvis shouted. "Do not panic, my assistant. This is just to make sure you stay, no matter how terrifying this may become!" Elvis growled, but the rising ire of the Deva did not dissuade the show-pony, for he made another flourish and spoke again. "My dear audience! It is time! For I, Jack Pot, Master of Prestidigitation and Illusionist Extraordinaire, shall conduct a miracle with lost magic!" The crowd began to murmer, uttering the last two words with skepticism and intrigue. What could he possibly mean by that? With no further delay, his horn glowed as he turned toward the cage and raised both hooves into the air. Then, he began to speak. "Torzu, c ialprg de umplif. Allar pugo ol od noan cafafam. Ozazam c ag parach, gohed. Aboapri, cacrg geh velucorsapax de ohio. Niiso, Goliath!3" Elvis, in the middle of the invocation, realized what was going on and attempted to stop it, but something on his cuffed wrist felt off. Soon, he saw the metal of the cuff begin to glow hot, and it wasn't even his own doing. Further, that wasn't the only thing heating up. Slowly but surely, starting from where the other cuff was clasped, the entire cage too began to glow red hot. As it did, a swirling disturbance in the air began to surround the object in the center, which he realized were offerings. There was no room for doubt. This was a devil summoning. Before he attempted to yank his hand free, he felt a not-so insignificant amount of his energy drain from him and seemingly enter the cage. It was enough energy that it made him take a knee for a moment, and be unable to wrench himself free the first time around. What ever amount was taken, he reasoned, would have been near fatal to any other pony. Perhaps even entirely deadly. Jack Pot was really willing to risk a pony to perform this 'trick'. Elvis could hear the crowd get excited from the events on stage, but he couldn't really know if they were even considering that what was going on was actually a bad thing. He felt the air distort, as if a very angry entity were pushing against the now fragile wall of existence. If he didn't do something now, then the crowd could very well be in trouble. Upon gathering up as much of his might as possible, as well as as much of his willpower as he could muster, he gave the cuff a mighty and very sudden pull. This caused it to break from the combination of his remaining strength and the growing heat that all but consumed the cage and hoof-cuffs. He tumbled back upon being freed, and suddenly landed upon his backside. Before he could even rise back up and start yelling at Jack Pot, it was too late. There was a heavy explosion of light as a great and powerful roar erupted from the stage. Jack pot himself was flung back and off the stage, crashing into one of the tables, eliciting a harsh scream of shock. Elvis shielded his eyes right before he attempted to get up, only for the force of the blast to also knock him away, landing back behind one of the curtains. As the dust settled and the glare faded, a heavy stomp was heard exiting the melted wreckage of the giant cage. The creature that emerged was massive and imposing. A bipedal beast easily reaching house sized heights shifted and stretched his thick muscles beneath his deep brown fur. Eyes that dotted all about his body shifted around, taking in as much visual information as possible about the new world the creature was in. The monster gave a scratch to the short but imposing horns upon his forehead. A wicked jaw opened as a relatively long tongue licked serrated, vicious teeth. Across the belly of the beast, a second, massive mouth opened up ever so slightly as if to stretch it in order to work out some discomfort. A low, guttural snarl seeped out from the creature's upper mouth, before it spoke. "What manner of joke is this?" a deep, distorted voice rumbled, "I perish in the mortal realm, and then get dragged into this new, strange one? I smell nothing but beasts of burden." The crowd collectively screamed and panicked, rushing out of the venue as fast as their little hooves and claws could carry them, leaving only a dazed Jack Pot and the three Element bearers that stared gobsmacked by the sudden horror. "Rare, go and git some Royal Guards up here. I dunno how effective they'll be at helpin', but they should at least be able to get a message out to Canterlot!" Not wasting a word or time, Rarity did just that, exiting the now mostly vacant and trashed theater hall, where as Pinkie and Applejack approached the front stage. The massive creature took notice, and seemingly almost gave a smile. "Approaching me? You are either brave, foolish, or mad." The monster gave a short, mocking laugh as it took another step closer, looming over Jack Pot. The magician, finally able to shake the stars from his eyes, suddenly became aware of the great shadow cast upon him. He was about to yell at whoever dared to stand over him without offering assistance, but he then saw the abomination he had summoned to their world. All he could do then was stare and whimper in outright fear. His words became incoherent, as all bravado left him in an instant. Pinkie, however, spoke up in response to the creature. "Nah, we aren't any of those. Just a couple of mares taking a casual trot," She giggled at her ineffective nonchalance. "Hey, Pardner," Applejack stated, trying to keep an even, negotiating tone, "Listen. Ya ain't the first one of you things to be brought here, but if ya keep calm, we'll try to help ya out. So, don't do anythin' rash." "Interesting. Livestock that can speak," the great creature growled, "Then, it isn't pointless to say. You, mortal whelps, stand before the mighty GOLIATH! Lay down your lives to me. I will make it as painless as possible." The whimpering of Jack Pot then caught Goliath's attention, as he decided a demonstration was in order. "If you don't..." the massive demon then raised his foot in the air, preparing a powerful stomp. Realizing the situation was going south, Pinkie sped forward, snatched Jack Pot, and darted away mere split seconds before Goliath's foot hit the ground, cracking the floor beneath. Taking the distraction opportunity, Applejack ran around off to the other side of the creature, looking for something to use. "Hoo, that was a close one!" Pinkie exclaimed as Jack Pot lay passed out on her back, saddle-pack style. "Hey, you big meanie. You can't just step on ponies without asking first. It's not very kosher. I mean, I get it. What happens in Las Pegasus stays in Las Pegasus, but-" "Oh, be SILENT!" Goliath roared as it stepped off the stage entirely and began to lumber towards the mare and her rescue. "Your voice irritates me!" Goliath pulled his fist back and was about to charge, but then a rope looped over one of his horns, and suddenly pulled back. His head jerked to the side, and soon noticed Applejack, firmly holding down the rope at the other end. "Pinkie! Git 'im outta here while ah 'ave his attention!" She commanded. Without another word, Pinkie sped off, leaving the venue with the unconscious Jack Pot. "It's just you 'n me now, pardner." "No, it's just me!" Goliath responded as he grabbed the rope from his horn and pulled back violently, causing Applejack to fly forward before she let go of the rope. Landing with a thud not a few paces away from the beast, she gave a cough from the harsh impact. Goliath then turned properly to the farm pony and stomped up closer to her dazed self, chuckling darkly. "I wonder how your bones differ to humans. Let's test that out." Goliath then raised his foot high, ready to stomp again. Aw, horseapples, Applejack thought in a panic as she covered herself with her hooves in vain and closed her eyes. However, the violent foot did not come down, as there was a sudden loud crash as if a variety of tables and chairs were being busted up. Applejack's eyes opened as she dared to take a peek, and saw Elvis taking a short stride forward, rotating his shoulder for a moment. "Mierda, eres un gran buey, ¿eh?," Elvis stated, before he turned his attention to Applejack. "You doin' alright, caballo?" "Eh, could be a little worse for wear," Applejack stated, rising back to her hooves. "Friend o' yers?" "Nah, never seen him before," Elvis confessed. "That is definitely a devil, though. You should get to a safe spot. I'll handle the cabrón." "But-?" There was a loud growl as the two saw Goliath violently rise to his feet, kicking broken furniture around like some sort of film reel monster having a temper tantrum. "We ain't got time to discuss this. Go." Elvis affirmed, cracking his knuckles as he stepped forward. Applejack gave a hesitant nod as she to began to run out of the hall. Goliath was about to attempt to cut her off, before Elvis shouted at him and gained his attention, "¡Eh! ¡Cabrón! Where're you goin' eh?!" "You must be the one that struck me!" Goliath accused, pointing one of his stubby claws at the Deva. "Your strength is noteworthy, but you're just a human. Quite the portly one, too." "'Ey, I worked HARD for this body o' mine, puta!" Elvis barked back snidely, giving his belly a slap. "How fortunate I am to find one, even in this stink of livestock. You'll be a delicious meal before I tear this realm apart!" "Yeah, no. Not here. We've done enough damage. El precio de la factura va ser ridículo." Elvis stated, before he pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation, remembering who started this mess. "Voya patear ese culo de mago if I ever see that puta again." "Quit talking, and DIE!" Goliath shouted, rushing towards Elvis with impressive speed. However, Elvis saw it coming. He ducked down, lined his trajectory to where the desert outside Las Pegasus would be, pulled his fist back, and gave a mighty uppercut that sent Goliath flying out of the venue, punching a massive hole through the ceiling. He winced at the thought of the cost to repair that, but decided the big angry demonic oaf needed to be dealt with first. Elvis then flexed his legs and jumped through the hole after him, and landed outside of the Colosseum. Gazing about, he tried to locate the new invader, suspecting he would be relatively near. Sure enough, He was several hundred paces away, just barely rising back to his feet right now just outside the city limits. Elvis took a stance, before launching himself like a cannonball towards the target, smashing Goliath in the stomach and tackling him further out into the San Palomino desert. Tumbling, Goliath managed to grit through the pain of the attack and throw Elvis off of him, who managed to land to a rolling stop. The two returned to their feet and faced each other, getting into fighting stances. "What in the nine circles are you?! No human is THIS strong." "Cabrón, I ain't human." Goliath tilted his head slightly, puzzled. "You clearly are!" He shouted back, before angrily picking up a large boulder, opening his giant torso mouth, and shoving it inside. It was now Elvis's turn to look confused, but before he could ask anything, Goliath's belly mouth spat out a giant, red hot boulder. Thinking quickly, he poured his energy into his hands, and caught the flaming projectile before driving it into the sandy ground, burying it to cool it off. Wafting and flicking his hands for a moment, Elvis muttered "Mierda, que arde," until his hands weren't burning anymore. Then, he took out his unlit cigar, placed the end against the smouldering boulder, and lit his smokable up before taking a deep drag. "Ah, much better," he sighed content just before he stomped the buried projectile. "H-how... did you catch that?" Goliath asked in shock. "I told you, puta. I AIN'T no human!" With a deep, mighty, guttural growl, darkened energy began to swirl about Elvis, engulfing him for a moment, before he became completely covered and obscured. His voice, which continued to ring out the entire time, dropped lower and lower in pitch as the size grew. It was then that the smell hit Goliath. "N-no... You're..." The darkened energies that obscured him suddenly burst away with an ejection of flame, revealing Elvis's true demonic form. Twice as tall as his human form, his hands were teethed crab-claws, spikes adorned his body, his pectorals became eyelids to large yellow eyes, his belly became a massive tooth-lined maw, and his head hosted a stack of three pairs of eyes, flanked and topped by four horns. Surrounding his head, which used to be large purple beads, were now a wreath of skulls missing their lower jaws. Small wings flapped uselessly at his back, almost in anticipation. He lifted his clawed foot up and inward, tapping the sole with one of his massive crab-claws, and spoke in his new, lower pitched voice. "Time to play, PENDEJO!" Goliath rushed forth in a desperate attempt to take the newly transformed Elvis down, but the Deva remained calm, simply opened his belly mouth wide, and lunged forward, managing to clamp down around the top. Goliath cried out in pain as Elvis chewed a few times, before tightening his bite pressure, leaning back to lift the demon, before viciously slamming him back down with a throw. Goliath, not wanting to give up yet, scrambled back to his feet once more and flailed about wild punches, trying to land a lucky shot in his fury, but Elvis hopped back, before launching forward in with an overhead hammer, slamming Goliath's skull. Then, while the devil was dazed, Elvis gave him a vicious left hook, then a right hook, and finished with a punishing punch to the solar plexus, causing him to heave harshly. Before Elvis let him fall, he swiftly grappled both of Goliath's arms with his own, clamped down on them in a toothy vice grip, opened his belly mouth once more, and began to breath as much fire as he could upon his foe. Goliath's cries of pain reverberated around the desert. Elvis then let the demon go and took a step back, allowing the beaten Goliath to fall to his hands and knees. "N-no..." Goliath pitifully lamented, "How? How are you so powerful?" "Cabrón, ya may have blazin’ muscle, but round here, it ain’t worth hell without a hunk o’ burnin’ love!” "What human drivel," Goliath spat back, "Where did you get this power? You CAN'T be of our kin! You HAVE to be human! You MUST have a contract. Or else... or else..." he trailed off, his voice trembling in what seems to be a terrible discovery. The sound of approaching ponies in armor could be heard clattering in the night, which drew both of their attention. Elvis gave a chuckle. "Guess play time is over." "Kill me," Goliath demanded. "Kill me now, traitor of our kind. I'd rather die that way than suffer at the feet of mortals." "ELVIS!" a familiar, jovial voice called out that made the Deva inwardly smile. Elvis turned back to the subdued aggressor. "Nah. That ain't how it works around here, tonto." With a deep sigh, the same energy that aided his transformation swirled about him once again long enough until he gained his normal, more human appearance. "Now, you be good while I greet your new masters," he stated, chuckling darkly. Goliath's eyes widened in horror as Elvis began to walk away. As he did, he heard the sound of something sharp violently digging into flesh. Elvis spun back around, and saw Goliath rip out his own heart before bursting into flames and turning to ash. With a disappointed and dejected sigh, he turned back towards the approaching group. The guards rushed beyond him, gathering about the smouldering pile of ash, now chatting among themselves in confusion. Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie approached Elvis himself. "What in tarnation happened here?!" Applejack asked. "He... wasn't willing to play by the rules," Elvis responded with a melancholic air, "Let's just leave it at that, chica." He then turned to Pinkie, noticing that the one responsible wasn't there anymore. "'Ey, where'd that Jack Pot cabrón go?" "He's in a LOT of trouble," Rarity answered, "I don't think he'll be working on the Ground Floor any time soon." "Yeah," Applejack agreed, "Guess we should go and claim our insurance." "Insurance?" Elvis repeated. "Yes," Rarity chimed in, "It was part of the liability clause. Any and all products offered by party B, meaning us, that is damaged, destroyed, or otherwise interfered with by staff at any and all 'Salad's Palace' establishments is to, hereby, be covered for damaged through party A's insurance. Since Mr. Jack Pot over there is a staff member, and it was his fault in the first place, I'm fairly certain he's going to be paying back a lot of the Insurance that'll pay for the damaged goods. Didn't you read the contract." "Eh, I hate those things," Elvis confessed, before his stomach began to growl, "Well, I worked up an appetite. Why don't we go and find a gran fiesta and get some grub?" "I am feelin' a might bit famished myself," Applejack added. "That sounds super-duper awesome. Can we, Rarity?" Pinkie pleaded. "Alright. Food first. Then we'll deal with the insurance." Rarity said with a shake of her head. As Pinkie cheered, the farm pony and the fashionista started to make their way back into Las Pegasus, with Pinkie and Elvis trailing behind. He then remembered something that was said to him, and tapped Pinkie on the shoulder. She turned her attention to the Deva with a big smile. "Hey, what's up?" "You remember what you said earlier, before I went on stage?" Elvis asked. "Yeah?" "You were right, Rosa. This was fun," Elvis said sadly.