//------------------------------// // Ch. 06; Across the Fields and Through the Woods // Story: A Demon In Equestria // by Dorath //------------------------------// “Morning, Applejack!” The farmpony looked up from brushing down her riding lizard, “Morn’, Pinkie Pie, what brings ya by so earlier?” she asked, her hands continuing with their work, bringing a soft purr as the lizard, Peachblossom, stretched under her ministrations. “Welll, the Cakes wanted some extra apples because we have an order for an applecake today, and it’s Tuesday, so Derpy will be by looking for apple muffins, and Mr. Cake found a recipe for apple cookies that he wants to try out, oh and my Pinkie Sense says that we’re going to see somepony that we haven’t seen for a while, so I wanted to get everything done early, so here I am hoping that I could get some more apples, even though your stand isn’t open yet,” Pinkie finally paused for breath and reached over to rub Peachblossom’s nose, “P-p-please?” “What was that last part, again, Pinkie?” “P-p-please?” “Tha part before that,” Applejack sighed, “About what yer Pinkie Sense was tellin’ ya.” “That we’re going to see somepony that we haven’t seen for a while?” “Huh, Ah wonder who it’ll be. Jus’ let me wash my hands, an’ Ah’ll get ya those apples.” “Twilight! The Princesses sent you a letter.” “Thanks, Spike,” Twilight smiled down at her assistant as she took the rolled scroll from his claws, “Let’s see ….” Heading into the kitchen, Spike hummed to himself as he washed the breakfast dishes, before strolling back out to the library main room, where he noticed Twilight was slumped in a chair, staring down at the letter, her muzzle twisted in a mixture of horror and resignation, spiced with a touch of curiosity and, although she would later deny it, just a hint of eagerness. “Twilight? Twilight!” “She’s doing it to us again, Spike,” the unicorn moaned, “It’s Discord all over again.” “What?” Spike took Twilight's hand in his claws, “What do you mean, ‘it’s Discord all over again’?” “Princess Celestia!” Twilight waved the scroll, “She says that the demon who foalnapped Fluttershy is still around, and she wants us to try and make friends with her!” she gave a small, unhappy, laugh, “Well, I guess we’re the ones with experience, after all.” “You could always refuse,” Spike suggested. “No … no, I’m okay now,” she reached up to ruffle the drake’s frill, “I just needed to get that out of my system. And the Princess is right, Fluttershy did manage to make Discord into a … better … pony, and both she and Applejack believed that HellCaller was not working for Count Steel willingly and was holding back against us during the fight. No,” Twilight stood up, “Celestia would never ask this of us unless she believed we could handle it,” her determination faltered for a moment, “Somehow ….” “Ha! I said we’d see HellCaller again and I’d get to call her a rudeie-patotie for dismissing Fluttershy’s friendship like that, and now we are!” Pinkie crowed as she dropped into a chair. The six mares were gathered in the library, Spike having been gently, but firmly, ushered out to “enjoy his unexpected day off” in the hopes it would keep him out of trouble. “So, she has been lurking so close to Ponyville all of this time?” Rarity asked as she sipped her tea, “Even with her hiding in the Everfree, I’m rather surprised that no pony has noticed her before this, she does stand out, after all.” “That’s why I plan on going to see Zecora first,” Twilight replied, “If anypony in the Everfree would notice the presence of a demon – and be willing to talk to us – it’s her.” “The deer can be a bit … difficult at times,” Fluttershy admitted with a small sigh, “Oh, but I do hope they and HellCaller haven’t been fighting.” “Wait, so the Princess wants us to hunt down a demon, who foalnapped Fluttershy and just, what, make nice?” Rainbow demanded, stomping her hoof in annoyance, “Not kick her plot back to Tartarus? Not even demand a feathering apology? Really?” “Yes, Rainbow,” Twilight said firmly, “No attacking her, except in self-defense, no demands, nothing like that. HellCaller was compelled by Donut Steel’s summoning ritual, so blaming her wouldn’t be right. And since she’s trapped here, making friends with HellCaller and teaching her about Equestrian society and how to live in it is really for everypony’s benefit.” Rarity glanced up with a small frown, “Wait, she can’t leave? How do we know this, darling?” “Oh, um, well, Luna has been talking with HellCaller’s familiar in her dreams.” Applejack raised an eyebrow, “Her what now?” “Her magical assistant pony,” Pinkie explained. “Oh, the other voice from when you all rescued me from Count Steel,” Fluttershy remarked, “I did wonder who that was ….” “And, apparently, this familiar is also some kind of artifact weapon,” Twilight added, “Which means establishing peaceful relations with HellCaller is even more important.” Pinkie leaned over to Applejack, “An artifact is a magical thingamajig,” she said helpfully, provoking an eyeroll from the farmer “Fine, fine,” grumbled Rainbow, “If we’re going to do this, then let’s get on with it.” As the six ponies were heading out of town, they spotted a familiar, cloaked figure approaching from the Everfree, “Hi, Zecora!” Twilight waved to the mare, “Isn’t this convenient, we were just on our way to see you.” “Yes, it is convenient,” Pinkie observed, as she pulled a glowstone rod out from … somewhere … and held it up to undelight her face (despite it being daytime), “Maybe … too convenient!” The zebra merely gave Pinkie an indulgent smile, before turning her attention to the rest of the little group, “While I am quite happy to see you all this fine day, what was sending you out my way?” “We’ve been asked by the Princesses to talk with a demoness living in the Everfree and to try and keep her from becoming a danger to anypony,” Twilight explained, “You … wouldn’t happen to know where we can find her, would you, Zecora?” The shamaness nodded, “I believe I know of the one who you seek, she and her guests are staying in the great cave on Mount Everfree as we speak.” “Guests?” Rarity’s ears perked, “So she’s already interacting with other ponies? Well, I dare say that promises to make things much easier for everypony.” Zecora raised a cautioning hand, “Be mindful when you draw near,” she warned, “While she mostly keeps to herself, the demoness can be rather casually violent, I fear. Also, I can impart that one of her guests has enough ego to fill a cart, while the other’s often ferocious choice does not match her young and cheerful voice.” “Thank ya for yer advice,” Applejack said, “Oh, an’ Big Mac is workin’ tha stall today, if’n ya got a hankerin’ for some apples,” she added, grinning cheekily at the suddenly blushing shamaness. “Do you really think you should be teasing Zecora like that, Applejack?” Twilight asked as they made their way up the mountainside, “Some ponies might not think it’s nice.” “Aw shucks, Twi’, Ah’m jus’ funnin’ with her,” the farmpony defended herself, “Apples tease each other all tha time, an’ Zecora is going ta be an Apple as soon as she an’ Big Mac stop tiphoofin’ around each other, jus’ ya mark my words. Everything goin’ a’right back there, sugarcube?” she added, turning to look back at where Fluttershy brought up the rear of the group. “Oh, yes,” replied Fluttershy, “It’s much less scary when there isn’t a dragon shaking the mountain.” “Hsst,” Rarity brought a finger to her lips as she shushed her friends, “We’re almost to the cave, so perhaps a bit of stealth might be in order.” “Umm,” Fluttershy raised her hand, “Creeping up on somepony’s home seems kind of rude, doesn’t it?” “I think Flutters is right,” Pinkie added, “How are we going to make friends with HellCaller if we start out being all sneakyish?” she pointed out, while Applejack reluctantly nodded in agreement. Rarity, Twilight and Rainbow glanced at each other, before agreeing, grudgingly on Rainbows part, to try it their friends’ way. As they approached, they could hear voices from within the cavern. “Again,” said a mare with a heavy accent. “Bluthel di Civip. You know, Trixie can already create bolts of frost and wave around Trixie’s dagger, without using pseudo-dragonish ‘magic words’, thank you.” The six ponies paused in surprise, “What’s Trixie doing here?” Fluttershy whispered. “Yes, but you are a neophyte at combining your spellwork vith martial ability,” the other mare replied, “Still, you are not hopeless vith veaponry, and you have potential to be acceptable Magus, even if you vill likely never vield a heavy blade.” “Truly, Trixie is humbled by the boundless encouragement and support you constantly show Trixie.” “Excellent sarcasm,” applause echoed from within the cave, “But currently ve are vorking on your spell combat training, not your vitty banter.” “Well, I think we found which of HellCaller’s guests is the one with the ego,” Rarity sniffed, drawing irritated nods from Rainbow and Applejack. “Wait, Trixie is training to be a magus,” Twilight’s muzzle furrowed in confusion, “She doesn’t seem like the type to join the Corps.” “Well, why don’t we go ask her?” Pinkie suggested, walking up to the cave mouth before any of her friends could stop her and pounding on the cliffside, “Hello? Trixie? Ms. HellCaller? Other pony whose name I didn’t get? Can we come in? I baked you a cake!” she added, pulling said confection out of her pack and holding it up. A startled cry responded to the party pony’s question, before the accented voice eventually replied, “Very vell, you may come in … and bring cake.” Entering the cave, the six ponies found HellCaller calmly seated on a stone next to a merrily blazing campfire bead, while Trixie stood behind her, trying to glower at Rainbow, Rarity and Applejack while not meeting Twilight’s eyes, “Hello again, Fluttershy, and velcome to my … lair.” The yellow pegasus shyly waved, while her friends looked around the cavern, with both Rarity and Rainbow clearly disappointed at how empty it was; despite the cave’s great size (it had been a dragon’s abode, however temporarily), the only signs of occupation were the campfire bead, a crude training dummy in one corner, and an equally makeshift meat-smoking rack off in a nook, smoke stains highlighting the cracks in the wall used for ventilation. “It’s … very … nice,” Rarity said with a slightly strained smile. “It suffices to keep rain off,” the demoness shrugged, “So vhy are ‘Heroes of Realm’ on my doorstep?” Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but Pinkie – who had been looking for a sufficiently flat rock to put the cake on – spoke up first, “Oh, well since you’re going to be here a while, what with not being able to leave and all, we thought it would be neighborly to welcome you to Ponyville,” the baker said blithely, before glaring at HellCaller, “And I also wanted to say it wasn’t very nice the way you scorned Fluttershy like that back in Steel’s mansion, she was just offering you her friendship, for the divines’ sake,” she scolded, “There was no reason for you to be a nasty-pants meanie about it!” 'Caller’s armor creaked as she shifted on her rock, a seemingly casual movement that Rainbow, Rarity and Applejack all uneasily noticed made her sword easier to draw, and made the three mares wonder for a moment if leaving their own panoply and weapons back in Ponyville as a “show of good faith” had really been wise as HellCaller spoke, “And vhy vould you think I cannot leave?” she asked quietly, her eyes glowing brighter in the dim cave. “Was that a secret?” Pinkie asked awkwardly, her ears dropping. “It wasn’t the best way to bring it up, no,” Twilight admonished the party pony, “Princess Luna informed us of the basics of your … situation when she and Princess Celestia told us you were in the Everfree and suggested that you could use some friends.” “Luna’s a Princess?!” the metallic voice of a young mare shrieked, “Vhy didn’t you mention this vhen I asked you about her?” the sourceless voice demanded of Trixie. “If Princess Luna wished you to know who she was, she would have told you,” the illusionist replied, “Since she did not, it is not the Faithful and Dutiful Trixie’s place to reveal Trixie’s Diarch’s secrets.” HellCaller glared down at the sword on her belt, “Yes, ve vill need to discuss sharing our secrets vith strangers, as vell,” turning back to the six mares, she continued, “So, vho exactly is this Princess Luna?” “Luna is the Princess of the Moon,” Twilight explained, giving Pinkie a small “thank you” as the baker handed her a slice of cake, and adamantly not thinking about how the pink earth pony had fit the plates and cutlery inside her tiny pack alongside the cake, “She and her elder sister, Celestia, the Princess of the Sun, are the ruling diarchs of the Equestrian Empire.” 'Caller raised an eyebrow in confusion, “Vait, so are they Princesses or are they Imperial Diarchs?” “Both,” Twilight replied, “As the goddesses of the Sun and the Moon under Faust, the Queen of the Heavens, they’re known as ‘Princesses’ as a religious title, and Celestia and Luna prefer to be called that,” she wiped some frosting from her lips, “They feel that having everypony refer to them as ‘Imperial Diarchs’ distances them too much from other ponies.” As the demon mulled this bit of information over, absently eating some of the cake Pinkie had handed her, Rarity spoke up, “Actually, I believe some proper introductions might be in order, don’t you?” “Trixie agrees,” the showmare replied as she stepped forward, “Bearers of Harmony, allow Trixie to introduce HellCaller of Kapul-uzg, Trixie’s teacher, who is very grumpy in the morning and Trixie thinks might be a bit too quick to resort to violence, and her soulblade, Kragor,” she leaned towards Twilight, “An actual living, thinking, artifact!” she squealed, before turning back to her mentor and waving at the other ponies, “HellCaller, Kragor, these are the ‘Bearers of Harmony’, representatives of some of the most powerful magic in all Equis, and the Princesses’ most obvious method of dealing with problems. First off is Rarity; a particularly vain mare, with pretentions of aristocracy, and a well-known gossip and drama queen, she is also the Element of Generosity, a talented fashion designer and seamstress, and she actually tries to live up to her ‘proper lady’ airs. Next, we have Applejack; something of a walking stereotype for farmponies, she is proud, crude, has a knee-jerk distrust of anything ‘fancy’ or ‘newfangled’ and is more stubborn than a herd of mules. The Element of Honesty is also dependable, supportive, and quite willing to work herself into exhaustion to help others. And then there is Rainbow Dash, the self-proclaimed ‘fastest flyer in Equestria’, a lazy, arrogant, impulsive, braggart and showoff, the Element of Loyalty is extremely dedicated to others, can even be altruistic, and might be as fast as she thinks she is.” “Now, over here,” Trixie continued, ignoring the annoyed glares of the first three mares, “We have Pinkamena Pie, generally known as Pinkie, the Element of Laughter is unceasingly cheerful, devoted to bringing joy to others, optimistic to an almost pathological degree, and is one of the kindest ponies you will ever met, she is also scatterbrained, and obsessed with being the center of attention,” turning to point at Fluttershy the illusionist somehow missed that everyone in the cave (excepting Kragor) had raised an eyebrow at her last statement, “And then we have Fluttershy, a former fashion model, possibly the kindest pony you will ever met, willing to give everypony the benefit of the doubt, the Element of Kindness is also well-known as a coward and … well … a doormat. And finally, we have Twilight Sparkle, the most powerful unicorn of her generation, one of the most intelligent ponies in Equestria, always willing to try the diplomatic option first, the personal student of Princess Celestia herself, and a natural leader, the Element of Magic can also be an insufferable genius, neurotic, and her social skills need work. Oh, and she is an absolutely terrible dancer.” “Yeah?” Rainbow grumbled, “Well you’re just a bigmouth who’s sore that we kicked your plot the last time we saw you!” “You did not kick Trixie’s plot!” the showmare snapped, “Twilight Sparkle bested the Great and Powerful Trixie with her superior magical knowledge and ability!” her hand shot out to point at the confused librarian. “Still, you could have phrased things a little nicer,” Fluttershy murmured. “Trixie calls them as Trixie sees them.” ‘Caller put down her empty plate and gave the assembled ponies what would have been a pleasant smile, if not for how it emphasized her fangs, “Now that Trixie has handled introductions, vhy don’t you tell us vhy you’re really here?” Twilight blinked as her ears fell, “What?” “It vas a very nice cake, but Heroes of Realm, including a bloody paladin, being sent by their God-Princesses to ‘make friends’ vith a demon? Pull other one, it has bells on it.” Pinkie tilted her head in confusion, “But you’re not wearing any bells, silly.” Trixie sighed, “Did Trixie mention that Trixie’s teacher is also a cynic who has treated Trixie’s tales of Equestria with undisguised skepticism?” “Vell, come on now, Trixie,” Kragor piped-up, “Blasting folks vith a ‘Magic Friendship Rainbow’ and making them ‘better’ is just silly, besides, it’s couldn’t be nearly as much fun as chopping off limbs and caving in chests, searing flesh vith fire or shattering bones vith lightning.” “And Kragor is quite bloodthirsty,” the illusionist added, apologetically, “Trixie also forgot to mention that.” “Really, dear,” Rarity admonished the soulblade, her muzzle wrinkling at the sword's cheerful brutality, “You could at least try to act a little more dignified.” “Dignified? Miss Rarity, I’m a sword. Most people that I meet are reeking of blood and shit, and either screaming, begging, or praying to their gods before I take them. Vhat in Abyss vould I know about ‘dignified’?” “Be that as it may,” said Twilight, with a slight shudder, “I understand that you have doubts, but we really do want to be friends. Please, just consider it?” “I think you should listen to them, ‘Caller,” Kragor advised, surprising the ponyvillians with the unexpected support, “Fluttershy vould never lie to us, and Trixie trusts Twilight completely. Besides, Luna sent them, and she’s a nice pony-lady!” HellCaller still looked unconvinced, so Twilight decided to try a different tact, “Maybe, you could come by the library tomorrow afternoon, and we could talk? Show you our good intentions? Oh, and Trixie, I have your hat and cape back at the library, as well.” The showmare blinked and started to blush, “You kept Trixie’s cape and hat?” “Of course I held on to them when you left them behind, I spent weeks trying to find you after you ran off into the Everfree!” Twilight glared at the illusionist, “Do you have any idea how reckless that was? How dangerous? How many nightmares you gave me?!” “Y-you went looking for Trixie? You were worried about Trixie?” the azure unicorn was now blushing so badly that Discord (or possibly Pinkie Pie) could have cooked an egg on her forehead, before she took a deep breathe and visibly pulled herself together “Y-yes, well the Great and Powerful Trixie is most grateful for your efforts and c-concern and would be delighted to reclaim Trixie’s effects tomorrow at your residence,” this time everyone, except Kragor and an oblivious Twilight, gave Trixie a knowing or amused look (‘Caller was outright smirking at her red-faced student), which the showmare somehow still managed to completely miss. “Vell, Trixie still has a great deal of training to do,” ‘Caller said, standing up and stacking Pinkie’s plates, “She may visit town tomorrow, if she vishes, and I … vill think about it.” Recognizing the dismissal, the six mares gathered up the party supplies and headed for the cave mouth, as they left, Rainbow paused to ask, “Hey, Trixie, we meant to ask, what made you decide to try and join the Corps?” “Join the Corps? Ah, the Great and Powerful Trixie understands,” the illusionist nodded, “It turns out that a ‘Magus’ is just a type of specially trained war wizard in HellCaller’s home Realm, Trixie was confused at first as well.” "Huh," Rainbow grunted, "Well, good luck with that, I guess."