//------------------------------// // First Night Out // Story: Demonic // by DJDemitri //------------------------------// The night was going great. Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Caleb spent the rest of the afternoon preparing decorations to Pinkie's specification. Fluttershy put up the hanging decorations up high and Pinkie baked her little heart out. Caleb, still pretending that his hoof was broken, was given the all important task of putting out snacks and punch. It was getting pretty dark by the time Pinkie's baking frenzy ceased and a plethora of sweets were mounted on the tables around a dance floor. The ecstatic pink pony ended the days work by turning off the main lights and turning on her own spotlights that illuminated the place just barley enough to see. Caleb had to ask "So miss, how many of your friend are supposed to come? I mean it's getting late and..." She threw her hoof over his mouth "One more second!" She released him and opened the back door letting in a wild haired white unicorn floating in her own sound equipment. She set up in an empty corner near the door to the kitchen. "Okay... that's one but miss Pin..." She shushed him again "one more second!" Caleb sighed in frustration, he had no idea where Fluttershy went and was less than thrilled to be apart of this party. Going from solitude to social gatherings was a chore on its own let alone having this obviously mentally sick mare throw what she would call the biggest party ever. As he collected his thoughts, the white mare that came in had set up some sort of booth and with a nod of her head gave to go ahead for Pinkie to begin. With a gleeful skip in her step she bounced to the front door and swung it open with force. "WELCOME PARTY PONIES!" To Caleb's surprise a small mob had formed out front of cheering ponies. There seemed to be more than the town could hold let alone the bakery but the surprises never ceased as they all fit comfortably inside. The white mare had spun a loud record letting all sorts of loud music play. The place went from dead to bumping withing two minutes and it was almost overwhelming for the black stallion. Caleb tried to fight his way through the newly formed crowed to the bathroom or the door or somewhere else. He pushed and moved his way through but to no avail, because a Pink pony had grabbed him around the neck "Pretty neat party right? Oh you have to meet my bestest friends they will love you!" There was no protest, he couldn't bear to be stuck in the middle of the unknown and was not going to be rude to this bi-polar creature again. However he wasn't going to pretend to like it. She seemed to navigate the crowed a lot better than he did, getting where she wanted with almost no resistance. She brought him to a table with three mares sitting around it. Two of them were in an intense arm wrestling match and the other was sitting with a file tending to her hoofature. "Hiya Rarity! Where's Twi?" The mare looked up and noticed Caleb hanging out of Pinkies grasp "She couldn't make it tonight darling, she is studying. Who's your friend?" Pinkie picked Caleb up and put him in front of Rarity "This is my friend Caleb! He's new to Ponyville." Rarity stood up and circled him like a hawk, not taking her eyes off of him. "I can see that Darling, I'm Rarity. Charmed?" She held a hoof gracefully out towards him. He took it in a gentle shake and released her. "So what happened to your hoof?" She asked. "Well, I just came into town and kinda dumbly stepped into a hole." She got in real close and started a barrage of questions "So, where'd you come from? What is it that you do? That star must mean something pretty interesting." He was dumbstruck "Well I uhhh..." She made a pouty face "Oh please share dear. I find this stuff very interesting."A thick country accent saved him from the awkward situation. "Aw Rare leave e'm alone would ya? Ya'll just met him a second ago." The country mare and her blue companion had finished their little match. "I'm Apple Jack and this is RD." Rainbow Dash looked at him "That's Rainbow Dash to you scrub." "Ya'll be nice." Rainbow pulled the same stunt as Rarity and looked him over. "You got wings kid but I bet you don't know how to use them." Caleb didn't say anything. "Ya'll leave e'm alone, he don't need to'a be roped up in ya'll's stupid challenge. That's what I'ma here for." The two girls started to bicker and Rarity continued to ask Caleb questions while Pinkie had left. "I ah... have to use the restroom..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Caleb sat in the bathroom washing his face. "This is why I am a solitary creature." "I thought you were doing pretty good making friends." Caleb jumped in fright, a voice from out of nowhere just talked. "That white one seemed to like you. I would be careful though, wouldn't want to upset that one that fixed your leg." Caleb looked around the bathroom. There wasn't really a place that anyone could hide. "Shoulder dumb dumb." Caleb looked to see Lucifer standing there. "What are you doing here?" The small man jumped to the sink. "Well I am your training officer. You get to grab your first soul today." Caleb looked back wide eyed "Now?" Lucifer looked at him and snapped his fingers. "Yes, now." A dark aura came from the little man's fingers and enveloped the black pony. Caleb startled did his best to push off the attacking black magic but to no avail. This didn't stop him from making a mess of the bathroom by knocking over shampoo bottles and the mirror as well as pulling down the shower curtains. The aura gave off a burning sensation as it covered Caleb's face and body. He was terrified, not of death but that he was being dragged back to his old position. Something he dreaded. However it dissipated and left him belly up in the tub covered in the shower curtain. He made his way to his feet and stood there feeling pretty normal. Lucifer grinned "how do you like it? I take pride in my handy work." Caleb didn't feel different and was unsure of what his boss was talking about. "I guess you need a mirror to appreciate it." He used his powers again to lift what was left of the shattered mirror. The sight only made him fall back into the tub. From what he could make his face had been swallowed in darkness aside from his eyes that glowed like fire pits, no pupils or iris, just red. He had horns sticking out of the top, in a bent back fashion. It was eerie to look at himself. "Who would ever follow such a scary figure to the afterlife?" Caleb asked. Lucifer put down the mirror again "That's the best part. Your appearance changes with every person you visit in this form." Caleb looked at Lucifer with a confused expression. "I know it may sound weird but that's why death changes in everyone's eyes. Some people expect to see god a family member or even what they interpret as death. Some souls might see that skeleton head and so fourth." Caleb nodded "So I can be anyone in this form?" Lucifer nodded back "Not up to you who you become, but yes. You can turn back into your mortal form when we are done, for now we must go. I still have to show you the ropes of the job." Caleb put his hoof on the door handle "wait! I cant go out there, not like this." Lucifer hopped onto his back. "It's fine. Only those who have passed or are about to may see you." Caleb walked out into the mob. None of the ponies seemed to notice his presence. If anything they seemed to let him pass without any resistance like Pinkie did earlier. He walked out the front into a cool night. "Alright kid take off." Caleb stood there "I've never flown with wings, how am I supposed to do that?" "Just try it. Jump and flap." Caleb took Lucifer by his word and jumped and flapped. The first thing he realized was that he had no control and secondly that he was moving faster then anything he has ever seen. The landscape blurred past as his wings did what they did. Lucifer, griping at his fur yelled into his ear "I made it that so the wings would take you to any souls that need your attention. This way you don't have to waste time learning to fly on the job." Caleb was in love with flight. He felt free and fast and that nothing would stop him... until the ground getting closed snapped him out of it. He braced for impact only to find that he hovered two inches from the dirt. "Don't want you to crash either." Lucifer said from his spot. "Now, this can be a little tricky to find the soul. If they realize they died they are usually distraught or panicky but on the other hand they may not realize they died and could just be blending in." Caleb looked back at the little man. "There really isn't any other way to tell?" Lucifer nodded. "Other than they notice you, no." Caleb took a deep breath "I can't believe I'm about to take a life." Lucifer cleared his throat. "Guiding, you guide the soul not take it." Caleb nodded and looked around. He was on a farm, secluded from the town. The night sky was in full view and the moon illuminated the entire field. It was quite and quite... "It's breathtaking." Lucifer agreed "I know, the night sky is always the best, in almost any world." Caleb when back to walking around aimlessly around the fields. "How am I supposed to find anyone? There is literally nobody out here?" There was no help from the dark lord on his back as he came to the realization that there wouldn't be anyone out in a field this late. "Farmhouse, got it. Thank's for the help." Lucifer just gave a slight yup from his back. "Are you reading rather than helping me?" Again his question was met with a half assed yup. Making their way to the farmhouse they were hit with a drizzle of rain. "What the hell? The sky is clear." Looking up a few pegasai moved dark clouds in the way of the stars. "I have so much to learn about this world." That moment an apple struck him across the head with a resounding force. "What the..." an angry looking green mare who looked older then the world itself stood on the porch with a couple apples ready to throw. "What do ya'll think yer doin on mya property!" she yelled. "Hey, I think I found her."