Sympathy For The Devil

by Closer-To-The-Sun


Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction


Applebloom looked at the building. Had this strange place always been here in Ponyville? She could have sworn that this place was a vacant lot just a few days ago, the same lot that she and the Crusaders would play in, right near the Carousel Boutique. Well, whether it had always been there or not, Applebloom took note of one sign in the window: help wanted.


She admitted, it looked a little spooky. “Come on, Applebloom, it’s jus’ a store. Jus’ like any other in Ponyville,” she gave herself a little pep talk before opening the door. A small bell rang.


Inside, it looked as if the shop and the items on the shelves had been there since the beginning of Equestria, maybe even before that. Strange items littered the store, each one with dust covering it. Applebloom seemed to take in each and every item as she slowly moved. She saw a large gem of some sort that was glowing on it’s own accord sitting on a shelf, and not too far from that was a vial of some odd liquid that gave a strange smell. She looked forward to the counter in the back and saw an item that grabbed her attention.


As the yellow pony neared, she saw that this item was a chicken talon resting on the countertop. It looked freshly taken from the animal. She raised a hoof to touch it, but was interrupted by a voice.


“Greetings, Applebloom,” a figure seemingly to rise from behind the counter.


Applebloom was shocked as she jumped back and bumped into a dangerously stacked shelf, almost knocking it down. She turned to steady the shelf from falling before turning her attention back to the mysterious figure.


Upon further examination, she saw that it was an earth pony stallion. He had a creamy white coat with a golden-colored mane. He wore a black coat with spilt tails at the end of it, which almost seemed to be a permanent fixture to him. As for his eyes, they were a bold red and they looked as if they could pierce through anything but just looking hard enough.


“Oh, do forgive me. I’m terribly bad at making introduction,” the stallion apologized in a gentle yet powerful voice, “Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a stallion of wealth and taste. My name is Morning Star, and I’m the proprietor of this little shop.”


The little filly was still shaking, “How….How’d ya know mah name?”


“I guessed,” he jested with a slight chuckle.


Applebloom was too scared to push the topic any further. Instead, her eyes lowered down to see the chicken talon again. Morning Star saw this.


“Ah, you seem to have taken interest in one of my products,” he picked up the talon with his hoof and raised it up, “This here is an enchanted chicken talon. As you see, it has three of it’s claws extended, which means you are given three wishes. Anything you happen to desire. Money, fame, love, anything. Of course, it comes at a great price. For each wish you make, there are consequences you must live with.” While his voice and expression turned stern, he then smiled back to Applebloom as he finished, “But then again, what’s a little price to pay for anything you want?”


The description alone brought fear to the little pony. “Ah….uh….ah don’t really think ah need somethin’ like that.”


“Are you sure?” Morning Star spoke with a slight singing tone to his voice, “My dear little filly, it can be anything you happen to desire.”


“But ah came in….ah came in ta ask ‘bout the help wanted sign,” Applebloom nervously stated her intentions.


Morning Star’s face had a devious smile appear on it, “Oh, excellent! You know, I was worrying that nopony was going to take me up on that offer. Anyway, back to the task at hoof.” He trotted around the counter and near Applebloom as he started to talk. “As you see, I run a shop that sells various knickknacks and do-dads. Items from all across Equestria, and beyond. Now, little Applebloom, I need to ask you a few questions, why do you want to work here?”


Applebloom started to fumble with her words. She didn’t make eye contact with Morning Star, fearing that looking at him would cause something to happen to her, “Well, mah sister told me that ah should….should look ‘bout gettin’ a part-time job while we’re off applebuckin’ season. A-An’ a-ah saw that sign in the window askin’ fer some help.”


The stallion rubbed his chin as he listened and analyzed the pony before him. “I see….do you happen to have any experience in retail?”


“No,” the pony admitted, “not really.”


“It’s okay,” he smiled, “neither do I. In fact, I’m actually trained as a lawyer, but enough about me. I do like your honesty, and because of that, I will hire you.” With a bright almost fiery flash, a piece of parchment and a quill appeared in Morning Star’s hooves, “All I need is for you to sign right on the dotted line.”


Applebloom looked at the document. It was written in some sort of language that she had never seen before. It also looked as if was written in some sort of odd ink and it had an odd, burnt smell to it. “Excuse me, Mr. Morning Star, but what do I have to sign this? It’s just a job right?”


“Yes, but this is just a contract saying that you’ll be working part time here in my shop, helping with various tasks an-“ Morning Star cut himself off after he looked closer at the document, “Oops, wait a minute. This is the wrong contract. This one is to sell your soul for musical talent. Unless you want that?” He looked at Applebloom who shook her head in puzzlement and fear, “Suit yourself.” In a fiery flash, the contract was gone and a new one appeared. “Ah, here we go, this is the contract for working at my shop. The fine print states that you will be working here part time, assisting with various tasks such as cleaning, restocking, helping customers, and the like. Just need you to sign.”


The document looked no different from the previous one, but Applebloom wasn’t one to judge a language she had never seen before. She signed her name with the quill, which looked more like a scribble with a crayon on a coloring page than a signature on a document.


With a poof, the document was gone. The burnt smell lingered. Morning Star reached his hoof out, “Welcome aboard Miss Applebloom, welcome to Tchort’s Trinkets.”


Applebloom shook his hoof with a small smile, “Thank ya. One question though, why did ya insist ah sign a contract?”


“Well, it’s a bit of how I do business. It started long ago. Really long ago. I like to have guidelines to show the person what the arrangement is. Usually so they can’t say that I never told them the rules. And believe me, I’ve done this for a quite a long time with a long of individuals. Johann Faust, Edmond Dantes, Ai Enma, both Tommy Johnson and Robert Johnson, Montgomery Burns, Giuseppe Tartini. Dorian Gray, Led Zeppelin. Well, all of Zeppelin expect John Paul Jones. He refused to sign anything….”


“Uh….Mr. Morning Star?” Applebloom tried to bring him back to his point.


“Right, right, sorry. Sometimes I get held up on little details. But to make a very long story short, let me tell you I’ve been around for a long time and I’m looking to cause some chaos here and there.”


“Chaos?” Applebloom paused before he continued, “Ya mean like Discord?”


This seemed to humor Morning Star, “Oh my sweet filly, Discord doesn’t hang around crossroads, waiting for individuals to sell their souls. Discord doesn’t have others sign contracts that are heavily in his favor, demanding them to be in his service. And Discord never rebelled against his father and was cast out to reign in his own realm. Besides, he’s nothing more than a nuisance. He should try being a master of evil, like myself.”


Applebloom’s face was puzzled at the word, “Evil?”


“Did I not mention that? I’m the embodiment of wickedness and malevolence,” Morning Star smirked, “And now, you work for me.”