//------------------------------// // I Live. I Die. I Live Again. // Story: On My Honor // by Honored Service //------------------------------// Honor Above All Else Chapter 27 By Honored Service I Live. I Die. I Live Again. Princess Luna stood on her balcony looking out at the deep valley of Equestria below her. In the distance, if she looked and focused, she could make out the quaint little town of Ponyville. Luna sighed and hung her head as the moon crested over the horizon and made its way to its normal spot in the sky. Oh Honored. Luna thought sadly, thinking to his empty home on the outskirts of the town. In the week Luna had been back, she was wrought with depression and despair at any thought or mention of the missing human. Luna thankfully had Celestia and Discord to help her through the rough times ahead. Her new found love, only just beginning and full of sweet innocence, had been stripped away from her before she had even gotten a chance to thoroughly enjoy it. Discord had been surprisingly helpful in taking care of her, his normal pranking and shenanigans abandoned while she mourned, but in a way, he to was missing the rambunctious human that had trusted him even after all the things he had done. Celestia seemed to be less full of energy through the day as she walked along the maze like halls of the Canterlot Castle. She turned her head to the thing rolling beside her, “Tune what do you think about the new taxation proposal by the Crystal Empire?” Celestia asked the large robotic weapon system. With Honored gone, presumably dead, Tune transferred his service to the royal princess who Honored deemed responsible enough to command him. “I’m sorry princess,” Tune’s voice came out slowly, almost as if he was saddened by the recent turn of events, “I am just busy processing other things at the moment.” “I know Tune.” Celestia said looking out the nearest window and seeing her sister staring out across the valley beneath them, “we all are.” “Okay okay okay. I get it. I get the rules. I get the requirements. I get it, really I do.” Honored said pacing back and forth in front of the large red desk resting in the center of the large circular room covered in demonic symbols, ancient tomes, and scrolls scattered everywhere. Honored Service, the mortal human, now was the lone guardian of the damned. It was his job to oversee the keeping of Tartarus. The most wicked and evil creatures the Underworld had to offer were under his ever watchful eyes. “Sorry sir, it's just that we need to go over the summoning rituals before the end of today to insure that you are aware of the full extent of your duties.” A small demon said in a hurried, quiet voice. Unlike most demons found throughout the Underworld this one was… special. She had always been special. For she was the demon of organization. A new demon in this time of the Underworld and the advancing society above. She forced those around the world to stay on task and organized, never late to meetings and appointments, forever ensuring that nothing fun ever happened so long as the day planners had free space in them. The demon of structured office hours and meetings. Maybe the worst of them the evil creatures in Hell. “Listen Dona,” Honored said pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing, stopping his pacing in front of his large desk, “I know very well that it can wait until I go to the surface and see my friends. I am almost one hundred percent sure that they are freaking out about me being dead. They have had a few days to wait on me to come back from the battle with Hades and I’m sure they are missing me to some extent.” The new ruler of Tartarus said looking up to the floating demon secretary. Said demon was busy flipping through pages in her black day planner before looking up and adjusting her thick rimmed glasses before straightening her white blouse. “Actually sir,” Dona the demon said while opening the planner to a week ahead and showing it for the frustrated human, “It has been a week for them, only two days for you down here in Tartarus.” Honored stopped pacing and slowly stretched his black wings, now after his interaction with the flame of immortality, had became a physical appendage. Both of the normally smokey black fog like wings had now manifested themselves into two black glossy feathered wings that stretched out past the human’s back. Honored gently stoked one of the wings, trying to calm himself at the recent news. “Dona?” “Yes sir?” The secretary demon said quietly as Honored looked at the demon with a thousand yard stare. “CANCEL MY DAMN APPOINTMENTS!” Honored yelled at her, sending the demon flying out of his office. He aimed his gauntlet at the door to his circular chamber and slammed it shut. Honored spun towards one of the few prison cells along the walls of his office where the extremely dangerous, but still relatively sane, members of Tartarus were kept. “Alright. Knowing that useful bit of information, what would you do in my position. Besides your normal suggestions.” Honored asked the prison cell that was glowing in a deep purple ambient magic spell that had different ancient and powerful ruins glistening across its surface, keeping the prisoner detained within for the rest of known eternity. “Well taking over Equestria would solve the whole travel to and from aspect.” The deep, cool, and calm voice said with a hint of cockness. “But I guess just head up and explain to them everything. Your job. Your new title. Your new powers and perks. Just let them know what's up.” Honored paused and rubbed a hand over his stubble covered chin. “Hmmmm. Good idea. Thanks for the help. Okay you read over the newest batch of proposals for release and I’ll look at the ones you approve when I get back.” “Of course ‘Warden’.” “Good Nightmare.” Honored smirked at the cloud of floating black magic that had two teal colored reptilian slit eyes. The cloud bobbed in acknowledgment while a pile of papers appeared inside the cell and the cloud descended on the stack to begin reading over tem. Honored checked over the holding spells and rune magic one last time around the cells in the room before stepping out of his office and into the large waiting area. Dona the demon secretary cringed back at her desk as the human turned Demon God exited his office and closed the door. Honored looked at the full length mirror he kept beside his door giving himself a once over. His same brown hair with red, yellow, and orange streaks in it was still relatively unchanged. Upon closer inspection, one would notice two small bumps forming on the top of the human’s head. Dona had filled Honored in on his soon to be permanent changes to his physical appearance. One would be the two horns forming on his head. She couldn't say what kind as each demon was randomly given them. Moving down Honored smiled at his face. Except for the new scars, his face had remained unchanged. Same green eyes with gold flecks of color in them, and his smile still could bring happiness and the feeling of safety to others. His new feathered wings were a change in the fact that now they were physical and not just void magic wings. The black glossy feathers gave off a light shine in the dim torch light of the outer office. He folded them closed along his back and adjusted the white button down shirt he was wearing. Simple, yet it spoke much. Or so the human thought. His wings vanished under the deep , blood red cape he wore over them, to hide them and protect them until they were needed. The cape had a few rips and tears in it, while the bottom edge was already fringed and roughly sliced up towards the right side giving it a triangular shape along his lower back. Honored wore simple light black pants that reached down towards his shiny black shoes that hugged his feet perfectly. Honored grinned at the reflection in the mirror and gave it a wink. “Hey good looking.” He reached up to a hook beside the mirror and picked up a large black leather belt and fixed it along his waist. On the belt was only one weapon, the Element of Protection in all of its deadly sword form. Honored gripped the hilt and started to pull it out. He stopped halfway out of the sheath when he felt it begin to vibrate with ambient magic from his void. He dropped it back into its brown sheath and turned to face Dona.  “Dona I’m stepping out for a bit. Take any messages. I’ll leave you to it.” Honored grunted to the secretary who nodded rapidly as Honored summoned void magic into his gauntlet and slammed it to the ground. Around the crouched human, a massive rune formed on the ground, a large nine pointed star with extremely detailed glyphs and smaller runes all along its lines began to glow a bright purple with the void magic as it pulsed almost like a heartbeat was coursing it full of blood. Honored looked up to the secretary and gave a smile as the rune flashed brightly and plucked the human from the plane of Tartarus and willed him away towards his destination. “Thank the Devil.” Dona said shivering as she thought of the human. He was nicer than Hades, but he kind of scared her more than the old ruler. For one he was a human that had bested the nine layers of the Underworld and their nine demon rulers. Then he conquered Hades and his guard manifestation Cerberus. He was in a sense beyond what Hades had been in raw power. And is many lessons going over his new duties and responsibilities on being the new God of Tartarus, Dona had witnessed his power. It was frightening. Dona shivered again and went back to typing on her Hell© computer, lining up the next week’s scheduled meetings and required visits. SHHHH-WHAP “Oh fuck… that’s a new feeling.” Honored said while shaking his head. His vision was slowly returning to him as he stopped moving and just continued to shake his head. “Okay no more opening eyes in the teleportation plane tunnel thing.” Honored remembered the bright, very bright, white tunnel that sucked him through the rune and deposited him back in Equestria. With a final shake Honored smiled at his old home and noticed the large hole in the wall currently covered by a blue tarp. The rune the group had originally took to the Underworld was still somewhat placed on the ground, but parts of it had been removed to insure no one else would try and recreate their dangerous journey. “Honored?” A startled voice sounded out behind the human. Honored jumped into the air, his wings shooting out behind him in shock. He spun around to find the rainbow maned speedster, Rainbow Dash, staring at him from a cloud over him. Honored calmed down and slowly managed to get his wings to fold away while the pegasus flew down towards the human. “Is that you?” “Yeah its me!” Honored exclaimed with a flourish of his hands, “who else would it be?” “Well I mean… It's just that you look kinda different.” Rainbow said somewhat quietly while looking the human up and down. “And you were like gone for a week of something. So a lot of ponies were saying you were dead.” She added the last part with a gulp of fear. “Are you dead? Like a ghost or something?” Honored stared at the pegasus for a few seconds before reaching out and giving her a light ‘boop’ on the nose. Rainbow recoiled from the hit and held her hooves up to her nose. “Hey! Mwhat was dat for?” She asked around her hooves. “If I was a ghost how could I have touched you? Duh.” He said with a laugh while walking towards the house. “I was gone, yes, but I’m back now. Well for a little bit at least.” He walked up towards the house and opened the door looking around at the slightly dusty, but otherwise unchanged home. “Why only for a little bit?” Rainbow asked stepping into the home after the human. “Because,” Honored turned around, smiling wide at the pegasus, “Tartarus has a new ruler!” “OhnoOhnoOhnoOhnoOhnoOhnoOhno.” Rainbow Dash said streaking through the air as fast as she safely could towards the large crystal castle library along the edge of Ponyville. “TWILIGHT!” She yelled out as she closed in on her destination. Rainbow burst through the door and shot around the foyer and into the large meeting room like a wild pinball. She looked around desperately for the purple alicorn, sweat beading on her forehead as she scrambled around in panic. “Rainbow?” Twilight asked stepping out from the library section of the castle and eyed the freaking out pegasus. “What’s wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost.” “A demon!” Rainbow yelled, grabbing Twilight and pulling her face against her own. “What?” Twilight began looking around wildly as well, more to see if she was getting set up for a prank. “Not a ghost but a demon. Honored… he’s back and is a demon. He has black wings and lots of magic and a scary look to his eyes now.” Twilight cocked her head and sighed, “Dash, he has always had those things.” “He said he was the ruler of Tartarus, its king or something.” The rainbow maned pegasus said looking towards the door. “Oh.” Twilight said sadly. “Well looks like we need to investigate this.” Twilight spun around and headed towards the door, “Rainbow you get AJ and Fluttershy and I’ll get the others. Lets meet in the center of town in five minutes.” “On it!” Rainbow Dash said while giving a salute and raced out of the shiny castle and towards the distant farm on the other side of Ponyville. “Oh please don’t be an evil demon.” Twilight said to herself as she galloped through the town towards Rarity’s boutique. She thought long and hard about that while she galloped, “demons are evil. Ah crap.” She said quoting the human. She looked around to make sure that nopony had heard her say that. Rarity certainly wouldn't approve. “Well at least they left most of my stuff alone.” Honored said looking around the slightly bare basement. “But I wish they hadn’t cleaned out my basement.” He grumbled while walking up from the old armory. From the largest, high caliber rifle to the smallest itty-bitty bullet, everything had been taken from the impressive armory. Honored noticed that all the armor and weapon lockers were still empty. At least Luna, Celestia, Discord and Rose kept everything. Rose. Honored stopped at the top of the stairs and leaned against the wall. “Oh man, how could I have forgotten about that.” The evil trick of Treachery that had ended Night Rose’s life played back constantly in Honored’s mind. He had sent them away as soon as she had been harmed. Maybe they had gotten her back in time to be healed. Luna was gifted in healing magic. Honored needed to check up on her, and if the worst had happened he needed to make sure that he compensated her family. Although he didn't know if she had any family because she was so closed off and secretive. “Honored if you are in there you need to come out with your demon arms up!” A loud voice yelled out from the front yard. “Da faqu?” Honored said walking towards the window. Twilight was standing on his front yard with the rest of the mane six all standing behind her with serious looks plastered on their faces. Well except for Fluttershy who was even paler than normal and hiding behind Applejack who was holding a… oh shit where hell did she get the shotgun magic caster from! Honored thought staring at the cowpony wielding the appropriate weapon. Suddenly the empty armory made a lot of sense. She had an entire crossed bandoleer around her chest of glowing green shells that were obviously crafted with magical use for the weapon in mind. Honored slowly opened the door and stepped out. “Okay let's all take a deep breath and just relax.” He said calmly while stepping fully into the open. “Take out your sword and drop it on the ground.” Twilight command to the human who cocked his head to the side and gave her the ‘you fucking kidding me’ look. “NOW!” She yelled back at his expression. A gently breeze blew over the yard and Honored’s cape flapped slightly in the wind as the standoff continued. “I don't think that will be a good idea.” He said slowly placing his hands on the hilt of the sword, the blade instantly beginning to shake violently in his closed palm.   “Do it Honored or we will make you.” She said while gulping as the others tensed up. Twilight and Rarity’s horns began to glow with magic. “Fine. I did warn you.” Honored said drawing the sword of Protection. The blade came out with a metallic ‘shink’ that caused all the ponies to back up slightly. Honored held it before the blade exploded in his hand. The hilt dropped out and expanded to nearly three feet long while the blade increased to nearly six feet long. One side of the shiny blade blade began to glow with a purple and black combination of void and demon magic as the blade became serrated and started to move around rapidly producing the sound of dull screeching metal. Honored spun the chainsaw sword of Protection around holding it to his side as a burning black flame came alive in the center of the crossguard above the hilt. Twilight and Rarity scrunched their faces in agony at the brightly glowing flame of immortality, Honored’s new source of his demon power. Applejack noticed the pain her friends were in and sat back on her haunches and flipped the magical caster shotgun around her hooves before leveling it at the demonized human before her. She squinted her eyes and using a little bit of ambient magic around her hooves, squeezed the trigger, imagining the way the Honored’s fingers worked it. BAM BAM Two glowing green trails of magic launched themselves from the two sawed off barrels of the weapon and twisted through the air, flying straight towards the group’s old friend. Honored looked in shock at the incoming projectiles and immediately flipped to the side while using his transformed blade as a pole vault and shot himself into the air. He opened his wings as he flipped through the air, the magical slugs tearing into the front door of his home. BOOM Honored visibly cringed as the front door and most of the area around it vanished in a large green explosion that rocked the surrounding area. The explosion snapped the rest of the ponies snapped out of their trance and sprung into action. “Please! Wait!” Honored yelled as Rainbow Dash dropped towards the human and slammed her back hooves into Honored’s gut, sending the human towards the ground. Pinkie Pie slammed a blue cannon forward in front of her right as Honored neared the ground before her. She grinned and pulled the firing cord that fired the impromptu cannon as Honored landed right in front of it. BLAST-pfft Honored was then launched sideways across the yard with a trail of confetti trailing behind him. He tumbled through the air before being caught in a blue aura of magic. “Thank you Rarity I-” He started to say before he was flung up into the air where he was blinded by a flash of three diamonds and was spun rapidly around and around, getting tied up in a magic weave of fabric conjured by the seamstress. “GUYS PLEASE!” Honored shouted as he hit the ground and rolled. He slowly rose back to his feet to see Applejack flick the shotgun open, sending the two empty shells out and tossed two shells into the air, catching them in the open shotgun. Honored sighed as the process was about to repeat itself again. “Again!” Twilight yelled, summoning magic into her horn and blasted a wave magic energy at the demonic human. The blast struck the human dead center, blasting the warrior away. Well it should have, but Twilight was beyond shocked that when the magically created smoke blew away, the human was standing just as he had been, the sword in front of himself, the moving blade still sawing away. Honored looked angrily at the group while slowly bringing the weapon to his side. “What do we do now Twi?” Applejack asked the relatively new princess as the human just stared at them, waiting for them to make a move. “We need to activate the Elements of Harmony… but I don't understand why they haven't began to at least start to power us.” Twilight said in a confused manner. “Maybe because I’m not trying to fight back or that I’m not an evil bad guy!” Honored said through gritted teeth. “Ohhhhhh.” All the ponies gathered said at the same time. They all quickly looked to the battle torn front yard and the destroyed entrance to Honored’s home. As they all looked, a large section of wall fell down in a puff of dust and dirt. “Ah hehe. Whoops.” Applejack said while slowly placing the sawed off shotgun on the ground and and stepping back from the weapon. “Twi and Rarity just looked like they were in pain. I thought you were doing it to them.” Applejack admitted while hanging her head. “We were.” Twilight said stepping forward. “We were experiencing a magical source overload, otherwise known as a MSO. An MSO is when something that has a strong magical signature overloads or distorts a unicorn’s own magical signature.” Rarity nodded in agreement while lifting a hoof towards Honored’s still moving chainsaw sword weapon. “It was when you pulled out the wicked thing.” The alabaster unicorn said while eyeing the weapon carefully. “Oh. Well that's from the magic in the blade.” Honored said while sending a quick burst of magic into the blade and the sawlike edge stopped spinning and went still. He turned the blade to the side and the ponies noticed that the burning black flame in the crossguard also dimmed as the weapon transformed. “That is the flame of immortality, the source of my new demon powers.” “Demon powers?” Twilight asked looking to the human who smiled while flipping the sword around in his hand as it shrank back to its normal size. He sheathed the blade at his waist and smiled. “Yup. I’m a demon now. Well technically the new demon God of Tartarus since I killed Hades, the old ruler of Tartarus.” He said while adjusting his cape and reaching behind his back and pulling out a small silver flask. He popped the top and took a quick pull from the flask and stuck it back into his back pocket. The ponies just stared at him. “What? The job is stressful.” “Job?” They all asked simultaneously. “Oh yeah. So I guess I got a lot to catch y’all up on.” Honored stepped to the side and gestured for the group to enter the house. They all walked past the human and towards his living room through the destroyed hole in the wall. “So I guess I’ll start at the beginning.” “And then I had to sit through the Underworld sexual harassment policy meeting, and let me tell you that was the biggest waste of time I’ve ever experienced.” Honored said while leaning back and kicking his legs out on the coffee table in his living room. “But besides the new wings and power, nothing much has changed. Well time moves slower down there so only two or three days has passed and I have to basically hold every demon’s hand when it comes to looking out for the bad guys.” “So what are you going to do?” Twilight said, holding out parchment and a quill. Since the beginning of Honored’s story she had been taking painstakingly accurate notes on everything claiming this was, “Good enough for the history books.” “What? Oh I’m changing the way the evil bad guys are processed and released.” “RELEASED?!?!” The group shouted at the human who cringed under the intense volume. “What do you mean releasing those evil guys.” Applejack said glaring at Honored. “They are down there for a reason.” “Okay that came out wrong, I get it. What I mean is that after I deem them worthy of not being totally evil, I’ll assign them a job in Tartarus, or lend them out to the other layers of the Underworld. They won't get to leave the Underworld,  they lost that chance, but now they can at least work, better themselves, and then obtain some kind of freedom for themselves.” Honored explained while reaching into his pocket and drawing out a list of red names. “See here are a few that have been in their holding cells for the last three millennium and have not tried to escape, revolt, murder, or other evil things. Once I get back, I will look at them, talk to them, and decide on what level they would be allowed out too.” Honored gave a sad smile at the list before tucking it away, “everyone deserves a second chance to some degree.” The ponies thought on his words and Fluttershy spoke up. “I think that is a wonderful idea Honored. You might actually change that bad place for the better.” “That's the plan!” He said happily while standing up. “Now my friends I believe that I have a princess to prank.” With a flourish and a bow, Honored bid farewell to the girls and exited the house. “Oh and Applejack,” He said from the front opening where the door had been, “I expect this wall to be fixed by the time I get back or I’ll take you and all your loves one down to the deepest pits of Tartarus to spend an entire day in the agony pit while the fire and brimstone rain pounds away on your flesh nonstop cooking you into a delicious pony steak.” The ponies all gasped and stared at him in shock. Honored doubled over laughing and wiped a tear from his eye. “Jeez lighten up y’all. I’m a demon but christ. Fix the wall and you can keep the magical shotgun you borrowed.” Honored left the still recovering ponies as he chuckled to himself. He launched himself into the air with a mighty flap of his wings and flew towards the far of city of Canterlot. He had a grand entry to make. “Next the court will hear the land dispute between Frosted Tips and Humble Pie.” The court manager spoke aloud as Celestia sat on her throne with a bored expression on her face. She didn't try to hide her rolling eyes as the tan unicorn with a brown mane that had frosted tips along its edges stepped forward. “Your royal highness, I stand before you on bended knees,” the pony coughed loudly and a servant obviously belonging to the pompous douche, ran forward and brushed the ground off before him and laid a small towel down that Frosted Tips slowly kneeled down on, “because that monster had the absolute audacity to stand about and loiter in front of my fine establishment.” Frosted Tips pointed a hoof accusingly towards a small white mare with a light gray mane. She lowered her head in shame and let out a sob. “I was just trying to sell my flower wreaths.” Humble Pie said quietly, “I meant no harm or disruption of his business.” Celestia was screaming within her head to have this buffoon Tips brought out and executed for wasting of the court’s time for this petty nonsense. If only Honored ran the court. Celestia thought before forcing the thought from her mind. If that was the case there would be heads on pikes and - Celestia shook her head as something sounded off in the distance. “What?” She asked aloud as the guards and spectators of the court all began to look around for the source of the growing noise. It began to get louder and louder, as confusion took over the throne room. “No.” Celestia whispered to herself as the noise got progressively louder and louder. “That is impossible.” “Your highness?” The guard nearest to the throne broke his stoic position and turned towards her, “what is that?” Before Celestia could say another word to the startled guards and ponies in the room, the sunlight pouring through the decorative stained glass windows vanished and the room became dark and eerie. The torches covering the wall, which were only lit for Night Court, sprang to life, but with a blood red fire that casted dark menacing shadows along the walls and ground, sending ponies scattering towards the exits. Celestia stared in shock as the room began to shake and her throne began to tremble with the rest of the room. In the center of the court’s floor, long jagged cracks began to appear shattering the air with loud sound of splitting stone. Blood red light fired up form the cracks as they began to crumble and fall inward, sending a torrent of ash and flames into the room. Celestia’s eyes grew as wide as dinner plates and her jaw dropped as a creature slowly lifted itself from the fissure in the ground. With slow, steady, powerful flaps of its black feathered wings, the creature flew into the air as ash, flames, and smoke poured forth from the crevice in the ground it had emerged from. The creature spun in the air till it was facing Celestia and she still stared in shock as the creature gave her a toothy grin before snapping its fingers. The crack in the ground that was still pouring smoke and fire suddenly vanished and sealed, taking the smoke with it. The demon dropped to the ground and reached up and adjusted the small crown that rested just behind two small red bumps beginning to form on either side of it head. A few ever glistening fire rubies rested around the crown along with a small black burning flame that flickered menacingly atop the crown. A red cape fluttered behind the creature as the light slowly returned to the room, and the ponies all began to slowly settle down as Celestia stared at the creature before her. The room was dead silent as Celestia just stared in awe at the human turned demon before her. Honored Service was dead. For at least the third time he had died and now here he was, standing before her with what she assumed to be Hades’ flame of immortality resting upon his head. “Honored?” She asked quietly once she was sure that she wasn't living inside some kind of dream world. “The one and only! Really it's Sir Lord Demon King of Tartarus Honored Service, but do you know how hard it is to get business cards made in Hell?” The human said and suddenly there was a ‘poof’ and a flying small demon that wore a white blouse and black skirt appeared beside the human. “Honored, your three o’clock is here to discuss the replacement of layers three, five, and seven.” The demon said while flicking through a surprisingly thick day planner notebook. Honored held a finger up to Celestia and turned to face the demon hovering beside him. “Dona. I am in a meeting right now.” He said through gritted teeth. “Um yes…” She said while opening the planner again and flipping through it. “Yes, but I’m sorry to say that I don't have any mention of a meeting with Princess Celestia within the next week in here.” The demon said, not looking up to see the Demon King smoldering with anger. “CANCEL THE DAMN APPOINTMENT AND MEETINGS DONA! I’LL BE BACK IN A FEW HOURS!” The demon Honored Service screamed, launching the demon across the court and and into a small black portal that opened up and swallowed her up, casting her back to her Hell, the office. “Terribly sorry about that Princess C. Tight schedule and all that.” Honored said while readjusting the crown on his head. “You weren't kidding, this thing sure does weigh a lot.” For the first time in a week, Celestia threw her head back and released a loud laugh as the Demon King Honored Service smiled and began to laugh as well. “Honored?!” A questioning yell sounded out. Honored’s laughter died out and he slowly turned to see the throne room doors were opened and a lone figure standing in between them. “Luna!” Honored yelled and opened his arms, “I’m not dead!” A look of pure anger flashed across Luna’s face and she spread her legs every so slightly, lowering her head just a bit, hardly noticeable to the human across the room. The ponies acting as the court spectators noticed, as did Princess Celestia. “Ummmm that concludes today’s day court, everypony out!” Princess Celestia yelled quickly as literally everypony in the throne room vanished out of every exit and opening in the room. “Hehe, ah didn't you hear me Luna, I’m not dead.” Honored said, spreading his arms again. He took a nervous gulp and tried to give the dark alicorn a smile. She did not return it. “You will be.” Luna growled and launched herself across the room at such speeds that even Rainbow Dash would have dropped her jaw at. “Not again.” Honored groaned as he closed his eyes and braced for impact. The resounding scream could be heard for miles around Canterlot. The Royal Guards still tell the tale of the ear shattering, soul draining, heart stopping buck that was delivered to the Demon King by the Princess of the Night. Some of the oldest guards even say that one could see the Demon King flying through the air from the throne room before a dark alicorn raced after it and kicked it again back towards the castle. Honored slammed through the roof of the throne room and impacted the ground in a cloud of dust and shattered cobblestone. He groaned and stood up, cracking his neck as he did so. “Okay. Good lovetap dear.” He said turning to face the alicorn that was screaming through the air back towards him. “I believe that it is my turn now.” He said while leaning back and holding his gauntlet out. As Luna pulled her front hoof back for a devastating flying cold knockout punch, Honored side stepped, snagged a hold of her ethereal mane, and spun her around, releasing the enraged alicorn sideways towards the far wall of the throne room. Luna realized too late what had happened and smashed into the stone wall with an earth shaking hit. She slid towards the floor in a rain of broken stone and smashed carvings. Luna turned to see the human standing before her, feathered black wings extended and a smile on his face but fire in his eyes. The flame above the crown was burning larger and brighter and a black and purple void magic was surrounding his gauntlet. “Now I’ll give you at least four percent power.” He said with that cocky smile that Luna loved to see when used on anypony else, but the fact it was directed at her, caused her to see red and she summoned her battle sword and M240B machine gun. “RAHHHHH!” She screamed while diving towards the human. The machine gun let out a long burst of bullets that ripped the ground and surrounding area around Honored to pieces as he dipped around them. Luna noticed that he was much faster. More agile than before. And even then that had been fast, but this level of speed and reflexes… it was beyond any mortal’s doing. Honored continued to simply weave around the bullets, the alicorn growling in anger as the Demon King wove his way in closer to her, while knocking bullets to the side with his void magic held in front of his gauntlet. He smirked as he finally danced his way within range of Luna’s battle sword that was made of pure onyx and was as sharp as obsidian. It was as black as a pure night’s sky and seemed to glint with Luna’s anger and frustration at the human. The blade sliced through the air and passed harmlessly beside the human who was using nothing but defensive tactics as he battled his loved one. The black blade swished back and forth rapidly, in speeds that Celestia had never seen before as Honored leaned left and right, the blade whistling through the air. Luna yelled in frustration, and slammed the machine gun forward, like a battering ram, and the butstock of the weapon caught the human in the gut as he dodged a sword attack and sent him flying backwards. He stabilized himself mid air with a flap of his wings and tried to dodge the next attack, but failed to see the belt of 7.62 bullets shot out of Luna’s magical hold and wrapped themselves around his neck. Honored struggled to get himself free of the noose made of shiny rounds, but Luna whipped him up into the air and slammed the human down to the solid stone ground, using the bullets as a whip while then picking him up and releasing him at the wall across the throne room. WHAM- CRASH Honored slammed through a stained glass window and out into the garden behind the throne room of the palace. The human bounced and skidded across the dirt and grass before slamming into a large fountain with a splash and crack as the marble shattered and water poured all over the now soggy and muddy demon. Honored coughed and sputtered as he slowly rose to his feet and flapped his wings, shaking of the mud and chunks of dirt that had gotten stuck between the feathers. Honored reached down as Luna stood in the shattered window to observe the harmed human. Honored drew his sword and let the magic run through the blade and shift it. Rather than turning into its sword-saw form, the blade flipped around and slammed backwards into his shoulder, his arms gripping the weapon in a long musket form. The golden blade was a five foot long musket with a foot long triangular bayonet on its end. Honored summoned his void magic and took aim down the barrel of the weapon before pulling the trigger at the alicorn standing just behind the remains of the stained glass window. Luna gasped and dove down as the purple blast of magic coming from the weapon smashed through the remains of the window and forced her to take cover as the rain of stone crashed around her. He has learned some new tricks. Luna thought to herself as she shot out of the throne room through the hole in the roof and dove down towards the gardens form above, the machine gun beside her locking into place another belt of ammunition and her magic summoning dozens of shadow arrows and spears along her other side. Honored looked up and smirked as Luna let loose with everything in her power. The bullets ripped through the ground, dirt and grass flying into the air as the rain of spears and arrows impacted the area around the human before detonating with explosions of Luna’s magic. Luna landed swiftly in the center of the impact zone, scanning the area as the dirt and dust settled around her. Honored was nowhere to be seen. “Hmpfh.” Luna said while scanning her surroundings, looking for anything that would give away where her pesky love had fled to. GRRRRRRRRRR Luna spun around and tossed her sword up just in time as the sword-saw descended towards her back. The two blades clashed in a rain of sparks and grinding metal. Luna’s blade slowly began to chip away and flakes of the material fell from the blade as Honored’s magical shape shifting weapon, ate away at her blade with its serrated spinning saw side. Luna reared back and delivered a swift kick to the human that sent him stumbling backwards. He flipped the blade around in his hands, the long blade skidding across the ground, sending chunks of dirt into the air that the human then fired forward with a burst of his magic. Luna dodged the incoming clumps of dirt while diving forward, spinning midair, and giving herself a burst of speed thanks to a glyph that she summoned before her. Honored quickly dove to the side, and landed on his ribs, as his weapon shifted in his hands to the musket style. The purple void shots chased after Luna as she tried to dodge the incoming projectiles of pure void magic. She made a loop and stopped dead in her evasive maneuvers as she was frozen to the ground as massive black tendrils of magic sprang forth from the ground. The base of each tendril ended in a spinning glyph that even puzzled Celestia as she watched from a safe distance away. The glyph was a summoning rune that was covered in many unknown symbols to the princesses and Luna was trapped in the unknown magic. “Devil’s trap.” Honored said with a smile while walking in front of Luna who desperately struggled against the unknown magic. She stopped as suddenly she felt two lips pressed against her own. Her eyes grew wide in surprise as Honored kissed her deeply, and she slowly closed her eyes and leaned more into the kiss. Honored pulled back a few more seconds of the kiss. He gave Luna a smile that melted her straight to her core. “I’m sorry that it was a week. Remember? Time moves slower down there. I came here as soon as I could.” He said while placing a hand under Luna’s chin and massaging it with his thumb. “Got all that anger out? Feeling better now?” He asked with a gentle voice. “Much.” Luna said with a smile. She closed her eyes and leaned back into Honored’s hand, enjoying the touch she thought she would never feel again. “Let me get you out of these snares and we can pick up where we left off and I can tell you all about my new title!” Honored said happily as the tendrils of black demon magic slowly vanished into the ground. “NO!” Luna shouted suddenly, causing Honored to jump and the tendrils to go taught again against Luna. “What?” Honored asked looking at the tangle princess. “Leave them.” Luna said through lustful eyes and she licked her lips. “They will add to the fun.” Honored gave her an evil smile back and moved in for another deep, less appropriate kiss for the public gardens. “No! Oh come on, not in the gardens!” Celestia groaned to herself as she turned away from the disgusting and unholy act about to take place in her gardens of peace and tranquility. “Stupid sexy Demon King and his demon tentacle magic.” “And so then I had to arrange a meeting with the finance department to discuss the lava pool party later in the month.” Honored said while leaning back in his chair that he had summoned from the ground. It was jagged and crafted from red stone that had a faint sulfur smell around it. Just enough to cause the gathered guests minor discomfort. He reached out and took a glass of water off of the long dining table and took a sip. “And then I came here. So what’s up?” He said replacing the glass and looking around at the ponies around him. The whole gang from Ponyville, along with what appeared to be an entire library’s worth of parchment that Twilight was covering in notes and drawings. Princess Celestia and Luna sat at the head of the table while Discord sat across from the human. Tune simply sat in the corner of the room, his scanners trying to register Honored, but his newfound ‘demon voodoo’ was giving him trouble. “So let me get this straight,” Rainbow Dash said while rubbing a hoof to her head, “you are trying to tell me that Tartarus, the ancient evil prison, is like a business?” “I’d say more like an evil corporation that deals in evil.” Honored said with a smile. He then got a surprised look on his face and reached into his breast pocket on his white shirt. “That reminds me, y’all take one.” He pulled out a small stack of white cards and handed them out to all the ponies around the table. “Business cards?” Rarity said in disbelief as she turned the card around in her magic before her eyes.  Honored Service Head Demon of Tartarus “You Damn ‘em. We Slam ‘em” “Um shouldn't they have contact information on them?” Fluttershy asked quietly while placing hers back onto the table. The very idea of holding something from Tartarus sent shivers through the poor pegasus’ body. Honored sighed and motioned for the group to flip the cards over. “Ohhhh. What?” They all said at the same time upon reading it. “All you have to do is draw that symbol on anything and then tap it three times. That is my summoning sign. Can't ignore it no matter what I’m doing.” Honored said with a smile before he suddenly looked like he was in brief amount of pain and vanished in a puff of black smoke and a flash of white light. “AH!” All the ponies in the room jumped as he reappeared in front of Pinkie Pie, exploding out from the golden plate in front of her. She giggled and laughed, while falling backwards from her chair, a piece of chalk falling from her grasp as the human struggled to stay standing. He shook his head while climbing down off of the table. “Okay good to know that it works. Great. Thanks Pinkie.” He sat back down in his homespawned chair and rubbed his temple. “So that is how any of you can reach me if you need me for anything. Don't think of me as an evil Demon King that was your friend. Think of me as your friend that happens to be a Demon King that rules over an evil place.” The gathered ponies all gave sideways glances at each other except for Celestia who grew an evil smile herself. “So Honored… say I want to put one of these symbols in the throne room-” “No. You are not using me to scare ponies into dropping ridiculous charges against one another.” The demonic human said with a smile. “Now if you make one and happen to use it, I won't be able to say no to a summoning. Will I?” Celestia gave a single nod to the human before having a Royal Guard come forward. She leaned over and whispered into the Guard’s ear while placing the business card in his hoof. The guard nodded rapidly before leaving the dining room. “Oh this is going to be some delicious chaos.” Discord said while flipping the card around in his claws. “Anything? You can do anything?” “Whoa, slow down there chief. In fact all of you need to pay attention to this very, and I mean very carefully. I can grant you deals… almost anything you can think of, but every deal has a price, so just be careful.” Honored said with a frown, he knew that this topic was bound to come up, but he had bet money to Nightmare that it would have Pinkie Pie to ask about a deal with the proverbial devil. “So say I want the biggest, tastiest apples in Equestria for the next ten seasons.” Applejack said with a certain twinkle in her eye. Honored’s face went blank for just a second, lost in deep thought, before snapping back to the gathered friends. “Ten years off your life is the price.” “What about making a discovery that would revolutionize the entire world.” Twilight said while writing her offer to the deal. She looked up and saw Honored’s face go blank again before coming back to their conversation. “A gallon of innocent blood paid on the next full moon.” Twilight’s face went into a shocked expression as she stared at the human who simply shrugged. “A week of paid, uninterrupted vacation.” Celestia said with a grin that said she would do nearly anything for that deal. The same blank expression fell on Honored’s face, but this time he spoke through the frozen facial features. “Are you sure? That seems like a bunch for a week. Well she isn't the only ruler. Yes I know. Hey, I’m just saying that may be much. Oh really? There? Oh that's totally worth it. Wait a second, isn't that the other guy’s territory? Yea that makes sense. Okay I’ll let her know.” Honored’s face returned to its normal cheery one and he smiled. “Good news, that was the boss and said yours would require only one sacrifice.” “An innocent one?” Celestia said. Everypony in the room, including Luna, turned to the alicorn with shocked looks on their faces. “SISTER!?” Luna yelled out in pure disbelief at her sister’s choice of words. “What?” Celestia said while holding her hooves up in a defensive manner, “fighting through the Underworld was the closest thing to a vacation I’ve had in over a thousand years.” “Wait a second,” Rarity said looking across the table towards the human who was currently feeling the two small lumps forming on the side of head, “what do you mean ‘boss’?” “Oh that. Well you see, I’m not the one in charge of the Underworld, just Tartarus. So I still have someone I got to bring the deals to them, who then gives me the okay to do them.” “Ohhhh.” All the ponies said except for Luna who narrowed her teal pools of lethal firepower at the human who tugged at the collar of his shirt. “Who is your boss Johnson.” Luna said through gritted teeth. “Ah… The Devil.” Many more jaws were dropped that day. Luna closed her eyes and braced herself for the incoming overload of Honored she was about to receive. She took a deep breath, slapped a smile on her face and opened the door to her bedchambers and found the human standing on the balcony outside of her room, wings expanded and talking to himself. “I’m king of the world Jack.” Luna gave a polite cough and the human tumbled forward in surprise. Luna waited patiently before the human in question slowly rose back up to the balcony with slow, embarrassed flaps of his wings before landing in front of her. “Ummmm I can explain.” He said while folding his wings up and stepping forward towards the alicorn. “Honored. The only thing I want to discuss now is us. Where does this whole Demon King thing leave us.” She turned away from the human whose wings drooped down in sadness. “Luna, my love for you, this kingdom, my friends, hasn't changed at all. I simply have more on my plate that's all.” Honored said with a smile, but somehow he knew he wasn't able to convince Luna because he couldn't even convince himself about the change. “Okay so maybe it isn't that simple, but Luna you have to believe me that I want this to work. Hell the whole reason behind this,” he gestured at himself and then picked the golden crown off his head and jammed a finger into the black flickering flame of immortality, “this was done for us. Luna don't you get it? I'm a freaking immortal being now!” “But also a demon!” Luna countered while stalking over to the human. “How do I know if you really are even Honored after all the changes?” Honored stared at Luna before leaning forward, grabbing the alicorn in a tight hug and swinging her to the side while planting a deep kiss on her lips. Luna struggled against the kiss, but soon felt herself melting away into the raw emotions. She came out of the kiss staring up into the eyes of the strange human that had captured her heart so long ago. “See.” He said while smiling and letting her go, “it is me. I promise Luna. For once, everything is going to be alright. We just have to work around my work and yours.” Luna just looked at the human and after a few tense moments, she laughed. Luna laughed for the first time in over a week and her soul felt lighter as the human laughed along with her. The princess of the Night and the Demon King of Tartarus fell asleep together laughing with each other in a loving embrace. “Gooooood Morningggggggg Equestria!” Luna rolled over in her bed away from the screaming coming from her balcony. She groaned at the simple clock on the nightstand table. “Honored. Sweetie. It is six in the morning. Please shut the hell up.” The lunar deity crumpled into her pillow while the human jumped over to the bed and pounced on the lumps beneath the covers. “But there is much to be done dear! We need to get started before I have to head to work today.” Honored said while grabbing the covers off the bed and slowly tugging them off of the sleeping princess. “Up. Up. Up. Up. Up. Up.” He said over and over again, while the dark alicorn continued to grumble and writhe in the sun’s early morning rays. “Go to Hell.” Luna moaned while slowly rising from her bed. “In few hours.” Honored said while checking his cartoony watch that had a devil as its face with its hands acting as the watch hands. “Come on Lulu, you can go back to sleep once I leave. We have so much to do!” “Like what?” The lump of covers shifted on the bed as Luna poked her head out from under them. “Ummm.” Honored was silent as he pondered what the couple could do before he had to head into work. “Well for starters we could see about some breakfast. Come on Luna, it’ll be-” SHWAMP “Honored?” Luna looked to see where the human had just been standing was vacant, and a smoking symbol resting on the ground was slowly starting to evaporate. Luna sighed in relief and rolled back over in her bed while snuggling back under the covers. “Thank Faust.” “-fun.” I stopped and looked around at the nearly empty court room. Celestia was standing beside her throne with an evil smirk on her face. She held a small vial of red liquid over the glowing red symbol on the ground. “Ahh so it does work.” She said while walking over to me and placed a wing on my cape covered back. “Come Honored, let us walk and talk.” She had a mischievous glint to her eyes. I groaned inward, that was never a good sign. “Please tell me Celestia, that you did not drip blood onto the symbol.” “Maybe. Maybe not.” “I told you you only had to tap it three times for the same effect… wait where did you get blood from?!” I asked in shock, taking a step back from the princess. “It was from the kitchens, don't worry about it. And I feel like the blood will be a better… intimidation effect than just clicking my hoof on it three times.” Celestia looked at me with a smile while I just hung my head. Suddenly I had a feeling that I shouldn’t have given everyone my personal summoning sigil. Fuck. “You really are serious about me helping in the courtroom aren't you?” I asked seriously. Come on, I had other things to do beside play ‘summon the demon’ with everyone. “Honored, I do promise it will be only for ‘extreme’ cases.” Celestia said with a smile. “Are you sure?” I said with my own glint of mischievousness in my eye. I stuck out my hand, “then care to shake on that?” Celestia stared at the outstretched appendage, and quickly thought better of it. “Okay, really only when I need you.” I nodded and lowered my hand. “Celestia, I do need to talk to you about something very serious, and no matter what it has to be a secret.” Celestia gave me a nod and smiled. “Of course Honored, anything.” I reached down into one of pants pocket and pulled out a small black box. I opened it and angled it to face the alicorn. “Well what do you think? Do you think she will like it? And on that note, would you be okay with it?” Celestia stared in awe at the box and then quickly snapped the lid shut and placed the box back into my pocket with a quick burst of magic. “Honored are you asking me for permission?” “Yes.” I said while staring her dead in the eyes. “I feel that after everything that has happened, this is the next thing we need to do. I’ll be jumping back and forth from Hell and Equestria, but at least this will be permanent and show her what I really think about us.” “Do you think she will say yes?” Celestia said while stepping back from me. I gave her a deadpan look and then spread my wings wide and struck a heroic pose. “Really? Look at me.” I said while smirking. I quickly dropped the act and got serious again, “I hope so. After everything I put her thru, I think that this, this would be good for us and it would show her that my new job and title are not more important than her.”  Celestia gave me a single nod and a gentle motherly smile that always could warm a cold heart. “Then go with my blessings Honored.” I crouched down about to fly off to make the final preparations, but a white hoof on my shoulder stopped me. “Now if you want this to be stay a secret so you can surprise her, I want you to owe me one.” Celestia said with an evil smile. WHAT THE FUCK! I quickly stopped and glared at her. She had just tricked me. Well she had just played me like a fucking fiddle. God damn it. It was Celestia, she would totally tell Luna what I was up to if I didn't agree to one favor. But a demon’s favor could accomplish nearly anything. Fuck me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. She had my balls in a vice grip. “Fine.” I grumbled out, as she removed her hoof. “Excellent. Thank you Honored, and your secret is safe with me.” Celestia said with a cocky smile as I slumped my shoulders. The boss was going to be pissed that I was already in a ‘one favor debt’ with the most powerful ruler on the planet. Fuck me. I’m a terrible bad guy demon. The Demon King Honored Service, waltzed through the door into his circular office slash maximum security prison block and kicked his shiny black shoes off at the door. He walked around the room checking the spells and wards on the cages before stopping in front of the cage containing one of the most evil and powerful creatures in Tartarus. “Morning Nightmare.” Honored smiled at the floating mass of purple smoke with glowing teal reptilian eyes. “Did you happen to look at the stack of release forms from Section 1A?” “Ah yes morning to you as well. I did, but unfortunately only three of the fifty-two han matching perimeters to what you requested.” Nightmare said while the human sat back in his chair behind the large red desk carved out of rock. Honored picked up the tree files and began rereading over the profiles of the creatures that had been damned to their prison long ago. There was still four layers of the Underworld that needed leaders to control the sub-demons that worked those layers. “Excuse me,” a quiet voice said from the phone resting on Honored’s desk. “Honored, your nine o’clock is here to see you.” Dona’s perfect assistant voice called out. Honored reached a hand over the phone and stayed there. Hoored took a deep breathe and then slowly released it. He put on a big smile and pressed the return button. “Thank you Dona, Send them in.” Honored stood up and straightened his shirt and resummoned his shoes back onto is feet with a sigh. The door to the office was opened by a lone figure standing just over Honored’s height. Honored’s eyes narrowed only slightly as the creature entered his office and stood just shy of the front of the desk. “Boss.” Honored said with a polite nod of his head and then gestured to one of the two black chairs resetting before the desk, “Please take a seat, can I get you anything to drink?” “My only two weeks into the new job and already outperforming Hades. I should have sent for you earlier.” The husky voice rolled off of her tongue like honey and caused Honored to shiver every so slightly. “I’ll take some of that MaCallan you have please.” Honored walked over to a small cabinet on the opposite side of the desk and pulled out two drinking glasses, pouring the expensive scotch into them before making his way over to the desk. He placed one of the glasses closes to his guest while holding onto his own as he sat down behind the desk. “You’ll have to excuse me here,” Honored started and sipped his drink, enjoying the burning smoky flavor of the liquor, “I’m not sure how I should address you here.” The drop dead, smoking hot, breath taking, blonde woman sitting across from Honored, tossed her head back and laughed deeply. On the sides of her head, two perfectly curved red horns extended up just to reach over head. A long spade tipped red tail sanked its way in front of the woman who then used her free hand to twirl the tail around her finger. The white blouse she wore showed off her curvy figure, a very well endowed curvy figure, and the dark blue mid thigh skirt showed off two long slender legs. Too top it off, the woman wore blood red high heels that made her even taller. “Boss. Satan. Miss Devil. They all work fine dear. Now about that proposal you sent up, or should I say sent down.” She flashed a smile that revealed a mouth full of needle sharp white fanged teeth behind her ruby red lipstick. “Now this is a new thing I’ve heard of. You want to put the baddies that we have in your neck of the woods to work for the Underworld?” The attractive devil eased back into her chair and sipped her drink while smiling lustfully at the human behind the desk. “That’s right Boss. We take the ones that have been here the longest, the one who have obeyed all the rules you emplaced, no actions taken against their restraints, wards, spells, or bindings, and we give them jobs or freedom in one of the layers. You know, a reason to serve their sentence without issue for the both of us.” Honored pitched the idea while slowly sliding the three files containing information on damned creatures that had fit the criteria. “I’ll give you this human,” the Devil looked up and stared at the human, “you sure do know how to make one Hell of a first impression.” She stood up from her chair and placed her drink on the desk before walking towards the door, her hips swaying with every step she took. “You come down here, guns ablazing, kill your way into the second most powerful position in Hell, and then tell me how to make it better! Honored Service, you keep this up, and I may get that vacation I wanted. I approve of this proposal, but first start with only one of the creatures, your pick. Send that down, and I’ll see to it.” Sexy Satan stopped at the door and tossed her hair to the side while looking back at the human standing up from his chair behind the desk, “keep up this work Service, and we will see about setting up arrangements for you to fit your… unique situation.” With that, the woman that Honored knew as the Devil opened the door and closed it shut, but not before giving the man turned demon a quick wink. Honored waited a few seconds before letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and collapsed backwards in his chair behind the desk. He pushed the intercom button on his phone, signaling for Dona. “Dona?” “Yes?” The phone responded quickly. “Please cancel the rest of my day, move them to tomorrow. And bring me a metric shit ton of aspirin.” Honored said while tugging on his shirt and picking up a small picture frame on his desk. Inside of the golden frame, a picture of Honored and Luna side by side with Celestia, Discord, Tune, Night Rose, and the ponyville gang in the background stared back at him. Honored smiled and then put the photo down while opening the center desk drawer and pulling out the small black box. “Okay that’s it. That was a sign. Today is the day.” Honored said while flipping the box open and staring at the white gold band with a large black diamond placed in the center of the ring. Within the shine of the diamond, swirls of void magic spun around and around, forever lighting the diamond with a faint deep purple glow. “A smile and good job from the Devi. That has got to be a sign.” Honored said to himself as he stood up and strode over to the door to his spacious office. He attached his sword to his waist and gave himself a once over in the full length mirror before opening the door into the reception area. “Wish me luck Dona. I’m going to go face something almost scarier than the Devil.” Honored said while beginning to form his teleportation sigil on the ground to send himself to Canterlot Castle. Just as Honored was about to cast the spell, a bright white light blinded him and the pulling sensation of his summoning rune gripped the human turned demon and he was yanked from the office and towards wherever his rune was placed. “Fuck.” I said rubbing my hands to my eyes as the blinding sensation covering my eyes slowly began to fade. “Great timing as always gang.” I said while looking up at the creatures that summoned me. Except rather than seeing the faces of the normal would be culprits, I found myself staring at the incoming open jaws of what had to be the world’s largest Hydra. “Fuck me.” SNAP GULP “I… I saw that going a lot differently in my head.” Rainbow Dash said as she flew backwards from the enraged monster. The rest of her friends were also running away from the stampeding monster that had wandered too close to the outskirts of Ponyville. When the gang of ponies got closer and realized the massive size of the Hydra, they were already in its sights. Twilight quickly burned that weird symbol thing that Honored had given them onto the ground and stomped on it three times before they all turned tail and ran away from the incoming Demon King and Hydra. They all watched as Honored appeared, true to his word, and then was promptly swallowed whole by the middle head of the puke green colored Hydra that was still charging towards the retreating ponies. “Well any more bright ideas Twi?” Applejack yelled out as the shaking of the earth got closer and closer. The cowpony could swear she was beginning to feel the hot breath of the beast on her neck as the continued to lead the Hydra away from Ponyville. “Yes!” Twilight yelled as she flapped her wings while running to try and gain more speed. “Let's lead it towards Ghastly Gorge, and then we can try to trap inside.” “What a wonderful idea!” Rarity shouted, “but how in the world to you purpose we trap that?!” The fashionista yelled while looking back at the hundred foot tall creature that could essential look over the top of the gorge. “Still working on that part.” Twilight said while scrunching her face up in concentration. If only she didn't have to put so much energy in this running thing. She really needed to run more. Or at least slow down on Spike’s cupcakes he baked. “We can cause a rockslide!” “Okay lets party!” Pinkie Pie jumped into the air and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow towards the gorge. She reached the entrance far ahead of the group and pulled a blue cannon from her mane and slammed it down, taking careful aim across the gorge at a massive pile of rocks and boulders. She reached back into her mane and removed a drab green military ammo container. DO NOT TOUCH- luv HONORED was stenciled into the top of it. Pinkie looked at the writing and shrugged, flipping the latch and opening the container. She pulled out a one long, shiny dart looking contraption and inspected the military hardware she was ‘borrowing’ from the human. He had so many of these things, he wouldn't miss one. 84mm HEAT Pinkie shrugged and dropped the flat circular part of the weapon into the cannon first and then crouched behind the party cannon, “I don’t know why Carl Gustav gave Honored all these dart things, but I sure hope they fly good!” Pinkie Pie said with a smile as her group of friends entered the gorge and the large Hydra followed right behind them. Show time! Pinkie thought to herself as she slammed a hoof down on the cannon’s firing mechanism. The world went pure white as the forces of military science and magical party cannon fused together in one split second, launching the 84mm high explosive antitank missile straight and true, far exceeding the physical possible speed it was meant to go. The rock slide occurred, just as planned, but the resulting shock wave from the shell striking the side of the mountain within the Everfree Forest was not. BBBBBOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM “Well that worked!” Twilight said happily as the rocks came tumbling down the side of the gorge and piled up, sealing the exit tight. The Hydra was now trapped in the gorge with them. Twilight’s face went blank as she processed what they had just done. Oh dear. Twilight quickly jumped into the air, latched her legs around Applejack’s body, and flew into the air as Rainbow Dash did the same for Rarity. The group raced for the edge of the gorge as the Hydra realized it’s second course of the day was getting away. One of the heads opened its maw wide and stretched out, about to snatch the flying princess and apple farmer out of the air. BBBBBOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM The head exploded into a mess of gore and raining chunks of blood that scattered all over the gorge. Applejack and Twilight both dropped to the ground on the edge of the gorge, covered head to hoof in red Hydra blood. They both looked up to see Pinkie Pie standing behind her party cannon with one of Honored’s old solid green helmets on her head. “Meh, he wouldnt miss two of those darts. Oh horse apples are they loud!” Pinkie Pie said with a giggle as her friends looked from the smoking cannon to the now two headed, extremely pissed off, Hydra. The trapped creature began to roar into the air, but suddenly the beast went silent. Its two remaining heads looked around and then dropped low to stare at its belly, where a red light was beginning to glow through its skin. “What's that?” Rarity said while leaning forward towards the edge of the gorge. “You might want to look away for this part.” Twilight said to the alabaster unicorn who nodded, but yet, stayed watching. With a screech of agony, the side of Hydra burst open in a shower of blood and chunks of flesh, as a spinning ball of void magic wiped out and onto the ground. The spinning ball of magic came to a stop right before the Hydra that hollered into the air a final time and then slammed one of its stubby legs forward, trying to stomp the creature before it. Honored dove to the side, faster than a bullet, the sword at his side glowing red with the magic coursing through it, as it shifted its form from the normal sword to its extended sword-saw form. Honored leapt over the beast easily, landing on its back before he plunged the blade down, and began running along the Hydra’s back, carving massive chunks out of the roaring creature. The Hydra slammed backwards into the wall of the gorge, intending to crush the Demon King against it, but it found the human now standing, with a cocky smirk, on its open and defenseless belly. Honored plunged the blade down again, ripping the belly of the beast open, blood and steam pouring into the air as the creature dove down with its remaining heads, trying to bite the human off of its wounded front. Honored leaned back as one head snapped dangerously close to his side and jumped into the air. He spun midair, the moving blade clipping into the side of the Hydra’s neck as he flipped. The sword-saw ripped through the neck of the Hydra as Honored completed his flip through the air. Honored landed on the ground beside the Hydra as it's removed head slammed down next to him, blood pooling around it. The human reached down and dragged a finger along the blood covered edge of his sword before sticking the bloodied finger in his mouth. “Hmmm tangy.” He jumped forward as the Hydra’s last remaining head shot forward and closed its jaws around Honored for the second time that day. The creature stood up and swallowed, a lump moving down its throat as it swallowed, but the lump stopped mid way down. The Hydra began to hack and cough, blood spluttering out of its mouth as it tried to remove the lodged human. Another spinning red line appeared in the middle of the Hydra’s neck as Honored spun out of the creature’s throat and landed on the ground with a heroic pose, sword-saw propped over one shoulder, wings opened wide, and that confident smirk plastered on his face as the Hydra slumped to the side, blood flowing from the many wounds all over its body. “Y’all have the worst timing ever.” Honored said while closing his wings and reaching into his back pocket and feeling for his little black box. “Come on. Where. Are. You.” He grunted as the ponies slowly gathered around him. “Son of a bitch.” Honored groaned and started walking towards the corpse while rolling the sleeves up on his white shirt. “Better say yes for this.”