A Battleground of Kindness

by StormDancer

Caltrops and a Rubber Ball

Seeing the Master floating in the air is nothing terribly new. I mean, she's crazy powerful and just beat down a giant, evil, titan centaur the other day... floating just doesn't seem quite as impressive by comparison,

Then again, the lantern eye thing? That's something that only happens when fighting giant titan centaurs.

Or lighting her books on fire accidentally.

But mostly the giant titan centaurs because I would NEVER set the Master's books on fire intentionally. That would be a death wish no sensible being would ever want.

No. But seeing Stitchface on the ground, surrounded by random demons and an ever increasing number of wild imps while the Master floated above her and was shouting that the battle was over... that was a new one.

I should point out that when I say the Master was saying the battle was over, she wasn't just saying it. She was making a simple statement of fact. You know the kind. It's when the world itself kind of just nods its head and shrugs, turns around and says "Alrighty, if you say so, I guess it's gotta be that way 'cus no one talks back to reality unless they're right."

The Master kind of just ~informed~ us all of the *FACT* that the battle was over. No questions asked. Just stated it like saying "Dirt is made of cupcakes."

Don't give me that look. If you heard the way she said it, you'd be out there eating mud pies and spreading frosting on potted plants.

The effect was rather lost on Stitchface.

Which is a shame, because when she flicked a spell off towards the Master, the Assassin took it as her cue to attack.

And attack she did.

A swarm of vermin poured in from the hole in the wall. Nuisances, like rats and bees, all the way up to actual threats like her pet bears and a manticore, attacked. They moved like a well oiled machine, darting in and taking their strikes before shifting out of the way for the next to bite, sting, or pummel. One after the next, time and again while the Master's imps and demons flinched and twitched with joy.

It was joy and definitely not sympathy. Demon's don't do sympathy. Well... the succubi do, but there's something wrong with them... love their whips and red-brands.

And, after a few moments, the swarm parted and Stitchface shuddered before howling out rage and sending a glare at the Assassin that made her cower.

Which was apparently the Traitor's sign to have a go.

At least I THINK it was the Traitor, I'm not really sure. I was dead and all, so my eyes and ears might have just been hallucinating due to brain death, but one second the Assassin was starting to hide behind a curtain of her pink mane, and the next, the room exploded with a literal RAINBOW that collided with Stitchface and slammed her into the far wall as the Traitor pummeled her.

And before Stitchface could even respond, the Traitor was replaced by the Sweatstain, who simply folded Stitchface in half with the force of her kick and gave her a home in an unoccupied bookshelf.

The Master continued to float there with a neutral expression.

Which, admittedly, I was just fine with, being dead and all.

And then Stitchface went and did something incredibly stupid. She groaned as she pulled herself out of the bookcase, tumbled to the floor, and a fist sized green and yellow rock burned to nothing in her hand.

And she stood up.

And she glared.

And she started to cast a spell.

And the Rarity apparently took offense at the entire proceeding as dozens of pairs of scissors suddenly appeared, cut Stitchface free of her armor, clothing, undergarments, and even the leather straps on her head.

Within moments, there was a flurry of fabric, the keening wail of blades scraping against one another, and the sound of leathery skin being stretched and bound, cut and stitched, and generally tortured under that dire sorceress' dark fancy. Nearly a minute passed before the storm of razor edged tools fell away, revealing an immaculate, gown-draped Stitchface with a delicately laced veil, done all in shimmering dark greens trimmed with silvery grays.

At which point, the Rarity nodded, then turned and said "Girls? Shall we?"

The Traitor gestured, wide eyed, as she replied "Really? All that for a dress?"

"~Gown~, darling. And, Yes. If we're going to blast her, she might as well look her best."

The Traitor replied, "Urg. FINE! Whatever."

At about that time, I popped back into existence again. Facing the Master, AGAIN. With Stitchface ordering me to attack AGAIN.

And the Master was apparently done with it because she simply looked at me, held her hoof up to the swarm of demons and her little minions, and intoned, "Gakham. COME."

And I ran over to her and grinned.

Never thought I'd live to see the day that "Enslave Demon" could be cast without magic, but DAMN am I glad she pulled that off because the moment her hoof fell, the minions started floating too and the death rainbow plowed into Stitchface like a pair of horny teenagers when the parents left the liquor cabinet unlocked for the weekend.

...

And when the demons tried to join in, glowing pink bubbles appeared around them and they shrank to join the marbles on the floor.

I'll say it again, that was one genius voidwalker, asking to go home a few minutes ago.

-~oOo~-

So, it turns out that the Master did not, in fact, use Enslave Demon... Instead, I apparently have a survival instinct after all and just came when called.

I'm... pretty sure that was not in my contract, but she did say not to be naughty, so that probably applies.

Either way, it was a good thing because when that rainbow colored death laser blasted the hells out of Stitchface, I was quite pleased not to have been caught in the line of fire.

Of course, when she fainted, and I had been summoned by her, it meant that I popped back out of the Master's world.

So, there I was. Back in my little home, waiting for a summon again.

And for once, I didn't have to wait all that long.

I popped back into the hall between them and felt my hopes fall when I noticed I was facing the Master again.

She was no longer floating, instead content to stand on all four hooves with her little swarm of minions behind her looking rather gruff about the whole thing. Well, except the Pink one... she was waving cheerfully, but the rest were looking upset.

And the Master? She was looking a bit upset, herself. She wasn't blasting me with instant doom, but she still looked less than pleased as she looked me over.

And, after a few moments, she nodded and I felt myself slip out of the world again.

Back home... brimstone and fire and that little crack that I still hadn't been able to fix since getting my nose stuck in it.

And before I could even let out a frustrated sigh, POP, I was back in the Master's lair, facing Stitchface this time.

Stitchface, in her gown and veil and still looking none too pleased, but not trying to kill the Master at least.

And, after a few more moments, I looked back and saw the Master nodding her approval. I really didn't know what was going on, but the sound of Stitchface's movement caused me to glance back just in time to see her casting a new spell.

I moved on instinct, leaping at her and latching on to her fingers as she attempted to summon another demon...

... only to be pried off with the dim glow of the Master's magic.

Aaaaaaaand I floated back to the Master, just to watch Stitchface try, and fail, to summon another demon.

Humorously enough, one of the little pink marbles clinked a few times before rolling over and stopping in front of her, only to have a faint voice call up from below "Void.... where prohibited."

I couldn't help it. I started laughing.

That little voidwalker was STILL stuck in the Master's magic bubble, still couldn't get out, and couldn't be properly summoned OR dismissed.

But, even while I was laughing, I noticed instantly when a shadow fell over me, and silence reigned as a newspaper loomed.

Stitchface watched, but finally nodded and started casting her spell again.

And again, the little marble rocked back and forth as the Voidwalker complained.

The whole place was quiet as this happened a few more times.

Honestly, it was kind of cruel of the Master to keep forcing Stitchface to futilely try to summon her voidwalker, but, given that the Master had let her live, I suppose worse punishments could have been devised. I mean, just hammering home how utterly powerless Stitchface was compared to the Master is pretty tame compared to that Tea-wreck guy.

But still...

Then again.... warlock. So, par for the course.

After the 4th try, a strange thought hit me. A strange, alien, impossible thought that made absolutely no sense at all. A thought so absurd that only an idiot or an utter genius would have ever thought to think it.

What if it wasn't a punishment? What if it was a lesson? What if the Master was trying to make a point? What if she was trying to teach her minions to summon demons too?

...

What if Stitchface was ~HER~ minion now?

And then? Then I felt a torrent of magic rising behind me and I turned to see the Master, horn ablaze, as a small army of wild imps popped into existence with confused looks on their faces, imps who were immediately swallowed by pink bubbles and reduced to more marbles on the floor.

Oh, and a bubbling blue-black rift starting to boil into existence before before the Master... probably shouldn't forget that part.

And then the impossible seemed to happen as the Master, warlock of god-like power and tyrant of the horsebeast lands, seemed to squeal in joy as she summoned a shadowy form from the nether.

A form, twisted to her desires and rippling with untold evil. A pony shaped wedge of night with a billowing mane and tail, with a body like a bleeding hole in reality.

Stitchface nodded silently before pointing a finger and whispering "Rysdyk" — which the Master completely ignored.

The Master had summoned her voidwalker... something that, once she saw it fully, she reverently named "Sleipnir" before grinning like mad and bouncing around in childlike joy.

I wasn't fooled. She was clearly testing Stitchface's loyalty by appearing innocent and distractable. But, like the Master, Stitchface was no stranger to acts of foolishness, and seemed just as wary of the Master's antics as I did, instead choosing to remain frozen as the Master chanted "YES YES YES YES YES!" in her chirpy little voice.

Which she stopped a few moments later and proved to all it was simply a test since there was no transition AT ALL before she started examining her creation like a fresh piece of meat.

I knew that look... and I pity that demon something awful.

But, like most voidwalkers, Rysdyk took it like a champ. And by champ, I mean "braindead table leg" as it just stood there looking all looming and dark and edgy and impressive and intimidatingly stoic.

I mean, it's not like Rysdyk means 'man-killer' or anything... just some stupid demon horse name... and the Master NAMED it Sleipnir, so it doesn't matter. Sounds like a request to cuddle at night: Sleipnir.

...

I'm not jealous at all.

Friggin' smoke-horse.

-~oOo~-

Comments

[Venerable Ro]

So, Twilight forced the warlock to teach her daemon-summoning?

[StormDancer]

9552929
well... ~more~ demon summoning, <chuckles> but yheah. And 'forced' is such a strong word for "assertive weaponized friendshipping request for greater understanding."

[Mother3Forever]

I never thought I'd say this, but I feel so bad for that Voidwalker!