Interlude Six: A New Home (R)
Riff Raff chuckled, tossing his hat across the room where it landed perfectly on the spoke of a hat rack. He then turned and tossed off his jacket, which expertly landed on a different spoke of the same rack. Now bereft of clothing, the stallion smiled and turned to the mare that had been following him for the last several minutes.
“Now then, would you like the grand tour?” he asked, waving his hoof toward the door Twilight Velvet knew lead to the factory floor. “The first half of which will be rather mundane, I must admit.”
The mare shrugged, hefting her saddle bags into a more preferable position.
“That's fine,” Velvet exclaimed.
“Excellent,” Riff Raff declared.
The stallion clapped his hooves together and turned to the door.
“I won't bother to inform you of the bar, as you are now quite familiar with my humble little watering hole," Riff Raff began.
He chuckled, slipping forward and pushing open the door that lead further into the structure.
“Here is where the non-literal magic happens," Riff Raff declared.
Twilight raised an eyebrow, walking close behind the stallion as he stepped out into the factory floor. Vats, stills, pipes, and copper dominated every perceivable spot in the room, filling every last inch not occupied by a worker, of which there were many.
“Wow,” Twilight whispered to herself, shocked by just how new everything looked. “I admit I may have judged your operation overly harshly.”
The stallion stopped and smirked at the mare.
“That is the point, my friend,” he replied, waving a hoof over his operation, grinning all the while. “This isn't all cover, you know, we do make the finest tequila in all of Equestria, which means we need the best machines, and above all, the best employees.”
The pair took a step back, allowing a minotaur carrying a load of boxes to walk past, followed quickly by an older griffon who was holding a clipboard and was busy muttering to herself. Twilight’s gaze lingered on the pair before turning to the surrounding factory, making her realize just how few ponies worked here. Sure, there were a few unicorns here and there, even a pegasus or two and a hoofful of earth ponies but the majority were either minotaurs, or griffons, with even a few yaks mixed in.
“You certainly have a very eclectic workforce,” Twilight pointed out.
“Of course, of course,” Riff Raff replied, his grin growing ever larger. “Canterlot is not the kindest when it comes to employing what it deems as less desirable beings. Which I for one find just plain stupid.”
He motioned for the mare to follow him and began trotting across the factory floor, making a beeline for a small office set off to the side.
“There is so much talent and skill that these big wigs are missing out on all because they can't see past the horn’s on their head," Riff Raff remarked dismissively.
A griffon working at the bottling line shouted, “You tell ‘er, boss!” at the passing pair.
“I will, my friend!” he replied back, waving to the griffon.
“Fascinating,” Twilight remarked idly.
“My point is simply that talent has many forms, and some beings have skills that even magic cannot replicate,” Riff Raff declared.
The stallion pushed his way into the small, plain looking office which had a simple desk, a set of massive metal filing cabinets and a smaller desk near the door. Behind this relatively out of the way bit of furniture was a demure pegasus stallion with a teal mane and sky blue fur.
“Bluey!” Riff Raff announced happily. “How have things been in my absence?”
The smaller stallion looked up from the book he was reading and raised an eyebrow.
“You were only gone a few hours, nothing has changed," the other male declared confusedly.
“Ahh, good to hear, good to hear,” Riff Raff proclaimed, wrapping a hoof around Twilight’s neck and pulled her close. “Blue Gale, this is my newest associate, Twilight Velvet.”
“Nice to meet you, miss," Blue Gale offered, nodding slightly to the newcomer.
“It's a pleasure," Velvet muttered awkwardly.
“I wouldn't go that far,” Blue Gale remarked, turning back to his book and ignoring the pair entirely.
Riff Raff removed his foreleg and chuckled.
“Don't mind him, he's just mad I didn't let him take Friday off," Riff Raff dismissed.
Twilight chuckled, noting the dirty look the pegasus shot them as they walked to the back of the office.
“So it seems," Velvet murmured.
“Now then, let's get this tour really started,” Riff Raff announced. “Bluey, lock the doors and use illusion number thirty-two please!”
“Aye, boss," the pegasus receptionist dutifully replied.
The demure male turned to the wall and tugged on a random board, pulling it open and revealing a small hidden area that contained several switches and tiny levers which Blue Gale seemed to pull at random.
A second later the air flickered and a silhouette of Riff Raff appeared behind his desk while a second more feminine one appeared on the other side, sitting across from the strange shadowy projection. Twilight blinked, instinctively looking for whatever was projecting the illusion. Finding none, she turned to Riff Raff, who was smiling wide enough to make the Cheshire Cat blush.
“You can't find it, can you?” He teased.
“No, it's quite well done,” Twilight remarked. “I assume it is to keep up the illusion of this being a meeting to any who may try to peer through the smokey glass of your door?”
“Quite, but it doesn't work if we are still standing here, so let's hurry this along, shall we?” Riff Raff half stated half offered.
Without waiting the stallion clopped his hooves together before pressing one of them against a seemingly random brick in the wall, while the other pushed a drawer.
A second later and the enormous filing cabinets swung inward, revealing a small passage that ended with a spiral staircase. The area was lit by a single torch burning within, revealing a simple, narrow stone passageway devoid of intricacy.
“Come, come, we mustn't tarry now,” Riff Raff remarked from within the passage, jerking his head towards the staircase at the other end of the hall. “Can't leave it open for long, you know.”
“Err, right," Velvet murmured.
Twilight trotted after him, noting the way the filing cabinets swung back into place, cutting off any outside light and leaving them with only the single torch to guide them.
“Right then, as we descend into the true workshop, I suppose I should tell you a little more about myself.” Riff Raff grabbed the torch and walked to the end of the hall.
“Of course, if you don't mind. I don't want to pry, but I kind of figured there was more to the whole strange heritage and weird name,” Twilight Velvet Exclaimed with a small chuckle. “No offence.”
“None taken, none taken at all,” Riff Raff dismissed while trotting down the stairs, followed closely by an eager Twilight Velvet. “You have every right to be suspicious, and in this case your assumption was correct.”
“Does that mean what I think it means?” Velvet pressed.
“That depends. Do you think it means that my family used to worship demons about eight generations back, and before that supported the Nightmare’s bid for supremacy of Equestria?” Riff Raff asked with a smirk. “‘Cause if so, you’d be right.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow, eying her guide in a new light.
“That certainly… explains a lot," Twilight Velvet remarked.
“All that is long behind our family, but stigmas have a way of sticking around long after the fact,” Riff Raff muttered. “I apologize for not telling you the whole truth, but you must admit it isn't exactly something you would go around just mentioning to everypony you meet.”
“That's fair, I suppose,” Twilight admitted. “I still have a hard time mentioning my family used to be true nobles, and that isn't half as bad as demon worship.”
“You know I was going to ask about that,” Riff Raff began.
The stallion stepped down from the last step and trotted into a strange room that was about a dozen feet at its widest and had a massive door across from them.
“I’m assuming there is a story behind your family’s change of status?” Riff Raff prompted.
Twilight looked around as she spoke, noticing that the walls were flat black stone that lacked any tool marks.
“It's not as interesting as it sounds to be honest. Somewhere along the line a great great uncle thought it would be a good idea to invest in a company that went belly up. After that we are nobles without land, money or power. We were little more then average citizens in all but title,” Velvet explained, only to pause and take an unconscious step back as her eyes adjusted to the gloom and truly noticed just how bizarre the door was. “What is that?”
Riff Raff chuckled, waving a hoof toward the towering mass of quivering red and black flesh in the shape of a door. A large face dominated the door, and though the mouth and eyes were closed, Twilight could already imagine just how terrifying they must be.
“Oh, her?” He mused, taking a step forward. “Twilight Velvet, say hello to Oluuraal, our gate keeper.”
The eyelids on the door slowly opened, revealing two massive eyes with square, goat like pupils of the deepest black. The surrounding iris was a stark orange color, surrounded by an off red sclera, making for a disturbing sight that set Twilight’s entire body on edge.
“Ahh, a new convert I see,” the door spoke, revealing a row of flat, vegetarian teeth and a serpentine tongue. “Squeamish, but still brave, I like her already.”
The voice itself was strangely smooth, almost comforting, but had a slight tremor to it that negated how pleasant it otherwise sounded.
“Not only that, but she has quite an interesting tale to tell," Riff Raff prompted, gesturing to a now rather nervous Twilight Velvet.
The door gazed down at the mare, its strange eyes burrowing into the poor pony’s soul.
“Oh, does she now? You must tell me sometime. It does get quite boring being a door," mused the demonic gate guardian.
Riff Raff smirked, turning to Twilight Velvet and motioning her to join him closer to the door.
“Come now, she won't bite. Unless you are not allowed to be here. of course. Then you should watch those chompers of hers," Riff Raff prompted.
The mare gulped, and took a step forward, looking up at the strange portal with a mix of trepidation and curiosity.
“What are you exactly?” Velvet inquired.
The door seemed to shrug, its black iron hinges groaning as its mass twisted slightly.
“I am a simple demon who guards this silly creature’s little hideout," the guardian answered.
“You take all the fun out of having a secret base, you know that, Oluuraal?” Riff Raff remarked with a smirk.
“I have to find my fun somewhere,” the demon replied smiling a wide, strangely polite smile. “Now then, I assume you wish to go to your office, yes?”
“That I do, thank you," Riff Raff replied.
The door closed its eyes.
“As you wish," it intoned.
Then, before Twilight had a chance to ask another question, the door opened to reveal a surprisingly normal looking office. A regular desk sat before an average chair, while an standard book shelf waited for its upper reaches to be filled with books. The wall behind the desk was dominated by a large window that revealed a good chunk of lower Canterlot.
"I assume that's an illusion?” Twilight asked, gesturing to the 'window'.
“Maybe,” Riff Raff declared, the stallion smirking as he took a seat behind the desk. “Now then, let's get down to business, shall we?”
Twilight nodded and took a seat across from him.
“I should start by telling you that obviously the name I’ve been using is a pseudonym,” Riff Raff put his elbows on the desk and pressed his hooves against his chin, leaning forward. “My birth name is Blackguard.”
“Black Guard? I think you mentioned that already,” Twilight murmured.
“I may have, more importantly its pronounced like Black Gerd, it's Prench,” Riff Raff exclaimed with a chuckle. “Funny to think that the Prench side of my family is one of the stranger parts of my heritage.”
“That is kind of funny,” Twilight admitted.
Blackguard shrugged.
“In a family tainted by demons and the Prench, I’m just thankful I got a weird name and weird eyes and not horns or something,” Riff Raff declared, pausing to sigh. “Poor aunt Marelda.”
Twilight chuckled, only to wince.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn't have laughed at that," she hastily added.
“Don't be, don't be,” Riff Raff dismissed. “Never be sorry for laughing.” Blackguard sat back in his chair and clapped his hooves together. “Now then, I should dismiss some rumours before we begin.”
“Please do. Celestia has said some rather, inflammatory things about organizations like yours over the last month,” Twilight Velvet offered.
“Ahh yes, she would, wouldn't she?” Blackguard mused aloud. “To be completely honest with you, we do study things like necromancy and demonology. But-” he raised a hoof in emphasis, “-at least in the case of necromancy, it is mostly for the benefit of the little guy. For necromancy is the basis for just about all healing spells, or at least unicorn healing spells, it gets kinda fuzzy for other tribes’ magic.”
“Wait… What?” Twilight exclaimed in shock. “In class they always said that healing was a school all on its own and that it was tied with holy magic in some way.”
“Ahh, but that's just it, isn't it? They said it, but could they ever prove such a link?” Blackguard retorted, the stallion sitting a bit further back in his chair, a wide smile spreading across his face. “True holy magic isn't something any old pony can cast, in fact there is a rumour that only alicorns can truly comprehend that kind of magic. In actuality healing magic is just necromancy with so many limiters and other things tacked on that even the most well studied mage can't tell its true origin.”
“Which explains why Celestia only lets those in her inner circle to ever have access to the higher tiers of healing magic,” Twilight Velvet continued, her eyes going wide.
The stallion shot forward in his chair.
“Exactly!" He proclaimed excitedly. "Which in turn, explains why only the very rich or very ‘important’ are the ones that you ever hear of being the recipients of such spells and why earth ponies and pegasi are almost never the target of such magic.”
“Wow,” Twilight Velvet murmured, slowly shook her head. “That makes a lot of sense actually.” A frown creased her lips and she leaned forward. “But demonology is another thing entirely, how exactly do you justify study into such an… unpleasant field of study?”
“Simple,” Blackguard replied with a wry smile. “But let's start this explanation with an easy little question. How do you defend against a demon?”
Twilight Velvet blinked.
“Uh, magic? Shields, banishment spells, and cold steel?" Velvet half asked, half stated.
“Most true imps can eat magic and larger demons are almost completely immune to magic and most conventional weapons,” Blackguard replied. His eyes sparkled and he leaned forward. “And there are some demons that are even healed by consuming magic, while others are completely invulnerable to physical attacks.”
“Fascinating,” Velvet remarked. “And I assume it gets worse?”
“I knew you were a quick one.” He smiled. “Do you think Canterlot could weather a demonic invasion?”
“I want to say yes,” Velvet muttered, the mare tapped her chin, deep in thought. “The army is located here, and the city itself has many, many defences in place.”
“True,” Blackguard admitted. “But do you think Ponyville could? Or Manehattan, or even Vanhoover? All cities without walls, with only a small militia for defence, most of whom have very little knowledge of magic at all?”
“They would be obliterated,” Twilight remarked, stunned to silence.
“Celestia says that her warding system is able to keep out demonic incursion, necessitating the army being based here in Canterlot in order to defend it, but well.” He chuckled darkly. “We all know how well that worked out.”
“Yeah…” Velvet muttered, realization slowly dawning on her.
“Now, we aren't saying that's due to her working with a demon… but," Blackguard teased.
“If the shoe fits,” Twilight finished.
Blackguard nodded.
“We don't have any other working theories right now, but it's the one that makes the most sense in our eyes,” Blackguard declared, steepling his hooves. “We hope to create solutions to these potential problems before they arise, but without any support from any of the traditional schools, things have been slow going.” The stallion stood up suddenly. “Now then, would you like to go deeper?”
“Just one question,” Twilight interrupted.
“Go ahead," Blackguard encouraged.
“Do you have some sort of ultimate goal to all this, or is it simply to help?” Twilight inquired hesitantly, eyeing Blackguard closely.
“Honesty should be rewarded with honesty, and honestly that's pretty much it,” Blackguard declared with a shrug. “There is so much out there that we don't know that could be helping both ponies and other creatures alike, yet we are held back by dogma and paranoia. I simply wish to shine a light on the dark corners of the world while trying to help as much as I can along the way.”
Twilight Velvet’s eyes narrowed and she stared intently at the stallion as he stood there smiling away. After a long, tense moment, she sighed.
“I believe you,” Twilight Velvet proclaimed, rising from her chair. “Now what?”
“Now we get you a geas and some new ink,” Blackguard declared, the stallion smirking at Velvet's shocked expression. “Oh, how I’ve missed that look!”
Twilight sighed.
“I assume from your reaction that this is not as serious as I first thought it was?” Velvet inquired.
“Nope!” he exclaimed. “All the geas does is stop you from revealing anything about our operations. It does not make you do anything against your will or turn you into a zombie or something.”
“That is… a relief,” Velvet muttered, only to raise an eyebrow. “I assume I can read the spell first?”
“Of course! In fact we have a scroll with the spell on it waiting for you in the inking chamber.”
“Let me guess, that's just a room where the tattoo is done?” Velvet inquired further.
Blackguard frowned.
“Oh come on, not another anti-drama creature. There are already enough sticks in the mud around here," Blackguard whined, the stallion stomping over to the door. “Do try and live a little, we only get two lives you know?”
“I… wait,” Twilight Velvet murmured. “What did you say about the lives thing?”
“Oh that? You’ll figure that out later, for now we have something far more important to discuss!” Blackguard proclaimed.
The stallion then clapped his companion on the shoulder and spun the mare towards the door.
“Oluuraal!” he yelled.
The seemingly normal wooden door suddenly twisted and contorted, revealing the door demon’s smiling visage.
“Hello again. I assume you two are off to get some ink done, yes?” The guardian answered.
“Quite right, madam. Now if you would be so kind," Blackguard offered.
“Of course,” the guardian replied.
The demonic door’s eyes closed and the door cracked open.
Revealing a simple waiting room more reminiscent of a hospital than a tattoo parlour. A bored looking earth pony mare covered from head to hoof in tattoos sat behind a plain white desk. At the sight of the two new arrivals her stark blue eyes lit up, and the orange coated mare hopped out of her desk, her long green mohawk jumping up into place.
“Hey, boss! Finally here for some more ink?” She asked, only to smirk. “Or are you just here to see my lovely face?”
Blackguard rolled his eyes and walked up to the counter.
“If I said neither, would you slap me?” Blackguard teased back.
"Most likely," the tattoo artist deadpanned.
“In that case I’m here to see your lovely face, and get our newest hire a key,” he announced, gesturing a hoof to an awkward looking Twilight Velvet.
“Nice to meet you,” Velvet mumbled, extending a hoof awkwardly.
The tattooed pony raised an eyebrow, looking from Blackguard to Twilight Velvet and back.
“She isn't as stuck up as the last one, is she?” The tattoo artist inquired.
“Oh no, absolutely not," Blackguard dismissed. "Though I don't know anyone who is quite as stuck up as old Purple Heart.”
“True.” The tattooist chuckled.
She then clopped a hoof against Twilight’s before taking a step back and pulling out a rather strange tattoo gun that had a large black crystal wedged where the ink normally went.
“Alrighty then," the artist began. "Take a seat in the room over there and we can get this started.”
“I’ve never had a tattoo before, is this going to hurt?” Twilight asked.
As the mare spoke, she walked inside, only to find that it looked like a completely normal tattoo parlour, complete with a rather comfortable looking reclining chair.
“That depends on where you choose to get it,” the mohawked mare replied, sitting in a swivel chair and donning a pair of gloves that covered her hooves. “Around the joints really sucks, same goes for the face and anywhere near your genitalia.”
The older mare blanched.
“Well, I don't think we have to worry about that last one," Twilight Velvet muttered.
“Spoilsport,” Blackguard shot.
“I am not putting a needle anywhere near my delicate bits," Twilight Velvet hissed.
“Fair enough,” the tatooist remarked.
The other mare then swivelled back around and activated a lever at the base of Twilight’s chair, forcing the other pony to lean back.
“Most folk get it placed somewhere that means something to them,” the artist declared, revealing a small candle made of red wax and glowing with a blue flame tattoo right above her hoof. “My job is tattooing people, so I got mine done right above my working hoof.”
“Where did you get yours?” Twilight asked, turning to Blackguard. “If you got one at all, that is.”
“Oh, of course. What kind of leader would I be if I didn't do something everyone else had to.” He raised his right hoof, showing the soft underside, wherein the same candle was tattooed.
Twilight Velvet winced.
“Yeesh, that looked like it would hurt," murmured the noble mare.
“Oh you should have seen it, he cried like a little baby when I did it,” the tattooist remarked with a snicker.
“I did not. Due to the placement we had to use a different method of tattooing, one that was remarkably more painful,” Blackguard declared, only to smirk. “At which point I cried more like an adult.”
Twilight couldn't help but laugh.
“Well, just give me a second to think about this," Twilight Velvet declared.
“Take all the time you need, I have a few more things to do before we begin anyway,” the tattooist remarked, turning away once more.
Twilight sighed, relaxing into the chair and thinking closely on what the other pony had said. Somewhere important. What did this all even mean to her? Was it a means to an end? A way to get back Twilight, and that was it? Or had it become so much more ever since she first realized the true depth of Celestia’s deception?
As she thought about it, she couldn't help but realize just how important this had become to her. She had abandoned her family, her husband, her job, her way of life. This was it now, this was all she had left. Her quest to get back her daughter was the only thing she could truly call her own and the second she abandoned that, she would have nothing.
“My neck,” Twilight spoke suddenly, pointing to a spot just below her right cheek. “Right here.”
“Yeesh, that's gonna be a tough one,” The mohawked mare remarked. “Not for me, mind you, but for you.”
“Are you sure about this, Twilight?” Blackguard asked in an uncharacteristic bout of seriousness. “It's not like that's something you can really hide.”
“Yes,” Twilight Velvet declared. “I want a reminder of why I’m here, something that will look back at me in the mirror and tell me why I’m doing all this.”
The two other ponies shared a shocked expression, with Blackguard shaking his head.
“Alright, but don't say I didn't warn ya," Blackguard declared.
“Ya got balls, lady,” the mohawked mare exclaimed. “Oh and my name’s Black Drip, but you can just call me Drips, everyone does.”
“Thanks.” Twilight frowned. “I think.”
“Now then, we better get this going before you have a chance to regret this,” Blackguard proclaimed, bowing slightly to the tatooist. “Go right ahead, miss artiste.”
“If you need me to stop hold up your hoof or something, ‘cause until this is over you can't say a single word,” Black Drip rolled closer, raising her tattoo gun. “Oh and a word of warning, this is gonna feel really weird.”
“Wait, what?” Twilight Velvet asked.
“Hey, what did I just say?” Black Drips retorted.
Twilight gulped, watching as the gun began to make a high pitched whirring sound, followed closely by an odd, constant hissing noise.
“Alright then, let's get this show on the road,” Black Drip whispered as she leaned in, the gun slowly descending towards the older mare’s neck.
“Ow, ow, ow, ow,” Twilight repeated with every step as she walked into the waiting room, followed close behind by Blackguard and Black Drip.
“I told you it would hurt,” Blackguard remarked.
“You did good back there, Twilight,” Black Drip remarked. “I’m impressed.”
“Thanks,” Twilight whispered. “And I’d appreciate it if you just called me Velvet, Twilight is my daughter’s name.”
“Can do. Now if ya don't mind, I gotta clean up and such.” Black Drip clopped hooves with Blackguard before giving Velvet a nod. “Remember what I said about the healing process.”
“I will, thank you,” Velvet replied, turning to the stallion. “Now then, about this geas.”
“Oh, don't worry about it, it's not nearly that bad,” Blackguard remarked dismissively, waving his hoof. “Like I said, the whole thing will be laid out when we get there, just one more room left before I can set you free.”
Velvet sighed, following Blackguard up to the door.
“So does this mean I can summon Oluuraal now?” Velvet inquired.
“Oh yeah,” Blackguard exclaimed, smacking a hoof upside his own head. “I nearly forgot. Just say her name loudly and at the door and you will summon her.”
Velvet turned to the door, noticing how right now it looked like little more than the average wooden barrier.
“Oluuraal, I have need of you," Velvet stated confidently.
Once more the demon returned, manifesting within the wooden object, and reforming in the blink of an eye.
“Ahh, hello again, young one. I see you have accepted the key. Off to meet with Crimson Lance now?” Asked the gate guardian.
Velvet raised an eyebrow and turned to Blackguard.
“That we are, so if you don't mind bringing us there, I’d appreciate it,” he replied.
“Absolutely,” Oluuraal proclaimed with a small smile. “Oh and welcome to the fold, young Velvet, I will be watching your career quite closely.”
The door cracked open, revealing another surprisingly normal room that once more looked more like a hospital than some underground lair of necromancers and demonologists. Stepping through, Velvet quickly realized that this time things were quite different, and walking into the room revealed the fact that there were several ponies and other beings running this way and that. Some carried boxes while others simple clip boards, though one and all seemed intent on going somewhere in a hurry.
“Ahh, old Crimy, still running everyone ragged I see,” Blackguard remarked idly.
Velvet remained silent, looking around the large room and noting how they seemed to be at the centerpoint of some great hive, with several hallways going in all directions while in the centre of the room a large pile of boxes and other seemingly random items were piled. Near the centre was a tall, painfully thin unicorn stallion with a scraggly crimson mane, and a yellow gold coat that looked like it hadn't received a brushing in months.
“Let me guess, that's Crimson?” Velvet asked, noting the tattered lab coat that barely covered his cutie mark, which was of a needle, the end of which had a single drop of blood dripping from it.
“Got it in one,” Blackguard replied. “Now, what do we have here?”
The stallion stepped forward, the mass of creatures moving around him and keeping a respectful distance. The taller stallion in the tattered lab coat didn't even notice them, too engrossed in the hushed conversation he was having with a short griffon wearing a tricorn of all things.
“Hey, Crimy! We got a new hire here for ya!” Blackguard announced, startling the other stallion from his conversation.
“One moment,” the stallion whispered to the griffon before turning to Blackguard, his expression darkening the instant their eyes met. “I thought I told you I was going to be busy for the remainder of the day.”
“Ah, it won’t take more than a few minutes,” Blackguard dismissed. “Just gotta do a quick geas. I had the whole thing set up beforehand, we just need you.”
The slim stallion looked from Blackguard to Velvet, his expression growing somehow more sour by the minute.
“Ahh, I see,” he muttered. “I suppose this isn't one of those times you are going to take no for an answer, is it?”
“Nope!” Blackguard replied.
“Fiddlesticks,” the stallion cursed, before turning suddenly. “Well, best to get over this quickly. I assume we are using the same room as usual?”
“You know it!” Blackguard answered.
“Come along then,” Crimson replied, not even waiting for a response before turning and walking down one of the halls, seemingly at random.
Blackguard followed quickly behind, who was in turn was followed by Velvet, who was forced to trot in order to catch up.
“Here, you can read up on the spell while we walk,” Blackguard offered, hoofing Velvet a remarkably small scroll that a random passerby had in turn passed to him.
Unfurling the spell, Velvet was quick to realize that it was as small as it seemed on first glance.
“I would have assumed there would be more,” she pointed out.
“Geases aren't complicated spells, they just need an expert to cast them without complication,” Blackguard replied nonchalantly.
“Complication?” Velvet asked nervously.
He shrugged.
“If you do it badly, the recipient might end up forgetting how to breathe or something like that. That's rare though, usually it's just small stuff. Not like you have to worry about any of that with Crimy doing the job, isn't that right!” Blackguard proclaimed.
The taller stallion sighed audibly.
“Yes, Mister Blackguard. You do not have to worry about that with one such as I," Crimson tiredly replied.
“See? What I tell ya. He's the best," Blackguard stated confidently.
“Wonderful,” Velvet muttered.
As they walked, Velvet studied the spell, noting that it looked exactly as Blackguard said it would, with the addition of a few lines that seemed to be added solely for protecting against miscasting.
“Wow.” Velvet shook her head. “This spell work is impressive.”
“Why thank you,” Crimson replied, before stopping at a random door and holding it open. “I wrote it myself.”
“Truly artful,” Velvet replied, unbothered by the implications of such magic.
“Why thank you again,” the tall stallion remarked, gently nudging the mare into the centre of the room, where a lavish red couch sat. “Now then, are you ready?”
“I am-” Velvet tried to say, before suddenly being hit by a spell that knocked her clear into unconsciousness, and into the couch.
“Ready...” Velvet muttered, hoof going to her head. “What happened?”
“The geas was done,” Blackguard announced from beside the bed she was currently lying in. “Sorry about that, it doesn't work if you are actually ready for it. The body's natural defences complicate matters.”
“Er...” Velvet muttered.
The unicorn mare looked around, noting that she was in a new room, one that had large bed, chest of drawers, and a smaller, squat chest. The walls were the same black stone as the rest of the rooms she had been through over the last few hours.
“I assume this is my room," Velvet offered.
“You are correct,” Blackguard replied, waving a hoof around. “These are your wonderful accommodations and if you take a step outside, I’m sure anyone around would be happy to help you find the bathrooms, cafeteria, etc etc.”
“Huh,” Velvet murmured, lying back in her bed and idly noting how surprisingly comfortable it was. “Is there any schedule or something I should be aware of?”
The stallion shrugged.
“Not really, we’ll get that kind of thing figured out once you get your strength back, which should be in a day or so. Until then you just rest up and wander around, get to know everybody!” Blackguard encouraged.
“Thank you, by the way,” Velvet added.
“No my dear, thank you,” Blackguard replied, rising once more and trotting over to the door. “Now if you will excuse me, I have some other matters to attend to.”
“Of course.”
And with that, he left, slipping through the door and vanishing as it closed behind him.
Leaving Velvet alone in her room, staring up at the ceiling, thoughts running a million miles an hour.
“Well, Velvet, you've done it. You've been thrown in with a bunch of what seem like rather pleasant cultists," Velvet mused to herself.
The mare sighed, rolling over and staring at the wall, her thoughts drawn to the one question that mattered most. Was it worth it?
It took many long, silent minutes but eventually she knew the answer.
For despite it all, this was simply the only way she was going to get the answers she sought.
Or at least, that's what she hoped anyway.
(updated for better grammer and spelling)
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Oh, ho, ho. things are getting complicated.
Good.
I hope the next interlude is on Celestia, love to see how she explains Velvet vanishing as she did from her dungeon, what excuse she going to say? I'm not sure she can explain it without sounding like...she got rid of her.
So Rainbow turned into a bully herself to have sweet revenge, excusing her own actions with "I did it to teach them a lesson." Then she died and reappeared in Tartarus. Guess that has something to do with Blackguard's mentioned "two lives", maybe some kind of afterlife, depending on how you behaved during your "first life". But that's only an idea.
Fluttershy is most likely now traumatized, because she witnessed how her best friend seriously injured one of her former bullies, perhaps even killing him, only to top it with Rainbow's own death.
Twilight is on her quest to become "strong" and both, she and Rainbow, have already a very "demon-like" mindset.
And Velvet abandoned everything and everypony to join the club of the "misunderstood devilworshippers" in order to find her mssing daughter. It would be hilarious if she and Pear Butter met at one point, only to argue with each other who has the right to be Twilight's mother.
So much conflict potential... me like.
I have no idea about what is with Blackguard’s name. Could someone explain it to me, please?
9434052
I'm not sure what your trying to ask.
9434093
Well he says it’s more “black gerd”. I don’t understand this statement neither in English nor in French.
9434223
https://www.howtopronounce.com/blackguard/
9434226
Okay then! Thank you for tour time!
Wait but... how did the Rainboom happen then? If Rainbow died before Twilight's Surge, then what initiated it? It was clearly described as a rainbow wave of energy hitting Twilight as she Surged if it wasn't a Rainboom... than what was it? Or did all of the things with RD happen after the Rainboom?
9434638
The last one.
If there's one good thing Tirek did it was getting a little filly to understand something this grown mare has not.
While this is a harsh, cynical view of the world, when dealing with demons it is a gospel truth.
9434676
haha someone caught the comparison. Nice one.
9433617
It would be funny if the group Velvet joined tests her at some point by having her summon a demon, and she just happens to get Kanathra. Would Velvet even recognize her?
By the way, it's spelled geas.
9434954
Dunnu. Maybe.
You playing with our feelings, aren't you?
I hope you'll keep updating, this story is violent, but exciting.
9437867
Yes, but I feel depressed with it anyway.
9438036
Just joking about her incredible effect on old monster.
I think that was a while since you showed Celestia's perspective. There's a lot going on around here, but no clue on her own thoughts. There might be a whole emotional storm, judging by her behavior.
Also, I kinda disappointed that this site don't show you a chapter you writing under, because I often forget what I was talking about. Do you?
Ok, what here a second.
After all this, what is the her past you was talking about in description? I mean, it nowhere near what is going right now, there is no any special past.
9433617
I think they will get along pretty well. Depending on how Velvet takes that her daughter was raised by demons.
... That's a pretty strange leap of logic there. My ruler sold my daughter to demons so I'm going to join this group that has demons. Granted I get that she's kinda crazy by this point but still.
10070433
"My ruler failed to get my daughter back from demons due to working with them, incompetence, or shooting herself in the foot by refusing to use all available resources. I should seek out and join a group that shares no affiliation with her, no qualms with doing anything to get what they want, and has skills and abilities that my ruler refuses to use."
Not exactly a very big leap of logic once its in context, but when you take certain parts out of context I understand why you could see it that way.
10070497
...ya know, come to think about it...Celestia’s way of planning and doing is exponentially more capable of backfiring than of actually following said plan...as absolutely everything needs to go the way she needs them to go. By not taking outside factors and forces into account, you leave the whole plan inflexible with too many things to go wrong. So if one were to take the writing of the show-script out of the picture...they see that everything happened the way Celestia wanted them too out of sheer dumb luck. That’s worse than poor planning...if somebody came up to me with a plan like this, I’d have them choke on it while looking for a better one.
10126865
I personally always head cannoned that Celestia was precognitiant, and knew that by doing nothing everything would end up working out for the best. In this story I confirm that she knew that this was true, but was surprised by Tirek screwing everything up.
"I will watch your career with great interest!"
Was that a reference, or am I reading too much into it?