REMASTERED - Chapter 7 - One Night Stand
A short time later Arc and Ember walk down a dark road. They are wearing their cloaks from Mythic Honor with the hoods up. Ember grumbles indignantly as they press on.
“I still can’t believe Mythic Honor DID this to me!”
Arc sighs. “Well, he IS kinda crazy.”
“KINDA?!”
“Okay, very crazy.”
“Even that doesn’t describe him.”
“Yes, well… let’s get this over with so we can go home.”
Ember rolls her eyes. “Please don’t say that.”
Arc raises an eyebrow, confused. “You WANT to stay out here?!”
“No, sir. I mean, not a chance. But I also don’t want any of the others back at the hideout seeing me until this thing is OFF!”
“Is it the leash?”
Ember grits her teeth. “Yes, it’s the CHAIN, sir!”
“Okay, okay, Chain… sheesh.”
“I want this done, over with, and never spoken of again!”
She puts a claw to her forehead and groans before continuing.
“This having to say ‘sir’ every time you ask me a question is REALLY getting old!”
Arc shrugs. “I’d stop asking questions if I could.”
“You do that.”
“But I can’t.”
Ember facepalms. “Please… calling you ‘sir’ is just really getting to me! What would everyone else think if they knew?!”
“How about this then. If you let me ask as many questions as I believe are necessary without raising a fuss, then I promise not to tell anyone about whatever happens on this little trip.”
Ember looks back to him. “The entire trip?”
Arc nods. “Yes.”
“Does that include the conversation in the Town Hall before we left??
“Sure.”
“Well… okay. But just to reiterate… I don’t want you talking to ANYONE about ANYTHING even remotely related to this mission. Deal?”
“Deal.”
They walk on in silence for a time. Arc frowns.
“Um… you CAN see where we’re going, right?”
Ember nods. “Yes sir. Dragons can see in the dark.”
“Good. I’m nervous enough as it is out here without having to worry about having to fall in a ditch.”
“That’s your biggest fear out here?”
Arc sighs. “I’m trying not to thing about the… other dangers.”
Ember chuckles. “Getting cold feet now, sir?”
“Not exactly. But walking into the belly of the beast isn’t exactly what I had in mind when I woke up this morning.”
“Me either.”
“So how are you so calm and collected?”
“Because getting emotional doesn’t do anything other than to cloud your judgement, sir.”
Arc sighs. “While my brain understands that, my body is still trying to come to terms with it.”
“You keep working on that. But I do want to say something before we get there.”
“What is it?”
Ember frowns as she looks around and lowers her voice. “You need to stop calling me ‘Ember’. After all, quite a few of the demons know my name.”
“Fine with me. But what do I…?”
“Just call me ‘E’.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “That just sounds like a code name.”
“It is.”
“But it might raise even more suspicion.”
“You got a better name?”
Arc thinks for a moment before speaking.
“How about ‘Erica’?”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “Erica?”
Arc nods. “Yeah.”
“Where did you come up with THAT?!”
“It was the name of a girl that I… had a crush on in grade school.”
Ember laughs heartily. “So you had a lover, eh tiny?!”
Arc shakes his head. “Grade school is for children.”
“Oh. So… did anything ever become of it?”
“If you mean to ask if I ever dated her, the answer is no. She and her parents moved away less than six months after she transferred in.”
Ember does her best to compose herself. “Sure, sure. In any case, ‘Erica’ it is.”
Sometime later they reach the city. Entering they see innumerable demons walking around as if it was the middle of the day. Several female demons walks behind males, and vice-versa, that have similar collars as Ember does. Arc calls out to the young dragon softly as they enter.
“So this is it, huh?
“Yes sir. Vengeance. Now which way do we go?”
Arc reaches into his cloak and pulls out the paper from Mythic Honor. Giving Ember directions on which way to go, she leads them off the main street and to a rather shady part of town. Eventually they come to a small shop at the end of a narrow alley. Ember frowns as she turns back to him.
“Are you sure this is the place, sir?”
Arc nods as he reads the paper again. “Yes. We followed the directions exactly.”
Ember frowns. “Well, this place is closed.”
“Great…”
“There’s a note here though.”
“Can you see well enough to read it?”
Ember nods. “Yes sir. Just give me a second to focus.”
She squints and begins to speak.
“Sorry I missed your courier, MH. Will be back when I open at first light tomorrow morning. Signed… The Management.”
Ember sighs as she turns to Arc.
“Great. Now what?”
“We could always head back the way we came, Erica.”
Ember shakes her head vehemently. “I… no. We can’t leave until we complete our business here.”
“Fine then. What now? Sit here until morning?”
“We shouldn’t be seen loitering. It might make some of the guards ask questions. Need to find a way to get off the streets though.”
Arc sighs. “I don’t suppose the demons have hotels.”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “What’s a ‘hotel’?”
“A place you go to sleep when away from home.”
“Like an ‘inn’?”
“Yeah.”
Ember blushes furiously. “What would we be doing THERE?!”
“Just staying out of sight.”
“I’m not too keen on the idea of…”
Arc interrupts her. “You have a better idea?”
Ember sighs. “No, sir.”
“Then we just need to get some money and find an inn.”
“I have the first one covered.”
Reaching into her sack, Ember pulls out a good sized bag. Arc frowns.
“When did you have time to get THAT?!”
Ember chuckles. “I’ll tell you later, sir.”
They return to the main boulevard and look around. Ember frowns.
“No idea where to start looking for a…”
“Look for buildings that have demons coming and going with leashes.”
“Why?”
Arc sighs. “Because if this is as big a thing as our mutual friend says it is, they’ll be places that cater to it.”
Ember shrugs. “Like that one?”
Arc looks ahead to see numerous demons with leashes walking in and out of it. Some even on all fours.
“That should do it.”
Walking toward it, the pair enter and walks up to the counter. A slimy, and very fat, green faced demon growls at them as they enter.
“Need a room?!”
Arc nods. “Yes.”
“How long?!”
Ember frowns. “Uh… all night obviously.”
The demon stops writing and looks up with his one good eye. “Very funny. Seriously… how long?”
Arc clears his throat. “All night.”
Looking over them wordlessly for a time, the demon eventually goes back to writing.
“Whatever. You paying now or later?”
Ember tosses the bag on the counter. “This enough?”
The demon grins hugely as they snatch the bag and peek inside. Turning back to the pair they nod.
“Just enough!”
He turns and pulls a key off the wall. Tossing it to Arc the demon points toward the stairs.
“Here you go. Top floor and last door on the right.”
Arc looks at the key and nods. “Thanks.”
Giving the leash a small tug, Arc motions for Ember to head for the stairs. Watching them walk away the demon at the counter smiles and shakes his head.
“Those two must be literal animals! Going all night with two bags full of goodies?! How I envy their stamina!”
Meanwhile, Arc follows the directions up to their room. All around them are the sounds of muffled thumping. Reaching their room, Arc uses the key and opens the door. Turning on the lights they find a modestly furnished room with a large bed, refrigerator, lamp, loveseat, and an open air toilet with shower in the corner. Ember looks at the latter two for a few moments before turning to Arc.
“Somehow I think they should have built a wall around this.”
Arc rolls his eyes. “I’m guessing it was intentionally designed that way.”
“But why would…?”
“Think about it for just a minute.”
Arc looks at her silently for a time. Eventually Ember puts two and two together and wrinkles her nose.
“Gross.”
Arc shrugs. “Different strokes for different folks.”
Ember frowns. “And what is THAT supposed to mean?!”
“Just that different people, or in this case demons, have different preferences.”
“So what now?!”
“We sit here until dawn. Then we’ll leave and return to that hole in the wall shop. We’ll give him our stuff, get ours, and leave this dump.”
Ember rolls her eyes. “I mean in the interim, tiny!”
“Oh… um… I don’t know about you, but I’m not really that tired.”
“Of course not! We napped all day!”
Arc frowns. “Well, how were we supposed to know that we’d have to wait?!”
Ember sighs. “I guess we didn’t.”
They are silent for a time as they stand there uneasily. Eventually Ember turns to Arc and speaks.
“S-sorry about that. I’m just a bit… unsettled being here.”
Arc sighs. “Me too.”
Ember looks around. “Um… we probably shouldn’t just stand here like this.”
Arc gestures to the loveseat. “Want to sit down?”
“Yeah.”
Ember leads them over to the loveseat and sits down with Arc next to her. Removing their cloaks, the pair toss them aside and sit there wordlessly. They are silent again until Arc finally speaks.
“We should talk about something.”
“What did you have in mind?”
Arc shrugs. “I dunno. But it doesn’t look like there’s anything else to do for the moment other than… you know.”
Ember frowns. “Yeah. And I’m not too interested in THAT!”
“Me either, really.”
“Oh? You don’t think the Dragon Lord’s daughter is good enough for you?!”
Arc sighs. “That’s not it. I just… don’t have any interest is loveless sex.”
Ember folds her arms over her chest and looks away. “Well I would hope not! That and we’re not even the same species!”
“Glad we can agree on that.”
“Right!”
Silence again reigns over the room. Arc thinks for a moment before speaking.
“Hey.”
“What?”
“So are you going to tell me where you got all the demon money from?”
Ember chuckles. “Why? You think I’m working for them, or something?”
Arc shakes his head. “Nah. While I don’t know you very well, I do trust you enough not to do something like that.”
“You’d be right. Truth be told, I collected them.”
“Like as in a hobby?”
Ember shrugs. “I’ve always thought of it more like a game.”
“Well then, how does the game work?”
“Every time I killed a demon I’d always search them for items that would help the Vile Tribe.”
“Like what?”
“Gemstones mostly. They’re really the only thing worth taking from the demons. But I found that they all carried around these small, round coins with an ugly face on them.”
She reaches out with a Telekinesis Spell and pulls something from her sack next to the door. Looking it over for a moment she tosses it to Arc. He looks it over for a few moments before speaking.
“Some kind of coin?”
Ember nods. “I just kinda assumed it was demon money”
“Whoever’s face this is… wow, now THAT’S ugly.”
“King Malevolence. Ruler of Vengeance and king of all demons.”
Arc chuckles. “I’m assuming he’s not exactly the friendly type.”
Ember shakes her head. “Not in the least. At least if what his subjects say about him is true, that is.”
“What do they say?”
“Mostly how vile or disgusting he is. Either that or they love him.”
Arc frowns. “What do you mean?”
“Those things they say could also be compliments. We’re not too sure since they’re demons, and all.”
“So is there a queen here too?”
Ember shakes her head. “Not anymore.”
“She died?”
“No one knows.”
"Ah… some kind of coverup.”
“Could be. Mythic Honor told that King Malevolence married someone a couple decades ago. But he couldn’t remember anything about her and I didn’t press the matter.”
“So any ideas where she went?”
Ember shrugs. “Supposedly she just disappeared one day.”
“As in there one day and gone the next?”
“Yeah.”
“Bet that made the king pretty mad.”
Ember nods and shudders. “That it did. He dispatched his forces to scour Tartarus from top to bottom numerous times.”
“I’m guessing they didn’t find anything.”
“Not a trace. They searched for weeks though. We thought for sure they’d storm our gates looking for her.”
Arc appears surprised. “Why didn’t they?”
“We’re guessing they have demons watching our walls, just like we watch theirs for signs of movement.”
“Wait! They might’ve seen us leave then!”
Ember chuckles. “Not likely. Didn’t you wonder why we took this roundabout route to get here?”
“I couldn’t even see where we were going.”
“Oh… right.”
“What do you think happened?”
“To the queen?”
“Yeah.”
Ember shrugs. “Who knows. Pretty much everyone believes that she probably either just got sick of his smell and left, died unexpectedly, or was killed by the king.”
“And you?”
“My bet’s that it was actually all three.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “How?”
“Now hear me out. I think that she threatened to leave one too many times. Eventually she caught him on a bad day, he got especially mad and in a fit of rage, hit her a little too hard and, well… you can figure out the rest.”
“But why lie about it?”
Ember sighs. “That’s the only part I don’t get, sir. I mean, it’s not like anyone would try to overthrow him if it were true.”
“Why not? I mean, I can imagine that there much be some demons that would love to overthrow him.”
“Well, you see…”
They are cut off by a disturbance outside. The pair quickly put their robes back on, turn off the lights, and head over to the window. Arc opens the curtains and they look down at the street below.
“What… what the heck IS that?!”
Ember frowns. “King Malevolence.”
Arc looks at the massive demon below as he continues. “That thing has to be at LEAST twenty feet tall!”
“Probably closer to thirty actually.”
“Either way, I though you said the queen was dead.”
“She is.”
“Then who’s that with him?”
Arc points at a young demoness walking next to the king. Ember chuckles as she speaks.
“That’s his daughter, sir.”
“Oh. What’s her name?”
Ember shrugs. “I forget, sir.”
She glares at him before continuing.
“Can you PLEASE stop asking questions?! I’m getting really tired of having to call you ‘sir’.”
“Sorry.”
The pair watch the procession as the pair slowly walk down the main street. Eventually, Arc speaks.
“I do wonder why they’re walking amongst the commoners though.”
Ember grins. “Good idea to avoid a question.”
“I aim to please.”
“But in answer to your question, I’m guessing it’s just some kind of public appearance. All rulers do it sometimes.”
“Oh really?”
“Yup. It’s to show the public that their leaders are alive, well, strong, and able to lead… or something.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Or something, huh?”
“Well, that’s what my dad told me anyways.”
Eventually the monarchs pass and business returns to normal below. Arc and Ember close the curtain and turn the lights back on before sitting down on the couch together again. Ember turns to him.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“It’s about those you left behind.”
“Oh?”
“Do you ever miss them?”
Arc nods. “Every day. But that’s a bit more complicated than you think.”
“How so?”
“I left behind my new friends back in Ponyville.”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “How is that complicated?”
“Because I left behind my friends back on Earth to come to Equestria and meet them.”
They are silent for a time as Ember processes what Arc said. Eventually she speaks.
“I… didn’t really have anyone back in the Dragon Lands to leave behind. Well, other than my dad, I guess. But that couldn’t really be helped.”
“When we met, you told me something to the effect of ‘how many others can say that they’ve been banished twice’.”
Ember nods. “I remember that, yes. What about it?”
“I know what it feels like… to have to leave everything behind twice.”
“Yeah… I guess you do.”
Ember turns to Arc and sighs before she continues.
“Look, I… um… don’t really know what else to say right now. But at the same time… would really like to continue this conversation.”
Arc nods. “Sure. Whenever you’re ready.”
“As for when…”
She puts a claw on the chain before continuing.”
“…I think I’d like it to be when I’m not your, well… for lack of a better word… prisoner.”
Arc chuckles. “Yeah. It’s kinda… hard for both of us right now.”
Ember grins. “Why? You don’t like having the Dragon Lord’s daughter on a leash?”
“Don’t you mean ‘chain’?”
“No, sir. I meant what I said. But how is this hard for you?”
Arc chuckles and holds up a hand. “Because I have to keep holding this thing. Remember what Mythic Honor said. I let go and the magical timer stops.”
“Well, it would restart when you pick it up again.”
“Really?”
“Yup.”
“Dare I ask how you came to that conclusion?”
“I overheard some female demon telling that to her blubbering boyfriend.”
Arc sighs. “She could have just been saying that, you know.”
“Maybe. But I’m pretty good at knowing when others are being truthful.”
“Well… why don’t we get some rest before morning.”
Ember nods as they stand up together. “I suppose that does sound like a good idea.”
“You can have the bed.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll just stretch out on the floor next to you.”
Ember frowns. “That doesn’t sound like a very good sleeping position.”
“You have a better idea?”
“Yes sir, I do.”
Turning toward the couch, Ember reaches out a claw and casts a Telekinesis Spell. Using it to drag the couch over to the side of the bed, she turns to Arc.
“There you are. A much more comfortable nap. For both of us, I mean.”
Arc grins as he lies down on the cushions. “Good call.”
Ember chuckles as she tosses him a blanket. “I aim to please… sir”
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Um... I'd like to know the details.
Well, what's the problem eh? Just open the gates for like... 3 seconds at most? Go in close to the gate(Possibly get rid of the shattered crystal because who knows what magical properties it has). Then find Arc and leave. Not like 3 seconds is enough for anything to get out. Not even the ones he stays around the gate...
...
...
...
right?? Even then Cerberus guards the gate.
So far i am liking this fic. Sometimes i have a feeling like it is rushed ( i am propably just spoiled) but seeing this is one of the longest i ever read i think the quality will improve the further i read. Also i have a feeeling that there are some time jumps that are not very clear making stuff confusing.
10604855
But as time went on I did improve. 
Glad you're enjoying the ride.
It was my first time writing anything, so that really showed.
The time lapse was my first attempt at telling the story from multiple points of view. It would go from Arc and Ember to Twilight and her friends. Admittedly that was probably a bit ambitious back then. Things are a bit more straightforward later.
In a much later volume you the reader gets to play a game of "Clue". A crime has been committed with the guilty party one of a gathering's attendees. I used the Author's Notes section at the top of each chapter to compile the various clues Arc gathered. That was a blast to write!
Don't mind me, just another guy who was constantly thinking of dropping this but was quite glad he stuck with it.
11011264
Glad to hear it.
This is the first thing I've ever written, so admittedly it did start of really rocky in terms of quality. When I get done with the story I'm planning to go back and completely rewrite the first two volumes at least.
Heh, what a
!
11751381
This entire plot arc of having Arc and Ember go on this trip was added in the remastered version to flesh out their initial relationship. It changed things from an early platonic friendship to that where Ember initially didn't like Arc.
Looking back at the original story, they went from just friends (or coworkers) to Ember wanting to became his mate just WAY too fast!