Hellfire Dash

by Centurion Pike-Wall

Chapter 1-Another Day, Another Soul-harvest

Canterlot. The capital of Equestria. A city of the High-class, both in terms of ponies, and in terms of services. A city of white marble and beautiful views over the valley by Canterhorn Mountain. However, not everything was as it seemed. Like everything, Canterlot had a bit of a dark side. Nothing much or too serious; this was Equestria, after all. Things like some pickpockets, or a donut store robbery. However, every now and then, something stood out from the crowd.

Like a stallion being chased into a dead-end alley in Restaurant Row.

The stallion in question had a light gray coat and a dull black colored mane. He wore a green and white polo shirt, khaki slacks, brown dress shoes, and a white sweater tied up around his neck and upper back. He normally wore a pair of spectacles as well, but those had long been discarded in his flight. His eyes darted around the alley, silently cursing himself for choosing this way to turn. He considered turning back to the street, hopefully finally finding a guard to help him shake his pursuer, when he heard loud, thudding hoofsteps behind him.

In desperation, he saw and dove into a dumpster behind one of the restaurants. He had to cozy up to leaking bags of compost, but it was a price he was content to pay for now. He shut the lid and began breathing very slowly as he heard the stomping getting louder.

Outside, he heard the beats of heavy boots closing in. The heavy clacking on the cobblestone of the street continued, getting closer and closer to the dumpster. Finally, after what felt like hours but in reality was less than thirty seconds, the sounds were coming from right outside the dumpster. By this point, he had covered his mouth to assist in keeping his breathing quite, and it seemed to have worked. The pounding stopped, then turned away and walked off.

He then peeked out of the plastic container, scanning the alley for any signs of his assailant. When he was certain the coast was clear, he clambered out of the dumpster, wanting to get out of the filth as fast as possible. He dusted himself off, then leaned down on the dumpster lid, breathing heavily. "Oh, oh Celestia", he gasped out between heavy breaths.

"Nope," a voice said in front of him. "Just me."

His head shot up, a new wave of panic induced sweat pouring down his face. Before he could get a good look at who said it, he felt a heavy force slam into his chest. He was sent sprawling, falling to the street. He wanted to look away, but, as if forced to by some unseen force, looked up at the mare before him.

She appeared to be a simple thestral, with the bat wings and all. She had a blue coat and two-toned mane and tail; one color was blood red, the other was a royal purple. She wore a black leather jacket, red cargo pants, knee-high leather boots, and a black fedora with a red band. Her face was obscured by a pair of patrol sunglasses and a neck gaiter, which gave the lower part of her face the visage of a snarling skull. A pocket watch was slung onto her belt by a silver chain, the main body of it hanging just below her jackets zipper.

He choked out past his fear, "D-do you know who I am!? I am Jet Set! If you so much as touch me, I'll see to it you never-" He was cut short as the mare lowered the neck gaiter and took off the sunglasses. These articles of clothing were concealing a mouth full of shark-like fangs and a pair of smolder, glowing red eyes. The teeth were common on any thestral, but the eyes made his go narrow like pinpricks. "N-no. It, it can't be."

"Yep", the mare said, taking off her fedora and tossing it aside. The fedora disappeared in a flash, as it was no longer necessary to conceal what it was: a pair of swept back, dragonesque horns. No type of pony had those; no normal type of pony, anyway. "Name's Umbra Venandi, but for the brief period you still draw breath, you can call me Umbra. Now, let's get this over with."

"Mortal Jet Set of Equestria", she said in a dark, unnatural tone of voice. "Your time is up, and you have failed to meet your end of your contract. You knew the consequences. Now, it is time to collect your end of the dept. Any last wishes?"

She then began coughing, rasping out, "Oh Lucifer's spiral horns, that always feels weird. Anyway, yeah. Anything you want? 'Sides me letting you go. That ain't happening."

Swallowing hard, Jet Set said, "Li-listen. Umbra, was it? I know I messed up, but I plan on paying Ignis back. I just need a bit more time, and-"

She then, fast as a bolt of lightning, kicked him under the chin, sending the unicorn sprawling out on his back. Walking over to him with her hands in her jackets pockets, she said, "Oh, give me a break. I've heard this same story dozens of times. 'But I need more time' or 'It was so I could see my family'. For once, couldn't one of you cowardly bucks just take it like a stallion?"

She knelt down next to him, reaching into her jacket. She removed the hand, which was grasping a long bowie knife with an ornate, engraved horned eagles skull for a pommel. Jet's eyes widened and his pupils shrunk even more. He scrambled back, trying to hook his hooves into the cobblestones to help push him away faster. She just stood up and walked over with a calm gait. As he turned around the try and get up, she shoved the blade into his spine.

He cried out, hoping that somepony, anypony would hear it and try to help him. Alas, no one was out, and he collapsed back to the dirty cobble. Umbra knelt down next to the crying stallion, swinging the knife idlily in her grip.

"Listen, bud. I know this sucks, but this is your own fault. You made the deal to get to a position of prestige, and yet you didn't have the payment needed for that deal", she said. She then held onto some of his hair, placing the blade beneath his neck, right over the jugular. "Nothin' personal. Just business." And with one fluid motion, she slit his throat.

The blood began to leak out of his throat, pooling out onto the cobblestore. He tried to grip at his neck, to stem the bleeding, but it was a futile effort. The wheezing gasps he choked out growing slower and slower. As he did, she slid the knife back into its scabbard and reached under his neck. She said in the demonic voice, "Et redde creditori tuo tu maxima culpa. Nunc, redde tu cum sanguine."*

The remaining blood that was still leaking out began to seemingly freeze. It then began to swirl around her hand, even as she pulled it away. As it swirled, it began to form into a small, blood-red crystal. When the last of the blood in her hand had formed into the crystal, she tossed it up into the air, and after it fell back to her hand, and then slid it into her pocket. "Eh, why the hell do we have to speak that stupid language to work this magic?"

Outside of the alley, she heard a scream. Looking out, she saw another unicorn in a yellow dress. She then looked down at the body, then back at the mare. She then smiled and waved, and the mare screamed and ran off. She muttered, "This is the part of the job I hate the most." She then opened up and looked at the watch, checking both the time and the contract list it said on the red glass surface. "Alright then. Still got a few hours 'fore I gotta be back at the bosses place. Let's go clubbin'!"

She began to walk out of the alley, ears flicking as she heard the heavy pounding of approaching Royal Guards. "Ergo videtur quod non sit de caelis."** A brief purple miasma surrounded her body, then faded from her; along with her body from the view of anyone not a supernatural. The guards ran past her into the alley behind her now.

Deciding to have a little bit of fun, she held out her leg, causing one of the guards to faceplant on the ground. She had to stifle a laugh, as the spell didn't affect her voice, so they could still hear her. Then, when she was a suitable distance away, the spell wore off and she slid back on her sunglasses and hat. Her disguise properly in place, she spread her wings and took off toward the lower section of the city.

'Even after all these years, flying is still the best thing in the world. And in Hell too. She smiled, the wind whipping her face and coat. She had to keep a hand on her hat to keep it from flying off, but it was only a minor distraction. Soon, she slowed to a lower speed and eventually touched down in front of her destination.

Said destination was a building that looked like a rundown, partially crumbling dive bar. To mortals, anyway. To Umbra and other supernaturals, it looked quite the opposite. It was in the style of an ancient Pegasi building, with a row of columns out front that ran along its front and a wide marble overhang. The whole thing was a blood red and had a flashing lights coming out from the small windows. It was the biggest Club for the Supernatural outside of Manehattan; The Seven Sins.

Outside stood a stallion in jeans, a oversized flannel shirt, and a cloth and felt Ushanka hat. At first glance, he could pass for a normal earth pony, but that faded the more you looked at him or the closer you got. If you did either of those things, you would notice he had a longer, more pointed muzzle than a normal pony. Or that he had long, black claws and canine paws instead of hooves. Or that his eyes were dog-like, and his ears more pointed, or any of the number of other things.

"'Sup, White Fang! How's my favorite Lycan doing?", she asked as she approached him.

He said, "Same old, same old. Now, are we gonna have any problems this time?"

"What do you mean? I don't cause problems."

"Tell that to Damnandum. He still got a broken horn and a missin' tooth from your last bar fight."

She shot him her best 'Oh, come on man' look. "Oh, come on man. That happened one time!" White Fang raised an eyebrow. "Ok, like, five times." Once again, the eyebrow shot up. "Thirty-six?." At this point, she was certain that his eyebrow was trying to run away from him. "Ok, I get it. The point is I'm just here for a, like, half an hour. I won't get drunk enough to break anyones skulls or wings. Relax, you old mutt!"

He looked like he wanted to protest, but sighed and shook his head instead. "Fine. But, if I catch you doing ANYTHING against the rules again, then, after throwing you out, I can't let you back in. Get me?"

She shook his hand, and said, already stepping past him, "You won't regret this."

"I have a feeling I will", she heard him mutter as she entered the main room.

It was a massive, vaulted room like an ancient Pegasi temple. Bronze and Helliron chandeliers hung overhead, casting shadows over the floor. A bar dominated the far wall from the entrance, stocked full of nearly every kind of alcohol imaginable. Lining the edge of the room were a bunch of booths, most of which were packed with various creatures. Even more were on the dance-floor, dancing (Obviously) to a loud, techno-beat performed by a daemon unicorn with a white coat, blueish mane, black sports bra, and a pair of massive sunglasses. Most of the crowd, like the management and staff, were Daemons, however she spotted a few Celestials, Lycans, Vamponies, and even a Lamia or two.

She then spotted an old friend of hers. Walkin' over to the bar, she sat down next to a familiar looking Celestial. Like all Celestials, she had a small golden halo over her head and a glowing cross down the front of her forehead. This one in particular was wearing a lighter colored leather jacket than her own, a pair of skinny jeans, a white t-shirt, and a golden Rolex. Her coat was a pale aquamarine with a short cropped two-toned blonde mane. "Hey, Lightning. How're you doin'?"

The Celestial mare turned to Umbra, smiling a little. "Oh, hey Vanandi. Here to break someponies teeth again?" she said with a laugh.

"Nah. Just a quick drink before I go to turn in my latest contract." She then turned to the Daemon barkeep, saying, "Stalliongrad Vodka, no ice." With her drink on the way, she asked her old, mortal age rival, "So, how have things been with the Old Mare upstairs?"

"Oh, fine, fine. Just the typical crankiness. Huh, you know you're lucky. Lucifer sounds like kinda a chill dude. I swear, sometimes the boss is wound so tight you could use her to hold a bridge together."

Umbra grabbed her drink, taking a sip and sighing at the taste. "Yeah, but even he's got a bit of a sadistic streak."

"Nobodies perfect. If that were the case, you wouldn't have a job, would you?", laughed the Celestial.

Umbra laughed back, "Heh, amen." The two clashed their cups together, before pulling them back and taking a big swig. Umbra then asked, "So, Lightning. How'd you become a Celestial? Back when I knew you, you were the biggest jerk I had met!"

The other mares face darkened a bit. "I told you, it's none of your bucking business."

"Ah, come on!", she coaxed. "Let an old friend know!"

"Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Not for a good eight hours. So, spill, Halo-head!"

Lightning took a big swig of her tequila, then looked over it at the daemon mare. "What would you do if I asked you how you became a daemon?"

"I'd say 'no' as well as 'go buck yourself'", she said. When Lightning stared at her with half-shut eyes, Rainbow caught on to her point. "Touché."

"Yeah, so go buck yourself."

Rainbow then yawned loudly, stretching her wings and her arms back. "Whoa. Ah, Lucifer, I'm beat. Who knew these Canterlot Elites with more bits then sense could run so buckin' fast? Think I'll head back to the old apartment; catch a shower and a few Z's 'fore I head to the boss."

"You do that, Vanandi. Catch ya later."

The Daemon mare slid back on her sunglasses and headed out the door, whistling an old Tennessee Ergot Ford song as she did so. After a short walk from the Seven Sins, she came across a section of wall with a red bit of graffiti in the shape of a old Rune. Rainbow pulled out a key from her jacket, slid it into a small gap on the rune, then turned it and stepped back. A wall of fire erupted from the wall, about the size of a really cramped door. She retrieved her key, then walked in.

Her apartments bedroom greeted her as she emerged from the fire. It was a nice place, especially for Hell. The walls were a deep maroon, and had a great view from the windows out onto the River Styx. A large, queen sized bed with red sheets and comforter dominated a decent portion of the room. The rest of the space was taken up by a small desk, a nightstand, a bookshelf full of Daring Do, and a another door that led to the bathroom/main hall.

She shucked off all of her cloths, leaving her stark naked in her room. She had to admit, she had a killer bod for being dead; well, technically. Sure, her chest looked like someone had set a grill on it, and she had her fair share of scars besides, but all in all she was killer. After a brief marvel at her, she walked down the hall to the bathroom.

A nice, hot blood shower later, and she slipped on a pair of panties and a sports bra to take a nap. She slid into bed, pulling the comforter over her body. Despite being in Hell with the Styx so close by, the room adjusted to the heavy blanket, so that outside of the sheet, it was now cold enough to warrant its use. Vanandi leaned her head against the pillow, and made the mistake of rolling onto her side.

It brought her face to face with the last reminder of her old life, before she made the deal. It was her, along with five other mares and a small dragon sitting on a picnic blanket, eating and laughing. She touched the picture, as if it would bring her back to those old days. Then, she touched the mare she held most dear in her life, even after these six years.

"Someday", she said to herself. "Someday I'll see you again. I promise. On my Loyalty, we'll be together again." She then shut her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note:

*-You have failed to pay your debt. Now, you pay with your blood.
**-Let what is seen be unseen.

Comments

[Replica Knight]

You got my attention!

[Ze1a7in]

On Hiatus from the publishing? Curious.

That's not enough to keep me from tracking and asking for more, though!

[Horrible_Writer]

Hiatus already?

Wth

[Patrik S Jorgensen]

I'm Interested. 🤔🤔

[RDDash]

Hiatus, hmm. Oh well if the story going to be continued then it probably would

[Youdidwhat]

I really like the concept and the story, hope you keep writing.

[Von Voctavia]

aaah tricked by the cover art