"Think he's going to be mad?" asked Rainbow Dash as casually as possible, trying to hide her trembling wings. The night had passed, and now, the mares were waiting in the kitchen, all of them well aware of that punishment was coming for Rainbow. Well, almost all of them: Pinkie hadn't come back from Nox's room. They just hoped she had been able to tone his wrath down a notch. On the other side of the kitchen, the palace's four servants were keeping their eyes on them, as Jaco served plates filled of apparently edible food.
"Ya can bet on that sugarcube. And Ah honestly hope he is!" exclaimed Applejack, glaring at the pegasus, while grasping a purple apple on her plate. "Ya didn't listen to him once again, and what good did that bring eh? It's useless if ya always says 'Ah'm sorry, that's my fault!' and then ya just do as ya want the next time!" she exclaimed, angrily.
"Now Applejack..." started Rarity, while carefully twirling a fork on her plate, studying the creamy green substance on it. "She knows..."
"Well, that's useless if she does it again!" snapped back the orange mare. "Ah hope Nox has a plan to hammer it in that head of yers!" growled the orange mare. Fluttershy lowered her head, worried.
"I... I hope it's going to be just... there is no need for... anything extreme now... don't you think?"
"Oh, I don't know." growled Esper in amusement, his fangs shining. "He may try to actually slam a hammer on that little pony's head."
"Or maybe write down the rules, then shove them into her brain." suggested Pumpkinhead. Sasha and Zira both glared at them, shushing them. But now Rainbow was actually trembling, tapping a hoof fearfully on the ground.
"Wow, everybody's up. What's the occasion?" asked Junior, silently stepping in the large room, greeting everybody with his persistent frown.
"We all believe your father is going to punish Rainbow for endangering herself and the others!" chirped Jaco happily, giving him a plate of black mush. Junior stared at it without blinking.
"I understand. By the way, can you also give me the Pr- the big white horse's one?"
"Uh? Sure." said the minion, taken aback, but placing a much larger tray laoded with pastries and a big cup of tea on another tentacle. "Are you going to bring it to her?"
"Uh... yes? It's on the way to my room, I can save you the travel."
"Oh. Thanks! Even if your room is completely on the other side of the castle!" said Jaco happily, turning towards the oven.
Junior sighed, turning, and looked at the mares. "Well, good luck with dad. I hope he doesn't skin you. The smell would not be pleasant." he said sternly. Rainbow started to shiver. And the shivering reached a peak when the door was blasted open by a kick.
"Oh boy, here we go..." mumrured in Pumpkinhead expectantly, as Esper licked his lips with a famished expression.
"GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY!" boasted the archdevil cheerfully, walking giddly into the kitchen. He was wearing nothing but his trousers, which were not totally on right, and clawed shoes, his scar totally visible over his thin chest. "Good morning Sasha, you are as beautiful as ever. Zira, you as well, and your fur is shinier than ever!" he cheerfuly exclaimed, sliding between them with a bright smile on his face, before he patted the head of an astonished Esper. "Esper, you should close your mouth, or a fly might enter. But othert han that, your fangs are looking more polished than usual. Pumpkinhead!" he continued, giving a pat to the scarecrow's back that almost sent him to the ground. "You keep going how you are going! You can do it, my friend. Girls!" he chirped, turning towards the mares, who were looking at him midway between amazement and utter terror. "I love you all with every inch of my dark and tainted soul!" he declared, before stretching his arms out, and with the help of his shadows, hugged all of them.
"Nox... are you ok buddy?" asked Jaco, raising an eyebrow from his place near a pot full of boiling black liquid. Noxfero eyed him, and let the mares go, quickly sliding beside him.
"Haven't felt this good in years, Jac." he giggled, while quickly stealing the little minion's spoon to take a taste of the black liquid. "It needs more salt. Keep up the good work, though." he said with a grin, giving the spoon back and patting him on the head. Jaco just blinked, and for the first time ever, he was left speechless. And finally, the devil's eyes fell on his son, who was still holding the plates. He quickly grasped him and raised him to eye level, as the little demon continued to hold the plates with his tentacles.
"Yes, father...?" he started sternly, before he was he was shut up when his father gave him a long kiss on the forehead.
"And I love you too the most, my little spawn! Blood of my veins, bile of my gallbladder!" he cooed, holding Junior tightly and cuddling him, as the little devil's eyes formed two balls of disbelief.
"Are... are you really my father...?" he blabbered, confused. The servants were still looking at their master in utter shock, and only the mares acknowledged the arrival of Pinkie, who skipped happily into the room, her mane and tail fuzzier and messier than usual.
"Pinkie?! What's going on?" asked Twilight worriedly, coming near her. "Is it the aftermath of the poison? Is he sick?"
"What? Nono, you silly, he's just happy, can't you see?" giggled the mare, before yawning. "Morning everypony." she properly saluted, smiling. Her friends didn't seem impressed by that, shooting glances at the devil, who was still cuddling a very confused son.
"But... why is he like this? I mean, I do not mind in the slightest his change of attitude; it's rather welcome, really, but still..." Rarity tried to explain, before covering her mouth and looking at Pinkie. "Did... something happen?" she asked in a low tone. Pinkie giggled, and waved a hoof.
"You silly, a lady never tells."
"That's quite right, a lady never- wait Pinkie!" exclaimed Rarity, her eyes widening. "Pinkie, what you aren't telling! Pinkie?!" she almost squealed, raising her hooves over her mouth, imitated by Fluttershy. Pinkie just giggled and winked, before hopping towards Jaco, who was still stunned in his place.
"Hi Jac-Jac, is there anything good?" she asked, smiling.
"That's it, I went to sleep, and the oven transported me to a parallel universe where Nox is not an ass." murmured the minion, giving a plate full of sweets to the mare without moving his eyes from the devil, who was only now letting the son go: Junior stubled out of the door, his face a mask of confusion.
"Now girls!" exclaimed Noxfero, sliding behind them again, casually scratching Rarity and Twilight's ears. "Pinkie proposed that we do something all together today, so I was thinking, if you are ok with it, we could watch a movie, together?"
"That… would be nice..." murmured Fluttershy with a smile. The other mares exchanged glances, then rapidly nodded. It was the first time they had ever seen the devil in such a good mood and they weren't going to miss this occasion. Especially right now, since he didn't seem to be keen on punishing Rainbow. Noxfero smiled brightly and turned, grasping Pinkie between his arms and holding her, causing a fit of giggles before he gently bit her ear.
"Come on now." he called, starting to move out of the room. "Jaco, when you are finished, if you want you may join us." he called, while the mares quickly followed him, their plates held in Rarity and Twilight's magical grasps. Jaco just blinked. As soon as the group left, Pumpkinhead immediately groaned.
"Mind controlled. Called it." he huffed.
"Are you stupid or something?" hissed Sasha. "Or just blind?"
"He's a man." huffed Zira, stirring.
"What's that supposed to mean?" growled Esper, baring his fangs.
"It means you cannot see the obvious, since your testosterone is drowning your brain."
"Listen here you little bitch..." started Esper, but immediately shut up when the slim figure of the Slenderman materialized inside the room. He ignored them and moved calmly towards the gigantic fridge, taking out a bag of frozen souls, opening it, and starting to 'eat' them.
"You are noisy." he finally stated in his neutral voice. Esper growled and Zira hissed, both giving in to their feral instincts, as Sasha huffed.
"We are surprised at the... change of mood of the master. Yesterday he returned with a spike of ice sticking out of his-"
"I know, I had seen." interrupted the faceless creature.
"Anything else you might have... seen?" asked the vampire carefully. Slender faced her for a second.
"I have seen. But on this subject, my nonexistent lips are sealed." he finally stated, before vanishing. Pumpkinhead groaned.
"Useless as ever. Oh well, I'm going to the lab." he declared. Esper growled and rapidly walked away as well, heading for the prison.
"Men." huffed Zira. "Well, I'm going to the gardens then. Those plants aren't going to kill anyone in my absence."
"Have fun." called Sasha, finishing her blood, then floating rapidly towards the library.
All of them failed to notice that all the clocks had started running backwards.
-oOo-
"He might be sick." commented Junior, gulping down a spoonful of black ichor, while a couple of tentacles helped Celestia to gulp down a portion of porridge. "Or still poisoned. Or he might have gone apeshit."
"Or maybe he's just really really happy?" proposed Celestia with a smirk, before nomming the portion that a tentacle was offering her on a spoon. "Thank you."
"He has never been so happy. And he didn't have anything to be happy about, yesterday." commented the little devil. He dug into the bowl and offered another spoon of graysh mush to the Princess, who ate it happily.
"Well, you told me he slept with Pinkie Pie, right?" she asked, cleaning her mouth with a napkin. The little devil nodded, his frown explaining how little that information made any difference, from his point. "You... have you ever thought your father could consider her… uh..." she tried to find a good term. "someone... really REALLY special to him?" she asked, carefully.
"I don't undertsand." immediately stated the little creature. Celestia cringed slightly.
"You...err... oh dear this might be hard, sorry. Would it be possible that your father may love her?" she asked, softly. Junior blinked, cocking his head to one side.
"What is 'love'?" he asked, frowning even more. Celestia rolled her eyes. This was going to be hard.
"It's when... you feel... really close to someone. You cherish every moment you are with him or her, you strive to protect him, and you are full of happiness everytime you see him smile." she said. That should be enough of an explanation, for a little kid like him.
"Ah." stated Junior, scratching his chin. Then he blinked, before looking at the mare again. "So that means I love you?" he asked, slightly confused. Celestia stiffened, taken aback.
"Uh... let's see..." she started, gulping. "Can I have a sip of tea first, please?" she asked. Junior nodded, grasped the cup and starting to give it to her before he stopped, looking at the supposed tea: he was sure that before it had been a bright golden color. Now it had assumed a dark blue color, with a series of pink dots over its surface, as it emitted a strong smell similar to a mix of eggplants, molten concrete and pepper.
"What is this?" he asked, confused. It didn't make an inch of sense.
He paled, terrified.
-oOo-
Someone rang at the door. The ringing continued for a few minutes, before Sasha finally slammed down her piles of books and darted downstairs to open the door. It was Esper's work to greet guests, but apparently that mangy dog was sleeping on the job. She mumbled to herself as she entered the main hall of the castle, heading towards the black door.
"Hey hey hey hey wait, that's my job!" growled Esper from behind her, coming out of a set of stairs.
"You are late Esper, just go back downstairs."
"Stop ordering me around vampire, you are not my boss." growled the werewolf, pushing her aside and opening the door.
A long, black tendril darted into his chest, impaling him on the spot, before tossing him back without a sound. The man hit the stairs leading to the first floor and crumpled there, motionless, a pool of blood spreading under him. Sasha froze, terrified, her eyes locked on their... "guest".
Outside the door, politely waiting on the front porch, there was a woman. She was tall and thin, her slim face crowned by a long shower of black hair with white spikes. She was dressed in a Victorian style gown and corset of a dull color, with drawings of eyes, mouths and forbidden rituals stitched all over it. Her eyes were devoid of any emotion, constantly changing color as she stared at Sasha, her feet floating a few inches above the ground, and four long black tentacles sliding around her, coming out from below the dress.
"Ah! Mistress, milady, your highness..." Sasha babbled in terror , taking a step back. The woman glided slightly forward. The vampire stumbled further back, trying to crawl away from her. "Miss, I-I'm afraid to inform you t-that the master is now busy with important affairs right n-now, I'm afraid he's not able t-to-"
"Silence, undead." said the woman in a monotone voice. "I do not wish to speak with you. I do not wish to speak with your master, either, unless interaction is necessary. I'm heare to speak with Junior."
"Lady Eris, please, you have to consider that there are some procedures that we have to follow, and right now, I should tend to Esper, so I-"
"Where is my son?"
"I... Lady Eris please, I'll go search for him as soon as possible..." blabbered Sasha, continuing to crawl away, giving worried glances at the motionless body of the werewolf. The other woman stared at her with no emotion, her eyes turning a dark shade of blue.
"You will fetch him now, undead." she said, her tentacles slowly sliding over the floor. The tiles under her rapidly cracked and quickly transformed, some turning into wooden tiles, others into carpet, others yet into grassy patches of earth, and a couple of them into living tiles of flesh. "I wish to see him."
"Milady, I understand really, I do, but-" started the vampire, before yelping in terror as one of the tentacles darted forward, snaring her before lifting her into the air with no effort at all, holding her a few inches from Eris' face, now contorted with rage, eyes blazing red, her mouth showing four lines of fangs.
"YOU WILL BRING MY SPAWN HERE, OR YOUR IMMORTALITY WILL BE MEANINGLESS, AS I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER THROUGH A THOUSAND DEATHS!" she screamed, her hair dancing in the air. The vampire squirmed in terror, as the woman tossed her against the stairs, cracking a couple of tiles. She was sure she was going to be left with nothing but regrets, when the slim, suited figure of the Slenderman entered her field of view, the pack of frozen souls still in his hand.
"Mistress, I thought I felt your presence." he said politely, bowing his head. Eris' hair immediately fell down, her eyes shifting to a warm golden color. Sasha gulped, before quickly crawling towards Esper, pressing a hand to his forehead.
"Come on... now now, don't worry..." she whispered, rapidly checking the condition of her colleague. "Everything is going to be fine..." she murmured, shooting a glance towards the two otherwordly creatures.
"If you are looking for that young offspring of yours, I do believe he's occupied at the moment. Do you wish for me to go and interrupt him and fetch him for you?"
"Mh... no, I can wait." said the woman calmly, going completely against what she had spoken only a few seconds before. But after all, she was a creature of pure chaos.
"Do you wish to wait here, or perhaps in the dining room...?" continued the Slenderman, before halting when a tentacle slowly started to caress his neck.
"You are becoming much too organized, minion. Should I be concerned this long hiatus from the Void is making you less like our kind?" Eris asked, her voice calm and blank like a still lake.
"No, my liege, I'm just adapting to the environment you banished me to, when you gifted me to your son." answered the Slenderman in the same emotionless way.
"I was wondering why the tape was going backwards, the television was upside-down and my bed was made of water." called a voice from upstairs, drawing the attention of the woman and the Slenderman, while the vampire felt a little happy flutter in her dead heart, as she tried to press over the hole in Esper's chest: Noxfero was lazily striding down the stairs, passing a hand through his hair, while the six mares' heads poked out from the little balcony above, looking through the handrail.
"And then, look at this, we have the honour to have dear Eris with us." he said gently, stepping off of the stairs, before looking at Sasha and Esper. "Take him in the infirmary, quickly." he ordered, and then returned his eyes to Eris. "And tell Junior to come. I assume you are here for him?"
"I do not have any reasons for my whims, Noxfero." was her cold answer. Noxfero chuckled.
"Your cynicism is wasted today. I'm in far too good a mood to be altered by it." he said happily, rocking on his feet. Eris blinked slowly.
"That's an unusual, if not unique feature for you. Are you turning into one of my kind?" she asked, her eyes turning into a couple of silver pearls.
"Is that an effort to be sarcastic?" asked Noxfero with a smirk, causing an almost invisible smile to appear on the stone-faced woman. "My my, what are those? Emotions?" he chuckled.
"I do try sometimes, to express these... things you creatures of order love to use to express yourself. After all, our son is just a crossbreed, he might need these to communicate properly. The last time we talked, he really struggled with trying to follow me."
"What can you do, kids will be kids." shrugged the devil, while behind him, Sasha quickly stormed up the stairs, the bloody body of Esper in his arms. The mares glanced at him, terrified, as she passed by.
"Oh dear Celestia, what happened to him?"
"It was Eris, probably." noted Jaco, jumping over Twilight's head and sitting down. "Yep, look there, her tentacle is still bloody."
"W-what? Why would... Why is Noxfero treating her so nicely then?!" snapped Rainbow in disbelief. Jaco sighed.
"Eris is a creature of chaos. She might pass from loving mother to bloodthirsty killer in less than a second. Nox has spotted a good mood, and is clinging to that. He's probably terrified."
"Uh? Why?" asked the purple unicorn, raising her eyes.
"Well, do you rememeber all the times we told you we cannot die, because we are already dead?"
"Yeah...?"
"That doesn't apply with her. She can kill us at any moment."
"So, how are things going in the Void?" asked the devil, gesturing at the woman to follow her, as he started to climb the stairs. "Annhilated any worlds recently?"
"We have submitted countless, and yet those are just grains of sand in the cosmos. But the Void is eternally hungry, eager for chaos to return to every corner of existence. Everything will return to us, in time." said Eris calmly, the stairs turning into rubber behind her. Noxfero chuckled, and made a quick gesture at the mares, who immediately parted to either side, permitting him and Eris to go through.
Twilight felt a horrific chill as the chaotic creature passed her. She was pure chaos, but on a different level than Discord was. As the Draconeequs showed emotions and malicious intent, happiness, fear, and more, this woman seemed not to have any, as she passed by. And still she stopped a second, and silently, with her emotionless face, gently petted Fluttershy's head, who trembled slightly under her touch.
"The family? All good?" continued to ask the devil, progressing down his path. Eris moved on from Fluttershy, continuing to slide behind him. The pegasus finally let out her breath, starting to hyperventilate.
"Ammutseba has devoured all the lights in the dark skies, Gloon has created and destroyed countless meaningless lives in the time of a mortal heartbeat. Gog-hoor is still spreading insanity, to sweeten his meals, and Rhogog stares into the infinite, holding the blood of the ancients."
"So… that means' all good'?"
"Pretty much, yes."
"Is there a reason why you are one of the few with a normal sounding name?" asked Noxfero with a grin, finally opening the door of the dining room, and leading Eris towards the well polished table. Not that it mattered, since it started to melt as soon as they neared it.
"Eris is just the name mortals used to call me. I figured since you were mortal once, you would find it easier to call me that..." explained without emotion the woman finally stopping, looking around with no interest. "Where is my son?"
"Our son. I'm his father, you know?" noted the devil gently, then smiled. "I'm sure he's on his way. Why you don't just relax, and wait a little? Do you want something?" he started, sitting down, before freezing slightly when he saw the mares silently entering the room. Eris turned her head, and stared at the little ponies who were staring at her. She turned slightly and observed, silently.
"Uh, they are..." started the devil, before he was interrupted by Pinkie, who dashed to his lap, keeping her eyes narrowed. Eris didn't seem impressed, staring back, her tentacles slowly wiggling in the air. Noxfero gulped slightly, but nonetheless he put a hand on the mare's mane.
"I see you are indeed turning into one of us." finally stated the woman, slowly blinking. "Crossdimensional travel. It's a start."
"It's not prohibited," said the archdevil, a little uneasily.
"Of course not. But that leads to chaos and unbalance, in the long run. Look at this." She pointed at Pinkie. "They are not from this world. The contact between this world and theirs will bring utter chaos, you can believe me." she said, calmly. Then suddenly, making Noxfero and Pinkie jump in their seat, she slammed the table with a tentacle, sending it flying against a wall.
"THAT'S ENOUGH DEVIL!" she screamed, her eyes turning bright red, her tentacles slamming on the floor, cracking and melting the tiles, as Noxfero almost fell out of his chair, trying to step away from the woman. Twilight gasped, and started to dash into the room with Rainbow and Applejack, her horn started to shine brightly, but stopped when Jaco jumped in front of her, gesturing to stop and shut up, his eyes darting towards Eris in terror.
"Eris please, be patient, he's on his way..." the devil stated calmly, slowly standing up and taking a step back, trying to put Pinkie behind him, even if the mare sternly refused, not budging. The woman took another step, her eyes narrowing.
"I am not patient, Noxfero." she hissed, wrapping a tentacle around the devil and lifting him in the air.
"Noxy! Let him go!" cried out Pinkie, as Jaco paled, looking around and searching for something, anything, to distract the creature. Eris didn't react to the mare's cry, slamming the devil to the ground, tightening her grip as the black flesh of the tentacle started to crackle with little black, starry sparks, ready to unleash her powers. But at that, Noxfero just giggled.
"Do your worst Eris, I'm in too good of a mood today." he chuckled. Eris studied him, slightly raising an eyebrow.
"Shouldn't you now express fear and distress, since I'm threatening your existence?" she asked, cocking her head to one side. Noxfero only shrugged.
"Maybe I really am turning into one of your kind." he suggested with a smirk. Eris blinked, apparently calming down.
"No, I don't think so." she finally declared, watching as Pinkie tried to free the devil from the tendrils, without much success.
"Mother?"
Eris turned, looking as the little devil she was waiting for entered into the room, a slightly worried frown on his face as he saw his father pressed to the ground. Eris stared at him, before raising her three free tentacles, moving them towards her son. Junior relaxed slightly, as he raised his own tendrils, and gently rubbed them with his mother's.
"It's good to see you, my son." she said gently, letting go of Noxfero, using the fourth tentacle to gently grasp her child and lightly raise him. "It has been too long since I last saw you, my little starspawn." she said in a suddenly warm and loving tone, passing a hand over the little demon's cheek.
"Look at that bitch." smirked Noxfero, climbing on his feet and cracking his back, before leaning on Pinkie. "I guess maternal instinct is the same for all creatures." he grumbled with a smile, watching as the woman gently caressed her son, whispering in her forbidden language. Jaco gave another glance to the woman, before gesturing at mares that now it was apparently safe.
"Noxfero, are you ok?" asked Twilight worriedly, as the devil made his back crack again. Pinkie gave him a worried glance.
"Later I'm going to gave you a back massage." she stated, nodding. "Being slammed around doesn't help your spine, you know?"
"I know, I know..." giggled the devil, scratching her ear. "Don't worry."
"That gal there is more crazy than Granny's mayonnaise." grunted Applejack, shooting Eris a glance. "Did ya really have a thing with her?" she asked. Noxfero blinked.
"Uh...no? I mean, yes, maybe a little." he answered, unsure. "Of course only on my part, what can you do. Then she left Junior's egg and disappeared, returning into the Void."
"Ya have a thing for crazy gals eh?" asked the orange mare with a smirk, shooting a glance towards Pinkie, who giggled, her cheeks slightly reddening.
"Must be Jaco's influence." noted Noxfero with a smirk, patting the pink pony's head. "I can't stand a common and normal life anymore."
"This coming from a dead guy working in hell." chimed in Jaco.
"Yep, whatever." huffed Noxfero, rolling his eyes. The mares giggled, finally starting to relax... for about four seconds, before a black tentacle darted between them and grasped Noxfero's ankle, raising him into the air and bringing him, upside down, in front of Eris' face.
"Why does she even do THAT?!" panted Rainbow, startled, while beside her, Fluttershy was now laying on the ground, unconscious.
"You could have just called me, you know?" asked the devil, raising an eyebrow. "What do you need?" he continued. Eris looked at him without any emotion. On the other hand, Junior was moving his eyes between the two worriedly.
"I wish to bring Junior back to the Void, where he can discover that part of him that had been sealed for too long. But he has helped me understand that you might not agree with this... "
"Of course not! He's my son too you know?! You throw him away and disappear, and then when he shows some potential, you want to take him away?!" he hissed angrily, dangling upside down. "No, I'm not ok with this!"
"Mh, I see..." said calmly the woman. "Then I just have to erase you."
"Yeah, you- WAIT WHAT?!" screeched the devil, trying to free himself, starting to panic. "Now now Eris, don't be hasty, we might find a compromise now!" he squealed, as the tentacle started to emit sparks.
"Mother wait, there is no need for... I don't want to-"
"You don't know what you desire, son." said the woman calmly, brushing back his hair, before she noticed the mares charging at her. She didn't flinch, one of her tentacles quickly darting through the air, scraping the floor in front of the mares, halting their attack, as a black substance dotted with what seemed to be stars prevented them from advancing.
"Eris, really, don't..." started the devil, before yelping, as his flesh started to slowly vanish, dispersing into chaos. "Eris, for Satan's sake! Be reasonable!"
"Noxy!"
"Mom!" Junior in terror, looking at his father.
There was a flash of golden light, and suddenly Eris dropped her son, hissing and emitting an echoing roar as her tentacles retracted, dropping Noxfero on the ground and looking at her tendrils, their flesh scorched and crumbled. She gave another inhuman squeal of pain, as the barrier holding the mares was washed away by another beam of pure light.
"Oh, you can walk!" Jaco squealed happily.
Eris raised her now black eyes, locking them on the magenta eyes of the candid alicorn slowly limping into the room. She smelled like medicine and sickness, but her walk was regal and determined, in spite of slight limp. Her horn was blazing with a golden aura, making Eris' eyes ache with pain, as her tentacles quickly retracted under her gown. Noxfero groaned, sitting up on the ground, before quickly crawling back behind Celestia, as the Princess continued to advance, the light of her horn brightening further at every step. Junior gave a glance at Eris, before joining his father, helping him to stand up.
"Who are you...?" asked Eris, protecting her eyes with her hands, her gown flapping, the drawings almost moving and screaming in agony, as the light became brighter and brighter. "You are one of the servants of the Order... balance..." she almost mused, her hair starting to slightly burn. "And a powerful one."
"As chaos may destroy order and harmony, as you were so eager to demonstrate with Noxfero, the opposite can occur as well. I already saw it happen in my world." She said with a severe expression, her usual cordial and sweet smile vanished. "Now go away, and leave this place!"
"In a moment, servant of the order..." stated the woman, before straightening up and holding out a hand, looking at Junior. "Come now, let's go." she called. The little devil paled, before gulping and puffing out his chest.
"You are my mother only by blood, or whatever there is running through your veins. I don't want to come with you!" he shouted, growling. Celestia noted that the little devil's legs were shaking. Eris raised an eyebrow slightly, before shrugging. A dense cloud of starry darkness engulfed her, as she ripped through reality, and with a slight gushing noise, she was gone. Celestia finally relaxed, her light dimming now, as the tension vanished, her body giving out to her fatigue.
"Princess!" screamed Twilight, immediately dashing to her, helping her stay on her hooves, and aided as well by" Junior's tentacles as they wrapped around the alicorn, supporting her. "What happened?"
"Mh... nothing big Twilight, don't worry. I just consumed a little to much energy to damage her and scare her off. Glad it worked." panted the alicorn, breathing heavily. "Thank you." she added, smiling at both her protege as well as the little devil, who shyly moved away his eyes.
"We are lucky that you are as powerful as you are." grunted Noxfero, limping slightly on his injured leg, helped by Applejack and Pinkie. "Your power rivals the power of the greatest archangels, and luckily, Eris cannot rival them." he panted, then yelped slightly in pain, a faint trail of blood coming out from where his skin ceased to exist. "It's good you showed up. Since we angels and devils are creature of balance, we cannot kill each other, but Eris and her kind can erase us. God, can I pass ONE day without someone trying to kill me?" he groaned.
"Don't worry Noxy!" chirped Jaco. "Apart from Eris, no one who might want to kill you has the power to do so! So you may suffer a lot from any attempted murder, but you'll never die!" he exclaimed happily, giving him a pat on the wound, causing a yelp of pain.
-oOo-
"I'll admit, it was difficult." the skeleton started proudly. Mephisto rolled his eyes, used by now to the boasting of his scientist. He gave a quick glance past the skeleton: the twisted and strange creature encased in stone was laying motionless behind the scientist, placed on a slightly raised footboard, a set of machines and cables attached over the stony surface.
"I mean, it's already hard stealing souls and essence from living beings, but from a statue?! It seemed impossible, and yet..."
"Get to the point." snarled Mephisto. "I don't have time for games."
"Yes, so, the point." almost choked the skeleton, before raising his hand, a ring resting in his bony palm. Mephisto narrowed his eyes, looking at it: the ring itself was evidently made of hellrock, crafted by his jewelers. But the stone, that was the interesting part. It just seemed to be a globe of glass, inside of which a sea of deep purple liquid twirled around the globe accompanied by sparks of green, white and orange.
"I... managed to extract the powers from this statue. I was right, those are indeed... chaos powers..." the skeleton said hesitantly. Mephisto's eyes widened, while a monstrous grin appeared on his face, as he immediately slipped on the ring. He instantly felt it, creeping through his body, fueling the flames of his rage.
"Yes... yes..." he murmured, looking at his hand, sparks of pure chaos and disharmony dancing between his fingers.
"So… so are we done, master?"
"Done? We have just started..."