Chapter 10: Kill the Demon Pony!

It was 10 minutes later when Dusk opens his eyes while groaning. He finds himself back in his bedroom back home...and seeing three familiar figures tending to his wounds.

"Twilight, Nyx, Spike?" Dusk ask in surprise and happiness.

"Ssh, it's okay, we're all okay." Twilight said gently. The mare has been using her magic to help with the wounds. Dusk looks a bit weak but he should be okay.

"Right, you fell unconscious but we saved ya in the nick of time, Dusk." Spike said with a smile.

"Oh, girls, Spike, you're all okay!" Dusk said as he hugs his daughter and his adopted granddaughter in happiness. "I thought I would never see you all again."

"We missed you too, daddy." Twilight said with a happy smile.

"Right, there hasn't been a day past when we haven't thought about you too while in that castle." Nyx said. The alicorn is relieved that her grandfather is alive. She would never forgive herself if the trio hasn't got him back home in time.

"Wait, what about the monster?" Dusk ask in alarm, recalling the Demon Pony that held Twilight, Nyx and Spike in return for his release. "How did you three escape?"

"Oh, we didn't escape. He let us go." Twilight said, much to Dusk's shock. Did he hear right? That Demon Pony has released her and the others?

"That horrible monster?"

"Grandpa, the Demon Pony is not a monster, he has changed somehow." Nyx said with a smile. "Oh, I wish that you could've stayed longer, though not a prisoner! Mommy and I have made so many good friends."

Suddenly the group looks startled as the sack that Twilight took back home with her begins to move, making Spike ask in surprise, "What in the world?" Soon it shook a bit as the sack is finally opened. The magic mirror slid down, followed by three familiar filly foals.

"Okay, going for a sack riding cutie mark is definitely out." Scootaloo groans a bit dizzily then smiles sheepishly to the surprised ponies and dragon, "Hi there!"

"Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle?" Nyx ask, surprised and happy to see her foal friends again. She thought that she herself would never see them again.

"Well, well, what do you know? I picked up some stowaways." Twilight giggles a bit. The two baby fillies must've snuck into her sack when she wasn't looking. Those little rascals!

"Hello there, little foals! I didn't think to see you again." Dusk chuckles as he pet the Cutie Mark Crusaders. This is the first time in days that he's happy to see something kinder from that dark castle.

"Great 'ta see yew again, Dusk." Apple Bloom said, mentioning his name as Twilight has told her that before. Speaking of which, the worried baby filly turns to Twilight while asking, "Twi, Nyx, Spike, why did yew have 'ta leave?"

"Yeah, don't you like us anymore?" Sweetie asks, a bit sad and hurt by the trio's departure.

"No, no, it's not that. We like you a lot." Nyx said with a giggle. "I wanted to stay at the castle forever and play with you three for all time! You are the best friends that I got!"

"Right, I like every one of you." Twilight said with a sad sigh. "It's just..."

Suddenly a knock came at the house door, much to the group's surprise and concern. Spike asks, "Now who could that be?" The group was obviously not expecting any visitors. Did someone found out that they were back already? (Well, that's obvious since none of them knew that it was Dum-Dum and Boxco who spot the ponies and dragon coming home)

Twilight came to the door and opens it, revealing a sinister Cutler outside. The purple unicorn in concern asks, "Cutler Beckett? This is a surprise. May I help you?"

"Yes, is your father home by any chance?" Cutler ask in a sinister creepy like voice, making Twilight, Nyx and Spike (the last two came to the door as well) a bit scared and worried. They don't like his tone of voice at all.

"Well, yes."

"Good, then this will be too easy. I have come to collect him."

"Wait, what?" Nyx ask in startle and horror. Cutler has come to collect Dusk?

"Oh, do not worry. He will be in our good hooves." Cutler remarks sinisterly as he steps aside. Twilight, Nyx and Spike gasps in horror as they saw an angry mob standing near the 'House of Loons' wagon near the house! Not good. What has happened while they were away?

"My father is not insane!" Twilight protests to Cutler in shock.

"Right, go commit someone else who is really crazy, you anti-pirate freak!" Spike snaps to Cutler with a frown.

"Ha!" Dum-Dum laughs evilly as he and Boxco came out of the crowd. "That old stallion was raving around like a nutcase!"

"Yeah, we heard him, right folks?" Boxco sneers. The angry mob made out a chorus of agreements.

Twilight, Nyx and Spike looks shocked as a donkey named Bray and a zebra named Zeb came out of the wagon, ready to take Dusk away. Not any one of them notices a smirking Boris on the porch, with his upper hooves across, preparing to make his next move.

"No! Leave Grandpa alone! We won't let you take him!" Nyx protests as she and Twilight tries to defend the poor Dusk.

"We don't have to take orders from you, Nightmare Mini-Moon!" Bray sneers sinisterly to the concerned Nyx. Some of the citizens of Ponyville like to taunt Nyx of her former past, ridiculing her ever since her reformation.

"Yeah, now get out of our way! We got a crazy stallion to commit before I get money on his 'treatments'." Zeb remarks with a sinister laugh.

"You got to get by me first!" Spike snaps as he stood in the way. Of course, the two flunkies push the baby dragon out of the way. "Hey, you got by me!"

Just then, a worried Dusk appears as he ask, "Twilight, Nyx, Spike? What's going on?"

"Hey, look, it's our favorite nutcase Dusk!" Boxco remarks with a sinister smirk upon seeing Dusk. "Hey old man, enlighten us again. How big was the Demon Pony?"

"Well, I think he was big...about 8 to 10 feet tall!"

"Well, looks like you can't get much crazier than that!" Dum-Dum mocks as the crowd laughs while pointing at the worried Dusk. Once again, they think that he is crazy!

"It's the truth, I'm telling you!" Dusk protests in worry and concern.

"Take him away!" Cutler orders as he waves a hoof to Bray and Zeb who seizes Dusk and begins to drag him off to the wagon.

"No, let me go! Twilight, Nyx, Spike, help!" Dusk protests as he struggles helplessly in the two flunkies' grip.

"No, we won't let you take him!" Twilight protests as she grabs Cutler by the upper forearm but the stallion just got himself free before heading off. The mare look worried and scared as is Nyx and Spike. Dusk is going to be committed and worst yet, he is not even crazy in his story about the Demon Pony at all!

Just then, Boris appears, chuckling in what appears to be pity as he spoke up, "Aww, poor Twilight. A real shame of what's going on with your father. He's going to be committed and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Boris, you know that he's not crazy!" Twilight pleads to Boris in despair. "You got to do something!"

"Right, you're supposed to be the town hero, so act like one!" Spike exclaims frantically. If Boris is the town hero like he was supposed to be, then at least the stallion should use his influence to stop this madness.

Boris pretends to be thinking, but the truth is this is the opportunity that he has been waiting patiently for. The red unicorn said, "Well...tell you what. I might be able to clear his misunderstanding up."

"Oh, that's a relief...I was worried that..."

"On one condition."

"Wait, what is that condition?" Twilight begins to ask Boris, a bit concerned as to what that condition may be.

"The condition is that you marry me." Boris said to Twilight with a cruel smile, making her, Nyx and Spike shocked and horrified.

"What?"

"I knew it!" Nyx exclaims in anger and fury. "You were planning on blackmailing mommy to marry you to keep grandpa from getting locked up all this time! You were behind this madness and is planning on shipping me off to some reform school first chance you get!"

"Hey, if your mommy doesn't want her old man to be locked up, she knows what to do." Boris remarks with a shrug before turning back to Twilight, "Come on, Twilight Sparkle. One word, that's all you need to say."

"Never," Twilight exclaims furiously as she pushes Boris away. Even if her father would be locked up for her refusal, the purple unicorn will not be blackmailed into marriage!

"Fine, have it your way! Maybe a few days of your father's 'treatment' at the asylum will get you to cooperate!"

Boris walks off, Twilight, Nyx and Spike looks worried as Dusk continues struggling in the flunkies' grip while crying out, "Twilight; Nyx, Spike; Help!"

"We got to do something but what?" Nyx ask helplessly but then Twilight looks determined as she got an idea to prove Dusk's innocence. The mare quickly rushes back into the house to get something.

"Let go of me!"

Just then, Twilight came out of the house with the magic mirror being held by magic, calling out in determination, "My father is not crazy and I will prove it!" Everyone else turns as she spokes into the mirror. "Show me the Demon Pony!"

Suddenly the mirror glows as Twilight turns it to the crowd. They all gasps in shock and horror as the image in the mirror show a sadden Demon Pony neighing (though it sounds like he is roaring). The mob looks shocked and disbelief. Dusk is right all along!

"Ha, you see? There is a Demon Pony! I was right but you wouldn't listen!" Dusk exclaims with a smile of triumph in the shocked Bray and Zeb's forearms before he was let go. This proves that he isn't crazy after all!

"Is he dangerous?" A mare called Daisy asks in a bit of a fright.

"No way, daddy isn't scary!" Nyx protests to the crowd, making them gasp in shock and surprise. "Yeah, he's my adopted daddy now. Care to make something of it?"

"Sure he's horrible looking but he is also kind and gentle." Twilight adds while sighing happy to the image in the mirror. "He's our friend."

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I say that you're having feelings for this monster, Twilight." Boris said with a frown. He can tell from Twilight's eyes that she is so much having feelings for the Demon Pony...maybe romantic ones! The last thing that the stallion wants is a competitor for her heart!

"He's not the monster, Boris...you are!" Twilight snaps angrily to Boris, much to his shock and anger. How dare she accuse him of being a monster! Well, it's time for him to get rid of the competition once and for all and the evil pony knows how to do so.

"Twilight is crazy as her father!" Boris snaps furiously as he use his magic to swipe the mirror from Twilight, shouting to the frightened ponies. "She thinks that this monster is her friend? Why this Demon Pony is even worse than Nightmare Moon! He will make off with your foals!" This causes the crowd to gasp in horror. "He will come after them in the night!"

"No, that isn't true!"

"Right, daddy wouldn't do that, you liar!" Nyx protests to Boris in alarm.

"Don't listen to him!" Spike protests to the mob in worry, but it's too late. Boris's words has played on the scared crowd members' fears and it looks like they are willing to believe what he's saying!

"Well, we are not safe until that Demon Pony's head is mounted on my wall! I say we kill him AKA the beast!" Boris exclaims in determination and fury.

"Yeah," The angry mob exclaims as a song begins to play.

Filthy Rich: We're not safe until he's dead

Observan: He'll come stalking us at night!

Lily: Set to sacrifice our children to his monstrous appetite!

Blueblood: He'll wreak havoc on our village
If we let him wander free

Boris smirks evilly, everypony in the mob is riled up, just like he wanted it! The villain grabs a torch from Boxxy Brown.

Boris: So it's time to take some action, stallions
It's time to follow me!

Boris then throws the torch onto a haystack nearby, setting it on fire as the mob cheers on. The villain prances around the fire while warning the crowd of the Demon Pony's 'dangers', playing on their fears some more.

Through the mist, through the woods
Through the darkness and the shadows
It's a nightmare but it's one exciting ride.

Say a prayer, then we're there
At the drawbridge of a castle,
And there's something truly terrible inside.

Boris continues singing, chasing Dum-Dum and Boxco around like a monster. He soon caught them both and shows them the Demon Pony's image, exaggerating the whole thing.

It's a Beast
He's got fangs, razor sharp ones
Massive paws,
Killer claws for the feast

Hear him roar, see him foam,
But we're not coming home,
'Til he's dead, good and dead, kill the Beast!

Twilight, having enough, rushes in and grabs at the mirror while snapping at Boris, "No! I won't let you do this!"

Unfortunately, Boris grabs Twilight by the forearm while snapping, "If you're not with us, then Nightmare Moon has corrupted you and therefore you are against us! Bring the old colt and dragon!"

"No!" Nyx screams and yells as Gilda grabs the little filly, Filthy Rich grabs Spike while the Film-Flam brothers drag the struggling Dusk over to the cellar doors just as Boris opens them.

"Let go of me!" Dusk yells in protest as he and Spike were thrown right into the cellar.

"We cannot allow you all to run off to warn the Demon Pony!" Boris snaps as he throws Twilight right into the cellar. Gilda was about to do the same thing to Nyx when the red stallion stop her. "No! The evil Nightmare Moon is coming with us as she's going to lead us to the monster! Get the anti-magic brace that we were planning to use on Dusk!"

Boris quickly closes the cellar doors, locking them tight. Twilight hits them while yelling, "Let us out! Let go of my daughter!"

"Oh man, and this cellar has to be the one with no other way out and that is magic proof!" Spike groans in alarm. Dusk has of course made the cellar magic proof after too many explosions in the past.

Outside, Boris continues his fear monging, while shouting sinisterly, "We will rid of the village of this monster as well as Nightmare Moon once and for all! Who is with me?" The villain decides that once the Demon Pony is dead, he will focus on killing Nyx again!

"I am, I am, I am!" The mob exclaims madly. The CMC peeks from inside the hut, looking horrified as they lift their torches while singing. Those ponies and such are not only going to kill the Demon Pony, but Nyx too, mostly thinking that the poor alicorn is still bad (Boris has scared some of them into thinking that way).

Mob: Light your torch, mount your horse!

Boris put a cape on himself then kicks Nyx, who is wearing anti-magic collar to keep her from using her magic as well as a leash, forcing her to move forward in sadness as the villain begins leading the angry mob.

Boris: Screw your courage to the stinkin' place

Mob: We're counting on Boris to lead the way!

Boris and the saddened Nyx led the mob, which includes Dum-Dum, Boxco, Gilda, the Film-Flam brothers, Filthy Rich and even Filthy's daughter Diamond Tiara and her friend Silver Spoon (both wanting in on the fun as well) through the woods while going into Ponyville.

All: Through a mist, to a wood,
Where within a haunted castle,
Something's lurking that you don't see every day!

In the village, the ones not going bids the mob members farewell and good luck in defeating the 'monsters'.

It's a beast! One as tall as a mountain!
We won't rest till he's good and deceased
Sally forth! Tallyho! Grab your sword!
Grab your bow!
Praise the Lord, and here we go!

"We will go up to his castle and bring back his head and dispose of Nightmare Moon if we have to!" Boris exclaims eagerly, much to Nyx's fear.

---

Back in the cellar, Twilight looks for a way out but unfortunately there doesn't appear to be any. The mare exclaims in despair, "Oh, we have to warn the Demon Pony and save Nyx!" She sat down while sobbing, "This is all my fault, I was trying to prove you sane and now this happened! What are we going to do?"

"It's okay, don't worry. We will think of something." Dusk said, comforting his daughter. But even he knows that it's useless. The cellar doors are the only way out of this magic-proof place and by the time that the trio could escape, it would be too late.

The CMC, the only ponies not imprisoned, watch through a crack in the cellar doors while sighing in concern. If only there's a way to get Twilight, Spike and Dusk out of there.

Just then, Apple Bloom turns and gasps in excitement, "Wow!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle turns to see what their friend just saw: it's Dusk's invention, still in the wagon on the hilltop. "Yew two fillies git what I'm done thinking?"

"CUTIE MARK CELLAR DOOR CHOPPERS, YAY!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders exclaims eagerly, all having the same idea. It's time to break the prisoners out!

---

The mob continues going through the forest, with Boris and the still leashed Nyx leading the way, the young alicorn is doing so without a choice in the matter.

Back with the mob, they went through the woods.

Mob: We don't like what we don't understand
In fact, it scares us
And this monster is mysterious at least
Bring your guns, bring your knives
Save your foals and your mares
We'll save our village and our lives!
We'll kill the Beast!

The mob cut down a tree to use a battering ram, picking it up as they continue on their way to the mansion, lightning flashing like mad.

---

Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie and Rainbow watch Caramel pacing back and forth, looking upset over Twilight's departure as he exclaims, "I knew it! We should've known better than to let our hopes up!"

"Maybe you're right. Perhaps it would've been better if she hadn't come in the first place." Soarin' said in defeat.

"Hey, Soarin', come on! Twilight have to leave to save her dad! Don't be like that!" Rainbow protests to Soarin' in concern. "If that isn't loyalty, I don't know what is!"

"Wait, anyone seen Sweetie and her friends?" Rarity asks in concern. The white foal unicorn notices that her sister, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are nowhere in sight.

"Shucks, I don't know." Applejack said in concern. "I ain't seen them since..." Just then Winona peeks out the window of the library and barks in alarm. "Huh? Winona? What's wrong?"

"Could it be?" Soarin' ask in hope and happiness. Could it be that Twilight has returned after all with Nyx and Spike?

"Mah stars! Could it be Twilight?"

The group rush over to the window, excited and hopeful to be seeing Twilight, Nyx and Spike returning after finding Dusk. But upon looking outside, the gang looks horrified as they saw the mob heading to the castle.

"If Twilight's coming, she brought some new friends...who look angry!" Fluttershy exclaims with a gulp of horror.

"Gah, its invaders," Soarin' exclaim in shock and alarm.

"Worst yet, the usual typical magic mob!" Caramel exclaims with a yelp.

"Oh no, they got 'de magic mirror!" Applejack exclaims as she saw Boris out in front while holding the magic mirror. The young Earth Pony gasps as she saw the villain forcing Nyx along by leash. "Great horny toads; 'Dey got poor Nyx on a leash; 'Dey must've forced her 'ta lead them here!"

"What? Why those horrible fiends," Rarity exclaims in outrage, "Doing that to poor Nyx!"

"Warn the master! If those ruffians want a fight, we will give them one! Who's with me?" Caramel exclaims in determination, ready and willing to defend the castle no matter what. Of course, he turns around and yelps as his friends rush out of the room already. "Hey, wait up!"

---

As the mob continue their focus on the Demon Pony's death, it rains hard as Boris exclaims, "Take anything that you can get your hooves on. But remember, the Demon Pony's death is mine!"

---

The servants, prepared for battle with whatever they are using for weapons, head downstairs inside the castle. The foals head to the main doors while singing.

Servants: Hearts ablaze, banners high!
We go marching into battle,
Unafraid, although the danger just increased!

---

The mob carries the battering ram tree outside in determination, ready to use it to hit the main doors.

Mob: Raise the flag, sing the song
Here we come, we're fifty strong
And fifty colts can't be wrong,
Let's kill the Beast!

---

The Demon Pony is unaware of the mob trying to break into the castle. And if he did, the poor pony wouldn't care to do anything about it. He has lost the love of his life and wants to be alone for all of eternity in his cursed form.

Applejack came into the west wing, worried as she spoke, "Uh, master!"

"Go away; I want to be left in peace." The Demon Pony said in sadness.

"Please listen; 'De castle is under attack!"

---

Outside, the mob hit the door with the tree while chanting on and on with the horrified Nyx being forced to watch, "Kill the beast! Kill the beast!"

---

The servants do their best to keep the doors blocked but the intruders' ramming is almost breaking their way in. Soarin' groans, "Not good! This is not going to work at all!"

"Soarin', we got to do something!" Rainbow exclaims in worry. "We can't keep this up forever!"

"There's...wait! I got an idea!"

---

"Kill the beast! Kill the beast!" The mob exclaims in madness as they kept on bashing the doors hard. Nyx gulps in fear. It won't be long until these fear-stricken ponies and the whatnot will get into the castle...and it's all that Boris's fault!

---

"Master, we got 'ta do something, 'Dere has 'ta be a way!" Applejack pleads to the Demon Pony who just looks at the rose as the second to last pedal drops down. "What can we do?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter...not anymore. Just let them come." The Demon Pony said with a grim sigh. The furry pony is going to accept whatever fate awaits him, whatever it's in an eternal spell or death. Without Twilight, he cannot have the will to go on...

---

"Kill the beast! Kill the beast! Kill the beast!" The mob roars as they kept on ramming the doors. Soon they gave away as the angry ponies came into the castle, ready to kill the Demon Pony and anypony who gets in their way.

Author's note
Uh oh. Thanks to Boris, the angry mob of Ponyville is out for the Demon Pony's blood, but they will have the servants to deal with first! In the next chapter, it's the foals vs. the mob members while Boris forces Nyx to help him look for the Demon Pony. And can Twilight, Spike and Dusk escape the cellar in time? Read, review and suggest.

Bray and Zeb are two bad guys from the first series in the My Little Pony franchise.