Chapter 7: An Improved Relationship

It is nighttime as most of Ponyville is closed until tomorrow. Of course, despite the fact that Pony Joe's is also closed, some activity is happening in there right now.

As a lamp glows through the dark tavern, Boris, Dum-Dum and Boxco are there, having a conversion with a stallion with a back coat, blue eyes, and a brown fancy like mane with a brown tail. He is also wearing a black leather coat, a white wig, and a brown hat. His cute mark resembles two sea lions looking at flags that are shaped like crosses with three cross marks in a peculiar angle with E I and Co on it inside a circle, a red flower, eagles, lions, and three sailing ships with ribbons marked Deo Dvcente Nil Nocet. His name is Cutler Beckett, the Governor of the East Equestrian Trading Company and the owner of the Equestrian Insane Asylum, where the insane and disrupted are...'taken care of'.

"Thank you for coming on short notice, Cutler." Boris said to Cutler with a determined smirk

"I don't usually leave the asylum in the middle of the night, but they said you'd make it worth my while. So I'm listening." Cutler said, motioning to Dum-Dum and Boxco. Boris put downs a huge bag of bits. The black colt nods as he said, "I'm listening intently."

"It's like this. I have my heart on marry Twilight Sparkle...but the poor filly needs some...convincing if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, turned our boss down, flat as a pancake," Dum-Dum laughs madly with Boxco laughing with him. Boris however hit the two idiotic ponies, sending them right into their drinks.

"I don't see what that got to do with me." Cutler said puzzled.

"You know about Twilight's father Dusk Shine, that old colt gets crazier by the day." Boris explains to Cutler with a nod. "Why, earlier tonight, he came in here, raving about some...demon pony in a castle whose has locked Twilight, Nyx and Spike up!"

"Dusk shine is eccentric but harmless." Cutler said in dismissal, but of course it's obvious that he wants something in return for him listening further. And that's what the black colt got as Boris puts down a map with an X right on it, along with some instructions.

"This is a map to a hidden pirate pub near Manehattan. Don't ask how I got it. The point is, Twilight will do anything to protect her father. Anything to keep Dusk from being locked up forever."

"Right, even marrying him," Boxco jokes as he points to Boris with Dum-Dum chuckling cruelly. The red colt glares angrily at the two minions and hold a hoof back as if about to hit them. Dum-Dum and Boxco hold up their mugs to protect themselves.

"Anyway, that's where you come in, Cutler." Boris said with a cruel chuckle. He then begins to sing a new song.

Boris: When a colt like me is thwarted
And denied his honeymoon

Dum-Dum: When the pretty thing he's courted
Refuses to swoon

Boris: Then the time has come for a murky plan of bold

Boxco: For which he turns to a murky colt

All: To find that fiend where better than
At the House of the Loons?

Boris: (to Cutler) You'll be strapping up an inmate

Boxco: Very tightly.

Boris: Very soon
And we won't bring him in late

Dum-Dum: Your check-in time's noon

Cutler: How sad that Dusk is not too well

Boris: Prepare a five-star padded cell

All: And book him in for a long, long spell
At the House of the Loons

Boris: Do I make myself entirely clear?

Dum-Dum: It's the simplest deal of your whole foul career

Boris: Put old Dusk away and she'll be in here in moments

Boxco: In a dreadful state

Boris: She'll capitulate to me

Cutler: (interested) Oh! Oh! Oh, I love incarceration!
I could lock up a platoon!

Boris: We'll apply your inclanation
To a horned buffoon

Boris, Dum-Dum & Boxco: Then wave one bachelor goodbye

Boris: She'll be my bride

Dum-Dum: (concerned) She'd rather die!

Boris and Cutler glares at Dum-Dum who yelps nervously as his boss prepares to hit him but sighs as he decides that it's not worth it right now. This of course only made the male purple unicorn a bit nervous.

Boris: Than have old Dusk Shinie ossify

Cutler: The time's opportune

Cutler stops singing for a minute, to thought about what Boris wanted him to do: the red colt plans on blackmailing Twilight, threatening to lock Dusk up forever unless she agrees to marry Boris. That sounds...despicable.

"So let me see if I got this right so far: you wish for me to threaten to throw Twilight's father into the asylum and let me be 'care for' for the rest of his days unless she agrees to marry you, correct?" Cutler asks Boris, making the red unicorn and his goon nod cruelly. The asylum owner sighs, "Oh...that's despicable..." Then he chuckles evilly, "Ha ha ha ha! I LOVE IT!"

The villains laugh as they finish the song up.

All: Then book the church, raise glasses high
To the House of the Loons!

The four ponies laugh sinisterly and madly. Boris is going to get what he deserves...one way or another...

---

Dusk looks upset as he begin packing a lot of items into his bag. No one in Ponyville wants to help him; they all think that he himself is crazy! Well, the father unicorn isn't about to let his daughter, granddaughter and friend be locked up forever in the castle of that...Demon Pony!

"If I can't get any help, I promise that I will find that monstrous place again and get them out, even if takes me until after Christmas!" Dusk exclaims in determination. Once the unicorn is done packing, he leaves the house, closing the door on his way out. "Twilight, Nyx, Spike, hang on. I'm coming!"

Dusk gallops off in determination. Of course, he didn't notice the wagon for the Equestrian Insane Asylum pulling up to the house. Boris and his goons got off, leaving Cutler to wait for them. They planned on storming the place and threaten to have Boris taken away unless Twilight agrees to marry the red stallion.

As Boris slams open the door, he came in and calls out, "Twilight? Boris? Little Nightmare Moon?"

"Huh. I guess they aren't here." Dum-Dum remarks with a shrug as he looks around the place. Of course, none of the ponies saw Dusk leaving and of course no pony is even aware that what happened to Twilight, Nyx and Spike has really happened.

"Oh well, I guess it isn't going to work after all. May as well forget it," Boxco remarks with a shrug as he and Dum-Dum prepares to leave. If no one is here at the house, then it's no point in trying the blackmail plan, right?

Boris doesn't think so. He uses his magic to grab his two minions while snapping, "Oh no, you don't! I am not giving up so easily! Twilight and Dusk are going to come home some day and once that happens, we will be ready for them, even if we have to wait until after Christmas to do so! Now you two..."

Boris then slams Dum-Dum and Boxco into a pile of snow next to the porch while snapping, "Don't you two move from that spot until Twilight and her father come home!"

"But, but..." Dum-Dum protests but groans as Boris got back into the wagon as he and Cutler heads off back to Ponyville, leaving the two minions alone to wait for Twilight, Dusk and whoever comes with them to get back.

"Awww, nuts; our lives couldn't stink more." Boxco groans as he hits the waterwheel with one hoof, causing him to cringe in pain while holding it. To make matters worse, a pile of snow fell off the house roof, burying the two minions under it.

"You're right, our lives instead got buried."

---

It was the next day, back at the castle. The Demon Pony, his arm bandaged up while he's wearing a purple cape over a white casual shirt and a pair of black pants, watch from the balcony of the west wing with Pinkie Pie, Soarin' and Caramel as Twilight, Nyx and Spike, walk through the snow. Although the baby dragon wants to go straight home last night, he decides to stay as for some reason his filly friends want to stay after all.

Winona barks happily as she and Nyx plays. The little alicorn giggles, "Come on, catch me, mommy! I betcha you can't!" Twilight giggles as she rushes over and manages to grab both her and the puppy, hugging them.

"Gotcha," Twilight giggles as she and Nyx hug one another. The Demon Pony watches this and smiles a bit. He has warm feelings for the purple unicorn which is growing every minute or so. Could it be that he's starting to love at last?

"Wow...I've never felt this way about anyone...until now." The Demon Pony said softly then looks thoughtful. "I want to something nice for her; But what?"

"Well there's the usual things; Flowers, chocolates, a ride on a magical flying creature while singing a song about showing her a new world." Caramel remarks with a shrug. The Demon Pony, Pinkie and Soarin' look at Caramel. "What? It works in all those Aladdin fanmakes."

"Come on, if this were the fanmake that has Ben Mare as Aladdin and Twilight as Jasmine, that would work but that's not here!" Pinkie exclaims happily, making the males look at her oddly.

"At least the last part is more original thank making promises that you don't tend to keep. We all know how you feel about breaking promises, even Pinkie ones."

"Don't remind me, ick. Now if you want nice, how about throwing her a party?"

"No, no, if the master wants to give Twilight something, it must be something that is from the heart, something that shows her how much he cares for her. Something that catches Twilight's interest," Soarin' explains to Caramel and Pinkie. The Pegasus pony pauses to think the gasps while smiling, "Yes, I got it!"

---

On Soarin''s suggestion, a while later, the Demon Pony took Twilight to a set of doors of a room in a part of the castle. The master insists that she comes with alone.

"Twilight...there's something that I want to show you." The Demon Pony said as he prepares to open the doors but closes them for a moment. "First though...I want you to close your eyes." Twilight looks at the furry pony, arching an eyebrow at him in a puzzled way. "It's a surprise."

Twilight pauses then smiles as he does the same time. If this is a surprise, no need to ruin it just yet, right? The mare closes her eyes. The Demon Pony wave a paw/hoof in front of her to make sure that she isn't peeking then open the doors to lead her into the room.

The room that the Demon Pony took Twilight into is dark, but that's enough to help with the surprise. The curious unicorn asks, "So can I open my eyes now?"

"No...not yet. Now wait here." The Demon Pony said as he made Twilight stay in one place. Then the former prince goes over to a pair of the curtains and open them, letting light into the room while causing the mare to open eagerly.

"All right, now may I open them?"

"All right...now!"

Twilight open her eyes then gasp with choice as she saw what she herself is at: in the castle's library! Soarin' and Caramel was exaggerating last night: there are a lot of books as far as the eye can see on a lot of shelves! It's like a reader's dream come true!

"This...this is great, I can't believe it! I have never seen so many books before in my life!" Twilight neighs excitedly as she clop her hoofs together.

"So...you like it?" The Demon Pony asks Twilight hopefully as he trot up to her.

"Yes, I love it! It's amazing!"

"Then it's yours!"

Outside, some of the servants, Nyx and Spike watch what's happening from outside the library, the CMC were looking to see what's going on. They are happy of Twilight's happiness.

"Ha! Told you that it would work," Soarin' exclaims to the others with a smile.

"What, what worked?" Apple Bloom asks confused.

"Man, I got to admit: that master of yours did a great thing for Twilight." Spike said impressed.

"Yeah, mommy really loves this surprise!" Nyx giggles a bit.

"What surprise?" Scootaloo ask confused as Apple Bloom and Sweetie.

"Yeah, naturally," Caramel said proudly.

"Yay, you got that right! Surprises always put a smile on ponies' faces!" Pinkie squeals in delight at Twilight's expression to the master's surprise.

"What face or smile?" Sweetie asks confused.

"Oh man! Isn't this so awesome?" Rainbow asks with an excited smile.

"Yeah, don't I know it; Very cool," Nyx giggles as the group heads off to leave the Demon Pony and Twilight alone to enjoy the wonders of the library.

"But we done don't see nothing," Apple Bloom protests with a frown.

"Neither do we," Scootaloo and Sweetie protest with frowns on their faces. What is so surprising and delightful about Twilight in the library?

"Come on, Apple Bloom, we got chores waiting fer us in 'de kitchen." Applejack said as she herds the baby foals to come along with the group.

"But what is 'dey talking about? What's going? Can't someone tell us," Apple Bloom protests, frowning as the foals and baby dragon head on off. Of course, the CMC doesn't realize that this surprise is strengthening the relationship between Twilight and the Demon Pony further.

---

The next day, Twilight, Nyx and Spike were in the dining room eating, this time with the Demon Pony, breakfast. All of them are having porridge, while wearing nicely in some new clothes, suited for the meal.

Twilight took one sip of her porridge, then looks up. She gasps as the purple unicorn saw a shocking sight: the Demon Pony is eating from his bowl like an animal (literally). He looks up to see Twilight, Nyx and Spike looking at him disgust while Applejack and Apple Bloom looks down in embarrassment. The master has bad table matters.

Twilight looks away as the Demon Pony wipe his face off, wondering what to do. Luckily, Apple Bloom helps out by pushing a spoon over to him. The furry pony took the thing with both hooves but is having a hard time holding the utensil while trying to eat porridge with it, spilling a bit. Apple Bloom giggles a bit though stops upon seeing Applejack glaring at her.

Twilight smiles as she decides to give the Demon Pony an easier way of eating. She took the bowl, held it up and begins to sip. The furry pony smiles as he does the same thing. Looks like things went smooth sailing from there.

---

The next day once more, Twilight was feeding a few birds some food, wearing a purple parka with a hood. The Demon Pony, wearing some winter clothes and a green cape, came up to tap her on the shoulder while gesturing. He wants to feed the birds too.

Twilight, with a smile, gave some bird food to the Demon Pony, he kneels down to the flying creature though is having trouble as they kept flying away from him. As Twilight watch on, smiling, her voice is heard in her head, singing in the background.

Twilight's Voice: There's something sweet
And almost kind
But he was mean, and he was coarse, and unrefined
But now he's dear and so unsure
I wonder why I didn't see it there before

Twilight decides to help out the Demon Pony by pouring some feed to the snow, making the furry pony do the same thing. One of the birds came over and peck at the feed then came over to go at the food in the furry pony's paws.

As Twilight came over to a tree, the Demon Pony smiles as we can hear his own voice, though a bit normal and normal Earth Pony sounding, singing in the background.

Demon Pony's Voice: (Earth Pony voice) She glanced this way
I thought I saw
And when she touched, she didn't shudder at my paw

The Demon Pony of course turns away, pretending to ignore Twilight for a bit.

No, it can't be
I'll just ignore

The Demon Pony then looks back to Twilight, who smiles at him warmly.

But then again, she's never looked at me that way before

As the Demon Pony continues feeding the birds, Twilight goes behind a tree and smile while taking her hood down. Could it be that she herself...is having strange feelings for her captor?

Twilight's Voice: New and a bit alarming
Who'd have ever thought that this could be?

Twilight then looks to the Demon pony, giving out a smile in the progress.

True that he's no prince charming

Twilight is smiling as she is seeing the Demon pony covered with birds who then flew off, making him smile.

But there's something in him that I simply didn't see

As the smiling Demon Pony looks back to Twilight, he yelps as he himself got hit by a snowball. The Demon Pony glares at the filly who giggles as her horn glows, which allows her to throw the said snowball. The furry master smirks devilishly as he use his hooves to make a really big snowball. Twilight got snowballs prepared and ready as the snowball fight begins.

Inside the castle, Soarin', Rainbow, Pinkie, Caramel, Applejack, Nyx and Spike watch the two, smiling as the male Pegasus pony sings first.

Soarin': Well, who'd have thought?

Applejack: Well, bless mah soul

Caramel: Well, who'd have known?

Pinkie: Well, who indeed?

Rainbow: And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?

Spike: It's so peculiar

"Yeah." Nyx giggles as she and the others sing.

All Seven: We'll wait and see

We now see Twilight and the Demon Pony, out of their clothes, in the parlor. The two are in front of the fireplace as the purple unicorn is reading a book to the furry pony, who is listening in interesting while sitting next to her.

A few days more
There may be something there that wasn't there before

As the two continues with their activity, the group outside the parlor watch, smiling. Caramel turns to the others while singing.

Caramel: You know, perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before

"What is?" Scootaloo ask confused. Applejack chuckles as she sings the last line.

Applejack: There may be something there 'dat wasn't there before

"What's there, what do yew mean?" Apple Bloom ask, confused. She, Sweetie and Scootaloo are confused by what the others are talking about.

"Shhh, I will tell yew when yur're older." Applejack said as she kisses her sister on the forehead.

"Come on, girls, let's go and play." Nyx said to the CMC playfully.

While Twilight was busy, hanging out with the Demon Pony, the adopted daughter kept herself visiting by playing with Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Soon the four became good friends, with the CMC making the alicorn an honorary member. Yes, she has a cutie mark but Nyx was so happy to have some good friends who like her, no matter of her past which she told them about. Luckily, they don't care, only the fact that she is her friend who is willing to move on from her horrible past.

As the ponies leave, Soarin' and Caramel closes the door, smiling as they leave Twilight and the Demon Pony alone once more. Spike open it a bit to take a quick peek.

"'Knowing now that this was indeed the legendary power known as the Elements of Harmony, Clover the Clever tries to lift them, but to no prevail. She tried once, then again, but still nothing happened. Then, for the third time, Clover was able to lift the Elements of Harmony themselves...'" Twilight said while reading the book.

"Wow, so she must've become the queen." The Demon Pony said excitedly, causing Twilight to giggle a bit.

"Wait and see, just wait and see. This history about Equestria doesn't just happen by magic, you know."

"Wow...never knew that books could do that."

"Do what?" Twilight ask the Demon Pony curiously, arching an eyebrow at him.

"You know...take me away from this place and make me forget for a little while." The Demon Pony answers, sighing a bit.

"About what?"

"About who...well, what I am."

Twilight couldn't help but smile at the Demon Pony, the poor creature is still sad and ashamed about his condition that he wants to forget about it. The purple unicorn spoke up, "You know...we have something in common."

"What's that?" The Demon Pony asks Twilight curiously.

"Back in Ponyville, where Nyx, Spike and I live...the ponies there thought that I'm odd...how ironic because I like to think the same thing about them."

"What, you?"

"Yes, I know how it feels to be different. And I knew how lonely that can be." Twilight said softly to the Demon Pony. After a moment of silence, the mare goes back to reading the book, "'Then, for the third time, Clover was able to lift the Elements of Harmony themselves, and thus the ponies nearby are shouting, 'Clover is now queen'."

"Ha! I knew it!" The Demon Pony exclaims in triumph, knowing that he was right the whole time.

Spike shakes his head, smiling as he closes the door and leaves to give the two ponies some private time.

Author's note
Well, well, looks like things are doing better between Twilight and the Demon Pony, but things are bad back home with Boris planning on blackmailing the female purple unicorn to force her to marry him.

Dum-Dum and Boxco: What about us?

Me: What about you two? In the next chapter which will take place after the first and second midquels...

Fluttershy and Pinkie: Yay! We're going to appear!

Me: Right. In the next chapter, the servants prepared for the big time in hopes that the spell will be broken at last. As they do, the song 'Normal Again' is sung, which features appearances from not some ponies from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic but some from the first three generations of My Little Pony! Read, review and suggest!

Cutler Beckett, a non MLP character, is one of the villains of the Pirates of the Caribbean villains.

Caramel and Pinkie were talking about the Aladdin fanmakes, as well as my future one with Aladdin and Jasmine.

Never break a Pinkie Promise. Applejack found this out the hard way in the previously new episode.

Nyx did indeed become friends with the CMC in 'Past Sins' as well as a member.

The last part came from the musical. Clever the Clover is from the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant from the actual show, the female unicorn shares her name with Clever Clover, a G2 male Earth Pony.