“Shut your fucking mouth.”

I say the words casually through an irritated smirk, never once taking my gaze off the chalkboard in front of me, or the words I’m writing.

“Shut your fucking mouth,” I chuckle again. “I’ve got to admit, when I first heard that lovely word I did not take to it as quickly as you did. You should be really proud of yourself.”

Scootaloo doesn't say anything. She just concentrates on her side of the chalkboard with a scowl on her face, writing the same words over and over again: I will not use foul language or act inappropriately towards my classmates. I have some similar lines on my side, only the last part says, or set a bad example for my friends. Ha!

The classroom is eerily quiet, just as it always is when no one else is in it. The kind of solitude you expect to find in purgatory or some other place of punishment, it just unsettles you for some reason.

Being the mischievous little bitch I am though, I do all I can to disturb this silence, and the best way to do that is to torture my young friend here with all the snarky quips I can think of.

“I do believe there was room for improvement though. Maybe next time you can tell her to go fuck herself with a cheese grater and die. I’m sure Miss Cheerilee would love to hear that one.”

“Would you shut up?!” Scootaloo snaps. “I would’ve never even known about that word if I hadn’t heard it from you first, and it’s not like you haven’t been shouting it left and right for the past three days now.”

“True, but incase you haven’t noticed, I said that word when we were alone, in seclusion, with no one else around, not in a crowded street in front of dozens of other ponies. There’s a time and a place for everything Scootaloo, and you used the wrong words, at the wrong time, at the wrong place.”

She growls out fury. “You would’ve said the exact same thing in my situation, if not worse.”

I scoff with a laugh. “Believe me, there’s a lot of things I’d love to say to Diamond Tiara, but I don’t. Not just because someone else may hear me, but also because she’s a manipulative little bitch who’ll try to use whatever she can get her grubby little hooves on as leverage over us. You’ve gotta be careful what you say around her Scootaloo, no matter how much of an annoying jerk she’s being.”

Scootaloo pauses her writing a moment and looks at me with a deadly gaze. “She made fun of my wings.”

I stop my writing, too. I don’t turn to her, I just stare threateningly at the chalkboard. “Come again?”

“She made fun of my wings,” Scootaloo repeats. “Said that if they hadn’t started working by now that they never would, and that I should just throw myself off a cliff, that even if I didn’t fly and splatter myself against the ground at least then I’d be just as much good then as I ever would be.” Her glare turns darker with each word she states. “And you’re telling me you wouldn’t have told her off like I did?”

There’s a snap that rings through the room, the only thing that alerts me to the fact that I’ve crushed the chalk stick in my hoof. I suck in a deep breath, before picking up a clean piece and resuming where I left off. “That depends. If I was a demon I would’ve told her to fuck off and maybe even punched her in the face and knocked a few teeth out, but say that I was a good girl, someone who everyone expects to behave herself and do what’s right, I guess I couldn’t do anything then. I’d just have to simply ignore her and walk away, like the conversation never even occurred.”

I feel more than see Scootaloo’s cutting glare. “But you’re not a good girl.”

“No, but I need to act like I am, especially right now when the shi—er, crud could hit the fan at any moment. For all I know the Order might already be spying this town and I don’t need a bad reputation attracting attention to me if they do decide to come searching.”

“So you’d just do nothing? You’d just stand there at let her talk to you like you’re shit?”

I pause in my writing, and look at her out the corner of my eye, wearing a long smirk on my face. “Scootaloo, do you know what the devil’s favorite sin is?”

She gives me a weird look, before shaking her head.

“Lying, Scootaloo. The devil loves to lie. He may be the most famous liar on the planet. Hell, he’s certainly the best. With but a few words he can make you believe that Celestia is the most evil being in Equestria, that up is down and left is right, that it’s better to reign in hell than serve in heaven. But what makes him so much worse than other liars, is that he always knows exactly what to make you believe. He’ll get you to put so much faith in that lie that when it inevitably falls apart, you will, too.

Scootaloo blinks a few times. “That’s… interesting and all, but what does it have to do with standing up to Diamond Tiara?”

“It’s important because I’ve been feeding her this very kind of lie. She believes that I’m harmless and that I couldn’t do anything to hurt her. She had no idea that I was capable of stealing scandalous photos of us from her desk, and replacing them with ones of her nasty bits. She would’ve never guessed that I’d be the type to stalk her as she went home at night, just for the sheer pleasure of scaring the living hell out of her. And she definitely doesn’t know that I could conjure up demons from Hell to possess her and torment her for the rest of her life.”

Scootaloo drops her chalk piece and gives me a terrified look. “You… you wouldn’t actually-”

“No, not at this point at least. That’s another perk about being in this position, so many options available to me at any given circumstance. You never know, maybe she’ll just stay the regular stuck up bitch she is, and I’ll continue to only give her glimpses of what lies underneath this cute little girl mask of mine. Or maybe one day she’ll really fuck up, cross a line that goes beyond simple bullying, and do something even she’ll admit was despicable. If that happens, I’ll rip the mask off completely, and show her just how ‘harmless’ I truly am. There’s so many things I could do to her, and all I have to do is keep in character, and smile every time she taunts me. It doesn’t matter how on top she thinks she is, I’ll have the last laugh in the end.”

The silence that follows is unsettling. Scootaloo looks at me with strange eyes, a mixture of shock, fear, and a hint of respect. Her jaw still hangs open as she looks back at the chalkboard. “Sweetie Belle, that's... that's pure evil.”

“I know it is.”

She stutters again, and it takes her a minute to form a coherent response. “Sweetie Belle, aren’t you a little worried that you might get found out doing something like this? I mean, Tiara is a lot of things but she’s not stupid. Don’t you think she might discover who you truly are, or at least, your true personality?”

I look at her a moment, my grin growing the longer I do. “And if she does, why would it matter? All that would come of it is that she would discover the sad little girl isn’t as helpless as she thought she was. If anything it’ll intimidate her. Not even she’s on level with this kind of deception, after all.”

“But what if she decided to tell somepony, tell the whole town what you’re really like?”

I chuckle, and proceed to writing on the chalkboard as I speak. “I’d be surprised, because Diamond Tiara of all ponies should know how powerful a lie is. There sort of like plants, the older and more firmly rooted they are, the harder it is to pull them out. No one would take her word for it, and even if she did somehow manage to convince a few ponies, all it would take is one simple argument, or at worst one more good lie to throw them off again.”

“It can’t be that simple.”

“Oh but it is Scootaloo, trust me, it’s worked so many times before. It doesn’t matter how untrue or ridiculous the lie is, as long as you tell it, and keep repeating it over and over again-” I finish the last sentence on the board, filling the entire thing with rows and rows of sincere apologies. “-you will be believed.”

The door of the school house opens, sending Scootaloo into frenzied rush to scrawl out the remaining few lines she has on the board. She finishes with just enough time to greet our teacher with a sheepish grin. “Oh, hi Miss Cheerilee! We got all the sentences finished before you got back, just like you asked.”

Our teacher gives a blank stare to the sloppily written lines at the bottom, before shooting an equally unimpressed look at the nervous orange pegasus who wrote them. “So I can see. I guess this will do for now, but I don’t want to hear anymore of this foul language business. It shocks me that you two even know such words at your ages. In fact, where did you learn that word anyway, Sweetie Belle? I never pictured you as one to talk like that.”

You probably couldn’t picture me as a cannibalistic serial killer either, or a rapist, or demon of hellspawn. Probably a lot of things you couldn’t see me as.

“Well Miss Cheerilee, do you remember when I told you that I used to live with my mom in Los Pegasus before I came here?” She nods her head. “Well, tell me, have you ever walked down the streets of that city for about… oh, I’d say five point three seconds?”

Confusion takes her face for a moment, before her eyes widen in realization. “Oooooooooh.”

“Yeah, you could say that part of the reason my mom sent me to live out here was because I was picking up an accent.”

Miss Cheerilee bites her lip to stop the snicker, much to Scootaloo’s confusion. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing important. Regardless, are we clear that you two are never to use that word again?”

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee,” we say in unison.

“Good, so now there is just one last thing you need to take care of.”

She moves to the side to allow a small filly to walk in. Oh, I’m sorry, did I say filly? I meant puke stain out of the gut of the most grotesque demon in the underworld.

“I’ve asked Diamond Tiara to come along with me. You two did have something to say to her, right?” Cheerilee hisses.

“Um, yeah we did,” Scootaloo says. She looks back at Tiara, who’s smiling so innocently it just makes me want to eat her up, quite literally.

Scootaloo tries to escape having to look her in the eye as she says it, but one stiff grunt from Cheerilee is enough to set her straight. Her face is scrunched up when she speaks the words. “I’m… sorry, for talking to you like that.”

She tries to stop there, but Cheerilee glares the fear of God into her before she can leave. “And, I’m sorry for being so rude to you and for using that bad word. I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way. I’m sorry.”

Cheerilee finally seems content, but by the time she turns her gaze to me I’m about three steps ahead. “And I guess I need to apologize too. I’m sorry for causing this whole thing Scootaloo, I didn’t mean to say that word in front of you. It just sort of slipped out. I promise I’ll never use such language with you again.”

I then turn to Diamond Tiara, a shameful look on my face and sorrowful looking eyes. “And I’m also sorry for causing this whole mess Tiara, I hope this didn’t put a gap between us in any way. Can you ever forgive me?”

She doesn't even hesitate, just puts on a big smile and says, “Oh, it’s okay, Sweetie Belle. I mean, it’s not like you meant to cause it or anything, and besides you weren’t the one who said those words to me anyway. I hold nothing against you.”

It’s like two wolves snarling and fighting for the territory. Whether or not this heated battle for dominance is noticed by our teacher is uncertain, but in any case she acts like she doesn’t notice.

“I’m glad we could put this whole matter behind us. I think that just about wraps up our business here. Thank you for coming with me Diamond Tiara, you may go now.”

“Don’t mention it, Miss Cheerilee,” she says as she waltzes out of the school house.

“You two can go now as well, but please behave yourselves from now on. You know I don’t like having to come in when we’re supposed to be on break.”

“Yes, we know Miss Cheerilee, we’re sorry about this again. Hope to see you at the Nightmare Night festival.”

She smiles in reply before saying goodbye and going on her way. Scootaloo follows me away from the school house, eyeing me the whole time. “I will admit, you are a pretty good liar. But why were you telling me all that back at the school?”

I answer her with a friendly smile. “I don’t hold many morals, Scootaloo, but one I do keep is that I never break a promise. I told you that I’d give you nothing but the truth, and I’m doing exactly that.”

She continues looking at me a moment, a cheerful smile slowly grows on her face the longer she does. She chuckles a bit, as if to say thanks, and I nod back in return.

The rest of our walk goes by in silence. We follow the road for awhile before breaking off into the thick orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom is waiting right outside our club house, a scowl on her face that turns to annoyance the second she sees us.

“Finally! I was beginnin’ to wonder if you two were ever gonna’ show up.”

“Sorry, we only had a thousand a words and a certain pink bitch to deal with,” I quip.

“Yeah, well as long as yah’ weren’t gettin’ side tracked with another make out session-”

“Would you shut up about that already?!” Scootaloo blurts. “It was one time, one fucking time, and she wasn’t even all there when it happened.”

Apple Bloom snorts all the same. I completely ignore the comments, dismissing the conversation with an eyeroll. “In any case, what did we have planned for today anyway?”

The two of them give me an odd look. “Um, shouldn’t you be planning out the day?”

It’s like they physically transferred their confusion to me. “Well, I don’t know, usually you two think up of the ideas to get our cutie marks, and I usually just-”

“Cutie Marks!” Scootaloo blurts. “The forces of Hell are quite literally breaking loose and invading Equestria, and you’re still thinking about how to get some stupid butt mark?”

Now there’s something I never thought I’d hear come out of Scootaloo’s mouth. I give her a wry smile and say, “Uuuuumm… yes.”

I get the impression that my friends weren’t expecting to continue our normal adventures. “Sweetie, as much as I’d love to get my cutie mark today, I think Scootaloo has a point,” Apple Bloom says. “Shouldn’t we be, I don’t know, settin’ up defenses? Patrollin’ the town? Be on the look out for any kind a’ demons or devils or whatever comin’ through?”

“Why do you think you haven’t seen me in the past three days? I’ve been working my little white butt off protecting the town. Aside from performing numerous demonic rituals and defensive spells, I’ve had to run off at least a dozen times already to stop any demons from coming into town. I’ve already slaughtered three doppelgangers, five spirit demons, at least a dozen harpies, and don’t even get me started on the gluttony demons. Seriously, I will commit genocide if I ever visit the third circle of hell.”

“Wait, so you’ve actually been fighting demons this whole time?”

“Non-stop for the past three days, which is why I’d like to take a break and get back to crusading for a bit. So come on, didn’t you have a great idea that had to do with chiropractics we could try?” My wide smile is met with grated stares from my friends.

“Actually, I have a better idea for earning our cutie marks,” Scootaloo says.

“Okay, what is it?”

“Cutie Mark Crusader Demon-Hunters!” she blurts.

My face meets the ground in record time. It just can’t be simple, can it? “Look, I know you two are still getting used to the whole demon thing, but really, you don’t have to come with me on every ‘outing’ that I go on. I can handle myself, and… well… it is the forces of hell we’re talking about. I’m more than a little worried that what you see might scar you for life, in more than one ways.”

Apple Bloom gives me a deadpan look. “I think that there worry came true the moment we saw you squirmin’ around inside a dead dragon.”

Okay Apple Bloom, if that was meant to hurt me, it worked. “Yes, but that’s no reason to give you two more nightmares, is it?”

“Okay, truth be told, I was a little freaked out at first,” Scootaloo says. “But I can get by all the blood and guts if means helping you.”

So I’m desensitizing my twelve year old friend to violence and torture. Yay! That’s always good to hear. After prying my hoof off of my face, I resume a soft voice. “Okay, if you want to help out, I guess I could use a few hooves in getting certain supplies for rituals. But I don’t need anything done right now, and this is one of the few moments I’ve gotten where there’s been no demonic activity for awhile. So if it’s okay with you, I’d rather just use the time for normal things, stuff that usually do, so we can, oh you motherfucking son of a shitwad!”

My friends flinch at this tirade, to say the least. “What!? What’s wrong? What happened?”

I suck in a sharp breath and steady my violent hoof. “Well, you know how I said I’ve been performing rituals to protect the town?” They nod. “Yeah, one of them is this telepathic alarm system that alerts me whenever any demonic forces get within two hundred miles of the town, and it just went off.”

Scootaloo gets a wide open mouthed grin at that. “Awesome, so we can come help you kill these guys right?”

“Actually, it just seems like there’s two greed demons who aren’t approaching all that fast. I can probably take care of this in a few minutes. Why don’t you two just start the crusading without me and I’ll catch up with you shortly.”

“What?! No way, we’re coming with you on this,” Scootaloo protests, stamping her hoof.

“I’m just gonna skin them alive and come right back. I appreciate you wanting to help, but there’s really-”

“We’re following you and that’s that!” Scootaloo shouts.

It takes all of my willpower not to lose my smile. I look at her with half-lidded eyes, and pour my hypnotic power into my words. “Scootaloo, you’re going to stay here with Apple Bloom, okay?”

She gets a vague look in her eye, and her voice loses all passion. “Alright Sweetie Belle, I’ll stay here with Apple Bloom.”

“Good.” I smile fiendishly at her and then turn off towards the road. “I’ll be back before you know it. See you in a bit.”

Scootaloo waves at me with a blank expression on her face, and Apple Bloom mimics the motion while giving her a concerned stare. Does it make me a horrible pony that I abused my power to subdue my own friend? Probably, but I still don’t give a shit. Scootaloo has been showing an unhealthy interest in demons ever since she found out about them. I’m kind of flattered to have an admirer, but she’s forgetting what most demons are capable of, and blinded to the fact that I’m not that much better. If she doesn’t start seeing that soon she could end up doing something she’ll regret.

I don’t have time to be worried though, so I focus my attention to the strong demonic sense that’s telling me where to go. I reach a path a few miles outside the orchard and follow it away from the town. I gallop for a short time, gaining more distance between me and the village until I’m on the very edge of the town limits. There, just a few paces away from my little alert system, is a large cart being pulled along by one earth pony and a unicorn. I can already sense the hellish energy rising off of them.

They make slow progress, obviously not in a hurry to be getting anywhere, until they notice me standing in the center of the road. They look at each other a moment, before smiling fiendishly and approaching me with a pathetic excuse for a fake friendliness.

The unicorn addresses me first. “Well, hello there, little one. My name is Ruby Charge and this here is Dark Topaz. We’re merchants, come to do a bit of trading in your town. Would you like a ride there?”

I smile back with a much more convincing grin. “Hi there, my name is Sweetie Belle. I’m succubus demon from Hell who has come out to tell you to fuck off before I rip your damn heads off. Would like me to point you in the nearest direction back to Hades?”

They react to this just about as well as can be imagined. They gawk for a moment, then turn to glares as they start to measure me up. “Is she for real?”

“I’m not sensing any demonic energy from her.”

“It’s called a cover up spell, boys. look it up sometime. Makes it a lot harder for demon hunters, or somepony like me, to find you so easily.”

They continue to glare, but oddly turn their eyes somewhere off behind me as well. “And are those two friends of yours also demons, then? Because they certainly aren’t hiding themselves as well as they hide their power.”

“Wait, what?”

I turn around, heighten my demonic senses, and sure enough…

“Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, what the hell are you two doing here?!”

The pair comes tumbling out of a nearby bush, scrambling to stand up and give sheepish smiles in my direction. “Hey there, Sweetie Belle, just thought we’d tag along like we said.”

“No, I mean how are you even here to begin with? I told you not to come, I fucking hypnotized you and everything.”

“And weren’t you the one who told me that hypnotizing doesn’t work if you know you’re being hypnotized?”

I try to respond but only manage to stutter out several angry incoherent grunts, topped with an exasperated groan. “Look, I already explained this to you. I don’t really need help with this. I appreciate you offering, but I don’t need it.”

“Well then, can’t we just watch?”

“Why would you want to watch this?!”

“Why not?”

“Um… girls?” one of the merchants says.

“No, no, no, let me explain to you how this usually goes down. I show up, and ask oh so politely for these assholes to leave, then they get all pissy and wave their dicks around for a minute before I promptly rip them off and force feed it to them. Now tell me, do you really want to stick around to watch that?”

“Maybe we should go,” Apple Bloom states.

“Fine then, you go, I’m staying here.”

“For the love of Luna, Scootaloo, why are you so…”

“Right, that’s it!” The merchants’ bodies suddenly warp in appearance. They grow in size and their fur turns a pale black. Wings appear on their back with no feathers, only bone outlined by a thin layer of flesh. Their ribs are visible on the outside of their bodies, and they grow long, sharp teeth and massive crazed eyes that look like they’re seconds away from falling out of their skulls.

They stomp towards us slowly, with heavy pounding foot steps, and drooling acidic liquid from their maws. My friends hide behind me, and I look at them with a blank expression as they proceed with the dick waving. “I don’t know what your girl's deal is, but we’re through waiting around. Since you seem to know so much of demons already, it seems only fitting that we sell you to them. You’ll be their sex toys, their torture captives. Any desire they have you’ll be their bitch for it. Where’s your snide reply for that, you little cunt!”

So after I snidely reply by skinning them alive and choking them with their own disembodied dicks, I cannibalize their bodies and begin hauling their overweight cart off the road and into an abandoned field where no one will see it. My friends still follow me, despite all my protests. Scootaloo grinning, Apple Bloom scowling the whole way.

“Did you really have to eat em’ like that?” she says.

“Well how else would you expect me to hide the bodies?” I respond. “I warned you the second you showed up what was going to happen, but apparently Scoots here just likes watching ponies die horribly.”

“No, I just like watching badass demons in action, even if it does get a little gory at times.”

I look to the sky and shake my head.

“Why do you make them die that way though? Isn’t it enough to just kill them, instead of doing… well, that to them?” Apple Bloom asks.

“Maybe if I was a soldier or a demon hunter who simply wanted to rid the world of evil. Demons though, they’re not just supposed to rid the world of evil, they’re supposed to punish it as well. That’s what they’re meant to do at least. They don’t always perform it like that, but it is their main purpose, and all of our power is geared towards carrying out that purpose. Demonic power, by its very nature, is energy meant to kill and torment. It’s literally hardwired to cause as much pain and suffering as possible, and if you don’t satisfy it by tormenting others, it’ll begin to torment you. It’ll make you see things, give you nightmares, make it impossible for you to think properly, and if you continue to go without tormenting others, it’ll eventually drive you insane.”

Silence ensues for a moment after that. Apple Bloom isn’t sure how to properly reply to that disturbing information. “That is pretty messed up, Sweetie.”

“Everything about demons is messed up. Why do you think I’m so against her unhealthy interest in them?”

I glare at Scootaloo as I say this. She shrinks under my gaze, but doesn’t say a word. No one says a word again, until we reach our destination. I come to a stop once I think we’re far enough outside town to not be seen. I unhinge the cart’s yoke from my neck and climb into the back.

“What were these guys trying to sell anyway?” Apple Bloom asks.

“Looks like some normal stuff. Old furniture, rare antiquities, fine china, satanic spell books, and scented candles.”

“Wait, what was that last one ya’ said?” Apple Bloom asks.

“Scented candles?”

“Yeah, Big Macintosh has actually been wantin’ some a’ those for awhile.”

“Hey, don’t let me stop you, take your pick.”

Apple Bloom begins to sort through the multicolored candle sticks, while Scootaloo exploring the more obscene items in the cart. “So, are these spell books like, even safe to look at?”

“And you would want to look at them… why?”

“I’m curious, is that a crime?”

“No, but it’s a vice, one that could get you killed, or worse.”

“Oh, come on, there can’t be anything that bad in here.” She takes one of the dusty tomes in hoof, opens the front cover, which contains a fiery portal to the depths of Tartarus from which dozens of screaming tortured souls fly out of with looks of indescribable pain and horror scrawled on their faces. Scootaloo slams the book shut, breaths out one of the deranged souls that flew into her mouth, and wipes the eternally scared look off her face. “Though just to be on the safe side, maybe you should gather all these books together in one big pile, and burn them.”

I swipe the tome out of her hoof with a glaring look. “Oh, trust me, I intend to light this whole cart on fire, once I make sure there’s nothing in here that’ll explode, or release an ancient evil if destroyed. You can never be too cautious with demonic objects, after all.”

I continue searching the cart, which to its credit, has an impressive number of evil devices stored away on it. Much more than I would’ve expected at a glance. Among the growing pile of firewood is about a dozen spell tomes, three jars of goat blood, several pieces of demonic jewelry, and some kinky sex toys that at first I’m tempted to keep, but upon further thought it would probably be more trouble than it’s worth. Just when I think I’ve cleaned out the stash though, I notice something odd in the floor of the cart. I look closer, and sure enough I find a hidden compartment in the floorboards that contains a single container.

“Wow, girls. I’m not sure about this, but I think I might have found something big.”

They both climb up and take a look at the massive steel briefcase that’s wrapped all around with chains and has a massive red pentagram on the front meant to ward off holy forces.

“I don’t know. Are you sure it’s not just their special lunch box?” Scootaloo chides.

I smirk and then pull the heavy case out of the hole. I break off the lock, and notice my friends taking a few steps back as I unlatch the case. I raise my demonic energy for whatever may be inside. I slowly open it up, glance inside, and cock my eye at the contents.

Seven glass vials, filled with a clear liquid lay on black velvet within. I blink my eyes, unsure what to make of this. I carefully take one of the vials out and hold it up to the light.

“What is it, Sweetie Belle?”

“I honestly have no idea.” Deciding to try my luck, I cautiously unscrew the container and hold it my nose. Only then do I realize what a stupid idea that was. “Oh, fuck.”

My head lurches forward, barely allowing me time to contain it. I throw the vial off in one direction, and then lean over the side of the wagon and vomit in the other. My friends’ hooves are on my shoulders within seconds, worryingly comforting me as I spew out the remains of half digested greed demon.

“Dear Celestia, Sweetie, what is that stuff?” Apple Bloom asks.

“Holy water… oh, shit, I’m gonna have that smell in my nostrils for wee-” I can’t even finish my sentence before having to puke again. This time I don’t speak again until I’m sure I’ve ejected everything in my stomach, and then I collapse into an exhausted heap on the floor of the cart.

“Gosh, it sure seems like whatever this stuff is it doesn’t really like you that much.”

“You’re actually… closer… than you realize,” I pant out. “It’s special water… blessed by… the creator of paradise… himself. Specifically… made… to kill… demons. I’m actually really surprised… these guys even have it. It’s damn near impossible… to find in this day and age… what with the angels seemingly disappearing and all.”

I’m guessing I look a lot worse than I think, which is saying something, because my friends are looking at me like I’m on my death bed. Apple Bloom in particular looks pale faced. “Gosh, whatever this stuff is it looks mighty dangerous.”

“Only if you’re a demon.” I finally regain my breath and slowly rise to my hooves. “In fact, you should probably hang on to those. It’s pretty much harmless to mortals and it’s a pretty good weapon against demons, probably the best one you could hope for. Just… make sure you keep it the hell away from me.”'

Apple Bloom continues looking at me a moment longer. “Well, if yer’ sure it’s harmless, I guess it’ll be okay.”

“Oh yeah, definitely.” Scootaloo already has about three of the vials in her hooves. “So say a demon does come at us, how do we use this stuff?”

“Sprinkle a little bit on yourself and it’ll keep them away, splash a bit on them and it’ll make them sick, and if all else fails then just smash the whole thing in their face and watch them die a slow, painful death as they angrily cuss you out on the ground.”

“Sounds awesome!”

“Depending on what side you’re on at least. In any case, I think that’s everything on the cart. Time for a bonfire!”

I gather everything in the cart close together and then focus my demonic energy on a small area of the cart. It’s enough to start a small blaze, which quickly spreads to the rest of the wagon. I’m a little worried that the smoke might attract attention, but at the rate it’s burning I doubt anypony will get here in time to even recognize the smoldering mess. We watch silently as the blaze eats up the cart and everything in it.

“So, how often do these demons come through any how?” Apple Bloom asks.

“To put it bluntly, I’ve been getting drenched in so much blood lately that I’m shocked my coat hasn’t been permanently dyed red. I’ve been making sure to always keep a bar of soap on me and always know where any nearby ponds are, so if you happen to come across a lake that looks like it’s in a menstrual cycle you’ll know why.”

“Okay, first thing, that’s disgustin’,” Apple Bloom says. “Second thing, are you just gonna slaughter every demon that gets even remotely close to town.”

“No, I plan to slaughter every demon who even glances in this towns direction.”

Apple Bloom gives me a squeamish gesture and avoids eye contact. “Sweetie Belle, I know yer’ set on protectin’ Ponyville and all, and that’s a good thing! I’m actually glad yer’ doin’ it. But, don’t yah’ think that yah’ might be takin’ things… a tad bit too far?”

“I never do anything half-way,” I respond.

“Yes, but I mean shouldn’t you at least try to talk things out with these demons before yah’ just jump em’ like you do?”

Both me and Scootaloo give her odd looks. “Apple Bloom, you’re asking me to sit down and have a reasonable chat with the most vile creatures of the abyss, you know that right?”

“Yeah, but what if some of them don’t have bad intentions for this town. I mean, yer’ here and you’ve saved this place a couple of times. Who’s to say that aren’t other demons out there who’d want to help you with it.”

I take a long sigh and look at her with a serious eye. “It’s not that simple Apple Bloom. When it comes to demons I’m a very rare example. Most others out there don’t have any desire, much less any patience to do what I do. They tend to just let their demonic natures run wild and do whatever they please to whoever they want, regardless of whether they’re innocent or not. Hell, the only reason I’m not like that is because I was raised up to know better.”

“But aren’t there any demons out there who are like you?”

“I’ve met a few, but as I said they’re not common, and even then I don’t really consider any of them trustworthy. I told Scootaloo earlier, and I might as well tell you, too. Demons are liars, and you can’t trust them any farther than you can throw them.”

“What sad irony then, that you yourself are one.”

The three of us jump at the new voice. We look behind us to see a pegasus, too young to be a mare but not exactly a filly either, standing behind us. Her mane is a light violet color with one or two lines of white running through it. It forms a short, open curtain around her face through which she smiles at us with a rat like mouth, and innocent angelic eyes. By her side is what looks like a little cage housing some unknown animal, something that stares at us from the back and something else moving up front.

“By that logic, your two friends here really shouldn’t even take anything you say as fact. Probably shouldn’t even be standing that close to you. For all they know, you could just snap and eat them up at any time, couldn’t you?”

I grind my teeth attempting to keep a calm tone. “I’m sorry, but do you belong in this conversation?”

“Oh of course, where are my manners,” she states with mock shame. “My name is Esmeralda, though most ponies just call me Alda. And you three are?”

“My name is Sweetie Belle, and that’s about as much information as I’d like you to have.” I glare at her, but it does little to wipe the pleasant look off her face. “In case you missed that part of our conversation, demons of any kind are not welcome here.”

She chuckles, daintily with her hoof to her mouth. “That’s certainly a bold policy. Luckily I can assure you that I am no demon, just a innocent young girl with an avid fascination with the occult.”

“Oh, well, that’s just so much more reassuring,” I state. “Why do you think I’d be any more open to cultists entering this town?”

“Because I’m a young, beautiful, sweet young mare who’ll be sure to behave herself while in your town.”

“You’re also an excellent bullshiter.”

“Oh, you noticed. I’m flattered.”

“Yeah, well I’m sure you’re lovely skills will be much more appreciated about one hundred and eighty degrees behind you and then a thousand miles forward.”

“Aren’t you just witty,” she states with an eyeroll. “Perhaps you should hear me out before you turn me away.”

“Nah, you see, I have this strict ‘no shit’ policy here, and I like to enforce it very well.”

“Hey, come on now Sweetie. Maybe you should give her a chance,” Apple Bloom states. “I mean she’s not even a demon, and It’s not like you’re not dabbling in the occult yourself.”

“Apple Bloom, I use a knife to carve cute little doodles into my skin. For all we know this mare might be planning to sacrifice an innocent young pony to her demon god.”

“Oh please, pointless blood sacrifice? How amateurish can you get?” Alda states. “Besides, Lord Asmodeus has a rather nasty history of backstabbing worshippers who do that.”

“See, I told you, she’s worshipping a demon lord who’s probably going to-” It doesn’t sink in until then. “-Wait, what was the name of your lord again?”

“Asmodeus, Crown Prince of Lust, Lord over the first two circles of Hell, and one of the head generals among the armies of Hades. Why do you ask?”

The silence that ensues is unnerving. Alda just stands there smiling like naive child who just said a bad word, complete ignorance of what she just said. I look back at my friends, who in turn give shocked glances to each other, then resume gawking at the mare in front of me.

“That’s… rather interesting.” My eyes flash hellish red.

“Interesting… how?” Alda asks.

“Well it’s just that there’s so many rumors going around about him recently. Things like him breaking out of Hell, assaulting canterlot, and almost killing Princess Celestia. The Crown Prince of Lust has been pretty busy recently, hasn’t he?”

“Yeah, he sure has been,” Alda responds. “He’s not stopping either. Currently he’s recruiting demons into a personal army, I imagine he’ll be storming Canterlot again pretty soon. Perhaps you’d like to join up with him?”

I put a hoof to my chin and pretend to consider it. “Hm, yeah I guess I could join up with him. I could also stick a razor blade in my cunt and fuck it until I cum blood."

“Seriously, Sweetie Belle?!”

I stare back at a nauseous looking Apple Bloom who's holding a hoof to her mouth. Even Scootaloo seems to be holding her legs tighter together. I rub the back of my neck and smile sheepishly. “Sorry, that one was pretty bad, wasn't it.”

“You have rather squeamish friends for a demon, don't you?”

My ire is quickly turned back to the mare in front of me. “My friends are none of your damn business, and lets stay on subject, shall we? You're gonna tell me everything you know about Asmodeus. What he's planning, where he is, why he's interested in Ponyville. The more you talk the more flesh I'll let you keep. Sound good to you, pumpkin?”

“Sounds lovely, actually,” Alda responds, completely unfazed. “Unfortunately, I'm running behind schedule as it is, so maybe we can catch up later sometime.”

“Oh, but we'll just make this quick and then you'll be on your way, whether that's back the other direction or straight to Hell is for you to decide. I don't need much time to rip your spine out.”

“I don't doubt that you do.” She retains her dainty chuckle and innocent smile, but her eyes narrow to dark slits of menace, like a wolf eyeing a rabbit. “What I wonder though, is if you fully understand that I could do the same thing to you. Asmodeus grants quite a bit of power to his faithful followers. Do you think you have what it takes to stand against the power of a Crown Prince of Hell?”

The words make me pause. I wasn’t thinking much of this mare at first, since I haven’t sensed any demonic energy on her. The way she’s been talking to me though? She clearly knows that I’m a demon, yet she remains calm and collected, now even a little threatening. There aren’t many mortals who can do that, not unless they’re either monumentally retarded or they have something that gives them an edge over demons. I’m not getting the former impression from her, and if it’s true that’s she’s working for Asmodeus then she could have a personal army of demons for all I know.

But I’m not about to let that intimidate me now. This mare is working for a demon that’s waging war on all Equestria; I doubt she has any good intentions in coming here.

Smoke fumes from my nostrils as my darker features begin to manifest on my body. I snarl at her through dagger like teeth, my eyes glowing pure malice. “Facing a Crown Prince I’m leary about, but I have more than enough strength to deal with a stupid mortal like you!”

I charge forward at mach two speeds. I’m on her in less than a second, I lunge forward ready to rip that smug grin right off her face, and then I’m hit. Some unseen force strikes my chest, it feels like a just ran full speed into a charging bull. Both breath and blood is forced out of my lungs as I go flying back. I hit the ground gasping for air, but I can only get half a breath in before something wraps itself around my body and squeezes the life out of me.

I can’t breath, can’t move, only struggle fruitlessly against my invisible attacker, and watch with growing anger at its giggling master.

“Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom screams out in horror.

“What’s happening to her?! What did you do?!” Scootaloo shouts.

The cultist answers after another innocent chuckle. “Me? Why, I’m not doing anything. You’re friend here just failed to notice the Shadow Demons I had at my side. Not an uncommon mistake, mind you. Shadow Demons are already pretty hard to see in the first place, being able to change into any form they want, even one that’s completely transparent. These however are a special breed, one that can mask its demonic power, making it damn near impossible to detect even for the most skilled of demons. Your poor friend here should’ve known better than to fight the power of a demon lord. Compared to that she really is just as harmless as she looks, isn’t that right Sweetie?”

I am going to feed that bitch her own eyeballs.

With a growl of anger I summon up my demonic energy and focus it around my entire body. Sparks crawl over my skin, and then a burst of fire envelopes me. The demons restraining me shriek and fall away. I don’t waste time. I stand to my hooves and lunge at the shocked cultist. I swipe my hoof at her, but only manage to nick her face as she jumps away.

I continue attacking her, but she keeps dodging. Her movements are strange, as though not her own. It’s like each time she’s in my reach some unseen force yanks her away from harm. Perhaps more Shadow demons? Whatever it is, though, it’s obviously not perfect at its job. I manage to land a few small hits and shallow cuts, and at one point I catch her completely unprepared and slice a deep gash into her chest.

Blood flies through the air and she gasps out a raspy breath. I grin and lunge in for a killing blow, when something yanks me by the tail and throws me back several feet. Huge chunks of flesh peel off me as I fly back and blood sprays out of me like a garden hose, as though my body were sliding through a cheese grater.

Everything is burning when I land, each movement I make sends a fire through my open wounds. Despite this, I chuckle as I get up, because now I can watch that smug grin of hers melt off her face as my wounds heal, and hers continue to bleed.

The shock soon fades away to raw hatred. Alda breaths heavily while trying to stop her chest from giving up too much blood. Her malicious glare bounces off my smirking face, but then anger leaves her, and an odd smile cracks across her lips.

She takes a few steps back and throws her hooves up. “Alright, you win.”

I’m thrown off balance for a moment. “What-what do you mean?”

“I mean that you win, I’m done.” She walks back to her little cage and grabs it with her free hoof. “I know when I’m out matched, I’m not going to fight a demon of your power.”

I look at her in shock, as do my friends. Then I shake my head and regain some amount of composure. “Well, I guess you’re a lot smarter than you look. So if you’ll just be so kind as to answer a few questions for me, I’ll let you return back home unmolested.”

“Ah, well you see that’s just the thing,” she states with an almost childlike grin. Her wings then shoot up from her back, and she gives a powerful flap to pull herself up into the air. “You heal pretty fast, but I noticed that even you are still bound to the ancient hurdle of slow regenerating limbs.”

I make an irked noise and stare back dumbly at my stumpy wing. I glare back at her and shout, “I wouldn’t be getting too smug, lady. I might not be able to fly, but I’ve got a whole mess of traps rigged up for just this reason. They’ll shoot down any flying targets the moment any demonic energy crosses them.”

“Really? So you’re saying that someone like me who has no demonic energy and a few demons who can hide their presence so well not even a demon lord would be able sense them could pass by completely unharmed?”

Dead silence, that’s all I can respond to that with. My hoof is stuck pointing at her in the air, and my enraged face collapses in on itself, leaving me with only dread and shattered pride.

“I guess I can take that as yes. Probably should’ve factored in the possibility of cultists paying you a visit, but oh well, that’s your mistake not mine. In any case I’ll see in town. Bye-bye.”

And then she blows me a kiss and flies off, leaving me to wallow in my own wounded pride. Behind me I hear a certain orange pegasus burst out laughing.

“Oooh… ooohoho, dear Luna. Sweetie Belle, I’m sorry I don’t mean to laugh, it’s just that…” She explodes into laughter again. “Oooh, you got burned sooooo badly.”

She falls on her back and continues laughing.

Apple Bloom is less amused. “Sweetie Belle, how common are cultists and demon worshippers exactly? Did you just not think they'd come here, or was this a really bad mistake on your part?”

I don't say a word, don't even move, I don't give any response at all.

“I'm gonna' take that as the second one. So what do we do?”

“Well, for right now,” I say in a voice bordering the edge of insanity. “I'd like you two to start running. I don't care where too or what direction, just start running and don't stop.”

“Uh, why exactly?”

I twist my head around to them, my lips cracked up into a deranged smile, my eyes twitching and showing hints of mad rage that I can barely control. Whatever expressions my friends had on their faces disappear and are replaced by pure fear.

“Apple Bloom, I think we should listen to her,” says Scootaloo.

“Right behind ya',” Apple Bloom replies.

They dash off into the forest at top speed. By the time they leave I start growling. Pure uncontained rage fills my being like steam, building up pressure with no where to go. My breath turns heated, my muscles go tense, and then I finally snap. I scream out an enraged roar to heavens and slam my hooves into the ground.

I might want to get out of here before somepony notices the mushroom cloud of demonic energy.