---

---

We enter the restaurant and the interior is just like the outside, Gothic and dark themed.

The tables and chairs have demonic heads on the corners and the legs look like large wooden bones holding it up... at least I think they're wood as they're a dark red colour and have a slight grain to them.

There's a few demons already eating at some of the tables while others are dressed in nice butler or maid outfits serving customers.

"Let's find us a table shall we?" Desire comments and walks off.

Rarity and I follow behind her and my stomach rumbles again, making the white succupony giggle quietly.

Desire talks to a waiter and after a minute or so, he leads us to an empty table and once again I get a few odd glances thrown at me from the other customers.

We sit down at a four chair table and the waiter hands us each a menu. "Would any of you like a drink before ordering?" he asks us and I look at the drinks on the menu.

Rot Wheat Ale? Blood Apple Cider? Soulvine Wine? and many more drinks with strange names...

Desire asks for the ale, and Rarity the wine, so I ask for the cider. So while he goes to get our drinks, we look over the menu for what to eat.

I grimace at the different dishes of waste worm available, despite actually looking good, knowing what they're from is still off putting.

I don't know what a Jigoron is, but the steak it's from looks good. It has different vegetables I don't recognise and glazed in some kind of sauce. I decide to order it while Desire gets a waste worm casserole with some kinda bread sticks. Rarity orders the special soup of something that's spicy.

"So, Mel. What do you think of the city so far?" Desire asks me with a smile.

"If it wasn't for the lack of cars and the demons walking around, I'd say it's almost like a city back home," I reply.

"Oh, speaking of cars. My daughter has built the first working automobile called a Dune Buggy just a few days ago. It was very fun to drive," she tells me with a giggle.

"A Dune Buggy?" I ask in surprise. "Just what the hell has Damien been telling you about Earth?" I then ask her.

"Everything he knew. We even have guns!" she replies with a grin.

"Guns!? Is he insane!?" I yell getting the other demons in the place to look at me oddly.

"It's thanks to those guns we took over this City and have been able to protect ourselves from stronger demons. Along with the Airships and cannons on them," she tells me making my jaw drop.

I shake my head and just rest said head on my arms on the table. Rarity and Desire chat about something called the Grand Galloping Gala in Equestria and if a Tartarus version could be started.

After a few minutes, our food arrives and while my steak smells different to what I'm used to, it still smells good and my mouth waters at the scent. I pick up my knife and fork and cut off a piece before chewing it. I guess the closest thing I can compare it to would be a spicy piece of pork.

I just idly poke at my food in thought. Did I make the right choice coming here?

---

---

I frown as I sit at my table in Olivia's Lab using a file with a protective mask and pair of gloves on to shave off some of the silver from the sword Damien took from that Pirate King gryphon.

Can't have any open windows or fans going as the silver dust will blow into my eyes or on my fur and I don't want to be blinded or burned all over again. The memory of Shiny hugging me in his silver armour makes me shiver at the recalled pain I was in.

I carefully pour some dust into a beaker and save that for later. For now I want to test this new mixture Olivia and I came up with.

I bring the sword up to my arm and lightly touch the silver to my forearm making it burn. I then use the new chemical solution Olivia and I have put together using waste worm saliva, ground up ogre mushrooms -large red mushrooms with grey spots on top of the cap-, and a concentrated infusion of raw demon magic. The mushrooms seem to be able to negate the burning effect that silver has on our skin. And while disgusting, the saliva and magic helps to accelerate a demon’s natural healing factor by three times, so we're hoping to make an ointment at least for now.

"Do you really think this is going to work?" Olivia asks me as I hiss in pain from the small burn.

I quickly wash the burn with some water and apply the ointment on the burned skin. "I hope so," I reply and sigh as the burning feeling dies down and I can see the burnt skin slowly healing and new fur growing on it.

"While not what Damien wanted, it's a start and a useful first aid solution," I say and carefully store the rest of the dust and sword away. "I'm hungry..." I comment as I rub the small foal bump on my stomach.

"You just ate three black cabbage sandwiches ten minutes ago!" Olivia tells me with a raised brow.

"I can't help it! These cravings are going to drive me insane!" I reply and sigh.

"Then let's go to the cafeteria and get you something to nibble on, then we can tell daddy what we've done so far," she tells me and gently pulls my arm to the door.

After a... admittedly large lunch. Olivia and I head out to find Damien about our breakthrough with our silver problem.

We find him and his sons in the War Room around the map table discussing something.

"Daddy! We have some good news!" Olivia tells him happily.

Damien and his sons look up from the table and smile at us. "Oh? And what's the good news?" Damien asks her.

Olivia nudges me getting a small yelp from me. "Erm... we've managed to make an ointment that will neutralise the light magic in silver and accelerate the healing of the burn it leaves," I tell him.

"I see. So at least for now we have something to help heal wounds from silver... Good job, the both of you. As for us, we've managed to find signs of Tirek out near the pits of despair. Our scouts found his Castle's tracks that head towards the Lost Soul Sea, a massive sea of lava that no demon has travelled across yet. We may have to send airships across someday to see if anything is out there," Damien replies with a thoughtful expression.

"I hope you find him soon and kill him. Because of him I lost valuable research time due to his attacks while you were gone," Olivia says with a huff.

"Don't worry, Olivia. He'll get what's coming to him," he tells her and then looks to me. "How are you feeling, Twilight?" he asks me.

"Oh, good. I just had lunch but I might need a little pick me up from you," I reply with a smile. It's nice to hear him ask how I'm doing.

He walks over to me and carefully wraps his arms around my back and pulls me against himself. I lick my lips as not only can I sense the lust from him, but also I like to think it's love as well. Is this kinda what Cadence can feel with her love magic?

"You're looking more radiant everyday, my dear. Seems like you'll be glowing in a few more months time," he tells me and leans down to give me a passionate kiss. I moan as my breath is taken away and I don't even care at Olivia's giggling.

I can't help but thrust my tongue down his throat, getting a grunt from him and making me smile as my hands grip the back of his shirt tightly. I groan in turn as his tongue slides down my own esophagus.

"Oh get a room you two," Olivia playfully comments making my eyes go wide.

"Good idea!" I say and with a strength I didn't know I had, I pull Damien out of the room and towards our bedroom leaving behind Damien's laughing sons and daughter.

"You're more frisky than usual," Damien says making me growl.

"And it's your fault! Now feed me hard so I can get back to my research!" I reply and push him into our room.

I lock the door and yelp as Damien picks me up and places me on the bed before eagerly stripping me of my clothes.

---

---

I finish my meal and give off a light burp. The meat was good and I don't want to know what it came from looked like.

"That wasn't bad. So what else is there to see around here?" I ask Desire.

"Hmmm, well there's the casinos, the Pogorium where pog tournaments take place. You wouldn't believe how popular that game is with the youngsters these days, it was so popular that a wealthy archdemon named Ragadath started the Pogorium and holds tournaments for the children to compete and earn some prizes," she tells me.

I raise an eyebrow at her. "Someone runs pog tournaments?" I ask in disbelief.

"To you it may seem dumb, but the children here love it and it keeps them occupied. Some card games are often played but it's pogs that seem to be the most played these days," she replies.

"I see... I used to play it as a kid... but they quickly went out of style. How long have they been here?" I then ask out of curiosity. What else has my brother introduced them to?

"Errr, I think about fifty or so years. It's only recently been more played due to the tournaments, though I will admit, it's fun watching the young demons playing in them," she tells me with a smile.

"So, do you have any sports here?" I ask moving on from the subject.

"Well. We used to only really have orgies, arenas, and public torture displays. Everyone was too busy concentrating on surviving or indulging to really come up with anything. Then came Damien with ideas for games and sports like; football, basketball, golf, baseball, bowling, darts, tennis, and others as well. Although only Felfire has the only known full sized football field in Tartarus due to how big it is. Most towns or villages have the smaller five demon team ones," she replies as the waiter returns.

"Your bill, my lady," he tells Desire and hands her a slip of paper.

Desire quickly pays for our meal and gets up. "We can continue our chat as we go on," she says and we bid the restaurant goodbye.

"Well, darlings. I must be off as I promised Fluttershy to meet up with her later. It was a pleasure talking with you, Melanie. Should you ever need a custom dress or outfit, do let me know," Rarity says and holds her hand out to me.

I take her hand and shake it. "Thanks. I'll let you know if I need anything," I reply and let go.

"I'm looking forward to it, ta ta!" she says and heads off back to the Castle.

I look to Desire who smiles back at me evilly. "So what are you in the mood to see now?" she asks me.

"Erm... I'm not sure to be honest. I think I'll just go back to the Castle and take a nap... I need to think about what I want to decorate my room with," I reply.

"So why don't we go shopping for something you'd like? I'll even pay for all of it," she tells me with a shit eating grin.

Something in the back of my head is telling me to just head back now before Desire does something to embarrass me.

I just sigh and nod. "Sure. Might as well get it over with," I reply making her jump on the spot.

"Wonderful! Let's get going, I know just the first stop," she tells me and starts walking off.

With another sigh I follow her for the next five minutes in silence until we arrive at a store that makes me glare at her.

It's a bloody sex toy store.

"Now let's find you a few toys shall we?" she says innocently and before I can get a word out, she pulls me inside making me yelp.

So for the next hour, Desire forces me to get ten different dildos along with a strap on harness... why would I need a strap on harness? I also notice there's a lot of succupony and inccupony demons in here buying toys and other products.

Once we’re done, I have a bag of toys in my left hand as Desire then takes me to someplace else.

---

---

So far Tartarus is a cool place. The demons are surprisingly friendly, but can be just as mean when pushed too far.

I'm flying above the City with Rainbow just chatting and hanging out. The last few weeks have been the most fun I've honestly had in my life. Sure, I've had to relearn to fly due to my wings feeling like both my talons and my wings at the same time, making them flap oddly when I tried to move my non-existent leg and wing at the same time, but I've gotten the hang of it now.

I've also been convinced to wear a loose tube shirt and shorts when with others now. While walking around naked isn't illegal here, Dash and the others are just uncomfortable with me doing so for now.

Shining and I are getting closer and despite his stoic attitude most of the time, he's rather laid back and knows how to have fun. He's even decided to start a herd with me and his marefriend Cadence when we get back. The thought of sharing him with another female pisses me off, but they were together before he had to buck me to live, so I can deal with another female if it means I get to stay with him.

"So what do you want to do, Dash?" I ask her. After she recovered from flying into the ash clouds, she's kept her distance from them ever since.

"Wanna try another one of their sports?" she suggests.

"Hmmm, sure. I want to try that baseball game," I reply and we fly back down to find someone to give us directions.

The day passes by and I feel kinda guilty for hitting the ball into a demon's knee. But hey, I'm the first harpy who was able to play due to my talons on my wing joints acting as hands.

We saw Pinkie flying around with games and toys in her arms as she was heading back to the Castle. It seems she's still hoarding more stuff in her room. Then we saw Dark Desire walk by with Damien's sister I've heard has just moved into the Castle. Haven't met her yet, but I will later.

We return to the Castle after finding a place for dinner where we say goodbye to each other and I head up to my room. I find Shining laying on the bed looking sweaty and tired, since his training here, he's gotten more muscular and stronger. He's also only wearing a pair of training shorts so his delicious body is on display.

I lick my beak at the sight and walk over to him. "Tough day?" I ask as he looks over to me.

"You could say that. The training here is much more intense than the Royal Guard's is," he replies with a sigh.

I chuckle and crawl onto the bed and over to him before sitting down right on his groin. He raises an eyebrow at me but I lean down and gently kiss him.

"Want some help relieving some stress?" I offer him with a sultry smile and wiggle my hips.

His eyes widen as a smile spreads on his face and he returns my affection before lifting my shirt up.

---

---

After spending the whole of yesterday finding all the games and toys I haven't got yet that I could, I decided to call it early. I wake up the next morning and spend the next hour making a pog set for the upcoming tournament that's happening today.

I've watched so many demon foals playing with them that I wanted to try and it's fun! I have my case of one-hundred pogs and ten different weighted slammers ready to play today and once checked over, I head down to the Castle's Dining Hall for breakfast.

Everypony is here already, including Damien's sister!

"Pinkie? Why are you so excited today?" Rainbow asks me.

"Well, I found out that today there is a pog tournament happening in the Pogorium and I've signed up for it!" I reply and hold up my pog case to show her.

"Tournament? For a little foal's game?" Dashie then asks me.

"Uh-huh! It's fun and I wanted to try it out. I don't really care for the prize, I just wanna play and have fun!" I reply with a big smile.

"So, what will you do if you do win the prize?" Damien asks me with a raised brow before eating a piece of waste worm bacon.

"Dunno, give it to someone else who needs it... I remember helping out at the Orphanage here before! Then they can have it!" I reply, my smile turning into a grin.

"That's very nice of you, Pinkie," Fluttershy tells me. She's wearing a new outfit that makes her look like some wild Amarezonian with fur hot pants and bra like top, I think this is the most of her fur I've seen her ever show off. She's even put on some muscle and looks more confident in herself. I guess spending her time with her demonic animal friends is helping her get fitter.

"I'm sure they'd appreciate the gesture, Pinkie. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hunt to continue," Damien says and finishes off his food.

I notice Applejack sitting next to Damien's son Tidus, just chatting as they eat. Rarity and Twilight look happy, I can't wait to see Twilight's foal, I'll give them the best birthday parties ever!

"So what are you doing today, Dashie?" I ask her.

"Probably try some more of the sports here," she replies and stuffs her face with a piece of sausage. Out of all of us, I think she's taken to eating meat better than anyone else, even Fluttershy has started to eat some.

The others chat about what they'll do today while I finish up my breakfast. Twilight said she's going to learn how to use something called a laptop today... why would she want to put a top on her lap? Is it a skirt of some kind?

I say goodbye to my friends and with pog case in hand, I head out into the city for the Pogorium.

Next Chapter: Chapter 49: The battle begins Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 53 Minutes