Chapter 12: Honesty

Riffraff and Graceful Melody had already packed up the campsite and continued on their journey before the sun could crest the distant mountain range, delighting in the serenity of the crisp dawn as they hauled the wagon for nearly six hours before they even passed another pony. Their experience hardly changed across the next few days, traveling through the same small towns as before and finding the same suspicious glares, but the pair no longer felt nervous about them. After all, the threat of demons and some potential, horrible future end-game seemed to make the blind judgment of their fellow ponies feel somewhat less important. Even with their newly abundant supply of money, both stallions lived for the journey, finding themselves driven to seeking out some kind of employment as they had always done.

The one thing that bothered Graceful each night, however, was the lack of Phooka; in fact, the majority of the usual woodland inhabitants had apparently all but vanished from the areas of the forest through which the road cut. Riff continuously tried reassuring the slender pegasus, reminding him that these creatures were wild, that they obeyed no kind of schedule. Graceful always looked skeptical in response to these carefully worded encouragements, frowning quietly but murmuring his soft acceptance of his companion’s explanation.

Riff himself felt terrible for the senseless buoyancy of his attempted alleviation, always wanting to cry out afterward: “Wait, Grace! I’m lying, I don’t know what’s going on, either!” But he never did. He constantly thought back to the fight between Graceful and Amdusias and realized that he often took his partner’s safety for granted. They’d rarely run into any kind of trouble that they hadn’t been able to escape together, relying only on the other for the necessary support to scrape past. Amdusias had been there as a sort of unreliable buffer – he’d stepped in once or twice in the past to prevent any sort of major harm to Riffraff, and he’d even shown a masked proclivity for protecting the feminine pegasus in situations that would not even result in any kind of grievous injury for Graceful. But now...

Now he couldn’t be sure of Amdusias’s intentions. The demon had never been an open book, not with his plans or designs, rarely with his emotions and most certainly never with his knowledge of those things which tickled at the seams of the reality Riffraff and Graceful accepted as all that was. Amdusias had sworn to prevent or at the least put an end to any attack upon Riffraff from just about any force, supernatural or otherwise. And although Riffraff had pushed the demon to agree with extending this protection to Graceful Melody, he wouldn’t consider himself naive enough to believe his meager knowledge of demonic lore and tradition would reinforce any kind of argument against the scaled entity if the subject truly came under scrutiny. He realized more and more that while he hoped his demonic creditor would come through when it counted, there was no possible way to be sure of it. After seeing Amdusias in such an abrasive state for so many months, crueler than he had been even at their first meeting, Riffraff no longer considered it a nightmare to imagine himself and Graceful being beaten or tortured near to death only for the enormous demon to appear in time to save the crimson pegasus...but leave his periwinkle companion behind to face a dark, painful end. Riff wanted badly for such a scenario to only lurk in his mind as a night terror, but he had now been forced to recognize it as a very real, potential situation. The idea of dying at his partner’s side didn’t frighten him nearly as much as it did to imagine himself being swept away at the last moment, having to know that while he was being salvaged to survive eons of torture in Helheim, Graceful Melody was drawing his last breaths alone.

And so he lied to his companion when the truth escaped him, and when the truth hurt, he simply kept it to himself. Riffraff genuinely enjoyed once again traveling with Graceful, but his smile nevertheless felt as illegitimate as his musical talents. He didn’t know why the woods were so quiet, during the day, throughout the night. He couldn’t imagine why a single Phooka hadn't yet wandered into their campsites to investigate the naturally charismatic Graceful Melody. But he continued to produce falsely supportive suggestions to explain away these inconsistencies; whenever Graceful asked with honest curiosity what Riffraff had on his mind, the crimson pegasus plastered a lame smile across his muzzle, feigning a guilty conscience over the possibility of spending all their money in a crazed splurge, or perhaps distracting the feminine stallion with a suggestion of what ridiculously intricate sexual position they should try that night.

Graceful caught the occasional frown or disconcerted expression and his own doubts fluttered each and every time the muscular pegasus quickly changed the subject or replied with a flick of his right ear – the time he’d spent with Riffraff had taught him the other stallion’s tells. But he convinced himself as often as he could that his companion was simply distraught because of the situation with Amdusias, or that Riff was worrying too much about how long they could last before their enormous savings account was ultimately drained. He had a feeling there was more to the furtive glances and withdrawn expressions than what Riffraff explained away, but Graceful had no urge to ruin what he figured was a much-desired reunion with the journeying lifestyle. It’s gotta be the whole Amdusias thing. I know he wants to believe that there’s more to him than just a stupid mean demon. Heck, I know even I want to believe that. I can’t blame him for bein’ so torn up about it... He nodded quietly, then smiled warmly as Riffraff suddenly leaned over to impulsively kiss his lips, closing his eyes and returning the affection softly as they approached the long upward incline to the gates of Canterlot.

As they slowly parted, Graceful’s eyes still closed, Riffraff swallowed quietly and watched his companion silently. He’d caught hints of concern in the smaller pony’s features, spotting those quick, nervous glances in his direction that suggested doubt or perhaps hesitation in completely trusting each and every one of Riff’s excuses, explanations and evasions. As always, the unexpected show of romance seemed to draw Graceful’s thoughts to more cheerful places, though Riffraff felt a terrible gnawing in his guts as he swallowed thickly again and forced his head up to gaze at the ancient stone walls surrounding the royal city. Let’s just get inside, find a nice place to stay for awhile. Maybe it really will be safer here than Amdusias made it sound...

There were no ponies or other wagons ahead of them as they approached the guards and Riff wondered if it really had only been the musical festival last time which had drawn such an influx of visitors. But what immediately caught his attention instead was the presence of five guards, one of them perched in a tower above the gate with a crossbow at the ready. He tilted his head slightly as he and Graceful came to a stop when the four Royal Guards on the ground – all pegasi – approached them. They didn’t seem to be on edge, though Riffraff still found the increased military presence to be somewhat curious. He’d heard that “Nightmare Moon” had been living in exile somewhere in the Everfree Forest, the newsponies all reporting that Celestia had driven off the evil entity and that “while constant efforts were being made to find her, no patrols have yet to capture her.”

“Good afternoon,” one of the guards said curtly, glancing over the two stallions. “Purpose of your visit to Canterlot?”

“Uh...comin’ by to stay for a few weeks, looking for some part-time work, see if there are any musical...things going on?” Riff replied lamely, tilting his head slightly.

“Yeah, and we’re gonna stay at a real nice hotel this time, ‘cause we’re not poor anymore!” Graceful added brightly. The smaller pegasus beamed and waved at the armed guard in the tower above. “Hi!”

The crossbow-wielding stallion blinked and nodded slightly before continuing to gaze out over the approaching road. The other Royal Guards exchanged expressions mixed with confusion, annoyance and more than a hint of antipathy. “Very well,” the first pegasus responded as he motioned to two of his compatriots. As they quickly darted up to the back of the cart, hovering about it and poking at some of the bags, he focused once more on Riffraff. “Where are you coming from?”

“Manehattan. Figured we’d stop by here before continuing out west.”

The guard grunted and glanced to his silent fourth companion, who produced a leather-bound booklet and quill and began to jot a quick entry. “Names?”

“Riffraff and Graceful Melody,” the feminine pegasus announced proudly, reaching over to hug his companion tightly around the neck. “We’re coltfriends.”

The acting scribe gave them a dour look before adding their names to the book and then waiting for the two hovering pegasi to finish circling the cart. They both nodded and he quickly scrawled a few more notes before snapping the book shut and stepping to the side. The first guard glanced between both stallions once more, then nodded as well, giving them enough room to move through the gate and into the wide courtyard that served as Canterlot’s front entrance.

Riffraff and Graceful quickly pulled the wagon forward and headed down the winding cobblestone road, the larger male peering over his shoulder for a moment. “Guess they’re nervous about Princess Luna coming back or something...”

“You mean Nightmare Moon?” Graceful asked, tilting his head curiously as they began to wander toward the center of the city. “Do you really think it...wasn’t her? You think Amdusias was right?”

Riffraff shrugged. “I dunno. I guess I don’t see why he’d bother to lie about something like that. Either way, don’t really affect us that much.”

“Yeah, I s’pose you're right.” The periwinkle stallion nodded and then perked his ears as he brightened. “Ooh, hey look at that place! It’s like...old and fancy!” He pointed excitedly toward a regal structure tucked between a stout bakery and a tall civic building, a ragged banner hanging before it proclaiming “Canterlot Suites”. Its facade was of the same crumbling stone and mortar as most of the ancient city, though it had a certain renaissance charm to it that likely meant the rooms within were three times as expensive as they should have been. “Can we stay there, can we, can we pleeeeease?” Graceful pleaded, bouncing excitedly on the cobblestone road.

Riffraff mumbled and slowly pulled a hoof down over his own features before sighing. “Yes, yes, we can stay there, we can stay there. Let’s. Go see if they have some parking out back or something, at least. I hope they don’t speak some hokey medieval Equestrian. That would get old real fast.”

“O, ye of little humor and great girth! ‘Twill be great-e fun-e!” Graceful giggled as they turned down the next side street and found a wide alley behind the block of buildings.

“Are...are you calling me fat?” Riffraff huffed, before adding dryly, “and pronouncing ‘e’ after words does not medieval Equestrian make.”

“You are only thick where it counts,” his partner declared with a righteous shake of a hoof.

The crimson pegasus groaned and dropped his head as they maneuvered the cart into place between two other wagons – both exceptionally more luxurious and expensive-looking than their own shabby transport. Riffraff glanced at these for a moment, somehow sensing that their welcome to this posh establishment would likely resemble their reception at the Manehattan hotel. Oh well. Ponies are ponies. Flash enough cash, they’ll do what you want. “Let’s grab what we can for the first trip and get the rest after we snag a room, Gracie.”

“Okie doke!”

The two pegasi were indeed greeted with horrified stares as they wandered through the expansive lobby, which had been decorated with stone pillars, multiple fireplaces and enormous leather armchairs that probably each cost more than everything in their cart combined. When they approached the huge slate desk labeled ‘Concierge’, the sharply-dressed unicorn peered down at them as if they were so much goop stuck to the bottom of his hoof, his perfectly coiffed mane remaining absolutely still despite his repulsive wince backward. “We are extremely sorry, but there are no public restrooms here,” he announced brusquely, turning his nose up slightly while Riffraff rolled his eyes and motioned to his partner. Graceful giggled cheerfully as he fished around in one of the two satchels tossed over a shoulder, eventually producing an over-filled sack of gold bits that he slammed victoriously onto the stone countertop.

“Public bathrooms are pretty fun, but you’ll probably want us to have a private one with lots of soundproofing!” he replied brightly, pressing close to Riffraff’s side. The muscular pegasus smiled despite himself and watched as the light blue unicorn blinked several times, cautiously poking the thin cloth with a hoof before gasping when several large-denomination coins tumbled out, clutching at his own chest.

“T-Terribly sorry, sirs! We pride ourselves on the utmost graciousness and hospitality for our esteemed guests and would never make assumptions, I was merely--”

“You were merely being an ass,” Riffraff grumbled, sitting back on his haunches before grunting. “Grace, tell him what kinda room you want. I’m gonna step outside for a sec.” He tapped the pouch hanging beneath one wing as explanation and the smaller male nodded immediately with a sympathetic smile. “Oh stop, I’m good. Get us all settled up – pay with cash if he’s gonna keep being an ass, but just for one night. They can take a check for the remainder of our stay.” He paused and glowered up at the well-pressed clerk, the horned stallion clearing his throat and adjusting his collar. “Won’t they?”

“Of-of course, sir,” the unicorn babbled, nodding several times and giving his most winning smile, a nervous sweat visible over his features. “Will...you be lodging a complaint, sir? Shall I fetch the manager?”

“No, because he or she will probably be a bigger ass,” Riffraff mumbled, waving a hoof over his shoulder as he ambled toward the front entrance. “Just don’t screw us on the bill, or I’ll have Graceful come find you in the middle of the night and make you wish you were a mare.” Leaving the unicorn with a horrified expression, Riff pushed through the revolving doors and plopped down near the enormous facade to light a cigarette in the corner of his muzzle.

Back inside, Graceful Melody gave the wide-eyed clerk a toothy grin, rearing back to put his front hooves upon the desk and peering over the smooth surface at him. “You ever heard the expression ‘dry to the bone’? Yeah, I’m pretty sure I started that one.” The unicorn attempted to stutter some reply that was in no way an insult, but Graceful cut him off as he began to cheerfully ramble off all the requests he had for their suite.

By the time Riffraff returned to the lobby, the unicorn had just shakily slid two electronic key cards across the counter while a beaming Graceful Melody babbled about their plans while in Canterlot. The masculine pony smiled slightly, gently nudging the lithe pegasus while snagging the keys from the stone surface and nodding curtly toward the bewildered clerk. “I’m sure he’d love to hear all about that later, sweetie. Let’s go check out our room for now, though, get the rest of our stuff unloaded.” Graceful Melody laughed and nodded as he quickly threw a wave to the flabbergasted unicorn, then trotted after his companion to join him in the ancient elevator that took them to the third floor.

The hotel had the appearance throughout of an old inn, with sprinklings of castle-like features here and there, such as the ornamental windows cut directly in the stone walls; they were, of course, filled with tempered glass and likely sealed with the finest anti-weathering material. Torches with actual flames lined the hallway, and an enormous plush rug ran the entirety of the corridor. Riffraff knew most of it was purely decorative – ornamental flairs that were there for the single-most important reason of convincing their clientele to pay such exorbitant rates for even their smallest suites. But he nonetheless felt a sliver of captivation, feeling almost like a young foal out on a field trip to some ancient Equestrian ruins.

Graceful, on the other hoof, had fallen into a complete trance. He stared at every tapestry, every fake mounted weapon, in absolute awe, eyes wider than saucers as they approached the room. Considering his strictly controlled childhood experiences – followed by his particularly wild years of rebellion – the sheer completeness of the medieval theme around them was like stumbling into a different world. He spent nearly a minute staring with wonderment at a life-sized suit of armor posed a few feet from their door until Riffraff finally half-dragged him into their room.

Graceful’s amazement was merely placed behind muffled walls, however. The moment he was forced to stop staring at the hallway and instead glance around the enormous suite, his eyes only grew all the wider. “Ohmygosh, Riffy, LOOK how high the ceilings are!” He whooped, easily dropping the two satchels from his slender shoulders as he shot into the air and began to fly just beneath the ceiling, which stood at least at a height of two stories. “We could have air-sex!”

Riffraff groaned and rubbed at his muzzle slowly as he unloaded his own batch of luggage. “I. That just sounds so weird when you say it like that,” he replied lamely, awkwardly blushing against his own will. “Though maybe we will. It is kind of awesome.”

“You bet your sweet pony meat it’s awesome,” Graceful sang out, gliding back toward the ground with an excited expression, his eyes gleaming. “C’mon, c’mon, let’s get everything brought up here so we can mark all the places we’ll sully!”

The larger male blinked before pursing his lips and leading his companion back to the door. “You had to have picked that word up from Amdusias. It’s too fancy for me, and not blunt enough for you.”

An awkward moment of silence passed between them and Riff gave a mental wince, slowly looking over his shoulder. But Graceful looked thoughtful more than anything else, his muzzle wrinkled slightly. Eventually he glanced up again with a careful smile. “Well...maybe I did. He does use some pretty big-stupid-jerk words.”

“He certainly does,” Riff replied softly, smiling in relief as the two ponies headed back down to the alley behind the hotel.

They made good time getting the rest of their things up to the spacious room, even Riff shamelessly eager to spend a bit of time admiring the mix of medieval stonework and modern comforts. The walls were decorated in the same style as the lobby and corridors, though there were no torches used as interior lighting. Several candelabras were placed around the room instead, and they had actual candles in them. The suite itself had been designed as one enormous room, a luxurious bed positioned near the wide balcony, several couches and armchairs standing before the gaping fireplace and a full kitchenette opposite the carpeted area that had all the same appliances as their last hotel room. The flooring in the cooking and dining area, as well as within the half-hidden bathroom, was made to look and feel like the same stone as the walls, though when Riff placed his hooves upon the material, he was both surprised and amused to feel that they were warm to the touch. Heated floors, a fireplace and a ceiling like a damn cathedral. Maybe we do owe Amdusias at least a small bit of thanks.

The two pegasi settled quickly into the expansive room, once again allowing themselves to enjoy a bit of the privileged life as they took the time to explore Canterlot. The city of stone had numerous attractions for Riffraff and Graceful to admire, though despite extensive prodding about, they had no luck finding any venue that specialized in their preferred variety of music. They eventually secured themselves a hoof-full of one-night gigs at a variety nightclub in the modernized quarter of the royal city, though these shows left a bad taste in both stallions’ maws – they felt as if they were merely puppets on a string for an audience more interested in securing a partner for the night. Riff had the sneaking suspicion that the “variety” theme advertised by the murky club referred more to the wide selection of desperate ponies looking for a temporary bed-mate, much of their audience each night stumbling out in pairs long before the close of their set.

After their third night of giving yet another halfhearted performance, the two pegasi returned almost directly to the hotel, glum expressions across their faces. Graceful hadn’t even bothered to try and pick up a lonely stallion to join them in their cozy suite, which they’d done the last two shows if only to force away the depression of having such a careless audience by having mindless sex. Riff was nearly tempted to ask his companion if he wanted to go out and scour the night streets of Canterlot for another willing third party, but he knew his own heart wasn’t into the idea.

They entered their room gloomily, dragging in the guitar case, Graceful’s microphone and several bundles of cabling and leaving them piled messily by the entrance. The smaller pegasus yawned widely as he idly shook himself free of the loose dress he’d worn – he’d coupled it with a pair of thin wool stockings on his forelegs, since he hadn’t considered the club “worthy” of an all-out cross-dressed outfit. The childish opinion brought a smile to Riffraff’s face; more often than not, when Graceful wanted to dress up but didn’t want to go with the elegant, sensuous approach, he’d combine a few different articles of clothing that rarely matched up but certainly still gave the feminine pegasus a unique appearance.

Riffraff flopped into one of the largest armchairs, slowly leaning back and then sighing with the simple pleasure of discovering that it was a hidden recliner, the leg-rest folding out with the pressure to the back of the well-cushioned furnishing. He stretched out and glanced up just in time to see his companion flit through the air, red and blue striped stockings still covering his long forelegs. Graceful hovered above him for a moment before letting himself drop down comfortably across his the larger stallion’s muscular form. Riff smiled slightly, shaking his head amusedly as Grace crossed his front legs neatly over his masculine breast, dropping his pierced muzzle down upon them. “Ain’t you gonna take those off, too?”

“Nope,” Graceful replied, stifling another yawn. “Y’know they look sexy as pie on me. An’ I wanna have some sexy stockings sex.”

“Doesn’t sound like you even need me for that,” Riff teased gently, reaching up with a hoof to quietly brush his companion’s tousled cerulean mane back, tracing lightly through the mess of natural curls and spikes. “Just a good laundry detergent afterward.”

Graceful blinked and thought about this for a moment before giggling and slapping gently at his companion’s face with both clothed hooves. “Hey! You know that’s not what I mean!”

Riffraff snickered and nipped playfully at one of Graceful’s forelegs, then pulled the slender pegasus forward along his body to push their muzzles together for a tender kiss. The smaller male’s eyes fluttered in surprise, then shut as he naturally pressed down into his companion’s masculine frame, slender forelimbs wrapping around Riff’s neck while powerful legs locked themselves around his own feminine waist. Their maws moved together with natural passion, bodies gently and purposefully grinding together as Riff slid one hoof slowly down along his companion’s spine, reaching down toward one of his thick buttocks...

“I sometimes feel as if my warnings and threats are ignored!” Amdusias’s voice snapped irritably through the plume of black smoke that poured in from the stone chimney, his body materializing through the thick cloud as both stallions stared awkwardly over Graceful’s shoulders, Riff’s extremely visible arousal impossible to hide. “I am quickly growing weary of--” The demon trailed off as he stared through the dissipating smoke, eyes wide with horror at the two ponies pressed together directly in front of him. His teeth slowly grit as Graceful made a sheepish attempt to cover his companion’s maleness with his thick tail, and the scaled entity muttered darkly before holding out a hand, an amber aura glowing around it. “Enough!” he snarled impatiently, shoving his arm to the side and flinging the smaller pegasus across the room with a violent telekinetic push. Graceful slammed into the opposite wall with a surprised yelp before his eyes rolled into the back of his skull when the demon clenched his fingers into a fist, immediately rendering the smaller mortal unconscious. Riffraff snarled, struggling to sit up on the reclined armchair, his wings flexing as he prepared to tackle the muscular demon. But the moment he leaped into the air, Amdusias turned his cold eyes back to him and once again lifted his hand.

The pegasus froze in mid-air as a similar glow surrounded his body, keeping him levitated a few feet from the scaled creature. He growled, swinging a hoof out uselessly before narrowing his eyes. “You don’t have the goddamn right to treat him like that, you don’t...”

“You do not decide what I may or may not do!” Amdusias roared, an unnatural blast of fire from his muzzle accompanying his powerful voice as the mortal pony flinched despite himself, feeling the hot flames sear across his body harmlessly. He once more clenched his fist, though the effect was not to simply knock the pegasus out; Riff instead felt a horrible pressure against his sides, screaming out in pain as his body writhed above the carpet. He could feel ribs creaking and even the sounds of Amdusias hissing sharply in his own reflected agony failed to numb the excruciating torture. “You two have yet again roused my fury, through the one action you both know perfectly well enrages me, insults me, hurts me to my very core!” The demon’s teeth ground slowly together, his anger barely contained as his body twitched, several of the long white spikes along his back bent or snapped from the force of his telekinetic attack on the crimson pegasus, blood running from the bases of a few spines as he breathed heavily. He nonetheless slowly clenched his fist tighter, closing his eyes in anticipation of the even-greater toll upon his body but finding solace in Riffraff’s horrified cries of agony.

Riff’s body twisted uncannily as his sides were visibly crushed inward, legs kicking weakly at the air as his screaming became fainter, breathier. His lungs were being steadily compressed by his own ribs and he struggled uselessly even as his vision blurred and the agony became an unbearable pressure that threatened to compress his squirming body into a flattened mass of blood, bone and ichors. He stared up wildly at the demon, realizing with horror that Amdusias’s own enormous frame was almost comically constricted in the middle, though there was nothing amusing about the fact that three of the demon’s own ribs had punctured through his tight hide of scales, poking out of his sides as black blood dribbled down from several areas around his midsection. Riffraff shut his eyes tightly, his body convulsing as he felt and heard his bones continuing to crack before he coughed violently and sent a splatter of blood out across Amdusias’s muscular form.

It seemed to snap the demon out of his rage-induced state, the glow around his hand fading as he blinked stupidly and then gave a loud groan of pain, stumbling backward and clutching at his torso with wide eyes. At the same time, Riffraff dropped unceremoniously to the carpet, already stained red with the blood that dripped from his chest, nose and muzzle. He gave a weak cry of pain and began to whimper his companion’s name desperately between ragged, shallow breaths, tears of blood leaking down from his tightly lidded eyes.

The massive demon looked down at his own body with horror, gasping for air and coughing up several splatters of blood before he grimaced and closed his eyes once more. He slowly wiped the blood from his muzzle as he struggled to regain his feet, stumbling slightly and then opening his eyes long enough to fix the crushed pegasus with a cold glare. “We...are not...friends,” he rasped, spitting his own blood distastefully upon the mortal pony before turning back toward the fireplace and adding hoarsely: “You will not disappoint me again, Riffraff.”

The agonized mortal managed to force his eyes open long enough, staring through stinging crimson to watch the demon limp a few paces away, then disappear with a hiss of pain into the familiar cloud of ebony smoke. Riffraff trembled and let his eyes slide shut again as his body shook with sobs, the motion making his intense pain all the worse. He tried again to call out Graceful’s name, but could only utter a gurgling whisper as he shivered and tried to cling desperately to his consciousness. He could feel blood pooling not only around his body, but inside his chest as well, hearing liquid quivering within his collapsed lungs with each weak breath he drew. Oh gods, not like this... He made another attempt to call to his companion, barely able to even form the first sound before his body finally fell limp, darkness rolling over his vision as the world around him faded out into nothing.

Riffraff slowly opened his eyes as a steady beeping bore into his mind, gritting his teeth and mumbling in a half-daze: “Grace...’larm clock...”

“I’m here, hon...” his partner’s voice replied softly, the larger pegasus looking down stupidly as a periwinkle leg reached across his bandaged frame to grasp one of his hooves tightly. “I’m here...”

“What...where...” Riff’s dark grey eyes moved sluggishly around, first taking in Graceful Melody’s concerned expression, hidden poorly behind a weak smile, then noticing the bevy of machines at bedside as well as the clear fluid attached to a bag, steadily dripping down a long plastic tube that was attached to his foreleg. He lowered his ears silently and then closed his eyes as he let his head drop back against the slightly elevated mattress. Well I guess that wasn’t a horrific nightmare, then. He squeezed his companion’s hoof back silently, sighing slowly. “Gracie...are you...”

“I’m fine, Riff, I’m okay...just a little bonk on the head for me.” The crimson pegasus could hear the smaller male gently rapping his own skull and he smiled a bit, nodding slowly. “But...they...the doctors said, that you...”

“I looked like an empty soda can?” Riffraff croaked, wincing but laughing a bit, then coughing several times as his bandaged body writhed in pain. “Shit...” But when Graceful remained silent, the masculine pegasus opened his eyes again. He was taken somewhat aback by the tears streaming down the other stallion’s cheeks, his own expression softening. “Aw, babe, I’m sorry...I’m just...trying to lighten things up a bit...” He made an attempt to lift his free hoof toward the slender male, but he could hardly even make his foreleg twitch as he grimaced.

“Riff...” Graceful Melody swallowed thickly, then met his companion’s slow frown with a trembling whimper. “Riff, you...you almost died...they were barely able to bring you back...”

Riffraff’s forced smile faded and he glanced down once more to gaze at his uncovered form. His chest was buried beneath countless layers of bandaging, he could feel similar wrappings around his skull and he was fairly certain that the foreign sensation he felt all along his sides was a mechanical brace that was likely keeping his snapped ribs from collapsing into his organs again. He nodded silently and then clutched his partner’s hoof all the harder. “I’m sorry...I...I shouldn’t have tried to attack him...”

“It’s not your fault,” Graceful murmured, reaching out with his other hoof to stroke Riffraff’s cheek slowly. He smiled a bit and added quietly, “You were just protectin’ me, Riffy. You really are my white knight.”

The muscular pegasus smiled back quietly, closing his eyes and resting his head back against the pillows. “I dunno if I’m exactly a...good, pure knight, hon. I got splotches all over my record.”

“Everypony has splotches,” Graceful replied softly while patting his companion’s nose gently. “But what makes you special is that you dun let them stop you from doin’ the right thing, for me.”

Riffraff blinked before smiling a bit, eyes remaining closed while he squeezed his partner’s hoof tightly. “You’re just bein’ sweet, Grace. I appreciate it.” He sighed quietly and listened to the hums and beeps of the machines at their side. He’d gotten used to the burning scent of antiseptic in the muted atmosphere around his hospital bed, though the constant dings were already burrowing into his awakened skull. He grimaced and thumped his head back and forth a few times upon the bed. “Dammit, that’s gonna give me migraines. I wanna hear guitars and singing and basses and saxophones.” He mumbled and opened one eye to gaze at a sympathetic Grace. “Are you sure we aren’t both dead and in Helheim?”

“I’m pretty sure, hon,” Graceful responded gently, smiling a bit all the same as he lifted his partner’s hoof to his own muzzle, kissing it softly. “You want me to bring in some of your records? They might let me sneak a few vinyls in here.”

“And are you gonna go break into the nearest pawn shop to steal a record player, too?” Riffraff teased with a smile of his own. “Nah, just...hang out with me, okay? And try to make me heal faster.” He paused before snickering quietly, despite the pain it visibly caused the muscular stallion. “This is one of those moments when I wish I was in shape to enjoy one of your classic picker-uppers.”

Graceful Melody blinked and then laughed quietly with a slight blush. “Oh, Riffy...you really mean it?” He smiled again, finding the sentiment strangely touching as he rubbed a hoof slowly along his companion’s masculine forelimb.

“Yeah...sometimes you have some good ideas, dirty as they are,” Riff murmured in response. He breathed quietly for a moment as Graceful remained silent, simply letting the silence drift out between them. “Have...they given you any guesses of how long I’ll be stuck here?”

“Shouldn’t be more’n a few more weeks,” Grace replied gently while holding the other stallion’s hoof in both of his own again. “It’s...just.” He hesitated, then smiled meekly as his companion turned his head slowly to glance at him, eyes filling with both curiosity and concern. “Well...I mean, we don’t...have any insurance, and...it’s...gonna cost...”

The masculine pony smiled, however, giving a slow nod before the slender stallion could continue. “It’ll cost a whole lot? Hopefully...most of it...” he said quietly. “We’ve...not been doing what Amdusias wanted us to, even with so much money. I know you dun wanna hear this, but...we really could do better.” He gave a brief laugh, then winced and sighed as Graceful gazed on with concern. “Ouch. Anyway...he’s...got a point. We could do better with our music, Gracie. And if we aren’t doin’ it with loads of money to survive with, maybe losing that money will help.”

Graceful smiled faintly again and reached up to place the back of a foreleg against the other pegasus’s forehead. “I think all these drugs are makin’ you crazy. Happy about losin’ all that money...there’s somethin’ wrong with you.” Pausing for a moment, the feminine stallion met his companion’s eyes and finally replied: “But...I think you’re right, too. It ain’t like us to be so...luxurious.” He looked wistful for a few seconds. “Even though. These last two hotels...”

Riffraff chuckled quietly. “Yeah, they were pretty awesome. But...that also wasn’t us.”

“Fair enough," Grace replied, a smile tugging at his lips again. “Alright. Then...I won’t worry about it.” He pouted as he slid his chair closer to his partner’s bed, leaning forward to rest his pierced muzzle on the railing. “But I liiiiked being rich!”

“Yeah, I know. Me too.” Riffraff nodded amusedly, then closed his eyes again as he winced slightly and then murmured, “But...I think I’m gonna nap, baby. Wake me up if Dusey shows his stupid face around here to try and make things better again. By which I obviously mean make them worse.” He yawned slowly, then mumbled, “Dun let him set anything on fire.”

His lithe partner smiled somewhat, nodding and reaching out to gently brush Riff’s mane back from his clammy forehead, then resting his hoof tenderly on his cheek. “You got it, sweetie. Get some rest. I’ll be here for you.”

Riffraff underwent two more surgeries in order to reset several ribs and ensure his organs remained free from any internal bleeding. The hospital attendants made multiple attempts at convincing the feminine pegasus to leave the room during non-visitation hours, but eventually decided it wasn’t worth upsetting the entire wing with his screeching cries of denial, especially whenever a female nurse was present to try and encourage him to leave. Even threats of charging them double-occupancy rates fell upon deaf ears as Graceful simply tore off check after check in response to their monetary demands, waiting just long enough to hear a number and then scribbling it out before throwing the slips to whichever hospital employee happened to be closest.

He and his injured companion remained side-by-side in the small room for just over three weeks. The hospital bills piled up, made all the more obscene by the ridiculous charges they’d tacked on for Graceful’s constant presence by Riff’s side. The lithe pegasus hated to admit it, though he was undeniably grateful for Amdusias’s gift to them those months ago. Without the profit from the tambourine...well, quite frankly, Graceful didn’t want to think of where he and his partner would be without the financial support.

Most of their days were spent snoozing together – at first, Graceful tried to stay awake as often as he could for the recovering stallion, wanting to keep an eye over the crimson pony at all times. But when he began downing five or six cups of coffee every few hours, Riff begged him to try and relax, to instead synchronize his internal clock with his own. Considering the influx of caffeine, it’d taken Grace nearly two days to calm himself enough to do more than simply snooze in half-hour increments. But soon enough, the two pegasi were sleeping together, waking together and spending every one of Riffraff’s waking moments together, talking, writing music, even discussing their next planned stop.

Graceful only left his bedside to grab himself snacks, write more checks, buy a pack of cigarettes for his partner, or to call the hotel and have the payment on their suite extended – their gear was still strewn about the enormous room, after all, and he had no intention of letting what few physical possessions they had be simply given up to hotel staff as “lost and found.” But otherwise, he remained faithfully curled up on the uncomfortable chair, his muzzle almost constantly resting on the bed rail to gaze up at the bandaged pegasus affectionately. He and his companion had eventually decided that they would travel to Ponyville after Riff was well enough to leave the hospital. They’d tended to avoid the small town in the past; it was considered a tiny farming community by most standards, and there really wasn’t much of a venue for the two. But there had been talk of the town growing in recent months, beginning to expand as more and more ponies moved there to experience life in a simpler sense...and perhaps some who merely wanted to claim that they lived near the forest in which Nightmare Moon was rumored to lurk.

Riff had actually suggested the location first, surprising Graceful into gently questioning his line of thought. After all, the larger pegasus more often than not chose their locations with a near-mathematical thoughtfulness, calculating their potential crowds, the likelihood of certain clubs, lounges or bars existing, and of course, the general wealth of the city. They were musicians who valued the art they practiced, though their shows were also their means of earning a living. A town might have the most appreciative audience around, but if no money was to be made, it didn’t exactly serve their interests. But Riffraff murmured that a quiet stop might do them both some good, considering the amount of time they spent in the enormous metropolis. Even Canterlot felt somewhat uncomfortable, and not solely because of the hospital walls around them. The ponies of the royal city seemed to still be haunted by the events of months past, unable to sweep them carelessly beneath the rugs like the self-centered citizens of Manehattan. Canterlot was their home, and they couldn’t just turn their backs upon the spectacle that had unfolded high above their heads. To them, Celestia had been attacked and left for dead by what they perceived as the ultimate darkness. Their Princess, their monarch and now, their savior. Many of the ponies that passed their room, or came by to check on Riffraff’s progress, seemed somewhat muted, as if they contemplated each word they said to the outsiders. Celestia always talks of harmony and unification, yet all these ponies who practically worship her don’t seem too interested in her ideas, themselves... Riff smiled a bit to himself, then gazed down at the curious pony at his side. “Huh?”

“Um. I dunno, I din’ say nothin’,” Graceful replied softly before smiling back warmly. “Tell me s’more about why we gotta go to Ponyville. I like when you talk about sensible things. Makes me feel...stable.”

Riffraff smiled amusedly again, reaching down and quietly rubbing a hoof through his partner’s messy mane. “You know, most girlycolts wanna hear stories about rainbows and fairies and princesses, not debates about the sensibility of one destination over another.”

“I think you mean ‘princes’, thank you very much,” Graceful retorted impishly before gently pattering his hooves against Riffraff’s thighs. “C’mon, pleeeeease?”

“You are so weird.” Riff shook his head, smiling again and then grunting as he carefully turned onto his side. “Anyway. Look at us, Graciepie. We’re burned out. Which is weird, since we’ve sorta been living the high life lately. But...I dunno. Neither one of us...ever lived that life, has never really even wanted that life, right?” He waited for his companion to nod childishly, then continued softly: “I guess I’ve learned that too much of a good thing can suck as much as anything else. We’re not ponies who need all that...high class horse apples. We took advantage of it, sure, but...you can’t tell me it wasn’t starting to get...I dunno. Old? Numbing? Weird?”

“Yeah, a little,” Graceful murmured as he slid his chair closer, resting his cheek on his companion’s lower legs while gazing up at him still. “Though the hot tub and carpets were nice.”

Riffraff nodded musingly. “True. But cheap bathtubs and lumpy mattresses have served us just as well in the past, right?”

His partner smiled up at him warmly. “Right.” Graceful Melody gently kneaded his hooves into the thin sheet that covered the larger male’s lower legs, then asked hesitantly, “Riffy, are...you okay enough for me to...come up and snuggle?” Silver eyes tilted upward, full of pleading hope.

But Riffraff forced himself to be honest, reaching down gently and caressing the singer’s cheek. “I wanna say yes, hon, you know I do. But...you know what happened last time. Let’s just wait a few more days, and see what the doctors say then, huh?”

Graceful pouted, jutting his lower lip out. “Your doctors are stupid and smelly and probably have super-poo-brain, and I hate them.” He mumbled quietly, continuing to work his hooves soothingly along Riffraff’s muscular thighs. “What if they secretly work for Amdouchius and they’re making you worse?”

“I somehow doubt that, sweetie,” Riffraff replied with a chuckle, rolling onto his back once more and closing his eyes as he relaxed under Graceful's gentle ministrations. “I’m gettin’ better. We’ll be out soon.” He nodded slowly and then looked down at his own chest meditatively. The bandages that remained were there mostly to ensure his stitches didn’t pop open, and to secure the brace until his ribs were ready to complete the process of resetting on their own. “I...I am wondering where...he’s been, though. Do you think he...could be dead? He must have been hurt even worse than me...” Riff shook his head slowly, grimacing and instinctively reaching up to clutch the harmonica around his neck.

“Good, I hope he was hurt even worse,” Graceful sulked, burying his muzzle into the other pony’s crotch through the fabric. The masculine pegasus winced, almost nervously. But the smaller male only pouted again and gazed up at his companion stubbornly. “I mean it! He...he almost killed you. He went too far, an’ you know it.”

Riffraff sighed but nodded a bit, swallowing as he let his head drop back against the pillows. His eyes drifted past the visible wiring of the few machines that still monitored his vitals – the doctors had been kind enough to mute the constant beeping, programming the devices to only sound an alarm if something was awry. His companion had a point, and while he intended to keep his promise and maintain his loyalty first to his lover, the thought of completely turning his back on the demon lord disturbed him. Amdusias was no dear friend, or even an estranged family member. Even in the past, the demon could hardly be counted on for anything more than a sliver of encouragement, compliments or motivation beyond “do as I command or I will destroy you.” And since the fight with Graceful, the scaled entity seemed incapable of anything that was not a cold, cruel insult or simply a blatant attempt at sparking the emotions of one of the two pegasi. Riffraff and Graceful used to at least be able to hope for an amusing interaction every so often; now, Amdusias existed purely in his capacity as the powerful demon holding Riff’s soul in limbo, his every word scathing, aimed at the emotional weaknesses of both stallions. And all the same. I’m worried about if he’s okay. He did this to us both, and yet...I still...care. What the hell.

He mumbled and slowly looked down at his silent companion once more. “I...I know, Gracie. I do. I don’t...want him to show up and. Kill us some more or anything. If anything, I’m just nervous about what it means for me if he dies. It’d be pretty screwed up if we had this whole contract dealie going on and then he goes and kills himself accidentally almost killing me, and ends up for-real killing me.”

Graceful blinked, then lowered his metal-filled ears slowly. “Aw, Riffy...I didn’t think of that, I’m...I’m sorry. Do you...really think that could happen?”

“Hell, I got no idea,” Riffraff mumbled, reaching up with a hoof to press it slowly against his own features. “This stuff gets more confusing every damn day, I swear.” He sighed again, then forced a weak smile as he dropped his foreleg, glancing down at the smaller pegasus. “Anyway. He’ll show up if he wants to. We’ll deal with that when it happens. And we’ll try to keep ourselves in control, but...” He quietly stroked his hoof through his partner’s spiky curls. “If we go nuts, so what. He’s been a jerk. I’ll...honestly? I’ll probably keep wishing we could all get along. It’s silly, it’s stupid, but...”

“Nah, it’s okay,” Graceful interrupted gently. He took the muscular stallion’s hoof in both of his own, smiling submissively into his eyes. “I don’t blame you, Riffraff. You’re a weird, crazy pony, and I wouldn’t want you any different. ‘S how I fell in love with you, an’ it’s how I wanna keep you. Don’t try an’ be somepony you aren’t.” He paused, then lightly slapped his hoof against his partner’s stomach. “And if it means that I gotta put up with that stupid spiky-face butthead, then...I’ll just go back to tryin’ to see his penis.”

Riffraff laughed at the unexpected show of Graceful’s more typical personality, then immediately regretted it as a bolt of agony ran through his chest, wincing and gritting his teeth. “Oww. Dammit, don’t stop being yourself, I just have these stupid...bones. They hurt.”

Graceful smiled quietly himself, glad in his own way to observe a less tense expression on his companion’s features. He sat up and began to massage his hooves slowly down along one of Riff’s legs. “Yeah, but you need bones, Riffbutt. Otherwise you’d just be a big pile of mush.”

“Your...brain is a big pile of mush,” Riffraff mumbled in return, resting a foreleg across his chest but smiling. “Thanks for bein’ so good to me, Graceful. I wouldn’t be doin’ so well if it wasn’t for you, you know.”

“You never have to thank me for that, hon.” The periwinkle stallion met Riffraff’s eyes affectionately, then added softly, “But now you gotta promise to get better fast so we c’n bust outta here before they take all our bits.”

The masculine pegasus smiled slightly once more, closing his eyes after a moment. “I promise, Grace. Although I know that you’d never let anypony take either of our bits.”

Graceful Melody thought about this briefly, then giggled stupidly. “True! Nopony’s gonna lay a hoof on my baby’s bits! Not while I still breathe and walk this wretched plane!” He shook a hoof firmly in the air as his partner chuckled quietly even behind shut eyelids. The feminine pony smiled and then gazed down over his partner tenderly. “Nopony’s gonna take you away from me. Never.”

When the three weeks had finally passed and Riff was at last able to stumble free of the claustrophobic hospital room, the two pegasi wasted no time in returning to their hotel suite to ensure their property remained undisturbed. Riffraff excused himself to the enormous balcony to savor the first cigarette he’d been able to light up on his own. He wasn’t sure how his body survived the days immediately after the surgery, when he had barely even maintained consciousness, let alone been allowed to leave the room. Then again, maybe I did suffer. I don’t remember much, just a crapload of pain and another crapload of headaches. He grumbled and placed his lighter at the tip of the slender cylinder, closing his eyes and igniting the end.

Graceful had spent a great deal of energy, multiple times a day, pushing the larger pony’s bed across the room to the tiny window so that he could help his companion keep up the necessary obligation. Riff had hoped that the traumatic damage to both himself and the demon would have meant that he’d have a small reprieve from the habit, but it hadn’t even taken a day once he regained consciousness for his flank to begin bleeding, his whole frame quivering with agony. He’d at least managed to surmount the pain enough that he only needed two or three cigarettes a day, but it was still something he hated to push upon his frighteningly faithful companion.

While the masculine pegasus smoked quietly outside the enormous suite, Graceful busied himself with gathering up their things and organizing them into small piles near the front door. He looked around the room and sighed wistfully, wishing idly that Amdusias had never shown up that night. Besides the grievous injuries he’d caused his companion, it was the lost time together that truly upset the feminine pegasus. Since they’d been given the tambourine and enjoyed a brief stint of luxury, Graceful had been silently appreciative of every extra moment he’d had with the crimson pegasus. They still played shows together and struggled with the expected difficulties of a physically trying relationship, but not having to worry about money had freed up precious hours normally spent stressing about the source of their next meal, time that they had in the past been forced to sacrifice for the purpose of searching a city for job opportunities, or finding the cheapest possible motel where they could crash for a night or two.

He quietly leaned Riff’s guitar case against a wall of the open foyer that led into their room, then sat back on his haunches with a soft sigh. He knew that his partner meant no harm in stressing that they didn’t give into the ease of a life supported by free “gifts” from Amdusias. The demon wanted them to spend all their time playing music, but Riff was correct in assuming that they’d hardly be able to resist splurging more and more as they became accustomed to having a large lump of cash in a high-interest bank account. But even if Graceful agreed with Riff in regards to neither stallion especially craving a life of endless luxury, he would not deny how much he had soaked up the extra time he’d been given with his companion. For all of his boundless sexual energy and apparent lack of morals in regards to who he’d drag between the bedsheets, Riffraff made him feel...complete. He’d become quickly accustomed to spending time with his partner whenever he wanted – he was displeased considerably by the notion of losing this time because they were going to have to start scrounging around for jobs. The feminine pony glanced toward the balcony and then smiled faintly to himself. For as badly as he wanted to beg his companion to ask Amdusias for another “shiny trinket”, he always had trouble arguing with the masculine pony. Their playful bantering was one thing, but if a serious discussion turned into a debate, Graceful hated disagreeing, hated to try and prove a point against something Riffraff said. It wasn’t simply because the other pony had a past as a rather well-read lawyer, but instead because he was comfortable with Riff plotting out the direction of their life together. The larger pegasus brought a sense of protection to him, made him feel safer than any other pair of strong forelegs ever had or ever would.

And so if Riffraff made the decision that the two pegasi would not only return to working for a living, but also trying to uphold the massive demon’s expectations, Graceful Melody would follow along. He would likely make some childish comments, stamp his hooves about immaturely, perhaps even sulk and mutter a few nasty words that would only be half-directed at the other stallion. He knew well enough that his personality could be considered almost bipolar at times, but he was also usually aware of it; he would always try with all his effort to avoid showing Riff any genuine anger, frustration or unhappiness. He wasn’t a mindless slave by any means, he just hated to even think about the potential reasons for Riffraff to consider leaving him, foolish as it was to think that a single argument would break apart their obscenely close relationship.

Graceful Melody reached out and stroked a hoof slowly down the slender case that housed his microphone and stand. He thought back to all the shows they’d played together, sweating and panting beneath the stage lights, slinging three hours of continuous music sometimes, in exchange for a mere hoof-full of coins. But they’d always left with warm expressions, no matter how tiring the day had been. Even if Riff was too tired to properly entertain his partner after the shows, Graceful would be lying if he tried to claim that those nights had been miserable, without a certain, quiet joy of their own. A smile slowly spread across his features, eyes closing as he hummed gently to himself. I guess it won’t be all that bad. Even if we’re wasting the days away scrambling for a few bits...we always did do it together. The lithe male nodded slowly and then relaxed against the foyer wall. Yeah. It won’t all be so bad.

The road to Ponyville from Canterlot should have only taken the two pegasi a couple hours to traverse, but with Riffraff still patched up and – at his companion’s insistence – riding along in the cart, Graceful Melody couldn’t possibly get them to their destination in even double the time. But neither pony minded all that much. Graceful certainly wasn’t bothered by the fact that he pulled all their things, and Riffraff, by himself. And once Grace politely asked Riff to stop worrying, whining and whimpering in concern for his partner having to haul everything alone, the pony naturally continued until the slender pegasus calmly parked the wagon, flew up to the front of the cart and proceeded to force himself onto his companion vociferously enough that Riffraff was stunned into silence for the next thirty minutes, able only to shakily light one cigarette after another while Graceful grinned broadly and continued to pull the wagon along while idly cleaning his features with tongue and foreleg.

The forest around them was eerily silent through most of the journey, hardly a breeze blowing through the thick trees that seemed to grow still as the two stallions passed. Both ponies kept their ears pricked, more out of curiosity than anything else. They were used to coming across a variety of wild creatures, and since their last encounter with Phooka had been considerably enlightening for Riffraff, even the thought of crossing them again didn’t necessarily strike fear into his heart. It was the silence that felt strange to them. Many of their travels took them through wooded territories, hardly touched by the hooves of ponies other than to quickly pass along the small trails; rare were the occasions when not even the chirp of insects or the idle flutter of birds’ wings echoed through the trees.

As Riffraff slowly stubbed out his fifth cigarette, he turned around to rest his forelegs on the side of the cart, gazing into the dark forest surrounding them. He heard Graceful turn his head to gaze over a shoulder and he glanced over to meet his partner’s eyes. “Weird, isn’t it?”

“Yeah...I dun like it, Riffy. You feel okay enough to...go up in the air?” Graceful looked at his companion worriedly, guilt creasing his childish features. “I...just to see how far Ponyville is, you think?”

Riffraff softened and nodded quietly, peeking over his shoulder as he slowly flexed his wings. The doctors had tried to insist that the pegasus allow them to wrap the bandages around his wings as well, to keep them more stable, but Riff had firmly insisted that they be left free – his love of flying had been sorely starved during his respite in the hospital and he craved the open skies, even though they’d already discovered rather quickly that he could only last a few minutes before having to land and recuperate. “No problem, Gracie...just a sec.”

His concerned partner glanced back again to watch as the muscular stallion flapped his wings a few times, then carefully lifted himself from the cart to begin ascending. But before he could get more than a few meters above the ground, his body was suddenly frozen in place as an amber glow surrounded his masculine form. He frowned slightly, then stared down stupidly to spot Amdusias grimacing up at him from the front of the cart, one hand held up as the other clutched his chest, heaving with labored breaths. A sheen of sweat covered the demon’s scaled form and his eyes betrayed a sense of...Is that...fear?

Graceful abruptly halted, forgetting to activate the braking levers as the cart shoved his slender form forward several feet as a result, yelping sharply. Riff’s attention immediately turned to his partner even as Amdusias quickly lowered the larger pegasus, almost gently setting him back into place upon the cart. “Foolish insect, can you not sense that?” he hissed softly before glancing coldly at the feminine pegasus wincing and carefully stepping free of the harness to look back up at the reptile with a mix of defiance and worry. “And you, allowing him to risk further injury simply out of childish fear, knowing very well you are no closer to your destination than you were ten minutes before when it was last within view.”

“I...I wasn’t trying to hurt him!” Graceful stammered, cheeks flushed as his teeth grit. “You need to shut your--”

“Silence, mortal!” Amdusias seethed, the spines along his back and arms standing on end as his eyes narrowed. “Up here, now!” The demon easily shoved some of their gear backward, making enough room for the slender pegasus between himself and the crimson stallion. Riffraff blinked and rubbed a hoof through his own mane, opening his muzzle to ask worriedly... “No, not right now,” Amdusias interrupted, glancing around again before glaring pointedly at the smaller pony and then sighing as his long tail twisted down and carefully pincered the periwinkle stallion between the two tines, lifting him with surprising ease to plop him firmly into the cart. “Riffraff, concentrate on me.” He looked across the sputtering Graceful to lock gazes with the confused pegasus, Riff working his jaws stupidly before finding himself drawn in by the glowing yellow orbs staring back into his own silver irises. “Focus!”

The bewildered stallion did his best to clear his thoughts, finding it surprisingly easy once everything around the demon’s eyes seemed to fade into a dull blur. Amdusias grunted and then kept one hand upon the smaller male’s head as Graceful immediately flailed and gave an angry cry at the unexpected contact. But the demon’s grip was strong and he kept the struggling pony easily in place while his twin-tipped tail began to spark, an amber glow slowly spreading over the entire cart. Riffraff swallowed thickly, wanting badly to drop his stare and tend to his whimpering companion, but he obediently kept his mind as focused as he could, a sweat breaking out along his own crimson hide. Amdusias grabbed the side of the cart with his other hand, his eyes gleaming brightly as his sharp teeth clenched together while Graceful shrieked almost simultaneously, the heavy wagon trembling once before suddenly disappearing from the narrow road with a deafening crack.

Riffraff yelled in shock as the eye contact broke, twisting his head away as his mind exploded into a flurry of mangled emotions and experience that weren’t entirely his. He closed his eyes tightly, blinding leaning over the cart to retch and then vomit painfully as across from him, the demon lord staggered briefly, looking around sluggishly before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed limply upon the unconscious Graceful Melody. The crimson pegasus looked stupidly at the other two males, swaying slowly on the spot as his head swam. “Oh shit,” he muttered before his legs buckled and he crumpled into a dead faint alongside his companions.

Graceful’s eyes fluttered weakly, darkness surrounding him as he struggled to breathe. He felt an immense pressure, his limbs unable to move as he wheezed and grimaced before realizing that the weight upon his feminine body was emanating a dull warmth. He frowned a bit and then struggled to worm his way from beneath the smooth hide pressing into his slim frame. He grunted with the exertion, managing to free one front hoof and then quickly wiggling the rest of his body out from beneath the heavy body, using the side of the cart as leverage.

When he finally popped free, the slender pegasus frowned and then turned around to find an unconscious Amdusias sprawled across the front of the cart. That...assface, did he...fall on me, what...what happened... He grimaced as his temples suddenly began to pound and a wave of nausea rolled through him, leaning back against the front of the wagon and rolling his head back with a pained whimper. He slowly massaged a hoof against his forehead and breathed hard a few times. Gods, what was that...

The feminine male eventually lowered his head again and spotted his companion lying in a heap at his side, immediately dropping down to a kneel and whining softly as he shook Riffraff’s muscular shoulder gently. “Riffy? Riff, are you okay, wake up! Riff!”

But the larger stallion only moaned weakly in his unconscious state, wings twitching once but otherwise remaining still. Graceful lowered his ears, trembling a bit and slowly rubbing his partner’s back. “Oh gods, Riffy...please be okay...” He could see the other pony’s sides moving, however, his lungs taking slow, ragged breaths. Graceful swallowed and then slowly sat back against the front wall of the cart. He looked briefly around them and realized with widened eyes that they were no longer within the confines of the Everfree Forest. It appeared the large cart now rested in an open field of tall, wild grasses and flowers, stretching out over several gently rolling hills below which the roofs of small homes were just visible. “Where...are we?” he whispered, rubbing his own muzzle nervously with a free hoof and then yelping despite himself when the enormous demon at his side groaned against the smooth planks of the cart’s wooden flooring.

“We...are within...a stone’s throw...of your disgusting little town,” Amdusias rasped between shallow breaths, his head remaining bowed as the claws of his fingers dug into the wood below, his muscular arms bulging and trembling in the effort to slowly push himself up. Sweat still coated his now-dull scales, his features contorted with exhaustion and agony as he shakily glanced up at the small pegasus. “You’re...welcome...”

Graceful Melody blinked, slowly frowning as the demon forced himself into a seated position against the far railing. “I...should THANK you?” he asked incredulously as he took a step toward the scaled entity, wings flaring out to either side. “I...excuse me?” The stallion snorted and stepped closer as Amdusias blinked slowly and made a disgusted face.

“Watch your tongue...mortal,” he muttered, chest heaving as his eyes remained locked with the pegasus. “Your injured knight...is not conscious to protect you...from my wrath.”

But the slender male took another fearless step forward, now inches away from the seated creature as a tremble ran through his body. “Your wrath? No...no, I think that now, YOU need to listen.” He slammed a hoof down just between the demon’s legs as Amdusias’s expression became steadily less self-assured, his eyes belying a hint of concern. “You think you can just...pop up and do whatever the hell you want with Riffraff, and treat me like shit, and then expect us to go on like nothin’ happened?” The feminine pegasus trembled furiously before gritting his teeth and drawing a hoof back before he could help himself. Amdusias’s eyes suddenly widened as the lithe male slung his foreleg forward with all his might.

Graceful expected for the demon to either dodge or somehow prevent his mindless punch, but when his hoof connected firmly with Amdusias’s muzzle and then continued to send his head whipping to the side, the periwinkle pegasus stared in disbelief. He slowly looked at his hoof before lifting his head silently as the demon hissed in pain, fangs bared and eyes burning, though now more with fear than anything else. Graceful’s eyes widened and he felt his feminine frame pulse with fury, his emotions quickly rising beyond his control. He gave a short, barking laugh, muzzle twisting into a crazed grin before he licked his lips. Amdusias paled, stammering weakly, “Know...know your place, mor--”

The demon interrupted himself with a loud cry of surprise when a second, harder punch slammed into his jaw. He could feel the stiff spikes of bone digging into the mortal’s flesh, but Graceful only reared back and gave an infuriated shout as he slammed the same leg forward again, splattering his own blood over both their features as Amdusias’s jaw gave an audible crack. The slender pony straddled the demon’s waist, tears running down his cheeks while easily resisting the weak attempts by the enormous reptile to shove him away. “You only care about getting Riff’s soul...” Another vicious slam into the demon’s muzzle, completely dislocating his lower jaw. “You don’t give a shit about us, and...and you almost KILL me to save a few hours of travel?!” Graceful sobbed and shook his head several times, then snarled and grabbed the demon’s shoulder with his injured foreleg to begin slamming his other front hoof against his features. Amdusias’s normally rapid regenerative abilities seemed to falter as bruises quickly rose to the surface of his scaled hide, several cuts opening as the feminine pegasus pounded blow after blow into his face. He again attempted to push the small mortal pony away, eyes widening with terror as the vicious punches only continued all the harder.

“And...and you try to make my baby think I would hurt him?” Graceful cried out, choking back sobs and clutching two of the demon’s thick horns in both hooves as he stared into the fearful creature’s eyes. “I would never hurt him, not like you do! You...you just want him, want his soul for yourself, but you can’t have him! Stop hurting him, stop hurting us both!” With that, he began to slam Amdusias’s head back against the railing of the cart, his strength and speed terrifying considering his lithe build. He continued to sob wildly as the demon gave strangled cries, jaw hanging loosely open while his hands scrabbled weakly at the slender pegasus’s shoulders but hardly able to even slow the violent motions as Graceful shoved the reptile’s skull into the wooden paneling over and over until it began to splinter and then cracked with the repetitive force.

Amdusias gargled in agony, his head rolling back through the shattered wood as Grace finally threw his hooves out to the side, his body quaking with uncontrollable sobs. The demon twitched several times, unconsciousness threatening his weakened, drained body once more while the emotional pegasus slowly stepped back before giving a final, furious shout and stomping a hoof down with surprising force into the middle of the demon’s long tail. Amdusias all but shrieked painfully, his entire body spasming wildly before collapsing, head still hanging loosely through the broken railing as his arms fell limply to his sides, blood splattering his muscular chest and running down over his checkered scales.

Graceful swallowed thickly, tears running down his cheeks and streaking through the splotches of demonic blood that covered his own form. He wiped silently at his eyes, inadvertently smearing more of the dark fluid across his features before turning away from the unconscious creature and limping back to his partner. His own forelegs felt like they were aflame, one of them bleeding profusely near the hoof thanks to slamming against the demon’s bone spikes. He could feel warm blood matting his chest and upper legs but all he cared about was returning to Riffraff’s side. Whether the other pegasus agreed or not, Graceful felt as if his life, his very existence, now only mattered so long as he had the muscular stallion at his side. He honestly didn’t care if the demon’s presence continued in their lives. But the constant insult, the mockery, the cruelty...demon or not, Amdusias had no right in his eyes, no right to intrude into their lives and make it a constant living hell. He...he can do that...when Riffraff...is his. But now...now he’s mine... Graceful swallowed quietly again, silently crawling upon his unconscious companion, Amdusias’s essence squelching between their bodies as he slowly lifted a blood-soaked hoof to tenderly brush Riffraff’s mane back, leaving streaks of blackish liquid before he hugged him fiercely from above and shifted carefully to cover the masculine stallion with his effeminate frame the best he could.