Chapter 15: Feeling Good

The evening sun was beginning to sink beneath the gently rolling hills behind Ponyville when the three were finally willing to stir from the comfortable, shared embrace. Riffraff and Graceful had fallen asleep almost immediately, though Amdusias found himself staying conscious enough to watch quietly over the softly snoring pegasi upon his chest. It is very strange to remain awake while these two slumber before me. He knew it went against his very nature as a demon of Sloth, but he frankly didn’t feel the need to join the mortals in their peaceful sleep; that, in and of itself, was a foreign experience for him. He felt a certain serenity, however, holding the two close and gazing thoughtfully over them as the early dusk quietly crept across the small town.

He’d been given a fair duration to mull over his thoughts as he basked in the lingering pleasure and comfort afforded to him by the two pegasi, savoring the various memories, emotions and sensations long into the early morning hours as the exhausted and stress-free minds of the ponies presented themselves as both open books and blank slates. Amdusias had taken the time to gently insert soothing dreams of inconsequential subjects into both males’ minds while simultaneously plucking out their muddled but glowing emotions, sampling them and finding enough curiously positive thoughts that his demonic needs been sated just as easily as if he’d hovered over a hospital full of mourning ponies, or a colossal memorial service for some dearly departed figure.

It both confused and comforted him to realize neither Riffraff nor Graceful seemed to harbor any ill will toward him. He’d certainly thought more than once during their long, intense and passionate bout that one of the two stallions – if not both – had intentions of using an unnaturally supercharged sex drive to attempt influencing the demon one way or another. Amdusias was afraid to admit the truth even to himself: had either of the ponies wanted to gain some foothold, some firm grasp upon his normally impenetrable will...last night would have been the night to do it. Even having almost fully recovered before they began the strange yet satisfying tryst, the muscular reptile knew he’d been emotionally and mentally vulnerable. The physical toll that he’d suffered after the reckless, fear-driven teleportation – not to mention the shockingly vicious assault that Graceful delivered afterward – had left him all the more open and unprotected against an emotional or mental attack. He’d had a genuine moment of panic when the smaller stallion hugged him in the room, fearing the worst in the feminine pony's intentions. After all, he was more than aware by now that Graceful’s near-bipolar personality led to sudden and complete reversals in his mood; he’d witnessed several occasions when the slender pegasus was sultry and teasing one moment, only to whip around and snap at the same pony he’d been trying to coax into bed. But he’d sensed the level of animosity Graceful felt toward him, and it hadn’t been any small fits of rage. The feminine pony had emanated hatred on an incomparable scale, loathing the demon for several admittedly fair reasons. But it was like something inside him broke after the emotional reunion with Riffraff in the alleyway. Amdusias recognized with no self-inflation that his soft order for Riffraff to chase down the distraught singer had had an effect as well, and he bowed his head quietly as he thought back to that moment.

He still couldn’t put a finger on the reason for his tenderness toward the ponies. After all, his long-term intentions remained the same: ensure Riff’s soul remained his for the taking, and that the stallion perished in the specific method as outlined in their contract. And yet, he’d found himself concerned with the well-being of the intricately linked mortals, even that of the lithe male over which he had no control nor could even influence beyond threats and psychic attacks. He’d meditated on the reason for such a nonsensical act of caring and continuously came up with nothing that was logical through the eyes of a demon. But as the day wore on into evening and his own emotions quietly settled, he found himself oddly content with the situation. He’d been moved by the willingness of the two stallions to share such intimate actions with him; Amdusias was no fool, and knew that by most standards, mortal or supernatural, sex was simply sex. An emotionally driven act of physical passion that served as a means of pleasure or reproduction.

Yet his experiences with Graceful Melody and Riffraff had proven time and time again that the act meant something more to them. Despite Graceful’s rampant and seemingly endless string of quick flings with forgotten stallions across Equestria, it was different with his partner. And the more Amdusias thought about the fact that the ponies had been so intimate with him, the more he realized it was no mere explosion of unbridled lust and blind physical need. It may have started as an unstoppable rush stemming from Graceful’s harried emotional state, but it had ended as a kind of ritual between the three. Amdusias recognized the fact that his emotions might have simply been compromised, that he would be an idiot to think it was more than an outburst of uncontrollable sexual desire, but he willingly believed it to have represented something more.

The demon smiled a bit and glanced down at the snoozing mortals once more, gently stroking a hand along Graceful’s spine as the smaller pegasus mumbled in his sleep and curled a bit closer. You have gone far beyond any acceptable boundaries as a lord of Helheim. “But I also would not go back and change a thing,” he whispered to himself, embarrassed by the show of emotion even though neither pony was conscious to witness it. His life stretched for centuries into the past and he couldn’t claim that it had been miserable thus far. But as his once-vast following of minions and acolytes had faded through the eons – some leaving upon the completion of their required duration of servitude, others simply fading into nothing as their supernatural lives came to an end – he’d become lonely, desperate for the companionship of those who appreciated the art of musical creativity with the same depth as he himself did. And when his roaming across the mortal plane yielded so few finds of creatures with a true adoration and respect for his domain, he’d certainly never believed he would have found himself as he now did, cradling not one but two filthy, pitiful insects with such a passion for the art.

A small smile again crossed his muzzle and he sighed as he rested his head back upon the perforated pillow, gazing out through the small crack in the drapery they’d drawn across the windows at some point. Feeling quietly lost, confused, the demon wasn’t sure how he would proceed. He’d gone far beyond the limits he firmly set for himself when it came to dealing with mortals, and what disturbed him most was the fact he really couldn’t have cared less. The two ponies had accepted him, not only as a friend but as one of their own. Even after my cruelty, the relentless assaults upon their intelligence, their abilities, and their love for each other. They have both set aside their well-deserved consternation and offered a place amongst them. It’s no place for a being such as myself. Yet I am drawn to them in ways that are painful to admit, even more painful to explain. He grimaced and automatically shifted an arm slightly when Riffraff stirred and quietly turned his body around in his slumber, muscular forelimbs wrapping silently around the demon’s thick bicep. His concerned expression softened again and he shook his head slowly as he looked up at the ceiling, pulling the mortals the tiniest bit closer. I suppose the best course of action is to...allow these things to play out as they will. No harm has yet to come to any of us because of this. He paused, then smiled wryly as he stole another quick peek at the top of Graceful’s messy mane. Well. The physical harm has since been healed, at least.

He’d been almost ashamed of himself when, after the stallions snuggled against him and drifted off, he’d surveyed their forms with his mind and found that he’d done more than just a bit of damage to them both. But as he’d quietly fed his own essence back into their sleeping forms to steadily heal their wounds, his embarrassment had been somewhat alleviated by the warm emotions that floated into his mind from both their thoughts. Then again, they always were sharing such devious variations of an act already considered devious. I suppose I shouldn’t have been overly concerned. Amdusias hadn’t given it much thought after that, and even now as the memories played slowly back through his eyes, he found himself less worried about the physical damage and more uncomfortable with how much he was hoping to again experience it.

The massive reptile mumbled quietly and then blushed despite himself when Graceful lifted his head blearily and glanced around before gazing up at the scaled entity. “Mornin’, Dusey,” he mumbled, dropping his head back upon the lizard’s masculine chest and fluttering his wings a few times.

Amdusias smiled slightly despite himself. “It is evening, little one. But...good morning to you, as well.” He hesitated and then quietly stroked through the slender pegasus’s cerulean mane before gently rubbing his fingers along the silver piercings that adorned both ears. “Did...did you sleep well?”

Graceful laughed softly, his wings twitching again at the contact to his sensitive ears as he nodded gently against the demon’s bulging hide. “You’re learnin’ stuff from Riffy, aren’t you? But...yeah.” He opened his eyes again to gaze up from upon Amdusias’s chest. “Thank you for the dreams. They were really peaceful.”

The scaled creature blushed again and nodded once, cursing himself for being so easily wooed. “It...was no trouble,” he replied as he quietly wrapped his arm around Graceful. He cleared his throat quietly and glanced to the side before looking back at the curiously smiling stallion. “Uh. Are you experiencing...any discomfort?” he asked awkwardly, embarrassment flooding his features.

The lithe pegasus blinked and then giggled quietly. “Oh Dusey, I knew you were a sweetheart deep down inside.” He paused, wiggling his flank a few times and then smiling again. “My butt hurts. But. That’s to be expected. Did you fix it? It don’t feel...broken.” He winked and was delighted to find another blush incited upon the demon’s cheeks. “And you definitely broke it all to pieces.”

“It was...you. You liked it,” Amdusias retorted lamely, rubbing at his muzzle silently with the other hand, careful not to disturb the larger pony still clinging to his upper arm. He then hesitated and looked nervous for a fleeting moment. “You...you did like it, did you not?”

“There’s nothin’ cuter than a guy worried about his performance,” Graceful responded playfully, smiling and rubbing a hoof quietly along the reptile’s broad chest. “But yes, yes. Yes I did. You’re a big dirty demon.”

“Well...you are. You are a very unnaturally stretchy mortal,” Amdusias mumbled in return. “And your thoughts were very disturbing as you slumbered, by the way. You do not actually believe that both Riffraff and myself could...do that. At once. Do you?”

The periwinkle stallion grinned brightly as he licked his lips teasingly. “Oh, and you’re a nosy pervert, too! Well. I believe in always pushin’ the limits. That’s the only way to live. You’re a little baby filly if you think otherwise.”

“You are one to accuse others of behaving as or appearing to be young females,” the demon replied dryly, once more slipping his hand down to massage the other pony’s side.

Graceful Melody smiled a bit more, then turned his head so that his numerously-pierced muzzle rested across Amdusias’s breast, gazing softly at his companion’s back. “Dusey...why...are you here?” he inquired quietly, reaching out to softly stroke a hoof over one of Riff’s wings, causing it to involuntarily stretch outward.

Blinking in surprise, the demon tilted his head slightly. He could perceive no animosity in the stallion’s question, no malicious intent – he only sensed a genuine curiosity that blanketed a quieter appreciation. Amdusias looked down for a moment, pondering the various ways he could answer. Because it is polite. Because I enjoyed myself last night. Because the two of you were willing to give yourselves physically to me, and now I am returning the favor so that all is even between us again. He laughed a bit, then smiled softly as the answer fell into place rather effortlessly. “Because. Because...you have invited me to be a part of your silly family,” he answered softly, finding a incredibly touched expression on the slender pegasus’s features.

The reptile looked embarrassed as Graceful smiled brightly and nodded firmly against the enormous male’s chest. “Good. I’m really glad, then.” He met the lizard’s searching gaze with his own soft expression. “It’s...okay if you’re nervous. I know...this kinda thing probably isn’t exactly kosher for you guys from down there, huh?”

Amdusias studied the effeminate pony for a moment, glancing over his many piercings and tattooed forelegs as if it was the first time he’d noticed them. Even as a creature of Helheim, where physical appearance is not necessarily heeded as a measure of one’s worth and mental acuity, I find it sometimes uncanny how perceptive and intuitive this one can be... He smiled after a few seconds and nodded once. “Of course. It...it is considered extremely unnatural for a demon of my rank and alignment to...socialize with mortals,” he replied delicately. “That is not to say demons are not to interact with mortals in general – every classification of Helheim, or your 'sins' as you refer to them, holds certain expectations for its members to influence the creatures of other realms with their particular specialty. This can be done in many ways, of course. Lust demons, as you may imagine, have no qualms engaging themselves in all varieties of physical behaviors with creatures of your plane. But they may also spend their time whispering thoughts into ears, nudging a mortal in one direction or another, but almost always guided by lust. We are no slaves to our alignment; it is better to think of it simply as our given nature. A Gluttony demon does not necessarily sit at an enormous table within a grand banquet hall of Helheim, shoving all manner of food and other barely digestible things into its gullet.” He paused and wrinkled his muzzle in disgust. “Honestly, you would be surprised at how many of those deplorable monsters are actually not rolling spheres of fat and drool.” He sniffed disdainfully and tilted his head upward. “But they are nonetheless absolutely disgusting. Imagine, your only desires being to cause the craving for...food. What foolishness. A mirthless talent, if it may even be called one.”

“Well, the same’s true for you, though, isn’t it?” Graceful piped up softly, again reaching across to quietly stroke his sleeping companion’s wings. “I mean...you don’t slump around and sleep all day.” He paused. “You ain’t even slow. So ‘s not really fair to be so mean to Gluttony demons if you aren’t Mr. Nap and Laze, yourself.”

Amdusias huffed and grasped the back of the small pony’s skull to mash his face firmly into his muscular breast, Graceful squeaking quietly and flailing at the air as Riff grumbled but only turned around once more, continuing to snooze. “Cease your mewling. You will wake the baby,” Amdusias warned, a smile twitching at his muzzle all the same. “And do not presume to understand demons, colt. Gluttony demons are truly a loathsome race. They are not pure and noble such as myself.” The massive reptile put a hand to his chest, tilting his head upward again before quietly wrapping the thick arm around Graceful once more, the periwinkle pegasus smiling amusedly up at him. “But you...do have a point, yes. I may enjoy sleeping very much, but I am not one to dwell in a perpetual slumber. Just as there are so many varieties of music, such are the demonic alignments. My domain pertains to many different aspects of the mind; dreams, creativity, whimsical notions that have nothing to do with a practical, straight-laced life lived by the bounds of a single, solitary aspect.” He looked horrified for a moment. “Could you imagine your only goal every day being to cause anger within other souls?”

The slender pegasus gave a thoughtful expression as his hoof roamed quietly along Riff’s muscular foreleg. “Ummm. No, that would kinda suck, I guess.”

“Precisely. And this is why it is most infuriating for all you nasty little mortals to assume the so-called ‘sin’ of Sloth is such a boorish, lifeless quality. You are most close-minded.” He quietly poked the small pony’s nose, causing Graceful to sneeze delicately. “However, you have effectively circumvented the original subject.”

Smiling quietly, Graceful nudged his chest with his muzzle. “Maybe, but you also seem like you really wanna talk about it.”

“I do not require your pity or psychological perceptions,” the demon huffed, plucking idly at the spikes and curls that decorated the slender stallion’s skull. He pursed his lips when Graceful only continued to peer at him expectantly, rolling his eyes. “Well. It is an admittedly strange scenario for me to contemplate,” he confessed, blushing slightly. “As is it a nuisance to find myself enriching you with my thoughts, since they are my own. Not all creatures are as anxious as you to share their every meaningless opinion.” Graceful stuck his tongue out childishly and the massive lizard snorted softly. “You only accentuate my point. But...it would be seen as extremely uncouth by my cohorts in Helheim, to hear of my bedding two mortals and worse, doing so for unselfish reasons. The fact that I remain here now, coddling you two like whimpering foals, is an even greater insult.” The periwinkle pegasus looked hurt at this statement and Amdusias smiled slightly, shaking his head a bit and meeting his eyes as he added softly, “I did not say that I minded, however. Your concept of...family is strange, even by mortal standards. And even the average mortal definitions of ‘family’ and ‘love’ do not easily translate into demonic emotions and behaviors. I do not act this way simply because I am ashamed. It is foreign to me.” He glanced down, idly rubbing his hand down the slim pony’s spine. “But it is not unwanted. I will not pretend to entirely comprehend the reasoning behind the peculiar beliefs that you and your foolish paladin share. I can even say honestly that it is uncomfortable to me, lying here as I am with you two. Yet I am...not exactly pressed to leave.” The demon nodded quietly, gazing at Graceful’s tender expression for a moment. “You two have chosen to offer me something that I would not expect from any mortal. Especially from two mortals I have knowingly hurt and tortured and upset, physically as well as emotionally. You in particular, little one. Your partner...it is different, I hold his contract and thus we maintain a tenuous yet solid bond. It is not completely unheard of for a mortal to form a more emotional bond with the demon with which he or she has made a pact. It is strange, yes, but...not absolutely impossible. You, however...you are the truly puzzling case. Neither of us can deny that you have been hurt, that you wished me the utmost harm.” He paused and smiled slightly. “Hel, you caused me considerable physical harm. And yet you have seemingly changed your views.” The demon nodded quietly before fixing the pegasus with a suddenly vulnerable gaze. “I may just as easily read your thoughts, but...I wish to ask you without probing into your mind. Have you honestly had such an extreme change of heart toward me?”

This time it was Graceful’s turn to gaze up meditatively at the visibly nervous demon. He himself hadn’t yet put much thought to the unexpected shift in his opinion, not with how quickly impassioned their evening had become. He found it touching, however, to see the powerful supernatural entity looking at him so expectantly, eyes filled with a vulnerable glimmer of hope that he’d never once witnessed. Running a hoof up through his messy mane quietly, the slender pegasus glanced down at the checkerboard pattern of gold and silver scales beneath his muzzle as his mind played silently through his tumultuous past with the hulking creature. He was aware of the fleeting qualities his emotions often had, knowing very well that he could just as easily turn his back upon another pony as he would sink his teeth into their emotions and have them drooling at his hooves. But he felt something deeper for Amdusias – perhaps it was the result of so many months spent hating every ounce of the demon’s enormous frame, wishing for him to spontaneously combust in a spectacular show of supernatural fireworks. He’d spent so long loathing the very thought of the creature; yet before the first big fight, he had hoped along with his companion that Amdusias would warm up to them, join them as a friend and not a cruel taskmaster and creditor. Graceful laughed a bit, then finally gazed back into Amdusias’s nervous eyes. “I...think I have, Dusey. I do. I can’t say for sure, you know as well as me that my personality and brain and stuff isn’t...normal. I kinda snap at times and flip out and all that. But I think I have, yeah. You can be a real douche sometimes, and...you were mean and pretty damn horrible to both Riffy and me for a long, long time. But...ponies can change. I know I changed a lot. I almost relapsed into old habits yesterday, but...” He tore his eyes away to look across the demon at his snoozing partner, feeling a rush of compassion for the crimson stallion. “Riffraff saved me from it. And I know he woulda come eventually, regardless of you.” He glanced quietly at the demon once again. “But you told him to come to me. And he got there all that much faster, because...you told him to. I know he loves me beyond anything else.” He silently squeezed Riffraff’s shoulder, the larger pegasus mumbling and burying his muzzle further into the crook of Amdusias’s bulging arm. “But I also know he’s got a bond with you that has always stressed him out, because like you said...he formed more than just a contractual relationship with you. But...you chose to let him come to me, and he listened to you. I’m grateful for that, I am. And if ponies can change, if I can change? I’d like to believe demons can change, too.”

Amdusias blushed quietly and glanced to the side as Graceful’s words burrowed instantly to his core. He could swear he even felt tears rising to his eyes and he swallowed thickly before impulsively hugging the slender male tighter to his side, pulling him partially onto his chest. “I...thank you, Graceful Melody. You are a truly exceptional mortal.”

Graceful smiled a bit and reached up to silently embrace the demon’s neck with slender forelegs. “You’re welcome, Dusey. But...I’m not so great. I’m just somepony who knows what it’s like to make mistakes.” He gazed softly across at Riffraff again, Amdusias’s eyes following slowly. “He’s the real good guy here. He’s the one who I don’t think ever truly gave up on that silly dream that you’d become our friend one day. He rescued me more times than I can say.”

The muscular reptile nodded quietly, lightly squeezing Riff’s large frame against his own immense torso. “He has helped me see things as well. You are lucky to have him, little one.”

Graceful rested his head upon the demon’s chest, continuing to gaze adoringly at his partner. “Yeah. We both are.”

Amdusias and Graceful Melody remained quiet as the dusk wore on, nighttime once more plunging Ponyville into a comfortable darkness. Riffraff hadn’t budged, only occasionally mumbling in his sleep or shifting his position in the demon’s gentle half-embrace. The other two males shared soft conversation that neither had ever expected to be possible between them. Amdusias now seemed to show a certain protectiveness, muttering halfhearted insults whenever Graceful babbled about one of his favorite lovers, sometimes going as far as chiding the slender pegasus for having let lust not only get the better of him, but placing him in dangerous positions every so often. Graceful found it absolutely adorable, however, and he made a point of drawling on about how “good that cute li’l Trippy was with his hooves” as Amdusias huffed and took every opportunity to point out the flaws of the young drummer.

They eventually shifted the subject to musical theory and Amdusias was surprised at how adeptly the feminine pegasus argued his points for the use of vocal instrumentation to add a unique layer to the parts played by the rest of the band. The demon opined that using the voice for much else than pure singing was a very clear violation of the ancient tenants of assigned responsibility among musicians, but Graceful’s tenacity and stubbornness had actually forced him to contemplate Graceful’s insistent views. The argument continued heatedly, however, to the point that Graceful slipped out of Amdusias’s muscular arm to hover above the bed and challenge the demon to a musical duel.

The massive reptile immediately brightened and sat up somewhat, silver saxophone already appearing in his free hand. “Very well, then!” he declared before suddenly blushing and glancing down at the still-snoozing Riffraff, half-curled upon his chest. “Oh.” He paused and then glanced up at Graceful. “Will he continue to slumber until he has completely recovered the vast amount of fluids he expelled?”

The slender pony blinked stupidly, then giggled childishly behind a hoof. “Uhhh...maybe? I dunno! I dun think I ever seen him make such a mess!” He turned a tight loop in the narrow space afforded by the low ceiling before landing neatly on the edge of the bed and peering over at his snoring companion. “You are a nasty, dirty demon for makin’ him so tired. But...either way, what better way to wake up than to music, right?” He beamed and hopped off the mattress once more to trot around the small room, searching through their various bags and then shoving his muzzle into one as he began to fling random clothing items from it to scatter across the floor.

Amdusias rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath as he shifted his eyes from the gleaming saxophone on one side, and the crimson pegasus on the other. “I...do not wish to wake him if he still dreams.” He looked embarrassed and added dryly, “It would appear he has taken to using me as a pillow, furthermore.”

“That’s ‘cause you’re big and you make us feel safe,” Graceful replied easily, head still buried within a duffel bag before he jerked back triumphantly, a long powder-blue scarf in his muzzle. It was the same he’d worn the first night at 88 Pleasures and his eyes gleamed as he quickly wrapped it around his neck.

The demon, however, had flushed again and was studying the effeminate pegasus with a quiet appreciation. Graceful’s words had come so smoothly, so naturally. It meant a world of confused but grateful emotions for the massive demon and he finally set down the saxophone to rub quietly at his muzzle. He smiled slightly when Graceful popped his head over the end of the bed a moment later, peering up past the demon’s clawed feet and tilting his head curiously. “What?”

“Nothing, little one. You simply continue to marvel and awe, that is all,” he responded quietly.

“Well, no surprise there,” Graceful tutted, dropping back down and prancing around the floor with his muzzle tilted up in mock snobbishness. “Ain’t no pony who ain’t marveled an’ awed over this sweet flank.” Amdusias snorted quietly, shaking his head with amusement but continuing to gaze down at Riffraff with poorly hidden tenderness. Graceful glanced up at him again and then smiled as he trotted back over and hopped onto the mattress. “Alright, alright, though. Here, lemme show you a trick I use for when I get up ‘fore him an’ make coffee’n stuff.” The reptile tilted his head curiously as Graceful snagged the one pillow not propped up beneath the demon, then held it out. “Here, take this...” He reached down to quietly guide Amdusias’s large hand to the fluffy pillow, then beaming as he pushed the bemused lizard’s bulging arm across his own chest, toward Riffraff. “An’ now tuck it in between his legs, yeah, just like that,” he instructed, smiling encouragingly as the enormous male hesitantly nudged the pillow between his side and Riffraff’s masculine limbs. He blinked as Riff mumbled but instinctively hugged the pillow close, curling up somewhat around it. The demon smiled despite himself and then carefully extracted himself from the pegasus’s embrace before sitting up and continuing to watch him for a moment. Graceful gave his own warm expression, flapping his wings quietly to lift himself from the mattress. “See? Easy as pie. He’s a cutie, huh?”

“Yes...I suppose he is,” Amdusias replied quietly with the same small smile. He chuckled and then snagged his saxophone before sliding carefully down from the bed, keeping his tail clear of Riffraff’s snoozing form. “But very well, then.” His eyes narrowed as he grinned toothily. “Allow me to disprove your childish notions.” Graceful laughed and promptly sat down on one side of the small room as the demon plopped down across from him, crossing his legs and placing his glimmering instrument to his muzzle. “Make your pitiful attempts at following along,” he added challengingly before beginning with a soft but quick double-octave scale, clawed fingers moving smoothly along the keys as the warm sound immediately filled the enclosed space.

The periwinkle stallion scoffed and leaned forward slightly, immediately opening his muzzle and matching the upward progression of notes with a rich a capella that began on the same pitch. He mimicked the saxophone note-for-note, moving easily from a slight baritone up to a gentle tenor, holding the last sound for a few seconds and then grinning back defiantly.

Amdusias snorted quietly but nodded once, then again played the same scale up two octaves before reversing the progression back to the initial pitch and then sounding off a swift arpeggio along the same key, the seven notes spaced neatly along the major scale. But Graceful sounded off the same musical exercise even before his final note faded, the pegasus’s soulful voice tracing along the precise pattern of pitches before he reproduced the arpeggios with a tone that nearly reproduced the brassy timbre, his eyes closing but expression remaining eased.

Huffing softly, the reptile fingered his padded keys rapidly and then leaned forward to play a blues scale in a completely different key, adding a series of diminished chord progressions that created a nearly dissonant twist at the end of the melodic chain. But Graceful grinned at the familiar musical shift, again repeating the demon’s instrumental piece smoothly before he rose to his hooves and added his own jump to a higher octave, creating a rolling melody with a series of piercing minor progressions that shifted pitch rapidly to end on a clear, crisp soprano trill.

The demon blinked but doggedly played back Graceful’s vocalized tune, his fingers becoming a blur as he increased the tempo and held the same squealing trill at the top of his instrument’s range, then grinned around the mouthpiece as he bit carefully into the reed and blew hard to produce a bright note that caused the windows to vibrate gently in their frames. But even as he held the sustained note with detectable strain, Graceful stepped closer and released a surprisingly low series of nonsensical sounds, the baritone notes rolling off his tongue smoothly before he began a steady progression higher. He swayed slightly to some inaudible rhythm as his voice rose in power, becoming almost operatic with each trail upward, peaking and then dropping a few pitches only to climb higher up the minor scale. Amdusias continued to hold his note determinedly, beginning a practiced circular breathing in through his nostrils as he stood up challengingly and leaned over the approaching pegasus, his eyes glowing brightly.

Graceful’s eyes gleamed in return, his muzzle opening wide one moment, then nearly shutting as he continued the impressive wave-like progression along several octaves, his entire body flexing with each higher pitch until he managed to reach the piercing note still rushing from the bell of Amdusias’s instrument. The two glared at each other, Amdusias beginning to sweat as Graceful’s body trembled slightly, their matched squeals hardly wavering as the leaned a bit closer before the pegasus suddenly placed a hoof against his chest, his voice dropping several progressions down the scale before he took a quick breath and then threw his head back to release the same note, only an entire octave higher. His wings spread proudly and Amdusias’s eyes widened as the piercing vocalization reverberated through the room, the windows and mirrors trembling violently before one of the thin panes exploded outward with the distinctive crackle of glass tinkling down to the street below.

The demon’s saxophone wavered for a moment before fading into silence as he stared down at the feminine stallion, who ended his shrill note a second or two later. He panted hard but grinned victoriously as he sat back onto his haunches and winked up at the speechless reptile. “So...you c’n just...take that sax...’n shove it up...”

“Whaaaaatthehellisgoingon,” Riffraff interrupted with a grumpy mumble, glaring over the pillow still clutched to his chest at the two males, who looked awkwardly back at him. “‘S still nighttime. Shaddup ‘n come back to bed.”

Graceful giggled, still catching his breath as Amdusias cleared his throat and allowed the saxophone to hang loosely in the air. “Dearest seller of souls. It is already the next night. Also.” He huffed and glared back down at the preening singer. “I am now entirely certain your precious maiden is no mortal. I believe he has cheated me in a battle of the utmost importance.”

Riffraff grumbled and shoved his face against the pillow, his response muffled. “You made him break a window, din’ you?”

Amdusias blinked and then scowled as Graceful laughed and pranced around before him. “That. Is nonsense, I...broke it with my. Mind.”

“You couldn’t have done that” Graceful cried out, flailing at the demon’s legs as Amdusias yelped and kicked back at him lightly. “You have poo-brain, and poo splats, it can’t break windows!”

The reptile glared down again, swiping gently at the nimble pegasus with his long tail. Graceful easily leaped over the flexible appendage and Amdusias shook a fist angrily. “I could make it break windows!”

“Ewwww, Dusey throws poo!” Graceful announced childishly, ducking under another sweep of the demon’s tined tail and then giggling as he quickly jumped back onto the bed to hide behind the other groaning stallion. “Good luck gettin’ us in bed again with poo-hands!”

“I don’t!” Amdusias yelled, stamping a foot immaturely as his silver instrument disappeared in a puff of amber smoke.

“That doesn’t even make--” Graceful’s cheerful and automatic response was cut off when Riff clapped a hoof blindly over his pierced muzzle, the slender male squealing behind it and slapping wildly at the larger pony’s forearm.

“Oh my dear gods, for the love of Celestia, shuuuut uuuuup,” Riffraff mumbled loudly, glaring blearily up from the pillow again.

Amdusias pursed his lips and crossed his arms stubbornly before tilting his head to the side. “I am the most powerful being in this room and therefore I declare that neither of you are allowed to use that wicked sun-lover’s name again. It is most distasteful amongst demons.”

“So’s your semen,” Riffraff retorted against the pillow, head dropped against it once more as he let his hoof fall from Graceful’s features.

The reptile blinked before huffing indignantly and taking a step toward the bed with a threatening gesture. “It is not! You take that back, nasty little creature, you seemed to enjoy it very much! In fact, I seem to remember you begging for more.” He clasped his hands together and batted his eyes while curling his tail high above his back, speaking in a high-pitched voice. “Oh, Dusey, oh Dusey, please give me more, Dusey, I love it so much, you taste like sugary mortal treats and other baked delicacies!” He continued to make squeaking, lewd noises as Riffraff blushed furiously against the pillow.

Graceful immediately began to giggle uncontrollably, covering his muzzle with both his hooves but hardly able to conceal his gleeful amusement. He rocked back on his haunches while the demon flailed his muscular arms and bent forward, rolling his eyes back into his head dramatically until Riff finally flung the pillow at his face. The reptile squawked in surprise, managing to catch it but falling onto his buttocks heavily before glaring up at the smug pegasus. “Serves you right for being...such a...”

“A poo-brain?” Graceful suggested brightly, waving a hoof in the air.

“Yes. In fact, I may go as far as poo-face,” Riffraff sniffed, turning around once on the bed before flopping down and then glancing at his companion. “So seriously, what the hell were you two doing?”

Amdusias tossed the pillow back onto the bed, grumbling as he rubbed one of his muscular arms and then sat resolutely between the two stallions, leaning back on his hands. “Graceful attempted to prove a theory correct, when in fact he used his unnatural harpy’s-cry to make a great show of shattering poorly constructed mortal glass.”

“That’s not true!” the slender male cried out, pointing accusingly at the glowering demon. “He said voices can’t be as pretty as instruments if they aren’t singing, and he’s wrong, wrong, wrong! They c’n be pretty as instruments, too!”

Riffraff blinked a few times before glaring sourly between the other two males. “Seriously? You woke me up for that?” He groaned and rolled his head back, rubbing a hoof slowly along his muzzle. “Amdusias. Did you enjoy Graceful’s muzzle last night?”

The enormous reptile looked embarrassed, taken aback by the question as he stammered. “That. Question is irrelevant, and has absolutely noth--”

“Graceful,” Riffraff interrupted, fixing his penetrating gaze on the smaller pegasus. “Did Amdusias’s instrument bring you oh-so-much delight last night?”

“Well of course, but everypony’s horn can give me –”

“Then you are both right. Hooray. Let’s go back to bed,” Riff mumbled as he flopped back onto the mattress, limbs splayed out.

Amdusias and Graceful Melody looked at each other for a moment before they glared simultaneously at the crimson pony. Riff slowly opened one eye before clearing his throat awkwardly. “That was no solution, Riffraff. The little one and I have decided that we will use...what did you call it?” He peered down at Graceful, who giggled and waved a hoof, then lifted his head up to whisper rapidly against the demon’s skull as Amdusias leaned toward him. “Ah yes. We will use the feared technique of double penetration upon you.”

Graceful cackled and rolled onto his back as he laughed madly, the lizard looking confused for a moment before he frowned and then widened his eyes embarrassedly. “You did not tell me that’s what it meant!”

“I blocked my brainwaves with thoughts of gross fillies!” the pegasus crowed, continuing to giggle as Riffraff muttered something about immature foals, forelegs covering his ears as Amdusias huffed and prodded his companion repeatedly with his twin-tipped tail. “You’re so nasty, Dusey!”

“You are the nasty one!” he retorted lamely before looking sheepishly back at Riffraff. “I did not know double penetration involved...that.”

Riffraff glared gloomily up at the demon from beneath his forelegs before sighing and slowly letting himself slide backward and off the mattress. “Then truly, Helheim is a horrid place.” He rubbed at his frazzled pink mane, afraid to even see what it looked like at the time – he hadn’t been able to properly style it for days. “But since you two are so intent on waking me up...what do you suggest we do at this hour. I would imagine Ponyville doesn’t have much of a nightlife.” He stifled a yawn, approaching one of the windows and pushing the curtains aside with a hoof to peer out with bloodshot eyes. “Besides, I wouldn’t think you’d want us to go out there with how nervous you been ‘bout other evil creepers creepin’ around out there,” he added, glancing over his shoulder as the demon frowned back at him.

“Foolish notions,” Amdusias muttered, though his eyes flashed with nervousness as he watched Graceful flit easily over his head before gliding over to the coffeemaker. “There...I have not sensed any nearby supernatural entities since having recovered. Traces of...their presence.” He shivered despite himself and glanced down at his own hands for a few moments. “But nothing within this wretched little town.”

Riff grimaced and nodded slowly as he let the shades drop back across the window. “Okay.” He paused, then gazed up at the demon. “You told us a little about...her. But I dun think you’ve...told us a lot about those ponies you mentioned.” He hated how embarrassed he looked, rubbing a hoof silently through his mane again while glancing at Amdusias almost pleadingly. “But...I mean, I dun wanna ask too much, but...”

The reptile scowled, then he huffed before muttering: “No, how is it you ponies do? Oh, yes.” With that, the demon stood straight, rose his head proudly, then blew a loud and particularly-sloppy raspberry in Riff’s direction, making Graceful giggle childishly from across the room. “I am not about to torment you for asking a question. A particularly-important question, at least; however, I may torment you and the little maiden later if you continue on insisting to be so irksome and puerile.”

Riffraff grumbled, rubbing at his muzzle before pausing. “Well. Alright, then. But. Let’s go outside.”

Amdusias froze up slightly, his features again creasing. “Why are you so insistent on leaving the mildly increased safety offered by this shoddy domicile?”

“Because I spent damn near three weeks in a goddamn hospital after you tried to accordion my flank only to be released, get shooped through the forest while you brain-raped me and my coltfriend for a bit of extra demon-juice, then nearly kill myself chasing down said coltfriend after which he beat me up. I haven’t had a lot of time outside.” He paused. “Did I mention this was all mostly your fault?”

Amdusias pursed his lips before rolling his eyes and crossing his muscular arms over his massive chest. “Point taken, oh beacon of all that is masculine.” He emphasized this point by again sounding off a few more high-pitched squeals that immediately brought a flush to Riffraff’s features.

Graceful held his smile back as he turned around from the coffeemaker and glanced between the other two. “C’mon, Dusey, it won’t be so bad. Let’s go out, have a little late-night picnic. We can find some apples or somethin’ out in those fields...take the coffee out.” He met Amdusias’s nervous gaze. “You’re back at full strength, right? You can just...get us out of there if somethin’s wrong, right?”

“I...I likely would have no trouble with that, of course, but...”

The lithe pegasus smiled quietly, meeting Riff’s gaze. “We trust you, Dusey. Right?”

“Right,” Riffraff echoed softly with a slow nod. “Yeah. We do. C’mon, let’s...get outside for a bit. It’ll be alright.”

Amdusias sighed and looked torn between exasperation and faint amusement. “It was a mistake allowing myself to become so close to you mortals. You are incorrigible enough on your own. Having a mighty lord of Helheim as your new, shiny, grudging bedmate seems to create an even greater aura of foolhardiness about you both.”

“We probably wouldn’t like you as much if you weren’t so big all over,” Graceful commented easily as he tapped the nearly-full carafe gently. Amdusias grumbled something incoherent and the pegasus smiled across at him before glancing at his companion. “Riffy, do we still have that nasty old thermos?”

“Yeah, it’s somewhere in the kitchen-supply bag...I’ll dig it out.” The crimson stallion laughed quietly and began to paw through one of the duffel bags, removing an assortment of pots and pans. The demon watched him for a moment before sighing again and slipping off the mattress to stand and slowly stretch his arms out above his horned skull.

“Oh, very well. Why do the two of you have such an obsession with this coffee drink?”

“Did you not like yours last night? I c’n add more cream if you’d like,” Graceful said sweetly, tipping a wink and giggling as the reptile glared at him, then soured.

“I understand what you imply, and I will politely decline,” he replied mildly, rubbing at a muscular bicep.

“Your loss,” the periwinkle male sang out as Riffraff strode over to him with the thermos held between his teeth, their container of powdered creamer hanging down from his muzzle as well. “Thanks, Riffybutt.” Graceful Melody carefully poured the steaming liquid into the thermos before snapping the lid on tight, then grabbing an empty satchel from the collection of luggage to quickly strap on around his shoulder. Riff smiled slightly, sliding the full container into the largest pouch, then adding the creamer, sugar packets and complimentary mugs. “And thanks, Dusey, for doin’ this with us. We love bein’ outdoors!”

“So I gather,” the demon mumbled, dropping his arms at his sides and then adding dryly, “I’m going to mask myself for obvious reasons, now. Do not take it personally, little one.”

“I won’t! ‘Sides, I c’n smell you out pretty good now.” He giggled quietly and trotted to the door as Amdusias blushed slightly and rubbed self-consciously at his spiked muzzle before becoming invisible to the slender male. Riff glanced up at him with a small, thankful smile – the gesture had been minor, but he knew it had a significant impact on the emotionally turbulent Grace.

The three exited the room and made their way down to the lobby, where the same blue and white unicorn was seated behind the front desk, blearily flipping through a magazine. She glanced up as the visible ponies approached the counter before peering at them pointedly. “So...you two have...settled in?”

Riffraff blushed deeply as Graceful beamed up at her, nodding several times. “Yep! I hope we didn’t wake anypony up last night.” Behind them, Amdusias looked just as embarrassed, dropping his head into a hand and rubbing slowly at his features as his tail flicked irritably.

She cleared her throat quietly. “I...took the liberty of giving you two the room furthest from the other two guests staying here. There were no noise complaints, although I may consider asking my father to think about adding another few feet of carpet, seeing as your room is above our office.”

The larger stallion looked horrified while his partner only laughed. “That might be a good idea! We sometimes get really loud when we--”

“When we practice for our shows,” Riffraff interrupted quickly, his expression morbid as he glared at the giggling pony. “We. Are so sorry. I promise it. Will not happen again.”

“I have very little faith in this,” Amdusias mumbled, reaching out to lightly flick the crimson pony’s flank and causing Riffraff to twitch slightly

But the smiling mare only waved a hoof dismissively. “It’s fine. To be honest, I’d much rather see two ponies delighting in each other than trying to drown their sorrows. Much less likely to get the police involved, after all.”

Riffraff flushed quietly again, glancing worriedly at his partner. But Graceful only returned the warm smile and nodded firmly. “Me too.”

She laughed softly and then held up a foreleg. “Oh, and before I forget.” Her horn glowed briefly as a slip of paper floated up from the small cubbyholes behind her seat, each one labeled with a room number. “Your bank statement came in this morning.” She slid the telegraph chit across the counter and when the pale glow faded, Riffraff plucked it from the surface with an inquisitive frown.

At first glance, he was relieved. Their checking account had been completely withdrawn, but nearly ninety-thousand bits still remained in the savings account. But when he did the math in his mind, he realized the three weeks’ stay at the hospital, plus the surgeries and medication, had drained over two-thirds of their original amount. He grimaced but reminded himself that what was left would still be more than enough to support them through even an extended drought of paid gigs. Amdusias peered curiously over his shoulder before asking, “Is this amount formidable?”

Riffraff focused his thoughts, allowing the reptile to hear them as if speaking the words aloud. It is...much much less than what we started with, but. Yes, it’s still a good amount. I’m just very grumpy about the hospital bill. That...

“That I caused, yes, yes, I know,” the demon interjected icily, crossing his arms again as Riffraff and Graceful both thanked the unicorn. “Are you informing this suspiciously unaffected female that we are not going out to wreak havoc upon her peaceful, isolated village? We received many inhospitable expressions when we dragged your infernal contraption through these primitive streets the previous evening.”

Riffraff glared up at the demon, then rolled his eyes and glanced over his shoulder with a sheepish smile as the polite mare tilted her head. “Uh. We’re just goin’ out to get some air. We aren’t gonna cause trouble, promise.”

“Unless it’s illegal to bang-bang out in the fields by moonlight!” Graceful piped up, much to both his companions’ consternation.

She blinked and then looked amused. “I would try to avoid being caught, regardless. But that’s fine. The front door remains open at all times, so if I’m not up here when you guys return, you’ll have no problem getting back up to your room.”

Riffraff thanked her graciously again, mumbling an apology for Graceful as the feminine stallion giggled and waved a hoof at her, then trotted after his partner and the enormous, unseen demon at his side. The three stepped out into the night, Amdusias carefully to remain on Riffraff’s other side to avoid an accidental collision with the effeminate -- and inexplicably energetic – periwinkle pegasus. He also continued to eye Graceful every few moments as if attempting to discern the validity of the supposed sensitivity of the mortal’s olfactory senses. But the slim stallion seemed quite content pressing to his companion’s side, bumping their flanks together and sharing warm smiles as they moved down the streets together. Amdusias made a face at the little affections, once more crossing his arms across his bare chest as his tail switched silently through the air behind him.

Riffraff caught the demon’s scowling a few times and he smiled quietly to himself before lightly extending a fully-healed wing to fold it gently around his companion’s slender form. “Dusey, you jealous?”

Graceful immediately peered over his shoulder in the opposite direction before beaming brightly. “Hey, Dusey!”

The muscular pony groaned as Amdusias huffed loudly, then quickly glanced around furtively. But they had passed nearly all the small buildings and only a few outlying homes remained. He allowed himself to once more become visible and audible, slapping his long, flexible tail loudly against the ground. “I am over here, silly filly!”

Graceful blinked and then giggled as he waved a hoof to the enormous reptile while pressing a bit closer to his companion’s masculine side. “Hey, Jealous Dusey!”

“I am not jealous!” the massive lizard snapped. A thick plume of smoke poured from his nostrils and he glared down at the two pegasi, receiving only a pair of grins in return. He muttered darkly to himself and then wiggled the fingers of one hand at Riffraff. “Smooooke.”

The larger stallion blinked before wincing as he twitched slightly. Riffraff grumbled and patted beneath his wing automatically, then scowled when his hoof hit against only soft hide. “Oh dammit, Dusey, you ass. My cigs are back in the goddamn room.”

The demon looked grudgingly embarrassed for a moment, clearing his throat and then disappearing into a pillar of black smoke that swiftly twisted away into the darkness above the unlit outskirts of town. Riffraff rolled his eyes while Grace gazed at him worriedly. “You okay, Riffy? He made you crave, didn’t he?”

“Yeah.” He muttered, glancing down at a hoof before shaking his head briefly. “It’ll be okay, though, let’s get ourselves out somewhere, I...have the feeling he’ll be back, this time.” The crimson pegasus smiled slightly and Graceful’s worry faded somewhat as he nodded quietly.

“Okie doke, Riffy.” He laughed quietly, then jerked his head toward the first gently rolling hill before them. “C’mon, I’ll race ya!” Graceful beamed and then took off at a gallop, his tail streaming out behind him as the satchel at his side clinked and thumped with his smooth motions. Riff grumbled but smiled a bit more, shaking his head and breaking into a sprint after his companion as he managed to shove aside the demonic influence and enjoy the moment with his companion.

The two stallions chased each other through the thin, whip-like grasses, behaving like foals at play as Graceful ducked and bowed teasingly every few seconds, grinning and leaping away to flutter a few feet into the crisp night air with a gleeful whoop each time his partner got close. Riffraff chortled despite himself, lunging after the slender pegasus again and again, his powerful wings fully healed and propelling him easily after the periwinkle male. They leaped and flew in tight circles together, stirring the long vegetation around them as they laughed warmly in the pale moonlight, eyes shining and expressions full of genuine happiness.

They continued to frolic cheerfully until one of Graceful’s blind reverse leaps sent him colliding into Amdusias’s muscular chest, the demon appearing behind him and immediately scowling as he automatically caught the lithe pegasus. “Idiotic children!” he cried out, stumbling backward once and then glaring down at the giggling stallion, Graceful peering over his shoulder to meet the reptile’s glowering eyes.

“Hey, Dusey!” he called out brightly, squirming back against the lizard’s powerful musculature as Amdusias cleared his throat awkwardly. “Didja bring smokes for Riffy? ‘Cause that was preeeetty mean what you did back there.”

The scaled creature rolled his eyes and idly shifted the comparatively tiny pony to one side, easily holding him around the torso with a powerful arm like he was so much excess luggage. His other hand stretched out toward the masculine pegasus, a small smile on his features as the cigarette package in his palm glowed gently and then floated toward Riffraff. “Yes, I did, because I am a kind overlord.” He sniffed disdainfully as the crimson stallion tapped out a thin cylinder and lit it with the lighter he’d left tucked away inside the half-empty pack. Amdusias watched thoughtfully as Riffraff took a long, relieved draw, then glanced down at the squirming male beneath his arm. “I believe you are infected with some foreign disease, the likes of which even Helheim below has never seen.”

“It’s called stallionphilia,” Graceful proclaimed proudly, saluting with a slender foreleg as the demon grumbled and then hefted the feminine pegasus above his head with an effortless motion. Graceful squeaked in surprise, but laughed when Amdusias grunted and flung him upward, his wings catching lift immediately to send him gliding across the field in a slow, wide circle. “I’m gonna go find some apples! Here, Riffy, catch!” He beamed and slipped the satchel free from his limber frame before tossing it down toward his partner as he careened by.

Riffraff blinked but managed to snag the pack with a hoof, glancing up amusedly as Graceful giggled and then flapped his wings to take off toward a copse of apple trees standing on the next dale. Riff smiled after him but caught the nervous glance from the demon, turning his attention back to Amdusias. “What’s got you all riled up? C’mon, you don’t really still sense anything out there, do you?” He sat back on his haunches, digging through the satchel to produce the thermos and the three mugs, as well as the packaged creamer and sugar. The cigarette hung naturally from the side of his muzzle as he spoke, ashes drifting away on the soft breeze.

Amdusias grimaced and then surveyed the area slowly before sighing and allowing himself to drop down into a seated position, leaning back on his hands. “I do not sense anything of immediate or pressing concern, no. But after having spent as many eons as I have amongst monsters of which the likes your mortal minds would dare not even comprehend, I have learned to be prudent when others may turn their backs with foolish ignorance or naïve assumptions of safety.” He grumbled quietly and fixed the muscular stallion with a scrupulous look as Riffraff tapped creamer and sugar into two of the mugs, adding a bit more to one for the demon’s sake. “Besides your childish desire to feel the refreshing nocturnal winds upon your unmentionable extremities, what is it that drove you two into this tawdry excuse for a poetic and shamefully romantic landscape?”

The crimson pony shrugged slowly and unscrewed the lid of the thermos, allowing the warm steam to wash up across his features for a moment before reaching up and pulling the cigarette from his muzzle. He tapped it gently to the side and then shifted his eyes up to meet the reptile’s own amber irises. “I guess it’s a mortal thing, I dunno. Or we’re just weird. But...we spend so much time on the road that sometimes being out here, where it’s quiet, where there ain’t other ponies judging you or being nosy or just plain getting in your way of a little peace and calm.” He poured an even amount of the scalding drink into each mug, then replaced the lid and tossed the thermos to the side. “It’s almost like...a home for us. Being out here, I mean. We’re sometimes more familiar with an open night sky than a cheap, cracked ceiling, after all.”

He smiled a bit and Amdusias nodded thoughtfully. “Well, it is not as if I do not understand, do not insult me by insinuating that mortal practices are above the comprehension of demons.” He snorted, sitting up somewhat and resting his forearms along his thighs. “I myself am not entirely unacquainted with the sense of serenity through solitude. My own manse lies countless leagues from any other residence within my domain. There is a certain, appreciable pleasure in the knowledge that one will not be disturbed, even by his own peers.”

Riffraff grunted quietly. “I won’t argue with that.” He rubbed slowly at his muzzle, then smiled slightly. “You know, you don’t talk all that much about your home. Or much of Helheim, for that matter.”

“That is because I have no obligations to discuss the subjects about which you nasty little creatures wish to hear,” the lizard replied pompously, leaning forward across his crossed legs.

Rolling his eyes, Riff puffed on his cigarette and glared across at the enormous demon. “You’re such an ass sometimes. So. At least tell me if your house was really as big as you make it sound.”

“It is adequate for a high-standing demon lord,” Amdusias answered impishly. “I’m sure it would cause the two of you lowly mortals to squeal excitedly, thinking you’d found some grand paradise, but it is not so extravagant so as to compare to the hulking monstrosities to which those beastly Greed and Pride idiots so vehemently cling.” He grumbled and dropped his muzzle onto his bulky forearms, mumbling more for his benefit than Riffraff’s. “Glittering eyesores. Those cretins haven’t the slightest clue that they are simply filthy animals, scurrying about upon ships that steadily plunge into the eternal depths, weighted down as they are with their masters’ ponderous and obscene notions of importance and hollow grandeur.”

The other male listened with a small smile, hugging his rear legs to his chest as his wings unfurled to flutter slowly in the gentle crosswind. “You really like to hear yourself talk, huh?” Amdusias scowled darkly but Riff only laughed quietly, pulling one last time from the smoldering cigarette before stubbing it out into the dirt beneath them. “I’m just teasin’. I like listening to you talk. Gracie does, too. It’s...soothing.”

“I am most honored that my sonorous vocalizations are such comforting lullabies for you two,” the reptile retorted icily. He ignored the pointed expression on Riff’s face, instead squinting to the side as the familiar sound of Graceful’s melodious voice announced the slender pegasus’s return. The demon spotted at least three plump apples clutched to his slim chest as he glided smoothly toward them, a cheerful blues standard floating down from his pierced muzzle.

Riffraff smiled slightly, feeling an urge for his guitar that was as strong as any of his nicotine-based hungers. He recognized the tune instantly: “She Caught the Katy”, an old favorite amongst blues ensembles. He found himself humming along as Graceful touched down almost delicately, immediately ending the song to instead inhale the rich fragrance of the coffee with a delighted sigh. “Smells even better out here! Thanks again, Duseybutt.”

The demon sighed but only smiled wanly, waving a hand slowly. “As much as I adore having you two grovel before me, you may cease for now. Riffraff attempted to explain the nature of your shared obsession with the outdoors. It was a very poorly constructed explanation.”

“Your...face is very poorly constructed,” Riff shot back lamely before catching an apple that Graceful tossed to him. “Thanks, sugarbuns. Hey, so apparently Dusey does actually have a mansion.” The crimson stallion nodded several times before chomping into the ripe fruit, his eyes rolling back for a moment as he gave a guttural moan around the half-chewed fruit chunks in his maw. “Oh gods, this is good.”

Graceful giggled and began to nibble at one of the apples as well, offering the third to Amdusias. “Oh yeah? So there’s lotsa space for all those orgies you were tellin’ us about?”

The demon looked surprised at the pegasus’s extended hoof, frowning slightly but slowly grasping the apple in a hand and lifting it to his face to study it in the moonlight. “The...orgies? Oh, yes. I lied about those,” he said dismissively while peering at the stem before inverting the apple and poking at the bottom. “What manner of strange mortal flora is this.”

But Graceful had frozen in mid-bite, staring with something like horror at the demon. “You...don’t have orgies all the time?”

Amdusias blinked and glanced past the apple as it gleamed in the dim light of the moon and stars above. “Uh. No. In fact, I believe last night with you two needy creatures was the first time in...ten of your years?”

Even Riffraff seemed taken aback by this as his jaw gaped slightly. “Dude, you haven’t had sex in --”

“LIES AND TREACHERY!” Graceful suddenly screeched as he flung his partially-eaten apple at the demon’s face. Amdusias had no time to react and it struck him squarely between his eyes with a dull thwack. He squawked in surprise, arms flailing as he slowly tipped backward while the apple arced back through the air. Graceful reached a hoof out to catch it again in his hoof, glaring and sitting back down to chew disconsolately at the sweet flesh of the dark red fruit. “Lying about sex is punishable by...fruiting,” he pouted, wiping a bit of excess juice from his muzzle as Riffraff cleared his throat awkwardly and slowly looked between the two, Amdusias groaning and sitting up again with a look of both fury and embarrassment on his features.

“Did...you dare to...throw this unexpectedly painful mortal vegetation at me?” he spluttered, holding up his own apple threateningly. Riffraff shrunk back slightly but Graceful remained calm, eying the muscular reptile distrustfully while taking another loud chomp out of his own fruit. The demon scowled but eventually lowered his arm and then rolled his eyes with a mumble. “It was a very unfair shot. And I was being sarcastic about the orgies, I figured that should have been obvious enough.” He looked sourly down at the piece of produce in his palm before grumbling and taking a hesitant nibble.

“One does not make light of sexual affairs,” Graceful replied primly, taking one more bite from his apple with his nose pointed skyward, then tossing it over his shoulder. Riffraff snorted amusedly and automatically handed his eager companion the mug with the plain, black coffee. He slurped thirstily at it, then lolled his studded tongue out in delight. “Mmmmm. Good coffee for a little cheap inn!” He beamed at his companion, who smiled back and nodded once, still working at his own apple. The periwinkle stallion licked his chops loudly, then scooted over to half-crawl into Riff’s lap, ignoring the occasional flecks of apple that dropped down from his partner’s muzzle as he clutched his mug with both hooves against his chest. “Okay, Dusey,” he murmured, instantly childish as he gazed across at the massive demon.

Amdusias had become more used to the jolting shifts in the feminine mortal’s behavior and he nodded once while rolling his tongue slowly around the sliver of apple he’d bitten off. He found the taste surprisingly succulent and he took another bite and chewed for a moment, meeting Graceful’s eyes as he swallowed. “Very well. You wish to hear of the Blood Seers, correct? I believe I was interrupted by your...annoyingly clingy behavior last time.”

Graceful pouted and his larger companion smiled slightly as he nibbled at the core of his apple before setting it aside and grasping his own mug of coffee. “Hush, Dusey. You didn’t push Gracie away, it couldn’t have been that awful.”

“It was most uncomfortable,” Amdusias mumbled, blushing a bit in the pale moonlight. He chewed quietly for a few seconds, then smiled grimly. “But a promise is a promise.” He exhaled slowly and then grumbled as he reached for the last mug, glaring down into the mauve liquid and then sipping almost daintily at it before looking at the two ponies. “The Blood Seers are an extremely ancient clan of power-hungry fools. But...they are dangerous. They are not to be underestimated.” He finished his fruit off, then set it aside as he grimaced into his coffee, the two pegasi sipping quietly but listening intently. “In general terms, they are mortals. Ponies, such as you, though they constitute all three species and have no physical guidelines under which they all fall. However, they possess varying degrees of power, which have been passed down through generations of their bloodline. The original Seers first gained their abilities several millennia ago through pacts with demons.” He hesitated a moment, then smiled grimly. “Demons not unlike myself, though they were somewhat below my station. Nevertheless, they were powerful, and I do not believe any of them identified themselves as Slothful. The mortals wished for power similar to those of Helheim’s denizens – from what I know, they were not aware that the demons with which they bonded, however, were not of the higher-tiers. Furthermore, these pacts were not the same as that which you and I share, paladin.” He met Riffraff’s eyes for a moment. “They gave their blood to these demons, and thus gained powers and abilities similar in nature to the wretched minions. At the moment, I’m sure the foolish mortals thought themselves newly born gods among other ponies, able to perform magic and harness abilities capable only by the supernatural. However, Helheim was not ignorant – none of the demons used in these pacts were of more than moderate power. They were given up as guardians for the original clan, but still served the interests of their lords and masters below.”

Amdusias nodded slowly and took a longer drink from his coffee before idly breathing a bit of flame over the mug to warm the cooling liquid. “The entire ordeal seemed to benefit the mortals, since they were gifted with an extended life and abilities that even many powerful unicorns were incapable of reproducing. They were strong, yes, but never truly in control. And when their mortal lives were finally extinguished, the stipulations of the pacts meant that they were all bound for countless eons of torture within the depths of Helheim. It made for a considerable source of pride for the demons that held the reigns of their bound minions, though even the greatest of Helheim’s generals could not predict the chaotic repercussions of this first, naïve group, henceforth referred to as Blood Seers.” Amdusias smiled thinly, nodding once as he drained the rest of his coffee and then placed the mug back into the long grasses between himself and the two pegasi. “None of them realized that the powers granted to these mortals would descend along their bloodlines – and in a most chaotic manner. For each individual that was involved in the initial pacts, a strain of his or her abilities became embedded into the genetic stream of their heritage. Sometimes their own children would manifest the Seers’ traits; other times, the mark would travel through countless generations, silent, muted, until finally appearing in a child born some forty or fifty generations later. To make matters more frustrating, the degree to which the abilities manifested varied from mortal to mortal. Some would merely inherit mild supernatural senses, such as enhanced hearing or increased resistance to physical damage. Others, however, could predict future events along their own lifeline, or use their blood to enslave countless mortals under their sole control. All Seers possess some similarities – namely, their vitality is increased exponentially, and they are each immune to blood-borne diseases and other physical maladies that affect you mortals. They are able to train themselves, though, further increasing the extent of their abilities and extending their life expectancy. It was the main reason that the clan remained as a secret, unified group of these powerful mortals. They were able to compile information on their ancestors and likely continue to do so to this very day, constantly augmenting their collective knowledge and no doubt developing their abilities with one another’s aid.”

Riffraff frowned quietly, glancing down and sipping slowly at his coffee as Graceful curled up somewhat in his lap with a worried expression. The crimson pony shook his head slowly and then met the demon’s silent gaze once more. “So...what does this mean for us?”

Amdusias smiled grimly as his tail flicked through the grasses behind him, seeming to twitch with the nervousness he attempted to mask. “Directly? Nothing, fortunately. I mean no offense for once, but the Seers would have absolutely no interest in the likes of you two. Nor even myself, demon lord or otherwise. We are insignificant to them. They have had many, many generations to perfect and hone their abilities and while I have not personally witnessed any current members of the cult, the rumors speak of exceptionally powerful individuals. Many of my brethren have been summoned forth by these Seers – it is one reason Helheim has not made any attempt to quash the growing ability of the clan. They seek power, yes, but their methods often breed chaos and the further inclusion of demons into their actions brings about patches of chaotic destruction and emotion that Helheim can appreciate.” The reptile scowled and looked more than slightly disgusted. “Not all of us glut upon such mindless chaos, as you may have come to appreciate about me. I do not approve of their methods.” He paused, then grumbled and lowered his head into his hands, speaking in muffled tones. “I may or may not fear them. And thus, you two must absolutely fear them.” He glanced up past his fingers, hating how he once again felt so powerless before the two mortals who gazed at him with such strange adoration and trust. “It...is something I must emphasize. Again, there is no plausible reason as to why they would even know of our existence. But I do not know their goals, I cannot even begin to predict the nature of their plot. And thus I cannot say with absolute confidence that we will never cross their path. But should the day come...you will flee, is that understood?” He gave both pegasi a long, quiet gaze and they nodded back, suddenly numb and sober. “Good.” He laughed a bit and nodded before leaning back on his hands again. He felt somewhat relieved despite his embarrassment of again having to reveal his weaknesses, his inability to offer the full extent of the protection he could sense the ponies desperately believed he could provide.

Amdusias studied them for a moment, curled together as they were. Riff seemed lost in thought, his head bowed as his forelegs held Graceful gently around the stomach. The smaller pegasus looked more torn between worry and fear, however, his eyes wide as he trembled a bit and continued to look back at the demon as if hoping he would cackle and exclaim it had all been some long-winded attempt at frightening them into silence. He smiled faintly and then sighed, slowly standing up and brushing himself off idly before striding across to the pegasi and sitting directly across from the mortals. Riffraff blinked, stirred from his reverie as he watched the reptile curiously, clutching into Graceful’s slender waist tighter. But the feminine pony only looked deep into the lizard’s amber eyes, Amdusias leaning down quietly and gripping the slight shoulders of the periwinkle stallion. “I will do everything in my power to protect you both, Graceful Melody. I will...I will not lie to either of you again about what I am or am not capable of performing. But...I...” He glanced to the side for a moment, but he felt Graceful’s hoof tenderly grasping his muzzle, carefully tilting the reptile's head back to meet his own gentle silver eyes.

The demon hesitated nervously and Graceful silently stroked along the spikes that lined his lower jaw before murmuring softly: “Don’t be ashamed, Amdusias. We don’t care if you aren’t infinitely powerful. You’re...family, now. I know that’s...silly, probably, to you. And weird, since we’ve shared so much in the last day or so, but...”

“It...isn’t so strange,” Amdusias interrupted gently, swallowing a bit as his eyes seemed to shine slightly, reaching up and silently rubbing his fingers against one. “I do...not mind this notion. I have accepted it. But...what good is a family member, a friend who...cannot fully protect you from the dangers of this world?”

“It isn’t important for you to protect us from every little thing, Dusey...” Graceful lowered his hoof and gripped quietly into the demon’s powerful shoulder. “What’s been important for me ‘n Riffy, for our time together...has been that we were...well. Together. When you stand next to someone...you can protect each other, you c’n watch each other’s backs.” He smiled and glanced down for a moment as Amdusias gazed at him silently. “You don’t need to try and save us from every scary thing out there. You...just gotta hang in there with us. Stand at our side.”

The reptile glanced at the slim foreleg stretched out, the hoof resting on his shoulder. He could see tears rolling down the feminine pegasus’s cheeks and when he shifted his eyes up to Riffraff, the crimson stallion met his gaze with a quiet nod, his own expression filled with an almost desperate pleading. Amdusias sighed softly and reached up to gently pull Graceful’s head to his broad chest, his other enormous arm wrapping around Riff’s waist to slide the two pegasi a bit closer to his immense frame. The mortals pressed against his muscular body willingly, Graceful gently pinned between them as Amdusias bowed his head against the top of the larger pony’s skull, murmuring, “You two must understand that I cannot alter who or what I am. That...despite all of this, things will end as I intend them to end.”

“Yeah, we do understand,” Riffraff replied quietly, keeping his secure embrace around his companion but tilting his head to one side as he closed his eyes and felt the demon automatically nuzzle into his light red mane. “Doesn’t mean we can’t make the most of the time that’s left, though, right?” He smiled faintly and placed a gentle kiss onto Amdusias’s neck, the demon squirming a bit but otherwise keeping his muscular arms wrapped around both mortals. “You’re the one always tellin’ us how stupidly positive and happy-go-lucky all us dumb little ponies are. We might as well live up to that.”

The enormous reptile grumbled quietly but nodded once. “It does not mean I am required to join you in your foolish optimism, though. Such immaturity is...”

“Far below your station, I know,” Riffraff supplied with a small smile, eyes remaining closed. He felt his body relaxing as Graceful curled up somewhat between the two larger males.

Amdusias rumbled moodily but smiled despite himself, shaking his head slowly. He felt himself losing the last of his hesitations, the last meager attempts at compartmentalizing his emotions and attempting to write off every strange or uncomfortable decision as a carefully constructed procedural step within some complex plot to further sink his claws into the lives of the two ponies. He glanced down but only squeezed his arms tighter around the stallions as his tail curled around them protectively. “Then...I shall stand with you two. As much as I’m sure I will regret this decision later.” He hesitated before laughing a bit, looking surprised at the sound even as he added, “Life...with you two has been exceptionally wearisome. And challenging. And annoying. And uncouth. And uncomfortable. Yet I...do not mind the thought of remaining here. I have no desire to leave, not...permanently, at least. I still must maintain an occasional presence in Helheim, of course, it...is an obligation of my rank. But...” He trailed off and then blushed slightly as Graceful smiled and licked his lips, skilled hooves slowly rubbing down the demon’s muscular stomach and toward his waist.

“Well...lemme give you one reason to hang out with us just...a little bit longer tonight,” he purred, eyes half-lidding as Amdusias looked torn between exasperated and embarrassed while Riffraff simply grinned and shifted slightly to slowly push the massive creature back into the soft grasses, offering only a wink when the flushed reptile stared up at him.

“Promise we’ll be nicer this time,” Riff offered lamely before clearing his throat and sliding in place next to his companion. Amdusias hardly had a chance to argue as his eyes widened and his head rolled back with a groan as the two stallions sank down into the tall brush to tend to the helpless demon, their empty mugs knocked aside as the gentle breath of passion rolled across the trio.

The three males returned to the inn an hour or two later, stumbling through the dark streets with sheepish grins amongst themselves. Even Amdusias had an admittedly pleased expression on his muzzle and, supernatural or not, his own gait seemed slightly hindered from the sheer rush of physical and mental ecstasy they’d shared. He’d offered to teleport them directly back to the room, though Riffraff had cleared his throat and replied that he wasn’t overly excited about the prospect of a lust-drunk Amdusias getting his coordinates slightly jumbled and jumping them into a solid brick wall. It became Graceful’s job to walk just behind the demon, announcing cheerfully whenever the drained reptile lost the concentration to keep himself concealed so that Amdusias could embarrassedly cloak himself once more from prying eyes.

The kind unicorn that had seen them out was napping behind the desk when they slipped in through the front door. Graceful began to trot forward and Riffraff’s eyes widened as he spotted something still smeared across the slender pegasus’s features that hadn’t been quite as visible beneath the dim celestial lights of the night sky. But his companion only giggled and ducked under his hoof before racing up the stairs with an eerily light step that hardly created any noise. Riffraff grumbled but slunk after him quickly before the mare could awake and likely tease them about the duration of their nocturnal picnic. Amdusias blinked stupidly and quickly chased the crimson pony with a scowl, hissing after him. “Do not leave me behind! A purportedly homosexual demon is all the more likely to be roasted upon a spit by these mysterious and likely religiously infested townsfolk!”

“Well, that doesn’t sound so bad,” Riff replied casually as he trotted down the second-floor hallway, grinning over his shoulder. “Gracie seems to really enjoy being spit-roasted.”

“I do not understand how he would enjoy such a primitive and barbaric act of cannibalism,” Amdusias replied snidely. “Furthermore, would he not be dead if...such...an occurrence...” The demon faded as the muscular pegasus continued to grin and force-fed the reptile graphic mental images of Graceful reveling in a few very specific acts, Amdusias’s eyes bulging again. “Oh that is absolutely heinous, there is a proper term for what you and I did to the little one our previous night together and it is not...’spit-roasting’, how horribly simplistic you disgusting creatures are!”

Riffraff only snickered as he used his head to bump open the door left-half open, playfully kicking it shut behind him as Amdusias ran into the solid wooden surface with a muffled yelp from the hallway before he muttered darkly and filtered immediately through the crack beneath as a plume of black smoke that reformed smoothly back into the towering creature. He scowled and kicked lightly at the masculine pegasus, feeling the brief jolt of enhanced pain reflected back through him but shaking it off while Riffraff laughed quietly. Graceful giggled as well and the two larger males glanced over to see the feminine pony already unloading the satchel, placing the mugs into the small sink to watch later while pouring out the dregs of the coffee from the thermos. “Don’t worry, Riffy, I ain’t gonna try ‘n go all housewife now. It’s probably way past our bedtime, anyway.”

“The two of you have not had a proper bedtime for several nights now,” Amdusias muttered, using his tail to shoo Graceful away from the counter while nudging Riff’s hindquarters with a clawed foot. “Go, go, get into bed. Uncle Amdusias will tuck the children in and then decide if he desires to slumber with the two of you or instead return to Helheim for an extremely long, extremely hot bath to scrub the shame from my scales.”

Graceful giggled again, leaping into the air and twisting easily around as he hovered in front of the demon with a toothy grin. “We could have a loooong, hooooot bath right here!”

Amdusias rolled his eyes, reaching out to gently grasp the slender stallion by the nape of his neck, easily holding him with one hand. “You are an endless spring of raw sexual energy, lavender. And no, that is no compliment.” He grumbled and flung Graceful lightly toward the mattress. Riffraff winced but his partner only laughed and tumbled across the sheets before quickly burrowing beneath them and flailing childishly as the demon sighed. “Why could I not have been summoned by a greedy business executive. At least his prostitutes would not have stayed the night.”

“Being a prostitute is fun!” Graceful announced from beneath the sheets before finally wriggling about and poking his head free, beaming up at the two. “C’mon, Riffy, beeeedtime.” He giggled and patted the pillow behind his head as his companion snorted amusedly but hopped onto the mattress as well. “Hey, Dusey, you gonna tell us a bedtime story?”

The enormous demon scowled down at the two as they curled up together, both peering up at him expectantly. “No.”

“Pleeeeeeease?” they whined simultaneously, eyes widening as the reptile reeled back slightly with horror.

“If I must,” he said sourly. The lizard grunted and crossed his arms thoughtfully before clearing his throat dramatically.“Once, there were two ponies. They had a lot of sex, and then they died of herpes. The end.”

“You can’t die from herpes!” Graceful chirped as Riffraff slapped his hoof against his forehead. “I would know!”

“Then it was syphilis! GOODNIGHT.”

Graceful pouted and crossed his forelegs over his slender frame, kicking childishly beneath the sheets. “That’s too short!”

“You’re too short,” Amdusias retorted before grumbling and rolling his eyes. “Very well. Once upon a time, there were two ponies, who were very, very homosexual. They summoned a demon, and soon they became wonderful friends.” The smaller pony immediately smiled brightly while Riff snickered, both gazing up at him intently. “But little did they know that the demon was only fooling them into thinking they were friends. And then one night, after sating themselves upon the demon’s wondrous seed and falling into a deep, peaceful slumber, the demon feasted upon their fattened bodies and wrote the grandest and most triumphant symphony about the joyous end to his misery.” Amdusias clapped his hands together loudly, looking pleased with himself.

Riffraff pursed his lip with a disappointed expression while Graceful slowly tilted his head before giggling. “Wait, you wrote a song about swallowing your own penis-juice?”

His partner coughed and looked awkward, and Amdusias blinked before groaning and lifting his tined tail threateningly above the bed. “You two are impossible! You require your rest so that we may find a suitable venue for a musical performance tomorrow. It has been far too long since you two showcased yourselves, and I know my voice is not alone in this realization, correct?”

The periwinkle pegasus jutted his chin out but nodded reluctantly. Riffraff himself grunted and waved a hoof briefly. “Alright, alright, you got a point. We’ll find a place to play tomorrow, promise.” The demon gave a satisfied grumble and rubbed his thick biceps before making a face at the crimson stallion’s small smile. “Now please, get in bed with us. We promise no weird touching. We...” He paused, glancing over at his companion as Graceful smiled softly as well. “We sleep better when you’re here.”

Amdusias scowled again and gripped into one of his curled horns irritably before muttering darkly. “Oh, Hel. There is no winning with the likes of you. Far be it from me to deny you your demands, O Great Masters.” He sighed but slipped into the bed nonetheless, squirming awkwardly beneath the sheets before blushing despite himself as Graceful immediately crawled over Riffraff to curl up comfortably between the two muscular males. He mumbled something in his native tongue but quietly rubbed a hand down along the feminine stallion’s spine as Riff smiled and pressed close to his companion’s back, wrapping a strong foreleg around the demon’s side. The three closed their eyes and each steadily relaxed as the comfort of the hard-won bonds washed soothingly across their varying forms, soon drifting into their respective slumbers without even the slightest aid from the scaled entity’s abilities.